Final

Excel Academy Massachusetts

Board of Trustees Meeting

Published on October 1, 2026 at 11:23 AM EDT

Date and Time

Thursday October 8, 2026 at 8:30 AM EDT

Location

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/282304962139002?p=1bQ2c22RGxBB06YnZu

Meeting ID: 282 304 962 139 002 

Passcode: aq3XM9CJ

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 8:30 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 Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Arthur Kaynor 1 m
    Approve minutes for Board of Trustees Meeting on June 12, 2026  
II. Academic & Leadership Oversight 8:33 AM
  A. State of the School Update and Report from Academic Oversight Committee & Academic Team Discuss Academic Team and Academic Oversight Committee 35 m
   

Materials:

  • Academic Oversight Committee 10.5.26 slides (attached/enclosed)
  • Quarterly Board Academic Data Dashboard (linked here)
  • (optional reading) Case Studies presented at Network Summit Day (linked here)
  
  B. Approve Updated Leadership Evaluation Protocols Vote Arthur Kaynor 3 m
   
  • Vote to approve updated Head of School and CEO & CMO Evaluation Protocols.

Evaluation Process Improvements

  • G&N Committee reviews HOS evaluations and recommends approval to the full Board.
  • G&N Chair coordinates Board evaluation of CMO services and recommends approval to the full Board.
  • The Excel MA and Excel RI CMO evaluations then inform the Friends Board’s CEO evaluation.
  
  C. Approve SY25-26 Head of School Evaluations Vote Maher Colaylat, Nina Keough, Stephanie Patton 5 m
   
  • Review summary evaluation materials and the recommendation of the Governance & Nominating Committee.
  • Vote to approve the completed SY25-26 Head of School evaluations, consistent with the Board Protocol for Head of School Oversight.
  
III. Finance 9:16 AM
  A. SY25-26 Financial Update Discuss Aaron Stelson 5 m
   
  • FY26 was a strong financial year, with Excel-MA posting $2.9M in adjusted net income - $3.1M above budget - and all three Excel entities exceeding their budgeted targets.
  • The enclosed memo contains more detail for reference.
  
  B. Approve Banking Resolutions Vote Aaron Stelson 3 m
   

Vote to approve resolutions authorizing new banking and investment accounts, subject to Treasurer approval.

  
  C. FYI - Reminder about FY26 Annual Audit FYI Arthur Kaynor 1 m
   

Excel MA & Friends of Excel Audit Review & Approval Meeting

  • Thursday, Oct. 22 via Teams, 8:30-10am
  • Excel RI FC optionally attending for informational and collaborative purposes

 

Excel RI Audit Review & Approval Meeting

  • Wednesday, Dec. 2 at CSEA (270 Elmwood Ave in Providence), 6:30-7:30pm
  • Excel MA & Friends FC optionally attending for informational and collaborative purposes
  
IV. CEO Report 9:25 AM
  A. CEO Report Discuss Owen Stearns and Arthur Kaynor 10 m
   
  • Updates on the start of the school year and organizational priorities
  
V. Governance 9:35 AM
  A. Annual Review of Executive-Session Minutes Vote Arthur Kaynor 1 m
   
  • Vote to determine, following review, that the executive-session minutes dated February 7, 2025 should continue to be withheld from public disclosure because the school-safety considerations supporting nondisclosure remain applicable, subject to future review as required by law.
  
  B. Ratify Annual Policies, Manuals, and Handbooks; Approve Civil Law Enforcement Policy Vote Arthur Kaynor 10 m
   
  • Vote to ratify the SY26-27 policies, manuals, and handbooks listed in the enclosed annual review protocol and available here, subject to any necessary edits or corrections.
  • Vote to approve the Policy and Public Procedures for Interactions with Civil Law Enforcement.
  • Receive annual training on the Board’s role under the Title IX Policy.
  
  C. Renew CMO Agreement Vote Anne Healy and Arthur Kaynor 5 m
   
  • Vote to approve the renewed CMO Agreement and Services and Fee Addendum between Excel Academy Charter School and Friends of Excel Academy Charter Schools, Inc.; authorize the Treasurer to approve any non-substantive or authorizer-required revisions and execute the final agreements on behalf of the Board; and provide that the agreement will become effective upon charter renewal, with its term conforming to the renewal term approved by DESE.
  • This is a routine renewal that does not change the fundamental relationship between Excel MA and Friends.
  • A summary of changes is attached.
  
VI. Other Business
 

N/A - No discussion or voting topics at this meeting

  
VII. Closing Items 9:51 AM
  A. Adjourn Meeting Vote Caitlin Brumme 1 m

The public is welcome to 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.

 

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 and Massachusetts  laws and regulations.