Kestrel Heights Public Charter School

General Board Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday May 28, 2019 at 6:30 PM EDT

Location

4700 S. Alston Ave. Durham NC 27713

Agenda

Section Number Topic Number Details
I. Opening Items
 
Opening Items
  A. Record Attendance and Guests
   

Please note which board members are present and absent for the Secretary. 

  B. Call the Meeting to Order
   

The meeting will be called to order by the Chair. 

  C. Minutes: April 9, 2019 Board Meeting
   
The meeting minutes from the previous month (regular meeting and special meeting) will be reviewed and voted for acceptance barring any agreed amendments. 

 
  D. Public Comment
   
At each regular and special meeting which is open to the public, members of the public and employees of Kestrel Heights shall be afforded time, subject to reasonable constraints, to comment to the board.

Public/employee comments and questions shall be:
1) Limited to two minutes (2 minutes).
2) Directed to the Board and not to individual members.
3) Presented in a professional demeanor and not in a threatening, profane, vulgar or abusive manner.
4) Topics that are relevant to the business matters of the Kestrel Board of Directors.
5) Recognized after speaker provides their name to the Board President prior to addressing the Board.

It shall be the decision of the Board if it is appropriate to respond to a question and which Board member will respond. The Board encourages all comments/questions to be submitted in writing to the board following the two minutes to ensure the entire message is heard by the board.

Individuals who engage in repetitive comments/questions will be asked to refrain and/or yield the floor.
II. Finance
  A. RFP Process for 2019-20 School Year
   
The following Requests for Proposals were sent out in March and the results are being presented in this meeting.  


Here are a list of services we currently contract out:  
  • Cafeteria/Child Nutrition 
  • Audit Services (no formal RFP but asked for proposals) 
  • Financial Services (payroll and invoicing) 
    • The two companies have been asked to be present to discuss their proposals 
  B. Salary Request
   
§ 143-318.11. Closed sessions. (a) Permitted Purposes. – It is the policy of this State that closed sessions shall be held only when required to permit a public body to act in the public interest as permitted in this section. A public body may hold a closed session and exclude the public only when a closed session is required: (1) To prevent the disclosure of information that is privileged or confidential pursuant to the law of this State or of the United States, or not considered a public record within the meaning of Chapter 132 of the General Statutes.

Area I: Administrator Compensation 
Area II: Special Education Teachers 
  C. Budget Request: End of Grade Preparation
   

Ms. Goff will present a quote for Curriculum Associates for add-in online instruction licenses through iReady. These can be utilized for EOG review as soon as they are active, and will be active through June 30, 2020.

The focus will be on the following scholars initially: EC, MTSS Tier 2 and/or 3, our subgroup in which we scored an F and are, therefore, a TSI school.

The funds for this were raised by the school during the year (the school piloted an assessment for HMH and they provided the school a check for $6,000).  

  D. Board on Track Renewal
   

Kestrel Heights is seeking a tool to systematically improve their governance practices, house all of their board material, and streamline their evaluation and development processes.  

  E. Monthly Budget Report
   
Review of the monthly expenses from the school through the month of September.  
  F. Update on Capitola Property
   
To inform the board on the progress being made by Avison and Young in an attempt to sell this property.  

Monthly Progress Report 
 
  G. Targeted Support & Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT)
   
Dr. Tracy informed the board of the the Targeted Support & Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) grant that was submitted to the state.  

The school received a one time allocation of $10,000 from the state of North Carolina which can be allocated for designated criteria to address the subgroup that was identified.  Final approval was confirmed by NCDPI on May 23, 2019.

 
  H. iReady Additional Licenses
   

Ms. Goff will present a proposal for supplemental resources to support EC and MTSS students.  The funds were raised by the school and thus no additional cost to the school.  

