001Good evening everybody. Welcome welcome to tonight's board meeting. It's October 20th. It feels like December 20th. Um uh Justin, can you please take attendance? Joe Abdella, Victoria Salem, Stephanie Colnik, >> Jesse Leeman, Angela Murulo, >> Alex Mcnauten >> here, >> Justin Angley here, Jen Pod >> here, >> Jane Sergeant, >> Pete Tagley, >> Mary Weber, >> and Christine Widig. >> Thank you. Uh, next is public comment on agenda items. Is there anybody uh need to say anything? Ben is saying no. Thank you. Uh next is consent agenda. Uh is there anybody that would like to um Oh, sorry. Uh anything that um add or edit anything on the consent agenda for the October 6th meeting? Well, we're gonna we'll move on to we'll move on to be first, but I'm just moving I'm just I'm
002just talking about October 6 first. >> I bet you did. Great. So then we will um since nobody has anything to uh say, we will uh adopt October 6 and move on. So, uh, for the, um, for, uh, A, excuse me, for B, this is really only for myself, Justin, and Angela because we were the three that attended the hearing. What I will say, Alex, is that um we had a request from Miss Shure to revise uh the um the uh to she just revi to revise the minutes to re uh reflect uh the minutes in more detail. We had sent the minutes uh to our attorney, the board's attorney to review and uh attached are the revised minutes that um that he just reviewed. And so we just these are uh the the minutes
003that our board's attorney uh decided to and so they're just that's what he reviewed and that's what um based upon our um our board's attorney that's what he felt that they um elected. So >> very good. Thank you. >> Yeah. You're welcome. So, can I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> This really is for the three of us. So, I know it seems a little confusing based on the um Yeah. So, it's just for the three of us. I know it's a little confusing, but thank you. I'm sorry for the three of us that were at that uh that hearing. So, thank you for that. And uh moving on for the presentation tonight for the aggra science um proc the progress rather. Hi Tyler, welcome tonight. It's
004happy we're happy to see you. Yeah. While this is being fixed, do we know when the furniture is coming into the library? So, we will be able to move back into the library. >> Everything's in except the actual shelving which is being installed next Wednesday. >> Next Wednesday. So, hopefully our next meeting will be back in the library. >> I think we have a meeting November 3rd. >> I don't think it'll be in for that one. >> It's November 5th that it's being installed. I'm off a week. It's two weeks from Wednesday. >> Okay, great. That'll be exciting. Thank you. So, uh, I did make a little slideshow. Um, it is in the agenda. I think there was some, uh, just some mistakes in getting it up here on the board, but that's okay. Uh,
005so it is in here, but basically, I started with just, uh, the events that we've held this year so far starting this summer. Um, so I highlighted the chapter officer leadership training event. This is an event where the newly elected officers from the end of last year, they meet, they do team building. Uh they become acquainted with just the expectations of the roles. It's a good way to set the tone for the year and it's a really important event for us just to kind of lay the lay the foundation for the kids throughout the year. They'll be doing these positions and there's just some pictures of their uh games and whatnot that they did that day. After that, I put some pictures of the Bridgewater Fair. So, we were there all three days. This is
006a yearly tradition that we've done. Um, we brought Chief and Radar, our two little minis this year to showcase them. One of our students from last year, Mina Kier Elden, a graduate. She's a uh state officer at Yukon now. So, she came to the booth uh for a little bit of time, spent some time with our kids, uh helped us just engage with the public. um really successful event. A lot of student turnout. One thing about all these events I've noticed is there has been an uptick in just participation in general, especially for the younger kids. The the sophomore and freshman, I really think that they're uh beginning to buy in a great deal and it shows and just their numbers at these events. Which leads us to the freshman orientation. That was the same
007day as the Shapman orientation. One of the things that we did this year was uh we try to combine both events on the same day. So not only do pre uh parents not have to come back twice, they can uh a student who's a freshman in the a science program can then do the chap orientation the same day. So uh just another way that we try to uh integrate the program into the school seamlessly. Then, uh, I've got the Bridgewater Tractor Parade, which is my favorite event of the summer slashschool year. Um, some some good pictures there. There's a picture of my son holding the uh the trophy. We won. Uh, best No, that was last year, best embodiment of Bridgewater. That's not this year's trophy, but uh it was fun. He's he's two. He
