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Living School

Living School Board Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday August 23, 2022 at 7:00 PM CDT

Location

Living School, 6003 Bullard Ave, Suite 16, New Orleans, LA 70128

All are welcome at Living School Board Meetings.  Translation is available with 24 hours notice.

Public comment is welcome on any item on the agenda.  At the end of each agenda item, there will be a time for public comment.  Members of the public wishing to comment on any agenda item, may raise their hand at this designated time and be recognized by the Chair to speak for up to 2 minutes per person, per agenda item.  On any matter up for a vote, public comment must be heard prior to taking the Board's vote.

For members of the public wishing to address the Board for longer than 2 minutes on any given agenda item, please give the Chair at least 24 hours notice to be added to the agenda.  We will strive to accommodate longer items but cannot guarantee room on a given meeting's agenda.

Agenda

      Purpose Presenter Time
I. Opening Items 7:00 PM
 
Opening Items
 
  A. Record Attendance and Guests   Stefin Pasternak
  B. Call the Meeting to Order   Danneka Mitchell
  C. Approve Minutes from previous Board Meeting Approve Minutes Danneka Mitchell 3 m
    Approve minutes for Living School Annual Board Retreat on June 28, 2022  
II. Governance & Evaluation Committee 7:03 PM
  A. Set FY23 Goals & Committee Description FYI Danneka Mitchell 3 m
   

See Committee Description


FY23 Goals:

  1. Regularly use board data & an annual Board Assessment to improve Board effectiveness (monthly & Assessment by 6/30/23)
  2. Complete CEO Evaluation Process (6/1/23)
  3. Manage Board election cycle to maintain expertise, diversity, and a talent pipeline on the Board including strong parent representation
  
  B. CEO Report Discuss Stefin Pasternak 20 m
   

Refer to CEO Report & Data Dashboard

  • Senior Class Update
  • 22-23 Updates
  
  C. Update on HR Practices & Investigation Findings FYI Stefin Pasternak 10 m
  D. Proposal to use Signal App for Board text communications Discuss Stefin Pasternak 5 m
III. Finance & Development Committee 7:41 PM
  A. Set FY23 Goals & Committee Description FYI Traci Simon 5 m
   

See Committee Description

 

FY22 Goals:

  1. GOAL 1: Monitor Organizational Sustainability
  2. GOAL 2: Ensure Audit & Financial Compliance
  3. GOAL 3: Establish Fundraising Target for Future Facility Expansion or Development and Oversee Development of the Plan
  
  B. Finance Dashboard & Report Discuss Stefin Pasternak 5 m
   

- Review FY22 EOY reports with Mike Dunn from DFS.

 

  
  C. Approve FY23 Budget Vote Traci Simon 10 m
   

Refer to DRAFT 2022-23 Budget

  
  D. Approve Mutual Aid Resolution Vote Stefin Pasternak 5 m
   

Refer to our Post-Ida Mutual Aid Tracker

 

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Living School received approximately $40k in donations and paid out a similar amount in mutual aid, though most of the mutual aid went through Stefin's personal accounts because of the need to distribute funds quickly through CashApp or Venmo.  Prior to approving this $40k reimbursement, the auditor suggests the Board take the following steps:

 

  1. Review the attached accounting and resolve any questions
  2. Adopt a resolution stating the Board's awareness and approval of Living School's mutual aid work (draft language below)
  3. Accept Stefin's letter of assurance that he did not benefit from said transactions
  4. Process Stefin's reimbursement like a normal reimbursement once the Board approves

Updated Draft Resolution

We, the Board of Living School, hereby acknowledge & approve that in response to Hurricane Ida (a federally-declared disaster), our staff mobilized Mutual Aid for our students & staff in need.  This aid was primarily cash paid directly to staff & families through CashApp to support costs of evacuation, emergency shelter, relocation, repairs, and other critical needs.  While Living School received generous private donations to support these costs, the urgency of the situation led our School Director, Stefin Pasternak, to use his personal account to distribute aid as quickly as possible, necessitating a large reimbursement transaction accounted for in the accompanying spreadsheet.

  
  E. Resolution to add Caren Green & Delise Hampton, Co-Directors, as signatories on our bank accounts Vote Stefin Pasternak 5 m
IV. Academic & Culture Committee 8:11 PM
  A. Set FY23 Goals & Committee Description FYI Bethel Cager 5 m
   

See FY22 Committee Description


FY22 GOALS:

  1. By the end of the 21-22 school year, Living School students will demonstrate academic and cultural growth such that they are on track to achieve all three graduate outcomes (college acceptance, certification and habits of a healthy life) as evidenced in monthly Data Dashboard reviews and at least a 95% student retention rate.
  2. By the end of the 21-22 school year, Living School staff members will demonstrate X amount of growth as evidenced by the Staff Development rubric and at least 90% retention rate of staff members.
  3. By the end of the 21-22 school year, Living School will meet the charter renewal requirements to receive renewal approval from the authorizing body, OPSB.
  
  B. Committee Report Discuss Bethel Cager 10 m
   

Senior Class Updates & Renewal Site Visit preparations

  
V. Closing Items 8:26 PM
  A. Adjourn Meeting FYI Danneka Mitchell
   

Next meeting: Tue 9/27/22