2011-12 Board Meeting Reports
Board Meeting Reports are short summaries of Board Business Meetings and Board Study Sessions. Official minutes, as well as agendas and recordings, for board meetings can be found on the Salt Lake City School District Board of Education page.
June 19, 2012 - Board Study Session
The district's Communications Officer was not able to attend this meeting. However, links to the meeting minutes and a recording the meeting are available on 2011-12 Board Meeting page.
June 5, 2012 - Board Business Meeting
The district's Communications Officer was not able to attend this meeting. However, links to the meeting minutes and a recording the meeting are available on 2011-12 Board Meeting page.
May 15, 2012 - Board Study Session
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the limited consent agenda.
Student Achievement Plan Report - Family and School Collaboration
School Support Director Laurie Lacy reported on the goals to improve family and school collaboration. She reported on the past goals and what improvements had been made in past years, and she reported on current and future goals. She had her staff talk about a communications handbook they had compiled. The handbook lists ideas for helping teachers and principals communicate better and more frequently with students and their parents. Lacy also invited two school principals to talk about how they have taken steps to improve collaboration between their schools and the families they serve.
2012-13 School Improvement and LAND Trust Plans
After reviewing School Improvement and LAND Trust plans for two weeks, board members were given an opportunity to comment on them. Board members said in general this year's plans were easier to read and understand. They did want to see more specifics in the plans in terms of activities and actions to improve student achievement and said some plans repeated the same goals in many different areas. The plans and a summary of them will be placed on the district website once they are approved by the board.
2012-13 Budget Development
Business Administrator Janet Roberts thanked board members for meeting in small groups with her and the superintendent over the past few weeks to help develop next year's budget. She said the budget will be finalized and ready for approval by the board in June.
Superintendent's Report
Dr. McKell Withers
gave several short updates. He had board members report on their impressions of the latest National School Board Association convention. He told the board that the district is working with the city and donors to have all district high school students see the new documentary "Bully." He also reminded board members about Volunteer Appreciation Day, which is a day supported by the Salt Lake Education Foundation to thank this year's volunteers. This year, the volunteers will be offered free admission for them and their children to visit the Utah Natural History Museum.
May 1, 2012 - Board Business Meeting
Consent Agenda
The board of education unanimously approved the consent agenda.
School Improvement Report - Mountain View Elementary School
Principal James Martin reported on the improvements and challenges at Mountain View Elementary School. He said overall scores are improving, but there are still challenges. He highlighted the school's Power Hour, an after school program set up and designed to help struggling students. He said between Power Hour and the traditional afterschool program, half of his students are getting help after school. He also reported that he is getting the school community council more involved in designing plans to help students' writing skills. The school's improvement plan will focus on that area.
Budget Report
Business Administrator Janet Roberts reported on next year's General Fund Budget and the district tax rates. A general overview of next year's budget shows the district will receive $700,000 thanks to an increase in the WPU. However, the increase in retirement costs is $1.3 million, and the district used $1.1 million in one-time funds last year to cover on-going costs. Therefore, this year, the district will have to cover a $1.7 million budget deficit. The State Office of Education has also told the district there will be a $350,000 reduction in at-risk funds. During the next few weeks, the board will deliberate on how to best cover these deficits.
School Improvement and LAND Trust Plans
Board members were given summaries of all School Improvement and LAND Trust Plans. The comprehensive plans have been reviewed and edited by the School Support Team. Board members will now review the plans. The plans will be discussed in the May 15 Board Study Session and should be approved in June.
Child Internet Protection Act
Chief Information Officer Gary Smith and Curriculum Director Barbara Kuehl reviewed the steps the district takes to keep students safe while they are online. They reported that policies and filtering systems have been reviewed and found to be in complicates with the federal Child Internet Protection Act. This compliance is essential because it means the district is eligible for Erate funds, which have been used to support the district's computer network infrastructure.
Superintendent's Report
Dr. McKell Withers reported the state is still waiting to hear from the federal Department of Education about its request for flexibility in the No Child Left Behind testing standards. Utah is one of many states to request such flexibility. He also told board members about the district's plan to improve education for English Language Leaners. The plan is required since the district did not meet federal standards in this area last year.
