- Library materials parental review policy
- New board management system
- Citizen comment on discipline
- Policy updates
- Highlights
By Jackie Burhans
The Monument Academy (MA) board met on Sept. 12 to discuss its library materials parental review policy and adopt a new board management system. The board also heard a citizen comment on discipline, updated several policies, and spotlighted a teacher for her engaging and innovative lessons.
Library materials parental review policy
The board returned to discussing its policy KECL on parental review of library materials. Board member Karen Hoida said the Governance Committee had made some changes and wanted to discuss some new proposals that would allow more books to stay on shelves. She noted that the committee had received a lot of public comments, and many of the changes were related to those. Board member Jilinda Dygert said the review form and process were not yet available.
Board President Ryan Graham asked what a reasonable amount of time it would take for the Review Committee to review a book that a parent suggested. Dygert said it would depend on how often the committee meets. Executive Director Collin Vinchattle said the length would depend on how many books were submitted for review.
Dygert said that parents could volunteer for a two-year term on the Review Committee without a specified term limit as long as their kids were in school. Graham noted that the policy says parent members are appointed by Vinchattle, asking if they would have to be re-approved for an additional term. Vinchattle noted that many people are interested in the committee, saying he would have to work out the process.
Dygert added that the Governance Committee had removed item 22 because the library system cannot notify parents as their child checks out books. She said the librarian can show parents how to access the system and see their child’s checkout history. The librarian can also add a note if the parent prefers their child not access the library.
Graham said he wanted a summary of the parental feedback before approving the policy. He expressed concern that a book could not be challenged for five years and that limiting the number of books parents could challenge would limit their voice. He proposed that the board delay this approval until next month and have the opportunity to react to a redline version of the policy that shows its changes. Hoida and Dygert agreed to the delay with Hoida specifying that MA has a wonderful librarian, and she does not anticipate a large influx of books to review.
New board management system
Vinchattle and Vice President Lindsay Clinton reported that they had reviewed three options and preferred Simbli Board Management Software to help manage meetings, policies, and board documents. Vinchattle said all this information is currently on the board website but is not very well organized or easy to manage. Simbli would also host other essential documents, such as MA’s original charter and its latest charter agreement with the district. Clinton cited its security, organization, and efficiency, saying that staff and parents could find everything in one spot.
Vinchattle said that the software has different modules with different pricing. The company would prorate the costs and offer a 25% discount if purchased in September. He suggested using available funds for board professional development for this purchase.
Chief Financial Officer Glenn Gustafson confirmed that funds were available for professional development and technology. He said he came from an environment with a robust board management system and felt this was a great investment.
The board unanimously approved purchasing the Simbli meetings, policies, and documents modules. For more information on Simbli, see www.eboardsolutions.com.
Citizen comment on discipline
A parent spoke, first thanking the board and school for their efforts, about a growing concern with school discipline, especially the difference between West and East Campus. He said parents were aware of physical altercations involving teachers, paraprofessionals, and substitute teachers. He noted that children knew the limits of discipline and consequences of breaking the rules and that he knew certain teachers who felt helpless.
He said that as a parent, it’s unnerving to know that children may be entering situations where adult intervention does not solve the problem. He said he wasn’t looking for strictness or authoritarianism, but if there was any decision-maker concerned about the impact on budgets or lawsuits, the school should know it had the support of parents whose kids wanted to attend the school.
He pointed out that losing one child because of discipline meant the loss of one child’s funding, but not defending the other children could result in losing the other 22 students. He noted that homeschooling had become much easier since COVID-19 but asked what parents could do better in their homes to align with classroom expectations.
Graham said he would share the parent’s email with Vinchattle to follow up.
Policy updates
The MA board unanimously adopted and updated several policies at the regular meeting. Vinchattle said new policies were adopted so they could be modified to fit MA. Hoida said any legal questions were brought to counsel for review. She said the Governance Committee would bring five policies to each monthly board meeting:
- GBEB-MA Staff Conduct – new policy concerning rules of conduct.
- GBGA-MA Staff Heath – speaks to how MA would cover the cost of required special physical exams.
- GBGA-R-MA Staff Health regulation – placeholder in case MA wants to vary from the district policy.
- GDE/GDF-MA Support Staff Recruiting/Hiring – minor edit on hiring guidelines such as non-discrimination and finalization.
- GDE/GDF-R-MA Support Staff Recruiting/Hiring regulation – covers procedures for hiring, including background checks, credit reports, fingerprinting, and state reporting.
Board policies can be found on the MA website at http://bit.ly/ma-boe by selecting Board Policies.
Highlights
Board meeting highlights include:
- Board member Craig Carle spotlighted eighth-grade history teacher Casey Heinbuch for creating engaging lessons and finding an opportunity to work with the El Paso County judicial system for students to participate in a mock trial.
- Vinchattle said he had received the school performance framework for both schools and congratulated principals and teachers for increasing the schools’ ratings.
- Vinchattle read a letter that was sent out to parents kicking off fundraising for a new field with a track to enhance students’ athletic experience. Families are invited to participate in fundraising; the initial goal is $100,000 to win a matching grant from the Daniels Fund. The initial bid totals $3.5 million broken out as $1.5 million for the field, $500,000 for the track and another $1.5 million for concessions, lights, and stands.
- The board unanimously approved awarding a contract to Abacas LLC for accounts payable processing as requested by Gustafson, who noted that MA’s business manager would be retiring at the end of the month.
- Vinchattle asked the board if there was additional information it wanted to ask in the Student Accountability Advisory Committee (SAAC) surveys. Vice President Lindsay Clinton suggested asking how parents feel about fundraising efforts and how they prefer to give.
- Dygert suggested a combined presentation to East and West Campus SAACs on the Unified Improvement Plan (UIP). She said the two SAACs could review their bylaws separately and come together to make modifications, or they could do that in the reverse order.
- The board unanimously agreed to revise the staff handbook to specify that classroom displays and decorations must have a connection to the curriculum or content of the coursework being taught. Any potentially divisive material must have a curricular purpose, be balanced, and be approved by an administrator in advance.
- Vinchattle asked the board to perform its yearly review of the Emergency Operating Procedures and provide feedback, noting that it had minor modifications around school resource officers and the Fire Department.
- The board approved a special meeting on Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. to have consultant Lis Richard of Helping Schools Thrive present to the board.
- The board held a short executive session to discuss specialized details of security arrangements and returned without acting.
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The MA School Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. The next regular board meeting will be on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the East Campus. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/ma-boe.
Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.
Other Monument Academy articles
- Monument Academy School Board, Sept. 12 – Board discusses parental review of library materials, adopts management system (10/5/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, Aug. 8, 16, and 29 – Board sets non-legal name change policy (9/7/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, July 11 – Board resolution related to Title IX (8/3/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, June 13 – Board members sworn in, budget re-adopted (7/6/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, March 10, 14, and 21 – Board selects executive director candidates (4/6/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, Feb. 8 and 22 – Board passes parental rights policy 6-1; member resigns (3/2/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, Jan. 5 and 11 – Board discusses the financial risk of parental rights policy (2/3/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, Dec. 14 – Board hears about midyear budget, enrollment/retention, fundraising plans (1/6/2024)
- Monument Academy School Board, Nov. 9 – Board hears first read of gender transition policy, plans to address East Campus budget issues (12/2/2023)
- Monument Academy School Board, Oct. 5 and 26 – Enrollment shortfall causes budget challenges (11/4/2023)