Torrington Board of Education School Improvement and Policy Committee Meetings

001The committee members here are Mr. Knight, me >> and Miss Conway. [clears throat] >> No, Gary. Gary's not on electronically, right? >> And we can't approve the minutes either because we don't have people who were here at that meeting. So Kristen, I think I'm just going to have to ask if you agree that what's presented in writing is an accurate depiction of what we did. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> And I I agree. So that's the best we can do on the public participation. Is there anyone here who would like to participate and speak? Okay. So I don't have to read that and we can move right on to discussion and next steps. We have some new course proposals. I think I'm going to turn it over to you please, Mrs. >> Sure. Thank you

002very much. And I'd like to thank uh Aaron Sullivan, Ashley Santro, and Caitlyn Ree for bringing these proposals forward. Um I believe that Caitlyn, you are on a tight schedule tonight. Would you like to speak first about um interior design? Yes. Come up to the table and join us so that we can [clears throat] use Um, so currently I teach child development one, two, and prime individual family development. And part of the child development one and development two classes, they each had an assignment where they were working on a little bit of the color wheel, like why our classrooms are certain colors they are, why are nurseries, this type of thing. And then learning about why spaces are designed the way they are, um, what's appropriate. And um I kind of used that as a

003gauge to see if the kids were interested in it or if they're just one of those, you know, not at all interested in, excuse me, [cough and clears throat] they ran with it and loved it and wanted more of it. But with child development, I was really limited as to what, you know, else we could kind of design. Um so I spoke to a couple of them about the possibility of interior design as it is in my umbrella for family consumer science and they were super excited. um [clears throat] they like that it's very hands-on, which a lot of the CTE courses, you know, that's what we are. And um I just thought it was great to introduce a new subject that also could in the future hopefully be collaborative with other parts of CTE,

004whether it was like wood shops and stuff going on, um digital art, that type of thing. So I could see a lot of growth for it in the future if they really are interested offering. >> Questions? Um, I don't have anything. Sounds great. Um, I did actually hear about the color stuff at home. Um, so I'm [clears throat] on board. >> Do you anticipate that this will be a popular course? >> I do. >> Uh, boys and girls. >> Yep. >> Okay. Certainly something necessary. If kids are interested in it, I say, you know, go for it. Give [clears throat] them more stuff that they're interested in. >> I think it sounds wonderful. Would you would it be really focused on um a large part of it about the design of classroom setups? Is that

005um we did the classroom design for child development, too, because they're learning about more or less like they've learned about lesson plans and how exactly, you know, working on becoming an educator. [clears throat] um and working with the prek next and sort of stuff like that. Um so that was just a gauge for them. This they would start with basics like learning about the color wheel a little bit more for those that I didn't have you know obviously child development and then they learn about different styling techniques like funue and why certain cultures use the type of stylings that they do. Um so we have that multicultural component. Um and then also they would get into you know different modern styles traditional learning about that and then we would work on like an individual say

006okay we're going to work on a living room design type of thing in the bedroom um we could definitely touch on a classroom again but it wouldn't be focused on the school got so I feel like if we >> Kaitlin's fortunate that she has the home economics certificate so that you know that that has the umbrella of a whole bunch of different areas that she's certified I'm qualified to teach. I love them all to this. >> Okay. >> Associated with this or no? >> Um, no. I requested a sample textbook to see um what was out there and there was one that was just published last year and it's very dry. Um, a lot of the material I can find I found through other states. They put it out there publicly. Um, but a lot

007of the programs what we would be using is free online which is great. um we don't need to use it as indepth that you would pay for the subscription piece because the kids aren't going to be going that far into it. Um so we would use the free portion of that program and then everything else is hands-on in their building. So >> love it. [laughter] >> Other than basic classroom supplies I already have. [cough] [clears throat] >> And do you anticipate professionals in this area being a part of your your program? >> Yes, actually. So, um, one of the pair of educators in the pre-K classroom next door, her daughter is an interior designer. So, I was talking to her that this would come to light, um, as another Torington local if she would be

008willing to come in. And she was all for and was very excited, um, cuz [clears throat] she feels it's something that a lot of people aren't aware about and are unsure about education wise, what it requires, that type of thing. So, yeah, already kind of put feelers out there for that. And I definitely see connections. >> We do have a connection to another interior designer that we may be able to test. >> [laughter] >> And if someone will make a motion to move this on with our approval to the full board, I will entertain that motion. >> So move second. >> In favor? >> I. >> Thank you. >> Awesome. >> Thank you for coming. I know you're next with the AP Seminar. >> Sure. Um, so AP seminar is an opportunity for us to

009introduce another AP class to the high school. It aligns very well with our English 10 curriculum as it stands now. So it would fit nicely into English 10 as an option for students. One of the benefits to this particular course for students is that it is a I'll call it an entry- level AP course that for the English AP classes, a high level of critical reading and writing is required in order to succeed on the AP test. with AP Seminar, students who um may not be as skilled in those areas have a way to get into an AP class because it is based more in um verbal communication than written communication. And so it provides them a nice option. It's also an opportunity at our 10th grade level for our students to pursue either an

010honors course that's heavier in the reading and writing and a seminar course that's heavier in presentation and verbal communication. It which aligns with our um high quality instruction work that we've been doing this year as well as our portrait of the graduate and effective collaborator effective communicator um elements of of the portrait of the graduate. Um, so it is budget neutral. Uh, we can use what we've been using for AP or for English 10 already and we think it'll be a nice opportunity for our students to get another AP credit under their belt. >> Seminar implies small group. Are you going to cap the class size on this? >> So there's no intention right now that I am aware of to cap the class size. I think that that might be more difficult for scheduling.

011>> Yeah, the AP seminar comes from from College Board. That's how they word it. A lot of the portfolio work that students will need to produce and send to College Board for their AP grade is done in small group, hence the AP seminar. Um, but in terms of the overall class, no, not necessarily. >> Okay. >> Jeeoff. >> Yeah. If it's budget neutral, which is awesome, are we not offering a section of something else to make room for this or how are we >> the students would have an opportunity to to identify as they do now which of the uh English 10 curriculums best align with their choices and then scheduling those would depend upon the address. >> So you think it it'll just pull it'll pull away from other offerings because it's which is

012good. It's another new a new opportunity. So it's you're just spreading out where everybody's going. Yeah, we anticipate perhaps having some students from English that would have gone into English honors as well as students who would go into English to college prep sort of going this way which would mean perhaps eliminating a section of that anyway so it would balance out. >> Thank you. >> So Bill, go ahead. [clears throat] Um, so it it with the inclusion of of of this class, it it to the the opportunity to figure to figure out and and and and decide whether they wanted something that that was heavier in re in in reading and writing or or heavier in in um in in presentation. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thanks, >> Christian. >> I did not have a question.

013It sounds great though. Thank you. Sorry, did I step on you? >> No. [clears throat] >> Anyone? Anyone else around the table? >> Thank you. I'm looking for the same motion for this as I did for the last course. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Thank you. >> Last up is please digital drawing Ashley. Ashley, thank you for coming. Thank you. Um to give some background on this, um currently I do teach a bunch of different like art and technology courses. They kind of go hand in hand sometimes. Um I do have an art technology course, but I would like to present a niche of kind of that section with a digital drawing course. It's a I don't know if we want to consider a humanities in art or if

014you want to consider a CTE because of my double certification, but um in terms of budget, I don't really need anything for it. I have all the technology we have. It's really just giving the students like an opportunity to go down this pathway. I have taught drawing before and my digital art club is maxed out. They all have an interest in it. So I think it would be really great to have this >> questions comments. >> This is great. I think do we have a class like this at the middle school though? >> I know that there was previously >> maybe previously was in the past. I recognize the course name. That's that's why I said this is a you have a captive audience to kids who want to do it. It's great. I think

015the middle school course was digital production video production. >> It was an art. It was an art class. >> Yeah, there was a digital video production. There was also an art technology class that had digital drawing. >> Maybe that was the class >> that they were all rotating through. I think it's part of like robotics and that >> other questions and scheduling this should be no problem. I suppose I'm looking at you, Mr. Scott. >> Nope. Um, again, just like with all courses, you know, we u put out our course requests for the students. Students select what courses they're most interested in. That determines which courses get sorts it all out and tells you what's happening. >> Yeah, exactly. >> Okay. Same motion. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >>

016Thank you. Okay. We have our >> Thank you, Ashley. Thank you so much. I do just want to say I love that, you know, we're offering so many different types of courses for different students and really having an allaround, you know, uh, curriculum. I think it's great. Thank you. So, just there's kids with different interests, you know, and we really need to make sure that we're taking care of everyone. So, thank you. Next on the agenda, we have board goals, discussion, recommendations, full board. And we've had the offer out there for a while and still only two. So, I think we pass it on to the full board and see what happens at the full board level. All right. Yes. No. >> Yes. Yes. >> Any reason not to do that? >> No. No. [cough

017and clears throat] >> Anyone looking for a mo? Yeah, I think I will look for a motion to do that. >> Second in >> favor. I >> we have moved on the two count of them two word goals and the second sheet in your packet relates to that just comparison to other goals that we've that we've had. So now discussion elementary and intermediate grade history instruction. This is based on a student request for more history instruction. >> Yeah, sure. So I'll just give you a little bit of background and then Mary Gad can take it from there and provide some context and from some detail. So during the summer of 2025, this past summer, and also um throughout this this current school year, the district has undertook and is undertaken and continues to undertake a

018systemic review of our K to6 social studies curriculum to align our instruction with the newly adopted Connecticut elementary and secondary social studies standards. So this work ensures a vertically aligned standardsbased social studies program grounded in the four inquiry strands which are history, geography, civics, and economics. In grades K to three, our instructional coaches have identified opportunities to expand existing units and pilot developmentally appropriate hands-on inquiry based instruction aligned to those state topics with an intentional spiral from local communities to Connecticut history. teachers in grades four through six expanded and revised the benchmark units bec and Mary will will go into more detail with this but our literacy program has embedded science and social studies topics within it and she'll talk more about that. So develop new units to ensure full standards alignment while strengthening students

