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We also have written testimony and support from Calbertt Young, budget and finance VP, University of Hawaii and Dr. Ali Ali Sara on behalf of Kame Schools. Is there anyone else here wishing to testify? Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Apologies. I think that we might have had an errand submitting our testimony, but Riley Fujisati, on behalf of the Office of Lieutenant Governor, we just like to testify in strong support with proposed technical amendment depositing the funds in fiscal year 24 to avoid any adverse effects to thee. Thank you. Thank you, Riley. Good afternoon, Deputy Attorney General Randall Nishyama for the Department of the Attorney General. I apologize for not submitting my testimony on timely basis. We suggest amending various sections in chapter 302A, 1701, 1703, and 1706 to facilitate the expenditure of monies by the school facilities. authority to specifically include prek facilities and we'll get you the language that we suggest.
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Members of the audience, please direct your attention to the lighted candle on the stage. The lighted candle represents the eternal light of knowledge. Each of the four candles that will surround the internal light of knowledge represent the four principles that guide the criteria and ongoing membership of the National Honor Society. In 1921, an official emblem for the society was created in the form of a keystone and flaming torch. Widely recognized, the keystone bears at its base the letters C, S, L, and S, which stand for the four fundamental virtues of character, scholarship, leadership, and service. The torch symbolized the search for truth. Character the composite of all common virtues set the seal of excellence upon our every endeavor. Scholarship is the power of the mind to dispel ignorance the sub the superstition through scientific investigation of truth. Leadership is the power of personality that blazes the trail for man's upward climb.
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and it's been leaking since then um you know we sometimes have up to nine receptacles at one time in the hallway and we need to act on immediately to get it fixed and the reason I know the answer to this but I'm going to ask the question but so I don't want it to feel like it's staged but could you just share the reason why we need to go get more money so the original amount that we had approved in the budget was 325 000 and our lowest bid from Barrett Roofing came in recently as at 434 000. so um you know inflation and then more recently they said we needed even more than that right because of continued inflation so um they're ready to get the roofings ready it started it's a low-tech roof so it should be a pretty fairly easy job so we'd like to get this moving quickly and could you talk a little bit about the vehicle on the vehicles right so um like I stated in my report before we finally found one it's taking it's taken a long time to find a new vehicle but the original price of the vehicle what we had um as part of the project was for a total of 64 313.
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uh that's where you get your briefing on safety it's an executive session uh situation at uh it's from the CIA it's the Canton intelligence agency and we'll be taking it from there so okay I'll send the invite out to the chief of police right now great thank you um just just two quick comments one is uh the Justin Ginsburg thing from the Farmington Valley Health that Kevin mentioned was a powerful meeting and I I truly wish in my heart that more parents could come or click on that um you know I mentioned it to my own daughter I mentioned it to my wife I was I was thoroughly impressed um I think we got to keep that going I know it wasn't as well attended may have been uh maybe six people in the audience and I don't know uh maybe another six online but um I I think we got to promote that and we got to do it again because um I think parents are missing out on a really important thing especially when it comes to anxiety in your kids so I'm going to ask you guys um uh is we we uh make the next go-round with this I know there's going to be one more session right John uh with Justine yeah we're working on planning something for that yeah around around engagement with uh parental engagement with kids but I think we gotta think about how to do that a little bit different do the same session next year maybe do it just a little differently on how we report it maybe we do it on a per school basis uh get the PTO involved but I think it's that important so just wanted to mention that the other thing I wanted to mention is um I uh I used executive uh appointment um there's a bill coming up in in the um legislature uh and I've asked Kim to spearheaded uh I uh representative um curvos de gras um had sent it to us and said that she thought this was an important bill she was sponsoring it I'm going to ask him just to describe it uh briefly but Kim was nice enough with all that she's doing to pick up and to represent the board she was going to write um uh she was going to give a testimony written testimony and if if time permitted she was actually going to try to attend the session so Kim you want to give the board just a quick sure and thanks for that um for you and John for you know asking me to do this um I'm passionate about a lot of the things in this bill um it's a new bill like six eight eight four um just bullet points Statewide there's a Statewide minimum teacher salary um coveted pension benefit enhancement packet uh teacher tax credit that's 500 refundable income tax credit for teachers with an initial certificate there if there's discussion of eliminating the EDT PA standardized portfolio system for aspiring Educators and duty-free prep time educator Bill of Rights uh and the two areas which I'm writing testimony for or possibly going in person to do is um raising the kindergarten star age currently Connecticut is the only state with a cut off entry eight date of January 1st so children can come to school in Connecticut at age four and this has been a debate for years but most districts Most states are September 1st so they're proposing raising the date the entry date for children have to be five years old to start kindergarten um they have to be five by September 1st so I do support that proposal I am recommending that they phase it in over a few years um based on um you know you know financial reasons for families uh the impact it could have on school systems and uh child care providers uh to give a couple years of time for that but I do believe it's time that we change that date I know there's opposition on that and reading other people's testimonies as well but we have to be um aware of the academic challenges that we have imposed on kindergarten children and um you know there is a big difference between four-year-olds and six-year-olds and that's what we've had in Connecticut for a while so we would be more in line with with the other states another part of this is uh this is a big topic was um play-based learning personally um my opinion is I'm appalled that we even have to have a discussion and this is even in question about play bringing back play into schools I'm glad to see that