Board of Education Meeting - May 27, 2025

001James for the cave award. So, congratulations. I'll reach I'll reach over. I'm excited. Congratulations. Congratulations. All right. Our second recipient um is actually going to be very famous tomorrow because we are unearthing a time capsule at Henry James. Um it was buried 25 years ago. Um and Sadi um Ferguson is the spokesperson for the HJNN. She's our news anchor and she um is going to be doing a live um a live unearthing of our time caps. We have no idea what's in it. So it could I could date myself but it could be like a Heraldo Rivera moment. But let's hope not. Let's hope there's some really interesting stuff in there. But so here's what the orange team had to say about S. You want to come on Satie? Here's what the orange team had

002to say about Satie. Um Satie is a student who is known for her resilience, compassion, dedication, and diplomacy. Sadi's not just an active member of multiple clubs and organization, but an obvious leader. In our HJNN, Satie has embraced opportunities to learn multiple roles and skills. Even when faced with obstacles, she never backs down. Instead, she founds creative solutions and encourages those around her to do the same. She was named editor of the school yearbook due to her conscientious efforts to take the lead in organizing and paying attention to details. She's also involved in our school musical, film club, and numerous activities outside of school. In class, she is a kind, empathetic, and encouraging of her peers, even in even the smallest actions. She welcomes all people and willingly interacts with and helps students of all

003levels and abilities. With a smile and a positive attitude, Satie can be dependent upon to help her classmates share when something is wrong and be consistent to meet deadlines to fill her commitments. She's a role model and one who contributes to her communities on a daily basis and is therefore a deserving nomination a deserving nominee for this award. Congratulations. I'll step over here as well. So, we have two honores for our CABE awards. I don't know, they're both very busy, so they might not actually be here. So, I'll do a quick um share for them. But when we take a look at the CAB student leadership awards, it really does look for students who are taking that leadership challenge, their willingness to take on new things and also to make difficult decisions, um their ability

004to work with others, to commit to a project. And both of our students um really exemplify this. So, I wanted to say congratulations tonight to Morgan Louu. She's actually on the lacrosse field right now playing in CCC um game for their conference. So, um Morgan is a dedicated athlete. She is a varsity field hockey player. Um she's also a varsity girls lacrosse player. She's an allstate player. So, not just at the um at the level in um in field hockey, but also in girls lacrosse as well. She's an AP scholar. She's also been elected treasurer of the student council. And then she's also the award winner for the Colt Award for Excellence in Foreign Language. Um she's also a certified referee. She's on the spirit club for our Trojan wall and also the environmental club.

005So somebody who really takes an on lots of different opportunities. Um her recent volunteering at Hartford Hospital has also led her to want to become a nurse and she will be attending Northeastern next year. So congratulations to Morgan Lou. So she's ready. And our next recipient is Nana Poku Boachi. Um Nana is a member of our ABC family here at Simsbury High School. He also is a member of lots of different organizations. The Students of Color Alliance, he's the president. DECA, um if you don't know, that's a business club. He is the member and also vice president. Equity Council, the Congressional Art Competition winner in 2023. So, if you're not aware, he is an incredible photographer and his artwork was actually displayed at the Canon Hall at the US Capital. Um, so not surprising, he's

006our head photographer for the yearbook, National Business Honor Society, Varsity Track, that's actually where um he is today. Varsity basketball team member, and he's also part of the Amy's Angels Youth Volunteer Group, which helped to obtain medical equipment for those in need. So, another super dedicated leader. Um, and really want to congratulate Nana on this awesome award as well. All right. Next, we have our athletic director, Jeff Penny, here to talk about the um scholar athlete award. Good evening, everybody. So, every year, every school in Connecticut who's a part of the CIA recognizes one outstanding male and one outstanding female student athlete. And really, the focus is simply on academics. We look at GPA. We talk to their teachers and then we look at athletic accomplishments. So, we are able to have one of the

007two here tonight because the other is playing in the girls lacrosse game. They're winning five to one right now by the way in the first period. Um, Cooper Thomas, Cooper, go ahead stand up so everybody can stare at you while I read dispatch. Um, Cooper has a 4.1 GPA this year. He's a four-year varsity swimmer, three times allconerence team captain, all academic all four years. Also a four-year soccer player and ran track for one season for us as well. And when we make these selections and we seek input from coaches and and from teachers, it's always very exciting to hear, oh, you picked the right one. Because really, as we narrow it down, people feel a sense of relief. And that's the an excellent person to represent this award in the school. And that's what

008Cooper's uh teachers and coaches said about him. That's an excellent choice. He's an excellent person, an excellent human being. He works hard at everything he does, and he's going to achieve a lot of things in his life. So, congratulations, Cooper. Our female student athlete this year is uh Charlotte Reits. She's on the lacrosse field right now. She's actually committed to play at UNH next year. She has a 4.5 GPA. Um four-time cross country athlete, four times all academic. She was a team captain for that team. She was part of the basketball state championship team last year. Not only played extremely well in the game if you were at the game defensively, sang the national anthem before the game. And then she was part of the varsity girls lacrosse team that were runners up in that

009game last year as well. also sang the national anthem before that game. Um she she's an unbelievable person. She does amazing things. She's a very high achiever and just quietly goes about her business. If you walk down the halls at Simsbury High School, you're not going to know who she is. But when you walk out on the field or you hear the name and you put it all together, you go, "That's another outstanding student athlete. That's a great recognition for her." And her coaches and her teachers said the same about her. That's the perfect choice for this class. So congratulations to Charl. Okay. Well, congratulations to everybody on those. What I have here is a gift for our student representative, Macy Gets. Macy has been a contributor. Macy has been a great student rep. This

010is not a um a check the box exercise at all. These kids take this role extremely seriously and really is not afraid to dive in and give us their opinion about what they think about the the issues that we we wrestle with, right? And and they brings Macy brings a voice of the students as she should, right? Like you may not have noticed, but we it's been a few years since we've been in high school, right? So, um we're a student. So, we value we greatly value what Macy brings to the table. So, just wanted to say thank you. We know you're off to do bigger and better things and we we're just ecstatic and thankful for everything you've done for us. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Congratulations to all our students

011that came out tonight. Thank you very much. We're ready to We are ready. Okay. Uh with that, we are um on to public. Let's give them a second. Give them a second. [Music] Yeah. Let let them clear out dear sister. Thank you all very much. Congratulations. Congratulations. Nice work everyone. [Music] You do that right. I'm 59 years old. [Music] Only going to one. All right. I think we go ahead Patty. I feel terrible, you know, sharing this um after all this nice accolades and everything, but I have to and I just want you to think of it as a positive thing, not a negative thing. Uh my name is Patty Gonzalez. I have address confidentiality protection from the government. So, I don't give up my address. But last week, I had a meeting with the

012high school principal, my son's um uh counselor, and a teacher. And after that meeting, you know, everything was fine. Came home. This week, my son goes to school. and something that was said at that meeting got out. I don't know how, maybe it was a coincidence, but my son was getting teased and bullied today. And he has thick skin, so it really doesn't bother me. So, I'm doing this not just for my son, but for other kids. Um, I just want to say that school administrators and teachers sometimes they spread rumors or gossip about children and families, and it hurts students, not the parents. So, maybe you're doing it openly, and other kids hear it, and that's how it gets around. But school districts are required to obey state and federal laws when a student's

013privacy is concerned, including the Simsbury policy 5127, student record policy. My son has had issues at the high school, but like I said, he has thick skin. He's a good kid. He's really he's p he's a pacifist. He's a big kid. He's tall, but he doesn't care what he But it bothers me because he's my son and I have to protect him, you know. And um I know it bothers him, but he doesn't let it get to him. Um, and lately because of the rumors and gossip that possibly came in from administrators and teachers unknowingly, they talk and other kids hear it possibly. You know, it affects my son. So, please remind Simsbury High School administrators and teachers to stop spreading rumors or gossiping about families openly um because it violates state and federal laws

014and school policies. Although I know gossip and rumors will never end, I want to remind the board of education that it it is school administrators and teachers who are at fault sometimes for inciting causing bullying and harassment of students in violation of law the law by openly having conversations. Um, you know, kids are teenagers, they're smart. They hear stuff and then they they naturally tease. I never blame kids for anything. It's the adults who I blame. We have to be if you want to gossip, that's fine. I can't stop you. but do it privately, not where other kids can hear a child's name, a conversation that took place. I just want to remind you of that. And um like I said, my son has thick skin and he doesn't really care, but it bothers me

015because I'm his mother and I'm supposed to protect him and deep down inside it does bother him, but because why else would he tell me, you know? So, just remember to please keep the conversations private. I can't stop you from talking, but don't do it where other kids can hear and then they go back and you create like um a bullying situation for a child. You don't realize it, but it happens. And I just want to remind you of that. Okay. Thank you. Thanks. Anybody else? Yeah, go ahead. State your name, address, and you have three minutes. [Music] You know, when I was a kid, I always thought it would be fun to be in this chair for these meetings. And now I'm not so sure. And I apologize for being late, if you can

016believe it. I uh I went to the wrong conference room. So, but thank you so much for the opportunity. If I can just have a couple minutes of your time. Um I'm Philip Gillette. My family and I have lived at the Ridge at Talcott Mountain apartment community for about three years. Uh I have twin children attending Central Elementary School. I'm going to read from this prepared statement because uh helps me organize my thoughts and just express my concerns, you know, clearly. So, while Latimer Lane School was under renovation, children that were living at the ridge at Talcott Mountain uh have been attending Central Elementary School. Uh recently we were informed that starting with the 2026 2027 school year, these children would no longer be permitted to uh continue at Central Elementary School and uh would

017be reszoned to Latimer Lane School. Um notably only children living at the ridge at Talcott Mountain have been affected by this change to my knowledge. um you know, which further strengthens the feeling that um you know, we're being treated differently maybe than other neighborhoods. Um I'm disappointed by how this resoning process has been handled. I took a look at the board of education meeting minutes for this year. I didn't really see uh discussion of the topic or consideration of its impact on families like mine, but but admittedly I may have overlooked that. So, if I did, I apologize for that. Um there's been, I feel, like a lack of transparency throughout the process and families that live in our community. I don't really feel like I've had a meaningful opportunity to provide input before some

018of these key decisions have begun to take shape. I also can't help but feel that, you know, part of the reason our voices aren't being heard is because we live in an apartment community and it feels like maybe we're being treated a little differently. Like maybe our concerns don't carry the same weight as concerns from some other neighborhoods. Um my wife and I, we contribute to this town in meaningful ways. We love this community. Our kids love this community. We're we are deeply about Simsberry. My wife, for example, coaches youth soccer here. So, we're not just residents. we're actively involved and we just feel maybe like we've been shut out of the process a bit. Um, and I want to stress finally that changing schools is really disruptive for young children, especially now when we

