School Improvement Council (SIC)

Meeting Agenda

1. Introductions and Share New Leaders
2. Review Last Months highlights
   • Produce Giveaway
   • Courtyard Improvements
   • GrandBeacons Breakfast and the Book Fair
3. Announcements and Upcoming Events
   • Lighthouse Gatherings for Students
   • DD2 Unity Day
   • Autumn Daze 5:00-7:00pm
   • Red Ribbon Week 10/27-10/31
   • Storybook Character Prade and Trunk or Treat 10/31
4. Goals for the 2025-2026 School Year
   1. Create spaces that promote critical thinking and rigorous learning.
      • Enhance existing outdoor classrooms and implement an adopt a corner of our world program.
      • Generate additional outdoor classroom spaces or resources for outdoor learning experiences.
   2. Continue Lighthouse initiative to promote student participation and community collaboration.
      • Link SIC/PTA leaders to the school Lighthouse Leagues.
      • Generate relative activities to promote a greater intrinsic appreciation for Lighthouse precepts.
      • Create (art infusion), Nurture (Ecology), Connect (Community Building), Think (Metacognition), Dream (Technology and Innovation), Live (Healthy Lifestyle).
      • Link Lighthouse Leagues to literacy development and appreciation.
   3. Revisit strategies to promote the whole child.
      • Continue to conduct morning meetings to address the social-emotional well-being of stakeholders.
      • Continue "Shake and Shine" initiative and expand to 2nd -5th grades, continue "Moving to the Middle" Initiative.
      • Foster more opportunities for community service (i.e., blessing box, Kindness Crew)
      • Provide training for teachers and staff for Capturing Kids Hearts.
5. Final Comments and Questions

• Introductions
• Last Month’s Highlights
  • Produce giveaway
    • Had a huge turnout
    • Next produce giveaway is on November 8th
    • There are no income requirements and everyone in the community should attend
    • You can collect food for other families
    • It was suggested that a video be made marketing the produce giveaway with this information
    • It was suggested to recruit volunteers; fourth grade kindness crew will volunteer
  • Courtyard Improvements
    • There are new turf and hammocks
    • Benches and tables will be ordered
    • This has been an initiative of the Boosterthon
    • Ms. Nix has been acquiring interactive items for the courtyard
    • The center can be used as an amphitheater; an entire grade will fit
  • GrandBeacons Breakfast and the Book Fair
    • Great attendance and success
  • Parent Feedback
    • Students “looped up” with teachers from next grade level to form connections and ease transition
    • Morning time: (areas for running, quiet time, movies, games, etc.) students can choose a different morning area each day, but must stay within the same area for the morning
    • Surveyed students for ideas on areas; way for students to decompress before starting the school day
    • Teachers have 30 minutes in the morning for planning and have lunch with their students; students were eating quickly and then it was like a free for all; teacher support needed in lunchroom
    • Teachers initially resistant but have reported less pressure of having to walk in the school with their kids
    • BROOD (boys rocking out on drums) on Tuesdays with Ms. Roland and Mr. Bedford; participation has significantly reduced referrals for fifth grade boys; dress for success days (encouraged to wear a tie); played at school for events but looking at performing outside of the school; will be sharing design with other schools
• Announcements and Upcoming Events
  • Lighthouse Gatherings for Students
    • Nurture, connect, create, dream, live, think
    • Will start on first Friday of October
    • Students are randomly assigned
    • Different from WERD clubs (every student gets to go to a WERD club on early release days; teachers pick a topic they’re passionate about and students get to choose a group)
  • DD2 Unity Day
    • National attention to anti-bullying
    • Students wear orange
    • Teachers will have activities
    • Helps identify difference between bullying and being mean
    • Counseling department will have cards for students to issue to other students when they are caught being kind
  • Autumn Daze (in October, 5pm-7pm)
    • A fall festival (similar to the spring fling event last school year)
    • Will do pumpkins again
    • Silent auction with gift baskets
    • Ashley Ridge leadership team coming to do face painting
    • Ashley Ridge football team coming to throw football
    • Looking to do a hayride
  • Red Ribbon Week (10/27-10/31)
  • Storybook Character Parade and Trunk or Treat (10/31)
• Goals for the 2025-2026 School Year
  1. Create spaces that promote critical thinking and rigorous learning
  2. Continue Lighthouse initiative to promote student participation and community collaboration
  3. Revisit strategies to promote the whole child
• Final Comments and Questions
  • Mrs. Harris discussed the website schooldigger.com which ranks all schools in each state; Beech Hill dropped last year because they did not factor in science scores which is a strength of Beech Hill; this year BHES is ranked 44th in the state
  • Current fundraiser is to support improving outdoor areas for students; Mr. Pressley suggested looking at Unity Park in Greenville for ideas
  • Ms. Suzuki asked for clarity on fundraisers and suggested additional clubs (use the Lighthouses) to apply for fundraising opportunities; maximum of two fundraisers per “club”/area; others recommended identifying in-kind donation opportunities versus fundraising for cash to purchase them
  • Challenges with fifth grade fundraising is that they are not going to see the product of the fundraising
  • Parent leader shirts can be worn to any school activity (meet the teacher, autumn days)

1. Welcome

2. Last Month's Highlights

   • Unity Day (Thank you, Mrs. Shider)
   • Autumn Daze

3. Follow up on September Agenda Items

   • Projects to support our 25-26 SIC Goals

4. Announcements and Upcoming Events

   • Trunk or Treat/Storybook Character on 10/31
   • November 8th- Produce distribution sponsored by the Connect House

