Joellen updated the board on the organization's performance, strategic progress, financial health, and any significant risks or opportunities. Currently have 114 students with 36 students on the waitlist, and 37 students obtaining waitlist status. Over 100 people on the interest list with contact being made. Staffing update: teachers fully staffed with 1 teacher obtaining masters in December. Currently have 7 teachers with sped certification, 8 will have SPED certification in December. We are looking to hire 2 paras and possibly 2 line techs, but  definitely 1 line tech for now.  Monday, a new cafeteria worker will be hired, and the current cafeteria worker is becoming a para. We are also looking for full-time speech therapist because the need is so great. Staff and School highlights: kids went to special olympics on 10/24/25; Dawn Stanfield was contacted to spearhead the event as event had started to die out in our area; ACE's 5th and 6th grades participated with Franklin Parish schools; MedCamps was avengers cabin on 10.25.25; Dawn Stanfield awarded Angel award recipient by the Blue Foundation, and she chose ACE Friends of as her non-profit organization to receive $30,000; Dawn is speaking at autism conference in Lake Charles on 10.29.25

Updated financials will be talked about more in financial committee meeting. MFP forward funding was realized in October. Sherah working with LDOE to understand why the numbers are not reflecting forward funding for 18 students. 

Stipend allocation approved by board at 10.22.25 special meeting for staff. The first round of allocations fr FY 25 distributed on 10.24.25 and the next round will be distributed 11.24.25. 

Medicaid Revenue: first test payment received last week for test claim that was sent in. Progress will be updated in November Finance meeting

Charitable contributions: $30,000 contribution from Angel Awards. Still awaiting numbers from ACE Golf Tournament and River Rat.

Audit process: Decision made to have Sherah at Ed-OPs to work for both years. Nothing to report at this time. 

Waiting to hear back from updated lease from Gene Hasting. A board and governance meeting will need to be had to approve lease. Holly will look at it once Mr. Hastings sends back.

Provision has items on order. Currently waiting on Zack Woods plan to be approved by fire marshal. Library is ready but requires some professional cleaning. The church is ready to move out. 

Upcoming events: Thanksgiving lunch, Parent Resource Meeting and PVO meeting on 11.08.25, Thanksgiving and winter breaks. PVO is planning Coke fundraiser, Scholastic Bookfair, and a Holiday Store. 

Goals: On target with board recruitment. There are some candidates on the radar for potential board members. Governance is trying to get a system on BOT to review policies and recommend to be presented to board. Working with Sherah and moving some goals to have more transparency and accessibility to finance options like RAMP and Paylocity. 

Resolutions to withdraw funds and close Cross Keys Bank account which went dormant. Joellen and Latner will go close the account and move funds to Progressive Bank. The other resolution is to change signatories.  

Adoption of State Police background checks. 

Differentiated Compensation Plan is a stipend to encourage SPED certified teachers to remain at ACE and encourage other teachers to become SPED certified.

Governance has covered the change to schedules. Finance and facilities have approved changes. Other committee and board changes have to go through Governance to approve. Once changes have been made, updates have to be sent to Charter authorization and LDOE and ACE website will need updating.  Governance will move to November 11th due to Thanksgiving break.

Finance: the biggest things that have been done would be the bank processes and working with ED-OPs. Sherah is taking care of any grants and redlines almost immediately and Joellen receives constant updates. 

AE: Off target on increasing volunteer engagement, but everybody is working on that. New faces were at the Halloween event. Latner was impressed with the enthusiasm and interest of parents regarding the long term goals of ACE. Would ACE move more towards vocational or college prep? Benchmark testing and pupil progression plan information was provided by Karen and Joellen stated that Shantel Reynard stopped by ACE.

Facility- main focus is Grace Lease. There was discussion of HVAC issues and the attic stairs were replaced. 

Governance move from 26th to 11th of November due to Thanksgiving break. 

Proposed AE meeting will move to quarterly with next meeting starting Dec 3.

Finance and facilities will go to every other month if approved, but the November meeting will proceed as scheduled. 

Board meetings and governance will need to be discussed to move to every other month.