Ted Beck has stepped down as SCSF Treasurer, effective September 30th, due to a potential conflict of interest. We appreciate his dedicated and loyal service! Please welcome Joanne Louis as our new Treasurer, who began her term on October 1st. 

Mike Dudgeon has been appointed as the new SCSC Commissioner representative for the SCSF Board and Executive Committee. We welcome Mike and extend our appreciation to Tony Lowdon for serving in this capacity over the last year.

Also, please welcome Avery James, our Master of Social Work Intern from UGA for the 2022-23 school year! Avery is working on the Schools of Wellness initiative.

The SCSF board of directors shall consider the following change to the bylaws:

• The corporate CEO shall be the President (full-time employee). Currently, the bylaws state that the volunteer Board Chair is the corporate CEO.

The SCSF is entering into strategic planning with the goal of a new, multi-year plan adopted by July 1, 2023. The Executive Committee will give an overview of the process. Stakeholder feedback will be gathered through the end of 2022.

GEER II - We have received reimbursements and advance payments for GEER II totaling $1,464,908. Our GEER II expenditures have exceeded $360,000 to date. As we award grants to schools, these expenditures will escalate soon. We are disbursing $10,000 per month for three new school leader stipends. We also have four active contracts for technical assistance and services.

CSP - The SCSF has been awarded $38,295,000 by the U.S. Dept. of Education for the Charter Schools Program State Entity program to continue and expand the Charter Growth Initiative. The State Charter Schools Commission and Georgia Department of Education were coapplicants. Over the next few weeks, we will have meetings with our program specialist, revise the budget, and attend a mandatory project director meeting in D.C.

Operational support - We have entered into a contract with the SCSC for operational support. In the past, the SCSC has provided operational support by paying vendors directly. Now, the SCSF will receive quarterly payments from the SCSC to support operational expenses.

Grants & fundraising - We have submitted two grant applications to support the book vending machine program - one for $26,000 from the Next Generation Foundation and one for $5,000 from the Georgia Power Foundation. We are extending our Donuts for Teachers fundraiser through the end of the first weekend in November.

Michele Neely and Lauren Holcomb will give an update on the Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative (Charter Growth Initiative). 

• FindaGaCharter.org launch
• Replication and Expansion Cohort Program
• New School Leader Fellowship Program
• Communications Campaign & Roadshow

The board shall consider approval of a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the Charter Schools Program (CSP) State Entity program of $38,294,999. The Grant Award Notice (GAN) is attached for reference. Note: The SCSF has been allocated forward funding for the first two years for administrative reasons.

• Book Wagon & book vending machine
• Teacher Store
• Schools of Wellness
• Community engagement
• Direct TA to schools