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

Sarah Annis Haynes called a meeting of the board of directors of Explorations Charter School to order on Tuesday Mar 19, 2024 at 5:37 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes - 2/20/2024 Regular Board Meeting

Ginni Block made a motion to approve the minutes from Governing Board Regular Meeting on 02-20-24.
Lori Noto seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
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

Discussion held.  8 months into the school year.  67% of the budget used. 

Lori Noto made a motion to Approve the monthly financial report.
Ginni Block seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
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

Ginni Block made a motion to approve the following Healthy Food Certification Motion #1.
Lori Noto seconded the motion.

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.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
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
Ginni Block made a motion to approve below Healthy Food Certification Motion #2.
Kristin Peterson seconded the motion.

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.   

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
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

Hilary Paden made a motion to to reschedule our next board meeting to Tuesday, April 23rd as our originally scheduled meeting conflicts with the schools April break.
Lori Noto seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
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

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Hilary Paden
Documents used during the meeting
  • Monthly Report February 2024.pdf