August Board Meet-and-Greet
Reminder: Independent parent group — not affiliated with or endorsed by FASD.
The academic year starts with positive momentum.
TL;DR
More than 20 parents attended the August 21 meet-and-greet in person, with others joining remotely, despite short notice.
The Board discussed strategic planning, its upcoming Board leadership transition, the financial impact of moving to Harrington, fundraising and volunteering.
The Board considers the Gaylord lease resolved and expects no additional costs. It remains unclear whether FASD has written confirmation.
The PTO has streamlined its online volunteer signup.
Parent Recap (What Happened)
Board members introduced themselves, and school leadership was praised for completing the Harrington move and for work described as having “saved the school.” The administration also outlined its operations, academic and French-program leadership teams.
The Board said strategic planning began the previous evening and would continue in September. Members welcomed ideas, but no process or timeline for family participation was described. Planning had been deferred because FASD lacked a permanent director and its future facility was unsettled.
The interim Board chair plans to step down at the end of September. A newer member was discussed as a possible successor, with his school and school-related legal experience highlighted.
When a parent asked how families could help, the discussion began with financial contributions and the school’s liquidity, followed by volunteer opportunities. The school said its newsletter will be the primary source for important information.
School representatives said rent is lower at Harrington, but the move was expensive and has constrained near-term finances.
The Board also said it considers the Gaylord lease resolved and expects no additional costs. The discussion did not establish whether FASD has written documentation confirming that it has no remaining obligation.
The “Since You’re Here…” Section
Unofficial reflections — offered in good faith (and with a grain of salt)
I want to be explicit: the section above is my attempt to keep things factual and balanced. This section is my personal perspective.
This was meaningful progress
The turnout, especially on short notice, shows that families want opportunities to interact with the Board. Its presence during the opening weeks of school has also been noticeable, particularly among newer members. I hope this engagement continues.
Did school leadership “save the school”?
The school director and her team deserve real credit for getting FASD into Harrington. They managed a difficult transition and made the new location happen.
But saying the director “saved the school” is hard to reconcile with earlier messaging that FASD was “course correcting” or moving from “good to great”—not facing an existential crisis.
If the school was genuinely in danger, families were not clearly told. If it was not, the language feels exaggerated. It also raises questions about the Board’s prior oversight if several years of neglected work truly had to be completed in one year.
Strategy should lead the circumstances
The Board said it deferred strategic planning because FASD lacked a permanent director and did not know which building it would occupy. Those uncertainties were significant—but they were also reasons the school needed a strategy.
FASD’s core differentiator is not its address. It is a distinctive bilingual curriculum delivered by top-flight French teachers. That academic model and the standards by which we measure success do not depend on whether the school operates at Gaylord, Harrington or somewhere else.
A strategic plan should guide leadership and facility transitions, not wait until they are over. By treating those conditions as prerequisites, the Board may have lost the tune on what makes FASD worth protecting. Families should now be told how they can contribute before major decisions are made.
Money came before volunteering
When a parent asked how families could help, the conversation centered first on fundraising and finances. Volunteering emerged afterward.
The school needs money, particularly after an expensive move. But families contribute more than checks. Their time, expertise, oversight and presence also matter. The improved volunteer portal is a welcome step.
Why was legal expertise emphasized?
The newer member discussed as a potential chair appears highly qualified. He has school experience in addition to representing educational organizations legally.
The question is not whether he is qualified. It is why his legal expertise was singled out as especially useful recently. Was that simply a reference to the known lease and governance issues, or does the Board anticipate additional legal work? Some context would reduce unnecessary speculation.
Gaylord still needs documented closure
The Board’s confidence that the Gaylord matter is finished is encouraging. But it is difficult to believe the Archdiocese would abandon a disputed claim for roughly $1.65 million in remaining lease payments without a documented resolution.
That amount is a claim—not an established FASD liability—and I hope the Board is correct that the school exited without penalty. Still, verbal confidence is not enough. The community should receive confirmation that FASD has a written settlement, release or other definitive documentation establishing that no additional payment is expected.
Are we investing in—and retaining—teachers?
School leadership said staff spending is its first financial priority. Instruction is FASD’s largest expense category, but the FASDads Financial Explorer shows that investment is not increasing per student:
Professional-instructional spending per pupil falls 6.6% in the FY2027 budget.
Combined in-school teacher and para spending per pupil falls 1.8%, even after adding paraprofessional support.
FASD remains below the peer median under both available comparisons—near the bottom under the stricter classroom-staffing measure and modestly below the median under DPS’s broader measure.
This likely doesn’t help retention—our preliminary staff-roster review suggests returning-educator retention fell from 83% to 58%. Some departures were visiting teachers completing expected rotations. But at least three locally hired educators also left—including the STEM/library teacher, the dean of students and an English/ELD teacher. That is the most local-educator attrition FASD has experienced in several years, despite the bell schedule change.
The reporting years and definitions differ, so the exact rankings should not be overstated. The consistent conclusion is that FASD remains below the peer median.
The budget also includes $124,243 in consultant services, including $86,976 of MLO 2020 funding under object 0334. The school has not publicly explained what that restricted-fund expense purchases or how it supports teachers and students, and how it aligns with the MLO’s stated purpose (you can read the ballot language here).
Board focus areas should begin with the classroom
When the interim Board chair summarized the Board’s focus areas, reputation came first—before academics, classroom experience, fiduciary responsibility or charter compliance. The order may not have been intentional, but the Board can appear more focused on managing perceptions than examining what creates them.
Reputation matters, but it should be the product of the school’s work—not the starting point for governing it. I want FASD’s reputation to be built on providing a fantastic education to our children, not micromanaged as though we were a public-relations firm. Excellent classrooms, transparent finances and open engagement will build trust more effectively than message management.
~ Greg
