Cirrus Education Group
Minutes
Cirrus Education Group Monthly Board Meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday July 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Location
Directors Present
L. Golphin (remote), L. Taylor (remote), N. Lewis (remote), R. Finley (remote), S. Kelly (remote), T. Olagunju (remote)
Directors Absent
None
Guests Present
Arleen Samuels (remote), B. Williams (remote), Brenda Edwards (remote), C. Blake (remote), Diane Freeman (remote), K. Cadman (remote), L. McDonald (remote), Nisah Brinson (remote), Sonja Riley (remote), Wendy Grimes (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance
C.
Approve Agenda
D.
Approve Minutes of Board Meeting on June 17, 2025
E.
Approve Minutes of Special Called Meeting on June 22, 2025
F.
Approve Minutes of Special Called Meeting on June 30, 2025
II. Executive Session
A.
Executive Session to Discuss to Personnel
III. Matters of Discussion
A.
Academic Committee Report
B.
Operations Committee
Shirlynn Kelly reported on the Operations committee and that most HVAC units are operational, with one still under repair. A damaged tree has been addressed, pending stump removal, and additional maintenance projects (bathroom repairs and painting) await budget approval. The school received donated furniture from Kipp to support new student enrollment.
C.
Personnel Committee
Latrell Taylor reported on staffing updates, remaining vacancies, and upcoming professional development to prepare staff for the new school year.
D.
Finance Committee
Lisa Golphin discussed upcoming federal funding reductions for certain programs and slight increases for others. Also discussed was the approval of the purchase of core curriculum materials in line with the budget and state standards. The committee also reviewed the possibility of piloting the Pitsco curriculum for kindergarten and requested cost estimates for consideration at a future meeting, as approval would require a budget amendment.
E.
CFO Report
Arleen Samuels presented year-end financials, noting a large health insurance payment that temporarily impacted a financial covenant, which is expected to pass after adjustments. The board discussed the financial implications and requested further clarification from the auditors at the next Finance Committee meeting.
F.
Head of School Report
Barry Williams reported strong enrollment, ongoing professional development, and the implementation of new curricula in ELA and science, with plans to pilot a supplemental program in kindergarten. He highlighted successful marketing efforts, including the back-to-school bash, and shared updates on staff retention, mission and vision work, and preparations for the upcoming school year.
IV. Actions Items
A.
Scholar-Parent Handbook
B.
Employee Handbook
C.
Hays Contract - $44,000
Will table this item until we get further clarity on costs in terms of cost for one year or 3 years
Rhonda Finley reported on enrollment updates, the summer remediation program, and recent cultural events. Information was presented on two proposed curricula, Amplified Core (reading and science for K–8) and Pitsco Education. After a discussion regarding the approval process and clarifying that only the budget, not specific curricula, had been previously approved, the board agreed to review both curricula for consideration.