001Sure, no problem. All right. I would like to call the meeting to order. Was this meeting properly notified? >> Yes. >> Excellent. And I would like to um adopt the agenda as is. >> Is everyone >> I'll second. >> All in favor of adopting the adopting the agenda as is say I. >> I. my day. All anyone opposed. All right. Um we don't have any public comment. No one submitted anything. So the next part is just to go over enrollment. Um so here you will see that um we have projected with our resident numbers to have 110 students that would that's what we anticipate to enroll for next year. Um we would have six sections so no change there. So based on the 110 the sections that the district is projecting would be to have
002five and a half and in order to be at our optimal size of 120 we would be opening up 10 open enrollment slots. One thing that you'll is different um is that in the past we have identified seats for Edertton and we've identified seats for Hail's Corners because it's just one core four and many students whose um school of origin would be Edertton go to Hail's Corners. We decided that it made sense just to say we have 10 core four seats and instead of identifying um a higher percentage for Hail's Corners than at Edertton. That way it allows us some flexibility with placement because that's the way placement goes anyways. We do that lottery and then um we move through. So that's the really the only change that we made is that it just um
003trying to align to the fact that students who go to Edertton could go to Hills Corners regardless just based on more sections being housed there and that that's based on um the space that's available within the two buildings. Um, the timeline for the district is that we will have this on our January 12th meeting as a preliminary presentation and then January 26th is when they would make the final approval. Um, any discussion around the open enrollment slots? Are there ever times, Jackie, I do have a question. Are there ever times where a student who has siblings at Edertton might be placed at Hail's Corners, but an open enrollment student is placed at Edertton? Yes, it could happen. Um, one thing with the open enrollment, which which can change, but typically if you enter whatever grade
004you enter in open enrollment at that school, that's typically where you stay. So, one of the things that we're trying to be cognizant of is where will those kids go for their um K5 experience so that we're not overloading Hills Corners with all of the open enrollment students, but rather like looking at those projections. Um, so they'll they'll go through that work. But I don't know Amy, you probably have a better idea of but I know there are students who you know would be at Edertton and that's just based on you know when either some people when they're enrolling for K4 if they get in before that lottery date those are the kids then typically like after that lottery the first you know set of students that are reserved for Edertton after that then you
005know it's a >> it's highly unlikely that you're going to Edertton because of those two sections. >> Anything different, Amy? >> No, that's exactly what has happened. If people get it in by that the deadline for the lottery, most people get into Edertton, but then there might be some families that um you know register after that. >> Okay. Then because I'm technically fullish or at that time then they would go to Hills Corners and then return for K5. That's how it's happened for the I mean next year is going to be our 20th year of K4. >> Yes. Yes. We started in 20 2006 2007. So next school year it's our 20th year of K4. So yay. We need to use that in our advertising. >> Yeah, we've been doing it for a long time.
006So, go back and make sure I'm counting right. But I'm I'm I'm pretty sure that's when it started. >> So, any So, that answers your question. I hope Aurora but fortunately it has happened >> where families have like even if families have moved in >> after the year has started and there isn't any space like let's say an older sibling has a second grade position but there you know they have a four-year-old >> and they'll have to go to Hills Corners because I'm full I mean it's just >> you're overflowing actually Amy. >> Yes I am. Yeah. And we did I mean we had a couple of years where our enrollment was a little bit um lower in uh K4, but um this year really all of our sections are um are nearing that optimal
007like class size. >> Any other questions or comments about that projected 10 open enrollment seats? It could change between now and the 12th, but the whole purpose of us looking at it in advance is that if we had anything that we wanted to contribute to it, it gives an opportunity to have that discussion now. Otherwise, um it's likely to stay this way. If we approve it and then the board approves it, it just moves forward then and um that open enrollment process will start in February. We want to get them as K4 students, K5 students because then they're a part of the system and um help us to stabilize keeping our class sizes or keeping our section numbers the way that they are. But um also when we look at student data, the longer that
008we've had them as a Whitel student, the more successful that they are. If there isn't any other discussion, um the next part is if someone wants to make a motion to approve the open enrollment as proposed or you can say um 10 open enrollment um seats for K4 for the 26 27 school year, which sounds crazy to say. Any of those are I make a motion to approve the 10 open enrollment seats. >> Is there a second? >> I second. >> Who you want to give that to? >> Uh, we'll give it to Rosita. >> All right. All in favor? I >> I. >> Anybody opposed? Motion passes. >> All right. And then oh um the last item on the agenda is just if there's anything that um anyone would like to see for future
009agenda items, just that opportunity to have that discussion. >> Well, one thing that we could I know Jackie, we need to talk about it too. I know that we've always talked about this about checking out the research with our neighboring districts as to um paraprofessionals or specific K4 aids in the classroom just to see what's going on because we used to have that at the beginning and then I know life changed and um just to have that further discussion. >> I agree. I think that that does need to be a further discussion. I think that that a K4 teacher absolutely needs to have another adult in the classroom with them and that should be a discussion. >> I'm an MPS K4 teacher and I do have a PAR with me uh full-time. Uh although my
010class size is usually uh bigger and I'm all day, uh it is if that's something that could be discussed, I would say that's something very much needed. We do have um special education um co-taught sections. Usually they're pushing in for services in our morning classes um at each of the buildings. at Hail's Corners, we have some push in going on in the afternoon this year. Um, and then sometimes that's where it evens out with the paras as well. But, um, we are looking currently at some staffing reports um through I think it's through Baird and so I can um ask um if HR can come and share some of that information or give that to me so that we can look at the comparisons for other districts. And then essentially that discussion would lead to
