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TECCA board approves name change to Massachusetts Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School
Summary
The TECCA Commonwealth Virtual School Board voted unanimously Oct. 16 to change the school's name to Massachusetts Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School effective July 1, 2026, and authorized the superintendent to submit the name change to DESE; approval of the TEC-TECCA settlement agreement was deferred to Oct. 23.
Board member Peter Sanchioni called the TECCA Commonwealth Virtual School Board of Directors meeting to order and led a roll call on Oct. 16, 2025. Four directors were present — Peter Sanchioni, Jean Kenney, Ed DeHoratius and Jerry Helsing — and three were absent. The minutes record no public comment during the public comment period.
During routine business the board unanimously approved the meeting agenda. The board then moved into executive session under Massachusetts General Laws, c. 30A, § 21(a)(3) (to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation) and c. 30A, § 21(a)(6) (to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property). The minutes state that Patrick Lattuca, Cathleen Ellis, Gale Clark and Todd Helwig joined the executive session at the request of the board chair; no votes were taken while the board was in executive session.
After returning to open session, Board member Peter Sanchioni made a motion to change the school's name from TECCA to "Massachusetts Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School," effective July 1, 2026. According to the minutes, the motion "was moved and seconded by all board members present." The board voted by roll call with the following recorded votes: Jean Kenney 10 yes; Ed DeHoratius 10 yes; Jerry Helsing 10 yes; Peter Sanchioni 10 yes. The motion passed unanimously.
The board also voted to authorize the superintendent to submit the name-change request to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). That authorization was recorded as moved and seconded by the members present and approved by the same unanimous roll-call votes.
The board noted that approval of the TEC-TECCA Settlement Agreement would be moved to the October 23, 2025 board meeting. The meeting adjourned following a motion that was approved unanimously; the minutes record the meeting end time as 10:31 a.m. and confirm the next meeting for Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, at 3:30 p.m.
The minutes do not identify the superintendent by name and provide no additional detail about the rationale for the name change or implementation steps beyond the authorization to file with DESE. The settlement agreement referenced in the minutes was not acted on and is scheduled for the Oct. 23 meeting.
