Roll Call: 

Board Members:

Adrienne Mason: Board Chairperson

Ach' (Sheila) Davis: Board Secretary

Nikki Chen - Board Member

Rhianna Johnson - Board Member

Lisa White - Board Member

Ashley Duncan - Board Member

Student Representative:

Samantha Sanchez

Crystal Rauda

School Officials:

Dr. Jamila Singleton: Executive Director - RSV

Recommendation: The board approves the minutes of the November 18, 2025 regular board meeting.

BOARD SECRETARY TO READ PRIOR TO ALL PUBLIC COMMENT:

Our Public Comment period is for members of the public to address the board. Each member of the public may sign up to comment at the meeting and will be allotted three - five minutes. The board will listen, but may not directly respond to any comments. Please do not use specific student, teacher or administrator names in your comments as our meetings are open to the public and public record, and we must adhere to FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. As such, if your comment is about a private matter, please contact the board via email, or speak to the board chair privately.

The "Reports, Requests, and Comments by Board Members" section of the board agenda is a platform for members to share updates, solicit requests, or make comments on relevant topics.

The purpose of the Student Representative Board Report is to share student perspectives, achievements, and concerns with school leadership to ensure student voices inform decisions and school improvement efforts. It also strengthens communication between students and staff, fostering collaboration, transparency, and a positive school culture.

(Subject to objections by the board members, the following items will be passed by a single motion to approve all listed actions and resolutions. There will be no discussion on these items unless requested by the board. If discussion is requested, the items will be moved from the Consent agenda and considered separately after the motion has been made and passed to approve the remaining items.)

Board Certification Statements

To formally approve audited financial disbursements and payroll for November 2025, in compliance with RCW 42.24.080 and RCW 42.24.090, ensuring legal accountability, transparency, and fiscal integrity.

Payroll Certification (RCW 42.24.080):

Payments have been audited and certified by the Auditing Officer as required by RCW 42.24.080.

These payroll payments have been recorded on a listing which has been made available to the Board.

Approved Amount: $65,516.09 (Direct Deposit)

Accounts Payable Certification (RCW 42.24.090):

Payments have been audited and certified by the Auditing Officer as required by RCW 42.24.080,

and those expense reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090.

These payments have been recorded on a listing which has been made available to the Board.

Approved Amount: $78,394.03 (EFT – Public Checking)

Non-Accounts-Payable Cash Disbursements Certification (RCW 42.24.090):

Payments have been audited and certified by the Auditing Officer as required by RCW 42.24.080,

and those expense reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090.

These payments have been recorded on a listing which has been made available to the Board.

Approved Amount: $Total electronic payments totaling $5,232.41 and Manual checks #325000150 totaling $292.00

Total Disbursements Approved:

$149,434.53

Recommended Board Action:

Move to approve the audited financial disbursements and payroll for November 2025, totaling $149,434.53, as presented, confirming compliance with RCW 42.24.080 and RCW 42.24.090.

Financial Position:

Assets: $3,302,828.71

Liabilities: $1,844,331.10 (decrease of $21,710 from October due to lower accounts payable and credit card balances)

Net Assets: $1,458,497.61

Cash on Hand: $976,063.09 (142 days, well above 60-day benchmark)

Revenue & Expenditures (FY25 Year-to-Date through November 2025):

Total Revenue: $500,145.37 (18.7% of budget; reflects receipt of initial levy and ESWA grant)

Total Expenditures (FASB basis): $362,344.38 (15% of budget; driven by conservative early-year spending in personnel and services)

Net Income (FASB): $137,800.99 (positive variance of $120,405 against budget; 27.6% YTD margin)

Net Revenue (after depreciation): $137,800.99

Enrollment:

Average Annual FTE: 66.5 (target: 75)

October Enrollment: 64.5 students

9th Grade: 19 (budget: 35)

10th Grade: 22 (budget: 25)

11th Grade: 23.5 (budget: 20)

Enrollment remains below target, limiting state apportionment and special-purpose revenues (e.g., SPED: 23 actual vs. 27 budgeted).

