School Operations

• The school year has started successfully.
• The school is fully staffed and has developed a strong substitute teacher pool through the recent hiring process.
• Faculty have expressed enthusiasm regarding the positive culture and tone being established for the year.
• Operational improvements are underway, including enhancements to student drop-off procedures.
• Professional development activities have been scheduled, along with recurring weekly faculty meetings.

Policies

• No policies currently require Board review or approval.
• Upcoming policy discussions will include:
  • Absenteeism, tardiness, and early release policies.
  • Minor revisions to the enrollment policy, primarily related to enrollment dates.

Audit

• Audit results will be distributed to Board members for review and visibility.

Facilities and Grounds

• The new school sign has been received and is expected to be installed shortly.
• Stone dust pathways have been completed. An additional layer is planned after the current surface has had time to settle and compact.
• Fence installation quotes are being reviewed to determine a timeline that minimizes disruption to recess and student activities.
• Swing installation is scheduled for this week.
• The school is awaiting review from Town Counsel regarding the easement. Once approved:
  • An inspection will be completed.
  • The school will formally notify the Town of project completion.
  • Final updates are expected at the October Board meeting.

Human Resources

• Joyce O'Connell has joined the school to support front office operations and serve as the HR liaison.
• The school transitioned HR support services to Hilb HR and ended its relationship with BlueLion.
• Joey reiterated her open-door policy for staff questions and concerns.
• The existing Complaint Policy remains in effect. Complaints are addressed at the lowest appropriate level in accordance with Board policy. A formal grievance committee has not been established.
• Communication expectations and processes were communicated through the Family and Caregiver Handbook.

Dashboard Development

• Development of the Board/School dashboard is underway and is expected to be ready for presentation at the September Board meeting.
• Remaining inputs are needed from the Finance Committee.
• Tanya is providing governance-related metrics and inputs.
• A governance tab will be included to present both management and governance metrics in a single reporting tool.

Director Evaluation

• Work continues with Kristin Levine to establish a recurring Executive Director evaluation process and structure.

Board Training and Development

• Required OML training has been completed through both online coursework and an in-person session with school counsel.
• Three Board members have completed the training but are not yet reflected in the online tracking system.
• DESE has been informed that required trainings have been completed.
• Alnoba facilitated Board development and team-building training. The training is particularly valuable given the addition of eight new Board members.
• New Board Member Orientation was held on Saturday, September 12, facilitated by Kate Scott.
• The Committee expressed appreciation to the Committee on Trustees for its role in recruiting and onboarding new Board members.

BoardOnTrack Organization

• Work is underway to improve the BoardOnTrack folder structure and overall organization.
• Coordination with the Foundation will be necessary to ensure a parallel structure is established.
• The Committee emphasized the importance of maintaining clear separation between Board and Foundation documents, permissions, and access.

Executive Director Search

• Jon Nickerson did an initial review of multiple executive search firms. Initial findings showed significant consistency in search approach and methodology, with key differences centered on cost, support model, timeline, and relevant school leadership search experience. Further evaluation and recommendations will be presented to the Board.
• Discussion centered on leadership transition planning and next steps for the Executive Director search process.
• The goal remains to have a permanent Executive Director hired before the end of the calendar year to allow for a transition period with the current Interim Executive Director.
• The Committee discussed the potential value of retaining Joey for a longer period to maintain continuity as the school continues its stabilization efforts and approaches charter renewal.
• Committee members noted that frequent leadership turnover could be viewed negatively by DESE during charter renewal review.
• Joey expressed interest in being considered as a candidate. Additional conversations between Joey and Board leadership will be needed to determine potential paths forward, including:
  • Continuing in an interim capacity, or
  • Participating in a formal search process.
• The Committee acknowledged that many operational improvements currently underway are unlikely to be fully implemented, tested, and refined prior to year-end, making transition planning particularly important.

Board Secretary Vacancy

• Meredith Makin expressed interest in filling the vacant Secretary position.
• A formal vote will be brought forward at an upcoming Board meeting.
• Meg requested a formal role description. While some responsibilities can be documented, the position continues to include ad hoc needs that vary throughout the year.

The Committee agreed that the upcoming Board meeting agenda should remain focused and straightforward, including:

• Vote on the updated Capital Budget.
• Approval of prior meeting minutes.
• Finance Committee report.
• Development Committee report.
• Confirmation of the regular Board meeting schedule.
• Dashboard overview and demonstration.
• Vote on the Board Secretary position.
• Executive Director search update and recommendation.