Posts made in October, 2014

Date: 11/25/2014

Start Time: 7:00 PM

End Time:

Location: Mountain View Academy Middle School Classroom

Attendees:

*Draft minutes – unapproved*

Agenda Items

• Call Meeting to Order
  • Meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm.  Attending were Jake Plahn, Julie Valencia, Laurie Cardwell, Beau Garner, Kirsten Cardwell, Jake Plahn, Julie Valencia, Erica Richardson, Jessica Justman
• Schedule next meeting
  • December meeting was scheduled for December 16th at 7:00 pm at MVA.
• Adoption of Agenda
  • J. Plahn reviewed the agenda.  No comments were offered, the agenda was approved.
• Approval of Minutes
  • The minutes of the last board meeting were on the website. Beau Garner noted for the PERS Contribution the wording was not adequate to capture the discussion for future references.  Julie Valencia summarized that the decision was short prior to the payroll being completed.  The Group decided to pick it up because nothing additional was set up.  It was decided that a stop to it in December.  Laurie Caldwell said PERS requested us to start picking it up at the beginning of next year.  Responding to a request from Jake, she expanded that PERS wanted us to end at the end of the pay period in December (January).   Jake suggested an additional agenda item be added to discuss the issue further.
    • the decision was changed to “we will stop picking this up beginning in the December payroll and for subsequent months moving forward”.
    • WITH NO FURTHER COMMENTS, THE MINUTE WERE APPROVED WITH THE AMENDMENT ABOVE
• (Revised)  Introductions: Beau Garner, Jessica Justman, Laurie Cardwell, Jessica Cardwell, Kristen Cardwell, Jake Plahn, Julie Valencia, Erica Richardson
• 2015-2016 Calendar
  • Laurie Cardwell distributed a sample calendar from Lowell (See attached Exhibit”).  Walt has asked us to align our calendar with Lowell’s.  Conversations with administration included around changes included adding additional minutes in the morning, and having designated arrival and/or start times, breakfast (which would be charged).  Jake Plahn requested the same spreadsheet as last year be used to insure consistent calculations over multiple years.  Laurie Cardwell explained instruction for MVA starts at 8:15 while students are in the their seats ready at 0800 which leaves 15 minutes of instruction unaccounted for.  Teachers are required to arrive before students.
    • A meeting was set between Jake Plahn and Laurie Caldwell at 7:00 am, Monday, December 1st, 2014 to compare spreadsheets, finalize and forward to Walt for review. The final calendar will be voted on by the board at the December meeting.
• Budget for overnight field trip in April
  • Laurie Cardwell provided a cost breakdown (estimate), Lodging @ $1,000 / Entry Fees @ $1,000 / Bus @ $500-600 / Food @ $500-600, totaling around $3,000.  Options for no cost learning include Yaquina tide pools which would be activity fee use.  She requested formal board approval for that trip.
  • $22,000 in activity fees was allotted in the budget with $4,000 being used to date.
  • BEAU GARNER MOVED TO APPROVE $3,500.00 FOR THE ABOVE OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP WITH ANY EXTRA MONEY RETURNED TO THE ACTIVITY FEE FUND.  JULIE VALENCIA SECONDED THE MOTION.  MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
• Oct. budget (received from maureen)
  • Laurie Cardwell provided the board with monthly financials for review.  The Board reviewed the financials, items noted include:
    • Insurance is over the 1/3 budgeted for this point in the year at 159.9% of budgeted expenditure.
    • $3,974 in activity fees has been expended as of October.
    • State unemployment insurance is not included in the budget due to an oversight.  Jake Plahn noted the updated budget on the website does include that line item and Maureen should receive an update.
    • Curriculum, textbooks and supply line items are broken up to Elementary and Middle School
    • Profit and Loss for this quarter was reviewed per line item with explanation of totals.
    • The Board requested all the reports be provided prior to the meeting for future meeting. Consensus was all reports provided were valuable.
• Current fundraising for budget
  • Jessica Justman has offered to work on fundraising with a silent auction, christmas tree fundraiser, and technology fundraiser.  NextStep recycle was contacted and a cart with refurbished computers will be provided for battery collection in exchange for technology credit.
  • Jake Plahn noted that there is $5,000 in the fundraising budget and we are not currently to capacity for students. He expressed desire that volunteering to be done in marketing rather than fundraising and would leverage personnel time as each additional student is $5,500.  Julie Valencia added that money is not received immediately, and often parents do not move students mid-year.  Current openings include 1st, 4th and 5th with two spots each with a possibility of adding more to the middle school with board approval.  Mrs. Valencia noted that with 5k being made with FCA with 60 children, and 92 children at MVA the possibility of increased fundraising is real.  Justine added there is an interchangeable arena within marketing and fundraising as it increases visibility of the school which may bring more people in.
  • Jake Plahn asked that the fundraising line item on the budget be revisited for next year.
• Policy for enrolling kinders for 2015-16
  • Laurie requested a policy from the Board anticipating upcoming enrollments.  Beau Garner said it would be good to establish a strategic plan or policy for kinders.  Julie Valencia added for many other schools, kinder enrollment begins in February.  Jake Plahn said a policy isn’t necessarily needed as long as we follow the rules for the charter school and all that needs to be done with starting and ending enrollment dates.  Consideration for attending an open house, only coming to the office and turning in an application, or only complying with minimum state requirements was discussed.  Kirsten Cardwell was asked for input and said consideration should be given for sibling clause as well.  K. Cardwell expressed willingness to provide applications to parents of preschool parents if it is allowed within contract.  A letter to preschools in the area was discussed as an option.
