Pinnacles Prep Charter School
Minutes
Monthly Board Meeting
Date and Time
Monday November 21, 2022 at 5:00 PM
In Person: Pinnacles Prep Campus (Admin Office Conference Room) - 504 S. Chelan Ave
Via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88428303638
Meeting ID: 884 2830 3638
Dial In: 1-719-359-4580
Board Members: Rick Wray, Oscar Licon Eusebio, Karen Rutherford, Flora Fernandez, Tyler McGee, Xaxira Velasco Ponce De Leon, Mario Reyes, Tod Treat.
Contact: Oscar Licon Eusebio, Board Secretary
Email: oscar@pinnaclesprep.org
Accessibility: This meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. Special aids and services can be made available upon advance request. Advance requests for special aids and services must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting's start time.
Public Comment (In-Person): Members of the public wishing to comment in person should sign up using the provided sign-in sheet 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. You will be called on at the meeting. The Board may respond to public comment during the meeting. Members of the public wishing to provide hard copy written comments at the meeting must bring 8 copies. Ten minutes will be allocated for public comment, with the option of the Chair to allow more.
Public Comment (Virtual): Advance requests for virtual public comment or to provide written public comment electronically must be made no later than 48 hours in advance of the meeting's start time. To make this request or provide a written public comment, please email Oscar Licon at oscar@pinnaclesprep.org. If you would prefer to provide oral public comment, you will be called on at the meeting. The Board may respond to public comment during the meeting. Ten minutes will be allocated for public comment, with the option of the Chair to allow more.
Small School. Big Ideas.
Pinnacles Prep Mission: We exist to cultivate curious, confident, and self-directed
students who lead and succeed in college, their careers, and their communities.
BOARD MEETING NORMS
Procedural: Follow Through on all Agreements | Be Fully Present Physically and Mentally | Start and End on Time
Behavioral: Keep Students at the Center of Our Work | Be Bold and Optimistic | Advance Justice | Put Relationships First | Assume Positive Intent
Trustees Present
F. Fernandez, M. Reyes (remote), O. Licon Eusebio, R. Wray, T. McGee, X. Velasco Ponce de Leon (remote)
Trustees Absent
K. Rutherford, T. Treat
Guests Present
J. Fineis, S. Koester
I. Opening Items
A.
Welcome and Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Consent Agenda Approval
II. Public Comment Period
A.
Open Floor for Public Comments
III. Advisory Body Special Guests
A.
Guest from Pinnacles Prep Scholar Advisory Council (SAC)
6th grade scholar, Mineral, from Pinnacles Prep Scholar Advisory Council (SAC) joined the meeting and shared updates about the recently formed SAC:
How many students are involved?
Scholar shares that there are currently 10 students in SAC
- Four scholars from each grade (6th,7th,8th) were originally invited after submitting an application for consideration
- SAC is overseen by Assistant Principal Gina
Scholar also shares updates on Spirit week that is taking place Dec 5th - 9th
with Dec 9th school dance
Issues/goals/objectives
Scholar also shared that SAC has discussed bullying issues
Scholars would like to also focus on exploring ways to provide greater community impact
IV. Critical Issue Discussion
A.
Critical Issues Discussion
S. Koester shares the vision of Pinnacles Prep student demographic vision of serving S. Wenatchee and a typical cross section of Wenatchee Valley students.
Currently Pinnacles Prep is trending with a greater percentage of white students, more males, and slightly lower rates of students that qualify for free or reduced school lunch.
S. Koester shares that there is an uptick in free and reduced lunches.
Each year, we strive for our incoming class to represent the community that we're committed to serve.
The next enrollment lottery is at the end of Feb so between now and then we're hoping our outreach efforts result in at least 50% of applicants coming from the underserved populations we set out to serve.
A board member is concerned about the messaging going out to the public and encouraged staff and board to revisit our marketing collateral.
Jill mentioned that the WA Charter sector prides itself in being Community-rooted and where DEI is the heart of the school, and Scholars are at the center.
J. Fineis wants to be clear that Pinnacles Prep is Anti-Racist.
M. Madsen shares strategies and plans for outreach.
M. Madsen has been updating outreach material.
- Has done outreach since the beginning of the school year.
- Pop-up events around town
R. Wray shares opening high school updates and the need to expand cash flow to support staff and potential consultant needs.
Board discussed the potential of hiring additional operations personnel and will revisit at December board meeting once staff has a more detailed proposal to consider.
V. Know Our People, Know Our Programs
A.
Gretchen Wearne
G. Wearne is a returning teacher for pinnacles prep and she shared her brief bio of how she ended up at Pinnacles.
G. Wearne shares why she loves working for pinnacles prep. She states that Place-based education, DEI, and Social-emotional learning are Pinnacles Prep's core values and align with hers.
G. Wearne also shared more information about the Educurious curriculum she uses in her classroom and how successful it's been. Pinnacles hopes to also partner with Educurious to utilize their new interdisciplinary curriculum when we open our high school.
VI. Board Committee Updates
A.
Monthly Finance Dashboard
T. Mcgee shares key updates on finances from the Financial Data Dashboard report.
Student enrollment which has dropped down below 95% is greatest current concern as well as potential cash flow challenges in the new year. Sean said he and Matt are working with some partners to help modify arrival of some grant payments to lessen cash flow concerns.
Public Revenue received as a % of the overall budget is 15%
Pinnacles prep is on target to meet 30 days cash on hand at end of school year.
B.
Select Committee Updates (Development and Academic Excellence)
X. Ponce de Leon shares updates on the Women of Color in fundraising conference that was attended.
- Figure out ways to fundraise that align with school values
- Xaxira requested that as homework for all board members that they need to Identify one or two organizations that align with Pinnacles Prep Core Values and would consider supporting the school. This homework is due by the January board meeting
R. Wray shares updates on Governance Committee
- Please consider new format of board meeting agendas. We'll discuss next meeting to see if board wants to pursue new structure moving forward.
- Most committees have inputted their annual SMART goals in BoardOnTrack, for those that haven't, please have then uploaded by December board meeting.
- Due to the proximity of December 21st board meeting to Christmas holiday, all present board members agreed that the preferred date would be a week earlier on December 14th. R. Wray said he'd follow up with group to confirm.
VII. Additional Business
A.
Other Business
Events:
- Makers Fair event Dec 3rd, 3 pm- 6 pm
- Pinnacles prep 8th-grade internship program March 13th - March 17th 3 hours per day. Please let Sara know if your business or another one you know of would be willing to host a couple of PP students. School hopes this will be come an annual event for 8th graders.
No public comment