Vida Charter School

Minutes

Academic Excellence Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Monday April 11, 2016 at 3:30 PM

Location

Eisenhower Bldg; Vida Charter School

Committee Members Present

C. Maldonado

Committee Members Absent

A. Kittelberger, M. Novoa

Guests Present

M. Rosenberger, Maria Gellman, Maribel Gonzalez

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance and Guests

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

M. Rosenberger called a meeting of the Academic Excellence Committee of Vida Charter School to order on Monday Apr 11, 2016 at 3:50 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes

C. Maldonado made a motion to approve minutes from the Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 02-08-16 Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 02-08-16.
M. Rosenberger seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

D.

Approve Minutes

C. Maldonado made a motion to approve minutes from the Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 03-14-16 Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 03-14-16.
M. Rosenberger seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Public comments

No public comments 

II. Old Business

A.

Gettysburg College Data Project update

Shelby, Gettysburg College student, has been observing grades weekly and identifying motivation of how kids behave during math instruction and comparing it to PSSA scores.

III. New Business

A.

Dual Language Preschool Presentation

Maribel Gonzalez discussed benefits of having a bilingual preschool in Gettysburg. 
Conversations have been started with YW Gettysburg to see if they would pilot at Vida 1st year - next fall.
Following year, would have to find an alternate location due to expected enrolled increase. 
Cynthia Maldonado will ask Dr. Redding if lease would need to be modified. 
Committe task force consists of Amelia,  Maria, Maribel,  Cynthia 
MelissaRosenberger suggested reaching out to group who showed Raising America video a few months ago.  Also urged committee members to watch video.
Gettysburg High School could be another location for school.  They have an early ed tech prep program that only uses preschool classroom for a few hours a week.
Next year present bilingual  preschool at Bridging the Gap conference in Gettysburg for early childhood educators 

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B.

Academic Excellence School Committee

Discussion about how to have exciting themes for 6th grade.  Model UN, Band, musical instruments,  after school drum, recorder, guitar,  drama, school plays were suggested as ideas.

Discussed reasons kids leave in upper grades and how to sustain. 

C.

New item

458 dual language schools in country - charter, magnet, private
82 middle school
17 high school
Data from CAL - Center for Applied Linguistics
Task force created to find evidence of why we need and want a 7th and 8th grade. 
Pros
+Continuation of language development 
+Opportunities to take advanced classes or test out in college 
+Better for ELL kids who are typically pulled out of the group 
Cons
-Planning - distribution of languages 
-Where to find qualified staff
-Language attrition 
-Transportation 
- Parent concern for learning certain subjects in Spanish and  How it will effect SAT scores 








 

 

IV. 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 4:35 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
M. Rosenberger