Principal Brown provided updates regarding COVID 19: 
Pharos Academy Charter School (K-12) is  100% Remote learning as of today to remain in compliance with DOE mandates and will remain remote until January 2021.
Teachers have been transitioned to remote learning as well. 
Operations and Support staff will be at the school with altered schedules. 
Technology access, Chromebook and other school supplies are all in good standing. All WIFI issues were addressed with T-Mobile hotspot distribution.  Full meals program, are available for pick up if parents and students request meals. 

 

Katherine Frangione - 1st Year Teacher at Pharos Academy/ Perfect Attendance
Graduate of LaSalle University - 4 Years in Philadelphia, PA 
Provided reflections of her interest in education: Special Education was not her original pursuit until after become a teacher in the South Philadelphia and studying the College curriculum requirements.  
After relocating back to Ct.  she came across Pharos Academy Charter School. 
Spoke highly of the support and transparency at  Pharos staff members.
Board Members can support by continuing to ask the questions and conduct the meetings to discuss and support school leadership. 
Upcoming Activities/Participation Mentioned: DEI Committee- Diversity Equity and Inclusion/ Meeting with a school in Brooklyn that has a DEI Committee tomorrow afternoon. 

Board advised to continue to be in recruitment mode for Board members. 
Adrian resigned, our count now is 11. Once Tahina Perez is approved Board count will be at 12. 

All necessary approvals have been completed. Transfer should be complete by the end of the Year 2020. 

Sara provided an update related to the upcoming mentorship events:  1st panel will take place this coming Monday via Zoom. 
Panel Topic will be focused on the process of becoming a lawyer and since it is about human rights, pro bono work will be discussed as well. 
 

Charter Revision work is moving along as scheduled.  Principal Brown and Courtney Russell have completed Phase I of the project plan. 
Phase II has started and expected to be finished  by next Friday
By end of year Phase III should be completed. 
 

Approved and submitted last year. 
This is a revisit to preview the document to prepare for submission, which is due February 2021. 

Robb Granado provided a financial update regarding the two meetings conducted. 
Review of the audit report for Fiscal Year 2020 
Review of the October 2020 Financials 

Audit - Unqualified Report- Strong review and positive report results 

October 2020 Financials - In compliance with financial goals and governance.
December 2020 Budget Amendment to be presented to Board to reflect lower enrollment numbers and to review specific expense categories. 
Budget variances month to month are strong and in line as expected. 

Principal Brown has requested a picture of each active Board Member to place on the Website. 
Website preview presented to the Board. 
Budget Enrollment  was 672, current enrollment is 663. The wait list numbers are not moving to Pharos Academy because the parents prefer a school operating with in-school learning. 
Due to COVID, Pharos is 100% remote now and will update the Board on COVID updates and possible return to in person learning. 

FFCRA & Call Out numbers presented and discussed with Board. Some Charter schools have chosen to remain open. 
Recommendation presented : Rather than to remain closed could the school provide the option if a teacher and scholar wants to return to in person learning.  

ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARS: Intervention time is earmarked for Friday's, Afterschool Online Programs and Saturday School will be offered and provided.  After School learning will be remote/online and  lead by in-house Teachers. 
Social- Emotional wellness advisory program is active and occurs twice a week at the High School and every day at Elementary School.  

ASSESSMENT UPDATES:  Assessment scores presented in discussed in comparison of 2019-2020  and 2020-2021 School Year.  6th grade is the biggest concern for the Elementary School. Some of the numbers are in the same range of where they were last year. 
ELA and Math State Assessment Grades 3-8.
June Regents have not been cancelled.
January Regents has been cancelled. 

ACADEMIC COMMITTEE: Academic Committee exploring the possibilities of creating a task force review the numbers monthly to get in front of the challenges of remote learning and the challenges of losing the in-person teaching piece. Just like there is a COVID 19 plan we need a COVID 19 Academic plan, to make sure our scholars do not get left behind.

Task force will focus on learning about and bringing back best practices to apply to our school community. Remote bags have been sent out to the scholars at the beginning of the school year. Chromebook versus IPAD for scholars is also a technology piece that the school is reviewing to determine the best remote learning tools for the scholars based on grade level. 

FOLLOW UP ITEMS:
1. Investment ask for different set of learning tools - IPADS /Chromebook
2. Long term planning ask to close the learning gap - Offline brainstorming 

TASK FORCE MEMBERS:
1. Sara Jean-Jacques
2. Briar Thompson
3. Tahina Perez
4. Javier Lopez- Molina
5. Travis Brown 
6. Rob Granado 


 

Adrian Adderley has resigned due to family emergency events.