001Okay, we should have live streams. >> Okay, great. Um, all right. I'd like to call our um the communication subcommittee meeting to order at 5:42 p.m. Um the first order of business is approval of um our minutes from our April 8th meeting. Any updates or change suggested changes to those minutes? >> Uh no. >> Okay. He'll need somebody to make make a motion to approve. >> I'll make the motion to approve them. >> Thank you. >> And those in favor, Carol, >> I Dana and Donna. Okay. >> All right. Right. Um and then there's no one here for public comment. Um the next um item is the session of topics for the BOE chair newsletter. Um I would um also uh I want to make a motion to amend our um our agenda to add
002discussion of um a strategy to communicate with uh like PTO groups or parent groups across the BOA. Okay. So, we have a motion to amend the agenda. Um, so I need a vote of approval for the amendment. >> I'll approve it. >> Yes. Second. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Okay. Um, great. And the board chair newsletter was really just a placeholder so we could get the agenda out in time. Um, I don't really have anything for a newsletter for August because we haven't started. Um, but we'll get a newsletter rolling when September comes around. Um Paul did um publish a newsletter in July which was kind of a wrap up to the end of 2425 and launching 2526. Mostly it was a good venue to get information out about the cell phone
003policy sort of as a first foray. Um so that's already been done but um we just needed an agenda so we could get the meeting posted. So that's why it was there. >> So with that we can go on to your topic. >> Yeah. Yeah. So in the uh spring we when we were um we had our we were rolling out our budget strategy um we had uh maybe it was one or two meetings or maybe one with um uh PTO leaders um and I you know they seemed really interested in um you know uh figuring out a way to communicate with them at some frequency. So um you know whether that's like sending an an email or updates or something but I wanted to bring that here um so we could discuss um you
004know what strategy could we put in place to ensure that um we get messages out to or information out to these groups because they have audiences right and I think this um this helps with just spreading the word about various things um and I think I don't know. I think it's an easy lift. Again, I think they were interested in they were appreciative that we reached out about like the budget and engaging them and like, you know, um trying to tap into their their audience. So, um I'll stop there, but um thoughts about ways that we could communicate with these groups uh better. It sounded like they, you know, they would be willing to have us attend like one meeting a year. It seems like they have a lot of other, you know, they have
005a lot of other things that they're doing. So, I don't think that they >> necessarily wanted us at all the meetings. I didn't get that impression, Carol, but it did sound like they would appreciate like a once a year stop into of a person who can just say, "Hey, this is what's going on in Amity right now and what questions do you have for us?" Um, so I was thinking about that there are one, two, there are six elementary PTFOs and there are five members of this committee. It would be, you know, just trying to spread the duties. It wouldn't be unreasonable for everybody to pick up one meeting and then somebody may have to pick up two. Um, but I think that that would be a nice way of just being personable and reaching
006out and and you guys when you got me like contact information, you obviously still have connections into those sort of communities. So, it would make sense that, you know, that that's kind of the the route that we would go. I think that would be um helpful. And you know, I certainly remember doing the the referendum for the the field and the roofs and they were really super nice and a great place to just go and chat with with parents. I think the other thing that um could be helpful and I'm kind of hoping that they did this is when we did our budget push, we asked them to repost some of our social media and if and so Liz and I are trying to be a little more purposeful in our social media approach this
007year. If they could just continue to do that, I think that's a helpful piece. Um, and and then the only other thing I could think of was some I mean I don't want to do lengthy written communication, but you know, Paul's newsletters do have a lot of good information for the community and it would be easy to if we had an email list that when I when they're published that they just get a copy of that and they could, you know, provide share it as an update for whatever they thought was appropriate for their PTS. So meeting. >> Yeah. No, I think that's great. And yeah, um you're right that is they were like, you know, a meeting or two. I think it they raised either um that option or um some sort of email
008like quarterly email digest which you know I think Paul's letter would be great and they can pick and choose what they think is relevant um to their um their bodies. Um, but I I you know it's I think this is a good way to build and like sustain relationships with these groups um so that you know it's not when you know it's budget time. I mean they were like super like happy to to come in the spring. Um, but this at least, you know, keeps that relationship there and so we can push and maybe there there might be times where we need to push something else out and they're like, "Oh, yeah, sure." Like, yeah, we have that relationship. >> Um, I guess my other thing is we're talking about the elementary PTSOs, but I
