Wheels-for-Life®

Gordon Nagle called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m.<= /p>

ATTENDANCE

Board Members: Lisa Kent (treasurer - teacher), Gordon= Nagle (president – parent), Kim Jurgerson (member - parent), Brandon Mehling (secretary – teacher), and Tina Beckman (member – teacher).

Board Members Absent:

Staff Members: Darin Shepardson (director), Mary Feath= ergill (business manager)

Other:

POLICY REVIEW

Board Poli= cies 210, 211 and 212 were reviewed and approved. Board Policies 301, 302, and 303 wi= ll be reviewed for the next meeting.

AGENDA

Agenda was discussed. Agenda was approved.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

None

REPORTS

Teachers:

Lisa Kent re= ported that student testing with AIMS Web reading benchmarks will be administered = and completed by Friday, September 18, 2009.

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Tina Beckman= reported that the first week of school went very well.

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Brandon Mehl= ing reported that Dakota Area Community School will host the annual all school breakfast at 7:15 am on Tuesday, September 15, 2009. The breakfast is supplied by the P= TA.

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Tina Beckman= reported that the school’s open house was held on Thursday, September 3, 2009. All but three families attended.

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Director:

Darin Shepar= dson reported that MCA scoring parent letters will be going out to families on September 15, 2009.

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Darin Shepar= dson reported Dakota Area Community School building cle= anup day was August 20, 2009.

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Darin Shepar= dson reported that letters went out to state representatives in order to try and get them= to understand that the 27 percent hold back on annual general education paymen= ts impacts charter schools more that public schools.

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Darin Shepar= dson spoke to Winona Area Public School Charter contact Scott Hannon about District 86= 1 sponsoring Dakota Area Community School. Scott Hannan is going to keep in t= ouch with Darin Shepardson about whether District 861 will be able to sponsor Dakota Area Community Charter School.

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Darin Shepar= dson reported that staff development and staff orientation took place on Septemb= er 1 through September 3. Dakota Area Community School hosted Ridgeway Community School and LaCrescent Montesso= ri School for one day = of the training. <= /p>

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Darin Shepar= dson reported that school lunches are going well and the making of meals at Dakota Area Community School has increased the amount of lunches purchased by students.

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Darin Shepar= dson is starting to pull things together for the 2008-09 charter school’s ann= ual report.

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Business Manager:

Mary Feathergill stated that the auditor, Pamela Ristau, worked = at the school on August 14, 2009. There was additional revenue stated from the Sta= te for the 2008-09 school year coming in general education. She will bring the final amount to the next board meeting with preliminary financial statement= s.

Mary Feathergill stated that final journal entries for the 2008-09 school year f= rom auditor are not complete, but the school should consider transferring the 02 fund deficit of $5,769.05 to the 01 fund in the 2008-09 school year. If approved the auditor would allocate this journal entry dated 6/30/2009. (see action item)

Mary Feathergill stated the school received their second year of the annual Rural Education Achievement Program grant (REAP). The 2009-10 school year’s award is $18,365.

Mary Feathergill stated that she continues to look into options for a loan or li= ne of credit that will be needed towards the end of this school year. Cash flow report has not been completed yet.

Mary Feathergill asked if the school was interested in filing for the Minnesota Department of Education School Finance Award for the 2009-10 school year. If this is so there are some items related to the award that the school needs = to consider. Members reviewed the application and discussed the requirements.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

Mary Feathergill requested to attend the Minnesota Department of Education Unifo= rm Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) training level 2 offer= ed in October. There is no registration fee and I may be able to travel with another school at minimal cost. There is only $150 budgeted for board and administration training and this covers the annual board members training o= nly.

Mary Feathergill repo= rted that Dakota Area Community School has complete= d the state requirement to submit t= o the commissioner of education by September 15^th of each year the school’s unaudited UFARS data for the preceding fiscal year. Dakota Area Community School’s data did not have any errors.

