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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-10-08 Trustees Meeting Packet WESTLAKE ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING A G E N D A NOVEMBER 10, 2008 WESTLAKE TOWN HALL 3 VILLAGE CIRCLE MUNICIPAL COURT ROOM, SUITE 207 6:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 3. CITIZENS' PRESENTATIONS: This is an opportunity for citizens to address the Board on any matter whether or not it is posted on the agenda. The Board cannot by law take action nor have any discussion or deliberations on any presentation made to the Board at this time concerning an item not listed on the agenda. Any item presented may be noticed on a future agenda for deliberation or action. 4. CONSENT AGENDA: All items listed below are considered routine by the Board of Aldermen and will be enacted with one motion. There will be no separate discussion of items unless a Board member or citizen so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the general order of business and considered in its normal sequence. a. Review and approve minutes of the School Board of Trustees regular meeting held on October 6, 2008. 5. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE 2008-09 BUDGET FOR WESTLAKE ACADEMY TO INCREASE THE SALARY BUDGET TO ALLOW THE SCHOOL TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL SPANISH TEACHING ASSISTANT AND A SPECIAL ED AIDE. Westlake Academy Board of Trustees Page 2 of 3 Regular Meeting Agenda November 10, 2008 6. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT FOR GENERAL LEGAL SERVICES AND A GENERAL SERVICES MEMORANDUM WITH BRACKETT & ELLIS FOR LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO WESTLAKE ACADEMY. 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Any Board member may request at a workshop and / or Board meeting, under “Future Agenda Item Requests”, an agenda item for a future Board meeting. The Board member making the request will contact the Town Manager with the requested item and the Town Manager will list it on the agenda. At the meeting, the requesting Board member will explain the item, the need for Board discussion of the item, the item’s relationship to the Board’s strategic priorities, and the amount of estimated staff time necessary to prepare for Board discussion. If the requesting Board member receives a second, the Town Manager will place the item on the Board agenda calendar allowing for adequate time for staff preparation on the agenda item. a. Hear update regarding SAT readiness/college plan. (Alderwoman Langdon) b. Hear update on Grading system/progress conferences. (Alderwoman Langdon) c. Hear report regarding Academy Music program. (Alderwoman Langdon) d. Consideration of a Board policy on residential trips to include organization, fund raising, information etc. (Alderwoman Rollins) e. Discussion about feasibility of implementing Spanish Immersion in the primary years program (PYP). (Alderwoman Rollins) f. Explore and outline implementation of shared decision making as stipulated in the charter for all stakeholders. (Alderwoman Rollins) g. Explore the use of an education consulting firm to assess and develop mechanisms whereby the board can evaluate performance of the academy in the areas of academics, personnel, quality of programs, budgeting and fund raising. (Alderwoman Rollins) 8. BOARD CALENDAR. - Christmas Tree Lighting o Tuesday, 12/2/08, 6:30 p.m. 9. ADJOURNMENT. ANY ITEM ON THIS POSTED AGENDA COULD BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AS LONG AS IT IS WITHIN ONE OF THE PERMITTED CATEGORIES UNDER SECTIONS 551.071 THROUGH 551.076 AND SECTION 551.087 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. Westlake Academy Board of Trustees Page 3 of 3 Regular Meeting Agenda November 10, 2008 CERTIFICATION I certify that the above notice was posted at the Town Hall of the Town of Westlake, 3 Village Circle, on Friday, November 7, 2008, by 5 p.m. under the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. _____________________________________ Kim Sutter, TRMC, Town Secretary If you plan to attend this public meeting and have a disability that requires special needs, please advise the Town Secretary 48 hours in advance at 817-490-5710 and reasonable accommodations will be made to assist you.      Westlake  Academy  Item # 2 – Pledge of  Allegiance  Texas Pledge: "Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible."      Westlake  Academy  Item # 3 – Citizens’  Presentations  This is an opportunity for citizens to address the Board on any matter whether or not it is posted on the agenda. The Board cannot by law take action nor have any discussion or deliberations on any presentation made to the Board at this time concerning an item not listed on the agenda. The Board will receive the information, ask staff to review the matter, or an item may be noticed on a future agenda for deliberation or action. MINUTES OF THE WESTLAKE ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING October 6, 2008 PRESENT: President Laura Wheat and Trustees Larry Corson, Carol Langdon, Don Redding and Rebecca Rollins. ABSENT: Trustee Tim Brittan. OTHERS PRESENT: Chief Executive Officer Thomas Brymer, Head of School Mark Rosevear, School Attorney Stan Lowry, Secretary Kim Sutter, Finance Director Debbie Piper, DPS Director Don Wilson, Assistant to the Town Manager Ginger Awtry, Assistant to the Head of School Darcy McFarlane, and Secondary Counselor Glenda Davis. 