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Minutes - Oct. 20, 2010

Certified Staff Advisory

Meeting Notes

October 20, 2010

3:30 p.m.

 

The first Certified Staff Advisory meeting held at the central office started on time at 3:30 p.m. 

Dr. Ellis welcomed everyone and emphasized that he is big on listening and taking action on what he’s told. He wants to address any concerns/issues.  Members of the Certified Staff Advisory will serve as a resource to their colleagues and they can bring concerns of their co-workers.  Dr. Ellis strongly encouraged everyone present to bring concerns forward and encourage co-workers to bring concerns as well—there will be no retribution for bringing concerns forward.

Dr. Ellis reviewed the highlights of the Community Area Advisory meeting held on Monday, October 18 at East Montgomery High School.

  • Parent Training Initiative: MCS is focusing on parents. We want to get more parents to attend school events and we want them to feel free to come forward and express their concerns.  A big thing that came up during Dr. Ellis’ Listening Tour was family issues. He explained that we will fix internal issues immediately but it will take additional time to fix external issues. Dr. Ellis expressed his commitment to dedicating some time to getting to know key staff in the Montgomery County court system—he wants to find a judge and prosecutor who will work with him to reduce the truancy rate.
  • The MCS Instructional Model: Dr. Ellis shared his instructional model with the group.  Click HERE to view the model.  He explained that our core business is instruction.  It starts with having a very clear mission and vision and everyone moving in the same direction—believing that all children can learn.  Data needs to be used to drive instructional decisions—need to know the essential curriculum. Quarterly benchmarks, professional learning communities, and instruction facilitators are a key part of the MCS Instructional Model.  Teachers should be able to answer the following questions about every student in their classroom:

1. What do students need to learn?

2. How will they learn it?

3. How will we know they have learned it?

4. What will we do if they don’t learn it?

5. What will we do if they already know it?

  • Budget Update: Dr. Ellis reviewed the current reality of the budget cuts. He wants to do a lot but realizes how the budget will affect plans.  The sun is going to shine again.  The first things that were cut during difficult economic times will be the first things reinstated when additional money comes back.
    • The Current Reality:
      • Living in a climate of multi-million dollar cuts.
      • Projected state shortfall of $3.5 to $4 billion.
      • Could mean $1.3 billion to K-12 education alone.
      • MCS Best Case - $1 - $2 million state cut.
      • MCS Worst Case – More than that.
      • We can cover a $1 million state cut with federal jobs bill dollars. If more = Job losses and larger class sizes.
      • Additional local cuts = Job losses and larger class sizes. We will seek to maintain current local level.
      • Current work is to lobby and minimize state cuts.
    • Our goal is to just maintain local funding and not receive a cut from last year’s appropriation.
    • Dr. Ellis and the Board are drafting a letter to legislators and the governor to lobby and minimize state cuts.

A review of Listening Tour feedback was given by Dr. Ellis.  Click HERE to review Listening Tour feedback

§  Based upon feedback received, each school will receive $3,000-5,000 for tutoring and/or instructional supplies—school improvement teams will decide how to spend it.  An effective plan must be in place.

§  Another point of emphasis during the Listening Tour was attendance and behavior policies.  A taskforce has been created and those policies will be reviewed.  The administration will request teacher feedback on changes to the current attendance policy.

Dr. Ellis opened the floor for questions and concerns.

  • Question: MCS has spent a lot of money on equipment for the high school streaming rooms; however, they are not being used.  Is it possible to return the equipment and get our money back?  Response: MCS got hit for about $200,000 for NC Virtual Public School, which came off the top of this year’s allotment.  We may figure out a way to develop courses, and offer our own NCVPS classes and use the video streaming rooms.  We may pilot a couple of courses.
  • Discussion: It would be great if we could use technology to collaborate across the county (grade levels).  East and West middle are already collaborating.  The only issue is the scheduling. Response: Could pre-record session and reply back and forth.  Response: That technology may be used to collaborate between PLCs.
  • Discussion:  What is the role of the instructional facilitators? Response: Their job is to support teachers and help provide tools that will help teachers in the classroom.
  • Discussion: Tutors really help in the lower grades and the Saturday Academy at East High was very effective for kids who needed assistance. Response: The $3,000-5000 allotment to schools for tutoring or supplies will help some.  That is what that money is for—SIT will decide.
  • Discussion: Montgomery Learning Academy needs the same resources as the other high schools.  There is a good group of teachers who are working really hard to help students succeed, but there is a need for additional resources.  Response:  We will work to get MLA the needed resources.
  • Question: Any definite word on senior graduation project policy?  Response: It will be removed from board policy on November 1, but students who still want to complete their project will be allowed to do so.
  • Discussion: Over identification is an issue with exceptional children.  Good decisions need to be made up front and we should not exit students because we have too many in the program or just because they are at the high school.  Response: In theory, students should be identified as early as possible, supported through elementary and middle school, and possibly be able to exit the process when they get into high school, due to learning strategies and overcoming their disability.  Students should exit once they have learned and developed, and there should be data to support the exit.  We will take this concern to the administrative team.  
  • Discussion: It would be great if there were more school lunch choices, including food and beverage choices.  Response: Will discuss with the child nutrition director.  The child nutrition program is trying to use its funds wisely so that money will not have to come out of the general fund to support the program.

Future meetings—Dr. Ellis gave employees a chance to give feedback on what they would like to discuss in future meetings.  Agendas will be created based on feedback received. 

1.      Attendance on website to be able to compare w/other schools

2.      Can a student be retained after missing school a certain number of days?

3.      Curriculum expectations

4.      Attendance and behavior policies once they are updated

5.      PLCs??? need more information

6.      30 days unexcused absences in elementary school a year, what can be done?  Parents?

7.      Teacher input into hiring processes

8.      Truancy law

9.      What is semester attendance policy for elementary, middle, and high?

10.  Retention

 

Dr. Ellis thanked everyone and said he would take some items to principals and get feedback.  He gave his cell phone and home number to everyone present and asked them to call him at any time.  He is very open and his job is to give support. 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:46 pm.

 

Meeting Feedback:

 

Things that helped the session

·         Congenial

·         Involved

·         Open

·         Information

·         Open, honest conversations

·         Felt heard

·         Agenda online

·         Open for concerns from everyone

·         Outcomes of meetings posted online

·         Great meeting

·         Enjoyed that all opinions were valued, thank you.

 

 

Things that can be improved

·         Do we need to come up with ideas prior to meeting on specific topics?