Verified EESAC Meeting Minutes

Recording Secretary: Mr. Guillermo Ramos

Location of meeting: Country Club Middle School Media Center

Was a quorum established? Yes

Was the meeting advertised? Yes, 11/18/2010

Attendance

Topics Covered

EESAC Minutes – November 30, 2010 – Country Club Middle School

The fifth EESAC meeting of the 2010-2011 school year commenced on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 5:00 pm by EESAC Chairperson, Mrs. Linda Belkin. The minutes from the previous EESAC meeting was presented by Mr. Ramos and read individually by all present at the meeting. Ms. Covone motioned to approve the minutes and Ms. Conroy second the motion and the minutes were approved. The first item on the agenda after approving the minutes from the last meeting was the review and approval of the A++ FCAT Monies Plan that was voted for by the faculty and staff earlier during the day in the faculty meeting. During the last EESAC Meeting, the members chose Plan A and B as the two choices to be elected by faculty and staff. Plan C was added during the voting and announced a five days before the faculty meeting vote. Therefore, faculty and staff voted on either Plans A, B or C. After the first round of voting during the faculty meeting, Plans A and C were in the majority but neither plan received the necessary 50% plus one of the votes. Faculty and staff voted for a second time, only for Plans A and C. After the second vote, Plan A received the majority, 50% plus one and so it was the one favored by the faculty and staff. Plan A was then presented for a final time to be voted by and approved by EESAC voting members as it was the plan voted by the faculty and staff. The voting members approving yes to Plan A were Ms. Covone, Ms. Conroy, Ms. Lebena (Assistant Principal) in place of Mr. Fernandez (Principal), Mr. Ramos, Ms. Leon, Ms. Martin, Mr. Gil, Ms. Knight, Mr. Uz, Mr. Lobato and student Mr. Uz, Jr. Ms. Covone then made a motion to approve Plan A and Ms. Leon second the motion and Plan A was officially approved. The second and last item on the agenda involved faculty presentations and proposals of different resources and programs for EESAC members to consider to use effectively a portion of the remaining EESAC funds for the 2010-2011 school year. The faculty members that were interested in presenting a proposal for the EESAC to consider had to include an itemized budget, the number of students that will be impacted by their proposal and a clear statement of how the proposal impacts and reflects the School Improvement Plan and the specific goal addressed by the proposal in the School Improvement Plan. Ms. Spicer presented first her proposal, involving Science items for class projects, on behalf of the Science department. Parts of the items in her proposal can be reusable for future use and her proposal ties into the School Improvement Plan and the SIGME curriculum and also prepares the teachers and students for different Science competitions. Ms. Spicer’s budget request is for $479.00 and it will impact all students in the school. The second proposal was presented by Ms. Williams-Frazier and Mr. Geter on behalf of the STARS club and character education team. Both teachers explained how the teams relate to the School Improvement Plan and improving conduct behavior, dropping down referrals and suspensions and building good and positive character behavior within the students and school was key. Mr. Geter and Ms. Williams-Frazier requested $600.00 for outside classroom experiences for buses and other related items to take the students to nearby college campuses. The total impact will be for 36 total students. The third proposal was presented by Mr. Hankins and he requested $90.00 for Science lab materials that reflect standards in the Science component of the School Improvement Plan and also the school science garden. These enrichment lab materials to enhance the Science classroom would impact his classroom students. The next presenter was Ms. Galue, the school’s reading coach. Ms. Galue requested a budget of $458.00 to renew the Accelerated Reader license, which is $279.00 and the STAR license, which is $179.00. These programs not only benefit the entire student population but enhances the school’s literacy program motivating and enhancing students to read. These aspects reflect in the School Improvement Plan as well. Ms. Galue, further, reiterated, the need to get these programs going because they also include unlimited technical support from the companies as issues will arise to register and keep track of the students so the technology support is very much needed. Furthermore, the school has already exhausted their one complimentary technical support phone assistance. Ms. Fernandez, the mathematics department chairperson, next presented her proposal on behalf of the Intensive Mathematics Department. Ms. Fernandez is requesting $1,298.00 to renew the computer component of VMATH/VVOYAGER for the next school year to curtail certain problems that arose earlier this school year. Furthermore, she requested an amount of $900.00 for the purchase of large binders for the textbook component of the program. Ms. Fernandez also reiterated that a cheaper and more down sized but weaker binders were available for about $450.00. These resources would impact all the lowest 25% mathematics students plus it addresses and reflects it in the School Improvement Plan (lowest 25% in mathematics). Some of the board members asked questions involving the differences in binder selections and their uses and durability and if the VMATH/VVOYAGER program renewal was for this school year or the next. Our next presenter was Ms. Bermudez, an Exceptional Student Education teacher. Ms. Bermudez requested