019critical thinking, inquiry, literacy and civic reasoning skills. So, this is really the district's ongoing commitment to high quality instruction, which you've heard us talk about, um, you know, constantly and continuous curriculum improvement, which which we're doing also mostly throughout the summer months, but when we have the time. Um, and Mary's going to take over. And what you see up here on the screen, thank you Josh. I know it's very far away, is a snapshot of something that we work from in our online uh curriculum planning uh platform. >> Thank you. Thank you. So, uh, we've done some quite a bit of work since the summer and during the school year work we the K3 coaches have been looking at one unit in particular, uh, which is, um, the really contributing to society and they're looking

020at how within an existing unit that is really around how do how are how are rules made, how are how do we look at where we are now considering past and present. kind of grounding us where we are in our current society. How do we respond um to to our environment? How do we understand the progression of our town and our larger history over time? So, we're grounding in that in that particular unit some activities for our K through three students, focusing K1 through the lens of purposeful play. So, for example, for our K1 students, um, if they are looking at Torington, the the the town of Torington, what it looked like in the past, what it looks like now, they could look at images and then our our goal is to design lessons around

021material culture. So, if there's a depiction, for example, of a phone, an old-fashioned phone, how would little ones understand the difference between what it was like to communicate then and what is it like to communicate now? Continuing that concept of past and present. Our grade one students really focus more around geography, looking at maps of Torington then and now and think through how could I get from where I am now to a different location, imagining what the sites would be, what it might have looked like then, what would I see, what would I see now. So again, through that kind of purposeful play, but also discovering some really unique ideas about about our our town. Um, grade two would be looking where our goal is to look at leadership past and present and to see

022what those roles were like in a particular period and what are they like now? What were the contributions that were made and how is that sort of formulated where we are as a town and then our grade three kids would look more broadly at kind of picking up that uh geographical idea of what are the regions in Connecticut? where is torrent where is torrenton in relation to the rest of the state. So the the two sec the second and third web units would be more around some research skills um how students think about past and present in time and the significant historical past of our town and our region. So that's what we that's what we've been working on expanding based on the current benchmark units. Um in grades four through six um there are

023again additional benchmark units that are already in in play. Um those are uh understanding US I'm sorry government in action and the transcontinental railroad to name a couple and we actually in are working on expanding those units but have added two new ones and the two new ones are understanding US land regions and location and place and movement and regional interdependence. So within those units students are doing some really will be doing and it's going to be piloted um in two through June this will this will encapsulate at the end of the year the kids will be doing some additional work on research discussion um probing questions really uh like what what makes um a particular area unique in a region what does it contribute to the country? What does it contribute to when they

024live there? So, they'll be probing some some richer and deeper questions to broaden how they think about history, but also tease out some of those consistent literacy skills that we know we want all of our students to have. Being able to read analytically, being able to speak about an idea, [clears throat] and being able to write effectively, and then present those ideas. Um in grade five, the those teachers already did their expanded unit that they developed over the summer and that was US Constitution then and now and they engaged in debate. They specific junctures for the amendments to the constitution. They read the preamble and again did a really all of these units are taking a deeper dive into some materials that are [clears throat] already present in some of the literacy work that they

025do. um and they're working on developing um migration and settlement in the colonial era. And they'll be reading a text this year that is is a is an account of the Jamestown settlement in grade six, which has its own standalone social studies courses, right? So they have the LA and social studies separated four and five their humanities blocks. um they had an existing curriculum, but over the summer they aligned what they had more with the current with the standards and the themes that we want to be sure are spiraling through every level so that we get that clear focus K through 12, but this is just the first piece K through six. uh they developed some additional units and they also pulled in some units from benchmark that are very specifically historical units and expanded

026those to align with what they're doing in their in their specific classes. Um so it's been um it's been some great fun actually digging into this work uh and seeing the everything has shifted to much more handson richer studentto student discourse and um really deepening their understanding of of history and how it impacts where we are today. So that's the work that we've begun the beginning. Um, but we have we have more to do which we'll be tackling as as Mrs. Ferguson said um over the summer and um during as much as we can during the school year. >> Does the state suggest any amount of time that should be spent in a particular day or in a particular >> No, no, they they leave that open and they're very precise in the new standards

027to say we leave this open to districts. But these are the themes that we we ensure we need to ensure they're that that students are getting and also the skills and competencies. Uh they they call them inquiry sets where students are really learning to think like an historian, an economist, a geographer. Um >> so how do we monitor what happens in the classroom to make sure that these topics are hit >> through this kind of curriculum work? Um our coaches, in fact, Don Palutra is here with us tonight. She's been extremely instrument completely instrumental in the four, five, six work is amazing. Um, so we collaborate with teachers in at grade level meetings. We talk about the progress that they're making and how the lessons are unfolding, what they might need support to to do,

028where they're um where they're seeing areas of growth, where they're seeing need. And so we and we we visit >> John, right? What the state does recommend is how many minutes are given to literacy and mathematics. So what ends up happening is they want to see 120 minutes. So 2 hours of literacy, 2 hours of math, that's 4 hours in the course of a school day doesn't leave much. So what has happened over the past decades um during the whole language movement is as children lost ground in literacy and math social studies and science instruction quite frankly full disclosure have kind of been been pushed to the wayside and you know Torington here in Torington now that we are starting to see more growth in reading writing and math what what's happened is social the

029content areas social studies and science have been quote unquote embedded throughout literacy and instruction. But now what we're attempting to do is shift that and now that we can teach give more time to social studies and science and infuse the literacy and math skills into the content instead of the office if that makes sense. If it happens, it makes a lot of sense, you know, uh but the reason we're here is because a [clears throat] student is saying we're not getting enough history instruction. It doesn't happen very much. So, I think we need to honor that that perception on the part of that student. >> Well, she's right. She's right. I mean, the focus has largely been on reading and who's writing. Let's think about that. Those are the tested grades. The question is what

030you read and what you write in the process of conveying that instruction. [clears throat] >> Yeah. >> We're working on it. >> So, more to come. Yeah. Yeah. [clears throat] We've been working in earnest. >> Yeah. >> You don't remember history, you're doomed to repeat it. That is so true. So true. [clears throat] See that all the time. Anyone else? Uh Kristen, Jeff, Bill here. I missed most of it unfortunately. I do have I guess one question for everybody [clears throat and cough] only because I had kids a lot of kids go through the school system. John's I've had more than one or two kids that worked for me honor programs college and said they never done enough uh history and geography and those things and were embarrassed. But are the teachers being given the

031free time now to be just let them go, let them do their job and let them teach and not be encumbered by any, you know, anything that we as the board of ed think they should be doing or or the administration. I mean, can teachers just teach these days? >> No. [laughter] >> Standards [cough] standards with teachers as well. Um, and so when when we create curriculum, it's not something that is foisted on teachers. Erin was there this summer when we had the, you know, four teachers 4 through 12, social studies, science, math, and English working on curriculum development. And it's an absolute uh it's it's a you it's a really collaborative process, but it's also a really it's also a really complex process because you're looking at standards that articulate where we really want

032our students to be, where we what we want them to know and be able to do. But it's up to the teachers to figure out how you best get our kids there. >> That's what I was asking. >> And and so that's >> not being shoved down their throat the way they have to teach. As long as >> as long as we're we're >> they meet their their their levels of achievement, >> right? And we're but more important [clears throat] kids are are are gaining depth, right? And and facility. Can they speak about what they understand? Can they write about what they understand fluently? are they articulate express their understanding um not in a simplistic level but in a more complex way otherwise you you're right you are doomed to repeat history if you can't

033make connections from then to now and understand uh the themes and the the repetitions and how we break that >> so teacher instruction in college you have to have a year of US history to get certified to teach or is that not even true anymore >> I don't know off the top of my head >> because elementary instruction pressure requires absolutely no preparation in social studies. Certainly not at the upper levels that you need to have preparation to get certified in social service. You have to have I forget the number of hours but a significant number of hours >> in elementary I'm talking elementary >> elementary I'm not sure of the specific requirements. No, there's not. >> No, because we're talking the reason why I'm asking it. [clears throat] >> It's math and reading, which

034is and even that it's it's not a whole lot. >> And so the curriculum could is a little more supportive and supportive and supportive than it than it is at the levels where you have more expertise. And that's why we love the vertical alignment because teachers who have more expertise in the content can work with the elementary teachers who have extraordinary expertise in the instructional practices too. >> Just a quick question. So it sounds like what we're doing is reentering the curriculum. So the goals move and the requirements [clears throat] move and we're kind of re-evaluating and reentering how we get that content to the kids. My question is almost history. How often do we do that? Or how often have we been doing that and how often do we plan to do it to

035kind of support this moving forward? Right? So if if we've gotten away a skew and a student recognized it or not skew in a bad way, but work off the content benchmark has come along a lot of the integrations occurring. How are we working [clears throat] looking ahead to solve that problem on an ongoing basis once every five years, three years? Like what's the plan? So, we actually do have a plan to um develop a pretty explicit curriculum review process so that we do know where we are and then what we need to tweak and then we need to prioritize to ensure we're [clears throat] talking about. Um and right now we are at the development process for this so that so then we can figure out after we've completed this phase how could it

036forward and have that kind of a regular [clears throat] those have regular steps annually >> small tweaks instead of big jumps >> right but right now we're >> for the big jump [laughter] small tweaks to come >> I can look for small jump >> as Sue implied there is just not enough time in a school day to do the things you want to do or should do or have to do even. So, you understand that? You understand that? >> I don't know. >> No, I'm I'm sorry. >> So, we're moving along and making things a little bit more a little bit clearer. Are we defining things a little better? Is that a way to encapsulate what you said? And I think [clears throat and cough] um making the study of history a little bit more

037explicit >> explicit that's I think what this student wanted because it's if you don't see it if you don't understand something as a history lesson I think it'd be easy to think that it isn't a history lesson. So if we can get HR when we interview prospective elementary teachers to make sure they have some interest because it is a matter of interest, isn't it? Because teachers will teach >> what they're knowledgeable and comfortable with. >> They're really [clears throat] excited about >> and that's not exactly true, but >> um they will also teach what they're supposed to according to the curriculum. But anyway, [snorts] anyone else? I'll stop talking. Thank you very much. We appreciate appreciate you. [cough and clears throat] >> Thank you for your work. >> Thank you. >> Okay. [clears throat and