009do feel we shouldn't be neglectful of our amity PTSOs. >> Um, so I think I think whatever we do at that elementary level, so I guess I'm wrong. There are technically now eight, no, nine schools. Eight schools. Um, but like I think we should whatever we do for the elementary, we should do the same thing for for the three PTSOs that that we host. >> Um, so I I think that that would be um and honestly I think for them an in-person visit is probably even more critical because you are their board for the middle middle and high school because you are their board members, right? like >> um and uh you know and so I think that that builds that relationship as well. So um >> so what I can probably do is Carol
010maybe I can draft up kind of like a letter that sort of states what our goals are for all of them this year with those kind of three ideas. um I'll send it back to you and then we can get it to the PTSOs so that they they know um kind of what we're hoping to accomplish and um plus they may have new leadership and everything so it might take a little while to get that all straightened out but then at least I think it opens up that door and then I can you we can use that letter to get contact information for the presidents of each of the groups so that way we can start setting that Um, >> so um, Jen, are you envisioning that this is like an initial reach and saying,
011"Hey, we want to know, we want to reach out and, uh, communicate to each PTO." Um, and we So, are you suggesting things like, you know, uh, the library or schedules at the middle school level? um you know, when we're having board forums and budgets and things like that. >> Um I think it I think it's more um I I think the in-person meetings are more just an opportunity for them to ask questions because um but I think our we can be deliberate like we'll do a lot of social media posts when it's time for a forum. So that's a great time for us to say, "Hey, could you repost this on your social media platforms?" um you know or um you know I I I I think like what what we're really laying the
012seeds for is when we have to go out eventually for our bond referendum that we started to talk about last night is a venue where we can engage all of these people because what I always say is when we bond we're never bonding for the kids that are in our school we are bonding for the kids in elementary school. Um, so I think the more that we um, you know, kind of make that connection and make them see that what we do now is really a benefit for the kids that the kids that are coming up. Um, to the extent that we can, I think that that's that's helpful. um you know so yeah so I I think a lot um you know and I I don't see this as so much an initial foray
013because we did have a really good meeting with them and they were very clear about what they wanted from us so I think this is just kind of codifying in writing what they asked us to do >> and you know just kind of you know reminding them that >> this is really sort of the partnership that they were seeking from us. So what what did they ask for? exactly what we just said for us to come and see them in person one maybe two times a year but I think one is probably enough and then um to have some kind of you know communication about what was happening in AMD which I think are Paul's newsletters which um >> okay >> and then you know and then on our end I think our ask is
014to try to tap into their social media resources >> which they all were like >> were happy to help us with yeah Um but yeah, so Donna that we are we discussed this during our meeting like after we talked about like the budget forums um just talked about sort of um you know connecting more and so this is really just like following up on that discussion like you know putting stuff you know making taking some actionable steps. No, I think this is great because, you know, I think that we need people to know that all those the things that the board is talking about from the library projects that could, you know, we don't want to hear, oh, we didn't know anything about this and maybe get more uh community members involved in even getting
015public comment and letters and just trying to make sure that, you know, we are reaching out and welcoming their their comments just so everyone's in the know. >> Dana, were you going to say something? >> Yeah. I mean, I think it's good because I just think there's it's kind of like you hear about the middle school and you hear about the high school, but you don't really know a lot about it because you're not really paying attention to it because you have an elementary student. So I think I think a face in-person meeting gives a little bit of life to the high school and the middle school and even maybe from Orange's perspective that since we have so many people that don't go to the high school from the middle school or choose now I'm
016even hearing people that aren't even going to the middle school. So maybe it'll give that a little bit more, you know, um, a little light to what's going on there that may give them a little bit more of an opportunity to be more open-minded about sending their kids to the middle school and then the high school because that's a big concern of mine. I just I can't tell you how many people I hear that are not choosing to send their well, I don't think we're going to send our kids to AM and I and I it's a it's and I'm constantly battling it in Orange and it bothers me because there's a lot of missed opportunities and you moved here for for that. So, I hope I I feel like an in-person meeting obviously it's
