Great Bay eLearning Charter School Minutes

April 7, 2005 – 4:00 PM

Great Bay eLearning Charter School

  

TRUSTEES:   Roy Morrisette, Lucy Cushman, Kent Chamberlin, Tom Wisbey and Peter Stackhouse

 

ABSENT: Linda Henderson and Ben Hillyard

 

ADMINISTRATION: Arthur L. Hanson, Nathan Lunney and Steve Kossakoski

 

STAFF/GUEST: Tony Baldasaro and Cheryl McDonough

 

1.   CALL TO ORDER

1.1 Introductions:  Chair Morrisette called the meeting to order at 4:34 PM followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

1.2  Nomination of Trustee: Moved until the end of the meeting.

1.21 Sara Baer-Sinnot - 5:00 PM

1.22 Andrew Weeks, MD – 5:30 PM

 

2.   NON-PUBLIC SESSION – None at this time.

 

3.   APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March 3, 2005: Kent voiced his concern that the March minutes did not note the stress the school staff was experiencing given this new teaching environment where you have students non-stop during the day and there are no bells to break up the day.  He would like to see this reflected in today’s minutes.  Tom noted that he has heard these same types of concerns from another charter school.  Motion by Peter Stackhouse, seconded by Kent Chamberlin and unanimously trustee voted to approve the March 3, 2005 minutes as presented.

 

4.   VISITORS: None

 

5.   BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL

5.1 Financial Report – Nathan: handed out a summary sheet and again explained that there are no books since we are using start-up grant monies being handled by the SAU.  Nathan reviewed the grant monies received and the summary of dollars available to us and spent by us with the grants.  Nothing has changed since last report.  Lucy asked if report could include the expiration dates of how long this money is available.  Nathan replied that he certainly could include that information and noted that the extensions will only go so far for monies we do not spend.

5.2 Funding for 2005-2006 – Skip/Nathan: Skip noted that future funding, beyond start up monies, remains really cloudy and referenced Tom’s comment on the stress other charter schools are feeling.  Skip feels a lot of the stress issues may very well be based on the funding issue.  Our school, luckily, does not have to worry with the adequacy monies, but we may have concerns with the support staff salaries that are about $80,000.  Skip has been trying to set up a meeting with Mike Sentance from the US Department of Education, who spoke at the grand opening and made reference to monies being available for charter schools.  To date, we have not had any response from him about meeting with us, but will keep everyone posted.

 

6.   GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE: None at this time.

 

7.   SUPERINTENDENT’S/ADMINISTRATION REPORT

7.1 Enrollment Report – Steve: Holding steady at 48 students; one additional student has gone back to EHS and one student from our SAU has transferred in from another charter school.  Regarding next year, we have 28 applicants that have agreed to come with more applications outstanding.  Steve explained that the law for charter school enrollment states, “charter schools may set maximum enrollment as they deem appropriate”.  With this, Steve would ask that we set maximum enrollment for next year at 80.  Tony noted that to date, 36 acceptance letters have been sent out for next year and 28 have agreed to attend.  This would leave an opening for two more.  If more acceptances come in, we would grandfather those students in even if the total enrollment went over 80.  Steve discussed how the two grade levels next year would work both together and separately.

The question was asked if there is enough space currently for the additional students.  Steve explained that the current space would not be sufficient and with the enrollment between 80-100 students, we are asking the high school for two additional classrooms.  For the 50 students that came to the school this year, no classes at EHS were displaced and given that next year’s 80-100 students from EHS will be at the charter school, this should be workable.  Steve also explained that the rooms are and will be outfitted to be as portable as possible for relocation when needed.  The additional classrooms would hopefully come from right above the current classrooms and would be usable with minimal renovations.  They would also have the same video-conferencing, etc.  The school would also be looking at two additional full time staff for next year and those positions could be broken into two half time teachers and one full time or with various combinations.  Motion by Peter Stackhouse, seconded by Lucy Cushman and unanimously voted with no further discussion to cap the enrollment at the Great Bay eLearning Charter School at eighty (80) students for the 2005-2006 school year, with the clarification that they would honor all current acceptances letters for the 2005-2006 school year should they exceed eighty (80).

