Posts made in August, 2015

Board Meeting, August 24, 2015 at 7:00 pm

Posted by on Aug 25, 2015 in Board Meetings

Mountain View Academy

45 S. Moss ◊ Lowell, Oregon 97452 ◊ (541)735-1709

Board of Director’s Meeting

August 24, 2015

6th grade classroom MVA Wing

6:15 pm – Executive Session

7:00 pm – Public Session


The Mountain View Academy School Board encourages public input. Persons wishing to address the Board on school related issues, are invited to do so, either when the item is presented on the agenda, or under the “Public Comments” section. In the interest of time and order, presentations from the public are limited to three (3) minutes per person, and the total time for individual agenda items shall not exceed (20) minutes. An individual speaker’s allotted time may not be increased by a donation of time from members of the public in attendance. If you wish to speak under Public Comments, please complete a Public Comment Form and turn it in to Beth Sprague. The Board requests complaints or charges against an employee be held in Executive Session. Individuals who require disability-related accommodations or modifications to participate in the Board meeting should contact the Administrator in writing prior to the meeting.


AGENDA

1.0 OPENING BUSINESS – 6th grade classroom MVA Wing

1.1 Call to Order

1.2 Public Comment on Executive Session topics

2.0 EXECUTIVE SESSION – 6th Grade Classroom MVA Wing

2.1 Pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(i)

To review and evaluate the employment-related performance of the chief executive officer of any public body, a public officer, employee or staff member who does not request an open hearing

2.2 Pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(f)

To consider records exempt by law from public inspection.

2.3 Return to Public Session

3.0 OPENING OF PUBLIC SESSION – 6th Grade Classroom MVA Wing

3.1 Public Session Call to Order at 7:00 pm

3.2 Attendance:Board Chair Jake Plahn, Vice Julie Valencia, Beau Garner, Erica Richardson, and Jessica Justman

3.2.1 Guests: none

3.3 Approval of Agenda

3.4 Approval of Minutes

3.5 Schedule Next Meeting: Sept  21st at 7:00 in the PDR

3.6 July Budget: Laurie stated there is a line item in the budget for transportation.  This will be slightly higher as we will be busing more children next year.

Clarification – The audit that took place recently was a preliminary financial audit.  This went well.  We will still be having a full audit in October.

4.0 PUBLIC COMMENT

**Opportunity for Citizens to address items not on the Agenda. Persons wishing to address the Board on any school related issue not listed elsewhere on the agenda are invited to do so now. Board Members are limited, but not required, to give a brief response to public statement or questions regarding non-agenda items.

5.0 ACTION DISCUSSION

5.1 Information on direction for PERS opt-out

Reviewed letter from lawyer for retainer fees/contract.  Laurie is asking approval from the board to have letter signed and pay 8,000 retainer for enlisting the attorney’s services for the PERS opt out.

Discussion:

Beau: This is a direction we need to head for the academy and teachers.  Beau is in favor of starting this process.

Beau moves to sign the agreement and approve 8,000 to pay the attorney retainer fee.  Julie seconds the motion.  Motion was unanimously approved.

5.2 Information on Champions program

Laurie presented some information on an all-inclusive after school program contract option.  We would need more details on this if we wanted to pursue it.  The question is do we want to get more information on this?  We decided Julie would check into the program and get more details as well as check with Walt to see if this might be an option.  There would need a minimum number of 12 students.

5.3 Legislative Sessions handout

Discussed information from the legislative session hand out.  New legislation reveals that for a student who attends a charter their home district/school no longer receives 10% of their ADM.  Money above 80% now all goes to the district in which the charter is located.

5.4 Approve enrollment window

Discussed enrollment window options.  Laurie proposed 24 hr. enrollment window for now and then enrollment window from back to school orientation through the first day of school.

Jessica motions to open two enrollment windows.  One for 8/25 and one for 8/31-9/3.  Erika seconded.  Motion was unanimously approved.

5.5 BSO

Went over plan for the BSO.  The board will help serve at the ice cream social.  Board members are wearing character shirts from last year.  Teachers are also wearing their shirts.  We are signed up for a fundraiser through Jamba Juice.  We will roll this out at the BSO.  Students sell $10 gift cards.  We will receive $5 from each sale.  The teachers would like projector screens for the classrooms.  The money made through this will go towards this goal.  Board members will report at 6:30 for the BSO.  There was needed forms already sent out to all families but we will have extras.  We will have an ice-cream social at the event.  We decided to keep it simple and do ice-cream cones.  We went over volunteer opportunities and draft volunteer sign-up sheets.  Board member Jessica will bring a complete list of volunteer sign-up sheets to the BSO.

5.6 Approve purchase of bulletin board for office hallway

Laurie requested approval for the purchase of two bulletin boards.  One would be for parent communication and would be placed outside the school office.  One would be for the 7th/8th grade classroom.   Laurie has obtained quotes for $210 or $213.  Jessica motioned to approve $430 for bulletin boards.  Erika seconded the motion.  The motion was unanimously approved.

5.7 Approve purchase of at least one more vacuum for classrooms

Laurie requested approval for purchase of additional vacuums.  This would allow for more than one person vacuuming at once.  Laurie already obtained quotes online at between $120-140.  Erika stated that it is important to buy a quality vacuum cleaner.   Erika motioned to approve $400 for the purchase of 2 vacuum cleaners.  No one seconded the motion.  Beau motioned to approve up to $300 to purchase 2 vacuum cleaners.  Erika seconded the motion.  The motion was unanimously approved.

5.8 Board clarification on employee insurance

Laurie is requesting clarification on how much flexibility the board would like to give staff in choosing their health insurance options.  We budgeted up to $400 per month per employee for health coverage.  Laurie presented that the basic plan available through Pacific Source insurance is $329 per staff member per month.  We can add an additional dental plan which would cost $52 per staff member per month.  This is all individual coverage.  There would be an option for employees to purchase family coverage at an additional cost paid directly by the employee.

Some staff would like FSA accounts only and would like to opt out of the other coverage.  Only people who have other coverage can opt out.   The federal government stated we can only put $2550 maximum in a FSA for each employee.

The board discussed options and equity between the plans.

The board clarified that we will allow dual covered staff members the ability to opt out of the regular health plan and receive a FSA instead in the amount of $2550 as allowed by regulations.  We will also allow the staff members who opted out to receive a dental plan for either individual or family coverage.

6.0 INFORMATION AND STUDY

Laurie is proposing allowing teachers to be reimbursed up to a certain amount for clothing expenses.  This money will come out of their professional development funds.

Julie made a motion to allow teachers to utilize up to$300 of the professional development funds allotment for work clothes reimbursement.  They must submit receipts to be reimbursed.  Jessica seconded the motion.  Motion passed unanimously.

6.1 Administrator’s Report

Laurie presented her administrators report.  Teachers have met over the summer to work on curriculum training and other trainings.  Most of the supplies and equipment for the next school year are in.  The modular is also in.  Current student count is at 107 students.

7.0 ADJOURNMENT -9:42 pm

Any documents that are public records and are provided attachments to public session items on this agenda are accessible to the public on the school’s website, with the exception of documents provided at the time of the meeting. Documents that are public records, and are provided at the time of the meeting to a majority of the Board regarding a public session item, will be made available for public inspection upon request to the Administrator’s Assistant.

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