Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting July 22

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Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting

July 22, 2015

Minutes Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Katie Duffy Jonquille Eley Blondel Pinnock Stephen Gordon Eliza Saunders Kent Anker Derrick Bryant Zachary Siegel Sean Windsor Samuel Mathias Ben Feit Anthony Shropshire Steve Popper Dr. Robert North called the meeting to order at 7:08 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the board’s June 17, 2015 meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 7:09 pm. School Update: Dr. North introduced Zachary Siegel and Jonquille Eley to the board, prior to the start of the meeting, as the DPPS-recommended next leaders of DPH Middle School. Both were able to give their educational and career backgrounds, both taught for Democracy Prep prior to becoming Leader U fellows. The board asked questions to assess their preparation for leadership. MOTION: Motion to elect Jonquille Eley & Zack Siegel as Co-Principals of Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School. Motion passes unanimously at 7:10 pm. Mr. Anker abstained. Steve Popper, Principal at DPHH, addressed next year’s school goals, priorities, and reflected on last year’s school data. Mr. Popper reported that the Regents scores were extremely high and he is very proud of his staff and scholars for their hard work and dedication. The pass rates for the Regents were reflected as: Geometry 93%, Biology 80%, ELA Common Core 91%, Chemistry 87% (City rate is 50%). Motion: Motion for a resolution praising Mr. Popper and his staff and expressing enormous gratitude to the teachers and staff for the scholar’s success on the Regents. Motion passes unanimously. Network Update: Mr. Anker gave an update on the various events taking place at the network and within our schools. Mr. Anker discussed the teachers’ return, DP You, and the Pep Rally. Mr. Anker then discussed the Baton Rouge school launch and how the network has been supportive to make the opening successful. The board asked about the next CFO. Dr. North, DPH board chair, has been actively engaged in referring talented candidates. Dr. North proposed that the board develop questions for the CMO or school leadership regarding data, approach, and school function. Questions to the


CMO/Leadership may be in regard to Special Ed, athletics, and achievement and there would be presentations to the board at subsequent meetings about these matters. Pathways Update: Mr. Anker gave a brief update on the status of the charter amendment that would permit DPH to participate in the Pathways program. Mr. Anker reminded the board that a revision request for DPH has been submitted to the New York City Department of Education and that DOE has deferred to the State Education Department. The network has been working very hard to ensure a successful launch. Pathways will not be able to launch until September 18 when the Regents is able to approve it at its September meeting. A combined public hearing for the charter revision will take place in August. Student Enrollment/ Recruitment Discussion: Mr. Feit discussed preliminary plans concerning bringing some administrative tasks in-house regarding student enrollment and recruitment. Mr. Feit explained the success in the recruitment strategy in Baton Rouge and that the network will not be extending the contract with Democracy Prep Builders. The network will bring enrollment and canvassing in house and the school will have a Family Support Specialist who will schedule enrollment meetings, map testing, and ensure that parents are engaged. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 8:02 pm.


Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting August 12, 2015

Minutes

Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Howard Schnidman Blondel Pinnock Eliza Saunders Kent Anker Zachary Siegel Sean Windsor Anthony Shropshire Katie Duffy Stephen Gordon Derrick Bryant Samuel Mathias Dr. Robert North called the meeting to order at 6:42 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the board’s July 22, 2015 meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 6:48 pm. School Update: Zachary Siegel, Co-Principal at DPHM, began the school update by addressing staff professional development, year-end targets, and school culture. Mr. Siegel expressed a renewed interest in making sure teachers are holding students accountable for their choices, whilst ensuring scholars are happy within the classroom. Lastly, Mr. Siegel assured that he and Ms. Eley are functionally equipped to run the middle school efficiently. Network Update: Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of DPPS, began the network update by addressing the various events that are taking place at the network and within our schools. Ms. Duffy highlighted the staff pep rally, in which Derrell Bradford, Executive Director of NYCAN, gave a very moving keynote address that reinforced the collective belief that education can play a life-altering role for students residing in low-income zip codes. This heartfelt speech was given to our staff of 700 plus employees, which lit a fire for new and old staff as a reminder of the mission and main objective of Democracy Prep. Ms. Duffy also noted that the network had recently applied for a federal grant that would allow the network to double in size over the next five years. Lastly, Ms. Duffy mentioned a study that was conducted to address the impact of a Democracy Prep education. The study noted that many of our scholars are coming in below grade level and as scholars’ progress through the Democracy Prep program proficiency advances as well. Discussion ensued to address competitive federal grants, Leader U, enrollment, and plans for canvassing in 2015-16. St. Philip’s Sub-Sublease: Kent Anker, General Counsel for DPPS, gave an update on the status of the sub-sublease agreement at the St. Philip’s facility between Democracy Prep Charter School and Democracy Prep Harlem. Mr.

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Anker noted that, during the course of negotiations regarding refinancing, the lenders and landlord requested that the sub-sublease be coterminous with the term of the prime lease. Mr. Schnidman, Chief Financial Officer of DPPS, suggested moving some of the school’s surplus into an expense fund for future need. Motion: Motion to approve the amendment to the sub-sublease agreement and to authorize Dr. North to sign on behalf of the Board. Motion passed unanimously at 7:20 pm. Committee Updates: Governance: Dr. Robert North, Board Chair, suggested that the CMO create a new framework for the board to evaluate the CMO. He recommended at the next meeting, the network would integrate the new framework with the previous framework as well as present a comprehensive framework for evaluating CMO performance. Dr. North also gave a brief update on space planning for the year. He was able to give an assessment to the board in order acquire space either privately or from DOE explaining to the board the process for funding for private space. Finance & Audit: Mr. Schnidman gave a brief update on the behalf of the finance and audit committee. He communicated to the board that they are in good shape for the year based on the budget. The board is interested in the proposal to further increase the alumni support investment at the September Board meeting. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 7:38 pm.