017going to be me, Kathy, and whoever else is in orange going to these meetings, but I think it really would be beneficial. I really do from, you know, a perspective of just giving light to the high school because I remember when I was in elementary school, the high school and the middle school were like so far that I didn't and I didn't pay attention because I was at the Halloween hoot or whatever the heck I was doing there. So, I I feel strongly that they'll be very good. I don't know, Jen, did you ever have a presence in the elementary schools back in the day? >> No. I mean and and again, you know, I think of a normal district like if in a in a regular district, a principal's newsletter or a well, a
018superintendent's newsletter, right? Goes out K12. So, everybody is conscious of everything that's happening in K through 12. We don't have that type of continuity, right? Which is part of the dysfunction. And so I I think this is a way of >> trying to break that down >> because um because everybody sees them so separately and siloed and um and you don't get the the normal communication you would have in a K12 district. >> Yeah. >> Um you know and and so certainly Yeah. I I think that's that's the the the solution there. >> Yeah. Totally. And I really hope it brings more kids from Orange to the middle school and high school. >> Yeah. No, I Yeah, I think it's a fantastic idea so we can, you know, I think um you know um reconnecting
019with the leaders from the various PTSOs um and figuring out if it's like once a year or twice a year, right? I think I don't think anybody said more than twice. >> No. Um, and I think, you know, I always believe in like let's take a baby step, >> you know, and and again, I'm conscious of the fact that >> you guys are going to two meetings a month plus a committee meeting and now to have another meeting you have to go to, you know, I think if we we reasonably did tried to get one meeting per year, that's a good place to start because it's more than what they've had for the past six years. Um, so and then if you know if at the end of that meeting they're clamoring for more then
020okay then lesson learned we go back for more. But I think um >> I think that's a good starting point for you guys. >> So what do you do you think maybe or Jen um if we have a community forum around the budget or the conversations around the budget sort of what we touched on last night before uh the board approves it. So um we can answer more detailed type of questions. Do you think uh Jen a March? >> So I guess I'm a little confused on the request because every year we hold our annual budget hearing >> and that is the opportunity for people to come and ask questions and to get answers and nobody ever comes. And I and I know people know what it is because I go to the Orange annual
021budget hearing and that room is packed and there are a ton of people who ask questions. >> Yep. >> So it's not a matter of like people don't know what an annual meeting is. They do and and I know they go to the Woodbridge annual meeting and ask a lot of questions. AMD is not a part of that one because we're having our own meeting. Um but they ask a lot of questions of the first selectman and the board of selectments. So I I know I know pe I know people know what an annual meeting is and why they and and the timing of that is perfect. It's in April and it's before you guys set the referendum date. So it is >> I would not waste a forum on the budget. >> No, not
022a forum. I'm sorry. I misspoke. Um the meetings that were not well attended >> Oh, >> what I don't what were they called, Jen? where >> they were just like budget Q&A sessions >> Q&A. So, are you suggesting maybe no one has questions or or are you s Okay, >> I don't know. I mean, I just know that we actually have that that is the structure in place and I >> Okay. >> And and I and again, maybe part of what the communications committee can do and what we can try to judge up in one of Paul's newsletters is the purpose for the annual meeting and that it is an opportunity to come and ask questions about the budget. It doesn't I've never really seen a board change their budget at an annual meeting like
023it's already set um because that's it's the that's the first week in in April, but it it is that Q&A point where people can ask about anything that's in the budget because you've already voted it in in March. Um and but that is exactly what the point is. So, um, so maybe it's just a matter of strategizing. How do we get people to understand that if they have questions about the budget, this is the night you have to show up and ask your questions. >> Absolutely. And and I think people just from the orange one, they will develop their opinion on what they're going to vote from your meeting because you're giving it to them plain and simple and they haven't they anything that they didn't understand or they didn't come to our meeting at
024the school, they are now going they should be walking away from that meeting going okay I'm voting for this or okay I'm not voting for this. So I think like you said more better communication as to what that meeting is at AMD that annual budget presentation and more communication about the one that happens in orange because then maybe more people will come and you know I think those are the two opportunities that people need to come and do what they're doing. I don't think I think those question and answer sessions although I was psyched about them I think they were not well attended and they didn't do anything they did nothing. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Agree. >> Agree. I like I like that approach. Um so just to go back to the um uh the
