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Equitas Academy Charter School

Minutes

August Board Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday August 31, 2023 at 3:00 PM

Location

1612 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 

 

Additional call-in locations:

4324 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

9601 Wilshire Blvd, Floor 7, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 

 

Topic: August Board Meeting
When: Aug 31, 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 (remote), D. Ortiz, O. Bajracharya, T. Bell

Directors Absent

A. Santino, L. Heisser, P. Reddy

Guests Present

Alaina Pariano, Andres Figueroa, B. Badillo, B. Canosa-Carr, C. Lowry, C. Melgares, J. Edelman, J. Freeman, J. Rudolph, Jose Gonzalez, Junior Rayas, K. Farrar, K. Gouveia, Kawika Chun, Luis Aguilar (remote), N. Peters, Prabhu Reddy, R. McKenzie (remote), R. Spencer, S. Jauregui (remote), S. Pacheco, S. Roditti, Seidy Pacheco, Susan Sarceno (remote), T. Hollenberg, Vivian Pena (remote), 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 Aug 31, 2023 at 3:12 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes

O. Bajracharya made a motion to approve the minutes from June Board Meeting on 06-29-23.
D. Ortiz seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
P. Reddy
Absent
C. Langston
Aye
A. Santino
Absent
L. Heisser
Absent
D. Ortiz
Aye
O. Bajracharya
Aye
T. Bell
Aye

II. Public Comment

A.

Public Comment

No public comment. 

III. Closed Session - CEO Performance

A.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (Gov. Code section 54957(e). Title: Chief Executive Officer

Board met to perform CEO performance and no action was taken. 

IV. Consent

A.

'22-'23 Spring Consolidated Application (Conapp)

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Pass '22-'23 Spring Consolidated Application (Conapp).
D. Ortiz seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
T. Bell
Aye
P. Reddy
Absent
A. Santino
Absent
D. Ortiz
Aye
O. Bajracharya
Aye
C. Langston
Aye
L. Heisser
Absent

B.

Education Protection Act Resolution '23-'24 and Final Expenditures '22-'23

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Pass Education Protection Act Resolution '23-'24 and Final Expenditures '22-'23.
D. Ortiz seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
T. Bell
Aye
D. Ortiz
Aye
L. Heisser
Absent
C. Langston
Aye
P. Reddy
Absent
A. Santino
Absent
O. Bajracharya
Aye

V. Organization Updates

A.

Launch of “One Team, One Dream”

Sofia Roditti shared organizational updates, specifically: Organizational Spotlight: Summer Highlights and Launch of “One Team, One Dream”.  

 

Robert Spencer shared on curriculum updates and answered questions from the Board. Jessica Edelman shared on talent updates and answered questions from the Board. Seidy Pacheco shared on enrollment/marketing and answered questions from the Board. Sofia Roditti shared on strategic planning and answered questions from the Board. 

B.

'22-'23 LAUSD Oversight Reports

Cecilia Melgares presented on LAUSD Oversight Reports. 

C.

'22-'23 Unaudited Financials for Approval

D. Ortiz made a motion to Pass '22-'23 Unaudited Financials for Approval.
O. Bajracharya seconded the motion.

Yug Fon presented the '22-'23 Unaudited Financials for Approval.

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
T. Bell
Aye
O. Bajracharya
Aye
P. Reddy
Absent
C. Langston
Aye
D. Ortiz
Aye
A. Santino
Absent
L. Heisser
Absent

D.

Employee Retention Credit (ERC)

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Pass Employee Retention Credit (ERC).
D. Ortiz seconded the motion.

Jason Rudolph presented on Employee Retention Credit (ERC). 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
P. Reddy
Absent
L. Heisser
Absent
O. Bajracharya
Aye
A. Santino
Absent
C. Langston
Aye
T. Bell
Aye
D. Ortiz
Aye

E.

Updated Reclassification Criteria

C. Langston made a motion to Pass the Updated Reclassification Criteria.
O. Bajracharya seconded the motion.

Jennifer Freeman presented on Updated Reclassification Criteria. 

The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
A. Santino
Absent
O. Bajracharya
Aye
T. Bell
Aye
L. Heisser
Absent
D. Ortiz
Aye
P. Reddy
Absent
C. Langston
Aye

F.

Break

VI. Resource Development

A.

Committee Goals

Catie Langston presented on '23-'24 Resource Development committee goals. 

VII. Academic Accountability

A.

Committee Goals

Oliver Bajracharya presented on '23-'24 Academic Accountability committee goals. 

VIII. Governance Committee

A.

New Vice Chair Role

D. Ortiz made a motion to Pass New Vice Chair Role.
O. Bajracharya seconded the motion.

Tyler Bell presented on New Vice Chair role. 

  • Vice Chair Proposal:
    • Academic Accountability - Sylvia Jauregui
    • Resource Development - Ray McKenzie
    • Finance - Tom Hollenberg
    • Governance - Tyler Bell
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
D. Ortiz
Aye
T. Bell
Aye
P. Reddy
Absent
L. Heisser
Absent
O. Bajracharya
Aye
C. Langston
Aye
A. Santino
Absent

B.

New Board Member Appointments

D. Ortiz made a motion to Pass New Board Member Appointments.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
L. Heisser
Absent
C. Langston
Aye
P. Reddy
Absent
O. Bajracharya
Aye
T. Bell
Aye
A. Santino
Absent
D. Ortiz
Aye

C.

Board Calendar for '23-'24

O. Bajracharya made a motion to Pass Board Calendar for '23-'24 as amended for the board retreat as May 17-18, 2024.
C. Langston seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
A. Santino
Absent
T. Bell
Aye
D. Ortiz
Aye
C. Langston
Aye
L. Heisser
Absent
P. Reddy
Absent
O. Bajracharya
Aye

D.

Committee Goals

Tyler Bell discussed committee goals for the Governance committee. 

IX. Brown Act Training

A.

Brown Act Training

Jason Rudolph, Esq. presented on the annual training on Brown Act training, which requires us to conduct all business in open sessions (except in limited circumstances). 

X. Culmination of Meeting

A.

Announcements

Tyler Bell made an announcement on what is a good board. 

B.

Evaluation of Meeting

XI. 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 6:09 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
T. Bell