BELIEVE SCHOOLS, INC
Minutes
BELIEVE March Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday March 20, 2024 at 5:00 PM
Location
BELIEVE Circle City
Directors Present
A. Hervey, B. Akintomide, D. Dennis, D. Jones (remote), H. Harshman, L. Turner (remote), M. Whitmire (remote)
Directors Absent
A. Bennin, C. Glier, D. Bouie, J. Fulk
Guests Present
T. Vonderheit
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
D. Jones called a meeting of the board of directors of BELIEVE SCHOOLS, INC to order on Wednesday Mar 20, 2024 at 5:12 PM.
B.
Student Visit
C.
Attendance
D.
Approve January Minutes
L. Turner made a motion to approve the minutes from January January 2024 Board Meeting on 01-17-24.
A. Hervey seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
II. School Updates
A.
Principal's Report
- Attendance is a significant focus, with current overall rate at 87%. Questions from the board consisted of (Hervey) questioning if attendance is part of the "level up" system, of which it is. The executive director is naming this as a trend that needs to be addressed for both students and families.
- Approximate enrollment numbers were shared and Vonderheit shared the processes for enrollment efforts.
- Neal shared GPA updates across all grades with Q1, Q2, and Q3 GPAs with a request to provide feedback on the way to encourage student and family investment in dual enrollment success.
- The team shared an update on graduation rate expectation and dual enrollment bill cost of failing courses, to which the board did not share any additional questions or concerns.
- Whitmire requested that the leadership set standard process for all families of students with failing courses to ensure accessibility.
- The team has also shared plans for implementing fall and spring orientation for both certification program and dual enrollment to explain the processes for accountability and expectations.
- Jones suggested that this be a continued conversation in the academic excellence committee to ensure continued progress.
- Turner questioned around the plan for students whose issue with dual enrollment is not an external circumstance, but rather they are not putting in the adequate work.
- Turner requested a more contextualized update on staffing. Jackson-Anderson shared an update on the need for Math, STEM, SPED, and ELL, which a big emphasis on the need for a Math teacher.
B.
APPROVE ACADEMIC CALENDAR
III. Committee Updates
A.
Governance
- Committee was unable to meet the last month, and plans to meet in the next month are in the works
B.
Academic Excellence
- Committee met in January
- Some of the highlights are: continued focus on SAT, PSAT, talent in the building, math/reading interventions
C.
Finance
- Year to Date financials are on track
- Finance committee received updates on the financial audit
- Budget next steps:
- Budget will be ready to be approved for May's board meeting
- An amended budget can be done in July once more solid enrollment numbers are in
- Audit finding update
D.
Development
- Update from Mayor's recruiting event and next steps for prospective board members
- Update on senior trip donations - Akintomide shared with the board and will be shared again for the board to contribute
- Backpack/suitcase drive for senior trip
- School Spring Open House Date TBD - The development committee is requesting the attendance and participation of the board
- BELIEVE Brunch Date TBD
IV. Board Engagement & Celebrations
A.
Previous Month's Engagements & Celebrations
B.
Upcoming Opportunities
- 2024 Graduation - Saturday May 18th, 10am
- Graduation Speaker
- 2024 Prom - Saturday April 27th, 7:00pm
V. Closing Items
A.
Next meeting
M. Whitmire made a motion to Approve MOU between BELIEVE Schools and BELIEVE Circle City.
L. Turner seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
B.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:24 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
H. Harshman