One City Schools
Minutes
One City Regular Board Meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday March 23, 2021 at 4:00 PM
Location
Normally, we will meet at One City Schools, 2012 Fisher Street, Madison, WI 53713. However, due to COVID-19, we will meet by Zoom conferencing for this meeting.
Join the February 2021 Board Meeting via Zoom at https://onecityschools.zoom.us/j/96414211790
Meeting ID: 964 1421 1790
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Directors Present
C. Gaines (remote), C. Zdeblick (remote), G. Derzon (remote), J. Krupp (remote), J. Lee (remote), J. Pope-Williams (remote), L. McDonald (remote), N. Wray (remote), S. Klug (remote), S. Martyniak (remote), T. Balsiger (remote), T. Jaeckle (remote), T. Pedracine (remote), W. Akhtar (remote)
Directors Absent
G. Ladson-Billings
Ex Officio Members Present
K. Caire (remote)
Non Voting Members Present
K. Caire (remote)
Guests Present
B. Pickett (remote), C. Hodge (remote), D. Davis (remote), D. Stephan (remote), F. D'Abell (remote), G. Wiseman (remote), L. Allen (remote), M. Ruffin (remote), V. Ramakrishnan (remote), X. Zupan (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
N. Wray called a meeting of the board of directors of One City Schools to order on Tuesday Mar 23, 2021 at 4:04 PM.
C.
Approve Minutes from January 26, 2021 Regular Board Meeting
G. Derzon made a motion to approve the minutes from One City Regular Board Meeting on 02-23-21.
C. Gaines seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
II. One City Parent Board Member Input
A.
One City Parent Update by Parent-members of One City's Board of Directors
N. Wray stated that meetings with parent Board members have been very insightful.
T. Pedracine reported that the Parent Council recently created a survey to send out monthly to families as a "temperature check." 15-17 parents provided feedback and the Parent Council shared the feedback with One City school leaders.
The Parent Council would like clarity around what the Board would like to be shared at monthly Board meetings. This can be discussed at the Board retreat in May.
III. Finance Committee: Discussion and Actions
A.
Review and Approve One City's February 2021 Financial Report
T. Jaeckle stated that the gift from Pleasant Rowland is being reported monthly on our financial reports. As an example, a loss listed in the February financials is covered by Ms. Rowlands gift.
S. Klug asked how much the original grant from Ms. Rowland was and whether money is to be spent in certain areas only. T. Jaeckle responded that that there are no stipulations as to how money is used. The sum of net losses seen on monthly financial reports will be covered by proceeds from Ms. Rowlands gift which is paid on a quarterly basis.
One City will pay the outstanding debt to Forward Community Investments (FCI) for renovations at the Fisher Street building.
The Finance Committee will create a dashboard to make data from our monthly financials more visual and easier to understand.
C. Gaines made a motion to accept the February Financial report.
S. Klug seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
B.
One City applying to receive $20M from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
K. Caire reported that One City has created a coalition of community partners to apply for a $20 million grant to provide high quality early childhood education to families in the greater Madison area and eventually across the state of Wisconsin regardless of race or income. The initiative is named Early Care and Education For All (ECE4ALL).
The Board reviewed the project website: www.ece4all.org. One City is leading the initiative and the final application was submitted by the deadline on March 11th. We will learn whether One City has been named a finalist in July 2021. Finalists will be awarded a $1 million planning grant to be used over a period of 9 months to further develop and finalize project plans.
G. Wiseman reminded Board members to view the website and Facebook page for updates and to Like the Facebook page.
N. Wray thanked One City staff on behalf of the Board for taking on this work and for sharing information about the process. He wondered if the Kellogg Foundation will provide a coordinator to work with the coalition. K. Caire responded that Levers for Change is handling the competition and that the coalition will be responsible for finding and hiring a coordinator.
IV. CEO Update and February 2021 Organizational Report
A.
CEO Departmental Reports: Key Topics and School Highlights
B.
One City Student Enrollment Update for the 2021-22 School Year
M. Ruffin reported that One City has just concluded it's 3-week open enrollment period. Grade 4K-4th grade are enrolling in our charter school. We held 4 open houses and staff and families canvassed around the greater Madison area to hand out flyers and door knockers.
So far, we have 248 applicants, putting us at 75% capacity. 4K, 5K and 1st grade are full and there are waiting lists for each grade. A lottery was held earlier today to determine the order of waitlists for these 3 grades.
V. Other Business
A.
Other Business
N.Wray reminded Board members of the Board retreat to be held in early May. J. Krupp wondered if the retreat will be live or held virtually. N. Wray responded that the retreat will be in person, and a virtual option will be available to Board or staff members with a health concern.
VI. Move into Closed Session of the Board of Director
A.
Approve the Board Moving to Closed Session to Discuss Facility Purchase
Boardman and Clark attorney J. Smith recommended roll call to vote on the motion for the Board to move into closed session. G. Wiseman called roll. N. Wray asked for approval to move to closed session to discuss the purchase of a new facility for One City schools.
J. Krupp made the motion to move into closed session. The motion was seconded by C. Gaines and passed unanimously.
Regular open meeting of the Board resumed. G.Wiseman called roll and confirmed Board members present.
N. Wray asked J.Smith to read aloud the resolution asking the Board to authorize the purchase of 1707 West Broadway St. in Monona.
N. Wray asked for another action item be considered by the Board regarding the repayment of the loan to Forward Community Investments (FCI) for the Fisher Street location.
K. Caire stated the request to use a portion of the large gift pledged by Ms. Pleasant Rowland to expire One City's debt to FCI in the amount of $339,593.
T. Pedracine asked what the original plan was to repay the debt. K. Caire responded that One City was waiting until funds were available to pay the debt in it's entirety before moving the school to our permanent home.
K. Caire thanked V. Ramakrishnan for finding the location at 1707 W Broadway.
J. Krupp made a motion to adopt the foregoing Resolution presented to the Board.
S. Klug seconded the motion.
(Link to foregoing Resolution)
J. Krupp made a motion to allow One City Schools to expire the debt to Forward Community Investments in the amount of $339,593.
C. Zdeblick seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
VII. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:22 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
G. Wiseman