BOD Meeting Minutes- September 10, 2019

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

ABS 7th Street Building

Winston-Salem, NC

Tuesday September 10, 2019

In Attendance:

 

Kyle Barnes
Kelly Emling
Brian Cole
Amber Dalholt	x
Brittany Emery	x
Chris Gilmore	x
Tomisha Gladman	x
Chrissy Davis Hardy	x
Ellen Heck	x
Cheryl Hicks
Jennifer Holman
Michelle Taylor Kennedy	x
Charlie McCurry
Griff Morgan	x
Dani Parker Moore
Kevin Nunley	x
Lara Hanes-Pierce
April Ruffin-Adams
Bill Scheidt	x
Suzanne Shuford	x
Dara Silver	x
Margaret Taylor	x
Julia Toone

 

Also In Attendance: Robin Hollis, Paige Raper, Mary Siebert, Ellen Coble, Becky Dickson

AGENDA

 

• Meeting Called to Order – 5:45pm – Meeting called to order by Griff Morgan at 5:49.

• Approval of August Minutes – ACTION REQUIRED – Motion to approve the September minutes made by Michelle Kennedy and seconded by Chrissy Hardy. All are in favor. The minutes are approved.

• Review of August Financial Results (Brittany) – ACTION REQUIRED – We are on track for where we would expect to be. Deficit of $100,000 due to up-front materials expenses. There is $30,000 of Whitney Jones money included in that. Motion to approve the financials made by Kevin Nunley. Margaret seconds the motion. All in favor and no one opposed. Financials are approved.

• Committee Updates (Various) – Board Committee Assignments- (Griff) – Griff moved most of the committee members over for another year unless he heard from people specifically. Michelle Kennedy wanted to join the marketing committee.  Julia Toone and Kelly Emling have some conflicts so they will co-chair to ensure that someone is there. Committee chairs are asked to give a description of each committee: Ellen Heck – Marketing – Listening to the development team and responding to what they need in terms of marketing. Before that we were looking at materials we have archived so it could be strategically used publicly. Brittany – Finance – We are getting ready to amend the budget so if you’re interested in that come join us. Fundraising – Annual Campaign, Fall Fest, Community Creates, etc. Brittany is working with Leah on the donor tracking software. Facilities – Kevin Nunley – Looking to develop a plan on what needs to happen on this existing campus. Lately a lot of focus has been on looking for locations for a new building/second campus. Charlie McCurry may be taking over as chair of this committee. Nominating – Kevin Nunley – This committee is most active when we’re looking at a new class of board members. We look at needed skill sets and try to match up great potential members. Ellen Heck has been added to nominating as the vice-chair. Personnel – Margaret Taylor – Committee exists to evaluate the principal. There are also personnel policies that are updated with help from the committee. Planning/Strategy – Griff-  We have an evolving five-year strategic plan. This includes things like a teacher’s academy, after-school program, supporting organization, looking at diversity when hiring staff. Diversity inclusion committee might be an idea here. 

 

 

Board approval to create a committee – Griff approached Dani Parker Moore about chairing a committee on diversity and inclusion. Margaret Taylor asks if there is too much overlap on this committee and hiring. This committee would be a larger focus on serving students in the best way. Actual hiring practices would remain the same as they have been in the past. Dara Silver says most boards have this and it starts with diversity on the board. Motion to create the committee made by Brittany Emery and seconded by Tomisha Gladman. All are in favor with no one opposed. The committee is formed. Dara Silver is happy to help with this. 

Development and Fundraising – Ellen Coble – Leah and Brittany are working on the donor database. We are finishing up board calls to the 23 members. The goal is to have all pledge cards in during September. 100% participation by the board is the goal.  There is a group of parents helping to discuss how to ask parents and families. Ellen has a meeting with the parent committee tomorrow and will finalize annual giving in the fall with capital campaign in the early spring. They are building donor lists now. We are looking for help from anyone with a connection on donors or campaign leadership. Griff echoes that we are trying to close out the board campaign this month. It will allow us to tell other donors that we have 100% participation and exceeded our goal. Brittany says the committee is talking about branding the annual fund to a different name. 

Finance Committee – Committee will meet soon to update the budget when the state approves a budget. 

Facilities Committee – There are ten other potential sites being looked at for a second location. We’re back to the drawing board on a second site. The school system is in a four-month due diligence period on the Thomasville site. 

