[PC News] November Minutes

[Tammy Dance-Skinner]

Parent Council Meeting Minutes<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

November 1, 2005

 

Members present: K. Osvath and K. Sinclair, Albemarle High; H. Simons, Broadus Wood; C. Deale, Crozet; J. Abbate, Henley; M. Noble, Jack Jouett; W. Ruschmann and M.H. Kegley-Scott, Meriwether Lewis; T. Hashisakai, Murray Elementary; J. Stern, Red Hill; R. Price, Stony Point; S. Walker, Sutherland; C. Adams, Walton; B. Dierolf and L. Moorefield, Western Albemarle High; M. Pawinski, Woodbrook; D. Jeck, CATEC. 

 

Staff present: P. Moran, acting superintendent; C. Dyer, director of community engagement; B. Benson, executive director of curriculum, instruction and technology; J. Smith, coordinator of character education/youth service; M.E. Via, coordinator of world languages programs; D. Jeck, principal, CATEC; C. Sinatra, communications coordinator; S. Lloyd, Albemarle High. 

 

1.	Announcements & Consent Agenda - C. Deale, President, Parent Council 

a.	October 11, 2005 Meeting Minutes were approved as presented. 

 

2.	Students Make A Difference Day Recap - J. Smith, coordinator of character education/youth service for Albemarle County Public Schools 

a.	Ms. Smith said hurricane relief totals today with 20 schools reporting is $45,743. 
b.	The SMADD celebration went well. She thanked Monica Pawinski and Ron Price for their help and thanked other Parent Council members for attending the event. The Parent Council funded the videotaping of the celebration and it will be broadcast on the Charlottesville cable TV community access channel. 
c.	Parent Council members provided the following comments on SMADD:

                                                               i.      Some noticed that a lot of schools had ongoing things and it wasn't just a day or week; schools had programs that go on all year. In the future, we might want to address that in a different way. Ms. Smith said in April there is National Youth Service Week and we will aim to recognize additional things that happen at that time. She said we don't want to overdo it and lose the vibrancy so Parent Council may want to join the school division in considering other approaches. 

d. Mr. Deale, on behalf of Parent  Council, thanked Ms. Smith for her assistance. 

 

3.	Program presentation and group dialogue: "World Languages Programs in the County Schools" - M.E. Via, world languages coordinator for Albemarle County Public Schools; Sharon Lloyd, French teacher at Albemarle High School, and Alexandra Osvath, French student at Albemarle High School 

 

a.	Ms. Via gave a PowerPoint presentation to provide an overview of the Albemarle County Public Schools World Languages Program. 
b.	This school year, all 16 elementary schools began phase-in of the conversational Spanish program. Each school's program may look different but all result in students spending one hour a week learning conversational Spanish. Many schools have parent volunteers who read to students in Spanish. At Red Hill, the custodian reads to students in Spanish. 
c.	The division utilizes a consultant to train teachers. A Spanish graduate student also has been hired who helps with cultural activities and provides teacher support.  
d.	The Extended Day Enrichment Program has a world languages component to extend student opportunities. The program uses the BBC Muzzy Program, a cartoon that's offered in five languages. During the summer, we offer "Passports," a two-week Spanish day camp for grades K-5. 
e.	Conversational Spanish will be in place next year as a sixth-grade elective. In seventh grade, students can take their first semester of Spanish or French. In eighth grade, students can take their second and third semesters of foreign language. Successful completion gets students a high school credit and they can move into the second year of a language in high school. 
f.	In high school, there are world language options at all schools in French, German, Latin, and Spanish. Other options at specific sites include: Greek, Italian, and Russian, and non-European languages of Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese.
g.	To learn more, visit the world languages website at  <http://www.k12albemarlel.org/> www.k12albemarlel.org, go to "Quick Links" and choose "world languages" to view curriculum and links to helpful websites.  

 

Questions and Answers: 

 

Q1: At middle school, the program is different than in the past years. Can students start in eighth grade? 

A: Mrs. Via said the most positive reaction to this is to start in the seventh grade. Starting this year, seventh grade was an option and the committee is reviewing this issue now. Mr. Benson said we now offer four semesters in seventh and eighth grade. The committee is discussing if it can offer a course in eighth grade in a way where it can be completed in one year.  

