Melisa Lemire, Committee Chair, directed the attention of the Committee to the progress to completion of City on a Hill Circuit Street's (CoaH CS) probationary conditions. Jordan Pina, Deputy Chief of Staff, shared that management has continued to provide Board and financial materials described in Conditions #1 and #4. Additionally, Pina shared that management has shared evidence that the status and terms of CoaH CS's probationary renewal have been shared with all community stakeholders, fulfilling Condition #2.

Kevin Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, then shared that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has provided an extension for Condition #4, which mandated the creation of an Escrow Account by April 15, 2020. The Board voted to approve this account at the March 2020 Board of Trustees Meeting, but due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, additional time was needed to create the account. Taylor also affirmed that CoaH is on track to fulfill this condition by the new deadline. Finally, Pina confirmed that the remaining four conditions were also on track for completion by the appropriate deadlines.

The Committee inquired as to whether DESE had provided any guidance on Condition #7, which requires that the school demonstrate that it is an academic success by exhibiting "significant and sustained" academic improvement on the statewide assessment by December 31, 2022, given that  Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) testing was suspended for the 2019-2020 school year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Taylor shared that he and Sonya Pratt, Chief Schools Officer, do not yet have a final answer as to whether the deadline will be shifted, but are hopeful DESE will be flexible with the deadline.

Next, Lemire directed the attention of the Committee to the continued discussion on Board growth. Lemire confirmed that Jack Gearan, who attended the April 2020 Board of Trustees Meeting, was prepared to be voted on as a Board Member at the next meeting. Additionally, Ted Gildea, a candidate who has met with members of this Committee and Taylor, will be joining the next meeting to shadow.

Following updates, Taylor suggested the creation of a codified process for engaging with possible Board members to ensure prospective Trustees are reliably and quickly taken through the process. The Committee agreed that this would be a helpful next step, given that the roles of Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff, which has supported the Board administratively, will not exist in school year 2020-2021.