1. Call to Order, Roll Call and Recognition of Visitors and Board Co-Chairs
   1. Yelena Hardcopf: Present
   2. Elizaveta Lindman: Present
   3. Christian Schmidt: Present (7:00pm)
   4. Alekej Abyzov: Present
   5. Alex Brusilovsky: Present (6:56pm)
   6. Mark Eilers: Present
   7. Paul Kinsey, Executive Director, ex officio board member: Present
   8. Visitors in attendance:
2. Approval of the Agenda for this meeting
3. Read the Nasha Shkola Mission and Vision – Paul Kinsley
4. Open Forum for members of the public wishing to address the board
5. Reports
   
   1. Chairs Executive Report: Yelena Hardcopf
   2. Executive Director report
      Board will drop to 6 members from 7 after September meeting.
      Start of the school year was positive with new families and positive environment.
      1. Current Enrollment: 107
         1. This number will decrease to 103 in January as 4 students are choosing a school with a shorter bus trip.
      2. Student Achievement and LIT (Yelena Hardcopf)
         1. 65 students out of 107 have been identified as being eligible for language supports.
         2. Teachers will be checking the effectiveness of reading interventions.
         3. LIT is working with teachers to alignment curriculum by dedicating time to small group work on standards alignment.
         4. Our Minnesota Department of Education contact Sophie has created a report detailing our school’s achievements.
         5. This report shows our school has stabilized in many areas and improving in many other areas.
         6. The school’s administrators are positive about the future of Nasha Shkola.
   3. Financial Report
      1. Monthly Finance Report, Mark Eilers– Treasurer
         1. Fund One balance is $15,171.07.
         2. Fund Two has a deficit of $4,165.
         3. Fund Four for community service is running a small deficit with income for the year at $291 and total expenditures at $591.
         4. Our school has spent 35% of the projected revenue over five months.
      2. FY 16 Cash Flow update, Mark Eilers
         1. General fund is $119,950.00
      3. Revised Budget discussion.
         1. Our school has spent zero dollars on substitute teachers for this school year.
6. Consent Agenda
   1. Minutes of November 15, 2016 board meeting.
   2. Financials November, 2016

      Approval of the consent agenda with the correction to guest Jim Redfield’s name in guests in attendance, the addition of the mission and vision, and specifics on grant writing by teachers in the actions items for November 2016.
      Mark Eilers
      Second by: Alexej Abyzov
      5-0-0
      Secretary Christian Schmidt abstained from voting on the approval of the consent agenda.

      Motion to approve the November 2016 financial reports.
      Mark Eilers
      Second by: Alexej Abyzov
      6-0-0

7. Old Business
   1. School building update
      1. Board members went to view a building in Crystal and a building in Brooklyn Park.
      2. Both buildings are acceptable.
      3. The board discussed the pros and cons of each building.
      4. These sites are to be used in the event MCA cancels the lease in February of 2017.
      5. The board is not ready to make an offer on any buildings but must be ready to move if MCA cancels our lease.
      6. The director asked if would be ok to proceed if the need arises in February.
      7. Discussion of how to proceed with buildings examined by the board.
      8. The board discussed the available sites and decided the Crystal location in a former grocery store is the best option currently if we are required to move at the end of the 2016-2017 school year.

         Motion to pursue more information about the Crystal location as a possible new site for our school in the event Nasha Shkola Charter School is required to leave the current location.
         Mark Eilers
         Second by: Liza Lindman
         6-0-0

   2. Nasha Shkola 2016-2017 programming
      1. Our school will stay K-8 next year and not expand into a ninth or pre-k as our school may be required to move and enrollment numbers do not currently support a ninth grade.
      2. The school should add robotics for the whole year next year.
      3. The school needs to have a special education teacher on site.
      4.  Our school needs to have a second ESL or ELL teacher.
      5. The school should investigate hiring recent Russian college students interested in gaining experience in the United States as teaching assistants or as specialists in phy-ed or arts. This could result in a savings for the school and would allow us to offer more programming. This would also be a good cross cultural exchange.
      6. Look at programming, budgeting, and other areas for next year.
   3. Update of board policies: school visitation policy.
      1. Board members reviewed the policy prior to meeting and discussed the policy before voting.
         Approval of the school visitor policy
         Alex Abyzov
         Mark Eilers
         6-0-0
8. New Business
   1. Budget Review
      1. New budget with 107 students will result in a $44,270.00 deficit.
      2. The fund balance will drop to $60,494
      3. The board discussed the proposal. Motion to approve the revised budget for 2016-2017 as presented.
         Liza Lindman
         Mark Eilers
         6-0-0
   2. world’s best workforce report.
      1. Our school has placed this on the website.
   3. kitchen inspection results.
      1. The school corrected the things within our power to correct but was unable to follow through on changes to kitchen flooring as this is subject to our landlord’s approval.
   4. Robotics fundraiser
      1. The school lost money on this program but saw a huge benefit for students as this program added to what our school offers.
      2. The school needs to find a way to pay for this program.
      3. The board talked about using “Go Fund Me” an internet site used by organizations to raise money for specific things. The school is a 501C3 and can take donations through a fundraising website
   5. Building heating problems.
      1. The school boiler has not functioned fully this month resulting in an un-even distribution of heat throughout the building. Some areas are very cold and other areas are very hot.
      2. One day in December all the heaters in all the rooms were cold. This indicated that the boiler was not functioning.
      3. Fans in the resource room are blowing cold air.
      4. The office area is cold and many students report the need to wear a cold due to the cold.
9. Other 
10. Adjourn
    Motion to adjourn meeting at 8:41 pm.
    Motion by: Mark Eilers
    Seconded by: Christian Schmidt

ACTION ITEMS:

1. Investigate interest among college educated Russians in working for a year with Nasha Shkola teaching either art or physical education.
2. IQS and the website, I don’t know exactly what this is but it is starred in my notes.
3. A plan needs to be developed for 2017-2018 programming.