DEMOCRACY PREP BATON ROUGE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD …

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DEMOCRACY PREP BATON ROUGE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MINUTES

JUNE 8, 2016

DEMOCRACY PREP BATON ROUGE 4055 PRESCOTT ROAD

BATON ROUGE, LA 70805

Present Leslie Grover Allyson d’Aquin Eddrick Martin Marketa Walters

Absent David Kurpius Adrienne Moore Hector Zapata

Others Natalie Turk Benjamin Feit Patricia McMurray Stephanie Miller (video) Michelle Gieg (video) Greg Spreeman (video)

Leslie Grover, Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the Board’s May 10, 2016 meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 6:06 p.m. School Update Michelle Gieg, Executive Director of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge (“DPBR”), highlighted student growth for the 2015-16 academic year. In sixth grade, 61% of scholars met their end-of-year ELA growth targets on the MAP assessment and 63% met their growth targets in Math. In kindergarten, 99% of scholars met their growth targets in both ELA and Math, demonstrating the importance of early academic intervention for our scholars. Ms. Gieg also shared that the school is fully staffed for next year, including three incoming teachers who each have over 10 years of teaching experience. The school team is continuing the enrollment push for the expanded grade levels next year and is preparing the facility for a larger number of scholars. Ms. Gieg then described a potential partnership with City Year for the 2016-17 academic year that would provide the school with eight corps members to work as Associate Teachers. The board discussed the details of the partnership and the opportunity that it would provide for DPBR to build a talent pipeline within the building. Ms. Gieg is working closely with the program directors and feels confident that they can bring the right people in to contribute to the team. MOTION: Motion to authorize a partnership with City Year consistent with the terms discussed and presented and to empower the School Leader and the DPPS Chief of Staff and General Counsel to finalize the terms of the arrangement. Motion approved unanimously at 6:20 pm. Benjamin Feit, Chief of Staff for Democracy Prep Public Schools (“DPPS”), explained the process for revising the 2016-17 DPBR school handbooks and shared some of the prevalent threads of discussion amongst school leaders regarding school policies across the network. Ms. Gieg shared that the biggest changes to the Student and Family Handbook for DPBR were to make the Code of Conduct more reflective and data-aligned. Patricia McMurray described several places where the handbook could more explicitly align with state laws and agreed to touch base with Mr. Feit after the meeting.

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MOTION: Motion to approve the 2016-17 DPBR Student and Family Handbooks. Motion approved unanimously at 6:29 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the 2016-17 Financial Policies and Procedures Handbook. Motion approved unanimously at 6:32 pm Mr. Feit shared that the only major change to the 2016-17 Personnel Handbook was to the Childcare Leave Policy as discussed in previous meetings. MOTION: Motion to approve the 2016-17 Personnel Handbook, pending minor modifications as agreed upon by Ms. McMurray and Mr. Feit. Motion approved unanimously at 6:36 pm. The board then discussed the proposed 2016-17 Management Agreement with Democracy Prep Public Schools. Ms. McMurray described state requirements for vendor compliance that had been updated. Mr. Feit mentioned other changes regarding the services provided by the network, which now include student recruitment services and academic assistance that will be provided by a Regional Assistant Superintendent. MOTION: Motion to approve the 2016-17 Management Agreement with Democracy Prep Public Schools, pending minor changes as discussed. Motion approved unanimously at 6:51 pm. MOTION: Motion to reappoint Michelle Gieg as School Leader for the 2016-17 academic year. Motion approved unanimously at 6:51 pm. The board expressed its deep appreciation for Ms. Gieg’s strong school leadership throughout the first year of the school’s operation. Finance and Audit Committee Update Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer at DPPS, described the current financial status of DPBR and agreed to send an update to the board as soon as two impending grants come through and all financials are fully closed. Mr. Spreeman then led the board through a first reading of the FY17 budget and asked for the board’s approval to select an auditor for FY16. MOTION: Motion to appoint Daigrepont & Brian, APAC as the auditor for Democracy Prep Baton Rouge for FY16. Motion approved unanimously at 7:04 pm. Network Update Mr. Feit shared updates from the network on the upcoming high school graduations in New York and the college acceptances for the senior class, which include Brown, Harvard, Howard, Morehouse, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts, Wesleyan, Yale, and others. Mr. Feit shared that 90% of seniors have had 100% of their financial need met by their colleges, and the other 10% of students are working closely with the college team to identify possible scholarships to fill the gaps in their financial aid. Mr. Feit also described the leadership and operations professional development that would be taking place in New York at the end of June and expressed the network’s excitement to have the school leaders from DPBR joining the team in New York and the teams from other regions for this opportunity. MOTION: Motion to approve the 2016-17 Instructional and Board Meeting calendars. Motion approved unanimously at 7:07 pm. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:08 p.m.


