Board Minutes, August 15th, 2005
MINUTES
DOUGLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

August 15, 2005


The Douglas School District No. 51-1 Board of Education held a special meeting on
August 15, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the administrative offices of the Douglas School District, Box Elder, South Dakota, for the discussing goals. Second Vice President Mary Bowman presided. Those present were:

Mary Bowman, 2nd Vice President
Daniel Starr, Member
Cathy Melendez, Member
Joe Schmitz, Superintendent
Judy Smither, Recording Secretary

Joe Hillberry Joan Dunmire
Bud Gusso Dan Baldwin
Naomi Hatfield Lee Thomas
Patty Dewey Linda Null
Jim Meszaros Ruth Claeys
Bonnie Harrison Andrea Cook

All actions in these Minutes were by unanimous vote unless otherwise stated.


25530. Second Vice President Bowman called meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

25531. Starr moved and Melendez seconded to approve the Agenda.

25532. Dr. Schmitz opened the meeting by reviewing the Douglas School District Strategic Plan. NCLB has overridden the District’s vision of what a graduating senior should look like. Some of NCLB is good but some of the requirements can be harmful because they take away local control. Administrators reviewed their goals and accomplishments for 2004-05 and their goals for 2005-06. (Copy attached)

25533. Mr. Hillberry reported that under NCLB Douglas School District is ahead of the State in six of eight categories for Math. In Reading the District is ahead of the State in five of eight categories. Vandenberg Elementary met AYP in all areas in 2004-05. Vandenberg will remain at Level 1 Improvement Status for 2005-06 since a school must meet AYP for two consecutive years to be taken off improvement. As a Title I school, Vandenberg must send a letter to parents regarding NCLB school improvement. The Middle School is on Level 2 for Reading and on Alert for Math. According to the State, Douglas High School met AYP in all categories except special education graduation rate. However, on the State website this was reported as the High School not making AYP in Reading and Math for special education. The District is appealing the ruling on special education graduation rate and challenging the current formula. District staff and administrators have worked very hard and progress has been made.


Mr. Hillberry also shared Requirements for Title I Schools Identified for School Improvement, School Improvement Timelines and Title V Part A Report. (Copy attached)

Mr. Hillberry reviewed Board Policy KL – Public Complaints. Districts are being dinged for not publicizing and complying with this policy. Policy KL states that complaints involving instruction, discipline, or learning materials will be channeled as follows: Teacher, Principal, Superintendent, Board. (Copy attached)

25534. Mr. Hillberry shared Consolidated Application Goals and Objectives for 2005-06. (Copy attached)

25535. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

__________________________
Mary Bowman, 2nd Vice President


Trista Hedderman, Business Manager
Initials

Date