Tolland Board of Education - September 24, 2025

001September 24th board of education meeting at 7:11 p.m. >> So let's stand for the allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Dr. Willlet, do we have any acknowledgements tonight? >> No. But I would maybe like to take the opportunity um to introduce our two new student reps, which is very exciting, which you will be hearing from them in a minute as we get to that point in the agenda. Um it's Cornelia, right? >> Screw that. Camila and Angela. >> Well, welcome. We're really happy to have you. >> Thank you for coming. And please know that we understand, you know, your schedules, your busy students, and if you ever, you know, if you need

002to leave, if you after you give your report, please feel free. If you'd like to stay, you can always stay. If you'd like to contribute at all, just raise your hand and we'll call on you. Just to add if I could, it's important that you guys know that your voice is important to us in our discussions because you're you're you're in school with all the students that we're, you know, deciding on rules and plans and everything for. So, don't hesitate to speak up and contribute to the to the conversation and the discussion. Um, it's very important that we hear from you. It's been a long time since most of us have been in school. So, it's helpful to hear your voices. >> Okay. So, next is uh are there any additions to the agenda? >>

003Yeah, I would like to um add um a second discussion on open choice with anticipation of moving it to action in a vote. Okay. >> So, Dr. Willlet, I'm new at this. What's the best way to do that? Would would Bill do a motion? >> Did he make you make a motion to add it to the agenda? >> I would like to make a motion to add a second discussion of open choice to the agenda with anticipation moving it to action. >> A second. >> Second. >> And then you can have discussion if you want. We can have discussion about whether you want to add it or not. And then you vote. We all vote because we're a hybrid. >> Okay. Any discussion? All right. So, let's vote. Um, start with Rainey. >> Hi, >>

004Ryan. >> Hi, >> Bill. >> Hi, >> Dana. >> Hi, >> Jayen. >> I >> And I'm an I. So where we will add that to >> so you can add that as um you're adding that as N3 maybe. >> Oh directly board action. >> Well you can't I mean right actually you didn't make it board. You can make it L L2 and then actually it's old business. Make it M1. >> It's old business. So I would say M1 adding it as M1. Then we'll talk about it there and then you can dash. Yeah. Okay. All right. So then now let's move on to the approval of minutes. So I will entertain a motion for the approval of the September 10th, 2025 minutes. >> So moved. >> Second. Second. So any discussion? So vote. Rainey.

005I >> Brian S. Bill. >> Hi, >> Dana. >> I >> and I'm an I. So, minutes are approved. Okay. So, now we'll move on to public participation. There is a twominut limit. The members of the talent board of education welcome members of the public to share their thoughts and ideas at this time. When appropriate to do so, members of the board and the administration may respond to comments during points of information. However, in consideration of those in attendance in any effort to proceed in a timely manner, follow-up discussion may need to take place outside of the meeting setting. So, it doesn't look like we have anyone from the community in the room. So, with all anyone like to participate, >> I I looked at Pete before I made the statement >> in the community,

006but I >> All right. Going once. Going twice. Okay, we will close public participation unless of course you've reconsidered. >> All right, good. Thank you. >> Um, all right, moving on to correspondence. >> We had uh two emails coming. One questioning next year's school calendar um of the start date for school. I'm probably sure we're not ready to deal with that one yet. And Dr. Willed to that. And then another uh email concerning a um a student issue that that Dr. Willlet handled as well. >> Great. Great. Thank you. Moving on to points of information. Would any uh board members like to say anything at this time? >> Sure. I'll go ahead. It's a few uh plus a couple pluses or one minus or question. I like to say that uh my kids are loving

007a new cheese pizza at Birch Grove and NCIS. Um the chess club uh that was my wife put together through the uh library. Uh we had our first one uh Monday night and maxed out at 20 kids uh from first grade all the way up to ninth grade. So wow. >> Nice. >> That'll be running I think every two or three weeks. They got it. I don't know. It's on the library website. Um, and then the other one I had was um some uh looked like uh some community members are concerned about the bulletin about the TIS. There was a notification from I think it was 3 to 3:30 that there was no availability for student pickup I guess in the office at that time. So staffing issues. So, I know there was a few

008comments some of the community pages that I'm on regarding that. So, I don't know how that can be rectified if if students do need to be picked up prior to the end of the day, but it's within that window of time. So, I don't know what you think about. >> Can you restate what that? >> So, at 3:00 for TI >> Yeah. the 3:30 there was a message in the bulletin the students were unable to be picked up I guess in the office because of staffing issues. Um, so I don't know what the remedy is or notification. The parents may be a different avenue of being able to still pick up your child at that time, but maybe just not in the office because I guess the statement was regarding that they had to assist

009with the transportation, you know, for vehicle pickup and then the buses and all that kind of stuff. So, >> was it just for that day or was that a message that it's in perpetuity? I'm gonna pull it up >> because it could be that maybe there was some illness or something and they had to do it that day. >> But wasn't it in the bulletin to >> It was in the bulletin for today. I I'll give you the exact word there. >> Thank you, Bill. >> And it's just listed under uh after school pickup, please note. and it's highlighted. Due to the elimination of a front office position, we are short staffed in the main office. We are not able to accommodate student pickups in the office between 3:00 and 3:30. >> I know the

010school day doesn't end till what 3:15, I think. And then I know even the parent pickup in the back, it's not usual until like 3:25 or 3:30 is 3:25. It's very hectic there. So >> yeah, >> I mean I'll look into it. >> Yeah, I'll look into it. It is possible that >> No, I understand. >> Problems with that the buses and everything. >> Yeah, >> you know, but I will. >> Are you done? >> Yes, I'm done. All right. Yes. Sorry. >> Oh, no. Because it just triggered with what you just said, Dr. Willard, it just triggered a question about that. I mean, that was your superintendent email. You're not aware of that, do you not? >> That's probably a digital backpack, right? >> Right. So the digital there's four digital backpacks that are

011linked to the superintendent's education. >> So it links to their individual building stuff. >> So does the ind does the principal write that any of those? >> The principal that there's some specific school specific things that will be you know that I that may be happening that I would have to look into. I should have one more thing. >> No, I'm good. I was >> have one more thing. Um, I received my I signed my sign up for the F FRC Spanish Club at Birch Grove. They're still looking for three more available slots if anybody in the uh K through two age range would like to do the Spanish. I think it starts next week or the week after. That's all I got. >> Thanks, Dan. >> Hi. Um, so I just wanted to say

012congratulations. Well, fantastic turnout for the Eagle Scramble and the Boosters this weekend. Phenomenal success. Sold out. Fantastic program. So, just cheers to the Boosters Club for what they do day in and day out. And I'm sure Jen, you probably have it in your in your communications of different PTO stuff. But just a reminder, I know my house is going to be very excited to bring bags and bags and bags of cans to the um to the uh the can drive that is on Saturday for project graduation. I believe it's this coming Saturday at the high school. So um it's a great it's a great uh event that the kids have and that the boosters put on. So let's continue to support our boosters for those uh for project graduation. >> Thanks Dan. All right, moving

013on uh to the student representatives report. >> One, >> first one. >> Sure. So, it has come to the students attention that we know that we're recently have been using the smart passes and we wanted to know if um for the locker minutes if it could be um extended a little bit more because if you look at for example from culinary to either your classes upstairs or all the way down at the ends where um the English hallway is um it's not enough time in 5 minutes to get back and forth to your class. And as well as the cost of clubs and sports because um many students right now are um also struggling to find money um to pay for those with clubs that they really want to join. And we wanted to see

014if maybe we could either wait for the fee or do like fundraising like around like the meals or um dining or maybe the spot where we could raise money to lower the cost for the clubs or sports altogether because seniors were like you know how like they're going to colleges um they need um sports and clubs on their recommendations and things and they can't we do that without having to pay such of a high cost um to join these clubs. >> Um and then just adding on to what Cell said, I know we already have um the Alice enrichment program in place, but I was looking at that and it seems like the max price you can get can basically cover one club. I don't even think a full sport and let alone multiple clubs.

015And in this day and age where colleges and the college search post high school is very competitive, it's important to students and their families that they're in multiple extracurriculars and it's making it harder for um certain students to access those programs. And then another new addition this year was an extra eagle block Monday as well as Thursdays. And I think we found as student community that that can be very helpful because I find that a lot of a lot of us got frustrated with the SEAL lessons taking up time that could be used for homework or meeting with teachers. And I think it's better for makeup work now. So like if you're out on a Friday, you're not going to have to wait until that next Thursday to try to make up a quiz for

016a test or anything like that. And then what student council has done this week and the past week in our first two meetings, um we've started brainstorming ideas for homecoming themes and spirit week ideas as long as as well as Eagle Valley event ideas. Um so far we're still in the brainstorming phase. We took some votes um in student council last week on Monday and then I think we're going to be putting some stuff out on the Taland High School student council social media and also bringing these ideas to admit to approved. >> Great. Thank you. >> So just to clarify, you mentioned the extra eagle block. You were saying that what you what has been added this year works for I find it beneficial. So, in terms of the smart pass, I I've been

017hearing a little bit about that at home, too, from from my high school student. >> Not a shocker. >> Um, and then on top of that, you know, obviously the clubs and sports is something that this board definitely really struggled with. We really understand um, you know, where you're coming from here. Um, thank you for for bringing that up. Um, I'm sure we will continue to have further discussions on it. What I would like to ask though is that when it comes to things like this, and by the way, kudos to you guys for starting out strong with your question. >> Uh, you know, especially on a night where I'm chairing. Um, what what kind of avenues could we I don't want to leave these questions unanswered for our students. Um, and obviously I can't

