Agenda - 09-05-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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17 1 2 Pre-K 3 CHCCS Chair Brownstein said this conversation has gone on for the past two years to 4 address having Pre-k in their elementary schools and its impact on capacity. She said the idea 5 behind the draft resolution is to have something in writing about the district philosophy on the 6 value of pre-k; and to create a consensus on decisions regarding capacity and when new 7 schools need to come on board. 8 Chair Jacobs noted several sheets at the Commissioner's places from the different 9 schools, relating to pre-k numbers. 10 OCS Chair Coffey said only one elementary school in the district has been built since 11 the 1996 school construction standards, so this is the only school that allows for pre-k. The rest 12 of the pre-k classes are absorbed by the current elementary capacity. 13 Chair Jacobs said the issue is how to count these classrooms toward school capacity. 14 He said some may feel that, by counting pre-k toward capacity, the county will rush too quickly 15 to having to build another elementary school. He said there was no consensus among the 16 three Chairs on how to finish the wording on the resolution because each of them came at it 17 from a different position. 18 CHCCS Chair Brownstein said the resolution is pretty factual, and then the meat of it is 19 the last paragraph, which discusses how the issue will be addressed. 20 Chair Jacobs said if no one has anything to add, this can be hashed out at school 21 collaboration. 22 CHCCS Board Member Jamezetta Bedford said that both school systems support 23 reflecting reality and that schools are very much overcrowded when you count these pre-k 24 classrooms. 25 CHCCS Chair Brownstein said there is not a version of SAPFO with and without these 26 classrooms. She said this would give a better view of the implications. She said this may be 27 needed in the school collaboration meetings. 28 Chair Jacobs said the Board is very supportive of Pre-K, but there is also not a mandate 29 for the county to provide that space. He said if Pre-K is moved into the SAPFO numbers, then 30 the schools start "bumping" into capacity issues and CAPS. He said he is skeptical at this 31 point. 32 Commissioner porosin said one issue is that these pre-k classes have fewer students 33 than a first or second grade class, and classrooms are underutilized from a space standpoint. 34 He asked if some pre-k classes are half days, and the answer was no. 35 Commissioner porosin said one thing to consider is a designated pre-k center. He said 36 some counties have this and it does not run up against SAPFO numbers. 37 Chair Jacobs said there are three sites at Twin Creeks. He said there has been 38 discussion about making one of these three sites into a joint Pre-K/administrative facility. He 39 said there have been previous discussions about this; however parents felt it was better to have 40 the pre-k spread throughout the elementary schools where they could move up into the 41 elementary grades. 42 Commissioner porosin said Pre-K is in a tenuous spot with the General Assembly and 43 there are question marks about funding and how this will look six months from now. 44 CHCCS Chair Brownstein said the other link to this is that the new school construction 45 standards require a classroom for pre-k. This means there will be some adjustments needed if 46 a stand- alone site is chosen. 47 Chair Jacobs said numbers could be run for classrooms and for students to see how it 48 all works out. This can then be discussed at the next meeting. He said the pre-k classrooms 49 are an adjunct to what is going on in the building. He also addressed the safety implications of 50 having kids apart from the main building.