SCHOOL COUNCIL SUMMARY
March 15, 2012
The Camden Station Elementary School Council met in regular session in the Conference Room of Camden Station Elementary School with the following members present:
1. Stu Martin 2. Rachael Roy 3. Amy Larson 4. Sylvain Limprevil 5. Ann Mintman 6. Heidi Bramlage-Schomburg
- The meeting was called to order at 3:33.
- The Council reviewed and approved the agenda.
- The Council reviewed and approved the minutes of the February 16, 2012 meeting.
- Council Action Items
- The Council considered and approved the second KETS expenditures for 2011-12. Camden received $3,258.57 in the second allocation and will use all of it to replace old desktop classroom computers, which do not have the RAM to handle new operating systems.
- Principal’s Report
- Mr. Martin again discussed with the Council the preliminary enrollment and budget numbers for the 2012-13 school year. After Kindergarten Registration, along with additional families enrolling their children at Camden over the past month, our warm-body projection has increased by 4 students, and is now at 385. This is still very far from reasonably moving up to 19 classroom teachers, so the decision remains to look at 18 classroom teachers and 5 classified staff. Each grade level will house 3 classrooms. With this configuration, class sizes are projected to be anywhere between 17-24 students in each classroom. The Council also heard feedback from teachers about the use of the computer lab. With only 3 classes at each grade level, the idea of having only 3 Related Arts classes has surfaced (Art, Music, PE). The Council discussed how important effective use of technology is in education and the real world. Our students need to be engaged in learning, and current technology has the ability to help increase that engagement. Staff feedback has indicated that teachers feel confident that the computer lab can be checked out by classrooms, on a weekly basis, as an opportunity for all students to use and enhance their computer skills, rather than having “Computer” be part of the Related Arts rotation. Teachers are encouraged to continue these discussions to help generate ideas on how to effectively implement technology into the instruction at Camden. The Council will continue to look at updated enrollment projections over the next few months to help make informed decisions about future staffing and spending.
- Having no further business, the Council adjourned at 4:00.