State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia

Minutes

State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia Quarterly Board Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday November 1, 2022 at 12:00 PM

Location

Virtual

This meeting will occur virtually. Please follow the included link to join.

Directors Present

A. Welcher (remote), E. Mitchell (remote), G. Rogers (remote), J. Louis (remote), L. Holcomb (remote), M. Dudgeon (remote), S. Quinn (remote), Y. Mack (remote)

Directors Absent

C. Sears, F. Konteh, L. Olens

Ex Officio Members Present

M. Neely (remote)

Non Voting Members Present

M. Neely (remote)

Guests Present

A. Chen (remote), D. Glenn (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

A. Welcher called a meeting of the board of directors of State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia to order on Tuesday Nov 1, 2022 at 12:10 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes

L. Holcomb made a motion to approve the minutes from State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia Quarterly Board Meeting on 08-02-22.
G. Rogers seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Governance

A.

Recognition of New Officer, Board Member, & Team Member

Joanne Louis joined the board as Treasurer on October 1.

Mike Dudgeon has joined the board as the new SCSC Commissioner representative for the SCSF Board and Executive Committee. 

Avery James is the SCSF's Master of Social Work intern from UGA.

The SCSF will be obtaining a new mailing address due to issues with mail at the previous address.

B.

Change to Bylaws

The proposal is to make the President the CEO. Currently, the bylaws state that the Volunteer Board Chair is the CEO.

L. Holcomb made a motion to amend the bylaws.
M. Dudgeon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

The board discussed making the President the CFO in a future action. Joanne Louis will be listed as the Treasurer and Fadzai Konteh will be listed as the Secretary. 

C.

Strategic Planning

The SCSF is entering into strategic planning with the goal of a new, multi-year plan adopted by July 1, 2023. Stakeholder feedback will be gathered through the end of 2022. Adria Welcher asked for board members to review the feedback form and to disseminate and collect the feedback. Adria Welcher, Gabrielle Rogers, and Steven Quinn volunteered.

III. Financial Report

A.

Presentation of June 2022 and FY2022 Reports

The Treasurer, Joanne Louis, reviewed the current statements, grant applications, and fundraiser. The SCSF has entered a contract with the SCSC for operational expenses. The SCSF was awarded a five-year grant totaling $38,295,000.

B.

Financial Outlook

IV. Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative

A.

Charter Growth Initiative Update

Michele Neely and Lauren Holcomb offered an update on the Charter Growth Initiative. Currently, two cohort groups are in progress, receiving technical assistance. One is the Replication and Expansion Cohort and the other is the New Leader Fellowship Program. 

The Replication and Expansion Cohort is going to Memphis this week to visit successfully replicated schools. 

The New Leader Fellowship Program has three school leaders receiving stipends and access to future grant funds to get their schools up and running.

The SCSF is preparing to launch FindaGaCharter.org, working through some issues.

Steven Quinn asked if there is discussion for creating a "one application" for all charters in the future. Lauren Holcomb replied that the SCSC is considering creating common enrollment among the state charters. 

B.

Approve CSP Grant Award

M. Dudgeon made a motion to approve a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the Charter Schools Program (CSP) State Entity program of $38,294,999.
S. Quinn seconded the motion.

Michele Neely noted that the SCSF has been allocated forward funding for the first two years for administrative reasons.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

V. President's Report

A.

Update on Organization Activities

The SCSF has a partnership with All In for Inclusive Education; they are providing training for achieving positive outcomes for students with special needs. They will also be at the SCSC governance training. 

The Book Wagon visited several schools this semester and has donated several thousand books to date. 

The SCSF helped facilitate the purchase of a book vending machine by Resurgence Hall.

Through the Empty Stocking Fund's teacher store, twenty charter school teachers were given shopping sprees and gift cards. 

The SCSF continues offering technical assistance and webinars, including next week's session on fundraising. 

The Schools of Wellness initiative is moving ahead with MSW Intern Avery James.

The Junior League of Atlanta will be providing Wellness Spaces for three charter schools in early 2023.

VI. Other Business

A.

Charter school/school choice expo

Steven Quinn shared that there will be a school choice expo next year. Michele Neely will attend, representing FindaGaCharter.org.

VII. 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 12:59 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
D. Glenn
Documents used during the meeting
  • SCSF_Bylaws__Draft Amendment Nov_2022.docx
  • Amended FY22 Strategic Plan APPROVED.pdf
  • 2022-09-30 - Budget Vs. Actuals to Date - Combined.pdf
  • 2022-09-30 - Statement of Activities - YTD - Combined.pdf
  • 2022-09-30 - Statement of Activities - YTD - Separated by Division.pdf
  • 2022-09-30 - Budget Vs. Actuals to Date - Separated by Division.pdf
  • 2022-09-30 - Statement of Financial Position - Combined.pdf
  • 2022-09-30 - Statement of Financial Position - Separated by Division.pdf
  • GA Charter Growth Initiative Information Oct 2022.pdf
  • FindaGACharter logo - rectangle.png
  • FindaGACharter logo - round.png
  • REVISED CSP - GAN_S282A220006-22A.1.1.pdf
  • SCSF Book Vending Machines May 2022.pdf
  • SCSF Presentation to Commissioners September 2022.pptx