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Minutes of Deal LSRT Meeting - 9-8-05
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Present:
Administration: Manuel Dacoba
Teachers: Guy Brandenburg, Ginette Suarez,
Cynthia Mostoller
Parents: Linda Feldmann, Deborah Fox, Mary
Froning, Mary Giffin, Sarah Whitener,
Guests: Susan Ullman and Jude Landis
Community Member: Mary Podesta
(Meeting began at 4:00 pm., adjourned at 5:30 p.m.)
I. Minutes adopted from 7-25-05 meeting, as
amended
II A. Opening of School:
According to Mr. Dacoba, things went well,
with minor glitches. Students now have their
schedules, although a few students still did
not have corrected schedules at the time of
the meeting. Most errors were caused by the
new STARS online DCPS database, plus the
absence of two administrative staff for the first
week of school. Also, some homerooms were
too big, so some balancing of students was
necessary. Class sizes are generally
in the mid-20's.
The student census is 850 and is expected to
go to up in the next few weeks. Because we
met our Annual Yearly Progress goals under
No Child Left Behind, Deal became a receiving
school for those students permitted to transfer.
As Deal is required to take those students, the
registration of new students has not yet ended.
Students are now required to be screened
through a metal detector each morning as they
enter the building. The Deal administration is
looking at options to streamline the entry
process, trying to balance getting the students
in the building on time, while honoring the
teachers' contract that they do not supervise
students until 8:30 a.m.
While all teacher positions were filled on the
first day of school, a position has opened up
for a business teacher, as the person hired
did not report for duty after the teacher
orientation week.
B. Teaming:
Seventh grade team is going well--both
students and teachers report positive reactions.
The seventh grade teams were assigned so
that there were students at all levels in all teams.
The eighth grade team was formed by teacher
recommendations from their seventh grade
science teachers. The plan for next year is that
all seventh and eighth graders will be teamed.
III. Facilities:
Some repairs have been done, including
bathrooms, a 20-year-old drain problem (which
used to cause the book room to flood), and the
electrical in the cafeteria. The basement girls
bathroom is being repaired. The bookroom is
being repaired. The beautification effort
succeeded in some nice improvements,
including painting and plastering. Tenleytown
Painting donated repairs and painting on the
back columns.
The modernization plan needs to be revised
to accommodate the current monies available.
This process is underway.
IV. Diversity issues:
Discussion of various forums which could be
developed to address the different cultural norms
represented in the Deal student body in an effort
to encourage greater interaction, integration and
academic success. Ms. Suarez and Ms.
Mostoller will brainstorm (using successful ideas
from the past as a foundation) on how best to
proceed.
V. Update on Activities/Sports:
An activities booklet will be available soon.
Discussion of best ways to disseminate activity
information to students. Importance of talking to
students about the activities was emphasized, in
addition to handing them written information.
Many flyers with sports information have been
put up in the hallways by Mr. Jenkins. There will
be a Deal baseball team this Spring, composed
of all grades, which means that ninth graders will
no longer play at Wilson. Parents Sarah Whitener
and Susan Ullman will, upon receipt of a corrected
draft of the booklet, finalize the brochure, then
reproduce and distribute it.
VI. Update on Wireless Mobile Cart and Wiring:
One wireless mobile cart is in the PTA budget,
though there will be a meeting to discuss it further.
Also, there is some preparation work to be done
in the classrooms before they will be ready to
provide the wireless access needed by the laptops
on the cart. Thus, the actual purchase of the carts
is on hold for now.
VII. Other clean-up, fix up project possible priorities:
Discussion of forming a grounds committee. This
would list/prioritize some of the smaller projects
that could be done before the Systemic Rehabilitation
begins next Summer (at the earliest). Some of these
might be done by DCPS, some by parents/community,
and some by a combination of the two. In particular,
there was a discussion of the repairs needed in the
back of Deal-particularly the stairs and the fence.
VIII. Mental Health project:
There was a continuation of the possibility of
partnering with a private mental health facility to
provide consultation to our counselors and teachers
with regard to students who might have
significant emotional challenges.
Submited by Deborah Fox and Mary Froning
Mary L. Froning
Deal LSRT Parent Co-Chair
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