APPROVED 10-21-2024

Board of Education Charter School Oversight Committee Meeting (Monday, October 14, 2024)

Generated by Nikkol Sipes on Wednesday, October 16, 2024

1. Charter School Oversight Committee

A. Call to Order

Ms. Truesdell called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

B. Roll Call

Members Present: Patti Truesdell, Chair, Tim Daugharty (attended virtually), Kari Dendurent, Assistant Superintendent, Kyle Darbonne (attended virtually), Administrator, Fireweed Academy, Cody McCanna, Administrator, Aurora Borealis, Eric Waltenbaugh (attended virtually), Administrator, West Homer Elementary, Austin Stevenson, Administrator, Soldotna Elementary, Dawn Grimm, Administrator, Kaleidoscope,
Members Absent: John DeVolld, Administrator, Soldotna Montessori, Liz Hayes, Executive Director of Finance, Matt Morse
Other Board Members Present: Zen Kelly, Kelley Cizek, Emerson Kapp, Student Representative, Dianne MacRae, Penny Vadla (attended virtually and joined the meeting in person at 10:47 a.m.) Jason Tauriainen (joined the meeting 10:46 a.m.)

C. Approval of Agenda

The October 14, 2024 Charter School Oversight committee meeting agenda was approved as presented.

D. Approval of Notes 10-09-2023

The October 9, 2023 Charter School Oversight committee meeting notes were approved as presented.

2. New Business

A. Aurora Borealis Charter School Renewal Application

Mr. McCanna requested to be recused from the Aurora Borealis Charter School application decision making process. Ms. Truesdell as Chair approved of his abstention. Mr. Cody McCanna presented the Aurora Borealis Charter School Renewal application to the committee and welcomed discussion and questions. Ms. Morgan appreciated the renewal application. She appreciated the formatting within the table of contents and also made suggestions in this regard. She also posed a question regarding special education students and staff provided. She also posed a question regarding the number of RFPs. Mr. McCanna spoke to these numbers. Ms. Morgan also posed a question regarding special education teachers within the building. Ms. Morgan inquired with Mr. Holland how many numbers of Special Education students are within the district. Ms. Kelly director of student support services provided these numbers of total IEPs, and Special Education eligible students at Aurora Borealis. Ms. Morgan posed a question regarding the Aurora Borealis budget and funding received from the district in particular allocated for special education services. Mr. Holland spoke to this. Ms. Morgan suggested that within the application the special education piece may need a closer look. Ms. Morgan would request that ABC reevaluate the plan for serving special education students and utilization of those funds. Mr. McCanna spoke to the special education language within the application and current funds for special education. He also spoke in regards to students who have been diagnosed with disabilities however noted in many instances that this has not warranted an IEP for most of these students. Mr. Holland spoke to the language within the application as he was the Director of Student Support Services when this language was written. Mr. Stevenson read state statute and posed a question regarding transportation for special needs students. He also inquired whether ABC has ever had to transport special education students. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Mr. Stevenson posed a question regarding the amount of low income families within ABC currently. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Mr. Stevenson also posed a question regarding providing lunch to students and why lunch is not provided. Mr. McCanna spoke to the reasoning behind this from the foundation of the charter school as well that the school facility does not currently support this at this time. Ms. Dendurent posed a question regarding an age minimum to attend ABC. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Ms. Dendurent clarified that ABC does not set a minimum. Mr. McCanna confirmed. Ms. Grimm spoke to the funding within Charter Schools in the district in general and at Kaleidoscope as well. She spoke to the importance of Charter Schools and providing diverse educational opportunities within the district. She also appreciated the renewal application. Mr. Holland provided a clarification on special education staff provided within schools. He posed a clarification regarding the age minimum for entrance within the ABC handbook. Mr. McCanna spoke to this and that there is no enforced age minimum just recommendation. Ms. Morgan appreciated Mr. McCanna and the renewal application. She posed a question regarding the socioeconomic status within the district and how it compared to ABC. Mr. McCanna noted that ABC does not require parental participation. Mr. Holland posed a question in regards to the tardy policy and meetings with the APC. Ms. Truesdell posed a question regarding how ABC addresses chronic absenteeism. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Ms. MacRae spoke. Mr. Daugharty posed a question regarding changes within the renewal process, application and formatting and how it relates to the process from previous years. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Ms. Morgan posed a question regarding ABC budget documents from a secondary vs elementary site level. Mr. Holland spoke to this. Mr. Kelly posed questions regarding student assessment prior to enrollment and admission. As well as the ABC parent handbook parent participation and parent student contract. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Mr. Kelly also asked if all district schools should implement a parent student contract. Mr. McCanna recommended it. Mr. Stevenson posed a question regarding students withdrawing due to conditions in the parent student contract. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Mr. Stevenson also posed a question regarding the assessment upon admission and in particular those students with disabilities. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. Ms. Cizek posed a question regarding the timeline for renewal. Ms. Morgan posed a question regarding the APC at ABC and executive sessions and whether there is a code of ethics being signed by members. Mr. McCanna spoke to this. The committee would like to hold another meeting on October 21, 2024 for ABC to bring back further materials to the committee in particular further information relating to special education services.
Ms. Truesdell called a recess at 10:30 a.m.
Ms. Truesdell called the meeting back to order at 10:43 a.m.

B. Tułen Charter School Application

Mr. Stevenson declared a conflict of interest and to be excused. The Chair excused Mr. Stevenson from participation in this application and decision making process.Mr. Kyle McFall presented the Tułen Charter School Application to the committee. Ms. Truesdell posed a question regarding grades being serviced. Mr. McFall spoke to this. Ms. Dendurent posed questions regarding the community input survey, intent to enroll, teacher work days that relate to the subsistence week within the calendar, and the budget. Mr. McFall spoke to these items. Ms. Morgan inquired in regards to the formatting. Ms. Dendurent posed a question regarding facilitating all special education programs and eligibility in the head start and afterschool programs. Mr. McFall spoke to this and confirmed enrollment is open to all. Ms. Grimm appreciated the application and agreed with Ms. Dendurent that inservice days and teacher work days within the calendar needs to be addressed. She also posed a question regarding the curriculum and CKLA. Mr. McFall noted that the CKLA is not part of the application and was meant to be taken out of the application moving forward. Ms. Dendurent posed a clarifying question regarding custodians and nurses and their qualifications and if the applicants had sought out MOAs and worked with Human Resources in this regard. She also posed a question regarding adding grades and renovations that would be necessary in order to expand. Mr. McFall spoke to this and the grades the current facility could house without any renovations at this time. Ms. Grimm brought attention to the APC and decision making process with discipline of staff and suggested to clarify the role of the APC and the principal of the school further. Ms. Dendurent posed a question in regards to the preliminary budget and to provide an overview of the staffing with the 40 student enrollment estimation at this time. Mr. McFall spoke to funding and discussions with Finance Director Liz Hayes. Ms. Dendurent posed a question regarding the number of classified positions. Mr. McFall spoke to this. Mr. Holland appreciated the presentation. He proposed having this application come back to committee at this time so that Ms. Hayes, and Mr. Lyon may be present at the meeting for input on the application. Ms. Dendurent would like to make herself available for follow up information with the applicants. The committee requested the Tułen Charter School applicants provide further information with supporting documents and revisions, at the scheduled October 21, 2024 committee meeting.

3. Adjourn

Ms. Truesdell adjourned the meeting at 11:36 a.m.