Motion:  The motion was made to call the meeting to order.

This meeting was called to order at  4:02 PM PST by Mr. Toby Martin, Board Chairperson (or Board designee)

Roll Call: 

Board Members:

Karthy Chandra     -     Board Member 

Denise Grant         -      Board Member
Taina Knox             -     Board Member
Toby Martin            -     Board Chairperson 

Adrienne Mason     -     Board Member
Nathan Webster    -     Board Member 

Yesenia Martinez   -      Board Member

Rooted School Foundation/School Officials:

Steven Carney       -  Executive Director & School Leader - Rooted School Vancouver

Sandra Yokley        -  Director of Operations

Frank Ingargiola     -  Director of Operations Rooted School NOLA

Jonathan Johnson  -  Rooted School Foundation CEO

Guests:   

Bely Luu        -  WA Charters

Sheila Davis   - Board Member Candidate

Rooted School Vancouver acknowledges the people whose ancestral lands we inhabit today. Prior to the introduction of white settlers to the area currently known as Clark County, this land was cared for by indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

At the time that colonization began, this area of Southwest Washington was occupied primarily by the Chinook and Cowlitz tribes. Additionally, countless tribes from across the Pacific Northwest came to this area to trade with one another by using the Columbia River and its adjoining waterways as an intricate network of trade routes.

For millennia, their communities thrived while maintaining a balanced, sustainable relationship with the natural world. These values were passed down from generation to generation and are still practiced by indigenous groups today, including the Cowlitz and Chinook. We pay our respects to these peoples, both past and present, by opening a space of recognition, inclusion, and respect for our sovereign tribal partners and all indigenous students, families, and staff in our community.

Recommendation: The board approves the minutes of the January 7, 2023 special board meeting, RSV School Board Work Session

BOARD SECRETARY TO READ PRIOR TO ALL PUBLIC COMMENT:

Our Public Comment period is for members of the public to address the board. Each member of the public may sign up to comment at the meeting and will be allotted three - five minutes. The board will listen, but may not directly respond to any comments. Please do not use specific student, teacher or administrator names in your comments as our meetings are open to the public and public record, and we must adhere to FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. As such, if your comment is about a private matter, please contact the board via email, or speak to the board chair privately.

(Subject to objections by the board members, the following items will be passed by a single motion to approve all listed actions and resolutions. There will be no discussion on these items unless requested by the board. If discussion is requested, the items will be moved from the Consent agenda and considered separately after the motion has been made and passed to approve the remaining items.)

Recommendation: That the Board of Directors approves the hire of Dylan Rossi as Rooted School Vancouver's Founding Student Success Coordinator.  The RSV Student Success Coordinator will serve as the Special Education teacher/specialist and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support  (MTSS) coordinator.  The RSV Student Success Coordinator will be responsible for providing and coordinating support and services for students with IEPS and 504 plans and ensuring all students get the support and services they need to be successful.  

Rationale: Attached is new Policy: 3110 Policy and Procedure Enrollment

Recommendation:  That the Board of Directors conducts a second reading and adopts new Policy: 3110 Policy and Procedure Enrollment

Report:  Rooted School Foundation - Jonathan Johnson, CEO

Background:  Pursuant to Article IV of the RSV Bylaws,  "members of the Board of Trustees shall be elected by a majority vote of the then sitting members of the Board of Trustees."  "The Board of Trustees shall consist of no fewer than three and no more than nine Members."  Members serve 2 year terms.  

Recommendation:   Vote to appoint Sheila Davis as a member of the RSV Board of Trustees for a 2-year term effective 01/25/22. 

Guest Bely Luu from WA Charters to present on Fund Development.

• Board’s role in fundraising and philanthropy (review responsibilities and share examples of what schools have done)
• Discuss Rooted’s fundraising goals and brainstorm strategies and activities for the year (see slide below that I pulled from the development plan) – would you clarify if these are still the right goals for the board to focus on? And if the amounts listed are solicitation or actual goals, since they don’t align with the top monetary goal? Which portions do you want the RSV board to support and which areas are RSF responsible for?

Background: The following draft of the 2022/2023 Pre-Opening Board Goals were established at the 1st Annual RSV Board Retreat in Dec/Jan.  The goals were are result of facilitated process to identify pre-opening high-priority areas and complete a SPOT Matrix (see attached).

Fund Development

Goal:  By 2024, RSV will raise resources, accrue substantial reserves, and establish a strong fund balance required to fulfill the RSV mission and provide the best education possible. 

