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The [MONTH] meting of the DeKalb Brilliance Academy Governing Board is called to order at [TIME].

Anyone that is here for public comment, please indicate by signing up on the clipboard in the back OR in the chat in zoom by X:10 PM if you would like to make a comment. We will have two minutes for each speaker, in the order in which we receive the request to comment.

Our mission: With unwavering commitment to exceptional academics, leadership development, and community collaboration, DeKalb Brilliance Academy prepares all Kindergarten-8th grade students to thrive in high school and college, have fulfilling careers, and become impactful leaders in our communities.

Our vision: Each child will know and leverage their unique brilliance to critically analyze the world around them and to design a better and more equitable future.

• Build excellence: We know that an excellent school starts with an excellent founding team. We come to our time together well-prepared, fulfill our commitments, and generate new ideas to accomplish our goals.
• Stay engaged: We stay engaged by “remaining morally, emotionally, intellectually, and socially involved in the dialogue.”
• Embrace disagreement: We value disagreement and agree to bring issues into the open. It is through dialogue, even when uncomfortable, that we grow as a team to best serve our students.
• Take responsibility for intent and impact: We assume best intent, and also take responsibility for the impact of our actions.
• Process, not the people: We know that everyone is working hard for the team, and look first at how to change the process, policies, or plans when we don’t reach our goals.

If people sign up:

• Transparency: Board meetings are a public forum to provide transparency into the governance of the school. Engagement from the community is strongly encouraged and vital to that governance. We value and appreciate the input from our community members. As we proceed with public comments, we would like to remind everyone of the following guidelines:
• Time Limit: A total of 30 minutes shall be set aside for public comment.  Each speaker will have a maximum of 2 minutes to speak.  A speaker may not sign up to speak more than once during the same public comment period
• Board Action: The board cannot respond to public comment in the meeting, and in general needs to listen, and then follow up after the board meeting, this is because the board acts through policies and votes as a governing body, not through individuals, so we cannot respond until the board has the information to respond as a group (as opposed to individually), as applicable. We understand this can feel awkward, but please know that we are taking careful notes and take all feedback to the board seriously. The board will direct an appropriate committee or the Head of Schools to engage in responding at a later time as necessary and appropriate.
• Scope of discussion: Please be aware that certain topics cannot be discussed during the public comment period. These include, but are not limited to, pending investigations or legal matters, personnel matters, confidential student information and matters, and issues that are subject to ongoing grievance or complaint procedures. Any attempt to discuss these topics during public comment will not be permitted.
• Discourse: Speakers are encouraged to maintain decorum and present their comments in a civil manner.  The Governing Board reserves the right to request any speaker engaging in defamatory comments to cease. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in adhering to these guidelines.
• Any disruptive members of the public will be asked to cease their disruption to allow the Board meeting to continue. If the disruption continues, the disruptive member will be asked to leave the meeting.
• Start public comment: “the order we have for public comment is XYZ”

If people do not sign up: “seeing no requests for public comment, we will move to the next section of our agenda”

MAP Growth (goal is 60%+)

• ELA: 68% met or exceeded growth goals
• Math: 59% met or exceeded growth goals

MAP Proficiency (Developing & Above)

• ELA: 4 of 5 grades met proficiency goals
• Math: 3 of 5 grades met proficiency goals

Milestones (GA State Test in Grades 3–4): both grades met/exceeded proficiency goals in both ELA and math

Focus Areas: 1st grade staffing; continued growth in early math proficiency

See slides here

See academic dashboard here

Board training: Mesha, Curtis, Tareva, & Brian are finished! All trainings have to be completed by June 30 or the board is out of compliance and will have a finding on the SCSC Comprehensive Performance Framework. 
 

Incoming board members: new board member training will happen in June and new board members will join July meeting.

Outgoing board members: 

• Toby and Tareva have completed a three-year term of service and are exiting the board
• Brandon, Brian, and Chawn have completed *two* three-year terms of service and are exiting the board
• Thank you to exiting board members for creating the foundation to bring the school from just an idea to what we are today. 

See slides here. 

• Partnerships:  
  • We’ve fundraised $12,526 toward board commitment of $16,500. 
  • Very important that 100% of board members:
    • reach their commitment AND
    • make meaningful personal donation (many funders as this to measure the board’s support of the school). 
  • Congratulations to Toby, Micahel, Chawn, Brittany, Brandon & Jazmin for fulfilling their commitments!
  • Only 1 week remains to secure your $1,500 per board member.

See slides here. 

• Review May financials (presentation and details)
• Cash flow remains strong, although slight dip with moving FY26 tech purchases into FY25
• On track with SCSC requirements
• 76% of board fundraising commitment complete with one week to go

See slides here. 

• See slides here and see full June owner’s report here

See slides here. 

Decision 1: Approval of Property Purchase and Loan Documents

Suggested Motion Language:  I move to approve the Consent Resolution for Property Purchase and LFFF Loan and the related Fact Certificate, authorizing DeKalb Brilliance Academy to acquire the property located at 2300 Park Central Boulevard and enter into an acquisition loan of up to $1.25 million with LFF Fund LLC, as detailed in the provided documents.

Decision 2: Approval of Handbook and Policy Revisions

Suggested Motion Language: Move to approve the revised Staff Handbook, Student & Family Handbook, and Sexual Harassment Policy, as submitted to the Board.

Align shutouts to board agreements:

• Build excellence: We know that an excellent school starts with an excellent founding team. We come to our time together well-prepared, fulfill our commitments, and generate new ideas to accomplish our goals.
• Stay engaged: We stay engaged by “remaining morally, emotionally, intellectually, and socially involved in the dialogue.”
• Embrace disagreement: We value disagreement and agree to bring issues into the open. It is through dialogue, even when uncomfortable, that we grow as a team to best serve our students.
• Take responsibility for intent and impact: We assume best intent, and also take responsibility for the impact of our actions.
• Process, not the people: We know that everyone is working hard for the team, and look first at how to change the process, policies, or plans when we don’t reach our goals.

• Important June 30th deadlines:
  • Complete fundraising
  • Complete all SCSC trainings
• Save the date: Ribbon cutting on July 18 at 4 PM
• Next meeting: July 28, 2025 at 7 PM 

Now we will adjourn our board business. 

As a reminder, we don’t need a motion to close - I will just ask if there is any further business, and if there is none, we can adjourn board business. Do we have any further board business to discuss? 

<Pause> 

Seeing none, I adjourn official board business.