Libertas Academy Charter School

Minutes

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday September 15, 2020 at 5:00 PM

Location

Zoom Meeting  
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5069946767?pwd=QXEvbzlHb0tYZWE4VHl6MCtrVFlGUT09  
Meeting ID: 506 994 6767  
Password: 12345

Trustees Present

A. Surrette (remote), D. Barrows (remote), H. Zavala (remote), J. Lauren (remote), K. Diamond Kayiatos (remote), L. Davis (remote), S. Williams (remote), T. Curtis (remote)

Trustees Absent

None

Ex Officio Members Present

J. Hernandez (remote), M. Montero (remote)

Non Voting Members Present

J. Hernandez (remote), M. Montero (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Welcome!

B.

Record Attendance and Guests

C.

Call the Meeting to Order

L. Davis called a meeting of the board of trustees of Libertas Academy Charter School to order on Tuesday Sep 15, 2020 at 5:04 PM.

D.

Kudos to Modesto and his team for getting school ready and started under these wild conditions

E.

Public Comment

F.

No one here from the public

G.

Approve Minutes - Aug Special Meeting

D. Barrows made a motion to approve the minutes from Special Meeting on 08-04-20.
K. Diamond Kayiatos seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. FY21 Board Kickoff Items

A.

Board on Track Refresher

When making agendas, once finalized, be sure to make the agenda public to adhere to our DESI guidelines. This enables public to view our agendas.

Keep in mind that there is a resource button for committee specific information.  There are lots of great tools/info here.

 

B.

FY21 Board Goals

Reminder of FY21 Board Goals decided on in June.  Please keep these in mind as we're doing committee work and general board work for Libertas.

III. Management Report

A.

Management Report

Currently in Phase 4 - kicking off of learning for our students remotely yesterday.  Most staff in person.
Completed 5 weeks of training last week with staff

COVID trends reviewed every day.  Spike in August but back down in by Sept 1.  Assuming this low level continues we will expect to bring students back on site in early October.  Prioritizing students who need most support - defined as those who have the most difficulty working remotely  - max 20% (60 students).  On track with our plans so far. 

Wins:
- 100% staffed since July
- Staff reporting to work daily and going well 
- Staff morale is high 
- Working with Sue on revising curriculum and going very well. Spent summer working with admins.  This will continue throughout the year. Will be working on High School planning starting soon.
- Purchased the resources needed for in-person learning (technology and PPE). 
- $300K financial commitment from Jennison Foundation to cover operational needs to open in person with COVID, this helped cash flow as the grants received from State and Federal funding was reimbursements.  (4 installments of $75K) The balance funds will be used for our facilities fund (about 1/2), going into Friends account.  * Question about the building funds, where they live (Friends vs. School) and then who owns the building. Still being determined.

Challenges:
- Enrollment in COVID era. 3 weeks ago we were under enrolled but made lots of progress since then.
- Unknowns of COVID (moving target) - likely not changing
- Financial Forecast (tricky) - getting better thanks to Jennison and State finally released the per pupil funding at slight increase (1.3%).  The budget approved in June was expecting a decrease so we will rework the numbers and present next meeting.

Student Recruitment & Enrollment:
- Current number 265, under enrolled by 5 students.  Report goes to state on Oct 1 which determines funding. 
- Required all families to attend a meeting covering expectations for the year (remote learning, etc). All but 13 families have attended. Working hard to get these last families involved.  Right now not missing content (review, welcomes) but making sure 
        * Tiffani reminded about knowing where every kid is in the system so are they enrolled elsewhere? Seeing that this is a way that kids are not enrolled anywhere and concern that they fall off the radar.  Only 2 we have not been able to confirm if they are enrolled elsewhere. Libertas is expected to try for 10 days, after that Libertas unenroll them. We can't confirm if that means that they are not enrolled elsewhere. Libertas does file with DCF if a student is unenrolled from Libertas.  Good 
- Goal to have 95% students present daily, Day 1 was a little low but day 2 much better (86%) some of tech issues. Following up with all students every day and throughout the day. Each class has attendance. Spring was focused on work completed because asynchronous.  This Fall is synchronous so tracking attendance.
- Action Plan: Lottery on 9/23 for open applications and working to increase the wait list, Advertising hybrid option, targeting flyers in community, daily touch points with families who have applied. Will get students in to classes from those lotteries next day.

Facilities Planning:
- Working with architect to design our ideal spaces.
- Shared with current location with landlord and also considering a brand new space on site.
      * leaning toward option 1 as thoughts would be less expensive.
      * Gary has been included in this
- Speaking next week as a group to make decisions.
      * Gary and Mike Ronan willing to help make whatever is decided happen.
- Feel that we are on track right now time wise.
- Also still looking at some spaces as a backup option if needed. Developer at this site has worked with charter schools and understands our needs.

Follow up Questions:
- Has Gary shared any preference on building scenarios?  No, he wants us to build the space to be what we need. 

IV. Committee Reports

A.

Academic Achievement Committee

Reviewed back to school plan and hiring of staff.

We need to finalize the School Calendar.  Looks good to the committee but board needs to vote to make it official.

Meetings set for the rest of the year.

B.

Finance Committee

Shout out to Juan and Hector for being such a strong committee.  We are up to date on Financials.

Met with audit committee. Clean audit report for FY2020.

Nothing out of the ordinary on financials.  $300k not reflected in the numbers so we are in good shape even without the Jennison gift. Current Debt to Asset Ratio (important number) looks good.

Question on what to expect for September - tuition starts coming in this month (not so in June, July & August) so expecting them to be positive.

Monthly meetings have been set for the year. Enable timely financials.
H. Zavala made a motion to to approve June Financials.
L. Davis seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
H. Zavala made a motion to to approve July financials.
D. Barrows seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
H. Zavala made a motion to approve August Financials.
L. Davis seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Development Committee

Set a goal of $150,000 this FY21 - separate from Jennison Foundation gift & any state or local grants for COVID.

$144K raised FY20

Katie Frett will be committee liaison to Libertas

Working on Fall campaign: Updating database for contact information of our donors and friends.  And for 5 new friends/donors to add to our list from each board member. Newsletter to go out next few weeks followed by a solicit letter.

Question about any new opportunities this year: looking at grants (beyond COVID) also hoping to be be able to better follow through on our fundraising calendar this year compared to last year that had many delays/interruptions that were beyond our control. 

Still working with Central Source on grants. 

Set meetings for the year.

D.

Governance Committee

Main goal this year is to recruit 5 new trustees this year.  Asking board to help brainstorm ideas of people we can ask.  Please send thoughts to Lauren.  Some already in the works.  

Ideally looking to add people who have Finance, Legal, Marketing/Networking, but not necessary.

Brainstorming different ways to reach out to people who may be good additions to the board. 

Looking at board training opportunities. 

E.

ED Evaluation Committee

New committee: Tiffani, Josh, Tony, Lauren.

Partnered with Education Board Partners helping with us to fine tune our evaluation process. 

Modesto is drafting his ED goals with her help and will be reviewed by committee and then approved by the Board.  Looking to make goals clear and quantifiable. Will track progress toward the goals throughout the year.

V. Other Business

A.

Approve Academic Calendar

The only real change is that we started the year 2 weeks later than normal. In alignment with SPS and gave us much needed time to prepare/train for the year.

On track to have 175 days, this year requirement is 170, usually 180.

Made some adjustments but able to fit everything we needed in.
L. Davis made a motion to accept the academic calendar for school year 2020-21.
H. Zavala seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

VI. Closing Items

A.

Next meeting

Tuesday, October 20th at 5:00

B.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:19 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
K. Diamond Kayiatos