Griff asks people to reach out and let him know if they want to stay on their committees or need to make some changes. 

Principal’s Report (Robin) – Adoption of tobacco, e-cigarette, vaping policy. Same policy as before with the addition of vaping and e-cigarette usage by students, parents, anyone on campus. Robin Hollis reminds us that the tobacco-free schools policy has been around since 2008. The state recommends we add the language of vaping and e-cigarette devices. Motion to approve the addition to the policy is made by Suzanne Shuford and seconded by Amber Dalholt. All are in favor with no one opposed. The policy is approved. 

School Operations

• 20th day is Sept 17.  The average number of students enrolled during the first 20 days determines ADM funding. 
• Currently serving 521 students.
• Both building’s operations running smoothly.

 

Student Achievement

1. Beginning of Grade Test (BOG) in Reading

Paper/Pencil test administered to all 3rd graders on Sept 10.  

2. New Reading Assessment Required by State- K-3rd grade.  iStation replaces mClass Reading assessment.   Test takes about 45 minutes and is computer adaptive designed to adjust to a student’s skill level.  iStation administration is required 3 times a year: September, January, and May.
3. MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)

• Computer test administered to 3rd-8th grades, 3 times a year
• Assesses math, reading, and science
• Provides data to teachers and parents on student achievement and progress

 

Read to Achieve law requires 3rd grade students to show reading proficiency by the end of third grade on one of these three measures.  Parents of students not yet proficient will be notified by letter in accordance with state law.

 

Say Something Tip Line

State law (G.S. 115C-105.51) requires public secondary schools (grades 6 and up) to have an anonymous safety tip application available for public safety tips from students and others beginning with the 2019-20 school year. The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) is a life-saving school safety program that teaches students, educators, and administrators how to recognize the warning signs for individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others and to report this information by going to a trusted adult, calling 911, or using the anonymous reporting system.

 There are five steps to SS-ARS process:

1. A tip is submitted via mobile app, website, or by calling the 24/7 Crisis Center by the tipster. 
2. The submitted tip is triaged by Crisis Center certified counselors to gather enough information to act. 3. The tip is then delivered via call, text, and email to the impacted school and 911 dispatch – if needed. 4. The school and local law enforcement (as needed) assess and take action with the at-risk individuals. 
3. School personnel then close out the tip and report actions taken as a record for their school. 

 

State Testing Results

Spring Test results were delayed this year due to the new test in mathematics.  The State released scores last week. See results comparisons.

 

Teachers By the Numbers

 

37	Number of Licensed Teachers
50%	Teachers with Master’s degrees
0-41	Range of years in experience teaching
10.5	Average years teaching
6	Number of Beginning Teachers requiring mentors
5	Number of Student Teachers

 

Volunteer Screening Update

All volunteers must undergo a national sex offender registry check.  Registered sex

offenders will not be allowed to volunteer.  Volunteers wishing to volunteers in roles

that allow unsupervised interaction with students must undergo a national criminal 

background check.  Volunteers who have been charged with or convicted of an offense will not be allowed to volunteer.   To date, we have run approximately 100 background checks for parents who chaperone field trips or work unsupervised with students. The cost for each background check begins at $22 each.

 

Martin Luther King Jr  Dr. Crossing

Recently, Council Member Scippio emailed the WSPD to report her concern about pedestrians crossing MLK toward the school and the safety issue.  Officer Sheets and Captain Rick Newnum from WSPD came to meet with Principal Hollis to discuss potential solutions to reduce the unsafe crossing at MLK.  The school has taken many opportunities to educate and inform ABS parents that it is unlawful and unsafe to cross MLK unless at a designated crosswalk. The school has suggested the city erect a fence on the median to stop crossings similar to the one on MLK near the campus of WSSU.  The police traffic division will have an officer posted near the Winston Cup Museum to remind parents.

 

• Parent Council Update – Fall Fest is a fun event – everyone is welcome to come. Goals for the year – Focusing on new parents and making sure they feel connected. Informal coffee meetings at MOJI after the PC meetings on Fridays. Working on the website and thinking about how volunteering is organized at the school.

• Other Business 

• Adjournment – 6:45pm – Chrissy Hardy makes the motion to adjourn and Michelle Kennedy seconds. All in favor with no one opposed. The meeting is adjourned. 

 

Looking Ahead:

 

• IMPORTANT DATES … MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
  • Next Board Meeting – Tuesday October 8th