001It is 6:33 p.m. on February 19th. I'd like to call the Stonington Board of Education meeting to order. We'll start with a pledge of allegiance. I'll ask Mrs. Gothier to lead us. Uh, next item on our agenda is communication recognitions. I'll turn it over to the assistant superintendent, Mr. Smith. >> Thank you, Chairman Rajab. Um, the first thing I'd like to do, and it's it's a little overdue, uh, is recognize the Interact Club at the high school. Uh, Stonington hosts the United Way mobile food pantry on the first Wednesday of every month. And traditionally, we've kind of avoided having students volunteer for this from a from a confidentiality standpoint, uh, with members of our community coming to the mobile food pantry. Uh, but uh uh since we we move that indoors into the cafeteria commons
002uh during the winter months uh which adds some logistical problems uh to distributing the food and so the interact club at the high school has come the last two or three months and that group of kids uh led by Caroline Chapman has just been outstanding. Uh I've witnessed some of their interactions uh with the folks coming to the mobile food pantry. Just so caring, so empathetic, so professional. Uh it's a great group of folks at our high school. And uh second on my list is just the shameless plug for Cinderella uh this weekend at the high school. I did send out a parent square on that uh this evening just to remind everybody that there's performances Friday night, two performances Saturday in a Sunday m performance. That's all I got. >> Thank you, Mrs. Mr.
003Smith. Mrs. Miss Zuk. >> Nothing to add. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Bri, any comments from you? >> No comments. >> Megan, >> no comments. Thank you. >> Just want to acknowledge a handful of emails I received over the last week um regarding some gender identity conversations and policies. >> Thank you. I'd like to also extend our heart uh felt congratulations to uh our superintendent schools on her retirement. uh this uh week will be her last week with us. Um um we miss you, Mrs. Butler. Uh best of luck on your future and uh we thank her for everything she gave to Stonington uh public school. Uh next item in our agenda is communication uh from the public. As usual, we allow uh citizens of Sonington and employees of the Sonington public schools to
004make comments uh regarding items on the agenda. Uh please uh limit each uh person's comment to three minutes and each topic to 20 minutes. Uh I'll open it up for comments. Please make sure you mention your name, your address, as well as uh there's a piece of paper right there on the podium. Make sure you list you write down your name and address. Good evening. Michael Evering, 235 Green Haven Road in Kentucky. Uh about two months ago, it was brought to our attention that there was a biological male competing as a female in Stonington, as well as using female changing areas and bathrooms. As parents, this was obviously very concerning as we feel it is very much our job to make sure our children are safe. I ask each of you, how would you feel
005if your daughter was in this position? Everyone in the room, how would you feel if your daughter was placed in this position? We sent an email to both the athletic director and principal DAW. We were told that due to privacy concerns, they could neither confirm nor deny that this was happening. However, the existing policy was to allow for this to continue. We then sent a letter to both Superintendent Butler and the board of education asking seven specific requests in order to clarify this board's policy in writing. A review of the district's athletic participation policies to determine whether they align with Title 9's requirements for equal opportunities for female athletes. An assessment of whether the current policy could result in unequal competitive conditions or negative impacts on female athletes opportunities. written clarification of how the district
006ensures Title 9 compliance in light of ongoing legal developments. Consideration of establishing clear, fair, and transparent guidelines that protect both inclusion and competitive equity. A copy of specific Connecticut state laws requiring individuals to be able to compete and use facilities based on their gender identity rather than biological sex. A review of how the district is following current federal law to men and women's sports. A review of the district's policy regarding students use of bathrooms and changing areas based on biological sex versus gender identity and the state/federal laws that govern this policy. To date, none of these items have been answered directly. Instead, we were informed the board had hired and retained a law firm to conduct a formal private investigation, even though it was never specifically stated it was necessary by us, and to date
007have not been provided any information stemming from this. As I stand here before this board, mostly of familiar faces, some new, I ask, what has this board done to answer any of these questions? It was asked that this topic be placed on the agenda for discussion. It was denied by board chair Rajab. We are here as concerned parents asking this board the following questions. What are you doing to represent your constituents? Have any of you contacted the CIA in opposition? Have any of you reached out to the state on your constituents behalf? Unfortunately, it seems the answer is no. We ask that you stand up for what is right, push back on state policy, which goes against federal law and common sense to do what is being asked of you by your constituents. This board
