[00:44] Krystal Parson (?): We're calling the meeting to order.

[00:45] Amertice Allen: The Iota Community School Board meeting at 5:05. Hello, everybody.

[00:51] Amertice Allen: Hope everybody's having a good week. We will start with recording attendance. Larry Neal.

[00:59] Jovan Orozco: Here.

[01:01] Amertice Allen: Tamika Young.

[01:04] Tamika Young: Here.

[01:05] Amertice Allen:Pedro Rodriguez. Pedro.

[01:13] Amertice Allen: Here. Okay. Pamela Igweke.

[01:20] Pamela Igweke: Here.

[01:23] Amertice Allen: And attorney Harris.

• Mission Moment
• Public Comment
• Iota Strategic Priorities Updates
• Highly Effective Teams Replicable Model
• Adjournment

[02:01] Jocquell Rodgers: Our vision at Iowa Community School is to relentlessly pursue excellence, guided by fostering relationships, accountability, determination and justice.

[02:13] Jocquell Rodgers: Our mission at IOLA Community Schools is to create access to comprehensive opportunities as we embrace each student and prepare them for life through innovative and transformative academics, while building sustainable pathways to economic growth.

[02:29] Jocquell Rodgers: And what is excellence? We are always striving for the highest quality of achievement and decisions.

• Presented by: Jocquell Rodgers
• Focus on the success of student Janice Walker, who participated in mentorship programs and attended Alabama State University and Yale University.

[02:46] Jocquell Rodgers: So for our mission moment, I really wanted Quintessica to kind of explain this opportunity that one of our students had.

[02:56] Tiffany Smith: Tiffany Smith left

[03:00] Jocquell Rodgers: So through our mentorship program, we've been able to really support students to have some amazing opportunities outside of not just Iota, but outside Memphis as well.

[03:17] Jocquell Rodgers: And so Jenice Walker is a senior at Bluff City High School. And Janice had an opportunity.

[03:26] Jocquell Rodgers: She had two great opportunities actually, through the Memphis Reach program where she was able to go to Alabama State University.

[03:33] Tiffany Smith: Tiffany Smith joined

[03:40] Jocquell Rodgers: And so she spent. Was it two weeks?

[03:44] Jocquell Rodgers: Yes, she spent two weeks at Alabama State University just to give her an idea of what, what it's like to go to college and to really kind of connect with other students with similar backgrounds and just think about how leadership is not only at the college level, but while she's in high school, how she can make an impact on her community through that process.

[04:14] Jocquell Rodgers: She had a second opportunity through the National Youth Leadership Forum for Business Innovation at Yale University.

[04:24] Jocquell Rodgers: So she this summer, her summer experience took her not only here in the Mid south to Alabama State, but she got to travel across the country.

[04:36] Jocquell Rodgers: Through.

[04:36] Jocquell Rodgers: This prestigious program hosted by George Mason University to Yale and meet other students who are thinking about entrepreneurship, how they are able to think critically around building businesses for themselves.

[04:51] Jocquell Rodgers: And so she says that it was an eye opening experience for her and it really helped to shape her college experience.

[05:01] Jocquell Rodgers: And she's excited about going off to college next year.

[05:05] Jocquell Rodgers: So we will share throughout this year, the summer experiences that our students had because of our amazing mentorship program.

[05:15] Jocquell Rodgers: And so we will hear more about that over.

[05:27] Amertice Allen: That's a great update. Thanks, Jacqueline. We will have. We've opened the floor to public comment.

Public Comment

• Duration: 10 minutes
• No public comments were made.

[05:36] Amertice Allen: The board has allocated 10 minutes for public comment.

[05:40] Amertice Allen: Speakers will be allowed three minutes to speak.

[05:44] Amertice Allen: If you would like to provide public comment, please use the raise hand function on Google and we will call on you and unmute you so you can provide your comment.

[05:54] Amertice Allen: Please identify yourself at the beginning of your comment for a matter of record and please refrain from sharing any confidential information, including employees names, gossip or any defamatory information.

[06:07] Amertice Allen: Do we have anyone today for public comment?

[06:23] Amertice Allen: Okay, it appears we don't have anybody today.

Approval of Minutes:

• Motion to approve the minutes from the July 24, 2025 board meeting.
• Motion by: Krystal Parson
• Seconded by: Larry Neal
• Outcome: Motion carried.

Strategic Priorities Updates

• Presented by: School Principals
  • Focus areas include academic performance, attendance, and accountability.
  • Updates from principals of Bluff City High School, Hillcrest High School, and Wooddale Middle School on their initiatives and progress.

Key Highlights

• Bluff City High School:
  • Emphasis on data-driven instruction and improving attendance rates.
• Hillcrest High School:
  • Focus on student accountability and attendance communication.
• Wooddale Middle School:
  • Implementation of proactive attendance strategies and engagement with families.

Enrollment Update

• Enrollment efforts highlighted by various principals.
• Total Enrollment: Updates indicating steady increases, with specific strategies discussed to improve numbers: 

Enrollment Update

• Enrollment efforts highlighted by various principals.
• Total Enrollment: Updates indicating steady increases, with specific strategies discussed to improve numbers.

Financial Update

• Discussion on the 21st Century funding loss and the proposed budget for after-school programs.
• Proposed Cost: Approximately $90,000 net additional cost to Iota for the after-school program.

Loan Agreement Update

• Discussion about refinancing loans and the need for board approval on loan agreements.
• Next Steps: A special call meeting in September will be scheduled for final review of loan documents.

Adjournment

• 6:00 PM: Amertice Allen adjourned the meeting.

Next Meeting: Scheduled for September 2025 (September 25).