001Welcome everyone. Happy new year 2026. Hard to believe. I [snorts] hope everyone is well. It is um Monday July um July January 12th. My gosh. Um Justin, can you please call attendance? Joe Abdella >> here. >> Vicky Salon >> here. >> Stephanie Kick >> here. >> Jesse Leeman >> here. >> Angela Machulo >> here. >> Alex Mcnautton >> here. Justin Angley here, Jen Pod >> here, >> Jane Sergeant, >> Pete Tagley, >> Mary Weber >> here, >> and Christine Widig. >> Thank you. Moving on to public comment on agenda items only. Is there anybody here who would like to comment on agenda items? No. Okay. All right. the consent agenda. Is there anything on the consent agenda that anybody would like changed or Alex? >> Uh, one correction and one comment. Uh, on page two,
002line two, >> uh, it says the Pratta. I think it's meant to be pra. >> Okay. >> And the other thing is I was kidding about the goats trimming the bushes. And other than that, I found nothing to comment on. >> Okay. So then >> folks really want the gold just so you know, Alex, but it's not easy. >> Yeah. [snorts] Great. Can we make a motion have a motion to have an sense of humor, [laughter] >> please? So, do can we have a motion to um >> I move to approve the minutes as altered as corrected. >> A second. Second. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? Extensions. They are adopted. Thank you, Alex. [snorts] Okay. Presentation. Uh yeah. >> So, I know some board members were saying, "Where are the students if we're seeing
003student artwork?" So, let me tell you what's happening here today. And I think it's a really nice thing. And um it's going to happen in full force at a at a board meeting uh maybe in a couple of weeks. But here's what's going on. Now, it's always a good time for board appreciation. It's always a good time for that. But board appreciation month is technically in March. So, normally you'd get the overture I'm about to describe now in March. The thing is, you're all going to get a calendar. I'll tell you about it in a minute. And the calendar starts in January. So, we can't wait till March to give it to you. This to me is a nice story. I was approached. I did not solicit, although I love the board enough that I
004would vigorously solicit, but I did not solicit this. I was approached by Linda McMillan and Donna Wright and their students and they said, "We want to do something for the board. We want we want to create a calendar of 2026 and each page has a piece of student artwork on it, right?" >> Oh, that's >> so it was scheduled to be given to each of you tonight. The problem is the printing wasn't quite up to their exacting standards. there was some kind of technical problem. So, they're having them redone. And I said, "Well, it's on the agenda now. Let me at least tell them what's happening and show them." They said, "Go ahead. I got this one sample here." >> It's beautiful. >> So, uh probably uh in two weeks the they'll be back uh
005and to show you their appreciation and to explain why they did this. And I >> This is so beautiful. >> Yeah. And I hope you all hang it up somewhere and get a little pleasure out of it. >> On the refrigerator right there. >> What a thoughtful, beautiful gift. >> Yeah. And they thought of it all on their own. So that's that is so nice. I love it. Now they really Now they're going to have to do this every year. >> I setting a standard. >> Oh, that's really really really sweet. Thank you. That's really lovely. Okay. Um the development the developmental uh relationships uh survey. This is so that's so thoughtful. Hello. I think um most of you know me and Paula Conway. So, I'm president of Spark Wellness. Um just to quick give
006a quick over overview of our organization and then Mike's going to talk a little bit more about the developmental survey. Um, so our mission is to promote um self- advocacy, resilience, and connection in order to improve mental health, reduce substance misuse, and enhance quality of life. Essentially, it it we're we're kind of replacing like the DARE program of the past. Um, most of you are probably familiar with that. um some of our initiatives over the past year. Last June um we held a community conversation with parents and community members um just about social media and we centered it around the anxious generation book. Um we're currently working on hosting a parent conversation um about AI. Um currently we are collaborating with SHP administrators um to work on reducing student vaping. Uh we're doing this through
007uh dissemination of information to students. Um having uh pertinent staff trained on Stanford University's um reach lab, their vaping curriculum. Um and hopefully bringing in a guest speaker from Yale. We're looking into that. Um one of our recent initiatives was to inform students on on problem gambling. So, we were um at Hoops and Scoops, a rivaling rivalry night and and hosted Hoops and Scoops where we just provided community members and students information on problem gambling. Um one of Western Connecticut Coalition's um trained staff came in and talked to Spartan Club about that. It was a small group discussion and there was a lot of positive feedback with that and we're hoping uh to do that again with another group. So we have a lot of other things that we are hoping to do within the
