University City Board of Education Prepares for 2011-2012

With the 2010-2011 school year officially over, the University City Board of Education spent Thursday night’s meeting discussing and green lighting new curriculums and budgets for the 2011-2012 school year.

Dr. Joylynn Wilson Pruitt, the district’s superintendent, began the meeting by thanking faculty, staff, students and parents for a fantastic school year, despite the distractions of redistricting and construction.

“Thank you for your patience and support,” Dr. Pruitt said to those in attendance.

Two students were recognized for their end of the year achievements. Alex Dlugosch, a junior at University City High School (UCHS), placed first at the Skills USA State Championships in the category of machinery and technological information. The competition showcases the skills and strategies career and technological students have acquired over the school year.

Another UCHS student, senior Terlissa Jennings, was awarded a Toshiba laptop from MVC Computers. The laptop was donated to the district with the request that it be given to the student who has shown the most improvement their senior year and plans on attending college the following fall. Jennings will be going to Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Public comments were dominated by discussion on the UCHS Step Team. Coach Jasmine Nolan came before the board to ask for its help with her team of over 50 students. She wants to use district buildings for practice and team meetings to make it easier on students to attend. Roughly 20 of her students and their parents were in attendance to support her request Thursday night.

Susan Matthews, whose daughter is a member of the team, voiced her support for Nolan.

“As parents, we support what these kids are doing. At home, at school, at the mall they are all always practicing their steps. She has really bonded these kids together,” Matthews said.

Due to the guidelines for public comments, the board was unable to address their concerns at that time.

The board followed up with a presentation on a new middle school course curriculum and pilot adoption at Brittany Woods Middle School. The program, which has been priced to not exceed $10,000, would add an additional seven courses for sixth graders, five of which would be exploratory programs, and two additional courses for seventh and eighth graders. The exploratory classes would include foreign language, industrial technologies, art, computer applications and FACs.

Following the six-step outline used in previous curriculum reviews this school year, these programs have been gauged best to hook student interest and grow on their own natural interests and tendencies. Similar programs had been looked at in the Kirkwood, Parkway and Normandy school districts before the curriculum was brought before the board.

"This is a great start, and thank you for all the work you've put into this," board member Maria Chapelle-Nadal said following the presentation.

The board agreed with her sentiments, and the curriculum was approved unanimously.

The district's chief financial officer, Scott Hafertepe, presented the preliminary budget for the 2011-2012 school year. The district is showing no signs of financial distress, and the current budget forecasts a surplus of $980,000. Board member Tom Peters wanted to make sure that the community clearly understood what the district was doing with taxpayer money.

"We have to clearly communicate to the community and be proactive in allowing transparency on what we're doing with their money," Peters said.

Hafertepe agreed with Peters and expressed his own belief in ensuring the district's finances be open to public perusal.

The preliminary budget was approved, with one vote against by Chapelle-Nadal. She wanted to know more about the district's plans on cutting costs than was presented.

The board closed the night by receiving an update on the status of the summer transition. The old Pershing Elementary School's staff and students will be sent to Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary School while the new Pershing is under construction.

"We've seen a solid effort from staff, students and parents as we've prepared and undergone the move," Karl Scheidt, the executive director of operations for the district, said.

The board's next public meeting will be July 21, 2011.