Foxborough Regional Charter School

Minutes

Session 1

Date and Time

Tuesday September 13, 2022 at 6:15 PM

Location

Foxborough Regional Charter School
MS Media Center
131 Central Street 
Foxborough, MA 02035

Trustees Present

Anissia Vixamar, Badawi Dweik (remote), Kathleen Crawford, Matthew Yezukevich, Ramona Royal, Sergio Martin, Susanna Girard, Todd Tetreault

Trustees Absent

None

Trustees who arrived after the meeting opened

Ramona Royal

Guests Present

Annie Azarloza, Dana Benton-Johnson (remote), Frank Zych (HR Knowledge), Heidi Berkowitz, Karen Calvert, Kathleen Foley, Lesly Michelot (remote), Sheila Crawford (HR Knowledge)

I. Opening Items

A.

Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Kathleen Crawford called a meeting of the board of trustees of Foxborough Regional Charter School to order on Tuesday Sep 13, 2022 at 6:19 PM.
Ramona Royal arrived.

II. Leadership Report

A.

Special Topic

HR Knowledge report out on Listening sessions:

  • Frank Zych and Sheila Crawford of HR Knowledge shared the details of the listening sessions with the board and senior leadership.
  • No names of specific individuals' feedback will be shared nor will a specific name of an individual be reported out if there is a specific complaint. Frank shared with the board that if any more details are needed, he is willing to meet again as long as the anonymity of the person sharing their perspective is kept confidential.
  • Sessions were held with 76 returning staff members and broken up by School.
  • No names were collected and no debating of points were conducted.
  • Three poll questions were recorded to begin.
    • I believe in the mission/purpose 39+, 28 OK, 9-
    • Is FRCS a good place to work? 9+, 30 OK, 37 -
    • Communication is consistent, open & effective" 6+, 9 OK, 61 -
  • Overall morale is worse than 2018 when similar sessions were conducted,
  • Good things were reported about the School District
    • Staff feel supported by their peers
    • Students are in a position to succeed
    • The flexibility of the curriculum
    • School Principals are highly regarded
    • Appreciate being able to see students' growth from k-12
  • Areas of improvement for the School District
    • Fundamental and competency of the senior leadership
    • Communication from leadership is hostile, condescending, and disingenuous
    • No support from senior leadership with student behavior. The students run the school.
    • District is chronically understaffed with a high turnover and lack of pay structure
    • No apparent concern for teachers' security and well being
  • HR knowledge asked the staff if they could snap their fingers and fix one thing, what would it be?
    • Elementary School Principal to return to work
    • Have more prep time in their schedules
    • Immediate change in senior leadership 
    • Support for unionization
    • Trust in Administrations intentions / actions
    • Be valued as an employee/person.  Have skills recognized
    • Public transparent pay scale
    • Qualified diverse staff
    • Behavioral support in classrooms
  • Moving forward:
    • The Board encouraged the Senior Leaders to workshop the things they heard and put together an action plan to address issues without focusing on any disagreements with anecdotes share during the conversation this evening.
    • The Board is going to digest the information and look for specific actions they can take to address issues as well. 

B.

Personnel Update

Interviews continue as there are still ~38 open positions that need filling.  Special education is the most understaffed at this time with 12 of their 20 positions open.  Lori Obenchain is making strategic changes to ensure we meet the IEP plan requirements and not burn out the staff she has.

III. Policy Review

A.

First Reading of New/Changing Policies

Staff Recruitment & Retention Committee Scope

The Board discussed if the composition should be different than proposed after just hearing the feedback from staff.  Susie Girard explained that trust couldn't be built unless it is given a venue for it to happen. There are still TAG, DAG & Parent Advisory groups where more private conversations could be worked through.  Those groups should be supported so they are well managed.

  • Add Employee Handbook to the scope of the committee
  • Add a method for repeated feedback throughout the year

B.

Second Reading of New/Changing Policies

  • Attendance Policy - Tabled
  • Finance Committee Scope 
    • Add Manage Annual Budget Calendar
  • Student Recruitment & Retention Committee Scope
    • Correct spelling error
Susanna Girard made a motion to Approve the Finance Committee Scope Document as amended.
Matthew Yezukevich seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Sergio Martin
Aye
Anissia Vixamar
Aye
Matthew Yezukevich
Aye
Susanna Girard
Aye
Todd Tetreault
Aye
Kathleen Crawford
Aye
Ramona Royal
Aye
Badawi Dweik
Aye
Matthew Yezukevich made a motion to approve the Student Recruitment & Retention Committee Scope document as amended.
Anissia Vixamar seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Susanna Girard
Aye
Ramona Royal
Aye
Sergio Martin
Aye
Anissia Vixamar
Aye
Matthew Yezukevich
Aye
Todd Tetreault
Aye
Kathleen Crawford
Aye
Badawi Dweik
Aye

IV. Board Business

A.

Executive Leader Search

Matt Yezukevich gave an update on the Interim ED and ED Searches

  • Interim ED Search 
    • 20-30 candidates were first screened by Ray & Associates
    • ~8 candidate resumes were reviewed by Sergio, Matt & Ramona of which 1 or 2 internal
    • To date they have phone-screened 4 resumes and down-selected to 2 candidates
    • Ray & Associates will pair the list down and do background checks
    • Anticipate interviews the week of 26SEP
    • If an offer could go out by ~03OCT someone new could start between 1& 4 weeks from that date depending on their availability.
    • This is a national/regional search
  • Executive Director Search
    • Search committee will have Board members, SLT, Staff, Families & Students
    • Board discussed who would participate from the Board
    • This is a national/regional search
Susanna Girard made a motion to appoint Todd Tetreault & Anissia Vixamar to the Executive Director Search Committee with Matt Yezukevich acting as an advisor.
Badawi Dweik seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Anissia Vixamar
Aye
Todd Tetreault
Aye
Sergio Martin
Aye
Kathleen Crawford
Aye
Ramona Royal
Aye
Matthew Yezukevich
Aye
Susanna Girard
Aye
Badawi Dweik
Aye

B.

Updated Organization Planning

Susanna Girard reminded the Board that we have discussed moving to a single Executive Director as soon as possible. This could be an Interim ED or the final ED.  Having the Co-Exec model has proven to have its difficulties and requested a vote of the Board to show that we are in alignment for that strategic plan.

 

 

Susanna Girard made a motion to return to the single Executive Director reporting structure as soon as practicable.
Matthew Yezukevich seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Kathleen Crawford
Aye
Matthew Yezukevich
Aye
Susanna Girard
Aye
Anissia Vixamar
Aye
Badawi Dweik
Aye
Todd Tetreault
Aye
Sergio Martin
Aye
Ramona Royal
Aye

V. Closing Items

A.

Privilege of the Floor

None requested

B.

Vote to Adjourn

Susanna Girard made a motion to suspend public sessions in order to enter into executive session to discuss strategy in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel and conduct contract negotiations with non-union personnel. To return to sessions open session thereafter.
Matthew Yezukevich seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Anissia Vixamar
Aye
Susanna Girard
Aye
Badawi Dweik
Aye
Matthew Yezukevich
Aye
Sergio Martin
Aye
Kathleen Crawford
Aye
Todd Tetreault
Aye
Ramona Royal
Aye

C.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:52 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Susanna Girard