008has been elected to represent the town of Stonington and its taxpayers, but most importantly its students. Again, this board is failing at its sole purpose. We, as concerned parents, would like to know the board's stance on these questions and requests. We demand that this board represent its constituents and students by pushing back on potentially dangerous policies at both the state and CIA levels to ensure fair fair title 9 compliance for all of Stonington's female athletes and students. We are again formally asking that this item be placed on a future agenda for further discussion. You have all been elected to represent us, your constituents. It's time to buckle down and do the work that is required by your position. Thank you, Michael. Good evening. Sean Drake, one Stony Brook Road. I've also sent a couple of
009uh letters on this topic, gender identity. Um, I asked for it to be placed on the agenda which was denied. So, I have a statement I'm going to read. I've submitted a couple letters to the board on gender identity policies that that I believe to violate Title N and women's rights. Mr. Rajette, thank you for for actually providing a response to my letter that made me feel like you read my letter because uh, Superintendent Butler uh, obviously didn't read my letters. Although I don't agree with policies. I do have a better understanding. As a father, I'm deeply concerned about the current school policies and the impact they have on all of our females in public schools. I've seen how hard these young ladies work at their sports. And I'm disheartened to watch a policy that
010allows biological males to compete um and compete and on on their teams completely undermining the fairness of competition. Title 9 was put in place to protect their opportunities. But this policy seems to disregard that entirely, putting them all at an inherent disadvantage. My primary concern, however, is for these young ladies safety and fundamental rights to privacy. The idea that spaces like locker rooms and bathrooms are open to biological males, is unacceptable. The school's solution, telling the girls they can use a separate single saw restroom if they are uncomfortable, is frankly insulting. that places the burden of feeling safe on these young ladies, suggesting their rights to privacy as a special request rather than given. I worry about the long-term lessons this teaches our young women. They're being shown that their concerns are dismissed and that
011their rights are negotiable. My fear is that they will grow up less likely to stand up for themselves, having been conditioned by the school to accept policies that take their rights away from women. In parting, I would like to quote Kate Hall, a 2018 Stonington graduate and accomplished female athlete. Kate's comments in 2017 after losing the 100 meter sprint to a biological male in the class M state me. I can't really say what I want to say, but there's not much I can do about it. It's frustrating, but that's just the way it is now. >> Thank you, Sean. Sean Healey 24 Olivia Lane. Um I also uh sent some letters to the board and I went in to meet with the principal at the high school to discuss this situation. Um and I just
012want to say I have actually I want to talk about two topics. The first one being the issue of gender identity. So, by allowing biological males to use female facilities, the board of education is knowingly failing to provide a safe environment for my daughter. According to the high school administration, students are allowed to use facilities based on the agenda that they identify with, but no one is tracking who identifies as what. And if a student decides that they're gender fluid, then they can change on a daily basis. What this means is that any student can use any facility they want on any given day. And the remedy that they offered to my daughter was to again isolate herself, go out of her way and use a single stall bathroom. That's a Title N violation and
013civil rights discrimination on the basis of sex. To clear to be clear, we're talking about teenage boys using teenage girls bathrooms in changing rooms. And this is not just in theory. This is currently taking place at the high school. The board's reason for not addressing the situation is that state and federal laws are in conflict with each other. But by choosing to abide by the state law, you're knowingly failing to abide by the federal law. And the state law trumps federal law and by extension local policy should trump state law. and the community is here today to tell you that we don't want biological males using female facilities or participating in female sports. I'm also here to express opposition to the proposed graduation requirements policy that's on the agenda on the grounds that current students
014should be grandfathered in and should not have to retrospectively comply with new requirements. The policy specifically states that graduation requirements are effective for graduating classes in 2025 and thereafter. Any changes should only apply to graduating classes in 2030 and thereafter. Second, district requirements should not exceed state requirements. The state does not require three credits for social studies. My concern is is that this is where the bulk of the woke, unpatriotic, divisive, racist, and sexually explicit content resides. And third, the board should instead implement policies that honors the 14th amendment, recognize parents rights as their child's primary caregiver, and give us the tools to maximize state law, enabling us to divide to design individualized pathways that are age appropriate, consistent with sincerely held beliefs, and does not result in indoctrination. I can provide an example of
