Minutes of the
Lincoln Christian Association School Board
Regular Meeting
June 23, 2014 6:45 p.m.
Lincoln Christian School
High School Media Center
Board Members Present: Keith Miles, Bill Lahman, Cory Free, Billy Friesen, Mark Canfield, Dave
Chapin, Allen Korte, Tom Teckmeyer, Ryan DeHaan, Tom Nesbitt
Administration Present: Mark Wilson, Mark Powell
Board Members Absent: Chris Bubak
1.0: Call to Order
Mr. Miles called the meeting to order.
1.1: Welcome Visitors and Opening Prayer
Mr. Lahman opened in prayer.
1.2: Encouragement from the Word of God
Mr. Friesen provided the word of encouragement.
1.3: Approve agenda/meeting schedule/announcements
The meeting agenda was approved as presented.
1.4: Approve board minutes
Mr. Friesen moved to approve the minutes of the May 19, 2014 meeting as written and presented. Upon
second by Mr. Chapin, the motion was approved.
2.0: Administrative Reports
2.1: Superintendent & Secondary Principal Report
Mr. Wilson referred to his written report. Society is changing and that is a huge opportunity for our
school because people are getting an eye-opener with what society is doing and if our school is standing
strong, we will be increasingly different and that is positive. Even with all this change, God doesn’t
change and our school will be aided with the Spiritual Development Director position as we navigate
through societies changes.
Reading program at LCS is strong and the Christian-based program we purchased required a two-week
long training session and it was very, very good. Secondary teachers will work through the reading
program in August.
Our anti-bullying program is Biblically based: serving, helping, loving, etc…
A school’s success is based on the teachers so we have a number of professional development sessions
that build teacher’s relationships.
As we think about the master plan, we have to think about what God wants and how the things we invest
in will impact our mission.
FEG is very important to our school and it is front and center in our budget because we are running near
capacity. We have to have a very strong base before we can add sections.
Mr. Nesbit pointed out that it is important for staff and parents to know exactly what bullying is and
what the Bible says about how to deal with it.
2.2: Elementary/Preschool Principal Report School Improvement Steering Committee
No report.
2.3: Assistant Principal & Activities Director Report
No report.
2.4: Consultant Report
No report.
2.5: Development Director & Development Committee Report
Mr. Powell referred to his written report.
Last 5 year trend of giving displays God’s continued blessing
Designated gifts are much easier to fund raise than unrestricted gifts
Not having the FEG banquet did affect totals but Mr. Powell has a peace that God will provide
Endowment is at an all-time high
Goal to raise $1.8 million still needed for refurbishment (all classrooms, HVAC, ADA accessible
bathrooms, shoring up roofs, parking lot). It’s noted that we would have to install portable classrooms if
we refurbished the existing classrooms before the new additional classrooms.
Grading is going slow and rain is not helping – significant work still needs to be completed. Grass is
planted in practice field and should be ready by August.
Alumni events: Football Tailgate, Basketball Alumni Night, Summer Reunion
3.0: Committee Reports
3.1: Finance
Mr. Friesen reported that LCS finished slightly under budget for the 2013-2014 school year. Almost all
areas were right on budget. Mr. Friesen notes that the facilities committee transferred their remaining
balance to the foundation to serve as a reserve fund for upcoming repairs that were not realized in the
last month of the budget year
Mr. Chapin recommended that the Board generally avoid a precedent of moving unspent funding from
one calendar year’s budget to the next. The Board generally agreed, but it was the consensus that it is
important to have adequate reserves for unexpected facilities issues and it was the consensus to approve
the transfer to the Foundation.
3.2: Facilities
Mr. Free noted that HVAC renovation project is moving forward and the air conditioning should be
operating in the multipurpose room and H.S. gym by the start of volleyball season.3.3: Human
Resources
No report.
3.4: Marketing & Communications
Mr. Powell reported that the committee is evaluating possible radio advertising as a marketing and
recruiting tool. The committee will further research options.
3.5: Technology
There was no meeting this month.
3.6: Executive Committee
The executive committee reviewed and recommended revised committee structure and assignments (see
below under Old Business). The executive committee will be meeting with Mark, Rod and Matt
monthly to monitor Rod and Matt’s progress as it pertains to the leadership succession plan.
