Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public (District)

The meeting addressed several key policy matters. P-0038, concerning substance misuse, was reviewed and updated with revised language regarding substance issues and school employee roles. The need to reinvigorate the Wellness Advisory Committee was discussed, along with a review of the MA statute requiring the WAC and the MA Charter school association model policy, recommending the WAC meet to ensure appropriate scope. There was also discussion regarding policy P-0026, the Professional Code of Conduct for Employees, including whether it should remain a BOT level policy or be managed by the ED and HRD, with a plan to seek legal counsel on its necessity.

The committee decided against participating in the MA charter association Family Engagement pilot program and will not modify the survey for any objectives related to that program. A new question regarding bias in the curriculum will be added to the community survey. The draft survey will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.

The board discussed and addressed several policies, including P-0013 regarding Fundraising and Grant Administration, focusing on sound business practices and potential revisions. They also reviewed and updated policy P-0045 concerning Students in Foster Care, incorporating information on FERPA expectations and aligning with the model DESE policy. Additionally, policy P-0046 related to the McKinney Vento Act was compared to the DESE policy. The board also voted to repeal policy 0026 concerning Employee Conduct, based on legal counsel's advice.

The committee reviewed the Classical Education and Parent as Primary Educator sections of a community survey and made recommendations for revisions. Discussion included whether to add a remote learning experience section and whether to include a section on virtual events, depending on future plans. The survey review will continue at the January meeting.

The committee reviewed the quantitative data results from a community survey and discussed possible subgroups for more in-depth analysis. A low response rate was noted, and plans were made to send another email blast and social media post to increase participation. The survey submission period was set to close on May 14, with final results to be reviewed at the June committee meeting.