INTERNATIONAL SPANISH LANGUAGE ACADEMY
ISLA BOARD MINUTES
February 27, 2007
CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:08 PM
ISLA BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Karen Terhaar (Start-Up Coordinator), Melody Brombacher, Rolf Brombacher, Lily Johnson, Kerry Krawczyk-LeMieux, Mark Mathison, Patrick Peters, Molly Quinn
HOPKINS REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT: Michele Luke
VISITOR(S): Clint Carlson, Mary Anderson
ISLA BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Angie Cabrera, Jenny Brockman, Helen Gavin,
MOTION TO APPROVE PREVIOUS BOARD MINUTES
Kerry moved, Patrick seconded, motion passed.
MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT’S AGENDA
Patrick moved, Molly seconded, motion passed.
OPEN AGENDA
Clint Carlson encouraged us.
He is involved in real estate, son in architecture and realty, experience in these areas, worked together with creation/opening of Beacon Academy.
Presented invitation to event at Rayito de Sol, 5th Anniversary, Friday, February 2. Left his card and his son’s card.
Mary Anderson has 4 incoming students (2 Kindergarteners, 3rd grader and 4th grader).
Hoping for 3rd and 4th – possible combination 3rd/4th.
Request to address need to reach families with older students who have no younger siblings.
Suggestion: present talking points addressing curriculum in order to encourage interest at older levels.
START UP COORDINATOR’S REPORT
FACILITY
Occupying 90% of time at this point.
Continuing to contact state/charter support services to aid with facility search.
Eugene Piccolo at MACS – no new info at this time.
John Ryberg – head of facilities at state dept – nothing to add at this time.
Karen Charles – Mainstreet Charter - had not acquired facility until May.
John Schulz – called him today to touch base but was out of the office.
Business sites present pros/cons.
Churches have been contacted – pursuing available space possibilities.
Kerry requested opinion regarding parents’ main concerns
(transportation, location re: commute, work schedules, before/after school care).
Karen noted that there is not a lot of fear regarding actual building appearance.
She has advised parents to visit charters to get a feel for essence regarding building options – for most part charters have been successful in revamping to give facility sense of educational environment.
ENROLLMENT
Receives calls daily, applications, some withdrawals as well.
Mark questioned as to whether or not families know to communicate if they are in fact withdrawing and Karen clarified that she requests them to do so upon communicating the acceptance of their application.
Uniforms: some parents have inquired about a uniform policy. Any strong Board feelings regarding uniforms? None acknowledged at this time. The policy of uniforms in public schools was questioned – some public schools do have uniforms as well as some charters. Possible survey to determine interest. Not necessarily a priority at this point since we are in search of a site, could do so in the summer.
Early admit – incoming student has completed all necessary steps for home district. ISLA needs to create an appropriate policy regarding this possibility.
Recommend that Kerry and Molly address this issue – investigate possible statutes which would be impetus for creation of policy, for instance Hopkins which is aligned with MN School Boards entity.
PERSONNEL:
Karen has mailed American schools, teachers abroad, former TA who is currently teaching in another state.
LILA salary example was e-mailed, could be used as a starting point, need to get something outlined within next month.
CURRICULUM
IB training
There is a window of up to 30 days before 3 day training to confirm
Possible workshop location - Atlanta Georgia
Budgeted for 6 teachers/admin, driving and workshop.
SET PRIORITIES
Facility,
501c3 – meeting with Josh Mahlin at Stenmark to finalize
Timeline for interviewing
IB paperwork completed this month as well.
ADVERTISING
Sun Post, Lakeshore Weekly
Allianz, General Mills inner company web-site
Lawn signs: Ask Karen for a sign if you would like one for your yard.
ACEMN – Organization of Colombians living in MN.
FINANCE
Rolf, Jenny, Karen met with Josh at Stenmark 2 ½ weeks ago.
Contract has been signed, completed employee paperwork (Karen on payroll)
Mark asked about a monthly finance report.
Rolf confirmed Josh communicates to Finance Committee who reports to Board.
File cabinets - all who volunteered to collect cabinets will be contacted.
