Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Meeting Notes
Monick Foote, Dean of Students, (Moyer), was unable to attend this meeting.
f.
5. Creating a calendar of expected and required items in place to bring timeliness and
order to delivering all reports on time ensuring Moyer is in compliance.
6. Helping incoming 6th grade students into Middle School and 8th graders moving into
High School and 9th grade.
7. Focusing professional development on needed areas including team building.
8. Celebrating successes, too.
9. Working to hire, attract and retain the best students and staff.
10. Modeling the behaviors he is asking for from the staff and the students.
11. Being first mate to his Captain Mr. Clarke.
Ms. Walls, in her role of Curriculum Director spoke to her responsibilities and how she will achieve them
as follows:
1. Responsible for providing support to teachers, not to evaluate but to ensure they have
the tools and support needed by each one.
2. To make it as simple as possible for teachers so they dont burn out but can focus on:
a. Developing excellent lesson plans.
b. Delivering quality instruction.
3. To make sure that teachers know what is being asked of them and how to accomplish it.
4. Use DCAS testing and data to analyze student and teacher performance.
5. Provide reports to the board including:
a. Variance reports that ensure data is not skewed (for example, 6% performance
score is specious because it is the result for a single 6th grader).
b. Reports on students who are not making enough credits at interim points to
reach the total credits required to move to the next class.
6. Collect and monitor data and use it to
a. Analyze performance in both teachers and students, study the data, determine
root causes and help to resolve issues.
b. Teach teachers how to read and use data, not just hand them results.
7. Work with teachers that might seem to be hard-headed to find out whether its
something that can be taught -- an issue of low skill and high will or an issue of belief
they dont believe Moyer students can succeed.
8. Offer one-on-one and group professional development.
9. Use testing to set base lines for incoming 6th graders to determine if they are
functioning at or below grade level and set plans to help them achieve based on results.
10. Provide data and reports to the board specifically on % of students who will graduate
and the retention rate of the student body.
ACTION ITEM: DCAS scores for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 were reviewed and discussed. Ms. Walls is to
come back to the board with recommended DCAS goals for the 2013-2014 School Year that takes all
factors into considerations and explain to the board what factors affect the numbers and the rationale
behind the goals she sets. TABLED for additional information and subsequent review and vote by the
Board, set for Friday, 7/12/2013.
Ms. Foote in her role as Dean of Students, reports to Mr. Martin and is responsible for:
1. Defining student and staff behaviors.
2. Managing behavior management systems for all grades (6 thorough 12).
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NOTE: Other suggested policy changes were tabled for discussion on 7/12/2013.
Recruitment - 2013/14 Recruitment Benchmarks - Leonard Young Briefly reviewed with no actions or
votes taken by the Board except the following directive:
ACTION ITEM: Check all Moyer forms and documents including letterhead and remove the K12 logo
from all. Mr. Young and Ms. Pat
Friday, July 12, 2013
Professional Development Session II: Fixing Our Board Meetings to Strengthen Our Board
BOARD WISER Modules 7 through 12 & Bonus Module
On Day 3 of the retreat, the Board and Administrative Staff for Moyer completed training designed to
improve and strengthen the board and its working relationship with the Administrative Staff at The New
Moyer Academy. Modules completed in the second session included:
Module 7 7/12/2013
Module 8 7/12/2013
Module 9 7/12/2013
Module 10 7/12/2013
Module 11 7/12/2013
Module 12 7/12/2013
Bonus Module 7/12/2013
ACTION I TEMS
1. The Board needs to write an explicit policy that describes under what conditions nepotism will
be permitted as well as how related parties will be prevented from improperly benefiting one
another. No responsibility assigned
NOTE: Per Dr. Curry, when the Board writes it policy on nepotism, it must recognize that the
definition extends beyond family; it applies to friends and relationships between current
employees and prospective employees.
