Amethod Public Schools
Minutes
Regular Meeting of the AMPS Board of Directors
Date and Time
Wednesday April 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Location
1450 Marina Way South
Richmond, CA 94804
The Board of Directors (Board) and employees of Amethod Public Schools will be holding this meeting in person at 1450 Marina Way South, Richmond, CA 94804.
Members of the public who wish to attend in person can join us in the Home Office's Board Room at 1450 Marina Way South, Richmond, CA 94804. Or members of the public may meet via the Zoom meeting platform at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83187954557
We also offer two-way teleconference locations for the public to attend in our Oakland school sites:
Oakland Charter High School- 2365 Coolidge Ave, Oakland, CA 94601
Downtown Charter Academy- 2000 Dennison St, Oakland, CA 94606
Oakland Charter Academy- 4215 Foothill Blvd, Oakland, CA 94601
Participating by Telephone: 669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 831 8795 4557
Public Comment: Members of the public attending in person who wish to comment on an agenda item please fill out a speaker card and submit it to a staff member. Members of the public who are joining via teleconference, please use raise hand tool in the reactions tab located at the bottom of the zoom screen or press star (*) nine if joining by telephone. The Board Chair will call on you. Please note that comments are limited to two minutes. The Board Chair may increase or decrease the time allowed for public comment, depending upon the topic and number of persons wishing to be heard.
Access to Board Materials: A copy of the written materials which have been submitted to the School Board with the agenda relating to open session items may be reviewed by any interested persons on the Amethod Public School’s website at www.amethodschools.org following the posting of the agenda. Amethod reserves the right to show or distribute additional information and/or documents to the School Board at the meeting, and will make copies of such documents relating to open session items available to the public upon request.
Disability Access: Requests for disability-related modifications or accommodations to participate in this public meeting should be made 24 hours prior to the meeting by calling (510) 436-0172. All efforts will be made for reasonable accommodations. The agenda and public documents can be modified upon request as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
ORDER OF BUSINESS MAY BE CHANGED WITHOUT NOTICE
Directors Present
J. Lerma, M. Moncada, P. Hanley, R. Ornelas
Directors Absent
None
Guests Present
A. Barnes, D. Clark (remote), K. Palmore (remote), M. Arechiga, M. Busby, S. Li, rodolfo@ornelasconsulting.org
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance
C.
Announcements
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
D.
Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items
No public comments were made.
II. Consent
A.
Board Member Resignation Acceptances
Board member Peter pulled item from the consent agenda to acknowledge the service of Edgar Quiroz (8 years), Gilbert Lopez Jr. (5 years), and Elisa Gallegos Jackson as board members. Board member Jorge also expressed his gratitude for their contributions. Vice Chair Monica formally accepted their resignations.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
B.
Approval of 3/13/2025 Regular Board Meeting Minutes
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
C.
Approval of 3/24/2025 Regular Board Meeting Minutes
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
D.
Approval of March 2025 Check Register
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
III. Business
A.
Interview and Consideration of Approval of New Board Member
Business item D. Interview and Consideration of Approval of New Board Member was approved by the board to go first.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
B.
Board Rotations - The Board Will Elect a Board Chair
Vice Chair Monica would like to nominate the newest board member Rodolfo as board chair.
Board member Peter nominated himself for the position, emphasizing the need for experienced leadership on the AMPS board. He voiced concerns about appointing a newly elected member as board chair, citing the importance of institutional knowledge he brings.
Board member Rodolfo expressed support for fresh leadership, stating that a new perspective could be beneficial for the organization at this time given the circumstances with ACOE Board and renewals.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
No
|
| R. Ornelas |
No
|
| M. Moncada |
No
|
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
No
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| R. Ornelas |
Aye
|
C.
Board Rotations - The Board Will Elect a Treasurer
Board member Peter requested clarification from legal counsel regarding whether the Treasurer must be a board member, as outlined in the AMPS Bylaws. Counsel confirmed that, according to the bylaws, the Treasurer is not required to be a board member.
Board member Jorge expressed a preference for the role to be filled by someone on the board and encouraged Peter to consider serving as Treasurer.
Board Chair Rodolfo inquired whether the board currently has a Finance Committee in place to oversee financial matters. Adrienne, Interim CEO responded that there is no active Finance Committee at the moment, due to the recent resignation of several board members. Board Chair Rodolfo suggested appointing Board member Peter as the Chair of the Finance Committee and having oversight on the Treasurer which will be great marriage of the two.
Vice Chair Monica voiced her support for appointing Kimberly Palmore to the position.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| R. Ornelas |
Aye
|
D.
Board Rotations - The Board Will Elect a Secretary
Vice Chair Monica nominated Sally Li for the position of Secretary.
