3.23.11
Here are the
notes/highlights from tonight's board meeting...
•
board member individual reports... all 5 board members expressed their
gratitude as individuals to the teachers for our reaching out to them at
our PAC and other meetings. They were very appreciative of our efforts
to get to know them as people and keep lines of communication open.
(Nice work, PAC members and everyone else who has been a part of this;
it is noticed!)
• hot lunch...board watched a presentation on options for lunch
program: many alternate programs and the process for future vendor
selection were explored. Bids from a variety of vendors will be
solicited in the upcoming months.
• supt contract extension...board approved contract extension update
for Mr. Peabody. Salary of approx 180K. Increase as per previous board
agreement (in essence, agreement to increase salary was made last year
with supt. on the understanding that he successfully completed first
year) Board support of supt was very strong...
• I left at 8:00 discussion was ongoing regarding fences, and
other items...
David Skinner
Board Highlights, 12/15/10
Packet found at http://www.dmusd.org/district/121510_agenda_packet.pdf
• DMSEF is on track for this year's goal (over $500K raised so far...)
• Board approved site strategic plans
• Board approved Strategic Management System as proposed by Supt. Peabody (approx cost $22K)
• Supt's update on DO; new building considered for purchase is appropriate size for dmusd needs, building will also generate revenue from lease paid by smaller tenants, cell phone towers
• Board approved interim budget (following discussion of limitations and weaknesses of current interim budget due to the following factors: lack of CFO; overly conservative projections by county office of ed (0% prop tax growth) vs "reality" of recent years; inaccurate classified salary data from county dept of ed software that was used; books and supplies account is current holding ed jobs money that will be used on employee incentives in MOU; deficit spending will be about 2 million; which was budgeted last year with reserve funds.
(NOTEWORTHY- At this point, Supt will be recommending generating NO PINK SLIPS later this school year; he doesn't believe it will be appropriate to "put our people through that again"
• Board approved MOU !
Adjourned at 7:45
DMCTA President
Here are the brief highlights from tonight’s board meeting, 12/08/10.
• New board members Scott Wooden, Kristin Gibson, and Doug Rafner were sworn in
• Comischell Rodriguez was elected as board president
• Scott Wooden was elected as clerk
• Board was given details of Brown Act (rules for public meetings) by Supt Peabodyand need for compliance (an overview of the Brown Act is attached to tonight’s (12/8/2010) board packet
http://www.dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=10230
• Board also reviewed rules for conflict of interest an board bylaws
Board Meeting Adjourned at 5:35...
Board Meeting Notes 11/17/10
Scott Mann, recently hired Director of Business Services, tendered his resignation. A search for a new one is under way.
Final Board Meeting for the current 3 members. All 3 expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to serve for Del Mar. They were presented with student art and a certificate of appreciation.
There will be a special Board Meeting December 8th to welcome new Board Members. They will be on board for the December 15th Board Meeting.
8.1 Organizing Strategic Management System –
different than a Strategic Plan because there is a matrix and follow-up accountability.
8.4: Employee incentives
FTF recommended looking at the revenue side of the school district. For example, Ocean Air Childcare building came in under budget; what could be done with the additional funding? Could it be spent on giving an employee an “incentive’ if they brought in additional revenue to the district? Peabody mentioned that it’s not really done in school districts. Topic tabled to January.
8.6: New district office:
purchase agreement tomorrow? Then district enters due diligence to look at district fit. Maintenance and Operations would be located elsewhere. Lease with Del Mar city: continued discussions in case there is no DO location by May 15th 2011.
9.0: Facilities:
Ashley Falls fence is a priority.
Other fencing needs are being addressed.
Budget:
There is a deficit, however, right now it is a manageable amount and not too far off from this point last year. Last year there was no deficit spending and we ended up with a positive budget.
Board Meeting Adjourned 8:00 pm
DMCTA Secretary
State adopts U.S. school standards
By Maureen
Magee, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Originally published August 2, 2010 at 9:29 p.m., updated August 3,
2010 at 12:02 p.m.
California schools will follow new �common core�
academic standards touted by President Barack Obama as a key to establishing a
consistent approach on public education across the country.
