001[music] Good evening. I'd like to call this meeting of the New Britain Board of Education to order. The time is 6:00 p.m. Um, could we please stand for the pledge of allegiance? >> Dr. Kurski, will you lead us, please? >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. important. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, could we please have the roll call? >> Absolutely. I got President Diana Reyes >> here. >> Vice President Barbara Marino >> here. >> Secretary Dr. Amy Pazorski >> here. >> Mr. Anthony Kaine >> here. >> Miss Annie Parker >> here. >> Miss Hannah Patrisco >> here. >> Miss Joan Pina >> speaking >> here. >> Mr. Richard
002>> here. >> Mr. Jose Rivera >> here. >> And Miss Tina Sant >> here. >> I'd like to call for a moment of meditation. Um during this time we just want to keep in mind the family, friends and teachers of Melvin ODart Garcia who is one of our students from Catalyst. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um public participation we don't have anyone signed up. Is there anyone who would like to address the board? Is there anyone who would like to address address the board? And once more, is there anyone who would like to address the board? >> Superintendent report. >> Good evening, Madam President. Um, which is not my typical style, but um, I have been doing lately. I actually have a prepared statement. This is actually an email that I just sent to staff
003and to the board prior to my leaving the office early this afternoon. Firstly, it's happy teachers appreciation week. I know it's tough to be optimistic sometimes, but we do truly honor and value our teachers and it's uh we do very very much thank for the contribution that they give to our kids, the New Britain kids every single day. Um I know that individual schools are really doing wonderful things in honor of their teachers. So, if the board would like to join me in a round of applause for our teachers. [applause] [applause] >> Thank you all for what you do. >> You too. >> It's not superintendent week, but I'll take it. >> Start somewhere. >> So, as as you may have heard, governor and the legislature have approved substantial increase in funding for districts. The
004impact for New Britain is an additional $13.3 million. This is a huge boost to our budget gap. I would remind us that our last conversation at this table was based on a uh guess an estimate of 11 million. So this is 2.3 million more than the last time we spoke. We know that this support was made possible by broad-based advocacy by students, parents, staff, our mayor, and the legislative delegation. On behalf of the kids of New Britain, thank you to everyone who advocated at the state level in any way. On be uh your advocacy definitely made a difference. At this board meeting tonight, I'll be at the end of this address. I'll be announcing personnel and items that I recommend to be taken off of the potential reductions list. This boost from the state brings
005our budget into a range that is actually better than in some previous years. We began our process needing 18.9 million or 14.82%. Please remember that this is a no frills, no extras budget. This was just to maintain current services. With this weekend's announcement from the state, our budget gap is now 5.6 million or 4.38%. This is a huge change. However, the work is not yet done. This Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Miss Alfano and I will present the board's budget to common council. I'm extremely happy to be presenting a 4.38% budget rather than 14.82, but 5.6 6 million is still a lot of money to be sure. There remain positions, materials, and programs on the line and potentially cut. I appreciate the fact that the mayor's budget adds 1 million to our general fund. This is
006an excellent start. I'm hoping that common council will find ways to bridge the gap even further. I know that this is not this is not an easy decision for the council, but I'm also 100% confident in our budget preparation and its honesty. I want to talk a little bit about why I believe that this budget season has been so tumultuous and it comes down to timing. The story of this year's budget is one of timing. In the past, we've been very thankful to receive large increases from the state in the form of alliance dollars, also called ECS. Our legislative delegation played a large role in advocating for us in this way. What's critical to know and in the past two years we knew while building the budget that the 8 plus million was on its
007way. It would be coming from the state. Therefore, we were able to build in that 8 million or more into our budget projections. This meant that our request to the city was reduced by this amount this year. Initially, the governor's fiscal year 27 budget projected that alliance districts like ours would not get any increases. Therefore, we did not have additional state funds in our budget. And this meant that the full impact of inflation had to go into our request from the city. Now that we've received the 13.3 million or at least word of the 13.3 million, we're in a much better position. The unfortunate timing of this budget is no one's fault. So, this puts us back to more of a normal request from the city. In the past two years, when we knew about
