Brevard Academy
Minutes
Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday December 18, 2024 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:
- 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, Paul Cooper
Directors Absent
Jamie Atkinson, Mark Franklin, Tyree Griffin
Ex Officio Members Present
Ted Duncan
Non Voting Members Present
Ted Duncan
Guests Present
Ali Liubenov
I. Closed Session--Board Members Only
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Closed session items
II. Work Session--Open to the Public
A.
Work Session Items--Open to the Public
We discussed training materials.
III. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Pledge of Allegiance
Charlotte Cook
C.
Approve Minutes
D.
Approval of Special Meeting Minutes
E.
Approval of July Strategic Planning Minutes
IV. Regular Meeting Business
A.
Student Spotlight
Stacey Seefeldt talked about the various Friday clubs that we offer to Middle School. We are so grateful to have all these opportunities for students to discover new passions.
Musical Theatre Club in attendance for the meeting, and held a performance for the Board.
B.
Staff Spotlight
C.
Opportunity for Public Comment
None
V. Committee Reports
A.
Finance
We have included the $139,000 for the new bus in the budget. It will show up in the December report.
Mr. Cooper in process of making EFS for the next board meeting.
B.
Governance and Policy
Dr. Pallas discussed policy about onboarding of new board members. We need to think about what we want the policy to be, and how to do it that way. It should be a board committee to make this policy. Dr. Pallas will chair it, Jennifer Silva and Brandon Smith will help form this committee. Dr. Pallas would like to make an Orientation Plan for new members.
C.
Facilities
Tyree spoke with Mr. Prey. FEMA has a weekly meeting with Mr. Duncan. Estimates for roofing, painting, PA system, and other mitigation projects due to the hurricane are in process with FEMA. We have started some smaller projects with our Facilities funds.
D.
Development
Conversation
March 7: State of the Charter Dinner (Deerwoode Reserve) - considering framework and how we can optimize the opportunity to reduce staff stress/burden.
Looking at AI in education, how it will change it, and how we can get out in front of it.
E.
Long Range Planning
Mr. Duncan met with Ms. Atkinson about the same 5 core goals and moved them into a new order. Looking at this draft if there is feedback for the next meeting, we want to put it out for Strategic Plan for next 5 years, and send this out to staff/families.
Key piece to give to potential board members to see our plan and what they will be a part of.
Board/Stake holder feedback by January. To approve by February.
F.
Academic Excellence Update
Committee meeting on January 13. Dr. Pallas met with some people from this committee, and the biggest problem they are running into is that teaching assistants are being pulled from classroom frequently.
Consider that grades 3-5 may need a teacher assistant per classroom, instead of per grade. Teachers feel they do not have adequate time to spend with students below grade level, when assistants are not in their classroom.
Mr. Smith suggests that we need to collect some data for this.
Mr. Duncan is trying to come up with the best solution for everyone.
VI. Director Report
A.
Director Report
Awarded $54,000 for Safety Grant.
Key Falls Dinner did not take place on Dec. 13 because of weather
Received award for 2023 for exceeding growth
Nicole Gorry passed her recertification
Basketball/Pep Squad season is started
Mountain Bike Club
had 5 staff that have become eligible for a bonus for exceeding growth
Middle School dance was a huge success - thankful for our amazing PTO
Blue Ridge Health Center will be up and running in January. Nurse Practitioner on campus T-Th. Mental Health Nurse on M,F. Hopefully this will help with attendance with students/staff. Mr. Cooper asks about safety protocols with this on campus.
Enrollment: we have lost 9 students since the beginning of the year. 2 because of the hurricane, many more of these because families moving out of state
Staff attendance is at 94%
Mr. Terry has updated our discipline report. Working through what we can do to reduce these.
One open position we have is AIG - Middle School Teacher, Dr. Pallas has volunteered to take over in that role in January.
Consent Items for Governance and Policy - asking for this to be approved
August 13, 2025 start day for the 2025-26 school year. - asking for this to be approved
Consent Items for Governance and Policy - asking for this to be approved
August 13, 2025 start day for the 2025-26 school year. - asking for this to be approved
B.
Important Upcoming Dates
VII. Items for Board Approval
A.
Committee Consent Items
VIII. Other Business
A.
Announcement of Next Meeting
January 15, 2025 is the next meeting.
Discussed personnel items.