Apollo High School
School Based Council Meeting
December 14, 2004 – 4:00p.m. - Conference Room
The regular meeting of the school based council was called to order by Tom Purcell, Principal, at 4:00 p.m. Members present: Tom Purcell, Scott Kuegel, Curt Newcom, James Morgan, Melissa Morris, Tim Taylor, Sue Krampe and Jim Gilles. A motion was made by Tim Taylor to begin the meeting. Curt Newcom seconded the motion and there was consensus.
Approve December Agenda – A motion was made by James Morgan to approve the December agenda with the following additions, Instruction Committee Report. Tim Taylor seconded the motion and there was consensus.
Approve November Minutes – A motion was made by James Morgan to approve the November minutes. Tim Taylor seconded the motion and there was consensus.
Personnel Update - The following positions are open:
- Science Teacher
- Girls Cross Country Head Coaching Position, open until 12/17
- Assistant Baseball Coach
Interviews for the science position may begin next week. Terry Floyd has been recommended by Mr. Purcell and hired as the new girls soccer coach. He has been recently coaching as the JV Girls Soccer Coach for D.C.H.S.
Budget Update - Mr. Purcell reported that Apollo has spent 61.9% of the S.E.E.K. budget. There was no report on PD money.
Health Index Report – Sue Krampe presented to the council the Health Index Report. The following people serve on the School Health Index panel: Sue Krampe, Barbara Ray(lunchroom), Guidance Dept., school nurse, P.E. Dept., one parent and two students. The school health index report is an appraisal of you school’s strengths and weaknesses that will help develop a plan for a healthier school. All schools in the DCPS system are going through the same analysis and planning and will report all information to the school personnel, parents, students and central office. This panel looked at the following eight areas of health and A.H.S.: 1. School Health Policies and Environment, 2. Health Education, 3. Physical Education and Other Physical Activity Programs, 4.Nutrition Services, 5. School Health Services, 6. School Counseling, Physchological, and Social Services, 7. Health Promotion for Staff, and 8. Family and Community Involvement. From the review of these eight areas came the following five objectives to help improve school health.
- Provide health screening for staff.
- Communicate the four health topics addressed in the School Health Index to all stakeholders.
- Grading weight change for P.E. Classes (up to 4 classes).
- Update written response plan for Apollo.
- Encourage first aid/CPR training for staff.
More direct and detailed information will be sent out as steps to meet each of these objectives are developed.
Grading Weight Change for P.E. Classes - Nancy Schmeal presented the following proposal on behalf of the P.E. department:
That the students be allowed to take up to four physical education classes during their four years of high school and count those classes as accelerated not comprehensive. Under the current policy students who take physical education classes (with the exception of Freshman Physical Education and Bio-Mechanics of Movement) are penalized in class rank. Students who are enrolled in IB or Honors classes will have a lower class rank if they elect to take a physical education class. If they chose to take a study hall it does not count against their standing in their class. This change would recognize the importance of being physically active during one’s lifetime. The surgeon-General is currently recommending that all students be involved in physical education on a daily basis through out all their years of schooling.
Discussion given was that perhaps the level of many elective classes should be looked at and considered. That raising the level of P.E. classes might also include some written work, portfolio pieces. Ultimately, the proposal will have to go before the curriculum committee for research and review and then a recommendation be sent back to the SBDM council.
Student Cell Phone Usage - Mr. Morgan raised concern about cell phone usage, primarily text messaging during school. Current school policy is that the students may have the cell phones with them but they must be turned off during the hours of 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. The concern with students text messaging back and forth is the opportunity for cheating on tests. Mr. Morgan had asked Mr. Purcell to find out from a legal standpoint if school personnel legally could look at the cell phone and see who a student was text messaging, or if it is a phone with photo capabilities, if school personnel could look at photos taken during the same time frame at school. Mr. Purcell stated that school personnel could look at students phones to see if they were text messaging student to student during the time of the school day that cell phones should be off or to see if the student had taken any pictures during that same time frame. In the case of text messaging student to student, both parties could be disciplined for that action. The discipline would be the same for both for using the cell phone during school hours. It was noted that colleges ask you to leave a class or a test if your cell phone is used.
Achievement Gap Implementation & Impact Report –
Achievement Gap Analysis for 2002 -2004
I & I Report
December 14, 2004
Area addressed for the 2002-2004 biennium was that of reading. Gaps existed in the following sub categories: gender, ethnicity, free and reduced lunch and students with disabilities.
Apollo began by having a workshop addressing various reading strategies. A workshop was help on a November, 2003 Saturday and over half the staff attended. We were led by a reading specialist from Lexington Paul Dunbar High School. Teachers are continuing to make a concerted effort to find strategies to help low readers. During faculty meetings, such strategies will be discussed.
The READ 180 Program was initiated and targeted the lowest sixty readers in the 2003 freshmen class. One English teacher was trained in the program and had four sections of READ 180. All but one student made significant gains in reading according to the year end exam.
