JAMES ISLAND CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

Governing Board

Board of Directors February Meeting - Monday February 25th, 2019 @5:30 PM

Meeting Minutes

Attendance Summary

Name Status Arrival Time Departure Time
Donald Morillo not present member
Timothy Thorn present ex-officio On Time At Adjournment
Jeffrey Wiseman not present member
George Williams present vice-chair On Time At Adjournment
Abby Wilkins present chair On Time At Adjournment
Henry Meeuwse present Treasurer On Time At Adjournment
Melanie Millar present secretary On Time At Adjournment
Sandra Barbour present member On Time At Adjournment

Welcome and Call to Order

The meeting will be called to the order, beginning with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence.

Approval of Agenda

So that there is agreement between board members on the agenda, and the amount of time spent on the meeting, the board shall vote to approve an agenda for the meeting. To the best of its ability, it will follow that agenda, and allow for the chair to move the board through the agenda as specified.

Approve the agenda as submitted

By: George Williams Seconded by: Henry Meeuwse

There was no notable discussion on the motion.

Approval of Minutes from Jan 28, 2019

Approve the minutes as submitted

By: Melanie Millar Seconded by: Henry Meeuwse

There was no notable discussion on the motion.

Swear in new Board of Director

Ms. Sandra Barbour 

Public Comment

Our Public Comment period is for members of the public to address the board. Each member of the public may sign up to comment at the meeting and will be allotted two minutes. The board will listen, but may not directly respond to any comments. Our meetings are open to the public and public record. As such, if your comment is about a private matter, please contact the board via email, or speak to the board chair privately.

Prestige (KM Consulting)

Presenting JISCH monthly Financial Statement.


Revenue adjustment

Last year IB exam reimbursement -36,000

National board supplement was increased 1000


Expenses

Technology budget increase 468,669 total with

High school summer school/bridge program increase of 20,000

684,000

Enrollment Projections

Presented by Mr. Andrew Drake

1520 for the 135 day count.

Construction Update

On 2/7/19 there was a construction meeting with Cumming (construction management company), Quackenbush and Clancy (architects), CCSD, and JICHS. The minutes are in your Google folder. Prior to the meeting, I made a request to CCSD for an additional 5,000 sq ft and an alternative plan for the Culinary and Cyber Security programs. Our unified message was clearly received by Mr. Olson, Executive Director Charter School Liason, and Mr. McNeil, Executive Director of Capital Projects for CCSD. When we left the meeting the architects were going to generate two alternatives, one for 25,000 sq st and another for 30,000 sq ft. We received the alternatives. I advocated for the 30,000 sq ft facility, which includes Mechnatronics. Mr. McNeil called me on 2/19/19 to ask me if our board would provide the monetary support for the additional program and square footage. I told him that the administration, the Leadership Team, and the Board of Directors are all in support of this. He stated that, at some point, he will need in writing that JICHS is willing to fund between 1-1.5 million dollars towards this alternative project. CCSD is willing to submit for the original 25,000 sq ft and add an alternative plan for the additional program.

Leadership Report

Presented by Leadership Chair Sheli Ballard.

LEADERSHIP TEAM:

  • The leadership team has spent the last few weeks researching, debating, collaborating, and shaping policies & practices on a variety of issues:
  • The LT voted to not offer driver’s education for the 2019-020 school year for a variety of reasons, including costs and a lack of alignment to current charter goals.
  • The LT voted to proceed with implementation of AVID for the 2019-20 school year.  The AVID team (Thorn, Drake, Holland, & Ballard) will meet with AVID rep March 1st to get started.
  • The LT is currently debating the possibility of implementing Capturing Kids Hearts school-wide in 2019-20.  
  • The LT is considering options for rewriting/revising the freshman focus course curriculum -- possibly using the Leadworthy Course from Capturing Kids Hearts
  • The Motivating Minority Students Action Committee (in conjunction with LT & admin) is planning a Summer Bridge Program.  This program will invite up to 40 at-risk or struggling students to participate in an intensive literacy & numeracy course for HS elective credit.  This program will also introduce students to HS issues like earning credits, scheduling, guidance issues, study skills, school climate issues, etc. Finally, this program will be project-based, providing a rich, hands-on learning experience that will provide field experiences off campus as well.  Stay tuned… ;)

 

FINE ARTS:

  • The Fine Arts department will be participating in a JI Arts Council event.  See FLYER for more info!


