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Posted in Meeting Minutes.

December 2019 Community Council Minutes

Hooper Elementary Community Council meeting minutes

Thursday, December 12, 2019 1:30 a.m.

Hooper Elementary Conference Room

 

In attendance:

Kari Breeding, Cindy Pendleton, Kadee Frew, Heather Cragun, Shanae Headley, Cyndi Bennett, Cassie Bown, Jennifer Flint, Stacy Adams and Brian Fendrick.

Welcome:  Given by Ashley Droscher.  Thank you to everyone for attending. 

Minute Approval: Given by Shanae Headley.  Meeting minutes from the November 7th meeting were read and posted to the Hooper Elementary Website.  No corrections were made.  The minutes will be approved as written. 

Cassie Brown made a motion to accept the minutes from the November 7, 2019 meeting, Cyndi Bennett seconded the motion. All others were in favor.

 

Internet Safety:  Given by Brian Fendrick.  Brian is the Information Technology Trainer/Network Specialist at Weber School District.  He presented WSD’s policy on internet safety as schools are ascending to 1 to 1 with Chromebooks for every student.  WSD focus is protecting kids.  Teachers will be attending ten trainings in January to help facilitate this change.  The ascension to Chromebooks is not to replace teachers, but to enhance teaching.

Web filtering will be secured through the iboss platform; which, offers multiple layers of protection.  It also offers a second redundancy so that if one layer goes down another will take over.   The WSD adds another layer of protection as well.  Most social media access is blocked for the students, except for the allowed safe search restriction implemented on YouTube as well as the classroom applications available through Twitter.  A lot of these sites our blocked for staff as well unless Administration has authorized approval. 

All searches and activity are logged and recorded on student devices through MDM-Airwatch, Google Management and Net Support.  There is an approval process in order to use any application and the application must also submit with a memorandum of agreement guaranteeing to never use student information to market or data mine.  WSD is very compliant with Utah State law and wants to help students succeed in learning how to effectively use these tools. 

WSD will also be using in-depth digital literacy curriculum through Common Sense Media and Be Internet Awesome to facilitate good digital citizenship.  Students and teachers will be taught the value of the tools as well as confidence in using these tools.  These lessons will be done every year to ensure that a culture of kindness can grow within digital learning.    

Mrs. Breeding asked on the continued need of computer labs.  Mr. Fendrick stated that most applications can be used on the Chromebook; however, depending on the school and the curriculum need, computer labs are still necessary, but could be consolidated. 

Mr. Fendrick believes the benefits of 1 to 1 ascension are the ease of grading digitally and that parents can be more involved in knowing what is expected on an assignment, as well as due dates and when the student submitted the assignment.  It will aid the teacher tremendously organizationally.  Also, creative expansion and dynamic assessments that allow for choice gives the student the sense of ownership as well as supports engagement.  In the end, teachers will have more time and energy to spend with students. 

Mrs. Breeding believes that 1 to 1 ascension will allow individualized education.  Data can be gathered quickly in order to address problems promptly.  Ashley Droscher has watched the benefits of using Google applications to be more interactive in Mrs. Brown’s 5th grade classroom.  It is a great way to keep the kids engaged and to take care of learning issues quickly.

 

Budget Report: Given by Mrs. Breeding.

  • Trust Land funds beginning balance is $76,942.95. Spent $12,054.75.  The remaining balance is $64,888.20.    
  • Aide salaries began to be deducted in October. It is typically $6,000 a month.   
  • Funding through TSSA has been used for workshops, PLC conference, and chrome books. So thankful for this additional funding. 
  • TSSA beginning balance was $68,991.73. Spent $28,709.56.  The remaining balance is $38,787.68.  All money has been earmarked. 
  • There should be a little rollover for next year, but funds should be spent on current year students.
  • It is anticipated that we will receive about the same amount next year. As Hooper Elementary continues to grow, funding will as well.
  • During the next Community Council Meeting we will discuss the needs assessment for the 2020-2021 school year and plan the use of TSSA and Trust Land funds.

 

School Business: Given by Mrs. Breeding. 

  • The new desks and chairs will probably be postponed until the summer. Mrs. Breeding submitted a quote to the Superintendent.  He asked that the quote be scaled back.  More information to come. 
  • Officer Malan from the Weber County Sheriff’s Office will now have a permanent office here at Hooper Elementary. She is the NOVA teacher for all the schools but will be at Hooper for a couple of hours a day.  Her truck out front will add another level of protection!
  • Next Fall Hooper Elementary will be moving to a 1 to 1 school. Each student will be issued a Chromebook to stay at the school. Mrs. Breeding will hold a Parent Meeting on March 26th at 6pm.  District techs will be on hand to answer questions. 
  • Three new 1st grade aides will be hired to work from 8:30-11:30 am. There are 27 kids in each class and the added help will benefit students.
  • The drop-off procedure in the morning has become quite hectic. Parents are strongly encouraged to pull up to the front of the line and to quickly have their students exit the vehicle.  Students will need to walk to the front office door, the doors in the back for the upper grades or around to the west side to line up to enter the building.  The 3rd grade doors on the east side will remain locked unless it is an inside day and students will know because a cone with a red flag will be placed in front of all doors.  This procedure has been published and sent out to parents multiple times but it continues to be a problem.  If anyone as any suggestions, Mrs. Breeding will gladly listen.

Future Schedule:  Given by Mrs. Breeding.  Schedule of meetings is as follows:

Thursday, January 16, 2020 @ 1:30pm in the conference room

Thursday, March 5, 2020 @ 1:30pm in the conference room

Next Meeting:  Thursday, January 16th at 1:30pm in the conference room.