008was at the event, but again, we had uh 14 students participate. That's the max that we can uh tow on our float. They made a Halloween themed float which was also used in the Roxberry tractor parade. Uh that was another great event and a good tradition for our program. The Big E cor workshop. Good good picture there of uh the participants. This is a workshop where we prepare students to do demonstrations at the Big E. So there's a cor making booth there where all the centers go. They have kids do different arrangements and uh there's a contest but the kids in general they all make corages to give out to fair participants. This is our workshop that we host just to make sure that all the kids know how to do that. So it's a
009fun it's a fun workshop that we host right here in the floral lab and our freshman social that was uh the end of September mid to end mid to end of September. The premise of this event is that we have a lot of students who come to us from all these different districts, many of whom have never met each other. So, this is an event we had uh over 40 freshmen attend this year out of 54 kids in the in the program. So, most of our freshmen came. Uh we again we do different team building workshops that kind of force them to talk to each other and interact with each other. We do different games. Hey, hey, toss. We grill food. It's a good time and uh again it's just helping us to build upon
010this culture this uh culture of the program and and just the positive environment. Uh I mentioned the Big E workshop. There's some photos of our kids at the Big E. We brought 28 to busfuls making arrangements, networking with the public and official dress representing Chipog proudly. And then just most recently, uh the Roxberry tractor parade was I think it was two weekends ago. Uh Mr. Bolinsky brought the kids to this one. But uh again, just another uh good turnout. The tractor parades are a lot of fun, especially in the fall. But uh yeah, so that was basically since se September, end of August. So it's been busy. Uh, as far as just general program updates aside from the events that we've we've hosted, uh, I have started recruiting. So, I've visited most every school up
011to this point, I still have one more school that I am presenting at next week. It's a new school. It's a small uh, it's like a small Christian school. I can't remember if it's in Danberry or New Town, but uh, it's a new school. So that's good to to have our program uh attract another new audience. And uh yesterday or two days ago was our fall expo. So this was in the past this was our equin expo. We've expanded the event to encompass something for every demographic. So we had uh stuff for little kids, stuff for current students, stuff for parents. We had we tried to have an activity for every interest. So we had floral design workshops. We had a little petting zoo for kids. We had uh we made a chicken roasted chicken
012lunch for the guests that day. Obviously we still had the ecoin portion of the event. We did hay rides for the uh tractor enthusiasts. And uh what else did we do? It was a really really busy day, but we had uh over 120 paid admissions into the ecoin portion of the event and then we had over 50 students attend. So we had over 170 people come come to the event. Uh great success, a lot of fun. That was just on Saturday, so I don't have pictures in here. And then upcoming is national. Nationals is next week. That's hard to believe, but we'll be sending uh 33 33 students, I believe, is the number down there. Uh three teams to compete. Miss Davenport actually coached uh three nationals winning teams. Uh so that is achievement and
013uh they'll they'll be competing at Indianapolis next week at the National FFA convention. And then uh right after that, we have Yukon fall CDES, which is basically the contest that determine next year's national convention teams. So hopefully we can do well at nationals, go back to Yukon, and just continue the success and and have more students place well and uh hopefully go to Indianapolis next year and then before we know it, we'll be at the Holiday Bazaar. So there's an event every one or two weeks. You know, this is a busy time of year, but it's fun and uh it's good for kids and they're certainly showing it and being involved. So that is uh pretty much gets us through through winter. So uh if there's anything else that you guys would like to know
014about, I'd be happy to fill you in. Um I think it's 166 I think. 16 something. I want to say 166. need a microsoft. >> You know, I I should have uh studied on the numbers before this meeting, just planning ahead, but I I want to say that it's in the 50s for region 12 about about a third. Yeah. Yep. I think it yeah increased uh it was 150 something last year. So we we went up about 12 students total in the program. >> This year we have 166 kids in the program. >> Not too far from last year I would say. >> Yeah. Not too much uh not too much more than last year. >> Okay. Thank you very >> You're welcome. Um >> yeah, I'd like to commend Tyler for wonderful job and
015this aggra science program is is exceeded all my expectations and even my hopes. So I mean thank you very much. >> Yeah, thank you guys. This is a team effort obviously and you know I uh am fortunate to have kind of came here when things started to pick up in momentum and uh we have a really good team of people in this building that that help and uh I appreciate that as well but uh yeah this is definitely not something I can do on my own but Yeah, >> very important question we all want the answer to. >> Very important. I have the reindeer. I have the snowman. What are you making this year for the holiday bizaar? I also have the flower. >> Oh, good. >> That's not the holiday bazaar. >> We haven't
