Buncombe County Schools

Guidelines to School Improvement

2012

Purpose: Each school must have a School Improvement Team (SIT) that develops the School Improvement Plan (SIP). This plan should identify the school’s efforts to improve student performance and reach the educational goals of the school board.

References: G.S. 115C-105.27

Development and Approval of School Improvement Plans:

Buncombe County Schools Board Policy #605 is currently being revised to reflect updates and legislative changes.

Resource: NC School Improvement Planning Implementation Guide

 from the State Board of Education and DPI (2009-10)

(flash drive has been provided to each principal for school improvement planning)

Timeline: A School Improvement Plan (SIP) may be in effect for no more than two years. The plan will be reviewed and/or revised each year with mid-year conferences conducted by curriculum staff. Teams will generate new plans for 2012-14.

School Improvement Team Meetings shall follow all legal requirements stated in G.S 115C-105.27.  As a public body, the SIT will comply with Open Meetings Law (G.S. 143-318.10) in regard to its meetings. SIT meetings shall be advertised each semester on the school website and by notifying the Superintendent’s office for notification purposes.  SIT members shall be emailed meeting notices at least 48 hours prior to the meeting, and written minutes (after careful review) will be posted on the school website in a timely manner. The SIT does not hear personnel or student complaints. It is our recommendation that the SIT team decides when it is appropriate to hear from guests who attend the SIT meetings.

A closed session shall only be held when confidential student information is discussed. To protect student confidentiality, it is recommended that Parent Representatives be excused from closed session.  If closed session is required, use the following statement:

Chairman: I will entertain a motion for the SIT to go into closed session pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11 for the following purposes:

Under subsection (a) (1) to prevent the disclosure of privileged and confidential student information pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 1232g (FERPA).

The SIT team will consist of the principal, representatives of the assistant principals, instructional personnel, instructional support personnel, teacher assistants and parents of students attending the school. Each group of school personnel will elect representatives from their perspective group by secret ballot. Parents (at least 2) are to be elected yearly in accordance with GS 115-C-105.27. Parents may not be a building level employee.

Written minutes are required for the purpose of what topics were discussed and what actions were taken. It is not a “blow by blow” account for informing someone who was not in attendance. Minutes should be posted to the school website after careful review, in a timely manner Written minutes are also required for closed session meetings; however, those minutes shall be withheld from public inspection and not published on the school’s website

School Improvement Team

Article I – Name

The name of the Charles D. Owen High School Site Based Leadership Team shall be the School Improvement Team (SIT).

Article II – Purpose

This committee is established pursuant to State of North Carolina Statutes 115C Article 8B. The purpose of the SIT is to examine the structure and function of Charles D. Owen High School with the aim of improving student performance by dealing with issues directly and indirectly related to instruction and school environment by improvement through local flexibility and control.

FUNCTIONS OF SITE-BASED LEADERSHIP TEAM:

School improvement is a collaborative process supported through general statute 115C Article 8B with representation of all stakeholders. This process is focused through the development of a School Improvement Plan, generated by an elected body, the School Improvement Team. The team is comprised of teachers, staff, parents, administrators and other key stakeholders.

Article III – Membership

Section 1    MEMBERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM

The School Improvement Team shall consist of the principal, assistant principal(s), elected parent representatives, one elected Classified Staff representative, one elected Certified Instructional Staff representative and one Support Staff representative from each standing committee and two student representatives.

The represented groups shall be as follows:

a.      Certified Instructional Staff – Elected representative of the standing committees (Climate, Communication, Curriculum, Endowment & Conditions, and Staff Development)

b.      Classified Personnel – Elected representative from the teacher assistants.

c.       Support Staff – Elected representative from office staff, custodians, cafeteria staff, and bus drivers.

d.       Parent representatives will be elected by the school’s parent population.   Parent members cannot be employed by Charles D. Owen High School. Members will depict the Charles D. Owen High School demographics to the extent as possible. 

e.      Student Body – Student Leadership – Two representatives elected by student government.

