El Camino Real Charter High School

Minutes

Regular Board Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday May 25, 2023 at 5:30 PM

Location

Main Campus - LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER

 

El Camino Real Charter High School 

5440 Valley Circle Boulevard

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

For meeting materials, please go to the school's main office, or call (818) 595-7500.  Some board meeting materials are also posted in the school's website (https://ecrchs.net - click the ECR Board tab).
 

ATTENTION:


WE HAVE RETURNED TO "IN-PERSON" REGULAR AND SPECIAL BOARD MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD BY PARENTS AND OTHER MEETING ATTENDEES:

 

El Camino Real Alliance (“ECRA”) welcomes your participation at ECRA’s Board meetings. The purpose of a public meeting of the Board of Directors (“Board”) is to conduct the affairs of ECRA in public. 

 

Your participation assures us of continuing community interest in our charter school.  To assist you in the ease of speaking/ participating in our meetings, the following guidelines are provided: 

 

1. Agendas are available to all audience members at the door to the meeting. 

 

2. “Request to Speak” forms are available to all audience members who wish to speak on any agenda items or under the general category of “Public Comments.” 

 

“Public Comments” is set aside for members of the audience to raise issues that are not specifically on the agenda. 

 

However, due to public meeting laws, the Board can only listen to your issue, not respond or take action.                     

These presentations are limited to two (2) minutes and total time allotted to non-agenda items will not exceed thirty (30) minutes.  A member of the public who requires the use of a translator, in order to receive the same opportunity as others to directly address the Board, shall be permitted twice the allotted time to speak.  

 

The Board may give direction to staff to respond to your concern or you may be offered the option of returning with a citizen-requested item. 

 

3. You may also complete a “Request to Speak” form to address the Board on Agenda items.  With regard to such agenda items, you may specify the item(s) on your “Request to Speak” form and you will be given an opportunity to speak for up to three (3) minutes before the item is addressed, and total time allocated to agenda items will not exceed six (6) minutes for a Discussion item and nine (9) minutes per Vote item. 

 

A member of the public who requires the use of a translator, in order to receive the same opportunity as others to directly address the Board, shall be permitted twice the allotted time to speak, and the total allocated time shall be appropriately increased as well. 

 

4. When addressing the Board, speakers are requested to state their name and adhere to the time limits set forth.  In order to maintain allotted time limits, the Board Chair may modify speaker time allocations or the total amount of allotted time for an item.  
 

5. Any public records relating to an agenda item for an Open Session of the Board which are distributed to all, or a majority of all, of the Board members shall be available for public inspection at 5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills, California, 91367.  

 

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PUBLIC COMMENTS: 

 

Effective September 2022, public comments presentations at all ECRA Regular and Special Board Meetings and at Committee Meetings must be made in person.  

 

There is no obligation on the part of the school to have a school official read public comments during in-person Board Meetings.  

 

A member of the public is welcome to appear at the Board meeting to make a public comment or make arrangements with another person in attendance to speak on the person's behalf.


Consent Agenda:  All matters listed under the consent agenda are considered by the Board to be routine and will be approved/enacted by the Board in one motion or more motions in the form listed below.  Unless specifically requested by a Board member for further discussion or removed from the agenda, there will be no discussion of these items prior to the Board vote(s) on the Consent Agenda item(s).   The Executive Director recommends approval of all consent agenda items.


In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and upon request, El Camino Real Alliance may furnish reasonable auxiliary aids and services to qualified individuals with disabilities. Requests for disability related modifications or accommodations shall be made 24 hours prior to the meeting to David Hussey, in person, by email at comment@ecrchs.net, or by calling (818) 595-7500.

Directors Present

Alexandra Ramirez, Brad Wright, Daniela Lopez-Vargas, Danielle Malconian, Linda Ibach, Steven Kofahl

Directors Absent

Gregg Solkovits

Guests Present

David Hussey, Gregory Wood, Kurt Lowry, Ryan Guinto, a.Ilyas@ecrchs.net

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

Brad Wright called a meeting of the board of directors of El Camino Real Charter High School to order on Thursday May 25, 2023 at 5:31 PM.

B.

Record Attendance and Guests

Quorum established.  Mr. Solkoivits and Ms. Vargas are absent.

C.

Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America (USA)

Student Paul Scola led Board members and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America (USA).

D.

Public Comments

E.

Executive Director Update

Ethnic Studies classes; 1 class to be expanded after 23-24; 

looking at cultural diversity juniors to simon wiesenthal museum; another focus for the committee

focus groups every month with administrators present; hearning wants and needs

promoted the importance of SBAC throughout the year; especially ourstudents of color

 

Graduation is next friday june 2nd at 6 p.m in the stadium

 

Yearbook shoutout; first time in three years it was done on time and under budget; kids got them four days early; thank you to all who worked on it;

 

Thank all stakeholders for a fine year; growth of our future student leaders;

 

SISC ???

 

 

F.

Chief Business Officer Update

Cafeteria in the black

will implement a new POS system this summer

former leader will stay on as a supervisor; alex; 

 

ADA - month 8 locked on last month; final bdget will be done with 3220 ADA; 

 

Received our new rate sheets for employee healt benefits; plans up 8 to 8.3%; dental and vision down; overall increases of 7.2% or over 350K

 

New funding rates; Cola increase of 8.2%

Basic funding will be over 12K with addl. funding from supplemental grant

 

Biggest area of increase; caslstrs 19%

 

CALPERS rate this year is 25% is going to increase 26.68% in 23-24

 

Overview of State Budget:

 

* education in all forms - special fund for economic uncertainties = down from 18.B to 3.8B; pulling from reserves 

 

* big concern is declining enrollment; if we lose our one time funds May Revision

 

* Declining enrollment projecttions by county 

 

(COPY some similar comments from F&I Investment meeting presntation)

 

* CharterSAFE - Member Contribution Insurance cost will decline 2%

 

Mr. Kofahl - if workers' comp went down and if 200K is spent, will it come out of 

 

 

G.

Board Committee Updates

Capital projects/improvements meeting: D. Malconian - next year improvements have to do with safety; vape sensors, securing the campus, door access; 

H.

Board Chair Update

B. Wright congratulate the Aca Deca Team; we also have another issue; students look to other students for guidance; we're the royal award; I"d like to recognize Paul Scola with the Royal;

 

L. Ibach congratulated the school on its 6-year WASC accreditation; if the teaching isn't happening it would have happened; etc.

 

 

II. Consent

A.

Approve Minutes of the April 27th, 2023, Regular Board Meeting

Danielle Malconian made a motion to approve the minutes from Regular Board Meeting on 04-27-23.
Linda Ibach seconded the motion.

Four consent Agenda items approved in a single roll call vote.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Steven Kofahl
Aye
Linda Ibach
Aye
Brad Wright
Aye
Daniela Lopez-Vargas
Absent
Alexandra Ramirez
Aye
Danielle Malconian
Aye
Gregg Solkovits
Absent

B.

Approve Minutes of the May 4th, 2023, Special Board Meeting.

Brad Wright made a motion to Table the approval of minutes from May 4, 2023 Special Board Meeting Special Board Meeting on 05-04-23.
Alexandra Ramirez seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Approve the April, 2023, Check Registers

D.

Approve the April, 2023, Credit Card Charges

III. Investment

A.

April 2023 Investment Update

Note that 1st Qtr 23 and April 2023; combined, as presented at the May 22, 2023, Finance & Investment Committee Meeting; 

 

7.7% investment change and 18.5% overall total change;

 

Reinvest 399K and 394K

 

OPEB 24.2M

 

Gen. Acct 6___________M

 

Breller 1Q23

 

reviewed Slide/P. 9 - Gen. Investment Acct. highlights;

 

School has an investement policy with different funds in each investment manager 

 

 

reviewed Slide/P. 5 - OPEB highlights

 

Increases in interests rates results in better performance 

 

F&I Committee recommended; 

 

D. Malconian added that people can listen the recording of the may 22, 2023 meeting

 

 

IV. Finance

A.

April 2023 Financial Update

We just finished 10 months of 

B.

Discuss and Vote to Approve the 23-24 Instructional Materials (IMA) Budget

Alexandra Ramirez made a motion to Approve the 23-24 Instructional Materials (IMA) Budget with the understanding that this will be revisited in JUne 23.
Linda Ibach seconded the motion.

