Educational Excellence School Advisory Council

7571 International Studies Preparatory Academy

Verified EESAC Meeting Minutes for:    02/15/2022  02:30 PM

Please contact the school for a formatted hard copy of these minutes.

Recording Secretary:    Montserrat Ledo

Location of meeting:    Media Center / Zoom

Was a quorum established?    Yes

Was the meeting advertised?    Yes,  08/17/2021

Attendance:

Members Present:

Alamo, Ana (Teacher / EESAC Chairperson)
Avaria, Carolina (Parent)
Bryson, Maria (Parent)
Calvo, Tamara (Educational Support Employee)
De La Cruz, Leslie (Parent)
Delp, Elizabeth (Student)
Diaz-Blanco, Alina (Principal)
Feiler, Mark (Business / Community Rep)
Feiler, Mylene (Teacher)
Harrison, Naomi (Business / Community Rep)
Ledo, Montserrat (Teacher)

Members Absent (Excused):

Bendana, Janina (Parent)
Menendez, Lourdes (Teacher / UTD)

Members Absent (Unexcused):

No one had an unexcused absence.

Others Present:

Diaz, Felicia (Assistant Principal)
Fajardo, Natalia (Alternate Education Support)
Menendez, Natalia (Alternate Student)
Taracido, Kevin (Alternate Teacher)

Topics Covered:

I. Agenda
• Approval of minutes from prior EESAC meeting on November 15, 2021
• School Improvement Plan: Mid-year Review 2021-2022
• School Improvement Plan: Waivers & Secondary School Reform
• EESAC Budget
• PTSA Update
• New Business

II. Call to Order
Ms. Ana Alamo, EESCA Chairperson, called the EESAC Committee meeting to order at 2:30pm on February 15, 2022, at International Studies Preparatory Academy at Gables (ISPA).

III. Roll Call
Introduction of New Parent/Teacher/Student Members
a. Present Members
Alamo, Ana (Teacher / EESAC Chairperson)
Avaria, Carolina (Parent)
Bryson, Maria (Parent)
Calvo, Tamara (Educational Support Employee)
De La Cruz, Leslie (Parent)
Delp, Elizabeth (Student)
Diaz-Blanco, Alina (Principal)
Feiler, Mark (Business / Community Rep)
Feiler, Mylene (Teacher)
Harrison, Naomi (Business / Community Rep)
Ledo, Montserrat (Teacher)

b. Absent Members (Excused Absence)
Bendana, Janina (Parent)
Menendez, Lourdes (Teacher / UTD)

c. Others Present
Diaz, Felicia (Assistant Principal)
Fajardo, Natalia (Alternate Education Support)
Menendez, Natalia (Alternate Student)
Taracido, Kevin (Alternate Teacher)

IV. Approval of Minutes from November 15, 2021
- Mr. Taracido made a motion to approve the minutes, and Ms. Feiler seconded the motion.
- Minutes from November 15, 2021 were approved unanimously.

V. School Improvement Plan: Mid-Year Review 2021-2022
- Ms. Diaz explained Phase III and IV of the SIP had been completed. Classroom Walkthroughs were conducted, with an emphasis on SIP goals and objectives.
- Administrative Walkthroughs will be ongoing, as well as data chats with teachers.
- Cross curricular planning will continue to take place during PLST meetings, as well as continue to be an area of focus for the school year.
- Use of Collaboration Site to increase communication and collaboration will continue.
- Teachers receive data updates from administration based on POWER BI and Performance Matters reports.

VI. School Improvement Plan: Waivers & Secondary School Reform
- Dr. Blanco discussed the Eight period day and Block Schedule currently in place at the school.
- This schedule is crucial for the school’s academic program and required additional language courses that the students take.
- Dr. Blanco discussed Block Schedule.
- During the faculty meeting held on February 8, 2022 the faculty voted to keep Block Schedule and an Eight period day.
- Ms. De La Cruz made a motion to approve continuing with an Eight period day and Block Schedule. Ms. Bryson seconded the motion.
- The motion was passed unanimously.
- Dr. Blanco spoke about faculty participation in after school clubs and how ISPA is limited to the number of clubs it can offer students because teachers are only allowed to have three supplements.
- The faculty discussed waiving the three-supplement maximum requirement and increasing it to allow six supplements per teacher. This would allow for teachers to sponsor more clubs for students to participate in.
- During the faculty meeting held on February 8, 2022 the faculty also voted on waiving the three-supplement maximum and increasing it to six supplements per teacher.
- Ms. De La Cruz made a motion to endorse and support waiving the three-supplement maximum and increasing it to six supplements per teacher. Ms. Bryson seconded the motion.
- The motion was passed unanimously.

VII. EESAC Budget
- EESAC funds are used for student incentives.
- US History students received an ice cream party for their participation in the US History MYA.
- Funds will also be used to purchase honor roll pins to give to students at the end of each quarter.

VIII. PTSA Update
- Since last EESAC meeting PTSA has had two fundraisers, the Miami Heat Fundraiser and a Valentine’s Day sale. Both fundraisers were highly successful.

IX. New Business
- Ms. Harrison informed the committee that if the Internship program is still ongoing at ISPA, her firm is open to accepting interns again. They were previous internship providers in years past.
- Ms. Delp informed the committee that Senior Breakfast is this Friday, February 18, 2022. All Seniors attending are very excited for the event.

X. Adjournment
- Ms. Delp moved to adjourn the meeting and Ms. Bryson seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 3:20pm.