038cough] Preliminary discussion. >> Distinguished alumnist. It starts again. Budget. It never [clears throat] >> go away. So, do you just want did you want to give a little overview for anybody who might not know or >> Well, yeah, why don't you do that? >> Because there might be people who haven't been through. >> So, why don't we do this together? Because I don't think I have quite the history. You do. How many years have we been doing this? >> Oh, forever. We It lapsed for a while, but then maybe 15 years ago, we started doing it again. It's been pretty consistent since then. So for a very long time, for decades, the district has acknowledged, recognized, um, one very distinguished alumnist from Torington High School um, who has demonstrated, you know, moving on in life

039after leaving Torington and doing great things. We've had some pretty wonderful recipients of this award. Um, [clears throat] so every year at this time we start a conversation about pretty pretty much the timeline of what it's going to look like. Um, there's a process. [clears throat] We put it out to the district as a whole. All of TPS nominations are encouraged to come from staff, from families, from students, from community. Uh, we put it out to our [cough and clears throat] media list serve. Um, there's two or three times that we send it out, encourage nominations. Um, Mr. Kiscoco uh holds a small meeting, a brief meeting after [clears throat] and school improvement members actually go through the nominations and and select the candidate. Um, and the c the candidate who was chosen, I usually

040had the honor of contacting that person. [clears throat] I don't think I've ever had somebody decline. Well, actually, yes, but based on medical health, you know, records had to decline, but other than that, they're usually very honored. Um, travel from far and wide [clears throat] sometimes to come back and, uh, the caveat is they have to be available to appear in person to receive their award. Um, last year we did it at the academic awards night celebration at the high school, but in most of the years I've been involved, it's been at scholarship night, so late May or June. and they they speak to the students uh the graduates. They give a little five minute speech about their life and you know what Torington has meant to them [clears throat] and what their formative years

041growing up here and coming through the Torington public schools has done for them professionally and personally. >> [snorts] >> So, it's that time. We usually send out the first >> [clears throat] >> uh media sort of blitz around this at the beginning of February and then nominations are typically due to the superintendent's office by mid-March and then in April at the school improvement meeting is when we kind of write dig in and say here's our top three and kind of narrow it down. So, it's that time to start thinking >> and it's required by the bylaws that this committee do that. It's actually one of our written duties [snorts and clears throat] >> and it's one of our happier. >> I know. It's a pleasure. Really? It's a pleasure. [clears throat and cough] >> So

042then if we ask you to go through the dates from last year and just adjust to this year and >> so I've already done that. When I saw what you sent me, I thought okay let me be proactive. So if if we if I sent it out at the beginning of February, like let's say the day after our sixth meeting in February, which is typically what we do, and we had them do this the nomination submitted to the superintendent's office by Friday, [clears throat] March 13th, unless anyone's superstitious. Um, scholarship night this year is slated for June 4th. I don't believe awards night has been put on the calendar yet. I called and spoke to Tara. It's not there yet, right? But isn't it typically the Thursday before? It's usually a couple weeks before >>

043A week before in May. So, I don't know what you think, John, about last last year having it at awards night had because it's an award. I don't know what you think about that. >> I wasn't able to be at at that last year. I understand it was [cough] [clears throat] last year. >> I mean, it is an award. You're right. It's an award, >> right? It's not a scholarship. It's an award. It kind of fits I think a little neater, but >> we can decide that later, but it's certainly something to consider. >> Yeah, >> we'll do it the same way this year as we did last year. >> So then would you like me for the February school improvement meeting to have all the paperwork? >> Here's the timeline and the other things

044we're going to need to get running. >> Okay, perfect. >> As always, you do all the work. We get the tiny bit of the credit. [laughter] You do all the >> No, it's a pleasure. If I may, just not to really call it. They're all very deserving, wonderful people, very accomplished. Um, very humble, but it just I the whole co experience was so cool because the distinguished alum recipient that year was the is he the CEO or the executive director >> CEO >> of Quest, right? of Quest Labs who Steve Ronowski >> Rusowski >> Ruskowski who had under his leadership the COVID vaccine was developed and that so that was a very cool experience. It was, you know, timed right around the pandemic and everything and it was just, wow, little old Torington. You know,

045>> we got a varied group of of nominees and it's always very difficult to choose one of them. >> But it doesn't need to be someone who's made millions or somebody who's runs this, you know, university system. It can be somebody who just just doesn't anything with [snorts] their lives that that distinguished them from within within that person and just representative. >> It can be anybody. It can be anybody [clears throat] who has as you say distinguished themselves by deal with their life after. Yeah. Okay. Unless there's anything else questions >> then our last real item on the agenda AI [clears throat] past, present, future in TPS. Who's doing that? Well, I thought you were >> um but Erin is here to help. >> Right. That's what I wanted to know is just a status

046report. What's going on now? >> And it doesn't have to be formal at all. No, I wasn't expecting anything. >> Right. So, I guess the question is, you know, how is it being used by by teachers? How is it being used by students >> in both and by students in for positive, right? And then also what are you as a as a teacher or Ashley you're here too like what anybody is is willing you know invited to jump in. How do teachers see AI in the classroom today? I mean we I think the board is looking at whether or not we need a policy around this eventually and do we need [clears throat] committee to look into how and and putting some parameters around it. And >> I think that a lot of questions there.

047So I'll start with the policy. uh the English department at the high school actually incorporated into our academic integrity policy that we put on our sylli this year some language around AI and it's language that I adapted from Yukon's language that they have in their academic integrity policy to identify what would be considered um accepted and appropriate use and under which parameters um that would be allowed and what is obviously considered to be along the lines of plagiarism or cheating and how that gets distinguished. Um, so that's been a positive way for us to articulate it to our students. And when AI first sort of hit the waves, if you will, uh, and students were using it, there was not a lot of knowledge around it amongst the teaching profession. So it was difficult to

048address, catch and address the students using it. This is developing very very quickly and with that development we have learned already and are learning every day [cough] how [clears throat] to monitor use as teachers and help students learn how to use the programming available to them for their benefit. Um, we're hearing that many businesses now are looking for candidates to be AI proficient and so we're looking at ways to teach the students kind of like when Google came out and you had to teach the students how to do searching and search engines. It's a very similar process that's now happening with the AI that's available to them. um in English class for example, how do you have a conversation put that in quotation marks with um an AI resource such as chat GBT to take

049ideas that you have, take inquiries that you have um develop those lines of inquiry and [clears throat] use them to do appropriate research and to develop your own product. And we are designing ways in our classrooms, I know in the English classrooms and many science classrooms to provide students with instruction on how to do that and use it ethically and efficiently um to make them better students but also responsible and um academically instructive integrity. >> Yeah, there just so many angles to this. There's the technological angle. There's the student use and then okay so you produce something then the teacher can use this to analyze what the student has written and possibly even grade it. >> Yeah. I'm not hearing a lot of that at the high school. Um I mean I think there is

050some we've actually I know some people are are having students use it to analyze their own work that they've done to help them revise their work in that writing process of revision and polishing. teachers are definitely um using it to their best advantage in order to create assignments that are AI durable so that they can have an assignment that is going to challenge the students in the content they need to be challenged in while at the same time designed in a way so that they can't just cheat and copy. Um, so it's been uh actually now that teachers are starting to learn how to use it, it's actually becoming a very useful tool. >> And students can feed their own work in various samples of their own work and say, "Write this in my voice."

051Right. >> They can. Um, and we we have we have safeguards and parameters in place in the classroom to prevent them from doing that so that they're developing their own voice. >> Yeah. We're back to using yellow pads and pencils. >> We don't even >> We're testing. That's that's what we're doing. >> Yeah, for testing that definitely is, but we're also [clears throat] um using again I'll use English class cuz that's what I'm doing. You know, the tabs in Google documents to help track how they are developing those ideas and how they're developing their revisions so that we can keep them honest in that process. like the old way you had to write term papers. You turn in your your research, you turn in your notes, you turn in your So if you do that

052with this, >> make sure AI doesn't take over. >> Yeah. >> Mr. Scott, you sat down at the table when Aaron started talking. What do you have to add on this? >> Uh [clears throat] well, I as you and I spoke about the other day, I was interviewed about the use of AI in classrooms by the Republican American and it was a very nice article uh released. Um, and I think one of the things as we navigate this that we have to be very mindful of is working directly with our teachers on this because the use of AI is obviously vastly different when we see it used by a student in say a math class than when we see it used in a English or humanities class. >> There's really not a whole lot of

053revision um of your math work. uh your math work is your math work. Um so in those courses obviously we put up a greater barrier to the use of things like chapg in a calculus class or a statistics class than we would in a class that is a lot about writing and research. Um so it really does vary depending on which academic discipline we're looking at. And then as we get into a lot of our CTE courses, AI plays a huge role in [clears throat] being able to move forward into those careers, things like manufacturing, CAD, engineering, um, you know, because it's such a prevalent tool used in those professions now. So, we do need to make sure that students at least understand, you know, what [clears throat] it is that those tools can do

054and what they can't do. I was in a uh engineering class today um and watched some students uh using the CAT programming to try to design houses um and it became very very obvious very quickly which students understood the geometry of what they were doing and which students did not. Um so you know those are places where we need to make sure that we're we're keeping that barrier a little bit firmer. >> AI is my jam. I know a lot about AI and I also I do teach a unit to my my class, my architect class of AI. We go over like the ethical implications, pros, cons, uh how it adds to human value or how it could take away from human value. But I really like what you guys both said. Um it it

055is used as a tool >> just like the internet. You can overuse, you can over search and it can take away your critical thinking skills. So yes, you want to you want to find lessons that kind of are more personal questions or things you know only they can answer if they were in class yesterday things like that but um it also is important for us as teachers to understand how to identify what is AI and I do have tips and tricks of my own there's engines there's reverse engines in college it's similar to what um because I'm in my master's degree right now what Erin was saying is that there are like um syllabuses that you have to sign that say like my integrity I'm not gonna steal or copy or use AI for all

056of my work but I also want to add my courses are drafted by AI as well so they are using it too >> but I I just wanted to ask you >> you have a question >> yeah I don't want to throw water on that >> and I don't I understand AI but I'm not I've not studied it I do have friends who teach in other parts in other schools in Boston mostly >> [snorts] >> and they're trying to stop using it because of the conflict they have with teachers who who are not afraid. They're having a lot of problems with cheating. Students especially in English teach students that really don't write well who submit papers that they know are not written by them. [snorts] And then when they call them out, the mom calls

