Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Minutes
Regular Board Meeting - January
Date and Time
Thursday January 16, 2025 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
Erika Dowd, Sam Estes, Skye Stifel, Tom Mc Nerney, Tricia McClain
Directors Absent
Liz Smiley
Ex Officio Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Non Voting Members Present
Christi Sandbach, Lisa Hildebrand
Guests Present
Isabelle Rhode, Jenny Barley, Marlo Hartsuyker, Rudy Calasin
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 November 21, 2024
E.
Approval of the Agenda
F.
Consent Agenda
The consent agenda was presented for approval.
--Ratification of attached check register, purchase orders, summary of revenue and expenditures for the months of November and December, 2024.
--Gifts to School:
$1,000.00 Douglas
$5,000.0 - Richard Lewis
$10,000.00 - Steven&Jessica Thiel
$500.00 - Shady Hakim
--Credit Cards:
November
LHildebrand: $7,129.54
CSandbach: $378.38
December
LHildebrand: $1,818.29
CSandbach: $3,056.15
-Personnel:
**none
G.
Upcoming Events
The Board heard about upcoming events.
--January 20 - No School - Martin Luther King Day
--January 24 - End of 1st Semester
--January 27 - Beginning of 2nd Semester
--February 3 - No School - Teacher In Service
--February 10 - No School - Board Holiday
-- February 17 - No School - President's Day
--February 20 - VCS Board Meeting
--February 21 - VCS Lottery for 25/26 Student Enrollment
II. Communications
A.
Public Comments
None.
B.
President and Board Report
Skye Stiffel spoke about the EL Education National Conference that she attended in December with four staff members.
C.
Board Committee Reports
None.
D.
Teacher Report
Jenny Barley talked about the third grade Steelhead Trout expedition and the 7th/8th grade expedition exploring the dangers of plastics to our environment.
E.
Directors' Report
Chrsiti Sandbach, Assistant Director, and Lisa Hildebrand, Executive Director, presented their reports.
F.
VCOE Director of Charter School Support and Oversight Report
Marlo Hartsuyker encouraged the Board to attend the annual VCOE Equity Conference in March at VCOE.
III. Items Scheduled for Information, Discussion, and/or Action
A.
Coverly Pro Marketing Presentation
Coverly Pro Marketing presented the metrics of the social media campaigns they have run for VCS over the past three years.
B.
Approval of the 2024-2025 Consolidation Application - Winter Release
It was requested that the Board approve the 2024-2025 Consolidation Application - Winter Release.
C.
VCS 2024 Audit Report
It was requested that the Board approve the VCS 2024 Audit Report.
D.
VCS Salary Schedule
It was requested that the Board approve the VCS Salary Schedule which updated the teachers salary schedule to reflect the new minimum wage in California which went into effect on January 1, 2025. The schedule also updated the hourly rate for the hourly School Psychologist position.
E.
VCS Administration of Medication Policy
It was requested that the Board approve the VCS Administration of Medication Policy.
F.
2025/2026 VCS School Calendar
It was requested that the Board approve the 2025/2026 VCS School Calendar.
IV. Other Business
A.
Future Topics
--700 forms due by April 1.
--VCS Safety Plan
--LCAP Mid-Year Review
B.
Board Meeting Check In
The Board discussed their 2024/2025 VCS Board 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)
The Board discussed their 2024/2025 goals.
Skye read the VCS Mission Statement.
VCS engages every student in meaningful and supportive learning experiences to grow resilient, educated, and socially intelligent human beings.