Edison School of the Arts

Minutes

Academic Excellence Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday March 19, 2019 at 4:30 PM

Edison School of the Arts Mission is to continue to be an educational and artful resource for all students, parents, community, and staff members by consistent and focused professional development, invitational practices by all, utilizing quarterly and annual reviews.  We will continue to develop our educational and arts aesthetic by expanding our arts experiences, exposure, and partnerships

Edison School of the Arts Vision is to provide an environment that promotes high academic and creative achievement through implementation of visual and performing arts course programming. We encourage students to become responsible citizens who are culturally diverse. We develop lifelong learners, appreciators, and consumers of the arts.

Committee Members Present

A. Berns, E. Disney-Britton, H. Leck

Committee Members Absent

None

Guests Present

C. Jones, K. Feeney-Caito, N. Tuttle, P. Guthrie

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance and Guests

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

H. Leck called a meeting of the Academic Excellence Committee of Edison School of the Arts to order on Tuesday Mar 19, 2019 at 4:39 PM.

C.

Adoption of the Agenda

H. Leck made a motion to approve the agenda.
N. Tuttle seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED to approve the motion.

D.

Approve Minutes

H. Leck made a motion to approve minutes from the Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 02-19-19 Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 02-19-19.
A. Berns seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED to approve the motion.

II. Academic Excellence

A.

Discussion of recent testing and professional development

A. Berns discussed the 2018-2019 testing window. 
  • Testing
    • ILearn testing date has been extended. 
    • IRead data is being reviewed by school leaders and teachers. Students are being giving additional instruction for sections that can be improved. 
    • ReadyGen nonfiction and comprehension data is being reviewed. 
  • Testing Results
    • Edison is expecting to received data in mid-April 
  • Enrichment
    • C. Weidenbach provided after school reading programming. 
    • There is 4th, 7th and 8th grade tutoring that occurs after school. 
  • Remediation 
    • During enrichment period, teachers evaluate their class's percent of growth. Student with lower scores are placed in remedial groups. 
  • Upcoming Test
    • IRead 3 for third grade students
    • ILearn 
      • The retesting window doesn't open till after the end of the school year.
      • Edison has contacted the IDOE to schedule the testing window to occur while school is in session this academic school year. 
    • Majority of the test is untimed excluding science and social studies. 
A. Berns discussed the Kennedy Center artist in residence Kimberli Boyd. 

Professional Development
  • Kimberli Boyd led a professional development session on March 13th. 
  • Edison staff and local teaching professionals attended the session. 
  • Teachers have been applying movement into their instruction to encourage student participation. 

B.

Update on Attendance and Suspensions

A. Berns discussed attendance and suspensions.

Suspensions
  • School leaders have been regulating student behavior to reduce suspensions leading up to spring break. 
  • The behavioral specialist and counselors have been applying conflict resolution and restorative conversations to regulate student behavior. 
  • The behavioral system that is in place tracks student behavior and teacher's responses. 
    • Counselors have created a behavior and intervention plan for students that are repeat offenders. 
  • 78% of students are repeat offenders. 
Attendance
  • Attendance is anticipated to continue to decrease leading up to spring break. Then return to normal attendance projections when school resumes after spring break. 

 

C.

Discussion of Potential New Members to Committee

H. Leck discussed the cultivation of committee members. 

Academic Committee Members
  • E. Disney- Britton encouraged parent participation in the committee. 
  • Edison will continue to invite community members with academic backgrounds to join the committee. 

D.

Staffing Update

A. Berns discussed substitute staffing and partnership with Parallel Employment Group. 

Substitute Teachers  
  • 2 new substitute teachers have been placed within the 4th grade classroom 
    • Mr. Clinton and Ms. Ebecheba are leading the 4th grade classroom. 
  • Mr. Nichols is continuing to lead the 7th and 8th grade classrooms. 
Instructional Coaches
  • Giving additional support to teachers and students as needed. 
Intent to Return Form
  • Staff members have received their intent to return forms. This will be used for further conversation in the spring listening tours. 
  • Teachers will receive their 2019-2020 contracts in May. 
  • H. Leck discussed having firm legal obligations for teacher's commitment within the contracts. A. Berns discussed that Edison does have a contact hold of 30 days after we receive their letter of resignation. 

E.

Update on Accomplishments

The committee will discuss this topic during the next committee meeting. 

III. New section

A.

Problem Resolution Procedure and Grievance Form

The committee will discuss this topic during the next committee meeting. 

IV. Academic School Year Schedule

A.

Forecast of Forthcoming Events Affecting Academic Progress and/org Growth

The committee will discuss this topic during the next committee meeting. 

B.

Vote on Calendar Update

A. Berns has updated the 2019-2020 school calendar and would like to present to the board for a vote. 
H. Leck made a motion to approve the school calendar for presentation to the board.
A. Berns seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

Teacher Evaluation Update

Whetstone wants to highlight Edison on their usage within their upcoming newsletter this Friday. 

V. New Business

A.

Areas of New Business

There were no areas of new business. 

VI. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 5:36 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
H. Leck