Board Members Attending: Mark Toci, Winnie Bolinsky, DonnaFischer (interim for Katharine), Margaret Hopkins (left after actionitems were complete), Kyle Peck (arrived at 8:15)

Community Members Attending: Brian Rowan, Paul Fischer, AnnBolser

I. Call to Order

Winnie called the meeting to order at 7:21 PM.

II. Arrivals and Departures

Winnie welcomed herself to CLC and gave thanks to Ann for her hard work as interim CAO. Winnie also thanked MJ for all the effort that she has put into CLC.

III. Open Discussion

Brian asked for the Board's opinion on videotaping future Board meetings as other school boards do. Margaret supported the idea of audio or video recording. Donna noted that it's interesting that the minutes are so detailed and thought that they should focus mainly on the decisions made. Margaret thinks that those details need to be in the written minutes as well as a video recording. Ann thought that it is hard to remember who said what when approving minutes. Donna echoed Ann's sentiments and thought the focus should be away from who said what.

IV. Routine Approvals

A. Approval of the Minutes

Winnie moved and Mark seconded approval of the May 23, 2002 Board Meeting Minutes. Margaret referred to the Teacher Search Process Update from last Board meeting and asked about what had happened with parents being updated on the parent representative to the hiring committee. Margaret also asked about the status of the hiring process policy. Winnie and Ann relayed that the final policy is not ready yet for Board approval. In regards to the parent representative, Winnie researched what other schools have done with involving parents. Usually the principal or superintendent chooses that person, rather than opening it up to the entire parent community. Winnie feels comfortable with Madhu's qualifications. Margaret said she would have appreciated communication about this from Winnie. Winnie had sent an email to Margaret that Margaret did not get. In the future, Margaret said she would like a follow up email if she does not reply to the original email. Margaret questioned the method of selecting the parent representative and referred back to the unique structure of the school's inverted hierarchy. Mark said that the charter reflects that teachers have most of the decision making. In regards to the school's inverted hierarchy, he said that parents have the ultimate power because they can pull kids out of the school. Mark doubted that parents would be able to find one parent that would be able to accurately represent all others. Margaret cited representative democracy and the opportunity to vote. Mark said that parents can voice their opinion and if satisfactory change does not happen they can choose to leave. Paul cited private universities where parents can pull their student if they choose. Margaret then asked if Madu's appoinment to the hiring committee was announced to parents. Winnie informed her that it had not happened. Margaret requested that that happen. Margaret also asked about the status of exit interviews. Winnie will be meeting with Kyle this weekend to discuss that as well as some reporting issues and grants. The motion was approved.

B. Payment of the Bills

Ann reported that this month Kosta reviewed the bills and was comfortable with what he saw. A list of the bills paid were mailed to Board members before the meeting. Margaret moved and Mark seconded payment of the bills. The motion was approved.

V. Student Advisory Committee Report /Questions

Winnie asked if student representatives have been attending. Mark said that the eigth graders who were serving as representatives were gone. Winnie asked if the school establishes a student government, should the president serve as the student representative. Maragaret thought that another student should serve as the representative in order to share the wealth.

VI. CFO / Finance CommitteeReport

Ann distributed a budget report for the period ending May 31st. She reported that there were no anomalies. Net Income looks higher because all 12 months of income have come in, but only 11 months of salaries have been paid. Ann informed the Board that Paul is putting together a packet to explain the budget. This will be completed by the end of August.

VII. Communications

There were no communications to the Board. Winnie reported that the current enrollment for next school year is 105 out of 125. This doesn't include new applicants and other students who are questionable. Winnie is planning to hold open houses and have advertisements in the CDT. Mark suggested having an ad for weekly or bi-weekly Open Houses. Winnie will email a copy of the enrollment report to the Board members. Margaret suggested that this be attached to the minutes and posted publicly. Winnie, Ann, Donna, and Mark voiced concern about that information being misleading. The website will continue post that the school is accepting applications. Margaret suggested that the overall enrollment be posted. Brian suggested targeting public events (sporting events, etc.) with flyers. Most felt that that type of marketing would give the wrong impression.

