Explorations Charter School
Minutes
Governing Board Regular Meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday March 19, 2024 at 5:30 PM
Directors Present
Ginni Block (remote), Hilary Paden (remote), Kristin Peterson (remote), Lori Noto (remote), Sarah Annis Haynes (remote)
Directors Absent
Bill Hallam, Melony Brady-Shanley, Robert Peterson
Guests Present
Jill Johnson (remote), Joe White (remote), Susan O'Rourke (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Approve Minutes - 2/20/2024 Regular Board Meeting
Roll Call | |
---|---|
Robert Peterson |
Absent
|
Hilary Paden |
Aye
|
Lori Noto |
Aye
|
Bill Hallam |
Absent
|
Ginni Block |
Aye
|
Sarah Annis Haynes |
Aye
|
Kristin Peterson |
Absent
|
Melony Brady-Shanley |
Absent
|
II. Financial
A.
Monthly Report
Roll Call | |
---|---|
Sarah Annis Haynes |
Aye
|
Hilary Paden |
Aye
|
Bill Hallam |
Absent
|
Kristin Peterson |
Aye
|
Ginni Block |
Aye
|
Robert Peterson |
Absent
|
Lori Noto |
Aye
|
Melony Brady-Shanley |
Absent
|
III. Committee Updates
A.
Finance Committee
No update
B.
CEO Support & Evaluation
Evaluations went out to the Board, staff, student and parents. Gave 3 weeks for them to complete. Board and staff evaluations were sent out on Board on track.
C.
Personnel Committee
Employee Handbook was sent to the administration for review. Sarah will send to the Board for review. Sarah to send Grievance Policy to Joe and Ginni to review/update.
D.
Policy Committee
No update
E.
By-Law Revision
Bylaws were sent to Bob and Kris as well as some examples. Committee needs to meet.
IV. School News
A.
Attendance/Chronic Absenteeism
February:
CA (ytd) = 45.9% (was 51.7% last year)
Avg Daily Attendance = 87.08% (up from 86.22% last year)
Grade Level - Avg. Daily Attendance / CA
9th - 82.81% / 58.8%
10th - 90.99 / 34.8%
11th - 85.94% / 42.9%
12th - 87.85% / 46.7%
Discussion held. Causes of school avoidance: Anxiety, School Avoidance and Illness.
B.
General Updates
Student Enrollment: Currently 83 students. There is an Enrollment Committee meeting weekly on Fridays. Jill be on on the local radio station on April 8th to publicize Explorations School and that they are accepting applications for next year. Currently have 16 applications for next year.
V. Other Business
A.
Flooding Emergency Update
Insurance money is slowly coming in. All the walls have been painted. Traps have been removed. Concrete poured. Dumpster delivered.
B.
Healthy Food Certification
Motion that pursuant to C.G.S. Section 10-215f, Explorations Governing Council certifies that all food items offered for sale to students in the schools under its jurisdiction, and not exempted from the Connecticut Nutrition Standards published by the Connecticut State Department of Education, will comply with the Connecticut Nutrition Standards during the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. This certification shall include all food offered for sale to students separately from reimbursable meals at all times and from all sources, including but not limited to school stores, vending machines, school cafeterias, culinary programs, and any fundraising activities on school premises sponsored by the school or non-school organizations and groups.
Roll Call | |
---|---|
Robert Peterson |
Absent
|
Lori Noto |
Aye
|
Sarah Annis Haynes |
Aye
|
Ginni Block |
Aye
|
Bill Hallam |
Absent
|
Hilary Paden |
Aye
|
Kristin Peterson |
Aye
|
Melony Brady-Shanley |
Absent
|
Motion that the Explorations Governing Council will allow the sale to students of food items that do not meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards and beverages not listed in Section 10-221q of the Connecticut General Statutes provided that the following conditions are met: 1) the sale is in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend; 2) the sale is at the location of the event; and 3) the food and beverage items are not sold from a vending machine or school store. An “event” is an occurrence that involves more than just a regularly scheduled practice, meeting, or extracurricular activity. For example, soccer games, school plays, and interscholastic debates are events but soccer practices, play rehearsals, and debate team meetings are not. The “regular school day” is the period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day. “Location” means where the event is being held and must be the same place as the food and beverage sales.
Roll Call | |
---|---|
Sarah Annis Haynes |
Aye
|
Bill Hallam |
Absent
|
Kristin Peterson |
Aye
|
Ginni Block |
Aye
|
Robert Peterson |
Absent
|
Melony Brady-Shanley |
Absent
|
Lori Noto |
Aye
|
Hilary Paden |
Aye
|
C.
Discussion of rescheduling April Board Meeting
Roll Call | |
---|---|
Hilary Paden |
Aye
|
Bill Hallam |
Absent
|
Ginni Block |
Aye
|
Sarah Annis Haynes |
Aye
|
Kristin Peterson |
Aye
|
Robert Peterson |
Absent
|
Melony Brady-Shanley |
Absent
|
Lori Noto |
Aye
|
VI. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
- Monthly Report February 2024.pdf
Discussion held. 8 months into the school year. 67% of the budget used.