CHATTANOOGA GIRLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Charter School

CHATTANOOGA GIRLS
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
Charter School
of
HAMILTON COUNTY SCHOOLS
TITLE I
e‐Documentation
2009 – 2010

The purpose of
e-documentation is to provide
transparency and accessibility
to all of our Title I Schools
2009-2010

Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
Governance Board Meeting
Friday, August 7, 2009
11:30 – 1:00, CGLA
Present: Rose Decosimo, Melanie Northcutt, Deb Moore, Eileen Roberts‐Rehberg, Carolyn Thompson,
Edna Varner, and Janet Spraker (by phone).
Also in attendance, Co‐Directors Maxine Bailey and Julie Davidson.
The meeting was called to order at 11:45 by board chair, Melanie Northcutt. Absent a quorum, the Co‐
Directors’ Report was moved up on the agenda.
Co‐Directors’ Report
• School Requests: Nancy (Science) wants to have a tinkers’ lab. She is requesting donations of
small appliances. Requests for Studios: Bean bags, area rugs, books, art supplies, board games.
• Media Response: The members discussed some development on how we respond to the media
whenever the board is contacted. Suggestions: We develop a policy for responding to media;
we have the External Relations Committee (to be formed) make some recommendations; we
agree on who will respond and board members ask media to contact that person.
• Melanie suggested a plan for continuing instruction in the event of Swine Flu. Max said she
would research how this is being addressed in other places.
• Family Engagement Policies and Family School Compact: Carolyn Thompson suggested adding a
bullet to connecting the policy with the Engagement Plan. Carolyn made a motion seconded by
Deb Moore to approve the Engagement Policies and Family Compact with the revision. The
motion passed with a quorum present.
• School Fees: Because several amendments were suggested, a motion to approve with
amendments was rescinded with a request that Max email a revised draft. The membership
will vote electronically to approve the School Fee Policy with the amendments. Amendments
included the following: Add “non‐refundable” to the bullet on the annual school fee; the
Parent Engagement Specialist will screen hardship requests so that families are anonymous; add
“exclusively” to the last bullet to indicate fees will be used exclusively for teacher and classroom
supplies; a return check fee will be added to the policy.
• Visitors Protocol: Everyone who enters the building should sign in for security reasons. A final
draft of the CGLA Tour and Visitor Protocol was included in the board packet.
Facilities Committee Report
• Janet Spraker reported that the facilities committee will be looking at the facilities plan to
determine actuals and items that need to be revisited.
Governance Committee Report
• Member and Officer Terms: Current members will be asked to serve through June 30, 2010.
They will be surveyed about serving 1, 2, or 3 year additional terms so that we will have some
continuity as we bring on new members. Melanie Northcutt, Board Chair, will server through
December 31, 2009. The new Board Chair will be asked to serve from January 1, 2010 through
June 30, 2011. Members attending the Executive Committee meeting were polled about serving
as chair. Deb Moore is considering the position.

CGLA Family Involvement Policy
CGLA is committed to engaging parents as partners to be lead participants in their child’s
academic and social development and be involved in the school’s operations and governance.
Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) agrees to implement the following statutory
requirements:
• CGLA will jointly develop with parents and distribute a Family Involvement Policy that the
school and parents of participating children agree on
• CGLA will notify parents about the Family Involvement Policy in an understandable and
uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a
language that parents can understand
• CGLA will post the Family Involvement Policy to the school website to make the policy
available for the local community
• CGLA will periodically update the Family Involvement Policy to meet the changing needs of
parents and the school
• CGLA will adopt the School-Family Compact as a component of its Family Involvement Policy
• CGLA will offer programs and activities for parents or other adult caregivers, through the
Parent Institute, as described in section 1118 of the ESEA. This will be carried out by
approaching family engagement as one in which parents and other adult caregivers in a
student’s life are:
(A) Provided the information, tools, and opportunities to be active partners in the student’s
academic achievement and healthy social development;
(B) Directly engaged in the development and maintenance of a positive school culture; and
(C) Meaningfully involved in decision making
Last Revision August 7, 2009 1

