KIPP TULSA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS
Minutes
KIPP Tulsa Public Charter Schools - Regular Board Meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday May 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Location
KIPP Tulsa University Prep High School
541 S. 43rd W. Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74127
Members of the public shall be allowed to submit requests to address the board of directors. To expedite requests to comment, the public may send those requests to the board at kfinley@kippok.org at least 1 hour prior to the start of the meeting. The final determination of whether an item will appear as a public comment will be at the discretion of the board chair. Comments will take place in the order they were received via email, will be limited to three (3) minutes, and must be related to an agenda item or topic. Your comment can be heard when the Board Chairperson acknowledges you. A spokesperson must be selected when several people wish to address the same subject. The Board Chairperson may interrupt and terminate any comments that do not meet these criteria. Board members may not respond directly to speakers’ comments.
Board Members:
Jacob Odom, Dewayne Dickens, Michael Epps, Darnell Blackmon, Brett Krieg, Kim Boyd, Kyara Smith, Jumoke Akingbola
School Representatives:
Donterrio Marzett, Superintendent; Keet Finley, School Operations Support; Mayra Burke, Finance Specialist; Sienna Scott, Director of Teaching and Learning; Janey Nemard, Development Director; Tiona Bowman, Principal; Melanie Rathod, Principal; and Bill Hickman, Legal Counsel
Access to the board agenda will be posted on the KIPP Tulsa Website: https://www.kipptulsa.org *Click on the KIPP Tulsa drop-down menu, then click on Tulsa Board of Directors, and scroll down to Meeting Dates, Agendas & Minutes of scheduled meetings for the agenda.
Official action can be taken only on items that appear on the Agenda. The KIPP Tulsa Board of Directors may adopt, approve, ratify, deny, defer, recommend, amend, strike, or continue any agenda item. When more information is needed to act on an item, the Board or the Chair may refer the matter to the Superintendent or Legal Counsel. The Board may also refer items to staff or committees for additional study. Under certain circumstances, items are deferred to a specific later date or stricken from the agenda entirely.
Directors Present
Darnell Blackmon, Dewayne Dickens, Jumoke Akingbola, Kim Boyd, Kyara Smith, Michael Epps
Directors Absent
Brett Krieg, Jacob Odom
Ex Officio Members Present
William Hickman (remote)
Non Voting Members Present
William Hickman (remote)
Guests Present
Donterrio Marzett, Janey Nemard (remote), Keet Finley, Mayra Burke, Melanie Rathod (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Welcome
C.
Roll Call
D.
Agenda Review
E.
Presentation of Annual Report by Tulsa Public Schools
F.
Mission Moment
n/a
II. Public Comment
A.
Public Comment
n/a
III. Board Committee Reports
A.
Finance Committee
Mayra Burke presented the standings of the April monthly financial report, providing an overview of the organization’s financial performance, current budget status, and key fiscal updates for the month. The presentation highlighted areas of progress and any notable financial considerations requiring board awareness or continued monitoring.
B.
Academic Committee
Dr. Dewayne Dickens and Dr. Kim Boyd presented academic updates, including the status of awaiting final test score results, current staffing needs for both schools, progress monitoring systems being implemented to support scholar achievement, and planning details for Summer Leader and Teacher Professional Development to ensure readiness for the upcoming school year.
C.
Development Committee
Janey Miller presented the fundraising update as of March 3, 2026. KIPP Tulsa has secured $964,522.44 (96.35%) toward the FY26 fundraising goal, leaving a remaining gap of $36,477.56 (3.25%). Strategies identified to close the remaining gap include outreach and support from the Ruth Nelson Family Foundation, the Coretz Family Foundation, and the implementation of the end-of-year appeal campaign.
D.
Governance Committee
Dr. Dewayne Dickens reported that the Governance Committee met and discussed plans to review and work through the Board Member Manual document. The committee focused on ensuring alignment, clarifying board expectations and responsibilities, and identifying any necessary updates to strengthen governance practices and board effectiveness.
IV. Executive Director Report
A.
Compliance & Operations Update
Donterrio Marzett presented the compliance report for KIPP Tulsa. The update noted that the Middle School is accredited with no deficiencies, the High School is accredited with no deficiencies, and the District is accredited with one deficiency.
The identified district-level deficiency reflects that 63% of Category 1 (District-Level FAY) students tested below basic performance level on state math assessments across combined grades 3rd through 8th and 11th. The report emphasized continued focus on academic interventions, targeted instructional support, and progress monitoring strategies to address math performance and improve student outcomes.
Keet Finley presented district recruitment updates for KIPP Tulsa. The district’s FDOS enrollment target is 751 students, with current enrollment progress at 64% (484 students enrolled).
The presentation highlighted an enrollment gap of 267 additional accepted and registered students needed to reach the district’s 100% enrollment goal. Continued recruitment efforts, family outreach, and community engagement strategies remain a priority to close the gap and meet enrollment targets for the upcoming school year.
B.
Executive Director Updates
Donterrio Marzett presented that KIPP Tulsa anticipates closing on the Woods facility in mid-June while reviewing vendor quotes for tech transitions. The Mark Twain property will be considered at the June 1 TPS Board meeting. Additionally, KIPP will continue partnering with DS Bus Lines for FY27 student transportation, with annual contract reviews for sustainability and effectiveness.
Mindy Sutterfield presented the Charter Annual Report. Mindy presented an 8 page document explaining KIPP Tulsa Performance Framework At-A-Glance.