Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School

Minutes

Board of Trustee Meeting November 2024

Date and Time

Tuesday November 12, 2024 at 6:00 PM

Location

Pioneer Valley Performing Arts or via zoom

Trustees Present

Grace Bannasch (remote), Kiara Badillo (remote), LATRINA DENSON, Neil Hede (remote), Tim Cable (remote), Vanessa Ford (remote)

Trustees Absent

Azizah Yasin, Craig Santos, David Cavallin, Sasha Viands

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

LATRINA DENSON called a meeting of the board of trustees of Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School to order on Tuesday Nov 12, 2024 at 6:22 PM.

C.

Read the Mission Statement

Tim Cable read the mission

D.

Approve Minutes

Neil Hede made a motion to approve the minutes.
Tim Cable seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Azizah Yasin
Absent
Tim Cable
Aye
Craig Santos
Absent
Neil Hede
Aye
Grace Bannasch
Aye
David Cavallin
Absent
LATRINA DENSON
Aye
Vanessa Ford
Aye
Kiara Badillo
Aye
Sasha Viands
Absent

II. Head of School Report

A.

Head of School Report

Head of School Brent gave an update that feedback is being collected through Dec 13th regarding the amendment to shrink the size of the district region to be able to provide busing to students and access state reimbursement.

 

Students represented with excellence for the Holyoke District Court Community event

 

Half Day PD Day was focused on school culture.

 

Each grade level will be represented by a new 

 

Pop R&B group performed in Vermont and was a great success

 

On Nov 22nd & 23rd 120 are preparing to perform!

 

Supplemental lottery is open.  

 

Last Spring's MCAS report reflects current law and performance will still be used to show the state.

 

 

 

 

 

 

III. Administrator Presentation on PVPA Curriculum and Attendance

A.

Allyson Miller: Director of Curriculum Instruction Updates

Allyson shared results of how PVPA compared with the state and reviewed shifts and trends.

 

Math scores are being monitored and scores have been more inconsistent with past years. Students will be receiving more support from math intervention teachers.

 

Overall we will still need to perform well on MCAS and encourage continued good participation and scores for the benefit of the students and our DESE requirement & reporting.

B.

Brent Nieslen, Head of School

Continuing the message to students and families that MCAS is still required and important but not required for graduation.

IV. Board Committee Reports

A.

Finance Committee

Marcy reported that the tuition levels of all 400 students was reviewed and how PVPA is impacted post covid funding

 

Finance team will be reviewing the Q2 as soon as DESE releases.

 

Overall trends are on budget as expected

 

 

Tim Cable made a motion to Approve the budget of $168,831 Capital.
Kiara Badillo seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Vanessa Ford
Aye
LATRINA DENSON
Aye
Neil Hede
Aye
Azizah Yasin
Absent
Tim Cable
Aye
Grace Bannasch
Aye
Sasha Viands
Absent
Craig Santos
Absent
Kiara Badillo
Aye
David Cavallin
Absent

B.

Governance Committee

Latrina reported that Azizah and she met re: Our agreed upon group norms and how we can maintain this as a living breathing document for us to follow.

 

See attached Norms

C.

Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee

D.

Trustees HoS Feedback

V. Internal Stakeholders

A.

Staff Reports

Tim reported that the music dept will be going on tour, Constellations show will be Friday Nov. 22nd & Saturday Nov. 23rd at 7pm

 

Tim reported the students understanding of the MCAS changes and that they comprehend the need to keep taking it.

 

Culture PD resulted in outreach to 107 parents to share success and good stuff about their students.

 

 

B.

Student Reports

VI. President's Business

A.

Board On Track Training

Latrina stated that she is in the process of scheduling Trustee member board on track training.

 

We want to engage with our external stakeholders. There is an upcoming virtual training on November 19th from 2-3pm

 

Latrina will be aiming to build capacity of our board through various ways of engagement.

B.

Presentations from various administration

VII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:43 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Vanessa Ford