School Community Council Minutes:

Mt. Loafer Elementary
Date: Nov. 6, 2008
Time:12:00 noon

Those attending:
Traci Steck, Nicole Loveless, Pat Bradley, Liz Smith, Stephanie Spencer, Shellie Olsen, Jileeen Meservy, Nikki Trythall, Alicia Rudd

1. Introductions of each of the members:

Procedures of an open meeting:
Now there will always be a post for the meeting. It’s an open meeting. There will be a 24 hour notice on the website and a paper agenda.
All meetings will be recorded with an audio cassette, and Shellie will be taking notes and then they will be posted on the website. So others can look them up.

Jileen asked if when others have a concern that they want to address, they can come, but it’s best if it comes through us.

4. Reading Achievement Plan How and When? Iowa Test, Benchmark testing 3 times a year. First will change now to have 3rd – 5th grade will have SRI testing as well.
Remediation will be the same as last year. (Reading recovery, star, Waterford, etc.) One addition for this year will be that our Kteachers will be doing the reading recovery. Alicia will also do a ‘booster’ group for 30 minutes daily. Clarification between Star reading and Reading Recovery Reading Recovery is concentrated 30 minutes each day.

5. Funded from trust land money:
Guided reading library, take home reading program………..2500.00
Training for teachers in reading instr. ………………1500.00
Star Reading…………………………………………………4000.00
Summer School………………………………………………4000.00
Take Home library Tech……………………………………..500.00

6. Training for teachers; last year
UTIPS
Literacy Training On Six Traits
Jeanne did some writing
We’ve added Math training twice each month, and Literacy PLC once each month.
We’ll also be posting the reading

Professional Development Plan - Where the money is being spent.

Balanced Literacy, Writing, Integrating the Arts, Gifted and Talented, At Risk Students, Arts Conference in November.

Grizzly Den may not continue, Michelle Mecham is over Gifted and Talented and is looking at different ideas. Maybe a whole day will be dedicated to the G & T children. Parents and students had a concern with losing interest because of the loss of recess.

Wednesday, early out day. Explanation of the PLC purpose.
We meet in an open session for 10-15 minutes. We’ll be doing a lot with writing in math this year. Then the teachers go into a session on grade level. They analyze student work and decide what needs to happen: enrich, reteach, reinforce. They also look at the curriculum map and decide how things are going and adjust accordingly. They also discuss grade level things. The PLC model is designed for students, with the idea that we’re not just responsible for only our own students, but are interested in helping all students to improve and succeed. It allows time for the teachers to talk with each other. Every week we meet together.
Clarification of the PLC reading/math meetings.

PTA matching Money
Computers, projectors, from last year’s money
We’d like to use this year’s money to help purchase more projectors

Please remind those in the community to read the Monday message. One the back is the Grizzly Gazette that the 6th graders write. They were chosen because they were the ones that didn’t make community council but understood that they would be on the newspaper committee.
Jileen asked if maybe the students could be asked throughout the year to be on it. Yes, it’s open for change during the year.

Classroom newsletters come out each week. Remind

Concern was brought up that parents are less informed this year. The ½ sheet weekly message is now going home with all children, not just the note carrier. 6th graders use a planner and parents aren’t getting all the info. Students not being responsible to write things correctly in their planner.

? Is it possible to post the classroom newsletters on the website? We’ll have Don look into that.

Closing

Mt. Loafer Elementary
Date: December 4, 2008
Time:12:00 noon

Those in attendance:
Traci Steck, Nicole Loveless, Pat Bradley, Stephanie Spencer, Kris Bluth, Jenny Headman, Nikki Trythall, Alicia Rudd

1. Opening statement & welcome. Pat Bradley
2. Minutes from last meeting
As a whole parents are feeling more informed, but 6th grade parents are not feeling like they get information very well.
3. Items for voting:
a. Reading Achievement Plan (blue sheet)
i. ? Would it be possible to get these as an attachment in advance of the meeting?
ii. Everyone had a chance to read through the plan. Then we had comments.
iii. Is it possible for more to be done for those who are on the other end of the spectrum? Gifted and Talented
iv. What is the time frame for Gifted and Talented Program to be running?
v. What is Waterford, and how long has it been working?
1. Just for 1st grade, unless through Mrs. Loveless

The reading achievement plan was motioned by Shellie Olsen and seconded by Traci Steck to adopt. Vote taken and passed.
• Professional Development Plan
vi. Motion to adopt by Nikki Trithall and seconded by Jenny Headman. Vote taken and passed
4. Review School Improvement Plan for 2008-2009
a. Draft new-items to be added or changed
b. Review Trust Land proposals to date
c. Time was spent reviewing
d. Change made to Goal #3. The Librarian will not be paid to do the gifted and talented program anymore – someone else will need to do it.
e. Question was asked as to whether Summer school could be opened up to other children that need to simply “maintain” their reading level. It’s not being used by those who it was designed to benefit.
• Change made to the action plan that our reward activities would sometimes include an arts activity (Scera plays etc).
?? Can we plan more in advance? A yearly plan, Can teachers be trained in updating the web page? Could there be a PTA communication person? Someone who works on calendaring events.
f. Can teachers have a calendaring meeting at the end of each year?

5. Closing statement
6. Closed at 12:51
Excuse teachers & anyone else that needs to go.