Verified EESAC Meeting Minutes

G. W. CARVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
Educational Excellence School Advisory Council
Ingrid Robledo, Chairperson

E.E.S.A.C. MEETING February 25, 2015

Council members in attendance:
Ingrid Robledo (chairperson)
Shelley Stroleny
Shelton Rivers
Annette Daniels
Cheli Fernández
Guillermo Garcia
Shannon Sejeck
Richard Hudson
Elvia Brathwaite
Natalia Torres
Natalia Lopez

Council members absent:
Brigitte Kavanaugh
Maria Alvarado
Suzie Prudhomme
Ana Hernandez
Pierre Apollon
Laura Weinfeld
Flavia Verde
Richard Smithies
Thomas Harley
Tom Kernan
Annie Baker
Melissa Nobles

Guests
Maria de los Angeles-Fernandez

Approval of minutes: Mrs. Robledo called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. The minutes from February 4, 2015, were reviewed and approved.

SIP Review: The EESAC is the sole body responsible for the approval and implementation of the School Improvement Plan (SIP). Mr. Rivers said he has been conducting needs analyses by grade level and is meeting with department chairs to review strategies in the SIP. He said there is not as much hard data as in past years because there are fewer district interim assessments. He discussed iReady mathematics data: iReady is based on skills, which are improving.

GRADE LEVEL STUDENTS BELOW LEVEL (OVERALL MATH LEVEL)
WINDOW 1
10/06/2014 – 11/21/2014 WINDOW 2
01/19/15 – 02/20/15
6 24% (68) – 286 students assessed 25% (39) – 154 students assessed
7 56% (55) – 99 students assessed 47% (55) – 116 students assessed
8 49% (17) – 35 students assessed 100% (1) – 1 student assessed

Mrs. Stroleny discussed the argumentative writing data, noting growth from the pretest to the posttest in all three grades: grade 6 improved from 59.75 percent proficient to 74.41 percent proficient; grade 7 improved from 57.25 percent proficient to 72.41 percent proficient; and grade 8 improved from 67.94 percent proficient to 73.38 percent proficient. On the mid-year reading assessment, 69.08 percent of sixth-graders scored proficient, 72.2 percent of seventh-graders, and 73.2 percent of eighth-graders. Carver scores were significantly higher than the District averages, but Mrs. Stroleny said we traditionally aim higher than the District scores.

Principal’s Message: Mrs. Stroleny gave dates of upcoming events. The faculty participated in training for the FSA writing assessments on Feb. 24; the exam will be administered March 2-5. Grades 6 and 7 will take the paper-based test on March 2, while grade 8 will take the test on the computer throughout the week. The PTSA and NJHS are conducting a campus beautification event from 8:30 a.m. to11:30 a.m. on Feb. 28. The book fair will run from March 3-9. Sunset Elementary students will participate in an elective walk on March 3, in which electives teachers will promote their programs. There will be a meeting for parents of students attending the Washington, D.C. trip on March 4. On March 7, SIPA will have Paella Night at St. Stephen’s and GIPA will have a parent event at Cutler Bay Club House; also, Carver students will participate in a Math Bowl competition at Barbara Goleman High School. The Principal’s Honor Roll luncheon is on March 9; we are taking two busloads of students and Mrs. Stroleny said she is very proud of this achievement. Scoliosis screening for grade 6 is on March 12. The annual Friends of Carver event is on April 24. The sixth-grade field trip is on March 16. On March 10-13, German students will take the DSD 1 exams. On March 19, parent volunteer Susan Prudhomme will be honored. Mrs. Stroleny said she is well deserving of the honor and has been instrumental in the success of almost all Carver events in recent years. On March 19, students will leave for the Washington, D.C. trip led by Mr. Sands and the Europe trip led by Mrs. Robledo and accompanied by Mr. Rivers. Spring recess is March 23-27. IS students in grade 8 will take AP practice exams in all languages on April 6. The next EESAC meeting is scheduled for April 8.

Official business: Mr. Rivers informed the council that the faculty voted by the count of 48 to 5 (91 percent) to continue the school’s SIP waiver to keep the current block schedule.

Open Forum: Miss Torres said that Carver was recognized at the United Way Awards Banquet on Feb. 23 for reaching at least 100 percent of its goals for both employees and students. She commented that some schools were honored for achieving as much as 600 percent of their goals.

Adjournment: Mrs. Robledo adjourned the meeting at 8:55 a.m.