001Calling the board of that meeting to order at 6:30. Then we rise for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So, first up is public audience. Seeing none, we're going to go on to committee reports and board of ed communication. Okay. Hi. Um, so for starters, um, starting with Vladimir Lane, their teacher versus sixth grader event is coming up, which typically brings in around 400 to 500 people, which I thought was pretty cool. Um, from Simsbury, there's actually a lot going on. So, five international trips just happened over spring break to Portugal, France, Taiwan, Costa Rica, and Italy. Um, the the learned ladies spring play is coming up
002this weekend. Um, and also there will be a Sunday matinea. Simsbury High School will host uh on the 23rd the first um ever career fair where there will be over 30 reps um for different careers and students can talk to three um some DECO students qualified for an international career development conference in Florida which will start this Friday. Um and the big big elephant is NGS testing is happening on Thursday for both SHS and um Henry James for science. Um for Terafll they're having um they just had a climb assembly where basically 14 students received principal awards for citizenship and for all elementary schools ESBACK will be starting next week. Um for fifth graders they will have science. Um and third through sixth will have math and reading. Um Squadron just had their art show
003and they're having staff recognition day tomorrow as well as Henry James. Um Tutin Hills raised over $12,000 um for their readathon sponsored by the PTO. And um from Henry James mostly I just have state testing um starts tomorrow for eighth grade eighth graders. Um, and then we'll have more testing next week and the week after. Thank you, Josh. Nothing for me. Jess, nothing for me. Thank you. Ryan, I don't have anything tonight. No, Tara. Nothing for me. Just wanted to mention that tomorrow um is our staff recognition day, an annual event in um Simsbury Public Schools where we honor people who have uh long 10 years of service starting with people who have completed 10 years of employment with us and every five years 15 20 and we're getting all the way to 40 this
004year where a few people have been with us for 40 years. and we also honor our retirees. So events happen at each school and then the big event after um is going to be at Henry James and we're trying something a little different by doing it on the half day because normally we don't start till late in the afternoon. So we're going to start the event at 2 o'clock tomorrow and the formal recognitions will start at 2:30 and we hope that will encourage more people to stick around for the event. Katie, I'm good. So, Raphaela, thank you so much for mentioning the career fair. Just to highlight, that will be for our grade 10 students. So, this is something that we're really excited about under the direction of Greg Stillman, our director of school counseling.
005Uh we'll let you know how that goes. Um another opportunity for board of ed members, uh you should have received an invitation for capstone day. So, if you have any questions about that or you will be receiving an invitation for Capstone Day, my apologies. Um, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. We're really excited around the student presentations. Now, moving on to recommended actions. Approval of minutes of the March 25th, 2025 meeting. Anybody want to I'll make a motion. I'll second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I. The next thing is personnel. Yes. So, two different uh actions for you tonight. Um and the first is certainly bittersweet news that um our esteemed colleague at Central School, Beth Hennessy, uh has announced she announced um on her faculty meeting in
006April, which happened to be April 1st. Some people thought it was an April Fool's joke, but um she is in fact going to take her retirement at the end of this school year. Um and just want to congratulate Beth. It's been um 18 years in the district, 11 as the principal of Central School, just as um thoughtful instructional leader as we have among our administrative team. Um someone who's incredibly thoughtful about systems and structures and how systemic change happens and she will be missed by all of us, but we're going to be celebrating her over the weeks to come. So, the motion is there for your consideration. I'll move that the board of education accept the retirement of Beth Hennessy effective June 30, 2025. I'll second it with um congratulations and great thanks for an
007amazing career with us and so much so many gifts she's given our students. We're so fortunate. Any discussion? All those in favor? Hi. Hi. Hi. And then um two resignations uh that uh came in just before April vacation. Um one Anna Connelly. Anna Connelly is a teacher um of grade one at Central School. Um she has been commuting almost an hour each way to work and found something closer to home. So that we congratulate Anna. and Claudia Sopran is a special ed teacher at Tuton Hills School and she has decided to pursue other opportunities at the end of this school year. So the motion is there for you to accept those resignations. I move that the board of education accept the resignations of Anna Connelly and Claudia Supernet effective June 30, 2025. Second. Any discussion?
008All in favor? I Okay, it's still to me for uh non-renewal of a nonpr teacher. This is a process where um uh if we're going to not be bringing a teacher back for next year due to a drop in enrollment, for instance, we need to non-renew them by May 1st in so that they could have an by statute. Um, this one teacher that is being non-renewed, I can tell uh a what should be an okay ending to this story. But Rachel Casper um was hired this year for a a maternity leave. So, she was only given a contract for one year. So, she knew that going in. Um, and has done a great job at Terapill School. There is another teacher at Terapville school, different teacher who's planning to take a maternity leave. So, while
009we have to do this on May 1st, my hope is that we'll be hiring Rachel back in like a month. So, we do need to do this tonight, but um and it's never a happy thing for someone to get nonrenewed, but it is something that we knew was was kind of coming. You want to Sure. I'll move that the contract of employment of Rachel Casper be non-renewed effective June 30th, 2025 and that the superintendent of schools or designates directed to advise such persons in writing of this action. Second. A second. Any discussion? Hopefully we can hire her back. Yes. All those in favor? Hi. Hi. Okay. Next thing, adoption of the healthy food and beverage for 2025 26. Ah, the annual event is back. We can sit and read the motions for um this is
010an action from the Connecticut State Department of Education regarding um the reimbursement that uh you get for serving healthy meals. what these motions are mostly about. It's sort of not about the cafeteria food. It's about all the other things in schools like a school store, a fundraiser where food might be served. Um, and you are guaranteeing that you require that to be healthy food. Okay. So, and you need to pass these motions in order to accept any money at all from the reimbursement. Um, and really the main things that we know, we make sure that everything that's sold in the school store, anything that is part of a um, fundraiser follows these nutrition standards. So, with that said, there's always three motions. They have to be read into the record. I don't know why, but
011they do. Um, and so Josh, you were nom. You drew the short straw. No, happy to do it. That way I don't have to worry about jump roping in on any other motion. Um, all right. So, yeah. So, we're going to move that pursuant to CGS section 10215F, Bindary Board of Education certifies that all food items offered for sale to students in the schools under its jurisdictions and not exempt from the Connecticut Nutrition Standards published by the Connecticut State Department of Education will comply with the Connecticut Nutrition Standards during the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30th, 2026. This certification shall include all food offered for sale to students separately from reimburseable meals at all times and from all sources, including but not limited to school store vending machines, school cafeterias, and any fundraising
012activities on school premise sponsored by the school or by non-school organizations and groups. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I move that pursuant to section 10215F of the CGS, the Simsbury Board of Education hereby will allow the sale to students of food items that do not meet the Connecticut nutrition standards provided that the following conditions are met. The sale is connection in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend. The school the sale is at the location of the event and the food items are not sold from a vending machine or school store. An event is an occurrence that involves more than just a regularly scheduled practice meeting or extracurricular activity. For example, soccer games, school plays, and intercolastic debates are events, but soccer
013practices, play rehearsals, and debate team meetings are not. The school day is the period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day. Location means where the event is being held and must be the same place as the food sales. Second. All those in favor? Oh, discussion. Anybody want discussion? No. All those in favor? I move that the Sbury board of education will allow the sale to students of beverages not listed in section 10221Q of the CGS provided that the following conditions are met. The sale is in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend. The sale is at the location of the event and the beverages are not sold from a vending machine or school store. An event is an
