Brevard Academy
Minutes
Monthly Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday October 15, 2025 at 5:30 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:
- Ensure Academic Success for Every Student
- Actively Engage Stakeholders to Strengthen and Enrich Our Communities
- Recruit, Hire and Retain Highly Effective Personnel
- Use Resources Effectively and Be Fiscally Responsible
- Provide Effective and Innovative Learning Environments
Directors Present
Abe Pallas, Brandon Smith, Jamie Atkinson, Jennifer Silva, Tyree Griffin (remote)
Directors Absent
Mark Franklin, Paul Cooper
Ex Officio Members Present
Ted Duncan
Non Voting Members Present
Ted Duncan
Guests Present
Ali Liubenov
I. Work Session
A.
Work Session
II. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance
C.
Pledge of Allegiance
Mr. Duncan led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
D.
Approve Meeting Agenda
E.
Approve Minutes
III. Regular Meeting Business
A.
Good News
Co-Ed Swim has concluded, and had a great season!
Completed our 1st Symphonic Band Concert at Hustle Wings this week.
Staff accomplishments: Jamie Conley and Jen Iden are presenting at BC to prospective teachers. Lots of students from BC are coming to observe PE, Music, and other grade levels as well.
Megan Monk and Mr. Duncan presented to the community about the book "The Anxious Generation"
Sophia Gamache, Amber Wolfe, and Mr. Duncan are going to the career conference at App State next week.
Wrapped up a tremendous Giving Day.
We have 2 AmeriCorps members this year.
B.
Student Highlight
C.
Staff Highlight
Counselors have to submit a plan and program to the state every year.
- in classroom teaching at least once a month or pulling students in small groups
-not all serious mental health concerns, sometimes students just need help with regulation in classroom, or with a conflict.
- We have a School Based Therapist now on campus through Blue Ridge Health
- We have Backpack Buddies and give resources to families, Giving Tree around Christmas season, Crisis Team with Officer Light, Mr. Terry, and Emily Webb meet once a week.
- Attend monthly behavior meetings with Mr. Terry, come up with a plan with the teacher to help be more successful in classroom
- We know our students well.
-Peer mentoring program - we have 104 partnerships this year, and will continue our High School mentoring as well
-Continue to do Parent programming such as Coffee with the Counselors, and plan to do another book study this year as well
D.
Opportunity for Public Comment
No one for Public Comment
IV. Committee Reports
A.
Finance
Mr. Duncan discussed Budget Report.
Have received money from FEMA to complete projects on campus.
The Cash Board was discussed, we have 96 days cash on hand.
Action Item: Remove the Bus Repayment from the Encumbered Funds, because we have completed this
USDA update
- Letters of Condition
- Appraisal Fee up to $10,000.00 (Action Item)
Modular Swing Building update
Athletic Vans update
B.
Governance and Policy
Performance Framework Compliance Report
- everything was at 100%
- complete and nothing wrong
Brevard Academy Facilities Use Agreement
- Dr. Pallas has one comment about supervision and thinks that it should be higher than $25
- we should add to it that we have the right to refuse use of our facility
- In the application we need to know the name of the individual responsible for the event, and need to have insurance information to be reviewed by school's carrier
- 1.5 living wage for staff running camps/clubs on campus
C.
Development/Fundraising
Total from Giving Day: $24,535
Feedback from partners, sponsors, and community partners about how to make it better next year!
Funds were allocated to Music, Arts, and Drama
$5000- Music for new instruments
$5000- Art for new cameras
$10,000 - Drama for new indoor stage
Motion to allocate Giving Day funds as described in Finance Committee meeting in October
D.
Long-Range Planning
Look at Action Calendar for busy next couple months, please
E.
Academic Excellence Update
No updates at this time
F.
Facilities
FEMA projects
Miscellaneous Projects
Board Action Items
-remove rocks in the parking lot and one walkway (action item)
-install guardrail in parking lot with safety grant funds (action item)
- extend fencing along the cemetery with safety grant fund (action item)
Officer Light gave estimates for guardrail
- Wooden option or metal option
- front the monies for this, until we can repay from safety grant money given in February
G.
CEO Support and Evaluation
Make sure that school is living in perpetuity.
V. Director Report
A.
Director Report
Enrollment is 424 students which is manageable for finances
Attendance was discussed
Merit and Behavior Referrals
-builds positive rapport with families and students
Funding Report gets reported out each month through Infinite Campus
Discipline Report - what are we seeing in terms of grade levels, time of day, etc.
School Improvement Plan will hopefully be finalized tomorrow.
Fall Parent Survey Results
-75 responses
-Overwhelmingly positive responses
-99% say they would recommend Brevard Academy to other families
Action Items
- Yraya Sanchez - EC Teacher
- Afton Lorenz - Bookkeeper
Discussed the school's niche.com ranking.
Reviewed annual calendar.