Whatcom Intergenerational High School

Minutes

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday September 28, 2023 at 6:00 PM

Location

WIHS Board is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: WIHS Board Meeting
Time: Feb 23, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
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Directors Present

A. Juarez Cordova (remote), C. Espina (remote), G. Goulet (remote), J. Johnson (remote), J. Montes (remote), N. Mughal-Barrows (remote)

Directors Absent

M. Hudson

Guests Present

B. Luu (remote), C. Baron (remote), C. Kolk (remote), E. Zamora (remote), J. Stoppani (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

N. Mughal-Barrows called a meeting of the board of directors of Whatcom Intergenerational High School to order on Thursday Sep 28, 2023 at 6:03 PM.
G. Goulet made a motion to adopt the agenda.
C. Espina seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

Land Acknowledgement

J. Montes read the WIHS Land Acknowledgement.

C.

Mission & Vision

A. Juarez Cordova read the mission and vision.

D.

Record Attendance

  • Shirley Williams, Whiteswan Environmental Executive Director and WIHS Co-Founder
  • Mitch Price, WA Charters
  • Diana Marker, WA Charters
  • Jessica de Barros, WA CSC

E.

Consent Agenda

G. Goulet made a motion to approve the minutes from Board Meeting on 08-31-23.
A. Juarez Cordova seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
G. Goulet made a motion to approve the August 2023 Financial Report.
A. Juarez Cordova seconded the motion.

The following payments as audited and certified by the auditing officer, as required by RCW 42.24.080, and those expense reimbursements claims certified, as required by RCW 42.24.090, are approved for payment. In addition, payroll payments in the amount of $61,141.37 are also approved.


 

General Fund

Accounts Payable

Total electronic payments totaling $79,718.73 and

Check number N/A totaling $0.00


 

Non-AP Cash Disbursements

Total electronic payments totaling $5,177.62 and

Check number 202 totaling $160.00


 

Payroll

Total electronic payments totaling $61,141.37 and

Payroll check number N/A totaling $0

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
G. Goulet made a motion to approve the updated Financial policies.
A. Juarez Cordova seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Public Comment

A.

Public Comment

No public comment.

III. Academic Excellence & School Updates

A.

WIHS Partnership with Whiteswan Environmental

  • Shirley Williams, Whiteswan Environmental (WE) Executive Director, shared her vision for partnership with WE and WIHS:
    • The intention of the Charter was to ensure a culturally safe place for Lummi and other youth to obtain a quality education
    • Logic model shared
    • Since Time Immemorial curriculum and training
    • Professional development for cultural safety
    • Financial compensation for founding contribution is still needed
    • Professional development opportunities
    • NXT Gen cohort of Community Engagement Fellows this winter at WIHS
    • Lummi language justice - WIHS must prioritize hiring a Lummi language teacher
    • Longhouse vision
    • Discussion on the importance of relationship building and trust

B.

School Updates

  • 72 students currently enrolled as of 9/22/23
    • 8 students ended up not enrolling for various reasons
  • 26 prospective students as of 9/22/23
  • Average daily attendance is 89%
  • Current enrollment by grade: 
    • Grade 9: 7 students
    • Grade 10: 20 students
    • Grade 11: 22 students
    • Grade 12: 23 students
  • An update on attendance procedures was shared
  • Prospective students by grade:
    • Grade 9: 12
    • Grade 10: 7
    • Grade 11: 6
    • Grade 12: 3
  • Truth and Reconciliation - not a lot of student participation
    • Shirley shared about the campaigning work of Indigenous Truth Washington 
  • Student Clubs have been more involved with the Harvest Moon and Indigenous People's Day
  • Mental health support needs were discussed, Lummi Behavioral Health to ask about support, student mentors (Compass to Campus), WE interns
  • Dawn to send the job descriptions for nursing and mental health counselors to the WIHS Board email address.

 

SBAC testing schedule 23-24

  • Interim assessments are scheduled for next week if the state system is operating. If not, the assessment will be pushed back a week.
  • Interim assessment data will be available for the October board meeting.

 

C.

