SCATTERGOOD FRIENDS SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Minutes
December 8, 2007

Present:

George Bergus, Debbie Galusha, Lucy Hansen, Russ Leckband, Lorene Ludy, Callie Marsh, Dan Schlitt, Dan Treadway, Doyle Wilson, Bob Winchell

Absent:

Kirk Bragg, Sharon Haworth, Mark Tomer, Bob Yeats

Faculty:

Amanda Edwards, Margie Figgins, Joey Giffen-Hunter, Bob Gutwein, Jan Luchini, Glenn Singer

Open Session

We opened the meeting near the appointed time with a period of silent worship.

We approve the minutes from the last meeting.

Lorene Ludy and Dan Treadway are the committee representatives for planning the staff/committee retreat on Jan 12, 2007. The focus will be on the spiritual basis of our work at the school. Ken and Katharine Jacobsen, recently interim directors of Pendle Hill Study Center, have agreed to lead us.

The School Committee agrees that for our summer meeting we will meet on Tuesday, July 29, from 11am- 5 pm.

We approve the addition of the anti-bullying statement from the Iowa Department of Education to our student handbook.

We approve authorization of the following people for signing checks on behalf of Scattergood Friends School: Jan Luchini, Director; Nan Fawcett, Business Manager; Sarah Giffin-Hunter; Debbie Galusha, clerk, Scattergood Friends School Committee. Mark Quee has the authority to sign checks on behalf of the farm.

We approve the following decision-making responsibilities in regard to the Long-range Plan:

  1. Goals. There are six which are established by the School Committee.
  2. Objectives. Staff and Sub-committees develop these. When the sub-committee approves the objectives, they notify the School Committee.
  3. Actions. Staff submit these to Sub-committees for approval. The Sub-committees notify the School Committee.
  4. Steps. Operational steps pertain to the staff, who notify the sub-committees. Strategic planning (policy-related) steps are the work of the School Committee. The School Committee is notified of these steps.

Staff and sub-committees should review the portions of the Long-Range Plan that pertain to them before the December meeting each year, and notify the School Committee at the January/February meeting of any changes. This process will be included in the introduction of the Long-Range Plan.

We approve the financial report, and are happy to be debt-free.

We approve the audit conducted for the fiscal year 2006-2007 by Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth, L.L.P.

We approve the change in the staff handbook in section 3.8 on vacations. Staff must request approval from the director for vacations (outside of scheduled break times) at least two weeks in advance.

Jan Luchini and Margie Figgins informed us of the opportunity to apply for a $50,000 matching grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation with the possibility of further grants if the initial one is awarded. Jan will travel to Portland, ME next week to meet with people at the Foundation. Margie reminds us that this means we would enter the phase of another, although smaller, capital campaign.

Jan Luchini shared with us the progress made in negotiating our continued Special Accreditation status with the Iowa Department of Education. We appreciate her careful and extended work on this issue over the last four months.

We approve the proposal to become a Red Cross shelter during an emergency.

We approve the Consultation Committee’s nominations for sub-committees:

We heard the reports and discussed the issues presented from the Facilities, Admissions and Enrollment, Farm, Advancement, Academic, Spiritual and Community Life, and Human Resources Committees. We appreciate everyone’s work and preparation for this meeting, from writing reports to attending evening and early morning meetings.

We closed the meeting with a period of silent worship, trusting that we will meet again on January 12, 2008.

Recording Clerk