Board Meeting Minutes 2.28

FRONTIER CHARTER ACADEMY Board of Directors Meeting Minutes from February 28, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.

A Regular Meeting of the Board was held at the FCA office at 10653 NE 71st St., Brooks, Oregon 97305 and via videoconference

I.

PRELIMINARY A. Call To Order and Pledge of Allegiance Meeting was called to order by the School Board Secretary/Treasurer, Michael Winning at 6:08 p.m.

B.

Roll Call Directors Englehart, Gallagher, and Winning indicated they were present. Director Memory was absent.

Board Members: ● Travis Englehart, Secretary/Treasurer appointed November 18, 2019, term ending June 30, 2024 ● Jack Gallagher, Board Member - 2-year term ending June 30, 2022 ● Jelani Memory, Board Vice-Chair - 3-year term ending June 30, 2023 ● Michael Winning, Chair/President - 2-year term ending June 30, 2023 ● One Vacant Position Others present included: Beau Neal, Katie Schweitzer, Todd Schweitzer, and Melissa Wolfer.

C.

Approval of the November 15, 2021 Board Minutes Motion: Director Englehart moved and Director Gallagher seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors approve the minutes of November 15, 2021 as presented. The motion passed 3-0.

(Director Memory was absent) Approval of Changes to the Agenda Discussion: Executive Director Todd Schweitzer, noted that the Board needed to add an agenda item to remove Jordan Burch, who resigned from the Board, as a signer on the school’s checking account.

Motion: Director Englehart moved and Director Gallagher seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors approve the changes to the February 28, 2022 agenda as presented by Executive Director, Todd Schweitzer. The motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent)

II.

COMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC COMMENTS: No individual comment shall be for more than three (3) minutes and the total time A. for this purpose shall not exceed fifteen (15) minutes. Board Members may respond to comments however no action can be taken. The Board may give direction to staff following the comment.

There were no public comments.

B.

PRESENTATIONS: None

C.

BOARD CHAIR DISCUSSION AND RECOGNITION None

Frontier Charter Academy School Board Meeting - February 28, 2022

1

D.

BOARD/STAFF DISCUSSION Reports: 1.

School Update Todd stated that student enrollment is down at FCA and across the state. There are currently 443 students enrolled. He added that FCA’s enrollment is holding more steady than other charter schools. He discussed proposed legislation that would have increased a current cap on virtual enrollment. However, the two proposed bills did not make it through to a vote. FCA families did write personal testimonies supporting the bills.

2.

Financial Business Manager, Melissa Wolfer, reviewed her written report including the bank account balances, the unused 21/22 budget funds, staff positions by year, information on the 22/23 budget, and grant updates. She also provided a link to the Process and Procedures Manual which showed the revisions from the prior year and a link to the updated Safety Protocols Webpage which included the latest version of the Continuity of Services Plan required by the Oregon Department of Education.

3.

Principal Update High School Principal, Beau Neal presented information on the percentage of students that passed semester one classes. It was the best semester yet. He attributed the higher percentages to student retention and exceptional staff effort.

Elementary Principal and Special Services Director, Katie Schweitzer provided updates to the Right Brain Initiative activities including dance, water coloring, and collages for students. The school shipped out kits to the students and received great feedback from families and teachers.

She also stated that the January Frontier Days was canceled due to the COVID surge, but the February activity in McMinnville Air Museum was well attended.

III.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS All matters listed under the consent agenda are considered by the Board to be routine and will be approved/enacted by the Board in one motion in the form listed below. Unless specifically requested by a Board member for further discussion or removed from the agenda, there will be no discussion of these items prior to the Board voting on them. The Executive Director recommends approval of all consent agenda items.

Motion: Director Gallagher moved and Director Englehart seconded to approve the consent items listed en masse. Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent) 1. New Employees: 2. Resignations: Anderson, Wade (Teacher) - Effective at the end of this school year 3. Employment Changes: 2022/23 Employee Renewal and Extensions Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors approve the renewal of all current administrative staff, managers, and classified for the 2022/23 school year, extension of all non-probationary teachers and renewal of licensed probationary staff.

Frontier Charter Academy School Board Meeting - February 28, 2022

2

IV.

SCHEDULED FOR ACTION A. Personnel Action Item 2022.02.28 - 01: Adjustment to wage scale Discussion: Todd and Melissa explained that leadership is recommending a one time adjustment to the Tech Assistant position wage scale to bring it more in line with other similar positions.

Director Englehart asked for more information.

Beau stated that this position is expected to do more than similar positions in other schools including custom coding.

Todd provided input on how the starting wage was initially determined, but explained that the position has since expanded to include more duties.

Director Winning said that finding a knowledgeable person for this type of position is worth the money proposed, based on his experience.

