Atlanta Unbound Academy

Minutes

Atlanta Unbound Academy Monthly Board Meeting

AUA Board Meeting

Date and Time

Sunday January 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM

Location

To join the meeting, click this link: 
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/byn-mkqk-nyk 


Join a Meeting : (US) +1 475-441-8789‬ PIN: ‪751 237 985‬#

Directors Present

A. Williamson (remote), D. Farr (remote), E. Wells (remote), J. Funderburk (remote), K. White (remote), S. M (remote), T. Thomas (remote)

Directors Absent

T. Jones

Guests Present

A. Chipman-Leeks (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

S. M called a meeting of the board of directors of Atlanta Unbound Academy to order on Sunday Jan 26, 2025 at 2:06 PM.

B.

Record Attendance

C.

Approve Minutes

E. Wells made a motion to approve the minutes from Atlanta Unbound Academy Monthly Board Meeting on 12-15-24.
A. Williamson seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

II. Finance

A.

FINANCE Update

  • Finance Updates
    • Modular Expenses
      • Dec was last month with modulars
        • Still more payments
    • Waiting on funding payout 
    • Cash on hand 
    • Enrollment impacting finances 
    • Salaries and facilities are our highest expense
    • SCSC - plan to address a deficit 
    • Financial flexibility, use of board funds
  • Fundraising
    • March 29th fundraiser - roll out of updated sponsorship packet and information
      • Sponsors 
S. M made a motion to amend authorization to allow use of board funds not to exceed the $8000 minimum threshold approved by the board.
E. Wells seconded the motion.
  • Move to approve the plan of action to address the financial deficit which would include applying for a line of credit, renegotiating applicable school contract, utilizing the board funds, support of staffing adjustments and approval of vendor payment terms with the
  • Motion to amend authorization to allow use of board funds not to exceed an amount that takes the account of $8000 (not to exceed the $8000 minimum threshold approved by the board) 
    • Motion - Sherida
    • 2nd - Eric 
    • Motion passed 
  • caveat of maintaining an $8,000 balance
    • 2nd Terrell
    • Unanimous 
  • Get amount where we typically fall to field trip or marketing
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
  • Using board funds
    • Do we vote on every expense or include a threshold?
    • Board pledges
      • 1st year - $30,000
      • Decreased year aft year
      • Haven’t had a strong fundraising arm
      • Fundraiser - does that go towards pledges to the board or school operations account?
      • Set threshold to $8,000
      • Fundraising + board pledges
        • Supporting and initiating fundraising

III. School Update

A.

School Updates

  • Jan will share academic growth
  • Enrollment
  • State Testing
    • Last week of May and April 
    • School interim assessment
      • IReady - individualized computer program
      • Students take IReady assessment - tells were the child is reading and math (above, on or below)
      • 60% of students come to us 2- grade levels below
      • How many years of growth did you grow in one school year?
    • Scores
      • Fall 2024 - winter 2024
        • Students 2 or more grade level dropped 10%
        • Narrowed students reading 2 or more grad levels
        • Students on or above 18% to 32%
        • Decreasing those 2 grades below and increasing on or above
        • Math change - comparing 2023, to this year to year comparison
        • Reading and math scores look better
        • Going back to where we were when we were outperforming the state on end of year assessment
      • BIG Goal - 50% of our students will hit their individualized growth goal
      • Next interim assessment 
  • Staffing
    • Adding an assistant principal
  • Plan to address deficits and financial gap 
    • Acknowledgement of the board support for the plan 
  • Applying for lines of credit 
S. M made a motion to move to approve the use of the existing board funds for teacher/student appreciation, marketing and school trip.
E. Wells seconded the motion.
  • Utilize of board funds & support of the plan 
  • Move to approve the use of the existing board funds for teacher/student appreciation, marketing and school trip
    • Sherida - motion
    • Eric - 2nd 
    • Unanimous vote
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

IV. Govenance

A.

Governance Updates

S. M made a motion to approve the updated policy on mandated reporting.
E. Wells seconded the motion.
  • Mandated Reporting
    • Monitoring results came back saying we didn’t clearly define what child abuse was. Took exact language from SCSC. Updated policy names and defines abuse based on SCSC recommendation 
    • Motion to approve the updated policy on mandated reporting
      • Sherida - motion
      • Eric - motion 
      • Pass unanimously 
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
A. Williamson made a motion to approve the updated ELL policy provided that it requires the screening to occur within 30 days of the student enroolment.
K. White seconded the motion.

 

  • Policies
    • ELL
      • ELL did not state that it would happen within first 30 days of enrollment. This is the process of assessing communication notification to parents. Responsive but fails to address timeline. 30 days in beginning of the school years or 2 weeks for later enrollment. Will change to say within 30 days. 
      • Motion to approve the updated ELL policy provided that it requires the screening to occur within 30 days of the student enrollment.
        • Motion - Audrey 
        • Motion - Kason
        • Pass unanimously 
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
  • ICE options and legal counsel 
    • Bring in counsel 
    • Written policy, required steps, have options
  • SCSC interview
    • Kason tentative
    • Janelle tentative 
    • Travis no
    • Will be in attendance: Audrey, Sherida, Terrell, Kason, Eric 
  • SCSC Training 
    • Feb & April option
      • April in Athens 
    • Has registered 
      • Audrey 
      • Sherida 
      • Kason 
      • Terrell
      • Daniel 
    • Not  registered
      • Janelle 
      • Eric

B.

Facilities

Officially in the school building

V. Public Comment

A.

Public Comment was asked for, no Public Comment was made.

Public Comment was asked for, no Public Comment was made. 

VI. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 3:42 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
A. Williamson