025other meetings with the PTSOs. Um, do we think that there's a time of year that if it's once a year that's like just strategic? Like is it mid year? Like I think t we should think carefully about timing and like what's going on and what's what's an ideal time. Um, obviously they're going to have to be like that's an okay month, right? But like we should think about that. >> Yeah. I I think um I think you would want to at least get through say the sort of lack of a better word first sports season or something like that. By then there's enough that's kind of gone on. You have some things to talk about. We know there's some things coming up. It's right about the time like December is when the middle school kids
026go and do their visit to the high school. Um it's it's so I think and then sort of Carol to partner on that to say to them okay we would love to come between you know sometime from November to January what month works for you because from what I remember of elementary PTSOs right they have their like things that they do and if they have like a big event coming up that whole meeting becomes devoted to whatever that is and they don't have time to squish you in for something else. So I think if we give them a wider window and then ask them which month in that wider window works for them then we can identify a a good point to come. >> Yeah. Maybe >> I almost think we should think about I
027almost think we should look at January to March because I feel like November and December is busy for elementary schools. >> Yeah, that's fine. >> Like January, February, March to get you get back in January. Like I know we're we're diving into budget then, but >> we're still only having our two meetings. We're having the same two meetings we had every month. So, and I I feel like the elementary schools with the holidays and the law, you lose that week of school between New Year's, uh, Christmas and New Year's. So, I think January, February, March, they may be a little more quiet. >> Yeah. And and will then and at that point there will be some budget ideas floating around. So, if that comes up too, you at least have a a little bit of
028a toe in the water with that. And then you're halfway through the year. There's a lot to report. I mean, I'm just thinking you'll be able to report on fall sports. You'll be able to talk about the fall play. You'll be able to talk about the upcoming musical. You're going to have done the school climate data by that point. So, you'll be able to talk about strategies we're using there. The next gen accountability will be out. So, you'll be able to talk about how kids did and sort of assessments and ESPback and stuff like that. There's it's a solid point where you have a decent amount of information about how the year's going. >> Yeah. And I think we present I mean obviously like we all like share the same information, right? So the same
029thing goes to like all the elementary schools. >> I think we should have like a stock like agenda item with a couple notes that we all take to each one. So it's it's consistent and it's clean. >> Yep. Yep. >> Yeah. I agree. And I think we can we can pull, like I said, a little bit off of the newsletters that we will have been sending and then sort of other innovative types of projects like to Donna's point talking about where we are with library media center renovations because that's going to impact their kids tremendously. Um, and I guess that's that's part of it is the way we turn it so it fits the audience. Um, you know, especially for elementary and in even some of the middle school students. Um the high school might
030be a little bit of a different approach because uh their kids are on the way out. So >> yeah. Yeah. Okay. Good. >> But we want them to continue to support the district even once their kid has graduated. So >> Well, we have one um uh it was one of the PTSO uh members in Bethany. I don't think her kid is there anymore, but she still >> is like involved, which is so remarkable. >> Yep. Yep. She loves that school, so she loves Dr. Tracy, so Okay, >> we'll take it. >> Yep. Um, so I don't know. I'm happy to um I don't remember the contact information, but um if you you it sounds like you said you were gonna put >> Yeah, I'll I'll draft a letter and when I see um my BOA
031guys, which will be the first week in September, I'll ask them to send me the names of their new PTSO presidents and I'll get a new list of contact information um that we can send that to. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah, that would be fantastic. Um, anything else on uh PTSO like communication strategy? Um, all right. Um, yeah, I mean I think that's uh I think that's it for our agenda for this evening. We have um Jen shared last night the date um or proposed date for the fall forum. Um so next month's meeting we will start to talk about that and plan for the November forum. Um so I think you know just give some thought to >> topics we've talked about before or if you have new ideas. Um but we'll we'll probably
032spend um the bulk of our time during our next uh meeting on that. I was thinking about this when we were talking last night um because you did mention something Jen about an info session. So I was thinking I think all of our forums whatever the topic is we should include like a quick little piece about what's great about AMD and like just throw out something that's positive about AMD and just focus on it just for a few minutes and not even expect questions back. just like u here's a little tidbit about stuff that and it could be a student just talks and says oh this was my experience with the play oh this was my experience with sports just to kind of keep that um positivity about the school because if you get one
