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New Hampshire State Board of Education Due to the COVID-19 State of Emergency, this meeting will be held via Zoom Webinar. Advance registration is required via this link: Register here for the NH State Board of Education March Meeting After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Thursday, March 11, 2021 AGENDA I. CALL TO ORDER ~ 9:00 AM II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE III. PUBLIC COMMENT ~ Please submit written commentary to [email protected] to be published with the monthly meeting materials. IV. PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS/UPDATES A. Student/Pinkerton Academy Board of Trustees ~ SB-FY-21-11-005 (Nonpublic Session) B. Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) School Presentations ~ CHRISTINE BRENNAN, NHDOE, Deputy Commissioner, ASHLEY FRAME, NHDOE, Administrator, Office of ESEA Title Programs, MIKE SCHWARTZ, President, Demonstrated Success, LLC, and ELAINE SHERRY, Principal, Pittsburg Elementary and KATRINA ESPARZA, Principal, Beech Street School (Manchester) 12:00 PM C. Trends in Education ~ IAN ROWE, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute V. PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL REPORTS/UPDATES ~ JANE WATERHOUSE, NHDOE, Charter School Administrator A. Gathering Waters Public Charter School Charter Amendment Request ~ GABRIELLE SCHUERMAN, JANET GORDON and MARCY SCHEPKER B. Gate City Public Charter School 5-Year Renewal ~ ASTRID ALVARADO, Director of Operations VI. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES ~ AMANDA PHELPS, NHDOE, Administrative Rules Coordinator A. Initial Proposal ~ Criminal History Record Check Clearance Credentials (Ed 504.12, Ed 505.07(b) & (d) & Ed 505.08) B. Initial Proposal ~ School Librarian (Ed 508.06) C. Final Proposal ~ Chartered Public Schools (Ed 318) D. Final Proposal ~ CTE and Charter School Lease Aid (Ed 322 & Ed 323) VII. COMMISSIONER’S UPDATE VIII. OPEN BOARD DISCUSSIONS IX. OLD BUSINESS A. Draft an Endorsement Response to the National Center for Competency Based Learning (NCCBL) New Vision Initiative X. CONSENT AGENDA A. Meeting Minutes of February 11, 2021 XI. NONPUBLIC SESSION XII. ADJOURNMENT ~ 2:00 PM Updated Monday, March 8, 2021 V, A March 11, 2021 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Amendment to Charter A. ACTION NEEDED A vote is needed from the State Board of Education to make the following amendments to the charter of Gathering Waters Charter School: 1. To add a kindergarten class of 25 students; 2. To increase the enrollment the first year from 135 to 250. The process of the amendment request is required by: Part Ed 318 Chartered Public Schools Ed 318.11(e) The charter of Gathering Waters Charter School was approved by the State Board of Education on December 10, 2020. On February 13, 2021, the Department of Education received a request for two amendments to the charter of Gathering Waters Charter School due to higher than expected demand for student enrollment. The first amendment request is to add a kindergarten class of 25 students. The second amendment request is to increase the school’s previously approved enrollment of 135 total students to 225 total students for the 2021-2022 school year, by adding 10 students in each grade from first to ninth. The following table identifies the approved enrollment and the compound effect of the requested increase in enrollment. Table 1 Gathering Waters Charter School Enrollment - Approved and Requested Grade 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026 Level Approved Requested Approved Requested Approved Requested Approved Requested Approved Requested KG -- 25 -- 25 -- 25 -- 25 -- 25 1-9 15 25 20 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 10 -- -- 20 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 11 -- -- -- -- 25 25 25 25 25 25 12 -- -- -- -- -- -- 25 25 25 25 Total 135 250 200 275 275 300 300 325 300 325 B. EFFECTS OF THIS ACTION Gathering Waters Charter School will be able to meet the needs of the students and families in the community by adding a kindergarten program and increasing the overall enrollment each year, as identified in Table 1. C. POSSIBLE MOTION Pursuant to Ed 318.11, I move that the State Board of Education authorizes Gathering Waters Charter School to amend the charter to: 1. Add a kindergarten class of 25 students; 2. Increase the student enrollment in 2021-2022 school year from 135 to 250. I move that the State Board of Education (indicate some other action) Gathering Waters Charter School PO Box 371 Keene, NH 03431 8 February 2020 Dear Dr. Edelblut and Members of the Board of Education, It is with great pleasure that I am writing to you today to inform you of the overwhelmingly positive response that Gathering Waters Chartered Public School has received in the past two months since our charter was first approved. Our enrollment period ended on February 1 and as of today we have a total of 236 students in grades one through nine. Every grade