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Brevard Academy

Minutes

Public Meeting

Arts and STEM Building Discussion

Date and Time

Monday August 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM

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 (remote), Paul Cooper, Tyree Griffin (remote)

Directors Absent

Mark Franklin

Ex Officio Members Present

Ted Duncan

Non Voting Members Present

Ted Duncan

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Jennifer Silva called a meeting to order on Monday Aug 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM.

II. Arts/STEM Building Discussion

A.

Discuss the building project and procurement of USDA funding.

During the meeting, a video was showed to provide an overview of the rendering of the building. This included a discussion of some minor changes to the current plans, to the front of the building and the garage doors will be removed to be swapped out for french doors. The lobby will not be very large in size, as another note.  The flooring will be concrete and will remain unless there is a need to modify this in the future, with the exception of the band room. There will need to be a pitch on the room to be up to code. 

 

Staff Discussion and Parent Feedback: 

  • Student and staff deserve to have nice spaces. 
  • Wants to the building to be built as soon as possible to assist with the STEM Program. Mr. Dennis, staff member (ddennis@brevardacademy.org)
  • Strongly recommend, STEM is the future of our nation and we get our kids ready for careers and the current model of pushing around the cart is not efficient. Katie Sprunger, staff member and parent (ksprunger@brevardacademy.org)
  • Tremendous positive impact with current resources and there will be an even bigger impact with more resources. Brandon Smith, board member and parent (919-260-6374).
  • Strong educational presence and from strategic standpoint this is a wonderful decision. Jaime Atkinson, Board President  (864-205-1474).
  • As a parent, having the extra space is appealing and to have an increased STEM program with more opportunity will expand the opportunity for jobs. 
  • The kids came up with a creative idea about getting the AI to talk to each other across computers. 
  • Transylvania County as a whole is big into art and this will help to be more in tune to this even when they are young. This will help them to go out into the community.
  • Space to grow creatively, academically, socially and emotionally and is an investment in their future.  Jen Iden, parent and staff member (jiden@brevardacademy.org).

 

There are NO oppositions to the new Arts and STEM building. 

 

Mr. Paul Cooper provided a brief note that we are working through  the USDA loan process. 

III. 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 5:14 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Paul Cooper
Documents used during the meeting
None

This meeting is a public meeting of the BA-CFA Board in public for the purpose of conducting the School Corporation’s business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. There will be time for public participation as indicated on the agenda.