AUGUST 9, 2016


BATON ROUGE, LA 70805 Present Allyson d’Aquin Marketa Walters Hector Zapata Leslie Grover

Absent Adrienne Moore David Kurpius Eddrick Martin

Others Michelle Gieg Benjamin Feit Corrie Manieri Jenny Richey

Leslie Grover, Board Chair of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School (“DPBR”), called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the Board’s June 8, 2016 meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 6:02 p.m. Approval of New Board Member Jenny Richey introduced herself and was welcomed to the board. MOTION: Motion to approve the appointment of Jenny Richey to the Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School Board of Directors for a term lasting until June 30, 2018. Motion approved unanimously at 6:03 p.m. MOTION: Motion to accept the resignation of David Kurpius from the Board of Directors effective immediately. Motion approved unanimously at 6:04. The board thanked Mr. Kurpius for his service as a founding board member and expressed gratitude for his assistance with the school’s launch, particularly with respect to facilities support. Finance and Audit Committee Update Allyson d’Aquin, Board Treasurer, reminded the Board that they are in receipt of the proposed budget for the 2016-2017 school year. She noted that the draft budget has not changed, and that any expected changes, such as school nursing services and costs associated with new sports teams, will come from the budget’s contingency amount. Ms. d’Aquin discussed the expected student enrollment numbers, and shared that while $100,000 is still owed to DPPS, grant monies have been coming in steadily. Marketa Walters suggested monitoring expenditures and considering whether a drive for sports equipment might be preferable to eroding the contingency should the budget projections appear tight. MOTION: Motion to approve the FY17 budget as presented and attached. Motion approved unanimously at 6:17 p.m.

School Update Michelle Gieg, Executive Director of DPBR, began the school update by reviewing data from 2016 state assessments. To earn credit on the School Performance Score (SPS), 65% of the middle school scholars need to score Basic or Above. DPBR middle school scholars, 18% or whom have an IEP, met that threshold in Science. Additionally, 60% of tested scholars scored Basic or Above in ELA, and 45% scored at Basic or Above in Math. The science score puts DPBR at the top of the district, while the ELA and Math scores were on par with district performance. Ms. Gieg stated that Democracy Prep is far outperforming assessment data from the final year of Prescott Middle. Ms. Gieg expressed confidence that scores would continue to improve as the school’s systems and instructional program become increasingly responsive to student needs. Ms. Gieg discussed the composition of the SPS that will be released by the Louisiana Department of Education in late fall. The SPS will include student proficiency on state exams and Value Added Measures that act as bonus points earned for students who demonstrate year-over-year growth. Discussion ensued about how results should be messaged to various constituencies to ensure a broader appreciation of the work being done at the school. Ben Feit, Chief of Staff of Democracy Prep Public Schools, shared that a core DPPS belief is that growth matters most. Students often enter 6th grade presenting severe deficits that require long-term remediation. Consequently, performance metrics heavily weighted toward proficiency often do not align well with the network’s approach to educating students who most need access to an excellent school. Hector Zapata asked about the plan to address performance and Ms. Gieg shared that three areas of focus in the middle school are classroom structure, curricular alignment, and school culture. Specifically, question stems on lesson plans are now more closely linked in format to those that will likely appear on state assessments, and summer PD for staff focused on ensuring academics and joy remain at the forefront of all classrooms. Ms. Gieg shared that DPBR’s growth is occurring strategically. She reminded the board that target enrollment for 2016-17 is 300 scholars. Ms. Gieg noted that the enrollment numbers are currently inconsistent across grade levels, and she stressed that any necessary staffing realignments would be implemented with an eye on prioritizing staff retention for 2017-18. Ms. Gieg praised the City Year Corps Members currently being trained to serve as associate teachers and indicated that early returns have fortified her belief that the partnership will prove to be a fruitful recruitment pipeline. Discussion ensued about strategies to recognize families who are referring others to DPBR. Ms. Gieg reiterated that DPBR is excited to add a sports program and will have 5 sports – girls golf, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls basketball. Practice will run from 4-4:45, and bus transportation is used for sporting events. In addition to extra-curriculars, DPBR will also have a competitive speech & debate club and jazz band. Network Update Mr. Feit shared that teachers have returned across the DPPS network and that the vibe around the network is enthusiastic. With no new regions or turnaround schools being added in 2016-17, the network will consist of 19 schools educating 5,500 students in Baton Rouge, New York City, Camden, and Washington, D.C. DP You, an annual DPPS summit and PD showcase, will be held in

