001Good evening. I'd like to call the Stonington Board of Education regular meeting to order. It is uh January 29th, 2026 at 6:33 p.m. Apologize for the delay and start of the meeting. And I'll I'll ask uh Mr. Buddha to lead us in pledge of allegiance, please. >> Thank you. Third item on our agenda is budget discussion. and I'll turn it over to the superintendent schools. >> Thank you, Farukq. Um, I'm going to call up Alicia to uh her normal her normal uh station there. And I want to thank all the building principles for being here and also for cabinet. Everybody has been informed that this is going to be a super informal budget presentation. So, we want you to jump in when uh you feel like you have something to add because we uh we
002all know more collectively than we do individually. So, you want to start us off, Alicia? >> Sure. >> With one reminder, our districts around us came in between 5 and 11. So keep that in mind as you listen to our proposal. Mitch is getting us queued up. So the first several slides are just kind of going to be uh look backs and reviews and explaining that this proposal really uh while it is a 5.82% 82% increase. It really is us trying to preserve the high quality programming that we have while um still remaining fiscally responsible. Just kind of looking back to where we have been, the first iteration uh during our budget workshop was 5.3% increase and that was just to maintain everything as we are currently doing it. Um, the second iteration is the
003improvement requests, which are the requests that come from the department or building leaders. That tells us what they need to do their jobs better or what their teachers or students need. And then tonight, we're at the proposed budget. I think it's actually 5.82%. So, as you see, um, we kept in all of our improvement requests, but still came in only.5% higher than the maintained services. And that's because as we go through and we're preparing this, there were 57 different lines that were decreased. Um, this chart shows the most substantial. Those are probably 90% of the reductions, those four areas. And I just want to bring us back to last year's budget process a little bit. Um to remind you of the full-time equivalent positions, that's what FTE stands for that we lost after the budget
004reduction. Um so the board of education approved a budget and then it went to the board of finance and then that was um cut significantly. And these were the um positions that had to be eliminated. It's really hard to find enough pencils or paper or any kind of supplies to reduce the budget as much as we had to. So it really it it's it's personnel unfortunately. Salaries and benefits um it it's the biggest part of our budget and they increase every year and there's really no way of us stopping that. um fixed cost. A big one is transportation and those vendors increase every year as well. Special education, the rates uh continue to go up both from the risks and from the private organizations um and our student needs are increasing. So, these are just
005kind of the things that the uh proposed budget checks off. It avoids any employee layoffs. It continues the growth of the career pathways programs, which um I believe this year we've also started to um implement curriculum at the lower levels leading up to create the pathway for Sington High School. Um the community and the board of education have both been um very clear in their request for the library media position to be returned to the budget. Again that position it's 0.5 FTE but it's one person half half of the year at Deans Mill and half of the year at West Vine Street. And then on the other half of that position um was the STEM programming. There is a new mandate for indoor air quality that we talked about last time and it has to
006be implemented over a fiveyear span and so Steve is planning on doing um one building per year. It creates additional athletic programming. We increase two different um areas and one is Stonington Middle School soccer programming and the other is a increase for co-op programming. Um, we have co-ops with a lot of different districts for several different things. Some of them we host, some of them other districts host, and it just allows students to, um, be able to take advantage of different programs that there aren't necessarily enough kids interested in doing in their district. Uh, so we collaborate well with other districts. It saves us quite a bit of money in doing that. Um, but there are growing and I I think this probably will continue to grow uh in the future as some of those
007programs kind of start to window down and uh districts have to come together to continue to offer them to continue to field teams. It's not even necessarily about the money of it. Um and it makes strategic investments that have high student impact. So, those strategic investments, these are the uh improvement requests that we talked to you about last week. Um, one is the math interventionists to support the needs at West Pine Street. The other is the speech and English language learner. I've been struggling with that one all day. Um, >> English learners, eels, um, to meet those needs that are growing. >> Um, I just want to insert a little bit about the the English learners in that it's an invisible population for the most part in our district and I think we're up from
00814 students last year, Allison, to 24 this year. Um, no, no, we were Oh, higher. >> Today's number is 28. >> 28. Okay. So, 24 you think about that as as adding to a classroom of children. That's a significant amount of L's. They're all in different buildings. They all come in with a different language acquisition level. It's a very very needy population and I want you to understand that since COVID statewide there's been an increase of L's 42% across the state. They are now making up over 11% of the student population. So we can see that in our numbers. So when you see what we've done with the numbers not really increasing dramatically, it's because we're taking a look at some of the the positions that we have now with tutoring. Can we get more
009highly qualified people, higher skills so that they can train our teachers to do a better job in tier one with our L population. So that that strain and stress of not being able to acquire acquis acquire the language means you can't acquire the content as well. If you've ever been in a situation where you're in a you're in a country where you don't speak the language and you can't communicate, you can't watch TV, you can't listen to the radio, it is extremely stressful. So just having tutoring for very limited time during the day isn't enough for those students to really jump in, learn the language, and then access the content as well. So, what might look like a really hefty lift in in adding positions, it's well needed. And the same thing with our speech
