Instructional Consultation Minutes June 4, 2009

Instructional Consultation Minutes
June 4, 2009



Instructional Consultation was called to order at 4:30 in room 3C12 of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. The Gradespeed demo was not possible due to technical issues with the presentation. Handouts prepared for the demo including the timeline for implementation, a list of teacher generated reports, and the teacher instruction manual were given to persons present. Several features of the program were pointed out including the “rollover” feature for attendance. The teacher will enter attendance in Gradespeed and it will automatically be posted to the chancery system. Changes in schedule for students will be seen within fifteen minutes of the change being entered. Teacher trainers will be trained in late July, early August. Representatives from the organizations will be invited to attend. Teachers expressed interest in having features such as automatic e-mails to parents and notifications when grade falls below a set level.

RFP for cancer care has been issued. There will be a slight increase in cancer care plans with a low, medium, and high options Voluntary plans continue to increase in cost but will not see an increase. With the flu shot program the request was that it be offered earlier in the year. Places for the onsite clinics have been identified for four locations, the store front in front, Fleming Middle School, Sharpstown Middle School, and Thompson Elementary next to the Police Department. The fifth has several options but none has been firmly identified.

Wellness program is looking at five scattered schools rather than feeder pattern. The feeder pattern was very effective with the non-instructional unit.

Basically there will be no change in cost in the voluntary plans cost with the exception of the Dental PPO and FSA administration.

As far as medical is concerned there is no increase for next year. Aetna will continue with the plan administration. WEBMD will be the main portal site for all health issues. The intent is to establish a single sign on portal for all health issues. Caremark will continue as the pharmacy for the program. SHPS will handle the nurseline, and navigation through the health programs.


Grading policy changes, policy changes are in direct violation of state law. This will go the TEA if it is passed by the board. Most of the proposed document is either poorly conceived or in violation of state law. It is highly offensive. Proposals are

Grading
· Intervention required for students no achieving mastery
· Requires a minimum of one grade per week and no fewer than 6 grades per reporting cycle for all subjects
· Requires grades based on achievement
· Requires categories for grades
o Classwork
o Homework
o Quizzes
o Tests/Performance Assessment
· Requires weight assignments for all categories in determining cycle grades
o Two sets of weights
§ Core content
§ Performance
· Homework – no more than 10%
· Quizzes and Tests/Performance Assessments – no more than 50%
· No one grade can count more than 20% of overall cycle grade
· Final exams will count 15% of semester average
· Requires a campus grading plan to be developed, reviewed annually , and communicated to parents before the first progress report
· Plan must include school-wide procedures for
o Categories
o Weights
o Reassessments
o Number of cycle grades
o Submission of late work
o Dropping grades
o Minimum grades for an assignment
· “Incomplete” will be assigned as the cycle grade for students who do not turn in all required work for a cycle.
· An “Incomplete” will convert to a 50% if unresolved at the end of the next cycle
· Teachers determine whether or not to record a grade
· Grades may only be recorded one time
· Procedures must be developed for submission of makeup work and late work
· Allows options for grading late work
· Reemphasizes “incomplete” for grading cycle for students due to excused absences and other extenuating circumstances.
Severe objections were raised by every employee group without exception. No reasonable rationale was raised for the establishment of these procedures. District is setting the guidelines and campus is setting the rules. There is no rationale for this. Let the departments set the grading scale. Shows no trust for teachers at all.

SPM 4604.1A Adds procedures for having non-employees register for inservices and all issues with attending

SPM 6303 D Campus security additions to guidelines including classroom doors that open directly to the outside be locked.

SPM 6306C Guidelines for school walkout, disorder or demonstration general cleanup of language

SPM 6702D Student disruptions change to procedure which requires parent-student conference upon return to campus. Policy requires a maximum three day suspension.
Weakens the policy

SPM 7401C Complaints against teachers Updates SPM that principal first, regional office must send complaint back to the school if parent goes directly to regional office.

Status of school budget relies on HB 3646 passage.
Budgets $1.9 billion for public schools. Governor’s plan has to be approved by feds before it can be implemented. We should not adopt a salary schedule until this is approved. We will get the $120/WADA. We should have some answers that will provide clarity on this issue. If nothing from state then current salary schedule stays in place. If HB3646 passes then $60/WADA must be passed to teachers as salary. Then teacher salary will go up by $970 dollars per year. Final answers will probably be forthcoming by June 25th. Board may have to come back and revise in July.

Will send information on number of schools not having a nurse, librarian, or a PE teacher. Concern is that principals are making budgetary decisions and cutting these important ancillary positions.

End of year checkout, there is no standard form. Principals have full authority on this. Safety is sometimes an issue on this.

Pay for special-education summer school teachers, In the North District special education teachers are being required to be on duty form 7:30AM until 2:30 PM which is a seven hour day. They are being required to be with students for the full seven hours. Teachers are not being allowed to leave campus. Teachers are working seven hours and being paid for 6.5 hours. This issue is not specifically a special education issue. North region is not paying for seven hours. Issue will be investigated response will be forthcoming.

Will get back soon.

Meeting adjourned

Submitted
D. Krieger