ACS
Board Meeting Minutes
Aug 22,
2011 6:30pm
Board Present: Jennifer Boatright, Michal
Herrington, Josh Greer, Jon Church, Jim Kjar, Adam Cormican, Carlos Leon
Interested Parties: Jacinda Wassam, Terry Wassam,
Carie Aquino, Sal Aquino, Gaye Hiller, Debbie Church, Pam Breid, Pam Young, Jane
Guthrie, Thom Crosier, Paula Crosier, Allen Sims
Opening: 40 min
· Open in prayer: Adam Cormican
· New Teacher Introduction
o
Pam
Breid: Kindergarten
§
Gave
testimony
·
Saved
at a young age
o
Jane
Guthrie: Fourth grade
§
Discussed
teaching methods
§
Gave
testimony
·
Saved
at age 14
o
Allen
Sims: Boys Bible
§
Gave
testimony
·
Saved
at around age 32 (October of 2000)
· Secretary’s Report: Josh Greer
o
Grammatical
changes
o
Content:
Walmart script card .10 discount pertains only to gas purchases.
o
Motion to accept with changes
§
Jon
Church
§
Second:
Michal Herrington
§
Approved
· Treasurer Report: Jon Church and Jim
Kjar
o
$7000
in book expenses
o
Accountant
has requested forms (related to the annual audit).
§
All
but one has been submitted.
o
IRS
Letter (written by Jon Church)
§
Sent
copy of all correspondence.
§
Receipt
June 7, 2010 (certified letter sent to IRS previously)
§
Jennifer
Boatright: explained the process we have gone through thus far.
§
Jon
Church: Worst case, we will be required to pay $850 and re-file to reclaim our
tax exempt status.
o
Jim
Kjar: Questions about expenses
§
$1440
per student
§
84
Students
·
$650
less in rent
§
Current
deficit is approximately $10,000
§
Salaries:
adjustments unknown at this time.
·
Combining
classes (one less teacher, 6th grade)
o
Jon
Church: the cost of a full time teacher is $5600
o
Motion to approve
§
Adam
Cormcian
§
Second:
Michal Herrington
·
Approved
· Principals Report: Debbie Church
& Gaye Hiller
o
Roster
Losses
§
Lansing,
Bussey, Desmond
o
Potential
new candidates
§
Possible
new senior
·
Paula
Crosier: I thought we tried to avoid first year ACS seniors.
o
Jennifer
Boatright: We try to, and that is why it is still in question.
o
Teachers
still needed
§
5th
grade Bible
§
Music
k-4th
§
Jim
Kjar: Are new teachers already budgeted?
·
Debbie
Church: Yes
Open
Discussion: 30 min
· Michal
Herrington: Verifying church attendance.
o
Created
some forms to be used.
o
One
form to be completed by the family, then a form will be sent to their pastor
from the information they filled out.
o
Terry
Wassam: What will we do if the pastor does not respond?
§
Michal
Herrington: Phone calls will then take place.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: We should populate the second form with as much information as
possible (i.e., the family name)
§
Jon
Church: Suggests sending a self addressed stamped envelope.
Old
Business: 40 min
· THANK YOU MR. WASSAM-SIGN LOOKS
GREAT!!
· Town Hall meeting-
o
Agenda
items
§
Summer
reading program
·
Jim
Kjar: Has this been discussed by the academic committee?
·
Pam
Young: Yes.
o
We
are more lenient this year based on previous years.
o
This
year, we gave a more extensive list and did not require a report.
o
Leaving
it to the integrity of the parents to ensure the students complete the summer
reading program.
o
Concerned
that we have a very short amount of time to accomplish the work that needs to
be done.
o
Most
students will not read whole pieces of literature in the school year.
o
Not
happy with the amount of classics that our students are reading in the school
year.
o
We
have a very long summer break. Without
challenging our students over the summer, the students fall back in their
reading.
o
If
we are going to say that we are academically challenging, then we need to ask
them to go above and beyond.
o
Checked
other Christian schools and they require summer reading programs as well.
o
A
pilot group (third grade) will be taking place this year with new curriculum: "My
Father's World". Offers more
literature.
§
May
be a better curriculum for our school.
§
If
we do a switch in curriculum, we may end the summer reading program.
o
Jennifer
Boatright: Since there is no way to monitor the program, what if we give them
the list during the school year.
§
Pam
Young: It wouldn't help keeping them sharp during the summer.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: But if they are only "half doing it" now it is beside the
point.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: Have we talked about adding it to the honors program?
§
Pam
Young: Waiting to see the response during the town hall.
§
Carie
Aquino: If it is added to the honors program, will it change the requirements
to complete the task?
