SGC Documents

School Governance Council Meeting Documents

Each meeting of the School Governance Council typically generates three public documents: an agenda; a brief summary of action items that occurred during the meeting; and a detailed set of meeting minutes. We will display these documents on our website for the current school year, along with those from the previous year. If you need to view older documents, please contact our School Governance & Flexibility Department at schoolgovernance@fultonschools.org.

2026-27 SGC Meeting Documents

August

Tabs

Meeting Link

Agenda

Beginning of the Year SGC Agenda

School

School	Date	Time	Location
Heards Ferry ES	08/18/2026	7:45-8:45pm	Conference Room

TEAMS Link: Meeting ID: 256 700 361 433 075 | Passcode: yA7XU9LL https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/256700361433075?p=30z20MsmYHUD5K00xE

Time	Agenda Item	Person in Charge
9:00AM	Call to Order	Chair
9:02AM	Action Item: Approve Agenda	Chair
9:05AM	Action Item: Approve Previous Minutes	Chair
9:10AM	Discussion Item: Member Introductions	All Members
9:15AM	Action Item: Approve Nominated Members	Chair
9:17AM	Action Item: Elect New Officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Parliamentarian)	Gina Foster
9:25AM	Action Item: Action Items: Staff Standing Committees (Budget and Finance, Outreach and Communication, Principal Selection)	Gina Foster
9:30AM	Discussion Item: Confirm Parent/Community Superintendent Advisory Council Representative	Chair
9:35AM	Discussion Item: Determine Meeting Schedule for SY26-27	All Members
9:40AM	Discussion Item: Strategic Planning Updates	Principal, All Members
9:45AM	Informational Item: Principal’s Update Potential School Staffing Changes Shifts in District Policy or School Practices Calendar of Upcoming School Events Training Requirements for new members	Principal
9:55AM	Discussion Item: Draft Next Meeting’s Agenda	All Members
10:00AM	Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)	Chair

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

Below are some tips and additional details about the items listed on the first page of this document.

* Setting the date, time, and location of your meeting: It is a great idea to set your meeting schedule for the entire fall semester (if not the entire year) at your first meeting. Get this information posted at your school and on your SGC website and you will have already covered many requirements of the Open Records and Meetings Laws. It is important that SGC meetings are scheduled outside of school hours so that staff members can attend if they would like to do so. If your meetings will be held virtually, make sure to include a link so that members of the public are able to view the meeting on-line.

* Action items: All action items require a motion, a second and a vote (even seemingly simple things like the agenda and meeting minutes need to be voted on). Remember that principals and student members are not voting members, so even if they are designated as an owner of an action item, the voting members of the council will be responsible for motioning, seconding and voting on the item.

* Discussion items: These are agenda items that solicit feedback from council members. They do not require a vote.

* Informational items: It is common for councils to receive updates throughout the school year related to the day-to-day management of the school or district happenings. Informational items are usually meant to keep the council up to date on important topics even if they do not fall under the purview of the council. These items do not require a vote.

* Running the first meeting: Note that in this agenda the principal runs most of the meeting until the point at which officers are elected and the newly elected chair takes the lead. This is a great practice as there will not technically be a standing chair at the beginning of the first meeting of the year. (Note: if the previous chair is still sitting on the council, they are welcome to run the beginning of year meeting until a new chair is elected)

* Staffing your committees: Remember that all SGC members should be a part of at least one committee. The Budget and Finance Committee and the Communications and Outreach Committee require a Chair (any voting SGC member), the principal, three voting SGC members and can have up to three additional SGC or external members. Also, every school needs a Principal Selection Committee regardless of whether they believe that their principal position might become vacant. This committee is comprised of the SGC Chair and three additional voting SGC members.

* Nominating a representative for the Superintendent’s Parent/Community Advisory Council: All schools are asked to select a representative to serve on the Superintendent’s Parent/Community Advisory Council. This group meets monthly with the superintendent to provide feedback and receive updates on important issues affecting FCS schools and local communities. Meeting dates/times/locations will be sent out to representatives prior to the first advisory council meeting. If a representative is unable to attend a meeting, another member of the council can attend in their place.

* Drafting your next meeting agenda: It is a best practice to draft an agenda for your next meeting at the end of each meeting to help your council plan its upcoming work. If unforeseen events require a council to modify the agenda, the council can simply edit the agenda and vote to approve the modified agenda at the beginning of the next council meeting.

SGC Council Development Opportunities:

Reminder that all new members must complete SGC Essential Training via Canvas and council officers are encouraged to attend in person Officer Training. See the Training Sessions tab of the Charter System website for more information.

Minutes

September

October

November

December

January

February

March

April

May

2025-26 SGC Meeting Documents

August

Agenda

Summary

Minutes

September

Agenda

September Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 09/22/25

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Karen Cooke (Principal), Lori Dunagan (Staff), Leila Sadri (Teacher), Alexis Frank (Teacher), Laney Chambless (Teacher), Nathan Madigan (Parent), Meredith Camp (Parent), Stephen Saussy (Parent), Stephen Isbill (Community Member), Selena Baumann (Community Member)

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

7:50AM Action Item: Approve Previous Month’s Minutes (Madigan)

7:52AM Action Item: Finalize Council Staffing* (Madigan)

8:00AM Discussion Item: SGC Council Development Opportunities (In Person Officer Training and Cross Council) ** (All Members)

8:10AM Discussion Item: Determine SY25-26 Council Norms – sample below (All Members)

8:15AM Discussion Item: Review 2025 Council Self-Assessment and Create Initiatives*** (All Members)

8:25AM Action Item: Approve Strategic Plan**** (All Members) See pages 2-3 for more detailed information

8:40AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

8:50AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

9:00AM Action Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure (Madigan)

9:05AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

* Finalizing Council Staffing: Please ensure all member updates have been submitted to the Governance & Flexibility Team using the Council Information Form.

** SGC Council Development Opportunities:

SGC Essential Training

Our comprehensive SGC training course is essential for understanding the vital roles and responsibilities within the School Governance Council. This training is designed to equip members with knowledge about the SGC's core structure and key processes for successful school governance.

1. Open your browser and go to fultonschools.instructure.com.

2. Click "employee log in" and sign in with your Microsoft account.

3. Complete authentication and follow the prompts to reduce sign-in requests.

4. Once logged in, find the School Governance Essential Training listed under courses.

Requirements:

All SGC members must complete all three modules by the end of August 2025.
We suggest completing the training prior to your initial SGC meeting if possible.

2025 In Person Officer Training

All SGC Officers (Council Chairs, Vice-Chairs, and Parliamentarians) are required to complete Officer Training (unless completed in previous years). Please note that this will be a more in-depth, hands-on training for newly elected officers. This is different from the Officer Training Module found in the Canvas Training.

Click below to register to attend one of the sessions.