1. CALL TO ORDER. President Wheat called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. President Wheat led the pledge of allegiance to the United States and Texas flags. 3. CITIZENS' PRESENTATIONS. There was no one present wishing to address the Board. 4. CONSENT AGENDA. President Wheat introduced the item and asked for a motion. a. Review and approve minutes of the School Board of Trustees special meeting held on August 21, 2008. Westlake Academy Board of Trustees Page 2 of 5 Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2008 b. Review and approve minutes of the School Board Strategic Planning retreat held on September 12 & 13, 2008. c. Review and approve minutes of the School Board of Trustees regular meeting held on September 8, 2008. d. Review and approve minutes of the School Board of Trustees special meeting held on September 22, 2008. MOTION: Trustee Langdon made a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. Trustee Redding seconded the motion. The motion carried by a vote of 4-0. With no objections, President Wheat reordered the agenda to hear item #6 at this time. 6. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CEO OF WESTLAKE ACADEMY TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LEARNING FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE A+ SOFTWARE PROGRAM. Head of School Rosevear addressed the Board regarding the item. Mr. Rosevear explained that the software, a self-study program, will be made available to current and incoming students as a resource to acquire necessary credits for graduation. Discussion ensued with regard to the program and the availability year round. Secondary Counselor Glenda Davis addressed questions from the Board. Town Manager Brymer advised the Board that staff reviewed several options and selected the A+ Software program as it provided the most flexibility. Mr. Brymer advised the Board that, if approved, a budget amendment will be required (estimated cost of $18,220). Trustee Rollins requested that staff evaluate another option. MOTION 1: Trustee Langdon made a motion to approve Resolution No. 08-20, as presented. Trustee Corson seconded the motion. AMENDED MOTION: Trustee Langdon moved to amend the motion to direct the Head of School to attempt to locate alternate suitable vendors within the same service and price range and, if an alternate vendor(s) is identified, to present the information to the Board of Trustees. Trustee Rollins seconded the motion. The motion carried by a vote of 4-0. Westlake Academy Board of Trustees Page 3 of 5 Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2008 VOTE ON MOTION 1: The motion carried by a vote of 4-0. 5. DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF NEXT “GOING FORWARD” GOVERNANCE STEPS TO BE TAKEN FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES RECENT STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT INCLUDING PREPARATION OF A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WESTLAKE ACADEMY, BOARD MEETING STRUCTURE AND FREQUENCY, AND BOARD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. CEO Brymer introduced the item, and presented the draft Vision/Mission statements prepared by the Board at the September strategic planning retreat. Mr. Brymer reviewed the “to do” list for the Trustees Strategic Planning: o Review/Finalize Vision/Mission Statements o Review/Finalize Values (consolidate) o Establish Mission-Specific Outcomes ƒ Decide at a workshop ƒ Staff will draft a Strategic Plan for Board of Trustee Review and Input Mr. Brymer presented a possible meeting schedule for the Board’s consideration. Alderwoman Rollins expressed her desire to establish committees to research, evaluate, and present recommendations to the Board. Additionally, Mrs. Rollins expressed her desire for increased communications about the school to the Board as it relates to the Board’s role. Discussion ensued regarding a means to measure the success of Westlake Academy and student progress, the need for continued discussions relative to mission specific outcomes, and the need to clearly define and understand the role of the Board. President Wheat recommended and consensus was received from the Board, to utilize a facilitator to continue the discussions regarding the development of a strategic plan for the Academy, including vision and mission statements, mission specific outcomes and benchmarks. 