Key Financial Indicators:

Public Revenue Received: 17% of budget (on target with levy disbursement booked)

Private Revenue Received: 40% of budget (ahead of 17% goal; $50K ESWA grant received)

Expenditure Control: 15% of budget (on target; continued disciplined approach to hiring and contracted services)

Days Cash on Hand: 142 days (strong liquidity; far exceeds 60-day benchmark)

Long-Term Sustainability:

Staffing realignments for SY25–26 continue to support cost discipline and financial stability into FY27. However, the five-year financial outlook remains structurally imbalanced without increases in:

Enrollment (target: 75–80 AAFTE)

Sustained private fundraising and grants

Let me know if you’d like a version formatted for printing, board packets, or a slide presentation.

As I near the end of my first full quarter at Rooted School Vancouver, I’m pleased to share this update on the progress made throughout November and December as part of my entry plan. My goal during this period has been to listen deeply, assess the current state of the organization, and begin to build the conditions for long-term success—fiscally, culturally, academically, and in partnership with our broader community.

November Highlights

In November, I focused on foundational relationship-building and organizational learning. I held one-on-one meetings with each board member to establish trust and gain insight into your perspectives on our opportunities and challenges. These conversations were invaluable in shaping the priorities I’ve pursued since. I also launched the Rooted Rising family advisory group. 

I have collaborated with our finance and fundraising partners to strengthen systems for stewardship and donor cultivation. We updated our social media materials and launched our end-of-year giving campaign. 

Internally, I worked closely with Adrienne Lee-Kernell and other leaders to map academic and enrichment programs, clarify staff roles, and begin refining intervention systems. We recently conducted the MAP Assessment for our mid-year academic growth check. We also aligned our data reporting practices with our equity and instructional goals. Board committees continue to progress as we plan for Board engagement in Rooted growth and annual planning for 26-27.

December Focus

December has been about turning strategy into execution. I worked with our operations and marketing leads to refresh enrollment materials and build a recruitment calendar for January–March. 

The Rooted School Foundation conducted a "DNA Audit" to assess organizational culture and alignment to our Graduate Profile articulation. Externally, I’m finalizing a partnership impact deck and have helped host community engagement activities to bring staff, board, and partners into closer alignment.

We’ve made good progress, but I’m also closely tracking where support and follow-through are still needed—particularly in technology integration, mental health partnerships, and finalizing board retreat content.

Total Tasks Tracked: 45+

Completed: 29

In Progress: 20

Not Started: 3

In the coming weeks, my focus will shift to finalizing and delivering key strategic materials for the board retreat and mid-large-donor outreach. This includes polishing the five-year financial model and refining enrollment messaging and visuals. I will work to translate internal work into compelling stories for external stakeholders and building out our fundraising strategy with a focus on sustainability and multi-year commitments. Additionally, I’ll work with staff to activate winter/spring 26-27 recruitment efforts, launch our enrollment dashboard, and deepen engagement with key community partners (e.g. Clark College and Stand for Children). These efforts are designed to ensure we’re entering 2026 with momentum, alignment, and a clear strategic direction.

Purpose:
To provide the Board with updates from standing committees on their current work, progress toward goals, and any upcoming actions requiring board attention.

Committees Scheduled to Report:

• (Rhianna) Governance Committee – Board recruitment & onboarding, charter renewal preparation and compliance monitoring.
• (Lisa) Academic Excellence Committee – Student performance data, instructional priorities, and policy alignment.
• (Adrienne) Finance, Fund Development & Growth Committee – Fundraising campaigns, donor engagement, and partnership development; Expansion strategy, facilities planning, and long-term enrollment growth initiatives.

Board Action:
This item is for information and discussion only. No formal action is anticipated.

Discussion:

1. Plan and facilitate a board retreat that strengthens board relationships, governance practices, and strategic alignment.
2. Establish an annual Board Calendar that integrates key governance milestones, committee meetings, compliance deadlines, and strategic discussions.