The state board of education on Monday unanimously approved the new
literacy and math standards proposed by the National Governors
Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.
The vote makes California the 34th state to adopt the voluntary
guidelines. The decision also gives the state a better shot at getting a
piece of Obama�s $3.4 billion Race to the Top education initiative.
The state missed out on the first round funding, but is a finalist for
the next round.
The new education standards are intended to replace California�s
existing academic standards, which drive curriculum in schools up and
down the state. The goal is to establish consistent standards
nationwide, while leaving flexibility for individual states to develop
curriculum that meets the needs of their schools.
Supporters have praised the common standards, saying they could help
schoolchildren better compete with countries that are outperforming the
U.S. on international assessments. Critics have argued the standards are
weaker than California�s, especially in math.
The national standards movement will make it easier to compare
student performance from state to state, said San Diego County schools Superintendent Randy Ward.
�It is a step in the right direction, one that will finally give us
the ability to compare apples to apples when we talk about academic
achievement across the United States,� Ward said.
The new standards were endorsed by several school districts,
including the San Diego Unified School District. The city school board
passed a resolution last month supporting the education guidelines and
it sent representatives to testify before the state board on Monday.
States were given the option of making wholesale adoptions of the
common standards or accepting them with revisions.
Eleanor Evans, a teacher at Morse High School in San Diego, was among
21 teachers, parents and others who were appointed to a state
commission that was charged with writing California�s version of the
standards.
Evans said the standards are more �robust and rigorous� than the
existing set of academic guidelines and value critical thinking skills
over memorization. She said students who move frequently, like
immigrants and those whose families are in the military, will benefit
the most because they will no longer have to adapt to new education
expectations every time they move to a new state.
�These standards will guarantee there won�t be any gaps in a
student�s education when they move,� said Evans, who lives in
Oceanside. �This is about consistency in schools across the
country.�
The new blueprint for California education calls for an emphasis on
information text and technology. Students will also be asked to deliver
more oral presentations in addition to traditional written reports,
Evans said. Math curriculum will come with more instruction on fractions
in elementary school. Algebra will be expected of seventh-graders, but
those who are not ready for the subject would be offered more
preparation and support, she said.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O�Connell praised
the standards as �a great step forward.�
�The Common Core State Standards have been internationally
benchmarked, are research-based and are unequivocally rigorous,�
O�Connell said in a prepared statement. �They are designed to be
relevant to the real world and reflect the knowledge and skills that
students need for success in college and work.�
California is among 18 states that are competing for grants from
Obama�s Race to the Top program. Approval of the new standards is
needed to qualify for the funds, O�Connell said.
Maureen Magee: (619) 293-1369; maureen.magee@uniontrib.com
At Wednesday night's Board Meeting...
Some Relevant Highlights...
• the DMSEF goal for 2010-2011 is $2m to support district ESC programs
• The DMCTA and DMUSD exchanged "sunshine" proposals followed by a brief public comment period as required by law.
The Board proposals for bargaining are:
Article 11 Evaluations (Intended to "...allow experienced teachers the
opportunity to participate in an alternative evaluation process which
emphasizes professional development and personal growth...") This is a
continuation of an unresolved item from previous negotiations
Article 13 Professional Responsibilities/Hours of Employment
Article 18 Class Size
DMCTA Proposes opening articles
Article 10 Transfers and Reassignments (On both sunshine letters)
Article 27 Term of Contract (On both sunshine letters)
Article 19, Salary and benefits is an automatic re-opener and will be discussed.
Parent comments were in support of small class size, and one parent encouraged DMUSD to look at Wednesday afternoons.
Also discussed....
•Parents spoke voicing concern about intradistrict transfers...
•Ocean Air Child Care Facility completed on time and under budget
•District budget update (unaudited actuals)
During presentation of budget Supt. Peabody shared his desire to use
property tax estimates that were based on historical reality, rather
than worst case scenarios. (This is a big improvement from our
perspective)
(District has saved 500K in non salary expenses in last year)
•Board approved purchase of Illuminate information system
•Board approved hiring Sheila Weinberg as pupil services consultant
•Board approved appointment of Denise Levine as interim pupil services director
David
