Download minutes PDF Minutes Approved

F.W. Parker Charter Essential School

Minutes

Board Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday May 8, 2019 at 6:45 PM

Location

Room 27 at the Parker School

Trustees Present

C. Regan-Davi, J. Bartsch, J. Saxe, M. Munford, M. Turnbull, M. VanderWilden, S. Reinhorn, S. Roach, T. Espinola, T. Sumner, T. Testa, Z. Basma

Trustees Absent

C. Igoe, C. Stack-Haan, G. Penna

Guests Present

D. Van Patten, K. Tedstone, M. McKenna, N. Dudensing, S. McNamara

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance and Guests

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

S. Roach called a meeting of the board of trustees of F.W. Parker Charter Essential School to order on Wednesday May 8, 2019 at 6:50 PM.

C.

Approve Minutes

S. Reinhorn made a motion to approve minutes from the Board Meeting on 04-10-19 Board Meeting on 04-10-19.
M. VanderWilden seconded the motion.
The board VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
J. Saxe
Abstain
Z. Basma
Abstain
J. Bartsch
Abstain
M. VanderWilden
Aye
C. Stack-Haan
Absent
T. Espinola
Abstain
S. Reinhorn
Aye
T. Sumner
Aye
M. Turnbull
Abstain
M. Munford
Abstain
G. Penna
Absent
S. Roach
Aye
T. Testa
Abstain
C. Igoe
Absent
C. Regan-Davi
Abstain

II. Charter Renewal Process

A.

Charter Renewal Process

Todd Sumner spoke about the Charter Renewal Process.
Todd discussed the timeline and criteria for the process and asked the Board to focus on criteria #9 - Governance.
Board members broke into small groups to discuss.
 
M. McKenna arrived.

III. New section

A.

Devens Water

Todd Sumner spoke about the issue with Devens groundwater contamination.
Tiffany Testa discussed how the predicament has created learning opportunities within Parker.   
  • A group of students is researching water quality and sustainability.   
  • A group of three students presented at Gathering on the effects of the water situation. 
  • Students are looking for ways to address the waste created by the water bottles.  
The school has been using 2,400 bottles a week.  Water chillers are being brought into the school and will reduce the use of bottles and waste.

IV. Principal's Report

A.

Principal's Report

Todd Sumner presented the Principal's Report. 
He invited Board members to attend graduation on June 6.

Todd highlighted happenings from the faculty meeting from earlier in the day...
  • Faculty working with the Parker Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) have been working collaboratively with the Ayer/Shirley Regional High School to help setup up a GSA there.   A Parker faculty member and five Div 3 students provided professional development to the full Ayer/Shirley faculty.
  • Tiffany Testa and Mary Reid Mumford discussed the work of the Critical Friends group that was created around technology.  The group spent time researching and experimenting with the capabilities of the Surface Pro and presented their work to fellow faculty.  Roughly one third of the faculty was involved in the pilot.
Todd highlighted the Enabling Resolutions around the heating project.
 
N. Dudensing arrived.

V. Committee Reports

A.

Finance

Michelle McKenna presented the Finance report.

Michelle highlighted the Quarter 3 Dashboard.  She said that the year should end above budget.

B.

Development

Katrina Drew Tedstone presented the Development report.
  • Currently, 132 families have donated to the Annual Fund.  This is 10 over the goal.
  • The current total collected is $120,000 and Katrina said the hope is to end the school year beyond that amount.
  • Grants totaling $250,000 are out and pending.  Some of the grants are related to the Surface Pro initiative.
  • Some local businesses are sending people to be jurors for senior exhibitions.
  • Alumni events are in the works.
  • Dates have been set for the Parker 25th Anniversary Celebration - these are May 1st and 2nd, 2020.    The weekend program will feature...
    • Cafe Wednesday on Friday
    • Ted Talks on Saturday afternoon

C.

Governance

No updates

D.

Diversity and Enrollment

No updates
 

E.

Principal Evaluation

Christine Regan-Davi said the Principal Evaluation is nearing the end of the process.
The final report will be on the agenda next month.

F.

Facilities

Michelle McKenna and Martin Turnbull discussed the heating project in the Board packet
Michelle said that work will also need to be done to the front retaining wall and the sidewalk needs repairs
Todd Sumner presented an artistic rendering of greenscaping and retaining wall work.

 

VI. Second Reads and Statutory Items

A.

Enabling Resolutions

M. VanderWilden made a motion to vote for the resolution as presented in the Board packet.
J. Saxe seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

VII. Other Business

A.

Comments from the public

There were no comments from the public.

VIII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

M. VanderWilden made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
C. Regan-Davi seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
S. Reinhorn