Attendees: S. Barbarasch, M. Balsam, J. Bullock, O. Diamond, E. Edeen, K. Ersted, R. Fox, M. Ginanni, P. Gralen, K.Missett, C.Mueller, N. Panayides, M. Sano, R. Stamm,
M. Wilkins
- Kirsten lead the group in a getting to know you exercise where pairs chatted and introduced each other to the group bringing out interesting similarities and differences they learned during the chat.
- There were no changes to the Agenda and the Minutes were approved.
- A letter from L. Goldman regarding the Technical Budget situation was raised and tabled for later discussion.
- A brief update on school enrollment was made by the visiting school board representative.
Suzanne described surveys that were to be taken in the near future and introduced. Dr.Bill Garrison and Dr.Burton Cohen who presented the details of the two surveys regarding curriculum planning and adjustments, and a client satisfaction survey for parents of middle schools to determine how satisfied the community is with teaming and a survey on languages offered in the District.
Suzanne outlined the issues covered at the recent TeacherŐs Instructional Day such as Ňstrategies and common language with teaching in our schoolsÓ, Social Studies teachers mapping curriculum offered for consistency across the classrooms, a focus on reading for middle and high schools as English teachers across the schools had not met for several years as a group, P.E. teachers from all the schools had water safety instruction which had never before been held, Math teachers met to determine that they were teaching the same units, although maybe in different order and that Jordan was teaching out of sync with State testing timeframes which has not been corrected. It is in plan to change the sequence thereby making Jordan in sequence with the State testing.
It was noted that English teachers have little time to teach writing the research paper whereas Social Studies teaches that and English does persuasive writing teaching and Science teaches investigative writing.
The Attendance Committee for the school district needs a representative from each Site Council to participate in the upcoming determination of school enrollment and boundaries. Two volunteers have come forward and one will be primary, one alternate unless otherŐs volunteer with a written statement of interest. Several people on Site Council will participate in deciding who will be primary.
The budget is very tight and the council is cutting money from Leadership and Certificates for student of the month will be on cheaper paper. Magazine sales across the country are going down year after year. They are cutting pay for teachers working on Clubs for second semester. Salaries have gone up for teachers working with clubs and for referees so they have to be cut. The 8th grade party budget will also be cut. There was an agreement some time ago to only sponsor one fund raiser a year but Ms. Barbarasch said she was OK with the council doing another fund raiser this year to help offset this budget crisis.
Presentations:
Guidance Wheel, Ms. B.Krumboltz and Ms. M.Jacobs
Jack Hamilton representing CP&R Services
Student Resources, Ms. J. Roach
Math Dept., Ms. E. Slack
The presentations were all very thorough and very well received. Many questions were asked and the meeting ran significantly over the time scheduled. Lunch was brought in and the room was scheduled for another meeting of the District personnel so the meeting was adjourned for the month and the balance of agenda items will take place in the coming meeting in December.