CAC Minutes: October 2010

Zilker Elementary CAC Meeting

Oct. 28, 2010

Members Present:  Spiro, Lugo, Parsons, Thompson, Evans, Thomson,, Olesen, Ponzoha, Tate, Scanlon

Meeting called to order at 3:06 PM

Approval of September meeting minutes:  so approved

Public Comments

• Public Comments:  none today

CAC Vacancies:

• Bruce Evans will be asking a parent he knows if they are interested.  Randy Thomson will check with classified staff to see if we can get a classified member.  We still need a classified position, a parent position, and a community representative position.

CIP Targets, Randy Thomson:

• Mr. Thomson handed out a report with graphs.  We are already exceeding expectations.
• Attendance:  we’ve had 97.5% with is great (includes both excused or unexcused).
• Behavior issues are extremely rare at Zilker.
• AYP we fulfilled expectations.
• We’re In great shape with kids passing TAKS.
• With TELPAS we’re doing fine target-wise.  (Lugo specified it’s to master English language acquisition based on home-language survey…idea is to make sure that students who transitioned over to English aren’t losing ground)
• No concerns with special ed performance.
• sidenote:  tardies will be called “absent for part of the day”.

AISD Zone 5 Facilities Planning Session (report) – Randy Thomson

• Mr. Thomson went to the meeting…Austin High and McCallum only had 2 schools in their vertical teams that would cost more to restore/renovate than 50% of building a new facility.  Just Zilker and Pease.
• Mr. Tate noted that Barton Hills and Zilker are very close to each other and they have are small school, but there’s not enough acreage to develop a new structure.  Mr. Thomson commented on the transfer piece…both schools would be much smaller without transfers.
• Plan will be made by the district in January and they will take it to the School Board.
• Ms. Spiro wondered if Zilker should come up with a statement about what we at Zilker want.
• Mr. Thomson said that the superintendent does not like portables, so he’s thinking it’ll be in the bond package.
• The school district is anticipating a $50 million deficit…things will be changing.  Mr. Thomson will be going to a meeting about this.  Class sizes could be changed, something that will most likely go to the legislature.  Perhaps eliminating a planning period for high school teachers (they currently get 2).
• We will hear about what the district will be proposing sometime during the spring semester.
• Feeder patterns were discussed (not Zilker specifically), and probably 5 schools with low populations will be closed.

Proposed reduction in number of CAC meetings

• Would we be interested in having only two required meetings per semester.  Sept. Nov. Feb. Apr.  Mr. Thomson thought they would be more productive.  Tate suggests the option of scheduling all of the meetings monthly, but having the option of canceling unneeded meetings.  Mr. Thomson wondered if this might be supported by this group.  Mr. Evans thought that flexibility would be a good thing, and perhaps meet electronically.  Ms. Scanlon thought that if we had a significant number of public comments then the monthly meetings would make sense, but we don’t have that.
• The CAC approved having Mr. Thomson draft a letter proposing fewer meetings.

PTA Report, Amy Spiro:

• Zamboree at the end of the month (Saturday!)
• Book People Fundraiser 10/29-11/8.  Putting wish lists outside of classrooms (teachers please put names of books on the trees outside of  the classrooms).
• Open House on Nov. 9, 6:00 – 7:30, PTA meeting 1^st.
• 3 board members are stepping down.  If we know anyone who would be a good candidate, please send them her way (President, Treasurer, VP of Membership).
• Ms. Scanlon noted that this year there has been a lack of volunteers for Zamboree booths, perhaps we need to have a discussion about volunteers.  The PTA will discuss this as a cultural issue at Zilker.

Future Agenda Items:

• Principal’s report on budget meeting
• Report on how many other schools have three centralized special ed units.

Meeting adjourned at 3:54 PM.

CAC Minutes: Janurary 2010

CAC Minutes: January 14, 2010

Present:
Parsons, Thomson, Wynn, Aziz, Davis, Scanlon, Pettit, Brosko, Tate, Spiro, van Allen

I. Call to Order 3:05

II. Approval of December Minutes

III. Public Comments
A. No One Present

IV. CIP
A. Our teachers are on-board on getting
students identified to support our over
arching goal which is to become exemplary
B.  Teachers from a variety of grades/vertical teams may be recommended to tutor various children with various needs.
C. Fifth grade does a Friday tutoring and enrichment group
D. PTA has money for tutoring

V.  Strategic plan- www.austinisd.org/powerofus
1. If parents will send kids daily on time (Sickness and Family emergencies omitted)
and help them with homework we guarantee that students will be on  grade level
2. Feedback on how to publicize the Strategic Plan at our campus by February 1

