March 22, 2016 at 6:30 PM - Education Committee - Regular School Board Meeting

1. Informational Items - These items are provided for informational purposes only and no action is required.

1.A. Informational Presentations

1.A.1) Duluth Public Schools Innovation Department Demonstration

Tammi Wilkins, Duluth Public Schools Innovation Coordinator, shared two free and simple formative assessment tools used by many of our teachers. This interactive demonstration included tools called Plickers and Kahoot.

1.B. Regulations

1.B.1) 5025R - Attendance Regulation - Deletion

In moving to the MSBA Model Policies administration is recommending the deletion of Regulation 5025R which will be replaced with Regulation 503R.

1.B.2) New Regulation 503R - Student Attendance

Attached is Regulation 503R - Student Attendance. This regulation would replace current regulation 5025R.

1.C. Grant Applications

1.C.1) Duluth Public Schools Endowment Fund Grant Application

Crystal Goldman, Spanish Immersion and ELD Coordinator, has submitted a grant application to the Duluth Public Schools Endowment Fund in the amount of $2,000.00  If awarded, funds will be used to purchase Critical literacy books (in Spanish)  that promote social justice for the Lowell Elementary School library.

1.C.2) Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation Grant Application

Susan Mikel, First Grade Teacher, has submitted a grant application to the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation in the amount of $648.00. If awarded, funds will be used support the “Author Spotlight” project at Lester Park Elementary School . The "Author Spotlight" project will introduce first grade students to the work of successful yet unfamiliar authors and give them the opportunity to delve into an author’s life and work though the integration of text, writing, media, and the arts.

2. Action Items

2.A. Extended Field Trip Requests

2.A.1) A Delegation of Duluth Public Schools High School Staff and Students will be traveling to the High School Attached to Dalian University of Technology in Dalian, China,  from June 13-29, 2016.  This is a continuation of an International Mandarin Language Cultural Exchange. Liang-Pi Yang and Laurie Knapp were available to share information and answer any questions.

2.A.2) Business and Personal Finance students from Duluth East High School traveled to the Business Professionals of America Spring Leadership Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota from March 10-12, 2016. This trip provided students with the opportunity to demonstrate workplace skills learned through business education.

2.A.3) Fifth grade students from Lester Park Elementary School traveled to the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota from March 11-13, 2016. This trip provided students with an experiential learning opportunity, which will help them develop teamwork skills and provide a chance for personal growth. The trip was organized by parents, financed through fund raising activities and student/chaperon fees and took place outside of the regular school schedule.

2.B. Presentation Items Requiring Approval

2.B.1) Duluth Head Start Enrollment Reduction Proposal

Duluth Head Start has written a proposal to use a provision in the Head Start Act that allows programs to lower their funded enrollment while retaining monies attached to those students. A similar proposal was successful in 2010. Briefly, an enrollment reduction of 16 students, would reflect a savings of roughly $75,000.  The savings would be used to increase family advocate time, pay for mental health consultants and offset the cost of increases in wages and salaries. Duluth Head Start has also employed an Enrollment Action Plan for the past year, as they have been under-enrolled. Kathy Benson, Enrollment Coordinator, was present to answer questions regarding the Duluth Head Start Enrollment Reduction Proposal to Reduce Enrollment by 16 Slots as per ACF-IM-HS-08-03.

2.B.2) Health and Physical Education Curriculum Adoption

Sandra Chesley, Health and Physical Education Curriculum Content Specialist, gave an overview of the proposed Health and Physical Education Curriculum Adoption 2015-2016.

