Welcome and Call to Order

The meeting was called to order and a quorum ascertained by Ms. KathyAnn Young, Board Chair.

Approval of Agenda

So that there is agreement between board members on the agenda, and the amount of time spent on the meeting, the board shall vote to approve an agenda for the meeting. To the best of its ability, it will follow that agenda, and allow for the chair to move the board through the agenda as specified.

21 Cobalt Presentation

Morgan Belt, a consultant with experience in charter school processes, provided an overview of the upcoming charter renewal process for the governing board. She explained the role of the board in overseeing the charter contract and highlighted key areas that will be reviewed during the process, including academic, financial, and organizational governance. Belt outlined the timeline for renewal, emphasizing the importance of preparing a petition by the October board meeting to meet the November 11th submission deadline. She also discussed the upcoming site visit by DeKalb County and the potential challenges in the process, offering expertise to help navigate these issues effectively.

Ms. Belt discussed the upcoming governing board capacity interviews scheduled for November 18th and 19th, requesting board members to block their calendars and encourage fellow members to do the same. DPA outlined the process for these interviews, including preparation sessions and mock interviews, and explained the renewal application requirements, which focus on three main areas: academic performance, financial results, and organizational capacity. DPA emphasized the importance of board members' involvement in the preparation process and highlighted the potential outcomes of the renewal, including full renewal, conditional renewal, non-renewal, and the option for appeal.

The board focused on reviewing academic and financial performance data for a charter school facing potential non-renewal by DeKalb County. DPA presented mixed results showing initial improvement followed by a decline, particularly noting issues with efficiency margins and audit timelines. The discussion included concerns about DeKalb County's probation status and potential lawsuit implications, with DPA suggesting that while the school has a strong case for renewal, the authorizer's position may complicate the process. The group also discussed preparation for upcoming board interviews and potential appeal processes, with DPA outlining a timeline for developing a new charter position document over the next 9 months

Head of School Report

Dr. Merritt gave an overview of the status of the school related to Governance, Academics, Finance and Operations.

Ms. Lee gave an overview of the draft budget that was discussed during the Budget Hearing. Ms. Lee and Mr. Dennis also reported progress on plumbing issues and discussed plans for purchasing additional units, implementing a full-scale inventory platform for tracking depreciation, and providing technology agreements similar to DeKalb County Schools' policy. The discussion also covered teacher certification and salary scales, with new scales approved for the 2026-27 school year including a 1.5% increase across levels.

Mr. Dennis covered updates on various facilities and infrastructure projects at the school. He discussed ongoing HVAC replacement plans for malfunctioning units in four classrooms, scheduled for July or August, and a middle school painting project planned for June 12th. The team is working on updating the technology infrastructure with E-Rate support to improve security and implement VLANs. Additional updates included plans for replacing outdated water fountains with ADA-compliant models, installing new digital displays, and conducting a furniture inventory to ensure adequate supplies for the new school year. In addition, A new billboard will be placed on Covington Highway and Wesley Chapel, expected to receive close to a million views over four weeks, with plans to run it for four months, particularly around recruitment time. The conversation ended with a brief discussion about technology plans, including the goal to implement a one-to-one computer program where students can take devices home, with plans to review and finalize the technology policy and computer usage guidelines.

Ms. Rodgers presented a draft of updated Governing Board Bylaws. The last updates were completed in 2016. The Governing Board reviewed and discussed proposed revisions to the board bylaws to strengthen governance practices and align with current operational needs. Key updates included provisions permitting virtual board meetings, establishing a quorum requirement of five members, clarifying procedures for member removal, and defining protocols for addressing vacancies and absences. The Board also reviewed proposed Conflict of Interest provisions designed to provide clearer guidance for identifying, disclosing, and managing potential conflicts. Following discussion, board members agreed to further review the draft bylaws and Conflict of Interest policy and provide additional feedback prior to final consideration and adoption at a future meeting.

Mr. Brown and Mr. Whigham presented student assessment data for their respective areas of responsibility. with particular attention to progress in math scores. DPA presented findings showing strong growth in seventh grade with an average gain of 26 points, while fourth and fifth grades demonstrated consistent gains. The discussion highlighted specific student performance, including several who advanced to Level 2, and noted that three new sixth-grade students without prior baseline data showed significant improvements of at least 15 points each.

Dr. Merritt provided strategic planning and enrollment updates. DPA reported that current enrollment stands at approximately 87% of capacity across grades, with strong numbers in key grades including 66 out of 69 in kindergarten and 53 out of 60 in seventh grade. The group discussed implementing monthly meetings next year to review SMART goals and track progress against strategic plan objectives, including a specific goal to increase math fluency by 5% for the 25-26 school year.

The board discussed several strategic actions, including increasing board membership to six members and ensuring all members receive necessary training.

Other Business

The board also addressed the need for the school to enforce dress code policies for staff and improve overall school appearance. Additionally, there was a discussion about potentially holding board meetings in the morning to increase participation, though no final decision was made.

There was robust discussion focused on teacher morale and retention at the school. DPA reported seeing an improvement in teacher morale, particularly following recent organizational changes and leadership direction. The school has implemented various teacher appreciation initiatives including professional development opportunities, mentoring programs, and collaborative activities. DPA noted that teacher retention has improved from the previous year, with only four or five positions needing to be filled, and highlighted positive test score improvements as a contributing factor to the overall positive momentum.

Dr. Merritt discussed several initiatives including a successful book bag donation of $2,200, 99 Pledges campaign, and plans for collaboration with Kennesaw State University. The partnership with Kennesaw State will provide professional development opportunities for teachers and create a pipeline for students to become teachers at DPA, including plans for a full-day training session during pre-planning. Lastly, Dr. Merritt mentioned upcoming events including a back-to-school bash scheduled for July 25th and discussed various educational resources and technology available at Kennesaw State, including an avatar room for training purposes.

The Meeting was Adjourned

The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:17 pm