April 2011 Minutes

 

Board Meeting Minutes

Monday April 18, 2011, 7:00 p.m.

Location: PCCS Stage Meeting Room

 

 

 

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

 

 

Also in attendance: Marianne Moser, Community Chair

 

Public Comment

Having heard about the decreased enrollment in full-day kindergarten for next year, George Shuffleton expressed his concern about class size in the kindergarten rooms.  He asked that the Board find a way to make ends meet without putting more than 20 K-1 students in a classroom. 

Special Meeting Minutes

Approved.

March Minutes

March minutes were approved with corrections.

Auditor's Report

Dennis Hoogeveen of Larsen Allen presented the auditor's report for the year ending June 30, 2010.  He noted a few things for the school to be proud of, including a very stable fund balance and a variance from the budget within the recommended range.  The auditor issued a clean (unqualified) opinion for fiscal year 2009-10.  A copy of the report is attached. 

After the report, Bonnie Jean commended Keith for his excellent work in managing our finances.  

Audit accepted by consensus.

Treasurer's Report

Keith presented financial report, reflected in two handouts (copies attached). In addition:

• A new accounting standard (GASB 54) will require schools to be more specific about what their different funds are for.  We need to change our Fund Balance Policy to define a "critical" level and set steps for what we will do if the balance gets to that point.  The law changes July 1, so we will need to approve a new policy at the June meeting. Keith can provide us with language for the revision.
• Based on one of the auditor's recommendations, Keith requested a Board resolution increasing the capitalization threshold from $500 to $1,500. 

Resolution: Resolved to increase capitalization threshold from $500 to $1,500.    

The resolution passed on the following votes:

 

Jeanné Avery	Yes
Tricia Ferrett	Yes
Bonnie Jean Flom	Yes
Cynthia Gilbertson	Yes
David Lefkowitz	Yes
Michael Viola	Yes

 

Executive Committee

On behalf of the committee, Michael reported:

• The school has reached a contract agreement with Simon.  Salary is $64,000 plus a professional development fund of $2,000.  The other terms are the same as the teachers’ contracts, with a job description that is the same as Caroline's.  The intent is to have the contract start July 1st and cover a one-year term.
• There was some discussion of Simon spending some transition time at the school, with an expectation that he will spend some time at ARTech later to help with the transition of their new director.

The contract, as described, was approved by the following vote:

Jeanné Avery	Yes
Tricia Ferrett	Yes
Bonnie Jean Flom	Yes
Cynthia Gilbertson	Yes
David Lefkowitz	Yes
Michael Viola	Yes

Director's Report 

• Calendar for 2011-2012 presented and approved by consensus.
• MACS membership is up for renewal.  Caroline feels that it is very important to stay connected with MACS.  Renewal of membership was approved by consensus. 
• There was not a huge attendance for the community meeting with Simon, but parents seem very positive about his selection.
• 27 out of 30 families attended Kindergarten Orientation.  Simon was there too.  
• This is a busy time of year.  Getting ready for May Day, Honors Presentations, and Honoring Night.  MCA testing has been going on last week and this week.  A lot is going on this month, so it will be particularly important to pay attention to announcements in the Director's Newsletters.
• All-School Art Show will be May 5th.
• Music show needs to find a new venue again.  The high school apparently reserves the right to use the auditorium, and it has told us that we cannot use it on the 19th.  Caroline has expressed her displeasure with the policy and is working with Rachel to find an alternative.
• The NAG student art show is up.  About 60 pieces of our students' art is on display.
• Caroline will be going to Washington DC May 1-4.  She'll be meeting "key officials in the Administration," the identity of whom is as of yet unknown. (Sadly, she will be missing May Day for the first time in her Prairie Creek career.)
• Registrations are coming in for music camp and summer school.
• Next year's budget won't be adopted until the June meeting.  Because the teacher contracts need to go out before then, Caroline proposes that the Finance Committee meet with the faculty before then to discuss the budget and what goes into it so they fully understand the variables involved in setting next year's budget.  This will give them context for the contracts when they get them.  She would like to schedule that soon so that the contracts can go out in May.
• Caroline has been talking to Simon about him spending time here before his official start date, probably one afternoon a week. 
• Caroline shared an email she received recently from the parent of two Prairie Creek graduates from Caroline's first kindergarten class. Among other things, the parent said that both of her children attribute their success to the elementary education they received at PCCS.

Search Committee Report

Bonnie Jean is putting the finishing touches on a press release to send to news outlets such as the Northfield News, Patch, and Northfield.org. 

Letters have gone out to everyone who applied.

Nomination Committee

The Board approved the slate presented by the Committee (copy attached) by consensus.

Policy Committee Report

A Revised Parenting Leave Policy was discussed, revised further, and approved by consensus.

Building and Grounds

• Working on getting the basement ready so that we can do tornado drills.
• PC, Inc. is currently considering paving the parking lot.
• There was some discussion of the terrible condition of Denmark Ave., and Caroline recommended that we find an alternative route for now.  

Development Committee Report

• We are $35,000 low in total fundraising if the budget numbers are right.  Trish plans to spend a little time with Ona figuring out for sure what the numbers are.
• We are about $7,000 low in parent giving (not including the Auction)
• We plan to have a couple of online giving days to generate more parent contributions.
• Caroline will send out a Grandparents' Gazette, including an envelope for donations.
• Caroline will put together a Prairie Creek Newsletter and send it to alumni, including an envelope for donations.  It will also include a blurb about Bonnie Jean, introducing her to the community.
• We will add out-of-state grandparents to the Grandparents database.
• Still generating new ideas about fundraising after the auction to continue Annual Fund giving through the end of the year.  The ideas discussed included making May Day a walk-a-thon and selling more bird cards.

Education Resource Committee Report

All-School Art Show scheduled for May 5th.  To help prepare, staff will give Angie 1-2 hours of time mounting and installing art.  Will be showcasing the nature journals that night, as well.  Planning some activities going on around the building.

Outreach Committee

Work still continues on the website.

Working on the press release regarding Simon.

Nicole Day-Diggins sent Caroline an email requesting more money for the website.  Caroline will check back with her for clarification to see whether the work she is requesting payment for has already been done.

Nominations Committee

The committee met to review possible candidates.  There were many positive responses from parents.  The slate is attached.

The goal is for Simon to have a Chair in place in July and August, so we will plan to call a special meeting with the new Board members first week in July to select a Chair.  Slate approved by consensus.

Other Business

The latest copy of the By-Laws was distributed.

Adjourned: 8:59 p.m.

 

 

Minutes approved May 16, 2011.