VIII. Action Items

A. Approval of Budget for 2002 - 2003

The distributed budget is for PDE and needs to be submitted at the end of the month. Ann reviewed the cover letter which covered the following changes from the 2001 - 2002 budget: establishment of a reserve fund, increase in salaries / benefits to reflect the new CAO salary, no purchase of capital equipment is budgeted from general operating funds, DGI grant was for 2001 - 2002 only, per the Board's direction tuition revenue is based on 95% of projected enrollment of 125 students to allow for possible attrition, the school is spending down some of our ending balance of 2001 - 2002 (aside from the reserve monies) on one-time expenditures such as remodeling and renovations. Ann reported that the budgeted money for salaries for next year is based on last years' salaries. Based on possible scenarios that money might be flexible. Also, the per pupil money is not ultimately determined by the school districts until the end of October, so that is also an estimate. The school's operating budget will be presented at the end of August. Margaret asked if the state can say that we are fiscally irresponsible if we do not follow this budget? Paul said probably no, because the categories are very broad. Paul only thought the school would be in trouble if there were bad outcomes, not on bad projections. Winnie said the only problem would be mismanagement of public funds (spending money that the school doesn't have).

Winnie moved and Marked seconded approval of the 2002 - 2003 Budget to send to PDE. Margaret questioned the legal implications of having people on the Board approving a budget that pays them. Ann said that the school's former lawyer, Michelle Katz, was asked directly about this and she said there were no problems., although it's untraditional. Margaret would like this question asked again. Ann said that we do not have a pro bono attorney any more, so we would have to pay money for consulting an attorney. Paul asked if Margaret would be okay with it as long as it is legal, or if she has ethical problems with the situation. It was raised that the school district approved the charter knowing that this was the case and they had legal representation advising them. Margaret then asked about how salaries were determined. Winnie said that there are similar salaries given similar qualifications. Mark noted that traditional salary structures don't work for CLC because traditional experiences don't necessarily relate. Winnie feels like CLC is more like a normal business (non-union) where salary is a function of the qualities and characteristics of the person. Kyle agreed with Margaret that it is a different model than most, but he felt that it was ethical. Margaret asked if all staff would know others' salaries. Margaret feels that this would be important information for people in order to decide if they want to accept a job. Ann noted that this budget does not delineate individual salaries. Donna reflected on her hiring process, and said that it was very open in regards to publically announcing salaries. Winnie reaffirmed that the lead teachers and CAO are a part of what would be considered management (that establishes salaries) of a normal company. Paul said that if the school overpays people, parents will leave if the school is not functioning well as a result.

The motion was approved 4 to 1. Margaret voted against the motion saying that the governance structure of the school needs to be examined.

B. Offer Letters to Existing Staff

Winnie moved and Kyle seconded to offer lead teaching positions to Mark and Donna, assistant teaching positions to Jalynn, Denise, and Andy, and the CFO position to Ann. The motion was approved 4-0. Margaret abstained.

IX. Information / DiscussionItems

A. Filing of Corporate Resolution and Certificate of Election Re New Board Members

Ann has two documents that need to be signed by the following officers of the Board: President (Kyle), Vice President (Winnie), Treasurer (Ann), Secretary (Margaret). Elections for new Board officers will be held next meeting.

B. Hiring Policy and Update

Not ready for Board review.

C. Recruitment of Secretary

Ann updated the board that interviews for a secretaty will begin soon and a recommendation will be brought to the Board at the next meeting.

D. Technology Assistant Contract

Ann said that the school will be contracting with ACS for higher-end network and technology consulting. Also, an individual will be hired to do inventory and lower-level tasks.

E. Space Reallocation

Winnie updated on the facility improvements. Ann's current office will be for special education and a counselor. The server room will be cleaned out and dedicated as a faculty room as well as a server room. The current libary will be a conference room and Winnie's office. The school library will be moved to the foyer and symbolize the heart of the school. Two small cubicles will be created outside of the classroom in the Big Room. Winnie is also looking at putting a full wall up for the Big Room classroom. That remodeling and construction will be going on throughout the summer. Kyle asked how these decisions were made. Winnie said that it's been discussed at staff meeting and everyone's had input.

F. Process for Electing Teacher Representatives to the Board: When & Who?

Winnie felt that the new teacher representatives should be ready for the August board meeting. Donna remembered that their were questions about having one assistant teacher as a representative. Kyle thought there was confusion over who should vote. The faculty will decide how this process happens.

G. Proposal for a Second Student Representative to the Board

This decision will be left until a student government gets created.

H. Parent Survey Update

Kyle has just looked at it, and apparently there were no responses. Kyle will go back and make sure that he pulled the right file. Along with the Board meeting date, Ann will email parents about the survey.

I. Technology Plan / Revisions

Kyle submitted the technology plan, but it was not approved. He will be making revisions and resubmitting it.

X. Adjournment

Kyle apologized for missing the first part of the meeting, welcomed Winnie to CLC, and thanked MJ and Ann for their work. The board applauded Ann for all of her efforts to pull the school through as interim CAO.

Kyle moved and Donna seconded to adjourn the meeting at 9:26 PM. The motion was approved.

The next Board meeting will be on July 16, 2002 at 6:30 PM.