Board Agendas & Minutes
Governing Board Schedule for the 2020-2021 school year:
- Regular Board Meeting: Wednesday, June 23 at 5:30 pm
Finance-HR Meetings
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Finance/HR committee meetings will be held via Zoom.Dates will be announced via ParentSquare and reflected on our website. Correspondence may be sent in care of:
Monterey Bay Charter School
1004 David Avenue
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Email: office@mbcharterschool.org
The MBCS Finance/HR monthly meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 4:00 PM via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found in the Finance/HR meeting agenda.
Board of Directors Meetings
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Governing Board meetings will be held via Zoom on the first Tuesday of every month at 5:30pm (PST). Dates will be announced via ParentSquare and reflected on our website. Correspondence may be sent in care of:
Monterey Bay Charter School
1004 David Avenue
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Email: director@mbcharterschool.org
All correspondence will be delivered to Board members prior to the next scheduled meeting and is entered into the public record.
School Board
Parent Circle
Foundation Board
School Board
The Board of Directors is responsible for supporting the school’s vision and continuity of leadership at MBCS. It is responsible for carrying out board responsibilities as outlined in the corporation’s bylaws.
Board of Directors
Kenneth Turgen, Chair
Tomi Burgess, Vice Chair
Carmel York, Treasurer
Ryan Commons, Secretary
Antonio Garcia, Director
Correspondence may be sent in care of:
Monterey Bay Charter School
1004 David Avenue
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Email: communications@mbcharterschool.org
Responsibilities of the Board:
- Uphold and revise (with permission of the granting agency) as needed the school charter. Adopt, amend and implement Board bylaws, internal Board policies and procedures.
- Ensure adequate resources for the school’s programs.
- Establish and work toward achieving long-term and short-term goals.
- Oversee the fiscal management of the school including:
- All audits and reports required by state or federal law.
- Approval of the annual school budget.
- Review and approval of quarterly budget reports.
- Secure and maintain the school site.
- Ensure the health and safety of the school.
- Hire, support, supervise and evaluate the school director.
- Approve hiring and termination of school faculty and staff.
- Oversee school parent participation structure.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of school programs.
- Act as an avenue of communication for the school community, including:
The resolution of grievances.
Conducting exit interviews for employees and families who leave the school. - Represent the school in the larger community.
- Prepare and publish an annual report including:
- The progress made towards achieving the long-term and short-term goals established by the Board.
- The fiscal health of the school.
- Significant events.
Kenneth Turgen
Chair
Kenneth Turgen
Chair
Monterey, California. Associate with Wald, Ruhnke & Dost Architects L.L.P.
Kenneth Turgen has been an MBCS board member since 2011 and chair since 2016. He has two alumni daughters who both attend Monterey High School and another daughter in third grade at MBCS. Mr. Turgen was a member of the Design Review Board and Chair of the Planning Commission for the City of Marina from 2007 through 2015. Kenneth is a staunch booster of MBCS and his booming voice can be heard at May Faire every year as our Town Crier. His love
for this community can be seen throughout the region in his designs including hospitality, adaptive reuse, historic preservation, multi-family housing, medical and civic projects. Kenneth is an associate at Wald, Ruhnke & Dost Architects and holds both a Bachelor and a Master’s degree in architecture from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.
Tomasina Burgess
Vice Chair
Tomasina Burgess
Vice Chair
Prunedale, California.
Tomi Burgess joined the Monterey Bay Charter School School Board in the fall of 2011. She has been a non-profit volunteer for the past 28 years. Tomi has enjoyed different roles in event planning, park restoration, and child advocacy. Tomi has also served on the Monterey Bay Charter School Foundation Board, played a critical role in establishing and managing the donor database, has chaired multiple fundraisers, community events, and Parent Circle. Tomi currently lives in Prunedale with her husband and two children. Tomi’s oldest son attended Monterey Bay Charter School from kindergarten through eighth grade and is currently attending Monterey High School. Tomi’s second child is currently enrolled at Monterey Bay Charter School. Tomi is also pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education.
Carmel York
Treasurer
Carmel York
Treasurer
Marina, California. Risk Manager, Mortgage Banking, Entrepreneur.