008alliance increases in in advance and they were built in, we excuse [clears throat] me, they were built in. This year, official sources were saying that alliance would have no increase until the announcement just this weekend. So for example in fiscal year 25 the gap to level services was 14.3 million but we were told in advance to expect 8.6 million in alliance last year or last budget year or budgeting for the year that we're in right now. The the gap to level services was 23.6 million but we were told to expect 9 million in alliance. Therefore the budget request was reduced to 14.6 six. Beginning this year, we had no alliance coming from any official channels. So, the full 18.9 went into the request to the city. However, just this weekend, receiving news of the 13.3
009that's subtracted from this 18.9. So, now the board's request the board's requested budget is 5.6 million. Very, very different than we began this process with. Um for Ms. Alfano and the staff and I, we began this process back in October. The board received the budget as your holiday present wrapped with a bow. Um you know that number of 18.9 has stayed consistently. So this is my attempt. I know it's a very long email and I know people don't usually read past the fourth line of any email, but it's it's my attempt to express how we got there. How so many people seemed to make so many accusations about why this budget looked the way it did. It's simply and unfortunately about timing. >> Unfortunate timings. So, um I I this is not um in writing
010yet because Dr. Sanders and I still have a little bit more work to do, but what I believe we will uh I will be making my recommended changes to the uh list of cuts is we believe that 12 of the 15 non-renewals will be removed from the list. We believe that um the family school liaison can be reinstated to their current level of service and that the uh pre kindergarten transportation can be kept at its current level. Those three items total the 2.3 million which is the difference between 133 and the 11 million that we discussed [clears throat] only a few nights ago. Mhm. >> So, I'll pause there to see if there are questions from from the board about any of that. >> And this doesn't include the one running from the city yet.
011>> That is correct. So, it's it's obviously no disrespect to the mayor, but I treat the mayor's budget like I treat my own. The superintendent makes a recommendation to the board and then the board adopts the budget. The mayor makes a recommendation to the council and the council adopts a budget. So, yes, we know, as I stated in my email to the faculty and and and to you all, that yes, we know that the mayor has proposed a 1 million increase, and it's in the quote unquote right place. It's in the general fund budget, which we definitely appreciate. Um, but nonetheless, that would still leave us with approximately a $4.6 million gap if if that were the only increase from the city to come true. So, I do want to encourage everybody to continue their
012polite, respectful, but purposeful advocacy with the council. Um, I share the thoughts of people like, um, the school state finance project, CCM. Uh, in my 30 years, I don't know if I've seen this level of advocacy. Um, every district in the state received some form of additional support. Um, I'm not sure if it's the top owner, but I took note of the Hartford number. Hartford's number is 33 million total. Um, but to see our students at the legislative office building, our staff, our board members, and I know that our elected officials were there as well advocating for us. Um, I believe this is proof that it works when you when you have the facts and when you share them in a respectful way and you're persistent. Um, this is how the democratic process is supposed
013to work. So, it it's heartening. We still do have a ways to go. We're we're not done, right? There's still at 4.6 million. Again, if the 1 point if the 1 million comes true from the mayor's budget, 4.6 is not insignificant. It still would mean staffing and and program and material reductions. Um, but I'm committed to continuing to work with city hall as uh as much as they want to be worked with. I guess I'll say it that way. >> So, on a happier note to finish up the well, I guess that was a happy note, too. But on a more typical and kid- centric note, the dispatch for this month, what an amazing photo. I happened to attend the uh the matinea showing I guess it was of Elus and the Frozen Princess. Um
014I was really impressed by these kids by the work that the the staff and the teachers did to get these kids ready. It was a long production and the kids did great with the singing and their lines and the staging. Really really amazing. So kudos to the kids of Jefferson and the teachers that helped them do so well. It was really, really neat. Um, the building the vegan article, I was sad I missed it this year. I was at a meeting uh at another location, but our um Dr. Martin Luther King essay contest winners that Mr. Richardson and Miss Bordello kind of ran that operation for us. It was a great event as always right here in this room. a feature story about the Jefferson production and then another feature story about Earth Day and