September 24, 2015

Minutes Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Blondel Pinnock Howard Schnidman Samuel Mathias Anthony Shropshire Benjamin Feit Sean Windsor Eliza Saunders Stephen Gordon Stephanie Miller Derrick Bryant Zachary Siegel Katie Duffy Jonquille Eley-Richards Kent Anker Dr. Robert North called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm. School Updates: Zachary Siegel and Jonquille Eley-Richards, Co-Principals of Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School, began the school update by outlining their vision for reviving DPHM. After reviewing the results of DPHM’s spring school review and 2015 state exam results, Mr. Siegel and Ms. Eley-Richards detailed the four primary strategies they plan to use to improve DPHM in 2015-16: resurrecting adult culture, reviving literacy, improving IEP support, and implementing the three school-wide themes of high expectations, collaboration, and community. They stressed the importance of having the right adults on the team, and feel that they have begun building a strong culture through August professional development and the first few weeks of school. Additionally, Ms. Eley-Richards reported that middle school students have just completed the first round of MAP testing and that all teachers have been trained in administering the exam for consistency. The Board inquired about parent feedback regarding the new school leadership. Mr. Siegel reported that parents have been extremely supportive of the new administration. The Board also asked the new leaders how often teacher observations are conducted as well as how they will evaluate school progress during the academic year. Katie Duffy, CEO of DPPS, suggested that the initial scores from the upcoming school review will be the first indicators of school improvement. The Board expressed interest in tracking cohort growth to see how students in the network grow over time. Network Update: Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Democracy Prep Public Schools, explained that the fall school review season has begun. The CMO has already evaluated Democracy Prep Baton Rouge and Freedom Prep. The Baton Rouge launch looks great, with the sixth grade performing especially well. Ms. Duffy then shared the exciting news that 150 of Democracy Prep’s female scholars were invited to attend a White House-sponsored panel at the Apollo Theatre next week with special guests Michelle Obama and Charlize Theron. Ms. Duffy also explained that the CMO has made an offer to a candidate for Chief Financial Officer, which has been accepted. The senior network leaders were all impressed with the candidate’s hands-on, technical knowledge. Howard Schnidman, current CFO, will be available to support the transition.


Ms. Duffy then informed the Board that the Board of Regents has provisionally approved the school’s charter amendment request seeking authorization to participate in the Pathways program. In order for the revision to become operative, the DPH Board would need to provide the NYC Department of Education and the New York State Education Department with specific assurances regarding the school’s participation in the program. Kent Anker, General Counsel to DPPS, explained the terms of the assurance and relayed the enthusiasm of the Regents to hear about the program’s progress. The Board thanked Mr. Anker for the hard work he has put into making the Pathways Program a reality. MOTION: Motion to approve the assurances regarding the school’s participation in the Pathways program as presented and attached. Motion passed unanimously at 7:13 pm. The Board requested an update on student enrollment. Ms. Duffy responded that DPH’s middle school remains short of its budgeted target. Ms. Duffy explained that the charter market in Harlem is increasingly saturated, which makes annual retention an even stronger imperative. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the August 12, 2015 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 7:23 pm. Committee Updates: Finance & Audit: Mr. Schnidman and Sean Windsor, Board Treasurer, reviewed the FY15 financials, which are on the verge of being sent to the auditor, and the FY16 forecast. At the moment, FY15 revenues are projected to dramatically exceed expenses. Mr. Schnidman proposed that the Board allocate some of its surplus to the DREAM Dollar fund in order to support future high school alumni through college. MOTION: Motion to deposit $237,000 in the alumni reimbursement account. Motion approved unanimously at 7:31 pm. Development: Katie Duffy shared that this spring’s gala would commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the founding of Democracy Prep and will likely be the last event of this kind. Ms. Duffy encouraged Board members to reach out if they want to be more involved in the planning process. Governance: Benjamin Feit, Chief of Staff of Democracy Prep Public Schools, explained the DOE’s new accountability framework. Dr. Robert North, Mr. Windsor, and Samuel Mathias pledged to discuss how to utilize the authorizer’s framework to refine school, CMO, and board-level evaluation rubrics. Family & Community: Stephen Gordon, Chair of the Family & Community Communications Committee, explained that the Committee — acting in a quasi-judicial capacity — had upheld the high school administration’s decision to retain a scholar in ninth grade. Mr. Gordon expressed admiration for the scholar and his family and discussed potential assistance that could be provided to ensure the scholar receives all the supports and accommodations he needs to be successful. Kent Anker will follow up with DPH’s ACT team to determine appropriate next steps. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 8:04 pm.

Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board of Trustees Meeting

MINUTES

Thursday, September 24, 2015

RESOLVED: The Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board of Trustees adopts the following resolution regarding the school’s participation in the Democracy Prep Pathways program:

I. The Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School (DPH) Pathways program will be available to DPH middle school students only.

II. Students with disabilities will be educated with students who are not disabled in the

regular/general education setting of DPH. Special classes, separate schooling, or any other removal of students with disabilities from the regular charter school educational environment will occur only when so recommended in the individualized education programs (IEPs) of such students by the Committee on Special Education (CSE), and when the nature or severity of the disability of a student is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily in accordance with 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(5)(A)-(B); 34 CFR §§300.114-300.120.

III. By June 30 of each year, DPH will provide the New York City Department of Education

(DOE), New York State Education Department (SED), and the New York State Board of Regents with the following information for each DPH student in the program:

a. The number of students in the Pathways program; b. A listing of the individual supports and services provided to each student; c. The terms of the IEPs for each student; and d. Whether the student will be transferred back to DPH or will remain in the Pathways

program for the next academic year. Identifying student information may be redacted from the materials provided. However, if

coded, the information must be provided in a way that allows tracking of the information related to an individual student.

