Academy of Collaborative Education

Minutes

Board Meeting

Annual Retreat

Date and Time

Saturday June 14, 2025 at 8:00 AM

Location

The Center for Children and Families, Inc.

622 Riverside Dr.

Monroe, LA 71201

 

Amy Marcus is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: ACE Board Meeting
Time: This is a recurring meeting. Meet anytime
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86737566368

Meeting ID: 867 3756 6368

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Meeting ID: 867 3756 6368

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/ksFZV05P9

 

Pursuant to the Louisiana Open Meetings Law - La. R.S. 42:19, notice is hereby given to the members of the Board of Directors of Academy of Collaborative Education and to the general public that the Board will hold a regular, special, or rescheduled meeting open to the public as specified below. To ensure compliance with the Open Meeting Law, recipients of this message should not forward it to other Board members, and Board members should not reply to this message.

 

Any individual who wishes to make a public comment on one or more items on the agenda, but cannot attend the meeting in person, must submit their comment to boardchair@aceforasd.org no less than 24 hours before the board meeting. The comment should include the individual’s full name and the name of the agenda item on which they are commenting. 

 

Once the Board President/Chair calls for public comment on a specific agenda item and recognizes the speaker, the individual wishing to make an in-person public comment on an agenda item should be prepared to speak for no longer than 3 minutes. Before commencing with their public comment, the individual must state their full name. 

 

The names of all individuals submitting public comments shall be recorded in the meeting minutes.

Directors Present

Amy Marcus, Anna Grimmett, Davy Mize, Holly Allen, Kara Maggiore, Latner McDonald (remote), Richard Cannon

Directors Absent

None

Directors who arrived after the meeting opened

Holly Allen

Ex Officio Members Present

Joellen Freeman

Non Voting Members Present

Joellen Freeman

Guests Present

Charmaine Wilson (parent), Madison Bachhofer (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Amy Marcus called a meeting of the board of directors of Academy of Collaborative Education to order on Saturday Jun 14, 2025 at 8:00 AM.

C.

Approve Minutes

Approval of the May board meeting minutes was deferred to the June 30th meeting.

D.

Approval of June Retreat Agenda

June Retreat Agenda was approved at the May board meeting.

E.

Breakfast, Task-List, and BOT

Amy Marcus led welcome and discussion of Board On Track website,

  • update Board member profiles
  • discuss task lists
Holly Allen arrived at 8:15 AM.

F.

"Quick Frame" Annual Meeting and Retreat Objectives

Discussion led by Kara Maggiore

  • overview of annual meeting purpose and retreat objections

II. Reports

A.

Executive Director Report

Discussion and overview of 2024-2025 year led by Joellen Freeman,

  • Review ACE Mission /Vision/Values and Priorities
  • Staff:
    • Began school year with 12 teachers and ended with 10
    • Opening 6th grade 2025-2026 school year. BESE previously approved grades 6-8. ACE will increase gradually.
    • Teachers enjoy ongoing professional development
  • Student Curriculum: Students primarily use Tier 1 curriculum with small usage of available supplemental curriculum options as needed.
  • Parents:  Parent organization formed and growing
  • Discussion of ACE history

B.

Charmaine Wilson left meeting

C.

2025-2028 Strategic Plan

Discussion led by Joellen Freeman,

  • ACE expansion into Highschool moving forward, BESE requirements, new facility, etc.
  • Replication of ACE into other communities and form of same, whether new school site or pods within existing system
  • Availability of parent education
  • ACE as resource for future teacher, training site, etc.
  • Staff training and support, incumbent training worker program, grant through CFSC
  • Identify goals/dreams of ACE through WOOP framework

D.

Executive Session - A vote is required to enter an Executive Session. (Board and ED Only)

Kara Maggiore made a motion to Enter Executive Session.
Holly Allen seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

Discussion led by Amy Marcus,

  • Review Executive Director evaluation final memorandum
  • Discuss Executive Director final rating and feedback
  • Follow up questions and discussion of memorandum, rating, student success, financial stability and parent engagement
Kara Maggiore made a motion to End Executive Session.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

III. Action Items

A.

FY26 ED Goals

Kara Maggiore made a motion to Ratify the Executive Director Memorandum and therefore the Appointment of Joellen Freeman as ACE Executive Director 2025-2026.
Amy Marcus seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

Discussion led by Joellen Freeman,

  • Present ED 2025-2026 goals and discussion of same
  • Vote on ED goals moved to the next regularly scheduled board meeting on August 20th.
  • Edit goals/metrics as indicated and discuss impediments to same re: financial leadership, parent engagement, staff retention, staff recruitment, core value culture

B.

FY25 Board Data Review

Discussion led by Amy Marcus,

  • discuss strengths and weaknesses identified following compilation of individual board member evaluations

C.

Draft 2025-26 Board Committee Goals

Individual committees broke out into sessions for creation of initial drafts of committee goals.

D.

Debrief 25-26 Board Committee Goals

Each committee chair shared proposed goals and discussed the same

E.

Finance Terms 101

Anna Grimmett facilitated training regarding relevant financial terminology.

F.

Finance Questions

Discussion tabled to later date.

G.

FY26 Operational Budget

Discussion led by Anna Grimmett,

  • clarification needed to budget
  • Grant/Loan to ACE from New Schools Louisiana. Kara M. to provide copy of contract re: portion to be paid back
  • Vote postponed to June 30, 2025 on FY 2025-2026 budget
Kara Maggiore made a motion to Approve Woodard & Associates as ACE Auditor.
Holly Allen seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

H.

Academic Excellence Questions

I.

Election of FY26 Board Officers

Kara Maggiore made a motion to Nominate Anna Grimmett as the Vice-Chair and Approve the Reinstatement of the Existing Board Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer to the Same Positions.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

J.

FY26 Schedule for Board and Committee meetings

Richard Cannon made a motion to Approve Maintenance of Board and Committee Meetings on Same Schedule for 2025-2026 School Year.
Holly Allen seconded the motion.

Meeting Schedule as follows:

  • Board: 3rd Wednesday each month at 3:30pm
  • Governance: 2nd Tuesday of each month at 3:30pm
  • Finance: 2nd Wednesday of each month at 2:00pm
  • Academic: 1st Wednesday of each month at 3:00pm
  • Facilities: 2nd Thursday of each month at 3:30pm
  • Schedule of ALL meetings may be viewed on ACE website
  • Access to ALL meetings may be had through ACE website at ACE Board/Zoom and select meeting link
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

K.

Approval of previously reviewed contracts:

Holly Allen made a motion to Approve PSA between ACE and Alanna Hollborn.
Kara Maggiore seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Kara Maggiore made a motion to Defer Approval of OT Agreement.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.

Motion deferred to next regularly scheduled Board meeting

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

IV. Closing Items

A.

Task List

Discussion led by Amy Marcus,

  • Board members routine review of task lists on Board on Track
  • Board members remote access to Board and committee meetings through ACE website

B.

Next Board Meeting

  • Short Board Meeting scheduled for June 30, 2025, to approve the 2025-2026 Budget
  • The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be held August 20th at 3:30.

C.

Adjourn Meeting

Amy Marcus made a motion to End Board Retreat.
Kara Maggiore 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 3:19 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Holly Allen