Home > About Us > Site Council	Print View

Site Council Minutes

Monday, April 9, 2007

Present:  Valerie Atkinson (non-teaching staff, co-chair), Lauren Rekonen (teaching staff, secretary), Jennifer Purtell (parent), Andy Mosca (parent), Bonnie Bellows (teaching staff), Jackie Lundgren (non-teaching staff), Israel Moses (guest, assistant principal), Steve Aeilts (guest, assistant principal), Mike Sodomka (principal), John Hines (parent, co-chair)

Jodi Brennan (guest)

Not present: Dave Mergens (staff), Tom Kranz (union), Tim Hausker (non-teaching staff), Sam Buffington (community), Kandy Hedlund (parent)

1. Approval of Agenda:  John Hines
   1. Motion to approve agenda (with open forum added) by B. Bellows, seconded by J. Purtell.
2. Approval of February  12, 2007 minutes: V. Atkinson
   1. Motion to approve minutes by M. Sodomka, seconded by B. Bellows, unanimously approved.
3. Open Forum
   1. Regarding Special Site Council Meeting (March 22, 2007)

                                                               i.      D. Hopen:  A letter written to the Site Council highlighting Humboldt’s good qualities such as our small size and our quality education was read. 

                                                             ii.      M. Mauritz:  A letter to the Site Council highlighting M. Sodomka’s good qualities such as his excellent leadership skills and his history of bringing Humboldt up throughout its history was read.  Ms. Mauritz does not like the idea to transfer the curriculum team from 1001 Johnson Parkway to Humboldt.  She highlights the population that Humboldt teaches and the good job that Humboldt staff does with the students.  She admonishes the SPPS high administration for their lackluster and neglect-ridden treatment of Humboldt Senior over the past 15 years. 

4. Discussion regarding March 22 Special Site Council Meeting
   1. V. Atkinson:  We are concerned about the fact that District Administration has ignored our inquiries into the question about whether or not Humboldt has to do a principal search.  As best we know they will not give us any information about this until mid-April. 
   2. As a Site Council we are concerned that the Superintendent might not be on the same page as us concerning our future and our Phase II plans. 
   3. V. Atkinson:  Is the curriculum team move to Humboldt a part of the Humboldt proposal and expenditures or is that a district expenditure? 
   4. J. Brennan: Is it feasible to tear Humboldt down and rebuild Humboldt?  (The building isn’t that old (it was built in the early 1970’s) and it is unlikely that that much money would be put into Humboldt.) 
   5. As a committee, would we like to make any actions regarding the Special Site Council Meeting?  Not as of yet.  We would like to wait until we hear back from Supt. Carstarphen, as per her statement that she would get back to us.

5. SCIP Update: I. Moses
   1. Our SCIP must be aligned with the Strategic Plan.  The Strategic Plan will remain in draft form until May 15, but we will continue to create our SCIP with the current draft of the Strategic Plan.  Our SCIP will focus on improving instruction and improving test scores. 
   2. A special site council meeting has been scheduled for April 30 to look over the SCIP.  Motion to hold special Site Council meeting on Monday, April 30 made by J. Hines, seconded by M. Sodomka, unanimously approved. 
   3. J. Brennan:  As a person who lives across the street, I have seen a huge improvement in the movement of the students into the building and have noticed that the neighborhood is a lot less disrupted by the school children than in years past. 
   4. Humboldt is a diverse school and has a lot of unique qualities and we would like to be treated by the district with regards to our special needs and given the resources that we need in order to teach the population that we have. 
6. Principals & Budget Report: M. Sodomka
   1. There will be 2 lunches instead of 3 lunches next year (only at the beginning and end of 4^th hour, not in the middle). 
   2. Permanent locks will be installed on 900 of the 1,000 lockers this summer to improve safety and security. 
   3. Extra security cameras will be installed this summer to areas that are currently unmonitored. 
   4. Our enrollment has increased by 10% even though the district enrollment has been declining.  We will increase staffing for next year.  This means that we will have to repurpose rooms in the building. 
   5. 21^st century Grant

                                                               i.      State grant, MCA enrichment classes will be provided after school next year.  A school bus will be provided for transportation. 

                                                             ii.      This is a partnership with several different West-Side and neighboring businesses and organizations.

                                                            iii.      Humboldt will have to fund a part-time EA to run this program

6. The Site Council will have a budget from now on.
7. Things that will remain stable for next year:

                                                               i.      Schedule

                                                             ii.      Current staff (for the most part)

                                                            iii.      Advisory-driven academies

8. Our future:

                                                               i.      Our enrollment is increasing amidst a district that has declining enrollment. 

                                                             ii.      Across the district, ELL is the only demographic group in which enrollment is growing.  Would it behoove Humboldt to preemptively hire another ELL teacher to encourage more ELL students to come to Humboldt and therefore increase our enrollment? 

                                                            iii.      The district is increasing expectations for Title I schools.  All eighth graders will take the Gates-McGinidies test and will be placed in reading classes placed on these tests.  This would cause us to add an English and a reading teacher to our staff. 

                                                           iv.      We would like to bump our ½ time Science and Math teachers to full-time.

                                                             v.      We would like an in-house reading coach.

                                                           vi.      We would like a new teaching assistant to service students with Learning Disabilities.

                                                          vii.      We would like to use grant money to hire a Parent Outreach Coordinator.

                                                        viii.      We would like to increase funding to departments and to the library. 

                                                           ix.      We would like to add a mobile computer lab. 

                                                             x.      We would like to increase our ½ time African Languages interpreter to full-time. 

                                                           xi.      Tomorrow, 4-10-07,  is the 9^th Grade Reading MCA graduation test. 

                                                          xii.      April 19^th career speakers will be here from 7:30-8:24.

                                                        xiii.      Hall of Fame dinner tomorrow night to induct alumni into the Alumni Hall of Fame.

                                                        xiv.      Conferences are on April 24^th from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. 

                                                         xv.      Prom on 04/21/07 at JJ Hill House.

7. Adjourn.  Motion made by B. Bellows, Seconded by M. Sodomka, unanimously approved.

Respectfully submitted, Lauren Rekonen

 

[Back]