The meeting will be called to the order.

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.

Review and approval of prior meeting minutes.

Our Public Comment period is for members of the public to address the board. Each member of the public may sign up to comment at the meeting, and will be allotted two minutes. The board will listen, but may not directly respond to any comments. Our meetings are open to the public and public record. As such, if your comment is about a private matter, please contact the board via email, or speak to the board chair privately.

Finance Committee Report

• First-quarter spending remained consistent with the board-approved budgets.
• Both academies’ year-to-date fiscal viability results would earn 64 of 65 points on the SCSC Comprehensive Performance Framework. The deduction related to the debt service to income ratio.
• Vertex introduced a dashboard summarizing budget versus actual results, forecast changes, cash reserves, current ratio, projected fund balance, and liabilities relative to assets.
• Members discussed the treatment of pension obligations and whether the dashboard’s debt-to-assets metric should be labeled liabilities-to-assets. Mr. Juel-Larsen agreed to review the terminology.

Resurgence Hall Primary Academy

• Forecasted FY27 net income increased from $576,628 to $601,008.
• Changes included $36,000 in CSGF donation revenue, partially offset by $11,620 in personnel expenses for an open School Services Associate position.
• September ended with approximately $7.42 million in cash, representing 396 days of cash on hand.

Resurgence Hall Middle Academy

• Forecasted FY27 net income increased from $145,752 to $221,678.
• Changes included $51,926 in personnel savings following the transfer of an associate teacher to Primary Academy without backfilling the Middle Academy position, and $24,000 in CSGF donation revenue.
• September ended with approximately $3.14 million in cash, representing 280 days of cash on hand.
• Projected year-end cash on hand was 286 days.

Additional Financial Updates

• Tori Hines discussed CSGF’s Entrepreneur in Residence initiative and her coaching support for a prospective school founder.
• Current forecasts continued to reflect existing loan terms. Vertex would review October enrollment count data for potential funding adjustments.

Refinancing Update

• Ms. Hines reported that the application to the Fulton Development Authority had been submitted that day.
• The anticipated refinancing closing remained late 2026 or early January 2027, subject to the application and approval process.
• Due diligence included survey, environmental assessment, and title documentation. Final refinancing terms had not been established.
• Members requested comparisons showing the effects of different cash contributions on reserves, monthly payments, and financial performance measures.
• Scenarios discussed included:
• Financing the existing debt and transaction costs.
• Paying transaction costs in cash.
• Using additional cash to reduce principal and monthly payments.
• Modeling the cash contribution needed to reduce monthly payments by approximately half.
• Mr. Juel-Larsen agreed to begin modeling alternatives.
• Ms. Hines would confirm that refinance representatives were included in refinancing correspondence.
• Members identified the strategic use of accumulated reserves as a topic for further discussion, potentially during a board retreat.

Academic Committee

Enrollment and Staffing

• The September presentation reported enrollment of 713 scholars.
• September withdrawals included five Primary Academy scholars and three Middle Academy scholars.
• Reported withdrawal reasons included academic program alignment, school culture alignment, transfers to zoned district schools, and relocation.
• Applications for the 2027–2028 school year opened October 1.
• Staffing was largely complete, with a School Services Associate vacancy remaining.
• Members discussed recruiting for part-time recess and aftercare positions, including former RH scholars.

Fall NWEA MAP Results

• Ms. Hines reviewed fall 2026 reading and mathematics results compared with fall 2025.
• The school uses the 61st percentile or higher as its MAP indicator associated with proficient and distinguished performance.
• The Spring 2027 goal is for at least 90% of scholars to meet or exceed that threshold.
• Reading highlights included:
• Sixth-grade performance increased from 63% to 84%, a 21 percentage point gain.
• First- and eighth-grade performance each reached 80%.
• Seventh-grade performance declined from 70% to 61%.
• Mathematics highlights included:
• First-grade performance reached 82%, and second-grade performance reached 89%.
• Seventh-grade performance declined from 76% to 55%.
• Eighth-grade performance declined from 83% to 76%.
• Members discussed cohort trends and the revised mathematics sequence introducing seventh-grade pre-algebra and eighth-grade honors Algebra I.
• Eighth graders enrolled in Algebra I would take the high school end-of-course assessment.
• The school implemented Illustrative Mathematics and engaged a consultant to support alignment with Georgia standards.
• Ms. Hines emphasized continued monitoring. The cause of the seventh-grade decline had not been established; winter and spring MAP results would provide additional information.

STEP Literacy Results and Instructional Response

• The year-end goal is for at least 90% of scholars to score proficient or distinguished on the fourth-quarter STEP assessment.
• Staff were examining first-grade literacy and persistence after approximately one-quarter of the prior kindergarten cohort did not return.
• Reported EIP eligibility
• Instructional responses included:
• Targeted K–4 reading rotations and grades 5–8 strategic practice groups informed by assessment data.
• Review of early intervention and remedial program eligibility.
• Professional development for lead and associate teachers on foundational literacy and EIP instruction.
• Weekly first- and third-grade reading co-observations.
• Continued targeted EIP, ESOL, and special education services.
• Presentation of complete Georgia Milestones results remained pending release of ELA data.

Governance Committee Report

• The board discussed the request for a one-year extension of Middle Academy’s charter contract through June 30, 2028, aligning its contract term with Primary Academy’s.
• The alignment would reduce the administrative burden of consecutive renewal processes.
• School performance evaluations and renewal recommendations would remain separate for each academy.
• A request letter had been drafted.
• Khalif asked which performance years the authorizer would review under the revised timeline. Ms. Hines noted that the authorizer had not provided that clarification and that the renewal criteria would need to be reviewed.

The SCSC would like Resurgence Hall Middle Academy to consider a one-year charter contract extension to June 30, 2028 in order to align the Middle Academy’s contract term with Elementary Academy’s contract term.

Ms. Hines highlighted the Phoenix Family Network’s Harvest Jam for Middle Academy scholars, featuring fall games, pumpkin decorating, and a candy apple bar.

Scholars showcased their work during the first art exhibition of the school year.

September Team Members of the Month were:

• Sidney Riggins, Primary Academy first-grade associate teacher.
• Michael Thompson, Middle Academy music teacher.

Ms. Hines shared reflections on educational access following her participation in the 1954 Project gathering.

Closing remarks from board chair.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:43 pm