IV. DPH shall provide a summary of the number of teachers in the Pathways program, including

the certification of said teachers, and a description of their class sizes and schedules. V. The Democracy Prep Pathways program location shall not be changed without DOE, SED, or

Board of Regents approval. Such request for approval, along with all supporting

documentation, shall be made at least 7 months prior to the proposed move. The location revision request shall be accompanied by a proposed budget, a description of the other schools and student populations in the building, if any, and any other information DOE, SED, or the Board of Regents shall require.

Motion by: Sean Windsor Seconded by: Katie Duffy Robert North Yes Steve Gordon Yes Anthony Shropshire Absent Blondel Pinnock Absent Kent Anker Yes Katie Duffy Yes Derrick Bryant Yes Sam Mathias Yes Sean Windsor Yes Motion approved unanimously at 7:13 p.m. I hereby certify the above to be a true copy of the resolution adopted by the Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board of Trustees on September 24, 2015. Benjamin Feit Chief of Staff Democracy Prep Public Schools



October 14, 2015

Minutes Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Derrick Bryant Greg Spreeman Sean Windsor Steve Popper Katie Duffy Stephanie Miller Samuel Mathias Gus Saliba Stephen Gordon Kent Anker Anthony Shropshire Blondel Pinnock Dr. Robert North called the meeting to order at 6:39 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the September 16, 2015 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 6:40 pm. School Updates: Steve Popper, Campus Director of Democracy Prep Harlem high school, reviewed the high school’s goals of consistent instruction and intentional joy. Staff members are working hard to create a culture that emphasizes small opportunities for celebration throughout the week, and the leadership team is working closely with first year teachers to provide regular coaching and feedback on their practice. Extracurricular clubs are student initiated and run, which encourages students to take ownership of the school culture. Events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month have also brought joy into school culture and engaged families. Mr. Popper is also excited to have a full-time college counselor on staff for the first time, Ms. Danielle Leach, and she has done a great job thus far of bringing college admissions officers (including Boston University, Boston College, Dartmouth, Swarthmore, and the University of Pennsylvania) to the school so that students can meet the person that is likely to be reading their application. Regarding the dashboard, Mr. Popper explained that attendance is higher than reflected due to students initially being listed on the roster without actually enrolling. There was some attrition over the summer with students moving to other regions as well as with students who were retained in 8th grade. Academic achievement appears to be more balanced across subjects than last year, with grades relatively high and consistent. The biggest challenges are 10th grade ELA and 9th grade Math. Network Update: Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Democracy Prep Public Schools, discussed the school review for Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School. The school culture has improved dramatically from last year and the co-principals, Zach Siegel and Jonquille Eley-Richards, are working with teachers to shift time from teacher talk to student practice. Ms. Eley-Richards and Mr. Siegel are also targeting teachers for extra support and are establishing consistent norms for professional behaviors


within their team. Midterm exams are currently in progress and will provide solid data to begin analyzing initial student growth. Ms. Duffy explained that the major focus for middle school leadership at this point is the behavior and performance of the 8th grade cohort. The board discussed their concerns for the possible retention of this group and possible solutions. Ms. Duffy emphasized the importance of addressing the overall culture of the 8th grade by having a strong adult presence in the classroom. The Board requested additional data on student attrition over time for each grade and academic information by cohort. Committee Updates: Finance & Audit: Gus Saliba, a partner at Fruchter Rosen & Co., Democracy Prep Harlem’s auditor, presented an overview of the audit process for public charter schools as required by New York law and explained the role played by the Board of Trustees. Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer for DPPS, provided an update on the FY16 financial forecast. Enrollment is currently below initial projections although revenue will increase as the number of students with IEPs and special education certified teachers increase. The middle school will continue enrolling as long as possible, while the high school and elementary school are limited in their enrollment due to building regulations. Mr. Spreeman suggested that the board refrain from major budget adjustments until enrollment numbers are more concrete, which should be clearer at the next meeting. MOTION: Motion to reallocate the Democracy Builders expense line item on the previously approved FY16 budget to fund additional staffing costs. Motion approved unanimously at 7:38 pm. Kent Anker and Katie Duffy abstained.

MOTION: Motion to add Greg Spreeman, Mr. Schnidman’s successor as DPPS Chief Financial Officer, as an authorized signer on school accounts and for online banking access. Motion approved unanimously at 7:38 pm. Development: Dr. Robert North reviewed the initial plans for the annual gala. Ms. Duffy requested that board members submit requests to DPPS for any materials they may need to solicit corporate sponsorship. Academic Accountability: Sam Mathias distributed the revised CMO evaluation rubric, which now includes several new quantitative measures. The board provided initial feedback and agreed to review the rubric and vote on the changes next month. Family & Community: Stephen Gordon updated the board on the measures taken to assist a struggling scholar in his partial promotion to 9th grade. Governance: Dr. North asked board members whether anyone would be interested in participating as a volunteer in the Lunch and Learn program at the Democracy Prep Harlem schools. Kent Anker mentioned that Democracy Prep alumni participate in summer internships and requested that board members inquire with their workplaces as to whether they offer summer positions to college students. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 8:00 pm.



