Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Annual Retreat - August
Date and Time
Tuesday August 11, 2026 at 3:00 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, Seana-Marie Sesna, Tom Mc Nerney
Directors Absent
None
Ex Officio Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Non Voting Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Guests Present
Elyse Martin
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
The Board held a Board Crew by discussing the meaning of their names.
B.
Annual Review of Board Bylaws
The Board made several edits to the Board Bylaws, which will be sent to a YMC lawyer for review before being brought back to the Board for a vote.
C.
Board Officer Elections
The Board decided to keep the same officers as the 2025/2026 school year for the 2026/2-27 school year.
Tom Mc Nerney - President
Sam Estes - Vice President
Liz Smiley - Treasurer
Erika Dowd - Secretary
D.
Board Meeting Date Selection 2026-2027
The Board decided on the following Board meeting dates for the 2026/2027 school year. All meetings start at 6:30pm.
August 20
September 17
October 22
November 19
December 17
January 21
February 18
March 18
April 15
May 20
June 17
E.
Board Committee Membership for the 2026/2027 School Year
The Board held a discussion and approved the following Board Committee members:
26/27 Board Committee Members:
Governance Committee: Tom Mc Nerney (Chair) and Sam Estes
Finance Committee: Liz Smiley (Chair), Tom Mc Nerney, and Seana-Marie Sesma
CEO Support and Evaluation Committee: Tom Mc Nerney (Chair), Erika Dowd, and Sam Estes
Fundraising Liaison: Seana-Marie Sesma
F.
Board Self Evaluation
The Board held a discussion about their self evaluation.
G.
Annual Board Goals
The Board began a discussion of its Board Goals. The goals will be brought back to the August Board Meeting.
H.
Board on Track Platform
The Board held a discussion regarding continuing with the Board on Track Platform. The Board decided to continue using the Board on Track Platform.
I.
Naturalist at Large Camping Trips
The Board held a discussion regarding the cost of the 5th and 8th grade yearly overnight camping trips. The cost has been growing as overnight trip donations have been dwindling. The Board will vote on whether to continue the trips with the school taking on the cost at a future meeting.
J.
Executive Director Goals for the 2026-2027 School Year
The Board ran out of time for this item. It will be brought to the August regular Board meeting.
K.
Executive Director Succession Plan
The Board ran out of time for this item. It will be brought to the August regular Board meeting.
The mission statement was read by Sam Estes.