001Order this regular meeting of the board of education at 5:34. Everyone could please rise for the pledge of allegiance. The flag is there. What's your degrees? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. When you're ready, call the Mr. Burgerer here. Miss Conway here. She's here. Mr. Corey here. Mr. Cronin is excused. Mr. Pis here. Mr. Ugal will be here later. Miss Bona here. Mr. Kiscoco here. Mr. Knight here. Mr. Putnham here. Mayor Carbona representative. Miss Ferguson here. Miss Clazooki excused. Thank you. Miss Lavyby here. Mr. Fa here. Miss Schulty here. Miss Bian here. Mr. Wilson here. Thank you. Thank you. Um so I have uh next up the approval of the
002agenda. Um I do have one change uh that I'm looking for which is um we neglected to put the actual um adoption of the budget uh in new information and action to to adopt the budget amount uh given to us by the city. Um so I why don't we just put that uh first under new information and action right before the policy and uh bump everything else down. Um that's so long as whoever makes the motion for the approval is willing to do that. Anybody else? Yeah. Also like um to um just review the consent agenda. Okay. Um are you looking to take to put an item for um take uh to take something budget transfers. Okay. You want to take the bud? So I want to make it information and action. Okay. Um so
003that uh within the the rules here uh consent agendas have to be done by unanimous consent. So if any member wants something off the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda's order. Um we we have to do that. You can't leave it on the consent agenda. Um so we're waiting for that change as well. Is there a motion? I'll I'll move the agenda be be accepted with with those changes. Is there second? Uh any further discussion hearing? None. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Okay, we have our agenda. Uh school community service and public participation. Is there anyone who wishes to address the board? Um yes. Yeah. Is there anyone online who's with us? If not, we did receive uh written communication that we'll read into the record at the
004senator's request. You don't need to read number five, right? Uh, no, not not if anyone's not actually speaking. Okay. All right. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Jason Laferner and I'm a special education teacher at Torington Middle School. Tonight, I once again urge the board to take meaningful steps for judifying our schools by officially adopting the RA Raider mascot and Torington High School's colors at the middle school level. This is not a new request. As you may recall, I previously submitted a petition in support of this change signed by faculty and staff from every school in the district. The message from our educators was clear. We want to build a stronger, more cohesive identity across all grade levels. One mascot, one color, one scheme, one touring tip. This proposal was also supported
005by Mario Langabuko and formally approved by the ad hoc committee charged with developing a unified vision for our schools facilities. It's time to move beyond symbolic separation and align ourselves under a single consistent brand that instills pride and belonging districtwide. Thank you for your time, your service to the students of Torington. And I wish you all a well and a restful and well-earned summer. Jason Lerner written that's the only written communication we received. So was there anybody online or no? No. Last call with that three folks with us now. Okay. So we that clears up our public participation. Um no recognitions because schools have. So we'll dive right in and hear the superintendence report. Great. Good evening. Uh June was very busy uh for us and obviously the close of schools and the excitement that
006Can you speak up a little? Absolutely. Close of schools that come with uh all of our students and some for our staff as well. But uh ths scholarship night was a wonderful evening attended by assistant superintendent Ferguson. Uh a lot of generous donations for our students to pursue and to continue on in their education or other fields. So it was a real nice evening and a lot of money was donated which was wonderful. Kids marathon uh was a blast and our students had a great time. The DJ kept everyone pretty excited and pretty happy and there was a lot of nice pictures on Facebook that I know um Rachel had posted. So it was a really good event as well. Graduation, Mr. Corey, Mr. Putner, Miss Hall were there. It was a wonderful, wonderful evening
007uh to celebrate our graduates and we couldn't be prouder um of them. And the night went off without a hitch. So it was really good. And the weather cooperated, which was also very nice for afterwards. Next year, Josh, we have to get that drone outside to take some photos. Please, I'm going to make that a a mission there. Um, I'd like to thank Dean and Rachel and their respective teams for all of their hard work and dedication already in getting our buildings um ready to go. This is a big summer with the redistricting and they've been in there round the clock um really getting getting things going, getting things clean, getting things organized, getting all the tech uh going. So, it does not go unnoticed um Dean and Rachel. So, thank you. Uh it's a
008lot of hard work and there will be a continued ton of hard work. And finally, I just want to wish all of our students, administrators, staff, teachers a very restful and relaxing summer. They've earned it. They deserve it. And they really need to recharge those batteries and be ready to rock and roll come September. And that is all I have to say. Thank you. Um, graduation was great. I thank you for inviting me as always. Um, you mentioned redistricting and I'm wondering, you know, when we talk about this in the spring, um, we had hoped, uh, that we could make sure that everybody knew both, you know, employees and families and students would know where they were going by around this time, maybe a little earlier than today. Uh, where are we at with that
009stuff? complete hands off and all the all the staff have been notified. All the administration has been notified. All the rest groups have been put up now been a while ago now. Everyone knows exactly where they're going to go. Um and obviously the administrators of their new respective buildings have sent welcome emails to their new staff and they will be sending welcome letters to all of their families as well. Excellent. Thank you. And and I know the the board uh imposed a slight delay on that process. Um, so I really am thankful that we that you all were able to to get done on time. Anyway, I know it wasn't easy and we appreciate you. Does anyone else have anything for the superintendent? Okay. Uh, then we'll go right along to the human resources report.