015a model school board policy that embodies these principles for the board to consider. In closing, I hope you agree to oppose the adoption of the revised graduation requirements and instead implement policies that restore parents rights in the community. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sean. Evening. Katie Fuller, 43 Old North Road. Good sales people describe line items. Strong salespeople describe outcomes, but the most effective salespeople describe the experiences and long-term impact those investments create. I urge the board to be focused on student experiences when advocating for this bud. to the board of finance. I also would like to reiterate my support for reinstating the librarian to the deans middle school which I understand is currently in the proposed budget but I want to reiterate that because last year it was in the proposed budget but then
016ultimately was cut. Thank you. >> Thank you Katie. It's Blunt White from 77 Collins Road at Stonington. The uh I've got a couple. Can I approach and and and hand them to you? >> Of course. I shared those I shared those with Kevin Agnello a little while ago. I don't know if you if you got them about a week ago. I gave them to him. the uh so I um I used to be on the board of finance and I'm kind of interested in in numbers and and I got off the board of finance in in 2019 and I've continued to look at at the board of ed's budget and that's what I'm I wanted to to speak about was the board of ed's budget and the increase of 5.8%. And so I looked through
017your presentation and this is constructive criticism you know I'm not um I'd like to approve the 5.8% 8% increase and the so the constructive criticism is I think there's room for improvement and in the presentation that you put together that's posted on the website for the 29th of January. So I went through that and it it um it talks about enrollment and that's you know principally the focus of this is the decline in enrollment. So your projections show a, you know, a small decline, a 1% decline, but the actual decline has been more like 3%. For every year for like the last 11 years and so the uh you projecting a 5.8% increase in your budget, but the enrollment decline with a with an enrollment decline of 1%. Well, the actual enrollment decline is more
018like 3%. If you looked at the last three years, enrollment is down by 8%. That's uh 145 students. It's basically the size of a whole middle school grade is gone in the last three years. And you know, I know you guys have made and can make changes. You eliminated a a middle school back in 2019. And so the your presentation, you've got a couple of them coming up. you're going to be going before board of finance soon and you're then you're going to be going before the town. And so this these comments are based on, you know, improving your game. So when you when you pitch your deal that that you have a, you know, a good outcome. And so that spreadsheet that I gave you and the graphs that are part of it, you
019know, show the enrollment decline and and show the budget for your budget and what the amount of increase it's been over the last 11 years each year. And so it's all kind of put together in one piece of paper. And ju just to give you some just to quote some numbers. So for the current year, enrollment was down 3.3% and spending was up 4.9%. For the prior year 2425, enrollment was down 3.2% and spending was up 4.5%. For the year before that, enrollment was down 2.3% and spending was up 6.8%. 8%. And so the the explanation about what's going on with with scale is really, you know, what I'm talking about. And and that if you can put some more meat on the bones of your presentation of the 29th, you know, just don't take
020that thing in, please, to to the public. I think you'll get some push back. And uh because the board of finance has this has these numbers as well. And and you know, so it's it's a it's an issue. and enrollment decline is a big issue. And so that's a that's a 8% in in in three years and your budget is up 17%. And so that's that's the meat of that. I did want to touch a little bit on the what everybody else has been speaking about and and the policies that you have because when I was drilling into these numbers, the enrollment at the high school this year, normally the enrollment decline is like 2 or 3%, but this year at the high school, the enrollment decline was 11%. 64 students were were not there
021that have been there the year before. And parents have a options. they can decide where to send their kids to school and part of the decisions that they make are about the policies at the school and you know do they like the school? Is it going to be fair to their kids and the kind of decisions that you make about policy whether in this case, you know, having boys being able boys to go in the girls' room and boys being able to play on girls sports. I think that's a that's a big big issue these days and and that could be maybe that's what's driving the 11% decline at the high school this year. But that's a that's a a story that I think also needs to be explained. So when you present your budget,
022what happened at the high school? Why is it down 11%. And I had conversations with Kevin about it, but we haven't, you know, I I I shared this information with him about the 11% decline at the high school, but he didn't we didn't have a chance to talk further on it. So, that that concludes my remarks. Thank you. >> Thank you, Bo. Ashley Tulle uh 113 Whitaker Drive. Um first I would like to although Marian's not here just acknowledge the work that she has done in Stson schools for the last several years. Um, I'll say that she definitely created an environment where as a parent, I felt like I could go to our administration and get situations handled. And I know some parents right now kind of feel a little frustrated. Um, somebody's going out.
