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BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPECIAL CALL MEETING
Merit School of Music
38 S. Peoria, Chicago, IL 60607
Blackboard Connect Link: http://snipurl.com/hoselluminate
Conference Line: 888-824-5783, passcode 47 254 033 then #
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2015
MINUTES
OPEN SESSION 6:01 P.M.
ROLL CALL
ABSENT/PRESENT
Board Members:
La Shone Kelly – Vice President
Present
Austin Berg
Seth Harkins
Renee Nash
LaShonda Milton
Present
Present
Present
Present
Amy Biasbas
Head of School
Present
Farland Jenkins
Board Administrator
Present
Staff:
ROLL CALL
INTRODUCE GUESTS:
Discussion
1. Public Comments on Agenda Items
• None.
2. Accept Agenda
Discussion &
Action
Motion:
Renee Nash – Accept the agenda.
2nd:
LaShonda Milton
Vote:
Voice Vote – Unanimous Aye; Motion Carries.
Discussion:
•
None.
This agenda has been posted on Chicago Virtual Charter School’s Web Page - http://www.k12.com/cvcs, and is displayed at 38 South Peoria Street, Chicago, IL 60607 at the front entrance and at room 135.
Discussion &
Action
3. Consolidated Program Design for SGSA, Title I and Title II Programs - Design
Amendment
Motion:
Renee Nash – In the future, any position that parents may be able to access will be
posted on the parent bulletin board in the parent room.
2nd:
LaShonda Milton
Vote:
Voice Vote – Unanimous Aye; Motion Carries.
Motion:
Seth Harkins – Request that management develops a series of advertising venues to
broaden the reach employment opportunity advertisements including the sites that
have been discussed.
2nd:
LaShonda Milton
Vote:
Voice Vote – Unanimous Aye; Motion Carries.
Motion:
LaShonda Milton – Request that management provide the Board with the Title I
original schedule and amended schedule.
2nd:
No Second
Vote:
No Vote Motion Dies.
Motion:
Seth Harkins – Request that future detailed budget documents that include budget
recommendations include an executive summary that includes changes that are made
and side by side rationales for recommendations being requested.
2nd:
Austin Berg
Vote:
Voice Vote – Unanimous Aye; Motion Carries.
Motion:
Seth Harkins – Accept the program amendment.
2nd:
Renee Nash
Vote:
Voice Vote – Unanimous Aye; Motion Carries.
Discussion:
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The program design outlines how funds will be sent.
Management is seeking the Board’s approval for two reasons:
o CPS stated that they had over allocated $300 of Title funds.
o Management adjustments to the original plan
 SGSA – Consolidating the Family Support Liaison into one position
 Title II – items to move around based on
It was suggested that the Family Liaison Support position be made as one position.
This agenda has been posted on Chicago Virtual Charter School’s Web Page - http://www.k12.com/cvcs, and is displayed at 38 South Peoria Street, Chicago, IL 60607 at the front entrance and at room 135.
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The position was initially for a longer period of time.
The 20 or more applicants did not meet the position criteria.
Candidates were not willing to accept one of the original 2 positions at the salary
amount.
The position is now filled.
Combining the 2 positions into 1 was approved at the last Board meeting.
Several candidates recommended by a committee member could not see where the
position was posted.
Open positions are currently being advertised on the Insperity human resources
management web site and through a membership through IASA.
Open positions are also advertised internally.
A good site to post on would also be the Illinois Association of School Business
Officials (IASBO) web site.
A commercial web site called Indeed.com would also be helpful.
NPO.net and regional offices of education also advertise for school positions.
The original plan was to spend the entire $129 thousand on 80 seats.
To date, $62 thousand has already been spent on 42 seats.
The alternate plan is to extend the committed families’ terms of service to end in
June instead of at the end of May.
The exact cost per seat is not clear.
The additional 7 seats will add on close to $2 thousand per seat based on a 15 week
session.
An additional $10 thousand should be added to the $62,842.
The additional 5 students began last week by signing their contracts during spring
break.
