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Minutes 05/11/1999



GOVERNING BOARD
MAY 11, 1999
MINUTES
An executive session convened at 5:00 p.m., pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice having duly given.

A strategic conversation of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board was scheduled to be held at 6:30 p.m. at GateWay Community College, 2411 West 14th Street, Tempe, Arizona, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice having been duly given.

PRESENT

GOVERNING BOARD
Linda B. Rosenthal, President
Gene Eastin, Secretary
Donald R. Campbell, Member
Nancy Stein, Member
Ed Contreras, Member

ADMINISTRATION
Paul A. Elsner
Bertha Landrum for Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr.
Ron Bleed
Rufus Glasper
Janice Bradshaw
Mary Vanis for Larry Christiansen
Kay Martens for John Cordova
Herman Walker for Art DeCabooter
Stan Grossman
Homero Lopez
Tessa Martinez Pollack
Carol Scarafiotti for Linda Thor
Arnette Ward
Fred Gaudet for Phil Randolph
J. Marie Pepicello

STATE BOARD
ABSENT - Nick Balich

INVITED GUESTS

Bob Donofrio, Superintendent, Murphy School District
Patricia Buckmaster, Governing Board Member, Murphy School District
Josephine Peete, Assistant Superintendent, Phoenix Union High School District
Harry Garewal, Governing Board Member, Phoenix Union High School District
Isaac Serna, Governing Board Member, Laveen Elementary School District
Jose Leyba, Superintendent, Isaac Elementary School District
Andrew Sandoval, Governing Board Member, Isaac Elementary School District
Pat Dillon, Governing Board Member, Isaac Elementary School District
Carol Torrence, Governing Board Member, Alhambra Elementary School District
Carol Ann Munson, Governing Board Member, Alhambra Elementary School District
Sandy Peltz, Governing Board Member, Alhambra Elementary School District
Algia King, Governing Board Member, Riverside Elementary School District

CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by President Rosenthal.

EXECUTIVE SESSION
President Rosenthal called for a motion convening an executive session, notice having been previously given.

MOTION NO. 8864

Don Campbell moved that an executive session be convened. Motion carried 5-0.

The meeting recessed at 5:01 p.m.

A dinner was held with Board Members of K-12 school districts at 6:00 p.m. The strategic conversation convened at 6:35 p.m.

WORK SESSION

(I-A) STRATEGIC ISSUES REGARDING WORKING TOGETHER FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

Linda Rosenthal welcomed the group and recognized the planning team for the conversation - Janet Beauchamp, Rick DeGraw, and Donna Schober. She reviewed the concept and structure of strategic conversations, along with a brief history on how the concept was developed. The outcome for this conversation was to discuss policies leading to good practices which contribute to student success. Dr. Elsner spoke to the importance of dialogue to organizational health and the strong potential of the dialogue of informed people to make changes in the world.

Bob Donofrio and Jose Leyba offered examples of policies in their districts and the practices which came from those policies that led to student success. Rick DeGraw presented a scenario of a school day in the life of a student and the impact on the student by the school district's policies. (The examples were provided in written form and are a part of the agenda materials for this meeting.)

Small groups were formed to brainstorm given questions. Participants came back to highlight the results from their small group conversations. The questions and feedback recorded by the small groups are as follows:

GROUP ONE - Facilitator: Teresa Toney
1. What policies have been adopted in your district that are resulting in best practices?

- Mandatory uniforms
- Process to ID students
- No smoking within 25 feet of buildings
- Excused/unexcused absences

2. What circumstances help policies create the best possible results?

- Shared decisionmaking - an unwritten policy
- Communication - listen to each other
- Provide information and training

3. What is the best method for us to understand the outcomes of policies prior to their adoption?

- Involved parents, staff, students, and business partnerships
- Pilot - to make changes
- Phase in the process
- Make accommodations
- Vendor on campus
- Research into other districts
- Community/parent meetings
- Implement in phases
- Provide an understanding of the outcome
- Be proactive rather than reactive
- Follow process prior to taking the policy to the Board

4. What would make the process of policy making better for us, our students and our district?

- Have input from the people that the policy will impact and use that input in developing the policy
- Provide breathing room to pilot. Piloting will diffuse criticism.
- Establish timeframes
- Not everything is cut and dried - allow for exceptions
- Provide for flexibility at all levels
- Matters of safety, such as drugs - zero tolerance
- Once policy developed, dialogue needs to take place, including on interpretation
- Provide awareness and information - implement training
- Principals, parents, students - have private investigations
- Example: Sexual harassment policy
- Discussion is needed
- People need to understand why
- An explanation needs to be given every year

GROUP TWO - Facilitator: Rick DeGraw
1. Policies -- Best Practices - What generates a policy?
- To achieve a goal
- To solve a problem
- To control student behavior
- Need for parent and student interaction and involvement.

Example of policy provided: Dress Code/Uniform Policy
Not board/administration initiated - parent initiated. Board allowed each to school to adopt the policy after long study, procedures developed, appeals and funding issues addressed, etc. Uniforms reduced gang-related activities and office referrals.

Example of policy provided: Diversity
Districtwide
Aware training for all
Internal training for "train the trainer"

2. What is it that limits what comes before a Board?
- Everything that comes before a board must relate to student achievement and effective use of resources
- To help limit "board clutter", do a "road show" - make sure there is understanding of the issue.
- Board focuses on goals and providing parameters to local level so they may implement the policies.