018provide answers to those things right now. what kind of avenues could we go down so that we could either provide them a path for maybe the student council to talk about especially the smart pass with administration. I do think you know the fundraising option towards um clubs is interesting. I'm not sure you know obviously I'm familiar with the PTO world and the boosters world. I'm not something that sure if that's maybe also another path you guys might want to discuss, but if the school can provide that and maybe I think you're smart to think about reaching out to local businesses to see if they would sponsor certain clubs, how could they explore these things? >> Yeah. So, Camila and Angela, you did a great job of um obviously also looking at things like Alice and

019trying to figure out, you know, what would be a path to, you know, ask for help, that type of thing. how could we address some of the these things doing fundraising all that? So, it's really good. We did a great job of kind of doing some homework and coming in. Um, first stop on the train for talking about things um like the uh the smart pass would be Mr. P. So, I would have him come to the student council and engage with him. You and I, both of you and I will be meeting to talk about things, but we also can meet any time to address or go after any things you think would be interesting, which you know, something worthwhile doing. Fundraising, you know, would be great. We just have to talk about the

020logistics of it like who would do it, how kind of it there are some people there is a club I think inside a club a student at the high school did begin a ths fundraising program at one point Mr. who probably know a little bit more about the status of that, but that could be something leverage to do more fundraising and I know she had started it I think a year or two ago. So maybe it just needs to be restarted. But um then we can work collaboratively to try to find ways that you could do that. Um, any student who is has a what's called free and reduced lunch status, a parent or guardian can go and sign up. Um, if they if they feel like they qualify for a free or reduced lunch

021for their kids. And if you're in a free and reduced lunch status, there's a form you fill out, a family can fill out, then they either don't pay for the club or sport at all or they play pay a greatly reduced rate. If a family doesn't qualify for free and reduced lunch, that's when um Angela, you had talked about Alice, which is really good. You obviously looked that up. Scrap great. Um that's when something like that kicks in. Um and that is actually from the Tom Greater Together community like that's a grant. Um Zawa would help get that. So that's another thing we could try to do is look for grant opportunities because the ALS program that referenced was a grant. Um and so maybe um you know the community partnerships would love to hear

022from students because that you might even have a more compelling you know presentation than say some adult not adults but you know some of the other people in the community would because students have a very loud voice with these groups. Um so that's just to know that's going on right now. for clubs and activities. Maybe it might make you feel a little better to know we've actually had a lot of outreach for donations. So, there are already a lot of clubs that have had no beating um but there there may be some clubs that would not be able to run um without donations and we have at least three groups lining up to make donations. So, if a group only has seven kids, um the there are some people that are willing to make donations

023to make it a full 15 to make that fun run. So, there's a good chance a lot of them will run. Um so, your advocacy is is um awesome and and heard loud and clear and I think people are coming out to make donations for that. So, there's a lot when we get to sit down together, we can talk about a lot of a lot of those things. Um but it's good to check in with Mr. Poland on certain things because there may be some things underway or that he's working on for smart pass or whatever. He's the, you know, the the direct one to go to and then obviously you can talk to me too. We'll be talking along the way. So, good stuff though. You came in really nice job. >> Dr. Will

024it it I know this is said back and forth online from from many people, but if someone if there was a community member out there that wanted to make a donation specifically for clubs to help out to provide funding for clubs, how would that community member go about doing that? Would they contact you? >> Okay. >> Yeah, they would contact me because of the way it's all sort of structured, >> right? And and I mean that could be any denomination amount. It doesn't have to be a couple thou I mean it could be a $100 if someone wants to pay extra just to help out. >> Absolutely. Yeah. And any little bit helps. >> Sure. >> Can we add that to maybe bulletin or a digital backpack in the schools that just says if you'd

025like to to um you know >> you're saying the club hub? >> Yes in there. >> Yeah. But in case you don't click into the club hub like you know maybe just putting you know >> they said it did in a couple meet but yeah >> we can have something kind of embolden that just says if you'd like to donate because like for instance if I didn't have a student doing the club I wouldn't go into the club hub but if I saw that there was donations I might say I'll donate towards clubs >> but I think the problem is there's only that's only going as far if you're looking for people from the community I think we need to find a different way than just that because that like Rainey was saying previous she

026doesn't get the bulletin Yeah. So >> after saying I don't get an >> 80year-old neighbor who maybe wants to donate $25 is not going to know how to donate $25. >> There are other avenues then we can put on Facebook but not everybody's going to be on that. Put it in the wreck magazine. >> I mean we'll just make a point of uh we have done some of this but I will reinvigorate that. Yeah, there's a link on there to make donations, but I'll just throw it up in the center. And you know, when you do do things on Facebook, it does go beyond our parent population. >> Um, you know, we we can uh ask the town to put it out on their blast, but they also want donations, too. So, >> can we

027ask can you ask them? >> Yeah. Yeah, of course. >> It's just we wouldn't be doing it every week. >> No, no, no. I'm just saying one time now that the clubs are starting. I'm not saying that periodically. >> I they just do it one time. I think that's sufficient for me. Sorry, Bill. >> You I'm also thinking of >> catch a campaign of maybe sponsor a child in a club >> and you can just sponsor one kid and you know >> Yeah. I mean we've been very fortunate. We we are in a wonderful community. You know there are many in America. This is one of them. And um we've had quite a few people step up. We've done a lot of um communicating about donations for that particular purpose and we have at least

028three or four groups and organizations that have stepped up for that. So we have, you know, we're probably not going to probably going to have a lot of these funded because of the kindness of many others. >> Good. So I just so I just want to I noted down that you're going you either you guys are through the student council you're going to discuss the smart pass issue with Mr. Poland and then you're going to talk about the fundraising and the clubs and sports issue when you meet with Dr. Willlet. So just if you find that you need additional help please don't um hesitate to reach out to our board email or Dr. Will it um if you feel like you want to bring this up again at the next meeting because you feel like

029you need additional help, please do. So, thank you again for bringing these up. >> Bring things to the to the meetings that you want to talk about. It's a good thing to do. If you want to kind of get communication to and from the board, come to me and I'll help you do that. >> Good question. Smart pass. You said you guys get five minutes with that. >> Yeah. from different on um where you're going. For example, with the bathrooms, it's seven minutes. With the lockers, it's 5 minutes. And if you're going to the main office, it's usually with the main office or the nurses, it's a one-way pass where you have a certain amount of time to get there to end your pass. >> So, what kind of extension for those five and those

030seven minutes are you guys looking for? >> Only because I know I know her son who would probably want to double it or triple it. about those seven minutes. >> I mean, I really don't think we're asking for much. I know sometimes, you know, people have to use the bathroom and people have to attend to their needs. So, I think um especially for women, honestly, 10 minutes is more appropriate. And then for lockers, I mean, I'm already running around the school between classes. I really need to be running anymore. So, I think more closer to seven to eight minutes would be better just to give you peace of mind because obviously when we're going to and from you can't see how much time you have left on your smart pass. So, I think sometimes that

031makes people a little nervous or a little anxious like what if I don't get back in time? I don't want to get in trouble. >> I did ask that of my son. I said, "What is the what happens if you're not back in time from the bathroom?" He's like, "I think you get a warning." >> Some of those things may be excused. Smart Pass is a new technology that we're using to allow for students to have a variety of options on signing up for different activities. The passes aren't paper passes anymore when you're going, you know, to the bathroom to different places. Um, Eagle Block, you may be signing up for an activity. Smart Pass allows you to do that electronically through Chromebooks. Basically, everything is becoming digital. What we used to carry around, you

032know, 100 years ago, they don't carry around. >> Safety wise, I think it's great, too. I mean it it it's going to keep a tally it's going to track who's where in the building you know so technology >> wise passing class yeah >> but yeah they have to instead of like you know how you go on a sign out sheet and then you'd be given a paper pass >> just get up and go hey I got to go I mean that's how that's the school >> it helps with the special I would be my anxiety level would be like >> I think the root for us yeah I think there. The younger generation is used to it and I think they also use it to sign up like at the middle school they have connect

033blocks. The kids can sign up for a variety of connect activities through smart pass. So now the teacher knows they're coming. A teacher can say I want to see Walter for you know reinforcing math on the connect period for Tuesday and when Walt goes to sign up for something on Tuesday it'll say sorry Mr. Willlet wants to see you and you have to go you know see Mr. Willlet. It's it's a way of getting an efficient methodology for utilization of things like passing through the hallways, but also special blocks like the connect or the equal blocks. It helps make that very efficient. >> For the most part, this is all done through paper. So, it's really nothing's changing in terms of like if you're at TIS, you used to sign on a sheet, you'd get

034a pass or you'd get a key to go to the bathroom. At the middle school block, you'd have to go to that teacher's classroom and sign up on a sheet. So you're just signing up electronically >> just just so I get a better understanding what happens at the 5 minute and 12 second >> electrical shop >> what happens at the 5 minute 12 second mark I mean I don't understand >> well what happens is we have hallog monitors >> who have their iPads with them so they can see who's like over their time and they will like find you and search like where you are. And um like if you also forget to end your pass, they will come to the classroom to make sure like if you got there or if you're just roaming

035around >> and how do you put this pass on and put it off? I don't mean to get into a big question. I just don't know. >> You even need less time than the five minutes because you got to get back to your Chromebook to register yourself. Yeah, it ends up being more efficient than the old past. Plus, >> you know, you don't have to carry a nasty path to the bathroom that everybody carried before. >> I I was more like an honor system on I still remember this like >> not saying everybody was honorable in the leaving and going, but okay. >> I think it makes sense for, you know, as a new system is out, you guys are the ones using it. And I think it makes sense for you to provide feedback