The original 42 students will be offered an extension of 4 weeks of services.
Sylvan will be sent a list of the confirmed students. They will then pull a record and
get a granular look at what can actually be claimed.
That information will be made available at the next Board meeting.
The addition of students is part of the existing contract.
Plan C is that after Sylvan reports that there is a big chunk of money remaining,
funds will be spent on computers.
The 26 new computers will be more than a one-time use.
The hardware purchase is within the program guidelines.
The Board Treasurer would like to see what changed on each line item from the
original program design and the proposed amended program design and why.
The summary of the program amendment presented does not seem to reconcile to
the before and after program summary reports.
It may be easier for the Board to understand the program changes by comparing the
program summary before the amendment to the program summary after the
amendment.
A side by side comparison may be helpful for the Board to understand the changes
that were made from the original program design.
The original program design and the amended program design totals do not agree.
It is not clear to the Board Treasurer where the funds were reallocated.
A side by side comparison with explanations would be more useful when presenting
program design changes in the future.
A 2 page executive narrative would be very helpful.
Amendment summaries are typical when changing grant budgets.
This agenda has been posted on Chicago Virtual Charter School’s Web Page - http://www.k12.com/cvcs, and is displayed at 38 South Peoria Street, Chicago, IL 60607 at the front entrance and at room 135.
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Discussion &
Action
Management can put a summary of the budget changes on a slide, but wanted to
walk through each page of the program design that has changes.
The Board had not anticipated having to address this issue in a special called
meeting.
There was not enough time for the Board to review the entire 80 page document on
such short notice.
The Board feels that some of the Head of School’s comments are an attack on the
Board and take offense to it.
The entire grant process was not done in an efficient manner.
There were phone calls and several iterations to the program before the ready to
sign packet was brought before the Board.
It is not the Board’s responsibility to be sure that the document is completed per
CPS requirements.
There is a challenge in how the information is being communicated.
The Board is dependent upon administration to provide brief, concise summaries of
long documents.
A one or two page summary document would be very helpful.
A delay in approving the amendment would delay the start on the new initiatives.
The Board would like a side by side comparison to review at a future date.
The Board had previously taken action directing management to submit
amendments to CPS as needed but found out that they must meet to approve
program amendments anyway and that no one Board member is authorized to
represent the Board.
If the document is not approved, there will be a delay in the spending of the funds.
Administration should be able to have a grasp on complicated issues to provide the
Board with a concise summary.
Management apologizes if the Board has been offended.
4. Contracts Approval
Motion:
Seth Harkins – Approve the two contracts; one for the computer equipment from
Virtual Technologies Group for approximately $20 thousand and, the contract for
teacher training with the Bureau of Education and Research for $5,300.
2nd:
Austin Berg
Vote:
Roll Call Vote – Seth Harkins; Aye, Renee Nash; Aye, LaShonda Milton; Nay, Austin
Berg; Aye; Motion Carries.
Discussion:
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The Bureau of Education and Research contract includes a professional
development presenter for motivational training for teachers.
The contract amount is $5,376 and requires Board approval.
The Virtual Technologies Group contract for $19,651 is for the purchase of
computers using Title I funds.
The funds are from the reallocation of the math teacher.
There will be a Title I math lab that will be dedicated to Title I students at any time
during Learning Center hours.
The Board attorney has reviewed the documents.
This agenda has been posted on Chicago Virtual Charter School’s Web Page - http://www.k12.com/cvcs, and is displayed at 38 South Peoria Street, Chicago, IL 60607 at the front entrance and at room 135.
Discussion
5. Public Comments
•
Discussion &
Action
Motion:
None.
6. Adjournment
LaS honda Milton -Adjourn.
Austin Berg
Vote:
Voice Vote- Unanimous Aye.
Discussion:
None.
Time:
7:04P.M.
RcsMtfully Submitted,
Secretary
This agenda has been posted on Chicago Virtual Olarter School's Web Page- http:Jtwww.k12.com/c:ycs and is displayed at 38 South Peoria Street, Chicago, ll60607 at the front entrance and at room 135.