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Monday, January 9, 2012

Teller PTA and CSC Elicits the Voices of Its Constituency

As the 2012-2013 budget process quickly approaches, Teller Elementary PTA and CSC wanted to hear the voices and ideas from the parents around how to best staff and structure Teller Elementary so the academic, social and emotional needs of students are best met.

Fifty-five parents and teachers gathered on Thursday, January 5 to participate in a World Cafe conversation.  “The purpose of the World Café is to provide a voice to help guide the Collaborative School Committee (CSC) with decisions regarding budget allocation based on values and priorities of the community,” said PTA Co-President Tricia Johnson.

Attendees participated in 3 rounds of conversations driven by specific questions around supporting student academic growth, enrichment and intervention programming and parent support. Facilitator, CSC member and Parent Pam Paulien said the World Café is a process that opens the door for thoughtful conversations, “We can find innovative solutions and work toward common goals. It allows us to move beyond advocating for agendas, to figuring out the best direction to move forward based on listening for solutions as we hear many different perspectives. We come together to have conversations that matter."

At the end of the forum, ideas, concerns and suggestions for next steps were shared with the whole group.  PTA captured the conversation and will present the results at the Teller CSC meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 5:30-7:00 p.m.  Teller's CSC meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month.

Parent and Participant Bess Scully thought the process served the purpose of gathering thoughtful ideas, "I have tremendous confidence in our CSC and their budget process. The school budget is a precarious balancing act entailing class size, academic achievement, interventions programs, and enrichment programs like art, physical education, dance, drama, music,– all with inevitability of too few funds. But, through the enormous effort of our CSC members and their collaborative process, all of these needs are met."

Since 2008, Teller has seen a surge in enrollment, growing from 350 students to 465 students. “We have felt these growing pains over the past 3 years, and the World Café provided a focused conversation around our school’s priorities and philosophies as we move forward to making Teller Elementary the best elementary school in DPS,” said Principal Jennifer Barton.  “After the World Café conversation, I feel better equipped and confident about creating the 2012-2013 school budget so the whole child needs of our students are met.”

All participants shared powerful ideas and suggestions for how we move forward as a school and community.  “Between teachers and parents, we have the human capital and expertise to solve almost any challenge.  Teller is a school where we can work together to make anything happen,” said Parent Zach Hochstadt. 

The Teller Elementary PTA raises over $100,000 each year to support programming.  To learn more about all that Teller Elementary has to offer, please visit our website at teller.dpsk12.org.

World Café Questions

ROUND 1 
What do you consider are the characteristics of a good school? 

How are your values reflected in the Teller community?

ROUND 2 
How can the school and community (parents, teachers and students) serve and empower student growth and achievement?

How can we work as a community to educate the whole child and foster his/her academic growth?

ROUND 3
What Resources are available to create the kind of school we want?? Time? Money? Knowledge? Creativity? Expertise? Are additional resources needed? 
How would you prioritize Teller's resources going forward from here? 

LAST Question
How will we define ourselves as we move forward?