057or the dad calls and said, "Prove it." Happens over and over again. prove that they didn't write it. And you have to have teachers who and administrators who are willing and I don't I don't know how you do that. And one of the teachers just left the school system to go to another one because of it. But it's taking away their ability to defend their teaching expertise, which is a real problem for a couple of these teachers, females who have been there for a long time. Honors English is one of them. And [clears throat] there's no way around that that they found in this one very expens expensive successful high school outside of Boston is how do you how do you hold how do you really hold the student accountable and some teachers let it

058slide and some principles let it slide and some people will say well the kids got problems this is what they've spelled this all out to me and this is long before this meeting long before this came up they were warning about the problems they're having so number one you had mentioned one of those pieces of software that's used. >> Mhm. >> Well, that particular software, but I didn't know that you were following that doesn't have 100% success record. It's about a 64% success success. So, success record. So, if you're using that software alone, which I think the teacher should be able to determine it, a good teacher, not the software. If a teacher asks, especially Miss Sullivan, I know we've been doing this forever. If you're if you're, you know, you know, not forever, not

059as long as [laughter] you were around a couple my kids went to school. That was that was a >> good backtrack here. [laughter] Way to pull yourself on that. >> I mean, there's the policy, but only the teacher knows. So we have very firm practices in place at the high school for how you do hold the students accountable and we don't in at least in the English department and from speaking to my other department heads have the type of issue you're talking about. Um and I'll give you an example from English. We do not only have them submitting work digitally. We do have them writing in class. They do in-class essays. They do other things. So, if we really have an issue, and this has come up a couple times this year, where a student's

060work that they have submitted clearly is not work from their own um style, from their own previous work. we have a litany of evidence to uphold and have done this with the parents to say not only do these reverse search engines help to [cough] suggest that the student has used AI in those types of situations but in addition if I compare this writing to what they've done previously when I sat down and had a conversation and we do this as well we'll say to a student please explain your paper to me that you just submitted and I had that conversation and we use that to then have a conversation ation with parents who say [cough] and have have are able to hold the students responsible. I've not ever had an issue of not holding the

061student responsible that need to be >> and I'm sure you wouldn't but also how do you push that to the school system to make sure it happens because it's just one [clears throat] more thing. >> Well, see that's why we're here. >> I know that's that's why I'm bringing it up. >> Again, the academic integrity policies that we adopted from Yukon serve those purposes, I think. question. >> So, full disclosure, I I don't know how to use AI. I've never used it. I I I just don't know. >> Um, but I think it's important to recognize, well, first of all, just the four committee members here are three different generations >> of education and what we saw and how we were educated. [clears throat] I think it's important, and I'm not against a policy, um,

062but I think it's important that we recognize the use and the positive impact it can have. >> Um, but we also want to make sure it's not being misused. And we certainly don't want to put that burden, at least I'm speaking for myself, I don't want to put that burden on the teachers to then have to enforce something that's not even a policy technically. you know, it might be the way it's been done, but it if there's no power, how [clears throat] do you enforce it? >> Um, so I I do agree that there might be some misuse, but it sounds like it's not happening too often and the teachers are managing it pretty well, but I feel like you shouldn't have to manage it, if that makes sense. >> Um, but I think it's

063important to recognize that it is the future, not my future, because I don't know how to use it. Um, we'll get you. >> Oh, yeah. [laughter] I mean, I'm sure my kids could show me. Yes. Um, but I I you know, I want to make sure it's not being misused, but I also make sure the kids are learning how to use it properly and will know how to use it should their career path take them that way. >> That makes sense. >> What we've heard is assurance from the high school English department that it's being managed consciously, appropriately. >> Right. And we need to make sure that this happens every place that AI is used because the potential for misuse is is disastrous. It's there and it's it's really >> many of our science courses

064have full lesson full units based around how to use AI and the appropriate and responsible uses of AI. Um, I was in Nor's [clears throat] room a little bit earlier this year for her one of her lessons on it. And, you know, they really do get in depth into not only teaching the students how to use it, but really getting into the ethics of using it, which I think is key for the students to really learn about why it is unethical to present work regardless of I bought it from another kid in my dorm or [laughter] Chad GPT wrote it for me. Because I mean, let's face it, this >> No, Brian's dating himself. >> Yeah. >> My 32nd year in education. [laughter] [cough] >> I can tell you in 32 years, cheating has always

065hurt. >> Oh, yeah. >> Jeff, you were going to ask some advertise. >> I'm in technology. Most of you know. So, the couple just a couple little things. I I like what you're doing talking to the student. I mean, there are a lot of telltales for the for the teachers when the student I mean, you have the student who really thinks about it and they have a much better chance of getting away with it. But you have the average student who finds a quick easy way out who writes at a fifth grade level and then turns in an assignment that is graded, you know, looks like an 11th grade writing. It's pretty easy. But the proving it part that somebody mentioned is difficult, but you start [cough] developing [clears throat] procedures that give you the

066written evidence. Look, this would be produced yesterday in handwriting. Do you believe that they really wrote this? Um, but really another thing that's the enemy we find is search engines summarize with AI at the top. So if you use Google search engine, >> it throws you the AI summary at the top and >> it's not it's not even >> right most of the time. >> So but there are ways I don't know if we're stopping that here. I mean there are ways to stop some of those summary type features when you're in the school district. You can add things to the search engines to say hey don't do the AI summary. I'm not saying we shouldn't but as we develop policies and develop procedures it's important to educate the students. But we know we don't

067want them to use AI all the time, but they're going to have to use AI moving forward. So, we need to make sure we teach them that look, just because it says it doesn't mean it's right. And there are so many great ways, especially in literatur literature, literacy and literature to we know there are some things AI gets wrong. >> Put them in the assignment. It's just so easy to see them come back with, well, this happened in 1935. Well, no, it really didn't. [laughter] And that came from a, you know, a Wikipedia entry that the Google didn't grab the wrong answer from. So just teaching kids how to in the English, you guys do a lot about sources, right? Where did you get your information? Where where do you what are you saying? What's

068the source for this? And what's the backup to it? They need to be taught how to do that with AI just to protect [clears throat] themselves as they get older, right? I mean, this isn't just about education. It's about these people growing up as adults and how they're going to conduct themselves outside of our K through 12. What are they going to do in the workforce? What are they going to do with their families? somebody searches, what do I do when this medical thing happens? Don't trust the first thing it says, you know, how do you verify that and research it? And no, clicking the little link next to it is not the answer, you know. So, I just it's good to hear that we're going down that road, but I do feel strongly that

069it has an effect and it has a use, but teaching the kids how to vet it properly is probably one of the best things we can do because it's not going away. >> Yeah, writing the proper prompt becomes very important. Um, but Aaron is talking about one of the [clears throat] one of the real joys of teaching adds time to the evaluation part of it. But sitting down with a student and saying, "Let's talk about your papers." [laughter] >> And it's it's very easy to tell just how much has been really done by the kid and how much has been >> from someone else. Okay. Where's Bill? >> Bill. [clears throat] Um, like Christian, in the spirit of full disclosure, I know nothing about AI. I'm still [clears throat] I'm still working on I'm I'm

070I'm figuring I'm figuring out all all the all the ins and outs of the the um the the the Jaws program on my computer that that that allows it to talk to me. But, uh, I, you know, I know that it's it I I know that it's that it's the future. And I'm I'm I'm glad uh hopefully I'll use the hopefully I'll use the right term here. You were talking earlier about the academic integrity. >> Yeah. >> And I think that that's important, but I think eventually we're probably going to we're probably going to need some kind of uh if if not a policy, some kind of um [clears throat] um agreed parameters of the of of the use of it, [clears throat] >> which is why we're here. For the last year, I've been

071collecting articles and other information about AI just to keep track because we need to do something to uh for one thing to extend what the English department is doing to other other groups maybe which haven't done that yet. U but the file is just so thick. People are waiting for the state to come up with some kind of policy to regulate this. I don't want to wait. I don't want the state anyway uh before us. I know I' I'd rather have something local. Uh and the question is just do we do we do it with with an ad hoc committee? Do we do it with giving that responsibility to an existing committee? A policy committee I think would be great place to discuss all this >> but well but it's it's huge. It's too much.

072I think it's too much for for one to consume. >> I'm I'm almost done. But that that's [laughter] why we're here and I do appreciate [clears throat] what everyone has said. Go ahead. >> The teach for teachers, you know, I've read this for two years now and I've talked to people and I pulled the data, you know, and it maybe it won't be a policy. I don't how we can incorporate a policy, but at what point is the teacher no longer needed? And that's the fear most people should have is when do you teachers I know I agree with you but Peter Theo and all these guys that are saying you bring EI AI into into the school system that's where the conflicts begin between you know the [clears throat] unions and the technology and

073everything else that goes along with it. I would personally I don't use it. I've tried to use it and a lot of the data is wrong especially for finance and economics but that's something you have to you have to really look I mean it's Edweek talks about it journals talked about it times has talked about it all the tech guys are saying probably shouldn't be in the schools there should be this research I have no clue but it will become something that puts pressure on the teachers themselves if if [clears throat] you're not careful I guess is the best way I'm going to say >> I don't know the answer but I wouldn't I would never trust a machine for versus a teacher just wouldn't do it as a student and I don't know where

074you cut it off. Kim wants to add something. >> I just want to say because I think that um you know Gary bringing up a very valid point that I think a lot of people have concerned in being an HR person. I think you know many people in the workforce are constantly talking about you know is the workforce going to be replaced by AI and I think there has been a um constant uh kind of feeling around HR professionals that says AI is never going to replace the workforce but people in the workforce will be replaced by people in the workforce who know how to effectively use AI appropriately. So if if if we're not finding the right balance to teach our students how to use AI appropriately, other schools are going to be doing

075that and teaching their students how to do it and then our students will be at a disadvantage when they get into the future. [cough] So, I [clears throat] think that's kind of the the feeling amongst the HR professionals right now is that AI is is not at a point where it's going to replace people in the workforce, but people in the workforce will be replaced by people who know how to effectively and appropriately and and with skill use AI effectively in the workforce. >> And that has been the history of economic displacement since technology reared its ugly or beautiful head depending on how you look at it. >> Yeah. technology, you know, replaced things, but then you had to hire people to fix the technology. So, so, so yes, technology will replace certain things, but