016got there yet. We we want to get through nationals. Soon as we get through nationals will be kind of our uh let's get let's get to work on the bizaar. Stay tuned though. >> I googled I saw a really cute Christmas tree you can do. >> Okay. >> Very cute. >> That's cool. If you want to send a picture of >> I will submit. >> Okay, sounds good. >> Do you want to give her a microphone without um Saturday and I'm just always every you kids are just so engaged. Um it was fabulous. >> Saturday was a really fun day and a lot of happy people, good weather. It was really just we couldn't have asked for a better day than Saturday. >> Yeah. >> And we made some money, too, which is so Yeah,
017it was a home run, I think. >> Anybody else? No. Well, I think you're pretty um uh gracious, but I think that I think the uptick was you when you came and your team. So, I think that you definitely um helped in creating a great team and great momentum. So, thanks a lot, Tyler. >> Yeah, >> keep on keeping on for >> Yeah. Well, we appreciate all of your hard work and your enthusiasm. So, thank you so much. Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. Thank you. >> Okay. So, uh moving on to reports and recognition. Um again, my report is short and sweet. I would like to congratulate the uh Shap Girls cross country team. They took the top spot and are champions of the Burkshere uh league. So, congratulations to them. That's a
018huge huge win. So, once again, we are so proud of all of our student athletes. So, that's a big big win. And I'm going to move on now to our superintendent and his report. >> Thank you, Mrs. Pod. And there could be a few more new uh points on the athletic front. I think tonight the I just found out that I think the soccer team is co-er champions because they won today. And I think it could be with the field hockey team, too. I'll get more info for you on that, but there's a lot going on there. Anyway, it is a busy time in our schools and I've been privileged to see a lot of it. Um great stuff going on in the elementary schools. Um next week for example, actually this Wednesday is something
019called unity day in all three schools where they focus on inclusion and anti-bullying and kindness and developing the kind of skills so that students can be upstanders and support each other and build a really good school climate. Uh and that's a strong program. And then there's a lot of good academic stuff going on in the elementary schools especially in terms of science. They were studying um the science of bubbles at Burnham. There's a lot to that with surface tension and chemistry and so forth and plant seed wings at Booth. I got to actually see that. I was invited down I don't know if I told you this already, but I was invited down to Mrs. Testani's class where the kids had started with just seeds and I was there for the graduation ceremony where they
020turned into little plants and they actually move them to a hydroponic tower, you know, where the plants are grown by nutrients and water just being passed through their roots. And they're learning by doing. They're learning of the science of botany by planting and learning what works and what doesn't. And they played pomp and circumstance when they graduated the seedlings into the thing. That was kind of a hearts stopper there. Um uh and then um over at Washington Primary School, they had a unit in the fifth grade and this more important now than ever maybe on the process of um citizenship uh voting um selection and of a platform and policy and what you believe and why. describing steps to how to achieve that platform. Tell how they would and why they would make good leaders
021all the students and think about that a leadership workshop and then one student is advancing on to the state. They call it the kid governor competition. So, one of our own might be elected. We'll see. And the Washington primary kids also had a great day over at the Washington Fire Department. And we're very grateful to all the first responders who showed up to teach the kids about safety and help them see the spot where they would um collect and reunify if we ever faced an emergency. There was also a K9 present and the kids loved that. Um at Chap. had their PSATS last week which is still a very important event to help us uh collect actionable data on how students are doing on the uh on looking towards the SAT and using that data
022to adjust our instruction to help them move forward and it's also a good external check on our teaching and learning on what we're doing. They had their trip again to Steep Rock. You've heard me talk about that with great pride before. That's the project where middle school kids partner with Steeprock to actually design and create a brochure, a travel brochure that visitors to the park will use. And they in doing that they research science and literature and nature and all these things to live up to our call for project-based learning, service learning where the students are creating artifacts that are actually valued beyond the school, you know, consumed by the community. Um, so that that's that's really neat. And um, I did get to go to the A Expo. Tyler spoke about it a lot.
