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:
  • Monthly Board meeting on 10/27/2025 for open session

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.

• Open counselor position
• Current PD plan for staff
• Personnel matters to discuss in close x4

1. Discussed strategic go-forward staff planning and administrative roles and responsibilities, to further address in close due to the information of specific personnel.
2. Continued to discuss key hallmarks of Board's by-laws that require update vs. those sent by counsel and agreed to continue to review such in the following Governance and Policy Committee.  
3. Discussed arranging a training for Dec 15 training/catch all meeting with Board (training on records retention)
4. In light of increasing regulatory updates, including those issued by the NC Dept of Public instruction of Public Instruction, school purchased a new Parent/Student handbook and Code of Conduct template from counsel and prioritized the following, which have been referred to the Policy Committee for action: 

• Code of Conduct for discipline purposes
• Grievance policy - referring to policy committee for recommendation.
• Re-check Title IX, ensuring staff changes
• Bullying
• Staff and Student Handbook - including the recent developments on use of wireless devices.

• Various personnel matters to be discussed in closed.

• 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

• Update on status of audit report (originally due 10/28/2025) - Extended deadline to 11/30/2025, Heather, Accounting Firm and Foundation Director collaborating to get everything to the auditors
• Update on status of 990 - was due on 11/15, extended to May 2026
• 403b Plan Status: completed changes with TIAA
• No budget amendments this month
• October 2025 Financial Statements, Budget vs. Actuals (see attached) - nothing unusual, received first month of funding from Mecklenburg county.  We already received funding from other counties and state.
• Applied for Behavior Support Grant
  • Federal & state grant special education funding
• VOTE: Proposal to increase teacher assistant pay based on a pay scale for years of experience. Effective 1/1/2026

• TA based on full relevant experience.
• Effective Jan 1, 2026 to be reflected in Jan 20th pay check

• Fence is complete, waiting on extra netting
•  

• EDS Package--collect information on what is needed via Google Form (transportation, lunch, field trip funds, etc). Draft of Google survey to be discussed at next meeting. 
• Keeping up to-to-date with legislation in process concerning books and media--ongoing.
• Class set book request form--suggestions for revision in process.
• Calendar review--revised religious calendar drafted and under committee review.

• Next Meeting December 1st, 8:15am 

• Next Meeting December 9th, 2025 (8:15)
• Parent Survey closed August 22, 2025 (127 families responded)
  • Scholars Academy alumni appear to transition smoothly into the academic rigor of high school.  Parents frequently described them as ahead or well prepared for their coursework.
  • Families emphasize the need to help students cope with perfectionism and pressure, develop resilience, and manage emotional ups and downs.
  • Families want learning to go beyond the text book; emphasizing practical and entrepreneurial skills - from financial literacy and AI literacy to teamwork and communication - so students understand how learning connects to life and the future. 
  • Parents want timely actionable feedback - not just grades.  They'd like to know how to help their children improve before the quarter ends.
  • Families are open to helping - but they need asynchronous, digital, or weekend opportunities.
• Parent Survey Results will post to the public via newsletter in December, 2025. 

• Wireless Communication Policy has been posted. 
• Alcohol policy - Committee discussed updating employment contracts/certification language to such effect. Policy is already covering requirements. Should be a quick update.
• AI policy: Continued to discuss developments at the county level and discussed with ED ways to best prepare staff guidelines/training materials as opposed to a policy as such.
• Policy Revamp in light of increased regulatory changes and increased litigation on student discipline, the committee agreed and committee and Ms Cuneo has a hold of such documents already.  The following are on priority:
  • Code of Conduct for discipline purposes
  • Grievance policy 
  • Re-check Title IX, ensuring staff changes
  • Staff and Student Handbook - including the recent developments on the use of wireless devices. Plan is to update prior to coming back from winter school break.
• The next Policy Committee meeting will be November 25

• AGC update

• Discuss employment contracts - None
• Discuss student matters - None
• Discuss personnel matters - x4
• Discuss vendor contracts - None