Board members welcomed Carl Hampton to the team as our VP of Government Relations and Policy. Mr. Hampton succeeds Latoya Holiday, who now serves as executive director of the Minority Student Achievement Network, an organization administered through the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

In his new role, Mr. Hampton will lead the planning, implementation, oversight and management of all policy and governmental relations initiatives, including policy strategy, analysis, and development; legislative engagement; government relations and communications; compliance with all relevant laws, policies, and regulations; and community education about policies affecting One City’s schools and PK12 education in Dane County and Wisconsin. 

He will serve as a member of One City’s Executive Team. 

Mr. Hampton began his tenure with One City Schools on October 16, 2023 and can be reached at champton@onecityschools.org.

Dr. Wray was unable to attend the board meeting in person this month. We will recognize his significant contributions to One City Schools at a future meeting. 

Mr. Jerry Johnson was welcomed again by members of the One City Board and One City staff to the Board of Directors. Mr. Johnson is a Detective with the City of Madison and the proud father of an outstanding 6th grader at One City Schools. 

Mr. Johnson will serve a three-year term, effective immediatly.

K. Caire provided an overview of financial statements from August and September. 

K. Caire explained that One City was still in the process of negotiating salaries for some of our team members when the budget was approved. Enrollment numbers are slightly lower than budgeted, which puts One City over budget. 

One City is controlling expenditures in other areas (technology, for example) to help offset payroll costs. 

One City will continue to enroll students until all seats are filled.

K. Caire provided board members with an overview of the recent lawsuit filed by the Minocqua Brewing Super PAC, a far-left interest group, and Julie Underwood directly with the State Supreme Court alleging that Wisconsin’s school choice programs are unconstitutional. The petition asks the court to stop the program before the next school year. 

Implications could have a major impact on One City Schools.

K. Caire met with our lobbyists in August to discuss the impact of OCS. K. Caire discussed additional background details of the party behind the lawsuit. 

C. Hampton summarized strategies from various parties opposing the current lawsuit. Mr. Hampton shared the political implications of the lawsuit. If successful, schools like One City would close by May of 2024. This timeframe does not seem feasible given logistical constraints alone. 

C. Hampton also shared the process the legal system uses to determine whether the court will hear the case. An organized response (from diverse stakeholders) to this brief is needed. Legally, this is a weak case, but due to the politicization of the court, those filing the suit are pushing it forward. Multiple coalitions are coming together to discuss their strategies (School Choice Wisconsin, WI Institute for Law and Liberty, WICSA) and select legal representation.

K. Caire discussed the need for One City to partner exclusively with organizations that want to see One City succeed, like Summit Credit Union. Summit is currently working with us to develop a literacy program. 

Board members expressed support for One City to focus on sustainability.

K. Caire reported that the OCS marketing team met with Cricket Design Works today to discuss two brochures it will develop. One brochure will be an abbreviated "annual report" and will accompany our end of year appeal letter. 

The second will be a more robust sharing of all that One City has and will accomplish and it will be published leading up to our July 2024 10th anniversary celebration and fundraiser.

N. Fees reported that the school year has been very smooth, and that we have retained all of the new staff we've hired so far.

M. Ruffin shared that One City will continue to enroll scholars to fill open seats.

The One City team discussed the impact of attendance and time on task in classrooms on scholars' academic performance.

M. Hanson asked how many reading specialists One City has on staff. N. Fees replied that One City has 2.5 reading specialists on staff and that the pool of volunteer tutors have completed the Orton-Gillingham training and are also working with our scholars to target growth in reading.