**DRAFT**SCHOOL-FAMILY COMPACT
CGLA’s mission is to provide girls and young women with a rigorous college preparatory education
focused on math, science and technology in a supportive environment that nurtures self
confidence, inspires leadership, encourages critical thinking, and promotes academic excellence.
At CGLA we believe that parents, guardians and other family members are critical to the success of students and are full
partners in the school learning community. More than 30 years of research confirms that when parents and other adult
caregivers are actively engaged, students:
• Earn high grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs;
• Pass their classes, earn credits, and are promoted;
• Attend school regularly; and
• Graduate and go on to college
School Responsibilities:
The administration and staff at CGLA agree to the following. We will:
o Provide an academic program that is standards-based and grounded in research-proven best practices
o Treat all students and families with respect and courtesy
o Promote open and meaningful communication with families via e-mail, telephone, correspondence, face-to-face
meetings, and home visits
o Explain expectations, instructional goals and the grading system to students, parents and other adult caregivers
o Offer workshops for parents and other adult caregivers on relevant topics through the Parent Institute at
convenient times and locations
o Promote a safe, welcoming environment for our students and families
o Host regular activities that engage families in girls’ academic experiences
o Engage parents and other adult caregivers in the school’s operations and governance
o Offer resources that will help students be successful academically and socially
Parent Responsibilities:
As partners of CGLA, I, the parent and adult caregiver, agree to support my child’s learning in the following ways. I will:
o Provide (and update as necessary) current phone numbers, mailing address, e-mail addresses or other means of
communication
o Show respect to all members of the CGLA learning community
o Commit my child’s full attendance at the week-long annual retreats
o Ensure that my child arrives to school every day on time prepared to begin at 8:00 AM
o Make sure my child is wearing the official school uniform every day
o Communicate daily with my child concerning school work, review assignments, provide appropriate assistance,
and access her performance using the Equity and Achievement in a Standards-based Environment system, a
unique assessment feature for CGLA
o Make sure my child is in attendance for tutoring sessions, intercession activities, academic intervention sessions,
and Saturday programs
Revised 8/7/09 ‐ 1

o Communicate openly and honestly with CLGA staff when I have questions or concerns
o Provide a home environment that supports a regular schedule for studying
o Attend regular student-centered conferences with my student, teachers and other school staff to discuss progress
and identify short and long-term goals and action steps
o Support the restorative justice approach by participating in student conflict resolution and family group
conferences
o Commit to at least two (2) classroom visiting hour sessions per nine week period
o Make sure my child understands and abides by CGLA’s Technology Responsible Use Policy (RUP) to ensure the
safe and ethical use of all technological tools methods, and processes
o Promise to respect and care for the educational equipment provided by the school to enhance my child’s learning
o Support CGLA’s mission and goals by participating in an active way and attending various school activities, such
as parent institute workshops, family math night, academic competitions, exhibits, monthly school-community
dinners with students, community members, and school staff, etc.
Student Responsibilities:
As a student of CGLA, it is important that I work to the best of my ability; therefore I will:
o Show respect to all members of the CGLA learning community
o Support my sister scholars in all of their endeavors
o Appear for each of my classes at the start time with necessary supplies
o Complete and return all schoolwork assignments when due
o Take responsibility for my personal belongings and respect other people’s property
o Adhere to the CGLA Technology Responsible Use Policy and treat my “learning companion” with respect and care
o Share information with school staff and administration that might affect the health, safety or welfare of the school
community
o Honor and participate in CGLA’s Restorative Justice Policy
o Ask questions when I do not understand
In order for girls to learn and grow, it is essential that we all do our part. Chattanooga Girls Leadership
Academy students, parents, teachers, and administration all have responsibilities to promote student
learning and growth. Together, we pledge to carry out this compact.
By signing below, I acknowledge that I fully understand, support and agree to abide by the above
responsibilities.
________________________________________________________
Student Signature
_______________
Date
________________________________________________________
Parent/Adult Caregiver Signature
_______________
Date
________________________________________________________
CGLA School Representative Signature
_______________
Date
Revised 8/7/09 ‐ 2

Thank you for your support! ☺
Revised 8/7/09 ‐ 3

CGLA Family Involvement Plan
Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy will implement required school family
involvement policy components as follows:
1. CGLA will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development and joint
agreement of its Family Involvement Policy and its school wide plan, if applicable, in an
organized, ongoing, and timely way under section 1118(b) of the ESEA:
Gather and distribute to parents for review the following materials: HCDE Parental
Involvement Policy, CGLA’s Family Involvement Policy, and GCLA’s school-family
compact. These materials will be disseminated to parents during parent orientation,
Parent Institute seminars, parent group meetings, CGLA School Leadership Council
meetings and student-centered conferences. Written and oral input from parents will
be requested through Parent Institute seminars, Parent Group meetings, CGLA School
Leadership Council meetings, and student-centered conferences, CGLA newsletters,
CGLA’s website, and other regular correspondence with parents.
2. CGLA will take the following actions to distribute to parents of participating children and the
local community the Family Involvement Policy:
• The Family Involvement Policy will be distributed at Parent Institute seminars
• The policy will be posted on CGLA’s website
• Parents of new participating students will receive the policy during parent
orientation
3. CGLA will periodically update its Family Involvement Policy to meet the changing needs of
parents and the school through:
• CGLA School Leadership Council meetings
• Parent Institute seminars
• Parent Group meetings
• Parent Advisory Group
4. CGLA will organize an annual meeting to provide parents with the following Channing Bete
literature:
• Parents’ Rights In Education – A Guide to No Child Left Behind Act
• School-wide Title l Programs – How and why they work
• About School-Parent Compacts
• Meetings will be held at various locations and convenient times to encourage
parents to attend. Parents will be notified about meetings through e-mail,
newsletters, and CGLA website
*The documents listed above are also available for Spanish-speaking parents*
Last Revision August 7, 2009 2

