Gestalt Community Schools
Minutes
Board Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday October 26, 2017 at 8:30 AM
Location
Nexus Stem Academy, 8220 E Shelby Drive, Memphis, TN 38125 - Audio Conference: 901-213-5161 Enter Extension: 1216 Guest Password: 5152
Directors Present
A. Evans Blackwell, C. Leon, D. Selberg, K. Satterthwaite, K. Walker Burt (remote), T. Williams, Y. Lewis
Directors Absent
H. Coleman, P. Ray, S. Branch
Directors who left before the meeting adjourned
K. Walker Burt
Guests Present
A. Butler, B. Turner, G. Rucker, M. McFarland, Toya Leftwich
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
A. Evans Blackwell called a meeting of the board of directors of Gestalt Community Schools to order on Thursday Oct 26, 2017 at 8:36 AM.
C.
Approve Minutes
C. Leon made a motion to approve minutes from the August Board Meeting - Audio Conference: 901-213-5161 Enter Extension: 1216 Guest Password: 5152 on 08-24-17 August Board Meeting - Audio Conference: 901-213-5161 Enter Extension: 1216 Guest Password: 5152 on 08-24-17.
A. Evans Blackwell seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
II. Academic
A.
TVAAS - Tennessee Value Add Assessment System
A. Butler arrived.
K. Walker Burt left.
B.
TNReady
C.
NWEA MAP
Overview of PCAMS NWEA Analysis
D.
Strategies and Priorities
Goal is to target 400 scholars across network to provide additional support to keep them growing
Launching Strategic Academic Interventions for grades 3 to 11. We will need additional funding to get teachers to work additional hours. Trying to get about 20 teachers and figure out what is a reasonable compensation to work Saturdays from Dec to April.
Launching Strategic Academic Interventions for grades 3 to 11. We will need additional funding to get teachers to work additional hours. Trying to get about 20 teachers and figure out what is a reasonable compensation to work Saturdays from Dec to April.
M. McFarland arrived.
III. Enrollment Report
A.
Enrollment Report
Enrollment will be included as part of the Finance Report by Kimberly Parish.
IV. Finance
A.
Finance Reports and Committee Recommendations
Reports in board packet are same reports reviewed at Finance meeting last week
Enrollment --- All schools are on target or above except PCAMS is under by 3, and PCAHS is under by 27
PCAHS should be re-forecasted with the 27 under as the starting number and changes should come out of operational budget versus using the extra funds that we have received unexpectedly.
Cash goal is 45 days cash on hand, we are currently trending towards 30 days. The average cash outlay per month, including payroll is approx $1,800,000. We are trending toward ending Oct at $1,800,00, which would put us at 30 days cash on hand. If we continue on this path, we are slated to end December at $3,000,00 which will put us above our 45 day target.
Fundraising - predicting a $1,000,000 need, but targeting $2,000,000; received $160,942 in contributions YTD
Net Surplus - projecting surplus for 2017-2018; ended first qtr at $108,291 deficit but $580,495 above budget YTD
Enrollment --- All schools are on target or above except PCAMS is under by 3, and PCAHS is under by 27
PCAHS should be re-forecasted with the 27 under as the starting number and changes should come out of operational budget versus using the extra funds that we have received unexpectedly.
Cash goal is 45 days cash on hand, we are currently trending towards 30 days. The average cash outlay per month, including payroll is approx $1,800,000. We are trending toward ending Oct at $1,800,00, which would put us at 30 days cash on hand. If we continue on this path, we are slated to end December at $3,000,00 which will put us above our 45 day target.
Fundraising - predicting a $1,000,000 need, but targeting $2,000,000; received $160,942 in contributions YTD
Net Surplus - projecting surplus for 2017-2018; ended first qtr at $108,291 deficit but $580,495 above budget YTD
B.
Mendenhall Update
Our 30 day window for the Environmental Survey ends on Nov 6th, hope to close on Nov 7th. State of TN has approved for the Voluntary Environmental program and assigned an Environmental Consultant . We are waiting on comments from the state; believe they will ask for some small changes around testing other spots. If we close on the 7th, we can apply for EPA grants that have to be submitted by Nov 16th.
V. Board Governance
A.
Performance Cycle
Performance Cycle
We are detereming our own questions
Yetta self evaluates submits to board
Yetta’s direct reports evaluate and submit to board
Board evaluates
Anonymous
Courtney will collect and aggregate - Governance committee will review - Sonji ,Kristin, Ashante, and Courtney
Share report with Yetta and with Board
Someone is now in the conference
B.
Board Recruitment
Potential new board members
Chris Winton - HR at FedEx, possibly join in December; Amelia - Suntrust Local Regional Bank -possibly join in December; Susan Elswick - possibly join in January - We are working through the conflicts of interest issues.
Chris Winton - HR at FedEx, possibly join in December; Amelia - Suntrust Local Regional Bank -possibly join in December; Susan Elswick - possibly join in January - We are working through the conflicts of interest issues.
VI. Closing Items
A.
Next Board Meeting Date
B.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 9:48 AM.
Respectfully Submitted,
A. Evans Blackwell
Growth Measure - difference between predictive & actual
Growth Index is growth measure divided by standard error
Thought was that the Tier I kids would maintain and grow, but they did not, instead they regressed. Our focus was on Tier 2 & 3 kids. The work is what can we do to help Tier 1 kids continue to grow and not regress. At the High School - getting really good Math teachers is a challenge. Additionally, Teacher pipeline and Teacher development are critical. We have new Math teachers at PCAMS and believe that will impact growth positively. Ms Turner is confident that the decrease (red - Level 1 growth) in K-8 will not be here next year.