2. The board must create a Confidentiality Form and a Conflict of Interest form. The forms must
be reviewed by the lawyer. Once the forms are reviewed by the lawyer, they will be presented
at the next Board meeting, edited if required and voted on by a quorum of the Board of
Directors. If approved, ALL board members must sign each form. Kevan Turman
3. Moyer Academy needs to create an addendum to the confidentiality language currently in
Employee Handbook.
The addendum will replace the last paragraph of current Confidentiality clause on page 8 and
will read as follows, Under no circumstance will the Moyer Board or Administrative staff
tolerate any negative or malicious discussions about the New Moyer Academy.
ALL current and incoming employees of the New Moyer Academy will be required to initial the
pages (7 and 8) with the current confidentiality clause and sign the addendum to the Employee
Handbook.
Board Action Items II:
2013/14 Operational - Ms. Wongus
The Moyer budget is balanced.
There was a surplus of $398,000 at the end of the fiscal year. However under the Performance
Framework requirement, Moyer had to have enough dollars set aside to pay summer salaries which
totaled $307,000. Moyer was able to cover that sum and had a surplus of $98,000 for FY 2013-2014.
Before making a motion to approve the budget, the following items were reviewed at a high level:
1. The Crosstab a listing of all vendors actually used and available to the public on the online
checkbook. It provides transparency in terms of transactions for services rendered and ONLY
lists those that are Moyer specific.
2. Teachers Salaries this line item is related to the subsequent discussion on fundraising. The
Boards mandate to Moyer, per Dr. Curry, is to, ...treat our teachers right relative to salary.
Use School Districts like Colonial to determine norms and try to get within 10% of that districts
salaries for teaching staff.
3. Fundraising To attract and retain the caliber of staff, especially teaching staff, that Moyer
requires, it is necessary for Moyer to begin to look for funding opportunities and grants outside
of those offered by the State of Delaware and the Federal government. This funding is desirable
because spending of grant monies cannot be controlled by either governmental agency.
4. Student Activities- in the 2012-2013 budget, Student Activities were not funded however costs
were incurred to fund or subsidize activities like field trip transportation and the Junior/Senior
Prom.
5. School Uniforms this line item showed a negative balance because Moyer absorbed the costs
for uniform shirts rather than send students who were out of uniform to In School Suspension
(ISS) or home for dress code violations. Expressed issues offered by students and/or parents for
not being in uniform included:
a. Could not afford them.
b. Lost them or tore/damaged them beyond repair.
c. Forgot to wash them.
d. Forgot to wear them to school.
6. Technology needs for Moyer Academy are high: It was noted that:
a. Computers stolen in SY 2011-2012 were NOT replaced.
b. Delaware DT I is mandating a hardware and software and facility update for school
computer labs.
Early estimates for the hardware, software and facility upgrades are in the range of $100,000.
A motion to approve the Preliminary SY2013-2014 Budget and Surplus was put on the table with the
understanding that fixed costs are pretty well set but line item expenditures are not and the provisos
that the Board:
1.
Receives monthly budget updates from the Business Manager.
2.
Reserves the right to approve any and all changes to said budget
Unanimously Approved
ACTION ITEMS:
1. The Crosstab/Online Checkbook list of vendors will be sent to all members of the Board and the
Moyer Administrative staff. Ms. Wongus
2. The Crosstab/Online Checkbook list of vendors MUST be reviewed by every board member
individually to immediately identify any possible connection between said board member and
any vendor on the list. Connections can include family members, investment, and vested
interest. The Board
3. Determine the dollar amount allocated/available for Student Activities for SY 2013-2014. The
Board
4. Dress code enforcement and punishment for violations will be reviewed and new/different
alternatives to absorption of cost will be proposed as a revised dress code policy for review by
the Board. Moyer Academy Ad Hoc Committee
As part of this revision and in support of the concept that curriculum is not just content, The
Board also wants a review of the current dress code with recommendations :
a. That might incorporate some of the tenets of KIP program (Ms. Walls).
b. Allow students to earn their shirts
c. Allow students some level of expression about what they are wearing.
5. Mandatory training for new Board members on Title 14 Education Delaware Administrative
Code 700 Finance and Personnel must take place within one year of election to the board.