April 10, 2012 - Board Business Meeting
Consent Agenda
The board of education unanimously approved the consent agenda.
Highland High School - School Improvement Report
Principal Paul Schulte reported to the board on some of the accomplishments at Highland High School. He reviewed testing data, highlighted increases in Language Arts, and discussed areas in math and science where more work is needed. Assistant Principal Chris Jenson reported on how the school shares data with its community as it develops each year's School Improvement Plan. Schulte also highlighted the school's Freshman Success Team and how each incoming student is assigned a mentor to help with the transition to high school.
Budget Development
Business Administrator Janet Roberts reviewed the Capital and Debt Services budget. She gave board members a list of the capital projects for the coming year as well as a five-year plan showing the anticipated building repairs and maintenance. Roberts also reviewed the district's bond debt. In the next few years, the bond debt will go down and Roberts says the district is planning on using funds from the capital levy to take care of any future building needs instead of issuing more bonds.
Plan to Plan
The board of education reviewed the Plan to Plan, a list of the overnight and extended trips for students in secondary schools. The list typically includes all trips that are possible during the upcoming year. It has been reviewed by teachers, principals, and district administrators. Board members agreed to put this item on the consent agenda for their next business meeting.
Superintendent's Report
Dr. McKell Withers told the board that the State Board of Education will meet later this week to begin making rules in accordance with changes to state law made in the recent legislative session. Those rules and new laws will dictate some changes to district policy. He also reported on a recent meeting with city and higher education leaders. The goal is to bring together as many government and community resources
as possible to focus on improving education in Salt Lake City. The Capital City Project will focus on combining resources and expertise to make sure students are career and college ready. Lastly, Dr. Withers told board members there is still a lot of confusion surrounding the federal education budget, and it probably won't be settled until after the election.
March 27, 2012 - Board Study Session
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the limited consent agenda.
Student Achievement Plan Report - School Choice
Associate Superintendent Dorothy Cosgrove reported on the efforts to offer school choice to students in the district. She reviewed the past and current choice programs. She also reported on enrollment data, showing how many students take advantage of school choice and attend a school outside of their neighborhood boundaries. Dr. Cosgrove then reviewed the goals for next year in relation to school choice. The goals include surveying parents to see how they learn about the different options and choices available to their students. Lastly, Linda Richins, principal at Clayton Middle School, and Marian Broadhead, Hawthorne Elementary School principal, reported on how the Curriculum and Assessment Lab program has helped their schools.
High School Report
The principals from the district's four high schools each took a few minutes to highlight the successes at their respective schools. Secondary School Support Director Kenneth Grover reported on the district-wide high school data. He said over the past few years graduation rates have been increasing and dropout rates have been declining.
Budget Development
Business Administrator Janet Roberts
gave board members an update on the state's public education budget. She reported that $118 million new dollars were added to the education budget, but considering other changes made by lawmakers, that increase would not be enough to cover retirements costs for employees. She also said there were concerns with funding for at-risk students. She was going to work with the state office to make sure the funding formula for at-risk students was being applied correctly.
March 6, 2012 - Board Business Meeting
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the consent agenda.
School Improvement Plan Report - Riley Elementary School
Principal Randall Miller reported on the efforts to improve student learning at Riley Elementary. Miller is new to the school this year and is working with the teachers and staff to understand why the school has not met Adequate Yearly Progress goals for the last two years. Miller said he is working on identifying key issues and is putting an emphasis on making improvements in those areas and looking forward to a more positive and productive future.
New Laws and Budget Development
Business Administrator Janet Roberts reviewed the state's public education budget and what issues Utah legislators were still looking at during the last few days of the legislative session. She said much of base budget work has already been done but that the last days of the session will certainly bring changes. Superintendent McKell Withers reviewed the district's priority bills and how they had fared during the legislative session. More information and a budget update will be available during the next Board Study Session, scheduled for March 27.