In-Person Officer Training Sign Up Genius

Fall 2025 Cross Council Events

The Governance & Flexibility Team is excited to invite all School Governance Councils to our Fall Cross Council events—two engaging mornings designed to connect, collaborate, and inspire.

Dates & Locations

Monday, September 29 | South Learning Center | 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Friday, October 3 | North Learning Center | 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

These sessions are a unique opportunity for SGC members to learn from district leaders, the Governance & Flexibility Team, and each other. They bring together councils from across the district, creating space for collaboration within feeder patterns and across grade bands.

This year’s theme centers on three key pillars:

Teamwork – Kicking off the governance year with energy and excitement for our shared work
Integrity – Defining our goals and committing to action within our schools
Accountability – Monitoring strategic priorities and sharing progress with our stakeholders

We are asking each school to send at least one representative to one of the two events (both sessions will cover the same material). Once every school has a representative registered, we will open additional spots for other members who would like to join.

Register now via our Sign-up Genius link to secure your spot and join us in shaping another successful year of governance in Fulton County Schools.

2025 Fall Cross Council Sign Up Link

*** SY25-26 Council Initiatives: Begin discussions to determine the focus of the council’s upcoming work. Lean on your school’s Semester Action Plan to ensure the work of the council is aligned with the goals and initiatives being targeted by the school leaders. Task the council with prioritizing 1 – 2 initiatives the SGC could lead or support throughout the year.

****Strategic Planning

August is the start of an important and exciting time for our School Governance Councils. Each year, councils work alongside their principal and school community to create a School Strategic Action Plan. This plan serves as a roadmap for the year ahead and focuses on the priorities that will have the greatest impact on student success.

This month, SGCs should begin conversations about their 2025–26 plan. These discussions are a chance to celebrate what is working well, identify areas for growth, and set clear goals that will guide the work of both the school and the council.

In September, councils will finalize their plan and take a formal vote to approve it. Principals will then submit the approved plan by September 30 using the online Strategic Action Plan form. All planning tools, including the form, metric definitions, drafting documents, and optional project planning templates, are available on the Charter System website Resources page.

In October, Zone Superintendents will review and approve each plan. Once approved, these plans should remain at the heart of SGC meetings, guiding decision making, tracking progress, and engaging the school community in the work ahead.

The strategic planning process is more than a requirement. It is an opportunity for councils to lead with purpose and to make a meaningful difference for their schools.

VAF/Programmatic Updates

All flexibility and programming submissions are due from schools by September 30 and can be completed using the VAF/Programming Form located on the Charter System Website Flexibility page.

Schools should use the form to submit the following:

New Value-Added Flexibility Requests – Use the form to request any new flexibilities for the 2026–27 school year.
Updates on Current Flexibilities – All schools approved for value-added flexibilities since 2021 must submit an implementation update. If your school has multiple approved flexibilities, you may select them from the dropdown in the form and submit a single update on overall progress. A separate update for each flexibility is not required.
Magnet Program Updates/Requests – This includes requests for new magnet programs, updates on all current magnet programs, and notices of sunsetting or discontinuing magnet programs. All schools with magnet programs must submit an update for each program. Schools with multiple magnet programs will need to complete multiple forms.

All submissions require School Governance Council approval and a 30-day public comment period. Instructions for managing the public comment process are available on the Charter System Website.

Schools wishing to opt-in to one of the four district preapproved waivers should complete the short Opt-In Notice of Adoption form and follow the linked instructions.

Please contact the Governance & Flexibility Team with any questions or to request additional support.

Summary

September 2025 SOA

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 08/26/2025

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Present	Absent
Nathan Madigan (Parent),	Meredith Camp (Parent)
Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff),	Laney Chambless (Teacher)
Selena Bauman (Community Member)
Stephen Saussy (elected parent)
Alexis Frank (Teacher)
Leila Sadri (Teacher)
Karen Cooke (Principal)
Steve Isbell (Community Member)

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:50 by Nathan Madigan.

Action Items –

The agenda was approved unanimously.

Finalized council staffing

Training opportunities for SGC members were discussed.

The norms were reviewed and no additions or edits were made.

The group reviewed the responses from the self assessment. We discussed that we will do this together as a group moving forward.

The strategic action plan was approved.

Ideas for charter dollar expenditures were discussed.

Informational Items –

A school update was given by Principal Karen Cooke

An Eagle Alliance update was given with upcoming events.

Announcements and Adjournment –

Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 AM

Minutes

September Minutes

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 09/22/25

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Karen Cooke (Principal), Lori Dunagan (Staff), Leila Sadri (Teacher), Alexis Frank (Teacher), Nathan Madigan (Parent), Stephen Saussy (Parent), Stephen Isbill (Community Member), Selena Baumann (Community Member)

Absent:Laney Chambless (Teacher), Meredith Camp (Parent)

7:50AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:51AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

Bauman made motion to approve agenda, Isbell, 2nd, passed Unanimously

7:53AM Action Item: Approve Previous Month’s Minutes (Madigan)

Isbill made motion to approve previous months minutes, Dunagan 2nd, passed unanimously

7:55AM Action Item: Finalize Council Staffing* (Madigan)

Bauman made motion to finalize council staffing, Isbill 2nd, Passed Unanimously

7:57 AM Discussion Item: SGC Council Development Opportunities (In Person Officer Training and Cross Council) ** (All Members)

Frank attended officer training

Chambless is registered or has already done the training

7:58AM Discussion Item: Determine SY25-26 Council Norms – sample below (All Members)

Madigan reviewed norms, asked for feedback but no additions or edits

Dunagan made motion to approve, Sadri, 2nd ,Passed unanimously

8:00AM Discussion Item: Review 2025 Council Self-Assessment and Create Initiatives*** (All Members)

3 people completed self assessment-reviewed those responses

We will complete it as a group going forward

Cooke Discussed using principal’s survey- will ask Foster

8:05 AM Action Item: Approve Strategic Plan**** (All Members) See pages 2-3 for more detailed information

Cooke shared strategic plan

Bauman made motion to approve strategic plan, Isbill 2nd, passed unanimously

8:36 AM- EA Update

Ackel shared poster maker has been delivered and staff trained, redoing staff area of cafeteria, new garden shed, screen beams for teachers that wanted them (waiting on county approval), stem day, boys night in October

8:40AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

Cooke shared about new literacy standards

8:50AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

Add sub days for teacher planning to include ela and math

8:53AM Action Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure (Madigan)

8:55 AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Bauman made motion to adjourn the meeting, Dunagan, 2nd, passed unanimously

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

* Finalizing Council Staffing: Please ensure all member updates have been submitted to the Governance & Flexibility Team using the Council Information Form.

** SGC Council Development Opportunities:

SGC Essential Training

Open your browser and go to fultonschools.instructure.com.

Click "employee log in" and sign in with your Microsoft account.

Complete authentication and follow the prompts to reduce sign-in requests.

Once logged in, find the School Governance Essential Training listed under courses.