014occurrence that involves more than just a regular scheduled practice meeting or extracurricular activity. The school day is the period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the school official school day. Location means where the event is being held and must be the same place as the food sales. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I Okay. So, it's on to me. I have two gifts this evening. So, in accordance with your board of ed policy, any gift that exceeds $1,500 needs your approval. So, the first gift this evening is to Squadron Line School from its PTO. The gift amount is for $1,880 and this donation will be used to help defay the cost of the grade six camp jewel trip. There's a motion there for your consideration. I'll move that the
015proposed gift of $1,880 to Squadron Line School by the Squadron Line School parent teacher organization be approved. Second. Any discussion? Super generous as always. As always. And all those in favor? I I. Great. The second gift is a new memorial scholarship, the Kevin P. Schiller Memorial Scholarship. Kevin was a 1989 alum of Simsbury High School. He was the captain of the varsity soccer team and also a member of the golf team. So, friends of his would like to uh start a scholarship, too, actually in the amount of $1,000 to be awarded to a graduating senior starting with this graduating class of 2025. They've denoted some criteria. They would like the first selection to be a female and male soccer player, but if that's not possible, oh, and a preference given to goalie. Um but if
016that's not possible then a golf athlete or a general athlete. So very uh generous motion there for your consideration this evening. I make the motion that the board of education accept the Kevin P. Schiller memorial scholarship to be dispersed starting in 2025. He was a wonderful guy. The family was so devoted to this town and how many brothers and sisters? A lot. Yeah. They were a wonderful family that was very involved and um we knew him in school and uh Bill and I and um I think this is a great way to memorialize him and I'll be happy to know that his name will be said in the halls of Century High going forward. That's amazing. Second. Any discussion? I'm sorry I did mine first. Sorry. All in favor? I I Thank you to the
017Schiller family. Yeah. So generous. Okay, I think it's back to me again to tea up back to you our first of two reports. So, I'm going to invite up some staff from our PE and wellness K12. And as they come up to the table, I will do a brief introduction for them. Uh, first we have Amanda Rory who is our K12 wellness department supervisor. Um, give a wave Amanda. To her right is Bill Sikinger. uh PE and wellness teacher at HJMS. To her left, Bridget Martina, who is wellness teacher at um Squadron Line Elementary. And to her left is Nora Daly, who is a wellness teacher at Simsbury High School. So when Neil walked in this evening, he said, "Whoa, it's the dream team." So no pressure. Um, but the reason why they're here in
018a very similar way Dave Princ came a couple of weeks ago with Jamie Seipa and Kelly Callahan, it has become now more customary that when a content area has gone through a curriculum review because we've reinvigorated our curriculum review cycle, we ask the leaders of that content area to come and do a briefer presentation to our curriculum committee and then a larger report to you here as the board of education. So that is why they are all here. Uh there is an exhibit that we have utilized a newer report format where they're going to talk about some of their celebrations and their priorities for this year and also some current and future challenges and you've always asked what can we do to support you. So Amanda and her team will finish with that this evening.
019So with that, Amanda, I'm going to turn it over to you to give us Thank you and thank you for having us here this evening. Um really excited to be here tonight. This is my second year professionally in the district um as the supervisor. Uh not professionally. I've grew up here, graduated here, and live here currently with uh two middle school children. One who is in Bill's wellness class right now. So I miss the blue memo, but I do bleed blue and gold. Um, yeah, but we're just really excited to be here tonight. Um, I was going to have them introduce themselves, but Sue took care of that for us as well. So, just, um, as a side note as well, Nora, um, up until about midway through last year was at Squadron 9 is
020our part-time PE teacher. So, some of the, um, parts that we're going to present about tonight have to do with when she was at the elementary level, but, we had a full-time opening at the high school last year, and she's moved up to that as well. So, really appreciate them being here tonight. I have uh 17 teachers that I supervise and five of them volunteered to come tonight. So, it says something about the teachers in our district as well. So, we want you Oh, good. I just wanted to chime in and say that she also is Terafll. I think I was because I recognize you always before my time. So, I didn't know that. And I forgot that. Right. So, thanks for remembering. I'm glad to remember you. So, as we mentioned, we have a
021number of celebrations that we just wanted to highlight within our department. Um, before we kind of get into some of the curriculum work and the priorities that we're going to focus on. Um, I wanted to start first with just uh the celebration that we have a pretty remarkable improvement in our performance on the Connecticut physical fitness assessment from two years ago to last year. So we had um in the 22 23 school year we had 47% of our students reaching that fitness zone standard that is set by the state. Um compared to that last year just one year later we had a 14% improvement to 61% reaching that standard. So, for those of you that aren't familiar with the logistics of the Connecticut physical fitness assessment, um obviously a statemandated test, uh we are required
022to test all students in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. And they have to be assessed on four areas of fitness. So, four tests. Um the aerobic fitness or the cardiovascular endurance fitness is for the mile run or the pacer test. That's the lineto line beep test that that they love to do. Um, we have the curl-up um, assessment, which is assessing their muscular endurance. Push-ups assesses muscular strength, and then sit and reach um, assesses their flexibility. So, what's unique about this state test is the student has to pass all four areas of fitness in order to be counted towards our district's numbers of students reaching um, the fitness zone standard, which means they need to basically score 100% on the test, which is a pretty high bar to set for them. So um as
023a department last year when I came in we did a deep dive into the data and really looked at you know how our students were performing and where they were struggling. We identified the aerobic um or the cardiovascular endurance assessment as the area kind of that we were struggling the most in and set about um you know putting some pilots in place Bridget's going to talk about but also some collaborative everyone's going to try these types of things too and I think our numbers show that we've you know had a pretty great improvement with that first year of triing things and we're going to continue that trend going forward as well. Amanda, just before you go on, as a reminder, this I had um done a report to the board around our district performance profile,
024and there's all different measures around performance and growth. This assessment is actually one of those indicators on our district performance profile. So, it's measured, it's um you know, that gives an overall performance indicator for the Simsbury public schools. So, I've really appreciated Amanda and the entire team really focusing on this and saying, "Okay, what are we doing now and how can we get better?" And in just one year, really really impressed with their growth. So, I have a question. Do you want us to wait till the end to ask questions or should We're fine if you want to ask them as you go. That's fine. Yeah, we we left some time at the end for questions, too. But if you want to just interject, it's I was just curious on this the the data on
025this this slide is it is a great improvement. Okay. And I don't want to take away from that, but these are different sets of children. Correct. This is not the same students. Yeah. So it was, you know, if a student was in fourth grade and then the next year they're in fifth grade, they're not tested until sixth grade. So yeah. Um, but we really wanted to focus on, you know, things that would help the anxiety piece of it too because sometimes that comes into play for students as well. Um, and I think when when Bridget kind of touches on some of the things that we're implementing, it's just better practice and a better experience for students for something, you know, my my student my child has NGSS anxiety. We have students that have fitness testing
026anxiety as well. So, just to get them to the place where they can perform to the best of their abilities, too. So that was what my question was going to be like the jump from 47% to 61%. That's a big jump. Um so is part of it what Jen asked what Jen stated is the difference in grades or what's contributing to that? I I do think I don't want to take your thunder from it. Um, but we implemented not just having May be the testing day when you're having your four tests or, you know, the testing month when you have to take the four tests, but rather exposing it to them throughout the year and having them practice that and get comfortable with it. So, you know, it is a different set of students, but
