Brevard Academy

Minutes

September Board Meeting

Work Session and Regular Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday September 20, 2023 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. 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

Jamie Atkinson, Lee Burgess, Lyndsay Sluder, Mark Campanini, Mark Franklin, Paul Cooper

Directors Absent

Joel Malefyt, Margie Rackley

Ex Officio Members Present

Ted Duncan

Non Voting Members Present

Ted Duncan

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Mark Campanini called a meeting of the board of directors of Brevard Academy to order on Wednesday Sep 20, 2023 at 5:30 PM.

C.

Mark Campanini thanked Lee Burgess for his service to the Board for the last 6 years. This will be Lee's last meeting.

D.

Approve Minutes

Paul Cooper made a motion to approve the minutes from.
Mark Franklin seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Pledge of Allegiance

Pledge led by members of the student body.

Isabella Stone

Sofia Refo

Emma Brown

F.

Student Spotlight

Three girls from the student body used the tools of democracy to circulate a petition to amend the uniform policy. This exemplifies what it means at BA to not "be right but to get it right." As a result of this, the uniform policy will be revisited by the board.

Isabella Stone

Sofia Refo

Emma Brown

 

G.

Staff Spotlight

Mr. Tim Arem presents to the board on his time at Brevard Academy. He leads the school's comedy and is heading up the Ted-ED event coming up at the end of the year.

In 2006, the Ted organization started going into schools and Mr. Arem decided to take a chance on this event! This is a 15-week program for students to learn from Ted videos and to have meaningful discussions on these topics after school. The kids then use this time to put together speeches to be presented at the end of the year.

H.

Opportunity for Public Comment

No public comment.

II. Committee Reports

A.

Finance

Budget report for the month of August:

Monthly revenue came in at $299,887.28 with expenses at $452,149.70.

Year to Date revenue came in at $617,539.10 with expenses at $836,217.93.

Projected end-of-the-year surplus of $37,372.08.

B.

Governance and Policy

Several items for a first read.

A separate leave policy to clarify leave.

Volunteer policy provides clarification on different levels of volunteers and clearance.

A additional policy with clarification on parents and the cross-over of registered sex offenderes.

 

C.

Facilities

Mr. Tim Prey gives updates on the facility.

There was a sewage pump that went out recently and this was replaced in a timely manner.

The HVAC system is still being updated with various wifi issues.

Future projects to be discussed and worked on:

A safety assessment brought to light several issues around the facility that need to be corrected/addressed.

The campus master plan needs to be re-visited/re-vised.

There will be a future discussion on the current cleaning crew contract moving forward.

 

D.

Development

Board members reviewed The Relocation Guide. Brevard Academy is featured on page 37.

Brevard Academy will also be featured in the new edition of Territory. 

There is an updated Giving Page located on the school's website.

E.

Long Range Planning

Mark Campanini informs everyone of the upcoming opportunity to attend the 100th year of the Chamber of Commerce Event and the opportunity to recruit new board members and represent Brevard Academy.

F.

Academic Excellence

Amber Wolfe explains the diagnostic results in Reading and Math. This data is a snapshot of where students are starting the year. The goal is to ensure that all students are in the green- meaning they are on grade level.

Amber Wolfe also shares new programs to continue to move students toward mastery. See the document titled BA Student Growth and Mastery.

 

III. Director Report

A.

Director Report

Ted Duncan is happy with the feel of the school and how the first month of school has been great!

Several updates on events and special activities that the students have been participating in and showed a good news slide show!

 

Brevard Academy is compliant with EC requirements from NC.

There are several documents that should be reviewed by board members that offer school comparison data.

There is also access to a FireIinspection and Safety Report.

IV. Items for Board Approval

A.

Beginning Teacher Support Plan for 2023-2024

Jamie Atkinson made a motion to approve the beginning teacher support plan.
Paul Cooper seconded the motion.

None

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

B.

Revised Time Off policy

Jamie Atkinson made a motion to approve the revised Time Off Policy.
Paul Cooper seconded the motion.

Lee Burgess notes that there is a typo at the bottom of the policy and it should say "However, the state of North Carolina does NOT allow such leave to count toward an employee’s years of service at retirement."

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Uniform Policy Update

Jamie Atkinson made a motion to approve updates to the Uniform Policy.
Lee Burgess seconded the motion.

None.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

D.

Removal of Cypress Tree in Front of Building

Paul Cooper made a motion to remove the cypress tree.
Lyndsay Sluder seconded the motion.

Lee Burgess asked about the cost of this purchase. There was a quote obtained for tree and stump removal for less than $1,000.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

E.

Addition of AIG Nurture Groups in Kindergarten

Paul Cooper made a motion to add AIG Nurture Groups to Kindergarten.
Lee Burgess seconded the motion.

There is no cost associated with this program and the intention is to engage those Kindergarten students who may be on track to participate in the AIG program.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

F.

Committee Consent Items

Lee Burgess made a motion to vote Paul Cooper as the new Treasurer.
Mark Franklin seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Mark Franklin made a motion to the addition of Lloyd DeBarr as a full-time Outdoor Education assistant.
Paul Cooper seconded the motion.

The budget impact with be roughly $25,000 of unbudgeted expenses.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

G.

New Board Member

Paul Cooper made a motion to add Jennifer Silva as a new board member.
Mark Franklin seconded the motion.

None.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

V. Other Business

A.

Strategic Planning and Discussion

This will be a continued discussion as we incorporate Board on Track in the daily operations of the Board of Directors. 

VI. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

Lee Burgess made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Lyndsay Sluder 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 7:05 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jamie Atkinson
Documents used during the meeting
  • FY24 Brevard Financial Reports - Board Report 2023.08.pdf
  • 2023-2024_ School Wide iReady Benchmark Data - BOY Diagnostic Data.pdf