/Board_minutes_2011-09-14

Trustees OPEN Meeting INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KRAKOW 6:00p.m. September 14, 2011 ISK, Lusina

Present: Allen Greenberg, Allen Haberberg, John Lynch, Elysa Sicard, and Joerg von Weiler.

Ex Officio: Mamie Heard, Dan Kozak, Eric Lutley, Piotr Buczkowicz, and Barbara Kotarba (note taker) Absent: Anne Braghetta, Visitors: Mr. Dudhia, Mr. Kent, Ms. Malecki, Mr. Smolarski, Mr. Strachota, The Board unanimously adopted open minutes from the previous meeting as written.

The Board unanimously adopted the agenda for the meeting.

The Chairman made opening remarks and commended Board members and committees for their fruitful work last year. He spoke of the upcoming elections to the Board which will bring two new members elected by parents. The Board together with new members will have a two day training for Board members sponsored by U.S.State Department.

Director’s Report - The International School of Krakow opened on Wednesday, August 31 with a total of 177 students enrolled in Pre-school through Grade 12. This successful opening was due in large part to the planning of the former ISK Director, Ellen Stern, in particular the reorganization and restructuring of the Senior Leadership Team. The SLT includes: • • • • • •

Secondary Principal and Director – Mamie Heard Middle School Principal – Mr. Erik Lutley Elementary Principal – Mr. Brett Elkei Business Manager – Mr. Piotr Buczkowicz Director of Admissions and Office Manager – Ms. Malgosia Gonet-Mroczka Chair of World Languages – Ms. Benedicte Rousseaux

- The Director commended Ms. Stern on her strong support and carefully planned transition. She thanked the Board, SLT and faculty for assisting her both professionally and socially to transitioning to ISK and the Krakow community. The Director labeled ISK as a dynamic, highly-qualified professional learning community with very supportive parents and Board.

- The Director held introductory meetings with the Mayor of Krakow and the Marshall and Governor of Malopolska. These important contacts are essential to connecting our school community with greater Krakow.

- Summer Camps: ISK faculty and staff organized the following four camps during the summer holidays for ISK and the Krakow community: the Baltic Sea Wind Surfing Camp for 14 students and two parents, two English Language camps for 29 students, and Summer Fun for 90 students.

Students • Enrollment: Total enrollment for ISK is 177 students, a 27% increase from opening in 2010. First time ever to have a waiting list for ISK (3 students for Nursery). Surely a commendation to the sustained work and outreach of the Marketing Committee last year.

• Scholarship: As a result of the Scholarship Committee’s work last spring, a full scholarship was awarded to a grade 10 student for the 2011-2012 school year.

• Lunch Program: Based on input from parents, students, and faculty, ISK received a bid from the Olive Tree Restaurant to provide a hot lunch service with minimal increase in costs.

• After School Activities: Under the direction of the newly appointed Activities Director, Adam Zajdel, the after-school activities program begins on Monday, September 12th. In the after-school program, Nursery/Preschool/Grade 0/ Grades will have 1 - 5 clubs per week; Grades 2-5 will have 11 clubs; Grades 6-8 will have 12 clubs; Grades 9-12 will have 13 clubs offered.

Faculty • New Teacher and Support Staff Orientation: ISK welcomed 3 new teachers and 2 support staff.

• Ms. Susan Oswald – Grade 1: Ms. Oswald is from California, USA and has experience teaching in Taiwan.

• Mr. Bryan Peariso – Grade 1: Mr. Peariso is from California, USA. • Ms. Mariana de Anda – Grade 0 is from Texas, USA and Mexico.

• Ms. Basia Gzybek – Front Office • Ms. Ewelina Sitarz - School Nurse • Additional Teaching Assistant in Grade 3: With an increased enrollment of 16 students in grade 3, a part-time assistant has been hired.

• Teacher In-Service Week: As a follow-up from the teacher in-service last year with outside consultants, Ochan and Bill Powell, newly appointed Curriculum Coordinator, Lou Panetta, planned teacher in-service for this year. Focus was on increased teacher understanding and application of differentiated instruction and alternative assessment.

ISK teaching goals for 2011-2012 are to increase the use of these in the classroom.