III. Executive Director Report
 
Academic Excellence
  A. Executive Director Monthly Report
   
Board Members will have time to ask Executive Director specific questions pertaining to his monthly report.  
  B. KHS Hiring Policy and Overall Certification Rates for the School
   
The state of North Carolina Department of Education and the Office of Charter Schools informed KHS that we are below the required 50% certification rate.  This cannot be addressed until the following school year.  The purpose of this ongoing agenda item is to develop a long term plan to address this concern.  

Feb:
Review Policy 

March-April 
Discuss current staff 

April-June 
Implement and communicate plan 

Current Policy:
2.18 Licensure Requirements

It is the expectation that all professional employees will hold a valid North Carolina license appropriate to the position in which he or she is employed. Licensure renewal is the responsibility of the individual, not of the school. Renewal activities for all professional employees need prior approval by the director. Any courses or activities undertaken shall directly relate to the employees' position responsibilities and shall have suitable content level. A record of all approvals; satisfactorily completed renewal activities and timely submission of certificate renewal data to the State Department of Public Instruction shall be maintained in the Personnel file. Any employee allowing a license to expire must have it reinstated prior to the beginning of the next school year. An expired license is a basis for dismissal.

2.21 Highly Qualified Teachers

Effective June 30, 2009, all teachers, regardless of hire date, should meet the qualifications and competencies established by federal and state law, policy and regulations, including the requirements of No Child Left Behind.
  C. Charter Renewal and Performance Framework
   
Dr. Tracy will provide an update on the 2020 Charter Renewal  and Annual Performance Framework

Charter Renewal: Site Visit
  • No additional updates at this time 
 Performance Framework 
  • The Certification of Insurance was sent back twice, once due to the insurance expiring during the submission period (Due in April insurance renewed in May) and for language pertaining to the State Board of Education 
    • These items have been resubmitted 
  • Performance Framework period has closed 
IV. Academics
  A. Educational Model Report: Computer Science & High Needs High Support
   
Top 6 Model Review: Provide the Board with an update on the findings for:
  • Computer Science 
  • High Needs High Support 
  B. Academically and Intellectually Gifted Plan 2019-2022
   

Ms. Jackson will present the AIG Plan for 2019-2022.  The local LEA must approve the plan prior to being submitted to the state.  

  C. Governance: End of Year Academic Planning (Remediation and Summer School)
   
Ms. Goff has provided an update of the End of Grade Prep, Summer Remediation, and Summer Reading Camp.  

 
V. Governance
  A. Long Term Suspensions (Alternative Education Plans)
   

The board of directors will review, discuss, and potentially vote to provide Alternative Education Plans for all students who have been long term suspended.  

  B. Governance: Annual Policy Review
   
The Board of Directors will annually review all polices and staff handbooks, the schedule is below.  For the month of September the board is complete the 1st read of the School and Community Policy 

Staff Handbook
June (First Read)
July (Second Read)
August (Board Approval)

School and Community Policy Section
September (First Read)
October (Second Read)
November (Board Approval)

Finance Policy Section
December (First Read)
January (Second Read)
February (Board Approval)

Employee Policy Section
March (First Read)
April (Second Read)
May (Board Approval)



 
  C. Board Membership Applications
   
The board has received applications for board membership.  
  D. Board Membership Recruitment
   
Based on KHS By-Laws the board is to elect new members in June.  In order to prepare for these elections the board will discuss the process in place to recruit new board members.  Currently, there is one staff Ex-Officio officer opening, the board will also vote based on the application received.  Application has personal information (please keep confidential).

The Board will identify specific skills that are needed for the board and determine the ideal number of voting members for the 2019-20 school year.  
  E. Governance: Board of Directors and PTSO
   
The PTSO has reached out to the board to discuss a more formal relationship. 
  F. Board of Directors Summer Retreat
   

The Board of Directors will discuss the dates, goals, and possible facilitators of the summer retreat.  This retreat should also be aligned with the onboarding of new board members.  

  G. Governance: Mission, Vision, and Strategic Planning Process
VI. Board-Inform Topics
 
Governance
VII. Closing Items
  A. Adjourn Meeting