Board of Education Meeting 2021-02-24 (Part 2)

001uh wonderful PD actually people were some people said yeah it was the best PD ever um so recently I was reading an article in school CEO and um a superintendent who was traveling on a plane and she doesn't like traveling on a plane anyway um there was some turbulence and so there was so much turbulence that the plane was literally dropping and people were starting to really panic and worry and be reflective of their lives and starting told pant and pray and whatever they do in times of stress and at one pivotal point the pilot got on and said I know that this is worrisome however this is called constructive turbulence and so what it means is that we will actually get to our destination more quickly however we are going through this period it

002is safe even though it's uncomfortable so to me that is a metaphor for this year and certainly even for our PD um because we talked about grading we talked about learning gaps um we talked about 504 not being the default for special ed services and really being honest about what 504 really means um that our K3 teachers had to comply with the state reading survey um which is always a challenge every single year not because they don't know the material but because they have to go through that process um I I was so proud of everyone in terms of um just courageous conversations Really Brave people sharing what they thought being very respectful there were a lot of breakout sessions um where people everyone got to be heard everyone had an opportunity to speak um

003I want to thank Sue and her team Laura and her team the admins at the building who were facilitating a lot of um these different PDS Ally for doing her magic and her team um just incredible um without the it we just couldn't even have functioned um so sue will speak to it more but just really I think a wonderful wonderful day um with that I will turn it over to the office of teaching and learning um okay and go from there because we have a long agenda yeah so um you know what I don't have a whole lot to add to PD um Sue did a nice job of summarizing I will just say that um we got some really really good feedback um regardless of you know and as she mentioned we talked

004about some very tough topics some very controversial issues that have been you know districts all over the country have been wrestling with for many years um but teachers were saying you know to their site administrators and to us and to each other that they felt that regardless of which side of the issue you're on they appreciated the opportunity to have the conversation so um some folks actually said they walked away feeling like this was the best PD they'd ever had wow so yeah so just just really having the opportunity to you know voice um you know opinion so okay so move on so we are also continuing um oh you have this in your packet sorry it's there somewhere um like this one yeah it's probably under and Al has it up yeah uh curriculum

005and instruction we continue to work on curriculum development and revision um Humanities grade 6 through 12 is nearing completion we have also um taken a dive into math um and the math we're working from the elementary and moving up uh through the grades um the are also planning looking ahead to and I think we mentioned this last time we were together how to address the learning gaps that have resulted from covid again this is something that districts all over the country are are grappling with you know can we offer an extended day an extended year um so more to come on that but we are having those conversations and trying to make plans right now um a survey has been sent out to our staff to try to determine teacher availability and interest in you

006know Staffing those those opportunities for kids so once we have a better handle on that we'll be able to make more definitive plans um due to the snow days the many snow days and interruptions that we had we did extend the winter student assessment window until this Friday so after that that wraps up we'll be able to uh do a deep dive into the data and then bring that to school Improvement um for your review and then I'll let Ally speak to her piece sure so we are fortunate to be um one other three school districts in the state to be featured on the Connecticut state turnaround office in a Statewide webinar on technology-driven professional development so they want us to talk about our um you know how do we keep our teachers up to

007date of Technology what do we do so we have a whole array of on demand PD that my staff myself and and other people in the district have taped and you know just even little quick things in the classroom how do we get our sound to work how do we um broadcast to our students so many little things there's got to be over 50 60 videos up there at this point and it's bookmarked for all the teachers to access and um that's for the most part what's known as as alie's videos and so we we're going to be featured about them which is quite amazing um we finished the installation of an outdoor access point at the high school and I'm just waiting for the state to turn it up and that allows outdoor Wi-Fi

008access free of charge um to the community within the high school parking lot let's say we have some students with um spotting internet access issues they could be you outside the building not be on our Wi-Fi be on a state Wi-Fi and have access to the internet and over learning resources we also um collaborated with Mr Barlo and my team and I spent most of the day yesterday installing this really cool signage board in the gym so we'll be able to support our teams show the scores Sho them on um watch instructional videos on this board as well so it's it's a pretty cool board check it out if I could just add one quick thing so sue and Ally and I actually met via Zoom with um representatives from the other two districts that

009I mentioned for this Tech feature and some representatives from the State Department of Education just really quickly to kind of plan out and once we have dates we'll certainly let you know um when this is all going to happen but really it's quite an honor so we're very very grateful for you know Ally being on our team and you know to be one of three districts in the entire state to be recognized and selected for this pretty so I think your reputation precedes you across the state people are talking about all the great things that are happening in torington with respect to technology so thank you came from exactly be careful never wonderful Ian for sure any questions for any of that those items that were covered some things but I'm going to wait till

010our other I'm sorry yes but you go first oh yeah no I was just going to say because I know we had had a bit of a conversation about the grading discussion and we were going to get I thought more of an in-depth I thought we were gonna do that is that is that going back to school Improvement perfect that's I thought yeah that answers it Gary did you have a question no that's what I was gonna say I think we're gonna defer to that questions there Ed do you have a question no I'm good sorry I can't see you no problem right special education update okay okay hi guys um so Ally can you just pull up my update thank you so um we had a minor increase this month and as we've said

011before um sometimes we have things that happen that are not within our control so all six that I'm sorry five of the six that have um added been added were not um there was nothing we could do about it so they were either agency placed or they moved into District um you or they were released from like a hospital setting so that's um where five of them were and we actually did outplay one of our own um so we do do that we don't just always bring them back if if their needs cannot be met obviously we do that um for the second I believe it's the second month in a row now we're be below 15% on our prevalence which is exciting because the state average is 16 so we're below the state um

012the next page talks about um Al could you just thanks so the next page for our outplacement um excited um to say for the first time we're now below 11% on our outplacement we 10.88 the state average is 13.5 um at this point the um the total referral so we've talked about this a little bit I'm really glad we broke down the parent versus the school because um you could see it it's almost doubled that you know the parents um refer and not that there's anything wrong with that I just think that perhaps I can do some kind of um training uh provide some information on what we just provided for staff at the PD so at that PD day we um did about an hourong presentation my leadership team and myself on the difference

013between what's just good differentiated instruction in the classroom that's there for all children and when a child might need accommodations that go beyond that where they may have a disability but not require specialized instruction that might require 504 plan which is still regular aded or if they require the specialized instruction then they might need to be in special education and have an IEP so uh we provided a a training to staff on that and in looking at our referrals I just thought it might be helpful at least in my newsletter um which is going to be coming up in about a week or so to um maybe include a little bit of um definition of what each is and possibly even at some point do some kind of a webinar training that parents can um

014jump on to just to see if they think that their child might require special ed uh what they should do prior to that so um that's kind of up and coming we we will see um if we need to do that but I'm definitely going to put it in the newsletter um let's see uh so the next thing is our exits um we've had 29 students exited from Special Ed this year so again those are students that have tested out they no longer require special ad so that is always something to cheer about um our what's kind of different this year from last year is our in andout rate has really leveled off so as of right now I don't know how it is for um the whole population but for special ed children moving

015in with IEPs and out with IEPs was at 30 uh so even um we just began to as part of this whole budget process look at the needs for next year and just as I talked about last year we look at every single child to make sure that we can provide what they need it's not about fitting children into our existing programs it's adjusting our programs to meet the needs of every child so we've really begun to work hard um that the leadership team today we really focused on preschool um but they have been coming over with their data and we're talking about that so um more will follow as we go forward over the next couple months and that's it Laura do you know how many we' started this school year with instead total

016um I have I don't have it on here because I don't keep track of the beginning total but I could get that for you because I have these from every month you could I was just curious to see what we kind of started the year with Y thank you I can get that for you probably even before the end of this meeting I got you all can I ask you a question on the this page here where you have the total prek School referral so are those bir to three referrals who's made those referrals just because in comparison so K through 12 we're making 24 referrals but prek is making 60 referrals yep so if you look up on the last page way up at the top my eyes are not as good as they

017used to be um so if you look up there it's not 60 it's 36 School referrals and nine parent referrals so the the school referrals those would be your birth 3 so any children that were in birth 23 or children that were in community preschools if the schools made the referral the nine is the parent referral so what is the gray at the bottom represent then that is the total of preschool through 21 which is actually now okay yeah 21 year old [Music] 21 well now 22 right level of referrals in comparison to what we're referring 30 I'm sorry I didn't hear what you said fana seems like a high level of referrals for prek yep you have to remember that when a child is receiving birth to three it's almost an automatic that you

018know at that point they refer now whether or not we um go to evaluation sometimes we don't but often these children have been receiving um services from the time they were born and um there's also there's a disability category called developmental delay and it's uh how do I describe this so you can only have that disability until you turn six the eligibility criteria uh I would say that it's a little bit easier um to kind of qualify under a developmental delay so a lot of times children will be referred right from birth to three the thought being that if we can uh you know provide them with that boost of services perhaps it truly is just a developmental delay and when it's time to reevaluate before they're six years old they could possibly be exited

019from special ed because they would not qualify under any other category so you're right there is a there's always a high number of referrals we typically double preschool students because as soon as they turn three if they qualify they have to come in and that's not just here that's across the whole state um which is why every year planning for prek is tough because I never have the same need in September that I will have in February um so every year like okay what are we going to do we need another teacher we need you know so it it's always a little difficult have any other questions on any of this [Music] report Ed are you all set all set thanks moving on diversity and Equity committee so as we um presented at sck the

020district Improvement plan HR um stated their goal which was to ensure that we were in compliance with State Statute and Kim has pulled together A diversity equity and inclusion committee and this is just some information just a quick overview um because they had a highly success ful meeting um again uh courageous conversations and um constructive turbulence so um Kim you want to just talk about some of the highlights because I know people were at the end of the meeting and really feeling very positive and energized absolutely thank you so much um I'm really proud to share an overview of our Equity committee uh it was a tremendous uh meeting and I'm I'm happy to share this kind of uh information with you so Ally if you can move on to the next screen so I

021wanted to begin with some background um on kind of what brought us here as Sue mentioned um so sections 10-4a and 10-22 a of the Connecticut General statutes does hold Boards of Education responsible for developing a plan for Recruitment and Retention of minority teachers and Public Act 1834 um requires that Boards of Education prioritize minority teacher Recruitment and in response to this the board of last year uh did adopt and revise uh policy number 4062 on minority teacher recruitment so then moving on to this year uh in January of 2021 the school Improvement committee uh was presented our district Improvement plan which included the HR priority goal uh to design a comprehensive diversity equity and inclusion plan that supports attracting and retaining high quality teachers that are racially ethnically anding linguistically diverse in order to

022improve outcomes for all students and one of the action steps as part of that was to form an equity committee to focus on inclusion cultural competence unconscious bias closing the achievement Gap and addressing disparity in disciplinary instances so who we included uh was uh we really wanted to make sure that we had a diverse group of people so there were 15 teachers 10 support staff nine administrators and 10 various Community me members who were all diverse in nature um we really wanted to make sure that this group was diverse in position level gender race and ethnicity um and there was an intentionality to ensure that the group was comprised of members who represent our community demographics um and so one of the things in addition to really robust conversation that Sue mentioned during the um

023committee and during the discussion we talked about equity and inclusion and it was really tremendous dialogue everybody was so enthusiastically involved um the committee talked about what our future uh goals might be and so we talked about that we're going to have to develop what those goals look like craft the district diversity equity and inclusion statement plan Multicultural events professional development for staff PR and communication technology access and Community Partnerships and of course we will uh update the board on progress as we move forward and as part of the uh followup to the meeting I did send out uh kind of a survey to get some feedback from the people who attended and um the the feedback was really amazing everybody these are some of the comments that people made they said the breakout groups

024was their favorite part they were excited to see so many people willing to work together excited to hear the perspectives of so many voices especially family and community members um seeing other people interested in the same topic hearing other perspectives and enthusiasm of all the participants so overwhelmingly the response has been incredibly positive and I'm just genuinely excited to Champion this work for the district I just wanted to I was just wanted to know who was on the committee so just as a clarifying point so central office had selected two board members so what we wanted to do with tonight um it kind of happened and then after I found out about it so we wanted to open it up um if any other board members wanted to come on um but we really don't