3. What would make the process of policymaking better for us, our students and our district?
- Need more dialog with other boards and state associations.
- Get ideas of new policies
- When do students become involved? Have a student member of the board.
- Site based recommendations and decisions.


GROUP THREE - Facilitator: Janet Beauchamp
1. What policies have been adopted in your district that are resulting in best practices?
- Diversity policy
- Dress code/uniforms
- Reduced violence
- More attention and parent involvement
- Attitude adjustments
- Grades
- Cap on enrollment
- Reduced class size
- Closed campus
- May cost more, but provides more safety
- Free breakfast and lunch
- Access government funding
- Graduation policies
- Allowing students to walk
- Zero tolerance drug policy
- Students miss school

2. What circumstances help policies create the best possible results?
- Be flexible
- Enforceable, but humane - delicate balance between the two
- Set Outcomes
- Clearly defined outcomes
- Have administrators determine "how" and set regulations

3. What is the best method for us to understand the outcomes of policies prior to their adoption?
- Financial stability policy - to eliminate over-expenditures
- Get input - focus groups, strategic conversations, surveys, etc.)
- Naming schools policy

- Ask "what problem" needs to be solved
- List ramifications
- Scenario planning
- Research what other districts are doing
- Pilot programs

4. What would make the process of policy making better for us, our students and our district?
- Have clear goals - everyone is "on the same sheet"
- Agreement from everyone
- Have dialogue to determine thinking
- Look at what is trying to be accomplished
- Look at advocacy of special groups
- Look at "all" public


GROUP FOUR - Facilitator: Donna Schober
1. What policies have been adopted in your district that are resulting in best practices?
- Mandating employee development
- 15 clocks per year - increased staff development program
- Cut drop out rate
- Hispanic girls program
- Certify safety officers as peace officers
- More able to handle situations - can do checks on employees
- Diversity policy
- Campus climate statement helped create global perspective (e.g., training)
- Student polices/handbook
- Help students develop skills/guide them to do well academically or no club leadership
- No students driving to school/parking on school parking log
- Why?
- Required parent involvement
- Variety of programs


2. What circumstances help policies create the best possible results?
- No resistance - if adequate informed, anchored in data, history or track record
- Support behind policies in implementing the policies, including funding
- Legislatures --> punitive policies not incentives to create good results so boards should create policies with incentives, not punitive measures
- Program success create new policies (feed on one another)
- Policy should be clearly written and discussed
- Involvement of interested parties "buy in"
- Policies written from win-win view - benefit everyone including students, district, staff, and parents
- Setting goals help develop new policies or modify/delete old policies

3. What is the best method for us to understand the outcomes of policies prior to their adoption?
- Try out as a pilot//model basis - actually use them
- Precedent may not be good, so need evaluation and assessment
- Input from everyone
- Scenario planning "what ifs"
- Research - has it been done before?
- Cost benefit analysis - what are costs to whole system (legislative mandates)
- Ensure diverse input from affected groups (e.g., affects students but no input from them
- Stating exemptions, exceptions or exclusions, if any
- Policy presentation - think, talk then vote


GROUP FIVE - Facilitator: Tricia Euen
1. What policies have been adopted in your district that are resulting in best practices?
- Open admission policy
- Benefits education for all students
- Financial stability policy
- 8% reserve in general fund - only Board can override
- No weapons policy
- Statistics to support success
- Safety for children is primary

2. What circumstances help policies create the best possible results?
- Consider students first - consider the mission and vision
- Sometimes best policies come out of a reaction
- Reality-based - avoid abstract

3. What is the best method for us to understand the outcomes of policies prior to their adoption?
- Review/revise regularly (3-4 years and on-going).
- Consult outside experience.
- Create scenarios.
- Arizona School Board guidelines.
- Also provides assistance
- Policies tend to be made similar from district to district.
- Make sure it fits your district..
- Let people who are impacted review and make recommendations.

4. What would make the process of policy making better for us, our students and our district?
- Clarify the difference between policy and practice.
- Perhaps policies should be broader.
- As a board, do not micromanage.
- Policy governance model versus administrative regulations.
- Open due process. Clarity of policy - if you disagree, what is the alternative?
- Stay focused on the mission of the organization.
- Empower the students - check with those affected by the policy.
- Make sure all involved understand the policy.
- Ask question - what is the real problem, what problem may this create.

Mrs. Rosenthal asked for recommendations for next steps. Responses were as follows:

Next Steps
- Superintendents - figure out how to create an ongoing community (checking in with each other regularly. Stay together in dialogue.
- Bring students' information to the boards.
- Need to be linked from pre-school to college and support each other because what one does affects all.
- Need to link boards as boards are a missing link.
- Need link to parents to reinforce what schools are doing.

Donna Schober conducted the plus/delta.

Plus
Good participation
Very organized
Topic surprisingly interesting
More relaxed location
Meeting with other board members
Good representation
All ten colleges were represented
Good dinner
Great facilitators

Delta
Some districts not present
More board members from districts
Involve more parents, teachers, and students in meetings
Too rushed

Bob Donofrio honored Dr. Elsner for founding the Think Tank and recognized him for his support of the inner-city K-12 educational institutions and the collaboration between them and the community colleges during his leadership of the Maricopa Community College District.

Mrs. Rosenthal again thanked the planning team for the conversation and those who came and participated in the evening's conversation.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m..


___________________________
Gene Eastin
Governing Board Secretary

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