Loading...
Minutes 05-24-07 MINUTES OF THE EDUCATION & YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2007, AT 7:00 P.M. COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA PRESENT: Steve Waldman, Chair Mary Morera, Vice Chair Loretta Wilkinson Robert Chiste, Student Sherri Claude, City Employee Representative ABSENT: Pamela Camel Susan Buchanan Hattie Miller Alyssa Ewing, Non-Voting Student Christine Hogenkamp, Student I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Waldman called the meeting to order at 7: 12 p.m. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION The members recited the Pledge of Alliance to the Flag. A moment of silent reflection was observed on behalf of the passing of Assistant City Manager, Wilfred Hawkins. III. Approval of Minutes of April 26, 2007 There were two corrections to the minutes. Item II, Pledge of Allegiance section in the text change the word Alliance to Allegiance. Item VII. Old Business Item A, the sentence should read, " In years where there were more than ten applicants, aft a third place award of $200 was given." Motion Ms. Wilkinson moved to approve the minutes as amended. Mr. Chiste seconded the motion that unanimously passed. IV. Approval of Agenda The agenda was approved by consensus. 1 Meeting Minutes Education and Youth Advisory Board Boynton Beach, Florida May 24, 2007 V. Announcements/ Presentations / Correspondence Chair Waldman announced Ms. Claude forwarded him copies of letters she sent to Hunters Run. Nine letters were sent to the golf associates, the head golf pro, Mr. and Mrs. Lenny and Phyllis Stern and the individuals who carted individuals to the golf office. A thank you to Renee Blank would be sent. Ms. Blank donated hats, soccer balls, and key rings to the children. VI. Public Audience None. VII. Old Business A. Youth Volunteer Bank/Bob Borovy Award American Legion Post 164 donated $1,000 to the Bob Borovy Award. Chair Waldman explained Mr. Borovy did work with the American Legion. He thought it was great the Post continued his memory in this way. Chair Waldman explained the banquet was held and the awards given. About forty people attended the Youth Volunteer Banquet. Ms. Morera praised Ms. Claude for her work on the event and announced the event was very nice. Ms. Wilkinson announced she was able to give the unopened pasta and garlic bread to the fire station. B. Fundraising Chair Waldman explained the Oceanfront Concert season was over. He explained when it reopened next year, they would contact Panera Bread to sell cookies again and earmark the monies. The board was amenable to selling again to raise funds. C. Adopt a School Kathleen Perry, Principal of Boynton Beach Community High School thanked the board and provided an update. She explained since she last appeared she was invited to participate with the Youth Violence Executive Committee Task Force, in which she hoped to make a difference. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Scores were improving. Two areas of emphasis were identified, one of which was reading. Ms. Perry explained with so much technology, they identified a tool to incorporate into the curriculum called the Personal Response System, or a real time clicker system that could assist with keeping the 2 Meeting Minutes Education and Youth Advisory Board Boynton Beach, Florida May 24, 2007 student engaged and focused. This system would allow the teacher to pose questions and immediately access whether the concept needed to be retaught or reviewed. They would like to use this teaching device for their reading classes. Another tool they would like to obtain is an Interwrite Pad, which is an electronic computer attachment that allowed a student to write on the pad and have it projected onto a screen so it could be viewed and edited by others. They were hoping the board could assist with the costs associated with those items. She explained they currently had eight intensive reading classes, and the technology would assist students reading at the lowest reading level, which was levell, to keep them engaged. Another area of focus for the school is math. When students are engaged, the students do the learning. They were hoping to have portable labs. The system Ms. Perry described ranged in price from $700 for projection devices, $550 Interwrite Devices and for the Personal Response System, a set of 24 would be $2,200 - $2,300. She explained they were not interested in gimmicks, but reading improvement is gained by reading. She hoped to be able to provide books the students liked to take home and use strategies from school. She announced volunteers to help the Guidance Department assist with scholarship identification were needed. They could also help keep the scholarship center organized, coordinate a volunteer partnership program and help tap into the business and private community to provide human contact with students through speakers bureaus and other type events. The teachers are overwhelmed with classroom instruction and the counselors are equally busy. The extra set of helping hands would be a tremendous support. Anything the board could do in terms of resources would be greatly appreciated. Chair Waldman suggested contacting the Gates Foundation. Ms. Perry responded they had written grants, and they did receive some, but because of the cost, they did not have all they needed. Some were housed in science classes, because science is being added to FCAT and they wanted to supplement those. Chair Waldman thought that would be a likely place to obtain funds. He explained the funds for next year were expended, but since the Gates Foundation was run by a computer wizard, Bill Gates, and the request was for computers, that the request might be successful. Ms. Perry explained they had a student from the high school, who was one of the 300 finalists for the Gates Foundation scholarship. Chair Waldman offered to investigate the funding for Ms. Perry and would keep her apprised. Ms. Wilkinson explained the board had a volunteer bank and was unsure whether those volunteers could be of service to the high school. Ms. Perry thought the time schedules might conflict but any time between 7 a.m. until about 4 p.m. was the window needed for volunteers. 