010Take it away, kid. Thank you. So, uh, you have basically the year end June numbers for the subfill rates and for the absence the paras. So, uh, we ended about on where we were trending, uh, 65% for teachers, which is almost 20% more than where we were last year. So, that's a significant increase. And 43% for Paris, which is in the neighborhood of where we were last year. So, not no worse, no better. So, that that's good. Um, ESS was putting the focus where they needed to for teachers. So, we're going to continue to hold them accountable for increasing that number next year. Um, and we've got some strategies in place for the summer to work on that. Um, our absences for teachers ended lower than it was the previous year. So, that's exciting. It's
011about one full percentage point lower than where we were last year. So, that's really exciting. Uh, paras is it's a little bit higher, but there were some extenduating circumstances with the group. So, um, but all in all, a respectable year and we're still making improvements on how we can better those numbers. Um, the top part you can see I wanted to let you know kind of where we were for hiring so far for the year. Um, we've already hired a few of our new staff for the 2526 school year. So, uh, we're happy that we we're getting that moving. And actually, since I did this report on Friday, we've actually hired two, four, five, six, seven more people. So, so we've actually reduced the vacancies by seven and hired seven more people in the last
012few days. So, we're moving and grooving and getting it all done. Uh, and and we're excited to keep continuing all those phone calls. It's our favorite thing to do in the HR office. So, um we do have three, uh resident teachers confirmed for next year. Two are for special ed, which is great because it's in a high high shortage area and one for elementary. Um our resident teacher from 2425 has completed the program and he's one of our new hires. So, we're excited for that. Uh we did host the pair program exam for students at the high school in collaboration with the high school team. Uh because it was so successful, we plan to facilitate the exam twice a year for our students in the education pathway. So, we're really happy to be partnering with
013the high school for that. Um, we are planning our new teacher orientation and our new pair orientation for August. ESS is doing improvement events over the summer. And we do have a substitute orientation planned for our new retiree subs as well. And we did finish our walking challenge, which was awesome. The gifts were awesome. Everybody had a great time. Uh, our weekly random prize winners were super excited to get all their neat stuff with Torington swag on it. and Forb School was the winner of the healthy lunch that was provided by our food service department which was amazing and uh we have already scheduled the flu clinics for October so we're moving it on that. Um second page again you have the year uh the monthly percentage to for June for the absences and then
014you have the year-to- date numbers. the year-to- date 2425 turnover will change because anybody that resigns over the summer, we still count that for 2425 turnover if they don't start the beginning of the school year. So, I'll provide that number updated in August for all of you. Um, and I'm happy to answer any questions. Yeah. Um I don't know if you have it in front of you, but um do you have a sense of how many employees uh were recipients of the um perfect attendance incentive for the for the last quarter or for the whole year cuz we haven't finished June yet. So I haven't so I don't have a full sense. So maybe when we next convene either for the special meeting in July or in you know for the um September meeting uh
015just go over that because I think it you know I think for things to level out with the paras and for the absences to decrease with the teachers that seems promising and I'd love to dive into that because you know we we do want to make sure that uh that that program is working um while we have time in the next few years before the contracts expire. For sure. I can absolutely provide a recap for you at the next board meeting next week. I think it's part of this. Does anyone else have Yeah, just to tag on to that one, I was going to ask for a comparison of absences that actually count towards the perfect attendance award. Just a chart that shows 23 24 versus 24 25 just so we could see how many
016actually rather than percentages, how many absences actually benefited from the program. Yep. I will uh see if I can get all that data. I think I can. I think I can grab it all. But um so you want the absences that are directly count towards the attendance incentive. Sure. Like a prof a professional and personal day I don't think count. Right. Correct. Yes. And and even like some of those other categories that are in the personal day. Um so if you look at the second page of the report like any of those personal day, jury duty, bereavement, graduation day, wedding day, religious holiday, those wouldn't count. unpaid personal day does, but but the paid personal day that people get acred every year don't count against them for the incentive. Sure. I guess just to Ed's
017point, it's to know to know if it works, you have to have the data that actually. Yes, I should be able to get that for you for the when I provide the data that Mr. Cory just has. Great. Thanks, Anyone else? Okay, thank you, Kim. Thank you. Um, so we have the liaison report. Um, I saw John's come across the wire and then the rest I think. Yeah. Yeah. Great. Um, so I don't see any of them which is good. That means that they are thankfully not working. Uh, so I won't call for them but um um otherwise we'll move along. So, we have next up the appointment of the chief student services officer. Tell us about that. Sure. So, uh it is my pleasure to introduce Dr. Michelle Baker who is on Zoom with
018us because she and her family are on vacation, but she's joined us by Zoom. So, uh Josh, I don't know if you can She has her camera off. Oh, but you there? I'm here. I'm unfortunately I don't know how the camera is saying it's disabled but I am here. Well, thank you for joining us. Thank you. Oh, there it is. There it is. Hi, Michelle. Um, hi everyone. So, just a little bit about Dr. Baker. Uh, she comes to us from Waterberry Public Schools. Um, she has been in her 30-year career in education. She has been a special education teacher. She's been a vice principal, a principal, a supervisor of student services, a special ed administrator, and most recently was a turnaround principal. So, she's had the full gamut of the experience uh to bring
