Bronx Charter School for the Arts
Minutes
Monthly Board Meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday April 11, 2023 at 6:00 PM
Location
Location TBD, contact Ms. Kathy Ortiz at kortiz@bronxarts.net
Trustees Present
Arlene Bascom (remote), Dan Vislocky (remote), David Barnard (remote), Denise Brecher (remote), Eric Osorio (remote), Evette Stair- Radlein (remote), Katherine Trager (remote), Susan Geisenheimer (remote)
Trustees Absent
Andrea Zayas, Barbara H. Scott, Charles Whites, Lori Biancamano
Guests Present
Jasmin Abbatiello (remote), Kathy Ortiz, Melanie Hok (remote), Patricia Rooney, Ryan McCabe (remote)
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Approve Minutes
II. Nominating Committee
A.
Renewal of Terms
III. Interim Executive Director Report
A.
Lottery Results
B.
Academic Report
Ms. Ortiz reported that attendance at both campuses has improved. She shared that students are prepping for the statewide tests. Preparation includes two mock exams twice a week for the elementary school and four mock exams three times a week for the middle school.
Ms. Ortiz provided a staffing update, sharing that Patricia Rooney has accepted a new role in the leadership team for the upcoming school year. Discussion ensued regarding the process of hiring for the open principal position as well as the new candidate identified for the role.
IV. Finance
A.
Budget and Financial Update
Ms. Hok provided an update on current financials as of March 2023, noting a projected surplus due to unfilled positions and other underspent line items. She also discussed the current cash position for the school and that the proposed budget for next fiscal year will be presented at the next board meeting in May.
V. Development and Communications
A.
Development Update
Ms. Abbatiello reported that the school is only approx. $58k away from reaching its' fundraising goal. She also shared that student participation in the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Summer Boost program has increased, to include an estimated 150 students in grades 3,4, and 5.
B.
Communications Update
Ms. Abbatiello shared that CitizenRacecar is scheduled to visit both campuses on April 25th and 26th to film both a recruitment and fundraising video.
Ms. Ortiz shared that the lottery was held on April 3rd and that it was successful. She provided an update on current student enrollment and application totals for the upcoming school year, noting that the percentage of students returning to the school was very high in each grade.