Sonya Pratt, Executive Director, briefly overviewed the process of inducting new Board members into the City on a Hill Board of Trustees.

Pratt shared that there were two potential Board candidates shadowing the meeting. The candidates introduced themselves, discussed their background and what interests them in joining the City on a Hill Board of Trustees.

Sonya Pratt re-introduced Cynthia Marie from Central Source, COAH's finance contractor. Pratt reminded the Board that Marie has been working in the past month to set City on a Hill up on a vendor payment account known as Bill.com, create the current forecast for COAH finances, as well as draft the school's budget for School Year 2022-2023. Pratt noted that the draft budget that she and Marie will be overviewing will reflect grants, including ESSR funds.  

Pratt began walking through the budget by overviewing City on a Hill's current financial standings. Pratt walked the Trustees through the current balance sheet, which includes, but is not limited to, COAH's current assets, fixed assets, rent fees, equity and accounts payable information. Pratt noted that the lease for the former network office located at Allerton street ends in June 2022, so that rent fee will not be carried into SY23. 

Pratt shared the highlights and breakdown of the draft SY23 budget, sharing that the team continued to budget conservatively based on tuition, at 1% above current year tuition rates. Pratt also shared that the grant revenue shown in the SY23 draft budget only includes half of the ESSR III funds available in order to leave the other half for SY24. 

Additionally, the ESSR II funds are excluded from the draft budget in order to account for renovations at Circuit street and the allocate the remainder for direct student services. Pratt shared that while these are preliminary plans than can be amended based on the school's needs, ESSR III fund initiatives include, but are not limited to, student recruitment, professional development and contracted instructional services, classroom technology, COAH's theatre program, as well as upgrades to COAH chemistry labs. 

Pratt noted that one of the contracted instructional services COAH is looking to partner with is ANET, an organization that works with schools to teach faculty what data is important and how to read it, analyze it, and use it to support students during instruction. 

Pratt shared that expenses for SY23 are related to staffing, including, but not limited to, a cost of living adjustment, new faculty positions and a new Fellows Program. Pratt shared that the five new positions include a Spanish teacher, gym teacher, reading/writing specialist, Special Education coordinator, and a full time data manager.

Marie shared that while the new positions are being funded by ESSR III grants, the money that has been budgeted for student recruitment is planned to bring student enrollment to a number that will support these positions beyond SY24. 

Pratt shared that at the upcoming May 2022 Board retreat that will be discussed later in the meeting, the Board will spend time discussing the use of the ESSR III fund initiatives in depth as they relate to COAH's needs. 

The Board asked management for more details around enrollment, specifically, if there is a plan for enrollment through School Year 2024-25. Jordan Pina, Chief of Staff, shared that City on a Hill's charter currently allows for 350 students. With the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current capacity of the Circuit street building, Pina shared that the Board will need to begin to discuss what enrollment number is realistic for years moving forward. Pina noted that in the past few years, City on a Hill has been able to accept tenth graders according to the school's enrollment policy, allowing the school to create more even cohorts. Pina shared that this topic will also be discussed in-depth at the May 2022 Board Retreat. 

Pratt shared the final document with the Board of Trustees, noting that it is a request proposal for an auditor for COAH's upcoming audit. Pratt reminded the Board that AAF, COAH's former audit partners, were contracting finance services at City on a Hill in early 2022 and have since transitioned off of the team. After consulting with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, COAH will have to reach out to find a new auditor that has not worked on COAH finances. 

Pratt concluded the discussion by sharing that the budget accounts for no private funds and that COAH is in a very healthy financial position moving forward. Pratt shared that the Finance Committee will continue to analyze and discuss these documents in depth this week at the upcoming April 2022 Finance Committee meeting before making a recommendation for the Board to vote on at the May 2022 Board Retreat. 

Andres Tejeda Soto, Board Chair, shared a brief update regarding the renovation plans for the Circuit Street building. Tejeda Soto shared that the COAH team is moving forward with renovation plans to create extra classroom and office space. 

Tejeda Soto shared that by installing panels in select classrooms, larger classrooms in the building will be split in half to allow for more class sections to meet at one time. This construction is set to occur in Summer 2022. Tejeda Soto shared that the bids for the panels are currently being worked on by COAH's contractor, NV5, and will be presented in the coming weeks. 

Jordan Pina, Chief of Staff, shared that with several transitions in the last year, COAH management is planning a retreat in place of the May 2022 Board of Trustees meeting. Pina shared that this retreat will be a time to regroup and have additional time for in-depth discussions on topics such as an enrollment plan, ESSR fund initiatives, and the renovation at Circuit Street. 

Pina shared that the purpose of the retreat would be to come out with an understanding of knowing who the Board of Trustees and City on a Hill are now, and how to move forward into School Year 2022-2023. Sonya Pratt, Executive Director, shared that she will be sharing her vision for the school at the retreat.

The Board asked for more details about when and where the retreat would occur. Pratt shared that the COAH team is planning for the retreat to be a 3-4 hour meeting that happens in-person in May 2022. Pratt shared that a poll will be sent to the Board as a follow up to gather times that would work best for Trustees to meet.

Jordan Pina, Chief of Staff, shared that COAH's Deputy Chief of Staff, Maddie Collins, will be transitioning off the team at the end of April 2022 to take a new position at a different organization. The Board shared appreciations for Collins' work at City on a Hill. 

Due to timing, this agenda section will be covered at the May 2022 Board Retreat. 

Due to timing, the Board of Trustees will review the CoaH Effect in the meeting packet.