Miss Stein, presenting the state-of-school report to the Lake Norman Charter Board, said the school received 6,389 lottery applications this year — a 6% increase from last year — and that the school’s optimal-schedule committee declined to recommend a switch to a four-day school week.

The lottery is scheduled to be held Feb. 12, and family and staff surveys are due Feb. 10, Stein said. "They are used in our retreat, and it is a great way to give us a pulse on the work that we're doing," she said.

The committee reviewed multiple calendar models and ultimately concluded a four-day week would create unacceptable trade-offs for teaching and learning, Stein said. Committee members raised concerns about meeting state seat-time requirements, the impact on elementary students' stamina, effects on Advanced Placement pacing and preparation, childcare equity for families, and conflicts with athletics and extracurricular schedules. "We basically came to the decision that at this point, they could not enthusiastically come in front of the board and present something that they felt would be better than what we are already doing," Stein said.

Stein also updated the board on mental-health services: Lake Norman Charter’s telehealth partnership with Atrium Health currently provides regular teletherapy to 16 students, has three pending referrals and one student discharged after completing services. The partnership replaced an earlier Novant-funded, on-site position after federal ESSER funding ended.

Stein called attention to recent federal actions that briefly affected funding certainty and to immigration-related executive orders; she said the school has issued internal protocols and is supporting at least two staff members who are not U.S. citizens. On curriculum guidance and recent federal discussion around diversity, equity and inclusion and Title IX, Stein said the school is "in a holding pattern" while state and federal agencies work through details.

The board saw renderings for the new elementary school, including a two-story reading nook and an interior slide. Stein said the grading permit is nearly in hand and that the project remains on schedule; she expects a groundbreaking sometime in March and will coordinate timing with the board.

Stein also recognized teacher-coach Mr. Kendrick, who was selected by the Mathematical Association of America for the Edith Mace Little Award for exceptional math coaching in competitive math. "If you're gonna go out, go out on top," Stein said, congratulating Kendrick.

The report combined updates, committee findings and planning details; the board took no formal action on the schedule question during the open session.