023We have Tim coming in right now. I would just like to continue to see um I think Tim will be great to have that communication open with parents. I think it's really important for a successful school district and for the success of our children to have that open engagement between our administration, our faculty, our parents, and our board of education. Absolutely believe that that is what makes school district very important. Um, so it was a little frustrating when I know that there was a few parents that reached out to have something added to an agenda. I think when we have our parents saying that there's something that they think needs to be discussed and looked at, then we need to put a little more credence to that. We need to kind of say, okay, I
024have some parents they want to come here and say, and they've been allowed to speak and me. I would urge all the parents to look at the policies that are up for First Street. There's a lot of policies here that kind of talk about um these areas and discrimination. So, definitely take a look at that before the next board meeting if this is something that you're really interested in wanting to understand. time to cruise through it as thoroughly as I would like to. Um, but just do that. I think that it's important that parents get engaged in that. I feel for a lot of the families who are in high school right now who are going through this. My child's not there yet. My children are still in the elementary and middle school. If I
025was a parent and my daughter was in a locker room with a biological male, I would be seeing. I think that we're telling these to go use a single stall bathroom and then at the same time being told it's wrong to tell that male to go use a single stall bathroom or a separate facility. It's wrong to tell him that, but it's okay to tell the girls that. I think that as a district, and I've said this on many other instances where I would love for our districts to yes, we have to walk the legal lines, get that, but maybe try to push in the forefront, try to be spearhead, try to go to the state and and this isn't just with this. I've asked this before topics where I want Stington to be leaders
026of things. We see, you know, this has become an issue. It's it's a topic that came up and we're now seeing the repercussions of it from other districts and things that have happened. And I think that we shouldn't just fall in line. We should kind of say, okay, what are we going to do as a district? What are options? How can we approach this? You know, a lot of the stuff from the state is their interpretations. It's not actual laws. It's how they're recommending the districts follow their guidance. So, I think that we should really kind of say, okay, how do we how do we push forward with this? What are options we have? What are the legal definitions of things and then compare that to the guidance that is coming um from the state
027government and then how it's conflicting with the federal government. And I know there's a lot coming from the federal side and the Supreme Court and there's so much that's to come decided that I think will definitely play in a lot of this, but I don't think that means that we shut parents out in their feelings in the meantime. I think that that's just it makes parents get more defensive and it makes us feel like we're going to be fighting an uphill battle for our children and that's just not a good feeling in a school district. Um, I would also um there's a policy on the parental access to instructional material and I think it's and we I mean I've always been able to get access to anything I've wanted um when I've requested but it
028says um and I love the idea of the information being posted um with the curriculum on the website. I think that's amazing and the instructional material um it just is within a reasonable time. I think we need a little bit more definition to that. I know that there have been parents in the past who have struggled to get the instructional materials from a teacher when they were having a situation in a classroom. And when we leave such a vague word, I feel like that then gets left to interpretation by whoever whatever teacher it is, whatever admin. And if we provided a little more substance to that, we could kind of enforce it a little bit more. Um, and I think it's important for parents to be able to access that information because a parent who
029wants to know what their children's learning is an engaged parent and that's what we need in the district. Um, and I also I found it odd with the graduation requirements to have something that says it starts for the school year when there are kids who may not have even taken the courses and then wouldn't be able to graduate. It was just an odd situation. That's not normally how things go. And then why we had course requirements outside of what is statemandated. Like is there a Why are we requiring this particular course that doesn't have the asterk that it's a state required course? What does that course entail? I think as a parent like I would want to know a little bit more like I was when I saw that I haven't had the time but