Requirements:

All SGC members must complete all three modules by the end of August 2025.

We suggest completing the training prior to your initial SGC meeting if possible.

2025 In Person Officer Training

All SGC Officers (Council Chairs, Vice-Chairs, and Parliamentarians) are required to complete Officer Training (unless completed in previous years).  Please note that this will be a more in-depth, hands-on training for newly elected officers. This is different from the Officer Training Module found in the Canvas Training.

Click below to register to attend one of the sessions.

In-Person Officer Training Sign Up Genius

Fall 2025 Cross Council Events

 The Governance & Flexibility Team is excited to invite all School Governance Councils to our Fall Cross Council events—two engaging mornings designed to connect, collaborate, and inspire.

Dates & Locations

Monday, September 29 | South Learning Center | 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Friday, October 3 | North Learning Center | 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

This year’s theme centers on three key pillars:

Teamwork – Kicking off the governance year with energy and excitement for our shared work

Integrity – Defining our goals and committing to action within our schools

Accountability – Monitoring strategic priorities and sharing progress with our stakeholders

We are asking each school to send at least one representative to one of the two events (both sessions will cover the same material). Once every school has a representative registered, we will open additional spots for other members who would like to join.

Register now via our Sign-up Genius link to secure your spot and join us in shaping another successful year of governance in Fulton County Schools.

2025 Fall Cross Council Sign Up Link

****Strategic Planning

In September, councils will finalize their plan and take a formal vote to approve it. Principals will then submit the approved plan by September 30 using the online Strategic Action Plan form. All planning tools, including the form, metric definitions, drafting documents, and optional project planning templates, are available on the Charter System website Resources page.

The strategic planning process is more than a requirement. It is an opportunity for councils to lead with purpose and to make a meaningful difference for their schools.

VAF/Programmatic Updates

All flexibility and programming submissions are due from schools by September 30 and can be completed using the VAF/Programming Form located on the Charter System Website Flexibility page.

Schools should use the form to submit the following:

New Value-Added Flexibility Requests – Use the form to request any new flexibilities for the 2026–27 school year.

Updates on Current Flexibilities – All schools approved for value-added flexibilities since 2021 must submit an implementation update. If your school has multiple approved flexibilities, you may select them from the dropdown in the form and submit a single update on overall progress. A separate update for each flexibility is not required.

Magnet Program Updates/Requests – This includes requests for new magnet programs, updates on all current magnet programs, and notices of sunsetting or discontinuing magnet programs. All schools with magnet programs must submit an update for each program. Schools with multiple magnet programs will need to complete multiple forms.

All submissions require School Governance Council approval and a 30-day public comment period. Instructions for managing the public comment process are available on the Charter System Website.

Schools wishing to opt-in to one of the four district preapproved waivers should complete the short Opt-In Notice of Adoption form and follow the linked instructions.

Please contact the Governance & Flexibility Team with any questions or to request addition

October

Agenda

October Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 10/28/25

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

7:50AM Action Item: Approve September Minutes (Madigan)

7:52AM Discussion Item: SY25-26Council Initiatives* (All Members)

8:00AM Discussion Item: Review SGC Website for Compliance** (All Members)

8:10AM Discussion Item: Debrief Fall Cross Council Meeting(All Members)

8:15AM Discussion Item: Strategic Plan Update/Review All Members)

8:25AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:30AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Madigan)

8:30AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

8:40AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

* SY25-26 Council Initiatives: Begin discussions to determine the focus of the council’s upcoming work. Lean on your school’s Semester Action Plan to ensure the work of the council is aligned with the goals and initiatives being targeted by the school leaders. Task the council with prioritizing 1 – 2 initiatives the SGC could lead or support throughout the year.

**SGC Website Audits

Each school year, the Governance & Flexibility Team periodically performs website audits to ensure all School Governance Councils throughout the district are in compliance with Georgia Open Records and Meetings laws.  These audits require councils to post information related, but not limited to the following:

Date, Time, Place/Access Instructions for all Meetings

Council Documentation (Minutes, Agendas, Summaries of Action)

Council Roster, Term-End Dates, FCS E-mail Addresses

Officer and Committee Information

The Governance & Flexibility Team will be completing website audits for all schools at the end of the month.  For a list of SGC website requirements, please review the SGC Website Audit Form.

Summary

October 2025 SOA

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 10/25/26

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Present	Absent
Nathan Madigan (Parent),	Karen Cooke
Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff),
Laney Chambless (Teacher)
Stephen Saussy (elected parent)
Alexis Frank (Teacher)
Leila Sadri (Teacher)
Steve Isbell ( Community Member)
Meredith Camp (Parent)
Selena Bauman ( Parent)

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:50 by Nathan Madigan

Action Items –

The agenda was approved unanimously.

The minutes from September2025 were approved unanimously

Discussion Items-

Nathan shared information from the Fall cross counil meeting he attended.

Steve Isbill shared information from the most recent superintendent’s call

Strategic Plan update

Informational Items –

Ms. Dunagan gave the principal’s update

Eagle Alliance gave an update of events that happened during the month.

Announcements and Adjournment –

Meeting was adjourned at 8:40

Minutes

October Minutes

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 10/28/25

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Present	Absent
Nathan Madigan (Parent),	Karen Cooke
Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff),
Alexis Frank (Teacher)
Steve Isbill (Community Member)
Laney Chambless (Teacher)
Leila Sadri (Teacher)
Stephen Saussy ( Parent)
Meredith Camp ( Parent)

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan) Bauman motion to approve; Camp seconded unanimously passed

7:50AM Action Item: Approve September Minutes (Madigan) Chambless: Saussy 2nd unanimously

7:52AM Discussion Item: SY25-26Council Initiatives* (All Members) Pushed to next month

7:55 AM Discussion Item: Review SGC Website for Compliance** (All Members) Discussed but did not do the rubric

8:00 AM Discussion Item: Debrief Fall Cross Council Meeting(All Members)

Nathan shared information about everything being student focus. 30,000 charter dollars this year. In the middle of the charter renewal process with the state. Has to be done every 5 years been in place since 2012 Robust conversation on Title 1. February Safety meeting at Tech for parents. Family Matters event November 15.

Steven Saussy shared information from the superintendent call. Discussion about AI and how students are using in High School. Discussion about budget. Looking at how to increase revenue and how to cut costs so they don’t have to dig into reserves.

8:15AM Discussion Item: Strategic Plan Update/Review All Members)

8:25AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:30AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Madigan)

8:30AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update Dunagan shared the new personnel.

8:40AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan) Camp made motion; Bauman seconded; unanimously passed

EA update

Screenbeams have been passed out.

Redecorated counseling suite. Repurposing

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

**SGC Website Audits

Date, Time, Place/Access Instructions for all Meetings

Council Documentation (Minutes, Agendas, Summaries of Action)

Council Roster, Term-End Dates, FCS E-mail Addresses

Officer and Committee Information

The Governance & Flexibility Team will be completing website audits for all schools at the end of the month.  For a list of SGC website requirements, please review the SGC Website Audit Form.

