Northwood Academy Charter School

Minutes

Monthly Board Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday October 18, 2023 at 5:30 PM

This is a public meeting of the Board of Trustees of Northwood Academy Charter School that was properly advertised pursuant to the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act. The public meeting schedule is posted at the school and on the website.

Members of the public are invited to participate by submitting written comments via email (board@northwoodcs.org). All written testimony should include the individual’s name, home address and topic. During the public comment section of the meeting, board members will read into the record short summaries of comments, grouped by topic, and will note the number of individuals submitting comments.

Please Note: In the interest of the health of our staff, board members and public and in alignment with public health guidelines regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board has adjusted the way in which it holds its meetings. The meetings will be accessible to the public via Zoom and recorded.

Zoom Link to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84770355559

Trustees Present

C. Holmes (remote), D. Kleschick (remote), E. Langston (remote), E. Williams (remote), K. Spraga (remote), M. McLeish (remote), T. Caldwell (remote), W. Young (remote)

Trustees Absent

D. Hill-Hennie, V. Cofield

Guests Present

A. Mohamad (remote), A. Sawyer (remote), B. Guillory (remote), D. Abellard (remote), N. Snyder (remote), T. Hunt (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

D. Kleschick called a meeting of the board of trustees of Northwood Academy Charter School to order on Wednesday Oct 18, 2023 at 5:43 PM.

B.

Record Attendance and Guests

C.

Reading of Mission Statement

Presented by Paul Kleshick

D.

Resolution 101823.1: Approval of Agenda

T. Caldwell made a motion to Approve.
C. Holmes seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

E.

Resolution 101823.2: Approval of Previous Minutes

D. Kleschick made a motion to approve the minutes from August 16th, 2023 Monthly Board Meeting on 08-16-23.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

F.

Community Comment

Public comment did not appear.

II. Committee Reports

A.

Academic Excellence Committee

B.

Governance Committee

C.

Human Resource Committee (Ad Hoc)

D.

Finance Committee

III. Staff Reports

A.

CEO

Presented by Eric Langston

B.

DOO

Presented by Averyel Sawyer.

C.

Special Education & Student Support

Presented by Barbara Guillory.

D.

Human Resources

E.

Principal Report

Presented by Principal Abellard.

IV. Executive Session

A.

Executive Session

D. Kleschick made a motion to move to Executive Session.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.

at 6:19pm

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
D. Kleschick made a motion to Return to Public Session.
T. Caldwell seconded the motion.

at 6:57

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
D. Kleschick made a motion to Amend the agenda to include a Resolution for Hearing Officers.
W. Young seconded the motion.

Public comment made by Sommer Sigler at 7:02pm.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

V. Finance

A.

Resolution 10182023.003: Discussion of Financials

Discussed by Michael McLeish.

VI. Human Resources

A.

HR Initiatives Timeline

Presented by Tracee Hunt.

B.

Personnel (Key Performance Indicator)

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
C. Holmes seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

Resolution 10182023.4: College & Career Position Request

T. Caldwell made a motion to Approve.
D. Kleschick seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

D.

Resolution 10182023.5: Second Social Worker Position Request

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

E.

Resolution 10182023.6: Additional Dean Request

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
T. Caldwell seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

F.

Resolution 10182023.7: Jounce Partners Position Request

T. Caldwell made a motion to Approve.
D. Kleschick seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

G.

Resolution 10182023.8: HR SPED Search

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
T. Caldwell seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

H.

Resolution 10182023.9: Retained Search Principal Contract

K. Spraga made a motion to Approve.
C. Holmes seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

I.

Resolution 10182023.10: Org Chart Update

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

J.

Resolution 10182023.11: New Position Request for Executive Assistant to CEO

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

VII. New Business

A.

Oath of Office, Newly Appointed Trustees

D. Kleschick made a motion to Cure the term for Kristine Spraga.

Oath read by McKenna

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
E. Williams
Aye
V. Cofield
Absent
W. Young
Aye
C. Holmes
Aye
K. Spraga
Abstain
T. Caldwell
Aye
D. Kleschick
Aye
D. Hill-Hennie
Absent

B.

Resolution for Hearing

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.

Amendment made to include Resolution for Hearing Officers.

 

Resolution of the Board of Trustees
of the Northwood Academy
Charter School

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees for the Northwood Academy Charter School
recognizes the necessity of ensuring that all students subjected to disciplinary proceedings in the form of a formal hearing be afforded due process;


WHEREAS, those appointed as hearing officers by the Board of Trustees to ensure such due process shall exhibit high ethical and moral character;


WHEREAS, the hearing officers shall be impartial, disinterested, and objective, including, but not limited to having no financial or personal interest in the outcome of the hearing and having no prior involvement with the child, whether personally or professionally;
 

WHEREAS, those hearing officers must have the ability to objectively analyze the evidence presented by all parties in accordance with applicable Federal and Pennsylvania laws and regulations, as well as relevant policies, to develop a recommendation for discipline that will be presented to the Board of Trustees;
 

WHEREAS, all members of the Board of Trustees are duly qualified and shall be appointed to serve as hearing officers on behalf of the Northwood Academy Charter School for the duration of his or her term as a member of the Board of Trustees;
 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees requires at least one (1) hearing officer to be present to form a quorum in order to preside over a formal disciplinary hearing; and
 

WHEREAS, the hearing officers will be administered an Oath of Office upon assuming this responsibility. 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Northwood Academy Charter School adopts this Resolution in support of the qualifications for hearing officers and the quorum requirement and hereby appoints each member of the Board of Trustees to serve as a hearing officer on behalf of the Northwood Academy Charter School for the duration of his or her term as a member of the Board of Trustees.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

Resolution 10182023.12: Settlement of Former Employee 2023.03

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

D.

Resolution 10182023.13: 10/18/2023 Memo

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

E.

Resolution 10182023.14: Settlement for Student 163-23

K. Spraga made a motion to Approve.
D. Kleschick seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

F.

Resolution 10182023.15: Settlement for Student 115-23

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

G.

Resolution 10182023.16: Settlement for Student 148.22

T. Caldwell made a motion to Approve.
D. Kleschick seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

H.

Resolution 10182023.17: Settlement for Student 399.23

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
T. Caldwell seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

I.

Resolution 10182023.18: Appoint new CEO

D. Kleschick made a motion to Approve.
T. Caldwell seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

J.

Resolution 10182023.18: 2023-2024 Student/Parent Handbook

T. Caldwell made a motion to Approve.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

VIII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:29 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
D. Kleschick
D. Kleschick made a motion to End meeting at 7:29.
K. Spraga seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.