036on the amount of minutes that you need while you do these certain tasks. So >> yeah, >> I think you did a great job representing your peers tonight and just let us know if you need any more help. Okay, >> thank you. >> Okay, so we will move on to the committee and liaison reports. Okay, so bear with me. Dana policy was cancelled today, right? >> Yes, my apologies. I had a last minute work trip that took me a while. Okay, >> I'm still here and we've we've rescheduled it to the next meeting. Okay. Um, Dian's not on, but Reie and Dana, you're FFC, right? Is there has there been a meeting? Any update? >> There was a meeting last week. I was out of town, so I didn't go to it. Dana might have

037gone to it. Dana, I don't want to put you >> uh there there was a meeting. Well, myself, I was the only one who showed to the meeting last week, so unfortunately it wasn't able to happen. Um, so, um, that's been going to be rescheduled. >> Okay, great. Thank you. And we just had curriculum. >> We did um we had a a continued discussion about open choice just any existing questions from our meeting two weeks ago. Um then you know we talked about you know the curriculum aspect of it as well as other logistical things and um just got a better clarity of of the open choice program. >> Okay. And then we do not have any negotiations currently underway. Um moving on to the chairperson's report. I do not have one for this evening.

038So we will on to the superintendent's report. Anything Dr. Willlet? So, um, no, actually it's new business before we get to anything. >> Okay. I just know, you know, >> just trying to discuss. >> All right. So, moving on to new business. So, L1, the SATsaw officer. >> All right. Um, so SATSA is a is a mouthful. It's school security. Oh. Oh, by the way, guys, once your report is done, we know you have a lot of homework and a lot of things to do, so feel free to stick around, but if you need to go, we'll get all right. So whatever he needs and that's the goal gender. Um the SASA offer officer is a school security attendance truency school avoidance and homelessness officer and so we use SASA officers and right now we

039have one um and this individual is extremely useful to the school district because they provide um support for homeless. They're also transport. Remember how we talked about the van might have somebody who's estranged from someone else or goes to a shelter and the kids are in a different town and so on. Um this would be the officer that um does the transport for the family. Um, this officer was used extensively last year and extensively this year for special transportations for students in a variety of situations, homelessness, but also um sometimes if we have a student who would require $40 to $50,000 transportation um for an outplacement or an expulsion or whatever, this is provided by our stats officer and it saves us much more than what we spend on that. Um so this is just

040because of the conversations that have also been surfacing uh the you know one of the things that was brought up was security and maybe adding to it and so this is the beginning of reaching out to you for what's called a WFPA um which is a within fiscal year position edition if you wanted me to research and look at how we could add another SAT SATSA officer to the district, I would do that. Um, it just was because of the conversations that were happening that I asked at the BOEP planning if we wanted to have a discussion about it and the executive felt like it was worthy of having a discussion. Um, subsequent to that time, we actually did have a conversation about SRO today and uh, state troopers. So there's a couple of things

041all happening at once, but um a SATA officer is extremely valuable to the district is utilized extensively. Um and also this officer will do home visits. So if a social worker is going to a home for a variety of reasons, the SATA officer will go with them and it provides you know it provides a useful you usually want to send people in pairs into whatever situation that might be going on. they go with them and provide the transport the person there and back so no one's using a personal car because there's a sensitivity to you know noticing that that is someone's car and know some situations people don't want that um so they do those ride alongs they also will investigate truency for us so if there's something going on and we need to send

042another stats officer to go check out a potential truent situation they do that so um and they also sometimes will help us with residency uh where if there's a question about residency, we'll send them to see if a drop off or pickup is actually happening or someone says it is. And that is another thing that is very helpful. So that's what the SATS officers do. Um and a lot of times what I look for in a SATS officer is a former police officer or security personnel. In this case, that gentleman doing is a former police officer. um he doesn't want to continue doing that that part of it like he doesn't want to continue his post training so he doesn't carry a firearm um but he does have a uniform and he does have the

043rest that's you know things plus he also has his start to drive multiple you know he can drive a mini vehicle for education that's why he's able to transport multiple kids or family members so that's what the SATS officers do Um, there's a general job description here linked for the board. You can see it's pretty much what I said. It's just a I won't read it word for word. Essentially, this does articulate all the duties that we utilize as SAS officer. >> Okay, great. Questions or discussion? I should maybe hear from the executive board in your determination to bring this forward at this time. >> Don't go first. >> I apologize. I can see you over here. I I apologize. >> Um so I was not on this particular agenda Paul. Um but I will

044say that as Dr. Lil brought up, we're having some other discussions as well. Um personally I you know it hasn't sat right in with me um some of the decisions that we had to make um regarding the security um in the budget and I know that every single one of us um cares very much about the security of our schools and we were we were tasked with a lot of difficult decisions this year um as you know we've seen things transpire nationally throughout you know since the budget cycle Um, again, personally, I I wanted to see if there was a way that we could explore um any possible additions to security and what that would look like. Um, so I assume that's part of why this was brought up um under trusted agenda planning. Um,

045and that is why I have asked to have a discussion with the town about SRO or or troopers, whatnot. Um, but Bill, I don't know if you were on the agenda for anything you could add. >> I was. I mean, there wasn't a whole lot of lengthy discussion. Dr. Willlet heard our cry during budget season that we were all concerned about security. He came up with this and he asked to put it on for us to discuss. I mean, there wasn't it was as simple as that. you know, our CEO has to put it on >> for a discussion and that's what we agreed to. >> So, you know, there's definitely >> some questions that will be asked in this discussion. Um, but just to answer your question of why >> the executive committee >>

046put it on there, that's the simple answer. Our CEO asked for it to go on there. >> Okay. >> We said yes. >> I'll reserve anything for a later time. Thank you. I just want to clarify we do we already have one of these people and this would be a second one or do we have one in person is leaving that wasn't quite >> this would be a second one if you wanted to do a within fiscal year position edition if you wanted to direct me to do that and find funding for it that's what I would try to do um it is we have one okay >> we have one and that covers the whole district not just one school >> yeah I mean they're stationed in one school of a lot of time

047but I do move them around the district as needed. So we meet every week. We look at the needs of the district and then the individual is assigned a variety of things. Um a lot of times transport has a lot of it a lot to do with it of individuals and particular you know transport needs. But um I might for instance if something happened uh the night previous that makes people a little nervous in general about adolescence that are aged 14 and higher. I would ask the I would have I would direct the SATS officer to go to the high school for that day and they would be a presence at the high school presence when the kids are coming and so on. it would be a unit, >> but that portion of it is

048probably maybe a little bit less that that security part of it less than some of these other tasks that the transport and some of these other things that they're doing. >> Yeah, it's probably 40 or 30 and 30, you know, how it's it's a portion of it. the security portion of it. The reason they're at Birch Grove is um most of there Birch Grove a lot is because the littleer kids sometimes there's there can be all kinds of reasons why there may need to be sort of a person there that that has a uniform on and it can have to do with families and um things that are going on in families. uh if there's a DCF situation and we have to hold a child um in the school and not send them home that

049day, good to have a security person around just in case somebody's upset about that. Um so these are the things that happen sometimes those types of things tend to happen in the younger grades a little bit more than the older grades so they spend more time down there but um the individual works across district as needed. It's a very good you know method of um covering a lot of bases. We also um in the past that's how SRO's largely worked. I would meet with the SRO's weekly. We had a schedule for them. Um the admin could jump in and see where they were at all times if there was a need to have them in a particular place. Uh we would move them over to that place for a span of time. It was very

050a very high level of coordination. And we do the same things with the SATS officers, but to your point, they're split in a number of directions. So they do serve a security role, but that security role extends to something too like a transport as well sometimes. Um because you need to have an home visit. You need to have someone there to make sure that goes okay. Um but it's been a very useful officer. As you can see, there's a lot of things that that individual does for a district and we've utilized them and trained them and you know benefited from their training. We would be looking for the same thing in a second individual. And then we maybe would have that individual stationed, you know, 612 a lot, not just going there sometimes, but maybe

051stationed there, too. >> Okay. Thank you, Seth. Katie, >> I'm so sorry. Hopefully you didn't just say this because my daughter just came and interrupted me, but I just was going to say it goes kind of the other way too with these officers, doesn't it? where they they're sort of removing barriers for people who are struggling to get to school with like attendance issues and they're als they're sort of noticing ahead of time. And then from like the behavioral health standpoint like we for Nog schools don't they also help with sort of kids who've had extended absences helping them sort of reaclimate and keeping an eye on how that's going for them like also feeling welcomed. They are a core member of our um our tier three uh truency and attendance discussions. There's tiers one

052and two. Those are kids that are having some challenges. Tier three is the kids and families having the most severe challenges. And this individual, these positions are part of those committee meetings, >> right? I think it's a really good idea because it's got the sort of prevention response aspect to it. So, >> and it's a kind of community um officer because they they get to know the families the people are engaged with in a meaningful and positive way, but they, you know, they're there in case you need to have somebody there for other reasons, too. >> Thank you. You good, Katie, for now? >> I'm good. Thank you so much. >> Okay, Jaden. >> Sure. Thank you. So we know from prior discussions that you know in a typical school district has you know a

