Environmental Charter Schools

Board of Directors' Meeting

By Teleconference/Zoom

Date and Time

Thursday December 9, 2021 at 5:00 PM PST

Location

Zoom:       https://us02web.zoom.us/j/147466498?pwd=MnB5Vkc4aG41OEZ1dDdtcWoxQjV0dz09
 
OR 
 
Dial-In: (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 147 466 498, Passcode: 133043
 
Two-way Teleconference Location: 2625 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Suite 100, Redondo Beach, CA 90278.
ECS Board Members                              Term   and    End Date    
Mr. Anthony Jowid, President..................3 years June 30, 2022
Mr. Ken Deemer, Vice President.............3 years June 30, 2022
Dr. Denise Berger, Secretary...................3 years  June 30, 2023
Ms. Zena Fong........................................2 year June 30, 2023
Ms. Jenina Ramirez.................................3 years June 30, 2024
Dr. Madhu Chatwani................................3 years June 30, 2023
Mr. Kennedy Hilario.................................3 years June 30, 2023
Lawndale Elementary School District Representative, Rotating Position      

ECS Staff   
Ms. Farnaz Golshani-Flechner, Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director
Ms. Danielle Kelsick, Chief Academic Officer/Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Ms. Alison Diaz, Director of Growth and Sustainability (Facilities)
Ms. Kami Cotler, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Dr. Beth Bernstein-Yamashiro, Director of Principal Development/Principal Coach
Ms. KC Fabiero, Principal at ECHS-Lawndale
Dr. Geneva Matthews, Principal at ECMS-Inglewood
Mr. Dave Trejo, Principal at ECMS-Gardena
Dr. Cindy Guardado, Principal at ECHS-Gardena  

Mission:

Reimagine public education in low-income communities of color to prepare conscious, critical thinkers who are equipped to graduate from college and create a more equitable and sustainable world.

Values:

JUSTICE - We examine bias, racism, and prejudice. We deliver culturally-responsive curricula. We succeed when students’ race and class cease to predict their level of achievement.

COMMUNITY - We care. We collaborate. We respect the rights and voices of our stakeholders.

CURIOSITY - We question. We explore. We innovate.

SUSTAINABILITY - We think globally and act locally. We adapt. We encourage systems thinking to create a sustainable future.

LEADERSHIP - We listen. We think critically. We advocate. We shift public discourse. We are our own superheroes.

THE ORDER OF BUSINESS MAY BE CHANGED WITHOUT NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the order of consideration of matters on this agenda may be changed without prior notice.

PUBLIC SPEAKERS AT BOARD MEETINGS
Notice is hereby given that consistent with the requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act, special presentations not mentioned in the agenda may be made at this meeting.  However, any such presentation will be for information only. The public should be aware that the Board is unable by law to deliberate or take action on items raised during the Presentations from the Floor section.

Environmental Charter Schools recognizes that it benefits greatly from public input and perspective. Individuals are invited to address the Board on any topic or subject matter that falls within the Environmental Charter School's purview. Speakers may sign up in person immediately prior to the beginning of the Board meeting by turning in a Speaker Form (available at the check-in table in English and Spanish).

Should a member of the public wish to speak on matters not listed on the agenda, they may speak during the Presentations from the Floor section of the agenda. Speakers will be given a maximum of three (3) minutes each to address the Board (non-English speakers utilizing translators will be given a maximum of six (6) minutes each). Please note that the Board allows a maximum of 10 minutes to each subject as determined by the Board's presiding officer.

Should a member of the public wish to speak on matters listed on the agenda, they may speak during the Presentations from the Floor section of the agenda. Speakers will be given a maximum of five (5) minutes each to address the Board (non-English speakers utilizing translators will be given a maximum of ten (10) minutes each).

The public should be aware that the Board is unable by law to deliberate or take action on items raised during the Presentations from the Floor section.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY
Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in this meeting of the Governing Board may request assistance by contacting ECS at (310) 214-3408, option 5.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information concerning this agenda or for materials relating to this meeting, please contact ECS at (310) 214-3408, option 5.

Agenda

Section Number Topic Number Details Purpose Presenter Time
I. Opening Items 5:00 PM
 
Opening Items
 
  A. Record Attendance and Guests   Anthony Jowid 1 m
   
  • Juan Santos, Lawndale Elementary School District (LESD) Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources (attending as LESD board representative for this ECS board meeting).
 
  B. Call the Meeting to Order   Anthony Jowid 1 m
  C. Approve the agenda Vote Anthony Jowid 1 m
     
  D. Opener Discuss Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 7 m
II. Presentations from the Floor 5:10 PM
  A. Presentations from the floor on non-agenda Items FYI
   
Should a member of the public wish to speak on matters not listed on the agenda, they may speak during the Presentations from the Floor section of the agenda. Speakers will be given a maximum of three (3) minutes each to address the Board (non-English speakers utilizing translators will be given a maximum of six (6) minutes each).
 
