Minutes of the January Meeting of the Dean’s Parent Advisory Panel

Greenwood Laboratory School (GLS)

January 15, 2002, 8:30-9:40 AM

Participants: David Hough, Emily Carlisle, Debbie Yokum, Abindra Rimal, Mary Byrne, Art Spivak, Jerry Masterson, David Minert, Sarah Muegge, Mark Hopkins, Nancy Goth, Dave Brown, Debra Barnhart

Strategic Planning Meeting for GLS. Dr. Hough invited participants to attend the strategic planning meeting 7:30 PM, January 28, at Plaster Student Union. He encouraged parent advisory participants to review minutes from the December joint parent/faculty advisory meeting, and develop ideas for the strategic planning meeting. For example, should GLS have a middle school, an e-school, etc. He emphasized that the input from the parent advisory panel, GLS and Missouri State faculty, and other participants at the strategic planning meeting would be collated and used to develop the strategic plan for GLS which should be completed by March, 2002.

Development of GLS Summer School Program. Dr. Hough updated participants on progress that has been made in developing the Greenwood Summer School Program for 2002. He indicated that, although the structure of the program was still in the formative stage, several guidelines are established: (1) the program would be available to area school-age children as well as Greenwood students, (2) GLS faculty will have the option of teaching in this program, if they so choose, (3) the program would not duplicate existing summer school programs in the area, and (4) program activities would be available during an eight-week term. He then introduced two guests invited to speak further on the summer school program options, Myra Miller and Rebecca Denton.

New Coordinator. Myra Miller is the newly hired coordinator of the Greenwood Summer School Program, Myra came to the position from Missouri State’s College of Continuing Education. She has 15 years of experience in youth development (Camp Fire Girls), a Bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in education. Both degrees are from Drury University. Myra is currently researching various formats of university summer school programs for K-12 students available throughout the country.

Scheduling. Tentatively, summer school instruction would be available weekdays in the mornings and afternoons for eight weeks with sports and games interspersed throughout each day. Classes may be available as intensive one-week courses, or daily classes lasting a few hours each day, or both. Availability of student transportation, distance travel, and parent work schedules will be considered in the design of the program schedule including early drop-off and late pick-up.

Fees. No budget has been allocated to the summer school program by Missouri State. A fee will be charged, and is currently being assessed. Some summer school programs offer a two-tiered model in which some classes are offered for fee, while others are free. Underwriting may be sought to provide grant money to fund at least a portion of the activities at no charge to families. Personnel costs are the greatest costs in the program budget. A participant suggested that Roseanne Bentley, Chair of the MO Senate’s Education Committee, may be able to provide assistance in locating financial support from the State.

Course credit. Students may be able to take some classes for credit and fulfill elective requirements for their high school transcripts. That option is currently being explored.

Food. Providing food would create a high cost in the program budget, but may be available if it is determined to be an important element in attracting enrollees.

Prospective Summer School Curricula. Specific class curricula have not been selected, but several suggestions proposed at previous parent advisory meetings are under consideration. More specifically, classes on personal finances and economics may be available through coordination with the Southwest Missouri Center for Economic Education (SWMCEE) at Drury University.

Rebecca Denton, Director of the SWMCEE, spoke in more detail about a newly published curriculum, Financial Fitness for Life, which would be appropriate for the program. She distributed sample lessons from the K-12 student curriculum and parent guide. Themes implicit throughout each of the four levels of the curriculum are income, savings, spending and credit, and money management, with budgeting being emphasized in the 9-12 grades. Curriculum content is aligned with national content standards in the areas of language arts, mathematics, and economics. Lessons could be presented in a variety of time frames that make the curriculum feasible for various summer school scheduling formats. Teachers interested in using the curriculum must come to a half-day or all-day training session, where they will receive all materials free of charge. Although the curriculum is designed to include parents as partners in content instruction, the material in the parent guide can be presented by the teacher.

Additional possibilities. Other possibilities for summer school content including the following: preparing for college entrance exams, media literacy, exploring cultural diversity through children’s literature from around the world, preparing for a driver’s license and auto maintenance, using computers beyond the internet, theater and the arts, clowning, and home management.

Miscellaneous. Participants asked Dr. Hough whether a GLS tuition recommendation was going to the Missouri State Board of Governors. He replied that he hadn’t seen one, but that the University would be expected to absorb $1.6 million in State budget cut between now and the end of June, 2002. Most of that amount would be made up from increases in Missouri State student tuition and fees, with increases to GLS tuition being proportionate.

Participants asked Dr. Brown to describe the morale and attitude of GLS faculty since their return in January. Dr. Brown reported a positive atmosphere with a sense a moving forward. He feels the faculty is more relaxed and thinking about the future. A participant offered that students view Dr. Brown’s presence positively as well. Dr. Brown indicated that he is enjoying the position and believes the semester will proceed smoothly.

Respectfully submitted,

January 16, 2002

by Mary R. Byrne