053250 to1 student to social worker sort of ratio you know at least the schools that you know fund them at least how many cases does a position like this take on right now to sort of Katie's point of you know that outreach aspect of it how much is this singular person responsible for right now number one and number two is it recommend mended that whatever ratio that person's in right now needs to be lowered in order to be fully effective. That's my question because if if that's the case, number one, I'm always going to jump at any opportunity to add security into the buildings, preventative and reactive. And so that's why Katie, I I love the point you just made. That's number one. Number two, again, in order to be fully effective and and and

054and and do the job properly, doing the job incomplete is is is is I appreciate the job being done, but are we doing everything we can for the child in the family? So, that's my question is is how much of a case load is this person taking on right now? And and and I I'll I'll stop. I'm sorry. I'll stop. Well, well, they do not they're not a social worker though. So, >> correct. I'm asking the difference, right? So, we that's from prior discussions. We know sort of a social worker sort of in that realm of 250 to one, right? Whereas this position I know nothing about it. Pretend I know nothing about it. I I'm I'm coming in fresh. You know, this this position does a lot of jobs sort of in one as

055the as the description says. And so what is recommended for this person to be fully effective? Is it is it a 200 student max capacity load that's recommended? Meanwhile, this person's taking care of 600 different situations. That's more so what I'm asking. [Music] >> There we go. you guys are on plus BOE cam which is causing all that. >> Yeah, BOE cam's okay. It was We're good. We're good. >> I think we got it. Thanks, Dana. >> Um, thank you. I would like to see one per school there. You know, this some schools have say a security person that isn't a police officer that walks around. But those individuals, in my opinion, they're not being maximized. You know, you're not maximizing what one can do with that. Um, a satsaw officer actually takes the concept

056of someone who walks around for security and engages that individual in the things that actually meaningfully need the presence of someone that provides that kind of support like home visits, like truency, like residency, like transport of homeless and you know difficult estrangement situations. Um, these are also security situations. utilizing them in this way is actually maximizing the benefit of such an officer and making um getting full use and and actually getting a much better return on investment for the position itself. I'd like to have one per school regardless of whether we have SRO or not because the SRO's won't be able to do some of the things the SATSA officers can do. So, it'd be good to have a combination of them. Um, and you know, SATS may do things that that are, you know,

057that are related to homelessness and transports and things like that when the SRO's are doing other things like processing a um, and I don't mean to use this as an example, but let's just say there's some kind of drug situation, they would be engaged in taking care of that from a police perspective. the SAS officer will be going to a home to visit with a family with a social worker try to try to resolve issue. So there's no case management just like SRO's wouldn't have case management. It's more providing um you know supports security supports transport supports homelessness supports u you know residency support. So in in in in those capacities, not discussing Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. In those capacities, not discussing the security aspect of it, sort of the more AR SRO sort of

058aspect of the role. Is there enough of this person right now for our district to operate at full capacity for the for the exact purposes that this role exists? I mean, I would like to see I mean, you know, we only have what we we have and these weren't in the budget, which is why they're an additional one wasn't, but I mean, we could start with having one of them that's K5 and one of them that's 612. That would be a very large benefit. Right now, we have one that is across the district. So, the next iteration up would be a K5 and a 612 assignment. And then from there, you know, if we had enough for one for, you know, each school, that would be even better. But this isn't um to to be

059a replacement for an SRO. It's a different kind of position all together. So, you'll notice some districts have a combination. That's what this would be. Ideally, we would have like an SRO or SRO and they would work in conjunction with the security people. Um the SRO's have much much broader capabilities with respect to law, law enforcement, social, >> community policing. So you know, these individuals would work with them. So let's say if we got one more, it would allow me to have a maybe K5, preK5 assignment and a 612 assignment. And then let's say we were able to get the successful SRO situation with the town. Now, we'd have an SRO working in conjunction with our SATSA people, and it would be security and police working together, which is what you see in um schools

060a lot. >> So, do you think do you think we'd we'd have a higher success rate at at at at I don't know what the phrase is to use here, so excuse me, but beating that truency rate? Do you think we'd have a higher success rate of getting children back in school, getting them mentally capable to to handle a school day back in our district with with an additional satsaw officer? >> Well, definitely because it increases our capacity to do effective what's called tier three support. >> Okay. It's a vernacular that is just you know I know God sometimes it's godly good for people but tier three is the most intensive need and about you know tier one is usually 80% of the population needs what's called tier one supports about 15% need what's considered

061tier 2 supports and about 5% in a district need and it's not strictly this but this is the old you know the general general um amount about 5% of a population and school systems need intensive tier three support. And this this position definitely assists with the effectiveness of that because otherwise you really can't do the home visits and in situations of estrangement. You know, you families are left in a much more vulnerable situation. So those kids won't come to school. If um if there's a um I'm just going to use an example like if a mom, you know, is is fleeing an abusive husband or any of those situations and bringing the children with them. If there is no officer to do transport, the mom may flee to, you know, another place is considered homeless,

062but there's there's not an easy way for that mom's kids to get to school, but she doesn't want her location made publicly knowledge. you know, that she doesn't want to share where she is outside of, you know, a secure group of people. The SATSA officers allow for that parent to feel that there is a person in a secure situation for their children to get to school without someone else learning where they are right now, you know. Um, and I think that's the kind of thing that, you know, a SAS officer like this really helps with. these people, these individuals, this for instance, the one we have right now is a police officer who has retired, has that training, um, you know, has the transport certifications, is used to dealing with complex and difficult situations, um,

063and generally people feel safe in that situation and they then those kids will come to school. Whereas sometimes a parent might say, "No way I'm sending my kid to school. You know, I don't feel safe and I don't feel they're safe. This this allows for less truency because those kids feel safe coming to school, you know, and that's an example of how these kinds of people can these kind of positions can help. Also, when they go to a home, they allow for, you know, the opportunity to have our staff go because right now you can't actually really have a staff member in their own car go or, you know, things like that. It has to be school personnel. We have to make it possible for that transport thing to happen. You can't just say, "Hey,

064go get in your own car, go vote, is visit, you know, go do this." It has to be the school has some mechanism for supporting that if we're asking our staff to do that. Um, the stats officers allow for that. So, it's it's just a very versatile deployment of resources. This is an individual who's been here for a while. Um, and this position is a security position, not an SRO. So, it's just something that came up. Uh, why point to make here is this did come up prior to our conversations about the SRO there. The BOEP planning predated the most recent conversations with the town about SRO. So, it's this came up prior to that. >> Sure. No, I appreciate it. and and and the truth is I you know I can't be apologetic for

065you know ask asking questions to to to establish more mental and physical security for for for students and and and and not only that but to get them back to school. I mean never mind even if it's one we we've got an obligation to students and that goes back to even what I said at our last meeting is is we've got an obligation to children. So, you know, without getting to school, there's a very it's it's it's hard, especially, you know, I work in a district where every almost every second it seems that one of these situations pops up. But, you know, in Thaland too, without getting to school, you're not getting a lot of that everyday sort of, you know, skill building to to to defend yourself against the world in a sense. you

066know, you're you're you're not learning how to handle a lot of these situations that um they might be experiencing at home and don't know how to sort of operate through, right? Social skills that they might not be picking up because of um you know, you know, basic everyday interaction. So I just you know whenever positions like this come up and I'm sorry for rambling here but whenever positions like this come up I you know we've it is my strong strong opinion we have got to look ourselves in the mirror and ask ourselves why should we uh believe in this or why should we not and and I got to tell you I will jump at any opportunity especially for uh the value uh that this position offers you know both on the money side and

067what it offers what the position does um I'm going to jump at an opportunity to to help these children out and and um and that includes by the way our new two new student reps who by the way you did an awesome job with those statements and questions. So, uh I'll get that in there as well. So, thank you for answering those. I know I rambled a little bit, but this is this is we've got an opportunity here. I'm all in favor. Just another added piece the these um years ago when a student was in a situation of truency once say it's more than you want to hear right now about how it gets calculated but once you reach a certain threshold according to the state of Connecticut you're considered truent and if you want

068to know more about that we can go into that rabbit hole right about but it it's um it's like a formula okay so once they hit that the state of Connecticut used to um refer a student and a family to court and there would be a probation officer assigned potentially to the family. That no longer happens. The state of Connecticut pulled back on funding that and it disappeared. So now what happens is the state of Connecticut instead says you must figure out how to do this to to have someone that you know provides some kind of support for attendance insurance. uh it's it's the obligation of the school district to you know assign your social workers your your truency officers that type of thing. So this position also functions to um comply with the state's

069requirement that we have some tier three service um you know that addresses truency chronic absenteeism things like that which this position doubles to. Okay. >> Thank you. Yeah. you done, Jaden? >> Yeah, thank you. >> Um, I think every one of us expressed the importance of security um during budget season uh for our students. It does lead me to ask though the funding source that this is coming from and if the funds are there, we cut teachers, we cut secretaries, we cut custodians, >> we we make nurses, um numerous program and software cuts. We raise sports and activities fees. >> Where's the money coming from that we all of a sudden have this now? >> Well, we don't all of a sudden have it. it would be you directing me to try to find it.

