SITE-BASED COUNCIL

Wednesday Novemeber 15, 2000

MINUTES

Present: Helen Perl, James Scarpulla, Carl Palmer, Nan Bell, Lucy Taube, Emily

Preston, Marge Ferguson, Peter Mehravari, Sara Garner, Ben Nichols, Jeffrey Wayno, Fred Schwartz, Ted Van Loan, Margaret Shepard, Carol Spence.

I. Minutes of 11/1/00 were approved with a clarification: grant amount to

ESL/Family Involvement=$250.

II. Reports

BOE: Ben Nichols reported that the Board met last night and discussed budget priorities for next year. Suggestions were made and a guideline proposed for a 3.5% tax levy increase (with the possibility of adding 3-4 educational priorities). The actual expenditures of IHS as a total budget will be reviewed separately (as will the budgets of the elementary and middle schools). Of particular note this year will be the inclusion of Site Base in the budget preparation. In mid-January, the Superintendent will come up with a first draft as a basis for discussion; Site Base should consider getting involved and defining its role in this process early.

An independent audit has been set up as a separate commission from the district to review the budget process through interviews and generate ideas for efficiencies and savings, and also to look at revenue possibilities. Margaret Shepard commented that there was a Budget Steering Committee in existence at one time, that had done a complete breakdown of each school budget. Ben said he would look up their findings to see if it offered pertinent information.

Several high school students reported the annual problem of un-returned library and textbooks at the end of the year. Substantial money is lost each year and they were asking the Board to consider so legal and practical methods to collect the money.

Student Council: Nan Bell reported that the Technology Committee is seeking

student reps (2 seats per class, meeting 2x per month). Student BOE reps

encourage everyone to bring any concerns to Student Council.

The Food Drive is scheduled for November 27-December 8, to benefit local

families and the Salvation Army. The homeroom collecting the most food will

win a cider and donut party .Also, a winter blood drive is being considered.

" They also brain stonmed some fundraising ideas for the December 8 Craft Fair .

Sara Garner said she will be attending a new committee, Curriculum in the

Classroom, organized through Heather Thomas. She will keep us informed.

Site Council Goals were reviewed at this point in the agenda, to establish if any

funding support for achieving our goals, might be needed before the grant

allocation continued.

GOALS:

#1 (re: data accumulation on attendance & failure) was eliminated since there are already some systems in place at runs to address this concern. Site Base will still maintain access to such data.

#2 & 6 (9th Grade Initiative follow-up & communication with Middle School Site Base). Combine intention of both goals. There was some caution expressed about a commitment to any more surveys in this area.

#4 ( Site Base serving as a "clearing house" for teachers, students & community, to identify the impact of New York State Standards and other state mandates on the classroom dynamic) Being informed about how these mandates are changing education will help us better understand how to support student achievement and assess an equitable allocation of resources. This is particularly important if Site Base is to become more involved with the budget process.

#3 (examine scheduling options to address size and space concerns) #5 (clarify hiring and other procedures) Although we confronted this concern, it still needs attention. Ben Nichols invited Site Council to work with the Personnel Committee on this issue. Suggestion to create a frontal community/corporate partnership (between IHS and Cornel1/IC) will be discussed further. While there are already some models of this type at the high school, there may be more opportunities to expand our resources. While we approved of the general aspects of these goals, we will familiarize their language and formally adopt them at our next meeting.

GRANTS:

The budget for this year is the same as last year=$15,964. Grant allocation for last year = $ll.770 The following grant proposals were revised or added to this year's list: Camera for the Tattler=$450 IHS Players Partnerships; expanded to fund musicians' visits =$450 Recording Studio field trip approved=$180 Love Your Body (STARRS)=$20 Funds still in Reserve=$1184. Ted Van Loan will draft a letter of acceptance/rejection. Jeff Wayno will follow-up with Ann Barnes to clarify the disbursement procedure of funds to the recipients. We will review the funding proposal format at another agenda. A draft by Fred Schwartz was submitted and any comments or suggestions regarding the design may be sent to him.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol Spence

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 29,2000 at 6:3Opm