Update on the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant.

• The school completed New York State’s Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) procurement process, which requires a designated percentage of grant expenditures to be allocated to certified minority- and women-owned businesses.
• Several selected vendors are companies the school already works with, which will help streamline implementation.
• The school is awaiting the next steps from the state, including execution of the grant contract.
• No grant funds have been spent to date because expenditures cannot begin until the contract is fully signed.
• Leadership noted the importance of beginning to utilize the funds as soon as approval is received.

ADS II Leadership Update

Leadership announced that Cassius has been selected as the school leader for American Dream Charter School II.

• Dr. Melkonian has been meeting with Mr. Cassius every Thursday.
• Meetings focus on onboarding, planning priorities, and preparing him for the responsibilities of his new role.
• Leadership expressed confidence in his ability to lead the school and support a successful launch.

Security Guard Grant for ADCS II

The school also applied for the New York State security guard reimbursement grant for American Dream Charter School II.

• Because ADS II will operate in a private facility, it is eligible to apply for this grant.
• The application deadline was May 15, 2026.
• The application was submitted successfully.
• If awarded, the grant will help offset the cost of security personnel at the new campus.

ADCS II Lease Update

Leadership provided an update on the lease negotiations for the ADCS II facility.

• The Board had anticipated reviewing the lease during this meeting; however, final negotiations are still underway.
• The primary lease terms, including rental costs and major financial provisions, have been finalized.
• Remaining issues involve minor details related to shared space usage and signage.
• Legal counsel, Cliff, is working directly with the property owner’s attorney to resolve these final points.

Leadership reported that:

• The lease is financially feasible.
• All major provisions required by the school have been included.
• The lease is expected to begin on June 1, 2026.

Because timing is critical, leadership may request a special board meeting of approximately 30 minutes to review the final lease and vote on approval.

Lease Approval Process

Once the lease is finalized:

1. The Board will review and vote to approve the lease.
2. The approved lease will be submitted to the New York State Education Department.
3. State approval must be obtained before the school can formally execute the lease.

ADCS II Account Balances

• Account balances given by -NG