Gestalt Community Schools

Minutes

2024 August Gestalt Board of Directors Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday August 22, 2024 at 8:30 AM

Location

Gestalt Community Schools

Gestalt Community Schools Network Office

2650 Thousand Oaks Boulevard

Suite 2200

Memphis, TN 38118

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Directors Present

A. Evans Blackwell, A. Jacobo (remote), D. Bradford (remote), D. Selberg (remote), G. Gonzalez (remote), G. Raggs, G. Sago IV (remote), K. Satterthwaite (remote), K. Walker Burt (remote), M. Lady (remote), N. Woods Dobbins, Y. Lewis

Directors Absent

K. Thomas, L. Harris

Guests Present

B. Turner, D. Generette Walker, L. McGee, N. Rogers, T. Leftwich, T. Parks

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

A. Evans Blackwell called a meeting of the board of directors of Gestalt Community Schools to order on Thursday Aug 22, 2024 at 8:31 AM.

B.

Roll Call for Attendance

C.

Approval of May's Minutes

G. Raggs made a motion to approve the minutes from 2024 May Gestalt Board of Directors Meeting on 05-23-24.
N. Woods Dobbins seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.

II. Finance

A.

Finances Executive Summary

Another Summer without using our Line Of Credit

Paid off CSGF debt six months early

$600,000 grant used towards paying off some of the Malco building cost

B.

Audit Preparation Update

Trial Balances will be in by EOD 8/23/24

 

C.

New Market Tax Preparation Unwind

D.

HR Vacancies by School

15 Vacancies

$900 incentive for SPED

III. Network Updates

A.

Fundraising Update

Funding for Development May-August 2024

  • Bloomberg $1,073,600 - Summer School Boost Program
  • Jack and Jill $10,000 - Social/Emotional Care
  • Cigna Foundation $150,000 - NICE Team
  • 21st Century (tutoring) $195,000 per year - Afterschool Tutoring
  • CSGF Facilities Grant $600,000 - Facilities Support
  • CSGF Culture Grant $330,000 - Gestalt Committments/Codification of Culture
  • Pyramid Peak Foundation $250,000 - Academic Excellence (PCAES-HH)
  • Carlton $250,000 up to $1,000,000 - Notification 9/2024
  • Dept. of Justice $750,000 over (3) three years)- Notification 10/2024
  • State $1,099,560.00 - Notification 10/2024
  • Afterschool Alliance $350,000 - Notification 10/2024

 

Corporate Funders Support (Who do you know?)

  • Elevate the ask - pipeline setup
  • Different Network Asks

 

 

 

 

 

B.

Expansion and Growth Update

What to expect during Board Retreat

  • Expansion and Network Goals
  • Feasibility Study (looking at expansion)

 

IV. Operations

A.

Enrollment Update

As of 8/22/24 our enrollment is currently at 2597

 

Tremendous growth in capturing attendance at each school

 

 

B.

Malco Construction Update

Malco is scheduled to be completed by June 24, 2025

 

 

New structure:

 

Site Demo is complete

 

Slab pour scheduled for 9/6/2024

C.

New Vendors and Security Update

Scholar Uniforms -Dennis Uniform

 

New Food Vendor - Feedwell: Free breakfast and lunch for our adults

 

New security: Monthly Safety Report ( security will share out concerns per month to ensure school safety) - 

 

Safety Domains/Standardized Practices are being put in place in each school campus

 

V. Academic

A.

TN Ready Summary Results

Table to next committee meeting

B.

3rd Grade Literacy Policy & Results

Table to next committee meeting

VI. Schools

A.

Chronic Absenteeism Challenge

Our goal is 95% attendance rate

 

How can we reward students that are doing the right thing and coming to school and those students that had chronic absences, but improving their attendance this year.

 

Rewarding those students that have better attendance or who have continued to have great attendance each month.

  • Drawings, gift cards (Kroger gift cards that will support our families with groceries or gas), certificates, etc.
  • Students love social media, so possibly doing shout-outs to students on social media.

Building culture around attendance:

  • Accountability - Providing grade reports and attendance
  • Goal Setting - meeting with counselors, social workers, and FEL
  • Building Relationships - Building out plans and providing resources
  • Removing Barriers

 

 

B.

Attendance Response Matrix Summary

Mrs. Generette-Walker provided overview chart on the Attendance School and CMO Accountability Matrix and Action Steps

 

C.

Types of Strategic Tutoring

Table to next committee meeting

VII. Committee Reports

A.

Governance

Table until next committee meeting

B.

Finance

Table until next committee meeting

C.

Academic Excellence

Table until next committee meeting

VIII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,
A. Evans Blackwell