Research Triangle High School

Minutes

RTHS Board of Directors Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday October 15, 2025 at 5:30 PM

Location

Directors Present

A. Saviello (remote), A. Tobien (remote), C. Coia (remote), D. Requena (remote), E. Cunningham (remote), J. Berla (remote), M. Dwomoh (remote), S. Hunter (remote), S. Khaliq (remote), T. Shahi (remote)

Directors Absent

J. Corn, P. Thermitus

Guests Present

A Peay (remote), A. Drake (remote), A. Griffin (remote), Alexander Kinev (remote), Amanda Habich (remote), Dez Thompson (remote), Ishaan Kancharla (remote), Janet M (remote), Omega (remote), Sarah (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

E. Cunningham called a meeting of the board of directors of Research Triangle High School to order on Wednesday Oct 15, 2025 at 5:33 PM.

II. Approve Board Meeting Minutes

A.

Board Meeting Minutes

S. Hunter made a motion to approve the minutes from RTHS Board of Directors Meeting on 09-17-25.
M. Dwomoh seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
D. Requena
Aye
P. Thermitus
Absent
T. Shahi
Aye
J. Berla
Aye
E. Cunningham
Aye
S. Khaliq
Aye
M. Dwomoh
Aye
S. Hunter
Aye
J. Corn
Absent
C. Coia
Aye
A. Saviello
Abstain
A. Tobien
Aye

B.

Board Meeting Minutes

C. Coia made a motion to approve the minutes from RTHS Annual Board Retreat on 09-23-25.
S. Khaliq seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
J. Corn
Absent
M. Dwomoh
Aye
E. Cunningham
Aye
S. Hunter
Aye
P. Thermitus
Absent
C. Coia
Aye
T. Shahi
Aye
A. Tobien
Aye
S. Khaliq
Aye
A. Saviello
Abstain
D. Requena
Aye
J. Berla
Aye

III. Public Comments

A.

Open to all community members (students, family members, faculty and staff, community members, and others)

None

IV. Chief School Officer Report

A.

Executive Overview

A.Griffin provided an update on the school highlights for this month, details attached to agenda.

V. Annual Board Retreat

A.

2025 Annual Board Retreat

E. Cunningham provided an update on the RTHS 2025 Board of Directors Annual Retreat, the goals and action steps.  The details are on the attached to the agenda.

 

VI. Academic Excellence Committee Report

A.

Academic Excellence Business

A. Griffin provided an update on the academic excellence committee, details attached to the agenda.

 

  • SET _ School engagement team update on the 3 goals.
  • Board retreat reflections and 2 datasets
  • Committee focus:  course grades and failure rates data dive

VII. Finance Committee Report

A.

RTHS Monthly Financials and Other Business

C. Coia and A. Drake provided an update on the finance committee and school budget.

  • Annual Audit Report by CPA, highlights presented by Amanda Habich for the school year ending on 30 June 2025
    • Unmodified opinions were issued _ highest level
    • No findings this year
  • Good Debt to Service Ratio, at 1.37, above required 1.2
  • County funding not provided yet
    • Durham and Wake are the biggest finders for the school
C. Coia made a motion to approve the audit report for school year 2024-25.
J. Berla seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Dwomoh
Aye
J. Corn
Absent
T. Shahi
Aye
J. Berla
Aye
C. Coia
Aye
D. Requena
Abstain
A. Tobien
Aye
E. Cunningham
Aye
S. Khaliq
Aye
S. Hunter
Aye
P. Thermitus
Absent

VIII. Executive Session

A.

Executive Session

J. Berla made a motion to go into executive session due to personnel matters.
A. Tobien seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
S. Hunter made a motion to approve contract for Jade Krol for EC Teacher/Case Manager position.
A. Tobien seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
J. Corn
Absent
P. Thermitus
Absent
S. Hunter
Aye
E. Cunningham
Aye
J. Berla
Aye
A. Tobien
Aye
S. Khaliq
Aye
M. Dwomoh
Aye
C. Coia
Aye
A. Saviello
Aye
T. Shahi
Aye
D. Requena
Aye

IX. Governance Committee Report

A.

Governance Committee Business

M. Dwomoh and A. Drake provided an update on Governance Committee.

 

  • RTHS Operation and Board Policies is to be split this document with the school policies going into other existing ones and will remain as Board Policies in the near future.
  • Board recruitment
  • Reminder of Board Attendance

X. Development Committee Report

A.

Development Committee Business

D. Requena and J. Berla provided an update on the development committee, details attached to agenda:

  • Giving Tuesday campaign 
    • video ongoing
    • going into Raptor Fund
  • Gift Cards and Wood Charter (works better well)
  • Communications plan
  • Boomerang and Employee matching
  • Where are they now? - Alumni involvement

XI. Other Business Matters

A.

As needed

None

XII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

M. Dwomoh made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
T. Shahi seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:59 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
A. Tobien