Members Present: Janet Florine, Linda Sirvio (taking over for Lisa Box), Matt Carlstrom, Karen Teff, Matt Grose, Brent Colligan, Deanna Hron, Yvonne Wilson, Laura Rudquist, Robert Bourman, Bobbi Jo Hemphill, Lacy Davidson
Members Absent: Jim Peters, Kim Dolensek, Darren Sheldon, Sean Martinson, Gerald White

Call to order at 3:45 at Deer River High School
Agenda was approved with a few additions.
Minutes from February 5th were approved with a few minor changes.

A DLT membership roster and committee sign-up sheet was passed around for members to verify that the information was correct. A finalized version will be handed out at the next meeting.

Business:
1)    Organizational Structure/Committees
Matt Carlstrom, Janet Florine, Sean Martinson, and Deanna Hron reviewed the DLT handbook and made changes.  The biggest question they had involved term lengths for DLT members.  Matt Carlstrom recommended that DLT members stay on for a minimum of 3 years, so that there is some ownership in the policies, as well as some continuity from year to year. There was the suggestion made to rotate members off between 3 and 5 years, so the team is not all new at the same time.  Matt Carlstrom will inquire about how long of a term each person is willing to serve.  This issue will also be discussed at each building site team, because site team terms are not as long - which affects DLT members who are there because they represent their Site team.  The issue will be re-discussed at the April meeting.

 
2)    Best Practice Grants
There were no applications for a best practice grant submitted for the 1st deadline.

The issue of pay for Site team and DLT members has been resolved through a meeting with Mr. Grose and union representatives. It was decided that for this year only, Deanna Hron and Janet Florine will write a best practice grant to pay any members that wish to be paid.  If the money is not all used, it will go back to the district.  Next year, the union members will need to vote on whether or not staff development monies can/will be set aside to pay site team and DLT members.




3)    Staff Development
Multi-District Day
Friday, March 9th is the multi-district day at Grand Rapids High School.  Janet Florine and Karen Teff will hand out folders to Deer River teachers as they arrive.  Janet requested another person from Deer River to serve on the multi-district planning committee.  Karen Teff volunteered.

March 23rd
This day had been set aside for ½ day working in rooms, ½ day staff development.  There is the hope that the curriculum committees will be able to meet that day.  Some teachers may have elected to take ½ day off for comp time, so not everyone will be here.

Committees
All committees need to meet before the April 9th DLT meeting. Each committee will need to identify a point person (chair), a member list, and a meeting schedule.  These will be reported at the next DLT meeting.  Temporary point people were identified:
Data and AYP - Sean Martinson
School/District Safety - Mr. Colligan
Communication - BobbiJo Hemphill
Curriculum and Assessment - Janet Florine
Staff Development - Deanna Hron

Mr. Grose will send out a district wide e-mail inviting non-DLT members to join any of these committees.  It will be up to these temporary point people to set up the 1st meeting date and time.

4)    Curriculum Review Cycle
All IASC schools are trying to "get on the same page", but it will take time.  It may be 8-10 years until we are all on the same review cycle or have the same textbooks. 
   
5)    Communication
The Warrior Express - there was a discussion about expanding this district wide.  If this happens, the printing job may be sent to an outside printer instead of having Theresa Grossell do it, because she would not have time. This idea will be discussed at each Site team meeting.


Other communication forms include local TV and the District Web Page.  Several teachers are hosting blogs, which have been successful.  There was a letter read from Polly Sheppard that communication/partnerships will only be successful if there is backing from the administration.
 

6)    Site Reports

North - There is a Spring Carnival coming up March 17th. Many businesses donate prizes for the carnival.  It is their biggest fund raiser for the year. 

The Forest Committee has been meeting and wants to continue to improve their nature trail and make it accessible for all students.  There will be a Forestry class at the high School next year, so perhaps there could be a partnership.  The PTO will be making benches for the trail. The committee is looking at writing a grant.

The week of May 21st-25th will be Environmental/Cultural week.  The dance troop from Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school will perform, there will be cultural stations for students to explore, and there will be an Artist in Residence (Drs. Ray and Mary Helen Pelton). Eagleview elementary will join the celebration.

King - There is a reading celebration coming up March 19-30 called "Dive into Books".  This will involve staff, students, parents and the community.

High School/Student Report - Student council worked hard on Snowball, and it was very successful.  Elections for next year's student council will be in April.

FCCLA hosted an event at the school and Deer River students did very well, advancing on in the competition.

The Junior High band and choir held a mass event that also went well.  The choirs are now preparing for upcoming concerts. The Sr. High band concert will be March 18th.

There will be a blood drive on March 27th.

Zac Evans and Scott Mickle went to state for wrestling.

Parent/Community - Robert Bourman expressed concern about the lack of communication between the elementary and high schools concerning the math requirements.  He expressed that there seems to be a large gap in the sequence, having some students go from the 5th grade book to the 7th grade book.  This was discussed at length, with the hope that once the curriculum committees start to meet, there will be better communication. Also, curriculum mapping will be required of all teachers, and the state standards will be driving what will be taught.

7)    Next Meeting - April 9th @ 3:45 @ North School

Meeting adjourned @ 5:10
Respectfully submitted by Karen Teff, Secretary