Provide members of the public with an opportunity to address the Board in accordance with the Board’s public-comment procedures.

Review and act on the minutes of the July 28, 2026 Annual Board Retreat.

Vote: To approve the July 28, 2026 meeting minutes.

Review and act on the minutes of the July 31, 2026 Annual Board Retreat.

Vote: To approve the July 31, 2026 meeting minutes.

• Beginning of Year assessments are underway
• Confirming meeting dates (Kindly see Board of Trustees Annual Calendar)

• Review August 2026 Balance Sheet & August 2026 Budget Summary
• Revote budget and spending plan with updated Per Pupil Tuition and grants (Davis & Technology)
• Revote FY27 Capital Plan with updated RTU project quote
  • RTU price adjustment - decrease (Initial estimate was $1.1M; actual proposal is $675K with potential Mass Save Incentive: $214K - potentially totaling $461K
  • Parking lot project - Discuss proceeding with meeting with DPW
  • Architects' recommendation for engineer (See proposal $9.6K)

Updating Elections, Appointments, and Bylaws

Annual Meeting – Elections and Appointments
Treasurer Appointment

• Inform Board of DESE's approval of Allison Sullivan and Tim Battle as Trustees
• Vote: To approve Tim Battle as Treasurer of MLKCSE Board of Trustees.

Board Recruitment Update

• Receive an update regarding Donna Carroll’s conversation with prospective Trustee Ireland Stevenson.
• Determine next steps in the Trustee nomination and approval process.
• Discuss the need to increase the number of Trustees to comply with the Board-size requirements contained in the bylaws.
• Identify additional prospective Trustees and recruitment sources.
• Discuss opportunities to recruit non-Trustees to serve on Board committees, where permitted.
• Clarify the process for appointing non-Trustee committee members.
• Consider the skills, experience, community representation, and availability needed on the Board and its committees.

Action: Establish immediate Trustee and committee-member recruitment priorities and assign outreach responsibilities.

Policy Approval

• Confirming the distribution and implementation of the 2026–2027 Employee Handbook changes approved on July 31.
• Review any additional or corrected policy language requiring Board consideration.

Vote: To approve any policy revisions presented for action (if applicable).

No meeting was held this month (Quarterly Committee)

Approve Meeting Schedule for 2026–2027

• Confirm that all approved Board meetings have been scheduled in Zoom and BoardOnTrack.
• Confirm that Trustees have received the meeting invitations.
• Reaffirm the expectation that Trustees RSVP to all BoardOnTrack meeting invitations.

Action: All Trustees must RSVP through BoardOnTrack promptly upon receiving each meeting invitation.

Executive Director Oversight and Evaluation

• Review the draft of the new annual Executive Director evaluation process developed using DESE resources and recommended governance best practices.
• Review the proposed evaluation cycle, timeline, performance standards, evidence sources, participants, responsibilities, documentation requirements, and Board approval process.
• Confirm that the new process provides for:
  • Completion of the prior year’s evaluation during the first quarter of the new school year.
  • Establishment of the Executive Director’s current-year goals during the same fall timeframe.
  • Use of available academic, operational, financial, organizational, and leadership-performance data.
  • Timely feedback without delaying the evaluation until MCAS results become available.
  • An optional MCAS data addendum when results are released.
  • Consistent documentation and retention of the evaluation record.
  • Discussion and approval of the evaluation in open session, consistent with DESE guidance.
  • A consistent effective date for any approved salary adjustment.
• Determine whether revisions are needed before the new evaluation process is formally approved.
• Confirm that the 2025–2026 Executive Director evaluation has been initiated in BoardOnTrack.
• Establish the timeline and responsibilities for completing and approving the 2025–2026 evaluation.
• Establish the process for developing and approving the Executive Director’s 2026–2027 goals.
• Confirm the evaluation-related materials that must be submitted to DESE.

Action: Identify any required revisions to the draft evaluation process and assign responsibilities and deadlines for completing the 2025–2026 evaluation and establishing the 2026–2027 goals.

