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Excel Academy Massachusetts

Board of Trustees Meeting

Published on February 18, 2026 at 12:23 PM EST

Date and Time

Friday June 13, 2025 at 8:00 AM EDT

Location

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Meeting notice posted publicly by 6/11/25.

 

Please note: All items listed on the agenda are subject to a possible vote by the Board of Trustees.

Agenda

Section Number Topic Number Details Purpose Presenter Time
I. Opening Items 8:00 AM
  A. Record Attendance Discuss Arthur Kaynor
  B. Call the Meeting to Order Discuss Caitlin Brumme 1 m
  C. Public Comment Discuss Arthur Kaynor 1 m
  D. Approve prior Board Meeting minutes Approve Minutes Arthur Kaynor 1 m
    Approve minutes for Board of Trustees Meeting on March 28, 2025  
II. Governance 8:03 AM
  A. Approve FY26 (SY25-26) Officers, Terms, Calendar, and Committee Assignments Vote Caitlin Brumme, Owen Stearns, Arthur Kaynor 10 m
   

Vote to approve:

  • Enclosed FY26 Board Calendar
  • Enclosed FY26 Committee Assignments
    • Including appointment of Maher Colaylat as Governance & Nominating Committee Chair
  • FY26 Officers:
    • Chair: Caitlin Brumme
    • Vice Chair: Bernabe Rodriguez
    • Treasurer: David Stolow
    • Clerk: Nery Castro
  • Term Renewals:
    • Steve Zrike for a third term: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2028
    • Rob Lytle for a third term: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2028
  
  B. DESE Site Visit Update Discuss Caitlin Brumme 2 m
   

Thank you to Dave Sachs and Cait Brumme for representing the Board at the April 17th site visit.

  
  C. Authorize Chair to approve Annual Report & School Manual, Handbook, and Policy updates Vote Arthur Kaynor 5 m
   

Vote to authorize the Chair to:

  • Approve and submit the School Year 24-25 annual report
  • Approve annual updates to school manuals, handbooks, and policies over the summer as needed. Note: these policies will be presented to the Board for ratification at the first meeting of School Year 25-26. The Board will also retrain on the Title IX Policy and the Board's role with respect to the Policy.
  • Please see the attached protocol for reference.
  
  D. Reminder: Annual Ethics Disclosures Discuss Arthur Kaynor 1 m
   

Annual disclosure paperwork is distributed in May via the BMMS system. If you have not received your paperwork yet via email, please let Arthur know, and he will follow up with DESE. We kindly request that you submit your paperwork by June 30. Thank you!

  
III. Academic Oversight 8:21 AM
  A. Vote to approve Alternative Graduation Pathway Proposal Vote Academic Oversight Committee & Network Academic Team 10 m
  B. Report on the State of the Schools, Academic Data, and Priorities Discuss Academic Oversight Committee & Network Academic Team 20 m
   

Reference links:

 

  • Quarterly Board Academic Data Dashboard (linked here)
  • Newly implemented Teacher Observation Rubric (linked here)
  
IV. Finance 8:51 AM
  A. Approve the FY26 (School Year 25-26) Budget Vote Aaron Stelson 20 m
   
  • Vote to approve the FY26 (School Year 25-26) Budget, per the Finance Committee's recommendation on April 11, 2025.

 

Notes:

  • The proposed FY26 Budget is not substantively different from the draft budget reviewed and recommended for approval by the finance committees of each board in April.
  • Please prioritize reviewing the FY26 Budget Memo sent by Aaron Stelson on 5.12.26.
    • For finance committee members, Section 2: Organizational Draft Budget (p. 1 – 5) is substantively the same as earlier draft budget you already reviewed.  If you are short on time, you could skim this section.
  • The following materials are also provided for reference: the April Cash Balances Email and the 5-Year Strategic Financial Model.
  
  B. Approve the addition of Aaron Stelson to Excel Academy Charter School financial accounts Vote Arthur Kaynor 2 m
   
  • Vote to approve resolutions authorizing the addition of Aaron Stelson, Managing Director of Finance to all Excel Academy Charter School financial accounts on which the Chief Financial Officer is currently a signer, retroactive to May 2, 2025.
  
  C. Delegate approval of updated Financial Policies & Procedures, retroactively to July 1, 2025 Vote Arthur Kaynor 2 m
V. Other Business 9:15 AM
  A. Reminder about upcoming events & engagement goals FYI Owen Stearns & Arthur Kaynor 1 m
   

School Campus Tours

 

Excel RI

  • February 5
  • February 28
  • March 19
  • April 28 

Excel MA

  • January 14
  • February 25
  • March 24
  • April 30

 

Save the Dates:

  • Signing Day Ceremony at Excel HS - May 30, 2025, 11am
  • Excel Academy Charter High School Graduation - June 11, 2025, 5pm

 

Reminder: Please schedule 1:1 Board engagement check-ins with Owen Stearns & Arthur Kaynor.

  
  B. Update on Excel Academy Charter High School Graduation Discuss Owen Stearns & Maher Colaylat 3 m
VI. Closing Items 9:19 AM
  A. Adjourn Meeting Vote Caitlin Brumme 1 m

The public is welcome to attend any meeting of the Board of Trustees or its subcommittees. If communication assistance (readers/ interpreters/captions) or any other accommodations are needed to ensure equal participation, please contact Arthur Kaynor at akaynor@excelacademy.org at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting. Any changes in the agenda will be posted on Excel Academy Charter School’s website, Excel’s principal place of business, and will be electronically filed with the Secretary of State at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting. If you would like to attend a Board meeting and provide public comment, please sign up 48 hours in advance here: https://forms.gle/7315BJ7v1bHGGh2Q9.

 

Excel Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, country of ancestral origin, or veteran status in administration of its admissions or educational policies, curricular programs, other school-administered programs, or in its hiring and employment practices in accordance with applicable federal, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island laws and regulations.