City Neighbors Charter School

[Ava]

City Neighbors Charter School Board of Directors
Minutes for Meeting # 76
Held on Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
City Neighbors Charter School 4301 Raspe Ave Baltimore, MD 21206

Attending Members:
President: Shellae Jones
Vice President: Sue Fothergill
Secretary: Ava Schweikert
Treasurer: Rob Noble
Dir. Community Relations: Doris Dow
Dir. Resource Dev.: Gwendolyn Unoko
Principal: Mike Chalupa
Dir. Facilities: Robyne Lyles
Director Accountability: Kuana Holley
Teacher Rep.: Emily Jagusch
Student Council Rep: Sadie Macdonald
Executive Director: Bobbi Macdonald


Absent Members:
Dir. Organized Parent Group: Coleen Dibble





Welcome:
• Shellae Jones called the meeting to order & welcomed everyone
• Coleen Dibble, Director of the Organized Parent Group, absence excused by Board
• Sue Fothergill made a motion to excuse Coleen Dibble
 Emily Jagusch seconded the motion
Public Comment: None
Report from the President:
• Pastor Bill advised CNCS that a visitor has let himself into the building and stayed some nights.
• Please be vigilant and lock doors
• The 8th Grade Class will be graduating soon. Last year the Board gave each student a gift of a CNCS hooded sweatshirt
• Please bring a gift idea to the next Board meeting
Report from the Vice President:
• Report regarding the Baltimore Education Coalition leadership training event from January 26th
• Governor has fully funded education in the state budget
• Need to advocate this complete funding
• Visit Legislators in Annapolis in February
• March 1 a city wide rally in Annapolis to support fully funding
• Dr Alonso is paying for buses to attend the rally
• Shellae Jones suggested the Board pay for some bagged dinner for participants. (This recommendation received full board support.)
• CNCS will try to fill 2 buses, Liz Zogby is heading the effort with a parent representative per grade
• MD Charter School Network held a meeting on January 27
• Currently meeting to create a bill to support Facility funding
• February 24, 2010 is Charter School Advocacy Day in Annapolis
• Students are leaving at 8:30 AM from CNCS
Director of Accountability Report:
• A total of 1283 hours have been recorded so far this year
• Includes all submission except K-2 hard copies
• Many families have worked hours but not submitted any hours
• Mike Chalupa commented that this is a very low amount
• Kuana Holley stated that there were many empty folders
• Would like to get people to submit hours by the end of the second trimester
• Discussion held regarding the importance of the hours, ease of submitting and reviewing the hours.
• A letter is going out in the next Monday Mailer with each families report of hours
• More people are using the online submission form
Report from the Director of Resource Development:
• CNCS Fundraising Financial Report
• Approximately $3,000 has been raised so far.
• Doesn’t seem possible to raise $25,000 by the end of the year
• Some families are not participating at all, they are lost, and how can we get them engaged?
• There are 150 families, 198 students. A Private school could cost $5,000-$15,000, sad that families are not contributing
• February 8 starts the Claire’s Gourmet Fundraiser
• Possible Spring Fling/Fun event and clearance sale of current fundraising committee inventory
• Working on the May 8 Gala event
• There will be a live auction with Pastor Bill as the Auctioneer
• The Green Committee would like to have a green canteen sale to raise funds with excess to go towards the Fundraising Committee annual goal
• Request from Board for Governance Committee to examine sub and ad hoc committee fundraising efforts and develop a reporting/tracking policy.
• It is important for transparency and accountability
• Bobbi Macdonald gives example of the Basketball Team
• What do you need money for? What is your budget?
Treasurer’s Report: see attached
• Report for the month of December
• Bobbi Macdonald secured another $55 per pupil for all charter school students in Baltimore City
Report from Student Council Representative:
• Talent show scheduled for February 26th as an extended all-school
• Winner of the talent show will go to a state competition
• Winners can earn money for their schools
• Talent show is open to all students in CNCS
• Mike Chalupa commented that after 3 years of discussion, a talent show is at last happening
• Buddy Days: A few more were held
• Data being collected regarding lunches by Eve Macdonald, report forthcoming
• Sue Fothergill suggested coming to a Student Council meeting to discuss advocacy
Report from Director of Community Relations:
• Planning a K-2 Dance on March 6th. Possibly 2-4 PM
• Space Jam Theme with crafts and activities related to outer space
• Next Committee meeting is February 23, 2010
• Thinking of having a skate party for the older students instead of a dance
• Doris Dow is also co-chair of the graduation committee
Report from Director of Facilities:
• The humming sound in Mike’s office is due to a circulating fan in the heating pipes
• Currently there is extra money in the facility budget therefore planning on repairing the issue
• Cleaning company is doing a good job
Report from the Teacher Representative:
• Professional Development Day scheduled with City Neighbors Hamilton for January 28, 2010
• 6th Grade North Bay Trip Report
• Previously funded by Baltimore City and the cost was $100 per student, now the cost is $275 per student, this fee does not include the buses
• Week after spring break is cheaper, $136 per student
• Currently applying for a grant through the Chesapeake Bay Trust, which will cover ½ of the cost ($75) per student
• Teachers interested in setting a schedule to prepare during the summer for the start of school
• Question about air quality, any new information?
Principal’s Report: see attached
• Financial Planning Group
• Group has finalized ideas and presented to full staff
• Will bring to Finance committee meeting in February
• Professional Development
• Epiphany Lutheran Church is providing socializing time at the end of the day
• Mobile Planetarium will be held in Hightman Hall
• Update on staff and hiring at the February Board meeting
• Recently lost a 3rd grader
• Robyne Lyles asked if we loose a student mid year, do we loose funding?
• Yes, ½
Report from the Secretary:
• Distribution of paper copies of Board meeting minutes # 75
• Motion made by Sue Fothergill approve meeting minutes #75
• Seconded by Mike Chalupa
• Vote called by Shellae Jones, all in favor
• Distribution of summary of Strategies of Volunteer Management from the July Board Retreat
• Currently working with Mike on updating the CNCS website
• Communications Committee
• Working on creating Community Resource email Group
• CNCS and possibly City Neighbors Hamilton & eventually City Neighbors High School
Report from the City Neighbors Foundation by Executive Director: see attached
• City Neighbors Hamilton
• Currently full-time Principal at City Neighbors Hamilton
• City Neighbors Hamilton has been designated a Title 1 School
• $28,000 on literacy and $4,000 on Parent Involvement
• New staff members
• Seeking a part time special educator
• Seeking a principal
• Currently working on teacher evaluations
• CNCS
• Elevator, every $25,000 we raise is matched
• Currently in design process, asking for a waiver
• Phase 1: Summer 2010, build shaft
• Phase 2: Summer 2011, finish
• North East Schools Alliance Grant awarded to community associations and 3 schools; public (CNCS)557, private & parochial (St Francis)
• To be used for shared events such as
• Workshop day among the teachers of all three schools
• Community gardens
• Summertime funding for children
• City Neighbors High School
• Mike Chalupa & Bobbi Macdonald are holding meetings 2nd Tuesday of the Month
• 80 spots; 4 classes of 20
• Design process for facility underway
• Hiring process underway

Next Board Meeting February 25, 2010 at City Neighbors Charter School