1. Call to Order, Roll Call and Recognition of Visitors and Board Co-Chairs
   • Alekej Abyzov: Present
   • Mark Eilers: Present
   • Ivanna Gradinar: Present
   • Julia Ishanova: Present
   • Paul Kinsley: Present
   • 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 of the agenda for this meeting with the addition of a discussion of improper or false statements on the internet in (9)Other.Motion by: Elizaveta Lindman
   Seconded by: Paul Kinsely
   8-0-0
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. 104 students
         • The ADM is 106 students
         • The school gained 4 students from December to January.
         • The fourth grade has 24 students.
         • The school should consider placing a limit for class size of 22 students.
      2. Outreach
         • New Year Party for the Russian speaking community on 12/22/18. Hosted over new 30 families with young children. The event was well received. Director welcomed families at the school building and said a few words about the school. Several families seemed interested.
      3. Student Achievement
         • NWEA winter testing was completed in December (in the previous years – end of January). All grades took Reading and Writing test. Overall performance/growth in reading is higher than in math.
         • Brooklyn Park Police Department: 10-week D.A.R.E. course to students in grades 7 and 8 on middle-school substance abuse prevention program, teaching students’ strategies to stay away from drugs and preparing them to act decisively and responsibly in difficult situations.
      4. Other reports:
         • 10-week D.A.R.E. program taught by Brooklyn Park Police Department to students in grades 7-8 (the middle school substance abuse prevention program).
   2. Finance Report
      1. Monthly Finance Report
      2. 990 Report (PREPARATION OF 2017 EXEPT ORGANIZATION TAX RETURN)
         • Fund 01 had a positive balance of $7,805.
         • Fund 02 had a positive balance of $528
         • The school spent more money than budgeted for curriculum in order to strengthen our guided reading instruction.
         • Total cash balance is $27, 178 at the end of December 2018.
         • Overall audited fund balance of $86, 714.
         • The board examined the payments for December made by the school. There were some questions about the money spent.
6. Consent Agenda
   1. Minutes of December 18, 2018 Board meeting
   2. Financials December 2018
      Motion to approve the minutes of the December 18, 2018 board meeting and the financials for December 2018 with a correction to the minutes regarding a description of Ms. Kurdyumova’s argument against laws regarding who may or may not serve on a charter school’s board of directors.
      Motion by Paul Kinsely
      Seconded by: Alexej Aboyzov
      9-0-0
7. Old Business
   1. School development
      • Program is being advertised to the community.
      • Currently: 4 classes (Russian, English essay, Art, and Theater)
      • Budget and payment scale have been established to accommodate families that would like to register more than one child for the more than one class.
      • The goal is to register enough students ($5000 is ordered to meet the minimal budget request)
        1. Saturday enrichment program: updates
           • IQS has completed the affidavit and submitted to the state on October 1, 2018 (NS contributed to the part of the affidavit pertaining to the Preschool Program. IQS has completed the rest of the affidavit)
           • In the end of the November, MDE has requested a review and clarification on certain parts of the affidavit directly from IQS. IQS has contacted NS and asked to submit additional information. NS has submitted additional information. IQS has submitted revised affidavit to the state on December 10.
           • The final letter was received by NS and IQS on January 1, 2019. IQS has appealed the final decision. NS has provided additional information hoping IQS would use in the process.
           • NS has asked IQS for a copy of the affidavit. NS hasn’t received a final reply about the program. Preschool budget deadline is on January 31, 2019
           • In case of the refusal, NS will have to reapply in the fall of 2019.
           • Discussion: would NS consider opening a paid program for 4 yo in the fall of 2019.
        2. Preschool program: update & discussion.
           • IQS has completed the affidavit and submitted to the state on October 1, 2018 (NS contributed to the part of the affidavit pertaining to the Preschool Program. IQS has completed the rest of the affidavit)
           • In the end of the November, MDE has requested a review and clarification on certain parts of the affidavit directly from IQS. IQS has contacted NS and asked to submit additional information. NS has submitted additional information. IQS has submitted revised affidavit to the state on December 10.
           • The final letter was received by NS and IQS on January 1, 2019. IQS has appealed the final decision. NS has provided additional information hoping IQS would use in the process.
           • NS has asked IQS for a copy of the affidavit. NS hasn’t received a final reply about the program. Preschool budget deadline is on January 31, 2019
           • In case of the refusal, NS will have to reapply in the fall of 2019.
           • Discussion: would NS consider opening a paid program for 4 yo in the fall of 2019.
   2. NS Board Self Evaluation
      • Survey Monkey format was used for convenience purposes. It also allows to generate data for future discussion and analysis. *

        *See the below attached document for results of the survey.

8. New Business
   1. School policies review
      • All policies were emailed to all members except wellness policy. We have instructions from the state for wellness. We need to re-open the committee for wellness to review. Yelena Kurdyumova volunteered to be on the new wellness committee.
      • The school board discussed the policies and reviewed them.
      • Board members asked about training requirements
      • Board members discussed what is a gift.
        NS Wellness Policy ( to be revised and approved in March 2019)
        NS Policy 2.1 Board Election Process
        NS Policy 2.2 Board Member Training
        NS Policy 2.3 Board Committees
        NS Policy 2.4.1 Conflict of Interest
        NS Policy 2.4.2 Prohibition of sexual, religious, and racial harassment and violence
        NS Policy 2.4.3 Gifts to employees and board members

        Motion to accept the revised policies 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4.1, 2.4.2, and 2.4.3 as official Nasha Shkola school policies.

        Motion by: Alexej Abyzov
        Seconded by: Ivanna Gradinar
        9-0-0

9. Other
   1. Investigate ways to remove or sanction a board member who is disruptive to the school’s operations. (Procedure was sent to all board members)
   2. Get all information such as by-laws and other stuff in one spot so that we can check it easily when questions of legality come up. (A request was sent to post by-laws and links to legal documents on NS website)
   3. Have audio recordings of meetings for better record keeping (the practice will start on 1/15/2019).
   4. Discuss negative comments on the internet about our school.
10. Adjourn
    Motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:22pm.
    Motion by: Christian Schmidt
    Seconded by: Yelena Kurdyumova
    9-0-0

ACTION ITEMS:

1. Research fees, research space, and research budget for pre-school.
2. Restart wellness committee.
3. Board member training for Andrew Wood.
4. Human rights officer name and contact info.
5. Best school of Brooklyn Park.

Next Board Meeting: February 19, 2019 – Nasha Shkola School
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.