010speech needs in the in the primary grades. Allison can tell you a little bit about how she can't she can't get the services um to the kids that they need. And again, those numbers are just just climbing. Um and we can't keep blaming because it's not just CO anymore. It's been uh that's that's too easy to hang our hat on and that's not what the cause of it is. Um and I'll let you the uh building principal speak to the return of their uh positions that they lost last year because of the significant cuts um in their in the from the board of finance. But I just wanted you to understand that this L situation that we're seeing is indicative of what's going on across the straight state and it's only going with the building
011that's going on in town. We have we have nine languages now represented in our district and they're not romant as of today. It was nine this morning. It's 10 and we're up four kids. So um that gives you an idea of um and Alicia's got a slide to show you the different languages that are represented in our in our district. >> Spoiler alert. Sorry. Sorry, I'm coming to slides on that actually coming up. But first, I the two of you would like to either of you would like to come up and explain uh the needs that you're seeing at West Street um and why you're advocating for an additional classroom teacher. So, on the original improvement request, you saw two FTE certified for West Fine Street. One is a math interventionist that is a certified
012position and the other would be a classroom teacher. Hey, good evening everybody. Yeah, so uh as far as the math interventionist goes right now, we really tried this year to be more proactive in our support rather than reactive in our support for our students. And currently, if my numbers are right, we have 55 students who are receiving tier 2 and tier three support in reading. And I have two interventionists. So that allows me to not only lead small actually I'm not doing any of this the interventionists are. It allows the interventionist to lead small group instruction with students as well as push into classes and really um differentiate their instruction. So at first grade, kindergarten and second grade they're doing that right now. Math on the other hand, I have 42 students who are tier
013two and tier three and I have one interventionist which means I cannot be very proactive with them. She is just basically pulling kids here and there and adding another math intervention is what allow us to be as proactive as we are with reading with our math intervention which is allow us a lot more support collaboration planning kind of like um my my reading interventionist have time to talk with teachers go in and talk about planning my math interventionist does not. So I'm trying to give us some more flexibility there. As far as the classroom teacher, we did lose one FTE last year. We have uh a kindergarten cohort right now that's very very needy. We knew that coming in from preschool. I think we just had didn't our psychologist just go down to the human
014services today to look at our incoming uh kindergarteners next year. So, we've had four sections at kindergarten for the last number of years at West Fine. This kindergarten cohort is moving to first grade. First grade has three sections. It would be really hard to support this kindergarten cohort with three sections. So, I'm asking for that return of FTE so I can add a section at first grade to support this kindergarten group that's going forward. Keeping four teachers at kindergarten because the writing is on the wall right now, but who's coming in and they're going to need four there. Do you have any questions for me? >> All right. Thank you for your time. Thank you. >> Hi everyone. I I new board members I haven't had a chance to to meet yet. Um so in
015terms of the two additional FTEES at Stonyington Middle School that we're looking for, if you recall back to last year, um we lost three FTEEs at Stonyington Middle School, one of which was an art teacher, two of which were core teachers. Um those ended up being in the science social studies realm, one of each. Um so when you look at the makeup of our school right now, we have three grade levels. Um, and when you look at ELA and math, we're divided evenly. We have two two. Science and social studies, we only have five total teachers in each of those disciplines, right? So, what that's created is a situation um where we have a disparity in class sizes. Right now, our ELA and math classes are averaging 15 to 16 students, science, social studies 22
016to 23. Um, and that's an average. So in some cases where we have our larger grade levels, eighth grade for example, which is it's a bubble class. I believe it's the largest class in the district right now, we have classes more of 25 in some cases. Um which again large classes in classrooms not from just a physical space but also from the the teacher being able to help all the students. Um in terms of this year our enrollment in the building overall is up roughly 30, just under 30. Um we have gotten 25 new enrollments this year 16 of which have come after September 1. like so within the within the school year themselves, not just people who were, you know, moving over the summer or came in or whatever. Um, I would anticipate best
017case scenario for us and again because we can't predict new developments and everything that's staying flat because last I checked the fifth grade is roughly the same size as the eighth grade within a few students. So, we're we're sending out a bubble. I think we're sending out the biggest class and bringing in the second biggest class. So, I don't think there's a big um change in enrollment anticipated next year. I would say based on our current pace with 16 since the start of the school year, we're probably going to go up. Um, so again, one other kind of non-quantitative or less measurable impact I think of the odd number teachers. Um, so again, with six teachers, you divide them up evenly. We have a, you know, fifth grade, a sixth grade teacher, a seventh grade
018teacher, eighth grade teachers, right? With science and social studies, we have teachers teaching multiple grade levels. Teachers teaching six and seven, sorry, seven and eight. Um and the other two um sorry I work in a middle school um so uh so they're sharing grades um which has led to the way our schedule has worked is a lack of common planning and collaboration time within our science and social studies teachers. I think if you pulled them they would say that's been one of they they might even say that's a bigger challenge than the class size numbers. um they're inability. They our our staff really loves collaborating and working with each other, whether it be regular ed regular ed or regular ed with special educators who are in the room with them. Some of that opportunity has
