Saint Theresa Parish Board of Education Minutes

I         Prayer/Executive Session

II       Open Forum/Visitors’ Comments – 6:06

Gloria Gomez-Moore presented a few concerns she had to the Board. First was the state of cleaning at the school, especially the gym and restrooms. Second was the success plan given by the school to one of her children and its accompanying level of follow-up. The third issue was the school hiring policy with regard to teacher licensure. Gomez-Moore said she hoped the school to verify the status of potential hires with the State Board of Education in the screening process

III     Acceptance of January Agenda – 6:14

Remove entry under News Business with Scott Smith regarding Policy. Remove Book Study Dreams and Visions. Move Colleen Ites up under Director of Faith Formation in Administrators Reports. Geri moved approval of the amended January agenda which was seconded by Kelly and approved by the Board.

IV      Approval of November Minutes – 6:16

Jeremy moved approval of the November Minutes, which was seconded by Michele and approved by the Board.

 V      Administrators’ Reports – 6:43

A.    Director of Faith Formation – Session 15 of Wednesday Faith Formation would be that week. Kathy and Barb Woods were working on setting a retreat date for children needing catch-up with sacraments. A Confirmation retreat was scheduled for the following Saturday and Rite of Choice was scheduled for the weekend of Jan 31-Feb 1. WFF students raised approximately $550 through the sale of food items in November, most of which would go to Hunger Week. Generations of Faith festivals were held in December, featuring 8^th graders from STS and WFF.        

B. Technology in Middle School Language Arts – Colleen Ites - 6:24
Colleen Ites presented to the Board via the SmartBoard in Tonya Eaton’s room, one of two purchased with a Prairie Meadows grant. Colleen said students need to be skilled in technology. She defined digital natives and digital immigrants for the Board, denoting the generational difference between today’s students and older generations with regard to technology. Students need the skills to classify the large amount of information available to them, and more than the basics were needed for them to stay fluent in the current global economy. Technology is generally integrated into curriculum in new state standards. It keeps students engaged and allows students to have extended ownership over their work. Colleen spoke about how various technology service tools are used with students and demonstrated several including wiki spaces, SpellingCity.com, Grammar Girl, Schooltube and Teachertube, Google Earth, iTunesU, Edutopia, Scratch, Internet4classrooms.com, Quia and Slideshow.net. She also showed how students use her blogspots and explained clicker technology with regard to students creating digital stories that would play during the upcoming Catholic Schools Week open house.   

C. School Administator – 7:00  Cindy spoke about Social Justice Week the prior. It was successful with good feedback. Cindy ran down some of those who spoke to students during the week and estimated that about $5K would be donated to the Sisters Water Project. Ellen thanked those who worked on the week.

General administration: One of the busses had broken down the week before due to low voltage in the battery. There is ongoing discussion about communication when school is called off due to the cold weather as there was an issue with the cable internet provider during the recent weather event. Teachers had gone to a diocesan professional development day the previous day. The pilot reporting system was in continued discussion. Colleen Ites would be published through ASCD in the spring. ITBS was approaching in early February. Catholic Schools Week was coming up. Kindergarten and Pre-K round-up was scheduled for Jan. 29 and the State Pre-Kk grant remained in place for now. Jennifer Rossmanith had resigned as Childcare Director. Maria Calhoun was filling in as interim director. Ellen asked Board Members to assist with interviewing applicants for the position. The three-year-old program was full. The Board discussed the Catholic Schools Week open house.

D.  Parish Manager – 7:16   Bob had emailed a report to Board Members prior to the meeting. Childcare billing and budget expense reporting were discussed.

V       Committee Reports – 7:18

A.    Policy Review - Geri passed out final versions of revised policies 270, 300, 210, 320 and 330. The previous group reviewed included numbers 204-280, with a few tabled. #270: there was discussion of fundraising. “Those” was added at the beginning of the policy. Father Larry moved approval of the revised policy, which was seconded by Michele and approved by the Board. #300: Remove “Prior to release.” The Board discussed the policy. Kelly moved approval of the revised policy, which was seconded by Father Larry and approved by the Board. #310 Geri moved approval of the revised policy, which was seconded by father Larry and approved by the Board. #320/330: Wording of both policy 320 and 330 with regard to requiring teacher’s to attend outside events were discussed. Wording was aligned in both to change references to administrators to administration and remove reference to “all teachers” since each policy addressed full-time and part-time teaching staff respectively. Michele moved approval of policy #320, which was seconded by Kelly and approved by the Board. Father Larry moved approval of policy #330, which was seconded by Cindy and approved by the Board. Geri would email all changes made at the meeting to Board Members and the revised policies would be sent to parents for public comment.

VII    Unfinished (Old Business) Business – 7:44

A.  Update on Michele Lickteig’s process work –

B.  Update on Rob Jackson’s work with Dowling – 7:52

C.  Three Guiding Questions from Diocese

VIII  New Business – 8:09

A. Budget

IX      Adjournment – 8:32

A. Date of next meeting – Regular Board meeting - Feb. 10; special meeting concerning the budget - Feb. 24.

B. Other – 8:35

C. Executive Session – 8:38  Geri moved to adjourn to Executive Session, which was seconded by Kelly and approved by the Board.

D. Prayer – 8:39   Father led the Board in the Prayer of St. Francis.

Next Meeting - February 10, 2009  5:45