·
Jennifer
Boatright: It will require a report.
·
Carie
Aquino: Who will be checking this?
·
Pam
Young: It will be part of the English program.
Possibly assigning a teacher to a student to follow them through the
high school years
·
Paula
Crosier: Possibly tracked by the academic committee.
·
Jim
Kjar: Is it possible to require 2 books starting in September, and then require
additional books for the honors program?
·
Pam
Young: Parents already complain that there is too much during the school
year. Requiring it during the school
year may add too much.
·
Debbie
Church: Some classes do have full novels assigned. That fact that they never read novels is a
misnomer.
·
Paula
Crosier: But it doesn't match what is required in public school.
·
§
Pam
Young: Parent involvement
·
We
lost a significant number of families last year that contained a lot of jobs.
·
The
parents that are coming in are just doing the minimum 3 points.
·
What
we are seeing right now is that we have more points that need to be filled.
·
Families
need to be reminded that this is not the kind of school to drop your kids off
and drive away.
·
If
we don't have volunteers we are going to have to hire people or let some
programs go.
·
We
need to discuss why families need to be involved and how we need to better fill
open positions.
·
Jim
Kjar: Reiterated that this is a home school cooperative not a public school and
therefore requires more volunteer work.
·
Pam
Young: Suggests that we charge people a large sum up front and refund more
money when they do work.
o
Jon
Church: Concerned that we would let people be a part of the school that are not
going to help (buying out of work).
o
Jim
Kjar: This is part of what we just mentioned; it needs to be a mind change to
make people want to work for the school.
o
Paula
Crosier: It's not ideal, but the success of ACS requires the involvement. If families are not "held to the
fire", everyone suffers.
o
Jennifer
Boatright: We need to find our gaps and call parents that are low on points to
fill these gaps.
o
Debbie
Church: This is what we did last year and it is working well. We have more volunteers than we have ever
had.
o
Jennifer
Boatright: Talked about the parents of younger students don't have visibility
to the needs and this helps them get plugged in.
o
Michal
Herrington: There were several things last year that went unfilled.
o
Michal
Herrington: Why did we not raise the point requirement?
o
Terry
Wassam: Because there were not enough jobs.
o
Paula
Crosier: But we could come up with plenty of things to do.
o
Thom
Crosier: One of the things that needs to be stressed to families that are not
involved, a pillar of ACS is parent involvement. If you are not involved, you are not filling
an obligation to your children, school, and to the ministry. Doesn't feel that people understand the obligation
that people have to the school to utilize their gifts.
§
It
is our job to point out that it doesn't require large amounts of skill to
complete some task.
§
People
look more to the points and not the need to give.
o
Paula
Crosier: This is what sets ACS apart
§
The
reason why the Crosiers are here, because there was a need to fill.
§
Did
not have to come here. They were
successfully homeschooling their children.
§
Felt
called to come to the school and use their gifts.
§
Without
people accepting this call, the school will not be successful.
§
We
are filling a niche.
·
It
is cheaper at public school.
·
More
academically challenged at Sacred Heart.
§
Pam
Young: We are the only Christian school left in the area.
·
Doesn’t
count Sacred Heart as a Christian school.
§
Gaye
Hiller: When ACS started, people came here because they were led to come here. Lately we are petitioning families to come
and they are not necessarily led to be here.
·
We
recently started trying to increase our numbers (i.e.: when the fundraiser
began), this is when this mindset began to change.
·
Pam
Young: That should be handled during the acceptance interview.
o
We
need families that want the school to grow.
·
Michal
Herrington: You can't tell during the interview phase how involved a family
will be.
§
Debbie
Church: Looking at the list she sees that parents of the young students will be
involved in years to come.
§
Paula
Crosier: Finds it unfathomable that more families are not represented at board
meetings.
·
Paula
Crosier: Feels that we need to make it a requirement for a family to come to a
board meeting.
·
Sal
Aquino: Feels that people shouldn't complain (gave the example of the summer
reading program) if they don't come to a board meeting.
·
Carie
Aquino: Feels that the reason some people are not coming to board meetings is
based on their personality. Feels that
some people may not want to be exposed to the things that happen at board
meetings.
§
Budget
·
Jim
Kjar: Income has gone down, but so have expenses.
·
Paula
Crosier: But we cannot count on this every year. We must be able to pay for 13 teachers every
year.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: As we go back to focusing on home school cooperative apposed to a
public school, some of these things will fall into place.
§
Gaye
Hiller: Suggests adding the parental involvement as an annual requirement just
to remind parents of the need for their involvement.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: Do we know how many people will be in attendance?
