Evansdale is Hiring

It may be summer, but Evansdale administration is working hard preparing for the 2013-2014 school year.

Four positions are currently being filled at Evansdale:

French Immersion Kindergarten Teacher

School Councilor

School Secretary

5th Grade Teacher

Check here often for update about Evansdale this summer!

Enjoy your vacation!

Announcing the New Parent Representatives for School Council

The 2013-2014 Evansdale School Council Members (**new)

Principal:  Dan McGuire

Parent Representatives:

Veronica Barnes

Joli Mauldin

Greta Massetti

Sylvia Flower**

Denise Miller-Tso**

David McGrail**

Teacher Representatives:

Kristi Cross

Anika Harris**

Business/Community Representatives:

Angela Dunbar

Lynn Kerr

Biographies of Newly Elected Representatives

Sylvia Flower
Sylvia Flower, an Atlanta native, went to Lakeside High School and then attended Emory University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.  She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Medical Science from Emory School of Medicine to become a Physician Assistant.   Sylvia currently practices in a small but very busy family medicine group in Lilburn, providing care for a wide spectrum of patients.  Her professional passion is disease prevention, particularly diabetes and heart disease.  2012-2013 is the Flower Family’s second year at Evansdale.  Drew (currently a 1^st grader with Ms. Mitchell) and Lindsey (now a kindergartner with Ms. Patrick) currently attend Evansdale and Connor is a future Evansdale Eagle.  This year Sylvia Co-Chaired Eagle Trek in the fall, an event that raised over $75K for the PTA and Evansdale Education Foundation.  She also volunteered as a Kilometer kids sponsor and facilitated Junior Achievement in her daughter’s kindergarten class.  Last year Sylvia helped to Co-Chair TV free week.  Sylvia is extremely excited about the upcoming changes to Evansdale, particularly the STEM program and language immersion!

David McGrail
David and Maryann McGrail have lived in the Evansdale neighborhood for over 15 years.  They have a 3^rd grade daughter at Evansdale and 6^th grade daughter at Henderson Middle (who attended Evansdale Pre-K – 5^th and was in the Magnet program). David has a BBA in Real Estate from Georgia State University and is a member of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors. He has been active in both Residential and Commercial Real Estate for nearly 20 years.   His knowledge of the local real estate market and issues that affect it and Evansdale bring resources to the table that will benefit all Evansdale area students, teachers and parents.  He currently co-chairs the Evansdale Grounds Committee with Scott Foerst and Jerry Appleman and has served as a room parent at Evansdale and Board Member of the North Umberland Swim Club.  David enjoys coaching soccer and volunteering in various capacities at both Evansdale and Tucker First United Methodist Church.  David enjoys spending time with his family, staying fit via CrossFit and playing golf.

Denise Miller-Tso

Denise Miller-Tso has lived in the Evansdale community for 13 years.  She received her Master's in Nursing at Emory University, and is currently working part-time as a nurse practitioner.  She has served as room parent, Spiritwear Co-Chair, and Co-VP of Programs for the PTA.  She was also a founding member of the Evansdale Education Foundation. Denise has been instrumental in previous Fantastic Friday events, Kilometer Kids, and the PTA Nominations Committee. She is currently the Book Fair Co-Chair.  Denise is married, with 2 current Evansdale Eagles.  When she is not busy with work or helping out at Evansdale, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with friends and family.

Marla Watt - Teacher Representative

Marla began a 2nd career in education in 2010 after relocating to Atlanta from New Orleans where she worked as counselor.  She completed a Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Emory University which included a semester of student teaching at Evansdale.  When a 5th grade teaching position opened up at Evansdale, she was excited to seek a permanent position there.  Marla has enjoyed working at Evansdale, getting to know the families and being part of the community.  

Fabulous Voter Response!

School Council elections closed last night at 7 PM.

We had 8 excellent candidates nominated.

Preliminary counts indicate that we received over 300 votes!  That is a great turnout compared to past elections.

The votes will be independently tallied by three individuals.

The new School Council members will be announced on Sunday in the PTA e-blast and here.

