Committees of the Board of Trustees
Committees of the Board of Trustees
In order to accomplish its work more efficiently and effectively, the MCCPS Board of Trustees has a number of standing committees to work on key activities outside the full Board. Committees do no supplant the authority of the Board, but assist the Board and recommend policies and activities to the Board of Trustees. Committees also allow for broader input and participation in MCCPSs governance. Since there is no requirement that committees be only Trustees, committees offer community members an avenue to get involved and to work closely with the Board.
The MCCPS By Laws call for three standing committees – Governance, Finance, and Personnel. In October of 2007, the Board created an additional standing committee – Community Relations.
The Board also has the authority to create additional committees and task forces. In order to create a committee or task force, the Board must define the specific responsibilities of the committee or task force and/or delegate duties of the Board to the committee or task force. Committees and task forces are required to have a minimum two members, one of who must be a current Trustee. The Board also has the authority to dissolve any committee or task force that it created, although it can not eliminate the three committees called for in the By Laws.
Except for the Governance and Finance Committees all committee and task force members are appointed, and can be removed, by the Chair of the Board of Trustees. Because of their unique roles assisting in carrying out the legal obligations of the Board of Trustees, members of the Governance and Finance Committees are appointed, and can be removed, only by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.
All Committees of the Board of Trustees are obliged to adhere to the Open Meeting Law, MGL Chapter 30A, §11A 1/2.
Below is more detail on the four current standing committees, and their duties and responsibilities.
Governance Finance Personnel Community Relations
Governance Committee
Chair: Cathy Vaucher*
Members: Cynthia Canavan*
John T. McEnaney*
Pam Miller
Kay O'Dwyer
Nancy Buczko
* current member of the Board of Trustees
The Governance Committee is specifically called for in the By-Laws, and it is directly accountable to the Board. Its primary functions are to:
- review and recommend changes to the Charter, By Laws, and other governance documents,
- recruit and recommend candidates for the Board of Trustees and
- provide governance training and advice to the Board of Trustees
The Governance Committee is made up of members selected and appointed by a vote of the Board of Trustees. The Chair of the Governance Committee is selected by the Committee itself.
For further information on the Governance Committee, please see the School’s By Laws, Article VI, Sections 2 and 3 or contact Cathy Vaucher.
Duties of the Governance Committee, from the By Laws:
To review and recommend changes of the Schools By-Laws, Charter, policies and procedures as may be necessary or efficacious;
To determine skills and qualities that would be useful for future Board members and identify potential candidates who possess those skills and qualities and present the best qualified candidates to the Board as nominees to fill vacant positions on the Board as they become available;
To provide training and orientation to new Trustees on the Charter, By-Laws, policies and procedures;
To provide training to Trustees as may be needed on the Charter, By-Laws, policies and procedures;
To develop and oversee a Trustee assessment process to ensure optimum performance;
To conduct an annual review of these By-Laws;
To conduct a periodic review of the Charter;
To study and make recommendations to the Board on governance issues that the Board identifies and on which it requests assistance;
Annually submit objectives as part of the planning process;
Annually evaluate its work as a committee and the objectives it has committed itself to and report on same to the Board;
Report to the Board at each regular meeting in a manner determined by the Board; and
Develop necessary policies and procedures, which shall be approved by the Board, to accomplish these duties.
Finance Committee
Chair: Dr. John Sullivan*, Treasurer, MCCPS Board of Trustees
Members: Emil Ronchi*
John T. McEnaney*
Jeff Barry
Jed O’Conner
Ira Keller
Peter Jalbert
Francesco Rietti
Nina Cullen Hamzeh* (ex officio)
* current member of the Board of Trustees
The Finance Committee is specifically called for in the By-Laws, and it is directly accountable to the Board. Its primary functions are to:
- assist in the development of the School’s budget,
- report regularly to the Board on the financial condition of the School and
- arrange for and oversee the annual audit (additional duties below).
The Finance Committee is made up of members selected and appointed by a vote of the Board of Trustees. In addition to the members appointed by the Trustees, there are three ex officio members – the Board Treasurer, the Board Chair, and the Chief Staff Person. The Board Treasurer is typically the Chair of the Finance Committee, but doesn’t have to be. According to the By Laws, The Chief Staff Person (currently the Interim Academic Director) is not eligible to vote on the Finance Committee.