November

Agenda

Summary

Minutes

December

Agenda

December Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 12/16/25

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

7:50AM Action Item: Approve October Minutes (Madigan)

7:52AM Discussion Item: Schedule Spring Committee Meetings* (All Members)

8:00AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Council Update (Isbill)

8:10AM Discussion Item: Strategic Monitoring Update (Cooke & Dunagan)

8:20AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:25AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Madigan)

8:30AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

8:40AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*Committee Meetings

Outreach & Communication Committees should plan to meet in January to start planning for the Spring Parent & Teacher Elections. Budget & Finance Committees should plan to meet in February to prepare for the council’s annual budget approval.

Summary

December 2025 SOA

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 12/21/2025

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Present	Absent
Nathan Madigan (Parent),
Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff),
Laney Chambless (Teacher)
Stephen Saussy (elected parent)
Alexis Frank (Teacher)
Leila Sadri (Teacher)
Karen Cooke (Principal)
Meredith Camp (Parent)
Steve Isbell (Community Member)
Selena Bauman (Community Member)

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:45 by Karen Cooke

Action Items –

The agenda was approved unanimously.

The minutes from November 2025 were approved unanimously with the change of the title from November Agenda to November Minutes.

Committee meetings were scheduled for the spring.

An update from the Superintendent Advisory council was given.

A strategic monitoring update on discipline, attendance, and ½ day planning for ELA and Math were given.

Charter dollar expenditures proposals were made and approved.

Informational Items –

A school update was given by Principal Karen Cooke

An Eagle Alliance update was given with updates from previous items and upcoming events.

Announcements and Adjournment –

Meeting was adjourned at 9:05 AM

Minutes

December Minutes

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 12/16/25

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

Madigan made motion to approve agenda, Dunagan,2nd, passed unanimously

7:48AM Action Item: Approve October Minutes (Madigan)

Chambless made motion to approve minutes, Camp, 2nd, passed unanimously

7:50AM Discussion Item: Schedule Spring Committee Meetings* (All Members)

Outreach and Communication- January 22nd; Teams-2:45 pm; Dunagan will send Teams link

-will send a communication about safety and security separately

Budget and Finance-January 21,2026; Teams -7:45 am; Cooke will send Teams link

-review budget; if budget is not available on the 21st, Cooke will reach out to reschedule

Principal Selection Committee-N/A

Committees will give updates at SGC meeting 1/27/26

7:58 AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Council Update (Isbill)

-2027/2028 Academic Calendar-moved fall break to last week of September; concerns about no teacher workday in March

-Charter System Renewal

8:09 AM Discussion Item: Strategic Monitoring Update (Cooke & Dunagan)

Dunagan-discipline and attendance

-Discipline-no OSS; correlation of positive behavior helping with discipline; only 2 office referrals in December

-Attendance-3 students that are severe/chronic absences

Woodcox (math coach) and Hidock (Lit Coach) presented for half day literacy unpacking-county provides funds for most subs; math unit planning SGC funds are being used for

Math- valuable days for collaborating; dive into standards, look at learning progressions, GA milestones data 3rd-5th grade, dig into assessments with backwards design; add rigor to plans; accelerated teachers have opportunity to push in and plan

ELA-new expectations and way we approach curriculum has changed; delving into expectations and how to question around those expectations; exit tickets; challenging students using questioning/discourse and engagement; great results on mid year iready scores; considering asking SGC for ½ day planning for last unit

8:23 AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

-Math planning-$15,487.50

-Ela planning-$4,987.50

-Write Score-$1,060.09 (3rd and 5th grade)

Total- $21,535.09

Using funds for book vending machine- proposal will come next month

8:27AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Madigan)

Camp made motion to approve charter dollar expenditure, Dunagan, 2nd, passed unanimously

8:30-AM EA Update

-Safety and security concerns and survey

Parents would like to have a separate fundraiser for a CSA officer

Bring survey results back to SGC to have a discussion in January

-Received $10,000 in donations outside of EA for food insecurity for Heards Ferry families

8:53 AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

-Earned .4 tag teacher for 2nd semester

- Intent to return to current staff from Cooke in January

-Proposed number for a 2nd ap in an elementary school was changed from 750 to 800; our school is projected to have 790; we are a COSA school so numbers could increase

-Will lose ten dollars more per student next school year

9:05 AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Chambless made motion to adjourn, Bauman 2nd, passed unanimously

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*Committee Meetings

January

Agenda

January Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 1/27/26

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

7:50AM Action Item: Approve December Minutes (Madigan)

7:52AM Discussion Item: Planning for Parent/Teacher SGC Elections*(All Members)

7:54AM Discussion Item: Planning for Annual Budget Approval**(All Members)

7:56AM Discussion Item: Schedule Spring Committee Meetings (All Members)

8:00AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:10AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Madigan)

8:15AM Informational Item: Midyear Data Dive**** (Dunagan)

8:25AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

8:30AM Informational Item: Eagle Alliance Update (Ackel & Casey)

8:35AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*SGC Parent/Teacher Elections

The declaration period for parents and teachers interested in serving on their local SGCs will run from February 2nd to March 27th. Click here to check how many council seats your school has open for these positions in this year’s election cycle.

**Annual Budget Approval

FY26 Budget development begins on February 2nd and will conclude on February 20th (Elementary Schools), February 27th (Middle Schools), and March 6th (High Schools). SGCs should schedule their February and March meetings prior to their budget closure date to ensure the council has time to discuss and approve FY26 fiscal allocations.

All Dates are Subject to Change

***Charter Dollars

This year, schools have received $30,000 in Charter Dollars to help meet their strategic goals through local innovative solutions. These funds should be used for non-personnel purchases such as supplies, registrations, communications, etc. When purchasing personnel, schools are advised to use other funding sources allowable for positions. If Charter Dollars are requested for personnel, the expenditure will require approval from the Zone Superintendent, SGC, and Executive Director of Governance and Strategy. Additionally, any materials purchased to support literacy instruction must align with GaDOE literacy requirements.

Each Charter Dollar expenditure requires an SGC vote for approval, the completion of the Charter Dollar Expenditure Form, and is subject to the same district guidelines that govern school cost center budgets. All Charter Dollars must be spent in the year they are received to support our current student population. We encourage SGCs to schedule discussions early in the year to plan for these expenditures, ensuring all purchases are made before end-of-year spending deadlines. See our Charter Dollar Matrix for examples of FCS-supported expenditures.

****Midyear Data Dig

January is a great time to partner with the Assessment Department for an SGC data dig to review fall trends and set priorities for spring.