Dates and times are to be sent to the Board for said training. Ms. Wongus
6. Since computer hardware, software and facilities are mandated to be upgraded for SY 20132014, a letter is to be generated and sent to K12 requesting that it pick up some of the costs
involved. Dr. Curry
7. As K12 is not paid until the end of the School Year, beginning in School Year 2013-2014, the
Business Manager will provide monthly reports at Board Meetings on what K12 is billing Moyer.
Providing this information will allow the Board to reject line items in K12s bill and ensure Moyer
receives required services. Ms. Wongus
8. Perform an inventory of all text books currently on the Moyer campus but NOT being used by
any teacher for any course in preparation for:
a. An audit of K12 billing for textbooks.
b. Return of unused books to K12 for a refund.
9. Determine who is responsible for ordering textbooks for 2013-2014 and hold that person
accountable for only ordering what is needed and will be used. Mr. Martin/Ms. Walls
2011-2012 & 2012-2013 Audits
Final audits for SY 2011-2012 & 2012-2013 have not been received by the Board of Directors.
Per Ms. Wongus, the delay for receiving SY 2012-2013 Auditors Report is the an outstanding invoice in
the amount of $2900, for said Auditors Report. As of this meeting, the reports are 6 months past the
original delivery date. The delay in delivering this financial information to the Board is affecting the
Boards ability to perform its duties as it relates to The New Moyer Academy.
Although the SY 2011-2012 report is considered not to be up to par, it was made clear that there are
two significant and financially-based reasons for expediting delivery of both reports. The Board must
have those audits in hand to apply for bank loans and before it can begin working on grant applications
outside of those offered by the State of Delaware.
A Moyer Credit Card
A motion was presented to provide a credit card for Moyer Academy to use for purchases with the
understanding that:
1. Internal controls and spending parameters will be established prior to the acquisition of such a
card.
2. An investigation and comparison will be made between the State of Delaware issued card (all
rebates belong to the State) and the American Express card in which points belong to the holder
and make a recommendation based on the findings of the investigation and comparison will be
made to the board for its approval.
Unanimously Approved
ACTION ITEMS: Ms. Wongus
1. Have K12 pay the invoice for the SY 2011-2012 Report.
2. Provide verification that the outstanding invoice for the SY 2011-2012 audit has been paid.
3. If there are any delays in receiving the audits from the company which did the SY 2011-2012
Report, have the attorney send a letter to the Auditor demanding delivery of the final SY 20112012 Auditors Report.
4. Provide the Board with the final Auditors Reports for SY 2011-2012 and SY 2012-2013, as soon
as possible.
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5. Investigate and recommend a corporate credit card for Moyer with the choices being the State
of Delaware issued card (all rebates belong to the state) and the American Express card in which
points belong to the holder Moyer Academy. Ms. Wongus
ACTION ITEM: when the motion to acquire a Moyer Academy card is put before the board, the motion
must include the following:
a. Provisos noted in the motion to get a credit card (above).
b. Internal controls and spending parameters defined and included.
c. Signatories will be the Principal and the Business Manager
d. The Board will be responsible for monthly reconciliation.
2011-2013 DCAS Performance Results Update
While DCAS Performance results for the prior two school years (2011-2012 and 2012-2013) were
discussed on Thursday, July 11, 2013, further data was required for clarification in order to set
appropriate goals for School Year 3013-2014.
DCAS Goals presented on 7/11/2013 (Thursday) were deemed to be acceptable with one change. The
2014 10th grade Math target for Meets/Advanced will be raised from 41% to 50%. While considered
reachable, it was acknowledged that achievement of these goals requires:
1. A detailed plan with benchmarks and tasks.
2. A hard look at Moyer scholars currently in the 9th grade to identify students who are close to
reaching the goal(s) and those who barely got there with an eye to moving both cohorts up in
scores.
