Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School
Minutes
October Regular Board Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday October 10, 2019 at 7:00 PM
Location
4401 8th Street NE (Calle Ocho Campus)
Trustees Present
Alicia Williams, Bisi Oyedele, Corey Ealons, Danielle Allen, Mikaela Seligman, Valecia Biddix
Trustees Absent
Francisco Fabian
Ex Officio Members Present
Kristin Scotchmer
Non Voting Members Present
Kristin Scotchmer
Guests Present
Cristina Faz
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
Corey Ealons called a meeting of the board of trustees of Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School to order on Thursday Oct 10, 2019 at 7:00 PM.
C.
Approve Minutes-May 2
Danielle Allen made a motion to approve minutes from the May Regular Board Meeting on 05-02-19 May Regular Board Meeting on 05-02-19.
Alicia Williams seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
D.
Approve Minutes - May 31
Bisi Oyedele made a motion to approve minutes from the Board of Directors Vote on Budget on 05-31-19 Board of Directors Vote on Budget on 05-31-19.
Mikaela Seligman seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
E.
Approve Minutes - June 20 2019
Alicia Williams made a motion to approve minutes from the June Regular Board Meeting on 06-20-19 June Regular Board Meeting on 06-20-19.
Mikaela Seligman seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
II. Internal - Finance, HR, Facilities & Compliance
A.
Review of Contracts for 2019-2020
Most important observations when reviewing contracts:
- After nine years using Sales Force, Mundo Verde has transitioned to Infinite Campus for Student Information System effective SY19-20.
- Most of the cost increase reflected in contracts is due to the fact that we have expanded to a second campus and cost of services outsourced are "per student" basis (EdOps, Transportation among others). School evaluating some full time positions to reduce the cost of outsourced services, specifically considering a full time HR Director network position to begin in the later part of SY19-20
- Significant jumps in Health Care and Special Education cost are also related to the increase in staff and students numbers due to expansion to second campus. It's proportional.
- Board members approved the list of contracts, giving Kristin Scotchmer as Executive Director and Alicia Williams as Finance Committee Chair the authority to make any final decisions.
Bisi Oyedele made a motion to approve the list of contracts, including those yet to be finalized, giving Kristin Scotchmer as Executive Director and Alicia Williams as Finance Committee Chair the authority to make any final decisions on those listed as pending.
Mikaela Seligman seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
III. Executive
A.
ED Report
- Executive Director framed her report around the school's mission and the SY19-20 Guiding Question: How do we meet the needs of each and every student without exception?
- Discussed the top goal for the year: Transformational and critical literacy with three priorities:
- Academic differentiation
- Community of Belonging / More culturally competent school
- Environment sensitive to social emotional needs of students
- Overview of enrollment at both campuses.
- October 7 was freeze date. Enrollment was different than other years, with some enrollment challenges particularly in Kindergarten.
- We began the year between 40 and 50 students off, after very active outreach efforts we are now in very good shape with only one student off at JF Cook Campus and three off at Calle Ocho compared to our projected enrollment numbers
- estimate that 75% of the students we enrolled between the beginning of the year and now are students from low performing schools / at-risk families
- Different than other years, we enrolled new students in the upper grades and we are aware of the challenges this may present for families. We can not screen students for language when enrolling, that is part of our charter. We enrolled in the upper grades some students that are not fluent in Spanish and we are committed to work with these families in offering the support their student may need.
- We are hosting an orientation session in November for late enrolled families to offer a touch point with school leadership to hear about their experience and offer support if there are any specific challenges.
- Other highlights of the First Six Weeks of School:
- Data Team launched weekly data meetings across both campuses with instructional teams
- We launched coaching cycle across two campuses (2 coaches for both campuses)
- Instructional Guide is fully documenting expeditions
- Cook Campus Principal Giselle Allen is back in her roll full time, very generous spirit
- We are working with WISE (observing how we respond to students in need, how are we using our resources), with EL4ELs, Kindred (interviewing parents, working towards building relationships)
- We are covering our two lead teacher absences with substitutes and will be making decisions at the end of the month on full time hires
- We are identifying other staffing needs areas of Communications, Data, Student Support and Special Ed and will continue to evaluate capacity to recruit this school year
- Union Update: we have had about 7 days of negotiations of non-economic. Calm tone, give and take, it takes time. Relatively consistent group of representatives on the teaching side (one rep for 3-5 grades, one rep for PK-2 and one rep for special ed).
- Biggest highlight of Calle Ocho launching: Strong participation at Coffee with the Principal! , families excited about engaging with the school, four groups of interest are emerging: sustainability, equity and community, room parents, fundraising. We will continue to foster this collaboration across School Leadership and Parent Community with Equity at the center of all our efforts.
B.
Charter Amendment: Names for our Campuses (ratify email vote)
Danielle Allen made a motion to ...ratify the email vote to approve names for each campus: J.F. Cook Campus for campus located at 30 P Street NW and Calle Ocho Campus for campus located at 4401 8th Street NE.
Alicia Williams seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
IV. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
Mikaela Seligman made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Valecia Biddix seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 9:35 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kristin Scotchmer