023It was really neat. I saw a lot of great food. He made all these chickens. He did. I don't He made these roasted these chickens that were just lovely. I was on a diet, so I didn't eat, but I smelled them. I was Yeah, I laid off that day. But then they had It was beautiful. He was a great cook. I saw ecquin. I saw people demonstrations on riding and tra and on veterary care and horse care. They were making jacko'lanterns. The kids loved it. There was a flower arranging class where I saw them actually putting the flowers into a pumpkin. The pumpkin became the centerpiece for the arrangement. Um I went on a hayride. I did not throw my back out or pull a hamstring, which is good. The hayride was lovely. Um it
024was a great great great time. Very well attended. Okay. And then lastly, I'm going to ask everybody to be on the lookout, especially um parents and community members for a communication that'll be coming out from Mrs. Bivven about my superintendent's coffees. And this is just going to be a chance for folks to get some facetime with me. Although my big joke is I have a face made for radio, so I don't know how that'll go for people. But doesn't anybody think that's a little funny? Oh, come on. Give me a little something on that. >> Heard that before. >> Oh, you've heard that joke before? Okay. So, that's why you didn't laugh. Uh, anyway, no, it's a good time for for folks to be able to chat with me. And what's that? It's podcast. >>
025There'll be two of these events at each school. Uh, one in the morning and one in the evening. People have the chance to sign up and RSVP. There'll be no set agenda. The goal is for people to be able to talk to me and tell me what they're thinking. I listen. They feel respected and heard. And then I also get to share a few things. and communicate on our behalf about what we're doing and what's important to us. And um so I hope those are well attended. We're going to try to make that make that so. And then finally, I have a few business items uh personnel appointments. Um Daniel Moore is the now the ice hockey assistant coach at Chipog. Uh and there's a field trip notification. And you know, probably are aware by
026now that every year our choir goes down to Radio City Music Hall and performs down there. Uh, and it's not an overnight, but it's an outofstate um trip. So, I think based on that um we're supposed to at least notify the board. I don't remember if you vote on it or not. May Jen, you can educate me on that, but I I at least tell you about it. And I know this gig by now, but I also asked Beth for a few notes so you could see what they're doing. It it seems like it it gets better and better every year the experience for the kids. And this year they're going to be part again of the Sounds of Christmas experience at Radio City. And they uh they're accepted. They audition and they're accepted and
027they perform a fiveminute holiday themed set ac capella on stage at Radio City Music Hall with a packed hall. So it's a performance opportunity for our kids that they otherwise might not get which music is a performing art and I love it when I see our kids getting a chance to do that. So the audience is about 6,000 people from all over the world. A lot of them are there to see the Rockettes, but our kids will have that audience as well. They also go to the uh Rockefeller Center to see the Tree and Sights. Then they share a group meal in a New York City restaurant where the waiters and waitresses are Broadway aspirants who sing. So they'll get to have that experience, too. It's a really neat thing. I'm glad that the board
028has supported the trip before, and I hope you'll continue to do so. And thank you very much. And that's my report for today. >> Thank you, John. >> Uh, moving on to the treasures report, Alex. >> Yeah, I I'd like to let Nicole speak first here about this because this is very timely because we were just talking about the Radio City trip and uh Nicole's got some information on that. >> Yeah. So, this is actually an action item later under new business, but it >> Yeah. Um I think it's a great time to talk about though, Alex. I agree. Um Don was speaking about um our coral teacher, Miss Harson, and I was talking to her about the kids trip to Radio City and um with the uh meal package that Don was talking about
029with the um Broadway Entertainers, the cost of the trip is a little over $300 per student for the day. And that's been um difficult for some of our families, especially given the time of year, it being between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Um, and as you may or may not know, we um we ensure our liability and property insurance through a company called the Kerma. I often say Kerma and people wonder what it stands for. I have to actually look it up. It's the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency. They insure most municipalities in the state of Connecticut. And what's great about them is when they have a good year, they give back to their members. They call their insured their members. They're partners with us. And we recently received our member dis equity distribution for last year,
030which is not anticipated year-toear. So, it's a revenue that we take in that um is not otherwise yet budgeted. So, this year's member equity distribution was $9,770. I think we talked about it um the last meeting because Bridgewwater also got one and they had a photo off with a huge check and we only got the small check. Um, but later on there's an action item to ask if we could use those funds which are not otherwise spoken for to support the kids to go to Radio City to lower the cost of the trip. >> I will wait till later discuss my opinion on it. >> You don't have anything else to report? Okay. Okay. Will you Okay. Hopefully you have something positive to share later. Okay. Thank you, Alex. Uh committee reports, Agra Science Committees.
