Ivy Hill Prep Charter School

Minutes

Board of Trustees Meeting - Ivy Hill Prep

Date and Time

Monday April 26, 2021 at 6:30 PM

Location

Pursuant to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.1 issued, on March 12, 2020, suspending the
in-person public participation provisions of the Open Meetings Law, IVY HILL PREP's Board Meeting will be held electronically via https://zoom.us/j/9699543901, until further notice.  Members of the public may listen to or view the board meeting by also connecting to the zoom link at https://zoom.us/j/9699543901. A recording of the meeting will be transcribed and posted on Ivy Hill Prep's website at: https://www.ivyhillprep.org/home

 

TRUSTEES SHOULD ENSURE VIDEO CAPACITY IS ENABLED FOR MEETING/VOTING PURPOSES

 

IVY HILL PREP - BOARD OF TRUSTEES 
 

Directors Present

A. Jimenez-Schulman (remote), A. Laniyan (remote), M. Michael (remote), N. Williams (remote), T. James (remote)

Directors Absent

D. Lewis, J. Small, M. Kane

Guests Present

A. Johnson (remote), A. Leon-Soon (remote), D. Williams (remote), M. Butcher (remote), P. Carras (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

M. Michael called a meeting of the board of directors of Ivy Hill Prep Charter School to order on Monday Apr 26, 2021 at 6:33 PM.

B.

Record Attendance and Guests

Quorum present

C.

Approve March 2021 Board Meeting Minutes

M. Michael made a motion to approve the minutes from Board of Trustees Meeting - Ivy Hill Prep on 03-29-21.
A. Jimenez-Schulman seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
J. Small
Absent
D. Lewis
Absent
A. Jimenez-Schulman
Aye
N. Williams
Aye
M. Kane
Absent
T. James
Aye
A. Laniyan
Aye
M. Michael
Abstain

D.

Vote to Approve Agenda

M. Michael made a motion to Approve agenda.
T. James seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Michael
Aye
A. Jimenez-Schulman
Aye
N. Williams
Aye
J. Small
Absent
A. Laniyan
Aye
T. James
Aye
M. Kane
Absent
D. Lewis
Absent

II. Governance

A.

Committee Update

  • Plan to flush out Board PD and and Retreat
  • Committee reviewing bylaws for any updates, and plan is to have lawyers well versed in the subject matter review as well
  • Finalizing plan for 2021-22 Board (returning members, new members)

III. Finance Committee

A.

Review Financial Dashboard

  • Expenses should come in lower than expected

B.

21-22 Budget Review

  • FY21-22 budget preview; goal is for approved budget by May Board meeting
  • Question: assumptions for FTEs of students with IEPs (SpEd); Discussion: accounting for numbers shifting based on student progression and from sense of the number of new students who come in with IEPs; suggestion for reviewing district trends for figures for students with IEPs and for considering impact of COVID-19 on learning and how that factors into future recommendations for evaluation
  • Question: stipend rate; Discussion: will reflect number of teachers each individual will be coaching
  • Question: COVID-19-related line-item for planning; Discussion: good idea to incorporate
  • Revisiting of Y0-Y5 budget that was part of initial charter application; no material variations and adjustments made after Y0 are showing to be effective; operating income is a point of focus as an indicator
  • Question: drop in contracted services; Discussion: changing vendors from CSBM, which was going to have drastically increasing fees (in relation to per pupil funding)
  • Question: non-instructional personnel line item; Discussion: accounting for Nurse, but that is paid for by DOE
  • Stipends, salaries will be main items to be revisited/ tweaked ahead of May board meeting

C.

Miscellaneous Financial Issues

  • Supporting management in handling bids for new contracts in a timely manner before EOY; Management named anticipated PEO vendor change, which will go to Finance committee in May and requires approval at May Board meeting 
  • Discussion: timing of May 31st Board Meeting (on a holiday), to be moved to May 24th (vote below)
  • Audit timeline: materials due 5/3-5/10 for interim audit; reviewing invoices (standard practice and audit prep)
  • Discussion: fiscal policy expectations and review; continued in Finance committee
M. Michael made a motion to Change date of May Board meeting to 5/24.
N. Williams seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Kane
Absent
N. Williams
Aye
D. Lewis
Absent
T. James
Aye
A. Jimenez-Schulman
Aye
M. Michael
Aye
A. Laniyan
Aye
J. Small
Absent

IV. Director of Finance Hiring Taskforce

A.

Taskforce Update

  • To be picked up in next Board meeting due to pause in timeline

V. Academic Achievement

A.

Review Academic Program - Academic Dashboard

  • Expecting updated numbers on new families from the lottery who completed full enrollment by May meeting
  • Question: plan for filling remaining 2nd grade seats (low waitlist); Discussion: continuing to post openings on social media and message to families for referrals; still part of common app for ongoing apps
  • Question: attendance came down 1% point - any trend; Discussion: haven't noticed anything
  • Question: conversations with staff members about next year; Discussion: push to follow up with staff about where they stand for next year (if anything has changed since prior conversations)

B.

Review Teaching and Learning

  • 3rd round of literacy STEP assessment results
  • Discussion: mapping performance against charter benchmarks, accounting for reduction in instruction due to COVID-19, but still keeping benchmarks in same charts; maintaining benchmarks was named by authorizer in prior conversation as well; these adjustments to be finalized in Academics Committee
  • Math quiz data results
  • Discussion: retention practices during COVID-19

C.

Discuss Culture and Climate

  • Elective discussion for next year - adding additional elective in the form of art; continuing to build out martial arts program, as part of co-curriculum; considering building out both programs upon first returning from hybrid learning
  • Discussion: further building out of martial arts principles in all aspects of school

D.

21-22 Re-Opening Plan

E.

Committee Report/Governance Issues

VI. Development

A.

Update on Development

  • Movie Night on 4/29 - Board members to share with networks
  • Giving Board reminder

VII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

M. Michael made a motion to Adjorn Board Meeting.
N. Williams seconded the motion.
The board VOTED 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 8:56 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
M. Michael