News & Announcements

School updates, important dates, and other notices.

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes: September 10, 2015

  1. Call to Order, Roll Call and Recognition of Visitors and Board Co-Chairs
    1. Yelena Hardcopf: Present
    2. Oksana Cox:Present
    3. Natalia Kormina:Present
    4. Elizaveta Lindman: Present
    5. Christian Schmidt: Present
    6. Ben Wallace: Absent
    7. Alex Brusilovsky: Present
    8. Paul Kinsey, Executive Director, ex officio board member.: Present
    9. Visitors in attendance: Gedaly Meerovich, Olga Voronina, and Sher Tischner of BDKA.
  2. Approval of the Agenda for this meeting
    The board moves to approve the agenda.
    Motion by: Elizaveta Lindman
    Second: Oksana Cox
    6-0-0
  3. Read the Nasha Shkola Mission and Vision
  4. Open Forum for members of the public wishing to address the board
    Gedaly Meerovich mad a request of the board. Mr. Meerovich would like to use the school for Slavic
    Community Even in November. The event would require room for 20-30 people.
  5. Reports
    1. Co-Chairs Executive Report- Yelena Hardcopf and Oksana Cox.
      1. Scorecard from IQS.
        The school’s contract with IQS is up for renewal in 2016. The school with have three observations
        during the 2015-2016 school year. Observations will take place in Oct/Nov, January/February, and
        April/May of this school year. These observations will form the basis for IQS’s decision to renew the
        contract with Nasha Shkola as authorizer.
      2. Parent Candidate
        Olga Voronina’s appointment to the board will be discussed later during the meeting.
    2. Executive Director report- Yelena Hardcopf and Paul Kinsey
      1. Current Enrollment: 130 Students
      2. First week of school There were some issues with transportation during the first week. One bus has 50 students. The board discussed the bus issue and potential solutions such as carpooling to attract students no longer serviced by new bus routes.
      3. Staff Update A third grade teacher was hired and a language arts teacher will be interviewed on September 11, Friday.
      4. MCA Results and Student achievementThe scores for students from Nasha Shkola are near the state average in Math with some grades exceeding state averages in Math. Nasha Shkola reading scores are below the state average. The school’s ELL scores are near the MN average. Teachers will be trained in interpreting MCA data and students will be assessed regularly for areas in need of improvement.
      5. LIT Teachers were trained in the use of data and formative assessment. Teachers also were given expectations for classroom use of learning targets during the school year. Teachers received a workshop from staff and outside trainers from SSOS on formative assessment.
    3. Financial Report
      1. Monthly Finance Report – Sher Tischner of BDKA. The board discussed the effect of enrollment numbers on the school budget. Some projections were made. The board discussed the need to track after care expenses and food service expenses. The board also discussed the need for repairs to the building rented from Minnetonka Christian Academy that serves as the school for Nasha Shkola. Among repairs: a non-functioning AC unit for rooms in the interior of the school; leaking roof, carpeting, broken tile in the elementary boy’s bathroom, etc. The school spends a large percentage of the budget on rent and it is expected that such problems should be quickly taken care of.
        1. Overpayment by MDE for Nasha Shkola. The Minnesota Department of Education allocated extra money for the school’s special education program totaling $115,000. This money will be deducted from the school budget.
        2.  Savings Account at Venture Bank/Lease Aid Lease aid should be coming soon.
  6. Consent Agenda
    1. Minutes of August20, 2015 Board meeting.
    2. Financials: August-July 2015
    3. Approve Work Agreements
      Nicole Larson- 3rd Grade Teacher
      Daniela Zochinova-part-time Russian and part-time Title 3 teacher .5 FTE
      Yelena Bienemann-Title 1 Teacher .5 FTE
      Josie Boyle Title 1 teacher 1.0 FTEThe board moves to approve the consent agenda, minutes of the August 20, 2015 board meeting, the
      August-July Financials and work agreements for the following staff: Nicole Larson, Daniela Zochinova,
      Yelena Bienemann, and Josie Boyle.
      Motion by: Christian Schmidt
      Second: Elizaveta Lindman
      6-0-0
  7. Old Business
    1. Discuss new candidate for parent’s seat on the board, Olga Voronina.
      The board interviewed Olga Voronina and later closed the meeting to discuss appointing Olga Voronina to the open
      parent’s seat on the school board.

      1. Appointment of Olga Voronina to the open parent’s seat on the Nasha Shkola school board.
        The board move to appoint Olga Voronina as a parent member of the Nasha Shkola school board until
        school board elections in June, 2016.Motion by: Elizaveta Lindman
        Second: Natalia Kormina
        6-0-0
    2. After school care costs.
      The board discussed the previous deficit in spending on the after school and before school care program at Nasha Shkola
      Charter School during the 2014-2015 school years. The board discussed the need to raise revenue for the program by
      increasing the hourly rate paid by parents to $10 an hour for after school care between the hours of 4-5pm, and $5 for
      every twenty minutes after 5pm. The before care program would remain $5. The board also discussed the need to
      lower the hourly rate paid to teacher and other staff working as before and after care staff. The board settled on an
      hourly wage of $15.00 an hour for before and after care work.
    3. Review and update school policies
      1. Adoption of MACS board policies for charter schools.
        The board discussed the need to adopt the board policies of MACS.
      2. Mileage reimbursement policy for families driving their children to school.
        The board discussed the need to maintain the current policy with regards to reimbursement for families driving
        children to school.
  8. New Business
    1. Allocation of sick days and health benefits for staff.
      The board discussed the allocation of sick days and health benefits. The board weighed the pros and cons of the options
      available to the school and impact of different options on the budget.The board moves to allocate $250 towards individual health insurance premiums per month with the
      condition that such benefits continuity depends on the financial health of the school.
      Motion by: Christian Schmidt
      Second: Liza Lindman
      6-0-0

      The board moves to provide as a part of a teachers benefit package five sick days and two personal days.
      Personal days must be pre-approved by the administration of the school.
      Motion by: Liza Lindman
      Second: Oksana Cox
      6-0-0

    2. Website Update
      The board was informed that the website must have certain information such as annual report, annual budget, and
      other requirements.
    3. International Institute of Art and after school music lessons.
      The board discussed after school music lessons.
    4. Marketing Events
      The board was informed that the city of Minnetonka has a city wide open house that Nasha Shkola could attend to
      attract future students. The school has been placed on the Minnetonka website
  9. Adjourn

Action items:

  1. The school needs to create a rental agreement for people leasing classrooms and insure instructors have
    insurance.
  2. The school needs to look for a different health insurance provider.
  3. The school needs to create a formal system to track the use of sick days and personal days.
  4. The school needs to think about having parents pre-pay for after care services or deposit money for after
    care services.
  5. The board needs to look at Chapter one of MACS Policies.
  6. The director needs to create a list of concerns re school building condition and address it with church board.
  7. The board needs to verify board member training.

The Nasha Shkola Board meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30

About Nasha Shkola

Nasha Shkola — Russian for Our School — is an academically rigorous K-8 charter school, providing a highly-structured learning environment for students interested in Russian language and culture.

Contact Us

    School Info

    Nasha Shkola
    6717 85th Ave North
    Brooklyn Park, MN 55445

    Phone: 763-496-5550
    Fax: 763-424-8520

    School Hours
    Monday – Friday:
    8:30 am – 4:30 pm

    Office Hours
    Monday – Friday:
    8 am – 4 pm