019take into consideration or context the instability of the COVID years and our kids having to sort of rebuild. You know, a lot of our children are still rebuilding that sense of consistency and belonging in school. I just hate to see that interrupted, you know, by another upheaval. I mean, these early years in elementary school, they really matter a lot. And uh the decisions that happen at this level can have implications for many years to come. So, I guess I'm asking maybe to consider slowing the process down a little bit, creating some space for real community input so that families like ours, you know, from every part of town deserve to be part of the conversation because these choices, they can affect our children in real and and lasting ways. So, thank you. Thank you. Appreciate

020it. Thank you. Anybody else? Public audience. Um then we will move on to committee in BOE communications. Macy. Um okay. So as the year's wrapping up, the high school has lots of different events for specifically the seniors. We had the outing today, uh breakfast tomorrow. We have the underclass awards tomorrow as well. prom. Um, and then senior awards night is June 3rd. And then we will be getting ready for final exams that start on the 4th and graduation, grad walks, etc. End of year activities. Um, similar things at the high school to extent. There's also eighth grade graduation um, end of year coral concerts and then there's also the president's education awards and promotion ceremony coming up in June. I think that's the 4th and the 10th. And then the elementary schools are also wrapping

021up with their assemblies and their musical performances as well. Thank you. Um so communications committee uh we've met back on the 16th. I just hit on a few of those items. So the strategic plan communication uh there'll be a monthly letter going out from that as it always does. He'll call attention to that and provide a link. Uh we'll have a QR code in the communicator that gets mailed out. More to come on that in a second. Uh we went over the website location that'll live on the board of ed page and it's also under the curriculum page. And then we discussed a little bit about the web page just as far as kind of calling attention to it where it uh could be prominent and kind of what to label it as the strategic

022plan instead of five-year goals. So um strategic plan we want to make sure everyone's aware of that and it's out there. So that's the communication plan for that. Speaking of the spring communicator, uh the winter communicator got some positive feedback. The spring communicator will be going out soon. I just wanted to thank Indri Kowski, Katie and Neil for all the work they did in bringing that back this year, right? As we know, it was something that was wellreceived in the past uh with kind of just everything that gone on with staff reductions and different things. We didn't have it for a little while, brought it back this year, and I think it's a great way to get involved with the community. People getting something in their mailbox, tells them what's going on with the schools,

023the education system. So, thank you to them for that. Uh some things you'll see in that this time, another letter to the community with Matt and Jeff in there. Uh some student voice things. I know people like seeing what the kids have to say. Uh the central principal uh announcement will be in there. Strategic plan. Uh student achievements and some stuff on the seniors for Simsbury High School. So that's just a few of the things. I think you know it's going to be pretty jam-packed in those four pages. Uh and then we hit on the vision of the graduate those prom promotional video series. So video number five will be coming out soon on innovation. It's going to focus on the arts continuum. Again, Dave Prinstein's running all that and focus on risk takingaking, failure,

024perseverance, and flexibility. And then we'll get the final two videos by end of calendar year to wrap up all the VOGs having their own um videos. So uh more to come on that after the summer. And then we also agreed that we keep the same cadence of meetings for communications committee. So we'll meet October, January, May seem to work well this year. So, uh, I think a successful year for that committee and thank you to Katie and Neil for all the partnership on that. So, appreciate it. Thanks, Jess. Uh, nothing to report. Just congratulations to all the award winners. Good. Well, first I'd like to just uh um commend the capstone program. I had the opportunity to attend um th last Thursday three capstone presentations and um I attended one um regarding culinary and another

025one was about um e equin genetics in in bio technology. I know I'm I'm not going to get that right but it was fascinating. And then um another one I attended one of the students um and these were students that I knew so I was very happy to to to to attend. Um and another one was um regarding um Alzheimer's and dementia and uh in in some of the research work that the students had done. So again, there were three different ones across the board. I could have spent all day observing these students and watching, you know, how they have progressed and what they've done over the course of the year. And it really is fascinating. I I kind of need to go back and have a refresher on some of these because they were

026so good and and and just just top of their game with this. So, I can only imagine what they're going to be accomplishing and probably you're one of them um in in the four years that they continue on. So, with that, not as exciting as as Capstone, but as Macy had mentioned, the end of the school year, it is the end of the legislative session in the next few weeks. So, we just have about two weeks to go and the legislature, as you've been reading, passed a really a sweeping education bill. It was sort of a catchall with everything in it. And these could really bring some changes um massive changes to Connecticut education. So the general assembly merged um the spirit education issues into one ominous bill which is the catchall bill and uh

027among other things. So it extends a deadline for addressing racial imbalances in schools which some districts have had some issues with it over the years. Temporary temporarily tweaks the age to begin kindergarten. So, as of um September 1st, 2027, there will be no waiverss um included and all students at the age of five, by September 1st, 2027 will be entering kindergarten. Um also setting standards for school crisis drills and encourages students to study civics and the last is restrict restricting cell phones in school. So, our district has done a number of these issu a number of these areas and policies and so um but it is just overall that will be affecting the state of Connecticut and some of the districts. So, with that being said, you know, we have a couple more weeks to

028go. Who knows what's going to happen when it's all final said and and done. And most likely they will be coming back for a special session sometime in September since they will not be concluding totally in in June. Um, and with that being said, we have um for my board of ed colleagues, we have the endofear wrapup, legislative wrap-up. Neil and I usually attend in tandem over there. So, it's what's happening in your district and what are implications for education and your district. So, we'll be talking about education funding, special ed, of course, teacher certification, education mandates, disconnected youth, and of course, my favorite, all the legal updates. So, you are welcome to attend. It is Tuesday, June 10th at 9:00 at the uh LOB room in Hartford and um it's very well attended. So,

029we'll be covering a lot of information. Thank you. Lot lot in there, Jen. Um I wanted to just tell you that I was in Pennsylvania this weekend for a graduation and I couldn't help myself. Not that there's a direct correlation, but of all the kids from Connecticut, all the Simsbury High kids graduated Suma Kumlad from college. Wow. So that's something to say about Simsbury and Simsbury schools. Very nice. That was very cool. That was it. That was very cool. Can I beat that? No, can't beat it. But um communication commuting was great. We really Josh did a good full recap. It was a really um I think it's a great group and I think getting our word out to the people is the best thing we can do. And if anyone in the public who

030watches this wants to participate or ask us questions, please reach out to us because we're happy to make sure we're reaching you um any way we can with our what's going on here. Um we had a personnel negotiations committee. Neil will be talking about that down the road, but it's busy at the end of the year. It is busy. A lot of stuff. I'm all set right now. Excellent. I'm all set right now. So am I, Mr. Craig. We're good. All right. Keep it moving, people. Right. All right. This is You want to take this next one? I will take this next one. All right, Miss Vanessa, I'm going to ask you to stand up for a minute and uh embarrass you a little bit. All right. So, I am uh I'm really excited, actually

031thrilled uh to recommend to the board of education this evening that Vanessa Messiah, there you go, um be appointed the next principal at Central School. So I wanted to talk a little bit about the process and then a little bit about Vanessa. So this is actually when we sat down to screen the applicants for this process, we had about 50 um qualified applicants, you know, a job of great interest in a really uh really strong pool. So what we do with that is we review those applications at the central office level, meaning myself, Sue, and Neil, and we hold initial screening interviews. So we interviewed 14 people initially that came through um to select who we would then move forward to two rounds of a more of a larger kind of robust committee that invol

032that included administrators, teachers, parent representatives. Um two rounds there very thorough and I have to say in um every instance uh Vanessa won the room. I mean, for those that have been involved in in the process, and several of you were, she lights up the room. She really connects with people on a on a personal level, uh, in a way that's outstanding, and I just want to commend her for that. Um, so when I think about Vanessa, she's been at Simsbury High School now for four years. Um, four years has has made remarkable connections with our student population. Um, and just in terms of her communication with both the staff and the parent community, uh, it's really been exemplar. When Vanessa is handed something to finish, kind of start to finish, it's buttoned up. You

033don't have to worry about it. And, and that's just a great skill that she has. We're now going to transition these secondary skills uh, to the elementary level. And I know that that came up throughout the interview process, much like it did when Maggie went from the elementary level to the secondary level. uh and we talked administratively about we understand the importance uh of having experience at a certain level but we look for leadership skills that can transfer across different areas and different opportunities and I think Vanessa did a wonderful job of taking that head on in the interview process and making people uh feel comfortable. Uh I wish you were involved in the debrief sessions that Mr. Sullivan runs to to hear what to hear what people had to say, you know. Um very

034complimentary. So, um I'm certainly uh excited to work for uh look look forward to working for you know in this new capacity and really supporting you and your success as we move forward. The whole team of elementary principles are here to support. Um and I know you have your family team which we'll have you introduce in a second. But I want to uh I want to make this official and move this uh move this motion to the floor. Yeah. Anybody want to make a motion? I'll make a motion. I'll make a motion that we um I'll make a motion that we the board of education motion Vanessa Messiah is the position of principal for central school with the effective date of July 1st, 2025. Great. Is there a second? I will second. Great. You have

035about 8,000 seconds. any discussion? It I think um it was a great pool. It was a great process and I think um Vanessa will do a fabulous job and I think that school is a very special place and I'm looking forward to you understanding how special it is. Amen. Absolutely. I just want to add Vanessa to it is not easy. Uh there's many people in this room have done it to have a position internally already and decide that you're going to take the risk uh to take that next step because nothing's guaranteed. So, you did a wonderful job with that and I'm happy that you kind of took on that challenge and went all in. So, congratulations. And you have to introduce your crew. I thought we did vote on nominated. Sorry about that. Let

036them make it official. All those in favor? Any oppos? Thank you. Now, congratulations. [Music] I will say first of all, thank you. Thank you to all of the board. Um, everyone who was involved in the interview process, everyone who championed me in in the school district. I really appreciate all of the support that you all have given me. My number one champions over here, my family. Um, I just want to say thank you for pushing me hard um week. So, I will introduce this is my baby. Uh, this is Aria. She'll be two in August. Um, right here is my husband Jamal Messiah, my father John McKelie, my mother Ayah Mckelie, and my sister Marissa McKelie. Right. Thank you. Thank you all. Congratulations. Congratulations, [Music] my principal. Thank you, Becky. Great. Exciting. Fantastic. This was

037great. Thank you. Go celebrate. Yes, we're gonna celebrate. Dinner. She is adorable. Oh my god. Goodbye. [Applause] [Music] All right. Next up for us is the approval of the May 13th minutes. Can I get a motion to move those along? I will move that they get approved. Thank you. Oh, second. Excellent. [Music] This is where the magic happens, right? Uh, any discussion? All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Great. Thank you. Next up, first snow. Yeah, two uh items for tonight. One is a resignation. Uh LA Golovshani is a art teacher up at Squadron Line. She holds a pretty part-time position with us. It's a about a third of a teaching position. We hired her uh last summer. Was a good first opportunity to get her foot in the door. she has um found full-time