Charter School Commission Update

  • Created a shared folder with CSC to share attendance and truancy compliance 
  • Performance Committee meeting on Tuesday (10/4) at 9:10 AM - we need a board member to attend
    • A. Juarez Cordvoa will attend
  • Evidence of accurate transcripts - cleaning up Skyward
    • Skyward training for numerous staff members
  • Academic growth summaries - not covered
  • All updated in Epicenter
    • Annual school calendar
      • SSG results submitted
      • Student transfers and exits
      • Annual School Leader Performance
      • Draft SSGs

D.

Excused and Unexcused Absences Policy

J. Montes made a motion to approve the Excused and Unexcused Absences Policy.
G. Goulet seconded the motion.

The excused absence policy was updated and revised after Commission feedback

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Teacher share out

Cam Kolk, Science Instructor shared about the class on evaluating a phenomenon rubric

The students co-created a phenomenon rubric and decided on phenomenon of "the experience of life" 

Examples include:

  • What it means to be human
  • Life experience to create art
  • Study of happiness and how it is shared and created
  • a holistic view of the way we or others experience life within a sense of place

Truth and Reconciliation - WIHS - Sept 29, 2023, 11:00 am-12:10 pm Orange shirt day--every Every child matters

  • Whiteswan Environmental's website - petition to recognize Truth and Reconciliation.
  • Dawnland- Truth and Reconciliation curriculum (developed in Maine).
  • S. Williams mentioned Bones of Crows (movie) as a possible resource.
  • This link to support a longhouse at Whatcom Creek was shared by S. Williams.

IV. Finance/Fundraising

A.

Fundraising

Silent Auction scheduled for November 17th, 2023

  • We are seeking donors and sponsors for the event

Fundraising Committee meeting scheduled for Oct 11th, 4:30-5:30 pm

B.

SAO Audit Report, Management Corrective Action Plans and Management Response

SAO Audit Report Findings were reviewed.

Management response was discussed. The Management response will be sent off tomorrow, Sept 29th.

V. Governance

A.

Reaffirmation of Board actions taken summer 2022

A. Juarez Cordova made a motion to reaffirm all board actions taken summer 2022.
G. Goulet seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

School Specific Goals 2023-24

J. Montes made a motion to approve the School-Specific Goals 2023-24.
J. Johnson seconded the motion.

Discussion

 

1. What did we benchmark the 30% growth against?

Last year, we had students who struggled with math related to homeschool and attendance issues at home districts. 30% is a realistic benchmark for students to move them from level 1-2 at least up one level to reach graduation pathway.

 

2. We are using data from the end of last year for kids returning, and for new students, they will be starting with fresh data this fall.

  • New data to examine at the next Academic Committee

 

Organizational SSGs were reviewed 

 

Shirley Williams recommended strengthening partnerships (ex. WWU connections, Kristin French and Anna Lees) to share work and efforts (ex. Since Time Immemorial)

 

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Board Calendar

C. Espina made a motion to move the board retreat to Saturday, November 18th.
J. Johnson seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

D.

Board and Commission Roles

Postponed until next board meeting.

VI. Anti-Racism and Transformative Justice Work

A.

Announcements: Local anti-racist and transformative justice opportunities

Northwest Youth Services Healing Engagement Summit - October 7th at Whatcom Community College

 

Oct 16th afternoon training  - D. Walker will send out information to board members

VII. Other Business

A.

Announcements

WSSDA Mandatory Equity Training

 

  • If joined the board before 2022, have 4 years to complete this requirement.
  • New board members have 2 years to complete mandatory trainings. There are two trainings that are 2.5 hours each. 

VIII. Board Goals

A.

Board Debrief and Evaluation

At the conclusion of each meeting, the board will evaluate its success against its norms.

Norms

(Y) or (N) Board members should understand the Mission and Vision of the school

(Y) or (N) Board Agenda should be sent out 24hours to the board.

(Y) or (N) Responding to emails in a 24hr time span

(Y) or (N) All board members should RSVP to meetings through Board on Track

IX. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

A. Juarez Cordova made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
J. Johnson 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 8:49 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
C. Espina