No member of public present.

The committee reviewed sample governance and human resources goals to develop priorities for the combined committee.

• Board recruitment, development, and retention: Members identified recruitment as a leading priority because the current number of trustees limits committee coverage. The committee supported retaining a proposed target of identifying and recruiting at least two new board members during the year. Sherard suggested considering parents or other individuals connected to school families as prospective trustees. Donna will review the bylaws to clarify eligibility before bringing the suggestion to the full Board.
• Board engagement and effectiveness: Members supported retaining this goal, emphasizing attendance and participation at both Board and committee meetings. Donna noted that an attendance policy had been incorporated into the revised bylaws submitted to DESE.
• Compliance with legal and charter requirements: The committee supported continued oversight of compliance and completion of required board member training. Additional discussion of training was deferred to the training agenda item.
• Maintenance and review of governance documents: Members agreed that the committee should know where essential governance documents are maintained and how to access them when the Executive Director is unavailable.
• Executive Director evaluation: Donna reported that the 2025–2026 evaluation process had begun, but Kendra’s self-assessment remained incomplete. The Board’s portion of the evaluation depends on completion of that step. Donna will request a progress update and establish a revised completion deadline at the next full Board meeting. Members also discussed the newly approved evaluation process, emphasizing ongoing review of goals and progress throughout the year.
• Support for staffing and retention: Members supported retaining a goal addressing staffing, retention, and employee satisfaction, with language reflecting the committee’s oversight and support responsibilities. Recruitment and staffing activities remain administrative responsibilities.
• Sherard raised a general question about avenues for staff to communicate unresolved concerns. Donna noted that the revised bylaws submitted to DESE include provisions for responding to complaints.
• Members also discussed potential education and social work apprenticeship partnerships as possible resources for the school. The committee could support exploration through recommendations and introductions to relevant contacts.
• Competitive and equitable compensation and benefits: Members discussed compensation as a factor in staff retention. They agreed that the goal should emphasize support and oversight. Donna will revise the proposed language accordingly. The extent of Board involvement in staff compensation decisions was not resolved during the meeting.
• Personnel policies and compliance: Members supported retaining oversight of personnel policies, including review of proposed employee handbook changes and approval of significant changes as appropriate. Discussion also addressed ensuring that the school maintains required staff training and protocols.
• School culture and staff well-being: The committee supported reviewing staff survey findings and related information to understand workplace conditions and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Executive Director personnel oversight: Members supported retaining annual review of the Executive Director’s contract, compensation, and evaluation process.
• Professional development and leadership development: The committee discussed reviewing professional development priorities for alignment with staff evaluation and academic goals, as well as supporting internal leadership development.
• Succession Planning: During the discussion of leadership development, Donna reported that Kendra had indicated an Executive Director succession plan exists. Donna had not yet received it and will obtain it for review and sharing with the Board.
• Members also identified the need to develop a Board succession plan to prepare for unexpected leadership departures. Donna reported that she had requested succession planning resources from the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (MCPSA) for discussion with the full Board.

Follow-up on committee goals: Donna will revise the proposed goals to reflect the discussion, particularly the distinction between oversight and operational responsibilities, enter them into BoardOnTrack, and share them with the full Board. No formal vote on the goals was taken.

The committee discussed the need to review committee assignments across the full Board. Members agreed that additional coverage is needed and that trustees may need to serve on more than one committee. Meeting schedules and individual availability will be considered during that discussion.

Donna noted that BoardOnTrack does not yet fully reflect the previously agreed committee restructuring. Governance and Human Resources should appear as one combined committee. She reported having confirmed with BoardOnTrack that historical information could be preserved and will ask Alena to assist with the updates.

Donna explained that the Executive Director Support and Evaluation Committee remains listed in BoardOnTrack because the platform requires a committee designation to initiate the evaluation process.

Members also identified questions about the voting-member designations shown for certain participants on the Academic Excellence and Development committees. Donna will review those designations with Kendra and Alena and bring the matter to the full Board for clarification.

Committee assignments, meeting schedules, and voting designations will be included on the next Board meeting agenda.

The committee discussed three proposed training areas:

• BoardOnTrack platform training for officers and committee chairs.
• BoardOnTrack training on board member roles.
• MCPSA training on board member roles and requirements.

Donna will contact the BoardOnTrack representative about arranging training, potentially during a lunch hour because evening availability is limited. Sherard suggested recording sessions, if permitted, so members unable to attend can review them.

Members supported incorporating training into new trustee onboarding and providing periodic refreshers for current trustees.

Donna also reported participating in MCPSA’s Board Leadership Academy and will contact MCPSA about available live and recorded training resources. Discussion emphasized the Board’s governance and oversight responsibilities and the distinction between those responsibilities and school operations.

Donna will raise training scheduling at the next Board meeting and ask trustees to have their calendars available.

No additional governance or human resources business was raised.