School Board Meeting 07/19/2010

OCTORARA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
July 19, 2010 - 7:30 p.m.
Middle School Multi-purpose Room

AGENDA
1. Lord's Prayer
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3.  Roll Call

1 absent

4. Approval of Minutes from the Work Session of June 14, 2010 and  the Regular Meeting of June 28, 2010.

Approved.

5. Presentations
A. Dr. Nancy Bishop - curriculum update

Dr. Bishop discussed the current mapping process.

For the General Curriculum - start with PA State Standards.  Curriculum maps are a database of standards.  Teachers turn the standards into learning.  They are a sequence of skills.  Principals facilitate a group of K-12 teachers.   Each group is responsible for a different content area.

Examples:
Mr. Haller facilitates the Social Studies curriculum.  They look at what they are teaching.  They compare to look at gaps & redundancy.  They create a concensus map.  They will meet in August to develop plans for the 2010/11 year.

Ms. McNamara  and Ms. Micholowski facilitate the Science curriculum.  There are 14 teachers on this team.  The district is currently in total alignment in content & skills.  A lot of grades already have common assessments.  They are working on common vocabulary for K-12.   They looked at the science PSSA to make sure that content is covered.  The secondary grades need to make some minor tweaks.  The primary grades need a little more work.  They have to make sure that everyone has exposure to the same thing.

Mr. McCartney asked about something that was not on the example they were shown.  Dr. Bishop said it is covered at a different grade level.

Ms. Wilson facilitates English/Language Arts.  This is a little different process.  There are 4 parts:  reading, writing, speaking, and listening.  They started with writing.  They have a common writing assessment.  They filled in with content & skills. This past year was the first year it was required.

They have started with the reading curriculum this past June.  There is a lot of the same content for K-12, but the skill level changes along with the rigor of the texts.

Mr. Rohrer explained that the same process is used for each content area.  For Math, 5h & 6th grade has been revised.  Third & 4th grade were meeting over the summer.   There are common assessments for 3-6 grades.  Second grade is working on common assessments, as are 7-12th.

They are working on concensus maps by grade level.  The Math coord. team is focusing on 6 areas.

Mr. McCartney asked if the same effort is being made in every district in the state.  Mr. Rohrer replied that not every district is doing it this way.  Each district is different and has different needs.

Mr. McCartney asked if they were working with other districts.  Ms. Wilson said that one of the consultants (Janet Hale) has connected with teachers in other states and districts.  She has shared Octorara's work with other districts & gotten information from them.

Dr. Bishop said that in the spring, the Federal government released core standards (National Standards).   The State is looked at how their standards match the Federal standards.  Forty-seven states are adopting the Federal standards.   PA's standards strongly align with Federal standards.  PA has not decided if they are going to adopt the Federal standards.  The state has to also align the Keystone exams.

OASD has looked at National standards (especially English/Language Arts) to integrate into the work being done.  The math consultants are also looking to integrate the National standards.

The literacy standards are unique.  The Middle School already has the standards in their map.  They are ahead of the curve.

The State has a curriculum mapping initiative going on.   They are looking at different mapping vendors.

Mr. Norris wants to get a sense of the resources (time & financial) committed.  How will the current economic environment impact this initiative.  He is worried that a reduction in staffing and an increase in class size will impact this.

Is the district looking toward web based content instead of textbooks?

Dr. Bishop stated that the last few years contained intensive work.  The maps are complete; now they are studying and implementing the maps (teachers teaching).

Utilizing the maps saves time.
- New teachers coming in can look at the maps & know what to teach and when to teach it.
- Every student in the grade is getting the same content - it doesn't matter if there are 20 students in a class or 26.
-Online resources are being used.  A teacher in one grade can see if content is covered in another grade.

Ms. Bowman said that she understands that this is a process, but that the upfront costs & time are done.  Dr. Bishop said that is correct.

Ms. Bowman then asked if it is safe to assume that if you had 2 kids in 3rd grade they would be taught the same things.  Dr. Bishop replied that they would

Ms. Bowman then asked about a website for parents that was mentioned.  Dr. Bishop stated that they aren't ready for that yet.  The parent maps will look a little different.

Dr. Bishop said that by the end of the 2010/11 school year 95% of the concensus maps should be complete.

Dr. Newcome said this is a 5-7 year process and that it is more important to get it right than to rush to get it complete.

6. Information Items

None.

7.  Treasurer's Report
A. That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve the General Fund Report for period ending June 30, 2010.

Mr. Malone gave the report.   Approved.

8.  Business Manager's Report
A.  That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve the list of bills for payment.

Mr. Carsley gave the report.  He also had the answer to a question asked last month re: donation.  This was for the use of the facility for AP testing.

Approved.

9. Visitors' Comments - agenda items only

None.

