Mission Moment

The NextGen SIG grant is now in its second year, providing students and families with additional interventionists and multilingual support. A new College and Career Coordinator helps students navigate high school transitions, and Megan Singh is expanding family English classes. Data shows this is working: ILearn checkpoint data indicates a rise in both Math and ELA, putting the school on track to meet its 5% proficiency growth goal. iRead results are also trending toward meeting established targets.

Student Experiences & Academic Growth
Students like Angel, Karina, and Bridgette highlighted the personalized support they receive.

• Academic Support: Success blocks, after-school tutoring, and apps like iReady have helped students turn low test scores into high achievement. Both Bridgette and Karla are celebrating 4.0 GPAs and membership in the Junior Honor Society.
• Relationship Building: Students emphasized that teachers build deep connections during "lunch and learns" and recess. Angel noted that teachers like Mr. T make them feel safe and seen.
• Extracurriculars: New initiatives like the cooking club and a new basketball court have boosted school spirit and skill-building.
• Student Safety & Improvements
  There is a strong sense of belonging and safety due to improved security measures and playground upgrades. While students are proud of the school’s culture, their primary recommendation for improvement is the cafeteria, specifically requesting fresher food options based on recent student feedback surveys.

Family Engagement & Literacy
The Family Literacy program has been transformative for parents like Arlene.

• Home-School Connection: Parents use the Talking Points app to stay in constant contact with teachers. Home literacy visits and library partnerships have turned reading into a family habit.
• Empowerment: The English classes have had a real-world impact; for example Arlene, shared she no longer needs an interpreter during hospital visits.

Academic Update

• Proficiency Gains: Alysson presented ILearn checkpoint data comparing winter results to the previous year.
• Benchmarks: There has been a measurable rise in Math and ELA proficiency. The school is currently on track to meet the 5% growth goal for proficiency.
• iRead: Current data indicates that students are on track to meet the annual iRead goals.
• Areas for Improvement
  • Facility & Services: Based on feedback from student surveys and board testimony, the primary recommendation for improvement is the cafeteria.
  • Students and parents requested an evaluation of food quality and the introduction of fresher food options.

Board Recruitment

• The goal is to add one more board member with expertise in finance and accounting.  
• Dr. Elcira Villareal will be joining the NCN board. 

Financial Report

Brian presented the February financials, noting the organization remains in a strong fiscal position. He highlighted that recent financial statements appear different due to the accounting treatment of the Lilly Phase III grant.

• Revenue Recognition: Moving forward, the entire Lilly Phase III grant will be recorded as income for the current fiscal year while being tracked over time.
• Budget Status: Currently, 32.2% of the budget remains (against a benchmark of 33.3%). On the expense side, 31.4% remains, indicating the organization is performing on budget.
• Reporting Adjustments: A current deficit of $71k was reported as of February 26; however, this is a technicality of timing. Between $300k–$400k has been spent from Lilly funds but not yet categorized as such. Once this revenue is fully recognized, the deficit will shift to a significant surplus.
• Indicators: All performance indicators are "Green," with the exception of the deficit, which is "Yellow" solely due to the aforementioned accounting lag. The Finance Committee is developing a protocol to separate Lilly expenditures in future reports to ensure clarity.

Budget & Staffing
Katie commended Brian’s work in navigating the complexities of the Lilly funding, which, unlike typical reimbursement-based grants, was provided upfront.

• Timeline: The board will vote on the final budget during the May meeting to allow for strategic planning.
• Staffing & Benefits: Staffing remains the largest expenditure, accounting for 85% of ongoing revenue. Katie proposed a protocol to formally approve this 85% allocation for salaries, benefits, stipends, and bonuses.
• Competitiveness: While Enlace’s salary scale is currently mid-market compared to peer schools, the organization is committed to remaining competitive to retain high-quality
•  Compensation: Although the base salary scale will not change next school year, the NCN salary includes a 2% cost of living adjustment and a $1,000 retention bonus (with the potential to increase to $2,000 pending additional revenue). Contracts will be distributed around Spring Break.

Operations & Facilities

• Promotions: Amneris has been promoted to Director of Operations. In this role, she will also manage the scratch kitchen initiative. 
• Infrastructure: The school is collaborating with Dr. Murphy (COO of IPS) to repave the pebble track. Recent facility improvements were also featured on Buildings with Bill.
• Food Services: The team visited Circle City Prep to observe food operations and is currently interviewing for related positions. Student survey results regarding the menu were discussed to inform future dining improvements.

Legislative Updates
Jamie provided an overview of House Enrolled Act 1423 and its anticipated impact on district operations. 

• IPEC Structure & Governance:
  • The legislation establishes the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC), a new municipal body overseen by a nine-member board appointed by the Mayor.
  • Criteria: Appointees must reside within Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) boundaries.
  • Leadership: The Mayor will also recommend an Executive Director for the corporation.
• Facilities & Property Management:
  • Beginning in the 2028-2029 school year, IPEC will assume authority over capital planning, school property management, and the process for closing inefficient buildings.
  • Opt-Out Provision: Schools may opt out of centralized facility management; however, doing so results in a loss of eligibility for certain levy and capital funding.
• Centralized Services:
  • Transportation: IPEC will implement a unified, fully funded transportation plan with centralized routing.
  • Accountability: A single school performance framework for all participating schools is required to be in place by 2028-2029. While IPEC oversees the framework, it does not have unilateral authority to close schools without following specific statutory processes.

Community Outreach & Strategic Relationships
Marc Sciscoe shared that the community outreach team, including Marc, Joan, Dr. Villareal, the Family Engagement Coordinator (FEC), and the College & Career Coach, has begun meeting to strengthen family support.

• Board Involvement: The team is identifying specific ways board members can directly assist and advocate for families.
• Relationship Expansion: Discussions focused on expanding community partnerships to meet student needs.
• Cultural Programming: A specific need for culturally appropriate, live music instruction was identified as a priority for future student programming.

3/12 3-5th Winter Musical Performance

4/23 International festival

5/19 College & Career Fair 

Looking for pantry volunteers. 100 families we are seeing every other week. 

403b updated our policy due to IRS. It needs to be restated and Katie will send the form for board signatures.