2024-25 Meeting Documents

Meeting Minutes
Haynes Bridge Middle School Governance Council

Date: 8/21/24
Time: 4:31-5:28 PM
Location: MS Teams

SGC Members: Lauren Malekebu (Principal), Kimberly Lipscomb (Teacher), Connie Sestan (Teacher), Iliriana Domi (Appointed Staff), Alicia Galloway (Appointed Staff), Lou Erste (Parent), Katherine Koetter (Parent), Michael Oberg (Parent), Janelle Schittone (Community Member), Jone Cross (Community Member)

4:31 PM The meeting was called to order by Principal

After some confusion, Ms. Malekebu moved to approve the Agenda, after Mr. Este revised it prior to submission. Mr. Oberg seconded the motion; approval was unanimous.

Ms. Schittone moved to approve the May 2024 meeting minutes without change to the draft. Mr. Oberg seconded; approval was unanimous.

Ms. Malekebu asked Ms. Kinsey to introduce herself as a guest to the meeting.

Ms. Malekebu proposed the election of officers.  Mr. Oberg nominated Mr. Erste as Chair. Ms. Schittone, followed by a rallying of voices from other members, all seconded. (Approval tabled until all officers were nominated.) Mr. Erste nominated Ms. Koetter as Vice Chair. Ms. Cross seconded.  Mr. Oberg nominated Ms. Schittone as parliamentarian. Ms. Cross seconded. Mr. Oberg moved to approve all three officers. Ms. Schittone seconded; approval was unanimous.

Mr. Erste suggested for Staff Standing Committee Chairs to be the same as last year and asked for volunteers/nominations for committee members:

·       Mr. Oberg as the Budget & Finance Committee Chair; members: Mr. Erste, Ms. Lipscomb, and Ms. Sestan.

·       Ms. Schittone as the Outreach & Communications Chair; members: Ms. Koetter, Ms. Cross, Ms. Domi, and Ms. Galloway.

·       Ms. Sestan as the Principal Selection Committee Chair; members: Mr. Erste, Ms. Schittone, Mr. Oberg.

·       Ms. Schittone moved to accept the Committee nominations. Ms. Cross seconded; approval was unanimous.

Mr. Erste asked for volunteers for the Parent/Community and Superintendent Advisory Council representative. Mr. Oberg offered to be the representative again; Ms. Galloway will be the backup should Mr. Oberg not be available.  Mr. Oberg moved to approve Mr. Oberg as representative and Ms. Galloway as backup. Ms. Schittone seconded; approval was unanimous.

Mr. Erste asked for volunteers for the Cross Council Representative; Ms. Schittone offered; Ms. Koetter offered. Ms. Cross moved to appoint them. Ms. Schittone and Ms. Koetter both seconded; approval was unanimous.  (Date for first Cross Council meeting is Wednesday, October 2, 2024, from 5:00pm – 7:00pm at Alpharetta High School.  Sign up via online was completed by Ms. Schittone; to be completed by Ms. Koetter.)

Mr. Erste asked for the council to approve the meeting dates and times for 2024-2025 School Year.  The proposed dates were as follows:

·       Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 4:30pm

·       Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 4:30pm

·       Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 4:30pm

·       Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 4:30pm

·       Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 4:30pm

·       Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 4:30pm

·       Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 4:30pm

Ms. Schittone moved to approve the dates. Mr. Oberg seconded; approval was unanimous.

Ms. Schittone presented the SGC Self-Assessment Survey for Haynes Bridge Middle School 2023-2024 SGC members. Ms. Schittone noted that most of the survey had the same remarks in the positive, across all members of HBMS SGC.  Two points that were on the edge: 1) Would you recommend participating in SGC to a friend or colleague? One member said, “No.” 2) Council members are engaged in strategic decision-making. On member chose, “Sometimes.”  The council agreed that making efforts to communicate with stakeholders was the best way to better engage them in what SGC does. 

Mr. Erste mentioned being struck by the one detractor for 1).  Ms. Malekebu acknowledged that it could have been simply that that person is fine being on the council but wouldn’t recommend to others because of the time commitment at which point Ms. Schittone surmised she was the one who answered in the negative for 1).  Mr. Erste asked Mr. Oberg to recommend how to make the SGC a more effective group.  Mr. Oberg said he would speculate that he would see more opportunities to get involved by volunteering at the school, asking the teachers what they need and getting it for them.

Mr. Erste then asked Ms. Malekebu to weigh in on how the work HBMS SGC does would become more impactful.  Ms. Malekebu remarked that this SGC was very different in that the measurability of the sound system was a more tangible and recognizable outcome, once it is fulfilled.

Ms. Malekebu shared that the Strategic Planning will happen in September.  It has been delayed due to Ms. Malekebu falling ill.  Plans to meet with the leadership team next week to go through what the District shared, the data already on hand, and then share with the staff on September 3^rd.  Any changes that need to be made can be done before the October meeting, and when the final plan is due in November.

Ms. Malekebu provided her Principal’s Update. These included:

·       Charter funds have been received; $46,000 and change.  Received earlier this year – they listened to our feedback. 

o   Can we earmark $5,000/grade to be reserved for the school fieldtrips, to be officially voted upon in September? 

o   Mr. Oberg asked what the destinations for each fieldtrip will be and will that affect the spending.  Ms. Malekebu confirmed that the destinations will be either based upon Science or Social Studies needs.

o   Mr. Oberg moved that the SGC consents to support fieldtrips this year, similar in price to those trips taken last year, with the fieldtrips themselves being determined later. Ms. Schittone seconded; approval was unanimous.

·       Ms. Malekebu was asked to present at the School Board retreat on how middle school principals make decisions for budgets.  She was asked if parents are asked to pay for things, to which she responded that she only ever wants to ask of parents for financial help if desperate, that she focused on spending the money that the school has in the most beneficial way.  All this to say that she is grateful for the money earmarked for the fieldtrips.

·       Student Handbook was sent out.

·       Intruder Lockdown drill during both Cafeteria and at Recess was held last week.

·       Upcoming Events: Curriculum Night is September 12^th.

·       Sound system update: delay in installation due to parts/equipment having not been available; Ms. Malekebu and Mr. Oberg both voiced their discontent about the delay and the lack of communication.  Ms. Schittone and Mr. Oberg are to call or visit the sound system install company, SWC, for a follow-up.

Ms. Koetter requested Ms. Malekebu send the items list of potential wants for us to spend our budget on prior to the September meeting so we can be considering the items prior.  Mr. Erste suggested that we also think of potential items to spend.  Ms. Malekebu shared that she always wanted a pavilion by the field with a metal roof/sun cover.

Mr. Erste shared that the September Agenda will include 1) Charter Dollars, 2) Outreach & Communication Committee Update, 3) Strategic Plan update and discussion, 4) Budget Committee ideas.

Mr. Erste reminded Ms. Schittone as newly elected Parliamentarian will record the minutes of this meeting and attend Officer training.

A motion to adjourn from Ms. Schittone; it was seconded by Ms. Lipscomb and the meeting was adjourned at 5:34 p.m.