Philadelphia in late-October. For the first time, this year’s event will be in our Camden region, highlighting the fact that DP is a truly national organization. Mr. Zapata asked about graduation and college. Mr. Feit shared that there is an active team at DPPS that supports graduates both through the application process and once they have matriculated at the college of their choice. Each school with alumni operates a micro-grant program to cover last-dollar financial aid, and the network has assorted mechanisms — including an alumni corps program, alumni panels for teachers and current scholars, and an alumni captain system that creates ongoing support systems among former classmates — to maintain routine contact with the vast majority of its alumni. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:06 p.m.


SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

1735 THOMAS DELPIT DRIVE BATON ROUGE, LA 70802

Present Marketa Walters Leslie Grover Eddrick Martin Jenny Richey

Absent Adrienne Moore Allyson d’Aquin Hector Zapata

Others Michelle Gieg Corrie Manieri Katie Duffy Patty McMurray

Leslie Grover, Board Chair of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School (“DPBR”), called the meeting to order at 6:14 p.m. The meeting opened with board members and invited guests sharing their personal experiences from the August flooding that devastated Baton Rouge and its surrounding communities. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the Board’s August 9, 2016 meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 6:36 p.m. School Update Michelle Gieg, Executive Director of DPBR, began the school update by thanking Eddrick Martin, board member and Executive Director of the Baranco Clark YMCA, for affording DPBR use of the YMCA as an alternate site after the flood. Ms. Gieg explained how the school is using the YMCA to hold Constant Learner Academy (CLA) and shared details about the set-up and structure. Elementary students rotate between math, reading mastery, writing, reading comprehension, and movement classes, while middle school students rotate between technology, reading, math, English, and music. Daily attendance has averaged between 220 and 260 students. The current plan is for CLA to continuing being held at the YMCA through the end of September with teachers returning to Prescott for a week of professional development on October 3 and students returning to the school’s permanent facility after Columbus Day. The PD period will allow for time to prepare instructional materials, set up classrooms, and revise yearlong planning calendars. A lengthy discussion ensued about ongoing efforts to mitigate, abate, and repair damage to the facility; the nature of the school’s conversations with insurance adjusters, restoration companies, oversight agencies, and the school district; and potential enrollment considerations occasioned by the displacement of families into temporary housing. Ms. Gieg described the relief efforts Democracy Prep has initiated for scholars and families. Hundreds of individuals helped purchase supplies for recovery kits on Amazon. Ms. Gieg is planning to thank the donors and would welcome suggestions. Another DPBR team responded to the short-term needs of families by collecting and delivering emergency supplies such as food, water,