All students were given the STAR reading tests and these results were distributed to department coordinators.
The academic index for reading increased from 80.65 on the 2003 CATS to 83.50 on the 2004 CATS. All subpopulations pass the NCLB standards.
Please see the gap disaggregated data below:
Gender: |
2003 |
2004 |
|
female |
87.36 (197) |
93.47(162) |
|
male |
72.81 (168) |
75.40 (206) |
|
| |
14.55 |
18.07 |
-3.52 |
Ethnicity |
2003 |
2004 |
|
White |
81.85 (335) |
84.88 (341) |
|
African Am. |
62.88 (25) |
70.43 (21) |
|
|
18.97 |
14.45 |
+4.52 |
|
2003 |
2004 |
|
Non Free/Reduced |
84.49 (266) |
86.31(257) |
|
Free/Reduced |
70.37 (99) |
77.12 (113) |
|
|
14.12 |
9.19 |
+4.93 |
|
2003 |
2004 |
|
Non Disabled |
83.39 (328) |
84.40 (333) |
|
Disabled |
56.46 (37) |
75.37 (37) |
|
|
26.93 |
9.03 |
+17.9 |
Apollo Diploma Policy - Mr. Taylor presented to the council a conflict in diploma policy that has caused recent controversy in issuing diplomas for students who did not complete their four years at AHS.
Board Policy 8.1131 Alternative Credit Options , under Beacon Central Alternative High School, that students may earn two (2) credits toward graduation through Beacon Central H.S. and still receive a diploma from their home schools. If more than two (2) credits are necessary for graduation, upon completion of all requirements, a diploma shall be granted by Beacon Central Alternative High School.
Other Apollo graduation provisions require that every student must complete a minimum of eight (8) semesters. The council asked Mr. Purcell to speak with Central Office about these requirements, perhaps draft a letter to C.O.
School Report Card - Mr. Purcell reported that Apollo H. S. has completed our part of the School Report Card and forwarded it to Central Office. The final School Report Card will be available on-line. Mr. Purcell will try to forward a hard copy to the council members.
Professional Development Report –
Professional Development Committee Minutes
December 7, 2004
Present: Lois Young, Sarah Walker, Connie Hibbs, Ellen Wolford, Catherine Shelton
Guests: Tom Purcell, Julie Clark
- Next year Professional Development
- Opening Day (6 hours) – August 8, 2005?
- Portfolio training (3 hours) – spring 2006
- Portfolio scoring (3 hours) – spring 2006
- Other 12 hours:
Technology (6 hours) – July 27/28, 2005
Ruby Payne training (3 hours) – morning, July 26, 2005
Department meetings (3 hours) – afternoon, July 26, 2005
- Dates in July for Ruby Payne/Dept mtgs on Tuesday and the two technology days on Wed/Thursday. Have July 26-28 set but are still looking at the week of July 11 and 18 as possibilities.
- The two technology days will be in a conference type format where you choose the sessions over the two days that fit the 6 hour requirement. You could attend all 12 hours if you would like but you are required for the 6 hours.
- Ruby Payne is required for all staff in the building.
- Discusses getting feedback from faculty about sessions that they would like to see during technology training. Will get feedback by adding questions to the January survey concerning eLearning.
Other –
Instruction Committee - Below listed are the minutes from the last Instruction Committee Meeting. The lead credit recovery program at this time seems to be Novel Star. Catherine Shelton will contact them for further information before the January instruction committee meeting. The second area discussed below is ETC Criterion, which is a web-based non-biased writing examiner.
Instruction Committee Minutes
December 9, 2004
Present: Cheryl Purdy, Vicki Thorpe, Rick Phelps, Jennifer Higdon, Terry Ekbundit, Catherine Shelton
Guests: Keith Johnson, Scott Kuegel
- Questions about credit recovery:
- Who would have the opportunity?
- Will we prioritize the slots (i.e., seniors, then juniors, etc)?
- How many slots do we need?
- When will the sessions be offered (evenings, Saturday, etc)?
- Who will oversee the program?
- Will we need to hire a teacher or will the summer school funds be enough to cover cost?
- Will we need more than one teacher?
- What are the requirements/rules for a student to participate?
- What about the seat time/referral issue?
- What about seniors who are failing in March and will not graduate?
- Other questions/comments/ thoughts
- ETS Criterion www.ets.org/criterion :
- Web-based writing tool
- Reads natural writing
- Doesn’t grade content
- Categories of Diagnostic Feedback: Grammar, usage, mechanics, style, and organization/development
- http://criterion.ets.org/cwe/instructor/
- User name: kempfteacher
- Password: demo
- The class is Daviess County and you will need to add yourself as a student to work with it
The date for the next SBDM Council meeting is Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. in the conference room.
There being no further business a motion was made by Melissa Morris to adjourn at 5:20 p.m. Tim Taylor seconded the motion and there was consensus.
Respectfully submitted,
Becki Burton
