SAC Minutes for  February 27, 2006

In Attendance:

Chip Osborn – Administration

Ray Williams – Executive Partner

Henry A. Rose – SAI Vice-Chair

Yitan Li – 11th Grade Representative

Chandra Powell – Teacher

Monica Bakerman – Parent

Leona Sturrup – Teacher

Jahne King – 9th Grade Representative

Kristina Benitez – 9th Grade Representative

Joyce Hawkins – Mathematics Coach/ Teacher

Susan Gladstein – Teacher

Tina Frobel – Parent/ Clerical Support

Camille Barnett – Teacher/SAC Member

Janice Gibson – Teacher/ SAC Member

Kathy Cappy – Teacher/ SAC Member

Mary Cook – Reading Coach

Elizabeth Williams – Parent

Bob Frazier – Guidance

Carol Sheppard – Teacher/ SAC Chair

Sharon Shaulis – Administrator

 

The February 27th meeting of the School Advisory Committee for Flanagan High School was called to order at 4:00pm by Carol Sheppard, SAC Chair.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by 9th Grade Representative, Cristina Benitez.

 

The minutes were review and accepted as corrected. 

 

Carol Sheppard

Open House for the Technology Lab is in Room 506 today from 5-6 pm.

Mr. Frazier will show us how to evaluate the data presented.

 

Bob Frazier

The District requires all 10th Graders to take the PSAT in October.  The 11th and 12th graders can opt to take it also.  This school as well as colleges, looks at the 11th graders for scholarship opportunities.  Counselors went into classes to show students how to read PSAT scores.  We offer a website called “My Road” and encourage every student to create an account on it.  It can create a college search and career search as well as sign up for SAT’s.  Some students have not met the math requirements on the PSAT, but it shows them where they are and need to be.  We have a free SAT online courts available.  Students can access this through the College Board.  Teachers can access this and set up a course under their name for students to take and do work with it.  The lessons on these courses are self-paced, but the teachers can adapt it into their course if they choose to. We have a partnership with the College Board.  The PSAT scores will be successful in Honors and Advanced Placement classes.  Counselors will monitor these scores.  This ties into the FCAT on March 13th (Reading), 14th (Math) and 15th (NRT Reading/ Math and Science for 11th graders.)

 

 

Chip Osborn

We have done a Parent Call Out to alert parents about FCAT.  Testing week is also at the end of the grading period.  The District decided to allow block high schools to waive Term 8 Semester Exams.  The nine week grade will be counted as an exam grade.  The reasoning behind this decision was due to the 9th, 10th, and Repeaters will be worn out and they are trying to give the students a break from testing.  The 17th is the last day of the grading period.

 

Bob Frazier

We want to push students to their maximum efforts at their ability level.  Through our partnership with the College Board, they will provide teachers with free grant writing, they are sending Kaplan books for teachers, and we have been able to offer a free Kaplan course on campus to students.  The books are there to be utilized and we will talk about how they will be distributed. 

 

Mary Cook

44% of Flanagan students are at a Level 3, 4, or 5.  We have 66% at Level 1 and 2.  Our goal is to raise it to 50%.  We have a plan in place for student success on the FCAT.  Mini Assessments and Keys to the FCAT familiarize students and teachers will the aspects of the test, FCAT practice books, FCAT Explorer are use to zone in on skills for mastery, FCAT Camp averages 125 students per session.  We also have during and after school tutoring for those students that need help one on one.  It is correlated to the benchmarks of FCAT Practice to other subjects, and each Department has its own program.  I think that we are going to do great!

 

Joyce Hawkins

In addition to what we have been already doing, we are stepping things up a notch in all areas.  We did Keys to the FCAT and had the students that have already passed the test giving advice to the students who still need to pass it.  We covered FCAT skills since the beginning of the school year.  In addition to FCAT Camp, we are revisiting skills such as how to grid properly (left justify).  We want continuity, which was also suggested by the DOE.  We are also working on more in-depth work on particular area of mathematics. 

 

Carol Sheppard

We are all working together to make this a successful week!  Waiver reforms are the next thing on the agenda.  We can request a waiver of up to 8 additional release dates in the school calendar.  They are usually scheduled on exam days right now.  We currently have 6, but we really are only able to utilize 2 for professional development.  We need to decide, for this school, if we would like to add a 2 hour early release.  We will need to have a joint committee to help with the decision process.  Various groups polled feel like there are stumbling blocks to further develop groups.  The special development committee will be presenting at our next meeting with specifics for planning and meeting times. We need to have a decision and plan in place to present to SAC by March 22nd. 

 

There was a motion to move the next SAC meeting to March 13th to accomplish this.  It was moved and seconded. 

 

Carol Sheppard

We have a high school reform waiver written up.  We don’t have to vote to keep the 4x4.

 

Sharon Shaulis

Faculty Council mentioned adding five early release days, now they are moving to 8.  We sent out an email on what the faculty would want to accomplish during these sessions.  The teachers’ responses pertained to trainings, etc.  We want to be on the willing side of this idea.

Henry Rose

Is there a problem with transportation?

 

Carol Sheppard

The District is committed to making the adjustments if that is what the school votes for.

 

Chip Osborn

The days would be standardized for the schools that decided to accept it.

 

Moved and seconded. Passes unanimously.  (Moving to the next meeting’s agenda)

 

Carol Sheppard

Ms. Lipscomb is in Tallahassee.  She will be back next month.

 

Henry Rose

There are a number of bills that are filed to affect education.  There is a move to spend 65% of funding for inside the classroom.  They are trying to tie guidance, security, transportation and support personnel into the Pay for Performance funding. There are bills that are also trying to tie the smaller class size into that 65%.  The Governor’s High School Reform Task Force is trying to increase the math credits from 3-4, as well as having students choose majors and minors.  It affects the electives that the students can take.  It is also trying to offer other diplomas as well as a standardized exit exam. 

 

Ray Williams

I distributed a ranking to the teachers’ responses to the surveys done by the parents, students and teachers. I am also trying to find things that will enhance student performance.

Henry Rose and I are trying to help improve the plan for signage.  We are trying to make the campus seem friendlier.  We are planning to include academy signs, as well as directional signs for visitors in Flanagan colors. We have gotten some estimates, but we need to work with the budget issues.

 

Carol Sheppard

New business – Chip Osborn was one of the Top Assistant Principals for this year in the county.  For us, he is number 1! We are very proud of him for representing us in the District in this way.

Five people Math students and one science student will be representing Flanagan at Nationals this year.

Model UN is going to Orlando for a Conference.  Winter Guard is fourth in the world! 

 

Meeting Adjourned at 5 pm.