Hillcrest Elementary

Community Council Minutes
November 5, 2021 @ 7am
Hillcrest Zoom Meeting

Minutes

• We’ve spent about $6,000 and are on track to need to add about $16,000 to our budget that we will discuss this afternoon.

• DLI update

DLI committee has been meeting the first Monday of each month at 4:00 pm at Hillcrest. Last year met at Bridger and the committee includes a similar group from Bridger that meets with the Hillcrest group.

Working on website, participated in the USU Homecoming Parade. The banners we carried in the parade have now been posted outside at every elementary school in the district to recruit students to attend Hillcrest next year.

Question – are banners in Spanish or English?

• English for now, Spencer will follow up on getting banners in Spanish also
• One of the purposes of the November 17 meeting at Bridger is to talk to Spanish speaking families about the benefits of dual language immersion for students who are learning English

The boundary committee is currently meeting and that conversation has overlapping impact on DLI.

• Multiple questions and conversation about decisions that could affect kindergarten including bussing to Hillcrest at mid-day and whether we could offer full-day kindergarten to all students who attend Hillcrest
• This group has multiple ideas about how to recruit for kindergarten and ensure Hillcrest maintains diversity and doesn’t become an exclusive school including reserving and giving spots to students who need some extra supports but aren’t eligible for other services
• Spencer will invite Frank Schofield and the members of the DLI committee to our December meeting for further conversations about the district’s plan for recruitment
• Teacher Funding Ideas

• Reading kits (Click HERE for reading Kits) are a resource recommended through the LTRS training that teachers are engaging in this year. Best practice for all students but really good for students who are struggling to learn and those who are learning English.

• Cost includes kits for all teachers and mirrors.

• Additional devices for progress monitoring is technology. A lot of teachers do not have enough tools or devices to conduct progress monitoring for the kids in Tier 2
• Public Input

• Intention is that these are going to be available for students that need extra supports
• We have to be cautious about staying in our charge to supplement the school’s program, the teachers have been thoughtful about how to use these devices for Tier 2 and Tier 3

• Hillcrest uniquely has a STEM and Science specialist. Our STEM specialist would like to buy some tools to use for coding and other items
• Teachers can start using these tools right away for instruction in their classrooms
• Revised proposed cost for $5,000 to enhance reading kits
• Motion:

• Sara Doutre motioned we use the funds that will not be used for the EL consultant for:
  • $5,000 for LTRS reading kits for all grade levels and mirrors
  • $8,500 for devices for intervention and progress monitoring
• Brent Chamberlain seconded motion, unanimous vote to approve expenditures
• Spencer will send this budget change forward for board approval

• Calendar Committee Appointment

• District has requested a parent rep for the district calendar committee
• Please recommend the calendar is in an ICS form
• Debbie Brough agreed to represent Hillcrest on the committee

• School Community Council Membership

• Debbie Brough and Mellisa LaMalfa have attended meetings and can be voted on to the council by the parents on the council
  • Dannon Loveland motioned, Brent Chamberlain seconded, unanimous vote to add both to the SCC as voting members

Next Meeting:

• Homework Discussion
  • Spencer sent this article for review: CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE
  • It’s good to know that it is a meta analysis and combines a lot of different times for homework
  • Brent shared some additional information about parent perceptions on homework
    • CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE
    • CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE
    • CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE
  • Spencer’s philosophy is that when parents want to do more with their student at home or need to, they can work with the parents to make that happen
  • Strong agreement across council members that homework is not necessary for students in younger grades, but that it is helpful to provide parents with strategies and structures to use, as needed, for families
  • It’s nice to get information
• Next Steps
• Public Input
  • Who do we talk to about the boundary discussion and the lack of a catchment area for Hillcrest?
    • Superintendent and school board members
  • Vaccines
    • The district will be sending information out
  • December 3, 2021 @ 7am