• Strategy: By Febraury 2023, the RSV board will establish a Fund Development Committee responsible for developing, monitoring, and supporting a multi-year fundraising plan.
• Strategy: By March 2023, the RSV Fund Development Committee will identify and calendar a minimum of 8 events designed to promote enrollment and accelerate fundraising.
• Strategy:  By July 2023, the RSV board will establish a multi-year fundraising plan to be implemented, monitored and supported by a Fund Development Committee.

Board Recruitment and Succession

Goal: By June 2023, RSV will have recruited, nominated, oriented, and trained at total of 11 board members that represent the diversity of the intended RSV student population and meet the technical needs of the organization. 

• Strategy: By March 2023, RSV will establish a governance committee commissioned by and responsible to the Board of Trustees to assume the primary responsibility for matters pertaining to Board of Trustees recruitment, nominations, orientation, training, and evaluation in accordance with the bylaws of the organization as well as established policies and practices approved by the Board of Trustees.
• Strategy: By May 2023, RSV will establish a board recruitment and succession plan.
  
   

Student Recruitment
Goal:  By August 1, 2023 100% of student enrollment targets will be met. 

• Strategy: Monitor and support school leadership team’s implementation of the board adopted Family and Student Engagement and Recruitment Plan.
• Strategy: Participate in scheduled enrollment events.

Staff Recruitment

Goal:  By August 1, 2023 100% of staff recruitment targets will be met. 

• Strategy: Monitor and support school leadership team’s implementation of the RSV staff recruitment efforts.
• Strategy: Participate in scheduled recruitment and hiriing events.
   

RSV Program and Pre-Opening Development

Goal:  By opening day 2023, all pre-opening conditions have been met and all freshman program and curricular components, resources, and support are established.

• Strategy: Monitor and support school leadership team’s progress in completing pre-opening conditions and the establishment of partnerships and resources needed to develop program and curricular components.

Recommend motion to approve board goals and direct the Executive Director to align ED goals and organizational goals accordingly.

Background:  Due to the overlap and focus on opening Rooted School Vancouver in August 2023, we decided to create a combined report related to pre-opening progress rather than individual reports from both the ED and DOO.   It is recommended that individual reports pick up again once the school year has started.  Attached is the Pre-Opening Board Report and the Recruitment dashboard.  Additionally, a SchoolMint Engage and Connect Dashboard will be presented to view live engagement data.

Developed by JGP, this is the first draft of our financial policies and procedures manual.  This is based off a template JGP has historically used with other schools, but new and improved for RSW.    This is an essential document because it's what we will be audited to, so it's important that we know, understand, agree with, and feel prepared to execute everything described within.   Sandra and Steven are in the process of reviewing the document with JGP.  With our review, combined with your feedback, we plan to bring a final draft for approval at the February board meeting.  

Background: As part of the basic education requirements in Washington state, each local education agency (including charter schools) must make a minimum of 180 school days available to students each school year. We must also provide at least 1,080 annual instructional hours to students in grades 9–12. We receive state funding based on the number of students who are enrolled in the school for 1,080 instructional hours over 180 school days.  

Attached is a draft school calendar to consider.

Constituent Legislative Meetings [Feb 14 & March 9, 2023]: Jonthomas from Washington State Charter Schools Association is organizing meetings to meet with Rooted School Vancouver area legislators.  The meetings are scheduled in person in Olympia for February 14th at 9am.  Additionally, virtual meetings for March 9th are also set up.  We are looking for board members, parents (if we had some at this point), and staff to attend.  Attached are the talking points to use during the visit.     We would like to give Jonthomas the names of 1-2 board members who are willing to attend either or both events.

Sixth Annual WA State Charter Schools Association Conference [May 6, 2023]:  Reuniting educators, students, charter school families, community partners, funders, and policymakers, the conference will celebrate the resilience that individuals and schools have shown over the last two years and showcase the charter school community’s commitment to sector excellence and growth.

Location & Accommodations

Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center, SeaTac, WA: 17620 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188

https://wacharters.org/conference/

If you are interested in attending, please let Steven know and we will get you registered.

It is recommended the board establish the following committees and appoint a committee chair.

Board Governance Committee

Board Finance Committee

Board Development Committee

There will be no Executive Session for this meeting.

Motion: The motion was made to adjourn the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at X:XX PM PST

Date of next Rooted School Vancouver, WA Board Meeting is Wednesday, February 23, 2023 @ 4:00 PM PT