076there will be needs for other things. So, [clears throat] yes, >> I tried to have AI replace me in writing letters to my granddaughter at camp a few years ago [laughter] and it was fun. That was I did it for fun obviously, but I sent I tell AI go write this letter, you know, to so and so kid talk about warning about bears and staying dry, whatever. Sure. I ai wrote this beautiful. Didn't sound like me at all. Would have amused my granddaughter if I had actually sent it. But uh it it's fun. So if you haven't tried it, that's the sort of thing that you could feed in and just see see what it means. It's actually easy to use, which is what makes it so dangerous. That's >> M dashes, right? That's how

077you tell, right? >> That's a that's a big tell, right? M dashes. Andrew Marian and I attempted to replace ourselves with AI by having a built schedule. Um, yeah, that was a complete disaster. It's impossible for people. >> Okay, I'm ready to end this discussion, but if anyone out [clears throat] I love using AI [cough] appropriately. I think um an important thing to know there are ways for us to know and to guide students so we can know if they're using AI or not. Um [clears throat] I like your idea of um line paper um and pens and I'm not kidding. I think sometimes just having students write papers, but using things like [clears throat] Google Docs as well, when you you go back, you can if you have a student share an assignment, you

078can look at their history, you can see where they wrote it and they edited and how they did it and you can see if they cut and pasted it from chat gpt right in all at once. And if you know if we set these parameters which tomorrow they're going to be different um which makes policy difficult um but if teachers know this and we keep that educated on AI and it's changing and how to know what students are doing um they can they can do it >> there. Defend your turf teachers. >> Watch the teachers like >> no we shouldn't we should never be teachers. >> Anyone else? >> It's my fear. Okay. And we are ready to uh board. >> Now it's the board's problem. How do we deal with this? Right. Do we

079do we form an ad hoc committee? Not one of these dog and pony show committees. That's not what I'm thinking. I think of a smaller, more concentrated committee if we decide to do that or whatever. But it's here. It's not >> it's not the next big thing. It's here. This one's real, you know, and [snorts] >> and it's not going away. >> It's not It shouldn't go away. It's incredibly powerful. and useful, but we need to get ahead of it. We need to be in control because if we don't get in control, it will be in control. We don't want that. I don't want that anymore. Uh topics for future meetings. Uh AI concerns is the first thing. The new math program, eventually we're going to want to hear how the new math program is

080going. It doesn't even have to be next month, but it's at some point. [clears throat] >> Uh ability grouping, that's something we can keep in mind for a while. Enhanced history offering. We just did that. Device concerns. That's going to be you eventually, Mr. Ukulele. Device concerns. Um comments for the good of the order. John. Oh, great meeting. A lot of good content and good to hear how everybody's handling the things. It just I think even just hearing it helps other people come up with ideas, too. Everybody has their own take on things. So, thank you, >> Chris. Uh great meeting. Thank you to all the teachers who came tonight. Uh very much appreciate your time. I know you're doing it um off. So [clears throat] that um but going back to the AI just

081for one second. Sure. >> Um if we do have some sort of ad hoc um committee, we really do need to include teachers in that. >> Oh yeah. No want was the 40 member committees that we've had before. Certainly ters would [clears throat] be probably the most important. >> Absolutely. >> I I was just I mean I hate to put it on you because you have so much but I really think you'd probably be the one to do this. >> She's done half the work already. The department is already doing >> I'm sorry. [clears throat] >> Um great meeting. and I um the um the uh the the discussions that took place were uh [snorts] were were blocking and had a lot of lot of ideas out on the table. I'm uh I'm I'm excited

082about the um the the the proposal for for more history in in in the in the elementary school and it uh that I you know I I know how much h having been been the son of a teacher I know how much time teachers put in. Well, I I I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Sure. I'm sorry I was late and uh good start. I guess [snorts] that's it. Yeah. Most of it. >> Just thank you to everybody who came out. Thank you for your presentations. Uh thank you to the teachers who took the time to come out. And John, I just have to tell you, I don't know. I kind of love the way sick meetings are going lately. They've taken a whole different kind of a I don't know. We're going down some

083rabbit holes. Well, this is the only committee that actually talks about education. >> I know, but I [laughter] like >> happy new year. [clears throat] >> Great. Great presentations and course proposals. Please tell me [clears throat] when I said that. So, for you and that's it, >> Marissa. >> No, I'm good. John Bar, >> thank you. Thanks very much. Thank you. >> Yeah, I think it was a good meeting, too. And I do appreciate everybody who presented with course proposals and and information about how we're teaching history and where we're going with that and AI and all the business of distinguished alumnist and everything else. And now, oh, history day. Speaking of history, in this building, the the district, the regional uh history day on the 14th of March, I know the math people think

084Pi Day is theirs, but not this year. It's Connecticut history day. And uh that'll be Saturday. More about that later. And I am looking on future meetings, the middle school next month after that, Fast Academy, the high school. and then sadly the end of the school year. But um anyway, motion to adjurnn. So move >> second. >> All in favor? >> We are ajourned. Thank you very much. policy committee order everybody's um approval of the agenda agenda >> second in >> favor Yes, we get a motion to approve the minutes. >> I will make that motion. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I um the only thing on the agenda is the usage of computers. Um, and there was a policy that doesn't cover the actual usage of computers in the school, but

085rather I guess how we safeguard them and what the students commit to doing safeguard computers, how they use them maybe outside the classroom. >> But there's really no policy. >> It covers both >> because it because it says access to district computer systems when students are physically present on school property and then access when they are engaged in digital remote. cut. >> What it doesn't cover, Gary and I have been talking about this a little bit and how to frame this is is those of you who have been here for a few years will recall a time not all that long ago when we were not a onetoone district and we didn't have computers in all of our classrooms. Our kids had very limited access to computers and that was only a blink ago, right?

086Five, six years ago. Um, and we kind of transformed ourselves into a [cough and clears throat] one-1 district literally overnight, as did many other districts across the nation. There has there is I I'll call it a problem of practice just for the sake of this conversation. When students returned to inerson learning after the pandemic, um, the computers came with them into the classrooms and I At the elementary level, there is not rampant use of computers all day long in school. Kids are using paper pencil. They are engaging in face-to-face learning with their teachers. There is a concern among I think some administrators, some board members, some teachers that uh there may be some overuse or over reliance on the computers and I think this is a continuation of the conversation that we just started during

087school improvement really about um you know is that a slippery slope? Am I the next person? [clears throat] I'll continue. Yes. >> Okay. that, you know, is is there a way to effectively monitor how and how often um computers are kids are using computers during the school day um period. Um so I think that that was that was the request to bring forward because these policies do not address that type of use of computers. is more about student safety and not so much philosophical about, you know, we're we're in a digital age, but at what expense should be spending the majority of the school day um in front of the screen? >> And and to add to that, and again, this is just a time for a quick, you know, not even a discussion. This

088is, you know, where we stand. But the most recent studies that have come out, actually even ede the union nationals are recognizing that, you know, and I've talked to Jeff about this. Jeff said they they don't teach. They they just give you answers, but [snorts] to lower lower grades, um lower learning, lower learning. Um again they don't teach and they give answers and should they be in the school system. Some some school systems are getting rid of them. Some aren't. It's a lot of money that we're spending and awful lot of money and if they're not intended for a one one to one and to be used in the classroom you know for for that entire day then do we evaluate what the use of the computer will be in the classroom or at home?

089You know, I'm I'm not an educator, but I would tell you when Edwe comes out with a huge article about how they're noticing that kids don't learn computers. They're not learning how to write. They're not learning how to read. You type instead of writing, what you're reading doesn't sink in the same way. You don't digest the information. Is it true? It might be true. It might not be true. But the studies that are out there right now indicate it's part of the problem we're having with kids. Again, the good teachers, whoever they may be, probably don't use them. Mr. Richardson doesn't use them in this classroom. He refuses to use them. Under certain occasions, he might other teachers, Miss Sullivan, I don't think uses them in the classroom either, but what purpose do they serve

090in the classroom? And I don't know the answer to that. Um, so you know, I brought it up before and I just brought it up again tonight as something we should talking about. AI kind of ties into it, but um, a couple educators in the room, do we know what they're good for in the classroom? I mean, in terms of increasing the education and the outcome for our students. I mean, we used to have computer labs. We can have computer labs throughout the school, which if you want kids to learn about computers, they go to the computer lab and that's where the teacher, Mr. Marshian, used to do it. I think we teach them how to use computers and how probably teach them how to use AI, but in the classroom is it something can

091we use a book and have that more effective and more efficient and have kids learn better and have a yellow pad and this particular teacher friend of mine up in Boston. They don't do anything on computers anymore. They have pads and and pens and pencils in the [snorts] classroom. It's for research at home. They take them home but they keep them at home. she buys them for them, but they keep them at home or if there's something special going on during the school day, but they use for research and research only. Don't know if that's good good idea or not, but I'm just I always want to get ahead instead of catch up. So, um you know, I know Jeff probably has the most to say about this. >> I was just going to ask,

092but we have staring at technology all day is you know, seven hours a day. knowing what kids do when they go home, right? So, you're you take screens, we we've gone to great length to take screens out of their hands during the day, the phones, the tablets, the watches, but if you sit them in front of a screen for 7 hours all day, and then you know what they're going to do when they go home, do we have a responsibility to take part in we'll say regulating or trying to minimize that screen time during the day? But you have to know how much screen time they're using, right? We actually have that data. we can get it the we're on all Google devices now that information Josh and Rachel and whatnot they can pull you

093know hey how long is the computer on with the licensing we have we probably exactly what they're doing all day but you know if you have if you know where the cohorts are going you could figure out okay well this laptop's been on for five hours today and all of their peers were too that travel with them okay there's a lot of screen that an analysis would be required, but what is the right answer? What what what classes are more appropriate for it than others? I mean, technology can help do things faster, right? So, you you can have a child who can type and do certainly get more ideas out. So, when you're trying to learn how to read and write when you're writing, you can write. Some kids can write on a computer way

094faster than they can by handwriting. It helps a teacher because a teacher can read it better than I mean, try and read my handwriting. my kids aren't going any better at it, but you know, my handwriting is horrible. So, where does that balance play, right? Does it does it happen that you need it for everything? Are there certain uses to Gary and I'm sure John's point, where is that happy balance? And the teachers in the classrooms and the administrators, this whole group of people have a lot of input to it, not on this committee, but hearing all that input and having this committee just come to it, some of the consensus, what do we think is best? And then pass it around. What does a brain think? This is not a overnight decision, but people

