April 6, 2009 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting Killingly Board of Education

Rationale: 

Rationale:  Dr. Silver has invited Jill Ouilette, KCS instructional assistant, to the Board meeting for recognition.

Rationale:  John Krot, Athletic Director, received at the Connecticut Association of Athletic Directors Annual Banquet the NIAAA (National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association) State Award of Merit.  It is awarded to a member in recognition for meritorious service, leadership and special contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local and state level.

Rationale:  We are now more than two months into the 1-to-1 laptop initiative with ninth graders at KHS.  Kathi, along with several teachers and students, will provide the Board with an update on the program.  Two parent meetings were held on March 24, with about a dozen parents attending.  In general, parents, teachers and students in attendance reported positive results - improved engagement, communication, quantity and quality of work, and creativity. 

Rationale:  The ad hoc committee for recruiting, interviewing and selecting student board members for the 2009-2010 school year will report on their activities.

Rationale: 

Rationale:  We recently received notice from the State Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security that they were releasing the approved grants for school security, at the direction of the Governor's office.  Instead of the process used last year, they are sending us a check for the state's portion of the grant (about $65,000) and we need to provide documentation of our expenditures by June 30.  The receipt of this money will allow us to complete the installation of video surveillance and recording equipment at all the buildings, while retaining funds in the school security reserve account held by the Town.  The attached paperwork documents the grant.

Rationale:  The key dates for the budget adoption and approval process are:

Tuesday, April 7, 7:30 pm - Public Hearing, KHS Auditorium
Monday, April 13, 7:00 pm - Town Council budget review, Town Hall
Monday, May 11, 7:30 pm - Town Meeting, KHS Auditorium
Tuesday, May 19, 6:00 am to 8:00 pm - Machine vote on budget

Rationale:  Approval of Consent Agenda items include:

a. approval of regular meeting minutes of March 11, 2009 and March 25, 2009 and special meeting of March 4, 2009
b. approval of payment of bills for the year 2008-2009 year in March in the amount of $1,022,234.96
c. approval of Employee of the Month
d. approval of IDEA Part B, ARRA - IDEA Part B, ESEA, ARRA - ESEA Title I, School Readiness Grant, Family Resource Grant, Carl D. Perkins Grant
e. Summer Food Program

Rationale:  At our March Board meeting, Ben and the district's Technology Committee presented a draft of the required three year Technology Plan.  It had been submitted to EASTCONN for a completeness review.  We have since received the certification from them that our plan meets the requirements and is ready for Board of Education approval and subsequent submission to SDE. 

A (slightly) revised plan is attached.  Please review; Ben would be happy to respond to any questions.

Rationale: 

Rationale:  Based on a review by Guidance Director, Kevin Marcoux, of the class rank of the top 15 students in the graduating class of 2010 (current juniors) before and after the AP/UConn course weighting was changed for all AP/UConn courses taken to date (.5 points higher than honors), it was determined that there was minimal impact on the class rank of these students.  Thus, changing the weighting of AP/UConn courses by .5 points beginning with the class of 2010 seems to be a prudent decision.  This new weighting would apply retroactively to all AP/UConn courses taken.  

 

The senior class rank and GPA can be calculated at the end of the year using the current weighting scale.  Once the senior GPA has been calculated, the weighting change can be made and the rest of the grade levels can be calculated.  This will prevent any technical complications caused when seniors are in the same AP/UConn courses with juniors. 

 

Motion:  Increase the weighting of AP/UCONN courses by .5 points above honors beginning with the class of 2010.  Any student beginning with the class of 2010 who has taken or will take an AP/UConn course shall earn the additional .5 points toward calculation of her/his GPA.  The change in weighting would in no way impact the class of 2009 (current seniors).

 

 

E-Mail from Kevin Marcoux

 

I looked at the top 15 in the junior class and re-calculated their GPAs and class rank if the AP courses carried an additional .5 weight to it.  My results are:

There is only 1 change in the top 15:  Number 9 and number 8 flip flopped.  The student that was ranked # 8 did not take an AP course and # 9 did.  Their numbers before the weight change were:  #8: 4.30, #9: 4.28, after the weight change: # 8 stayed at 4.30 because she didn't take an AP course and # 9 went to a 4.31 (up .03, enough to move 1 spot).

Other than that, every rank remained the same and the difference between 1 and 2 is exactly the same as it was before adding the additional value.  I won't tell you how long it took me to calculate all that but let me just tell you I had to calculate each GPA by hand because Powerschool doesn't give us the quality points total, just the GPA.

My conclusion:  If we make the weighting retroactive, it will affect the seniors as well because the GPA point value is attached to each specific course and there are seniors in these courses.  I don't see how we can make it apply to only juniors and not seniors but that may be a question for Rose.  Our Valedictorian and Salutatorian have already been identified and if the results (which I suspect they will) are the same as what happened to the juniors, there will be minimal, if any, movement of rank if it applies to them.

That's all for now,

Kevin

Rationale:  Although no staff members have announced their retirement as of this date, it is likely that some will.  In order to start planning for the recognition of our retirees, it is suggested that the Chair appoint members to an ad hoc Retirement Recognition Committee.

to appoint ___________, ____________, and __________ to the ad hoc Retirement Recognition Committee