The Board did introductions with Mr. Chris Broadniak, the new Assistant Principal. 

No public comment was provided.

Executive Director Michelle Herron presented the new Employment Agreements.

Ms. Erin Hatch presented the parent survey results and teed-up 2021-22 goals. The Board discussed potential goals for the strategic plan. Ideas include financial resilience, student growth, rebuilding community, teacher retention; culture; volunteerism; curriculum building; fun community events (math night); parent-teacher communications. Board proposed continuing this discussion at the July meeting to give additional time. 

Executive Director Michelle Herron shared the following report:

Information to Share
Student Achievement

• We just found out that we will receive individual state test scores for students after all.  We will share these with families when we send report cards.
• I may split the Spanish and math intervention job into 2 half time positions based on the applicants we receive. The partner of one of our new hires from Spain is potentially a good fit but he would not be eligible to work until October or November.

Climate and Culture

• Chris and I are making plans to focus on building community with the staff during our inservice week in August.  It will be important for us to create a cohesive vision for our school and to help the staff bond with each other since we have so many new people.

Professional Development

• I would like to do Singapore Math training for elementary teachers, but the onsite program takes 2 days and is quite costly.  I’m going to look for options for remote training that teachers can do during the summer instead and then use some of our PD money to pay teachers for their time. This will allow us to use all of inservice week for the many other important training topics that we need to cover. 

Hot Topics

• I have 7-8 positions left to fill. So far, we’ve lost 3-4 candidates due to salary. One of them accepted our offer and later backed out because she got a better offer. 
• Chris and I started to work together this week.  It will be so great to have him on staff!

Seeking Input

• Relocation reimbursement agreement.  Once the board agrees on the wording, I’ll send it to our lawyers for review.
• We have low enrollment in 4th and 5th grade next year. To save on staffing. I want to create 3 blended classes rather than 4 single grade classes.  Right now, we have 44 4th graders and 38 5th graders.  If we make 3 blended classes, we would have 27 students in two of the sections and 28 in the third.  There is a high likelihood that someone will drop between now and the beginning of the year, so we should be able to keep all three classes at our cap.  In this configuration, each teacher would teach a leveled class in math and Spanish and students would change classes depending on their levels.  The students would stay in their homeroom groups for the other subjects. We would follow the 5th grade standards in science and social studies for all students this year and the 4th grade standards for all students next year.  

The Board discussed impact of blended classes and the need for targeted communications. 

Decision Needed

• Employment agreement approval
  • Tania - Spain, 2nd grade
  • Barbara - Spain, 3rd grade
  • Encarnacion - Spain, 4th/5th grade
  • Juan Antonio - Spain, MS Spanish Humanities
  • Leticia - Spain, MS science
  • Britt - ELA
  • Pratima - MS math
• Since we are reducing our staffing by one teacher, I would like to add an Instructional Assistant to help with the extra section of 2nd grade and to provide additional support for the 4/5 blended classes.
• Lunch costs - Milk: $0.37, mot meal: $3.78 (up from 3.69) + milk =$4.15 per meal, sack lunch: $4.00 (up from 3.85) + milk = $4.37 per meal
  • Current family price: $4.60
  • Suggested price increase for 21-22: $4.80. This keeps us at a steady 20 cent increase per year.
• BDBT costs - We are proposing a 3% increase from the 2019-2020 prices.  We have typically increased our prices about 3% per year to keep pace with salary increases.  Since we didn’t have BDBT last year, we didn’t think it would be fair to parents to have a 6% increase.
• Mission statement - I heard back from 2 board members and they both preferred the edited version of the committee’s recommended mission statement:
  • Arco Iris Spanish Immersion Charter School cultivates academic success for all students through a biliterate education and a robust math curriculum. Our students are members of a supportive multicultural community valuing diversity, equity and inclusion. 
• Committee recommendation for comparison:  Arco Iris Spanish Immersion Charter School cultivates overall academic success through biliterate education and a robust math curriculum, where students are members of a supportive multicultural community valuing diversity, equity and inclusion.

ACTION ITEM: Board members to send any edits to mission statement to Executive Director Michelle Herron before the July Board meeting.

Ms. Yessenia Jones, PTO President, provided an update: PTO election results; new family welcoming; uniform exchange; and restaurant night fundraisers. 

Ms. Sarita Stevens presented a school fundraising communication for Board input.

ACTION ITEM: Board members to provide edits to Ms. Sarita Stevens before the July Board meeting.

There was no Treasurer's Report presented.

Ms. Sara Marx read the action items.