There was no privilege of the floor.

Mr. Romer provided a comprehensive leadership report on recent and upcoming events covering the middle school principal search process, with two finalists completing full-day visits to the school this week with teacher and student participation as well as other recent events including the Winter Book Fair and STEPFest and Middle School dance.

Discussion ensued on  scheduling interviews of candidates at times when parents can participate. The final decision on the middle school principal search will be shared with the community as soon as the decision is confirmed with candidates.

Accountability measures

Mr. Romer reviewed five major accountability measures currently underway, including a mid-cycle charter review by DESE and federal entitlement grant audits, with most findings being positive though some compliance issues with specialized staff licensure need addressing. 

Mr. Romer praised Tanisha Kimber and Cynthia Paris for their work on reviews, particularly for special education and multilingual learners. 

Mr. Martin noted the Board's intention to comply with DESE's requirements of providing more detailed descriptions of Board discussions and decision-making processes in meeting minutes.

FY27 budget planning update

Mr. Romer then provided an update on the FY27 budget process, noting challenges due to rising expenses in areas like healthcare, transportation, and IT costs, while revenue remains stable. The team is working on creating annual goals from the three-year strategic plan, with plans to align these goals at the district, school and teacher levels.The leadership team discussed budget planning for FY27, noting challenges with rising expenses in healthcare, utilities, transportation, and IT costs, while working to maintain financial stability. 

Mr. Romer noted that the leadership team will continue to monitor and update the FY27 budget process, including ongoing meetings with the Finance Committee, district team, and teachers' union leadership, and prepare a detailed budget presentation for the May Board meeting.

Mr. Yezukevich affirmed the FinCom's commitment to work with leadership on all aspects of a challenging budget.

Strategeic plan implementation

Mr. Romer reported that leadership is working with each school  in creating annual goals from three-year targets. The process will be started to establish annual surveys to measure qualitative goals in the strategic plan (e.g., sense of belonging, access to data), and begin work on the operational vision for the district to be completed between now and next fall/winter.

Leader professional development and learning

Mr. Romer noted that  activities ranging from shared readings to leadership coaching and training on supporting teacher teams.

Mr. Romer noted that the subject was covered in the above discussion.

Mr. Martin reported that discussions are underway with the facilitator for conducting the next Board retreat which will take place at Bridgewater State University Waggett Hall from 8:00AM-1:00PM on April 28th.

Mr. Martin will share any reading or preparatory materials for the upcoming board retreat with board members after meeting with the retreat moderator.

Mr. Romer presented the international field trip to Amsterdam and Paris for April 2027, replacing a previously planned Rwanda trip that was cancelled due to cost and recruitment issues.

Mr. Michelot presented an update on security camera systems, explaining the transition to cloud-based technology from site-based with enhanced features like weapon detection and license plate reading, 

He also addressed concerns about camera coverage, noting that while there are still some blind spots, efforts are ongoing to improve coverage and address specific areas identified by staff members. The discussion touched on security measures like the night lock system and visitor management, emphasizing the importance of human oversight and training in addition to technological improvements.

Discussion ensued with regard to camera policies on campus, confirming that cameras are only in common areas like hallways and not in private spaces like classrooms or offices. 

The Board agreed to review existing policies and handbooks to ensure proper disclosure and compliance about data privacy and consent, with plans to consult legal counsel if needed to ensure all necessary policies, consent, and disclosures regarding advanced security camera capabilities (including cloud storage, AI features, and data privacy) are up to date and compliant.

Wellness policy - second reading

Review of the wellness policy included minor updates on guidance on snacks and clarifying language about food insecurity support. Clarification was added that fundraising activities cannot occur during lunch periods due to competition with the school food program, and discussed the policy's structure which combines policies and procedures due to state regulatory requirements.

The Board approved the wellness policy after adding language about addressing food insecurity, and discussed plans for reviewing the uniform policy through parent surveys before making any changes.

Finance and Facilities

Mr. Yezukevich affirmed that the FinCom was working with leadership to develop a FY27 balanced budget and to meet all regulatory compliances with bondholders.

Mr. Michelot reported that the solar panel project will commence during the April school vacation break and completed over the summer. Savings are to be realized in FY27.

Governance

The Governance Committee provided updates on policy reviews and prioritizations, with Toby helping to organize the process. The members discussed plans for a uniform policy survey that will be distributed to parents at the three schools, aiming to gather feedback before the May board meeting to allow time for adjustments before the June meeting. 

Academic Excellence Committee

The committee is preparing a report or presentation on SID team interventions and academic reporting protocols for the board, targeting the June meeting.

No updates.

Discuss the FY27 budget.