has been filled, some with waiting lists of 15-20 students and we are still receiving applications daily. Nineteen families have already expressed their intention to enroll should we offer a kindergarten. We have received 37 applications from experienced teachers across the country and have conducted over 50 interviews and reference checks. We have hired a Business Administrator and Office Manager who have already begun the work of systems development and organization to support the school. We are in the final stages of hiring a Lead Administrator with 10 years of teaching experience and 13 years of experience as Head of School for a large Independent Waldorf School. There has been an outpouring of support and excitement not only from families and community members but also the other schools in the area offering their experience and expertise. Since our presentation to the Board of Education in December we have added more Board members experienced in areas of finance and development. Our 501C3 application is being submitted and our annual appeal launched with over $20,000 in donations in the first 2 weeks. We are in negotiations for 2 locations, one for the lower grades and the other for the middle and high school. Both are former school buildings recently inspected and up to code, ideally situated within walking distance of each other, in the heart of the community and near ample woods and field space for our outdoor programs. Should COVID continue to be an issue for the fall we will have the space to hold classes safely and have begun to make plans to carry this out. The support and interest has exceeded our expectations for this first year. It is clear that Gathering Waters is needed and wanted in this community. People from across the country are looking at us as a model for Public Waldorf Education. At the recent Annual Conference of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education, our school was a frequent topic of conversation and excitement. With such enthusiasm and support, we feel compelled to request the following amendments to our charter in order to best serve our community and the families who desperately want this education and ensure the financial stability of the school from year one. 1. The addition of a Kindergarten class of 20-25 students to be held by a lead teacher and assistant. 2. An increase in the enrollment cap this first year for each grade from 15 to 25 students, which is our already approved enrollment cap for year 3. In the attachments to this letter you will find a graph of enrollment numbers and the comments that we have received on the statement of interest section of our application, 2 budgets showing the financial picture with 15 compared to 25 student enrollment and copies of the agreements for our 2 facilities. You will also find a copy of the proposed kindergarten curriculum and a copy of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education Recommendations for the Grade Level Placement of the Common Core Standards in a Waldorf-Inspired Public School Program. While this may seem like a large undertaking to some, we are confident that we have the personnel, structures and community support in place to carry it out. The proposed amendments would not only allow us to best serve the children and families in the Monadnock Region but also put us in a more advantageous financial place from year one and not lose track of those who have expressed their interest in joining us. Respectfully submitted, Gabrielle Schuerman Gabrielle Schuerman Board Chair Gathering Waters Chartered Public School V, B March 11, 2021 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Charter Renewal, Gate City Charter School for the Arts A. ACTION NEEDED A vote is needed from the State Board of Education to renew the charter of Gate City Charter School for the Arts. The renewal term is for five (5) years. B. RATIONALE FOR ACTION The renewal review and request are required by: Chapter 194-B, Chartered Public Schools RSA 194-B:3, X RSA 194-B:16,VI Administrative Rules for Education, Part Ed 318 Chartered Public Schools Ed 318.12 – Charter Renewal Ed 318.13 – Review of Renewal Application The charter of Gate City Charter School for the Arts expired on July 18, 2018. A six (6) month extension for the renewal was approved by the New Hampshire State Board of Education on April 12, 2018. An additional three (3) month extension was approved on December 7, 2018. A final three (3) month extension was approved on March 14, 2019. The New Hampshire State Board of Education recommended and approved a two (2) year extension on April 11, 2019. C. EFFECTS OF THIS ACTION Gate City Charter School for the Arts will be renewed for a five (5) year term. D. POSSIBLE MOTION Pursuant to Ed 318.12 and Ed 318.13, I move that the State Board of Education authorizes the renewal of the charter of Gate City Charter School for the Arts OR: I move that the State Board of Education (indicate some other action) Gate City Charter School for the Arts Evidence Table of Contents I.