008next year or two. Um but that kind of gives you a summary of some of the things that we're doing. Um so two years ago we came here and asked permission to uh implement uh or to give students the developmental relationship survey which uh just provides some information to us on students relationships with their peers, students, caregivers and I'll let Mike has more experience with that so I'll let him talk about that. Thanks, Paula. This is an excellent organization of volunteers that uh put grant funding to good use and uh certainly add a lot of value to our community. We we did administer the developmental relationship survey that is uh provided and um uh analyzed by the search institute. and you have in your packet a sample of that survey. And so we're looking for
009approval of uh the same survey that we administered two years ago. That's going to give us um that's going to give us some longitudinal information. Uh we'll be able to see last year's uh or or two years ago sixth graders. as eighth graders, what are their um uh responses and information about not only their um relationships and their attitudes about school, academics, risk-taking behavior. Uh there al also are uh reports that or or aspects of the survey uh where students report anonymously of course on um some specific risk-taking behavior that they engage in and their own views of uh the dangers of alcohol, of uh vaping, of marijuana, of other drugs. uh their perceptions of their parents uh disapproval of those their perception of their peers approval or disapproval of all those risk-taking behaviors. And
010we use those on an ongoing basis with faculty and staff in in trying to determine the best kind of programming and the way to focus our efforts to u support students best. There are two additional modules uh in this survey that we're looking for approval of. That's the social emotional competencies. That includes items like I'm good at making friends. I share my thoughts and feelings with others in ways that are appropriate. Uh and another module that we're looking for approval of is the culturally responsive environments. Uh like at my school, we learn how to work with people of different backgrounds. Uh all people are treated fairly no matter who they are. I'm encouraged to share my own culture and background as well as um experiences of of bias and discrimination. And that just tells us
011what kids are feeling about their experience in our school and our community and how we can support them holistically. Often we fall into the trap of being responsive to individual uh challenges or problems and there's a natural reactivity to that. But an instrument like this really helps us to be proactive and to view things um broadly and to view our our work um proactively and and and not reacting to an idiosyncratic situation that we may be able to sort of explain away. Uh but to see the broad brush strokes of the children's experience and to plan to support and and teach them. Um and this we're we're looking to administer this with grades 6 to 12. It's it's really really helpful to see how uh each of these uh the thoughts, experiences, and reports that
012they give, how they change or don't change across grade levels, across gender um and now across time as we hopefully get the opportunity to do some longitudinal examination. And we can think about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of our work over the last two years and how the children have have changed and uh how we might adjust Does anybody have any any questions? >> Have have any of the of the students refused to take the survey? >> If any of the students refuse So this was administered two years ago. We we had students who were absent who didn't make up the survey. I know that. And we may have had I'm trying to remember, Mary. I forgive me. I think we may have had a small number, two to four students who who just said, "No,
013I don't want to do this." Um, don't quote me on it exactly. I know we're on the record here, but uh I I think we may have had a very small number of students who who opted out and we may and parents get notification. I don't think we had any parents who opted out last time. Uh parents are notified. They're given the opportunity to come into the school and see all of the items and to opt their students out. I don't think we had any parents uh opt students out last time. I think we may have had a a small number of students who declined. >> Uh hi, thanks for the great update. Uh, building off of what um, Paula you said in terms of talking the event you did around the anxious generation, does
014any of the survey focus on social media or screen time devices, especially as more schools are trying to limit some of that, especially during the school day? Uh, just curious how those might be connected. >> That's an interesting question. And I know that the it's it's it's different from a lot of surveys that exist in that it really is focused on the assets. Um you know so things like I have uh multiple friends that I can confide in questions like that. Um you know I'm just doing a right right now I'm in the in the document I just did controlf social media and I don't see anything right there. Um I'm going to do controlf device. I don't see that exactly. So, you know, the way that we might approach that is by looking at
015the items like you, you know, I have friends that I can confide in. I I have um one of the things we we talk with students all all the time about is expanding their social circle. You know, if if your friend is sick, do you have people you can sit with or or talk to? If somebody were to, you know, this would be rough. If they were to move away, do you have a broad circle? So, um the the survey can give us information like that. I don't think it it doesn't seem to and I don't remember seeing in the past anything specific uh to to those items question those topics. >> Would you consider it? I I'm just thinking that raising awareness about the linkage between use of social media or gaming and isolation.
