June Board Meeting Minutes

June 29, 2023, 3:00-6:00 PM

Minutes Approved

Equitas Academy Charter School

Minutes

June Board Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday June 29, 2023 at 3:00 PM

Location

1612 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Additional call-in locations:

3340 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405

Topic: June Board Meeting

When: Jun 29, 2023 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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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

C. Langston, D. Krishna, L. Heisser (remote), O. Bajracharya, P. Reddy, T. Bell

Directors Absent

A. Santino, D. Ortiz

Directors who arrived after the meeting opened

L. Heisser

Directors who left before the meeting adjourned

L. Heisser

Guests Present

Alaina Pariano, Andres Figeroa, B. Badillo (remote), B. Canosa-Carr, C. Melgares, Cristina Rueles, Dakota Ortiz (remote), J. Edelman, J. Freeman, J. Rudolph, Jose Gonzalez, K. Farrar, K. Gouveia, L. Lofton, L. Mitre, N. Peters (remote), R. Spencer, S. Pacheco, S. Roditti, V. Pena, Y. Chiquito

I. Opening Items

A. Record Attendance and Guests

B. Call the Meeting to Order

T. Bell called a meeting of the board of directors of Equitas Academy Charter School to order on Thursday Jun 29, 2023 at 3:04 PM.

C. Approve Minutes

C. Langston made a motion to approve the minutes from Board Retreat on 05-20-23.

O. Bajracharya seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
O. Bajracharya	Aye
L. Heisser	Absent
C. Langston	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
D. Krishna	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent

L. Heisser arrived at 3:06 PM.

II. Public Comment

A. Public Comment

There were no members of the public present. No public comment was made.

III. Closed Session - CEO Performance

A. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE (Gov. Code section 54957(b)(1).

L. Heisser left at 3:30 PM.

IV. Compensation

A. CEO Compensation & Bonus

Oliver Bajracharya shares updates on the CEO Evaluations Process and Prabhu Reddy shares updates on the compensation & bonus process for the CEO.

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Approve the CEO Compensation and Bonus.

P. Reddy seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
D. Krishna	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
T. Bell	Aye
O. Bajracharya	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
L. Heisser	Absent
C. Langston	Aye

V. Consent

A. '23-'24 Equitas Employee Handbook

C. Langston made a motion to Approve the 23'-24' Equitas Employee Handbook.

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
D. Krishna	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
P. Reddy	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
O. Bajracharya	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
L. Heisser	Absent
D. Ortiz	Absent

B. '23-'24 Equitas Scholar & Family Handbook

C. Langston made a motion to Approve '23-'24 Equitas Scholar & Family Handbook.

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
A. Santino	Absent
D. Krishna	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
L. Heisser	Absent
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent

C. Updated Annual Policies

C. Langston made a motion to Approve Updated Annual Policies.

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
L. Heisser	Absent
C. Langston	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
O. Bajracharya	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent

D. New Annual Policies

C. Langston made a motion to Approve New Annual Policies.

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
T. Bell	Aye
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
P. Reddy	Aye
L. Heisser	Absent
D. Ortiz	Absent
C. Langston	Aye

E. Revolution Foods SNP Renewal Contract

C. Langston made a motion to Approve Revolution Foods SNP Renewal Contract.

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
C. Langston	Aye
O. Bajracharya	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
D. Krishna	Aye
L. Heisser	Absent
T. Bell	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent

F. '23-'24 Equitas Fiscal Policies & Procedures

C. Langston made a motion to Approve '23-'24 Equitas Fiscal Policies & Procedures.

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
A. Santino	Absent
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
L. Heisser	Absent
D. Ortiz	Absent

G. SB740 Applications

C. Langston made a motion to Approve SB740 Applications.

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
D. Ortiz	Absent
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
L. Heisser	Absent
T. Bell	Aye

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

A. LCAP and Local Indicators

Sofia Roditti shared a presentation on the 3 year LCAP plan. The goals addressed in the plan are aligned with the previous years' plan.

Next year Equitas will align the LCAP plan to the Equitas strategic plan.

B. Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Approve the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

P. Reddy seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
T. Bell	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
D. Krishna	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
C. Langston	Aye
L. Heisser	Absent

VII. Organizational Updates

A. Finishing Strong and Looking Forward

Sofia Roditti shared organizational updates addressing questions that have been presented by the Board as well as reviewing the organizational priorities.

