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Academy of Collaborative Education

Minutes

Annual Meeting + Board Retreat

Date and Time

Saturday June 27, 2026 at 8:00 AM

Location

The Center for Children and Families

622 Riverside Drive
Monroe, LA 71201

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.

Directors Present

Anna Grimmett, Curtis Eberts, Davy Mize, Holly Allen, Latner McDonald, Richard Cannon, Seth Hall

Directors Absent

Matthew Fowlkes

Ex Officio Members Present

Joellen Freeman

Non Voting Members Present

Joellen Freeman

Guests Present

Hannah Nguyen

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

Holly Allen made a motion to Amend Agenda and Approve Minutes from Special Board Meeting - Virtual on 06-17-26.
Davy Mize seconded the motion.

Voting Board members were:

Davy Mize, Hannah Nguyen, Latner McDonald, Anna Grimmett and Holly Allen

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Anna Grimmett called a meeting of the board of directors of Academy of Collaborative Education to order on Saturday Jun 27, 2026 at 8:00 AM.

II. Breakfast + Gathering

A.

Breakfast + Document Upkeep

Holly Allen made a motion to Amend Agenda to Include Discussion/Vote of Cell Phone Policy.
Latner McDonald seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Davy Mize made a motion to Approve Agenda as Amended.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

III. Annual Reports

A.

Annual Executive Director Report

Joellen Freeman:

 

Staffing:

  • 97% Retention Rate
  • Mentoring: In house and on-going
  • Several current paraprofessionals continue training for certification and plan to stay at ACE
  • Added 16 new staff members to address increased grades, tiered reporting/mentoring structure, etc.
  • Joellen Freeman will step in as interim principal and new principal search will begin when new SY begins

 

2026/2027 Goals:

  • Literacy Campaign
  • Functional Skills
  • Field Trips
  • Community Visitors
  • Student Activities
  • Service Projects
  •  Family Engagement

Enrollment:

  • 141 enrolled with maximum enrollment of 160 (and 20% more if great need), anticipate meeting max
  • 47 waiting, Kindergarten largest waiting list
  • 47 interested

B.

SY2026-27 Academic Report

Joellen Freeman:

 

5 Assessments/Grades K-6

  • iReady ELA
  • iReady Math
  • DI BEL S
    • AP Students, K-3 only. Auditory/Visual test.
    • 1st time for Grade K.
  • LAAR
    • Taken by students more impacted by diagnosis.
    • ACE scores represented primarily by Grade K. 
  • LEAP Connect
    • Measures ELA achievement. Grades 3-6 only. Individual testing. 
    • Not benchmarked based on diagnosis or severity of diagnosis.

***Working to break down scores to show individual students' year-to-year achievement/progress.

 

Academic Excellence Recommendations

  • Expand ELA support
  • Continue LAAR and K-DIBELS programs
  • Address math crises

IEP Progress Report

  • Overall Mastery - 
    • 58/110 students mastered minimum 1 objective
    • 52/110 students still mastering
  • Continuing to measure and analyze data to determine whether IEP goals are attainable

 

Seth Hall made a motion to Move Into Executive Session.
Latner McDonald seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IV. Executive Session

A.

Executive Director FY26 Evaluation

Evaluation of Joellen Freeman:

  • Discussion of Evaluation and Responses
  • Plans to better staff culture 2026/2027 
    • Additional staff
    • Creation of leadership tiers
    • Staff lunch break 
  • Budget SY-26/27
    • EdOps - valuable addition to ACE
  • Key Areas to Focus SY-26/27
    • Strengthen organizational stability
    • Invest in staff culture
    • Strengthen family and community partnerships
  • Joellen's Additional Areas of Focus
    • Strengthen Family/Community Partnerships
    • Community/School Interaction with Board
    • Staff Appreciation

 

Seth Hall made a motion to Move Out of Executive Session.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

V. Discussion of New Business

A.

FY2027 Budget (Second) Discussion

Joellen Freeman led discussion:

 

  • Governor's executive order to divert school funding to teacher salaries currently derailed due to opposition
  • Budget initially presented,
    • without 5% decrease in MFP but with 3% increase in teacher salaries
    • based on student population of maximum 160
    • Medicaid Reimbursement
      • Neither Cost Report nor Interim funding accounted for in budget
      • Cost Report accounts for any difference in funding as it relates to cost of services vs amount reimbursed by Medicaid 
      • ACE receives interim payment which is funded without significant delay and which may be accounted for in subsequent annual budgets.