025want too many board members so that we constitute a quorum because there's uh parents and community members right I I I'm not just asking about the board members I'm asking about the whole committee who's on this who sits on this committee it out right so we can share but the people like I see how many I see the roles but sure and we can share the list okay that's not a big deal John John and then Gary I'm thinking that if you if you want to put more board members on this committee this is a school Improvement committee concern it's been our responsibility all along and I would like to see one of the standing members of the school and Improvement committee on this on this group as well does anyone from school Improvement have

026interest in serving on the committee I mean I would be interested I have a lot of questions about this yeah I I do too I would do is anyone from week so I don't if you're interested just reach out to me after the meeting and that way we can ask the questions we have on this presentation and work on is anyone from school Improvement already on it so Gary and Kathy kath's the alternate on the school Improvement committee okay Gary I just want to back up a second because one of the things that I wasn't even aware was com it was being offered and I didn't respond Kim I mean Kim and I we talked about some of the stuff but I didn't even respond to the email because I had no idea what it

027was I thought she sent it to the wrong person but I'm not criticizing I'm just saying I think that for the board's sake everybody here in the in the in on the two suos I don't know if this and I'm not criticizing but if it go if it follows our our our policy guidelines for committee establishment they're pretty clear and and I you know I think some people are a little bit you know upset that they weren't you know given some notice um and I I'm trying I'd like to avoid that in the future if possible sure so I just want to take full responsibility because this is not because I should have brought it so yeah so my apologies um and should we we have two board members on there if those board members

028do not want to continue um I just so that we have a balance um I mean even going even going down the road you know as a board we should figure out what the policy is on committees just so we don't have to subcommittees well one I think this so this isn't a committee of the board sticky right right but if it's something that the board is responsible for make like in the beginning all this whole thing talks about how this is on holds the Board of Education responsible for developing this plan and I think we all need to be aware of like I said who's on the committee what's being discussed when's it being discussed if it's something that comes back on us then it should be added to something I don't know whether

029it be school Improvement or you know we report back regularly just something that we need to keep in mind hold on Ellen go ahead I think by Board of Ed they mean Administration that's us the Board of Ed well that's not clear I know it's not clear um but it's not do we know that means to my understanding it's not a committee of the board it's a committee and a couple board members were asking I understand that but it's specifically says the Board of Education not because ultimately we're respons everything it's going to come back to us right I think yeah if it says this then we need to make sure that we're in the loop and and understand what's going on we be reporting to the board the board but this is like the

030first of it's in flight and there's like I think Jess you have a lot of questions I still have a lot of questions I don't know if it's something you want to take offline well you can't do that but or in in our school Improvement I mean I think not with just in terms of the policy and that is you know Board responsibility policy 4062 is a minority teacher recruitment policy that was adopted in January 2020 so that's a Board responsibility and then as a district we have a responsibility to move forward with this in terms of we are responsible central office is responsible to communicate with our parents have equal representation um do Outreach with our community it's part of our own evaluation that we hand in in terms of to the state um

031so that's a whole component just like administrators at their site have a responsibility to do parent surveys and you do community surveys you do obviously student surveys you're getting input constant so this is another piece of that if you will okay um so this is more of a district Community Committee and I think Kim worked really hard to make sure that in my presentation tonight when we do the budget you'll see just demographically so we want to make sure that we have equal representation on this committee as well I mean John and then okay so yeah this this came up more than a year ago and and for obvious reasons nothing happened last year we're still in that kind of turmoil though what what made it what made this year the Year in the midst

032of everything that we we started this I think that everything that is going on in the world right now um pushed things to the FL um and just like we had a pandemic and then we had a a lot of upheaval in terms of social issues for adults to try and grapple with or students try and grapple with um it these are relevant issues um these have been on the books really even in terms of the state initiative since probably 2018 um and it's probably even before that and many districts have already moved forward and have had made they' made great progress um with this I could just has that progress turned into progress in their in their testing results for their achievement I I don't know I'd have to check okay I could just

033add one thing so I happened you know just coincidentally to be on a call this morning with um at Advance and running and you know every month we meet as a curriculum Council and assistant superintendents from across the region that at Advance Services and this actually this topic came up and just about every everyone on the call is is engaging in this very work in their District so um and many of the districts started the work um recently because of what Sue just said that the pandemic kind of Amplified the need um to get it going Gary J you first no go ahead we talked a couple weeks ago about being straight I I think the concern is I'm sensing um that not so much the the um the hiring process because a couple years

034ago we talked about the need for it um and not only not only to be honest I've said this before people laughed at me not just more minority or let's say we need some we need black male teachers I think if we can find them if they want to come I we need more male teachers we have a huge disparity between male male and female 287 to 87 and that's one of the things that kind of fits into the other side of this which is equity I think the equity side is what's causing some concern because you know there wasn't and I we got I got into some heated discussions with one of the women and you know I think that leads some people to believe after me sitting through it and I can defend

035myself throughout the whole thing that you know where does our pedagogy if that's a word it is a word but that's properly used um fit in with how we approach Equity because I I spent last two weeks studying the equity issue and maybe I'm overthinking it but a lot of the discussion we had in our little group was about um race as it relates to and I brought up the grading issue came up um as one aspect of it and also critical race Theory that's a very divisive issue um and in fact it's a an issue that has a long history of of creating Division and I don't think that aspect of equity is something that we've ever talked about being as part part of our pedagogy you know one is um you know more

036the our education process of Mer meritocracy and and learning is different than what that is and I don't think our Equity committee has the ability to or should be involved in that discussion I think that portion of the equity committee has to be among the board members um because that is strictly in my opinion and again I might be wrong something that nobody's ever even considered as part of this board um it it changes the whole approach to education and the state's not calling for that i' I've spent time on the phone with the state the whole hiring process is is critical no doubt about it and I think that should have been carved out in my opinion because I think at the equity side and I said this at the end you know nobody

037even the question is what is equity I bet you most people in this room can't Define what it is in education because it I've said this in in in the breakout we have it in our policy menu torington is a great diverse Community C this day one if you look at our policy manual you look at our handbook as defined as Equity at the state level and you know at the educational level we address it all we may not do it all but we have it all when it comes to you know the I don't know John what do you call our education system in this country you know the the the traditional way of educating which is meritocracy rigor you know all the things that we we've talked about going the other way is

038a completely opposite whether it's the teachers views what's required of the teachers our handbook doesn't even allow the teachers to address some things that that again are we thinking of critical race Theory as as an Avenue because it changes the whole look at how we look at this and no I to pull one little meeting and so it was just to start a discussion correct to start listening to folks CommunityWide parents I just but I think it's a board to have an agreement that we're not going to go on that path hiring yes but I don't think as a board we would agree that we're going to go down the path of of entertaining critical race Theory because that's I might be wrong let just keep I'm just trying to get straight n so we

039don't fight later yeah but let's kind of stick to questions yes just because so many people have questions yes go ahead I'm trying to digest this having just received this information right now and to me this seems like a lot more than just one little meeting I mean this is a committee of 44 people how did we select the people I understand that whoever selected this group did it with a mind of being diverse in position level gender race race ethnicity whatever some of those words mean um but what is how were these specific people chosen did people from the community express interest in this were teachers given an opportunity staff given an opportunity to express interest or were these people individually selected so a lot of the folks who were on this or who

040have participated on the committee are people like within the community who have already they they're leaders within the community like Maria Gonzalez or um I think e Effie's on it as well Effie and um I don't know if and Gaz is on there as well um if you want to speak to some of those folks and then you can speak to some of the other issues and I'll jump back in want to talk about the community members yeah so we really it was just it was randomly selected kind of based on looking at an intentional diversity and yes we we Outreach to the community uh partners that we know had engaged in this work at the school level so Effie and Gaza Maran Gonzalez um dock uh Williams Williams um you know parents you know

041we we partnered with um you know administrators about getting parents so so yes we kind of looked at that intentionality uh within our our staff population so it was a randomly selected intentional list yeah I mean they were randomly selected with insights but we looked at positions and levels and and again trying to really intentionally make sure we had diversity of gender race and ethnicity so more of an equal representation so was was ideological diversity considered or are we only looking at people's ethnic diversity well the state statutes and the minority teacher recruitment uh objective is about racial linguistic and ethnic diversity so I mean I have no we we have discussed the you know the the policy that the board signed off and we were all very much in support of that I I

042see this as completely Way Beyond that this I think is a significant overreach to that and I really wish I'd had more time to process this information before I go and say things about it but here we are so on this background sheet it says um priority goal number six design a comprehensive diversity equity and inclusion plan that supports attracting and retaining high quality teachers Etc then there's an action step number one form an equity committee to focus on inclusion cultural competence unconscious bias closing the achievement Gap and addressing disparity and disciplinary instances is that I I don't have that other document in front of me is that action step number one a part of the district Improvement plan yes yes there was there was more action steps to um the the HR priority goal

043number six as part of the holistic District Improvement plan but this was just the purpose of the equity committee this this action step is outlined in the in the plan yep so we get that sent to us think we're not sick we may not have received it so early in this year and actually at the beginning of last year as well commissioner Cardona sent out a focus on Equity um and in in all forms in order to close the achievement Gap and we have already been cited for the disparity in disciplinary instances and we actually had somebody from the state come and present to the board on those issues um because we had uh an inordinate number of African-American students being expelled um so we had to address that through the state um so when

044this is being added to the action steps for this committee we're really looking still looking at those issues that this is a districtwide and if we have our Community Partners who can also help with this so much the better in terms of really looking at what's happening what's happening with our parents what's happening within our community so that we can take a a whole listic look at how can we help to move our students forward and a lot lot of especially the folks within the community have devoted years and years of their lives to improving our community and trying to engage our students who have been disengaged Nikki and then John I think my my only comment was this is a topic that I think we need to discuss at bigger lengths and we just

045we have a heavy agenda in front of us that I wonder if it's best to to not vote on it today and move it to we're not voting on it oh it's I'm actually thinking that given this information we maybe should be moving this to a subcommittee we're only voting on or back to the school Improvement back to the S committee right right yeah I think I mean like for myself some of my concerns with this or questions about this is that this to me feels like something that should have started in school Improvement and this is no small thing this is involving Community me community members no more about this than the board does at this point and so I feel like it would be well the community members who were selected to partipate

046I mean not in general um you know I feel like maybe if we could talk about this put this on pause and discuss this more in in the subcommittee before before the this committee does any more action I feel like maybe that would help us answer some of the questions that we have and I don't know is that what you're thinking John and then Ellen let everybody get their comments and then we'll wrap up I would certainly be in favor of putting this on Hiatus indefinitely and I'm also thinking that we we heard the phrase move the community forward but along Jess's line I think that these people who are on the committee may be looking in Only One Direction forward you know forward left forward right forward Center or whatever and I I would

047really like to hear that some of these people care about academic rigor as much as they do about the cultural aspects of uh Equity because if we aren't preparing these kids for the world in front of them we really can't call it Equitable treatment Ellen um I I don't think this is a board committee I think it's a committee that the board was asked to be on to give their input so that's my opinion you no go ahead Gary go ahead I think you know I got the discussion about um hiring and those things I think is a pretty easy one overall but it does need to be discussed by everybody and I don't know what the protocols are for that other than talking about in a committee but it got a little uncomfortable in

048the breakouts about when it came to equity and I don't think people really understand especially some people in the group and you know Kim knows you know somebody actually ask me what color I was and I mean you know we don't want to go down the path where it gets where everybody's which is it's a very divisive thing people don't want to believe agree on it but hiring for diversity is a great thing but when you start talking about equity which nobody really knows the definition of um or can't completely define equity and inclusion I asked about inclusion from one you know a couple of people in there and and unconscious bias and um I mean Equity calls for closing that achievement Gap providing the resources making sure those students um that are not keeping

