Jan 14th, 2013

Board of Trustees Work Session Minutes

Monday, November 12, 2012

Polk Avenue Elementary

3:30 PM

Those Present: Chairwoman Cassandra Denmark, Dr. Terry Fasel, Pat Cain, Cheryl Garnett, Kristine Shollenberger, Danny Gill

Staff Present: Superintendent Jesse Jackson, Brian Fisher, Marie Cherrington-Gray, Damien Moses, Donna Dunson, Anuj Serran, Barbara Jones, Kenneth Henson, Gail Quam, Jennifer Barrow; Angela Heyward; Frances McMichael; Julio Acevedo; Richard Columbo; Nicole Sealey

Others Present:  Robin Gibson, Cassie Jacoby, Phil Attinger, Anthony Cothron, Mr. Twyford

I. CALL TO ORDER                                                           Jesse Jackson, Superintendent

II. FINANCIAL REPORT                                                                      Brian Fisher, CFO

1. A.    Monthly Financials

CFO Brian Fisher – Balance sheet: Cash for September is down $165,000 – all funds; October 31^st – 2 months outstanding reimbursement for NSLP claims.  Account payable is down for all funds $330,000 due to timing.  Net change in fund balance $23,000 in the month of October.  Hillcrest transportation has been adjusted to reflect overpayment of transportation revenue – check will be received this week.  1^st Quarter – chargeable to each school sites – posted to the Central Office.  Pre-K – Polk Avenue & Hillcrest – additional revenue has been coming in for the past month.  Bok Academy is running ahead – capital outlay expenditures.  Enrollment – Sept/Oct – +32 students from the last report.  Steady growth across the system.  Babson park & LWHS also had growth over the last month.  No net impact on the General Fund.  Food Service – increased by 200 students each month.  Revenues up 5% from last month; Student a la carte up 23% – October +$17,000.  Waiting on the menu to be certified, then we can add 6 cents to each meal.  It will be about $3,500 in additional dollars for the month when this takes place.  Federal Programs – Grant – largest amount of activity this past month.  Personnel changes will be approved at t he Board Meeting.

Last month at the Board Meeting – salaries

1. Phase 1 Evaluation – Budget June 2012 – deficit $409,000 adopted budget.
2. No budget review yet since the adopted budget.  Technology issues / network security as a whole – these items should be look at while reviewing the budget.
3. Census in October – additional 118 students – sustainability of these students is the key when we do February 2013 count.
4. High Performing Charter System – Trustee Fasel asked if the letter was at the Charter School Office – Supt Jackson advised – yes.  This would be a great benefit if we can get the $75,000, if not we’ll adjust the numbers.  CFO Fisher – Our fee that we pay Polk County School Board will drop from 5% to 2% if we can get this.
5. Fund Balance is one time, not continuous.  Mr. Jackson – we set aside $74,630 3 years ago for merit pay and performance pay bonuses.

Phase II – long term – Look at the big ticket items in our budget.  1. Health Ins./ 2. Dental – $206,000 this year – $200 employer shortfall.  Mr. Jackson – not every employee – 140 staff gets this supplement.  Dental – covered the single coverage plan since 2004 ($121,000).  We are one of one of a few organizations that offers this.

3. Property & Casualty Ins./Workers Compensation – Rich handles this area.  Mr. Jackson – we would have to change the culture in our schools to minimize the losses in this area – educate our schools more.

4. Student Accident Insurance – $23,000 – Catastrophic not included – must have a policy for sports.

5. Audits – $111,000

6. High Performing School System – 1 Charter/ 1 Contract (should be less for the audit).  Trustee Cain asked if this would give us other efficiencies – CFO Fisher advised this would be hard to tell.

7. Courtesy Riders – cost is generally associated with hazardous or difficult walking conditions for our students

8. Reading Allocation – these dollars can be redirected to us on a per student basis.  Mr. Jackson & Robin Gibson – get together to work on the language to fit our Charter Schools.  Mr. Jackson asked for any comments?  Trustee Cain asked if we had a conclusion?  Mr. Jackson advised we are in the data collection phase and we’ll get input from faculty and staff.  This will assist us in establishing the core values so we will know how to move forward.  Trustee Cain asked – what are the Principals’ hearing from the teachers?  Jennifer – they saw an article in the paper & they prefer the long term goals better than the short term.  Barbara – they would like input and a raise. Damien – their benefit package is very important. Donna – they appreciate the bonus but they do understand we might not be in a position to be able to do this. Trustee Fasel asked if talented teachers are being retained or are they leaving because of salaries?  Ken – no one has questioned salaries.  Gail – she has had no positions within the last 2 weeks.  It would be good to be able to do this.  Mr. Jackson – real big issue and the opportunities we provide for the children such as arts program, music etc.  Our system has been thoughtful in providing these costly programs.  Mr. Jackson – Recommendations?  Thoughts?   CFO Fisher – we educate our employees on their benefits. Trustee Fasel – Any help yet in the Finance Dept?  CFO Fisher – not yet.  We had interviews but did not come up with the right candidate.

B. Personnel Changes

III. ATTORNEY’S REPORT                                             Robin Gibson, General Counsel

1. A.    Litigation Update

Went to court – District agreed to act on our complaint.  The answers provided by the District is different – they have retained a lawyer from Tampa.  Robin was asked to join a National Advisory Committee for Charter Schools.  From 2010-2011 when we were not an LEA the difference is $1M for our six schools.  We gained $994,983 by taking the risk to become our own LEA.  We’ll provide our information to the District when we get our numbers together.  LWCS Athletes – filed a petition – judge advised good students are being penalized.  Got received our injunction.  However, the FL High School Assoc. had to be notified before the season started.  The coach did not know this.  We could not authorize without a potential fine.  Our advice was not to participate at this time.  Student Data – IB Program – Middle to HS – need information from all the Middle Schools.  The judge did not consider this an emergency.  We asked for an agreement from the parties, the judge wants a hearing.

Federal Money – we are much better off but it does not go to salaries or insurance – it goes to the students for Federal Programs.  Trustee Danny Gill – asked for update on Bank of Ozarks – CFO Fisher – got verbal answer & waiting on written info from them at this time.

IV. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT                              Jesse Jackson, Superintendent

1. A.    MINUTES: October 15, 2012 BOARD OF TRUSTEES WORK SESSION AND MEETING MINUTES

Presented for review and approval at the November 12, 2012 Board of Trustees Meeting.

1. B.     PRINCIPALS’ UPDATES

Moved to Board Meeting due time constraints.

C. CAPITAL CAMPAIGN                                                 Robin Gibson, Foundation Chair

1. 100% Campaign

2. Lake Wales Charter Schools Expo

Moved to Board Meeting due to time constraints.

D. NEXT MEETING DATES

The December Board Work Session and Board Meeting will be December 17, 2012 at Edward W. Bok Academy.  The Work Session will begin at 3:30 PM and the Board Meeting will begin at 5:00 PM.

V. OTHER BUSINESS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE

VI. ADJOURN

Meeting adjourned at 4:59PM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Marie Cherrington-Gray, Corporate Secretary

Board Approved:  December 17, 2012