Summary

January 2026 SOA

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 1/27/2026

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Present	Absent
Nathan Madigan (Parent),	Laney Chambless (Teacher)
Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff),
Stephen Saussy (elected parent)
Alexis Frank (Teacher)
Leila Sadri (Teacher)
Karen Cooke (Principal)
Meredith Camp (Parent)
Steve Isbell (Community Member)
Selena Bauman (Community Member)

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:45 by Karen Cooke

Action Items –

The agenda was approved unanimously.

The minutes from December 2025 were approved unanimously with the change of the title from December Agenda to December Minutes.

SGC Elections were discussed and there will be openings for 1 parent and 1 teacher position.

Committee meetings were scheduled for the spring.

Reviewed the remaining SGC budget and possible proposals.

Midyear data was presented on Iready math and reading growth, attendance, and discipline.

Informational Items –

A school update was given by Principal Karen Cooke

An Eagle Alliance update was given with updates from previous items and upcoming events.

Announcements and Adjournment –

Meeting was adjourned at 9:05 AM

Minutes

January Minutes

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 1/27/26

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Karen Cooke (Principal), Lori Dunagan (Staff), Leila Sadri (Teacher), Alexis Frank (Teacher), Nathan Madigan (Parent), Meredith Camp (Parent), Stephen Saussy (Parent), Stephen Isbill (Community Member), Selena Baumann (Community Member)

Absent: Laney Chambless (teacher)

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:46 AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

Camp made motion to approve agenda, Bauman, 2nd, passed unanimously

7:47 AM Action Item: Approve December Minutes (Madigan)

Bauman made motion to approve minutes, Isbill, 2nd, passed unanimously

7:48 AM Discussion Item: Planning for Parent/Teacher SGC Elections*(All Members)

-Camp (parent), Chambless (teacher) are rolling off

-Plan with EA and SGC to gain interest in running in election if needed; haven’t had a hard time getting people to run in the past.

-EA meeting on February 11th and can speak on SGC elections.

-Signage from county about running will be put out.

-Standing SGC section of Eagle Eye for updates.

7:53AM Discussion Item: Planning for Annual Budget Approval**(All Members)

-Budget meeting is week of February 2nd and will have numbers- several cuts have been announced that are in the budget

-Dollar amount per pupil has gone down 10 dollars per student

-Flex money- reduced dollar amount

-need 800 students for 2nd AP

-need 1000 students for 2nd counselor

-waiting on official COSA numbers (80 spots applied and accepted)

-COSA looks at student population up to 95 percent of school capacity

-projected for 792 students next year not including COSA kids

-same ratio of students in classroom whether we have lower enrollment or higher enrollment

8:03 AM Discussion Item: Schedule Spring Committee Meetings (All Members)

-Budget committee meeting February 6th 7:45

-Communication meeting- February 11th EA meeting and presentation on SGC Election; March 18th at 7:45

-can set up future meetings as needed

8:06AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

-$21,535.09 total used so far

-about $8,500 left to spend -will have proposal for book vending machine at the next meeting; possible phonics refreshers; possible math games; maybe wrap book vending machine; rainy day recess cart refreshed; outdoor recess equipment refreshed; ask teachers and create a survey; make sure we have enough funds to refresh headphones each year

8:10AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Madigan)

No formal proposals for this meeting

8:15AM Informational Item: Midyear Data Dive**** (Dunagan)

-Data is based on strategic action plan

-Midyear Iready growth for reading and math is a good predictor of how students will do in the milestones

- Goal is to be in high performing and high growth category; 5th grade is off the chart in reading; rethinking our 2nd semester plan in math because a lot of emphasis has been put on reading and math growth isn’t as large as reading. We have stronger data this year than last year.

-Geometry and measurement are biggest areas students struggle in for math. When students took iready in December, we hadn’t taught it yet.

-Vocabulary in ela is where students struggle. Vocabulary surge in 4th and 5th grade.

-Attendance: 1 student in severe/chronic stage; 85% satisfactory; 11 % at risk; 3 % moderate/chronic; per county we are on track to meet our attendance goal. Students are using participate remote days which also help with attendance.

-Discipline-Last year we had 24 major behaviors (OSS); August-December FY26-24 major behaviors (OSS)

-Minors- majority of minor behavior is disruptive behavior, refusing to do work, leaving designated word area, teasing/taunting, off task

-At the last faculty meeting Dunagan and Arias did a PD on classroom behaviors and strong tier 1 behavior management

-Dunagan to present on discipline at April EA meeting

8:32AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

-Contracts will come out in the next few weeks; intent form from Cooke was sent out to think about school staffing for next year.

-4-5 people looking for transfer or promotion, but majority are looking to come back. Most people want to stay where they are. A few shifts are going to take place next year.

-Teacher retention rate at HFE is about 12 percent every year.

-12% family participation rate for School Climate survey

-Custodial inspection rate improved this year

8:38 AM Informational Item: Eagle Alliance Update (Ackel & Casey)

-Met membership goal

-Exceeded partners in education and spirit wear goal

- Asking 5th grade parents to contribute towards charter buses for field trips

-No field trip shirts next year

-Potentially paying for part time counselor next year

-Will be in a good financial position for next school year

-5th grade will be purchasing a cart with all of the school store items for their legacy gift

-Line on gyms will be painted; playpad and front sidewalk markings-waiting for approval

-Possible outdoor classroom for next year.

-Security survey results

9:10 AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Dunagan made motion to adjourn meeting, Sadri, 2nd, passed unanimously

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*SGC Parent/Teacher Elections

**Annual Budget Approval

All Dates are Subject to Change

***Charter Dollars

****Midyear Data Dig

January is a great time to partner with the Assessment Department for an SGC data dig to review fall trends and set priorities for spring.

February

Agenda

February Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 2/24/2026

Time: 7:45AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

TEAMS Link

SGC Members:

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

7:49AM Action Item: Approve January Minutes (Madigan)

7:50AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Councils Updates (Isbill)

8:00AM Discussion Item: Planning for Parent/Teacher SGC Elections*

8:10AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:20AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals*** (Madigan)

8:22AM Informational Item: EA Update (Ackel & Casey)

8:32AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

8:42AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*SGC Parent/Teacher Elections

**Annual Budget Approval

All Dates are Subject to Change

***Charter Dollars

Summary

February 2026 SOA

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 2/24/2026

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Present	Absent
Nathan Madigan (Parent),	Stephen Saussy (elected parent)
Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff),	Selena Bauman (Community Member)
Laney Chambless (Teacher)
Alexis Frank (Teacher)
Leila Sadri (Teacher)
Karen Cooke (Principal)
Meredith Camp (Parent)
Steve Isbell (Community Member)

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:45 by Nathan Madigan

Action Items –

The agenda was approved unanimously.

The minutes from January 2026 were approved unanimously with the change of the title from January Agenda to January Minutes.

An update on budget approval was discussed instead of the Superintendent Advisory Council.

Planned for Parent/Teacher SGC Elections.

Informational Items –

An Eagle Alliance update was given with updates from previous items and upcoming events.

