Mr. Gibson joined the meeting at 4:44 p.m. and left at 6:50 p.m. 

Mr. Lengsavath joined the meeting at 5:00 p.m.  

A break was held from 6:43 p.m. - 6:57 p.m. 

Two public comments were read on behalf of Tom Resnick. The public comment is regarding an unauthorized presentation by a student. Ms. Diggins explained this was brought to the attention of the Board Chair at the time, and added it is not on today's agenda but the board will look into it. 

This is within our budget and we are using ESSER grant funds for it. 

This was previously approved at the last board meeting. Due to the application date, we are bringing it back before the board.

It was discussed that this was previously approved by the board up to $40,000 based on the estimated amount from a third party, however with extra costs the new amount we are responsible for paying is $75,137.00. The total amount is $117,315.00 and CASLV is committed to paying 50%. With extra costs, it's $75,137.00 total for CASLV. 

Mr. Ercan explained this is an annual membership and sponsorship. This year we would like to upgrade from Silver to Gold sponsorship based on the increase in the number of campuses. The cost is similar to the Silver sponsorship, however the Gold sponsorship offers more benefits.  

Mr. Selim said this is aligned with our amended budget. We need to amend the charter as it is required by the State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) whenever a campus' enrollment dips over or under 10% from its capacity, even temporarily. This year’s enrollment will go down to 1600, the next 2 years will be 1710, and for the 26/27 school year and following years, the enrollment number will go back to 1850. Mr. Selim answered questions from the board regarding the enrollment numbers. 

Mr. Selim and Mr. Ercan gave an overview of the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation opportunity. Mr Ercan explained he sees the grant dollars as an opportunity to serve more students. It was discussed that there are 4 acres of unused land to the West of the campus. It was also discussed that we would put a field, gym, state-of-the-art labs, art and music classes, and additional classrooms there. The current AFB leadership also supports this growth. 

Ms. Diggins expressed she is worried about student demand for high school grades since Nellis AFB students might travel elsewhere. She wants zero detractions from improving the 2-star rating. Mr. Ercan explained that this will be an enrollment expansion within K-8. Dr. Warren indicated she is worried the current design doesn't have enough classroom space. Mr. Ercan and Mr. Nick pointed out that the facility is two stories so it will be larger than the existing building. Mr. Tandogan added the increased enrollment will increase the per-pupil funding which we can put into improvements like teacher salaries at the school.  

Mr. Ercan indicated that we have not received the CSAN conference participation invoice yet so he recommended to table it for the next meeting. The board requested more information about the membership fees for the next meeting. This item was tabled.  

Ms. Peevey explained the need to approve this for SPED positions that need to be filled. 

This is to improve the front offices' safety per the Homeland Security visits creating an extra layer to help protect the front offices. 

This item was tabled. 

Mr. Gunozu explained this is for an hourly rate increase for behavioral specialists. 

Mr. Selim indicated the painting job for the Centennial Hills campus was previously approved however later we received additional costs for the labor for wallpaper removal. Mr. Selim explained legal counsel has been involved and is recommending we settle the fees instead of litigate. Mr. Ercan and Mr. Selim worked the figure down to a negotiated rate of $20,000. 

Mr. Ercan explained the reason this has come to CASLV and that he is continuing to work on this potential opportunity. 

Ms. Peevy provided an overview informing the board that licensed teachers and admins are background-checked through their licensing process. For other staff members like our central office, lunch porters, and all non-licensed staff, we would like to have a policy in place to have all non-licensed staff background checked every 5 years per the NRS recommendation.

Mr. Ercan presented this and indicated the legal counsel's hourly rate has not been raised since 2017. Even now, the proposed increase is only an extra $5/hour. 

Ms. Diggins explained Mr. Ercan's evaluation is separate from his contract renewal and reviewed the timelines. The board used BoardOnTrack's evaluation tool this year which is a better tool than what was used previously. All of the feedback received was very positive and aligned with Mr. Ercan's self-evaluation. Ms. Diggins indicated she would get it anonymized and then provide the feedback to Mr. Ercan.  It was discussed that this will continue to the next board meeting. 