016It would be a good opportunity to raise awareness. >> I I think if it was available I think we would add it. I don't think it's a question in the survey. I think maybe that's something we can give feedback to uh to the search institute. I think you know the the separate and correct me if I'm wrong Mike but you know we do ask there are different modules and we do ask about like the drug use and and they do provide that. I think they just updated it to include vaping in that. You know it had tobacco but yet most of the kids are not smoking and vaping. So I think just recently in the past two years ago that was added. Um, so I think you know in terms of the social media I
017think people are now just starting to realize like that has that been addictive quality just like those things but I don't think the surveys have caught up to that. So I think if it was included we would definitely put I think put that in there. I don't think I think you had asked and I don't think it's in the survey but we can probably contact them and just let them know like this would be something to look into in the future. But like Mike said, just based on the questions that are there, we can kind of get a sense of of what students are feeling and what they're what they're kind of searching for in terms of their social emotional support. >> Yeah. And and um just as you were talking, I I thought to
018uh do control F in the document gambling. It's also not in there. So, you know, they have their base um set of of items for this developmental relationship survey and they have additional modules that they can add and or that we can add and they're all of course, you know, studied and and and revised for reliability and validity and um so it is something that we can ask about and and they've been a pretty responsive organization it seems. So, I would wouldn't be surprised if they were open to input. >> Thank you. I I really like that you did a program on the gambling. I had gone to uh Matt about that subject a few years ago, especially apparently college students with gambling. It's a big problem. Uh I would have never guessed that's something
019that came up. My friend is a uh producer on CBS Sunday Morning and he brought it to my attention. Make sure you watch this. And uh I did and I was I was surprised. I did I knew nothing about that. So that is something that maybe you know the parents need to know about too that they may not. >> And uh thank you for doing that. That that that's great. >> What I'm finding as we go through this and learn more is some of the the topics that we are trying to educate our students on. It may not be pertinent right now. Like Mike said he doesn't know how many students are are participating in sports gambling. day trading is is actually more popular. Um, but you're right, the college age male, college age students,
020it's a big issue and we want to inform them now while we have them because once they go to school, you know, they don't have they're not forced to kind of sit in a class or, you know, they're not surrounded by the safety net they are here. So, some of the topics I think that we're going to form them on, it's really to prepare them for once they leave here. Sorry, just to clarify, did you say that um social and emotional competencies were added this time or is it the same survey that we did two years ago? >> So, it's the same survey with additional with additional modules and those modules are experience. I may have misspoken on the on the modules that were added. if you just give me a a moment, I will
021be able to confirm which modules were added. Sorry about that. >> No worries. Um, and just another just to maybe uh get ahead of some clarification. I know it's six through 12th grade, but it shows like ages 8 n 10 and grades four, five. And just for anyone who might log on and take a look at our packet just so they know that those ages and grades aren't included. I don't know if you if it's worth taking those out, but >> uh >> because certainly the questions wouldn't wouldn't be relevant to that age group. >> Right. Thank you. Thank you. We will ask about that >> and then sorry one more followup. Um what kind of resources or what kind of things do we do after we get the survey back that things that we
022can do to implement afterwards? like were there was there specific programming you added after the last survey that was directly you know coming from the responses that we got last time? Just wondering what kind of what kind of programming we would add in after we get the feedback. some of my some of my notes from from after we did the survey two years ago I think was just uh like community building education informing parents I think that's a huge you know and that's why we're trying to be so involved with the school uh you know technically our group covers everyone right from birth to to the end of life but I think we have the most impact here at the middle high school level. Um where at least in terms of drug use, you know,
023health aware, you know, mental health awareness, those kinds of things, you know, we can have a big impact here. And then we also have their parents on top of that that we can reach out to. So I think after the survey really trying to figure out and we're still trying to figure out those things um is trying to you know educate the students in a way where it's accept you know there's a few things that we've tried and have gotten student have not gotten student buy in yet. So we're still working on on some of that. Um, but then to try to get the parents to become more involved and and so we're kind of figuring that out, but I think it's trying to build like that community um which is challenging. I think we
024lost a lot of that like after COVID. So trying to kind of build that up and um communication community um if we're on the same page in regards to drug use, social media, our mental health, then we can have a big impact across region 12. So hopefully that answers your question a little bit. >> Yeah. And and as a school there's really three areas where we can make adjustments. One of them is at least three areas. One of them is in advisory programming. So very often we're going to look at um you know we do a survey like this and we're required to present that to the board because an outside organization is is uh helping us but our counselors also are asking students questions often um like wellness checks and we're getting input from
