Committees To Help Run Our School

SMT/SSC

The School Management Team (SMT) is Freese’s governance team.  Its mission is to oversee all resources and services at Freese in order to maximize student achievement and establish a powerful learning environment for all students.  It is composed of school staff and parents and many decisions are made on school issues.  Members are elected and serve two year terms.    There are five parent positions presently open for elections.

The School Site Council (SSC) oversees policies and budgets for our school’s Title 1 funds.  It is composed of school staff and parents and many decisions are made on school issues.  Members are elected and serve two year terms.   There are five positions presently open for elections.

Typically at Freese, a parent who serves on one group also serves on the other since the meetings are usually held on the same day, back to back.  See page 2 of this newsletter to see dates and times of SMT and SSC meetings for the 2010-11 school year.  

If you would like to serve on SMT and/or SSC, please indicate so by completing and returning the form attached to this edition of Freese Focus, or call the school office and ask that your name be given to Mrs. Hills, the principal to be placed on the SMT/SSC ballot.  You may nominate yourself and/or someone else for the vacant position(s).  All nominations should be in by Friday, October 1^st.  An election ballot will go out to parents after that date.

Freese Foundation

The Freese Foundation is created to support the education of children at Freese Elementary School by fostering relationships among the school, parents, teachers, and community members.  Freese Foundation is a non-profit Public Benefit Corporation that raises funds to support teaching and learning at Freese.  For the last two years, the Freese Foundation has purchased trophies, medals and ribbons to be given to Freese students during the end-of-the-year reading celebration.  To get more information about the Freese Foundation contact President Marco Ortiz or Board Chairperson, Annette Grimes.  You may leave a note for either of them in the school office.  Just ask the office staff to place your note in the Freese Foundation box.

Brenda Campbell, EdD, is the Area Superintendent for the Morse/Lincoln cluster and Shirley Wilson is the Assistant Area Superintendent.  Campbell is very determined to strengthen parent involvement in the Morse/Lincoln cluster and enhance the college going culture among the children in Area 1.  Campbell is looking for parents from each of the schools in the Morse/Lincoln cluster to serve on a cluster-wide parent group around these issues.  If you are interested in serving with Campbell, please contact Principal Hills to let her know.

GATE Parent Representative

GATE stands for Gifted and Talented Education.  All students are tested for GATE in the 2^nd grade and parents are notified whether or not the student qualifies for the program.  When a student qualifies for the GATE program at Freese, he/she is placed in a class where the teacher has been trained and GATE certified.  The teacher then uses that training to address the learning styles of GATE students.

Every school should have a GATE parent representative for the GATE District Advisory Committee.  This committee meets once a month.  If you are a Freese parent of a GATE student, an you would like to serve as Freese’s GATE parent representative, please contact Principal Hills to let her know.

ELAC

The English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) advises the school principal and staff on the school’s program for English Learners.  Look for future announcements about ELAC meeting times coming soon.  Contact Debbie Smith, English Learner Support Teacher, for more information. (619) 479-2727, ext 2121.