this is on the docket to be um put in place but like I said it's it baffles me that we have to go back go back and say that we need to require play so the good news is that they want to require play-based learning to be incorporated in pre-K in kindergarten classrooms um permit play-based learning in grades one through five uh and that would have the Board of Education and there's a lot of a lot of jargon and a lot of stuff in in each in each thing but I'm recommending and supporting that we do um require play-based learning and and if you read through the fine print it talks about the majority of the day in Pre and pre preschool in kindergarten would be through play-based learning a variety of ways and they Define play they Define it as like free play uh purposeful play unstructured play and they do a nice job of breaking each area of play down and also there's a little area that to discuss is that this play would limit basically the use of Technology like it's still in there but it would be the play that they're talking about would be with a minimal uh use of I'm going off the top of my head of all this but would be a minimal use of Technology um which is very important as we know that Technology's increased but it should not be increasing in a Pre-K or kindergarten classroom in particular I am recommending they say that um they want to permit pallets the word permit play for grades uh one through five I wrote a a paragraph about the importance of play and and everything but I did I'm recommending that they require it for grades one through five if we if we say permit that's not holding anybody accountable and I really think it needs to be required we need to get play back into the classrooms we talk about the Mental Health crisis and all the anxiety and the statistics of increased suicide um you know this this a lot of things so I I go into great detail in my thing which I can share with any of you if you want about the importance of play and the impact of play and how it can um help so hopefully this this bill will pass um and that will impact us as far as the age eligibility for students but I don't think there will be a drastic change in numbers and I think that we need to also as a board you know look at look at what we're doing in our in our curriculum in K through five in particular with incorporating play so I know it's a lot and I spoke fast but I just wanted to get that information out there because I think this is important and I want to encourage our own teachers um to start doing this I went on and spent all day today a lot of time today looking at the other testimony you know a lot of people are from cea and there's represent you know Best Buy who's part of the Early Childhood you know um program but they take testimony from anybody our current teachers we should be encouraging you know I I mentioned it to a few Canton teachers as well and a lot of them would like to go but they're so dedicated with their time in the classroom but in order to make change I think they the you know I recommend if they actually listen to more stakeholders that we list that they these committee members and education committee members visit schools talk to students talk to parents talk talk to Educators retired teachers and the more stakeholders that are involved and they truly understand what's going on in our educational system thank you Kim so just just to be clear this uh Kim is I gave this to Clinton uh Kim because I know how passionate she was about many of these topics it's not that she is uh We've endorsed it as a board because we haven't she's speaking as a former educator and a board member and somebody who's very much on this so uh but in in the future when we get bills like this we as a board we need to Lobby on things that we think is as important as a board uh Eleni and John had brought this to our attention or to my attention and I thought Kim would be a perfect person I agree with the bill but none of you had a chance to read it and that's why it's not a b-o-boe endorsed uh situation but I'm glad that Kim spent the time researched it and um like I said she's very passionate about it so thank you Kim any questions for Kim on that [Music] in this area thanks thank you Kevin okay that leads us to uh committee reports and um Mr Charlotte you started to get into a little bit about it but is there anything else you want to say about I know we don't have any first readings today but uh looks like we settled your your agenda a little bit early but anything else you'd like to report no only just uh again the requests we had some folks join us that weren't on the committee last time was really helpful and if you're available at 5 30 uh uh that we'll send out all the materials to everybody uh to pre-read but if you're available at 5 30 the 28th that would be great thanks Joe I I just got to say that um listen every one of you are so valuable to this board and you do so many things uh especially on the committee's curriculum and finance but policy in particular there's a lot of reading that goes on and I want to thank Joe for the detail that he goes into in researching with Cade and matching up and doing the comparative analysis so when we come to the committee meetings um 90 of the work is done so thank you Joe for all that on policy it's a it's a key key part key element of what we do as a board so thank you Erica anything you want to report on curriculum yeah um we met a couple weeks ago thank you um Lou and Joe for coming because I agree it definitely adds when we have more people at the table um there were three uh things we reviewed and discussed uh the first one was the I wonder which is the steam-based Independent Learning celebration for students that replaced icer for those of you with older children that's what we're doing now at the younger grade levels so John gave us more information on I wonder and then we also did kind of a deep dive into the star assessments that uh staff are using in grades two through ten it was started two years ago and so we just got a lot more information about that those assessments and then the last thing we looked at was the waiver for for the fundations program that was put together by Chris woods and Kathy Watson and um to be submitted to the state I'm not sure if it's already been submitted or if it's going to be it has Erica it has okay so they put a lot of time and effort into this very a very thick packet that was submitted to the state so we are very grateful to them for this and um we were able to look at it and ask questions and that is the summary from curriculum thank you Erica and thank you for all your hard work on curriculum also so you're welcome um finally we have communications and community relations it's not really a committee um Kim was asking me for it but basically Kira is is running that and Felicia has been giving some guidance uh on the side but Kira I don't know if you want it to say anything about Communications and I know you have a newsletter coming up soon and uh why don't you take it from there sure sounds good yeah so I'm finishing up our newsletter um it's kind of a culmative um little thing John and I are coming up with the name going like Canton Community Connection um we have some little tidbits from each of our schools just talking about good things that have been going on and