049up that we can lift those kids up through through new resources through you know whether it's Laura's help or Tutors or but when I talked when we got into the issue of well what do we do with the kids that have you know lower grades We're not gonna we're not going to keep our grades low I you I got a push back from some of them saying well you don't know what it's like and you know they come from these kids come from different backgrounds and it was about race the problem is and asked the question to breakdown Hispanic there's 33 races that fall underneath the Hispanic category and you know a lot of this Porsche is to identify the culture well in Africa alone there's something like 44 races how do you identify the

050different cultures it's a very complicated process and I don't think an equity committee that's there other than to maybe you know listen to the to the summaries and get put their input into it but it's complicated and it's divisive and torington is a very diverse town and you know we don't need people saying well you're this color or that color so you don't know because to be honest torington has has been this way for a hundred years and we are a lower middle- inome community where everybody's worked in factories or construction primarily and we don't need people pointing fingers um and saying well you don't understand you don't understand we need a comprehensive approach I think before we get as part of a subcommittee or whatever you want to call it really Define equity first

051and Define who we have as as as um black brown and minority in this town whether the minority may be Asian or it may be um you know Jewish um it's a number of things and yet it didn't feel like it was going to go that way um because I you know and can't you can jump in any time but I'm not saying I couldn't defend myself because if you know lots of people I think more board members would defend the board um but I think there's there's I don't want to say ignorance but there's a lack of understanding what Equity is because there's one path on Equity that leads directly to you know something different than what we already consider to be like John said rigor and and Merit Merit and and hard work

052and I got push back on that you know that's all I'm getting at I think my only comment is not everybody on the board is quivy to discussion and the dialogue that you were and I think it's incredibly frustrating to have to sit here when only one board member or a few board members knows what's going on yeah and so I'd like to table it and move it to six so we all know because we can't none of us have any context to bring to the table [Music] right John uh as far as whose committee this is as the Navy says it's happening on our watch the board will ultimately be responsible for whatever this committee recommends whatever happens as a result of this committee so I think that gives us plenty of reason to

053be uh concerned and and involved we're talking about can I jump in F go ahead I I I don't want to get into the the particulars but I would say just a couple things the first is that I think this sort of you know legitimacy question um as far as you know what is the Comm committee or group or whatever and and from whom or where does its Authority derive could be relatively quickly and easily solved by the chair of the board using the authority that they have under the rules under beneath which we operate to designate it as an ad hoc committee with members as the chair sees fit uh you know we've done this before uh and it creates you know that sort of that legitimacy but it also because it would be

054an ad hoc Committee created by the board that would subject it of course to uh you know Freedom of Information laws and meeting postings and all the things that I think we all think are important when we're talking about or doing something like this um and I I would say that that may be the best step um just so that the people who have been you know invited into these discussions don't suddenly feel as though perhaps the door is closed on them because the board you know was a you you caught off guard um and I I you know I I hear what uh our friends are saying that you know they caught off guard like I get that I just would say that saying you know telling this 44 uh strong group of people

055that oh by the way you know you're indefinitely on hold because the the board wanted to draw the discussion into its own subcommittee also is probably isn't the best answer you know I think there's a middle ground where a chair can designate an ad hoc and on that note you know I I hear what um you know what you said Jess about you know ideological diversity and things like that and I would say creating an ad hoc and ensuring that you know every board member has the ability to participate um is one of the first steps we could take to ensure that there really is that ideological diversity because ultimately you know this board is you know ideologically diverse we're all partisan elected officials for one um and you know just because I see these

056issues in a certain way and and other people do as well doesn't mean that I don't want our more conservative friends at the table I I think you know if if people want to discuss these issues and figure out how we can work towards an end goal which we we did all agree on you know and the state is ordering us to agree on um an end goal of diversity equity and inclusion then you know that you're absolutely right that that ideological diversity should be at the table um and I I would welcome the opportunity to sit down in this ad hoc with all the board members and all of these other people teachers community members who have already been invited to the table um to discuss it I just don't think you know closing

057the door on something that could be really good and productive is necessarily the best idea I I think we can sort of remold it in a way that gives it the legitimacy and the advanced notice and the diversity of ideology all at once um um without radically changing the group that's already started on the work thank you Kathy did you have anything no I mean I you know I was on the committee um and I participated it was a a very informative night um my subgroup or my breakout session was wonderful um I I think I like Sue's words of constructive turbulence um because I think there were some um uncomfortable moments um however not so much that anybody had to defend themselves I think I spent a lot of time listening to the people

058who were included in my group and they were community members and teachers um administrator um and and I think it we just sort of laid the groundwork for where we were heading um Kim did a wonderful job and I thank you Kim for for pulling it all together um and I agree with that I mean I would hate to see us put the breakes on it um I think there could be some kind of a middle ground because I think there are conversations that need to be had we need to listen to our community members um and how they are feeling and and I you know I mean I'm going to admit it I mean I'm you know I'm not in the minority so I I listened and heard their conversations and um with kind

059of exhausted by the end of the night because there was there were really robust conversations in our group and then when we came back together and everybody discussed um what had happened in their breakout sessions it was very informative and um you know I I enjoyed being a part of it and I would hate to see us put the brakes on it but I do understand if people feel it needs to be um changed in some ways but I would hate to see us end the committee so so Kathy what you just said was part you know some of the issue for diversity that's one thing but Equity doesn't take into consider race it just doesn't and Equity is not everybody can just keep their phones away because we've got people from the community wanting

060to know why everyone's on their phones so well we'll find out why have I now I'm minute I'm in a public hearing but Equity is not about that it doesn't even take into consider race that's my point I maybe we need to split it off but equity and education is about you know a b c and d and the state clearly spells it out on their website so all I'm saying is the discussion about race should have nothing to do with Equity it may have to do with diversity but then we have to go in and figure out what we have in the community you know as a diverse group and you and you have to really analyze that um you know whether it be gualan ecuadoran and I brought those I mean those are

061all different cultures so I don't want to I don't think we should just roll into this thing and say well Hispanic we need higher Hispanic people all right but what's the majority of our population that may be considered Hispanic maybe it's Ecuadorian and I know some of the people on on the in the group were ecuadoran and that's probably 70% of our our Hispanic if you want to call it that Community just like danbury's done you know they focused on the Brazilian population the larger part of their population and they beat you know they built resources around that so it's a little more you know we could we could gain more from it if we if we dug deeper and Kim dug deeper into you know what our what our demographic makeup really is because

062Hispanic is doesn't represent who lives in torington you know the 20 some or 30 some races represent what lives in torington and the most of the Hispanic portion is ecuadoran as far as as far as I know based on the numbers I saw so but in terms of equity race is into consideration and don't think I think that's what was coming at the meeting so let's do so let's this I'm not even sure at this point I think we need to have a special meeting just to discuss where we're going with this because this is much larger um than any of our agendas can right withhold so I think we should just schedule a special meeting to discuss this further um because even you know so none of us know what you guys heard heard

063or did in that meeting so it's difficult for us to and you know and the board also has to what is the end goal of the board on this because we set policy and budget so we can make this work don't get me wrong but no so I'm just saying so like we have to look at that too is the end result a policy sure we have it right so I think it's a much bigger discussion that we should have as part of a special meeting well and if I could just say one thing I had to pull this up on my phone because I don't have the paper copy but in our policy manual we have a policy uh 1028 which is role and responsibility of committees and I think we may want to

064look at that as well because this seems to indicate that the need for the committee will a committee will be published and communicated to the entire professional staff and school PTO officers so I'm I'm not sure if this committee falls under this I my plane reading says it does but I could be wrong so that might be something that need to a board committee or a district committee yeah and even so this is a this is referring to District committees I believe so any anyway I'm just throwing that out there clarification that's way well it's like a lot of our thousands of policies that were put in place in 1970 and nobody is really positive what the board members at that time were thinking I mean this one said 2010 but I mean we are

065bound to follow our policies if we have active policies and so that's you know I mean I will say you know and John can said they started the C call with us last week There's it's definitely being talked about in a lot of areas so maybe we just get together and talk about the direction that you know we're looking to go are we looking to set a policy what do we want to do how relative to this and when it comes to this most people will say everybody looks at it and and talks about it and comes up with a policy and does nothing I'd rather come up with something that works and do something you know hiring more minority you know I can't say preferably males but you know hiring is you know making

066sure we hire diversely and um and also address the other portion of it that needs to be addressed in a real hard way and make sure we know you know what we all agree on but I I said this in the beginning and Kim will say this we have what we need in our policy it's just how do we look at it and say okay this applies this doesn't apply this we keep this we don't keep when it comes to things like equity and and providing resources and making sure these kids that come in from wherever they come in from graduate with all the skills and all the academics they need and personalities and ability to socialize that were required as a board of bed to hopefully get them and that's all I'm saying that

067court of Ed's standpoint we have to look at this through budget and policy things that fall outside of that AR but if it's providing resources and those things so I think it's a good conversation to us for us to all have and it's probably overdue um but I think we should do it sooner rather than later because I think you guys have only The Works they've had one you guys have had one meeting when is the next meeting mid-march or no March 9th was when it was scheduled for okay so we from Tuesday they sched for Tuesday nights so just as a raise of hands are people available next Monday night you guys have 1579 Tuesday got double meetings Wednesday we have um building committee th Monday the only right clear yes yeah I can

068be there and this will just we can just do the board for this so Monday let's say six o'clock here I'll send a location to be determined okay you know just for the record I think you know everyone's intentions are good around this board members Administration Kim I think everybody's intentions are good we just have to kind of wrap up exactly where we want to go with this so I don't want to diminish the work can that youve put into this six o' will be all right moving right along superintendent proposed budget 2022 so just as a clarification uh the board is only receiving the budget tonight we will pass it on to the budget committee so if anyone have questions um you can send them to Armen with um and then so it'll be

069discussed at the next budget meeting we're not discussing it tonight we're just getting the presentation and encouraging everyone to read through the Budget prior to the budget meeting right so everybody has a budget binder either in front of them or um digitally thank you Allie for sending that to everyone so within your binder you have a table of contents and Ali's been nice enough to set up each section so that if you just want to look at Capital or you just want to look at Revenue if you click on the section where it says like section four section three it will actually just bring you to those documents I know very impressive um so that you can see all of that um and then uh my letter that just summarizes the PowerPoint which I'll go

070over in just a second um the budget details we always give you the breakdown of each one of the schools how it uh fleshes out um what it looks like any changes for each department any changes for um each school so um on this uh in the the summary because there's actually room there we can go back to 20 I'm still right now I'm in um where it says budget detail so if you go to that it probably makes it a lot easier because I promised to go back to the PowerPoint in just one second but just so that you know what you're looking at so summary by account kind of gives you a quicky Visual and then the percentages of what the breakdown is it also happens to give you the amount of the

071increase which is 78,2 1431 um so uh and then the breakdown shows you where we have gone from 2018 2019 2021 and then the amended budget and then where we are heading next year in 2022 so if you look at the categories across the very top when you look at at the budget detail it actually says budget proposal summary so I'm in the next section that says budget detail mhm so I mean those of you who' have seen this before you're used to it but just for some of our newer folks um you do get the breakdown so that you actually can see what the differences are um in each one of the schools as well as throughout the district like districtwide student services and such so you'll have time to digest that and then

072you see the actual budget in its entirety after the green piece of paper green for money we're always hoping for money more money um and then you have the capital plan which the board um approved and we as central office sent to the city uh in the month of December and so that's the capital plan for facilities as well as technology and then the revenue that will be coming in right now we have the 2019 2020 and 2020 to 21 proposed because we have not finished this year as we can update that through the budget season we'll give you more of those numbers um and then you'll see the revenue which is the grant Awards and revenue from state federal and private um and obviously if you have questions on those we can go over

