Mr. Degree called the meeting to order.
Lynn Blewett, Site Council Secretary took attendance.
Present: Lynn Blewett-Franken, Roxanne Hart, Sherri Knuth, Jean Schwabacher, Michael Wulf, Mary Reis, Tom Degree, Cleva Jobe, Louis Mariucci, John Mayock, Ann Oyen, John Porter
Absent: Dawn Johnson, Jonathan Zats.
Voting Privileges: Both Lynn Blewett (alt1) and Mary Reis (alt2) will serve as voting members for this meeting. Michael Wulf made a motion to approve the minutes, John Mayock seconded the motion and the minutes were approved with minor edits.
Lori Windels suggested that we add to the agenda an item to address the purpose of the Site Council. Louis will bring someone in from the District to talk about the role of the Site Council for a future meeting. Michael Wulf made a motion to approve the revised meeting agenda. John Mayock seconded.
PTO REPORT: There will be four students at the town meeting for the 29th to assist with childcare. PTO has agreed to pay $100 for this session. Site Council should add a slot to the volunteer list so people could sign up for volunteer opportunity to help with Site Council committees. This should be a formal request to Sara Langworthy, President of Site Council. They have raised over $11,000 already and were quite pleased with this rate at this point in time. There will be a $7-8,000 cost for acoustic tiles in cafeteria will help with tiles. They are suggesting to use any money above the budgeted amount for the direct drive will go to the cafeteria tiles. Louis suggested that we check with the District whether that there were other schools that had purchased tiles and what impact it had.
A large group turned out for last meeting. Would like to have photos for the Site Council election. PTO was also interested in having the voting take place at the Spring Conferences. Would like to get the teachers to get the parents to vote without putting undue burden on teachers.
Outreach Committee
Sherri Knuth was asking questions about welcoming, buddy families and what happened. Sherri was given specific PTO contact for further discussion. Right now what they are doing is grade-level dinners and dances that they feel that these have been successful.
The other initiative is the Mapping initiative so new families can find their way around and the bulletin board initiative. Also are talking about possibility of a paid greeters and parent greeters during the first few days of school and during the open house. The mural will also to make it more welcoming at the entrance. There are approximately 100 new families a year (including 7/8 grade). Mary Reis suggested that maybe each new family get a welcoming phone call – Sherri suggested this be part of the Communications Committee.
Volunteer list is currently in the hands of Karen H and no one has the formal role of keeping and updating the list. Roxanne has gotten a copy and passed it on to Site Council. Roxanne will send out the list again to Site Council members.
Michael requesting PTO to staff the elections during Conferences – Wednesday, Thursday evening 5-8 and Friday during the day 8-3; March 17, 18, 19th. Would like to have staff at the table at the entrance for voting. Best way is to call volunteers from the volunteer list. Carolyn (PTO liaison) will make an announcement at the next meeting.
ANNOUNCMENTS
No formal announcements.
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
1.Budget: Won’t get budget in time for the next Site Council meeting. Concern is that then we only have March and April to do a budget and May meeting would be to finalize the budget. Louis suggested that maybe we would need an extra meeting to discuss specifics. Louis assumes that we will likely have to make more cuts for next year. Compensatory aid funding and integration funding is key to ongoing funding. Not sure what legislature is doing. Ann Oyen asked whether the School District is doing anything to monitor the new Hmong refugees coming to Minnesota…potentially 10,000 families, many which will move to St. Paul. The City and District is aware of this situation.
CH now has four paid security guards that work at CH; two during the day and two in the evening. Now being paid by District for and using Unemployment Compensation recipients.
2.Calendar Update: Parent information fair will have two booths. PTO dance (grades 1-3) is Thursday, January 22 and the Cougar awards are on the 30th of January. Open House for Junior High – Feb 5th. Could use volunteers for this evening. E-mail Louis if you are available. There is an Open House for elementary, March 9th. Celebration of Black History month going out next week.