Carmel York is a risk manager, entrepreneur, philanthropist and mentor, working 27 years in banking and finance. She has 20 years of experience serving and managing volunteer and non-profit boards focused on education, personal finance, and community outreach. Ms. York lives with her husband and two teen-aged sons on the Monterey Bay Peninsula and believes strongly and works hard supporting high-quality, public education.
Ryan Commons
Secretary
Ryan Commons
Secretary
Monterey, California. Lawyer for Driscoll’s Berries
Ryan Commons joined the board in October 2019 when his son Luke started transitional kindergarten at MBCS. His son George will start at MBCS in 2022. Prior to serving on the MBCS board, Ryan served on the boards for the San Joaquin River Parkway & Conservation Trust and the Fresno Economic Development Corporation. In addition to prior board experience, Ryan brings to the board a deep passion for Waldorf education, a love for all things outdoors, and a background in corporate governance and transactional law. Ryan currently works as corporate counsel at Driscoll’s, Inc. and he received a B.S. from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a J.D. from Santa Clara Law.
Antonio Garcia
Director
Antonio Garcia
Director
Marina, California. Educator for Salinas School District.
A husband and a father of a MBCS 4th Grader, Antonio moved to the Monterey Bay area in 2015. He is an educator of twenty years having served communities in Los Angeles, New York City, Soledad, and now Salinas. His passions include music, cooking, the outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Ashley Reyes
Director
Ashley Reyes
Director
Monterey, California. Director of Teddy Bear Preschool LLC. Ashley has been working with youth of all ages in both academic and in childcare settings for almost 15 years. Her experience includes being an Academic Intern for Monterey High School, an After-School Aide for the International School of Monterey, a Lead Preschool Teacher for Early Development Services as well as a Parent Educator for Parenting Connections of Monterey.
She currently has two Associate’s Degrees: one in Anthropology and one in Child Development. She has a Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree both in Early Childhood Education from Brandman University and she has just been admitted into the PhD program in Infant and Early Childhood Development through Fielding Graduate University in which she will start Fall of 2021.
Ashley lives with her husband Ronald, her daughter Ashlyn and their bearded dragon “Luno Dinosaur”. She loves reading, knitting, hula dancing and going to the movies with her family.
Parent Circle
It is the mission of the Parent Council to unify the collective efforts of the teachers, parents and administration for the betterment and health of the school.
The Parent Council is dedicated to cultivating an active and diverse community that nourishes the vision of the Monterey Bay Charter School. The Parent Council champions volunteerism that comes from the head, heart and hands of its community members, and in turn promotes student achievement.
The Parent Circle strives to:
- Advocate for students’ health, safety and academic success;
- Inspire and support individuals to share their unique and valuable gifts through volunteerism;
- Contribute to the fiscal stability of school programs and initiatives
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Contact
Candace Villarta, Communications & Development Manager
Email: communications@mbcharterschool.org
Foundation Board
The Foundation’s mission is to support the work and programs of the Monterey Bay Charter School and to build a new school facility.
A detailed Memorandum of Understanding exists between the Foundation and the School, outlining the roles, responsibilities, and accountability for each entity. The Memorandum of Understanding ensures that the Foundation and School maintain separate fiscal identities while at the same time working toward the common goal of supporting the School and its curriculum.
Foundation Members
Mark Cohan, Board Chair
Susan Breen, Vice Chair
Karyn Lee-Garcia, Treasurer
Ben Bence, Secretary
Jacob Shafer, Director
Jennifer Dacquisto, Director
Shannon Conner, Director
The Foundation’s services include:
- Researching and outlining a fundraising structure for the School; planning and conducting fundraising and donor acquisition programs for the School;
- Preparing and submitting private and government grant applications on behalf of and in cooperation with the School;
- Identifying and nurturing relationships with potential donors;
- Engaging in development and solicitation of funding and other resources to support the educational purposes of the School;
- Building a new school facility in a location that is central to all Monterey County students.
Mark Cohan
Board Chair
Mark Cohan
Board Chair
Bio TBA
Susan Breen
Vice Chair
Susan Breen
Vice Chair
Susan Breen has been President/Owner of Breen Consulting (BC) for 25 years and is licensed in California as a Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB). She has been successfully providing service as a marketing and public relations professional to a variety of businesses and nonprofit organizations. In a recent expansion, a full team of experts can now offer additional expertise to clients. The range of consulting services include graphic design, web development, grant writing and Internet consulting. HR and legal assistance can be made available when
requested.
