Thanks, Paul. Okay, now we're at the out ofstate travel proposal. Alex, can you hear us? Yes, I am hearing you all. Good evening. Hello. We hear you. Introduce uh Alex Waldron. She's a French teacher at Ashlin High School and she's proposing a trip to Quebec City uh in combination with Maynard High School uh next February. So, Alex, I'll turn it over to you. So, um, thankfully I've, uh, I have some really good friendships that I've established over the years, uh, with Maynard High School folks because I, um, started my career here in Massachusetts as a teacher there. And the teacher um in Maynard, the French teacher does this trip to Quebec City for Winter Carnival, which is a really um wonderful cultural experience um for students to be able to partake in. And he's been doing this for several years. He does it every other year.
I'm probably one of the few who are still here who experienced the first shuffling and closings of buildings in 2007. I was a fifth grade teacher at Newton in late March. We fifth grade teachers were told we we'd be moving to the middle school. There was no prior discussion. There were no surveys that were done. We were just told to start packing. Needless to say, this was a very stressful and anxious time for the staff as well as the students. No one really knew how to go about moving six classrooms into a um in a non-kaotic way with little time. As the teacher, trying to pack up my room and figure out what I might not need for the next three months was a challenge. For those of you who know me, I'm a packrat like many teachers are. I had put 14 years in at Newton and by that time it was really difficult on the students watching their classroom being dismantled.
Three minutes will be allowed to each speaker and a maximum of 50 minutes to each subject matter. Speakers requested to state their names and addresses and you can submit one online. Any takers? Waste of time. Um, how many people online now? Four. Um, okay. After the approval of minutes of the March 12th, 2025 regular meetings. That is an action item and will require u a vote. So, take a look at it. I like motion second. Whichever any errors, omissions or alterations? All in favor? I opposed. Abstain. Abstain. Also done. Committee reports curriculum uh curriculum met and uh Mr. Keel gave us an update on the professional development that was happening. Um on March 14th the PCS hosted a full day professional development session. Teachers collaborated with the grade level teams and departments to focus on curriculum development uh data analysis and assessments. Additionally, the staff had an opportunity to engage in a wellness activity including crafting, walking or yoga and feedback that was shared with that was pretty positive.
Andrew's strong leadership qualities are evident in all that he does. His teachers report that no matter what the obstacle, Andrew finds a way to overcome them. Andrew is deciding on which post-secary school to attend and plans on studying sports communications. Congratulations, Andrew. We hope you guys All right, our next awards are the CAPS awards and this is the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendent Award is presented annually to students from the graduating Bolton Center School and Bolton High School's classes. The award is presented to those students who show a strong commitment to academics and a strong commitment to their school community. So, the first award goes to BS, BCS award, Corora Murray. Cora Murray, of course, here she can have it stand up. Cora Murray was selected by the eighth grade team as one of the CAP's recipients this year. Cora is an academically high achieving student, consistently making high honors throughout her time in middle school.
I get that it's a huge investment that won't help the STEM students careers. But cooking is a skill that everyone needs in life and it's also a fun class that allows learning outside of standard academia while providing a break from the intense classes any STEM student will likely be taking. Working at the Hatter Cafe as a part of the culinary arts class has been something I have been looking forward to experiencing for a long time. And if I had known my choices, specifically this choice, would be restricted simply because I wanted to become a doctor, I wouldn't have chosen the academy I'm in now. Of course, that's not a possibility either because if you're not in the allied health pathway, you can't do the CNA or EMT programs, which are crucial to getting a head start and wants some medical education. I know it might seem a little childish that I came all this way just to ask for cooking classes.
In order to do this, we have um adapted this blueprint which indicates um instruction in English at that level of English proficiency which we call our English language development or ESL classes. And then the constructing meaning or CM would be an extending way extending way of um providing a continuation of English language instruction in the academic uh content areas and that requires the uh explicit instruction of language acquisition. So the students spend um a small part of their day in the ESL classes but the majority of their time is spent in the regular mainstream classes. So they need to um continue to pro to be providing good language instruction in the content area. That's what we mean by constructing meaning, which is a way to provide that explicit language instruction and not stop the the process when they leave the uh ESL classes. Thank you, Mrs.