019been lost on the on those teachers because they're just their their free times don't line up with each other. Um and they've done great jobs getting creative. A lot of them are putting some time in outside of school to do that or using their lunchtime and eating lunch together and collaborating that I can't credit our teachers enough for for grinding through this. Um but it's it's certainly not ideal. Um and so th that's kind of a less measurable kind of impact of of the the two teachers. So we're requesting those back. Um we'd be looking at you know again science and social studies which allow us to add more sections. Um, and just to break the numbers down again, that enrollment increase of 30, which doesn't feel like a huge number, but at any given
020time, we have to have all our students in a class, right? So, 30 more students in a certain block is one to two sections of classes more I had to offer this year than in a previous year, right? To to have those 30 students some. So, um, we had to offer more sections with less staff. And that's the challenge we're facing. So, that's why we're asking for um them back. Any, uh, questions? >> Less of a question. more of a statement. Um, you credit the teachers. I've heard a lot of teachers credit you. Um, so >> Wow. Okay. I'm lucky sometimes. >> So, great job with that. And then, um, with these two FTE, it would very help would very much help the burden that a lot of the faculty right now are feeling feeling
021so stretched thin and feeling like they don't have the time and the wherewithal to do their job properly, to do their job to the best of their ability. Um, and so I appreciate the recommendation bringing forward. >> Thanks, All right. Thank you very much, guys. >> Thanks, Joe. >> Alison, you might want to get your mic ready for this one. Um, so the other um improvement request is to add an additional prek classroom. So that means an additional prek certified teacher and a prek para educator. Alison, you want to those needs. >> Sure. So, um, as you've heard me talk a little bit about, uh, last year, two weeks ago, um, and as I think Damian shared with you a little bit too about the current needs in his kindergarten, we're seeing a big uptick
022in referrals coming into our preschool program. Um, we're, uh, I think this is this is definitely a trend that we're seeing statewide. Um, a lot of needs that we're seeing are students with really significant social emotional needs and behavioral needs. Um, I am getting calls, I've probably had at least a call per month since we started school of students that are actually being removed from area preschools and daycarees. There are parents who are being told they cannot return because of the significant challenges with the social emotional issues and behavior. And so, we are doing everything we can to try to take those students um when we can, but we're um we are running out of room and running out of space to be able to adequately meet their needs. Um I can give you a
023couple little quick statistics that I pulled today statewide. So, um the referral, so the birth to three system is what feeds most school districts. So if you're identified by your pediatrician or sometimes a outreach organization um your child needs support prior to the age of three you're you go through the Connecticut birth to three system the Connecticut birth to three system in 2020 received 10,500 referrals in 2024 they received 13,000 referrals that is a statistic that they are documenting monthly and when I went to look at this year starting in July each month has already exceeded last year's numbers. So, I'm looking at this thinking by this time next, you know, we'll probably be looking at 13,500 at least by the end of this year. The other piece that's really relevant is those students enter
024the birth to three system as they're getting ready to turn three, the birth to three provider and the family have a discussion about whether or not that child is likely going to need to continue to receive services. They then get referred to the school district and that would be us. When they turn three, if they are eligible for special education, the school our school district then becomes responsible to provide them services. So to give you a sense of those students that were actually that were in Bera 3 and then referred to their district at age three, meaning they were going to likely continue to need services. In 2021, there were 3,100 students statewide. And in 20 23 that went up to 5,300. So, we're seeing really big significant increases in these numbers coming in. Um,
025and a huge piece of this also, and I think again highlighting what Damian said, is in our attempts to get these students in and get them what they need, we're trying to do as much as we can to help prepare them for kindergarten. So, the hope would be that there'll be needing less support at that time. Um, I can't emphasize, I could go on and on about preschool, but early intervention is so incredibly incredibly critical. Um, the gains that we see in our program are absolutely amazing. Um, but we right now need more space, more staff, and more support to um, support the current level of need. Any questions I can answer about that? Just want to say that if you look at past budgets and I know we have s some new board members
026but for those of you who have been sitting here for the last few years you've never seen us ask for so many positions and if you look at the majority of those positions they're all around student need in order to get access to the curriculum and without that you can expect our scores to start going down right so it's not class size I know the public always wants in the board of finance is always looking at class size class size enrollment enrollment it's who is in our schools in what their needs are in trying to get give them the services that they need, meet them where they are so that we can accelerate their learning, our English language learners. Um, so last year you can see, so this is districtwide and you can see it's
027pretty steady, steady, steady. Last year was 14. This year, as of October one, we were at 24 and now we're at 28. Um, and again, I know that Maryanne spoke about this a bit, but that's more difficult to effectively manage than it would appear to have. You know, it doesn't seem like a lot of students. Um, but it's a lot of languages. And somebody had asked last week, what are those languages? So, here's your answer. Um, I was actually really surprised by some of these. Um, looks like everybody's really reading all those. So, I'm gonna leave it here just for a moment. Told you this was a good slide, Mr. Smith. [laughter] So, the other piece of that is where the students are year to year. That's your answer. They're all over. So, the languages