November 4, 2015

Minutes Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Sean Windsor Greg Spreeman Anthony Shropshire Kent Anker Benjamin Feit Stephen Gordon Blondel Pinnock Stephanie Miller Samuel Mathias Jonquille Eley-Richards Derrick Bryant Katie Duffy Dr. Robert North, Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:45 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the October 14, 2015 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 6:46 pm. School Updates: Jonquille Eley-Richards, Co-Principal at Democracy Prep Harlem Middle (“DPHM”), began the school update with a review of middle school culture. Last month’s ‘Rocktober’ successfully reinvested scholars in the joyous culture at DPHM and allowed teachers to bond with their advisories, resulting in an increase in scholar DREAM dollars across the school. College trips to Yale, UPenn, and Columbia also reinforced the school’s mission. Family engagement was high this month, with 60 parents participating in a breakfast conversation about study skills. DPHM also took part in fundraising activities for Breast Cancer Awareness month, culminating in an awareness walk and a donation to Susan G. Komen for Cure. The school review last month noted the positive shift in attitudes towards school leadership, and relationships between scholars and teachers are far better this year than last year. The review team also recognized the school’s positive reading culture. One area for improvement is classroom management skills for new teachers, and Ms. Eley-Richards reported that school leadership has already put a plan in place to meet this need, assigning experienced teachers to be mentors to new teachers. Additionally, Ms. Eley-Richards and Co-Principal Zachary Siegel are codifying their professional development program for this year to focus on improving scholar behavior and teacher management systems. The eighth grade class continues to present academic and behavioral challenges. Homework completion is a large concern, and the eighth grade class chair has recently implemented a cohort tracking initiative to promote completion rates by advisory group. Combined with the improved professional development for new teachers, Ms. Eley-Richards hopes to turn around the eighth grade class culture as quickly as possible. The board discussed additional initiatives that might be implemented to positively impact the eighth grade class, including a visit from high school administrators and/or students to reinforce academic and behavioral expectations.

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Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Democracy Prep Public Schools, briefly described the breakdown of course pass rates and explained possible reasons for the lower pass rates in eighth grade. The board discussed class rigor at each grade level and how course pass rates may translate to testing proficiency. Ms. Duffy also shared notes from the school review for Democracy Prep Harlem High (“DPHH”), where culture and teacher quality has steadily improved from last year through consistent systems in every classroom. School leadership continues to work with new and developing teachers in order to make any necessary improvements. Network Update: Ms. Duffy provided information on the school review for the Pathways program. Pathways is addressing deep educational disparities for its scholars in order to bring them to an appropriate level for sixth grade coursework. Overall, the biggest challenge for Pathways scholars is literacy, with many scholars lacking basic phonics skills. While it remains to be determined whether all Pathways scholars will make the required progress for returning to a less restrictive setting next year, Pathways teachers are doing an excellent job of providing remediation while maintaining rigor. Committee Updates: Finance & Audit: Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer of DPPS, reported the results of the FY15 audit. There were no changes to the financials, but the audit firm noted that better documentation is needed for credit card charges and that the finance team needs to close its books earlier. For the first quarter of FY16, DPH is close to being on budget, and the financials for the quarter will be closed by the end of this week. Governance: Dr. North asked the board to think about board goals for the year and requested that the Alumni Relations team present plans for alumni support at the next board meeting. Dr. North reported on the progress of conversations with representatives from facilities that could possibly accommodate DPHH’s physical education program, and the board discussed challenges of the co-location space for DPHH. Ms. Duffy requested that the board consider whether they can offer internships for DPPS alumni over the summer or for DPPS seniors who are working on Change the World projects. Academic Accountability: Sam Mathias discussed the adjusted CMO evaluation rubric and board members requested to add language around financial audits, the budget, and MAP testing. Mr. Mathias will make additional edits and re-circulate the rubric before the next meeting. Development: Dr. North reported that the annual gala will be held on April 20th at the Chelsea Lighthouse. Ms. Duffy reminded the board to reach out about any materials they might need in order to secure corporate sponsorship and agreed to provide a list of sponsorship prices in a PDF format prior to the next meeting. Family & Community: Stephen Gordon updated the board on the progress of his mentoring relationship with a struggling high school scholar. Dr. North asked about the process for obtaining external signage for DPH schools co-located in DoE facilities. Mr. Spreeman will look into the possibility of acquiring roof signage for the elementary school. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 8:02 pm.



December 9, 2015

Minutes Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Derrick Bryant Greg Spreeman Sean Windsor Katie Duffy Ralph Johnson Blondel Pinnock Anthony Shropshire Stephanie Miller Samuel Mathias Stephen Gordon Kent Anker Dr. Robert North called the meeting to order at 6:38 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the November 4, 2015 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 6:39 pm. Blondel Pinnock arrived after this vote was recorded. School Updates: Kent Anker, General Counsel for Democracy Prep Public Schools (“DPPS”), gave the school update as provided by Theresa Walsh, Campus Director of Democracy Prep Harlem Elementary (“DPHE”). December is “December to Remember,” with many school events and field trips planned. Parent conferences are this week, and next week the school will hold a “Cocoa and Cookies” event to provide parents with strategies for supporting their scholars in writing. Attendance at DPHE is higher than last year and on track to reach the goal of 96 percent, and scholar culture is strong with many scholars earning and retaining their DREAM dollars. Literacy and math growth is also promising at this point, as measured by the STEP assessment and Eureka math module assessments. In DPH middle and high school, course pass rates are higher than last year across the board. Network Update: Mr. Anker explained the terms of the amended DPCS sublease and its relation to the DPH sub-sublease for the St. Philips facility that houses DPH. The amended agreement requires a written consent from DPH in order to go into effect. The board discussed the DPH information that could be required by Civic Builders, the lease holder, to uphold the terms of the sublease. MOTION: Motion to approve the resolution consenting to the amendment to the sublease as attached. Motion passed unanimously at 6:46 pm. Kent Anker abstained from this vote. Blondel Pinnock arrived after this vote was recorded. Mr. Anker then explained that the Network Update will include a network spotlight on different members of the CMO team each month. He introduced Ralph Johnson, Senior Director for College Success at DPPS. Mr. Johnson described his prior background working in college advising with students from disadvantaged backgrounds and emphasized the importance of matching DPPS seniors with schools that are a good fit for them, both academically and financially, in order to


