Committee Recommendations

executive Committee

Open Enrollment

• The Monroe District should develop a policy that provides for Open Enrollment to Lemon-Monroe High School in Grades 9-12. The following limits for total capacity (resident students plus open enrollment students) at each grade level should be set as follows:
          Grade 12 - 175
          Grade 11 - 256
          Grade 10 - 247
          Grade 9   - 280
  The building capacity is 1000 students (including 7th and 8th graders).

• 7th and 8th Grades will be included in the building capacity limit and no open enrollment will be offered for these grades. Since the elementary building is expected to be over capacity, no open enrollment will be offered for K-6.

• Priority Open Enrollment for current out-of-district students who are presently enrolled at Lemon-Monroe High School will be held. At the end of the Priority period, another open enrollment period will begin for the remaining seats available. This means that first available open seats go to current students, with potential 9th graders eligible to apply only during the second open enrollment period. These seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

• By law, any seats must be given to Monroe residents first, and new move-ins may reduce the projected number of seats available for open enrollment.

Projected Enrollment

• Current enrollment and open enrollment survey results indicate that the Projected Enrollment for the 2000/2001 School year would be as follows:

  K	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total Elementary	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total Middle/High School
  85	72	98	73	88	82	74	572	85	101	171	239	238	166	1000

Busing

• For food and bus service, we are considering both commercial vendors and using the services of the Middletown District. We have budgeted to support either solution. A team will review the situation and make recommendations to the Executive Committee at a later date.

• There has been a recommendation that transportation be reviewed for increased services for the Monroe students, and a maximum of 3 centralized pickup points for the Open Enrollment students be provided.

Employment Policy

• The Monroe District should develop an Employment policy that would not detract in any way from what the staff now has, but design the policy to treat faculty / staff as professionals.
      » Honor all seniority
      » Accept accumulated sick leave
      » Adopt present salary schedule
      » Adopt present supplemental schedule
      » Maintain benefits
      » Maintain or improve student / teacher ratios

Facilities committee

• Maintain Facilities Committee as a continuous community committee.
• Hire a Director of Facilities Services.
• Work with the Director of Facilities Services, the building principals/teachers and the finance committee to prepare the high school and the elementary school buildings for the August 2000 school opening.
• Lease modular classrooms as needed to accommodate student enrollment for the August 2000 school opening.
• Engage the services of an Architectural/Engineering firm to:
      » Develop a site plan of the existing school site, showing boundaries, facilities locations, utilities, easements, etc.;
      » Develop a master plan for use of the existing school site;
      » Develop a master plan for a new high school campus;
      » Work with the City of Monroe to include community facilities in the master plan;
      » Provide cost estimates for the various options that result from A through D.
• Hire a consulting firm to make a projection of student enrollment for the next 10 years.

High School Capacity

• Current number of high school rooms: 53
  (30 in 1960s wing, 23 in the old facility)
  Number of modular learning centers needed: 7 (14 rooms)

Elementary School Capacity

• Current number of elementary rooms: 20
  Number of modular learning centers needed: 3 (6 rooms)

staff and curriculum

Elementary

• All curriculum guides and courses of study currently used in the Middletown/Monroe school system be adopted as a place to begin creating a district curriculum for the Monroe district.
• All "Assurance" statements currently used in the Middletown/Monroe school system (K-4) be adopted as initial benchmarks of achievement in the Monroe district. This will also include Assurance statements for grades 5 and 6 when they are completed and adopted.
• The current "Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP)" for Monroe Elementary be updated and refined to provide guidelines for improvement of curriculum and standards assessed by the State of Ohio "Report Card."
• The elementary campus should include grades Kindergarten through Sixth. The campus will need six additional rooms to accommodate all of the classrooms. This might be accomplished through the installation of three double-wide Modular Learning Centers adjacent to the existing elementary building. This is based on the numbers available for the school year 2000-2001, using all rooms.
• The Staff/Curriculum Committee bases all recommendations on the numbers available to them and on the sincere belief that all children can learn, but it should not be at the expense of another child.
• The student/teacher ratios (optimum) are recommended as follows for the school year 2000-2001:

  K 1 2-6 15:1 20:1 25:1	As facilities become available, these ratios should be reduced to:	K-1 2-6 15:1 20:1
  If these ratios are exceeded, an educational aide should be provided for the grade level.

