001[music] Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Oh, good evening everyone and welcome to General Ali School who's hosting the Waterberry Board of Education uh workshop this evening. Uh we're going to start tonight with a silent prayer. Do we have any uh memorials? >> Not at this time. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh the pledge of allegiance. We have our students from Generali uh to start us off tonight. I aliance 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. >> Thank you very much. Okay, now we have our uh principal's report. Uh principal Copperite, nice to see you this evening. Thank you for the goodies. Oh, >> you're welcome. Yeah. So, there's some there's goodies for Valentine's
002Day and also the presentation so that you can take a look at the data that we presented. >> Thank you. Good evening, President Brown, board of education commissioners, board of ed student representatives, and Dr. Schwarz. I am Kristen Copperite, principal of Generali School, and I would like to welcome you. In front of you, you have some goodie bags and some data points that we'll be going over for each board member. I am proud to res represent the general team here tonight along with Miss Foster, my vice principal, and Miss Pellegrino, school social worker, and our fifth grade representatives to share our midyear progress. I'd like to just introduce the fifth grade representatives. Girls, if you'll just stand up when I call your name. We have Immaculate Ke, Mila Stenson, and Mia Nurales. >> [applause] >>
003Every student and staff member is essential to our collective success here at General Ali. And at this time, I'd like to ask the General Ali team who is behind me to stand up and be recognized. [applause] Okay, you can go to the next slide. Our three goals this year are centered around attendance, academic achievement, and school climate. Attendance and chronic absenteeism. Starting with our first goal, we have seen a remarkable shift in student presence in student being students being present this year. Go ahead and change the next one. Go ahead. Next one. Compare the 2024 2025 school year. Our absenteeism rates have dropped significantly across the board. Most noticeably in September, we saw our rate fall from 26 21.6% last year to just 7.95% this year. >> Wow. Even in January with typical presence of
004seasonal challenge challenges, we improved from 28.8% to 21.1%. This means more more students are in in their seats and ready to learn every single day. With the help of my parent liaison, we have daily parent contact and are able to plan schoolwide initiatives. These initiatives have included passes to urban air, a school dance, grade level challenges, excuse me, challenges, and in February, we will be giving out recognition certificates for students with satisfactory attendance at this point in the school year. At this time, I would like to turn the presentation over to Miss Foster to review the middle of the year progress. >> Good evening every microphone. Oh, good evening everyone. Um, so I will be starting with our English language arts. At the beginning of the year, 39% of our students were performing at or
005above benchmark expectations in literacy. Midyear assessment results shows that 45% of our students either maintain a benchmark performance or advanced to a higher performance category. This represents 6% gain since the beginning of the school year and reflects the double growth observed at the same point last year. For K through two lit literacy growth, the 25 26 year we demonstrated especially strong progress. At the beginning of the year, we had 39% of our students at or above benchmark. Midyear that changed to 57% 58% at or above benchmark. This 19% point increase represents the highest literacy growth districtwide so far this year. >> All right. To support this progress, the school has prioritized a walk to read model using ecri strategies in grade two. We have focused small on small groupoup instruction aligned to students needs. We've
006strengthened tier one core literacy instruction, ongoing curriculum coaching and classroom support from our literacy facilitator and our reading team. We have also done supplemental tutoring interventions for the students who need it. These targeted strategies are designed to accelerate learning while ensuring consistent instructional quality across all classrooms. For math or mid-year diagnostic data shows significant improvement across all grade levels when compared to last year's performance. At this point last year, students had achieved 47% of their expected annual growth. This year, students have reached 60% of annual typical growth, marking a 13% point increase. Additionally, 24% of students have already met or exceeded a oneyear one full year of growth by midyear. These results reflect stronger instructional alignment and sustained focus on foundational math skills and problem solving. Overall, mid-year data shows encouraging academic momentum. Continued emphasis
007on targeted instruction, progress monitoring, and student centered supports will remain key priorities as we work towards our end ofear goals. Thank you. Great. And finally, we are going to talk about school climate. Academic success is built on the foundation of a positive school climate. Last year, our school social worker, Miss Pellegrino, saw a need for a schoolwide program that at its core, excuse me, program that is the core of how students learn, behave, and grow. With that, she developed and implemented the behave program, which focuses on four simple pillars. Be helpful, be safe, be kind, and be respectful. We are seeing a a real role model effect where students are eager to set the bar for their peers and earn recognition. This isn't just a feel-good initiative. It's it's measurable. We see a month overmonth
