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Excel Academy Rhode Island

Minutes

Board of Trustees Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday December 4, 2025 at 5:45 PM

Location

Center for Southeast Asians

270 Elmwood Ave

Providence, RI 02907

Meeting notice posted publicly on 12/2/25.

 

Please note: All items listed on the agenda are subject to a possible vote by the Board of Trustees. 

Trustees Present

C. Chhay, C. Heng, I. Blake, J. Greenthal, L. Giordano

Trustees Absent

B. Smiley, C. Lombardi, F. Rojas, M. Rivera

Guests Present

A. Gil, A. Kaynor, A. Stelson, C. Reed, K. Cuevas Torres, L. Tsankova, O. Stearns, Y. Dubon

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

C. Chhay called a meeting of the board of trustees of Excel Academy Rhode Island to order on Thursday Dec 4, 2025 at 5:48 PM.

C.

Public Comment

No members of the public provided comments at this meeting.

D.

Approve Prior Meeting Minutes

I. Blake made a motion to approve the minutes from Board of Trustees Meeting on 10-20-25.
C. Chhay seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Talent

A.

Annual Board Talent Update

A. Gil presented updates to the Board on Talent, as detailed in the enclosed Talent Update Slides that were provided to the Board in advance. A. Gil took questions and facilitated a discussion with the Board.

 

C. Heng requested additional context about goals and metrics indicating improvements in staff retention, which A. Gil provided.

 

A. Gil summarized challenges related to teacher certification in Rhode Island, which C. Heng echoed and elaborated on based on his prior experience at another charter public school in RI.

 

I. Blake requested additional context about reasons for challenges in recruiting STEM teachers for the middle school grades, which A. Gil, O. Stearns, and C. Heng clarified.

 

J. Greenthal asked about comparative compensation data for hard-to-fill roles, which A. Gil and A. Stelson answered.

 

K. Cuevas Torres requested clarification about the 5-5-5 Club in RI, which O. Stearns provided. The 5-5-5 Club recognizes five LEAs in RI that increased ELA and Math performance by at least 5% and decreased chronic absenteeism by at least 5% in School Year 24-25. Excel Academy Rhode Island and Blackstone Valley Prep. were two of the five schools in this group.

 

J. Greenthal asked whether we have observed increased awareness of Excel Academy Rhode Island as a result of advocacy efforts related to the proposed lease of the former Carl G. Lauro building. A. Gil commented that we have seen a more noticeable increase in awareness of Excel Academy as a result of the school's remarkable academic results.

III. Real Estate

A.

Real Estate Search Updates & Votes

O. Stearns provided updates on the School's real estate search and reviewed the status of prospective sites and ongoing projects with the Board and answered clarifying questions.

 

C. Reed indicated that the Real Estate Team is on track for its SBA Stage 2 application.

 

J. Greenthal asked for a refresh on the school's enrollment plan in connection with current and prospective real estate projects, which O. Stearns, C. Reed, and A. Kaynor provided.

 

A. Kaynor reviewed proposed real estate resolutions with the Board, which were provided to the Board in advance, and summarized the rationale for amending the resolutions.

C. Chhay made a motion to approve the amended reimbursement and real estate project resolutions as presented, with any necessary edits or corrections.
L. Giordano seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

IV. Governance

A.

Approve SY24-25 CEO/CMO Evaluation

L. Giordano made a motion to approve the evaluation.
C. Chhay seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

L. Giordano presented the results of the School Year 24-25 CEO and CMO evaluation process, as detailed in the report that was provided to the Board in advance. Board members commended the CEO and CMO Team on a remarkable year. L. Giordano thanked Board members for providing thoughtful feedback and reflections that informed the evaluation.

 

A. Kaynor summarized plans to update the evaluation process for next year in collaboration with the Governance & Nominating Committees of each of Excel's three Boards.

V. Finance

A.

FY25 Annual Audit Update

A. Kaynor summarized that Excel RI received a clean audit, with no findings and no auditor-proposed adjustments. In FY25, Excel RI had a change in net assets without donor restrictions of $836K. A. Kaynor encouraged Board members to attend the Finance Committee meeting at 6:30pm for more detailed discussion of the the audit.

VI. Board Engagement

A.

Upcoming Events

A. Kaynor and O. Stearns reviewed upcoming events with the Board and reminded the Board about annual goals related to fundraising and campus visits.

 

L. Giordano and A. Kaynor reminded the Board about Board recruitment priorities.

VII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

C. Chhay made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
I. Blake seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:20 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
C. Chhay

List of documents used at the meeting:

  • Agenda
  • Prior meeting minutes
  • Talent Update slides
  • Amended Reimbursement Resolutions
  • Amended Real Estate Project Resolutions
  • SY24-25 CEO & CMO Evalution Report
  • FY25 Annual Audit files
  • Board recruitment overview
  • Campus visit schedule

The public is welcome to attend any meeting of the Board of Trustees or its subcommittees. If communication assistance (readers/ interpreters/captions) or any other accommodations are needed to ensure equal participation, please contact Arthur Kaynor at akaynor@excelacademy.org at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting. Any changes in the agenda will be posted on Excel Academy Charter School’s website, Excel’s principal place of business, and will be electronically filed with the Secretary of State at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting. If you would like to attend a Board meeting and provide public comment, please sign up 48 hours in advance here: https://forms.gle/7315BJ7v1bHGGh2Q9.

 

Excel Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, country of ancestral origin, or veteran status in administration of its admissions or educational policies, curricular programs, other school-administered programs, or in its hiring and employment practices in accordance with applicable federal, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island laws and regulations.