Advisory Council / PEP - TCR- Roberson
November
17, 2015
(Minutes
recorded by Annette Males)
Progressive Education Program members
gathered in the TC Roberson conference room on Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at 3:30PM.
Members Present: Larry Weigel, (PEP Administrator) Cheryl
Pickens, (PTO President) Mike Mims, (PEP-PTO & AC Member) Jenn Freer, (PEP-
Teacher of the Year, Recipient) Dennelle Brown, (AC Member) Bill Davidsen, (AC
Member) Ali Tranthum, (AC Member) and Annette Males, (PEP-Estes, Bookkeeper)
Guest:
Jill DeMarco
The meeting was called to order at
3:30 by Annette Males
Agenda:
PEP “Start of the Year 2015-16”
PEP
announcements:
·
Twenty-eight new students in the program
·
New Lenovo Think Pads for some students
·
“Unique Learning” licensing renewed
·
Teachers coming together to plan instruction ,
and strategize
Items
on the agenda that were discussed:
Curriculum
Programs: As we were discussing twenty-eight new students in PEP, Cheryl
Pickens asked “Do they have a student cap?” Annette answered, “The cap is
usually per classroom.” Ali Tranthum wanted to know if they had also added new
staff along with the students. Annette mentioned that new staff hiring is
budgeted one year in advance, therefore new hiring of staff might happen in
August of 2016; she also informed everyone that Larry Weigel is presently
interviewing for one instructional assistant to start as soon as the hiring
process is done. Dennelle added she would like to see more classrooms being
added to the program, and asked “Is this possible?” Annette answered,
“Hopefully for next year, if the budget allows it.” We then moved on
New
Computers promised are in the classrooms: Jenn Freer took the floor and
spoke about the 27 inch monitored computers that were installed in each
classroom at all 3 PEP sites. Jenn said “I love these monitors…they are so big
they have allowed the students more participation, the touch screen has worked
wonders being that I have visually impaired students. Annette then added that
in PEP-Estes two computers were installed in their library as well as in each
classroom. She then said “the students are using these at a daily bases which
gives them more individual learning time on various learning apps, and or games
in which the students are truly enjoying.
New
“Lenovo Think Pads” coming: Members were told that the 4th, 5th
and 6th grade students will soon receive these in their classroom
sometime in January. Cheryl asked; do you think these “Think Pads” can come
home with the students? Annette replied saying “If other schools have the
approval for this, I do not see why a parent could not speak with Mr. Weigel
and ask for an individual approval; this as long as the parent takes
responsibility for it”.
“Unique
Learning”: Annette spoke about the license for Unique Learning” being
approved for renewal. Jenn Freer then mentioned that we had lost it for about
two months at the beginning of the year “but we have it again and it’s
great.”
PTO
fundraising: The floor was given to Cheryl Pickens who read about the
“Hobey Ford” fundraiser not doing as great as last year, due to lack of
publicity. Only $300.00 were raised this time. Cheryl also added that the new
snowman fundraiser was going well because all were sold. Cheryl then said “I
will be making more; if I find the time”.
Jill
DeMarco’s Presentation: Jill DeMarco spoke about a research/experiment
currently being conducted by Pam Mims, MED/EAL,
(a former teacher to the Progressive Education Program) along with ETSU. This
experiment consist of an app to teach literacy through a program that uses
popular middle school books, such as; The Outsiders, Holes and
many others. Jill uses a special iPad that is part of this research, and walked
the members through how it works.
Jill
also explained that the middle school teachers work in collaboration. She said,
“Valley Spring teachers have made a real effort with collaboration. We come
together and share ideas teaching with a theme using “Unique Learning” this
year’s theme is The Earth. The members made comments on how amazing this
program seemed to be.
The meeting was concluded at
approximately 4:40 PM.