7. BOARD CALENDAR. President Wheat presented the Board calendar: - NW Metroport Chamber of Commerce State of the Cities o Tuesday, 10/7/08, 11:30 a.m. Trophy Club Country Club - Arbor Day Celebration o Saturday, 10/11, Glenwyck Farms park area, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. - Texas Municipal League Annual Conference and Exhibition o 10/28 – 10/31/08, San Antonio, Texas Westlake Academy Board of Trustees Page 4 of 5 Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2008 - FM 1938 Public Hearing o 11/6, displays at 6:30 p.m., public hearing at 7 p.m. Cross Timbers Community Church, 2525 Florence Road, Keller - Household Hazardous Waste collection day o 11/8/08, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Westlake Academy Campus - Christmas Tree Lighting o Tuesday, 12/2/08, 6:30 p.m. 8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. No items were presented for discussion. 9. EXECUTIVE SESSION. President Wheat advised that the Board would not meet in executive session. 1. The Board will conduct a closed session pursuant Texas Government Code section 551.071(1) and (2) to (i) seek advice of counsel on legal matters involving pending or contemplated litigation, settlement offers, or other legal matters not related directly to litigation or settlement, and (ii) Consultation with attorney on matters in which the duty of the attorney under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code-Texas Government Code 551.071(2) regarding the following: A. Texas Education Agency ruling. 10. RECONVENE MEETING. 11. TAKE ANY ACTION FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, IF NECESSARY. 12. ADJOURNMENT. There being no further business to come before the Board, President Wheat asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. MOTION: Trustee Langdon made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Trustee Rollins seconded the motion. The motion carried by a vote of 4-0. President Wheat adjourned the meeting at 7:48 p.m. Westlake Academy Board of Trustees Page 5 of 5 Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2008 APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON NOVEMBER 10, 2008. _________________________________________ Laura Wheat, President ATTEST: ___________________________________ Kim Sutter, TRMC, Town Secretary WESTLAKE ACADEMY MEMO TO: Honorable President and Members of the Board of Trustees FROM: Tom Brymer, CEO Mark Rosevear, Head of School SUBJECT: November 10, 2008 meeting DATE: October 30, 2008 ITEM Discuss and consider a Resolution to amend the 2008-09 budget for Westlake Academy to increase the funds for staff salaries to allow the school to hire an additional Spanish Teaching Assistant and a Special Ed Aide. RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends approval. BACKGROUND With the addition of several students in the Secondary section, and an increased student body, we have many different levels of Spanish competency in each level. In order to better serve the different levels of students we have found that it would be beneficial to have a teaching assistant in the Spanish classes. The addition of an assistant will allow the teacher to better differentiate the class work for each students’ needs. It will also assist new students who have not had Spanish before coming to Westlake Academy or those whose Spanish is not as developed as some other members of the class to improve. This year we have several more students who have Special Education needs and the workload in this area has become too much for two teachers. Much of the work can be handled by an aide rather than adding a fully certified Special Education teacher. EFFECTS ON BUDGET Special Ed Aide–$27,930 including taxes, insurance, etc. (Based on the highest level of skill & experience) Teaching Aide - $26,833 including taxes, insurance, etc. (Based on the highest level of skill & experience) (these figures are comparable to what is being offered in local schools). The projected ending fund balance for the FY 2008-2009 for the General Fund will be approximately $481,900 including the prior amendment for the A+ at $18,220, these two new positions and the $200,000 expected to be used for the Arts & Sciences Building FF&E. This ending balance calculates to approximately 50 operating days. WESTLAKE ACADEMY RESOLUTION NO. 08-21 AMENDING THE 2008-2009 BUDGET TO INCREASE THE FUNDS FOR STAFF SALARIES TO ALLOW FOR THE HIRING OF AN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION AIDE AND ONE SPANISH TEACHING ASSISTANT FOR THE 2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR. WHEREAS, the addition of new students, and an increased student body, this year has created the need to increase the size Special Education department by the addition of a Special Education Aide. WHEREAS, the addition of new students, and an increased student body, this school year has increased the number of students performing at different levels of Spanish making it necessary to have an additional Spanish Teaching Assistant to assist with classroom differentiation. WHEREAS, the Board of Aldermen finds that increase