Board Retreat and Strategic Planning
Following up on Charlie's thread to the new (waiting for Board approval) five-year Strategic Plan, here's what I heard from the Board retreat where the Board and senior staff discussed it. For some reason, only the goals are at the communications page on this issue but there are links to the vision/mission/core beliefs from the Intro item on the Board agenda page.
To note: that Saturday, June 1st, saw a packed room of staff (most of whom stayed from 10 am to 2 p.m. - a big commitment of time) and Board members. Everyone came prepared to work and was in good spirits. There was a feeling of a shared unity to this work.
Once again the Alliance person sat at the table with Board and staff. One funny aside is that I downloaded the agenda from the district's website. It had only the district logo but when you got to the meeting, the agenda had
Seattle Schools This Week
To note: that Saturday, June 1st, saw a packed room of staff (most of whom stayed from 10 am to 2 p.m. - a big commitment of time) and Board members. Everyone came prepared to work and was in good spirits. There was a feeling of a shared unity to this work.
Once again the Alliance person sat at the table with Board and staff. One funny aside is that I downloaded the agenda from the district's website. It had only the district logo but when you got to the meeting, the agenda had
Seattle Schools This Week
Tuesday, June 18th
Audit and Finance Ctm meeting (quarterly audit mtg) from 4-6 p.m. Agenda.
Includes:
- exit conference from State Auditor on accountability
- internal audits include Kimball Elementary, custodial services/grounds, and Denny
- risk management
- ethics update
Wednesday, June 19th
School Board meeting starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda.
Includes:
- academic calendar for 2013-2014. There appear to be two Options, A and B (the difference being PD waiver days in A and not in B.) They want the Board to approve both as the BOE doesn't meet to discuss the district's request for PD waiver days until July 12th. The other difference is 2 days of TRI but different dates for A and B. There appear to be two snow days at the end of the year in June and one they could use for the Day between Semesters. And yes, there continues to be a full-week of mid-winter break. It's unclear to me if this is a final from SEA.
- the NWEA contract (MAP) for about $470k
- intro of an extension of Superintendent Banda's contract until 2016. This is a one-year added extension to his contract which was to expire in June 2015. To note:
Thursday, June 20th
Operations Ctm meeting from 4-5:30 pm. Agenda not yet available.
Charter School Commission Meeting from 10 am to 5 pm. Agenda not yet available
Seattle University, Loyola 203
This is the last Commission meeting in the Seattle area until October. The Commission has had several Executive meetings in June to interview Ex. Director candidates.
Audit and Finance Ctm meeting (quarterly audit mtg) from 4-6 p.m. Agenda.
Includes:
- exit conference from State Auditor on accountability
- internal audits include Kimball Elementary, custodial services/grounds, and Denny
- risk management
- ethics update
Wednesday, June 19th
School Board meeting starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda.
Includes:
- academic calendar for 2013-2014. There appear to be two Options, A and B (the difference being PD waiver days in A and not in B.) They want the Board to approve both as the BOE doesn't meet to discuss the district's request for PD waiver days until July 12th. The other difference is 2 days of TRI but different dates for A and B. There appear to be two snow days at the end of the year in June and one they could use for the Day between Semesters. And yes, there continues to be a full-week of mid-winter break. It's unclear to me if this is a final from SEA.
- the NWEA contract (MAP) for about $470k
- intro of an extension of Superintendent Banda's contract until 2016. This is a one-year added extension to his contract which was to expire in June 2015. To note:
This action does not change the Superintendent’s compensation. Discussions on compensation are being deferred until after the state budget is adopted
by the legislature and after the current contract negotiations with the
Seattle Education Association, Principals’Association of Seattle Schools and Local 609
International Union of Operating Engineers.
- approval of the Seattle Teacher Residency Students "contingent certificated contracts". I note the MOU is missed two pages (4 and 5) . It appears that the Alliance will be the employer for the Program director and staff.
- increasing the 2012-2013 budgeted transfers from Capital Projects Funds to the General Fund by $3.3M. This is for "certain technology related expenditures and certain maintenance/repairs." On the one hand, the "technology-related expenditures" is for "salary costs" but the maintenance money is for up to $800k of expenditures for summer 2013. I like the latter.
Operations Ctm meeting from 4-5:30 pm. Agenda not yet available.
Charter School Commission Meeting from 10 am to 5 pm. Agenda not yet available
Seattle University, Loyola 203
This is the last Commission meeting in the Seattle area until October. The Commission has had several Executive meetings in June to interview Ex. Director candidates.