3.Quality Review: Capitol Hill will be heading up the District Quality Review for Capitol Hill. Cleva Job participated on a District Review Team for another school. It’s a team approach, Social Workers, Teachers, Nurses, Administrators. Look at the SHIP plan, data on test scores and related issues to No Child Left Behind. They make a strong effort to interview teachers, custodians, parents and others. The result will be a public document that is available on the web. The team will be here next week for four days. The focus is on (1) Strengths of the school and (2) Challenges. Trying to make it a productive activity and not a negative. There is a survey on-line for CH parents to fill out. We need to try to get the word out to parents to fill out this survey that would be great. Will try to get it in the Newsletter.
NEW BUT RELATED BUSINESS
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Parent commented that he appreciated the sign in after hours and sign in for volunteers to assure student and teacher safety. May need a letter going out about new security guards and pick up and drop off procedures for walk-in parents.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
SCIP MEETING
Dawn was not present and Louis said that they did not meet this month. Roxanne suggested that for next agenda item to include time frame and deadlines to illustrate the cycle of the budget and when the Site Council can have impact on the process. Louis will present the timeline after he has had his new training on the new SCIP process at some future meeting.
OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS
Roxanne reported on the meeting that they had on the 6th of January. Grace Raymond will come to next meeting on Outreach. Plan for exit interviews to identify the students who have left the school. Currently have 15-16 students are on the list. Roxanne continues to work with Grace on district information fair and to think about ways to do more outreach. Mary, Sherri, and Arcelle went to MLK and Mary wrote an article for their newsletter. There are a lot of services and programs including Penumbra at MLK and MLK is willing to work with CH on collaborative activities. One idea is a need for tutors for after school programming. There are many opportunities. Mary handed out her article for the Newsletter. Committees will work on specific opportunities and follow through.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Michael Wulf provided an update on recruiting for Site Council including getting information in the Newsletter, flyer, and other ways to get the word out. Deadline is the 13th of February. Michael went through the timeline (handout) for the election process. Staff who is not assigned to work conferences could volunteer to staff the election tables. Marshall Smith will help with election process. Suggestion to have stickers that say “I voted.” The objective is to get more parents involved and be more visible. Tom Degree suggested that the committee be thinking about recruiting teachers for site council. Eight parents have signed up for Site Council elections that are more than last time. Louis suggested that students be used to recruit parents to vote and make it a competition by class. Tom Degree suggested looking into renting voting booth for visibility and fun. Will get information at the Town Hall meeting, the Newsletter, and through flyers.
REFORM COMMITTEE
Ann Oyen suggested that she postpone her report until after the Town Hall meeting. Ann asked about the formal role of this committee. The Reform Committee is an Ad Hoc Site Council committee to keep Site Council connected to CH teachers’ discussion of curriculum and discussion of formal models.
GSAC LIAISON
Lori Windels reported that the committee is meeting next week. Reviewing service data provided by the school on Gifted and Talented survey. Will be making recommendations to the School Board on training, identified SEM specialists at each school, and discussion of training. CH teachers do not need to attend SEM training.
OLD BUSINESS
- Student Drop Off: Sherri organized leaflet and seemed to help for a few days. Now the next step is to identify and leaflet consistent offenders. The next step is the police issuing citations. Next week should be another time for leaflets. Patrols are out and doing a great job.
- Procedures and By-Laws: referred to next month
- Cafeteria discipline/behavior of staff: Left the last meeting with an ad-hoc group to discuss different schedule of lunches so they are not sitting there for the full half an hour. One option is to combine lunch and recess for 45 minutes. Teachers Advisory committee will put this on their list for discussion. If the group comes up with need for parent involvement to bring this back to PTO or Site Council. Might look at budget issues to pay for teachers to go out for recess.
- Noise Abatement Issues: PTO is covering the cost of new acoustic tiles to help with the noise.
1. School Choice Fair: Parents recruited and ready to go.
2. Town Hall Meeting – Ready to go on the 27th. Site council role is to be visible, possibly recruit for Site Council and take information back to Site Council for discussion.
Tom Degree made a motion to adjourn, Michael Wulf seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.
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