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Board Meeting Minutes Archive » BOD Meeting Minutes – October 16th, 2014

BOD Meeting Minutes – October 16th, 2014

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

ABS 7th Street Building

Winston-Salem, NC

Thursday October 16th, 2014.

In Attendance: Robin Hollis, Eric Prior, Alex Ewing, Kevin Nunley, Paige Raper, Margaret Taylor, Joan Marie Belnap, Laura Luykx, Michelle Lawrence, Christine England, Doug Punger, Bill Wright, Chad Cleveland

AGENDA

  1. Meeting Called to Order – 5:45PM. Eric called the meeting to order at 5:48.
  2. Approval of September 2014 Minutes – ACTION REQUIRED – 5:45-5:47PM – Margaret Taylor makes the motion to approve last month’s minutes, Doug Punger seconds the motion, all in favor and none opposed so the motion passes.
  3. Principal’s Report (Robin) – 5:47-6:10PM

Mrs. Hollis shared results from the MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) testing this month. MAP tests give us data throughout the year. This is a nationally normed test (as opposed to the EOG which is a state test). Teachers just received some time off to review the data and make a plan for how to meet the needs of students. Our students are working above their peers across the nation. This shows teachers not only who needs some help in certain skills but also who is scoring well above grade level and will need some more challenging work.

ACT Explore test on October 20th and 21st. All 8th graders in NC take this test.

2nd grade African Tales performances will occur later this month.

  1. Review of September Financials (Eric) – 6:10-6:15PM – Some of the items are front end loaded but we are about a fourth of the way through the year. We are running a surplus of $32,000.
  2. Approve Updated budget – ACTION REQUIRED – 6:15-6:20PM – Eric Prior sent this out via e-mail. The number of students is slightly higher than originally budgeted. We budgeted on 510 and we have 511 students. The December head count for students with EC services was budgeted at 50 and it’s really over 60. Retirement increased from 14.69% to 15.21 percent. Our revenue went up by $46,000 and change but the state retirement cost went up $8500. Net effect to the budget is $37,960 and it has gone to the operating reserve. Michelle Lawrence asked if the December headcount is to determine funding for additional services. Robin Hollis – yes it is state and federal dollars. It pays the money of contracted speech therapists, special education teachers. As a public school we are required to provide those services. Mrs. Hollis also notes that when the charter was written we had to opt in or out of the health plan and retirement plan. We opted in so we must continue to participate. The costs go up every year. Not all charter schools participate. We opted in so we are required to participate. Ms. England asks if that’s helpful in recruiting. Mrs. Hollis says most candidates do not ask that question but it can help recruit teachers who already work in a system. Chad Cleveland clarifies that we took the excess from the changes to the amended budget and added it to the operating reserve. Eric Prior answers yes. Chad made the motion to approve the amended budget Kevin Nunley seconded. All in favor no opposed. The motion passes.
  3. Update on Capital Campaign (Joan Marie/Robin) – 6:20-6:25PM Hollis provides an updated breakdown of capital campaign pledges as well as the amount collected to date. Some pledges are over three years, one is over five years and some were one-time gifts. There is still $102,217 left to raise. Mrs. Hollis also provided the capital campaign budget showing what items from the budget have been purchased and what are still to be purchased. Item were prioritized so that we had things we absolutely needed (furniture, classroom items, etc.) and waited on items that could wait (document cameras, new chairs in the band room). A quarterly newsletter is in the works so that community members, donors, and friends know about the great things we’re doing. Writing about events, photos, etc. will be included. Board members will also be asked to make thank you phone calls. Donors have already received their thank you letters. This would be a follow-up where we also ask why those donors were interested in our school. We have a theater in our strategic plan and we would need to be thinking about that even though it is years away. It will be more than $500,000 and we will need to be on the capital campaign calendar. Online giving is something else to consider for the remaining part.

Margaret Taylor asks if we need more names for the board with this specific skill. That discussion is coming in the next agenda item. Chad Cleveland mentions that with 15 board members, if everyone gave $2500 more, the board will have given as much as families which would be nice.

  1. Review/Discussion of prospective new board members – 6:25-6:40PM – Eric Prior notes that we may need to look at the committees again and restructure. As Eric Prior, Charles Cleveland, and Heather Smith met to discuss this, it also became apparent that we may need more board members.

Board member changes: Damien Massey resigned. Kathy Goliszek resigned, Debbie Linville is moving to Texas. Peter Perret, Brooks, Mary, Gayle, and Hal all rolled off. We have replaced three of these but we’re still at lower numbers. We will start an initiative to recruit new members. It’s important to think about skill sets and what strengths we need more than simply more members. Chad Cleveland asks where we are with parents on the board. We are right at 30% so at this time will not be able to add parents. New legislation allows for boards to give priority on enrollment to board members’ children. It might help us recruit young professionals who aren’t yet connected to our school. Eric – May need to recruit for technology, the arts, accountants, Renee has been the treasurer for a while and we should consider having someone else who has a strength in that area. Doug Punger mentions the possibility of an architect. Robin Hollis mentions real estate in terms of parking, facilities, etc. Bill Wright has been doing a lot of this but again it might be helpful to have more than one person with expertise. Robin Hollis mentions educators. We’ve lost Stan Hill and Debbie Linville who were both educators. Alex Ewing asks if people should begin submitting names. Names can be e-mailed to Robin Hollis and Eric Prior. Robin Hollis mentions an advisory committee. They may not have to meet each month but at times the board could go to them. Perhaps this would be past board members who were very helpful and would like to be involved. Charles Cleveland is giving this some thought and current board members may think about names for this as well. Committee Preference worksheets were given out for board members to complete.

  1. Other Business – 6:40-6:45PM – None.
  2. Adjournment – 6:45PM – Eric Prior appreciates everyone’s hard work and adjourned the meeting.