The Treme Charter School Association, the governing board of McDonogh 42 Elementary Charter School, met Oct. 27. The meeting, in the school auditorium, began at 5:39 p.m. and ended at 6:33 p.m. The meeting was scheduled for 5 p.m. and originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22.
Board members Madonna Green, Roslyn Smith, Hester Cottles and Bherita Hall were present. Tracie Washington was present but left early. Members Raymond Brown and Bernard Robertson were present but late, arriving at 5:44 p.m. Carol McCree was absent.
In the first item of business, the minutes of the September meeting were approved unanimously.
Next, the financial reports, showing the school’s total assets at the conclusion of Sept. to be $924,000, were presented and unanimously approved.
Principal Gail Lazard said current enrollment stands at 529, that informal classroom walkthroughs began in October, with formal reviews to begin as early as Nov. 1.
In addition, Lazard said the school has given “signed job descriptions and personal growth plans to all faculty.” It also is developing plans for each student, allowing needs to be addressed on a personal basis.
PTA president Liza Thomas’s report included a wrap-up of the Oct. 18 Family Math and Literacy Night. Sixty children and 69 parents attended, and Thomas said she was also pleased with attendance at the Oct. 24 report card conference.
In his finance committee report, Robertson said the school now has its own overpayment policy, which expands upon the state’s. The policy is included in the agenda, but was discussed no further at the meeting.
Smith said the external audit went well, identifying only a few instances, dating to the 2007-8 and 2008-9 school years, in which expenditures were not properly reported.
“Even though we had a couple of things that needed attention, our external audit report is going to be unqualified,” Smith said. Two years ago, the school was on financial probation for turning its audit in late, but this year it will be in two months ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline.
“I want to commend the business office and Mrs. Williams,” Smith said.
Washington had left and was not able to give the policy committee report.
Speaking for the property committee, Brown said the roof repairs are on schedule.
“They’re moving along quite well with our roof repairs,” Williams said, adding that the work should be completed in two to three more weeks, if the weather holds.
The board went into executive session to discuss “legal matters” that Smith said would be made public in the near future.
Finally, the announcements on the agenda were fixed to reflect that the last day of “Professional Development” is Nov. 22.