March 22, 2021 – Minutes

School Community Council
Monday, March 22, 2021

Members in Attendance (via Zoom):

Brian McGill   
Jim Jensen         
Chad Heyborne
Melissa Gibbs                        
Joe Schino                              
Brittany Stephenson
Page Checketts                       
Rochelle Stone                       
Kelli Miller
Cache Merrill                         
Callie Bjerregaard                  
Chet Linton (virtually)
Garry True                              
Katie Christensen     

Others in Attendance:
Carolyn Cannon (Secretary)
BJ Weller (District)
Brandy Burnett (Carolyn’s replacement)
SBOs (Marshall and Carson)

Not in Attendance:                            
Tricia Leininger                      
Shannon Kershaw                  
Ron Strohm                            

Welcome, Review & Approve minutes from January 25, 2021 meeting (Jim Jensen)

• Motion to approve minutes – Page Checketts
• 2nd Motion – Brittany Stephenson
• Motion passed

I. SBO Update/Report (Shaley Allen and SBOs)

• Last week was the dance company concert which was wonderful. Traci made an appearance at the end.  She is retiring at the end of this year.  It was so fun to be in that atmosphere again and was also great to do it in the PAC.
• Spring sports are starting up.
• Prom is coming up this Saturday, March 27th. We have been busy making decorations for that in the new commons with the new space, etc.
• New SBO elections are underway. Students are campaigning right now.  Should know by the end of next week.
• We have big plans for the end of the year with some of the usual traditions.
• There will be training for the Big Screen in the Commons on Wednesday at 2:00 pm.

II. PTSA Update (Rochelle Stone)

• We are looking to fill positions for next year’s Board. We sent out a Sign-up Genius. 
• We also reminded everyone about our Hawk Stash. It’s available every Thursday after school as well as any other time it’s needed.  It’s well-stocked, but not utilized as much as we would like it to be.
• First week of May is Teacher Appreciation Week.
• We are providing snacks for AP Testing.
• Blankets should arrive first week of May. We have about 100 in pre-sales. 

III. Counseling Corner (Callie Bjerregaard)

• Here is the Utah State model for a Counselor’s role: (1) 45-55% direct services with students helping them prepare to go to college, etc; (2) 15-25% in the classroom with collaborative instruction and doing preventative measures (hardest to do); (3) 15-20% dropout prevention with social and emotional supports (spending more time in this area this year); (4) 10-15% indirect services (meetings, trainings, etc.)
• We are going to run some groups in Advisory with 9th and 10th grade students who are struggling to try to be preventative. Many students have forgotten that having some stress is normal.
• From Brian – starting some groups to help those who usually have 4.0 and all As.
• It’s been great to have the supports for testing so counselors can focus on other needs with students, etc.
• It’s nice that our counselor-to-student ratio is lower than other schools in the district
• ACT for Juniors was very successful. Tomorrow is the makeup ACT
• Trying to wrap up Course Requests – we will leave it open for two weeks in August for students to adjust their own schedules; quite a few kids have applied for CTEC this year
• From Brian – some of the money we will be voting on today helps fund 1.5 extra counselors (Shannon Kershaw).

IV. TSSP Mid-Year Analysis (Kelli Miller)

• Literacy Goal – RI (Reading Inventory) – test given 3x per year to all 4 grade levels; there is always regression over the summer, but we want to see recovery from that regression as the year goes on; emphasis on multi-lingual learners without making regular English classes any larger.
• Aspire testing (did not do in the Spring of 2020, and 2019 was the first year we did it) – we aren’t used to this yet so the goal is to maintain our baseline.
• STEAM Goal – Measurements are ACT and Aspire – sustain a 30% or higher of Alta juniors scoring the benchmark level on all four categories of the statewide ACT exam; Aspire – hopefully maintain or exceed those.
• MTSS/Culture and Climate Goals – providing additional counseling and mental health services; we are collecting data, but we haven’t found a good way to aggregate it and we can’t legally share the information on each individual student; SO, included teacher observation data (IPOPs), and provided Alta’s Student Support Services (Green is Tier 1 supports to ALL student, Yellow is Tier 2 supports in a group setting, and Red is Tier 3 supports which is 5% of students who need more supports).
• College and Career Readiness Goals – Sustaining at least 90% graduation rate in spite of our changing demographics and COVID; maintain 60% earning Honors and Advanced Diplomas; maintain 20% of students meeting Hawk Medallion standards.

