October 1, 2009 Regular Meeting

 

Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees
October 1, 2009
 
Minutes
 
In attendance:  Emil Ronchi, Cathy Vaucher, John McEnaney, Bob Sousa, Matt Cronin, Dr. Alice de Koning, Nina Cullen Hamzeh. Cynthia Canavan arrived at 7:14.   Not Present:  Dr John Sullivan, Chris Fauci
 
Location: Eighth Grade Science Classroom at the Marblehead Community Charter Public School, 17 Lime St, Marblehead MA 01945
 
The Board of Trustee Chair, Mr. Emil Ronchi opened the meeting at 7:11 P.M.   He began by reciting the mission of MCCPS. 
 
He went on to call for public comment. Noting there was no public comment, he continued.
 
Decision: Mr. McEnaney moved and Dr. de Koning seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the September 3, 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees.
 
Yeas: 7 Nays: 0 Abstain   Motion Passes
 
Mr. Ronchi recognized Ms Cullen-Hamzeh for a curriculum review from the Academic Director. Ms Cullen-Hamzeh shared with Trustees that the overall academic performance of the school is in good shape. She noted that there are several advanced mathematics offerings for students that has been working well so far this year. Additionally, there are students that are in need of additional academic support, and that the School has developed remedial programs to support those students.
 
Mr. Ronchi recognized Dr. Argenziano for the Managing Director’s report, a copy of which is attached. Dr. Argenziano also noted the School has received its first payment for the fiscal year from the State and that it reflects an adjustment for a previously identified error in the estimates at the State level. 
 
Mr. Ronchi called on Ms Vaucher to address a matter related to the Charter. She informed Trustees that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education have requested that we amend our Charter to reflect our new enrollment policy to remain in compliance with State law. She also noted that we have been informed that we need to complete this amendment prior to our site visit. Ms Cullen Hamzeh provided the Trustees a copy of the new enrollment policy, which needs to be included in the Charter in lieu of the current section 6.
 
Decision: Mr. McEnaney moved and Dr. de Koning seconded that the MCCPS Charter be amended by completely replacing the content of Section 6 with the Enrollment Policy as attached. 
 
The motion was tabled by the Chari for at least 15 days in accordance with MCCPS By Laws with require 15 days notice for all Charter Amendments. The Board of Trustees has scheduled a meeting for 7:30 AM on October 15, 2009.   
 
The Chair called a recess at: 7:41 PM
 
The Chair called the meeting back to order at 7:47 PM 
 
Mr. Ronchi distributed a handout of the Goals with suggested measures, which the Board of Trustees reviewed and discussed. 
 
Decision: Mr. McEnaney moved and Mr. Sousa seconded a motion that the Board of Trustees create a Task Force of the Board under Article VI, Section 1 of the By Laws to be called the Expansion Task Force. The Expansion Task Force shall prepare reports to be submitted and presented by its chair, or a representative designated by its chair, to the Board at each regularly scheduled Board meeting, or as may be required by the Board at special and/or emergency meetings beginning with the November 2009 Regular Meeting and continuing until the June 2010 Regular Meeting. The Expansion Task Force will be dissolved at the close of the June 2010 Regular Meeting unless the Board of Trustees reauthorizes the Task Force and provides specific guidance and direction for continued work. 
 
The Task Force will include at least 7 and not more than 11 members, and shall be appointed by the Chair of the Board of Trustees so long as the Task Force includes at least one member each from the existing Finance, Governance, Personnel, and Community Relations Committees as well as at least on current faculty or staff member of the school, and one parent of a current student at the school. The Chair of the Board of Trustees, the Academic Director, and Managing Director will all be ex officio members of the Task Force.
 
The Task Force shall be responsible for:
 
a) Developing and presenting to the Board of Trustees a plan to implement the goal of expanding the School
b) Upon approval of a plan, overseeing the work necessary to execute the plan
c) Periodically evaluate its work as a Task Force and the objectives it has committed itself to and report on same to the Board;
d) Report to the Board at each regular meeting in a manner determined by the Board; and
e) Develop necessary policies and procedures, which shall be approved by the Board, to accomplish these duties.
 
Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 Abstain 0 Motion Passes
 
The Chair requested that each committee notify the Chair of its next planned meeting date and to share who the clerk for the committee is.
 
The Chair also informed the Board that he is appointing Jonathan Lederman as a member of the Personnel Committee. 
 
The Chair asked Trustees if there was any new business. 
 
Decision: Mr. Sousa moved and Mr. Cronin seconded that the meeting be adjourned.
 
Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 Abstain 0 Motion Passes
 
The meeting adjourned at 8:53
 
Respectfully Submitted
 
John T. McEnaney
Clerk
 

 



To: Board of Trustees
From: Dr. Albert F. Argenziano
Re: September Monthly Report 
      The first month of the 2009-2010 school year has been the finest since my arrival in August 2007.  The facility, faculty, student body, and parents are ready to go and in excellent condition.  At my first interview I had mentioned that it would take three years for the turnaround from dysfunction to function.  The turn around is just about completed and the healing process is in its final stages. 
      The school is preparing itself for its renewal visit.  The three day visitation is vital to our getting Board of Education approval in January 2010.  The internal preparation for the visit is in fine shape.  The external workings, i.e., finances, future expansion, and regionalization are yet to be structured for future use. 
      Attached, I have included our enrollment as of 9/1/09.  As you can see, our Marblehead numbers are at 51%, an increase over the past two years.  The Swampscott/Nahant numbers equal 27% of our total enrollment. These three towns equal 78% of our total enrollment. 
      I also wanted the Board to know that I have been accepted as a member of our Foundation.  We have established meetings for the first Wednesday of every month at
4:00p.m. and our goal for the 2009-2010 school year is to identify funding sources and assist the school in a campaign to raise money for the school. 
      This becomes our final phase of being whole again.  We need to establish additional funding sources to provide the school with capital to invest in the future of our school.

 

Back



 
The Marblehead Community Charter Public School is a public school and is open to Massachusetts students entering grades 4-8 on a space available basis. Ch79 § 89(1); 603CMR 1.06(4); 603CMR 1.06(9)  
MCCPS will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or in a foreign language, or prior academic achievement when recruiting or admitting students.  Moreover, MCCPS will not set admissions criteria that are intended to discriminate or that have the effect of discriminating based upon any of these characteristics.  M.G.L.c.71. & 89(1); 603 CMR 1.06(1) 
The Marblehead Community Charter Public School has an interest in making sure that all prospective students and their families understand the mission and focus of the School and are interested in being a part of the School’s community.  Information is available on the School’s website and during Open Houses.   
Eligibility Criteria
The Marblehead Community Charter Public School requires:
  1. Candidates for admission to apply for the grade immediately following their current grade and to successfully complete that grade in order to be admitted.
  2. Students to be residents of Massachusetts at the time that they submit an application and at the time that they are offered admission.
  3. That primary preference for admission be given to siblings of students "currently attending" MCCPS in accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regulations.
  4. That secondary preference for admission be given to students who are residents of Marblehead at the time they are offered admission to the school. 603 CMR 1.06(4)
 
The Marblehead Community Charter Public School will not:
  1. Give preference to children of faculty, staff, or Board members;
  2. Give preference to siblings of students accepted to the school but not yet attending;
  3. Make statements in meetings intended to discourage, or that have the effect of discouraging, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, or any other protected group of students from submitting an application to the School.  M.G.L. c. 71 § 89 (1).
 
If an applicant fails to meet the eligibility criteria, his/her parent will be notified of the reason by mail as soon as possible after submission of the application.
 
Recruitment
The recruitment process will include advertisements and public information sessions.  Throughout the year, MCCPS will provide information about the School to those who are interested.  Applications will be available on the School’s website, in the School’s front office, and at the Information Sessions/Open Houses which will be held in November and January of each year.  This policy will be available on the School’s website, and it will be included with all paper applications that are provided to families. 603 CMR 1.06(2)  Notice of application deadlines will be announced one month in advance. 603 CMR 1.06(3) 
Enrollment
  1. Each school year, MCCPS will accept applications until February 15th.
    • Any applications submitted after this date will be accepted for a secondary lottery.  Notification of the secondary lottery date will be announced one week prior to the lottery. 
    • Returning students are not required to reapply.
  2. The School will determine the number of spaces available at each grade level. Ch79 § 89(1); 603CMR 1.06(4)
  3. MCCPS will conduct a lottery prior to March 15th.  The date, time, and location of the lottery will be publicized at least one week before the lottery is to be conducted.  603 CMR 1.06(6)
  4. All applicants in each category (sibling, resident, non-resident) will be drawn in the lottery and will be assigned a number. 
  5. The School will set a final date for students to accept offers of enrollment.
  6. MCCPS will publicize all lottery/enrollment deadlines and the fact that there will be a lottery if there are more eligible applicants than there are available spaces within a given application process.
 
After the application deadline passes, and prior to conducting the lottery, MCCPS will divide all applicants into three categories under 603 CMR 1.06(4):
  • Siblings - Students who share a common parent, either biologically or legally through adoption, will be treated as siblings. 
    • Whether the children reside in the same household has no bearing on determining if the children are siblings for the purposes of a sibling preference. 
    • Children who live in separate households may be siblings and those that live in the same household may not be. 
    • If siblings are placed in foster homes and one of them enrolls in MCCPS, then the siblings of that student are entitled to admission preference.  Foster children are not considered siblings of other children in the foster home unless they share a common parent.
  • Residents - Students who live in the town of Marblehead will be treated as Residents.
  • Non-residents - Students who live outside of Marblehead will be treated as Non-residents.
 
