1. 2017 Together We Lead

2. Learning Goals: Preparing for and Facilitating
Difficult Meetings; Ensuring appropriate documentation
has been captured
Connection to District Priorities: Ensuring our Goal
for Collaborative Culture
Holly Rockhill, Asst. Director
Office for Student Support Programs and Services

3. define the behaviors we believe will lead to success in schools
Theory of Action
If we create a unifying vision of instructional excellence for our schools, 
define the behaviors we believe will lead to success in schools 
and provide the necessary supports from our teams, 
then, staff efficacy and student achievement will increase. 

5. Why do meetings/conferences go astray?
There are MANY reasons:
Parent is upset
Lack of understanding
Team is unprepared
Purpose of meeting is a difficult topic
Inappropriate comments of one or more meeting participants

6. What can you/your staff do to minimize conflict?
Identify concerns prior to meeting
Invite appropriate staff
Gather relevant data
Be prepared with options
Prepare an agenda
Set time limits ahead of time
Review policies and procedures
Ensure participants are prepared
Ensure the meeting site is prepared
Take GOOD conference notes

7. Identify concerns prior to meeting
Knowing the concerns ahead of time allow for preparation of agenda
Review cumulative file
Look at previous communication
Get input from team members
If you understand parent concerns, then you can develop ideas and options ahead of time
Invite appropriate staff members

8. Who do I invite? Teacher(s) School counselor Itinerant staff ESE
Nurse
Social Worker
Psychologist
ESE
Resolution
Program Supervisor
504 coordinator
Outside agency

9. Gather relevant data IEP/504 Discipline referrals Email communication
Grades
Attendance data
Progress reports
Assessment data
Intervention data

10. Be prepared with options
Gathering data prior to meeting allows for preparing options and/or ideas
Parents respond better to choices than ultimatums
Ensure that appropriate staff members are present to discuss ideas/options and are able to answer questions
Identify available resources

11. Prepare an agenda Agenda should match concerns
Meeting participants should review in advance
Agenda drives preparation for participants
Serves as a checklist for progress of meeting
If other concerns arise, provide a way to capture them for future reference

12. Set time limits ahead of time
Share time limits with ALL participants ahead of time, including parent
Allow for follow up meeting, if necessary
Allow reasonable amount of time based on agenda
Consider past meetings for planning

13. Review policies and procedures
Parents have access to LOTS of information
Items you may want to review:
Teacher syllabi
Code of Conduct
Student Progression Plan
School Board Policy
Instructional Master Contract
FDOE website
Statute Language
Federal Regulations
IEP/504

14. Ensure participants are prepared
Make sure agenda is shared prior to meeting
Participants should make bulleted list of input and recommendations aligning to agenda topics
Participants should expect to provide input at meeting
All participants should be prepared to answer questions

15. Ensure the meeting site is prepared
Designate meeting space ahead of time
Ensure appropriate number of table and chairs available
Designate staff member to greet parent and walk to meeting site
Failing to prepare meeting site conveys school was not prepared and may set a negative tone before meeting begins

16. Once the meeting begins, the facilitator:
Guides the meeting process, and helps the meeting participants stay on track
Assign roles: Note taker, time keeper
Documentation saves time (notes should ALWAYS be taken)
Evidence of proposed outcomes
Helps facilitator stay on track
Encourages participation from everyone
Makes sure everyone is following the agenda
Keeps the meeting tone civil and constructive
Keeps the meeting focused on the needs of the student
Follow up to carousel activity. Do the participants feel that anything needs to be added.

17. At the conclusion of meeting:
Review the agenda to ensure all topics addressed
Assign next steps:
What
Who
When-Start/Completion Date
Review notes for accuracy and provide copy to parents
Schedule additional meeting, if necessary

18. What do Good Conference Notes Include and Why Should We?

19. Why?
Creating a written record that will survive and explain to future readers:
who was in attendance,
what was considered,
what was offered,
what was refused,
what was agreed upon and why,
legal mandates were followed,
curb parent-led claims

20. Who should take notes? Someone who:
understands the issues to accurately capture the essence of the meeting
is comfortable with asking clarifying questions
is assigned before the meeting
is a school district employee

21. What are Conference notes?
Defined as:
record or summary
item of supplementary information
summary for future reference and will become part of the student’s permanent record
may be used during legal proceedings
tell a story

22. What to include in conference notes:
Clearly identify who was in attendance
meeting dates and time
agenda items as topics
complete sentences or occasional bulleted lists
Parent concerns/proposals/requests
Data/information reviewed or considered
Student progress
Agreed upon outcomes
Next steps

23. Parent concerns/proposals:
List each concern
Document discussion of concerns
Include rationale for refusal or acceptance of parent proposal (include data)
Example: Parents requested that their child be assigned a one-to-one aide. After further discussion and review of data, the district determined the child, based on his needs, does not require a one-to-one aide at this time."

24. Data/information reviewed or considered:
Document ALL data reviewed or considered, and by whom, including, but not limited to:
Grades
Discipline
Attendance
Evaluation data
Teacher/parent/student input
Medical information
This ensures that decisions were data- driven and not determined beforehand.

25. Outcomes: List the agreed upon outcomes
If parent is not in agreement, be specific
Be specific about what district is agreeing to do
List action steps identifying WHO, WHAT and WHEN
Identify follow-up meetings with date and time, if applicable

26. What should conference notes NOT include:
Open ended phrases or incomplete sentences which can be left open to interpretation
Inflammatory or personal observations

27. Finalizing meeting notes:
Read the notes to meeting participants
If parent objects to item(s) in notes, discuss with team for consensus
If team is in consensus to objection by parent, amend the notes
If team believes notes are accurate, parent should be offered to add, in writing, their objections which will be attached to notes
Participants should sign notes
If parent, or other participant, refuses to sign that should be documented in notes

28. Where do conference notes go?
Make a copy and give to parent
Give copy to participants who were assigned a next step
File original in appropriate file:
ESOL
PMP
IEP
504
Cumulative record

29. Conference Notes Form
Use the Conference Notes Form for ALL conferences.
If the student has an IEP, 504 or suspected of having a disability, then the parent/guardian/adult student should check the N or Y box stating whether or not anyone prohibited or discouraged them from bringing a person of choice to the meeting.
This will replace the MIS 455.

30. Questions?