Roll Call: 

Board Members:

Adrienne Mason: Board Chairperson

Sheila Davis: Board Secretary

Tyrone Foster - Board Member 

Nikki Chen - Board Member

Rhianna Johnson - Board Member

Lisa White - Board Member

Ashley Duncan - Board Member

Student Representative:

Samantha Sanchez

Crystal Rauda

School Officials:

Steven Carney: Executive Director & School Leader - RSV

Angie Lundgren: Director of Operations Fellow - RSV

Adrienne Lee-Kernell - RSV Assistant School Leader

Guests:

Klarrisa Hightower - Potential Board Member

Recommendation: The board approves the minutes of the January 28, 2025 regular board meeting.

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.

The "Reports, Requests, and Comments by Board Members" section of the board agenda is a platform for members to share updates, solicit requests, or make comments on relevant topics.

(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.)

Purpose:

To formally approve audited financial disbursements and payroll for January 2025, as required by RCW 42.24.080 and RCW 42.24.090.

Recommended Action:

Approve the following financial transactions, confirming they have been audited, certified, and listed for Board review.

Attachments:

• Payroll and Accounts Payable Certification
• Payroll Summary
• Accounts Payable Register
• Non-Accounts-Payable Cash Disbursements

Board Certification Statement:

Payments have been audited and certified by the Auditing Officer as required by RCW 42.24.080, and those expense reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090. These payments are documented and available to the Board.

As of February 25, 2025, the Board approves the following totals:

• Payroll Direct Deposit: $57,408.22
• Accounts Payable (Electronic Funds - Public Checking): $76,184.28
• Non-Accounts Payable Cash Disbursements (Electronic Funds - Public Checking): $2,153.84

Rationale:
Approval ensures compliance with state law and maintains transparency and accountability in school financial management.

The following policies and procedures were presented for first read at the previous meeting and are now presented for adoption:

Policy and Procedure 4040: Public Access to District Records

• Establishes guidelines ensuring transparency while protecting sensitive information, specifically related to student and family privacy (immigration status), aligning with RCW 42.56, RCW 43.17.425, FERPA, and KWW Act Guidelines.
• Includes the appointment and required training for a Public Records Officer.
• Ensures accessibility of public records and multilingual resources.
• Outlines procedures for handling sensitive information, including judicial warrant requirements.

Policy 3231: Student Records (Amended)

• Strengthens privacy protections regarding student and family immigration status, prohibiting unauthorized collection or disclosure.
• Expands required documentation of external records requests.
• Mandates staff training on FERPA, RCW compliance, and handling sensitive information.

Policy 3226: Interviews and Interrogations of Students on School Premises (Amended)

• Prohibits unauthorized campus access by immigration agents and law enforcement without judicial warrants.
• Establishes protocols requiring Executive Director or legal counsel review before allowing campus access.
• Requires annual staff training on safeguarding student rights in compliance with Plyler v. Doe.

Policy and Procedure 3432: Emergencies (Amended)

• Enhances emergency plans with culturally responsive family reunification strategies.
• Includes explicit support provisions for students with disabilities and non-English speakers.
• Expands drill and training requirements, including trauma-informed practices.
• Mandates clear documentation of emergency drills for accountability.

Policy 4310: LEA Relationship with Law Enforcement and Other Government Agencies (Amended)

• Strengthens restrictions on law enforcement involvement in disciplinary matters, reducing potential school-to-prison pipeline risks.
• Prohibits sharing immigration-related information without appropriate legal documentation.
• Requires annual staff training for compliance with student protections and legal obligations.

Recommended Action:
The board adopts the proposed new and amended policies and procedures as presented.

Outcome:
Adoption of these policies will ensure Rooted School Vancouver maintains compliance with state law, enhances student privacy and safety, promotes equity and inclusivity, and strengthens trust within the community.

Objective
To review Rooted School Vancouver’s current financial status, discuss key financial metrics, and assess implications for operational and strategic planning.