  • Mrs. Laurie Cardwell said letting families know this is their first opportunity for an enrollment window with 15 identified open spots is an option.  Ms. L. Cardwell said a waiting list would be welcomed as part of the policy as well.
  • An enrollment policy has been adopted by the Board and is on the website for review.  The lack of a twin policy was mentioned.
  • Past recruiting/enrollment marketing had been completed by Jessica Cardwell.
  • It was decided L. Cardwell will set enrollment dates and mandatory open house will not occur with an orientation in its place.
• Technology requests from teachers
  • Six additional laptop computers for Carmen Trimble’s room were requested. Jake Plahn will attempt to address the request.
• Report from Laurie
  • An additional aid with support for recess, reading and janitorial has been added.
  • Monthly calendar for the year with field trips has been completed.
  • Multiple IEP meetings have been held.
  • Close to 100% attendance occurred at conferences.
  • Binder created with curriculum alignment by grade level.
  • Mtgs with teachers for goals, Kay and Walt have occurred regularly.
  • Beau Garner asked if the previously approved technology purchases have been made.  L. Cardwell said they had and it is going well.
• (removed, duplicate) Advertising/new enrollment
• Projected growth
  • Laurie provided a projected growth chart for Board review. (see exhibit)  She reviewed the report by line item.  Items of substance include needing additional space in the future (conversations with Walt around a modular have taken place).
  • Jake Plahn expressed strong concern against MVA increasing the class size above 15 as it is a hot button item for parents and MVA is the sole school in the state that has a 15/1 ratio with ability grouping.  He said is against the premise MVA has been built on.  Laurie Cardwell explained it would increase the middle school class to 18 for one year. She feels the advantage to increasing that class size would assist the budget and smaller class sizes are not as crucial in higher grades.  A waiver could be requested to accommodate the increased class size.  Julie Valencia compared Lundy ratio’s to MVA’s and explained the quality of education should be considered as well as class sizes.  Beau Garner asked that additional options be presented to the Board in multiple scenarios for additional consideration.
  • Laurie Cardwell expressed concern should future planning not be completed, last minute items being addressed with unreasonable time constraints to accommodate students would occur again.  Jake Plahn asked the Board to create a plan based on how many students MVA wants to provide educational support to, and then address space issues as secondary. He reminded the Board that this space is not permanent as the MVA program has been nomadic in the past.  Mrs Valencia added from her experience in construction, to advertise an availability for 15 students per class for K-8 would be misleading when space is not available.  She advised a more responsible approach might be to ask Walt if an enrollment projection was met, Lowell would be willing to accommodate space needs.
• Start/end time change? Hours, Breakfast? (For AY15-16)
  • Laurie Cardwell asked the Board if they wished to alter times.  Students currently arrive at 8:00 am and begin work early, and the crossover concern previously cited has not been an issue.  Jake Plahn explained that to change time, Lowell would have to contacted, and parents informed as well.  For AY14-15 instruction hours are currently met, however changing the arrival time would create more hours to work with for contingencies.
• Discuss having an official meeting minute recorder.
• Beth Sprague would like to record minutes at board meetings
  • JAKE PLAHN MOVED TO ACCEPT BETH SPRAGUE AS MINUTES RECORDER. BEAU GARNER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
• Julie nominates Erica Richardson to serve on the school board filling the vacant position for the duration of the AY14-15.
  • JULIE VALENCIA MOVED TO APPOINT ERICA RICHARDSON TO SERVVEON THE MVA SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE REMAINING AY 14-15 SCHOOL BOARD YEAR TERM. BEAU GARNER SECONDED THE MOTION, THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
• Julie nominates Jessica Justman to serve on the school board.
  • JULIE VALENCIA MOVED TO APPOINT JESSICA JUSTMAN TO SERVE ON THE MVA SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE REMAINING AY 14-15 SCHOOL BOARD YEAR TERM. JAKE PLAHN SECONDED THE MOTION, MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
• Transportation of students
  • Laurie Cardwell presented a request from a parent for a child to ride the Lowell School bus to MVA.  Jake Plahn reviewed in summary the previous discussion of this issue.  The Lowell Attorney had previously advised MVA may be required to provide bus service.  A previous discussion determined MVA would cover the cost of the previous student who requested this until further determination.
  • Laurie Cardwell cited ORS 338.145 , transportation for students of Charter Schools which provided 3 options.  Jake Plahn clarified Lowell has advised MVA that the only option is for MVA to pay for the transportation cost.  Laurie Provided an email from Walt delineating the cost per student for transportation at $3.80 per student per year for routes currently in existence.  Walt’s recommendation was it be limited to first come, first serve for in-district students based on space within the bus.
  • Jake Plahn reminded the Board his understanding is that parents who contacted MVA were to be told that we are working it out with Lowell and we don’t have logistics but will let you know, and conversations with Walt were to be delegated to him for discussion.  Julie Valencia asked if Jake Plahn had an answer to the previous issue.  Jake replied he did not yet have an answer from Lowell and he considered this issue a low priority.
  • Julie Valencia asked the issue be moved forward with Jake Plahn as the point person.
• Review Administrator Job Description and discuss Laurie’s tasks (moving agenda item to executive session in the next mtg)
• Adjourn
• With no further business at hand, the meeting was adjourned at 9:31 pm by Chair Jake Plahn.

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