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<br />34e7 North Ammon Road, Idaho Falls, Idaho, Ds40z (208) 525-4400 Fax (208) 529-0104 www.d93szhoobu,g
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<br />Parent Meeting
<br />Bridgewater Elementary Library
<br />April 2.2V1J
<br />7:30 PM
<br />i Call to Order
<br />Chairman Lords called the meeting to order at 7:37p.m.
<br />K Roll lall
<br />Those Board members present were Chairman Craig Lords, Vice-chairman Annette Winchester, Treasurer Kip Nelson, Trustee DeVere Hurt and Trustee Wendy Horman
<br />were excused. Others in attendance were Superintendent Chuck Soackott, Deputy Superintendent Energy
<br />Education Specialist Don Trauntvein, Principal Terri Beseris, ESL Coordinator Lance Robertson, Safety Coordinator Guy Bliesner, Chief Financial and Operations Officer
<br />April Burton, Curriculum Director Michaelena Hix, and Board Clerk Valerie Messick.
<br />m. wnlcomino Visitors and DelecmUono
<br />Amy Landers, Kealie Wallis, Amber Blundell, Heidi Roth, Jennifer Sewell, Rebecca and Danny Elliott, Cory �� Alice Ann Madsen, Sarah McIntyre, Kandy Thurman,
<br />Valerie Waite, April Burth,
<br />Chairman Lords introduced Mrs. Winchester, Dr. �� Mrs. McConnell, and Mrs. Messick. He stated that we've had acouple of hearings where concerns were voiced
<br />regarding need to help your school, Therewemnmwomabouthdksmovin0wiNopmnnt of free and reduced lunch, PTO involvement, and bullying. We want msee
<br />what wa can uom make things better at this school. We want to get with parents to make it a better process. The school has a tremendous principal and tremendous
<br />teachers m well ao good class sizes. We have done some things to help make things work well here. From comments made a/the public hearings, wmhwmmxnkedUw
<br />boundaries nlittle. We now have the blue plan which is the same and the green plan that moves some additional children into this school and hopefully increased parental
<br />support. The District ix down $7 million dollars and Lip 3^V00kids. We Would like to hear from you oo how wm can help your sohnoL
<br />IV. Parent Discussion
<br />There was a question nn the numbers presented nn the maps. They show that wm added 1OO children but only 24 are leaving Cloverdale.
<br />Open enrollment will remain available at Mountain Valley and all schools. However, if enrollment reaches 85% of capacity then they won't allow more open enrollment
<br />students, There was equestion regarding whether they would be connected wWoodbridge in the future. Probably not, there are 200 building lots in Bridgewater,
<br />There was n suggestion that it might be better m leave the boundaries alone, There was agreement with the need N add support mNeochnol.But,mmareonNehgh1mnk
<br />xom. Mm. McConnell stated that with higher numbers of free and reduced lunch the school gets additional federal support. We want m make sure wm don't lose those federal
<br />dollars. We may not want to add so many students that we reduce available services. There is no right or wrong answer, just two different answers. Wo look a\ rank order four
<br />times each year and then decide how many services Gan be made available to the qualifying schools. Currently we are able to spend about $14V per student atBridgewater
<br />while some schools only qualify for $40 per student. |fwechange the boundaries, the ratio will change. It is hard to predict numbers of free and reduced because we don't
<br />know individually who qualifies but wo know total numbers. Looking mt those statistics, it appears that your numbers will be reduced. Now the school has four half time Title 1
<br />aides. That reduces class sizes for reading and language instruction and serves 20 of lowest kids in kindergarten. Every school offers IRI extended day reading support. Falls
<br />Valley is second to Bridgewater in the number of free and reduced. Those numbers could drop by 20%. Wo have heard that you needed additional parental support. What
<br />other support do you need?
<br />People think that if You care about education, you don't want your children to go to Bridgewater, The question was asked whether it is a PR problem. Dr, Shackett stated that
<br />twelve years ago no one wanted to come m District S3, Wvdoagreat job and don't take o back seat manyone.
<br />There was concern about bullying. Chairman Lords stated that we have a strict policy against bullying and we don't want kids to get bullied. There was discussion around the
<br />fact that bullying happens throughout the district not just otBridgewater. We do not tolerate bullying or vulgar language, We have a lot of cameras in Our schools and on our
<br />busses and watch for incidences n( bullying as well ao mean language. We can't stop bulling, but we can teach our children that i| someone says something unkind that only
<br />means that person was unkind, not your child. That concept iohard for kids m understand. There are many kids who care and who want w make things better for others,
<br />There was some discussion regarding ways to help stop bulling.
<br />Chairman Lords asked how the audience felt about advanced learners, The response was that they are not challenged o| all. There innn group Pull Out for accelerated
<br />learning. In Lipper grades, the teachers break students into small groups and differentiate the instruction onkids can move ata faster pace o, get mmodioUoni(needed,
<br />Bridgewater had the highest growth scores in math last year. Reading growth kept the school at a 4 star rating, The perception is regarding low test scores. The public
<br />doesn't understand the good things that are going on at Bridgewater, There was discussion on how to challenge accelerated students in kindergarten and 1,tgrade. There
<br />was a suggestion that a gate program for the lower grades would be helpful for keeping children at the school.
<br />There was discussion regarding how the District and Board could help with the PR to let people know what io happening atBridgewater. Wo want parents mb* excited m
<br />come to this school. Parents need to be more involved and talk to people about the positive aspects of the school, There was concern that the biggest detriment ioMountain
<br />Valley and White Pine Charter School, Parents need m take e good look ot the charter school's scores. There was concern that news coverage is always at Mountain Valley.
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