SAC Meeting

1. Welcome…Cristy Grube, SAC Chairperson

The meeting convened at 9:05. Members reviewed the minutes from the January meeting, and approved them as written.

2. Budget Update…Wendy Wagner

We are budgeted for 850-930 students for next year. We predict approximately 922 students. Class size amendment exerts more pressure on us to eliminate team teaching and ensure pupil-to-teacher ratios of 18:1 for primary grades, 22:1 for intermediate grades. Next year will be the last year we can use grade level averages for these ratios. After next year, the ratios must comply by the classroom. We will need to take one of the YMCA rooms from Pre-K that we had allowed them to use because of the requirements of the amendment. The Y will still have one Pre-K room. 13 classes are team taught, with over 30 children in each. We will also be a feeder school for the gifted program, so we will need to use one of the classrooms for that. We should also have smaller classes next year. We will need to cut teachers from the faculty, paras, and office staff.

3. Upcoming events -- Roz Wolfe

· Orlando Opera performs for the 4^th and 5^th grade today (March 28).

· Friday, March 30, the School Carnival

· Tuesday, April 3, class pictures

· Thursday, April 5, Science Olympiad

· Monday, April 9, Level 2 Oration contest hosted here and NorthLake Park. Our students will not participate in this contest, but will take part in the contest at Three Points Elementary on Wednesday, April 11.

· April 11: Senior reception (students who were 5th graders in the first year that NorthLake Park Community school first opened)

· April 14: School wide field day

· May 4: faculty talent show

· May 21: Fifth Grade Banquet and all classroom parties

· May 17 and 18: Kindergarten graduation and luau.

4. Carnival Update

Ticket sales are doing well, and it appears that we are at the break-even point. The PTA board has decided to make this the fundraiser for next year.

5. Fifth Grade Banquet

5th grade banquet team is selling cakes for the mother's day to help fund the banquet. Thursday May 10, Publix will bring bakers and people to help children decorate the cakes.

6. Rezoning News…Wendy Wagner

Members received a map that provided a list of effected neighborhoods for next year's rezoning. The following rezoning won't be until 2009. That means that it will be two years before the next rezoning. We won't really be balanced out until then.

NorthLake Park Community School has a capacity of 881 based on available space.

7. Request for SAC funds to support a workshop for Anna Fernandez and stipend money for teachers to attend summer planning team

Members received a summary of money budgeted and spent.

The summer planning team meets together to plan for the coming school year. Cost for teacher stipends to attend this meeting would be $805. Vote: the SAC voted unanimously in favor of funding the teachers’ stipends for the summer planning team.

$1500 for summer help. Because of rezoning, we have an extra amount of work to do to prepare records for the receiving school. The additional help will cost $1500 to pay for 20 days. Vote: the SAC voted unanimously in favor of funding additional help for the summer.

Anna Fernandez needs $90 to attend the TESOL conference and make a presentation. Vote: the SAC voted unanimously in favor of funding the cost for Anna Fernandez to attend the TESOL conference.

8. School Improvement Survey/2007-2008 SAC Initiatives and expenditures for SAC. Wagner/Shear

We are charged with creating a School Improvement Plan. Needs assessment survey was conducted to determine areas of weakness that need to be addressed. SAC members received copies of the recent survey results. We received 475 responses for the parent survey.

Concerns identified:

· Students need extra assistance, possibly as after school help.

· It would help for parents to learn sooner that their children are struggling in a particular area. Example: Everyday Math is a spiral program. Often concepts are not fully mastered until students reach the next grade level. If the parent does not have time to go over the home links, there is much that could be missed.

· Communication about grades and academics.

· Communication about discipline problems and injuries.

· Staff is looking for consistency in discipline.

· Students feel that their classes are frequently interrupted.

Ms. Wagner and Mr. Shear ask the SAC to consider more ways to showcase student talents. Perhaps grade level plays or talent shows would be good for the students. Is there any interest in afternoon clubs?

9. Open Agenda

The school newsletter is important. Could there be a school contact to ensure that the newsletter gets out each month? The ideal situation would be if we had a parent volunteer who is savvy about digital publishing to work with one of the staff members.

10. Adjourn

The SAC adjourned at 10:02 a.m.

Our next meeting will be April 25^th at 9:00 a.m. in the Office Conference Room.