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Equitas Academy Charter School

Minutes

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday June 23, 2022 at 3:00 PM

Location

900 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

 

 

Topic: June Board Meeting
Time: Jun 23, 2022 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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https://equitasacademy.zoom.us/j/84722191098

Meeting ID: 847 2219 1098
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Meeting ID: 847 2219 1098

PUBLIC COMMENT AT EQUITAS ACADEMY BOARD MEETINGS – An opportunity for the public to address the Board will be provided prior to discussion and action on agenda items. Members of the public who wish to speak on any item are requested to identify themselves and indicate on which agenda item they wish to speak. The Board will provide an opportunity for the public to speak for a maximum of three (3) minutes, unless granted additional time at the discretion of the Board. Testimony shall be limited in content to matters pertaining to Equitas Academy. The Board may not take any action on matters discussed during the public testimony period that are not listed on the agenda. Brown Act Compliance: Agenda posted at School.

Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors, may request assistance in advance of the meeting by contacting Equitas Academy Charter School at 1700 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90015 or by phone (213) 201-0440.

Directors Present

A. Santino, C. Langston, D. Krishna, D. Ortiz, F. Spindler, L. Heisser, P. Reddy, T. Bell

Directors Absent

O. Bajracharya

Directors who arrived after the meeting opened

D. Ortiz, L. Heisser, T. Bell

Guests Present

C. Melgares, Carla Perez, Ebony Wyatt, J. Belcher, J. Edelman, J. Rayas, K. Gouveia (remote), M. Borrego, M. Ford, Mr. Fig, N. Peters, R. Spencer, S. Sobkov, amartinez@kippsocal.org (remote), apardo@equitasacademy.org, clowry@equitasacademy.org, gregg@attunedpartners.com (remote), jgonzalez@equitasacademy.org, kaf_205@icloud.com, kchun@equitasacademy.org, vpena@equitasacademy.org

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance and Guests

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

D. Krishna called a meeting of the board of directors of Equitas Academy Charter School to order on Thursday Jun 23, 2022 at 3:04 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes

Motion to approve the minutes from Board Retreat on 05-14-22.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

II. Consent

A.

22-23 Equitas Employee Handbook

P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

B.

22-23 Equitas Student & Family Handbook

P. Reddy made a motion to To Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

Annual Policies

P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

D.

SB740 Applications

P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

E.

22-23 Expanded Learning Opportunities Plan

P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

F.

Insurance Renewal Contract with Alliant

P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

G.

Revolution Foods SNP Renewal Contract.

P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

III. Public Hearing to Review Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)

A.

LCAP and Local Indicators

T. Bell arrived at 3:11 PM.
D. Ortiz arrived at 3:11 PM.

B.

Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and Local Indicators

C. Langston made a motion to To Pass.
P. Reddy seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IV. Organizational Updates: Celebrations of Year and Annual Board Meeting

A.

Organizational Updates: CEO Update and Progress to Goals

Malka provides an update on goals and organizational dashboard. 

B.

FY23 Org Budget

L. Heisser arrived at 3:16 PM.
P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
D. Krishna seconded the motion.

Slav discusses FY23 preliminary and final budget including the Education Protection Account spending plan. Retaining staff, pandemic pay, increase in minimum wage. Maggie discusses why kindergarten enrollment is down. Backup plan: ensure Equitas isn't over-spending or over-hiring. Budget is still in range of comfort zone. We have the program/budget if scholars needed to work from home again, we will not lose funding. 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

Board Review of Monthly Financials

D. Ortiz made a motion to Pass.
P. Reddy seconded the motion.

Network vacancies, saved money. Hold harmless could pass. Paycheck protection plan, put us in the position we are in today. 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

D.

All-Staff Pandemic Response Pay

C. Langston made a motion to Pass.
D. Ortiz seconded the motion.

All-staff pandemic response pay, one time for CEO. 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

E.

Celebrations & State of Organization Stakeholder Data

MAP: State and district. Supporting all students, equity, taking sub-groups. 

Spring Insight Scores: We are moving in the right direction. 

Scores: Schools are not the same. Schools have different priorities. 

MAP Data: Our current data is better than previous.  

F.

Equity Work

DEIA Survey: Better job this time getting staff to respond. Brittany Rush holding space for staff, listening tours. 

Kyle and Brittany: Working together, ensure they share data. 

G.

Start of School Readiness: School Priorities

Staff/student/achievement data: Curriculum is the greatest achievement for students. 

Academic Core: All schools will be working on reworking the priorities. 

Kyle and Gregg working together. 

Teachers' role is to understand the curriculum, understand the students. 

The dip in 2019 is due to at-home lessons: Teachers had to write our own lessons. 

Help teachers putting curriculum (pre-covid) together. All students are being held to the same rigorous standard. 

Each classroom does have its own personality but keep the same curriculum standard.  

H.

Recruitment & Retention

Hiring and targeting teachers: LA is an expensive place to live. Teacher shortage is across California. 

Discuss pipeline programs, internal programs. 

Folks are declining our offers and we are trying to solve that issue. 

New tactics: Talent ambassadors, sharing the love of the school during interviews.  

Recruitment: Always looking at the salary scale, keeping competitive. 

Back-up plans: Long-term subs, exploring all options (i.e. 1 year band-aid options). Payout sub company. 

I.

Declaration of Need for Qualified Educators FY22-23

D. Krishna made a motion to Pass.
P. Reddy seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

J.

Principal Voices/Principal Presentation

Kawika Chun/EQ5: Dip in winter 2021. Academic priorities - hiring highly effective teachers, growth mindset. Teacher voice, mindful of the journey. SD having the ability to be in the classroom more. Scholars being the gage of success. Need to pivot when something doesn't work.

 

Amanda Pardo/EQ6: Focus on belonging and restoratives practices. Social Justice advocate.

Co-locating next year. 

V. Resource Development

A.

Committee Goals

This topic was not discussed. 

VI. Academic Accountability

A.

Committee Goals

This topic was not discussed. 

VII. Finance

A.

Committee Goals

This topic was not discussed. 

VIII. Governance Committee

A.

Nominating Slate for SY22-23

P. Reddy made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

B.

Board Calendar for SY22-23

A. Santino made a motion to Pass.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

Committee Goals

This topic was not discussed. 

IX. CEO Hiring Committee

A.

Update on CEO Hiring

C. Langston made a motion to Pass.
D. Krishna seconded the motion.

CEO Hiring Committee would like to vote to offer candidate, Sofia Roditti, the CEO position.  

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

X. Conversation with Transitioning CEO

A.

Presentation from Angella Martinez

Challenges for the transition of a new CEO:

 

What really helped Angella Martinez? 

-Former CEO was around for 6 months. Small team of 5, now team of 8. Added back in a CoS. Split role of CAO. Vacancies in Chief roles. Team of people Angella selected. 

 

How the board supported Angella? 

-Work/connection to get quorum. 

-Finding the balance and open communication. 

 

Need to stay up-to-speed on politics, advocacy, development.   

XI. XI. CEO Performance and Compensation

A.

CEO Compensation

Approve the compensation for her CEO role, CEO bonus and advisor role to the CEO. 

15% for potential in lieu of differential pay, board to vote on Malka the full 15%.

 

Advisor role: Base salary for CEO in transition $300,000, no bonus for 2 months/12. 

B.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE (Gov. Code section 54957(b)(1). Discuss CEO evaluation and offer letter for FY22-23 as CEO and Advisor to CEO

F. Spindler made a motion to Pass.
L. Heisser seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

XII. 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 6:20 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
T. Bell