La Jolla High School Governance Committee
Report on Meeting of February 16, 2005

In Attendance:
Administration: Dana Shelburne
Classified:
PTA Reps: Linda Dowley, Jamie Ginsberg, Joan Hiser, Liz Lindenfeld, Patti Nussbaum
Foundation Rep: Tony Farwell
Students:
Certificated: Zane Friberg, Carole LeCren, Joanne Wainscott, Emma Zink, Rachel Tenenbaum, Elisa Savoia
SDEA Rep: Steve Grant
Guests: Lisa Ehrlichman

1. Call to Order: Carole LeCren called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.

2. Minutes: The minutes from January 19, 2005, were MSP (Savoia/Dowley).

3. Agenda Items – OLD Business
• Counseling Department Update: discussed using Nichols and Pantano to cover one counseling spot. Discussed that since the school board has created a new position to replace the literacy/math administrators, that we may be able to roll that position into a counseling position. Discussed how interns are being used to cover a counseling position, thus “depriving students of a certificated counselor.” Discusses how the Foundation would like to continue to fund Pat Shaler for another year as a counseling consultant.
• Orientation for Incoming 9th Graders: Discussed that incoming 8th Grade Orientation on March 1 at Parker Auditorium will include invitations to local private schools. Some interest in having an orientation night by December next year, because the local parochial schools usually need to make a decision about high school before March. Also discussed how orientation may not be a priority because there is no need to increase enrollment at this time.
• Dance Policy: ASB reiterated that the ASB Ball and the Prom are considered date dances, and that bids are sold as a pair of tickets. Singles can pay for an entire bid, or split one with another single. Much discussion followed. Nussbaum would like to register her objection that single tickets are not available to buy. As all the ASB members of Site Governance were at Air Band dress rehearsal, the discussion was not resolved at this meeting.
• Waiver for Hiring: A waiver to hire staff beyond the top five eligible for the position has been submitted. April 1 is the deadline. The waiver was sent in September.
• Principal’s Review Update: The committee (Ginsberg, Barkett, Lindenfeld, Farwell, Savoia, LeCren) plans to meet on Tuesday, February 22, at 7:00 a.m.

4. Agenda Items: NEW Business
• Classroom Discipline and Consequences: LeCren presented five anecdotal examples of classroom defiance. Discussed the consequences for defiance: student/teacher conference, student/parent/teacher conference, 2-day suspension from class at teacher request-followed by a parent/teacher conference arranged by the teacher, referral with suspension from class or trash pickup, recommendation to student study team. Discussed ideas for further consequences. Created a subcommittee to continue the discussion: Nussbaum, Zink, Farwell, Hiser, Grant.
• Use of Technology in the Classroom (tabled until next meeting)
• Math Class Reorganization at the Semester: Ed Moore’s retirement prevented the school from having to excess at teacher at the semester. As a side note, discussed concerns about a focus on math by WASC.
• Teacher Surveys/Ratings: The idea was introduced to have rating surveys, similar to those done at the university level, for teachers. Several teachers discussed how they do informal surveys with their students, collected at the end of the year anonymously, in order to seek ideas for improving curriculum and/or delivery of instruction. Ginsberg suggested having students write a letter to the teacher’s mother about how he/she did as a teacher as an inventive way to get positive feedback. Grant mentioned he have a survey last year for feedback about students whose classes use the library for research, collected 400-500, and has not yet had the time to tally them. Farwell mentioned we wouldn’t have the resources to tally them.
• School Start Time: Since the idea was abandoned by the school board, this item was not discussed.
• Open House: PTA reps discussed feedback they received from parents about the idea of starting the fall open house an hour earlier. The consensus was that 6:30 (the current start time) is the earliest that many parents can arrive. They did suggest having it on a Thursday and doing away with the hospitality (food offered in the cafeteria during the class schedule part).
• PTA Super Form: The PTA intends to have a “super form” similar to the form used at registration, that lists several things that need to be purchased at once (instead of separate sign up/payment forms for every event.)
Roundtable: Nurse Lisa brought up her personal concerns about a rumor of an STD epidemic on campus. She was most concerned about the method of transmission of the rumor. She also debunked the rumor, while parents shared their concerns about communication between school and community about topics they find of concern.

Meeting Adjourned: at 4:35 p.m.

Next Meeting: March 16, 2005