Pinnacles Prep Charter School
Minutes
Monthly Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday August 19, 2026 at 5:30 PM
In Person: Pinnacles Prep Campus - Great Hall Classroom (504 S. Chelan Ave, Wenatchee)
Online Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81891729392
Board Members: Rick Wray, Blake Baldwin, Flora Fernandez, Rosa Pulido, Josh Castro, Nate McClennen
Contact: Blake Baldwin, Board Secretary
Email: blake@pinnaclesprep.org
Accessibility: This meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. Special aids and services can be made available upon advance request. Advance requests for special aids and services must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting's start time.
Public Comment (In-Person): Members of the public wishing to comment in person should sign up using the provided sign-in sheet 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. You will be called on at the meeting. The Board may respond to public comment during the meeting. Members of the public wishing to provide hard copy written comments at the meeting must bring 8 copies. Ten minutes will be allocated for public comment, with the option of the Chair to allow more.
Public Comment (Virtual): Advance requests for virtual public comment or to provide written public comment electronically must be made no later than 48 hours in advance of the meeting's start time. To make this request or provide a written public comment, please email Blake Baldwin at blake@pinnaclesprep.org. If you would prefer to provide oral public comment, you will be called on at the meeting. The Board may respond to public comment during the meeting. A maximum of ten minutes will be allocated for public comment, with the option of the Chair to allow more.
Small School. Big Ideas.
Pinnacles Prep Mission: We exist to cultivate curious, confident, and self-directed
students who lead and succeed in college, their careers, and their communities.
BOARD MEETING NORMS
Procedural: Follow Through on all Agreements | Be Fully Present Physically and Mentally | Start and End on Time
Behavioral: Keep Students at the Center of Our Work | Be Bold and Optimistic | Advance Justice | Put Relationships First | Assume Positive Intent
Trustees Present
Blake Baldwin, Flora Fernandez (remote), Nate McClennen (remote), Rick Wray
Trustees Absent
Josh Castro, Rosa Pulido
Guests Present
Becca Freimuth, Erin King Luce (remote), Jill Fineis, Jonathan Houston, Kari Johnson, Katie Lease, Matt Paolini (remote), Sara Rolfs
I. Opening Items
A.
Welcome and Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Consent Agenda Approval
II. Public Comment Period
A.
Open Floor for Public Comments
There were no requests for public comment.
III. Know Our Programs, Know Our People
A.
New Board Member Nominations
The Board heard from new board member nominees, Becca Freimuth, Kari Johnson, and Katie Lease, about their backgrounds and interest in joining the Pinnacles Prep Board.
IV. Critical Issue Discussion
A.
26/27 Final Budget Presentation
Matt Paolini joined the Board to present a final draft of the 26/27 budget before final approval by the Board.
The Board discussed the assumptions underlying the 2026–27 budget and noted that, while the budget currently pencils, the existing CEO/COO staffing structure is not sustainable over the long term. The school will need to identify additional revenue, funding, or other financial capacity in future years to maintain the current administrative structure.
B.
2026/2027 School Year Planning
Sara shared projected enrollment updates with the Board.
Projected Enrollment: while we are not meeting budget for grades 6, 9, and 10, we are only 10.3 students under budget school-wide. Sara expects more enrollments before the first day of school.
Sara shared that Pinnacles is looking at a new enrollment platform called Monarch which she expects to increase enrollment and ease the user process.
C.
Final School Leaders and School Performace Goals 26/27
Jill shared the final draft of the School Leaders and School Performance Goals for 2026-27. These goals were informed by the recent school leaders evaluation.
Goals include:
- Goal 1: Adult Culture
- By June 2027, strengthen adult collective efficacy with 85% favorable staff culture survey, 90% retention, and consistent implementation of shared commitments.
- Goal 2: Belonging and Safety
- By June 2027, every scholar experiences higher levels of belonging, safety, and high expectations
- Goal 3: Cohesive Operations
- By June 2027, implement a reliable operating system with 95% of core routines executed on time and with fidelity.
V. Committee Reports
A.
Finance
Matt provided a Finance Committee update, including a review of the current Financial Dashboard indicators:
- Student Recruitment Count: Green
- Public Revenue Received: Green
- Private Revenue Received: Green
- Expenditures to Date: Green
- Cash on Hand: Yellow
- We are forecasted to meet our end-year requirement for cash on hand.
The color-coded statuses reflect areas of strength and those requiring continued monitoring.
B.
Academic Excellence
Nate led a conversation around adopting an AI policy for Pinnacles Prep and what focus areas the school should consider when drafting it. These areas include upskilling, efficiency and automation, outcomes, and policy.
Next steps will be for staff to roll out a draft policy and a committee appointed to review before final Board adoption.
C.
Governance
Rick excused the three board candidates for the Board's vote to appoint them.
VI. Executive Session
A.
Administrator Employment Contract Discussion
The Board entered executive session at 7:22 PM for the purpose of discussion school leader employment contracts.
The Board came back from executive session at 7:32 PM.
VII. Additional Business
A.
Additional Business and Important Upcoming Dates
Rick noted that the Board annual retreat will be moved to October 10th.
Rick reviewed the consent agenda with the Board.
Nate asked if the "transcript" link at the bottom of the draft meetings could be made available to view. Rick and Blake clarified that Board meetings are not recorded, therefore no transcript is available.
The following payments as audited and certified by the auditing officer, as required by RCW 42.24.080, and those expense reimbursements claims certified, as required by RCW 42.24.090, are approved for payment.
In addition, payroll payments in the amount of $136,108.19 are also approved.
General Fund
Accounts Payable
Total electronic payments totaling $130,282.17 and Check number N/A through N/A totaling $0 Non-AP Cash Disbursements Total electronic payments totaling $3,148.36 and Check numbers 1036 through 1038 totaling $864.65
Payroll
Total electronic payments totaling $136,108.19 and Payroll check numbers N/A totaling $0