May 2025 Meeting Agenda and Minutes
The Academy
Board of Directors
Executive Work Session
Monday, May 19, 2025
5:30 – 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.
Ongoing Policy Review 15 Minutes
Expectation: Board members will engage in a regular practice of reviewing existing policies for potential updates as well as monitoring the potential need for new policy development. This month the Board will discuss administrative procedures for service animals as well as proposed minor updates to the Harassment Policy and the Suspension & Expulsion Policy.
Board Self-Evaluation Revisions 20 Minutes
Expectation: Board members will discuss progress with updating their annual self-evaluation process.
Board Planning 10 Minutes
Expectation: The Board will discuss plans for open seats for the 2025-26 school year as well as officer roles and committee assignments.
Board Meeting
Monday, May 19, 2025
7:00pm
Agenda
I. Open Meeting
The Academy’s mission is to help all students grow into college ready, exemplary citizens by combining academic mastery with personal empowerment to drive lifelong success. We serve our full community by intentionally developing a school culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. With this in mind, the Board of Directors welcomes all members of our community to this meeting and invites each person to begin our time together in whatever way will help ground you for thoughtful and productive discussion - a few deep breaths, a prayer, a moment to organize your thoughts, or whatever meets your needs.
II. Consent Agenda
a. Approve Agenda
b. Approval of April 28, 2005, minutes
III. Public Comment
The chairperson will recognize anyone who signs the request form before the meeting time. Public comment and input shall be limited to fifteen minutes total, ten minutes per topic, and 2 minutes per speaker. Neither Board members nor Academy staff is obligated to respond to comments or input. The Board will provide written responses as deemed appropriate.
IV. Reports from Directors, Principals, and Committees
a. Executive Director Report – Expectation: The Executive Director 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 – No meeting this month.
iii. PTO – No minutes
V. Presentation and Discussion
a. First Read of FY 25-26 Budget – Expectation: The Executive Director will present an outline of the draft budget for FY25-26.
b. 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.
c. 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. 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, May 19, 2025
Board Members Present: Also Present:
Sarah Drewlow Chairperson-online Brent Reckman Executive Director
Amy McDuffee Vice Chairperson Sarah Gramarossa Chief Academic Office
Dan Klenjoski Treasurer Andrea Foust Director of Finance
Kristen Cofrades Secretary Stacy McCleskey Exec. Admin. Manager
Kevin Sanchez Board Member-online
Larissa Fransua Board Member-online
Minutes of the regular board meeting of The Academy held at 11800 Lowell Blvd, Westminster, CO 80031 in Adams County on May 19, 2025.
I. Open Meeting
A quorum being present, Mrs. Drewlow called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm.
II. Consent Agenda
a. Mr. Sanchez moved to approve the April 28, 2025, minutes. Seconded by Mrs. Drewlow.
Discussion: None
Ayes: Mrs. Cofrades, Mrs. McDuffee, Mr. Klenjoski, Ms. Fransua
Nays: None
III. Public Comment
No public comment was received.
IV. Reports from Directors, Principals, and Committees
a. Executive Director Report
i. Facilities
1. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new construction was on May 14.
2. The construction/renovations will begin on May 27.
ii. Final scorecards will be completed and discussed in June.
b. Chief Academic Officer Report
i. Final scorecards from principals will be discussed in June.
ii. Graduation
1. Out of 135 seniors, 4 did not graduate. Two students will be considered dropouts, and two will attend Gateway with hopes of graduating next year.
2. There were 16 students on the cusp of graduation, and all of them graduated.
c. Committee Reports
i. Finance
1. The Monthly Financial Report was reviewed.
a. Budget revenues are comparable to previous years.
b. $1 MM+ will go back into fund balance due to strong funding years.
c. There are no new legislative updates.
d. A majority of the time was spent going over the draft budget.
e. There was some discussion on how to use the cash that’s going back into the fund balance.
ii. SACademic – no meeting
iii. PTO – no minutes
V. Presentation and Discussion
a. First Read of FY 25-26 Budget
i. CSI Budget Summary
1. This budget is the short summary and gives the last two fiscal years as reference points.
2. The total revenue of 24-25 is $30 MM. Next year’s revenue is lower due to bond proceeds to reimburse the school, decrease in federal revenue sources, and a decrease in grant money.
3. The budget is based on 1830 students. The final enrollment has been higher over the past two years, and we hope to see continued growth in 25-26.
4. Expenditures are carried over from this year’s budget to next year’s budget.
5. All staff got a 4-5% pay increase for 25-26.
6. The current enrollment of 1900-1915 is reasonable for this time of year. We will see that number fluctuate as some students will fall off as the new school year begins.
ii. Unified Budget
1. This budget gives total revenues and instructional staff.
2. Required by CDE.
3. CSI and CDE costs are required and listed under General Admin.
4. It is responsible to have reserves of $9 MM to save towards facility work. There is a balance in saving/spending because it comes from tax payer dollars.
5. CSI requires we have $90,000 in SPED reserves.
6. CO Tabor requires we have $600,000 in reserves.
b. Work Session Summary
i. Monthly communications review.
ii. Discussed service animal procedures.
iii. Reviewed the Harassment Policy and the Suspension and Expulsion Policy.
iv. Board planning discussion.
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 at 8:12 pm.