Research Triangle High School
Minutes
Annual Board Retreat
Date and Time
Wednesday October 9, 2019 at 8:00 AM
Location
The Frontier RTP (Blue Ridge Room) - Building 800 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
- What’s worked, what hasn’t – Please use Assessment Results from Board on Track as an input
- Key challenges
- Goals – 1 year and longer
In addition, we would like input from each committee on their view of the 1 or 2 recommended Board Priorities for the year.
Directors Present
A. Quigley, C. Mugge, C. Rao, E. Cunningham, G. Rodgers, M. Johnson, S. Rivers-Kobler, V. Vojnovich
Directors Absent
R. Cohn, S. Mcmullan, T. Medhin
Guests Present
E. Grunden, M. Hall, N. Danehower
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
G. Rodgers called a meeting of the board of directors of Research Triangle High School to order on Wednesday Oct 9, 2019 at 8:50 AM.
II. Monthly Board Meeting
A.
Abbreviated Board Meeting
Board meeting was held, previous month draft minutes were approved and CSO report was discussed.
III. Overview and Icebreaker
A.
Introduction and Ice Breaker Exercise
- Introduction by all; Guests: Maime Hall, Dean of Students and Nan Danehower, Curriculum and Instruction Director
- Ice breaker game
- Innovation to be the focus as has been in the past and to continue
- Make a clear distinction between Board role vs. Role of CSO
- Ice breaker game
- Innovation to be the focus as has been in the past and to continue
- Make a clear distinction between Board role vs. Role of CSO
IV. CEO Update
A.
CEO Update
Innovations this year:
- District C program: Students work as a Research team with a company; working on actual products; course designed accordingly; Freshman starting on this right through their senior level; team based sponsored project
- Internships with new companies (CISCO, Ubisoft)
- Advanced research(reading papers, communicating about their work, placing them in industrial sector) and physics course
- Building science beyond core requirements
- Develop quality of tools to assess PL
- Revaluating management work done in the past; thinking more strategically
- Creating responsible use of technology for critical thinking - more so in 9th Grade than 12th Grade; Students have knowledge about excel worksheets and comfortable working in it
- Have an effective college preparatory model
Challenges
- Physical Plant
- Adapting to change in administrative capacity
- Mission Compliance
- Evolution of Educational Program (adapt Summit program for RTHS's innovation mission; use PLP but adapt it to define RTHS's uniqueness; a process to change the platform after discussion with staff; need to know if it is worth it; maybe a 2-yr process)
- Faculty Working Conditions
- Faculty hiring
Strategic Initiatives
- Partnering with Kestrel Heights?
- Working on changing daily schedules (some constraints everyday)
- Backfilling 11th and 12th grade?
- Measures of achievement not so high or as much as it should be
- Diversity initiative for hiring faculty?
- District C program: Students work as a Research team with a company; working on actual products; course designed accordingly; Freshman starting on this right through their senior level; team based sponsored project
- Internships with new companies (CISCO, Ubisoft)
- Advanced research(reading papers, communicating about their work, placing them in industrial sector) and physics course
- Building science beyond core requirements
- Develop quality of tools to assess PL
- Revaluating management work done in the past; thinking more strategically
- Creating responsible use of technology for critical thinking - more so in 9th Grade than 12th Grade; Students have knowledge about excel worksheets and comfortable working in it
- Have an effective college preparatory model
Challenges
- Physical Plant
- Adapting to change in administrative capacity
- Mission Compliance
- Evolution of Educational Program (adapt Summit program for RTHS's innovation mission; use PLP but adapt it to define RTHS's uniqueness; a process to change the platform after discussion with staff; need to know if it is worth it; maybe a 2-yr process)
- Faculty Working Conditions
- Faculty hiring
Strategic Initiatives
- Partnering with Kestrel Heights?
- Working on changing daily schedules (some constraints everyday)
- Backfilling 11th and 12th grade?
