a. Motion made by V. Atkinson, seconded by J. Purtell, unanimously approved.

a. Motion made by V. Atkinson, seconded by J. Purtell, unanimously approved.

a. If the Humboldt Jr. and Sr. High do not make changes immediately the schools will be hurt by AYP mandates. Humboldt Jr. High is one year ahead of the Sr. high in terms of AYP sanctions and also has declining enrollment. The district is hoping to "capture" some of the 4,000 students who are currently attending charter schools and other students who are open-enrolled into South Saint Paul and West Saint Paul. The district is hoping to expand Farnsworth and Linwood A+ with schools that have declining enrollment and are in corrective status with AYP. The superintendent would like Humboldt Jr. and Sr. high to be under one program to attract students with families who would like to have their students attend a 7-12 school in terms of a cohesive program.

b. The meeting two weeks ago informed the staff of Humboldt Jr. and Sr. that they would need to come up with a proposal to invent a program for the school. This program is not intended by the district to completely reinvent the school or to override the work already going on at the school. Two proposals are proposed by the district for the schools: Olympiad School and Environmental school. The school would also like to consider a "lab school", which involves the schools being a "Best Practices" demonstration school. The Jr. High has been working with Disciplinary Discipline and Principals of Learning for four years and the district would like to see these expanded in the Jr. and Sr. High and model classrooms available in the Jr. High available to help train the Sr. High in these practices. The superintendent is supportive of any theme that the school chooses. St. Paul Public Schools believes that Special Education students can best benefit in a regular education setting. This theme would enhance curriculum and make Humboldt Jr. and Sr. stand apart from other schools and create cohesiveness between the Jr. and Sr. Highs.

c. The deadline is extremely short in hopes that the schools will create enough change to put the schools back at "Zero" status in terms of AYP.

d. The district hopes that big partnerships can be made with universities. We would like as many adults in the buildings as possible.

e. Every school, in SPPS and beyond, gets the kids they get for whatever reason. We would like to take the non-proficient students that we have and move them to proficient. Our goals are not to get "all new students".

f. D. Mergens: How will these changes be different from the corrective action enforced by the academic probation Humboldt was put on 8 years ago?

Answer: The district is recruiting funding in order to support changes of the images of the schools. Arlington is an example of funding being used to adopt new programs.

g. V. Atkinson: Where is the money coming from for all of these proposed changes?

Answer: Probably through funders. We would like to develop a plan here at the schools and then find funding sources as opposed to finding a grant and developing our plans around that. It will be a combined responsibility of the schools and the districts to find the funds.

h. A. Mosca: Does the district have any proof that these changes will actually increase enrollment and not decrease enrollment due to parents pulling their kids out because of the changes?

Answer: The leadership team believes that the changes will create an image in the schools of academic rigor and will therefore draw students back from near-by districts.

i. B. Babcock: Why is the Sr. High being asked to make these changes when we have another year before AYP directs these changes?

j. J. Purtell: Does the districts’ idea for these changes mean that Humboldt must follow these ideas as mandates?

k. J. Laconic: Is there a plan in the district to stop the problem of theme-based schools conflicting with each other?

l. S. Fields: Why do people send their children to charter schools:

m. J. Laconic: How can we have a strong community as a school when the students live all over the city?

Answer: The school board is opposed to drawing school lines and will continue to bus students to their school of choice.

n. V. Atkinson: How will we promote and advertise our schools to draw West Side kids back to Humboldt?

o. V. Atkinson: Why isn’t the Superintendent here at Humboldt sharing her enthusiasm and support for these new programs?

p. V. Atkinson: Is Friday the deadline for presenting our plan?

q. V. Atkinson: What will actually happen?

Answer: A concept will be identified and 6-7 months will be given to develop a 5-year plan. Teaching and learning will be strategically addressed. An opportunity to involve the community will also be an important factor.

r. V. Atkinson: What will draw students from the suburbs?

s. L. Rekonen: Will these changes bring us back to year zero of AYP? Answer: Yes, if the changes bring higher test scores.

t. A. Mosca: Who can I, as a parent, go to ask questions about the plan once it is being implemented?

u. E. Beeler: If we look at this as an opportunity to be proactive, this might improve the image of the school.

v. M. Sodomka: I see this going in a positive direction no matter what theme we choose.

w. V. Atkinson: Raising test scores to make AYP is the bottom line. Response: The theme will enrich the curriculum, but everything will buildupon the programs that are already in place. The goals are to raise enrollment and to raise student achievement.

x. J. Laconic: Is holding the students to high standards at the lower grades going to be addressed?

Answer: Last February 439 8^{th graders were short of credits. A 6-week "boot-camp" was held to catch the students up on credits. However, credits don’t equate with skills.}

a. J. Hines: Next Wednesday, December 19th, everyone is invited to my house for a holiday gathering.