019to the table with respect to her education. She has a bachelor's degree in special education. She has a master's degree in interdisciplinary special education. She has a six-year degree in reading and remedial uh language arts. She is Orton Gillingham trained. She's got her 092 certification from Sacred Heart and uh she also has her doctorate from Southern Connecticut State University and is currently enrolled in her BCBA program. So, a ton of experience, a ton of credentials. We're so fortunate that uh she's joined our team and uh we are happy to present her to you this evening. Welcome. Welcome to Welcome to Thank you. Um, I just I want to personally thank Superintendent um Wilson, assistant superintendent Ferguson, and HR director um Kimberly Schulty for such a warm welcome. I could not be more excited and I
020want to thank you, the board of ed personally for giving me this opportunity to serve my community and I am just ready to to get started and and jump in. So, thank you. Yeah, I missed the most important part. She's a Toronto resident. So, thank you. Even better. Thank you. We welcome and sorry to interrupt your vacation. Never truly not an interruption celebration, but thank you so so much. I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you. We look forward to meeting you. Thank you. Okay. Please don't feel like you have to stay with us. Uh spend your vacation. Yeah. Spend some time with your family and we will see you soon. Thank you so much. Have a great evening. Thank you, Michelle. Byebye. We have next uh the monthly financials. Oh, good evening everybody. And we can
021do the line item transfers. We I think that place them with the amendment was uh that was uh just alongside these uh the line item transfers. Perfect. Okay. So everybody received the monthly financials for the um up to the May 31st date and we were in good standing and we were approximately 90% through the budget and 90% through the fiscal year and we also um I don't know now is the time to review this or budget committee um but we did review the grants the one year and the two-year grants and those are in good standing as well and also um the student activities fund uh from the high school uh was reviewed and we did go over some line items that were under and some that were over and um have explanations for all
022of them. Great. Uh does anyone have anything related to the monthly financials? Uh okay. So I'll hear a motion to approve them. Second. Great. Uh any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor please say I. I posted. Okay. So those are done. Uh talk to us a little bit about line item transfers. Have they changed since we last spoke about them? Certainly. So, page 45 of your packet has the line item transfers. The bottom line didn't change at all, nor did the, um, line items that we were transferring, um, too. So, um, what we wanted to bring to the board's attention is that some of the amounts changed. Um, so that for supplies, they slight, you know, they went up. Um, for the licenses, I believe they went up a little. And for the
023maintenance, we um had to uh bring that back a little. So, but overall the bottom line of 3.2 million for the um all the budget transfers that we're requesting tonight have remained um that amount remains the same. Great. Does anyone have any questions, comments related to budget transfers? So, this is an amendment to the previous special meeting line on transfers. Is that in addition to correct? Correct. and and we we didn't vote on those so that we would even if they hadn't changed, we would have put them on the consent agenda for their approval uh this evening. Uh they were they were presented to us. We didn't have an action on that special. No. Okay. Uh anyone else? Okay. Uh so I'll hear a motion to approve those line item transfers as there is left.
024Anyone moved? Is there a second? Second. Great. Uh any further discussion? None. All those in favor please say I. I. Any oppose? Any abstensions? Okay. So that's done. Uh next is the committee reports. School improvement. It's first day as always. School improvement committee met here at the first week of July for the high school report, which is basically all that was on our agenda. Uh, it went well and I'd like to thank the school improvement committee uh for a good really good season, a very good year. We got a lot done. I sent a letter out to those those people expressing that, but I want to say it here, especially Bill and and Kristen who were there for every meeting and uh Chuck Allen too who were very helpful and of course Sue all the
025way down there someplace or other who who just keeps us going and keeps us on track and does what we need to do. But year's over and it starts again in August if we meet in August, which we may not. still subject to postpone their cancellation. Great. Any questions related to the school improvement committee? Okay. Facilities and technology this way. Glenn. Well, we don't have too too much to talk about. Um, but Dean, I guess you can update us on if there's any updates on your project list. And what else do we the roof? We can get a status on that. I know there was some emails going back and forth the last couple weeks. That's really the only updates we have I believe. Not too much else to talk about, right? Well, besides these
026two other items here, regarding the sign of the school. Yeah, those were that's on the agenda for uh action, I believe. Right. Yeah. I mean, if you want to tell us about them now, you can. It's within this agenda items. Okay. Okay. So, um we received a letter from um from the engineering department, public works director um about changing the name of the street for our intermediate school to 295 East Pearl Road. It was their recommendation of that number and uh agreed upon it during during the uh during our facilities meeting, but we just wanted something in writing on letterhead from the city of Torington and I I put it in the packet. So, that is there. Ellen can't hear you again. It's hard on this end. Okay. Just that we have this letter head
