The SAC/Management Team met on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 4:00 pm.

PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE:

Dan Parrett, Terri Chivington, Vicki Kitchner, Susan Meyer, Kathleen Powers, Catherine Carmona, Robyn Sadlo, Doris Lindsey, Leslie Lindsey, Maria Segura, Annette Segura, Cindy Calhoun and Anna Mulligan

EQUITY BOOKS

Student Equity books were handed out to each SAC member & parent present.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

School Improvement Plans given to each SAC member and parent present. Oak Park’s School Improvement Plan is based on each team’s needs of students; standard base lesson plans, reading, Active Board for all staff who use it and love it, speech and OT/PT. Oak Park has three trainers in Kagan, Innovative Strategies and writing. Oak Park students are showing great progress reading. For the lower performing students we make a plan to address needs.

Progress monitoring: Great information on data for our PRO students.

Data: Overall EBDs are doing very well on state tests. PRO students more testing.

PARENT QUESTION: How are you testing the more challenged students?

Oak Park teachers are trained; field testing 30 students to assess what testing needs they need; then all students will be tested in Spring. Alternative Assessment teachers are trained on how to give the test, they use Dynavox. The student IEPs need to have the accomadations for tests, i.e., more test time. Individualized testing shows the individual needs of student, i.e. participatory level of testing – know picture of self, look teacher in the eye when he/she reads to them, follows the pictures. Benchmarks will be broken down on three different levels.

PARENT QUESTION: Will we be told when our child is being tested?

Yes, there will be a window of testing dates.

PARENT QUESTION: Will we know the exact date?

Yes, we will send home notices and teacher will give dates and times of specific testing for you child.

PARENT QUESTION: Will my child be taken individually out for the test?

Teachers will participate in three hour training for testing 23 students who will be taking the field test. Teachers will be evaluating problems with testing, how to make everything right for the student to take the test on the second round. The first test will not count. If there is no air conditioning, no test given. If there is a substitute in the classroom, no test given. If there is a disruption in the classroom, no test given.

Data will tell us/district what we need to do to give test, IEP accommodations drive test. Benchmarks/goals will be on IEPs. Everyone is tested, either individually, supported or participatory.

Oak Park SAC/Management Team Minutes

October 9, 2007

Page 2

COMMUNITY FORUM

Robyn Sadlo, Teacher of the Year presented the power point presentation for the Community Forum.

Next Generation Learning = clear vision and planning.

Oak Park has bottom of the bottom and we are going to close the achievement gap. 40% of Oak Park’s students pass the FCAT. This is higher than across the district and state. The jobs of the future require technology training and digital upbringing. Sarasota County is the only county in the nation that all classrooms have ActiveBoards. Next Generation learning for Oak Park students is hands on learning and CBIs (Community Based Instruction). Oak Park students learn in their surroundings, i.e., learn about Fall season – go to the pumpkin farm, see the pumpkins, leaves. Oak Park students are functional, what are their needs to survive.

PARENT QUESTION: I feel that everything is technology driven, our students (DAT Team students) can’t do technology.

Have to give our students as much technology as we can, even if they are in custodial jobs. Our students will fill in the gaps, we teach our students job skills.

Five pillars of Next Generation Learning:

Quality: Administration

People: Bus Drivers, Custodial, Aides

Service: Guidance, OT/PT, Speech

Resources: Grants, Community, Sertoma, Volunteers

Safety: Yellow Shirts, Campus Security Monitors, Raptor System,

Sunshine State Standards are now broken down to meet requirements. Access points are individual, participatory and supportive. Oak Park School should have everything every other school has. We need to meet the diverse needs of our student population, collaborative planning. Research driven is what works with our students. What can we do for your child?

PARENT QUESTIONS:

As a parent, I’m skeptical. It sounds like the district is supporting Oak Park now, it did not feel like this before.

Dr. Nelson came to Oak Park and visited various classroom on the DAT Team and the PRO Team. Once he saw the special needs of these students, he asked Mr. Parrett, how can he help Oak Park. We have Active Boards in every classroom and every teacher is using them everyday.

Can you demonstrate the Active Board?

Robyn Sadlo demonstrated some uses of the Active Board. She explained how the PRO and DAT students are using the Active Boards in their classrooms. The Active Boards have changed the way we teach. Students in wheelchairs have wands they can use, students who are mobile and can go to the Active Boards use the pens, there is also switch access, wireless.

What is the student reaction?

The students want their turn, they love using it. The teacher’s can use active slates in the back of the classrooms to help prompt the students when they are using the Active Board. The PRO Team does the Active Votes. Dr. Nelson saw students using Active Board – did not have all the tools yet and this is what we need to make our next level.

I went to another open house and the teacher in the classroom did not know how to use it. I really want to commend Oak Park, the demonstration is phenomenal.

We hear the enthusiasm of our students. The Active Board training is ongoing, 8 modules. Everyone at Oak Park is trained – 188 employees.

Can we get the media to do a story on the use of Active Boards at Oak Park?

We can try.

Do the Active Boards help Sunshine State Standards?

Yes, master one level, move on to the next level. Kids want to participate in class, they want to take their turn. The students are having FUN.

Can I use the Active Board sometime?

Robyn Sadlo - Yes, come to my room anytime.

Susan Lomas, mother of SL (DAT student) – I feel that this is unlocking things for Sam, to keep going with the work, I want to see how he does in the classroom.

Susan Meyer, mother of RM (DAT student) – I want to visit the classroom to see Rachel using the Active Board.

Lesley Lindsey – mother of AL (PRO Student) – This may help me get something to help him.

Robyn Sadlo – The students see their peers using the Active Board and they want to use it.

Dan Parrett asked all present if they want to observe the Active Boards while they are in use and all parents responded yes. Mr. Parrett will arrange dates and times for the parents to come in and observe.

Catherine Carmona – mother of AC (PRO Student) – The enthusiasm from my child to show me what he’s working on.

Parents were surprised about the Active Boards and what their children and the students can do.

Susan Lomas feels that we should showcase what Oak Park students are doing with the Active Boards.

Dan Parrett asked the parents “How can we help you?”

Responses:

Transition Planning: As a parent vague about the transition planning for her child, needs some guidance, and knowledgeable person. I have a lot of questions but not enough answers.

Suggestions:

Transition Agency Fair: Coordinated by Jody Smith and Yvette Williams, transition planner new for 07-08 school year. Offer the fair three times during the year in case can’t make the first one planned. Parents requested more than one notice and more time between the notice and the actual date of the event.

Support Groups: Autistic Support Group, Sibling Support Group, Transition Support Group get information from parents that have already started the process.

Gulfcoast Community Foundation: Because It Matters – character building, changes their life, make people civil, would be a great advocate for special needs population. Example being the fifth grade students that come from Lakeview to work with DAT students. They learn compassion and the difference in other people.

Next SAC/Management Team meeting has been scheduled for January 8, 2008 at 4:00.

Meeting adjourned at 5:30 pm

Respectfully submitted,

Anna Mulligan

Administrative Assistant

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