025the students on matters like this. And so advisory is a place where we can tailor individual lessons like you know we we learned this recently and so next month we have an advisory we're going to adjust the lesson so it addresses X or Y advisory is one big place um schoolwide programming so like our assemblies very often are um spurred on by information like this and also curriculum um you know we have been looking closely at uh the 2022 vaping data we're really interested in what the 2024 uh sorry 2024 vaping data we've been looking at. We're really interested in what the 2026 vaping data says. We were in conversations just in the last week about um checking on our our our seventh grade health curriculum and our health one and health two high school
026curriculum to make sure that we feel good about the vaping content that's in there. And that's really driven forward by what we see in these surveys. But it's not just that, you know, responding to negative things. It's also, you know, students tell us a lot in these surveys about how much they value school, about um uh how they perceive their families view school. And so we we kind of get a sense of what sorts of messages we need to lean into and and it prevents us from making some assumptions that we might otherwise make. And and the advisory programming and the schoolwide assembly programming are are a couple of places to to do that. Even even the link crew program at the ninth grade level is uh something that is aimed at bolstering these developmental
027assets. Thank you for organizing all this from two years ago. Did you ever release a report or a summary of findings or is that something that you're going to do only longitudinally after this survey goes out? I mean I think after we did it we did come to a board of ed meeting and we talked about the results. Yeah. So we'll plan on doing that again. I think >> based on this is last year's survey. We got the results. We we did the survey in February. We got the results back in April. So it would be towards the end of the school year that we after we look through the information and can come back and share what we found. >> Yeah. And uh just to correct an error that I made uh earlier that
028the new measures that we're hoping for approval of are the internal assets and the sparks. So the internal assets are um well you can see the items but uh the sparks are statements of of what you know motivates and interests students and the internal assets are uh [clears throat] I enjoy reading or being read to. I care about school. while I do my homework. I enjoy learning. >> Thank you so much. Any other questions? No. Well, thank you both very much. Okay, moving on to reports and recognition. um to the board report which I have. Um I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and was able to spend time with their your fam your family and friends uh and hopefully got some much needed rest. I know there was a lot of um wonderful flu
029and viruses going around. So hopefully nobody got them. And if you did, hopefully you didn't get it too bad or I don't know. I don't even want to talk about it. So let's just Anyway, uh I just want to take a moment to thank the high school choir for once again making the annual Washington Senior Center holiday party so special. Um each year they travel to Spring Hill by bus to perform for more than 70 attendees. >> It they're amazing and they just their performance is truly the highlight every year and it just is so special and a special uh thank you to Beth Harson for making it happen. Uh this year in particular was difficult for her to manage and she just made it happen. So I appreciate her uh special effort and dedication.
030Um, so a special shout out to Beth. Um, and as we all know, we're heading into, uh, budget season, which comes with additional meetings, uh, which can feel taxing. Uh, I encourage everyone to attend the meetings, uh, and understand the budget and come with questions. Uh, it's important that we help educate our communities with accurate information. This tends to be the time of year where um people tend to um come up with their own stories of mis uh information. So if we don't know an answer, uh please I encourage us all to seek out the correct information so that we can support our neighbors, friends, and community members. Uh this is where the rubber meets the road. So misinformation can easily spread and it's our responsibility to ensure that we correct the information that's being
031shared. Um and as always, please feel free to reach out with any ideas or questions or concern uh concerns. So, as we move deeper into the budget process, we really make sure that we can um uh try to find a way to um uh spread the um real information. And obviously, we know that it's a a difficult time for Nicole and for Don uh because they are going to be um very busy. So, um not that we want to add more to their plate, but um I much prefer reaching out to them to get the right information so that we can share that information um versus just trying to wing it. So, um that's what we need to do. >> Yeah, Mary, >> I expect that we're going to get some flyers that are going
032to be sent out to to the Washington residents. >> Yeah. And there's going to be much in misinformation >> as before. >> Yeah. >> And so, um, how should we handle that? Should we bring it to light and bring it to a meeting and and and address it? >> So, that's kind of where my head is right now. So, that's that's I'm I'm just dipping my toes in a little bit. So, um, that's, uh, my first initial thought is is not to respond on social media. That's kind of what I'm thinking initially for myself is not to go there because I think that that's an I've gotten myself stuck there and that never works out in my favor. >> So, um, not to do that. And I think that if we get flyers or mailers,
033I think that we need to bring them to Don and to Nicole so we can dissect it and then um kind of come back with uh and then we'll decide how to handle it from there. So if you if we get flyers and our um bring them to myself and uh and then we can all sit down with Nicole and Don and then decide how we're going to >> Okay. >> Then we'll make a decision how we're going to handle that >> because I know it's going to happen. So I figured And I think >> I figured I'd ask you about it now. >> No. And I'm glad that you did, Mary. I think that we just have to decide collectively the best way to handle that. And I I don't know how that is.
