10/13/11 Attendance: Debbie Gallen, Tracey ... - Summit Schools

BAAC Meeting
10/13/11
Attendance: Debbie Gallen, Tracey Arnold, Maggie Bowes, Laura Johnson, Colleen True,
Katherine Orr, Ivo Waerlop, Crystal Miller
I. Introductions and Welcome
II.
DAAC Review: Presented by Laura:
Tracey Arnold is the DAAC rep for K-5 and is also a Summit Cove teacher so attending our
meeting.
III.
Review of Equal Access, Presented by Laura: The District formed the High
Achievement Task Force, which is putting together a presentation about E.A. back to
the District. The goal of EA is to increase % of subs-groups who are lower achieving
as indicate in test scores, English language learners and Free/Reduced lunch to
continue to post-secondary education. The goal is to rise up everyone to highest
level.
Some changes have been implemented in Social Studies & Science. The Task Force will answer
question such as:
1. Will accelerated students be challenged?
2. Will teachers teach to the middle
3. Will teachers be able to differentiate and teach to higher levels within the same class while
bringing up the middle and lower levels?
4. What evidence do we have to prove EA is the best way to achieve?
The Task Force will present their information on Oct 20 and provide recommendations to Dr.
Pace.
The District will then present the Task Forces information and potential recommendations on
Oct 25 to the Board of Education; this meeting will be open to the public. Then later in
November a final plan will be presented to the community at which time the community can
comment. We will look to the District Website for comment information. Final
recommendations will be submitted to the BOE 11/29 or 12/13.
IV.
Cultural proficiency, presented by Crystal:
Desire & need to increase the schools sensitivity to the multicultural dynamic of the
community. We cannot assume that students will know “common” cultural ideas, especially
helpful for teachers with communication to all students. Last year an audit of the non-English

students for the “environmental scan” physical look at the building, for example:
1. What a new student sees when they walk around focused on a checklist.
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Goals: increase the diversity of instructional and admin staff. Each building will
establish a committee, to focus on cultural proficiency.
2. Things like bullying, relationships to create an open caring community. Ties to cultural
proficiency with bullying related to Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & Questioning
“LGBTQ” community especially with regards to how handle the varying differences of
experiences.
3. Integration of the varying cultures to participate in all aspects of student life like sports,
extracurricular activities.
4. The McKrell report helped address the concerns of achievement gap and relation of
integration of all kids regardless of cultural background. The plan of Cultural proficiency is
ID things that may disenfranchise students and come up with a plan to address and
integrate the students with all cultures within the school.
5. Our schools community is learning how to connect with all cultures to ensure understanding
how the sports and activities will enhance the children’s education in a full circle approach,
for example Optimist Basketball.
6. By building trust with the families, the school will encourage all families to participate with
all aspects of the student life experience to integrate all cultures and backgrounds. One
area of cultural proficiency integration is at the Middle School when all kids from various
schools come together so Summit Cove is integrating early on for the kids to prepare for the
Middle School transition to meet other kids, by mixing up groups in events like High
Trails, Keystone Science School etc. to partner kids from varying schools in working
groups/bunk rooms, mixing grades etc.
V. Gifted Program, presented by Crystal:
Almost 3500 students in the District of which 227 (6.5%) are identified as Gifted, as
compared countrywide is about 3-5%. The district has streamlined to test, now waiting until
3 rd grade, what are the standards. 2 elementary, middle and high school coaches that focus
on the Gifted students. Jackie Truckey, the Gifted Teacher, has 3 schools. The teachers all
work together to create individual, career and academic plans. By 2014 the integration of
these plans will start by 6 th grade.
Now that Gifted students are not being pulled out of the classroom for special gifted
programs, they instead have the coaches (Ms Truckey) come into the classroom to assist
the classroom teacher to enhance the child’s learning plan. As the newly developed plan is

ecoming more accepted by the teachers.
1. How do the children get identified? Testing as early as 3 rd Grade. Summit Cove has a
very large % of Gifted Identified as compared to the national average.
a. Additionally, by using cultural proficiency we ensure the children of ELL and FRL
children are ID’ed for Gifted ASAP. That is done now that the test has pictures,
not just written /reading.
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VI.
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The Gifted Test Focuses on: Language, math writing, creativity, additionally Summit
Cove identifies athletically/kinesthetically & leadership levels. The Torrance test is used
for this. For example, what will a kid do with a bunch of difference squares, circles,
taking ideas much further in categories. PYP helps enhance the cultural proficiency so
we have different ways of looking at the world, for example how the US blends many
countries and cultures.
Crystal, Principals Update:
Schools Unified Plan (used to be the improvement plan)
Review of all grades CSAP scores and how it rates. (See attached)
1. Highlights: If there is a potential for growth, from mid to high performance levels.
2. What is sufficient growth, from one level to another?
a. Each year will look at how each kids grows, stays the same or drops in a
category, and therefore a plan is implemented (not an ILP) to add help on subject
as appropriate. There are not a lot of questions to get into the Advanced level,
so it’s hard to make it into the Advanced level.
3. What is the median growth %. We are at 60%, in reading and math is 48.
4. Reading, Writing & Math were reviewed:
a. When a child gets into an unsatisfactory category, there are programs to bring
them up to performing level with Independent Learning Plans and added
resources to supplement the daily teachers program.
b. One area of concern is specifically with the disable children, as they still have to
take the test, even if they may be physically not able to pick up the pencil or
read, they still are given the test. There are sometimes “scribes” but reading
cannot have any assistance. There is a difference in the performance of the kids
who have disabilities. Additionally, blank tests are considered “no score” and no
scores still get counted as unsatisfactory.
c. Note, there is a bit of a dip in grammar and mechanics in 3 rd and 4 th grade.
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One way the school addresses this is through the DLI is a big focus for
kids in every grade and this is also sent home and we encourage parents

