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Academy of Collaborative Education

Minutes

Academic Excellence Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday October 1, 2025 at 3:00 PM

Pursuant to 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 re-scheduled 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.

Committee Members Present

Allison Dickens, Amy Marcus (remote), Carmen Parks, Dawn Stanfield, Jessica Burkett, Joellen Freeman, Karen Roberson

Committee Members Absent

None

Committee Members who arrived after the meeting opened

Carmen Parks

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Amy Marcus called a meeting of the Academic Excellence Committee of Academy of Collaborative Education to order on Wednesday Oct 1, 2025 at 3:02 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes

Joellen Freeman made a motion to approve the minutes from Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 09-03-25.
Dawn Stanfield seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED to approve the motion.
Carmen Parks arrived.

II. Progress-Toward-Goals:

A.

Progress-Toward-Goals:

Goal 1: Improve parent knowledge of and involvement in student assessment data through ACE’s Pizza Box portfolio and digital portfolios.

  • On Target
  • Pizza boxes have been delivered to classrooms, and teachers have started adding items, i.e. data, artwork, and classwork)
  • Pizza boxes will go home end of year.

Goal 2: Increase Reading and Literacy Scores by 35% school-wide compared to the previous year.

  • On-Target
  • Karen reports that ACE is on target and benchmarks are showing progress. She will reassess in October when benchmarks are done.

Goal 3: Integrate ABA principles more fully for improved behavior management.

 

  • Jessica reported several new line techs and two RBTs have been added.
  • Models have been shown in the classrooms, including first/then, pod transition, and reinforcements by Jessica.
  • BCBAs have now been licensed in Louisiana and onboarding of RBTs and RLTs has started.
  • Jessica will get licensed as RLT in case of absences.
  • Once all techs have been placed under the BCBAs they will begin PEAK goals that were in place last year, as well as starting PEAK assessments for the new students, and adding students to their caseloads. 

At least 80% of ACE personnel will be trained in fundamental ABA by 9/30/25, and will maintain expertise through ongoing training and professional development initiatives, advancing our mission to foster a positive and effective learning environment.

  • On-Target

Goal 4: Integrate Communication Boards school-wide.

  • On-Target
  • Communication boards have been placed throughout the school and more will be added.

Goal 5: Implement Parent Training and Enhance Participation and Effectiveness of said training.

  • On-Target
  • First parent meeting was held on Saturday, September 13, 2025 with a 13% attendance rate. 
  • Quarterly surveys will be sent out and due back at the end of the month through BOT
  • The committee agreed that these trainings should not be limited to just ACE parents, bur to everybody. 

 

Goal 6: Strengthen Communication Systems.

  • On-Target
  • Joellen explained the difficulty in getting a percentage. The school is putting out information electronically and on paper, but parents are stating they are not getting communications. 
  • N. Lard, a parent suggested communications should come from the school and teachers in a form of mass communication. 

 

Goal 7: Increase Volunteer Engagement

  • Off-Target, no longer at risk 
  • Dawn reported there has been more engagement from staff and parents at recent events.
  • Joellen mentioned using Signup Genius to track hours, and she asked what would be the easiest way to sign up for events.

III. Academic Excellence Committee Progress on Dashboard Items:

A.

SY25-26 Teacher surveys

Teacher surveys will be done through BOT. Surveys will be anonymous. Amy will teach Allison how to create and send surveys.

B.

Committee Expansion

The plan for committee expansion is found in Board Documents

C.

Written staff retention plan:

The AE Committee will discuss stategies

IV. Principal's Report

A.

Benchmark Testing Date

Karen reported numeracy & DIBELS testing will be done by October 3, 2025. Benchmark testing will continue. State numeracy and DIBELS testing for grades K-3 closes October 3, 2025 and has to be compiled to create beginning of year data.

V. Pupil Progression Plan

A.

Update on Pupil Progression Plan

Plan is due by end of October. There is a template provided by LDOE. The ACE plan will be revised to include what is used in CSP, the addition of 6th grade, and a section with 3rd grade submission entitled "Promotion for Good Cause".

VI. Executive Director's Report

A.

Charter Renewal Process with LDOE

Joellen reported Shantel Reynard stopped by the school on 10/01/25, and the charter renewal process was discussed. Shantel stated a group is getting together as a department to come up with how the ACE renewal requirements and targets will be. Renewal framework has not been sent as of date. 

B.

Student Growth Data relative to the CSP Grant

No data available at this time due to testing. State testing, numeracy and DIBELS will not be complete until October 3, 2025.

 

 

VII. Other/Unfinished Business (goals/responsibilities/previous agenda)

A.

Changing Monthly Meeting

The committee discussed changing meeting from monthly to quarterly to be able to have comparable data. Meeting schedule will be amended to December 3, 2025, March 2, 2026, and May 6, 2026. This decision will be presented to the board for a vote. If approved, notice of calendar amendments will be sent to LDOE

VIII. Committee Member Research and Preparation (Homework)

A.

Review all documents regarding Interim Assessment Check-Ins in the AE committee docs

Documents for check ins are located in AE committee documents.

IX. 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 4:14 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Allison Dickens

Dawn Stanfield moved to adjourn meeting. Joellen Freeman second the motion. Meeting adjourned Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at 4:14 pm

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance at a public meeting of Academy of Collaborative Education, please contact Joellen Freeman at jcfreeman@aceforasd.orgdescribing the assistance that is necessary.