Josue Melendez

The Board of Directors discussed the FY26 budget, noting stable revenue and increased income from rentals and professional development opportunities. Progress on grant-funded initiatives was reported, and the FY27 budget timeline was established. Program highlights included discussions on potential elementary program development, new transportation van logistics, and revenue generation through facility rentals. The Board also reviewed a partnership with Brown University for student mood checks. Additionally, the Board authorized the Treasurer to apply for a new purchasing card with an increased limit, approved personnel changes, accepted a donation of weight equipment, and entered into an executive session to discuss collective bargaining and contract negotiations.

The meeting included an update on finance and operations, specifically focusing on the fiscal year budget statuses, an invoice aging report, and the finance subcommittee summary. Key topics for the upcoming fiscal year included staff compensation, tuitions, fees, and the RFP for IT managed services. Additionally, the board reviewed transportation bid specifications, addressed personnel actions, and held an executive session for strategic discussions regarding collective bargaining or litigation.

The Board of Directors discussed the DESE waiver process regarding excessive snow day cancellations and reviewed the school calendar, ultimately supporting the submitted waiver and the proposed schedule adjustments. A finance and operations report indicated a projected fiscal year surplus and addressed facility maintenance at the OSA campus. Additionally, the Board reviewed the initial budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, with specific focus on tuition rates, fees, and staff compensation. Personnel actions were officially approved, and the meeting concluded with updates on professional development initiatives regarding cultural proficiency before moving into an executive session.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the minutes from the October 24, 2025, meeting and the Special Meeting minutes of November 17, 2025. The Finance & Operations Update included a presentation on the clean FY25 audit report from Fritz DeGuglielmo LLC, noting no adjustments or findings and a positive financial position with a Cumulative Surplus Amount of $2,007,640 as of June 30, 2025, which was subsequently approved. The FY26 Budget Update covered prorated salaries for open positions, current budget tracking across programs (REACH over budget, OSA slightly down), and discussions regarding transportation vendors (Kabs4Kids and alternates), safety, and cooperatively bid contracts. Program Highlights included updates on Cultural Proficiency cohorts, recent student/staff events (FriendsGiving, pie day), ongoing assistance for student families in need, and the forthcoming delivery of two wheelchair vans approved in November. The roof project at OSA is nearing completion. The Treasurer reported that cash flow is substantially better with the fund switch from AVIDIA to UniBank in progress. Personnel Changes for FY26 were accepted. The Board entered executive session to discuss strategy concerning collective bargaining or litigation.

The meeting agenda included updates on Finance and Operations, specifically concerning the FY26 Budget Update, the Invoice Aging Report, and the FY27 Budget Timeline. The board discussed the need for volunteers for the AVC admin teams meeting and the AVC Finance sub-committee meetings in February and March. Program Highlights covered exploring new revenue pathways, professional development, recently approved grants, and School Committee Reports. The Treasurer's report focused on reapplying for an AVC credit card with Unibank, requesting a credit limit increase to $2500, and designating cardholders. Potential Executive Sessions were noted for discussing collective bargaining or litigation strategy.