027I think when you see that big of gains, some of the implementation strategies and and things that we put in place have helped that as well. So when you're looking at the data later where you have your references, is that explained? That's what the difference. Yeah, this is taken right from Edite, which is the state government um document, and then next year we'll also be able to see the results for this year, and we can actually look at those students that were in fourth grade and see how they're doing in sixth, and then you've got the students in six and how they're doing in eight, too. Okay. And there there are some, you know, nuances with this. um you know that there's a participation rate that counts for or against us. So they set this
02890% participation threshold and if you can see we're at 95 and 97% but students that are medically exempt or they maybe get hurt or it's actually students that start the school year in Sbury if they move out they're still in our data data and counted against us if we don't enter scores for them too. So uh you know we're trying we're trying So, so Bridget was going to touch on a little bit um just at Squadron and and what they had piloted last year. Yeah. So, Amanda um identified that we were really struggling in the cardiovascular endurance section of our testing. Um and last year, Nora and I um decided to pilot switching from using the pacer to using the mile run um test for our cardiovascular endurance portion. Um, we noticed a huge improvement
029by the numbers. Um, but really what we put in place was in our warm-ups. Um, in every single lesson we did a warm-up that was a inside the box activity and an outside the box activity. And the outside the box activity was a five minute run. And if they were able to run the entire five minutes, their name got put up onto our whiteboard. And at the elementary level, I've never seen kids compete and be so challenged in their life to just get their name up on a whiteboard. Um, but we noticed a lot of energy behind it. I had kids that were walking in the beginning of the school year. They were sprinting their entire five minutes by the end of the school year. Um this in turn um really helped when we went
030to test them for the mile run. Um because when we introduced the mile run to them um we told them you were able to run for five minutes already. Running a mile is not that much farther to them. Um we were able to teach to pacing and not running super super fast right off the line. um but being able to pace themselves for the entire mile. Um so then when we did the mile run um those kids that were running for 5 minutes straight were really succeeding. Um they were able to run for the five minutes, maybe walk for a little bit and then start running again. But the passing numbers they were able to pass this test. Um where a lot of these kids that passed mile were not passing pacer. Um and then
031we're not doing well for the four out of four um testing numbers. Um so we piloted it last year and then um Amanda challenged the rest of our district teachers to um use the mile run test as um the cardiovascular endurance section this year. Yeah. Just and actually do both and then we can see because it's based on school. So if your school has students performing better at the mile then you would use that or the pacer. So, you know, fitness is not the biggest part of our curriculum, but as Sue mentioned, it is in our district profile and our district report card. And so, um, we wanted to have students understand just the basic life skills of being physically active and fit, and that's the important piece of it, too. And for some of
032them, it's not about reaching the fitness standard that the state sets, but it's about learning how to set goals and work towards small goals to improve, too. So, you know, the the district um all of the teachers have really adopted this and most of them are, you know, trying to influence our students to just have a better understanding of it with lower anxiety, too. So, thank you for that, Bridgetette. Um, the next celebration I wanted to highlight and we'll we'll get into some more specifics on the health education piece a little bit later in the presentation, but just in the past two years, the amount of revisions and revamping to many of our health units has been um really outstanding. Um, I am somebody who's who's brought in the idea that studentled classrooms are really
033what we want to focus on for our students and my teachers have really jumped on board with that. you know, we want to have students that are producers of their learning instead of just sitting and consuming the information that's being given to them. Um, and we know if we peique their interest and spark their curiosity, they're going to be more engaged in their learning as well. So, deciding how we can provide these experiences for them where they can have choice and work with peers and and have a voice in their learning in addition to aligning it to our vision of a graduate and, you know, aligning it to our national and state standards. I think that we've done a great job of starting some of the work that we're going to be continuing as well.
034And I did want to just highlight um one of our high school courses, the health 111 12 course, which is taken by upperassmen. It's a required health course. We have a brand new unit that we created this year. Um and really its focus is to equip students for life after SHS. And two of the skills we are hoping to provide them with is being able to help somebody who is in a mental health crisis and being able to help somebody who's in a physical health crisis. So, um last year all of the middle school and high school um teachers, we had them QPR suicide prevention certified so that they could teach students and train students on how to be um basically the gatekeepers of understanding how to question, persuade, and refer someone that they think
035is in a crisis. um recognizing those warning signs and they are not the person that is saving that other person but they know how to get them to the help that they need. So they finish that course with that certification. I tell them to put it on their resume just like you know it's CPR certification because that's just as important the mental health side of it as the physical health side of it as well. And then we also added for the physical health piece um first aid and CPR training for the students. So currently they're just getting like basic knowledge and understanding and practicing the skills. Our future goal is to get the wellness teachers certified as instructors and then they can provide students the opportunity to actually get CPR and first aid, excuse me,
036certified in that course. So finishing that course with two certifications um really great thing and exciting for us too. So that's just to highlight one of our our new units that we have. I think that was great. Just fantastic. Yeah, I'm really happy to hear that. Thank you. And, you know, it's it's wellreceived, too. Um, we we definitely notify the the counselors on the days when students are going to be receiving at least the QPR training piece to know, you know, and we and we make them aware of all of the different um support staff in the school. Um, but also encouraging them to just, you know, take that communication home and and bring it to their families as well. So, really excited for that work. Next celebration, Bill, take that one. Um, I am
037not the teacher that is uh has 40 years experience. I just want the record to show that. I did go to school here a little over 40 years ago, but that's not me. Um, but Henry James, and I will not be that teacher ever. You're welcome, Neil. You're welcome, Neil. Everybody will recognize it right away. It's actually St. Patrina. Oh, sorry. Where am I? Social learning at Henry James. We are really proud that we've uh really embedded that uh incl um curriculums. Um having the opportunity to really implicitly embed that in our in our classes and practice those skills is is really something I think uh we are really proud of and I think kids really get the the benefits of of practicing those skills. Um primarily because we get to see the kids almost
038every day. It's it's they get to see in the classroom in the wellness part, the health part and then in the gym uh as well. So it's it's awesome we get to have that opportunity. That's something I think that uh we're really proud of. Uh so thank you for that opportunity. Yeah. When I came here and and realized that you know students are basically getting wellness the entire year every day at the middle school level that's such a key time in their lives too to get that. So to be able to embed because really the social emotional competencies align with our health and PE standards. So it just kind of seamlessly weaves into that. You have the everyday speech at the elementary level and then we have the connections at the high school, but you
039know, we really have the opportunity to make those connections with our students here too and teach them some of these important skills. At the curriculum committee, Amanda worked us through a couple of lessons and interactive activities to give us the They're very fun. They were I wish we had more people. We could have done it longer, but we were pretty fun. Thank you for being a good sport for that. Um, the next celebration, uh, the Connecticut DOT had an active transportation micro grant this year where you could apply for that and get up to $5,000. We were the recipients of the $5,000 and you were able to use it towards any type of bike safety program or bike equipment. Um, so we were able to use that money to work with Walter at the bicycle
040seller, which is a local business in town, to custom design and custom build two adaptive bikes, which will help support, you know, all access for our students to our bike safety programs. Um, you know, students with physical challenges or needs that don't allow them to be on a two-wheel bike. Um, you know, they have access to these. So, we are housing one of them at Squadron Line. Um, that's the smaller size for elementary students. it will be a part of the bike safety program but also you know we have a number of students there with some needs and so during their OT sessions they have access to the bike as well the other ones at the high school where we have a unified PE program and a course that students can access the bike. So