011um basically like the core four board would be asking the Whitel board to make that consideration. So it's like everything we do then goes through them, >> right? Understands. But I'm happy to put that on for the next meeting. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. Because I'm I'm in MPS too and I do have a I have a full-time aid in my classroom and I'm actually a K5 teacher and I have a full-time aid. And Jackie, I know that we can go through the the um minutes from from because when we when we did this 20 years ago, I know that we set it up and I know that the funding changed and all of that. So the the dollar whatever, however it all works, that's above my pay grade, so I don't know. But anyway,
012um we can go through because I know that it was intended to have someone in the room all the time, no matter what. And I think that that was a little loophole and then that closed with the funding aspect of it if my I'm understanding correctly. Um >> yeah, I I think um it could have been part there, you know, I think there was a core four grant. It could have been part of that grant, right? >> Um initially um but I know when I came into like the special ed role, it was special ed and really what we're talking about is a general education. >> Correct. Correct. Correct. Yeah. >> Yeah. And I think having special ed pairs is is very important in there as well, but having a general ed para I think
013is is important too. >> I was just going to say too, can can you hear me? I think my microphone was so um K4 just typically be because of the nature of them just starting school. I think it's a age in a grade level that um a lot of initial evaluations happen. Um, I mean, I have several going in my K4 classroom in MPS right now as well. And I don't have a full-time aid. So, it's just, I think, crucial to have somebody else in there just to have another set of eyes on these kids that might be identified early that could be getting specialized services that could help them in the long run as well, rather than waiting until they're in the upper grades. But I also have a question. Do you have um
014does Whitnell have um partnership with the local um colleges and universities where the students are coming in not necessarily as student teachers but as um I mean I have >> Yeah, I have volunteers in my room. They're not necessarily the same person or steady long term, but I'm just curious. Do you have >> we um we just started working with Carol University um specifically around some special education and also um they have a reading lensure program. So some of the people who are going through that um we haven't formalized anything but it is something that we've started talking about mainly because as you guys know so many of you being educators that like the challenges of hiring people is is becoming more and more problematic. And so if we can create those partnerships, it gives
015us a way to get to know people outside of that interview process. And then if we do have openings, you know, we we kind of we created our own pathway to find people. Um so we've talked a little bit with Carol and then our HR person also talked with Whitewater. Um but nothing formalized yet. We just um in the Carol process we were able I think we had four um field workers um for the fall and then two of them are staying on as student teachers. So yeah, great idea though because it's a way I mean one it's a great way for those people who are thinking about going into education to hopefully get excited about it and want to stay um and you know be excited about the potential of working in the district.
016But it's also a nice way for us to be able to meet student needs in a affordable manner. And we used to many years ago have a relationship with Elurno to do that as well. Um but >> yeah Al Verno would be great proximity. >> So >> I actually um my best friend is the director for the PAR to educator program there. So if we wanted to reestablish a connection, I'm sure I could help that happen. >> Yeah. >> Always good to know that info, Rebecca. >> Any other topics that um people are interested in? I think the one that I had tossed out to you guys in the email was just looking at like it'll give us an opportunity to look at our progress and our data for our students who are currently enrolled
017for the 256 school year. Um so we'll do that part as well and then um we'll bring back some information on the general education pair professional. Jackie, I think that is a good point and just looking at where is our enrollment for 4K this year versus what was projected for the year before. How many open enrollment seats did we have open? How many did we fill? I can tell you that right now. Um, so for the current school year, we had more open enrollment um, seats open and it looks like originally we had 23. Um, I don't know. the fill part of that though. But yeah, we can look at enrollment totals in general. >> I'm just clo I was just curious how close the projections are to actual happenings. >> Total right now enrolled
018is 127. So like I when we were talking before about those optimal um sizes um but the projected part I that part I'll have to come back to but just a question out of curiosity then if optimal class size is 20 and I know that um Edertton has 20 in morning and in afternoon does HCE take those extra kids and Then is it one teacher to 23 or 24 kids at that point? >> So if this if we if everybody every section was at 20, they wouldn't all go to Hills Corners. Eventually we would, you know, have to like move kids to each one of the sections once we go past that 20 marker. and we'd probably um take into consideration the just the school that they would go to um in the fall. >>
019Okay. >> But the principles are great about looking at those things together. If we end up in those situations, the district registar reaches out to them and lets them know. We do the same thing when we have sometimes if we have a special education evaluation and it's a student um who would typically be attending Edertton and they're at Hills Corners, we start to have those conversations as well as where does it make the most sense for them to begin to receive those services. Um this year that those numbers are very different between the two buildings. So and those just fluctuate just based on students and where they live. Okay. All right. Uh well, if there's no further discussion, then the next part would be for someone to make a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make
020a motion that we all need to adjourn and go home. >> Can I get a second for the motion? >> I second. >> We'll give that one to Jill. All right, I've got it. I will um work on the minutes and get it sent out um for review. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Thanks everybody. >> Have a good night. >> Happy holidays. Vice cones crying.