Meeting Agenda/Notes - May 20, 2016

 

State College Area School District
OUR MISSION: To prepare students for lifelong success through excellence in education.

May 20, 2016 Communications Committee Meeting
12:00 p.m. - Central Office, Meeting Room 200 (Second Floor)
131 Nittany Avenue
State College, PA 16801

I.      Call to Order

II.    District-Wide Facility Master Plan - Elementary Options

• Forum Dates
           ○ May 25 at Corl Street Elementary
           ○ May 31 at Radio Park Elementary
           ○ June 1 at Houserville Elementary
           ○ June 16 at Mount Nittany Middle

• CNET coverage 6/16 meeting
• Communicating/advertising re: forums
            ○ CDT/Gazette ads
            ○ Website, Facebook, Twitter posts
            ○ Public Service Announcements on radio
            ○ All_SCASD email
            ○ email/letter to elementary parents
• Review Forum Agenda

Presentation (30 minutes)
      Includes Cost Implications in Budget Projections

Breakouts (20 minutes each, 5 minute break between)
      21st Century Learning/Layout in our Newer Schools; Why K-5 Schools?
      Sustainability: LEED Gold Projects
      Review of Options - Q&A
(6/16: Potential Summary from previous meetings)

Wrap-up (15 minutes)

• Future Forum Topics:
  Operational & Facility Cost Analysis
  Visual Listening Exercise
   Impacts on Attendance Zones
  
  
• Proposed Future Forum Meetings:
  July (week of 18th)
  August (week of 15th)
  September (week of 5th if needed)
  September 12 Board meeting - presentation of proposal
  September (week of 19th)
  September 26 Board meeting - approval of proposal
• Frequently Asked Questions (attachment)

III.     Future Agenda Items

IV.     Public Comment

V.       Adjournment 

 

May 20, 2016 Communications Committee Meeting Notes
12:00 p.m. - Central Office, Meeting Room (Second Floor) 
131 Nittany Avenue
State College, PA 16801

I.      Call to Order
Mr. Leous called the meeting of the Board Communications Committee to order at 12:05 p.m.

Present: Randy Brown, Amber Concepcion (arrived at 12:21 p.m.), Mary Jenn Dorman, Penni Fishbaine, Cindy Hahn, Jim Leous, Mary Kay Montovino, Bob O’Donnell, Ed Poprik, Chris Rosenblum, Wilda Stanfield, Laurel Zydney

A copy of all materials distributed to board members for discussion is included with the official notes, unless otherwise indicated.

II.      District-Wide Facility Master Plan - Elementary Options
Forum Dates
Mr. Poprik noted he would start with the District-Wide Facilities Master Plan (DWFMP), Elementary Options, particularly the Forums that have been scheduled as follows:
         ○ May 25 at Corl Street Elementary
         ○ May 31 at Radio Park Elementary
         ○ June 1 at Houserville Elementary
         ○ June 16 at Mount Nittany Middle
He and Mr. Brown prepared a draft agenda for the forums. Also, at committee member’s place was the ad that ran in the newspaper and will run again Thursday and Sunday even though Corl Street will have happened. There will be a new ad for June 16, Mount Nittany Middle School. Committee member asked about input and would like to add that to the ad and it would be added for the Thursday and Sunday run. CNET will tape the June 16 Forum.

Mr. Brown noted they are talking with staff, PTO’s the meetings are open to everyone. Parents can attend all if they would like. They had more meeting this week and all went very well. To get the word out they are using social media (Website, Facebook, Twitter posts), emails to SCASD employees and email/letter to elementary parents, running ads, and suggestions added: WPSU Community Calendar, 95.3 (the old Channel 4), Radio with the morning guys - Jerry Fisher, Jeff Brown and Kevin Nelson and Jeff Byers. Dr. O’Donnell, Mr. Poprik, and/or Mr. Brown could do the radio talk shows depending on
schedules.

Review Forum Agenda - The Draft that was prepared
         Presentation (30 minutes) - Includes Cost Implications in Budget Projections
         Breakouts (20 minutes each, 5 minute break between)
         21st Century Learning/Layout in our Newer Schools, Why K-5 Schools?
         Sustainability: LEED Gold Projects
         Review of Options - Q&A
         At June 16: Potential Summary from previous meetings
         Wrap-up (approximately 15 minutes)

In the breakout sessions, could also discuss eight options in general, school specifics or overall, the facilitator could report back being time is tight. Committee members discussed: CRA timing themselves better for presentation, should discuss program goals, no perceived notions, show old pictures of current buildings, show why things need done, have equity for all students and after the meeting could have the option for a tour. Possibly provide a financial but nothing lengthy. Updates will be added on the above agenda.

Mr. Brown reviewed possible future forum topics and provided proposed future forum meetings: July (week of 18th), August (week of 15th), September (week of 5th if needed), September 12 Board meeting - presentation of proposal, September (week of 19th) and September 26 Board meeting - approval of proposal.

Frequently Asked Questions
Mr. Brown provided a draft at the meeting for committee members to review. It was decided to review each of the F and Q’s one-by-one and the F and Q’s were reworded and put in different order by the committee. Discussion occurred: Spoke on demographic study, when changes would be realized, Fogelman Fields at Houserville site, District realized the need for field space, will take this into consideration during the process, board members needing something so all answers are the same, and need to take time to think about this.

For the forums, butcher sheet paper would be needed, comment cards, not doing a “dot” exercise, and identified what would take place at each:
--July - gather information from the May/June meetings (new material)
--August - refine and discuss demographic
--September - get as much information out there prior to the September 12 meeting
Must advertise with a purpose, with same information or new information. The first three meetings in May and June should be the same but the June 16 Forum could be different and the input gathered could make this happen.

Ill.         Future Agenda Items
A reminder to add - Dashboard and survey tool
Ms. Concepcion noted the Lemont PTO meeting was very positive regarding the process and Mr. Brown added the faculty and staff were very positive at their meeting also. There was a letter to the Editor in opposition to Lemont repurposing.

IV.         Public Comment
Ms. Hahn discussed advertising on Channel 98 Bulletin Board, Dr. O’Donnell or any District representative could be on “Around the County” with Anne Danahy. The next taping is June 16, 10:00 a.m. and they could do a 30-minute addition that would air the next two weeks of July. She just wanted to make this known as an option.

Other Comments
Ms. Fishbaine thanked all for sitting through and doing the wording for F and Q’s and Ms. Concepcion noted it would be good for all to be on the same page. Mr. Rosenblum noted there could be an additional one for the Board for certain talking points.

Ms. Stanfield spoke on the website and noted since this was long-term, she could do a separate site for the Elementary Information. Send out for email addresses - “to keep updated” like the High School project and could link on homepage right to site. Could set up a Google spreadsheet of all the meetings and how we would keep track of communications similar to the High School project. These would be helpful.

Suggestion made to go to the CDT to discuss an Opt Ed to clearly state what the District is doing.

The next meeting of the Communications Committee will be scheduled for Tuesday, June 14, 10:30 a.m. at Panorama Village, Board Room.

V.         Adjournment
Mr. Leous adjourned the meeting of the Communications Committee at 1:40 p.m.

Submitted by,

Mary Jenn Dorman
Board Secretary