CLC Board Meeting Minutes

5/24/01

Attending: Glenn Johnson, Liz Kisenwether, Lisa Sharfstein, Lauri Perman, Ann Bolser, Brian Rowan, Mark Toci, Katy Cleary,Theresa Shay, Linda Feltman, Leandra Troughton, Denise Kochersperger,Jalynn Woleslagle, Andrew McKinnon, Janine Guillard-McKinnon

The open meeting of the Board began at 7 p.m.

I. Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the 5/24/01 meeting were approved.

II. Business

A. Executive Session.

The Board met regarding personnel issues.

B. Introductions

Because some new parents were present, we began withintroductions.

C. Exit Interview with 8th Graders

Seven of the 18 8th graders who graduated met with Kim Rimmeyto discuss their CLC experiences, including the pros and cons of CLCand how well they felt prepared for high school. We may want to dothis again in the fall or during Winter Break to see how the studentsare doing in high school, and how their parents think they aredoing.

D. Technology Plan

Glenn and Kyle Peck will be meeting with a representative ofthe SCASD to begin work toward a technology plan for the school.

E. Staffing Update for 2001-2002

Lead Teachers: The Hiring Committee (Mark, Theresa, Denise,Jalynn, MJ and Glenn) has been working hard with finding new leadteachers the top priority. The most important quality sought wasthe ability to "connect with" kids. The Hiring Committee recommendstwo names to the Board for approval as lead teachers: Joe Priddy,Donna Fisher. Joe Priddy is an experienced teacher who has mostrecently worked as a teacher educator at Lock Haven University. Donna Fisher is an elementary teacher who also has a master's degreein special education. She has 9 years of teaching experience. Avacancy remains for one lead teacher.

Denise Kochersperger, who will have childeren in each of theseteacher's classes, spoke very highly and enthusiastically about thetwo new teachers.

Glenn Johnson moved and Liz Kisenwether seconded therecommendations of the Hiring Committee. The Board approved therecommendations.

Assistant Teachers: The Hiring Committee will bringrecommendations for assistant teachers to the August Board meeting. Lisa Sharfstein moved and Liz Kisenwether seconded and the Boardapproved that Glenn Johnson has authority to extend the contractletters to the new assistant teachers.

Mark and Denise will teach 8th graders and Theresa will remainwith Team 4 (6 & 7th graders). The other teacher-teamassignments have not yet been made.

Administration: The Hiring Committee also recommended that thecontracts for MJ and Ann be extended, even though job descriptionshave not yet been finalized. Glenn moved and Lauri seconded thatthese contracts be approved. The Board approved these contractswith the recommendation that new job descriptions be in place byDecember 2001.

The Board also approved Glenn Johnson's contract as CAO and sethis salary (in executive session).

Special Education: These responsibilities will be treatedsimilar to the math responsibilities and will carry a salarysupplement. One of the new assistant teachers will have thisresponsibility and Donna Fisher, one of the new lead teachers, hasexperience in this area and will serve as a resource person for thenew assistant teacher.

Arts Block, Health and Physical Education, Music: Plans areto continue the arts block in the way it has been organized for thepast six months and to explore whether the health and physicaleducation program can be organized in the same way. A concern wasraised about providing music education opportunities for students. SCASD denied CLC students the opportunity to participate in SCASDmusic opportunities because music is considered curricular ratherthan extracurricular. One recommendation was that parents of newchildren be invited to help with planning to improve the CLC musicprogram.

F. Budget Update

1. 2000-2001 Surplus

In contrast to the news in last month's minutes projectingan end-of-year balance of $60,000, the final end-of-year balance willbe $29,000. Ann will be forced to explain this shortfall to the bankwhen applying for a loan for new computers.

Four reasons exist for why the end-of-year balance was lessthan projected: a $5,000 down payment on the building that can beaccrued to next year; $7,700 incurred on Digital GrassrootsInitiative Grant although the check on that grant won't be receiveduntil August (despite earlier written word to the contrary); over$9,000 in Special Education bills from Penn State for psychologicalservices ($6,000 more than budgeted); $17,000 short because ofenrollment shortfall. In the future, Ann will reconcile ourenrollments every month so surprises due to enrollment will nothappen.

The first two reasons do not represent a loss of income forthe CLC but rather a transfer between two fiscal years. The secondtwo expenses do represent lost funds -- a total of $23,000 less thanwe expected.

2. 2001-2002 Budget

Ann is working on submitting the new budget to the stateaccording to the state's chart of accounts. In the future our budgetreports will look very different because they will confirm to the PDErequirements. We are apparently the first charter school inPennsylvania to have a mortgage so PDE isn't yet sure how this shouldbe expensed.

G. Facilities Update (Glenn - ask Ann to review this paragraphand fix the stuff that needs to be fixed)

On Tuesday, July 3, the Ferguson Township Commercial andIndustrial Development Authority approved our application for taxexempt funding. Our application now gets passed on to the state. Attorneys in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh will help issue bonds tohelp get funding set up. This funding will reduce our loan rate from7.4% to 5%, a long-term savings but there will be some increasedclosing costs. Ferguson Township hadn't done this in 10 years; MellonBank in 12 years. Ann will explain the balloon next month.

Facilities Renovation- Glenn has been working on this with anarchitect and various code inspectors. We will be required to makeimprovements to the stove hood, bring the bathrooms into ADAcompliance, install smoke detectors and a fire alarm system, andelectrical work.

H. Community Advisory Council

This group had an initial meeting and concluded that this was agood model for the CLC for the future to address specific issues. This group will wait for new families to join before getting off theground. The Council will be used like an open town meeting. It'snot yet clear whether the Council might overlap with parentsmeetings.

I. Amendments to the CLC By-Laws

Glenn Johnson distributed a written version of the proposedamendments to the by-laws that were discussed last month. Lauri movedand Liz seconded and the Board approved the proposed version of theBy-Laws.

J. Board Operations

Liz moved and Lisa seconded and the Board approved the Boardoperations statement with three amendments: the communityrepresentative will be elected by the other four trustees; terms ofoffice will end on December 31; when a Board member resigns a newBoard member will be elected right away.

K. Professional Development Plan

Mark Toci submitted a detailed professional development reportas an addendum to the minutes. The key difference between the CLCProfessional Development policy and other schools is thatprofessional development at CLC will be individually designed andtailored to teachers' goals and objectives. The ProfessionalDevelopment Committee (Mark, Theresa, Glenn, Brad Slonnaker, KylePeck, Karen Johnson, Lisa Lenze, Chris Eyssell, Leandra Troughton,Cystal Fryvogel, Terry Musser) helped develop this plan. Boardmembers signed their approval of this plan.

III. Financial

The Board approved the paying of the bills.

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

The next regular meeting of the Board will be on a date to bedetermined.