015really some great activities for our kids. So, another wonderful edition of the district dispatch. As usual, you get your advanced copy and that's my report for this evening, Madam President. >> Thank you. >> Committee reports policy. >> We did meet um discussed again the drug and alcohol policy. I know we review some revives language. Just a couple other additional questions. So, that was tabled and then we hope to be wrapping that up shortly, but nothing too brief on today. Curriculum. Um, we also met Miss Leona Clerkin um gave a rundown of the music um curriculum and talked about various goals. that did various um grades and the exposure to different types of music and um and that has gone to consent agenda. >> Thank you. Finance, facilities and transportation. of transportation. Miss Mr. Gonzalez informed
016the committee the following operations and timeline continuing monitoring and adjustments routing and adjustments and cost sharing that we received for 7,6968 as of 42626 and vtor vendor accountability fees will be deducted from upcoming vendor payments. facilities district repairs and improvement repairs grant to receive uh and receive and improvement repairs 830,73571 by June 2026 to be used to stay in compliance with Connecticut law reporting requirements and inspection and she also gave us an update on special project Mr. your um update on special projects. It three schools still need training on direct messaging and calling systems. ERA cyber security pilot update applications is near. Completion and funding discussion will soon follow. finance. We went over the ex expenditure summary by category for March 2026. Board will need to approve the bud budget transfer which is 2.4 million
017and that's my report. >> Thank you. And personnel >> and personnel we only had one item and that was a job description for summer music workshop to write the um Mr. Chuck L who had been doing this for quite a while retired after 40 years. So now we have to pass the one out. But that's the only item we have is on the consent agenda. >> Thank you. Board reports. [laughter] >> Okay. Um I have something. It's not a report in the sense that all of this information has been shared publicly, but um I wanted to consolidate it um in order to emphasize um the amazing leadership of the women and who share space with us in this room every month. Uh the first one is Laura Bulki um who was given the award administrator
018of the year from the Connecticut Federation of School Administrators. Um >> [applause] >> The second is madame president of the board Diana Reyes who was accepted to the master's in educational leadership program at Harvard grad graduate school [applause] and this one is sad for me because Dr. Velasquez. I just met you a year ago, but I wanted to say this title and we're really sad to see you go, but it's an incredible opportunity. Right. Dr. Velasquez accepted a job as executive director of early learning and engagement at Mount Hood Community College in Oregon beginning in July. [applause] And I'm sorry, on that note, I also wanted to congratulate uh Marielle and Manning on her um feature as well. [applause] >> Um I'm always talking about the high school. Um the top 10 um top 10%
019awards are this week. Um on stage is Friday. And then if you want to um feel really really good about the high school on Instagram there is a page about decision days and the kids post where they're going >> and um and it's really very very cool to see what they what their plans are after high school and um two really stuck out. One kid is going to Harvard and I believe I heard he's going on a full scholarship which is amazing. And then one is going to UCLA which is also a huge accomplishment. So it's just cool to see where the kids are going and what they plan on majoring in. And um >> it anyone else. >> Okay. >> Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers. >> Oh yes. Happy Mother's Day in
020advance. [laughter] >> Um new business item A. Approve minutes from the regular board of education meeting on April 6, 2026. So moved. Second. >> All in favor? Item B, approve the minutes from the special board of education meeting on April 16th, 2026. So second. >> All in favor? >> Item C, approve minutes from the special board of education meeting on April 23rd, 2026. >> Second. >> Those in favor? >> We have a lot of meetings. Item D, approve minutes from the special board of education meeting on April 29th, 2026. >> So move. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Item E, report of personnel transactions and extracurricular appointments. >> Second. >> Any questions or discussion? Wait, do I see a retirement of a Clifford Parker? >> Yep. [laughter] >> Oh, that's lovely. [laughter] >>