A principal update was shared.

Announcements and Adjournment –

Meeting was adjourned at 8:44 AM

Minutes

February Minutes

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 2/24/2026

Time: 7:45AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

TEAMS Link

SGC Members:

Absent: Stephen Saussy (Parent), Selena Baumann (Community Member)

7:44AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

Camp made motion to approve agenda with budget update instead of Superintendent Advisory Update, Sadri 2nd, passed unanimously

7:49AM Action Item: Approve January Minutes (Madigan)

Madigan made motion, Isbill 2nd, passed unanimously

7:50AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Councils Updates (Isbill)

-Update on budget approval instead of Superintendent Advisory Council

- Add budget approval to minutes- Isbill, Dunagan 2nd, made motion to approve budget

- Waiting to hear about process for starting paperwork for possibility of addition of personnel after 10 day count

-After July 1st put money in account for part time counselor

Likely won’t be able to hire a part time counselor until after 10 day count

-Double check that EA can fund personnel positions

7:59AM Discussion Item: Planning for Parent/Teacher SGC Elections*

-Push for more updates in Eagle Eye

-Madigan’s Fulton county email in Eagle Eye

-Pass out flyers in carpool

-Newsletters went home in Thursday folders

8:10AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

About $8,500 remaining in SGC dollars

EA estimates:

Window wraps windows 2nd and 3rd floor

Wrapping Fences-Field black fence wrap bottom half

Possibly Hold off on fence wraps until next year and focus on windows(split cost of SGC and EA for windows)-need official proposal

Get feedback on having current CSA officer

Possibly increase EA dues

Not guaranteed a specific sum of money for SGC charter dollars- could decrease

Next year possibly purchase new walkies

8:30AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals*** (Madigan)

Isbill made motion, Camp 2nd, passed unanimously to use charter dollars for 2nd floor window wraps

8:34 AM Informational Item: EA Update (Ackel & Casey)

-Sweetheart dance huge success

8:35AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

-Sandy Springs Police Substation will be on first floor off of lobby

8:44AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)

- Camp made motion to adjourn, Chambless 2nd, passed unanimously

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*SGC Parent/Teacher Elections

**Annual Budget Approval

All Dates are Subject to Change

***Charter Dollars

March

Agenda

March Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 3/31/2026

Time: 7:45AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

7:45AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

7:48AM Action Item: Approve February Minutes (Madigan)

7:40AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Councils Updates (Isbill)

7:50AM Informational Item: Spring Cross Council Updates (Frank)

8:00AM Discussion Item: SGC Parent/Teacher Elections Update* (Outreach and Communications Committee)

8:05AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:15AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals*** (Madigan)

8:25AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

8:35AM Informational Item: Eagle Alliance Update (Ackel & Casey)

8:45AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*SGC Parent/Teacher Elections

As of 3/26/26:

***Charter Dollars

Summary

March 2026 SOA

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 2/24/2026

Time: 7:46 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Present	Absent
Nathan Madigan (Parent),	Lori Dunagan (Appointed staff)
Laney Chambless (Teacher)
Alexis Frank (Teacher)
Leila Sadri (Teacher)
Karen Cooke (Principal)
Meredith Camp (Parent)
Steve Isbell (Community Member)
Stephen Saussy (elected parent)
Selena Bauman (Community Member)

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:46 by Nathan Madigan

Action Items –

The agenda was approved unanimously.

The minutes from January 2026 were approved unanimously with the change of the title from February Agenda to February Minutes.

An update on house and senate bills, cell phone bans, and every child reads was discussed for Superintendent Advisory Council.

A spring cross council update was given.

Reviewed Parent/Teacher SGC Elections.

Informational Items –

An Eagle Alliance update was given with updates from previous items and upcoming events.

A principal update was shared.

Announcements and Adjournment –

Meeting was adjourned at 8:38 AM

Minutes

March minutes

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 3/31/2026

Time: 7:46AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Karen Cooke (Principal), Leila Sadri (Teacher), Alexis Frank (Teacher), Nathan Madigan (Parent), Meredith Camp (Parent), Stephen Saussy (Parent), Stephen Isbill (Community Member), Selena Bauman (Community Member), Laney Chambless (teacher)

Absent- Lori Dunagan(Staff)

7:46 AM Call to Order (Madigan)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Madigan)

Madigan made motion to approve agenda; Camp 2nd, passed unanimously

7:48AM Action Item: Approve February Minutes (Madigan)

Bauman made motion to approve minutes, Sadri 2nd, passed unanimously

7:40AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Councils Updates (Isbill)

-outside donations that impact facility were discussed- county has to manage project

-state bill 382- cap schools revenue growth at 3 percent

-house bill 1116- change school funding from property tax to sales tax

-cell phone ban k-12 beginning next year

-every child reads program; state took what fulton county is doing and rolling it out state wide

7:57AM Informational Item: Spring Cross Council Updates (Frank)

-Common themes

-Qualities of effective SGC’s

8:00AM Discussion Item: SGC Parent/Teacher Elections Update* (Outreach and Communications Committee)

-3 parent candidates

-2 teacher candidates

-have 1 parent spot and 1 teacher spot open

8:03AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

-window coverings approved

-approved sub expenditure

-will have breakdown of how money is spent for next meeting

8:05AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals*** (Madigan)

N/A since items already approved

8:06AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Cooke)

-SSPD room is ready for use; possibly week after spring break for ribbon cutting. At end of EA meeting (April 15th) can do ribbon. Cutting. Waiting to hear back from SSPD.

-filled 2 positions for next year; will have some more positions to fill closer to summer

-2nd,3rd, and 4th grade teachers out on long term leave. There are no sub vacancies to fill those spots. 2nd grade split class, 4th and 5th grade using coaches

-Intro/prep meeting and setting expectations for long term subs before starting

8:25AM Informational Item: Eagle Alliance Update (Ackel & Casey)

-New EA co president next year

-parent party was a success

-In May, open up staff mini grants

-Gym lines painted over the summer

-Lacrosse equipment for PE

8:38 AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Madigan)

Bauman made motion to adjourn, Camp, 2nd, passed unanimously

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

*SGC Parent/Teacher Elections

As of 3/26/26:

***Charter Dollars

April

Agenda

April Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary

Date: 4/28/2026

Time: 9:00AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

TEAMS Link (if applicable):

SGC Members:

7:45 AM Call to Order (Chair)

7:47 AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Chair)

7:49 AM Action Item: Approve Previous Month’s Minutes (Chair)

7:50 AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Councils Updates (Council Representative)

8:00 AM Discussion Item: SGC Parent/Teacher Elections Update* (Outreach and Communications Committee)

8:20AM Discussion Item: Spring 2025 Cross Council Debrief (All Members)

8:30AM Public Comment

8:35AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:40AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals** (Chair)

8:45AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Principal)

8:50AM Complete Council Surveys***(All Members)

Council Self-Assessment (completed individually)

Principal Feedback Survey (completed individually)

SY25-26 SGC Reflection Form (completed as a group)

9:00AM Discussion Item: Draft Next Meeting’s Agenda (All Members)

9:15 AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)

Meeting Norms: Silence Phones, Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions, Work for the good of all Students

Notes and Reminders

* SGC Elections will take place between April 22nd-April 29th. Voters will receive ballots with candidate information for their schools through their email accounts that are registered in Infinite Campus.  Results will be shared with councils shortly following the close of the voting window and newly elected members will be contacted by the Governance Team to participate in New Member Onboarding.

