Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Regular Board Meeting - August
Date and Time
Thursday August 15, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Location
Ventura Charter School
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
Dominic Aguirre, Erika Dowd, Liz Smiley, Skye Stifel, Tricia McClain
Directors Absent
Sam Estes, Tom Mc Nerney
Ex Officio Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Non Voting Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Guests Present
Isabelle Rhode, Rudy Calasin
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance and Guests
C.
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.
D.
Approval of Minutes for the Regular Board Meeting for June 20, 2024
E.
Approval of minutes for Annual Board Retreat - August 9, 2024
F.
Approval of the Agenda
G.
Consent Agenda
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 July/August, 2024.
--Gifts to School: none
--Credit Cards: June:
LHildebrand: $3,077.35
CSandbach: $291.18
July:
LHildebrand: $1,435.42
CSandbach: $35.53
-Personnel:
**Hiring of Kelly Drevenstedt for the 2024/2025 school year.
**Hiring of Sara Siddens. 2nd grade long-term substitute. (This item was removed from the Consent Agenda)
**Hiring of Heather Johnston, Laurin Boland, and Thomas Falcone as Paraeducators at .65 fte
H.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
--August 15th - First day back for teachers
--August 18th - Campus Workday - come volunteer if you can! 9:00 - 2:00
--August 19th - Back to School Picnic - 5:30 - 7:00PM
--August 21st - First Day of School!!!
-August 29th - PAC Meeting - setting the 23/24 PAC budget
--September 2nd - No School - Labor Day
--September 10th - Back to School Night
--October 15th - 5:30 - 7:30PM - Board Governance Training
II. Communications
A.
Public Comments
None
B.
President and Board Report
None
C.
Directors' Report
The Directors reported on the activities they have been engaged in to start the school year.
D.
VCOE Director of Charter School Support and Oversight Report
VCOE is hosting a Charter Board Governance Workshop via Zoom on October 17th from 5:30 - 7:30.
III. Items Scheduled for Information, Discussion, and/or Action
A.
Board Committee Membership for the 2024/2025 School Year
The Board decided on the committee members for the 24/25 school year.
24/25 Board Committee Members:
Governance Committee: Liz Smiley (Chair), Dominic Aguirre, Tom McNerney
Finance Committee: Tricia McClain (Chair), Sam Estes, Erika Dowd
CEO Support and Evaluation Committee: Liz Smiley (Chair), Sam Estes, Skye Stifel
Fundraising Liaison: Sam Estes
B.
Annual Board Goals
The Board agreed upon the VCS Board Goals for the 2024/2025 school year.
VCS Board Goals for the 2024/2025 School Year:
Goal 1: Develop a well-governed organization- Governance Committee (Recruit diverse board members from the community, review/revise annual board survey.)
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, promote VCS as a leader in education in Ventura County)
C.
Executive Director Goals for the 2024-2025 School Year
The Board discussed the Executive Director's Goals for the 2024/2025 school year. All goals were approved, and a financial goal was discussed. However, a financial goal was not added.
D.
EL Education Workplan
The EL Education Workplan for the 24/25 school year was introduced and discussed.
E.
2024-2025 Employee Handbook
F.
2024-2025 VCS Parent/Student Handbook
G.
Approval of the 24/25 Title IX Policy
This year, the VCS law firm YMC recommended separating the Title IX policy from the Harassment, Intimidation, Discrimination, and Bullying Policy. These two policies comprise the Title IX policy from the 2023/2024 school year.
H.
Approval of the 24/25 Independent Study Policy and Master Agreement
This item was tabled until the September VCS Board Meeting.
I.
VCS Professional Boundaries Policy
J.
Attendance Policy
The Board was asked to approve the VCS Attendance Policy. The Board approved the policy. An updated policy will be brought to the Board in September. Skye Stifel wants our lawyers to look at adding language regarding Special Education students.
K.
VCS Workplace Prevention Violence Plan
This item was tabled until the September VCS Board Meeting.
L.
Salary Schedule
M.
Coverly Pro Contract
IV. Other Business
A.
Future Topics
Approval of the 24/25 Independent Study Policy and Master Agreement
Approval of the Attendance Policy
Approal of the VCS Workplace Prevention Violence Plan
B.
Board Meeting Check In
The Board discussed their progress on their goals:
VCS Board Goals for the 2024/2025 School Year:
Goal 1: Develop a well-governed organization- Governance Committee (Recruit diverse board members from the community, review/revise annual board survey.)
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, promote VCS as a leader in education in Ventura County)
Skye Stifel arrived at 6:38 PM