Sept. 17, 2007 BOE Meeting

Since I am so delayed in posting on the blog I have had a chance to review the official ECASD minutes and compare them to my own notes. They are a good summary of a pretty routine meeting of the BOE with no major controversies or craziness. Comm. Wogahn and Comm. Craig were absent from today's meeting.

Dr, Leary spoke at Rotary and said he got some good questions and I think his circulating in the community is a REALLY good thing that we have needed for many years. There were no public comments.

Mr. Dan Vandewater presented a calendar with some options to finalize the dates for Budget Action and approval of the final budget. Final decision is that on Monday, Oct. 1st there would be a work session to discuss the budget and that would result in a motion to approve the Final 2007-08 budget. The regular Oct. 15th meeting would be moved to Oct. 22 and on that day there would be a special Public Hearing about the budget before it is acted upon and approved at the regular board meeting following the Public Hearing. I noticed that the 2007-'08 budget is on the ECASD website for your review before the Oct. 22nd meeting. Please review it and plan to attend and ask questions or give input on Oct. 22nd.

Dr. Leary also said that there have been minor changes in the Philosophy statement based on BOE member feedback. PLEASE go to the blog label and read this statement. I think the language is very out dated and could be much improved. More importantly: What do you think?? There are other district examples in the blog and they give some guidance that I think is helpful. Spend 15 minutes reading it and send the BOE and Dr. Leary your comments! This will be revisited at the Oct. 22nd meeting.

Bollinger started getting fancy about the need for goals to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound. My comment: "Forget the Ivory Tower stuff! Start with the basics like maybe set a couple of goals for the BOE." I am still shocked and dismayed that the BOE itself has not defined ONE SINGLE GOAL for the 2006-07 year for themselves! (OK, maybe Attendance, i.e., Show Up For As Many Meetings As Possible, is their underlying goal.) What is Accountability if not stating what you are planning to do and then getting it done? Again, this stuff is so basic and yet so lost in our district.

G. Butler stated that the buildings have at least one goal that is for student achievement but this has not crossed over to the district level. BINGO! Dr. Leary's comment was that he applauds the district as the building level plans are "well done" but he hasn't "observed that happening at the district level." As my kids say: "Busted!"

BOE members took a tour of a few of the facilities (Little Red, the Service Center and Memorial HS and Comm. Kneer said it was "enlightening." Comm. Cummins stated, as she has stated repeatedly over the last 18 months that the district comprehensive facilities planning report is NOT meshed with programming. Translation: "We will continue to do exactly what we have done in the past in the same buildings for as long as the money holds out and then we will scramble." Cummins also mentioned the need to look at the current issues regarding high school reform for our district. Comm. Faanes agreed with Kneer and said that so many things are going on behind the scenes that keep the buildings operating so well. He also expressed that with so much land around Little Red that there are many opportunities.

Pres. O'Brien commented that he agreed with Cummins that we must look at programming but that there are basic facility needs no matter what the program: "the Little Red boiler could go any day." One of the student reps expressed her gratitude that so many things are taken care of for students that they do not even worry about such things.

Next on the Agenda was a presentation by Craig Falkner, the Treasurer of the Charter School Committee, Pete Riley, head of instruction at McKinley, and Mike Kohls a McKinley parent to give an overview of the program at McKinley. Falkner gave an informative history of McKinley which I found very enlightening. It was all very fast paced. Helpfully, there was a copy of the McKinley Charter School annual report that identified the Mission, Goals, Measures of Achievement, Accomplishments in various areas such as programming, Staff Developent, etc... Basically it was started to give students who would otherwise drop out an alternative to complete their education. There are currently 4 components to the program: 1. a credit program for students to get a HS diploma (this is a SMALL program), 2. a competency program where eligible students take tests and receive some kind of competency certification, but it is NOT a HS diploma (big program with 113 "graduates" in '06-'07, 3.) a jail program for juveniles in the detention center where the average student has 6 days of programming before leaving, and, 4. a homebound program which had 19 students (18 were for maternity situations) in '06-'07. The parent expressed much gratitude that such a program was available for 2 of his children who, presumably, would not have completed their schooling without it.

Comm. Cummins expressed thanks for the comprehensive information and asked about the facility needs that basically show the building should be closed or updated. Response: facility is "adequate" and has always been on the list. Cummins also asked about innovation and staff development and was informed that students get restitution training and conflict resolution training and the staff should also get some AODA training. Cummins asked that without a director who does Mr. Riley report to. Answer: He works with both HS principals and Gregg Butler.

Comm Faanes asked about post grad. goals and Mr. Riley responded that they have senior exit surveys but should get better info. Lots more but you can read it in the regular ECASD minutes.

Legislative Announcements: Sept. 28th is a deadline for the budget and they don't want to do it piecemeal.

Adjourn!