increase persistence rates. DPPS alumni have a retention rate above the national average – currently 91% of alumni are enrolled in a higher education program. Stephen Gordon asked what strategies were being implemented to support students who were not currently enrolled in college, and Mr. Johnson shared some of the work his team is doing. Mr. Johnson highlighted the Alumni Captains program as a useful method of outreach to alumni and the micro-grants program to support scholars with gaps in their financial aid packages. The board discussed possible ways to use the micro-grants program to promote alumni connectivity to the school post-graduation and discussed what skills alumni might need to develop further before matriculating at college, such as time management. Mr. Gordon also asked how the board could better support alumni, and Mr. Anker suggested that board members offer summer internships to DPPS alumni. Committee Updates: Finance & Audit: Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer of DPPS, reviewed the schools financials to date. DPH is running slightly ahead of budget through October, but Mr. Spreeman is planning to prepare a forecast for the remainder of the year that reflects current enrollment and staffing. The board asked to discuss lessons learned from this year’s enrollment at a future meeting in order to prepare for next year’s enrollment campaign. Mr. Anker agreed to ask Adrienne Nyamsi, Senior Director for Community Impact, to come to a future meeting to discuss the enrollment campaign for 2016-17. Governance: Dr. North shared potential board goals for the year and asked for additional input from board members. The board agreed on the following three goals for the 2015 – 16 school year: 1) Achieve the equivalent of “A” marks on the NYC school quality report; 2) Strategize around Alumni Support for future DPH alumni; and 3) Improve facilities for the high school. Academic Accountability: Sam Mathias discussed the CMO evaluation rubric and recent changes. He has added the nationally normed MAP test results as a quantitative measure of student academic growth. Mr. Anker discussed the new testing and accountability requirements outlined in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, expected to pass into law soon. The board agreed to vote on the rubric at the next meeting. Family & Community: Stephen Gordon gave a brief update on the mentoring relationship he is working to establish with a ninth grade scholar. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 8:05 pm.


Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting January 13, 2016

Minutes

Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Anthony Shropshire Greg Spreeman Sean Windsor Benjamin Feit Derrick Bryant Steve Popper Katie Duffy Stephanie Miller Samuel Mathias Lisa Friscia Stephen Gordon Deborah Evans Kent Anker Meghan McCormick Fannie Handberry Joseph Handberry Teresa Evans Rudy Zebeda Blondel Pinnock resigned from the board prior to the meeting. Dr. Robert North, Board Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 6:38 pm. Deborah Evans, parent of a scholar at Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School, addressed the board during the public comment period. Ms. Evans voiced concerns about the implementation of the school’s academic and disciplinary policies and inquired about the procedure for appealing administrative determinations. In accordance with the school’s grievance procedure, Dr. North referred Ms. Evans to Lindsay Malanga, superintendent of Democracy Prep Public Schools, and indicated that the board would be prepared to hear an appeal of Ms. Malanga’s review. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the December 12, 2015 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 6:49 pm. School Update: Steve Popper, Campus Director of Democracy Prep Harlem High School (“DPHH”), explained that the school has two major foci for trimester two: working hard to support scholars and increasing scholar opportunities. The school has begun the Promotion in Doubt (PiD) program to support scholars who are not yet meeting academic goals. Through PiD, scholars are informed of their academic status as it relates to end-of-year grade promotion, and teachers and scholars develop an action plan for improvement. DPHH has seen an overall trend of higher academic achievement this year with far fewer scholars in the PiD program than last year, and the scholars in the program are highly invested in their academic improvement. Mr. Popper also described the upcoming international trips for scholars and the participation of some scholars in summer business internships through the Pencil Program.


Reviewing the data dashboard, Mr. Popper informed the board that the high school has seen substantial growth in course pass rates from last year to this year. The board discussed several classes in which pass rates were low and the school’s plan for improving performance in those classes. The board also reflected on the discrepancies between course pass rates and scores on standardized examinations. Mr. Popper emphasized that Regents scores will be the clearest way to see growth in the school and to measure student achievement. Network Update: Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Democracy Prep Public Schools (“DPPS”), shared early action and early decision college acceptances with the board for scholars from Democracy Prep Charter School, including admissions to Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, Stanford, Yale and others. Ms. Duffy also shared that all of the scholars who had been accepted thus far received financial aid packages that covered 100% of their financial need. Lisa Friscia, Senior Director for Leader U at DPPS, described the Leader U Fellowship and Residency programs that allow Democracy Prep to build a pipeline of excellent school leaders. These programs allow DPPS to cultivate both internal and external talent with targeted professional development focused specifically on the culture and practices at Democracy Prep schools. Ms. Friscia is currently reviewing applications and expects to accept about 11 candidates for next year’s Leader U programs. She also described her work with the Teacher Leader Institute, which helps DPPS teachers develop their leadership skills as grade level or department chairs. Committee Updates: Finance & Audit: Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer at DPPS, explained that the finance team is in the process of developing a four-year budget projection. Sean Windsor, Board Treasurer, elaborated that lower enrollment numbers will affect the bottom line for this year’s budget, although Mr. Spreeman stated that he does not project the school operating at a deficit for FY16. Governance: Dr. North updated the board on the search for an off-site facility for the high school to hold PE courses and mentioned an upcoming meeting with the Manhattan Borough President to request funding for renovations to the DPHH bathrooms. Dr. North also indicated that he would circulate information to other board members regarding a meeting with the Department of Education in February that is open to all charter school board members. Additionally, he reminded the board of the need to recruit new board members over the next few months. Mr. Windsor closed by reviewing a schedule of data distribution for the board. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 7:33 pm.


Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting March 16, 2016

Minutes

Trustees Present Trustees Absent Invited Guests Dr. Robert North Stephen Gordon Greg Spreeman Sean Windsor Sam Mathias Benjamin Feit Kent Anker Steve Popper Katie Duffy Pia Dandiya Anthony Shropshire Alysa Campbell Derrick Bryant Brittany Mullings Rev. Kevin McCall Adrienne Nyamsi Ralph Johnson Dr. Robert North, Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:54 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the January 13, 2016 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 6:55 pm. School Updates: Steve Popper, Campus Director at Democracy Prep Harlem High School, began the school update by introducing Pia Dandiya, the Assistant Campus Director. Mr. Popper then expounded on the school’s cultural and academic growth. With respect to culture, the staff has begun a push to encourage high school scholars to take more ownership over the school’s culture, and scholars have responded enthusiastically. In February, scholars created and produced a school-wide Black History Month Town Hall presentation that was well received. Academically, Trimester 2 exams began this week. Only two scholars were absent from testing, yielding a 99% attendance rate. The school has also identified 10th grade ELA as a key growth area and strategized a plan to raise course pass rates. As a result, the pass rate has more than doubled to 52%. Mr. Popper noted that while this figure continues to need considerable improvement, meaningful progress has been evident. Katie Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Democracy Prep Public Schools, provided an update for DPH’s elementary and middle school campuses. DPHE saw no change in enrollment since the last board report and has continued to maintain high attendance and DREAM Dollar rates. Academically, there has been a push to improve STEP (literacy) proficiency. Scholars should ideally progress three STEP levels in one school year. To date, 73% of kindergarteners are STEP proficient and on track to meet the growth goal. Ms. Duffy explained that unlike math, which is hierarchical, literacy is cumulative and reflects the totality of an individual’s knowledge base. Consequently, the fact that first- and second-grade proficiency rates are not yet on par with the kindergarten scores indicates that the school will be focused both on teaching foundational reading skills and on remediating content knowledge gaps that may already have started developing.


In the middle school, Ms. Duffy highlighted math scores, noting that both Math A and Math B are lower than they have historically been; however the current figures do not yet contemplate growth from Trimester 2 exam scores. Network Update: Ms. Duffy explained that spring School Review season is underway and that CMO and campus-based leadership will be evaluating each school and program in the DPPS network to determine its current instructional, operational, and cultural health and to evaluate its growth since the fall review cycle. She also shared news of network growth. Most notably, Harlem Prep recently earned a full five-year renewal along with authorization to expand to educate high-school students. Lastly, Ms. Duffy elaborated on the proposed revision to the network’s parental leave policy, emphasizing that equity was the impetus behind the modification. To that end, the network surveyed different charter schools as well as private sector organizations to gauge top industry practices. The proposed plan will have a negligible impact on the budget, particularly when compared to its positive effects on retention and recruitment of teachers. Ms. Duffy alerted the board that they will vote on the policy in the coming months as part of the reviewing and approving the 2016-17 version of the school’s Personnel Handbook. Network Spotlight: Ralph Johnson, Senior Director for College Success, highlighted some of the major accomplishments of Democracy Prep’s College Access and Alumni Support team. Several scholars have been accepted to highly-selective schools including Brown, Harvard, Yale, Brandeis, and Occidental. Notably, all of these scholars received 100% need-met financial aid packages. Mr. Johnson also emphasized the value of Democracy Prep’s relationships with college programs as well as the quality of Democracy Prep’s pedagogy and curriculum. Owing to these strengths, many middle-tier schools are offering DP scholars attractive financial aid packages, an uncommon practice for schools outside of the top-tier clasification. Lastly, Mr. Johnson reported Democracy Prep alumni’s college retention rates, noting that the rates (87% for the first and second graduating cohorts, 94% for the third) are above the national averages across all socioeconomic statuses. Committee Updates: Finance & Audit: Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer of DPPS, reviewed the latest budget forecast and stated that the school’s financial picture remains healthy. Governance: Anthony Shropshire introduced Brittany Mullings as a prospective board member. Ms. Mullings is a human resources professional skilled in recruiting and developing personnel and is excited to learn more about Democracy Prep Harlem. Family & Community: During the public comment portion of the meeting, several parents in attendance as guests, along with Rev. McCall, expressed concerns about ongoing issues at the middle school. Specifically, these parents voiced concerns about the implementation of school-wide discipline systems, the responsiveness of the school’s leadership team, and the manner in which certain staff members were interacting with their scholars. A lengthy discussion ensued as parents, board members, and network staff aligned on how to ensure DPHM could best move forward to ensure all scholars are learning in a safe and supportive environment. As next steps, Ms. Duffy scheduled a follow-up meeting with parents and DPHM school leaders to further discuss the concerns.


MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 8:20 pm.


Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting April 13, 2016

Minutes

Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Derrick Bryant Benjamin Feit Anthony Shropshire Sean Windsor Theresa Walsh Kent Anker Katie Duffy Stephanie Miller Samuel Mathias Mia Backon Stephen Gordon Melanie Hok Jonathan Howard Brittany Mullings Dr. Robert North, Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the March 16, 2016 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 7:45 pm. School Updates: Theresa Walsh, Campus Director at Democracy Prep Harlem Elementary (“DPHE”), began the school update by reviewing the latest data from the school dashboard. Ms. Walsh described several changes that the school has implemented to gain more accurate data from STEP testing and to push the students to achieve at higher standards, which has resulted in lower assessment scores but stronger student work. Math proficiency has steadily increased throughout the year, and the teachers have recently incorporated Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) into classes, which encourages students to independently identify the problem-solving strategies that they need to use for more complex problems. Writing skills have also grown significantly this year, though scores on the bi-monthly assessments may seem low as students’ work is measured against an end-of-year benchmark as well as a more difficult rubric than last year. Ms. Walsh introduced Mia Backon, Leader U Fellow at DPHE. Ms. Backon has been at the school since its inception and is excited to take on more of a leadership role. Ms. Walsh shared that the school is gearing up for teacher appreciation week, and also encouraged board members to attend the final trimester performances on June 16th. Dr. North asked about space allocations for next year, and Ms. Walsh explained that the school is strategically paring down its cohort sizes in preparation for future space limitations in the building. Ms. Walsh also shared some of the challenges of trying to change or find flexibility in the Building Utilization Plan. Ben Feit, Chief of Staff at Democracy Prep Public Schools (“DPPS”), shared some network and school level data on enrollment and attrition. Mr. Feit also shared the changes in classroom allocations for the high school, which will gain up to four additional classrooms next year as it expands to 12th grade. At the middle school, state assessments are going smoothly thus far. Additionally, Dr. North and Mr. Feit — alongside DPPS Chief Executive Officer Katie Duffy and Senior Director of Community Impact Adrienne Nyamsi — recently met with some of the parents


