Final

Kestrel Heights Public Charter School

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday June 9, 2020 at 6:30 PM EDT

Location

Conference Call (Zoom)
https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/91765050859
 
Meeting ID: 917 6505 0859
19292056099,,91765050859#

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. 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.
  D. Approve April 2020 Meeting Minutes
   
  E. Approve May Meeting Minutes
   
  F. Kestrel Board of Directors Annual Evaluation
   
Allow time for Board members to complete the Annual Board Evaluation.  
II. Academics
  A. COVID 19 Update
   
Dr. Tracy will update the Board of Directors on any changes due to COVID changes and closures.  

 

Jumpstart 
Distance Learning Plan 
Return to Learn Committees (June 16 Deadline) 
  B. Annual Update: Special Education, English Learners, and Academically and Intellectually Gifted
   
Ms. Jackson will provide an annual update on the special education, English learners, and academically and intellectually gifted programs at KHS.  

 

Documentation included: Annual Report from NCDPI on our AIG Program (FYI Only) 
III. Governance
  A. Executive Director Report
   
Dr. Tracy will present his monthly report on the status of the school.  
  B. 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. Charter Renewal and Performance Framework
   
 Dr. Tracy will provide a status update on the 2019-2020 Performance Framework:
  • 31 out of 30 submissions on time (all deemed accurate; fire inspection needs to be provided from the city) 
  • 31 Total submissions due for the 2019-20 SY 
  • April Submissions: 
    • Fire, OSHA, and Other Required Health or Safety Inspections (Cannot complete due to COVID 19)
  • June 
    • Charter Agreement with Signatures (reopened by OCS)
  D. Board Member Recruitment
   
The Board of Directors will discuss the current Board structure and determine plans for recruitment and replacement of expiring members.  The Board will look at the professional areas of need to have a diverse experienced Board of Directors.  

 

Board Elections traditionally occur in July.  
  E. Board Elections for the 2020-21 School Year
   
Mr. Featherstone will guide the board in order to establish a clear timeline to hold board elections.  
  F. Revised Mission (Update)
   
Dr. Tracy will update the Board on the Mission Process.  

 

Message from OCS:
All charter amendments are processed pursuant to State Board of Education policy CHTR-014.  Mission changes must be reviewed and approved by the State Board of Education and is subject to the Charter Schools Advisory Board’s review/recommendation. To begin that process, we must receive the following required documentation as required by CHTR-014:
  • Board meeting minutes reflecting the vote of the Board of Directors for the charter school to change the mission;
  • Cover letter fully explaining/justifying the request signed by the board chair and lead administrator of the charter school;
    • Please see attached checklist for instructions on what to include in the cover letter.
    • With the cover letter, please upload a supplemental document (in Word, not PDF) that shows the current mission and/or vision and the proposed mission and/or vision. I will copy/paste this into the executive summary so it’s exactly as worded in your document.
  • Strikethrough version of the original charter application/document; and (this should show the language you want to change stricken and new language added)
  • Clean version of the original charter/document to include the new language. (this is the charter application and should show the new language and all old language removed)
  • The easiest way to do the strikethrough/clean version is to use Microsoft or Adobe “tracked changes” for the strikethrough. You need to clearly show what is being eliminated, changed, and added. For the clean version, you simply “accept” all changes – this essentially becomes the new charter once the amendment request is approved.

 

 Prior to submitting documentation (and preferably prior to beginning the tasks), it is imperative that you review the attached checklist. I will assign these documents as “tasks” in Epicenter. You should see them show up in your task queue in the next few hours. Then, you can upload the required documentation and send it through that system. You can submit multiple documents, if needed, through one task. For example, you may need to submit supplemental materials like policy drafts or budgets and you can do this with any other task assigned under “charter amendment.”  I will review it there and prepare for the CSAB/SBE review.
  G. Updated 2020-21 Calendar
   
Based on a change in legislation Kestel has had to update the academic calendar for the 2020-21 school year.  
IV. Finance
  A. Monthly Budget Report
   
Dr. Tracy will present a review of the monthly budget.  This section is a summary from the Executive Director and the Board Monthly Budget Report.   

 

At the time of submission, CSP has not released May's budget.  This should be provided during the June meeting.  


 
  B. COVD 5% Budget Reduction
   
Dr. Tracy will present a modified budget of a 5% reduction based on a potential budget reduction as a result of COVID 19.  Most leaders have stated they do not project any funding reduction, while others have warned of a 3% or 5% reduction at the state and local level.  This plan does not reduce staffing.  

 

The reduction is projected at the state and local allotments.  Federal dollars should not be impacted.  

 

State Revenue is $3,243,718 
Local Revenue (Durham County only) is $1,794,015 
Total State and Local Revenue is $5,037,733 
A 5% reduction is $251,886
Pre-Reduction Surplus 77,345.54
Desired Surplus Goal $329,231*
Identified Surplus $340,186

 

* Revenue within the attached document was not modified to represent the 5% reduction in order to keep the integrity of the internal formulas  

 

 

 
  C. Bond Discussion
   
Board will continue their conversation pertaining to a Bond proposal and potential campus expansion.  
  D. End of Year Spending Report
   
Dr. Tracy will review preapproved End of Year spending.  
V. Closed Session
  A. Closed Session: Staffing 2020-2021
   
Dr. Tracy will provide an update on the staffing changes for the 2020-21 school year.  

 

§ 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:

 

 

(6)        To consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee; or to hear or investigate a complaint, charge, or grievance by or against an individual public officer or employee. General personnel policy issues may not be considered in a closed session. A public body may not consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, appointment, or removal of a member of the public body or another body and may not consider or fill a vacancy among its own membership except in an open meeting. Final action making an appointment or discharge or removal by a public body having final authority for the appointment or discharge or removal shall be taken in an open meeting.
  B. Closed Session
   
Mr. Bowens will provide the board an update on recent legal matters for the school.  

 

§ 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:

 

   To consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the public body, which privilege is hereby acknowledged. General policy matters may not be discussed in a closed session and nothing herein shall be construed to permit a public body to close a meeting that otherwise would be open merely because an attorney employed or retained by the public body is a participant. The public body may consider and give instructions to an attorney concerning the handling or settlement of a claim, judicial action, mediation, arbitration, or administrative procedure. If the public body has approved or considered a settlement, other than a malpractice settlement by or on behalf of a hospital, in closed session, the terms of that settlement shall be reported to the public body and entered into its minutes as soon as possible within a reasonable time after the settlement is concluded.

 

 
  C. Closed Session
   
The Board will meet with Charter Success Partners.  

 

§ 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:

 

(5)        To establish, or to instruct the public body's staff or negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or on behalf of the public body in negotiating (i) the price and other material terms of a contract or proposed contract for the acquisition of real property by purchase, option, exchange, or lease; or (ii) the amount of compensation and other material terms of an employment contract or proposed employment contract.
VI. Closing Items
  A. Adjourn Meeting