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GES Board
APPROVED Minutes
August 30, 2005

The meeting was opened at 4:45 pm. due to the interview being conducted with the director candidate.

Members present: Patty Nordahl, Suzy Schweig, Nina Simonowicz, Susan Miller, Amy Brown

Others present: Marcia Cushmore, Julie O’Neil

Patty Nordahl read the school’s mission.

All gave a Celebration Sentence.

Patty moved and Suzy seconded to accept the agenda. Ayes all.

Suzy moved and Patty seconded to approve the minutes of the board meeting. All ayes.

Management Report:
Suzy moved and Patty seconded to take $1,100 from director line item to pay existing staff to do director duties. Ayes all.
Licensure/ Waiver/ Variances Patsy will work on the STARS report and help Nina to create a streamlined partnership that will ensure all licenses, waivers, and variances are applied for and granted on-time. It will be a partnership between management and teachers.
Annual Report: Suzy reported that Susan Larson Kidd is now working as a principal in Superior, WI so she will be unable to do our annual report. We are now searching for a new person to write the annual report. Nina reported that NWEA may be able to do the objective on assessment. The report is due OCT 1, 2005
Audubon Fundraising: The fundraising committee met (and without knowing numbers of students attending,) they ball-parked the need to charge $50 for the first child, $30 for the second child and $20 for the third for families attending Audubon this September. This request/suggestion will be made and if a family cannot pay that much, more fundraising may have to occur after the actual retreat. Board consensus was given to ask parents to pay this amount for 3 days and two nights away. Patty asked where the coffee and maple syrup fundraising items are, so that selling may be option for families that cannot afford to pay. Discussion regarding transportation and specifics ensued. Implementation 1 grant purchase recommendations: Nina reported we have purchases to make; $3,000 on blinds with the installation to be done partially by volunteers. We will spend approx $1,750 for portable room dividers, free standing and noise absorbing to be used in the Great Room initially. Lastly, we will purchase $13,000 on an Apple Mobile Lab. This lab has a great customer service package, good for 3 years. No approval needed as this is already a line item. A color laser printer is also needed.
Tech Work: MAPS testing tech set-up needs to be done. Suzy reported that the teachers were working on this and Patsy can get the bid out to the person who did our set-up last year.

Treasurer’s Report:
Amy moved and Suzy seconded to approve the bills presented.
All ayes to approve the bills.

Educators Report:
Suzy reported that the teachers are going up to Grand Portage for LIEC (Local Indian Education Community) on Thursday evening for a potluck supper and community mixer.
All teachers are doing intake conferences this week.

Committee Reports:

Transportation: Bus status; we have a bus that has had some work. The inspector had added a few more things to the list, when these items are fixed it will have to be inspected again. We do not know how much it will be. We might want to keep it to drive to Audubon, however, it is cheaper to use an outside bus company.
We should discontinue insurance for the moment and then look at putting it back on in the future when it is useable.

Policy: Susan made a motion to cap 9th and 10th grade at 1. Amy seconded it. Ayes all.

Health Insurance: Patty explained that health insurance has gone up tremendously (30%) this year. Patty is investigating high deductible insurance plans with health savings accounts.
Attendance: Patsy will be looking in to this. Patty says there is a file here with the laws and procedure to follow. Suzy offered to help with this. Nina suggested that a call to Andrea Coffey will usually put us in touch with the right person at the state.

Personnel report: Suzy moved that GES contract with John Coyle as the physical education educator implementing the Sparks curriculum that Clover researched and purchased. He will be starting Sept 12 and working 2 days a week. Amy seconded. Ayes all.

GES Report Card from the Dept of Ed; for 3rd, 5th and 7th grade, we had three stars however, this is the combined scores of only 4 children and one of those tested was on an IEP. Suzy mentioned that we should have a parent education night on interpreting tests and the validity of these tests.

Sponsor Communications: Suzy, Kathryn, and Patsy went to Audubon to meet with Mike Link and all the other charter schools that Audubon sponsors. Mike Link has followed up with a memo of things he needs. A new board profile will be generated within a month and a new point person will be decided at the next board meeting.

Strategy/Vision: There is a need for a new (short term) board chair. Nina Simonowicz will chair the meeting, as a short term solution. Patty Nordahl will help with some Treasurer duties.
In order to get questions answered there will be one steno pad at the front desk mailboxes with questions and actions taken. A memo will be written.
Strategy/Vision discussion notes were passed out to help the board decided what we are truly committed to this year. We will further refine this at the Aug 13th meeting.
One of the items on the list is the topic of an ideal Board. We will need to determine size and parameters. This too will be discussed Sept 13th.
Next board meeting will start at 3:45

Meeting Feedback:
Patty discussed a “walking school bus” to promote pedestrian safety during the week of the 3rd-7th of October. It is an international walk to school event including parent education.

Feedback included some good comments regarding the smoothness of this board meeting.

Marcia Cushmore noted that there is an intimacy and comfort level that she observed that is a valuable asset.

Julie said she felt welcome.

Nina mentioned that the minutes should come out early like they did this last time. The board should always be provided with handouts in writing prior to each meeting.

Binders for each board member are a good idea.

Patty moved and Susan seconded to adjourn the meeting at 6:50 pm. Ayes all.

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