Thank you to all that participated - as candidates and as voters!!

French Immersion Program – Question and Answers

Q: What does immersion mean and how is it different from regular French instruction?

A: Immersion means that children receive more than just French lessons. The new French immersion program will be a 50/50 immersion:  Half the time, children will receive instruction in French, the other half they will receive instruction in English. They will learn French, but they will also learn other subjects while using French (example: doing math in French). Any subject other than English Language Arts can be taught while using French.
 

Q: How many children will be selected for the French immersion program?

A: Because this is a pilot program, two Kindergarten classes will receive the program, with 22 students each.
 

Q: What will the school day look like for children in the French Immersion program?

A: We will use a team teaching approach: one French speaking and one English speaking teachers will take turns teaching each class. For example, Class A will have the French teacher in the morning, then Class B will have the French teacher in the afternoon, switching with the English teacher.
 

Q: Will my child learn less of the core material because of the French?

A: Children will receive the same basic curriculum as other children in Kindergarten. They will learn all the same concepts.


Q: How will children be selected for the French Immersion program?

A: Classes are formed using a lottery system. Parents must apply for the lottery. Applications are due May 13-June 3, 2013.
 

Q: How do I apply?

A: You can apply at Evansdale. A paper application will be available starting Monday May 13^th at the school. You can also get the paper application at http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/about/schoolchoiceYou can also apply at the Dekalb Central Office on May 15 and May 21 9-12am and 1-2pm at 1701 Mountain Industrial Complex, Stone Mountain, GA 30083. Lab 102
You can also apply online via http://eportal.dekalb.k12.ga.us. Please note that the online system is not easy to navigate. If you apply online, you need to take your documentation to the school or to the central office.

Q: Are the application materials also in Spanish?

A: The paper forms are available in Spanish. Evansdale will hold a special application day on May 16 for parents who prefer to speak Spanish. We will have Spanish speaking staff available to assist you on that day from 8 until 11am.
 

Q: What are the days and times I can apply if I do it at Evansdale?

A: Between May 13 and May 24, the office will be staffed from 7am until 3:00. Please be patient particularly around 7:45am during the morning arrival, and after 2pm when children are being dismissed. Office staff may not have time to answer your questions. The school will not be open on Memorial Day, Monday 27^th. The summer schedule for the office has not been finalized. Please check this webpage again soon for updates.

 Q: Should I apply as early as possible?

A: It does not matter whether you apply early or later in the application period between May 13 and June 3. However, it is always best not to wait until the last minute to make sure you have time to complete everything.  You must return the paper application and supporting documentation to Evansdale by June 3. You can also take your application and documentation to the Dekalb Central Office Administrative and Instructional Complex by June 3.
 

Q: What supporting documentation do I need?

A: You will need to show proof of your child’s age (birth certificate) and proof of residence (utility bill, mortgage, lease, or affidavit – note that a phone bill is not sufficient). If your child is currently attending PreK at Evansdale, you need to bring only a proof of residence.
 

Q: I am in the process of buying a home and do not have a proof of residence yet. How do I prove eligibility?

A: Contact Ms. Wells at rhona_l_wells@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us if you have concerns.


Q: When will the lottery be held?

A: The lottery date is set for June 12, 9am, at the Dekalb Central Office. Parents may watch the drawing if they like.


Q: When will I find out who the teachers are?

A: The English teacher will be selected from existing teaching staff, the French teacher will be hired. Teachers and class assignment will be announced at Open House, not before.


Q: Why is this program being started – what are the benefits?

A: Research evidence shows that children who study a foreign language early:
•        Train their brain for learning
•        Do better on standardized tests
•        Understand their own language better
•        Do better in some skills that aren’t specific to language, like math and reasoning
•        Develop flexible thinking
•        Learn to listen and speak the sounds of other languages
•        Are ready to learn more languages
•        Have better job opportunities

 Q: Why French and not another language?

