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Edison School of the Arts

Minutes

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday January 15, 2019 at 5:30 PM

Edison School of the Arts Mission is to continue to be an educational and artful resource for all students, parents, community, and staff members by consistent and focused professional development, invitational practices by all, utilizing quarterly and annual reviews. We will continue to develop our educational and arts aesthetic by expanding our arts experiences, exposure, and partnerships. 

Directors Present

E. Disney-Britton, G. Wallis, K. Feeney-Caito, T. Givens, T. Overdorf

Directors Absent

H. Leck

Ex Officio Members Present

N. Tuttle

Non Voting Members Present

N. Tuttle

Guests Present

A. Berns, C. Jones, P. Guthrie

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

E. Disney-Britton called a meeting of the board of directors of Edison School of the Arts to order on Tuesday Jan 15, 2019 at 5:30 PM.

B.

Record Attendance and Guests

C.

Adoption of the Agenda

T. Givens made a motion to adopt the agenda.
G. Wallis seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

II. Opening Comments

A.

Board Member Comments (2-min each)

There were no comments from board members. 

B.

Public Comment (3-min each)

There were no comments from the public. 

III. Consent Agenda

A.

December Minutes

E. Disney-Britton made a motion to adopt the minutes from the Board Meeting on 12-18-18 Board Meeting on 12-18-18.
T. Givens seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IV. Board Chair Report

A.

Monthly Report

Board Chair Report
  • E. Disney-Britton presented the Board Chair Report. He discussed committee goals and Board on Track's assessment tool that tracks board engagement.
  • Board members were invited to visit Edison for a school tour. C. Jones will email board members a doodle poll to schedule their school tour. 

V. Academic Excellence Committee

A.

Committee Chair's Report

Academic Excellence Committee Chair Report
  • In the Academic Excellence Committee Chairs absence, A. Berns presented the Academic Excellence Committee Chair Report. She discussed the students return from winter break. Students have resumed testing and academic assessment outcomes will be reported to the board. 
  • There are scheduled family engagement events this spring semester that will report academic data to Edison's students and families. 

B.

Academic Dashboard

Areas of Growth
  • A. Berns discussed that there was academic growth in all assessments. There were positive gains in math for every grade level. 3rd grade students had a 25% increase in academic performance in comparison to beginning of the school year assessments and middle of the year assessments. 
Academic Goals
  • G. Wallis posed the question of how Edison identifies and compares academic goals. 
    • A. Berns explained that beginning of the year assessments in comparison to the first week of October assessments are the result of interim academic reports. The beginning of the year assessments in comparison to December assessments are the result of middle of the report academic reports. The final school year academic assessment will take place in spring 2019. 
    • N. Tuttle discussed that 75% of students performing at or approaching proficiency in all academic areas is Edison's academic goal. Data analysis has shown how benchmark testing, curriculum and K-8th grade classroom walkthroughs have identified student's areas of growth. 
    • A. Berns discussed how Airways testing software provides immediate feedback and identifies students' areas of growth. The software down't provide a specific percentage to measure/ compare academic goals. 
Suspensions
  • A. Berns discussed that the suspension level has declined since mid fall 2018 semester. 
Attendance and Enrollment
  • A. Berns explained that the lowered attendance percentage was the result of transient ESL students whose families seasonally relocate. 
  • G. Wallis suggested that future academic dashboard reflect weekly attendance and enrollment trends. 

VI. Finance Committee

A.

COMMITTEE CHAIR'S REPORT

G. Wallis presented the Finance Committee Chair Report.

Statement of Financial Position 
  • Title I and Title II recorded as a receivable then will be converted to cash when the $194,000 is received.
  • $250,000 net revenue at the end of December leaving Edison favorable for the month. 

Budget vs. Actuals: FY19 Budget - FY 19 P &L 
  • Edison is slightly favorable to budget for the year to date. 
  • A few expense line items have been added to be more descriptive of expenses including athletics and charitable contributions. There aren't budget amounts for the new line items but will be included in next year's budget. This will provide a more informative financial statements in future. 
  • Other professional services expenses are higher this month due to Donovan CPAs expenditures. 
  • Edison is favorable by $23,000 for the month and $252,000 for the year with regard to salaries and benefits. The overall P & L variance is favorable $241,000 year to date.