073those when um when we start to have our budget meetings but the grant descriptions are in there as well so if you get confused about what's Federal what's state um it helps that the entitlements or the title grants are the are federal so if that helps for folks who are new to this process and then the FAQs the frequently asked questions we just try to get some basic questions out there for folks and we will have a section on the website with uh the budget proposal and then if people want to ask questions we'll set up um an email so that people can ask questions as well and we can keep answering um the questions and putting up the answers on the website and then any updates and you know they'll be coming you will

074have room in your binder for uh the new documents and then we'll three hole punch those as well so you can just keep adding so you may want to as we have all of these future meetings bring your binder so you have it as a reference perfect ah it really does help so with that I will be jumping into the PowerPoint um you know who you are Board of Education you're there um we're there too and just as a frame of reference we always start with our vision and our mission and our vision is torington public schools will ensure every student is able to graduate with the skills and attributes that Empower them to enter the college or career of they're choosing and our mission is through engaging instruction that is relevant rigorous and personalized

075to student needs torington Public Schools will successfully prepare all students to be productive citizens and critical thinkers capable of adapting and thriving in a global in a dynamic global environment so um that's our foundation and then we go into the budget summary I'm sorry oh okay I didn't get that one but yes thank you Alie I can work from this sorry the budget process um and I know it's a repeat for some of you and we followed a very similar process year to year um we start in November which seems to come earlier and earlier even though calendar Wise It's it is in the same place um each year so November two the present we really we meet with our administrative teams we talk to site leadership they talk with their department heads their coordinators

076their teachers based on what they need they put into the budget um over the last few years we have asked them to prioritize their needs and to pretty much as far as supplies um at the sites except where they're growing a program or there are specific needs to remain flat as much as possible um in terms of that Supply category um then in December we all meet central office and we meet with individual principes so that we can hear what their concerns and their issues are and we try as much as possible um and fiscally responsible to bring that to you so that you can see um what they were requesting um then the monthly budget meetings and updates those we will be experiencing um as we go through the next few months and then

077just the analysis of the enrollment the master schedule the student needs the Staffing the course of studies um The increased graduation requirements you're going to hear me say that over and over again is a real big driving force of this moving from 22 to 25 credits is huge um and we need more teachers so you're going to see some uh some uh staffing needs at the high school we just can't do it anymore uh especially in the time of covid um and just this budget is also driven by Co impact and enormous learning gaps um and what we really need to address so that being said thank you the budget summary um allly did her her magic in terms of some really beautiful there so that you can really see what pops um and the

078biggest issues uh biggest drivers obviously as always our salaries and benefits this is almost exactly where we were at last year um we were in that 4647 percentage that 23 24 um in terms of salaries and benefits um professional Technical Services 2.2 Property Services 1.7 um purchase servic that excludes the the special ed uh 10.7 special ed purchase Services 12 uh supplies and materials 2.5 and then property and Equipment um less than 1% really those percentages if you turn the page um are and you look at last year's budget book very very similar to where we were last year um tuition has remained um pretty solid at that 14% because remember even as Laura and her crew are working so hard in terms of special ed and um really making sure that our identifi identifications

079are um truly matching our student needs the tuitions are going up so you know you're playing that game there um transportation is a little less than that 7% last year it was at that seven a little over that seven um energies at that 1.8 um it really hit the two last year and then other at the 6.7 um so contractual increases just to frame this what part of the budget you know what does that really mean so the contractual increases come to a 2.03% or 1, 536,000 um I mean a 1.0 it's the0 82 benefits 1 Point um2 tuition um 11 um and then liability insurance is um really at a zero in terms of our HSA that's remained flat transportation we actually had a savings um because we have a credit had negotiated a

080credit uh energy and utilities are down also um John has done a great job in terms of making sure that our energy costs are down um he has really worked on efficiencies at all of our buildings um this insurance rate is budgeted at a 100% at 105 W would be um 16 million uh 67,900 [Music] $764 sorry $764,900 uh dollars that would need to be added um at 110% you'd have the 16.8 or an additional 1.5 million and then the claims costs are estimated at an aggressive rate now Ed will review this as we move forward if we went with the moderate rate we'd have to add um approximately 200 00,000 and at the conservative rate approximately 600,000 those are those rates are based on right now as we get closer we continue to meet

081with the insurance company and they keep updating the rates on a monthly basis so they keep providing information to us um are the rates set in April April or May April or May yeah um so we won't know really until April or May yeah so Ed will have a better sense in terms of um talking with them let's you know really nailing down last year probably end of April we had a conversation Alice and Ed and um the mayor and myself we were on with the insurance company and they were really talking about um our claims and and what that was looking like um and Trends and Co has made it a little weird um but so during the the regular budget meetings will be updating um that piece as well as during um our

082budget 20 for next year as well in those meetings so the non-contractual Necessities um you can see is just shy of 0.1% or $ 74,4 and where are those really coming from repairs and maintenance um and really we're looking at um repainting the uh track at the high school um any of your repairs for plumbing electric aack um all of those other pieces that you know it's just expensive books and periodicals library media supplies really updating um those materials so that our teachers have what they really need Disposal Services it's going to sound weird but Vogal Wetmore needs um extra Disposal Services we're really finding that that has has been in need for a long time and so then that's bumped up some of our cost Professional Services such as legal consultation fees those are

083um always a big issue special education just in terms of instructional needs um I know Laura has some specific items but just you know that fluctuation in terms of those pieces and then dues and fees um those have also gone up just in terms of our um uh it ties to our um fees for Collegiate applications a lot of it is digital now um so whether it's a a sports portf um a sports video or a portfolio a lot of it is digital and we really need those pieces um so what does what is included in this General budget at the elementary level it provides a behavioral program at tford we do have behavioral programs um at all of our other schools so it would help to support that it maintains uh behavioral supports at

084all of our elementary schools um it maintains intervention support which the board um has so graciously acknowledged that we need and and has um approved in the past in terms of budget maintains are what I need now block um for targeted enrichment or support time and then so at the the secondary um um level as I said before we this budget does provide enough courses and that really should say enough courses and enough staff to um teach those courses to meet new graduation requirements um for the 25 credits uh sick and then the full board have approved these courses that you're seeing so just a reminder of some of our new um options for our students which I I think are exciting options um to really challenge them and and move them forward in so

085many different ways our Yukon uh Western Traditions class our uh applied stem our um Robotics and coding class and really we're looking at expanding our foods and our child development classes we have so many requests for those pieces um and I was talking actually with Lance Reynolds one of one we were talking about foods and he wish wish that he had taken Foods because now that he's on his own you know that's a basic skill basic life skill and the Child Development feeds into our education pathway um and it we do have child development one and two we want to make sure that we can offer that um more sections and then as I said before English social studies science um sections are so so important we have to have enough uh sections and classes

086to meet those graduation requirements and then more Tech options and the family consumer science option um really is that food and Child Development piece um the other piece is really looking at the gaps making sure that we have targeted acceleration and academic support grades six through 12 um that's huge and then we have so many different needs for students that are coming back whether it's going to be social emotional or it's going to be Credit Recovery or it's going to be the learning gaps um we're really looking at creative alternatives for a regular Ed and our special ed um I know that uh the staff at the high school and the middle school are are working together to um address student needs on all those different levels develop programs um and you'll see some staffing

087increases in terms of um those to address those positions um at the middle school and high school so in terms of General budget districtwide um you are not seeing any staff or course section reductions because we simply cannot do that in the time of covid we cannot reduce our our CL our staff we need to have um and when you look at our enrollment um you'll see what the class sizes are at the elementary and pretty much at the middle school and actually the high school enrollment I think is even up some next year but it's it's staying consistent and so we really can't afford to lose any teachers and certainly with the graduation requirement increase we can't afford to lose any course sections um it does have the continued intervention supports we do need

088to continue to do our curriculum revision um I know that Ali's always working on upgrades in our infrastructure and our cyber security um Kim has spearheaded a lot of new uh efficient ways for us to work um as a district time and attendance management system professional learning and evaluation management system which she and Sue both worked on and then a staffing and budgeting system which uh for the very first time we used to create this budget and it was very very exciting um I know they were under the gun and it was crunch time but we had a system or we have a system now where we have the salaries and all of the staff in the system so that when we are looking at budget it we can actually tell who's who and what's

089what um and for those of you who have been with budget for a long time and you're you remember those Staffing sheets versus the you know New World sheet versus the um it's so nice because everything is there and easy to verify so it makes our life a lot easier um so we're very happy so the general budget um staff additions um the these are the positions that we need and I mentioned them before English science social studies um the family consumer sciences that foods that child development and it may sound weird that that person does both of those things but that's the wisdom of the state right so they have their certification and that's what the certification uh entails and then we do need a special education teacher at the high school and at

090the middle school um we have been able to bring some students back um we have we are working on developing more programs so we can develop inhouse and that ultimately will be saving us funding um and save us money in our budget so I appr appreciate everybody who's working on that piece I think it will make a difference um it definitely as the years go on um so we are also very fortunate because we are an alliance um Grant funded District so we will still have those monies we'll still have Title One title two um title four so you'll title three you'll see those if you look under the revenue and so those allow us these opportunities I'll talk about sr2 grants in just a moment but some of what I've suggested in sr2 uh

091or cares Act 2 um are also included under the umbrella of Grant um funding and Community Partnerships so for elementary what does that mean mental health workers um at K5 we have been very fortunate to work with Community Partners who have been very supportive of us in um providing Health uh supports behavioral support at each Elementary um we were able through Grant funds to have that this year we want to continue that next year professional development which is pivotal um year and dear to seart I know um and then music we really want to we had cut back cut back cut back in our music department we really want to make sure that we can have instrumental instru and integrated music at 45 instead of splitting people off and having them um just be able

092to do music classes we don't want to lose our instrumental music um instruction and lessons so that would be Grant funded also a library media specialist so that there would be one library media specialist uh at Forbes one at Southwest we are finding it really essential especially now in terms of digital learning support for students and for parents um and we are really hoping if we were able to do that and with Laura's uh initiative in terms of looking into the tag identification fees to maybe doing a possible pilot for um a class that the library media specialist would um be providing uh talented and gifted yes stop me if I'm using any of please Gary's usually really good at doing that um so so grant funding and Community Partnerships for secondary we're talking about

093behavioral support 6 through 12 um which we started this year but we're really hoping to grow even more next year mental health workers um definitely Community Partners uh Community uh Center for noal Health thank you mental health and wellness um has been really wonderful Charlotte hungerford's been great to us um we really want to expand our Spanish um offerings at the middle school and this grant will allow us to do that we really like to do an acceleration in that Spanish so we can offer more and students can be ready to um take on the high the challenges of high school Spanish um and then an additional security pair was requested um grades 6 through eight uh security parah security perah is someone who just uh comes in per most of our security Paras have

094um guard cards or they've been retired police officers um they are able to really develop a relationship with our students but also talk with them about good behavior and being responsible and um keeping them safe and making good choices um it's been really nice good good relationship so we really appreciate them very much um just the districtwide grant funding and Community Partnerships uh this is going to be pivotal and you'll hear me speak about this more when I get to the SR 2 or cares Act 2 extended day extended year everything that we possibly can in terms of addressing learning gaps um curriculum revision all core content areas I know Sue's always giving you updates on that professional development obviously is k12 and the intervention and um coaching support that the board has support has

095um really supported us in providing um we've been able to do some in general budget but we've also been able to uh supplement that or um provide that through Alliance Grant um we'll be able to do some of that through the sr2 funds as well so recent accomplishments wonderful wonderful things just I'll highlight just a few the graduation rate is going up so went up from 83 to 87 I know you've heard Laura really talk about how incredible um the percentage rate reduction has been from essentially 21 to 14.9 um 29 students exited out placements are reduced um really making sure that we have the the services that are students truly need um family community engagement you've heard me talk about this before we've been recognized home visits um office of teaching and learning is

