1. Call to Order, Roll Call and Recognition of Visitors and Board Co-Chairs
   • Alekej Abyzov: Present
   • Mark Eilers: Present
   • Ivanna Gradinar: Absent
   • Julia Ishanova: Present
   • Paul Kinsley: Absent
   • Yelena Kurdyumova: Present
   • Elizaveta Lindman: Present
   • Christian Schmidt: Present
   • Andrew Wood: Present
   • Yelena Hardcopf, Executive Director, ex officio board member.
   • Visitors in attendance: Sergey Porada
2. Approval of the Agenda for this meeting
   Motion to approve the agenda as written.
   Andrew Wood
   Christian Schmidt
   7-0-0
3. Read the Nasha Shkola Mission and Vision
   Vision: To be an academically rigorous school preparing students for continued success as motivated learners and global citizens.
   Mission: Nasha Shkola aspires to be a multi-cultural charter school committed to exceptional education in all areas of academic inquiry with an emphasis on Russian Language and Culture, providing structured and responsive learning environment based upon educational best practices for all students and their families.
4. Open Forum for members of the public wishing to address the board
   • No public comments.
5. Reports
   
   1. Director report
      1. Enrollment 106 students
         • The school added 3 new students in April.
      2. Other reports
         • The director is still working on corrections to the nutrition audit.
         • Documentation of school lunch etc.
         • MCA testing will begin this week in reading and math.
         • Total Dictation Russian Literacy Test
         • This is for people who want to display their skills in Russian Language.
         • The school hosted this test and six participants came.
         • Our students will again perform at the Festival of Nations.
         • Students will perform on the world stage and perform a dance. Our school will also have a booth where we will be able to talk about our school and Russian culture. Yelena will work at the booth and talk to those interested in talking about Russia or our school.
         • Yelena will travel to Berlin on May 21 for a conference for leaders of Russian language schools from around the world.
   2. Financial Report
      1. Monthly Finance Report
         • Liza Hazeldon did not call back with final numbers for fund 01 and fund 02 before the meeting.
         • Our school had another snow day in April, and this will have an effect on fund 02.
         • Our school was overcharged $30,000 dollars for van transport. This has been straightened out. Future invoices will be decreased to the amount of $30,000.
         • The school had a deficit of $5,977 in fund 01.
         • The school had a deficit of $3,865 in fund 02.
         • The school had a cash balance of $64,041 at the end of March 2019.
         • The school has a fund balance of $86,714.
6. Consent Agenda
   1. Minutes of March 19, 2019 Board meeting
   2. Financials March 2019
      Motion to accept the consent agenda including minutes for the March 19, 2019 board meeting and the financials for March 2019.
      Motion by: Alexej Abyzov
      Seconded by Yelena Kurdyumova
      7-0-0
7. Old Business
   1. School calendar for FY20 approval
      • The board discussed the proposed calendar. Board members discussed the need to plan for snow days or add extra days. The proposed calendar has 169 days of school. The school may look into online learning days in case of weather-related closings.

        Motion to approve the school calendar.
        Christian Schmidt
        Yelena Kurdyumova
        7-0-0

   2. Next school year enrollment projections/programming needs.
      • We are in the process of receiving results on the intent to return for current students and families.
      • So far we have 26 new students for next year. 21 of the new students are Kindergarteners and 5 other students in grade 1-8.
      • We hope to have enrollment next year between 120-125 students. However, we have only heard back from 21 families. There is still a lot of uncertainty. In order to be safe, we will build a budget based on 115 students. This budget will be presented to the board in June. Teachers are turning their intent to return forms. We will have an opening for ESL. This has been a historically difficult position to fill and maintain. Our school will have to think creatively about how to provide ESL services to our ESL students.
      • The board discussed ending the school day early. The bus company can only send buses at 4pm. Perhaps the school could close earlier and have after school programs for students waiting for buses. This would also allow parents who want to pick up kids before 4pm to do so without students missing out on instruction. The teachers will need to discuss this and hopefully our team will find consensus on this issue. Currently our day ends at 4pm but we have to wait until 4:30 for all buses to come. Buses regularly come later than 4:30 and this causes the teachers day to go much longer. In addition, some teachers face commutes that can be between 1-2 hours in heavy traffic.
      • IQS will have small conference on May 1st for pre-school planning.
   3. Lease renegotiation/adjustment (results of discussion)
      • Our lease is based on the number of students enrolled. Next year our lease will be based on 135 students. We will likely not reach this number. We have asked the property owner to lower the number to 120 students for next year. This is up to the church. The church proposed two adjustments to the lease. Each plan is five years and each plan results in payments of $934,000 over five years. Option one would have the school pay rent in year three based on 125 students rather than 135 students. In year four the lease would be based on 145 students. In option two the school would pay rent based on 120 students rather than 135. In year four the rent would be based on 145 students. The board discussed the two plans. The board was concerned about the abrupt jump in the second plan.
      • The board also discussed changing to a sum certain plan instead of a student count-based rent. This would mean the school would pay a fixed amount each year without regards to student count. The board discussed the plans and called Paul Kinsely for an explanation of sum certain.

        Motion to approve the property owners first proposal for lease negotiation and proceed with the removal of student count-based rent to a sum certain based rent.
        Alexej Abyzov
        Andrew Wood
        7-0-0

   4. Director Evaluation
      • The board is still in the process of evaluating the director. As of the meeting only 6 surveys were completed with 3 more in the process of being completed. The board will meet with the director to discuss results with the director.
8. Other
   1. School policies review
      • Nutrition audit policies: update
      • NS Wellness Policy
        • The board discussed when to meet to discuss Wellness policy. The board agreed to meet to review the wellness policy on April 23rd at 3:30pm
      • NS Unpaid Meal Charges policy
      • Policy 4.5.1 Prohibition Against Unfair Discriminatory Practices in Employment and Grievance Procedures
      • Policy 4.5.2 Code of Conduct for Employees Licensed by the BOT
      • Policy 4.5.3 Employee Ethics and Conflicts of Interest
      • Policy 4.5.4 Outside Employment
        • The board discussed the above policies and made sure we are actually doing what we say we are doing.
      • Motion to adopt the updated and reviewed policies 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.5.3, and 4.5.4.
        Motion by Christian Schmidt
        Seconded by Andrew Wood
        7-0-0 
   2. Annual meeting planning and recruitment.
      • We advertised the openings on the board to the community, teachers, and parents. The due date will be May 7.
9. Other
   1. Board Meeting May 14
      • Yelena will be gone during our previously scheduled meeting in May for May 21. She requested the board move the date of the meeting so she can be present.
        Motion to reschedule the board meeting from May 21 to May 14, 2019.
        Motion by Elizaveta Lindman
        Seconded by: Alexej Abyzov
        7-0-0
   2. Resignation of Paul Kinsely from the Nasha Shkola board of directors.
      • Mr. Kinsely submitted a letter of resignation from the board effective immediately because of an upcoming conflict of interest related to compensation from the previous budget year that he delayed. Mr. Kinsley said he would be happy to advise the school as needed at no cost.
10. Adjourn
    Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:47pm.
    Motion by Yelena Kurdyumova
    Seconded by Andrew Wood
    7-0-0

ACTION ITEMS!!

1. Sum certain vs student count.
2. April 23, 2019 3pm Wellness policy.
3. NS Unpaid meals policy.

The Nasha Shkola Board meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30PM. 
The Finance Committee meets at 5:30 prior to the board meeting.