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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 27, 2006 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street Madison, Wisconsin |
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Special Meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Johnny Winston, Jr. at 8 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Carol Carstensen, Lawrie Kobza, Lucy Mathiak, Ruth Robarts, Arlene Silveira, Shwaw Vang, Johnny Winston, Jr.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT: Joe Carlsmith
STAFF PRESENT: Mark Evans, Mary Gulbrandsen, Bob Nadler, Pam Nash, Roger Price, Art Rainwater, Lisa Wachtel, Nancy Yoder, Barbara Lehman-Recording Secretary
OPEN SESSION
1. Public Appearances
Sharon Redinger, O'Keeffe and East High School parent, wanted the Board to guide the District in the redesign process for the high schools. She was concerned with the plan to eliminate Talented and Gifted (TAG) programming at East and placing those students in regular classes to raise achievement for all students.
Marisue Horton, parent, wanted the Board to discuss how the high school redesign would differ from her experience 20 years ago and how much funding would be lost if current high schools do not meet the No Child Left Behind act.
Peggy Moore, Madison teacher for 21 years, parent of three children at East and O'Keeffe, was an elementary school teacher in a SAGE classroom where she was meeting the needs of all the students. Heterogeneous grouping was working well. The proposed changes for East pose no big hopes for her child who is Learning Disabled. She added that taking away opportunities like TAG should be carefully thought out.
Janet Mertz, parent at West, talked about the recently introduced Small Learning Communities initiative at West and the huge diversity there. However, she questioned shoving the students into a one-size-fits-all curriculum at different levels. She wanted to see the data that shows this model works for all students. Teachers get burned out. They are trying to meet the individual needs of all students. She did not want the Core concept extended and wanted it undone at West.
Shari Entenmann, parent of three, addressed heterogeneous grouping at East High School. Stated that differentiating is not working. Too many teachers cannot do it. It is not realistic given class sizes, needs, etc. Too many gifted learners are being disenfranchised. She wanted the great TAG resource staff to be used in the decision process and implementation plans. She also wanted the community involved.
John Raihala, parent of three at West, agreed with the last two speakers. He added that he did not doubt the sincerity and good intentions of the District, but the move to get rid of advanced courses is a great disservice to all students.
Doug Martin, parent of two at East, both of whom participated in TAG at East, always felt that this program prepared the students to be very competitive for college prepatory for selected colleges. Any redesign has to serve the needs of those who have high aspirations for after high school.
Written registrations included two in opposition to "dumbing down" the curriculum in the middle and high schools and not having advanced courses.
2. Announcements
There were no announcements.
3. It was moved by Lawrie Kobza and seconded by Ruth Robarts that the Board approve the move of the Administrators and Non-Represented Employees to the three Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan on July 1, 2007.
The Superintendent noted that, in the process of trying to work out the ending of the District's contract managed by Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS), the company took the position the District could not end it immediately. The other three bargaining units were able to move out. July 1 allows the District to fulfill the contract and work out some details. The savings will be about the same from year to year.
DISCUSSION:
Ø Movement of the three bargaining units to the three HMO plan generates savings that can increase their salaries and provide some additional savings to the district itself. Very significant change.
Student Representative advisory vote was aye. Motion unanimously carried.
Mr. Rainwater withdrew Item 5 from the agenda because they were not ready to address it and Item 6 was withdrawn in order to clarify that Board Policy 8012 was a typographical error. Policy 8012 covers non-discrimination while 8042 is about transfers. Item 6 will be included on the next earliest meeting agenda.
4. High Schools of the Future
A copy of the Superintendent's PowerPoint presentation describing the District's mission, vision, and approach is attached to the original of these minutes.
Each of the Board members and the Student Representative made comments about the presentation centering on the following topics:
v Pleased to bring in people from Edgewood, the University, and MATC.
v Role is needed for parents and staff at the high schools. A committee could be formed that would parallel the Steering Committee. Presentations could be filmed. Making process more interactive for teachers, staff, parents, and community members.
v Framework plays well into it. Liked the slide about the work for the future. Important that the mission includes "every" student.
v Reading model and topic-specific subcommittees - not sure if full-time math coaches in the schools are an economic possibility. Makes sense to combine things beyond Teaching and learning staff. Can approach businesses for more opportunities for work and learning. Applaud stopping action at the high schools and giving this a chance.
v High schools are not the same. Not sure if it is possible to have a similar process in all of the high schools. There is a 20% spread between economically disadvantaged and advantaged in proficient and advanced. Encourage some assessment to see what is working. Need to diversify the advanced classes and raise the bar. Interesting to do some benchmarking. Get data from some other districts that have similar demographics like Milwaukee schools that have turned around.
v Need to start and say what is the problem we are trying to solve then say this is where we solve that problem. Have to identify where kids not being successful at all levels. Need to focus on lower levels and start earlier so we do not have the issues at high school. Certainly there are school specific issues.
v Agree about looking at the data about identifying the problems. Think race and ethnicity are issues as well as poverty. Some kids who are successful at elementary and middle are lost in high school. Can look at existing models and see what might translate to our high schools. If we cannot afford it, should go to the community. Cannot let lack of funds allow kids not to succeed.
v Need to involve students of color whose parents, regardless of economic status have high expectations.
v Have to look at what is working and what is not and hear from the community about their hopes and aspirations for the high schools of the future. Need a plan that allows each of the high schools to keep their own identity.
v Need to look at the successes. Have to reach out to parents of low-income students. Appreciate the slide about teaching the students and not content.
v Cannot just be the experts' panel.
v Clarify on heterogeneous grouping - there was a lot of literature but little on districts that look like the MMSD. Need some discussion about what is already going on at West.
v Need to look at the models that we have here. Need to look at what the teachers in the alternative classrooms are doing.
Superintendent's Comments: There will be upfront at each high school data sharing sessions and have a process that will allow each community to talk about what is good about their school and what that community sees as their issues for each school. Input will be solicited from actual classroom teachers and staff. Community involvement will be stressed at the checkpoints. Get better input comes if people have something to react to, and then make changes. Current financial situation limits opportunities to take teachers out of school and pay for substitutes. Presentation will be included on the web site. Starting with a blank slate means open to anything. Literature review includes a broad range of district data and from other school districts. Large high schools do meet vast majority of needs, but what you do inside can change. Problems will be identified as the process goes forward. The Board and Steering Committee will narrow things down to what has the greatest impact. We are looking at (very subject to change) at least two years of studying before we are ready to say what we are trying to do. Cannot rush it. Need to make changes carefully that will probably last long time. It may be in pieces.
5. Increase in MMSDBuildingPermit Fees
Withdrawn.
6. Waiver of the Requirements for Hiring Administrators that are set forth in Board Policy 8012 relative to Filling a Newly Created Administrative Position in the MMSD
(Packets included a background/recommendation memorandum dated 11/22/06. A copy is attached to the original of these minutes.)
Withdrawn.
7. Other Business
There was no other business.
Recessed at 10:30 p.m.
Reconvened at 10:38 p.m.
The meeting continued in Executive Session
Previous: 2006-11-20 || Special Meeting - Open Session || Next: 2006-12-04