December 2010 Minutes (Corrected)

Board Meeting Minutes

Wednesday December 15, 2010, 7:00 p.m.

Location: PCCS Stage Meeting Room

 

 

	2010				2011
	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June
Jeanné Avery	✔	✔	✔	✔
Tricia Ferrett	✔	✔		✔
Bonnie Jean Flom	✔	✔	✔
Cynthia Gilbertson	✔	✔	✔	✔
Paul Hager	✔		✔	✔
Caroline Jones	✔	✔	✔	✔
David Lefkowitz	✔	✔	✔	✔
Laura Medwetz		✔	✔	✔
Dean Paxton	✔	✔		✔
Michael Viola	✔	✔	✔	✔

 

 Also in attendance:  Marianne Moser, Community Council Chair; Keith Johnson, Chief Financial Officer.

 

November Minutes

November minutes were approved.

 

Policy Committee

• The Board approved amendments to four paragraphs of the school’s Bylaws (attached).
• The Board discussed the state statute requiring the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at least once a week unless a school board waives the requirement.  The teachers on the Board reported that the consensus view of the teachers is that they would like to continue PCCS’s practice of teaching the Pledge as part of the curriculum without having its recitation be required.  The waiver resolution passed with eight board members voting in favor and Michael voting against.
• By consensus, the Board adopted a resolution appointing Caroline as the responsible authority under the Minnesota Data Practices Act.
• After making one change clarifying the text of a drills policy to be added to the school’s existing Emergency Plan, the Board approved the policy by consensus.

 

Finance Committee Report

Keith reported on the financial condition of the school and presented a record of checks paid this month.  A copy of his report is attached.  He also recommended that we adopt a fund balance policy stating an objective of 25%.

 

Building and Grounds Report

• Snowplowing, snow blowing, and shoveling were very effective after the recent storm.
• Snow has been removed from the roof.
• Monitoring of the alarm system was successfully transferred from TransAlarm to Bruce Henning.

 

Education Resource Committee

The ERC has not met since the last monthly Board meeting.

 

Outreach Committee Report

• There are Open Houses planned in January and February.
• Some work has been authorized to polish up the website, using money from the Composting grant, which included support for the website. 
• There will be an effort next year to decide what sort of website the school should have.  It will be handled by the Technology Committee.

 

Development Committee

• Give to the Max Day was a great success, raising over $6000 for the school.

 

• The first meeting of the Auction Committee has been held.  The Auction as been scheduled for March 25th at the Carleton Great Hall.  The committee will be meeting again January 4th.  

 

• For next year, the goal is to get the fundraising letter done over the summer so that it can go out in September. For this year, the committee will aim to get the fundraising letter out at the end of January.

 

Director's Report

• Special Person's Day was a success.  Seated about 94 in each seating. Great effort by the parent volunteers.  The children did a wonderful job with the performance.
• Monday night Caroline attended the Eureka Township meeting and, as required, presented evidence that the school is continuing in operation. 
• Northfield School District's application for authorizer status was initially rejected, but a re-application will be submitted by Dec. 24th.  We will know in early Jan. whether it is approved.  When the legislature gets back into session, the charter school lobby MACS will push for an extension to allow schools to have additional time to get authorizers in place. The expectation is that NSD will be approved, but PCCS also has an application in with Novation.  
• Caroline asked the Board to approve the purchase or lease of another copier to address issues regarding jobs colliding at the machine.  The total usage is not expected to change, and the maintenance agreement would not increase.  The Board approved the lease if a second machine by consensus.
• Catalyst grants to teachers: Caroline proposes to change the way the catalyst grants are administered.  As before, the money would be offered to each teacher to allow her to pursue something that will enrich the teacher as a human being or as a teacher (e.g., learning a new skill).  Instead of the money being given to the teacher as taxable income, however, Caroline proposed that the school spend the money on the teacher’s behalf.  The Board approved this change in how the fund is administered
• At Caroline’s request, the Board approved adjusting the salary tier of two new teachers to put them on the track they would have been on by now if they had been hired at the usual rate.
• Summer programs are planned again for next summer.
• Caroline will be resigning at the end of this calendar year.  The school will need a new director as of July 1, 2011.  A letter will be going home to parents right before the winter break.

 

Public Comment

Public comment was permitted at the end of the meeting, and Cathy Oehmke spoke in favor of having teachers actively involved in choosing a new director.

 

Adjourn at 9:50 p.m.