various learning software programs and resources that can be reusable for her TMH classes and she explained that not all have to be bought but anything would help as she has no set curriculum for that class. Ms. Bermudez’s resources total to $1068.80. The resources are the following: Reading software and print set for $499.95, a Spelling Demons Practice Kit for $87.00, a Handwriting Readiness Kit for $132.00, a Vocational Skills Set for $49.95, a Basic Math CD Set for $199.95 and a Science Exploring Series Set for $99.95. The EESAC board members asked her what the priority in the resources were and she responded by saying that the Reading Software and Print Set was. The EESAC will determine in the next meeting, depending on the funds available, which, if all, the resources can be purchased. The last faculty presenter was gifted teacher, Dr. Pitman. Dr. Pitman was filling in for Ms. Acevedo, the ESE Specialist and Gifted coordinator, and she was representing the Gifted Department. Dr. Pitman was requesting a total of $540.00 for two buses for two separate days for the gifted students to have a cultural enriched experience in attending two Opera performances. The cost of the transportation is $270.00 per day, so the total would be $540.00. Free tickets have already been provided by the opera performance company. The experience will occur one day in January and one in April. The students will not only experience culture in the city but also be able to learn and discuss plot, setting and other key elements in the opera performances. Dr. Pitman reiterated that the experience and learning reflects School Improvement Plan reading goals/standards 2 and 5 and it would benefit all the students in the gifted program. After the proposal presentations were completed, all presenters were dismissed and the EESAC board members decided to discuss each proposal and how each one reflected the goals and initiatives of the School Improvement Plan. Following, each EESAC board member voted on the approval of each proposal and the allocation of EESAC funds for each one. The following were the results: For Ms. Spicer’s science resources totaling $479.00, Ms. Belkin, Ms. Conroy, Mr. Ramos, Ms. Martin, Mr. Gil, Ms. Covone, Ms. Leon, Mr. Lobato, Ms. Knight , Mr. Uz, student Mr. Uz and Mr. Fernandez all voted yes. For Ms. Frazier-Williams and Mr. Geter’s request of $600.00 for outside classroom experience for the STARS program was shelved for now as more information was needed for the EESAC board members to approve it alongside getting an itemized budget. The board members decided that they will be able to present on Tuesday, December 14, 2010. For Mr. Hankins, the $90.00 for science lab materials and resources was approved by a yes by the following members: Ms. Belkin, Ms. Conroy, Mr. Ramos, Ms. Martin, Mr. Gil, Ms. Covone, Ms. Leon, Mr. Lobato, Ms. Knight , Mr. Uz, student Mr. Uz and Mr. Fernandez. There were no objections. For Ms. Galue, the EESAC board decided that these reading licenses were critical for not only the School Improvement Plan but also for the AR/STAR and, overall, literacy program to achieve in the school. The request of $458.00 was approved with a yes by the following members: Ms. Belkin, Ms. Conroy, Mr. Ramos, Ms. Martin, Mr. Gil, Ms. Covone, Ms. Leon, Mr. Lobato, Ms. Knight , Mr. Uz, student Mr. Uz and Mr. Fernandez. There were no objections. Although Dr. Pitman’s request of $540.00 was approved with a yes by the following members; Ms. Belkin, Ms. Conroy, Mr. Ramos, Ms. Martin, Mr. Gil, Ms. Covone, Ms. Leon, Mr. Lobato, Ms. Knight , Mr. Uz, student Mr. Uz and Mr. Fernandez and there were no objections, final approval will have to wait as Mr. Fernandez and the administration was going to verify if EESAC funds may be used for transportation purposes to the enrichment experiences and activities for the gifted population as part of the school’s gifted program. Next, there were no objections but all approvals by Ms. Belkin, Ms. Conroy, Mr. Ramos, Ms. Martin, Mr. Gil, Ms. Covone, Ms. Leon, Mr. Lobato, Ms. Knight , Mr. Uz, student Mr. Uz and Mr. Fernandez for allotment of purchases up to $900.00 in binders for the intensive Mathematics department for the VMATH/MATH VOYAGER program. The board decided to get more feedback and research on the $1298.00 that Ms. Fernandez requested for the renewal of the computer aspect of VMATH/VVOYAGER program because it primarily is for late 2010-2011 school year and the following school year. Lastly, all EESAC board members, Ms. Belkin, Ms. Conroy, Mr. Ramos, Ms. Martin, Mr. Gil, Ms. Covone, Ms. Leon, Mr. Lobato, Ms. Knight, Mr. Uz, student Mr. Uz and Mr. Fernandez voted yes for approval of funds totaling $1068.80 for the TMH and Exceptional Education Student resources. All board members agreed with Principal Mr. Fernandez that all students count and it was necessary to include these students with the valuable resources for them to succeed. After deciding and voting on how all these proposals, programs and resources reflect the success implementation of the School Improvement Plan, Ms. Belkin decided that she will notify the presenters of the approvals of their requests by person. The board decided that the next EESAC meeting will be on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at 4:00 pm to allow Ms. Frazier-Williams and Mr. Geter present an itemized budget and proposal for the STARS program, Ms. Fernandez to bring in a detailed and itemized quotes of binders for the Math program and to have a final word if EESAC funds may be used for the use of transportation needs for the gifted enrichment program and STARS program experiences. Ms. Covone then motioned to adjourn the meeting and Ms. Conroy second the motion and the meeting was adjourned at 6:00 pm.