Kim shared screen to display budget for everyone.

Voting to approve SY23-24 budget at conclusion of public comment.

Outline for personnel line item-per Sarah

2 teachers in every classroom

Also paying more to attract and retain teachers

23 total staff members for Year 1--needed to run program effectively and with fidelity

Also outlined benefits & insurance and what has to be paid out--includes 20% required to be paid into Teacher Retirement System.

Sarah will need to come back before the Board to get any future changes to budget approved.  

Question: What is considered other purchased services?  (Shakeila Lewis-Chery)

Answer: Anything like food services, contractors.  Large line item because of breakfast and lunch and we are coming out of pocket until Sankofa receives federal funds.  

Question: Will future budget move that money to other items when we get federal funds? (follow up by Ms. Lewis-Chery)

Answer:  Yes as to food services portion based on receiving federal funds.  

Question: What falls under purchased profession & Technical services

Answer:  Paying out of pocket for training teachers in Montessori certification.  $18,000 per teacher.  Currently have four in training.  Also do not have speech therapist on staff so will need to contract for that service.  

Question: Does that school expect to continue to pay for certifications?

Answer:  Yes, as we continue to add grades to school

Question:  Will school be able to budget to pay for all teachers who will need certification this?

Answer:  Year 1 and 2 budgeted significantly for certifications.  Anticipate this will continue until fully staffed

Question: Is the line item property for maintenance?

Answer: The property is 5 acres but yes this is for maintenance, water, trash, lawn care

Question: What is included in other expenses?  

Answer: May include software (excel, adobe), copy machines, ink for copiers.  Everything that does not neatly fit into the other categories.  Also includes some buffer funds that we may be able to shift to other line items.  

Question: Are the teachers we train obligated to remain with the school for a certain period?

Answer: Teacher contracts require that they remain for 3 years.  If they leave or terminated, then they have to pay back training funds

Question: Is landscaping already contracted?

Answer: Yes, we have someone under contract

Comment (Sunny Brown):  Twins going into K, and one going into 2nd grade.  Says that budget is well laid out.  Appreciates our transparency and clarification of items in the budget.  

Public comments closed at 7:07pm

Opened to public comment at previous May 10 Finance meeting and this evening

Definitions within the policy.  Making sure the policy complies with Title IX.

Covers staff, students, and the community.  

Grievance policy for reporting an incident is also included in the policy.  

Sarah shared her goals and asked some clarifying questions. 

We will cover updates in the next Governance committee and present at the next full board meeting.

Sarah is ready to sign contract

Academic: second Tuesday, 6:30pm

Governance: second Thursday at 10:30am

Finance: 3rd Wednesday at 6:30pm

Full Board meeting will remain last Wednesday of the month 6:30pm-8:30pm

K-93 applications, 66 registrations

1-55 applications, 37 registrations

2_ 49 applications, 32 registrations

May 17 last deadline to SCSC-135 registrations, 7 off goal

  approved for forward funding by GADOE

Benchmark-make sure 142 show up day one, and Count day in October also need to have 142 in the building  (Leadership has upcoming retreat to make sure they have a plan in place to ensure this happens)

Not meeting goal will make things tight financially.  SCSC contract requires our enrollment for 1st year to be 142, but not exceed 168.  

Helpful to have Special Ed coordinator hired.

Therapeutic counselor-$70/hour for licensed therapist 

Nurse contract: LPN$55) or RN($60); option to get Clinical Aid, but will still need to have LPN or RN attached; proposal is to hold until we get more information about the needs of the students then see if it makes sense to go contractor route or hire in house.

Cannot get information about medical information until the student is registered.  Planning to have an information session in June to get that information from families and fill out that information to help make decisions around nurse and therapeutic counselor needs.  

Fully hired for Kindergarten

Elementary: anticipate making an offer so will have 2 of 3.  Reaching out to hiring services to fill last position.  

Vote: 

Krystal-motion to approve new hires for SY23-24 presented to us by ED

Andrea-second

 Motion passes unanimously

All demolition has been completed.  

Working on adding fire lane that loops around facility

Need to add a retention pond and detention pond.  Trying to determine if we can tie into the existing storm drainage line.  Will meet with Clayton County to get 

Clayton County will not hold up certificate of occupancy if storm line not completed prior to school opening (Thank you Fawn for all your hard work on making this extension happen).  

Working with landscape architect to design playground space.  County wants us to add fencing around trash.  

SCSC completed walk through yesterday and it went well.  

No longer using Montessori Partnerships for Georgia for furniture and materials.  Would only be able to provide 11% of materials needed to staff classrooms. Not cost-effective or able to fully staff classrooms as needed with MPG.  

Now using GEER funding which requires bids and more paperwork.  Sarah showed submission to get GEER to release funds to get materials and furniture.  Going with Alison Montessori to staff classroom for materials after reviewing 3 bids.  Alison Montessori will be most cost-effective and make sure that we can fully staff the classrooms for our students.

Board 1st voted on policies  8/14/22 

Back Office Provider/CFO flagged 4 things

1. Checks under $5000 will require signature of ED, Board Treasurer or Board Chair--Action: change signature to approval
2. Checks of $5000 will required signature of ED and either Board Treasurer or Board Chair--Action: change signature to approval
3. Checks payable to ED must be signed by Board Treasurer.  Checks payable to ED of $5000 or more will require the approval of the Board Chair and signature of Board Treasurer--Action:  change to both signatures will appear on all checks regardless of dollar amount.  Proper approval will be given by Board Treasurer or Board Chair (should this be Treasurer or Chair will give approval)
4. Under no circumstances should the recipient of a check also be a signatory on his or her own check--Action: remove this policy from policy.

Board members please complete phone calls.  

Additional swag pick up days to sign up for if available.