Vote: Approve the new Executive Director evaluation process, with any revisions adopted by the Board, if ready.

Bylaws Revision

• Review the final draft incorporating the Board’s July discussion.
• Confirm that the draft reflects the required minimum and maximum number of Trustees.
• Discuss the Board’s current size and the recruitment needed to comply with the bylaws.
• Confirm completion of legal review or identify outstanding legal-review items.
• Authorize submission of the draft to DESE for provisional review before October 1, 2026.
• Confirm the remaining approval sequence:
  1. DESE conducts its provisional review.
  2. DESE provides comments.
  3. The Board revises the draft as necessary.
  4. The Board formally adopts the revised bylaws.
  5. The Board submits the charter amendment request.
  6. The Commissioner grants final approval.
• Establish an annual bylaws review process.

Action: Finalize the submission package, responsible party, and submission date.
 

Vote: Approve the draft for submission to DESE for provisional review. This vote does not constitute final adoption of the bylaws.

Board and Committee Meeting Attendance

• Review the importance of regular attendance at Board and committee meetings.
• Review the attendance provisions contained in the bylaws, particularly for Trustees who were unable to attend the July retreat.
• Reaffirm that Board service includes a commitment to attend Board meetings and meetings of assigned committees.
• Discuss the Board’s commitments to DESE and the important governance work that must be completed during AY 2026–2027.
• Emphasize that the Board and its committees cannot fulfill their responsibilities or make decisions without sufficient members present.
• Discuss how absences affect quorum and prevent the Board and committees from conducting business.
• Require Trustees and committee members to respond to BoardOnTrack meeting invitations so quorum can be anticipated in advance.
• Establish a process for monitoring attendance and identifying potential quorum problems before meetings.
• Determine how Committee Chairs should follow up with members who have not responded to invitations.
• Determine how repeated absences or failures to RSVP will be addressed.

Actions:

• All Trustees and committee members will RSVP through BoardOnTrack promptly upon receiving a meeting invitation.
• Board and Committee Chairs will monitor RSVPs and notify the Board Chair and Alena when quorum may not be achieved.
• The Governance Committee will monitor Board and committee attendance and recommend additional action when needed.

BoardOnTrack Training

• Discuss BoardOnTrack training needs for Board Officers.
• Arrange a lunchtime BoardOnTrack training session with Brianna for:
  • Donna Carroll, Board Chair.
  • Caleb Pointdujour, Vice Chair/Secretary.
  • Tim Battle, proposed Treasurer, contingent upon DESE approval and Board election.
• Review Officer responsibilities within BoardOnTrack, including:
  • Creating and managing meetings.
  • Posting agendas and supporting materials.
  • Recording and approving minutes.
  • Maintaining Board and committee records.
  • Entering and monitoring Board and committee goals.
  • Tracking attendance and RSVPs.
  • Accessing historical information.
• Recommend BoardOnTrack training for all Committee Chairs.
• Determine whether Committee Chairs should attend the Officer training or participate in a separate session focused on committee responsibilities.

Action: Donna will review Brianna’s availability and coordinate a lunchtime BoardOnTrack training session that works for Brianna, Caleb, Tim, and Donna. Committee Chairs will be invited or offered a separate training session.

Committee Goals for 2026–2027

• Direct each Committee Chair to facilitate a goal-setting discussion during the committee’s September meeting.
• Ensure that committee goals align with the Board’s overarching 2026–2027 goals.
• Require each committee’s proposed goals to identify:
  • Major priorities.
  • Specific outcomes or deliverables.
  • Responsible committee members.
  • Target completion dates.
  • Measures of success.
  • A process for reporting progress to the Board.
• Enter or coordinate the entry of committee goals in BoardOnTrack.
• Present each committee’s proposed goals to the full Board at its October 20, 2026 meeting for review and confirmation.

Action: Each active committee will meet in September and submit its proposed 2026–2027 goals in time for inclusion in the October Board meeting materials.

MCPSA Programs and Supports for 2026-2027 are attached.