The Arbor School

“Nathan stedham kristen stedham board member board member family relationship”

“The 990 is prepared by a cpa who is familiar with non-profits and then reviewed by the organization's board and executive director. The executive director and board will address any questions with the preparer in order to better understand the reports and suggest changes as needed. Once any changes have been made and approved, the 990 will be filed. Once the 990 has been accepted by the irs, a final copy is sent to the board.”

“If the board has reasonable cause to believe that an insider of the arbor school has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, including those arising from a transaction with a related interested person, it shall inform such insider of the basis of this belief and afford the insider an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose. If, after hearing the insider's response and making further investigation as was warranted by the circumstances, the board determines that the insider has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, the board shall take the appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. For this policy, an "insider" is a member of the board, the school director, chief financial officer, executive director, or any person with the responsibilities of these positions, or a key employee.”

“The arbor school regularly reviews salaries for its main employees against national and local averages. Merit increases are also given, taking into consideration both performance and accountability measures.”

“Governing documents are made available upon request.”

“The arbor was thrilled to hold its first luncheon post covid in november 2022. It was such a sweet time to reignite this very missed event and raise much needed operating dollars for the school. The arbor was also very grateful for the outstanding support received through our annual fun walk, our participation as a charity partner in the chevron houston marathon, and smaller events held throughout the year. In addition, they received incredible support from foundations, corporations, and donors.”

“Volunteers: in a typical year, the arbor school is grateful for the help of between 40 and 75 volunteers. These volunteers help to advance the arbor's mission in a variety of ways, including community events, campus clean up/work days, and fundraising. The volunteers come from a variety of sources such as local schools, companies, and families. In addition, the volunteer board members assist with the oversight of the school's financial and business operations.”

“Continued from part iii, page 2, 4a: children at the arbor present a wide range of disabilities including autistic-spectrum disorders, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and a variety of other neurological and seizure disorders. The arbor assists these students in developing their motor, social, communication and problem-solving skills, with the goal for each child to reach their highest level of personal success. The arbor uses the carolina and oateca curriculums to assess and set goals for their students, tailoring them specifically to each student's abilities. During the 2022-2023 school year, the arbor was very excited to also offer new auxiliary support. The lineup included in every child's program now involves occupational therapy, physical therapy, physical education, and art. They have found that strength of mind and strength of body coupled together make a great difference for the students. The intensive program offered by the arbor requires a strict student-to- teacher ratio; the classrooms never exceed a 2:1 ratio. All student goals are very detailed and concrete so that progress can be measured daily, providing teachers and parents with a clear understanding of the child's progress. Parents are provided with copies of these goals on a regular basis. As quickly as a new goal is mastered, another is added. Each student's definition of success will look drastically different from that of his or her peers. For one student it may be crawling, where another will be self-feeding so successfully that they no longer remain dependent on a feeding tube, and another may be learning to read. No matter the milestone achieved, each mastered goal is worthy of celebration and creates a huge difference in the lives of the student and their family. During the 2022-2023 year, the arbor grew its administrative team by adding a director of people operations and an administrative assistant. These positions have proved to be instrumental in providing better care for both staff and families alike.”