Mr. Nick explained the Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF) grant supported this as financial capacity review and support on top of their $3 million cash investment for growth. Fulton and Josh gave an introduction and discussed their work while answering questions from
the board.

 Afton Partners is the nationwide leader in charter school financial planning
services. They have worked on over 70 charter school fiscal initiatives with
school networks of all sizes around the country. Their work with charter
schools improves school resource allocation decision-making, informs school
facility and growth planning, and strengthens leadership and governance on
fiscal matters. This partnership will not have a fee for CASLV. 

Mr. Gunozu explained the performance of the Nellis and Cadence campus elementary schools for the previous year, focusing on the 2-star rating they received in the elementary category according to the Nevada School Performance Report Card. This rating was primarily attributed to challenges in achievement on SBAC tests and chronic absenteeism. To address these specific issues, administrators from both campuses outlined the strategies currently being implemented.

Regarding academics, Cadence has implemented several key initiatives. These include the provision of 1:1 technology for students, the establishment of a mentorship program to support new teachers, and an increase in community involvement, including inviting guest speakers from community partners. Additionally, the Cadence campus has introduced Saturday school sessions during both the first and second semesters, aimed at providing academic support and enrichment opportunities. During the meeting, the team presented an overview of their professional development plans, designed to enhance the teaching skills and capabilities of teachers. MAP results will later be shared at the academic subcommittee meeting.

Nellis implements regular assessments and progress monitoring to track test scores and identify areas that require intervention. Through a dedicated instructional coach on site, it offers ongoing training and development opportunities for teachers to enhance their skills in addressing achievement and growth gaps. Administrators and teachers analyze student performance data to identify areas for improvement and adjust instructional strategies accordingly. This year (from August 2023 to January 2024), the Nellis campus has made significant progress in reducing chronic absenteeism, which has decreased by half compared to the previous year. This improvement is a result of the dedicated outreach efforts and support from the base community.  During the discussion, Ms. Nelson highlighted both the challenges the campus has faced and the strategies they have implemented to address them. Additionally, winter NWEA MAP test results have shown a significant improvement compared to the previous year.

Principal Eraslan, Ms. Pauquin, Ms. Martin, and Ms. Palmer provided an informative update about the campus. They covered various aspects, including details about their homerooms, student enrollment figures, staff numbers, and notable staff and student changes for the current school year. Moreover, they delved into the specifics of their school culture and disciplinary framework. The Cadence campus team also showcased their progress, highlighting significant developments. This year, they welcomed 30 additional staff members and increased the presence of traffic monitors. Notably, they reported a significant decrease in suspensions and expulsions. Additionally, they have established sports teams, and their FLL Robotics team has successfully qualified for the state competition

Ms. Palmer indicated the PTO has been busy planning monthly fundraisers at local businesses, and they have a strong merchandising program. They have raised $23,500 YTD for the 23/24 school year. Images from recent events were shared with the board. 

Ms. Katotakis presented the Tamarus campus update giving an overview of enrollment, demographics, section numbers in each grade level, course and club offerings, interventions, tutoring, academic focuses, and more. Images of recent campus events were shared as well as images of recent campus facility improvements including a new shade structure and cement tables for the outdoor lunch area, new turf for the entire playground area, a new paver walkway to the walkers' gate, security cameras, and perimeter fence gates. The CASLV Tamarus campus has a 5-star rating! Less than 10% of Nevada Schools accomplished this.  

Ms. Nhan presented the quarterly discipline report and indicated the campuses have met together and reviewed best practices. There's been one expulsion with no appeal to the board filed. It was reported that there are fewer discipline issues year over year. Dr. Warren asked about the number of days for suspensions and how that is determined. Ms. Nhan said it depends on the circumstances and the offense, and that she will be studying trends. 

Mr. Vu informed the board they do not want to disclose publicly all measures. They will be emailed to the board. They have visited each campus regarding the Department of Homeland Security report. They are working on implementing major changes and have already implemented minor changes. Ms. Diggins said if there are too many priorities that the school can't afford, she would like the board to help decide which priorities to serve, and they could potentially provide more funding. It was discussed the Finance and Facilities Subcommittee should review this in a closed session. 

