Mattole Valley Charter School
Humboldt County Education Specialist Meeting
Minutes
Friday, May 30, 2008, 2:00 PM
Fireside Room, Sonoma Street Center
Attendance: Pam Lane, Cathie Shermer, Alyssa Stamm, Richard Graey, Ganasini, Mary Goodrow, Shari Lovett, Montanna Jones, Sheryl Ferrien, Devora Kaufman, Teresa Creech, Tammy Lindley, Jodie Bechtel, Tracey Homen (Laurel Tree), Shakati Walsh, Lance Blodgett, Jennifer Kausch, Kathleen Kasperson, Cathy Wright, Karen Myers, Valerie Walsh, Erin Roseberry, Julie Smith
1. Richard announced that our charter school is now sanctioned to participate in league athletics at the High School level. See Kara, athletic director, for more information. If you have any boys in High School interested in playing on a school basketball team, contact Mark Smith. We will try to put together a girls team as well. Individual sports like track and tennis would be relatively easy for students to compete. Kids can organize and have uniforms.
Pam reported that Gwen had surgery recently and is now home. We all hope she’ll get better soon.
2. Writing With Structure and Style—Kathleen
Kathleen presented a packet from The Institute for Excellence in Writing. The program teaches grammar in an integrated way and sequential writing skills.
3. Special Ed Enrollment Procedure—Jennifer
Jennifer reported that resource teachers can only serve 28 students. She needs to approve enrollment of all new special education students. Do not complete enrollment forms until there is approval, and do not give students assignments to complete or materials until approval is complete. If you are enrolling a new student and find that they have an IEP or 504 Plan, fax it to Jennifer, and wait until she approves the placement. Regarding special education referrals, we do not go from parent or teacher request for assessment straight to assessment. We need to first do the SST process (contact Mitch to schedule) and exhaust all resources in regular education. Lastly, confidential special education files like IEPs need to be in locked file cabinets.
4. Treasure Hunt- Ganasini
Ganasini presented a treasure hunt activity that can be adapted to teach or reinforce any curricular area. She did a demonstration treasure humt with Karen and her daughter for all of us to see how it works.
5. Read Naturally-Frameworks-Summer Activities—Cathy
Cathy presented the San Diego Quick Assessment and another quick reading assessment. Cathy presented Read Naturally as a way to improve fluency.
6. Interact Units-Karen
Karen presented Interact units for site based programs. They get kids involved in history and other topics using reenactments. Pam and Cathy both added how successful these units were with their student in the past. Their contact is www.teachintereact.com.
7. Standard Notation Activity—Sheryl
Sheryl presented a Kim Sutton activity for standard notation.
8. Math Triumphs and more (ALEKS Math) –Teresa
Teresa presented ALEKS, a math program with good assessments to monitor progress. Please complete the math survey for next year’s students. She also presented the Math Triumphs workbooks as an intervention.
9. Counselor’s Corner—Shakati talked about graduation and handed out caps and gowns to ESs.The music for the introduction is Ben Harper’s “My Own Two Hands.” The rose ceremony music is “Kind and Generous” by Natalie Merchant. David Cook’s “Time of My Life” will be the ending music.
9. News—Pam
o Courses for next year
E.S.s are encouraged to teach courses at learning centers next year. Julie is thinking about teaching U.S. History and Film Appreciation by blackboard. Contact her if you have interested students.
o APLUS+ Call for Presentations
Pam has applications for interested presenters.
- Message Board—and Chat Room all lower case “apluschat”, then go to register
o Summer Inservice: August 25 &26 Possible topics
It will be in the Sequoia Room at H.C.O.E.
o Coastal Clean Up
See handouts. It takes place in September and is a great community service idea. It eould be a good idea for Humboldt County students to get together in September to do this, and then attend the North Coutry Fair.
o SB472 Summer Training
The passport is optional but if you complete the work, you get a $400 stipend. Over the four year period, you need to do a Language Arts and Math training.
o Pennies for Peace
See handouts. Pam had information about this fundraising/community service idea, which also included a complete unit for independent study lasting one month, titled The Warrior’s Journey. This unti included reading, writing , and discussion assignments which align with California State Standards for 9th grade English.
10. Raffle for Door Prizes—Thanks, Jodie!