A Continuing Conversation on Our Diverse Community at KJHS Parent and Community Organizations
October 23, 2007, 12:00 noon
Minutes

Welcome: Lunch and meeting began at 12 noon.

Introductions: In attendance: Don Perry, Principal KJHS; Jessica Jozwiak, Co-Chair, KJHS SFCP; Lisa Kolick, Co-Chair, KJHS SFCP; Annette Loritz, President, KJHS Home and School; Jihan Atiq, 7^th grade teacher, Infinity Team; Lisa Trycta, immediate past co-chair KJHS SFCP; Nishay Din, parent, Candy Smith, parent; Paulette Goodman, LRC Director, KJHS; Melanie Raczkiewiz, Associate Superintendent, NCUSD 203; Wally Logue, Assistant Principal, KJHS.

Purpose and Goals: The purpose of this conversation is to discuss ways to create a more inviting and welcoming environment to our ethnically and culturally diverse school community at KJHS. The goal is to have more parents and community members, from our ethnic and culturally diverse populations participate in parent and community groups at KJHS.

Update of our Purpose and Goals:
What was the outcome from last year to this year?

• We have had an increase in parent volunteers from our minority populations as demonstrated by an increase in parent volunteer coupons.
• Teachers invite parents of different cultures to discuss their culture during lessons relating to culture.

Diversity of Learning:
What is it? Diversity of Learning is the practice of teaching children so children learn, reaching children in spite of the many different ways in which children learn.

What is the next step?
Is our purpose still valid? Yes. Much discussion was had about parent’s views of their roles in helping their children be successful in school. We concluded from the data, 99-100% of KJHS parents attend student conferences, that parents of all cultures and ethnicities will come to school when it relates directly to their student and their studies.  The goal is for students to hear parents and community ideas about the diversity issues and students will learn from parents and hear about cultures at school in the LRC. Keeping this in mind, what do we need to do?

Our action plan is:

1. Invite parents from our minority populations: Chinese, Muslim, Indian, Pakistani, African American, and Hispanic to participate in a series of discussions with students, in the spring. We are trying to find parents of different cultures with "stories" that will interest students and may tie in with books available in the LRC. We will meet with interested parents between now and January to discuss ideas and details.
    

2. We will have a meeting in January to firm up the details of the talks.
    

Adjourned at 1 pm.

Thanks for attending.