Board Update: ESWA Portfolio Application Process

FYI:

Rooted School Vancouver has been invited to begin the application process for joining the ESWA Portfolio, which provides targeted growth resources to selected schools aligned with equity-focused, high-impact models. To qualify, schools must meet two initial eligibility criteria and demonstrate strength in at least two of four additional performance areas. If approved, membership in the ESWA portfolio offers strategic support to scale our impact.

Key Question for Board:

Do we agree these are the strongest areas to feature in our Phase 1 submission, and is any support needed from the Board for narrative or interview readiness?

• Identify which ESWA criteria we will highlight as our strongest qualifiers

Rooted School Vancouver is strengthening a focused network of community and employer partnerships that advance our core priorities: expanding high-quality career pathways, deepening identity-based learning, and increasing RSV’s visibility in the region. Over the past month, we have accelerated outreach with the Vancouver Chamber, Clark College’s Opportunity Center, and local employers while also evaluating a high-impact programmatic partnership—Future Ready Pathways—to fortify our 9th- and 11th-grade CPrep experience.

Regional & Employer Engagement

• Vancouver Chamber of Commerce: Opens access to regional business networks and workforce development convenings. Solid foundation for internship, job-shadow, and guest speaker pipelines. Next step: Schedule RSV’s participation in an upcoming Chamber workforce or education roundtable to position us within their employer network.
   
• Clark College / PCC Opportunity Center: Strengthens dual credit readiness, tutoring supports, and postsecondary preparation for students and families. Next step:  Confirm a joint planning meeting with Clark’s student services & clarify pathway alignment and define 1–2 pilot areas for spring (e.g., tutoring, FAFSA support, or dual credit readiness).

• Local Industry Partners: Early commitments from tech, digital design, financial services, and nonprofit partners to support spring CPrep projects and student experiences. Next step: Secure 3–5 commitments for spring job-shadow or project-based learning experiences by sending a short, templated “Partnership Menu” and requesting a 15-minute alignment call.

• Community Organizations: Expanding RSV’s public presence through neighborhood associations, nonprofits, and community events. Next step: Spring event/fair/market etc. 

Strategic Program Opportunity: Future Ready Pathways (Future Forward, Carissa Kerrissey) 

We are partnering to develop the Future Ready Pathways curriculum and facilitation model for 9th and 11th grade—a program deeply aligned with Academic Press and Rooted’s mission of preparing students for financial freedom.

The program offers: Identity & purpose exploration for 9th graders & Career pathway planning and 1:1 future readiness coaching for 11th graders.

Board Ask (What We Need From You)

A. Warm Introductions to Employers

(by Jan 5th) Provide 1–2 introductions each to organizations in tech, digital design, finance, business services, healthcare, or community-impact sectors that could offer:

• Job shadows
• Guest speaking
• Project briefs
• Internship pathways

Purpose:
To review the current month’s RSV Board Compliance Dashboard, providing the Board with updated insights on key academic, financial, governance, and operational indicators. This recurring item supports proactive monitoring and alignment with the Washington State Charter Commission’s accountability requirements and the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

Discussion Focus:
• Summary of compliance status for the current reporting period
• Identification of any areas requiring Board attention
• Preparation for formal approval in subsequent meetings, if applicable

Note: Updated the Goals to clarify the indicator for the rubric. You can also cross references the QSR report to see the Commission assessment of comparison district/school etc. 

Discussion to review the edits to the Annual Performance Report for 24-25. 

• expenditures per pupil for the school year;
• student attendance, graduation, and dropout rates;
• information regarding the use and condition of the school building or buildings;
• a brief description of the learning improvement plans for the school
• a summary of the feedback from parents and community members obtained under RCW 28A.655.115; and
• an invitation to all parents and citizens to participate in school activitiesDr. Jamila Singleton
   

Motion: The motion was made to adjourn the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at X:XX PM PST