Brevard Academy

Minutes

Board Planning Retreat

Date and Time

Monday July 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM

Location

TBD

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. Provide Effective & Innovative Learning Environments
  3. Recruit, Hire and Retain Highly Effective Personnel
  4. Use Resources Effectively & Be Fiscally Responsible
  5. Engage Our Communities

Directors Present

Abe Pallas, Brandon Smith, Jamie Atkinson, Jennifer Silva, Mark Franklin (remote), Paul Cooper, Tyree Griffin

Directors Absent

None

Guests Present

Ted Duncan

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Jamie Atkinson called a meeting of Brevard Academy to order on Monday Jul 7, 2025 at 10:14 AM.

C.

Approve Minutes

Paul Cooper made a motion to approve the minutes from Board Meeting on 06-18-25.
Tyree Griffin seconded the motion.
The team VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. CEO Support And Eval

A.

CEO Support Plan

 

Discussion and Review of Timeline: 

 

  1. Review of current CEO Evaluation Support plan and timelines by Quarter 
  2. Review of job description and discussion 
    1. Stand up CEO Evaluation Committee 
      1. Mark Franklin will Chair the committee, Jamie Atkinson will Co-Chair and Jen Silva will be a member

B.

CEO Areas of Support

  1. CEO Areas of Support 
    1. Board on Track Tools 
    2. Fundraising/Development 
    3. Board Member Recruitment - consider strategies for the recruitment of new board members and specifically, looking for those members that have experiences where we have defects
    4. Standard Work for Board Meeting Preparation
      1. Previous Agenda
      2. Upcoming Minutes
      3. Review Action Calendar/Operational Plan (all tabs) 
      4. Updates for Board Meeting from Committees including approvals; begin to add to the Agendas directly as a long term goal (will review and have a full demo in a future month) 
      5. All items to be reviewed/completed by the second Wednesday of the month 

C.

Action Calendar for 2025-2026 School Year

  1. Reviewed Current BA Action Calendar (current actions and deliverables) [Tab 1] 
  2. BOT calendar as a reminder calendar [Tab 2]
  3. Operational Plan [Tab 3]
    1. Priority/Goal/Action/Metrics formatted template - review of proposed template to be able to have a platform to be able to review the current state of operational plan and review by quarter or other defined timeline based on the needs of the committee or School Director 

III. Fundraising

A.

Marketing Plan

  1. Review of Rhodes Marketing Plan  
    1. Social Media Posts https://www.facebook.com/BrevardCFA/ 
    2. AmeriCorp
    3. Summer Socials
    4. Staff Members/Students 
    5. Top 10
    6. Bus Caption 
    7. Clothing Drive
    8. Testimonials 
    9. Impact report from Rhodes showing what has been done with the money to share with the community/those who have donated 
  2. Giving Day 
    1. Goal was $10,000 in 36 hours (note that this was September 25, 2025, day before Hurricane Helene) 
    2. For 2025, will be money, time as the focus. Goal will also be $10,000 and will be for the Arts program. 
      1. Considerations for the name of the day - Investment Day? Engagement Day? 
      2. Stories of success and what is the long term benefits and are their outcomes we can highlight

B.

Strategic Fund Development

  1. This Week at Brevard Academy email goes out to all who have donated and all parents (opt in)

IV. Governance and Policy

A.

Annual Board Training

Board members will complete this on their own time, content is available in the agenda. 

V. Long-Range Planning and Visioning

A.

Board Recruitment Plan

  1. Review of the demographics and discussion related to the current components that we have related to skills/gaps.
  2. Discussion of current process that is being used for recruitment for the Board and policy. 
  3. Brainstorm related to modifications to process. Considerations related to the flexibility and timeframes related to recruitment. 
  4. Goal is to have 9 board members. If we achieve this, we could consider having a different pathway for seasonal recruitment and moving back to open recruitment if drop back below 9. Will continue with 3 meeting requirement for orientation. 
  5. Updated policy CFA-2000-Board Development will be modified and voted upon during an upcoming board meeting to finalize edits. 

B.

Strengthening Committees

  1. Working well - High level goals are defined for each committee
  2. Areas for continued strength - Use of Board Calendar to proactively plan and ensure that committee movement stays progressive
  3. Goals will be added to each of the committees and each chair can track tasks 

VI. Other Business

A.

2025-2026 BOD Meeting Dates

  • Tuesday, August 19 
  • Wednesday, September 17
  • Wednesday, October 15 
  • Wednesday, November 19
  • Wednesday, December 17 
  • Wednesday, January 21
  • Wednesday, February 18 
  • Wednesday, March 25
  • Wednesday, April 15
  • Wednesday, May 20 
  • Wednesday, June 17 

July is strategic planning retreat month. 

B.

Summer Updates

  1. Building 
    1. All floors have been cleaned and waxed and hallways are next. 
    2. FEMA funds claiming are still in process. 
    3. Seeking contracting custodial service to assist with the all areas of the school.  
    4. New bus, Anne Frank, will be ready soon. 
    5. Discussed bus mechanics plan. 
  2. Staff 
    1. Seeking a building and grounds manager. 
    2. Seeking bus drivers. 
    3. Seeking a cross country coach. 
    4. Seeking staff members (2) for additional support for IEPs. 
  3. Enrollments 
    1. Fully enrolled currently. 
  4. Misc. 
    1. Summer school ends this week. 
    2. Charter School Conference (Wilmington) is next week, 4 presenters from BA. 

VII. 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 2:38 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jennifer Silva
Documents used during the meeting
  • Customizable BoardOnTrack Recommended Calendar.docx
  • Sample Recommended Calendar.docx.pdf
  • BoardTraining.2025.pptx
  • Recruitment Tips Booklet.pdf
  • Developing Board Goals (updated 1_5_2024.docx