The International School at Mesa Del Sol
Governing Council
The International School at Mesa del Sol
Regular Meeting
Minutes
February 25, 2016
Schedule: Location
Regular Meeting – 4:30 PM The Aperture Center
Suite 310 5700 W. University Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Governing Council Members
Officers: Members:
Ms. Anne Lacy, President Capt. Jake English
Mr. Rob Giebitz, Vice-President Ms. Argelia Carreon
Dr. Kim Eichhorst, Secretary Mr. Tom Kuehn
Mr. Kamal Ali, Treasurer Ms. Gina Dennis
Agenda Items:
1. Call to Order
Ms. Anne Lacy, President
Meeting called to order at 4:38.
2. Roll Call
Ms. Anne Lacy, President
NAME / PRESENT / NOT PRESENTCapt. English / x
Mr. Ali / x
Mr. Giebitz / x
Dr. Eichhorst / x
Ms. Lacy / x
Ms. Carreon / x
Mr. Kuehn / x
Ms. Dennis / x
Sean Joyce, Barb Langmaid, Dina Hammad, Annette Torrez, Eileen Boliver, and Rosie Medina in attendance; Kamal called in at 4:45 p.m.
3. Approval of the Agenda Action Item
Ms. Anne Lacy, President
Need to move item 9.1 (DIBELS) to 6.0 and 10 to 7.0 and facilities after finance, so that people who need to leave can do so. Move PAC to end as Heather is not here.
ACTION
Motion: __ _Eichhorst___ moved to approve the agenda with suggested changes
Second: _Kuehn _ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion
4. Approval of the Minutes Action Item
4.1 January, 2016 Regular Meeting
ACTION
Motion: __ _Carreon ___ moved to approve the January minutes
Second: _ Dennis_ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion
4.2 February 12, 2016 Working Session
ACTION
Motion: __ _Kuehn ___ moved to approve the working session minutes
Second: _ Dennis_ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion
Ms. Anne Lacy, President
5. Governing Council
5.1 GC emails Discussion/Action Item
John has now given all GC members their TIS email accounts, except for Kamal.
6. Community Input Discussion Item
No community input.
7. DIBELS report from Eileen Boliver
DIBELS: Dynamic indicators of basic early literacy skills
Created to identify students at risk of reading failure
2 key reading skills targeted for each grade level
K-3, but can be used up through 6th, though state only pays up through 3rd grade.
Oral reading and fluency are targeted.
Teachers are being trained to use DIBELS to decode what problems kids are having in reading to help individuals.
Each student is assessed 3 times each year (BOY, MOY, EOY for beginning, middle or end of year)
Placed in 3 categories; core, strategic, or intensive (core = on target, strategic has some gaps; intensive has big gaps or way below core)
Students not in core group are given targeted instruction by teacher. Students in intensive group are monitored every 2 weeks (through DIBELS). Strategic group monitored every 4 weeks. In core group students are assessed at least twice between tests (every 6 weeks, roughly) so they don’t lose ground.
What is assessed is based on grade level and time of year.
Letter sounds in K, phonemic awareness; 1st grade = sounds, whole word, nonsense word fluency; by 2nd grade = whole word reading and retell; 3rd grade = oral reading fluency, retell, accuracy, and Daze.
Eileen tracks kids with low composite score (‘on my radar’); if they go from red to green or green to red, find out WHY
Want the target number above the goal/benchmark so that the students are not at risk for slipping below the benchmark.
Most teachers are really glad to use DIBELS to help target instruction to specific students
Gives a ‘teacher’s report’ and helps by giving reading groups and next steps for each student
Eileen can see if teachers are doing ‘progress monitoring’ on students
Joyce: DIBELS primary focus is to support students’ reading (all the elements needed to be successful)
MAPs focuses on different types of reading (reading to learn)
8. Special Education Director Report
PEC Conditions/Compliance (IEP’s, SAT’s, files . . .) Discussion Item
Ms. Rosie Medina-Rogers, Co-Director of SP Ed, SWS, Dean of Students
Co-director of SPED, social worker and Dean of Students
Student support services
7 gifted students with IEP
13 students with IEP (special ed: retentions, social/emotional support, etc.)
