Meeting started at 7:40 PM. Callie, Keller and Marino were absent.
Ms. Dautrich's Educational Program Report focused mainly on the PSSA scores and how the district is using evaluation tools to assess students weaknesses. It was noted that NASD scores were above state averages. One item of note was feedback from 5th grade testing, where due to time allotted, reading assesment numbers were down. I think this was attributed to changes made in testing and students feedback indicating they didn't have enough time to complete. NASD is not just looking at class scores, but more importantly according to the administration, they are looking at individual class progression (e.g., longitudinal). In other words, how did the 7th graders in 2006 fare as 8th graders in 2007. (I have briefly posted on this previously see this post). Ms. Dautrich didn't go over all the scores but did mention that the district is concerned with the 11th grade math scores. To recap, these were 60% proficient or above in 2006 and 56% in 2007. Definitely not the trend we would like to see.
Regarding the math scores (and math in general), Dr. Lesky mentioned that they are looking at sequencing of math in H.S. and also "integration of math".
Uh oh. Integrated Math. Two dirty little words, IMHO. I think to some extent NASD is already using integrated math. Do a quick google on integrated math and you'll come up with all kinds of information, both pro and con. I do know that integrated math was recently in the newspapers when Quakertown decided to move away from IM and back towards Traditional Math.
Ms. Rischoff presented the NASD Act 1 index for next year. It is 5.4% compared to this past years index of 4.2%. This index value is the maximum that value that taxes can be raised w/o triggering a voter referendum. Considering this past years budget discussions, it will be interesting to see how next year's budget discussions evolve and how close to the 5.4% increase NASD's budget will require.
Mr. Maher presented the finance committee notes. The finance committee will soon issue the bonds for the MS project. These bonds (if I understand correctly) were "locked-in" around 4.03%. NASD is also looking at refinancing some existing bonds (debt). Specifically, some 1998 bonds with a balance of $6.2M and some 2002 bonds with a balance of $9.7M. For the 2002 bonds, refinancing should save NASD approximately $150K.
Dr. Lesky highlighted district enrollment numbers which show a 1% increase in enrollment from last year. They are "keeping an eye on" SES 4th grade (avg. 25.5) and SES 5th grade (avg 26, high 27).
During community corner, one resident asked about when individual PSSA scores would be sent home. Apparently, BES scores had been sent home, but the PA Dept of Ed noted that there was some errors on some of the individual reports so they were advising districts to hold of on the release until they could get the errors straightened out.
This same resident wanted to know when these scores come home, will parents have the same assessment tools to help their children become more proficient in their "weak" areas. Ms. Dautrich said that the parent portal would be used to this end. In addition, the district is moving towards standards based report cards (they were rolled out for 1st grade last year) and this should go a long way towards helping parents help their children understand areas that they might be "weak" in.
The issue of a fence at SES was brought up again. It was mentioned that they had addressed this during Buildings & Grounds but they did not feel it was cost effective enough to proceed. Mr. Maher commented about equality amongst the three elementary schools, somewhat alluding to what is done for ES, will bring about the need to do that at the other two schools. To that end, I asked about the inequality amongst the elementary class sizes, specifically noting the 4th and 5th grade classes at SES. I asked at what point does the class size dictate another teacher? I didn't get a "hard" number. Mr. Butz reminded us how the admin decided to add another teacher for 5th grade at BES before the school year started and Dr. Lesky said that 13 new students enrolled on Sept 4th (not quite clear if they all were at SES in 4th/5th grade).
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM
4 comments:
I have four questions:
1. With a block scheduling and a graduation requirement of 3 math credits, how will sequenced math work?
2. Why did BES send out the PSSA scores if that State advised districts that they could be incorrect? I know that SES has not sent out reading and math, only writing scores have been sent to parents. I thought all three elementary school did everything the same.
3. Why was time an issue in 5th grade reading? How will this be improved, when this year the district has only scheduled a series of half days for the math and reading PSSA testing?
4. If enrollment increases during the school year and an additional teacher is need at SES in 4th and 5th grade, how will this work with the students? How does the district plan to add an additional teacher in the middle of the school year and not disrupt the students?
I am bothered by the comment that we need equity amongst the ES's, and if it is done at one, we need to do it at the others.
Does that mean we will soon see portable classrooms at SES and BES?
Am I the only one that finds that to be an completely idiotic comment?
BES and LNES are essentially surrounded by open fields (with houses behind those), and basically have a huge buffer between where the kids are and any accessible area. SES on the other hand is surrounded by streets and little to no buffer between cars and the kids.
This is just common sense, something our district officials seem to have little of.
Anonymous 8:39
Not sure you understood the point. In speaking of inequality, I think they mean in class sizes, how situations are handled like the PSSA testing and even how each grade is taught. The notion that the three elementary schools are the same is what administration has been telling parents for years, and yet it is known that they are really very different. Two examples are the way classes are group (homogeneous or heterogeneous) and the switching of teachers for areas of learning.
Also, why was the board able to get a teacher approved for BES and yet SES is still “looking” at adding an additional teacher, with class sizes close, if not at, an all time high? Just a quick look at enrollment numbers, posted August 20 and September 17, shows that SES class sizes are the same as BES prior to hiring their additional teacher. How much longer will they keep an eye on this situation prior to adding a teacher?
8:39am: You raise a good point from the standpoint what is equality or inequality?
When I raised the issue earlier on the class sizes, I was speaking to every student regardless of elementary building should have an equitable education and be provided equitable resources.
There are going to be differences. Borough kids will walk to a borough based building, because most properties in town have sidewalks and there are crossing guards at most of the main intersections, whereas we wouldn't expect children to walk along Bushkill Center Road or Newburg Road to get to their schools - though I do question why we took the crossing guard away at lower where they had the additional reduced speed limit flashers (this is inequitable in my book).
The buildings have differences and funding will be different, but curriculum, class size, resources, etc. should be as equal as possible.
I was more bothered by the large class size at Shafer, because NASD redistricted the elementary schools with the intent on making Shafer's enrollment increase and now don't seem to have accounted for it in terms of staff.
Regarding the fence at Shafer, the south side of the playground is bordered by the building, the north side has a fence, though not continuous that runs along the ridge and close to, but not touching the Tennis Courts. These are also fenced.
The fencing runs back south along the basketball courts toward the parking lot. On the west there is a hill going up to the street.
The play area at Shafer is fairly well bordered as is and while you can always make an area more secure, I'm personally comfortable with children under adult supervision playing here without further fencing to enclose them.
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