Verified EESAC Meeting Minutes

Recording Secretary: Sarah Russell

Location of meeting: Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center

Was a quorum established? Yes

Was the meeting advertised? Yes, 08/12/2003

Attendance

Topics Covered

The minutes from the previous meeting were read by Sarah Russell and approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

We need something to heighten the awareness of the Sterling Challenge for 8/21/03.

Ms. Barbara Day and Ms. Regina Johnson will make Sterling name tags for tomorrow.

Mr. Gilliard suggested that for the second phase all staff members sign in on a bulletin board and write how the Sterling Challenge will benefit students or the school.

Ms. Day suggested using a “We Pledge a Sterling Effort” sign with a pen that writes silver for the meeting.

Ms. Andi Allen said a poster board could later be used as part of a larger board.

Ms. Allen and Ms. Day said we could use “Ready, Set, Sterling!” with the exclamation mark being a silver spoon.

Another suggestion was to make a Sterling Walk – using stars and spoons.

Ms. Hamlin said need to involve kids also in the Sterling Challenge.

Mrs. King said she would like to see staff and students do ongoing FCAT awareness campaign rather than just the week of FCAT.

Other suggestions were:

Ms. Ames – could use Student Government resources since there is a representative in each homeroom.

Ms. Clarington – could address the Sterling Challenge in the morning announcements and have pre-school involvement.

Ms. Day – make silver vests for the boys and tutus for the girls in the nursery.

Ms. Allen – could have a parade of excellence for the babies to display their achievements. Also, could have students read to their children, thus enhancing their own reading skills.

Ms. Bradman – talk more about critical reading skills and excellence in reading for the FCAT.

Mrs. King said the real work comes with completing the Sterling Challenge application. Next meeting we will talk about subcommittees, creating timelines, and come prepared to set dates.

*ACTION ITEM* - In the Criteria Book take a look at the Core Values and Concepts on pages vi, vii, and viii and the Response Guidelines on pages 48-50.

The Leadership Team (formerly Department Heads) will represent all sections of the school (all staff members).

Ms. Bradman commented that the college courses now being required for the paraprofessionals can be tied in to the Sterling Challenge.

Ms. Ames said we need to make people aware of what early childhood workers do – they’re not babysitters.

Mrs. King said that SPEP is only one factor in Sterling. There are others. SPEP deals only with student performance. There is heavy focus on community involvement also.

Ms. Hamlin asked where do substitutes come into the picture?

Reading, math, science, and writing objectives must be included in SPEP this year.

NEW BUSINESS:

There will be a SPEP meeting on 8/19/03.

Ms. Clarington spoke about the information she had received at a recent SPEP meeting off campus.

The meeting touched upon all the different areas. One may go to the OPI site and look at trends.

We can look at our school online – the FCAT scores.

The purpose of EESAC and the role of the principal were discussed. A waiver must be received for the assistant principal to vote.

An agenda for all items must be sent at least three (3) days before the EESAC meeting. E-mail is acceptable.

Members can vote to change the bylaws with a majority vote.

The school needs to maintain a Minutes notebook.

The EESAC committee needs a quorum in attendance to vote (50 + 1).

The SPEP is data driven – have 5 – 7 objectives. It is okay to say “We will maintain…”

A percentage increase is not the same as a percentage point increase.

The midyear review must be data driven.

The School Foundation is online. It can be five (5) pages long – total.

Students can now go fulltime to the Virtual High School.

Area 3.3 – Critical Success Factors – was previously called Mode.

The Recommendations should go back to challenges and improvements and tie into the Opportunities for Improvement (OFI) for next year. We can address just the key areas. We don’t need to do all OFI’s.

Science is the new objective for this year. We can use the mean score and compare it to the state level.

The Department of Education is in the process of devising an accountability tool for Alternative Education schools.

Mrs. King said the District wants the SPEP information online by 9/26/03. Our deadline is 9/18/03. The School Foundation is modeled after Sterling.

Ms. Hamlin mentioned that the No Children Left Behind Program is Title I now but later will be for all schools.

Adequate yearly progress is Title I only.

Ms. Bradman commented that it is sad that when look at A’s in the grade book and on report cards and the children still can’t pass the FCAT.

Mrs. King informed us that Language Arts, Math and Science teachers are mandated to provide diagnostic assessment for all students in Levels I and II as part of a student’s Academic Improvement Plan (AIP).

Ms. Clarington said we can get the forms from the District and we will use the District diagnostic tests. Fifty percent of the lowest performing students must show adequate progress.

Mrs. King said we will write the SPEP as we have in the past. We need to decide how we will do the plan. It has to be written and shared with the staff prior to 9/18/03. We need to stick to what we’ve done in Reading, Math, and Writing. We will need to look at Science. We need to look at strategies. The objectives are okay. The following committees were formed:

Reading, Writing – Ms. McKay, Ms. Bradman, Ms. Day
Science – Ms. Clarington, Ms. Goins
Math – Ms. Clarington, Ms. Goins
Childcare – Ms. Ames, Ms. Johnson

The next subcommittee meeting will be held 8/27/03 at 4:10 p.m. to review the SPEP. We will present the SPEP to the faculty on 9/3/03. The next Team Meeting will be held on 9/17/03.

Election of New Members:

Suggestions – have Ms. Hamlin appointed as new member; have Ms. Tomlin look for community representation.

We need to recruit parents before our Open House. Must have a parent of a LEP student.

Mr. Gilliard suggested we contact a prospective father to become a member.

We need five parents.

The next meeting will be on 9/10/03 at 4:05 p.m.

Meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m.