** All councils must spend the entirety of their Charter Dollars prior to the end of the school year (Charter Dollar expenditures should align with all FCS Contracting requirements and purchase deadlines). See the Charter Dollar Matrix for expenditure suggestions from each FCS district department.

*** SGC EOY Surveys (SGC Reflection Form, Council Self-Assessment, Principal Feedback Survey). Please find time to complete all three surveys with your council before the end of the school year.

Council Self-Assessment (completed individually)

Principal Feedback Survey (completed individually)

SY25-26 SGC Reflection Form (completed as a group)

Summary

Minutes

May

Agenda

Summary

Minutes

2024-25 SGC Meeting Documents

September 2024

Agenda

September 2024 SGC Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 09/05/2024

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Karen Cooke (Principal), Selena Baumann (Community Member -Elect), Vivian Brenner (Teacher) Meredith Camp (Parent), Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff-Elect), Steve Isbill (Community Member- Elect), Nathan Madigan (Parent), Aimee Robertson (Parent), Tori Unger (Teacher), Haley Williams (Teacher)

7:45AM Call to Order (Principal)

7:50AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Principal)

7:55AM Action Item: Approve May Minutes (Principal)

8:00AM Action Item: Approve Appointed Members (Principal)

8:05AM Discussion Item: Member Introductions (All Members)

8:10AM Action Item: Elect New Officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Parliamentarian) (Principal)

8:20AM Discussion Item: SGC Council Development Opportunities (Officer Trainings and Cross Council) (All Members)

8:25AM Discussion Item: Determine SY 24-25 Council Norms (All Members)

8:30AM Action Item: Action Items: Staff Standing Committees (Budget and Finance, Outreach and Communication, Principal Selection) (Chair)

8:35AM Discussion Item: Confirm Parent/Community Superintendent Advisory Council Representative (Chair)

8:40AM Discussion Item: Draft Meeting Schedule for SY24-25 (All Members)

8:45AM Discussion Item: Strategic Planning (Principal)

8:55AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Principal)

A. Update on Staffing

B. Charter Dollar Update and Possible Expenditures

C. Update from Eagle Alliance

9:10AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)

Summary

September 2024 SGC Minutes

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 09/012/2024

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

SGC Members:

Karen Cooke (Principal)	ü	Steve Isbill (Community Member – Elect)	ü
Selena Baumann (Community Member – Elect)	ü	Nathan Madigan (Parent)	ü
Vivian Brenner (Teacher)	ü	Aimee Robertson (Parent)	ü
Meredith Camp (Parent)	ü	Tori Unger (Teacher)	ü
Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff-Elect)	ü	Haley Williams (Teacher)	ü

Brooke Brown, Khaki Januz, and Nan Janis were present for informational purposes.

7:45AM Call to Order (Principal) - The meeting was called to order at 7:46AM by principal Cooke.

Action Items
Motion	Time	By Whom	Second By	Voting Results
Approve Agenda	7:47	Aimee	Nathan	Unanimously
Approve May Meeting Minutes	7:49	Meredith	Lori	Unanimously
Approve Appointed Members	7:46	Nathan	Vivian	Unanimously
Elected Nathan as Chair	7:53	Meredith	Aimee	Unanimously
Elected Aimee as Vice Chair	7:54	Meredith	Tori	Unanimously
Elected Lori as Parliamentarian	7:55	Tori	Aimee	Unanimously
Approved Norms	8:02	Vivian	Steve	Unanimously

Discussion Items

Principal Cooke gave a warm welcome to SGC. The council took turns introducing themselves and sharing their relationship to Heards Ferry Elementary.

The council reviewed and adjusted the meeting norms.

Budget and Finance: There is $46,391 in charter funds this year. The council elected Nathan as chair of Budget & Finance Committee. The motion was made by Aimee and seconded by Vivian. The motion was approved unanimously. The council members Aimee, Nan, Vivian and Tori volunteered to also be members of the Budget & Finance Committee.

Outreach and Communication: The council nominated Lori as chair of the Outreach and Communication Committee. The motion was made by Tori and second by Selena. The motion was approved unanimously. The council members Selena, Steve, Hailey and Meredith volunteered to also serve on the committee.

Principal Selection: The council nominated Aimee as chair of the Principal Selection Committee. The motion was made by Lori and second by Selena. The council members Selena, Vivian, Nathani volunteered to be members of the Principal Selection Committee.

The selection of this representative was selected over the summer of 2024. Meredith will be the council’s representative. The motion was made to confirm the selection by Aimee and seconded by Lori. The motion was approved unanimously.

The council discussed the schedule for the meeting schedule for the 2024-2025 school year.

Karen gave a brief explanation of the Strategic Plan’s three main goals and how the school will be addressing to meet the three goals.

The three goals are:

1) By May 2025, the number of office referrals will decrease from 13 major discipline incidents in FY24 to 7 in FY25.

2) By May 2025, we will increase the percentage of students performing at the distinguished level on Georgia Milestones in ELA in 3^rd through 5^th grade from 39.7% to 45%.

3) By May 2025, we will increase the percentage of Students with Disabilities (SWD) in grades 3-5 demonstrate “proficient” or higher on the ELA portion of the Georgia Milestones from 59.4% to 65%.

Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Principal)

A. Update on Staffing

Heards Ferry was allotted an additional special needs pre-K class. This is based on our 10-day count. Karen and Lori are currently interviewing for a teacher and paraprofessional position to complete the classroom. Based on our 10-day count no staff members were surplus.

B. Charter Dollar Update and Possible Expenditures

$46,391 was allotted in Charter Dollars for the 2024-2025 school year. Karen shared with the committee some of the ideas from last year that were funded with the use of Charter Funds.

C. Update from Eagle Alliance

Brooke Brown gave an update on Eagle Alliance. Brooke shared that the back-to-school events went great!

The 5^th grade sunshine event will be providing breakfast for staff tomorrow, September 13^th.

Eagle Alliance and the diversity committee will be setting up for Hispanic Heritage Month September 15^th – October 15^th .

STEM day will be on September 27^th. There are 300 volunteer slots for STEM day, and 250 have been filled already.

EA membership has 87% of their membership filled to meeting their goal.

Staff members have been filling out the grant forms. Eagle Alliance has already approved a couple grants this school year.

