RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL

AUGUST 19, 2004

 

 

Members Present:

Pat Bliss - Instructional                                                  Tina Martinelli  - Parent

Amiee Buckman - Parent                                                Bob Marvin - Instructional

Ali Dvoskin - Student                                                      Kate Mocherman - Classified

Jorge Echevierri  - ESOL                                                 Alison Neville - Classified

Chuck Evans – Instructional/SAC Chairman                     Linda Nook – RHS Principal

Abby Gerrity - Parent                                                     Janice Piedra - Parent   

Lloyd Hankinson – Instructional                                       Kim Richards - Instructional

Sue Hlohinec - Parent                                                    Dusty Twining - Instructional

Bonnie Kulha - Parent                                                    Dimitrije Zdravkovich - Instructional

 

Guests: 

Lisa Hlohinec – Student

Jeanne Ladimir - SAC Secretary

Rachel Shelley – RHS Assistant Principal/SAC Facilitator

 

Members Absent:

Jim Popielinski – Parent (Excused)

Curt Singleton - Parent

                                                                                   

Meeting was called to order at 2:10 p.m.

 

WELCOME; INTRODUCTIONS

 

RHS SAC OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES/BY-LAWS

On 2/16/05, RHS SAC will be presenting its school improvement plan to the school board. 

 

Linda Nook stated that RHS SAC does not represent the ethnic and racial diversity in our school and that it is incumbent upon her to find a representative that will help balance that issue.  She is aware that it is difficult for most business people to attend a 2:00 p.m. meeting and that she is searching for someone who is willing to make that commitment.   She has a few names in mind and she will bring names forward at the September meeting.

 

In order for an absence to be excused, you must call the secretary responsible and let them know that you are not going to be present.

 

COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES

Linda Nook said that she wants a community representative that has a vested interest in RHS and would like that person to help represent and balance out the ethnic and racial percentage.

 

ELECTION OF CHAIRMAIN, VICE CHAIRMAN & SECRETARY

Chuck Evans for 2004 – 05 SAC Chairman

Jeanne Ladimir for 2004 – 05 SAC Secretary

Janice Piedra for 2004 – 05 SAC Vice Chairperson

 

No objections. 

 

REVIEW OF GROUND RULES

Chuck Evans reviewed all the ground rules for RHS SAC.

 

 “A” MONEY

Chuck Evans reviewed a letter from the Office of the Governor.  He stated that the money ($247,000.00) is available now to benefit the school and staff and that it can be accessed as soon as the school’s staff and SAC can jointly decide how to use the award.  He would like this process to be as cordial and as expedient as possible.  If it can’t be decided upon, the Governor & the Dept. of Ed. put in a clause stating that 100% of the money goes only to this year’s instructional staff.  The deadline is 11/01/04.  SAC’s deadline:  End of Oct.

 

SACS Accreditation will take one year to get ready.

 

ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS REPORT (AYP)

AYP and NCLB (No Child Left Behind) measure differently than the state accountability system and forces us to look at the individual sub groups and our state accountability system does not require that.  NCLB will identify a special learning student who receives a special diploma as a dropout and does not consider them to have graduated high school.  This is counted against the school.

 

When we go before the board on 2/16/04, we will address some areas that we need to improve in order to meet the needs of our kids.

 

Linda Nook said the graduation rate has increased from 70% - 83%, but feels a 70% graduation rate is unacceptable and that we have a long way to go regarding the minority graduation rate.   She also stated that 51% of 9th &10th grade students were reading on or above level and that too, is unacceptable.  She said that it is not OK that only half of our kids are achieving and when we move into the School Improvement Plan (SIP) process, we are going to have to make this a real clear focus.

 

Students presently in dual enrollment classes (MCC) have to take the college placement test in order to be eligible.

 

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR EXCELLENCE

Research says that schools that do well have one or two measurable goals. RHS’s two goals will be in Reading and Math.  The other seven goals that are mandated by the state will simply be district driven goals. There will also be the expectation that we produce.

 

Rachel Shelley reviewed the School Improvement Plan 1998-2004, Campaign for Excellence, Strategic Plan III and spoke of the inservice workshops & conferences that were held this summer.  One of those was the Literacy Conference where everyone was taught how to incorporate reading across the board. She reviewed the attached Action Plan that staff members drafted.  One plan, Silent Reading Time has us working closely with the Media Center where they compile different stacks of books and magazines that are then dropped off at the teacher’s classrooms so they can begin reading during that silent reading time.  Ali Dvoskin feels that 20 minute reading time is being used more for homework and not for independent reading and that students could be using the 20 minutes to learn something in that classroom while Dimitrije Zdravkovich feels that reading is reading and that it is a choice.  He added if a student chooses to read a chapter for homework it is word identification and it is going to be applied. 

 

10/01/04 - need to be ready. 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

LITERACY AND DATA ACTION PLANS (SUMMER 2004)

SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND SCHOOLS (SACS)

Every five years, in order for our students to qualify to go to Universities, our school has to be approved by the Southern Association of College and Schools (SACS).  Without this accreditation, our students who receive diplomas will not be recognized at any of our state and out of state universities.  The Accreditation packet has standards.  You must document everything.  There will be one chairperson for each area and the entire staff will be involved.  This needs to be staff driven.  There needs to be one point person.  Ten people are needed who will be willing to invest in us.

 

It is a 17 mo. process and we are down to 7 mos.

 

CALENDAR OF SAC MEETINGS

Reviewed Calendar of SAC Meetings. 

 

STRATEGIC PLAN MEETINGS

February 16, 2005 – School Board Presentation will be made by SAC, not by the administrators.  January 10, 2005 will be a dress rehearsal for this presentation.

 

“A” SCHOOL MONEY

RHS’s Curriculum Coordinators suggested a ballot with two choices:  95(staff)/5 (school) or 90 (staff)/10 (school), will be given to all staff to find out how they would like the money distributed.  The staff portion would be divided equally by all staff (custodians, classified, teachers, etc.) like last year.  Last year, the school portion of the money went towards a career scholarship person.  SAC recommended a third choice to be added to the ballot 85(staff)/15(school).

 

Suggestions:

Renaissance Tutoring Center

Money for the Media Center:  Great idea.  It affects all students and not just one program.

Abby Gerrity suggests Read 180 technology based reading program and Linda Nook does not rule it out.  Possibly for 9th and 10th grade students in the near future.

 

Foundation has pledged $30,000 to the Media Center for books.

District has given RHS $20,000 or $30,000.

$50,000 for the Media Center would get our needs where it should be but won’t solve the problem.  Lloyd Hankinson adds that this is a 30 yr. problem that cannot be fixed in one yr.

 

The Media Center does not have a good selection of books to capture a student’s interest.  We want to motivate students to read for pleasure.  Janice Piedra suggested that that the next time we send out a mailing to parents, that we ask them to donate books that they no longer are using.  Another suggestion was on Parent Night, parents may drop off books.

 

It was suggested that we keep the Media Center open longer hours like Pine View.

Media Center size - no room. Limited seating.  Put books into the teacher’s classrooms.

 

Mobile labs are not improving our reading.

 

Abby Gerrity states the importance of parent communication.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:02 PM.

 

The next SAC meeting will be held September 9, 2004 @ 2:00 p.m. in room 9-003.

 

Respectfully submitted by:

Jeanne Ladimir