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Memphis Merit Academy Charter School

Minutes

Monthly MMA Board Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday September 17, 2026 at 5:30 PM

Location

Memphis Merit Academy 

 

4075 American Way 

Memphis, TN, 38118

PUBLIC COMMENT AT MEMPHIS MERIT ACADEMY BOARD MEETINGS - An opportunity for the public to address the Board will be provided at the conclusion of the agenda. Members of the public who wish to speak on any item are requested to identify themselves and indicate on which agenda item they wish to speak. The Board will provide an opportunity for the public to speak for a maximum of three (3) minutes, unless granted additional time at the discretion of the Board. Testimony shall be limited in content to matters pertaining to Memphis Merit Academy. The Board may not take any action on matters discussed during the public testimony period that are not listed on the agenda. 

Directors Present

Aurelia Mcbride, Jeff Wyatt, Joseph McKinney, Lashawn Lester, Talunja Prophet

Directors Absent

Karla Leeper, Reid Lanigan, Robin Dixon

Directors who arrived after the meeting opened

Lashawn Lester

Guests Present

Lakenna Booker, Lakishia Robinson, Tasia Mitchum

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Aurelia Mcbride called a meeting of the board of directors of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School to order on Thursday Sep 17, 2026 at 5:31 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes

Joseph McKinney made a motion to approve the minutes from Monthly MMA Board Meeting on 08-22-26.
Talunja Prophet seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

II. Review and Approval of Monthly Financials

A.

Approval of Monthly Financials

Mrs. McCoach is out for Maternity Leave. Booker is standing in for her. 

 

We are above the approved budget by 470K.

 

Net Income is 16K above 

We are projecting a net positive while continuing to grow

 

Picrure shows board approved budget TISA revenue

 

We have MMA school and MMA real estate... 2 different

We 100K CSP grant over 3 years. 

 

Backgrounds checks have increased due to an increase in staff. 
 

Instructional Supplies have adjusted based on student enrollment. 

 

Increase in Staffing: 2 interventionist, SPED Teacher, HR & Finance Associate. 

 

Ended August with $247.4K in the cash flow.

 

11% on Corporate Giving

 

$0 in Uncat

 

Projected Positive Operating Income with Positive revenue drivers. We may have to create expenses to spend the CSP funds. 

 

The goal is to ensure that we are squaring up from MMARE to MMA. 

 

 

Joseph McKinney made a motion to approve the August Monthly Financials.
Talunja Prophet seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Lashawn Lester arrived at 5:52 PM.

III. New Board Member

A.

Election of Board of Director Candidate - Dr. Rukiya Campbell

Introduced Dr. Campbell and gave some insight to her background. 

 

Chair Person McBride shared that Dr. Campbell will be an asset to the Board of Directors as well as the Academic Achievement Committee. 

 

Dr. Campbell has taught Pre-K-9th Grade. 

Joseph McKinney made a motion to approve Dr. Campbell's Board Membership.
Lashawn Lester seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IV. Approvals

A.

Wellness Policy

Wellness Policy is a requirement with in NSLP. These policies are written by Vertex Education. The recommendation is that we adopt them as written and amend them on the following board meeting. 

 

We will have the school's attorneys to review these policies and make recommendation based on the recent legislative changes. 

B.

Fiscal Policy

Fiscal Policy is a requirement with in NSLP. These policies are written by Vertex Education. The recommendation is that we adopt them as written and amend them on the following board meeting. 

 

We will have the school's attorneys to review these policies and make recommendation based on the recent legislative changes. 

C.

SchoolMint Contract

This is federal compliance for the school's lottery. 

 

Talunja Prophet made a motion to accept Approvals A, B, and C.
Joseph McKinney seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

V. Committee Reports

A.

Academic Achievement Committee

The committee did not meet. 

Joseph McKinney made a motion to amend the agenda to add the HOS Evaluation.
Talunja Prophet seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

B.

23-24 SY ED Evaluation

Lashawn Lester made a motion to approved the 23-24 ED Evaluation.
Joseph McKinney seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

Development Committee

For this month and last month, we are engaging with Community Partners in the 38118 community. 

 

Development is also asking for Directors to share their personal contacts as well. 

 

McKinney would like to share the existing list of potential partners for 38118 and is pushing us to expand. 

 

We currently have the proper exposure. We just need to capitalize on it. 

 

This is the perfect time to adjust the campaign mailer for the upcoming Corporate Budget Meeting. 

 

Potentially Chuck Hutton. 

 

D.

Finance Committee

There have been several quarters of positive income. We are in a strong position. 

 

TISA True up is in October. We will have more cushion at that time. 

 

Corporate Giving will also create a cushion. 

E.

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee is 2 for 2 with new members. 

 

We are still looking for more members. 

 

Governance will continue to grow our new members with the proper Charter School Training. 

 

VI. Other Business

A.

Executive Director Update

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-jiLEMuLkRuIZXldEI_q5uG-gsONLzce/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111884176115696735015&rtpof=true&sd=true

B.

Property Manager Reports - Progressive PM

We have collected 21K in rent. 

 

No surprises expenses this month. 

 

Day Portering has been brought in house to eliminate the expenses. 

 

MLGW is the highest expense currently. 

Joseph McKinney made a motion to accept the Property Management Report.
Talunja Prophet seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

C.

MMARE Financials

We have collected 21K in rent. 

 

No surprises expenses this month. 

 

Joseph McKinney made a motion to approved the Monthly Financials regarding MMARE.
Talunja Prophet seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

VII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:37 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Tasia Mitchum
Documents used during the meeting
  • MMA - FY27 - August Financial Update.pdf
  • MMA FINAL August FY27 financials.pdf
  • updated resume campbell 2026.docx (1) (1).pdf
  • MMARE August 2026 Report (1).pdf
  • AUG2026 MMARE Financial Package.pdf
  • 2026 MMARE Annual Report.pdf

* 8-44-102. Open meetings -- "Governing body" defined -- "Meeting" defined. (a)All meetings of any governing body are declared to be public meetings open to the public at all times, except as provided by the Constitution of Tennessee...(ii) The provisions of this
subdivision (b)(1)(E) shall not be construed to require the disclosure of a trade secret or proprietary information held or used by an association or nonprofit corporation to which this chapter applies. In the event a trade secret or proprietary information is required to
be discussed in an open meeting, the association or nonprofit corporation may conduct an executive session to discuss such trade secret or proprietary information; provided that a notice of the executive session is included in the agenda for such meeting. (iii)As
used in this subdivision (b) (1) (E): (a)"Proprietary information" means rating information, plans, or proposals; actuarial information; specifications for specific services provided; and any other similar commercial or financial information used in making or deliberating
toward a decision by employees, agents or the board of directors of such association or corporation; and which if known to a person or entity outside the association or corporation would give such person or entity an advantage or an opportunity to gain an
advantage over the association or corporation when providing or bidding to provide the same or similar services to local governments; and (b)"Trade secret" means the whole or any portion or phrase of any scientific or technical information, design, process,
procedure, formula or improvement which is secret and of value. The trier of fact may infer a trade secret to be secret when the owner thereof takes measures to prevent it from becoming available to persons other than those selected by the owner to have access
thereto for limited purposes.