Below is an email exchange between myself and Scott Barnett regarding the potential IB Academy at the MB Site. I think the general concept is clear, however the details can truly determine the success of this concept. Read below and decide for yourself what is necessary to ensure that this concept is successful.
Email:
Thu, November 3, 2011 12:52:29 AMRe: Presentation on Future FOPBSS and Cluster Agenda? Budget plan. Also PB/MB. IB Academy
 | ||
| "Scott Barnett, SDUSD Board Trustee" | ||
| Stover Philip ; Merino Mitzi ; jennifer tandy ; Julie Martel; Fred Hilgers; Pam Deitz ; Amy Monroe |
Scott,
I understand the concept. I think the rest of the community understands the concept as well. SDUSD saves $1M by closing one of our campuses. The number of students at PBMS/MBHS without SDUSD transportation is small. We have discussed in at length. This is understood. The details are what count at this point.
However, the plan is predicated on the reduction in student body size to the point at which the two populations can fit onto a single campus. There are several questions that remain unanswered with this approach:
1. When will transportation be phased out to encourage the reduction in student population to the point at which this can occur. Clearly it cannot occur if the enrollment in AY 2012/13 is the same as the enrollment as AY2011/12 and the BoE did not make a decision to reduce transportation in recent BoE meetings.
2. When enrollment drops, teachers will be reallocated to other campuses. Will the BoE support a policy to allow MB-IB to retain teachers that have been IB trained in spite of Post-and-Bid and seniority/tenure rules in the SDEA contract?
3. Will the BoE allocate Prop S funds to reconfigure the campus buildings to accommodate the 6 - 12 program or will the new MB-IB campus be expected to function with its existing facility?
4. What is the minimum student body size required to operate such a campus? What will the class sizes be for such a campus? Will there be enough students with sufficient preparation to be successful in the resulting limited enrollment at each grade level? (e.g. 100 - 225 students in each graduating class)
5. What funds will be provided to train staff to teach multiple grade levels (there are too few students to guarantee that each teacher will only teach a single grade level)?
6. How will Special Education, Title 1 support, EL support, and IEP support be allocated for the smaller student body? What funds will be provided by the district for Title 1 / EL support given it is unlikely for the new MB-IB campuse to achieve the existing and projected thresholds for supporting these students?
7. Will the BoE allow the new MB-IB campus to implement an entrance exam to ensure students are prepared for the rigorous IB curriculum? (other public schools do this - most notably Stuyvesant of NYC)
8. Current enrollment in some IB classes indicate that there may be insufficient students to populate IB classes if the size of the graduating class is significantly reduced. In order to ensure critical mass in the classrooms for English literature, Mathematics, Sciences, History, ... will the BoE allow the MB-IB campus to require a minimum course load in IB classes (e.g. minimum of three IB classes each academic year)?
Few of these questions can be answered directly by our MB Cluster staff. I imagine that Fred Hilgers and/or Julie Martel can prepare a pro-forma curriculum that lays out the courses anticipated for a range of student body sizes (e.g. 700 = the existing residents that attend PBMS/MBHS; 1870 = maximum number of students possible at the MBHS today). I think that this is necessary. However, the remainder of the questions above are up to you and the remainder of the BoE trustees.
Phil Stover has been generous with his and his staff's time, but their opinions and plans are often overruled by the BoE as evidenced in the last few weeks. The onus is upon you and the remainder of the BoE members to address the majority of the questions above.
I invite the entire BoE to the next MB Cluster meeting, Nov 16. The entire BoE should hear the plan you propose and provide the commitment to our community.
If the entire BoE is not behind this plan, it is a potential death sentence for the MB Cluster. Some in the community, including myself, are skeptical of the BoE's resolve and commitment to this plan. If it is not supported by addressing almost all of the items above, then I fear the result will be that we will have a small, 6 - 12 grade campus with no IB program. Without that academic program, the new campus is unlikely to attract a large number of non-residents whose parents will drive them to the campus. The resulting student body of residents will be approximately 700 students. Will the BoE allow such a small high school to continue? Not likely under the current financial pressure. Under these assumptions, without BoE commitment financially and in terms of policy and exceptions to the SDEA contract, combining our campuses into a 6 - 12 grade program will be the beginning of the end of the Cluster.
I hold no sway over the BoE to invite them to our Cluster meeting. I have invited them to prior Cluster meetings and invited them to our feedback meeting with Mr. Stover. The only BoE member to attend was yourself. As grateful as I am for your support, this type of MB-IB campus requires more than just your resolve. What can you do to ensure that the remainder of the BoE will be present when you present the plan? What can you do to ensure that they will listen, engage, and provide support for the plan?
Regards,
Brian Catanzaro
From: "Scott Barnett, SDUSD Board Trustee"
To: Amy Monroe ; "pbcatanzaro@pacbell.net" Cc: Stover Philip; Mitzi Merino ; Julie Martel ; Frederick Hilgers ; "jentandy"; "deitzfamily" ; "kim@schoettle"
I understand the concept. I think the rest of the community understands the concept as well. SDUSD saves $1M by closing one of our campuses. The number of students at PBMS/MBHS without SDUSD transportation is small. We have discussed in at length. This is understood. The details are what count at this point.
However, the plan is predicated on the reduction in student body size to the point at which the two populations can fit onto a single campus. There are several questions that remain unanswered with this approach:
1. When will transportation be phased out to encourage the reduction in student population to the point at which this can occur. Clearly it cannot occur if the enrollment in AY 2012/13 is the same as the enrollment as AY2011/12 and the BoE did not make a decision to reduce transportation in recent BoE meetings.