and clothing. Ms. Gieg expressed gratitude to City Year for its partnership and support during this difficult time. Network Update Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Democracy Prep Public Schools, began by stating that the well-being of the students, families, and staff members in Baton Rouge has remained at the forefront of every DPPS team member’s mind. Ms. Duffy suggested that all board members visit during school hours, because there’s nothing like seeing Constant Learner Academy taking place in the YMCA. Throughout the building, scholars are learning and loving it. Whether on beanbags or in the middle of the gym in a tent, school is taking place. Ms. Duffy shared a specific story she witnessed during the day’s staff meeting. When Ms. Gieg notified a teacher that she would be able to start to work with students in small group pull out sessions, the teacher’s eyes filled with tears of joy. Ms. Duffy shared her sincere thanks to Ms. Gieg and the DPBR team for working so tirelessly to support students and show them they are loved and cared for. Discussion ensued about recent staffing changes at the CMO and network growth plans beyond the 2016-17 school year. Ms. Duffy extended an invitation to DP You, an annual DPPS summit and PD showcase, which will be held in Philadelphia in late-October. Ms. Marketa Walters asked about efforts being made to document what’s going on with DPBR and Constant Learner Academy. Ms. Duffy shared that videos are in production and will be used to tell the story of surviving this disaster as a community. Ms. Walters suggested that the video include interviews of students describing what it means to them to be able to return to the Prescott building. Legal Update Patty McMurray notified the board that she has switched law firms and outlined options with regard to future legal representation. Ms. Duffy stated that she would follow up with Kent Anker, Democracy Prep’s General Counsel, to determine appropriate next steps. MOTION: Motion to engage Baker Donelson as the school’s legal services provider of record pending Mr. Anker’s approval. Motion approved unanimously at 7:22. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:24 p.m.


OCTOBER 6, 2016

4055 PRESCOTT DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, LA 70805 Present Eddrick Martin Allyson d’Aquin Jenny Richey Hector Zapata

Absent Marketa Walters Leslie Grover Adrienne Moore

Others Michelle Gieg Corrie Manieri Camille Lamond Viviana Perez (video)

Allyson d’Aquin, Board Treasurer of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School (“DPBR”), called the meeting to order at 6:07 p.m. Camille Lamond, a prospective candidate to replace Adrienne Moore on the board, introduced herself to the trustees. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the Board’s September 13, 2016 meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 6:10 p.m. Ms. d’Aquin began a conversation about the school’s FY17 financial forecast. Michelle Gieg, Executive Director of DPBR, shared information about expected revenue sources, student enrollment, and transportation expenses that currently exceed budgeted projections. Enrollment numbers are comparable to their pre-flood levels. Over 90% of the scholars who attended Prep Academy the week prior to the flood have returned now that school has officially resumed. The board, the executive director, and network leadership will review the terms of the school’s transportation contract and attempt to determine appropriate next steps. Network Spotlight - Civics Viviana Perez, DPPS Civics Program Director, delivered the October Network Spotlight, outlining the manner in which Democracy Prep supports both civic education and civic programming. Ms. Gieg explained that DPBR leadership and civic coordinators are currently contemplating a theme for the year, which will drive activities such as the annual Day of Service. In 2015-16, in an effort to change the way scholars perceive the role of law enforcement, students and staff engaged with police officers, the fire department, and first responders. Students built relationships with these communities after learning about their roles and getting to know them as individuals. DPBR recognizes the relationship between communities of color and law enforcement is fraught across the country, and particularly here at home after the events of this past July. With the civics program and the Day of Service, DPBR hopes to build a platform for our scholars to speak to these critical issues. School Update Ms. Gieg began the school update by sharing a slide show that highlighted the months since the flood. The video included footage of the school building flooded with two feet of water and showed

scholars and staff at Constant Learner Academy (CLA) at the YMCA. Ms. Gieg shared appreciation for Mr. Eddrick Martin and credited the YMCA staff for making CLA a success. DPBR has started to make staffing decisions for the 2017-18 instructional year, including the hiring of a visual arts teacher. Ms. Gieg shared that all six of the City Year teachers and the City Year leader would be offered positions, meaning that up to seven new hires could come from this new pipeline. In order to ensure that fall and winter are predictable for staff and scholars, there will be no changes to the school calendar before the winter holiday. However, adjustments may need to be made to days/hours in the spring. The trimester calendar was adjusted, and Trimester One will end on November 18. Parent conferences will be held December 2, and progress reports will start going home this week. DPBR plans to return to original dismissal time at the close of Trimester One. In the interim, staff will devote time from 3-5 p.m. each day to professional development. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:12 p.m.


