GPA Board Meeting October 21, 2009
Meeting called to order 5:09
Attending: Rob Lee, Heather Harris, Gayea Esplin, Linda Dowse, Julie Wand, Steve Nelson, Jill
Johnson
Lincoln on the phone
Public: Doug Griffin
Public Comment- Doug Griffin appreciate of all the hard work of the board
Agenda Approved- unanimously
Discussion- Budget RevisionSteve- Over budget because of student numbers are not as high as estimated. Remember our job is
to not evaluate employees
Rob- Worked on how to cut costs and not let any staff go. Hire in august as school starts not ahead
of time. Need to reduce 225,000-230,000
Part 1. Administration cuts
Sub director position cut
Jill- Are you okay with the cuts?
Rob- Okay. This is a crunch and will temporarily hurt and will move forward
Steve- Keep climate issues at check. Julie’s opinion on cuts
Julie- Agrees with cuts
Rob- Aide and support reduction. Non-negotiable approach
Heather- Aides that are making effort should be paid
Rob- Part 2- Salary
$10 an hour for High School diploma
$11 an hour for HS diploma and skills or training
$12 an hour with College degree
$13 an hour with College and Montessori training
Linda- Does cutting back aides affect the students in the classroom?
Rob- Cut out of class time- and afternoon and additional duties.
Gayea- Moral and climate control
Rob- Wont impact classroom they are professional
Heather- Call for additional help from parents
Gayea- parents have been trained
Rob- concerned that parents are sometimes not consistent
Steve- concerned about broadcast bad news
Rob- Number 3 State Furlough lock out and don’t allow to work. Letting school out early. Friday
open studio- will be cut.
Heather- 6-9 and 10-12 environment take the biggest hit.
cut stipends
401 k cut by 50%
Steve- Which is the least utilized program? Drama, PE, Art, Spanish, Orchestra, Band
Julie- Being honest- environment very good to 6-9 and 10-12. Teachers only instructing at part
child and not whole child if they miss the opportunity to teach P.E., Art…
Gayea- Disadvantage to teaching only parts not whole child
Julie- Teaching whole child needs to be more important
Need P.E., art, music, drama and Spanish to express themselves
Teachers get a tremendous amount of prep time 1 ½ hours each day
Rob- Other side of the argument
Cutting back you can’t hire P.E. teacher to come in for two hours a day
Tipping point for teachers asked to do additional work
State requires differently for level 3- Drama…
Steve- Maybe start next year with change
Rob - Schedule smoothed over with keeping drama
Heather- This will disgruntle some families whose children can’t do it all.
Rob- Need to speak to parents address concerns
Heather- All in this together
Linda- If the school fails we all suffer
Heather- Cell phones
Rob- When cell phone contract ends we will end with company and move to intercom
Rob- Some travel is needed
Rob- Possibly purchase car for school
Rob- We can function and buy materials as needed
Rob- Attended conference and on your own $$ - unless required
Gayea excused for a minute
Steve- inquiry from Lincoln
Lincoln- spend money or loose it
Steve- We have zero cash reserve.
Heather-Budget to the dime and if off we will be bankrupt
Over budget by 30,000 and hope ..
Rob- Reason there is no cash- money is taken for loans to teachers
Rob- Nervous to cut 30,000 additional dollars
Heather – Error on side of enough money
Steve- Remove 20,000 and save money for the end of he year.
Heather- …
Rob- Have we covered the budget?
Lincoln- We are close but not there.
Steve – Confidence is not there. Two years in a row will sink us.
Rob- Climate stronger if we can say we didn’t fire anyone.
Heather- Love 12-15 for small class.
Rob- Covering costs with out hurting integrity of the program
One year short fall
Steve- Speech and language
Steve- How many schools of our size? (Lincoln). Schools familiar with…do all of them have a similar
office program? Are we overstaffed in the office?
Lincoln- No we are larger then schools our size most have-Office manager-Office receptionist
Linda- Over staffed and review systems to be more efficient
Gayea- Maintenance and HR?
Rob- Reevaluate office- If we suggest Rob fire one office person then Rob won’t do his job.
Lincoln- Does the school justifies the staff?
We can get buy with less.
Linda- During evaluation noticed lack of professionalism in the office. And not work focused- great
deal of banter and personal discussion
Heather- Speaking on role of business…
Julie- Meet with state and vision of office
Linda- …
Rob…
Linda- Other schools successful with less why can’t we get there?
Rob- Hearing that we could be more efficient
Steve- Same charter school same size less efficient
Rob- Not at the same level of progression. Learning curve has to be factored in.
Gayea- Lower sub director
Julie- “Lower salary and work 4 days a week”.
Jill –
Merit in office, Alysa in office, and now Melody in office. I don’t understand?
Steve- Rob has done is job don’t demoralize him.
Rob- Agrees
Linda- Don’t …
Steve- Over budget and not working efficiently
Lincoln- Look at real numbers. Most of the numbers presented and may help to look at reorganize
the office.
Steve- Approve what is infront of us and
Lincoln- Come back with additional answers next week
Steve- Motion to approve proposal
Steve- No objections
Steve- Motion to approve proposal for budget cuts passes
Steve next item
Discussion about lease verses buy
History price has come down based on appraisal 10m, 9m now at 8.9m
The purchase price is 8.9 million dollars.
Steve-We have stayed stagnant as a school population. This is because of the community around us
not only not growing but shrinking. We expect as the economy is beginning to grow again, so will the
school.
Steve- Significant amount of money saved
Middle of March to close
20-30 thousand a year of savings
No negative to side to owning
Heather- Authorize Board President Steve Nelson to sign purchase agreement for facility
Steve- lets discuss and review Lease vs. Buy analysis
Steve-Please include Lease vs. Buy analysis in your minutes.
Steve- Motion to buy building
No objections
Motion approved unanimously from Board
Rob -would like our notes to show how much appreciation we have for Mr. Harris and all his help in
the process of buying the building.
Meeting adjourned at 6:56