Live posting from TLSS

but I'll be leaving early to get to the exam/IB meeting...posting as we go
Mr. O'Connell is running through the order in which we'll be taking the items.

Starting with crew, and we're getting a correction on the total, which should read $155,207.
We have not received any corporate sponsorships for new shells, but we've received extensive assistance from various teams and local community organizations.
Athletic Director David Shea lauds the booster club and students for their fundraising efforts to keep the club going.
We're looking at a cost to the district, if the district were to fund, of $61,707 per year, covering salaries, buses, uniforms, gas, shell rental, insurance, food, and truck rental.
Biancheria is asking for a full budget for crew before April.
Shea notes that the crew team is a citywide team where the students are working together across the quadrants.
Biancheria asks how we recruit crew team members. Shea: no students rejected. Tryouts are publicized through athletic liaisons at each school, through other students, and through social media (!).
Freshmen through senior year; Biancheria requests how many from which school and grade level.
Monfredo speaks again of corporate sponsorship; Shea says we have not yet explored corporate sponsorship
Rodrigues says Boone is looking to funnel donations through WEDF.
O'Connell on the history of the crew team; his suggestion seen by the mayor at the time as "typical from someone coming out of a 'preppy' background."

Preschool:
Monfredo asks if we're talking to private preschools
Rodrigues, yes, there has also been talk of a summit, when we have our meetings, same people coming all of the time. Need for additional full day preschool
Biancheria: accept kindergartners from outside the city, but not preschoolers
have we always had a waiting list? Yes, for typically developing preschoolers, but number of students varies by building.
Meade-Montague: waiting list is kept at both school and district level, so that opening levels can be filled, should they become available.
Biancheria: do we ever not have a waiting list at particular schools? Yes, parents have three choices. If there is an opening in their second or third choice, they can go to that school.
Meade-Montague: there have been times that we've opened a new site in January; those parents are contacted first.
Biancheria asks what the program needs: Monfredo responds including students as full day students in the foundation budget
Rodrigues: early intervention three year olds drive the number of classes we have for preschool; sometimes have to find resources on the fly to open another classroom
At age 2.8, we project how many students are coming in, as any student with a signed IEP must be in our schools by their third birthday.
Biancheria: how are we projecting? murmur from staff that Brian Allen does those projections
Rodrigues speaks of projecting students turning three who are on IEPs
quarterly with early intervention providers
Biancheria: we are ready on their birthday (even if they turn three in March); imagines that not having transportation is a deterrent
charter schools dipping into our budget; "we should come first"
Colorio: neighbors whose child attends preschool, is there translation to help them navigate the system and getting their kid to school? Yes, from Rodrigues. Do we have a proactive system of getting them there?
O'Connell: consideration to full-day preschool programs, are we talking to day care providers?
Rodrigues: meet twice a year with groups
is there anyway that we can help them or they can help us?
Rodrigues: hopeful that Governor's agenda will allow for expanded options
Comment from a mom that typically developing children's parents aren't getting the same sort of support; what do you do with the kid at 11:30? Difficulty in organizing
note from administration that day care transportation can be organized from the private provider.
Woodland Academy and Lincoln Street both have full day preschool; the remainder of the 37 sites are half-day sites.
Waitlist varies from year to year. Sometimes the half day precludes families from applying.
Colorio: have we considered a 3/2 full day preschool (two full days, 3 half days, or vice versa).
HeadStart has over 700 students across the city with a waiting list, as well
O'Connell suggests something that lays out the options available to parents...perhaps through the regional school daycare providers
comments on the limited space we have for any expansion we have
note that Head Start is up for a cut under sequestration, now ticking down to March. If that cut went through, that would be eight of our Head Start teachers.