Arlington Classics Academy board of directors
Regular Meeting of the Board of DIRECTORS
5200 South bowen rd., arlington, texas 76016
Thursday, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
7:00 PM
I. CALL TO ORDER: ACA Bowen Cafeteria: 7:11 p.m. by Greg Hale
Board Members in attendance: Terri Thibodeau, AmySmith, Greg Hale, Debbie Sterba, Greg Snetsinger, Denise Marvin, Steve Coffee, Mia Russo
Administration in attendance: Betty Duncan Coon, Barry Parker
II. BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMENTS
This time on the agenda allows each board member to inform other board members, the administrative staff and the public of activities which are of interest including:
Debbie Sterba shared information for potential fundraising partners for Spirit Nights for ACA. Chipotle and Chop House burgers are looking for a local educational institution to partner with. Chipotle is offering 50% sales to the group(s) they elect to partner with. – Steve Coffee asked for contact information to take back to the PTO.
Debbie Sterba also thinks the Cookie-Gram program was a marvelous idea, and would like to see that offered again in the spring. Also, she thanked the person who provided a Cookie-Gram to the BOD.
Greg Hale announced the need to conduct BOD elections for Joe Flenniken's vacant seat. It was decided to hold the election on December 20, 2012.
III. NON-AGENDA RELATED PUBLIC COMMENTS
This forum allows anyone in attendance to address the Board on any matter except personnel and individual student issues. Any personnel concerns should be brought to the attention of the Executive Director of Schools or the Board President prior to the meeting. Speakers will be limited to three (3) minutes and must complete a Comment Card marked “Non-agenda” to be recognized by the President. Non-agenda items will be taken for no more than 30 minutes.
NONE
IV. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
· Advanced Academics and Rigor Presentation – Mrs. Betty Duncan Coon addressed the voiced concerns about ACA's academic rigor and wants to assure everyone that the subject of advanced academic curriculum is dear to her heart and believes every child should be challenged at the highest level at every opportunity, every day.
Betty Duncan Coon introduced Suzy Hager as a top leader of advanced academics in the state of Texas.
Ms. Hager shared her definition of "academic rigor" and the 4 "myths" of rigor in the classroom.
(see attachment)
Ms. Hager encouraged ACA to conduct "longitudinal" research on what a graduate looks like.
Challenge index – what are the best instruments to gather this information.
· Withdrawals Report – Mrs. Betty Duncan Coon shared the survey from parents who withdrew their students this school year. (see attachment)
· Financial Reports—September/October – Melanie Schroeder thanked Greg Snetsinger for the Dashboard spreadsheet showing Year End projection and current budget.
Cash flow forecast is very favorable, and is calculated on current enrollment numbers with 95% attendance.
· Budget Transfer – (see attachment) Money is being transferred to allow for Food Service startup expenses.
· ACA Primary Principal’s Report – Mr. Barry Parker reviewed the Primary campus' activities. (see attachment)
Mr. Parker is working on his goal of deepening and strengthening the science program for the primary grades.
Mr. Parker stressed his desire to use time wisely and will be focusing on curriculum, scope and sequence and planning during the "faculty" meeting time.
Mr. Parker also wanted to publicly thank Ms. Ann Poe for her coordinating the Veteran's Day assembly and for its success.
· City of Arlington Update—Building –Mrs. Betty Duncan Coon shared information from her meeting with the zoning and planning department of the City of Arlington. (see attachment)
Mrs. Betty Duncan Coon shared an illustration from the City of Arlington that showed the flood plain, 100 year flood plain and 500 year flood plain.
Next step is a pre-application meeting with the planner and engineer, then the site plan submission after that.
Melanie will research whether Callaghan and Freeman need to be the architect of record for this next phase of construction.
Break 8:37 – 8:47 PM
V. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:
Unless removed from the consent agenda, items identified within the consent agenda will be acted on at one time.
A. Accept Minutes: October 18, 2012 Board Meeting - Open Minutes
B. Accept Minutes: October 18, 2012 Board Meeting - Closed Minutes
C. Accept Minutes: October 25, 2012 Board Meeting - Open Minutes
Motion: Greg Hale moved to accept consent agenda items as presented
Second: Debbie Sterba
Vote: Passed (8 – 0 - 0)
VI. ACTION ITEMS:
A. Discussion and Vote on Budget Transfer
Motion: Debbie Sterba moved that we accept the Budget Transfer as presented
Second: Mia Russo
Vote: Passed (8 – 0 - 0)
B. Discussion and Vote on 8th Grade Field Trip and Financial Support – Mr. Flood met with 12-14 parents on Tuesday night, to discuss the 8th grade field trip. The intent is to reduce the amount of money each family is responsible for, by utilizing unallocated funds from prior years and fundraising efforts.
Debbie Sterba does not feel comfortable with all the unallocated funds being requested for this endeavor. The approximate $12,000 is a lot to request for one activity, for one grade level.
Terri Thibodeau also questions the use of the money for one grade level, versus all grades.
Greg Snetsinger feels this could set a precedent that will result in future grades expecting this type of financial support.
Steve Coffee indicated that allowing this will help with student retention.
Motion: Denise Marvin moved to allow up to $12,000 in prior years unallocated funds to be used for the 8th grade field trip.
** Greg Snetsinger suggested a friendly amendment of allowing up to $300 per child to be allowed from the
prior years unallocated funds for the 8th grade field trip. Denise accepted the amendment.
Motion: Denise Marvin moved to allow up to $300 per child, of prior years' unallocated funds, to be used for the 8th grade field trip.