041just really proud of the ability to to work with the community but also to provide these students with the ability to be part of those programs that we have. That was our celebration portion for the um presentation tonight. And then we did want to move into the priorities just for curriculum. We split it up into the levels. So kind of looking at elementary then middle and high school. Bridget want to talk. Um yes. So we have completed three out of our five units. Um and the mapping involved with all of that. Um we are hoping to complete all of K through2 um units by the end of next school year. Um and then we will be moving on to curriculum mapping for grades three through six. Um, but we have three of them done so
042far. Um, with really highly engaging lessons and really excited about that. And this was a big undertaking because just last spring is when our national standards were changed. Uh, new ones were adopted. We went from five standards to four and they came out with a bunch of different progressions and things. So, just trying to kind of look at what we had in place and then um, working in those new standards to our curriculum. So the team's done a great job with that and yeah, we're hoping by the end of next year to have the K to2 maps done and in middle school by the end of next year we will have revised both seventh and eighth grade uh health classes. So, right now we're revising and implementing several of the of the units. And then,
043similar to elementary school, uh once we update the health bar, we'll we'll start updating our our new health, excuse me, our new fizz standard to our curriculum starting the end of next year, I guess. And it's a big undertaking for the middle school just because of the amount of time that we have, you know, seat time with students. So, you know, that's why it's taking a little bit longer just to get through the health portion before we start the PE part as well. And that being said, I wanted to remind the board that this was just supposed to be an assessment year. So the fact that they are already, this team and the whole department moving on some of their plan, not just making the plan, but enacting and implementing some of their plan and
044priorities. They're very hard on themselves. They are ahead of the game. Sue said it's a marathon, but we like to sprint. I'm not good at sir. some pacers and then high school Nora. Um, so we have also been spending this past year working on the alignment of the curriculum for wellness 9 and wellness 10. Um, I've been on that group to get that work done so far and it's been really really rewarding and exciting. Um, like Amanda talked about, we've been in the health classroom really trying to get um, super engaging practices involved in our lessons, getting kids up out of their chairs, moving around the room, getting their work up on the boards for other people to see. Um, even we joke we call it speed dating where we like move them and they
045have to talk to different people and so just getting them out of their seats and a part of the lessons. Um, we also have been like Amanda said the uh, standards have changed. So our big focus was aligning our new lessons, our uh common assessments and all of our stuff with those um new standards and then also aligning them with Henry James. So working with their team to get, you know, very clear through lines of the same kind of topics and information um so that they build on the learning that they've done in the past. Um one of the really cool ways that we've been able to implement that um is in our department meetings. So Amanda kind of put this initiative out for us to start our department meetings with those like little activate
046activities that she presented to you guys. Um and so it's actually really cool as the teachers we get to like be the students. And so we have grade levels that will show up and run a like 10 to 15 minute like quick activate lesson. Um it's icebreakerish. Ice. Yeah. But it's a way to like get our kids to be like thinking about the topic we're going to be learning about in class without just like jumping right into content. um and getting them engaged and excited to learn. Um and so we've actually had a really awesome time in our department meetings and it's a great collaborative space that we've been able to like see things that middle school is doing and kind of adjust things and make changes um into ours. Um our future focus is
047coming up next with our health 11 course. So doing the revise on health 11 and then our lifetime activities which is our semester of PE for upper classmen. Yeah. O tackled it a little bit differently at the high school where the 9th grade and the 10th grade courses are almost done. Um so ready you know we've sent the units to Sue and got stamp of approval for some of them or some edits to make on a few of them as well. We appreciate those. And then you for the health 11 we targeted that one unit but obviously there's more units than that to get to and then looking at the new PE standards for lifetime activities. And I think one of the most important things about the wellness that we need to focus on is
048for example I teach 10th graders. So we just had this conversation on what March 13th like five years ago you went home for COVID and we talk about okay they were in fifth grade and what were some of those skills that you didn't get because you were in school with your peers and learning about those things too. So we've had to do a little bit of juggling along the way because skills that you think students would have by a certain grade level some of them depending on how old they were during COVID times are impacted more so than others too. So that's where the piece comes in and it's not just at the middle school you know we weave it through the K to2 piece as well. So um we're we're excited about the work
049and the great thing is I was given a a great group of teachers who are motivated to learn and do and experience um all of the great things. So, I'm sure it's a little fast the push, but then I release. We're doing great. We're doing great. It's so much fun. Um, we were going to highlight just a few of the challenges that we've faced based on our priorities. Uh, what is Yeah. So, at the elementary level, um, we're having a difficult time just because we have a health education gap. Um, we have a really limited amount of time to teach health education. Um right now at the elementary level we only teach um human growth and development on two to three days out of the entire school year. Um and that is the only health
050education that our students are getting um K through six. Um and we're seeing a really some in science but she's meaning explicitly from their from a health teacher. Yeah. Um so we're just finding a a big need for um a comprehensive health education. um program in those years. Yeah. And we've woven some of those um you know content standards and requirements by the state into you know PE or they get it in the science piece as well. But just looking at the ability because we do have a unique situation with the K to6 elementary school. So sometimes you know those upper the fifth and sixth grade the scheduling of an elementary school just doesn't allow for them to transition to like a health class like you would in middle school and high school too. So,
051so being creative on it, but I I'll kind of jump ahead to my other one as well. The other challenge that we had the past two years, I had put forward um and proposed in my budget a.33 FTE increase to make kind of that squadron line part-time person whole. But in making them whole, they would have the ability to um be that elementary health teacher that could help us with the curriculum, travel to the five elementary schools, and push in for some of the the health education that students would need. the budget constraints have, you know, not allowed for that to move forward, but we'll we'll keep proposing it and we'll keep thinking of some creative ways that we can weave it into our PE curriculum as well. Um the other um kind of challenge
052that I I definitely noticed when I was at the elementary level and it's still something that we deal with up at the high school um is our common planning time. Um, so we have our PLC's for elementary. Right now there is a lack of common planning time inside of the school day. Um, so it's been difficult to get everybody at the same meetings at the same times to do that planning through the different schools. Um, and then we also see it up at the high school where sometimes we have a PLC where our team isn't our whole team. So we have teachers who are teaching the same course as we're working on the curriculum and working on new things for the course and they're not in that meeting, excuse me. So it's just kind of
053difficult making everybody involved and pushing through all of those things. And the time to do that would be kind of in other professional development or professional learning times. And that kind of hits on my final bullet there. Um the majority of the PD sub days that I'm allotted for our department get used up with the elementary bike safety program. we just need two PE teachers there for safety and to support all of the students and we have five elementary schools. So the remaining um subs that we have doesn't account to a huge number of days. And then there's also just you know the sub shortage. Um, I had instructional rounds scheduled for this year where the eighth grade wellness teachers were going to come to the high school and push into our wellness classes and