who attended prior board meetings in order to address their concerns about the middle school. Dr. North described the conversation as constructive, and he and Mr. Feit updated the board on some of the programmatic and personnel-related shifts that have been implemented at DPHM over the past month. Network Updates Jonathan Howard, Senior Director of Talent at DPPS, shared his history with Democracy Prep and explained the work of the talent team in finding excellent, mission-aligned candidates to teach and work in DPPS schools. Mr. Howard also shared some of the challenges of recruiting in New York, especially in regards to certification requirements and a diminishing pool of new talent. His team works hard to attend career fairs at colleges of education, to find TFA alumni who might be interested in relocating, and to capitalize on employee referrals. At DPH, there are quite a few positions to fill as both the high school and elementary school are adding grades for next year. Brittany Mullings asked what qualities most attract teachers to Democracy Prep, and Mr. Howard explained that it’s a combination of the Democracy Prep commitment to civics and special education and the strong school leadership at individual schools. The board discussed the possibility of teacher turnover at the middle school, and Mr. Howard mentioned that there have already been some new hires confirmed for the 2016-17 academic year. Mr. Feit also shared that the network team has invested a number of resources in providing more support for the middle school leaders and teachers this year and that early data indicators show that students are performing at higher academic levels than last year. Committee Updates: Finance & Audit: Melanie Hok, Senior Director of Finance at DPPS, shared that the forecast currently projects a shortfall in per pupil revenue due to lower enrollment numbers than predicted. The end-of-year goal is to break even after reconciling some of the additional revenue that will come in as two teachers become certified in special education over the next few months. Governance: Dr. North called for a motion to approve the appointment of Brittany Mullings to the board. Motion to approve the appointment of Brittany Mullings to the Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board of Trustees for a term lasting until June 30, 2017, pending authorizer approval. Motion approved unanimously at 7:46 pm. Dr. North shared that the network has submitted an application for discretionary funds from the Manhattan Borough President and the City Council to renovate the bathrooms in the high school and he hopes to have more news soon. Mr. Howard also mentioned that DPPS is looking for a Director of Facilities, and any board referrals would be very much appreciated. Development: Mr. Feit encouraged all of the board members to purchase tickets for the gala by the end of the week. MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 7:54 pm.


Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting June 15, 2016

Minutes

Trustees Present Trustees Absent Guests Dr. Robert North Stephen Gordon Greg Spreeman Sean Windsor Samuel Mathias Benjamin Feit Kent Anker Katie Duffy Jonquille Eley-Richards Brittany Mullings Zachary Siegel Derrick Bryant Alysa Campbell Anthony Shropshire Duncan Scherer Dr. Robert North called the meeting to order at 6:48 pm. Before approving the minutes from the board’s April meeting, Sean Windsor inquired about a section alluding to a decrease in the number of cohorts per grade at the elementary school. Kent Anker, General Counsel for Democracy Prep Public Schools (DPPS), explained that the elementary school’s growth is constrained by its footprint in M501. Greg Spreeman, Chief Financial Officer for DPPS, noted that the budget reflects the accurate number of cohorts in 2016-17 and reviewed in greater detail what shifts were made on the revenue and expense sides. MOTION: Motion to approve the minutes from the April 13, 2016 board meeting. Motion passed unanimously at 6:51 pm. Pathways Update: Duncan Scherer, Executive Director of Democracy Prep Pathways, provided an update on the program’s inaugural year. Pathways offers targeted academic programming for some of Democracy Prep’s highest needs scholars. The program had a 100% scholar retention rate throughout its first year and 100% of this year’s staff are returning next year. According to Mr. Scherer, the high retention rates among scholars and staff are attributable to the selective hiring of passionate and talented educators, the support and training the staff receive, and the levels of autonomy for staff to bring their unique perspectives to the programming. Mr. Scherer also cited accomplishments from the academic data, including over 56% of scholars hitting ‘high growth’ targets on MAP assessments in reading and math and 70% hitting ‘high growth’ targets in language usage. Mr. Scherer also detailed the process for transitioning scholars who will integrate back into their home schools. He emphasized that Pathways alumni will continue to be heavily supported by the Pathways staff. In the fall, three Democracy Prep Harlem (DPH) scholars will transition back into DPH Middle School and three new DPH scholars will enter the Pathways Program. Scholars returning to DPH will receive support from Pathways through a liaison staff member and through use of Pathways curriculum in their home school setting. In this way, the reach of Pathways will become far more expansive in the coming years. Mr. Scherer expressed hopes that this unique


