>> Yeah. So, so the Department of Ed has a it's called a Desi profile page and if you click on on that particular you can go to every single school district in the Commonwealth and there's information that's that's packed in there in terms of full-time employee status so FTEES right but they list faculty only and uh so teaching staff so our teaching staff has so I've made the comment publicly um here admitted Adam um I've made the the comment publicly that that our staffing numbers will go back after after losing the 13.2 FTEEs in this budget cycle will >> still Yeah. No, he's coming in. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um sorry, >> I put Yeah, it's maybe delayed mark up there on mine. Um the um lost my train the 13.2 two positions um have put us in a situation where in 2017 the same number of full-time employees, right?
Um so that's I think there's I see a lot of that right I see some morning meetings uh still happening just as a way to you know start that day the building community um but it's pockets right it's pockets um yeah we don't really have we're talking about right we don't really have a district curriculum but that's something that >> we use second step yeah >> all right thank Thank you, Member Diamond. >> Thank you all for being here. Um it's wonderful to hear about some of the progress that's being made um in these schools. Uh my daughter attended AAL and uh we had a wonderful experience. So, thank you. Um I have uh three points, some with sort of a question component. Um first of all uh there's a motion tonight uh to create an ad hoc uh committee uh to study the state of literacy in our schools.
I see some morning meetings uh still happening just as a way to you know start that day the building community um but it's pockets right it's pockets um yeah but we don't really have we we're talking about right we don't really have a district seal curriculum but that's something that >> we use second step yeah >> yeah all right thank you member Don >> thank Thank you all for being here. Um it's wonderful to hear about some of the progress that's being made um in these schools. Uh my daughter attended AAL and uh we had a wonderful experience. So thank you. Um I have uh three points some with sort of a question component. Um first of all uh there's a motion tonight uh to create an ad hoc uh committee uh to study the state of literacy in our schools. Uh it's a motion by member uh Goodwin and I hope to serve on that committee.
Does anybody have any questions? Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, ma'am. Yes. Um because it doesn't fit anywhere in here um in the agenda and because it was part of your update here, I want to circle back to the uh concern about um kindergarten enrollment uh for the um families interested in the magnet school. Because when we met and discussed and voted um I don't think that was on anybody's horizon. It certainly wasn't on mine. Um I think that um the the question has been about kindergarten enrollment, right? So these families would need a waiver from Brookfield, right? Is that correct? And so because we have dis we voted to discontinue that program, that means that Brookfield families that are interested in this option are walled off from that. I don't think that that was the intention. I think that the evidence that was presented to us um if I remember correctly was that it had not been efficacious here and that of the 30, you know, families, that only five had met the requirements from the screening, whatever.
We are starting up for the first time um this year the Parent Advisory Committee. And then um each school site has Parent Teacher Clubs, PTCs. So, each of these slides that I'm going to go through gives you a little bit of information and the community um what what are these, right? Like what are these committees? So, the English Learner Advisory Committee, what is it? A school-level committee for parents and other community members who want to advocate for English Learners. >> [clears throat] >> The purpose, the ELAC advises the principal and school staff on programs and services for students learning English. And why it's important to join. Um you, the parent or guardian, [clears throat] are the expert on your child's needs. Um helps decide how the school supports language acquisition and ensures your culture and language are respected and integrated into the school environment. DELAC is very similar.
Um we are aware of a couple states that are implementing menstrual health education. I believe California and Oregon, so we're just starting to look at some of their examples um knowing that this resolution is is um moving through the legislation. Well, that's why I guess I'm concerned because we have a lot of military population and if, you know, um they're not getting this education at all on the mainland and they're not teaching it at the appropriate time here. So, I'm not sure if we also teach it in at a high school level or not. Okay, Senator Dela Cruz. Thank you. I have a two-part question, please. So, according to Act 113, do you folks know uh how much money is being appropriated into those products? Oh, I don't uh um have that number um but we can look into it. Okay. >> us. We will work with our office of student support services um and we will get that information.
And then the last day we celebrate with a graduation. We invite the families. We receive uh again all free and CF supports us with refreshments for our families. So it it is the full experience that we try to give to to our students. Um, and it's a little bit old this video, but I we wanted you to have uh to kind of see a glimpse of what Destination College is. So college is a program that is offered to students that are going into the sixth grade. They get to come to town community college and participate in classes and listen to guest speakers and talk about college and it's just a great exposure to college. I wanted to be a part of Destination College because I heard a few sixth graders talking about it. Um, and after a presentation with the teachers, I thought it would be a cool idea to see what it was like.
