MISSION
We provide a premiere high school drop-out recovery program
engaging students through relationship-focused, high-tech,
and rigorous learning experiences resulting in
Real Learning for Real Life®
Integrity

Service
Learning

Respect
FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR INTEGRATED ACADEMICS
AND TECHNOLOGIES GAINESVILLE, INC.
REGULAR MEETING of the BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Thursday, April 21, 2016 * 9:00 a.m.
Minutes
1. CALL TO ORDER/ESTABLISH QUORUM
President Lawson called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m.
Members Present: Alena Lawson; Prof. Zag; Christopher Stokes; Chief Jones; Steven Schwab and
Jackson Cowart
Guests: Christal Blue; Isia Bird
Telephone Attendees: Debra Anderson; Richard Trainor; Lin Miller, Joy Baldree
2. CONSENT AGENDA - A. Lawson
On a motion by Prof. Zag and seconded by Steven Schwab, the Board unanimously approved the
consent agenda with corrections to the February 18, 2016 minutes noted.
Approved
A. Regular Meeting Agenda: April 21, 2016
B. Regular Meeting Minutes: February 18, 2016 (Corrected)
C. Special Meeting Minutes: March 14, 2016
Received
A. SIATech Gainesville AP #1301 Complaints (updated)
3. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS – None
4. BUSINESS/FINANCE
A. Monthly Financials through February 29, 2016
Richard Trainor reviewed the executive summary page with the Board. We now have to show
the effect of the Florida Retirement System on the overall budget. General fund balance is
positive, however that does not include any repayment of the line of credit. The school will not
be able to pay it off this year but should be able to make a payment toward the balance. The
amount will be determined closer to June. PECO funding at a negative $66,000. The funding is
not sufficient to pay the lease and capital improvements. There will be a 50% increase in PECO
funding next year and the school may be eligible for extra monies still to be determined.
SIATech Gainesville Board of Directors Meeting
April 21, 2016
Page 2
B. Approved Third Amendment to Promissory Note
On a motion from Steve Schwab and seconded by Jackson Cowart, the Board unanimously
approved the Third Amendment to Promissory Note. This expenditure will be classified as long
term debt instead of short term debt for accounting purposes.
5. REPORTS TO THE BOARD
A. Principal’s Report – C. Blue
 8 completers to date – Sent status update to all other on track to graduate
 Extended sessions for seniors and looking at Saturday School in May to help them get
through the program.
 Reviewed the monthly withdrawals and the team is focused on attempting to get
students back to school and withdrawing them for nonattendance if necessary. The
afternoon session is very full. 27 students Job Corps in morning and 47 in the
afternoon.
 MOU with Job Corps to be a Workplace Learning Site is on this agenda for approval.
Chris Stokes requested that the Job Corps Administrative Team stress to the students
that if they are not going to come to work for any reason, they must notify Ms. Blue.
Mr. Stokes has had problems in the past with other types of workplace learning
students not showing up or quitting and he was not notified. The students need to
treat this as a job. Stressing retention as well as enrollment.
 Administrative Professionals Day (April 27) and Teachers Appreciation Week (May 2-9)
Alena Lawson suggested that the Board contribute to the support staff baskets that
Christal plans to make as gifts of appreciation.
 Graduation is June 8th at 4:00 p.m. and the school is looking for speakers.
Prof. Zag wanted to know why we were losing students to Penn Foster. Ms. Blue noted that it is
the other Job Corps program and we have no control over placement in that program. Jackson
Cowart said that what he overhears in the classroom is that students know that it is a quicker
way to get a diploma but what they don’t know is that it is not the same as an accredited
SIATech diploma. Ms. Blue said that staff does counsel students who want to change; pointing
out the positives of our program without putting down the other program. The students who
went the DEG route were attendance issues and the students did not want to come back to
SIATech. We want to make sure we are tracking the students no matter what they decide to do.
B. Florida Update
Ms. Baldree asked the Board is they would be interested in applying to lease a building for an
annex for SIATech Gainesville. The site is closer to the Job Corps Center, making travel easier for
Job Corps students, and could also serve the communities of Waldo and Hawthorne nearby.
I could also house an overage 8th grade program like the one being considered for the
MYcroSchool Annex.
The Board in general was not in agreement with expansion at this time. The school is beginning
to see growth and taking the Job Corps students from the existing population to open an annex
would decrease the numbers and increase staffing costs at the new sites, as well as stretch the
administration staff.
SIATech Gainesville Board of Directors Meeting
April 21, 2016
Page 3
In light of recent changes in legislation allowing students to go to any school they wish, the
Board suggested a growth model that includes addressing transportation and dealing with the
long term debt. The Board requested that Richard look at the cost effectiveness of sharing
transportation cost with MYcroSchool to provide a bus or van that could reach more students in
outlying areas. If the opportunity presents itself we would have an idea of what the break-even
point would be. Richard will prepare a report for the June board meeting.
C. Accreditation Report– Joy Baldree
Joy reported that the External Review went very well. Total of 196 stakeholders were
interviewed. Excellent findings and SIATech, Inc. will be recommended for 5-year accreditation.
The final report highlighted what they felt were our Powerful Practices and their Improvement
Findings as reported below:
 Powerful practices included acknowledging SIATech for implementing a consistent
instructional model; implementing high quality professional development and
mentoring; increasing support services for targeted student populations including
college and career readiness.
 Improvement Findings centered on data and accountability and bringing about a
system to analyze and utilize data consistently throughout the corporation; and
provide professional development in the interpretation and use of data to improve
student learning and instruction.
 eleot observation tool findings outscored the AdvancED national average on 6 of the 7
indicators. The lowest scoring indicator was one where our program did not fit their
model so it was “not observed”, resulting in a lower than average score. We probably
would have outscored there too given a different set of criteria in which to observe
the students in the classroom. Although SIATech Gainesville was not one of the
schools visited, all schools had to go through the same initial process of surveys, selfassessments, and report writing.
D. Community Outreach Update – Prof. Zag
Only one event next week which is the City of Gainesville Job Fair. His activities will be limited
over the summer as he will be country in May and June and other plans over the summer that
will take him out of the state. Professor Zag also volunteered to assisting students with job
placement once they have completed the SIATech program and are set for graduation. He
cautioned not to start too early with the job hunting as students often take the job over
continuing their education.
E. Organizational Update – L. Miller
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Company is in budget development mode now and it is taking up the majority of time.
Thanked Prof. Zag and Alena Lawson for their participation and support with the
accreditation visits. 11 board members were interviewed during the External Review
process.
SIATech is moving forward with a partnership with Santa Clara County Office of
Education to provide the curriculum, professional development and blended model to
serve the older student population in their community.
SIATech Gainesville Board of Directors Meeting
April 21, 2016
Page 4

