Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
August 8, 2024 | 1160 N. 645 West, Washington, Utah
5:30PM
Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/toh-nwap-sxo
Agenda Item
Presenter
Action taken
Time
Board Meeting Call to Order
Chair Adams
Board Members in Attendance: Jamee Adams (Chair) | RaLynne Parry (Secretary) | Marisa Granado | Elizabeth Chesley | Chelsea Williamson | Courtney Carter | Chris Christensen | Jessica Aikens |Shelby Bridges |
Others in Attendance: Brian Clyne, Shannon Amargo. Mariah Heaton, Kasidi Havens, Ryan and Emily Johnston, Abbie Isaac, Kristi Brock, Jeneal Christian, Kelalani Kimiko Zolg, Samantha Wilson, Gabi Steiner, D'Asia Hardy, Suzanne Fox, Elena Hooper, Cecilia Montano, Lisa Rivas, Katie Price Ross, Alicia Hicks, Stacey VanDusen, Cheryl Jessie, Cindy Brown, Chiarra Biozzo, Janneth Pelcastre, Alberto Pelcastre
Reading of School Vision and Mission Statement by Elizabeth Chesley
6:02PM
Approve Minutes from Previous Meetings
Chair Adams
Motion: Courtney Carter motions to approve the Minutes from July 11,, 2024.
Marisa Granado seconds.
Ayes: Elizabeth Chesley, Marisa Granado, RaLynne Parry, Jamee Adams, Courtney Carter, Chelsea Williamson, Jessican Aikens, Shelby Bridges
Nays: None
Abstains: Chris Christensen
The motion is passed
*Adjournment set for 8:00pm
Public Comment
Chair Adams
Jeneal Christian - (transcribe from recording) proposes that we DO NOT remove Montessori from the name of our school but proposes that we adjust the name to 'Project Based Montessori'
D'Asia - parent - asking to keep Montessori and supports Project Based philosophy as well.
Cecilia Montano - Parent - does not support pubic school is excited about our school and is learning about Montessori and is excited about this option for her child.
Emily Johnston - Parent - speaking in favor of Montessori. Supports individualized student education vs cookie cutter approach.
Kristi Brock - any good teacher should pull from a variety of teaching styles to be able to address kids needs individually. Montessori does that wonderfully, but there are many teaching styles that facilitate individualized education for each child.
Kaolani - PTVO President and Parent - we want better than public school. Faculty, staff, administration, parents need to work together to create the culture we want.
Motion: Chris Christensen motions to hear agenda items out of order and move to Financial Report. Elizabeth Chesley seconds.
Ayes: Elizabeth Chesley, Marisa Granado, RaLynne Parry, Jamee Adams, Courtney Carter, Chelsea Williamson, Jessican Aikens, Shelby Bridges, Chris Christensen
Nays: None
Abstains: None
The motion is passed
Financial Training & Report
Nate Adams
Budget based on projected 215 students. We will adjust once our official October count comes in.
Chris Christensen asks about the negative ending balance and what plan is in place to make sure the ending is in the black. Nate clarifies that there is not a current plan and that is the work that needs to be done by the Administration and Finance Committee to create that plan.
Audit: has begun; Nate is working with Auditors currently and will take a couple of months to get it complete. Going smoothly so far. Audit is operational and financial and is performed by a privately contracted company, MVM contracts with Eide Bailly for audit services. Once the auditor finishes the report it will be uploaded to the State to be publicly accessible.
Chelsea Williamson - notices that curriculum budget is almost all spent already. How will we afford to make any changes that may be made as the school direction possibly changes? Nate answers that budgetary adjustments can and will be made proactively as needed by the Finance Committee and the Administration.
*Schedule a meeting with Nate, Jamee, Chris and Brian ASAP
Administrative Report
Director Brian Clyne
Director Clyne celebrates the first day of school and emotionally celebrates the faculty and staff for how much he believes in this faculty and staff. 'First day is always an emotional day, but I fell the need to say that I have asked alot of my faculty and staff and I am very proud of them. We have young teachers, veteran teachers, an amazing custodial staf, a great kitchen staff, we have a great Admin Team and I think after hearing everything else, If you let us go, we are poised to make a real difference in this community. We know what we're doing and we have a direction and I feel better about these guys than I have about anybody ini a long time, so that's my report.'
Teachers & Staff: All Teachers and Staff are in place
Program: Teachers received training on ELA curriculum, Leadership and service program for all grade levels, Warm welcome went very well. Parents seemed pleased. Leadership and service initiatives will begin the week of August 26th.
Upcoming: 1) Back to School Night on Aug 14-15 2) 'Spill the Beans' - a time for parents to talk with Director Clyne - first one Aug 27, 8:15am.
Chris Christensen excuses himself from meeting
*Reach out to Heather to resend board email invitation to Chris.
Discussion / Action Items
Chair Adams
All Board members need to sign Board Member Handbook
Shelby, Jessica and Elizabeth submit theirs.
Review Early Learning Plan - Mariah Heaton and Kassidy Havens
Link for plan submitted MVM Early Learning Plan SY2024-2025 approved.docx
questions from Board:
Are the low results directly reflective of our high SPED Population?
Question from Marisa regarding curriculum
Motion: Elizabeth Chesley motions to approve The Early Learning Plan submitted to the Board.
Jessica AIkens seconds.
Ayes: Elizabeth Chesley, Marisa Granado, RaLynne Parry, Jamee Adams, Courtney Carter, Jessican Aikens, Shelby Bridges
Nays: None
Abstains: Chelsea Williamson
The motion is passed
MVM Status Discussion : Board Member input.
Courtney Carter sums up last month's discussion. Comments that there was no consistency between classrooms last year. Each classroom was very unique in how it was functioning. As a school we need to become more cohesive and create a common goal of how to operate moving forward.
Elizabeth Chesley states test scores are down, school performance and state standards are not lining up, parents are leaving because our charter states that we are a Montessori school and Montessori has not been taught consistently within the classroom. Leadership has not been cohesive and collaborative between administration, faculty, staff and Board. The Board has been working very hard to access resources to bring the needs of the school into alignment.
Jessica Aikens shares thoughts on keeping Montessori philosophy incorporated in our school - acknowledging that we are not accredited Montessori, but knowing that we are very much a Montessori philosophy school.
Jamee Adams seeks clarification on what we are voting on tonight - are we going to change the Mission and Purpose of our school charter.
Shannon Amargo - suggests the power of spending a significant amount of money and time to market our school to the community
Elizabeth (please refer to audio recording for further details)
RaLynne
Jessica
Chelsea
Public Comment
Stacey -
Katie Ross
Kristi Brock
Kassidy Havens
Sicilia Montano
Mariah Heaton
Cindy Brown
Motion: Jessica Aikens motions to postpone a vote until next week. Courtney Carter seconds.
Ayes: Elizabeth Chesley, Marisa Granado, RaLynne Parry, Jamee Adams, Courtney Carter, Chelsea Williamson, Jessican Aikens, Shelby Bridges
Nays: None
Abstains: none
The motion is passed
Adjournment
Chair Adams
Motion: Courtney Carter motions to adjourn this meeting.
Marisa Granado seconds.
Ayes: Elizabeth Chesley, Marisa Granado, RaLynne Parry, Jamee Adams, Chelsea Williamson, Courtney Carter, Jessica Aikens, Shelby Bridges
Nays: None
Abstains: None
The motion is passed. The meeting is adjourned.
8:44PM
Next Meeting
Sept 12, 2024
5:30pm
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
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