MEDIA CENTER:

  • Project Lit is coming up in March 13, contact Ms Ball if you'd like to participate in our discussion / skype session with the author of The 57 Bus, Dashka Slater.
  • We have chosen our JI Reads selections for 19-20.  Thank you for your support of this program!  We have invited Dashka Slater to return for JI Reads as a speaker in the fall; the Skype session in March will serve as a teaser to a few dozen students while we expect many more to choose the book for JI Reads.


Athletic Report

Presented by Athletic Director Jeremy Holland.

Individual Sports Reports:


Boys Basketball

·         Varsity Boys finished tied for 2nd in Region but finished 3rd due to tiebreakers. They won their 1st round playoff game.


Girls Basketball

·         Varsity Girls finished 3rd in Region and won two games in the playoffs. They made it to the 3rd round of playoffs. Further than any team in the past 25 years.


Wrestling

·        Team nor individuals made it to state.


Maintenance Report

Presented by Mr. Thorn

1. Ordered, received and assembled 14 benches to be permanently installed along the walls under the front and rear breezeway.

2. Have scrap metal dumpster in place and filling it with the old, non ADA compliant aluminum stairs, ramp and handrail pieces that have been in the corner of the senior courtyard for years.

3. Added a new 4 foot student passage gate to the fence between the practice field and the student parking lot.

4. JICHS Facilities Maintenance has received and processed 77 work orders from January 28th, 2019 to the present.

School Leader Report

Presented by Mr. Thorn

Academics/School Update of Events


2/2/19 CCSD Teacher Recruitment Fair- Thorn, Holland, and Drake.

We were briefly uninvited to the CCSD Teacher Recruitment because we are a charter school. The CCSD HR representatives questioned if the recruitment fairs were in our MOA, which they are not. I pointed out that the MOA only generically covers all the services we are now annually paying $80,000. We attended the fall recruitment fair and unlike ALL other charter schools, we have an assigned attendance zone in CCSD. We are the assigned high school for District 3. Mr. Briggman called me that evening to extend the invitation back to us. We met many excellent teacher candidates at the recruitment fair. We may end up hiring a math teacher and Cyber Security teacher that we met at the recruitment fair.     


2/20 ACT and PreACT

Juniors have the option to take the ACT, SAT or opt out. Approximately 200 juniors took the ACT. All freshman and sophomores took the PreACT, which was approximately 800 tests. Juniors and seniors not testing were encourage to job shadow or go on a college visit.


2/24 Districts 3 and 9 CCSD School Showcase

February 23, 2109 form 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at St. Johns HS. JICHS participated in this event (Jen Smillie, Thorn).   


February-Black History Month- Dr. Shannelle Fields (see handout at end of Principal Report)


Week 2/25/19 Love is Respect Week- Erin Brandon, Guidance Counselor

-Monday: Morning Candy Hand out with labels to spread our message for the week of awareness

-Tuesday: Everyone wears Orange to show support for Teen Domestic Violence awareness month...we stand together for Healthy relationships for all.   The staff that wears orange may wear jeans.  

-Wednesday: Sidewalk Chalk messages encouraging respectful, healthy relationships, everyone deserves to be loved and respected

-Thursday: Movie Night in the Senior Courtyard field space where we will show The Blind Side and will host the Kickin Chicken Food Truck at the event that night..all proceeds will go to My Sister's House

-Friday: High Fives for Healthy Relationships. Candy hand out and high fives for the finale of the week to keep the good energy going.


2019 Student Engagement Survey

The survey window is from February 19 through March 15. The survey is administered to all students. Low participation rates can negatively impact ratings. Last year, because Ms. Spann, we exceeded this expectation. This past year we scored “below average” with 1/5 points on this section of the state report card.


WIDA Testing (ESOL)- Mrs. Morillo       

The WIDA test was conducted during February. Students and parents were informed of the incentives, which were $10 gift cards for showing growth in each section of the test and pizza party for participating. This past year we scored below average with 3.51/10 on the state report card. We are hoping that training the staff on ESOL accommodations and providing an incentive to the students that we can significantly increase our score in this area.    


