Adelante Schools
Minutes
Adelante Schools Board Meeting
Date and Time
Friday October 9, 2026 at 8:30 AM
Location
Adelante Schools at Emma Donnan Elementary & Middle School
1202 E. Troy Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46203
Goals:
- Approve organizational foundational tools and policies to govern our school and operate effectively.
- Deepen our understanding of Adelante’s Emma Donnan operational state and provide any necessary support and guidance.
Directors Present
A. St John, C. Tello, D. Baker (remote), L. Aguayo, L. Lennon (remote), M. Meer (remote), M. Staten (remote), N. Frech (remote), R. Scott
Directors Absent
None
Guests Present
B. Chandler, C. Franz, J. Habayeb, K. Gavin, M. Rooney
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
R. Scott called a meeting of the board of directors of Adelante Schools to order on Friday Oct 9, 2026 at 8:35 AM.
B.
Record Attendance
C.
Public Comment
D.
Approve Minutes
M. Staten made a motion to approve the minutes from 8/21/26 Adelante Schools Board Meeting on 08-21-26.
L. Aguayo seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| M. Staten |
Aye
|
| M. Meer |
Abstain
|
| R. Scott |
Aye
|
| L. Lennon |
Aye
|
| A. St John |
Aye
|
| C. Tello |
Aye
|
| D. Baker |
Aye
|
| L. Aguayo |
Aye
|
| N. Frech |
Aye
|
II. CEO Report
A.
CEO Report & Board Discussion
- Adelante is at a major crossroads: IPS notified them ~2 weeks ago that the current innovation agreement will be terminated, forcing a choice between a building transfer (likely becoming an independent charter) or a new service agreement with IPS at actual cost
- No decision has been made yet — the board's role today was to hear the landscape and provide guidance, not vote
- Key unknowns still outstanding: actual cost of building operations and opt-in services (IPS to provide by ~October 23rd), outcome of the November 3rd operating referendum, and what IPEC does in 2028
- Hard deadline: IPS wants agreements finalized by December 31st; Adelante's internal deadline is December 9th (OEI charter renewal hearing), when they need to be able to describe their path forward to their authorizer
- Finance committee work in November is critical — they'll need to model the financial impact of both options once IPS provides cost data
III. Finance & Operations
A.
Transactions
L. Lennon made a motion to Approve the transactions.
M. Meer seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| R. Scott |
Aye
|
| M. Staten |
Aye
|
| N. Frech |
Aye
|
| A. St John |
Aye
|
| D. Baker |
Aye
|
| L. Aguayo |
Aye
|
| M. Meer |
Aye
|
| C. Tello |
Aye
|
| L. Lennon |
Aye
|
IV. Committee Updates
A.
Academic Excellence
Tabled until the next meeting
B.
Finance & Development
No new business
C.
Governance
No new business
V. Board Chair Update
A.
Board Updates
An additional full meeting in November may be required in order to advise on IPS/Innovation agreements.
Additional time may be added to December's meeting.
B.
Upcoming OEI Reports & Due Dates
No Board action required
VI. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 9:56 AM.
Respectfully Submitted,
B. Chandler
None