Brevard Academy
Minutes
Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday November 20, 2024 at 5:00 PM
Location
Brevard Academy AIG 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:
- Ensure Academic Success for Every Student
- Provide Effective & Innovative Learning Environments
- Recruit, Hire and Retain Highly Effective Personnel
- Use Resources Effectively & Be Fiscally Responsible
- Engage Our Communities
Directors Present
Abe Pallas, Brandon Smith, Jennifer Silva, Mark Campanini, Mark Franklin, Paul Cooper
Directors Absent
Jamie Atkinson, Tyree Griffin
Ex Officio Members Present
Ted Duncan
Non Voting Members Present
Ted Duncan
Guests Present
Ali Liubenov
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance
C.
Closed Session
II. Regular Meeting Business
A.
Pledge of Allegiance
B.
Approve Minutes
C.
Student Spotlight
Student Spotlight is our first ever swim team! We had 18 swimmers to start the season and ended with 14. We had a wide range of skill level. Coach Courtney Laps and Ben Sunding had a blast! Swimmers in attendance: Serenity Pace, Eliana Campanini, Greyson Iden, Riley Mason, William Pressley, Mikaela Vazquez, Nick Marston and Grace Zimmer.
So thankful for the time and effort put in to expand our sports for our students.
D.
Staff Spotlight
EC Department: Emily Webb, Amy Kelly, and Katie Campbell.
Our EC Department and students have made great growth, and we are in the top 10 in the state out of 2700 schools in NC. Mr. Duncan and Ms. Emily Webb were invited to a luncheon to recognize our students growth made in state testing.
E.
Opportunity for Public Comment
No one signed up for public comment.
III. Committee Reports
A.
Finance
Audit report: page 5 & 6 Independent Auditor Report
- no findings in report or material weaknesses
pg 15 & 16 have all information for the year
-ended year 1.1 million in cash
- negative net position from staff retirement system
-income statement and revenues at bottom
-positive funds and balance
pg 23 - financial statements
pg 55 funds for lunch and afterschool
This is a clean audit and will help get us a 10 year renewal. Compliance report showed no findings or material weaknesses on pg. 62.
No findings of concern. Auditor said our staff was welcoming and helpful to find all that he needed.
How do we categorize our new bus purchase? The state looks at the total fund balance not being in deficit. Schools will use fund balance in budget for bus purchase.
Action item:
-approve the audit report for public and in our minutes.
- never told our feasibility study is only good for one year
December and January our cash flow will fluctuate due to out of pocket expenses ie. STEM building, USDA loan
We have to have a civil engineering, and electrical design. Mr. Cooper has submitted to 4 different groups. His recommendation is to go with Pharoah Designs. Cost is $3800 for the survey, it is reimbursable using USDA loan. $33,000 for the contract.
Currently projecting $96,000 from surplus. Not including bus. Would like to use unencumbered funds for bus and civil engineering contract. Civil engineering contract can be reimbursed with USDA loan.
Our goal is end the year with $30,000 surplus.
$34,000 in staff bonuses proposed for December.
$142,000 moved from our money market, and divide it by 5 years.
B.
Governance and Policy
Mr. Pallas:
Action Items : have not gone through committee yet
- Clarity in Handbook about attendance and going to afterschool/extracurricular events.
- Code of Conduct: Possession of Tobacco
- Employee Grievance Policy - proposed 15 days, and 4 step process; current policy is 6 pages long (7200) - how involved does the Board want to be in process?
Feedback:
- Possession of Tobacco and Nicotine Products
- Add a clause about students not having unexcused absences on day of events
Reviewed the Internet Policy.
C.
Facilities
Mr. Duncan met with FEMA and insurance on Monday. And a plan is being made for future possibilities.
D.
Development
Flipcause Budget: $11,393
-this is from Giving Day and Hurricane Helene donations
- Ear marked for: STEM Building, BA Giving Tree, paying off lunch balances, helping staff & students affected by hurricane
E.
Long Range Planning
TWC- Teacher Working Conditions
Actionable Improvement Steps with SIT Team
Need to finish up Strategic Plan, since Jamie is not here, let's finalize in December.
Board Action Calendar: static document, approve things going in Director Report
F.
Academic Excellence Update
Dr. Pallas spoke with Amber Wolfe and they are looking into trying to find ways to push students in proficiency.
3rd grade look into Reading and Math proficiency.
Although there is work to do, our numbers look better this year than they did last year.
IV. Director Report
A.
Director Report
BTSP- Beginning Teacher Support Plan (Mr. Duncan is now the Coordinator)
- new state legislation requirement that all Middle School students need to view a video on Staff/Student Safety and
-Very little feedback from parents of Middle Schoolers
Exploring remote academies, we do not recommend starting this yet, January is the due date for the upcoming year, and we do not see a need right now.
Parent Survey results, after 4 weeks up, we had 40 responses. Mr. Duncan personally responds to any parents that do not agree in all areas. After a family does a tour, we have family ambassadors that have signed up to reach out to new possible families.
New bus is here!
We received an anonymous donation for Helene relief $10,000
Jenny Geer-Hardwick received Golden Leaf
Attendance, Enrollment, Discipline Report, Board Action Calendar
Action Items:
-School Improvement Plan
- School Equity Plan: How are you going to mitigate any inequities between students that are being served by unlicensed teachers? We only have one teacher (Nancy Jacobsen has hers in FL)
-BT Support Plan
-3 Approvals for Staff Hirings
-Esther Koppel for 4th Grade in place of Kali Letcher who has moved to PE
- Emily Page - 7/8th Grade Social Studies
- Devynleigh Spalding - AfterSchool Math Tutor
B.
Important Upcoming Dates
Nothing else to report
V. Items for Board Approval
A.
Committee Consent Items
Staff bonuses $34,800
Civil Engineering Contract $34,000
Financial Audit
Fund Appropriation for Margaret Rock
Changes to Family Handbook in January 2025
Approval for Meeting Dates and Calendar
School Improvement Plan, School Equity Plan, BT Support Plan
3 Additional Positions
The swimmers from our first swim team led us in the pledge. William Pressley led overall.