Monocacy Montessori Communities (MMCI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization recognized by the state of Maryland and the Frederick County Board of Education as the operator of two public schools, Carroll Creek Montessori and Monocacy Valley Montessori.
As a nonprofit, MMCI itself is a small organization comprised of dedicated parent and community volunteers. Together, these volunteers share MMCI’s monumental task of overseeing operations, fiscal management, and academic success at its two schools. Additionally, MMCI provides opportunities for student enrichment and staff development. MMCI is also actively involved in charter school advocacy and leadership at the state and local level.
Each family that attends our schools is a member of MMCI. Each year, our membership elects parents from both schools, as well as members of the greater Frederick community, to become part of the MMCI Board of Trustees.
The MMCI Board of Trustees is the official decision-making body of MMCI. The MMCI Board of Trustees meets monthly on the Last Wednesday of the month at 7pm. All meetings are open to the public.
MMCI is responsible for managing all legal matters related to the operation of the charter schools, including, but not limited to: the charter agreement (contract) with Frederick County Public Schools, real estate agreements and negotiations, capitol improvements and major repairs to the facilities not covered by lease agreement, insurance policies, and contracts with outside vendors. Working closely with the Frederick County Board of Education, MMCI provides financial oversight of the per-pupil allocation (PPA) budgets for each school. As the lease-holder for both schools, MMCI negotiates directly with the owners of the school buildings and is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the facilities.
Governance
The nonprofit is governed by a Board of Trustees (BOT), elected annually from the membership. The BOT is responsible for setting the mission and strategic direction of the organization with oversight of the organization’s finances, operations, and overarching policies.
Governing Councils
Each School has a Governing Council that operates as a semi-autonomous standing committee of the Board of Trustees. The Governing Councils serve as the policy making bodies for the schools. The Governing Councils develop policies necessary to realize the goals of the school’s charter and meet the needs of its families. This is a truly unique opportunity within the public school system, and this independence to create policy is a result of the charter agreement with the Frederick County Board of Education.
The parent positions on each GC are filled by parents or guardians of current students at the respective schools. Elections for these positions are held every fall as current members’ two year terms expire in rotation. Staff elects their own representatives. GC meetings are open to all parents and staff and minutes are published for the community to review.
Parental involvement is critical to the success our charter schools.
Much of the work of the GC and MMCI is carried out by parents and teachers working on a large number of committees—library, volunteer, building & grounds, strategic planning, staffing, community outreach/hospitality, communications and fundraising. Parents, faculty and staff are urged to join a committee and help in the development and continuing operation of their schools.
