Southside Elementary School

School Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting

February 21, 2006

3:30-4:30 Main Office

Handouts:

Agenda

Minutes from January 17, 2006 Meeting

Southside Referendum Impact Statement

Closing the Achievement Gap Information

Attendance (as per sign-in sheet): Jay Berman, Melanie Brigham, Missy Cleary, Kelly Dancer, JoAnn Doane, John Gammaro, Ileana Manzano, Sharon Marks, Sue Mondello, Laura Rees, Geoffrey Shea, Pam Wetherill Absent: Karan Manchester & Jeanne Medawar

The meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m. by Missy Cleary,

Co-Chairperson.

Review of January 17, 2006 Minutes

ü Motion was made to accept the minutes as published. Seconded, and approved.

Facilities Update:

ü Bruce Sheppard from Willis Smith is working with us concerning construction noise during FCAT testing days.

ü Some construction will be postponed until after testing has been completed.

ü Aerial photos showing the construction site were reviewed.

School Safety – Raptor

ü The new electronic visitor management system – known as Raptor is in the process of being installed in the office.

ü This system will allow us to produce visitor badges and is capable of checking visitors against known sexual predator/offender databases.

ü This system will allow us to better control access to our school campus; thus providing better protection for our students and staff.

ü We are waiting for training on the Raptor system.

FCAT Schedule

ü Students in Grades 3-5 will be taking the FCAT test during the weeks of February 27^th and March 7^th (7 days of testing & 3 make-up days).

ü We will send a flyer home to parents with the day-by-day schedule along with helpful hints for preparing students for testing.

ü We will provide a lunch for the grade level teachers and support staff as recognition of their hard work in preparing our students for FCAT.

Cultural Literacy Day (PTA sponsored event)

ü “Tell Me A Story……” is the theme for Cultural Literacy Day on Friday – March 24, 2006.

ü We will be celebrating literature through music, dance, illustration and performance.

Closing the Achievement Gap – Presented by: Melanie Brigham (Reading Teacher)

ü To close the achievement gap, all students improve, but low performing students make more rapid progress.

ü The following contributes to the gaps in acquiring learning:

o Poverty

o Race

o Teacher quality

o Factors outside of school

ü Strategies to help close the achievement gap include:

o Administer frequent assessments of students and use data to understand skill gaps (PAR, DAR, ESI-K, Dibles, & IPT)

o Professional development on analyzing student data

o Discuss low performing student data with colleagues

o Observe different instructional strategies & model lessons

ü FCAT Preparation for struggling readers:

o Small group lessons with reading teacher (20-day boot camp)

o Third grade teachers to hold after school tutoring with small groups

o Parents encourage FCAT explorer use at home

o CCC Lab open early for extra practice – Morning Tutorials

Referendum News

ü “Sign Waving” sign-up sheet is available in the office. Encourage parents to participate.

ü SAC members are encouraged to send positive Letters to the Editor for publication.

ü Wear t-shirts when you are out in the community and during the Sarasota Marathon on March 5^th.

The next SAC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21, 2006 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Main Office.

Missy Cleary adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m.

Submitted by: Pamela Wetherill, Recording Secretary

c. District Web Site