OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENT
In accordance to Tennessee Open Meetings Act (TCA §8-44-101), Circles of Success’ Board Meetings are public meetings open to the public at all times, except as provided by the Constitution of Tennessee. A Board Meeting schedule is provided for your convenience.
COSLA Board Meeting Minutes October 23, 2024
I. Opening Items
A. Record Attendance and Guests
B. Call the Meeting to Order
C. Approve Minutes and Financial Updates
II. Academic Excellence
A. CEO School Update Discussion
Compliance
1. Nutrition Program Review
2. Annual Site Visit – (PreK and School)
3. Emergency Management Plan
4. Annual Charter School Progress Report
5. School Improvement Plan
6. Foundational Literacy Plan
School Events
1. Title I/Back to School Night – August 1, 2024
2. Grandparent’s Day
3. Leadership Summit@ New Hope Baptist Church “Piece By Piece: There’s A Leader In Me!”
School Updates
1. Auditor
2. School TCAP Status
3. Operations Scorecard Results
4. Communities In Schools
5. GYO (Grow Your Own Initiatives)
6. Summer Boost Program
III. Other Business
IV . Closing Items
A. Next Meeting
B. Adjourn Meeting
Date: 10/23/24
Time: 12:00 PM
Facilitator: D. Leven
IN ATTENDANCE
S. Catron Cooper, D. Leven, S. Ford, C. Sawyer, A. Jones, D. Burton, W. Palmer, M. Newsom
No guests were present.
BOARD BUSINESS
OLD BUSINESS
We did not have minutes from prior board meeting. Follow up from any unresolved business from the previous meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
Reports from the Executive Director/CEO, finance department, and program staff leads.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
There were no Committee Reports for this meeting.
BUDGET
We received an extension on the 2023 audit and that process is still underway. School
leadership desires to match the new teacher pay structure from MSCS to help ensure staff stability. The 23-24 pay scale and 24-25 pay scale was shared and discussed.
FINANCIALS: The proposed budget for the 2024-2025 school year was shared, along with last year's actuals. The budget is built on 246 children to provide a cushion for operations. The biggest decreases are in ESSER and TISA funding sources. Personnel is budgeted for 50 employees, but COSLA only has 47.5 staffers. While some staff was lost due to ESSER positions being eliminated, the increase is due to staffing increases to match MSCS's new pay scale. Expenditures increased by $150,000 (wages, salaries, audits, liabilities, food services, debt services (no summer time payments). The per pupil cost is approx. $15,000. In terms of the LOC, no monies are currently due and the balance is at zero. Discussion was had. Questions were answered. Motion: A. Jones, Second: C. Sawyer. The board agreed to accept the proposed budget.
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
GLOWS AND GROWS: Completed Compliance Updates: 5-Year School Nutrition Program (SNP) Review. Minor findings are always expected. No monies attached to either. SNP Annual Financial Report complete. State's Annual Report, School Improvement Plan, Foundational Literacy Plans, and Emergency Management Plans all submitted and approved. 3rd and 4th Grade Literacy Commitments and COSLA's hosted their Annual Site Visit and PreK visits and those went well. Operations Scorecard 23-24 = 4.4 (out of 5); Safety and Security grants $18,000. S. Catron Cooper has been appointed to the Charter Partnership Council. COSLA hosted successful visits with Hyde Foundation and Pyramid Peak representatives, along with 12th grade volunteer KIPPsters.
NEW OPPORTUNITES/PARTNERSHIPS: COSLA was accepted as one of the new Communities in Schools partners. The school also has partnered with U of M's GYO (Grow Your Own), Man Up and Reach University, as well as Bloomberg Philanthropies for our Summer Boost Program. Our TCAP scores showed a decline for the Spring 2024 testing cycle. The staff attributes this primarily to COVID's impact, staffing shifts and changes, and attendance. To try to mitigate this, the school is RTI (Response to Intervention) daily, for one hour, academic coaching, and a different classroom structure to help target deficits. Therefore, this year, COSLA added a writing class and a science-focused class.
BUILDING/NEW LOCATION UPDATES: The church has asked for updates about our potential leave. On COSLA's side, the contractor, architect and funder are all on board to reengage when we are prepared to do so. Our permit is still in place with the State. At this time, we are waiting for the new infrastructure plan to be released, per the Facilities Department at MSCS.
