Um so you've shared your opinion on a matter before the board with one member. So far you're okay. we would caution you to never share that opinion. Um because here's where the unintentionality happens. You know, a couple weeks later, member A is talking to member C um and expressing what member B told them. Now, if you're on a five member committee, um you've just reached a quorum of your full body, which is three, and you've unintentionally violated the open meeting law. It's always good to talk to your colleagues to gather information, gain perspectives, particularly if you're new, right? You want to know what's the history here? What what are we looking at? Um and that's a good thing. just really try to the other reason I guess I caution you on this particularly is um as much as I knew about school committee work as a new school committee member there were a few times I went into a meeting thinking I knew exactly how I'd vote on something until I heard all of the information presented and I found that I had my mind changed for me by information I hadn't previously had Um, so just be be wary of that.
I am a member of the unified staff for CIA and Special Olympics and in particular I manage the elementary and young athletes programs and I am so pleased to be here tonight to um shine a light on Highland Elementary. Each year, Special Olympics Connecticut honors those that make a difference from around the state at their annual Hall of Fame dinner. Highland Elementary School is one of only three Connecticut schools chosen to receive the 2026 CIA Special Olympics Connecticut Spirit of Inclusion Award. The Spirit of Inclusion is part of the fabric of the school climate and school spirit at Highland with their unified sports program at its core. Some of whom's members I believe are here uh representing uh their unified sports team. Through unified sports, students are able to develop fundamental sports skills, friendships, and increased understanding of those with different challenges. In addition to a vibrant unified sports program, students of all ability levels are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills with roles such as unified morning news announcer and school greeters at open house.
>> I see a soul sourcing >> tightens it that tightens it up. >> I can understand what you're saying, Senator. Um there there are instances where sorry I'm just trying to think off the top of my head. Um maybe I'll ask RCA >> right because even like with the PGA I mean although the PGA is well known in America there are other professional leagues that Japan has a professional league Korea has special professional league and uh in that particular case we should be exploring what other foreign leagues or organizations are out there that might respond to putting on a golf tournament rather than always we're going back to the PGA year after year after year. >> Yeah. These different organizations shop destinations when it comes to this type of events. So as an example, ESPN is looking for say a basketball or volleyball tournament. They're shopping different markets to move it and especially with NIL money in play.
>> Yeah. And the batteries aren't really that strategically placed cuz one's here and the other one's here. So your ankle is constantly getting hit up against that and then it's like a narrow thing. So you got to like squish yourself in. >> And the batteries get pretty hot, too. So I've gotten like skin and irritation just from the heat. >> Hopefully not another fire that's going to happen. >> Hopefully not. >> We'll see. I still have a lot more. I work with most of the chemical stuff like fiberglass, resin and other chemical solutions in a team for body work. And one of our solutions is a very particular uh one to 99 mixture and there's been times I've added too much of one chemical and >> It started smoking. It firmed up and it nearly burnt through the cup we were using cuz it gets like over boiling temperatures.
um that there will be one coach K through two on Monday, one coach 3 through five on Tuesday, and then one coach 6 through eight on Wednesday. And they are spending the whole day 8 to three in the buildings working in classrooms modeling lessons and answering additional questions on our new ELA program. We're very excited about that. And one of the most exciting things I have to share um tonight would be our career and technical education growth and work that I'm doing at the high school. I first want to talk about our workforce Wednesday lunch and learns. At first it was a workforce Wednesday and then I asked if we could extend it a little bit and add lunch. So, I'm very excited to share that this past [snorts] Wednesday, we had welding come in, a welder from Lure Brothers, and there were 57 students that attended that lunch and learn.
>> We get it. You guys are good. Please, >> Hobart. We beg of you. We begth thou. >> OH MY GOD. >> WAIT, NO. JRO just heard me say no shots from JR. >> Wait, now it's one, two, three. >> Four seconds. Can we get five goals? >> Um, if they do nothing because if we get a goal after kickoff and we keep it up, I think it like spawns on one of our teammates heads. Please, PLEASE. >> HEY, it's the best out of five. We can make a comeback. There's still another round. >> You can see them laughing for a second. >> Yeah. >> Oh, never mind. about the chats. Chat was open. >> No, I thought I witnessed something. >> I did not witness anything. >> What are you doing? >> Waiting for this to start in about now. Just leave it where I had it.
The open meeting law tells us there are some are are some allowable exclusions um to this deliberation. You can do housekeeping kinds of work via email uh around dates, scheduling, agenda items so long as you are not providing your opinion on a particular item um that's coming before the committee, right? That includes uh distribution of reports and documents to be discussed. Again, there's where the trick comes in. Why are we doing this? I think we should just, you know, try to keep that out of out of any communication. And the best practice here is when even when doing housekeeping or scheduling matters, if the chair sends something out or if your executive secretary, the superintendent sends out, it's always best to never reply all. Sometimes we remember to put that on the bottom of an email because we understand there's something in there that can raise uh the desire of someone to express an opinion, something controversial or sensitive happening in the community.
