Board Chair Rodolfo stated the meeting was originally called to order at 6:01 PM. Following the completion of the first several agenda items, it was brought to the Board's attention that technical difficulties had prevented the remote audience from hearing the audio for the first portion of the proceedings. In the interest of full transparency and to ensure meaningful public engagement, he announced that the Board would restart the meeting in its entirety.

R. Ornelas called this meeting to order at 6:36 PM

There were no announcements.

Former parent, Dulce Bernal expressed disappointment toward the Board for firing the Dean of Instruction from BJE, Ms. Galindo. Alleging these decisions were based on personal animosity toward the school's founder, Mr. Lopez. She urged the Board to stop and warned that their personal grievances are unfairly jeopardizing the stability of the schools and the community that parents and teachers fought to build.

Zoe Z described Ms. Galindo as a wonderful, hands on 5th-grade teacher who was deeply loved by students, parents, and staff alike. She shared Ms. Galindo's positive impact on her son’s education and character, urging the Board to recognize her as exactly the type of person who belongs on the school’s staff.

Karla Espinoza advocated for Ms. Galindo to receive a second chance, describing her as the best teacher her son has ever had due to her exceptional communication and dedication to student success. She urged the Board not to let her go, warning that losing such a rare and caring educator would be a significant loss for the school.

Angie Sandoval asked the Board to re-evaluate the decision to let go of Ms. Galindo, describing her as a dedicated role model who overachieved in both administrative and teaching roles. She highlighted Ms. Galindo’s impact on the school’s operational success and her commitment to student safety, calling her a foundational figure for the entire school community.

This item was removed from the agenda and will moved to the Board Meeting in May.

Principal Landers initially presented this item; however, due to technical audio difficulties, the item was removed from the restarted agenda out of respect for the principal's time and to avoid requiring a repeat performance.

The board reconvened from closed session at 7:23 PM and there were no reportable actions.

Committee Chair Davis shared they reviewed the February financials and discussed preferred formatting for future reports. He also noted that the committee is working on future financial planning that will also include the pending requests from the auditors.

Adrienne, CEO presented that BJE and RCA renewals are on track for July while outlining budget revisions and marketing partnerships with Trust Ed to address lower than projected enrollment. She also highlighted progress in governance and operations, including the hiring of a new business manager and the successful recognition of DCA at the FIA Raise the Bar Awards.

Adrienne, CEO reported for Charter Impact that year to date actuals as of February 28th show several schools currently trending lower on revenue due to the specific timing of state and federal aid schedules. She explained that while sites like DCA and BJE show temporary deficits, they are expected to reach a break even point once the remaining revenue catches up later in the year. RCA, JHHS, and OCA are projecting end of year deficits, primarily due to lower enrollment. Despite these projected losses, Adrienne noted that all schools maintain strong fund balances that will allow them to meet their mandated reserve requirements.

Board member Liz noted that while fund balances and variances remain on track, the Fiscal Oversight Committee is exploring new ways with Charter Impact to present financial data to prevent stakeholders from over focusing on expected mid year deficits, specifically by requesting a clearer accounting of deferred revenue and one time funds.

Adrienne, CEO asked the Board to re-approve a contract for Innovare, a data dashboard system which was approved by a previous CEO in 2023. She noted that due to the significant dollar amount and an abundance of caution, the organization is holding off on paying two outstanding invoices until the Board formally reauthorizes the agreement.

Board Chair Rodolfo asked for clarification on the services they provide.

Mary, Senior Director of Student Services and Special Education described Innovare as a centralized internal dashboard used to process and visualize a wide range of data, including attendance, grades, and various assessments like NWEA, iReady, SBAC, and ELPAC. She highlighted its ability to generate graphs that allow the team to compare performance at the student, class, grade, and school levels, while noting that they are still working to determine which specific data points are most effective to prioritize within the system.  

Board Chair Rodolfo mentioned PowerSchool is a powerful SIS and questions why the organization doesn't utilize its dashboards instead of the Innovare system. He suggests that since they already have a PowerSchool contract, switching to their robust native dashboards could potentially offer significant cost savings.

Mary explained that while the organization is transitioning to PowerSchool, the system is still new and complex for many staff members. She emphasized that because the school is data rich with information from various platforms like iReady, the Innovare dashboard currently serves as a more familiar, custom built centralized hub for streamlining that data. While she acknowledged a future move to PowerSchool is possible, and that it would require the entire team to learn a completely new system.

Marisol, Senior Director of Operations proposed a $91,624.52 agreement with Turf World Installations to replace and expand the turf at Downtown Charter Academy. She explained that the project is essential for student safety, as it replaces hazardous open seams with modern shock absorbent surfaces while also increasing the school's capacity for physical education and after school programming. To fund the project, she noted that $30,000 of the total cost would be covered by Measure G1 grants.

Board member Liz inquired about the long term maintenance costs and requirements for the new turf. 

Marisol noted there is a 10-year warranty. The long term maintenance will be periodic refilling to ensure the surface remains in good condition but she will look in more detail about the long term maintenance.

Marisol, Senior Director of Operations presented a finalized E-Rate contract with AMS.net totaling $150,263.40 for critical firewall upgrades. She explained that the project utilizes a federal discount program for broadband and network equipment and is part of a newly developed five year strategic plan. Marisol confirmed that the refined scope remains within the previously approved budget and met the federal filing deadline of April 1st.

Adrienne, CEO requested the Board's approval for a contract with the Contra Costa County Charter Coalition to assist with the charter renewal petition for BJE. She explained that the organization will focus on community engagement, helping families build capacity and connecting with local board members to support the petition's approval. The initial contract is for $20,000, but she requested approval for up to $30,000 to account for a potential appeal to the county if necessary.

Mary, Senior Director of Student Services and Special Education requested Board approval for Edgenuity, an accredited online platform aimed at increasing graduation rates at John Henry High School. She explained that the system will primarily be used for student credit recovery and potentially for Career Technical Education courses, ensuring all students have the necessary tools to advance in alignment with the school's mission.

Board Chair Rodolfo asked why Edgenuity was chosen over the other companies.

Mary recommended sticking with Edgenuity because of its familiarity and robust new features, including live on demand teachers and the upcoming EdgeEX platform. She noted that while other options like Edmentum and CyberHigh exist, Edgenuity has proven effective for the organization’s specific needs in the past.

Board member Liz advised the team to be proactive about student and parent resistance to online platforms, noting that students often perceive these courses as lacking a real teacher and may procrastinate. She emphasized the importance of structuring digital environments to feel like real classrooms and clearly communicating the necessity of consistent attendance and engagement to families.

Mary clarified that Edgenuity is not replacing traditional classrooms; instead, its use is limited to credit recovery and a small number of advanced students seeking extra credits. She also confirmed that the courses are A-G approved.

Mary, Senior Director of Student Services and Special Education presented Get Empowered to support the upcoming summer enrichment program at Richmond Charter Academy. She explained that the organization will provide various clubs and activities such as cooking, nutrition, and graffiti art, alongside the necessary staffing and specialized training for RCA's internal team.