• Bylaws have been updated based on comments and aligning to guidance from DESE
• Need to time this with approval of new Whistle-blower and Complaint policies as the bylaws reference updated requirements
  • Discuss this with executive committee to work with ED to get policies through approval process to get final approval at the next meeting in line with the bylaws

• 30 minute interviews planned with each member of the board with baseline questions but allows room for broader dialog.
  • Noted that 30 minutes is a general time, not a fixed period
  • Questions will be asked about the relationship between governance and management without it going down a rabbithole
  • Planned as anonymous sessions with information being aggregated for themes and trends in the report out
  • Interested in information on what is important on board composition
• Target completion by end of February
  • Review by CoT before going to the larger board 
  • Ideally talk through findings on 3/4 meeting but conflict with Kate - ACTION - adjust schedule to align with Kate
    • Reschedule to 3/3 at 7pm
  • Need enough runway to get in two planning meetings before the 3/28 retreat
    • Create a subcommittee of the board for board education to simplify the process

• Review bylaws and new policies at Executive Committee meeting to ensure proper timing of review and updates
• Update the date of the CoT and/or subcommittee meetings for board training
• Address April 1 CoT and Exec Committee as this is Passover

• Concerns raised as to the behaviors of board members in being impartial and aligned to best needs of the school, lack of adherence to open meeting law, lack of preparedness
  • Suggestion to present situation with opportunity for stepping down rather than going to a public vote 
  • Not going to a public vote may "sweep the issues under the rug" rather than clearly and pubically shows that actions are not acceptable

Specific board language: “Any trustee may be removed from the Board, with or without cause, upon recommendation by the Committee on Trustees and with an affirmative vote of two‑thirds of the entire voting Board after reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard by the Board.”
 

• This establishes a four‑step, mandatory procedure:
  • The Committee on Trustees must recommend removal
    • The full Board CANNOT vote to remove a trustee unless this committee first makes the recommendation.
  • The trustee must receive reasonable notice
    • Notice must include that removal is being considered
    • Must follow Open Meeting Law posting requirements
  • The trustee must have an opportunity to be heard
    • This occurs in open session (because trustees are not employees and OML does not allow executive session for this purpose)
    • They cannot deliberate in executive session about the trustee
  • Removal requires a two‑thirds vote of the entire voting Board
    • Not of those present — of the entire voting membership
    • This is a high threshold