There were no submitted requests for privilege of the floor. 

A woman appeared before the Board remotely and asked for privilege of the floor. She was told by the Chair that the board will be pleased to hear her submission. However, following the standard process, she needs to submit a formal request.

Executive Director Romer reviewed his PowerPoint presentation on the leadership report including the following highlights:

• Institutional self evaluation on Equity was conducted by Teaching and Learning
  • Analysis included achievement scores, enrollment, and discipline
• Recent school events
• Focus on extracurriculars
• Human resources director search update
• Additional ED updates

Executive Director Romer reviewed his PowerPoint presentation on the preliminary findings of the Executive Director entry process including the following highlights:

• Preliminary findings of the entry process
• ED annual goals 2024-25
• Purpose of the entry process
• Interview protocols and questions
• Overview of entry process  
  • teacher/staff focus group
  • student focus group
  • stakeholders and former staff meetings
• Process for analyzing and synthesizing feedback
• Norm setting for reviewing data
• Initial insights in findings areas
  • Teachers and staff
  • Academics and rigor
  • Community and culture
  • Student/support/expectations
  • Extra curriculars
  • Leadership/families/high school
  • Special ed and student services
  • Spanish
  • Staff recruitment and retention
  • Financial systems
  • Communications-external
  • Communiations – internal
  • Safety
• Action planning and next steps

Discussion ensued including the following highlights:

• Importance of listening to staff that all voices are heard in incorporating staff feedback into decision making at school and district level for future planning.
• Students left because they did not feel part of the community which they perceived had changed and did not reflect who they were.
  • Seeing positive results in decrease of number of withdrawals at the start and end of the school year through the summer; exciting work ongoing bringing community and culture together to stay engaged in academic work and new curricula adoptions at elementary, middle and high schools.
• Long history focused on college prep vs. other post secondary education needs further consideration.
  • Clarity around high academic engagement and high expectations: is FRCS meeting every student's needs with high expectations for everyone.
  • Strategic planning process considers the FRCS mission and what we want the school to be and consider all alternative paths to success.

Executive Director Romer reviewed his PowerPoint presentation on progress of mid-year goals of strategics actions, anticipated outcomes and progress to date including the following highlights:

• Meeting with charter school leaders and well as board leaders, students and families on the longer three-five year term on staying faithful to mission; helpful to have outside facilitation with leaders of institutions doing well.
• Will begin work with consultant this spring to kick off ends of school year and continue through summer and final work anticipated this time next year to build long-term plan.

Discussion ensued including the following highlights:

• Anticipation that fact finding will lead to productive action addressing immediate concerns on MCAS, enrollment, etc.
• By the end of the year a clear timeframe will be established on what the future FRCS will look like.

Ms. Albama, HR Director, reported that the Employee Handbook was been edited to reflect changes promulgated by collective bargaining negotiations.

The draft will be presented for first reading at the February Board meeting.

Ms. Berkowitz presented the three different options for finalizing the 2025-26 calendar year as follows:

• Vacation starts on December 22nd and continues for two weeks with half a day or no school on Good Friday.
  • 180 days from September 3 to June 17 with last day of school on June 18.
• School open on December 22nd and 23rd and half day good Friday.
  • 180 days from September 3 to Jun 18 with last day of on June 22nd because of Juneteenth holiday.

Discussion ensued on the best options in the interests of the school community, staff and students. Since any change in the calendar would have to be approved by the teacher union, it was decided that Mr. Romer will open up discussions with the union on the various options for change in the calendar. The matter is time-sensitive as families need to be notified about changes in the calendar in order to plan for holidays and vacation.

Executive Director Romer reviewed his PowerPoint presentation on the discipline and attendance report including the following highlights:

• Disciplinary data over time (excluding the 2020-21 Covid effect)
• Attendance data
• Late to school data

Mr. Romer reported that attendance rates are better than all state averages across the board.

Discussion ensued including the following highlights:

• Create universal accommodations in the environment targeted to disadvantaged and disabled students especially on IEP's to avoid consequences and be successful.
• Attendance looked at overall in all three buildings with improved focus to work on communication on providing resources to families on eliminating chronic tardies.

Finance Committee - Ms. Calvert

• Decrease in per pupil tuition based on changes in enrollment and decrease in foundation rates from sending districts.
• Higher expenditures for personnel due to increase in salaries and restructure of salaries based on union contract.
• Operations increase for utilities.
• Senior leadership team will present financial projections for FY25 at the FinCom meeting on January 23rd.

Facilites - Mr. Michelot

No updates at this time.

Governance - Mr. Martin

No updates at this time.

DEI - Ms. Vixamar

Continuing to work with Mr. Romer on recommendations for collaboration in the school year.

Ms. Berkowitz reported that she is seeking feedback and input from various leaders on any revisions that may need to be made to existing policies. Once reviewed by the Governance Committee, they will be brought to the Board for first and second readings.

No updates.

Mr. Martin reported that two Trustee candidates had been interviewed by the Board, and the third candidate scheduled to be interviewed this evening withdrew her application. Mr. Martin summarized the two candidates as follows:

Katie Beault graduated in the first FRCS class in 2003 of eighteen students. She is living in Mansfield with two children. Her husband is supportive of the time commitment needed and she feels she has lots to contribute to the Board as a former student.

Ryan Higgins has been the FRCS finance adviser and has worked with Ms. Berkowitz and Ms. Calvert. He is now with another firm and married with one young child. He is looking to contribute to the mission of the school. Because of his affiliation in the debt service industry, it would be a conflict of interest for the school to work with that firm on debt issuance. He clarified that since he works in Boston, he may not always be timely for attendance at meetings, but is committed to the time needed to serve on the Board.

Discussion ensued. Ms. Vixamar noted that his work in the YURA program with a perspective on students pursuing a non-college path would be helpful to the Board as well as his financial background and potential in succession planning. Both candidates have the commitment needed for the position.

Mr. Romer stated that both candidates were qualified with different perspectives and had the enthusiasm and passion to contribute to the Board. He added that both should be offered the position.

Mr. Tetreault apologized for not being able to be at the interview meeting but has read both resumes. Both candidates having had a previous association with the school was a benefit.

Executive Director Romer reported that he is working with leadership on the budget calendar FY26 development process and will back to the Board in February.

Mr. Martin reported that he had distributed the survey for charter public schools board members to complete and indicate their top topics of interest. Mr. Romer noted that this information will be helpful to the CPS association in organizing a Board retreat this summer.

Finalization of 2025-26 school calendar after consultation with the union.

No executive session.