DECEMBER 13, 2016


BATON ROUGE, LA 70805 Present Allyson d’Aquin Hector Zapata Jenny Richey Eddrick Martin

Absent Adrienne Moore Leslie Grover Marketa Walters

Others Michelle Gieg Corrie Manieri Camille LaMond Greg Spreeman

School Update Michelle Gieg, Executive Director of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School (DPBR), began the school update by sharing information regarding school enrollment. Although the school is currently short of its forecasted enrollment targets, the expectation is that shortfall will be covered through insurance as a result of August’s flooding. Ms. Gieg stated that parents are holding firm to their choice of Democracy Prep. The school continues to get new enrollees who are the siblings of students already in attendance. The 2017-18 enrollment period is starting up, and DPBR will be included in a Baton Rouge Area Foundation common application, which opens on December 15, 2016. The application is part of a parent guide put together by Urban League created to keep parents informed of the education options for their children. The common application closes at the end of January, and at that time a lottery will be held if there are more applications than available seats. At that time, DPBR will begin to have a rolling admissions process for grades that have not reached their enrollment ceilings. DPBR is expecting higher demand than last year due to new grade levels being added and the closure of a local elementary school. Ms. Gieg shared the school’s board report and addressed various attendance and cultural metrics. Attendance continues to pose challenges at the elementary school level, and the school focused on the importance of attendance during the 177 parent conferences held this month. Attendance problems seem largely due to transportation issues. While the suspension rate remains higher than Ms. Gieg would like it to be, the number of dangerous behaviors being exhibited by scholars has gone down drastically since last school year, a decrease Ms. Gieg attributed to staff training. Ms. Gieg shared information about the T1 awards ceremony where six scholars achieved Principal’s List status for maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. Other scholars received recognition for achievement on academic platforms such as Accelerated Reader. Ms. Gieg shared the school’s Annual Charter School Review from the Louisiana Department of Education, pointing out strengths and growth areas.

Ms. Geig reminded the board that they are required to complete online ethics training before December 31, 2016. Allyson d’Aquin, Board Treasurer, called the meeting to order at 6:44 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the Board’s October 6, 2016 meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 6:45 p.m. Approval of New Board Member Camille Lamond introduced herself and was welcomed to the board. MOTION: Motion to approve the appointment of Camille Lamond to the Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School Board of Directors for a term lasting until June 30, 2018. Motion approved unanimously at 6:46 p.m. MOTION: Motion to accept the resignation of Adrienne Moore from the Board of Directors effective immediately. Motion approved unanimously at 6:47. The board thanked Ms. Moore for her service as a founding board member and expressed gratitude for her assistance with the school’s launch. Finance and Audit Committee Update Mr. Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer for Democracy Prep Public Schools, provided the board with a finance update and shared the Budget Vs. Actuals. Mr. Spreeman noted that the school’s finances are largely aligned with projections. The major outlier remains the school’s transportation contract, which currently appears roughly $200,000 more than expected. At this point, DBPR is unable to share buses with other schools and will work to manage the cost. Other options, such as insourcing transportation, will be explored. Mr. Spreeman also stated that the audit is wrapping up and should be complete by December 31. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:04 p.m.


FEBRUARY 21, 2017

4055 PRESCOTT DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, LA 70805 Present Eddrick Martin Allyson d’Aquin Jenny Richey Marketa Walters Camille Lamond

Absent Leslie Grover Hector Zapata

Others Michelle Gieg Corrie Manieri Greg Spreeman (phone)

Marketa Walters, Vice President of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School (“DPBR”) Board of Trustees, called the meeting to order at 6:09 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the Board’s December 13, 2016 meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 6:10 p.m. Finance and Audit Committee Update Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer at Democracy Prep Public Schools (DPPS), shared the current FY17 budget vs. actual with board members. He informed the board that DPBR is waiting on the completed audit in order to complete the flood insurance claim. According to Mr. Spreeman, the audit is almost complete. Ms. d’Aquin, Board Treasurer, informed the group that she completed her interview with the audit firm. Michelle Gieg, Executive Director of DPBR, notified the board that next year’s budget would be based on a projection of 400 enrolled students. School Update Ms. Gieg began the school update with a summary of the semi-annual DPPS school review conducted by CMO and campus leadership from across the DPPS network. Feedback from the review team fell within three general categories. First, DPBR has a great scholar climate. Second, the overall suspension/send out rates are significantly down from last year. Finally, teachers should focus on increasing rigor and adding exemplars of scholar work in the classroom and hallways.