B.

Employee Handbook Presentation + Discussion

Joellen Freeman led discussion re:

  • Proposed changes to Staff Handbook
    • "Time Off and Leave Policy

 

C.

Policy and Procedure Review and Discussion

Joellen Freeman led discussion re: 

  • Proposed new ACE "Student Entry & Arrival Policy"
  • Proposed changes to ACE "Internet Usage, Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy"
  • Proposed new ACE "Student Electronic Telecommunication Device Policy"

D.

FY27 Student/Parent Handbook Review and Discussion

Joellen Freeman led discussion re:

 

  • Proposed changes to Student/Parent Handbook
    • Excessive Absences and Tardiness
    • Return to School Policy after Illness
    • Early Sign-Out
    • Early Sign-Out for Therapy
    • Bus Transportation Expectations

VI. Action Items

A.

Approval of FY2027 Budget

Curtis Eberts made a motion to Approve Budget FY2027.
Davy Mize seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

Approval of FY2027 Employee Handbook

Seth Hall made a motion to Approve FY2027 Employee Handbook as Amended Re: Time Off and Leave Policy.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Approval of FY2027 Student Handbook

Latner McDonald made a motion to Approve FY2027 Student Handbook as Amended.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.

Discussion per above Re: Excessive Absences and Tardiness, Return to School After Illness, Signing Out Early and Bus Transportation Expectations. Prior to vote, amended language to each policy reiterated/clarified

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

D.

FY2027 Board Officers

Holly Allen made a motion to Approve Board Composition as Amended and Discussed.
Davy Mize seconded the motion.

Discussion Re: Board Officers and proposal to identify,

  • Anna Grimmett as ACE Board Chairman
  • Curtis Eberts as ACE Board Vice Chairman
  • Holly Allen as ACE Board Secretary
  • Hannah Nguyen as ACE Board Treasurer
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Approval of Policy and Procedure Documents

Richard Cannon made a motion to Approve new ACE policies re: "Student Entry & Arrival Policy" and "Student Electronic Telecommunication Device Policy" and amended "Internet Usage, Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy".
Latner McDonald seconded the motion.

Previously discussed ACE policies re: "Student Entry & Arrival Policy" and "Student Electronic Telecommunication Device Policy" and "Internet Usage, Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy"

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

VII. FY2027 Committee Formation + Planning

A.

Announcement of FY2027 Board Committees + Committee Meeting Schedule

Academic Excellence Committee

  • Matthew Fowlkes (Chair)
  • Richard Cannon
  • Hannah Nguyen

Governance Committee

  • Curtis Eberts (Chair)
  • Anna Grimmett
  • Holly Allen

Finance Committee

  • Hannah Nguyen (Chair)
  • Anna Grimmett
  • Seth Hall

Facilities Committee

  • Davy Mize (Chair)
  • Richard Cannon
  • Curtis Eberts

Members of Friends of ACE

  • Matthew Fowlkes (Chair)
  • Richard Cannon

 

B.

Committee Goals + Meeting Schedule Creation

Committees broke out individually and discussed goals and meeting schedule for upcoming SY2026/27, with schedule per below:

 

Academic Excellence - Quarterly with first meeting in September 2026

Governance - Every other month with first meeting in August 2026

Finance - Every other month with first meeting in August 2026

Facilities - Quarterly with first meeting in September 2026

C.

Report: Committees Goals + Schedules

Curtis Eberts made a motion to Approve Committee Goals and SY2026/27 Meeting Schedule.
Richard Cannon seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

VIII. Annual Online Ethics Training (and working lunch)

A.

Online Ethics Training Completion

Reviewed status of Ethics Training certificates of Board members. 

All in compliance except Hannah Nguyen, Seth Hall and Anna Grimmett who will complete ASAP. All others submitted certificate of current compliance.

IX. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

Richard Cannon made a motion to Adjourn Meeting.
Curtis Eberts 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 2:08 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Holly Allen

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.