a. DESE / SchoolWorks Interviews – March 12

The Executive Director reported that SchoolWorks, acting on behalf of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), will be conducting interviews with selected Board members on March 12 as part of the school’s ongoing accountability and review processes.

• The specific Board members to be interviewed had not yet been identified at the time of the meeting.
• Two possible interview windows were discussed, with a preference expressed for a morning time slot (10:50 AM) due to scheduling conflicts later in the day.
• The Executive Director committed to following up with SchoolWorks to confirm timing and participants and to relay details to affected Board members once finalized.

b. School Calendar Planning and End‑of‑Year Implications

The Executive Director provided context on school calendar planning, noting several external and regulatory constraints that may impact start and end dates for the upcoming academic year.

Key points discussed included:

• If the school begins after Labor Day, accumulated snow days could result in the academic year extending into late June and potentially July.
• Massachusetts requirements prioritize instructional hours (900 hours for elementary, 990 for secondary) rather than strictly the 180‑day count.
• The school cannot legally operate past June 30, limiting flexibility.
• Sending districts (notably Newburyport and Amesbury) had not yet finalized calendars, making alignment difficult.
• Starting school the day after Labor Day was identified as a potential option to maintain alignment with transportation and sending districts, though no recommendation was finalized.

The Executive Director emphasized the importance of gathering additional data from sending districts and DESE before presenting a formal calendar proposal.

c. Human Resources Support – Transition from BlueLion

The Executive Director informed the Committee that the school is in the process of parting ways with BlueLion, the current external HR provider.

Context provided included:

• BlueLion expressed concerns about their ability to function effectively as an independent HR entity given current conditions.
• Both parties agreed the arrangement was no longer meeting the school’s needs, though BlueLion will continue support temporarily to avoid disruption.
• The Executive Director has requested BlueLion’s assistance in drafting a job description for a potential internal HR role as one possible path forward.

Next steps discussed:

• Exploration of alternative HR service providers, including a firm recommended by legal counsel.
• Consideration of parallel paths: posting an internal role while also evaluating external options.
• Recognition that HR capacity is critical and will require time, clarity, and financial investment.

d. Board Retreat Planning

The Executive Director confirmed that the Board Retreat is scheduled for March 28, 2026.

• Facilitator interviews were nearing completion.
• A synthesis of themes and a draft agenda were expected following the interviews.
• Follow‑up was noted to confirm timing for Board review of interview findings.

Summary

The Executive Director’s report provided forward‑looking operational awareness on compliance activities, calendar constraints, and HR capacity challenges. All topics were presented for context and planning purposes, with no requests for decisions or votes from the Executive Committee.

Historical Context (Presented by Nat Coughlin)

• The Complaint Policy was intentionally created to replace the Grievance Policy, which originated as a union‑style grievance process and was not appropriate for a non‑union charter school.
• The Complaint Policy evolved to:
  • Reduce board involvement in day‑to‑day management
  • Preserve proper governance/management boundaries
  • Provide clarity to complainants about expectations and process
  • Explicitly preserve the right to escalate matters to the state (DESE)

Key Clarifications

• There is no standing Grievance Committee and no intent to have one.
• The Complaint Policy does not envision a permanent committee; instead, committees may be formed as needed, based on:
  • Nature of the complaint
  • Expertise required
  • Conflict‑of‑interest considerations
• The policy is designed to encourage bottom‑up resolution:
  1. Teacher or staff level
  2. School Director
  3. Board (only if unresolved)
  4. State escalation (if necessary)

Policy Implications

• Complaint reviews often reveal policy gaps, prompting policy refinement rather than personnel action.
• Board input is advisory; final management decisions remain with the Director.

Website Issue Identified

• The school website currently links to a 2011 Grievance Policy, which is outdated and incorrect.
• Action is needed to:
  • Remove references to a Grievance Committee
  • Link to the correct 2015 Complaint Policy

4. Executive Session – Purpose and Best Practices

Guidance Shared

• Executive Session exists to allow boards to speak candidly, not to make final decisions.
• Final decisions and votes must occur in open session.
• Best practices discussed:
  • Including Executive Session as a standing agenda item
  • Holding special meetings that begin and remain in Executive Session when appropriate
  • Avoiding perception issues by normalizing Executive Session usage

Open Meeting Law Considerations

• The state does not intend to restrict board deliberation—only to prevent non‑public decision‑making.
• Properly structured Executive Sessions help boards:
  • Clear the air
  • Resolve internal issues
  • Present a more unified, thoughtful public process

6. Policy Work and Bylaws

• Discussion focused on:
  • Separating bylaws approval from policy revisions
  • Avoiding unnecessary coupling of bylaws to policies that are still under review
• Recognition that some policies have not been reviewed since 2015 and require updated attention.

7. External Guidance – Mass Charter

• Feedback received recommending:
  • Tighter, more disciplined board agendas
  • Clearer meeting flow
• Zoom access:
  • Not required for public participation
  • Optional through 2027 under current state allowances

8. Board Retreat

• Date: March 28, 2026
• Facilitator preparing synthesis of interviews and agenda themes
• Follow‑up needed to confirm:
  • Interview review timing
  • Final agenda and logistics

Board retreat in lieu of next board meeting.