Gulf High School

School Advisory Council

Minutes – October 22, 2007

Meeting called to Order

           

Sherry Giunta, Chairperson, called meeting to order at 6:03 pm.

 

Members Present

 

Connie Balaban, Julie Best, Angela Conway, Sherry Giunta, Cheryl Gleghorn, April Kelley, Carol Hlad, Thomas Imerson, Linda Jones, Delia Kalogiannis, Troy Labarbara, Eileen Lanthrope, Lizzette Nazario, Joy Phillips, Tracy Phillips, Jennie Pippin, Bill Schweiger, Jeff Serletic, Julio Vega, Deanna Waide, Leslie Wells-Corriher, Rebecca Yackel. Attendees: Dr. Deborah Lepley, Kathleen Sanz      

 

Members Absent

 

Dawn Akin, Linda Allan, Lisa Amato, Athena Binikos, Lori Bowers, Gwen Gideon, Kathy Hertzog, Barbara McClure, Jennie Pippin, Carmen Vega, Vicki Voorhees

 

Acceptance of Minutes

 

Minutes from September 24th meeting – motion to approve, seconded, and passed.

 

Welcome and Introductions

 

Mr. Imerson welcomed members and asked if any new members not present at last meeting to introduce themselves and their affiliation with the SAC Council. Julio Vega, Cheryl Gleghorn, Joy Phillips.

 

International Baccalaureate (IB) Update

 

Dr. Lepley shared accolades given to GHS for the best IB application submitted in the United States this year.

 

Ninety percent of Pre-IB & IB teachers have been trained and have obtained Level II qualification status.

 

Eleventh grade IB examinations have been scheduled.

 

New textbooks and equipment have been ordered.

 

Advanced Placement syllabi has been submitted and approved by College Board.

 

New teachers hired.

 

Processes and Action Plan of Addressing the Lowest 25%

Some students who are currently classified below their actual grade level, due to inadequate credits, will have their transcripts reviewed when the first semester ends. If they earn adequate credits during the first semester they will be moved up a grade level. If a current 9th grader was in 9th grade last year and has a total of 6 credits by January his/her grade level will be changed to 10th grade. If a current 10th grader was in 10th grade last year and has a total of 12 credits by January his/her grade level will be changed to 11th grade. If he/she has not yet passed the FCAT he/she will be required to take it when it is given in March. This will allow for more attempts for taking the FCAT (information from Principal’s Newsletter dated 10/24/2007).

As has been state law in past years, in order to graduate from a public high school in Florida the student must pass both the Reading and the Math portions of the FCAT. This assessment will be given in March. Beginning with this year's sophomores (with the Class of 2010 and thereafter), students must also pass the Florida Writing Plus test. This test is given in February and consists of two parts: (1) an essay and (2) a series of multiple choice questions (information from Principal’s Newsletter dated 10/24/2007).

Reorganization of student groups is taken place for the FCAT Focus mentoring program which will continue this year, as in the past. Selected faculty member will meet with small groups of students and will continue to work on strategies that address the needs of the lowest 25% of performing students.

FCAT Writing Plus is scheduled for February 12th and FCAT Reading & Math is scheduled for the week of March 11-20, 2008.

Mr. Imerson introduced a motion that due to the fact that the scheduled November SAC Meeting coincides with a scheduled Parent Information Night given by the GHS Guidance Department and Student Services, that the Parent Information Night will supersede should as a regular meeting. Motion was seconded and passed.

 

Writing Strategies / LFS Workshops

 

Mr. Labarbara discussed the recent LFS Writing workshops being held with GHS teachers in which they will share strategies and emphasize basic writing literacy across all disciplines.

 

Also discussed with handout was a holistic rubric scoring sheet for the FCAT Writing Plus Essay(s) for Grade 10. The handout outlined test item specifications in which trained scorers will evaluate the overall quality of students’ writing by using a six point scoring rubric to assess the integration of benchmarks with the four elements: focus, organization, support, and conventions.

 

Goals outlined in the GHS Writing Plan for 2007-2008 were discussed, as well as,

minimum expectations, implementation of the writing plan, and suggestions for teachers.

 

Health Careers Academy (HCA) Update

           

Carl Hlad gave an overview and provided a brochure on the HCA program. This is an academy within the larger IHHS Learning Community. The HCA concept of the High School Reform Bill (Senate Bill 1232) is designed to be a multiyear program of study to help improve secondary academic performance by providing rigorous, relevant and relational coursework that will articulate to postsecondary coursework and/or industry certification.

 

Pasco County was awarded Succeed grants for GHS, ZHS, RHS/Marchman, and Mitchell to implement Health Career Academies. Planning stages took place last year with implementation this year August, 2007. The Academy is directly connected to local health-related community agencies to provide support, advice, and clinical experience for the students. (Information used in the minutes is taken from the HCA brochure).

 

Open

 

School enrollment currently stands at approximately 1867.

 

Homecoming Week activities and dance went well.

 

Mrs. Alwood’s classes held a Renaissance Faire on the school’s front lawn last week which faired very well. All social studies classes and other various classes           seemed to have enjoyed the festivities throughout the day.

 

Next Meeting

           

November 26, 2007 – 5:30 p.m. – Parental Information Night - GHS Cafeteria      

 

Meeting Adjourned

           

Meeting was adjourned at 7:06 p.m.