Contract for Excellence Public Hearing June 25, 2008 Pierce Library, Mexico High School 6:00 PM Committee Members Present: Nelson Bauersfeld Mary Beth Horn Judith Belfield Audrey Cole Karen Griffin Cathie Carros Public : Kenneth Richards Betsy Passer Noreen Phillips Jan Clark (Board of Ed. Member) Merilee Gorton (Board of Ed. Member) Darlene Upcraft (Board of Ed. Member)
Mr. Bauersfeld began the meeting at 6:03 PM. The purpose of this meeting is to solicit comments from the public about our Contract for Excellence Plan (C4E). Ms. Cole handed out copies to the public. Mr. Bauersfeld gave a history of why MACS has been named a C4E district. We received a 10.35% increase in our foundation aid, we have a middle school SINI year 2 and our high school is a SRAP2 school. To become “school in good standing”, we need to meet/exceed state standards for 2 years. We believe both schools will be named “schools in good standing” in September. At that point, we will no longer need to be a C4E school; however, we need to go through this process. Receiving the C4E designation does not bring more money into our district; rather, this designation dictates how we must spend $1,096,900. We need to designate $548,450 to continue programming and another $548,450 for new programming. As we were designated C4E AFTER our district budget was passed, the task at hand is now to designate monies to meet C4E requirements. The focus of the plan is literacy K-12. The plan our committee has developed spends the bulk of the money at the Middle School and the High School. Mr. Bauersfeld introduced the members of the C4E committee. Mr. Bauersfeld then reviewed the C4E plan budget (last 2 pages). We are ear-marking more money than the state says we need to. We have identified up to $1.5 million for our plan (we only need to identify $1,096,900). New programming is defined as anything that was not part of our general budget in the last school year. For example, if we funded programming through a grant, and we now shift that funding into the general budget, the state considers that new programming. Mr. Bauersfeld opened the meeting for questions at 6:25.
Noreen Phillips - parent: After-school extended day program for elementary schools, what is that? Mr. Bauersfeld: For the last year, we have looked to expand opportunities for enrichment. Our Board has ear marked $50,000 in our budget for enrichment. This past year, we provided after school programming for students who needed extra help through our Reading First Grant. We will combine these two concepts next year, by having an after school program for both students who need extra help and students who need enrichment. 75% of C4E money has to be spent on “need units” (free & reduced lunch, SWD, ELL, at-risk students); however, we can spend the other 25% of the money on other students and programming. Betsy Passer - parent: School Resource Officer, what programming has he brought? Mr. Bauersfeld: He has not, as that is not part of his job description. The role of the SRO is to work on improving the climate of the school by making this a safer place for students. We believe our SRO has accomplished this. I know you want the proof. I will be working over the summer to collect data that shows the climate at the High School has improved. Betsy Passer: So the SRO is interacting with students on bullying? Mr. Bauersfeld: He does not put on programs or assemblies, but he meets one on one or in a group with students. He is in the cafeteria and in the hallways and he is developing rapport with our students. The first year is getting to know the school population. We do believe he is making a positive change. Betsy Passer: Certainly not everyone is going to like the SRO. When we pay money for the SRO and I see him standing against a wall for 2 hours at activities, how does that help? Mr. Bauersfeld: I cannot comment on that. Betsy Passer: Does he meet with parents? When does he meet with kids? Mr. Bauersfeld: During the school day, he meets with kids. He talks with parents, but doesn’t meet with them on a regular basis. But this meeting is about C4E, not the SRO specifically. If you need to know more about the duties of the SRO, you need to sit down and meet with Mrs. Belfield (HS principal). Ken Richards – tax payer: I think I am hearing a part of this is to increase retention rate and graduation rate? Mr. Bauersfeld: True. Our graduation rate has improved to about 80% this year. Betsy Passer - parent: That is due in part to the Middle School, too. Mr. Bauersfeld: Absolutely. Betsy Passer: How does our SRO help – he got a $5,000 raise. Mr. Bauersfeld: That is not true. That $5,000 is in the budget as the whole cost – insurance, Social Security, etc. Betsy Passer: I see you have a Social Studies teacher for $70,000 Mr. Bauersfeld: Salary, benefits, etc. is included in the cost of hiring a staff member. Starting salary for a teacher on Step 1 is $42,250. That does not include any graduate hours or experience a teacher may have. When you add on TRS, FICA, Etc. the total cost comes close to $60,000.
