INTERNATIONAL SPANISH LANGUAGE ACADEMY
ISLA BOARD MINUTES
May 22, 2007
CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:08pm
ISLA BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Karen Terhaar (Start-Up Coordinator), Rolf Brombacher, Melody Brombacher, Kerry Krawczyk-LeMieux, Mark Mathison, Molly Quinn
HOPKINS REPRESENTATIVE: Michele Luke (not present)
VISITOR(S):
ISLA BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Angie Cabrera, Patrick Peters, Lily Johnson, Jenny Brockman
MOTION TO APPROVE PREVIOUS BOARD MINUTES
MOTION TO AMEND APRIL MINUTES
April Minutes amended to include the written date for the May Board Meeting (Kerry)
Rolf made motion, motion carried
MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT’S AGENDA
Mark moved, Kerry seconded, motion carried
FINANCE
Rolf presented.
Grant money has deadline of May 31, spent by April 30 – received an extension.
Will be purchasing furniture, materials hopefully can be stored at school location. Can delay delivery in some cases, in order to avoid need to move items more than once.
Molly, Kerry will gather info regarding curriculum/materials – set date in June for ordering.
Must have grant money spent by end of June.
Rolf has been working with a broker who has given us good info regarding liability info, Board insurance, workers compensation.
Insurance for Board - $1,000,000 for coverage – cost of $1200-$1800 per year.
Need to check statute as to whether or not there is a set amount.
Also, check our sponsor agreement.
Rolf will get ball rolling regarding submission of applications, etc
Suggesting that we may want to begin coverage for Board, liability, workers comp on the same date for simplicity’s sake
School liability would cover our property which is projected to be $100,000
Crime coverage – basically cash and assets from theft
General liability – Non-owned/hired auto – bussing. Suggested that we might want to have some type of coverage, check into what is covered through Hopkins School District since we will be using their transportation services - $1,000,000
Umbrella coverage for additional $1,000,000 covers over and above all others
Cost of previous 3 would be $2,000
Total of $4,000 to cover all aspects of insurance.
Have checked with other charters regarding coverage – they shared who they have used to determine insurance needs.
Rolf will shoot for as early a date as possible.
Policy would be effective for one year.
Needs answers regarding building and lease in order to determine coverage – may need to check into state statutes.
PERSONNEL
Seeking teaching candidates, currently interviewing for K-4 classroom teachers, music and phy ed specialists. Have some strong candidates, working out possibilities.
Continue to get the word out.
Karen has contacted some schools in other countries.
Need to determine exact salary/benefits.
Rolf has been working with a brokerage company - Health, dental, long-term disability (we would need to have been around for at least a few years before being a possibility), short-term disability (would need to have been around 6 years or more).
Recommendation for health to be 85/15, dependent/spouse coverage but up to employee to pick up that amount, dental 50/50 and offer dependent coverage.
Life insurance - $25,000 coverage would cost us $128 monthly for all employees. Thought about possibly offering $50,000 however need to check law regarding tax situation – more than 1x means additional taxes must be paid. Perhaps look at providing 1x yearly salary. 100% on Life.
Will continue to investigate long/short-term disability.
MOTION
Rolf moved that our benefits package consist of Health 85/15 for single with 0% for spouse/dependent, dental 50/50 for single with 0% for spouse/dependents and Life 1x annual salary at 100%.
Mark clarified benefits salary – identify various positions – EA full-time, Admin Asst, 4-5 classroom teachers, curriculum contracted position at least part-time, Director – budget accounts for all of full-time employees receiving benefits but none of the part-time. Same benefits package for all staff.
Motion would refer to full-time employees. Need to address possible benefits to part-time teachers, support staff.
Amend motion to include part-time employees .5 and above – contribution multiplied by percentage the FTE factor. Mark clarified the motion to identify employee as single.
Motion will pass or fail depending upon those participating in the vote.
Motion further amended to include Dental at 60/40.
Karen and Kerry abstained.
Melody seconded, motion carried.
Melody has added some postings.
MNASA – will decide whether or not to subscribe ($300) or become members ($480-$700 annual membership fee). We do have funds in our budget for such costs.
Rolf questioned what needs to be done next to complete the hiring of our new director, Karen.
Must run a background check – McDowell Agency – their background checks are more extensive than B CA, which we are required to use per statute. BCA is cheaper, $15, and McDowell includes BCA at $41.
Background check is conducted once an applicant has been offered a position.
ISLA Board will submit a background check on Karen – Melody will complete this piece. We must receive written consent from each applicant. The written consent needs to be on a separate sheet, rather than included in the application.
MOTION
Melody moved that we will require the employee to pay the $15 fee for BCA in accordance to statute 123B.03 and that ISLA will pay McDowell Agency fee for the more comprehensive background check. Molly seconded. Motion carried.
Personnel and Finance committee will work together, including Josh Mahlen, to determine salary offer to Karen. Want all in place before next Board meeting.
Determine most urgent needs regarding hiring of a support person since we have not hired both a Director and a Start-Up Coordinator but are looking at having our Start-Up Coordinator become our Director – will be officially complete by next Board meeting/July 1. Determine what amount of money is available - $15,000 available to contract out for support, $5,000 consultant services to Hopkins for various support, $9,000 for direct grant administration cost – will be contracting for services – is strictly a fee.
FACILITY
Lease Aid Application deadline is June 15. Working on completing the proposed lease but need some insurance info first.
Should be sure that lease addresses “mutual waiver of subrogation and the hold harmless laws” to assure that one insurance company will not go after the other should something occur.
May 24 Planning Commission Meeting – must attend. Karen has 3 back-to-back meetings at that time. Requesting a brief meeting. Melody will attend.
June 4 – vote by City of Minnetonka as to whether or not to issue conditional use permit to Faith.
Need to complete lease – possible issues could be insurance, enrollment numbers.
MOTION
Rolf moved that we schedule a Board meeting for June 12 at 7:00pm at the Crystal City Hall in order to review the lease prior to submission for the Lease Aid Application by June 15.
Mark amended motion to include other business at the Board’s discretion.
Motion seconded and carried.
We will need to appoint a new Board Chair once Karen has officially taken on the position of Director.
A brief description of Board Chair responsibilities: writing up and sending out the agenda, attending Board meetings, leading the Board meetings
START UP COORDINATOR’S REPORT
Made available to the board members, no questions or discussion.
ISLA Board of Directors: Karen communicate to families that more people are invited to participate on the ISLA Board. She received parent requests to join the Board of Directors.
We need to set policy for adding Board Members. Will first check to be sure that we are in compliance with our by-laws.
ENROLLMENT
Need to determine whether we will be offering 3rd, 4th or a combination 3rd/4th. Need to identify a deadline as to what will be offered.
Recommend that parents of 3rd and 4th grade students be contacted by e-mail updating families regarding the enrollment situation at those grade levels, offer a combination class of 3rd/4th grade. Explore the support options.
NEXT TWO MEETINGS
Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 7:00pm, Crystal City Hall
Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 7:00pm Crystal City Hall
MOTION TO ADJOURN
Karen moved to adjourn at 10:36pm, seconded and carried.