 

Q2: Will things change in the future? For example, if kids take it in first and second grades, it will be different at seventh grade. 

A: Mrs. Via said there will be a few years where we are meshing it all together. Our role is to change the curriculum so we will pick up where they finish in the elementary school. 

 

Q3: Why French and Spanish?

A: Mrs. Via said the schools would like to have all the options but it's a staffing and scheduling challenge.  

 

Q4: Are the non-European languages offered on a year-to-year basis only? 

A: Mrs. Via said generally they are offered for two years in a row. Non-European languages are what the national institute considers "level 4" languages, meaning it takes people four years to learn what it would take a person to learn in one year of traditional European language. Dr. Moran said the non-European languages are making students more competitive for college on their transcripts.  

 

Q5: What if a course is at one high school and a child is at another? If a child can transport him or herself, is it an option? 

A: Mrs. Via said we can do classes by videoconferencing through their own school or they can provide transportation. 

 

Q6: Is the extended day program available to PTO-run after-school activities? 

A: The after-school program bought the materials but people can purchase them off the Internet. Mr. Benson said the extended day program has to be self-sustaining so the resources they purchase, they purchase on their own and the county doesn't help. 

 

Q7: Can you help find after-school volunteers to teach languages?

A: Mrs. Via said it is very difficult to do. She generally starts at the university when looking for someone. She's happy to point people in the right direction and try but we're not always successful. 

 

Q8: Why did the division pick "Espanol Para Ti?"

A: Mrs. Via said we picked it because it's the only one with a K-5 continuum and the only one that doesn't require a Spanish-speaking teacher in the classroom. It would have cost more than $2 million to get Spanish teachers into the classrooms and this program doesn't cost that much. Dr. Moran said we're trying to provide people with some basic skills. Mrs. Via has been working to offer some after-school language programs for staff for teachers who want to learn to be more bilingual and acquire the basic language. Mrs. Via said she's had a Spanish for educators class going for the last several weeks that is very well attended. 

 

Comment: There are probably several schools doing PTO-run language programs and maybe they can talk to each other and see if they have teachers who would do some days at one school and others at another school. 

 

Q9: How many schools have Passport?

A: It's offered in one place, usually at Greer, and there are two teachers that do the planning. 

 

h.	Ms. Lloyd and Ms. Osvath discussed how the French program at Albemarle High School is being integrated into school activities.  Ms. Lloyd said there is much importance in learning languages and she is particularly proud that many of her students take other languages as well. 

                                                               i.      Ms. Lloyd will go to France with students for nine days this summer. 

                                                             ii.      The French Honors Society will host its second French Film Night this year that's open to the community as one way to promote languages. The films will be subtitled. The cost is $2 for refreshments. They try to pick a variety of films that cover comedy, suspense, and history.  

                                                            iii.      The French Honor Society last year created a mural in the foreign language wing at Albemarle High. The Society also participates in an annual contest where students often place at state and national levels. 

                                                           iv.      There is an active sister city relationship here. The German program has had an exchange student program for many years and the French program would like to do the same with its sister city. 

                                                             v.      Ms. Osvath, a level 4 French student and President of the French Club, said the group has some objectives with the main one being to share culture and language with students who don't speak French. In Spring they will host a Mardi Gras festival and are seeking ways to interact with middle school students to excite them about languages. They would like to do some after-school activities such as a night at a French restaurant where the chef will talk with them and allow them to order from a limited menu of gourmet French food. In two weeks they will celebrate French week and will do some things on the school's daily broadcast like French word of the day. They will have different themes every day such as cuisine, arts, sports, music to let people know more about the French culture. 

 

Questions and Answers: 

 

Q1: Is what you're doing at Albemarle High typical of the high schools to integrate through all the activities?

A: Ms. Lloyd said there are probably lots of similar activities that happen at the other high schools. Mrs. Via said all high schools have a variety of things but don't all do the same things. There are some lunch groups that meet at Monticello to have café conversations in the languages they are studying. Albemarle and Western do the same activities but at different times. The variety of activities is wide. 