Section 2         ELECTION AND TERMS OF SERVICE FOR MEMBERS

Section 2.01    Members shall be elected as follows:

a.      Members listed from above shall be nominated and elected by the

      members of their own group.

b.      Each group will vote for their representative by secret ballot.

c.      The election by each group shall be counted and witnessed by at least two members of said group and then reported to the current School Improvement Team chairman.

d.      Elections shall take place at the beginning of the school year and the term of office shall begin October 1.

Section 2.02

If during a term, any member of the SIT shall resign, be transferred, be dismissed from employment at OHS, or change teaching positions within the school which would no longer permit the member to represent the group that elected him/her, then the group that he/she represented shall select another representative to be nominated and approved by the particular group to complete the former member’s term according to section 2.01.

Section 2.03

Elections of SIT members shall take place on a rotating basis as follows:

a.      During even numbered years, representatives from the following groups will be elected, Communication, Climate, Curriculum and Classified Staff.

b.      During odd numbered years, representatives from the following groups will be elected, Endowment & Conditions, Staff Development and Support Staff.

c.      The parent representatives and student body representatives will serve for a one year term, but are encouraged to serve for two. 

d.      Faculty and staff will serve on the committee for a term of two years. When the two-year term is over, representatives will be elected at the beginning of the school year and begin serving their term on October 1.

Section 3      OFFICERS OF SIT

The officers of the SIT shall be a chairman, chairman-elect and secretary.

Section 3.01

The chairman will be responsible for developing the agenda for meetings and co-facilitating meetings with the principal.  The chairman shall serve for one year. 

Section 3.02

The chairman-elect shall be elected from the certified members of the SIT at the October meeting.

a.      The candidate should have served a minimum of one year as a SIT

member.

b.      Election will be held by secret ballot within the SIT committee.

c.      The chairman-elect will serve for one year then automatically succeed to the chairmanship.

Section 3.03

The secretary shall be elected from members of the SIT at the October meeting to serve for a term of one year.

Section 4      VOTING RIGHTS

Decisions will be made by consensus, when possible, with a majority vote of 51% of a quorum as a fallback option.  A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the elected SIT committee.  Each SIT member will make voting decisions on the best interests of students and school as a whole.

In the event the chair determines after reasonable time that a decision cannot be made by consensus, a vote will be taken. Voting and discussion will be conducted using Robert’s Rules of Order. An affirmative vote of 51% of the members present shall constitute the majority. Each representative has one vote and agrees 100% to support the SIT decisions. Each member has one vote, and votes as directed by the majority of members in that team member’s constituency.

Consensus is not a vote. Consensus is a polling process to ensure that members can support the position that is taken. When consensus does not occur, the majority vote fallback option of 51% will be implemented. Decisions are made by consensus when possible.

Article IV – Meeting

Section 1      MEETING DAY AND TIME

a.       The committee shall meet monthly during the school year, unless weather or calendar events prohibits meeting.

b.       Additional meetings of the committee may be called by the chair, the principal, or by a majority of the members of the committee.

c.      A summer meeting (retreat) may be held at a time and place determined by the principal and the chair.

d.      Approved minutes of meetings should be posted in a place that is visible to all staff and parents, which may include the school’s webpage.

Section 2      NC OPEN MEETINGS LAW

SIT meetings fall under the Open Meetings Law of North Carolina. NC General Statue Chapter 143 Article 33C

Article V – Committees and Sub Committees

SIT COMMITTEES

Members of the SIT shall have the authority to establish Special Committees as needed to meet the purpose of SIT as stated in Article II.

Article VI – Amendment of Bylaws

SIT Bylaws may be amended with two-thirds of the collected SIT votes if prior notice has been given during the prior meeting.  It shall also require a 51% majority of Charles D. Owen High School faculty and staff to amend any Bylaw.