Northern Liberties Neighbors Association

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November NLNA Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

NLNA Admin


BOARD OF DIRECTORS Meeting Minutes

November 11, 2024

Board Members present: Jeff Hornstein, President; Barbara Saverino, Vice-President; Donna Turi, Treasurer; Cristina Grisanti, Secretary; Ryan Carillo; Shakirra Clark; Mariel Lewis; James O’Neil; Matt Ruben; Sung Whang; Kevin Wilkins; Francesca Yepikhina; Meesh Zucker;

Also present: Sydney Rexroad (NLNA Executive Director), Sasha Best, Community Member, Cody Carr, James Ludlow, Ebonie Thorpe, Ludlow, Stacey Stallings, Ludlow, Dr. Khary Moody, Ludlow

The meeting was called to order by the President at 6:35 p.m.

Motion: By Francesca, seconded by Shakirra. “To approve the minutes of the [Prev Month] Board meeting as presented.”

Passed Unanimously

NLNA Speakers & Updates

  • Ludlow School Leadership in attendance to discuss Ludlow School and NLNA Partnership opportunities

    • Sasha introduced Principal Moody, and goals to work with the NLNA, community and Ludlow School to support awareness of the local school

    • James R Ludlow - Presentation about Ludlow

      • 6th and Master, hidden gem, wonderful work inside the building and upgrade the outside the building to show the beauty of the inside of the building

      • Goal to establish a partnership with the NLNA to build a bridge between the Ludlow School Community & the Northern Liberties community

        • Increase enrollment by attracting more families from within the immediate community

        • Create a strong parent/stakeholder group to support school vision & academic goals

        • Share some of the wonderful work happening & ideas

      • Reviewed school demographics, 72.3% Black, 91.6% Economically disadvantaged

      • Ludlows provides support programs for autistic student, emotional support student and learning & support students

      • District Curricula - Discussed new programs (plus some additional modules not adopted across Philadelphia

        • English Language Arts - New program in the school district of Philadelphia - expeditionary learning (EL)

          • Each module ends with a performance test (creating an e-book, research projects, etc.)

          • Accountable, independent work

        • Mathematics - Problem-based teaming & learning

          • Whole group instruction following by small group instruction

      • Celebrations - Principal Moody walked through some celebrations

        • Highest attendance rate across the past three years in  in September 2024-25 school year

          • Leverage Class Dojo to interact with parents vi an app to be more efficient instead of phone calls and emails

        • Reading = Star Reading  11.7% increase in Star Reading 

      • Ludlow Pride - Vision - To inspire, nurture, and educate the leaders of tomorrow,; one lesson, one student, one day at a time

        • Core Values - Guides students & teachers and staff

          • Be Respectful

          • Be Responsible

          • Be Safe

          • Be Kind

      • Community Centered Approach

        • Positive Behavioral Interventions & support (PBIS)

          • Beginning of the year, set expectation for core values with the students to follow the core values and school has signs and examples around the school visually

          • Pep rally at the beginning of the school year to set the goal to align to these values

          • Community meetings for check-ins to see how students are doing on aligning to the core values - start with the teachers leading the meetings and by the end of the series, students are leading the community meetings

          • Points program - Students can earn points for displaying examples of behaviors aligning to the core values (points can be turned in for school store and other items/prizes)

            • Monthly & quarterly incentives (extra recess, game day, winter festival, dessert party, movie day, craft day, staff vs student dodgeball)

            • Student Awards: Student of the Month, Golden Paw Winner, Attendance Awards

          • For students struggling behaviorally - Restorative conversations with student who might not be aligning to goals, individualized behavior plans aligning to goals between students and the school

        • Mathnasium of Center City - Math tutoring program event to make math run (parents & students)

        • Literacy Night in December - Educate parents with students

        • Boys & Girls Club will be hosting the after school program at Ludlow after State approval (M-F from dismissal through 6 PM

        • Clay Studio partnership - Every Wednesday pick up students for workshops and will also have workshops in the school during the day working with classes

        • Taller Puertorriqueno - Another art based program partner - Wednesdays in art class - develop basic art skills, AfroLatino Arts and culture focus embedded in the programs

        • Philadelphia Young Playwrights - Teaches students to write, structure and execute plays, students & parents can execute/view or have actors come in and execute

        • World Affairs Council of Philadelphia Partnership- Middle school focused to teach students about world relationship, their place in the world, pressing issues such as the UN

        • School led-activities - Tutoring club, lunch club, student council (5th - 8th grade, meetings with staff/principal to discuss ideas and issues/concerns), football (full-pad tackle football), basketball & track, mindfulness & movement

        • Fox Chase Farms Partnership - Every Thursday a different group goes to Fox Chase Farms continue education engaging in activities like planting, harvesting and caring for animals - connecting with different industries the stem from farms

      • New Playground and play area, garden beds, etc. in process - targeting the spring

    • Board and Ludlow leadership discussed ideas for partnering 

      • Volunteers for Thanksgiving Feast, Acme & Giant corporate support for the event, Seer Interactive connection

      • Social media - Ludlow corner, shoutout in newsletter

      • Community Meeting or Meet & Greet at Ludlow

      • Volunteer Days for Liberty Lands

      • Career Day in the Spring 

      • Laser Philly, science fairs, Fashion Incubator, 

    • North side of Poplar would go to Ludlow, up to Master

NLNA Leadership Reports

The Board went into executive session with counsel present at 7:47 p.m.

The Board left executive session at 8:39 p.m.

  • President’s Report: Jeff Hornstein.

    • Motion: By , seconded by. “To ratify any and all Board polls taken in the previous month.”

      Passed

NLNA Committees

Zoning Committee

  • November Minutes

    • Motion: By Matt , seconded by Francesca. “To ratify the recommendations of the Zoning Committee in the matter of, i.e.: '1005 N. 6th St. - RSA5 - Peter Tantala – A proposal to build two pergolas -pergolas not allowed in rear yard and side yard. And may not be constructed before the principal structure./”

  • Passed Unanimously

Old Business

None

New Business

None

The meeting was adjourned by acclaim at 8:45 p.m.