BOARD OF EDUCATION
REGULAR MEETING
DURANGO SCHOOL DISTRICT 9-R
January 11, 2005
ITEM #1 - CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH QUORUM
President Brevik called the meeting to order at 6:03
p.m. President Brevik, Mr. Horvath, Dr.
Jones, Mr. Patterson, Ms. Paulson, Mr. Seiter, and Mr. Short were all present,
along with Dr. Barter.
ITEM #2 - APPROVE AGENDA
Mr. Horvath made a
motion to approve the agenda as presented, which was seconded by Dr. Jones and
unanimously approved.
Riverview students
from Mary Lou Baughman’s 5th grade class presented speeches for an
activity called “History is Alive” from the Revolutionary War period. Each student chose their own topic, did
their own research, and dressed as the character they had written about. Students presenting were: Will Jernigan as John Paul Jones, Crystal
Marney as Mary Ludwig Hayes, Karli Foreman as Francis Marian, Elliott Saslow as
Benedict Arnold, Curtis Eggleston as John Hancock, Brooke Milliet as George
Rogers Clark, Ryan Mull as Ben Franklin, Jeremiah Watson as Thomas Jefferson,
Dan Brooks as James Armistead, Sarah Leavett as Abigail Adams, Jackie Honold as
Martha Washington, and Aiden Graham as the introduction speaker.
Jean Thweatt and
Marcie Denham presented the report in Carol Harris’s absence, with Susie Kern,
Mary Lou Baughman, and Stephanie Trudeaux available to answer questions. The group explained the high points and
challenges for the elementary level in the area of history. Overall, all schools improved or stayed the
same, so we appear to be making steady progress. The special education sub-group scores need to be looked at, and
ELL students who struggle with reading, also need work.
In response to a
board member’s question, the teachers explained how they intertwine the history
of the Anasazi people, Native American and other tribes, and regions in
Colorado with how our cultures are blended when they are teaching.
Judy Michalski,
along with Gene Giddings, Julie Kaminski, Ed Cash, Mike Freeburn, John Hise,
Tim Arnold and Rob Javier explained the secondary monitoring report. Both Miller and Escalante had a positive
increase at the 6th grade level, with a few challenges at 7th
grade. Excel 8th grade has a
distinct plan for improvement. Modern
American Studies, Global Studies, and American History all showed a 25%
increase over time, and individual instruction for students who may need
assistance with reading or ELL will be looked at.
Other issues
discussed were the recommendation to add five additional hours as a requirement
in social studies, which topics were taught in history classes, the need to
have a hands on project for 7th graders, the success of the History
grant, the lack of assessments at Excel, and a book that the teachers are
reading called “Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?”. The board was invited to History Day at Escalante on February 18
and at Miller on February 11.
The board took a
ten minutes recess at 7:50 p.m. to allow the two large groups time to choose a
spokesperson and reconvened at 8:01 p.m.
Dee
DeHarro-Brown asked the
board to reflect on the law that states that history and civil government shall
be taught in all the schools of this state, including the history of Hispanics
and Native Americans. Make sure we
teach the full history of our country as the law states.
Mr. Bowlby spoke again about the CSAP testing and how
external agencies should support, not dominate the educational system. He felt it was up to the school district to
talk to the legislature, not the parents, as the only thing that gives parents
political clout, is to opt out of the test.
Lizeth
Pardo, Samuel Martinez, Angela Romero,
Elizabeth Saloma, Christopher Hernandez, Jessica Montoya, and Ayla Olguin
said they represented the voices of many minority students and requested
that the holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Junior be put back on the 9-R
calendar. Durango is a very diverse
city, and Dr. Martin Luther King recognized diversity and equal rights for
all. This takes a sense of equality out
of the student population.
Dr. Barter stated
that the omission was inadvertent and it should be listed on the calendar. We will re-issue the calendar with the date
and the name on it.
Jeffrey Schell,
Carol Grenoble, Norm Gottlieb, and Cheryl Brandsma spoke about the addition of 25 minutes to
the high school day. They compared
schedules from the middle schools to the high school, indicating that middle
schools have a study hall time to work with individual students. The group asked the board to count passing
time as instructional time, which would allow 25 minutes after school for the
students to receive individual instruction.
They felt the current schedule was detrimental to quality learning.
Sabine Furtauer, math teacher, talked about the dramatic
decrease in time to help students, which affects at-risk students, athletes,
and students who have activities after school.
We have less time for well-planned lessons and to contact parents.
Dot Larson, AP Spanish teacher at DHS, said the added
25 minutes to the schedule is not resulting in increased learning. The teachers don’t have adequate time for
planning, nor do they have time for students after school.
Kevinanne
Curmano , English and
reading teacher, said what is needed is more time to improve student
achievement, to work with new kids each trimester, to read new materials, to
work with students individually, and to collaborate with what’s working. Please consider counting passing time.
ITEM
#6A – SUPERINTENDENT
Dr. Barter said
that the class of 1919 had presented a ceramic bust of Abraham Lincoln to the
district many years ago. A former student
found it in the trash in the early 1980’s, refurbished it and has just returned
it to our district.
DAAC provided an
interim report in written form for the board.
