In addition, the board president informed the public of an executive session held just prior to the meeting, from 5:30PM-6:32PM, for the purpose of discussing confidential personnel matters.

AContreras discussed activities: pre-K dual language immersion; Vida branding; video series; post-grade 6 dual language options. 

Sra. Maldonado shared a grandparent thank you letter that emphasized Vida's effectiveness in creating cross-cultural learning and understanding.
 

Comments were made by the following guests: Paul Kellet, Elizabeth Kellet, Christine Kellet, Amy Hunt, Linda Moose, Gene Moose, Alecia Lair.  Topics of comments included: concerns about public comment protocol; cost of counsel and questions regarding counsel's involvement in matters addressed in meetings and in Right-to-Know requests; importance of transparency and accountability in decision-making; comments about improving communications; concerns about personal attacks and personal agendas in public meetings; requests that adults model the positive behaviors we seek to develop in children; publicly funded institutions operate above personal connections and relationships if they are to stay healthy and retain excellent leadership.

AKittelberger noted that despite the board's dedicated interest to "the main thing" (supporting students for academic growth, well-being, bilingualism and multiculturalism) discussed in previous meetings, the board's first priority is now needing to shift to the recruitment of a highly qualified executive director.  She described the board's responsibility to hire, evaluate and retain the executive director.  She also described how the new state comprehensive plan would be the road map for the next director and would guide how Vida assesses its success as a school for the next three years.

LLeonard noted that the draft budget is underway and ideas and input are invited from the board and the public.  The finance committee has been discussing: projected enrollment, health and dental renewal, modular removals, building lease.

CMaldonado will provide an update regarding Vida's lease of the Eisenhower Building in the March 2016 regular board meeting.

This report is available in written form.  The treasurer noted that some accounting codes were corrected in the January financial statements.  No questions or comments were made.

In presenting the report to the board, CBowen provided an overview summary of the report contents for the public.

After discussion of how best to manage the board's interest in public input and comment and the logistics of how a comment protocol should be outlined, the board opted to table the adoption of the public comment protocol.  No vote was taken.  Instead, the board will post the protocol as a draft on Vida's website once it is translated.  The website will invite comments and feedback from the public and the board will deliberate on and adopt a revised public comment protocol later this year.

Note was made for the public that Sra. Cynthia Maldonado intends to resign her position as the executive director of Vida Charter School effective June 30, 2016.

The board provided edits to the executive director job description and adopted a revised version of this document.  SWhite made a motion to approve the executive director job description with the revisions made during the meeting and DMarriz seconded the motion.  The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

The board reviewed the executive director position announcement, the document that will be used in advertising the position.  CBowen made a motion to delegate the executive director position announcement to the administration for all necessary updates and LLeonard seconded the motion.  The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.  The administration will revise and polish the position announcement and will begin posting it as soon as possible.

The board agreed that CMaldonado should begin to recruit qualified candidates for the executive director position.  She will work with the Center for Applied Linguistics, the dual language immersion professional community, and relevant professional organizations like NABE.  Maldonado will also include postings on idealist.org and other job search engines/lists that have been an effective means for recruiting staff in the past.

The board agreed that the position announcement will request applications by the first week of April, but will specify that applications will be reviewed as they are received (as per past practice).  CMaldonado will identify a team of expert reviewers who can provide candidate screening for the board; this group wold make recommendations for first round interviews.  The board agreed to hold a special meeting on March 15, 2016 at 6:30PM (Eisenhower Bldg) in order to discuss a draft search process plan and to prepare to accept a search plan and timeline at the regular board meeting on March 29, 2016.

SWhite left the meeting briefly during discussion of the calendar.  The vote on this item was taken when she returned.

There were no recommended changes to the youth suicide awareness and prevention policy during the first reading.  The board requested that this policy be linked to the school's bullying policy - particularly to cyber-bullying - given the link between bullying and suicide amongst young people.

Sra. Maldonado noted that Vida's comprehensive plan has been approved by the PDE and that the plan will be Vida's road map from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019.  The board expressed its appreciation to Sra. Maldonado and to the many staff, parents, and community members who participated in the process of formulating Vida's comprehensive plan document.