El Camino Real Charter High School
Minutes
Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday November 18, 2015 at 5:00 PM
Location
ECRCHS Library, 5440 Valley Circle Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91357
Directors Present
Jackie Keene, Jonathan Wasser, Obie Slamon, Odus Caldwell, Peter Vastenhold
Directors Absent
Dennis Thompson
Guests Present
Cameron Maury, Carlos Monroy, Chang Patel, David Fehte, Duc Quach, Fernando Delgado, Gail Turner-Graham, Marlene Widawer, Marshall Mayotte, Melanie Horton, Melissa Charters, Richard Scheinberg, Samantha Spencer, Shelley Marshall, Terri Keas
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
Jonathan Wasser called a meeting of the board of directors of El Camino Real Charter High School to order on Wednesday Nov 18, 2015 at 5:07 PM.
B.
Pledge of Allegiance
Obie Slamon led the Pledge of Allegiance.
C.
Record Attendance and Guests
D.
Teacher/Student Presentation
ECRCHS French teacher Caroline Jones and three of her students gave a presentation on a class project she has done for the past 12 years whereby the students communicate with pen pal students in France by letter and video. The students translated a video they made in French to introduce their school to the French students.
E.
Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items and Agenda Items
Four ECRCHS teachers and an ECRCHS parent made public comments.
F.
Discuss Charter Oversight Committee - Roles and Election committee
Odus Caldwell made a motion to form an ad hoc committee consisting of Board members Obie Slamon, Jackie Keene and Odus Caldwell, to review, digest and receive recommendations and feedback from stakeholders to create an Oversight Committee that is in accordance with the ECRCHS Charter.
Jackie Keene seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
G.
Committee and Board Updates
Jackie Keene reported that the sub-committee has two candidates to fill the vacant position left by Jeff Falgien. The committee will have a recommendation to the Board at the next meeting and the Board will vote on the new member.
II. Governance
A.
Review and Approve October 26, 2015 Special Board Meeting Minutes
Odus Caldwell made a motion to approve minutes from the Special Board Meeting on 10-26-15 Board Meeting on 10-26-15.
Obie Slamon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
B.
Discuss and Vote for Supplemental Items to Post Before and After Board Meetings
Whenever possible and within reason, documents pertaining to supplemental materials to be voted on by the Board, will be posted 48 hours prior to Board meetings, so that stakeholders can review the information prior to making public comments at the Board meetings.
C.
Discuss and Vote to Move the December 9th Regular Meeting to December 16th.
The vote to move the December 9th meeting to December 16th was tabled and the December meeting will take place on December 9, 2015.
III. Policies
A.
Fiscal Policies Update Request from LAUSD
LAUSD is requesting ECRCHS to update the fiscal policies pertaining to the back office and to require more substantiation and documentation of purchases and pre-approval for employee reimbursements. The official policies will be ready for the December 9, 2015 Board meeting.
IV. Financial
A.
Educator Effectiveness Funding Update
Committees will be formed after Winter Break to create a plan how to spend the one-time Educator Effectiveness funds of approximately $228,000 to create a better educational product.
B.
Review and Approval of the 2015-16 EPA Resolution and Expenditure Plant
Obie Slamon made a motion to approve the use of the one-time Prop 30 EPA funds of $5.6MM for the 2015-16 school year for teacher salaries, to be spent by June 2016.
Peter Vastenhold seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
C.
Review and Approval of an RFP for continuous project/repair management on the ECRCHS campus
Marshall is writing an RFP to hire an outside vendor to assist with the approval process with LAUSD to assist with new projects, manage projects, build new buildings, minimize cost overruns and oversee repairs and maintenance.
Odus Caldwell made a motion to to approve an RFP to bring in an outside vendor to assist with the approval process with LAUSD to assist with new projects, manage projects, build new buildings, minimize cost overruns and oversee repairs and maintenance.
Peter Vastenhold seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
D.
Review and Approval of the September Check Register
Jackie Keene made a motion to approve the September check register.
Obie Slamon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
E.
Review and Approval of the Material Revision to Recognize Enrollment and Preference Changes
Obie Slamon made a motion to approval of the Material Revision document to recognize enrollment in the Alternative school and independent study, and to include enrollment at the new Shoup property.
Peter Vastenhold seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
F.
Review and Approval of the 2014/15 Audited Financial Statements
Peter Vastenhold made a motion to approve the 2014-2015 Audited Financial Statements.
Jackie Keene seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
G.
Update on ECR's Highlander K-8 STEM School
Mr. Fehte reported that at the LAUSD Board meeting, Steve Zimmer proposed a Special Ed school for gifted autistic students at the Oso site, seconded by Scott Schmerlson. Three members voted for ECR's proposal for Oso, two board members abstained from voting which moved ECR's proposal off the table.
H.
Update on the Financial and Operational Impact of Losing Oso
Marshall reported that LAUSD announced plans to place a special education school on the Oso property after ECR's petition to open a K-8 school on the property had been approved, which complicates what ECR does with Highlander and Platt Ranch and will affect cash flow.
I.
Financial Update Based on EdTec's Financials of ECRCHS
Marshall presented the balance statements prepared by EdTec for the months of July, August and September.
V. Administrators
A.
Update from Business and Operations
Included in other Agenda topics by Marshall Mayotte and Dave Fehte.
B.
Update from Academic Administrators
None
C.
Update from Executive Director
Scott Schmerleson announced he has a plan for Highlander but did not share his plan so the Board asked that until he comes up with his plan, to give them a month to hear and review his plan.
The LAUSD voted to renew ECRCHS' Charter for renewal for 5 years.
Come see the school play, Greensboro. The Drama department has done a great job with the play.
The new gym will be completed by mid December.
Escrow closes on the Shoup property on December 1, 2015.
VI. Other Business
A.
Future Agenda Items
Jon Wasser requested that the Board open a discussion at the next meeting on allowing house speakers to speak on agenda items when the item is being discussed rather than all speakers speaking at the beginning of the meetings, limiting the number of speakers on each subject so that meetings do not run exceedingly long.
B.
Closed session - Conference with Labor Negotiators
The Board adjourned into Closed Session at 6:55pm
VII. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
Peter Vastenhold made a motion to adjourn the meeting to Closed Session.
Jackie Keene 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 6:55 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Terri Keas