Texas Center for Arts + Academics

Minutes

TCA+A Board Meeting - Audit Presentation

Date and Time

Tuesday January 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM

Location

Kathleen E. Connors Theater 
Texas School of the Arts (TeSA)
6025 Village Parkway
Edgecliff Village, TX 76134

In-person Meeting Return: Governor Abbott’s March 2020 order temporarily suspending certain provisions of the Open Meetings Act due to the COVID-19 pandemic disaster expired August 31, 2021. Consequently, TCA+A Board Meetings will return to in-person meetings at Texas School of the Arts.

Directors Present

Cheryl Bean, Daniel Bates, Michael Wellbaum, Steven Jones, Wes Poole

Directors Absent

Leslie Scott, Myong Chong

Ex Officio Members Present

Anika Perkins

Non Voting Members Present

Anika Perkins

Guests Present

Amy Prickett, Betsy Compton, Blake Anderson, Dean Micknal, Flor Cabrera, Jennifer Jackson, Jocelyn Greenman, Penny Clay, Torie Skinner

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

Daniel Bates called a meeting of the board of directors of Texas Center for Arts + Academics to order on Tuesday Jan 21, 2025 at 6:07 PM.

B.

Record Attendance and Guests

II. Public Comments

A.

Public Comments

  • No public comments were made

III. Recognition

A.

TeSA Recognition and Performance

Mrs. Compton recognized:

  • Leo Garza for having his artwork selected for the FW Stock Show

B.

FWAFA Recognition

Dr. Jackson recognized:

  • Virginia Szok - artwork chosen by the Youth Art Month Committee for the Texas Art Education Association Youth Art Month Spring Exhibition 2025; it will be displayed at the Capitol
  • Samantha Ikeda - selected to All-State Choir
  • Darla Jones - inducted into the Texas Thespians Educator Hall of Fame
  • Student Finalist in Stage's West's Neighborhood Play Contest:
    • YOUTH FINALISTS - MONOLOGUES
      • Burger Addict, Mikayla Wal
      • Cat, Leah Venegas
      • Dig Deeper, Lilah Hernandez
      • Godzilla and King Kong, Samantha Rios
      • Hope, Alden Mukum
      • Mimi, Elizabeth Simoneau
      • Mind Saying Sorry, Makenna Miller
      • Trying, Rebekah Leaverton
    • YOUTH FINALISTS - SCENES
      • Candy Thief, Melody Kim
    • TEEN FINALISTS - MONOLOGUES
      • One Perfect Rose, Jade Jennings
      • The Eggenburg County Poultry Festival, Piper Smith
      • The Last Train, Isaac Petty Gonzalez
      • The Vulture, Olivia Johnson
      • Words of a Cup, Zoie Boone
    • TEEN FINALISTS - SCENES
      • A Purr-fect Performance, Ruby Watson
      • Banned, Morgan Holderfield
    • TEEN FINALISTS - PLAYS
      • Villains Anonymous, Brett Martin

C.

TCA+A Recognition

Dr. Perkins recognized the TCA+A Board Members for January's Board Appreciation Month with a Texas Boys Choir CD recording and a card:

  • Dan Bates
  • Cheryl Bean
  • Myong Chong
  • Steven Jones
  • Wes Poole
  • Leslie Scott
  • Michael Wellbaum 

IV. Consent Agenda

A.

Approve November 19, 2024 Meeting Minutes

Steven Jones made a motion to approve the minutes from TCA+A Board Meeting on 11-19-24.
Cheryl Bean seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

Finance Statements

Steven Jones made a motion to approve the October 2024 and November 2024 finance statements.
Cheryl Bean seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

V. Finance

A.

Presentation of the FY2024 Audit

  • Ted Neeb from Freemon, Shapard, & Story presented the FY2024 Audit Report
Wes Poole made a motion to approve the FY2024 Audit Report with the deletion of footnote #22 and the update of the date to January 21, 2025.
Michael Wellbaum seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

Financial & Transition Authority Resolution

Michael Wellbaum made a motion to approve the Financial & Transition Authority Resolution.
Wes Poole seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Wealth Management & Trust Accounts Authority Resolution

Steven Jones made a motion to approve the Wealth Management & Trust Accounts Authority Resolution.
Cheryl Bean seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

VI. Closed Session

A.

Convene to Closed Session

  • Closed Open Session at 7:23pm
  • Opened in Closed Session at 7:26pm

B.

Reconvene to Open Session

  • Closed Closed Session at 8:14pm
  • Reconvened Open Session at 8:19pm

C.