The annual parent survey was discussed and how the Open/Closed Campus
Task Force is working.
ITEM #6B –
STUDENT COUNCIL
Kelly Graves talked
about the first home basketball game, fund raising for Tsunami victims, the
Native American Club, painting murals on the walls, a student forum about
Open/Closed Campus, and the food fight that occurred in the cafeteria after a
planned protest about the possibility of a closed campus.
ITEM
#7 - DISCUSSION
ITEM #7A – PROPOSED
CHANGES TO EL-14 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Our policies and
regulations are being reviewed on a regular basis, along the legal citations. Dr. Michalski explained that some of the
changes to EL-14 are
language changes,
and new language clarifying the commitment to diversity.
Mr. Seiter then
made a motion to move this item to the consent agenda at the next meeting,
which was seconded by Mr. Short and unanimously approved.
Dr. Michalski
explained the proposal to add an ACT class and an AP Psychology class.
Dr. Barter
indicated that the state requires us to administer the ACT to every junior in
our district, and scores identify for colleges which students need remedial
coursework. It allows economically
disadvantaged kids the chance to take the class, instead of paying $250.00. Ms. Paulson made a motion to move this item
to the consent agenda for the next meeting, which was seconded by Mr. Seiter
and unanimously approved.
Judy Michalski and
Greg Spradling explained that CCHE has changed the entrance requirements for
colleges; students must have four years of math by 2008, and two years of a
foreign language by 2010. The board
discussed the significant number of students who graduate early, the need to
challenge all students, decreasing the number of students needing remedial
work, not decreasing electives, more hands on courses, letting the public know
this is being looked at, community service, raising expectations for all
students, and assisting students who want to go to college but don’t get the
support at home. Board members agreed
that moving forward with the academic core classes to align with CCHE
requirements would be moving toward community values. President Brevik clarified for Mr. Spradling that they are being
given the go ahead to move forward with this, but that it should come back to
the board when more details are ready.
Everyone was comfortable with that.
President Brevik
stated that the board is being asked to make an administrative decision that by
policy has been placed in the hands of our superintendent. If we want to go ahead with this, we would
need to change our policies and the way we govern ourselves to support making
micro-managerial decisions. The reason
the parents are having a difficult time talking with us about this, is because
this is an administrative issue. Does
the board support calling passing time as instructional time? Is the board willing to change the way we
operate? Does the board feel that Dr.
Barter used reasonable judgment when she made this decision?
Mr. Horvath made a
motion to refer this back to Dr. Barter for further discussion with the parent
group for some type of a compromise, given the amount of time that the group
has put into it, there could be some type of bridge reached. Ms. Paulson seconded the motion.
Board members
questioned how sending the issue back to Dr. Barter was going to solve
anything, since the only request from the parents is to count passing time as
instructional time and the administration is not willing to do that. Board members discussed professional
development days, small academies, block scheduling, semester versus trimester,
reducing lunch time, increased graduation requirements, and the desire to look
at other options the high school is working on as possible ways to reduce the
day without counting passing time as instructional time.
.
The motion failed
with Mrs. Brevik, Dr. Jones, Mr. Patterson, Mr. Seiter, and Mr. Short voting
against, and Ms. Paulson and Mr. Horvath voting in favor.
The first three
committees would go out of existence if this monitoring process were
approved. Ms. Paulson questioned why
linkage with Mark Seiter was not listed as a committee. Some board members felt that what Mr. Seiter
did was to give updates, just like BOCS and legislative. There weren’t any
areas out of compliance, and Ms. Paulson suggested that this go on the consent
agenda with language that she will bring forward. The board agreed to try this process again with GP-8 Annual Board
Planning Cycle.
Dr. Jones made a
motion that the December 14, 2004 be approved as presented, indicating that
reasonable progress has been made, and that the monitoring assessments are
appropriate. Mr. Short seconded the
motion, which passed unanimously.
ITEM #9B –
PROPOSED ADDITION AND DELETION OF DURANGO HIGH SCHOOL COURSES
Mr. Short made a
motion to approve the courses video Production II and III, Menu Planning and
Beginning Catering, Agriculture Entrepreneurship, Med Tech, and Advanced Small
Engine Repair and delete the Auto II and III and students will be directed in internships. Dr. Jones seconded the motion, which passed
unanimously.
ITEM #9C –
PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF ACCREDITATION CONTRACT
Dr. Jones made a
motion to modify the 2001 accreditation contract with CDE as presented to
reflect current practice in board monitoring of Ends Policies, removed
nonacademic Ends Policies from the accreditation process, align accreditation
performance standards with AYP performance standards, and clarify the
computation of accreditation standing.
Mr. Horvath seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Mr. Horvath made a
motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented, which was seconded by Mr.
Patterson. The motion passed with all
members voting in favor, except Ms. Paulson who voted no.
Board members were
reminded of upcoming events; Animas
Valley school visit on January 20, Escalante school visit on January 21, and DHS on January 27. There is a board development work session on
January 25, and a board linkage regarding legislative issues on January
29.
Mr. Short made a
motion to adjourn at 11:35 p.m., which was seconded by Dr. Jones and
unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Kristy
Rodri
District
Clerk to the Board of Education
Approval:
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