A motion to approve the 2013 DCAS Update goals as amended to require 50% target of
Meets/Advanced for 2014 Math/10th grade was put forward for a vote. Unanimously Approved
NOTE: A second set of goals labeled internal only are the targets that Moyers Administration will
strive to reach. These goals are considered rigorous but reachable for Math & Reading:
1. 70% of students performing at or above proficiency
2. 20% or less of students performing at well below proficiency.
ACTION ITEM:
Add the actual # of students by grade/category to provide a frame of reference. Ms. Walls
Board Action Items II - Board Constitution & School Charter Review - Dr. Curry
The following items were placed before board members for review, discussion and a vote. The outcome
is noted next to each item under Board Policy & Procedures:
1. Board Meeting Minutes minutes for Board meetings will be limited to what was done and
what action was taken based on the suggested format on pages 40 and 41 of Board Meetings: A
Guide for Charter Schools by Marci Cornell-Feist. Unanimously Approved
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2. Board Meeting Attendance Roster attendance for Board meetings will be taken using the grid
format illustrated on page 41 of Board Meetings: A Guide for Charter Schools as follows:
Name
Dr. Curry
Ms. Coker
Mr. Turman
Mr. Jacobs
Sept 201x
- Signifies in attendance
Oct 201X
Nov 201x
UN
N is a Notified absence
Dec 201x
Jan 201x
Feb 201x
Mar 201x
UN is an Un-notified absence
Unanimously Approved
3. Board Attendance Policy A motion to adopt the board attendance policy, verbatim, as written
in Board Meetings: A Guide for Charter Schools on pages 45 and 46 was presented.
Unanimously Approved
4. Time & Date for Board Meetings SY 2013-2014 A motion to hold 2013-2014 Board meetings
on the 4th Tuesday of every month with dinner being served between 5 and 6PM and the
business of the Board commencing at 6PM was presented. Unanimously Approved
5. Board Secretary a motion to nominate Monique Chadband to fill the current vacancy of
Secretary of the Board was made. In this position, Ms. Chadband would:
a. Ensure that the meeting minutes for every board meeting were taken by the new
Administrative Assistant to the Board, whose attendance at Board meetings is
mandatory and whose responsibility to take notes will begin at the September, 2013
meeting.
b. Accurately reflect board business.
c. Are distributed to Board members in a timely manner.
d. Are sent to Moyer for uploading to the Board page on the New Moyer Academy web
site.
This motion was Tabled with one action item.
ACTION ITEM: Position descriptions will be created for all Board positions. Personnel
Committee/Ms. Chadband
6. K-12 Performance Appraisal System - A motion was made to approve the revised K12 Evaluation
form and process which was modified with the addition of a simplified rubric that allowed
consistent scoring across criteria and streamlined the evaluation process. Unanimously
Approved
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7. Financial Oversight Committee a motion was made to appoint Kevan Turman to the Financial
Oversight Committee with responsibility for monthly reporting to the Board on status and issues
related to the financial operation of The New Moyer Academy. Unanimously Approved
ACTION ITEM: Mr. Turman is to work with Ms. Wongus to identify a parent, a school employee
and a couple of board members to make up the members of the Financial Oversight Committee.
8. Moyer Academy Personnel Handbook a motion was made to create an addendum to the
current Personnel Handbook as it pertains to Confidentiality. The addendum will replace the
last paragraph of current Confidentiality clause on page 8 and will read as follows, Under no
circumstance will the Moyer Board or Administrative staff tolerate any negative or malicious
discussions about the New Moyer Academy.
ALL current and incoming employees of the New Moyer Academy will be required to initial the
pages (7 and 8) with the current confidentiality clause and sign the addendum to the Employee
Handbook. Unanimously Approved
Concentric Presentation Dr. Hieber
Di. Heiber, who has been working with School Administration since early Spring of 2013, spoke on the
need to make data driven decisions starting with numbers on 3 predictive indicators:
1. Attendance
2. Behavior
3. Academics (Grades and Courses)
Quantitative data such as these are readily available through existing systems. These data should be
looked at, ...early and often. The Principal and the Assistant Principal should be able to answer
questions about average daily attendance and short term suspensions, immediately because these data
should be readily available.