027from the engineering department about the change of name to 295 East Pearl Road with it was the city engineering's uh recommendation that we agreed upon also to keep that name or put that name there I should say. So that's that's that's in your packet. Um the other the other part was the sign. uh we wanted uh during facilities meeting uh they gave us a couple of different options and uh went back to the vendor and they kind of made them made the changes that we were looking for pretty much just keeping the East Pearl sign and the Torrenford sign street sign uh the same look same look. So that's what you have in front of you also. Excellent. Um so just uh for your benefit, Bill, um the letters from the uh city engineer who's
028also the deputy public works director, Paul Kunen's um indicating that when we change the name of the school, uh it's addressed currently on Middle School Roads, private driveway um and that we can change uh the address um or reassign it, I should say. Uh so they recommend that the address be changed to 295 East Crow Road based on the fact that the school has frontage there. Um and they indicated that if the board of education wants to do that, uh they ask that they receive a written request to the engineering department so they can uh do the administrative work to formalize that. Um so later on in the agenda uh we'll discuss that and um take a vote effectively authorizing the administration to to proceed with that. Um so that's what the letter says. So
029there would no u changing the address to East Pros. It would no longer be on a on a private road. No, it will still be a private road. Um they didn't care what we named it. They suggested this when we go through them on this process. um they will handle all of the other entities that need to know about this road. So um what they're looking for here is just we give them that assignment to go and and change this road and they will take care of letting there was five or six different entities that have to be aware of it. I just wanted to make sure I I I understood what was happening. Yeah. Well, now I'm a little bit hung up. So East Pro already exists. So, we're not talking about renaming the
030current middle school drive, which comes off 183. We're talking about I mean that drive will still exist, but we're talking about the the formal address of the school just the street address moving to East Pearl Road, which is around the corner. Sure. Um so, uh I just kind of wanted to Yeah. So, we're not renaming that private drive. It will simply be the driveway. It's not going to be middle school road anymore. Right. I think I we don't have to put a sign up. If we do put a sign up that says 295 East Pro Road, we can. It has to be black, not green because it is a fiber road, right? The sign that's there now is green, so it's really non-compliance anyway. So, I think we I don't think Yeah. And the most
031important thing I think is that they're going to handle the stuff on their end for public safety. Um that that's the only other thing that I think is important. Not that anybody on our police department doesn't know where the middle school is, but you know, I think it's important. Sorry, Dean. I didn't mean to open up Pandora's box. Oh, no, no problem. No problem. Um, right. Uh, does anyone have We have these items for action later, the uh the signage and the intermediate school address and all that. Uh, but does anyone have anything related to the facilities technology committee's worker report? I just have one question. Ma'am, Dean, do we know what's happening to the playground for the intermediate school? I've been asked by some members in the community if it's moving from Forbes. We
032had talked about this months ago. Not sure what was happening, but what are we doing as far as a playground or if at all over intermediate school? So, right now they have a couple of um I guess storage bins or storage houses. Uh pretty plastic, nothing real um real structurally sound that there's a there's a few bikes and stuff like that in there and we're going to be bringing those up. I'm not sure if we're going to be reusing these plastic structures or not, but at at this point, that's the first thing we're going to be doing. I can just jump in. We have placed orders already for playground um for lack of supplies of materials, toys if you will. Um we don't have if you're asking Jeff if we're moving a playscape. We're not.
033Okay, that was that was the question. Yeah. And that's because it's just not feasible, right? Yeah, I can I can piggyback on that. Um it's kind of fresh off the press, but uh we do have a grant that we are trying to pursue from fit together and they actually help support that obstacle course that was put in there, the 10 element one. Um so it kind of plays in very nicely um to the whole plan uh and that's due actually next week. So hopefully fingers crossed and it's for a larger apparatus um that would be more permanent. Um but Mr. Klein is all on it. So keep you posted. Great. Thank you. Great. Anyone else? So the only other thing I that just occurred to me, we did we approved the line item transfers and
034we talked about them at our last special meeting um about like the nature of those maintenance items. Um so did the committee discuss that or do we have any information on just generally what those maintenance items will be in that line item transfer? I believe they were mostly for supplies. Okay. Nothing um as substantial that we would have to go out to bid for. So, correct. Things that are already vetted. Great. That's very important. So, I'm going to repeat it that it's nothing that we would have to go out to bid for, nor are they capital projects. Correct. Um I'm sure people are going to harass us using the FOI skit system anyway to make sure of that, but hey, at least we said it here. So that's all I have. No one else had
035anything. Um so we'll do the budget committee. I already reported on everything we discussed about the financials funds, the grants, so we're just gearing up now for next year's budget. Great. Anyone have any questions for Ellen? Okay. Um we have the billing committee. Uh if if anybody here has been there and has something to I saw at the Arum the other day. Dean, you might want to report out just interesting fact fun fact. The furniture was coming in was what you had told me the update was which is really exciting. Yeah. And that was all I got. We talked about that, but I'm sure you guys have more than I do. It was a great meeting. Um they are moving very quick uh for the middle school portion this week. I witnessed those trucks come
