MINUTES

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING

February 4, 2004

  1. Call to order—5:13 pm
  2. Flag Salute
  3. A quorum was confirmed.
  1. Minutes were approved with the following revisions
    1. College night for Special Education will be on February 11; not February 12
    2. SIP day was on January 11; not February 11
    3. Emelda Hernandez is a member of the council and represents ELAC;  she is not a visitor
  2. Student Reports—no students were present at this meeting
  3. DAC—no representatives were present at this meeting
  4. Special Ed.—no representatives were present at this meeting
  5. Title 1—nothing to report
  6. GATE—nothing to report
  7. A motion was made and seconded to discuss the Parent Project next on the agenda
    1. Raymond Chavez from the city manager’s office of Pico Rivera presented information regarding the Parent Project that is being worked on in his office.
    2. Mr. Chavez attended a seminar in Montebello to obtain information about a task force to rid Pico Rivera of its problems with graffiti.  A major part of the problems they’ve encountered in terms of graffiti has been coming from the homes of young people who are involved in these activities.  In some cases, the parents are also involved in these activities.
    3. To provide incentive to reduce crimes of graffiti, the city has increased fines and started holding the parents responsible.  As a result, so far they have made a number of arrests and had 4 convictions.
    4. A pamphlet has been made and distributed to over 1,000 households in Pico Rivera.
    5. Currently, Mr. Chavez has been given permission to pursue funding and is looking into grants for the project.  The project is also being marketed in a number of ways, including on the community access channel.
    6. A grant hearing will take place on February 11th with the Community Resource Advisory Community in which Mr. Chavez will present the Parent Project.  The project could receive Federal funding.
    7. Mr. Chavez is interested in working with the schools on this project.
    8. A suggestion was made that community members representing School Site Council be present at this hearing to show support for this project.
    9. Mr.  Chavez spoke about the Profile Newsletter and informed the council members that it advertises jobs for young people.  The suggestion was made that teachers use this newsletter and the Graffiti Pamphlet to teach functional reading to our students as a means for learning to read as well as keeping students informed.  (This would also provide an inlet to set up collaboration between the city and the school.)
    10. Mrs. Villon informed the council about a monthly meeting in Whittier between city officials, community members, school staff, and parents met to keep each other informed about concerns and projects involving the community and to share ideas and collaborate on projects.  Mr. Chavez said that he would be willing to look into something similar for Pico Rivera, and Mrs. Villon gave the name of Rich Russell (Personnel Services Director in the Whittier Union School District) as a resource person.
    11. Mr. Chavez and Mrs. Martinez shared that Book Week is coming, and that this year’s focus book is “the five people you meet in heaven.”  The author, Mitch Albom, will be at the Pico Rivera Library on March 11th.  There will also be an essay contest.  All dates will be posted in the ER library.
  8. Scholarship Fundraising
    1. The Laughlin Turnaround Trip is scheduled for Saturday, April 3rd.  The bus holds 56 people. We have to have a minimum of 45 people or we will be charged $23 per seat.  We will charge $25 per person.  This price includes a buffet.  In addition, each person will receive a $5 rebate when he or she shows up at the bus.  The bus will leave at 6 a.m. and return between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. 
    2. Ideas for having games with prizes during the trip were suggested.  Suggestions were also made that members of the council sell 5 tickets apiece and bring in donated goods for the prizes.
    3. Council members will each donate $10-$15 to cover the bus rental.
    4. Announcements will be placed in the bulletin and on the Don Page. 
  9. Administration

a.       The state has issued a mandate that all students must pass Algebra 1 in order to graduate.  This has not been an easy task to accomplish, and many students will not make it.

b.      The district would like to apply for a one time waiver for the class of 2004.  The School Site Council approved the decision to apply for this waiver.

c.       The California High School Exit Exam went smoothly.  850 kids were tested without the district having to pay for extra help with procedural issues such as paying teachers to proctor test takers who required time beyond the school day to finish their tests.

d.      Financial Aid Night is this evening in the ERHS cafeteria.

  1. Single Plan for Student Achievement
    1. Continued reviewing the SPSA.  The following practices have been implemented and are a work in progress:

                                                               i.      New textbooks for English and Math

                                                             ii.      GATE—Parents of students in the Honors Program and AP classes will receive a letter in the next month regarding a meeting for theses programs

                                                            iii.      Curriculum Mapping is taking place across departments so that all classes are on the same page at the same time

                                                           iv.      Evidence of Quality Teaching teams teachers to collaborate and observe one another to see best practices and offer each other advice

                                                             v.      Professional Development Team is working on Advisory Periods so that all students will feel part of a group and connected to the school.  They are also working on Project Based Learning to increase student learning, interest, and output.  A Project Fair is being worked on for the 3rd Trimester to showcase the work that is being done in classrooms by students.

                                                           vi.      An administrative team was sent to a Principal’s Training Course to learn how to better support staff, programs, and students.

1.      Co-Nect is now defunct.  ERHS is now working with the Lindseys.

2.      CSRD funding is keeping us alive.  Brenda Rangel and Rosemary Figueroa (replaced Krista Pruitt who left this year) are the CSR teachers.  They, as well as the PDT, and other teachers act as coaches for the overall improvement of the school and its teaching practices.

                                                          vii.      Literacy intervention, math intervention, and the ELD Program continue

                                                        viii.      Beyond the school day programs include Homework Club, Computer Lab, the Library, and Bilingual Math Tutoring in J-1.

    1. We are still at Low Academic Performance.  We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.
    2. CAHSEE—350 is passing, but proficient is scored at 387.  39% of our students achieved this level last year, which is above the requirement.

                                                               i.      The majority scored at basic or below basic in math.  Therefore, we are having a massive intervention—the program has been tailor-made for each student with this deficiency.  The program will need to be evaluated.

  1. The ERHS band has been selected to represent the state of California in Washington D.C. on July 4th.  It will cost approximately $900 per student, so fundraising is a necessity.
  2. The North Park band has been invited to participate the Rose Parade next year.
  3. The Decathlon will be competing at the Convention Center on Saturday, February 7th.
  4. Meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.