Innovations High School
Career and Technical Education Director Kenneth Grover answered questions from the board members about the district's new online educational plan, called Innovations High School. The idea is to offer students the ability to take online classes and blending the traditional digital curriculum with access to a teacher to help the students with their online classes. Grover outlined how he hopes the new plan will attract students who may struggle in a traditional comprehensive high schools or students would appreciate a different approach to high school.
The board's next meeting will be held at the newly finished Career and Technical Education Center.
Superintendent's Report
Dr. McKell Withers reported to board members that the district is working with Salt Lake City and local colleges and universities on an initiative to improve education for students of all ages. The initiative is still in the planning stages but does have great potential.
February 21, 2012 - Board Study Session
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the limited consent agenda.
Student Achievement Plan Report - Assessment
Assessment Director Jo Ellen Shaeffer reported on her department's efforts to support the Student Achievement Plan during the past year. She introduced her staff and explained what tasks each of them handle. She outlined the efforts made to make student testing more effective and meaningful. One area of focus is
sharing testing data with teachers and school principals so they can use the data to guide their instruction.
Superintendent's Report
Dr. McKell Withers gave board members an update on the current legislative session, including news about the district's priority bills. He then asked Associate Superintendent Dorothy Cosgrove and CTE Director Kenneth Grover to report on the district's efforts to create a blended online program called Innovations High School. The idea is to offer students the ability to take online classes with the added caveat of providing access to a teacher to help the students with their online classes.
February 7, 2012 - Board Business Meeting
The district's Communications Officer was not able to attend this meeting. However, a recording of the meeting is available and minutes from the meeting should be available in the March 6, 2012 Board Business Meeting Agenda.
January 17, 2012 - Board Study Session
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the limited consent agenda.
Student Achievement Plan Report - Equity and Advocacy
Assistant Superintendent Kathleen Christy and her staff reported on their efforts over the past year to support the Student Achievement Plan. They reviewed their goals and their successes from the past year and outlined their plans for the coming year. The teams also reviewed data gathered during a series of equity audits at a few schools.
School Improvement Plan Process for 2012-12
The School Support Team and Database Administrator Sam Quantz showcased changed made to improve the 2012-13 School Improvement Plan writing process. The changes are intended to simplify the school improvement plans and reduce redundancy. The new electronic plan templates includes prompts to help principals with the writing process.
Superintendent's Report
Superintendent McKell Withers
and Board President Kristi Swett reported on their meeting with the Salt Lake City Council regarding redistricting maps. The city council is tasked with making the final decision on redrawing board precincts, and council members are currently considering two maps. A decision on the new school board precincts is scheduled to be made during the February 7 City Council Meeting. Dr. Withers also gave board members a updated list of the educational-related bills for the 2012 Legislative Session.
January 3, 2012 - Board Business Meeting
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the consent agenda.
School Improvement Report
Indian Hills Elementary School Principal Earl Arnoldson reported on the programs and student achievement at his school. He gave board members a a flier listing the different programs available at Indian Hills. He told the board about plans to focus on Tier 2 students, or those students who could see great benefits from just a bit more focus and help from teachers and staff.
Comprehensive Annual Finance Report
David Brown from Squire and Company gave the board a quick review of the district's Comprehensive Annual Finance Report. Brown said there were no significant findings during Squire's audit. He said if the district were to receive a letter grade for its budget and financial procedures, it would be an A.
Student Progress and Teacher Recognition
District Data Coordinator Christine Marriott reported on the district's new teacher recognition program and how data is used to determine the award recipients. The new program awards the teachers and schools whose students show the most growth over the course of a year. By being based on growth and comparing like students, the program is a fair measurement of which teachers are most effective. Marriott and her colleagues are still working to develop and improve growth models for teachers who teach in non-core subject areas. The data can be used by the district in the future to identify struggling teachers and get them appropriate help and support.
School Accountability Models
Superintendent McKell Withers reviewed the past and current school accountability models used in Utah. Coming next will be letter grades for schools. District data professional have been working with the state to help define how grades are determined. While there are still many elements of this model that can be improved, schools will begin receiving letter grades in the Spring of 2012. It is a move mandated by the state legislature.
