Attendance: Becki Hamilton (Parent, Co-Chair), Valerie Atkinson (Staff, Co-Chair), Natalie Hamilton (Student), Isreal Moses (Assistant Principal, Guest), Jennifer Purtell (Parent), Nicole Becker (Student), Marlyn Garcia (Staff), Catherine Fredrick (Staff, Guest), Brad Manor (Interim Principal), Mike Sodomka (Assistant Principal), Karen Woodward (Support Our Schools, Guest), Diane Schropher (Staff), Mursal Omar (Student), Kari Denissen (Community), Bonnie Bellows (Staff), Anne Gangl (Parent), John Hines (Parent), Tom Krantz (Staff, Union Steward), Deb Shipp (Assistant Principal, Guest), Saul Castillo (student), Dave Mergens (Staff), Marilyn Mauritz (Staff).

1. Approval of Agenda

Motion to approve the agenda Diane, second Kari. Unanimous.

2. Approval of September 12^th, 2005 Minutes

Motion to approve the minutes so moved by Tom, seconded by Kari. Unanimous.

3. Open Forum

John H: Parent Portal: why can grades and assignments not be updated on it by teachers more often? I personally think teachers should take better advantage of it so parents know what is going on.

Mike S.: Parent Conference Message- check in to ensure parents got the message (most say yes). Campus Student Information System, which Parent Portal is apart of, has not been working effectively at the district level. For example, it is taking staff over 8 min to take attendance because the program is not running well.

Nicole B.: Hawk Crew Leader meeting had a brainstorm for how to build a positive image of Humboldt with students, community and parents. We could have a fundraiser, school festival, helping other elementary schools with homework help so those young kids have a positive image of Humboldt, for Holidays bring people together, have Humboldt be a community center atmosphere for the community. Get more parents to attend site council meetings, get higher attendance at parent conferences, have parent/student activities, homework help for students by other students. For a positive image between the students we should have stronger peer mediation, have a school retreat (like the 9^th grade retreat so other grades get to know each other), more academy activities together, encourage athletic support (get people to go to games). Festival idea: Like fall festival at Monroe that brings community in to the school and is a fundraiser for the school. It would include games, raffles, entertainment, band – showcase what we have to offer here. Doesn’t have to be a teacher run event. Advertise it in the community. To show our students are responsible and have a good image of the school. We do need money to start it and find responsible people to start it, we could have businesses donate items for a raffle.

Val: Show on PBS called "schools that work", many have watched Humboldt go through many attempts at strengthening our school. The video was very affirming that we are taking great steps and the progress that we are making – it mentioned High Schools That Work. It doesn’t happen over night, it takes time. I believe we are starting to see the positive improvements from all of our work, when we are in the thick of it, it is hard for us to see it. If you are going to have any contact with public television, it would be great to have them look at Humboldt as an example of a school that has improved (using High Schools That Work and other methods).

Becky: Rumors are out there that Humboldt will close in the next few years, heard from other parents. Students say that other students have heard this to. The interim superintendent is a graduate of Humboldt and is committed to improving Humboldt and making it strong into the future. This is another false rumor to address in the public.

4. Title I Parent Involvement (Catherine Fredrick, Title I Coordinator)

(handout: Parent/Family Involvement Guidelines) Humboldt is one of three high schools who are receiving Title I, we are receiving it based on our percent of students in free and reduced lunch but there are 8 factors that determine a student’s eligibility for the program. There are 2 programs, we are in the "targeted" program. We target students to receive the funding and help- for those who have not passed math and reading. We have 4 teachers teaching title one classes, 2 in math and 2 in reading. Humboldt chose "targeted" because it is easier to track and look at the data (we have a set group of students in the program). The kids are not those who are almost passing but those who need the most work. Title I allows 20 students/class (currently 140 students at Humboldt are involved). They work to prepare students for the testing and to help the students in their other classes.

Review Parent/Family Involvement Guidelines: First year of Title I at Humboldt, the handout is the Title I plan for the year, this is what was approved by the parent group at Arlington. Look at it and edit it, it would go out to all title I parents. Title I will have an open house meeting and in building relationships with these parents we would find if the site council is a fit for anyone and personally suggest to them to join the Site Council. It is possible that some members of the site council could be present at this meeting. There are funds in Title 1 to pay for a cab and/or interpreters for parents of Title I students, some of those funds could be used for Title I parents who participate in site council. Suggestion for handout: broaden last bullet to encourage parents involvement in all parent involvement opportunities (band boosters, etc). Title I coordinator is accountable for Title I parent participation at decision making body (site council) level. There is one Title I compact that pertains to all involved students that parents and teachers sign.

