None.

New board members, Stephen Nellman and Carroll Brown, were sworn in following the approval of the board.

Board Member Tom Johnstone reported on an opportunity to meet with community partner regarding their foster care program.

CEO/Superintendent of Schools, Matt Wunder, updated the board by noting the unique strength of the board, highlighting that five members hold doctorates, a reflection of their deep commitment to education. He expressed excitement for the new year and reflected on RISE’s recent graduation, describing it as both inspiring and heart-wrenching, with the largest graduating class to date. While celebrating this milestone, he acknowledged the challenge it creates for enrollment, emphasizing that enrollment is the lifeblood of the schools and previewing an upcoming update on efforts and progress in that area.

Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services, Erin Whalen, shared updates on student support services and immigration preparedness efforts. Tomorrow, all RISE and Da Vinci counselors—including behavior interventionists, interns, and psychologists—will receive training on trauma-informed care, adverse childhood experiences, and Care Solace/Medi-Cal billing, which will allow RISE to recover funding for services already being provided. Additional training will focus on integrated referral protocols to clarify who RISE serves, and an attorney from Neighborhood Legal Services will provide immigration preparedness training for staff. Counselors will also receive guidance on special education goal-writing. Recently, security and grounds staff were trained in trauma-informed care to reduce disciplinary actions and improve de-escalation strategies. RISE’s immigration preparedness plan has been shared with LACO and Wiseburn, aligning regional communication with families. Erin also announced an $80,000 grant from the Deutsch Family Foundation, which could lead to multi-year funding support.

The team has been strengthening external partnerships, including outreach to the Children’s Law Center, which may generate direct student referrals, and ongoing collaboration with Wiseburn. RISE is also engaging in national education conversations through the Lone Rock Rhythm Project, with plans for RISE students to participate in discussions on AI, social-emotional learning, and advisory practices.

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Michelle Rainey, outlined tomorrow’s parallel work for teachers, focusing on mastery-based grading and eventually mastery-based learning, with support from Marzano’s Humanized Education framework. Teachers will collaborate in content-alike groups to identify essential skills, align them with XQ competencies, and reflect on progress in grading practices. Curriculum updates include adopting Subject.com as the organization’s virtual learning platform, emphasizing improvements in math instruction, and implementing the new ethnic studies graduation requirement across English courses for flexibility. Michelle also previewed a forthcoming, RISE-specific graduation policy that clarifies pathways and requirements.

Together, these initiatives reflect a broad focus on student well-being, trauma-informed practices, instructional innovation, expanded partnerships, and sustainable program development.

Current enrollment stands at 155 students, with a goal of reaching 185. Since the end of last year, 12 new students have enrolled. The student body reflects diverse experiences and needs, with 20% identified as current or former foster youth, 8% having experienced housing instability, and another 8% with involvement in the juvenile justice system. At the Richstone site, 37% of students have IEPs, compared to 22% at the APCH site, and 19% of students are English language learners.

On the instructional side, the school is implementing a mastery-based grading and learning approach to better support student growth. The subject.com platform has been adopted to meet virtual and remote learning needs, while a strong emphasis is being placed on improving math instruction. The new ethnic studies requirement is being integrated into English courses, and the school is developing career and technical education pathways in mental health and digital media to expand student opportunities.

The 2024–2025 school year ended with a $360,000 surplus, significantly higher than the projected $112,583. This stronger-than-expected outcome was driven by several key factors, including higher enrollment and Average Daily Attendance (72% compared to the historical low 60s), $171,500 in additional revenue—primarily from increased LCFF funding—and $74,000 in expense savings resulting from staffing gaps and reduced spending in select areas. The school also closed the year with a cash balance of $1.5 million, bolstered in part by grant funding received in advance. Looking ahead, the 2025–2026 budget is supported by several positive factors: an $80,000 unbudgeted grant from the Deutsche Foundation, a $40,000 new state discretionary block grant, and approximately $20,000 in additional state grant funding.

No update.

The Richstone facility agreement was renewed at $93,000 per year, compared to the $118,000 that had been budgeted.

At A Place Called Home (APCH), the facility agreement reflects a $50,000 increase from last year, along with regained access to the larger theater space. The final negotiated rate is $2.50 per square foot, down from the initial $3.18 per square foot proposal. In addition, the school continues to explore potential new facility options.