Board member Peter expressed that the Secretary role should ideally be held by a superintendent or executive-level individual and asks legal counsel for clarification regarding the official duties of the role as outlined in the bylaws. He nominates Adrienne Barnes for the position.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
No
|
| R. Ornelas |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
IV. Closed Session
A.
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL— ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
The board returns from closed session at 8:49pm and there were no reportable actions.
B.
Public Employment (Gov. Code § 54957)
No reportable actions.
C.
Confidential Student Discipline Matter – Consideration of Potential Expulsion Case No.202501
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| R. Ornelas |
Abstain
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
V. Business
A.
Review and Consideration of Approval of JHHS Grad Nite Proposal
Mary Busby, Interim CEO, presented the JHHS senior Grad Night proposal for a trip to Universal Studios. According to the proposal, seniors will depart at 4:00 AM on May 28, 2025, and return to campus by 8:00 AM on May 29, 2025. The event is open to all students in “Good Standing,” with a required chaperone ratio of 10:1, as set by Universal Studios. The estimated cost for the trip is $10,570, which includes transportation via two buses. Per school policy, no student will be excluded from participation due to lack of funds.
Adrienne, Interim CEO, added that the ticket price is $133 per student, and the total cost JHHS is expected to cover is $11,415. The Finance Team confirmed that sufficient funds are available in the current budget to support the trip.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| R. Ornelas |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
B.
Review and Consideration of Approval of Turf Improvement Quote - Downtown Charter Academy
Adrienne Barnes, Interim CEO, presented a proposal for turf replacement at Downtown Charter Academy. The project will be funded through the G-1 Plan, with the G-1 Commission having approved reimbursement for 100% of the expenditure. Since the total cost exceeds $50,000, board approval is required.
Board member Peter inquired about the contractor selection process and whether a formal bidding process was conducted. Adrienne explained that multiple contractors were contacted, and two submitted bids. The current proposal reflects the best bid.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| R. Ornelas |
Abstain
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
C.
Review and Consideration of Approval of 2% COLA Increase for 2025-2026
Adrienne, Interim CEO noted that offer letters for the upcoming academic year will be issued prior to the final approval of the budget. She has received estimates from the Governor's January budget proposal at 2.43% for a revenue pull up and AMPS proposes a 2% COLA increase for the next academic year. The increase will apply to all staff hired on or before March 1, 2025.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| R. Ornelas |
Abstain
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
D.
Review and Consideration of Approval of Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials (AMIM) Discretionary Block Grant- All Sites
This item was removed during the announcements portion of the agenda.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
E.
Review and Consideration of Approval of CECA Lease Extension (OCHS)
This item was removed during the announcements portion of the agenda.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
F.
Review and Consideration of Approval of Updated Organization Chart
This item was removed during the announcements portion of the agenda.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
G.
Review and Consideration of Approval of Hae-Sin Thomas Contract
Adrienne, Interim CEO proposed two contract extensions for Hae-Sin Thomas- one focused on leadership support and the other dedicated to charter renewal efforts. These contracts are extensions to her existing contract, which began in January in which she has been supporting the OCHS renewal process. Hae-Sin’s strategic guidance and contributions played a key role in strengthening OCHS's position during both the appeal and renewal phases.
No public comments.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| R. Ornelas |
Abstain
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
H.
Review, Adoption and Ratification of the Response and Corrective Action Plan
Adrienne reported that on March 13, 2025, WCCUSD submitted a letter of fiscal concern regarding RCA. In response, AMPS provided a comprehensive corrective action plan on April 12, 2025, outlining steps to strengthen fiscal management. WCCUSD has requested that this plan be formally approved by the board.
Board member Jorge asked whether the corrective action plan addresses the board’s recognition and new configuration. Adrienne clarified that while WCCUSD is aware of those changes, their primary concern centers on financial matters.
Board members Peter and Jorge expressed their appreciation for the efforts made by the AMPS organization in addressing the issue and supporting the RCA community and families.
No public comments.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| R. Ornelas |
Abstain
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
I.
Review and Consideration of Approval of Bank Account Signers
Adrienne, Interim CEO recommending to amend and adding Board Chair, Rodolfo to bank account signers for Bank of America, Umpqua Bank, and adding EastWest Bank.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| P. Hanley |
Aye
|
| R. Ornelas |
Aye
|
| M. Moncada |
Aye
|
| J. Lerma |
Aye
|
Vice Chair, Monica proposes to move section 3 Business item D- Interview and Consideration of Approval of New Board Member first and Business item A- Board Rotations - The Board Will Elect a Board Chair to second on the business section of the agenda.
Vice Chair, Monica proposes to strike out section 5 Business items D, E, and F from the agenda.