A: Evansdale was chosen in part because of the tradition of teaching French. But it is also a valuable language to learn. It is a world language, spoken in many countries around the world. Learning to listen and speak the sounds of French is great training for learning other languages, particularly since the sounds and speech pattern of French are very different from English, and it is particularly good for children to learn these sounds early on. As a language based in Latin, it teaches many grammar rules that help understand languages in general. French helps build vocabulary skills (many challenging words in English have a French origin).
 

Q: Is it right for my child?

A: Immersion programs work for children from many different backgrounds. Children with learning disabilities can also learn a different language, particularly if the disability is mild. But it depends on the child – some learning disabilities might make it difficult for a child to learn their first language, and adding a second may be difficult, but it depends on the child. If you have concerns, and think your child needs special education, talk to the counselor.
 

Q: Is it right for children who are still learning English?

A: Yes! English language learners can learn a third language as well. They may have an advantage over children who know only English, because they already know how to think about language. Children with limited English skills also will be on equal footing as their English speaking classmates for half the day when they are working on learning French. This will give English language learners more chances to feel successful than in an English-only classroom.
 

Q: What about next year? Will I need to enter the lottery again?

A: Once selected, children stay in the program as long as they attend Evansdale. So the following year, we will have two kindergarten and two first grade classes learning French.
 

Q: What about the regular French program? What about the magnet program?

A: Evansdale no longer has magnet classes that receive more intensive language instructions. French will still be offered for other, higher grades, two times a week for 30 minutes, which is more than the previous French exposure for the non-magnet classes. Right now it is not possible to say which grades will receive French, since we won’t know the number of classes and the school’s exact budget for a while. Stay tuned!
 

Letter from Evansdale Principal Regarding CCRPI

** An official copy of this letter will go home by courier next week**

May 2013

Parents:

The Georgia Department of Education has released the 2011-2012 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores for the DeKalb County School District and its schools.  These overall scores are comprised of multiple measurements and evaluation methods, and this new accountability system replaces No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) requirement for schools to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).  Each school is provided a numerical score from 1-100.  The overall CCRPI Score for Evansdale is 87.6.

Each school's CCRPI Score is comprised of data that comes from one of three categories: the Achievement Score, the Progress Score, and the Achievement Gap Score.  Additionally, schools may obtain up to ten “bonus points” from data associated with the Challenge Points Score.

Achievement Score (70%)	Progress Score (15%)	Achievement Gap Score (15%)	Challenge Points Score	CCRPI Score
62.7	9.5	12	3.4	87.6

The Achievement Score carries 70% of the weight of the overall CCRPI Score.  It is comprised of fourteen indicators for elementary and middle schools and nineteen indicators for high schools.  These indicators are basic proficiency calculations with the number of students identified as "proficient" as a numerator and the total number of students participating in the indicator as a denominator. 

The Progress Score is 15% of the overall CCRPI Score and compares student growth.  This score uses the Student Growth Percentile (SGP) to compare student growth on state assessments against other similar students.

The Achievement Gap Score is also 15% of the overall CCRPI Score.  The state awards points based upon the highest value of two measurements.  The first measures the gap between the school's lowest quartile of performance on standardized tests against a state mean.  The smaller the gap, the greater number of points awarded to the school.  The state also measures the change in performance gaps from year to year to determine if the gap size mentioned above decreases from the previous year to the current measured year. 

The Challenge Points are "bonus points" that schools can earn through two measurements.  The first measurement is a review of how well the school's Economically Disadvantaged (ED), English Learners (EL), and Students With Disabilities (SWD) subgroups are doing at meeting state performance targets on standardized tests.  The second measurement is a review of additional proficiency indicators that look at how well the school is preparing the student for college and career readiness. 

The CCRPI is a much different calculation than the one associated with AYP.  Multiple indicators and data are utilized to develop a well-rounded measurement of a school's performance.  Please visit the Georgia Department of Education’s website at http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/Pages/Home.aspx  for greater detail on each of the scores above, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.  Evansdale looks forward to using this data to improve student achievement and overall school success!