The Finance Committee is obliged to adhere to appropriate federal and state laws, as well as the By Laws and Polices of the Board of Trustees. In addition, there are a number of specific Finance Committee Policies that govern the financial practices and procedures of the School.
For further information on the Finance Committee, please see the School’s By Laws, Article VI, Sections 4 and 5 or Contact John Sullivan.
Duties of the Finance Committee, from the By Laws:
Assist and advise in preparing an annual budget for the charter school in collaboration with the School’s chief staff person.
Develop and annually revise a five-year financial forecast and develop long-range financial plans based on the forecast in collaboration with the School’s chief staff person
Review all unanticipated expenditures over limits set by policy and inform the Board.
Annually submit objectives as part of the planning and budgeting process.
Annually evaluate its work as a committee and the objectives it has committed itself to and report results on same to the Board.
Recommend to the Board appropriate policies for the management of the School’s assets.
Arrange for an annual independent audit with submission of same to the Board.
Report financial status and/or results for the most recent current period, year-to-date activity and forecasted cash flows for the end of the next reporting period to the Board at regular meetings of the Board.
Develop necessary policies and procedures, which shall be approved by the Board, to accomplish these duties.
Personnel Committee
Chair: Emil Ronchi* (acting)
Members: Molly Wright
Katie Sullivan
Jonathan Lederman
* current member of the Board of Trustees
The Personnel Committee is specifically called for in the By-Laws, and it is directly accountable to the Board. Its primary functions are to:
- advise the Board on matters pertaining to the School’s chief staff person
- develop the annual process for the evaluation of the School’s chief staff person
- review and propose recommendations for amendments to policies as they pertain to legal issues relating to employees, employee benefits, employee relations
The Personnel Committee is made up of members appointed by the Chair of the MCCPS Board of Trustees. The Committee Chair must be a current member of the Board of Trustees. The Committee is specifically prevented from interfering, in any way, with the authority of the School’s chief staff person to hire, supervise and terminate the remaining staff of the charter school, in accordance with federal and state laws and School personnel policies.
For further information on the Personnel Committee, please see the School’s By Laws, Article VI, Sections 6 and 7, or contact Bob Sousa. Personnel Committee Minutes
Duties of the Personnel Committee, from the By Laws:
Develop for Board review and approval the annual process for the evaluation of the School’s chief staff person
Review and propose recommendations for amendments to policies as they pertain to legal issues relating to employees, employee benefits, employee relations and recruitment.
Annually submit objectives as part of the planning process.
Annually evaluate its work as a committee and the objectives it has committed itself to and report on same to the board of trustees.
Report to the board of trustees on at each regular meeting in a manner determined by the Board.
Develop necessary policies and procedures, which shall be approved by the Board, to accomplish these duties.
Community Relations Committee
Chair:
Members:
- in concert with the Administration and the PTO, foster a positive image of MCCPS through a wide array of public relations activitis
- develop, foster, and oversee community and public/private partnerships to benefit the school
- organize and host a variety of stakeholder, community, and public outreach forums such as Stakeholder meetings, monthly ‘coffees’ and other similar events
The Community Relations Committee is made up of members appointed by the Chair of the MCCPS Board of Trustees. The Committee Chair is selected by the Committee itself, and is not required to be a current member of the Board of Trustees.
For further information on the Community Relations, please contact John McEnaney
Duties of the Community Relations Committee, from the enacting action by the Board of Trustees:
Act as liaison between Board, faculty and staff, parents, volunteers, Towns served, and community at large to foster communications.
Provide stakeholder, community, and public outreach avenues for the Board of Trustees including but not limited to Stakeholder forums, community meetings, and other public events and forums that promote the exchange of information and ideas and enhances the image of MCCPS;
Develop, foster, and oversee community and public/private partnerships on behalf of the Board of Trustee, including identifying potential partners, introducing them to our School, and identifying mutually beneficial ways to create a partnership;
Work with the School administration and the Parent Teacher Organization to create, deliver, and distribute a variety of public relations material designed to enhance the public image of MCCPS;
In conjunction with the Governance Committee, periodically review and recommend changed to the process for addressing grievances by any party;
Annually submit objectives as part of the planning process;
Annually evaluate its work as a committee and the objectives it has committed itself to and report on same to the Board;
Report to the Board at each regular meeting in a manner determined by the Board; and
Develop necessary policies and procedures, which shall be approved by the Board, to accomplish these duties.