So that's why so that contract is in place for this school year and then we will if we need to continue services then we would do one for the upcoming school year. Yeah, it just it looked like it was kind of in a rears or maybe we should have done it last June or something. We didn't know we were going to need the services from that non-public agency. Um so we could just continue to keep that on file down the road um and approve it from here on out for each year. um with the thinking of we might need to use those services down the road. Um but that was the first time that we were going to need to use the services um within the district and so we needed to get that contract on on file, but this was for last year. It's 2425.
Hello. Um, I have two topics on my card, so I think we do one at a time. Okay. My name is Michelle Sporma. My son is a seventh grader at Morell Middle School and a graduate of Vincy Park. I have two topics I'd like to bring up. The first one is that I've learned that this school year that the students at Morell eat lunch outside year round. This includes when it's wet and raining, when the wind is howling, during the extreme heat, high pollen count days, and at the rare rare times when it hails, and it did hail um during the time. Um there's no indoor space for the students to eat in. The multi-purpose room has no tables and students are not allowed to eat in there at all, not even while standing. They're only allowed to get their food and leave. Um, when it rains, the students are primarily in the outside amphitheater under the covered solar panels.
I'm glad to see how the new administration and the governing board are um doing the new initiatives and I'm sure all of you are in good hands and you'll continue to grow and do amazing things here. So wish you all good luck. Thank you. [Applause] actually. Can my son go first? Colton. Hello, my name is I. I live at 130 West a Street. I'm here today to testify coach and to publicly make a statement in hopes of preserving his position as varsity basketball coach. David has been my coach for the past two years during the 2023 and 20 2024 and 2024 2025 basketball season. He's helped me train offseason and prepare hopefully one day to play in college. Back in 2023 during football season, I had to deal with some toxic coaching and bullies that eventually led to my decision not to participate in the 2024 2025 season.
We've had the club. So, uh, again, very successful. Another way for, um, kids to shine in our district. Uh, Ranch Spring Carnival, had an a tremendous event a couple weeks ago with a huge thank you to the PTO that helped put it on and the volunteers. I know there's community volunteers uh, there, so we appreciate all they've done. Uh also at CHS we had a hosta state leadership con uh conference. Christa Riley's nursing assistance chapter was award awarded the platinum award which is the highest award a chapter can receive. Sports medicine Gracie McDuffy and Payton Everett are in third place in public health. That will qualifi qualify them for the international leadership conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Um, in terms of athletics, Logan Tuckfield will represent Combmes, uh, represented Combmes in the Panol County first annual all-star basketball game and Gavin Wala was committed to play football at Black Hills.
It's a great time also to ask any questions that you may have for the upcoming action item later in the agenda. I'd like to bring Mr. Lali up here to uh to take over. Good evening, Mr. President, members of the board. Dr. Lman, it's a pleasure to be back before you this evening. um for your first sale post election. Congrats on that. Um as uh Jacob mentioned um I'm here to talk to I have just a couple sl few slides here to walk through. I'll touch on property values first. The district received their your February estimates for next fiscal year and and they are an estimate until the third Monday in August when they get approved, but uh they typically do not change. And so that far right two columns there, blue and red, are what you can expect for the next fiscal year in property value growth.
During the season, people attending the festival or mass danced to the beat while holding images of the child Jesus and shouting pit senor. A sibuano phrase from s pit senor meaning to call to the lord or viva pitor which means hail lord referring to the sonino or the child Jesus who is the central figure of the celebration and is repeated enthusiastically during parades and dances. Together with the selected teachers and students from Maricopa High School and Saddleback Elementary School, ladies and gentlemen, we give you Sinulog from the [Applause] Philippines. So good. So good night. So good night. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] We are going to [Music] go Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Here we [Music] are. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat [Music] up here. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat.
Have fun. Be good. Thank you. All right, Mrs. Salt. Sorry, I'm not prepared. Okay, I have a couple um shout outs. Um I got a great email about how successful the eighth grade field trip was and um I think that's awesome that every it seems to have gone over. It was such a hit. I remember that from my million years ago going to this school. So I love that it's still going. Um, and then a shout out to Three Oaks had a bunch of kids compete in Odyssey of the Mind, which apparently was very popular when I was younger also, but I don't remember it. But I did go to the meeting and it took a lot of work from these kids to compete in this uh program. And um, six kids are going to the world finals uh because of the program over at Three Oaks.
