October 8, 2012 at 7:30 PM - Sapulpa Public Schools Board of Education Independent School District Number 33 Creek County Regul

Discussion:  The Sapulpa Schools Gear Up team, Seth Shibley, Tracy Sexson, Diana McGhee and Linda Warner, presented results from the walk through on August 28. The walk through was comprised of three teams of administrators, board members, community leaders, faculty, support staff, parents and students. This program provides support to districts in preparing students for college and making them successful. Sapulpa is proud to be the only 6A School selected to receive this grant. Through this process Sapulpa Schools has much strength by offering several innovative programs, Engineering program, camp invention, Lego League, Virtual Education, Bartlett and Sapulpa Public Schools Foundation grants. Teachers, parents and students need more information about College Readiness to make timely and informed decisions. The team has goals for the seven year grant that include efficient methods to brighten the education environment without sacrificing energy savings, increase school pride, good communications between staff, administration and parents. The team would like to start with updating facilities throughout the district and increase the number of students and increase scores on the ACT test. Mr. Burr commented that the biggest investment from the walk through this summer was knowledge. The group agreed that the goals are achievable but will take time and help from the Board, Administrators, advisory group and parents. Administration has started working on some of the deficiencies on the list and compiling a list for our next bond.

Discussion:  Mr. Michael Reid, Freedom Principal, presented site improvement plans for Freedom Elementary. Their strengths are their reading test scores in all grades. He challenges his staff to have more students in advance level using accelerated reader. In math, the core groups are doing well. This year the school will be using power half hour to help the bottom quartile growth in reading and math. There are two weak areas that the staff is addressing, they are their writing test scores and the bottom quartile growth in reading and math. The report card grades are preliminary at this time. Freedom Elementary received a B as their overall score.

Discussion:  Mr. Tom Walsh, Jefferson Heights Principal, presented the Board with Jefferson Heights Elementary site improvement plans. Overall test scores were slightly lower. Their bottom quartile growth in reading and math were low and need improvement. Teachers are setting goals for each individual student. They encourage students to take ownership of their goals. Mr. Walsh will provide resources for teachers who have lower test scores. Teachers will provide enrichment goals for students who have already mastered skills. The report card grades are preliminary at this time. Jefferson Heights received a C as their overall score.

Discussion:  Mr. Toby Sissons, Liberty Principal, presented the Board with the Liberty Elementary site improvement plans. The overall growth in the reading and math test scores were average. The bottom quartile test scores show great improvement. They will be using the same methods as Jefferson Heights. They will be analyzing students and providing each student with goals and challenging them to take ownership of the goals. The goal for next year is to have their students scoring seventy five percent proficient in reading and math. The report card grades are preliminary at this time. Liberty Elementary received a C as their overall score.

Discussion:  Mr. Johnny Bilby, Junior High Principal, presented the Junior High site improvement plan. Reading and math scores have grown over the last three years. A.C.E. (Achieving Classroom Excellence) and reading remediation classes have been very successful. They received an A for the bottom quartile students. Mr. Bilbly told the Board that he was excited and proud and credits the teachers with making the difference. The report card grades are preliminary at this time. The Junior High received a 4.o A as their overall score.

Discussion:  Mr. Kevin Burr informed the Board of the State Department of Education’s vote to delay releasing the report cards. They want staff to work with schools to help understand and development calculation methods for the growth factor for everyone to understand. If nothing changes, only nine percent of Oklahoma Schools will receive an A. We have two surveys to get an idea/perception why parents choose to put their children in/out of our district. The surveys will be sent by mail and will be available online the last week of October. Sapulpa Schools has a distribution problem of students. There are several ways to address this problem. Administrators will be looking at boundaries and provide a survey to see if parents are interested in a Magnet School. Dr. Richard Rosenberger will send this survey by mail and it will be available online. If there is interest in the community there will be a lot to consider with cost and training staff. Results from the Magnet School survey will be provided at the next board meeting. Representative McPeak requested Mr. Burr to attend a meeting tomorrow, October 9. The legislature will be discussing the impact of the A.C.E. (Achievement Classroom Excellence) legislature on students. Students are required to pass four out of the seven EOI (End of Year) tests to graduate. Mr. Burr will be sharing the story of one of our special education students who did not pass enough of her EOI tests. She did pass all of the other requirements to graduate. In July, Sapulpa went to the State Department of Education to appeal but was denied. When her test scores from spring came back she scored well enough to get her diploma. They went to her grandmother to let her know but the school was informed that the student ran away because she thought she failed. That student still to this day doesn’t know that she has graduated.

Discussion:  The Board of Education went into executive session at ____ p.m. to discuss (1) Personnel listed below as authorized by 25 O.S. Section 307(B)(1) of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, and (2) the purchase of real property as authorized by 25 O.S. Section 307(B)(3) of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act with no resulting vote to be taken on item (2). During the executive session, the Board discussed these items and no other items. The Board returned to open session at ___ p.m. This constitutes the minutes of the executive session.

Discussion:  Timothy Justin Beacham, Assistant Football Lay Coach (9-24-12), Jan Childress, Holmes Park Pre-K Assistant (9-11-12), James Dearman, Service Center Substitute Bus Driver (9-11-12), Bryan Fentress, District Computer Technician (9-28-12), Jessica Ferguson, Holmes Park H. Q. Special Education Assistant (8-20-12), Melissa Frank, Holmes Park Latchkey Assistant (9-10-12), Jenifer Frazier, Middle School Art Teacher (8-27-12), Lacy Jones, Jefferson Heights H.Q. Special Education Assistant (8-20-12), Erin Niccum, Holmes Park Certified Latchkey Assistant (8-1-12), Brandee Peacock, Holmes Park Latchkey Assistant (9-10-12), Andrew Thomas, 8th Grade Assistant Football Lay Coach (9-18-12), Jeff Thompson, 8th Grade Baseball Coach (9-18-12), Colby Wilson, District HVAC (9-10-12)

Discussion:  Lee Jason Broom, Assistant Football Coach and Middle School H.Q. Special Education Assistant (9-21-12), Meleah Bryant, District I.T. Technician (9-21-12), LeaAnn Carr, District Instructional Technology Director (9-4-12), Jan Childress, Holmes Park Certified Latchkey Assistant (9-25-12), Shane Hoover, District I.T. Technician (9-28-12), Brittney Kennedy, High School Computer Teacher (9-26-12), Mattie Smith-Broom, Holmes Park Latchkey Assistant (9-27-12)