- Welcome
Thank you for coming. Board members in attendance: Bob Sommer (co-president), Jennifer Murov (co-president), Nicolette Sommer (health & safety committee), Wendy Snyder (faculty liaison), Eric Reynolds (vp communications), Nicole Rogers (volunteer coordinator), Caroline, Jolie McRae (co-secretary)
Announcement: Production Design’s Haunted House
Production Design does sets, sound, lighting, costume, make-up, and fashion. The annual Haunted House is a fantastic family tradition. Students come up with a theme, this year Artificial Intelligence, and build everything. It is a scary event, so please use judgement whether or not younger children should attend. Probably not appropriate for children under 10.
October 28, 29, and 30 from 7-9pm. This year, to avoid long lines, tickets will be sold for time blocks. There will be concessions. Student ticket prices, for students at any school. Tickets available on the website.
- Committee Updates:
Health and Safety update — Nicolette Sommer
This committee is working on making student drop-off safer. We are trying to work with the city to have one way signs put up at the parking lot to clarify where to drop off. No parking signs are up in front of the school. There will be a meeting 10/14/15 with the city at the guard desk to continue addressing this issue. This committee needs help — volunteer on APT Connect website.
Volunteer Coordinator — Nicole Rogers
- even an hour would help in the Learning Center
- snack donations are also helpful
- volunteer on APT Connect
- If you don’t have availability for the Learning Center, there are also other committees that need help.
Q: Has there been outreach to HS students to get volunteer hours by working in the Learning Center?
A: Some do help, but there is a gap between 3:15 and 4:15 when we need parent support.
- Supporting Your Student’s Academics — Wendy Snyder
We know there have been some PowerSchool issues this year, but some other issues have also come up. Wendy is available to answer any burning questions about PowerSchool after the meeting. Our goal as parents and teachers is to create capable and confident young people. We want to help students learn to be self-advocates, and to develop their resilience.
Every teacher has a system.
- 6th graders may need to learn multiple new systems, and we are sympathetic to this challenge, but it is a skill that they need to develop.
- If a teacher says to a student “I don’t have time right now” it does not mean the teacher doesn’t want to help the student, but that they need to find a more appropriate time. In between classes is usually not a good time. Remind students that teachers have office hours, or may have more time after school.
- A lot of information can be found on teachers’ blogs. Teach kids how to find and encourage them to use frequently. Addresses are: teachers.oakarts.org/~(first-inital-last-name)
- It is a blog, so if they missed a day two weeks ago, they would need to scroll to find what they need.
Questions to ask students:
- Do you use your planner or another system to record homework assignments?
- Do you check teachers’ blogs?
- Have you used homework.cpm.org to help with math?
- Did you go to office hours?
- Did you set up a time to talk to your teacher?
- Did you go to the learning center?
- Did you ask questions in class?
- The only dumb questions are the ones you don’t ask.
PowerSchool (PS)
- Consider the “weight” of an assignment
- PS is a live document and teachers do the best they can to get the grades in in a timely manner.
- Access link at oakarts.org ==> resources ==> PowerSchool
- Students need to learn to access and understand PS
Tips on Parent-Teacher Communication
- assume positive intent
- empower your student to be a self-advocate, instead of jumping in for them
- remember that your student’s teachers are human
- read emails from teachers with positive intent
- give teachers positive feedback (when you feel it)
Common Core Math Classes
(these are not your mother’s math class)
Students are expected to:
- activate prior knowledge
- actively participate in groups
- ask for help
- check and correct problems on assignments
- keep an organized notebook
- for middle schoolers, use Toolkit
Look for a presentation about math coming to an APT meeting later in the year.
Upcoming event:
Helping your Teen with Anxiety
Thursday 10/29 at 7pm
presented by the OSA Mental Health Team
Comment: Helping kids be their own advocate changes as kids’ developmental needs change. Supporting your 6th grader will look different than supporting your 12th grader.
Q: When is the end of the grading period?
The first quarter ends 10/30. The first semester ends in late January.
- APT Connect — Eric Reynolds
APT Connect is the APT’s website. It is mobile friendly. Would love more feedback. Changes are made often.
It is an open source portal for arts and academic programs to post events. To post, all you need to do is register yourself then add your event. We want to make finding events simple so please create events for departments. Events publish right away. Blog postings need to be approved.
Q: How does this compare to the school calendar?
It may be a little redundant, but this calendar can update faster. It doesn’t currently link, but it would be great if it could in the future.
KOSA radio is launching soon and has a link on APT Connect.
It is public, so searchable by everyone on the web. Please remember not to list personal phone numbers or children’s names. Questions or concerns can reach Board members directly via the Contact form or the Feedback form. Feedback is welcome!
OSA’s Newsletter
- sign-up to receive it, as it gives lots of information about what is happening at OSA.
- you can send content for the newsletter on APT Connect with the Newsletter Submission form.
- hopefully archives will be available on APT Connect soon.
Announcements:
Vocal Music
On 11/7 there will be a benefit performance at Sweets for the School of Vocal Music to help raise money for their New Orleans trip.
Theater
Brighton Beach Memoirs: Performances coming up this weekend, with seats available for all shows. Thursday at 7pm, Friday at 7pm, and Saturday at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets available at tix.com or at the door 30 minutes before the show. Concessions available.
Midsummer Night’s Dream coming November 12-14.
BACTA is November 13-15. It is a great opportunity for students to audition for colleges from a variety of places.
- Heart of Oakland — Becky Potter
Mark your calendars for Thursday February 4th. It will be an OSA arts showcase in the Fox Theater.
Exciting event for all departments. It is a huge undertaking and support is important. Parent volunteers are needed — look for a list at the next APT meeting and a form to sign-up on APT Connect. We want everyone to feel included. Rehearsal and show will be on the same day. Posters coming very soon with limited edition screenprints for sale.
- Open Discussion
Q: Are there any provisions made for learning how to prepare for the SAT?
A: There is information about SAT preparation on the oakarts.org website. Ms. Hendrie also has lots of information. She sent an email with information recently.
Carolyn Watson
For middle schoolers, there is an option to have PE at Touchstone Climbing on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students sign-up through PE instructors, and students can still opt in. It is a 4-week commitment and we are hoping to offer 3 sessions. Parents must sign a waiver for students to participate. Ice skating will be handled similarly