021Congratulations to Claire. Item F, our enrollment report. >> Could we have a motion to approve, please? >> Yes. I think we had a motion and a second. We just >> All those in favor? >> Thank you. >> Item F, enrollment report. As the board can see, we remain relatively stable, down just a about 30 or 40 students compared to last month when you total everything together. >> This is for information only. >> Any questions or discussion? Item G, approve contract between CSDNB and synced collaborative therapy for BCDA services for the 2026 2027 school year districtwide and it is local funding. >> So we'll second >> discussion. >> Any discussion? >> Yes. Question. >> Um are these two new additional position? I know we've had four BCBAs on the vacancy list that are now being covered
022by Blazer Works >> temps. >> Are these two additionals or are these two of that four now with somebody else? >> These are uh separate from that. But this is continuing services. These these are actually down from three to [clears throat] two contracted with this for very specific children who need this service. >> Oh okay. So this has already been >> this is in existence now. It's actually a decrease from three to two BCBAs. >> Gotcha. >> Any other questions or discussion? >> All those in favor? >> Any opposed? >> I would just note I I've mentioned this once before. You're going to see much more of this at our June meeting. You'll notice that this is tagged for pending available funds for the 2627 school year. Right. As you said, this is gathering your
023approvals should we have the money um so that the superintendent doesn't need to use summer authority quite as much. It's a an approach we've used for the past two summers. >> Yeah, that's why I just wanted to make sure this was not additional something correct. >> Uh I'd like to make a motion to combine items H through M since these are all having to do with the summer school program. If everyone is comfortable with doing so. >> So second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> So the motion is to um approve contracts and there are six different summer programs and the funding source is the summer school grant. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Thank you. On to consent agendas. Is there any items that anyone would like to
024remove? Item D. >> Thank you. >> N M. >> You wanted C and Oh, so I'm sorry, C. Yes, I know you wanted D. [laughter] >> And I'm going to remove item D. >> Okay, item C. >> I just have some questions and I'm so sorry I missed the meeting, the finance meeting. Um, but I don't see Miss Alano here. She's probably taking a very overdue and well much needed >> respect from all of the discussions >> and Zano is actually on a medical leave at the moment. >> Oh heavens. >> So I can do my best otherwise we can um >> gosh our budgets and you put her on a medical leave. [laughter] Sorry >> time I even bought her and a few others lunch last weekend but that didn't help you likely room.
025Okay. [laughter] Um Okay. So, yes, we we're being asked to move 2.4, right? If I got that correctly, there's a number of >> what page, please? >> Reductions under salaries. Uh I think there's 1.2 under everything's going to outside substitute services. >> What's the page number? >> Um sorry. Um 87. Well, it was in the original packet. 87. There there looks to be in the first under salaries a 1.2 million certified salaries 1.1 and then non-certified a 1.2 and all of that was going over to page 88 I think under outside substitute services but we still have a balance there so I was a little confused. >> Those are based on projections through the end of the year I believe Dr. Sanders. Yes. Okay. >> Um, I know that Miss Alfano would not transfer any
026money that wasn't needed. >> I don't question that. I just wanted to confirm and and again, I apologize for not >> no >> tuning into the >> your analysis is is correct and I know that Dr. Sanders and Miss Alfano speak often about the substitute lines both for non-certified meaning the paras and certified meaning teachers >> teachers. Right. Well, and I know I believe in for our budget for next year, we kind of increased those line of items. >> We did. We did. And and what we did, which is is different, we talked about this when I presented my budget, we actually purposely trimmed a little bit from salaries, anticipating some vacancies, so we'll transfer less. >> Typically, we've just budgeted at actuals or what we believe will be actuals. So, we're attempting to have
027this transfer happen hopefully in a smaller amount next year. >> Right. Well, I we've got them and we need to pay them next. >> Obviously, I it was it was curious to see that under transportation, we still haven't gotten bill anything. >> So, we have received bills. We've been uh speaking with Shipman. We're actually um as you've heard Miss Gonzalez mention, I believe, with a different attorney, attorney King from Shipman, and that was uh really just confirmed today. I saw an email between Miss Gonzalez um and Attorney King. >> We are going to start paying those invoices which we contest and we contest them in the way that we would or do damages. So I know it kind of feels like ancient history now but really the the very serious troubles we had with busing
