MINUTES

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING

October 1, 2003

  1. Welcome-Introduction of all members and guests present
  2. Paulina Vega interpreted for Spanish speaking parents
  3. Roll call-a quorum was present

·        Members in attendance were:

Parents-  Frank Moreno, Aurora Villon, Nellie Aguilar, Emelda Hernandez, Leticia Fonseca  Students-Brandon Longoria, Maribel De Anda, Steven Villegas  Classified Staff-Vivian Martinez Certificated Staff- Dawn Hughey,  Paulina Vega, Marla Diaz, Chuck Collings Administration- Felicity Swerdlow

·        Visitors in attendance were: Fernando Camareno, M.Consuelo Camareno, Alma Carr, Lucy M. Rios, Marina Caballero, Mario T. Cepedo, Raquel Eizarro, Maria Contreras, Esther Mejia, Anita Jones.

·        Members who sent regrets:

  Parents-Ron Beilke, Dora Cabrera, Anthony Soltero, Roy Arroyo, Sarah Lopez,     Students- Veronica Arroyo Certificated Staff- James Halley, Manuel Cruz, Carol Stella.

  1. Minutes were approved.
  2. Student Reports:

a.                   Steven Vallegos was elected Freshman President

b.                  Homecoming Week (10/20-10/24) is major concern of ASB at the moment

-night pep rally

-carnival

-assembly

-dance

-etc.

c.  Class t-shirt sale continues

d.  Renaissance Program explained; recognizes students who show improvement in a variety of areas—meeting at lunch on 10/2/03 in P-5.

  1. DAC Report:  Nothing to report
  1. Special Ed. Report:

a.       Carol Stella is doing well.  Hopes to be back in December, but after Winter Break is more likely.

b.      Back to School Night was successful with approximately 50 parents attending.

                                                               i.      Transition plans and what to look for were explained.     

  1.  Title 1- Mrs. Swerdlow

a.       Accelerated Reader had begun.

  1. GATE:

a.       Just discovered that there is no budget

b.      Needs still need to be met; monitor students, etc.

c.       Last year’s budget was $30,000

d.      To qualify for GATE student must score above 95th percentile or creative or pass specialized tests.

  1. Administration:

a.       Two deans have left:  Mr. Lopez is now principal at Rio Vista Elementary

                                                           Mr. Genis is now principal of Burke Middle School

b.      2 new deans:  Mr. Robert Kimble for 11th grade

                             Mr.  Kendall Goyenaga for 9th grade

c.       Marla Diaz is now 10th grade counselor

  1. Separate Items: Skipped

12.  Action Items:

            a.  Single Plan for Student Achievement

·        Next month the SPSA must be approved by SSC

·        Must consolidate all plans

·        Align

·        Include API and CELDT

b.      School Site Council must:

·        Obtain input from advisory council, students, staff, parents, and community

·        Review school mission and profile

·        Analyze local practices

                                                                           i.      Alignment to standards

                                                                         ii.      Use of assessment

                                                                        iii.      Areas of low performance

                                                                       iv.      School and community barriers

·        analyze student performance

                                                                         v.      API

                                                                       vi.      STAR Report

                                                                      vii.      CST (performance levels, school scores)

                                                                    viii.      CELDT

                                                                       ix.      CAHSEE

                                                                         x.      CAPA

                                                                       xi.      Student work by all sub-groups

·        Establish school goals

·        Establish expected gains

·        Align activities with school goals (this year’s 10th graders must pass CAHSEE for Diploma)

·        Recommend plan to local governing board

·        Monitor progress for rest of year

*Teachers are now able to access CST and CAHSEE student scores.

c.       Bylaws:

·        Follow Rules of Order

·        Time Limitations  (Mr. Moreno reminded council of the last meeting and why limitations had been set)

·        We will log how many minutes are necessary for each topic (each representative will email Ms. Hughey with time specifications)

·        Bylaws need to be typed up and distributed to each member of the council

·        Need to decide specifications for a quorum

·        Discussion of need for meeting etiquette

·        Will institute Pledge of Allegiance

·        Election requirements need to be included

·        Topics that are not taken care of in one month’s meeting will be carried to the next meeting

·        SSC is not responsible for individual problems regarding student-teacher problems, etc.

·        Problems presented during Public Comment and Communication will be listened to and shelved until the next meeting

·        It is the parents’ responsibility to keep other parents informed of the actions of the SSC

·        Places must be reserved at the tables for members—name cards may be utilized

·        Visitors will be seated in surrounding areas

·        At beginning of each meeting, mention that voting must be done by members only

*Motion to go was made by Mrs. Martinez

*SSC was reminded that we now have a link to our own website from the Don Page

d.      Scholarship Fundraising

·        Grant writing still trying to raise money for schools

·        Want to make a presentation to community/city to find money for projects

·        Want to find different people to find projects; then, find grant writers for the projects

·        Would like to bring these to the next meeting (Ms. Stella is needed; the sub-committee needs to finish this, but needs someone to pull the pieces together)

·        Would like to present in January

·        Need district to find a grant coordinator

·        Mention made that companies like Chrysler, Ford, and Coca Cola have tons of grants available

·        Suggestion was made to create and present a letter  with district letterhead asking for grants

13. Public Comments and Questions

a.       When will elevators be operable?

b.      $2500 awarded to top students of Golden State Exam, AP—students identified by the state

c.       Parent 1:  a problem has been plaguing the parents of certain student for which no solution has yet been reached.  Everybody he’s talked to has said they would help, but nobody has yet. Has tried to be respectful and follow the rules, but it hasn’t gotten him anywhere.  He talked to the principal.  Students were called into the office and intimidated.  The main problem is that there are not enough bilingual classes for the students.  Problem classes are government, geography, and US history.  These classes are taught in English only.

d.      Parent 2:  signed her daughter up for special services and programs.Her daughter is an A student in bilingual classes, but her grades drop in regular classes.  Parents that signed their children up for bilingual clases are not getting them.  Students who are getting A’s in these classes are doing so without understanding the material.  Parents want all of their children’s classes to be in both English and Spanish.

e.       Parent 3:  Students are extremely stressed by these classes.

f.   Lupe Salas gave a letter sent to her by these parents which detailed the problem and signed by a number of parents and students

g.       A report regarding this issue will be given at the next meeting

h.       Parents wish to be present when their children are spoken to regarding this problem

i.  Need to check on the music at volleyball games—too much profanity

j. Need more supervision at games

k.      Dress code needs to be followed more proficiently

l.  Gates are closed due to loss of security presence this year

m.     One restroom at the back of the school has been closed because of fire

n.       Appreciation was shown for parents who advocate for their children

14. Next meeting is November 5

15.  Meeting adjourned at 6:50 pm    

                                                               i.      Agenda

1.      Suggestion was made to have a link for SSC on El Rancho website. Minutes could be posted and members contacted via e-mail.

                                                             ii.      Assessment

1.      Star testing starts on May 13, 2003

2.      9th graders will come to school late on May 19, 2003

3.      teachers will explain schedule in detail to all the students

                                                            iii.      School Data Report-CSRD

1.      Project- Based Learning- Build school wide projects based on critical questions