3 Meeting Minutes Education and Youth Advisory Board Boynton Beach, Florida May 24, 2007 Ms. Perry explained they have an early childhood education program where some students have already received their licenses to become Child Development Assistants. Those students are not eligible for the teacher education program at the community college. Additionally, the Embry Riddle Program being implemented at the high school was moving along well. Chair Waldman asked whom the volunteers should contact. Ms. Fredrina Combs, in the Guidance Office was the contact person. Chair Waldman offered to pass the word around at the sub-committee on Education. Ms. Perry left a listing of wish list items with Chair Waldman. Specific information and prices associated with the technology items could be obtained from Bill Nelson, the Technology Coordinator. Ms. Perry thanked the board for the opportunity to speak. Chair Waldman introduced Ms. Felicia Volkman, Vice President of the Boynton Regional Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Volkman thanked the board for the invitation to speak. She explained they were a fairly new orchestra, just finishing their second season. They were seeking to publicize the orchestra. The orchestra performs at Boynton Beach Community High School and they rehearse there once a week, while in season. They were a community orchestra with young adults from the schools, work arena, retired musicians and people who play and want to return to music. Two concerts are being held this year and three are scheduled for next season. Concerts would be held on December 9 and March 22, 2008. The brochure and rack cards were not available yet, but Ms. Volkman had a flyer, which she distributed to the board. All concerts would begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets would be $15 per concert and $40 per subscription. Students all the way through to high school were welcomed to attend the concerts free of charge, with the goal being to expose them to music. They were welcome to rehearse with them or sit in on rehearsals to listen. The only requirement would be the musician needed to be on the same skill level. Ms. Volkman announced they had a twelve year old and two students from Dreyfus School of the Arts. She distributed the schedule and had phone numbers for interested individuals to contact. She noted one of the phone numbers would not be available until November. Additionally, their website was being updated because it had last years programming in it. She explained they wanted the businesses to know they were in existence. She reported they enjoyed good press coverage last year and wanted their participation. She also explained Boynton Beach had been kind to them. Former Vice Mayor Ensler had served on the board and they had received discretionary funds. She explained the orchestra was profiled in the Palm Beach Post Neighborhood Section. She informed the board, the group was considered to be a regional orchestra. 4 Meeting Minutes Education and Youth Advisory Board Boynton Beach, Florida May 24, 2007 Ms. Wilkinson explained in the Miami area, they had the Greater Miami Symphonic Band that performed Pops in the Park for people who would bring a blanket to picnic and listen. She suggested investigating that and trying to get on the roster for the Ocean- front Concerts. Ms. Claude advised it was noted the Oceanfront Concert season was finished for this year, but they do meet during the winter. Small groups of musicians were available to do musicals in peoples homes to help raise funds. Ms. Volkman explained they need at least $7K per concert. The conductor is paid and sometimes a professional musician needs to be retained. With the present day issue of funding, it was possible some grants could be rescinded. Chair Waldman suggested mailing information to the Brandeis Woman's Group or others. Ms. Volkman responded she would, but that she could also use volunteers for clerical assistance. Chair Waldman would provide information about the Brandeis Woman's Group and he offered to volunteer some of his time to the organization. Ms. Perry explained the school was returning to the instrumental program and would distribute the information. Ms. Volkman explained they were trying to get teachers to give students extra credit to attend a concert. Barry Volkman, the music director was introduced. There was discussion about including the information in FunFare Magazine. Ms. Claude explained there are other City Departments that use the magazine for events. The next issue would be coming out in August for the fall, and the next issue would be released in December for the spring season. Chair Waldman explained if they had flyers available, they could be distributed to local and religious organizations. He welcomed as many flyers as they thought would be appropriate. D. Sister Cities Chair Waldman had a flyer soliciting attendance at an Open House. The purpose was to learn about what the organization does in the community and discover how they can become involved. The Open House was scheduled for June 15, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. in the Club Room at Marina Village. E. Bowling Tournament (July 15,2007. AMF Lanes) Chair Waldman announced there would be another meeting before the Bowling Tournament was held. He would get the trophies. Ms. Claude had flyers ready for distribution and the event was advertised in Fun Fare Magazine. 5 Meeting Minutes Education and Youth Advisory Board Boynton Beach, Florida May 24, 2007 VIII. New Business A. Elections There was agreement to postpone the elections to the next meeting in order to allow the full board to be present. The elections would be included on the agenda. Motion Ms. Wilkinson moved to postpone the elections to the next meeting. Ms. Morera seconded the motion that unanimously passed. IX. Future Meeting Dates: June 28, 2007 July 26, 2007 Ms. Wilkinson announced how much Assistant City Manager, Wilfred Hawkins would be missed. She commented he did a lot for the City and always took the high ground. He was very professional and he would be greatly missed. Chair Waldman agreed and indicated Mr. Hawkins knew how to speak and how to get needed information. Chair Waldman also thanked Sherri Claude for all her effort on behalf of the board. X. Adjournment There being no further business to discuss, the meeting properly adjourned at 8:00 p.m. (I Ckvli( ~A/fYI~ Catherine Cherry-Guberman Recording Secretary 053107 6