028are all over the map. Um, and the numbers at the build you know, I kind of really expected it to be, you know, one one school stayed high um while others were low and it just really was all over the map. >> So, there are four more new students. Do you know where those four land? Are they in the kinder the elementary schools, middle school, or high school? >> I don't know that Allison is going to know between October one and now which students those were. Um, and the other part, I don't know if we I don't think we spoke about this before. So, I've learned a lot about this. Um, to best meet the needs of these students requires pushing into the classroom so that the students are fully immersed in their classroom experience
029um with that expert really helping them to be able to access the curriculum and also um pull out um from those specialized teachers to focus on the language acquisition skills. So, it isn't like we can just, you know, it's it's a lot of different languages. They're in a lot of different grades and buildings. And so, um, we really do need to kind of step up our game on, um, helping these students. >> And even if they speak the same language, they might be at a last links level that's different. So, one might be at a much more lower level of acquisition than somebody else. So, they're going to need their needs are needed. >> And a lot of these students haven't really mastered their first language yet. And so, they're trying your two languages at
030the same time. Um particularly in the elementary schools, but that also happens at the higher levels as well. >> And what's uh what falls on the other >> um so that's not one of our so um one of the students was um a student who attends sharp which is one of our special education um programs um the annex. So they were kind of ones and twoosies. Um >> those one >> just looking at the chart the years on the bottom are usually they go left or right. Um just want to confirm that as the increase you know it's still correct even though it's intuitively I always think of a chart as going the other direction. >> I think intuitively I look at it the other way. [laughter] >> Fascinating right the increase and that's where
031we're at. So yeah. >> Okay. After a couple years on the board, you'll learn initially. [laughter] >> I I might do the opposite in another slide. I don't know. >> Class size and enrollment projection. So, I do just want to note um the 2627 is the projection for next year and that assumes that the same number of kindergarteners will be entering as we currently have. Nobody has a crystal ball. We don't actually know that to be true. Um, and so when you look at the numbers to the right, those projections, uh, it's really just a move ahead. And so the further out you get, the honestly the the less accurate they really are. Um, but we provide them. And so this is Deans Mill who has uh, four certified staff at each grade level. They
032do have a higher enrollment. And I will have a slide um, too after this that kind of compares deans and must find. So if you're trying to remember what the difference is, you don't need to. Same numbers for West Vine except um I included information on what that one additional FTE would do. Um again, as Damian mentioned, he would like to see that cohort that's currently in kindergarten stay as um four sections next year. So the comparison um we hear a lot that Deans Mill has less resources than West Vine and um while you know behavior interventionist that type of thing that may be true. Um if you look at the average class sizes, West Mill Westbine does have um a slightly higher average and that additional FTE would put them more make them more
033aligned. This is a lot to questions. Yeah, it's just I'm trying to kind of like because I'm leaning back on the few slides before which is the uh the foreign language speakers I guess uh you call them learners English learners English learners um more were on that slide in at West Street School. So are they in a new developments that getting built or is that data we don't have? Don't know >> or is it just >> I think we'd have to re we could get that proof but we don't have it at hand right now but if you want that for next go around we can. >> It's just I'm I'm interested in the growth in the >> where it's coming because there's like new development going up in >> Octic now. So will that
034affect that number? Westfine really is the one school that maintained a higher number than all the other schools throughout. Now, I'm curious about that as well. So, I will see if I can get you that info. Again, same thing for the enrollment projection at Stonington Middle School. We're just moving these numbers up as Jeff talked about. They've how many? 25 this this year. So, um it really is unpredictable. Um but you can see that from right now until next year, um that number really isn't expected to change as the incoming class is as big as the outgoing eighth grade class. So these are the average class sizes with the current number of FTEES and a comparison with if we were to add in those two FTEEs what the average class size would be. Uh as
035Jeff said that you know the class sizes for social studies and science are higher um and so it would allow them to be able to have a more equitable number of students in those classes. questions. This is the Stonington High School enrollment projections. It's I think we've tried every year that I've been here to really give you a good idea about class sizes at the high school. Um, do you want to speak to that? >> It's difficult to describe class sizes because oftentimes if you go into the system, it'll look like we have class sizes of three and six and eight of pottery and it'll look like we have four different sections of pottery one, pottery two, pottery with six kids, seven kids, eight kids. Whereas what we do is we combine all of those
036classes into a block. So realistically, there are 20 kids in that class, but on paper it looks like we only have four kids in the class, five kids in the class, six kids in the class. And I'd be happy if for any of you to come to the high school and I'd be happy to sit down and actually show you the spreadsheet for every single subject and elective we have so you can get a better idea of how that looks because even when I first came to the high school six and a half years ago, I said the same thing. I'm like, how are we run running these classes with eight kids, six kids? Well, a lot of the classes are combined into one block. You also have unusual classes like AP Chem which isn't
037going to have 24 kids. The science classes are limited by the square footage of those lab spaces. Then you'll have a PE class that's >> for example our HBI class. I can only have 14 to 16 kids in the class. Um and we do have to run for NAS purposes and accreditation purposes we do have to run a myriad of AP classes in the high school regardless of the enrollment. So, but again, I would I would welcome any of you to come in and I'd be happy to show you what that looks like if you're bored one afternoon. Does that make any sense? Okay. >> So, is the I'll be quiet. Maybe the slide after this has the total district. >> It doesn't. It's It's As of October one, it was 1,655 is the total
