April 22, 2009 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Rationale:  Mr. Vose will present data from the end of the first semester on the key data points and board goals we've monitored for several years. 

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 in the class of 2010 and 2011 who has taken or will take an AP/UConn course shall earn the additional .5 points retroactive 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:  As you are aware, the Town Council adopted a budget to send to Town Meeting that set a target mill rate of $18.00, and increase of $.20 mills.  This reduced the amount the Board needs to cut their budget by about $169,000; we still need to reduce the budget by $1.1 to $1.3 million (dependent on allowable use of Federal stimulus money).  An updated list of reduction options will be forwarded to the Board on Tuesday.

Generally, the issues the Board need to address are:

• do we develop a list of reductions prior to the Town Meeting, to better inform the public of the board's intentions?

• if we develop a list of reductions, do we indicate which are most likely to be reinstated if additional funds are located/obtained?
• one large dollar value item is the costs of opening the new high school in April; do we pursue this with the PBC and Town Council?