Steamboat Springs Montessori

Steamboat Springs Montessori

Board Meeting Minutes

March 4, 2013

NOTE: Action items highlighted in red.

Meeting begins: 5:35pm

I.  Roll Call and Declaration of a Quorum

a)  Attendees:

i)  Clare Berkey (Head of School)

ii)  Kristen Rockford (Chair)

iii)  Jen Brossett (Vice Chair)

iv)  Matt Hannon (Treasurer)

v)  Ross McLaren (Member at Large-today’s Secretary)

b)  Quorum—determined to be present.

II.  Mission Statement—review

III.  Consent Calendar—Leslie Gumbrecht (absent) to finish Feb minutes

IV.  Public Comment—None

V.  Director’s Report—Clare

a)  Matt has filed our taxes.

b)  CO solicitation was filed.

c)  17 students enrolled last week. Waitlist families are being called. Clare anticipates we will be full with 25 students next year.

d)  Clare met with Stephanie of First Impressions:

--Clare suggests we withdraw from First Impressions as the $ is not great and is decreasing and there is too much time invested in the program for the return;we could make up the $ with increased fundraising and we won’t have to return the $ already granted us.

--Clare and Kristen not we could get back into the program if needed

--United Way $ hasn’t been awarded yet

--Clare suggests we look into accreditation from another source: AMS or NAEYC

--We will vote in June on this

VI.  Treasurer’s Report—Matt

a)  Matt said Paul Strong, our accountant, told him the cost of an audit of the school’s financials would cost a few thousand dollars and suggested we wouldn’t proceed with this. He noted that it is not uncommon for a school of our size to never have a self-audit done.

VII.  Committee Updates

A.Scholarship—Clare and Matt

i)  Clare and Matt looked at families asking for assistance so far; this is still in process with the NAIS software program and families are still returning the applicable forms.

ii)  The Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation grants are being looked at. The grants are given for low-income/special needs/at-risk kids

--Kristen suggests looking at our scholarship families and those who tried for scholarships and show the Foundation that we could be providing more help to some of our families as well as showing the Foundation that our school is able to provide for special needs students.

--Jen’s husband Steve suggested to her that we should pursue the scholarship/grants.

--Jen and Kristen shall pursue the grants and will contact Sara Craig-Scheckman as well as Stephanie of First Impressions.

B.Fundraising

iii)  The soiree is coming up in April—10 donations for silent auction so far. Jen would like to get at least 5 more. Tix to go on sale soon.

iv)  Square One Artwork—Jen pursuing this and will look for parent volunteers for the artwork.

v)  Bake Sale—Leslie not present to update us on this.

vi)  Flower Power—Kristen interested in pursuing this, which involves ordering bulbs by email

C.Facility—No comment

VIII.  Old Business

A. Withdrawal Policy: New policy handed out; a change was made to the proposed policy that now states those who do a monthly payment and withdraw will have to make payments for another 30 days after notice is received.

--Matt noted that there are penalties for withdrawing early in many things (gym, cellphone, etc)

--Kristen noted that a consequence to this is that less families may do the one-time payment and Matt notes that won’t affect financials except by increasing the # who pay monthly.

--Kristen moves to accept the revised Withdrawal Policy. Jen accepts and everyone is in favor. The new Withdrawal Policy is passed.

B.  Strategic Plan and Vision

--Clare calls for a retreat, a special meeting perhaps over dinner to discuss, to be in May.

C.  New Handbook

--Kristen handed out new SS Montessori Board Handbooks

--a history of the school will be added at the front

--Board Evaluation and Self-Evaluations to be completed by the end of the year.

--the IRS 501(c)(3) letter will be updated by Clare.

--the policy section will be updated.

--handbooks will be returned to the Board when any member leaves the Board.

IX.  New Business

A.  School Year 2013-2014 Budget-Discussion and Vote

--Matt and Clare worked on it together.

--Increase in maintenance/cleaning in budget due to forseeable expenditures for a teacher breakroom/office or a new driveway

--Matt’s algorithims based on current spending were used to generate new numbers, along with consultation with Clare. The prior years’ numbers are not actuals, they were the approved prior year budgets.

--Increase in staff development and salaries because school will need 2 teachers present all day long next year due to the anticipated increase in kindergarteners.

--Ross asked is there any concerns or things that struck Matt or Clare as worrisome when prepping the budget? Matt responded that materials and consumables increased as Montessori materials are higher because the number includes grant purchases that aren’t assured yet. He noted it is difficult to backtrack for these items.

--Matt noted that the landscaping number dropped due to anticipated decrease in needs due to likely drought conditions.

--Kristen suggests that we solicit school parents for an unpaid bookkeeper and an unpaid landscaper. Discussion of paid vs. unpaid positions. Matt says he doesn’t think the bookkeeper position should change hands each year. Kristen suggests Winny McLaughlin may be interested in the position. The history of the school’s bookkeeping position was discussed. Kristen said we should continue with Matt in the bookkeeper role until he wants to stop or until he wants to be paid, which she prefers.Matt says he doesn’t want to be paid in order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Matt states he is willing to continue as the school’s unpaid bookkeeper/landscaper/maintenance man.

--Accounting projections fell as not anticipated to be so high next year.

--Kristen motioned to approve the budget. Jen seconded. All approved and the 2013-2014 School Budget was passed.

B.  Changes to Parent Handbook—Clare

--Clare to swap out old policies for new, including new Withdrawal Policy.

--Changes to pick-up/drop-off times will take effect.

--Tuition changes will take effect.

--A new policy on broken glass will be enacted by Clare.

C.Staffing

--Clare will discuss the wants/needs of the staff over the next month in regard to whether they want to stay with the school, which hours they want, and at what salary. We shall discuss these at the next Board meeting.

--Clare raised the concern of Lesa’s eventually leaving the school and Sharon’s pay maximum.

--Clare discussed the need for a pay schedule for the teachers. Kristen noted we could pay to get one done from a nonprofit website which provides these. Clare and Kristen will call around to various other Montessori schools, such as Bozeman,Boulder, Crested Butte to find comparable pay schedules.

C.Facility

--Kristen asks for everyone’s opinion of a change to the office/breakroom versus a driveway modification to allow to entrance/exits. Everyong consents that the office/breakroom is prefereable to the driveway. No formal vote takes place.

--Clare suggests a partition between the student bathroom toilets.

--Other changes/modifications briefly discussed.

Meeting adjourns at 7:07 pm.

NOTE: Next board meeting is Monday, April 1, 2013 at 5:30 pm at the school.