2.B.2)a. Health Adoption for Elementary and Secondary School: The K-12 Health Committee has completed the curriculum review process for Elementary and Secondary Health. As a result of this extensive review process, which included curriculum writing, reviewing/aligning benchmarks, and evaluating materials from several vendors, it was determined that the best components required for Health Curriculum  delivery as well as content literacy will be as follows:

K-5 Health Proposal - Continue writing curriculum that is aligned to current standards and develop lesson plans: Two teachers per grade level K-5. Total Cost of K-5 Health Proposal: $20,000

8-12 Health Proposal - Purchase of textbooks and CPR manikins. Total cost of 8-12 Health Proposal: $27,000

Total for Health Curriculum Adoption: $47,000

2.B.2)b. Physical Education Adoption for K-12: Minnesota has adopted the National Standards for Physical Education which were developed by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) in 2004. Minnesota State Statute 120B.021 requires districts to adopt the National Standards for Physical Education. As a result of work through curriculum writing, aligning standards to the National Standards for Physical Education, doing a physical inventory, and reviewing materials through various vendors the following is the proposal for the Physical Education Adoption:

K-5 Elementary Physical Education Proposal - Purchase of new equipment to replace and supplement current equipment available: Approximately 1400 equipment items for 11 elementary PE programs. Total cost of K-5 Elementary Physical Education Proposal: $59,000

6-8 Middle School Physical Education Proposal - Purchase of new equipment to replace and supplement current equipment available: Approximately 700 equipment items for 4 middle school PE programs. Total cost of 6-8 Middle School Physical Education Proposal: $40,000

High School Foundations of Fitness, Personal Wellness, and CITS Physical Education Proposal - Purchase of new equipment to replace and supplement current equipment available: Approximately 1025 equipment items for 4 high school PE programs. Total cost of 9-12 High School Physical Education Proposal: $67,000

Total for Physical Education Curriculum Adoption: $166,000

2.B.3) Achievement and Integration FY17 Budget

William Howes, Coordinator, Office of Education Equity, presented the Achievement and Integration FY17 Budget for review and approval.

2.C. Grant Awards

2.C.1) Resolution E-3-16-3346 - Acceptance of Grant Awards to Duluth Public Schools

Attached is Resolution E-3-16-3346 - Acceptance of Grant Awards to Duluth Public Schools, to accept and approve the grant awards from the following organizations:

- Minnesota School Social Workers Association - Social Skills Anger Management Training Program

2.D. Policies

2.D.1) 6050 - School Calendar - Deletion

In moving to the MSBA Model Policies administration is recommending the deletion of Policy 6050 which will be replaced with MSBA Policy 602.

2.D.2) New Policy 602 - Organization of School Calendar and School Day

Attached is MSBA model policy 602 - Organization of School Calendar and School Day, for the second reading.  This policy would replace the current policy 6050.

2.D.3) 5025 - Attendance Policy - Deletion

In moving to the MSBA Model Policies administration is recommending the deletion of Policy 5025 which will be replaced with MSBA Policy 503.

2.D.4) New Policy 503 - Attendance Policy

Attached is MSBA model policy 503 - Attendance, for the first reading.  This policy would replace the current policy 5025.

2.E. Data Sharing Agreements

It is requested that the following organization be granted access to the Student Information System to support District functions from February 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016:

- Minnesota State University, Mankato

2.E.1) Other Action Items

2.E.1)a. Request for Suspension of Policy 6160 - Field Trips and Resolution E-11-10-2826 - Waiving Liability on Foreign Travel With the Exception of Canada

Administration is requesting to suspend Policy 6160 - Field Trips and Resolution E-11-10-2826 - Waiving Liability on Foreign Travel With the Exception of Canada, to allow a delegation of Duluth Public Schools staff and students to travel to Dalian, China as a District sponsored activity from June 13, 2016 through June 29, 2016.

2.F. Diploma Requests

The following students have met all graduation requirements for the Duluth Public Schools and should be awarded a Diploma:

- Paul Edward Werdier III - February 8, 2016
- Alexander David Hawkinson - February 24, 2016
- Nickolas Allen Wilson - March 4, 2016

3. Future Items

- Policy Updates
- Secondary Programming Structure
- Technology Innovations