The CMS Board of Education met in the chamber of the government building on June 6th, 2012. District 4 Representative Tom Tate led the group in the pledge of allegiance. The proposed agenda passed by an 8-0 vote. District 1 Representative Rhonda Lennon was out of town on work-related training.
Michael DeVaul, Ali Sullivan-Brown, Peter Lash, Tiffany Capers, Yolanda Binum and LaTisha Mack gave a presentation for the YMCA. DeVaul led the presentation. SMART start money and Project LIFT money both help pay the $1.7 million needed for the YMCA programs. The national based YMCA system started in 1971 but for Charlotte this public/private partnership started in 1999. This YMCA partnership was started to help with the achievement gap. Two of the programs are Y-Readers and Y-Achievers. The Y-Readers is a supplemental reading program for elementary aged students. The Y-Achievers program is for high school and teen-aged students. Included in this program is the Johnston Y, the McCrory Y, the Stratford-Richards Y and the Simmons Y. A few of the CMS schools that participate are West Charlotte, West Mecklenburg and Vance High Schools. Other CMS schools are: Albemarle Road Middle, Billingsville Elementary, Cornelius Elementary, Hickory Grove, Hidden Valley, Highland Renaissance and Huntingtowne Farms Elementary. 51% of the students that participate in this program are now reading on grade level.
Two public speakers were present to talk before the board. One mother, Jane Webster, talked about her objections to year-round schools. Redeca Carvajan invited everyone to a Latino Forum on June 12th. This forum starts at 6:00 pm in the Gil Gallery at 109 West Morehead Street in Charlotte.
Ann Clark, Becky Graff and Amy Dellinger and gave a presentation on the Common Core Standards. These new standards and tests adjust the rigor levels for each grade level. The goal is to have 1,600 new tasks ready to go for the next school year. The presentation described reading as a ladder with the right and left sides being Reading 10(R10) and R1 and the rungs are R2 through R9. The goal is to have students reading and understanding court cases by the time they graduate from high school. At-Large Representative Tim Morgan asked Ann Clark how CMS plans to prepare parents for these new standards. How will staff ‘get to’ parents? Clark stated that CMS will continue to use Parent University. The USA has new national standards that must be in place by at least June of 2014. The State of North Carolina has new standards that must be in place by May of 2013. Morgan also asked if the YMCA now is adopting these new standards? Is CMS relaying these changes to CMS partners? Morgan asked Ann Clark what she needs for the Common Core. Morgan cited as an example of the great changes, how math questions are asked on these new tests. Morgan further explained that every student must be a good reader in order to do math. In the past, some have been not as good readers but could still excel in math. If students now can not read the examples, they can not pass math classes. The new senior exit project dictates that the student be able to read and write well for all parts of this project. Clark stressed that more consistency is needed in the Common Core. Clark also explained that teachers now have a tool that allows them to look online at new tasks that other CMS teachers are using as a benchmark that raises standards across the district.
LaTarzja Henry gave a presentation on the Communications Department. Following the presentation, At-Large Representative Tim Morgan asked about how best to handle recent events. Morgan saw a piece about CMS on television recently and the facts were not accurately represented. He asked how should board members respond when the media does not get the facts straight. Henry recommended reaching out to the media. Henry does reach out to the media but strongly suggested that board members could help with this effort. Henry stated that she would like the assistance of others to help set the record straight. Henry stated that “everyone could do more” in an effort to communicate better with the media. Morgan went on to state that board members have training concerning confidentiality of students and would like some guidance on how best to balance this confidentiality and communicating with the media. Morgan would like guidance on issues, what the board can and can’t say and where the ‘line’ is located. Morgan asked, what can we(the board) do? Morgan would like some suggestions on what to release to the public.
Sheila Shirley gave a presentation on the proposed CMS budget. Less than 24 hours before the June 6th board meeting, the board of county commissioners voted on their budget. Shirley is anticipating receiving $9.5 million less than last years budget. The board of commissioners has agreed to a restricted contingency fund to CMS of $18.85 million. The board of commissioners want ‘proof’ ahead of time that all of the $18.85 million has been used for the teacher’s 3% cost of living raise. At-Large Representative Tim Morgan asked Shirley about the state’s budget. Shirley commented that if the state’s biannual budget does not change that CMS will still need another $10 million. Morgan agrees with fellow board member District 4 Representative Tom Tate. Tate stated that CMS must find $10 million in cuts to this budget in order to access the $18.85 million in contingency funds.
The next CMS Board Meeting will be June 26, 2012 in room 267 at 6:00 pm at the government center at 600 East Fourth Street, Charlotte, North Carolina.