• Professional Development: Several teachers attended the Principal Training Conference (an internationally recognized professional development workshop for teachers and administrations) in London and Miami and also Power School Training in Chicago.

• Teacher Information on ISK website: Mr. Piotr Buczkowicz received a legal opinion on publication of personal information on the school website. With teacher permission, the ISK school website will publish by October 1st: teacher photo, grade/subject taught, education, and previous experience.

• SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats): I am in the process of individual meetings with all faculty and staff for input on ISK according to the above categories. Plans are to also meet with all parents. This information will be compiled and presented to the Board in a future meeting.

Facilities Special recognition goes to Mr. Piotr Buczkowicz for supervising the following building and renovation projects on campus over the summer holiday:

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Abbot House – 3 additional classrooms for Pre school School Offices – renovated space provided an office for the School Director and an office shared by the Director of Admissions and Elementary and Secondary Principals Music Room – bids have been received for sound proofing the new music room that was moved from Abbot House to the Main Building Sports Field House – scheduled to be completed by end of September Floriana Street improvement project – Major of Mogliany has reported the expected date for completion is mid November. Mr. Piotr Buczkowicz and I have visited the Mayor of Mogilany and President of Board, Allen Greenberg, has sent a letter expressing our concerns over the safety issues involved in the detour and urged close monitoring of the project to ensure meeting the deadline for completion.

Technology update 1. New internet provider providing faster connection and higher availability (10mb download / 2MB upload).

2. New computers and wireless network in Abbot House 3. New router for the internet connection for whole school.

4. New operating systems on the lab computers 5. Memory upgrade for computers in the computer lab 6. New laptops for the new home room teachers

Curriculum • The Rubicon Teacher website was reorganized to help teachers more efficiently plan units by backward design, and to meet the teaching goals.

• Teachers have already started reviewing the subject content grids, with the aim of eventually making them accessible to parents on the school website.

• Our current curriculum standards are numerous, redundant, and not clearly organized.

Teachers are attempting to reorganize and streamline these standards before the end of the first quarter.

• By the end of the first semester, hopefully the Rubicon Parent website will be redesigned in a more user-friendly format, so that parents can access and understand the curriculum standards.

Events • August 29 Open House with approximately 50 families attending • August 31 Opening of School with 177 students enrolled • September 5 PTA Morning Coffee with 30 parents • September 10 PTA Welcome Picnic • September 15 Memorial Service for alumni Katherine Zaks, Class of 2008 • September 19 After School Activities begin • September 19 – 23 Anne Frank – A History for Today Exhibition on ISK Campus (Attachment #5) • September 29 – October 1 CEESA Director’s Strategic Planning Conference in Warsaw

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October 3 – 4 David Cramer, REO (Regional Educational Office) from US Office of Overseas School will visit US Consulate and ISK October 14-15 ISK Board Retreat

PTA Report - PTA meeting September 5 brought together 25 parents.

-Mr. Smolarski asked that students be picked up from school and delivered to Skawina swimming pool from where parents will pick them up, this will save parents lot’s of time of waiting for children in Skawina.

FC Report Piotr Buczkowski spoke of projects completed before the start of the new school year. Changes need to be made in the budget as a result of the increased enrollment numbers. The school property loan has been explained to visitors with 2015, 2021, and 2023 payment deadlines.

Teachers Report Mr. Kozak spoke of successful preparations for the school year with more time given to teachers to get things ready. He saw need for further explanation to the faculty what health insurance granted to them really is. He spoke of the pay problem and the faculty salary freeze. The recent changes in the $/PLN exchange rate has had a significant effect on effective teacher salaries. For those who decided on July 1st to be paid in PLN the salaries have seen a 18 per cent decrease.

The Director will check on this and see what others schools do in such situations of rapid economic change. One of the attendees noted that salaries can be insured by banks to avoid such losses.

The Chairman made a motion to have Financial Committee analyze exchange rate situation affecting the staff’s salary; LS seconded the motion; motion passed.

The upcoming election process was discussed.

The Director announced that a memorial ceremony to be held for Kate Zacks at the school on the next day and a tree will be planted in the school premises for her memory.

The meeting adjourned at 7:00p.m.