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to review all the grammar, punctuation etc.
Math: 25 are advance, 87% is proficient or advance.
It appears that Everyday Math is really teaching to the varying standards
and its showing how well the kids are learning how to do problems in
varying ways.
As far as national comparisons, there is NWEA.
5. Science: We are really high as compared to the state in 78% “PA”
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The test is really a combination of the reading & math
According to the plan: more than 60% of students at Summit Cove are at proficient or
advanced: we Exceed!!!! Which is really great for the school and shows how well the
students are doing.
6. Growth Measures: Meets, which is something to build upon and improve in the future.
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One area of Growth Measures we can work on are specifically in the students with
disabilities as they are 7 points below Median Growth Percentile the average in reading,
14 points in math and 19 for writing. Kids with these lower MGP’s all have ILP’s.
State has identified the gap of the kids with lower MGP’s
Looking forward and potential areas of concern to address proactively: the Free &
Reduced Lunch has moved from 16% in 09/10 to 30% in 11/12 school year.
1. What will happen in their growth?
2. What are the effects of poverty on kids preparation & readiness for learning?
3. How will we monitor, supplement the education? What other barometers do we use for
addressing the learning and improving?
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NWEA test given to 2 nd grade in the spring, and 3 rd & 4 th in the fall is a good
measurement as it is taken before CSAP
When there are low growth measures, the principal, Crystal, will talk to the teachers
about the particular kid to help enhance the plan.
Parents can look for the Individual Growth Trends which will come in a color print outs of
the 4 th and 5 th and will be given after conferences.
VII.
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Everyday Math, presented by Crystal:
Is it working? The CSAP scores really point out a huge strength of the kids in math.
Because there are so many different options to think differently about that are taught in
Everyday Mathematics.
What is the supplement to writing and reading? There isn’t a particular comprehensive
program like Everyday Math, but the school has many supplements like the ipad carts to

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help. Although a majority of the really cool aps are focused on math and science there
are focuses on the reading & writing with programs like A.R. & Raz Kids, PYP etc.
Additionally, the ipads have good aps for p-k with shapes and pictures.
Grammar is a challenge for all kids, especially with kids with English as a second
language, or as slang driven conversation vs formal English will transfer into the writing
of the kids.
Crystal’s biggest concern as extracted from the Unified Plan is writing of 4 th graders,
who are now 5 th graders. Also a couple of the unsatisfactory test kids, a lot being ELL,
are right at the cusp of moving up.
Some programs to address these concerns, in addition to the ILP’s there is a Homework
Club: T, W, TH 8:15 with Robin Ackerman, either drop in or teacher referral.
The Step Up format of teaching is showing a strong trend across the school and showing
how the writing is strong.
The future of the CSAP: TSAP is the new CSAP, and will be in transition to align
standards. Future testing can be electronic. Possibly rotating the grades tested.
Open Discussion & Questions:
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Will Colorado opt out of the No Child Left Behind? Nothing specific in plans, and if state
does, the schools federal dollars. Other reforms on the legislative plate…. we’ll see.
Poll of the time of the meeting: start earlier etc? Majority is 6:00 the 2 nd Thursday of
each month
Maggie invited Cathy Sanders to come on board to the BAAC as the community member
since Ivo’s child is now a P-K student.
What’s happening for the school counselor? No one qualified locally applied, so it’s
advertised statewide with schools with graduate students. Anne is now
in Silverthorne full time. ½ time position is open.
Wellness Team is forming to focus on Physical Activity & Nutrition in the school
& October 24 th is Food Day. A community wide road improvement proposal is being
considered by the county to widen the roads around Summit Cove and install on-grade
walk & bike “sidewalks” to increase the walkability and safety of residents and school
children specifically on a year-round maintained out of traffic route. Please contact
Colleen True for more information: Colleen@SummitPrventionAlliance.org
Future BAAC agendas with the last meetings minutes will be set to go out the Monday
one week before the meeting a week ahead to all PTSA & the week of the meeting on
Monday a final reminder will be emailed to the BAAC email list. Additionally, the Summit
Cove website will have minutes and information posted. We encourage all parents,

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teachers and community members in BAAC to come to the meetings. Meetings will be
the 2 nd Thursday of each month for the rest of the school year. Our next BAAC meeting
is at 6:00 on 11/10 at Summit Cove Elementary School Conference Room. If childcare is
needed, please alert the Office no later than 11/5/11 to arrange.
Reminder: Dr. Pace will be at Summit Cove 10/19 8:30-9:30 to listen to parents
VIII.
Adjourn