The governance and management of the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School are arranged into realms of responsibility, called “Domains”. All of these groups work together – seeking input and participation from each other in most decision-making processes. Rather than having a “Principal”, the school employs three Coordinators, who share an office and work together to ensure that the school is viable and stays true to its mission.
The Education Domain is responsible for the educational program at Hilltown and includes the work of the teachers, teaching assistants and the Educational Coordinator who supervises and develops all aspects of this domain including coordinating the hiring committees for teaching positions. Dan Klatz is the current Education Coordinator.
The Administrative Domain covers the day to day operation at school. The Administrative Coordinator manages the facility, admissions procedures and school finances and hires and coordinates office staff, the school nurse, custodial staff and the bookkeeper. The Administrative Assistant is responsible for staffing the office and answering the phone, and coordinates the day to day procedures in the school office. Amy Aaron is the current Administrative Coordinator, Monique Bourgeois is the current Administrative Assistant.
The Community Domain is responsible for ensuring full community participation in the school’s functioning and governance and for maintaining both the “sense of community” within the school and a school connection with the local community. The Community Coordinator administers this domain, coordinating Community Service Learning for the students, developing systems to serve and include parents and other volunteers, facilitating meetings of the Cooperative and coordinating the school’s event and fundraising calendar. The Parent Representatives to the Management Team work with the Community Coordinator to ensure that parent voices are heard in decision-making processes. Deirdre Arthen is the current Community Coordinator.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the school’s overarching philosophies, direction and policies and is accountable for all legal and fiscal issues affecting the Hilltown School. It operates using a consensus model and makes decisions on the hiring of Domain Coordinators, and contractual relationships. Voting members of the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School elect the Trustees at their annual meeting held each May. Trustees serve a three-year term and do not need to be parents at the school. The school’s three coordinators attend Board meetings as speaking but non-decision-making members. Schedules of BOT meetings, agendas, and minutes are available for parents to review on the bulletin board in the All-School Space. All BOT meetings are open to the school community and the general public. Peter Feitner, a parent, is the current President of the Board of Trustees.
Domain Council is made up of the three staff coordinators and the president and
vice-president of the Board of Trustees. It is responsible for proposing the annual
budget and making policy recommendations to the Board.