Edina Public Schools — Transcript
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Boys Alpine Ski Team State Championship Recognition
Artificial Turf Field Safety Concerns
Construction and Facilities Planning
Technology Integration and E-Learning Squared
Achievement and Integration Budget FY2017
General Fund Budget Alignment FY2017
K-5 Reading Curriculum Adoption
Board Meeting Dates FY2017
Food and Nutrition Services Policy Revision
Next Generation Assessment, Grading, and Reporting
World Language Proficiency Certification
Policy Reviews and Approvals
Staff Recognition
Votes (11)
Approval of February Meeting Minutes
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [Early in meeting] · Seconded by Unknown [Early in meeting]
Board reviewed minutes from February 22nd regular meeting, February 22nd work session, and February 29th work session. No substantive discussion noted.
Achievement and Integration Budget FY2017 Approval
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Mary presented the FY2017 achievement and integration budget showing $970,000 in initial revenue plus $93,000 in incentive aid. Budget allocates 83-84% to direct student contact. Programs include Young Scholars, AVID, reading intervention, College Possible, academic support specialists, and Saturday school. Partnership with Hopkins School District for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching (CLRT) coaching. Board members asked clarifying questions about program details and budget allocations.
Achievement and Integration Budget FY2016 Revision
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Mary presented revision to FY2016 budget due to line item changes exceeding 10% threshold. Changes resulted from reduced WEAP allocation (from $19 to $16 per student) and more accurate teacher contract numbers. Revision required by Minnesota Department of Education by April 1st.
Re-Roofing Bids Approval for 2016
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Margo reported that roofing bids came in under budget. Bids were separated into two items: Item 1 (Countryside Elementary - larger project) and Item 2 (Highlands Elementary and ECC). Thomas Finn Company selected for Item 1; Palmer West Construction selected for Item 2. Both vendors have prior positive experience with the district. Board member questioned addendum notation discrepancy between vendors.
Guiding Change Plan for Next Generation Assessment, Grading, and Reporting
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Randy presented updated guiding change document for assessment and grading practices aligned to standards-based learning. Key data: 20% of elementary students scored at 90th percentile or higher on winter MAP math; significant achievement gaps persist. District will discontinue COAT assessment. Board members discussed assessment strategy, particularly regarding identification of learning disabilities and screening for English language learners. Concerns raised about losing diagnostic capability without COAT. District assessment advisory committee will review alternative instruments including NNAT for ELL learners.
World Language Proficiency Certification Program
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Randy presented World Language proficiency testing program for high school students. Testing offered in April 2016 at $20 per student. Students earning intermediate low, intermediate high, or advanced low proficiency receive certificates/seals on transcripts and college credit through Minnesota State University system. Program initially limited to seniors but board members advocated for expansion to other grade levels. Discussion regarding Latin language exclusion due to state assessment requirements (must include listening, speaking, reading, and writing; Latin currently only assesses reading). Heritage language speakers and students learning languages outside school may test on case-by-case basis. Board emphasized importance of opening program beyond seniors and ensuring financial assistance for students with need.
K-5 Reading Curriculum Adoption
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [Noted for action at next meeting] · Seconded by Unknown [Noted for action at next meeting]
Randy, Caroline, Lisa Hopkins (Highlands Elementary teacher), and Olivia (5th grade student) presented comprehensive review of K-5 reading materials. Recommended adoption of 'Being a Reader' (K-2 foundational skills) and 'Making Meaning' (K-5 comprehension strategy) from Center for the Collaborative Classroom. Materials emphasize personalized learning, cultural responsiveness, student choice, workshop model with independent daily reading, and integrated assessment. Committee developed extensive criteria based on best practices and current standards. Materials support all-for-all mission and align with culturally and linguistically responsive teaching work with Dr. Shiraki Holly. Implementation planned for fall 2016 with professional development in June, August, and workshop week. Board members asked detailed questions about differentiation for above/below grade level readers, interdisciplinary applications, assessment practices, and cost implications.
Policy 503 Scheduled Review and Approval
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Board reviewed Policy 503 with minor clarifications in appendices. Sarah Shandel credited for cleanup and revision based on earlier board conversations. No substantive content changes from previous version.
Policy 902 (Use of District Facilities) Scheduled Review and Approval
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Board reviewed Policy 902 with no changes since February 22nd meeting. Policy governs use of district facilities.
Policy 7.15 (Food and Nutrition Services Program) Scheduled Review and Approval
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [During action items] · Seconded by Unknown [During action items]
Margo presented revision to Policy 7.15 clarifying timeframes for food and beverage sales in cafeteria. Revision strengthens language requiring food service director and dietician involvement in any food sales between midnight and 30 minutes after school day, in compliance with recent federal requirements. Board member clarified that policy applies only to food sales, not school parties or donated food. Discussion regarding specific timing of school day end (2 p.m. vs. 3-4 p.m. actual dismissal times).
General Fund Budget Alignment FY2017 Presentation and Discussion
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [Noted for action in April] · Seconded by Unknown [Noted for action in April]
Margo and Susan presented comprehensive budget proposal developed with Budget Advisory Task Force. District faces ongoing funding gap with state providing 70%+ of revenue but average expenditure increases of 3.5% vs. historical 1% state increases. Proposal targets $750,000 in adjustments through revenue generation ($20,000 from postsecondary enrollment contract revision), reallocation of staff costs, and reductions across multiple line items. Net adjustment of $535,500 represents 0.5% of ~$100M budget. One-time enhancements of $200,000 (gifted and talented language arts staffing, secondary intervention support) approved to continue for one more year. Board members raised concerns about special education reductions, hiring practices, and athletics/activities fee impacts. Administration emphasized transparency regarding special education changes and commitment to hiring best qualified candidates. Task force provided valuable input on sustainability, minimizing classroom impact, and exploring creative partnerships.