038employment with another local district. So, she is resigning this part-time position and will search for somebody else again this summer. Great. Need a motion or need a move that please motion. I still moved. You need to read it. Accept the resation of Leila Shani effective June 30th. Is there a second? I'll second. Great. Any discussion? All those in favor? I Any opposed? Thank you. Uh and then the next action is also at squadron line. Uh Jackie Duran is our one of our school psychologists up there. We actually have two. Um and Jackie recently um had her first baby and is making the decision to take a guaranteed leave of absence for next year. So, um, that's a obviously one year with a guaranteed return to employment in August of 2020. Six. Anybody move that motion,

039please? Move that the board of education approve the guaranteed non salary child ringing rearing leave of absence for Jacqueline Durant in accordance with policy 426 0.4 effective August 25th, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Great. Is there a second? Second. Great. Any discussion? Just nail on something like that. What do we do for kind of like back filling for just like a year, right? Pretty important thing, right? So, do you just let the one psychologist try and handle a double case load? No, that would be too much in that school. So, you're either finding someone new to the profession. Um, you know, sometimes if you're not able to find somebody like that, we might turn to a retiree in a situation like that. Um, have them work in a part-time basis sometimes. So, they're they can

040be tricky depending on the certification area, but um, we'll we and we we always have to wait for the birth of the baby, too. So, it really just happened. Um, so this was one that was hard to get out in front of, right? So we'll see where we go. Um, but Meg Evans and I will analyze the pool um as it develops in the summer. Thank you. Anybody else? All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Thank you. Neil, I Yep. I'm still I'm on a roll tonight. So, uh, as Tara pointed out, our negotiations committee met, um, last week to, um, talk about a couple this settlement and then one other item that's going to come up next. This was, uh, recent bargaining with our custodial and maintenance group, which consists of just short of

041about 40 members across the district. Uh, NAGE, uh, is its acronym, National Association of Government Employees. Um, I want to thank my partner to my left, Su Lumpy, who helped negotiate this contract with me. Thank you. It's always a pleasure. And, uh, we reached a three-year agreement, which is a pretty typical, um, uh, duration when you go to do a contract. So, you can see the summary that we provided here. In the first year, um, very consistent with our other bargaining groups, this group is going to receive a 2.8 8% general wage increase for next year. Um, and then in the two years of the contract following that, we settled at a 2.95 and a 2.95. In terms of the other most important um, uh, issue when you go to negotiate contracts, of course, with

042health care costs. This was the last group. The board members, especially those on personnel and negotiations, know that we've made a big move toward um a medical management program through Sigma that controls costs. That is about pre-certification of major uh processes and procedures. This group, because of the cycle, was the last group that did not have that. So as part of the negotiation now all of our employee groups have the same exact plan design and that feels good for the first time in three years. Um as a result we um kept their share of the premium cost in the first year the same and then went up half a point each in the so by the end of this contract they'll end up with a 20.5% um share of the premium cost. We've also been

043our dental benefit was behind the times a little bit. Um and all of our groups are now receiving a two $2,000 um maximum benefit of annually. Um we did uh as one um incentive um this group had had some perfect attendance provisions in the past. We had they were pretty complicated. You were looking all the time whether they had perfect attendance for each quarter of the year. That person out here sitting like tracking that it was like it was way too much. So we now have reinstalled an incentive of if you have no illness days for the whole year, we give you one day for the next year. So small incentive, but it was important to them. Um and then a little bit, we had not changed our longevity um uh level and all. So

044little bit of a bump for about 16 guys in this group. Um and then lastly some clarifications on the working hours that were necessary due to some recent issues that have developed. So very good negotiation. Um we h um are partnering with the national office in a in a very productive way. And I think um I also mentioned that Rodney Craft at Squadron Line serves as the local president for this group and he's an excellent partner to work with. So that's great. Any questions for anybody? U somebody there's a motion before us. So the proposed Oh, move that the board of education ratify the proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement between the Simsbury Board of Education, the National Association of Governmental Employees, Local R-260 for the period July 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2028.

045Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Thank you. All right. And I just forgot to mention they already ratified. Oh, great. So, your vote tonight makes it official. Good, good, good, great. All right. Uh, acceptance of a gift from the friends of Simsbury wrestling. Yes. Now, we're going to mix it up. Okay. Over to me. Uh, for two gifts. The first from the Friends of Sim Simsbury wrestling for wrestling mats that will be used in practices, matches, and tournaments. The gift is estimated in value between six and $8,000 as they make their final selections. So, there is a motion there for your consideration this evening. I will move that the proposed gift of wrestling mats to the athletics and student activities department at Simsbury High School from the

046Friends of Simsbury Wrestling valued between 6,000 to $8,000 be approved. Is there a second? Second. Thanks. Uh any discussion? All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Thank you. Great. The second gift is one from the central school PTO. It's uh has a value of $7,447 and they are going to be purchasing various things to help supplement the classroom instructional materials um even some bookshelves, some flexible seating and additional resources for teachers and specialists. So there's another motion there for your consideration. That's great. submit. Move that the proposed gift of 7,447 to Central School by the Central School parent teacher organization be approved. Mr. Second, thank you. Any discussion? Amazingly generous. It's fabulous. It's a great opportunity. It's great. PTO is always both of them are supercharged. Yeah, it's wonderful to have these kind of crazy

047opportunities for these kids. All those in favor? I Any opposed? Great. Thank you. Uh, sorry. Um, approval of the unaffiliated salaries. Yeah, I'm going to pick up here because your uh exhibit notes that it is anticipated that the chairman of the personnel and negotiations committee will recommend compensation for unaffiliated. Since Brian Watson is not here, I will speak on his behalf. This was part of the meet the we had two parts to the meeting. The custodial contract and this annual discussion of unaffiliated employees. unaffiliated employees is a group of between 40 and 45 people who don't fit neatly into one of the bargaining units. So almost everybody who works up here at central office, our OT's and PTS in the schools, our um computer technicians and a few other uh positions that again don't fit

048neatly in. So um they go yeartoear. They don't negotiate. they don't have the power to negotiate. So, they they don't get the comfort of three-year contracts. As a result, we typically look at where the other contracts have settled and we try to give them fair compensation. So, tonight, um Brian was supposed to recommend that the unaffiliated group be given a general wage increase of 3% for next year. Any questions, discussions? And then Brian was supposed to read a motion. I have the motion here. Oh, do we all have the salary range for the unaffiliated board of education employees and salaries for the central office administrators be increased by 3% for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. Great. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Great. Thank you. Textbooks back

049to me. So at our last board of ed meeting I had shared proposed textbooks for the upcoming school year 2526. There are three. They are listed in detail on the back of your exhibit. Just as a reminder these texts do come before curriculum committee before they are presented to you. So they have been here in my office and um have answered any questions and there's a motion there for your consideration this evening. Move that the board approve the textbook adoption for the 202526 school year as submitted by the administration. Second. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I any opposed? Great. Thank you. No. Math. All right. So Sue is going to tee this up, but I'd like to welcome our math leaders um from both Henry James Middle School. Uh come on up. and

050uh Simsbury High School as well as our principles are here um to be involved too. But um Sue, if you could introduce kind of the outline of the math report and get us going. Absolutely. So with us this evening are Pat Long, our Henry James department supervisor for math and Matt Milch, our math department supervisor at the high school. And we have for you a robust 7 through 12 board of ed math report this evening. So just to give you a quick glimpse of the agenda, I am going to just share a couple of words about our vertical team that meets monthly and then I will hand it over to Pat. We will uh give you the update relative to the middle school inclusive of leadership priorities, celebrations, implications, next step of the work, and

051then we will take any questions after he's completed his report and then we'll turn it over to Mr. Milch to do the same. Okay. So, to start us off, as a reminder, our math vertical team, uh that look at that good looking group up there. That picture was taken this year. I'll get to when that was taken and and why we were all together, but this is a group that has representation of administrators, teachers from all seven of our schools with a variety of classroom experiences. And we've met monthly for two or three years now. Uh we've been focusing on engagement specifically in the math classroom and what does that look like? And in your packets, you can refer to this later. One of the products of this group has been to develop a math

052engagement tool. So when students are engaged, what's going on when teachers are engaged in the math classroom or in implementing engaging practices, what does that look like and what are the tasks looking like? So you can take a look at that. But I'm very proud of this group for putting that together. We've also been delving into a book study, a book called Building Thinking Classrooms. It's pretty hot right now in the field of math instruction and education. And it is all about very specific strategies that our teachers can implement to increase engagement in the math classroom. And you'll hear Pat talking more about that at Henry James specifically. So in November, we came together as a team and we completed classroom walkthroughs using our tool and trying it out and saying, "Okay, like this this

053was great when we were all sitting around in the table, but how does it really live?" and we had the opportunity to visit multiple schools, elementary, middle school, high school, and uh to see what adjustments we needed to make, what themes were we seeing, and how does this work lead to additional professional learning. So, just wanted to share that Matt and Pat both sit on that team and are crucial in the planning and the execution of that great work. So, uh, with that, I want to turn it over to Pat and he will kick us off with Henry James and math. Thanks, Sue. Um, thanks everybody for inviting us and and allowing us to share some of the great work that the the teachers and the students have really been working on this this school

054year. So, this year at Henry James, our math priorities, we had uh quite a few. The first one was to increase student math performance. I think we could say that every year, but we were especially focused this year. Um, and the way we were measuring that was through the Smarter Balanced Assessment, also known as ESPback. So, really looking for some solid gains there. And, um, as of right now, the the scores themselves are embargoed. So, I can't give specific numbers, but I can I want to immediately report out on that one that we were we were really happy with the progress um, of how those came out. The the teachers and I I'll speak to what the teachers have done this year, but they really worked hard and the students really worked hard and and

055it shows. Um, so we're very excited about that. are one of the ways that we wanted to go about that was to promote student problem solving engagement um and obviously content knowledge. Another piece that we've implemented this year is a new data platform. It's called EXL. We use that both for student data um to monitor the students to get an idea of where they are and how they can improve as well as spiral review and assessment right within that platform. Um we also wanted to take a look at our assessments. We've been working towards common assessments for for several years now. We this year we said, "Okay, we're going to make sure by the end of the year we have common assessments across the board." And then on top of that, that we're completing scoring

056calibrations. So that way when if a student is on any of the three different teams, say in seventh grade, that if they produce similar work on the assessment, they're earning a similar grade and really collaborating together on that. And then finally, using our PLC's um and really making them data focused. Those are professional learning communities. That's when teachers for us that's teachers of the same grade level and um department get together to talk about their craft. And really we're our goal was to be data focused to really look at the student progress and make sure that we're taking that information and giving the students the support that they need. Um so those were our goals for the year. So I did already um jump ahead a little bit on the celebrations that preliminary preliminary data

