Brighten Academy
Minutes
Brighten Academy Charter School Governing Board Meeting
Date and Time
Monday September 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Location
5897 Prestley Mill Rd
Douglasville, GA 30135
The Brighten Academy Governing Board will meet on Monday, September 10, 2025 at 12:00 pm, in the Media Center.
Directors Present
C. Claiborne (remote), J. Smith, K. Moses, M. Vitale, S. Battle
Directors Absent
C. Burns Falker
Ex Officio Members Present
D. Davis
Non Voting Members Present
D. Davis
Guests Present
C. Sparks, K. Boone, K. Smith, S. Littles, T. Cabrera
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Adoption of Agenda
Board meeting date changed to Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
Amended agenda:
- ED items for vote
-IT Contract
-Executive Assistant Title Change
-Elite Gaming Experience Approval
- Fundraising and Parent Code of Conduct Policy changes
- Board Open House Date
-Birdies fore Brighten Tournament Chair
- Date for Fall Fun Run
D.
Approval of Minutes
Approval tabled. Admin error in getting previous minutes posted for review.
II. Executive Director's Report
A.
ED Items for Vote
Instructional Technology Specialist: Shift to Salaried Staff versus Contractor. Current IT Specialist will not renew his contract. Last Day is September 30, 2025. New hiring is in process. Position will be posted. An instructional technology transition plan has been created for the current contractor to ensure a smooth transition. (mat motion, Kristen approved
Executive Assistant role change to School Business Manager: Instead of having two part-time Exec Assistants, we will now have one full-time. The role and responsibilities will remain the same. The other Exec Assistant will transition to a full-time parent liaison role and get a stipend for being the Communications Coordinator.
Elite Gaming Experience: $9,000 for the first year. This quote includes a 10% discount which makes the total $8100, price includes a one-time payment of $4,995 for the equipment cost. This league is intended for grades 3-8th. Students will compete with other leagues. Accommodates up to 50 students. $325/pp for the first year. The students will meet once a week. Coaching, development, and on-boarding will be provided. All students have to be in good financial standing.
Policies:
Fundraiser Policy: Redefined what the policy is and put parameters around it. Fundraisers have to be approved by administration before beginning. Those expected to raise over $5k would need board approval (VOTING TABLED)
Parent Code of Conduct: Progressive discipline has been put in place for parents including:
- Behavioral expectations
- Climate following the school procedures
- Address concerns appropriately and avoid misconduct and disrupting the school
- Posting content on social media
B.
ED Report
III. Executive Committee
A.
Board Open House
Discussed date being in October with a hybrid option.
IV. Finance Committee
A.
Birdies Update
Discussion was had on who will lead Birdies fore Brighten. Discussion was had on how it has been ran historically. The Board and Administration will discuss in deeper conversation once roles and responsibilities have been established with Administration, staff, and the Board.
B.
Birdies Golf Tournament Chair
Vote will be tabled for the September 22nd meeting.
C.
Fall Fun Run
Discussed who will lead Fun Run moving forward (board or administration) and dates for this school year.
The Board will have further conversation about a future date.
V. Closing Items
A.
Announcements
The Board will acknowledge the students on the Student Council. They will be invited to a board meeting.
1. Facilities Report:
$47,165 Security Grant - Monthly allocations of $3,930.42 will be applied toward phased implementation, prioritizing the most urgent safety upgrades first.
- Security Cameras & Surveillance: $15,000
- Access Control & Entry Systems: $10,000
- Alarm & Emergency Notification System: $7,500
- Visitor Management System: $4,500
- School Resource Officer Support: $5,000
- Safety Training & Drills: $3,165
- Contingency & Maintenance: $2,000
2. Financial Report (FYI):
3. Staffing Update (FYI):
4. B1 - E1 Revisions (FYI)
5. Strategic Plan Update (FYI)
6. Tech Updates (FYI)
7. August Surplus (FYI)