095on screens for 8 hours during the day at school knowing they're going to spend another eight when they get home, >> we're probably not helping that. >> We're hurting our kids. some people some want to like with Jason in particular your your students in particular there might be a greater need for some of those things given and I don't know how the most effective way to teach some of your kids is but for you know for their other children who I mean Norway I think it was Norway and Sweden they just decided to outlaw them throughout the school systems no more computers during school um because the studies that they have used that they that they've taken up into consideration are the same problems we have in this kids around screens all day and they

096popped in front of a chair in school and I don't know what grades they they were in over there but in Great Britain the same thing and popped in front of a computer all day. Some teachers don't allow them at all and other teachers I do know that some teachers you know have them on during the school more than they probably should when lights off and the computer's on for students and it shouldn't be the first thing students introduced [clears throat] to nor should in my opinion be you know the greater part of learning because it's the teacher that teaches children anyway [clears throat] >> so I guess I kind of feel the same way about computers that I do about AI but I do know how to use a either as opposed to um

097maybe not as good as Jeff, but I I do understand how he's also have an eighth grader whose handwriting is atrocious, you know. So, I I think there's it's a fine line and I do think there's a generational gap um where we have to recognize that computers are not only our present but our future. But also, I don't want the students in the system to not be able to write an essay in their own handwriting or have handwriting that can be read um legibly. Um but um you know, I just it's a fine line. While I do see your point, I do think there is a drastic overuse of computers. I don't know how we continue to use them while to Jeff's point limiting screen time and you definitely need this something that we definitely

098need to look at. I do agree to >> moderations. >> Yeah, it's all moderation. >> This is going to be more of a stream of consciousness and I know that Mrs. Ferguson and I I was doing all duty and we had a conversation. and she was helping out our time of one administrator and she happened to get into some classrooms and was flabbergasted by the amount of time she saw kids on computers and um I'm sure that wasn't in every classroom. I I have to say that right but many um >> we are trying to teach students to be 20 21st century learners. Um computers are not going away. It's part of the workforce. So, um, just as AI, it's something that we're going to have to learn how to teach with. And yes, computers

099have been around for a long time. We need to know how to use them and use them effectively and when they're going to be um, appropriate. Um, looking at getting rid of computers um or or limiting the amount of computers, you start to think about book adoption. You think about curric um, bringing in curriculum. What materials are you bringing in that we don't now have? And I understand that, you know, there's still going to be computers in a building, but that money now shifts to another place and and that's not going to happen overnight. Um, you have to think about trip uh trickle up skills. Um, you can't just take it away from everybody because they those in middle school and high school don't have the skills that could potentially be taught in an elementary

100school on how to have better penmanship and write. So, you know, you need to think about that. It's it's not a a a one stop everybody stops. You have to teach and have that build up. You just like we're going through the social emotional piece of co children. We're we're still seeing those effects trickle through our system and we still have at least five to six more years before we have a student that wasn't affected by the pandemic. Um you know you talk about special ed assisted technology that is definitely something that that needs to be there. Um and and there's always those exceptions. Um and you know I I think that you said what are the obstacles to teachers teaching and right now we don't have the things that we need and we are

101pulling a lot of stuff reduces the amount of time that we are required to like having an essay on a computer is much easier to correct than so it's it's a time thing also for um teachers and again stream consciousness. Not everything is very well thought out as I'm going through this, but um just thinking about that, the amount of time that we have and and taking home a stack of, you know, 125 papers or whatever it is, um to go through that as opposed to um you know, 125 essays on on Google Classroom. Um so Google Classroom has definitely been a positive for students who um are out for whatever reason for long periods of time. they have access to the curriculum um even when they're absent, when they're suspended, when they're um sick.

102Um you know, we're putting our the the syllabuses or our daily agendas and what we're doing a lot of time is is time saving for us because we go back from each year and see what our pacing was. So, um I it's I do agree that I even walk the hallways and I just see teachers behind their desk and students with their computers up and it is disturbing knowing what myself and other teachers that I work with are doing in the classroom to engage students and uh help them to um manage their computer time appropriately. Um, and you know, I know in the middle school they talked about the high school with we we in the ELA department for eighth grade, they have to write a rough draft before they can even type. Um, so

103that is something that the I know even in the middle school that they're having to show us a written version of what they want to say before they put it on the computer. So, >> I think you still here, but I think you just nailed it in when you said to engage students. I think that's the biggest concern here. There's there's that lack of engagement, right, between a teacher and student when kid walks in, class sits down and immediately they're directed to open their devices and right and that even impacts behaviors and you you and I talked about that too, right? You don't have >> you don't have that relationship with your teacher because you're relating to the screen, right? instead. >> I don't think it can be an all or nothing situation. And I

104think that that's and and I hope that that's the board's kind of initial thinking. It's it can't be an all or nothing. >> I don't think there any thinking to be honest other than what we're seeing and my my purpose is is to just thought yours is better than I know. Um but you know and you brought up having the essays [clears throat] teachers have always said what is it that we deny the kids today that causes and and again not just not necessarily our students but the output we get today versus 2012 and earlier. What is it that brought us here? And it's a lot of things. And if the most recent very liberal education studies are telling us the number one thing right now is everybody says well computers came out this is

105going to solve all the problems. Well test scores were up at 74s and now we got computers in every classroom and they're in the 20s not this I'm not blaming teachers it's just where we stand. So what is that? Some other countries are saying we've we've figured it out. I don't know if they're right or wrong or not. It isn't all or nothing. There's got to be computers. Um but just we have to figure out how they're used in such a way where the students have the most teacher time they can possibly have and sit down with them and actually you know handwriting is handwriting like my son Christian works for me and I'm not joking his handwriting is such that do you would think he was three years old I'm not kidding that's how

106bad it is now my daughter is great and she is two years old so it's not the teacher they have the same teachers but um he doesn't do anything in writing and for my history with He's got it right. So, I don't know the answer, but it's something that we should talk about. >> The longer you're a teacher, the better you are at reading >> different forms of handmanship. >> You're right. You just imagine. [laughter] >> So again, I'd rather your daughter learn the right way, not necessarily the reading, the handwriting, but learning not learning on a computer, but learning in a way we can figure out what the kids learn. In my role in in saying and I think I hear is that they are teaching penmanship and cursive back in the elementary schools

107are doing this >> which is great but it missed my kid so now I can't [laughter] know that they're lucky enough to have Mr. Calibies. He does um cursive writing competitions. >> Oh nice. That's great. I mean that's good to hear. >> So just just a few things to think about if this goes forward towards policy that I would I would hope would be there. First, finding a balance I think is is key. >> This is the first even bringing it up. This is not working. >> Yeah. No, no, I'm just I I just my stream [clears throat] of consciousness type. Um I I think a really important place in K3 where I am. Um kids don't spend as much nearly as much time on computers. We don't hand in assignments on computers. >> [clears

108throat] >> Um and in fact in some ways we have the opposite problem because third grade we're taking our smarter out assessments on a computer and the kids typing skills and you know just working on a computer in that way are not always solid. Um I think curriculum writing is the place where these decisions be made. If you're teaching a computer science class, you're probably going to have a computer in front of you the whole time. if you're teaching, you know, an art class, maybe there's a unit with some computers in it, but you know, mostly you should be painting and drawing and using clay or whatever that is. Um, so I think that's the place where that those decisions should be made. >> Um, but at test taking, we have to make sure that

109we're we're really ready for these kids. I are SATs on computer now. Um and as a continuation of my stream of consciousness about 20 years ago I was um a poor teacher making um doing making some extra money and essay proctoring SATs and kids would come up to me and this was close to 20 years ago. They didn't know how to make they had to write out this little statement that they weren't cheating in cursive. Now how do you make an S again? How do you make a they didn't know how to write cursive. Um so I was teaching high schoolers how to write cursive then. Um, and then the future skills. I think it's really important that we uh, uh, they're going to use computers and frankly, you're probably right. They're probably going to

110figure it out in the 8 hours. Most of the things they need. Um, but we have to make sure that they're learning it the right way. I I think that's an important piece, too. But all day computers, I'm right there with you. I think that um, is not good for anybody, >> including administrator. >> It's more of a a 7 through 12 problem. >> I'm sure. I I think that test taking piece is uh until that changes, we have to make sure our kids are prepared for that. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. And and this I mean I'm not advocating one way or the other, although I have my opinion and I happen to agree with Gary, but like um >> I would love computers to be gone in a whole lot of ways and I love

111them. And it's just that you think about how we are we are attached to I mean we used to go home and you go home from work >> right >> you're always attached >> always. >> So and please understand this is not me throwing anybody under the bus but um my my daughter um is in an Italian class and every single assignment is on the computer. >> There is no actual lesson. She's not learning to speak Italian. She's just doing assignments on her Chromebook. So, she's not there's there's nothing to learn. >> She's not learning how to converse. She's not learning how to say a sentence is she's just learning verbs and adjectives and >> I've watched the assignments. They're like a fill in the blank type of thing. Um, you know, I just don't

112think that's that's teaching them anything, especially with a language like that. You need to be able to converse. Can I just Is that what you're seeing at home and is that what you're >> only assignments? >> Is [clears throat] that what's happening in the classroom >> and you have that credit? I just I just want to have that clear. >> That's how that's how I understood that conferences is every assignment that's given is on the computer and that's how they're graded. >> Jeff, did you have a question? >> I just a quick comment to everybody's statements. Um I think and Kristen may have just alluded to it a little bit is computers. You watch the generations and a lot of this is generational gap but what percentage of our young our youth know to look

113somebody in the eye. What percentage of our youth know you know watch I'm going to pick you not picking on you but you you have your notepad probably with short-handed quick little instructions. You talk the entire time you looked at the chair and you're you're down. You look quick for your next idea and you're talking you're looking at people. watch our youth. They can't do it because and even when they raise their hand in a classroom when I've walked through, you know, they're behind a computer screen and now a bigger computer screen, I might add, that they're a little bit slouched down in their chair. They're hidden. They raise their hand. You know, look, people learn from, yes, the computers, and I'm a computer person, but there's topics that maybe a student doesn't like or

