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Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy

Minutes

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Monday February 26, 2018 at 6:30 PM

Location

Scholars Board Room

Directors Present

A. Gozycki, J. Wagler, M. Mittal, M. Scruggs, R. Watson (remote), S. Liner, S. Scott

Directors Absent

None

Ex Officio Members Present

J. Cuneo

Non Voting Members Present

J. Cuneo

Guests Present

A. Farooqi, T. Hemming, T. Miller

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance and Guests

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

R. Watson called a meeting of the board of directors of Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy to order on Monday Feb 26, 2018 at 6:35 PM.
R. Watson announced the meeting is being audio recorded in order to be shared on the Board on Track website portal.

C.

Read Mission Statement

S. Liner read mission statement.

D.

Approval of Prior Minutes

M. Scruggs made a motion to approve minutes from the Board Meeting on 01-22-18 Board Meeting on 01-22-18.
J. Wagler seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Approval of Prior Minutes

R. Watson noted that the Special Board Meeting minutes were formally approved with a vote during the January board meeting.  However, as they were added after the agenda was finalized for that meeting, they needed to be reattached within this month's agenda in order to read as approved in the Board on Track system.
M. Scruggs made a motion to approve minutes from the Special Board Meeting (Hiring Matter) on 01-12-18 Special Board Meeting (Hiring Matter) on 01-12-18.
J. Wagler seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

F.

Adoption of the Agenda

Board discussed agenda updates/revisions:
  • A. Gozycki to move Educational Excellence update to March
  • Board will add time to plan out the March meeting agenda after Policy discussion
J. Wagler made a motion to approve the agenda.
M. Scruggs seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Community Comments (First Opportunity) - subject to guidelines

A.

Community Comments - guidelines

No comments were shared in the room or on the phone in first or second community comment opportunities.

III. Director's Report

A.

General Items

J. Cuneo gave the Director's Report:
  • NOTN will be K-5th only this year
    • Middle school just finished Science Fair - timing between both large projects was too close
  • Teacher Working Conditions Survey taking place this year
    • Administered every 2 years from the state
    • Optional for charter schools, but it's a good tool and the state handles the data
    • Responses are anonymous, administration will dedicate a staff meeting to the survey to ensure a good response
  • Safety Updates
    • Reviewing measures currently in place
    • Administration is visiting each classroom to discuss new protocols with the students
    • Putting additional measures in place, including:
      • Walkie Talkies for each school employee have been purchased and should arrive within two weeks, feature multiple channels for various modes of communication. Cost $10K.
      • Placement of another gate out front to ensure the safety of the after school program after hours
      • Risk Assessor to visit school to further assess possibilities/recommend improvements
      • Drills will be practiced more often - lockdown drills now once per month, fire drills already once a month, tornado drills
        • Students learn the different sound/signals and protocol for each
      • (5) employees are now assigned to the dismissal pick up door (rather than multiple employees taking turns with the duty)
      • J. Cuneo will continue to update community as new safety standards are enforced
  • Admissions Lottery Tuesday 2/27
    • J. Cuneo to provide admissions data at March board meeting
  • 2018-2019 Calendar
    • Hours shift slightly - 8:10a-3:05p (additional 5 minutes a day)
      • Builds in 12 hours of additional time to school year (2 days to be used as make up days)
    • Board can approve calendar and give J. Cuneo discretion to choose/alter weather makeup days
    • Board vote outlined in the next comment section.
  • Enrollment report uploaded to BOT for review
    • J. Cuneo to make sure file updated is current version
    • The wait list completed during the upcoming lottery will not go into effect until after this school year ends
    • Number of relocations is higher mid-year this year, other than this there aren't any trends to report on yet
Calendar Vote

S. Liner made a motion to approve draft school calendar 2018-2019 subject to the following changes:
  1. Add 12/31 as a day off
  2. First Day moves to Monday 8/27
  3. J. Cuneo has the ability to choose the additional weather makeup days
J. Wagler seconded the motion.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

IV. Development Commitee

A.

AGC Update

J. Wagler gave Development Committee updates:
  • New volunteerism focus led by S. Scott
  • S. Scott discussed creation of database which will help with this push
    • Focus on simple ideas which fit with various skill sets
    • Developing communications plan, looking into costs for database
    • Encourages greater volunteer hours by matching people with tasks they'd like to do
  • T. Hemming - a centralized volunteer database will help the whole community plug in to the school through a better infrastructure
T. Hemming gave Annual Giving Campaign update:
  • Last year at this time, SA was at 86% family participation with $491,000 pledged/given
  • This year, we are at 85% participation with $523,000 pledged/given
  • Interesting fact: The total for match gifts since 2010 = over a million dollars

V. Finance Committee

A.

Finance Deep Dive

M. Mittal presented Board with financial deep dive
  • Outlined/explained line items in budget/expenses
  • Conversation around no/low interest accounts and what is required/allowed within school parameters


 

VI. Policy Committee

A.

AIG / Praxis Policy

S. Liner presented general Policy updates:
  • Next committee meeting will be 2/28 10am
  • Website has an older version of policy manual, working on updating manual and separating by section

 
J. Wagler made a motion to approve AIG/Praxis Policy.
A. Gozycki seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

Pledge of Allegiance Policy

J. Wagler made a motion to approve Pledge of Allegiance policy.
A. Gozycki seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Open Meeting Laws Policy (first reading)

S. Liner presented first draft of Open Meetings Policy
  • Discussion over the line between policy/procedure for public notice
    • M. Scruggs recommended including the necessary verbiage within the policy to avoid having to write a separate procedure
  • Discussed current board chair voting (outside of Robert's Rules of Order), agreed current way works for our board
  • R. Watson reiterated current practice that Chair should not make any motions, board agreed
  • Committee will flush out policy further on Wednesday and prepare a final policy for vote in March
Board discussed agenda for March meeting.

VII. Closed Session (if necessary)

A.

Closed Session

S. Liner motioned to convene in Closed Session pursuant to “Permitted Purposes” under N.C.G.S. §143-318.11: (a)  To prevent the disclosure of privileged or confidential information.

 

M. Scruggs seconded.
Board VOTED unanimously to move into Closed Session at 8:35pm
J. Wagler motioned to move back into Open Session.
M. Mittal seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to return to Open Session at 9:26pm

VIII. Closing Items

A.

Vote on any items from Closed Sessions

No vote needed.

B.

Adjourn Meeting

M. Scruggs made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
J. Wagler seconded the motion.
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 9:27 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
A. Gozycki