- Measures of achievement not so high or as much as it should be
- Diversity initiative for hiring faculty?
V. Committee Updates
A.
Finance Update
- School has done very well with cash reserves
WORKING SESSION
WORKING SESSION
1.Educate Board members on charter school finances
2.Educate & make Board comfortable with Audit process
3.Work with Eric to ensure we end the year with the required surplus amount
4.Establish the appropriate model to attract, develop and retain outstanding teachers
5.Ensure access to top tier students from diverse demographics through strategic outreach and recruitment
6.Establish a plan to provide transportation to attract and retain students who would otherwise not have access to the school
7.Develop outstanding internship opportunities at local tech centers
8.Develop a plan for Facility expansions
9.Evaluate Bond Buyback and other financial options to improve operational cash flow
B.
Academic Excellence Update
WORKING SESSION:
1. Establish a Student subgroup growth and performance study (data, priorities)
2. Study and Understand Fluctuation in Math I scores
3. Look at MAP assessment data (or additional independent measures of growth)
4. Develop and Implement an Alumni survey program
C.
Development Update
WORKING SESSION:
1 .Update Parents’ Employer Roster
2. Establish Target Companies
3. Leverage parents and/or board members to establish connection with targeted organizations
4. Update RTHS Pitchbook (including students’ stories)
5. Ask board member and/or parent to present at initial meeting with the Community Outreach team (Cornelius and Ashley)
6. Hold more volunteer events for families (Raptor Refresh)
7. Continue to work on community building events
8. Establish a Direct Mail Campaign
9. Establish a Giving Tuesday Campaign
10. Establish the Raptor Fund as the single fundraising vehicle
11. Parents and other stakeholders are confused where to give money/frustrated by all of the different asks from various internal groups
12. Streamline all giving into the Raptor Fund
13. Establish an internal RTHS grant program
13. Establish an internal RTHS grant program
D.
Governance Update
WORKING SESSION:
1. Use the BOT Terms Function to identify three year recruitment needs
2. Continue non Board Members serving on committees to as possible Board Pipeline
3. Establish a Board Pipeline list: gathered from CSO and Board Members
4. Establish a standard set of information and questions to use with Board Recruits to help ensure a good fit and availability to serve on Board
5. Finalize the Board Member Orientation Framework
6. Partner with CEO to focus on CEO Awareness and involvement in Governance
7. Partner with CEO to ensure Board supports CEO’s Strategic Plan
8. Formalize a Short-Term and Long-Term CEO Succession Plan
VI. Work Session
A.
Develop Unified Set of Actions
- Investment Priority List
- Operational
- Capital (Need to act on it soon to make it effective)
- Alumni Focus
- Success?
- Development
- Parent Grade Teams for Financial Development and other needs
- Communications to the Board
- Continuity for Committee (Chairs & Officers)
- Operational
- Capital (Need to act on it soon to make it effective)
- Alumni Focus
- Success?
- Development
- Parent Grade Teams for Financial Development and other needs
- Communications to the Board
- Continuity for Committee (Chairs & Officers)
B.
