Research Triangle High School
Minutes
RTHS Board of Directors Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday September 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Location
https://rthighschool.zoom.us/j/93566460638
Meeting ID: 935 6646 0638
Directors Present
A. Tobien (remote), C. Coia (remote), D. Requena, E. Cunningham (remote), J. Berla (remote), J. Corn (remote), M. Dwomoh (remote), P. Thermitus (remote), S. Hunter (remote), S. Khaliq (remote), S. Rivers-Kobler (remote), T. Shahi (remote)
Directors Absent
M. Babb
Directors who arrived after the meeting opened
D. Requena
Guests Present
A. Drake (remote), A. Griffin (remote), Dez Thomson (remote), Helena Feder (remote), Shweta Kautia (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
II. Approve Board Meeting Minutes
A.
Board Meeting Minutes
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| A. Tobien |
Aye
|
| M. Babb |
Absent
|
| T. Shahi |
Aye
|
| S. Khaliq |
Abstain
|
| S. Hunter |
Aye
|
| D. Requena |
Absent
|
| S. Rivers-Kobler |
Aye
|
| C. Coia |
Aye
|
| M. Dwomoh |
Aye
|
| J. Corn |
Abstain
|
| J. Berla |
Aye
|
| E. Cunningham |
Aye
|
| P. Thermitus |
Abstain
|
B.
Approve Board Meeting Minutes
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| S. Hunter |
Aye
|
| P. Thermitus |
Abstain
|
| J. Corn |
Abstain
|
| S. Khaliq |
Abstain
|
| M. Babb |
Absent
|
| T. Shahi |
Aye
|
| J. Berla |
Aye
|
| C. Coia |
Aye
|
| A. Tobien |
Aye
|
| M. Dwomoh |
Aye
|
| E. Cunningham |
Aye
|
| S. Rivers-Kobler |
Aye
|
| D. Requena |
Absent
|
III. Public Comments
A.
Open to all community members (students, family members, faculty and staff, community members, and others)
IV. Chief School Officer Report
A.
Executive Overview
A.Griffin presented highlights about the school, details in attached slides.
V. Governance Committee Report
A.
Governance Committee Business
M.Dwomoh provided an update on the governance committee. Two main items for board vote
- Admissions and enrollment policy to change to start application process to RTHS earlier in the Fall, to align with the Fall school tours and other charter schools, previously enrollment opens in January.
- Allison Saviello as a new Board Member to RTHS Board of Directors. Her CV is attached to the agenda
Gratitute expressed to Sondra Rivers-Kobler as last day as RTHS board member, she served 2 terms as an active with great guidance and leadership to the board.
Other minor edits
Updated Admissions and enrollment policy attached to the agenda
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| D. Requena |
Absent
|
| A. Tobien |
Aye
|
| C. Coia |
Aye
|
| E. Cunningham |
Aye
|
| P. Thermitus |
Aye
|
| M. Dwomoh |
Aye
|
| S. Hunter |
Aye
|
| T. Shahi |
Aye
|
| S. Rivers-Kobler |
Aye
|
| J. Corn |
Aye
|
| M. Babb |
Absent
|
| S. Khaliq |
Aye
|
| J. Berla |
Aye
|
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| M. Babb |
Absent
|
| S. Hunter |
Aye
|
| M. Dwomoh |
Aye
|
| J. Corn |
Aye
|
| A. Tobien |
Aye
|
| T. Shahi |
Aye
|
| E. Cunningham |
Aye
|
| S. Khaliq |
Aye
|
| P. Thermitus |
Aye
|
| J. Berla |
Aye
|
| S. Rivers-Kobler |
Aye
|
| C. Coia |
Aye
|
| D. Requena |
Absent
|
VI. Finance Committee Report
A.
RTHS Monthly Financials and Other Business
C.Coia and A.Drake provided an update on finance and budget. The details attached to the agenda.
- ADM - 572
- Good Service to Debt Ratio at 1.36, above requirement
- Facility updates
VII. Academic Excellence Committee Report
A.
Academic Excellence Business
J.Corn provided an update on academic excellence, details on the slides to the agenda.
A.Griffin provided an update on the SET (School Engagement Team) - focusing on the 3 goals:
- annual learning goals
- school culture
- progress monitoring
EOC data reviewed, 2023-25, Biology, English, Math 1 & 3. Discussion that Biology has not met growth on the past 3 years and is a focus.
VIII. Development Committee Report
A.
Development Committee Business
A.Griffin and D. Requina provided an update on the development committee, details on the slides attached to the agenda.
Company matching for donations to RTHS was discussed.
IX. Other Business Matters
A.
As needed
- Reminder Board Retreat Tuesday Sep 23 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM at the Frontier, Training Room, 600 Park Office Drive, Durham, NC 27709.
- Lunch form
- Pre-work
- Speaker invited nonprofit and education background
Helena Feder - addressed the board requesting RTHS dual enrollment also be approved for NCSU dual enrollment and UNC (these are for higher level classes that are not offered at RTHS). RTHS already has approved dual enrollment via College Promise.