030I'm like I need to go read that curriculum. What is it that my child will be required to take to graduate? And it's not statemandated. So why are we as a district requiring it? Is there something that we find so pertinent? And if that's the case, then we should be communicating that to parents like, hey, listen, we want this to be a graduation requirement because we think it would be great for children to make sure they get this course in like the personal finance that state required, but I think that's amazing. Like we need to teach, we need that more for these kids going out there because they have no idea what to do. Um, so I just that was a little I'm like hesitant on that. And then um the exemptions, I don't know
031what is required for the exemptions, but um I just found the list of reasons for an exemption was a little narrow. Um and I don't know if this is required by law or what it is, but I just felt like in reading this in the first read, I was kind of like, I feel like you're kind of forcing parents unless it falls within these guidelines, your child cannot get an exemption from mandatory So then I'm sitting there go, we have these mandatory courses for graduation. What's in them? They don't I don't meet any of these whether I don't want my child to take it or not and it doesn't fall within one of these exemptions. It just it seems like there's like these like red lights like stop stop like look more into this. So
032it's definitely something I want to do, but I would just also like the board to kind of look over those things and see if we're actually making the right choices for the students of Stonington. And um I was also when I had for I think that still think that we need to look at the um Columbus Day being co- with Indigenous People's Day on the agenda. That was also not there. Um and it's still, you know, I don't care about changing this current calendar because that was already out. I get the adjustments. Don't know how parents feel about their end of the school year. Um but hoping we don't get any more snow days. Fingers crossed on that one. And um but I just still think that we should look at that. Again, I think
033that there's no point in leaving one side out for the other in this situation or choosing one over the other. I think that that was maybe made in heat of the moment and that doesn't mean that it was necessarily the right decision. Just because something was made when there was a lot of passion around it and sometimes that makes people like just feel more powerful by it. But I think now that we've had a few years to take a step back think other have allowed both of the holidays to be celebrated on the calendar and there's no reason. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Uh David Brown, I live in Porquatuck. I am on the board of finance. Just so make that clear. But my comment is uh to go along with the folks
034that have talked about the problem of having a male in a female locker room and playing on a female sport. I'm sure that all of you up there are not in favor of this. I would have to assume that you are not in favor of this. So, I'm I'm hoping that you can really put a lot of effort into fi in finding a way to change this what whatever you have to do because this is like really important. Um, so, uh, I'm just hoping that you will take lead here and fight this whatever it takes. You're the board of ed and you're our representatives. This this is something that not should not be happening in the town of Stone. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Rob. Hi, my name is Katie Quinnland. I live on
035Wheeler Road. Um, I was going through all of the different policies on the agenda and the fundraising policy is what I would love to have a little bit more clarification on. Um, I I've met with several people about it. I still don't think it's clear um compared to entities opposed to um what's happening on student activity funds. Um I'm doing the fifth grade party and the eighth grade party and I still have questions whether I'm supposed to be filling out policy forms or I'm not supposed to be filling out policy forms. Real guidance on that or adding something into it or giving me something so I'm making sure I'm following the policies um would be helpful. Um, and I back what everyone has said. >> Thank you. My name is Audrey Hall. I live 152
036minor pentway. Um, so I just want to start with I agree with what a lot of other people have stated tonight. Um, I'm not okay with boys and girls bathrooms. I have three daughters, but they were in high school. I would be absolutely livid as well. Um, so I fully support there not being boys in girls bathrooms and also boys playing girls sports. Um, women historically, we've worked so hard to even have sports for women. To then be beat by men in our own sports is just ridiculous and it's common sense. Um, the last thing is about the agenda. Uh, Westine has four half days at the very end of the school. I understand like Friday is maybe related to graduation. Get that. Um, but we had days that were missed because of the situation.
037Um, there was a survey sent out to parents, teachers. Parents wanted, you know, full makeup days. Teachers did not. They want half days. I don't understand why if we if our students missed a full day, why are we making it up as a half day? Uh, half days, I know, are a little bit more difficult for parents to, you know, go to work and such. Um, and I know that you have to have a certain amount of days, but I think that if you missed a full day, then you should make up a full day. >> Thank you. Hello, my name is Rob Emery. I live at 2011 Whiteall Avenue in Old Mystic. Uh my wife and I have lived here for 33 years. We no longer have kids who attend Stone, but we did.