054we were going to have a problem of practice to focus on and observe and look at what you know the teacher and the student and the task and there weren't subs for that day. Um, and that's happened a few other times with like curriculum writing time that we've had as well. So, um, you know, leading into implications for us, just touching on the big thing is just the time for the curriculum work, the curriculum writing, the curriculum revamp, um, continued funding for our PE and health initiatives, and then just continued time and opportunities for the professional learning for the te the PE teachers and the health teachers to be able to, you know, grow their content knowledge and their skill knowledge as well. Amanda, what's the cost? What's the cost of the.33 additional help if
055you know? I think it comes down to like the step they're on the contract piece as well. Um, I think I had guesstimated 18,000, but I'm not sure to Yeah. Um, so under 20 roughly, it would be probably about 20,000 if we took a middle of the scale teacher. Yeah. But um we have a part-time person already. It would be making that part-time person full-time. So I also have a question. So she's raising the question about subs. So is it Yeah, that's me, too. I was looking. So I looked I deal. Yeah. I I mean we have a substitute shortage. Every district every district does. Yeah. Um and it is um on a day where you planned a robust professional development activity, if 50 teachers call in sick that day, we're not going to be
056doing the robust professional development activity because those those subs are needed to cover classrooms, right? And so the um it would be great if we could have um a a sublist that was longer. Um typically sublists are longer when the economy is really bad. So you got to be careful what you wish for, right? But when the economyy's good, people tend not to substitute teach. So, um, and I was asking because I didn't realize we I know people have been talking about teachers, but I hadn't heard that we were having subs. And I know it used to be that we had long-term subs or, you know, building subs. Yeah, we have building subs. We pay them more than we pay a daily sub, right? Um, because they are they basically commit to coming every day.
057Every day. Right. Yeah. Right. So, we have two in each building. Okay. But you run through that pretty quickly. Okay. There's been a couple years of events of of slow ones, right? And and you know the fact of the matter is that um the building subs are offered for situations where someone had to go have surgery. Someone's parent passed away like there that we use them for okay we're going to need this person in here for a month. Okay. Yeah. Um, and and that's how they use just quite frankly, I'm seeing more are lists of people who are taking FMLA time for very legitimate reasons. Um, aging parents, um, there's more of our subuse being eaten up for those purposes. Um, that we have to do a daily prioritization. That's right. Based on the needs.
058Yeah. So, we do our best. We've gotten some instructional walkthroughs in on other areas. We just hit it on a good day and when they had planned it wasn't it wasn't there. So we keep trying and we keep thinking about ways in which we can ensure this PD time because we know that that's important. We know that when educators are watching each other's practice that's how we get better. That's how we get smarter at the work. So um we will keep on trying to figure that out and plan because it's important work on that third of position. Can you just explain again just a little bit more on like so if that were to have been approved what would that have enabled or how would that benefit the students in the town more the.33 um
059I was looking at it where they could push into the actual classroom experience you know a 20 minute quick lesson on healthy eating or what's under the sink that I shouldn't touch those types of things at the elementary level you know we have um you know required content to touch on but teaching about drugs drugs and alcohol each year looks very different in kindergarten and first grade. That's just like, you know, the medicine in the cabinet I don't touch type of thing. But some of those skills are are really great to have too. Um I would also like to have, you know, maybe like fire safety or police safety and having some kind of um piece where that's embedded in it. That could be an assembly that we could start to think about too where
060we're hitting some of those skills in our content area and having it delivered by professionals in the in the town and then having students not only see that might be a profession I could go to but that's a safe person that I can reach out to as well. I'm glad you said that this think about conversations even that I've had with chief you know about how they could even come in. But the other question that I wonder about with the elementary, is there an opportunity, you know, when they um come together for morning when they're doing and the morning meetings? Yeah. Is that an opportunity that maybe sometimes some of the smaller topics that you could weave through some of the classrooms we could to share? Is that your planning time? That's her planning time.
061Oh, okay. So, we got only like five or 10 minutes and they talk about, you know, the teachers talking to them about like their day and their weekends and things like that. So we could reach more students a little more strategically and a little more broadly for a 33. And I mean I think everyone knows where I'm going to come up on these things. We know where you're thinking Josh. These things always kind of come up and it's good to hear about them and not them because I think when we think about when you hear a number and you hear decimals, you think about how it could really broaden the access to our students and really benefit them. Um, I think those are things we just have to kind of make notes on and just
062when this stuff comes up, really kind of do everything we can to support it. So, plant the seed and keep keep moving with. This would be a teacher that would go to all five schools. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Putting this in your request. I am. Thank you. You didn't have to tell her. She knows. See what we can do. Is there a um a day rate amount you think if we increased it to two for our our daily subs that might make our list longer? You talked about that. Um yeah, I think it helps. Um most people I mean we're we're competitive with most of the surrounding districts. Um, and we we do better than most people because the we anecdotally subs will say to us, "Oh, I like coming to Simsbury, right?" As opposed to
063some of the other like, "If you call me, I'm going to come." So, I don't know that more money is what's motivating them. Um but you know that that was we committed the resource to the building subs saying that that was the real need as opposed to the daily rate. And I want to say that like I I have been subbing and stuff and and even the private schools and like Cobb, you know, they can't get the subs. So I don't really think it's a money thing. It's more just interested in it right now. Okay. So that completes our formal part of the presentation. Um you know speaking for all three of my colleagues. Just wanted to thank you all for this opportunity. This is a new experience for me too. I you know I've
064never presented in front of the board. So terrifying but great. We survived. Um you're not so scary. No. And and much nicer and it's good also to put you know faces to names as well. So we appreciate the opportunity to speak with you this evening. And if there's any other questions we did want to allow for that time as well. You guys have all probably taught a lot of our kids over the years. Yeah. Yep. Um I think your PowerPoint's excellent. I do love the pictures. They're really They do add a nice element of of compassion and in progress for all these kids. It's so nice. There was one that she caught with the jump rope in the air. That was spot on. They're still doing the All the other students were being watched while
065she was taking Yes, I promise. But we're finding better results. My kids like the pacers. I have one question. The um on the elementary, you're right. Like my little guy was fired up about being on his name on that board, right? However, at Henry James in the high school, my high schooler could care less about a bulletin board. And so, how do you motivate the high schoolers to actually try their best and not just say because they know ahead of time, right, they have to get five, you know, or eight minutes or whatever. So, they just are like, "Okay, I'll get there." So, I I can answer this one. Um, this is actually part of Bridget and I's and um Lauren Misaro, who's also at the middle school, part of our professional growth plan. Um,
066because we're really focusing on the engaging practices of the mile grades like the whole districtwide. Um, because exactly, I went from elementary and I was doing it with Bridget and I was like, "Oh my god, the kids are so excited to get five push-ups and get their name up on the board." And then I went to 10th graders and they were like, "Miss, you are crazy if you think I'm gonna increase my sneakers right now during our push-ups." Um, so I would say, and they don't want to be sweaty. Depending on their time of day, they don't want to be sweaty. They're um, it's been a big uh, challenge for us and it's been something that I've been focusing on a ton um, in my professional growth plan and for the future. Um, Bridget and
067I actually have like a very far future goal that we want to put on a like district-wide like run or something like that that kind of brings those kids that are testing that same year together to do it together. Um, and then I've been trying to, you know, mess around with like music and beats per minute and things like that to try to get kids a little bit motivated and just the like persistence of we're going to go out and we're going to run a lap and we're going to pace ourselves and we're going to practice on the time and having your music and having all the right pieces. I was going to say that we actually two of our other teachers that have a similar professional growth plan surveyed the students in 10th grade.
