Excelsior Village Academies

Minutes

Excelsior Village Academies' Board Meeting

Date and Time

Saturday February 17, 2024 at 11:00 AM

Location

The Excelsior Village Academies' Board of Directors will meet virtually. Please see meeting details below to join.

 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8754612347?pwd=UXN0amZyMmE3YlVNamhHK3JWVGJKUT09

 

Meeting ID: 875 461 2347
Passcode: EVA24

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Directors Present

A. Holmes, D. Paige, K. Rutherford, N. Brinson, R. Hutchins, W. Smith

Directors Absent

I. Nelson-Graham

Ex Officio Members Present

M. Flowers (remote)

Non Voting Members Present

M. Flowers (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

N. Brinson called a meeting of the board of directors of Excelsior Village Academies to order on Saturday Feb 17, 2024 at 11:03 AM.

B.

Approve Minutes

N. Brinson made a motion to approve the minutes from Excelsior Village Academies' January Board Meeting on 01-17-24.
A. Holmes seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Record Attendance

II. Updates

A.

Pre-Opening Checklist

  • Up to date on the list 
  • Mar 1 - Deadline to obtain facility code 
    • May miss Mar 1 deadline but we will able to get code by early Mar
  • Mar 22 - Provide evidence of applications to be at least 65% of expected enrollment 

B.

Enrollment

  • 92 applications at the moment
    • 71 applications have accepted seats 
    • 50 enrolled, have submitted all documents  
      • 78% on the way to Mar 22 expected enrollment deadline 
      • Need 25 more applications 
  • Making mention of school site & school address 
  • Apr 2024 benchmark, 50% of scholars enrolled 

C.

Hiring

  • Just established accounts for Retirement/Savings 
  • EdTech Services 
    • Onboarding phase: Setting up accounts, access, etc
  • Posted all positions online 
    • 109 applicants for DOI
    • 107 applicants for DSO
    • -
  • Review Phase Currently, In Person Interviews starting in April

D.

Retirement (401k)

N. Brinson made a motion to approve the Retirement/401k plan.
W. Smith seconded the motion.
  • Plan does not currently include a match
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Facilities

  • Codifying renovations for the physical space 
  • Waiting on final pricing to get final proposed project timelines 
  • Slated end date of project is in mid-June

F.

Grants

  • CSP Grant
    • Will get score by Feb 21 
    • $1.5 million initial set of funds 
    • $500k additional funds available with certain criteria 
    • $100k additional funds for leaders 
  • ReDefined Ed
    • $75k payment to be remitted 
    • Mid-Mar deadline for submission of progress docs
  • Charter School Growth Fund
    • EVA not awarded 

III. Board Business

A.

Board Training

  • Required to have 12 hours of training 
  • Last in-person training is Apr 17, Atlanta
  • New School Orientation, next date is Mar 20, Atlanta 

B.

In-Person Meetings

  • Reviewing open meetings laws 
    • Agenda posted one week in advance of meetings 
    • Minutes have to be posted and made public 
    • Structure for public comment in meetings 
    • Printed agendas 
    • Projector, Conference Speaker (Expected EVA Expense)
  • Suggestions: 
    • Refreshments
    • EVA poster or banner
    • Directional Signs 
    • Create a virtual space for community members 

C.

Board Member Opening

  • Still looking to fill Vice Chair Position 
    • Posted on Social Media and EVA website (Our Families > Board Membership Candidates)

D.

Newsletter Deliverables

  • Send 4-5 sentence bio to N. Brinson and M. Flowers w/ picture 

E.

Board Goverance Training (Athens) Share Out

IV. Community Engagement Task Force

A.

Phone Banking Next Steps

  • Fellows have been great with phone banking 
  • Board members claim a day on the log and do a time block a week 

B.

Upcoming Events

  • Feb 23 - Family Fun Day (Aligned with Henry Co Winter Break) 1p-6p

 

V. Finance

A.

Updates to Bylaws

Recommended Language Update to Bylaws: 

 

Language to be included in Article III section 3.03 (a) At the commencement of each fiscal year, the Board of Directors shall convene a meeting for the purpose of determining the dues to be donated or raised by each board member during that fiscal year. (b) [unchanged] Any dues for affiliates shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

N. Brinson made a motion to approve Fiscal Policy that was sent out with notated edits as recommended by Finance Committee.
R. Hutchins seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

Fundraising

  • Fundraising Policies need to be drafted to ensure guidelines are in place for fundraising and brand management 

C.

Next Steps

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 12:08 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
R. Hutchins