  B. Presentations from the floor on agenda items FYI
   
Should a member of the public wish to speak on matters listed on the agenda, they may speak during the Presentations from the Floor section of the agenda. Speakers will be given a maximum of five (5) minutes each to address the Board (non-English speakers utilizing translators will be given a maximum of ten (10) minutes each).
 
III. Reports/Presentations 5:10 PM
  A. Introduction to 21/22 Strategic Priorities Benchmark Chart FYI Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 5 m
  B. ECS leadership updates FYI Danielle Kelsick & Michael Martucci 40 m
   
  • Instructional update
  • Student services updates
 
  C. EdTec financial update FYI Dorothy Lee 12 m
     
IV. Consent Items A-J 6:07 PM
  A. Approve previous meeting minutes for 10/28/2021 board meeting Approve Minutes Jeremiah David 1 m
     
  B. Approve previous minutes for 12/3/2021 Finance Committee meeting Approve Minutes Jeremiah David
     
  C. Approve check registers and credit card statements as recommended by Finance Committee Vote Tracy Bondi
   
ECS management certification: ECS management attests to having reviewed and approved the individual line items on the attached check registers and credit card statements in accordance with current ECS Financial Policies.
 
  D. Approve First Interim Reports as recommended by Finance Committee Vote Tracy Bondi
   
First Interim Financials
 
  E. Approve Educator Effectiveness Funds Plans as recommended by Finance Committee Vote Tracy Bondi
   
Educator Effectiveness Funds Plans
 
  F. Approve revised ECMS-G & ECHS-L Parent Student Handbooks 2021-2022 Vote ECHS-L and ECMS-G Principals
   
Tabled.
 
  G. Approve Teachers on Special Assignment for 2021-22 School Year (Board Policy 32188) Vote Sarah Jamieson / Danielle Kelsick
   
 
  H. Approve Board Resolution 2021-2022 #1 - Authorizing Remote Board Meetings Vote Jeremiah David
     
  I. Approve revised 21/22 ECS Academic Calendars Vote Danielle Kelsick
   
  • ECHS-L Academic Calendar
    • Changed upcoming holiday (Cesar Chavez Day) to a school day to make up for school closure on 11/19/2021 due to bomb threat
    • Increased instructional minutes on 3/28/2022 to make up for minimum day on 10/25/2021 for rainy day schedule
    • ECHS-L still meets the CDE minimum of 64,800 instructional minutes
  • ECHS-G Academic Calendar
    • Decreased instructional minutes on 3/17/2022 to allow for more one-on-one parent conferences in semester 2
    • ECHS-G still exceeds the CDE minimum by 1,230 instructional minutes
  • ECMS-I Academic Calendar
    • Decreased instructional minutes on 12/17/2021 to reduce potential Covid exposure on the last day of the semester and to accommodate an on-campus pediatric Covid Vaccine Clinic
    • ECMS-I still exceeds the CDE minimum by 11,410 instructional minutes
  • ECMS-G Academic Calendar
    • Decreased instructional minutes on 12/17/2021 to reduce potential Covid exposure on the last day of the semester
    • Decreased instructional minutes to accommodate an earlier pick up on PD Day in an effort to reduce potential Covid exposure during lunch on early release day. ECMS-G still exceeds the CDE minimum by ~11,395 instructional minutes
  • Comparison
 
  J. Approve revised ESSER III Expenditures Plans Vote Tracy Bondi
   
 
V. Action Item 6:08 PM
  A. Approve revised ECS Board & Committee Calendar 2021-2022 Vote Farnaz Golshani-Flechner / Jeremiah David 2 m
   
 
VI. Upcoming Dates/Announcements 6:10 PM
  A. Next ECS Board Meeting FYI Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 1 m
   
  • January 27, 2021 at 5pm (virtual board meeting)
 
  B. Next ECS Committee Meetings FYI Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 1 m
   
  • Audit Committee - December 14, 2021 at 12:30pm
  • Governance Committee - January 18, 2022 at 10:30am
  • Finance Committee - January 21, 2022 at 8:30am
  • Facilities Committee - April 27, 2022 at 4:30pm
 
  C. Appreciations Discuss All Attendees 3 m
VII. Transition to Closed Session 6:15 PM
  A. Adjourn to Closed Session Vote Anthony Jowid 1 m
VIII. Closed Session 6:16 PM
  A. Conference with Labor Negotiator (Government Code section 54957.6) Vote Anthony Jowid 25 m
   
  • Agency Negotiator: Anthony Jowid
  • Unrepresented Employee: Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director
 
IX. Report Out of Closed Session 6:41 PM
  A. Oral Recommendation Regarding CEO's/ED's Salary and/or Fringe Benefits FYI Anthony Jowid 1 m
  B. Ratification of CEO's/ED's Employment Agreement Vote Anthony Jowid 1 m
X. Closing Items 6:43 PM
  A. Adjourn Meeting Vote Anthony Jowid 1 m