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Voices for International Business and Education

Minutes

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday June 28, 2017 at 6:00 PM

Location

International High School of New Orleans Community Room 727 Carondelet St. New Orleans LA 70130
Voices for International Business and Education http://public.boardontrack.com/VIBE_1

Directors Present

A. Tufail, B. Schilling, C. Allen, H. Blumenthal, K. Katner, M. Roney, R. Keller, S. Retzlaff, S. Thomas (remote), T. Ceballos-Meyers

Directors Absent

A. Kock, J. Carter

Ex Officio Members Present

L. Lopez, S. Wilson

Non Voting Members Present

L. Lopez, S. Wilson

Guests Present

A. Berger, D. Deno, L. Crowe, N. Reyes-Arias, R. McGee, T. McGregor

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance and Guests

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

C. Allen called a meeting of the board of directors of Voices for International Business and Education to order on Wednesday Jun 28, 2017 at 6:07 PM.

C.

Mission Statement

  • M. Roney read the mission

D.

Approve Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2017

S. Retzlaff made a motion to approve minutes from the Board Meeting on 05-17-17 Board Meeting on 05-17-17.
T. Ceballos-Meyers seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Report of the Chair

A.

Chair Report

  • We did not have a student tonight. 
  • We would like to have a graduate in our next meeting. Someone that graduated and is home for the summer. 
  • We lost Ms. Luu a couple of days ago and C. Allen sent a card to her family as well as to the teachers that completed the Leading Educators' program. 
  • Board retreat August 11-12. We are hoping to have the consultants that helped us create the strategic plan 
  • We are very close to a 100% donations from the board. 
  • Type 2 lawsuit. Type 2 charters are not able to receive MFP funding. We lost at the local state court. It will now be taken to the circuit court. The LAPCS will keep us updated on the status of the lawsuit and outcome of it. 
  • Board EOY celebration went great at Dr. Thomas home. 

III. Report of the Head of School

A.

Head of School Report

  • One of the facilitators that supported us through the strategic plan process will be available. Maybe the two of them. The idea is that we will revisit the main pillars that were established originally and what is the work that will go under each of them. 
  • SW mentioned to them that the facilities pillar may need to be created since we don't have anything currently. 
  • CA thinks that we are ok with only one facilitator 
  • SW presented the HoS report with the EOY information from each department including assessment results. 
    • Assessments are changing for the next school year 
    • EOCs will not include English I and up instead of English III 
    • Biology is also now included 
  • Observations will continue to happen as this year to ensure that students have the support needed through supporting teachers and providing them feedback. 
  • We are moving forward in the academic area and the results that we want to see there. 
  • We have moving into double-blocking English and Math (algebra) therefore removed Music and Computer Business Applications. We want to use this opportunity to get our students better prepared for the IBDP 
  •  AT asked if we have a better idea of the strategies to restore the test results 
  • RM stated that teachers have identified students needs and we are putting in place a Remediation Specialist for afterschool support 
  • AB stated that this past year we double-blocked algebra and it proved to be efficient to support students' academic growth. Advisory time will also be used to reinforce English, Math or ACT skills. 
    • Students will be diagnosed through the MAPS assessment as students come for their initial orientation as IHSNO's students 
  • RM stated that also we have now been notified of the areas that students will be assessed on, therefore be able to prepare students better and schedule their academic load accordingly. 
  • AT asked what is the difference between 2013 to now that is showing the decrease in our results. 
  • SW stated that since 2013 we moved into the OneApp process that then assigned students randomly instead of a school-based application process. Also IB load was only offered to a more exclusive (limited) group of students instead of the broad group that now takes IB courses. 
  • KK asked if there are any other options to not completely get rid of the music class. He is concerned that the student's life will be impacted by it. 
  • SW clarified that the arts component of our curriculum is not changing, only the Music class has been eliminated in order to allow for the ELA and Math double blocking for freshmen. 
  • SR asked what else will be done in the science areas in order to improve those scores 
  • AB explained that the course progression and Biology has been moved to Junior year to give extra preparation in the previous years instead of being a choice between sophomore or Junior year. Most students took it in sophomore year to avoid chemistry. Now they will have to take chemistry as sophomores so they can have a more scientific background in micro-science before moving to the macro-science of biology.
  • CA asked about our graduation cohort since we were slammed in the newspaper - Advocate stating that our cohort percentage went down 
  • Administration was not aware of this article on the newsletter 
  • CA asked about the total number for teachers that are not returning. 

IV. Committee Chairs, 2017-2018 School Year

A.

Committee Chairs

M. Roney made a motion to To accept the nomination of all chairs and committee members as listed.
A. Tufail seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

V. Committee Members, 2017-2018 School Year

A.

Committee Members

M. Roney made a motion to Accept all committee members as presented.
A. Tufail seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

VI. Committee Reports

A.

Governance Committee

  • R. K. Presented the results of the EOY board survey 
  • The survey results will be discussed at the board retreat. 
  • If any board member has not submitted their comments, please do so. 
  • The survey had almost 100% participation

B.

Facilities Committe

  • The committee didn't have a meeting this month
  • TM had a meeting with the hanging gardens team. 
    • The pressure wash and the first sealing has been done
    • They are currently working on preparing the roof for the garden. 
  • KK would like to have L. Hughes to the ignauguration of the project. He has been pretty involved with this project. 
  • CA hopes that we have some kind of ribbon cutting celebration 

C.

Finance Committee

  • The May 2017 financials are in good order 
  • Our actual results are very close to the budgeted results. A good deal of effort to make sure they were as accurate as possible and close to the original budget. 
H. Blumenthal made a motion to To accept the Financials as presented.
A. Tufail seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
M. Roney made a motion to To accept the 2017-2018 Budget as presented.
S. Retzlaff seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
  • HB suggested that administration presents the changes of the budget and why were they made and their "game plan" for the following year. 
  • MR stated that the committee will distribute the narrative of the budget for the following year. 

D.

Academic Committee

  • Fr. Carter was absent 
  • S.R. stated that most of the committee items are included in the HoS report. 
  • CA would like to include information from the EOY report for the board retreat.

E.

Development Committee

  • A. Kock is not in town so the committee has not have a meeting. 
  • They will meet once she comes back. 
  • NA stated that we are updating/upgrading the school's website and we are looking forward to launch with a big event to attract more attention to it. 
  • NA also mentioned that Whitney Hancock is contributing for the hanging gardens project with a financial donation. 

VII. Closing Items

A.

Public Comment

  • Sean Wilson thanked H. Blumenthal for his service on the board. It is HB last term on the board. IHSNO is thankful for his contributions during his term 
  • IHSNO is thankful to all the board members for their time and commitment
  • CA thanked HB as he was the one who brought her to the board and continued to support and guide her efforts as board chair. 

B.

Closing Comments by the Chair

C.

Adjourn to Executive Session

Voted to move into executive session

VIII. Resume Regular Board Meeting

A.

Any required action from Executive Session

S. Retzlaff made a motion to Move that the firm of Adams and Reese, LLP be directed to continue the jurisdictional litigation with the NLRB through appeal to the US 5th Circuit Court of appeals.
M. Roney seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

IX. Adjournment

A.

Adjourn

S. Retzlaff made a motion to Adjourn the meeting.
M. Roney seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
L. Lopez