Dixie Montessori Academy
Board Meeting Agenda and Minutes
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Location: 37 South 200 East, St. George Utah
Board Members Present: Russell Armstrong, Michael C. Currie, Kevin Groke, Margaret “Meg” Groke, Maria Assunta Hardy, Jim Hardy, Tracy K. Mitchell, Paula D. Nelson (exited early at 7:15), Kristin L. Nielson, Julie M. Wand
Board Members Absent: Bobbie D. Forsyth, John T. Jones II, Scott Nielson, Michael D. Wand
Proxies: Kristen L. Nielson for Scott Nielson
Agenda:
· Discuss changes to be made to the Charter and/or charter application according to the feedback given by the State Charter School Board
· Decide when to meet with Marlies Burns, Director of the State Charter School Board
· Discuss advertising DMA and doing an opinion poll at an expo at Town Square, St. George
Minutes:
Meeting called to order by: Kevin Groke at 6:37 p.m.
Seconded by Julie M. Wand
Kevin Groke polled individuals present for what date to meet with Marlies Burns would best suit the majority of the board members. Discussion ensued including some details about what the meeting is expected to be like.
MOTION: Kevin Groke proposed that Julie M. Wand schedule an appointment with Marlies Burns on June 13th or alternatively on June 27th.
Seconded by Paula D. Nelson
Unanimous
Discuss advertising DMA and doing an opinion poll at an expo at Town Square, St. George
Informative fliers (Michael C. Currie) to pass out to expo goers, cookies (Paula) to give out for completed surveys (Jim)
Table set up, children’s activities – sand box,
Discuss changes to be made to the Charter and/or charter application according to the feedback given by the State Charter School Board
All Marlies Burns’s comments must be addressed.
Assign Marlies’s comments to board members to address/revise them:
Section 1 School Purpose and Goals
A1 and A2: Asunta suggests using a rubric to measure teacher performance; child progress measured by rubrics on report cards. Direct and indirect measures of progress must be clarified. Will be addressed by Asunta and Julie Wand. Possibly add sample report card to charter application.
Julie gave non- religious definition of grace
Wherever an IEP test is happening there should be no transparent window
Section 2 Student Population
Kevin Groke and Marie Asunta Hardy address Marlies’s comments about Section 2. Looking at various censuses and published public info to better determine target population for DMA. Obtain Washington County School District Enrollment numbers by year.
A3 Kevin Groke; A4 Kevin Groke; Julie Wand to ask Marlies Burns for more information
Section 3 Calendar and Bell Schedule
A5 (fixed)
A6 Russel Armstrong; Julie Wand to ask Marlies Burns for more information
Section 4 Market Analysis
A7, A8 Kevin to add a survey on the DMA website; changing website address to DixieMA.org so it will be shorter and easier for public to recall/spell
Section 5 Capital Facility Plan
A9 Kristin L. Nielson; going to include information on other proposed sites including sites available for lease (SunRoc)
A10 Kristin; Contingency Plan must be more thorough and present options such as Dixie Center, Dixie State College. Ask Marlies if modifying the school year calendar as part of contingency plan is an option.
A11 DMA will not have a self- contained room unless required. Integration preferred over isolation. Only desire one Special Ed. Room used for all Special Ed students; address need for medically fragile room; Prefer Normalization Room/ Peace corner. Budget needs to better address Special Ed facilities
Referring to Josh Beecher and Michael D. Wand and/or Scott Nielson
Will address this comment in 5a of charter
Section 6 Detailed Business Plan and Budget
A12 remove $30,000 private donation from budget
A14 Josh Beecher and Michael D. Wand
Section 7 Fiscal Procedures
A13, A15, A16, A27, A 28 Paula D. Nelson and Michael D. Wand and Josh Beecher
Section 8 Organizational Structure
A17 Add sub-credits listing professionals consulted; reiterate experience of members especially Julie M. Wand and Paula D. Nelson previously worked to create other charter schools.
A18 Mike Currie; need to specify resolution as a Board. Look at standard procedure for replacing Working Board Members.
A19 Kevin Reiterate (copy and paste) closure section
Section 13 Parental involvement
A20, A21 Clarify method of election to Board; we will have a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO have one Board Member Position; also list other parental involvement ideas
Section 14 Employees
A22, A23 Julie Director of School/Academy not Director of Board look up laws pertaining
Section 15 Services
A24, A25 Meg write out a progressive plan to build up library materials to present to Marlies Burns; ask Marlies Burns for additional details if this information is not sufficient.
Section 17 Special Ed
A26 Russell Armstrong
Need to ask PR person, Bobbie Forsyth, to talk to Washington County School District
Meeting again as a Board May 24th with finished revisions to present to Board for review. Create your own document, send it to Kevin Groke by the 22nd of May so he can integrate all updates to be reviewed and approved at the next board meeting.
MOTION: by Kevin Groke to adjourn meeting.
Seconded by Tracy Mitchell
Unanimous
Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m