 

Dr. Moran said Albemarle County is very unusual to have started a world languages program like this.  In the United States, there are very few areas the size and makeup of Albemarle that you would find this depth and breadth of languages. Last year we found only 17 high schools in the country that offered Arabic, as reported by an Education Week article, and that makes us unusual. In the strategic plan, we talk about the global economy and one area we need to define is having kids graduate high school with a much higher level of language acquisition. To be world class means offering languages and ensuring kids are graduating with some bilingual skill sets whether at a practical level or honors level. 

 

Q2: Can we change the focus to being fluent than number of hours for credit?

Dr. Moran said that is part of the outcome indicators that's embedded in our new School Board priorities. Mrs. Via said we're piloting an oral proficiency test with our level threes this year to see where we are on the proficiency scale. Proficiency is to be able to live and sustain with that language. Mr. Deale said his global organization has constituents in at least 115 countries, but the level of multilingual skills on the staff is relatively low. Students like Ms. Osvath who come out of high school with those skills have great opportunities without even leaving town. 

 

Q3: Is there a program that's total immersion where no English is spoken?

A: The Governor's Schools offer such a program.  

 

4. Idea Exchange: Special Events and/or After-school Clubs and Activities

*	Crozet has drama club that leads to a performance, chess club, photography club, Destination Imagination, French, running. For drama, there is a small fee. Last spring's performance was the first time admission was charged. 
*	Greer for several years did French, Spanish, and Chinese for 10 weeks. Greer's program cost $50 or $100. 
*	Meriwether Lewis offers chemistry, food and culture (charges $15 per class or $60 for month); art, basketball camps, French, Spanish, chess, and beading/jewelry. 
*	Red Hill offers robotics, Destination Imagination. The school gets great support from UVa engineering students on the robotics program.  
*	At Sutherland, most activities are before school because of the late dismissal time. Most are through the gifted resource teachers like the stock market game, art club, jazz band. Drama might meet after school, as does Destination Imagination. Video Club meets before school every morning. There also is Knowledge Master and Math Counts. 
*	An idea is to use time for children who don't "fit" into school to talk to an adult about what's going on in their school and why they're not involved. I'd like to see that before or after school. At Sutherland, they now have a mentoring program in place and set two students per teacher for the teacher to build relationships with the child and family. Mr. Abbate said most people are already involved in school but there are children who aren't involved and don't know how to go about becoming involved. If you have an outlet, you'd be surprised at who comes knocking at the door. Transportation was mentioned as one big issue. Mr. Dyer said at Albemarle High, they required every freshman this year to join a club and it gave every kid a reason to do it and opened up the activities. Lots of times the kids don't even know how much is out there. Every kid will have something to belong to. Albemarle High also is doing an opt-in mentor program. The principal is trying to build a ninth-grade focus to build ownership into the school. 
*	At Western Albemarle, there's openness about clubs. If two kids have an interest in a club and can find a sponsor, they have a lot of options. It's diversity beyond your standard clubs. They're self-forming. 
*	At Stony Point, the new one that's started is Homework Club to help students who don't do their homework to get their homework done. Usually done by a teacher recommendation and students move out of it by completing their homework. Now working to connect a reward with that. At Stony Point, when they think of the achievement gap, it's usually affecting the kids who don't come to school prepared. 
*	Woodbrook has done chess, DI, French, and Knowledge Master but what they are starting tomorrow is another 10-week session taught by faculty members, for example, the librarian is teaching cooking and books; the music teacher will show how to compose music on the computer. Someone is teaching Latin. It's a bit non traditional. 
*	Murray Elementary offers knitting and I-movies. They are fee classes that are self sustaining. The school also offers a Chess Club run by a parent every Friday.  
*	Sutherland has intramurals, clubs and activities time on Friday once a month. Every child signs up for something to do and can choose from sports, jewelry, etc. Almost every teacher does something different. Gives opportunity to for students to explore something for an hour and see if they like it. Jouett does the same.  
*	Red Hill has coordinated transportation and it has added seven new kids to clubs this year because in past the families didn't have two cars or ways to get the students home. 
*	If there is a charge and kids can't afford it, is there an effort made for kids who can't pay? All PTOs offer free options for those who can't pay.  