034And I think we can all collectively decide the best way to handle that. But I think the best way is to be smart and not to be reactive. Um I say that mostly for myself too. Um and then and then to just be thoughtful and and make sure that the information that we um are giving is accurate and and be slow about it but be cautiously >> um I had preferred that it come from >> the the board and from Don and from Nicole rather than to address it personally 100% because I don't I don't want to do that. I don't want I don't want to get stuck with talking to people unless they have they're real people that I know are concerned about something else. >> And I think that that's and I think
035it needs to I think it needs to just be I think it needs to be from Yeah. So we'll we'll get the answer that we need. It will be from the board or from the region and we'll figure out a way. >> Yeah. Because I really don't want anyone to be attacked for our budget. No. >> Which I foresee. >> No. And I think we just need to be make sure that we're not um yeah being reactive about it. But thank you for asking that. Okay, that's it. >> Okay, so for my report, first of all, you'll notice in the Friday update that we were lucky enough to secure Joe's services to help us with a tile job around the pool, which I think is wonderful. We're lucky that he's willing to help us on
036a job that wouldn't otherwise probably hold his attention. We have high standards of transparency though that's why I notified the board and that work will proceed and that'll be good because we need to get it done. Um the rest of my report tonight is on personnel. We have some new appointments. Sarah Fay is coming on as the title is orchestra director. We don't sadly have a pit orchestra anymore in the spring musical. She will be directing the students musically and teaching them how to sing the book and sing the parts. So she's a music director for the spring musical. Um, Friezo Hermans has been [clears throat] a long-term substitute teacher at Chipog Valley. Lisa Holmes, a long-term special ed teacher uh at our private schools. Uh, Zosia Oligeneek is the aggra science operations assistant on
037the weekends. Same with Jacob Samson who is an alum of Chipog and Kristen Caizer is now administrative assistant to the director of special services over at central office. And then we had some resignations. We had Quinn Bolak who was a PAR educator at Chap effective December 29th resigned and Sophia Ryan's a power educator at Chipog resigned effective January 15th. Okay, that's it. >> Thank you. >> Treasures report. Alex, >> what I'd like to do is postpone my treasures report and wrap it in with the FNO report later in the meeting. >> Okay, moving on to committee reports. Uh, agra science Mary. >> Um, I have no report. We haven't met since the last Okay. >> meeting. >> Thank you. Curriculum Justin, >> it's okay. >> I was just getting the date for the next meeting.
