Connecting
Parent Council Meeting
ADOPTED MINUTES
1. Call to Order
The meeting was
called to order at
2. Pledge of
Allegiance
3. Approval of Agenda
The Parent Council President requested that we move the
action item (10.A.) forward in the agenda to immediately after the hearing of
the public. It was agreed upon by all in attendance.
A Parent Council member motioned to move the action item. It
was seconded by another Parent Council member. There was an
unanimous vote to move the item. A
parent visitor, wanted to know why an action item that she requested was not on
the agenda. She stated that she had asked a PC and they told her that they
would take care of it for her. It was
explained that items are discussed prior to being placed on the agenda.
4. Roll Call
There were twenty-two parent council members were present.
There were seven absent
parent council members.
5. Election of
Officers / Committee Members
1. Council
President (This member will be responsible to facilitate the parent council
meetings.)
The current Parent Council President announced his resignation
as President. The current Parent Council President nominated one of the other
members with no other nominations. A Parent Council member motioned to move the
action item. It was seconded by another Parent Council member. There was an unanimous vote to elect the only member that was
nominated as the new Parent Council President.
2. Choose 5
members to serve on the Suspension & Expulsion Committee.
The current Parent Council President announced that we
needed volunteers to be part of a new Suspension & Expulsion Committee. The
Executive Director explained it would only be on an as needed basis. Five
members volunteered. A Parent Council member motioned to move the action item.
It was seconded another Parent Council member. There was an
unanimous vote to move the item.
6. Consent Calendar
Approval of Minutes
1. Unapproved
Minutes of the
7. Hearing of the
Public
8. Information Items
A. Accreditation / WASC Report
B. Assessment Report
C. Attendance Report
D. Charter Renewal
The Charter Renewal was reviewed. The Executive Director
informed the Parent Council that our Charter renewal depends largely on testing
API scores. CWCS scored 610 last year which is below the state average but we
were told that we did meet the growth target. API scores are STAR exam. Interventions
are strategies to help students improve student achievement and test scores.
(See Page 10-12 of packet –Curriculum Policy). The WASC Committee recommended
that CWCS make sure that all parents are aware of the California State
Standards. The goal is to increase student overall achievement. The district,
state, federal government, and WASC require high standards in student
achievement. STAR is the current vehicle that is being used to measure this
standard.
E. Curriculum Policy
The Curriculum Policy was reviewed and clarified by the
Executive Director. Some parents were given the impression by their ES that
they had to check their curriculum against the hundreds of state
standards. It was explained that the
short check list noted in the Curriculum Policy can be used by parent or
ES. It’s the ESs responsibility to match
the standards with monthly student work.
F. CWCS Revised Action Plan
The CWCS Revised Action Plan was reviewed and it was noted
by the Executive Director that CWCS is following our action plan. This was given to the ESs December 2004 and
the PC in March for comments and review.
The existing plan has been sent to WASC and CDE.
G. CWCS Revised ESLRs
H. ELA & Math Interventions
I. Employment Handbook
The Employment Handbook was reviewed. A parent guest stated
that she felt that the September article entitled “Have you ever wanted to
speak to someone about your ES” was undermining to the ES. It was explained by the
Executive Director that the ES’s advisors are there to be a mentor and support
system to the ES. CWCS follows progressive discipline with all of our
employees. This is the first year that the handbook has been given to the ES
but has been used for classified employees and administrators. Nothing in the process of progressive
discipline has changed. It was noted that all Administrators, ESs and classified
employees are ‘at will’ employees. CWCS practice a progressive discipline. A parent guest commented that the ES may not
and need to know the steps to follow if they have a grievance.
J. Graduation Reports
K. Group Education Activity Report
L. Guidance Department Report
M.
N. Math Specialist Report
O. Summer School Report
P. Treasurers Report
Q. Vendor Report
9. Director’s Report
The report was given to the parent council for review and
the Executive Director reviewed the information regarding the A Plus Conference.
10. Action Items
A. Motion to approve the revised
Connecting Waters budget for the 2005-2006 school
year.
|
Recommendation: Approval of the revised Connecting Waters
budget for the 2005-2006 school year. |
The CWCS Revised 05-06 Budget and Terms & Definitions
was reviewed by the President of IEM (Innovative
Education Management), and
answered in detail varies questions from many of the Parent Council members and
other attending parents. The President of IEM noted that there are items yet not used but budgeted. A parent
guest asked if this is a detailed budget and the IEM President referred him to
the Terms & Definitions for the definitions to the CWCS Revised 05-06
Budget handout for the further brake down explanation. The IEM President informed
the council that we have extra monies for instructional funding only allotted
by the State and if we don’t spend it we it we loss it. A Parent Council member
asked if we can have classes provided without charge, instead of using the
student’s instructional funding. The Executive Director announced that it will
be used for Parent Training and Inservice for the
ES’s. A Parent Council member asked if we can increase limited percentage on
some items such as Karate, Gym or other physical activities. The IEM President
said that we need to keeps limits in place on the physical activities and focus
on more of the educational items that are needed. A Parent Council member requested
Sports Teams for the students. A Parent Council member asked if he thought that
our ESs are paid fairly. The IEM President and the CWCS
Executive Director explained that the ES’s were given a step pay increase which
they are given yearly, an insurance pay increase, a five percent raise and a
bonus last month. A Parent Council member mentioned that CWCS is a wonderful
school compared to other charters out there and that she knows someone who
would like to be employed due to the good salary. The IEM President explained
that we do not have to vote on the budget, we just need to decide on what the
extra monies should be spent on. It just needs to be submitted by
11. Discussion Items
A. Parent Council By Laws
12. Council Comments
13. Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at
The next Parent Council Meeting: Date to be determined by the
incoming President’s schedule. To be announced at a later date, possibly for
October 2005. Our regularly scheduled meeting is