Kyle Gouveia, Robert Spencer, and Lilia Mitre all shared organizational updates.

Amanda Pardo & Kawika Chun both shared organizational updates on school site initiatives via video presentation.

B. Break

L. Heisser arrived at 4:35 PM.

C. FY24 Org Budget

P. Reddy made a motion to Approve the FY 24 Organizational Budget.

O. Bajracharya seconded the motion.

Yug Fon Chiquito, Managing Director of Finance, presented the FY 24 organizational budget proposal.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
A. Santino	Absent
O. Bajracharya	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
L. Heisser	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
D. Krishna	Aye
T. Bell	Aye

D. Board Review of Monthly Financials

P. Reddy made a motion to Approve April Monthly Financials.

C. Langston seconded the motion.

Yug Fon Chiquito presented the April monthly financials.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
D. Ortiz	Absent
T. Bell	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
L. Heisser	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
C. Langston	Aye

E. Open Wells Fargo Account

P. Reddy made a motion to Approve Opening a Wells Fargo Account.

O. Bajracharya seconded the motion.

Cecilia Melgares shared proposal to the Board for change Equitas banking to a national bank.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
O. Bajracharya	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
T. Bell	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
L. Heisser	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
C. Langston	Aye

F. Update to Bank Account Signers

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Approve Update to Bank Account Signers.

C. Langston seconded the motion.

Cecilia Melgares presented a proposal to add Jason Rudolph, COO, as a signer to an Equitas account.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
L. Heisser	Aye
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
C. Langston	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
D. Krishna	Aye

G. Submission of Renewal of Equitas 2 Charter to LAUSD

Cecilia Melgares shared updates on the charter renewal extension impacting EQ2 Charter to LAUSD.

H. Credential Limited Assignment Options (LAO)

C. Langston made a motion to Approve Credential Limited Assignment Options (LAO).

D. Krishna seconded the motion.

Jessica Edelman presented updates on the Credential Limited Assignment Options.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
O. Bajracharya	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
L. Heisser	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
P. Reddy	Aye

I. Review of California Dashboard '22-'23 Local Indicators

Kyle Gouveia presented on the the CA Dashboard Local Indicators.

VIII. Resource Development

A. Committee Goals

Deepa Krishna shares details on the give get initiative reaching its goal for this schools year.

Catie Langston shares details about the '23-'24 goals including supporting the Board in participation and supporting Sofia the CEO in fundraising goals.

IX. Academic Accountability

A. Committee Goals

Oliver Bajracharya presented an update on the Academic Accountability Goals for the SY 23-24 committee goals.

X. Finance

A. Committee Goals

Prabhu Reddy presented on the Finance Committee goals for the SY 23-24.

Focus Priorities:

Cash Management
Financial Guard Rails
Strategic Planning

XI. Governance Committee

A. Nominating Slate for '23-'24

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Approve the SY '23 - '24 Nomination Slate.

P. Reddy seconded the motion.

Oliver Bajracharya will be voted in as secretary, which was not listed on the attached nominating slate document.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
O. Bajracharya	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
P. Reddy	Aye
L. Heisser	Aye
A. Santino	Absent

B. Board Calendar for '23-'24

C. Langston made a motion to Approve SY 23-24 Board Calendar.

P. Reddy seconded the motion.

The Board would like to adjust the calendar to reflect an update to the August Board Meeting to August 31st.

This calendar will be revisited during the August meeting.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
C. Langston	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
L. Heisser	Aye
A. Santino	Absent
D. Ortiz	Absent
T. Bell	Aye
O. Bajracharya	Aye
D. Krishna	Aye

C. Recruitment Updates: New Committee Member

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Approve Sylvia Jauregui as a Board Committee Member.

C. Langston seconded the motion.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

Roll Call
D. Krishna	Aye
C. Langston	Aye
L. Heisser	Aye
T. Bell	Aye
P. Reddy	Aye
D. Ortiz	Absent
O. Bajracharya	Aye
A. Santino	Absent

D. Board/Committee Member Recognition & Acceptance of Resignation

Tyler Bell shares the resignation of Brett Snyder after 12 years of service and the resignation of Deepa Krishna after 5 years of service.

E. Committee Goals

Lindsey Heisser presented an update on the Governance committee goals including:

Three Year Recruiting Plan
Succession Plan for the Board Chair
Fine Tune the onboarding Process

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 6:00 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,

T. Bell