Instructional Council Notes

ICC MINUTES

April 23, 2008

Attendance: Pearl Armijo, David Szwed, B.J. Pacheco, Cathy Alonzo, Christin Desterhouse, Vernon Martinez, Cathy Sanchez, Debbie Ariaz, Elena Schreder, Christi Bikhazi, Debbie Muldawer, Lori White, Maryann Christiansen

  1. The state visitation will be next Tuesday.  Parents and teachers have been notified, and teachers have been receiving multiple packets of information.

  2. Teachers will be asked to prove their claims.  Have evidence ready. 

  3. Teachers need to provide students with 15-20 minutes of independent work in order to allow the visitors to interview the teachers.

  4. Teachers do not get individual feedback on their performance.  An overview will be given to Mr. Martinez. 

  5. All the people visiting are instructional coaches at various schools.  Monroe is the last school to be visited.  The coaches have a clear idea of how other schools have done. 

  6. The visitors will also talk to Mr. Martinez about what he is doing in terms of standard based curriculum. 

  7. At the end of the day, there will be a debriefing session regarding the observations. 

  8. The information about Monroe is entered online the same day as the site visit.  Christin will collate the data in an easy-to-understand manner and will share it with the teachers.

  9. It is time to choose new members of ICC.  Only B.J. Pacheco has served more than one year.  By next meeting, a final list of members should be submitted.

  10. The ICC retreat is scheduled for the morning of May 8, 2008 in the library.  All members should fill out a leave slip.  Subs have been provided for 3 ½ hours.    Teachers have been asked to submit lists of positives and negatives, and the ICC members and team leaders will come up with an action plan.  The plan and feedback will most likely be shared with the staff at the beginning of next year. 

  11. Pearl Armijo brought up a concern that there is too much time for passing period.  It seems that kids are roughhousing and socializing in the hallways.  Mr. Martinez is concerned about shortening the passing periods because some of the students have long distances to go and safety might be compromised if students feel like they have to hurry because of short passing periods.  If behavior is an issue, teachers need to be out in the hallway, urging students to get to class.

  12. There are enough lockers for 1500 students and next year most students will have one, though how these lockers will be assigned is yet to be determined.

  13. On the extra day, we will probably do a student/staff softball game like we did next year.

  14. The new elementary school is supposed to open next January.  Until then, there are three campuses at Ventana Ranch, composed largely of portables.  The new middle school is supposed to open in August, 2009. 

  15. The faculty will be significantly impacted when the new middle school is built.  People who are low on the totem pole or who do not fill significant positions (program need) or who simply want to transfer will have a chance to go to the new middle school.  A certain number of staff members will be guaranteed jobs at the new school.  The primary people to be moved will be in core subjects.  There’s not a lot of give in the electives.

  16. The new boundaries will cause Ventana Ranch to go to the new school.  Monroe will continue to serve students east of Universe.  Seven-Bar will feed half and half to Taylor and Monroe.  Petroglyph and Sierra Vista will continue to feed into Monroe.

  17. The district is supportive of building us a new track.  Astro-turf may replace grass.

 

  1. The next meeting will be after the big retreat.