057for ESPback. We were very excited. So, seventh grade, as it says up there, the highest percentage we've ever had in seventh grade, meeting or exceeding um grade level expectations on the Smarter Balanced Assessment. And then for eighth grade, our goal was to have a cohort growth from last year. And we saw that especially in our level two math 8 classes. We saw some great gains there, which was great. Um we also this year we had some smarter balanced prep sessions. So these were afterchool math help sessions um for a standardized test and we had a great turnout. We um we had the the teachers all came and um came gave their time to support students with that and we we personally invited spe some specific students to come to that and then had it open

058up to other students who wanted to join as well. Um and really we were excited by the turnout. There were about 30 to 40 students each time. Um we we incentivized them. We we offered some some pizza, you know, to get them there. um some raffle prizes, but really like we had we had kids come after school to to you know help themselves do better um both in class and specifically on the smarter balanced assessment. So that was awesome. Um we'd love to see that continuing over the next few years. Um and then as Sue mentioned earlier, we spent a lot of time with building thinking classrooms. So, this is a a book that's been out for a few years and really focused on practices to build student engagement, student problem solving, um, and just

059build that love for mathematics. And so, the big thing here, if you're not familiar with this, is that the students are really doing mathematics throughout the entire class. We've really tried to flip that script from the teacher being up front and doing most of the math throughout the year to uh, throughout the the lesson to the students being up. They're working in small groups, they're working um standing, they're collaborating, they're working on whiteboards, and then they get back together and they have some of that small group and independent practice time. Um and so the teachers, we've been looking at that together a little bit for a few years. This year, we really made it a focus. And so the for the teachers, their their goal was to implement that uh one to two times per

060week. And so what we really saw from that from classroom observations from the walkthroughs that Sue mentioned um and then through our own walkthroughs within the building is really just that the students were were much more engaged. They were talk like I said they were talking to each other. They were problem solving. We saw students who at the beginning of the year were very nervous to even try to tackle a problem that they didn't already know exactly how to do. By mid year these students were they were they were talking to each other. They were trying to tackle these problems. you were seeing different a um different strategies to really help them if they were stuck. They were communicating with other groups. They learned how to share ideas between groups without just copying. It was

061really just it was amazing to see as a leader. Um and it was great to then have when we had those district walkthroughs to have that feedback from our colleagues about what they saw that they really thought was great and some feedback from them as well. So, in addition, um, as I mentioned before, we had common assessments across the board, seventh and eighth grade classes. Um, really I I already talked about that one, but really just making sure that all students are seeing the same thing. Um, another one is making sure that we have the common core standards directly in our course documentation. What the documents had right now was learning targets. So, that would be something more studentfriendly language. I can um, apply the Pythagorean theorem to solve real world problems. And so what

062we did was we went back through and we made sure that the correct common core state standard was linked right in those documents so that you had both you had um for for the teachers as they're planning their lessons what is the expectation and then what am I communicating to students as their learning expectation. Um so I mentioned before data to target specific area of need. So when the students go into they they fill out an assessment. We used it to replace the STAR assessment that used to be used at Henry James. Um, and we picked EXL because it gives us more specific information that we feel will help us and help our students. Um, so we what teachers did when we were in our data PLC's, we looked at a report that showed us

063the specific strands and how the students performed on those strands. And then the teachers took that information, said, "Okay, what's a what's a high priority need for my class?" Um, and focused on that strand for a month. And they did that through their classroom instruction. They did that through the skills practice that they were assigning in EXL and they did that when they were working with small groups um to provide that that intervention in the classroom. And really we felt that this was a a key component in our success this year and and how um the the results came out at the end of the year on smarter balanced. Um and then again as we've mentioned a couple times the district math walkthroughs we were really excited about those. So this year the math vertical

064team we had a day where we we were able to hit um schools at all the different levels. So the high school, middle school, elementary level all in one day and really just get a great view of different practices that students are seeing um you know in in 12th grade, in seventh grade, in first grade and see the commonalities of of so much of what we're doing and that vertical of something that they're learning when they're younger and then how it translates to the middle school and the high school. And also again to share ideas with each other. we don't get a whole lot of time together with teachers of other buildings, so when we do, we try to make the most of it. Um, and that was that was really helpful. And then last

065year, we had our eighth grade teachers collaborate with the high school algebra teachers. That was that was awesome. We got to the high school, they got to come see us. This year, we focused the other way. We had the seventh grade teachers visit some sixth grade classrooms, and we were able to get to four elementary schools um again in one day and really see a lot of those engaging practices I was talking about that we've been trying to implement. the the sixth grade teachers are doing the same in their classrooms. So, it's just awesome to see the kids really engaging with math, working in groups, talking to each other, collaborating, and we're excited to then now have those students come join us next year and and really showcase what they've learned. Um, so that was

066that was awesome. So, as far as some current and future challenges, so one of one of the big things right now is we have 40-minute instructional periods three days a week. And for mathematics instruction, that that's a little tight. So on those 40-minute days, you know, you really we've tightened up our practices. We've made them as efficient as we can, but getting students started with some of these activities I've been describing where they're they're they're moving, they're getting up on the boards, they're discussing, a lot of times it feels like they're just getting into the discussion. Uh by the time we have to break it down, we want to make sure that we've recapped that we've wrapped the lesson and the teacher has really given that direct instruction. And sometimes it's okay to say, "Okay,

067we're going to continue this tomorrow." But there's other times where you really need to wrap that up. So, that's just a challenge. We've been navigating it um as much as we can and really, like I said, tightening those practices to make the most of those minutes every day. Um we're also looking at curriculum resource adoption. So, we are currently using the old version of Math and Focus, which the elementary schools phased out. It is out of print. Um and so, one of the issues there is like when we need to get new books, we we you know, we it's eventually there aren't going to be new books to be had. We can still get them now. But um we also want to decide what are we going to do here with our curriculum, what's our

068next resource going to be so that it's updated. So we will be working in collaboration with sixth grade. So that'll be a six through eight process um in collaboration with Betsy Gonzaleis on that process moving forward and Sue of course. Um and then another big one is the accelerated math pathway. So this is specifically the sixth grade pre-alggebra, seventh grade algebra, eighth grade advanced topics. um really just having a discussion. This has been around for quite a long time. What what does it look like now? What was the goal that was set out for it? Are we achieving that goal? And is that still the goal? Um so really, is it meeting the needs of the students we have in front of us now in 2025, 2026? So looking ahead to next year, um talked

069about a whole lot of these things, but we want to continue what we've started. I think we really the like I like I said, the teachers and the students really put in the effort this year. It was amazing. It was walking around the halls this year, I was so excited by what I was seeing in the math classrooms. And so part of our work is to continue that and expand and what's what's the next step? How can we get better with our EXL practices? How can we make our classrooms even more engaging? Take kids to the next level of problem solving. Um, as I mentioned, the curricular resource adoption. So, we'll be looking at that and that will start that in the fall. Um, one thing uh over the summer that we'll be looking to

070do is update our pacing documents. Our teachers have been really good about staying within a few days of each other to make sure that you know we're we're helping each other move along and that the students again are are moving at the an appropriate pace. We want to make sure that we have it documented by this point in the year. You want to make sure you're here by this point so that we know that by the time the end of the year rolls around that we have taught the students everything that they need to know and are expected in those standards. And so that'll that's something we'll be working on again analyzing and revising um practices. So one of the big things that we did this year was rolling out that pilot. Um we we

071made it an expectations that students were working in there every single week. That was part of their homework assignment. And we'd really like to revise, we've learned a lot and we'd like to revise some of those practices next year because we think it can be more the students can use their time more effectively if we set um the the expectations a little bit differently than we started this year. So, a focus more on um skill mastery there with their practice. And that's something we've been really uh moving towards already, but it's going to be set for the start of next school year. And then again, just really that that looking at that accelerated math pathway because that is something that it starts at the elementary, it obviously is lives with us at the middle school,

072but it also affects um as they get to math at the high school and and what courses those students can take and and how they're prepared for those courses. All right. So, um another another p piece here is just financial implications and some support. So the EXL platform um that is that is a cost we replaced STAR um but we're looking to continue that pilot next year and so um obviously we'll need to pay for that. The the new curriculum resource funding once we have selected what um resource we'll be using. Right now we use hardcover textbooks. So most of the funding there is just replacement costs and a lot of that comes from collecting fees for lost or missing books. But we'll be looking to replace that over the next few years with updated

073resources. Um and then math intervention. We're really looking at um you know at really focusing on our math intervention piece. How can we support our struggling learners? Um right now we've got an interventionist who teaches some honors courses as well as some intervention classes. And so really how can we make sure that the most students who need it um are getting access to that and then can we expand that over the next few years to in include some more students and really help um those students who are struggling. So, the biggest thing that I would ask um for you as board of ed members, and this it it doesn't cost anything. It it's just love math. Um and so I know there's there's there's an idea about out there. I don't know if you know

074this or not, but like not everybody loves math. Um and that would be like the number one thing. By the time kids get to middle school, they're hearing that. They're hearing it from media. We can't do anything about that. Um but sometimes they're hearing it from, you know, their community from home. So whether in your role as a parent, as a board of ed member, as a community member, um as a student, just anything that you can do um to just to love math, hear all the great things that are going on, encourage the children to do it. We won't ever be able to put a measurement on how big of a difference that makes. But if the kids can walk in and they they feel good about coming into math class every single day,

075that'll just it'll make a huge difference. Um you know, talk to your kids about the exciting things you've seen with math. um talk to them about if you if you read something cool about something somebody has done, especially if you read about a middle schooler or a high schooler who has done something. So, it's not it's not Yeah. Yeah. Well, they're an adult, right? They're an engineer. Of course, they they do math. When you hear about a teenager who did something really cool with math, share that with, you know, with other people with students. Um and I think that that'll just make a huge impact over the next few years. Great. Thanks. Do you want to do questions now or Okay. Y questions from Pat? I I have some questions. Um, thank you so much

076for that update. It was really helpful. Um, I have a few. So, the EXL that you're that you've piloted and you're continue to pilot, is that a true pilot where it's just a subset or is that the whole school that's getting access to EXL for next year? For us, it's the whole school. And so, we're considering it a pilot because um we were using STAR across the grade levels, including the elementary school. And so, now it's so for us, it's it is the entire um population at Henry James. Great. That's what I was hoping for. Um, next question. You talked about the limitations that the 40 minute instructional period for necessarily create. Are you looking at expanding the math block or time period? I know you tried blocks for a while and the blocks weren't

077hugely successful, but is there some middle ground you guys are looking at? So, we h we have blocks right now. I know smiling. Yeah. Um, so we have blocks right now and we we really try to make those like if we've got a really in-depth activity, we try to make the most of those of that time block right there. Um, and then as far as expanding time or changing the schedule, um, that would, you know, that that's not something that the math department can specifically look at. um that so that I sorry I'm going to tag you in it would be very very challenging to make math one length of time and social studies a different length of time so right now we have a modified block schedule so you know part of the rationale

