Sky View High School

School Community Council Minutes

September 19, 2023

Present: Shane Jones, Connie Rawlins, Toni Gibbons, Jessica Higginbotham, Sheri Egbert, Melanie Chambers, John Louviere, Teri Rhodes, Kathy Christiansen, Kathy Bullen

1. We were welcome by John and the time turned over to Shane.

The first item of business was to nominate a new Chairman. Sheri nominated John to remain the Chairman.  It was seconded by Jessica.  All were in favor.

Nominations were then open for Vice Chair.  Sheri nominated Jessica Higginbotham.  Melanie seconded the motion.  All were in favor

Shane review the Council membership and asked if we knew of any other parents that would be willing to serve.  John nominated Don Darrington.  He will contact him and ask if he would.  (John later reported that Don was willing to serve on the council and his name has been added to the Council membership).  This is Connie Rawlins last year.

2. Shane reminded everyone about the School Community Council training

to be held on Tuesday, October 3, from 6:00-7:00pm.  It is a Zoom link so it can be watched at a different time if needed.  The link will be emailed out to the council.

3. Elevator Speech: One thing that we have changed this year is our

Wednesday early morning meeting with teams.  We are trying to get our PLCs working better.  It is hard for teachers to meet after school is hard with extracurricular activities. So, we are trying to protect that Wednesday morning team time.  We won’t be holding faculty or department meetings.  Once a month we are having mini faculty meeting on teachers preps. It’s a smaller meeting with better discussion and gives some more one on one time.  Some teachers liked it, some have expressed a few concerns about it but we will do this year and see how it will work. Brady is running the instructional leadership group of teachers.

The District Administration asked the SV Admin if they had their elevator speech ready  - what their vision for SV is.  The Assistants didn’t quite know for sure.  They asked the teachers if they have an elevator speech ready about their classes?  Shane shared his elevator speech with the committee. He said it is RCK.  It is building relationships with kids, continually getting better.  To believe in teaching the whole kid.  If students can learn but don’t know how to be a parent, spouse, employee, be happy, etc. then we have work to do. We are in the kid business.  Working on relationships we have with each other, co -workers.  He is a big believer in ‘0-8- too late’.  We are putting a lot of energy into our freshmen and new teachers.  We are trying to create a culture, where everyone chooses to respect everyone in the school.

Sheri mentioned that she definitely feels a different vibe at the school with this new administration.  It was echoed by the rest of the committee and they expressed their appreciation.

4. Shane reviewed the Trustland and TSSA Plans. Sky View received 221K

this year.  It ends up being more with the carryover from last year.

Goal #1: We are focusing on the Student Success Center and addressing mental health using 9th grade success team Stu Howell and Janae Sorensen. We’ve hired 2 Math tutors,  using 1 ½ FTE’s for class size reduction and paying for an RCK academy coordinator. We have added 18 extra classes. 1st tri classes are biggest, but will be smaller 2nd and 3rd tri. We are working to help students to be self-advocating – students need to step up and talk to teachers.  It also includes Summer trainings for RCK Academy, Habitudes and money for supplies.

Goal #2 focuses on  ELL learners.  We were put on probation by state last year.  (Targeted School Intervention) They looked at test scores, college readiness - 7 different scores. There isn’t a good model for a program. We have made some major changes. We have an ELL coordinator, Anna Barkle that works great with the students. She has recruited best teachers to help.  Marty Reeder, Blake Heaton, Vanessa Hall, Kim Nield, Kandyce Barber and Mason Cardon with LIA.  We just hired an ELL aide and a Parent Liaison.

TSSA- Goal 1:  We installed vape detectors in bathrooms.  Jessica asked if they are in locker rooms. They are not. There has been at least one student caught a day. The parents get called.  If they get caught twice, they have to complete an educational class.  On the 3rd offense, they get a truancy ticket.  There are consequences but are not punitive. 

TSSA Goal #2:  Goal is to raise test scores.  It is also to lower class sizes, and offer more AP classes.  This is the first year we have offered it to freshmen.  We are still doing the Canvas ACT course possibly starting in December and a summer in-service.

TSSA Goal #3: We are implementing an Instructional Leadership Team

$300,000

5. RCK Academy Newsletter     

We are emailing an RCK Academy Newsletter out to Freshmen parents to let them know what they are doing in class to help reinforce at home.

6. Kathy Christiansen said that there are 30 quilts donated by the Cache

Valley Quilting Guilds to give to the schools for kids that are struggling.  She gave Sky View 2 of the quilts to give out to two of our students. There are 90 students in the district that are homeless.

Jessica said that she is on the bond committee and has a brochure if anyone is     interested.

Shane shared a video of him speaking Spanish for ELL parent night using AI. (He doesn’t speak Spanish!)

Next meeting, Wednesday, October 11th, 6:45am (with Faculty Meeting)