038district. Yeah, because the the high school is the only one that shows growth trajectory for the next >> remember we have those larger sizes in eighth grade that are going to be filtering up, >> right? But if we take that trajectory and just calculate the district intrigued in knowing that number >> get that for you. you know, mill rate is always a big topic at the board of finance level. So, um, thought we would give a slide or three, I think, actually, on it. Um, on what the for the mean household, what the increase of the education budget has been. Every time you're laughing, I get distracted. [laughter] This is just some historical information. Oh, my my years are going the opposite way. Thank you, Zach. [laughter] And then again, a historical look back at
039the adopted mill rate. And these are just based on the um education budget. >> We should add a slide about the percentage of uh school budget to the total town budget over 10 over time because I believe that is on the decline over the past 10 years. It just be helpful to the community to see that exact number. I had that in last year's presentation so I can just update it with this year's information pretty quickly and send it out and I'll add it to the website um so that the community can see it as well. Just a reminder of where we go from here. So, uh, we're hoping that the board of ed will have some feedback or questions tonight, uh, and that when we come back on February 5th, um, some more dialogue
040and and hopefully a vote so that we can submit the budget to the town, which has to happen by March 1st. There are no dates yet on the town's calendars. Um, I did check again today and there's nothing on there for when the board of education will present to the board of finance, which it's always helpful to kind of have have some cheerleaders there with us. Um, and then after that is the public hearing that's followed by the annual town meeting and the referendum. Does anyone have any feedback on things that you would like to see in the budget or um, we have a couple slides that we will add. The increasing enrollment at the middle school is not reflected in the enrollment reports. It seems so. The September districtwide enrollment showed middle school 384,
041January 389. Is that correct? So, say that one more time. Right. So you've you've had maybe 16 come in and 18 leave. >> Thank you. >> Where where you're not seeing that increase, you're looking at that September one number. >> Yep. >> That includes the group that moved in as new sixth graders, which is where that group was larger. So in order to see that movement, you'd have to look at like the June number. I I thought it was meant that 30 have come in this >> since since the school year started which makes a big difference including >> new enrollments total just new like to the district total not sixth graders coming up. >> Thank you. >> The major change also is yes sixth grade is much larger than the >> Sure I have
042one of them. And the thing is Katie, it's it's really don't hesitate to call us on what date we're capturing that because for state reporting, we always use October one, right? But >> that again, it's just like what when we were talking this morning, we were we were talking about the L's and now the numbers jump. So, um that's a a very good clarifying question. >> I I just misunderstood kind of the the statement, right? I I understand year overyear it's a big jump. Thanks, And not that I'm against superintendent budget being lower than the maintain services, but in in health insurance, the superintendent budget is below maintained service by almost $400,000. Can I get clarification to why? There's actually two different reasons for that. Um, one is, you know, the first projection that I
043get from Brown and Brown says one thing and they will continue to uh hone those numbers throughout the rest of the year. Um, so that's one of the reasons that it's a that it's lower. The other reason is this is a hard one to explain. So, there are rebates that should be divided by the town and the district based on our actual claims. Um, Anthem, I guess they switched a new system a few years ago and they were not appropriately allocating those amounts. And so, when I learned about that, I reached out to the town and said, "Hey, can you cut a check to our our health account?" Because it it was almost $200,000. Um, so Jim Sullivan has agreed to cut that check. Um, and since it isn't money that I knew should have
044been in the account, um, and I do an analysis of, um, to make sure that we're going to be able to cover our claims. U, so I I told him that I would reduce our budget by that same amount as well. >> I knew the answer. Just share it with the group. [laughter] two things maybe they'll be quick I don't know but um this budget I think was largely put together Steve first part for you um before the recent issues at west are we comfortable with the current superintendent superintendent's budget going forward where it is considering any new issues that might pop up is there anything that we might need to build into the budget considering that >> I think that's a good question Kevin I think we've Actually, I mean, we if we make
045it through the West Fine, when we make it through West Fine's um which is really close, I mean, we we found some more issues more issues today which are definitely fixable. Um I think the increase that I did put in air maintenance contracted services should cover me for next year. I think I'll be done with Westpine. And I I included the air studies which won't help. You know, I think the only issue, and I'll be honest, is if we find issues with the air studies that have to be corre corrected, then that may be an issue. So, I would say that, but other than that, I feel comfortable with the budget line items I have. >> Okay. And then last year, Jeff, this might be for you. Um, we >> can I add on to
046what Steve said on that last question? I also just want to say that this is just a good reminder the things that have happened at West Fine this year that we can project all we want at this time of the year and come this time next year things can be completely different. Look at the middle school, look at West Fine, you know, there there's things that come up. Um and special education, I mean the things that can come up six figure amounts very quickly. Um, and that's why it's really important that when we're doing these projections for next year, we're not assuming the best case scenario for everything. It's kind of a delicate balance between assuming the best case for some things that you think will be um, but then not assuming that for others.