Mark Hendrie with DMS reviewed the financial update through December. The overall cash is close to the previous levels, and restricted cash is down. There are 187 days of cash on hand. They reviewed the budget and month-by-month actuals. Overall, everything is aligned with the budget and going according to plan this fiscal year. They also reviewed the balance sheet in detail.

Mr. Nick presented the Standard and Poor Rating Report. S&P Global Ratings affirmed its “BBB-“rating on the authority’s existing bonds issued for CASLV, which is de facto the highest rating possible nationwide for a non-State-guaranteed charter. The outlook of all ratings is stable. S&P assessed a solid enterprise profile, with excellent academic performance, a large enrollment base, and a healthy waitlist; Improved lease adjusted MADS burden of 11.1% of fiscal 2023 operating revenues; Experienced and stable management team; and good relationship with its authorizer, which characterizes CASLV as a high-performing charter school.

Mr. Nick provided an update on the investment report during the board meeting. He reported that CASLV earned $143,300 from a 4 million unrestricted cash investment and an additional $72,241 from restricted bond reserve funds in one year.

Mr. Ercan discussed CASLV's accomplishments and important information regarding students and school clubs with the board. 

• The Best of Las Vegas (BOLV) voting results were released. CASLV received gold in all four categories: Best Elementary School, Best Middle School, Best Charter School, and Best High School. 
• 4-Year graduation rates highlights were reviewed for CASLV Sandy Ridge campus. Mr. Ercan explained the cohort graduation rates and indicated for the 22/23 school year the graduation rate for Sandy Ridge is 100%. 
• Enrollment, application, and open seat numbers were reviewed in detail. 
• Mr. Ercan shared the Organizational Performance Framework Results from the SPCSA. 
• Open House dates for the 24/25 school year were presented. 
• CASLV Job Fair details were shared. The job fair is taking place on Tuesday, January 23 from 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at CASLV Sandy Ridge campus. 
• The Great Debate, Florida's National Civics Debate Championship: Jonathan A. showcased exceptional talent at The Great Debate, Florida's National Civics and Debate Championship. Among 67 winners in both middle school and high school divisions, Jonathan secured an impressive 3rd place in the overall - High School Division. 
• Virgin Island MLK Invitational Basketball Championship: Coral Academy is the first stateside girls basketball team to play in the Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational since 2016 and won the championship. 
• Achievement Award given by the Lions Club: We are proud to announce that Elsie has received an achievement award given by the Lions Club for her artwork in the Peace Poster contest this year. 
• Soccer Teams, CASLV Windmill & Sandy Ridge Campuses: Both Coral teams won semi-final matches against WOl and Foothills before winning two hard-fought championship games 2-0 and 2-1 against American Heritage securing a regular season and playoff championship trophies for the Falcons. 
• NCSAA Championship Game, Nellis AFB campus: Congratulations to our Nellis AFB Elementary Flag football team on winning the NCSAA Championship game. 
• College Board's Female Diversity Award: CASLV Sandy Ridge campus has achieved the AP Computer Science A Female Diversity Award through the College board. We are the only high school in Las Vegas to achieve this award in AP Computer Science A.
• Gold medal from the Congressional Award: Momoka U., Tamara, and Lorelani have recently been honored with a Gold medal from the Congressional Award which is the U.S. Congress' highest youth honor! Total Medal Count in 2023 Silver Medal: 6 Gold Medal: 4. 
• Elio Academy's Genetics Summer Program: Ryan showcased exceptional talent in the Elio Academy’s Genetics summer program, shining brightly in his advanced Biology project. His project, titled “Assessing Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) Susceptibility Among Varying Regions: A Review,” has earned a well-deserved spot among the select few published from a pool of competitive projects. 