Respectfully,

Dan McGuire, Principal

School Council Nominees - Election Week of May 13th

The School Council nomination period closes today.  Below are the nominees as of 2:45 PM.  The nomination period closes at 5 PM today, May 9th.  

Voting will occur from Monday, May 13 to Thursday May 16.  A table will be available with ballots before school Monday-Thursday next week.  Voting may also be done in the School Office.  A table will be set up for easy voting on Thursday evening before, during, and after the PTA meeting and talent show.

Each parent/guardian of a CURRENT Evansdale student can vote in the election.  Three new representatives will be elected and you may vote for three people.

We are unable to offer electronic/on-line voting due to inability to verify parent/guardian status through an online mechanism.  

Here are the nominees:

Biographies of School Council Nominees for 2013-2014 Election

Casey Barton Behravesh

Casey Barton Behravesh has two daughters, a 1^st grader and a future Evansdale Eagle. Casey is a veterinarian and works as a disease detective at the CDC where she investigates outbreaks caused by contaminated food or diseases spread between animals and people. Casey regularly volunteers at Evansdale including as room parent, various PTA and foundation activities, and for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.  Casey strongly believes in the benefits of a public school education and wants to help Evansdale continue to be an excellent elementary school! She has a great background to support the advancement of STEM in our school.

Becky Bitsko

Becky Bitsko has enjoyed joining the Evansdale community during her son’s first year in pre-K. Becky has a PhD in Neuroscience from Emory University, where she also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in child development. She also recently completed training through the Georgia Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopment and related Disabilities (GaLEND). Becky is currently a health scientist at CDC working on children’s mental health where she leads research and outreach activities on Tourette Syndrome. Becky has enjoyed volunteering as a room parent in pre-K, and at many events throughout the year and is interested in getting more involved.

Natalie R. Culpepper

My husband and I have lived in the Evansdale area for ten years and as an advocate for education, I come from a long line of educators.  Part of my influence came from my own parents who served as advocates of education as PTA presidents and my mother has taught elementary school for almost 40 years.   As a mother to an emerging 2^nd grader, I see my role as not only to support to my child, but also to be a partner to his teachers and all staff at Evansdale who have made it their life’s mission to educate and positively influence the students.  My desire to join the Evansdale School Council is to continue the positive legacy and to serve as a source of decision support for you and your administration as we all work together to help all students at Evansdale soar.

Sylvia Flower
Sylvia Flower, an Atlanta native, went to Lakeside High School and then attended Emory University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.  She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Medical Science from Emory School of Medicine to become a Physician Assistant.   Sylvia currently practices in a small but very busy family medicine group in Lilburn, providing care for a wide spectrum of patients.  Her professional passion is disease prevention, particularly diabetes and heart disease.  2012-2013 is the Flower Family’s second year at Evansdale.  Drew (currently a 1^st grader with Ms. Mitchell) and Lindsey (now a kindergartner with Ms. Patrick) currently attend Evansdale and Connor is a future Evansdale Eagle.  This year Sylvia Co-Chaired Eagle Trek in the fall, an event that raised over $70K for the PTA and Evansdale Education Foundation.  She also volunteered as a Kilometer kids sponsor and facilitated Junior Achievement in her daughter’s kindergarten class.  Last year Sylvia helped to Co-Chair TV free week.  Sylvia is extremely excited about the upcoming changes to Evansdale, particularly the STEM program and language immersion!

Rodney Jones

I have an MBA in Finance from Georgia State University and have worked for the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Disaster Assistance for the past 19 years – assisting homeowners and businesses recover from crippling disasters.  I grew up in the area (attended Sagamore Hills and Lakeside) and have one child – an upcoming first grader – in Evansdale and am really interested in making sure he and his classmates have the best possible opportunities for success.  I am a detail-oriented person who will make sure to hold people accountable when the best interests of Evansdale are on the line.

