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Menlo Park Academy Governing Board

Minutes

Board Meeting

Regular Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday October 17, 2024 at 6:00 PM

Location

Menlo Park Academy

2149 West 53rd St.

Cleveland, OH 44102

The regular meeting of MPA’s governing board will be held on October 17th at Menlo Park Academy, 2149 W. 53rd Street, Cleveland, OH 44102. Meeting dates and times are posted in several places in building as well as online. We will endeavor to enable virtual attendance, when possible, at this meeting link – https://meet.google.com/bqx-niry-mqu. 

Directors Present

Jeffrey Sugalski, Shruti Aring, Teri Harrison, Tiffany Randle, Twana Rogers

Directors Absent

Sam Sherwood

Guests Present

Jessica Esway

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Tiffany Randle called a meeting of the board of directors of Menlo Park Academy Governing Board to order on Thursday Oct 17, 2024 at 6:01 AM.

C.

Approve Minutes

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve the minutes from Board Meeting on 09-19-24.
Twana Rogers seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve the minutes from Board Working Session on 09-05-24.
Twana Rogers seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

D.

Monthly Enrollment Verification Report

Teri Harrison made a motion to acknowledge receipt of the monthly enrollment verification report for October.
Shruti Aring seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

II. Sponsor Update

A.

Update

  1. Fall contract modification should be coming to the board and will be due by December.
  2. 11.6 was sent on 10/7 - goals are not changed at all (some changes in academic that were removed and will discuss with leadership during November site visit)
  3. Fraud prevention training - board members do not need to complete (7-8 minutes)
  4. Building walkthrough on climate and culture observations at the end of October. Will discuss teacher licensure, hearing & vision needs to be completed by 11/1.
  5. 100% of board members need to complete 1 school visit at minimum but 2 or more get more stuff on the rubric.
  6. Tiffany Randle asked Allison Lentz when the fraud prevention training needs to be completed by 11/29.

III. Financials

A.

September Financials

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve receipt of the September financials.
Twana Rogers seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IV. Education/Program Report

A.

Education/Program Report

Ms. Esway delivered report. Highlights are included in written Education report attached to this agenda. 

V. Admissions, Enrollment, & Marketing Report

A.

Admissions, Enrollment, & Marketing Report

Ms. Esway delivered report. Highlights are included in written Admissions, Enrollment and Marketing report attached to this agenda. 

VI. Operations Report

A.

Operations Report

Ms. Esway delivered report. Highlights are included in written Operations report attached to this agenda. 

VII. Board Committees

A.

Audit & Finance

  1. Report to community on FY 24 and hopefully bringing to the board next month
  2. Dashboard to simplify and highlight the important points from financials 
  3. Reviewing list of members who want to join
  4. TR wants to continue reviewing the financials and when people ask questions, to continue going deeper and auditing the financials.

B.

Development

  1. We had an organizational meeting earlier this month and discussed the development plan that the board approved.
  2. Discussed resource needs in order to fully execute that plan
  3. Reviewed volunteers who were interested in development and leads to approach.
  4. We want to have at least 2 sub teams and also focus on getting our database cleaned up and ready to go for this year (LGL).
  5. Grants team and urban planning team (Jeff was willing to take the lead on some of that)
  6. Meeting on the second Tuesday of the month.

C.

School Culture

  1. Will be meeting (TR, TR, and anyone else interested) will have a planning meeting - idea is to meet monthly and likely to start in November 
  2. Setting an agenda for the school year and discussing ideas for 25/26.
  3. TR shared that there was a task force with parents a few years ago

D.

Enrollment Task Force

  1. Discussion on how to move the Enrollment task force forward. 

E.

Program Excellence Committee

  1. First meeting is 10/30
  2. Committee will be reviewing OKRs with committee, program guide, etc.
  3. Committee will be setting our initial set of action items

VIII. New Hires

A.

A. Daily Substitute

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve the hire of the Daily Substitute, Victoria Carroll for $130 a day.
Shruti Aring seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IX. Resignations

A.

Resignation

Teri Harrison made a motion to resignation of Hadiya Ivey as Admissions and Communications Manager effective 10/01/24.
Jeffrey Sugalski seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

X. Resolutions for Consideration: Academic

A.

Testing Stipend

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve the testing stipend in the amount of $100 for testing.
Teri Harrison seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

B.

Camp Nuhop Stipend

Teri Harrison made a motion to approve stipends for Caleb Evans ($200), Starr Coulson ($100).
Jeffrey Sugalski seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

PSI

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to table approving the service agreement with psi as presented.
Tiffany Randle seconded the motion.

After an initial motion to approve the agreement; There was discussion about tabling the motion because wrong contract was sent over by PSI.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

XI. Resolutions for Consideration: Admissions

A.

Project Assistant

Teri Harrison made a motion to approve adjusting the project assistant Renee Dornan up to full time 40 hours a week.
Shruti Aring seconded the motion.

Request for clarity.  The description says exempt but its a non-exempt position.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

XII. Resolutions for Considerations: Operations

A.

Power Wash Roof

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve the estimate with crystal clear to move forward with power washing the roof as presented.
Shruti Aring seconded the motion.

Discussion: authorized moving forward with crystal clear to provide services in powerwashing

 

  1. Amendment: motion to approve the estimate with crystal clear to move forward with power washing the roof as presented
    1. Discussion:  this is not very expensive and regular operations budgeted spend - maybe finance and audit can look at it.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to ensure the contractors license is bonded and insured.
Shruti Aring seconded the motion.
  1. Friendly amendment
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

B.

Overtime Athletics

  1. This discussion was tabled. 

C.

Accept Targeted Donation

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to accept $2500 to use for our music program.
Twana Rogers seconded the motion.
  1. Discussion -for music program and will be used for what is sent over
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

D.

Five Year Forecast and Updated Budget

Teri Harrison made a motion to approve 5 year forecast as presented.
Jeffrey Sugalski seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve the ODE Budget for FY25.
Teri Harrison seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

E.

Policy Review

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve career advising and success plans policy as presented.
Teri Harrison seconded the motion.
  1. Discussion - compliance item and has to be reviewed every two years
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

F.

Edison

Jeffrey Sugalski made a motion to approve hiring Jada and Kiara at a rate of $17.50 for afternoon Edison.
Twana Rogers seconded the motion.

Discussion - Question was asked about invoicing and plan on invoicing before sending anything out. 6 days of Edison left in October and providing Edison. As an analysis, when we think about total costs for the remainder of the year, we could be thinking about those six days in the totality of what it is but there needs to be more analysis. 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

XIII. Other Business

A.

New Item - PEC

  1. Discussion on whether or not PEC should come up with some sort of guidelines as to what our position as a school is on standardized testing and how we use it, etc. 
    1. There is a document that defines this and will shared.
    2. Comment:  PEC should spend time on that would be valuable or at least taking what exists and completing.
Teri Harrison made a motion to approve an unpaid leave of absence and extended FMLA protections for Rachel Schlosser after her leave and after FMLA leave.
Twana Rogers seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
  1. Building Update
    1. We are in the process of doing the loan refinance for the building. 
      1. We have lenders and due diligence requests right now
      2. Process will hopefully be wrapped up by December
      3. Current weekly meetings to talk through everything that’s needed
      4. Current loan did get extended another three months 

XIV. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:17 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jessica Esway

MISSION STATEMENT: Menlo Park Academy is a public school that develops the potential of gifted children through an exemplary program of rewarding experiences that nurtures the whole child.