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Local School Council

The Local School Council (LSC) serves as a liaison between the school and the community. This committee involves parents and citizens in discussion of issues confronting local schools. Its members advise the school on important community issues. The Local School Council is elected annually and consists of parent representatives, business members from the community, teachers, and the principal. All interested individuals are invited to attend Local School Council meetings. Look for specific dates on the Bethesda Student Calendar.

Bethesda Elementary Meeting Schedule

  • September 17, 2025
  • November 14, 2025
  • January 16, 2026
  • April 2, 2026

Local School Council Meeting Minutes

April 17, 2026 8:30 AM

Members Present:

Katrina Larmond
Ashley Black
Sheena Johnson
Willard Johnson
Alexandra Sanchez
Renee Liverpool
Alicia Rojo Britney Perez
Emelina Marin
Lesli Seta
Nella Ancheta

Welcome & Introductions
Pledge of Allegiance
PIC/POL Presentations

• Tiffany Thomas highlights the importance of attendance and the Family Engagement Center orientation.
• The county has emphasized the need for parents to understand the significance of attendance.
• Over the next couple of years, the Parent Center will update hands-on activity materials and checkout items to better align with current classroom technology and instructional tools.
• Ms. Thomas discusses the importance of parents being on Parent VUE, ParentSquare and
MyPaymentsPlus.
• We prioritize making sure all parents are active on Parent VUE and ParentSquare, as these are our primary communication tools. We intentionally support families in accessing these platforms as soon as they enroll.
• She mentions her role as the Play 2 Learn teacher and ensuring parents are connected with the school.
• During ML workshops—particularly for students participating in ACCESS testing—we use Parent VUE to guide parents in reviewing test results and other academic data. Overall, Parent VUE is a valuable resource, and our goal is to ensure all families are informed, connected, and engaged.
• The annual Title One parent meeting is held at the beginning and end of the year to gather feedback and input.
• At the end of the year meeting, we collect parent input to identify priorities and areas for improvement. We closely review LSPI data to assess school needs and guide budget decisions. While most funding is allocated to classroom teachers to maintain small class sizes, parent feedback helps inform how remaining funds are used to best support our school community.• Literacy and Math nights are the biggest workshops held by the Parent Center.
• Laura Todd adds that they are trying to tie workshops into other school events to increase participation.
• We have gone out to communities with transportation issues to conduct workshops.
• The goal is to increase the number of people they speak to and help.
• Ms. Thomas mentions the ongoing English classes and the county's new curriculum for English classes.
• Ms. Todd talks about the strengthened relationship with the University of Georgia extension program.
• They offer a nutrition certification class that helps families feed their children healthier food.
• The Parent Center is open to feedback and suggestions for new workshops.
• Ms. Todd mentions the absence of a PTA this year and the Parent Center's efforts to organize events.
• We encourage increased parent involvement, particularly through the PTA. We hope that committee members and other families will consider volunteering their time to help reestablish the PTA, fostering a strong and effective partnership with the Family Engagement Center.
• Renee Liverpool asks about the interest in Spanish classes for parents of DLI students.
• Ms. Todd explains the focus on English classes for multilingual families and mentions the Latin American Association for Spanish classes.
• We will make a note to check into Spanish classes at Berkmar High School.
• Ms. Todd suggested that community organizations like the Latin American Association could provide Spanish classes.
• Ms. Larmond appreciates the Parent Center's efforts to bridge the gap between the community and the school.
• The Parent Center aims to increase parent engagement and support through various initiatives.

Goal Setting and Attendance Initiatives

• Ms. Larmond discusses the importance of goal setting for students and the use of iReady for skill gaps.
• Goal setting is also used for attendance and behavior.
• The school aims to keep attendance below 10% and has initiatives like attendance buddies.
• The Parent Center encourages parents to use the resources available in the Parent Center.

Math Videos and Teacher Initiatives

•Ms. Larmond mentions the creation of math videos in English and Spanish by third-grade teachers.
• The videos are tailored to the school's math strategies and are shared with parents.
• The initiative aims to support parents in helping their children with math.
• The school also uses pre-made math videos but ensures they align with the school's teaching methods.

