Enrollment:  Expect to be fully enrolled by May 2024. 81 spots offered and 77 spots accepted. 45 applicants applied for lottery. Both 2nd grade classes with 9 students enrolled. Anticipate that 1 of the 1st grade classes will have 9 students enrolled. 

Hiring:  Teacher interview/hiring moving forward. Interviewed 9 applicants; all were certified teachers with 8 interviewees SpEd certified. Experience level ranged from newly certified to "30+ years. 1 offer declined. Will make offers to 6 applicants. Continuing to schedule interviews and identify other applicants to fill all open teach positions. Will hold "teacher fair" to identify other potential applicants.

Paraprofessional interview/hiring moving forward. Interviews began this week and others are scheduled.

Reg. Behavior Therapist interviews anticipated to begin the 1st week of April 2024.

Underwriting:  Hope Credit Union approved loan. Anticipate closing by the end of February 2024. Loan funding will result in ownership of building with the ability to perform renovations.

Renovations:  Traxler Construction on board to perform renovations. They are seeking assistance of various groups to reduce costs.

Facility Needs:  Continuing efforts to meet with and engage community leaders and, specifically, to identify persons, businesses, funding to defray costs/expenses. Positive meeting with City of Monroe, Mayor Ellis and his team who assisted with identifying persons and opportunities to defray expenses. Anticipate a letter from Mayor Ellis in support of the school to circulate to other potential donors. Identified: Doug Harvey in District 1 regarding non-profit sponsorship; Premier Products re: specialty Security doors; inquiries sent to local police juries re: funding opportunities, etc. 

Lagnaippe:  Discussed with Monroe CIty leaders the placement of additional road signage around school notifying drivers of school zone, children at play, etc. Maddie Cannon and Joellen Freeman plan to attend Workshop for Public Safety and opened opportunity up to other Board members to also attend. Anticipated that participation may open up additional funding opportunities.

February financial statement made available to all Board members. Attendees had no additional questions with regard to the statement. 

Living Will Fund:  Offers 2 grant writing sessions. Joellen Freeman and Maddie Cannon plan to attend one of the sessions. 

Grant opportunities that we are currently inquiring into are:  BCBS (contact Chloe Riley); Drax; Entergy (grant for a "Makers Space"; City of Monroe Public Funding Committee; WK Kellog Foundation; Scott Foundation (working with Stephen Harrison); CSP Grant (anticipate the grant to be open at any time); Charter School Growth Fund (Round 4 interview today, March 8, to discuss ACE financials); Aetna (funding a "Sensory Room"); Reimagine Grant (consider "innovative" schools to invest in).

Board documents remain available for review.

Scheduled for Saturday, June 8, 2024 from 8:30am to 2pm. Tentative location is ACE School.

Motion to Approve:  Holly Allen

2nd Motion:  Amy Marcus

Board calendar to be discussed and approved at upcoming annual retreat on June 8, 2024.

Motion to Adjourn - Maddie Cannon

2nd Motion - Latner McDonald