Glenallen Elementary School
School Advisory Council Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 3, 2005
3:45-4:45
 
Members Present: Co-chairs: Tim Romano & Seth Springer, Meredith Allport, Sean Cheeseman, Kaye DelValle, Eduardo R. Maron, Eduardo Maron, Mary Pedro, Valerie Smith, Paula Thoennissen, Phil Tompson,
J.W. Triplett
 
Non-members: Amy Baker, Michael Griffith
Stand In Members: Chris Cowan was a stand in for Maksim Tkachou
 
Members Absent: Tina Burrows, Maksim Tkachou
 
Mr. Romano called the meeting to order at 3:55 p.m.
 
The minutes from the September 29, 2005 meeting were shared.
 
Mr. Springer made a motion to accept the minutes.
Mr. Tompson seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
 
Old Business:
Facilities:
 
1.       Mr. Romano informed the committee that the construction for the new cafeteria is in full swing. The ground has been leveled and filled.
 
2.       The city is moving ahead with the soccer field and retention ponds.
 
 
3.       The shrubs and trees around building 100 have been cut to prepare for renovations to the brick façade. A cement/stucco texture will be applied to the building. New doors and windows will be installed. The roof will be replaced. Renovations will be made to the office.
 
 
 
 
Staffing:
 
1.       Mr. Romano informed the committee that S.D.M.T. approved the reduction of one open fifth grade position. A substitute teacher staffed this position. There were no highly qualified applicants available for the position. S.D.M.T. decided to eliminate this 5th grade position. The remaining 5th grade teachers will absorb the students from the eliminated 5th grade into their classrooms. This will put the 5th grade class sizes between 22 and 24 students per classroom at present.
S.D.M.T also decided to eliminate a posted Tech Support aide position, which also could not be filled due to the lack of qualified applicants.
 
2.       Mr. Romano informed the committee that enrollment is projected to be down next year due to the opening of Elementary School H. Staff ratios will be reviewed and reassignments will be determined. Glenallen employees will have the option to transfer to school based on open positions and seniority.
 
 
 
 
New Business
 
SAC Project
 
Ms. Baker discussed an idea for a tutoring program called Reading STARS (Students and Teachers are Raising Scores). This program would focus on raising scores for potential FCAT Level 1 and Level 2 third, fourth, and fifth grade students. This after school tutoring program would run up to four days per week. Students could attend sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and/ or sessions on all four days. This program would provide forty-one, 1.25-hour sessions of instruction in reading for Level 1 and Level 2 students with potential risk for failing the reading portion of the FCAT.
 
Six teachers would serve as mentors and be compensated.
 
The program would use the buses provided by 21st Century to offer transportation. A snack would also be provided from the 21st Century program.
 
Enrollment in the program would be based on performance data.
 
The target audience for this program includes 137 students identified as potential Level 1, and Level 2 FCAT students in grades 3, 4, and 5. This group could include ESOL students, as well as students with an AIP and/or an IEP.
 
Partial funding for the Reading STARS program has been secured. Ms. Baker has written a grant to support the program.
 
Other ideas for parental involvement were also discussed. Ideas included:
Tuesday Family Reading Nights (PJs, Panther, Characters, etc.)
A Cultural Night
Community Readers to K-1-2 students
 
The Community of Caring Program character-building program was discussed. This program would require school wide buy-in of the philosophy and integration into curriculum.
 
After discussing options for the SAC project, J.W. Triplett made a motion to accept the Stars Tutoring program as our SAC community project. Meredith Allport seconded the motion. Consensus was reached within the committee.  The motion passed to accept the Stars tutoring program as the SAC community involvement project.
 
J.W. Triplett informed the committee that Brian Finnerty had resigned as a SAC member.
 
Ms. Baker informed the committee that Maksim Tkachou also resigned.
 
Chris Cowan expressed an interest in being on the SAC committee as a community representative.
Mary Pedro made a motion to add Chris Cowan to the SAC committee as a community representative. Paula Thoennissen seconded the motion. Consensus was reached.  The motion passed.
 
The SAC committee is still in need of another parent representative.
 
The meeting adjourned at 4:45 P.M.

 

Respectfully submitted by,

Mary T. Pedro

Recording Secretary

 

 
The next meeting will take place on Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 3:45 PM