Public Comments – Suzanne Reiter as a 7th grade parent is concerned that the current 7th graders are very sensitive to the perceived lack of support for their big moments (i.e. 5th grade field trip and 6th grade graduation). She is torn because of this seeming "inequity".
Second: Steve Coffee
Vote: Passed (Yes:5 – No:2, Terri Thibodeau, Debbie Sterba – Abstain:1, Greg Hale)
C. Discussion and Vote on short-term growth –
Discussion on the RamTech proposal for additional classrooms to be constructed at the Bowen campus, NE corner of property that borders Bowen Road.
Motion: Steve Coffee moved that the authorize Administration proceed with the wooden floor RamTech option currently estimated at 1.1 million.
** Greg Hale's friendly amendment "to be authorized to use the current construction balance of the 2010 bond funds."
Motion: Steve Coffee moved that the Administration be authorized to proceed with the wooden floor RamTech option using the current construction balance of the 2010 bond funds.
Second: Greg Snetsinger
Vote: Passed (Yes:7 – No:1,Debbie Sterba - 0)
D. Discussion and Vote(s) regarding ACA’s minimum expectations for graduating 8th graders and policies needed to support those expectations.
Concepts that each BOD member feels are what an ACA graduate is:
*** Critical Thinker/Independent Thinker/Higher order thinking skills
% Lifetime learner/love of learning/expectation that it takes hard work to achieve
*** Grit/persistent, emotional resilience/Used to working hard
*** Moral Leadership skills/Ethical and Moral character/Community Awareness- Service/Teamwork/Empathetic leaders/Respectful/Polite
%Well-rounded (i.e. Fine Arts in addition to academic)
%Communicate effectively and confidently (in reading and writing)/Respectful, Polite
%Organized/Strives for excellence/ Study skills
College and career ready
% Foundation in Western Civilization
Subset: Academically Well-rounded:
Microeconomics – Liberal Arts – Foreign languages – STEM – Broad Scientific & mathematical
literacy/origins of Liberty/ Read at a college level/ Global awareness/Performing arts
Top Attributes = ***
Secondary Attributes = %
Motion:
Second: No Vote
Vote:
E. Discussion and Vote(s) regarding the level of rigor expected at each grade level.
Greg Hale indicated that this discussion usually comes back to "how high is the bar", when it's been touched on in the past.
Debbie Sterba stated: "Frankly, I was offended by this agenda item – I believe that current discussions with Mrs. Coon have indicated that she is aware of the perception of ACA and ACA's exemplary academic standing. Her team has only been in place for 3 months, and has produced very promising documentation and recommendations. I have every confidence that Betty Duncan Coon, Barry Parker, Aaron Daffern, Kurtis Flood, are quite capable of determining what needs improvement and what direction ACA will be going, and they have no desire to see that diminished in any way. I think to presume that the top educators at ACA needed to be prompted or reminded that ACA needs to enforce advanced academic experiences, is both presumptuous and rude. For Steve Coffee to want to so eagerly embrace Carver policy governance, yet also be willing to meddle when it suits his whims shows me that this Board is in no way ready to enforce policy governance, and trust I the leadership of this school to sustain the high standards all ready in place."
Terri Thibodeau – keep the bar high, feels BDC can "operational-ize" the concepts of advanced academics and rigor.
Denise Marvin – Stated she is ok with people leaving if coursework is too rigorous, but we must keep "bar high". ACA is not for everyone.
Terri Thibodeau – “is more than an accelerated pace – Betty gets that.”
Utilizing the Challenge Index, Suzy Hagar mentioned in her presentation. Need to define is it a challenge index or per child challenge?
What is the level of maximized learning that each child can achieve?
Greg Hale – “When is learning happening? When frustration occurs, learning is happening.”
Greg Snetsinger stated that the experience at ACA is more about character development than an academic benchmark – emphasizes how character is attached to learning, which goes hand in hand with rigor.
Betty Duncan Coon would like to review the education policies to see if there are any in place that might keep her from guiding the academics of ACA to a level of purposeful rigor.
Starting this year, the state of Texas has provided grades 3 – 8th grades a reading tool called IStation and Betty Duncan Coon feels that it can be used to gather very meaningful data to measure preparedness and achievement. K – 2 would require purchase, and she is investigating ways to acquire it.
Public Comments: Suzanne Reiter mentioned a school in Washington that has a very exciting mission statement that believes the best interest of the students (student centered) is the value set the school embraces. Ann Wright, Tacoma, Washington. "This is what we are talking about tonight."
Motion:
Second: No Vote
Vote:
F. Discussion of Policy Governance and its implementation and vote(s) on next steps for implementation Chapter 6 – from "Boards that make a difference" – John Carver
Effective rather than a personal relationship with your CEO
Comparison of policy to reality
Pg. 161 – CEO achieving goals and not violating policies
Linking organizational performance to CEO performance
Monitoring is CEO's interpretation of policy and is it a reasonable interpretation.
Betty Duncan Coon sees this as only bringing those things to the board that are addressed in policy
Motion:
Second: No Vote
Vote:
VII. MOVE TO CLOSED at 10:46 PM by Greg Hale: Section 551.074 – For the purpose of considering appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment of duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee or to hear complaints or charges against a public officer or employee and Section 551.082 - For the purpose of considering discipline of a public school child or children.
A. Attorney/Client Confidential Communication
B. Confidential Student Issue
VIII. RETURN TO OPEN at 10:58 p.m.
IX. ADJOURNMENT at 10:59 p.m.
Motion: Terri Thibodeau moved to adjourn the meeting
Second: Amy Smith
Vote: Passed (8 – 0 - 0)