Brevard Academy

Minutes

Board Meeting

Work/Training Session and Regular Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday June 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM

Location

Brevard Academy Music Room

Mission:

The Mission of Brevard Academy is to prepare its students to achieve academic excellence through the Core Knowledge Sequence. Through a partnership involving students, teachers, and parents the school strives to create citizens with strong moral character and active intellectual inquiry.

Vision:

Brevard Academy: A Challenge Foundation Academy (BA-CFA) a K-8 public charter school develops and encourages motivated, intellectually curious students who are skilled in critical thinking, individual expression, and problem-solving. From their diverse backgrounds, students accept our challenge to pursue personal and academic excellence. Through this pursuit, they become confident members of their community who lead by serving others.


 

Strategic Goals:

  1. Ensure Academic Success for Every Student
  2. Actively Engage Stakeholders to Strengthen and Enrich Our Communities
  3. Recruit, Hire and Retain Highly Effective Personnel
  4. Use Resources Effectively and Be Fiscally Responsible
  5. Provide Effective and Innovative Learning Environments

Directors Present

Brandon Smith, Jamie Atkinson, Mark Franklin, Paul Cooper, Tyree Griffin

Directors Absent

Abe Pallas, Jennifer Silva, Mark Campanini

Ex Officio Members Present

Ted Duncan

Non Voting Members Present

Ted Duncan

I. Work Session

A.

Work Session

July 7th Retreat Date Agenda Items:

- consider diving deeper into Board on Track generated assessments

- fundraising

- board recruitment and development (including orientation) to include increasing the board size

- identifying needs to build a stronger board and committees

- what can the school director identify that the board could be supporting him on more intently

- strategic fund development

- annual school director assessment

- marketing plan review + raising awareness & sence of community and interest in the school

 

Ted Duncan reviewed the staff survey.

The board reviewed the OnTrack Board Score presented by Board on Track.

II. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

Jamie Atkinson called a meeting of the board of directors of Brevard Academy to order on Wednesday Jun 18, 2025 at 5:31 PM.

B.

Record Attendance

C.

Approve Meeting Agenda

Paul Cooper made a motion to approve agenda.
Brandon Smith seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

D.

Approve Minutes

Brandon Smith made a motion to approve the minutes from Board Meeting on 05-21-25.
Tyree Griffin seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Approve Minutes

Mark Franklin made a motion to approve the minutes from Special Board Meeting on 06-04-25.
Paul Cooper seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

F.

Pledge of Allegiance

III. Regular Meeting Business

A.

Good News

  • All end-of-year activities went smoothly.
  • Remediation and Retesting has begun.
  • Mountain Roots is on campus.
  • We are fully staffed for the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Americorps has been reinstated.

B.

Opportunity for Public Comment

No public comment.

IV. Committee Reports

A.

Finance

The budget report is showing a surplus for the end of the year- despite changes and purchases.

Paul Cooper will be looking for the board to approve the closure of the First Citizens account and transferring those funds to First Bank.

The committee will also be looking to add the purchasing of a work truck to the encumbered spreadsheet, as well as increasing the amount in the USDA reserve account by $108,000 by using unencumbered funds.

 

B.

Governance and Policy

Ted Duncan review several policies that need to be update to the changes with new laws, that include updating the nepotism policy. 

There was a short discussion on the varying opinions and questions around the use of AI in the classroom.

C.

Development/Fundraising

Ted Duncan shared there will a new theme for annual giving day- Give of your time, Give of your treasure, or Give of your testimonial. There was a discussion around finding a match donor for Giving Day and potentially providing a link for restricted giving.

D.

Long-Range Planning

Work session discussion includes potential agenda items.

E.

Academic Excellence Update

No update.

F.

Facilities

Summer cleaning is going well!

The committee will be asking for approval to use safety grant funds to install phones in all the classrooms and will be asking for approval to begin the build out of the resource room being funded by Blue Ridge Health.

Paul Cooper is working with a civil engineer to confirm the location of the modular and working with the City of Brevard.

V. Director Report

A.

Director Report

Ted Duncan will be asking for approval from the board to add an additional 1:1 in the budget for an incoming student, and will be striking the AIG plan from the director requests.

VI. Items for Board Approval

A.

Committee Consent Items

Paul Cooper made a motion to approve the facilities consent agenda items.
Brandon Smith seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Tyree Griffin made a motion to approve the finance consent agenda items.
Paul Cooper seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Tyree Griffin made a motion to approve the policy consent agenda items.
Mark Franklin seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Mark Franklin made a motion to approve Jamie Atkinson as the board chair for the 2025-2026 school year.
Brandon Smith seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Paul Cooper made a motion to approve the hiring of Kristen Mullins.
Brandon Smith seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

VII. Other Business

A.

Announcement of Next Meeting

Board planning retreat will take place on July 7th from 10am to 3pm.

VIII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

Paul Cooper made a motion to adjourn at 6:43pm.
Mark Franklin seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:43 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jamie Atkinson