Brittney Cooper

The incoming CEO, Remy Washington, outlines her vision for Uplift Education, reaffirming the mission to empower students for college and career achievement. The strategic direction focuses on innovating career pathways for high-wage alumni careers, enhancing teacher support to ensure rewarding and sustainable professional experiences, and deepening partnerships with parents and communities to position Uplift schools as integral community cornerstones.

This document outlines Uplift Education's approach to its middle school program, emphasizing its mission of sustaining public schools of excellence. Key strategic goals include achieving 100% college acceptance and a 70% college matriculation rate for its scholars. The educational strategy focuses on International Baccalaureate (IB) certification, teaching to the 'whole child' through integrated content and global citizenship characteristics, fostering 21st-century learning skills like collaboration and persistence, and prioritizing social-emotional learning to build strong relationships and a sense of belonging among scholars and teachers.

The board meeting commenced with roll call verification. Key discussion points included thanking board members for participation in school year lunches and outlining sign-up procedures for the second semester. A significant portion of the meeting focused on reviewing the recent Dinner and Dialogue fundraising event, detailing substantial increases in funds raised, donor participation, and attendance compared to the previous year. Discussions covered areas for improvement, such as valet service and food quality, and compared the event's financial metrics (like Return on Investment) against industry standards, noting the high cost associated with securing high-caliber speakers. Strategies for future fundraising improvement were proposed, including securing more corporate sponsors, increasing minimum table sponsorship levels to $10,000, and establishing dedicated committees to expand networking efforts. The group is considering scheduling the next event in February 2026 to allow more time for budget planning and fundraising development.

The meeting included a financial update indicating the organization is close to reaching its annual fund goal of $600,000, with plans for tighter marketing tactics next year. Discussions covered the capital campaign, which is currently short of its $3 million goal for a complex prek program, while program-specific fundraising goals have been exceeded. A significant portion of the meeting addressed the 2024-2025 school year Public Code of Character, Conduct, and Support. This involved presenting a task force review of the first year of implementation, noting a 23% reduction in student infractions and the role of Learning Innovation and Facilitation (LIFT) centers as alternatives to in-school suspension. Proposed upgrades include making consequences more specific, leveraging character education platforms, integrating guidance on police officer roles, and providing clear flowcharts for leaders and teachers on interventions and restorative practices. The board unanimously approved the updated code. The meeting also covered annual elections and recognition of departing board members.

The executive meeting provided a detailed recap of a recent fundraising dinner, noting a 35% increase in earned funds from the previous year, totaling $200,000 more raised, with 38 out of 48 tables participating in the giving portion. Feedback was solicited on the event, including positive comments on the speaker and atmosphere, but noting areas for improvement such as event layout, VIP reception flow, food quality, and communication regarding credit card pre-registration. The board was also asked to identify chairs and host committee members for next year's event, with a target date of January for commitments. Additionally, the external auditors presented the results of the financial audit, issuing an unmodified opinion on the financial statements, and outlining the timeline of the audit process which began in June 2024.