W. Schaff gave a brief overview and summary of each board members' and the executive director's attributes.

C. Chilcott led the group in a partnered activity where they learned more about their partner and then shared out a fact their partner with the greater group.

3 topics discussed in February meeting:

Academic/Student Success 

Financial Solvency

Operational Stability

Short term goals from previous February retreat:
 

Academic/Student Success

• Determine what student success look like for each board member and develop a common language around student success.
• Working on a school profile, which is almost done and ready to be shared with the board
• Create a clear plan for the Board to understand the school’s progress
  on meeting it Promises 

Financial Solvency

• Create a fund development committee
• Align AoA's budget with current resources
• Create a plan to identity needs and acquire additional resources through grants, partnerships, etc

Operational Stability

May need to create an ad hoc committee to:

• Develop job descriptions/ roles and responsibilities for board members
• Develop a recruitment plan and onboarding plan for board approval 
• Establish a Board Calendar
• Update bylaws as needed (done by Board Governance Committee)

David and Carole shared that the state uses the terms "academic success" but AoA uses "student success" since we look at several factors in addition to academics such as social-emotional well-being, improved attendance, and connection to school.

The group split into two groups to participate in an activity to work on three things first individually, then within their group, then come back as a full group to discuss commonalities and agree on next steps. The questions to answer were:

1. What are 3-4 descriptors of Student Success

2. What information or metrics do we need to determine if we are meeting our goals for
student success?

3. What board actions are needed?

Both groups agreed on the same key areas for student success:

• Attendance (Average Daily Attendance, understanding absentee issues, populations impacted, interventions)
• Academics (Intervention strategies, priority subgroups, AoA long-term students vs. students who join in middle school)
• Personal Responsibility (Understanding our approach to discipline, intervention strategies, # of referrals)
• Engagement (Are students feeling connected to school, do they feel like they have adults and/or peers they engage with at school)

They discussed how academic success can not happen unless the students feel supported and not just academically. The board discussed the importance of school attendance, school safety and engagement, and academic growth to achieve success.  We need to clearly define the interventions done for academics and discipline and see if they work. Also is it necessary to check to see more than once a year to see if the process in place is working?

The board decided their actions were to:

• Identify key metrics for Attendance, Academics, Personal Responsibility, and Engagement and how they would like information to be shared with them
• Receive presentations from staff on Attendance, Student Academic Data, and Student Intervention Strategies

D. Forbes discussed AoA's financial position and how in the past 2 years as well as this current year we will be using the school's reserves as we are in a deficit. He did speak also that it is necessary to give the employees a raise although we are in a deficit because if not we will be losing good staff.

Operational board was going to focus on working on:

Job descriptions 

Board handbook

Board Recruitment plan

Onboarding

Per time constrains W. Schaff will assign these topics to board members to discuss.

W. Schaff advised he will be establishing committees prior to the August meetings and asked if anybody was interested any particular committee (Board Governance, Finance, Student Success). Each board member shared their preferences.

Feedback

Carole led the group on a task asking for feedback on how to improve this retreat to use as guidance for future retreats. The feedback was as follows:

Have tighter goals

When talking and explaining the activity, have visuals for goals and directions

Send follow up details of actions and who is responsible

Send clear notes and next steps soon after meeting

Send prep materials in advance of the meeting

Send a brief summary of what occurred at the previous retreat to review in advance since it was referenced often

Gratitude

A. Price is thankful for the new amazing board members.

J. Laird advised she felt welcomed as a new board member.

R. Rentschler wanted to thank the set up and thanked C. Chilcott for being her on a weekend. 

D. Forbes was thankful to C. Robie for her set up and D. Espinosa for being here on a weekend.

C. Robie wanted to thank the team for listening and for coming with open minds wiling to listen and give the meeting their all.  

C. Chilcott expressed thanks to D. Espinosa for being here on a weekend as well.

W. Schaff was thankful for A. Price bringing 2 great new board members as well as for all the work C. Robie did. 

M. Payne was thankful for being on a board in which he was a good fit.

C. Chilcott showed the board the Local Indicator document per the state requirement and the board acknowledged viewing it.