• 3 minutes each
• 5 speakers 

The Items Below form our consent agenda

Vote to Approve Consent Agenda

• Updates

• Attendance Policy
• Animal Policy

Approve the following polices: 

• Attendance Policy
• Animal Policy

Attendance:

The old policy was outdated- it did not have the accurate school hours, did not include PUP procedures, and did not include accountability for chronic absenteeism. We reviewed the attendance policy from NPS, then updated our old policy to account for all of the above points and added links directly to DESE.

Animals:

Animals in school are becoming more and more frequent without an understanding of the potential negative impacts on students and staff. This policy would halt the entrance of additional animals and establish a thoughtful approach to when and where we have animals in the building.

Questions for survey and focus groups

1. Review of May budget vs actual results 

2. Approval of $90k in stipends funded for 2025/2026 

3. Review & approval of 2026/2027 budget

4. Approval of Daniel Dennis as auditor 

Year in review

1. Approval of $90k in stipends funded for 2025/2026 

•  Review & approval of 2026/2027 budget

 Approval of Daniel Dennis as auditor 

• Board Chairperson: Tanya Murdy, Derek Mitchell, Meg Connerton
• Vice Chairperson: Jonathan Nickerson, Derek Mitchell, Meg Connerton
• Treasurer: Gary LeFave
• Secretary/Clerk: Achala Godino

Nominees: 

Beth Friedman

Alex Tsonas

Tyler Chiasson

Alison Salerno

Meredith Makin

Farrell Boghos-Maryniak

Daniel Candelario

With heartfelt gratitude, we would like to thank the following trustees  for their years of dedicated service to RVCS.  Their commitment, leadership, and stewardship have helped guide the school through growth, challenges, and opportunities, always keeping the best interests of our students and community at the center of their work.

• Albert Ting
• Denise Herrera
• Elizabeth Rankin
• Erin Bradley Irose

• Committee Selection 
• Committee meeting dates
  • COT/Exec: Wednesdays
  • Development: Tuesdays
  • Finance: Monthly Zoom and Quarterly in person
  • Accountability: 
• Discuss Board of Trustees meeting date: 4th Wednesday of the month.

DESE complaint stating lack of board oversight in regard to PBE. 
 

The Department has carefully reviewed your concerns. However, the alleged changes in

the PBE program do not affect the Charter School’s ability to carry out its mission to

“provide a rigorous academic program based on the Montessori philosophy and rooted

in the history, culture, and ecology of the Merrimack River Valley” and provide students

with the key design elements of the charter, which include “educational program based

on the Montessori philosophy; elements of the curriculum rooted in the history, culture,

and ecology of the Merrimack River Valley; and critical thinking and problem solving.” As

you have not alleged that the Charter School has failed to implement a material term of

its charter, you have not alleged a violation of M.G.L. c. 71 §89(w) or its implementing

regulations under 603 CMR 1.00 that the Department has the authority to investigate.

The Department appreciates your outreach on behalf of your student and all other

students at the Charter School. To address your concerns, you may wish to consider

contacting the Charter School Office at charterschools@mass.gov.As of the date of this letter, this complaint is closed, and the Department will not take

further action on this complaint.

• Transitioned board leadership
• Transitioned executive director leadership
• External board audit: focus on systems and structures.  More focus on managing through process and data. 

https://app2.boardontrack.com/surveyForm/show/1163