Jordan Pina, Chief of Staff, shared with the Committee a brief preview of planning for a full Board Open Meeting Law refresher at the upcoming May 2022 Board Retreat. Pina shared that at the upcoming retreat, the Board will engage in an in-depth discussion of Open Meeting Law compliance as well as a follow up discussion regarding  Conflict of Interest and Open Meeting Law trainings that Board of Trustees members complete on an ongoing basis as required by the state of Massachusetts. 

The Committee discussed the what the Committee can do as a whole to encourage Board engagement with Board of Trustees members. The Committee discussed having one on one conversations with Board members throughout the end of School Year 2021-2022. 

The Committee discussed planning for a Board retreat in May 2022, specifically regarding finding a date to hold the retreat that would allow for quorum. The Committee asked management about the Doodle poll that was sent out to find a time that works well for the Board of Trustees.

Maddie Collins, Deputy Chief of Staff, shared that the Doodle still needs to be filled out by a few Board members to find a time that might work, and that she would circle back with the Committee chair, Jessica Yang, with an update this week. 

The Committee asked if the board candidates who shadowed the April 2022 Board meeting would be attending the May 2022 Board Retreat. Yang shared that she will be following up with the candidates in the coming days to check in and will follow up about attending the Board retreat in May 2022. 

The Committee discussed taking time at the retreat to discuss and set Board of Trustees norms  and expectations moving into the 2022-2023 school year. The Committee asked management where the retreat would be held. Collins shared that management has several spaces under consideration that will be confirmed once that date and time for the retreat are determined. 

The Committee discussed transitioning Board officers moving into the 2022-2023 School Year.  The Board discussed that with Board Chair, Andres Tejeda Soto, stepping down and Melisa Lemire, Vice Chair, stepping into the role of Chair pending the Board of Trustees' vote, there will be a need for a new Vice Chair of the Board. 

The Committee discussed candidate for the Vice Chair role based on Board tenure, engagement and experience. The Committee discussed a member of the Governance Committee having a conversation with the individual who would be the best candidate in the coming weeks. 

The Committee discussed shifting around current Committee structures with new Board officers moving into SY23. The Committee discussed current Trustee time commitments, and how that might affect what Committee would be the best fit for each Trustee. Yang shared the importance of emphasizing Board growth at the May 2022 Board Retreat. 

Sonya Pratt, Executive Director, shared that management is planning for breakout time during the retreat for Board of Trustees members to brainstorm who they could reach out to in their networks that could be a good Board candidate. The Committee asked management what the minimum number of Trustees was that the Board has to maintain. Jordan Pina, Chief of Staff, shared that there must be nine City on a Hill Board of Trustees members. 

The Committee discussed moving into SY23 with the goal of recruiting three more Board members. 

Jordan Pina, Chief of Staff, shared ongoing compliance updates with the Committee. Pina reminded the Committee that Melisa Lemire, Vice Chair, has been joining City on a Hill's monthly calls with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Pina shared that these calls serve as a checkpoint for DESE to ask questions about COAH's progress towards goals related to probationary measures. 

Pina reminded the Committee that in Fall 2021, DESE conducted a tiered focus monitoring review, which was an evaluation of COAH's civil rights and education programs, with minor findings on each program. Pina shared that the findings included hiring a full time therapist and creating a civil rights survey for students and staff to gather feedback.

Pina shared context with the Committee regarding the therapist finding, as the therapist who was contracted for SY22 at City on Hill gave their two weeks notice leading up to the 2021-2022 school year. Pina shared that the role of therapist has since been filled directly after the finding. Pina also shared that the civil rights survey for both staff and students has been created and will be turned into DESE later this week and administered to staff and students in Spring 2022.

Sonya Pratt, Executive Director, shared academic updates with the Committee. Pratt shared that City on a Hill has recontracted with NWEA MAP, a nationally normed growth exam, for SY23. Pratt shared that students will take the MAP test again in May 2022 and the growth data will be analyzed in depth by the COAH team. Pratt also shared that students are in the process of taking the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), with the English test already taken by students, the Math MCAS set to be administered in May 2022, and Science MCAS set to be administered in June 2022.