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LSC Meeting – September 20, 2019

Sullivan High School Local School Council
September 20, 2019 – 9:30 a.m. Room 132

I. Call Meeting to Order

The meeting was called to order at 10:07 a.m.

II. Roll Call

LSC members attending: Mr. Adams, Mr. Berrol, Ms. Bakinpelu, Ms. Chrisp, Mr. Clark, Ms. Evins, Ms. Hinojosa, Ms. Mosak. A quorum was present.

III. Approve Agenda

The agenda was approved.

IV. Approve Previous Minutes

The minutes of the August 21, 2019 LSC meeting were approved with a correction (Ms. Hart had been incorrectly listed as an attending LSC member).

V. Principal’s Report

LSC Opening: to posting and electing a new community representative for SY20 – Policy and Procedures for posting

  • There are currently 5 parent openings. Patricia Hinojosa will run for a parent seat. There is 1 community representative opening as Amy Shuffleton is stepping down. Ms. Shuffleton served as LSC secretary and Ms. Mosak will take on that role.
  • Ms. Hinojosa introduced herself. She is in her 5th year of involvement with Sullivan; last year she was chair of the PAC.
  • The LSC went into closed session and voted to welcome Ms. Hinojosa as a parent member of the council, and she was seated.
  • The school will promote the opening for the community representative seat. The next LSC meeting will be October 25, 9:00. Application forms are due October 18.

Enrollment: 640 (freshmen 135)

  • Mr. Adams reported that enrollment was far below what was hoped for, with only 135 freshmen. It appears that enrollment was affected by GoCPS. Sullivan applied for 4 special programs but was not approved for any. Applications for new programs for next year have not yet been released. Sullivan’s Newcomer Academy is on GoCPS but only
  •  15 new ESL/refugee/new immigrant students enrolled. Also on GoCPS are the business and medical academies. A list of options will be reviewed at the next meeting.

Website Update: Personalized Learning Video

  • A Loyola intern is onboard to act as a liaison between the web developer and the school, to update the website, specifically adding new videos. There was discussion about the possibility of starting a newspaper or journalism club.

Academic Updates: Teachers have completed Unit 1

  • All teachers have completed the first unit; the goal is to have 6 written. Each unit is 4-6 weeks long.

Testing: PSAT/SAT Wednesday, October 16

  • Students need to arrive at 8 a.m.

Athletics: G/B Cross country, Football, Girls Volleyball, Cheerleading

  • Coach Clark announced the second annual alumni game, playing King at Lane Tech.
  • Homecoming is Oct. 11.
  • The soccer team is in the top league in the city.
  • Coach also reported on girl’s volleyball and cross-country.

Arts and Activities: Open House Oct 1. Newcomer Thanksgiving Event Nov. 19 hosted by Friends of Sullivan

  • Open House will be on October 1, from 3:30 to 6:00. It is Curriculum Night for parents and open house for the community, as well as FAFSA night for seniors. There will also be a college fair. Ms. Mosak will place the announcement in the alderwomen’s weekly newsletter.
  • High School Investigation is October 24, to bring in 8th graders.

Other Updates: Gym: ribbon cutting for new gym will be in 2020

  • The ceiling is fixed, and work on the floor will start next week. The gym will be ready for basketball season by November. Scoreboards will be up, but there are still holes in the wall from water damage. Fixing those is part of the $25 million the school is getting from roof and other repairs. Installing new bleachers and repairing walls will be done next summer. So the official ribbon cutting ceremony will be moved back to 2020.

VI. New Business

Personalized Learning: $100K budget

  • $25K Tech, $25K PD (grant included), $20K Furniture, $25K Misc. (based on needs)
  • Mr. Adams will survey teachers to determine needs.

Athletic Fees: Approval for each team to have their own fees

  • Mr. Adams discussed budget implications of continued low enrollment, and strategic moves needed to avoid losing staff. He and coaches proposed implementing a fee for students playing sports. There was discussion of burdens this might impose on some families.
  • A motion was made and seconded to approve an athletic team donation, giving families the option of fundraising. The team donation was unanimously approved.

Fundraiser Approvals (list provided)

  • The fundraiser list for the year 2019-20, with three additions, was unanimously approved.

Budget Amendments: $48K for Reading – Amendments – Dept. budgets $5K (Humanities, Math, Science) and Athletics Transportation/Equipment $10K, $10K for Misc.

  • A motion was made and seconded to approve the re-allocations of funds proposed by Mr. Adams. The budget amendments were unanimously approved.

Clearing Negatives Approval (using. Misc. lines to clear negatives throughout the year)

  • A motion was made and seconded to approve a check of $19K to clear miscellaneous budget lines. The proposal was unanimously approved.

Checks over $2,500 approval

  • A motion was made and seconded to approve checks of up to $5,000 being issued without an LSC meeting, following an explanation from the school’s internal accounts clerk. The proposal was unanimously approved.

Participatory Budget Project: 10th Grade Students Presentation – $10K (Real Estate $)

  • Students made a presentation about their participatory budgeting process, which selected fixing the 2nd floor bathroom. An additional (to the $10K previously discussed) $1,000 was made available for the project from the Big Cities institute. Quotes for the work will be available at the next LSC meeting, when the final amount authorized for this project will be approved.

VII. Public Comments

PAC Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 5-6 p.m.

VIII. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Esther Mosak

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