Only area where we owe compensatory services is in physical therapy for the first trimester of the school year; should be caught up by end of school
51 students in SAT (Student assisted team) (student assistance team), very high for a school this size. Think we’re better at identifying them. 30 students receiving reading intervention. 3 students receiving short term intervention for speech or speech screen. 5 students for OT screen and 28 students receiving social intervention
504 is for health concern or learning issue that doesn’t qualify for special education.
5 students in process of being tested for sped
If student is being retained they are automatically put in SAT
17 students that are considered homeless (by federal standards)
19 ELL students
Sped staff = 5 (plus 5 social work interns for 16 hours/week)
SPED report for performance modeling tool
TIS has current and updated SPED files for all students who are enrolled at the beginning of the school by 120th day – completed
Developing a process that insures all students who are identified or suspected as having special needs get through the process
As case load grows, will need more staff
All files are currently up-to-date
PD training to train SPED staff to use NWEA MAP Q1 scores or DIBELS in red if they didn’t make significant progress then they needed to be referred to SAT (which is how we ended up with 51 students)
TIS is compliant with all IEP and 504 requirements now (with exception of PT, catching up from first trimester)
Is school protecting rights of English Language Learner students? Yes, but next year we do need more training for staff
Keep getting more ELL students (mostly from South Valley)
Is school complying with compulsory attendance laws? Yes, our policy is up-to-date. And easier on Jackie as parents can now call in.
PED had grant opportunities for truant officers last year, so if it is available again this year, then will apply for that.
9. Finance Committee Report
9.1 Approval of TIS Budget Adjustment Requests Action Item
3 BARs (instructional materials: -$229.00; transportation $9,855.00; increase in Title I and carryover $51,425.76)
ACTION
Motion: __ _Dennis___ moved to approve the BARs
Second: _ Eichhorst_ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion
9.2 Approval of TIS Voucher Listing Action Item
Payment vouchers
ACTION
Motion: __ _Ali ___ moved to approve voucher listings
Second: _Kuehn _ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion
9.3 Approval of TIS Bank Reconciliation Action Item
$0 reconciliation (pg 7) bank reconciles to general ledger
ACTION
Motion: __ Kuehn_ ___ moved to approve the bank reconciliation
Second: _ Ali _ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion
Mr. Kamal Ali, Treasurer
10. Facilities Committee Update
10.1 Update Discussion/Action Item
Dennis: Focus for school right now is:
Long-term plan: communicate with PNC for the land that is occupied by school
Would PNC transfer land ownership to TIS Foundation so that they would be the landlord
Court-ordered auction for land right now (2804 acres); need PNC to file motion in court to stay the auction for right now so they can decide if they want to transfer land ownership
Timeline is biggest concern right now; can Ali look up deed ownership and timeline of the auction?
Ali: that is correct, we are tracking that down, hopefully will know sometime next week and start communication with PNC
Dennis: Need confirmation if it is really PNC bank that we would be dealing with
PNC is seeking court order, but has it been issued yet?
Ali: don’t know that PNC would honor any commitment that Mesa del Sol made with TIS
Ali will send out dates for potential next meeting
Need documentation/deed. Who owns the land?
Carreon: Is the university still holding on to some of the land? 15% ownership. Are they a player?
10.2 Facilities Occupancy Requirement Discussion Item
Dr. Sean Joyce, Head of School
School’s facilities are certified for occupancy as a public school
PSFA determines our occupancy, we have a current certificate on display in front office and last inspection was Dec 14.
Our CMI at about 14.8% and state average is 18-20% (index compares floor space, quality of facilities); we don’t qualify for new grant because we are below 50%.
Kuehn: Do we meet health and safety codes relating to educational building occupancy? Yes, but do we have adequate parking for high school? Does that start for next year with 10th grade, or higher? Wrong section, but this will have to be addressed for next year or as we grow to 11th and 12th grade.
Right now we are in compliance.