028in the first half of the year. We will be implementing our contractual rights to charge damages i.e. penalties. >> Okay. So, we've been doing that math. Um, I found it somewhat ironic that that it took them three or four months to send us a bill, but then expected to be paid within 30 days. >> Um, so I want to commend Miss Gonzalez, uh, and especially Mr. Valerio, who the cliche of going over something with a fine tooth comb is probably not detailed enough to the degree that Mr. Valerio has been going through these bills and we are not [clears throat] um how shall I say we have substantial evidence in each and every case that we're going to be charging damages as is our contractual right. >> Well again I I understood things were kind
029of in hold and when you go to the bottom very bottom of available balance and see 20 million it's not really 20 million. We've got less transportation. >> That's absolutely correct. Yes. >> Stuff to pay. Um my other the private instate tuition I'm assuming the negative 6.2 million we're awaiting reimbursement >> excess cost reimbursement. That's right. >> And then tuition other services. That kind of scared me. There's a negative 4.8. >> Which page? >> 89. >> Tuition other services. This is going to be one of the lines that Miss Alfano has informed us that we do anticipate being over. >> Okay. So tuition is having to do obviously with special ed tuition. >> Okay. >> Um and she has been warning us of that >> coming in over budget. I want to say um and
030I want to thank Miss Miss Langanger who really as somebody who is not a licensed school administrator does an excellent job of answering people's questions on social media. >> There was a question just about that line and I guess I would take this opportunity to speak to anybody at home but also the board. we see a very large increase in the superintendent's budget in that line. I believe it's going something from about 4 million to is it 14 million if I remember offh hand. It's a very large increase but I would just remind this board that there's a few things at play there. Number one, the 3.6 million that we received from the city in special revenue fund is dedicated just to that in the current year's budget. So the actual spend or the actual
031budgeted amount or available amount to us is actually 3.6 million more than what's shown as the base budget. >> So I think it shows 4 million if I recall correctly. Just add 3.6 to the top of that. And then the things that you've heard from me so often. We're anticipating more kids with each kid needing more services and then those outplacement facilities especially the private ones having told us to expect a 10% price hike. Okay. >> And then to your question, Miss Marina, that you posed to me, this is where the ridiculousness of how special education is funded in the state comes into play. Our budget is based on, I think, a reasonable but conservative estimate by Miss Alfano about excess cost reimbursement at $11 million, which is we used the previous year's actuals, >>
032right? In the current year, we're being told that it is 13 million, but there's no way to tell until December of the of the year of December of the budget year in which we're spending the money >> exactly what it's going to be. So, we build the budget in October of 25, and we won't know what we're getting from this until December of 26 during the year in which we're spending the money. So though, so that 2 million is another reason that 2 million less in excess cost reimbursement is another reason why that outplacement line in the budget looks the way it does and I certainly understand why people would ask questions because it certainly stands out. >> It does. >> Yes. >> Dr. Yes. But can you just say something about the fact that
033>> uh these outside placement that we are >> or have planned to do something about coming up with some way of trying to figure out how to deal with this in the future that we plan on having meetings for that before all this other stuff started. >> So, as we've talked about, you know, what what what is the future of our school buildings? And certainly I would recommend that as we get into that conversation for right I think it's going to be reasonable for the board and the the staff and and I to target two years from now. I think when the Smith renovation reopens with the prek center attached as we've said before that's 22 more classrooms coming online. We have time to really plan for that and I think a really interesting and