5. CGLA will hold a flexible number of meetings at varying times, and may provide transportation,
child care, and/or home visits, paid for with Title l funding as long as these services relate to
family involvement:
To encourage parents to attend these meetings, the school will offer training to parents
to improve student success and achievement. In situations that prevent parents from
attending the meetings held at the school, the Family and Community Engagement
Specialist and Dean of Student Services may make home visits or arrange to meet the
parents at a mutually convenient time off campus.
CGLA will provide information about Title l programs to parents of participating children in a
timely manner through e-mail, memos, newsletters, and CGLA website
CGLA will provide parents of participating children with a description and explanation of the
curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student
progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet through:
• Parent orientation
• the annual week-long Parent Institute held in July
• regular student-centered conferences
• Parent Institute seminars and Family Nights throughout the year
a. CGLA will provide parents of participating children opportunities for regular meetings to
formulate suggestions and to participate in decisions relating to the education of their
children through:
• Circle of Support Groups
• CGLA School Leadership Council meeting
• School Governance Board meetings
• Parents’ Advisory Group sessions
• CGLA School Culture Advisory Committee meetings
b. CGLA will submit to the CGLA Governance Board any parent comments if the school
wide plan under section (1114)(b)(2) is not satisfactory to parents of participating
children:
Parents may submit comments in writing regarding the school wide plan to the
Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Dean of Student Services, one of the
co-Directors, or the parent representative on the CGLA Governance Board.
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
1. CGLA will build the schools’ and parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement in order to
ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership between the school,
parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement through the following
activities described below:
CGLA School Leadership Council, Parent Institute seminars, Family “Welcome”
Center, Family Nights, Parent Advisory Groups, School Leadership Council, Family
Last Revision August 7, 2009 3

Circles of Support, Parental access to the Equity and Achievement in a Standardsbased
Environment (EASE) system, Parent Resource library, and other resources
2. CGLA will incorporate the school-family compact as a component of its School Family
Involvement Policy:
• The School-Family compact will be a part of the School Involvement Policy on
the CGLA’s website
• During parent orientation, annual week-long Parent Institute held in July, the
School-Family Compact will be signed by the parent(s) and adult caregiver(s),
CGLA School Representative, and the student
• As needed, the School-Family Compact will be included in school newsletters
along with the School Family Involvement Policy
3. CGLA will provide assistance to parents and adult caregivers of children served by the school
in understanding topics such as the following:
CGLA Assessment Structure and Processes:
‣ Outcomes-Oriented Assessment
‣ Earning Course Credit
‣ Intervention and Remediation
‣ EASE Outcome Assessment Database
‣ Achievement Reporting
‣ Requirements of Title l
Parents will receive training and necessary information on the topics above through:
Parent Institute seminars, CGLA School Leadership Council Workshops, Family
Nights, Student-centered Conferences, School-Family Compact, and CLGA website
4. CGLA will provide materials and training such as math and literacy training and using
technology to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic
achievement and to foster parental involvement by:
Holding regular CGLA School Leadership Council meetings, Parent Institute
seminars, Family Nights, and encouraging family involvement through the Parent
“Welcome” Center
5. CGLA will educate school faculty and staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and
utility of contributions of parents, how to reach, communicate and work with parents
6. CGLA will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and family
programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an
understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the
extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand:
Upon identification of parental need for information in a language other than English
or in another format, the school will take steps to ensure that the parent request is
fulfilled
Last Revision August 7, 2009 4

• Board Committees; Committee chairs should review Chapter 10 in handout Melanie will resend.
Identify goals for 2009, committee members. Have report ready for the next board meeting.
Carolyn will poll members about committee interests, including interest in serving as future
committee chair. (She will also poll members about terms as described in first bullet.)
• We need to generate a list of potential new members to have on hand,
Leadership Advisory Committee
• Request for two members of the Board to serve on the Leadership Advisory Committee. It was
recommended that the Past President be one of the two. The Board will be polled to see who
can serve as the other representative.
Personnel Committee Report
• Deb Moore requested a vote of approval on a personnel review process: In an instance when a
co‐director is recommending termination for an employee, the co‐director will bring the
instance to the personal committee for review. Final decisions on all terminations require the
personnel chair and board chair. The board will be informed about terminations.
Deb Moore made the motion, seconded by Edna Varner to vote approval. The motion passed.
• The personnel committee recommended hiring an administrative assistant for the Co‐Directors.
Technology Committee Report
• Peggy will serve as chair to work with staff to develop a three year technology plan.
• Directors would like to delay acting on purchasing request until we have a technology plan
Galaxy ‘09
• Members were asked to identify sponsors for follow‐up.
October Single Sex Public Schools Conference
• We need the names of board members who can attend.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:20
Melanie Northcutt, Board Chair
Edna Varner, Secretary

