Faculty Staff:
Chris Robertson – special ed. Fast Forward Program – resigned for personal reasons
Not filled-- Arlette Stroeh no longer on staff
Not filled – English Literacy coach – Vanessa Lowe

Enrollment: actual enrollment: 2762 (down from) 2825

Attendance rate: 93.0%

Budget: 2825 projected students ~$2827 per “unit”. Most kids are weighted 1.03 for various reasons (accommodations)

The proposed budget projects reducing one teaching position to reduce ONE position through attrition.

Title I
Frances Robinson-Hunt brought up questions regarding Title I mandates. She asked whether the required four parent meetings had been held, and what type of communication is being used to deliver notifications. Mr. Castro referred her to Mr. Bissell, the Title I coordinator.

WAIVERS

SDMC will craft waivers and solicit interest for ‘new’ ones.
Designated SDMC will put waivers out for faculty vote.

• Composite Grading
• Credit Appeal
• Professional Development -- calendar
• Sr. Exam Exemptions

Proposed
• AP Exam takers would be exempt from exam IF they sit for the AP test. Same rules as Sr. exemption.
• As an effort to increase attendance, allow 9th, 10th & 11th students could be exempt if certain criterion were met…one for 9th, 2 for 10th and 3 for 11th
• If students pass TAKS, can use passing score to replace final exam

Ninth Grade Academy (CONSIDERATION)

SDMC task – investigate ninth grade academy structures (pros and cons)

Three working Small Learning Communities
• Applied Sciences and Health Professions
• Fine Arts
• Business Academy
Consider looking at Aldine, Alief, and Brazosport to determine what works well at these schools, and what does not.

Task: define questions, then go out to other districts to determine answers

Caveats: No repeating Freshmen, not isolation but reinforcement of high school attitude.

• Currently, ninth grade teachers are working in teams. Consider results of this year prior to changing
• Ninth grade academy would just create an 8th grade extension
• Need to get students that are repeating 9th grades into a separate class
• Need good veteran teachers to teach ninth graders
• Consider an incentive for ninth grade teachers
• Freshman teacher should only teach ONE subject (grade level)

SDMC – decided to focus on Ninth grade FOCUS rather than a Ninth Grade Academy to continue work on existing program vs. starting something new.

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Teacher of the Year – Pamela McClendon
Discussion of ways to honor these teachers.

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Textbooks –
Dilema: AP Exams occur up to Exams. Textbooks are collected in the same area as the AP exams are occurring.

Choices: --collect books first of May – NO
--send houses one at a time to bookroom
--allow time in the final exam period

PLAN that had most positive reception: Have students meet in commons with classes (to be determined). Access the bookroom via the MTV hall, cross through the loading dock to access the bookroom five at a time.