Celeste Mendoza

The meeting covered Board Business, including Committee Updates (Finance, Governance, Program) and a vote on updates to the family and student handbook for School Year '26. Organizational updates included SY '26 priorities centered on Relationship-Centered Academic Communities, Intellectually Affirming Instruction, and Perspective Broadening Experiences. Development updates highlighted surpassing the SY'25 goal and preparations for the Transformation Dinner. A key vote authorized the visit of Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Lugo, and associated security personnel. Operations reported projected enrollment of 520-530 students and preparations for the return of staff and students. Student Support noted a successful ESY program and changes in leadership roles. Talent confirmed that MS, HS, and SOL Teams are fully staffed, with a focus on refining performance management systems. The board reviewed positive growth data from SY'25, including enrollment increases (13.5%), improved attendance, reduced chronic absenteeism, and higher AP exam scores (28% earning 3+). Future focus areas include building belonging and community, analyzing data rigorously, and broadening horizons through exposure.

The meeting agenda included Board Business such as voting on the September meeting minutes, and Committee Updates from Finance, Governance, and Program Committees. Key actions included a vote to approve the FY '25 Audit. School-Based Updates covered organizational, development, middle school, and high school areas, highlighting programmatic discourse in Math, launch of Intervention and MTSS monitoring, and goal alignment in performance management. Development provided feedback on the Transformation Dinner success. The session also included the Executive Director Evaluation followed by an Executive Session to review SY '25 goals and approve the ED compensation for SY '26.

The meeting agenda included an opener/icebreaker about sources of joy, followed by Board Business which involved committee updates from Finance, Governance, and Program committees. Key governance discussions included the introduction of a prospective board member, Aaron Guerrier, and the review and approval of Executive Director (ED) School Year 2026 goals. School-Based Updates covered strategy and school performance analysis using observation data, student achievement data, and D.E. Focus Groups, as well as operational updates on I-Ready Round 2, family events, and shifting enrollment focus to SY26-27. Development updates were also reviewed. The session concluded with 'Bright Spots' highlighting organizational achievements, including a student receiving the QuestBridge Scholarship, the release of the Annual Report, and student participation in scientific fieldwork and The Princeton Model Congress. Upcoming dates and general information were also shared.

The meeting included introductory business such as an icebreaker and the vote on the previous month's minutes. The primary discussion centered on the presentation and subsequent approval of the School Year 2026 Budget. This budget overview highlighted key considerations, stakeholder input, expenditure alignment with priorities such as investing in high-quality curriculum and student experiences, and project facility maintenance costs. Enrollment projections for SY '26 were also discussed.

The meeting focused primarily on Student Privacy Protections, specifically revising the categories within the APR student directory and restricting access to directory information to members of the APR community only. The board discussed the current elements considered public personal identification versus directory information and the rationale for proposed changes. A motion to accept the proposed changes to student directory information did not pass due to a lack of quorum, as one attendee was not yet a voting board member. The board also requested additional information regarding Massachusetts general law and FERPA for a future meeting.