Notable Quotes (21)
Of our total million dollars that we receive, approximately 80% or more must go to direct student programming, no more than 10% can go to administrative costs, and between administrative costs and professional development you can't spend more than 20% of the budget.
I'm hoping that allows more time for really to get parents up to speed so yeah it's our hope that we always call it a engage in a community of part or a partnership for Learning.
Happy to report that roofing bids came in under budget. This one was unique because we have multiple buildings and so it was broken up into bid item one which was Countryside which is the larger project and then Highlands and ECC.
Many of our students are performing above grade level and as an example on the last winter map assessment 20% of our students were at the 90th percentile or higher, one out of five students across the district in our elementary grades is a very high number.
I'm just looking for is there a screener so we're not creating cracks... I'm just looking at verbal versus non-verbal and I'm trying to remember the coat it isn't there something it's not just math and reading correct... the map is very language based and so the coat not so much at least on the non-verbal section.
The district assessment advisory task force will be looking at specifically what measures we want to use but if there's a item on this particular guiding change document that we need to update as we go then we would bring that item back to the board and review that with rationale.
In July of 2015 the Edina School Board adopted the ACTFL standards as our world language standards, the official World Language standards for Edina Public Schools. There are five levels of proficiency associated with those standards and this spring for the first time at Edina High School we will be offering World Language proficiency testing to any student attempting to earn a certificate or a seal.
I would hope that for those languages for which there is a test we could offer it to whoever felt that they were ready to take the tests... I would hope that we would open it up broader than seniors.
There is a mismatch between the information about the seals and certificates and the requirements for the assessment for Latin... we're working with MDE to correct that because actually the statute needs to be tweaked a little bit for Latin specifically.
I like that I think more because my teacher reads the stories without the picture so I have to visualize the story and we use partners a lot and this makes me think more and think in new ways. Talking about what I read helps me learn.
These materials are very culturally responsive and the vocabulary piece that he addressed at our last staff development... these are some of the best materials I've ever seen to support those endeavors with enhancing our environments with vocabulary rich opportunities.
The personalized learning approach is a workshop model using IDR which is independent daily reading and the students set goals, teachers confer with students, students there's a built-in set of accountability and there's a really nice balance between independent work and collaboration.
Can you help me understand if you have for example a second grade reader who is reading at an eighth grade level how does this program help help a teacher support that and help a student get a peer group to to at what they need?
The explicit teaching of that standards based lesson and that strategy based lesson can then be applied to the eighth grade level text that a second grader might be reading... students would then be able to take that comprehension strategy apply it to their book find a peer that encourages random pairing.
We really do need to have our food director of food service and dietician involved in anything that is sold at that time and we can have a partnership and all of those kinds of things in but we do we do need to have a little bit more strength in the language.
This is just about the sale of food because I'm just thinking if if people are listening to this you know you have school parties and things like that where people are bringing in food that's not that's not being affected this is just about the sale of food.
Our current reality that we have discussed with the task force is evolving state and federal laws and our regulations that we must comply with, the increasing funding gap we receive over 70% of our dollars from the state and on average historically we get about 1% from the state... our average expenditure increases about 3 and a half%.
We really tried to make sure that they were clear on what we were asking them to do and that we weren't asking them to craft a whole budget that we were really looking at them to advise Administration and ultimately the school board.
I get wary about guidance from the budget folks to the hiring managers focused on on the initial cost of a staff and what that might have an impact for us for 10 15 20 years.
I will work closely with the principles because we do want the best teachers in front of our children and so I will know what if there's if there are one or two applicants that they're interested in having I will be able to look on the salary schedule to see where they are and then we would have conversations in terms of deciding which person it would be so the bottom line is to get the best teacher right.
It was wonderful to see a lot of engagement of some new people who maybe haven't been engaged in the district before and that was it was great to get you know it's always great to have some of the people that we know come back around but to have some new faces and voices as well was great.
Ordinances & Resolutions (10)
Food and Nutrition Services Program policy revised to clarify timeframes for food and beverage sales in cafeteria and strengthen requirements for food service director and dietician involvement
Policy approved with minor clarifications in appendices; no substantive content changes
Use of District Facilities policy approved with no changes since February 22nd review
District plan to standardize assessments, clarify standards usage, and align grading and reporting practices; discontinues COAT assessment in favor of MAP and other measures
Budget allocating $970,000 in initial revenue plus $93,000 incentive aid for student programming including Young Scholars, AVID, reading intervention, College Possible, and Saturday school
Budget proposal with net adjustment of $535,500 (0.5% of ~$100M budget) through revenue generation, reallocation, and reductions across multiple line items
Adoption of 'Being a Reader' (K-2 foundational skills) and 'Making Meaning' (K-5 comprehension strategy) from Center for the Collaborative Classroom; implementation fall 2016
Approved schedule of regular board meetings for 2016-2017 school year beginning July 1, 2016
Program offering proficiency testing to high school students in multiple languages; certificates/seals awarded for intermediate low, intermediate high, or advanced low proficiency; transferable to Minnesota State University system
District technology integration initiative with three components: digital content usage, professional development for teachers, and device access; includes planned implementation of new learning management system and student information system