February 16, 2012 at 7:00 PM - February Monthly Board Meeting

Rationale:  Teacher of the Year - We are very proud of our Teachers of the Year from each school and the winners at the district level.  We will be recognizing them at our March meeting.  Thanks to the Times-Gazette for doing such a great job in Wednesday's paper spotlighting our teachers.

Instruction - Our educators and leaders from the district continue to focus on instruction, preparing for the state assessment and adhering to the expectations of the new evaluation system.  I want to praise our administrators and teachers for embracing this new instructional model and "growing" with it in an appropriate and professional manner.

Legislative Involvement - We continue to work with our legislators and are aware of the legislation that affects our school system.  I will be at the TSBA Day on the Hill Breakfast next Tuesday and will then be meeting with Commissioner Huffman at 9:30.  We regularly discuss these issues in our Monday morning staff meetings.

Special Projects - As our special projects committees (calendar, zoning, high school scheduling, etc.) continue to work on their specific area, we are all analyzing our budgets and preparing financially for our next school year.  Some of our decisions are being formulated by changes that may occur in other areas.  For example, once we make a change in zones, we then have to go back and reconfigure other things like the change in numbers at a school (affecting staffing and other decisions needing to be made for next year).  It can get very complicated but our committees are engaging in constructive dialogue and creating a very well thought out implementation plan in relation to all of our transitional projects currently being conducted.  This collaborative approach is one I will continue to use with our district employees to make sure I make effective, appropriate, well-informed decisions.

Distribution Center - Our system-wide Distribution Center is being set up now at some open sapce in the Vocational Annex of SCHS.  Wal-Mart Distribution Center has partnered with us to help with the set up and donation of some equipment.  Our Maintenance Department has done a great job on our "Welcome Window" in what will become our new reception area.

JOBS Money - We are continuing to utilize our JOBS money creatively.  I will be discussing some of the current and future uses of the money.  Our growth money has been calculated and we have received 1/2 of our projected amount.  I would like to discuss how I need to utilize some of those funds immediately.

Projected Graduation Numbers - The following info is being supplied at the request of a board member:
Cascade - 135 current 12th graders; 8 SPED students; 6 students on the bubble
No certified letters to parents, but we have had multiple conferences, phone conversations, meetings, etc. with both students and their parents.

Community - 104 current 12th graders; 4 SPED students; 8 students on the bubble
Certified letters have not been mailed but conferences have occurred from school counselors and/or graduation coaches.

SCHS - 274 current 12th graders; 20 SPED studenets; 20 students on the bubble
Plan of Actions have been done on each student; parents have been contacted multiple times.  Mr. Embry personally call each.