036in with all of the moving and unmoving some of some stuff. Um they do have to stagger it, but a lot of the furniture that came in, they called it wave one, I believe is how they referred to it. And then wave two is coming in end of July, beginning of August, um just because of the finished products. But they have been going around doing some final clean of floors and things of that nature. So the middle school is right on track um for all intents and purposes. Obviously, it's just getting all of the finishes done now. So, really excited about that. Um, and then they talked about the field and the gym as well. Um, and I think that is moving in the right direction. Weather played a big part of that. Obviously, as
037everyone knows, we were pretty much underwater. Um, but now that it's been dry, knock on wood. Um, they have been working and resuming and according to Dan who reported out on that, he is right at the wire is where it's not mine. So, we are looking pretty good. Great. Anyone have any questions, comments, additional information? Yeah, just a quick uh shout out to Dan who's been on the project since we know he's moving on to a different project soon. He's sticking around for the fields, right, Superintendent Wilson? That is correct. But, uh just a shout out to Dan for being so diligent and always having the answer when I ask it. He's been great. The whole team's been great to have on the project. But, uh thank you, Dan, if you're listening. It was a
038pleasure to have you on the project. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Um, so we have board of ed uh minutes. Um, so we'll do uh the regular meeting minutes. I'll hear a motion to approve them uh for May 28th, 2025. Unless anyone has amendments or comments. Is there a motion? So moved. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Uh any further discussion? Hear none. All those in favor please say I. Any opposed? Okay. Then we'll do the special meeting minutes. Uh there are four of them. So it's May 22nd, 2025, May 29th, 2025, June 10th, 2025, and June 16th, 2025. Uh is there a motion, comments, amendments, anything? Motion. I'll move it. Is there a second? Second. Uh any additional discussion hearing? None. All those in favor, please say I. I. Opposed. Okay, those are approved
039as well. Um, barring uh objection from members of the board, uh, I'd like to hear one motion to receive the subcommittee meeting minutes for three committees on three dates. And that would be the facilities and technology committee on May 14th, 2025. School improvement on May 7th, 2025, and the building committee May 15th, 2025. Some moved. Is there a second? Second. Uh, any discussion, amendments? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. opposed. Okay, those are done. Uh we have the consent agenda next and as a reminder that is just the appointments, retirements and resignations. Is there a motion? Anyone? Oh, so moved. Is there a second? Second. Uh any discussion? All those in favor, please say I. I post. Okay, those are done. And we have next up, new information action. We've got
040three policies. Uh, as I recall, all three of which were discussed at the board's special meeting not long ago. Um, so we'll do the non-lapsing education education fund policy first. That would be numbered 3053. Um, and that is based on an enabling statute. We've discussed this at length that allows boards of education to establish a non-lapsing fund to be used only for educational purposes at the approval of the boards. Excuse Oh, I had put the budget option first. I forgot my own budget. I remembered one of them. Uh, yes. Uh, this is much more important. Um, though they are related. Uh, so we all policy committee are in there. We received uh a 0% and 0 increase uh in operating from the city as well as a sec uh probably third or fourth Z capital
041in a row. Uh so we do need to formally adopt that budget number. Um, we have, just for everyone's information related to this, we have already voted to eliminate 13 positions. Uh, some of which were occupied, but nobody was laid off. Some folks had to get shuffled around. We eliminate some vacant jobs. I think it's important that to note that we've already done that piece of this. So, we just need to adopt uh the dollar amount as a formality and that is in the amount of 78,722,698. job. And in fact, the only reason it's an action item tonight is because we didn't put it on as an action item. It's a special That's correct. We we only had an action item for the uh for the jobs. So, we're just making sure that we've actually
042formally adopted this as we're required to do. Uh is there additional comments or a motion? So, moved. Second uh by Mr. Kisco. Um, I just would add to the discussion that um, you know, as always, I vote for this begrudgingly because I have no choice and not because I think this is a suitable budget or a reasonable amount for this city to spend on education uh, for the coming fiscal year uh, but being forced by the circumstances will of course. Any additional discussion hearing? None. All those in favor please say I. Any opposed? Okay. The budget amount is adopted. Um so you all will do some you know all the the necessary work that you were going to do anyway to plug this into new world shuffle things through uh line items and grants and
043then that will be of course available to the board and to the public as soon as it is uh entirely prepared. Okay. Uh just for transparency sake uh since it's not sitting in the packet that you know there's some leg work left to be done to formalize it. Um, okay. Now we have the policies. As I was saying, the statute enables us to set aside some money in a non-lapsing fund to be spent only for education. The policy makes it clear that the board has to approve those expenditures. Um, the law does uh require a maximum limit of no more than 2% of the board of education's operating expenses be deposited uh into that fund in any given fiscal year. Um, this will be really good for us in years where we're lucky with certain
044costs like benefits, special education, and we have some extra money. I don't anticipate that in the next couple of years because we're getting pretty lean here. Uh, but we always have a little bit left. And if we don't want to scramble to line item transfer it, um, we will be able now, thanks to the legislature, um, to hold on to it for future educational use. Um, the policy is a packet, I think, and we've reviewed it at a meeting already, but uh, does anyone have questions about it? Okay. Um, we're we're all very eager to get out of here today. Uh, I will hear a motion to approve policy number 3053. [Music] Uh, any additional discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. Any opposed? Extensions. Okay, that policy is adopted. Very exciting.