Her qualifications as a board director for numerous non-profit organizations provides her with the efficiency, decision making, strategic planning, fundraising, community relations experience activities needed to serve on the Foundation Board of the Monterey Bay Charter School. Susan and her husband Bill have lived in Monterey County for the last dozen years and have 3 adult children.
Karyn Lee-Garcia
Treasurer
Karyn Lee-Garcia
Treasurer
Karyn is dedicated to serving the creative and education sectors as an advocate, administrator and marketer. She was drawn into the world of arts as a dancer and paired education as a way to broaden access to underserved communities and to support creatives. With over 20 years of nonprofit management and for-profit business experience, she works as the Programs Director at the Arts Council for Monterey County along with community commitments as Board Secretary of the Forest Theatre Foundation and Board Member of the Monterey Bay Charter School Foundation. Karyn is a mother of a 4th grader at MBCS and moved to the Monterey Bay area in 2015.
Ben Bence
Secretary
Ben Bence
Secretary
Ben Bence is the founding director of Outside The Box Consulting LLC, a local outdoor education organization that focuses on getting students and classes out in nature. Ben studied Liberial Studies with a linguistics emphasis at CSU Monterey Bay and is currently working on his multiple subject elementary teaching credential. He was the 2017 Paul Walker Ocean Leadership Award Recipient for his 2,000+ volunteer hours and work experience in Monterey’s environmental education community. The Monterey native spends his free time on a paddle board or hiking a trail.
Jacob Shafer
Director
Jacob Shafer
Director
Jacob Shafer is the development director at Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula. He spent seven years in Mongolia as a Peace Corps volunteer and working in community outreach with Rio Tinto Global. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. If you see Jacob, his wife Natalie, son Tenuun, and daughter Indira on campus or in the community, be sure to say hello.
Jennifer Dacquisto
Director
Jennifer Dacquisto
Director
Jennifer Dacquisto is the Senior Vice President and Monterey Bay Market Executive for Bank of America. In this role, she is responsible for business integration and collaboration across the bank’s eight lines of business to deliver one company, drive responsible growth, strengthen communities and improve financial lives. Jennifer also leads the development and execution of the market’s strategic plan, oversight of the bank’s local philanthropic contributions and management of Bank of America community sponsorships. Additionally, Jennifer oversees Bank of America’s Environmental, Social and Governance work in the region.
Jennifer works closely with numerous community partners including Digital NEST, Rancho Cielo, Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County, Natividad Medical Foundation, Dorothy’s Place, Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Food Bank of Monterey County, Second Harvest Food Bank in Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Office of Education and the Chambers of Commerce for Monterey Peninsula, Salinas and Santa Cruz. Additionally she is a member of HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Advancement) of Monterey Bay, is an active member of LEAD (Leadership, Education, Advancement and Development) for Women, and an LGBT Pride Ally.
Jennifer has over twenty years of experience leading marketing, branding, communications and community programs in the financial services and community development sectors. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Notre Dame de Namur University. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children. In her free time she can be found reading, hiking and traveling.
Shannon Conner
Director
Shannon Conner
Director
Shannon Conner, MA is a passionate conservation educator. Currently working for the Bird School Project as an outdoor education instructor in the Salinas Union High School District, teaching students and staff the value of being outdoors. She is the founder of the up-and-coming Dudleya Nature Center in Seaside, California and also worked at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in various capacities over the last decade. When she isn’t hiking around Monterey County with her dog, Shannon can be found working in her garden or crafting various projects around her house.
Student Council
Some of the activities include:
- Middle school dances and other fun activities;
- School ‘spirit days’ such as Pajama Day and Crazy Hat Day;
- Betterment of the school campus.
Community Service
Community Service must consist of volunteer service for organizations outside of our school community, and a few hours of volunteer work on the school campus. Suggestions for Community Service opportunities at the school will be provided from time to time during the school year. Students are encouraged to find opportunities in the wider community as well.
Subscribe Section
Subscribe to
Special Event Notices
Subscribe to MBCS special event notices (5-6 flyers per school year). Each flyer contains an unsubscribe link so you may opt out easily at any time.
