September 2025 Meeting Agenda and Minutes
The Academy
Board of Directors
Board Meeting
Monday, September 29, 2025
6:00pm
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 August 25, 2025, 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 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. School Performance Framework and CARS Report- Expectation: The ED will present the newest academic performance rating issued to The Academy by the Colorado Department of Education.
b. Athletics Facilities Upgrade Funding - The ED will propose a framework for the Board to use in determining the appropriate amount of general fund dollars to spend on the planned athletics project.
c. Suspension & Expulsion Policy Updates - The ED will present updates to the Suspension & Expulsion Policy that are intended align existing school policy with recent changes to state requirements.
d. 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.
e. 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. Suspension & Expulsion Policy – Board members will vote to approve the updates Suspension & Expulsion Policy.
VII. Adjourn Meeting
Board Meeting Minutes
Monday, September 29, 2025
Board Members Present: Also Present:
Sarah Drewlow Chairperson Brent Reckman Executive Director
Kevin Sanchez Vice Chairperson Sarah Gramarossa Chief Academic Officer
Dan Klenjoski Treasurer Stacy McCleskey Exec. Admin. Manager
Kristen Cofrades Secretary
Autumn Coffee Board Member
Jen Halford Board Member
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, September 29, 2025.
I. Open Meeting
A quorum being present, Sarah Drewlow called the meeting to order at 6:01 pm.
II. Consent Agenda
a. Kevin Sanchez moved to approve the August 25, 2025, minutes. Seconded by Jen Halford.
Discussion: None
Ayes: Sarah Drewlow, Dan Klenjoski, Kristen Cofrades, Autumn Coffee
Nays: None
Abstained: Larissa Fransua
III. Public Comment
There was no public comment this month.
IV. Reports from Directors, Principals, and Committees
a. Executive Director Report
i. Operations
1. There are no new updates to report on for operations.
ii. Facilities
1. The new addition is moving forward and pricing for the athletic project is being reviewed.
iii. Student Enrollment
1. Our student enrollment has declined over the last four years.
2. Adams 12 has seen a 6% decrease and The Academy is experiencing a 1% decrease.
3. There is a decrease of approximately twenty students in 3rd grade.
4. There has been a decrease in foreign exchange students. Many students want to come to Colorado, but they are finding it difficult to find host families.
5. Statewide enrollment declined by about 5000 students last year, and additional declines are expected this year.
6. The Academy will continue to budget conservatively.
7. The positive spin is that there are smaller class sizes for teachers.
b. Chief Academic Officer
i. Level principals will present their beginning-of-year data in October.
ii. Graduation Trajectory
1. There are currently 137 students in the 2026 class and 99% are on track to graduate in May.
2. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) also tracks students in extended programs such as IEP and ASCENT, which may take 5–7 years to complete. The Academy currently has seven students in this category, with 88% on track to graduate in May 2026.
iii. Attendance Update
1. Our attendance rate is currently 93% and our goal is 95%.
2. The Academy is partnering with CDE in the 50% Challenge. Through this challenge, our goal will be to reduce chronic absenteeism by 50% from 2022 levels—a decrease of approximately 4.3%, or 80 students.
3. The new attendance tool will begin to send letters when students reach 5, 7, and 10 days of absence.
iv. Unified Improvement Plan (UIP)
1. The UIP has been submitted.
2. Low growth areas were identified through Elementary and Middle School CMAS scores and plans are being implemented.
3. Both growth and achievement data are being reviewed to provide a comprehensive view of student performance.
c. Committee Reports
i. Finance
1. A new member has joined the Finance Committee.
2. Strategic goals for 2025-26 were reviewed.
3. An update to the construction budget was given and all spending remains on track and a good amount of contingency balance is still in place.
4. The athletic facility project was discussed.
5. The monthly financial report was reviewed. There has not been much change at the beginning of the year.
ii. SACademic
1. The UIP has been submitted. Low growth areas were identified on Elementary and Middle School CMAS scores, and plans are being implemented.
2. Community involvement data was reviewed through Track It Forward. Tables will be set up at conferences to give information to families.
iii. PTO – See meeting minutes.
V. Presentation and Discussion
a. School Performance Framework and CARS Report
i. State level data is collected and submitted around this time of year. If we are doing a good job there shouldn’t be any surprises because we collect data throughout the year.
ii. The School Performance Framework (SPF) is CDE’s report card. The Academy was rated 70.9% which is well above the cut-off for being a performance school. We are meeting the expectations at the state level.
iii. The School Performance Framework (SPF) for Achievement was consistent across levels, and a positive reflection of The Academy’s performance. This also aligns with STARS and MAPS data.
1. Elementary was rated at 69.9% through CMAS scores.
2. Middle School was rated at 69.6% through CMAS scores.
3. High School was rated at 70.0% through PSAT and SAT scores.
iv. The School Performance Framework (SPF) for Growth shows good improvement in High School but declined a little in Elementary and Middle School.
1. We need to re-adjust our focus to tier 1 practices, because we have done a great job getting our sub groups up to speed.
b. Athletics Facilities Upgrade Funding
i. By the end of the first semester, a recommendation will be made to the Board about the amount of cash that can be used on this project.
ii. A responsible amount to spend and save is being determined.
1. An update will be done when the audit is complete.
2. There will be a focus on best practice guidelines to determine days of cash on hand, which is 55-90 days.
3. The bond covenant requires 65 days cash on hand.
4. Our current status of cash on hand is 188 days.
5. Currently considering 80 days cash on hand.
iii. Some factors to consider for this project include:
1. The overall budget of the project.
2. The financial health of the school.
3. Future school liabilities such as repairs to the roof and the HVAC system.
4. Financial projections related to building addition.
iv. The project would include artificial turf, fencing, lights, bleachers, press box, bathrooms, concession stand, and a score board. The hope is to use the field and host games, so the dirt lot would be transitioned into a practice space.
c. Suspension & Expulsion Policy Updates
i. Updates to the state statues have prompted the need for The Academy to make policy changes.
ii. CSI and the school attorney gave their feedback to our draft policy.
iii. The policy now differentiates by student age, considers alternative remedies, guarantees due process, and has internal alignment.
1. There is a discipline matrix and procedural templates.
d. Work Session Summary
1. The Board reviewed the monthly communications.
2. Discussion was held regarding the Executive Director’s evaluation.
3. The theme and planning process for the new Strategic Plan were discussed.
4. The Attendance Policy was reviewed and discussed.
VI. Executive Summary
a. Vote on the Suspension & Expulsion Policy.
Sarah Drewlow moved to approve the Suspension & Expulsion Policy. Seconded by Kevin Sanchez.
Discussion: None
Ayes: Dan Klenjoski, Kristen Cofrades, Autumn Coffee, Jen Halford, and Larissa Fransua
Nays: None
VII. Adjourn Meeting – Sarah Drewlow adjourned the meeting at 7:16 pm.