Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Regular Board Meeting - August
Date and Time
Thursday August 20, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Location
Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
2060 Cameron Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Room 20
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD BY PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY
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 Sesma, 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, Leesander Almaraz, Stephanie Tauber
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance and Guests
C.
Mission Statement
D.
Approval of Minutes from June 23, 2026
E.
Approval of the minutes from August 11, 2026
F.
Approval of the Agenda
G.
Consent Agenda
Correction to Consent Agenda: Jennifer Butler, not Jennifer Barley resigned.
H.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events were discussed.
II. Communications
A.
Public Comments
None
B.
President and Board Report
None
C.
Board Committee Reports
None
D.
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) Liaison Report
Stephanie Tauber presented a PAC report.
E.
Teacher Report
Elyse Martin presented a teacher slide show introducing the teaching teams.
F.
Directors' Report
The Assistant Director and Executive Director presented their reports.
G.
VCOE Director of Charter School Support and Oversight Report
None
III. Items Scheduled for Information, Discussion, and/or Action
A.
VCS Board Goals
B.
VCS Salary Schedule
C.
OT Addendum
D.
Consideration and Approval of Funding for 5th and 8th Grade Camping Trips
E.
Exceptionally Good Leadership, LLC Agreement
F.
VCS Cell Phone Policy
It was agreed that this policy should be brought to lawyers during renewal before being voted on.
G.
Executive Director Goals for the 2026/2027 School Year
H.
Executive Director Succession Plan
This will be brought to the September Board meeting due to the clerical error of it being listed as a FYI item instead of a vote.
I.
VCS IRS Form 990
J.
VUSD Lease Agreement
IV. Other Business
A.
Future Topics
--October 1 - Brown Act Training
--October Board Meeting - Marlo Governance Training
B.
Board Meeting Check In
The Board checked in about their 2026/2027 Board Goals.
The VCS Mission Statement was read by Liz Smiley.