There was no public comment during this portion of the meeting.

• Natalie Hester of WA Charters presented on a number of key implementation initiatives from WA Charters.
• Ms. Hester explained some of the challenges facing charters and the Commission.
• Ms. Hester referenced the 5-part series that outlines the legislative challenges and opportunities for charter advocacy.
• Relationship-building is key for school success.

• Toby Martin presented to the Board the Rooted School - Vancouver Bylaws (attached).
• Toby Martin signed the easement agreement for the RSV facility.

Jonathan Johnson presented a report to the Board that included:

I. Rooted Vancouver Executive Director and Board Chair Support:

A. Rooted School New Orleans hosted Steven for Base Camp and The Climb for a week in July. There are a number of required readings and reflective exercises that Steven completed prior to the team development experience.

B. Steven and Jonathan have a standing weekly check-in that has shifted to in-person (>60 minutes). This is in addition to frequent collaboration via text, calls, and email.

C. RSF has also collaborated with WA Charters to complete an update to the Green Balloon Fellowship prior to Steven joining as Founding Executive Director. The GBF is composed of eight modules pertaining to the components of what it would take to successfully replicate the Rooted School model. Steven has completed one module (Closing 228) and has submitted all deliverables in the second module.

D. Jonathan began his regular check-ins with Toby in August and shared a comprehensive set of board management tools and resources for planning the initial meetings and retreat at the beginning of Planning Year 2.

II. Fundraising:

A. RSF is continuing to cultivate several funders Rooted Vancouver. Jonathan also working through a Washington/Portland Metro prospect list in addition to a funder landscape research document as part of RSV’s overall fundraising strategy.

B. Jonathan has enlisted Ruth Richerson of Ruth Richerson Consulting and Gillia Bakie of Flicker Consulting to provide additional support to RSF in prospect research and drafting the initial cases for support.

C. Jonathan has started facilitating introductions with funders who are interested in partnering on Rooted Vancovuer and other aspects of Rooted’s work.

D. Jonathan continues to sit on the WA Membership Council with Steven and steward the funding relationship with WA Charters.

E. RSF continues to serve as the guarantor for RSV’s facility.

III. Branding and Marketing Rooted Vancouver:

A. As the Board may be aware, we contracted with Ruth Richerson and Brandon Vaughan for WA Charters Regional Communications Grant to achieve the following outcomes:

1. Develop a cohesive communications campaign strategy that elevates exposure and raises funds to launch RSV.

2. Build foundational tools, such as pitch materials and a tracking system to manage RSV’s near and long-term pipeline.

3. Create a strategy document that is grounded in insights and research gathered from internal resources, along with an external evaluation of the landscape. This will provide Rooted School with the resources to create compelling press messaging that will engage media and differentiate the local brand of RSV.

4. Conduct an evaluation of the trending news landscape surrounding Rooted School and the regional education industry. This insight allows us to better understand how to position the brand within the current climate.

5. Using the landscape and competitive insights to create messaging with an editorial lens, identifying core differentiators, defining proof points, and competitively positioning the brand, which can be used to pitch regional media effectively and strategically position the RSV brand in the market.

6. Develop a thorough plan for editorial outreach throughout the pre-opening and launch year to ensure that RSV’s launch carries out well beyond the first few months of launch and review coverage. RSV will also explore timely seasonal angles, evergreen roundups and gifting seasons during every month of the year.

7. Providing a measurable way to evaluate this plan’s success on an ongoing basis.

8. Items 1-5 are complete and will undergo continuous updates. Items 6 and

7 are not complete since we paused on those deliverables once we delayed launch. These deliverables will be included in Jonathan’s next steps with Brandon Vaughan.

B. Initial webpage development, logos, and typeface

RSF has not completed an update to the RSV site as we were waiting for our new Executive Director. An updated site is a significant need as RSV prepares to brand and market itself to the Vancouver community with a goal of recruiting founding students and staff.

1.  Establishing of Board Committees:

Committees do the deep work between board meetings, ensuring our board meetings are strategic and productive.  Committees make recommendations for deliberation by the full board and facilitate the board’s decision making.  They help decide whether a matter needs to be addressed by the board at all.   Board committees distill the big issues and frame recommendations for the board to discuss.  

-Board Committee e-Book, Board On Track-

Governance Committee:

Tending to the health, education, and evolution of our trustees is vital to having an effective board.  The Governance Committee is commissioned by and responsible to the Rooted School Vancouver 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 with established policies and practices approved by the Board of Trustees.