Attachments:

• Balance Sheet (as of January 31, 2025)
• Budget Status Report (January 2025)
• Finance Dashboard (January 31, 2025)

Financial Highlights:

1. Assets and Liabilities:

• Total Assets: $2,535,109.71 (up 1.38% from December)
  • Cash balances increased by $66,823.96 (9.09%), improving overall liquidity.
  • Accounts Receivable decreased by $32,216.53 (-60.52%), indicating timely receipt of outstanding funds.
• Total Liabilities: $1,158,828.79 (down 1.15% from December)
  • Accounts payable and credit card balances decreased significantly, reducing immediate financial obligations.
  • Long-term liabilities reduced by $4,424.39 due to regular loan principal payments​.

2. Revenue:

• Total Revenue Received (Year-to-Date): $982,685 (39% of annual budget)
  • State revenue shortfall due to lower-than-budgeted enrollment: approximately $81,000.
  • Federal and grant revenue are stable; received additional $17,500 from the 9th Grade Success grant.
  • Local donations significantly below budget (actual: $4,671; budget: $42,720), requiring continued monitoring and fundraising efforts​.

3. Expenditures:

• Total Expenditures (FASB basis): $828,323 (34% of annual budget)
  • Salaries and personnel benefits expenses remain within budget, adjusted for staffing changes (Counselor position not continuing).
  • Contracted services and facility operations are under budget, reflecting careful management of costs.
  • Contingency funds fully absorbed due to enrollment shortfall, eliminating financial cushion for additional unexpected expenses​.

4. Cash Flow and Stability:

• Days Cash on Hand: 114 days (target: 60 days)
  • Financial position remains stable, with strong short-term cash reserves.
  • Long-term financial sustainability concerns identified; current staffing and enrollment projections require adjustments for the next fiscal year​.

5. Enrollment Impact:

• January Enrollment: Stable at 51 students (Budgeted: 70 students)
  • February enrollment shows slight improvement, with net gain of two students.
  • Continued shortfall significantly impacts state funding, requiring ongoing adjustments and strategic planning​.

Discussion Points:

• Review enrollment strategies and budgetary implications for FY25-26 to address long-term sustainability concerns.
• Identify additional revenue opportunities, including increased fundraising and grant efforts, to offset shortfall in local donations.
• Evaluate spending and staffing adjustments needed to align expenditures with projected revenue.

The "Reports to the Board" section provides straightforward updates from key areas within Rooted School Vancouver. The board will receive regular reports from (reports this month will be verbal reports):

• Student Representatives:  Detailed report outlined student life at RS-V
• Operations: Overviews of the daily operations, infrastructure, and any logistical matters.
• Executive Director: Comprehensive updates on school-wide initiatives, policies, and overall performance.

Purpose:

Review and discuss recent MAP Growth assessment results, analyze academic performance and growth trends, and outline clear action steps for addressing areas of concern in Mathematics.

Overview and Analysis:

Winter 2024-2025 NWEA MAP Growth results highlight varied performance across math courses taught by our single math instructor:

Algebra 1:

• Growth: Median at the 35th percentile, below national norms.
• Achievement: Improved slightly from 29th percentile (Fall) to 34th percentile (Winter). The majority of students remain below the 40th percentile, demonstrating a critical need for targeted intervention​.

Geometry:

• Growth: Median at the 49th percentile, aligning with national norms.
• Achievement: Declined from 42nd percentile (Fall) to 33rd percentile (Winter), indicating a need for instructional reassessment and focused support​.

Algebra 2:

• Growth: Median at the 56th percentile, slightly above the national average.
• Achievement: Consistently high at the 84th percentile (Winter) from 85th percentile (Fall), indicating effective instruction and student engagement in this area​.

