District Parent Council
Minutes of the Meeting
April 25, 2007
The Wednesday, April 24, 2007, DPC meeting was chaired by Tron Welch and
convened at 6:37 p.m. Chris Buchholtz took minutes.
6:37 – 7:10 p.m. Election of tri-chairs for 2007-2008 school year.
· Jean Paxton reminded everyone of Dr. Garcia’s retirement party.
May 10, 2007, at the Millenium Hotel 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
· Budget forum 4/26, 7:00 – 9:00. Everyone welcome.
· DPC would like to discuss at next meeting what DPC is and does.
· Election of tri-chairs:
o Roman Mica and Tron Welch will be staying on as chairs
o Tron nominates Kimberly Copanas
o Final: Tri-chairs will be Roman Mica, Tron Welch, Kimberly Copanas
o Passed unanimously.
· Committee a bit concerned by lack of participation (23 people in
attendance). At next meeting discuss what direction needs to be taken to
encourage people to attend.
· Members can email to anyone on topica. Emails don’t have to route
through Roman. DP-@topica.com
· Comments were made about what committee would like to see next
year:
o Foothill would like to see DPC as an instrumental part of research when
looking at what people think about things whether it is superintendent, food
items, etc.
o DPC has no authority, but they do have things to offer, advice to give.
· Dr. Garcia commented that this year and last year had the most
participation in DPC. Spring meetings difficult for people which is why the
round robin was brought in, to be a vehicle to get input to district. We
have used DPC for policy or program issues. There is no authority but input
is considered, the expectation is 2-way communication.
7:10 – 7:45 Graduation requirements – Judy Skupa, Assistant Superintendent
· Board asked to consider increasing credit requirements in math and
science. There is talk about increasing requirements across state. State
Bill was passed asking Governor to appoint task force. BVSD has a task force
looking at this issue.
· Judy Skupa stated the last time requirements changed were for
students graduating 2010. New Century Graduate requirements established. The
emphasis being that there should be a great deal of rigor in academic realm
for students. In Colorado, Colorado Commission of Higher Education looks at
entrance requirements to 4-year colleges, identified set of requirements
needed to enter 4-year institutions. BVSD Board looked at where are we in
relation to higher education requirements. Determined higher education
admission requirements very different from what we need for graduating
students from high school.
· Students in BVSD have lowest remediation rate in college (fewer of
our students are asked to go to math, reading or writing to prepare for
college level work.)
· Handout explains 2010 requirements: BVSD - Students have to have x
number academic credits per course category.
· Total credits must reach 220.
· About 7% graduate with only 220 credits. Majority are taking
220-260 range.
· Concerns are quality of programming for students, in particular in
science realm. Are our lab facilities safe, are they adequate to accommodate
more requirements, higher education students. What budget impact this would
bring: space, teacher, books, etc. to increase.
· 80% of our students go to 4 year colleges.
Comments/Q&A:
Role of BVSD is not to prepare kids for college. With this in mind, what is
legislature’s reasoning to increase requirements?
Judy: Not our sole mission to get them to college, but to give them a
variety of options to deal with challenges, which may later lead to going
back to college.
Any specific problems BVSD is seeing, is that why we’re considering this?
What’s driving this?
Dr. García: Doesn’t think there is a problem. Feels we have enough options.
If we increase requirements can we increase diversity of class? Do we have
that discretion?
No, but higher education requirements are stringent.
Most concerned about 16% that don’t make it. How are we preparing these few
so they don’t drop out.
Vo-tec programs pretty progressive.
Would like to not see kids that are taking higher math classes getting
penalized because they started taking advanced classes in middle level, then
they have to take 4 even higher in high school.
Judy: Frequently students taking AP math classes can’t get enough. Concern
for us would be are students taking math in 8th grade, have we provided all
we can for them.
Computer science is considered an elective? Any way computer science can be
incorporated as a math class?
Yes. Not sure, will have to check on the option of computer science being
considered a math possibility.