047>> Gotcha. Jeff, you're not off the hook. Um, so last year with the middle school, you know, we got what, two portable classrooms. I know they're so useful so far. Um uh considering the unexpected enrollment increase um and then looking ahead so uh based on January 13th Alicia you have 390 as a total enrollment at the middle school right now. Next year it's 388 year after that 397 projected like we're staying kind of high. Is there anything else we can do for the middle school considering the spacing needs or like might we need another portable classroom next year? Like is two enough? just to make sure we credit our so it is it is four total classrooms it will be so it's one unit four classrooms um but again more more would obviously always be
048helpful I mean especially with if we get the addition of the two full-time educators I do have a plan for what we would do you know with our current structure plus the four classrooms to make that all fit and all work um obviously I would want to try to add another science classroom in figure that I have spaces we can move that in um would more classrooms do be better absolutely we still wouldn't be at a place where every teacher would kind of have we'd have the same number of classrooms as we have teachers. We we we would absolutely still not be at that place. Um with the four classrooms, we're still going to have some sharing going on and some teachers moving, but it would certainly obviously be better than what we have now.
049Um but again, [clears throat] judging on what a back and forth and a hot button issue the portables were last year and how much clawing we had to do to to get them that they they are coming still, Steve. and um and um and you know I I think at this point I'm I'm comfortable saying we'd be we'd be much better off with the forum and we'd be good to go. I'm not looking to ask for more of that right now. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Um high school is the is the vision continue at the high school with same administration model that we had this year. We actually are um repurposing that position at the high school, not to be another assistant principal, but a director of guidance. Um that position was uh elevated
050to another AP position by Mark Fes when uh the then uh director of guidance was managing the annex program and a lot of uh more sophisticated summer school programming in addition to doing managing the department uh during the year. So that's why we um are advertising right now for a an interim uh director of uh guidance or guidance which really should be counseling to be hip with the rest of the state. Um and we'll continue with that position. We don't think we need another AP at the high school based on the size. >> Then is the wage similar in terms of >> Do you have the figures, Alicia? It's less obviously it's less money and less days I believe as well. >> It is. It's um I don't really think it's less days actually. I
051think it's around the same number of days, but it's about a $15,000 um difference between that. But there um there's also kind of a a bigger picture um that we want to look at as far as what the best use of resources is there. So, um, being able to have an interim stipended position for lead counselor for the rest of this year, um, not only gives us a chance to kind of look at a reconfiguration potentially, but also getting a better candidate, right? It's hard to get a a qualified candidate in the middle of the year. So, it just buys us some time on that. Mr. Bouquet left a quite a hole at the high school. What was good for Deans Mill has left Miss Dah in a dilemma. >> I did not adjust any
052salaries based on any of those unknowns. Essentially, what we'll have to do is anything that we need to do, we have to make it work within the budget that we have. >> Is your assumption on 15 total or or base or total comp? >> All other compensation other than salary is the same. and they get the same um >> benefits >> stipened and yeah and I I I try not to really make assumptions about uh insurance benefits. I always assume that it will be um a twoperson insurance plan. Um that way if it's single, great. If it's family, it's not too big of a difference. >> Thank you. Um, tuition versus public tuition. I feel like I ask this every year and I but did didn't it change the way it was on these by
053object code? >> We did >> 560 versus 561. >> This one. >> Thank you. Just context as to I don't know if it was a lane shift or >> it Yeah, it it's definitely a lane shift. Um and part of it is the way that we uh report for um excess cost funding and for Medicaid funding um and the state reporting that I have to do. tuition is one thing and then all of those related services which I think Allison spoke last time about how many of them have become allocart instead of built into that tuition number and so that's why um >> it looks like a significant jump. >> Oh right. Yeah. The other thing that we were looking at this year is that um we were charging the RESK program students who were
