Shoreline School Board, March 15

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

March 15, 2010

Submitted by Debi Ehrlichman, Board Member

Complete minutes available on School District website

Mr. Wilson read Resolution No. 2010-4, Declaration of Shoreline Public Schools Foundation Appreciation Week (March 22-26), and extended thanks to Cindy Pridemore, Foundation Co-President and the Foundation for the wonderful things they do for the Shoreline School District.

Reports and Presentations

Extended Day Kindergarten with Title 1 Principals

Dr. Ellen Kaje, Manager of Title I, LAP, ELL, reminded the Board of $185,000 that was set aside to provide transportation and other cost-related activities for students making a Public School Choice (PSC) and transferring to a school that did meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Only three students took advantage of that provision so costs were very minimal. This provided the opportunity to use those set-aside funds for other Title I purposes.

A group of Title I principals including Cinco Delgado, Mary Koontz, Aimee Miner, Jonathan Nessan, Laura Ploudre´and Paul Shanahan worked together with Dr. Kaje to identify school needs:

• Make the most of Public School Choice resources for the greatest student impact;
• Address achievement gaps;
• Address AYP (reading and math);
• Increase instructional time for the most at-risk half-day kindergarten students.

It was decided that using the remaining funds for an extended day program for at-risk half-day kindergartners was the best use of funds. The day was extended by up to two hours every day for those students identified as the most at-risk. The program contained 75 minutes of literacy and 30 minutes of math.

In order to determine the effectiveness of the program and whether or not it should be continued, teachers are expected to use the various provisions that were purchased specifically for this program and data will be gathered. Teachers, administrators, and paraeducators meet regularly to review the data and discuss what is working and how the program can be refined.

Currently, there are about 90 students served and parent feedback has been very positive. To determine if the model will continue for 2010-2011, an exit survey will be taken, logistics will be reviewed, and other building needs will be considered.

Ms. Walker reminded the Board that Washington voters passed I-728 with one of its primary focuses being the extended day for all students not meeting standard. Programs like this one could have been funded for all grades, not just kindergarten, if $4.2 million in I-728 monies was still coming to Shoreline School District. The I-728 revenue will most likely not be available for next year’s budget.

Advanced Placement Participation Data

A recent article in the Seattle Times concerning Advanced Placement (AP) courses and scores prompted board inquiry about Shoreline’s offerings. Dr. Monpas-Huber shared some recent transcript data from 2009. The first table indicated AP courses offered in Shoreline high schools, including the number of Fall 2009 grades awarded and pass rates. Of a potential 30 courses listed on the College Board Web site, Shoreline offers 17, whereas the national average is about 10 courses per high school. For Fall 2009, Shorecrest reported 533 students with an AP grade and a pass rate of 99.1 percent. Shorewood reported 682 students with a pass rate of 98.7 percent.

The second table reflected the number of AP grades received by Shoreline high school students in Fall 2009 by school and grade.

A third table indicated the cumulative achievement on all AP exams by school and subject area, taken at any time and potentially over a two or three year period of time, by the Class of 2009.

When the numbers are reduced down to students passing (as opposed to number of exams passed), this represents a pass rate of 79.4 percent. The nationwide pass rate is approximately 15 percent. The Bellevue School District encourages all students to take at least one AP course and claims a 61 percent pass rate (Class of 2009). Shoreline students are passing AP courses at a very high rate, well above the national average.

The fourth and last table reflected the AP course participation by race, grades 10-12, for the Class of 2009.

AP classes are regulated and governed by the College Board but no such regulation exists for Honors courses. The School Board recommended that staff take steps to ensure that AP classes truly are challenging and at the College Board AP standard, and in addition that staff work towards standardization in offerings between the two District high schools. It was suggested that the point of the AP class shouldn’t be just to pass the tests, but to become better-equipped students who are able to perform advanced level work.

Shorewood Modified Site Plan and Building Footprint

As a result of the recent agreement with the Shoreline Historical Museum to move the Ronald School Building to an alternate site, a modified site plan and building footprint was prepared by Bassetti Architects. Marcia Harris, Deputy Superintendent, presented highlights of the draft plan:

1) The entire school building is moved north to the setback at N 175th St. – the performing arts area is assumed to remain in northeast quadrant of site.

2) The school day use parking includes 350 spaces with additional parking available on driveways for evening event capacity of 425 spaces. Some of the parking along Fremont Ave. has been relocated south of the gymnasium on the east side of the site. (Currently there are approximately 350 spaces.)

3) The P.E. field has been relocated to the west side of the site, providing space for javelin, discus, and pole vault areas.

4) The central courtyard is now focused on student lunch and gathering space rather than the P.E. practice field.

5) The bus drop-off loop is extended towards the student courtyard entrances and includes a new connector drive to gymnasium parking area for evening vehicle access.

6) The gain of additional area at south of site allows the baseball field to be enlarged.

7) The main school entry remains facing the NW corner parking area.

8) A secondary (smaller) entry to the theater lobby remains facing N. 175th Street.

February Financials and March Enrollment Update

Marcia Harris, Deputy Superintendent and Mark Spangenberg, Director of Business and Finance, presented the February Cash Flow Report which reflects an increase in levy collections from $58,536 in January to $188,583 in February. February expenditures include the annual sick leave buy back. There was an increase of five students at the elementary level and a decrease in the high school enrollment for the month of March.