February 1, 2022 DSAHS Governing Board Meeting Minutes - -- DON SOFFER
AVENTURA
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DON SOFFER AVENTURA HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
FEBRUARY 1, 2022
Following 4:00 p.m. ACES Governing Board Meeting
Aventura Government Center
19200 West Country Club Drive
Aventura, FL 33180
City Commission, Acting in its Capacity as the Governing Board for the Don Soffer
Aventura High School (DSAHS):
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: The meeting was called to order by Mayor Enid
Weisman at 5:24 p.m. The roll was called and the following were present: Mayor Enid
Weisman, Vice Mayor Rachel Friedland, Commissioner Denise Landman, Commissioner
Dr. Linda Marks, Commissioner Marc Narotsky, Commissioner Robert Shelley, City
Manager Ronald J. Wasson, City Clerk Ellisa L. Horvath, and City Attorney Robert
Meyers. Commissioner Jonathan Evans was absent. Also present were DSAHS Principal
Dr. Geoff McKee and Rachel Wind ler-Freitag, South Florida Deputy Director Charter
Schools USA. As a quorum was determined to be present, the meeting commenced.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge was done at the preceding meeting.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A motion for approval of the September 30, 2021
regular meeting minutes was offered by Commissioner Shelley, seconded by
Commissioner Landman, and passed unanimously, by roll call vote.
4. MOTION APPROVING THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR: Mayor
Weisman read the following motion:
MOTION APPROVING THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR.
A motion for approval was offered by Commissioner Shelley and seconded by
Commissioner Landman.
Principal Dr. McKee reviewed the calendar and explained the late start schedule, in lieu
of early release days, as well as professional development for teachers.
Mayor Weisman opened the item for public comment. There being no comments, the item
was closed for public input.
The motion passed unanimously, by roll call vote.
Don Soffer Aventura High School(DSAHS) Governing Board Regular Meeting Minutes
February 1, 2022
5. MOTION APPROVING ACADEMIC RECOGNITION CRITERIA FOR THE
SENIOR CLASS: Mayor Weisman read the following motion:
MOTION APPROVING ACADEMIC RECOGNITION CRITERIA FOR THE
SENIOR CLASS.
A motion for approval was offered by Commissioner Landman and seconded by Vice
Mayor Friedland.
Principal Dr. McKee reviewed the suggested criteria, which followed the Miami-Dade
County public school district model of cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum
laude.
The Commission discussed providing for a valedictorian and salutatorian, but ultimately
decided that could be amended in the future should Dr. McKee determine he would like
to do so. Principal Dr. McKee discussed the possibility of a hybrid system in the future
and will provide information of such a system in the future.
Ms. Windler-Freitag reported that most of the other Charter Schools USA high schools
recognize a valedictorian and salutatorian.
Mayor Weisman opened the item for public comment. There being no comments, the item
was closed for public input.
The motion passed unanimously, by roll call vote.
6. MOTION APPROVING CRITERIA TO QUALIFY FOR SENIOR PRIVILEGE:
Mayor Weisman read the following motion:
MOTION APPROVING CRITERIA TO QUALIFY FOR SENIOR PRIVILEGE.
Principal Dr. McKee reviewed the suggested criteria to allow senior privilege for a
shortened school day by one class (six classes in lieu of seven classes).
The Commission discussed increasing the criteria amount of the unweighted GPA, to
incentivize the students.
A motion to amend the criteria by increasing the amount of the unweighted GPA from no
lower than 2.5 to no lower than 3.0 was offered by Commissioner Narotsky, seconded by
Commissioner Landman, and approved unanimously by roll call vote.
A motion for approval of the criteria, as amended, was offered by Commissioner Narotsky,
seconded by Vice Mayor Friedland, and passed unanimously, by roll call vote.
No comments were provided by members of the public.
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Don Soffer Aventura High School(DSAHS) Governing Board Regular Meeting Minutes
February 1, 2022
7. MOTION APPROVING OUT-OF-FIELD WAIVER: Mayor Weisman read the
following motion:
MOTION APPROVING OUT-OF-FIELD WAIVER.
Principal Dr. McKee withdrew the item from the agenda as the teacher had received her
certification and no longer required the out-of-field waiver.
The Commission applauded the teacher for doing so and requested that she be
recognized at a future meeting.
8. RESOLUTION: Mrs. Horvath read the following Resolution title:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AVENTURA,
FLORIDA, ACTING IN ITS CAPACITY AS THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE
DON SOFFER AVENTURA HIGH SCHOOL("DSAHS");AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO RECOMMEND TO THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
THAT THE CHARTER AGREEMENT FOR DSAHS BETWEEN THE CITY OF
AVENTURA AND THE SCHOOL BOARD BE AMENDED TO REQUIRE THE
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ALGEBRA 1 AS AN ENTRANCE
QUALIFICATION, AS MEASURED BY AN END OF COURSE EXAMINATION OR
EQUIVALENT ASSESSMENT AUTHORIZED BY DSAHS; PROVIDING FOR
IMPLEMENTATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
A motion for approval was offered by Commissioner Shelley and seconded by
Commissioner Dr. Marks.
Mr. Wasson reviewed the item.
Ms. Windler-Freitag reported that the ability to make that change is already allowed in the
charter agreement as long as the Board approves it and clarified that approval from the
district was not needed.
The Commission discussed testing upon enrollment, allowing for the class to be taken
during the summer, funding for a summer Algebra 1 class, and for the change to start in
the August 2023 school year.
Mr. Meyers provided comments. It was clarified that this would be for the August 2023
school year.
The motion passed unanimously, by roll call vote, adopting Resolution No. 2022-11.
9. SCHOOL UPDATES — DSAHS PRINCIPAL DR. GEOFF MCKEE: Principal Dr.
Geoff McKee will provide his update at the City Commission Meeting, due to time
constraints.
10. OTHER BUSINESS: None.
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Don Soffer Aventura High School(DSAHS) Governing Board Regular Meeting Minutes
February 1, 2022
11. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the
Commission as the Governing Board, a motion to adjourn was offered by Commissioner
Shelley, seconded by Vice Mayor Friedland, and unanimously approved; thus, adjourning
the meeting at 6.00 p.m.
•
Ellisa L. Horvath, M , ity Clerk
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CLLI a` `/.NC/e
Approved by the City Commission, acting in its capacity as the Governing Board for
DSAHS, on April 7, 2022.
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