Preference for admission will be given first to applicants in the "Siblings" category, followed by applicants in the "Residents" category, and then to applicants in the "Non-Residents" category.  All offers of enrollment will be made without regard to when the application was submitted (as long as it was prior to the application deadline).  MCCPS will not offer admission to applicants on a first-come first-served basis. 
Lottery
In situations where there are more eligible applicants in any of the categories (siblings, residents, or non-residents) than there are spaces available, MCCPS will hold a lottery to determine which applicants will receive an offer of admission.  603 CMR 1.06(3)(a)  As previously mentioned, MCCPS will give public notice of the lottery at least one week before the lottery date.   
The lottery will be drawn by an individual who has no connection to the School.  This individual will randomly draw the names of all students who submitted applications before the deadline.  After the available spaces are filled, the individual shall keep drawing the names of the remaining applicants in each category and will place them on a waiting list in the order they are drawn. 
If the School does not reach capacity after admitting all eligible siblings, it will admit residents. If spaces remain after admitting residents, non-resident applicants will be admitted.  603 CMR 1.06(4)(b) 
Waiting List
When the number of applicants requires it, MCCPS will maintain waiting lists for siblings, residents, and non-residents.  Wait listed students may be informed of an offer of admission via mail, email, or phone. 
These lists will not roll over from one year to the next.  If not admitted during an enrollment period, students who are not admitted must reapply for the next year.   
An exception: If a space becomes available and the enrollment of a student from the waiting list would cause his/her sending district to exceed the net school spending cap, MCCPS will skip that student but keep him/her on the waiting list.  If that student on the waiting list is a sibling of a student currently enrolled at MCCPS, the school may enroll that student and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will pay the tuition to MCCPS, subject to state appropriations. 
 
Secondary Lottery
MCCPS may hold a second lottery under the following conditions:
  1. If by March 1st, the school has received fewer applications than it has spaces available; or
  2. If after March 1st, the school receives additional applications for the upcoming school year.
 
Enrollment Confirmation
Families will be notified by mail of their child’s admission status (offer to enroll or placement on the waiting list). 
  • Parents must confirm that their child will attend MCCPS by the stated deadline or the space will be offered to the next child on the list. 
    • If a student is invited to attend before August 1st, his/her family has 10 days to confirm enrollment.
    • If the family is notified after August 15th, they will have 3 days to confirm enrollment.
  • Upon acceptance of the offer to enroll:
    • all Marblehead residents must provide proof of Marblehead residency within three weeks of acceptance.  The following will be accepted: current tax bill, utility bill, rental agreement, or mortgage statement.  If proof of residency is not provided to MCCPS, the offer of enrollment will be withdrawn, and the seat will be offered to the next child on the list.
    • an enrollment packet will be provided to each family and will include all of the forms necessary to enroll in MCCPS.
 
If a family declines the offer to enroll, the child will lose all status as an applicant.  His/her space will be offered to the next child on the list.   
Other Limitations
If the applicant fails to meet the eligibility criteria, his/her family will be notified by mail of the reason, and he/she will be removed from the applicant pool. 
MCCPS, as a commonwealth charter school, must ensure that the number of students from a sending district does not exceed the 9% cap on net school spending. M.G.L. c.71 (89)(i) 
The School reserves the right to close enrollment for an academic year after September 30th of that year. 

 

Back



  • Secure Charter Renewal
      • MCCPS is notified that its charter has been renewed
  • Govern the School Efficiently and Effectively. 
    • Trustee Training
      • At least two Board meetings will contain at least 20 minutes of meeting time dedicated to improving the effectiveness of the Board
      • The Governance Committee delivers to the Board a New Trustee Orientation program.(Governance)
    • Add two new members to the Board of Trustees
      • Two new Members are appointed to the Board (Governance)
    • Succession Planning (Leadership)
      • A methodology is adopted by the Board to assist in identifying and training potential future Board Officers. (Governance Committee)
  • Implement a Strong Financial Plan
    • Rebuild working capital
      • MCCPS meets or exceeds the operating “surplus” specified in the approved budget for the year.(Finance Committee)
    • Create a detailed plan to increase non-tuition income to 10% of the School’s revenue
      • A detailed plan including a timeline for application is adopted by the Board by the April 2010 Regular Meeting of the Board Meeting. (TBD)
  • Lead the School in embracing the promises of the School’s Charter and Mission
    • Hire a Managing Director
      • A Managing Director is recruited and an offer of employment is made by the end of the school year.(Personnel Committee and Board of Trustees)
    • Develop plan for community outreach
      • The Community Relations Committee delivers to the Board, a plan for community outreach by February 2010 Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees. (Community Relations)
  • The School’s Facilities will enable the accomplishment of the School’s Mission. 
    • Prepare and Submit Charter Amendment Application
      • The Charter Amendment Application is submitted, to the extent required by plans for expansion.  (Governance and Board of Trustees)
    • Create detailed project plan regarding the expansion 
      • A detailed project plan regarding expansion is adopted by the Board by the March 2010 Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees prior to the end of the School year. (TBD)

Back