Check with Katie Lee or appropriate Hopkins entity regarding items that would be for sale after closing of Curren Elementary.
FACILITY
Patrick and Mark reported.
Curren Elementary – Mark, Patrick, Karen and Molly toured.
Facility Committee submitted proposal.
Hopkins is negotiating with another school to lease entire building.
Therefore ISLA will not be leasing Curren.
Colliers Brokers
Communicated situation regarding Curren.
Searching for direction since there seems to be little to offer.
Have offered a few possibilities but continue to search for best possible site.
Colliers had suggested that it could purchase a possible site and lease back to us.
Broker purchase and ISLA leasing seems to be viable option but within budget?
Josh from Colliers mentioned yesterday a few locations in GV
surrounded by parking lot, could be appropriate for bussing
Josh suggested that he could approach GV City Hall re: possibility.
Board agrees to give him go ahead, requests a “by when”.
Communicate that we need to have follow-up once we have met/visited a site.
Need to take steps to explore further possibilities. We need to keep this as priority.
Number of students multiplied by 100 square feet
For example: 106 x 100 = 10,600 square feet
Pursuing possible locations in churches – continue to investigate and inquire.
FINANCE
Rolf reported.
Signed contract with Stenmark,
Payroll up and running with regards to Karen.
Created basic operating process – added Josh Mahlen (Stenmark) and Karen as cosigners on account.
Stenmark will provide monthly report.
Request that Josh Mahlen attend Board meetings?
Written financial statement on a regular basis would be appropriate.
Kerry added that to meet initially would be beneficial but in general the written report would be adequate.
Karen will invite Josh to next meeting when she meets with him tomorrow, perhaps request that an example of a report be provided in addition to the actual monthly report.
Mark suggested that a financial summary be included as well as the actual monthly financial statement.
We need to have the initial grant money accounted for in order to receive the next installment or the next installment will be held back. We need to report May 30 on what has been spent or allotted by April 30 (texts, curriculum invoices, for example).
SALARIES AND BENFEFITS
Need to be outlined, benefits package (set up relationship with a benefits broker) – deadline set for end of March? Next meeting?
MACS is currently actively attempting to create a benefits package for charter schools but there is nothing definite.
Other associations that we might be able to pool or create a connection? Contact various charters as to how they have addressed this point.
Kerry and Michele contacted Hopkins re: collaborating on benefits
Hopkins employees are self insured and it would not be possible.
Investigate Mainstreet, LILA, Seven Hills, Yinghua, Beacon.
Karen will gather info but when it comes down to setting it up she does not feel that it would appropriate since she is a viable possible future employee.
Need to work with a broker as to identify costs.
Josh Mahlen has helped set up the TRA and can help with future TRA questions.
What other benefits would be considered?
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Info meeting last Tuesday, February 20 – full room.
Some requested lawn signs.
Karen sent out a volunteer form formulated by Karen and Kerry.
Michele informed that due to non-profit status and location within Hopkins District it is possible to have some printing done at no cost.
PERSONNEL
Set deadline of March 31 to begin teacher recruitment.
Gather samples of following forms from other sources where possible, rather than reinvent the wheel.
Bob Bulthuis 952.988.4032 with Hopkins to assist in formulating a teacher agreement.
Licensed application/non-licensed application to be posted on-line
Interviewing/hiring process must be outlined and written.
E-mail committee the to-do list before minutes are sent to Board.
Deadlines:
Enrollment – date by which we decide to offer specific grades/number of sections?
MOTION
Mark set May 1st as goal to make internal decisions regarding specific grades/number of sections.
Patrick seconded, motion passed.
Discussion regarding number of sections of Kinder – stay with two or consider a third class? Considering this possibility but have not made any decision.
Contract for services – Patrick has information regarding food services/transportation and will convey that info at next month’s meeting. Our facility will probably not be able to provide food service and we will have to contract. Before/after school care – contact Katie Lee.
NEXT MEETING
Tuesday, March 27, 2007, 7:00pm, Crystal City Hall
MOTION TO ADJOURN
Patrick moved, Kerry seconded, motion passed at 9:25 pm.