However, Dr. Hieber considers numbers, ...trailing indicators; academic success cannot be achieved
without understanding and aligning the social and emotional requirements of each student attending
the school.
To create an alignment, qualitative data are required.
Qualitative data require information-gathering methods that undercover problems in subjects home life
and in environment. Such ethnographic data is based almost entirely on fieldwork3 but are critical to
tailoring intervention plans individualized for each student that address social and emotional
requirements of the student.
The ethnographer lives among the people who are the subject of study for a year or more, learning and participating in everyday life while
striving to maintain a degree of objective detachment. He or she usually cultivates close relationships with parents and students who can
provide specific information on aspects of cultural life.
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At the core of the Concentric approach to support of the students are the following tenets:
1. It must be ...intentional.
2. It requires a core team of stakeholders.
3. It does not all anyone ...to drop the ball.
4. It holds everyone responsible.
ACTION ITEMS:
Moyer Academy will continue to work with Dr. Heiber to get the whole team together to develop a plan
to use data on attendance, discipline (which goes to behavior) and academics immediately to craft plans
for a pilot cohort of students. Evaluating and using quantitative and qualitative data and creating
student plans:
1. Demand that all core team members provide data that is entered accurately and immediately.
2. Require that files for all students who are considered Special Education be reviewed to ensure
that the proper evaluation and designation have been made.
3. Demand that ALL teachers be involved in doing home visits; Dr. Heiber suggests 2 home visits
per student before the beginning of SY 2-13-2014. NOTE: Dr. Heiber has a standardized set of
questions to use during home visits so that information elicited by teachers is able to be collated
and used to identify common issues and triggers.
Teachers and Administration must be involved in doing unannounced home visits at times
convenient to the parents, not the teachers. Home visits are not just for gathering quantitative
data like address and contact information.
Home visits act as:
a. An instructional tool.
b. Build relationships in the community.
c. Change the staff culture from, ...telling parents and students what they need to asking
them what they need, instead.
4. Require Individual Development Plans that include the success factors academics, attendance,
behavior and ethnographic data (social and emotional component).
5. Require the team to develop a set of criteria by which it can identify and escalate students
considered Tier III (high risk).
Facilities Plan - Dr. Curry
Currently, Moyer is leasing all three buildings at 600 to 611 East 17th Street:
1. The monthly rent for the building is $25,000.
2. The building is in the process of changing owners with the sale to be confirmed by Delaware
Superior Court on August 19, 2013.
3. It is assumed that, once the sale is finalized, the new owners will allow Moyer to continue to
rent the property, however under a rental agreement, the school could be evicted at the whim
of the new owners.
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The following information was offered as discussion points for approving the purchase of the property
that Moyer Academy is currently leasing:
1. K12 will lend Moyer the $2.1 million to purchase the building at an interest rate of 5.3%, below
the market rate for commercial loans. Dr. Curry already has K12s promissory note in his
possession.
2. The assessed value of the property that the Academy occupies is $6.1 million.
3. The monthly payment if the Moyer were to purchase the building would be $14,150, more than
$10,000 per month less than the current lease payment.
4. Purchase would only be made when:
a. All liens on the property had been wiped away
b. Moyers real estate attorney reviewed the transaction and approved it.
5. Moyer would commit to paying off the loan:
a. Within the specified term of 5 years
b. Or if the contract with K12 is terminated.