Current Interventions and Support:

Dedicated Coaching and Professional Development:

• Additional instructional coaching and targeted professional support provided to our math teacher, who instructs all math classes.
• Contracted Heidi Rhodes, Ph.D., Mathematics education expert, to collaborate closely with our math teacher on instructional strategies and interventions (LinkedIn Profile).

Math Department Goal-Setting:

• Upcoming Math department meeting scheduled to establish clear goals, specific action items, and measurable benchmarks to drive improvement in student math achievement and growth.

Revisiting Intervention Strategies:

• Evaluating and refining existing math interventions to effectively address significant academic gaps, recognizing that many students entered Rooted School Vancouver 2-4 years below grade-level standards.

Board Discussion and Considerations:

• Support structures and resources necessary to assist our math teacher effectively, given the unique challenge of teaching all math levels.
• Strategies for measuring the effectiveness and impact of targeted professional development and instructional interventions.
• Timeline and benchmarks for regular progress monitoring and reporting back to the Board.

Recommended Next Steps:

• Conduct periodic progress reviews with regular updates to the Board.
• Mid-cycle evaluation to assess effectiveness and adjust strategies accordingly.

Purpose:

Review and discuss recent MAP Growth assessment results for Reading, analyze current student performance and growth trends, and highlight instructional, curricular, and intervention adjustments to improve student achievement.

Overview and Analysis:

Winter 2024-2025 MAP Reading results demonstrate mixed student growth and achievement:

Overall Reading (All Grades):

• Growth: Median at 58th percentile, slightly above national average.
• Achievement: Consistently around national median (51st percentile in Fall, 52nd percentile in Winter), indicating modest overall progress​.

Grade 9 Reading:

• Growth: Median at the 25th percentile, below expectations.
• Achievement: Slight increase from 52nd percentile (Fall) to 53rd percentile (Winter), with continued challenges for many students, underscoring the need for additional instructional support and interventions.

Grade 10 Reading:

• Growth: Median at the 74th percentile, strong growth significantly above national norms.
• Achievement: Slightly improved from 49th percentile (Fall) to 50th percentile (Winter), showing steady and encouraging progress​.

Current Actions and Instructional Adjustments:

The English Department, under Logan’s leadership, has initiated significant curricular and instructional changes to respond to these data:

Immediate Changes (Grade 9):

• Replacing the planned UnBoundED Inquiry Research Module with a more rigorous informational text module, increasing exposure to complex texts.
• Incorporating excerpts from Killers of the Flower Moon (1160 Lexile) to enhance student engagement with challenging informational material.
• Introducing a new independent reading badge aimed at increasing reading volume at appropriate Lexile levels, to directly improve reading stamina and comprehension skills.

Future Modifications (Next School Year):

• Eliminating the initial three-week introductory badge to allocate instructional time toward deeper text engagement and analysis.
• Adding supplemental texts for comparative reading and increased reading volume, inspired by current successful approaches in Grade 10.

Continued Interventions:

• Ongoing implementation and refinement of Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading interventions to support struggling readers, specifically addressing students who demonstrate persistent challenges in growth and proficiency.
• Regular monitoring and adjustments to reading intervention plans based on frequent formative assessments and progress monitoring data.
• Collaboration between English instructors and support staff to ensure a cohesive and comprehensive approach to literacy intervention.

Additional Considerations:

• Logan is also making key instructional shifts informed by ongoing analysis of student writing and reading assessments from the first semester.
• Ongoing conversations within the school are focused on further strengthening and expanding intervention programs to meet the diverse reading needs of students.

Board Discussion and Considerations:

• Reviewing strategies for measuring and tracking the impact of instructional and intervention adjustments, particularly in Grade 9.
• Discussing resources and supports necessary to reinforce successful Grade 10 practices and replicate this growth in Grade 9.
• Establishing regular data review intervals to assess progress and intervention effectiveness.

Recommended Next Steps:

• Conduct ongoing reviews to measure the effectiveness of curricular and intervention adjustments.
• Provide regular updates on instructional practices, intervention effectiveness, and student outcomes at upcoming Board meetings.