068What's going to motivate you? and it was like I want to have my AirPods and my phone when I go run and you know I don't want to have first period lunch and then run which is the normal for that time. So you know we've adopted some of their suggestions as well. So kind of empowering them to have a voice in it. Um and then you know I like to walk in and show the data and say this is my job and I'm not tenured so I need you to pass. All right. Great. Thank you all very much. Thank you very [Music] appreciate you all coming. Okay. Okay. Moving on. Here we go. Uh we really excited for a conversation tonight. This is part two of a two-part series uh where we're discussing the strategic
069plan with all of you. And again, we had such great representation from board of ed members on our district strategic planning committee. Uh Matt and I had shared at our last board of ed meeting all about that committee development, what our topics were, what our process was, and tonight what we're going to do, you should have in your folders uh the newest updated copy of that strategic plan. And we had asked you to kind of come to the table thinking about three different questions. So tonight we're going to ask those questions in a little more of a conversation workshop format and then share next steps regarding plan adoption. So here are those three questions and I figured we would just take them one by one, right? Um the first question about after reading this draft,
070what excites you most? Then we'll move into are you wondering about anything? And then finally, do you believe that we missed anything? We had shared that we are going to continue with the titles of the same goals around student performance and our climate and culture, our premier workforce and sustainable investments because that's the work of our school district. Yet those actions look really different and those initial actions were supported from the listening feedback from you, from teachers, from our PTO groups. Um, but relative to this draft, what excites you most? I'll go first. Sure. So, I thought I was excited about the report card changes and they're being tied to the vision of the graduate. I think that it's really important if we want parents and students to understand it and come high school, we
071need to change it in the elementary part first. I thought that anybody else I was telling Jessica earlier when when I saw this like because I was not part of the committee so this is kind of newer to me. um before even looking at it, I said, I hope there's like a dashboard or there's something that gives some statistics because that's kind of always been something that I'm drawn to. Like I don't know, whenever I I I get a document or presentation, whatever, I look for charts. I look for uh numbers and I I pleasantly surprised to see that in there. Um, I'd love to see something around I mean I my background I I came from private schools as a kid. So I' I'd love to see something where we we brag about our
072colleges where our kids go to to to school beyond high school. Um what they do after high school um you know because I think it's impressive for a a town like where are kids what our kids do after graduating. Great. I don't know if that's possible but so I'll go next. Um I too um have always my time being here, you know, I'm a dashboard data metrics um person. So I was too glad that that ended up making the list and stayed the list. Um you know, when I look back to our last strategic plan and I think when I came on the board, I used to always say, how are we reporting on this? Um, and and so I'm going to answer but move into what are you wondering about? So, you know, I
073I I like that and I know we needed to get this approved, but I'd also like us to really think about how we report out on it and it should be a little bit more frequently because like Brian is saying, I think it it helps to quantify when we say how we're doing. You don't have to wait until end of the year, budget, all those times. You can use that data to help justify where we are. So I I the dashboard I think is a wonderful idea. I'll go next. I was um part of the committee and a vocal member probably much to many people should grin. So I'm very pleased with where this ended up. Um, I think visually it's light years from where it was in a positive way and I'm thrilled about
074that. But in terms of substance, I think there's a lot of really good work in here. And I am personally happy to see that there is some robust language in here about nutrition and improving what we offer our kids to eat every day because they can't learn if they're fed poorly. Um, to Sharon's point, maybe I'm making this up, but I thought we had conversations in that committee about after this is done, next is building out a timeline for doing this and that this will be the framework for the regular reports we get like from Matt for example and the different teams. Am I did I make that up? That that's exactly right. So one of the differences between our former plan and this draft is you'll recall in the former plan there was a
075timeline across the five years right and when will we start initiating some of these actions when will we plan and implement when will we say okay that that's a complete cycle and what that's the kind of the behind the scenes which we sh certainly can share with the board that will provide that timeline because to your point. There's a lot here. It's pretty robust in what do we want to prioritize first, next, last. So, and I think that that can um then predicate updates to the board. So, you did not make that up. Okay, good. But you did not make that up, Josh. So, yeah. So, for the most excited about I just tried to call things that stood out. So, just a few on each topic. So I'd say the vision of the graduate
076being kind of all throughout this I think is great. I mean if that's what we're going to stand by is kind of like the pillars if you will then it makes sense that it's part of the road map. It's embedded throughout. So I like that the vision and the graduate is very much intertwined with the strategic plan. Um I liked that as part of goal number two. Right. There was a lot of references to family and community connections. I think sometimes we can get really kind of wrapped up in the school, the education that's all important, but right, it kind of starts at home and the community is a big part of it, especially in this town, right? So, I really like seeing references to family and community connections. And then the other thing I
077was excited about, and Amy's not here, but I appreciate that Capital 9 and Curry is on here as a goal. Like that's it was great. I was reading through I'm like, look at that. It's a goal. Um, but I think that's extremely important, right, to kind of get that taken care of. So, um, those are the ones that stood out to me beyond the kind of standard things that I I like that those were specific call outs. So, um, that's for question number one and then I have other stuff for the other questions when we get to that. Um, I think I appreciate the detail aspect of this. I mean, this isn't just grandiose. This is actually functional pieces that we can actually attack piece by piece. I think um things that we've always talked
078about and I think that that is how you progress and you know it'll all go at its own pace but you'll pick you'll be able to pick and choose and get to where you need to go. I love the um aspect as all you know part of what you were saying is you know making it I think streamlining the the young kids the elementaryaries and making sure that their report cards are up to date because they are really antiquated. I think that's a lot that we talk about in curriculum. I think um I really enjoy this the discussion of executive function issues and focusing on that because there are students all students can benefit from that and I think it's been a topic that is definitely embedded in our current culture and social aspect but
079I think people don't really know what it's how it's defined or how it looks on the child and I think that that can be so beneficial to all students especially our kids with special needs because I think it's um something that is often ignored and is a huge life skill to deal with early on. The earlier we get to some of that stuff, the better. I think that um having a pathway for every student is also something that we talk about all the time. I think that it's important and I think this gives it some meat instead of just talking about it. And I think what you were saying, you know, definitely celebrate our successes by telling what colleges, but tell us where the kids are going. What are all kids doing next year? Who's
080going to the military? Who's going to a trade school? And and where are they going to find their successes? Because every student, if they can find success early in our programming, then they can just blossom so much faster and so much more fully by being able to have kind of an idea along the way. And it doesn't have to be what everyone else is doing. We have so many opportunities in our school that I think people don't even know that they can go there because they feel kind of stuck in a rut. So, I think the more opportunities and the more um vocal we are about what we can do for kids, I think that's a a great little segue, too. At our next meeting on May 13th, we're inviting Principal Syidell to talk about
