River Valley Charter School
Minutes
Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday February 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Location
River Valley Charter School Middle School Great Room
River Valley Charter School welcomes your participation at Board meetings. The purpose of a public meeting of the Board of Trustees (“Board”) is to conduct the affairs of the organization in public. Your participation assures us of continuing community interest in our school and assists the Board in making the best decisions for our school. To assist you in the ease of speaking/participating in our meetings, guidelines are provided at the bottom of this agenda. All materials for all board and committee meetings, are available on our Board on track public portal found at rivervalleycharter.org.
Trustees Present
A. Godino (remote), A. Ting, B. MacQuade, C. Whitford (remote), D. Herrera, D. Mitchell, E. Bradley, E. Rankin, J. Nickerson, M. Connerton (remote), N. Durkee, P. Ganley, T. Murdy
Trustees Absent
C. Getz, E. Simone
Ex Officio Members Present
K. Kuse
Non Voting Members Present
K. Kuse
Guests Present
A. Wetmore, Alison Salerno
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
II. Consent Agenda
A.
Accountability Committee
B.
Development Committee
C.
Executive Committee
D.
Committee On Trustess
E.
Vote on Consent Agenda
Roll Call | |
---|---|
C. Getz |
Absent
|
E. Rankin |
Aye
|
M. Connerton |
Aye
|
E. Bradley |
Aye
|
J. Nickerson |
Aye
|
N. Durkee |
Aye
|
A. Ting |
Aye
|
A. Godino |
Aye
|
B. MacQuade |
Aye
|
E. Simone |
Absent
|
C. Whitford |
Absent
|
T. Murdy |
Aye
|
D. Mitchell |
Aye
|
P. Ganley |
Aye
|
D. Herrera |
Aye
|
III. Director's Update
A.
Director's Update
The Director's Report appears in the Board Packet. Time was allowed in the meeting for questions.
DHerrera - When will we get a decision from CPC? KKuse - The deliberations will be on March 6 at a 7 pm public meeting.
DHerrera - Curious about how the internal audit will be performed. KKuse - NCMPS comes in to do a curriculum audit, which doesn't feel annually necessary. We will do an internal audit every second and third year. Observations in classrrooms and evaluations with a consistent form will happen in the last two weeks of March.
DHerrera - Will you use the NCMPS format? KKuse - I have to review it before I decide. DHerrera - I think it would be useful to use it for consistency.
ERankin - What do you do with the audit results? PGanley -Are there action items that are generated? KKuse - There will be moving forward, I can't speak to the past.
DHerrera - After NCMPS did theirs, they returned with a presentation for staff.
BMacQuade - It is nice that NCMPS offers some free classes. They are very knowledgable and able to connect different schools together.
DHerrera - Since this is part of our Accountabilty Plan, I want to make sure that it is aligned with NCMPS for historical purposes. As we go into two back to back, I want to make sure we do that.
EBradley - Did everyone mentioned in the report accept the offers? KKuse - They have a few more days to decide, so we haven't heard back on all.
ATing - Will the caregiver survey go out as an email blast to families? KKuse - Yes.
IV. Accountability Committee
A.
Accountability Committee
Next meeting will return the focus to the dashboard.
By the next meeting, wither assessments should be ready.
EBradley - Has there been more talk about Montessori based screeners? DHerrera - It is a question as to what DESE will allow. Nothing has come from DESE lately.
V. Committee on Trustees
A.
Committee On Trustees
A main focus is board recruitment and board leadership. ATing sent an email with a few quick questions about Trustees' intent for future involvement in the board.
We have a really young board. Only three people are in their second term. There are several people in this cohort who could take on leadership positions. The roles of Vice Chair and Secretary will need to be filled. With the officer vote in June, there is some time to talk it through.
We are looking for two or three new trustees this year. We are particularly looking for people with finance and board experience.
JNickerson - There was a previous conversation about including students. Or past students. KKuse - We don't have a database, but have sources we can approach to find people.
ATing - There will be an advertisement in the Current, but if anyone else has an idea as to where to get the word out, love to hear.
Board retreat is Saturday, May 10. We ask to have it run from 9-2. In person, likely at the school.
ATing - Highlighted some results of the board self assessment. Other than board meetings and board structure, many results are all over the map. After a deep dive, it seems that the results skew low due to "I Don't Know" answers. It shows a lack of education for newer board members. Believes the COT needs to go through the questions and take some time at each board meeting to clear things up.
Is it appropriate for every trustees to be able to answer about the different committees? Discussion about how to administer the survey if it isn't necessary.
DMitchell - Should our standard be that high? It might dissuade talented folks from getting involved.
JNickerson - Should there be a bar where everyone knows at least something about each committee?
DMitchell - Where did the questions come from? ATing - Board on Track, using their knowledge of best practices.
DMitchell - Does the board have to require this much of board members? EBradley - The bylaws dictate that each Trustee serve on a committee. It takes a lot to rewrite the by-laws. DESE needs to approve them.
DM - Could we change the bylaws so that not every trustee has to be in a committee? EBradley - It could keep trustees from understanding the workings of the board and being invested. DHererra - We all have a lot of committees, there could be resentment if people don't have to commit as much.
DHerrera referred to the members report. It showed the future expertise needed for the board.
VI. Development
A.
Development Committee
Working on the Read-A-Thon. Starts next week. Two local businesses have sponsored the RAT. Visited with Sue at Jabberwocky. KKuse - Please encourage kids in middle school to participate.
The RAT has raised $3000 so far (which includes the sponsors).
Still planning the celebration for the end of the RAT.
Talked about Development strategy. It's time to start planning for next year.
VII. Executive Committee
A.
Executive Committee
Still doing policy work. There are a few things that need to be updated sooner rather than later.
Kimberly Putney has approached with policies that need updating. They will need attention in a timely manner.
VIII. Finance & Facilities
A.
Finance Committee
The committee met in December. Tuition revenue has had a bit of an uptick. We are trending as expected on expenses.
Now that it is almost spring, we will be turning focus to budget planning.
KKuse - DESE released next year's tuition projections. KKuse is forwarding to CWhitford for review.
DHererra - Is there anything that you and Dave Draper are concerned about in terms of facilities? KKuse - Putting in a new Zoom phone system. Approx $5000 expense.
IX. Other Business
A.
Other Business
DH - Did anyone attend MCPSA? Group - None.
Reiterates the need for receipt of committee goals.
X. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
Roll Call | |
---|---|
J. Nickerson |
Absent
|
P. Ganley |
Aye
|
A. Ting |
Aye
|
C. Whitford |
Aye
|
C. Getz |
Absent
|
D. Mitchell |
Aye
|
B. MacQuade |
Aye
|
T. Murdy |
Aye
|
E. Bradley |
Aye
|
N. Durkee |
Aye
|
D. Herrera |
Aye
|
A. Godino |
Aye
|
E. Simone |
Absent
|
M. Connerton |
Aye
|
E. Rankin |
Aye
|
B.
Board Meeting Survey
- February 26, 2025 - Director’s Report.pdf
The notes were not complete and they are not being included in the vote.