·
Jennifer
Boatright: A one call needs to go out tomorrow telling families that they need
to be there; parents only.
o
Attendance
should be taken.
· Discipline/bullying
procedure-Adam Cormican
o
Adam
Cormican: Most of our documentation already covered bullying. Some verbiage was changed just to add
specific details on bullying.
o
Adam
Cormican: Outlined the changes.
o
Adam
Cormican: Defined bullying.
o
Thom
Crosier: How are you going to define “undo distress”.
§
Michal
Herrington: Last meeting, we kept going back to a pattern.
§
Pam
Young: Are we talking about one person not getting invited to a birthday party?
·
No
§
Discussions
on "not allowed" and "strongly discouraged" regarding
excluding students.
·
Paula
Crosier: If you have a student that is not a people-person and does not talk to
other people, then that is a pattern.
·
Adam
Cormican: If people are purposely ignoring others, it needs to be
addressed. This is a Christian school,
not a public school.
·
Paula
Crosier: Feels that this is too subjective.
·
Jennifer
Boatright: It is subjective; the perception of bullying is very subjective, but
something has to be done.
o
We
have to start somewhere, because it is a repeated subject during recent board
meetings.
·
Gaye
Hiller: We all have different personalities which will lead to properly defining
a pattern when the events occur.
·
Jennifer
Boatright: The procedures can always be morphed, but it has to start somewhere.
·
Michal
Herrington: We need to set the bar high.
·
Paula
Crosier: If we do this, the parents need to be involved when their kids are
addressed.
·
Michal
Herrington: That is a decision for the administration.
·
Jennifer
Boatright: "The perception of disrespect is disrespect whether it is
intended or not". Does not feel
that parents always need to be involved.
·
Paula
Crosier: “But I do". Parents need
to be involved since it is a change that must happen at home.
·
Debbie
Church: Does not feel that things will change too much. Parents will eventually be involved. There may not be enough time to get parents
involved in the beginning of an issue.
·
Paula
Crosier: But if it is a pattern, then it does not have to be addressed
immediately.
·
Adam
Cormican: Do you (Paula) feel that a student is going to come to the
administration to say that someone is not talking to them.
o
Paula
Crosier: Yes, it has happened this year to one of her children.
o
Jenifer
Boatright: Then you have to trust your administrators to pick up on these
things and weed them out.
§
We
are not out to ostracize students, but rather encourage them to be more Christ-like.
§
We
need to give them some expectations.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: Has deep trust in our administration to properly deal with these
issues.
o
Paula
Crosier: Perhaps this is something that could be discussed by the Crosiers to
the board in executive session.
§
Various
items cleaned up to clarify the verbiage.
·
Jennifer
Boatright: we need to vote on these changes.
·
Jim
Kjar: We should table the vote to executive session until after we talk with
the crosiers.
· IRS update
o
Discussed
during the treasurers report.
New
Business: 40 min
· Aflac
o
People
met with Jennifer Boatright
o
Can
provide insurance options to our teachers that can be pre-tax incentives.
o
Would
be a benefit that we could offer.
o
Josh
Greer: But if we offer insurance, dependant coverage will most likely be dropped
by the spouses insurance.
§
Thom
Crosier: At Hayes Lemmerz, it is a certain dollar amount or above. Perhaps different companies have different
policies.
o
Carlos
Leon: This is all supplemental insurance and will not help anyone.
o
Paula
Crosier: Do they setup flex spending?
§
Carlos
Leon: No.
o
Motion: We do not discuss Aflac due to
the conflict in spousal insurance. If
they want to leave a business card for the teachers, they can contact Aflac directly.
§
Jim
Kjar
§
Second:
Jon Church
§
Approved
· Feathers in hair
o
Debbie
Church: New style. Parents asking if it
will be allowed.
o
Michal
Herrington: Does not find them distracting.
o
Jacinda
Wassam: Finds them distracting. Has had
a kid be sent home for coloring their hair. This is no different.
o
Adam
Cormican: It is no different than a bow in the hair.
o
Debbie
Church: Similar to a streak in hair.
Subjective and up to the board.
o
Jim
Kjar: How different is this than a bow?
o
Sal
Aquino: What was the decision on the streak in the hair last year?
§
it
was declined
o
Jennifer
Boatright: You can get these any way you want and some may be distracting.
o
Jon
Church: If we decide against them, are they hard to remove?
§
Pam:
That should not matter
o
Paula
Crosier: We should give them notice of one month.
o
Debbie
Church: How is it different than a bow?
o
Thom
Crosier: How is it difference than coloring hair at all?
o
Gaye
Hiller: Asked how this came about?
§
Debbie
Church: Families have come and asked if the feathers need to be removed.
