Welcome Call To Order

Meeting was called to order and a quorum ascertained at 7:11 p.m.

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.

Approval of Minutes from Jul 22, 2026

Head of School Report

90-Day Strategic Plan Presentation

Dr. Merritt presented a 90-day plan aligned with DPA's strategic plan, focusing on four key pillars: academics and cultural goals, standard operations, finance and human resources, and resource development. The academic pillar includes goals related to classroom maintenance, student and teacher attendance, IEP tracking, and professional development, all tied to their Corrective Action Plan (CAP) with DeKalb County. The operational pillar covers infrastructure improvements, system implementations, and facility maintenance, while the finance and human resources pillar focuses on recruiting a new SBA, completing fiscal audits, strengthening HR operations, and improving financial reporting.

School Improvement Plan Status Update

Dr. Merritt provided a status update on the school's continuous improvement plan, highlighting that IEPs and progress monitoring are on track, with areas of focus including stakeholder engagement, literacy initiatives, and peer collaboration through POCs and coaching. He explained that while some items like building cleanliness and attendance tracking are ongoing, the 90-day plan includes monthly progress tracking with color-coded status indicators (gray for not started, gold for in progress, green for completed). Dr. Merritt noted that certain activities like the standard of the month program and IEP progress monitoring follow specific schedules, with the standard of the month for August focusing on the highest percentage of milestone points from the Georgia Blueprint.

Professional Learning Communities Implementation

Dr. Merritt discussed the implementation and measurement of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), which occur twice daily focusing on 4th grade instruction. He explained that PLC effectiveness is measured through 5-20/80 walks where administrators observe small group learning and teacher support strategies, including the use of paras and co-teaching for struggling students. Dr. Merritt also mentioned attendance goals targeting 7-10% below full attendance, with plans to celebrate perfect attendance through incentives like Chick-Fil-A meals and noted that computer deployment has achieved one-to-one device availability.

School Computer Program Discussion

Dr. Merritt discussed the school's one-to-one computer program, explaining that while students have access to computers in the classroom, they do not currently take them home due to a previous decision. He emphasized the need for technology agreements from parents and suggested surveying stakeholders to determine Wi-Fi access at home. Dr. Merritt also mentioned that DPA has adopted SMART goals, including a career exploration initiative for middle school students, with progress to be reviewed monthly.

Corrective Action Plan and Budget Updates

Dr. Merritt provided updates on the corrective action plan implementation, noting that progress monitoring and IEPs are being addressed with immediate feedback to teachers and visible improvements in classrooms.

Report accepted by the Governing Board

Academic Committee

The Academic Committee met and approved ordering additional books from HMH and several staff salary adjustments.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee reported on the July financials, audit preparations, and vendor payments. The committee reported that July expenses aligned with budget expectations, with a projected year-end surplus of $108,832.

Public Comment

There was no public comment from stakeholders.

Executive Session

The board entered into Executive Session to discuss legal matters. There was no action taken.

The Meeting was Adjourned

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:22 pm