Action Item

  • No Action Taken

VII. Academics

A.

2023-2024 Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR)

Dr. Perkins reported:

  • TeSA's Report - Enrolled Membership 332 Students
    • Accountability Summary
      • 2020 & 2021 - no rating due to COVID
      • 2022 - B (86%) rating
      • 2023 & 2024 - no rating due to pending litigations around accountability systems in the state
    • 2023-2024 Budgeted Financial Data is broken down
    • 2022-2023 Accrediation Status
      • 2022-2023 FIRST Rating - A Superior Achievement Rating
      • 2022-2023 Acountibility Rating - B
      • 2022-2023 - Accredited
      • 2023-2024 - TEA has not issued any school in the state an Accrediation Status due to the pending Accountability Rating litigations
    • 2023-2024 Violent & Criminal Incidents - none reported
    • 2024 Special Educaiton - Meets Requirements
    • TAPR 
      • 2023-2024 STAAR Performance/Progress data
      • 2023-2024 Bilingual Education/English as a Second Language data
      • 2023-2024 STAAR Participation data
      • 2023-2024 Attendance data
      • 2023-2024 Student Information data
      • 2023-2024 Staff Information data
    • Glows
      • 5th Reading Reading - 100% at Approaches level
      • 5th Math - 99% at the Meets level
      • For most of the grade levels we are excelling the state and region at the Approaches level
    • Grows
      • 4th Math needs to improve
      • Improve our passing rates at Meets and Masters levels
  • FWAFA's Report - Enrolled Membership 654 Students
    • Accountability Summary
      • Elementary Ratings
        • 2020 & 2021 - no rating due to COVID
        • 2022 - B (87%) rating
        • 2023 & 2024 - no rating due to pending litigations around accountability systems in the state
      • Middle/High School Ratings
        • 2020 & 2021 - no rating due to COVID
        • 2022 - B (89%) rating : Distinctions in ELAR, Comparative Academic Growth and Post Readiness
        • 2023 & 2024 - no rating due to pending litigations around accountability systems in the state
      • Overall District Ratings
        • 2020 & 2021 - no rating due to COVID
        • 2022 - A (93%) rating
        • 2023 & 2024 - no rating due to pending litigations around accountability systems in the state
    • 2023-2024 Budgeted Financial Data is broken down
    • 2022-2023 Accrediation Status
      • 2022-2023 FIRST Rating - A Superior Achievement Rating
      • 2022-2023 Acountibility Rating - A
      • 2022-2023 - Accredited
      • 2023-2024 - TEA has not issued any school in the state an Accrediation Status due to the pending Accountability Rating litigations
    • 2023-2024 Violent & Criminal Incidents - 13 students received In School Suspension
    • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board information- FY2023 Graduates
    • 2024 Special Educaiton - Meets Requirements
    • 2024 Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test - not offered
    • TAPR 
      • 2023-2024 STAAR Performance/Progress data
      • 2023-2024 Bilingual Education/English as a Second Language data
      • 2023-2024 STAAR Participation data
      • 2023-2024 Attendance, Graduation, and Dropout Rates data
      • 2023-2024 College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) data
      • 2023-2024 CCMR - Related Indicators
      • 2023-2024 Student Information data
      • 2023-2024 Staff Information data

B.

Report of Intruder Detection Audit Findings for Texas School of the Arts

Dr. Perkins reported

  • Finding for TeSA
    • A secondary door did not latch due to shift in foundation caused by the weather
    • Required to present this finding to the board and then TeSA has 60 days to create a corrective action plan 

VIII. CEO Report

A.

Updates

Dr. Perkins updates:

  • Country Day School donated desks and instructional supplies to TeSA 
  • Student, Virginia Szok - artwork will be on display at the State Capitol in March
  • FWAFA Theatre Teacher, Darla Jones - inducted into the Texas Thespians Hall of Fame
  • FWAFA
    • named a Texas Thespians Community for 2024-2025
    • U.S. News & World Report - recognized in National Rankings
    • named as one of the Best Middle Schools in the Country
  • Conservatories - 176 students / Winter Workshops - 24 students
  • 207 applications as of today for 2025-2026 open enrollment auditions
  • Thank you to Wes Poole for his generous donation to TCA+A
  • February 7th -  next scheduled Safety and Security Committee meeting 

IX. 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 8:56 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Daniel Bates

B.

CERTIFICATE AS TO POSTING OR GIVING OF NOTICE