Amy Clark, Principal, reported out on attendance data, goals and the ways that the Academic Team are getting students to attend remote learning.  She shared that FY20 attendance average was 93.46% and this year FY21 to date is 96.1% and the Goal is 95%.  She also reported what measures the team are taking to keep students engaged, communicating with families and focusing on students struggling the most with attendance.  Board members asked some questions like: what does attending and participating in class look like and what is Amy opinion on how much teaching is happening in a remote class as compared to an in person class from last year.

Rebecca Sela shared the 2017-2022 Accountability Plan and spoke about how the Academic Achievement Committee is tracking the "right" data each year to make sure Veritas is working towards its Plan and internal goals.  FY21 will look different in areas like homework and student referrals due to remote learning.  Some questions that the Board raised are: 1) When are these measurers reviewed with DESE? and Rachel responded that annually Veritas reports out data in its Annual Report, 2) Is Veritas meeting these accountability measures? and Amy responded that in most areas last reported out yes, with one exception being staff coming in slightly under 85% at about 79%, and 3) Is a C- the most aspirational grade we could have? and Rebecca suggested that at a future Board meeting by reviewing what Standards Based Grading is and why a C- is an average grade and a reasonable goal.

Mike Sweet presented the Letter of Intent (LOI) for Carando Drive facility and expressed three reasons why the lease amount presented by Greenfield Development increased from their original proposal: 1) a misunderstanding of when the lease would commence, Greenfield Development calculated the lease based on July 2021 and it is actually July 2022, 2) a change in the bank's loan package, and 3) Veritas' requirement to establish a lease that includes a five year term with a five year renewal.  Mike discussed each section of the LOI specifically noting the right of first refusal as a purchase option, the requirement of the landlord to deliver a facility that matches Exhibits A and B, that the terms of the lease do not align with our fiscal year (but that the financial projections were developed using the monthly amounts to reflect the correct amounts for each fiscal period), and how the Board would need to allow Rachel to finish negotiating Exhibit C's exclusions and clarifications.

Brendan Greeley expressed why the property is a good deal explaining how other charter schools in the area are leasing space at about $18/sf and the Carando lease would be about $11/sf at full capacity.  Brendan also explained how a lease at this rate per square foot would positively affect a property appraisal in our favor if purchase negotiations were to happen in the future.