David McGrail
David and Maryann McGrail have lived in the Evansdale neighborhood for over 15 years.  They have a 3^rd grade daughter at Evansdale and 6^th grade daughter at Henderson Middle (who attended Evansdale Pre-K – 5^th and was in the Magnet program).  David has a BBA in Real Estate from Georgia State University and is a member of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors.  He has been active in both Residential and Commercial Real Estate for nearly 20 years.   His knowledge of the local real estate market and issues that affect it and Evansdale bring resources to the table that will benefit all Evansdale area students, teachers and parents.  He currently co-chairs the Evansdale Grounds Committee with Scott Foerst and Jerry Appleman and has served as a room parent at Evansdale and Board Member of the North Umberland Swim Club.  David enjoys coaching soccer and volunteering in various capacities at both Evansdale and Tucker First United Methodist Church.  David enjoys spending time with his family, staying fit via CrossFit and playing golf.

Denise Miller-Tso

Denise Miller-Tso has lived in the Evansdale community for 13 years.  She received her Master's in Nursing at Emory University, and is currently working part-time as a nurse practitioner.  She has served as room parent, Spiritwear Co-Chair, and Co-VP of Programs for the PTA.  She was also a founding member of the Evansdale Education Foundation. Denise has been instrumental in previous Fantastic Friday events, Kilometer Kids, and the PTA Nominations Committee. She is currently the Book Fair Co-Chair.  Denise is married, with 2 current Evansdale Eagles.  When she is not busy with work or helping out at Evansdale, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with friends and family.

Patryce L. Yeiser
My name is Patryce Yeiser. Prior to moving to Evansdale we had four children at Livsey, now attending Henderson Middle. Our younger three children are new to Evansdale this year. We have really enjoyed Evansdale and are quite pleased with its strong family involvement, its small intimate setting where parents and teachers can effectively communicate and work together to maximize every student’s learning. In addition to being the mother of 7 children, I have worked as a scientist in Pediatric Infectious Disease at Emory for 16 years and have participated in many high school outreach programs encouraging youth to pursue a career in the sciences.  I believe my experience would be helpful in an advisory function to the administration at Evansdale.  I believe that a common-sense inquisitive approach to teaching the sciences will engage children and make them more in touch. Once a child feels lost in class it is easy for them to become disheartened and lose interest.  I believe that every child starts out with an intrinsic curiosity we can nurture into a love of science and math.  

Evansdale Book Drive Starts Monday, May 13th

Evansdale Book Drive! 

Did your child outgrow some books?

Need to clear out shelf space for next year’s reading list? (this coincides with the final scholastic book sale, so you can create some space for the summer reading list)

Bring your gently used books to Evansdale starting Monday May 13th.

Collection bin in the lobby of the school

Here’s the reason: 
The Daily 5 literacy program is expanding. More teachers are using it to help children learn to read and write. Teachers need books of all reading levels, from beginning readers to middle school, to keep our Eagles having reading and learning and enjoying it.

Soft or hard cover welcome – fiction or non-fiction, funny or serious.

Books in Spanish and French are welcome as well.

Please, only books that have all pages and that are not marked up. 

Enrollment as of 5/8/13

Homeroom/Grade Summary

5-8-13

Kindergarten

      16            

      20

      25

     19

     18

     18

    116

                         

1^st grade

      21

      22

      25

      18

      17

    103                   

2^nd grade

      24

      23

      24

      22 

      93

                

3^rd grade

     22

     23

     24

     22

     23

    114      

              

4th grade

      26

      29            

      24

      26

     105          

                                       

5^th grade

      34            

      32

      34

     100                   

Pre K

       22

Total Enrollment            653

Unofficial Synopsis of May 7th, 2013 Meeting

**This is an unofficial account of the School Council meeting from Tuesday, May 7th.  The official minutes will not be approved until the first meeting of the 2013-2013 school year in August 2013. **

The meeting was called to order at 5:04 p.m.

Inspiration was provided by Kristi Cross.

Minutes from the April meeting were unanimously approved (available now under the 'approved meeting minutes' tab above).