ways that schools have been impacting the community and that is going out it'll be digital and in print we're working on getting that out as soon as we possibly can other than that I've been keeping up with social media trying to get our events and things that are happening in the community on as many platforms as we can so cross posting Facebook Instagram John handles Twitter and also keeping things on the website so that we have everything everywhere um to try to reach as many people as we possibly can that's why we needed someone like you Kara we there's a lot to be done so thank you sure any questions for Kira okay um that leads us into public forum I don't know if anybody has joined us tonight they have so we we're going to have public forum um and public forum is open to the public for any comments or or things they'd like to talk about we we'd like to limit your comments to three minutes and and please don't feel badly the board does not respond in uh in public forum we take what you've said and we try to get back to you with answers or um we try to be as thoughtful as possible so um we will just uh you know digest most of that so um but if anybody has a public comment we'd be glad to listen and open it up right now so so you can go ahead and use the raise hand feature of zoom and I will call on you by your Zoom name and allow you to talk I don't have any raised hands at the moment but I'll say it again if you're well I guess everyone's joining us online tonight um the raise hand feature Zoom is normally on the bottom of your screen if you're on a computer and you can go ahead and use that and I will call on your Zoom name if you'd like to make public comment this evening okay I don't have any well we're just thrilled that people are have joined us tonight and are listening in and getting some good information so thank you and you can always contact the board member or the superintendent directly for any questions okay um that leads us to information reports further information reports and that leads to Mr Bishop on your side of the house my side of the house I appreciate uh uh Erica and Kara sharing some of the information for us too and Joe as well um Eric I am going to piggyback on real quick too our waiver uh includes foundations uh the hegarty program as well as some new resources from um Teachers College as well so uh just to let you all know was it was better than 60 pages that these ladies were able to put together to be able to make this work uh for us so we hope to be able to hear back from the state soon um and uh be ready to be able to move ourselves forward there but uh I I am thrilled with the work that they've done in service of our students and our and our staff um did you mention their names I think I don't know if you mentioned Erica dated Chris woods and uh Kathy Watson right good one wonderful folks yeah thank you um and then another piece with us too for communications and community relations is looking at a communication strategic plan for us where we can start to identify some additional areas for us to move forward with to bring forward as we uh transition into the next year to to make sure that we are really um airing our goals well and uh reaching all of our Target it's for communication the one piece that I have for for you all tonight is just to be able to give you some information on our Canton celebrates program that will be coming up again for us uh what we'll do this time to be able to to split a little bit recognizing that we've got some olders and some younger's there um we'll have our younger students our elementary students will be going through first and then we'll have an intermission for there to be an opportunity for uh snacks and and celebration and then an opportunity for our older students to be recognized in in talking with uh your board leadership and and really thinking about things the the opportunity for you all to be able to be in interaction with our students with our families with our staff that's that's a main piece of what it's really all about so we wanted to find an opportunity to make sure that you had the opportunity to to hear and participate but then also be able to celebrate as well and we felt that splitting it up over um two sessions that evening would be a great way to be able to be um to meet the needs of of young families and young kids and also make sure that we've got a really purposeful evening ahead for us so and and Claudia May 2nd is just to confirm that is our date yep May 2nd thank you is that a 6 30 start or I think we spoke about it um starting at six that's great Johnny Kevin right six o'clock yep we'll we'll finalize those details um uh coming out this next month and make sure that everyone is uh ready to go but we're looking forward to it it's amazing to think that we're getting to that point where we're going to be looking back and celebrating on the uh celebrating the things from this year it's amazing to think that we're at this point so thank you all for all the work that you're doing we look forward to keeping it moving forward I'm sorry John any questions that was a good report John thank you everybody good with that celebrates I think that I think high school again that's the plan yes so I have a little bit a little side bet with John because I think this is going to be tight but uh we'll we'll see how it works out I'm hoping that I'm hoping he's right and I'm wrong it'll work it'll it'll work for the betterment of everyone yeah all right thank you John okay Donna Donna and uh Russell Russell we had uh we had a finance meeting today I thought Donna did a a great job in bringing us up to date um how would you like to uh Russell do you have any comments and then we can turn to Donna um no I think we could let it go go over to Donna and think that the key takeaway was that for the next Finance meeting we're gonna have uh some a little bit better projection of where we think the year is going to end up and how that's going to get sorted out you took away my steam so um there we have it uh next month um we I'm I'm actively working on a projection and I'll update that each month with a finance committee uh and they asked a lot of very insightful questions that a couple of questions that I have to answer over the next uh couple weeks or so but um I think I think I think we're good I think you know I'm not worried about anything yet uh for the end of the year right so as Russell said I think I think the picture is going to become clearer for everybody in in April so there's no uh no issues at all right right um recommended action so Mr case you want to run through the uh I apologize um okay can I have a first on the consent agenda please thank you Ryan if you have a second please thank you Cindy for the first and second any questions on the consent agenda issues thoughts okay then all those in favor just signify by raising your hand that'd be great and we have a um Ryan you're in on this right NATO right good okay so that passes um approval of the February uh financials is presented again um as Donna had indicated and you all probably got those in your packet right the financials go out to everybody yeah they did yeah okay so uh they have a first on that thank you Russell second Kim thank you very much any further questions for for uh Donna or Russell on the uh on the