The investment committee is kicking off next week. They have had their first meeting with the administrative team to collect ideas for the committee.

Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)

The meeting adjourned at 8:55AM.

Minutes

May 2024 Minutes

Meeting Norms:

1) Come Prepared 2) Be respectful of others’ opinions 3) Work for the good of all students

AGENDA

Heards Ferry Elementary School Governance Council

Date: May 14, 2024 Time: 7:45 a.m.

Location: Room 269

(This meeting does not allow time for public comment.)

SGC Members: Lisa Nash, Principal/ Vivian Brenner, Teacher/ Ellen Lesaicherre, Teacher/ Jennifer Hidock, Appointed Staff/ Tori Merrow, Appointed Staff/ Meredith Camp, Parent/ Nathan Madigan, Parent/ Aimee Robertson, Parent/ Jason Adler, Community Member/ Danny Miree, Community Member

Lisa Nash	ü	Meredith Camp	ü
Vivian Brenner	ü	Nathan Madigan	ü
Ellen Lesaicherre	ü	Aimee Robertson	ü
Jennifer Hidock	ü	Jason Adler	ü
Tori Merrow	ü	Danny Miree	ü

Lori Dunagan and Khaki Janusz were present for informational purposes.

Call to Order – The meeting was called to order at 7:47 a.m. by Jason Adler.

Action Items

Action Items
Motion	Time	By Whom	Second By	Voting Results
Approve Agenda	7:48	Meredith	Hidock	Unanimously
Approve March 2024 Meeting Minutes	7:49	Vivian	Ellen	Unanimously

Informational Items

· Principal’s Update

o This will be Jason and Lisa’s last SGC meeting!

o Next Year Update: The principal candidate will go through the final hiring process Wednesday evening at the Board Meeting.

o IST (Instructional Support Teacher) and three paraprofessionals are the only positions open for next school year. The new principal will handle hiring the new IST. All other positions have been filled.

o The inside of the building, including classrooms, will be painted over the summer. They will begin painting the first weekend of summer.

o Charter Funds: Window coverings and carpool lighting are the final projects that will leave the charter funds balance $0.

· EA Update

o Brooke Brown gave an update on the New Student Roundup. There will be 67 new students coming to Heards Ferry.

o This week is International Week. There was a plethora of parent volunteers that helped make this week so amazing for students.

o Field day is this Thursday and yearbooks will be passed out as well.

o Friday the staff gift funds distribution will happen and breakfast will be provided.

o Next week will be the end of the year celebration with ice cream and live music for students.

o Student birthday announcements will be available for parents to purchase on the marquee sign next year. There will be a limit on the number of students per year.

o The new Bluetooth system has been installed in the cafeteria.

o The wellness room on the first floor is very close to being completed for staff members.

o The 5^th grade legacy gift will be a mural painting in the gym.

o There is an EA survey that went out in The Nest, giving parents and staff an opportunity to provide feedback on EA activities.

Discussion Items

· Wrapping Up School Year – Discussed during the principal update.

Announcements and Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 8:27 a.m. by Aimee and seconded by Nathan.

October 2024

Agenda

October 2024 Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 10/9/2024

Time: 7:45 AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

TEAMS Link:

SGC Members:

7:45AM Call to Order (Principal)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Chair)

7:50AM Action Item: Approve September Minutes (Chair)

7:53AM Discussion Item: SY24-25 Council Initiatives* (All Members)

8:03AM Discussion Item: Review SGC Website for Compliance (All Members)

8:13AM Discussion Item: Debrief Fall Cross Council Meeting (All Members)

8:23AM Discussion Item: Strategic Planning (All Members)

8:33AM Action Item: Approve Strategic Plan (Chair)

8:33AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

8:43AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Chair)

8:48AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Principal)

9:00AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)

Summary

Meeting Norms:

1) Come Prepared 2) Be respectful of others’ opinions 3) Work for the good of all students

AGENDA

Heards Ferry Elementary School Governance Council

Date: October 9, 2024 Time: 7:45 a.m.

Location: HFE Principal Conference Room

(This meeting does not allow time for public comment.)

SGC Members: Karen Cooke (Principal), Selena Baumann (Community Member -Elect), Vivian Brenner (Teacher) Meredith Camp (Parent), Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff-Elect), Steve Isbill (Community Member- Elect), Nathan Madigan (Parent), Tori Unger (Teacher), Haley Williams (Teacher)

Khaki Janusz and Nan Janis were present for informational purposes.

Brooke Brown was present from EA for an EA Update.

Karen Cooke	ü	Meredith Camp	ü
Vivian Brenner	ü	Nathan Madigan	ü
Haley Williams	ü	Aimee Robertson
Lori Dunagan	ü	Steve Isbill	ü
Tori Unger	ü	Selena Bauman	ü

Call to Order – The meeting was called to order at 7:51 a.m. by Nathan Madigan

Action Items

The agenda was approved unanimously.

The minutes from the September 2024 meeting were unanimously approved.

Informational Items

· A school update was given by Principal Cooke

· A request to use Charter Dollars for additional hours for the AA was discussed and approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

· Review SGC Website for Compliance

· Debrief Fall Cross Council Meeting

· Discussion and approval of the Strategic Plan

· Discussion about Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals

· Discussion SY 24-25 School Initiatives

An Eagle Alliance update was given with upcoming events.

Announcements and Adjournment – The meeting was motioned to adjourn by Meredith and seconded by Tori . The meeting adjourned at 9:00 a.m.

Minutes

November 2024

Agenda

November Agenda

School: Heards Ferry Elementary School

Date: 11/07/2024

Time: 7:45AM

Location: Principal’s Conference Room

TEAMS Link (if applicable):

SGC Members:

Karen Cooke (Principal), Selena Baumann (Community Member), Vivian Brenner (Teacher) Meredith Camp (Parent), Lori Dunagan (Appointed Staff), Steve Isbill (Community Member), Nathan Madigan (Parent), Aimee Robertson (Parent), Tori Unger (Teacher), Haley Williams (Teacher)

7:45AM Call to Order (Chair)

7:47AM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Chair)

7:50AM Action Item: Approve October Minutes (Chair)

7:58 AM Discussion Item: Review SGC Website Audit Results* (All Members)

8:08 AM Informational Item: Superintendent Advisory Council Update (Advisory Council Representative)

8:18 AM Action Item: VAF Survey Results for IB Program (Principal)

8:28 AM Public Comment: VAF Survey Results for IB Program (Principal)

8:38 AM Discussion Item: Strategic Planning** (All Members)

A. Review Feedback

B. Monitor Progress

8:48 AM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (All Members)

A. Solution Tree Training Expenditure

8:53 AM Action Item: Approve Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals*** (Chair)

8:55 AM Informational Item: EA Update (EA Representative)

8:58 AM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Principal)

9:08 AM Discussion Item: SGC Community Communication (Chair)

9:15 AM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)