Christian Academy in Japan
Board of Directors Minutes
Scheduled online video conference
8:45 a.m.
October 19, 2021
Attendance:
Gerald May (TEAM)
Joel Peterson (Member-at-Large)
Anda Foxwell (Head of School)
Daniel Sexton (OMS)
Jeremy Seminoff (Member-at-Large and Educator)
Pauline Carlson (ECC)
Lawrence Spalink (CRJM)- joined around 11 a.m.
Karen Stoesz (SEND)
Jaine Chung (Jaine Loh) (JVENTURE)
Supervisor- Auditors
Akira Endo
Takahito Iwagami- absent
Notation conventions in the minutes: All motions were moved and seconded.
SY21-22:16 Devotions
Gerald May shared from Psalm 127.
SY21-22:17 Time of Prayer for CAJ (B4.6.7)
Time was spent in prayer for CAJ.
SY21-22:18 Call to order / Determination of Quorum (AoE Chap 3, 18.8)
The meeting was called to order at 9:15 a.m. A quorum was established according to policy.
SY21-22:19 Approval of signers for today’s minutes (AoE Ch. 3, 20.2)
Motion to designate Pauline Carlson and Karen Stoesz, in addition to the board chair Gerald May, as
signers for the minutes of the October 19, 2021 Board of Directors meeting.
Approved
SY21-22:20 Approval of agenda (B 4.3.5.3)
Motion to approve the agenda as amended.
Approved.
SY21-22:21 Board Policy review: B 4.1, Governing Styles and Values (B 4.1.6)
The board spent time reviewing B4.1.
Discussion Points:
B4.1.3 Christian Academy in Japan, in its hiring and all other activities, will not discriminate on thebasis of race, national origin, age, handicap, or gender. The school’s activities, with the exception ofpersonnel matters and financial records, shall be open and accessible to scrutiny by its owners,sponsors, and supporters. (SY 08-09:78, SY 15-16:80)● It was noted that we will need to continue fleshing out what we mean by the terms in thispolicy.
● We do have behavioral standards that act as checks and balances when this stance ischallenged.
B4.1.5 The board will direct, control, and inspire the organization through the careful establishment ofbroad, written policies reflecting the board’s values and perspectives about ends to be achieved andmeans to be avoided. The board’s major policy focus will be on the intended long-term impact outsideof the school, not on the administrative or programmatic means of attaining those ends. (SY 15-16:165)● What do we mean by “the intended long-term impact outside of the school”.
● We need to think outside of Higashi Kurume. We need to be aware of trends in missions,schooling needs that we aren’t aware of. Are there collaborations with other schools ormissions that we should pursue?
● Partnerships with churches, pastors could really be beneficial to CAJ and to churches.
● Future focus
B4.1.4 The board will cultivate a sense of group responsibility. The board, not the staff, will beresponsible for excellence in governing. The board will be the initiator of policy, not merely a reactor
to staff initiatives. The board will use the expertise of individual members to enhance the ability of theboard as a body, rather than to substitute the individual judgments for the board’s values. The board
will allow no officer, individual, or committee of the board to hinder or be an excuse for not fulfillingboard commitments.
● Need to be intentional in finding people who are able to give the time required to the board, inorder to benefit from a broad perspective from various members of the board.
SY21-22:22 Head of School Report – School “Temperature Check”
Anda Foxwell gave the Head of School report.
Motion to approve the Head of School report with great thanks.
Approved.
SY21-22:23 Approval of Consent Agenda (B 4.3.3)● October 7, 2021 Governance and Policy Review Committee Minutes (B 4.7.6.3.2)● October 7, 2021 Finance Committee Minutes (B 4.7.6.3.2)
A couple of questions from the Finance Committee minutes were asked related to the guard houseand the smoke retaining work that needs to be done.
Motion to approve the consent agenda.
Approved.

SY21-22:24 Report from Governance and Policy Review Committee
Karen Stoesz gave the Governance and Policy Review Committee report.
Policy Review items assigned by the BoD on May 11, 2021
B 2.2.10 When hiring principals, the business manager, or the director of School Support Services,bring the respective candidate’s file to the board meeting for review, discussion and approval. (SY07-08:72; SY 09-10:140; SY 11-12:183)
The committee recommends no change to this policy.
Policy Amendment:
Current Reading:
B 4.3.6 The board shall select a process to review the school philosophy (A 5.1) and mission
statement (A 5.2) and their implementation in the year preceding the full WASC self-evaluation and in
the year preceding the mid-term WASC review. (SY 07-08:102; SY 11-12:84, SY 14-15:68)
The committee recommends the following changes:
Amend B 4.3.6 (Approved First Reading)
B 4.3.6 The board shall select a process to review the school philosophy (A 4.1), vision statement(A 4.2), and mission statement (A 4.3) and their implementation in the year preceding the full
WASC self-evaluation and in the year preceding the mid-term WASC review.(SY 07-08:102; SY
11-12:84, SY 14-15:68)
SY21-22:25 Head of School monitoring report (B 2.2, 2.9; B1.4) (Staff) (B2.1.1., 2.5.1, 3.5.2.1)
Anda Foxwell and Human Resources Manager Pamela Kumate gave the monitoring report.
Pam shared prayer requests regarding changes in staff and the continued growth in understanding ofJapanese labor law.
Gerald May voiced the board’s appreciation for Pam Kumate’s work for the school.
Pauline Carlson prayed for Pam.
Motion to accept the Monitoring Report.
Approved
The following items from the monitoring report were discussed:
2.2.8 Have all staff and non-parent volunteers sign a contract:● Question: Use of the word “contract” may be problematic. Is it possible to say “contract ormemorandum of understanding”? A volunteer signs a memorandum of understanding not an
official contract. A volunteer might sign our child safety policy, but not a contract.
● Staff and coaches sign contracts. Non-parent volunteers do not sign a contract. A contract
implies employment and volunteers are not employees of CAJ.
2.9.5: Fail to have board-approved guidelines for support raising, including that which may beraised through JCAA.

