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| | 1. | | Roll call.
Minutes note: Meeting convened: 5:33 P.M.
Members present: Glenn Steinbrecher, Naryan David Leazer, Ruben Burgos, Joyce Mallory, Kevin Ingram and Raynetta Hill
Member excused: Desiree Pointer-Mace
Also present: Gayle Peay | | | |
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| | 2. | | Review and approval of the minutes of the October 30. 2019 meeting.
Minutes note: Mr. Leazer moved, seconded by Ms. Hill, for approval of the minutes. There were no objections. | | | |
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| 0 | 3. | Communication | Communication relating to administrative matters of the Charter School Review Committee for the 2019-2021 school years.
Minutes note: Institute for the Preservation of African American Music and Arts (IPAMA)
Individuals present:
Dr. Floyd Williams
Bishop Sedgwick Daniels
Themba Muzondo
Willie Jude
Bishop Daniels said that music and arts can be used to give young people an opportunity to express themselves and the Institute is a conduit that will serve individuals who can capture their own individual identities. IPAMA is housed in 2 locations - 32nd and Hampton being the anchor and there is a satellite station on the northwest side off of the Swan corridor, which is 20 acres in size. They want to prepare their students for life.
Dr. Williams said the school will serve kids k4 through 12th grade and science and the arts will be integrated. They will provide their students with a one-to-one digital device, either an IPad or a Chromebook, so students are prepared for the current technology. They will provide their students with career counselors, social workers and accelerated classes.
Mr. Jude has been with MPS for 34 years and with a charter school for 6 years. His experience, cultural awareness and STEM will be integrated throughout the school. They have community and parental support to stem the tide of hopelessness that currently exists.
Bishop Daniels said the school does not compete with existing services, but complements them. They have zero debt on their facilities. The Swan corridor is an oasis of calm and solace on its campus and they can transport their students from the Hampton anchor building. They have a lot of financial support and that enables them to provide the one-to-one financial support.
Mr. Muzondo is a CPA with over 25 years of experience and he has worked for blue-chip companies, in addition to the city and the state. They have turnkey buildings that are ready from day one.
Bishop Daniels sees this school as a way to leave a legacy for future generations. He willl be the chair of the Board and responsible for bringing together the brightest and sharpest minds. There are a number of individuals who have expressed an interest in serving as principal.
Dr. Williams said there will be two tracks - either to push students to succeed at colllege or succeed in a job. The student will choose the track and they are provided with the tools for the areas which they wish to pursue.
Incoming students will be given a diagnostic test and they will provide them with the supports they need. They believe that technology will be used to track gains and find unmet needs.
Dr. Willliams said that the arts will be infused in the studies by the teachers to provide for a holistic education for their students. They have also contacted national artists who have volunteered to motivate their students. The school will also work with parents to provide their students with the best education. They are aware that they will need to provide wraparound services as they have been working in these areas for years. They have to get the cooperation of the parents in order to have the students succeed. Mr. Jude believes that if you hook the kids, you will hook the parents, as well as having motivated teachers. Bishop Daniels said that there are social services in the area that the school can tap into, rather than providing duplicative services. They do have philanthropic partners who can provide endowments and in-kind donations. Bishop Daniels said he has the support of President Hamilton.
The rent is $748,000 per year for both buildings, which concerns Mr. Steinbrecher. The rent money goes into the IPAMA project, which is governed by the Board. He also thought the health cost per teacher was low and he wasn't sure what benefits would be offered.
The 7 board members are in place and is blended culturally, by gender, ethnicity, various interests, etc.
Dr. Williams said the students would be clustered by interest and busing would be provided between the two campuses. Dr. Williams was a former principal at an MPS arts school, but this school would have much more arts. Bishop Daniels said that with tight budgets many of the arts programs have suffered and they would like to bring them back both to the school and to the community at large.