financials okay all those in favor I raise your hand please that's an 8-0 thanks so much okay and Mr Case drum roll please on this on next year's uh calendar thank you um tonight um [Music] we can I I think it just reverberates everybody okay or you want um next year listen to me sure just uh uh speaking broadly with this um the the calendar uh continues on with the number of instructional days that we have uh developed in the past but we've um continued to carry forward the professional development professional responsibility days that we have had over the the past um the past uh two years which our teachers are incredibly grateful for I think it's one of the things that in a really uh challenging Market helps us to be an outstanding district for supporting our staff um so we've we've maintained that um the one addition that we are proposing as at the beginning of the school year uh in starting each of the first two days as a half day early release for professional development this provides some additional time for our staff to be able to work and calibrate and uh reflect on who are the students who are coming in and working with them so that we can have a better uh sense of who those students are um and then being able to refine some of our practices uh right in the big right in the beginning of that school year in the midst of a very busy first week okay um I I like the idea of getting out on the seventh I mean uh that's when I was dating myself when I was a kid you never got out before the 21st of June it seemed like so uh uh that makes for a nice long vacation but we always went back after Labor Day that was always the uh the discussion so any questions on the calendar professional development days I don't have a question I just wanted to say I uh think that that's a good idea to you know one of the concerns we hear over the years is from parents is when the first day of school is on a Monday and especially for the younger kids five full days to start the year is tough so I'm happy to see that the first two are um half days yeah I misunderstood that I'm sorry Joe I misunderstood that it by the calendar the 24th and 25th of professional development days that's when the students are also starting no those two there's no school but then right the Monday Tuesday 28 and 29 are uh early release half days okay thank you that's correct thank you Erica I I still go ahead Kim sorry sorry I still don't understand why if we're requiring skill 180 school days and we go 183 why can't we can't meet in the middle and have a balance on that we know how much you know staff their staff shortages teacher burnout um you know the need for professional development so I'm I'm always asking this every year you know why can't we ever just continue to have the contract where the teachers are working but you know the students go a day or two less and the teachers have more professional development time that way but that's just you know I guess a personal opinion based on observation over the years in education and the needs the needs for teachers have more time and the students to have more mental health days okay thank you any other questions yeah I have one first I I agree with Erica regarding the first two days especially for kindergarten first grade then the transition year is fourth grade and seventh grade uh you know a lot of anxiety for a lot of kids for that so I think that's probably a good way to go I just want to have folks thought about December 22nd uh it's a short holiday break there in December and it's listed now as a full day I know the the Christmas holidays uh not till Monday but I'd sort of lean towards making that a half day just wondering what people think I would agree with you Joe on that one going half day Joe which which day are you talking about with the calendar Friday the 22nd uh is listed as a full day right now and it's a short as holiday breaks go it's a short one uh so I would I would support making that an early release day on the 22nd yeah usually an early release Kevin how do you feel about that I just said at the very least yes you froze for a minute Sydney that's all right I certainly could support that yes yeah I I agree with that I think you know it's a time there's a lot of celebrations um little things going on in the school so I think that's a good idea thank you any other questions concerns issues can have a motion to accept the calendar with the modification of the of December 22nd is a half day is the first reading Russell Erica thank you any further discussion all those in favor aye okay so we're on our way with that perfect okay so if you have any questions or concerns about the calendar over the next couple of weeks please let me know sure okay um board member comments issues were at that point anything on your mind anything uh any questions for the superintendent that uh maybe we didn't cover and I'm not opening up the I'm not opening up the whole thing but um any questions on your mind that uh you need answered it's the rollout for the um Mental Health Service phone call service started and do we have any numbers about kids who are maybe using it students um parental consent forms we've received and then find out how many students we'll report to you on March 28th thank you anything else folks okay there's an executive session here um Kevin is there anything you need to talk to the board about tonight very just very briefly okay
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Okay. So, you don't have the language here today? No. Okay. Thank you, Randy. Thank you. That's all the testifiers we have. Members, questions of any of our testifiers? Senator Kim? Um, facilities management facilities authority. So is on the CIP funding for DOE does that not come under facilities management DOE facilities it this 257 money is comes under school facilities authority directly for us this money but I'm talking about all CIP does that fall does that now come under facilities all DOE CIP well so the current funing is still with office of facilities or in the DOE. So I guess I'm trying to square that how much how much CIP projects does DOE have that's backlogged? I don't have that number. That'd be a question for office of facilities. They're not here. Okay. because my understanding it's really that long years and years millions and millions.
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Service is the beginning and the end of our education. the basis from which blessings have been given to man. To bear forward the searching light of truth, to lead that others may follow in that light. To keep burning in our schools a high ambition for the enduring values of life and to serve. These are the purposes symbolized by the torch. It gives me great pleasure to introduce Mariline Padija, president of the Greater Lawrence Technical School chapter of the National Honor Society. Good evening, district committee, school administration, family, friends, faculty, and new inductees. It is an honor for me to welcome you to the National Honor Society induction ceremony of 2023. Getting as far as we have has never been an easy task. Juggling not only an education, but sports, a job, and extracurricular activities is not made for the weak. Yet, it has made me stay determined and has always made me want more and more of a challenge to test my limits.
