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| Madison Metropolitan School District Madison, Wisconsin Art Rainwater, Superintendent | ||
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| BOARD OF EDUCATION Minutes for Special Meeting - Open Session November 6, 2006 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street, Auditorium Madison, Wisconsin |
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Special Meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Johnny Winston, Jr. at 5:03 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Carol Carstensen, Lawrie Kobza, Lucy Mathiak, Ruth Robarts (arrived 6:07 p.m.), Arlene Silveira, Shwaw Vang (arrived 5:14 p.m.), Johnny Winston, Jr.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
PRESENT: Joe Carlsmith
STAFF PRESENT: Sue Abplanalp, Judy Ballweg, Gabrielle Banick, Mary Gulbrandsen, Rita Kehl, Duane McCrary, Bob Nadler, Pam Nash, Roger Price, Art Rainwater, Ken Syke, Lisa Wachtel, Luis Yudice, Barbara Lehman-Recording Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT: Representatives from MATC - Carousel Bayrd, District Board Employee; Dr. Bettsey Barhorst, President; Bill Graff,
1. Public Appearances
There were no public appearances.
2. Announcements
There were no announcements.
3. Presentation from MadisonAreaTechnicalCollege(MATC) Representatives regarding How MATC is ServingMadisonMetropolitanSchool District(MMSD) Students
(Packets included Ms. Bayrd's script (a copy is attached to the original of these minutes.)
Ms. Bayrd indicated she would be sharing information about MATC and their partnerships within the MMSD and exploring ways for the MMSD and MATC to assist each other in improving the quality of education in South Central Wisconsin. (She distributed copies of the PowerPoint presentation which is attached to the original of these minutes.)
Shwaw Vang arrived at this time.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS:
Ø Great working relationship with the district. MMSD offers the most programs in conjunction with MATC out of the 40 other school districts.
Ø MATC wants to increase recruitment efforts.
Ø Very good option for MMSD students out of high school; many more consider it an option than in the past.
4. Ratification of Food Service Workers Collective Bargaining Agreement
(Packets included a settlement summary and costing sheets representing the final settlement and the black-lined agreement for 6/18/06 through 6/14/08. Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
DISCUSSION:
o Very positive movement by the Union. Much appreciated. Union is recognizing financial hardship of the district.
It was moved by Arlene Silveira and seconded by Carol Carstensen to ratify the Food Service Employees Collective Bargaining Agreement as outlined for June 18, 2006 through June 14, 2008. Student Representative advisory vote was aye. Motion unanimously carried by those present.
5. Play and Learn Program
(Packets included the PowerPoint presentation, information on Launching into Literacy and Math 2006-07, Play 'N Learn Group team members and program information, and Early Learning Standards for Ages 3-5. Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
Rita Kehl, Preschool Project Instructional Resource Teacher, and Judy Ballweg, Midvale kindergarten teacher and new partner, gave the presentation. Highlights—importance of early literacy and math on school performance and achievement, project goals, brief history of the project, and project initiatives.
DISCUSSION:
§ Role of staff development in helping kindergartners who come in behind.
§ Number of early childhood teachers and where they are located and how they connect.
§ No regulation for programs from birth to five years old like the other areas. Many children are in high quality programs, many are in other programs.
Ruth Robarts arrived at this time.
§ Making a difference in closing the achievement gap in kindergarten.
§ Activities that go beyond Play 'N Learn for moving literacy into the families. Families are receptive.
§ Impact measurement tools - hard piece with professional development. Depending on research that says professional development makes a difference. Need something workable and looks at the plan. Kindergarten Screener is available. District has no control over the implementation; provides information to the child care providers.
§ Professional development includes evaluation forms and asks for two things the providers have implemented.
§ Books are provided for preschool programs, recommendations are made for how often the children are read to by the providers, etc.
§ Funding from other agencies; many bring time and knowledge (examples were stated).
§ Hard to keep track of early childhood care and where it is offered.
§ Little testing going on at this level, but it is done in the native language (Kindergarten Ready and Kindergarten screening). Looking at doing an assessment in Allied Drive.
§ Kindergartner Screener is pretty consistent measure that everyone takes. Mobility of the population and no control over the centers is not conducive to accurate assessment over time. District could look at the PLAA assessment.
§ It was asked if there was a methodology for doing pre- and post-tests. District is following the Balanced Literacy program at their level and trying to do what is best for all children and what is research-based.
§ Looking at the research coming out of the Psychology Department at UW-Madison about how children learn.
§ Two problems as Board members - who gets resources and why. Would be helpful to have results more often. How kids start reading and doing math would be worthy topic. Report on early literacy from birth to five years can be done any time.
§ Would like to see balanced panel talk about how kids learn. Very interested in what the district's thinking is on curriculum.
§ Lack of universal four-year-old kindergarten program is funding. Milwaukee voucher schools can do four-year-old kindergarten because they get full credit right away.
§ Goal is to close the gap before the children get to the district and to work with the entire community to accomplish this goal. Could possibly start with partnering with someone like the United Way, local businesses, and/or community centers and put resources into it and study the children from birth to five years. Community may then be more apt to fund it.
§ There are many initiatives at the state and federal levels for improving the quality of programs. Businesses are getting involved.
§ Not sure it is necessary to replicate the research; the data is out there. Question is how to afford it and still have the issue that the vast majority of low-income families cannot afford high-quality child care. Those who need it most do not have access.
§ Have to address problems at home.
6. Positive Student Behavior in Safe and Secure Schools
(Packets included PowerPoint presentation and chart showing prevention practices and programs, response to significant behavior incident recommendations, and responses to serious behavior incidents and crises. Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
Mary Gulbrandsen saw the work as getting a direction for 2006-07, safety and security and behavior and discipline all together instead of separate, changing from punishment to teaching a model to restore children back to the community and learn new skills, what the district has been doing and working on to keep students engaged.
DISCUSSION:
o Designed to give principals more flexibility.
o History of "zero tolerance." Joint committee between administrators and teachers. Term "zero tolerance" not used until national discussions. Different schools handle in different ways. Principals had no flexibility. District looking to make more consistent.
o Timeline was sent out last time. Can set up similar to procedure for Wellness Program; charts about the issues.
o Administration and Board Officers can work out the calendar. Also useful to have recommendations that are not totally tied to punishment but also environment.
o Concern with expulsions and suspensions that seem to affect many ethnic, minority and poor students.
o Working towards consistency within the classrooms and across all schools.
o District's schools are very safe and the work is very good; important work that requires time.
o Next meeting: hold as a workshop and should have the whole evening. Mondays very full. Human Resources, Community Partnerships, and Performance and Achievement Committees were willing to forego a meeting time in order to get this on the agenda.
Recessed at 7:24 p.m.
7. Other Business
There was no other business.
8. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.by unanimous consent.
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Previous: 2006-10-30 || Special Meeting - Open Session || Next: 2006-11-13