078behind that is sometimes you're cooking along with you know instru lessons that are designed for a 40 45 minute block and then sometimes you want to have more investigative type things with math Um probably if you give math teachers there say they would want five 50-minute periods a week. Um right um but you can't do that. Then we have cooking classes where you want to be able to you know you want to be able to cook a recipe you can't do that in 40 minutes but in your block period now you have 80 minutes. So we have that 80minute period there. So that's why we have the modified block to So how often a week are the kids getting that 80 minute block of math once once a week. So it's one 80 minute and

079then three 40 minutes. I see. So, math four days a week. Yes, every class four days a week. I see. Every class. Okay. Sorry, Scott. All right. And then my last question is on the new curriculum 6 to8 timeline. So, I know you guys are starting the process. Do you have a a timeline with which you want to have new curriculum implemented and when is that timeline? I I can take that one. Yeah. No. Well, as you know, we just adopted think math and that's the K through five. So I think next year is the year to delve in with a potential recommendation for implementation. What's that? 25 26 26 27. Okay. So not next school year because you're just starting the process but the following school year you want to implement it then. I'm

080hoping to we'll have we'll have to see how the process goes. Um we have some curriculum that we are excited to investigate. We also want to see how the development of think math for their middle school population develops and what the timeline is there. So I would say and we want to make sure that any new curriculum comes before curriculum committee. So we'll see how far we get. It may be for 2627 or 2728. Got it. Thank you. You're welcome. Anybody else questions? I um on the that first slide of celebrations, the ESPA preliminary data. Yes. Now, all of that data doesn't come back until August. Well, we get kind of rolling results. However, the state doesn't allow us to let out any specific data until they say, "Okay, we think all results are in.

081We're going to do some district comparisons and we're going to roll it out." So they let us know that and yes, you're right. That's usually in August, but it's a big lag between what we have access and periods, right? But it doesn't change. It does. Well, that's what I was curious is like you have preliminary. It says preliminary data as if you don't have all of the data yet. So two kids to still do a makeup. So we'd like there's a couple kids still take. It's different than it was years ago. It comes really quickly, very fast. Okay. So it's just a matter of a few kids haven't taken it yet. Correct. I got Okay. And then the Il asked that canl give data to us like STAR like like I could as a parent

082go into a class and say to my teacher and say how did my child do on STAR this time in spring how they do in the fall or whatever and would be the opposite but can you get that kind? So yeah I follow you. Yes. So, abs, absolutely. Um, I think one thing that I have been talking to the department about is looking at a letter for parents at the beginning of the year. It's like what what info do you have you heard what questions have you heard from parents that we can answer upfront next year? Um, and so that is one piece is you can you can log in with your child. You can't there's no parent account, but you can log in with your child and look um at at their scores and

083see a a progress update. the scoring it's it's a different um scoring continuum than it was for STAR. So, it's getting used to that um you know getting used to those scores and what they mean. But that's something absolutely and I I think there's a lot of resources there for a parent. I think that's that's a goal for me for next year is how how do I communicate this better with the the parents and the I have to tell you that I don't and I would bring this to curriculum as well but the I think as a parent it is not a automat or at least it hasn't been in my four kids none of them have automatically offered me star information I've had to ask for it so I think if there is a

084platform where you can access it then kids then parents will know and maybe be happier about loving math Y if they understand where the kids are falling short or whatever and bringing them involved. Um, the other thing was you said that you don't often get together with teachers in the other buildings and I'm pretty sure don't we isn't that what are those called is when we have the vertical teams the vertical teams and so why doesn't Henry James part of the vertical teams I'm sorry what I meant in that case so we we are a part of the vertical teams um and we get to do that what I meant was all of the teachers having a chance to get together so the vertical team is a few members from each school and so in

085this case, it was it wasn't literally all of our members in each of those things, but more of our members got to get together and and have a conversation. So, when we did the collaboration with high school last year, it was all of our eighth grade teachers with all of the high school algebra teachers. This year, it was all of our seventh grade teachers went and they they went to a couple different schools, four different schools and met with some of those teachers as well. And we do have opportunities throughout the year. Um but I so I guess when I say not very often it just you know with teachers in your own building you get to talk to them all the time and then teachers in the other buildings it's you know it's a

086few times a year and so when we do have those opportunities we just want to make sure we take advantage because we have a lot to offer each other. Um, and then my last question was on your next steps. You said um something about this this the that pathway where sixth graders get to go into Henry James, you know, and that kind of stuff. Um, and I certainly have had some experiences with that as well. But I'm curious as to what is your time frame to decide whether or not we're going to keep that program, not keep that program, when how are you in I'll take this one because it has more implications, right? 612. Um I think we're going to look at it really hard in the fall and we'll be giving you a

087curriculum committee update on our progress. So I'm don't want to overpromise overpromise but it's something I think that we have to look at. We have a a lot of different data points and we implemented this course or this pathway over a dozen years ago and we haven't come back to look at it to say is this what colleges and universities want us to do? those students who we thought would be served by this, are they? Are they kind of taking that calc BC course, which is our top course, or are they not? Um, and we accelerate the pathway and then merge lanes when they get to nth grade. Correct. And that's in geometry level one. So we just as Pat said, we want to take a stop and pause and say, is this serving our

088students in the best way possible? So more on that. And we've talked about that at curriculum, too. Like I don't because if you don't do a certain path, that's it. You're messed up. And so I think it's a great idea. Very important. On roads, off ramps. Yeah. On ramps and off ramps as very important. Scott Baker will know that my oldest did not get into the sixth grade program but went on and took DC, right? So, uh, you know, I don't think it's a dead thing. I think parents get more wrapped up to it than we need to get. So, and I'll just historically point out I was really, as the high school principal at the time, not in favor of the program because I'm like, there's nowhere to go. if they get to calculus

089by junior year, what are we going to do? Which was a little bit of the impetus of that eighth grade advanced topics course. Okay. Now, 20 years later, if you're a gifted math student, you can take computer science, you can take stats, you still be on your way to calculus. So, there's a lot more options than when we first were contemplating those decisions. And I would say the flip side is there's still conversation about what you do with that accelerating student when they're younger. That's right. And how do you support them appropriately? So, it's kind of it's kind of both ends. Any other questions? Yeah. Good. Yeah. A couple um appreciate the update. So, couple things. So, I know we're putting something in place this year and it sounds like positive results, but do we

090when will we have not just aspect but numbers, right? And where I'm going with that is, right, I'm just kind of looking looking ahead at like the high school update, right? And I can see like number two in DUI, right? And I've got percentages of people scoring certain things and things of that nature, but I don't have any of that for middle school to see kind of a trend line. And I think we've talked about this before. It' be really interesting to see like a three fouryear block of like where are we in DUI, where are we on like SBACK scores, like those things because we don't have any metrics to go off here, right? It's kind of more qualitative than quantitative. And then like this survey data is great from the high school. I'd

091like to see what we can do about middle school survey because without those metrics or that feedback kind of what we have right now is a plan in place. But right, when you're trying to say, is it working or where are we? Is it trending? It's hard for at least me to kind of look at these numbers and say, is the lived experience matching the results? Right? So, that's something I would ask for maybe in the fall when we have the ESPback numbers. But it would be good to see like over a four-year run. Let's just say whatever's realistic. Where's Simsberry Middle School when it comes to math and DR and ESBAC I you know others better but where are we at right like cuz I can look at the high school here and say

092like okay number two in dirt y 88% 94% I can look at the survey and say okay 75% right it's like it's easy to like take what's being said and back it up with the metrics right so I would say you know I appreciate what's gone into it this year and getting on that right track sounds promising for what you're saying about the seventh graders, but I think what's missing is the metrics and the numbers to back that up if that makes sense. Absolutely. Yeah. So, we don't, like I said, it's it's embargoed right now for this year's metrics, but we can get those to you. Yeah, we can provide that run in the fall for sure. Yep. Yeah, that would be good to come back and say where do we stand in comparison to

093where we've been, where are we going, and our and our neighbors. And then I would just say then on this sheet, right? So, I was looking at this, right? and it kind of looks like it was from October. And then future agenda items talked about next level data. Who are the specific students? How will we support their growth? Did kind of like what's next on that front? So, so yeah. So, that was a sample agenda. So, we did have follow-up meetings where where we met and had those. I just wanted to provide I you know what I didn't mention it in my report, but I wanted to provide a sample of what those data PLC's look like. So, we have monthly data PLC. This is an ongoing thing. So we we meet as a PLC

094regularly at least once a month it's about student data and usually from that we get from um when we when we give an assessment and we score it together we're able to look at that again separately um our monthly data meetings are usually about until we get the smarter balance results and then we're able to talk about those as well and then I think the sixth and seventh grade connection is awesome I think getting them more prepared coming in I would be curious is there any thing feedback coming the other way that when they get to 9th grade that you get feedback from the high school math department maybe part of that vertical team of like what they're seeing coming in where kind of the weak points or what could be stronger to kind of

095get them up and running. It's almost like a segue question between the two of you, but I'm just curious like I know the sixth to seventh is about getting them more prepared, but then also what's that feedback we're getting about where were the kids coming in ready or maybe behind something of that nature? Is there any of that feedback going that way? We we do have some of that throughout the year. Um, so, so last year, like I said, last year the algebra groups, the eighth grade teachers and the nth grade algebra groups had a good chance to discuss. And then I would say when we're at more department based professional development, it does feel like the middle school and the high school tend to get together a little bit more. Um, and so there's

096some of that uh a little more informally in that case. Um, and then Matt and I get to talk to each other, you know, m very often. So Matt and I get to talk. And then this year also we did continue with that algebra discussion. They the some of the teachers put together um uh they revamped the the final exam was almost a common now it is a common final exam between the the middle school and the high school. And so that just immediately brings up some of that discussion. Again I'll go back to Jen's question from earlier like we did meet as a as a as a 712 teachers. Uh we had two department meetings. So we each gave up sort of department meeting time so that we could all get together and do

097some activities together. But there were people that just didn't know each other which was you know sort you know there's people that have been around for 25 30 years but then there's been people that have been hired in the last you know five or six that had no idea who that teacher was. Um so we did get to meet we'll continue that process as well. I think that the next level of conversation, Josh, to your point, is our students that are currently in algebra in eighth grade, let's say, when they go to geometry, what is that experience like, right? Or having some of those additional conversations. Um, so next. Yep. Yeah. No, I think it's great. I think like I said the metrics and like if there's any survey data or I don't know if

098it's parents or students or amongst teachers what they're seeing. I think it would just be helpful to now that we've got the plan in place see what the numbers do to support that plan being productive. You ready for high school? Well, I have one more question. This the survey that you guys gave to the high school students, will you be giving this survey or a similar one to the Henry James students? We were not planning on using that survey this year. So I'd have to, you know, look maybe it'll become a little bit clearer because the high school curriculum review this year was about getting more information about the students lived experience. So that was something very specific to the high school. Okay. That we just administered March, April it was administered. And now they're

