Venice High School

School Advisory Council

September 13, 2004 – Minutes

 

 

 

 

 

The regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Venice High School Advisory Committee Meeting was called to order on September 13th, at 6:30 p.m. by Candy Millington with the following members present:  Candy Millington, Bill Mowry, Steve Canteees, Ron DiPillo, Steve Joselson, Lisa Callaghan, Pam Groff, Greg Miller, Bob Hirter, Rachel Bodi, Leslie Bachtel and Suzanne Krill.  All in attendance were introduced and welcomed.

 

 

Review SAC Operational Guidelines

Members will serve a minimum of two years.  A member may serve a maximum of three (3) consecutive terms.  Parents will elect new parent members from a ballot during the school’s 2nd semester Open House.

 

PMT Responsibilities

Leslie Bachtel, Chairperson of PMT, presented a brief overview of the shared decision making committee.  Ms. Bachtel will provide the monthly minutes and other pertinent information to the SAC secretary for council review.  Ms. Bachtel stressed the importance of collaboration between SAC and PMT.

 

Literacy Effort/Initiative

Suzanne Krill, Literacy Coach for VHS, outlined the goals for establishing a culture of literacy development.  Areas to be addressed this year include: raising reading achievement, developing stronger writing skills, and assisting students to become critical thinkers.  These areas will be implemented through:

1.      Remedial Reading

Year long reading instruction for Level 1 and some Level 2 sophomores.

Provide intensive  reading courses for upperclassmen that did not pass the FCAT.

 

2.      Literacy Coach

Works one on one with instructional staff to incorporate strategies. Assists in staff development in all content areas to foster and build reading strategies into the curriculum.

 

3.      Literacy Council

All curriculum areas are  working together to implement the school’s literacy plan.

Encourage reading and writing to become successful in life

Develop posters as a reading incentive initiative

Involve parents by providing strategies for reading and discussion in the home.

 

 

 

School Enrollment, New Programs

Bill Mowry announced the school population in 2,200

New programs include:

1.      Smart Web

VHS is the only school in the county to pilot the new student reporting system.  It includes attendance and a grade book system, providing parents with immediate access to their child’s information.  By the spring, the system will be accessible to all families.

 

2.      Read 180

A scholastic program that is an intensive reading course for identified Level 1 and some Level 2 English II students.  The independent program has strategies built in, with books on tape, and student initiated book group discussions.

 

 

School Website:  The communication tool is currently being redesigned to a more user friendly format.  Efforts are underway to improve the technology to increase student and parent access.

 

EQuIP Data

Candy Millington briefly discussed bye 2004-2005 School Improvement Plan.  This year, the Strategic Plan goals required by the district are Reading, Math and Writing.

 

Ron DiPillo presented the school’s report card with the Florida A+ grading system.

2003    B grade            395 scored points

2004    B grade            402 scored points

An  A” grade needs 410 points

 

Reading           47% of students are at or above grade level

Math                79% of students are at or above grade level

Writing             87% of students are meeting state standards in writing

 

The report card for No Child Left Behind proved VHS satisfied 93% of a total of 30 criteria every school must meet.

 

Adequate Yearly Progress

Reading           57% of students make a years worth of progress

Math                81% of students made a years worth of progress

 

Strategies to improve scores include:

 

1.      Implement Read 180

2.      All 9th grade students receive a year long language arts class

3.      Identified 10th grade students receive a year long language arts class

4.      Teachers Advisory Model

 

The next meeting date has been changed to October 4, 2004.

 

Meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

Respectfuly submitted

Lisa Callaghan