March 21

SBDM Minutes

March 21

            The meeting was called to order at 6:03 by chair Darla Simms.  Teacher members present:  Betty Ann Scott, Tammy Johnson, Juaacklyn Cunningham; parent members present: Tom Barnes and Tammy Lynch.  Visitors: Carol Linton and Brenda Smith.  The minutes of the February 21 meeting and the March 6 Special Called Meeting were read and approved with corrections.

 Information Items

            The Elementary Parents and Exchange flyer was given to the parent members and one was put on the information bulletin board in the front hall.

             Reports from all committees will be presented at the May 16^th council meeting.  Miss Simms will inform committees of this date.  The reports will be to inform council members of progress completed on policy writing and curriculum alignment assignments made by council this fall.

             An updated copy of the disaggregated student achievement data was distributed to council members.  Council had concerns about the decline in third grade math scores from fall to winter.  Miss Simms reminded them that this is partially due to the fact that Math Standards Test scores were reported in the fall and Star Math scores were reported in the winter.  Council requested that Miss Simms meet with the third grade teachers to record and report Star Math scores for the fall and then update the disaggregated  data form.

            Mr. Barnes had some concern about the low percentage of forth grade boys on grade level in reading.  Miss Simms looked up the actual numbers to make sure the percentage had been correctly calculated and discovered that rather than recording the percent of boys on grade level, the number of boys on grade level had been recorded.  This error will be corrected and the corrected form presented at the April SBDM meeting.

             Mrs. Smith reported on the progress of the Consolidated Plan.  Our draft plan was sent to central Office for an external review.  In the review completed by The Southern Association Of Schools and Colleges on their school renewal visit, they recommended that our plan be more focused.  The Planning Committee will meet to make revisions to the plan based on the recommendations by both the SACS team and the external review from Central Office.  The Consolidated Plan is due the first week in May.

 Action Items

            Mrs. Smith presented the revised Student Placement Policy from the Needs Assessment Committee.  Changes include those recommended by council on the first reading at the February meeting.  Council asked Miss Simms to check on the collaboration policy for special needs students.

            A letter from Miss Simms explaining how to access the student placement form will be sent to parents in the PTA Newsletter with a copy of the revised policy attached.

             Mrs. Scott shared information from Mrs. Ocelli, science lab teacher, concerning training for science.  She feels that if we adopt a new science program, we need to schedule professional development with the company from whom we adopt.  This could be done at grade level meetings or as professional development.

 Work Session

     Budget

            Our section 6 (SCIF) allocation for the 2002-2003 school year is $36,072.26 which is $107.31per student based on last year’s ADA, average daily attendance.  (Kindergarten students are counted as ½.)  We will only be able to carry forward 10% of this years SCIF money. Council agreed by consensus to move $10,000 of this year’s SCIF, section 6, into staffing, section 4, if the district approves our request.  Miss Simms will fill out the appropriate form. 

            Miss Simms and Mrs. McDowell worked out a draft budget for next year’s SCIF today.  Miss Simms reviewed the draft budget with council members.  Council discussed each line item.  (see attached) Council agreed by consensus to accept the draft budget.

 Staffing  

            Council reviewed staffing decisions made at the March 6 Special Called SBDM meeting as follows:  convert SAFE aide position ($16,720) and cafeteria monitors ($10,032); fund science, art, music, and gym teachers at least at .8 (this leaves .3 certified in discretionary-$13,014) .

            Council reviewed needs for staffing from the March 6 meeting as prioritized through a teacher survey.  After much discussion, council agreed by consensus to fund the following positions:

·        Micro-Computer Specialist using the section 4 money provided for a computer aide ($16,720) and KETS funds remaining from this year’s allocation ($8,004).  Ms. Moore has agreed to work a 7-hour day instead of an 8-hour day or a .9 position which will cost less; we would need to supplement with $2,500 SCIF if all of Terry Wicker’s projections are accurate.

·        Add an additional .05 to the PSA position to the district funded .65 to make it a .7 position using $2,168.85 SCIF (this would give this positions benefits).

·        Use the above converted positions in addition to $5,331 SCIF to purchase a .5 reading teacher and a .5 writing teacher.

     As funds are not available to purchase a 1.0 reading teacher, Mrs. Johnson will survey primary teachers to see if they would like to convert all assistant positions available (1.5 classified) to pay for a 1.0 reading teacher.  This would provide $25,080 to purchase the other .5 of a reading teacher.  The district has not received the Smaller Class Size Grant; if it is approved, we will need to keep three assistants to trade in for three teachers to implement smaller class size at Picadome.

            All of these decisions are contingent on Monday night’s board meeting at which the board is to decide on the full day kindergarten program.  If we get full day kindergarten which will give us two more teachers, Ms. Cunningham thinks this may qualify us for 4 discretionary teachers instead of our current allocation of 3.5 teachers.

            Council will have a special called SBDM meeting on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 to make final decisions on staffing.  Staffing and Budget are due on March 29, 2002.

            The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

 Respectfully submitted,

 Darla Simms