The Sept. meeting was held on Sept. 18th. Julie Richards is acting as the Interim Staff Liaison since Charmaine has left.

Dr. Hays was away so Lu Deamer & Laura Clark were co-chairs for the meeting. There was a new member, Gloria Barr Jackson, so Lu decided that everyone should introduce themselves.
Maureen Dinnen,School Board member for the District was present to give her report. An important issue which the Board has passed is an Anti-Bullying policy. This is an important issue with teachers, parents & students. Many meetings have been held with all concerned parties which have been well received. She advised that 3 different budgets have been passed for the Legislature has made many changes. There has been a 94million cut in the last 2 years. Florida schools are 50th in the Nation. Laws are passed for different issues that are mandated but there is no funding for these issues. Items such as class size was mandated but not funded. The Board has decided that no new schools will be built other than those already in progress & no additions will be considered. There have been some changes in the FCAT & the way schools are graded. Students should not be compared with those in other states it becomes comparing apples & oranges.
Sunland Park School Update

The Principal, Mattie Benson, attended the meeting to give us an update on this school which had been selected as one the EAB would help to support Ms. Benson is a retired Principal who has been called to help with this school. She was quite impressive & spoke with such a positive attitude. She believes in an open door policy for students as well as teachers. She felt the school had a number of new teachers with not  a leader She speaks with a quiet voice & requires that of her students. She agrees there were some difficult students because of various reasons but believes she can turn them around. She says she needs a Behavior Specialist who can deal with the various types of children & their problems.

She was very pleased that at Open House she had 100 parents who represented 152 children. This with no food either,she says she didn't;t even think of food. Although the school had an F rating,the 3rd,4th& 5th grades all scored higher than ever before. This does not show in the final rating however. She says she is building on teacher skills with some combined classes & staff workshops.  She was a Joy to listen to for she was certainly motivated to change a difficult situation.

Charles Webster,BCPS Liaison announced the various meetings to be held. He gives a weekly report to Board members which is very informative.
The next meeting will be Oct.16th & at that time the Board will discuss Goals for the coming year.