Reflection: Face to Face meetings 10/21 & 10/22

Lazano Smith – Attorneys at Law

Roberta Rowe’s presentation answered several questions of mine regarding search and seizure of our students.  As a PE teacher I deal with 700 girls in a two day period.  Supervising a girls’ locker room is a difficult task, especially when the students are not mine.  Bullying and harassment is an ongoing problem in junior high.  The girls’ locker room is probably one of the most vulnerable places for our students.  It is difficult to maintain a safe environment when there are so many ways our students can harass and bully one another.  Cell phones, iPods, and cameras are devices I constantly look for when walking up and down the aisles.  So many of our students believe it is okay to take inappropriate pictures of themselves and others and post them on social networking sites. 

I have also been involved in locker searches but because I have never understood what I can and cannot do I have always had an administrator present.  If I understand this correctly I can search any locker as long as I have specific reasonable suspicion, which is supported by articulable facts that support the initial search. 

Termination of a teacher….  Why is this such a difficult thing to do?  I think about the six boxes of documentation that it took to give that final 45-day notice to the female teacher Roberta was describing.  Six boxes of documentation did nothing but provide a disservice to our children and students.  It’s such a shame that it takes that much! 

I truly enjoyed Dr. Hauser’s presentation on the fundamentals of effective meeting management.  I am the chair person for my department and I have meetings several times a month.  I thought we were on the right track with our agendas but today proved that I need to spend more time planning and making sure I follow up accordingly. 

I appreciate the 7 tips that Dr. Torosian gave us at the end of his presentation on student discipline. 

• ·         Focus on what you are trying to prove and what is relevant
• ·         Avoid legal conclusions in statements
• ·         Do not rely solely on paper or admissions to carry your case
• ·         Make sure witnesses are prepared, focused, direct, and concise
• ·         Cannot expel a students on hearsay only (written statements)
• ·         Utilize physical evidence if you have it
• ·         Use all ed. Codes that have been violated and ensure they are appropriate

The PowerPoint on the FRISK process was very beneficial in helping us prepare to write our discipline letter for an employee.  I believe that when this process does take place it is going to be an emotional one but practicing this format with nothing but the facts will help guide us through such a difficult task. 

These last two days of class were enjoyable in that we were exposed to several different topics and amazing speakers.