5-1-08 SIT MINUTES
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM MEETINGMAY 2, 2008
Attendees: Courtney Stone, Ezequiel Cantu, Chris Elsberg, Lori Bebber, Perry Bentson, Andrew Hains, Ken Jaeke, Georgia Kouris, Shaneeka Evans.
Georgia Kouris, RIHS Assistant Principal welcomed everyone and thanked the Team Leaders, and the community members for their ≥above & beyond≈ work they did this year. She also gave special thanks to our student member Ezequiel Cantu for joining us this year and hoped he would continue to be a member next year.
Attendees: Courtney Stone, EZ Cantu, Chris Elsberg, Lori Bebber, Perry Bentson, Andrew Hains, Ken Jaeke, Georgia Kouris, Shaneeka Evans.
Each Action Team Leader gave a report of the progress during 2007-08 and the goals for 2008-09 school year.
Action Team #1 √ Andrew Hains
High Expectations: Rigor & Relevance, Climate & Culture subcommittees
Rigor & Relevance: This group≠s goal has been to increase behavioral and academic expectations.
One of the Action Teams goals was to provide credit recovery and skill building for students. The before and after school credit recovery program and the intervention room was strengthened by the adoption of the Plato Learning curriculum. Students have been productive in a non traditional classroom. Hopefully, students will be able to transfer there success to the traditional classroom.
Our PBIS group has a page on the school web site. The site explains our rules & expectation, has several videos created by our student≠s displaying appropriate behavior. There are several forms on the webpage that we use √ referral form, student expectations, and a few lessons.
We have been very successful with our ROCKY PRIDE STORE. Student can earn pride cards for positive behavior and then purchase items with them from the store.
We are planning to bring in Sandy Brossard for the staff & administration to work with issues, concerns with open discussion and dialogue for high performing school culture. Lori Bebber suggested having some of our high school students visit the Jr. High Schools to meet students and answer question to help with the transition to the high school.
Action Team #2 √ No representation
Action Team #3 √ Perry Bentsen
Vo Tech: Career Pathways, Marketing, Career Cruising, Internships
Career Cruising: We are very thankful for Mal Austin, who is our liaison between the school and the business community. Our Career Pathways group is looking at courses offered now and the career paths for next year which will expand to include a medical class & CAD lab.
Marketing: The goal of this group is to get more information out to the parents and public regarding our programs. Holly Sparkman, District 41 Marketing Director has been extremely helpful in getting information out.
Internship: We presently have structured work co-op classes where students earn grades and work at a paying job. We want to strengthen this program, but also include some internships outside of school with no credit. Shaneeka Evans praised the opportunities she has had in her outside internships. The Chamber of Commerce is very interested in working with us on this.
Ken Jaeke explained that the Jr. High≠s have completed surveys to show students where their interests are and to help guide them in their course choices. Course catalogues are available for the students.
Action Team #4 Jeff Wendland
Transitions: Portfolio, Dual Credit, Transitions
Senior Portfolio: 42 percent of seniors received an A on the portfolio. 25 percent did not do the project. The next step is for the Senior Portfolio to move from this group to the Advisory Team. A plan will be presented to the staff and all advisory teachers will be shown how to do the portfolio project. Next year we hope to have the Senior Service Learning Project implemented during the school year.
Transitions: Our English/Math teachers are meeting with the Jr. High English/Math teachers to ensure students are getting the classes necessary for a consistent transition to the high school. The 9 to 10 transition committee is currently in the process of creating a survey that all freshmen students will take at the end of their freshman year. The results will be instrumental in preparing our freshmen for a move into the regular school atmosphere.
Dual Credit: We will have 3 dual credit classes for the coming year with hopes of adding welding. There will be a parent information night to let parent know of the dual-credit options. We will continue the parental meeting with the principal, and are working on a pamphlet for transition from high school to college.
Action Team #5 √ Courtney Stone
Advisory: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior year subcommittees.
The 3 goals of the Advisory Group are: 1) The relationship with the kids, 2) Academic rigor, 3) Academic coaching.
The Data Team is analyzing data through March and looking at the curriculum for each grade level. We think the Freshman Academy Advisory has been successful, but we are always looking at what other schools are doing and deciding what works best for Rocky.
Attendance is an ongoing problem in Advisory; many students don≠t think it is important to attend. We need to determine if next year we will have advisory everyday, or once a week, and for 10 minutes or 30 minutes. Teachers now have access to mid terms and final grades, and they can discuss this information with the student.
Ken Jaeke talked about the Restructuring Plan our school is undergoing. Now that we are on the State Watch List, the School Improvement Team creates the plans & goals for the school, and the district administration and the school board support and helps implement the School Improvement Plan submitted. With our school on the watch list we are monitored more closely by the state.
In restructuring we have several options: 1) close the school and reopen as a charter school, 2) change administration, 3) change program & curriculum, 4) change teaching staff. The changes we have underway are our 5 Action Teams & Freshman Academy; restructuring administration team- principal, assistant principal, going from 9 Department Leaders to 5 Data Teams; a Vo Tech Career person (Mal Austin); attendance plan √ pilot program in action now, and to implement it in the fall; Best Practices.
Ken said our EPlan feedback has been very positive so far, and we are given 2-3 years to see change.
Georgia thanked everyone for coming and the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol DePron
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