For example, he said, a student in the Winamac schools who scores 450 on ISTEP Math will be placed in a group of all students in the entire state who scored 450 in that grade level. As the students take ISTEP the next year every student in the group will be measured for growth and proficiency based on the achieved scores of that group. Those students will be divided into thirds and will be classified as high growth, medium growth, or low growth based on the new scores.

State accountability for schools and teachers will be determined on adequate growth and an adequate proficiency level, Dr. Klitzman continued. “We are still learning about it and it will take effect next year. We must ensure that all of our students across the educational continuum are growing adequately and proficiently. It is no longer just reaching the ISTEP’s benchmark – it is growth and achieving performance.”

Principals Jill Collins, Rick DeFries, and Stan Good shared the various ways they are attempting to reach all students to help them learn and achieve both adequate growth and proficiency. 

The elementary school places all students into “tiers.”  Tier 1 is all students – 100 percent. All students receive the teaching strategies at this level. Tier 2 is about 10 to20 percent of the students — these students need a little extra help. Tier 3 is the percentage of students with special needs.

In related discussion the board was given a list of “works in progress” for student growth. More activities will be added as needed. The list includes:

• ·ES: K-3 Daily Intervention, Daily Math Fact Practice, Small Group Instruction, Math Problem-solving, Raising the Rigor, Writing Conferences, Express Choir, Pencil Palace, Banana Splits Club.
• ·ES/MS: Junior Great Books. 
• ·ES/HS: RTI Time, Peer Facilitating.
• ·MS: Pre-Algebra and Algebra, SET Time, Individual Help for Lower/Higher Learning Students.
• ·MS/HS: Shakespeare Class, Honors Band/Choir.
• ·HS: Math and English Lab, Offering 3 Tri-semesters of Algebra I, Career Center, AP Courses, Dual Credit Courses, Extra Curricular Opportunities — Quiz Bowl, Spell Bowl, Science Olympiad.
• ·ES/MS/HS: Auto Skills, Behavioral and Emotional Support.

 In other business, Dr. Klitzman reported on projects the school hopes to complete over the Christmas break. They include:

• ·Switching over pneumatic controls to digital controls in two classrooms.
• ·Retro-fitting the lights in the elementary school gym over the playing floor — the same as the elementary school cafeteria.
• ·Re-sealing the middle school and high school gym floors.
• ·Shampooing carpets and waxing floors.
• ·HVAC work including changing filters.

The board was told that the Condition of Funds Statement indicates that all corporation funds have positive balances. The school should receive its semi-annual distribution for the Debt Service, Capital Projects, and Transportation Funds the end of December. The General Fund Comparison Statement showed that 67.74 percent of the yearly appropriation remains. Dr. Klitzman explained that in terms of appropriation percent that is about identical to past years, but in terms of actual appropriation, that amount is less than the past few years. All claims were approved as presented.

As per statute, a public hearing was held for the 2011-2012 budget, the 2011-2012 through 2013-2014 capital projects plan, and the 2011-2012 through 2022-2023 bus replacement plan. Approval will be requested in January.

 Approval was given to purchase one 78-passenger school bus and two 14-passenger utility buses from Kerlin Bus Sales of Silver Lake, Indiana. Kerlin submitted the lowest and best bid. 

Bus driver Karen Gourley submitted her resignation to take employment elsewhere. She has been with the school for 6-1/2 years. She plans to keep her bus driving certification and will substitute when needed. 

Dr. Klitzman stated that bus drivers are needed. An advertisement has been placed in the paper. The school corporation reimburses individuals who pursue certification for the expense.

The board approved an unpaid special leave for Lenora Hoover, middle/high school head cook, to attend a trip with her husband from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2. 

Approval was given to the Shakespeare (Saturday) Class to take an out-of-state field trip to Navy Pier, Chicago.

Among discussion items during the board comment period were references to visits from the Richmond Schools, and prospective doctors to the community.

The next school board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 10, in the Distance Learning Lab.