Superintendents Report
Dr. Withers reported that the number of education-related bills for the 2012 Legislative Session continues to grow. He gave board members a listing of the current bills and promised to provide more information as more of the bill are filed and available for public review.
December 6, 2011 - Board Business Meeting
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the consent agenda.
School Improvement Report
Principal Marian Broadhead reported on the school improvement efforts at Hawthorne Elementary School. She gave board members a written report on CRT scores from the past three years and then highlighted other areas in her verbal report. She focused on the school's strong parental involvement, and how it has grown as the school has learned to integrate its neighborhood program, its magnet ELP program, and its Curriculum and Assessment Lab program. She also spoke about the school growing English Language Development program and how it is helping ESL students. Also, this year marks the 100th Anniversary for Hawthorne Elementary and a big celebration is being planned for later this school year.
K-8 Report
Assessment and Evaluation Director Jo Ellen Shaeffer presented a report on the district's K-8 program. Several schools considered switching to the K-8 format several years ago, but only one, Nibley Park, decided to make the transition. Initial research shows the academic progress is not as good as was expected based on other K-8 programs across the district. However, the program is still growing and more reliable data will be available in coming years. Shaeffer also said there needs to be increased collaboration between teachers within the school and between the seventh- and eighth-grade teachers at Nibley Park and teachers at other district middle schools.
2012 Legislative Priorities
Superintendent McKell Withers gave board members a list of the district's 2011 legislative priorities and recommended they remain the same for 2012.
Superintendents Report
Dr. Withers reported the latest state revenue projections are positive. They show tax revenues are millions more than expected, but the question is how lawmakers will choose to use that money. The superintendent also gave board members a list of the education related bills that are being prepared for the next legislative session. Unfortunately, most of those bills are not available for public review yet.
November 1, 2011 – Board Business Meeting
Consent Agenda
The board of education passed the consent agenda.
School Improvement Report - Bryant Middle School
Principal France Battle reported to the board on her school's ongoing effort to improve student achievement. She highlighted the changing demographics at Bryant Middle School and the efforts by teachers and administration to help all students improve. She focused on how all students participate in the school's Study Hall program, which is designed to help students with their assigned work, and she answered questions from the board.
Policy Revision
The board reviewed recommended changes to Policy P-6, Alcohol, Tobacco, or Controlled Substance. The changes were designed to address safety concerns for district employees who operate vehicles and machinery. The board agreed to put the revisions on the consent agenda for next board business meeting.
Draft Redistricting Maps
Board members reviewed draft copies of proposed redistricting maps. They compared the maps to their redistricting criteria and discussed which maps would best serve the community. The board agreed to do some minor changes to two of the maps and then share those two maps with the schools and school community councils. The maps are available for review on the district's home page.
Action Items
The board of education approved the school Open/Closed Designations for 2012-2013 Choice Enrollment and the East/Highland Boundary Adjustment.
Superintendent's Report
Superintendent McKell Withers gave board members a brief update for the upcoming legislative session. He reviewed some pieces of proposed legislation and some proposed changes to the Weight Pupil Unit.
October 18, 2011 – Board Study Session
Limited Consent Agenda
The board of education passed the limited consent agenda.
Student Achievement Plan
Early Childhood Director Ann Cook reported on the goals and achievements of her department in relation to the Student Achievement Plan. She handed out materials and reported to board members on the effort to improve instruction for pre-kindergarten students in the district. All Title I schools and two non-Title I schools have pre-k programs, and many of those schools have waiting lists. Cook had Research and Assessment Director Jo Ellen Schaeffer share some data, which shows that students who participate in the district’s early childhood program tend to score higher on first-grade tests.
Adult Transition for Special Education Students
Exceptional Children Services Director Randy Schelble reported to board members on the process for transitioning special education students out of school and into new chapters of their lives, such as careers and higher education. She said it is not always an easy process, but she has hired a special education coach at each high school to help the special education teachers. Schelble said the program is seeing great improvements, and she is excited to see what the future brings.