045Actually, that's the most exciting item on the agenda. uh not to diminish uh policy number 5010, Connecticut school climate policy, which I believe is largely uh being modified in accordance with state laws. It's the one that so the state law requires us to adopt specifically this policy now. Um it doesn't just say what has to be in it. It says you have to use this one word for word. Um so we don't have a lot of choice but uh you know we can take questions or discuss it at the board's pleasure. Okay. Okay, with nothing. I I will hear a motion to adopt policy 5010. There's one. So moved. Second. Second. Uh okay. Any additional discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I opposed. Okay. Policy 5010 is adopted. And lastly, we
046have policy 5011, which is restorative practices response policy. We have as well discussed this at the board's most recent special meeting. Um, uh, we talked about some safeguards to make sure that, you know, we're not putting kids in a room doing restorative practice meetings when it doesn't make sense. And, you know, I think the assistant superintendent was uh, really thorough in addressing that. Um, but are there questions or additional discussion items on this matter? Or did you guys want to add anything? Okay. Uh, hearing no additional discussion, I will hear a motion to adopt policy 011, restorative practices response policies. Is there a second? Second. Uh, okay. Uh, any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. Any opposed? Any extensions? Pause. 5011 is adopted. Uh, we next have the TMS school
047colors. Who would like to lead this discussion if anyone? I I I think that Mr. Fred and I kind of talked about this. This kind of came up from building committee and came up a couple of different times. So, it it comes down to um we had spoken about it. It really is a board decision. Um if the the brand new TMS, if we want to keep everything cohesive with the high school because it is on one campus and or does the board have a different idea in terms of the middle school? So, please correct me if I'm wrong, Sue, but I think that's where you and I kind of have landed on the conversation. It is the building's been waiting for months for the answer to this question. Well, they show up to a
048meeting and got that. But they have written us. We have been right. Yes. A couple times. So, in the last time was probably a month ago. So, we did promise them an answer in this meeting. Yeah. My my feeling on this is that we've heard a lot of support for unifying the colors and the mascots. And I really have heard just about zero significant opposition. You know, we've been petitioned by people who would support that change and not petitioned or addressed directly by anybody who has a problem with it. So I don't really have a dog in this fight. I don't have any children uh who would uh um so you know I I think we my my preference would be to go with what uh the people who are speaking with us are saying
049that they support. Right. But obviously it's open for the discussion at the board. And we've also talked on the board at length about unifying and have everything. Uh Jeff, are we talking about just school colors or doing the mascot as well? Tonight we've talked this is there have been a lot of efforts over the years to unify the mascot as well. A lot of the apparel that has been done for the district has had the tea. They've moved to put the tea on it. Everybody's trying to make that more uniform. Are we just doing colors or are we talking mascots? I guess what did the building committee looking for? Well, that would be the my thought that it's the whole thing. It's whatever the high school campus has is what the middle school campus will
050have. It would just mirror for now. All of it. Yeah. And I it seems that that's uh what folks are asking for too when they speak with us about this is to do with both the mascot and the colors. Um, I mean the the agenda is a little bit big because it just says team to miss school colors, but this is a regular meeting of the board and we can modify that uh, frankly just by virtue of however the motion is stated. Um, so I would be content to do both. I think it makes sense. Um, if we're going to have the same colors and they're going to be the same building, I think we the same mascot. That's what people seem to want. I'm good with that. I think the discussion should come up
051at some point about the over the overall district generating I think but for now yeah DMS and PHS they fix but before you before Glen goes that has come up Jeeoff it came up um quite a bit at the portrait of graduate process that we went through and I thought Sue that it was the group and it there were community more community members than staff I think at that um and if I recall the decision was made to not go down that route for the whole district. Just the recommendation I should say was to not go that route. Not that it shouldn't be done, but it had been discussed at length to do the whole district. Yeah, I think you're right. At that time, I don't think there was still a lot of passion about
052hanging on to, you know, like thing, right? It makes sense cuz they're separate buildings and you know um especially as we move toward a back toward a more neighborhood quotequote school model. There'll be kids from the same geographic area who may want a unique elementary school identity. It's worth exploring. I think if there's energy to explore both sides of that discussion, it's certainly worth exploring. Um I was just going to add it. So I would I I do get the local schools we have had in my B2 involvement. There's dragons and eagles and they're all cool logos and things. So those probably shouldn't be talked about tonight, but the intermediate school doesn't have a logo. It doesn't have anything currently. So do we expand this to include the intermediate school? So their colors and their
053mask, we start to build that the Raider mascot that way. They don't have all the biking. My thought would be and then we we kind of already made that decision by approving the signs. The signs have come, right? and and anything lab around a mascot. I would say we leave it to that school's new community uh once they have convened for a school year and there's a hopefully energetic PTO and uh administrators who have settled in and you know I I think we at that time can speak with the staff and the families um who are there and give them some input on what their new school's mascot if they would like one. I just wasn't sure if the Viking was on any of the printed materials previously. That's why I was asking that I
054don't know, but it is not on any of the signage material that we've received and I don't know that it's anticipated to be anywhere uh because the biking was specifically for the middle school which now exists elsewhere and will be under our proposal that we're currently discussing uh unified. So, but Glenn has had his hand for a while. So, pardon my ignorance if I miss something, but we're so far along in this construction project. Are we talking about changing colors somewhere in that side of the No, no, no, no, no, no. We're talking about uniforms. Um, we're talking about just like logos, things like that. What's the logo on the floor in agenda? It's a big T. Then that answers your question, right? So, they're just asking us to formalize this so that they have