114they're not the best at. The computer screen doesn't cause them to be engaged. So, you could love Italian, you could love history, you could hate history. I had a history class in college I'm not a history person. I live I live on memorization for history. But I had [clears throat] a teacher who dragged us into the conversation and made it one of my favorite classes ever. The screen doesn't do that for you. The teacher does. So there's a balance to it. There are a lot of educational pluses to screens. There are a lot [clears throat] of educational minuses. Maybe they don't show up on the grade, but they may show up on the student and that that adult that we're generating. It's always, you know, making today's youth the adults and professionals of tomorrow. What

115are we doing in that process that that shapes the future? If they can't talk to people, you know, think about a when you were younger and you went to do classwork or you did you worked with people on homework outside of class. Maybe you wrote a paper or did a research thing. You had a a midterm to study for. Now all these study guides are on the computer screen. So Chris and I are sitting next to each other working on our screens. We're not talking to each other. We're not interacting. You're in a classroom. You're not really interacting. Look at what we just did with a brand new math program that encourages kids to get stand and it's about problem solving together. The screen makes you problem solve separately. I'm not saying I'm against computers

116obviously, but that moderation probably has a different level of respect and purpose in different categories of education. >> Josh um so I before I say anything, I just want to say I'm not I don't want to point out anyone specific. This is a thing with multiple administrators across multiple buildings, but we've had things incidents where because we have our our policy says, "Hey, we can take away the computer if a student is abusing it." So, we have students abused their computers, they get taken away, and then we get reports from teachers going, "Hey, they can't participate in this lesson plan because it's on a computer. They need a computer." uh um parents call and complain they're falling behind on their homework. They need a computer to do and then the you know admins will go

117find whatever they can have their computer back and they go right back to abusing the computer. So, we need, you know, as I'm going to be one of probably the most pro computer people here being [laughter] on. Um, but bare minimum, we need alternative lesson plans that that where we don't rely on the computer that has to be there. >> I never knew we were relying on >> as as a special ed teacher. I >> and it's it's not every teacher and it's, you know, there are problems. The curriculum writing needs to always ensure that there's that alternative piece and I'm always saying that to the teachers advocating for my kids and all kids is that okay well they don't have the computer so what are you where's the material for them if they don't

118have that access because we have parents that refuse to sign agreements which ultimately means that they can't have a computer and so then the teacher needs to be able to adapt staff. And unfortunately, and and I am the rep for the teachers union, there needs to be that flexibility amongst all of us to be able to give that child the access that they need. Um, it's very different with a special ed student, but for [clears throat] the general ed students, there are those situations where a student shouldn't have a computer for many different reasons, and the teacher needs to be able to provide that lesson that everyone else is getting, those shared experiences. We talk about that the math curriculum. We want shared experiences across the board. The ELA curriculum, we want shared experiences across

119the board. Everyone, whichever teacher you have, you're getting a similar situation, a similar experience. And they should be able to do that whether it's on the computer [clears throat] or the student next to them that doesn't have a computer. And I think that that's where we need the time and the the the the focus with curriculum writing to ensure that we are able to provide it both digitally and not digitally the same experience. >> Gary for half a second Jason just one sentence on this. >> You know you have too much I've read many articles about this. You know you have too much technology in your school when the internet disconnects and the world comes to an end. And that's but that's really I had to say it because it plays into what you're saying

120when you comes to an end you've got too much technology. >> I've heard I'm sorry. >> Do you want to go? >> Yeah. I just wanted to say that I think the best part of the conversation thus far has been not just the idea of how to moderate the use of it. Yet we can all agree somewhere in the middle lies the the most appropriate component. But the neurological soft signs that you two both so eloquently spoke about is what I think we continue to see what cripples our kids whether or not they can turn in a gleaming assignment or not. But their inability to have executive functioning because of the missing orthography of literally writing on a piece of paper so you can't organize your thoughts. the inability to look a a person in

121the eye and have an articulate conversation. I just love the fact that the conversation is not going to just center on okay well how do you write the lesson? How do you make sure the standard is still dealt? It's the relational component between the adult and the child that motivates kids and then most importantly the neurological soft signs of whether or not kids are going to leave 12th grade and actually command their presence in the world. And I I just I was so happy that you said that and I just want to make sure that when we do continue the conversation, we still nail in on the neurological soft signs of the weaknesses we're creating. Um, and how do we make sure that we we move away from that part of it? >> It is

122the weaknesses that are destroying our kids and they're not learning >> 100%. I I just I have I had a conversation today with somebody who runs the largest retailers in the world and he was the head of the real estate group and he's about 10 years younger than me and he says to me I don't hire kids younger than 40 years old big kids. He goes I just don't he goes he goes the 25 year olds out of college they sit there in their office they put on their computer and they don't do anything. He said they don't know how to do anything. >> He said so I just don't hire them. I move up the ladder and I'll pay more money to get more productivity. is I will not bring those kids into my

123program. And it's not just him. It's what I see. It's what a lot of people say. I'm not again. It's it's where we are. And now we have to get away from it. Get back to it. >> Yeah. Go. >> Um just I know that the [clears throat] agenda item is about the policy and I know and I get that and I guess the student use, right? So, we're and and I heard you prior to the meetings asking Kim this, what is the purpose of the policy that we're looking at compared to the policy that we have >> and and how does this go into the conversation that we started? >> Two different >> Well, they're really not. That's what I was going to say is this is what I was trying to say at

124the beginning just just to clarify. This policy talks about the use of computers when students are physically present and the access. So [clears throat] if the board in this conversation wants to include the components about how to balance or moderate, I feel like in that section of this policy is where we put that is what I was trying to say at the beginning is that this policy does talk about access to district computer systems when students are physically present on school property. And that's really what you're talking about. So, I feel like we can take this shipment policy and make suggestions and modifications based on what the board's interest is in this topic wherever you land. Like, we can as we always have the ability to add or or remove or edit language that shipment

125gives us as a model policy and we present it to our attorneys to see that it, you know, passes mustard. But I think you have the right to add into this policy to be able to talk about what you're what you're what you're looking for. So just just so you know, I was I was trying to correct, you know, give you the opportunity that this is a place where you can put that in whether you want it in administrative regulations or a policy that's up to the board. >> Kristen, >> I just want to go on record saying that I have seen countless teachers engaging in the classroom. I really I have I mean as part of school improvement John and I sometimes will will [cough and clears throat] go on school tours and I've

126been doing them with John now for two years. I've seen every school I've seen dozens of classrooms and I do see the teachers engaging and I don't always see the computers in front of the the students. And um just a quick example uh in this school our last visit uh Mr. Vader was doing a really amazing lesson. The kids were all into it. They were excited. It was it was hands-on. It was interactive. That's just one example. And I don't want what I said prior. That's just one example to to deviate from the amazing, you know, engagement our teachers really do with our students. [clears throat] Just for the record. >> Good. Well, it's even I mean it's not the the teachers that created this problem. >> No. >> Um I mean I'll say just

127like the AI is the future. They say I don't believe it will be. It will be for some people. Computers were supposed to be solving the problems in education 20 years ago. It comes on the teachers. But the more we introduce as ways to not have to teach as much or again depends on the course and it depends on you know what the curriculum is, the easier it is just to move away a little a little more. That's not all the teachers. It's who knows how many it is. But just like the phones, not every kid has their phone out, but when it's starved in the classroom, but when one starts, the other starts. And some and honestly, the kids need to learn. We need to give them the best education possible, whatever that means.

128And if it's technology that is creating some of their, you know, giving us giving them deficiencies, you use bigger words than I do. [laughter] But, you know, it that's well known throughout the world now. So, how can we fix it as best we can? That's all. Anything else? >> Just one other [clears throat] and I think I already know the answer to this and but I'm throw out there in in changing. >> Nope. I'm going to I'll leave it for another time. >> I don't think we thought I don't thought about it yet. >> No, I just I we could be in the >> I'm going to leave it for when we get to a further point. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And do my own research before I ask a question. [laughter] Just not chat

129TV, >> which I can't help you because I don't know how to use it anyway. [laughter] >> You use it. You don't even realize it. >> Probably. Yeah. >> All right. I think we're done. >> Well, on to the policy though. [laughter] I think we're going to Well, we're not going to change anything right now. >> Well, but there was a discussion on what >> Do you want to see what Kim can put together for some language or No, >> that's up to you I don't think we're ready for that. >> What's the difference between the shipment policy and our policy? >> There there are some. So our policy was last updated. I think it was 2017. So there are definitely some uh 20 no 2020. Why don't you read it? But you you outlined

130them. So >> yeah. So I mean the policies are very similar. The only the main difference is that um the shipment model policy is really only the first section before where it says kind of information, you know, information systems like like the shipment model policy is really only those two aircrafts of our first policy um with some expanded language that kind of talks about you know increasing some of the types of devices. There's more detail in those two paragraphs with those two paragraphs. The first two paragraphs of our policy are the entirety of the shipment model policy. Right? >> What's in information systems and beyond in our policy is what shipment has in their administrative regulations, but they are almost identical with a few minor things. there is some um minor changes to the definitions

131uh about obscene language and and prohibited uh like you know obscene things. So there's there's a few changes to the definitions there I think that are updated based on the times that we're living in um under student conduct. So on page 14 of the shipment model policy, there was a minor change where the shipment model policy, our policy says personal use of district information systems is expressly prohibited and the student in the shipment model policy says authorized. I think we can leave ours the way it is because it is prohibited based on our cell phone policy. But that's just a change just in shipment's policy is was the point. Um, and then there was something about accessing social media on page 15 of the shipment model policy, which also says it it must be authorized.

