Uwharrie Charter Academy
Board Meeting
June 11, 2014
6:30PM
Board members:
Shannon McCrary
Mark Hensley
Michael Strickland
Lisa Garrison
Leslie Green
Julia Delgrande (by phone)
Others:
Rhonda Dillingham
Heather Soja
The meeting was called to order by Lisa Garrison. Consent agenda was discussed. Shannon
moved to approve the minutes. Michael seconded. All in favor.
Mark discussed a meeting with LB and A with Heather. Their information, per Mark, was late in
the game. They know our meeting schedule and we have asked for a monthly budget before
each executive council meeting. We hope to see that at the next meeting. If we move to another
firm, we need to do that next month by July 1. Acadia’s proposal quoted $40,000 more than
what we currently pay LB and A. Motion from Michael to approve treasurer’s report. Shannon
seconded. All in favor.
CEO report: Please inform the public of the proposed middle school. Mark would like to have
close to 400 names on the list. We are leasing Chromebooks and 189 can go back into
circulation next year. Maybe 50-60 will have their own, but we will have to order 100 at least.
We’d like to lease from another company (Samsung is heartier). They on sale for $234 until
June 30. This price includes insurance???? Heather requests approval from board to move
ahead. All in favor.
Facilities: We are looking into safety grants. Fire marshal doesn’t like our buzzer system per
building inspector because they just went to a training that didn’t approve buzzers. We will
investigate. Phase II construction/demo starts on Monday. Lisa asked about the use of local
contractors. One subcontractor is from Myrtle Beach. Moving along on new site. Found rock.
Will build pad up so that they don’t have to do blasting. Board took a look at the plans for new
building. The middle school will also have a late start time. Board likes the plans. August
hearing special use hearing. Please come and show support. Enrollment: It ebbs and flows. We
have 16 available spots for rising freshmen currently. Most students who aren’t returning are
moving out of state. Only 7 not returning total. We have fewer students coming from
Southwest, more from Davidson, and more from Montgomery Counties. We expect the
available spots to be filled. Please let people know we have spots. We also have a new sign to
display at the Lewallen/Highway 49 intersection. Personnel: We have two positions to fill in
science and PE.
CCO report: Mark suggested that we keep the website up-to-date and keep communication
flowing.
Facilities: Updated already on construction. Charlie is interested in selling land to us for down
payment of $10,000 and pay maybe $500-600 per month. Official terms forthcoming. Mark
asked if neighbors complained about the use this year. Drivers had to pull over and the noise
level were the two complaints. We will add speed bumps and ask drivers to drive slowly. We
will add a sign that says, “Speed bumps ahead.” Mark suggests that making sure the field ties
into a long range plan. It would be nice to have all fields in the same place, but it might not be
possible. If it is a good financial opportunity, then we should look at it. DOT will add a service
road. Adding soccer fields could be source of revenue for us.
Public relations: Middle school recruitment, and signage already discussed in CEO report. We
have an appointment with Klaussner next week to inform them of our move. Letters to the editor
appreciated. Tonight is our annual meeting and we’re going to be losing Lisa to rotating off the
board. We need to be thinking about who will take Lisa’s place. Mac has spoken to Sarah
Neely-Lanier, an attorney in town, daughter of Judge Neely. She is willing to join us. Lisa
moved that we invite her to the next meeting. Mark seconded. All in favor. Julia asked if seven
members is good or do we want nine? Mark suggested that the president of the PPO be present
at meetings. Heather discussed dissolving the PPO because it wasn’t as effective as we had
hoped. We would like to add a parent representative on a committee so that parents would still
be plugged in. Perhaps we should have a parent representative on the board. Julia reported that
people like to give to sports over academics. Julia asked about the profit from the raffle which
was about $3,000.00. Mark moved that the board resolves to thank Lisa for her board tenure.
Michael seconded. All in favor. Mark suggests that we have a plaque with names of board
members and their years of service.
Michael moved to move into closed session. Shannon seconded. All in favor.
Personnel discussion: Current teachers were given a 2.5% pay raise. New teachers’ salaries are
listed as well. Mark asked about Brooke Mahanes, whose contract was not renewed. Julia asked
if $627,211.25 is in our budget. Heather responded by saying that we are still waiting on the
state to finalize its budget. We pay more than other public schools due to the pay freeze. We will
be adding a receptionist and an online/distance/attendance/ISS facilitator. Spanish over a year is
too long. As a non-profit, we have to make sure that what we’re paying people is fair market
value. If our salaries were roughly $300,000.00, that was x% of our budget this year. What will
the salary percentage be of our overall budget with adding these teachers? If the board has
monthly updates to the budget, then after first semester, the board should be able to create the
next year’s budget. We want to recruit and retain the best teachers. If our % jump is 40%-50%,
then there could be a huge hit to the budget. Suzanne Cash will be counselor. Mark moved we
approve as presented. Lisa seconded. All in favor. Mark asked about Ms. Mahanes’s response
to our decision to not approve her contract. She handled it well. We offered her some
constructive feedback. Julia suggested that we pay our coaches instead of volunteer coaches,
especially due to the cross country coach last year. Heather responded that that coach will be
paid for last year and this year. That coach is retired from teaching, so she has more time to
devote to coaching. She doesn’t always respond to our communications. Van should figure out
why if a coach doesn’t show up for practice. One coach refuses to be paid because it affects his
taxes. Heather and Rhonda agree that our salaries will stay the same for three years. Mark
suggests that we reconsider. Michael says that it sends an implied message that the school is not
financially sound. Lisa moved to renew administrative staff’s contracts yet still review the
administrative staff’s salaries. Mark seconded. All in favor. Heather will bring administrative
contracts to the next board meeting. The student who brought the knife to school has decided to
go to Southwest Randolph High School next year.
Leslie moved to move out of closed session. Michael seconded. All in favor.
No public comments were made.
Leslie discussed possible PR options. Mark warned that Facebook bragging about our EOC
scores should probably be discussed in general terms until we know what the other schools’
scores are.
Shannon moved to adjourn. Leslie seconded. All in favor.