070You know, this this came on the um radar for conversation because security in general was coming up. How do we address it? You can address it through sets sets of officers, you know, do you want me to find a way? And if that's the case, then you're kind of giving me the directive to do that by any means necessary, more or less. So, I have to come back to you when we bring this up as a WFPA. Um, I might have to, you know, I I have some grants that I'm looking at right now. It's grant season, so there's about four or five I have to write or complete. If there's some allocation maybe that I can find in there. Um, the point is it just kind of came on the conversation radar about now

071because of the world and um it isn't brought up to the board with a funding mechanism yet. It's do you want me to do anything? you you want to direct me to to make it happen or high water, which case I got to do whatever I'd have to do to do that. Um the WFPA form that I usually complete for this, it's, you know, um it looks like this, but it has more uh you know, typically it would have a funding source or would be connected to special ed. So WFPAs that are special education in nature, for instance, if a child needed a feeding tube and only a nurse could do the feeding tube, it's a WFPA and we don't really have a choice. We have to do it and that's like a special ed

072kind of expenditure that happens sometimes. You've had me come to you with WFPAS that have to happen for an IEP or whatever. This is a discretionary one, meaning I I might come to you saying, "I had to do this higher because the child needed a feeding tube." Um, that would be something we're not asking for a vote on because we can't say no to a feeding tube. But when it's like this, I'm coming to you asking you if you want me to to do this. The board would have to say, "Yes, we approved this WFBA. Go make it happen." you know, and I would have to try to find a way, but it would mean something happens to make that happen. We'd have to find a funding source for it, and you know, this would

073be maybe your first read on this. If you had any interest in it, then I'll do all of the leg work to see what I can do for a funding source. If you had no interest in it, then there's no reason for me to use that time that way. So, you're you're saying that you're asking us to try and approve you to find a funding source, but the potential motion here says give you permission to hire, >> right? >> Those are two different things. >> This is your first read. >> Okay. >> I mean, this this wouldn't I didn't come to this meeting expecting you to just do that. Gotcha. >> It's the conversation is what is it? why, you know, what's the WFPA and you know, do you want me to explore this further

074or not? Um, do you want me to see if I can find a funding source for it or not? If we brought it up here and maybe the conversation was maybe the meetings had a lot of traction on SRO, someone might say, you know, we don't really need this right now. We're going to possibly get some other thing. Maybe if that had transpired, some of you would say, "Not now." You know, don't pursue this right now. Um, but you know, if that's not the case, maybe you would be asking me to pursue it right now. But there's no point in me trying to find it if you're not interested in doing it. And it is a discretionary one. It's not one that I can just say we're doing, right? The nursing feeding tube thing, I

075can say we're doing because there's no way we cannot. This one is discretionary. It's up to the board. So you have to tell me whether you want me to pursue it or not. I can't start pursuing it unless you actually want me to start looking at it. >> So then let me ask you this hypothetical. Um funding source obviously priority would be to find a grant for it to fund it for for this year. Um, I'm assuming just based on how the budget cycle went, there's not money in operating to fund it, that it would have to be for from a grant to to fund it. or are you saying that there's things that you could move around in our existing operating outside of finding a grant to provide? You know, it says 30 to

076$40,000, but it's a full-time position, so it's probably 60 to $70,000 with with benefits and everything. >> It would probably be more like that. That's maybe total cost there. That's more our total cost. >> The 30 to 40. >> Yeah. I mean, but you're looking at it's not loading right now because I need it to load. But um that I can't remember where on that sheet there that's prorated for this year. And then >> yeah ongoing is 30 to 48. So I'm assuming >> so and that that is your full incurrence. a full-time position is $48,000 with benefits and everything >> just like your your SRO is 77 not 150 because you you know you're you're paying a certain rate because it's a there's a demand certain kind of person's going to be taking that

077you know retiree there are no certifications you know what I'm saying >> it's it's going to be someone who wants a gig of this kind and doesn't want certain other things so it fits for that price range >> so assuming we we say yes, look for a funding source. Um if you can't find a grant, then this doesn't fly, >> right? >> Basically, >> can I add to this? Just >> Yeah. >> But also with the grant, I would assume that if he finds a grant for something else that we've also budgeted, sure, >> then that then possibly you're just, you know, there's no point in running the bases if you have no interest in. But if you did, then I would be you know, going through the process of trying to figure out, >>

078but I wouldn't just do that if I didn't have your direction to do that because there's about a hundred other things, too. Like, you know, we need an MLL person. There's 25 to 28 students that do not speak English as their first language here, and we could definitely there's more support there, too. There's about 10 WFPA I could bring you. This just came up on the radar because there's there was a recent conversation about security and then that brought it up to you know AP there was a feeling to put it on the agenda and that's why we're here this. >> So then let me ask you this question. Why isn't this saying I want to find three more? Let me find a funding source for three more and then once I find that I'll

079bring it back to you for hire. >> Well, because it seemed like uh the paradigm of K5 and 612 was a reasonable reach right now. You could direct me to try to find three more, but you're looking at money that we definitely >> don't $150,000, >> right? >> I mean, we don't have this either. It would be just, >> you know, if I'm using certain grants and let's say, and I'm not saying this is possible because I just don't know yet, >> but when I go through and I need to do it now, now's the time of year where a lot of my time gets dedicated to doing some of our grants, entitlement grants, other grants. If it just so happens that this year X dollars become available, like we use the open choice ASSG

080grants for special education position. If some money is available in those, instead of using it for X, the board has directed me to find, you know, money for Y. And now's the time because th this is where those grants get finalized a lot of them. So if something were to come available and I was directed to do this, then then I would try to make that the case, you know, but it's just it's just timing. I mean it it became something I think that you guys wanted to talk about and I'm ready. I mean this is here and if we had if we had all the money that we you know if we had everything we wanted we'd have these and all of it >> you know. >> Is this person an existing PRA or

081he is this is this person employed by us? is yeah the satsa >> this person do you mean the person that we >> the person that you have you have in mind >> for moving to this position he's already an employee for us >> we would have to post this >> okay >> and then see who applied >> okay >> but I do have some people in mind >> so the people that you have in mind are their existing employees that would move to this what positions might that leave open >> well I don't >> that now we I can't give preference to certain people. I would have to do the full process, but anyone I would have in mind would have to have had the adequate appropriate training and background. >> But the reality

082is if we move if one of those people that are currently employed, are most qualified for this position and and you feel that they're the best for this position. It's a trickle down effect. Now we've got >> it would open up whatever they left. And I guess the the question I have is that position gonna be a difficult find for us. >> I mean I guess no not not I mean not any more difficult than any other position of its class. >> Okay. >> So I'm not so worried about that that I would not do this because of Okay. I think Dana hasn't gone yet. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. No absolutely Dana. Um, first of all, I appreciate the conversation being brought up. Um, Jaden, you had a lot of uh, excellent points and and

083Bill, honestly, we have to talk about the budgetary aspect. So, I appreciate that. Um, I know that we all really want security, which is great, especially um, in the times we find ourselves. Um, but it's more of figure out the best way to relate like what the social worker does in discussion with the security aspect as well. Um we talk a lot about um security after the fact, but we need to talk about how we support the students within the school to give them the tools to have that social emotional level um so that they can have that support in the schools. Uh if the person isn't maximizing their roles, we're not going to get really good value. We do need to find that balance between security and support to the respective students. Um, I

084definitely think this is something that we need to continue to have a conversation and move this forward. I think it's important. I think we all have um different reasonings reasons for it. Uh, I think it could be a win-win if we maximize the role in its respective capacity. >> Thanks, Dana. Um, I'm just gonna add something to the first round if that's okay. Um, so you know, I just I think I'm very I think we all are, but I'm very conservative, right, about how much we talk about safety publicly, right? We're all very much want to make sure that we keep our students um as safe as possible. Um, I will say that, you know, again, personally, you know, if I I would like I would like to have an SRO and a SAFSA at

085every school, you know, or a trooper, what whatever that would be. Um, obviously, you know, as you know, Bill just asked the question and well said, um, this being a reasonable reach, it's, you know, it's adding it's it's at least an addition. Um, as Bill pointed out, we had to make some really tough decisions. I think when we did budget cuts this year and last year and probably the year before, we really we I mean, we spanned so much, right? I mean, we really there there wasn't a lot of areas that weren't touched. So, it's not as if we we just took from one thing to give another. We had to we had to make some hard decisions and we had to make some hard compromises and we touched a lot of our departments and

086and our students clearly as they brought to us tonight with the clubs. Um so certainly, you know, if I had it my way, we'd be having discussions about lots of ads, right? Um I think all of us would. I think all of us prioritize different things as well. The reality is they're all important. We didn't want to see any of of these positions go. Um, I do think, you know, like Dr. Willlet said, I do think our community is talking a lot about safety and our schools a lot lately as well. I think that I don't think it's unreasonable that this would be a priority for us given given where we are, given the numbers we are at with everything else as well um in comparison. So, um, I just don't want it. I guess

087what I'm trying to say is it's not that we wouldn't want to, you know, clubs back, bring a nurse back, bring a teacher back. It's not that we wouldn't want to do these things. It's that again, we're in tough situations and we have to figure out what we can do to best serve our students. I personally believe that this is an opportunity that we should we should try to take. Um, I feel the same way, you know, when it comes to discussing having the larger SRO discussion with the town. You know, again, the question came up and probably will continue to come up. Why now? Well, why did you cut it? Well, again, I think we can all say we had failed referendums. We did. We had that last time, too. Every time we had

088to make harder and harder decisions. Um, to make us to to, you know, to say that would say that anyone, you know, who voted for a budget that didn't keep us level services doesn't care about education. Well, that's not true either, right? everyone in our roles and the town council's roles had to make difficult decisions with what we have to work with. So, I think that, you know, I just think it's it's it's our job to, you know, constantly look for anything that we can possibly do that improves our district in one way. This is this is an avenue. It's an opportunity. Um, and you know, I I do feel, you know, I would move it to action tonight. Obviously, we can't do that because we don't have a funding source, but I just mean

089I just think that when it comes to security, this is something no matter what it is, whether it's a SATA, whether it's NSRO, whether it's a trooper, whether it's all of those things, I think that we should aim to do this as soon as possible. But um one thing to keep in mind to just just as we reflect on prior budget seasons and their budget season, the prior structure for SRO and Talon was a part-time structure. You could not hire a full-time person. Therefore, people that were in there understandably we had great relationships with, but eventually they would be here for a while and then say, "Oh, there's a gig over here where I can do 40 hours a week and off they go." Um, it's not till recently that we were able to thankfully

090look at getting a full-time person, which is a new thing and fantastic. But the reason why the budget season fell the way it did is those positions were unbuilt. There was no one in them. And at the time way, you know, originally at conception, they were part-time structures, not full-time structures, and no one was in them. So the board was in that very terrible position of saying, should we make sure that these kids get the reading support so that they don't fail to get it by second grade and have it affect the rest of their life or there's these two positions with no one in them and no one probably that will apply for them at a part-time level and you ended up being in a Sophie's choice situation. But there was no one there.