Mr. Ingram asked how the school will make up any deficit if it cannot recruit the proposed number of students its first year, which is typical of most schools. Dr. Williams said the rent can be reduced and they will roll out the school grade-by-grade rather than all grades the first year. Mr. Ingram noted that they have a charter school with MPS that is not meeting expectations and asked if the art services could be implemented at their existing two charter schools as a pilot project. Bishop Daniels said he is not affiliated with the other two charter schools. Mr. Ingram also asked how they will find teachers that are capable of integrating arts into their curriculum. Dr. Williams said either other artists will be brought in or teachers will receive additional training in the arts. Dr. Williams said there will be programming both before and after school. Ms. Mallory asked how continual assessment of students will be done, as well as meeting the needs of special-education students, which might compose 15%-20% of the student body. Dr. Williams said there will be no typical curriculum for students, but the graduation requirements will be met by the students and there are 3 teachers set aside for special education. Students will spend the morning at one campus and the afternoon at the other campus. Ms. Mallory believes the budget for instructional materials is inadequate and she would like a budget based on per-pupil costs. Ms. Mallory also asked how the school would grow support for the arts in the community.
Mr. Burgos moved that the prospectus is satisfactory and a complete application should be submitted, seconded by Mr. Leazer. All members voted "aye" except Mr. Ingram, who was opposed.
Global Nurse Leaders Academy
Edna Hudson
Bob Gintroft - Vice-Chair
Ms. Hudson said her aunt used to mentor urban students in her home and she did this as she felt urban students, particularly African American, wanted to be nurses, but lacked the needed skills. Her aunt passed, but while dying, encouraged her to continue with creating this school. She is a labor and delivery nurse and the school will be k4-12th grade and starting with 144 students and adding grades each year, up to 5th grade, when it is anticipated they will have 250 students. She is not attempting to be a large school and the progression will be slow. The middle school focuses on health and welness and there will be two classes of 9th graders at the start of the high school. The 6th-8th grades will be blended into one class and students will be recruited for the multi-age class. The school will start with k4 and k5, but then have no 1st through 5th grade, then will have the 6th-8th grade class. The k4 and k5 students will be at a separate site from the 6th-9th grade students. Ms. Mallory was concerned as there is no continuity with kids being recruited for the 6th grade.
Mr. Steinbrecher was concerned as it seems like students' performance drops during the middle-school years, even if they remain at the same school.
She will be revamping the financials for the 2021 school year. She does not know where her school will be sited yet so she hasn't contacted any Council member. She has not added any new board members and is seeking new members. Mr. Steinbrecher also feels the salaries are way too low to attract quality teachers, as is the overall budget and there are no transportation costs included nor medical equipment to train students on. Ms. Hudson willl be providing updated and more extensive budget information and she just received her task exempt status in September.
Mr. Gintroft is from Ogden Real Estate and is the Vice-Chair of the Board.
Ms. Hudson has never run a school before. Ms. Hill was concerned with the lack of green space or playground space at the Parklawn Assembly of God site. Ms. Hudson is also concerned about the lack of green space at that location; there are plans to rectify that, but at present there is no green space. She used to run two day cares and sees the need to start with young children.
Mr. Leazer asked how a rolling-admission policy of accepting new students all year at any grades. Ms. Hudson said students will only be accepted during open-enrollment periods - applications will be accepted year-round, but students won't be placed year-round. Students will be recruited through bulk mail, word of mouth, health career fairs, marketing and through community organizations she works with. The first year there will be 6 teachers with a total of 18 employees. She will take advantage of the federal charter school grant and she was told by a DPI employee she should qualify for the grant. She will also be borrowing money through PNC Bank, which will match the federal grant. Mr. Leazer also questioned how she would recruit teachers, particularly in the sciences, which are already short-staffed. She will be there as an administrator to get the program up and running.
Mr. Leazer asked who will be providing administration at the k4 and k5 site as there will only be teachers there. The preschool staff at that same location will provide administrative oversight in conjunction with Ms. Hudson. She has visited a number of charter schools and had discussions around start-ups and has been working six years to get this school going. Her end goal for the students is to have students graduate from a school of nursing. Ms. Mallory noted that Ms. Hudson needed to demonstrate a good school that is innovative and needed. Aurora wants to host its CNA students once her school is authorized.
Mr. Leazer moved to not recommend approval of this application to move forward, seconded by Mr. Burgos. There were no objections.
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