038Um, nothing new. Our next meeting is um February 9th. >> Okay. Thank you. uh at advance. Joe, >> um we had a Zoom meeting for the board of directors this past Thursday, January 8th. During this meeting, we approved a non-federal share waiver, an oversight screener, and a health safety screener for the Head Start program um which has some shortfalls. We also saw a presentation on the at advanced school climate policy which uh they are working on uh implementing. There are two possible buyers for the workspace property, but they have not secured a contract yet. And one of the buyers is looking to um give a donation as well as the asking price because they had dropped the price to try and get a a quicker sale. Um there's still no update on the state funding
039for uh the federal shortfall uh in paying the mental health health professionals. Um that funding was supposed to be around 829,000. I don't know if that will come from the state completely. There is still some federal funding on its way but it's a very small amount. Also, Eversource has approved the applications for their uh EV charging stations. Uh all the equipment is ordered and hopefully will be in by March. And that's what I have. >> Thanks, Joe. >> Uh labor negotiations. >> You skipped me. >> Oh, sorry, Alex. I don't know what's wrong with me. >> Finance and operations, Alex. >> Yes. Uh well, it's been five weeks since we met and obviously we are all taking a little time off. Nicole, I'll ask you to correct me if anything I get wrong here. As
040of December 31st, uh our our budget is our expenses uh with incumbrances already taken out, uh we are at 17.21% left versus 17.67% six, seven% left last year. Now, the only difference is this year we paid some of our our our debt service earlier. Therefore, we really are further ahead than 17.21%. So, it looks like we're in pretty good position right now. Um, as Joe mentioned, there were fed federal grants were meant to go for five years, uh, that have been cut off here after two and a half years, um, for support special, uh, support staff and special needs people. Uh, as you can see from uh, Don's report of of the resignations, um, it's my understanding that those are directly related to that. Is that correct? Say again, Alex. I'm sorry. >> The the
041the fact the funding is the reason we lost these two people. We don't have the federal funding anymore. >> No. Um that's a se those are separate um issues. The these are two people who resigned. What Alex is talking about is still important. We had gotten some counselors from Ed Advance through a federal sorry through a federal grant that federal funding was pulled. As you know, there's a lot going on in Washington these days and so Ed advance wasn't able to continue placing those counselors here. So, we lost those two counselors who we had gotten through at Advance Grants. The personnel that I mentioned are separate. They're just folks who who are power professionals who decided to move on. >> Okay. Um, apologize for confusion there. Um, boilers in Washington primary, one is in and
042complete and working. The other one should be finished by Tuesday and then by Friday after they do the hookup to the monitoring system so that it can be monitored uh the second one should be in place and and functioning. Um just as kudos to uh Don uh the he looked out the possibility of renting a boiler if need be. in the interim it was going to be $9,000 a week, but he did not need to pull the trigger on that and we are in good shape. Uh money going back to the towns. uh $684,18. Uh this is divided prorata based on the student [snorts] the October numbers a year before. Um we made a mistake uh or two years before. Uh we made a mistake last year and did it numbers based on one year
043before. Uh we're going to do a it's about a $15,000 air. We're going to make up the difference this year by adding or subtracting a little money from what people are getting. Um Don and uh and Nicole have come up with a five-year plan. Uh it's very extensive. Uh uh also >> it's a 10-year plan. >> I'm sorry, the 10-year plan. And I've got tenure written in front of me. Um and uh the the main change is going to be is that rather than do each of the elementary schools peace meal, do all the floors, do all the ceilings, we're going to probably focus on doing the complete job at one of the elementary schools every two years. Um that way there's no having people have to transfer from one site to a next site.
044They can continue and get the job done. It will probably mean during those times that students will have to be reassigned uh in the interim for the year that their school is being worked on. Uh the budget uh timeline was presented. uh uh we are going to be uh working on a prime a preliminary budget which will be presented to the uh board and uh after that it will be presented to the three towns. Um while the budget is pretty solid, it's not set in stone so that if we have comments or someone comes in with a better idea on something, we can change it. Um couple of small things. one uh in Burnham. The gate is going up back behind the parking lot on Tuesday. Uh not tomorrow, a week from tomorrow. And finally,
045uh, there was discussion about the banners in the gymnasium, and they're looking pretty ratty, and we've decided to look at trying to update the system and, uh, make our banners more present uh, present better. Um, I am open for any comments or questions anybody has. Thank you, Alex. Uh, labor negotiations. No. >> Um, I wasn't here at the last meeting. Uh, did you present anything? >> No. Um, tonight we're going to go into executive session and um um seek discussion and hopefully ratification of the agreement. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Perfect. So, nothing new. Great. policy. >> Uh nothing new. Our next meeting is scheduled for the 23rd of February. >> Thank you. And uh long range planning committee. We are meeting on the 26th of January. So that is it. Uh old business to
046consider for approval. Second reading of policy 515 4152.6 uh family and medical leave. >> Yes. And of course, as we said, this updates the FMLA and particularly the two big changes, it just modernizes it to bring it into line as we said with the current statute. The two biggest changes were um benefits that acrew now to um non-certified staff um regarding Connecticut's version of the FMLA. So, this policy updates those things along with a few definitions. I included a summary sheet in a few of the last Friday updates. Um, the policy, the version that's in front of the board now, the red line version is what Shipman has drafted to be be in line with current law. Um, are there any questions about the policy? >> But I'd like to thank you for breaking it
047down for us because it was an ownorous job. Thank you very much. >> Oh, I'm happy to do that. >> Okay, any other questions? Can I have a motion to approve um five or 4152.6? >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? Abstensions. It passes for second reading. Thank you. Great. Uh new business. consider for appro and if appropriate approve the 2026 2027 yikes school calendar. >> I have a question about the school calendar. Um this year our spring break did not coincide with the spring breaks of other districts around us. >> Um we are a week later than other districts. when making this calendar for next year, did was that put into consideration? Um, >> yeah, that's always and that's always frustrating, Vicki, for families if you're a teacher and your
048kids go elsewhere. >> And there isn't sadly any great one-state consortium of people that get together and decide when they're going to do that. And you often find that if it's like a game of whack-a-ole if you change it this week off, some people win and some people lose in terms of how it lines up. And so, um, you know, if there were some statewide agreement that we schools would all do this spring break, it might make it better. I know that it's always a source of some aggravation, but I don't know that there's a magic bullet to fix that. >> Okay. >> The So, the draft you have in front of you is sub Oh, Mary, I'm sorry. >> Oh, I I just to piggy back back on that. How about the sending towns?