091Had there been a position or a person in the position, and certainly had there be a person in a position that was full-time, I don't think the board would have ever cut that. The board didn't cut a person here. It just took the money and used it for reading because there was no one in those jobs. That's the situation you were in. So, I don't want it to look like you cut something that was there. There wasn't the person there. In the future, we are working to try to figure out how to in Thailand have a structure that allows for you to have SRO's that will be long-term positions here and even maybe constables for your town. I don't know. But the kind of conversations that are going on right now are all about how

092to make that work. And there's a lot of looking at other towns. What are the other towns doing? How is their structure set up? What are they paying for? Who are these individuals? What positions do they hold? That's all getting worked out. But that's not something you can do in King Connecticut. A municipal board of education cannot hire a um SRO by itself or a police officer by itself. a state school um a board of a state school can but you know like a tech school because they are actually state and state can hire state troopers and so on but a board of ed cannot hire trooper by itself so in this town you have resident troopers and not a municipal police force I explored all of those options everything that you do you have

093to do through that conduit with with respect to that so we are working with the town and there's really great people on the town side all doing their best and I think we're going to come away with something positive but that's currently being you know pursued better. >> Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I just I'm all on board for additional security as I think most of us are and I appreciate all the comments by everyone tonight. Everyone had a lot of good and decent points regarding potentially adding this or at least this discussion regarding this uh sat just officer. Uh my concern um just in in the in the monetary aspect is if we get the grant for you know this position for this year. I feel like like we've had some positions to where we've

094gotten a grant. Yeah. They stay and then all of a sudden we have this burden and then all of a sudden we got to get let a nurse go or we got to let another teacher go or we got to lose a computer program because all of a sudden we got to fund this employee for 50 plus thousand for next year. Um, this budget process was very difficult as many of us have said and I just hate to be putting ourselves to an additional $50,000 already assigned going into next year. And like Bill said, we already lost someone else. So maybe the cost is even higher if we have to hire someone else to pay for the this other position that needs to be potentially filled on somebody who we have in mind possibly from

095the district. I just I want to make that reservation very clear because I think it's we've cut so many things. I hate to spend spend the money on this and then we're cutting something else, but the students are some of these. I'm not saying that this isn't something that we need in the district, but that it's like what are we pulling from to to to offset this is my concern. So, I'll just leave it at that. >> Yeah. I'm just really actually kind of tagging on to what Brian is saying and I guess my question in my mind I think this would be great. I do, but we've talked about nurses, teachers, you just mentioned MLS that there's a lot of there's a laundry list of needs at the schools that need to be filled.

096So, how are we prioritizing and why has this risen to the top? Uh, understandably, because you're talking about school security, I get that. But has the board as a group or and with Dr. Well, it's uh guidance decided that if we can get grant money, this is the top thing that we need to have. I guess that's what I'm wondering is have we looked at all of the things that were cut and all of the needs and said this, which is kind of a new position in a way. It's not new, but it is kind of new, is more important than all of the things that we've left behind. in last year or whatever. That's that's the only point and it's kind of I think that's sort of what Brian is saying. >> Um but

097that that's all I'm I'm not against it in any way, shape or form. We've all talked about security. We've all lamented about the loss things and that's I'm all like now we're going to add something new, but how about all these other things that we didn't want to let go of last year or you know actually just only months ago. >> Yes. >> Um so that's it. So, if I could answer that from my perspective, just because I've been a part of some of these discussions in full transparency, I did not realize that this was going to be an extensive conversation about this tonight. Um, I really didn't um I would have I briefly spoke to Bill before the meeting. You know, I would have, you know, all this stuff is again it's new, right?

098In terms of the SRO piece, um, this was really something that came from Dr. Will it but again I think the sad piece but I think that again it is because of the overall questions of security and I have been someone asking him about security so I I take responsibility in that you know as I as I said when I spoke I think that again to the points that both you and Brian are making Reinie it's not that you know it's not it's not that this and again I'm being careful I'm choosing my words carefully because I believe that we need to talk about security in our schools conservatively. Right. It's not that I'm valuing one position necessarily over the other. When we look at the the cuts that we made, when we look at

099the staffing levels in these various departments, I believe this is a department that we need to add on to. That's why it would be a priority for me. Um that's why I think it should be a priority for the board. But it doesn't negate that. You know, I think that there that there should be, you know, more nurses back. I'm worried about that. you guys know how I feel about mental health and as as Katie pointed out um you know I've been very vocal about how I feel that that leads into the prevention and um is part of our security overall conversation as well. So I'm not negating those things but again for me personally the reality is is that when we look at the staffing in these departments I feel that this is the

100department that needs a priority at this time. Oh, so to to the genesis of it is um I don't I can't hire a police officer myself. So I I can't recommend to you a police officer that I can execute from the beginning to the end myself. So if there's like security concerns, you know, and people are looking at what's happening in the world and they say, "Aren't you going to do anything?" Well, I can say this is what I can do right now. I'd have to have the board's backing to do it. I can execute this for the district. I cannot hire police officer myself. So, if there's no police officer available to us and there's no funding made available to us and I can't hire a state police officer for us, if somebody says,

101"What are you going to do right now?" I'm going to come to the board and say, "This is a position we could hire." Right? then it's up to you to tell me whether you want me to do it or not. Where is it coming from there? Right? But you also have lots of other priorities to decide. Now, having said that, um this does just so happen to coincide with a conversation that you know we've engaged in with the town and I don't know what will happen from that, but that was not part of the radar when this came on the agenda. That has come on the radar recently. So, so we're in this kind of space um where I am not sure what the board would like me to do, but um you know it

102may be that if we had some extremely good luck um in the next two weeks or three weeks, you know, I'm meeting with Brian Foley, we're meeting with um uh Sergeant Nihagen. You know, we're going to see what's possible on the town side. And it may be that nothing is possible on the town side. It may be that something is possible. And if there is something possible on the town side, maybe some allocation of a trooper could be made. But I can't do that myself. You know what I mean? It's not under my authority. This I can do. So, it's up to you whether you want me to pursue this, to hold on it, to come back for a second read to see if we can find, you know, or do you want me to

103hold and just wait to see what happens with the rest of the process with the the state troop. This all happens sort of in the same timeline. So, >> yeah, and I'll just say again, um, I and I'm not saying this as acting chair or vice chair. I'm saying this is just board member Jim Galant. I do believe that there's an urgency here. I do personally feel that way. Um, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't pursue these things. And like Dr. Love said, like I just said, I didn't realize this was going to be this discussion about the SAS officer tonight. But it's fine. I'm I'm happy to be transparent about the conversations we're having. It is just brand new. And we don't we have absolutely no um idea

104if any of those conversations will work out with the town. And even if we do, you know, we are able to explore an option there, that's going to take some time. I think that we need more security in our schools and I think that we need it now. So, um, I'm just hoping that you will consider that. And again, I'm not making that from a position of leadership. I'm just making that as a motion if you want. >> Um, any other discussion first? >> I do have a quick question. Okay. Um because I'm now confused about the motion that's there on the document here. Um we're not necessarily directing the superintendent to hire that position, but to seek the funding to hire that position with this motion or is that not accurate? >> Oh, we

105would first act a motion to move something to board. >> Well, yeah. I mean in this case if you're if you're anecdot anecdotally saying you want me to you know look at if I can find funding I don't think you have to make a motion to direct me but you can just say the board has expressed general interest in this and I will then go see what I can figure out right if I'm going to hire someone in this case this is not like I said the nursing you know or whatever this this would be discretionary that's what I would need the motion on because I wouldn't just go off do it. You know, if it's if it's a job, if it's a discretion, >> so I guess >> yeah, I forgot we were not

106in board action. So, dumb question. I resend it. >> Okay. >> So, I guess I would just express it this way then. I would like to ask the superintendent to pursue this further. >> What further? >> To pursue >> looking for looking for funding sources that would be able to go towards this particular position. Is there anyone who dis would want to disagree with that or would like a motion to be more specific on that? Well, we don't need to make a motion to instruct him to do that, but I would I would add to that comment saying look for multi-year funding sources, which I know you would do anyway, whether it's a a three-year grant or a two-year grant or a fiveyear grant, you know, look for something like that so that, you know,

107we could fund it for multiple years without us having to figure out in a couple months where we're going to fit it in. >> Yeah. And that's what I would come back to with is I you know this is what's available. There may be nothing available for this. There may be only something available for this year for this. In which case you'd have to pick it back up in budget season and add it for to to be inuity. >> Or maybe by some miracle there'll be some >> thing that just appears and here it is and now we can have it for five years. That is probably got a very tiny chance of happening because there's nothing out there right now like >> there's a chance. >> Yeah. Hey, the lottery happens to be true,

