The Academy

Board of Directors

Executive Work Session

Monday, March 31, 2025

6:00 – 6:55pm

Agenda

 

Monthly Board Communications Review                                                   10 Minutes

Expectation: Each month, Board members will acknowledge and discuss any community feedback or complaints that have been received since the last meeting.

 Board Self-Evaluation Revisions                                                             35 Minutes                            

Expectation: Board members will discuss progress with updating their annual self-evaluation process.

Board Planning                                                                                        10 minutes

Expectation: The Board will discuss current term lengths and members’ intent to return for the 2025-26 school year as well as potential dates for the Summer Board Retreat.

 

Board Meeting

Monday, March 31, 2025

7:00pm

Agenda

I.                     Open Meeting

II.                   Consent Agenda

III.                 Public Comment

(This should be limited to 2 minutes per speaker)

IV.                Reports from Directors, Principals, and Committees

a.       Executive Director Report – Expectation: The ED will update the Board on progress toward financial and operational strategic priorities.

b.       Chief Academic Officer Report - Expectation: The CAO will update the Board on progress toward instructional and cultural strategic priorities.

c.       Committee Reports – Expectation: Committee Chairs will update the Board on progress with each committee.

                                                               i.      Finance – See meeting minutes.

                                                             ii.      SACademic – See meeting minutes.

                                                           iii.      PTO – See meeting minutes.

V.                  Presentation and Discussion

a.       Health & Wellness Policy – Expectation: The Executive Director will present updates to the proposed Health & Wellness Policy based on previous Board discussion.

b.       Name Change Policy – Expectation: The Executive Director will present updates to the proposed Name Change Policy based on previous Board discussion.

c.       Executive Session C.R.S. §24-6-402(4) – Expectation: As needed, the Board may call an executive session for one of the specific topics identified below via a 2/3 majority.

                                                               i.      Discussions regarding buying or selling property;

                                                             ii.      Conferences with an attorney to receive legal advice;

                                                           iii.      Matters required to be kept confidential by state or federal law (e.g., student academic records);

                                                           iv.      Security arrangements or investigations;

                                                             v.      Determining contract negotiation strategies;

                                                           vi.      Personnel matters;

                                                          vii.      Consideration of documents protected from disclosure under the Open Records Act; or

                                                        viii.      Discussion of individual students where public discussion would adversely affect the student involved.

d.       Work Session Summary – Expectation: The Board Chair will summarize the topics discussed during the work session prior to this formal meeting.

VI.                Executive Summary

a.       N/A - No items up for a Board vote this month.

VII.               Board Meeting Self-Scoring – Expectation: The Board will self-score their performance for the meeting according to preset criteria.

VIII.             Adjourn Meeting

 

Board Meeting Minutes

Monday, March 31, 2025

 

Board Members Present:                                            Also Present:

Sarah Drewlow    Chairperson                                    Brent Reckman       Executive Director

Dan Klenjoski       Treasurer                                        Sarah Gramarossa  Chief Academic Officer

Kristen Cofrades  Secretary                                        Stacy McCleskey     Exec. Admin. Manager

Autumn Coffee    Board Member--work session only

Larissa Fransua    Board Member

Minutes of the regular board meeting of The Academy held at 11800 Lowell Blvd, Westminster, CO 80031 in Adams County on March 31, 2025.

I.         Open Meeting

 A quorum being present, Mrs. Drewlow called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm.

II.      Consent Agenda

a.      Ms. Fransua moved to approve the February 24, 2025, minutes. Seconded by Mrs. Cofrades.

Discussion:      None

Ayes:                Mrs. Drewlow and Mr. Klenjoski

Nays:               None

III.    Public Comment

a.      Public comment was made by a parent who expressed frustration regarding teachers' methods of supporting fully funded education in the state budget, the use of DEI language on the website, and the perceived lack of physical education offerings.

IV.    Reports from Directors, Principals, and Committees 

a.      Executive Director Report

                                                              i.      Finance and Operation

1.      The 25-26 budget development is in the early stages.

2.      The proposed state budget calls for a 2.6% increase to PPR. State law requires that PPR be increased by 2.3% but we will take a conservative approach and build the budget at a 2% increase.

3.      Enrollment will be figured at 1830 students instead of 1835.

4.      Renewal letters were given to all staff before spring break. We will not cut any positions and there was a 3-5 % pay increase.

5.      The school lunch program may be funded differently soon. It’s only funded through the end of 2025 so it will go back on the ballot to vote on in November.

6.      Andrea Foust will be at the April meeting to give full outline and next steps for the budget.

                                                             ii.      Facilities and Master Plan

1.      The permits for construction have been approved.

2.      Purchasing for new furniture is underway.

3.      Preliminary construction work has begun.

4.      JHL got final numbers in from sub-contractors and there is a savings of approximately $300,000.

b.    Chief Academic Officer Report

                                                              i.      Graduation

1.      Graduation rate was looked at differently after Stephanie Mann started.

2.      There are now more at-risk students that are coming to The Academy, later in their high school career, who are behind in graduation credits.

c.    Committee Reports

                                                              i.      Finance – Beginning budget work.

                                                             ii.      SACademic – Principals gave their presentation of mid-year data and the UIP was reviewed.

                                                           iii.      PTO – No questions or comments.

V.      Presentation and Discussion

a.      Health & Wellness Policy

                                                              i.      The Academy's attorney made some revisions to the draft policy and the finalized version will be included in the April agenda for a vote.

b.      Name Change Policy

                                                              i.      The Academy’s attorney suggested that we pass a simplified version of the policy and not ignore the state statute, so that we are in compliance.

                                                             ii.      The short version does not change the fact that parental notification is our default (exception is the rare case where the student could be at risk).  

                                                           iii.      The long and short version will be brought to the April meeting for further discussion.

c.       Executive Session

                                                              i.      The Board entered into Executive Session to discuss the compensation of Mr. Reckman, Executive Director of The Academy. Mr. Reckman was invited to join the Executive Session. This Executive Session involves a personnel matter so the employee involved was given an opportunity to require that this discussion be conducted in public and the employee has indicated that they wish for this discussion to occur in private. Formally, Mrs. Drewlow moved, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 24, Article 6, Section 402 at subsection 4(f) to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. Seconded by Ms. Fransua, call for vote. Motion carried. Executive Session started at 8:21 p.m. Executive Session ended at 8:24 p.m.

d.      Work Session Summary

                                                              i.      Communication review

                                                             ii.      Board Self-Evaluation Work

                                                           iii.      Board Planning

 

VI.    Executive Summary

a.      No items up for a Board vote this month.

VII.  Board Meeting Self-Scoring – Today’s meeting was both efficient and met expectations, so the score is 4.

VIII.   Adjourn Meeting – Mrs. Drewlow adjourned the meeting at 8:25 pm.