Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy
Minutes
SPECIAL Board Meeting 03/29/21
Directors Present
A. Farooqi (remote), A. Starling (remote), A. Young (remote), C. Lewis (remote), M. Dixon (remote), M. Ramasamy (remote), S. Dasu (remote), S. Korrapati (remote), S. Liner (remote), S. Schroeck (remote)
Directors Absent
None
Ex Officio Members Present
A. Pieper (remote)
Non Voting Members Present
A. Pieper (remote)
Guests Present
K. Ely (remote), Karen Pietrafesa (remote), Megan Vespa (remote), Noelle Zagorski (remote), Sharon Tam (remote), Silviya Petrova (remote), Stacy Rogers (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
M. Dixon called a meeting of the board of directors of Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy to order on Monday Mar 29, 2021 at 6:35 PM.
C.
Read Mission Statement
S. Dasu read the Mission Statement.
D.
Adoption of the Agenda
S. Schroeck made a motion to adopt the 3/29/2021 agenda.
S. Dasu seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
E.
Administrative Matters
M. Dixon went over the rules and the procedures of the Zoom Webinar Meeting Platform.
II. Community Comments (First Opportunity)- subject to guidelines
A.
Community Comments - guidelines
There were no members of the community who wished to make a comment.
III. Director's Report
A.
General Items
A. Pieper gave the Director's Report.
There are proposed changes to the COVID-19 Response Plan as a result of a change in legislation. Elementary schools have been required to move to Plan A and there has been a change to the COVID response toolkit.
- K-5 is required to move to Plan A (at least 4 days of in person instruction.
Plan A: minimal social distancing is required, 3 feet recommended.
- 6-8 grade: Plan A or B allowed.
Plan B: 6 feet social distancing maintained in classrooms.
- Full remote option remains available
- Health screenings are no longer required.
Proposed Plan, Beginning April 19:
- All K-8 hybrid attend on M, T, Th (full days) and F (until 1:00pm)
- Virtual option remains for those who do not choose hybrid instruction.
- Grades K-5: all students who desire to attend in person may do so under Plan A
- Grades 6-8: additional students will be able to attend in person under Plan B as social distancing allows
Health and Safety:
- Continue wearing masks at all times indoors and when within 6 feet outdoors
- 6 feet of social distancing to greatest extent possible
-Grades K-5 May need to move to 3 feet based on class attendance
-Grades 6-8 Remain at Plan B - 15 student max per classroom
- Continue to eat outdoors
- Continue with all cleaning protocols
- Continue health screenings and temperature checks at drop-off
Proposed Attendance Schedule
- K-4: No changes to attendance schedule
- 5-8: Move to 4 days of in school instruction (M, T, Th, F)
- Friday dismissal - 1:00 PM
- Wednesday - remote for all students K-8
- EOG/EOC week - see newsletter 3/26 for schedule
Daily Schedule Changes
- 1-4: No changes to daily schedule
- Grades 5/6: Friday added - All core (Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts) plus foreign language
- Grades 7/8: Mon, Fri Added - new schedule to include all core plus one enrichment on Monday and all core classes on Friday
- K: Currently the only class in a split model (one teacher virtual/one teacher hybrid) - needs adjustment to accommodate more students in person.
Kindergarten:
- 21 In-person students currently and at max capacity expect that to increase
- Solution:
-Return to a 2 classroom model by moving children back to Ms. Walsh's room
-Ms. Walsh - remain 100% virtual
-Ms. Balley - up to 15 students
-Ms. Kramer (currently a TA - Certified teacher with K experience) - in person in Ms. Walsh's room.
-Ms. Vespa - in person TA
-Ms. Ervin - virtual TA
-Both in-person classrooms will run identical instruction with the planning support of the kindergarten teaching program.
Most grade levels are currently nearing or surpassing 60% hybrid students.
Full Remote Students:
- One additional and FINAL option to request a return to in person instruction OR a return from hybrid to full virtual beginning April 19th.
- Form will open at 8:00AM Wednesday March 31st and will close at 3:00 PM April 2nd.
- K-5: All students requesting in person given a space
- 6-8: Spaces dependent on class capacity will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis to those who fill out the request to return to in person instruction form. After a grade level has reached maximum capacity, students will be placed on a space available waiting list
*Current in-person students may elect to return to full-virtual at any time.
Cautious but Optimistic
- Continue to maintain NO cases of COVID-19 among staff or students
- Staff have begun to receive vaccinations
- Warmer weather for outdoor eating
- More students in the building = gradual return to normalcy
- Exciting end of year celebrations
- Looking forward to next year!
IV. Community Comments (Second Opportunity)- subject to guidelines
A.
Community Comments-guidelines
There were no members of the community who wished to make a comment.
V. Closed Session
A.
Closed Session
S. Dasu made a motion to convene in closed session pursuant to N.C.G.S. ยง143-318.11: (a) To prevent the disclosure of privileged or confidential information; (e) To discuss contract negotiations; (f) To discuss personnel matters involving an individual employee or prospective employee.
S. Korrapati seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
VI. Closing Items
A.
Vote on any items from Closed Session
S. Dasu made a motion to approve the amendment to the COVID-19 response plan as proposed in the Director's Report.
S. Korrapati seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
S. Dasu made a motion to approve the budget amendment for personnel matters as proposed in closed session.
M. Ramasamy seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
S. Dasu made a motion to approval of the commercial liability insurance contract as recommended in closed session.
M. Ramasamy seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
B.
Adjourn Meeting
S. Dasu made a motion to adjourn.
A. Farooqi 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 7:23 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
S. Schroeck