Legacy Haven Academy Board of Education Bylaws

Article I: Name and Purpose

Effective 1 October 2025, this governing body shall be known as The Legacy Haven Academy Board of Education (“the Board”). The Board governs The Legacy Haven Academy (“the Academy”), a school blending private school autonomy and nonprofit mission-driven principles to serve foster youth. The Board implements an innovative, holistic education anchored in Judeo-Christian values of compassion, integrity, and service, promoting an ethical, inclusive, and supportive community. The Board establishes policies to promote spiritual exploration, vocational skills, global empathy, and measurable outcomes (e.g., 95% graduation rate, critical thinking skills, self-sufficiency, subject mastery, and other KPIs) through a curriculum integrating world religions, interdisciplinary academics, and hands-on trades, sustained by community collaborations and diversified funding.

Article II: Membership

  1. Composition: The Board consists of eight members: the Principal (also the Founder) and seven campus directors (Directors of Academic Operations, Communications, Personnel & Administration, Security, Logistics, Information Activities, Training Operations, and Planning), excluding external affiliations to safeguard against conflicts of interest.
  2. Eligibility: The Board requires all members to serve in their respective permanent school positions and demonstrate expertise in governance, nonprofit regulations, foster care laws, financial management, or mission-specific areas (e.g., academic operations, communications, vocational instruction, and similar fields). The Board prohibits members from holding external roles in for-profit, nonprofit, or government entities with competing goals.
  3. Selection: The Founder serves as the Principal. The Academy hires directors for their expertise into permanent school positions, with board roles assigned by peer nomination and Board approval for rotating 2-year terms, except for the Principal, who serves indefinitely as Chairperson until the Academy achieves full self-sufficiency as defined in Article XII.
  4. Terms: The Principal serves as Chairperson until the Academy achieves self-sufficiency as defined in Article XII. Directors serve rotating 2-year board terms, renewable by peer nomination, while retaining permanent school positions.
  5. Vacancies: The Board appoints directors from the current employees of the Academy first. If the Board cannot identify a suitable candidate, they will hire a new director through the established hiring policy and process. A department head serving under the Director of Academics will serve as interim board member during this process to maintain a quorum.
  6. Removal: A two-thirds vote of the Board may remove a member for cause (e.g., neglect of duty, misconduct, or violation of conflict of interest policies), following a hearing. The Board shall comply with any due process requirements imposed by state or local authorities, considering such requirements to constitute an appropriate hearing.
  7. Compensation: Members serve without additional compensation beyond their salaried school positions but may receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in Board duties, subject to budget approval.
  8. Training: Members receive training in governance, nonprofit regulations, foster care laws, financial management, and mission-specific areas to ensure expertise.

Article III: Officers

  1. Positions: The Board shall have a Chairperson (Principal), Vice Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.
  2. Election: Officers, except the Chairperson, are elected by peer nomination and majority vote at the first regular meeting following term rotations, serving 2-year terms aligned with their board role.
  3. Duties:
  4. Chairperson: Leads meetings, sets agendas, serves as the primary spokesperson, aligns decisions with the Academy’s mission, coordinates with external regulators (e.g., state education, Department of Child Services, nonprofit authorities) while prioritizing internal focus, and drives mission outcomes (e.g., 95% graduation rate, critical thinking skills, self-sufficiency, subject mastery, and other KPI).
  1. Vice Chairperson: Supports the Chairperson, assumes duties in their absence, and aligns academic policies with mission goals (e.g., standardized benchmarks).
  2. Secretary: Records minutes, maintains records, ensures transparency for stakeholders and nonprofit compliance (e.g., IRS filings), manages grant/regulatory documentation, and ensures cybersecurity for sensitive records.
  3. Treasurer: Oversees budgeting, financial reporting, and allocation of public grants and internal fundraising, ensures fiscal sustainability, and tracks financial metrics tied to mission outcomes (e.g., teacher development, student retention).
  4. Vacancies: Officer vacancies shall be filled by peer nomination and majority vote at the next regular meeting, with the new officer serving until the next election.

Article IV: Meetings

  1. Regular Meetings: The Board shall meet quarterly on the first Monday of January, April, July, and October at the Academy’s administrative offices, with public notice posted 72 hours in advance, per applicable laws.
  2. Special Meetings: Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or upon written request of three members, with 48 hours’ notice to members and the public.
  3. Quorum: A quorum shall consist of five members. No official action may be taken without a quorum.
  4. Voting: Decisions require a majority vote of members present, except for budget approval, bylaw amendments, or member removal (requiring two-thirds vote). Proxy voting is not permitted.
  5. Agenda: The Chairperson prepares the agenda, with input from directors. Agendas include public comment periods and quarterly internal audit reviews. The Chairperson will post the agenda to the public facing website for all public meetings at least 72 hours in advance, unless circumstances prevent doing so (e.g., an Executive Session).
  6. Executive Sessions: The Board may hold closed sessions for confidential matters (e.g., personnel, legal issues) as permitted by law, with no binding votes taken.
  7. Minutes: The Secretary shall ensure accurate minutes are recorded, approved at the next meeting, and made available to stakeholders, except for executive session records. The Secretary will post the minutes to the public facing website not more than 48 hours after the board adjourns.
  8. Remote Participation: Members may participate via video or teleconference, counting toward quorum, as permitted by state law.

Article V: Powers and Duties

  1. Authority: The Board of The Legacy Haven Academy, guided by its nonprofit mission, applicable laws, and Judeo-Christian values of compassion, integrity, and service, sets policies to provide foster youth with a holistic education. It fosters spiritual exploration, vocational skills, global empathy, and a supportive community through a curriculum blending world religions, interdisciplinary academics, and practical trades, ensuring measurable outcomes.
  2. Policy Development: The Board proposes, debates, and adopts policies by majority vote, with review every three years to align with mission outcomes (e.g., 95% retention, alumni impact).
  3. Delegation: The Board delegates day-to-day operations to the Principal or campus directors, retaining oversight and policy-making authority.
  4. Budget: The Board reviews and approves the annual budget and adjustments, ensuring funding supports mission-driven programs (e.g., equal opportunity, substance abuse initiatives).

