Crescent Leadership Academy school board approved the budget for the upcoming school year at its June 20 meeting. The public hearing for the budget will be Aug. 20 at 5:30p.m.
CJ Bower of Rites of Passage presented the budget at the board meeting. Crescent Leadership Academy will be receiving an additional $648,000 for students who were expelled from other schools and enrolled at Crescent Leadership Academy.
The school will receive $36 a day per student, according to Bower. This amount could fluctuate based on the number of students enrolled at Crescent Leadership Academy.
The school also expects to receive an additional $200,000 in grants and $125,000 for expulsion students.
Board members approved U.S. Judge Helen Berrigan as president of the board, and Marlon Ford as vice president. The president will serve a one-year term, and the vice president will assume the role of president after one year, according to Berrigan, who cited the academy’s bylaws. The term went into effect June 20.
The board unanimously approved a recommendation by Berrigan that it expand the number of board members to nine from its current seven.
Kevin Maney and Allison Albert were elected to the board as new members at the meeting. Albert, who will serve as treasurer, is currently a CPA and CFE at Harold Asher accounting and consulting firm, and teaches ethics and accounting in finance and forensic accounting at Tulane.
Albert moved to New Orleans two years ago and says she is looking forward to being involved with the school board.
“I’m new to New Orleans and I think the future of the city can be found with an education,” Albert said.
Maney, who will serve as secretary, is a practicing attorney and will join BrownGreer law firm as special counsel in mid July.
Maney, a New Orleans native, said he liked the Crescent Leadership Academy’s mission.
“I grew up here and I’ve always wanted to be involved. I’m excited about the charter movement,” Maney said.
Principal Chauncey Nash presented the school’s progress report and said Crescent Leadership Academy is currently recruiting for four teaching positions, and that search includes national candidates. The school is in discussion with Teach for America to potentially bring on a member of their team.
Education director Tracy Joseph said two Crescent Leadership Academy staff positions were eliminated and four staff members were let go. She said those members were not meeting the expectations of the school.
“Our students deserve the best of the best,” Joseph said, emphasizing that the school is currently recruiting for vacant positions.
Crescent Leadership Academy held its first commencement ceremony May 31 with six students graduating.
Berrigan and Maurice Lightfoot were present and Jim Letten joined the meeting by telephone. Ford was not present. Crescent Leadership Academy lead mentor Brian Anthony also attended the meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:24 p.m. The next board meeting will be held July 16 at 4:30p.m. at Crescent Leadership Academy 4300 Almonaster Ave.