096working on the professional development enhancing the curriculum uh Human Resources I talked a little bit about really streamlining our functioning um who would have thought I mean a year ago we were talking uh about student devices and our students not being able to utilize student device not having student devices and now we are a onetoone district um we have techsavvy students in saff they continue to learn and with alli's team they continue to um gain new skills um and then we passed the referendum yay yay to all of you um for the high school middle school and central office that is definitely something to um just be so excited about um our College acceptances I love this list uh students who go just fabulous absolutely Syracuse on are right no all right well we'll have

097to add okay Dartmouth you know notal um just wonderful wonderful places um and our our um community colleges are great supports for our students as well so who are we our demographics and our eligibility our elll um our demographics keep changing um as they do in every town in Connecticut pretty much uh we are now 54% white um Hispanic or Latino 33% um black are African-American 5% multi-racial 3% and then we have other we don't have necessarily a significant um percentage of um asian-americans or uh Alaskan um a variety of different other groups kind of are smaller in terms of that percentage what you see before you in terms of free and reduced eligibility um as you know all students are free um lunch designated free lunch at this point so we really don't have

098a free and reduced but this just gives you an idea of how significant um the percentage is just in terms of um who would qualify so I do have to say it's wonderful that the district did decide um to be districtwide because it did it and continues to offer food to our families um all our families even those who are newly you know laid off or poor or you know they just don't have an income so that's been very helpful so English language Learners um went from a 7% to an 11% um so that is growing um special education um in this very pretty graph is uh showing you that we are getting back to the 700 2021 762 and we haven't been there in a very very long time so yay uh yay to

099our special ed team yay to our regular aded team um lots of great things happening in terms of that and um with our special education outplacement Trends uh you can see that they are going down which is great in terms of um the actual as well as the budgeted our Magnet School student tuition um there is pre it's going you know it's flat again um remembering that Magnet School student tuition you've got regular ed students and you've got special ed students but remember when a specialed student goes to magnet school then we are still responsible for for the special education services and they set the rate of those services so a PA professional or a speech and language therapist or an OT or I sorry occupational therapist or fisical therapist we have to pay whatever

100that rate is that's set by that school um boag uh tuition and you'll see the numbers of students at the bottom um our regular ed students are um going down or special students are going up um in terms of our numbers for this year overall we're down by a little bit um and then boag special education once again same thing uh whoever is providing those Services is going to be setting um what we pay so then the enrollment um as you can see in terms of projected class size really it's around that 20% um sorry 20 students per class um first grade is lower but I I wouldn't necessarily change that because we don't know how many students are going to come to us in kindergarten and first grade this is going to be the

101hardest year to determine that so we want to make sure that we don't make it so tight that we can't possibly recover um and it's really really really tough to find teachers now we don't want to let our our staff go um I I just have a feeling that we're going to need them because I think we will have a lot more students coming back we had a number of students who just went into homeschooling this year because parents were afraid um and we didn't have as many kindergarten students this year um that remember this was October 1 so some of this kind of filtered down and when you look at our numbers from this year that was because they were lower because so many of our interventionists jumped in and taught the classes um

102and that was unfortunate but it was because we couldn't hire anybody outside because there just weren't Futures to be had um and then the middle school you'll see the enrollment is declining but you'll see the high school is increasing um and so that's very I'm very happy about the high school increase um so the only staff reductions that you'll see are uh point to French teacher because of the enrollment decline which we said we were phasing out the French um those of you who've been around with the budget seasons for a while know that Trend and then the retirements with our five retirements um the reduction in salary for our new fires um you're really talking approximately $30,000 difference so it is a significant um difference in terms of the reduction in salar and then

103reductions that are non Staffing um early early retirement we just don't have some people may have bumped out of that so we have a savings of 25,000 um license and warranties copier or service tech services student transportation electricity heating oil and um we have been able to move PDN supplies into grants I do want to both Ally and John because um some of these savings are really based on their hard work in their departments to make things um better in terms of what our costs are um then the total of the reductions um you can see at up to the 477,000 and then the new positions exactly what I had said before which is the the 5.6 um positions which adds up to the 318,000 and um so what does that mean when you add

104it all together the increase is 2.1 in the operational budget um and I'm really hoping that as the Press shares this information that they say the increase is 2.1 perc um because we are not talking about Capital this evening we are just talking about operational um right because capital budget was in December now we're in February so that amount is 1,610 227 um and so then you just see that once again and then Armand I not to overstep but I just put a tentative calendar just so that we would remember to talk about when you wanted to do any of those things um and I just put Tuesdays in because I know some board members are also tied into Thursday building committee so um and then just any on a happy note in terms of

105more more beautiful children um and remembering that they are our future because the kids are what we're all about just a quick question you didn't think that maybe we could take some of those behaviorists and push them up to our regular budget based on how much how much progress Laura's made that's one of the things that the board of Finance was looking for last year was what they said was they would reevaluate let's save the discussion about the budget budget meeting we're just receiving I I want clarification just make a list of questions send to ARA yeah y thank you sue sure [Music] everybody will probably have 50 other questions when you could run the world you will what you could run the world that's no no no than it's been a crazy enough year

106as it is thank you right is f I know and I'm so sorry you have to listen to me again I just want to say before I pass this out um so I had my conversation with Kathy DC from the state last Thursday and she's very nice lady um and I said you know I'm presenting my budget on Wednesday the 24th I just wanted to ask a few questions you know how can we do this allocation she said you you can do most of your funds this this next year uh 2020 um 21 and then you can 21 22 and then you can also do 22 23 because it's a two-year Grant so obviously you want to save some in terms of carryover I said when you presented it it looked like it was a

107split I said that has me worried because I can't possibly you know do all of this and just split it down the middle and she said no no it'll be fine and I said well the applications coming out on Monday the 22nd right not exactly so I said okay well will I have it by the 24th because I'm presenting not exactly so I she said we're thinking more like maybe Thursday or Friday but maybe not maybe not till March 1st but so we'll let you know so I'm like but it really is coming right and she said yes it's really coming and you will be able to apply and we'll keep helping you but it's not here yet so that being said I'm presenting this to you but it may change so every time we

108meet in a little budget meeting I'll tell you more of how this has more okay based on what they tell us and and where it's going and so take this with a grain of salt um or lots of grains of salt um yeah pretend you're on the beach lots of sand I mean I I don't know so as with everything covid we are just trying to figure this all out um so we are very happy that there are relief funds um and as you say Gary there are some behaviorist you'll see Behavior Health supports within this um budget because the the budget is for um 2.9 um which is a significant amount of money um and it so we are trying to use it wisely and so you'll see a lot of positions that I've

109already mentioned as well as some other supports that we really hope will move move our um our students forward and our district forward as a whole so we talked a lot about regular Ed Alternative Program um and we'll flesh that out a little bit more but what we were really thinking is we need teachers um we're going to need a a program coordinator for that we may need teachers to teach a sixth class if we are looking at Alternatives that would predominantly be um for students who are have very large gaps are really are having a hard time in the transition coming back next year um to in-person instruction so what are we going to be offering them um as a program so we're fleshing that out a little bit more the Spanish teacher I

110already spoke about I think it's really important that we have um as many offerings as possible and we're just not at this point able to um offer enough World Language to our students at the middle school who really want to take it and take it seriously as a full year class so this would afford US that opportunity is this just one year this would so that's why it's really important to have the carryover so right now we're really and what would happen obviously is if this really helps us and and we think it's worthwhile it's kind of nice to be able to Pilot some of this um and see how it meets our needs then we can do it for two years and because we have the carryover and then if it works then obviously

111I'd be coming back to you saying okay let's put it into General budget now um because we think that it really has made a significant impact and students are really ready for those High School classes at a a much um earlier time uh the music piece that I think is really important for our music program and then if we do that integrated plan as well we can get ready for the pathways which we're really looking at in terms of applied arts and Fine Arts at the um middle school and having that feeder a career counselor um this would really this person would serve a number of different roles nias has asked us for a long time to make sure that we have a department um person really coordinating the counseling department we have also been

112asking all of our counselors to work with students on Student Success plans which were mandated in 2012 um but that's very hard to do because we just have you know you don't have enough staff you don't have enough time so this is someone who' kind of be the checks and balances very similar to sped supervisors it's nice to have that person who's overseeing and directing and supporting and then also ensuring that our students are able to do exactly what our vision says which is figure out what their pathway is and be able to either go to college or career or military whatever it is it helped them figure out that Future Path and pull that together um and then the next piece and I'm not sure why that's the way that is I think that's

113a glitch sorry about that um so everything that you see under the 75,000 the 90 I think was off I don't know what that was sorry about that um we but you're going to see this again next week anyway so no worries um and then really talking about coaches at the high school level we have had them at the elementary and at the middle school so to really be able to hopefully um move things along a little bit more um it may only be a need for a short period of time so to see if that works um in terms of humani math and stem and then um making sure that that really should um be the K12 is not coaches is Teachers sorry and this is for um interventionists and that is to ensure

114that we have um at least one interventionist added to each one of the schools um so that's very very important um because we know that there are going to be learning gaps and we know that we're going to have to do small group and to have that extra support um when you say coaches at the high school do you mean coaching the teachers or those like tutors almost should say teachers right that one for the coaching it's coaching in terms of the teachers yeah in terms of supporting the staff and that's what we've done at the um Elementary and the middle school as well and it seemed to have worked out very well um and especially since we are writing new curriculum and using new materials then it's helpful for folks to be on the

115same page um media specialist at 45 we talked about the importance of that in terms of students parents and the tag and the possible tag piece um and I promise to give you a revision to this next time we meet sorry my apologies to those different areas um making sure that we have our four it techs um we have had higher techs this year that um were in RGB and were paid out of car's Act One funds um but I know ali um they've been invaluable in terms of really making sure at the different sites that they can be there so we have one per site because prior to this we only had two uh and it's just not enough especially when we have such an enormous need um Behavior interns to really make sure

116that we have more behaviorist um folks they're in between um uh a a Behavior Uh certified behaviorist are bcba um that's really the highest level they have the most training and really making sure that we have um like a behavior Tech so Behavior Tech is supervised by Behavior interns or bcbas the certified behaviorist so you get if you will more bang for your buck if you do Behavior interns because they're not quite the behavior the certified behaviorist yet um I know that we are Consulting with a firm right now for Behavior interns so that our Behavior interns can supervise our registered Behavior texts um and that's costing us almost $200,000 so it would be cheaper if we could actually hire our own so again that's a a guesstimate on how much I know Laura is

117trying to figure out what we could do um in terms of that and the next two lines really are about home visiting parent educating um Family engagement which is really so important particularly during this covid time when um we need to do a lot of Outreach I think we mentioned before how many home visits the social workers have been doing and um it's just been tough for those people who are really not engaged um Paul has been doing all home visiting to enroll new kindergarteners sort of thing like one-onone right really really pivotal um Behavioral Health supports this is again from Community Health and Wellness um where they really are willing to offer the supports um and predominantly we'll look at the grades but right now like I said ever changing it's really more grades

118um 4 through eight as we looked at it most recently um sanitizers because we can once the application comes out we could put this year's sanitizers in there and I know that um Ed is still concerned in terms of um that and as John has said numerous times we don't want to take the sanitizers away we feel like that's been very important for us uh and just in terms of the cleanliness of the buildings and if we do have um a a positive case it it makes me feel better to have the sanitizers there um that are able to go into that area the um may have been impacted and then um installation of the Fitness trail we have the the equipment we just have not been able to actually um put it up and

119so it would be great to install this Fitness trail equipment this $5,000 worth of Fitness trail equipment I know that seems silly but a lot of our kids they need that fysical out the middle school has that beautiful um those other areas um on the Fitness trail and um so we've gotten an estimate of $20,000 for that we talked before about having um community members help and support us so kids play is willing to open up space for extended day which also may be on the weekends when we're not open which would be great or um in the evenings and um not so much just week can but student transportation for all these things is very expensive um so we have to make sure that we are providing for students and then um star and