Two, that the board approved list is presented for committee and public input. And finally, along with feedback, returning to the board for final approval prior to implementation. Um, while stakeholder input is valuable and it is included in our own policy to do so, this responsibility in the end is not delegated. It rests solely with the board and our role is clear. Uphold standards, exercise sound judgment, and ensure our decisions reflect both evidence and the trust of the families we serve. >> And I would just say we've been doing that. And so I'd be very very cautious of what we're going to do with this. And it ain't going to be my fight because I ain't going to be here. But um I would sit and and say the reason why we've brought and we've talked about the the process that we've used for the better part of five or six u months or seven months that we've gone ahead and and and posted and brought forward meetings so that everybody could come and take a look at it.
Not necessarily the same number of teachers. And I want to be clear because that was the question that was presented to me. The state focuses on the number of teachers. They don't they're not looking at um pair professionals, um school psychologists, administrators, all of custodial staff, like all of the employees that exist within the Ash public schools. And yes, our numbers of educators, classroom instructional educators has increased, but we've also created numerous programs, right? I think about the number of of specialized programs that we've created and we have teachers in there. Um, so those programs have have increased the number of of folks. So our full-time employees is dropping back to 2017 levels, but yes, it's fair to say the teaching numbers have increased um, you know, slightly. So thanks Paul, but I want to get back to chapter 70 11,000 11,996,000. We're only anticipating another increase of about 220,000.
Uh it's a motion by member uh Goodwin and I hope to serve on that committee. Um very interested in literacy and um I'm so I'm happy to hear that we're making good progress. It is clearly one of the most important things that we can be doing um right now to prepare our students. Um and uh so I look forward to working with you uh more directly on that topic and um finding solutions. So I wanted to know if there's anything on uh that you want us to know uh um as we're going to be studying that data uh going forward um about the relationship between literacy in our schools on the one hand, right? And then there's a sort of tension that arises because um it seems to me that we're using UFly and Lexia and um programs that are pretty computer-based right now. And then I'm starting to hear from some parents who feel that there's their children are spending too much time on computers in schools.
Um very interested in literacy and um I'm so I'm happy to hear that we're making good progress. It is clearly one of the most important things that we can be doing um right now to prepare our students um and uh so I look forward to working with you uh more directly on that topic and um finding solutions. So, I wanted to know if there's anything on uh that you want us to know uh um as we're going to be studying that data uh going forward um about the relationship between literacy in our schools on the one hand, right? And then there's a sort of tension that arises because um it seems to me that we're using EUly and Lexia and um programs that are pretty computer-based right now. And then I'm starting to hear from some parents who feel that there's their their children are spending too much time on computers in schools.
But um I I just feel like it's it's too heavy a club to to to wall these families off from this opportunity. The magnet school is a fantastic um learning opportunity that we make available to interested families if they get in the lottery. So to to have Sorry. But right, this is only for pre-screening early enrollment. So it would stop that we're not like um We're not preventing >> We're not preventing them from being able to enroll next year. We're not saying they can't enroll in magnet school. What we're saying is they are asking to enroll before their birth date. So to me it's the same I mean it's the same struggle and the same heart string and the same heartache and the same like it weighs in the same table as us denying not denying, but you know, changing the program this year. Now it's been state legislated, so it's going to change next year anyway.
It's the district-wide English Learner Advisory Committee. Uh when a district has 51 or more English Learners, they form this committee to look at sort of the bigger picture district-wide on what is the district um doing to address their students that are learning English. Um the purpose, DELAC advises the district board on district-wide goals, teacher training, and the master plan for English Learner services. And why it would be important for a parent or guardian to join, influence policy that affects all schools in the district, connect with parents from other sites to share what's working, and your voice ensures that district-level funding is spent where it matters most for EL students.