055direction on paper, right? Um, cuz it's not because the way they come up, the way they're coming up to the middle school, they're technically Vikings. the middle school Vikings. And if the name if the the mascot follows the name, that's why they needed clarification. They're looking for some formal direction from the board rather than process. So, what does that have to do with the building? I was just about to ask that. Were you going to try to answer? I don't know if I had the correct answer. I think in the emails that we received and I know you both were on that as well. I I think that it's not necessarily the changes to, you know, paint colors at this point, but I do think, you know, any of the fine refinements, you know, that,
056you know, the gym is already done, so we already know we have the tea in there, but Mario had brought up the point about uniforms, as Sue had said, and we do have, you know, as silly as this sounds, but Ellen and I know Jeff, you were at this and John, you were at this meeting as well, when we have our own specific pink chip color. So, while Ellen said it's maroon and white, it's actually chip number and I I should have it ingrained in memory, but it's like I think it's 452.17 or something of that nature, we recall that evening took about an hour and 42 minutes to determine that pink chip color. So, I think while that's the kind of direction the building committee wants. So, if there is a change that has
057to match that specifically, they know that that's the direction the board wishes to go. And then in terms of uniforms, if the high school were to buy brand new uniforms, let's say for soccer, just making that up, we could probably recycle the good uniforms and use it at the middle school because we're going to go with the same Raiders concept as opposed to the Vikings as they used to be called. They wanted to know that just more of for global and to make sure they were moving in the right direction just to proceed even though yes, you're correct. the tea is already in there. But feel free, John, Ellen, and Jeff, you were at that same meeting that took an enormously long time with that. So I think Glenn to your point and I think
058Ed's point, it's really just literally dotting the eye and crossing the tea that the board does support that and approve it before they move forward. So right, and so then there were I still got the floor here. Hold on, please. I'm just continuing his conversation. Thank you. Well, he's addressing. So with that said, dotting the tea and crossing the eye, I'm still a little bit lost as to what what that changes in the building project in what we need to approve. Anything should I'm still a little lost. What What do they look It changes nothing. They this is something I imagined that had just came up sort of organically in their discussions about how things are going to look afterwards and they uh discussed it at length and they you know came to the conclusion
059that it is it is a determination that the board must make. It it sounds like it changes absolutely nothing in terms of the way they expend public funds uh or you make purchases or anything like that. um they did the correct thing which is recognize that this is really the board's purview to decide and kicked it our way. So it's really just colors of uniforms mascot colors. No more Viking cuz they're the the Vikings. They're blue and orange or blue and yellow. So it's just formalizing that. There's no artwork for Viking in the construction project now. No. No. But I think if to your point, if there is if there were going to be an artwork, once again, I refer back to that meeting where the artwork that's going to go in the new gym
060that took a long time to discuss and we had 36 renderings that were thrown on the Smartboard. If that if there was going to be a piece of artwork going into the middle school, that's going to be important because that maroon that special maroon color with the new T and everything else has to match as opposed to a Viking or a spider or whatever you want to call us. uh it's going to be the Raiders and it's going to just move in the same direction. So, it doesn't change anything, but I think moving forward having that board level support, they know they can't do anything out of that scope. That's how I view this. And I may be wrong, but that's Yeah. No, it doesn't seem like a grand thing. I'm sorry. No, that's fine.
061Just kind of late in the game to be I'm just Well, I mean it in their defense, they asked us about this months ago and then he followed he followed up again in June. Who did they included this? Where where's where did the request Yeah, this was brought up the board has discussed this as a group too some time ago when we were uh when we had the discussion about whether to call uh the other half of this project the tournament middle school or something else and what to call the existing middle school, you know, when we settled on calling it intermediate. um that this was uh part of that discussion briefly and part of the request and we sort of we lasered in on what to name them um because that was most relevant,
062right? Because they had pressure for the signage, but that this was part of that as well and we just kind of kicked the can down the road on it. Um so we this isn't the first time it's come up, but now it it seems like we Yeah, I don't I don't recall I remember the name change, but I don't remember colors cuz I thought all that was planned on long ago. Yeah, that's what Jason Lafrener was alluding to in his letter. Um, if that was the first time he was there in person that evening and spoke with us about this. All right. Thank you. Uh, Ellen, you hear that? Okay. Do we have funds to replace the uniforms and athletics? We can dream. Well, I'm only asking cuz I have to wear and we have
063to use the for a time. We will. Somebody has to use I mean either way we have to buy new uniforms because there's the kids coming up into the intermediate school. They have to have something. I don't know if they plan on moving. Are we having the sports intermediate? I don't think I think that's discussed but hopefully we didn't cut I mean we didn't cut anything. So if there's a transition period where some kids are using old uniforms uh you know I'm not thrilled about that but it you know you have to wear something. Right. That's all I was asking. I actually uh you know I know that we don't have very much money so we could also explore sort of outside of the official structure of the board of ed as a group um
064we could explore uh seeking uh fundraising from the community. Maybe that might be something that that the community would be happy to do for our kids. Um it's a relatively affordable thing to raise money for. uh you know, we're not asking them to raise $20 million. Yeah. Um because they, you know, I think we're in a difficult financial position when we're cutting jobs. Um but you do raise a good point and I think it's something that that we ought to get at. Yeah. Color 44101. It is. Anyone else have anything? No. Um, you can structure whatever motion you all are about to make however you wish, but I would recommend something along the lines of uh that the board adopt um the same school colors and mascots for the Torington Middle School as are presently