132So that was another change that that in our policy it says use of social media is strictly prohibited, but in Shipman's policy it says has to be authorized. Again, we could leave it the way ours is, but those are just some of the changes. And then on page 16 specifically around AI and to me I think that's the most important thing that we may want to incorporate into our policy because we don't have since we're having that conversation at least [cough and clears throat] having something in the policy that references unauthorized use of generative artificial intelligence as part of our policy which we don't currently have in this policy. So, >> so I think those are the big things, >> but all of that under administrative takes it, like you were saying, I I overheard

133you saying takes it out of the policy, which allows for >> us to easier change without going through >> without having to make a policy adjustment each time. Right. So if we split it in alignment with shipment model policy right now um and then make the second part administrative regulations then as we continue this conversation whether it's through an ad hoc committee or through what whatever method the board so chooses as we want to make tweaks to the administrative regulations that won't require an update to policy each time. So that's just something to the board's consideration. Can I just ask a question? Is there any other policy that we've done that to that has moved parts of the policy out of policy into administrative? And how has that worked? >> Most of them have been

134aligned that way. For some reason, this one wasn't. Most most of the ones that we have have followed Shannon's model policy where they've got a policy and then the administrative revolutions. For some reason, this one just didn't. >> Okay. Yeah, we do have I know the the the student use of district owned devices I did think has language about AI. Um and I think our um some of our other policies that we have does have have language about AI, but this one because of the nature of when it was last updated um doesn't really have the language on. >> Go ahead, Joe. I I think the other to Kim's point a lot of the model policy and the administrative piece talks about without author with authorization because I think it's Hammond's policy and I looked

135at it talks about um you can use social media for accessing district social media there's there are some we've now pushed so many things to pages and things that I believe it was allowed hand instead you could I think it was prohibited unless accessing districtowned or district presented data and educational use per your you know per your whatever you're working. So if you were a marketing student, you know, and I was a marketing class in high school, you probably are going to be in social >> trouble. Right. >> I think that's why a lot of these things were changed. I mean to the to this group's decision, but I do I do believe that's why the model policy talks about with authorization rather than ours where it says strictly prohibited. Shipment is trying to put

136us in a position where we can defend what >> if there was a legitimate meaning. >> Yeah, that makes sense. >> I always like shipment gives us protection. And then I think just the depth of our real conversation is going to get into the alignment of the amount of usage, the way that we're teaching. Like that's a different a whole different conversation which is I think the heart the spirit of what we're attempting to get to which I do appreciate that we're getting >> that sounds like school. >> That part of it [laughter] >> they're going to keep kicking back to each other going back. >> I noticed that that part of it. I I'm comfortable with you with your proposing. Anybody else have any issues? >> Leave that is for now it or you

137guys would like to do I'm happy to motion. >> If you make the amount of computer use part of your policy, you're really restricting yourself and that's going to take forever. >> Oh. No. >> So, I think I think separating it it's it's going to give the district to the administrators a greater ability to deal with some of the behavioral issues that we're seeing around the computer use and the ability for the district to make changes to how we implement it if it's administrative rather than policy. I think the first two paragraphs very clearly state the purpose of the computer and what we're doing and providing. And then the administrative is literally that parental piece which you know we're we're >> disagreeing. >> So we want to move with separating them in accordance with shipment's

138policy. Is that what you're saying? Is that >> I would my recommendation is the teacher the teacher monitoring policy the monitoring piece of this policy from is way better than ours. It talks about our rights as district [clears throat] to reset passwords, get access to much more detail. >> There's a lot more teeth to it to let you a parent going, "Well, it doesn't say you can do that." >> So, I don't I don't think any of this really infringes anybody's, you know, rights of having the device. It's just really giving you a postcoavid one:1 school district >> the option to really enforce those rules. So, I have two questions to cover then. Um, if we're going to go with the expanded language and shipments policy in the places where it does say personal use

139must express it for her. [clears throat] Do we want to go with that language in shipment or do we want to not? >> Gary's going to ask for a motion to ship. >> Well, I thought you said you wanted to go with the split. Okay. >> What is the split? >> No, the split would be going with shipments. Yeah, that's what he wants to do. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, she needs the answer to >> But I need the answer to do that because that's part of the split. >> Repeat that again. >> Are we done? >> So, in the in the in the split >> in the shipment split, the lang the language is personal use must be specifically authorized by a district staff member. Unauthorized personal use of district computer systems is expressly

140prohibited. >> Right. Do we or do you just want to keep it as unauthorized personal use of district computer systems is expressly private? >> I I do I agree. >> Where is that statement page 14? >> But that's part of the administrative which is >> correct. Yeah. >> Are we not updating the administrative regulations too or go? Well, I don't know because I don't know >> or we want to just take that out >> like first are we splitting it and then secondly do we want to change those administrative that that's not a board >> so you just want to do the two pages of the policy and that's it. >> Let's just go with first >> I just have a question regarding the personal use. So I want to make sure that students are

141able to use it for personal use when needed. Like for example, if they want to set up a calendar for their work commitments and their after school activities and homework, that's personal use, >> but they're not surfing an unauthorized website. Like I just I want to make sure they're still able to use it because some kids this might be their only device. Mhm. >> I think the difference, Kristen, if you if you keep reading where it says I think they're talking about inappropriate personal use, >> inappropriate I just want to make sure. Yeah. I just want to make sure that that's very clear because unauthorized personal use could mean anything. >> [clears throat] >> And you know, like I said, if someone's using it >> to journal, maybe their feelings from the day or um

142you know, like I said, keeping a list of things they need to do for that week so they stay on task. You know, maybe this is their only way to to keep that. Do you know what I mean? >> I don't have an issue with somebody keeping a personal journal, >> especially if it helps them have an outlet for their feelings. >> Yep. And I do I do think that the examples help underneath, right? Because it it you know I think your example that you just gave like is not listed here. >> Sure. >> But [clears throat] it talks about you know accessing someone else's personal folders of course like you know gaining >> computer system file you know downloading or modify examples of what would constitute unauthorized use. >> Plus then is teaching them

143how to use their career too. Can I just so and I guess this is for my own clarification is if the if you move forward to split it, you don't need the board's permission then to change that language. How does admin where does that administrative procedures get changed? Then if they're just voting to to split it, that takes that part piece of the that paragraph out of their hands to the administrative hands and then it's up to the superintendent to make that decision. Is is that am I thinking that correctly? >> Yeah. So historically on the website and Marissa, you can correct me if I'm wrong. The administrative reg regulations are still there on the website. They're just in a separate place. >> Okay. And so if we have to update them based on something

144new that happens, you know, a new law or whatever, if we have to make an update to them, we've just made updates today. >> And they are susceptible to board over. >> Exactly. >> So that's >> So it's just we don't have to wait got >> 45 days for a policy meeting and then a full board vote in order to be able to implement it. We can implement it right away and then we could bring it to the board forformational purposes, but we don't it doesn't have to go to a board. I'll ask for a motion. Can I just one last >> I just want to throw out the to be careful about the language with the the social media and I think that's with this little convers but if we ban all social media

145um our Torington High School web page is big it's I mean there's our Facebook right on there >> but this is student news right like >> but if they go to the toran high school web page there's this high school Facebook >> y >> so if you click on them it's blocked There's I would the way it's depends on your interpretation. So is this social media and are you interacting with it? Like I just think it's important to be careful with that language that >> but I think to Jason's point I think the students can't access it on the websites anyway. They shouldn't be able to comput >> you can but but students like can't get on to >> so they click on those they get a block I'm assuming right Jeff. So it that

146box doesn't even show up. That box has a shows up as a box that basically says no, you can't be in this. This box here. >> Yep. The Facebook. >> As Sue has pointed out, inappropriate is the only we're putting in our website that it's us kind of saying it's [clears throat] appropriate for you to view it. >> Don't we want them to see that? >> Right. We want them to have anybody want to make a motion space. >> Do we want to make a motion that we accept the shipment policy? I will make the motion that we accept the shipment policies as presented and explained. >> Second. All in >> favor. And then nice to have you. It's nice to have you here. Make this these meetings >> worth. I wish more people would

147do it. [clears throat] >> Yes. Motion to send it to the full board. So move >> second. >> All those in favor? >> I stop this for future meeting. >> Try to save. >> We did have some other things. You want the actually Kristen brought something up. Well, we can't do anything with the >> We we have a a meeting at the end of January regarding the staff dress code and we really can't do anything until that happens. It wasn't necessar I voted no on the staff dress code, but I have issues with the student dress code. It's just very ambiguous. >> Okay. You want to bring take a look at that? >> I'd like to I'd like to have a little more clarification on certain things where it just says, for example, um it

148says upper thigh. What does that mean? It's different for everybody. Um I again, I'm going to date myself here, but back when I was in school, it was your h fingers went to the bottom of your skirt, then it was okay. um if your fingers went past it, it was too short. Um you know, because everybody's different height. Um but just >> doing >> Yeah, I would like to just reevaluate it. Um but also um >> I don't want to meet here again in the winter. I am absolutely freezing. [laughter] >> It is so cold in here. It is. My feet my feet are awful. >> Well, our next meetings are at different >> But I won't want to come here again in the winter. [laughter] Oh god. And these stairs are killing my dad.

149>> You live in this part of town. >> I KNOW. [laughter] >> SHE DOESN'T CONTROL THE HEAT. I KNOW. >> ONE more thing, Kristen, that you brought up which we approved the um teachers husband and wife bringing their their child to >> Oh, right. >> We talked about make a policy. >> Yes, we do. Correct. >> Yes, that that too. >> All right. Anything else? >> Just want to add to Kristen's question about the dress student dress code policy. I think it would be useful. The last time we talked about it, we have a lot of we had some admins kind of explain how it's been going and some of the the data they had collected and how useful it's been, if they're seeing a difference and they they help to shape those policies, getting

150some of their input like they did last time cuz we talked about asking them how it went 9 months in or so may remember that. We talked about seeing hey how's it going? This is kind of that time frame anyway. was bags and bags and lockers. Was that was bags? Wasn't that something that was brought up at a previous >> just talked about I had brought that up about a small bag being allowed into >> I but I don't know with high school off we have to talk >> it's just at the middle school >> bags are getting bigger the purse sizes are getting bigger. >> They're no longer they're no longer backpacks. They're now >> shoulder bags and >> pockets purses and I think it needs to be clarified the size. Yeah, I I

151I think it's for a topic. >> If we're going to say backpacks go in the locker, >> what's not a backpack? What's not a bag? What's not a shoulder bag? What's And as a teacher, it's yes, keeping, you know, the personal items, but it's more or less a safety issue. Um, it's what is hidden in those things that are being brought into school and being carried around with them. Yes, they're still in that locker, but at least they're not easily accessible if they're coming in to build. >> Got that? >> Got it. >> All right. Comments for the order. We'll just stick with the committee tonight. We want to get out of here. Next, we'll start with Mr. and Jeff. >> Happy New Year. Thank you for conversation. meeting. >> Nothing. I'm [clears throat] good.

152Thanks. >> I'm good. I'm good. I guess we can just >> I'm all set. Great. Thank you. Great. >> All right. Sure. How's it player?