Confirm meeting recording.

Do we have a quorum? Welcome to the Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy Board Meeting.

Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy provides a differentiated, challenging, and equitable learning environment that supports the distinctive intellectual, social, and emotional needs of highly gifted children from diverse backgrounds and enables them to form meaningful relationships with their intellectual peers.

Zoom Webinar Etiquette/Rules:

Meetings will be broadcast to the public via the Zoom Webinar Platform. This medium is a secure forum for engagement as it requires attendees to register, limits interactivity, removes the ability to communicate without permission and does not permit anonymous participation, comment, or annotation.  Registration will require the submission of a first and last name and an email.

• Official approval of draft minutes from:
  • Special Board meeting on 7/22/2025 for open and closed sessions

• Official approval of draft minutes from:
  • Annual Meeting on 8/8/2025 for open and closed sessions

Are there any Amendments to the Agenda?

The public is welcome to speak; limited to three minutes per speaker.

Topics should not cover private, confidential or personal information.
The board will not respond or enter into a dialogue on topics discussed.

At this time you may indicate your desire to participate in Community Comments by raising your hand using the controls in the Zoom application or browser.

When it is your turn, a moderator will identify you by name and then grant you access to speak.

• Staffing update
• Handbook updates
• Focus for First Week
• Bus

• Meetings will be 2nd Monday of every month.
• The first Governance Committee meeting will be Monday September 8th.

• None

• 2025-2026: 1 opening (currently at 9 board members, looking to get to 10)
• 2026-2027: 3 openings and 1 potential openings (all of which are uncommitted as of yet to renew for a 2nd term or add new time)
• Staff and Parents are encouraged to talk to those you think would be good fit for the Board
• Board Nomination Website
• Board Nomination Form

• Vote for Dominique Palmer to be named Board Secretary.
• Vote for Kim Becnel to be named Board Parliamentarian.

• Update on Accounting Firm transition (Bearman)
• Upcoming Audit in September
• Potential Budget Amendments coming up next month
• Meetings will be 3rd Thursday of every month.
• The first Finance Committee meeting will be Thursday September 18th.

• Meetings will be 1st Thursday of every month.
• The first FAST Committee meeting will be Thursday September 4th.
• HVAC is working now.  Paul will be monitoring and determining next steps.
• Other small maintenance items have been taken care of by Paul to get the school ready for the students. 
• Some small roof leaks will need to be repaired.
• Deep dive into this year's needs and goal at first FAST meting.

• Fencing project has started.  Waiting on steel decorative fencing.  Chain link at play area is finished.
• Grant money was used as a deposit.  Remaining money to come out of previous budget.

• The committee will prioritize reviewing Media in Classrooms and Acceptable Use, to be wrapped up at the next meeting.
• The committee will look into incorporating AI within the Acceptable Use Policy.  
  • ED has shared sample AI Policies for review.
  • CMS 2025-2026 Initiative: http://cmsk12.org/ai 
• The committee will continue to develop best practices for efficiently publishing policies once the Board has approved them.
• Meetings will be 4th Tuesday of every month.
• The first Policy Committee meeting will be Tuesday September 23th.

• Next Meeting October 14, 2025 (8:15)
• Parent Survey closed August 22, 2025 (120 families responded)
• Last Agenda topics:
  • Development of Required Computer Science Course
  • Foreign Language Options
  • Middle School Grading Review 
• Meetings will be 2nd Tuesday of every even-numbered month.
• The first Educational Excellence Committee meeting will be Tuesday October 14th.

• No DEI updates as there were no meetings yet.
• Meetings will be 1st Wednesday of every odd-numbered month.
• The first DEI Committee meeting will be Wednesday September 3rd.

• No Whole Child updates as there were no meetings yet.
• Meetings will be 1st Monday of every even-numbered month.
• The first Whole Child Committee meeting will be Monday October 6th.

• Going through the hiring process for a new Foundation Manager

• Discuss employment contracts - None
• Discuss student matters - None
• Discuss personnel matters - None
• Discuss vendor contracts - None