 

4.	School Division Report - Dr. Pam Moran, acting superintendent  

a.	The budget season has begun. The school division is asking groups to tell it what's important to them for the school division to move forward. The division's advisory committees are important in this process. The Parent Council in the past has been a powerful source in supporting the division through the budget process in giving feedback to the School Board and Board of Supervisors. She wanted to notify the Parent Council that the cycle is starting and a calendar will be available soon. There is a school division budget committee composed of principals and central office staff that are sifting through budget initiatives to determine which to move forward. We will make some progress in compensation but it won't be as significant of an issue as in the past few years. We are concerned about teacher pay at the top of the scale being competitive. Parent Council members with thoughts on this should pass comments through Chip Deale or mention at the next meeting. Dr. Castner is working with us through the budget process in a mentorship form. We will be done with initial budgeting work in late December and do final work in early January. We get two phases of funding - the first is in November when local county government determines revenues and in late December we get revenue projections from the state and we sometimes have to adjust the budget in January  depending on whether we are getting less or more than we anticipate. Mr. Deale said next month's meeting features a dialogue with School Board representatives and it would be an excellent time for members to share their budget thoughts. 
b.	We are using a new teacher performance appraisal process this year. It includes a rubric continuum -- that's education talk for four different categories that describe teaching behaviors in the classroom that range from teachers who need significant improvement; the teachers in development phase; proficient; and great expertise. Our principals are setting goals with every teacher based on a teacher self-assessment. The goals are results oriented and set around student achievement goals. It's a new approach that's much more focused on student results and classroom "look fors." Every principal in the division is looking for some specific things when going into classrooms. We're getting great feedback from around the country from other divisions hearing about what we're doing. Teachers will have a clear picture of what expert practice looks like so it moves people beyond the minimum standard to what we think best teachers are doing. It is not merit-based or pay-for-performance. Interestingly, our principals and central office staff are on a merit-based system but not classroom teachers. Principals say they feel they have a much clearer picture of where teachers are. 
c.	Our "Making Connections" staff development conference is next week as an opportunity to cross-pollinate our talent and also bring some outside experts in. Anyone who would like to drop in and participate is welcome. She said we think of it as one of the best things we do. We said a few years ago we wanted to send every teacher to a national conference and couldn't afford it so we brought the conference to us.
d.	We will be revising the redistricting policy and process. It's critical. The focus is how we engage our parent community in a much more collaborative way in planning. Dr. Moran will bring a draft policy for review and awareness.  

 

Questions and Answers: 

 

Q1: Regarding substitute teachers in long-term absences, how does a principal stay on top of that? 

A: Dr. Moran said a principal would want to be on top of a sub whether he or she was there for a day or several months. Principals typically try to be on top of how the sub is doing by observing and giving feedback, and in some cases, replacing them when they can. What's tough at middle and high school is when hiring subs you're looking for someone who has to have content expertise and they're hard to find. I would say our sub list is not very deep.  Mr. Jeck said as a principal, you know who your good subs are and those you have to offer and you're very selective and would make changes on the fly. The long-term ones in subjects like chemistry are most difficult. Dr. Moran said you often have to rely on another teacher to provide support to the sub. 

 

Q2: Is there a way to explore the sub quality issue in terms of workshops or mentors for long-term subs? 

A:  Dr. Moran said when parents see a problem, they really need to call and tell the principals. When people do sub long term they do become part of a team and the school. We do also offer workshop training with some subs. If you have a sense of anything anytime that you run into a sub that's not doing well for the children, let the principal know. Dr. Moran said one issue in our budget that's under review is the daily pay of about $70 for subs. The pay scale is very low for subs and it's an issue.  

 

Q3: How do you develop the pool of subs? Do you go after retirees? 

A: Dr. Moran said yes, the division approaches retirees but the pay is the most problematic part of getting a good list. Often if people are really good, we hire them and they come off the list because we hire them as permanent faculty. Mrs. Moorefield suggested sub pay be one of the items the Parent Council suggests the School Board put into its budget review.  

 

Q4: Do schools or PTOs pay for extra nurse time? 

A: Both. 

 

6. School Division Identity and Logo Concepts - Lisa Ross Moorefield, Payne, Ross & Associates and Western Albemarle High parent.