4.0: Old Business
4.1: Committee Structure and Assignments
Refer to committee structure document previously provided in dropbox. Five board committees were
proposed (Executive, Education, Administrative and Human Resources, Finance, and Development)
with four advisory committees under education (technology, facilities, school improvement, and
spiritual development) and one advisory committee under development (marketing and
communications). Board committees would have to be chaired by a board member; advisory
committees could be chaired by either board members or staff.
Mr. Free noted that Facilities Committee might be too large of a function to operate under the umbrella
of an Education Committee. Mr. Chapin noted that most boards don’t have a facilities committee. .
Motion to approve change in committee structure with Facilities remaining a board committee and not
an advisory committee made by: Mr. Chapin, seconded by Mr. DeHaan. Motion carried. As this change
will require a change to the bylaws, the new committee structure will be presented to the Association at
the all school meeting in August for approval.
4.2: Focus Items from Parent Survey
Mr. Wilson reported on detailed findings from this year’s Parent Survey, noting over 200 responses.
There were very few specific comments so comments should be taken with the perspective that those
comments should be duly noted but might not be the opinion of the majority.
Discipline issues are a matter of communication and relationships.
The survey is very similar from year to year in order to maintain continuity and to have something to
compare from year to year. Mr. Teckmeyer notes that some questions could be more specific.
Mr. Powell notes that bullying was a common concern last year and this year it is not – probably due to
the hard work and program implementation that administration and staff have done to combat bullying
over the past year.
Mr. Wilson reminded the board that LCS have not adopted Common Core standards, and does not
intend to do so. LCS does utilize secular textbooks for some subjects due to the lack of Christian
textbooks for some subjects. Many secular textbooks have references to Common Core on the cover of
new/revised editions as a marketing strategy even though the content of the textbook is very much the
same as previous editions.
4.3: ACSI Training Session August 13, 5-10 P.M.
Training session for all board members is scheduled for August 13, 2015 from 5-10 P.M. Dinner will be
provided.
4.4: Strategic Planning Process
Mr. Miles would like to have each committee review the strategic action items that they had previously
determined and propose any changes they feel are appropriate in preparation for upcoming strategic
planning to be scheduled after the board training session.
5.0: New Business
5.1: Amend Policy 140 (Board Calendar)
Refer to the revised calendar in dropbox. Changes were made to accommodate no board meeting in
July. For pragmatic reasons,Superintendent evaluations were moved from November to October,
Staffing plan was moved to December, and insurance changes from May to December. Motion to
amend policy 140 made by Mr. DeHaan, seconded by Mr. Teckmeyer. Motion carried.
5.2: Updated Budget Recommendation
Mr. Friesen noted that 95% of the budget is set. The majority of change is in the tuition which is short
of where earlier projections. What makes up the difference is the turnover in teachers who have children
attending – there are now more teacher’s children on tuition remission this year than last year. Mr.
Friesen also reported that the amount of grants under the FEG program is up slightly. Regardless of
additional enrollment before the beginning of the school year, Mr. Wilson is confident that a balanced
budget can be presented to the school family at the upcoming all-school meeting.
5.3: Approve Updated Staffing Plan
There is a long list of new hires as detailed in Mr. Wilson’s report. Motion to approve the staffing plan
made by Mr. Nesbitt, seconded by Mr. Canfield. Motion carried.
5.4: Plan All School Meeting
Meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 11. Mr. Miles will be putting together an agenda.
5.5: Board/Staff Picnic
Tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, August 12. Location to be determined. As in previous years, board
members will be asked to assist with providing food for the picnic.
5.6: Executive Session
No Executive Session.
6.0: Upcoming Business for 8/25/2014 meeting per Policy 140
Review final budget; approve changes to final staffing plan, if any; begin annual strategic planning
process; Word of encouragement August- Keith Miles.
7.0: Closing Prayer and Adjournment
Mr. Miles closed in prayer. Motion to adjourn by Mr. Teckmeyer, seconded by Mr. Chapin.
Respectfully Submitted,
______________________________
Ryan DeHaan, Corporate Secretary