in staff salaries and a budget amendment of $54,763.00 is necessary to provide the necessary instruction and support for students; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF WESTLAKE ACADEMY: SECTION 1: That the Board of Trustees hereby adopts the budget amendment for 2008-09 school year SECTION 2: That a copy of the budget amendment shall be kept on file in the office of the Town Secretary. SECTION 3: That this Resolution shall become effective upon the date of its passage. PASSED AND APPROVED ON THIS 10th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2008. ___________________________________ Laura Wheat, President ATTEST: _______________________________ __________________________________ Kim Sutter, Town Secretary Thomas Brymer, CEO APPROVED AS TO FORM: _________________________________ L. Stanton Lowry, School Attorney Town of Westlake Memo To: Honorable President and Members of the Board of Trustees From: Tom Brymer, Town Manager Subject: Regular Meeting of November 10, 2008 Date: November 6, 2008 ITEM Discuss and Consider Approval of a Contract for General Legal Services and a General Services Memorandum with Brackett & Ellis for Legal Services Related to Westlake Academy. VISION POINT AND KEY RESULT AREAS This item supports the following Vision Point and Key Result Areas: ; We are Leaders o Premier educational facilities and programs o Producing well educated future leaders and thinkers BACKGROUND Staff has been exploring obtaining local legal expertise specializing in education/charter school law and regulations. The Town Manager/Academy CEO, Head of School, and Town Attorney have interviewed representatives of this firm and are recommending that this firm be hired to provide legal services, as needed, in support of the Town’s Westlake Academy operations and governance. FUNDING Westlake Academy Budget and/or Town municipal budget (if needed) RECOMMENDATION Approval of this contract with Brackett & Ellis for general legal services as well as the general services memorandum. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Contract for General Legal Services with Brackett & Ellis 2. General Services Memorandum from Brackett & Ellis 3. Proposal to Provide Legal Services for Westlake Academy (to be delivered under separate cover) LRScott Contract for Educ Legal Svcs 11-10-08 CONTRACT FOR GENERAL LEGAL SERVICES This Contract is made and entered into by and between the Board of Aldermen of the Town of Westlake, acting as the Board of Trustees of the Westlake Academy Charter School, hereinafter called “Academy”, and Brackett & Ellis, a Professional Corporation, by and through its authorized representative, hereinafter called “Law Firm”. The parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Employment. The Academy hereby employs the Law Firm for the provision of general legal services for a continuous period until terminated by either party upon thirty days prior written notice, subject to the attached memorandum regarding financial arrangements. 2. Legal Services. The Law Firm will provide on request of the Academy all necessary legal services related to currently pending matters. The Law Firm shall perform these services for the Academy unless the Law Firm has a conflict of interest in a legal matter or if additional legal specialization not provided by the Law Firm is required for the performance of the needed legal services. In such circumstances, the Law Firm shall advise the Academy and assist the Academy in obtaining additional legal counsel for such matters. 3. Fees for Services. The Law Firm agrees to perform its legal services for the following fees: a. Hourly rate: The Law Firm shall provide all legal services at its “school rate”. Currently, the hourly school rate is $275 per hour for partners, $200 per hour for associates, $95.00 for paralegals. The Law Firm will give the Academy at least thirty days prior written notice of any increase in its school rate. b. Litigation: The Law Firm shall prosecute or defend lawsuits, shall defend special education due process hearings, and shall prosecute or defend appeals to the Commissioner of Education involving the Academy at the same hourly rate as set forth above. c. Other expenses: The Academy will reimburse the Law Firm for the cost of photocopies (currently 20¢ per page), long distance telephone calls, courier fees, mileage (at the rates set by the IRS, currently 58.5¢ per mile), postage (including express or certified mail charges), facsimile transmissions (currently 50¢ per page), filing fees, court costs, discovery costs, mediation fees, title reports and investigations, and computerized legal research. 