V. TSSP (Teacher Student Success Plan) (Dr McGill)

• BJ Weller is here to discuss the changes in FTE for LCSWs – We started with 4 social workers and 4 school-based mental health therapists. At first we received .5 FTE, but then it was increased to 1.0 FTE.  It was increased because of ABS (Academic Behavior Support) classes.  We used Title 4 funds and when audited, there was a supplanting issue so they pulled .5 back from Alta. 
• Next year the District will be up to 35 Social Workers and 24 School-based supports
• This year the District added 6 additional school nurses and then added 2 more to help with COVID (funded through CARES ACT).
• They try to protect all FTE for teachers, etc.
• So, Crystal Gregory will remain as a .5, but will be paid for out of TSSA Funds instead of out of the District Funds. We had intended to increase her to a full FTE, but now that won’t happen.
• The District is exploring the potential implementation of “School Connect” (Social/Emotional Learning Curriculum). The District is talking to all the High Schools to have a period when this curriculum can be taught.  It’s a sister program to “Second Step”.  Alta already has an Advisory Period in place where this program could be implemented.
• TSSP (Teacher Student Success Plan) combines Land Trust Funds and TSSA Funds. The approximate 20-21 TSSP (LandTrust and TSSA) funding is $478,000. 
• LandTrust carryover – normally we can only carry over 10%, but due to the unusual circumstances with COVID, the District is allowing us to carry over more than 10%. Brian will know in April whether we want to carry over some of those funds.

Move to approve the 2021-2022 TSSP budget – Chad Heyborne
Second – Garry True
Approve – passes unanimously

 VI. Dance Update

• Prom, Saturday, March 27, 8:00-11:00 pm
• “Test to Dance,” Friday, March 26th, 12:00-1:30 pm
• 400 tickets sold at this point; if we keep it under 600 tickets we can hold one dance as opposed to 2 dances
• It will be held in the Commons; all the students will be tested for COVID on Friday at noon; all students must wear masks to the dance

VII. Graduation Update

• We will send out a survey to all Seniors and Parents/Guardians to get their input
• We are awaiting guidance from health department and district leadership on capacity
• Possible venues – could potentially move all 5 graduations to the Maverik Center or we could possibly do it in the Football stadium

VIII. Construction/Renovation Update (Garry True)

• Gym renovation – Demolition team came in, once they got the Bobcat in, it went well and all of the wood floor has been removed; Eagle Abatement will come next week and will take out the old rubberized floor, there is a trace amount of Mercury so they have negative pressure going in the gym – this will take 4-6 weeks; the gym will be the last thing completed on the renovation project (maybe November to January) – just finished up HVAC in there; new sound system; new scoreboards (Daktronics)
• Baseball and Softball fields – just completed survey work, we will discuss it at 1:30 on Wednesday; after season fields will be taken out, smoothed out, and returned to better playable condition; work on sprinkling systems
• Other current construction projects – Band/Choir rooms, Black Box, Theatre – slowed down just a bit, working on ceiling and lighting, paint, cabinetry (before school is out); Career Center, Alumni Room – framed, sheetrock, starting to look good; Visitor’s Parking Lot – road base going down, curb and gutters going down, asphalt laid first, working to get it ready, still need to do landscaping, sprinklers, etc. that need to be in place (should be available when school starts back up)
• Everything should be done by the beginning of school with the exception of the gym

IX. Other Items

• Brian commented on how open and accessible we have been able to keep things in spite of the challenges, but still remain as safe as possible
• We are bringing back SOAR cards and awards for 4th

Motion to Adjourn – Rochelle Stone
Second – Page Checketts
Meeting adjourned

Next SCC Meeting:  Monday, April 19, 2021 @ 3:00 pm