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Um, and I give every compliment to to Dr. Huffman. I mean, we've met with community leaders. You know, we sat down with with M Kea from the Oral Prayer Center to seek support and and also to seek out uh feedback for what our community would be responsive to. Um, so I'm a little bit concerned that we're we're we're we're being accused of not following direction because I do feel like we've been following direction as to how we've done everything up until this point in time. I mean, I've been in this district for 23 years. I know how curriculum is built. >> We want to make sure that we have qualified teachers before we have kids registered for courses because what we don't want to do in March is tell kids we can't offer courses for them. And we face that in CTE. We face that in other curriculums as well.
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It endangers with an s. It's an active term. Is it in does it end in danger right now is how I'm interpreting it. So to me, those 21 of level three trees are a no-brainer. Assuming we do, you know, half of them are dead already. Assuming we do a sitewalk and the rest of the 21, there's reasonable explanation that they are currently endangering um public essentially public safety. I see no problem with removing those 21. The rest of these, this is not just a road. This is a scenic route that requires some protection. I don't think this is okay to do just because it's next to a forest. That's exactly why it's there. We happen to have a scenic route because it's next to a forest. It happens to have more issues because it is a scenic route. That's the nature of the beast. If you don't want any type of risk, then you're not going to have scenic routes because you're going to want to remove the trees.
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So it's not unique to this challenge. It's unique to the if unfortunate uh job pool that is out there for a lot of curriculum not just for for for world language uh but for CTE and and and and family consumer sciences and also I mean EL bilingual is a great example. We've not been compliant for our kids that are most critical Arabic speaking kids. We've been out of compliance since I got superintendent the superintendency. we are no longer okay with being that complaint and we're hiring teachers as we speak so that those kids have the services that they've needed for years and and that's just getting to the baseline that we need to get to let alone building from there. So I I agree that there's some frustration that we haven't moved as quickly as we we need to. But I also think that we haven't also unpacked some of the things we we needed to address first and that is what exactly um what both Charles and Anita have have done with their teams is making sure at least we're compliant at that level.
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So to me, there has to be some conversation about what level of comfort do we have with um as long as it's not endangering, what level of comfort do we have with some expense by Eversource and by the town of Ashlin to protect a statutoily protected scenic route? >> All right. >> Is it more expensive? Yes. So to me, I personally >> I just want to make sure you're only making your arguments once. Okay. So and it sounds >> that's fine. I I'm just making it clear that I for one would not remove all 40 plus. I don't think the statute allows it. >> All right. Thank you. Anyone else have comments on this? >> So I think um >> I I just think I we need to find solution. We I think we have experts who've really gone through that and u after hearing Becca's kind of her side of explanation of these 46 and if ever source is willing to find a location for us to plant those I think that's a good balance.
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Do we want to move beyond that? Absolutely. Could we have done it yesterday? No, we couldn't have done it yesterday because we would have built a system that I think would have actually not been to the benefit of our students. But I think we're working towards it. >> Yeah. I I mean I totally agree and appreciate all your comments. I mean from the moment I got on the board we've been working on this topic. So I know the effort that Dr. Huffman have put in and the thoughtfulness that you've put in. Um but you know as as you said you know we don't want to offer something to students that we don't think that we can staff and that's the only reason why I think you know I would love to see us if it's feasible to try to open up that window you know prior to course selection because if if you know otherwise we're going to end up in that exact position where we offer it it gets approved and then we don't have staffing right I mean just to spread it open right because if we can't find the candidates then we can't offer it to students and and I just want to expand that window of hiring if it's at all possible.
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Um, and I think that's a condition that I would love to see if we can follow up and get that in action and solve this versus trying to debate whether those 21 trees are dead, not dead. I'm not sure if we I I personally don't think I have the expertise even if I walk through and learn to identify. I don't know if I would do that, but that's me. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, I think the the um the sitewalk that um was the intention was certainly not at least I will not be participating in a three-hour sitewalk, but the sitewalk in my view was intended to as an educational opportunity for the board to try to understand some of the knowledge um that Matthew and and Becca um Becca I've worked with before at the arboritum and on different other things related to conservation with her.
