NMHS School Advisory Committee Agenda and Notes

Next Meeting will be Thu, Apr 24 2025, 4pm - 5pm CEST

NMHS SAC Minutes

20 February 2025

16:00-17:00  

Naples Middle High School Library

Time: 16:00-17:26

Present: Randy Vavra, Emily Selph, Cory Taunton, Sharon James, and Cynda Masterman.

1. Open Forum Recommendation for the Agenda (from meeting attendees): 

• NOTE: Conversations before “Open Forum Recommendations”.
  • Continue to work towards clearly defining the role of the SAC and the IAC and how they support the school, installation, and community.
  • Follow-Up: We will work to create an infographic that can be shared to compare the two meetings.
  • Would holding more frequent SAC meetings help create momentum? Or at least once per quarter or “Ad Hoc” (as needed throughout the quarter)?
• More information on the QR code from the admin as a tool to support bullying and student support.

2. Principal’s Report:

• Students are selecting classes. The school is working on opening up re-registration for SY 25-26. More information will be provided later.
• Winter sports just finished. Congrats to all the athletes and wrestling team for finishing 1st in DoDEA Europe DII. Spring sports start next week with contact information on social media and Wildcat News.
• QR Code
  • Students can use it to report incidents on campus or provide feedback. QR Codes are posted around campus and in classrooms. The school will fine-tune the process and learn how to make it most efficient.
• Admin sent out an email about abusive language to students/parents. It is not rooted in a singular incident. Instead, it is to support the installation after IAC feedback.
• Athletic Booster Club Spring Baazar is taking place this weekend (starting 2/21) in the MHS gym.
• Upcoming Events: 2/28-S1 Honor Roll for HS students (2/28), The Little Mermaid Musical (2/27-28), and first NJROTC District Meet (3/1).

3. SLO Report:

• 4/11-Rome College Trip for students. More information can be found through the school’s social media, Wildcat News, or by contacting sarah.t.dastrup.naf@us.navy.mil.
• 4/24-Dependent student travel entitlements presentation on flights, storage, and other regulations. For both active duty and civilians.
• OTHER EVENTS FOR APRIL/MAY: Sensory-friendly movie event, homeschool happening, fire friend and fun (bonfire event), and more teen orientation events to come in June.

Old Business 

N/A

New Business 

4. Track Availability for Middle School Students

• It is based on the number of HS students on the team. This year, there has been a change from MS students being able to practice Monday-Friday to only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
  • Follow-Up: The admin will talk with the coaches about the rationale and share a follow-up.

5. Implementation of Executive Order(s) on DEI:

• Are books, materials etc being removed and if so, what is the process being followed?
  • All school information centers are open to students and staff to check out books and materials. Currently, some books and materials may have been relocated as the school conducts the review process, but no books have been removed from our schools. The school is conducting an operational review in accordance with the Presidential Executive Orders and Department of Defense guidance. These materials and books are being reviewed for compliance. There is no list of books and materials established yet as the school is going through the review process. The books and materials are under a comprehensive review that begins at the schools and proceeds through the region for a final decision at HQ. A list of books and materials will be provided if they are transferred permanently to the professional library.
  • How can stakeholders from the community be involved in the process?
    • Follow-Up: Admin will contact the district about how/where parents can get more information/transparency from the district/HQ.
• Any DODEA directives on process?
  • Answered in the previous response (see “books, materials, etc”).
•  Are these changes being communicated to students?
  • If any books are transferred, it will be communicated to the stakeholders.
• Any other impacts of recent Executive Orders
  • Hiring, fork in the road, funding?
    • Hiring has not been impacted as of now.
    • “Fork in the road” responses on resignations have not been communicated to school administrators.
    • The school is not using resources for Cultural Observance Months. The school can not use resources (like EDAs) to support clubs. However, students can host these clubs.
• Regarding Cultural Observance Months, the Secretary of Defense has ordered a change within DoD regarding the past practice of using DoD official resources to observe Special Emphasis Months, which does not include Federal holidays or the Month of the Military Child.  The DoD seeks to celebrate the valor and success of heroes of all races, genders, and backgrounds, equally, and not put people into separate boxes.  DoDEA schools can employ a less restricted approach to studying people whose accomplishments serve the greater good and focus on the achievements and character of diverse people of merit any time of the year, not just for one month a year.   
• Curriculum-Impacted some AP courses and curriculum (which has been well documented).
  • Follow-Up: Admin will contact the district about how/where parents can get more information/transparency from the district/HQ.

6. Youtube access on the school-issued Chromebooks.

• Parents were worried about student access to YouTube (the question's full context was unclear and the person who submitted was not present to clarify-SAC will work to develop context for future meetings).
• It is an important educational tool and teachers/students use it. Schools could cut streaming because of bandwidth issues.

7. Information on DODEA's policy on teachers using AI for grading; if it is used for feedback, or grades in ASPEN, or both.

• AI is highly encouraged within DoDEA to support students and teachers. AI can help save time for automation (feedback, rubrics, lesson planning, differentiation, personalized learning experiences,  etc.).
• The US Navy had issued guidance that DeepSeek is to be avoided in any capacity, and prohibited on Navy computers, due to ”potential security and ethical concerns”. 
• AI does not assign grades in the grade book

8. Updates from IAC

• DODEA will update the community on any teacher resignations which will have a negative impact on the students.
  • Covered in Topic 5.
• NMHS will notify the community on how they will jointly improve the use of traffic barriers before and after school. This plan will be made in close coordination with the NSA Naples Safety Office.
  • The base is doing a study with Public Works.
• NSA Naples and DODEA will provide the IAC with a report at the next IAC for what steps have been taken and what steps will be taken to deter and improve response to bullying in both schools
  • Each school will consider using a code of conduct to ensure students and parents know what behavior is unacceptable on school grounds and report this to their respective SAC.
    • See the “Principal’s Report” on QR code.
    • Admin emailed staff, students, and parents to address these concerns.

Kudos:

• Thank you to the admin for promptly and responsively addressing concerns.
• We thank the support of the community members and our students for making Naples MHS the positive community that it is.
• Our senior class, as they close out their senior year and start to hear back from their colleges and universities.
• Thank you for the new copy machines on campus.

Action Items:

• SAC will work to create an infographic that can be shared to compare SAC and IAC meetings (norms, purpose, etc.).
• School admin will discuss the rationale for MS vs HS practice with track coaches and share a follow-up.
• School admin will contact the district about how/where parents can get more information and transparency from the district/HQ on the book/material removal process and potential curriculum changes process.

Future SAC Dates:

• 4/24/2025

Future IAC Dates

• 4/9/2025
• 5/28/2025