Okay, yeah, uh because it actually taps into the second part of my question, which because your testimony states that uh the department already provides a comprehensive medically accurate sexual sexual health education. Um however, according to the data, it says about 48% of students uh receive little or no information before their first period. So, I think it's important to understand that the legislature is appropriating funds so that these products can be available in every school, public school, and charter school, but then if there's no education, then there's not really that process to be followed if they don't know what it's there for. I'm assuming these products are being held in the health room or maybe in even in some classrooms. So, maybe if you go to some state buildings, there are the machines there. Uh so, I think the missing piece of this is the education piece and uh I don't want to speculate, but it sounds a little bit by your testimony that it's kind of like a uh um as needed um uh a form of education as opposed to what um vice chair was talking about it being just a blanket education because we're not going to know, they're not going to know until they know and by then it's too late.
PSI is my favorite class because I can solve crime scenes and investigate, see what happened. I taught the great outdoors and the students got to learn a little bit about water conservation. They got to come out and study the ecosystem, birds and plants and then they got to talk about archaeology. >> The benefit of this program is that it allows students to see how attainable and how accessible college can be for them and just in their local community. So, it's not far out of reach and we have a lot of partnerships even within district and for high school programs that allow for college sports as well. >> I would tell them that it's a really fun experience and they should definitely try to get in. All right. So with that I will hand it to my students to speak about secondary. Madam President, members of the board superintendency, my name is Renee Sweden.
If if we want to switch it, if I'm understanding what you're saying, that's okay. That's your choice as a board. But then there has to be a commitment that says you're going to do all the work that currently that committee is doing. And if there's not a commitment of five people to do the work that that committee is doing, then we're going to put ourselves in a little bit of a pickle when it comes time to it. If I'm reading it right, because I understand I understand what you're saying or maybe I don't, but I just want to be very very cautious is what we're trying to do is be very transparent in what we present and then allow you to make the final decision. But I thought I heard in there and again I could be wrong, but I thought I heard in there a much greater role for the board in this process.
So, $75 a child. That's what we're anticipating uh coming from the state at this point in time. Uh as I've mentioned previously, state budget will not be out until July. Uh so, you know, we're advocating uh you know, with Karen and and Jack, you know, to make sure that um you know, they hear us from the superintendent's organization that last year they moved it from $75 to 150. If we can get it to another $150, what's that give us? another 210,000. Right. So that certainly would go a long way with um to the community. I will say one thing, the general government aid has been flat for years. They're not seeing significant changes. Um and I think we've advocated for school funding to be looked at differently in the chapter 70 formula. Uh I think they need to the state needs to sit step back a little bit and look at the town general government aid too.
So if that's putting us at an impass, um I would like to open a dialogue with you all about how to possibly overcome such an impass. And um and then finally, the the last thing that I wanted to bring up is the issue of sugary foods in schools. Um I I think that it's our obligation to provide healthy foods for our um our kids and my uh my daughter has informed me that she has access to Lucky Charms at school. Um, so I'm just want to informally invite you to take a look at um the situation on that front um as as a favor to me as a member of the community. >> I think you just became part of the wellness committee. >> Yeah. Thank you. Uh other comments, questions? >> Go for it. Member Goodwin. Carol, if I don't see you, thank you so much.
So if that's putting us at an impass, um I would like to open a dialogue with you all about how to possibly overcome such an impass. And um and then finally the the last thing that I wanted to bring up is the issue of sugary foods in schools. Um I I think that it's our obligation to provide healthy foods for our um our kids and my uh my daughter has informed me that she has access to Lucky Charms at school. Um so I'm just want to informally invite you to take a look at um the situation on that front um as as a favor to me as a member of the community. >> I think you just became part of the wellness committee. >> Yeah. Thank you. Uh, other comments, questions. Go for it. Member Goodwin Carol, if I don't see you, thank you so much.
Um but to me it's if I totally and completely sympathize [clears throat] and empathize and understand and it's a difficult change, especially if you, you know, weren't expecting it, but if we open it up, we if we reconsider our vote and open it back up, we have to consider all of Brookfield families. >> I understand that. I understand the complication there. So I'm wondering I guess um Mr. Friesel, put this on you um because of the unique situation with the lottery system um for the magnet school um is this the sort of thing that you could um Or actually maybe I could because I last year was the um board connection liaison to the magnet school to ask if they could um Could they be part of enrollment next year? >> on the on the um lottery admittance for next year. for next year. >> So, they could be in enrollment for next year.