• Ridgeline High School 

    Community Council Meeting

    October 13, 2020, 7 a.m.

     

    Members Present- Brittany Foster, Deanna Stallings, Holly Fronk, Krista Useche, Bonnie Odd, Emma Smith, Diane Theurer, Kyle Day, Jennifer Loscher

    Visitors- Riley Johnson, Nicholas Redmon

     

    Members Absent- David Hiatt, Mary Perez, Jim Crosbie, Mandy Donovan

     

      1. Principal Foster’s Update on Trustlands
        1. Review of School trustland plan goal.  Student scores on the ACT, AP, CTE will be at or above the level shown in the measurement section by May 20/21.  ACT measure was 21.9, AP 72%, CTE 80%.  Action plan was to hire 2 or more EL aides, a success coordinator, hold school wide department PLC team meetings, sending staff to PLC, grading or other conferences, hire a vista intern, provide after school tutoring for students, send minority students to a diversity day at a university and providing supplies for improving their performance, class size reduction, hire a special ed aide, and purchase grade cam with writing recognition.  
        2. From the above list Ridgeline has hired the EL aides, flex secretary, flex aide, the success coordinator position was filled with a certified math teacher who will help to meet the needs of the students (she is here for Flex and one period after Flex)(.  Department meetings and coordination was held throughout the summer and will continue after school hours. The Vista intern has been hired.  After school tutoring is available after school in math.  Diversity Days may also need to be virtual, but that is yet to be seen.  Class size reduction money is enough to pay for one full time teacher for math.  Special Ed Aide has been hired.  Grade cams have already been purchased.  
        3. Trustlands Budget:  
          1. Teacher Salaries Budgeted-111,999 Remaining-89,866
          2. Parapro Salaries Budgeted-46,049 Remaining-42,400
          3. Ret/SS/Insur. Budgeted-38,956 Remaining-32,101
          4. Substitute Teach Budgeted-2400 Remaining-2400
          5. Employee training Budgeted-4900 Remaining-4900
          6. Other Professional Budgeted-8250 Remaining-8250
          7. Teacher Travel Budgeted-4700 Remaining-4700
          8. Student Travel Budgeted-750 Remaining-750
          9. Supplies Budgeted-5073 Remaining-5073
          10. Software Budgeted-6800 Remaining-0

     

    • Total Budgeted-229,877 Remaining-188,647

     

     

    1. Counselor’s update:
      1. 2019-2020 Data Project- met with minority and latino students to increase knowledge of college and classes available to them in high school.  For example, concurrent enrollment and AP classes.  Counselors were able to get throught ⅔ of the program last year.  They met with 9th grade students and encouraged the to get involved with after school programs.  Concern was with Freshman, because in years past they focused on Juniors and Seniors.  By that time GPA is too low to take concurrent enrollment.  We know that all students' 9th grade GPA falls from 8th to 9th grades.  The students we met with had slightly higher GPA’s.  A survey was sent out, because of the shut down however, only 7 were returned.  
      2. 2020-2021 Data Project- Our focus is on mental health and stress.  Our goal is to increase self reported stress management self assessment results with a group of 12 9th-12th grade students by 15% by the end of the 10 week small group session.  Small group discussions will be held where students can talk about their stress.  We are using a research based program they are using.  Advertisement was on the news and flyers around the school.  They have not yet gotten the 12 self referrals.  Next plan is to identify some of the high anxiety or high stress students and invite them in.  Then they will start a 10 week program that will be held once a week during flex.
      3. Utah College Application Week-  Oct 19-23  A University representative will be at the high school each day.  Byu and Byu-I will have virtual representatives.  It will be held in the lecture hall to allow space for students.  Students are also encouraged to apply at home or at their own Flex classes.  Applications can be filled out on the spot.  This week many of the colleges waive their application fees.  Students are encouraged to ask questions.   
    2. Safe Technology and Digital Citizenship Information
      1. A flyer was handed out with Cache County’s Safe Technology Utilization and Digital Citizenship Report for the school Community Councils.  Students are expected to follow the Acceptable use agreement which is available online.  They are encouraged to review it annually.  
      2. Training for digital citizenship is required annually in the schools.  Schools have the choice of how to present it.  This year Ridgeline will be using Netsmartz via Zoom on the last week of the month.  This will be done in classes.
      3. Each school’s wireless  is configured according to the age and need of the students there.  High school has the most flexibility but it is still really tight.  The district also uses goguardian on the chrome books.  Land school is used in the computer lab to monitor students' computers.  Goguardian sends reports when students access or attempt to access something inappropriate.  Also if they refer to something with self harm administration is notified and the counselors respond.  Each student has their own student access account through google.  Social media is blocked unless it is used in a specific class.  Students have the ability to skirt the safeguards if they have a VPN.  Specific concerns can be directed to Tim Smith the district’s Chief Information Officer.
    3. Other:
      1. Next Meeting Topics
      2. Upcoming School Events-non essential activities are still not being held due to COVID.  A spike in numbers has occurred as a result of the private homecoming dance and activities.  84 students quarantined due to school exposure, 6 positive student cases, another 20 will be sent home, and 18 quarantined due to home exposure.  Significant burdens are on teachers of these students.  No school sponsored Sadie Hawkins dance will be held.  Parents are planning one for Nov 7.  We are encouraging students not to attend or participate.  Prior to the homecoming dance no students were out due to school exposure.  Now we have over 100.  It is discouraging to know that private citizens are putting the school at risk of being able to stay open.  An announcement will go out to students on powerschool asking parents and students to be cautious.  It is concerning especially because activities for this dance will likely need to be held indoors.  Please discourage students and parents not to put our school at risk.  Coaches have been asked to discourage their athletes from attending.  A possible playoff game could be at risk if athletes are infected.
      3. Golf first in region, 3rd in state.
      4. Soccer 1st in region.  1st state playoff game was the following day after school.
      5. Tennis 2nd in region, 2nd doubles team 2nd in state.
      6. Football team is doing well 2nd in the region.
      7. Volleyball also 2nd in region.
      8. PTC feedback from teachers was favorable to this format of teachers in the classroom with an appointment.  Parents felt they were able to access teachers if needed.  
      9. SCC training last week-  parents and teachers liked the online format, powerpoint is available to whomever wants to watch it.  
      10. COVID protocol-  Call comes from the Health Department, then it’s determined who would have been exposed and need to quarantine.  (go through their classes and see who was within 6 feet of the affected student for more than 15 minutes).  They are quarantined for 14 days from the last time they were exposed to the student.  Usually almost a week has gone by before we know.  Parents are called and an email is sent out with needed information.  State protocol has changed, after 7 days if you are not infected you have a test on the 8th day.  It has to be a PCR or reagent test.  If it is negative you can come back right away.  However, it is not available in Cache Valley.  Counseling department sends home a survival guide for quarantined students. 
    4. Next meeting November 10, 7 a.m.