Title I Budget
Title I, 2010.01 Project
SCHOOL NAME: Chattanooga Girls' Academy
Activity Code: 530
School Status: In Good Standing
Contact: Shawn McKay, Business Manager Org Number: 2101
Per Pupil Amount: 70x$560 Total Allocation: $39,200
Sep-09
Nov-09
5110-Regular Instruction Appropriation Budget Change Budget Change Expenditures Balance
51101409 Extended Contracts $ 2,000.00 $ (2,000.00) $ -
$ -
51102011 Social Security 6.20% $ 124.00 $ (124.00) $ -
$ -
51102041 Retirement(6.42 Certified/15.01 Classified) $ 128.00 $ (128.00) $ -
$ -
51102121 Medicare 1.45% $ 29.00 $ (29.00) $ -
$ -
51102991 Long Term Disability 0.36% $ 7.00 $ (7.00) $ -
$ -
51103999 Other Contracted Services $ 10,000.00 $ (10,000.00) $ -
$ -
51104291 Instructional Materials $ 6,500.00 $ (200.00) $ (5,800.00)
$ 500.00
51105999 Student Incentives $ 10,000.00 $ - $ (10,000.00)
$ -
51107221 Equipment $ 7,912.00 $ 12,488.00 $ (13,717.00)
$ 6,683.00
$ 36,700.00 $ - $ (29,517.00) $ - $ 7,183.00
TOTAL FOR 5110 - Regular Instruction wity carryover $ 7,183.00
5213-Parental Involvement
52133999 Contracted Services (FPS) $ - $ - $ 29,517.00
$ 29,517.00
52134999 Parental supplies, awards, postage $ 750.00 $ 500.00 $ -
$ 1,250.00
52135999 Parental meeting expenses $ 750.00 $ 500.00 $ -
$ 1,250.00
$ 1,500.00 $ 1,000.00 $ 29,517.00 $ - $ 32,017.00
This must equal 1% of allocation or: $ 392
TOTAL FOR 5213 - Parental Involvement $ 32,017.00
Staff Development
52213551 Travel $ 500.00 $ (500.00) $ -
$ -
52215241 Registration Fees $ 500.00 $ (500.00) $ -
$ -
TOTAL FOR 5221 - Staff Development $ 1,000.00 $ (1,000.00) $ - $ - $ -
TOTAL FOR 5221 - Staff Development $ -
TOTAL BUDGET $ 39,200.00
NOTE: Reconciled through 10/13/09
Title I Technician: Susan Prior, Title I Staff Accountant: Barbara Craigmiles
Title I Coordinator: Cheri Grant

Title I Stimulus Budget
Title I, 2010.01 Project
Activity Code: 530
Contact: Shawn McKay, Business Manager Org Number: 2104
Per Pupil Amount: 70x$250 Total Allocation: $17,500
SCHOOL NAME: Chattanooga Girls' Academy
School Status: In Good Standing
5110-Regular Instruction Appropriation Expenditures Balance
51107221 Equipment $ 17,325
$ 17,325.00
$ 17,325.00 $ - $ 17,325.00
TOTAL FOR 5110 - Regular Instruction wity carryo
$ 17,325.00
5213-Parental Involvement
52135999 Parental meeting expenses $ 175
$ 175.00
$ 175.00 $ - $ 175.00
This must equal 1% of allocation or: $ 175
TOTAL FOR 5213 - Parental Involvement $ 175.00
TOTAL BUDGET $ 17,500.00

1 st ANNUAL PARENT INSTITUTE
July 20-24, 2009
“CGLA Parents: Getting to Know You”
PURPOSE:
The CGLA Parent Institute will provide an opportunity to:
• build trusting, collaborative relationships among faculty, families,
and community members,
• help parents get better acquainted with CGLA (mission, vision,
academic program, assessment, etc),
• establish parents as partners to be lead participants in their child’s
academic and social development, and
• become involved in the school’s operations and governances
OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of the CGLA Parent Institute, parents will have:
• Realistic expectations of CGLA and each other
• Awareness of their voices in school decisions
• Feeling of ownership and partnership in their daughters education
• Tools to assist daughters in embracing change
• Shared experiences and connections with other parents
DAILY TOPICS: Monday “Getting to Know CGLA”
Tuesday “Getting to Know You”
Thursday Laptop Party
Friday Closing Ceremony