Governing Board Minutes – February 15, 2007

Those in attendance: Valerie Zim, David VanMiddlesworth, Phil Hollis, Michelle Headrick, Jo Bair, Elise Bamesberger, Jessica Takakjian, Clare Gardner, Wendy Connor

I. Meeting called to order at 6:07. Introductions. Minutes of the February 1 meeting approved.

II. Other Reports: STAR: Basketball season starting; first game is March 2. PTA: Reflections went well. Walk-a-thon changed to May 18; perhaps Mr. Hollis can be the M.C. We are missing the Box Tops for Education check. FOM: Meeting is next week. Auction is coming – March 16..

III. Committee Reports: Facilities: A/C, heating, and ventilation are still stalled. There have been some roof leaks. There is no estimated time for completion. Another phase of improvements to create handicapped accessibility for upper yard bathrooms is planned with a tentative start date of July. The drinking fountains will also be replaced.

Curriculum: PTA has shared assemblies with the students. FOM has funded 2 assemblies also. Staff development with the UCLA writing program continues. April 26 there will be a campus-wide Young Authors’ Fair.

It is important that the extended day kindergarten curriculum be created in the Curriculum Committee to balance the needs of all students at all grades.

Fourth and 5th grade next year will have larger classes and Julie Wasserman will be gone. Would like to work with 4th and 5th grade teachers to assess the current program and how to best manage the large class sizes.

We will need a new Curriculum Coordinator next year. This position is particularly important for thinking outside the LAUSD box. Will need to coordinate technology across in within grade levels. Would like to have input about the hiring of /need for Technology Mentor. Could the Tech mentor and the Curriculum Coordinator be the same person?

The Tech Mentor and CC cannot be a teacher on a half-time position. Need to develop a job description so we can look outside of the school. Could these salaries come from LAUSD monies (if an approved position can be created by amending the charter).

Technology: The Tech mentor position was included in the original proposal. In April there will be a survey of the teachers to assist with creating consistency across classrooms. Could that be handled with professional development days?

An internet safety committee is being put together to put on a program. Will have an FBI speaker, etc. Should 5th grade parents be targeted especially?

Tech Fair – April 21 – might get students and teachers to present.

Legal and compliance: No report.

Personnel: We have hired a fully credentialed teacher to help in the upper grades. Also hired a past parent who is in teaching program.

Standards and Conduct: Would like to have a policy on discipline that can be used by the enrichment teachers; LAUSD is putting out a 3-tiered discipline policy for everyone to use.

Safety: New signs have been erected, creating a new traffic plan that involves drivers making left turns on Sunset only. Mr. Hollis is working the Edgar corner to try to enforce.

Finance: Met on Monday. Feel that the needs of the school must be determined before the budget can be put together. Teachers have done a needs assessment to help with that.

FOM feels that it has hit a plateau regarding its fundraising, especially with the student body getting smaller. Mr. Hollis wondered about grant writing: we are not really a “grantable” school. Could some items be paid for by LAUSD?

Kinder applications for charter kids are available – due March 19. Won’t take any charter kids in the beginning until we know how many kindergarteners we will have.

Feb 27 there will be a kindergarten orientation at 2:30 p.m. Teachers, FOM, PTA, and Mr. Hollis, STAR. FOM has offered to host a post orientation meeting for incoming parents to talk to today’s parents.

IV. NEW BUSINESS

Kindergarten – Extended Day

Congrats to everyone on being objective, professional, and open; Mr. Hollis appreciates it.

Recap – research, looked at survey numbers, heard proposal, went to Budget Committee. It seems certain that we can absolutely take on the cost of the set up, but the enrichment schedule is yet to be determined. It is desirable to provide kinder with a low student-teacher ratio and the type of enrichment that the other grades have (is it more important because it is a formative year?).

Could the offering of Italian (through the Italian consulate with a subsidy of $25,000) free up some funds? Want to be sure that it is curricularly sound. Other possibilities are possible, but the Curriculum Committee and kinder teachers will need to work with the Budget Committee to make the best decisions.

Mr. Hollis moved that Marquez adopt an extended day kinder program that would include the support of enrichment that fosters student achievement. David seconded. Motion was carried.

NUTRITION/SNACKS and SALES at school

June Louks spoke about being concerned that there is not sufficient support at the school for developing good eating habits. She is opposed to the use of food as a reward in the classroom and about the sale of donuts, etc. at school. Would prefer apples, oranges, stickers, etc. Could do birthday books instead of cupcakes, etc. The general feeling is that while improvements can certainly be made, the school does not need a food policy; parents are the ones ultimately responsible for how their kids eat. Teachers felt that food is not used as the exclusive reward in the classroom. The idea of having a monthly birthday celebration instead of individual celebrations was discussed and will go to the staff for discussion. Birthday books are another option.

V. Adjourned at 8:05 p.m.