081the Trojan Community Council and the work that she's been focused on to that very point, right? these multiple pathways, college, career, military, um technical schools, different technical schools and trades. So, she'll be updating there as well, but it also lives in that plan. So, it holds us accountable for that one. Sue, if I could ask even in that maybe to give Maggie a heads up, um you know, out of COVID and stuff, there was a number of kids who took gap. It would be interesting to see if students are doing that quite as frequently. That data. Yeah. Yeah. and and I'm actually on that committee as well and it was it is amazing the stuff that I've learned and come out of there that will our kids I think will benefit from having all the
082options available not just for four years and so it's been really interesting so that I think that really sufficiently um covers the excitement and that excitement is shared this is a plan that is more pragmatic I think than plans that we've had. It's less theory based and more actionoriented which I really appreciate and it's work that we've individually and collectively have been talking about that we need to prioritize. So thank you for that. Are there other comments around what you're wondering about? I got one. So I I don't know I'm off but I view this almost like as a bragging. this is like our like we can be proud of this, right? As opposed like so often you hear complaints about things and you know people nitpicking and they have an issue with this or
083whatever. This is our chance to say listen we're doing something right here and this proves it. This shows it in writing and put it down in front of them. I think it's great. Thanks. I also think to that point it um really puts a a finer point on our continuous improvement. like we really believe this and yeah, we're going to celebrate the great work that we do and recognize that there's areas where we can be better for all students. So, thank you for that. Brian Josh, I'd say the wondering the ones again I I called out a few that just stuck out to me as I went through the list. Number one, overall it's a great list. I think we're just going to all have to like just be aware of like the budget concerns,
084right? like that's each one of these things is going to take some form of support fund, right? We got to continue to grow and push forward. I know it's a hard time for that, but that's something we have to like in the wondering like how do we push forward these things in the in the times we're in. Um couple things specifically to call out in goal number three about premier workforce. Um, I don't know if we necessarily have to make an exact goal, but something around keeping an eye on the average years of experience. I know Neil, you guys have heard me say this before, right? Again, as it feels like that number's maybe coming down as we're trying to be budget conscious or what's out there. I would I don't know if again it's
085a goal or it's a metric or it's something out there the next five years. I really like keep an eye on that average years of experience because I think that's a delicate balance and I think that's something to call out. And then I don't think it has to be specifically called out but there's a lot of talk about assess like goal number one right the three goals on there right they all talk about for mayor learn right success for every student supportive learning experience and you know engaging in assessment practices I do think one thing right and I know we've got a plan this year for it but right like the Henry James math I think that's something that's come up so I don't again I don't know if that needs to be specifically called
086out but I do feel like for all the things that we see where we're like up there with the drainages and the dair like that's one when we look at our numbers and I know Sue you're on that and there's a really detailed plan that was put in place this year and I when I was looking through the curriculum notes from earlier it looks like you guys are on that. I just think that's one that at least from what I'm experiencing and I hear from people I know um that that's one I know we've just got to keep banging away on. It's a tough It's a tough It's probably math is probably the hardest thing. Middle school is probably the hardest age, right? You put them together and it's going to be a tough assignment,
087but we just got to figure a way to kind of get that one up. Um, no doubt. And and again, as I did with with Terara's comment, at the end of May, you will be hearing from the 712 math department leaders in a very similar report format around celebrations, priorities, next steps, and supports. Perfect. So, was it for number two? That would be a great one. Anything else you're wondering about? I wonder what's our next question. The last question is, do you believe anything is missing? Well, then I'm going to wonder. Um my questions are obviously it's the prioritizing you know I mean there's so many things we want to do and I think I'm always curious as to how we make sure that we are very responsible and thoughtful in our prioritizing of these
088um obviously the facilities plan is always a big priority and a concern that I have you know I think it's in here I think it's where it's supposed to be and where it's living but I just I think that that's something that I always have kind of in the back of my head making sure that we have what we need for that But um I think and I think the more communication and the more we get out to people, the more we can have a community, the community can be part of this because community can benefit from all of these things that we're doing is my philosophy. Greater transparency always. Yeah. What do we do? So does what do we do with the strategic plan? I mean aside from put it on our website or
089whatever like Oh, it it guides all of do we mail it to people or do we you know how do we snaps that okay that's what comes out doing another communicator perfect and then we'll always have some hard copies up here at the board right and and refer refer to it in any time we we should be referring people to it as well y when we're talking to people in the supermarket I like it from the communicator that's a good me too anything that you believe is missing as we prepare for the next 5 years, but like was there something that you were like, "Oh, there's a few that I wrote just again tried to do a few for each that I don't know if they need to be called specifically, but when I was
090looking for what maybe just flies under the radar, one of them and the master facility plan, I'm with you, right? It's a wondering, but it's also missing. I don't know if we again put it in there as a bullet, but it feels like if you're thinking over the next five years, I think it's imperative that if we're going to keep moving forward, there almost has to be something there that something's been voted on, broken ground, something's there's something there that we've gotten to a place. It's not just a general be aware of. It's a we need to action item. Yes. Can I hide on before you go? Continue. You're the acting chair. All right. The um Oh my god. Like there was once I saw a document I don't know if it was the last
091one, but like it's almost like in parentheses here. You don't have to say like first year, second year, five year, sixth year or something like that. So you can see and have an expectation of how that breaks down. So that's what Jessica was asking about, right? So I think behind this is the the priorities in when we're going to start tackling each one of these and being cognizant of what those priorities are and being cognizant of the rate of change and what this means for whom? Right? Is it teachers? Is it board members? Is it students? Community members. But that's kind of the the next stage document where we start rolling up our sleeves and saying, "Okay, how are we going to strategically approach these action items over the next five years and some of
092them are going to be statemandated, you know, as we go through over the 10 years." There's always some state thing that comes at us. There's always something that hits one of these items. Well, to your point, there was something mentioned and I kind of looked at it. It says um plan proactively for known legislative mandates with potential budget. Yeah, it's a thing. It's a thing. Yeah. So, so the one thing that I think about also is when I first came on and the whole remember the discussion about Terafil. I do. Right. Yeah, that was my and I used and I remember I came and said, "Well, where was that in the plan?" Right. So, even going back I don't know that it's here, right? But I don't know what yours what your question is about.