099taking a very different look at those results and how that will equate to an action plan. So, it's not that it's out of the realm of possibility. It just wasn't the initial plan. It was very specific to the high school. I think it'll be very useful to give to Henry James students, especially as you're considering new curriculum. Like some of these questions, just from personal experience, I I sus suspect the numbers would be different for things such as the actual test questions are similar to what I did in my homework. And so I think as you're looking at curriculum, something like this would be really useful to give to the middle school students, the Henry James students to get their lived experience as well. Thank you. Agreed. Yeah, I think hearing from some data beyond

100that would be important because I think again you can pick that up and say this aligns with what we're hearing because we're hearing it from here too, right? So I think that's all important. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. On to SHS and Mr. Milch. Good evening everybody and thank you for having us out here. We we do appreciate the opportunity to brag on ourselves a little bit but also dig deeper and find out what we can do better. Um so our priorities this year first as as Sue had mentioned earlier was to engage all learners every class every day. We use that engagement tool um that we created in the math vertical team that is part of all the observations that are done uh for the teachers in the department. So every time

101I'm in a classroom, I have that in front of me as my notes uh to, you know, when I'm looking at the class. The teachers all have that in front of them as well. And that was one of our main focuses this year. Um as again was just mentioned, we also wanted to assess the students math experience in the classroom. So what do they feel about what's going on? What do they feel about their homework, their classwork? We had different categories as well as some open-ended questions. Uh our continued uh view is looking at uh SAT success for all students. So giving every student opportunity to find success on the SAT, increased student access to calculus and computer science, especially our um our smaller groups, you know, our different demographics in in the high school.

102Um making sure that everyone has an opportunity to get to those courses that um previously were were unachievable, which is fantastic to see. And you'll see some of the results as we get to them. And the last thing we focused on this year was enhancing our curriculum documents. So, previously our curriculum documents and our maps all had um there's one for say algebra 2 and it noted that we had some that were um not taught in this class or some that were taught in this class. So now we have separate ones so we could really look at the whole trajectory. So all of our level two classes, do we have every single standard covered in the in all of those level two classes or level one classes? So we can really look at them separately.

103So to talk about some of our celebrations. So as was mentioned you know last year in 2004 we were number two in the dirt which was great achievement for us you know and and this year again embargoed information but um there was growth in in the cohort of group. The one thing we're looking at we weren't satisfied with the with the actual results but in comparison to our into the rest of the dur everyone else dropped. We didn't um so that was one of the things there. Our AP scores were absolutely fantastic both in terms of number of students taking APs and the results themselves. You know, our our BC count, 100% of the students passed and that's hitting a three or higher. Uh our AB students, that's 25 students took the exam, 88% of

104them and and the rest of those results are in there. Um the biggest two for me are AP statistics where when I got here that was we had roughly 11 to 15 students in that class. Uh next year we're gonna have 64. Um so we've really grown that that course. Um and it's and it's been a lot of work, you know, recruiting in those courses, but also um to give more students an opportunity to get college credit for for a class. Uh BC calculus, for those who don't know that, that is the equivalent of two semesters of calculus in high school of in college. So students that that score that get eight college credits for taking that one one class. Um, and now, you know, with AP stats growing so much and AP computer science,

105now so many more students are getting to to take college credit classes. Um, the other things we're working on is is our math competitions and honor society. So, we have a math honor society which was formed under my tenure. Uh, it is mu alphatheta. So, for those of you who like to geek out on on Greek letters, that just spells math. Um, which was just fun for them. But, uh, we have 63 students in that group. they um they provide, you know, tutoring service to the to their to the rest of the school. So, they're in there. I unlock the math lab every morning at 7 o'clock and there are honor society students in there to offer support to their to their classmates. Uh they come in in during their free time and and lab

106times, you know, into the lab as well to help tutor um so that we have more students that can help in the the math lab. Our computer science honor society was started again under my tenure. And there are uh there are sorry 23 students in that and that is responsible for the hour of code as well. So those students push into all of the other schools in the district um to teach computer science all the way down into kindergarten. They design lessons, they implement those lessons there. In terms of our math competitions, uh we have a couple that we participate in. One is Nemo, the New England Math League, and you'll love this one. It is a $100 flat fee for the entire year for the entire school. So very costefficient. But we have it's

107six competitions a year and we have over 100 students 120 students uh roughly every single time that happens. Uh for two years in a row we were the uh champions in our region. Uh this year not so much but it's okay. We'll get back to it again. Um another math competition we participated in is the camel which is the capital area math league. And again this year we're invited to the state championship where there are 30 schools invited and we placed 11th in that. So uh also we uh participated in an ETNA actuarial actuarial program uh which was fantastic. So we brought a group of students to Etna. Um they were able to shadow uh actuarial actuarial professionals and and see what they do on a regular basis. They then invited one of our students

108who was actually a freshman last year um to be part of an internship and he's been working with them and going back and forth and this year um you know with with busing costs going up so much we didn't have the funds to do that and they said whoa whoa you're not coming and they sent a bus for us which was just absolutely wonderful. So they sent the bus for us and paid for lunch and brought our students over there so that we can make sure to participate that in that. Uh in terms of our SAT work, uh we've done a couple things especially, you know, mostly focused on our algebra 2 students, which are the the juniors that are taking SATs. Uh so we had a couple things going on. one, we we had

109a little two or three week mini lesson mini unit that we had right before the SATs to refresh students memories on some of those topics that they just haven't seen in a long time because the SAT is supposed to be all-encompassing of everything they've learned in in in all of mathematics, you know, even though it's halfway through their junior year. Um, but they haven't seen, you know, a histogram in in five years. So getting some of those topics that we know are hot topics on the SAT um to work with the algebra 2 students in algebra 2. And then in algebra 2 level three what we did is we had a Friday session. So every single Friday that was part of our curriculum for the for the starting in January and students worked on Khan

110Academy and other thing other activities um that really honed in on those SAT skills. Um, so next year that group, you know, jump ahead a little bit and to build on what Pat has worked on in the middle school, those students are also going to be using EXL. So we're replacing some of the Khan Academy and other work we're doing with EXL as we expand that off to the algebra 23 group. So they are very excited about that. The teachers are uh in terms of our recruitment um into those classes that I mentioned. Um again we have worked uh our teachers have worked very hard on getting that in front of getting that those courses in front of other students. So our computer science teachers, our statistics teachers actually push in and give a little

111mini session to to uh 10th graders and 11th graders to just tell them a little bit about that course. Specifically, what we did this year is seeing some of the numbers in especially our calculus class and our computer science classes. Um, we gave out personalized invitations. So, I made up little little little, you know, little cards and uh taped a little candy to the back and I gave three to each geometry teacher and algebra 2 teacher and said, "What I'd like you to do is is pull some students aside that are in those underrepresented groups that don't always get to those courses and and really talk to them individually about why that course would be good for them." So, it's an individual conversation, not just a whole class like, "Yeah, they're not talking about me."

112No, no, you know, Mrs. Barker really thinks I can do this and thinks I'll be successful at this. So, we did those and it really helped in our um in our numbers. So, uh which I'll talk about in a little bit. Um terms of our uh capstone, we which was mentioned earlier, which is a fantastic day last week, uh we have seen a huge uh increase in involvement uh from the math side. So, we have students that are coming to us saying, "Hey, I'd love to be a TA in your class. Can I do that as part of my capstone? can I do in in terms of stats and computer science huge growth in terms of those students want to do their capstone in math. So um nice changes uh that have that are going

113on there. Um and then uh lastly we also uh big our big focus as Sue mentioned earlier was serving our students. So getting their opinions about what's going on in the math class and in a moment we're going to get into some of the specifics looking at some of the metrics that Josh wanted to look at. But really, you know, getting into to what the students feel in the classroom. So here are some of our our results that that we'd like to celebrate. So 76% always or often. We used a Lyker scale so we could really see the positives and the negatives and kind of weed out the neutral ones a little bit. But 76% of our students always or often have enough time to in class to ask my teacher questions. 75% of our

114students always or often say my teacher helps me when I need it. 79% always or often have a positive relationship with their teacher. And we know how important that is as well. 65% always are off in the field. The review packets prepare me well for the test. All the rest of the details are in your packets as well. they they get a review pack and they feel prepared. So those are some of the the things to celebrate. Some of the things that we're going to still work on a little bit on the next slide is um 35% of our students sometimes rarely or never feel that they were able to complete the homework based solely on the lessons or notes from class. So they they get to something in class, they get stuck. So about

115a third of student a little more than a third of students feel like hey this is still really hard. Um 28% of students sometimes rarely or never. So, I threw in the, you know, the the neutral one a little bit. Um, rarely or never complete the review packet as part of their test preparation. So, we give them a review packet. Um, either they're frustrated or they just don't. That part of it I I wasn't able to to tease out, but um 28% of our students say they they don't complete the review packet in their preparation. And 17% feel that they rarely or never receive helpful feedback after the assessment. So they get feedback or they get a grade, but they don't necessarily know what they can do to improve. So those are the areas where

116we're really going to focus on next week. In terms of our open-ended questions that we have after each category, um some of the things that we're going to work on is disagregating that down to the teacher level. So one of the questions I did ask is what is your teacher? So now we could look at is this an algebra 2 issue? Is this a Mr. Milch issue? and we could really look at so my work this summer is going to look at it at that teacher level and get that feedback back into the teacher's hands. We're going to take a more in-depth followup in terms of our extra help. That one was baffling to me because my office is, for those you who don't know, you up on the third floor is right outside the

117math lab. And I have never gone by that room where there's not multitudes of students in there for various reasons, whether they're taking um assessments, making up assessments if they're out or they're assigned there to get some extra help or they just dropped in to get their homework done. But it was also the last section. So I mean there could be a lot of things. It was the last section of the survey. So I don't know if there's fatigue on the survey, but um there was a significant number of students that say, "Hey, I never do that." we have 1,200 students every single quarter go to the math lab. So there's clearly a disconnect somewhere. Um you know some of the other uh open-ended question themes were the best aspect of being a math student

118including their good teachers and their deep learning but they also said that they'd like a slower pacing, more personal teaching methods, um more helpful feedback and maybe a lighter workload. So those are the some of the open-ended questions that we're going to continue to work on. Um some additional information that was asked of me at our curriculum meeting. Um one in regards to our our change in terms of uh graduation requirements. So we now the students in Simsbury required only three credits of of math as part of their high school career. Uh 86% of students are still taking at least one math as seniors. So very few students have chosen not to take math. In fact, we're one of the few departments that we actually teach more students than exist in the building. So because

