School/Community Com. Mtg., 8-8-05

[Marta McAllister]

Proceeding of the School/Community Committee Meeting

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

August 8, 2005

 

Call to Order:

The meeting was called to order by Karen Moses

 

Members Present:

Karen Moses, Carol Wicker, Lisa Posada, Tom Willis, Sandra Mammenga, Laura Simonsen, Gail Surwill, and Mary Jo Fox.

 

Excused Members:

Paul DiLorenzo, Jim Hartung, Dawn Achten, and Jan McCandless

 

Guests present:

Tim Cranston, Donell Small, and Ed Workman, 20-Year Facilities Planning Committee.

 

Communication from the Public:

None

 

Enrollment Projection Data as a Follow-up to 20-Year Facilities Planning Work Report:

Tim Cranston was present to review the revised enrollment projection chart. The goal between the 20-Year Facilities Planning Committee and the School/Community Committee is to be able to understand the numbers and come to a consensus. Carol Wicker pointed out that the district is not disputing the enrollment numbers but needs a better understanding of the enrollment projection chart.

 

Tim Cranston worked with Dan Martin from the school district and Romona Maddox of the city/county planning department to come up with a foundation. Tim worked with Romona Maddox’s projections in which she did an analysis of the births in Yellowstone County and correlated those births to first graders. Tim then projected six years hence to predict how many first graders will later be high school age. Tim used Dan and Romona’s figures and incorporated them into a more granulized version as a forecast of student enrollment.

 

Tim reported that the 20-Year Facilities Planning Committee’s charge was to look at high school overcrowding issues and in doing so they learned that the district’s elementary district could soon be looking at overcrowding issues as well.

 

Tim also used Romona Maddox’s figures to look at the growth, and demographics of Billings, and the outlying areas. He also focused on birth to first graders and growth by schools and expects this to matriculate upward. Tim came up with a model to create high school projections through 2011-2012.

 

He explained that he used Excel to create a model which he considers a good planning tool for the district as changes can be made.

 

Karen Moses asked Tim for his opinion as to where growth would be. He predicts that Castle Rock will need to be expanded within a couple years, and would like to see building at the COT-Career Center campus with an elementary school on it. With the growth occurring in the heights, Beartooth will probably need to be re-opened. He explained that housing starts are equal to the west end, but with bigger more expensive lots with fewer children on the west end. The heights area is seeing more affordable housing with children. There is also a funding highway bill to build a Bench loop that will have a big impact on the heights future building.

 

Tim would like to see a consensus definition factor established to look at what constitutes overcrowding. He thinks it will be 7 to 10 years before they can decide on a high school site.

 

There are still concerns that the school district is not working with the city/county planners. Karen Moses expressed the opinion that the district is assigning a representative to work with the city/county planners. Carol Wicker noted that was one of the recommendations of the Communication Plan.

 

Communication Plan Implementation Proposal:

Carol Wicker reported that the Communication Plan is being presented to the Business Committee. There is a recommendation to accept private donations from the business community to the school district over a three year period in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars.

 

It was announced that a four to one match was approved by the business committee in their meeting earlier in the evening.

 

School/Community Committee 2005-06 Work Plan:

Due to no quorum this item was rescheduled for next month.

 

Old Business/Announcements/Handouts:

Carol Moses reported that there might possibly be a MQEC meeting in September in Great Falls.

 

Laura Simmonson questioned, as a member at large, what means can constituents approach her with comments and concerns. Carol Wicker will initiate an e-mail through Karen Palmer for Laura Simon on the district’s web-site. It was also suggested that every member of the School/Community Committee have an e-mail address with the district.

 

Replacements for vacancies on the School/Community Committee were discussed. Carol Wicker reported that she had contacted members currently serving on the Committee to see if they are still interested in serving. To date she has received no responses back from any of them. Carol also reported that she has given information to Nancy Coe regarding positions to advertise as vacant in the Gazette. Three high school parents and one elementary parent from the heights area are needed to serve on the School/Community Committee.

 

Minutes of the School/Community Committee Meeting:

The minutes from the June 13, and July 11, 2005 meetings were not approved as no quorum existed.

 

The next scheduled meeting is September 12, 2005. The Committee members will meet in the Board Room located in the Lincoln Center, at 415 N 30th at 6:00 PM.

 

 

_________________________ ___________________________________

Karen Moses, Chairperson Brenda Cross, Recorder