OTHER INFORMATION: The church will host their annual conference, so the school will relocate for 3 days and go to New Hope. C. Sawyer asked what the school was doing to work through testing issues. She congratulated the school and the efforts they made and asked what the board could do help in any way.
NEW BUSINESS
- Make appointment to visit vacant school building to reassess the space and begin the purchase process again.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
- Finance
- Building Relocation
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- N/A
NEXT MEETING
Our next meeting will be February 19th @ 12pm.
Motion to adjourn was made at 1:04pm and was passed unanimously.
COSLA Board Meeting Minutes February 19, 2025
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes - Wednesday, Wednesday, February 19, 2025
I. Opening Items
A. Record Attendance and Guests
B. Call the Meeting to Order
C. Approve Minutes and Financial Updates
II. School Business
A. CEO School Update Discussion
Compliance
1. Audit 2023/2024
2. Line Of Credit Renewed
3. Health Inspection
4. PreK Compliance/TDOE Site Visit
5. Fire Marshall Compliance
6.. Transportation Supervisor Certification
School Updates
1. Reach University
2. First 8 Memphis Board Visit
3. Church Increase Request
4. Building Acquisition
- Magnolia Elementary
- Potential Opportunities
- LIIF Changes
III. Other Business
IV. Closing Items
A. Next Meeting
B. Adjourn Meeting
Date: 02/19/25
Time: 12:00 PM
Facilitator: D. Leven
IN ATTENDANCE S. Catron Cooper, D. Leven, A. Jones, D. Burton, K. Dodson, M. Newman, M. Pierson No guests were present. The meeting was called to order at 12;13pm.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES The meeting minutes from the October 23, 2024 Board Meeting were approved. Moved by K. Dodson; Second: A. Jones.
BOARD BUSINESS
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Reports from the Executive Director/CEO, finance department, and program staff leads. M. Pierson was introduced as the newly appointed staff representative for the Board of Directors.
COMMITTEE REPORTS There were no Special Committee Reports for this meeting.
BUDGET
In the Business Manager’s emergency absence, the financials were not reported. However, it was reported that the FY2023 audit process is complete. Two minor findings were shared and discussed. The FY2024 audit is underway. The business office is hopeful that process will be done
sooner than anticipated.
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
COMPLIANCE: Audits and 990s are underway, although they are late in being submitted. Luther Speight is the current auditor. COSLA’s line of credit has been renewed at the current rate, and there is a zero balance. The health inspection was successful, and the school received a score of 98 due to a missing ceiling tile. PreK inspections were also successful, as was the annual TDOE visit. The fire compliance inspection report has a few findings, and the church is working with staff persons to make the necessary corrections. COSLA has partnered with Reach University, and currently, has three employees working on their BA degrees, with the intent to obtain
certification as teachers. COSLA was selected to host First 8 Memphis’ board members as part of
their retreat.
BUILDING/NEW LOCATION UPDATES: Information was shared about the current condition of the identified school building, Magnolia Elementary. The school has been vandalized quite extensively. S. Catron Cooper indicated that select board members and staff visited two alternative locations, but none of them are ideal for the school. This information, including the pros and cons, was shared with the board members. The board members also expressed their concerns regarding the two alternative locations. It was determined that the prospect of Magnolia should remain the primary plan for COSLA. S. Catron Cooper suggested that the school order a new appraisal, and the board members agreed that this should be the next step, especially since considerable time and resources have already been allocated for that location.
OTHER INFORMATION: St. Andrew is requesting that the school increase rent beginning in July 2025. The increase represents a $10,000 adjustment for COSLA. Board members discussed how this would impact the school’s ability—specifically, its lack of ability—to maintain effective operations. The church’s letter outlined areas where they incurred increases and indicated where they felt they could use the school’s financial support. While the school acknowledges that some areas may have increased, several of the items listed are questionable as costs that COSLA should contribute to. Therefore, S. Catron Cooper and D. Leven will write a letter requesting clarification on these items, which will be discussed at our next meeting. Following the Board’s discussion, select members will meet with church representatives to negotiate the current request.
New business• Make appointment to have building appraised in its current state.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
• Finance
• Building Relocation
ANNOUNCEMENTS
N/A
NEXT MEETING
Our next meeting will be March 19th @ 12pm.
Motion to adjourn was made at 1:37 pm and was passed unanimously.
Minutes recorded by Sylverna Ford, Secretary of the Board