No public input was given.

H. Dulgeroglu - The financial audit began approximately 10 days ago, and a review meeting is scheduled for August 29th. H. Dulgeroglu will share the audit results following this meeting. The auditors will be available to attend a future board meeting to present and discuss the findings.

For June, it was reported that revenue exceeded expectations due to the Summer Learning Grant.  While spending was 1% higher than planned, the overall financial outcome resulted in a greater-than-expected surplus.

In July, North received 11% of their expected revenue and spent 3% of their expenditures.

Vouchers were reviewed.

H. Dulgeroglu -Noted that there are several payroll items on the financials due to a shift from a monthly payroll cycle to a semi-monthly cycle. 

T. Miller provided an update, mentioning that some issues discussed in previous meetings are still being monitored. Additionally, attendees were informed that cash-back benefits are being received through Divvy.

T. Miller announced that the committee recommends approving both the financials and the fund transfer.  Toby also mentioned that there will be an audit exit meeting, and the board members are welcome to attend. Halil will send out the details for this meeting. There was also a discussion about strategies for acquiring donations and other financial support.

J. Sparks emphasized the importance of remaining in compliance, leading to the next agenda item for discussion.

H. Dulgeroglu - The financial audit began approximately 10 days ago, and a review meeting is scheduled for August 29th. H. Dulgeroglu will share the audit results following this meeting. The auditors will be available to attend a future board meeting to present and discuss the findings.

For June, it was reported that revenue exceeded expectations due to the Summer Learning Grant.  While spending was 1% higher than planned, the overall financial outcome resulted in a greater-than-expected surplus.

In July, West received 5% of its expected revenue and spent 5% of its expenditures.

H. Dulgeroglu - Provided updates on purchases made in June. Surplus funds from the kitchen account were used to buy kitchen equipment. 

Vouchers were reviewed.

H. Dulgeroglu -Noted that there are several payroll items on the financials due to a shift from a monthly payroll cycle to a semi-monthly cycle. Attendees were invited to ask any questions regarding the listed items.

T. Miller provided an update, mentioning that some issues discussed in previous meetings are still being monitored. Additionally, attendees were informed that cash-back benefits are being received through Divvy.

T. Miller announced that the committee recommends approving both the financials and the fund transfer.  Toby also mentioned that there will be an audit exit meeting, and the board members are welcome to attend. Halil will send out the details for this meeting. There was also a discussion about strategies for acquiring donations and other financial support.

J. Sparks emphasized the importance of remaining in compliance, leading to the next agenda item for discussion.

H. Dulgeroglu - A transfer from the Instructional Fund to the Operations Fund was discussed for the period of January 1 to June 30, 2024. The transfer amount for West totaled $706,860.42, and North was $1,627,041.54 with the need to complete these fund transfers being highlighted.

T. Miller informed the group that the committee recommended the approval of both the financials and the fund transfer.  

Z. Paley shared that a Wireless Communication Policy has been completed and is ready for board approval. The policy has been reviewed by legal counsel. The core aspect of the policy is that students are not permitted to have electronic devices, such as phones or tablets, in their possession during instructional time. This was previously discussed in an academic meeting without any questions or concerns.

J. Sparks opened the floor for discussion. 

W. Terrell - Noted that this policy has always been in place at West and shared the discipline policy they follow regarding this issue. 

T. Miller - Inquired whether there will be communication with parents about the policy.  

Z. Paley - Confirmed that they would be notified.

D. Pierson commented that many schools are currently addressing this issue. 

T. Miller -  Raised concerns about the impact of restricted screen time on younger students, particularly regarding social-emotional development. 

D. Pierson - Noted that this has been an ongoing effort for some time.

T. Miller - Asked about communication procedures in the event of a lockdown, specifically how information is conveyed to families. 

W. Terrell -  Explained that they use "phone trees" at West, and parents receive both text messages and emails.

J. Brown -  Added that administrators can send messages to all parents simultaneously from their computers.

T. Miller - Requested that board members be added to these communications. 

J. Brown - Agreed to work on that request.

M. Arslan - Suggested that the admin team review the current procedures and provide an update at the September meeting. 

Z. Paley - Introduced the second policy for board review, noting that it requires parents to be notified of their students' I-Read results. In certain situations, exemptions may be granted for individual students. These results are submitted once a year. Although the practice has been in place for a long time, it is now formalized in writing.

J. Sparks - Called for a motion to proceed with the policy review.

M. Arslan - Introduced an agreement with a group previously engaged by the organization to search for a prospective building for a new school. If successful, the group will receive a 1% fee for finding the building. This project stems from a conversation during the June meeting, where approval was granted to explore the possibility of a new school. Arslan added that they are in communication with Mind Trust, which is interested in partnering to help open another school.

T. Miller - Asked if a specific area was being considered.

M. Arslan - Confirmed they are currently looking at the Southwest side of town, though nothing is final. He also emphasized that the goal is to avoid impacting current school enrollment.

T. Miller - Expressed concern about potential conflicts with other schools, such as a recent situation with Pike, and asked if other options were being considered. 

