Home
Mission Page
Superintendent's Page
Admissions
Elementary Program
Secondary Program
Cochlear Implant Program
Student Affairs and Support Services
After School Program
Plant Operations
Activity Schedule
School Calendar
Residential Program
Jr. NAD
Homework Pages
School History
Sports
Events
Parent Center
Board Parent Committee
Pupil Personnel Services
Culinary Training
Institute
Media Services
Captioned Media
Alumni Association
Employment
Board of Trustees
Community Support
Staff Directory

Board/Parent Committee

To the St. Mary’s School for the Deaf Community,

The Board of Trustees Nominating Committee met on April 7 to begin the process of electing a new Chair of our Board of Trustees. To ensure that all interested members are given fair and equitable consideration for this important post, we are polling our membership for their interest in assuming this position. The election is scheduled to occur on April 21.

As the chairperson role is critical to the future of our institution, we are moving as swiftly as our by-laws will allow us to fill this position so that, together, we can move St. Mary’s forward. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,
Thomasina R. Stenhouse, Ph.D., Interim Chairperson
Board of Trustees

Next Meeting:
Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 5pm in the Little Theater
All are welcome.

Future Meetings:
Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 5pm in the Little Theater
Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 5pm in the Little Theater
All are welcome.

Parent/Board Advisory Committee
Thursday, April 17, 2008
SMSD Little Theater   5:00- 6:15pm

Approximately 13 parents/guardians in attendance along with Board members: Sister Virginia Young (chair), Norine Borkowski, Margaret McCarthy

Minutes
Sister Virginia called the meeting to order at approximately 5:05pm

Introductions:
Each member of the group introduced him/herself

Discussion of Issues:

• Development of a parent organization:
• Discussion was primarily directed toward the development of a representative parent organization that could serve as a communication conduit to and from the Board to Trustees.
• Sister Virginia shared the information she learned about the previous parent organization which existed at the school. Parents who were associated with this former organization offered information about its role.
• She was able to find (with the assistance of the Parent Center) a copy of by-laws from 2002 which appear to have been in formation. It does not appear that they were ever passed and implemented, but they do provide a good starting point for the development of by-laws for a new organization. Sister distributed them to the group and all agreed to review them before the next meeting and to come prepared to edit them and make suggestions to improve them.
• Participants also agreed to continue to investigate models at other schools in the hopes we could find one that would closely fit our needs.

• Concerns at the school:
• Several members of the group voiced serious concerns about the lack of cooperation and collaboration at the school. They feel strongly that the Board needs to do something now.
• Several members of the group noted the need for a process and recognized that different people have different perspectives in any situation.
• It was noted that no single board member can act alone. The board only has power as a whole.
• Several members of the group expressed their appreciation for these meetings, commenting that it is the first time members of the board have met with them in this way.
• Suggestions for continuing communication included allowing parents twenty minutes to meet with the board before each full board meeting.

Action Items:

• Members will seek out other models for by-laws and distribute them at the next meeting
• Members will review the draft of the by-laws prepared in 2002 by former parents at SMSD and come prepared to revise them at our next meeting.

Next Meeting:
Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 5pm
All are welcome.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:15pm.

St. Mary’s Parent/Board Advisory Committee Meeting
First Meeting
April 10, 2008    5pm- 6pm

Twelve parents/guardians in attendance; Board members in attendance: Sr. Virginia Young, SSJ, chair; Robert Cagle, Margaret McCarthy

Minutes
The meeting was called to order at 5:00pm

Introductions:

• Each individual introduced him/herself and stated his/her goals for the meeting and/or the group. Goals included:
• Gain additional information, better understand current situation and problems at the school, end rumor
• Change school culture; end atmosphere of fear and intimidation
• Restore Ms. Nettie Brewer to the classroom
• Open lines of communication between parents, school administration, and parents
• Begin a process to establish a formal structure through which open communication can take place now and over time

Discussion of Issues:

• Parent organization was very active in the past but ceased to exist due to lack of leadership; length of leadership commitment was considered a possible explanation
• Some, but not all, parents expressed deep concern that their children do not feel comfortable at the school
• Several parents noted that they nave not experienced any problems at the school and have been satisfied, but are concerned and want more information
• Concern was expressed regarding a change of climate at the school from what it was years ago; current tension between staff/parents/students and high level administration has left staff/parents/students feeling that their concerns are not heard
• A number of specific problems and issues were raised including:
• Concerns with the evaluation process experienced by Ms. Brewer; the view that the proposal from the school was not offered on March 20th
• A number of experiences were shared, as examples, to explain concerns about a lack of communication from administration to parents regarding issues that affect the welfare of the children and their education
• Desire on the part of some parents to be welcomed into the school/participate in school activities on occasion
• Explanation of board structure:
• The board is currently composed is 14 individuals who volunteer their time. The full board meets several times per year (usually three) at regularly scheduled meetings. No individual, even the chair, can act alone. Each member serves on at least one additional committee of the board; those committees meet to attend to school business between regularly scheduled full board meetings. They bring board business, usually in the form of an informational report or motion, back to the board for action.  Meetings of the full board, between regularly scheduled meetings, are called Special Meetings; they require a set agenda and at least two weeks notice. The Executive Committee has limited power to act for the board between meetings.

Next Meeting:
Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 5pm in the Little Theater*
All are welcome.

Action Items:

• Place minutes of our meetings on SMSD web site so they can be shared with all parents; invite parents to next meetings on web
• Check with the Parent Center to find out if they have any documentation on the former parent- teacher organization that used to be active at the school. If so, bring information to next meeting to share with all. If not, reach out to other schools for model examples that can be shared with all.
• Attempt to add two items to the next board meeting (which is a Special Meeting called for the specific purpose of electing a chair).  Those items are: discussion/update of the superintendent review process and discussion/update of parent advisory committee meetings.

Meeting adjourned at 6:10pm.

[*POST SCRIPT: After the meeting, the suggestion was made that we reserve the Little Theater for several weeks to accommodate additional meetings and offer advanced notice to parents. That has been done but parents should continue to consult the web site for information on further meetings.]