Next, Ms. Gieg shared a facilities update. DPBR will not be able to fit in one wing of the Prescott facility next year due to an increase in enrollment and added grade levels. Ideally, buildings 100 and 600 will be restored. However, East Baton Rouge School District, the owner of the Prescott facility, does not plan to address the Prescott facility’s construction needs prior to the fall of 2018. Because of this, DPBR is currently looking at two options that would increase available space. One option is to rent modular units. Alternatively, the preferred option is for DPBR to make a FEMA claim to use Buildings 100 and 600 as a temporary/emergency location. DPBR is currently working toward this preferred option.

Ms. Gieg provided the board with an update on staffing for the 17-18 school year. According to the intent to return survey, 29 of 32 staff members plan to return next year. One person is leaving for grad school, one person is moving, and one person would prefer to teach elsewhere. Verbal offers have been made to two principals (campus directors). Brigette Chapman will be the elementary director, and John Dixon will be the middle school director. DPBR also plans to hire 13 additional staff members. These positions will include teaching and operations staff. Four teachers have already accepted positions, and three of the four came from the DPBR City Year team, proving that the partnership between those two groups has been positive and productive. In addition, DPBR will have two teachers participating in Leader U. Both will teach and mentor next school year and become assistant principals for school year 18-19. The board then discussed the upcoming plans for high school authorization. Currently DPBR is authorized for grades K-8, so the school will need to seek authorization to add a high school if it wants to offer ninth grade seats in 2018-19. There are two possibilities for authorization: one is to request an extension of the Type 5 charter from the LA Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the other would be to apply to EBR as a Type 1 charter. Finally, Ms. Gieg shared some upcoming events and deadlines with the board:

• Financial disclosures due May 15 • Spring Showcase May 10 • Complete survey to indicate date preference for board retreat

MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:06 p.m.

DEMOCRACY PREP BATON ROUGE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AGENDA

MARCH 14, 2017 6:00PM – 8:00PM

DEMOCRACY PREP BATON ROUGE SCHOOL 4055 PRESCOTT ROAD BATON ROUGE, LA 70805

Present Eddrick Martin Allyson d’Aquin Jenny Richey Marketa Walters Camille Lamond


Others Michelle Gieg Corrie Manieri Sophie Lee (video)

Marketa Walters, Vice President of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School (“DPBR”) Board of Directors, called the meeting to order at 6:08 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the Board’s February 21, 2017 meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 6:09 p.m. Finance and Audit Committee Update Allyson d’Aquin, Board Treasurer of DPBR, informed the board that the DPBR FY16 audit is complete with no findings or material weaknesses having been identified. Ms. d’Aquin updated the board on the status of the school’s insurance claim in the wake of August’s flooding. To date, DPBR has received payment for lost property, and it continues to work with its carrier to process its business interruption claim. Ms. d’Aquin informed the board that the annual statement for the secretary of state will need to be updated in July. She will work with board members and DPBR staff to ensure completeness and submission. School Update Michelle Gieg, Executive Director of DPBR, began the school update with a walkthrough of enrollment data. DPBR is holding steady at about 275 scholars with normal attrition throughout the second half of the school year. DPBR is no longer enrolling new scholars for the 2016-17 school year and is instead building a wait list for next year. This decision was made to allow staff to keep the focus on academics and to help meet academic goals. Ms. Gieg feels that DPBR is on pace with last year’s enrollment. Next, Ms. Gieg shared information regarding attendance data as per the Board Report. Attendance remains an issue at the elementary school level. The team confronted some of these issues during T2 Parent-Teacher Conferences, and the teachers worked to impress upon parents the connection between a scholar’s academic struggles and poor attendance. Middle school attendance is much stronger and is currently higher than at this same time last year. Scholar culture data is also included on the Board Report, and Ms. Gieg shared that DPBR is tracking scholar send outs and suspensions to determine who is consistently meeting expectations and who needs additional supports. The suspension rate is significantly lower this year than last year.