054going to our RESK programs learn or ESCON um as non-public but then this year as we were looking more closely at things the the state is classifying them as public. Um so this came up actually with a question from the auditors that that made us realize that I'm sorry if I'm asking questions that I know the answer to, but I'm asking the questions because the public has asked me some questions. So, just trying to be reflective of that. Um, for the health insurance line item in under administration, is that include the reser the reserve account or just the six the five 5.8 million? >> No. So every year what I budget for is what our insurance broker Brown and Brown um gives us as an estimate for the following year of what our expenses are
055going to be. Um it's important to have a reserve because they're just that they're projections. We have no idea. You know, we pay straight claims. It's not like we're paying a monthly premium. Somebody goes to the doctor and we're getting the bill from that. So, um, one person who, you know, who finds out in the middle of the year that they have a blood disorder can be a $500,000 change in that projection. >> Did that answer your question? >> It answers the question. Thank you. I will also say that um for a few years the amount that was budgeted for insurance was lower than the amount that Brown and Brown was recommending. And so I've really been trying to make sure um that we take care of having a reserve back tuition. So, in in
056the 2526 adopted budget, if you're looking at public tuition and tuition combined, you're at 2.8 million and change. It's allocated differently now, but 2.6 million. So, it's it's it's less in the proposed budget overall. It just looks like a dramatic increase because of the line change. >> Yeah. And and I will say that when even when I look at that, I'm looking at that >> because when you see 900% increase, it's very scary. >> Yeah. So when I'm looking at the numbers, I'm really looking at that netted amount for tuition. Yeah. >> Um >> which is less than last year, >> right? Which is very very rare >> for sure. Perfect. Thank you. for the public in in the board agenda. If you click on the links, you can also go and see frequently asked
057questions. Some of these questions that uh were not, you know, not asked here in the meeting were asked previously and addressed in that link. So feel free to go and read in those questions and answers. So, anytime I get a question from anybody in the community or a board member, we put the question in the answer on that, assuming that if one person has the question, somebody else probably does, too. >> Anything else? >> I think that's it. I think again we're asking for positions because um you know too long we've been asked to do more with less and it's time to do right by these kids. If you want to maintain our quality services and our our fantastic programming, it's going to take talent to do that and it needs to be the best
058talent. >> Any recommendation from board members to the superintendent for her budget? I think um one of the presentations last year had a pie chart. I love a pie chart and it really showed of the entire board of ed budget what is to wages. It might have been wages and benefits together. It wasn't a ton, you know, it wasn't a ton of slices of the pie, but it it really was a great visual representation, not just to say, you know, we're not asking for books or, you know, programs. This this is contractual. I think it said contractual obligations or something like that. But it was really helpful um when I was trying to explain to people was good. It was a good visual for me. Kevin's probably already got it. >> I have the percentages
059in front of me. Alicia, can I just answer it? >> Yeah, please do. You're hired, Kevin. I don't have a well I I can with one prompt I can um >> he probably has a pure >> it's 77.6% 6% is contractually obligated. That that includes salaries and benefits. About 9% I'll go slower. I see you're writing about 9% is mandated or essential including things like special ed utilities, required services. So that right there is 88ish%. The rest 12% is this isn't the best word for it, but discretionary. That would include like supplies and equipment and then other services. Are you cool with that, Alicia? Is that fine? >> You're amazing. >> I know. I'll make it a pie chart. All right. >> So, I will um cheat off Kevin's homework and make a pie chart.
