September 2012 Meeting

See the September Agenda

See the September Minutes

This was our first CIT meeting of the school year. So we introduced all members, welcomed new members and welcomed back returning members. We discussed the guidelines, purposes and expectations of the CIT and types of decision making. We also set the meeting schedule for the year.

We established some positive group norms to guide our interactions with each other:

1. Actively listen and participate (vote, participate in conversations, show up on time).
2. Respect all opinions and ideas.
3. Stay on topic.
4. Identify action items and responsibilities prior to the end of the meeting.

Members reviewed the 2012-2013 campus improvement plan (CIP), making minor changes as necessary.

Members reviewed the Title I budget for the school year.

We had a discussion about the yearbook and that the school continues to lose money each year. It was decided to try a different vendor from which parents can buy directly (removing SOMS as a purchaser and guaranteer of number of yearbooks sold) and that also offers better prices and more personalization options.

One member brought up the idea of looking into a School-Age Parent Program. The committee asked the member to get more information so we can look into bringing the program to SOMS 7th and 8th graders.

May 2012 Meeting

Agenda
For this meeting, we will review this year's Campus Improvement Plan as well as look at teacher survey results and student survey results. We will have a discussion around areas of campus strengths and weaknesses and how we can move forward to improve our school. Note that this is our last meeting of the school year and will likely last longer than usual.

Minutes
Fabulous CIT Members, I just want to thank you for doing such a great job this year listening, sharing your input and feedback, and guiding the school in important ways. Special thanks to Lori Anderson (parent), Michael Morphey (parent), and Edith Lewis (teacher), who finish their two years of service on the CIT. Continuing next year will be Valarie Nappier (teacher) and Bruce Goodner (district representative). We will name new members to our committe some time this summer.

April 2012 Meeting

Agenda

CIT Members, we will have our April meeting via our blog. Please read over the agenda (click on the word Agenda above). There are basically two things we need to discuss. Both are listed in the agenda and have links that should take you to source documents. You can make your comments by clicking on "comments" below. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them by responding to your comments. Or, you can call or email me if that's better for you. If possible, I'd like to have your comments and votes by Thursday, April 19th.

1. For the first agenda item, I have submitted a proposed Title 1 budget for the 2012-2013 school year. As you know the budget can be amended by the CIT at any time until mid-spring of 2013, so this is just a starting place. We must approve and submit the budget this month. Please vote for approval or not. 
2. For the second agenda item, I am forwarding a proposed new PDAS (Professional Development and Appraisal System) domain. Please take a look and comment. It is a draft from a district-wide committee studying how to add a "21st Century Learning" domain to the teacher appraisal system. It basically sets forth some standards that would have to be met starting in the 2013-2014 school year in Spring Branch. The goal is to update our appraisal system to incorporate our district's new instructional focus. The district wants to move toward a more student-centered approach in instruction, including allowing students choices, opportunities to colaborate with other students, and allowing students to use technology regularly to access information in their learning.

March 2012 Meeting

Agenda

Minutes

February 2012 Meeting

Agenda

Minutes

$25K Contest

Could one of our parents nominate a teacher at SOMS to give us a chance at this drawing?

http://www.worthavegroup.com/giveaway/

Addendum B to January 2012 Meeting

At this week's meetings, our leadership team and department chairs decided they want to utilize the ICU program as our main focus to ensure student learning as opposed to creating after-school STAAR test interventions. Since we will not need all of our stipend money, we would like to use this money to purchase classroom technology. Therefore, we will need to make the following amendment to our Title1 budget:

The following account will be decreased:

• Stipends                           $2,000

The following account will be increased:

• Technology Hardware       $2,000

Please vote to approve or disapprove this amendment. You can do this is by posting a comment that has your vote. Thanks!