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>> And that that would be up to the board, but we can certainly do that in the fall of next year if that's what the board would choose to do. >> Um before we move on, member Dalton, you haven't had a chance to speak, so I want to give you closing comments on this topic. >> Well, I'm just going to come from a little outside of the box on this conversation. Um we look at the number of educators that are available to us and how limited that is. And so when we're talking to our students that are in our buildings today and we're talking about career paths, I think this is something that we should be sharing out to our present students. And I'm not saying we're waiting till they graduate our doors and then they go to college for four years. But to, you know, this is this is a language that is growing and there's going to be resources needed whether it's in district 230 or beyond.
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Um I absolutely trust anything she says about trees and um but so would be a great opportunity to educate the board to learn a little piece of her expertise if we have that opportunity with the snow with the roads the way they are and that we all won't get hit by a truck while we're looking at trees. So that's an opportunity for that. Um I I think um as far in my opinion as far as um the scenic roads, I think it's I think it's a a a bigger question than um than small words in in the bylaws about emergency or or whatever. Um, I think we're looking out for the long-term um, health of our community in general, which includes trees, which includes people, and about how we maintain our environment. And in my mind, this has come up before where every little tree, you know, um, causes another tree not to grow to its fullest potential.
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And so, um, I would encourage that we encourage those students that have the love of language that, um, we see potential being teachers to let them know that this is a a void that needs to be filled and that if they're looking for job security, um, this would be one of those areas. So, um to approach that also for the future as we're trying to navigate um this narrow narrow uh pool of educators that can that can provide these services at this time. >> To piggy back off that quickly and then we're going to move on. I gave I was I received a contact of a man who was interested in providing 230 scholarships for students interested in going in that area. I did give him contact to Miss Butterman. Um so that's also another way that people can help for um support financially when we go to honors nights and see things like that for future um endeavors.
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I think this is easy to see when you visit a park like Cushing. When you see a tree that's not surrounded by trees, you have these beautiful specimen trees. And when you go out to a normal woods where the trees are all packed in, none of them are great. They tend to be right. So, um, so that's that's my take. I don't have any problem with these 46 trees, especially if Becca has okayed it. I would okay it. So, but it sounds like um it it sounds like maybe people are interested in the site visit. We'd have to see that. Yes. How many people on the board are willing to come to this site visit or Yeah. Oh, but except I don't have time, you know, for that. So, either we're willing to do it or we're not. >> So, I think we exchanged our availability at the last meeting.
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So thank you very much. As we've promised, this was going to be a comprehensive and deep presentation. So your efforts I said at the beginning were impressive. You continue to prove that every day you and Mr. Abando. So thank you. Um, we will be back more with this at the education committee and keep it moving along. >> All right. Thank you, Nina. >> Thank you. To keep the board meeting moving along now, we are going to go on to the superintendent's report. >> Yes, I will uh I will expedite this because everything in my report has been talked about at Nauseium tonight. So, if you have a question, I'll answer it, but otherwise, I'll pass and get to the next uh item. >> Whatever whatever you prefer, sir.
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I thought Jasmine >> I think we were looking at Tuesday of next week. >> Um, >> was that sent around >> I I think it was >> I didn't I didn't send anything after. Yeah, I think it's just something we talked about is Wednesday of next week at 4 to 5. I put it in my calendar right away. Four to five or 5 to 6 something. >> Was it five to six? >> Might have been five to six. >> So, and to look at some samples of trees, maybe picking an area um so that really more for our education than anything and then we can go, you know, go from there. Um we'll hit times by then. So, we'll have a little daylight savings time. I think it's coming up this >> or is it or is it right after that? It might be right after that.
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>> Any questions? I think we're good. Okay. Next, I need a motion for the adoption of policies. I move that the school board approve the adoption of policies uh 212, 2150, 2270, 410, 430, 480, 4140, 4190, 510, 590, 5100, 5190, 5200, 5220, 5280, 5300, 620, 640, 6160, 6210, 6260, 6300, 6310, 6315, 6320, 710, 770, 7180, 7190, 7290, 7315, 734, 4830, 7150, and 6280. >> I second. >> Second.
