St. Louis Voices Academy of the Media Arts
Minutes
St. Louis Voices Academy of Media Arts Regular Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday October 29, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Location
Virtual Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85915146951?pwd=b3c0NnNxT01rT08zMm9qcGJKTUZlZz09
St. Louis Voices Academy of Media Arts Board Meeting
October 29, 2025 6:30-8:00 PM
Virtual Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85915146951?pwd=b3c0NnNxT01rT08zMm9qcGJKTUZlZz09
Directors Present
D. Payne, L. Jackson (remote), T. Cauley (remote)
Directors Absent
A. Stable, D. Catchings-Smith, E. Woods, K. Scott
Ex Officio Members Present
H. Russell-West (remote)
Non Voting Members Present
H. Russell-West (remote)
Guests Present
D. Wright, Jazmine Nolan, K. Rounds (remote), Paul Greenwood (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
D. Payne called a meeting of the board of directors of St. Louis Voices Academy of the Media Arts to order on Wednesday Oct 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM.
II. Board Action
A.
Approval of Minutes from September 17, 2025 — Postponed to the next regular meeting.
Motion to approve the minutes from St. Louis Voices Academy of Media Arts Board Meeting on 09-17-25.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
B.
Vote New Board Member - Dr. Jazzmine Nolan-Echols
L. Jackson made a motion to Accept Jazzmine Nolan to the STL Voices Academy Board.
T. Cauley seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| D. Catchings-Smith |
Absent
|
| A. Stable |
Absent
|
| K. Scott |
Absent
|
| E. Woods |
Absent
|
| L. Jackson |
Aye
|
| D. Payne |
Aye
|
| T. Cauley |
Aye
|
C.
Amendment to Contracted Enrollment - MCPSC
D.
Vote to Enter Closed Session after Executive Director's Report
L. Jackson made a motion to Move to closed session after Financial reporting and Executive Director.
T. Cauley seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
III. Finance
A.
Financial Reports Presentation
B.
Vote to Approve September's Financials
L. Jackson made a motion to Approve September Financials.
D. Payne seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
IV. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:19 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
D. Payne
Paul Greenwood reporting
St. Louis County Public Schools recently submitted a prior-year adjustment to its Pre-K enrollment, revising last year’s count from zero to 1,000 students. This adjustment has prompted the Department of Education to pursue a recapture of funds that were previously distributed to St. Louis charter schools, including St. Louis Voices Academy.
Current Impact:
The adjustment has created a two-pronged financial effect:
Immediate Impact (Already Occurred): The most recent state payment was lower than projected, as the Department has begun reducing per-student funding to offset the prior-year adjustment.
Potential Future Impact: If the Department proceeds with full recapture, additional reductions to state funding may occur, further impacting revenue projections and cash flow.
Response Efforts:
The Executive Director of the Missouri Charter Schools Association has been in active discussions with the Department of Education to make the Association’s position clear and to oppose any pullback of funds that have already been distributed and, in many cases, used for school operations. Paul continues to work closely with both the Charter School Commission and the Association to monitor developments and assess potential financial implications.
Financial Position and Next Steps:
While St. Louis Voices Academy was previously reported to be in a strong financial position, these changes have shifted the financial outlook slightly.
The school is not currently projected to experience cash flow issues, as it maintains strong reserves due to responsible fiscal management.
However, cash flow may be affected if the Department proceeds with the full adjustment.
No immediate board action is required at this time, but leadership should be prepared to implement cost-saving measures if funding reductions continue.