MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
Board of Horizons K-8 School
Date: November 10, 2016
6:00-7:30 pm
Facilitators: John McCluskey and Andrea Foote
Timekeeper: Kelly Garrison
Process Observer: Jill Siegel-Stone
Welcome and C C C (Cares, Concerns, Celebrations):
2 Horizons graduates went to the World climbing championships! John met with Lance, a previous Horizons teacher over the weekend, he and his wife Jan have had a healthy baby boy.
Call to Order: Frank Bruno, John McCluskey, Anne Hudson, Jill Siegel-Stone, Andrea Foote, Beth Coleman, Jim Freund, Kelly Garrison, Adam Brink, Nichole Houser, Shannon Hassan
Approval of minutes:
The Board reviewed the October 13, 2016 meeting minutes.
M&S: Motion to approve the October 13, 2016 Minutes. Motioned seconded. Minutes approved.
Finance Review Updates
- Finance committee process has been streamlined.
- John reviewed how changes to spreadsheet to display month to month changes. Changes to spreadsheet reflect current codes/line items. Process and timeline for creating FY17 Revised
- Auditors will be coming in December. No red flags to be concerned about. Furniture purchase needs to be timely prior to the deadline.
- Council budget numbers look good, no surprises.
Development Committee Update
- Moolah campaign update – letter to families is almost complete, as well as video being produced by Andy Dieringer. A cabin in Steamboat will be available by random drawing to families who contribute. There will be a Spring Party in lieu of the auction.
- Horizons now a part of Colorado Gives day, families can donate in that way as well, and the link will be made available on the school website and also Skylines.
- The Longview Fund dinner was successful, 5 families attended. A Longview Fund document has been created as an overview of how the fund works; Board members can share with interested families. The parents appreciated the opportunity to sit with faculty and Board members and ask questions.
Technology Committee Update
- Update of refresh process – Next work is to look at 5 year plan/vision based on budget and needs of teachers.
Executive Committee Update
- The executive committee met to discuss the principal evaluation process, principal goals, reflections on what support John needs in his role, and have a sounding board for how the school year is going.
New Business
- Classified employees (office staff and paraprofessionals) hiring and dismissals: Two paraprofessionals were asked to leave in the last month and will need to be replaced. Frannie McHale was student teaching and completed her assignment. She was hired to replace one paraprofessional position.
- Next steps for Council meetings: There was a discussion of having themed council meetings. How does the Board want to structure future council meetings? How do we invite the community or the committee heads to propose questions and issues? In the past this has occurred during open forum. With the open forum, there is a sign up made available prior to the council meeting. Topics are proposed within a 90 second time limit during council. The council chairs can determine if issues are scheduled as future agenda items. People need notice of future big topics. Rules and time limits are made clear. The Board suggested that the practice of open forum structure be used at council again.
- Themes for January council: World cafe, climate data, schedule of when and what topics, update on curricular focus and spending decisions, visioning together.
Action Items:
Action item: Council Agenda to be revised with retaining business items as well as announcements, and with the addition of the open forum, and eliminating committee updates unless they are part of the open forum. The Co-Chairs will determine three thematic council meetings per year as well as three business meetings per year.
Action Item: December Board meeting to include the revised budget for review.
Process Observer comments –
Chaotic in the beginning, gave rise to order. We were grounded with discussion of structure. Active listening with humor, problem solving. Strong agreement about structure being reinstated.
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