038My daughter graduated in 2009 and we pulled our son out of at that time Mystic Middle School and sent him to the tech school because we thought it was a better fit. My daughter was a very good athlete and I went after what someone said that if the situation for a dent and my daughter had a share of locker room or chain facility with a male, we probably would have pulled her out of school. I mean, can't agree more with these people. what they're saying. It just flies in the face of common sense. There's a clear problem here. And I've always said that the people who can handle the problem the best are the people closest to the problem. You rely on the state and you rely on the federal government. You should really be
039relying on yourself because you're closest to the situation. You should be separated by biological sex and not your gender identity. Because if you are, you're gender fluid. I mean, where where do you draw the line? You know, one day I'm a student, the next day I'm a teacher. I'm going to be in the teacher's lounge. I'm going to be using the teacher's bathroom. That wouldn't fly. So, I just hope that it can be put on the agenda and we can explore the issue and come up with a resolution that's acceptable to everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you, Uh, hi, I'm Bill Huitt. I live at Shade Drive. Uh, just wanted to get up here. I'm feeling reading the room and such and I just wanted to express my opinion that I think our school should
040also be about diversity and equity. I believe that should really be looking at a policy that we can come together about and not something where we're just speaking about ending a program or kicking somebody out of something that I think we should really be looking at how we can encourage the ability for all people to participate. I had three daughters who went here to Stonington High School and to be honest with you, if I asked all three of them, they would be really happy with the process of having people who want to participate and, you know, feel a certain way to be loved and cared for. So, thank you, Stony, for that. >> Thank you, Bill. Okay, next item on our agenda is consent agenda. Um, ask for a motion to approve consent agenda items
041A through C. So moved. >> There's a motion. Is there a second? Any discussion on that motion? All those in favor of approving consent agenda items A through C, please indicate by saying I. >> I. I. >> I. That was unanimous for the record. Thank you. Um, next item on our agenda is personnel search committee. Uh, the board has appointed a personnel search committee for the purpose of interviewing and uh, recommending to the board an appointment of an acting superintendent. Uh, the personnel search committee uh, met a few times and and one of those meetings invited uh, assistant superintendent uh, Mr. Timothy Smith to the meeting. Uh we've met with him and discussed uh him as the acting superintendent [snorts] uh which he um kind of like it was a interview process that went really
042well and we are uh very proud of uh the outcome and the recommendation of the committee. The committee is recommending uh that uh Mr. Timothy Smith is uh appointed as an acting superintendent of the Stonington public school and I'd like to ask uh the personnel search committee if there is a motion on that. >> I will make a motion. moved that the board appoint Timothy Timothy Smith as acting superintendent of schools effective February 23rd, 2026, subject to the execution of a memorandum of agreement by the board chair on behalf of the board and subject to the approval of the commissioner of education in accordance with section 10-157b of the Connecticut General Statutes. >> Thank you, Katie. There's a motion. Is there a second to that motion? >> A second. >> There a second. Any discussion
043on the motion? Hearing none. All those favor of approving the motion of appointing Mr. Timothy Smith as the acting superintendent school for the Stonington Public School, please indicate by saying I. >> I. >> That was unanimous for the record. Thank you. >> I move to dissolve the personnel search committee. Uh there is a motion on the floor to dissolve the personnel search committee as was appointed. Is there a second to that motion? >> Second. >> There's a second. Uh any discussion on the motion? Uh all those in favor of dissolving the personnel search committee that was appointed, please indicate by saying I >> I. >> Um motion passes. Personnel search committee dissolved. It's just uh for the community uh just so we can understand you know and and you're with us in this process uh
044the the Mr. Smith will be our acting superintendent. Thank you. Congratulations Mr. Smith. Welld deserved sir. We're all proud of having you uh in this seat and we have uh all our trust and support. >> I appreciate the support of the board of education and I'm looking forward uh to what's ahead and continuing the great work here in Stone. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Smith. Um and um the board of education is taking similar steps as we took last time. We've appointed superintendent school in in hiring an outside source that will meet with the community, get their feedback, get their input, understand what the that superintendent is going to be or who's going to be. uh we're going to take our time and and process this uh thoughtfully and in partnership with with all
