Members Absent: Lindsay Visser, Andrew Simpson

Board Liaison Present: Lisa Stuckey

Others Present: Quinn Silcox (recorder), Allison Worthy

A meeting of the School Governance Committee of Chapel Hill High School was held on Wednesday, November 30, 2005 at the Media Center of Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Steve Darden acted as Chair, and called the meeting to order at 6:05.

I. Approval of Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Action)
There was a motion to approve October and November 9, 2005 meeting minutes. The motion was seconded and consensus was achieved.

II. Public Presentations
Beth Sweeney-Newman made a presentation to the SGC about the SIP progress and how it is implementing the SIP. Beth addressed the four main sections of the SIP
1. Staff development and accountability
CHHS has improved the process of disseminating data to enhance student learning. The school is cutting edge in that it is balancing teacher class loads. The number of minority teachers teaching honors and AP classes has increased. Websites for freshmen parents would be a wonderful thing. Delayed opening has provided teachers with collaboration time. There is a mentor program that goes above what the district provides.

2. Instructional delivery and development
Pierson software allows teachers to give common 9 week assessments. Lead teachers are doing an enormous amount of work. They are coordinating and analyzing assessments. They are provided with a small stipend. Department chairs are meeting weekly to be accountable to one another and to discuss ideas. The school is also working on getting information to the minority community. Beth encouraged the SGC to invite lead teachers to report to the SGC and give them a yearly update.

CHHS participates in a best practices website which is a forum that allows teachers to exchange ideas on what worked really well for their classroom. The school is trying to stay on top of all board mandates.

The vision for a writing lab has been in the works for a decade. Beth implored the SGC to ask the district for the additional money to get a certified teacher instead of a classified teacher to teach the writing lab.

3. Collaboration
The school is trying to improve the communication to parents in every way possible--through email, phone service, and bilingual pamphlets.

4. Student Support
Junior links has been expanded and has become a more professional group. This group focuses on different ways to support freshman.

The 21st century grant will probably take the place of Second Chance Academy. This will be a wonderful program for students. The Rose garden Forum tutoring needs to be expanded.

The town is working with the school to try to get internet access to lower income housing. It is important to have every student have access to computers and the internet.

Creating a staff link program would be a program where staff volunteer to support a student. This program would be similar to the Junior Links program.

Gloria mentioned that there should be some volunteers that would help the writing lab teacher.

Firoza asked if financial needs were being met to finance the new initiatives. Beth said for initiatives that have been funded in the past there is money, but some of the new initiatives have to be funded on a case by case basis.

II. Updates
1. Students
Tomorrow there is going to be a faculty/junior/senior football game. There will be another pep rally in the winter.

2. Parents
Gloria just completed a marathon to support the Chapel Hill AVID fundraiser.

3. PTSA
The last meeting was held Nov. 2nd. There is going to be a guest speaker on Jan. 4 at 7 pm on closing the gap. Allison extended the invitation for everyone to come. A parent is going to serve as a parent legislature liaison to be aware and informed about district and state mandates and what parents need to be aware of. There was a wonderful dinner provided for teachers on Parent teacher night. It was very appreciated by teachers.

4. Faculty
Counselors are working with students who have a D or F. Some are being encouraged to enroll in Nova Net. It is an online recovery program that replaced CEED. It is working really well. The kids feel a little more self motivated.

5. Principal Update
21st Century grant has gotten up and running but is still looking for a site director. No decision has been made yet. Karla Eines is overseeing the implementation of the grant. Part of it is a recovery program that uses Nova net. The second part of the grant is a tutoring program. This is for students that have a D or F and they get some intervention. The school is trying to get students and their families to understand how important it is to come to tutoring.

Second Chance Academy is no longer going to be offered. AVID tutoring is a huge expense and Nova Net helps to fill the need that Second Chance filled. The 21st Century grant is a 5 year grant. There are Nova Net licenses in the day that students can use. The long term picture of Nova Net and credit recovery is better than Second Chance academy and CEED.

There is currently not an allotment for the Writing Lab instructor. Teachers are using the lab.

There is transportation home for students who are attending after school remediation programs.

The school was waiting for the approval from the State to start implementing and using the funding from the grant. There are 4 sites where kids can go and access tutors. There was a hope that students who attend tutoring may get credit in the classroom. That might help to get students to attend tutoring.