The "Committee Reports to the Board" section provides straightforward updates from the following Board Appointed Committees:

• Fund Development: Updates on fundraising efforts, grants, and financial support initiatives.
• Finance Committee: Summaries of the school's financial status, budgets, and expenditures.
• Academic Excellence Committee: 

Purpose

To provide the Board with comprehensive updates on Rooted School Vancouver’s financial status, fundraising progress, and strategic plans, informed by quarterly reports and recent committee discussions.

Finance Updates

Current Financial Position:

• Monthly payroll at approximately $57,000; cash reserves stable at ~$800,000.
• Managing a revenue shortfall of $81,000 related to lower-than-projected enrollment numbers.
• Local community donations continue to lag, showing a $38,000 funding gap.

Grant Revenue:

• Exceeding expectations; grant funds provide robust financial stability.
• Continued identification of new grant opportunities regionally and nationally.

Fund Development Updates

March Recurring Giving Campaign: "Invest in Futures":

• Successfully launched in alignment with National Reading Month, encouraging recurring monthly donations with clear impact messaging.
• Strategy includes targeted donor communication and compelling storytelling to sustain engagement.

"Give More 24" Campaign:

• Set ambitious $50,000 fundraising goal.
• Leveraging peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate matching gifts, and targeted social media efforts.

Social Media and Marketing Strategies:

• Implementing recommendations from PNWF’s successful campaigns, including consistent storytelling and targeted calls-to-action.
• Utilizing LinkedIn for targeted professional engagement, sharing student success, school events, and fundraising progress to expand RSV's visibility and community support.

Quarterly Report Highlights

LinkedIn Marketing:

• Focusing on targeted engagement and relationship-building with potential donors, community leaders, and industry stakeholders.

Social Media Success Insights (PNWF Report):

• Successful strategies in driving donor engagement and recurring contributions through strategic storytelling and well-timed campaigns.

RSV Progress and Grant Opportunities:

• Continued strong performance in securing grants; proactive approach toward upcoming funding opportunities.
• Implementing new branding and marketing materials to enhance community outreach and RSV’s public profile.

Next Steps

• Schedule special Board-led "Who Do You Know?" session to expand RSV’s network and increase community support.
• Continued tracking and reporting on progress toward fundraising goals, particularly addressing the local community support shortfall.

Board Discussion and Feedback

• Opportunity to discuss financial strategies, fundraising progress, and the effectiveness of marketing initiatives.
• Solicit board feedback on fundraising goals and support for upcoming initiatives.

Attachments:

• Finance and Fund Development Committee Meeting Summary (Feb 18, 2025)
• LinkedIn Marketing Report
• PNWF Social Media Success Report
• March Recurring Giving Campaign: "Invest in Futures"
• Rooted School Vancouver Progress Report

Action Needed:
No immediate action required; informational update and discussion only.

Approval of RSV Board Compliance Dashboard for 2024-2025 January

 Background: The RSV Board Compliance Dashboard for 2024-2025 for January, as required by the Washington State Charter Commission, provides a comprehensive overview of various performance and compliance indicators. This includes academic measures, financial management, governance, and organizational obligations. The dashboard aligns with the requirements of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), particularly concerning charter school operations and accountability.

Proposed Action: The School Board is requested to approve the RSV Board Compliance Dashboard for 2024-2025 January. This approval will ensure continued adherence to state regulations and support effective monitoring of the school's performance and compliance with the Charter School Act as outlined in the RCW.

This policy has been revised to incorporate recommendations provided during the ongoing Program Review Audit. The following key amendments have been made:

Highlighted Edits:

Expanded Definition of Services:

• Included explicit mention of Head Start and Comparable Pre-School programs to the list of services homeless students are eligible to receive.

