During a 50-minute Crescent City Schools April board meeting Wednesday, board members discussed hiring updates and board fundraising, among other topics.

Crescent City has received more than 500 applications for an estimated 85 open positions all across its organization, Mehok said. Of those, about 360 were interviewed by phone, or screened.

Next year, the organization will take over Paul Habans Elementary School, so most hiring efforts have been focused on Habans. Still, all schools are looking for applicants.

Habans’ soon-to-be principal Litouri Smith is nearly halfway through the hiring process, with 26 out of the 57 slots filled, Mehok said.

Smith has interviewed current Habans teachers and those from another nearby school, Murray Henderson Elementary, which is closing at the end of this year. None of those teachers have been hired yet, Mehok said.

Harriet Tubman Charter School principal Julie Lause has filled three of the 13 available staff spots.

And Akili Academy principal Julie MacFetters has hired four of an estimated 15 available spots. Several Akili teachers are still making final decisions, and the organization will know more about who’s staying on after its spring break next week, Mehok said.

The board also kicked off its fundraising campaign Wednesday, an initiative that will run through June 19. The board hopes to raise $25,000 from its own board members. With $15,250 in the bank so far, they’re more than halfway there, board fundraising leader Julius Kimbrough, Jr. said.

The range of board gifts has been anywhere from $250 to $10,000, including corporate matches from board members’ employers. So far, just more than half of board members have contributed.

Other important happenings:

• Crescent City applied for a $250,000 Walton Family Foundation grant for Habans. School leaders had an interview with the Foundation on Thursday. Tubman and Akili have both received Walton grants in the past.

• Akili will host a community breakfast on May 16. “This is your last chance to see the amazing things that they have been able to do while they were in trailers,” Director of  Development Alison Mehr told the board. Akili, who now holds its classes in modulars, will start classes at the renovated William Frantz Elementary School building next school year.

Board members present included Kimbrough, Doug Harrell, John Hummel, Coleman Ridley, Agnieszka McPeak, Carolyn Chandler, Tim Bryant, and Anna Burrell. Board member Aimee Eubanks Davis listened in by phone. Mehok, Mehr, Chief Operating Officer Chris Hines, and Former Councilwoman Peggy Wilson was also present, as well a Lens reporter.

The next board meeting is on May 15 at 6 p.m., at Tubman.