10.  Recommended Action Items: (Italicized items are new; They were not on the July 12, 2010 agenda).
A. That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors accept the audit report from Trout, Ebersole & Group for the Lancaster County Tax Collection Bureau for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Approved.

B. That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors approve the attached contract reduction and extension for student transportation services with Althouse Transportation, Inc.

Approved

C.  That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors approve Change Order 404-03 for Eastern Shore Services to provide a credit to eliminate mobile cart & equipment in the TV Studio for the Octorara Area High School renovation project in the amount of $9,312.00.

Approved.

D.  That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors approve the agreement with Conrad Siegel Actuaries through Pennsylvania Trust to provide GASB 45 Valuation Service at a cost not to exceed $7,000 as outlined in the attached agreement.  (This agreement is for the purpose of audit compliance).

Approved.

Resignation Approvals.
E.  That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors accept the resignation of Mr. Kyle Whary as eighth grade girls' basketball coach effective July 6, 2010.  (Hired November 16, 2009)

Approved.

Hiring Approvals

F.  That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors approve the employment of Ms. Erin Morrisey as high school junior varsity field hockey coach.  This position is designated at 6 points at $570 per point.  (Replacing Abigail Hancock who resigned).

Approved.

G. That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors approve the change in salary for Richard W. Curtis III from $46,014 to $46,914.  Mr. Curtis was approved on May 17, 2010 as the newly hired technology teacher at Octorara High School.  (The approved salary was a typo error.)

Approved.

H.  That the Octorara Area Board of School Directors approve the following change in salary due to graduate credits earned:
Jean Curry      From B+15 ($57,502) to M ($59,470)    Step 10
Thomas Hurley   From M+15 ($65,470) to M+30 ($67,344)   Step 11

Approved

I.  That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve the attached contract between Pressley Ridge and the Octorara Area School District for the Employee Assistance Program.

Approved.

J. That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve the resignation of Ms. Margaret Hanning as a cafeteria employee effective July 8, 2010. (Hired October 1, 2009).

Approved.

K.  That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve Ms. Laura Martinez as a teacher for the Summer EAP/Extended Year Program from June 21 through July 22, 2010 at a rate of $30.00 per hour.

Approved.

L.  That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve the employment of Ms. Dawn Munion as a math teacher in the Octorara Area High School for the 2010-2011 school year pending completion of work related documents required by law and the District.  Ms. Munion's salary will be $48,873 which is Step 1 of the Bachelor's +15 scale. (Replacing Terry Johnson's position who retired).

Mr. Rohrer said that this is grant-funded.   Approved.

M.  That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve Policy 226, Searches, first reading.

To search lockers, desks, containers, etc.; search grounds & vehicles.
Approved.

N. That the Octorara Board of School Directors accept the resignation of Ms. Lindsay Mitman as Middle School field hockey coach effective July 14, 2010. (Hired August 2008.)



Approved.


O. That the Octorara Board of School Directors accept the resignation of Ms. Lindsay Mitman as a long term substitute third grade teacher at the Octorara Elementary School for the 2010-2011 school year. (Hired June 28, 2010.)


Approved.


P. That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve an increase in lunch price for the Octorara Primary Learning Center, Elementary School, Intermediate, and Middle Schools by 15¢ per lunch and increase ala carte milk prices in all buildings by 10¢ to offset higher costs. (The price for lunch at the PLC, OES, and OIS will be $2.15; the price for lunch at the OMS will be $2.40. Ala carte milk price will be 60¢ per bottle.)


Approved.


Q. That the Octorara Board of School Directors approve Ms. Virginia McBride for six hours per week for six weeks at a rate of $16.15 per hour to serve in the District Office as a temporary secretary effective July 19, 2010. (This position is budgeted for three hours per day for 240 days. We are filling this temporarily as we determine needs in the District Office.)

Approved.
 
Additional:
Dr. Newcome reported that the District completed a 4 year rental agreement with the Brandywine Y.  It is to run from 1/1/2011 - 12/31/2014.  It has been determined to not bring to the Board every facility request. 
 
Copy of Agreement:   Y agreement 2011-2014
 
(This document is in a Word format.  If you cannot open Word documents, please let me know & I will convert to .pdf.)

Note that this does not include the fitness center.
 
 
11. I.U./C.A.T. Board Representative’s Report

Next week.

12. Old Business

None

13. New Business

None

14. Other Items and Announcements

Mr. Carsley wanted to thank Althouse Transportation for working with the District in reducing the increase for next year.  He really appreciates that they did.

15. Visitors’ Comments – General

None


16. Board Comments
Mr. Norris thanked Ms. Hardy for her effort with the June minutes.

Mr. Hume thanked the Board and the Administration for the time put into bring the Y to the District.

Mr. Hume also wondered if the District was looking at any sort of cyber-school.  He is a believer in technology.   


17. Adjournment