Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Regular Board Meeting - February
Date and Time
Thursday February 23, 2023 at 6:30 PM
Location
Lisa Hildebrand (she/her/hers) is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Board Meeting LInk
Time: Mar 16, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the Third Thu, until Apr 20, 2023, 2 occurrence(s)
Mar 16, 2023 06:00 PM
Apr 20, 2023 06:00 PM
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Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMrcuuvrzIpEtXWHVvk2BCFeNEqeJCLIsVR/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGvqD4oHdWcsxGGRpwEBI_4a-3zmFhej7dlqzfTFSsBQCDQM8xnI7dVM_T5
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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
Cecilia Johnston (remote), Dominic Aguirre (remote), Liz Smiley (remote), Tom Mc Nerney (remote), Tricia McClain (remote)
Directors Absent
None
Directors who arrived after the meeting opened
Tom Mc Nerney
Ex Officio Members Present
Christi Sandbach (remote), Lisa Hildebrand (remote)
Non Voting Members Present
Christi Sandbach (remote), Lisa Hildebrand (remote)
Guests Present
Isabelle Rhodes (remote), Rudy Calasin (remote), Tony Biasotti (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance and Guests
C.
Virtual VCS Board Meeting
Board approval was requested to conduct the February board meeting virtually in compliance with AB 361.
If there is a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor, the same suspension of teleconferencing rules apply IF either state or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing or by Board vote finding imminent risk to health or safety of attendees.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Absent
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
D.
Mission Statement
Tricia McClain read the VCS Mission statement: VCS engages every student in meaningful and supportive learning experiences to grow resilient, educated, and socially intelligent human beings.
E.
Approval of Minutes for the Regular Board Meeting for January 19, 2023.
The minutes were amended to say that Cecilia Johnston attended the January 19th meeting remotely; therefore, she did not vote at this meeting.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Absent
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
F.
Approval of the Agenda
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Absent
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
G.
Consent Agenda
The consent agenda was requested for approval:
All items listed under consent are considered to be routine and may be enacted by approval of a single motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items; however, any item may be removed from the consent agenda upon request of any member of the Board and acted upon separately.
--Ratification of attached check register, purchase orders, summary of revenue and expenditures for the month of January 2023
--Gifts to School: None
--Credit Cards: December:
LHildebrand: $7,598.01
CSandbach: $1,209.73
January:
LHildebrand: $4,283.89
-Personnel:
-- Ratification of the resignation of Amanda Munoz, Bailey Donahue, and Kiah Camacho
--Ratification of the hiring of Signe Harvout and Sara Martinez, as .70 FTE paraeducators
--Ratification of the hiring of Tina Williams and Kristal Orrantia as paraeducator substitutes.
--Ratification of the hiring of Cloud Hamilton as a substitute
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Absent
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
H.
Upcoming Events
--February 24, 9:45am: VCS Enrollment Lottery
--March 13-16: CCSA Conference
--March 16, 17, 20, 21: Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
--April 3-7: Spring Break
--700 Forms due!
II. Communications
A.
Public Comments
There were no Public Comments.
B.
President and Board Report
Tricia agreed to attend the February enrollment lottery.
Tricia and Cecilia reported on attending the 2022 EL Education National Conference in Chicago.
C.
Board Committee Reports
The Finance Committee met to discuss the 2nd Interim Budget.
D.
Parent Liaison Report
No report was made as the PAC committee did not meet in December.
E.
Teacher Report
No report was made.
F.
Directors' Report
Christi Sandbach, Assistant Director, reported on:
* January Western Leadership Cohort Meeting in San Diego for EL Education with a visit to Conway Elementary School.
* Mid-Year Implementation Review is in process for our partnership with EL Education.
* K-2 teachers are working on ELA skills and Lakesha Anderson, Curriculum Coach from EL Education, visited to support this work.
* We have kicked off the new 5D Instructional Growth and Teacher Evaluation System with teachers being introduced to the process.
Lisa Hildebrand, Executive Director, reported on:
* We are searching for a Speech Teacher after the untimely and tragic death of Jami Beck, our current Speech Teacher.
* We continue to work with our School Designer, Sarah Purdy, in person each month. Each visit includes strategic planning and professional development.
* We were pleased to welcome Dominic Aguirre to our in-service CREW time!
* Classified evaluations are in process.
* Mid-Year Family Survey answers are being collected and analyzed.
G.
VCOE Director of Charter School Support and Oversight Report
No report was given.
III. Items Scheduled for Information, Discussion, and/or Action
A.
VCS Comprehensive School Safety Plan
In compliance with California Education Code (EC) sections 32280–32289, the VCS School Safety Plan is reviewed annually by staff, parents, and the Board and must be approved by March 1st. Board approval for the attached was requested.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Aye
|
B.
VCS School Calendar for 2023/2024
Board approval was requested for the school calendar for the 23/24 school year. The draft matches the VUSD calendar for vacation breaks.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
C.
2nd Interim Budget
The board heard a presentation regarding the 2nd Interim Budget. Board approval of the budget was requested. A discussion regarding the possibility of an off-schedule bonus of 3% for all staff was held. Additionally, there was discussion regarding the possibility or an additional on-schedule raise for the 23/24 school year. This would be dependent on enrollment projections being healthy and stable.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
D.
Local Teacher Assignment Option Policy Approval (Ed. Code § 44258.3)
Board approval of the School’s use of a local assignment option under Education Code section 44258.3 was requested.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Aye
|
E.
Employee Retention Credit Contract
The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a refundable tax credit for businesses that continued to pay employees while shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic or had significant declines in gross receipts from March 13, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2021. Eligible employers can claim the ERC on an original or adjusted employment tax return for a period within those dates.
Board ratification of the Employee Retention Credit Contract was requested.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
IV. Other Business
A.
Future Topics
--AB 361 Resolution for the March Board Meeting.
--700 Forms
--Audit Report
--ConApp
--PGonzalez
B.
Board Meeting Check In
A check-in of the Board Goals was conducted:
VCS Board Goals for the 2022/2023 School Year
Goal 1: Develop a well-governed organization- Governance Committee (Recruit diverse board members from the community, review/revise annual board survey, research a replacement for Board on Track.)
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, create an online presence, promote VCS as a leader in education in Ventura County)
The March Board Meeting was moved to March 23, 2023 at 6:30 PM.
V. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Aye
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Aye
|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
Tom McNerney arrived at 6:51 PM.