(9:14)

A. General Items

• Director's Report - this month, the report will include an overview of the admissions process and 2023-24 lottery
  • trends from 18-19 through 23-24 - a significant increase in the number of group testing and the total number of applications
• Approval Requests:
  • Discovery Education Renewal $10,665 for 3 years ESSER
  • Property and casual insurance renewals - overall 9% increase and explored options to reduce the increase.
• Rising 5th-graders currently in 4th grade
  • Option #1 - maintain 52 students - 2 homerooms of up to 26 students, math will have 3 sections
    • Advantages: no additional headcount, no impact on capacity, staffing, and schedule
    • Challenges: larger class sizes, limited seats for new students through middle school, ACCESS funds in jeopardy due to no expansion, and overall ADM could go down.
  • Option #2A - Add 8 students to overall ADM to get to 20 students per homeroom (60 total) - 3 homerooms, one additional teacher (expense covered by increased revenue from ADM)
  • Option #2B - Add 14 students to overall ADM to get to 22 students per homeroom (66 total) - 3 homerooms, additional 1.5 teachers(expense covered by increased revenue from ADM)
    • Advantages: smaller classes, increased revenue allows for additional teachers, commitment to expansion efforts
    • Challenges: space and crowding issues, 5th grade will rotate to a downstairs classroom, additional sections of enrichment classes, higher teacher load, more teachers involved in 5th and 6th grade, transitioning multiple students to Scholars.
  • Virtual meeting for rising 5th-grade families to discuss the curriculum and teaching structure, the transition from elementary to middle school, music choices (band and chorus), foreign language choices (French, Spanish, Chinese)
  • Executive Director's Recommendation: Option 2A
    • Allows for the additional revenue to add another teacher
    • Maintains the commitment to expansion (NC Access grant)
    • Keeps the number of students at a lower amount for transition
    • Option to add more students in 7th grade
• New Scholars Day in May for parents and students
• Invite new students to summer camp for rising 1st-grade through 5th-grade
• Ms. Chicano is launching a peer helper program that will pair new students with a buddy 
• Any contracts to be discussed in closed session
• Any personnel matters to be discussed in closed session

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ElaaqmyaZ_bjfdSSqzZNF8d9REqB960bdZUKfTwa5dY/edit?usp=sharing 

(54:45)

Committee updates:

• Provided updates on the community town hall (April 19th), "Ask the Board" form on the school website, 360 feedback ED evaluation process, and board recruitment 
• Discussed possible membership in the NC Association for Public Charter Schools (NCAPCS) (vote)
• Reviewed the Board on Track contract for the 2023-24 school year (vote)
• An employment contract is to be discussed in closed session (vote)

(1:09:00)

No meeting in March

Committee updates:

• Policies still under review this year: paid-time off and gift policy
• Policies adopted so far this year: staff teleworking (revised) and religious holidays (new)

(1:09:25)

• Scholars Academy will remain in our current facility for the 2023-24 school year. 
• Considering options to expand the current building
• Next meeting is April 6.

(1:10:20)

Committee updates: 

• Shared details about the upcoming multicultural experience day on April 7th
• Reviewed commitment to actions outlined in the DEI Action Plan

(1:14:25)

• Reviewed results from the recent parent survey on the SA school experience. 
  • The purpose was to get feedback from the parent community to define the strategic direction of the board

(1:57:00)

Provided an update on this year's AGC trends and transportation program fund

Ambassadors are calling donors with unfulfilled pledges ($154,000).

• $100,000 lower compared to where we were last year
• $44,000 shortfall for the transportation program
• GuideStar updated the status for Scholars Academy and the Foundation to platinum status for transparency, the highest rank possible. 

(2:01:00)

• Teacher retreats planned for Mondays in April 
• Reviewed plans and contract for enhanced playground equipment (vote)
  • Expense covered by grant - $63,000 allocated for this project

(2:10:34)

Committee Update

• Discussed amending language in our current bond to shift the interest rate index from the expiring LIBOR benchmark to SOFR (vote)
• Discussed the Acadia extension contract (accounting service)
  • 2-year contract, with the option to extend for 1 year on April 1
• Discussed strategic priorities in advance of the upcoming budgeting season:
  • Viability of bus transportation program /format options
    • ~$130K full-service (status quo) 
    • ~$60K reduced service
    • Discontinue service
  • Discussed expansion opportunities- including ADM increase for next year's 5th grade (vote)
    • Expand in place or find a new property? The decision is to focus on expansion options in place.
  • Explored if there are any other priorities, deferred maintenance, staffing, etc