Aurum Preparatory Academy
Minutes
Aurum Board of Directors
Date and Time
Thursday February 28, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Location
1034 66th Avenue, Oakland, CA, 94621
Directors Present
A. Benedetto, J. Jordan, K. Fliss, L. Garcia Giacomo, P. James, V. Toke (remote)
Directors Absent
J. Weinstein-Carnes
Guests Present
D. Hardin
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
K. Fliss called a meeting of the board of directors of Aurum Preparatory Academy to order on Thursday Feb 28, 2019 at 6:17 PM.
C.
Approve Minutes
K. Fliss made a motion to approve minutes from the Aurum Board of Directors on 01-24-19 Aurum Board of Directors on 01-24-19.
J. Jordan seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
D.
Approve November 2018 Minutes
P. James commented that in the last paragraph of the Executive Director report, Parren James said "yes", not "that yes."
L. Garcia Giacomo made a motion to approve minutes from the Aurum Board of Directors on 11-29-18 Aurum Board of Directors on 11-29-18.
J. Jordan seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
E.
Aurum Mission and GOLD Values
J. Jordan read the mission and GOLD values.
II. Public Comment
A.
Public Comments on Non-Agenda tems
no comments
III. Governance
A.
Governance Committee Report
P. James presented the Governance Committee report.
Aurum Prep has been invited to participate in Board Match program - event being held in May 2019.
P. James brought up opportunity to add a parent to the Board, and an Acts Gospel member to the Board. Goal is to add 2 new members by the end of 2019.
Aurum Prep has been invited to participate in Board Match program - event being held in May 2019.
P. James brought up opportunity to add a parent to the Board, and an Acts Gospel member to the Board. Goal is to add 2 new members by the end of 2019.
B.
Board Development
P. James has spoken to Board members individually about expected Board contribution.
J. Jordan asked for a reminder of what types of people we're looking for to bring in as Board members. P. James indicated that we are looking for people with Development experience, HR experience, Technology experience, in addition to a parent and a member of the Acts Full Gospel community.
Governance Committee should be monitoring salary bands and be mindful of the effect the teachers strike could have on market rates.
Salary band transparency will be a focus, in order to communicate a pathway.
J. Jordan asked for a reminder of what types of people we're looking for to bring in as Board members. P. James indicated that we are looking for people with Development experience, HR experience, Technology experience, in addition to a parent and a member of the Acts Full Gospel community.
Governance Committee should be monitoring salary bands and be mindful of the effect the teachers strike could have on market rates.
Salary band transparency will be a focus, in order to communicate a pathway.
P. James made a motion to revise annual individual Board contribution to $1,500 per year and not go below that. Any parent who joins the Board will not be subject to this requirement.
K. Fliss seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
C.
Review Board Development Tracker Protocol
P. James suggested showing development financials, by Board member, at each Board meeting so that members know how much further they have to go to meet their goal for the year.
All members in attendance agreed that this would be beneficial and that it will help hold Board members accountable for their financial commitments.
All members in attendance agreed that this would be beneficial and that it will help hold Board members accountable for their financial commitments.
IV. Finance
A.
Finance Committee Report
J. Jordan presented Finance Committee report.
J. Jordan shared budget projections for 2019-20, as well as subsequent years.
K. Fliss asked about what would be done with Net Income as it grows in years 2, 3 and 4. J. Jordan and D. Hardin explained that unforeseen expenses relating to student needs and facility can arise and therefore Aurum will consciously build a budget surplus in order to address future needs.
J. Jordan shared budget projections for 2019-20, as well as subsequent years.
K. Fliss asked about what would be done with Net Income as it grows in years 2, 3 and 4. J. Jordan and D. Hardin explained that unforeseen expenses relating to student needs and facility can arise and therefore Aurum will consciously build a budget surplus in order to address future needs.
B.
Approve Interim Financial Report
J. Jordan made a motion to approve interim financial report.
P. James seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
V. Academic
A.
Academic and Recruitment Committee Report
K. Fliss presented Academic Committee report.
A. Benedetto presented the agenda from the most recent Academic Committee meeting. A. Benedetto presented preliminary observations made by the committee upon reviewing individual student NWEA assessment scores and weekly testing scores, by subject.
K. Fliss reported that the Academic Committee is currently working to slice data according to gender, cohort, IEP, ELL, race and attendance to see what can be learned. Following this deep dive, the Academic Achievement Committee will work with school leaders to recommend what steps to take and what data to track moving forward.
A. Benedetto presented the agenda from the most recent Academic Committee meeting. A. Benedetto presented preliminary observations made by the committee upon reviewing individual student NWEA assessment scores and weekly testing scores, by subject.
K. Fliss reported that the Academic Committee is currently working to slice data according to gender, cohort, IEP, ELL, race and attendance to see what can be learned. Following this deep dive, the Academic Achievement Committee will work with school leaders to recommend what steps to take and what data to track moving forward.
VI. Executive Director Report
A.
Executive Director Report
D. Hardin presented Executive Director report.
Students who have been here since start of year are meeting or exceeding growth targets. Overall, students are not growing as fast as they need to grow in order to get up to grade level.
The SBAC test will be administered soon. Students and teachers will be preparing over the next month so that students have the skills to take the test.
D. Harden is developing a Board dashboard and shared draft. Board agreed that the document is helpful and will provide feedback to the Governance Committee if any changes are desired.
D. Harden shared his goals between now and the end of the year:
1. Exceed or meet Academic goals
2. 90% of staff hired for next year by May 15
3. Secure at least 150 School mint applications by May 1
Students who have been here since start of year are meeting or exceeding growth targets. Overall, students are not growing as fast as they need to grow in order to get up to grade level.
The SBAC test will be administered soon. Students and teachers will be preparing over the next month so that students have the skills to take the test.
D. Harden is developing a Board dashboard and shared draft. Board agreed that the document is helpful and will provide feedback to the Governance Committee if any changes are desired.
D. Harden shared his goals between now and the end of the year:
1. Exceed or meet Academic goals
2. 90% of staff hired for next year by May 15
3. Secure at least 150 School mint applications by May 1
VII. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
Week without walls presentations will start Friday at 4pm.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:47 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
K. Fliss
P. James made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
J. Jordan seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.