Gordon Nagle called the meeting to order at 4:17 p.m.<= /p>
ATTENDANCE
Board Members: = Tina Beckman (member – teacher), Lisa Kent (treasurer - teacher), Gordon N= agle (president – parent), and Kim Jurgersen (member - parent).
Board Members Absent: Brandon Mehling (secretary ̵= 1; teacher),
Staff Members: Darin Shepardson (director)
Other: Stephanie Olson (Sponsor representative, Minnes= ota Department of Education)
Stephanie Olson, Minnesota Department of Education Spo=
nsor
Representative, commented that she had a great day visiting our school. She encourages
REPORTS
Teachers:
Lisa Kent re=
ported that
Grandparent’s Day was held on Friday, September 29 and was well
attended.
Tina Beckman
reported that the Fall student testing, IOWA Test of Basic Skills, is begin=
ning
this week and will be completed by all the students next week.
Lisa Kent re=
ported
that
Lisa Kent re=
ported
that the school will take its first field trip tomorrow, October 7, to the =
Town
and Country Veterinarian Clinic, Garvin Heights Elk Farm, and
Tina Beckman
reported that a paraprofessional intern from
Director:
Darin Shepar=
dson reported
that the 2007-08 Charter School Annual Report was submitted to the Minnesota
Department of Education.
Darin Shepar=
dson
reported that he visited with Sponsor Representative from the Minnesota
Department of Education, Stephanie Olson, today and discussed sponsorship
items.
Darin Shepar=
dson
reported that the Assurance of Compliance for State and Federal Law Prohibi=
ting
Discrimination was reviewed and sent to the Minnesota Department of Educati=
on
due November 11, 2008.
Darin Shepar=
dson
reported that a letter regarding fall school board elections was sent home =
with
all student’s families. All
nominations need to be submitted by Friday, October 24, 2008. Elections will take place on Tuesd=
ay,
October 28, 2008.
Business Manager: (report given by Tina Beckman)
Mary Feathergill stated that the school’s 125 Cafeteria Flex Plan offered to all employees working on a regular basis at = the school started up on October 1, 2008. There is a plan resolution document f= or three of the five board members to sign. No action item is needed as the bo= ard motioned on this plan at their August 26th meeting.
Mary Feathergill gave the board the LarsonAllen auditor’s representation letter, the management letter, and the compl= eted audit financials. The representation letter is signed by Darin Shepardson , School Director, and myself. Members reviewed the completed audit.
Mary Feathergill stated that the 2008-09 Rural School Achievement Program (REAP) grant award notification has been received by the school. The grant is for $17,815. We will be using this money for specialty teacher wages and for staff development.
Mary Feathergill would like the board to know that The Minnesota Association of Charter Schools will be presenting a Financial Planning training at The Riverway Learning Community on November 12, 2008. =
Enrichment Co=
mmittee
The next meeting will be on October 13, 2008 at 2:30 p= .m.
Finance Commi=
ttee
Met on September 29, 2008 and reviewed the financials = of the 2007-08 school year and looked at current budget updates.
Finance Committee recommends to the board that they of= fer cash-in-lieu of benefits $1,000 to full-time staff working 30 hours or more= per week for the 2008-09 school year. It is recommended that this benefit be for one school year and not considered in the following year until September and the student population is determined. (see action item)
Finance Committee recommends to the board that the sch= ool increases petty cash from $50 to $75 to accommodate food service food purchases. (see action item)
The next meeting is scheduled for October 27, 2008 at = 2:30 pm.
Personnel Committee
Met on September 22, 2008 and discussed staff exit interview, licensing error for 2007-08, even wage paying for all hourly emp= loyees, music lessons offered to students and music teacher’s weekly schedule, student transporter required physicals, prep and curriculum planning time f= or specialty teachers, posting employee handbook, job descriptions, and schedu= les in the staff work room, and employee handbook items.
Personnel Committee recommends to the board that they consider paying all hourly employees their wages in 9 or 12 month even paym= ents starting on or after October 1, 2008. (see action item)
Personnel Committee recommends to the board that they consider paying for the physical and hourly time of physical to those emplo= yees that drive elementary students to and from school on a daily basis. (see ac= tion item) – This item was tabled.
Personnel Committee recommends changing the Employee Handbook section on Retirement Plans to state that the 403(b) plan is offer= ed to all employees 21 years and older. This is in compliance with Federal requirements. (see action item)
Next meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 13, 2008= at 4:15 p.m.
Technology Co=
mmittee
Darin Shepardson reported that he is working on an application for the Best Buy technology grant and would like more input from the Educational Leadership Team to complete this application.
Public Relations discussion.
No one has been in contact with Darin Shepardson about= the road race that the board discussed this summer.
Gordon Nagle brought up an idea about pulling in an ar= chery expert to present to families or students.
Minnesota Association of Charter Schools (MACS) member= ship was discussed since Darin Shepardson had spoken to the director of MACS, Eu= gene Piccolo, regarding membership fees. There was no change in the fee scale so the board decided not to join MACS.
NEW BUSINESS =
Discussion was held regarding the procedure that is currently used for new board membership, elections, and the annual board meeting. Stephanie Olson shared information regarding non-profit organization laws on annual meeting= s. Members decided to table this till the next meeting.
CONSENT AGEND=
A
Tina Beckman motioned to approve, Gordon Nagle seconde= d, and the motion carried for the consent agenda item as follows:
Approve minutes – September 15, 2008
Donation:
The Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation donated 46 books to our school.
Layla Lunde donated a sample curriculum for
Gordon Nagle motioned to offer cash-in-lieu of benefits
$1,000 to full-time staff working 30 hours or more per week for the 2008-09
school year. This benefit will be for one school year and not considered in=
the
following year until September and the student population is determined.
Lisa Kent motioned to increases petty cash from $50 to= $75 to accommodate food service food purchases. Gordon Nagle seconded, and the motion carried.
Tina Beckman motioned to set up all of the school̵= 7;s hourly paid employees on 9 or 12 month even payments for their wages. Emplo= yees Lynn Biddick, Lorrie Markey, and Stephanie Peterson are approved to start on October 10th pay period with their choice of 9 or 12 month wage payments, with the exception of Lynn Biddick who will start after student lessons and curriculum planning have been established. Gordon Nagle seconded, motion carri= ed.
Lisa Kent will motion to approve changing the Employee Handbook section on Retirement Plans to state that the 403(b) plan is offer= ed to all employees 21 years and older and those substitutes that work more th= an 1,000 hours per year. Kim Jur= gersen seconded. Motion carrie= d.
Meeting adjourned at 5:26 p.m.
Next meeting will be on October 20, 2008 at 4:00 p.m.<= /p>
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Kent &= nbsp; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &= nbsp; Gordon Nagle
DACS Board Treasurer&n=
bsp;
Board Meeting
October 6, 2008