11. Head of School Report
11.1 School Environment Discussion Item
Compliance with health and safety requirements
In compliance
11.2 Student report Discussion Item
IB demonstrations, Specials taught, Playworks, Alert, RoadRunner,
Academic mission: specific indicators
Day performances of IB demonstrations (2nd grade living museum); 2-3 demonstrations, night demonstrations do not have good attendance (“abysmal attendance”) do have PAC meetings and Fun Fridays, which include IB demonstrations
Yes, we have specials (language acquisition, music, PE, art)
Playworks is no longer available in New Mexico
Alert is the UNM school of behavioral science monitoring and self-regulation – now moving into MYP with limited success
Roadrunner: yes (afterschool care, PD days and some summer camp)
Academic mission: not clear what was needed here. Put on next month’s agenda
11.3 Academic State and Federal Accountability Discussion Item
Is school meeting acceptable standards?
School report card grade is a C (up from last year)
Met all of ‘school of concern’ actions
Providing Professional development: adopting a writing program (mind play), for addressing individual needs
Fast forward (another program) to provide continuous intervention for reading
NY Engage Math
Jungle Memory (also being considered)
Personnel and programs put in place specifically into reading (key to learning)
Mission specific indicators – NWEA MAPs
11.4 Employee report Discussion Item
Teacher and staff credential requirement, background checks
3 teachers on improvement plan (don’t have clear NM teaching certificate for specific levels)
K-8 general license for MYP teacher who does have one 9th grade section (almost done with certification)
Alternative licensure for one more MYP teacher almost done
11.5 Enrollment variance (actual/projection in budget) Discussion Item
Dr. Sean Joyce, Head of School
Comparing projections from budget development last year to current enrollment
258 (last year) to 276 this year (exceeded projection)
6 out of 7 years we have been pretty good at projecting for 40th day
Closed 120th day with 262 students (anomalous loss of students at this time of year) 25 or 30 kids rotated through our doors since 40th day (come in and leave due to disciplinary issues) (including several families that moved)
Lacy: need to define when MYP classes are full based on master schedule not on grade
Joyce: before the end of May, we should be able to give you enrollment based on courses and grade level
Will nail down policy for how to deal with grade level students who are developmentally in higher level courses in some subjects and how that will work with capacity in grade vs. course.
12. Strategic Planning for TISNM
12.1 Strategic Planning Committee Update Discussion/Action Item
Some clarifications/minor corrections were made on the strategic plan from emailed comments
12.2 Adopt Strategic Plan Action Item
If GC adopts the plan, it will go on the web and the objectives will help drive the GC meetings
Vision is on plan, will switch to Mission.
Objective 3 is owned by GC (#1 & #2), or assessed by GC (#3 & #4)
Objectives 1 & 2 are doled out to IB coordinators, administrators, and any one passionate about working on those goals (like #1.3 develop new metric for IB performance)
School report card is not part of our goal or strategic plan; the grade should come when we focus on higher student achievement and IB performance, not focusing on teaching to the test.
Joyce: Goal in IB is to make them critical thinkers and problem-solvers
Lacy: this is the 1-year plan (for next year); then we will change the goals to continue to reach for larger objectives
Giebitz: need to look at Sustainability Development Goals from UN (goal for next 15 years)
Kuehn: need to capture # of clicks and comments by parents on the Strategic Plan on the web
ACTION
Motion: __Kuehn___ moved to adopt the 2016 strategic plan and post it on the web
Second: _Eichhorst_ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion
Ms. Anne Lacy, President
13. TIS Educational Foundation Inc.
13.1 Update Discussion Item
Mr. Tom Kuehn, Member
Working with the facilities committee on land deal
Meeting tomorrow morning with the lobbyists to find out what happened with capital outlay
Still struggling to move forward with grants
14. PAC Update Discussion Item
Lacy
Fun Friday tomorrow
Jackie Ashley is taking over PAC, a place where parents can get information; a lot of teacher involvement in PAC
Langmaid: Less fund raising, more communication
$800 so far raised for Jump Rope for Heart
Goodwill bins out front to raise money for the 8th grade trip to Guatemala
More community outreach
15. Future Council Meetings
14.1 Regular Council Meeting – March 24, 2016 Discussion Item
Ms. Anne Lacy, President
16. Adjourn Action Item Ms. Anne Lacy, President
ACTION
Motion: __ _Kuehn ___ moved to adjourn.
Second: __ Giebitz_ _ seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.