Statement of Activity- General Fund 
  • By month December's expense results included IPS employee salary pay raise and TAG grant addition. 
Payroll
  • 85% of the budget is salaries. 
    • Month of December is $23,000 favorable. Current staffing is running below budget. 
  • $252,000 favorable for year to date budget. 
  • Accrue by the end of June to prepare for the 1st payroll in July.
  • Goal is to have $110,000 available by the end of June to be favorable for July. 
Form 990
  • Form 990 is being prepared by C. Jones and Brian Anderson, Accountant, to be submitted in May 2019. 
Form 9
  • Form 9 to be submitted to IPS will be submitted by B. Anderson and K. Ballin. 
G. Wallis made a motion to adopt the financial statements.
T. Givens seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

VII. CEO, Head of School Report

A.

Progress Report

N. Tuttle presented the CEO/ Head of School Report. 

Edison's Town Hall
  • Parent Teacher Organization has been renamed to Town Hall. Edison will offer dinner and child care to families in attendance. 
  • P. Guthrie discussed that the next Town Hall meeting will be January 29th from 5:30 - 7 pm
    • She would like board members to attend and present to families.  Ernest suggested that each board member take one month, and Ted Givens volunteered for January. 
Artistic Excelence
  • N. Tuttle discussed that Edison is highlighted for its leadership role in arts integration professional development. 
  • Edison will be hosting arts integration classroom demonstrations and an after school professional development session on January 23rd. Surrounding IPS school leaders were invited to participate. 
  • K. Feeney-Caito will contact the local media for coverage of the 23rd after school session. 

VIII. Governance Committee

A.

Title/Position Recommendations

T. Stuart-Overdorf discussed the governance committee's title/position recommendation.

Title/Position Proposal  
  • N. Tuttle discussed the title/position recommendations for himself, A. Berns and C. Jones 
    • CEO and Head of School  to CEO/ Executive Director. 
    • Assistant Head of School and Director of Academics to Principal
    • Executive Assistant to the CEO to Director of Operations 
E. Disney-Britton called for an executive session at 6:17 pm. The board meeting reconvened at 6:30 pm. 
E. Disney-Britton made a motion to approve the title/position recommendation.
T. Overdorf seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IX. New Business

A.

Technology Proposal

N. Tuttle presented the technology proposal.

Technology Proposal
  • Edison has been allotted $14,292.60 of Title IV funds and proposes to use these funds towards the purchasing of technology. The total technology expense is $17,329. Edison will cover the remaining $3,036.40 balance.
  •  The finance committee reviewed the Title IV criteria and how the technology proposal supports STEM. 
Hardware Ownership
  • T. Givens posed the question of ownership of hardware.
  • N. Tuttle discussed that since the hardware will be purchased with Title IV funds the hardware will be owned by IPS. 
  • G. Wallis discussed Edison covering the balance which will result in Edison owning seven laptops. 
E. Disney-Britton made a motion to approve the technology proposal.
T. Givens seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

B.

Teacher Salary Raise

G. Wallis presented the teacher salary raise proposal and provided the finance committee's recommendation.

Teacher Salary Raise Proposal 
  • Edison is proposing to match the increased IPS teacher salary pay scale. The teacher salary increase will be retroactive to the begin of the 2018-2019 school year. This increase is a total of $113,994.19.
  • The finance committee discussed the IPS teacher salary raise and projection of implementing the new salary scale at Edison for 2018-2019 academic school year. 
    • To remain competitive with IPS salary scale, the committee recommends to implement the salary increase. 
    • $40,000 was allotted to Edison from IPS towards funding teacher's salary increase. 
  • N. Tuttle discussed that teachers and counselors are included in Edison's raise. Would like to use funds from the from the surplus to match IPS salary increase
    • Edison would like to propose a pay scale that is 2% increase to IPS's pay scale. 
    • G. Wallis discussed that the salary cap will be $76,418 for any teacher over 26 years of experience. 
    • N. Tuttle discussed Edison pay scale will improve teacher retention and recruitment. 
G. Wallis made a motion to match IPS newly published salary based on years of experience and add 2% provided that Edison create and publish a new salary pay scale with salary caps for teachers and instructors. Salary pay raise to be retroactive from the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year and teacher's contract terms. T. Givens amended the motion to included that N.Tuttle implement the salaries of one counselor and one teacher at his discretion.
K. Feeney-Caito seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

X. Closing Items

A.

Unfinished Business/Next Steps

E. Disney- Britton discussed each committee's unfinished business.

Facilities Committee
  • Staff will work with the facilities committee to form facility rental procedures.
  • T. Givens will schedule a meeting to further review IPS's facility rental policy. 
Finance Committee  
  • G. Wallis proposed that the auditor selection be rescheduled to February. He also proposed that the preliminary enrollment and budget be rescheduled to March. Miller Insurance Group will present enrollment information to the board in April. The insurance will be reviewed in May. 

B.

IMPORTANT BOARD DATES

C.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
C. Jones