Centennial Academy

Governing Board

Regular Meeting - Monday August 26th, 2024 @5:30 PM

Meeting Minutes

Attendance Summary

Name Status Arrival Time Departure Time
Egbert Perry present chair On Time At Adjournment
Renee Glover present vice-chair On Time At Adjournment
Demetrius Patterson present member On Time At Adjournment
Walt Higgins present member On Time At Adjournment
Howard Grant not present member
Christopher Burke not present member
Maurice Baker present member On Time At Adjournment
Virginia Sheppard not present member
Chaundra Gipson not present member
Allison Toller present member On Time At Adjournment
Rewa Berry not present member
Lizanne DeStefano present member On Time At Adjournment
Aquaria Smith present secretary On Time At Adjournment
Derrick Gervin not present member

Welcome Call to Order

Chair Perry called the meeting to Order at 5:40 pm.

Approval of Agenda & Minutes

Motion to adopt the agenda and minutes as presented.

By: Allison Toller Seconded by: Lizanne DeStefano

There was no notable discussion on the motion.

Chair's Remarks

Chair Perry shared that despite starting with slightly lower numbers, there is a steady improvement as Centennial starts the new year. With the school fully staffed, Chair Perry is ready to witness the school make a substantial impact. He related this year's focus is on making quantum leaps rather than small, incremental changes. He further conveyed the commitment to move forward in significant, transformative strides, so let us maintain our focus and make these goals a reality.

Public Comment

No public comments.

Governance Committee Report

Chair Perry, acting in the absence of Committee Chair Berry, addressed several key issues under the Committee's consideration. He related the importance of fully executing the Conflict of Interest (COI) statement and the Letter of Assurance (LOA), which are critical for maintaining transparency and accountability within the Committee’s operations.

Ms. Olowoyo reported that amendments to the Letter of Assurance focused on clarifying key areas where the prior version differed. Specifically, the areas of note included:

  1. Clarifying Responsibilities: The updated Letter of Assurance now more explicitly defines the committee members' roles and obligations regarding the organization’s strategic goals.
  2. Transparency and Reporting: Providing clear reporting mechanisms and communication expectations guidelines to address conflicts or issues through appropriate channels.
  3. Compliance and Accountability: The amended LOA enhances compliance language, emphasizing that all members must uphold ethical standards and fulfill their duties with full transparency.
  4. Centennial Academy must hand over its financials if terminated or not renewed and provide monthly statements if terminated or the contract is not renewed. Additionally, Centennial must submit to APS for approval expenditures over $10K.
  5. Public school funds allocated for the operation of the APS charter school cannot be used for any purpose, including the establishment of new charter schools.

Chair Perry agreed to electronically execute the Letter of Assurance. Vice-Chair Glover asked about the current status of Centennial's contract and whether there were any potential changes to the Agreement. In response, Ms. Olowoyo clarified that while the standards may have changed, the Agreement remains unchanged. She also noted that the delay in finalizing the contract is primarily due to the ongoing transition from the State Charter School Commission to a new commission.

Finance Committee Report

Vice-Chair Glover announced that the Facilities and Finance Committee did not meet. However, Steve Pressas reported on the YTD Statement of Activities, noting the use of fund balance and the importance of conservative budgeting for future building projects. He highlighted that $75K due from APS is yet to be reflected under revenue and that there has been a drawdown to meet the month-to-date threshold. He discussed the current assets over current liabilities.

Motion to support Personnel recommendation.

By: Lizanne DeStefano Seconded by: Renee Glover

Motion passed unanimously without discussion.

Academic Accountability Committee Report

Committee Chair Patterson reported on the Georgia Milestones results, highlighting the school's progress and performance metrics against the 2023-24 target goals.

Academic and Target Goals Update

Ms. Hodges related students' trends within the Lower Academy, including the school's focus on interdisciplinary instruction, year-long projects, and the need for professional development for K5 teachers. Mr. Thorbes reported on the Upper Academy students' performance metrics in ELA, science, and social studies scores, emphasizing the importance of teacher coaching and feedback. Mr. Alejandro highlighted the need to monitor subgroups, including diverse learners and those in the early intervention program, to ensure academic growth.

STEM Certification

Ms. Blackmon outlined the plan for seeking Georgia Department of Education STEM certification for 2024-2027, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary instruction and year-long projects. She mentioned new partnerships to include Keisha Simmons, a focus on professional development with teachers K-5, and the need for a maker space to support hands-on learning.




Head of School Report

Ms. Olowoyo highlighted the school's achievements, including recognition on the APS GMAT growth list in every content area.

Overall Academic Achievement

She discussed the leadership's team focus on becoming the fastest-improving charter school in APS and the importance of accelerating academic growth. Ms. Olowoyo's reported on the significant growth in English Language Arts (ELA) and Science scores and the importance of maintaining this momentum. Additionally, emphases were placed on continuing engagement in academic goals and teacher professional development to achieve these goals.

Attendance and School Partnerships

Ms. Olowoyo reported on the efforts to maintain high attendance for faculty and staff throughout the year, the 10-year celebration event, the importance of community engagement, the school's partnership with EY, and upcoming parent events.






Executive Session Call To Order

The Board can call this session to order to discuss records (or portions thereof) exempt from public inspection or disclosure pursuant to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, (OCGA 50-18-72).  If called, this will be a closed session.

Moved to Executive Session for Personnel matter.

By: Allison Toller Seconded by: Egbert Perry

There was no notable discussion on the motion.

Adjourned to Governing Board meeting.

By: Renee Glover Seconded by: Lizanne DeStefano

There was no notable discussion on the motion.

The Meeting was Adjourned

The meeting adjourned at 7:13 pm

Motion to adjourn

There was no notable discussion on the motion.