5. Final Comments and Questions

Next SIC Meeting: Thursday, November 13th, 7:30 am

1. November’s Highlights

   • Produce Giveaway
   • Veteran’s Day

2. Beech Hill’s Report Card

   Excellent with a score of 74

3. Tour of the School

4. Announcements and Upcoming Events

   • Spelling Bee
   • Balloon’s Over the Beech
   • Wonder Day (5th Grade)
   • Colonial Day (4th Grade)
   • Friendsgiving Feast (K)

5. Actionable Goals for the Year:

   • School Communication preferences

6. Final Comments and Questions

Next SIC Meeting: Thursday, December 18th at 5:00 pm

SIC Meeting Agenda Thursday, November 13th, 2025

1. November’s Highlights

   • Produce Giveaway -Ms. Foster (2nd Grade, News 2 Cool Teacher) organizes this event. This time we were able to give away hygiene items as well. Great turnout. Ms. Kemble made a list of other resources in the community for additional support.
   • Veteran’s Day- We had a great turn out. Thank you to Ms. Nix for putting together the slideshow and Ms. Golden for organizing the ceremony. The ceremony at Beech Hill is all kid lead, empowering our students. Next year, think about having tissues on each row.
   • Tomorrow is 6/7 day.

2. Beech Hill’s Report Card – Excellent with a score of 74

   Ms. Luciano said the school report card. Facts, last year’s report card was 67. We gained 7 points this year. It is hard to stay excellent. Our teachers have the growth mindset. The score of 74 is the highest in the entire district. Mr. Bedford discussed the difference between MAT and AVT to explain the data. At Beech Hill, some students get Summer Bridge books for the summer to help with the summer slide. Ms. Luciano discussed Walk to Read with our 1st graders. We discussed how schools qualify for Title One funds. The district visits each school yearly and the data from that visit is used by the school to improve. Mr. Pressley asked how the SIC team can help with the scores of the School Report Card.

   #3- IMPROVE STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE THE WHOLE CHILD

   • CONTINUE "SHAKE AND SHINE" INITIATIVE EXPAND SHAKE AND SHINE TO 3RD & 4TH GRADES and CONTINUE MOVING TO THE MIDDLE INITIATIVE

3. Tour of the School

   Ms. Golden took the SIC team on a tour

4. Announcements and Upcoming Events

   The admin team will work on how to clearly explain these events so that all stakeholders know what the events are.

   • Spelling Bee
   • Balloon’s Over the Beech
   • Wonder Day (5th Grade)
   • Colonial Day (4th Grade)
   • Friendsgiving Feast (K)
   • Academic Achievement Bowl

5. Actionable Goals for the Year:

   • School Communication preferences -Ms. Golden will send out a poll to ask parents for feedback on how to make the Peek of the Week more parent-friendly.

6. Final Comments and Questions

   • QR code on the back of the car rider tag suggestion – thoughts for next year with the calendar of school events
   • Month calendar starting with the current month – parents stated when it starts in July, it is difficult to find the right month quickly for reference.
   • Acronyms -many new families don’t understand what the acronym means
   • Car rider radio station suggestion for families to tune in to listen to upcoming events while waiting in the car rider line

Next SIC Meeting: Thursday, December 18th at 5:00pm

SIC Meeting Notes

Date: Tuesday, December 10

Time: 5:00 pm

1. Introductions

2. Last Month's Highlights

   • Veteran’s Day: This was discussed at the previous meeting.

   • Balloons Over Broadway: Students participated in a STEAM activity where they paraded their creations through the school.

   • Turkey in my Pocket: Teachers asked each other throughout the day if they had a turkey in their pocket. Those who did received a prize.

   • Thanksgiving Lunch: Ms. Harris noted that the district came and served Thanksgiving lunch.

3. Follow up on September Agenda Items

   • SIC Shirts: Shirts have been ordered and are expected to be delivered in January.

4. Announcements and Upcoming Events

   • SIC Meeting in February: The February meeting has been moved to Thursday, February 13th, to coincide with the Lighthouse Night wellness event. This includes a glow run, t-shirts for registrants, age-based prizes, reflective medals, and participation by business partners.

   • Shake and Shine Interviews: One-on-one interviews for fifth graders will take place on Friday with community members and business owners.

   • Robotics Competition: The competition is happening on Saturday, and students have been practicing.

   • Book Fair: The Bedford Falls book fair is ongoing and open during the community fair this evening.

   • 5th Grade Ellis Island Simulation: Students are preparing for an immersive immigration experience.

   • Staff Holiday Party: The PTA is hosting a holiday party next Wednesday with hors d’oeuvres and a DJ.

   • Polar Express Parade: This parade for kindergarten will take place on Friday before the holiday break.

   • Math Intervention: Starting January 6th, the PTA is supporting a math interventionist to provide one-on-one or classroom support.

5. Actionable Goals for the Year

   • Community Fairs: Individuals have been identified to share Produce Giveaway information and other events to garner more community and family support.

6. Final Comments and Questions

   • Ms. Hoffman responded to a parent query about in-person vs. virtual days, noting that the district makes these decisions.

   • Ms. Hunter asked about the Kindness Crew program, which is expected to roll out next semester.

   • Monthly lighthouse meetings allow students to participate in group activities.

   • A parent business owner offered to host an event for teachers, and Ms. Golden will follow up.

   • A parent inquired about providing event feedback, particularly for fundraising opportunities. Ms. Harris explained school guidelines, and Ms. Golden will follow up.

   • Mr. Pressley suggested recognizing donors through plaques or stones to encourage community support. Ms. Golden and Ms. Harris are working on related initiatives.

   • Ms. Harris mentioned a reading program partnership idea with grandparents during the Grand-Beacon breakfast.

   • Christian Duboise, a parent and barber, offered free haircuts for children in need, which could also support Shake and Shine students.

Next SIC Meeting: Tuesday, January 21st at 7:30 am