Quorum achieved at 6:55pm

Chair walked through how to complete Board member profiles in Board on Track. Chair announced the launch of the Board assessment in Board on Track. To be completed by all Board members by 8/31/21.

Chair reported completion of Exec Dir evaluation during the week of July 12th. ED is reviewing the draft goals before finalizing.

Deferred to Board retreat.

Chair and Exec Dir reviewed progress against SY20-21 goals. As of today, we have 160 students enrolled. OMA Compliance documentation will be complete with the Bylaws vote.

ED presented an overview of GGA celebrations in SY20-21 (see packet).
-- 28 students and 8 staff members were able to go to the Salamander resort last week to attend an event with the American Ballet Theatre (visit arranged through a Board connection with Sheila Johnson the owner (as well as co-founder of BET, part owner of the Wizards, Capitals, and Mystic).
-- GGA has been accepted as an IB Candidate School - 20 hours of remote consultation plus an on campus visit in the spring as part of the process for authorization. Leadership conducted the required Feasibility Study during the Charter application process. The Principal outlined Board, Leadership, Staff roles in moving toward authorization (including training, support, curriculum, security, inclusiveness, coaching).
-- Sports & Enrichment. The Athletic Director talked about last year's sport - Track & Field competing in both the PCS AA and the DC championship. 6 sports declared; 4 offered: cheerleading is not considered a varsity sport in DC but will be offered. 

Dir of Finance the plan to complete the buildout for SY21-22; building permit received 7/23; on track to be ready for 8/23 opening (except: lockers will be delayed, chemistry hood - supply chain issues; due mid-September). End of year financial position is good.

Exec Dir reviewed data that went into goals assessment.

Discussion on near-term resources in place, coming.
* Background info on IB - how to support, how to help GGA to achieve IB authorization - Leadership to provide for Board
* Budget/resources needed to support the application, authorization, and IB program going forward - fundraising, development, budgeting -- decipher the aspirational IB targets from the baseline IB targets -- DFO reviewing the SY21-22 budget to detail how resources align with specific courses, etc. (working with academic staff); will be bigger needs in the following two years (as GGA offers 11th and 12th grades) - to be built into successive budgets.
* Staff retention, development, support, growth - feedback from staff; new hires for this year: 100% staff retention from last year; goal to retain faculty getting the IB training. New staff orientation (includes staff who were hired after last year's orientation) happening this week; then returning/all staff have two-week training.
* Right now, no students have medical (or other) waivers to continue with virtual learning; waiting for more guidance on what can be asked. Students want to be there - most were there for the cohorts by the end of the year and/or are in the building now for the summer programs. No current plans to offer a virtual cohort (pending unforeseen circumstances - the word last year was "Pivot").

Discussion on approach for SY21-22
Partnerships are important (considering safe inclusion of visitors in the school). Steering Committee working on how to better leverage partners; Trailblazer program. "Accelerate" learning for students. Pursuing partnerships: program-driven, fund-raising (grant writing).

Focus on Acceleration not Remediation (not trying to 'make up' for what (may have) been lost. Have built plans around Acceleration (courses, materials, trauma-informed training/responses, LSW on the team now instead of waiting until next year + additional special populations support.
* Can Leadership provide short set of talking points on this Acceleration over Remediation approach and the specific plans - to use for Development, Partnerships, other promotion. 10 Strategies
* ED shared Strategies document with the Board. Most critical: Professional Development to support staff in building skills, capacity to deliver the multi-level teaching/learning in the classrooms.

Giving staff the opportunity to weigh in on the planning, delivery. Hiring a coordinator position this year to support classroom teachers.