No announcements.

Adrienne, CEO proposed to remove Business ll item G. Review and Consideration of Approval of Acacia Partners Contract from the agenda.

No public comments.

Board member Peter suggested amending the minutes for Business Item G to reflect that all Board members and home office leadership staff have completed the Ethics Training including Brown Act and have received their certificates.

Board member Jorge noted that he completed his Ethics Training including Brown Act earlier today, as he was not present for part 1 of the training during the August 28, 2025 Board meeting.

Dr. Walker, Principal of BJE, introduced the Hispanic Heritage Wax Museum presentation. Dean Galindo, Dean Azor, first-grade teacher Ms. Lewis, and third-grade teacher Ms. Castellanos highlighted the projects their students created for the event. Students presented influential figures such as Frida Kahlo, Franklin Chang-Díaz, Roberto Clemente, Emiliano Zapata and many more.

Board member Jorge praised the presentation but suggested reconsidering the use of the term "Hispanic", as it centers Spanish while overlooking the diverse Indigenous languages and cultures of the Americas. He encouraged the staff to use more inclusive language that better reflects the multicultural and multilingual backgrounds of the students.

Board member Davis and Board Chair Rodolfo expressed appreciation for the students and all those involved in the project, recognizing their work and dedication.

The board reconvened from closed session at 7:56pm and there were no reportable actions.

Mary, Sr. Director of Student Services and Special Education shared the revised Independent Study Policy, with minor updates to clarify language and expectations. The focus is on short-term independent study (up to 15 days), primarily for medical or mental health-related absences (not vacations) and now requires coordination with the Student Services Director and proper documentation, including a Master Service Agreement.

Maria, Chief of Staff shared the Annual Compliance Requirements for John Henry High School. She explained that the document is an annual governance and compliance requirement for all charter schools authorized by the State Board of Education (SBE). She collaborated with three departments to gather the necessary supporting materials. The document has been reviewed internally and they are now seeking board approval.

Board member Peter mentioned the link in item 16 is broken.

Maria said the link is tied to the CDE's website but she has provided screenshots of the requirements met which are included in the complete packet.

Adrienne, CEO recommended Maria Arechiga to be the Treasurer of the Board

Adrienne, CEO stated that AMPS wants to join the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and noted that the application requires notification to the board if they decide to leave. Therefore, she is seeking approval from the board first. She emphasized that joining is a great opportunity to engage with the community and the membership fee is $300.

Adrienne, CEO requested board approval for Cengage invoices, which were technically quotes but exceeded her signing authority. She also asked for an additional $10,000 to cover one-off materials needed for new students, aiming to avoid returning to the board for each individual purchase. She clarified that the request was for core curriculum materials.

Vice Chair Margie asked for clarification on the curriculum.

Mary, Sr. Director of Student Services and Special Education shared Cengage is the ELD curriculum and the National Geographic curriculum that was adopted last year. This is just a re-up order.

Item was removed from the agenda.

Adrienne, CEO shared that Joyce Montgomery has been assisting with cleaning up the organization’s financial records since June 2024. Following the recent departure of the Director of Finance, she asked Joyce to take on additional responsibilities in the finance department. Until a permanent hire could be secured, she is requesting to increase Joyce’s hours. Although her specific contract was not budgeted for, the position itself was, making this an offset. She proposed a cap of $150,000 for this arrangement.

Board member Peter asked whether there is a plan in place to fill the Director of Finance vacancy and whether the organization has considered engaging a search firm.

Adrienne responded that the position has been posted for some time, but there have been few qualified candidates. She has considered using a search firm but has not decided to hire a search firm at this time.

Board Chair Rodolfo shared that he had spoken with other CMO leaders who are experiencing similar challenges in hiring for finance roles. Even those who engaged search firms saw little success. He noted that many candidates are currently seeking fractional CFO roles rather than full-time positions. After reviewing job postings on various platforms, he confirmed that this is a widespread issue.

Adrienne, CEO, presented the MOU for Richmond Charter Academy, noting that the vendor also provides after-school and ELOP services for both DCA and OCA. While the vendor has previously worked with RCA, this MOU represents a new contract, which includes summer programming for students. She requested board approval for funding up to $200,000 across AMPS to cover these services, similar to the earlier Cengage approval. Adrienne clarified that the amount is budgeted and will be funded through ASES, ELOP, and Measure G1 funds.

Board member Peter noted a typo on page 7.

Board member Jorge asked about the level of satisfaction and feedback from staff and students regarding the programs.

Adrienne responded that she had received positive feedback, which is why Get Empowered is being brought back.

Adrienne, CEO highlighted continued collaboration among principals and senior leaders through Lead Liberated, fostering a strong sense of community and support. She noted progress with the Raise the Bar awards and work with a governance coach as part of their corrective action plan. The leadership team attended the CSDC conference, gaining valuable insights alongside other charter leaders. Upcoming events include a trustee tour at Richmond Charter Academy, and Instructional walkthroughs are upcoming at both Oakland and Richmond schools. Adrienne addressed significant traffic and safety concerns near the Richmond campus, noting internal improvements and an upcoming external study to optimize traffic flow in coordination with the city. She closed by emphasizing the ongoing commitment to cultivating an anti-racist learning culture with support from Lead Liberated, thanking the board for their backing.

Board member Liz expressed gratitude for the efforts in putting the information together and for the ongoing communication. She acknowledged the heavy workload and recognized the effort being made to fulfill expectations.