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um but we need an additional fifteen thousand three hundred thirteen for the liftgate and uh the the body right the utility body the original allocation was fifty thousand dollars was how much fifty thousand fifty thousand do we need the extra fifteen thousand fifteen bringing it to 65 313. stay there Ken I have a question for you okay um one of the things we talked about at the at the facilities committee was to connect with Mrs Marion about what possible sources of funds have you had a chance to do that or is she still out she's still out do you have a sense of well we have be able to connect with her before the board of selectman meeting if we approve this tonight uh I should be I'll email her she has been doing some emails so I'll email her I've been trying not to I think that's very important before we go further right I know we can we can approve the need but they need to think about where is it going to come from sure [Music] is this a new or used vehicle no and and just physically describe it a little it's a pickup truck with a with a lift gate in the back or is it bigger than that yeah it's kind of a heavy duty pickup truck it's a forty nine thousand dollar pickup truck with uh and then when you add the utility body in the liftgate and originally the estimate was that 50 for everything and it says cost of vehicles have gone up way up anybody had a recent experience buying a vehicle I know exactly why not enough man okay thank you you're welcome any other questions on this Mike no no okay all right all in favor hi all right it's unanimous uh approval of textbook [Music] I will move that the board approved the following textbook as recommended by the cape subcommittee and assistant superintendent Dr Anna Mann of course AP environmental science Miller G and S spoolman 2021 exploring environmental science singage current edition of previously used book second okay it's been moved and seconded hi Dr Ho how are you we expected you to come in full regalia tonight is that it are you implying this isn't different enough all right you're in full regalia so you want to give us a bit of an overview yeah so um there's actually uh on the document you have in front of you it actually lists two textbooks so I just want to explain that really quickly um we actually is uh we formed a little committee to reevaluate the textbooks that we're using for this course all the both of these are college board approved textbooks so it was more a matter of um the instructor wanted to switch textbooks um and the one they wanted to switch to um is the one on in the left column um the one on the right column is the new latest edition of the one that we had been using for the course [Music] um but the uh one on the left is actually it's going to be a brand new edition uh copyright 2023 um so uh it's obviously full really up to date and we had a library media specialist and one of our literary special literacy Specialists join us to review the textbooks and with no input from me or the class instructor they unanimously preferred the new book due to various things with the layout and the student friendliness that you see outlined on the um in the left column and the copy you see there is paperback because that is a technically a preview Edition because like I said it hasn't actually that Edition hasn't actually been formally published yet so this would be for next school year and I just wanted to clarify that this is actually the motion is to approve the environmental science for the AP course Bedford in the left column yep yeah well that's not what the motion says I'm not sure that it was red yeah so in the minutes that from Cape it reflects the um environmental science for the AP course well the motion is to approve the other one I know I mean I'm looking at the motion it's it's to approve the the other book correct so so uh would you like to amend the motion okay um I will move to amend the motion um replacing Miller G and S spoolman 2021 exploring environmental science engaged well okay I think you're myself again yep thank you um so I move to amend the motion um replacing um the book title Miller G and S spoolman 2021 exploring environmental science cengage with Friedland a and Rayleigh R 2023 environmental science for the AP course Bedford Freeman and worth a second okay it's moved in second it any comments on the amendment all on all in favor of approving the amendment please say aye right so now it's the right motion correct and I just wanted to add to um what Mr Hill uh just presented is that you know as you can kind of see in the uh t-chart the graphic organizer that um he submitted um Not only was it kind of a collaborative effort with a variety of uh different instructors um but the Criterion that they used uh you know followed the regulations of um the the what the board has set out for new uh resources and it was really I I thought that it was a really nice way of not just kind of choosing a book that was recommended by college board kind of unilaterally and going through the perfunctory process but actually doing a a systematic compare and contrast between what we currently use to make sure that which we were going to update one way or another whether it was going to be a new edition of our current book or a completely new text and so in order to to do that they kind of did a very judicious process of comparing the two texts with the criteria that they were focused on that effort thank you I forgot the most important part it saves money and it saves money yeah it's actually a cheaper text what's up all right thank you good thank you thanks Mr Hill I think the other thing that's important to note as we begin our transition in talking about agendas and subcommittee meetings where we align them to the new strategic plan um the process that Anna was just discussing really is is a a nice alignment to strategy four where we talk about policies developing policies that support teaching and learning we applied our textbook adoption policy right to that and that's why policy is so important so thank you all any other questions guys okay all in favor of approving the emotion please say hi hi it's unanimous all right old business um uh an item one policy and regulation number five one one four suspension expulsion and due process I'll move that the board approved policy regulation 5114 suspension expulsion due process for a final reading as recommended by the policy and communication subcommittee the first reading was on February 15 2023.
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So I'm just wondering we're giving more money to facilities and we can't even take care of this stuff. So is there any any move to relook at some of these monies that have been possibly um encumbered but have never not been used for all these years or I I don't know. We that' probably be a question for Okay. So, who's here that's going to take that down and get make sure we get that information? Somebody Okay. Thank you. Okay. Okay. I um so for clarification, the school facilities authority was designated for uh prek building prek classrooms are teacher housing only and it's separated separate from the DOE facilities that clication. Thank you. And I think um the issue that Senator Kim has with the backlog is something that we should be looking at uh sooner or later, probably sooner. And you might want to take that back to uh Randy and um ask uh yeah some information as to how how much money you would have pending it because at some point it does lapse.