034strategic way. Do we want to expand things like key or bridges or pathways? Do we want to reformat some of our current alternative offerings? Right? Do we want to expand or combine consolidate things like [clears throat] Catalyst or Brookside or SCA? Right? That doesn't mean that they're not doing excellent service right now. It means our job is to try to predict the future and and for you all to envision what do you want for the kids kids of the of the city. So, I think we have thankfully we're probably on a good timeline to think of when that school opens in uh August of 28. We Right. It'll be here before we know it. >> Yeah. >> But I'm sorry to I think the real answer to your question is with an eye toward even
035further reducing the number of kids who were sent out. I think right we have really good programs in key and pathways and bridges who serve a little over I believe 400 of our kids. Those would be 400 more outplacements if we didn't have those programs and there's no really end in sight to the acceleration of students being diagnosed with autism. So um as well as students with behavioral needs in the Bridges program. So, as we talk further in the future, I think that's going to make sense for us to think about how do we use our school buildings to provide programs that address exactly what you're asking about. >> Thank you. >> That's all the questions I had. So, thank you. I just I think for me, not just for my education, but maybe for
036other folks about some of these items and where they sit in our current budget and how they impact next year's budget. I just wanted to clarify Absolutely. >> Thank you. I'm good. >> Do I have a motion to accept that item? >> Motion. >> So move to >> second. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Item [snorts] D. Um I'll just be abstaining from that one. >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you. >> So >> all those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? And one abstension. Thank you. Item >> item M. >> So sorry I have a question about this too. >> Of course. >> This has to do with this the contract we have with ESS and and it references 2 and a.5 million but I know in our budget we had
037a different figure. So it was just a little I guess confused. [clears throat] >> Sure. It's really we're just Dr. Sanders we're just approving the new rate sheet for the ESS contracts. on the memo at list it's 2.5 million. Um do you where does that amount come from? >> That's just what we put stain because that's what we had in previous years when we first started. >> Right. And I I think we had 3.4 added in for next year's budget. That's that's why I'm just there there's a discrepancy there. >> So perhaps that perhaps the memo should have said 3.4 million if that's the budgeted amount. Okay. Thank you for the correction. >> Okay. So, it should be 3.4 >> and and Dr. Sanders, that's for certified and non-certified combined. Yes. >> Yes. >> Perhaps
038that was >> okay. Well, combi. Yeah. Combined, I think that's 3.9. >> You didn't have the non-certified not first go around. >> So, 3.9 is the budgeted amount. >> Yeah. Well, yeah, because I in the big book, >> yes, >> that I'm looking at the I and I brought it up, I think, to Miss Alfeno before, the numbers were kind of reversed, but between certified and non-certified non-certified, it's 3.9. >> Thank you. So, we should change the motion to reflect that if we could, please. >> Motion to approve contract for 3.9. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Any opposed? And do I have a motion to um approve the consent agenda? >> So move. >> Second. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? >> On to executive session. Um do I have a
039motion to go into executive session for the purposes of reviewing documents pertaining to school security matters districtwide? And I'd like to invite the board, Mr. Tyrone Richardson and Dr. Gasper. >> Motion. All those in favor? >> We are back from executive session. Um, is there any other business as permitted by law? >> Didn't we have a staff member at New Brick High School that was recognized for an award Peterson? >> Yeah, Peterson has gotten an award and I'm like, where the heck is it? Terrible to say because I congratulated him and then I'm like, oh man. Well, I know he was in the Hall of Fame, the sports hall of fame. >> I was like, "Oh my goodness." >> Cool. >> I played sports. I never got fing level, but you know, >> one thing
040I saw I was making kind of filling in my calendar and I noticed that one of our um board meetings is on Labor Day. >> Oh. >> So, I just wanted to put it out there that >> we should not [laughter] be here. So, I don't know who changes that. >> I'll update it. >> Thank you. >> So, that'll be a revision to the board's calendar. The board can just make a quick vote on that at some point in the future. >> Just a vote to change the the board's calendar from that Monday to Tuesday. >> I think it was September 7th, I want to say. >> Holiday [laughter] budget. >> Well, there going to be staff >> that you were going to provide us. >> I said I'm waiting for Dr. ers to get
041everything straight and you'll you'll get an email update from me when when we're really settled on which of those non-renewals will be rescended. >> Thank you. >> Um okay. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Thank you all.