093Well, I'm not specific. We were talking about moving closing that whole discussion, right? And it had to be part of a a plan, right? Or was it part of a plan? It was all part of the facilities master. That's right. Okay, we discussed in correct it's discussed in here under and that still sits it is it's under goal for you know utilize the master facilities plan to leverage changes in the financial structure assess the feasibility of the plan so I think it's it's embedded within here but I I also just want to make sure that we realize while this is our strategic plan I mean correct me if I'm wrong here while this is our strategic plan and our goals and what we the work focuses on there will be things that come up that
094we'll have to that will be outside of this plan that we will have to course it's not in the plan and just because it's not in the plan doesn't mean we don't look at exactly right it's a living document this is not the four corners of the magic the framework right it is but this is what I think we'd like to accomplish but I wanted to continue to let Josh finish your thoughts then no I would just say two other things I just call specific attention to as far as missing Okay. Is there anything specific that the group talked about that if you think over the next 5 years that you specifically want to achieve when it comes to sports, clubs, activities? I know that's been like a really successful thing in Simsbury. And I'm
095just wondering if over the next 5 years there's anything specific we want to set goals or achievements for to kind of continue on that trajectory. I just want to make sure that's accounted for somewhere that we don't lose sight of like taking that for granted. Sure. I I think to Jessica's point of sometimes, you know, there are things and there's work outside of this plan. Um there are metrics that we continue to look at every year and we don't need the strategic plan to have us look at that. And that is around participation in our sports, what is that looking like? What is enrollment looking like? How are students engaged in clubs and activities? And we get that information through um Jeff Penny's office. Certainly we have a coordinator for clubs and activities and that's
096data that we're continuously looking at. One of the the elements that we grappled with, I would say, for a while was around how do we assess um students belonging of all students or or students that fall in the middle and what do we mean by that, right? And and certainly that's not just clubs and activities and sports, but it's an it's around engagement and I think that is the one that is going to be a little messy for us. um because there's still some things and questions that we want to ask and figure out, but we want to provide attention to. So, yes, data. Yes, we'll continue that as we do every year and look at those participation rates and where kids are trending to and where they're not, as well as give opportunities for
097students to start new clubs and activities based upon their interest. So, I like that. Yeah. Yeah. And then the only other final note I would just say is I didn't see anything specifically for it and that might be all right, but we talk about the student experience and stuff. I know I hear and I'm not the expert at this so I'd look at those of you more involved with curriculum like I just hear study skills a lot come up, right? People talk about study skills study skills. I didn't say it called out for that, but again thinking over the next five years definitely in here. That is the executive function. I just was here. You know what? Maybe we should put study skills in with the study skills. Not to get too far off a
098beaten path, but that is one specific executive functioning. Right. So when you say that umbrella of executive functioning, you're also talking about not just study skills but organization, initiation of act, you know, initiation of tasks that all falls and that's why we wanted to we want it to be we want it to be available to when the my you know the mother of Stevie sees it in the thing. They want to be able to see because not every and that's what I was trying to say is that not everybody knows what EF is. Okay. Not any not everybody knows what executive function is. And so I think let me take a look at that. And that's yeah yeah I think that's that's call study skills call it call it organizational skills or or something because
099I do think we should ask what it is but I do think but it's also beyond that beyond that just study that but it could be simply including study skills and blah blah blah. But yeah I think it's a great list. Kudos to everyone on it. I I think it's great and just, you know, just got to keep moving forward. Great job everyone. And I was an active part of this group, but I do have one more thing was on the premier workforce section. Is it is it like this one that says analyze quantitative and qualitative retention data for certified staff at key whatever that one can we include in there like non-certified or coaches or other things like because we don't really recognize like our we have good coaches or if we have a
100good or someone's been there like could we include that in there not just certified I we can certainly consider talk about it yes Cindy and I would just have pull the data. But yeah, it was I just think if the if the getting recognized for something or you know why not acknowledge strategy six section six so I think we're wrapping up. Do you have do we have any any suggestions from our Thank you because I was just saying we should ask her as well. Thank you. Um I think roughly work through it. Um I feel like with um like I heard a lot of discussions about sports um in terms of like funding or like um how resources are allocated to each sport at Simsbury High School. Maybe something like that would be nice to
101have. Like for example, I mean like just on a personal level, I play tennis. Um and like our courts um are like at the high school um they aren't powerwashed. Um and like our nets um are also kind of old like um I don't quite remember if it got replaced, but there was like a net which was like hanging, falling apart. Um, so I think that eventually got fixed, but like it was there for like a while. So I think maybe um with facilities like seeing what doesn't get as much attention because there there were a lot of people that play tennis for um girls at least um this year I think we have at least 30 people combined for varsity and JV. And you know what the community uses that a lot too, you
102know? So that is a good, you know, like during matches a lot of people comment. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Just so we're all on the same page with respect when we're talking about sports and all things. I want to make sure we're inclusive of not just sports, but all but music, drama, and things like that. Yes. Not just sports. But I just want to say, so I'm new to the board and this was a brand new experience for me, seeing how this strategic plan comes together. And it was an incredible experience to see all of these professionals come together and share their insight and give their time to do this work because it was a lot of work. We met a lot and we really put some thought into it. And so I'm very appreciative
103that I got to be part of it and I appreciate everyone who was there. And thank to you and Matt and Neil and David for running it the way you did because it was really wellrun and kept us thinking and on our toes and it was just a great experience. So thank you for that. Thanks Jess. Thanks for your input on it and being on the committee because it is it's a lot. I mean we're all volunteers, right? And we do do all these I don't think people know that we do do all these extra extra meetings. I think. Um, thank you for being on that committee. Oh, it was really great experience. Um, I'm not sure if you guys want me next year because I'm I don't I'm not shy. I loved it. It
104was a great experience for me. So, thank I don't know if I'll still be here in five more years, but you know, if I am, we'll see. And yeah, you guys did a pretty good job. All right. We did. We did. We did a pretty good job. So, let me just share some next steps. um I want to take this feedback and potentially make some adjustments based upon that feedback. Okay. So, between now and our next meeting, Matt will get you through your uh Friday updates, any proposed changes, and we'll highlight where those are so you can see some of your comments reflected in that. Whatever changes are made in between, we would look to potentially approve this plan with the changes. Yeah. On May 13th, which is our next meeting. Yes. And that would
105help us to get started with summer planning, implementation, prioritization, and to really start putting this plan into action. I think I love it. That's great. I'm going to move towards move the meeting along to public audience. Seeing [Music] none, our next meeting is on Tuesday, May 13th in this very room. Great. I make a motion we adjourn. I'll second. All those in favor? I. Do we need to discuss that first? No. Okay, good. Bye. 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 just about television. It's about empowering our community, ensuring our voices are heard during government meetings and celebrating milestones like our high school graduations. But today, SEM faces a challenge. Our funding structure is based on television subscriptions.
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