119students take two maths, they may take pre-calculus and AP stats or they may take a computer science class and algebra 2. We actually teach more students than we have. Um so that tells me again that they're they're finding the value and they're they're engaged in those classes. So, um, in terms of our recruitment, you know, I kind wanted to break it down a little bit by the areas that historically, uh, we don't see historically in math classes, um, is very male oriented, but in our school, um, those numbers pretty much match up with our student body. Um, so very close to 50/50, you know, you know, not quite, but pretty close. Um, our computer science class historically have been male white students in that class. Um, in fact, in uh the the um the board

120who governs uh computer science, which it's relatively new still, they put out a huge thing on things that you can't put in the classroom and you should take off your walls because computer science was so um focused on males and and white students. Um but we have done in terms of our recruiting that that we have 58% and 41% which is actually um a lot a lot fairer than our student body in general. in AP stats again you know getting to college credit it is 53% 44% so very close to 5050 in terms of male female um other things that were asked on this survey that we could pull out that was asked um of me uh one of them is looking at tutors so if you recall um three years ago we did a

121survey of families in the community and at that time they said 40.1% said um that they have a tooth the family said that they have a tutor but when we asked the students 13.9% of all students had a tutor so it's much different number student report so it's it's based on the student report yeah and we also asked them which grade they started the tutor but they said they don't the question was uh I don't remember the exact wording but do you access do you access a tutor outside of class um that that you pay for so um 13.9% of students said that 10.5% of all students students um started using that in high school. So there is some students that start actually in elementary school. There's a good chunk of students that start in

122elementary school and some start in middle school. So uh 10% of all students, you know, in the high school started their tutoring in high school. And the last thing was asked about math lab. I already mentioned that number. So that was additional information that curriculum didn't ask for. And 10% is still a good chunk of 13% math person. Was the 41% from families all across the district or just the survey was put out to all families? Okay. So, not just high school families, correct? Yeah. Um, no, it was just I'll have to re I think it went to just high school. I believe it went to just high school. I will I will get back there. Yeah. I don't remember elementary. I think it was just high school. Okay. I I will confirm and get

123back to you. Thank you for that question. Yeah, I think you're right. I stand corrected. 1,200 visits per quarter. Yeah, that's that's a lot. No, no, I'm just I'm just reiterating the last point that say I'm done. We still have another so bizarre, but I mean I have a we keep a running spreadsheet because there's no there's no other way to keep track of it. So, we have a a Google doc that a Google spreadsheet that we keep. Um, and as students come in, actually, they actually write their name on the board and what math teacher they're from, what they're there for, whether it's, you know, to get some help or maybe they're a tutor or they have to make up an assessment. But, so I I know they're coming in. I know they put

124their name on the board because we just all we do is type in, you know, that into our spreadsheet. Um, but then they didn't say that on the survey. So, we'll have to look at that. Yeah, we're we're Matt will get to the next steps of the work and what he's going to do with some of these results. Again, these are pretty fresh um in their analysis and also in action planning. So, um in terms of our spring results there, again, as I mentioned, there there was growth in the cohort even though I was not satisfied with the numbers and we're going to dig into some of those. Um some of the other questions that have come up that we're going to continue to work on um is our students uh the students that drop

125courses. So uh we work very hard on keeping students in their class that they were recommended to. So you know finding ways that that we can help them be successful in their class and our dropout has been relatively flat over the last couple years. It's predominantly been in uh freshman geometry and then something else that comes up every once in a while. So a couple years ago there was a big drop in algebra 22 for some reason. Um digging into it my belief it was a little bit of postcoid where um SAT scores uh were 100% optional for all colleges but now grade point average was higher. So like hey maybe if I go into a lower level I can get an A versus you know maybe getting that knowledge and getting a B or

126C maybe. Um so we had a huge jump you know that was three years ago. um you know so it changes the other part of it changes but uh predominantly it's it's still our honors challenge uh but we've looked at that and also looked at our students getting D's and F and they have dramatically dropped over the last four years uh we've cut them down by 50% so whole lot less students are getting those kind of grades um looking for where we're going so funds for curriculum revisions as we continue to look at uh things that are important to us we know that there there are things we need to work on and improve as I mentioned we worked on those. That first step is getting those maps together so we can see where the

127standards are and where we're missing holes, but then we're going to have to work on those to to fix those. Um, we're going to continue to look at our intervention structures. As Pat had mentioned earlier, that's a big push for him in the middle school. Same for us in the high school. So, how do we get to those students that are struggling and how do we help them be successful? And the last thing is um Pat's uh in the middle school, they've worked on uh building thinking classrooms. we worked on the engagement tool. So now we're going to uh dig deeper as a as a high school into that building thinking classroom. So one thing I'm requesting in terms of funding is the funds to to purchase those for the high school teachers. So our

128next steps uh is really uh get these details from the survey into the hands with our of our department and look for how can we respond, how can we improve, how can we make the experience better for our students. Uh, another thing we're going to look at is that came out two years ago, two and a half years ago now is AP pre-calculus. Um, so that is a new course to college board that they came up with. They've had a lot of revisions to it this year and we're going to look at that as as some of our next steps. So, three teachers are going to look at that um look at two things. one look at what professional development is out there so they could learn more about it, but also provide uh a

129mapping so we could see what are what do our current honors pre-calculus students do, what our current level two pre-calculus students do, what does this new AP pre-calculus look like. Um examine engagement from student um from the student perspective versus the teacher. That was the one that was the one more than the math lab even. That was one that that really struck me uh when we did the survey because part of our our teachers professional growth plans this year, I would say probably eight of the 15 um had some kind of I'm going to develop these lessons for this unit. I'm going to develop these lessons, engaging lessons for these units. But what we call as math teachers an engaging lesson clearly is not um what the students said. The students said, "Hey, I love

130playing that game. I love doing that around the world. I loved it. And to me, those are review activities. The kids found them fun, but they're not new content lessons, but the kids really, every time they had an opportunity to mention those, they mentioned those. But what we were doing is working on a discovery, um, an activity that that built that that curriculum and those kind of things. And so there's clearly a disconnect. And as Pat had mentioned with EXL, some of that is in the communication. So if we're communicating to the students at the beginning there, hey, these are the things that we're going to look at to help you have ownership of your learning and these engage. So it's some of that some of that salesmanship, but we need to do that up

131front. One of the things that Matt and I spoke about is once we've looked at these results a little bit and he's had the opportunity with his department members to develop an action plan, do we need some follow-up focus groups of students to tease some of this out a little bit? things that we just couldn't get through through the survey. So, more to come on that. We don't know what that might look like yet, but we haven't ruled that out as a possibility to learn a little bit more from the students themselves. And to to continue on, so another thing is increasing feedback to student on the assessments themselves. Um, that was one of the things that was mentioned. And then our EXL, I've already spoken about that, but we're gonna we we're now increasing

132it not only for the students. We currently use it for just interventions. That was part of our pilot, figuring out um the students that that need it most. Let's start there. Um next year, we're going to use it for all freshmen. So, we have a measure for every single freshman in the high school as well as that algebra 23 class, which is our need students in terms of their u their SAT success. I think we hit most of these. I think so actually and the financial implications and support needed but just that professional learning time we've talked about how do we ensure that our teachers are provided that professional development to strengthen their content to talk about the best pedigogy and how that interplays with the feedback we've already received from kids. Great. I thought

133you were going to jump in there. Oh, I was thinking. So, um, and I know I know these the survey is very fresh, so maybe these are unfair questions, but it it's see I'm looking at the relationship. You got two questions about sort of the relationship between the review packet and the assessment themselves, right? It's kind of a difference. And I'm looking again, maybe unfairly, looking at the always um response, which in this case I that's the one we we need to strive to get to 100%. Right. But there clearly seems to be a disconnect when four out of five kids that say suggest that the review packet is not um reflected on the assessment and flip side that this assessment is not reflective of the review packet. Not not saying obviously right in no

134way, shape or form am I saying that those exact questions on the review package should be on the assessment. But that that one kind of stands out to me. Just curious, you know, your your thoughts on that. Yeah, like I said, so when so you're looking at always versus the often? And that's and that's the hard one for me. Is it what does that mean? You know, you know, was there one question on there that really threw you that oh, I didn't expect this question or, you know, so when I look at those, you know, I'm looking at 45 65% so nearly twothirds of the students said the actual test questions are similar to those questions. Again, similar, not the same. Um, so a third of students are are in a different category. But if

135you look at the flip side, if you look at the never or the rarely, that's really low. Um, so and again, there was also that that other note in there that I mentioned earlier, 28% of students do not complete the review packet. So I don't know if all of those students know that. So that's that's where some of that that dignity. Yeah, that might be a focus group. Yeah. uh you know after a specific assessment that we we ask a little bit more and four out of five kids are saying that the review packet is not always helping them. That's I hear you. That's a little concerning to me. Yeah, I hear you. How often do we change the review packets? Every year. They get every year for every assessment they get each Okay. Yeah,

136they're new. Now, are they 100% new? No. But they match. they match what hey we didn't get to this this topic or we did get to this topic so we we make those changes to match the assessments that the students have prepared the okay I have a couple things one is the most important impressing to me is every single student who takes a math class took this survey you never put how many kids took the survey or at least I didn't see it it was 160 so every every single student at that high every class yeah so could a kid have put in mult multiple ones. Sure. If they were taking multiple multiple classes, multiple classes. Okay. Yes. So, every single class had this. Now, was every single student present on those days that they

137did? No. Um, but I didn't know if it was certain grades or No. No. No. But we also wanted to do it so so a student that's taking algebra 2 and a student that's in computer science may answer differently. Right. So, we wanted to make sure that we had both of those represented. Okay. Then on the packet review my question is and and you probably don't know the answer now but something to just keep in mind is that the question right before where it says my teacher provides an answer key in class review etc so I can check my answers. I think that etc is kind of it'll be interesting if you can and maybe that needs a focus group but the the etc like some teachers will only post it like the day before

138they'll do the answer key and they will not go through it ahead of time with the kids in class and so I think that will also the when part of that is is okay would be an interesting one to be able to figure out part of that preparedness topic right right like do you go through it in class then um just from my own personal experiences. We used to have math classes that are reverse taught where they go and watch a video and then they come to school to talk about. So they're not really taught or flip classroom. So are we still allowing not allowing is that permitted this whole idea of revert or flip classroom? So permitted allowed sure um but as a whole math across the country didn't look happily on that. I

139don't know how else um it was not successful in math. Um some of the issues were and I've seen it in in class sometimes we'll still use some of those video lessons um that we've created ourselves not from other people but like our own teachers have made u and we'll use them for say after a test. So, if you finish early, watch this video to introduce the next unit. Um, students don't listen to it. So, they either don't put their headphones and because you could see the teacher filling out the note packet and you could see what's being written and they're completing that in their own note packet. But, and again, it's not all students, but they don't listen to the actual teaching and all the stuff that's going on. And that's where the disconnect