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Currently, I am the first junior to serve as the NHS president. When the email request went out, at first I couldn't imagine myself leading as the NHS president. However, I thought about it and I saw it as more as a blessing as well as an honor and a privilege. With that in mind, I encouraged myself to step out of my comfort zone and be willing to take on a task that no other junior NHS member has done before me. It was a struggle for me to keep up with everything I had going on. I wanted to be as involved as possible. From being on the cheer team to becoming a Reggie leader and having a part-time job out of school, it piled up quickly. I couldn't have done it without the teachers and coaches I have today who helped me see that I can always overcome the challenges that I have.
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second okay it's moved in second did you want to say anything this is another one required by cave that was last updated in 2015. we use some updated language from Cabe and attorney Murphy had also made some edits I think you guys reviewed This Joy had some questions that Dr Burrell addressed I don't did everything else or just because she's policy committee okay yeah to your satisfaction yeah okay if anyone else had any other questions or that's not the only input yep okay any uh any questions from the board all in favor of approving it all right okay next up is the board of education's adopted budget this is just an action item that we continue discussion on the board of education's 2023-24 adopted budget if necessary there's not a lot of new news we we all had a very brief meeting with the board of Finance I thought was positive and effective and that was last week on Thursday Thursday and uh so they've gotten everything they need from us I understand that we've locked in uh heating oil and diesel fuel as of today at very attractive rates which is been provided to the board of Finance for their final deliberations Ken did you give them you don't have to come up you can just say yes or no Did we tell them in a revised amount of how it would adjust our budget okay um tonight the board of Finance is still doing departmental reviews that's actually why Mrs Brooks couldn't be with us tonight because she's presenting the library budget as the acting Library director in the town um and uh um so that I'm not expecting anything new tonight their deliberations start in Earnest I think either tomorrow night or Thursday and they need to finalize reasonably soon so they can publish their recommendation before the public hearing and if you all remember the process is the board of Finance comes up with their first recommendation they have a public hearing to get input on it and then they deliberate again and they have a final one before it goes to town meeting on the first week in May so the other tidbit that I will share is the capital projects go to a town meeting I think the 30th or 31st the 30th of the month and because the capital they will be on the same referendum but any Capital that requires bonding it has a 45-day waiting period so unlike the budget where it's two weeks right from the town meeting to the referendum like any any bonding request actually has a required under our Charter 45 days so they have to do that meeting well in advance of everything else my understanding and I'm not an expert on this is It's really just the items that the board of Finance is recommending for bonding not the stuff that's in the regular budget and all of our stuff is in the regular budget so I don't think it really affects the Board of Ed that much but you'll hear that there's a town meeting coming for bonding the one item that I do know if it's in there is a Parks and Rec item signifi second Parks and Rec item about our field and refurbishing the track and the feel of the the main field out there and so that will probably be part of that even though we don't carry it forward it's very important to us that part of that town meeting so that's everything I know Rose anything you've been hearing that's different than this or joy okay so that's everything that's going on I expect that by the time we meet again we will have we will have truly seen what the where the board of uh finances coming out so okay next item is Candlewood Lake Elementary School building project and it's another action item to get an update on what's going on with the new new project and uh I've been going I you know we have all of an open invitation to attend it's fun walking through I will just I'm going to steal Thunder but they had the whole second floor a main hallway the the terrazzo tiling was down it hadn't been ground ground down and shined and all of that but it's going in which is great to see so so with that I'll turn it over to you Doctor sure so I I have I certainly have some Rosie did you have anything no no I was gonna turn it over to you oh great okay so um the terrazzo was one of mine Bob but it's not a thundersteel that's for sure um there there really is a lot going on with the move and kind of culture and getting people acclimated to the building in the updates this week um and for the April 5th meeting we'll certainly have made a lot more progress three weeks from now and we'll have another PowerPoint with uh slideshow to from the project so just want to let everybody know that um and Bob you were on the tour actually on Friday morning we had a good portion of the grade four with us Dave was able to bring them around and they were able to actually go into wait which classroom is mine and they what number is this one going to be where's the floor map and kind of see where they were going to be and um look at the colors and the carpeting and you know it was just great it was just wonderful to have them with us um this coming Friday uh St Patrick's Day it happens to be with conferences at the elementary schools are Perez voluntarily are being invited to the elementary Paris to tour uh in the afternoon uh Candlewood Lake so we're looking forward to that our para Educators getting a chance to get over there in addition to that on the PLC day next Friday while the teachers are in PD we're gonna it looks like we'll have an opportunity for our grade five pair Educators to go over and see because they haven't had a chance yet um so it just it's just so exciting for everybody to really get a good look at things in addition to that we continue to fine tune a small squares and the playscape work and we're working with Mr checo on that also very exciting I know the faculty especially and our secretarial team and our nurses have really been waiting the move manual that's what we're calling it The Move manual we met about that about five or six of us were on the call today with the project manager going through what ultimately is a 24-page document there's probably eight to nine pages that have real directions in there but the move memo will be disseminated We Believe next Wednesday afternoon to all of our Elementary faculty and staff and a meeting on Friday May March 24th which is our PLC day next week at each of the moving schools so CES will have a meeting Huckleberry will have a meeting and the grade five teachers will have a meeting with the project manager to walk through just like we did today right Dave Page by Page and have an opportunity as well to ask questions everything from how you pack your boxes how the labels work samples of the labels really really specific so um I know I'm carrying on a little bit about that but I know our teachers have been asking for this for quite a while the one thing I will remind everybody is our generous Community voted for this project for the funding of this in 2019.