031Mary, she's not here tonight, so we will wait to hear from her another time. Curriculum Justin, do you have anything to report? >> No, nothing new. Our next meeting is November 17th. >> Okay, thank you. Ed advance. Joe, >> uh, >> I was unable to attend the October meeting, so nothing new to report. >> Okay, thank you. Finance and operations, Alex. >> Yeah. Um, we are going to have a meeting and at that time we're going to discuss this Radio City situation. Um, but uh, as of right now, let me just hold off till we get to that action item. >> Okay. Labor negotiations. We have our first meeting tomorrow, so nothing to report as of now. >> Thank you. >> Policy Justin. >> Um, our next meeting is December 8th. Uh, otherwise nothing new.
032>> Okay. Uh, I can't believe we're talking December. Uh, strategic long and range planning. Nothing to report. We had our last meeting uh, a couple weeks ago. So, moving on to old business. Consider for approval second reading of policy 5114 students. >> And I'm going to ask the board if um this could be um tabled until um our November meeting because I had um by serendipity. I was meeting with one of the shipment lawyers about something else who's on their policy committee and she mentioned to me that they're undertaking several further revisions to pol their model policy 5114. Nothing too substantial. I think it's going to be an even more uh current version of the idea of challenging behavior and a few related concepts, but I don't think it's um efficient for me to bring
033the policy forward to you once and then again after they change it. So, she says they should be done with that final revision by October 31st. So, I have reason to hope that I could we could come back for that second read. Um, well, maybe it'll be at that time a first read of the latest revision, however we're going to construe it. But, I'll have it for you and again, I'll summarize the key changes to save you a lot of unnecessary reading. And I'm hopeful that we can move forward with it in in early or mid November if that's okay with the board. Thank >> you. New business. Uh, consider for approval use of Kerma member equity distribution to support a student trip to Radio City Music Hall for December 12th. >> Can I speak
034on that? Um, basically we spend a lot of money on different parts of the I'll call them extracurriculars, the things outside and we don't really support the music that much. Um, this program I think is if I'm correct me if I'm wrong, was going to cost each student $250. Um, and to be honest, that would eliminate quite a few of the the kids from going. They just parents couldn't afford that particularly this time of year. I think that with if we approve using the C A C C I MA money, it'll drop that number down to about 55. Is that right, Nicole? So, the original estimate, yes, that was the numbers that I originally got from Miss Harvest, but now that they've added um the meal, you in the past when the kids have gone,
035I think this is our third year, possibly our fourth year going. In the past, the kids brought cash with them to eat and Miss Harson is trying to arrange more of um planned meal. Um so, we've now added the cost of that meal um which is about $50 a student. So it brings it more to $300 a student. So with this funding, it would offset um $200 of that. So it would still be $100 a student. >> $100 a student. But that uh I I think that there was a a good interest already at $250 or $300, but my feeling is I I would I'd hate to exclude kids, particularly this time of year. And I I think it's a good thing that we spend this money on uh on some of the uh arts
036And that's that's just my personal feeling and we're going to discuss it at FNO at our next meeting and then come back to you all for final approval. >> So I don't we don't have time to wait for the next FNO. I think we need to approve it have the board approve it tonight because they do need to purchase the tickets for Radio City. So yeah, it it it's a little bit more time sensitive that. So the full full board could consider it now. Um, and then if finance and operations has questions at the next meeting as to how I booked it or where we posted the expenses, we can go through that those technicalities, but it's really just about taking in that revenue and repurposing it for that purchase for the kids. >> Question.
