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MEETING NOTES

NORTHEAST DENVER INNOVATION ZONE

Tuesday,  September 20th

Swigert Elementary

3480 Syracuse St, Denver, CO 80238

Library

3:00-5:00


 

Participants:

Anne Rowe (Board Chair)

Ulcca Joshi-Hansen (Board member) 

Rachele Espiritu  (Board member) 

Colleen O'Brien (Board member) 

Robin Pulliam

Sara Butler 

Teddy (student)

Holcomb Mosely (teacher) 

Amber Holthus-Pera (Asst Principal) 

Shelby Dennis (Swigert Principal) 

 

 

15 minutes

  1. Call to order

    1. Board Chair Anne Rowe calls the meeting to order at 3:08pm

  2. Welcome, introductions, review of agenda

    1. Board Chair Rowe welcomes 

  3. Discussion and possible action on August meeting minutes

    1. U. JH moves to approve minutes, R. Espiritu seconds

    2. August meeting minutes approved unanimously   

  4. Discussion and possible action on NDIZ August and September 2022 financials  

    1. U. JH gives high level review of statements

    2. Office managers

    3. Executive Director shared that a RootED grant is coming and she will be hiring consultants to help with renewal, literacy, and data analysis. ED received approval from principals 

    4. U. JH moves to approve August and September financial statements, R. Espiritu seconds.

    5. August and September financial statements approved unanimously

 

15 Minutes

  1. Visit from educator and student: Agency, Equity, Innovation

    1. H. Mosely introduction, 3rd grade teacher, been at Swigert 7 years. Student Teddy was in Holcomb’s class last year. H. Moseley shared how the two half days in the beginning of the year were used to welcome kids back with authentic social emotional learning. Teachers get trust and autonomy through innovation plan at Swigert and transfer it to kids as often as possible. 

    2. Teddy shared about their experience being in H. Mosely’s class at the beginning of last year and how students designed the classroom. 

    3. Board members and school leadership debrief H. Mosely and Teddy’s presentation 

 

30 Minutes

  1. Board commitments and agreements

    1. Board members reviewed and signed 

  2. Zone Renewal

    1. Board information/details

      1. ED O’Brien shared DPS communications around renewal and Board rubric

    2. Update: 

      1. Current status

      2. Zone renewal Board paperwork

        1. ED O’Brien reviewed the Board rubric list and confirmed all are in place

      3. System of collaboration

        1. Team meets every other week to collaboratively work on renewal plans 

        2. Agendas and minutes linked in the Board materials document 

      4. DPS proposed financial plan 23-24

        1. DPS sent out a letter regarding the new financial model 

        2. Summary - (1) Zones are going to receive 48% of the budget they have previously received (2) The service menu has been significantly reduced 

        3. Board members discuss the impact of the new financial model from DPS

        4. Principal Dennis shared impact on her school 

      5. Community support plan 

        1. NDIZ ED and principals meet next week to discuss 

        2. Zone leaders and Lyra meet with DPS staff next week 

      6. ED  support needed from NDIZ Board for renewal 

        1. ED O’Brien requests that NDIZ Board members reach out to district leaders to  find out why this happening 

 

15 minutes

  1. Expand Board January 2023

    1. Recruitment document: Sara

      1. The why

      2. NDIZ Board members do outreach and start conversations in November to bring on new Board members in January 

      3. NDIZ Board represent community it serves, majority people of color 

    2. Colleen connect three teachers with Anne; add 1 teacher, 1 principal, 2 community members to the NDIZ Board 

    3. Discuss Board terms

      1. Discussion on adding Board term limit of two terms 

 

15 minutes

  1. Executive Director Report

    1. Revisit - these are follow up steps from last meeting and were completed 

      1. O’Brien’s Goals: Bucket and prioritize for September

      2. Add testing numbers to data

    2. Zone SEL assessments

      1. ED O’Brien shares the SEL tools that each school uses 

      2. R. Espiritu requested to review the data at the October NDIZ Board meeting

    3. Equity Professional Learning 

      1. ED O’Brien shared that PD occurred Sept 15 and summarized the feedback from leaders 

      2. November meeting next time will have families from each school community 

    4. Innovation storytelling               

      1. ED O’Brien shared book resource 

 

Board Chair Anne Rowe requests a change in the October meeting date to the 25th instead of the 18th. Group agrees. 

 

Board Chair Anne Rowe requests motion to adjourn. Board member U. Joshi-Hansen motions, Board member R. Espiritu seconds. A. Rowe adjourns meeting at 4:52PM. 

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