Draft Redistricting Maps
Board members reviewed some draft copies of several redistricting maps. They compared the maps to their redistricting criteria and discussed which maps would best serve the community. The board agreed to do some minor changes to two of the maps and then share those two maps with the schools and school community councils. (adjustments completed and maps made available for public comment 10/24/11).
These two draft maps are also available on the Salt Lake City School District Facebook page. Public comment should be directed to Jason Olsen, Communications Officer, at jason.olsen@slcschools.org; (801) 578-8352; (801) 578-8685 (fax); or mailed to 440 East 100 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent McKell Withers gave board members an updated report on AP test passing rates. The superintendent's report listed the number of test takers and the passing rate for each type of AP test.
October 4, 2011 - Board Business Meeting
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the consent agenda.
School Improvement Report
Principal Bobbie Kirby reported on the improvements and goals at Ensign Elementary School. She said the school has many students who already achieve high academic standards, but the school is committed to help all students. She highlighted many areas of academic focus and told board members the school is working to strengthen attendance at its after school program, especially among students who ride the bus to school and may not have the opportunity to remain after school due to transportation issues.
Preliminary Enrollment
Chief Information Officer Gary Smith gave board members a preliminary enrollment report. The report showed enrollment is up over 25,000 students, with much of that increase coming from elementary school students. Smith said he will comb through the data for errors and then has to give an official enrollment report to the state by October 17.
AP, IB, SAT, and ACT Results
Assessment and Evaluation Director Jo Ellen Shaeffer reviewed the most recent AP, IB, SAT, and ACT results with board members. In many areas, the number of students taking these test has increased. Also the IB programs in the district are very successful with an approximate 80% overall passing rate on the IB tests.
Redistricting
Board members reviewed their criteria for redistricting and reviewed the mapping software available on the city's website. They discussed options for increasing representation on the west side of the city by maintaining two precincts completely west of I-15 and having a third precinct also extend into neighborhoods west of I-15. Redistricting and some possible maps will be discussed during the next Board Study Session.
Superintendents Report
Superintendent McKell Withers gave board members an update on several legislative topics. He reported on several pieces of legislation that have already surfaced and would impact public schools. He also reported that state revenue is higher than expected, but lawmakers are already trying to move some of that extra revenue to the state's Rainy Day Fund.
September 20, 2011 - Board Study Session
Consent Agenda
The Salt Lake City School District Board of Education passed the limited consent agenda.
Student Achievement Plan Report
Develop and External Relations Director Michael Williams, Communications Officer Jason Olsen, and Communications Specialist Andy Shaffer reported on their efforts to improve communications throughout the district. They were joined by three members of the Summit Group, who had recently completed an analysis of the district’s communication efforts. The Summit Group’s report included recommendations to make the district more welcoming and to facilitate better two-way communication with stakeholders.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent McKell Withers gave the board of education a quick review of legislation being written for the upcoming legislative session. He warned that some of the current ideas could be very damaging to public education. Dr. Withers also gave board members an update on the redistricting effort, particularly on the progress in Salt Lake City.
September 6, 2011 - Board Business Meeting
Introductions
Superintendent McKell Withers introduced two new principals to the board. Shelly Halverson is the new principal at Highland Park Elementary School. Nicole Warren in the acting principal at Rose Park Elementary School.
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the consent agenda.
School Improvement Report
Principal Kenneth Limb reported on the improvements and goals at Dilworth Elementary School. He reviewed the school's data, including demographics, test scores, and AYP information. He told board members he is proud of the hard work put forth by teachers and students, but that there are also areas for improvement.
AYP and UPASS DATA
Assessment and Evaluation Director Jo Ellen Shaeffer reported on the AYP and UPASS report cards for all district schools. She said there were some schools who successfully appealed their AYP and UPASS designations because there were mistakes in the data used to make those designations. For those schools the state report cards will simply state the school had appealed their designations.