045of you. So uh this personnel search committee purpose was accomplished by appointing an acting superintendent of schools. Um but that doesn't stop the process. So this process will will be lengthy will take our time but we want to be in partnership with the community and that's the strategy we're going to take. So just clarification on these uh uh procedural votes. Next item on our agenda is the revised school calendar. We've had uh some community um input on the last two days. Uh Mr. Smith, do you have any comment on that before we move to on the half days? >> Yeah, I recognize that that half days are a little bit uh wonky for folks. Uh originally when I put out a survey to folks, we we everyone agreed the full school days on the what
046was scheduled to be the two PD days, January 26th and March 6th, uh was the best way to accommodate most of the the makeup time at Westine. Unfortunately, uh not only did the PD day get snowed out, but then the next regular school day for everybody got snowed out. Um so we we made the decision to go with the half days in June >> and the second half of uh the 17th is a PD day, right? For West Vine. >> So, uh all of the teachers will make up the PD day that was missed on the 26th on Tuesday um the 16th. What we're doing at West Vine is we're doing half days of PD after those uh half days for students. So on all three of those days, they'll make up a half of
047PD day at West. Mr. Smith, the rationale behind two early release days for the rest of the district versus just one on the last day is >> so graduation uh >> I knew you were going to say. >> Yeah. Uh graduation is Friday, uh June 12th. uh that was scheduled for a half day as the last day districtwide. Uh because we we know we have a lot of parents and uh staff members who participate in graduation either as friends or have older or older siblings uh at the high school. We decided to keep that uh as a half day districtwide uh to not provide any conflicts for high school graduation. And uh this this hopefully it doesn't snow again on Monday, but okay. Kat, um this we still have until April, I believe, to review
048this. >> That's correct. Good. Um, so we have a a 2025 2026 revised school calendar up for a vote. Um, is there a motion to approve uh the 2025 2026 revised calendar as presented? >> So move. >> Is there a second to that motion? time. >> I'll second it, but I'm going to move. >> Okay. Um, so there's a second to the motion. Any further discussion on approving the 2025 2026 revised school calendar? >> I just think the four half days is is particularly for West Vine is is a challenge. Um, so what is your suggestion for you? >> I don't know. I guess this You're right. This could change. And do you have till when? >> April. >> You can you can approve it. Um you have my commitment if you bring it back
049uh to be brought back to another uh you know meeting agenda to bring it back next month in March once it doesn't snow anymore and if if we can have a further discussion with Mr. Smith from the air lead days >> and Allison has a point that she would like to make. >> Just just one additional point and I I don't envy this decision. Preface by saying that's why you're there and I >> um so the other piece is that our parah educators are uh mandated to have 18 hours of professional development per school year. So our west mine para educators are now minus 6 hours. So they have to work on March 6 during where the rest of our par educators will be receiving professional development. So the other we want to call it
050an advantage but those Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday afternoons, our parah educators would remain at Westine and we would be making up their professional development hours those those days. So they get their 18 hours for the school year just to complicate things a little bit more. >> Meaning their PD without students, correct? Because we do need them. We need them when the students are there. >> And Mr. Smith is in agreement of bringing the calendar back in March if you want. >> Yeah, I think it it seems silly to >> you can all fail this vote and and we can bring it back in March if that is more a comfort zone for you. >> I think that's probably wise. I mean, I understand people want to plan, but probably planning for a sure thing versus potentially
051four early dismissal days or two early dismissal days backtobackish. That may be more prudent. >> The only thing I'd like to point out is the March 6th date was different, I believe, in the old calendar. So, I think we need to approve this calendar to pass that March date because our next board meeting is after that March 6th date. No, before >> well the the only difference in the March 6th date is it's still a district-wide professional development day except for West Vine where it's a full day of school with students for that one school. Uh so if we >> I remain comfortable with what I just said which is like we should vote in >> and then to the other. >> Yeah. >> Just because that March 6 day is different on this calendar
052than the previous calendar. >> Correct. My recommendation as a comment is to pass this bring it back into your next meeting as a calendar and for discussion for the remainder of the or the June dates that is in in deliberation. I guess >> I agree with Baroo as I think the only I'm also the only West Vine parent on the board here tonight. Um yeah, nothing none of no perfect solution will be found suggestion one us forward. >> The flu kicked the other parent off the >> if you really loved us then the flu would not stop. Um so there's a motion. There's a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Those favor of approving the budget uh the the agenda as presented please indicate by saying I >> I >> that was unanimous for the