120Freckle uh you can talk a little bit about those things and then um we actually have a robotics um computers that we need for our new uh coding uh and robotics class want to talk a little bit about sure so the star star is an IND District assessment it's a standardized assessment that we use we administer three times a year grades 2 through 12 and Freckle is actually um a platform that is part of the Renaissance Learning platform which is also owned star um it's a student so students go onto their Freckle account and they get uh time with math skills and reading skills and it's just it's an electronic plat platform um for them to access daily um one of many that we use but it's excellent districts all over the state and the

121country using it is that also K12 uh yes k no it's K well it's K8 um we did purchase uh this past year some licenses for n9th grade um algebra so like I said this is tov continued but I wanted to at least so that you're hearing um the board doesn't have to um approve this grant because it is so fluid and flexible and they didn't want boards to be bogged down in um meeting every week as things change over and over again although we will be meeting anyway so I'll keep presenting to you the newest version as I said um but just so that you know what the thinking is and how that just supposes or aligns with what I presented tonight in terms of the superintendent budget nck what about the alliance Grant

122yep so the alliance Grant is going to basically stay the same and we'll go over that when we go through the budget okay um the only reason I wanted you to bring I wanted to bring the eser is because it's such a large amount of money pretty much Title One um IA which is the special ed Grant these are all grants and then um The Alliance Grant will pretty much stay the same there's only two things that I think are changing on Alliance we will get the same amount of money so you have to be careful with what you're doing um we do have a reduction there um because uh Laura has done such a wonderful job in her department and her out placements are down um we are able to do a little bit

123of a reduction there in the alliance Grant so that has afforded us to do some other things which I think will be really beneficial so it's only two line items and so I'll bring that up when we do the other I think it helps to kind of put to see it all absolutely but when I can give you something a little more flushed out like I said we're meeting you know every week now anyway so you'll see all of those updates so are these all going to be new hires so what will happen is um remember you've got these huge gaps right so the alternate programs the um extra counseling and support the um all a lot of it is um academic you'll see like the key at the bottom academic supports um yes they

124will be and so that's why it's important for you to have the carryover and then if it's a significant if it really makes a difference then when I do the budget next year I'll come back to you and say you know what it we really absolutely positively need those you know four it techs because we need one per school or we absolutely positively need that Spanish teacher because more of our kids were actually ready for a full year um Spanish class in 8th grade and then they were ready for ninth grade so like the co the coaches yes it's a one year because what we're trying to do is basically do uh uh it's like a SWAT team for lack of a better word you've got to go in you've really got to address these

125and you're trying to get it from all different angles so that we really are doing everything we possibly can so that we're offering after school we're offering during school we're offering Saturday school you're offering summer school you're offering um whatever we can develop in terms of um alternative program and we'll flesh that out like I said um all of those different pieces and the coaching because we are really trying to build up and enhance our tier one instruction in the classroom at every level because this is something we've never had to deal with before so there's a lot of work to be done it's [Music] massive any other questions on this you told me to save them yeah would you rather I me we would it be better ask specific questions when we get a

126revised yeah that's my thinking is wait until you actually it actually comes out officially would be nice and then maybe get a revised copy because I do have some questions y but I think it's better off waiting at uh next week hopefully next week yeah yes my fingers are crossed absolutely I was hoping Friday right right right okay monthly Financial U monthly finan yeah [Music] I yeah so monthly financials I mean onom line we're looking good we're at 7 30 number 7365 $71 right now in the in the black so we're doing well um you know some areas are are over budget and some are way under budget so we're looking good so far but I mean it's still only February uh which means we only have up to January's numbers so to wait and

127see covid-19 expenses um we did get the second payment right Ed from the state yeah we just received today the third payment so so we have uh probably one more payment left we received already uh over $600,000 that's a 656 108 no that's what we're supposed to get we've received so far uh if you hold on one second 603 810 and 27 that's include the third payment so that's looking good too um any other questions question the month final or budget timeline well the proposal in the in the book right Sue yep is is this proposal um and this is something you went over with Ed [Applause] available Ed are you good with the dates on the Tuesdays me yeah oh wish Ed so wait we're talking about the budget committee in the hearings both

128well both there's a conflict next Tuesday there is Tuesday what it's on the budget I mean we we have 1579 on the second sorry and should we can we switch and policy with budget and right for one so we would meet then on the 10th correct yeah as long you don't jump on that one too yeah well no because this does happen at budget yeah you're right yeah no but I say if we could do it the beginning of a month then it opens up more days for the subsequent fine with me if that's okay sure is it okay yeah Ed is that okay with you flip yeah just give me the dates uh we'll do budget um next week we'll talk about the budget and then maybe we could solidify the rest of the

129dates uh at that meeting okay is that good and when are you coming back I'll be here Monday oh okay perfect will be March 10th yeah okay and then budget will be on the third right yep so then no March 10 right so no not budget no that budget no okay no but sick and policy I'm just going by the tenative I think instead of March oh March 9th is there March 9th is the Tuesday March ises will be the 10th instead of we're down one budget meeting well I figured no I think you're doing it the third right right so the first one will be the third the second 10th crosses out next week we'll talk about solidifying the rest of the dates right that's what I'm thinking you know so maybe maybe put

130one in on the 11th is what I'm thinking but that's right now we talk about it next week we will not take over SI policies day okay so okay so again those dates are the second is that that's gone yeah gonna be the third third third because we're swapping and we will not take your day well so March 10th you gonna have facilities on no the third too okay yeah we'll have facilities budget facilities on the third we're swapping with policy is that okay makes a lot more sense actually I figured earlier we we talk about you know Reed budget talk about it is better than waiting another week into the month I may not be able to make the third I'm not I'm not saying schedule a different day I I I don't think

131I'll be able to make it okay all right just Armen yeah and then he can get some answers for you yeah okay we'll do G and Nikki you guys are all set for Wednesday right yep okay and then you'll determine the budget timeline yeah yeah I mean we'll we'll keep this as an outline but we might have we might change some things yeah just to firm up the public hearing so we can start to get that information out to people yeah all right CSV contract yeah as I sent out to all the board members and everybody on uh February 9th you receed the uh final agreement which we added that item 17 pointd was added about the we can uh cancel that contract as we see fit uh the city council approved it unanimously there

132was only one exstension uh Mr uh Rino abstained because he works for OMG so city council had three questions I answered them and uh they approved it unanimously any questions on the contract he 2020 2021 Washington DC trip so we had asked for this to be put back um brought back to the board because um you remember that the board approved the trip to go forward back in November pending the safe safe travel um Jason is on the line for um to answer any questions I did put together some information for you it is a sheet that you had at the back of your packet most of the information on this sheet was provided to me by Jason um so it's basically just kind of a just take a second to review it at the

133back of your packet I can see it oh the packet [Music] yeah it's in the back nikk I think top may1st no I just didn't you get one this one yeah no we're good I couldn't find it as of did you take a picture of this and send it to Eden it can you send it to Edy don't have number oh I'll just take a picture so just L as of the beginning of this week so as of Monday of this week there were 68 there are 68 students 18 parents um are expected to attend seven staff chaperon expected to attend um the reason we're bringing it back is that some parents have reached out to the school to central office with a concern wondering okay if you know if the deadline to register and

134pay and call is is quickly approaching um and there's still uncertainty around covid um so we thought that you know it would be prudent to bring it back to the board uh to have a conversation about how to move forward um we learned from World strides which is the company that Jason Works through that world strides is requiring that everyone who travels so students and adults have to have a negative PCR covid test administered within three to five days of travel so a negative test result is required in order to participate um um they're also recommending that all participants quarantine two weeks prior to travel we understand that you know that's not a requirement it's a recommendation but that's just not something that that are it's it's a problem right we can't have our kids

135quarantining for two weeks before they go um then there's just some other basic information they will require masking and and you know all of the things that we're asking everybody to do their temperatures will be monitored um bus capacity is standard with assigned seats um the students will be assigned four to a hotel room uh so they will be sharing those close accommodations uh there is an upgrade based on Space availability if if families you know would like to choose to you know incur that additional expense um on smaller you know groups of 25 or fewer at the attraction um and then there's it's still questionable at this time with Interstate travel we don't you know because that changes frequently about upon return what you know what's going to be the requirement in terms of

136quarantine upon return so and then right now I did a little bit of research um and you can see at the bottom of the sheet right now you know indoor dining is 25% capacity museums are now open but there's no guided tours um um and then they're capping indoor Gatherings at 10 people so um that's really the information that you know Jason had compiled and I was able to gather I have a question go ahead and maybe Jason can answer this um if the trip is cancelled and the families did not purchase the insurance will they get their money back so that was part of the the email that I sent and it was a question that I had asked um world strides and so if they do not purchase the insurance they are um

137let's see I'm just pulling up my information so um the the cancellation policy um the refund back to the uh families is capped at um where is it believe it's 25% of the cost of the trip so prior to April 15th if they do not have the insurance and for whatever reason uh they cancel the trip uh World strides will retain 25% of the cost of the trip and refund families any remaining out of-pocket money uh so that ends up being about uh what is it uh 20 25% of 8.40 is what the total cost of the trip is um after April 15th you're subject to the world stride standard cancellation policy which states the closer you get to the travel dat the less money you'll get back and how many people so that was

138new to oh I'm sorry yeah so nope that's okay so that was new information to me as far as the capping at 25% and to date we had nine families that did not purchase the insurance all future communications going out to parents and actually all Communications since uh we started this was that purchasing the insurance is the best way to in to protect your investment um I can't require it of the families but it is told to them it is an extra $125 on top of the the cost of the trip um so uh we have nine families at this point that have not purchased the insurance and it's not possible at this point to purchase the insurance uh it has to be purchased at the time of registration and how many families have paid

139in Fall of those nine families so they won't would they be out a significant amount of money at this point um well if they at this point they would only be out the the the 25% of the cost of the trip so if they haven't even paid I I would have I'm G I'm trying to pull up the website as I'm talking to you um so I can look at my the financials um if if they um have not paid in full if they haven't paid the full you know up to 25% then they're not getting anything back because World strides will retain up to 25% of the cost of the trip if they haven't so Jason can you let us know how much people have paid um I mean right now yeah but like

140how much yeah I do I do have well the worst exposure would be $1,800 between the nine fam that one more time it would so be $1800 for the nine families they would lose if they' paid already right no oh if they pay just their deposit yeah is that something we could consider reimbursing if we decided the other thing that I just want to make the other thing I just wanted to make mention is that I know last year it was a very uh different situation and that we uh wanted to ensure that the families who uh the families did not lose any out of pocket a lot of families have registered knowing that covid is taking place this year um I don't have the type of fundraising money sent to World strides like I

141did last year to help cover um the the the money that world strides is retaining so that's something else to keep in mind and they're really out 75 because if they bought the trip insurance that would have been 125 so they're really only out 75 great so we've had a couple of families reach out which is really what kind of prompted us to you know revisit this and the the concern that was expressed by these two particular parents was look we're about to pull the trigger on this do I really want to throw away $125 if it turns out that in a couple weeks we're going to find out that this is not a go so you know Gary I've been in favor of this all along but my concern right now is this quarantine

142how many teachers are going seven right now seven teachers are sh staff they not necess all I don't have seven confirmed but I would like seven to go so they'll have to coord two weeks it's recommended that they no it's recommended but it's not recommended by the company world stdes but we we can't what if the teacher says they want a qu let's say they say they want a quarantine then we have to pay them to quarantine because they're going on a school function we have to pay them anyways with new executive order but that's two weeks prior and after and after after so you can get so Ed when when it was when it was brought to my attention from World stride they know that it's impossible for anybody to absolutely quarantine they're asking

143people to limit any unnecessary exposure to outside people um and I don't know that I would have any teachers saying that I want a quarantine for two weeks before um I get into a bus with kids I mean we're with them every single day um in a bus um it's it's and and this is going to be the the big thing is what do we do when we come back and that's going to be the thing I mean we we are traveling the the week before of three-day weekends so we come back on Friday Friday you have Saturday Sunday and Monday is Memorial Day so that's three days right there and then you have four days of in school I don't know what the state recommendations are going to be for quarantining coming back from

