HTC Early Childhood Centers
School Board Report – March 2010
Melissa Pieper, Director

Faith Development:

Instructional Leadership/Curriculum:

1. I completed an online course entitled “Childcare Administration”.  The class provided some very important information for my position.

Public Relations/Marketing & Development:

1. Flyers are displayed in local businesses in West Point (thanks to Eileen) and in Fort Madison to advertise that we are enrolling for the 2010-2011 school year. 

Building Updates-

1. Kindergarten round-up went well.  We had 12 attend round-up in Fort Madison and 8 attend round-up in West Point .  We have 20 so far for kindergarten. 

Fort Madison :

1. We held an open house for both pre-k and preschool on February 24^th.  We have 41 signed up for preschool and a possibility of 8 so far for pre-k.  We were very pleased with the turn out and people continue to stop by and register for the fall. 
2. We received a $366 grant for before and after school care.  With that grant money we were able to buy some new tables (more size appropriate for the children in the room) as well as some blocks, Lincoln logs, and art supplies.  This was more than what we received last year. 
3. We now have 3 people (subs) certified in CPR and 1^st Aid.  This will be very helpful in the afternoons when our regular staff have time off. 

St. Paul :

1. I was informed by one of the associates in St. Paul that she will not be able to work with us in the fall as she has accepted a full time position with her other part time job.
2. We had an open house on Sunday February 28^th.  We had 2 families stop by and fill out the pre-registration information on their children.  We are hopeful that we will generate more enrollment.
3. I am in the process of completing the Children First Grant for the 2010-2011 school year.  For the 2009-2010 school year this grant was able to assist with the salaries for the associates in St. Paul .  I am applying for the grant for the use of providing the salary for the associate in St. Paul .

HTC Board of Education Report, March 22, 2010

Doris S. Turner, Administrator

Faith Development – Reconciliation services were held throughout the school system

            Thanks to our priests and their continued support of our schools.

2.      The HTC faculty were given their 5 year renewal training for “Protecting

God’s Children at the 3//22/2010 In-service.  Sara Mohrfeld and I are the

trained facilitators for HTC now.

3.      Father Beckman and I both contributed articles to the spring alumni

newsletter.

Professional Development – March teacher development day focused on analyzing

            State tests, discussing impact to instruction, student performance goals

            Setting, specific data that will be used to evaluate progress.  This is an

            on-going school improvement cycle.

            2. Donna McVeigh and I attended the Contemporary School Leadership

            session in Ottumwa on March 5. 

4.      HTC teachers continue to attend and implement initiatives to enhance

their instruction to implement inquiry based science, diversify instruction by

using technology and planning activities geared to different student learning

styles.

Instructional Leadership/Programs – We have received lots of good PR lately with

            Our selection as an “ Innovative School ” by “Today’s Catholic Teacher”

            magazine.  Ray Menke, Brad Box, Lisa Hansen, and Donna Borst (past and

            present school board members) plan to attend the NCEA Convention in

            Minneapolis on  April 7, 2010 to accept the award.

2.      I attended the SE Iowa Super Conference Superintendent’s Spring 

meeting last Thursday.  Many issues were discussed including transportation issues for junior high games, costs for gate admittance to Conference events.

We will vote on issues at the June meeting.

3.  Moving kindergarten to the West Point building will be formally announced at the teacher in-service 3/22/2010.  I have had private conversations with those faculty that will be impacted and garnered their opinions and expertise.  Everyone always thinks of the “student first”.  I appreciate their commitment to quality education.    We will provide help to have them move rooms and equipment when necessary.  We will also carpet a classroom in the West Point building.   Melissa Pieper will announce the change to parents from her building and we will provide whatever assistance the parents need to help them feel comfortable with this change. (i.e. open house to see site, a “bus ride” for the kids and parents so they can see the transportation aspect, etc.)

3.      As noted in the newspaper, FM public has asked to share our AP offerings.  I had one phone conversation with Greg Smith this past Fall.  Details have not been worked out.  It is really good publicity for us.

4.      Donna McVeigh is working with Drake Hardware.  Tom Greg is in charge of this committee and I appreciate his efforts in this area.

5.      Melissa, Sara and I will be meeting with AEA and FM public special education personnel to determine levels of support to HTC next year.

6.      HTC administrators and teachers were part of a “focus” group on March 10, 2010 with GPAEA to give input into our use of their programs and also to give data to them so that the State legislature will understand the role of the AEA’s to school districts.  It is critical that the level of support to the AEA’s not be seriously cut as that would heavily impact the ability of HTC to function as far as technology support, teacher professional development, administrator support for various state and federal mandates, media support, special needs personnel. . .  .to name just a few of their functions. As board members please be very proactive whenever you have an opportunity to discuss education at legislative “coffees”, etc.

Large school districts such as Des Moines and Iowa City do not need the AEA’s to the extent that smaller districts do because they are large enough to be able to fund many support services independently.

7.      I have asked for a teacher to volunteer from each building level – ECC,

Elementary, and junior-senior high school to serve on the calendar committee for next year so that we may build in “snow days”, etc. for the 2010 – 2011 school year as was discussed at our March work session.  Melissa, Sara, and I will meet with these teachers.  If you would like a board member present for these discussions let me know, otherwise I will bring recommendations to you for discussion at a work session and then it will go to approval at a board meeting.  

Other Information – We are looking for opportunities to invite our new Superintendent to HTC for an event.

I talked to Father Lathrop (Keokuk pastor) briefly and have been in regular communication with Laurie Mendenhall (principal) concerning the Keokuk Catholic School situation.

We have been approached by several new families concerning enrollment next year. Some are current FM residents, some are new to the area, some are from Illinois, some are from other school systems in Lee County .   It is encouraging that there are younger students in these families.  Please spread the word by mouth as much as possible that we are maintaining a very low teacher/student ratio at our pre-K through 3^rd grade levels.  There also may be some doubt in people’s minds about the new grade 4 – 8 configuration at the FM public buildings.  Usually we do not get many inquiring until May so I think that this is a very positive indicator.

If we have all the finance councils on board with our budget, Mary Lynn and I will send out a letter regarding tuition for next year to each family.  The cost for each family will be part of this letter, as well as the amount of parish support given to each student.  PLEASE REMIND PARENTS THAT BOOK FEES WILL BE INCLUDED IN TUITION FOR NEXT YEAR SO IT BECOMES PART OF THE STO SUPPORT.  The letter will state this, and I will have Shelley post it to the website with that notation, but the more it is talked about the better known it will become and people will not think that their tuition has been raised more than it really has.  Thank you.