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At the November 16^th Furlow Governing Board Meeting, Furlow’s board members unanimously approved using CARES Funds to provide full-time employees with $1,000 hazard pay, part-time employees with $500 hazard pay, and all employees who are fully vaccinated by January 3, 2022, with a $500 vaccine incentive.

Furlow’s Board Member David Luvin presented the following during his Treasurer’s Report:

• 574 students are currently enrolled based off of a budget based on 562 students
• 159 days cash on hand with best practice being at a minimum 45 days cash on hand
• 32% of the budget has been spent over 33% of the fiscal year

There was no one signed up for Public Address with six teachers, four administrators, one staff member, and one parent in attendance.  All board members were present except for Qaijuan Willis.

The Furlow Governing Board unanimously approved the following:

• Upgrade to ADP Workforce Now to align with the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) requirements
• Pay an administrative fee (approximately $6,000) to start SHBP insurance coverage on April 1, 2022, since coverage will start off cycle
• Increase the nutrition hourly pay scale by $1/hour at a cost of approximately $6,400 annually to increase retention and help with hiring staff members
• Use CARES Funds to provide $1,000 hazard pay for full-time and $500 for part-time as well as a $500 vaccine incentive – This will cost approximately $110,000 and will be paid with CARES Funds previously allocated for student supplies and replacement Chromebooks, which are items that can be purchased with other fund sources.
• Approval of the following budgets:
  • FY 2022 Title I-A Budget – $308,242 – unanimous
  • FY 2022 Title II-A Budget – $31,417 – unanimous
  • FY 2022 Title IV Budget – $23,617 – unanimous

The Furlow Governing Board approved the following motions from the Governance Committee:

• Employee Handbook Updates involving clarification of vacation days policy where a certain number of vacation days will roll over each year
• Addition of 6 job descriptions for existing positions

The Furlow Governing Board approved the following recommendations from the Executive Committee:

• Revisions to the Leadership Handbook regarding open records requests and assigning an employee to be the open records coordinator
• Approve procedures regarding handbook update processes
• Revision of the Advisor Retention Policy to make the Executive Director responsible with assistance from the CFO for maintaining and implementing plans for the retention of Furlow advisors
• Creation of the Facilities Task Force to assume strategic responsibilities of the Operations Task Force and for the task force to present a thorough needs assessment for building, space, and construction to be presented at the January 2022 Furlow Charter School Board Meeting

Furlow’s Executive Director Dr. Lezley Anderson presented the Executive Director’s Report:

• 572 enrolled as of November 15 with enrollment summary
• 73 students are currently on the waitlist
• 3 students withdrew (1 to Sumter, Lee, and homeschool)
• 6 students enrolled (all from Sumter County Schools)
• Graduation Rate of 86.4% ranking 7^th out of the 14 Chattahoochee-Flint RESA districts and 5^th among all state charter schools
• Sewage pumps will arrive in the US on December 24 and will be installed on a Saturday in January
• Waxing of hallway floors will take place during Winter Break
• Preventive measures taken by the administration and school regarding fighting and bullying were discussed as requested by Furlow Governing Board Chair Dr. John LeJeune

Furlow’s Director of Student Services Crystal Lingefelt presented the Special Education Report:

• 7 high school students are now being served using the service-learning model for gifted education
• 13 students were identified for gifted testing during the fall identification period
• Special Education – Furlow still has two special education teacher vacancies and special education student enrollment has increased by several students
• Dual Enrollment has increased with a few more 11^th graders taking college classes

After a 19-minute closed session, the following motions were unanimously approved from closed session:

• Accept the resignation of Physical Education Teacher/Coach Bobby Andrews
• Hire Linda White as Special Education Parapro

After approving closed session minutes and approving four research proposals, the Furlow Governing Board discussed Governing Board Succession Planning, which was a late addition to the agenda.

Furlow Board Chair Dr. John LeJeune stated that three board members were rotating off of the board in the upcoming months.

While Board Member Qaijuan Willis will leave the board in December 2021, Board Chair Dr. John LeJeune and Board Member Dr. Benjamin Meador will leave the board in January 2022.  These openings are unexpected because these three board members are not completing their three-year term.

Below are the unanimously approved changes for the Furlow Governing Board:

Governing Board Chair – Katie Minich (succedes Dr. LeJeune)

Governing Board Vice-Chair – Colton Mims (replaces Katie Minich)

Academics & Curriculum Committee Chair – Colton Mims (replaces Dr. LeJeune)

Parlimentarian and Governance Committee Chair – Allyson Drinnon (replaces Dr. Meador)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair – Jeanie Smith (replaces Qaijuan Willis)

Secretary – Jeanie Smith (replaces Dr. Meador)

With Dr. LeJeune, Dr. Meador, and Mr. Willis vacating their board member positions prior to the completion of their three-year terms, the Furlow Governing Board will need two additional board members to be in compliance with the seven-board member minimum as stated in their bylaws.