COMMITTEES

Personnel Committee

Committee met on September 14, 2009 and discussed 2009= -10 wage agreements adjustments and schedules, four half school days on current year’s calendar and staff compensation, and update on orientation. Ne= xt meeting will be on October 12, 2009 at 2:30 pm.

Review of adjusted wage agreements. (see action item)<= /p>

Technology Co= mmittee

Next meeting will be on September 14, 2009.

Finance Commi= ttee

Next meeting will be on Wednesday September 16, 2009. =

Enrichment Co= mmittee

Next Community Enrichment meeting will be Thursday, September 17,2009 at 2:30 p.m.

OLD BUSINESS

Public Relations – Connections newsletter was se= nt out August 27, 2009. The fall con= nections will go out in October. Grandparents/Special Person Day will be held on September 25, 2009. Dakota Area Community School is going to look into participating in the La Crescent Apple Fest Parade. <= /p>

Operation Round Up – Tri-County Electric Coopera= tive grant that the Dakota Cub Scout Pack #15 is applying for on behalf of Dakota Area Community School. There is still no news on the gran= t.

Sponsorship renewal (see director’s report)

NEW BUSINESS =

Set policy for the maximum amount of negative charge w= ith food service, after school, Preschool, and any other fee services offered. = The maximum negative charge for food service will be $25.00. The maximum negati= ve charge for after school will be $100.00 a month past due. Student/family wi= ll have services suspended until bill is settled per administration discretion= .

Starting in 2009-10 school year preschool fees will be= based on free and reduced qualifiers. Families must qualify for free or reduced in order to attend prescho= ol at a reduced rated of half registration and monthly fees. Transportation fe= es will remain in full. Preschool free and reduced applications will be audited for proof of standing mid-year.

The charter school’s annual report is changing a= nd will need to include job qualifications for all administration and teaching staff. Darin Shepardson has t= he conference committee report on house finance #2 chapter 96 article 2 educat= ion excellence. This report outli= nes the new guidelines for the annual report submitted to The Minnesota Departm= ent of Education.

CONSENT AGEND= A

Tina Beckman motioned to approve, Brandon Mehling seco= nded, and the motion carried for the consent agenda item as follows:

Approve minutes – August 10, 2009

August bank statements and reconciliation reports.

August payment register and deposit summary.

Donation:

Kyle and Jill Gorell donated $15.00 to the school.

Ridg= eway Community School donated classroom student chairs to the school.

Lynn Reynolds of Edward Jones Investments donated scho= ol supplies to the school.

ACTION ITEMS

Lisa Kent motioned to approve transferring the 02 Food Service Fund deficit of $5,769.05 to the 01 General Education Fund in the 2008-09 school year. Transfer to oc= cur on the books as of June 30, 2009. Tina Beckman seconded, motion carried.

Kim Jurgersen motioned to approve a charge of half the= registration and preschool fee if the family qualifies for free and reduced. Transportation fees will remain in= full. Preschool free and reduced applications will be audited for proof of standi= ng mid-year. Tina Beckman seconded, motion carried.

Lisa Kent motioned to approve staff development dollar= s in order for Mary Feathergill to attend Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) traini= ng level 2 offered in October. C= urrent budget has $150 but only cover’s board and required sponsorship trainings. Tina Beckman seconded. Motion carried.

Wage Agreements:

Adjustment to Melanie Anderson additional position as Elementary Paraprofessional at the rate of $10.30 per hour for the 2009-10 school year.

Adjustment to Loretta Markey additional position as St= udent Transporter at the rate of $10.50 per hour for the 2009-10 school year.

Adjustment to Stephanie Peterson additional position as Student Transporter at the rate of $10.00 per hour for the 2009-10 school y= ear.

Brandon Mehling motioned to approve all wage agreements. Kim Jurgerson sec= onded. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 5:37 p.m.

Next meeting will be on October 12, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. =

Respectfully submitted,

Brandon Mehling = &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Gordon Nagle

DACS Board Secretary = = &nb= sp; = DACS Board President