Ms. Ilyas presented the 23-24 IMA Buget, with highlights as follow:

 

Department budgets

Team with oldest uniforms

 

(Use language from F&I Committee mtg in this section)

 

Plenty of Discussion about LIghting and Sound Maintenance and Production Costs $12K

Possible Revisit of this line budget item; what can we do it: 

 

Mr. Wood noted that this conversation is about IMA and we can have the discussion in June

 

Mr. Kofahl, noted that we see Counseling request was $72,700 to 44K Naviance moved to subscriptions (paid for elsewhere as is not an instructional material)

 

 

 

 

 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Linda Ibach
Aye
Gregg Solkovits
Absent
Daniela Lopez-Vargas
Absent
Danielle Malconian
Aye
Alexandra Ramirez
Aye
Steven Kofahl
Aye
Brad Wright
Aye

C.

Discuss and Vote to Recommend to the Full Board Approval of Proposed 2023-2024 Special Education Vendor Services Agreements/Contracts

Brad Wright made a motion to Allow apaprove the 23-24 Sp. jEd. plus two year for Inspire Comms.
Steven Kofahl seconded the motion.

Prior to the Vote, Mr. Larew presented the context of the contracts, several of which were renogotiated 

 

Proposed rates for 23-24:Use 

 

Piece of Mind 

Inspire Communications (2-year) 

EdLogical 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Daniela Lopez-Vargas
Absent
Linda Ibach
Aye
Danielle Malconian
Aye
Brad Wright
Aye
Gregg Solkovits
Absent
Steven Kofahl
Aye
Alexandra Ramirez
Aye

V. School Business

A.

Discuss and Vote to Approve One or More 2023-2024 Substitute Teacher Vendor(s) Service Agreement(s).

Danielle Malconian made a motion to Table the Vote.
Brad Wright seconded the motion.

Table this agenda item; 

 

Send Dr. Lowry and Mr. Hussey; 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Daniela Lopez-Vargas
Absent
Linda Ibach
Aye
Steven Kofahl
Aye
Gregg Solkovits
Absent
Brad Wright
Aye
Alexandra Ramirez
Aye
Danielle Malconian
Aye

B.

Discussion of Proposed Capital Improvements as Discussed During May 15th, 2023, Capitalization Projects Ad Hoc Committee Meeting and as Discussed During May 22nd, 2023, Finance and Investment Committee Meeting.

Ms. Malconian said that the discussion was already done at the Board Finance committee meeting. 

C.

Discuss Collective LAUSD SELPA Notification Letter

Hussey made board aware but has no intention of leaving the SELPA. 

 

 

D.

Discuss and Vote to Approve Proposed 2023-2024 Services Agreement with SAGE

Danielle Malconian made a motion to Approve Proposed 2023-2024 Services Agreement with SAGE.
Steven Kofahl seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Danielle Malconian
Aye
Gregg Solkovits
Absent
Daniela Lopez-Vargas
Absent
Linda Ibach
Aye
Alexandra Ramirez
Aye
Steven Kofahl
Aye
Brad Wright
Aye

Mr. Hussey said that ECR will continue to access SAGE as the school-based therapist and it is a service that LAUSD used to supply. Right now, COVID funds are being used and there is 0 cost to the general fund. 

E.

Discuss and Vote on the Proposed 23-24 and 24-25 School Calendars

Motion to Proposed 23-24 and 24-25 School Calendars.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Alexandra Ramirez
Aye
Gregg Solkovits
Absent
Linda Ibach
Aye
Brad Wright
Aye
Danielle Malconian
Aye
Daniela Lopez-Vargas
Aye
Steven Kofahl
Aye

F.

Discussion on Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) 23-24 Proposed Goals and Actions

Ms. Clark led the discussion on the LCAP plan for 23-24 and outlined each goals and actions. 

VI. Closed Session

A.

Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release (§ 54957)

Closed session took place 7:25PM

B.

Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation

C.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - Executive Director

D.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - Director, Human Resources and Compliance

VII. Reconvene to Open Session

A.

Report on Actions Taken in Closed Session, If Any

Board meeting reconvened at 9:31PM. There were no actions taken during closed session. 

VIII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

Steven Kofahl made a motion to Adjourn the meeting.
Alexandra Ramirez seconded the motion.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:31PM

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 9:31 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Ryan Guinto