140is come. We we had uh when I first got here, they were much more prevalent, especially around COVID time. we had a lot more of these videos out there. Um, and we found students didn't watch it or they put it on and just let it play. So then it records and it wasn't always student our recordings. It would be like you have to go watch this on Khan Academy. Pretty rare for us. I mean that may have been in the past. I mean for us um I don't see it as a prevalent practice now. It's not it's not prevalent at all in the school, but when we have them, they're our own videos. Okay. And they match our note package. And so now we're not really doing that. No, we have them available. So like

141so, for example, this week Pat and I were joking about earlier, seniors are out all over the place. Math has mixed classes where like today I had seven students out of a 24 student class. Um, but on our websites, we have a a Google site for this unit. So, conic sections. Um, there's a video that follows our notes that the students can access. They could still get the notes from today, not having to go to a classmate or something else. They could see Mrs. O'Donnell going through um 9.2, which is ellipses, and they could learn about ellipses even though they weren't in class today. So, we do have those available um and we have them on our website, but students Yeah. Yeah. That from my experience was that it was the lesson. They were they

142were go home here's your homework and there you go. Okay. Then the um the math lab question um the 1,200 visits per quarter you could that could be the a multiple a same child coming back over and over again in the same day even. Yes. Um I guess it's possible. Um yeah because they're only coming during their study hall or if they're assigned. So if they have multiple study halls if they're coming in the same day. Sure it's possible. So my my question would be and and it kind of goes back to you Pat. It's like if we could it's to me this data shows that we are clearly not utilizing the math lab function as well as it could be to its potential. So I would have thought younger kids maybe are more influenced

143by math lab and if they get used to an environment like that at Henry James then maybe once they get to the high school they'll be more willing to go and learn from a student versus or so we don't we don't have a math lab at Henry James we have um ASC which is the academic support center um and so we have that for math and that's an assigned class period so that might be opposite their music class it would be in place of a study hall it might be opposite of their music class um or or something like that and that's an that's an intervention. So that's they they would be part of the student intervention team would recommend them for that course. And then we have tier 2 math which is a um

144a full period. So it would meet every day that that period meets and that's a more targeted again through the student intervention team or recommendations out of the elementary school. But um just because of how the middle school schedule works, a math lab isn't something that we've explored because the most of the students wouldn't have the availability in their schedule to use that. Yeah. Yes. So, it's it our schedule's a little different. So, a math lab's more of a a high school thing than a I've worked in other middle schools, too, and it's not something that's usually it just doesn't fit with the middle school model. Unless you said it before school, like you said it opens at seven or after school. Right. Right. Yeah. Within Yeah. Within the school day, we're not going to

145be able to have that staffed um and then have student there wouldn't be enough students making use of it for that to be um to make sense. So we we have more targeted interventions where they're assigned to the class. And the one place, you know, Jen, to get back to that in terms of what the student's perspective is versus ours, we also use it for assessment makeups. So if a student is absent on the day of a test, when I went to school, the next day you came in, you had to sit out in the hall by yourself, miss the next lesson. Yeah. And take But now students during their study hall or again before or after school can go there and take a test in that room. So that could be some of that

146as well. Yeah. because I do think that the math lab will be an interesting one because I do think in theory it's a great idea and it's used a lot. So like there's clearly a disconnect in somewhere. Yeah. With the kids. And then the last thing I had was before you get to the next question just one follow up on that. Do you think in the what's our next term? Fall. It might be useful could we or maybe you can look back at the data since it's by name and see if we can identify the number of individual students as opposed to a total number. So if someone's coming, you know, 10 times a quarter verse you have 10 different students to get that 1,200 number to a more specific number just to compare that.

147Sorry. Go ahead. And then my last thing was just about the the the a ma a general math statement question was the the last row the second one where it says I go to my teacher for extra help. To me, that's a sort of it's sort of completely contrary to I feel positive relationship with my with my teacher because you feel positive or no, it says not my current teacher. That's that's students going to someone else. It does not say that on my sheet. It says I go to my teacher for extra help. That's in the bottom row. The second question, I'm so sorry. I was reading the wrong one. Yep. Um, and so I just worry that, you know, they have this great relationship, do they? But they won't go to extra help for

148their teacher. And so that could be, but that also, you know, some of that may be, and again, I don't know, but you're right. You know, something to look into. Um, I don't need extra like, you know, if we have, you know, our PC1, our pre-calculus honors class is 100% A's and I'm sorry. Um, with the exception of, I think, three students, they're all A's and B's. So maybe they don't go for extra help and they don't feel the need to because they're they're doing just fine. So I don't know the answer. I would I I've had AP and the level two kids and I don't think I think the level two kids probably do need more help than the AP kids probably in general, right? And so that was where Yeah. So I I

149could also look at that by course because I had that data because I asked them what what course you're currently in. So I could I could disagregate that by by course because a lot of those like the student teaching idea, this is where I feel like it's so different from elementary because I know elementary seems to be going more to that group sort of class work together kind of thing and I feel like it's amazing to watch but on the high school level not for a kid to go a level two kid to go and say you know what I don't understand this Tara when I don't know Tara and not go to be able to go call Mrs. Will, but I just wonder how effective that is. Yeah. I also think to one of

150Matt's points, we have to look at that classroom instruction a little bit deeper and how are we differentiating? How are we setting up opportunities so it isn't awkward, right? That it's so that's potentially one of the outcomes of these survey results. Well, and to that to that point though is the one is the question in front of it too. my teacher gives helpful feedback after an assessment so I know how to improve. That's a 50-50 answer. Yeah. And that's and that's I think to the point too. It's and it's and it always comes in math that you've got the kids who celebrate math and are very very good and the kids who struggle and the kids who struggle I just feel really that your your jobs and your mission should be to make sure those

151are the students that really learn to like math so that they can grow up and use it, you know. Absolutely. Whereas the AP kids really I'm not as worried about them because they know what they're doing and they really they have a passion for it and and so I think a lot of times when I see some of these that's my concern and when my daughter was there I wanted her test to come home because I know I learned more from mistakes that I made than e answers that I got correct. If I got it correct I would never look at it again. But if I got it wrong and I had the test in front of me I could bring it home to my folks and say okay what did I do? and they

152could help me and then I could go see my teacher. At least after talking to my parents, I'd have a little more confidence. So, I could probably go to my teacher. So, if you have the test, but the fact that they never let her bring tests home was extremely frustrating for me as a parent and my student as a student. Oh, and my other students nodding. Yeah, it's a very very that is a that's one of my biggest concerns of the math department. I don't understand why tests can't go home for kids who need them to go home. That's and that's just that's not even about today. That's just something that I would like to be on the table is having been said. Okay. And I think a real positive here is the steps, you

153know, to your point, good data. We can really take a look at the source of where it came from right to classroom and in the spirit of continuous improvement, right? What does that roll out look like next year to get more conc, you know, get that loop going more concrete and then come back with, you know, Yep. what what that looks like in terms of um Yeah. Yeah. And I think to that point, moving the ball down the field, this discussion on the high school, right? I haven't lived the high school experience. I am living the middle school. I just it kind of just backs my point. I think we need this for middle school. Like the more we talk here, everything like we need the metrics, we need the survey because like you said,

154this is great data and then you can build a plan, do focus groups. Middle school, it's kind of like theoretical a little bit right now to say it, right? The questions may be different, but the questions could be different, but it's kind of like what certain like administration and teachers may be thinking, but you want to hear from the families, you want to hear from the students because is that what they're seeing and failing as well. You take that survey data, you take metrics data, you see what's working, what's not working. Right now, we've got a plan, but I think we need numbers because this high school. So, this is again, I don't have I haven't had a high schooler, but I can look at this and get a feel for what's working and what

155could need improvement without even to that point. This is a very very comprehensive survey. We have been through a lot of surveys where the questions don't always get to things to talk about. So, I appreciate the survey. So, we can do have things to talk about. So, thank you. Now, we can make a plan to forward. Keep going forward. Yeah, loving it. So, just on the assessment piece, um, so the question, you know, is my teacher gives helpful feedback after the assessment so I know how to improve if you're going to do this kind of survey going forward. I think it would be helpful to expand that question a little bit or add another question or two about what types of feedback because to Tara and Jen I and I think everyone here who has

156a high school or had a high schooler um not getting the test back makes it virtually impossible for the students to actually figure out what they got wrong and since math builds to bring that forward to the next part. um and sitting in class and going over a couple questions, which I think is at least the my students lived experience. They'll go over a couple questions that some people generally had problems with, but not really let each student individually take a look at how they have issues and what they can improve on and learn from. So, if that question can be expanded into like exactly what the feedback is and make it more um harmonized and consistent, I think that would be helpful. I have a question on this um to end this closing statement

157on the last the bottom grid over here. Okay. On this last one I go and maybe you can circle back because to the second one I go to my teacher for extra help and then move forward to one two three four the fifth the the fifth column out. I go to a specific teacher not my current teacher for extra help. What does that mean? So look at, you know, I I have students, so I have an office next to the math lab. I have students that come into my office all the time. I don't currently teach them. Um but I've had them in the past and they come in um some students who have never taught, you know, come in for extra help. So like, and that's what it is. So like I built a

158relationship with this teacher last year. I don't know this teacher yet. I'm going in. I'm comfortable with that teacher. And all of our teachers are open to that. So you know, whether I'm helping a student that's in Mrs. O'Donnell's class or she's helping a student that in someone else's class. For us, we're just happy they're coming in and asking a question. So, sometimes they're just happen to be more comfortable with one teacher another. Fantastic. As long as you're getting help, I'm happy. I got to chime in and say it's also very exciting because I did have one child who loved Mr. Melchism, but he does have or he did have granola bars. I think inside there that works very I probably owe you a lot of but he had pizza at it after school again.

159Great. Well, thank you guys very much. Really appreciate very thorough appreciate your efforts. Thank you so much. policy. Yeah, we policy secondary. This could be very quick, Mr. Tindle. Excellent. Uh, I don't think. No, we didn't read it yet. This is This is the portion of the process that's called second reading. Um, I reviewed Thank you. Bye you guys. Thank you. Thank you. I reviewed the uh reasons why these policies came forward before the policy committee in meetings in February and March. The biggest lifts on here were reviews of our non-discrimination policies, just something we do every seven or eight years. A pretty significant shift with family and medical leave with some change in um policy and then major changes from the state level in school climate policy and restorative practices. Rest of these were

160minor. The purpose of the process is that people have time to ask questions. Nobody asked me any questions. Um, so we've fully vetted these with the policy committee. It's come before you twice and then we would vote in June. Great. We've seen these, but any any questions for Neil? Anybody? I think you did a great job explaining them. Thank you. Again. Again. And again. We look forward to the third time. All right. Moving on to our next public audience. I think we're good there. Our next meeting is June 10th. Right here, I get a motion to adjourn. So moved. Seconded. Great. All those in favor? Great. Thank you everybody. Appreciate it. For over 40 years, SEM has been the voice of our town, bringing us together through local programming, education, and live broadcast. SEM isn't

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