• The elementary will provide educational opportunities for students with special needs in an inclusive setting whenever possible, and in the best interest of the individual child. This includes -- depending upon actual numbers of students -- Special Education teachers, Individual/Small Group tutors, an Occupational Therapist, a Psychologist, and a Counselor.
• The elementary will provide extended and enriched educational opportunities for identified "gifted and talented" students, on site if possible, with the services of a Gifted Coordinator and certified teachers, reflecting state standards.
• State proficiency testing will be part of the district plan, as well as some yearly testing to evaluate progress of students towards meeting district and state goals.
• The district should develop a plan to create a preschool program.
• The district should develop a plan to create a latchkey program to service the children of the district.
• Computers should be linked together to better access information.
• The Staff/Curriculum committee should continue to actively serve the district to recommend curriculum that meets theneeds of the students, to evaluate progress on the district‘s goals and to set new goals.

Middle School / High School

• All curriculum guides currently used in the Middletown/Monroe School system will be adopted.
• The middle school and high school courses of study currently used in the Middletown/Monroe School District will be adopted, including pilot courses.
• Graduation requirements will remain unchanged for the graduating classes of 2000 and 2001; currently 20 and 21 credits respectively. Graduation requirements for the graduating class of 2002 will be 24 credits (in a block schedule) with the additional requirements of one credit of science and one credit of home maintenance. Graduation requirements for the graduating class of 2003 will be 26 credits (in a block schedule) with the additional requirements of one credit of foreign language and one credit of a fine art.
• All students must be enrolled in a minimum course load of six and one half (6 1/2) credits (in a block schedule) each year. New courses must be created and adopted to assure a sufficient variety of courses in all curricular areas. Particular attention must be paid to foundational courses that will encourage maximum proficiency for high school graduation and for honors level classes allowing all students to achieve to their highest potential.
• Study the post secondary option to recommend improvements allowing for better student participation.
• The district will provide educational opportunities for students who have special education needs.
• Class size minimums should not determine if a class is offered.
• The master schedule will provide for the curricular needs of the students, including options outside then normal school day schedule.
• The Middle School‘s current curriculum, including current options, will be maintained in an area separate from the high school classes. Different school hours and bell schedules will be used.
• High school teachers (w/secondary certificate/license) will teach high school level classes taken by eighth grade students. Assurance is given that sufficient offerings will be made available for such eighth grade students throughout their high school career.
• Early graduation is not a goal of this district. Students must be given a wide range of classes and co-curricular activities to enrich their high school experience.
• Early graduation will be discouraged. Students are expected to enrich their high school experience by enrolling ina wide variety of classes and participating in extra-curricular activities.
• Students who do not pass proficiency tests will be required to enroll in specific classes created to provide every educational opportunity to be successful.
• We are committed to developing and maintaining a close relationship with BCJVS in order to increase opportunities for all students through satellite and joint ventures.
• Maintain the sequence of grade level requirements listed in the course of study, except for changes listed in #3.
• The district should develop a plan for student involvement in community service.
• Administrative Team
  The Monroe Local School District 7-12 building should restructure the school leadership to employ a three person team as the administrative leaders, while maintaining two assistant principals and an Activities Manager.
      » Instructional Leader
      » Principal of Business Affairs
             - Activities Manager
      » Principal of Student Life
             - Assistant Principal of Student Life
             - Assistant Principal of Student Services

sports and extracurriculars

• Creation of the full time position of Activities Manager
      » organizes, administers, and directs all student extra curricular activities
• Adopt the Extra Curricular Policy
      » raises minimum GPA from 1.55 to 1.75
      » Good Citizenship clause for GPA between 1.55 and 1.75. A student must meet the following requirements:
             - 5 or fewer absences from school previous year
             - 3 or fewer tardies in the previous year
             - No school suspensions
      » Any student missing more than 15 days (92% attendance) will be denied the right to participate in extra curricular activities. The attendance period will consist of the preceding four (4) quarters prior to a tryout for a sport or activity.
• Review GPA requirement in two years with the intention of raising minimum GPA to 2.0.
• Participation Fees
      » $50.00 fee for athletics
      » $25.00 fee for any other activity
      » $100.00 family cap per year
• Have secured a complete schedule for the following 7th and 8th grade extracurricular activities:
      » Football
      » Basketball
      » Volleyball (girls)
      » Track
• Adopt Coaches/Advisors manual
      » defines coaches/advisors duties and responsibilities
• Require all coaches/advisors, including volunteer coaches/advisors to be CPR and Sports Medicine certified
• Appoint a three to five person committee from the community to assist in the interview and selection process of all coaches and advisor positions
• Recommend that the Sports and Extracurricular Committee continue in some form to actively serve the school district on an ongoing basis
• Immediately after the March vote, appoint a spokesperson to the M.M.L. to represent the new district so they receive correct and timely information
• The new Monroe High School will remain in the M.M.L. for the 2000/2001 school year.

Finance Committee

Proposed Three Year Financial Outlook: 

The information contained on this site is believed to be accurate. 
However, all information is preliminary and must be approved by the school district‘s Board of Education, when appointed.
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Last updated: 07/17/00 .