program model will engender a movement of similarly patterned programs to serve high need students. Several schools have already expressed interest in replicating the Pathways model and have visited the program to observe best practices. Finance Update: Mr. Spreeman walked the board through the proposed FY17 budget, explaining that he collaborated with Mr. Windsor, board treasurer, to create a conservative budget. Changes made from the current fiscal year’s budget include increases in insurance coverage on the expense side and a bump in state per-pupil funding on the revenue side. Mr. Spreeman then explained the new methodology used to calculate expected revenue from special education. In the past, the school over-budgeted this line item because revenue was estimated based on the number of scholars receiving special education services. The proposed budget, instead, bases projected special education revenue on the number of certified special education teachers. Lastly, Mr. Windsor pointed out that the Management Agreement contains a safety net clause in the event that the school is short on revenue. Specifically, the management fee is reduced to the extent the school experiences a net loss. MOTION: Motion to adopt the FY17 DPHCS budget as presented. Motion passed unanimously at 7:12 p.m. School Update: Jonquille Eley-Richards and Zachary Siegel, co-principals of DPH Middle School, presented a school update, beginning with accomplishments from the year. This school year marked Mrs. Eley-Richards and Mr. Siegel’s first year serving as co-principals and they are particularly proud of the high course pass rates, which were the second highest in the DPPS network for Trimester 2. They credited these results to strategic intellectual prep among instructional staff (including collaborative lesson planning and lesson rehearsals), a strong ACT team who works with high-need scholars to conduct pullouts, and the addition of a school library to encourage and support gains in literacy growth among all scholars. The leaders also underscored the school’s successful pushes for stronger communication with families—relevant changes included an increase in positive phone calls home and a shift in the aim of discipline conversations to focus on academic consequences. The principals then expressed areas of growth for next school year. Primarily, the school will incorporate an overarching theme of “Idea to Implementation,” and the leaders hope to include teachers’ voices in school decision-making and encourage teacher involvement in professional development sessions. Mrs. Eley-Richards also shared that a little less than half of the current instructional staff are returning next year. Responding to the board’s questions about staff retention, she explained that the school experienced a lot of turnover from veteran teachers as a result of life changes. Many teachers, for example, are relocating out of the area. Moreover, there are a few competing charter networks whose shorter work hours appeal to newer teachers. The board questioned whether there was anything DPH could do to retain these teachers. Mr. Anker responded that salaries were already significantly above the district salary range and Democracy Prep offers a more liberal benefits package that, in the long run, should engender greater staff retention. Network Update:


Benjamin Feit, DPPS Chief of Staff, remarked on happenings across the DPPS network. Democracy Prep Baton Rouge successfully finished its first school year and will expand by three grade levels for the coming school year. Harlem Prep High School will open next year to serve 9th grade scholars. Among this year’s graduating class at Democracy Prep Charter School (DPCS), 90% of scholars will have 100% of their financial need met by the colleges in which they are enrolling. The remaining 10% of scholars are working with the school’s college team to secure private scholarships to bridge the gap between their financial aid package and their Expected Family Contribution. Mr. Feit then read the list of colleges that DPCS will seniors attend this fall. Referencing the strong representation of top-tier colleges—including Harvard, Brown, Emory, Stanford, and Howard, among others—he concluded that the Democracy Prep “brand” is carrying cachet on college campuses and the DPPS college team has established well-cultivated partnerships with admissions offices across the nation. Governance: Dr. North led a discussion on a host of board-level policies that necessitated adoption for the 2016- 17 instructional year. MOTION: Motion to adopt the proposed board meeting calendar for the 2016-17 instructional year with amendments to the July and September meeting dates. Motion passed unanimously at 7:43 p.m. MOTION: Motion to adopt the proposed school calendar for the 2016-17 instructional year. Motion passed unanimously at 7:43 p.m. Before Management Agreement approval, Mr. Feit explained that the Agreement was very similar to last year’s agreement, however the management fee percentage is now at its floor and the network’s services have been updated to include a description of services that are directly offered by DPPS—e.g. enrollment services and alumni support. Mr. Feit also highlighted changes to DPPS’s organizational structure for next year. He informed the board that Lindsay Malanga had recently resigned from her role as Democracy Prep’s superintendent. While Katie Duffy will be serving as both DPPS CEO and superintendent on an interim basis, he noted that the network had already strengthened its instructional support team for the 2016-17 school year by tapping Margaret Marrer and Ajaka Roth, veteran principals from Democracy Prep’s two highest performing middle schools, to serve as Regional Assistant Superintendent and Assistant Director of Talent Development respectively. In addition, Lisa Friscia will be assuming the role of Vice President of Talent Development and will have a broader mandate to implement and refine targeted professional development opportunities for both teachers and aspiring leaders. MOTION: Motion to adopt the proposed 2016-17 Management Agreement with Democracy Prep Public Schools. Motion passed unanimously at 7:51 p.m. Kent Anker abstained from voting. MOTION: Motion to adopt the proposed 2016-17 Elementary, Middle School, and High School Student and Family Handbooks. Motion passed unanimously at 7:53 p.m.


Before adoption of the Personnel Handbook, Mr. Feit and Mr. Anker addressed Ms. Mullings’ inquiries regarding nursing mothers, personnel social media use, and employee retirement plans. MOTION: Motion to adopt the proposed 2016-17 Personnel Handbook. Motion passed unanimously at 8:00 p.m. MOTION: Motion to approve the 2016-17 Financial Policies and Procedures Manual. Motion passed unanimously at 8:05 p.m. MOTION: Motion to reappoint Theresa Walsh (elementary school), Jonquille Eley-Richards and Zachary Siegel (middle school), and Steve Popper (high school) as School Leaders for 2016-17. Motion passed unanimously at 8:05 p.m. RESOLUTION: RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees of Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School hereby elects the following individuals for a term of two years to commence on July 1, 2016, each of whom shall serve until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or, if earlier, until such Trustee’s death, resignation or removal.

Dr. Robert North Sean Windsor Katie Duffy

MOTION: Motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously at 8:14 pm.

Documents

Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School Board Meeting July 22