GES Board Meeting

September 8, 2004

Approved Minutes

In Attendance:  Barbara Nagle, Nina Simonowicz, Amy Brown, Patty Nordahl, Susan Miller, Kathryn Nelson Pedersen

Others present: Terry Nagle, Amber Todd, Kristin Bond, Karl Ingebrigtsen, Amy Trachta

Call to Order: 4:05 p.m.

Reading of the Mission:  Kristin Bond

Celebration sentences: All

Approval of Agenda

Patty Nordahl moved to approve the agenda. Suzy Schweig seconded. Barbara Nagle asked that bus safety training and the Pledge of Allegiance be added to the agenda.   Ayes all.

Middle School Student Council report

Members of the student council talked about wanting to hold fund raisers to enable them to attend a May Day event in the Twin Cities next spring.  The first fund raiser, a book and bake sale to be held on Sept. 21.  Nina made a motion to approve, in concept, a trip to the Twin Cities to attend the May Day parade and to raise funds through a series of events.  Kathryn Nelson Pedersen and one additional parent will provide adult supervision throughout the year as preparation proceed for this event.  Suzy seconded. Ayes all.

Approval of Minutes

Amy moved to approve the minutes from August 25 with the addition of Kathryn Pedersen’s maiden name Nelson. Patty seconded. Ayes all.

Treasurer’s report                                                                                                                    

Nina presented bills to pay and moved their payment.  Suzy seconded.  Ayes all.

Educator’s Report

Kathryn talked about student assessments, personalized learning plan and an on-line tool that will be used to help report and evaluate the work products of students in grades 1 through 5.  Initial focus will be on working with students on social/emotional development as it effects all school work, the classroom environment, and in the outside world. 

Amy talked about the need for additional time for the teaching staff to do prep work. Educators were asked to suggest times and ways in which to provide more time to prepare.

Susan said there will be a autism specialist in the school at the end of the week and will be observing students and talking with educators.  On a separate subject, Susan said she has observed tremendous progress among students in all classes which she attributed to the educators and the small numbers of students in each classroom.

Old business

Academic goals for 2004-05 year will be set at the next board meeting.

Educators need to make any changes on the evaluation report (as written by Susan Larson Kidd) by 9/10.

Patty distributed health care forms and work comp forms. She also distributed the Model Notification of Rights under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment which grants certain rights to parents regarding collection of student information for marketing purposes, certain physical exams and student surveys.  This information will be incorporated in the student handbook.

New business

Committee Reports

Adjourn

Barbara Nagle moved to adjourn.  Seconded by Amy Brown Meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m.