Minutes:  Prairie Creek Community School Board Meeting Thursday, December 9, 2004 Present:    Dan Kelley, John Battiste, Michelle Martin, Brett Reese, Caroline Jones, Laura Medwetz, Nancy Dennis Absent:    Simon Tyler Agenda attached. 2.    October 14 minutes were approved. 1.     Review and Vote on Audit Audit was completed and looks very good.  Cost was much higher than last year ($10,250 vs.  $6,000).  Larsen Allen is a good firm, but pricey.  Some board members expressed discomfort with oversight responsibility without having a deeper understanding of what the audit means.  Motion to approve audit at a future meeting was approved.  For next meeting, all members will read through the audit, and John will highlight important areas to help facilitate discussion and understanding. Michelle will look for any web resources to help. For next year’s audit, board will look for a firm that gives a fixed price and includes some board training. 3.    2005/2006 Preliminary Budget John presented a preliminary budget.  He called it “a lean budget where we’re now trimming lean and not the fat.”  Several open questions: o Recommendation to match Northfield’s rate for full day kindergarten (we were $200 less than them this year.  What is Northfield’s rate for next year? o Per Pupil Rate:  Has been flat for 3 years. This budget assumes it will remain the same once again.  Unknown when the legislature will make the decision. o Community Fund:  (Revenue from Extended Day program)  How can this be spent? o Fundraising:  Bumped up $5,000 from a historically high number.  Can this be met? We are $15K down with this preliminary budget. Classroom size (19 with sharing 3 aides or 20 with 6 aides) would solve the problem.  An increase in state funding might solve the problem.   Budget to be discussed at a future meeting.  The Kindergarten rate must be decided at January’s meeting due to lottery for K places taking place at the end of January. 4.    Recap of Board Retreat/Next Steps Laura presented a recap of the board retreat .  A motion passed to table a revision of the Mission Statement until the future, due to all that’s on everyone’s plate with the Strategic Plan and the Contract Renewal Process in full swing this year.  A discussion about what we want out of the strategic plan ensued. Caroline explained the Self-Study and Strategic Planning as running parallel as the two have key differences and could not be merged.  However, the high level objectives of the Strategic Plan should be articulated in some measure and ready at the same time as the Self-Study. Ken from MACS will be contacted to facilitate the next steps in developing the strategic plan from the information gathered at the Board Retreat.  A recommendation to have Strategic Planning Meetings separate from regular board meetings was approved.  Laura/Caroline to schedule with Ken. 5.    License Renewal Update Process is continuing.  Steering Committee is to meet next week. 6.    Director’s Report Attached. 7.    Development Update Brett has formed an enthusiastic committee.  Members are Mari Aylin, Patrick Ganey, Mark Aimone, Dan, Caroline and Brett. o Annual Giving Letter is ready to go (toward operating expenses) o They are discussing a Capital Campaign 8.    Other Business Letter requesting a variance to number on board sent last year by Ron Gardner was lost by the state.  Motion to approve variance request was approved. Dan will send a new letter, requesting a variance to allow 7 parents and 3 teachers on the board. Nominations Update (Dan). Dan, Kelly Scheurman and Caroline have recruited two potential people for the board.  Dan will check by-laws, and if possible, will invite them to participate as non-voting members on the board before the formal ballet is sent in May.   9.    Topics for Next Meeting o Budget/Audit o Nominations Update o Contract Renewal Update o Kindergarten Tuition Cost Decision