Mid-Year Data and Parent Engagement

• Ms. Larmond shares the mid-year data, noting the school's growth target of 15%.
• The goal was to have 50 parents visit the Parent Center, and they have reached 52.

Instructional Conversations and Small Group Instruction

• Ms. Larmond shared a success story about hosting a K-12 connection event where teachers and leaders from different schools observed small group instruction and instructional conversations at Bethesda.
• The event sparked a conversation about increasing engagement and building relationships with students in grades 6-12.
• Ms. Larmond highlights the importance of small group instruction in elementary school and the need for similar practices in middle and high schools.
• She mentions the goal of creating a cluster-wide team of teachers and leaders to implement small group instruction and instructional conversations

Introduction of New Superintendent

• Ms. Larmond introduces the new superintendent, Dr. Alexandra Estrella, noting her experience with new literacy standards and K-12 alignment.
• She previously served in New York public schools and later as Superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools.
• Dr. Estrella has significant experience in multilingual curriculum enhancement and inclusive learning experiences.
• She established dedicated teacher team meetings within each school's master schedule to strengthen data-driven instruction and guide the implementation of new K-5 literacy and K-10 mathematics curriculum. Additional information is available on our district website.
• Gwinnett County has similar practices with CLTs twice a week and the introduction of new literacy standards by the state.
• The addition of K-12 literacy and mathematics coaches has further reinforced professional learning communities in Gwinnett County.
• Ms. Larmond highlights the importance of having coaches within the building, despite funding constraints, to enable educators to refine instruction through collaboration and analysis.

Town Hall Meetings

• Town hall meetings are scheduled next week for parents to meet the new superintendent and ask questions.
• Ms. Larmond provided details on how to submit questions before the town hall meetings and mentions that all questions will not be answered.
• She encourages parents to attend the town hall meetings and to submit their questions through a specific link for each session.
• Click on link below for District V Area Board Town Hall Meeting. https://www.gcpsk12.org/about-us/board/area-board-and-town-hall-meetings/district-v-area-board-meeting

Nuts and Bolts

Parent Engagement and Local School Council

• Ms. Larmond discussed the importance of parent engagement and the role of local school council members in the Bethesda family.
• She mentions an upcoming Build retreat where grade chairs will look at data and start planning for the next school year.
• She appreciates the participation of local school council members and their presence at various events.

• Ms. Larmond invites feedback on parent engagement to help plan for the next school year.

Upcoming Important Dates:

•May 1st Kindergarten Registration 9:00am-12:00 pm
•May 4th-8th Teacher Appreciation Week
•May 7th AAPI Month Program 5:30-6:30
•May 5th- 4th & 5th Grade Field Day
•May 6th- 2nd & 3rd Grade Field Day
•May 7th-K & 1st Grade Field Day
•May 8th 5th Grade Dance 3:15pm
•May 14th 5th Grade Celebration BHS 5:30-6:30pm
•May 19th K-4th Award Ceremonies (by invite only)
•May 20th Last Day of School

Open Floor: Questions, Comments, Concerns

• Ms. Larmond discussed the schedule for field day, which had to be moved up due to testing dates.
• She explained the need to ensure students are focused on testing and not field day activities.
• Here's a link for the steps to add BES Student calendar to one's personal/work Google calendar to help parents stay informed.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:va6c2:e15a5084-4a4b-4519-b4a6-6b17d244ee86
• Participants discuss the best ways to communicate meeting announcements with parents.
• Ms. Larmond mentioned the importance of timely communication and the need for a clear timeline for events.
• They consider using hard copies, flyers, and Parent Square to reach more parents.
• The group agrees to explore different communication methods to increase parent participation in meetings and events.
• She mentioned upcoming events for fifth graders, including a dance, program, and party.
• Ms. Larmond reminds parents to ensure their children get enough sleep and are on time for school during the busy time of year.
• Ms. Larmond thanked everyone for their participation and feedback.
• She concludes the meeting by encouraging parents to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your support!
Meeting Adjourned
Local School Council Minutes will be posted on the school’s website.