Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Annual Retreat - August
Date and Time
Monday August 11, 2025 at 6:00 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
Erika Dowd, Liz Smiley, Sam Estes, Tom Mc Nerney, Tricia McClain
Directors Absent
None
Ex Officio Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Non Voting Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance and Guests
C.
Mission Statement
D.
Approval of the Agenda
II. Communications
A.
Public Comments
None.
III. Items Scheduled for Information, Discussion, and/or Action
A.
VCS Board Crew
Lisa led the Board in a Crew activity that involved a tour of the improvements and needs for the facility.
B.
Annual Review of Board Bylaws
The Board reviewed the Board Bylaws.
C.
Board Officer Elections
The Board nominated the following slate for the 2025/2026 Board Officers:
Tom McNerney - President
Sam Estes - Vice President
Erika Dowd - Secretary
Liz Smiley - CFO
D.
Board Meeting Date Selection 2025-2026
The Board suggested the following dates for the 2025/2026 Board Meeting dates:
The 3rd Thursday of each month for the 2025/2026 school year are as follows (except June):
August 21
September 18
October 16
November 20
December 18
January 15
February 19
March 19
April 16
May 21
June 23
E.
Board Committee Membership for the 2024/2025 School Year
The Board nominated the following Committee Members for the 2025/2026 school year:
Governance Committee: Tom McNerney (chair) and Tricia McClain
Finance Committee: Liz Smiley (chair), Sam Estes, and Tricia McClain
CEO Support and Evaluation Committee: Tom McNerney (chair), Erika Dowd, and Sam Estes
Fundraising Liaison: Sam Estes
F.
Board Self Evaluation
The Board discussed the annual Board Self Evaluation.
G.
Annual Board Goals
The Board discussed their annual Board Goals. Tom will write them up and they will be voted on at the regular August Board Meeting.
H.
Executive Director Goals for the 2025-2026 School Year
The Executive Director Goals for the 2025-2026 School Year will be presented at the regular August Board Meeting.
Tom read the Mission Statement:
VCS engages every student in meaningful and supportive learning experiences to grow resilient, educated, and socially intelligent human beings.