July 2026 financial reports were presented by Dr. Lorilyn Coggins, highlighting cash on hand, year-to-date revenues, year-to-date expenditures, and the current fund balance in a summarized format. The financials are in order. It was reported that the Academy's financial audit is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 31, 2026. A draft financial report was presented to the Board for review.

The 21st CCLC team is currently on vacation; therefore, no program report or expense report was presented.

The Sanga Monthly Management Report was presented by Dr. Marquez Elem and Ana Ulloa.

Dr. Elem shared summer school programming and student progress data. He noted that the Academy's summer program included five weeks of instruction, with students receiving approximately 1.5 hours of daily mathematics instruction and 1.5 hours of daily English Language Arts instruction utilizing the Lavinia curriculum. Based on the data presented, the summer programming and curriculum implementation appeared to support positive student progress.

Members of the Academy's instructional team also shared their positive experiences using the Lavinia curriculum, particularly highlighting the flexibility of the curriculum and its ability to support instructional needs.

Dr. Elem discussed the introduction of intentional and impactful professional development sessions, as well as a Teacher Playbook designed to establish a framework for professional growth and instructional consistency throughout the Academy.

Dr. Elem also expressed his appreciation for the number of staff members who attended the Board meeting, noting that it was encouraging to see such strong staff participation.

Public comments were held until the conclusion of the Management Report.

Dr. Elem discussed the development of his instructional team and explained that the team was established to bring additional skills and expertise that could support and strengthen the Academy's instructional practices. He emphasized the importance of building the capacity of staff through a “train-the-trainer” approach.

Board President Cristina Stamatin expressed appreciation for Dr. Elem's energy and commitment. She also reiterated that Escuela Avancemos Academy is not at the bottom academically and should not be characterized as a school that is performing poorly. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that the Board, Management, school leadership, and the school community move forward in the same direction and recognize the strengths and capabilities that already exist within the organization.

Ana Ulloa stated that Management concurred with the Board President's comments and expressed her belief that staff members from the previous school year possess valuable skills and capabilities and should have opportunities to participate in and contribute to the instructional team.

Julius Redden shared that his work is focused on supporting the Superintendent's two main areas of focus for the school year. He also reported that, with the assistance of Beatriz Hill, an application was submitted for a Level Playing Field Grant to support athletic and sports programming at the Academy.

A data presentation was provided by Alex Weberman. Jennifer Joubert noted the importance of exercising caution when presenting Kindergarten through second-grade data, as overall growth percentages may be misleading without appropriate context. She emphasized the importance of understanding the Academy's Charter goals for grades 3–8 when analyzing and presenting student performance data.

Board President Cristina Stamatin stated that data presentations and graphs should be clear, easy to follow, and include a summary that connects the results to the Academy's Charter goals.

It was reported that M-STEP results will be presented at the next Board meeting.

Dr. Elem also shared that recurring data meetings will be held with teachers to ensure that staff members understand student performance data, identify where students are academically, and use the information to guide instruction. Board President Stamatin noted that student data provides important information regarding the needs of both students and teachers and should be used to identify areas where additional instructional support may be necessary.

The Board recognized Ms. Hill and the main office staff for their efforts in increasing student enrollment. Their work and commitment to supporting enrollment growth were acknowledged and appreciated.

Ana Ulloa shared that Sanga Management operates using a distributed organizational model. She indicated that additional information regarding the model and how it supports the organization will be shared with staff.

During the extended public comment period, several staff members introduced themselves to the Board of Directors and shared remarks regarding their experiences and commitment to Escuela Avancemos Academy.

Staff members expressed appreciation for Ana Ulloa's leadership, describing her as an important part of the Escuela Avancemos Academy community and recognizing the passion and dedication she brings to the organization. Comments reflected appreciation for the commitment and work being done to support the Academy, its students, staff, and school community.

It was reported that Monica Barbour has submitted her Board Reappointment Application. The Center for Charter Schools at Central Michigan University is still awaiting the submission of Andreea Bordeianu's reappointment application. The Center for Charter Schools at Central Michigan University expressed appreciation for its continued partnership with Escuela Avancemos Academy and thanked everyone who attended the CMU Annual Conference.

Members of the Board of Directors shared that they enjoyed attending the CMU conference and appreciated the opportunity to participate in the various sessions and activities.

Board President Cristina Stamatin welcomed and thanked all guests and staff members who attended the Board meeting.

President Stamatin emphasized the importance of thoughtful planning and preparation, stating that success is achieved through strong planning rather than luck. She thanked the Board, Management, school leadership, and staff for their continued efforts to make decisions in the best interest of students.

She further emphasized the importance of the Academy operating as a united front and working collaboratively toward the shared goal of doing what is best for children.

President Stamatin also encouraged the Academy to explore how artificial intelligence may be used as a tool to support and strengthen instructional practices. 

The Board discussed the need to reorganize the Board meeting agenda to improve efficiency and ensure that appropriate time is dedicated to key areas of discussion.

The Board also discussed the establishment of Board committees to allow for more in-depth review and discussion of specific matters before recommendations or decisions are brought forward to the full Board.

Tuesday. September 22, 2026, at 6:30 pm at Escuela Avancemos! Academy.