Meeting called by: Ann Walton
Meeting type: Regular
Board Attendees: Michel de Knoop, Sonia Kabir, Diane Lindsey, Gary Mignano, Phillip DeCosse, Anne Williams, Michelle Bowen, Tracey Koehlmoosheloons
Absentees:
Others present: Brian Brumsickle, Caroline Jacoby, Walter Plotkin, and Tom Pado
Scribe: Diane Lindsey (Board Secretary)

Agenda

Opening
Action Items
Information Items
Executive Session
Adjournment

Opening
Meeting was called to order at 5:05pm. Agenda and minutes were motioned for review and approval. Correction was noted that some Board members were actually present at the meeting and they were marked absent on the minutes. With this correction the minutes were approved.

Board Decision: Minutes approved with the correction.

• Matters arising: PTA follow-up, they will start sending monthly reports.
• Walter clarified that the school was following labor laws with regard to all the workers on the Astroturf construction project.
• Walter also noted that we should have a ‘matters arising’ section of the meeting that is also reflected in the minutes. The Board agreed.

Strategic planning:

Looking at core values
Project specifications
The strategic planning is taking longer than originally thought but the Board is still confident that it will be able to sign off on a completed plan during the May Board meeting.

Walter talked about core values and presented findings from AI process that outlined things of value to individuals, such as development of the whole child, collaborative, contextual and applicable learning, quality and committed faculty and staff to name a few.

There was lots of discussion on core values. Board members raised questions such as - Are there core values already that are embedded in our mission and these are just another set of words? Do we need core values?

The board decided that there was no need to define a set of core values to be included in the strategic plan at this time.

Keith then reviewed the process of where the board was with regard to the strategic planning process. The board was taken through the key result areas for the school, the strategic initiatives, and the performance indicators for the key result areas.

By the next board meeting members should be ready to approve KRAs, a summary of projects and performance indicators.

Information items:

Walter discussed teacher recruitment and international teacher shortages. There is a shortage and our issue will be that we do not have access to all teachers (all nationalities). AISD has an attractive package, but we need to recruit differently. Walter, Gary and the embassy will continue to discuss the issue of recruitment and the possibility of obtaining visas for non-American overseas hires.

There was nothing to report from the Finance Committee.

Philip DeCosse presented on behalf of the Policy Committee. He had a handout on board policy statement outline and themes. The Policy Committee has asked all Board members to review sections of interest and import to them to ensure they agree with where policies and procedures are being proposed to be documented with the development of a new policy manual, board handbook and school procedural manual. It is hoped that the board will finalize this during the April meeting, and if not by May.

A briefing on the Board nominating procedure was given. There are enough people who came forward and want to be on the Board and everything is ready for the 17 March Parent’s Association general meeting.

The program committee met and stated that they discussed the letter that was sent to them regarding gifted programs. The letter’s contents were discussed during executive session.