| BOE Minutes | BOE Home Page | |
| Previous: 2007-09-10 || Community Partnerships || Next: 2007-11-05 | ||
| Madison Metropolitan School District Madison, Wisconsin Art Rainwater, Superintendent | ||
|---|---|---|
| BOARD OF EDUCATION Minutes for Community Partnerships October 1, 2007 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street, Auditorium Madison, Wisconsin |
|
Community Partnerships Committee meeting was called to order by Maya Cole at 5:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Board Members Maya Cole, Lucy Mathiak, and Johnny Winston, Jr. (arrived 5:02 p.m.); Citizen Members Amy Hilgendorf and Carl Silverman
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Carol Carstensen, Beth Moss, Arlene Silveira
STUDENT LIAISON PRESENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Lisa Black, Steve Hartley, Pam Nash, Art Rainwater, Marcia Standiford, Ken Syke, Ann Wilson-Recording Secretary
1. Approval of Minutes
It was moved by Lucy Mathiak and seconded by Carl Silverman to approve the minutes of the Community Partnerships Committee meeting dated September 10, 2007 as distributed. Motion unanimously carried by those present.
2. Public Appearances
There were no public appearances.
3. Announcements
There were no announcements
4. Defining Partnerships
(Materials provided in advance of the meeting: 2007-08 Committee Goals (5/29/07). Materials provided at the meeting: Notes from Maya Cole - attached to the original copy of these minutes.)
Lisa Black began the process of defining partnerships by listing a task - Create a definition of community partnerships, including attributes and guidelines, that is descriptive of current partnerships and can also be used in establishing new partnerships in the future - and then asking committee members to identify some partnerships that already exist that they feel are exemplary. Responses were:
√ Projects run by the Urban League and Centro Hispano
√ Categories of projects - such as school/community organizations (PTO, booster clubs, organizations that support extra curricular activities); community institutions - formal and informal (UW joint research / volunteers, or United Way); and more formally organized volunteer activities (VISTA, RSVP).
√ Another category could be institutions in the community that can help by financing school objectives - complement and supplement and have taxpayer origin.
Ms. Black then asked for ideas about the kinds of attributes or characteristics of successful partnerships that would be good in every partnership. Responses were:
√ Should advance the mission of public education
√ Both sides should contribute to the partnership - work together for mutual benefit
√ Specific goals that help meet the mission
√ Has the means of measuring success or failure (Discussion about the voluntary nature of many partnerships and whether this is a desirable attribute.)
Maya Cole noted a decision needs to be made about whether the Committee should develop a definition, or whether that task should be given to the Administration. She noted she has been talking with DPI staff members about six types of involvement (Epstein) and that she would like to refine the district's list of partnerships into a document that contains categories. She indicated she would ask the Administration how such a document could best be used by the new Superintendent and that she would ask the Administration to come back to the Committee with a definition for partnerships.
5. Board Policy 4500 - Parent Involvement
(Materials provided in advance of the meeting: Board Policy 4500 Parental Involvement. Materials provided at the meeting: Notes from Maya Cole. Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
Maya Cole asked for clarification regarding the last time Board Policy 4500 was reviewed. Art Rainwater responded that the entire Board Policy book was evaluated, one section at a time, over a period of three years, ending either last year or the year before. Ms. Cole shared WASB best practices: "One of the most important functions a school board has is to set policies for the district. By having its policies in writing, a school board can: clarify board goals and positions regarding specific issues facing the district; provide direction and support for administrators and staff responsible for implementing board goals and policy positions; provide for consistent decision making throughout the district (school by school, grade level by grade level); provide for efficiency in school operations; and give credibility to board and administrative actions (accountability to the public)." She stated that Policy 4500 is in need of another review. She hears in the community that parents have different experiences with involvement. There is still language in the policy referring to "parent" rather than other guardians or caregivers. At the next meeting, she would like the committee to review best practices and some sample parent involvement policies provided by WASB with the goal of increasing the capacity of schools to accept volunteers and for parents to be aware of their rights under Title 1 - that there should be specific notations about where parents can be involved in that process. Ms. Cole indicated she would gather the information from WASB.
The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for October 17, but the committee could also meet on the second Monday in November if Ms. Black requires additional time to complete the task assigned earlier in this meeting.
Ms. Cole was asked whether there had been any instance of a barrier or a perceived barrier that she or the Superintendent is aware of that initiated this review of policy. Both indicated there is no instance they are aware of.
There was a question about how parents find out what the process is to seek help with a concern of any kind. Mr. Rainwater noted there is a very specific process outlined in the parent handbooks. Another question was whether there is an e-mail address for comments (similar to the Comments line for the Board of Education) that are school or education related that would be linked with the Assistant Superintendents when appropriate. Mr. Rainwater responded that questions received on the Comments line that are appropriate for administrators are already routed there and that he had not considered a direct line. The Parent Portal may evolve as an appropriate place to send and receive information.
Maya Cole summarized that there needs to be discussion about how to meet with parents regarding their goals and that policies for doing that are much more explicit in other districts. The Board's role is to look at policies and make sure they are aligned with current conditions.
6. Other Business
There was no other business.
7. Adjournment
It was moved by Lucy Mathiak and seconded by Carl Silverman to adjourn the meeting at 5:43 p.m. Motion unanimously carried.
aw
Previous: 2007-09-10 || Community Partnerships || Next: 2007-11-05