Click here to download the The Edgartown School Improvement Plan 2008-2009 in pdf format.

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The Edgartown School
School Advisory Council
Meeting Agenda
January 19, 2010
10:00AM

1.    Welcome and Introductions
2.    Approval of minutes from December 15, 2009 meeting
3.    Student Council Report – Sarah
4.    PTO Report – Kathy
5.    Homework Club update – Barbara
6.    FY11 Budget update – John
7.    Ticket to Minis
8.    Old Business/New Business

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Edgartown School
SAC Minutes
January 19, 2010

Present- John Stevens, Barbara Reynolds, Kathy Pogue, Bridget Mello, Karen Bressler

Approval of December Minutes

PTO Report-
Kathy shared that Melinda DeFeo spoke to the PTO about building a Greenhouse
Cost $10,000
Paul Pertile- donating the slab foundation
PTO to give $2000 dollars to the project
PTO was discussing different ways to fundraise money/figure out a plan to raise money

School Store- given okay for the structure- cost will be $2000
Feb. 10 Family Pizza Bingo Night
Welcoming family to the school- PTO members will be writing personal notes to new families
Next Meeting will be on Tuesday, Feb. 2- 3:00 in Library
Agenda Items- School Lock Down/ Ticket to minis
Brought up the whole school wish list- what would we like for our school-
Guidelines to work for knowing what to fundraise for- a type of wish list
Setting criteria for prioritizing what money should get on
Room Parents- keeping it status quo- Currently Room Parents have a list of class and are being utilized as a source of communication
It can be whatever the Room Parents/Teachers want this responsibility to be.
The PTO is working on a collection of names and phone numbers- for a School Directory
8th Grade Auction coming up on February 5, 2010- Room Parents to call- remind families of the event and to secure items for the auction

Homework Club Update-Barbara Reynolds
Barbara shared that the HW Club is up and running for all students in grades 2-4-
Encompasses all students in conjunction with ELL HW Club.
Two Staff people on Tuesday
Currently there are 7-2nd graders enrolled, 11- ¾ graders- mixed E.L.L. and non-E.L.L. students
Only adult 1 on Thursdays at this time-1st week very busy
Continues to be work in progress- will review after the completion of 2 weeks
$6200- divided out to be 1 hour 3 times a week

FY11 Budget Update-John Stevens
SAC- Task of helping develop the budget each year-
Expense part of the budget is flat-90% of budget is tied into salaries
Next year is 1st year of a new teacher contract- currently in negotiations- don’t know the outcome yet- don’t know if 1 year contract or 3 year contract

This budget is based on a guess- no COLA for teachers-based on 0% increase
All administration getting 0% increase
Enrollment determines budget-enrollment has basically remained the same
School Budget and Superintendent’s budget just over $6,000,000
School Committee- give $100,000 to help lower the budget from the School Choice Funds- money only comes into this fund, not out
This allows us to have enough money to cover any emergencies
Next year it is anticipated that 15 kids in other towns will come to this school- this will generate approx. $95,000.
We have 15-17 kids to other schools-the money from this comes from the Edgartown School Budget

Short $90,000- to pay for shortfall due to the decrease in State money for Special Ed-Circuit Breaker Money only covering 40%, not 70% 
At April Meeting- Principal Stevens will be asking at the Town Meeting- Warrant to approve budget of $5,699,456.66- It is endorsed by both the FinCom and Selectman
No cuts in staff
No increase in expenses/supply- needs/funds
Reading Specialist .4 added into the budget- was paid for by School Choice money
All budget increases are in place should a worst-case scenario occur- (i.e. Circuit Breaker money from the State was to dry up we could not cover the cost of Sped Needs).

Ticket to Minis-Anne Fligor joined the meeting to discuss
Part of Developmental Design- Middle School version of Responsive Classroom
Theory of Tickets to Mini’s- Students to learn person responsibility- less time lost on keeping students prepared-
All Classes and Class Expectations listed.
If a student gets less than 7 circles-they get a Ticket to Minis
The students are asked what they would like to do/staff would like to offer
Broaden social experience- socialize outside of the peer group
Kathy stated that- Parents need to hear this definition-
The mix of students is happening- cross grade/cross peer groups
Kids list choices- Nedine Cunningham mixes up, there is a fair chance of students getting their first choice
Kathy mentioned that- Parents would like the minis to be more interactive
The program is explained at Parent Nights- How can we get more parents informed?
Possible table at open house- explaining the minis-
Could we put an explanation on the website?
Students could choice Academic Support.
Students have the opportunity to work with adults not in their grade level
Minis are offered every Friday for 40 minutes for students in grades 6-7-8
Some of the favorites- Mat Ball- Work as a team/can’t be a single player
Talk a walk- explore the graveyard
Cooking/food, Candy-making, Technology based games-

Open House/Curriculum Night
How do we get more people to Curriculum Night?
Kathy- easier to bring kids/provide babysitting
Have it earlier in the school year-may get more parents because they would want to know what would be happening for their child?

Old business/New business

Body Mass Index-Donna Joyce
New mandate from the State from the CDC
Start doing Body Mass Index in school
2007- 26% of MA students weigh too much
The Edgartown School already has a Wellness Policy
Snack Machines offer nutritional choices only
Drinks- Water/Fruit Bowl/Low-fat and Fat Free milks/School Gardens-
We have been working towards better wellness
This May a letter will be sent out to parents making them aware of new mandate-
Parents can opt out by writing a letter-
The BMI results will be strictly confidential- will be mailed home- along with a letter of referral to a Physician if they are considered high or low. In addition, resources for parents to use will be included in the letters home.
As a school, we need to make sure that PE continues-recess continues-
Currently have and should continue, nutrition classes in schools- learn how to read labels/ portion control
Many things to make children aware of health
The Edgartown School would like to make as many people aware as possible of this new mandate-to start next year.
This will not be a diagnostic tool, but a screening tool.
The BMI will be measured according to CDC measurement- Grades were picked by the State.
After parents get the information- now what do they do? They will need resources.

Barbara Reynolds raises the discussion about readiness of kindergarten students-
Concern about kids not attending preschool- There is a decrease in the number of kindergarten students who had attended pre-school.
How can we communicate to parents the importance of going to pre-school?  Possible Open House for Island Pre-Schools to come to the lobby, in addition resources for where parents can get funding, scholarships, financial aid.
Family Literacy- for ELL students might benefit from a transitional year Pre-K and then K or two years of Kindergarten-
Discussion of a possible “Transitional Year”- not going to cost any money-

Next Meeting Agenda-
School Improvement Plan-what would we like to see for next year?

Next SAC Meeting-
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.