Last year the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocacy Program piloted a tutoring program at Hargraves. Kids began calling their tutors to make tutoring longer and for more days.

The board passed the 7 period day proposal unanimously. There are concerns about how to fund the 7 period day. Classified staff could monitor study time so some students would have a quiet period to work. Other students might have a shortened day.

Paul suggested that there should be a required study skills class for freshman.

Glen Singleton is coming back for Beyond Diversity training. The Equity team has met together and gave surveys to the faculty. There might be some equity training for new teachers to teach them what Beyond Diversity is.

Professional learning communities got a jump start. Five teachers went to High Five training in October. The teachers gave it rave reviews. Professional learning communities will be the main focus for High Five. The school has another opportunity to send a group of teachers to the training. There is a lot of credibility in the training. There will be coaching training for 6 days in the spring.

Gloria wanted to know if an SGC parent would be allowed to attend that training. It is a 2 day training that is very well done. Steve will find out.

6. School Board
The school board has been meeting with every school to get an SIP update. They are focusing on the two district initiatives. Tracking growth is very important and sharing best practices has been very helpful. Schools are zeroing in on what works and what doesn’t work. It is important to get the data and understand it.

The board adopted the policy that Students must pass the EOC in any course it is given in order to pass the 2nd semester. There are a lot of safety nets in place to help students.

The board adopted the 7 period day. Increased graduation requirements from the state forced the district to do it. It gives the high schools a lot of flexibility in meeting the needs of the kids during the class day.

III. Capital Improvements
Department chairs got capital improvement requests to Sherri by Monday. There are bids out to resurface the tennis courts. Most of the capital improvements that were requested were the same as last year. There is one major item that has been added—remodeling the counseling center. Sherri wanted the SGC to prioritize the capital improvement needs. The district has a lot of funds other districts don’t have. A lot of our extra money goes to personnel. She recommended that the SGC focus on 2-3 really important needs.

Gloria expressed that the liability and safety issues are the most crucial. Lisa suggested that the school contact Steve Scroggs to see if there is a plan from the district to fix the weight room floor already.

Mary suggested that everyone think of their 3 most important items and discuss it around the table.

The top items were
Fume hoods
Weight room floor
Building Drainage
Field drainage
Security cameras
Remodeling the counseling office
Lighting for soccer fields
Cutting curb for wheel chairs in reference area of world language
Weight room ventilation
Media center carpet and blinds

Gloria suggested that we submit a list of our most important issues and include how long these items have been on the list. She suggested that the SGC be as specific as possible like where the school would like security cameras and submit the cost for all items. She suggested that next year the school decide a different location for security cameras and slowly increase the areas that are surveyed.

Gloria made a motion to submit the items in their prioritized order. The motion was seconded and consensus was achieved.

She also made a motion that on a separate paper the school submits the other items that did not make our prioritized list to be on our list to the superintendent.

There was a concern about manning security cameras and feed. The security guards and officer would monitor the system.

IV. Heidi Perry’s letter
Chapel Hill’s ID policy does not match East’s.

Jeff Thomas has been trying to implement CHHS’s policy that requires students to have their ID with them at all times. It is a safety issue. Paul related an experience where not requiring students to have their ID was very detrimental.

Refusal to identify oneself at East could also lead to suspension.

Sherri expressed that there were a few issues that Ms. Perry’s letter addressed. Not identifying yourself is one issue and forgetting your ID is a different issue.

Mary made the point that if students were required to have their ID to go off campus they would probably remember it a bit more.

Mary feels that if an issue is about something that is not an academic issue it is inappropriate to take students out of the classroom. When students get put into ISS there is very little time to get work to the student and it takes students out of the classroom. There are a lot more punishments that could affect students besides taking them out of the classroom. There is debate about removal of privileges, such as playing sports, as a consequence.

Gloria suggested asking students, teachers, and administration to come up with what they think should happen for the first, second and third offences.

Sherri was not sure how the school would be able to collect that data.

Lisa suggested looking at all of CHHS’s policies and all of East’s because when you look at just little pieces it is hard to grasp, but looking at the big picture can be much more helpful.

Sherri will email the different policies and the SGC will discuss it at the next meeting.

V. Calendar
Lisa suggested emailing the board about the 2 calendar options.