Environmental Charter Schools

Board of Directors' Meeting

In-Person at ECS Home Office

Date and Time

Thursday September 21, 2023 at 5:00 PM PDT

Location

In-person location: ECS Home Office - 2625 Manhattan Beach Blvd #100, Redondo Beach, CA 90278

 

Two-way teleconference locations: 1100 Shasta Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126 / 10807 E. 31st S, Independence, MO 64052 / 4161 W 147th St., Lawndale, CA 90260

ECS Board Members                              Term   and    End Date    
Mr. Anthony Jowid, President..................3 years June 30, 2025

Dr. Betsy Hamilton, Vice President.........3 years June 30, 2025
Dr. Denise Berger, Secretary....................3 years  June 30, 2026
Ms. Zena Fong............................................3 years June 30, 2026
Ms. Jenina Ramirez....................................3 years June 30, 2024
Dr. Madhu Chatwani..................................3 years June 30, 2026
Mr. Kennedy Hilario....................................3 years June 30, 2026

Mr. Herb Sims.............................................3 years June 30, 2025

Mr. Mason Williams....................................3 years June 30, 2025
Lawndale Elementary School District Representative, Rotating Position      

ECS Staff   
Ms. Farnaz Golshani-Flechner, Superintendent
Ms. Danielle Kelsick, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction

Ms. Tracy Bondi, Director of Finance

Mr. Jeremiah David, Director of Compliance & Operations

Ms. Sarah Jamieson, Director of Human Resources

Ms. Jen Fenton, Director of Strategic Initiatives

Dr. Shalene Wright, Director of Student Services
Ms. Lucia Bañuelos, 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. Previous board meeting minutes may be viewed on the Board On Track public portal website at https://app2.boardontrack.com/public/3tHo3u/home.

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
   
 
  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 15 m
II. Presentations from the Floor 5:18 PM
  A. Presentations from the floor on non-agenda Items FYI 6 m
   

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 6 m
   

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. Discussion Items / Updates 5:30 PM
  A. ECHS-Lawndale College Presentation and Alumni Tracking Update FYI ECHS-L Counselors 20 m
   
  • ECHS-Lawndale College Presentation and Alumni Tracking Update
 
  B. A-G Improvement Grant Plan Presentation FYI Danielle Kelsick 5 m
     
  C. 23/24 EdTec Financial Update and Revised Budgets Presentation FYI Dorothy Lee & Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 15 m
     
  D. EEU and ECS Sunshine Proposals (informational items) FYI 2 m
     
IV. Action Item 6:12 PM
  A. Designate Labor Representative (Gov't Code § 54957.6.) Vote Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 2 m
   

Representative: Robert Escalante

 
V. Consent Items A-I 6:14 PM
  A. Approve 8/3/2023 board meeting minutes Approve Minutes Jeremiah David 3 m
     
     
  B. Approve 9/15/2023 Finance Committee meeting minutes Vote Jeremiah David
     
  C. Approve private donations over $1,000 as recommended by Finance Committee Vote Farnaz Golshani-Flechner
     
  D. Approve check registers and credit card statements as recommended by Finance Committee Vote Tracy Bondi & Sarahai Garibay
   


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.

 

 
  E. Approve Unaudited Actuals for ECHS-L, ECMS-I, ECMS-G, ECHS-G as recommended by Finance Committee Vote Tracy Bondi
     
  F. Approve contracts Vote Jeremiah David
   

   1. ECMSG - Pali Institute 6th Grade Outdoor Education Trip - Fall 2023

       - Staff analysis: contract cost within school outdoor education budget.

 

   2. ECMSG - Pali Institute 7th Grade Outdoor Education Trip - Fall 2023

       - Staff analysis: contract cost within school outdoor education budget.

 

As recommended by Finance Committee

 

   3. ECMSG - Pali Institute 8th Grade Outdoor Education Trip - Spring 2024

       - Staff analysis: contract cost within school outdoor education budget.

 

   4. ECS - PowerSchool Contract Renewal 2023-2024

       - Staff analysis: student information system software contract renewal increase of ~6% from previous year to account for inflationary pressures.

 

   5. ECS - SchoolZilla Contract Renewal 2023-2024

       - Staff analysis: student data visualization software contract renewal per-student cost is flat from previous year.

 

   6. ECHSL - NatureBridge 12th Grade Outdoor Education Trip Contract - Fall 2023

       - Staff analysis: contract cost within school outdoor education budget.

 
  G. Approve Parent-Student Handbooks Vote ECS Principals
     
  H. Approve LACOE Certification of Signatures 2023-2024 Vote Jeremiah David
     
  I. Approve revised ECMS-G Academic Calendar 2023-2024 Vote Danielle Kelsick
   
  • Revised ECMS-G Academic Calendar 2023-2024 (including Year to Year Comparison)
    • The team revised the bell schedule to better address stakeholder feedback about the need for 2 additional minimum days to support teacher wellness (10/6 and 4/26)
    • The result is a reduction in the total number of instructional minutes from 62,775 to 62,525.
    • The school's total number of instructional minutes still exceeds the CDE's minimum requirement by 8,525 minutes.
    • The adjusted total instructional minutes exceeds the figure for last year
 
VI. Action Item 6:17 PM
  A. Approve revised budgets for all sites as recommended by Finance Committee Vote Tracy Bondi & Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 3 m
   
  • Attached in Discussion Items / Updates Item III.C
 
VII. Upcoming Dates/Announcements 6:20 PM
  A. Next ECS Board Meeting FYI Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 1 m
   
  • November 30, 2023 at 5pm (in-person board meeting)
 
  B. Next ECS Committee Meetings FYI Farnaz Golshani-Flechner 1 m
   
  • Governance Committee - October 10, 2023 at 10:30am
  • Audit Committee - December 6, 2023 at 1:00pm
  • Finance Committee - January 19, 2024 at 8:30am
  • Facilities Committee - April 24, 2024 at 4:30pm
 
  C. Appreciations Discuss All Attendees 2 m
VIII. Transition to Closed Session 6:24 PM
  A. Adjourn to Closed Session Vote Anthony Jowid 1 m
IX. Closed Session 6:25 PM
  A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Discuss 10 m
   

Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: 1

 
  B. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS (Gov’t Code §54957.6) Discuss 10 m
   

Agency Designated Representative: Robert Escalante

 

Employee Organization: Environmental Educators United

 
X. Report Out of Closed Session 6:45 PM
  A. Report Out FYI Anthony Jowid 1 m
XI. Closing Items 6:46 PM
  A. Adjourn Meeting Vote Anthony Jowid 1 m