I believe it's we had a social worker that was out on maternity leave. Yeah, I think that when I look at those dates, I think that coincides with that. Yeah, I think that was some compensatory services related to that. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions?
So, they're here to talk to you about their passion project this evening. Um, first is a group of girls who have completed their project. Um, so I'd like to introduce to you Amelia Anderson and Kaylee Bostik. Hi, my name is Amelia and my name is Kaylee. In our win classes, we were assigned the job of creating a passion project for something we felt passionate about. So, Kaylee and I, as well as Abby, who unfortunately couldn't make it tonight, decided to make our passion project a donation drive for a local homeless shelter. We chose the We chose the Pad Homeless Shelter in Mckenry to donate to. The pet shelter houses people from 3 months to 74 years old and lifts those staying at the shelter onto their feet by allowing them to apply for housing and make their own appointments and schedules. But before we could begin our donation process, we had to do some research.
[Applause] And the bike has the bike has wheels. There we go. Now it's extended. So you get off your to the left and to the right to the right. It's to the right. It's really tight. So, we actually probably don't want to pull it in and then I will go back in and double check and for some reason I will actually um I am like so confusing. I'm sorry. I thought it was supposed to be something good. It's something legal, not good. Can you see it over there? No, it's not coming on here. I'll just I'll just come get over there. Can you see it? Yep. Barely. Y luckily I still There we go. So, you'll put in the Google homepage for reference. This could be the the minutes that uh or the agenda that the public's going to see. Oh, I could. Okay. So, where would you go to get agenda in my diligent in your diligent?
I mean, who wouldn't be? Jules can be intimidating, but she wasn't at all. She made me feel comfortable and pushed me to work harder. Now, Juliana and I are good friends. Her support has made a world of difference and I can honestly say that I've grown as a player because of her guidance. Outside of basketball, Juliana is just as amazing. She has taken me to practice when we have had virtual days and she has taken me to Mexican. Need to do that again. But anyways, uh no matter how busy she is or how many other friends she has, she always takes the time to check in on me. Her ability to balance her academics, sports, and friendships while still being so supportive is something that I look up to. It shows me that being a great athlete also means being a great person. In conclusion, Juliana is not just a talented basketball player, she is a remarkable individual who inspires me every day.
And this past year, he was not able to um get enough signups because Maynard is a very small school. And so when there are other trips going out the same year, which this is the case for this past February, um it's tough for people to be able to fund several different things. So he was proposing to table it till next year. So he's going to try to he was wanting to um propose it again. And we happened to bring it up in conversation and talk about it. And um he you know I said that would be really fun if we could do a trip like that because I have been teaching about Winter Carnival for many many years and it's a wonderful way for students to be able to go and see what this cultural experience is about practicing their French in a real life setting.
We packed boxes, put them in the hall for custodians to move over to the middle school to be put in the mini gym until location to where the fifth grade classes might be placed. The reason why I am bringing this up to you at this time, it's my understanding that a new ad hoc committee is going to be formed to study the redistricting once again. Besides being an educator here for the past 32 years, I have also been the union president for about 10. Recently, I've received many emails, text messages, as well as personal stops in the halls and at meetings from staff asking me, "Am I going to have my job next year? Is my position going to be here next year?" I have to be honest with them. I don't know. Many people assume that I have that knowledge. I don't. Not many of us have any of that knowledge yet because things have not yet been solidified.
Um, grade two and three participated in coaching session um with literacy how um concentrating on the data analysis of their dibble assessment they use. Um and then we got a little bit of an update on some of the things that are coming up. Um, April 11th, literacy how will lead a session focused on fluency and provide research-based strategies to support students in improving reading fluency. And on May 23rd, teachers will continue ongoing curriculum work, building upon the previous efforts to refine instructional practices and aligning curriculum objectives. And we also were told um that through grant funding, the STEM summer camp will be offered again this summer according to the grant requirements. Um, priority enrollment will be given students to participate in boost and then other remaining st spaces will be made available to other students through the lottery system.