Spring Valley Elementary
PDS Campus Steering Committee Meeting Minutes
September 15, 2014
The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m.
In attendance at the meeting were:
AlainHumphrey, Kindergarten Teacher
MarlaJaynes - First Grade Teacher
Audrey Swoveland - Second Grade Teacher
Susan Mathis - Third Grade Teacher
Erica Serrato - Fourth Grade Teacher
Kathleen Minshew - Instructional Technology Specialist
Christy Watley - Assistant Principal
Jay Fischer - Principal
Rachel Hisle – Parent/Community Representative
Debbie Perry -Curriculum and Instruction, MISD
Paula Gardner - Baylor Site Coordinator
Dr. Barbara Purdum-Cassidy - Baylor Content Faculty
Dr. Leanne Howell - Baylor University Liaison
I. Committee Introductions
Jay Fischer, Campus Principal, welcomed all members of the Campus Steering Committee and asked that each introduce themselves by providing their name and position. He articulated the goals of today’s meeting. He stated that the committee is required to meet four times each year but encouraged the committee to schedule monthly meeting during this first year as a Professional Development School.
II. Overview of Teaching Associate and Intern Placements
Dr. Leanne Howell, Baylor University Liaison, outlined the placements of the teaching associates and informed the committee that the TAs have begun planning and teaching small group lessons. She explained that there are 12 second semester TAs , 11 who were teaching associates at Bell’s Hill Elementary in Spring 2014 and one who was at Connally Junior High School at that time. There are six first semester TAs. These junior level candidates are on campus Monday through Thursday. Jason Forbis, Audrey Swoveland, Lindsay Burroughs, Ailsha Devlin, and Kathy Tomecek are the clinical instructors who are working with the TAs within their classrooms. There are also ten interns, senior level candidates, placed with mentor teachers in kindergarten through third grade classes. Ms. Swoveland commented that she was impressed with the four TAs who began teaching in her classroom. Dr. Howell reminded members of the committee that if they had questions or concerns that they should contact her or Mrs. Gardner.
III. NAPDS Conference
Dr. Barbara Cassidy, Baylor Content Faculty, discussed the annual NAPDS Conference which will be held in Atlanta, Georgia from March 5 – 8, 2015. All members of the committee were given information about the conference. Kathleen Minshew stated that she had presented at the conference and reflected on her experience. Dr. Cassidy stated that proposals for presentations are due Oct. 15, 2014. She urged members of the committee to use the NAPDS website as a resource. Members of the association receive two publications annually.
IV. PDS Protocols: Interns/TAs/Programmatic
a. Mr. Fischer reminded committee members that any concerns about the TAs should be directed to Dr. Howell. Concerns regarding the interns should be directed to the intern’s Baylor Intern Supervisor.
b. TAs are scheduled to be on campus 7:45 – 10:30 Monday through Thursday. They also attend an on-campus ELAR class with Dr. Cassidy on Monday and Wednesday from 10:30 – 11:45. Interns are on campus Monday through Thursday for the whole teaching day.
c. Dr. Howell recognized Tammy Humphrey for her efforts in securing electronic access to the ELAR text books for all of the TAs.
d. Marla Jaynes raised the question about Eduphoria access for the interns. Mr. Fischer said he would investigate the possibility.
e. Mr. Fischer stated that faculty members will be participating in a presentation that will outline the data collection software the district uses, Aware. He suggested that this information might be useful for the interns as well.
f. Debbie Perry commented that Baylor School of Education makes resources adopted by the school district available to the TAs and interns through the Learning Resource Center on Baylor campus.
V. Campus PDS Website
Paula Gardner, Baylor Site Coordinator, presented the Baylor PDS Webpage that can be found on the Spring Valley Elementary website. She acknowledged Kathleen Minshew for her efforts in making the webpage available. General information about Professional Development Schools, the Spring Valley PDS Professional Team, the PDS Campus Steering Committee, as well as photographs that have been taken can be found on the webpage. A link to the NAPDS website as well as Campus Steering Committee meeting minutes can be found on the webpage. Anyone who would like to add information to the webpage, including photos, should email them to . The website can be accessed by visiting the Spring Valley home page, going to the Departments tab and then locating the Baylor PDS tab within that domain.
VI. Steering Committee Goals and Responsibilities/Essentials
a. Mr. Fischer shared that the first Coordinating Council meeting is scheduled for September 22, 2014. This will be a joint meeting of the Waco and Midway ISDs Professional Development Schools.
b. Mr. Fischer reviewed the Campus Steering Committee responsibilities as outlined in the Policies and Procedures Handbook for the Baylor-Midway Professional Development School Partnership.
c. Goals for the PDS at Spring Valley Elementary will be established at the next meeting (October 9, 2014).
d. Mr. Fischer is currently working on securing iPads for the interns with possibilities of securing them for the TAs for classroom use.
e. He is also researching making teacher editions of the textbooks available to the TAs and interns.
f. The Committee agreed that the next two Campus Steering Committee meetings will be held on October 9 and November 18, 2014 at 3:30 in the Baylor PDS room. Mr. Fischer invited anyone who wants to add an item to the agenda(s) to reply to the reminder email they will receive from him about the meeting(s).
The meeting was adjourned at 4:10.