Betsy Passer: What are the hours of SRO? Mr. Bauersfeld: He is minimum 40 hours. But Mrs. Belfield can elaborate more on that. Judy Belfield – High School Principal: He is usually here at 7:10. Most days he is here until 4:00 or 4:30. He comes back evenings, sometimes, too. Betsy Passer: I understand he has put in to be a soccer coach? Mr. Bauersfeld: That is true. Betsy Passer: How can he do that if we need him here? Mr. Bauersfeld: He can work that out. Betsy, we need to stop. We are not going to talk about the SRO any longer. This is about the C4E. I want it in the minutes that I am cutting off this discussion of the SRO. Betsy Passer: You are putting that in the minutes to the state? Mr. Bauersfeld: Yes, I am. Any other questions about the C4E? Noreen Phillips - parent: I understand the SRO is here to create a climate so kids feel safe. My concern is the regents exams. We have a difficult time getting kids to pass. My child this year struggled to pass Global. My question is could we spend the money better to help kids in these classes be better prepared for these exams? Mr. Bauersfeld: I guess I am hearing that you folks don’t believe we should have the SRO in the C4E plan. We will still have the SRO in our building, but it won’t be a part of the C4E. I can take that recommendation to remove the SRO from C4E money. Betsy Passer - parent: Is there money for Regents review books? Mr. Bauersfeld: So noted. Noreen Phillips - parent: Textbooks? My daughter did not have an Earth Science textbook? Mr. Bauersfeld: Good suggestion. I have to defer to Judy to see what courses we have textbooks for. Judy Belfield – High School Principal: Not every textbook follows NYS standards. Teachers hand out packets of material. It took 2-3 years to settle on a Biology textbook. Noreen Phillips: Where does the teacher get his materials to hand out then? Judy Belfield: Internet, other books, researching. Mr. Bauersfeld: I will note in our plan there is a desire to increase textbooks and additional support for regents classes in the plan. Betsy Passer - parent: Is there extra help for students taking Global Exams? Judy Belfield – High School Principal: We had after school help, it was advertised in the rooms, posted in the rooms, parents were called. We had 3 or 4 students show. Betsy Passer: Where was this advertised? Judy Belfield: In the classrooms. Each classroom posted it and teachers announced it to the students. Mr. Bauersfeld: I will note extended school program for regents help. Betsy Passer: Could you send home letters to parents, too? Mr. Bauersfeld: Yes we can. We can post it to our web site.
Mr. Bauersfeld: Any more comments on our plan? I want to emphasize it is a draft. I have comment forms here and you can download from our website the comment form. Please fill them out and return to our District Office.
The timeline was explained by Mr. Bauersfeld: We were notified the day after the State budget passed that we were on the list. I went to Albany May 22 to learn about the process. We are due to submit our plan by July 30th. Within 2 days we must post it to our web site. We have already applied to use some of our funds for summer programming. We will submit our comments from this meeting, and a summary of all comments we get, and that will be posted to our web site. The plan will be up for review. Once the plan is developed, we must also develop a complaint process for citizens to use as the plan is implemented over the next year. We are trying to follow all the rules. There are a lot of hoops to jump through. But the bottom line is we need to address the needs of our students. We have always believed that and we have tried diligently to do this. We truly believe that if we send our students out into the world without the academics and attitude to be successful, we have not done our job. I want to thank everyone for coming. I have comment forms here, please take one and get it back to us. I will go to Albany for training on the on-line application. Our committee will meet again before the final plan is submitted at the end of July. Our students are continuing to improve. For the past 2 years, we have had well over 70% of our 8th graders scoring 3 or 4 on the ELA exam. In prior years, we were mired in the 50% range. Math scores just came back and we are doing very well. Thank you very much. The meeting ended at 6:55 PM Respectfully submitted, Cathie Carros