A motion was presented to agree to move forward with the purchase of the property, based on the
terms as disclosed, with K12 as the lender and with the only requirements being that Moyer repay the
loan if K12 leaves, and with Moyers Property Attorneys assurances that there are no liens on the
property and that Moyer will hold clear title. Unanimously Approved
School Annual Calendar - Mr. Clarke
A motion to approve the proposed 2013-2014 School Calendar was presented and, with little review or
discussion, the calendar was Unanimously Approved. However, further review of the calendar by some
Board brought the number of days that the school was closed into question.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. The Board charges Moyer Administration with:
a. Making ALL dates on the calendar confirmed; the Board does not want to see
tentative dates for such important events as Graduation. Mr. Clarke
b. Ensuring that, going forward, documents presented to the board for review and
approval, in general, be thoroughly reviewed by the Moyer staff and accurately reflect
the recommendation(s) being made. Mr. Clarke
2. The Board asks that the calendar be reviewed and a recommendation be made relative to the
number of days the school is closed, days that the school can and should be open, a possible
extension of the school year to increase days in school and a clarification of the difference
between Professional Development days and In Service Days for teachers. Dr. Stephenson
Attendance Plan of Action - Mr. Clarke
Moyer has a huge problem with attendance and truancy. The Board asked for a plan on how to
remediate both problems. However, Moyer needs to work with Dr. Heiber to review and revise the
current activities in place at the school and modify the plan to include home visits. TABLED
Teacher Coaching Plan - TABLED with one ACTION ITEM for Moyer Administrative Staff:
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A presentation on coaching techniques for teachers is to be made at the September Board Meeting.
Items to include in this presentation were tactics that would be used to ensure what is taught is
reviewed and reinforced including:
1. Put tactics such as Learning Walks in place.
2. Teach Like A Champion principles, leadership, and empowerment for the team are in place.
3. Create a plan to adapt in the event the approach is not working.
Marketing Strategy - Mr. Young - TABLED
Board Assignments - Dr. Curry - TABLED
Fundraising Planning - Board Discussion - TABLED because a vote is not possible without Audit reports
from 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. This was moved for review and discussion to Septembers Board
Meeting.
Parent Pledge (Ms. Coker)
The Board reviewed the proposed Parents Pledge and informally endorsed the pledge for use in the fall
of SY 2013-2014.
ACTION ITEM: Put together a plan to introduce the pledge and get parents to sign it. Present the plan
and ask Moyer Administration to approve and accept it. Ms. Coker & Ms. Harper
What Makes Moyer Unique?
Discussion about a Parent Pledge led to the introduction of other ideas to begin the process of
transforming Moyers culture and, ultimately, possibly rebranding the school.
What should the school/property be called: suggestions included campus. What should children who
attend Moyer be called? Currently they are called students, children and in some cases, kids. A motion
was made to begin calling all Moyer students, scholars beginning in SY 2013-2014. Unanimously
Approved
ACTION ITEMS:
1. A plan must be created to outline the entire program and introduce this concept to the faculty
and staff as well as the scholars and their parents and guardians. As discussed, the program
would hold the faculty and staff to the same level of comportment and responsibility as it does
the students. Administrative Staff
2. Per Dr. Curry, the plan must include the staff and require that all, Model the behavior you want
to see. The tangible outcome of this statement is that the Administration will have to teach
the staff professionalism as part of the Professional Development offerings. Administration
The plan will have to answer such questions as:
a. Does Moyer give the title scholar to all students at the beginning of the year or ask
them to earn it.
b. Can the title be taken away if students have behavior issues?
c. Should Moyer shirts be earned?
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d. Should the privilege of personalizing the Moyer shirt (within specified parameters) be
earned?
e. Should students create an acronym around scholars?
f. Can the program be tied to the short story of Maurice J. Moyer who was R.E.P an
acronym that Moyer may want to use for this program?
i. Responsible
ii. Ethical
iii. Productive
g. How faculty and students will learn about the program and buy into it?
General Discussion
Possible Name Change Tabled for consideration for SY 2014-2015
Names suggested included the Maurice J. Moyer College Preparatory Academy and the Maurice J.
Moyer Collegiate Academy.
A name change would:
1. Help to change the culture of the school.
2. Retain the Maurice J. Moyer name and legacy.
3. Involve a re-branding process.
4. Require a charter modification.
General Statements:
Beginning at September 2013-2014 Board Meeting:
1. Unless expressly requested to present, Dr. Stephenson will not be presenting information.
2. Moyer Academy will be completely responsible for providing required all reports, data and
information to the Board with Moyer Academy Administration being defined as Principal,
Assistant Principal, Curriculum Director, Dean of Students, Business Manager, Marketing &
Recruiting Director.
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