Butler Elementary School
SCC Agenda
2/22/2023
Parent Members Employee Members
Lori Carter _X__ Aubrey Doyle _X__
Tyson Grover _X__ Gretchen Givone ___
Annettte York _X__ Jeff Nalwalker _X__
Sherrie Merrell ___
January Anderson _X__
Carrie Welter ___
Welcome-Lori
Social Emotional Welfare of Teachers
ACTION: This is a priority on the next meeting for March. We would like to have both teachers present for this meeting. This will be on the top of the discussion list for our SCCA March Meeting.
> Jeff will share information from BLT meeting
Through discussions and observations the teachers are overwhelmed. In order for the children to have the best education possible, we need to start with helping the teachers.
- Nalwalkker spoke with the teachers individually to better understand what he, the district and the SCC can do in order to assist them.
During the last BLT meeting J. Nalwalker started out with asking the circle questions, giving each teacher an opportunity to answer and provide insight. 1. Share something a student or parent did that made you smile. 2. What actions should we take to make Butler a better place to learn, thinking about academic goals. 3. What should we do to make Butler a better place to teach?
Some of the things that came out of that were:
Reducing tasks e.g. have aids to weekly check in tasks for students
time for intentional planning
Rotate recess duty between teachers
Look at this being done by volunteers
Build our sense of community. Teachers feel good about our sense of community. Its not toxic. People believe in the culture and feel it’s important. They still want to build on it though. The how people support each other, the friendship and respect.
The teachers feel the parents are also respectful
The want to focus on social emotional learning for kids. The district is launching thrive time, the new social emotional curriculum.
They would love to have a daily special versus one two days a week (e.g. brain boosters)
The teachers would like a second behavior assistant
We have pockets of issues, but overall most of the teachers are thriving and not dealing with major issues
Teachers feel like there is a lot on the teachers plates
Teachers would like if parents could assist in the parking lot duty as this takes away from their planning time
The teachers are bringing their best everyday, sometimes the teachers are struggling with how public perspectives are not accurate to what is actually happening.
Focus on improving students social emotional needs
Teachers are doing a lot of work on non contract time
The teachers would like to have more activities together to benefit the group and learning and team building with each other.
The teachers always always feel like they are behind and they are never doing enough. The teachers don’t necessarily know how to answer and feel like there is always something that needs to be done with no break and no relief
These issues and concerns are universal across districts based on feedback from the SCC members
Suggested ideas from the group
Look at getting an aid in every single class. Set a beginning goal to get an aid in at least each grade. The SCC understands that we may not be able to do this all right away, but its important to set goals so we can start reaching them.
Another idea is to add a teacher advocate, or a teacher social worker. Someone to listen to the teachers and advocate up for them. This would also add consistency to the teachers letting them know some one is always there for them and to work to fill in the gaps for the teacher needs. This person could also coordinate volunteers.
If possible even just having the classroom parent reach out to the individual parents in that class. Letting them know each day what positions are open and the times and whats involved and when they are needed to be filled. If this person could reach out instead of putting that on the teacher, that would help out the teacher by allowing them more planning time as well as give them help in the classroom and overall helping their social emotional health. Even someone to help with the pta and the volume of emails that are received.
How do we teach people to do self care. We can talk about it all the long, but how do we actively complete it and teach and allow others.
Its important that our teachers and students feel valued and included. We dont want our teachers to just feel tolerated. it’s impossible to thrive in an environment where one feels tolerated. The group wants to find activities to help them feel valued and included. The SCC wants to hear from the teachers on what it means to them to feel respected, included and valued. Then we can use their ideas to help them feel that way and build that environment.
NOTE: Annette noted the indicators of high performance are “Respected”, “Included” and “Valued”. These are important feelings to make sure that teachers are performing at their highest.
Jeff hears what he can do right now.
First. Hiring someone that can help with a music program that integrates content for the students in another special for the week. Eg. Learning about rocks through music, learning about America through music, etc. Add in a 30-60 minute block per week to add a fifth special to our school.
Second. Look into getting a second behavior assistant.
Third. Find stress relieving and team building activities for teachers.
Fourth. Need to find funding sources for this, but we could possibly find ways to put wellness, such as a massage chair in the teachers lounge. This is not necessarily possible, but the group wants to talk about wellness ideas for the teachers.
Fifth. Have the teacher advocate even once a month come in and be there for the teachers.
Sixth. Look at a massage therapist for the teachers, at least every once in a while. But the chair in the lounge could be more easy on teacher schedules. So it can be there when they do have time. The chair is best to fit teacher schedules per the group discussion.
Seventh. Send the teachers a survey on what would help them relax and gather themselves. Jeff could send a survey to the teachers and ask what top 5 things, in order they would like that would help them. Then that can come back to the SCC to vote on and help move forward with.
Number ONE. Really look at a paid volunteer coordinator. That would help a lot of time and build of community. Ms. Doyle said this is the one that would help the most. There are people that are willing to help, but to have someone paid to coordinate all of that and ease that coordination feeling and just making it happen, this would be the most beneficial.
Jeff asked Aubrey to talk to the teachers about what was discussed today. It’s important to Jeff and the SCC to let the teachers know we hear them and that we are moving forward with ideas to help them in their stress and overwhelm.
Motion to adjourn by Lori, second by Jeff.