Whole school engagement is reflected in schoolwide celebrations. One such event involved 900 students lining up in the halls with banners and cheering on the unified team. The Highland Unified Sports culminating celebrations are a highlight of their program, allowing athletes to showcase their newfound skills and partnerships with friends, family, and staff. Other activities that impact the school climate of inclusion and acceptance are their unified newsletter, which they share with parents and teachers and stakeholders. Spirit Days, kindness week, buddy reading, a unified coffee cart, and autism awareness photo booths. Changing lives and changing attitudes also trans translates into social inclusion. Highland Elementary and Bearpath Elementary in Hatam co-hosted a unified winter ball, an evening full of joy and connection for students and families. A unified leadership team at Highland Elementary and support from the entire community has contributed to the meaningful inclusive environment at Highland. Much appreciation goes to unified sports coach coaches Alli Roniato and Stephen, excuse me, Stephanie Dashelle and principal Scott Jeffrey.
Uh that puts us at a dis disadvantage as well. So having the opportunity to be able to react, especially if the opportunity is in conjunction with international teams being brought in, that's why we're looking for this exemption. >> Okay. So, so you guys don't have a problem with us tightening up the language on just um because at this point it's sports marketing and just so we're looking at just sports um and then um sports events only along with um what procurement officer has said in her testimony. >> Okay. >> Can you guys work with that? >> Yes. >> Okay. Any other questions? >> No, that's it. Uh seeing none. Uh moving on to >> Thank you. Uh Senate Bill 2074 relating to state facilities. Um first up, uh executive director Michael for stadium authority stadium, please. >> No, thank you so much. Um Senator, thank you chair, vice chair.
>> Chemicals are very frightening. >> Yeah, especially when they start smoking at you. >> It was one time, maybe twice. Well, before we conclude the podcast, anything else you want to add? >> You should totally sponsor us. We're a very small team. please sponsor us. >> And uh some of our sacrifices that we have to make is unlike previous years, the team now has to purchase uh travel like have to spend their own personal money on travel costs, not on top on top of food. So this year we're forced to pay for any hotels. >> Yeah. Like again, Sakot City, last year we didn't have to pay, but this year we have to pay 50 bucks per person >> for our hotel room. And we'd also like to go on more go out to more races to be able to compete even more. So >> yeah, like last year we went to San Antonio and we got fourth in 154.
And I get to be on the high school emails that share the student list, and a teacher had responded, "We're going to have to find a bigger room." And we were at capacity for that Wednesday workforce lunchon. So, very exciting to have individuals from the community coming in and helping our students. Um, I also wanted to share that after our December presentation by Mr. Joe McInness from the Collinsville Area Vocational Center, I have asked that we be put on their board agenda to possibly add our district to their vocational center so we could send students not this next year but the following year. So, I will be in contact with all of you and hopefully we have um confirmed entrance into that program. I'm really excited to talk about our job shadowing micro internships. Um it all started with the the dream of the pharmacy pathway which I'm very excited to share that on January 23rd we hosted three student interviews.
>> Well, where you had it like this? >> Yeah, just leave it. >> Oh, by someone new. Who' they take out? >> Um, >> there's Okay, so we have >> there's Gator and there's Jus. So, they took out uh Fion whatever. Yeah, I remember him. They put in Punk for the last match, but he was in the other. He was in the first one. >> And then, >> yep, they swap. >> And there goes Gator again >> with the assist from Chambers. >> Got to give him that. >> We got to give him that. >> Long Way. That's an interesting score song choice. >> It's been a minute since I've seen anyone use Long Way. Get it, I guess. I'll leave on shuffle. It's probably on shuffle. >> What is Hunter doing? >> Gator's playing around with him. >> Speaking of Hunter, we should probably get his cam up.
And sometimes we don't, but it's a good practice to be in. We know the public has a right to participate um and to be present whether we decide that it's only in person or whether we do it in a hybrid mode. Um and the reason that this has been extended to 2027 um is because we're seeing participation from the public like we have never seen before. We also see members who have children or have elderly parents or who travel for work um or a number of other things able to attend meetings when they are they would typically not be able to. So it's been a big big bonus I think um for public bodies. However you post it on your agenda as you know again from your last meeting is how you have to be available for the public to attend. So, if you allow it virtually and in person at the same time and internet goes down or tech fails on you, um you still have to reschedu the meeting.