Options Committee Recommendations for Highland/East Boundary
Members of the Highland/East Boundary Options Committee presented their recommendations to the board of education. They reported on the process used to develop the recommendations and many commented on how smooth the process was. The board thanked them for their work and directed staff to schedule a public hearing to gather parent feedback on the recommendations.
Superintendents Report
Superintendent McKell Withers gave board members an update on several topics. He said the new Utah Education Online initiative has been very successful Several district have joined UEO to provide online classes for high school students. He also gave short updates on the most recent legislative priorities from the Utah School Boards Association and the redistrict process.
August 2, 2011 - Board Business Meeting and Tax Hearing
Recognitions
The Salt Lake City Board of Education recognized and honored the 2012 District Teacher of the Year, Leigh VandenAkker, and the 2012 District Special Education Teacher of the Year, Lori Kopasz.
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved the consent agenda.
Tax Hearing
The board held a Truth in Taxation Hearing before approving the new tax rate for the 2011-12 budget. The tax rate included a tax increase of $1.7 million. The tax increase represents a $5.83 increase in taxes on a $100,000 home. The district has made over $19 million in cuts over the last three years, and couldn’t make more cuts without adversely affecting services to students.
AYP and UPASS DATA
Assessment and Evaluation Director Jo Ellen Shaeffer reviewed the preliminary AYP and UPASS data for the 2010-11 school year. The Utah State Office of Education had just released the data. The district has 30 days to review the data. Any inaccuracies or mistakes will be reported back to the state office. AYP and UPASS reports should be released to the public at the end of August.
PowerSchool Update
Data Base Administrator Sam Quantz and Chief Information Officer Gary Smith gave board members an update on the transition to PowerSchool as the district’s student information system. Quantz said the implementation is going well and should be completed on time. Teachers should find the system easier to use than the district pervious system. Smith said the biggest concern is that many employees have not participated in the online training, but a reminder will be sent to all employees.
Redistricting Criteria
The board reviewed a letter to the Salt Lake City Council which outlines the board’s criteria for redistricting.
- Make precincts substantially equal in population (less than 10% overall variance)
- Consider school-age population and SCC responsibilities in each district
- Preserve communities of interest where possible
- Maintain two precincts lying completely west of I-15
- Include constituents west of I-15 in at least one additional precinct
Superintendents Report
Superintendent McKell Withers reported on the recent legislative priorities for the Utah School Boards Association. He said the goal will be to articulate the need for new resources for new students and restoring the cuts made to education in previous years. He also told board members estimates show that School LAND Trust funding will be more than originally anticipated.
July 5, 2011 - Board Annual Planning Session
Consent Agenda
The board of education approved
the limited consent agenda.
Board Priorities and Professional Development
Board members reviewed a draft copy of a new Board Handbook. The proposed new handbook is much more concise than the previous handbook. It includes information about board member duties and responsibilities as well as guidelines for conducting effective meetings. A small group of board members will work with the superintendent over the next few weeks to make edits and finalize the contents of the new Board Handbook. The board of education also discussed criteria for redistricting. While the board is waiting for the legislature to complete its redistricting work, the board members are working on the priorities and values which will guide their redistricting efforts.
The board of education then reviewed the parameters for developing district calendars. Based on information the board learned this past year as they moved all schools to common calendar, board members agreed to review the current calendar parameters and the possibility of making changes to those parameters. Finally, in preparation for the 2011-12 year, the board members discussed their tentative meeting schedule and basic meeting outline as well as the board policy subcommittee schedule. The policy subcommittee schedule will be placed on the district website and will offer patrons a chance to provide written feedback on the policies.
Superintendent's Report
Superintendent McKell Withers reported on the current boundary review process. Based on suggestions from the community, a committee comprised of parents, teachers, and administrators has been reviewing the boundaries between East High School and Highland High School. Dr. Withers said the discussions have been very productive. He then handed out a list of the summer construction projects, and Auxiliary Service Director Steve Woods reported that the projects are progressing nicely. All projects should all be complete in time for the start of the school in August.
The superintendent also reported briefly on the district's efforts to partner with other districts and charter schools to provide online courses for students.
