Education Advisory Committee

Approved: 02/13/17 Minutes - FINAL Education Advisory Committee (EAC) January 23, 2017 City Hall Attendees Members Present Absent David Toledo, Dist 1 __X __ Charlene Mahoney, Dist 2 __X __ Dawn Powers, Dist 2 __X __ Melissa Day, Dist 3 __X __ Carolyn Bernache, Dist 4 __X __ Doris Ellis, Dist 4 __X __ Alethea Ten Eyck-Sanders, Dist 3 __X __ Peggy Wilson, UMD __X __ Kendra Goodson __X __ Christophoros Beck __X __ Denise Mitchell __X __ Also Present Peggy Higgins, City Liaison Carleveva Thompson, Contract Secretary Call to Order Ms. Bernache called the meeting to order at 7:30pm. Old Business Approval of the November Minutes The committee reviewed the minutes and minor changes in the Letter to the Mayor and the Real School Gardens sections were made. Mr. Toledo made a motion to approve the minutes with changes. Second by Ms. Ellis. All members were in favor. The November minutes were approved with changes. Review of DACA letter The committee reviewed two drafts of a DACA letter for the City Council to review and submit to Congress. The committee decided to use one draft as a cover letter to the Council and the second draft will be the actual letter to Senator Cardin. Ms. Bernache will make the suggested changes and will send out the revised letter for the committee to review. Review January and February EAC plans (presentation to City Council/Principals) Ms. Higgins provided an update to the committee regarding the schools that won the $7500 in grants. Hollywood, Paint Branch, and Parkdale attended the City Council meeting on January 10th to demonstrate their projects and receive their grant awards. Greenbelt Middle did not attend on the 10th and are scheduled to attend the City Council meeting on January 24th. Next year, the $2500 award winners will be invited to attend a City Council meeting. On February 28th, 10 students from the essay contest will attend the City Council meeting and 3 students will read their winning essays. New Business University of Maryland Summer Camps The total budget for the summer camps is 17,500. There is $5,000 remaining from the schools that did not apply for the $2,500 grants. $6,600 is budgeted for the summer camps and $5,900 budgeted for additional initiatives. Ms. Higgins stated EAC now has 25 reading camp slots at Greenbelt Elementary. The criteria from the March 21, 2016 minutes were discussed by the committee and are listed below: Scholarships for UM Summer Camps: The EAC reviewed their charge and will give priority to academic themed camps. Ms. Higgins reported that there were 92 applicants last year. The breakdown is as follows: 57 first time scholarship applicants, 35 repeat applicants. There was a lengthy discussion to determine the best way to stretch the scholarship dollars. The Committee spent time calculating amounts needed for various award scenarios such as: awarding all applicants with their lowest priced camp, awarding all first time applicants with their first choice or academic camp choice, awarding first time applicants plus their siblings. It was concluded that there clearly was not enough funding this year to award scholarships to all applicants. Ms. Bernache made a motion: The EAC will give priority to first time applicants who selected the Summer Reading Program as first or second choice and funding the summer reading program for each first time applicant, regardless of whether it’s their first choice or second. All other first time applicants, who did not select the Summer Reading Program, will be randomly drawn and awarded with their least expensive camp choice until funds are exhausted. Ms. Wilson seconded the motion. Motion approved. Due to lack of funds, repeat applicants were not able to receive scholarships this year. Due to the popularity and high cost of sports related camps, the EAC may need to consider putting a cap on the scholarships awarded for sports camps next year. Caps proposed would be $350 or $400. This would allow more children to receive scholarships in general. Mr. Toledo made a motion to set the grant limit for summer camps up to $400 with preference to first time applicants and that applied to the reading camp programs and/or siblings. Second by Ms. Wilson. All members were in favor. The criteria for the summer camps were approved. 2018 EAC Budget The committee reviewed the budget for FY 2018 and the following changes were discussed: Increase UMD summer scholarships to $31,600, change to $600 for advertisement, and change to $550 for student events. Mr. Toledo made a motion to change the following sections in the budget, $31,600 for UMD summer educational camp scholarships, $600 for classified advertisement, and to reduce to $550 for parental and family programs. Second by Ms. Sanders. All members were in favor. The 2018 budget changes were approved. Adjournment Ms. Bernache adjourned the meeting at 9:23pm.