The Hall of Fame dinner will be held on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at the Aquaturf in Plantsville. Congratulations to Highland Elementary for this welldeserved recognition. [applause] >> [snorts] >> You guys come down and take a picture. This doesn't happen. Good Good job. >> Good job. >> Congratulations. Good job. >> Good job. Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. >> Good job. >> Thank you. >> Excellent job. Congratulations. Thank you so much. >> Thank you so much. >> Mr. Jeff, thank you. >> Thank you. >> [applause] >> go to audience and come back. >> Yep. Um, next on the agenda is audience participation. If there is a member of the audience who wishes to address the board of education, please come to the podium and state your name and address. Okay. Good evening to the board of ed. Um Dr. Sen, um I'm Benjamin Balancic, 1280 Pek Lane.
Um we we we stand on our written testimony and are absolutely here for um any extended comments and or any updates about how the stadium project is progressing itself and thank you for your continued support. >> Thank you. Next up Caroline Anderson with HTA Hawaii tourism authority chairs vice chair members of the committee stand. >> Thank you. Next up, uh, Director Tokyo, Department of Economic Development, Tourism in support. Set Kobe, budget and finance, your comments. Winston Welch, Alter Circle in opposition on Zoom. >> Yes. Aloha, chair and members, and uh, happy late Chinese New Year. Uh, you we'd like to stand on our written testimony. Just a quick reminder that uh this bill presents the same structural fiscal risk that led to failure of its house companion this year HB16009 and uh as well that uh if the tax exempt bond is just as jeopardized then we have increased statewide risk.
We don't want to talk about 254 and054 didn't even come. Oh. So >> yes, which we did have to pay for that one, but it is in huge price tag to put on each driver because it's over 200 bucks to go to the out of state races, which is the only races we can go to extra. So if we could be able to get more funding, we could be able to get our team out more, be able to compete, and be able to hopefully bring back even more trophies and recognition for this team. The more trophies you get back come back with, you can just throw the rest out. >> No, we have actually one of our old trophies are is up in Evans room and it's on his desk and it's like a little light up thing with our placement. I think we got third place on that trophy.
Um both high school counselors myself and Dr. Corey sat in on the interviews and it was an amazing experience. I would say the interview team we didn't have any idea how it was going to go and all of us were so excited at the interaction with the students by the end Dr. Hy said I would like all of them um and he he was excited to partner and it was just a great experience [clears throat] at the beginning of this month um David Mason and Associates and engineering firm headquartered in St. Lewis has agreed to support the CUSC job shadowing micro internships as well. Um, in working with our construction trades teachers, I knew that CAD implementation in the construction industry was of interest to our students. Since connecting with DMA, we have been partnered with a civil designer. His name is Nick Beck. He has used CAD for 20 years in the industry and he's very excited to work with our students.
>> Yeah. >> Um, he was camera four. Yes. >> Yes. So, who's not in Bartolo? >> I think it's Bartolo who's not in. >> So, now we go here. Was cam. No, he was cam too. So, now we go and then there we go. >> There we go. >> I'm so good. >> Look at you go. >> Trust trap. Okay, we're going to take a small itty bitty break from Rocket League. to apparently uh no watching. >> Never mind. I guess we're going to stay on Rocket League. Mario Carter is just not up and running right now. >> Oh, okay. >> Carter with the demo, though. Carter with another demo. >> Is Carter demo chasing? >> He might be. Yes, I think he is. >> Oh, Jordan just got demoed though. >> Oh. Oh. Oh, that's our goal. >> Jro, >> I got so excited.
So, thank you for having that right. The public may while you likely, excuse me, offer um and you did tonight, public comment, it's not mandated that public comment be offered. It is a great idea that public comment be offered. Um certainly people want to have the opportunity to express their opinions to their elected um officials locally, but the public may not address the committee without the permission of the chair. I don't think I've ever seen here where people are just shouting out from the audience. They know the routine, they follow it, and it works well. as uh Stacy mentioned when she opened the um when they opened the meeting is if anyone else in the audience is recording, they should uh let the chair be aware of that so that other members of the public who may be in the audience um who have particular reasons for not wanting their identity shared on social media or anywhere else um have the opportunity to know that's happening and they can leave the room.
I just wanted to say the unified sports is actually one of the best things that my kids have been in. They love the interaction. And actually, my oldest actually learned a lot of valuable skills and she's very excited to have this opportunity. And thank you to Miss Ranciato and the staff who made it possible at Island. [applause] >> Michelle's here. Michelle. >> Yeah. Um, next we have another student recognition and I will ask um Dr. Solen, do you want to introduce? >> Sure. Um, it's my honor this evening to recognize one of our our students and my table buddy from our superintendent awards dinner. Um, but I want to give uh Mr. Hanland and perhaps Miss Picarella, the director of so youth and social services for the town of Cheshure, the opportunity to step to the uh podium and introduce our special honore this evening.