Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Regular Board Meeting - November
Date and Time
Tuesday November 14, 2023 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
Cecilia Johnston, Dominic Aguirre, Liz Smiley, Skye Stifel, Tom Mc Nerney, Tricia McClain
Directors Absent
None
Directors who arrived after the meeting opened
Tricia McClain
Ex Officio Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Non Voting Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Guests Present
Isabelle Rhode, Mahika Morin, Rudy Calasin, Tony Biasotti
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 October, 2023
E.
Approval of the minutes from the Finance Committee Meeting - October 2023
Removed from the Agenda
F.
Approval of the Agenda
The Agenda was approved with the removal of item 1. E. Approval of the minutes from the Finance Committee Meeting - October 2023
G.
Consent Agenda
Approval was requested for the Consent Agenda:
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 September 2023.
--Gifts to School: none
--Credit Cards:
October:
LHildebrand: $3,820.38
CSandbach: $4,708.71
-Personnel:
--Substitute Teacher: Tilford Jackson
--50% Special Education Teacher: Sara Papagni
H.
Upcoming Events
--Reminder to do a testimonial for our marketing team.
--November 17th - Feast! - Arroyo Verde Park - Join at 11:30 if you'd like to Feast - Bring your own plates/utensils - Possibly canceled due to rain
--November 22-24 - No School - Thanksgiving
--November 29 - December 2 - EL Education National Conference
--December 8 - Winter Boutique
--December 25 - January 5 - Winter Break
II. Communications
A.
Public Comments
There were no public comments
B.
President and Board Report
There was no president or board report
C.
Board Committee Reports
Cece reported that the Governance Committee has reached out to three interested potential Board members.
D.
Parent Liaison Report
Tony reported on the PAC's discussion regarding feedback from the Campout and potentially using parent drivers for field trips again.
E.
Staff/Teacher Report
Mahika shared pictures of the 1st-grade walking field trip to the Avenue library and Kellogg Park.
F.
Directors' Report
The 5D+ Teacher Growth Plan program was discussed along with the Pre-Inquiry Conferences Christi and Lisa have held with each classroom teacher.
G.
VCOE Director of Charter School Support and Oversight Report
No report was given
III. Items Scheduled for Information, Discussion, and/or Action
A.
1st Interim Budget
The Board heard a presentation on the 1st Interim Budget by Isabelle Rhodes. The 1st Interim Budget includes a 3% on-schedule salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2023.
B.
Updated 2023/2024 Salary Schedule
The Board was asked to approve the updated 2023/2024 Salary Schedule which includes a 3% on-schedule salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2023.
C.
2024/2025 VCS School Calendar
D.
Data Team Stipend
The Board is requested to approve a $500 stipend per semester for credentialed teacher members of the Data Team. The team meets regularly to discuss data trends for VCS students by grade level and sub-groups and works with classroom teachers to make recommendations for individual student intervention plans. For the 2023/2024 school year this is a $5,000 stipend.
E.
Travel Reimbursement
The Board was requested to approve the Travel Reimbursement rates changing the rate for daily food from $50 per day to $69 per day.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Tom Mc Nerney |
Aye
|
| Dominic Aguirre |
Aye
|
| Tricia McClain |
Aye
|
| Liz Smiley |
Abstain
|
| Cecilia Johnston |
Aye
|
| Skye Stifel |
Aye
|
IV. Other Business
A.
Future Topics
Liz will miss the January meeting. Tom will act as President.
B.
Board Meeting Check In
The Board checked in on their 2023/2024 Board Goals.
VCS Board Goals for the 2023/2024 School Year
Goal 1: Develop a well-governed organization- Governance Committee (Recruit diverse board members from the community, Develop Short & Long Term Executive Director Succession Plan. CEO Evaluation Committee: Redo CEO Evaluation Survey.)
Goal 2: Students progressing towards the highest level of achievement.
Goal 3: Build community presence/outreach for a sustainable organization (Marketing plan, increase Home School Program enrollment and waiting list, create an online presence, promote VCS as a leader in education in Ventura County.)
Tom McNerney read the VCS mission statement.
VCS engages every student in meaningful and supportive learning experiences to grow resilient, educated, and socially intelligent human beings.