049Um, are we in line with them? >> Correct. That was one of my points because Danbury is off the week before us, >> right? Um >> so that that's where some people have >> this >> express their concerns. >> Didn't mean to interrupt you there. Um this calendar is substantially the same as the the prior calendar. So it's probably designed to my knowledge to make sure that we line up with as many of the sending districts as possible. Um, it's not satisfying though for you to to the Danbury kids to to say that, you know, and I get that and I wish there was a way to make it align perfectly. >> Does that usually happen? >> I, you know, I'm thinking back in my time, >> you know, in the past years, we have
050been off the same week, and it just so happened this year, we have two different weeks. So, you have kids down there. >> Yeah. You know, >> did they change theirs? Do you know? >> No, >> they didn't. >> Okay. >> I'm looking at last year's calendar and it looks like it's pretty much what matched up to this year's proposed calendar. >> Yeah. So, um, typically we try to make sure that we align with as just as many of those sending districts as we can. I can go back and make and make sure that that's true and find out, you know, whether there'd be some benefit to realigning with the Danbury week if it doesn't hurt us relative to anybody else. So, this is something that maybe I could do before the board goes ahead
051and approves it. Would you like would the board be interested in that? >> Well, I just think for the families of the sending >> students, I think it's important to um align. >> I mean, how many students do we have coming up from Danbury? All there's a sizable amount like correct >> but then but then think of all the other seven sending towns and and >> that's why I was wondering if you have all you know gotten together and spoken and aligned this >> because um that would be >> yeah I think that >> good thing that would make thank you that would make sense >> this incarnation of the calendar like at its inception was designed to make sure that it maximized the number of sending towns we synced with although not maybe every
052single one of them >> so you could change it to align with this town and then you'd be out of sync with that one. >> Correct. >> I'll I'll double check to make sure that it is maximized in the way that I thought it was based upon last year's construction. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> And then also attached is um I guess I'm going ahead one agenda item here, but it's the same. Also attached is the board meeting schedule, which again is substantially similar in terms of the the timing and the breakdown of the meetings to what we see what we've seen in the past years. >> What do you mean? >> You want to take a look at a hard copy, Angela, that I have right here? >> I have it. It's right here.