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Um not if they encumbered it. Yes, correct. If they encumbered it but it's numbered in Yeah. the projects have not been started in some sense. So, it's something that if uh yeah, on the record that if you guys could get to the this committee, I would appreciate it. Thank you. Okay, members, if no further questions for House Bill 960HD1, we will move on to House Bill 961HD1 related to early learning appropriates fund funds for the preschool open work program and executive office on early learning to expand access to preschool and to implement program changes required by previous acts. expands the types of entities from which a preschool open door service provider may obtain accreditation. Expands a preschool open doors program application process to eligible three-year-old children. Authorizes preschool open doors special fund to accept federal funds to testify governor's office. Chair, vice chair, members of the committee, Riley Fijisaki.
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In case you haven't noticed, there are many people who have encouraged us through life's path. I would like to personally thank Mrs. Santana for trusting me and guiding me and seeing the potential in me. I would also like to thank my mom for always pushing me and encouraging me to take risks and to do my best. She has been resilient in taking care of our family as a single mom and also attaining professional and personal goals. She is who I think about when I want to do better. Who do you think about when you want to do better? Is it your mom as well? Is it someone in your family? A friend, a teacher? Whoever it is, keep them in mind continuously because today is just the beginning, not the end. Each and every inductee you see standing today has demonstrated that they are risktakers and have risen up to the challenge of going through the NHS application process.
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so every faculty member and staff member and administrator and nurse and custodian who has been with us since then has had four years to prepare for this this is not anything last minute everybody knows it's been time to be we've had four years to work through files and Shred what needs to be shredded and we're still going to have that opportunity um but this isn't being sprung on anyone in any last minute fashion whatsoever talked about the terrazzo floors the other piece that's really really important that's exciting and we'll get a presentation April 5th from Dr rudel is that our admin team took a field trip to um Peck place was it Peck Place school day Peck Place School in Orange um a colleague of mine who's the superintendent down there has a principal and a team that has brought in an app for parents and staff called pick up my kid one of the things we've continued to talk about is managing an efficient uh dismissal procedure and as Dr P leads the development of that with the team right now this app is not only for parent pickup and make it more efficient smooth and safe but also it could be used for students who go on the bus and the parents could get acknowledgments that the child is actually on the bus it's just really a smooth process I think it was less than seven minutes 60 students were dismissed in a parent pick-up line six minutes 27 seconds there you go so we're we're running it like the military except gentle and so we will have a wonderful safe and efficient um arrival of course and dismissal procedures so that is something that we're actually looking at engaging with the firm and again we'll talk about this on April 5th for the remainder of this year and practicing with it then we would be able to trans transition it to summer school and esy and practice with our parents there and then have it all set for Candlewood Lake so we're really really excited about using technology to make things easier on parents there's also an opportunity the app can be used with the parents like a remind app as well so there's quick quick hits you can get out there for announcements so there's a lot of application for this app and and we're looking forward to it and then the last thing that people will notice I believe is going to happen tomorrow again I believe that's because that's what I've been told let's hope it happens the trailer um that Ong and arcadis have been working out of um by the end of the week will be off the property making and and the ONG and arcadis folks will actually be running their offices from inside the school which tells us that the infrastructure is working just fine and they'll be in there running their office work from there for the remainder of the time on on campus the trailer will be removed making way for more parking which means part they need the parking for more workers to come and be doing more work on the school and that's also the area where eventually over the summer the temporary parking lot will be put so that is just another great sign in terms of progress on school that's my Candlewood Lake update okay roast anything you want to have no no I will just add I took one picture I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside but they I I brought this along with me but you know the entries have that kind of very uh the woodwork above them is kind of unique I just will pass that around it's just the heavy Timbers are heavy Timber beams that kind of go with funny and we'll see the the wood from oh yeah outside oh yes yeah that's the outside that's what it will look like okay that's really nice and as board members look at that I think it's important to let the the public know it and even for the board members as a reminder The Candlewood Lake um webcage on our website is really chock full of historical documents but updated pictures and recently we put um which was developed by our Candlewood Lake planning team last spring the actual mission statement for the school is right there front and center now and under that is actually the rationale the architectural rationale for why the building was designed the way it was obviously student-centered but also to really be natural and fit into the uh and incorporate the historic pieces of Brookfield so I think it's an exciting opportunity for people that just go engage with that and take a look at the resources in a lot of the pictures that are on there as well okay well thank you thank you thank you all right uh we don't have public comment uh three main points are you covering three main points I guess so yes Debbie did tell me she will watch the video to work on the three main points whatever is decided here I think the Huckleberry the Huckleberry Spotlight and the Candlewood Lake yeah perfect on Facebook Lisa and I can do that the Huckleberry Spotlight the correct update during John's update and the Candlewood update that he just gave and a student last day is a full day or half day oh happy early dismissal and lunch will not be served I always have to I get eaten I even get confused on elementary middle and high school on that one we'll get back to you we'll post it all right um I'm sorry upcoming events okay we have the Penguin Plunge is this Saturday to benefit Special Olympics that's it Candlewood Lake um parent-teacher conferences are at Center and Huckleberry tomorrow