Polaris K-12 School Website

Meeting called to order at 6:39 p.m. by co-chair Diana Ede. Quorum established.

Principal’s Report: Denise. The high stakes standardized testing is done. Student led conferences are coming up. There will be a recognition ceremony for 9 graduating seniors who have been at Polaris since kindergarten. Mark, Jamie and Margaret [...]

Meeting called to order at 6:36 p.m. by co-chair Diana Ede. Quorum established.

Principal’s Report: Denise. Anchorage Operatic Seminar spent a day at Polaris. Individual elementary classes were held in the morning. In the afternoon, there was an all school assembly to watch an operatic performance of Little Red Riding [...]

Meeting called to order at 6:38 p.m. by co-chair Diana Ede. Quorum established.

Principal’s Report: Denise.

Denise shared a letter from Commissioner Sampson recognizing Polaris for its improvement in boosting the achievement of the lowest achieving subgroups while maintain the school’s overall performance. NAPE testing of fourth graders took place. Fifth and seventh [...]

Meeting called to order at 6:37 p.m. by co-chair Diana Ede. Quorum established.

Approval of Minutes Motion by Kim Pigg, seconded by Laura Jorgenson, motion passes. Minutes are approved.

Principal’s Report – Denise. Denise gave a review of the first quarter. Comments from students and staff on the Fall Carnival were [...]

Meeting called to order at 6:40 p.m. by co-chair Diana Ede. Quorum established.

**Approval of Minutes** Motion by Kim Pigg, seconded by Renata Hoskins, motion passes. Minutes are approved

**Principal�s Report � Denise.**
Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award for school year 2005/2006 presented by Denise to Cathy Wright since Cathy was not in town for the official ceremony last spring.
HSGQE are finished. 5 students took the complete exam. Two events took place last month. One was the school dedication. The other was Denise�s trip to D.C. to give testimony to the Aspen Commission about No Child Left Behind. Alaska is in the final review process to become one of a few states to start using the student growth model. Instead of tracking progress by comparing this years grade X to last years grade X, the student growth model tracks the individual student�s progress. A student�s scores in the current year are compared to that student�s work the previous year and that information follows the student if he/she changes schools or school districts. End of the 1st quarter is coming up. Michelle is working on school goals. In accord with the new wellness policy, vending machine and DECA offerings have changed. Currently looking at the math curriculum for 7-12 for consistency and to put together a financial package for textbook upgrades. Some of the texts are vintage 1985. Teachers are taking a course based on �Breaking Ranks in the Middle� and will use this to put together an action plan for the transition to middle school. We will have 5th and 6th graders making the transition this year. Campfire program is waiting for final municipality permits and expects to start the end of the 1st quarter.

**Elementary Report � Carol Bartholomew**
Looking at portfolios. Looking at assessments from last year. Our librarian Cindy is looking for volunteers to help with Battle of the Books. Gail�s and Carol�s classes are doing a preschool story hour at Title Wave. The next one is October 17. Encourage any preschoolers you know to attend. Bookroom is organized thanks to Helen Farnstrom and Shelly Flores. Volunteers are still needed to put titles on index cards and start a check-out system. Carol has Family Reading Backpacks that she�d like to make available for families to use. Each pack contains a book, related activities and whatever supplies are needed for those activities. Perhaps Cindy has a place to keep them and could handle check-out and parent forum could replenish supplies and get them ready to go back out.

**Secondary Report � Siri Khalsa**
Advisory time is being used for extra P.E. activities. Marion is working with Michelle to consolidate college prep and career advisory. At the end of the month, the college fair is taking place at the Egan Center. Secondary students will be taken over. Parents� Day is usually the first day 10/30 and students will go the following 10/31. There is a dance on 10/13 from 7- 11 pm. All parents are welcome. Chaperones for this dance can contact Joe Seitz.

**Ad Group Report � Beth Adams**
By laws that cover Ad Board and the Polaris community are outdated. Beth is providing electronic copy. Katy Lovegreen and Kelly Hebert will help update the by-laws. Opportunity to and process for submitting proposals to ad board was discussed. Proposals can come from anywhere in the community. The most recent proposal was the new secondary lunch policy that was implemented last school year.

