No public comment.

Moved to closed session.

Mr. Paris and Ms. McGarrah met to discuss the process for the bond discussion.  Mr. Paris is going to contact BB&T along with another vendor to help us issue the bond.  Mr. Paris and Ms. McGarrah will bring recommendations back to the Board potentially in a special meeting to proceed with bond.  Dr. Tracy, Mr. Hensler and Mr. Bowens will join the committee for the bonds.

Dr. Tracy discussed the monthly budget report.  The projections on a deficit fluctuate from month to month based on cash flow.  The revenue projections for school rental will be short this year because rental estimates were based on a previous year when the Alston Avenue building was empty.  Most expenses are on-track or below projections.  

 

Dr. Tracy reported that the deadline for all RFPs will be met, and the Board will have those to vote on at the April meeting.

Dr. Tracy presented the end of grade remediation proposal for scholars who are not proficient.  DPI will provide scale scores that Kestrel will use to determine whether scholars qualify for an invitation to the remediation proposal.  Because the State of NC is recalibrating the reading score, Kestrel will not get reading scores back in time for the remediation for this summer.  Thus, the remediation proposal will include math and science only.  Students are not required to participate.  At maximum, the remediation will cost $4,950.  Kestrel had budgeted $8,000 for this item.

Dr. Tracy presented an overview of the summer reading camp which is funded by the State of NC. 

Mr. Touchette provided a memo to the Board on the mission and vision change for Kestrel Heights and presents a timeline to get this completed.  Board agreed to move to the scheduling discussion.  Mr. Touchette discussed the schedule as follows: 

• Board approves process for revising mission by 3/10/20
• Board Retreat/Mission workshop conducted and draft completed by 3/31/20
• Community provides feedback by 4/5/20
• Board approves new mission statement by 4/7/20
• Board submits new mission statement to DPI by 4/15/20

Mrs. Callahan agreed to join that group along with Mr. Featherstone and Ms. Davis.  Mr. Touchette and Dr. Tracy will also participate.

Dr. Tracy presented his Executive Director report which included enrollment and application numbers for next year.  Kestrel will have a waitlist.  If we get to a number where there are two on the waitlist for every one available slot, then we could open a new kindergarten or sixth grade class. 

Dr. Tracy also shared the disciplinary data for the year along with liabilities.

During this month, the Board will review the Employee Policy.  The Board will divide up the policy for review as follows:

• Section 2.0 - 2.51 - Ms. McGarrah and Ms. Callahan
• Section 2.54 - 2.60 - Ms. Foy-Watson and Ms. Davis
• Section 2.63 - Appendix - Mr. Paris, Mr. Featherstone and Mr. Hensler

The Board will discuss these sections at the April meeting.  Mr. Bowens updated the Board that the US Supreme Court had not decided on the sexual orientation case that is being heard.  

Kestrel Heights has had to submit multiple documents to the State of NC for the charter renewal.  Because of the Durham Fire Department's rules around fire inspection only take place once per year, Kestrel Heights will have to wait on the inspection report in order to submit to the State of NC for the charter renewal.  

Mr. Featherstone will sign the 2020 charter renewal on March 11, 2020.

Dr. Tracy provided an update to the Board on the school's coronavirus planning.  All of the charter schools in Durham met to discuss as a group and make sure that they had a plan of action.  Kestrel Heights has a plan in place if there is an extended closure per the State's request.  The local health department makes the determination of whether to close the school based on the school reporting cases to them (e.g. students, staff or other visitors).  

The Board asked the following questions:

• What do we do if students don't have a computer or internet access at home?
• Do we survey kids and families before the crisis to find out what resources families have at home?
• How is it going to be determined who is sick?  Kestrel is asking for parents and staff to self-report and stay home until fever free for 24 hours
• What about field trips?  Wake County Public Schools and Cumberland County Public Schools have just cancelled field trips.
• Kestrel also has a "if you travel" document, this is what you need to do to come back to school

The Board will let the administration decide how to handle these situations as they come up.  

Kestrel Heights needs to recruit additional board members.  Mr. Featherstone and Ms. Foy-Watson are going to lead recruitment for new Kestrel Heights Board members.  Mr. Featherstone asked the board members to review the Board application that is on the Kestrel Heights website to let him know if we think it is asking the correct questions.  

Mr. Paris suggested that the Board president send an impassioned plea to the Kestrel community for volunteers and send it multiple times and through multiple modes of communication.  Board elections typically take place in July.

Bre Buckholz presented the renewal for insurance premiums for property, auto, general liability and crime that renews on April 1.