and Friday that's an early release lunch will be served at the elementary schools tomorrow all schools will have an early release on Friday March 24th for PLC day at Center school on Friday the 17th is Dragon movie day Wednesday March 22nd is Touch a Truck and Friday March 24th is dress up like your favorite character from one of the Dragon Stories this is part of their one book one read um Huckleberry the book fair is done tomorrow Dr P or Friday 's the last day for the book fair at whiskaneer on Friday March 24th there's the seventh grade career fair and an assembly with motivational speaker and athlete Chris poulos for 8th graders on Thursday and Friday March 30th and 31st author Sherry L Smith will be meeting with all grades during the day and she will do an evening presentation with parents at the Brookfield Library on Thursday evening and at the high school as mentioned before The Little Shop of Horror starts tomorrow night and runs through Sunday and the dinner and a show option is Saturday evening the school day sat is March 22nd through 29th there's a PTO meeting March 23rd at 6 30 here in the library and Junior Prom is March 31st at the Amber Room and that's it okay questions for me all right hearing none and without objection we are adjourned thank you all for
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On behalf of the Office of Lieutenant Governor, we just like to stand on our testimony in strong supportive bill. Thank you. Thank you, Riley. Kathy Betts, director, Department of Human Services. Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, and members. Scamisha administrator of the benefit employment and support services division on behalf of DHS and our director Kathy Vets. The department supports this measure and defers to EO regarding the public pre kindergarten program. In addition regarding part two section 3 uh we suggest amendments to section 346 184 AHRS to change the accredititation requirement to be voluntary.
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They are sharpening their character to reflect the four pillars of NHS which include scholarship, service, leadership, and character. This is just the beginning because you will see more changes in yourself as you help others. Challenges will continue and you will need to stay focused, stay strong, and to remember to push yourself without giving up. Congratulations to all of the new inductees. Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, and sacrifice. Most of all, learn to love what you are doing or find what you love to learn. We only live once. At this time, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Principal Zalinsky, who will address the new inductees. [Applause] Good evening, school committee members, faculty, families, students, National Honor Society members, and inductees. Inductees, I'd like you to take a moment to look around and observe the tremendous support you hear have here for you tonight.
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Thank you for the opportunity to testify and we're available for any questions. Thank you Scott. Next to testify, Robert Peters for the Early Learning Board, please. Good afternoon. Once again, um, thank you for the opportunity to testify in strong support of this bill. The early learning board defers to both the department of human services and the executive office on early learning with regard to any particulars within the bill. Thank you. Thank you, Robert. Next to testify, Yuko Arical Cross, Executive Office on Early Learning. [Music] Hello, Chair Kani, vice chair, members of the committee. I'm Yuko Adiko Cross, director of the executive office on early learning. We stand in support of our written testimony and look forward to expanding the three-year-olds and defer to DHS as it relates to preschool open doors.
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Thank you to the members of the faculty council and our National Honor Society co-advisors, Miss Santana and Miss Casado, who work hard throughout the year with members of our National Honor Society and to make this induction ceremony so special. I'm excited to celebrate and honor all of you this evening. students who exemplify the four pillars of the National Honor Society: scholarship, character, leadership, and service. According to its constitution, membership in the local chapter is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a faculty council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities. Inductees, take a moment to reflect upon what you can do to continue to demonstrate these qualities. Parents and family members, think about how you can support your student in honoring the commitment they make tonight as future members of the National Honor Society.
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I'm happy to answer any questions and thank you for the opportunity to testify. Thank you. Next to testify, Koku Ritz for Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks. uh chair, vice chair, members of the committee, um Kuritz, director of early learning and health policy with Hawaii Children's Action Network speaks. Um we stand in support of this measure. We are asking for a couple of amendments. Um namely, and I want to highlight them very quickly. Um we support the expansion of prescopors, but we want to make sure that it's effective. Um the amendments we're asking for are essentially asking for the legislature to make the division clear that we're going to ask for expansion of eligibility. um for for families higher income levels. Um as well as ensuring that practically speaking, if we are going to increase reimbursement rates that they that providers are actually able to use those reimbursement rates because currently um they cannot accept any payment over or in practice would not accept any payment over their actual tuition rate.
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The qualities of scholarship, character, leadership, and service are observed here at Greater Lawrence Technical School daily in academics, sports, shops, clubs, out in co-op, in the hallways, and the cafeteria as well. Current members and inductees demonstrate a high level of scholarship by maintaining the required GPA. They are high honor role and honor role students and future scholarship recipients. I challenge our new inductees to continue to continue to pursue academic challenges and opportunities. Current members and future inductees show character by complying with all the school policies, regulations, the student code of conduct. A student of good character also upholds the principles and values of our school and routinely shows courtesy and respect for others. I encourage our new inductees to uphold the highest level of character not only in school but in all areas of life. Our National Honor Society members and inductees demonstrate leadership in a variety of ways.
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So if their tuition rate is set for $1,100, but the reimbursement rate is 1,500, they wouldn't be able to get that $400. We want to make sure that it's that it's put into law and that you're um we think it's prudent to have that in the intent of the legislature to have that full expansion.
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