June 15, 2010 at 6:30 PM - Education Committee - Regular School Board Meeting

1. Presentations 

1.A. Duluth Public Schools Instrumental Music Program Vision

Music Curriculum Coach, Teri Akervik, and members of the K-12 Music Committee presented information on their vision for the future of the Instrumental Music Program within the Duluth Public Schools.

1.B. Consideration for the Requirement of Physical Education Uniforms at Middle Schools

Physical Education/Health Curriculum Coach, Amy Kaiser, and Physical Education teacher, Nadine Moeller, presented information and rationale that supports consideration to require that all middle school students purchase and wear uniforms while participating in Physical Education classes in the future.

1.C. Women's Welding Project

Gina Hickson, Girls Restorative Program Advisor, presented information on the Women's Welding Program at Central High School.  This program is a collaborative project with Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, Central High School Girls Group, Lutheran Social Services Truancy Action Project, and is funded by the Duluth Public Schools Office of Education Equity.  Graduation for Central's student participants took place on April 28, 2010.  The girls received a college credit, a college experience, and gained knowledge of women in the trades.  Several graduates will present a sculpture representing the strength of women and diversity to the School Board at the June School Board Meeting in appreciation and recognition of the Duluth Public Schools support of this program.

1.D. Accelerating Middle School Athletes to High School Activities

Directors of Student Activities, Shawn Roed and Tom Pearson, presented procedural recommendations for accelerating middle school athletes to high school activities along with recommended policy revisions for addressing chemical violations by athletes.

2. Informational Items

2.A. Grant Applications - None

3. Action Items

3.A. Presentation Items Requiring Approval

3.A.1) Duluth Public Schools State Head Start Grant Application

Pam Rees, Director of Head Start, presented the 2010-11 Duluth Public Schools State Head Start Grant Application for review and approval.

3.A.2) Resolution of Concurrence/Non-Concurrence Report

Submitted for your review and approval is the Resolution of Concurrence/Non-Concurrence Report that will be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education by Terry Smith, Director of Indian Education, on behalf of the Duluth Public Schools American Indian Education Programs Parent Committee.  The District's response will be presented at the July Education Committee Meeting.

3.B. Resolution E-6-10-2765 Acceptance of Grant Awards to Duluth Public Schools

Attached is Resolution E-6-10-2765 Acceptance of Grant Awards to Duluth Public Schools, to accept and approve grant awards for the following organizations:

1.  Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council
2.  General Mills Foundation
3.  Edwin H. Eddy Family Foundation
4.  Vikings Children's Fund

3.C. Extended Trip Requests

The following extended trip request is submitted for approval:

East High School Physics students took a trip to Chicago, Illinois from May 13-15, 2010 under the supervision of Physics teacher, Ted Ford.  The purpose of the trip was to expand the experiences of Physics students to Fermilab - a world premier high particle accelerator and to visit the Museum of Science and Technology.  The total cost of the trip was $11,500 and was funded with student fees.

3.D. Policy 5085 - Student Discipline Policy

Representatives from the Student Policy Handbook Revision Committee presented recommended revisions to Policy 5085 - Student Discipline Policy for the first reading. Keith Dixon also reviewed the District's student expulsion procedures and readmission process as outlined in the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act.

3.E. Diplomas

The following students have completed all high school requirements and should be awared a diploma:

Brian C. Atallian                    June 2, 2010
Michelle D. Bergstrom          June 2, 2010
Frank A. Hayson                    June 2, 2010
Robert M. Leake                    June 9, 2010
Paul D. Ratltler                       June 9, 2010
Milan R. Shapiro                    July 30, 2009

3.F. Certificates of Attendance

Certificates of Attendance will be awarded to the following East High School foreign exchange students in lieu of a diploma at commencement in June 2010.

Johan Ahlqvist
Pia-Maria Drnek
Luis Aljandro Gamarra Mayser
Johannes Hasskamp
Trine Sofie Jakobsen
Jiranda Jongjakapun
Reka Mohring
Hannah Nuess
Jonathan Reimers
Vetle Skogen
Bernhard Strack
Purva Tambat