Q1 2026 Board Meetings Recap

The New Dimensions Board of Directors meets once a month, and every meeting is open to the public. Not everyone can come at 4:00 on a weekday, so here is a plain recap of what we talked about and decided from January through March. The full minutes are posted on our website if you want further detail.

A 10-year charter renewal

The biggest news came in January. The state renewed our charter for 10 years. A charter is the public agreement that lets our school exist and receive public funds. Ten years is the longest renewal the state gives. To earn it, the state looked closely at our school, our results, and our finances. This was a proud moment for us, and it is a sign the state trusts New Dimensions to keep serving Burke County families.

Our students led the way

Every meeting starts with students, and they set the tone. In January, third graders shared a planet project. In February, fourth graders showed their math and science work, and a team won a healthiest city award at the Future City contest. In March, fifth graders shared biome projects and a wax museum. We also celebrated a spelling bee champion and a student who earned first chair in the All District Band.

How the school is doing

Our state report card grade was a C, which was a 3 percent gain over the year before. Two of our teachers earned state bonuses for helping students grow more than expected. We are not where we want to be yet, and we are working on it. Our staff spent the year reading and training together to keep getting better.

An honest look at money

We watched our budget closely all year. Charter schools get about 70 cents for every dollar a regular public school gets for the same student, and we get no money for our building. Early in the year we were over budget, mostly on staff pay, benefits, and a building project. This gap was worsened by the unexpected shortfall from state funding, partially due to the state budget failing to pass. Additionally, like many businesses across the state, we absorbed an unexpected and dramatic increase in health insurance costs for our staff. We had savings set aside to cover the gap. We also pushed on grants and on bringing in new families, because more students means more funding. Money is tight, and we are being careful, but the school is steady.

Getting ready for next year

We approved the school calendar for next year. We started a new lunch program in March. We kept open enrollment open for new families, and we planned for summer school. We also worked through a set of school policies, a few sections at a time.

The dress code question

In February and March, the board looked at the school dress code. The old rule had ended in December. Setting the dress code is the director's job, not the board's. So in March, the board voted to let the director decide the dress code, instead of the board picking one specific rule. That vote passed 7 to 1. We know dress code matters to a lot of families, and we say more about it in our separate FAQ.

Building and safety

We finished a new ramp and planned a second one for the summer. We fixed the lights in the parking lot. Our safety team reviewed emergency plans with staff so everyone knows what to do.

Come see for yourself

You are always welcome at a board meeting. Full minutes are posted at ndschool.org, and you can reach us any time at governance@ndschool.org.