District Partners With Trane Company and Gateway Technical College to Explore new Choices for Students

At the Board of Education meeting on Monday, the Board heard how the Racine Unified School District, Gateway Technical College and Trane Company have formed a partnership to consider the possibility of adding an addition to McKinley Middle School, delivering STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum and implementing energy-saving solutions at McKinley.

Over the past two years, McKinley has been working towards becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme. By creating a model STEM facility, the school would address IB authorization needs in science and technology as well as capacity issues at the school due to increasing enrollment over the last five years. The partnership hopes to create a net zero addition to McKinley and do a net zero remodel to the existing building, making the school much more energy efficient. The entire District would benefit from the energy cost savings realized at McKinley.

By partnering with Gateway Technical College and Trane Company, RUSD is able to share facility use, expertise and funding support to make the project cost neutral and open doors for additional partners and future projects in the District. 

The theme of the presentation to the Board, focused on how this partnership could help create another educational choice in Racine Unified. 

"This partnership helps make McKinley even more different than other RUSD schools," said Dr. James Shaw, RUSD superintendent. "We want to provide more choices for our students and parents, and this would allow us the opportunity to do that," he added. 

The feasibility study that the Board approved on Monday will include a District-wide assessment of possible energy-efficiency projects with costs and projected savings, options and costs for a McKinley addition and options for financing the projects. The partners hope to have the study completed by September, at which point they will present the findings to the Board so it can decide whether or not to move forward. Trane Company is funding the cost of the feasibility study.

Katie Wright, a recent graduate of Case High School, is recognized by the Board of Education for her work on the District's news program, "Unified News Today."

Recent Case High School graduate Katie Wright was recognized by the Board of Education on Monday night for the vast amount of time and talent she gave to helping produce the District's news program, "Unified News Today" (UNT), over the last school year. Katie searched out stories, conducted interviews, videotaped events, edited footage and served as the host of UNT. Her stories were featured in every episode of UNT this year, demonstrating her skills as reporter and video editor. Katie is attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison this fall. 

"Unified News Today" airs on Cable Channel 20 as well as on the

District's website (in the bottom right-hand corner).

Maya Carter, a recent graduate of Case High School, is recognized by the Board of Education and her coach for her accomplishments as a Case track and field athlete.

Recent Case High School graduate Maya Carter set herself apart among track athletes in the state. Maya was a basketball player but quickly showed her athletic ability as a runner and hurdler as well. The Board of Education recognized her on Monday evening for her accomplishments in track and field, some of which include: 

Superintendent's Report 

North Star

Dr. James Shaw, superintendent of RUSD, delivered the presentation to the Board that he recently gave to the Racine County Economic Development Commission regarding the link between the business community, the District and student achievement. 

"If Racine is going to succeed, we need the help of the business community," Shaw told the Board. 

According to Shaw, the District has a plan to succeed - the North Star - and there are three vital things necessary to succeeding: increased resources, more choices for students and stronger business/community relationships. 

As Dr. Shaw explained to the business community in his presentation, RUSD has above average needs but below average spending. The District recently faced a $25 million deficit, $18 million of which was met by increasing employees' contribution to their benefits. The rest of the deficit was met by reducing staff and finding efficiencies throughout the District. With additional changes to school funding and the introduction of the school voucher program into Racine, it appears that RUSD could face at least a $10 million deficit next year.

Dr. Shaw explained that the funding challenges the District faces speak to why the District needs more resources to meet the needs of its students. He also pointed to the importance of providing more choices for families in order to keep students in the District.  

"Improved relationships with the business community are vital to us gaining more resources and developing choices in RUSD," Shaw said. "And its vital to the success of our students," he added.

Virtual Learning

Following his update on the North Star, Dr. Shaw asked Virtual Learning Administrator Kelly Pochop to update the Board on how the District is currently developing another choice for its students through virtual learning.

Pochop explained that the District just had its first graduate by way of virtual education. A student needed .5 credits to graduate and fulfilled that requirement through a summer school virtual learning course. 

Several virtual classes are currently being offered as part of summer school in order to ensure that policy, technology and curriculum infrastructures are in place for the upcoming school year. Currently, 54 students are enrolled in summer school virtual courses. 
 
"It's been enjoyable to work with families and teachers to see this program move along quite well," Pochop said.

Fifty courses will be offered this fall. Virtual learning is designed to be used by students for which it meets their educational needs.

ASC/Staffing Update

Dr. Shaw asked Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education Jeff Weiss and Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Dr. Bethel Cager to introduce the individuals who were being recommended for principal positions throughout the District. Those people include: 

• Doug Clum will be Directing Principal of Jerstad-Agerholm Middle School, formerly Principal at Bull Fine Arts Elementary School
• Issac Kirkwood is Directing Principal at Mitchell Elementary School, formerly Assistant Principal at Gilmore Middle School
• Amber Lamers is Directing Principal at Roosevelt Elementary School, formerly Assistant Principal at Mitchell Middle School
• Bryan Terry will be Directing Principal at Julian Thomas Elementary School, formerly Fifth-Grade Teacher, Literacy Coach and Assistant Principal at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Chinese-Immersion School
• Richard Wytonick is Directing Principal at Giese Elementary School, formerly Regular Education and Inclusion Teacher at Giese Elementary School
• Rebecca Zahn is Directing Principal at Schulte Elementary School, formerly Sub-school Principal at Case High School

