October 12

                   

 

 

Picadome Elementary

SBDM Meeting Minutes

October 12, 2006

3:15 p.m.

 

The Picadome School Community is committed to all students becoming lifelong learners through academic success and responsible citizenship.

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 3:26 p.m.

Present: Kathy Cleary, Steve Stone, Darla Simms, Ricki Rosenberg, Jeff Mefford

 

I.                    Minutes

The minutes of the August 24 meeting were read and approved.  The minutes of the September 21 meeting will be read at our next meeting,

 

    II.      Budget

A. Council reviewed the SCIF printout.   Council is considering a budget transfer to pay for a part time Intermediate teacher; council also discussed the need for another photocopier as a backup and to minimize waiting time. Regular instruction code has $7000 encumbered and $30,000 remaining.

 

B. Activity fund – money continues to be deposited and withdrawn for activities such as Art to Remember, Field Trips, etc.

 

II.                 Information Items

A.   Student achievement data – Fall 2006 Reading Learning Checks… disaggregated data was reviewed by council for 5^th grade. There is a big gap between regular and special education scores; special education students have IEPs to support their academic needs depending on their individual needs. There are not enough students in the subgroups of Limited English Proficient students, Hispanic or other ethnic categories to enable us to disaggregate these scores.

      Concern was expressed that 4^th grade math scores could be reflecting the accelerated level of math coverage starting in 3^rd grade (multiplication and division).    Parents may not be getting clear grades in 3^rd grade       (satisfactory or unsatisfactory, not a distinct “A” or “B” or “C”) to help them know when their children need additional practice. Perhaps additional structure is needed in fourth and possibly in third grade. The 4^th grade math scores show an even more significant gap (29 points in academic index) between students with free/reduced lunch and those with non-free/reduced lunch.

 

      In 4^th grade reading – there is a significant gap (16 points in academic index) between students with free/reduced lunch and those with non-free/ reduced lunch. In 4^th grade science there is a 17 point academic index gap between free/reduced and non-free/reduced lunch.  In 3^rd grade math there is a gap between free/reduced and non-free or reduced lunch, however scores for free/reduced are 90, which council members were pleased with.

In 3^rd grade reading there is a gap of 27 points in the academic index.

 

    Success Maker Math is being done every day for 20 minutes. The computer program is “awesome” according to a 5^th grade student. It is self-leveling, so it reads where the students are, and helps in the areas of need. The computer program challenges the students in a fun way. The program teaches new concepts and revisits math topics that have already been covered.

 

    The 4^th grade support teacher (B. Evans) could cover math, but there are such needs in reading, that she is focusing on reading. Ms Richardson is working on open response questions, which include open response math questions.  We continue to review the schedules of our 4^th graders to make sure all 4^th graders are receiving all 4^th grade curriculums. Ms Simms will check to make sure all 4^th graders are getting Success Maker every day. Ms Simms will contact the middle school to get the 6^th grade scores to see how our former students are doing.

       

    We do not have enough money in the budget to consider getting an additional teacher. We can revisit and revise the RFPs, and need to revise the Read to Achieve to reflect the fact that we were not funded this year for 1.5 teachers, we only got a .8 teacher, and had to use other funds to purchase the remaining .2 in order to have a full time reading teacher for primary.

      If we had space in the building, we could serve the children more effectively. Currently we are using every available space.

 

B.     Staffing update

 

    We now have an additional .5 assistant in the Early Start classroom from Early Start District funds. We continue to serve students from Garden Springs, Clays Mill and Stonewall.

    Council considered ways to meet student needs at the 3^rd grade level in reading. Council members inquired about the possibility of a “Success Maker” equivalent for reading.

    We need at least 1 set of 28 laptops that we could move to wherever we need it. Booker T. has a portable lab. Gerry Cooper is going to look into how others that have these portable labs have funded them.  If computers are donated, only the superintendent can accept donations. No other Fayette County Public School employees can accept donations.

 

      C. SBDM Minority Election

 

No minority parents responded to the information sent home concerning the need for a minority parent member on SBDM.  We will have a minority staff election.

 

Council discussed ways to increase minority involvement in SBDM such as:

flyers could be sent with report cards, minority parents could be reminded of SBDM issues at PTA events/school events.

 

D. Junior Great Books

 

The program is about critical thinking skills, not just book discussion club. The books are roughly $15, and pay for training the teacher. Ms Simms will present this information at a faculty meeting to consider for teaching in the regular school day.

 

E. Field Trips

 

All field trips must support core content: such as 4-H camp, Raven Run, Explorium and kindergartener’s trip to the Fire Station.

 

F. ESS

 

We plan to hold a writing camp in the spring. There was some discussion of conducting a more general learning camp, to cover other areas of need. We won’t be doing the day waiver, since there is not enough money to make an impact.

 

Ms Simms will talk to Ms Cunningham to complete the schedules for the Fall and Spring ESS programs.

 

IV.               Professional Development Leave – none

 

V.                  Action Items

 A.  Mrs. Brown reviewed the proposal for an after school Chess Club (see handout).  The proposal was approved by consensus.  Chess Club will be held on Mondays and Wednesday from 3:00-4:00.

 

B.  Mrs. Rosenberg presented a proposal for an after school Newspaper Club for fifth graders. One group of 10 students would produce a newspaper in December. Another group of 10 will participate in January. This will be after school and will probably be done four times on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Teacher volunteers will be recruited at the faculty meeting on Tuesday. Holding this group before school would be too early. This will be done to help our Proficient students move to Distinguished, and will generally help with on-demand writing. It will be helpful in teaching the students to revise/edit.

 

SBDM approved the idea of a school newspaper on a trial basis. We will charge a fee (approximately 10 cents per copy). If a student can’t afford the fee, then the school could provide him/her with a copy.

 

C. Miss Simms shared information on the Academic Challenge.  It takes a team approach to quick recall challenge.  Council approved by consensus dependant on getting someone to coach the teams for the Academic Challenge.

 

VI .  Public comment

     (none)

 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:15.

 Minutes typed by Steve Stone.