Any gender distinctions in math level in high school? She sees only 10% of
women in economics at CU. Are we encouraging women to go into math and
sciences?
Judy: Visiting high schools, she sees they are not so disproportionate of
girls to boys to cause alarm, close to 50%. We’re part of the
pre-engineering program at CU, Diana at Centaurus doing great job engaging
girls. Judy and Dr. García will revisit data.
The alignment council grappled with statistics of remediation at college
level because students forgot math or science. Idea was they’d have math at
end of high school so they wouldn’t forget it. These statistics are nation
wide studies, very little from Colorado specifically. Colleges look at
content of classes. Content standards must meet or exceed state
expectations. State board is opposed to high school graduation tests.
65% have 240 credits, raising standards really not affecting college bound
students anyway. Don’t think we’re accomplishing anything but taking control
from parents.
Break 5 minutes
7:50 – 9:00 Round Robin:
Mesa Elementary: Helped arrange event with Boulder Public Library (BPL).
Mesa has small library. Stephen served as liaison with head of research at
BPL to help kids who didn’t have library card get one. Database at BPL very
useful and can be used at home by all students.
Dr. García: Regarding school safety as result of Virginia Tech. tragedy,
we’ve had meetings to discuss security and feel we’re as safe as we can be.
RFI came up how do we lock down open space settings? Each of those schools
have doors to open space, lockdown would entail locking students in the open
space area. Through the bond we will renovate some areas for some schools.
Columbine Elementary: Fifth graders invited to perform Shakespeare at other
schools. 50th anniversary of school and 30 yr. anniversary of mile marathon.
Elite runners from all over the world to run with the kids.
Boulder High: Grassroots group trying to get Boulder High to offer beginning
Spanish to Casey kids. Would serve students whose first language is Spanish
and wouldn’t change number of classes taught, for example Science would be
taught in Spanish. Getting support from Chris King and Bud Jenkins but still
in exploratory phase.
Dr. García: Commented finding appropriate teachers that can teach higher
academic Spanish. In dual-language schools, English speaking kids take
Spanish taught classes, interest is to carry that into high school.
Pioneer: Concern about bullying lately. Staff trying to work through this.
Boulder Valley Council PTA representative, Kimberly, term ends this year.
Went to Colorado PTA convention this weekend. Gov. Ritter spoke…seems
supportive of education. While in some schools TIES is a way to increase
involvement on SIT teams, but some schools say it decreases involvement.
Feeling alienated that TIES only taught to staff, not parents.
Dr. García thought there was a parent part in the training, he will check on
that.
Platt & Douglass: Selected new principals. Commend district, smooth, fair
process. Parents seems happy. Sad to lose Kelley King, but replacement seems
good. A bit of concern with Asst. Principal who is on medical leave.
Dr. G. Understanding is AP coming back.
Question of Read to Achieve: Expectation is that will be eliminated. Still
lobbying, some talk that state legislature will allocate some money. Less
than before, but some possibly.
There is a great need for outgoing PTA/PTO presidents to share knowledge
before exiting positions.
BCSIS: School targeted for destratification. Went well during Open
Enrollment. Tried to draw low socio-economic families to the school. Issue
of destratification, confusing to some parents because they thought to get
more ELL (20%) but as it turned out only 3 of incoming kindergarten students
are the only ELL’s. Concerned that district won’t provide enough support for
these few, saying they can’t justify money for so few.
Dr. García: In budget discussion at Board meeting it was stated that support
will be there.
Jamestown: Finished study of Alaska. Waiting for spring!
Creekside: In news again last week “garden to table” project going strong.
Cyber bullying – bullying policy needs to be updated to include cyber
bullying.
BHMS: Principal Gayle Burke retiring (5/25 retirement picnic). Nancy Vaughn
new principal.
Broomfield High: Moving ahead with bond issues. Thank you for air
conditioning.
Kohl Elementary: Calwood - 5th grade got rained out. Principal updates every
SIT meeting on TIES goals.
