English Learner Advisory Committee

Minutes

Culver City Unified School District

School: La Ballona

Date: 1-12-10

Members Present:
Elizabeth Trujillo
Ofelia Escobar
Florina Sernas
Alejandra Urbina
Socorro Cervantes
Eva Maria Vargas
María Gómez
Catalina Pop
Rosario Cruz
Loren Aranda
Rocío Reyes
Isabel Olivera
María Castillo
Blanca González
Antonia García / Staff Members Present:
Christine Collins, Principal
Claudia Benitez, ELD Specialist
Gaby Díaz, ELD Instructional Assistant

Legal Requirement / Training Covered

** / Development of the School’s Plan on Services for English Learners / Conduct of the School’s Needs Assessment
Administration of the School’s Language Census / Importance of Parents awareness of school attendance.

Mrs. Benitez greeted the group. She talked about the Latino Literacy Program, which will start on 1-26-10. Last year it was only conducted in Spanish, but this year it will be taught in both languages. The group will meet in Room #22 once a week at 8:40 every Tuesday. The classes will be an hour and a half. The group will read the books together, and discuss vocabulary and share different reading strategies that parents can utilize at home. In our 9 week sessions we will complete interactive projects that are connected with the books we are discussing. One of our many goals is to connect the home- school bridge and increase a sense of community. Each week the group will check out books to read at home with their children and complete family activities. This is our second year of the program with a brand new series of books. The program is free to parents and is funded with money for ELD families. This program is primarily for parents, or adults who will be working with the student.

The school site plan outlines everything that we do in school. To address English Language Learner needs our school utilizes the Open Court Reading Program, the ELD support guide to give students extra vocabulary support, develop academic vocabulary and critical thinking, and comprehension.

On 1-19-10 We will have a staff development day. We have purchased translation equipment.

All English Language Learners take the CELDT. The results from September are in. We will have a meeting for the whole district to discuss the test (what the different levels mean, etc) and distribute the results. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the middle school library on the 1-19-10. We will send out a PACE message and flyers.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 a.m.