Brighter Choice Charter Schools
Minutes
Academic Committee Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday March 7, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Location
250 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
Committee Members Present
M. Snyder, T. Hanmer, Z. Nelson
Committee Members Absent
None
Guests Present
K. Ford, K. Mclean, L. Licygiewicz, T. Stutsrim
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
M. Snyder called a meeting of the Academic Policy Committee of Brighter Choice Charter Schools to order on Thursday Mar 7, 2019 at 9:12 AM.
C.
Approve Minutes from the December 13, 2018 Academic Committee meeting
Minutes should be amended to reflect that they were submitted by Ms. Nelson. Ms. Snyder moved to approve with this change, Ms. Nelson seconded.
M. Snyder made a motion to approve minutes from the Academic Committee Meeting on 12-13-18 with indicated amendment. Academic Committee Meeting on 12-13-18.
Z. Nelson seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
II. Academic Policy
A.
BCCSB Principal’s report and school update
Boys’ School, Ms. Mclean reporting:
Enrollment stable, lost 5 over last few weeks
Recruitment for next year
Personnel challenges/changes
Enrollment stable, lost 5 over last few weeks
Recruitment for next year
Challenge, always lose students when KIPP adds a grade
Good news for 5th graders—Green Tech adding 6th, incentive for boys to enroll at BCCS for k-5.
Attendance is stabilizing, responding to rewards system put in place by Ms. McleanPersonnel challenges/changes
New third grade math teacher
Ms. Sherman still covering for second grade teacher who left
New SPED candidate in the pipeline
One TA left, has already been replaced
Social media
New Web site under construction
Presence on FB and Instagram positive
Marketing firm, Collective Efforts, providing valuable reports about hits on social media
Review of upcoming events, March a long, quiet month, dominated by test prep
5/28—professional development day, good day for trustee/staff party
B.
BCCSG Principal’s report and school update
Girls’ School, Ms. Ford reporting:
Enrollment solid, lost 11 students, but this includes two pairs of three sisters and families moving to NYC and North Carolina
Ms. Ford (and Ms. Mclean) reported on their frustration at the slow pace with which requests for IEP evaluations for charter school students are handled (compared to district schools).
Ms. Ford showed a video of Christine Forbes’ math classroom.
Ms. Ford showed how the North West Evaluation Association data for math can serve as a predictor for 4th and 5th grade performance on state tests. BCCS for Girls using Freckle, an online practice program for math.
Ms. Ford shared the SED report of a site visit last May by New York State Center for School Safety (NYSCFSS). The board briefly considered the recommendations, most of which are already in place. Consensus that the recommendation that the school hire a security guard not be adopted.
Personnel challenges
Enrollment solid, lost 11 students, but this includes two pairs of three sisters and families moving to NYC and North Carolina
Ms. Ford (and Ms. Mclean) reported on their frustration at the slow pace with which requests for IEP evaluations for charter school students are handled (compared to district schools).
Ms. Ford showed a video of Christine Forbes’ math classroom.
Ms. Ford showed how the North West Evaluation Association data for math can serve as a predictor for 4th and 5th grade performance on state tests. BCCS for Girls using Freckle, an online practice program for math.
Ms. Ford shared the SED report of a site visit last May by New York State Center for School Safety (NYSCFSS). The board briefly considered the recommendations, most of which are already in place. Consensus that the recommendation that the school hire a security guard not be adopted.
Personnel challenges
2nd grade teacher resigned, replaced by Intervention (Coach? Teacher?)
4th grade ELA teacher resigned, replaced by music teacher
Need new music teacher, new Behavior Interventionist
At the conclusion of Ms. Ford’s report, there was a general discussion of teacher retention, teacher burn-out, the pressures of the long day on a mostly female staff with young families. Merit pay not as important to teachers as planning time within the school day. Ms. Mclean and Ms. Ford are working to creatively to provide more of this. Ms. Snyder and Ms. Nelson suggested that the board should try to raise money to provide more regularized merit pay, ideally on an endowed basis.
III. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
T. Hanmer made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Z. Nelson seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 AM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Z. Nelson