REPORTS

PTA:

Jennifer Hatfield provided the PTA President's report.  Highlights included:

1) PTA finances are in good shape for the end of the year with a slight excess.
2) The budget ways and means committee has been gathering community input regarding what to do with the budget excess.  The use for the money will be voted on by the general PTA membership at the May meeting.
3) The slate of PTA officers for the 2013-2014 school year will be voted on at the May PTA meeting.
4) The student Talent Show will occur following the May PTA meeting on Thursday, May 16th.
5) A buy-one-get-one book fair will be held next week.
6) The 5K was held last week with approximately 90 runners and it generated some positive revenue.

Evansdale Education Foundation:

Gretchen Neigh read a report provided via email by the Evansdale Education Foundation.  The report is copied here:

*New board members Genny Tuggey, Chris Foley, Jen McGaughey, Anne Craddock, Scott Vanags and Jen Allen were welcomed at the meeting on April 21^st.  New board members that were unable to attend this meeting were Lauren Shankman and Myriam Quispe-Agnoli.  Official transition to the new board will occur at the next board meeting scheduled for May 19^th and take effect on June 1^st, 2013.  

*Red Hot & Blue - grossed $26,054.  Thanks to the Evansdale community for the support as well as organizer/lead Susan Ponder and our host Greater Good BBQ for a spectacular event.  

*Family Picture Day Fundraiser with Patterson Photography on Sunday May 11th.  Lee will waive sitting fee and instead requests a $40 donation for the Foundation.  Announcements were also distributed in PTA e-blast and in couriers on April 19th.  

*The Evansdale Foundation investment history has been updated on the Evansdale Foundation website (http://evansdalefoundation.org/)

*The Foundation is considering appointing a regular liaison to School Council for next year.

Administrator Reports:

Dan McGuire and Pamela McCloud provided the reports (Ms. McCloud will be included in School Council meetings under the Administrator Reports for all meetings going forward).

Staffing and Allotments:

1) Allotments for the 2013-2014 school year will be available to Dr. McGuire by the end of next week.  Any changes in current allotments will be communicated to the community once official word is available.

2) Roselle Hicks, school secretary, is retiring.  Lindsey Hicks, school counselor, is moving on to a new employment opportunity.  Terry Johnson, Kindergarten teacher, is moving on to a new employment opportunity.

3) Replacements for both the K teacher and the school counselor are being interviewed now.

4) The county has not yet approved the hiring of a 10-month secretary to replace Roselle Hicks.

5) There are also plans to to hire a 5th grade math/science teacher due to anticipated expansion of the 5th grade next year, but this position is dependent on the allotments from the county.

6) Enrollment will be updated soon but is approximately 654 students.

7) College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores for 2012 were released.  Evansdale scored a 87.6 which is comparable to other schools such as Livsey and Briarlake.  The major area for improvement for Evansdale is "Achievement Gap".  Our Hispanic population did not meet any local, state, or federal benchmarks and we need to improve our services for this portion of the Evansdale community.  It is important to remember that this is the 2012 score and uses CRCT scores from spring 2012 and may not be a 100% accurate reflection of our current scores.  The CCRPI scores replace AYP.  A future blog post will discuss CCRPI and explain our score and the mechanism in more detail.  Information is publicly available from the State BOE and has been posted on the AJC (http://www.myajc.com/news/ccrpi-2012-scores/).  

8) Fifth grade writing scores are in and 89% of Evansdale 5th graders either met or exceeded the standards. This is the second year in a row of improved scores and reflects the hard work of the teachers and the assistance of Ms. McCloud.  

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Parental Involvement - Parental involvement and engagement has been picked up by the PTA as a focused effort for the 2013-2014 school year.  A strategic planning meeting was held by leadership this past week and efforts are being made to increase the impact of volunteerism at the school and to streamline the requests made for volunteers.  This topic will not be revisited at School Council unless a problem arises that requires School Council input.

STEM Update - STEM Day was celebrated last week.  The day was celebrated with a focus on STEM careers.  There was a STEM career poster competition open to the entire school.  A total of 37 posters were entered and students that entered received an Evansdale STEM magnet and a coupon to use at the Olympic Day concession stand.  There will also be a top girl and boy poster selected and each will receive a $25 gift card.  These prizes were sponsored by PTA.  Evansdale's STEM Day celebration was combined with Career Day.  The combined events were featured in the DCSD newsletter last week.  STEM professional development for the summer is being scheduled and things are on track to implement STEM curricula next year.  The use of STEM curricula will be voluntary next year but will be available to all teachers to incorporate.