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Sorry, maybe it's March 5th. It might be right after. >> So, I do want to clarify this is not a bylaw. I'm talking about a state law. So, this is not like a little town bylaw that requires interpretation. This is actually state law regulated. Um, and then the other thing I wanted to say is I for one, again, I'm going to reiterate those first 21 trees I have no problem with and I don't need to look at them. um the ones that are in category two and one. Again, I'm going to stand by my position that I don't see how the state law allows it. I'm not sure there's any benefit to look at them for me. I would vote against that. >> Okay, that's fine. I want to make sure we're not repeating our I want to make sure we're not repeating our arguments, which keeps us here late, >> right?
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Any questions? >> All right, Lisa, if you could take the role. >> Yes. >> Kelly, >> yes. >> Member. >> Yes. >> Motion passed. Next, may I have a motion for um policy 660? I make the motion to amend the motion for policy 660 to include the following um language or or word. I want to include Arabs in section 19 of 660 after Albanians. >> Uh I don't know how technical we want to get, but I think that somebody has to make the motion as presented before we make a motion to amend that motion. >> No, it's correct. >> Correct. >> That's correct. >> So make the motion now. All right. >> All right. Just give me one second. >> I move that the school board approve the adoption of board policy 660. >> We need a second. >> I second. >> Member Dalton. Seconded.
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Make sure it's new. >> What trees are we actually looking at on Wednesday? >> I think we would be looking at samples. To me, I would say be looking at samples in the three category, samples in the two category, and a sample in the one category. What do these look like to us? That's what I'm interested in in education and not going tree to tree to tree and voting on each one, which I don't think anyone has an interest to do. So, is there any input on that interpretation of our site visit and how many people are able to be there at 5:00 at whatever sites determined on Wednesday at five o'clock. >> Do you want Did you want to meet here? >> Um I think we should probably meet wherever it is. >> Yeah, we should meet there. It's going to be uh dusk not too long after that.
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>> Then member Jabber. >> I make the motion to amend the motion for policy 660 to include the following Arabs in section 19 of policy 660 after Albanians in alphabetical order. Uh I would like to second the motion to amend so that we can discuss it. >> Okay. All right. There is a second for an amendment. Um we now have questions and comments. >> Uh I just want to make the comment that um you know we had Adam from the teachers association up here early talking about um you know a collaborative effort and talking about curriculum. Um, I while I support the idea of amending the motion to include ArabAmericans and the contributions that they've made to American history and American society, um, that would require an amendment to our curriculum. And I just think that it should go back to our teachers association first for a discussion and and then I would like to see this amendment to the policy brought back to us to make sure that we're not overstepping what we're our obligations and our commitments are to the teachers association.
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>> Okay. So may we could try to wind it back to 4:30 or and and I would say to to choose obviously a a site that would that would utilize our time best. We might be able to stand in one spot and see three different types of trees. >> I definitely can't do 4:30. 5 5:15 is the earliest that I can do. I have a meeting till 5. So >> through the chair, um I apologize to interrupt again. I do have a conservation commission meeting next Wednesday at 6 pm. And so if if you're looking much later than 5:00 pm on that Wednesday, I will have to leave the site visit early so that I can be in attendance for that conservation commission meeting. >> So that so that is the time we had agreed on next time. Is a weekend better? Are people around this weekend?
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I'd like to make a comment. Um, knowing with policy is different than amending just a regular motion. I have been doing a little history. I did check with the regional office of education a couple weeks ago on this and they said one of the things especially with 660 is to work with legislation. So, that being said, member Dalton and I are going to Springfield at the end of March and they you had to fill out a questionnaire of interesting topics that you would like to discuss with our regional legislators. And I did put on there to discuss that to see if they could get that changed on a larger level. If you read 660, it has a a list of a lot of other different groups. And I think your um your your idea, member Jabber, has merit and we promise that Sue and I will bring that forward when we do talk to a legislator.
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This >> weekend is not good. >> Not good for you. But I mean like I'm also like >> I don't need to see the >> Okay. >> Wait. So it sounds like you're you're okay. She Angela do you want to do the site visit? Like who wants to do the site visit? >> How about you Paul? >> I I am going for educational purposes only. I have no issue taking out the trees. >> Okay. So, um, Anna, what are you you're What about you? Are you able to wind back to 4:30 or >> So, as I Hold on. Here we go. So, I my regular work schedule is until 5:30. I can try to be there as close to 5 as I possibly can because I'll try my best. Like I said, I for me, I already I don't see the need for me to go there.
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