West Ridge Parking Lot Replacement 

The Board approved replacing the parking lot at West Ridge Elementary School. This project will remove the existing asphalt and replace it with new asphalt. A new driveway will be installed allowing for safer student pick-up and drop-off by parents. By redesigning the parking lot and playground areas, the District hopes to alleviate some of the traffic problems that West Ridge currently faces. This project will be paid for using the District's maintenance referendum fund. [read more]

2011-2012 At-Risk Plan 

Bob Holzem, director of alternative education, presented to the Board about the 2011-2012 At-Risk Plan. The plan was created earlier this year by a committee comprised of District and community stakeholders. The plan lays out the definition of at risk, how children are identified as being at risk, intervention processes in place in the District and the services RUSD has available for identified students. The plan went through the District-Wide School Improvement Council (DWSIC), a group comprised of staff, union leaders and administrators, for review. This new plan approved by the Board on Monday ensures that the District is in compliance with Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction standards. [read more] 

Interagency Agreement with Wisconsin Idea Leadership  

Academy for School Improvement (WILA)

The University of Wisconsin-Madison's WILA program provides technical assistance, professional development and support to principals and school leadership teams for school improvement to enhance teaching and learning in RUSD. The District had six leadership coaches working with six schools during the 2010-2011 school year. The agreement approved by the Board on Monday night will allow six coaches to continue that work and expand to three more schools. The cost for the WILA coaches is $338,000 and funding will come from the District's Title I and Title II allocation. [read more]  

Resolution Authorizing Temporary Borrowing (Alternate Resolution)

The Board approved a resolution authorizing temporary borrowing in an amount not to exceed $19,000,000 pursuant to Section 67.12(a), Wisconsin Statutes. This is the cash flow borrowing needed for the 2011-2012 school year. The District receives a large portion of state aide and property tax revenue late in the fiscal year, and this cash flow borrowing covers cash needs until aids and taxes are received. [read more] 

AIMSWeb Software for Implementation of Response to Intervention  

A District committee was recently formed to select a screening and progress monitoring tool to collect data to review student progress in the Response to Intervention (RtI) process. The committee recommended the purchase of AIMSWeb Pro Complete for students K-8 and AIMSWeb Behavior for students K-12. AIMSWeb includes Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM) testing materials and the reports necessary to record and track student data. The data provided by the CBM is quick to attain, reliable and sensitive to specific outcomes in order to provide feedback to teachers to determine progress and determine specific needs for both intervention and extension needs of students. The annual cost is $112,225. [read more]  

Middle School Flexible Scheduling 

Last evening, the Board of Education discussed possibility of moving to flexible scheduling at Mitchell and Starbuck Middle Schools.   

Flexible scheduling attempts to match the instructional time and format to the learning needs of students. Flexible school schedules shift from a series of fixed-time instructional periods and toward substantially longer instructional periods characterized by more diverse teaching and learning activities.  

Several presenters came to talk with the Board about the potential impact of implementing flexible scheduling at Mitchell and Starbuck, including Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Dr. Bethel Cager,  Gilmore Middle School Assistant Principal Jacquelin Brownell (on behalf of Starbuck),
Mitchell Directing Principal Soren Gajewski and Mitchell Assistant Principal Amber Lamers. Among the things that this group stressed was the addition of common planning time for teachers with the flexible schedule. Teachers would be able to use this time for improving teaching strategies to increase student achievement. Benefits for students include more instructional time, less time being indirectly supervised, less fragmented schedules and more engagement in the classroom.  

Mitchell's School Improvement Plan includes flexible scheduling. Starbuck hopes to provide teachers with more common planning time to collaborate to improve student achievement, especially among their underperforming groups of students.

Implementing flexible scheduling at these two middle schools would require additional staff: 1.5 full-time equivalency (FTE) at Mitchell and 3.6 FTE at Starbuck.  

Dr. James Shaw, RUSD superintendent, said "It's important to consider whether or not it's what's best for children."  

DWSIC  

Board member Dennis Wiser reported on a presentation Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education Jeff Weiss recently gave to the District-wide School Improvement Council (DWSIC) demonstrating the inverse relationship between endeavors you take on and productivity. 
   

Legislative Committee

The Legislative Committee is holding a Communications Session with local representatives on Aug. 1 at 4:30 p.m. at the Sienna Center, 5635 Erie St. Rep. Cory Mason and Sen. Wanggaard will be attending and a reception is being held at Wingspread following the session.

a. Board Meeting Minutes of June 20, 2011

b. Executive Session Minutes of June 20, 2011

c. Special Board Meetings Minutes of June 27 and July 5, 2011

d. Audit Committee Minutes of May 9, 2011

e. Communications Committee Minutes of June 13, 2011

f. Governance Committee Minutes of January 3, 2011

g. Legislative Committee Minutes of June 6, 2011

h. Approval of Governance Committee Objectives, Goals, Strategies and

Measures (OGSM)

i. Approval of Language Addition to Operational Expectations 8.1 (Referral

#4-2011-Data Scorecard)

j. Approval of Language Addition to Operational Expectations 5.8 (Referral

#5-2011-Staffing Patterns)

[Read more about all of the consent agenda items here.]