144the DC area the Maryland and Virginia area because you got to consider not just DC but Maryland and Virginia because we're we're probably staying in either Virginia or Maryland um and then coming back so and then what would the district's recommendation for those those staff members and those students one other question came up too sorry um that I didn't add to this I just didn't have time somebody raised the point that what if somebody while on the trip was to become ill then right but and World strides has those World strides does have that contingency they are they do have um a connection with George Washing uh George Washington hosp University Hospital I believe it is um and then because the hotel mates are the group mates that are on the buses you've basically um

145created little cohorts and so just like we do in the school granted it's a little bit larger of a number you know you're not necessarily quarantining a whole group of people you're maybe just quarantining that bus or that that hotel room so what happens what are what will you be doing I've always been an advocate of this this trip but based on these restrictions what will they be able to do and see if you end up if you go these restrictions well it's hard to say that right now because they're opening up just as we are in phases so when we get to may I don't know what will exactly be open and that's something that we're considering and if it gets to a point where we don't have enough to do for a full

1464 days then maybe we cut it down to 3 days and then there's a refund back to families we have up till 45 days before the trip departure to make changes to the date um or to to the travel um it's been my decision and and just I think with the way that things are running is if this doesn't happen in May it's not happening um I can't go through what I did last summer um to to try and make this happen in July or August and it come to the ization it's just way too hot in DC in July and August it's hot so this doesn't happen within those it is yeah I mean not as hot as it is in July and August so if this doesn't happen during that 25th to 28th

147I I I can't I can't extend this out it's not fair to the families it's not fair to me um but I know that based on things that have happened um it doesn't seem as though the capital is going to be open so I don't know that we'll get a tour of the capital but I do know that museums will be open a lot of the outdoor monuments memorials will be open um so you know we we will devise our we we'll develop our itinerary based on how DC opens up and what they allow and because we are kind they're kind of considering us not as a school group but more as a family group a large family group because uh that's how World strides is seeing it and that's how they're going forward okay

148thank you Jason so I also always been in support of this trip but I'm really struggling with putting four kids in a room together putting all those kids on a bus together you know working so hard to keep schools open yeah right and then Poss sending them all on a bus together and yeah um and it's there's so many disappointments not just for these kids I mean the graduating kids this year again are not going to be able to have their prom they're going to have some kind of odd graduation right it's just it's different diffult times but I think just as a board we have to be a little bit concerned about the ripple effect if we allow this and the uncertainty of everything going on in Washington and I think we had hoped

149back in November that things would be a lot farther long than they are yeah but it's not yeah it not even close I don't know everybody else thinks or I I agree with you I've seen the results of kids going away recently my son forun yeah you know our kid 14 came back so if there's 6 kid they'll all get right Christmas good times so if we if we cancel we still there's still a cost to the families even though they haven't paid in full there if they had Insurance unless they had the insurance right so those nine families that didn't have the insurance whether we cancel it or we cancel it on you know umil we'd still be you know they'd still be out the 25% F I just want to clarify that if

150they have the insurance they're still out the cost of the insurance yeah yeah yeah it's $125 right right which is what some of the families that is correct register saying like yeah so the registration is the 15 that's the issue so if they don't register they might not have put any money out at this point so I don't I don't see how we could say let's reimburse those people in full that didn't buy the insurance but the people that bought the insurance are out the 125 because they bought it so it has to be an all or nothing I think I mean I think personally not as board person I mean entering into into this during a pandemic there's a risk right there was a risk that it wasn't going to be as awful as

151it sounds and I think we approved the trip in hopes that the world would be open and people registered for the trip um it's a tough call but well I mean those those that took the insurance you know spent they they spent the money up front taking the risk they knew that that they would lose it for those that waited you know the result is they lose their they're risking risked yeah so then it's just I do have some numbers oh go ahead for those who the ones who didn't purchase the insurance um to have paid basically nothing to the cost of the trip um two are fully paid with um credits due to fundraising um and then I have uh one two that are one that owes 2 $8 another one $152 and then

152two with one that's $79 and one that's $38 so raising credits cover the cancellation fee for those two they don't have insurance so it doesn't matter the fundraising money um not completely it'll cover some of it though it'll cover some of it yeah and and I do have there is some um fundraising money from previously canel students um you know and I do have money in my DC account um so I I I I don't have all the numbers and if you want me to put that together I absolutely can on um it's it's different for each person depending on when they registered um and how much fundraising money they've put forward but um you know it has been said to families right all along there's no guarantee that everybody will be reimbursed like they

153were last year due to the circumstances of last year it it and the cost of the trip does not change as long as we have 35 kids going on the trip um and and you know that this is one of my passions so um I will do as much as I can to make this happen um and and look for that support so I'm just gonna you know my other concern is so I had Co and it's not fun I'm very worried about what would happen if we did have an outbreak with those kids down in DC um and how we would get them back and how we would manage the staff it's just it's really um kind of wrecking just several different groups of people I mean I don't feel like this is something

154that we I think I feel like we need to make a decision on this tonight yeah you know because it's already February 24th and the deadline to register is March 8th I mean I P the trigger yeah and we normally have I mean this is 68 students registered don't we normally have like hundreds oh yeah I mean so we already are getting a very slim response and the the impact of having seven staff out of the building too when you're only having 68 kids I'm not sure what that does to your classes and all of the other kids that are staying there's probably a trickle down to that and when you have almost your whole eighth grade going it's a different issue but that's this is not that I mean to me this is I

155I think we need to pull the plug on this unfortunately sadly do you guys have any questions comments no I I agree with Jess I know it's disappointing but I think we have to keep the safety and well-being of our staff and students is our [Music] priority yeah I I am interested in in you know uh what you were talking about Jason about you know the number of uh the amount of money it would take for everybody to be made whole and kind of that kind of thing to see what can be done and and I I I get that folks have taken the risk on themselves and all that but you know if we can um if it's possible to do you know it would be the best thing to make everybody hold so

156I at least I'm at least interested in in knowing kind of what that number would be but otherwise I I I agree there are a lot of factors here that I don't think we can really gamble with Plus for the amount of money they're spending is the same amount as if they were going to the capital and all the museums and they're not getting that right they're not getting so they're not getting they wouldn't be getting that full experience which is sad but the reality it's unfortunate they can't do tours in the museums right so we're paying them to do what right the museums aren't generally guided anyways just so you guys are aware of that motion to yes a motion to extend the meeting by till 9:15 9:15 it's 9:05 [Music] now5 you can

157do 9:30 and be out by 9:15 yeah 9:30 yeah 9:30 okay I'll move it second all those in favor opposed John I'll join you lost anyway okay Arman and Sue and then oppos was Johnny Gary all others Cory in favor I think Ed are you for oos yeah I voted yes okay thank you okay so just by straw poll so the financial component of this uh last year fundraising money was used um to re reimburse people um it was not Board of Education money right so I think we just have to be careful because a lot of people have put out money for other um things that have ended up getting cancelled like proms yeah I think it's we have to be careful about that so Jason you could get us don't want to misinform

158people if the board has no intent of considering refunding people I don't think we should or if they do and want to discuss it but I think we shouldn't make people if we're not I think getting the numbers from Jason would be helpful well I don't think it's just about the numbers though because it's about a precedent too oh right because there we had to cancel quite a lot of things not maybe at a board level because this is out of state but in District a lot of things have been cancelled so that that would be my concern yeah is getting reimbursement forms from right and you wouldn't just be if you were going to be fair you wouldn't just be reimbursing people who didn't have insurance you'd be reimbursing the people who purchased the

159insurance for the cost of the insurance exactly it would have to be All or Nothing everyone no one yeah yeah who didn't buy insurance down to the amount so that if if did I hear it right that the people who bought the insurance paid 125 for it um so in theory if you want it to be absolutely fair and still try to refund people you could refund up to that amount so that anybody whose C trip is canceled is out 125 that that could be done and I would consider that reasonably fair I don't know if anybody else would but I I you know something to consider I think if we're going to refund that's how we' have to do it but but then you just have to be open to refunding other correct I'm

160but it would be other state other board sponsored event or board supported events I'm just going to look look at all the money the seniors last year put out and then everything you a lot of money they just had to I mean it's just it's a consideration and I'm not even sure if we're aware of because this has come to us because it's out of state yeah I'm not sure what has been cancelled that's right not out of state that people have I don't know the answer maybe all the eighth grade events last year remember that wasn't out of state but all of their activities and what students had put in right but if you're asking about other field trip requests we haven't really received any not this year not this year people are not

161even thinking but if you're talking last year yeah yeah then it was tough I'd be open to piona oh sorry hold on Jess first good no I was just thinking because a lot of these people paid out of fundraising money that they've been earning but it's not technically their money it's I mean it's held by the school right so I don't know what happens to that money like I don't know if that money because I don't think that money would travel with the child because there's not something similar at the high school so that's another question is what it does not STS in that fun so I mean if you could shortages for people out of that that would be that would be different that would be different than setting a precedent using board funds

162yeah that's why Jason that's why the numbers would be important from Jason yeah because he has he has funds he has all the numbers right and who fundes who didn't how much each one did can't that be a follow-up decision once he gets the number right I think yeah I just didn't want we can send that to budget actually but I just didn't want people to get the Assumption get their money back positive I think how it's communicated when he communicates that the trip has been canceled is going to be key to not sending a mixed message I mean it's disappointing I feel terrible it is I I love that the time they've put in right know there's been so much disappointment but it just would you just in terms of what you were saying

163about setting a precedent that um I'd be open to discussing if if we wanted to kind of set down like parameters in this case like I would consider it the trip is being cancelled you know by by Act of the board um functionally as opposed to say something canceled by order of the state or federal government or because of weather and you know I don't consider those to those circumstances to be quite the same thing um and and that's you know that's why I'd be open to discussing you know reimbursement or refund I should say in in this case is because you know it's a decision that the board is making as opposed to you know someone else in a far away Place making the decision I just wanted to throw that into things that

164you know I'd be open to discussing good so do anyone have any other questions and I think our vote tonight just really has to be if trip is being cancelled or not being cancelled and then the financial aspect will get moved uh to budget to discuss further the financial once you have more exact numbers um because if people registered but haven't paid towards their trip yet they're not actually going to be out any money so I think you got kind of look at the whole picture right yeah exactly names but just in total number of kids y all right any more questions on that thank you Jason or goals thank you thanks board goals do anything about board goals no that's not really a school and Improvement thing I assumed this was those board those

165goals that the board was responsible for monitor rather than School impr we're just going to take that box table tables okay snow days so as everybody knows the board talked about the first five days being snow days we've went through our five days um from hoping that the board you know I think we should just at this point go back to making the decisions based on the circumstances of the day whether there's power no power you know traffic department um some days would be um distance learning and some days would be snow days but that would be a central office and bus and traffic and all the people that are involved in that decision the 4:30 the 4 o'clock in the morning yeah I don't want to have to call all of you I mean

166just but I just wanted the board to talk about it and make sure that we were on the same page one way or the other because we can't really make a unilaterally decision to do remote or not because there's a lot of factors with um do we have power do we not have power can so so they could still potentially I'm sorry Jess and then and might ask my question I know I have a couple I have two questions one is but that impact the calendar because I think we aligned on the last day of school only being the five snow days right we have do we have to rev that if in fact we do take more snow days yeah same as every year if we exceed it we have to extend usually we

167have that like kitty I guess okay yeah so we were out of our kitty very quickly um and then just my other question was some of the districts around us I think are doing delays on remote days and that's really I guess to help teachers kind of do any cleanup they needed to do or anything like that and so I was just throwing it out there to see if that was something that was either considered or that we would consider in the future weird de a delay on a remote day the delay is to get the kids to school yeah it was really to help I think the staff with any cleanup that they may have or you know anything in getting their kids but their kids have a delay and wor so last time