§
Gaye
Hiller: Should we allow them and deal with the issue when it occurs?
§
Debbie
Church: But it isn't different than a streak
§
Jennifer
Boatright: If we find that they are a distraction, they should be removed at
that time.
§
Pam
Young: Discussed what is required of the administration and the fact that it is
subjective.
§
Debbie
Church: we need consistency
·
Motion: To not allow feather as of October
7th
o
Jon
Church
o
Various
discussion
§
Josh
Greer: Doesn't know how to vote. We need
to be consistent, but we are also being too legalistic.
§
Paula
Crosier: The Administration has enough to deal with regarding the length of
shorts.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: If we do not have a second, we need a new motion to allow it.
§
Thom
Crosier: No we don't.
§
Jim
Kjar: Unless someone has complained about it being a distraction, we should not
have to deal with it.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: Our dress code policy talks about items worn in a worldly manner.
§
Jennifer
Boatright: Motion dropped due to no
second offered.
§
Jim
Kjar: If we have someone complain that it is a distraction, it should be
addressed at that time.
§
Carie
Aquino: But then it is a problem that this issue will be addressed without
being decided in advance.
·
Discussed
a past issue regarding hair color that was not allowed.
·
The
family was upset with how it was dealt with.
·
Did
not come to the board. Was dealt with
one on one in the parking lot with Jennifer Boatright.
·
Jennifer
Boatright: They did not feel that the family was upset at the time. They asked her opinion and she mentioned that
it would not be allowed based on the dress code.
· Board family assignments
o
Josh
Greer: Recommends that we discuss in executive session to save time in general
session
· Athletic Director (AD)
o
Jennifer
Boatright: Spoken with Bill Lansing about his future as AD after discovering
that his students will not be attending ACS.
§
Via
email, mentioned that he will not "leave the school high and dry"
§
Will
stay on as AD unless there is someone interested in taking on the job.
§
Have
not heard any further details.
o
There
was supposed to be an athletic committee report this month.
§
Asked
that it be pushed out until next month since he has not been able to meet with
Jim Kjar due to the State Fair.
o
Adam
Cormican: Bill Lansing mentioned that perhaps Sal Aquino could take over the
position at the beginning of the year.
§
Sal
Aquino: Has not agreed to this. Would
offer to help but doesn't want to take on the job due to his full time job.
§
Sal
Aquino: It is his opinion that the ball has been dropped many times in the athletic
committee and it is sad.
·
Should
not only have a meeting every three months.
§
Paula
Crosier: Feels that the committee is too large and should be broken up.
·
Jennifer
Boatright: Perhaps the parameters can be outlined by the board and let the
coaches schedule their events; with final approval by the AD.
·
Terry
Wassam: Talked about how this could lead to schedule conflicts.
·
Sal
Aquino: We have games coming up, do we have referees?
o
Gaye
Hiller: Has sent a text to Bill Lansing, but has not been responded to.
o
Paula
Crosier: This is a reoccurring issue.
o
Adam
Cormican: The junior high soccer coach has not gotten any response about a
roster or dates of games.
·
Jennifer
Boatright: Would we have a problem with a female doing it?
o
No
o
Jennifer:
Cindy Reickhoff would make a great AD
§
Jacinda
Wassam: Has asked her, but she does not appear to be interested.
·
Thom
Crosier: Feels compelled to comment on the matter.
o
Bill
has done a much better job getting things set this year based on previous year. Guys and girls basketball schedules are
done. The issue lies with officials.
o
We
need to know who he has booked and who he does not.
o
We
need to have backups because referees will cancel at the last minute.
o
We
need to schedule basketball officials right now.
o
We
could also get some more junior high soccer games scheduled.
o
We
need contact numbers from Bill Lansing right now to drum up games and referees.
o
Jon
Church: Could coaches take care of the referee situation if they had a list.
o
Thom
Crosier: Don't count on anything more being done by Bill Lansing this year.
·
Sal
Aquino: Will contact Bill Lansing and see what information we can get. Would like to help out, but does not want to
run it.
o
Pam
Young: Would Sal be interested in interviewing candidates?
·
Sal
Aquino: We need to know who has been scheduled to officiate and has not.
·
Thom
Crosier: At some point it needs to be discussed that this position be paid
position.
o
Jennifer
Boatright: But the school is not about sports.
o
Jon
Church: Fees could be increased and paid by the athletic committee.
·
Jim
Kjar: Is currently balancing the check book, but Bill still has the checkbook
in his position.
Next
meeting:
September 26th @ 6:30 PM
Adjourn:
- Motion: to adjourn
- Josh Greer
- Second: Jon Church
- Approved