M. Arslan - Assured the group they want to avoid competing with Township schools.

C. Frazier - Inquired about a school that had previously closed in the South, asking if population changes were a factor. Arslan explained that the North school is pulling from many areas, and they want to ensure no disruption to current enrollment.

T. Miller - Voiced caution about expanding too quickly, citing Tindley’s rapid growth and subsequent challenges. He emphasized the need for a strong business plan before moving forward. 

M. Arslan -  Acknowledged these concerns and mentioned that he had discussed them with senior leadership. He assured the board that the expansion effort is being approached cautiously, and he offered to invite Chris Murphy to the next meeting for further discussion.

T. Miller - Reiterated the importance of having a solid business plan before searching for a building. 

M. Arslan - Reminded the board that in June, the expansion effort had been approved.

C. Bultman - Shared that they are researching surrounding schools, demographics, financials, and other factors that could impact the success of the expansion. 

J. Brown - Noted that Concept had conducted extensive research before bringing the proposal to the board.

M. Arslan - Confirmed that the regional team, consisting of Arslan, Paley, Brown, Bultman, and Halil, are leading the effort.

T. Miller - Expressed concern about moving forward without marketing the school as the best option available and reiterated the need for all necessary information.

D. Pierson - Mentioned that they had received an email with the five-year plan.

N. Coleman - Asked if there is an opportunity to expand on current properties. 

J. Sparks - Confirmed that expansion on existing properties is possible and has been discussed. He also noted potential financial savings and other benefits of having a third campus.

Z. Paley - Provided a brief update on recent developments. The regional Concept Day held in July was a success, offering valuable opportunities and insights into best practices. West achieved impressive results on the ILearn scores, passing every school except one. Notably, West is very close to being ranked number one in Math and ELA for Black students, and there are plans to celebrate and promote these achievements.

He also highlighted a strategic approach to moving forward and emphasized the importance of continued progress. In terms of IRead scores, North experienced a 30% increase in growth, with West achieving a 92% score and North reaching 70%. The AP courses also showed positive results, with three courses achieving a pass rate above 75%.

Both schools will implement standards-based grading for K-2 students. It was shared that more data and checkpoints are being established to provide information prior to ILearn testing, and explained the standards-based grading approach.

J. Sanders -  Has been appointed as the new Academic Excellence Committee Chair.

T. Miller - Requested clarification on what it means to be performing better than the state average on SAT scores.

Z. Paley - Explained that for a student’s score to be counted, they must pass Math and ELA, and the focus is on improving these numbers.

J. Sparks - Acknowledged the positive achievements but noted that the current information does not fully convey the story. He inquired whether comparisons could be made between Indiana’s performance and other states. 

Z. Paley - Responded that this information could be obtained.

C. Frazier -  Emphasized that as a math and science school, it is crucial for the schools to consistently rank at the top.

J. Sparks - With changes in committee membership, the need to reinstate the development committee was addressed. It was noted that this committee, which was previously in place, should be re-established.

J. Sparks  - Asked Chris about his role in the development committee. Chris responded that his primary focus is on Enrollment and Social Media, as outlined in his job description.

J. Sparks emphasized the need to find a board member to join the development committee and work with Chris on community development initiatives.

J. Sparks - Mentioned that Bernice’s retirement had already been discussed. 

J. Sparks - Inquired whether Charise, who is nearing the end of her second term, would like to continue serving. 

C. Frazier - Confirmed her willingness to continue.

J. Sparks - Shared that with Bernice's retirement, we would need a new Academic Excellence Committee Chair.

Jazmin will be the new Academic Excellence Committee Chair.

J. Sparks - Discussed about holding a board retreat, as it has been some time since the last one.

N. Coleman - Requested input from anyone with experience in board retreats.

J. Brown - Mentioned that a previous retreat involving Mr. Ucan coming in for a one-day session.

D. Pierson - Suggested that, given the current climate, it might be beneficial to have a retreat.

J. Sparks - Proposed tabling the discussion and revisiting it at the next meeting.

North Campus:

M. Arslan - Reported that only end-of-year data is available at this time. New information will be presented at the next meeting. Financial data, marked in blue, has already been shared by Halil. Academic data, highlighted in orange and green, is available for review. Draft goals will be discussed at the September meeting.

T. Miller - Inquired about the suspension data.

M. Arslan - Explained that the suspension data reflects the number of days and noted that tracking was somewhat inconsistent. He was not sure if this would be a goal for the next year.

West Campus:

M. Arslan - Indicated that Halil has already covered finance-related data. The remaining numbers reflect the items discussed in the current meeting.

Summer School Attendance and Performance

B. Garrett - Reported that 101 students attended summer school, with 20% of our K-8 students being eligible. The attendance rate was 85%. Additionally, 17 new teachers were hired for this year.

IRead Scores: The average IRead scores improved since before COVID. This increase is attributed to an intensive program implemented since March of this year, which successfully boosted the scores.

J. Sparks - Shared that there is an update Board meeting schedule. This is due to the change in location.  

Attendance at the September 21st board meeting.

Nikki - Yes

Charise - Yes

Alonzo - Yes

Toby - Yes

Daniel - Yes

Nestor - Yes

Jazmin - Yes

JIm - Yes