• VEX IQ Robotics teams, Windmill campus: Windmill VEX IQ Robotics teams have been invited to compete at the DISCOVERY Children's Museum on Jan 6, 2024. Skills: 3rd place Fearless Falcons, 9th place Falcon Force,15 place Falcon Fury. Teamwork: 3rd place Fearless Falcons, 13th place Falcon Fury, 24th place Falcon Force. Awards: Create Award (VIQRC) Falcon
  Force, CASLV-Windmill. 
• VEX IQ Robotics teams, Centennial Hills campus: Centennial Hills VEX IQ Robotics teams have
  been invited to compete at the DISCOVERY Children's Museum on Jan 6, 2024. Team A and Team B, both teams finished in the top twenty in overall competition. Team A also
  received the Judges Award, the school’s first elementary-level robotics award.
• First Lego League Robotics Team, Eastgate campus: They secured the First Place Rising Star award in the FLL Masterpiece challenge on December 1st.
• First Lego League Robotics Team, Cadence campus: Cadence campus Engineers First Lego League Robotics Team, securing second place in the Core Values Award at the Southern Nevada FLL Qualifier, they soared above 220 teams on Dec 2nd, 9th, and 16th. Cadence fielded 3 VEX IQ teams; two middle schools and one elementary school. They just competed in two tournaments in December and they are scheduled to compete in two more
  tournaments in January. (Eagle IQ): 2nd place, (Mecha Eagles): 3rd place, (AI Eagles): 4th place.
• Veterans Day Assembly at Nellis AFB campus: Col. Joshua Demotts, and his wife retired
  Air Force Veteran Patti Demotts shared their memorable and detailed war
  experiences with students.
• Book Club, Sandy Ridge campus: From October 30th to November 3rd, under the dedicated guidance of their teacher, Barbara Daley, members of the Sandy Ridge Book Club embarked
  on a mission to collect books for Spread the Word Nevada, a phenomenal nonprofit dedicated to advancing early childhood literacy by making sure children can access books in Nevada’s low-income communities.
• Blood Donation Campaign at Centennial Hills campus: The campus
  will be a sponsor for an American Red Cross Blood Drive at their campus.
• HCC and CASLV will host "I Can Be" (Career Fair): Collaboration between Coral
  Academy Sandy Ridge and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce for our upcoming Career Fair on March 22, 2024.
• Super Kids-Super Sharing, Sandy Ridge campus: Sandy Ridge campus is taking part in
  the Super Bowl project, "Super Kids-Super Sharing," dedicated to helping local kids in need. This fantastic initiative is in collaboration with the National Football League, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Las Vegas Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee, the Clark County Pearson Community
  Center, and Verizon.
• Vegas Culture Fest at Sandy Ridge campus held in November: International cuisines, accompanied by an enticing lineup of performances, interactive activities, and diverse
  vendors. Popular food trucks joined like Nogkes Kitchen, Food Therapy, Ole Manny's Tacos, Kalimera Greek Bakery, Mochi Aculelei, and more …!
• CMLP Fall Bonding Trip, Sandy Ridge campus: The CMLP Fall Bonding Trip
  unfolded over two unforgettable days, brimming with laughter, personal
  growth, and community building. The group embarked on a scenic hike through Red
  Rock Canyon to Calico Basin, engaged in spirited Monopoly matches and marveled at the
  stars from the majestic peaks of Mount Charleston.
• The Pastry with Parents event was a sweet success at CASLV Windmill campus. Mr. Ercan shared images from the event. 
• Cowboy Christmas and Classic Car Show at Floyd Lamb Park, Centennial Hills campus: Our students performed at the Cowboy Christmas and Classic Car Show at Floyd Lamb Park. Great
  musical acts from our students led by our music teacher, Mr. Borders.
• Veterans Day Parade: Coral Academy Nellis AFB students were honored to take part in the Veterans Day Parade hosted by the City of Las Vegas.
• Next Meeting: The next Regular meeting will be on March 6th, 2024 at the Sandy Ridge campus. The Academic Subcommittee meeting on Jan. 31st, 2024 at the Central Office. The Governance Subcommittee meeting on Feb. 13th, 2024 at the Central Office. 

The schedule of Board Subcommittee Meetings was provided. 

The attorney/client conference was held between 8:30 p.m. - 8:50 p.m. 

There were no actions. 

There were no public comments.