L. Rubin discussed initial school year opening preparations and our team building activities.  She also advised there was no tears even for kinder with the first day of school which is a success.  L. Rubin explained about the Tier 1 culture practice posters that were just received which show expectations, we also have RULER that will help with Socio-Emotional Learning.  She also showed how AoA is a very diverse school.  L. Rubin explained about the teaching levels and accomplishments reached at AoA. She also explained what the intervention team does.

C. Robie thanked L. Rubin for the presentation. A. Price wanted to thank for the thoroughness of information and noticed that the number of students with disabilities has decreased significantly and asked if that was due to the help received in tier 1.  L. Rubin explained that our team identifies them throughout the year and therefore will have more as the year progresses.  K. Welch appreciated that last year and this year were tied in together.  D. Forbes asked if the possible to show AUSD and state data compared to AoA. 

A. Gilcrease explained this is raw data just received this week.  She explained how the WEB students helped welcome in 6th graders.  Shifted last year from grade based scoring to competency based learning but have already started to see results.  A. Gilcrease explained the wonderful smiles she sees in the school from a diverse array of students.  She explained that math is where we will focus as it needs more attention, she explained that there has been a flux in teachers but it is looking good this year.  Mental health of the students is very important and she noted that the students feel very safe at school.  A. Gilcrease explained some of the staff supports like "staff buddies", principal Tuesdays in class, and salary talks.  Explained this year we started SIPPS, language live and Afficient programs to help support.  She explained one of her achievements thus far has been to get students to feel comfortable with her and speak comfortably to her which is huge as it shows students being able to speak comfortably to a person who is older than them and in a position of authority.

K. Welch asked how she aims to increase progress in the numbers, if she has a program in place?  A. Gilcrease explained the 3 new programs serve for that purpose along with some plans in place with A. McGeorge.  K.  Welch asked if Afficient was the pilot program done through the summer, C. Chilcott explained yes and it was successful and therefore implemented.  D. Forbes commented it was a great presentation and asked if there is any way to show data from students coming in to the school as middle schoolers vs those who have been here from elementary and transitioned into the middle school.  J. Thompson just wanted to congratulate A. Gilcrease and note that coming in and presenting as she did is not easy but she did it wonderfully.  Both C. Chilcott and C. Robie echoed the sentiments.

C. Chilcott explained we are 2 under projected for the school year but doing very well.  She explained we are showing as under in elementary but we do have waitlist so we should be filling in shortly.  She explained we are overall 63% in district even though middle school is showing as below. C. Chilcott explained AoA will still be planning on starting TK for fall 2024.  TK will be only one class of 24 students and will be in room 101 due to the fact that the bathroom is near it in the first quad. 

J. Whatley asked what the budgeting means since we are not full and if that has just been for budget purposes.  She also commented that from a marketing perspective she has seen more elementary school and TORCH and more pictures of the middle school should be taken and projected more.

A. Price asked for clarification with the transitional students slide.  She also asked if from a marketing perspective there is any way to say there is a waitlist and therefore entice more people to want to join.  C. Chilcott advised that the opposite has been proven and parents were upset as to why offering if there was no space available.  C. Robie advised slide 6 and 9 were showing the incorrect school year as it is now 2023-2024.  C. Chilcott apologized and said she will correct it for documentation.  R. Rentschler wanted to show that the numbers were successful.  D. Forbes asked if she has AUSD's numbers as there is an overall decline in numbers.  K. McCoy asked how many students do we think we will get for the TK.  C. Chilcott advised unknown as there has been some interest but there are 2 new TK's opening in Alameda.  K. Welch asked about the difference between TK and Pre-K, C. Chilcott advised it is used interchangeably in the website.  

Finance- meeting until October.

Student success- met today and talked about goals and responsibilities.  Will follow up on goals in October.

Governance- will be meeting soon, will schedule 1st meeting within the next week.

C. Chilcott advised that in August 2022 we changed the title from Manager of HR to Director of HR  due to the scope of work but we never changed the scale and accrual rate.  Principals and directors all went up 2.5% and their salary schedules are all the same.  

C. Chilcott advised this year it will look different and will explain why.   She explained that last year we had 2 teachers going through credentialing but this year we got a lot of corrections needed to be made due to the system being backed up.  She mentioned there was a form to fill out.

J. Whatley commented that there was a paper she recalled signing a few years ago and she asked if there is a limit to how many teachers can be on this program.  

D. Forbes wanted to correct the name of the second teacher and advised if we number the motion we do not have to read every name. 

K. Welch asked if this will be a problem for AoA with AUSD.  C. Chilcott advised we should not worry since this is due to AUSD backlog.

A. Price wanted to share a report about mental health.

C. Chilcott advised the board that we are in the process of switching banks from Bank of Marin to Wells Fargo.

Upcoming meeting will be training on Brown act and voting on family handbook.