Nicholas Chiles attending by phone. 

See report, attached in board packet.
Bingo raised $2400.
Awarded $5k in minigrants for second half of year. 
Yearbook - PTCA will hire someone to handle it and is working on streamlining for upcoming year.
Focus on volunteerism for upcoming year.
Most of current PTCA is staying on for next year.
Membership is roughly 296.
 

Dr. Goodgame (MC): 2/28 all day celebration of black history with many student led sessions. Friday movie day for principal for the day. Will be soliciting community for 8th grade panels for end of year student presentations in mid-March.

Matt Underwood reporting for Lara Zelski: Menu on 2/28 for west GA farmers cooperative, a group of black-owned farms. EC has had black history month events most days at morning meeting. Round 2 of parent teacher conferences start soon. 5th graders are heading to Blue Ridge soon. On March 14, both campuses will have age appropriate events to recognize national school walk out day. Email will go out to community on 2/28. 

Matt Underwood provided update on Diverse Charter Schools Coalition. The group has been getting more political and funding support. Current challenge grant for $350k to Walton Family Foundation. Matt will make a modest donation (under $1000) to the challenge grant effort. ANCS is only school in GA right now.  Board approval is not needed, but Mitch and Lia recommended that Matt share information with the board. If any members wish to voice feedback to Matt, please contact him after the board meeting. 

Mitch indicated that the organization's support and experience was very helpful during ANCS's efforts to implement a weighted lottery.

Matt Underwood reviewed his presentation from the January 2018 board meeting. Most significant policy change is the creation of a new tenure bonus program and a one-time bonus for teachers currently with 10+ years service. Proposed 10% increase to associate teacher and nutrition staff salary scale. 

Matt, Lia Santos and Kari Lovell presented to the staff after the January 2018 board meeting to get feedback. Finance/Operations committee recommends policy approval. Next steps are outlined in the board packet. 

Eric Tuesink abstained from the vote. 

Dr. Goodgame provided an update on the MC candidacy for the IB program. Report is included in the board packet. 

IB consultant Linda Hutchinson said at end of report said she thinks ANCS will be one of the best programs in the country. Need to tighten up paperwork and submissions to document strength of the application. 

Board viewed video of a 8th grade community project at morning meeting. Presentation integrates language and skills that are part of the IB curriculum. First time had a wide range of responses. School is looking at how to fine tune for next year. Project is not required for advancement to the next grade. 

41 presentations, 11 done solo. Max group size was 3. 

IB Authorization likely by EOY 2018. 

Matt Underwood provided an update on the diversity and equity initiative. Summary is in board packet. 
As of today, more kindergarten applicants from primary attendance zone who identify as economically disadvantaged this year than last year. 17 applications so far vs 9 last year. 
Will have a small group making follow up calls to incoming families who receive lottery slot. 

Elizabeth Hearn presented an update on the CREATE program. Slide deck is included in board packet. An updated deck was presented at the meeting with more recently photos. 

CREATE recently received a Community Consulting Team (CCT) grant for strategic planning assistance. In June, Elizabeth will be attending national conference for other project directors for federal grant program and helping to plan a plenary session and present an independent session on Compassion Based Meditation. Governor's Office of Student Acheivement also has a meeting coming up at which CREATE was invited to present a session.

Three levels of programming: teacher residency, profressional learning and leadership opportunities, induction organizations collaborative. From IOC, four changes in last quarter: GSU classes at King Middle; 40 applicants for 20 spots for 2018-2019 cohort (participants selected randomly not by merit/qualification); redesigning the way university supervisors approach their work; 7 educators participated in a New Teacher Center training held by APS. Goal of program is for it to work for ANYONE who goes into teaching; this is why application is not merit based. 

Hiring several people using new federal grant. Hiring committee will include people from BAMOA. 

Lots of activities will take place in summer for new cohort. 

Have good funds coming in but need to fundraise for matching funds and operating cash. 
 

Ryan Camp reported on Finance and Operations. Details included in board packet. 
Delayed APS allocation received. 
Right on track for budget. No mid-year adjustment of budget. 
New budget planning will begin next month. Cash on hand projected to have roughly $1m at end of summer. Typically cash is much tighter. Best practice for charter schools is to have several months of operating expenses on hand at all times, so ANCS is continuing to build operating reserves.
Working on bids for a new auditing firm from range of firms. Bids range from $17k to $25k, which are all lower than current firm. 
Joyce Gist Lewis asked if RFP process included outreach to minority and women owned businesses. Ryan and Matt confirmed that ANCS did so. Matt and Kari Lovell made a selection of a firm that works with other larger charter schools. 

No written report. Lia and Joyce met in early February to start process for Matt's review. Survey went out to Board and direct reports through Board on Track. Deadline for completion is 3/6/18. 

Governance committee also working on new board members.

Meeghan Fortson provided report, included in the board packet. Please attend auction and volunteer. And donate bourbon for bourbon pull. All VIP tables sold at higher price point than last year. Fund development software has gone live. Part-time Fund Development employee has been hired. 

Dr. Mitchell and Matt Underwood presented on student acheivement data for first half of the school year.  A report is included in the board packet. 

Milestones testing shows acheivement gaps by race, class and special education status. All gaps, however, are smaller than comparable gaps for APS and statewide.

MAP testing also shows an acheivement gap, and one that widens as children progress through the school from K to 8. 

Review of classroom data also shows differences in performance by demographic subgroups. 

Teachers, leadership team and committee will continue to examine/track data. 

Report on from Eric Tuesink. Looks like funding for roof will not come through legislature.