Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Regular Board Meeting - June
Date and Time
Thursday June 26, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Location
Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
2060 Cameron Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Room 20
The Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education (“School”) welcomes your participation at the School’s Board meetings. The purpose of the public meeting of the Board of Directors (“Board”) is to conduct the affairs of the School in public. We are pleased that you are in attendance and hope that you will visit these meetings often. We honor our partners in education. We recognize that we are a collective group of teachers, parents, students, and community. We encourage written and verbal communication. Your participation is vital to the healthy operation of our school. Our guidelines:
- Agendas are available to all audience members at the door to the meeting and online at venturacharterschool.org
- “Request to Speak” forms are available to all audience members who wish to speak on any agenda item(s) or under the general category of “Oral Communications”.
- “Public Comments" is set aside for members of the audience to address the Board. However, due to public meeting laws, the Board can only listen to your issue, not respond or take action. These presentations are limited to five (5) minutes each and total time allotted to non-agenda items that will not exceed thirty (30) minutes. The Board may give direction to staff to respond to your concern or you may be offered the opinion of returning with a community-requested item.
- With regard to items that are on the agenda, you may specify that agenda item on your request form and you will be given an opportunity to speak for up to five (5) minutes when the Board discusses that item.
- When addressing the Board, speakers are requested to state their name and affiliation with the School.
- Community members may request that a topic related to School business be placed on future agenda in accordance with the guidelines in Board Governance Policy. Once such an item is properly agendized and publicly noticed, the Board can discuss, respond, and possibly act upon such an item.
- In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and upon request, the School may furnish reasonable auxiliary aids and services to qualified individuals with disabilities. Individuals who require appropriate alternative modification of the agenda in order to participate in Board meetings are invited to contact the Director’s office. To request assistance contact (805) 648-5503.
- Public requests for agenda and materials should be directed in writing to the Executive Director at lisa.h@venturacharterschool.us
- Board agendas for regular meetings are posted 72 hours in advance at www.venturacharterschool.org and at 2060 Cameron Street, Ventura, CA 93001.
Directors Present
Liz Smiley, Sam Estes, Tom Mc Nerney, Tricia McClain
Directors Absent
Erika Dowd
Ex Officio Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Non Voting Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Guests Present
Isabelle Rhode, Rudy Calasin
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance and Guests
C.
Mission Statement
D.
Approval of Minutes for the Regular Board Meeting for May 29, 2025
E.
Approval of the Agenda
It was requested that Item M be moved to the beginning.
F.
Consent Agenda
G.
Upcoming Events
--July 1 - July 31 - VCS Office Closed
--August 1 - VCS Office Reopens
--August - Board Retreat (TBD)
II. Communications
A.
Public Comments
None
B.
President and Board Report
None
C.
Board Committee Reports
Finance Committee met to discuss the 2025/2026 adopted budget which will be presented to the Board at this meeting.
CEO Support and Evaluation Committee met in closed session at the May Board Meeting to discuss the Executive Director's Evaluation.
D.
Teacher Report
None.
E.
Directors' Report
The Board heard Director's reports which included information regarding the closing of the school for the year and the work that VUSD will be performing on the portables that have floors that are breaking due to sinking into the shifting dirt they are sitting on.
F.
VCOE Director of Charter School Support and Oversight Report
None.
III. Items Scheduled for Information, Discussion, and/or Action
A.
Board Nominating Committee
The Board Nominating Committee recommended that Tricia McClain extend her term for one more year.
B.
Approval of the 2025-2026 Local Control Accountability Plan
C.
Approval – 2025 Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSP) Update, including Extreme-Weather Annex & Instructional Continuity Plan (ICP)
D.
Approval of the 2025-2026 Adopted Budget
E.
Appproval of the 2025-2026 Proposition 30 Spending Plan
F.
Approval of the 2025-2026 Salary Schedule
This salary schedule adds more steps to the Speech Language Pathologist position, which previously had only one step.
G.
Approval of the L:ocal Agency Executive Compensation Report
Executive Director is on Step 8.
Assistant Director is on Step 6.
Both Directors receive the full annual health and welfare cap.
H.
Approval of the 2025-2026 Consolidated Application (Spring Release)
I.
Approval of the 2024-25 Proposition 28 Annual Report
J.
Approval of the EL Education 25/26 Contract
K.
Approval of the Charter Safe Contract Renewal
This item was tabled for August.
L.
Apollo 25/26 Contract
M.
Resignation of a Board Member
This was moved to the first item. Skye resigned before the meeting began.
IV. Other Business
A.
Future Topics
--St. Paul Lease Agreement
--Charter Safe Agreement
B.
Board Meeting Check In
The Board checked in on their goals.
VCS Board Goals for the 2024/2025 School Year:
Goal 1: Develop a well-governed organization- Governance Committee (Recruit diverse board members from the community, review/revise annual board survey.)
Goal 2: Students progressing towards the highest level of achievement.
Goal 3: Build community presence/outreach for a sustainable organization (Marketing plan, increase enrollment and a waiting list, promote VCS as a leader in education in Ventura County)
V. Closed Session
A.
Motion to go to Closed Session
B.
Return to Regular Session
C.
Report of Action Taken in Closed Session
No action was taken.
Liz read the VCS Mission Statement:
VCS engages every student in meaningful and supportive learning experiences to grow resilient, educated, and socially intelligent human beings.