 

Mrs. Moorefield said the Division Identity Project Committee is working to recommend a new division logo and tagline to the School Board. It has several concepts it has asked be presented to different groups for feedback. Parent Council is one specific group feedback has been requested from. The project was a priority from the division's communications plan and with the new strategic plan adoption, the time is right to pursue the project and develop an image that better represents the school division. The division's current tagline has been in place since 1987. There are several reasons for completing this project: 

 

*	To support the School Board's strategic plan priority of improving communication to all segments of school community

*	To create a consistent and recognizable image for school division

*	To communicate the division's strengths and vision with an increasingly diverse audience.

*	To help position the division as forward-thinking and -acting  

 

The concepts the Parent Council will review are based on research about the school division. Three key themes emerged from the research - we're in a great position and should be proud of where we are; we're looked to for innovative programs; we create students who are leaders. It's a good theme. When looking at making an identity, you look at how they differ from the competition. What makes Albemarle County Public Schools different is that it's open and welcoming and accessible to everybody regardless of ability to pay, ability to learn. We're also a community; we're partners with parents, community members, businesses. We're a community of learners and learning. 

 

The Committee selected a few logos and taglines to concept test and Mrs. Moorefield would like to hear comments from parents about what resonates with them. The timeframe is to launch the new identity in January. Its implementation will be phased. 

 

Parent Council member comments: 

 

Taglines

 

Listening. Learning. Leading. 

 

·        They're all good. The first one spoke most to me. 

·        First one is more original.

·        The first one had depth. 

·        Listening speaks to me as a parent. You don't want to be a strong listener, it's a passive intelligence; you're learning and listening at the same time. 

·        It can mean multiple things. 

·        I struggled more with learning. Who's learning from whom?

·        That's the best thing about it - it's everyone learning from everyone

·        Do these need too much interpretation? Does it draw less real identity if everyone interprets it as what it means to them? Learning is something that is supposed to be happening at school. Leading is what stands out to me. It's telling me your school creates leaders.  When I saw these words I had thousands of things go through my mind. What's the brand - you can't deliver on everything I want. 

·        That's the best thing about it

·        I like it. That's what I want in a school to listen; learn both ways, and the school has to lead

 

Open Doors to Excellence

 

·        I like that one 

·        It's clear 

·        Like use of excellence in this one. Always thought we expect success was bland - what does it mean, success?

·        I would like the word to be "Opening"

·        I would rather see success than excellence because excellence is so overused in advertising today that it's lost its meaning

·        In my mind, this would be confusing. You want the words to come out of your mouth easily

·        What about this whole world class idea - did you discuss the idea of world class? I'm thinking world class students. When you show you're creating world class students, you show you're moving toward it. 

·        Thought this one and last one needed the "-ing." 

·        The "-ing" implies a continuity 

·        If you look at the goals of the strategic plan and can build on that you can say building global community 

·        It doesn't matter what you choose, it's not going to resonate with everyone. 

 

Succeed. Together/Succeeding Together 

·        No comments

 

General Comments on Taglines

*	What if we said "opening doors," is that too vague? 
*	Maybe I'm stuck on the community program (Open Doors); it's already been done and I've seen it in the county a long time. If you use that it seems we've already seen it. It's old and trite. 
*	Building for future (This is associated with Habitat for Humanity)
*	What about "learning locally, leading worldwide?"

 

Logos

 

Option 1 (Three lines out of A): 

*	Angle the streaks more up 
*	You don't want to be the purple guy
*	It could be elementary, middle and high
*	Likes size of font and spacing. It's crisp.
*	Several people said they preferred this option

 

Option 2 (door with the three lines): 

*	No limit to where can go. Play off open door. 
*	I think that's too much color
*	It feels childish because of too much color
*	It doesn't look as sophisticated as I think Albemarle County is. I think the first one did look like going into the future. 

 

Option 3 (A in blue block with rounded edges): 

*	More abstract 
*	It says A for Albemarle; it says community and involvement 

 

Option 4 (Half block A, half three lines): 

*	The lines are going in the wrong direction
*	It's hierarchical; some are going higher, further, etc.

 

7. Adjourn - Chip Deale, President, Parent Council 

 

a. The next meeting is December 6, 2005. The program focus will be a dialogue with School Board representatives. There will be a presentation from CATEC and an Idea Exchange on parenting programs. Members are asked to invite the volunteer responsible for parenting programs to participate. 

 

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