**Financial Report � Kim Pigg**
Profit & Loss Budget Overview handed out. Fall Fundraiser is a little lower than last year. E-scrip is higher. Expenses will need to be prioritized. K-6 teachers have requested $250 to buy 50 tubs for the bookroom.
Recommendations from Kim:
�Authorize the Polaris Theater group to expend $1093 that is earmarked for them.
�Authorize $2000 for the Intensive Scholarship fund.
�Fund Special Project for the K-6 teachers.
�Wait until after the auction and carnival (which provide about 80% of PF�s funds) before going through rest of the budget.

Jacque Tucker presented a check for $100 from Junior Girl Scout Troop 616 to go to the theater, so the theater group now has $1193.

Molly moved to authorize the theater group to expend the $1193, fund the teacher request for $250 and give $2000 to the Intensive Scholarship fund. Vicki Vermillion seconded. Motion passed. Funds will be expended.

Alyse Gavin made a motion that PF set aside $200 to be used to replenish supplies in the Family Reading Backpacks. Details to be worked out later. Beth seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Finance Committee � Nancy is almost done with the boiler plate information about Polaris and Parent Forum that will be needed for grant applications. Kitte� has some contacts interested in writing grants.

**Old Business**
Co-chair needed.

Secretary: Motion made by Beth Adams to nominate Renata Hoskins, seconded by Jacque Tucker. Motion passed. Renata is the new secretary.

Ad Board Rep :Maria Husa resigned from elementary ad board rep position. Motion made by Cathy Wright to nominate Patrick Solana-Walkinshaw, seconded by Beth Adams. Motion passed. Patrick is the new elementary ad board rep.

Registration- Adjustments were made for secondary registration, especially middle school. 7th and 8th grade registered separately with 8th grade going first. 7th grade registered knowing which classes were closed. Process went much more smoothly.

**New Business**

Parent Forum By-Laws: Have they been found? Beth will check binders.

Next Parent Forum meeting is November 28, 2006 at 6:30 pm. Others are 1/30/07, 2/27/07, 4/10/07, and 5/1/07. No PF meeting on 10/24, the Carnival committee is using this date if they need it.

Family Literacy Night will be February 13. Carol Bartholomew asked if parent forum could provide snacks.

Meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm.

Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. by co-chair Kelly Smith. Quorum not established.

Elementary Report – Carol Bartholomew. Birchwood Camp was a blast. No real issues or problems with transition to changes in elementary configuration for next year.

Secondary Report – Siri Khalsa. Middle school committee met; Siri attended DECA conference.

Registration Committee – Diana Ede. Many helpful changes to the registration process will be implemented in the fall.

Principal’s report – Denise. Class lists will be available before the school year ends. Art installation will begin next week; 1% for art committee met to discuss placing of pieces, display of miniatures with student statements. Calendar for next year is done. Frank distributed parking flier that will be placed on cars parked in fire line.

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by co-chair Kelly Smith. Introductions were made. The agenda was
approved by consent. Approval of the minutes of last month’smeeting was deferred because the minutes were not
available.

DECA Funding Request

Distributive Education Club of America (DECA) students Ian Worthington, Kelsey Cook, and Joel Adams requested
funding for four students and a chaperone to attend the national DECA conference in Dallas April 29 – May 2. At the
recent state DECA conference, 4 students qualified to go to the national conference. Other fundraising plans include

Parent Forum met last night. A LOT HAPPENED! These are not official minutes and probably don’t cover everything that was discussed – just my recap.

• After a fun icebreaker facilitated by Kitte, Carol reported that the elementary teachers were adjusting to their new space. Carol and Hilary discussed the UAA Early Childhood Education internships.
• Frank mentioned that he had received several e-mails with concerns about the amount of secondary homework. He asked that people contact teachers first, then cc: Frank. He also asked parents to discuss with their students whether they are using study halls effectively.