MCCPS Board of Trustees
Minutes
Board of Trustees Meeting
Date and Time
Tuesday December 3, 2024 at 7:00 PM
Location
Hybrid Format:
- in person at MCCPS
- via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/98355446062?pwd=bVg2VzE4bEZUVXJqY0R4UlJnVmZ1dz09
Trustees Present
Carol McEnaney, Ellen Lodgen, Jessica Xiarhos, Kimberly Nothnagel, Lindsay Smith, Polly Titcomb (remote), Stephanie Brant
Trustees Absent
Emily Promise, Ian Hunt, James Lewis, Katie Holt
Guests Present
Chris Doyon (remote), Eric Neagle (remote), Molly Wright
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Public Comment
II. Board Action Items
A.
Minutes to Approve: October
III. Head of School Report
A.
November Report
B.
Enrollment update
4 students placed out of district starting January 2. Potential loss of a 5th grade student if a sibling follows. HOS received several inquiries for this year since last BOT meeting. Accepted 3 students: 2 in grade 4, 1 in grade 5, several more expressed interest. Potential to fill 7 more seats from inquiries.
YMCA after school numbers are low. Goal to increase by 10 families. Looking to increase homework support/academic support by including teacher in room starting 1/1. Staff from Children's Island coming in Thursdays to run clubs. Hopefully increase in overall enrollment will help.
C.
Staffing update
New inclusion teacher in grade 5. MCCPS graduate. Full staffed beginning December 16. Hired instructional assistant in grade 5 and will stay on to provide support to 3 person teaching teams.
Professional development on ELL, part of school's corrective action plan from DESE, PALS presentation, and IEP evaluations coming up.
The New Teacher Training Program coach coming in for classroom observation and to do teacher coaching to bring school scores in math closer to state average.
D.
Recruitment Update
December open house is ful.l. Postcard mailing to go out at end of month. Hot cocoa station at Christmas Walk. Meg working on lawn signs, social media push after 1/1.
E.
MCAS data review from the Leadership Team
See attached materials. Overview of history of test from 1990s forward. Emphasis on equity across subgroups and across-the-board improvement.
11/2024 election eliminated graduation requirements but keeps test.
IV. Board Annual Items
A.
Upcoming Agenda Items
Board will not be meeting again in December.
B.
MCPSA monthly update
Trustees are encouraged to go to workshops.
Does the BOT want a facilitated retreat? Lindsay Smith meeting with MCPSA to learn more.
C.
Stipend to hire a meeting admin for the board and its committees
Polly Titcomb suggests having dedicated clerk to post meetings, create agenda, post minutes. Some software is available which does the same.
V. Committee Updates
A.
Finance Committee
Mortgage rate increase overall but substantially less than expected. Balance of mortgage is $3,256,244 at 3% below market rate.
Net income July through October on track with budget if enrollment stays at 192.
B.
Governance Committee
Have rough draft of handbook.
C.
Academic Excellence
D.
Development & Communications
Working on planning for 5/3 annual fundraiser, June Day of Giving, and October 2025 30th annual anniversary celebration.
E.
DEI Committee
Will lean into proofreading with an emphasis on inclusive language. Next project will be parent handbook.
Pending absences update, vote moved to next BOT meeting.