Board of Trustees

The Boston Renaissance Charter Public School Board of Trustees is responsible for governing the school and holds the charter for the school, as granted by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary & Secondary Education.

The Board of Trustees defines the mission of the school, develops school policies and changes them when appropriate, hires qualified personnel to manage the school’s day-to-day operations and holds them accountable for meeting established goals, and formulates a long-range plan and charter school Accountability Plan to ensure the school’s continued stability.

In addition to its many other responsibilities, the Board must ensure that the school is complying with all of the state and federal laws that apply to the school and that the Board itself is operating in accordance with the rules set out by all applicable Massachusetts laws and regulations.  Finally, the Board is responsible for operating the school in accordance with its charter and with any approved amendments to its charter.

The members of the BRCPS Board of Trustees understand their role in leading the school is a special privilege, and take these duties with the utmost level of respect. Board members work closely with school leadership to ensure the school is meeting its obligations to the families, and providing the best possible education to our students.

Board of Trustees, Current Members:

Brian Keith, Chair

Brian Keith was elected to the BRCPS Board of Trustees in November, 2017.  Mr. Keith is a resident of Roxbury, and was a candidate for the Boston City Council, District 7.  Brian is the President of his local neighborhood association, and an active community advocate in Roxbury.  A professional in the aviation industry, he is Vice President for Sales at SkyJet, a commercial charter jet company headquartered in Boston.

Edwine Alphonse, Vice-Chair

Edwine Alphonse is an Accounting manager with Circle Internet Financial Inc. Ms. Alphonse has over ten years of combined experience in public accounting (Big 4) and industry. She is experienced in different industries such as financial services, asset management, health, life science and technology. Ms. Alphonse graduated from the University of Ottawa, with a Bachelor of Commerce Specializing in Accounting degree in 2006. She is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Massachusetts and Ontario, Canada. Ms. Alphonse was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2015.

Marjorie Gardner, BRCPS Staff Representative/Clerk

Marjorie Gardner attended Bridgewater State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education in 2000 and her Masters of Arts in Special Education from American International College in 2009.  Mrs. Gardner is originally from the South Shore.  Her husband’s military career has brought her to teach in Florida, Texas and back to Massachusetts.  She has been teaching at BRCPS since 2012.  She is currently a special educator, in a substantially separate classroom servicing grades 4, 5 and 6.  Mrs. Gardner was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2019.

Alexandra Buckmire, Head of School 

Alexandra Buckmire began her tenure as Head of School at Boston Renaissance in July, 2016.  In this role, Mrs. Buckmire serves as the school’s chief executive and academic leader. She has more than 20 years experience working with students and families, and has been a member of the team at Boston Renaissance since 1999.

Prior to becoming Head of School, Mrs. Buckmire served as the Director of Unified Student Services at BRCPS, overseeing the Special Education Department, English Language Education, Mental Health and Counseling services, and Health Services.  She has served in a number of roles at BRCPS, including Parent & Family Services Coordinator and After School Program Coordinator.  Before joining Boston Renaissance, she worked as a Client Services Coordinator, Substance Abuse Specialist, and Case Manager.

Alexandra received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, her M.Ed. in Special Education from Lesley University, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Special Education Administration from Cambridge College.

Kevin Cherry

Kevin recently joined Upham’s Corner Health Center to assume responsibility for the organization’s financial health and management. Kevin has a wealth of experience in consulting, education and public health sectors, where he specializes in educational non-profit funding, finance and operational management.

In recent years, Kevin has held CFO roles at the Boston Renaissance Charter School, South End Community Health Center, and St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, Mass.

Among Kevin’s various community activities, he supports the John Shelburne Community Center and ArtsEmerson. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees at Clark University, is a member of the Clark University Hall of Fame, Boston College High School Hall of Fame, and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. Kevin and his wife Petrina have two daughters, a son, and two grandchildren, and resides in Canton, Massachusetts.

Rocklyn Clarke

Rocklyn Clarke, joined the BRCPS Board in 2019 as the Parent Representative.  He continues to serve as a community member.

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Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga

Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga is the Founding Executive and Artistic Director for OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center in Roxbury, MA. Founded in 1994, OrigiNation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performance arts and educational organization which promotes leadership, civic responsibility and self-improvement among young people between the ages of 5 and 18. Mrs. Dibinga is also the president of ShapeUp with Shaumba, an organization founded in 2012 to help fight childhood obesity and help young people find their voices through several different outlets such as dance, writing, health & wellness workshops, and discussion groups. Mrs. Dibinga has many credits to her resume such as author, artistic director, choreographer and facilitator for numerous programs and schools throughout the city of Boston. She has received many awards such as the 2012 NAACP Image Awards and the 2006 BRCPS Living Legends Award. Ms. Dibinga graduated from the University of Massachusetts, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2006 and was elected to the Board of Trustees in June 2016.

Craig Engerman 

Mr. Engerman is CEO of Arimann Building Services.  He served as a member of Boston Renaissance staff from 1998 – 2013, including serving as Chief of Operations.  He has returned to BRCPS as a Trustee, with deep historical knowledge of the school and the facility, and expertise in facilities maintenance and financing.  He was elected to the Board of Trustees in November, 2018.

Kelly Williamson

Kelly Williamson is a tax lawyer at the public accounting firm, McGladrey and a graduate of Boston University School of Law. She joined the Board of Trustees in 2015 and has spent time working with various institutions and programs that are committed to promoting the education of Boston’s children since moving to Boston in 2010. Most recently, she has worked with the after school program at the Curley School in Jamaica Plain and has volunteered with “We the People,” an educational curriculum and competition that promotes civic engagement and awareness in elementary through high school students.

Katie Davis Kernizan

Katie is a registered architect in Massachusetts, member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and MCPPO designee who first developed a strong interest in community-focused design during her time volunteering and working in Haiti. Contributing to the emergency response and disaster relief in 2010 followed by additional long-term work, her focus was on the redevelopment of public K-12 schools. Katie has her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2008.

At Saam Architecture in Boston, Katie continues to pursue her passions for community-focused design. She is an active member of the firm’s K-12 design sector where she is inspired by spatial strategies for academics that support operational strategies in education. Katie finds design collaboration with community stakeholders, educators and striving student populations to be most meaningful in her work.

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Board Meetings

The BRCPS Board of Trustees will meet every other month during the school year.

All Board meetings will be held at the school, 1415 Hyde Park Ave, Hyde Park, Ma, from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.,unless otherwise noted.

Board meetings are open to the public, and members of the public are welcome to make a statement to the board during Public Comment section at the beginning of each meeting.

*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Board meetings, including subcommittees, will be conducted via conference call or video conference until further notice. Instructions for remote access will be provided on meeting agendas, which will be posted here at least 48 hours before the meetings.

The SY2021-2022 Board Meeting Schedule:

• Wednesday, September 15th
• Monday, October 18th @ 8:00 a.m.
• Wednesday, November 17th
• Wednesday, January 19th
• Wednesday, March 16th
• Wednesday, May 18th

Meeting agendas will be posted at least 48 hours prior to each scheduled meeting.  Meeting minutes will be posted after they have been approved by vote of the board.