Northern Lights Academy Cooperative Board Minutes Friday, May 8, 2020 – 10:00 a.

Northern Lights Academy
Cooperative Board Minutes Friday, May 8, 2020 – 10:00 a.m. Google Hangout

Present: Superintendent, Mike McNulty, Barnum; Superintendent, Gwen Carman, Carlton; Superintendent Michael Cary, Cloquet; Superintendent, Nathan Libbon, Cromwell-Wright; Superintendent, Aaron Fischer, Esko; Superintendent, Kerry Juntunen, Hermantown; Superintendent, Bill Crandall, Lake Superior; Superintendent, Bob Indihar, Moose Lake; Superintendent, John Engelking, Proctor; Superintendent, Bill Peel, Willow River; Special Education Director, Dena Hagen, Northern Lights Special Education Coop./NLA; Asst. Sp. Ed. Director of NLA, Barb Mackey, Northern Light Academy Cooperative; Business Manager, Jill Morberg, Northern Lights Special Education Cooperative
Absent: Superintendent, Paul Grams, McGregor; Superintendent, Kim Belcastro, Wrenshall
Guest: Jessica Cook, Special Education Teacher, Duluth East HS and Sp Ed Director Intern
Call to order:
The meeting was called to order at 9:47 a.m.
Approval of Agenda:
Superintendent Peel motioned the addition of MSBA Policy #208 and Policy #714 to the agenda which was approved, seconded by Superintendent Carman and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
Approval of Minutes
- April 2, 2020 meeting minutes Google Hangout (Attachment A) Superintendent Crandall motioned the approval of the April 2, 2020 Board Meeting Minutes short version, seconded by Superintendent Engelking and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
Finance
- Approve Payment of Bills - $3,744.24 (Attachment B) Superintendent Cary motioned the approval of $3,744.24 in total bill payments, seconded by Superintendent Engelking and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
- FY20 Current Budget/Expenses to Revenue update (Attachment E)
Approve FY21 Planning Budget (Attachment C)
- Increase of $51,495.20 (4.62%) from FY20. Additional para approval during the 19-20 school year accounts for majority of increase.
- FY21 planning items of note
- 40 chromebook cart 2-year lease for NLA (school usage only, not 1:1). $10K approximate cost over 2-years. This plan is a rider on Cloquet’s current chromebook lease plan.
- “Teachers on Call” contract to attempt to staff substitutes-$12K. NLA has not been able to get hardly any subs in three years, with zero last year. TOC set up cost is $3,500.00 and $150.00/day per sub.
- Ms. Hagen should check into AESOP to see if vacancies can be advertised through a variety of member districts and/or negotiate with TOC for a refund of set-up costs if no subs are placed. Superintendent McNulty motioned the approval of the FY21 Planning budget, seconded by Superintendent Libbon and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
- Approve FY20 Auditor-BerganKDV (Attachment D) Superintendent Fischer motioned the approval of the FY20 Auditor recommendation for NLA, seconded by Superintendent Libbon and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
SY2020-21 Calendar Approval (Attachment F)
Superintendent Cary motioned the approval of the SY20-21 NLA calendar, seconded by Superintendent Peel and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
Sub-Committee Reports
- Finance - Committee reviewed proposed FY21 planning budgets prior to the regular board meeting. Additional consideration-NLA to become a member of MSBA? Discussion determined NLA should utilize member districts for MSBA info versus becoming a member at this time.
- Programming - Met May 4 re: NLA expansion and what it would take to add 9th gr. programming as a small step toward expansion. Dena Hagen will reach out to MDE for more info.
- Facilities - did not meet, but Ms. Hagen will call a meeting once North Homes reaches out with virtual tour info regarding property for day treatment programming.
Directors’ Report - Barb Mackey, Dena Hagen
- Celebrations
- NLA teachers and paras are making a high percentage of daily distance learning contact even doing curbside visits
- Student Enrollments (Attachment G)
- 7 Students will transition back to their district in the fall. - Fall 2020 NLA is projected to be full at 32 students and doesn’t leave room for any other students at this time, but summer changes always happen.
- Staffing Updates:
- 1.0 FTE EBD teacher is posted with two applicants. - NLA Paras are on hold until Cloquet para bumping is finished. - Option proposed to Cloquet for the MOUs. - Head secretary for NLA took a job at Washington Elementary school in August as their new head secretary. Posting for this position will occur after discussion with Cloquet AFSCME and whether to have another district host the contract for the NLA head secretary.
- Distance Learning Plan (Attachment H)
Posted on NLSEC website - Ms. Mackey and staff have had regular contact with families indicating the NLA Distance Learning Plan for student goals, care for children, nutrition, instructional materials delivery/pickup, health/wellness, attendance/truancy, homelessness to housing instability and even broadband access. NLA keeping parents and students updated as distance learning goes on.
- Close of the School Year - Ms. Mackey reviewed procedures and tasks for staff at the close of 19-20.
Additions to agenda - MSBA Model Policy #208 DEVELOPMENT, ADOPTION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES (Attachment I)
Superintendent Cary waives the three readings on Policy #208 and adopts this policy, seconded by Superintendent Libbon and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
- Policy #714 FUND BALANCES (Attachment J) Superintendent Fischer motioned the approval of the MSBA model policy change from 20% to 10% fund balance, seconded by Superintendent Libbon and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
Ms. Hagen appreciates Superintendents Indihar, Carman, Juntunen and Grams in assisting in the creation of the NLA from the beginning and wishes them well as they move forward in their next endeavors.
Adjourn: Superintendent Carman motioned to adjourn the meeting at 11:11 a.m., seconded by Superintendent Juntunen and it was approved by a unanimous yea vote of all members present.
(June 11, 2020) x