Review Action Item List
Action item list/3 top Board priorities FOR 2019/2020 will be considered and reviewed next week as PART II of the RETREAT
Part II or FOLLOW ON: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019 (5.30 pm to 7.00 pm)
Attendees present:
Gary Rodgers
Alex Quigley
Carmen Mugge
Eric Grunden
Sherida McMullan
Elizabeth Cunningham
Chaya Rao
Guest:
Amanda (Auditor)
Absent:
Mark Johnson
Tsegga Medhin
Sondra Rivers-Kobler
Victoria Vojnovich
1. Meeting called to order at 5.33 pm
2. 5.39: Review of draft letter and financial statement by - Amanda
Unmodified opinion: highest level a school can achieve in accordance with accounting principles of US
Revenue increase over 4.8%
Restricted: Cash held by bondholder (relates to debt agreement)
Strong and financially sound school: Net position $957,231
Student enrolment increased in 2019; State and County revenue increased also
Footnotes: Reporting Entity - Name in Contemporary Science Center as stated in the Charter
Significant asset purchases this year - Student equipment
Future schedule - what school will be paying out through maturity
In testing, found no issues
Local government commission will review the draft financial statement after Board approves
6.08 pm: Carmen made motion to approve the draft Financial Statement; seconded by Sherida MacMullan. Unanimous decision by Board
6.16 pm: DISCUSSION ON BOARD PRIORITIES
1. FINANCE:
Multi-use Facility
- Talk to county first/talk to RTHS architect; already familiar with the system here and to some extent, the needs
- Do an evaluation
- Put the wish list down first
Transportation
- bucketing in this regard - also, an Activity bus ($50k in the budget; priority for the school)
2. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE:
Recruit/Retain quality teachers
Performance of all students
- student subgroup growth & performance (data, priorities)
- resources required to support
3. DEVELOPMENT:
Board members to join conference calls with corporate stakeholders
Using CRM approach to manage stakeholders (helps to connect with alumni etc)
Stories to be related in Pitchbooks - updating it
Fundraising plan for multi-use facility for the school
4. GOVERNANCE:
Board recruitment and pipeline
- Get 2 more
Board orientation
5. CSO STRATEGIC PLAN
Succession plan
Emergency relocation
- most work done online
- open communication channel
- easy to access
Improve community relationship
Full school evacuation drill this year
Chaya Rao made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7.04 pm; Carmen Mugge seconded it. Unanimous decision
Adjourn
Part II or FOLLOW ON: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019 (5.30 pm to 7.00 pm)
Attendees present:
Gary Rodgers
Alex Quigley
Carmen Mugge
Eric Grunden
Sherida McMullan
Elizabeth Cunningham
Chaya Rao
Guest:
Amanda (Auditor)
Absent:
Mark Johnson
Tsegga Medhin
Sondra Rivers-Kobler
Victoria Vojnovich
1. Meeting called to order at 5.33 pm
2. 5.39: Review of draft letter and financial statement by - Amanda
Unmodified opinion: highest level a school can achieve in accordance with accounting principles of US
Revenue increase over 4.8%
Restricted: Cash held by bondholder (relates to debt agreement)
Strong and financially sound school: Net position $957,231
Student enrolment increased in 2019; State and County revenue increased also
Footnotes: Reporting Entity - Name in Contemporary Science Center as stated in the Charter
Significant asset purchases this year - Student equipment
Future schedule - what school will be paying out through maturity
In testing, found no issues
Local government commission will review the draft financial statement after Board approves
6.08 pm: Carmen made motion to approve the draft Financial Statement; seconded by Sherida MacMullan. Unanimous decision by Board
6.16 pm: DISCUSSION ON BOARD PRIORITIES
1. FINANCE:
Multi-use Facility
- Talk to county first/talk to RTHS architect; already familiar with the system here and to some extent, the needs
- Do an evaluation
- Put the wish list down first
Transportation
- bucketing in this regard - also, an Activity bus ($50k in the budget; priority for the school)
2. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE:
Recruit/Retain quality teachers
Performance of all students
- student subgroup growth & performance (data, priorities)
- resources required to support
3. DEVELOPMENT:
Board members to join conference calls with corporate stakeholders
Using CRM approach to manage stakeholders (helps to connect with alumni etc)
Stories to be related in Pitchbooks - updating it
Fundraising plan for multi-use facility for the school
4. GOVERNANCE:
Board recruitment and pipeline
- Get 2 more
Board orientation
5. CSO STRATEGIC PLAN
Succession plan
Emergency relocation
- most work done online
- open communication channel
- easy to access
Improve community relationship
Full school evacuation drill this year
Chaya Rao made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7.04 pm; Carmen Mugge seconded it. Unanimous decision
Adjourn
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned.
VII. 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 12:00 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
G. Rodgers