Pinnacles Prep Charter School
Minutes
Monthly Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday April 17, 2024 at 5:30 PM
Location
Pinnacles Prep Maker Space
In Person: Pinnacles Prep Campus Makerspace (504 S. Chelan Ave, Wenatchee)
Online Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89300133347
Meeting ID: 893 0013 3347
Dial In: 1-719-359-4580
Board Members: Rick Wray, Oscar Licon Eusebio, Karen Rutherford, Flora Fernandez, Bethany Sebastian, Tyler McGee, Tod Treat, Josh Castro
Contact: Karen Rutherford, Board Secretary
Email: karen@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 Karen Rutherford at karen@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. A maximum of 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
B. Baldwin, B. Sebastian (remote), F. Fernandez (remote), K. Rutherford, O. Licon Eusebio (remote), R. Wray, T. McGee, T. Treat (remote)
Trustees Absent
J. Castro
Guests Present
J. Fineis, S. Koester
I. Opening Items
A.
Welcome and Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Consent Agenda Approval
The following payments as audited and certified by the auditing officer, as required by RCW 42.24.080, and those expense reimbursements claims certified, as required by RCW 42.24.090, are approved for payment. In addition, payroll payments in the amount of $137,916.19 are also approved.
General Fund Accounts Payable
Total electronic payments totaling $187,039.02 and Check number N/A through N/A totaling $0
Non-AP Cash Disbursements
Total electronic payments totaling $596.22 and Check number N/A and N/A totaling $0 and Cash Withdrawals totaling $3,935.00
Payroll
Total electronic payments totaling $137,916.19 and Payroll check numbers N/A through N/A totaling $0.
II. Public Comment Period
A.
Open Floor for Public Comments
III. Know Our People, Know Our Programs
A.
6th Grade Humanities and DEI Study Team
School leader Jill Fineis presented the DEI Study Team evolution and launch.
Difficult to formalize a DEI Study Team in year one and two.
Kelvin SEL Survey has been administered twice a year.
SEL and Equity and Inclusion Surveys administered.
Have realized the need for a primer for both surveys, explaining the process for the scholars and to increase participation taking the surveys.
Activities 23/24:
All Teachers Summer Book Study: Street Data. Will continue to use Street Data next year. Had a
Conference Call with Street Data Authors well received.
Summer Empathy Interview with Scholars completed.
Bi-Weekly Democratic Classroom PLC with full Circle Leadership.
Pigeons and Dragons House Competitions very successful.
All Staff DEI Study Topics.
Racism and Bias
Discrimination and Complaint Procedures
Intersectionality and KPI ideas.
Equity Audit to be implemented by the DEI Study Team.
SAC will be joining the DEI Study Team.
IV. Critical Issue Discussion
A.
Enrollment Projections for 24/25
Jill Fineis reported on the School Lottery for the 23/24 school year.
Was very successful.
7th and 8th grade are full with waiting lists.
6th, 9th and 10th grades have openings.
Board member Josh Castro and a WA charter representative were present.
B.
Staffing for 24/25 School Year
Excellent candidate pool for employment openings.
Interviews start next week.
In need to hire Instructional Aides for Special Education. Three positions are open and available. Jill Fineis would like to hire a certified Special Education teacher to replace the three Instructional Aides. Cost Neutral request.
C.
Academic Excellence
Have launched the all school Passion Projects.
We are considering 9th grade internships. We hope to begin them in May.
The eighth grade internships were very successful. All students, except one, participated in the internships. Five day internships. They must apply and be accepted. We had locations throughout the valley. They gave their internship presentations at Exhibition night.
D.
Proposed New Standardized Emergency Response System
Jill Fineis would like to replace our current Policy and Procedure surrounding School Preparedness and Safety.
The Standard Response Protocol.
I love u guys program.
National program that is very well received nationwide and is recommended by the NCWESD.
More robust then current Policy.
No cost involved.
E.
Existing Policy Discussion
School Transportation Policy reviewed, regarding parent transport of students to off school events.
We will research other Charter School policies on transporting students in parent vehicles.
V. Committee Reports
A.
Academic Excellence
Tod Treat reported on Jill Fineis' School Leader Evaluation that will begin in May.
Oscar LIcon Eusebio reported on the DEI Study Team. He is researching an Equity Audit that the school can use.
Rick Wray updated the board on the current high school facility plans. We are looking at the leasing of one new, two classroom portable that will be placed next to the current portable, to accommodate the growth of the high school.
B.
Finance
Finances are all on track, except the 60 day Cash on Hand. We expect to meet this condition by the end of FY24.
State Levy Equalization funding to be paid in April.
SAO audit is complete. Only one finding: GASBY/FASBY issue, which has been resolved.
JCP will present a new audit change that is coming to all charter schools.
C.
Governance
Rick Wray reported that 100% of Pinnacles Board members filed their Financial Disclosures reports with the State of Washington.
Tod Treat led a Board Refresher on the Charter Contract:
Article VIII: Education Program/Academic Accountability.
Article XI: School Facilities.
Currently Sibling Preference is included in our Procedures, but not in our Policy.
VI. Additional Business
A.
Important Upcoming Dates
April 29, Monday Pinnacles Prep Music, theatre and dance group will be performing at the Apple Blossom.
WA Charter School Conference May 4th. Board members and parents are invited to attend.
Board Lunch at Pinnacles on May 7th. 11am - 1pm.
Teacher Appreciation Week is the week of May 4.
B.
Next Board Led Commission Contract Refresher Session
Tyler McGee will report on the next Charter Review Session.
VII. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
- Draft Mtg Minutes 3.20.24.pdf
- Student Driving-3243.pdf
- Procedure Student Driving-3243P.pdf
- 4.17.24 PPCS Board report development.pdf
- 2. Pinnacles Prep PnL 24 03.pdf
- 3. Pinnacles Prep Balance Sheet 24 03.pdf
- 4. Pinnacles Prep BvA 24 03.pdf
- 5. Pinnacles Prep Payroll and AP Certification 24 03.pdf
- 6. Pinnacles Prep AP Register 24 03.pdf
- 6a. Pinnacles Prep Non-AP Cash Disbursement Register 24 03.pdf
- 7. Pinnacles Prep Payroll Summary 24 03.pdf
- 6625 - Private Vehicle Transportation.pdf
- Final Portable Lease Agreement (Mobile Modular SY 24_25).pdf
- 1. Pinnacles Prep Finance Dashboard 24 03.pdf
No public comment requested.