Motion: Director Englehart moved and Director Gallagher seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors approve a one time increase to the Tech Assistant wage scale of 5%. Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent) Action Item 2022.02.28 - 02: 2022/23 Employee Salary Schedule Discussion: Todd stated that the proposed 22/23 salary schedule is similar to what was done in the past with the one exception, managers and administrators will not be receiving a COLA due to reduced enrollment. All other staff would receive a 3% COLA. All staff would receive their step advancement and a 3% increase in their insurance benefit.

Motion: Director Gallagher moved and Director Englehart seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors approve the 22/23 Salary Schedule as presented. Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent) B.

Business Action Item 2022.02.28 - 03: 22/23 Mileage Reimbursement Process and Travel Stipends Discussion regarding 22/23 Mileage Reimbursement Process: Melissa explained that currently staff receive reimbursement for all miles driven. Under this recommendation, the first 30 miles (one-way) or 60 miles (roundtrip) would be deducted from the total miles driven per day to account for the portal-to-portal (home-to-work) allowance. The only exception would be for specific assignments such as state testing duties.

Discussion regarding travel stipends: There are two employees that need to drive almost daily for their regular duties. The proposed changes to the mileage reimbursement would adversely impact these two positions and potentially the timeliness in which they do their tasks. Administration is recommending that these two employees be paid an annual stipend to compensate for the loss of the first 30 or 60 miles reimbursement Motion: Director Gallagher moved and Director Englehart seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors approve revisions to the mileage reimbursement procedure as follows. Beginning in the 22/23 school year, staff will be reimbursed at the current IRS business mileage rate after the first 30 miles (one-way) or 60 miles (roundtrip) are deducted from the total miles driven per day. Additionally, the Directors approve two new travel stipends as described. Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent) Action Item 2022.02.28 - 04: 2022/23 School Calendar Discussion: Todd stated that the proposed calendar is very close to prior years. Spring break was moved to the last week of March to coincide with other districts in Oregon.

Frontier Charter Academy School Board Meeting - February 28, 2022

3

Motion: Director Englehart moved and Director Gallagher seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors approve the 2022/23 school calendar as presented. Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent) Action Item 2022.02.28 - 05: Nominate and appoint Board positions Discussion: Director Winning was nominated by Director Gallagher and accepted the nomination as Board Chair.

Director Englehart was nominated by Director Gallagher and accepted the nomination to Board Secretary/Treasurer.

Motion: Director Winning moved and Director Gallagher seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors nominate and appoint Michael Winning as the new Board Chair and President and that he be made a signer on the bank account and to remove Jordan Burch from bank account. Additionally, that Director Englehart would replace Director Winning as the Secretary/Treasurer. Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent) Action Item 2022.02.28 - 06: 2022/23 Budget Discussion: Melissa stated that the budget was built on a reduction in revenue due to lower student enrollment and it included the changes to the salary schedule. She anticipated that savings would be used in the 22/23 school year to make up for the loss in revenue. Grants funds are anticipated and included in the budget. Device refreshes for both staff and students were also accounted for in the proposal.

Todd mentioned that the school did not fill two vacant positions, but absorbed those positions using extra duty positions for staff. He would like to continue that model into the 22/23 school year.

Director Winning stated that it was impressive that the school was in this good of a financial position, many are not.

Motion: Director Englehart moved and Director Gallagher seconded that the Frontier Charter Academy Board of Directors adopt the 2022/23 Budget as presented. Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent) C.

V.

Instruction and Curriculum None

ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR INFORMATION 1.

Melissa stated that a link to the 20/21 Performance Review was provided. This report mentions several areas that need to be addressed. Todd and Melissa will discuss these items at the May meeting.

2.

Melissa provided a link to the 20/21 Annual Report given to the Gervais School District Board. The Gervais Board had no questions when presented with the 20/21 information.

3.

Todd said that per the discussion at the last Board meeting, he would like to invite a parent to apply for the vacant Board position. An online form has been developed. He can recruit people and bring the results back to the Board.

Director Gallagher would be interested in recruiting a couple of people that may be interested in being on the School Board so there are others available as needed.

Director Englehart asked if we should have an odd number of Board members.

Todd confirmed that we do need an odd number and that he can check the bylaws for the information on the Board positions.

There was further discussion on the types of candidates and how school business should be conducted.

Frontier Charter Academy School Board Meeting - February 28, 2022

4

VI.

EXECUTIVE SESSION None scheduled

VII.

ADJOURNMENT Director Englehart moved and Director Gallagher seconded that the Board Meeting be adjourned at 6:56 pm.

Motion passed 3-0. (Director Memory was absent)

Submitted for approval by MWolfer Approved on May 16, 2022

Frontier Charter Academy School Board Meeting - February 28, 2022

5