Members Present
	Joe Zins	Bill Rice	Lynne Morris
	Ann McMackin	Lois Neltner	Donna Patterson
Ex Officio Members Present
	Fr. Jack	Bill Lonneman	Bill Cavanaugh
	Lisa Renken	Jodie Bender
Members Absent
	Bill Benvie	Michael Vilaboy	Anita Bidleman
Ex Officio Members Absent
	Lindsey Burns

Opening Prayer

Father Jack led the members of the Education Commission in prayer.

Approval of Minutes

Donna moved to accept and Bill C. seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 18, 2002.

Reports

Pastoral Report - Fr. Jack

Elections for Education Commission and Parish Pastoral Council are this weekend at all the masses. Two people will be elected to the Education Commission and Father Jack will appoint a third member this summer.

Our Lady of Rosary Parish has talked to Fr. Jack and has hired a firm to help them develop a five to ten year parish plan. This person will also meet with representatives of the schools and Education Commissions of a number of St. Margaret Mary Deanery Parishes to talk about ways they might work together in the future in light of the financial challenges and priest shortages that are forthcoming.

The teachers and staff of St. Vivian will meet August 23, 2202 at Milford Retreat Center.

The Mission at St. Vivian will Start Sunday November 17, 2002. Father Weber from Huston will be the facilitator.

The Catholic Bishops will meet in Indianapolis in June to talk about the priest shortage and other issues.

School Report - Bill Cavanaugh

 

Discipline Policy Update

Mr. Cavanaugh and the staff at St. Vivian are working hard on the revised handbook and discipline policy. The members of the commission were asked to review the handouts and the discipline policy that Mr. Cavanaugh distributed and to let him know their thoughts by May 23. Mr. Cavanaugh went through some of the revisions he and the teachers would like to make to the policies and a short discussion followed.

A few of their main concerns are

Change the demerits system from a quarter system to an entire year cumulative demerit system.

Adding a reward ceremony for those students who have good conduct and few demerits for each quarter.

Removal of any statement inferring that there are "excused" absences for students.

Mr. Cavanaugh also proposed a policy that would relate to demerits, behavior and extra curricular activities. Bill Rice and Father said other grade schools in the area do have a policy for students who participate in extra curricular activities. Joe supported this concept but was concerned there may be issues with student and family rights to confidentiality with this type of policy. Bill Rice and Mr. Cavanaugh felt that the student confidentiality could be protected and that a specific reason for the student's non-participation would not have to be revealed. Joe thought that simply indicating that a student was ineligible to participate in an activity based on the students' academic performance and/or school behavior would violate the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Father Jack asked Mr. Cavanaugh to check with the Archdiocese concerning this matter.

 

Absence Policy

Mr. Cavanaugh passed out to the Education members a proposed school day schedule for attendance and the results of a survey that Miss Burns did with the teachers and staff about the student attendance. The survey and policy proposal is a follow up to the discussion that the Education Commission had during last month's meeting. A short discussion followed.

Junior High Restructuring

The sixth grade will be self contained next year. The sixth grade homerooms will move to different classrooms on the junior high floor.

The new seventh and eighth grade teacher has been hired.

The new half-day Kindergarten aide has been filled this week.

A new fifth grade teacher will be interviewed next week.

 

Temporal Affairs

No Report

 

Pastoral Associate - Bill Lonneman

Bill passed out a report to the Commission.

The Bible study groups are going well. Bill is unsure if the study group will continue at St. Bart's because the group leader is leaving St. Bart's.

Bill asked if the members of the Education Commission have anything they would like to have at St. Vivian or have heard of that people would like offered at St. Vivian please let him know.

Bill passed out a handout for an upcoming meeting about the Middle East given by Jan Phipps from the Archdiocesan Mission Office. The meeting is Wednesday May 22, 2002 at St. Vivian.

 

 

Director of Youth Ministry /Religious Education - Jodie Bender

Jodie and Bill Cavanaugh have met to talk about the Junior High restructuring and a students guide for youth ministry. The sixth grade generally will not participate in Junior High events.

The Confirmation packets will go out soon. The only change this year is the paper that is to be signed and stamped by the home parish of the candidates sponsor.

Kids Café board has decided to have more high school volunteers and this will mean the Café has less room for junior high volunteers. Jodie is looking into other volunteer opportunities for the students.

The Nail Sale to defray the cost of the youth trip to Michigan is this weekend at all the masses.

A young man who is interested in becoming a youth group leader will be working with Jodie this summer.

 

Unfinished Business

Strategic Planning

Fr. Jack will appoint a committee this summer to help plan for the future of our Parish.

Elections

Elections for St. Vivian Parish Pastoral Council and Education Commission are this weekend. Two people will be elected for Education Commission and Fr. Jack will appoint one more to serve.

Grant Writing Committee

The grant writing committee has met. Grants for the school will be addressed first. Anyone who knows where to apply for a grant should let Lois Eha or Fr. Jack know. Additional people are welcome to join the group.

Teacher and Staff Brunch

Joe thanked Lois and Anita for helping organize the teacher and staff brunch. Lois said it went well and Lisa agreed. Lois also thanked Ann and Lynne for helping.

New Business

Lynne talked to some parishioners who do not have children in the school who would like to be informed more about what goes on in the school such as PTA events. She suggested that students could have a parishioner as a mentor. Mr. Cavanaugh mentioned during previous meeting wanting to better communicate with families who do not have students in the school and many suggestions were given.

Other ways that information could be released would be pulpit announcements and the Quicklets.

Lynne thought some of the parishioners wanted to be personally contacted about events.

It may be a good idea to put school newsletters in the back of church or in the bulletin for parishioners to read. Lisa questioned whether they wanted the weekly newsletter of the quarterly newsletter. There was concern that this would involve a lot of paper.

Safety

There is a concern with the scaffolding that is in the activity center. The concern is that someone could get hurt and the parish would be liable. Joe and Fr. Jack will check into the situation.

Announcements

Next Education Commission meeting is Tuesday June 11, in Ursuline Hall. This is a change from the original calendar. Outgoing members should bring their binders to give to new members.

Guests

No guests were present

Adjournment

Lois motioned and Lynne seconded that the meeting be adjourned at 8:30pm.