053>> I don't have it on my >> It's What do you mean? I can't find it, but I do remember seeing it >> right here. >> I have it. >> Don, >> sorry, just a question. Going back to the school calendar. >> Yes. Is there >> right? >> Is it always the case that there's that the school calendar starts the last week of August or is it related to Labor Day? I see this year there's actually two weeks of school before Labor Day. I was imagined there was one week of school before Labor Day. >> Um part of that is teacher professional development. >> Okay. >> So the symbols are really confusing on the calendar. You see the boxes around the days um the week prior. Those those are at the end of August. >>
054They're the 25th. >> Okay. The Yeah, the 25th is the first day back for the the way the calendar falls that that first Tuesday is usually the days the kids come back. Like the last Tuesday that occurs at the end of August. >> Last Tuesday of August. Okay. >> And that lets us get through to the point where if we don't have a lot of snow days, we end the year somewhere around June 8th or June 9th. Okay. >> So, we start maybe a little I'm from New Jersey, so they all go back after Labor Day there. I don't know if we start a little earlier than some, but we also get out a little earlier than some because of that. >> Okay. And second question is just about the winter vacation >> starting with
055the half day on the 23rd of December. >> I don't you know I don't know how many people travel for the holidays but uh at least as it was this year there was I think a slow either because of the flu going around or because of travel plans there was just a slow um you know decline in class numbers. Yeah. >> Uh and uh I don't I don't know how to remedy that because giving too much of a break, etc. But it does strike me that people will be leaving town before the 24th if they're traveling for the holidays. >> You always get a little bit of people who want to get off early and that can impact attendance those last, you know, last minutes before the break. The typical formula is that the day
056before Christmas Eve becomes a half day. That's usually what happens. That's what you see what you see here. And if if students or families have special travel plans or other things going on, teachers, you know, work with them on that. >> Yeah. Yes. >> I don't know if this is the right place to ask it because this really is a little less to do with the academic calendar and maybe a little bit more to do with our after school and extracurriculars. Um, you know, we had a light discussion about thinking about being inclusive of some of the other like major religious holidays. Um, and even if those don't align and it doesn't work out for the calendar and the days of school, it's it is also hard for those families when they have, >> you
057know, religious activities to go to after school, like we'll get them into school, but then to be missing out on all of their sports and extracurriculars afterwards. I don't know if there's a way to align that with what would I guess >> couple couple of thoughts. First of all, and this is not an answer for now, but hopefully for next year, I actually had a care and a thought to try to add the two big Jewish holidays, the fall ones, as days off for everybody because I think >> that's the respectful thing to start doing. And I thought we might even do it in this incarnation of the calendar. I have a little bit of work to do, it turns out, in terms of how holidays are in or not in certain union contracts and
058other things that with other domino effects that kind of surprise me being a I guess a noob at calendar construction a little bit. Um, but I think I know how to get it going now and I look for that in in some years soon, probably next year, number one. And then when we look at evening events, like for example, let's start with us. We took a look at the board and committee meeting schedule and made sure that there were none that were happening on those days. And then I do work with the athletic director and clubs and activities people in our schools to try to make sure that they don't schedule events on those days. Sometimes the athletic league is more brutal than I'd like and they they have this sort of it's a brute
059fact that they do these things and then we either miss them or not. Um when we're in control of it, I do ask that we're respectful of that. I think it's the right thing to do. >> Yeah. And I, you know, I understand there's like a union impact and so like I'm even maybe less concerned with the academic calendar but more with like than all those after school things that you do miss as well. So if there's an any kind of wiggle room to just try to align those calendars that be just throwing out there >> and on a major holiday we would always say you know teachers not to be giving big homework or assignments over major religious holidays or other similar holidays as well. Okay. >> Thanks Don. Yes. >> So, the two
060things in front of you, I think we said I'm gonna just do one more crosswalk between our vacation schedule and all the sending towns to make sure we've got the optimum efficiency for as many kids as possible. I'll I'll put that information out in a Friday update and then we'll come back and talk more if that's okay with you, Ken. >> And then I guess you've got the board meeting schedule in front of you right now. Do you want me to wait to approve both all of it? I'll because then I don't know if we're gonna this will be affected. So, we'll hold off on >> approving these until Okay. >> Um Okay. Can I have a motion to go into executive session? >> Right. >> Do are we inviting um Nicole? >> Yes. >>
061And and we need a motion to um have Nicole Grant Can I have a second? >> All in favor? >> I um uh an executive do I need a time for executive session? >> Perfect. Okay. >> Let's hope we're not locked out of >> here. >> I think so. >> Yes, please. All right. >> So, can we have a motion, Alex? >> Which one? A motion for which >> for the for the only one It's written down. >> It's written down. >> So it is >> appropriate. >> Yes, please. >> Oh, you need a microphone. >> Start over. [laughter] >> Okay. I make a motion uh to ratify the Chipog Valley Educators Association Union Agreement dated July 1, 2026 through June 30th, 2029. >> Can I have a second? >> All in favor? >> Is
062there anyone opposed? Abstensions. It passes. Thank you very much. Thank you for stay Oh, no wait. Oh jeez. Okay. >> Um the uh unaffili um can uh Okay. This one here consider and if appropriate, right? The number two. Ratify. >> No, that's the one I just did. Number two. >> Number two. You did? >> Number one. Uh can I have a motion for number one? Well, except we need to put the numbers out to to to >> show what we're >> making a motion of. >> A motion to approve the unaffiliated staff increases for the 2026 2027 budget. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? Extensions. It passes. Ajourn. Have a motion to adjourn.