037>> Do we have 100 is still, you know, a lot of money for some people. Do we have at Vernon we had something called the sunshine fund? Do we have that a way to help a kid that you know can't do that 100? >> So Don may be able to speak more about this, but I believe there's a hardship fund in the student activity fund at book. >> There are some funds available that you turn to if a student has trouble, let's say, getting a yearbook or going to the prom or going on a certain trip, but not enough probably. I don't know that it could that it could it would be quickly exhausted if we spent $100 on every student. But um for those who have special need and they this is done discreetly
038of course in a way that that they'll talk to their counselor and the counselor might make the principal aware and there are some funds available in that line that could help. Yes. >> Yeah. I didn't mean program. I just meant if there was a student who still couldn't do it, was there something to push them over the line? >> I think so. Yes. And I think too just to you know we're going to be going into budget soon budget season soon. Um I think you know Miss Harvest and I talked about the fact that this is kind of a struggle every year and I'm wondering if you know this year if we put a line item in the budget um to support this trip the way we do the model UN or the Indianapolis trip
039for FFA that might I'd love to see the board approve it as a permanent budget line so that the service doesn't have to go through this every year. Wondering where the funding's coming through. I think that would be wonderful if that would be something agreed. >> Okay. >> You need a motion? >> Yeah. I'd like to make a motion that we approve the use of the CIRMA uh refund to help finance the Radio City Music Hall on December uh 12th, 2025. >> I have a second. >> All in favor? I >> Anyone opposed? Abstained. It moves. Wonderful. So that is great news. So thank you very much for the support. Okay, moving on to the next one. Book proposals for sixth grade and 12th grade. ELA >> it's discussing So, at our last um curriculum
040meeting, which I think was a couple weeks ago, can't remember the date, um two books were brought to us for approval. One was um ban this book, which was for sixth grade, and the other one was for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, um for 12th grade. um at the meeting, you know, what the two teachers or the the teachers involved with with these book proposals um gave us very detailed um information on what the book was about, how it fits in the particular curriculum, how it's aligned with the SHPOG learner outcomes, and they also addressed, you know, if there were any sensitive issues. And um correct me if I'm wrong, anyone on the committee, I I think we resoundly agreed that that these were um both worthwhile books for for the um elementary or
041middle and um high school curriculum. >> Yes. And just a little bit of a background, the first book is called um Ban This Book. Uh, and in the the the book is age appropriate to middle school and sixth grade, and it's about a sixth grader who goes to the library, the school library to check out her favorite book. I think it's the mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Isn't that it? Uh, I don't know if anybody here read that book as a child. I remember it dimly, but I don't know if I read it. And she gets there and the book is gone. And she asks why. And the librarian says that the book is uh banned. And um the book becomes a learning experience for kids about how book policies are set
042and how to advocate and develop agency and your own personal ability to advocate for an issue and she goes through the process of following the board's policy which is wellcraftrafted like ours is. It's just that it didn't get followed. She follows that policy like a good citizen to try to get the book restored to the library is the story behind it. And the teachers believe that it's a real way to bring kids into real world events and probably even maybe talk to or present at some point to this board about what they learned about policies like this and what they learned about our policy and how it would work in our library and how that's different from what happened in the book. Really good learning opportunity. And the second book you might know was a
043movie and it's a investigation. It's a higher level. It's for seniors really, I guess, about who has who has the power to decide norms and what's normal and um who has the power to control everybody else and how we form our own identity. I guess is Justin, you could probably give a better summary of it than that, but that's my understanding of it. And in both cases, the teachers feel a real opportunity for these books to bring students, help them love literature and connect the learning to things that are going on in in their world. And I have a motion to adjurnn. >> I make a motion that we adjourn. >> Second. Thank you. All in favor? Good night. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.