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Board Meeting December 12 2024

Horizons K8
Board Meeting Minutes
12/12/2024

Facilitators:  Travis Lockhart, Jasmine GBC
Timekeeper:   Adam Brink   
Process Observer:  Rob Horansky
Secretary/Minutes:  Michelle Bargo

Call to Order:  6:01 PM

Present: Travis Lockhart, Rachel Clionsky, Kristin Hauger, Michelle Bargo, Jasmine GBC, Jim Freund, Mike Ashmore, Emmy Kurtz, Adam Brink, John Bogosian, Elizabeth Parady, Rob Horansky

Present Online:  Jasmine GBC

Absent:  Fran Cohen

  • Quorum established

Additional community members in attendance virtually:  Lynn Pence
Video Link: https://meet.google.com/rmu-gnau-tqw

Public Comment: 

  • Jim would like to discuss more robust HR options for Horizons in the future. How have HR needs been addressed in the past?  Is this actually a request for a mediator?  There is an existing grievance policy which could address these issues.  This item could be placed on the January board agenda.

Consent Agenda:  Reviewed minutes from 11/14/2024 and agenda for 12/12/2024
Agenda: Board Meeting Agenda – December 12, 2024.docx - Google Docs

  • Motion to approve: Travis Lockhart
  • Second: Adam Brink
  • Concorded

HOS Update: GBC

  • Open Enrollment:  
    • The open enrollment events have been very well attended.  Thank you so much to Elizabeth Parady and all the parents who have supported this effort!
    • Three years ago the board approved temporarily raising all grade bands to 88 with the intent to reduce class sizes down to 21 over time.
    • A total of 47 students left Horizons last year, across all 9 grades.  With this in mind, staff decided to increase the number of seats offered (K=48 seats, 1st=46 seats, 2nd=46 seats), hoping to fill those grades from the first round of open enrollment rather than working off the waitlist throughout the spring. The kids who list Horizons as their first choice are the ones who really want to be there.The board would need to approve this decision.  (At the 6th grade, although several students leave Horizons annually, we have also historically been able to fill these seats before October count day.) 
    • Our ideal total enrollment for 25/26 is 376 students.
      • Motion to approve the faculty recommendation to offer the following number of seats for 25/26: K=48, 1=46, 2=46, 3/4=88, 5/6=88, 7/8=88.  Our ideal total enrollment for 25/26 is 376, after attrition. - Adam Brink
        • Seconded: Rachel Clionsky
        • Concorded

Board Committee Updates:

  • FRC: Mike Ashmore
    • Fund 11 budget: BVSD has been reporting actuals in a more timely manner, which should help with our budgeting.  January is budget approval month so we need to begin budget preparations immediately.
    • We are running a $200K deficit against our current Fund 11 budget but are hopeful that this amount can be reduced.
    • FRC would like to put some procedures in place so that any community member who wants to spend Council funds will need to first go through FRC before requesting the funds through Council.  
    • BVSD meeting on Tuesday night: There is a proposal to change funding for school districts at the state level.  If passed, BVSD expects a 2.5% budget reduction which is approximately 12 million dollars.  At Horizons, this is likely to have a noticeable impact on special education caseloads.
  • Development Committee:  Kristin Hauger
    • Thank you, amazing parent volunteers!
    • CO Gives campaign netted just over $47,000, and the Hawks Bucks campaign is ongoing.  
    • Horizons now has a Vanguard stock account to accept stock donations.  This program has excellent tax benefits for the donors.
    • Spread the word about company matches for Horizons!

Concordance Facilitation:  John Bogosian

  • Improving the community’s facilitation skill set would help us be more successful at Horizons meetings.
  • There is a difference between concordance and consensus.
  • At the last Council meeting, Council approved some funds (up to $2000) for facilitator training.  This would be open to the entire Horizons community with the expectation that you would bring any training you receive from the program back to Horizons.  There would be 2-3 hours of instruction followed by an apprenticeship during actual meetings.  
  • Council passed a motion for facilitation training which involves Council funds and is under the purview of the Council.  All hiring/ contractor decisions will be made by the school administration.

Other Board Business:  

  • Can we hire a service to clean-up and manage the search profile for Horizons K8? 

Adjourned:  7:24 PM

Executive Session 1:  Notes confidential

Executive Session 2:  Notes confidential