American Dream Charter School
Minutes
ADCS Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting
SY23-24
Date and Time
Monday May 20, 2024 at 5:30 PM
Location
Trustees Present
A. Cabrera (remote), L. Rojas (remote), P. Simon (remote), Z. Martinez (remote)
Trustees Absent
R. Espinal
Guests Present
M. Melkonian (remote), N. Gallagher (remote), S. Espinal (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
L. Rojas called a meeting of the board of trustees of American Dream Charter School to order on Monday May 20, 2024 at 5:50 PM.
C.
Approve Minutes
L. Rojas made a motion to approve the minutes from ADCS Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting on 04-15-24.
P. Simon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
D.
Executive Session - HR Matters
II. Educational Success
A.
BENCHMARK 1: Student Performance
B.
BENCHMARK 2: Teaching and Learning
- Fodrham TESOL Program
- This program offers a pathway to additional compensation for bilingual staff.
- MM, In what ways can staff be recognized for bilingual certification?
- HS- campus has a bilingual dual language certified school counselor.
- Other staff are requesting bilingual pay.
- NG will work on creating a well-thought-out plan where staff meet the requirements. Will present this plan within three months (June or July).
- ZM- Employees should take a test, which should be attached to their licensing credentials.
- MM- We would like to attract high-quality talent and retain staff, so it is worth exploring how to value our staff.
- LMR- Staff should be compensated as they complete certification requirements.
C.
BENCHMARK 3: Culture, Climate, and Student and Family Engagement
- Family Orientation
- Saturday, May 18th was ADS orientation
- 40 6th grade, 1 seventh-grade, and 6th-grade families joined.
- SY24/25 Staff offer letter update
- 87 staff members received and signed their offer letters.
- 7 received an offer letter and are not returning.
- 3 staff members did not receive an offer letter.
III. Organizational Soundness
A.
BENCHMARK 4: Financial Condition
- Account balances
- Accounts balances given by NG.
B.
BENCHMARK 5: Financial Management
- ADCS Financial Report
- Review financial report.
- Digant will join us in June to review the year.
- Pandemic Funds are coming to an end.
C.
BENCHMARK 6: Board Oversight and Governance:
- Reminder: Elisa will be joining us on June 17, 2024
- Non-voting members will observe.
- Strategic Planning for the Board
- NYSED wants to see strategic planning for SY2425
- End of the Year Board Evaluation for June 2023
- NG will send it before the June Meeting
- Fiesta First update
D.
BENCHMARK 7: Organizational Capacity
- Staffing update
- Need to fill vacancies.
- 9 Instructional positions to fill.
- Need to fill vacancies.
IV. Faithfulness to Charter & Law
A.
BENCHMARK 8: Mission and Key Design Elements
B.
BENCHMARK 9: Enrollment, Recruitment, and Retention
- Enrollment update for SY23-24 and SY24-25
- SY23-24 Enrollment Numbers:
- 6th Grade: 87
- 7th Grade: 81
- 8th Grade: 86
- 9th Grade: 93
- 10th Grade: 86
- 11th Grade: 72
- 12th Grade: 71
- Total enrollment 576
C.
BENCHMARK 10: Legal Compliance
V. 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 6:31 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
L. Rojas