● Support raising through JCAA is no longer possible, so this limitation needs rewording. Staff
now use Resourcing Christian Education International (RCE) as a way for support raisingwhen they are not with a mission. JCAA exists only for a very limited means of receiving
donations. We need to address this limitation. Need to consider leaving JCAA in policy for
estate planning purposes, but no current staff are using JCAA for fundraising.
2.2.19 Ensure that staff are not discriminated against for using biblically consistent methods
to express ethical/moral dissent concerning superiors.
● Question: How is this policy different from other practices that would be covered through thegrievance policy (2.2.18; 2.2.20)?
● This policy speaks to grievances against a superior. This is one of the stages in the grievanceprocess and staff will not be prevented from engaging in this process.
2.2.20 Ensure that staff are not prevented from grieving to the board when internal grievanceprocedures have been exhausted and the employee alleges that board policy has been
violated to his/her detriment.
● This policy speaks to board intervention in a grievance.
2.2.10 When hiring principals, the business manager, or the director of School Support
Services, bring the respective candidate’s file to the board meeting for review, discussion andapproval:● Question: Should this policy be revised to align with our current Leadership Team structure?
The positions mentioned were the only members of the Leadership Team prior to 2017.
● This question was answered by the G&PR Committee. No change to this policy wasrecommended.
The Governance and Policy Review Committee was asked to review policies B2.2.8 and B2.9.5.
SY21-22:26 Strategy Discussion: Non-Christian Percentage Cap
B2.3.1.1.3 Non-Christian homes, up to 20% per grade level, where the parent(s) or guardian(s) agree
to cooperate with the school’s Christian objectives, provided the applicant is not from the home of aproselytizing religious group*. (SY 12-13:77)
General Comments:● A suggestion was made to ask Michael Essenberg to provide a broader perspective onchanging a non-christian percentage cap or not● Biblical literacy is a concern● Those who can get a pastor’s recommendation don't necessarily live out an active faith● At the high school level, there’s not much difference in behavior and level of spiritual interest
between Christian students and non-Christian students● Historically and now our purpose is to educate missionary kids and other Christian people whowant Christian education for their kids. Allowing non-Christian families is an exception. It’s
important to continue to evaluate our policies● If there is a conversion experience in a non-Christian family, CAJ does change that family'sstatus● It is difficult to stay in compliance with the quota● A trusting relationship with the board and head of school with open communication is importantto maintain● Most non-Christian families express a desire for their children to learn how to serve and wantgood moral education
For consideration:● How does our cap matter with demographic shifts?
● Have a two-tiered approach to quotas one for elementary and one for secondary school● Is CAJ a school that partners with Christian families in raising their families or are we amissional school reaching out to non-Christian families?
● Is CAJ a school for missionary kids or is it more missional in the sense of reaching out to thecommunity? Who are we serving and what is our purpose?
● What makes a Christian school “christian”? How does CAJ answer this question?
● Allow a little flexibility to the HoS in making admissions decisions (20-25%)● Suggestion to survey the student body to ascertain the student’s spiritual state.
● How can we reach out to the Japanese community and enable them to come to CAJ?
Action steps:● By general consent it was decided to ask Michael Essenburg to share his experiences andguide us through a discussion related to what makes us a Christian school.
● Anda was asked to talk with Michael Essenburg about coming to speak with the board
sometime during this school year.
● We need to codify the previously accepted interpretation of B2.3.1.1.3 to preserve it for future
clarification.
○ Already approved by previous board action (SY 12-13:52 Interpretation ofB2.3.1.1.3 )○ 1) Keep the cap at 20% and continue to closely monitor and discuss the situation.
○ 2) Change the term percentage of “class” to percentage of “grade level.”○ 3) Accept an interpretation of how to manage this that includes:■ a) Sibling admissions as exempt from cap without board action.
■ b) The ability to accept a student from a non-Christian family where a percentageof the student puts us over the 20% limitation without board action.
■ c) The continued ability to base decisions on admission projections (students weoffer admission to and returning students as we have information), not on
acceptances.
SY21-22:27 Other items
An update on the Historical Investigation was given and can be found in the EA minutes of October
19, 2021.
SY21-22:28 Board housekeeping● Establish Head of School evaluation committee

○ Gerald May asked for 3 board members to volunteer to be on this committee. Acommittee will be formed by the November 16, 2021 Board of Directors meeting.
● Update on the Head of School Search○ Gerald May and Pauline Carlson gave an update on the Head of School search.
○ The committee invited six applicants to respond to in-depth essay questions.
○ One applicant has responded to the essay questions so far.
○ The committee will be meeting October 21, 2021.
SY21-22:29 Monthly review of board process: verbal (B 4.1.7)
The board process was reviewed. The following comments were made.
● Pre-meeting preparation was appreciated.
● Rearranging the agenda to ensure that all board members were present for the strategic
discussion was appreciated.
SY21-22:30 Closing prayer
Jaine Loh closed in prayer.
SY21-22:31 Adjournment
Motion to adjourn at 3:37 p.m.
Approved
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Stoesz
Board secretarySignatures________________________________
Gerald May- Board Chair________________________________
Pauline Carlson- Board Member________________________________
Karen Stoesz- Board Member