1. Opening Activities

2. Old Business

3. New Business

The Warren County School District is eligible to apply for $136,875 in 2008-09 Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) Grant funding. The primary goal of the EETT program is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in the Commonwealth's elementary and middle schools. The focus in 2008-09 is on: 1) Teachers in grades K-8 intergrating technology to enhance student achievement, assist with the mastering of academic standards, and maximize instructional productivity. 2) Students in grades K-8 acquiring the technology skills necessary to achieve technology literacy by the end of 8th grade and thrive in a high-tech society. The administration proposes using EETT dollars to fund a larger version of its SmartBoard Mini-Grant Program. The goal would be to purchase a number of SmartBoards, LCD projectors, and student response units for district K-8 classrooms. Teachers would submit internal applications to be considered for the equipment in their classroom. Teachers selected would agree to attend an educational technology-based professional development course. Following grant guidelines. An evaluation will take place that will require student and teacher assessment. Program guidelines are attached.

The district would like to purchase a number of string basses for use in its elementary schools. The instruments would be used in general music education, as well as in the promotion of stringed instruments. Basses could also loaned to those students who are financially unable to afford one.

Policy 10102 (section 8) requires "A written request from a student's parent/guardian to transfer into the District, or from the District to another school district when it is inthe best interest of the student, and with both districts respectively." Attached are requests for students from two families (4 students) currently living in the Corry SD, but wanting to remail in the WCSD.

Title I is required to serve any non-public school requesting services. St. Joe's is the only school In Warren County requesting those services. There is a specific formula that dictates the amount of money that must be spent to provide those services. Over the past several years because of declining enrollment at St. Joe's, that amount of money has become less and less. Last year, those dollars would fund less than a half day of teacher services and this year it is the same. A half day a week of teacher time is not enough to truly impact student performance. Additionally, it pulls a teacher from SSELC for that time each week. Currently, the IU has an Act 89 teacher at St. Joe's teaching reading and math three days a week. I would like to sub contract with the IU for this teacher to stay for a fourth day to better serve these students. St. Joe's is supportive of this arrangement and it will be a win/win for students - their students will get a continuity of services and our teacher will be able to stay with her student at SSELC.

Several principals and teachers have asked if we could explore the possibility of having a district wide handwriting program and curriculum. Currently, there is none and that can be problematic when students move from school to school. This would only involve the elementary grades (K-5). The new curriculum writing timeline does not even include handwriting as a curriculum area.

4. Informational Items

The Freedom Calls Foundation coordinates the utilization of communications resources in communities to help US soldiers have contact with their families. Military families that live on bases have better access to video conferencing equipment to have contact with their loved ones serving their country. Those military families, like families of Guard members, who do not live on a base, have a greater challenge to seek these same opportunities. We have been informed that our own Pennsylvania Guard will be deployed, and it is likely that this will have an impact on some of our students and families. Offering the use of our school facilities, particularly our video conferencing faciliies, to Freedom Calls Foundation would allow them to coordinate video conferencing sessions between families and those serving our country.

The C.I.T. committee members requested an update from administration regarding the scheduling process in the high schools and a report regarding the recent policy changes to require AP exams.

Several rooms need to be reassigned.

Language Arts will be completing planned instruction and ordering curriculum materials this year. Science will be beginning the process of writing planned instruction. WCCC will be presenting a brief report about the status of several programs.

5. Other

6. Closing Activities