ELL Adult Programs  - Approximately 30 parents attended the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education (MALDEF) program that was held at the school on April 30th.  A representative from MALDEF spoke with the parents about the obstacles faced by their children and the need for them as parents to become engaged in their child's education.  The program was well received and attempts are being made to schedule the full 12-week session that MALDEF offers for the fall of 2013.

French Immersion Program - Parent information for incoming kindergarten parents were held in both Spanish and English.  Two K classes for the immersion program will be offered next year and each class will have 22 students.  Selection for the program is lottery based and open to any rising K student at Evansdale.  Parents may register for the lottery either online or using a paper application available in the Evansdale office.  Registration for the lottery will occur from May 13 - June 7.  On May 16th special assistance for registration for the lottery will be available at Evansdale.  The lottery will occur on June 12th at the central office of DCSD.

School Council Elections - Nominations for three new parent representatives are being accepted now through Thursday, May 9th. All biographies will be translated to Spanish and available at the school and online.  Voting will occur Monday through Thursday next week and will conclude following the PTA meeting.  School Council members will staff a table to prominently display the voting location multiple times next week.  The new members will officially take office in August at the first School Council meeting but will be included in any School Council communication during the summer along with all current members of the School Council.

Magnet Lottery Update - Names were pulled for at-large kindergarten during the School Choice Lottery. All names are on the waiting list and no at-large K spots will be available next year until after enrollment is assessed after the start of the 2013-2014 school year.  The same is true for any other grade level for which at-large names were pulled.

Transition to 2013-2014 School Council - A document outlining all the various duties of the School Council Chair was distributed which included information about the major communication outlets added this year (blog, Facebook, gmail account).  The Chair has maintained all of this media outlets this year in addition to the standard duties of agenda setting and meeting administration.  Which of these media outlets are maintained next year will be up to the new Council because the Chair, Gretchen Neigh, will no longer be a Council member.  It is the recommendation that the outlets all be maintained, but this is not a requirement and is at the discretion of the School Council members.  School Council members whose terms are ending are: Gretchen Neigh McCandless (Chair), Denise Robinson (Vice Chair), Rudyard Alcocer, and Cheryl Anderson (teacher representative).

NEW BUSINESS - none

DEVELOP AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING

A specific agenda was not adopted because of summer break.  It was recommended by the current Chair that some type of document regarding attendance and excused versus unexcused absences be developed over the summer to improve understanding of the process for parents.  Additional attention will also need to be given to engagement of Hispanic families and improvement of the achievement gap.

ADJOURN - meeting adjournedat 5:52.  

The next meeting will occur after the start of the 2013-2014 school year in August.

Evansdale and STEM

At the recent Kindergarten information sessions, the reasons behind Evansdale's pursuit of STEM certification, and the STEM-related changes coming next year, were detailed.

This information is likely to be of broad interest.

 The Power Point presentation used at these informational meetings was converted to pictures, and these pictures are copied below.

90-Day DCSD Action Plan

Michael Thurmond, DCSD Interim Superintendent, released a 90-Day Action Plan to be executed from May to July 2013.  There are 5 goals that are delineated with described action items.  A link to the full presentation can be found by clicking here: 90 Day Plan.

The final page of the plan includes the following Deliverables/Outcomes:

• Unified Board/Superintendent governance team focused on improving student
achievement and career readiness

• Balanced budget that better aligns resources to support academic achievement and
career readiness

• Decentralized decision-making authority

• Increased investments in parent, adult guardian and mentor involvement

• Initiation of a comprehensive strategic planning process and framework

• More fiscal and organizational accountability

• More effective communication with internal and external stakeholders

• Improved internal and external customer service

• Improved employee morale

• Improved fleet services