Motion to approve Parent/Family Involvement Guidelines, seconded by John H. Unanimous.

5. Principal’s Report (Mike S. and Brad Manor, Interim Principal)

Introduction of Brad Manor: Spent many, many years as a principal of various schools in SPPS and an assistant principal as well. Retired two years ago and has since been subbing for principals at various St. Paul schools.

Update on John B.: Administration speaks to him daily and the surgery went well, he is healing but we do not have a date for his return.

Interim Superintendent: Lou Kanavati has visited the building twice and is committed to a short term solution to improve reputation of Humboldt and long term solution as well. A gift bag will be personally delivered to businesses along concord who have supported us in the past. We will continue to recruit at Junior Highs, so we can do our own PR and not on things sent out that are incorrect perceptions.

At staff meeting short and long term solutions were brainstormed (see handout: Humboldt Senior Staff Input Form). No suggestion was eliminated, some are short and some long term solutions. At the HILT meeting we are going through suggestions and deciding what is feasible, what is short and long term. HILT reps will bring to their academies for more input and will be narrowed down more. On 4^th page, Hawk Pride (Student group) suggestions are listed. How get outside input? Go to Junior highs to ask their input, survey parents. Kari shared that WSCO Ed Committee did a survey of West Side community members and teens who attend JAS who did not chose Humboldt to attend. Kari will give Mike S. these results.

We will be having some news releases done to show positive gains of Humboldt Sr. on AYP and other things.

Homecoming: Corronation is tomorrow, gift bags to business on wed, pep fest on Thursday, tailgating on Friday at 2:30 before game at 3:30 (all are welcome, parents and community).

Enrollment: Our final enrollment is 788, this is about what we planned for.

Staffing: We had one teacher resign for personal reasons and a new Math teacher was hired and started today. She has 11 years experience teaching in Minneapolis, is doing Title 1 math.

Grant: The St. Paul Police Department and District received a grant so 24 cameras will installed at Humboldt.

Grades: Went out one week ago (parents share none of them got them- district sends it so it means that something is wrong with Campus).

6. Parent Initiative – 9^th Grade Call List/Conference Volunteers

Parent call list broken in to 4 sheets for one of each of the 4 parents. Script is focused on the conference and you can also add to the beginning a bit to build a relationship with them, asking how their experience is going with Humboldt this year. Keep lists confidential, if they have concerns then send them to the principal. In future we need to find a solution to finding callers of various languages so we reach parents who speak all languages.

Parents at Conferences: Thursday conference John and Marilyn will be there and Tuesday Anne and Becky will be there. Diane will provide a "parent engagement table" sign for the table.

7. New Business

Improving Athletic Fields: Proposal to update our outside fields in an effort to improve perception of school (handout to site council). Dave would like a blessing from site council to move this proposal to the next level (to district and school board level). Add seating and a press box between fields so we can announce baseball games and softball games. Move soccer onto the football field so can run score board and press box for these games as well. Move the location of score board so can see it when the sun goes down. They are doing this at all other sites but here (Johnson, Como, Highland Park have all head renovations). What we want here is way less expensive than what have happened at other school. Kari asks why lights are not in the proposal. Mostly because neighbors at other locations opposing resulted in other school going through 15 year campaigns to get the lights. Kari suggests that we at least gauge community/neighbor opinion before we put in the proposal. Val: this is capital improvement, if we ask for this then is this the best "ask", other people want carpeting. If gets pushed in now with Superintendent then it should not compete with our other capital requests.

Motion to accept the proposal to improve outside athletic fields presented by Dave M. so moved by John, seconded by Anne. Unanimous

Teacher Wish List: Brad Manor suggests staff create a supplies wish list (10 boxes of tissues, markers) and pass it out at conferences and put in parent newsletters so parents can donate items that are needed by the school. Brad will ask teachers for input and put together for this round of conferences.

Humboldt Senior Staff Input Forum: Tom asks that people read the list handed out by Diane and give feedback on what best suggestions are and what you think are long term and short term (by Tuesday).

8. Next Meeting

Monday November 14^th. Anne and Becky will bring treats.

9. Adjourn