VI.  Budget
A. They are projecting us for 5 kindergartens in the fall
B. There will be 5 classes in each of the following grades - k, 1st and 2nd
C. 568 students projected; if we get 550 we get another 1/2 time clerk
D. R.Thomson is asking for an extra portable
E. Transfers are only being accepted for siblings and minority to majority
F.  They cut our teacher aide position by 2 - Mr. Thomson will check on the status of this
G. Full Time reading specialist- will be reduced as of this time, to 1/2 time,
but R. Thomson is addressing this with the district

VII. PTA Update
A. 60th anniversary Zilker opened up in January of 1960
1. 2 celebrations- February 9th with our open house
2. Fifth grade is working on a special activity with Ms. Kraal
3. Cupcakes and juice for kids and getting kids their t-shirts
A. Donate a book to the library or the literacy library a gift from each class. Each student
bring in sixty cents
4. Photos will be taken at the celebrations and possibly blown up/framed for our cafeteria beautification project.
B. Spring Fling some money earmarked on earnings to go to beautification of the cafeteria
C. Spanish in the curriculum- funding is the issue
1. Spanish committee moving forward to find funding from grants and
businesses then we will move to asking parents to help fund.
D. Elections for PTA in April it will be part of coffee house
1. Nominating committee will be formed to help get people involved

VIII. Acoustics in the Cafeteria- tabled for next meeting

IX. Positive Behavior Support
A. Philosophy of having a discussion about being on the same page with positive behavior for each student to limit disruptions to the academic day
B. Kindness, Responsibility, and respect are our three main behaviors
C. These behaviors will be modeled and expectations will be set by the entire school
D. In February administration will discuss the traits for behaviors with the grade levels
E. Moving forward with universal words and signs to kids in common areas-we all have ownership
F. Signs are going up to help with the common areas

X. Future Agenda Items
A. Cafeteria Acoustics

CAC Minutes: November 18, 2010

Zilker Elementary CAC Meeting

Nov. 18, 2010

Members Present:  Spiro, Lugo, Parsons, Thompson, Evans, Thomson, Avant, Ponzoha, Woolbright, Heider, Olesen

Meeting called to order at 3:08 PM

Approval of October meeting minutes:  so approved

Public Comments

• Public Comments:  none today

CAC Vacancies:

• Visitor today as potential parent rep…Mr. Heider.  3 kids at Zilker.  He’d love the opportunity to serve the school.  He will be filling in an application.

Budget, Randy Thomson:

• Elementary and Middle School principals met to discuss budget.  For us (elem. principals) $30-60 million deficit.  Put ideas on the table:  full day to half day pre-K ($6 mil), special area staffing going from single class to larger class sizes (class and 1/3 – $2 mil.), elimination special language allocation (ELLs with non-ELLs, like we already do here at Zilker, $1.5 mil.), account for learning (Title 1, not us, elem. want to hold on to this funding, middle school is OK with cutting this).
• We should expect special ed TAs to be decreased (would only save $2 mil.)
• Get rid of food at district meetings was also brought up.
• Elementary Schools will be losing 5% of their budget.
• Middle and High Schools will be thinking about losing one of their two planning periods.

AISD Zone 5 Facilities Master Plan (report…it’s a 10 year plan) – Randy Thomson

• Proposal (not recommendations):  Becker, Zilker, and Barton Hills consolidated.

• Everything is preliminary at this point, no decisions have been made.

• Sidenote:  Superintendent will be working on reworking the boundaries/vertical teams

• The planned December meetings have been cancelled, we expect them to be rescheduled.

Report on Other Schools in AISD with 3 Centralized SpEd Units – Randy Thomson

• Mr. Thomson will report at the next meeting.

Proposed Reduction in Number of CAC Meetings – Randy Thomson

• Mr. Thomson will report at the next meeting.

PTA Update – Amy Spiro

• Zilker made $2000 (projection was $1800, last year we made $1200).
• Thanked teachers and Mr. Thomson for reading.
• It’ll happen again next year.
• 130 sales that night, about 300 in attendance.
• Zamboree was a great success, made $5200.
• Science Fair will be Jan. 27, need volunteers.

• Sidenote, Young Authors will be May 4 (Ms. Thompson)

Future Agenda Items:

Report on Other Schools in AISD with 3 Centralized SpEd Units – Randy Thomson

Proposed Reduction in Number of CAC Meetings – Randy Thomson

Classified Rep for CAC – Randy Thomson

Next meeting will be January 6 (be on call for additional meeting if anything comes up regarding budget/facilities issue).

Meeting adjourned at 3:47 PM.