060So, what I'll do is I can just take the presentation from tonight and do a slide that says, "Hey, these were added after the meeting." Um, and put in some of that data that you guys are looking for. >> Feel free to reverse the order of the years for Zack. at the risk of overemphasizing that point, but I think that's really important because I'm this my third budget season. I don't know, they all blend together and every single time that we've done our budget and then the board of finance slashes it down and people come up to me after and they're like, why did you why did you have to like cut a teacher and why did you have to cut this program and why did you have to do this? And the The reason
061is because all of those things take money and if we don't have that money we cannot do those things and so if we val if we put the mill rate above our children this is going to keep happening and so just remember having teachers and programs takes Okay. So, uh if we have uh no other questions or advice for our superintendent, then we'll move to next item on our agenda uh which is comments from uh citizens regarding items on the agenda. Thank you. All right, we'll start with board comments and concerns and uh we'll start with Megan if you have any. >> I have no comments or concerns. >> Thank you. I have some comments. Um, this is Marian's last board of education. I know, but I can't wait to say thank you for your
062years of service for this district and your month of service to me. Um, the work that you do, you put everything into it. you have a ferocity and it just inspires me as an educator, as someone who's aspiring to be a leader in education to never let any of the distractions out there, what you see in the news, what you see in your inbox get in the way of delivering for every single kid. You do it very well. You do it diligently and you inspire not just me but innumerable others in this district owes you a lot for that. So thank you. >> Wait, I'm taking my time back. I thought we were waiting to do that so I didn't want to grab anyone's thunder so I'm taking it back. Um I'm here because of
063Maryanne because in like 2019 2020 I sent a very long email to um >> it was unpleasant. >> Yeah. No, I was angry. I was real angry and I I think Baroo was on the board then. Yeah, you've been on forever. And so like I think was the only one that's here actually that was that was on then. And some of them answered me, some of them didn't. Um which I now understand. And but they were all like talk to Maryanne. They they served her up as a sacrificial lamb. And we had this Google meet because it was still in CO time and I went in just dreading it. I was like this is going to be awful. It's going to be some terrible administrator who like isn't going to listen to me and isn't
064going to care. And um I found out later she went into it like, "Oh, this is this is going to be rough. This is going to be an angry parent who is mad at me." And we ended up having three hours of wonderful discussion and didn't stop talking after that. And then she ended up introducing me to more people. And years in she was like, "Hey, remember how you said you were going to run?" And I'm like, "Wait, I did." And now here I am. And um it's just been so lovely as a parent with in the district um who has a lot of anxiety over the fact that my child is out in this world um to know that you've been overseeing it, that you've been protecting her, that you've been a part of
065that. And while obviously you can't get rid of me now, I will continue to see you out in the world. Um it it hurts my heart a little to know that you won't be that person as wonderful as the next person I know will be. Um we will miss you and wrapped up in all of that because I also care about you. I'm so excited for you and the fact that you get to go travel and be free and be happy. So, I'm excited for you and sad for us, but thank you for everything. Um, I think my my path with you first crossed when we worked in a different district. And who would have thought that however many years later we would connect um I remember our first coffee at Macando. That's where all
066the deals in town I think are done is at Mondo. And since that day I felt a strong um sense of admiration and appreciation for who you are and what you do. and we've had a lot of laughs and some not so joyful moments. Um, but I hope you can look forward to the future. Um, knowing you can wake up and do what you want to do because you deserve it. >> Uh, I have so many things that I could say right now. Um, I I have pie charts about it. Yeah. Um, no, but I I I Yeah. Um, no. So, I I kind of have a funny day job where uh a significant portion of my job as you um is talking to superintendent around the country. Um, and I talk to them about
067all sorts of data about what they're doing in their districts, their strategy, their priorities, um, what they're focused on, what they're not focused on. I have some really interesting conversations with superintendents all the time. Um throughout my years where I'm currently working, I've probably talked to about a thousand superintendents and we have a good one. Um and I'm very confident when I say that her the strategy, the priorities, where her heart lies is so obviously in the right place. Um you've been a pleasure to work with as a board member um as a education mentor. Um I look up to you so much. Um I really want to get my law degree just because you have one and I'm like n man. um got me there. Um but you've inspired me in so many ways.
068Thank you so much for your dedication to the district. Uh again, Stonington, we're losing a very good superintendent. Uh and I I think when we hire them, uh the next one modeler after Maryanne, model him after Maryanne. Um put their own spin on it, but Maryanne set the bar very very high. And we're going to miss you. >> Um I'm very excited for your adventures and really grateful for how welcoming you've been to me. Um, and I mean, we are big fans of the playground by your house, so we'll probably see you around. >> Well, I had the pleasure, I think I'm the only one who had the pleasure to work with Marian in two capacities. Um, the assistant superintendent and then the superintendent. So, I I I consider myself the luckiest of the bunch.
069Um, And although uh you know we look like we're always in agreement, we always sometimes have disagreements and u you always handle them with grace. And I appreciate that and I thank you for that. I learned a lot from you and I appreciate all the learnings and u for those who don't know Marian and I twins. We were born on the same date not not yeah not not the same year but the same date uh day and day month and day. So um So we we we share personality traits. We sometimes disagree. I think that's a thing. But uh I want to say thank you for the learning. Uh you've been one of the best things that happened to this district and I would just want to say uh we appreciate you. We thank you
070and we're going to miss you. And she's not leaving. Today is not her last day, but today is her last board meeting. So we appreciate >> Thank you all board members. And I want to also look at the people out in the galley here. Um, everything we've done with curriculum, with programming, with policy in the last nine years is because of the team. And if I hear the rumor that might be true, I think I'm I'm leaving the seat in good hands. Um, I don't know. We'll see what what he does, but I'll be watching. I'll be watching for a while and I'll be out in the wild. And don't worry, you're not getting rid of me completely. Thank you for all your good wishes. Any other comments or concerns from board members? >> Next
071item on our agenda, please. >> Move to adjurnn. >> There's a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor, please indicate by saying I. Motion adjourn. And uh may I ask the personnel search committee for a quick five minutes meeting please?