Cold Spring School
Minutes
Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday March 8, 2017 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
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
B. Albano called a meeting of the board of directors of Cold Spring School to order on Wednesday Mar 8, 2017 at 5:14 PM.
C.
Approve Minutes
Motion to approve the minutes from Board Meeting on 02-08-17.
Minutes from the February 8, 2017 meeting were reviewed and motion was made and seconded to approve them. The motion carried with 5 ayes and no nays.
II. OLD BUSINESS
A.
CSE Merit Pay Proposal
The Board discussed the Teacher Merit Pay Proposal. Student achievement data is not yet available for awarding merit pay based on student test scores. The Board discussed the Teacher Leadership Stipend, the Robotics Coach Stipend, and the Learning Garden Team Member Stipend for 2016-2017. A position description for Robotics Team Coach was shared with the Board.
Motion to defer a merit pay proposal to the beginning of the 2017-2018 academic year.
The motion passed with 5 ayes and no nays.
B.
CSE Teacher/Staff Proposal Employment Offer
Board members also discussed the Teacher Leadership Pay Proposal for 2017-2018. Cold Spring School has to pay the cost of teacher workshop training for two days in addition to the 190 teacher days on the 2017-2018 school calendar.
The Board discussed the Memorandum of Mutual Understanding which will be offered to teachers for employment for the 2017-2018 school year. The memorandum was modified to make the deadline for appropriate licensure May 1, 2017 and a bullet point was added to clarify that 2 professional days not included in the 190 contract days, will be required in the summer. These two days are for training in teaching effectively with the new mathematics textbooks which will be used in 2017-2018.
Motion to approve the Memorandum of Mutual Understanding to include 190 contract days with the addendum that all teachers are required to participate in applicable professional development days during the summer and a correction to require licensure by May 1, 2017.
The motion was seconded and it passed with 6 ayes and no nays.
Motion to approve the Teacher Merit Pay Proposal for 2016-2017 academic year as detailed in attachment 1.
The motion passed with 5 ayes and no nays.
Motion to accept the Teacher Leadership Pay Proposal for 2017-2018 academic year amended to reflect pay for effective or highly effective performance up to $750 as detailed in attachment 2.
The motion passed with 5 ayes and no nays
C.
CSE Stipend Proposal 2016-2017
D.
CSE School Calendar 2017-2018
The Board discussed the proposed school calendar for 2017-2018. The calendar included an additional week on instruction in the fall semester which should help prepare students for ISTEP testing and a week of flex days in March which can be vacation days or snow make-up days.
Motion to approve the 2017-2018 school calendar as presented in attachment 6.
The motion passed with 5 ayes and no nays.
E.
CSE Budget Report Proposal 2017-2018
The Board discussed the proposed budget for the 2017-2018 school year (attachment 7). The budget is based on enrollment of 290 students. Mrs. Bruns pointed out that the Group Insurance line was based on CSS paying $250 less per teacher for insurance. August 1 is the insurance renewal date, so actual cost is currently an estimate.
Mr. Steve Downing joined the meeting at 6:11pm.
Principal and Assistant Principal salaries will be set in an Executive Session of the Board.
Motion to approve the Cold Spring School budget report proposal for 2017-2018 (attachment 7) with the understanding that the budget will be updated with salary information for the principal and assistant principal after the Executive Session.
The motion carried with 6 ayes and no nays.
F.
Board on Track Discussion
Cold Spring will save money in 2017-2018 by dropping the services of Board on Track.
G.
Indiana Network of Independent School Financial Approval
H.
February Reconciliations
The Board discussed the February 28 Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Bank Reconciliation Report
III. NEW BUSINESS
A.
Staffing Plan 2017-2018
New business included discussion of the staff plan for 2017-2018. Cold Spring School is seeking a school media specialist because IPS will not provide one in 2017-2018. There are already two applicants for this position.
B.
Video Cost Proposal/ Tru Persona
The board discussed the TruPersona LLC video production to produce video for marketing purposes. Board members suggested contracting for a 4 minute video and addicting a 60 second video for use on the website for a cost of $7,500.
Motion to give Mrs. Carrie Bruns the authority to contract with Tru Persona for $7,500 to create a 4 minute video and a one minute preview video about Cold Spring School.
The motion passed with 6 ayes and no nays.
C.
Principal's Report
Mrs. Bruns provided an update on CSS activities.
- The Learning Garden has been created and the kick off day planned for March 17, 2017. A schedule was distributed to Board members.
- ISTEP testing began smoothly. The second round of testing will be a computer-based testing in April.
- IREAD testing starts next week.
- Both of the CSS Robotics Teams competed in the state tournament and both qualified for the World Championships, which will be held in Louisville, KY on April 23-25, 2017. Various sources of funding will be used to pay for the registration costs, hotel rooms, and meals, and items such as team t-shirts. Funding includes a TechPoint Foundation grant for $850 and a GoFundMe campaign. Students are participating in fundraising by selling candy bars. Board members were given a flyer about the CSS teams and the competition and they were encouraged to share the flyer.
- Cold Spring School is revamping before and after school care. CSS may bring in AYS or Springboard to provide care next year. Cost to families may be slightly higher, but families have indicated their interest in the service and child care vouchers can be used for child care provided by AYS or Springboard, which will help offset the cost.
At 6:46pm Ms Tonya Tudor excused herself from the meeting.
- Project Lead the Way may bring a team to CSS.
D.
Financial Report
E.
Staff Policy Handbook 2017-2018
The CSS Staff Handbook and Student Handbook are under revision for the 2017-2018 school year.
F.
Student Policy Handbook 2017-2018
IV. BOARD MEMBER POINTS OF INTEREST
A.
Board Committees
Meetings will be scheduled for Board Committees and an Executive Session of the Board. The Board will evaluate principal and assistant principal performance and discuss merit pay and salary for these leaders in the Executive Session.
Bob Albano will attend the Innovation School Presentation to IPS Board on March 16, 2017 to represent the CS Board.
Meetings are on the calendar for April 12, 2017; May 10, 2017; and June 7, 2017. The June 7 meeting will be a board retreat.
V. 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 5:56 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
C. Bruns
A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting at 6:56pm and Board Chair Bob Albano declared the meeting adjourned with a vote of 5 ayes and no nays.
Recorded by: Dr. Cheryl A. Hertzer
Reviewed and Submitted by: Dr. Cheryl A. Hertzer