January Board Meeting Recap
Reminder: Independent parent group — not affiliated with or endorsed by FASD.
TL;DR
The January 28 Board meeting was short and felt more like a status update than a governance discussion. The meeting concluded after roughly 30 minutes. There were some useful updates—particularly around student assessment data—but also open questions, especially around staffing strategy, strategic planning, and Board effectiveness.
Parent Recap (What Happened)
The January 28 meeting of the French American School of Denver Board of Directors began late due to quorum issues and concluded early, lasting approximately 30 minutes.
Two agenda items that families might reasonably have expected to hear—an update from the PTO and a finance report from the Treasurer—did not occur, as the scheduled presenters were unavailable.
The bulk of the meeting consisted of the Interim School Director’s report, which covered:
Enrollment: Current enrollment was reported at approximately 229 students. School Choice Round 1 has closed, but no data was yet available to share publicly; the school expects more clarity by the end of February.
Budget considerations: The school budgeted for 240 students, while October count came in at 224 (current enrollment: 229). Revenue adjustments were described as expected given attendance trends. Fundraising performance to date remains below target, increasing reliance on the upcoming spring fundraising drive to help offset the shortfall.
Student performance: The school shared aggregate STAR assessment data (reading and math), showing generally positive growth across grade levels between fall and winter. Families will receive individual reports directly. A comparison to prior years was not presented but was noted as a possible follow-up.
Staffing and hiring: Teacher evaluations and retention conversations are underway. The school has begun posting roles on platforms like Indeed and professional networks to recruit teachers for next year, with continued participation in the Jules Verne visiting teacher program as needed.
Facilities and safety: Routine facilities updates were discussed, including obtaining quotes for potential camera upgrades.
Committee updates were brief. The Board recruitment update emphasized the ongoing search for an external (non-parent) Board member. The executive hiring process remains open, with applications closing at the end of January.
No public comment was offered. Three governance items specifically suggested to the Board in writing on January 23—School Accountability Committee (SAC) formation, CORA process clarification, and strategic planning next steps—were not addressed. No explanation was provided for their omission.
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.
As a parent who wants the school to succeed—and who appreciates how challenging school leadership and governance can be—it’s frustrating when opportunities for clarity and accountability are missed.
Optics matter in governance. Starting a meeting late due to quorum issues and then using only a small portion of the scheduled time does not project the image of a high-performing Board—particularly at a moment when the school is navigating important strategic and financial decisions.
One notable (and subtle) takeaway from the meeting was the messaging around staffing. The school described a hiring approach that appears to prioritize recruiting local teachers first, with the Jules Verne visiting teachers filling remaining gaps. Our current teachers—both local and visiting—are excellent. At the same time, families like ours have had a consistently strong experience with Jules Verne educators: they are well trained, deeply knowledgeable, professional, and kind.
In a region with a limited number of French immersion schools, truly exceptional, immersion-ready local teachers are likely rare. Shifting the balance of the staffing model may be reasonable, but it raises important questions: How will instructional quality and immersion fidelity be preserved? Is this shift aligned with the school’s mission and vision?
This shift is particularly notable given that teacher retention was the Board’s stated rationale for the recent bell schedule change. Yet the meeting included no retention data to validate whether that rationale was sound or whether this new hiring strategy addresses actual retention challenges. My own preliminary review of teacher staffing patterns over the past several years suggests that most departures have followed expected Jules Verne program cycles rather than unplanned attrition among local teachers. I have not seen the school publish a clear, anonymized retention analysis of its own, which makes it difficult for families to understand whether recent decisions are grounded in evidence or precaution.
That leads to a broader concern. The school’s current strategic plan expires this year. In October, the Board held a strategic planning session and indicated that a follow-up session would occur in the January timeframe. That follow-up has not yet happened, at least not publicly.
This matters. Over the past year, several consequential operational decisions have been made: kindergarten class size adjustments (over the summer), bell schedule changes affecting instructional time (in January), and now potentially a staffing strategy shift (emerging). There may be sound rationale for each of these individually. However, it is reasonable to ask whether they collectively align with the school’s stated mission and vision around academic excellence and high standards. If priorities are evolving, families deserve transparency—particularly during School Choice, when enrollment and re-enrollment decisions are being made.
Finally, my concern about Board effectiveness continues to grow. During the Board recruitment update, one member stated that “we all know what the responsibilities are.” Unfortunately, the meeting itself did not reinforce that confidence. The three governance items I had suggested in advance—including the statutorily required SAC formation—went unaddressed. There were no tough questions, little discussion of strategic direction, and minimal evidence of active governance.
Perhaps future meetings will show more progress. But for a school that emphasizes excellence, empathy, and critical thinking, it is reasonable to hope for a Board that models those same qualities in its public work.
What Should Parents Watch For?
As families make enrollment decisions during the School Choice window, here are questions you might consider asking the Interim Director or Board members:
Strategic Plan Update: When will the Board complete the strategic plan renewal? What will it say about academic standards, staffing philosophy, and instructional priorities?
Staffing Data: What are the actual retention rates for local versus Jules Verne teachers? What anonymized data supports the stated retention concerns?
SAC Formation: Colorado law requires charter schools to have a School Accountability Committee. What is the timeline for FASD to form one?
Alignment with Mission: How do recent operational decisions (class size, bell schedule, staffing strategy) align with the school’s stated commitment to “the highest educational standards”?
Executive Search Process: What criteria are being used to evaluate candidates for School Director? How will bilingual education expertise and French cultural competency be assessed and weighted?
The school’s mission and vision are compelling. The open question is whether current governance and operational decisions are aligned with those commitments—and whether families have sufficient transparency to evaluate that alignment for themselves.
As always, I’m sharing this in the spirit of transparency and community—not criticism for its own sake. The school is important to our family, and good governance is a prerequisite for its long-term success. If you attended the meeting or have thoughts on these topics, I welcome your perspective.
~ Greg