065used by the Torington High School. Um, I think that's sort of sufficient for what they're looking for, but feel free to reward that when whoever makes their motion. I'll hear it. I would move that motion with that language. All those opposed. Okay. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Uh any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay, that's done. That was our longest agenda item. Um so we we next up have the uh the new address for the Toronto Intermediate School. We we had spoken about this already. Um, so I'd be looking for a motion um to authorize the administration um to uh submit the written request to the engineering department uh to read address what is presently the touring to middle school and what will
066in the next couple of days become the touring to intermediate school uh in accordance with the engineering department's recommendation that it be addressed 295 East Is there such a motion? So move. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Uh any discussion on the question before us? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Okay. Any abstensions? So that's done. So you guys can go ahead and write them. Um and then the last business item is uh the signage at the Toronto Intermediate School. It's been passed out. Um I I like it as well. Um, it gets paid for by the building committee, right? So, these cost numbers are mostly for our viewing pleasure and not because we have to budget money for them. Is that correct? Or is this paid for by
067us? This is us. Okay. Where how are we paying for it? Is it budgeted for us? Why is it Why do we have to pay for it if it's on the new building? Well, no, it's not. It's actually Yeah, that's correct. I'm sorry. That is correct. Yeah, that was my my mistake. So, yes, we are paying for this. I shouldn't have even asked that question, but how are we facilities budget? Gota be able to absorb it. Okay. So, we can absorb this financially in the coming fiscal year. Um, so I see which is Wait. So, I obviously in the top right the is what's on the structure that'll be up on that brick wall. Yes. And then these are going to be the signs on the ropes, the matching ones. Okay. The upper upper left
068sign is the one that's on Eastboro Road. That's on East. The lower left sign is the sign that's on Toring Street. That looks somewhat familiar in the smaller picture. Okay. And pictures and images next to them are the renderings of what it's going to look like. Great. The brick thing is the sign on the building and they're basically just going to keep it the same. They're just going to change middle to intermediate. Yes. Okay. Uh and so the total for all three is this $14,149 number. That's correct. Okay. That's all I have. I think they look good. I think we have renamed the school and we knew we would have to pay for some signs. Um Ellen, for you. So, I've been thinking about this. The T for Torington, the two the student two street
069signs, none of the other signage for any of the other schools have that T on it. I think this is a great time to start. I don't know how you feel about that. Uh, you know, sorry to interrupt you. That's okay. No, it's not to interrupt you. That's your thought. Um, I'm just to be consistent with the other schools like the high school and the middle school has a regular T. Where is the big tea going? The red tea. It's not in a building. We're in the pot there. And I I No, I I hear a big red tea. Doesn't get any bigger than that. I hear you about the signage. I also think that maybe that could be a nice way to give the intermediate school a little bit of uniqueness in its signage.
070That's just my opinion. Yeah. Uh does anyone else have anything to this? Okay. Bearing in mind that uh we can absorb this financially. Um I would hear a motion to approve this. These were reviewed by the sorry before I these were reviewed already by the committee as well. Committ the only thing we asked for is to have the total cost including labor which is which is spelled out here. Great. Okay. Um so I will hear a motion to approve uh these signs for Torington intermediate school as presented. So move. Is there a second? Second. Uh any further discussion? All those in favor please say I. I. Any opposed? Alan. That's one. Uh any extensions? Uh here. Okay. That is carried by how many do we have? Uh six to one. Um we now just have
071items for the upcoming agenda. We've discussed about uh some data related to the in attendance incentive. We'll have some financial stuff of course. Um what else does anyone have for the upcoming agenda? Great. Uh more to come on that for the good of the order. Bill um um great meeting and welcome aboard Dr. Baker. Excellent. Nothing. Thank you. Yeah. Uh welcome to Dr. Baker and a shout out to Laura. Sorry she's not here tonight to hear it, but uh thanks for all your years of service and all your hard work in special education and best of luck to what's next. How good meeting, good year. Everybody enjoy their summer. See you August. August except for July. I'm not going to count the special. Okay. But if you don't have your if you don't have your
072camera on and you're not looking at the screen, you know, you're not seeing anybody, it doesn't count. Good meeting and welcome to Dr. Baker, Rachel, and Dean. Good luck this summer with everything, your teams. Thank you. Thank them for us. Uh to our administrators that aren't here. I did have a chance to read out reach out to some and I'm sorry if I didn't get to all of you, but thank you for all your efforts this year and uh have a great summer. You're not here, so you've already started. Um Mr. Wilson and staff, thank you for what you've done with the budget. Um, very much appreciated. Whether it seems that way or not, it is and it's appreciated. So, thank you. And that's all I have. Great. Rachel, Good meeting. Thank you for, you
073know, the support that you're giving Rachel and I as far as, you know, the work that's ahead of us this summer. But I just, you know, want to recognize that it's really a a team effort. All of central office, the administrators, the new principles, just everything, all the moving parts right now that um everybody so far, and I'm sure will continue to be um all on the same page and working together to uh get to a common goal. So, great. Thank you. Have a great summer. Great meeting. Happy June, everybody. No, nice meeting. Thank you. Great meeting. We're excited that Dr. Baker is joining us. It was a really uh hard and long process, but we're excited that she is the chosen one and we're excited to have her on board and we're excited for
074her to start because I know there's a lot of work to be done in that area. But, uh, wishing everyone a really, really nice summer and thank you board. Enjoy your month off as well. You deserve it. Thank you. Yeah. Uh thank you everybody of course for your hard work. Um shout out to Sandy uh for coming even though it's summer one audience member gets the award at convocation something. I got you otherwise I don't want to needlessly drag this out. So that's all I have. We have our future meetings. Wednesday, August 6th, school improvement at 5:30. And immediately after that, policy and that's at Southwest. Uh Wednesday the 13th, also at Southwest, 13th of August. Um we have facilities and technology at 5:30, budget committee at 6:00. Uh Wednesday the 20th of August, here
075in the ths cafeteria. We have the regular board of education meeting at 5:30. All of those uh may change, I'm told, uh because of course we have lots going on with shuffling things around our facilities. And the last thing we want to do is get in your way of the people doing the ASM work. Um, and with that I will hear a motion to preserve. So moved. Is there a second? Second. I was a bear.