Mr Buckwalter and Ms. Jeong informed the group about the process:
Guided by the site visit protocol which is informed by the Charter School performance criteria. The DESE visitors reviewed documents and are observing classrooms as well as speaking with multiple focus groups. A report will be generated and that will be an important factor when the commissioner makes his determination regarding charter renewal at he end of the current term.

Questions:
1) Highlights of the work we have done as a board over the past few years.

•     Identified an issue with suspensions and addressed that with the ED and are very proud of progress
•     The dissemination of school practice and the opening of 
•     Leadership structure that we currently have in place
•     Purchase of the building- finances in general and capital improvements

2) What comes to mind as your primary responsibilities as a board

• Oversight of academic program
• Strategic planning 
• Ensuring the safeguarding of the assets and having proper controls in place
• Leadership- providing the leaders with training and support
• Development- plan out our fundraising efforts
• Governance- asking the right questions

3) What is the school's mission?
4) What are some ways in which Veritas meets the mission?

• Strong academic program
• Structured environment
• Enrichment/opportunities for students

5) How does the board ensure that you meet the bylaws?

• Governance committee
• Attend continuing education

6) What is an example of a school policy that the board has changed in the last year and what was the process that you went through to approve that?

•  Committee Structure

7) How often is the leaders of the school evaluated?

• Yearly, typically in the Fall. Recently created a two person committee distinct from the executive committee and chair based on best practice.

8) When did the board last review the accountability plan?

• Monthly in Academic Achievement committee, quarterly with full board

9) What data do you look at as it relates to enrollment? How often? How is it disaggregated?

• Finance committee monitors this monthly
• Awareness that our demographics be representative of the city

10) What data do you look at for discipline?

• Suspension rate, disaggregated. We monitor this aggressively on a monthly basis. The reduction of suspensions and the behavioral support systems that are in place are one of the things we are most proud of as a school.

11) Describe the board's processes for communication with the school community.

• Direct communication with scholars and teachers during events

12) What goals has the board set for the next couple of years?

• Primary goal is to adhere to the mission of this school. 
• In the early stages of strategic planning
• Keeping Veritas financially strong and able to sustain its mission

13) Briefly describe how the boards recruits, selects, and trains new members.

• Begins in the governance committee
• Striving to introduce candidates that reflect the diversity of the students we serve
• Person is brought to the governance committee, voted on, and then brought to the larger board

14) How would you describe the relationship between Friends of Veritas Prep and Veritas Prep?

• Friends contract with us for our shared network staff. Aaron and Lisa Doherty are the shared members between this board and Friends. We are focused on this school and are monitoring the time that the shared network staff spend supporting this school.

15) Anything else you would add?

• Proud of the dissemination that is happening in Holyoke, the development of the leadership team.