Mann Elementary Dream Team

August 7, 2001 Meeting Minutes

 

 

Attendees:  Brian Beckmann, Heather Beckmann, Maureen Burton, Kim Cole, Amanda Doyle, Julia Engelhardt, Karen Fine, Jason McClelland, Jan O’Leary, George Wilcox

 

Introductions

• Everyone introduced themselves and explained why they had come to the meeting – explanations included wanting to do something for the neighborhood and its kids, and wanting to create a great neighborhood school for one’s own future children to attend (I think we’ve identified the WIFM hook!)

Prayer of Jabez

• Pastor Wilcox read from Corinthians I to get everyone focused and inspired

Jason McClelland – Metropolis / Bryan Hill Alliance

• Jason McClelland has worked on and/or chaired the Metropolis Education Sub-Committee for several years.  He came to the meeting by request to share Metropolis’ experiences working with Bryan Hill Elementary (located in the College Hill neighborhood).
• The Alliance began by the Education Sub-Committee doing a lot of meeting and talking (as we Metropolites do).  They then determined that they needed to get first hand knowledge of the city schools and decided to partner with a school to learn about and understand their needs.  Linda Riekes, the Development Officer of the St. Louis Public School helped them in selecting a school.
• In the spring of 1998, the group began planning their involvement with Bryan Hill.  They began implementing in the fall of 1998.  The project is still continuing.
• The kind of involvement the group has had with Bryan Hill includes:
• In-class volunteering – reading, etc.
• After school activities
• Fairs and holiday festivities
• Raising money for a playground – utilizing the Youth Opportunity grant program
• Raising money for portable basketball goals
• Partnering with the First Book program to give every child a book for Christmas
• Metropolis Mondays – one Monday each month, they deliver donuts and juice to the teachers to express their appreciation for them
• Nutrition Forums – in partnership with Earthgrains; free food and PTO meeting – designed to increase attendance at PTO meetings
• They have learned that simple little things can really make a teacher’s day
• The group had little to no money
• They hoped that the project would lead to other neighborhoods and schools following suit (yes, we are the answer to their dreams!)
• They found it incredibly rewarding to work with kids, teachers and parents
• What did Jason find most exciting? 
• When he would have a bad day at work and go read (which he does 1 hour every 2 weeks) – it really lifted his spirits and gave a break to the kids and teacher
• The key to success is to have buy-in from the principal and as much of the staff as possible – some staff members will probably be stand-offish.  Schools may be skeptical because the city schools often serve as a whipping post and many groups come and go.  Some teachers that were initially skeptical have opened up, but some remain distant.
• What one thing would Jason change?
• Increase volunteer enthusiasm – sustain participation
• We have an advantage in that our selected school is in our neighborhood so it’s close to all of us (i.e., no excuses people!)
• Consensus:  Jason looks great in spandex and is a wealth of helpful information

Priorities for Us

• The first thing we need is to get first hand knowledge of Mann
• We need to make contacts and build relationships
• We need to be careful not to come across as patronizing (i.e., you’re professional educators but we know what you really need to be doing)
• Jason pointed out that what name we select is important – they explicitly chose the word Alliance instead of saying they were “adopting” the school
• This needs to be viewed as a partnership

The Many Resources Oak Hill Presbyterian Brings to the Table

• Already have an established relationship with the school
• Presbyterian Women’s Club hosts Teacher Appreciation Luncheons twice a year
• Children from Mann come to the church one a year to put on a program
• OASIS, an organization which provides mentors to city schools, has visited the church to promote their program.  Seven members of the congregation volunteered – whoo hoo!  They will receive training and begin mentoring at the school during school hours.
• Gym with basketball hoops and cleverly sloped floor
• Relationship with the Alderwoman, Jennifer Florida (which Jan also has since Jenny is her next door neighbor and Jan was a member of her campaign team – keeping the minutes as usual!)
• Sally Bloom (Mann’s principal) has contacted the church requesting help
• Proximity to Mann
• Funding available through the Presbyterian Church’s urban ministry funds – some through the local Presbytery and some at the national level
• George knows Dela Thedford who is the inspiring music director at Roosevelt High School
• George, Heather and Brian!

 

Other Potential Resources

• Amanda has contacted John Carroll, Director of Tower Grove Park – he is out of town for this meeting but she will keep him posted on developments
• Other neighborhood associations – Parkside South, Fanning, Grand Oak Hill – are there others that send kids to Mann?
• Other churches
• OASIS
• Grand Oak Hill Senior Center

• Older kids to come over and help younger ones
• College kids (contacts - Heather works at SLU and Kim works with law students)

• SLU community service work – some worked at Roosevelt last year
• Fraternities and sororities – adopt classes
• Wash U service fair
• Work with businesses – free products and volunteers (give employees recess from work) – AG Edwards, Ralston, universities, churches, etc.
• We have a contact within the SLPS administration – Linda Riekes

 

What is Already Happening at Mann?

• We need to do more research on this topic, but here’s what we know so far
• IBM put computers into the school and also provides volunteers
• There are some other affiliated corporations but we’re not sure who they are
• Mentor St. Louis is not involved there
• We need to know about everyone else who is involved at Mann
• Playground Initiative
• Mann currently has no playground
• Linda Riekes is working on Youth Opportunity Grant possibility
• We should start our fundraising
• Playground will cost approximately $60,000 to 65,000 – same price as Bryan Hill’s great “habitrail” style playground
• There is a perfect area – grass, good drainage, large enough
• We need to involve neighbors to the school in seeing the playground plans – they may be worried about loitering
• Bryan Hill intentionally wanted portable basketball hoops so they would not be out when school was not in session

Potential Ideas (disclaimer – these ideas were brainstormed without any real information about the school and what it needs, so should be considered a very tentative list)

• Reverse direction of Juniata on that block so that kids don’t have to cross the street to get to their parent’s car
• In-school reading
• After school interest clubs
• Arts / Theatre program
• Junior League’s St. Louis Family Theatre
• Music enrichment – choir
• Compton Heights concert band
• Paint map of the world on black top – Amanda says there is a group that does this
• Books for library
• Box tops for education
• Ink jet cartridge recycling program
• Team Sweep (Operation Brightside)

Motto for Us to Think About

• A task without a vision is drudgery.  A vision without a task is a dream.  But a task with a vision is the hope of the world.

To Do List

• Contact Sally Bloom to have her at our next meeting – she can provide us with basic facts about the school and what is currently going on (Heather)
• Find out when next neighborhood association meetings are (Jan to ask Alderwoman)
• Attend other neighborhood meetings for recruitment (unassigned)

Next Meeting – Tentative Date

• Tuesday, August 21, 6:00 p.m. at Mann School (pending Sally Bloom’s availability)