Springfield Prep

Minutes

Governance Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Monday November 25, 2024 at 8:00 AM

Location

This meeting is remote and will take place over Zoom.

Committee Members Present

R. Leonard (remote), S. Balogun (remote), S. Monson (remote)

Committee Members Absent

None

Guests Present

B. Spirer (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance and Guests

Donna Haghigat, non-voting, committee member) was absent.

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

S. Monson called a meeting of the Governance Committee of Springfield Prep to order on Monday Nov 25, 2024 at 8:03 AM.

Bill left the meeting.

C.

Approve Prior Governance Committee Meeting Minutes

R. Leonard made a motion to approve the minutes from Governance Committee Meeting on 09-16-24.
S. Balogun seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
S. Balogun
Aye
R. Leonard
Aye
S. Monson
Aye

II. Governance Items

A.

Executive Director Evaluation

Sarah presented documents summarizing executive director (ED) compensation trends within the Massachusetts charter school landscape and Springfield Prep’s new internal compensation performance system. 

 

  • Bill's current salary is $174,000 with a $5,000 bonus approved last year.
  • The committee acknowledged the significant salary adjustment made the previous year to align with market rates and performance metrics.
  • The MCPSA salary data shows Bill’s salary falls within the higher quartiles for schools of similar size (<500 students).
  • It was highlighted that Boston-based schools skew the salary data due to higher cost-of-living adjustments, while Springfield Prep’s location in Western Massachusetts has lower costs.
  • Comparative data from Springfield Prep’s internal performance-based salary band system showed Bill’s compensation aligned with his years of service (10th year).
  • The committee considered a 3% increase to $179,220 and a 4% increase to $180,960.
  • Discussion centered on balancing competitiveness with fiscal responsibility.
  • Consensus was reached to increase the salary to $180,000 and provide a $5,000 performance bonus, recognizing Bill’s leadership and the school’s continued strong performance.
R. Leonard made a motion to recommend approving a salary increase to $180,000 and provide a $5,000 performance bonus.
S. Balogun seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
S. Balogun
Aye
S. Monson
Aye
R. Leonard
Aye

The board discussed Bill's performance, with a focus on accomplishments, areas for growth, and plans for the upcoming year:

 

Prior year accomplishments:

  • Delegation of operational responsibilities to Managing Director, Ben, was praised as a significant step toward optimizing Bill’s focus on strategic priorities.
  • Efforts to identify internal successors, specifically Jess, were acknowledged, although additional development opportunities were discussed.
  • Preparations for launching the alumni support program were highlighted, emphasizing its importance in tracking graduate success and strengthening connections with former students.

Future Focus:

  • The committee emphasized the need for Bill to continue delegation efforts beyond Ben, encouraging the broader leadership team to take on additional responsibilities.
  • Tracking alumni outcomes post-graduation was identified as a critical metric for evaluating Springfield Prep’s long-term impact.
  • Expansion of the alumni support program to include structured graduate tracking and evaluation was suggested to complement this effort.

Succession Planning:

  • The committee discussed its need to continue to keep succession planning a topic of consideration.
  • The committee discussed the importance of providing targeted leadership development for senior leaders, such as Jess and other potential internal candidates, to prepare them for succession.
  • The committee discussed Bill's focus on maintaining a strong organizational culture and continuity during any future leadership transitions.
  • The committee discussed some of the pros and cons of considering external candidates during any transition, including potential risks and the need for robust change management.

III. Closing Items

A.

Next Meeting

B.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,
S. Monson
Documents used during the meeting
None