Legacy Schools Board of Directors
Minutes
Legacy Prep Board of Directors meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday January 9, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Location
Legacy Prep
1500 Daniel Payne Drive
Birmingham, AL 35214
Directors Present
Desire Crumb, Earlisha Williams, LaTasha Nix, Reginald Chapple, Ruqayyah Abdullah
Directors Absent
Adrienne Brooks, Orazio Mancarella
Directors who arrived after the meeting opened
Earlisha Williams
Ex Officio Members Present
Reneta Johnson
Non Voting Members Present
Reneta Johnson
Guests Present
Carol Hollis, Willie Davis (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Approve Agenda
D.
Approve Minutes
II. Governance Committee
A.
Board Members Candidates
B.
New Facility Updates
C.
Modulars and Current Campus Expansion
Dr. Johnson shared the target enrollment for Legacy Prep which is the max number based on our charter. That max number is 590 and at present enrollment is 422.
In order to have a separate cost center for 2 school sites, enrollment must reach 250 at each site.
Needs/Goals for next year in order to support these numbers:
- 25 class units to 27 class units and increasing the number of students per class especially in small classes
- A separate special education classroom is needed for next year
- 3 additional classroom modulars will need to be added behind the school
- Proposed campus map shared with 7 portable classrooms
- The lease for additional modular classrooms will be $695/month and other initial set up costs totaling $51,230
The Board asked Dr. Johnson to ask for the price of a lease extension of more than 12 months for the modular classrooms.
D.
Committee Meetings
Per Chairman Abdulla, committee meetings are not being planned and scheduled. She urged the board member to have committee meetings so that fiduciary duties can be met by each board member. She charged each committee chairman to schedule and have a meeting before the end of this month or she will expect resignations.
Giving Tuesday was not successful due to a variety of reasons. Again Mrs. Abdullah asked for a serious commitment from the board as promised to the Legacy Prep scholars/families/state/ charter commission. She emphasized that it is a sacrifice that all board members agreed to make.
III. Academic Committee
A.
School Updates
Dr. Johnson shared the latest enrollment numbers by grade with a total enrollment at 422.
She shared current scholar demographics. Dr. Johnson reported to the board on chronic absenteeism and average daily attendance. Chronic absenteeism (18 or more days absent) is at 2.18% in contrast to last year at this time, the average was at 18%.
Dr. Johnson also share information on the academic report card.
Legacy Prep Charter hosted a meeting of the Alabama Charter Commission. The commissioners stayed most of the day, meeting and touring the school. They all said that they were impressed and enjoyed the day.
Dr. Johnson reported that Legacy Prep received and F on the state report card, which is down from a C the previous year. She said that the Alabama Charter Commission met with the 13 charter schools, of which 10 received and F on the report card. She explained some of the unique factors that charter schools face which included:
- rentention rate
- turnover of students
- chronic absenteeism
- teacher turnover
- % teachers who are certified
- teacher benefits does not include being a part of the Teacher Retirement
Action Plan to improve
- targeting absenteeism
- 70% staff certified
- teacher recruitment
- data driven instructional practices
Dr. Johnson also shared the spring assessment calendar.
B.
School-wide Tutoring
Online tutoring will be provided by Varsity Tutoring. 250 scholars will be targeted but all scholars will have access.
After School Tutoring will be in person and be provided by LP staff. The program will target 52 students.
IV. Finance Committee
A.
October Financials
B.
Auditor Engagement
C.
Personnel Report
V. Development Committee
A.
Development Updates
Mrs. Abdullah said that the Development Committee did meet. She is requesting that the Development and Finance Academy meet together soon.
VI. Other Business
A.
K-3 Leader
Dr. Johnson said that January is School Board Appreciation Month. She thanked the Board for their tireless work for Legacy Prep Charter School and gave them a small token of appreciation.
Mr. Mancarella was not present at the meeting but Mrs. Abdullah gave an update on the new facility and the planned purchase closing on January 19, 2024.