No positive COVID tests in our population. Our testing vendor will come in biweekly. 

Internal academic assessments are completed and progress reports have been distributed. Conferences with families of students whose promotions are in doubt have been completed. In January, a pool of twenty teachers gathered to review all of the ELA and Math results to determine which students' promotions are in doubt.  This is our Response to Intervention program. About 20% of our school population are "promotion in doubt" students. Our K - 2 early childhood students are mostly impacted by retention. Students will be reassessed in April. Ultimately, a team of more than twenty faculty members will finalize grade retention decisions.

We have effective parent engagement and the parents are fully engaged to support our students. In our K-1 we use a play based model. We partnered with Bank Street University and we offer our students "Choice Time".. 

During our mid winter break, we will have "Brain Camp" from Tues - Fri from 9AM-4PM. 176 students are enrolled. The school provides parents and students with Metrocards as an alternate to using Yellow Bus Services. 

The Governance Committee met on Thurs, Feb 3, 2022 at 5PM

Accomplishments

The Board elected two new trustees on Feb 5: Josue De Paz and Mikhael Edouard. All required documents were submitted to the DOE for review and approval. 

Trustee candidate Shawn Carson was invited o BSNBCS board meetings and Finance Committee meetings. A tour of the school was given and an interview with ED and Governance Chair was completed. His CV was circulated to the Board. 

The committee will continue to work with a board trustee recruiter to source additional future candidates. 

All trustees completed the annual Board Self-Assessment. The assessment summary report and recommendations were sent to the Trustees. A discussion for action planning is scheduled for March Executive Session. 

Trustees attended annual Board Retreat to discuss Charter Renewal.

Priorities

Fully onboard new board trustees. (Nick, Doris, Victor)

Continue to build pipeline of external Board Trustee prospects to recruit additional trustees. 

Recruit one or more BSNBCS parents as Board Trustees. 

Challenges

Securing timely RSVPs from all trustees to ensure we have a quorum days before the monthly board meeting.  

Encourage timely delivery of Committee reports for monthly Board packet materials.

Recommended that new Trustees participate in the 30 minute Board On Track

Open Meeting Law Do's and Don'ts, on Wednesday, Feb 23rd from 3:00 - 3:30 pm.

Please see the attached Finance Committee report. 

The school's financials and financial controls are solid. 

A suggestion was made that the Committee consider looking into financial instruments that would allow us to sweeps from checking to savings to earn interest on high balances.  

Shawn Carson commented that he was impressed with the school's financial strength.