108right? Somebody just won. Um, so, uh, one point of order. Um, I know we have an old business we added, but we do have Pete Stava here tonight for capital. If we could possibly just jump to M1 next and then back to M1, that would just be helpful because I know he's Thank you for being here tonight. >> Doesn't matter too too much. I mean, I don't want to screw up your plans. >> Yeah. Well, you're not just But just as a courtesy, it depends on >> Yeah, I'm looking at that. Do we need a motion to do that? I I think we can at least informally balance >> I'm going to suggest that myself. >> Okay. So, um >> I feel like a strong rejection to allowing them to >> to explore a funding

109source. So, I'll do that. I don't think anyone's in disagreement with that. >> Every funding source you can find. They usually be that's, you know, >> okay, I don't see anybody's hands up either, so please do that. Right. That's good. >> Um and thank you everybody for that conversation. Okay. So let is let's jump then to >> so this is your second read of the capital budget request that the board be making uh for the capital budget that extends from what is 20 2026 to 2031. And these are the items with their priority levels. These links bring you to a extrapolation of exactly as Pete is over Mr. Stava has always called him Dr. Stava. >> He's doctor. Um he he provides a lot of great detail as you've noticed in the past narrative pictures

110um the cost of it. So, this table has the um the requests, the items we'd be adding to the capital budget request from the board to the town for the 2026 2031 iteration. And if you want to see everything that existed from our past requests, this table has everything in it with a lot of them linked. And if you want to see what we made for past requests in perpetuity for a long time, you can go to the um superintendent page and it has a capital link that has everything going back for years. So um there's a couple of places you can grab information on this if you're in the public and you'd like to see it. Um we certainly have the five-year plan or the capital plans going back for many, many, many years

111and all the supporting information. um you know that went with it at that time. So you can find virtually anything here going back many many years. Um and again all this is really from the hard work of um here providing the backup and everything every year that we need to to fulfill the request. So moving it forward to the town. So this is your second read. Um Mr. Zav is here tonight if you have direct questions about any of the projects and um I'll stop there. question. >> Um, fiscal year 27 talks about the uh the man trap at the middle school. Is that you know in in a perfect world the plan goes as we want. Is that would that be installed summer of 26? >> Yes. Okay. >> Right now it's uh a

112little bit beyond the design phase. Uh we're actually getting some pricing workups based upon the design that is there. Um of all the projects that I've listed there, of all the ones, I am most concerned about where the pricing is going to fall on that one. Of all the Okay, I'm just being honest. Um there's a lot of little features to that. Some of which I'm going to have to project manage myself. and we integrate access control and other things like that. Um but the plan is Bill right now is to have that completed for the start of school for um fiscal year 27 ended in August 26 and in the notes field to the right of that item even though I know there's a lot of information there. Yeah. Uh you'll see notes that

113will talk about some of the things and in this case potentially you know that one says security grant not received TMS will be completed the summer of 2026 fiscally 27. >> I want to add to it. I did try to pursue a cops grant um and uh unfortunately they don't cover construction costs um which is primarily what this is. We're building a foundation. We have to do a storefront. we have to do a roof over a room. That's all construction. Um so it wasn't worth it at that time. >> When you say you're concerned about the price, um are you thinking it potentially is 50% more, 100% more? >> No. No. I I think we we can uh 20 to 25% max more than that. Um our our numbers aren't too far off. Um, we

114just saw a pretty large rise in steel this past week, which is disconcerting. Um, but, uh, I I there's some other savings that we may see here. I may pick up 78 grand on the panic button project that we can switch over and push towards that. So, I'm always trying to juggle a little bit too because you do come under on some jobs as well. Okay, that's my question. Okay. Anybody else? >> I one of the projects you may have had a question on was we're revisiting the middle school patio. Uh unfortunately our our number was done in 2018 uh to 19 year and pushed out the full five years at that time. Um, and then we also modify the scope of work to actually include a total rip out of the staircase with new

115railings which weren't fully part of the old number. Uh, as well as trying to do concrete pads underneath the picnic tables that are now underneath the tent which has kind of become a permanent fixture at the front of the school. Um so in adding those features it added to the cost as well as just general wage inflation cost inflation uh that has occurred since 2019 and now you know because that project was pushed off at the end of that time frame. So, so we already have 67,000 to play with, but you are in essence saying we need that additional money to make up the gap based upon the scope of that project and the current cost cost of the job. >> Okay. >> Nice. >> So, this would require action tonight. Um, what I'd be

116asking respectfully for is a motion to approve the capital projects requested in the, you know, September 24th BOE meeting for the 2026 2031 capital plan and authorize the superintendent to submit these on behalf of the board to the town manager and town council accordingly. And once you do that, then I can go through the process of submitting them to the town and in the manner that they've requested. >> Okay. So, I'll entertain a motion to move it to board action. Motion to move the capital project request to board action and that would be under item what three action. >> All right. >> Yeah. Board action and three >> second. >> Any discussion? >> No. Actually guys, you're already This one's already >> It's in action. I'm sorry. You don't even need to move action. >>

117I thought I was losing. Okay, >> that's why it's here. Okay, >> I will retract my action my motion >> and I will motion to approve the capital projects requested in the 92425 board of ed meeting for the 26 through 2031 capital plan and authorize the superintendent to submit these on behalf of the board to the town manager and town council accordingly. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Okay. Reinie. >> Hi. >> Brian. >> Hi. >> Bill. >> Hi. >> Dana. >> Hi. >> Jaden. >> I >> Katie. >> Hi. >> I have an eye. So, that motion passes. >> Okay. So, thank you. Just um no no further question as you're good. Sorry that was so short. Should have done it an hour ago. >> I'm good everybody guys. >> Rest of the night to

118the students here. You guys did an awesome job too. >> Welcome to the fun. Thank you. All right. So we're going to jump back >> back to your um discussion M1 >> which is the open doors discussion. >> Okay. So let's jump back. Dr. Will are you prepared to lead a discussion on that? >> Sure. I mean, >> you add >> I can I always I always have >> I was never at a loss for words. >> I mean the open choice addition to the agenda that they'll make. >> Yeah, it was an addition you guys have. So I mean the open choice program is a fantastic program for the Tom public schools. you you know u allows for uh students that are in the heart open church program to attend Tom public schools and

119um you know it's it's been fantastic there's many benefits to um having community you know cross community attendance of school and we talked about that last board meeting uh it was talked about curriculum today as well and you know from the last five years uh the there's been about 500,000 and such dollars that have come in for open choice for um the Dallas public schools. So it's it's a very beneficial program for the standpoint of education for all children and u it also has a benefit of a resource resources that benefit all public schools. So if you wanted to expand the number of seats um right now typically it's five seats in kindergarten every year could ask a direct that it be now 54k 541 and 542 and have 15 open seats here versus five

120seats here. So it's just an extension of the conversation that we had already on the matter and whether you want to um direct me to do something different. Now, this would have to be for next year because the seat situation is already done, but it would give me a year to plan more of that. >> Okay. >> Oh, sorry. If you want since I made the motion. Um, >> yeah. So I I think the the biggest question that came about from two week ago's discussion was um do you feel that number one our our staff is doing well with the addition of the open choice kids right now? Do you feel that expanding um in to all of Birch Grove have adding five seats per grade um that our staff could be ready for the

121start of next school season to do next school year to do that knowing that you would have to provide some training um leading up to that this year but would give you you know plenty of time to ramp that up. Do you feel that that we could successfully implement that um and and be prepared for for for students from Hartford >> opening up for the grade one and grade two to five? >> Yeah. One and two. Yeah. >> Yeah. I do. >> Yeah. You would when we do talk about my goals for the year and so on the board understand would be that would be one of them. So there's time devoted to that that doesn't go to something else. But yes, anybody else have any questions? Um I'll just add that because we did

122have this conversation in curriculum and I did bring it up then I also brought it up the last time we discussed it but um um something you know that does concern me again nothing new here is you know our mental health supports in the school I do feel like we are lacking when it comes to guidance counselors and school psychologists and social workers overall. So, as we bring in, you know, students who have different backgrounds and from different communities and, you know, um, older kids that may have started at school somewhere else, I just want us to keep in mind, you know, when we do go back into budget season that as we increase our population and we do increase this program that um, you know, we just we always take that into account when

123we make decisions on um, what we have, what we currently have, and what we should have in mental supports just to make sure that we are um prepared for everything that our students need. I will make a motion to move expanding the open child choice program um to action. Is that all I need to do? And then I can make a bigger motion once we get to action. >> You move it to action under N3 now. And yeah, then you take a roll call. I mean, do you have a second? >> Oh, second. >> And now you have any other discussion on it? Then you do a roll call. >> Any further discussion? >> This is just to move it to action. The roll call vote. >> Yeah, it's just move to action. >> All

124right. And because you're hybrid, everything is roll, >> right? I just want to make sure that we we have the motion that you know it's going from 5 to 15 the grades and all that kind >> I >> Dana >> hi >> Jaden >> hi >> Katie >> hi >> I'm an I so that passes and we'll get to N3 >> keeping your toes right >> hey Lisa I'm all over the place here. You're doing well. >> Okay. So, now I think we're going to jump back to N2, which is the board of education meeting dates under board action. >> Got it. Y. >> Okay. >> So, you got it. Great. Um, so N2, as you recall, we had a discussion about the board of education meeting dates. The board uh took a look at