Responsibilities include:

• Analyze the skills and experience needed on the Board. 
• Create a short and long-term board recruitment strategy. 
• Work with Board Chair and CEO on a succession plan for board officers. 
• Recruit members to serve as members of the Board and develop a slate of trustees for consideration by the membership at the annual meeting in accordance with selection/election procedures outlined in the bylaws. 
• Develop and review annually the procedures for Board recruitment. 
• Develop an orientation and training plan for new trustees. 
• Assist in the planning of an annual Board retreat and other deeper strategy sessions as needed. 
• Develop and revise a Board Member handbook outlining the responsibilities of the Board and Board members, Board policies, and other relevant information. 
• Conduct board education as needed. 
• Create specific measurable board-level goals for the year as part of the full board planning process. 
• Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of board meetings and make recommendations for improvement to the Chair and the full board as needed. 
• Annually coordinate an evaluation of the full board and individual trustees. 
• Report to the Board of Trustees at regular meetings of the Board in a manner determined by the Board. 
• Annually evaluate its work as a committee and the objectives it has committed itself to and report on same to the Board of Trustees.

Marketing, Community Engagement, and Student Recruitment Committee:

Research has proven that active community engagement, outreach and effective recruitment strategies can increase student enrollment.   The Marketing, Community Engagement, and Student Recruitment Committee is responsible for advising and supporting the outreach, community engagement, and implementing an annual student recruitment plan and marketing strategies that aligns with our organization’s student enrollment goals.  

Responsibilities include:

• Recruitment events need to be calendared by 8/30/2022
• Confirm and update community partners to help facilitate recruitment events needs to be completed by 8/30/2022
• Comprehensive Recruitment and Enrollment Plan is due 9/15/2022
• Recruitment materials need to be developed by 9/30/2022
• Enrollment begins 10/1/2022

The commitment requires some brainstorming and planning time between now and September 15th, approximately 4-8 hours total. After September 15th, the committee will meet once a month for 60 minutes between September 15th and January 30th to monitor and support the plan's implementation. We need two board members who are familiar with the local context and /or have ties to the community and population we will serve. Having a background in marketing and partner development is also needed. 

Note: At some point, we will probably need to hire a community engagement coordinator. At this point, we believe that a subcommittee can fulfill the role resulting in cost savings associated with hiring a coordinator or contractor.

2.  Board Retreat:

To be effective, your board needs dedicated time for deeper strategic conversations that just can’t happen in regular board meetings. The annual retreat is when our board has the time and breathing room to have deeper strategic conversations and dig into planning for the coming year.  This is a place where the board, the Executive Director, RSF, and other staff create alignment on priority.  During the retreat, the goal is to create a shared understanding RSV’s top priorities and how the board will contribute to those priorities.  It is also an opportunity to clarify where the governance-management line falls for each of the priorities so we can effective collaborate and hold each other accountable.   The annual retreat is also a time to assess the board’s performance and set goals accordingly. 

Discussion: We need to set a date, time, format and location (if needed) for the board retreat. We would like to hold a board retreat for some time this early fall. 

3. Policy Update:

Some policies should be in place before we start student and staff recruitment. Starting next month, Steven will submit 2-3 policies per board meeting for the Board to read and approve.  Reading and reviewing the proposed policies before the board meeting will be essential, allowing time for discussion.

4. Facility Update:

The Rooted School Vancouver construction is on track to begin October 15, unless further delays arise in permitting or funding with Raza and WCSD. 

• Completed actions since last meeting include:
  1. Finalized building construction plan with Washington Charter School Development Fund and Rice Fergus Miller 
  2. Signed easement from landlord for trenching for sprinklers from adjacent property
  3. Sent easement and neighbor’s temporary license agreement to the neighbors.  Waiting for their return signature.

5.  WA Charters Planning Year 2 Grant:  

The month of August has been a busy month associated with required deliverables.  These include:

• Submit evidence of 2022-23 contract with Joule Growth Partners for consulting CFO to WA Charters Basecamp
• Submit evidence of 2022-23 contract with Board on Track
• Submit countersigned subgrant agreement to WA Charters 
• Submit Green Balloon Fellowship coaching report to WA Charters 
• Submit comprehensive operational and instructional school pilot plan to WA Charters 
• Submit comprehensive community engagement, recruitment, and enrollment plan
• Submit the completed WA Charters fundraising workbook to Basecamp including evidence of 100% board giving to obtain a $5000 match
• Confirm and update calendar/list of local community events that could be opportunities to promote
• Determine location of lottery
• Finalize the date of the lottery
• Review and revise enrollment application
• Review and revise template letter, email & phone call process for acknowledging receipt of application
• Confirm top 3 languages spoken in community and by prospective parents/families

All of these items are complete or on track to be completed by required deadlines to ensure release of funding.

The board made a motion to approve the school year 2022 - 2023 Assistant Principal of Operations and Technical Education job description as presented by Steve Carney, Executive Director.