Greetings from the Board! We understand that many parents and teachers have questions about Ancora Management LLC, what it does, and how it benefits our school. We’d like to take this opportunity to provide some clarity for you.
What is Ancora?
Ancora is a Charter Management Organization (CMO) and an Educational Service Provider (ESP). These types of companies are widely used by charter schools to assist the board of directors and school administration in managing the complex operations behind running a school.
Think of Ancora similar to the business hub in Green Cove Springs headquarters that manages the back-office functions for the Clay County School District. The District has a hub of business professionals to manage all the associated back-office work allowing individual school administrators to manage their campuses, employees, and ensure excellent education delivery to students. Ancora is an independent contractor and a private business that serves the Board and schools in the same capacity.
How Does Ancora Support St. John’s Classical?
St. Johns Classical Academy, Inc. is a 501c-3 not-for-profit Florida corporation. No different than any other company, there are required business needs to maintain the corporation. Ancora plays a vital role in ensuring St. John’s Classical Academy business operations along with assisting the Board and school while ensuring compliance with evolving state regulations. With a staff of 11, a full-time finance and compliance consultant, an IT team, and a CPA firm, key services include:
- Financial Management: Ancora handles day-to-day financials, from managing accounts and overseeing grant applications to reconciling accounts and preparing monthly budget reports. They ensure we remain compliant with state regulations while keeping the school on solid financial footing.
- Student Registration and Support Services: They manage student enrollment, required documentation, support enrollment inquiries, track current enrollment and waitlists, provide necessary reporting to district, state, and bond trustee, review student graduation requirements, maintain documentation for student counts, and provide data analysis for test results. Additionally, assists with scheduling, GPA tracking, district reporting, and Bright Futures scholarship counseling.
- Human Resource Services: Ancora manages employee recruitment, onboarding, and record-keeping, ensuring we meet all legal requirements. They handle payroll, benefits, and teacher certification tracking, so our staff can focus on what they do best—teaching your children.
- Board Support: Ancora supports the Board by preparing meeting agendas, gathering documentation, and ensuring we remain compliant with state regulations. They are also instrumental in policy creation and updating, helping the Board make informed decisions for the school’s future.
- Compliance: Staying up to date with Florida Department of Education regulations is critical. Ancora ensures we meet these requirements, while also reviewing insurance policies to protect our school at the lowest cost.
- New Project Oversite: As our school grows, Ancora provides essential guidance on financing opportunities for expansion, managing new construction projects, and overseeing the bond process. They manage expansion projects from beginning to end including coordination with all consultants, permitting, request for proposals, project budgeting, project review, coordination with the relative municipality, project review, and project acceptance. This includes an upcoming bond that will allow the school to consolidate debt—an important step for long-term financial health.
- IT Support: Ancora provides IT support through a third-party vendor. Ancora manages a program that allows the school to receive a rebate on its purchases related to IT needs.
- Third-Party Services: At the direction of the Board, Ancora will solicit bids for the school and undertake Request for Proposals (RFP).
It’s important to note that Ancora operates under the direction of the Board and does not make independent decisions for the school or influence the curriculum.
Support from Hillsdale
There is a misconception that CMOs or ESPs like Ancora are not supported by Hillsdale College. This is incorrect. Hillsdale has endorsed the Board’s decision to contract with Ancora for these services. In fact, Ancora Management is an official Hillsdale endorsed ESP. Additionally, Hillsdale has established its own ESP in Tennessee, American Classical Education, Inc., to oversee the development and management of new schools there. More than 50% of Hillsdale member schools have providers like Ancora.
About Ancora's Founders
Ancora was founded by Amy Miller and Diane Hutchings, both of whom were among the founding board members of St. Johns Classical Academy. According to our Board by-laws, board members must rotate off the board after two three-year terms. Due to the growth of St. Johns Classical, it became essential to obtain additional assistance for both the Board and school administration. Amy and Diane are passionate about classical education and are committed to supporting the school’s continued success.
Shared Goals
The Board, administration, and Ancora all share a common goal: the development of virtuous, intelligent American citizens through a content-rich classical curriculum. We are confident that Ancora’s support will help St. Johns continue to grow and thrive, while staying true to our core mission. We understand the importance of transparency and thank you for your continued trust and support.