Working with Amy Lansing from UCSD on a Trauma Informed Care Grant to pilot at our
El Centro sites. The program will define protocol for recognizing different forms of
trauma with our population of students and then train staff in recognition and referral
to appropriate resources for help. We hope to be able to bring the training to all of our
staff via and additional grant.
6. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Approved Work-Based Learning Program Agreement between Fluor Federal Solutions, LLC
and FL SIATech Gainesville, Inc.
On a motion from Chris Stokes and seconded by Steve Schwab, the Board unanimously approved the
Work Based Learning Program MOU with the Gainesville Job Corps Center.
B. Board Vacancy - Ms. Blue will contact the Center Director at Gainesville Job Corps Center and
ask for a recommendation on a board candidate. Other recommendations are welcome and
will be considered in the selection process.
C. Proposed Agenda Items for Next Board Meeting 
Annual Finance Workshop - May 19, 2016
7. REMARKS FROM BOARD MEMBERS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Jackson Cowart (Student Board Rep) and student Isiah Byrd, provided the Board with a request and
signed petition from the students to place an American flag in front of the school. Flag ambassadors
would care for the flag and be responsible for raising and lower the flag each day. They are asking
the school to purchase the flag and flag pole. Ms. Blue noted that the landlord will need to be
contacted for permission. Prof. Zag suggested that there be a ceremony dedicating the flag to the
school and could be done by any number of civic organizations such as the Rotary Club, Kiwanis,
American Legion and VFW. He volunteered to help organize the event should the project move
forward.
The students also presented the Board with ideas for Earth Day celebration activities at the school
including building a planter box in front of the school (Job Corps students) and a contest for most
bags of trash collected from the local area with prizes awarded. They also suggested inviting a
speaker to come and give a presentation during 5th hour.
Chris Stokes - Thanked Alena Lawson and Christal Blue for their support of his participation in
Mr. Majestic: The Making of a Renaissance Man Scholarship Event sponsored by Delta Sigma Zeta
Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. The event was held last Saturday and Pastor Stokes was the
winner. Mr. Majestic is expected to support/attend Delta Sigma Zeta functions, when possible,
during year of reign. The Delta Sigma Zeta Chapter works diligently to promote the highest degree
of scholarship and community service.
Ms. Lawson noted that her department deals a lot with families and kids involved in gangs and it has
ruined the lives of many. Our schools are not immune to the problem and we need to be aware and
watchful. She also noted that she would like the Board to consider a policy that would not allow
SIATech/MYcroSchool students expelled for offenses such as drugs or violence to enroll in the sister
school. Chief Jones noted that the department has staff that goes to school campuses and provide
SIATech Gainesville Board of Directors Meeting
April 21, 2016
Page 5
staff training on gangs and violence. He suggested that SIATech and MYcroSchool staff night want
to have a joint workshop, including board members, and the Policy Department would provide the
training for all.
As a follow up on the transportation discussion, Steve Schwab suggest that Richard might also get
prices from companies who contract for student transportation so that the school would not have
the headache of administrating the program.
8. ADJOURNMENT
Having no further business, on a motion from Professor Zag and seconded by Jackson Cowart, the Board
agreed to adjourn at 10:49 a.m.
Minutes Recorder: Debra Anderson
__________________________________________
Steven Schwab, Board Secretary
______6/16/16__________________
Date