168we did a remote yeah teachers and Paras could work from home so unless you so you would have been at home so okay yeah I was just throwing it out there region six is doing it couple Jess and then Arman so I think the reason to maintain the snow the snow days was twofold right one of the reasons was because in case there's an event where there's power outages and whatnot and the other reason was to let kids still have snow days and the vast majority of the snow days that we've had there has not been a power incident right so I think like my suggestion would be for the sake of clarity to say from here on out we are doing remote days unless there's extenuating circumstances so people aren't waiting power outages yeah

169because power outages there's there's I mean that that is fewer and far between more than likely it's been it's been issues with roads and travel and whatnot so if we say Texas yeah well we're not Texas thank goodness yeah you know what I mean so people can kind of have that in their mind that we are we're going to remote days unless something catastrophic occurs or not catastrophic but yeah you know yeah so that's fine I can send that out because normally we wouldn't have remote right so you usually what happens is the board approves the calendar we say okay we got those five extra snow days and then if we run into more snow days then we say it's a snow day and then we extend the school year this year is covid and

170weird and crazy and whatever so I can send that out just to remind people that from now on it's it's remote um unless we have a power AIT and then we'll have um an i day a power out AG day which will be you know because if it's remote people have to plan for that sure right and so it's better to plan to have to teach or to have to school that day and then find out at the last minute you don't have to then the other way around plus it helps in June building right I was just thinking kind of I'm in agreement with that but say you know we still have some winter time left we get a foot of snow 14 inches of snow some kind of crazy storm and it's a

171remote day like I'm almost kind of thinking like we still want to let the kids have a snow day on days like that I agree you know I mean I just if it's something in maybe I know I don't know this is my opinion I think how are you g these kids are going to be coming out of their skin with a foot or you know more of snow on the ground which is absolutely possible Armen and Gary then Ellen yeah I was gonna say what what just said I thought when we talked about the remote days it was remote unless there was something above and beyond like power outages was our big concern right and then I do agree with you Sue and I think that's part of it too like the severity of

172the storm because if we do have a foot and a half of snow that's different than having you know a few inches of snow during the bus time the travel time then the rest of the day is going to be easy you got a foot and half of snow it complicates the adult lives as well as the kids lives and it's harder for the par teachers to to do a remote day I agree with Aron on both but and with two um but I that's the rest in in the superintendent's hands I guess but what what what Nikki was talking about I think in some ways even it was an hour delay I mean for teachers and I said this before you know when teachers have children if it's best if they can somehow make

173arrangement and if they have a little time in the morning to do it because then the student that's on the other end of it might get if I have my daughter at home with me and I'm trying to teach it's awfully difficult you with two or three inches maybe there's time to get them to to preschool and back but it's going to take longer you know so for the teacher that wants to get their child to preschool if it's open and still be able to devote the day to you know distance learning you know both may may benefit versus you know finding out at 5: in the morning you know know school's canceled because the storm creeped up and it's going to be online and I can't get my my son or daughter to preschool

174because for whatever reason so anyway I I it may be a good idea just to give the teachers time to for those that have children or have parents and only they have to take care of to get out of the way and then be able to focus on school even the parents that have to find accommodations like you said for the kids yeah I mean it's if it whatever let's say it's one hour at least it might make the the because it's it's bad enough having to teach online it might make it go easier that's all but I know I'm surprised to hear that from me [Laughter] huh I think to to Jess's point was just for the teachers to be prepared you know so if they think it's going to be H remote learning

175they're prepared so but I think it should be the superintendent's discretion agreed yeah that mean it's totally up to you the teachers just take your stuff home every day right well so here's my during the pandemic we're supposed to be ready to flip either way at any time you could have an outbreak in school you leave you never come what I want to the board really setting a directive is because what I our whole purpose is in structural time right yeah so if we do remote days on snow days and we find that we have 30% participation is that do are we really okay with counting that as an instructional day I think no think that we have data how will you know that's well do we have data on attendance sure so I'm just

176saying like I would rather leave it up to them or if they find if they do two distance learning days and we have a bunch of staff not showing up kids not showing up I'm not saying that's going to be the case but is it really a day if people aren't well kids more you know parents aren't logging on just we can't talk both sides about instructional time either we're concerned about it or we're not the problem is you only find that out after the fact we you have your teachers and 30% of your students all engaged in remote learning on the snow day and then afterwards you find out oh we had 70% not logged in what do you say that that day doesn't count I mean I don't know how you could do

177that that's that's the only thing but we've had some remote days so we should look at that data right well not us personally but I think the I just don't think our decision I think that they should be able to look at that and say this isn't working because or it is working and keep it going it's probably only a month left but I'm just thinking because a lot of districts have been doing remote days this whole time yeah right and it's just been what they've been doing and so for every parent that you have I do think we made the right decision with the snow days absolutely but like for every parent that was thrilled about that there was somebody else that's like why on Earth aren't we just doing remote days we're going

178to be here all summer so that's where I think maybe now we could have some balance like we did one thing for five days and then let's try to do the other thing for here on out unless you have something happen where you can't do it well I just have to say being on the lines at 4 o'clock in the morning when you're trying to make these decisions I really don't want to have to get out with my yard stick and say okay this is three inch is this a time when it's remote or it's a snow this is six this is you know eight in this drift there's two feet and on the hill I've got 12 Ines but downtown I might have I'm just telling you it is nuts and you know getting

179up at like quarter of 4 getting on these calls at 4:15 talking to John at 4 o'clock you know trying to get this turnaround this announcement at 4:30 in the morning in English and Spanish and getting it out to everybody else because Sue and Kim and you know Sarah and it all all of our other Lisa our whole other team is trying to get this information out it's not like it's an easy decision and this most recent one took us basically just half an hour on the phone with meteorologists trying to figure this out because the timing and when is this really going to come in and you know it it's not as easy as it looks believe me um and so I think if we can say it's going to be remote you know

180on air on out yeah I I just think that's easier and then if we have power outages then we have to call us you know you have to make up that day because we're not going to be able to do remote um I just think we have to be consistent do we need to look at participation on remot days absolutely is that a concern just overall in every way shape and form um yes that's that's not only just on snow days but you know if I don't want to have to second guess myself because I'm making decisions based on the safety of our children and our staff um and so you know I am hoping you have trusted me before I hope that you will still entrust me with that decision and you know we

181do the best that we can even the meteorologists you know sometimes are saying okay it could be off by an hour but we're trying to give you the best information that we have you know we talk with DPW first thing in the morning they're telling us what the roads look like or it's going to turn to rain but then on the hill it's all St exactly so it's like oh my God if we had remote as you know the the um decision moving forward does that help make decisions earlier like if you knew you were going to go remote could you make that call at 9 o'clock at night or would you still be making you know when I can make it early believe me it is so much easier I understand for parents I

182understand for staff I try to make it earlier but this like I said this last storm that that was just insane because at first it was like 11 o'clock then it's 12 then it's maybe 12:30 when is it going to get really bad you know it was really really hard if I can make it the night before absolutely positively I will I know that makes it easier for everybody but if I can't and I can save a day or I could just do a delayed opening then I'm going to because in in person is always best I go with you so the question is really do we want to leave it up to the administration ores the board want to set something else for notice didn't we decide to leave it up to Administration weeks

183ago we did we decided on the the five so now we know what to do I think whatever it is should we just have to clearly communicate it yep I can I can get that out to everybody again yep all right C just quick on CIA update so spring sports are going to happen March 27th they starting um districts can make up their own decision um they're suggesting those Spectators but they might change that um March 1st Dan and track should start could start um they're developing the restrictions now for spring sports but the restrictions are not finalized yet as to what the restrictions are going to be for the spring cour nobody J and one item that I was concerned about um on our call so was the football and soccer conditioning that's going

184to occur over the summer that we've always run our own conditioning and um the head of CIA said that um they're likely going to be taking doing that conditioning for us to avoid our districts having liability um but something that we have to follow I specifically asked a question if there would be a cost to our athletes and there will be a cost um so I'm not at all comfortable with our athletes having to pay the summer condition that's required to participate in Fall Sports so we'll be following this um and there'll be a curriculum component they would be sending in their people um so why are they taking it over it doesn't sound Co related yeah so we'll be monitoring this as it moves and the board as um transpires moving forward just just

185in yeah in terms of the CIA and the fans because they are leaving it up to local Health districts and school districts I wanted to keep consistent what we had in the fall um and the spring so just having um two tickets per player so that they can opt um we have enough room in the gym to spread out people can be socially distanced and I just think that's appropriate because we did do it in the fall I'd like to be fair um because I really think that we have the room and we are able to do that obviously everyone would have to be mask and the rest of the building is off limits every bu so any questions on no I was just say do do we have a board do we as a

186board have any opportunity to inform the CIA of our displeasure of their amings on the related to the uh conditioning when they release their final um proposed final plan which they're going to be getting out um to us and then I think at that point we can formally reply sure I'm the only schin you were on the phone about three times or asking questions about three times on that meeting so we'll see but we'll hear more as this they develop their plan and then it's 92 yeah time to move okay um do any of the Committees have anything to report just because I think the PTO oh yeah sorry the two fundraisers so the fifth traditionally that grade five has a field day like a combined field day at the middle school where they come

187together for the first time to be introduced face to face um we recognized the pto's recognize that that PL happen this year so they're hoping to do something virtually where they do like a virtual meet three and they run several fun activities that are actually acad in nature but bringing the kids together be zoom and they will meet from the two schools and they would like to do two fundraisers to support some of those initiatives you know for prizes for games and that kind of thing anyone oppos to these fundraisers because of the time is so short don't these people plan AE cour well they do but but did plan a 100 time but the the requirement for this form was a new was new learning they had already planned to do it yeah we

188need to move to :30 yeah it's 9:35 gonna whip through this okay motion to extend to 9:35 so mov all inor John budget we' heard enough from you guys yeah no more budget talk facilities and Technology attend their meeting next week yeah the minutes clearly State what we did not next week week yours is next week ours is the week after nothing to report to send the meeting okay building committee beting meeting next week yeah Theon report we can email it all right goodidea and then we're going CH part of the minutes you want us to email it to Marissa and then she'll get it out to everybody yeah okay okay entertain a motion to receive the superintendent's proposed 2021 2022 budget and forward it on to the budget committee I'll move it second all

189those in favor I hi I entertain a motion to approve the retirement incentive proposal for all bargaining unit all those in favor n thank you entertain a motion to we first go to approve the Washington DC trip to approve approve it it was already approved wasn't it oh yeah yeah well well no so this doesn't carry then someone can present another motion okay so there's none well someone can motion and second just to put it to vote and then oh okay do a motion motion second second second okay all those in favor of allowing the was Washington DC trip to go in May okay entertain a motion to cancel the Washington DC trip well don't you have to do opposed everyone yeah we still need to vote vot opposed oh opposed opposed oppos oppos no

190youing to opposed I'm [Laughter] okay entertain a motion to cancel the Washington D Street D DC trip so second all those in favor I fortunately and are you in favor or opposed I voted in favor motion to approve the monthly financials so second all those in favor Gary and Nikki thank you entertain a motion to approve the CSD contract as approved by city council February 16 2021 I'll move it second armend and Gary we're removing item f is table andain a motion to approve the Board of Ed regular meeting minutes in January 27th so okay all those in favor entertain a motion to receive the committee meeting minutes and a Bund move it second all those in favor I entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda some second all those in favor I entertain

191a motion to approve the two fundraisers in a bundo Nikki second second all those in favor Nikki move Gary second all right thank you Ed are you in favor the of the order I know and when you go like good night no just thanks for all the hard working the budget be a road ahead but um appreciate the work thank to um Echo to what Nikki said the budget work was incredible everything everybody's doing an amazing job thank you very much I don't Gary same same John keep up the good work anybody else have anything for the good of the order Cory just thanks to all the administrators central office Aly it team everyone awesome thank you so much Ed sorry teachers do you have something for good of the order nope thank you all

192right items for upcoming agenda budget budget budget future meetings motion to adjourn all those in favor