The Board and staff discussed the advantages and challenges of merging The Academy of Alameda's two charters.
Key discussion points:

• For the most part, Board members and staff did not think that merging the two charters would impact the instructional programs of the two schools.
• There was wide consensus, however, on the idea that combining the two schools makes much more sense from an operational point of view. Operational efficiencies would result as staff would only have to prepare/maintain one budget, one LCAP, one renewal, etc. (Instead of two)

Merging the two charters also raised some concerns including:

• The fact that one school would need to be closed (legal implications, external concerns - AUSD could not renew one charter and The Academy would seize to exist, etc.)
• That public data would be for grades 3 through 8  - two very different programs (this could also be a positive outcome)

Board members and staff created a list of items that they would need information on to make a sound decision. The next step is for the Board President and Executive Director to meet with the AUSD Superintendent to discuss the idea of merging. Additional information will be brought back to the Board in future meetings.
 

The Board and staff discussed the implications of increasing the size of the elementary school and decreasing the size of the middle school in order to serve more students at an earlier age. The theory of action is that serving more students earlier would support our envisioned future of narrowing the opportunity gap.

Key discussion points:
Most Board members and staff agreed that serving more students at an earlier age in theory would be better as you had more time to reduce/eliminate factors that lead to inequitable student outcomes.
While, we could have a larger elementary school logistically and it looks likes it might be allowable in our long-term lease, a number of concerns were raised including:

• How it might impact the middle school staff's morale/culture
• How it might impact potential middle school families (Non-AoA families) 
• How the AUSD Board might respond
• The sheer challenges of reducing staff at one school and adding more at the other

The overall consensus is that we should track longitudinal data on how elementary students perform in our middle school before making this decision and that it would be best to pursue combining the charters first before exploring this option.
 

 

• Board Members (the staff left early) reviewed and gave feedback to update the Board Communication Protocol In Response to Public Inquiry/Concern Communication.
• The Executive Director (ED) asked Board members if Board member/Executive annual meeting schedule should be created so that there was equitable access to the ED. Board members said that they wanted to keep the process informal and that they could easily reach the Executive Director when needed by phone, email, or in person.
• Board members gave input into the process to have agenda items placed on future Board meeting agendas. here is now an established process.

When the Board returned to public session, the Board president announced that no action was taken regarding the closed session item.