City Garden Montessori School
Minutes
2023-24 Board Meeting
Date and Time
Monday June 3, 2024 at 6:00 PM
This is an in-person meeting at 4209 Folsom Ave, St . Louis, MO 63110.
We will be live streaming the meeting via Zoom webinar at this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88115198576?pwd=RnI0cWNYaDZsdkdES3o2VE9hQnNMdz09
The meeting will also be recorded and posted on the City Garden website (citygardenschool.org/board)
Directors Present
D. Smith, J. Dixon, J. Fouse, J. Sharp, M. Howard, S. Deuanephenh, S. Shelton-Dodge
Directors Absent
S. Haigler
Guests Present
C. Flynn, C. Huck, C. Isom, D. Blank, D. Fox, M. Flohr, M. Marshall, P. Garrett
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance and Guests
C.
Recess General Meeting to Convene Closed Session
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Sharp |
Aye
|
| S. Haigler |
Absent
|
| M. Howard |
Aye
|
| S. Deuanephenh |
Aye
|
| J. Dixon |
Aye
|
| J. Fouse |
Aye
|
| D. Smith |
Aye
|
| S. Shelton-Dodge |
Aye
|
D.
Resume the General Meeting
E.
Mission Statement
F.
Introductions and Public Comment
There was no public comment.
II. Action Items
A.
Approve Minutes from May 2024 Board Meeting
B.
Approve April 2024 Financials
C.
Approve 2024-25 Budget
D.
Approve the 2024-25 School Calendar
E.
Vote on the 2024-25 Board of Directors Slate of Officers and Executive Committee
III. Information Items
A.
Year-End Academic Report
ECEC Principal Crystal Isom shared results of:
PKOF testing for Fall 2023 as compared to Spring 2024, which showed significant growth among all students
- Overall students from 61% to 85%
- Among Black students from 45% to 78%
- Among FRL-eligible students from 51% to 76%
Kindergarten Growth Diagnostic from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024
- Overall student Math scores improved from 21% to 82%
- FRL-eligible student Math scores improved from 11% to 76%
- Overall student Reading scores improved from 32% to 95%
- FRL-eligible student Reading scores improved from 27% to 92%
EAEC Principal Pat Garrett shared results of Grades 1 through 8 Growth Diagnostic from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024
- Overall students who tested at two or more levels below grade level in Math scores decreased from 36% to 21%
- FRL-eligible students who tested at two or more levels below grade level in Math decreased from 51% to 30%
- Overall students who tested at two or more levels below grade level in Reading decreased from 30% to 17%
- FRL-eligible students who tested at two or more levels below grade level in Reading score decreased from 41% to 23%
The number of students scoring at or above grade level increased as follows:
- Overall in Math - from 22% to 43%
- FRL-eligible in Math - from 8% to 22%
- Overall in Reading - from 41% to 58%
- FRL-eligible in Reading - from 27% to 39%
We acknowledge that the trend is moving in the right direction; and that we will need to continue the use of targeted strategies to stay on trend.
B.
Governance Update
Jesse Dixon shared that the committee is working on the following:
- Vetting 12 candidates for board membership. The goal is for the committee to recommend 2-3 for approval in late June.
- Drafting final versions of the policies which will be presented for vote at the August board meeting
C.
CEO Report
Christie Huck shared topics for the June 29th board retreat:
- CEO and Board collaboration
- Begin discussions of the strategic planning process and what that should look like
- Obtaining community stakeholder feedback
- Data around SPED and IEPs
Christie is in discussions with some charter school leaders to design a common application for families, which they hope to launch in the Fall.
D.
Board Chair Report
Donna Smith reminded the board about the all-day retreat on June 29th.
There was also mention of the state's new school finance calculation proposed to take place beginning with the 2025-26 school year. It was recommended that the board receive 15 minute PD about this topic during the 2024-25 board meetings.
The general meeting was resumed at 7:00 pm