MINUTES

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING

September 15, 2004

1. Call to order—5:10 pm
2. Flag Salute
3. A quorum was confirmed.  Members and visitors identified themselves.

• Members in attendance were:  Parents— Ron Beilke, Frank Moreno, Anthony Soltero, Aurora Villon    Students—Brandon Longoria   Classified Staff—Tony Hernandez  Certificated Staff—James Halley, Dawn Hughey   Administration—Julie Ellis, Priscilla Linares  ELAC—
• Members who sent regrets:  Parents—Dora Cabrera, Nellie Aguilar, Roy Arroyo ELAC--Emelda Hernandez, Fernando Camarena Students— Brandon Martinez, Shawn Acuna, Stephanie Mendez  Classified Staff—Vivian Martinez  Certificated Staff— Carol Stella, Manuel Cruz, Marla Diaz     
• Visitors in attendance:  Alma Carr, Marina Caballero, Mary Soria

4. Minutes were approved with the following change:
1. Openings for three new parent members on the council has been changed to two openings.
5. State of ERHS Address:
1. Unofficially, ERHS has 3,350 students
2. There are 28 new staff members
3. 5 of the 7 administrators are new—the new 10^th grade dean was approved by the Board last night

                                                               i.      Brenda Rangel is 11^th grade dean

                                                             ii.      Priscilla Linares is AP of Curriculum

                                                            iii.      Chuck Collings is AP of Guidance

                                                           iv.      Ron Westin is 11^th grade dean

4. New teachers may be seen on the website
5. New school policy regarding the dress and possessions code was implemented by staff consensus
6. New bell gives a one minute warning to students and teachers.  Teachers are stepping out into the hallways to encourage students to get to class on time

                                                               i.      Primary reason for these changes is the extraordinarily large number of students on campus this year

7. ERHS made AYP

                                                               i.      Official API score comes at the end of October

h.  New Business—As a result of the last Bond election, ER will receive $2.8    million.  We will not have that kind of money again.  ER would like and needs:

1.      a bare bones gym.  Consensus from the Council is needed.  (Monetary numbers are not currently available because approval from the Council must be gained before talking to the architects.  The gym would be located along Loch Alene.  It would be 1 full basketball court long and 3 courts side-by-side wide.  The back of the gym would be the wrestler’s room.  The mats would be stored in the ceiling so that the room could also be used for the yell leaders, dancers, etc.  There will be a girls’ and a boys’ restroom and one janitors’ closet.

2.      replace existing fencing with wrought iron in order to dress up the campus and make it look less institutionalized

3.      Put hardware on every door and add I more handicapped restroom to comply with the Americans wth Disabilities Act

i. Responses:

                                                             ii.      Ron Beilke expressed additional concern about the current congestion and danger along the west access road—suggested widening it and  putting in gates

                                                            iii.      Frank Moreno agreed that it was terrifying trying to get through there during high volume times.  Added that the maintenance cost of wrought iron fencing tends to be high.  Inquired about perhaps getting a safety/homeland security grant.

                                                           iv.      Aurora Villon expressed concern about whether there were enough classrooms on campus—we learned that there are only 2 teachers who must travel from classroom to classroom, and that while we lost 8 portables, we built 7 new classrooms

10. The SSC was largely in favor of this proposal, but asks that outside sources are looked into to supply money for amenities, offset costs, etc.
11. SSC approved proposal

6. Priscilla Linares was formally introduced to the group as AP of Curriculum
1. API/AYP results were given

                                                               i.      API—schools must show 5% gain per year; ERHS had to grow by 9 points with a score of 630—preliminary figures show that this growth has been made

                                                             ii.      AYP—No Child Left Behind demands that schools meet 4 criteria

1.      Participation Rate overall of 95%

a.       In math, we had 99%

b.      In ELA, we had 98%

      2.  Proficiency   Math  9.6%   ELA   11.2%

                                 ER     28.8%             33.7%

3. Minimum API score of 560 or a growth of 1 point

                  ER  API  630    Growth  9 points

4.  Graduation Rate   82.9%

                            ER  93.4%        

                                                            iii.      Counselors and deans worked very hard to account for every student who passed through ER because any student not accounted for must be labeled dropout.  Only 9 students last year went unaccounted for.

2. At the beginning of the year, administrators traveled to the different teachers’ meetings to talk about goals.  These goals are

                                                               i.      Improve the quality of classroom instruction

                                                             ii.      Maintain high expectations of all students

7. Student Reports—

a.   Tuesday, 9/7 was the 10^th-12^th grade assemblies

b.  Friday, 9/10 was the Welcome Back assembly

c.       Monday, 9/13 was Freshman Orientation

d.      Friday, 9/17 will be a minimum day because of Back-to-School Night on Thursday, 9/16

8. DAC—Need someone new to represent DAC and go to the meetings; suggested that we select one of the new members for this committee
9. Special Ed.—Nothing to report
10. Title 1—Nothing to report
11.  GATE—Still receiving GATE fund which go to TEAM and Decathlon
12. Administration—Nothing further to report
13. Elections—
1. We have received nominations.  Priscilla Linares will hold the election in front of the gym during Back-to-School Night
14. Bylaws—
1. A quorum will now consist of a minimum of 10 members present, at least 3 of whom must represent parents
2. Alternates become voting members when members are absent.  The number of voting alternates must be no more than the number of members absent
3. Upon the third absence of a member of the Council, that member may be replaced; the Council will vote as to whether to retain the services of that member
4. Alternates must make every attempt to be present at every meeting
15. Public Comment—none
16. Agenda—
1. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday,  October 6^th. 
2. Each member encouraged to bring a bylaw issue to the table.
3. Vote on 4 established offices.
4. Ray Chavez will be invited to the next meeting. 
5. Parent Project Update—Priscilla.
6. Fundraising:  Discussion and selection of a chairperson.
17. Meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.