ChristineAshley reminded Friends that the ISACS accreditation team will be at the Schoolon 18-19 March 2012. A reception and dinner will be held in the evening on the18th. Debbie Galusha,Callie Marsh, Bob Winchell and Allan Winder agree to be present for thereception and dinner, and, if possible, on Monday for interviews.
RebeccaBergus reported that Margie
SylviaSanford and RŸdiger Ruckmann reported that there are more donors to the Schoolthis year, and that donors are giving more to Scattergood. We are $20,000 shortof the $240,000 goal for the annual fund, which is substantially improved overlast year at this time.
ChristineAshley recognizes Margie FigginsÕ nine years of work in the Development Officewith much appreciation.
RŸdigerreminded Friends that when we make designated donations to the School, they donot go into the Annual Fund. We need 100% participation in giving to the AnnualFund. 83% of the School Committeemembers have currently made contributions.
Christinereported that the student Spiritual Life Committee has established an optionalmeeting for worship on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. The students have also workedwith Christine to find a way to have a Quaker youth retreat (Quake) at theSchool 2-4 March 2012.
TheFacilities Committee is also considering a long-range goal of sustainability inthe septic system. Land isavailable for a gravity septic system, which with an estimated investment of$12,000-$15,000, could eliminate the current cost of electricity of $2800/yearto run the pumps.
Christineasked that we think about finding someone who could bring skills inlandscaping. We also need to remove several trees. Russ Leckband will initiateinquiries with someone he knows in Iowa City.
LucyHansen reported that the USDA loan is still in process.
TheConsultation & Finance Committee is satisfied that our budgeting andfinances are in good shape. The auditors may have the audit for us in the nextfew days. The clerk of the School Committee will be in direct communicationwith the auditors, and she will then communicate with the Consultation &Finance Committee.
Minute:
Theclerk reminds us that our March meeting will be in Des Moines. We will beexploring car-pooling possibilities. Sub-committees will need to meet beforethat meeting, perhaps the week before because staff will be leaving on 2 March2012 for spring break. Conference calls can be used to accomplish thosemeetings.
KarenGreenler and Callie Marsh will plan the retreat for the March meeting. The planis to have conversations about why we have chosen to serve as Committeemembers, what keeps us involved, what the challenges are, and what our visionis for the school. We look forward to getting to know each other better.
Theclerk needs reports from a few more sub-committees from the work at theNovember retreat on setting goals and refining the job descriptions. The clerkwill distribute the goals when she has them all.
Wediscussed the scheduling of the State of the School meeting with the staff,which would ordinarily have happened last night. Circumstances around thedeparture of a student and an Appreciation Circle held for him last night tookprecedence. If the staff feel a need for this meeting, Christine will arrangeit with the clerk. Friends agree that Debbie and Callie will attend if such ameeting occurs.
Weare encouraged that Christine is building good relationships with variouscommunity leaders in West Branch and the surrounding area. A two-week summerprogram is being developed with the US/China Association. Possibilities forsharing resources with the Hoover Library are under consideration. This kind ofoutreach is valuable; we commend Christine for her work in this area.
Themeeting closed, and we continued in a closed meeting to consider the report ofthe Human Resources Committee on its evaluation of the Head of School.
Welook forward to meeting again, God willing, at 9:30 a.m. on 3 March 2011 at theDes Moines Valley Meetinghouse in Des Moines, IA. Coffee, tea and visiting will be from 9-9:30 a.m.