4. Billing and Terms of Payment. Fees and expenses will be billed monthly, and will provide separate detailed statements for each file opened. A summary statement will also be included for administrative convenience. Fees shall be based on quarter hour increments. #303574 2 5. Contact Persons. a. Persons authorized to request legal services on behalf of the Academy are: The Board of Trustees, the Head of School, the Town Manager, and the Town Attorney b. Primary contacts at the Law Firm shall be, Lynn Rossi Scott and Janet Bubert. They may be assisted by partners Tom Myers and Jim Whitton, and by assigned associates, as required for particular assignments. In consideration of the terms and compensation herein stated, Law Firm hereby accepts said employment and undertakes the performance of this Contract as above written. WITNESS the signatures of all parties hereto on this ________ day of ______________, 2008. WESTLAKE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL BRACKETT & ELLIS, 2600 Ottinger Road a Professional Corporation Westlake, Texas 76262 100 Main Street Fort Worth, Texas 76102 By: ____________________________ ______________________________ Laura Wheat Lynn Rossi Scott President, Board of Trustees ATTEST: By: Name: ________________________ Secretary, Board of Trustees 80841.1 Page 1 GENERAL ENGAGEMENT MEMORANDUM Periodic Billings for Legal Services Unless we have made other arrangements, it is our policy to render periodic statements for legal services on a monthly basis. These are generally mailed toward the first of the month following the latest date covered in the statement. We normally base these interim statements on the hourly rates of lawyers and legal assistants working on the matter. The Firm, of course, expects that its statements will be paid upon receipt. Determining the Fee The attorney you have chosen within the Firm will be your primary lawyer. When necessary, we will use more than one member of our professional and para-professional staff to work on your behalf. We believe this practice is more efficient in that it enables us to take advantage of the wide variety of experience and training that exists in the Firm, while at the same time reducing your costs. We believe that the fees we charge are generally competitive with those charged by other lawyers in our community for similar services. Our standard hourly rates vary from person to person to reflect various factors, including specialization and experience. At the present time, our standard hourly rates range from $150 per hour for a first-year associate to $325 per hour for certain senior attorneys. The standard hourly rate for paralegals is $95. We adjust these rates from time to time, and these rates increase as lawyers gain experience and expertise. Because our fees usually relate to the amount of time spent on a matter and because it is generally impossible to anticipate accurately when problems or opposition will develop in a matter, it is often impossible for us to estimate the precise amount of our fees for future services. We are, however, always willing to give you our best estimate and to keep you informed of costs incurred to date as a matter progresses. Because of our inability to make precise estimates, unless we specifically agree to a fixed fee by engagement letter, any quotations of fees by the Firm are only estimates. We are always willing to discuss with you the basis on which a fee has been determined or any other question you may have at any time about our statements. Retainers With new clients or with substantial new matters for existing clients, the Firm may require what is known as a “retainer.” This retainer is in the nature of a deposit, held by the firm for the protection of its investment of time and effort. The retainer may be reduced monthly for the amount of services rendered and any disbursements made on your behalf. When the retainer is consumed in that manner, our fees for services together with disbursements will be billed monthly at the same hourly rates or you may be required to deposit an additional retainer. 80841.1 Page 2 Client Disbursements Most matters require, from time to time, certain advances to be made on your behalf by the Firm. Some of these represent out-of-pocket charges we advance, others represent internal costs called "client disbursements." These "client disbursements" include costs for long distance telephone calls, postage, facsimile charges, copying charges, travel expenses, delivery charges, computerized legal research, court and other filing fees, support staff overtime when necessary to meet client demands, and other client-related expenses. It is understood that while acting as your lawyers, we have the authority to use our best judgment in making such expenditures on your behalf. Unless we have made prior arrangements with you, we will send you monthly billings for client disbursements incurred during the preceding billing period. If the nature of the matter is such that we anticipate substantial advances, we will require a separate deposit for such purpose. Also substantial individual items such as expert witness fees, the costs of deposition transcripts, printing costs, etc., may be billed directly to you by the vendor of such services. Legal Assistants Certain work will be done by legal assistants, sometimes called "paralegals." Such persons, although not lawyers, have undergone substantial training to perform certain kinds of services which would otherwise need to be performed by lawyers. All such work is supervised by lawyers. The use of legal assistants allows us to deliver legal services to you at a lower cost. Computer Assisted Research In certain matters when lawyers must examine legal authorities to serve you, it will be more economical to accomplish the task by using nationwide computer databases of legal precedents, (instead of the traditional way of going to a law library and manually retrieving and examining such material from books). In such instances, the special charges assessed by the providers of these services are shown on client disbursement billings. Withdrawal of Representation In the event the Firm determines, at any time, that we should withdraw from further representation, we shall have the right to do so upon reasonable notice to you. Although such occurrences are uncommon, there may be instances where withdrawal is appropriate, such as non-payment or late payment of fees or disbursements, disagreements in the manner in which the matter should be handled, or other circumstances. If a termination of the attorney/client relationship occurs, you agree to cooperate in filing any papers with the court to withdraw from such representation. 80841.1 Page 3 Retention of Documents When a matter has been concluded, the Firm will retain for a reasonable time copies of most documents generated by the Firm or received by the Firm during our representation of you. Occasionally, closed files are destroyed to make efficient use of limited storage space. You will be notified before the file is destroyed, by letter mailed to your last known address and will be given the opportunity to obtain your file. You must retain all originals and copies which you desire among your own files for future reference or provide us with specific instructions for safekeeping and preservation of documents in our possession. Confidentiality One final word about our representation; communications between an attorney and a client are confidential communications as provided by Texas law. If the communications between an attorney and a client are properly protected, then the communications can be kept from third parties except in rare circumstances. Because of this statutory communications privilege, it is extremely important that you exercise great care and caution about discussing or communicating with anyone outside the Firm regarding the legal matters we handle for you. Such discussion and communication could prejudice the effectiveness of our Firm's representation and, in any case, can and probably will destroy the confidentiality of communications between us, to the end that our attorney/client communications privilege cannot be enforced. Accordingly we caution you to be very guarded with respect to any discussions about your legal matters outside this Firm. We appreciate you selecting us as your legal counsel and look forward to a long and cordial relationship. 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Any Board member may request at a workshop and / or Board meeting, under “Future Agenda Item Requests”, an agenda item for a future Board meeting. The Board member making the request will contact the Town Manager with the requested item and the Town Manager will list it on the agenda. At the meeting, the requesting Board member will explain the item, the need for Board discussion of the item, the item’s relationship to the Board’s strategic priorities, and the amount of estimated staff time necessary to prepare for Board discussion. If the requesting Board member receives a second, the Town Manager will place the item on the Board agenda calendar allowing for adequate time for staff preparation on the agenda item. a. Hear update regarding SAT readiness/college plan. (Alderwoman Langdon) b. Hear update on Grading system/progress conferences. (Alderwoman Langdon) c. Hear report regarding Academy Music program. (Alderwoman Langdon) d. Consideration of a Board policy on residential trips to include organization, fund raising, information etc. (Alderwoman Rollins) e. Discussion about feasibility of implementing Spanish Immersion in the primary years program (PYP). (Alderwoman Rollins) f. Explore and outline implementation of shared decision making as stipulated in the charter for all stakeholders. (Alderwoman Rollins) g. Explore the use of an education consulting firm to assess and develop mechanisms whereby the board can evaluate performance of the academy in the areas of academics, personnel, quality of programs, budgeting and fund raising. (Alderwoman Rollins) Westlake  Academy  Item # 7 –   Future Agenda  Items  8. BOARD CALENDAR. - Christmas Tree Lighting o Tuesday, 12/2, 6:30 p.m., Westlake Academy Campus Westlake  Academy  Item # 8 –   Board Calendar  Westlake  Academy   Item # 9 –  Adjournment  Back up material has not  been provided for this item.