Governance

IVA High is authorized through the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). We were founded on the innovative educational model of intellectual character virtues. Charter schools are free, public independent schools. Charter petitions go through a regular renewal process.

The original petition was adopted by LACOE in 2015 and received an 8 year renewal in 2019. We love our charter petition as it describes the educational model along financial and compliance elements. We encourage you to read our charter and let us know if you have any questions.

As an independent public charter school IVA creates plans and goals related to budget expenditures reported through the LCAP, or Local Control Accountability Plan. To create the annual LCAP IVA engages with parents, educators, employees, students and the community. Parents are engaged both informally through Parent Academy or "Family Learning Lounges" and other direct contact meetings and formally annual parent surveys and public board meetings. IVA's LCAP takes into account results and feedback annually as the school creates plans to address implementing the mission and vision toward both academic and social-emotional support.

IVA annually updates school data through the SARC or School Accountability Report Card.

All of these documents are listed below.

Board Meeting Information

BOARD AGENDAS

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Members of the public are encouraged to participate in IVA Board Meetings. To ensure an equal sharing opportunity is offered to all those wishing to participate, up to ten participants will be allotted three minutes each to speak on items that are already on the agenda, and up to ten participants will be allotted three minutes each to speak on any school business matters not already on the agenda.

Most often, IVA board meetings have fewer than ten members of the public wishing to participate and can therefore accommodate all requests to participate. Even so, to ensure there is space for your participation, it is suggested that you submit a public testimony request prior to the meeting. Such requests can be delivered to the school directly, or by submitting this form. If more than ten requests are received, they will be accommodated on first-come-first-served basis.

Members of the public may also submit this form to request an item of school business be added to a future board agenda. Such requests must be received at least 10 working days prior to the meeting date and will be forwarded to Howie Fitzgerald, Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Board Chair or designee will determine whether the matter is directly related to school district business.

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

With some exceptions, IVA's Board of Directors meets the 1st Wednesday of each month beginning at 7pm.

To review an agenda prior to the meeting, click the "Board Agendas" link above. Upcoming agenda's are also posted on IVA's front door (at both middle and high school locations). Board of Directors meetings are generally held at 3601 Linden Avenue or 1637 Long Beach Blvd. on the first Wednesday of every month. Please check posted agendas for accurate dates, times, and location. Thank you for your interest!

IMPORTANT BOARD POLICIES

Proper decision-making is an important part of the effective functioning of the school. The way in which decisions get made at IVA High says a great deal about what we value. At IVA we value respect, room for disagreement, consideration of multiple perspectives, transparency and due-diligence. We reflect our mission to foster meaningful growth in the nine master virtues by incorporating these virtues into the decision making process and our board policies. The board follows the Carver model of board-governance whereby the board establishes the ends and the staff determines the means to carry out these ends. The board stays out of the day-to-day operations and focuses on governance work at the scheduled meetings.

IVA DecisionMaking Policy

IVA Conflict of Interest Policy

IVA Board Bylaws

AGENDA & MINUTES AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW

Board Agenda

Approved Minutes

PLACING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA

You may place matters directly related to school district business on the agenda by emailing a request to Howie Fitzgerald chairman of the Board of Directors or Eric Churchill, PhD, vice chairman of the Board of Directors. Please include all supporting material. The Superintendent or designee will determine whether the matter is directly related to school district business. Emailed requests must be received at least 10 working days prior to the meeting date. Email Mr. Fitzgerald at howie.fitzgerald@ivalongbeach.org or Dr. Churchill at eric.churchill@ivalongbeach.org.

ADDRESSING THE BOARD REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA

If you request to speak about a matter of school district business not on the agenda, you will be invited to make your remarks during the “Public Testimony on Items Not Listed on Agenda” portion of the agenda. Limited discussion may take place on the part of the Board on an item which has not received public notice by being listed on the agenda. However, after receiving public testimony, the Board Chair or any member of the Board may recommend placing such item(s) on the agenda of a future meeting or refer the item(s) to staff for a report.

WHEN YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK

Please state your name and address for the record, and direct your remarks to the chair. Remarks by persons addressing the Board of Education shall be limited to five (5) minutes per person for agenda items (15 minutes total) and three (3) minutes for non-agenda items (15 minutes total), unless the Board agrees to extend the time. No person shall orally present or discuss, at any meeting of the Board, charges or complaints against an individual employee. Remarks by any person addressing the Board which reflect adversely upon the political, religious, racial or economic views, character, or motives of any person are out of order.