053record. Thank you. >> Temporary approval. Yeah, one month approval for one day. Um next [clears throat] item on our agenda is uh um Mr. way. Thank you for sharing that document and and I'd greatly appreciate it if you email to me. I love Excel. Love to play with it. Appreciate it. I don't have it. Uh so I just wanted to note that and uh it's great great document. Uh uh next item on our agenda is superintendent schools and um we've had meetings on this uh several meetings and I think I just like to ask for a motion to approve the superintendent school 2026 2027 uh proposed budget as presented uh with all added positions that are in the budget. >> So moved. >> There's a motion. Is there a second to that? >> Second. Uh
054there's a second. Is there any further discussion on the budget? All those in favor of approving the superintendent 2026 2027 uh budget, please indicate by saying I. >> I. >> That was unanimous for the record. Thank you. Budget passes. Next step, it'll go to the be sent to the board of finance. They will deliberate this. We'll do our best to explain um all the additions and all the uh I send a letter that explains um all the added uh positions and all the changes in the budget to the board of finance and I'll send a copy to all board of finance members. Um they do have they do have the ability to uh or to deny the entirety of the budget or different percentage of the budget not a line item. uh you know and
055then the comes back if anything changes and then we have to make those changes based on what we see appropriate when we're in collaboration with the superintendent schools. Um next item on our agenda is subcommittee reports. We'll start with teaching and learning. Any report from teaching and learning? >> We met tonight at 5:30 for the first time since October and reviewed um for first read essentially grade three, four, five, math, exploratory physical science and English 11 and did not get finished with um music. We were doing elementary music we got through kindergarten but we always ran out of time. >> Finance and facility subcommittee did not uh meet yet. So that will be next on during the March meeting. So that there is no report from there. policy subcommittee. I just want to thank the
056public for their comments on the policies that were presented to the board and the process some of you are very familiar with is there's a subcommittee that meets uh in collaboration superintendent and uh legal they make recommendation to the board. This is a first read. So many of us this is the first time we're putting our eyes on these uh on these policies. We were going to take a month to review them. Uh we take good notes and we do come back based on uh community feedback and if you any other community members have feedback on policies, please send them our way. We love to get your feedback on on policies and they'll come back for a second read and a vote next uh next meeting. Uh welcoming school leaison. Is there any updates or
057reports? Okay, next item on our agenda are monthly reports A through D. Any comments or feedback? Any Miss O'Keefe? Anything on your report or any comments from started our second semester. It's been calm, exciting, some new classes. Um, just reate Mr. Smith, we could play this weekend. I know it's exciting. So if you have time, we'd appreciate everyone coming. Yeah. >> Thank you. Uh board comments or items for future agenda. Any comments from the board members? So, I just want to um reiterate my appreciation for the community and acknowledge uh that you've been here, we listen to you, we heard you. Uh we understand your concerns um regarding allowing transgender students to compete in female athletic teams. Um, we understand, um, this may compromise fair competition and athletic opportunities for cisgender female students. You also
058express concerns that permitting transgender students to access locker room and changing areas consist with their gender identity may violate student privacy and safety. Uh, we've heard you, we've read your emails, we've uh, fully understand uh, what you've shared with us. Uh we appreciate you sharing these concerns with us and uh we are committed uh as a board and the district um to promoting positive school environment for all students and providing all students with educational opportunities uh free from discrimination. So as noted uh by many of you uh in your letters and as well as tonight uh that uh federal government has changed its policy and guidance and uh enforce enforcement uh priorities in the past uh year in a matter that created tension with the Connecticut uh state law. And uh we you know that
059law specifically prohibit public schools from discriminating on basis of gender identity or expression. Um and the same time the issue uh you know the issue that constitutes sex discrimination in violation of title 9 is currently being litigated at the Supreme Court. And um uh there are two cases in the Supreme Court concerning trans uh gender student athlete. Uh and it's pending. Uh I believe there is a ruling u scheduled for July. So we're continuing to moni monitor legal developments in this area and uh we'll consider our policies and practices as we always do in light of any changes to applicable law. Um this time the state law uh still remains unchanged. Uh but we're committed uh to um monitoring these developments and uh we've had you know several meetings to discuss these issues and we
060are committed to following up with the community on them. Nothing further on the agenda except item number 12 adjournment. Move to adjurnn. >> There's a motion to adjurnn. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor, please indicate by saying I. >> I. Meeting is agend.