One City Schools
Minutes
One City Regular Board Meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday May 23, 2023 at 4:00 PM
Location
One City Broadway, 1707 W. Broadway, Monona, WI 53713 (lower level)
Only One City Board members, staff and invited guests are allowed to participate in-person.
Zoom link: https://onecityschools.zoom.us/j/96414211790
Directors Present
C. Gaines (remote), D. Aguayo (remote), G. Derzon (remote), J. Krupp (remote), M. Hanson (remote), S. Stroman (remote), T. Jaeckle, T. Pedracine (remote)
Directors Absent
G. Ladson-Billings, N. Wray, S. Klug
Ex Officio Members Present
K. Caire
Non Voting Members Present
K. Caire
Guests Present
G. Wiseman
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Approve Minutes
II. Welcome to Chief Talent Officer Nikole Fees
A.
Introduction of Nikole Fees, CTO, and Staffing Update
III. March 2023 and April 2023 Financial Statements Review and Approval
A.
Approve March and April 2023 Financial Statements
T. Jaeckle reviewed financial statements from April 2023, noting that March 2023 financials were included in his review.
N4N brought up aged receivables, which the team is looking into. This includes Before/After School care payments and preschool tuition.
G. Wiseman will confirm which donations are going to One City Foundation and which ones are going to One City Schools, Inc.
IV. Approve 2023-24 Strategic Plan
A.
Approve One City Schools' 2023-24 Strategic Plan
Board members approved One City’s 2023-24 Strategic Plan, which includes One City's priorities, goals and objectives for the remainder of this school year and all of the forthcoming 2023-24 school year.
Priorities include: Scholar Growth, Fidelity in execution of our education model and scholar/family/staff supports, Joyful Culture, and Stability.
V. One City Schools Department Reports
A.
Department Reports
Department Reports were shared with Board members for their review. Members are encouraged to reach out to K. Caire, G. Wiseman and Department Heads with any questions.
VI. Enrollment Update
A.
2023-34 School Year Enrollment Update
M. Ruffin provided an update, stating that the preschool is full, with a growing waitlist.
4K is nearly at maximum capacity, with 4 seats open.
5K-5th grade has 56 seats open and OCPA (grades 6 and 7) has 14 open seats.
M. Ruffin reports that a majority of One City families learn about the schools through word of mouth. A marketing effort will launch just after the 4th of July.
VII. Advocacy Update and Engaging One City's Board Members in our Advocacy Initiatives
A.
Advocacy Update
K. Caire reported that he has visited with 32 different legislators to date, some multiple times, and has shared One City's detailed budget with many of them. All have stated their support for closing the funding gap.
Sheila Stubbs, Samba Baldeh and John Soper (from Senator Stroebel's office) visited One City, touring the school, meeting teachers and scholars and talking with One City parents.
The Joint Finance Committee will vote on a bill that includes shared revenue, education and tax cuts during the 2nd or 3rd week of June. Board members may be asked to reach out to Joint Finance Committee members and the Governor, thanking them for their efforts.
Board members should plan on hosting an event at the Capital once the bill is passed.
VIII. One City's 10th Anniversary Celebration
A.
Introduce a Concept for One Cit's 10th Anniversary Celebration in 2024
One City Schools will celebrate it's 10th anniversary in summer 2024, most likely in late July.
The theme will be around people in Greater Madison who left Madison and have returned. The event will be a celebration of the entire community, One City's anniversary and a fundraiser for OCS.
Board members will meet in July 2023 to begin design of the framework for the event.
IX. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
G. Wiseman reminded members that, as part of their longitudinal study of OCS, UW researchers will interview Board members. Members requested setting up one to one meetings.
Board members welcomed new Chief Talent Officer Nikole Fees to One City's leadership team.
Ms. Fees has extensive experience working in various capacities in charter schools.
Ms. Fees provided a brief staffing update. She is in the midst of interviewing open positions for next school year and is very encouraged at the high quality candidates applying. Ms. Fees is working with members of the school leadership team to ensure excellent onboarding of new team members and comprehensive training prior to the first day of school for both existing and new team members.