Eisenhower: 5th grade went to Calwood in February. Silent auction last week
raised $14,000. Open Enrollment process a bit dicey this year for students
wanting to attend Platt, SHMS, Summit and not to Manhattan, the neighborhood
school. Points out that Manhattan has some issues. For parents that want
traditional school, arts before academics and won’t get that at Manhattan.
Quite a bit of controversy and chaos, may pinpoint an issue specific to
Manhattan.
Dr. García.: Working to try to change that perception. Principal committed
to arts and academics.
American Anti-Trust Institute: Recently produced a documentary film about
anti-trust and competition policy. Aired on several public stations around
country. Would be happy to get copies for any high school interested.
Dr. García. Email him and we can begin process to get that approved for
distribution.
Horizons K-8: All parents could participate in TIES. Teacher initiated
charter school. Reaching out to parents for visioning for future. Very
visibly huge piles of mulch and top-soil on grounds, this is a result of
collaboration with CU (landscape design program) who worked with students
for what they’d like grounds to look like.
Fireside: In February Kimberly Copanas taught internet safety, if these
continue we communicate among Louisville schools to get to more people,
maybe they can attend at other locations. Science fair today, fun to see
kids excited about projects.
Gold Hill: Kids went to school in snow pants today. Whole school
participated in Japan unit with feast and presentation by 3-5 graders. K-2
has incubators with chicks and ducks. Altitude affects incubations. Sue
Kidder created permanent observation hive for bees in classroom. Put bees in
with queen yesterday.
Louisville Elementary: Hired new principal. Jennifer Rocke. Good experience.
Felt really supported by district. Just put in $30,000 worth of play
equipment on 3-5 playground. PTA raised that money, district helped put it
in. SIT was invitation only in past. Currently being opened up to whoever
would like to come? Depends on bylaws.
Coal Creek Elementary: SIT reviewed a lot of data and discussed individual
students that could not take place in public setting. They chose not to
involve parents to protect confidentiality. (Let’s make this a topic for a
future meeting)
Ryan Elem: Last week finished Civil War. Art show tomorrow night. Friday
biggest fundraiser.
Bear Creek: Busy. Science Fair tomorrow. Turn off TV week. Media specialist
put together poetlauriette days.
Southern Hills: Diana Spalding stepping down from DPC committee, feeling
need to cut back on volunteer stuff. Focusing on kids. Had a meeting about
cell phones and iPods, huge problem at middle school. Policy says they
cannot use cell phones. What do they do about it, can they take it away from
them? Is something legal coming to allow teachers to take them away?
Interfering with their learning. (topic for another meeting)
High Peaks: Part of destratification. Heard they didn’t make 20% but got 1
or 2 ESL. Not getting teacher, feels that even with just 1 or 2, promises
were made to get teacher for these kids.
Dr. García: Will check on this.
Coal Creek: Parents energized starting enrichment activities. Stepping up
doing fun things.
Dr. G.: Staff recommended to board we amend the non-discrimination policy in
2 ways: 1) protection against retribution – accepted by all.
2) how come we don’t have gender identity/expression in anti-discrimination
policy. Why don’t we have protection for transgender for gender expression?
There is a distinction between gay, bisexual, lesbian, questioning, gender
and gender expression. Several institutions have the policy, but in
minority.
Jean: As board members we want to hear from you. Do you feel that gender
identity/ expression is covered or should we add transgender? Is this going
to cause more problems that it will solve? Are we not already addressing
this in the policy as it is stated? Gender identity is very different than
gender or sexual orientation. It’s how they are identifying. Feels policy
needs to specify gender identity and questioning.
Need to explore this further.
Stated gender identity/expression offers legal protection for situations
that are not specifically covered (Linda Cooke, lawyer/judge)
Dr. García: Presented to the Board that the idea came from a question of
this group. Found that gender and sexual orientation didn’t cover
transgender. Researched issue and concluded that we needed to amend policy
to include gender/identity expression. On the agenda for action at the May 8
Board of Education meeting. If you want to express opinion, you can email
board members and/or participate in public comment at meeting.
Jean: thanked all for their input.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
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