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Finally, DPBR is focusing on increasing rigor in T3. Staff members are participating in professional development activities that teach them how to analyze student work to determine whether it is aligned to be where it should be at the end of the school year. Teachers should ask themselves, “Will this scholar achieve the end of year outcomes based on this work?” Network Spotlight – International Trips Sophie Lee, DPPS International Programs Manager, delivered the March Network Spotlight, outlining the manner in which Democracy Prep provides opportunities for scholars to travel the world. Ms. Lee walked the board through a presentation that highlighted the trips that scholars take each year of high school, focusing on the fact that if scholars are going to be able to change the world, they must first experience the world. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:00 p.m.


JUNE 12, 2017 4055 PRESCOTT ROAD BATON ROUGE, LA 70805

Present Eddrick Martin Allyson d’Aquin Jenny Richey Marketa Walters Camille Lamond


Others Corrie Manieri Kent Anker Greg Spreeman Patty McMurray

Marketa Walters, Vice President of Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School (“DPBR”) Board of Directors, called the meeting to order at 6:14 p.m. Facilities Update Kent Anker, General Counsel for Democracy Prep Public Schools (“DPPS”), updated the board on the status of the DPBR facility, which suffered significant flooding at the start of the school year. DPBR continues to work with GOHSEP, FEMA, and RSD to determine the best options to secure additional space for 2017-18. Temporary facilities such as tents and portable buildings require a great deal of up-front funds. DPBR is currently considering construction options with respect to the 100 building at the Prescott facility. Network Spotlight Mr. Anker then delivered the June Network Spotlight, which included the announcement that Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus would join the network as a K-12 school in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 1. New York schools are now operating as one educational corporation, and the team in New York is currently working to build out two high schools that will join two other schools in the Taino building in NYC. In addition, DPPS is proud to announce that along with a new group of graduating seniors, a group of 34 alumni are graduating from college this summer. Finance and Audit Committee Update Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer of Democracy Prep Public Schools, initiated a discussion of the FY18 budget and answered board member questions. Mr. Spreeman clarified that the budget was based on an enrollment of 400 scholars and that the school may need to take another look at transportation costs once bus routes are established. Mr. Spreeman also shared a flood insurance update and let the board know that DPBR is still expecting to collect under the Business Interruption portion of its policy. Finally, Mr. Spreeman informed the board that DPBR is seeking to shift its flood insurance coverage from its current carrier. MOTION: Motion to approve the FY18 budget. Motion approved unanimously at 6:36 p.m.

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Reappointment of Michelle Gieg as School Leader Ms. Walters and Ms. d’Aquin asked about Ms. Gieg’s 16-17 evaluation and her expected 17-18 salary. The remaining board members suggested an executive session, and Ms. Walters said she would contact Leslie Grover, Board President, and Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Director of DPPS. MOTION: Motion to approve the reappointment of Michelle Gieg. Motion approved unanimously at 6:39 p.m. Management Agreement and School Policies Mr. Anker reviewed the Management Agreement with Democracy Prep Public Schools. The document is materially identical to the version in place during the 2016-17 school year. Patty McMurray, an attorney with Baker Donelson, reviewed the minor changes with the board members. Mr. Anker and Ms. McMurray also identified proposed changes to the school’s handbooks, which encompass instructional, operational, personnel, and financial policies. Specifically, Ms. McMurray discussed an appendix being added to the Student & Family Handbooks to comport with new state-level directives, and Mr. Spreeman noted that the school’s audit process would henceforth require the production of receipts for expenses exceeding $75. MOTION: Motion to approve the 2017-18 Management Agreement with Democracy Prep Public Schools. Motion approved unanimously at 6:46 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the Personnel Handbook. Motion approved unanimously at 6:47 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the Elementary & Middle School Student & Family Handbooks. Motion approved unanimously at 6:48 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the Financial Policies and Procedures Handbook. Motion approved unanimously at 6:49 p.m. After the review and approval of board documents, Ms. McMurray shared and briefly explained the DPBR conflict of interest policy. Board members accepted the policy and signed for receipt. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved unanimously at 7:01 p.m.

DEMOCRACY PREP BATON ROUGE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD …

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