 

7.2 Additional Administrative Resources for GBeCS – Skip: Skip spoke again to the on-going need to address staff stress level and burn-out and that discussion will continue about this issue.  Secondly, he and Steve have had several conversations with Tony who is currently wearing many, many hats at the school.  Fortunately we have in our employ Cheryl McDonough who is a lawyer, a former teacher, a former board member and chair and a former administrator who is now working with us as a consultant.  Cheryl is willing to assist with administration at the charter school, and as another plus, also has a son in attendance here.  Tony discussed some of the items Cheryl is assisting with: discipline piece, teacher support, mentoring, some administrative procedures, etc. He explained that Cheryl’s assistance has allowed him to re-focus back on teaching and working with the students.  Skip explained that Cheryl can be paid out of the contracted services that we have as part of the school’s start-up costs.  Cheryl reviewed a sample of how she has spent her time at the school and handed out a copy of the Parent Survey she is sending out.  Skip noted how the SAU office is working with Cheryl and Tony to find out what we can do to support the school and find out what they need help with.

 

7.3 Recruitment of Students for 2005-2006 – Tony: Students who are interested in attending the charter school have been allowed to visit and shadow for half a day to assist them in deciding if this is the school for them. 

 

8.   EMPLOYEES

8.1 Nomination of Professional Staff: Nothing at this time.

8.2 Support Positing Hiring – Steve: Rick Chrétien, our technology person, has moved to SPDC and we are looking for his replacement.  We are specifically looking for a tech specialist who will be heavily involved with students and has Linux knowledge.  Peter Stackhouse left the meeting.

 

Discussion occurred on the Exeter News Letter asking to come and shadow a student, and when would press be would be allowed to come to Charter School?  Skip would recommend to the trustees that when he meets with the Exeter News Letter tomorrow, he will share with the newspaper that since the school is in its infancy and students are vulnerable to any type of publicity that could be negative, that the trustees have asked that only a comprehensive review be given at the end of the year to the newspaper.  In the fall of 2005, the trustees would consider having the newspaper reporter visit the school.  Cheryl reminded the trustees that in the interim, they can send out press releases to the newspaper about the school.  Motion by Kent Chamberlin, seconded by Tom Wisbey and unanimously voted with no further discussion to support the recommendation of Superintendent Hanson to postpone any reporters from being in the school this year and giving the papers a comprehensive review of the school at year end.

 

9.  Board Reports/Policy:  No one has any changes for the policies.  Motion by Tom Wisbey, seconded by Lucy Cushman and unanimously voted with no further discussion to approve the following policies: BCA-R – School Board Member Ethics; EBCB – Fire Drills; EBCC – Bomb Threats; GBA – Equal Opportunity Employment; GBEC – Drug Free Workplace; JOA – Educational Field Trips; IJOC – Volunteers; JHB – Truancy; JHB-R – Truancy; JKD – Student Suspension; and JKE – Long Term Suspension or Expulsion.

 

10. Curriculum: Nothing at this time.

 

11.  Building and Grounds: Nothing at this time.

 

12.  Pupil Related Matters: Nothing at this time.

 

13.  Old Business: None at this time.

 

14. New Business

14.1 Next trustees meeting is May 5, 2005 at 4:00 PM.

 

Except for the trustees, everyone else left the meeting at 5:00 PM.

 

At 5:05 PM, the trustees interviewed GBeCS parent Sara Baer-Sinnot, one of two parents who expressed interest in being one of the two parent trustees.  At 5:30 PM, the trustees interviewed GBeCS parent Dr. Andrew Weeks, the second parent who had also expressed interest in being one of the two parent trustees.  On a motion by Lucy Cushman, seconded by Tom Wisbey and unanimously voted with no further discussion, the trustees approved the appointments of Sara Baer-Sinnot and Dr. Andrew Weeks as the two parent trustees.  Chair Morrisette will send a letter to both advising them of their appointments.

 

15. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion by Lucy Cushman, seconded by Tom Wisbey and unanimously voted with no further discussion, the trustees adjourned at 6:00 PM.