Main Menu

Board Minutes Feb 11 2021

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
Board of Horizons K-8 School

February 11th, 2021
6:03 pm – 7:59 pm

Meeting held virtually via Zoom

Facilitators: Mike Ashmore / Lucas Ketzer
Note Taker: Hope Nelson-Roohr (non-member)
Minutes: Geary Layne
Timekeeper: Tyler Currie

Process Observer: Julie Cohen

Call to Order:  6:00pm
Present:
Alex Osias, Beth Coleman, Geary Layne, Julie Cohen, Karen Wolfer, Lucas Ketzer, Mike Ashmore, Paul Ramer, Peter Hegelbach, Rachel Buckley, Teran Sittner, Tyler Currie

Arrived Late:

Absent:

Quorum established

Guests:  Lynn Pence, Jim Freund, Addison, Elisabeth Parady, Erica Baruch, Meredith Croft

Public Comment:

  • Hope Nelson-Roohr provided an Open Enrollment update

Consent Agenda:

  • Approve February 11th Agenda

  • Budget Resolution

  • Prior Minutes: January 14, 2021

Motion – Lucas Ketzer

Move to pass consent agenda excluding minutes

Second –  Geary Layne

Concorded

Short discussion regarding why public comment documentation were kept to a minimum in the Minutes

Motion – Beth Coleman

Moves to accept minutes

Second –  Teran Sittner

Concorded

Motion – Beth Coleman

Moves to add agenda item to discuss how we add public comment to Minutes

Second –  Rachel Buckley

Concorded

Board members discussed how to balance best practice for Minutes and also honor community members interest to share

Head of School Updates:

  • Reopening Committee share out

    • The committee focus is to address long term school wide operational issues and overcoming obstacles to fully reopen schools

    • Next task- discuss and plan what more in person learning can look like K-4 & 5-8 after spring break depending on Covid conditions

    • Plan is due 3/1/21, and will be include parents input

    • One consideration, if we prioritize full day in person, how do we provide equitable learning for home learners

    • Generally speaking, Horizons will logistically be in a better place to reopen once teachers are able to get vaccinated

  • Covid Check Colorado

    • BVSD is not willing to test at Horizons

    • However, families can test at any Covid test center and give permission for the result to be shared with Horizons so we can contact trace

  • Charter contract update

    • Waiting for response from BVSD after Horizons’ last edits

  • WEEAC Update

    • Next opportunity to participate will be 2/18/21

Finance Review Committee:

  • The Budget resolution, approved earlier in the meeting, will be sent to BVSD

  • Current Budget matches revised budget

  • Council Budget will be on the 2/18/21 Council meeting agenda

  • PPP loan forgiveness waiting on paperwork

  • Budget reserves discussion

    • Currently Horizons holds 15% of annual expensive in reserve

    • State requires 3%

    • Reducing reserve percentage would allow Horizons to provide more to current student

Motion – Lucas Ketzer

Move to reduce allocated reserve expense from 15% to 8%

Second –  Tyler Currie

Concorded

Open enrollment policy- BU and neighborhood schools:

  • BVSD says all home learning next year will be at BU or BU Link, and if a student wants to return to in person schooling, there will be a spot

  • Charters cannot do that due to funding levels based on October count

  • We cannot guarantee but we can prioritize

  • We go thru BVSD open enrollment to accept kids

  • Previously the Board created a priority to re-enroll kids that withdrew to go to BU for this current year

  • The current learning model that Horizons can provide is not meeting the needs of all families and some wish to attend full in person school and return the next year

  • Proposal would be to prioritize those students that leave due to COVID related changes to Horizons scheduling if space allows

  • Few students have left due to COVID and only seven plan to leave to attend other middle schools

  • Wait list expected to be close to normal

Motion – Lucas Ketzer

Moves to accept two proposed amendments to Open Enrollment policy with new wording

During the open enrollment period, preference will be given to students who meet the following criteria:

  1. Children of Faculty (licensed, non-temporary employee) employed in a licensed Faculty position of .25 F.T.E. or greater, whether they reside inside or outside the BVSD boundaries.

  2. Sibling of a student who is attending and will be attending Horizons the following year. Different from a sibling who has been assigned for the first time to the school.

  3. Equal preference with: Children of Faculty employed in a licensed temporary full-time, temporary part-time or temporary job-share Faculty position, with a one year contract of 0.25 F.T.E or greater (whether they reside inside or outside the BVSD boundaries). Sibling of a student who is assigned in the current year.

  4. Children of non-licensed Staff in their 2nd consecutive year (at time of Open Enrollment), or subsequent, of employment at 25% or greater (ie 10± hours/week), whether they reside inside or outside the BVSD boundaries

  5. Students who unenrolled from Horizons in the 19-20 or 20-21 school year who enrolled in Boulder Universal or BU Link and wish to re-enroll in Horizons for the 21-22 school year or the 22-23 school year.

  6. Students who unenroll from Horizons in the 20-21 school year and reside within the district (only effective for enrollment in the 21-22 school year).

  7. Other community preferences as already stated in BVSD Policy JECC-R.

Second –  Tyler Currie

Concorded

Process Observer:

  • Started roughly on time

  • Hope might have been a formal guest with expertise

  • We adjusted time, digressed but it was pertinent

  • Clear expectations

  • Managed time well.

Adjourn at 7:59 PM