August 2015 Meeting Notes

MAAEA Meeting
Jobs with Justice
3353 Washington St.
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
August 24, 2015

Google Group: maaea@googlegroups.com

People in Attendance: Sarah Chang, Jessica Tang, Jianan Shih, Tinyan Chan, Pamela Chu, Katie Li, Go Sasaki

Agenda:
Check-Ins
Member Support Time
MAAEA Overview
New Superintendent Event

Member Support Time
Bullying resources:
NBC series on bullying
Wediko - also does anti-bullying stuff
Boston vs. Bullies - 5th through middle school
Suffolk University will be doing a workshop series on Circles
Katie should connect with Quincy teacher re UDHL?

MAAEA overview

Superintendent Event:

Recent Events with Dr. Chang:
China Pearl Dinner with Dr. Chang

Chinese Parent Event (well attended, 30-40 parents
Organized by Susan Oh and Angela Tang
-Focus on Special Ed
-Many parents want their children to go to Quincy School
-Seems like a lot of Chinese SEI students are being placed at the Jackson Mann, which does not have a Chinese SEI program.
There is a need for a - How do American schools work (and BPS).

Our Event:
Goal: Educate Dr. Chang about AA issues in BPS
3 sections:
1 - Demographics and History (Rosann Tung? Peter Kiang? - talk about the need for staffing - students want teachers who look like them)
2 - Panel: Students (SEI veteran and non-SEI student, Alumni?), Parents (Helen Wong, Baolin?), Teacher (Tuyet?), Counselor (Katherine Chiu? Dzung Nguyen), Lieu Nguyen?
Topics - Bullying, ELL, struggling students/unidentified needs
(Possibly have someone from CYI-CPA)
3 - Recommendations
4 - Tommy’s Response to the Panel

Talking Points -
Immigrant parents don’t know how American Schools work
Bussing and school assignments
Need good AA staff in other schools.  can speak the language.
Student Issues - Bullying, non model minority, mental health, identity
Pathways to Higher Ed for students on Visas or are undocumented, and EL’s
Special Ed and SEI, Special Ed and language issues
Ethnic Studies/Asian American Studies
Interpretation for IEPs
Parents knowing rights
interpretation at meetings
Teachers that do not have training or endorsements
Veteran teachers are not being placed well - e.g. Language specific teachers (holland, Harvard Kent) are given placements that make it difficult for them to succeed.


Recommendations:
Disaggregate Data (BPS Sent us some Data!)
Linguistic support at schools with large AA students
Parents rights
interpretation for parents (IEPs, meetings)
Quality staffing (licensed, endorsed, language skills)
Welcome center sit down with parents on how to improve interactions with new parents
Mental Health/Bullying

Next Steps:
Get Date
Reach Out to Possible Panelists and Affiliated Groups:
MAAEA
BCNC
CYI/CPA
VietAid

Next Meeting:
700 Harrison Ave
Monday 9/14
5:30-7:30

Next Meeting’s Agenda:
Check-Ins
Review Data from BPS
Look at next steps and recommendations,
get panel
mobilize

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