125it. There were some suggestions. Um I was asked to go back talk about that with Jen Blood who also works on the calendars and so this was the feedback uh but the tweaks that that were requested have been made. So it's just you go forward with with what you've got with the tweaks made or you can tell me to go back but um the reasoning for it existing the way it was is you know as listed here. So I mean we're ready to roll forward, but this is just keeping in mind BOE meetings were historically the same um on those weeks as the council. Uh the BOE meetings were historically the second and fourth Wednesday and the reason behind that was that they typically helped in the scheduling of other town committees and so on

126is there's some predictability to it. Um so that's just going to you know maybe cause a little bit of confusion because it just isn't the way that it was done that that that know it doesn't have any other negative impact. Um and it was something the community always typic you know if somebody was asking when are they they are most typically the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. Now that would not be necessarily the case for a couple of months. Um, so we would just have to clarify more that, you know, you've got to check the board of ed's website. You know, if you want to know when the meetings are, they're not going to always be this second and fourth Wednesday. Check the check the website. Check the website. I always have to

127make sure people are doing that. So, that's it. But those modifications have been made. You can see the calendar um is listed in this item. And uh there's any other tweaks, now would be the time. Otherwise, you'd be simply motioning to accept this calendar. Approve the updated 2026 BOE meeting dates. Second to talk about it. >> We have a question for student. >> This isn't necessarily about the dates, but um Miss Andis, our club advisor for student council, and I both notice that when you're on the board of ed website, all of like the fonts are in the same color. you don't notice that the meeting date like title is actually hyperl. So I was just wondering if there's a way to make it more accessible and more visible because it was um a bit

128of a challenge to find that. >> Yeah, that's uh we will try to Yes, thank you for that. Um yeah, so we will we'll we'll maybe make it bigger or something. The the software we use is not the best. So probably Miss Balumbo has tried to do something like that. I've noticed if it does well I can but we'll try to find another way. We are thinking of trying to find new software but it's the way it looks when you go to publish it is not the way it looks when it comes out the other end. So >> you know she's done a very good job of guessing look at that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anybody else? I'll just add I see the value in in having it the second and fourth for consistency

129for public consistency. I see the value in that even though um there could be times where we have backto-back meetings uh in weeks. Um but I also see the value in the suggestions that Brian made to um to have you know them every other weekend moving a couple meetings. Um, you know, I see that value as well. So, I could, you know, personally go either way. I might lean toward the consistency for the public. >> Dana, >> a couple things. I I agree with Bill. I like the consistency for the public the the same couple weeks that we've had uh in the past. you know, um they the the the public has craved consistency and clear communication from the board um for as long as I can remember. So, I think keeping that would be

130great. I do think that we could have a caveat of when it gets closer to those meetings that we have backto-back meetings. If something does come up, we can make some changes if needed. Um but my question to Dr. Will it did Jen uh verify that these will not conflict with any other committee meetings uh town meetings? Again, there's sometimes when we've had like three or four committee meetings and then a board of ed meeting which is is a little extreme to ask of any one person to attend all those meetings. >> Yeah. I mean to the to with the information available. Yes. Right. But everybody's doing their calendars now, too. So, it's with the information of it. I I don't think we we're not going to be able to say with 100% certainty that

131someone's not thinking right now that they would schedule on a, you know, first Wednesday or whatever because they probably historically think it's open. So, it's there's no way to say that that we wouldn't overlap with something. It's just when we publish this, what we can say is, well, this was published back on September 24th and yours was published on October 5th, so ours was there first. I mean, we could say that maybe, but um yes, she did her best to see what was what was on the radar, but she's not going to have she's not going to be able to see all of that because this happens. Some of the scheduling happens. >> Well, I would I would lean towards what Bill was saying with consistency with the the the the same scheduled meetings. um

132the same weeks of each month and go back to the original version. I'll make provisions as needed uh for transparency and consistency which is way I be which is the way I would be leading. >> Okay, thanks Dana. Right. >> Yeah. I just want to say when I first got come up to make uh you these changes was the part of the reason was some of these were from one week to another and if we consider that we go from a Wednesday uh meeting that ends at 9 10 11:00 at night uh to have Walt and his staff go back executive uh committee go back to try to get an agenda to get it out to us for having a meeting the next Wednesday at 700 p.m. A lot of times in my experience from

133being here that very little or things are rushed or we don't have information or oh we didn't have time to pull that data because we had such a fast turnaround instead of just moving it to one additional week to where it's spread out a lot better or also the fact that we get to the point to where some of these when I looked at them there was three weeks in between which is an long period of time especially within the school year. So that's why I went to it's to being positive to change these to the every two week process. It wasn't to exclude the public or to not have the public know of anything. I just was promote more of an operational and uh better for staff or getting and getting data and be

134more productive in the meetings. It seemed that every two week meeting was more of in my view a successful setting up for a more successful and federal conversation with data uh towards the within the 2026 school year. So I would hope that we would vote for this but if people don't want to I understand that as well. >> Okay. Anybody else? I will entertain a motion. >> Make a motion to approve the updated 2026 board of education meeting dates. >> Second. Okay. Any discussion? All right. Let's roll call vote. Rainy. >> Hi. >> Brian. >> Hi. >> Bill. Dana. >> Nay. >> Jaden. >> Nay. >> Katie. >> Nay. >> Um, I'm an I. >> Sorry. >> I don't know. >> What says that? Hold on. >> No, I don't think so. >> No. Uh

135the motion fails with four nos and three eyes. I will entertain another motion >> and um motion to go back to the previous version where our meetings were on the second board of ed meetings were on the second and the fourth uh Wednesday of each month. You could uh you could add to that and say mo you know motion to approve the 2026 BOE meeting dates presented in the August 27th 25 meeting. >> Yeah. But didn't that have all those >> but with with the exception of taking off the vernacular of the the days offer you you know this is this is what we had before >> right? So you would be taking off the possible the terminology possible cancellation. You're not making any cancellations. You're accepting what was presented on the August 27th meeting.

136Removing the language possible cancellations, >> you know. Yeah. >> Okay. That's what I wanted to make sure. >> But this would be what you're approving is what was presented on August 27th. I hope or or not. It's up to you. You can make a motion to do that if you want or not. >> Yeah. make a motion to approve the board of ed meeting dates that was presented on August >> 27th and removing the vocabulary of the possible cancellations second anyone >> second discussion I will just say that if anyone is confused I will be voting I to this and the reason I'm voting I proposed is because it really doesn't matter to me either way. So, I'm I'm okay with either one. So, that's why I will be voting I to this as well.

137Um, anybody else? >> I'm voting I for the same reason. >> Okay. >> Uh, Jen, I'd just like to add that it just keeps again dates or no dates. It just keeps consistency for the public to minimize confusion. >> Right. Thank you. All right. So, with that, I will start with Reie. Hi >> Brian. >> Hi >> Bill. >> Hi >> Dana. >> Hi >> Jayen. >> Hi >> Katie. >> Hi. >> And I am an I that passes. Okay. Where are we? Okay. So now we're going to do the new board action N3. Correct. which is the open choice. >> Yeah. >> So, um I guess I can start that with entertaining a motion if anyone is ready to do that. >> Make a motion to expand our open choice program >> seats. Five

138seats. >> Five seats for first grade and seventh grade um to be combined with the existing five seats for kindergarten. Do I hear a second? >> Second. Oh, never mind. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> Yeah. Quick, I'm sorry I didn't raise my hand, but here's my voice. Um, uh, quick question. Was there any consideration and we might have talked about this and we definitely did talk about this in last meeting to before we expand to first and second grade sort of expanding the um, at the kindergarten level. Um I just number one I can't remember if we discussed that in length last meeting or and number two if we did not I'm just sort of curious here. >> You mean in additional seats? >> In additional seats. >> I don't remember discussing that. >> Discussing

139that. I guess a good question Jaden would be on a yearly basis Dr. Will it when we when we allow five kids in do we have in the kindergarten level do we have a waiting list after the five or are we just >> not currently I think um the other the thought process at the time was it's it's roughly one class one student coming in per classroom per set. So I would look that as a escal you know as a a a a manageable number of new students to come in from you know to the pro to the school from and if you three different grades you're you know your escalator is potentially 15 kids per year coming in that type of thing was true. So when you talk about can you manage it, can

140you you know do it well, that's that's all part of that. I mean technically you could do we we will do one new child for every teacher in the grade that you know is a classroom teacher but that fluctuates year to year two. It's a little less it's a little harder to nail that down. >> So it just settled on five. >> Does that answer your question Jaden? >> It does. It does. And it brings up, you know, other points that, you know, we discuss, you know, in January, February, March, and etc. So, no, that answers it. Thank you both. >> Okay. Any other discussion? >> All right. Then I think we're ready to vote. Rainey, >> I Brian, >> hi. >> Bill, >> I >> Dana, >> hi. Jaden >> I >> Katie >>

141I >> and I am an I. That motion passes. >> All right. That brings us to public participation. Um so com uh comments from the public must be limited to items on this agenda and there is a twominut limit. So given that we have no one in the room now we'll look online see if anyone from the public would like to say anything once twice we're all set public participation uh jumping to points of information would anyone from the board like to say anything at this Okay. Nope. Okay. Um >> will accept a motion for adjournment. >> So move >> second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> I Brian. >> Bill. >> Hi. >> Dana. >> I >> Katie. I >> and I am an I. We will adjourn at 9:07 p.m. Thank you.