2. When enrollment drops, teachers will be reallocated to other campuses. Will the BoE support a policy to allow MB-IB to retain teachers that have been IB trained in spite of Post-and-Bid and seniority/tenure rules in the SDEA contract?
3. Will the BoE allocate Prop S funds to reconfigure the campus buildings to accommodate the 6 - 12 program or will the new MB-IB campus be expected to function with its existing facility?
4. What is the minimum student body size required to operate such a campus? What will the class sizes be for such a campus? Will there be enough students with sufficient preparation to be successful in the resulting limited enrollment at each grade level? (e.g. 100 - 225 students in each graduating class)
5. What funds will be provided to train staff to teach multiple grade levels (there are too few students to guarantee that each teacher will only teach a single grade level)?
6. How will Special Education, Title 1 support, EL support, and IEP support be allocated for the smaller student body? What funds will be provided by the district for Title 1 / EL support given it is unlikely for the new MB-IB campuse to achieve the existing and projected thresholds for supporting these students?
7. Will the BoE allow the new MB-IB campus to implement an entrance exam to ensure students are prepared for the rigorous IB curriculum? (other public schools do this - most notably Stuyvesant of NYC)
8. Current enrollment in some IB classes indicate that there may be insufficient students to populate IB classes if the size of the graduating class is significantly reduced. In order to ensure critical mass in the classrooms for English literature, Mathematics, Sciences, History, ... will the BoE allow the MB-IB campus to require a minimum course load in IB classes (e.g. minimum of three IB classes each academic year)?
Few of these questions can be answered directly by our MB Cluster staff. I imagine that Fred Hilgers and/or Julie Martel can prepare a pro-forma curriculum that lays out the courses anticipated for a range of student body sizes (e.g. 700 = the existing residents that attend PBMS/MBHS; 1870 = maximum number of students possible at the MBHS today). I think that this is necessary. However, the remainder of the questions above are up to you and the remainder of the BoE trustees.
Phil Stover has been generous with his and his staff's time, but their opinions and plans are often overruled by the BoE as evidenced in the last few weeks. The onus is upon you and the remainder of the BoE members to address the majority of the questions above.
I invite the entire BoE to the next MB Cluster meeting, Nov 16. The entire BoE should hear the plan you propose and provide the commitment to our community.
If the entire BoE is not behind this plan, it is a potential death sentence for the MB Cluster. Some in the community, including myself, are skeptical of the BoE's resolve and commitment to this plan. If it is not supported by addressing almost all of the items above, then I fear the result will be that we will have a small, 6 - 12 grade campus with no IB program. Without that academic program, the new campus is unlikely to attract a large number of non-residents whose parents will drive them to the campus. The resulting student body of residents will be approximately 700 students. Will the BoE allow such a small high school to continue? Not likely under the current financial pressure. Under these assumptions, without BoE commitment financially and in terms of policy and exceptions to the SDEA contract, combining our campuses into a 6 - 12 grade program will be the beginning of the end of the Cluster.
I hold no sway over the BoE to invite them to our Cluster meeting. I have invited them to prior Cluster meetings and invited them to our feedback meeting with Mr. Stover. The only BoE member to attend was yourself. As grateful as I am for your support, this type of MB-IB campus requires more than just your resolve. What can you do to ensure that the remainder of the BoE will be present when you present the plan? What can you do to ensure that they will listen, engage, and provide support for the plan?
Regards,
Brian Catanzaro
From: "Scott Barnett, SDUSD Board Trustee"
To: Amy Monroe ; "pbcatanzaro@pacbell.net" Cc: Stover Philip; Mitzi Merino ; Julie Martel ; Frederick Hilgers ; "jentandy"; "deitzfamily" ; "kim@schoettle"
Sent: Thu, November 3, 2011 12:22:52 AM
Subject: Presentation on Future FOPBSS and Cluster Agenda? Budget plan. Also PB/MB. IB Academy
Plan to save SDUSD from insolvency
I would appreciate the opportunity to present my budget plan to the cluster and get feed back.
I think it's fair to say this will be the overriding issue for many months/years to come. But we face major decisions as early as mid December.
PB/MB. IB Academy.
Also, as you may be aware, the concept of closing PB Middle and creating an IB Academy with MBHS is still alive. I have received (mostly positive) feedback to date from cluster parents, but clearly it needs to have a lot more community input and discussion. Even if it decided to proceed, at best case it would be 13/14.
Staff will be reaching out to you to discuss this prior to the board taking this and other school consolidation issues up again on November 29.
Thanks
SB
Subject: Presentation on Future FOPBSS and Cluster Agenda? Budget plan. Also PB/MB. IB Academy
Plan to save SDUSD from insolvency
I would appreciate the opportunity to present my budget plan to the cluster and get feed back.
I think it's fair to say this will be the overriding issue for many months/years to come. But we face major decisions as early as mid December.
PB/MB. IB Academy.
Also, as you may be aware, the concept of closing PB Middle and creating an IB Academy with MBHS is still alive. I have received (mostly positive) feedback to date from cluster parents, but clearly it needs to have a lot more community input and discussion. Even if it decided to proceed, at best case it would be 13/14.
Staff will be reaching out to you to discuss this prior to the board taking this and other school consolidation issues up again on November 29.
Thanks
SB
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