Cold Spring School
Minutes
Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday August 10, 2016 at 5:00 PM
Location
Cold Spring School
Directors Present
B. Albano
Directors Absent
None
Guests Present
C. Bruns
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
A Regular meeting of the Cold Spring School (CSS) board was held on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 in the CSS Conference room. Presiding officer was Mr. Bob Albano, Board Chair.
Members present were: Bob Albano, Steve Downing, Chris Gerry, Cheryl Hertz, Janice Hicks-Slaughter, Kelly Payne, and Lori Shine. CSS Principal Carrie Bruns also attended the meeting. Board member Leroy Robinson joined the meeting at 5:40pm. and Tonya Tudor joined at 6:01pm.
The meeting was called to order at 5:10pm by Mr. Bob Albano, Board Chair.
B. Albano called a meeting of the board of directors of Cold Spring School to order on Wednesday Aug 10, 2016 at 5:10 PM.
C.
Community Opportunity for Input
No community members had signed in to provide input.
New board member Kelly Payne introduced herself. Ms. Payne has a finance background, which will be helpful to the board.
II. Old Business
A.
Approve Minutes from Previous Board Meeting
Motion to approve the minutes from Board Meeting on 07-20-16.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
B.
Background Checks
Board members were reminded to obtain a criminal background check if they hadn't already done so. Mrs. Bruns will check to see if everyone's background check has been completed.
C.
Review of Committees
Board Chair, Mr. Albano gave an update on board committees and asked that committees be in action item at the September meeting. He provided information about the need for a Governance Committee, possible board officers, and board term limits.
Mr. Albano asked the board members to look at the governance information provided by Board on Track before the next meeting. Mr. Albano has provided a form to Mrs. Bruns for parents or community members who would like to speak at a board meeting. They will have a 3 minute limit, which is the same limit at other IPS Schools. A potential speaker will complete the form and meet with Mr. Albano and he will approve or deny the request in advance of the meeting.
Mr. Albano provided information about the need for an Academic Excellence Committee. CSS has an Academic Leadership team of six people who represent house teams. The Leadership Team will set its goals for the school and Mrs. Bruns will share their goals with the board at the board meeting in September.
III. New Business
A.
Opening of School Update
Principal Mrs. Bruns provided information about online services that were lost in July due to confusion about Cold Spring School's status as an independent school within the IPS system. She has been able to regain access to email and the student database. Access to the financial system has not been restored and teachers have lost access to the online grade book and the parent contact system. The online teacher evaluation system is another service that is not available to CSS. Solving these issues has been time-consuming, but Mrs. Bruns and the board recognize that CSS is unique. CSS is the only IPS school of its kind and it will take time to sort all of these issues with various IPS Central offices.
Mrs. Bruns clarified for the board that she is employed by Cold Spring School, Inc., as are most of the teachers. Some teachers and other staff are still employed by IPS, including the Special Education teacher, ESL teacher, school social worker, literacy coach, media assistant, and custodial staff. Cold Spring School is an independent school operating within IPS and it is still a magnet school option for students.
Mrs. Bruns provided an Opening of School update. She shared information about several issues, including:
- CSS has budgeted for 250 students. School enrollment is currently at 289 students.
- There are two sections of each grade level through Grade 6.
- New sixth-graders are not accepted to the school.
- The ESL population has increased.
- There is one IPS teacher on maternity leave.
- Many 3rd, 4th,5th graders who have enrolled have limited English.
Board member Dr. Cheryl Hertz offered to provide professional development for the teachers related to English learners in the mainstream classroom. She and Mrs. Bruns will determine the schedule for the workshop(s).
Mrs. Bruns briefly discussed the following:
- All teachers participated in training in use of Responsive Classroom strategies for meeting students' social-emotional needs.
- Responsive Classroom includes morning and closing community circle meetings, use of positive teacher language, and developmentally appropriate discipline.
- Mrs. Bruns has noticed that CSS has a calmer atmosphere than last year and she believes that Responsive Classroom has already made a difference.
- Responsive Classroom creates a positive learning environment.
- Project Lead the Way provides pre-engineering curriculum and activities for students and it now has its own space in Allen House.
- The media specialist will provide more computer coding for students.
- Students will still check out books, but will have more time for coding.
- STEM clubs are held from 3:15pm-3:50pm daily.
- STEM clubs include Math pentathlon games, Lego kits, robotics and 5th an 6th grade band.
- CSS would like to develop a Makerspace studio.
Board Member Dr. Cheryl Hertzer will determine whether CSS can be included in a grant project through Duke Energy and Marian University. The grant has provided Makerspace opportunities at other schools.
CSS may possible change its grade configuration. IPS is discussing whether to eliminate schools that have grades 6-12 and develop middle schools. Mr. Albano will keep up with IPS board documents related to their issue and inform the CSS Board of any IPS changes in school grade configurations.
Mrs. Bruns notified the board that:
- CSS has nine new staff members: five new members replaced individuals who resigned, and four were offered new positions in the school.
- There are two new 6th grade teachers.
- This year, CSS sixth grades will take the school's first overnight trip ever. They will travel to Camp Tecumseh. Several teachers have volunteered to chaperone.
- IPS is still providing food service and it is going well.
- IPS is providing transportation and it is also going well.
- There are nine buses and so many students are dropped off by car that Mrs. Bruns had to stagger the car and bus pick-up times.
- CSS is partnering with Marian University to provide 529 accounts to students. Marian University has a Promise IN grant for this project. 529 accounts are college funds for students. CSS students will receive community funds and also contributions from their families. Each student receives an initial $25 donation. Parents can sign up during September parent conferences. Students who leave CSS before grade six will keep their family contributions, but forfeit the community funds.
- CSS students who don't meet expectations will return to their neighborhood school(s).
B.
Board Policy Disucssion
C.
Celebration- August 17, 2016
IV. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
The next meeting of the CSS board is on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 5:00pm.
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting.
Minutes recorded by Dr. Cheryl Hertzer
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:17 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
C. Bruns
Documents used during the meeting
None