Dinner and Discussion Series

The next Dinner and Discussion event is tomorrow at 5:30 pm in the cafeteria. The topic is Teen Dating Violence. We will be serving pizza and beverages.


Technology- Matt Gilbert

The technology team is working on upgrading iBoard presentation boards and preparing the first Mac lab on the technology hallway.


JICHS Enrollment Report- A. Drake, D. Farrell, and E. Rivera


At the end of the 1st quarter, enrollment at James Island Charter High School was 1,589 students. This includes students receiving services through WE CARE, Twilight, and other alternative programs. As of February 21, 2019, enrollment at James Island Charter High School is 1,518 students - a net loss of 71 students.


Since October 25, 2019, seventy-three students have moved on from James Island Charter High School. This number includes 10 early graduates, 3 of which were receiving instruction through the WE CARE program. Summary information regarding the other 62 students is included below.


School

Qty

Charleston Acceleration Academy 17 (Opened on JI Sept. 2018)


CCSD Traditional High Schools 11


Alternative Schools / Military Schools 3


Private Schools 2

Virtual High Schools 9

Ten Day Drops (pending)

8

Expelled from JICHS without R/R

2

Out of District High Schools

3

Out of State High Schools

8

Total

63


During a similar time period for the 2017-2018 school year, James Island Charter High School had approximately 45 students withdraw prior to graduation, along with 2 mid-year graduates.


School Choice Application- Important Dates

Here are some important timelines. The school choice office has June 28 as the deadline for residency verification are we going to go by that date?

  • February 11 to March 11 - Application period
  • February 19 to March 5 - Application Assistance Evenings
  • February 23 - School Choice Fairs
  • March 18 - Seat counts due to Choice Office
  • April 16 to 17 - Lotteries/Placements
  • April 18 - Application Decisions Released
  • May 6 - Deadline to accept a seat
  • June 28 - Deadline for Residency Verification


School Safety Update/ Safety Bulletin


  • Classroom search 2/1
  • Vehicle search 2/22
  • Planning meeting with SRO for the spring lockdown drill.
  • Met with a parent who is having behavior problems at home with their student and provided them with resources to help address possible drug and alcohol use.
  • Assisted the nurses with the placement of the bleeding control kits.
  • Updated classroom emergency maps to include locations of the AED and bleeding control kits.
  • Met with students involved in a possible bullying incident.
  • Conducted an assessment of the perimeter fences.
  • Addressed gate procedures with all coaches of spring sports.
  • Conducted a mid-year review of Officer Brown’s performance objectives.
  • Added Spring 2019 Backup Schedules to ERIP.
  • Assisted Officer Brown in the placement of a new camera in the student parking lot and repositioning a camera by the science wing.
  • Met with a parent who was concerned about an encounter she had off campus with someone who lived near the school.
  • New teachers doing the morning tower screenings are doing a good job and are learning fast.
  • Security towers screenings: 1/28, 1/31, 2/5, 2/8, 2/11, 2/12, 2/18, 2/22


Staff Professional Development

2/15 Professional Development Day- Mrs. Sheli Ballard (see Leadership Report)



Executive Session

  • Contracts- CCSD Charter Contract (Action Required) & Prestige HR/Payroll Proposal (Action Required)
  • Personnel - Personnel Issue (informational) & 19-20 Staffing Recommendations(Informational)
  • Legal- 
  • Student Privacy-  



Move into Executive Session

By: George Williams Seconded by: Melanie Millar

There was no notable discussion on the motion.

Move out of Executive Session

By: George Williams Seconded by: Henry Meeuwse

There was no notable discussion on the motion.

Motions From Executive Session

~

Prestige HR/Payroll Proposal

By: Henry Meeuwse Seconded by: George Williams

The board will keep CCSD for Payroll and HR Services for the 2019-2020 school year. Prestige will continue with accounting services. 

The Meeting was Adjourned

The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:19 pm

Motion to adjourn

By: Melanie Millar Seconded by: George Williams

There was no notable discussion on the motion.