Article VI: Committees

  1. Standing Committees: The Board establishes the following committees, with members appointed by the Chairperson:
    • Curriculum and Programs Committee (Led by Director of Academic Operations): Ensures curricula integrate world religions, interdisciplinary academics, and vocational skills to foster critical thinking, tolerance, and practical readiness.
    • Finance and Sustainability Committee (Led by Director of Personnel & Administration, supported by Director of Logistics): Oversees budgeting and funding from public grants and internal fundraising, ensuring fiscal sustainability.
    • Student Welfare Committee (Led by Director of Logistics, supported by Director of Security): Focuses on empirical practices, health, safety, and residential well-being to foster a supportive community.
    • Community Engagement Committee (Led by Director of Information Activities): Manages recruitment and public affairs, reflecting Judeo-Christian values, global empathy, and social justice, coordinating with external agencies without ceding influence.
    • Training and Development Committee (Led by Director of Training Operations, supported by Director of Academics): Oversees staff and student development, including teacher training, volunteer programs, and intramural sports.
    • Compliance and Governance Committee (Led by Director of Planning, supported by Director of Communications): Ensures adherence to foster care laws, nonprofit regulations, and bylaws.
  2. Ad Hoc Committees: The Board may form a Temporary committee with a majority vote, dissolving upon task completion.
  3. Meetings: Committees follow open meeting laws (if applicable), report to the Board, and have advisory roles unless delegated specific authority.

Article VII: Fiscal Matters

  1. Fiscal Year: The fiscal year shall be July 1 to June 30.
  2. Funding: The Academy relies on public grants (foster focus) and internal fundraising (e.g., community campaigns, local partnerships) to sustain mission-driven programs.
  3. Budget Process: The Treasurer presents a proposed budget by April 1, with Board approval by June 1, following stakeholder input.
  4. Audits: The Board conducts internal audits quarterly and discusses at each board meeting to ensure mission alignment and operational integrity. Periodic external audits (e.g., by DCS) verify compliance with regulations.

Article VIII: Conflict of Interest and Ethics

  1. Disclosure: Members must disclose any potential conflicts annually and before relevant votes. No external affiliations are permitted to ensure no competing interests.
  2. Recusal: Members with conflicts shall abstain from related discussions and votes.
  3. Code of Ethics: Members adhere to a code emphasizing compassion, integrity, and service, aligned with Judeo-Christian values and the Academy’s mission.
  4. Nepotism: The Board requires family members of applicants to recuse themselves from hiring decisions to protect impartiality.

Article IX: Indemnification

The Academy shall indemnify Board members against legal claims arising from official duties, to the extent permitted by law, and maintain liability insurance.

Article X: Amendments

  1. Process: The Board may amend the bylaws by a two-thirds vote at a regular meeting, provided the amendment is proposed in writing at a prior meeting.
  2. Notice: Proposed amendments shall be distributed to members and stakeholders at least 14 days before the vote.

Article XI: Parliamentary Authority

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern procedures not addressed in these bylaws, unless inconsistent with law or these bylaws.

Article XII: Definitions

  • Critical Thinking Skills (CTS): passively scored by Artificial Intelligence biometric observations utilizing CTS instruments such as the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal – FS, Cornell Critical Thinking Test, The Health Science Reasoning Test, Professional Judgment Rating Form, and Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric.
  • Subject Mastery: passively scored by Artificial Intelligence biometric and large language model assessments utilizing the Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, and Enable (EDGE) method, defined within each functional area’s curriculum. Student subject mastery entails the student demonstrating sufficient understanding to teach the concept clearly and completely to a peer or leader, as well as demonstrate applicable skills. The Academy’s organizational website provide a comprehensive (not exhaustive) list of learning style instruments and standardized assessments at:
  • Graduation Rate: metric defined as students who complete year 8, demonstrating a complete subject mastery over the curriculum provided by the Academy from years 1 – 8. All students, regardless of age, will receive individual learning objectives based on their current understanding and mastery of the curriculum.
  • Self-Sufficiency:
    • The Board shall consider the Academy as self-sufficient when it sustains ten consecutive years of reaching the metrics of success as defined in this Article (e.g., critical thinking skills, subject mastery, 95% graduation rate, and others as applicable).
    • The Academy passively scores students to measure self-sufficiency by Artificial Intelligence biometric, large language model, and Key Performance Indicators defined in the Family and Consumer Science Curriculum.
  • Key Performance Indicators (KPI): The Academy defines the KPI for each educational functional area within the curriculum overview. These include critical thinking skills, subject mastery, graduation rate, student self-sufficiency, as well as measurements taken from psychological instruments defined ad hoc on a per student basis. The Academy’s organizational website provides a comprehensive (not exhaustive) list at:
  • Department Heads: serving with the Director of Academic Operations, these ten functional area managers oversee the day-to-day educating of students in the functional areas of Applied Computer Science, English Language Arts, Family and Consumer Science, Foreign Language Arts, Health and Physical Education, History and Civic Studies, Mathematics, Performing Arts, Science, and Sociology.
  • Public Facing Websites:
    • https://legacyhavenacademy.org – Features legal and administrative organizational information for consumption by the general public. This includes the available Agenda and Minute listing provided by the Board.
    • https://legacyhaven.academy – Contains the living curriculum and will constantly receive updates and changes in accordance with the Academy policies established by the Board.

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