Identification and Training:

• Added requirement for building-level points of contact at each school to assist in identifying homeless and unaccompanied youth and connecting them with the district’s homeless student liaison.
• Clarified that the district's homeless liaison is responsible for providing training to these building points of contact.

Enrollment Documentation:

• Clarified language regarding enrollment documentation, explicitly stating that assistance from the liaison should be proactively provided to families lacking immediate access to immunization and other enrollment records.
• Corrected language to reference previous district schools when requesting student records.

Transportation Coordination:

• Clarified language to emphasize coordination of transportation services and equitable division of transportation costs between districts, ensuring continuous school attendance for students experiencing homelessness.

Coordination with Agencies:

• Specified more clearly the liaison's role in coordinating with local social service agencies, state and local housing agencies, and other district schools to enhance support services, transportation, and records transfers.

Diploma and Credit Considerations:

• Adjusted language around transfer students, ensuring clarity about working with sending districts to award diplomas and waiving local graduation requirements when appropriate to guarantee timely graduation for students who have transferred multiple times.

Alignment:

• Policy aligns with applicable state and federal statutes, including the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and RCW guidelines for homeless student support.

Recommended Action:
The Board adopts the amended Policy 3115 to ensure compliance with audit requirements and best practices for supporting homeless students.

Outcome:
Approval ensures Rooted School Vancouver’s commitment to equitable educational opportunities, compliance with legal obligations, and strengthened support for students experiencing homelessness.

Adoption of Amended Policy and Procedure 3205: Sex-Based Discrimination Prohibited

Purpose:
To adopt recommended amendments to Policy and Procedure 3205, aligning Rooted School Vancouver’s sexual harassment policy and procedure with the reinstated 2020 Title IX federal regulations, OSPI Bulletin No. 007-25, and Washington state laws.

Recommended Action:
Approve and adopt the amendments to Policy 3205 and Procedure 3205P as presented.

Key Amendments:

• Updated sexual harassment definitions and clarified the scope under Title IX and state law.
• Specified mandatory investigation timelines, extension guidelines, and required components of the final written decision.
• Clearly separated the roles of the Title IX Coordinator and decision-maker.
• Explicitly stated equal appeal rights for complainants and respondents, including the option to appeal to OSPI.
• Included comprehensive Title IX training requirements for all relevant staff, ensuring transparency by requiring public availability of training materials.
• Clarified staff responsibilities for promptly reporting sexual harassment.

Attachments:

• Amended Policy 3205 (with tracked revisions)
• Amended Procedure 3205P (with tracked revisions)

Rationale:
These amendments ensure full legal compliance, foster a safe, equitable, and inclusive school environment, and fulfill Rooted School Vancouver's obligations as outlined in OSPI Bulletin No. 007-25.

Summary:
The board will review and consider for approval the updated procurement policy to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, specifically addressing the thresholds and procedures for the purchase of goods and services with federal funds. The updated policy reflects the correct thresholds for purchases, differentiating clearly between procurement of goods and procurement of services, and aligns with self-certification guidelines under federal standards (2 CFR § 200.520).

Key Changes Include:

• Clear distinction between procurement processes and thresholds for goods versus services.
• Adoption of federal thresholds:
  • Goods: Self-certification threshold allows purchases up to $40,000 without requiring quotes. Purchases between $40,000-$75,000 require three quotes. Purchases over $75,000 require formal public bidding.
  • Services: Self-certification threshold allows purchases up to $50,000 without quotes. Purchases between $50,000-$250,000 require quotes from a reasonable number of sources. Purchases over $250,000 require formal public bidding.
• Requirement for Superintendent to establish procedures accompanying self-certification use.
• Provision for seeking OSPI approval to exceed self-certification limits.

Recommended Action: Approve the updated Procurement Policy as presented, effective immediately upon approval, and direct the Executive Director to implement accompanying procedures.

Attachments: Updated Procurement Policy Document.

Next Board Meeting: March 25, 2025

Motion: The motion was made to adjourn the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at X:XX PM PST