CAC Minutes: September 2010

Zilker Elementary CAC Meeting

Sept. 30, 2010

 Members Present:  Spiro, Scanlon, Lugo, Parsons, Woolbright, Thompson, Evans, Thomson, Avant, Olesen, Tate

 Meeting called to order at 3:08 PM

 Introductions of Members

 Public Comments:  Steve Shearer, parent

• cafeteria order and discipline
• question about the overall policy on discipline
• his child talked about the policy in the cafeteria, sitting boy/girl/boy/girl for discipline purposes.  This went on for some time.  Cafeteria worker was mandating this for two children in the class.
• wondering if it’s reasonable to have them sit this way due to just two children’s behavior for such a long period of time.
• cafeteria worker then said they could stop doing it, but then it switched back after there were additional issues with the two children.
• Steve is wondering if this is the appropriate response.  Who is in charge of these decisions?  Is it their responsibilities to make these policies with everything else they are responsible for?  Can this be handled differently?
• also concerned that the cafeteria worker pointed out the particular children, wondering if this is a privacy issue.
• Mr. Thomson’s response…please always feel free to bring this to his attention, no need to wait for CAC meetings.  He was already aware and he has talked with the monitor and encouraged the monitor to collaborate with the teacher regarding consequences so the monitors aren’t totally responsible.  The school is working to hire additional monitors.

 Approval of May’s meeting minutes:  they haven’t located them.  This item will be carried over to the next meeting.

Operating Procedures:

• Kali Parsons, Secretary
• Theresa Ponzoha, Time Keeper
• Kirk Tate defined the public comments section, we typically just listen to the comment and then determine if it should be placed on a future agenda.  Time keeper procedure discussed, a one minute warning will be given during discussions.

 CAC Vacancies:

• We still need a classified position, a parent position, and a community representative position.  Notices have been sent out via email to classified staff, and notices will be sent out via the PTA newsletter and the neighborhood newsletter.

 CIP, Randy Thomson:

• It hasn’t been approved yet, but he doesn’t anticipate a problem.
• It contains data regarding attendance, TAKS, discipline, and other student info.
• We over-identified G.T., but Mr. Thomson isn’t considering this to be an issue as the screening process is so thorough.

 Principal’s Report:

• We do have an attendance issue on this campus.  His goal is 97% present.
• Taking care of business classes:  some staff will be attending to support this goal.
• Staff will be working with families individually to support attendance.
• Presentation happening tonight at Austin High School.  Mr. Thomson will report on this at the next meeting.  There are additional meetings listed on the AISD web site.  Budget cuts will be on the agenda.  Transfers are also an issue.

 PTA Report, Amy Spiro:

• Zamboree at the end of the month
• Book People Fundraiser 10/29-11/8.  Putting wish lists outside of classrooms.
• Spanish classes are up and running.
• Math Pentathelon is going.
• Back Yard Concert has been delayed, and may happen in the spring.
• Not selling Passbooks this year.
• Zilker/PTA website is updated, Paypal is now accepted for PTA membership.
• Pictures will be put up in the cafeteria.

 Future Agenda Items:

• Principal’s report on Austin High Meeting - Community Dialog
• Cafeteria, Randy Thomson

 Bruce Evans, Park Committee: encouraged everyone to come to the Park Day on Oct 16.  Bring gardening tools.  Crazy Aaron donates extra supplies he has.  They’re also working on drainage issues (Virginia Soliz has put in work order).  Amy Spiro added that a water fountain will also be added to the new playground.

Meeting adjourned at 3:47 PM.

CAC Minutes: April 2010

CAC Meeting

April 8, 2010

Attendees: Spiro, Dirk, Brosko, Parsons, Wynn, Thomson, Tate, Pettit, Olesen

Approval of March Minutes

Approved

Public comment

No one here to speak

CIP update

We are looking to see if we are moving towards Exemplary

We will get our fifth grade TAKS scores April 23^rd

Teachers are working hard on meeting this goal with after school tutoring as well as individualized instruction

Looking for volunteers in June for a meeting to develop New CIP

Tate will volunteer to help CIP

One required goal for the health and fitness added to previous

PTA Update

Spring Fling April 30^th

Coffee House and Art Show Friday: 6:00pm

Safe Route

No representative here

Sidewalks are hazardous

Virtual school bus should possibly looked at

Green committee may be motivated to do this

CAC Members for next year

Aziz and Parsons will stay

Ponzoha will replace

Business rep

Helen Kent

Thomson

Amy Spiro will stay

Tate will stay

Looking for members that will stay for one year

Parsons will attend team leaders and discuss the placements of teachers for various reps

We need two parent reps at least complete and application

Future Agenda Items

New members orientation