033person that leaves that forum and talks about something positive I think about that woman Carol that came to me and she wasn't going to send her kid to AMD because they had an IEP and she didn't think it was a good idea and then after she heard me and then her and I talked She was like, "Oh god, I really need to send them to AMD." So like if we just get one person to walk away with a positive feeling about the you know because again it's that communication form where they can actually get an answer back if they did ask a question where if they're coming to the public comment they're not going to you know I just think we should always have one little tidbit of what's great about AMD because I think
034we should do a information session in the beginning of the year every year or at the end of the year for the new people coming in but that would mean another whole forum and I I don't know that we want to do that, but I don't know. That's just >> But maybe Yeah, but maybe it's not um like a for maybe it's something separate for like So I think the thing that she said that I was like, "Oh, we should think about that." Was the timing like I think the spring forum, you know, the topic, you know, what's like awesome about AMD? It was like really fantastic. Um, and you know, it like it's a shame that we didn't have like a full house, but I think something like that for incoming or potential incoming
035ninth graders would be great. And I think before people start to apply like elsewhere. So, I think sometime in the fall. And I don't know, Jen, that you know, it might be too much this fall, but like definitely I think that's a thing that may draw people more. >> Well, so we do, but we already do that. We don't do it as a community forum, but um Mrs. Plant has really changed our like eighth grade information night. So it so when kids come um they literally have like every athletic team has a table set up in the gym so that kids and with run by the students so that eighth grade kids can see all the sports and talk to the student captains of those sports and make those connections. A lot of our clubs
036and student organizations are set up so that way they can present what is available at AMD and then right our department chairs meanwhile while the kids are doing sort of that are presenting to the parents the course of studies the program of studies and everything that's available to students when they come to AMD as ninth graders. We already have that structure in place. >> And how is the communication about that? You just you put it in the newsletters so the parents know it's coming. Yeah, it goes out through the the middle schools. So that like in all of the principles newsletter like it's it's heavily communicated because it is the information night that parents need to attend to pick classes for their kids for the next year. So >> and so it's well attended. >>
037Yeah, it's very wellended. >> Yeah, >> it's just you're right, Jen. It's just I think Yeah, and maybe that's >> and and that's not our job. It is not your job as a board to do that. It's it's >> it is well attended. >> Um and you know and and so so we so coming out of the spring forum and one of the things that Mrs. Llant and I are going to work on is you know I think people forget that because it happened in January. So cycling back around with that with nth grade parents. That is what we're that's kind of the type of thing we want to look at for a potential like ninth grade parent night. Um and then will do something slightly different for 10th grade parent night. >> Um, and
038as long as we connect it to building your resume, getting into college, people are going to come out like it's just so so as long as we so it's just a matter of marketing. Um, and then it'll dovtail nicely into well then when you're a junior you have college planning night and then when you're a senior you have financial aid and college application night. Like so it we already have some structure in place. We're just going to expand on that. Um and and and you know and honestly Mrs. Llant reworked our eighth grade night after she went to um Notre Dame and saw what they do to recruit kids. Um and so she built it around like a recruitment fair, which is essentially what we're having to do when people have choices. Um, so, um,
039and we do that with the kids when they come up to visit the high school and that starts in December. So, we actually start that even earlier with the kids, just not the parents beginning in December. >> Okay, good. All right. Um, anything else on any of these topics? Do we have any topics for the forum already that we threw around or no? >> Um, not yet. Okay. >> And and we didn't get feedback from the last one. I know we we had the June meeting. Um, and I think we got one person who essentially said it was really high school focused and they wish there was more information about the middle school. Um, >> but that was, you know, sort of the extent of the feedback and it was just one person. Um so
040um so yeah so think about topics and again you know as the school year starts we always sort of find out what is on people's minds so we'll see where everybody is. Um and then maybe we'll have ideas when we come back together in September. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. All right. If there's nothing else, um, I'll make a motion for us to adjourn at 6:14 p.m. >> I'll second it. >> Great. All right. All right. Great. >> Excellent. Thank you, everybody. Thanks, everybody. Bye. Bye. Have a good evening. Have a good night.