Garden City Site Council Minutes
January 5, 2006

Meeting called to order at 4:36pm by Chairperson Betsy Eernisse.

• Welcome and introductions
  
  Members Present: Nancy Wavrin, Kari Lindholm-Johnson, Betsy Eernisse, Michelle Leopoldt, Nancy Martinsen
  
  Guests Present: Josh Smith, Renee Sagmoe, Karen Wifler, Christy Elness

• Approval of Minutes
  
  Minutes for November 3, 2005 approved

• Committee Charge Statement Reports

Community Committee’s charge is to:

• Improve home-school connections
• Connect with community businesses
• Identify and enhance the different cultures represented
• Working together with TEAM UP
• Complete a community needs survey
• Site council ideas include adding the quality indicator questions from the AYP process. We will then be able to compare staff responses to parent responses.

Character Committee’s charge is to:

• Develop ideas and new strategies for students who visit Problem Solving repeatedly.
• Continue Respect, Responsibility, Belong, Effort, Consistency, Quality
• Continue school wide in-door recess expectations
• Responsive Classroom training
• Update student handbook to align with district and state policies
• Report to staff weekly to maintain a common language

Academic Committee’s charge is to:

• Develop grade level homework expectations
• Identify areas on Reading and Math that need work and how we can continue to help the students improve
• Kansas City Writing verses Six Traits discussion
• Look into staff development opportunities for Math
• Overlook the ‘Castle’ templates for recording and presenting data

• Priorities for Compensatory Funding
  
  Add a meeting in March for more parent input on these priorities
  
  Brainstorming ideas include: art teacher, other specialist, social worker, intervention teacher, ELL paraprofessional to support Kindergarten and/or Newcomers

• TEAM UP updates
  Applied for two Jan. 15 deadline grants- Mentor Program field trip and Beginning of the year community activity
  
  Planning a March Family Literacy Night
  
  Planning a year end family picnic
  
  Looking at test data regarding ELLs and reading

• Additional Items
  
  Site Council minutes will also be posted on the Garden City Website

• Future meetings
  4:30pm
  March 9, 2006

Meeting adjourned 6:00pm