008increase in behaved tickets submitted providing our students who have have the full who are fully embraced in this culture and accountability. Next one. This program also builds a positive school climate in encouraging students to want to be nice to each other and to also help members of our staff to follow along with the school expectations and rules. We also have the program this pro this program also helps in our attendance to improve academic outcome and support students in a social emotional way. Along with this, we also have been able to have more family engagement. So, we've been able to this year have a fall family fun night. We had breakfast with the Grinch. If you want to go ahead and go to the next slides, these are just a few slides from our family engagement
009nights. And we've also been able to have more um student recognition days such as the 100th day of school today where we had several staff and students dress for the for the occasion. Some had 100 things glued on their shirts. Some of our teachers dressed um as they were 100 years old. if you want to go ahead and um and so the we had some students give us impact statements of the program and the students are saying that it remind the program reminds others to be kind, helps to improve school behavior. We get excited to see if our names are going to be called in the raffle and makes us want to help our friends and teachers. Our school is full of kindness all around. >> Wow. Next slide. Finally, none of this progress would
010be possible without the people in this room and in our building. I want to thank the classroom teachers for their for the focused envi for the focused environment that they have built. our support staff and specialists who drive our growth targets through targeted intervention and our administrative and custodial teams who keep our hive safe and welcoming every day. Thank you for your support of MM Generalalley School. I would like to thank you for um being here and for continuing to support the general community. >> Thank you very much. U commissioners, any questions, comments? Go ahead, Commissioner. >> I was just going to say great numbers, great data. This is amazing work that you guys are doing. Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much. >> And uh was it Mia? Your your shoes are
011amazing. I don't know where you [laughter] got those from. >> Mila. Yeah. Mila's boots. They're fantastic. >> They're homemade. Yep. >> Oh, really? Wow. And there's a matching bag. >> There's a hundred. There's a That was for the 100th day of school. >> Wow. >> There's a hundred animals on there. >> Let's get her on the camera. >> Stylist entrepreneur here. >> Oh, you have to see these. You have to >> Let's see. Stand over here. >> Just do a little walk. >> Oh, I love them. [laughter] >> All right. [applause] So cool. >> You have fashion design also at Verash House. Awesome. I just wanted to say a quick comment. I mean, obviously, Generali has since I've been in Waterberry been one of our strongest uh not just culture and climate schools, but also
012higher performing schools. You have a great staff here, great leadership uh with those at the uh at the table. And I just wanted to thank you for your continued leadership and all the teachers and support staff who work here on a daily basis and do just amazing work for our students here in Waterberry. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. appreciate everything. >> Thank you. >> Do you have any public speakers? >> Uh, no public speakers this evening? Uh, Commissioner Lopez, could you please make a motion? Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to add to the agenda item 5A, an electric distribution eastment with Connecticut Light and Power Company, DBA, Eversource Energy. >> Second discussion. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstain. Motion carries. Thank you. So that will be item 5A. Okay. Uh,
013Committee on School Personnel, new position of food service site coordinator, supervisor, Nick Albini, and Adam Shabbam. >> Do I say that correctly? >> Shaven shaven. >> Shabbam. Shabu. No, >> Shaven. Okay. Thank you. >> Good evening, President Brown, commissioners, student commissioners, Dr. Schwarz. Um I would like to take uh items one and two together because they work together in congruence with each other. This is a reorganization of the food service department uh eliminating the position of deputy director and creating two new positions to take that place. Um one of a coord site coordinator supervisor and one as a registered dietician. The duties of the deputy director will be split between the two new duties to allow for a greater supervisory capability of those of those positions as well as menu planning and um uh nutritional
014and and recipe development. The overall sorry uh so the this the overall proposal would have a uh cost savings associated to the city and the department of approximately $57,000. Um that would allow us for reinvestment in equipment and other and other uh act activities in order to improve the the department as a whole. Thank you. Are there any questions for Mr. Shapen? >> Marissa questions. Marissa. >> All right. Um, so you talked about there's going to be savings. >> Yes. >> So, where where is those savings going to go? >> So, I mean, we would look at it on a case by case bas basis, but there are there's always equipment that needs to be upgraded. Um there's always activities that we can do and and monies that can be spent if if if if
015we find it to be a little bit more uh fruitful for either the type of menu items that we have, maybe an extra here and there, things things of that nature in order to in order to enh enhance and entice the the students participation. >> When you said activities, what do you mean by activities? Well, one one thing that we're actually planning actually for for the uh for the American 250 celebration is we're we're talking about a week-long possible um theme for Americana type foods and there would be some food there would be some uh additional items that would need to be purchased in order to to do something like that. >> All right. So, we would um be able to use this budget to kind of enhance the food >> a little bit. >>
016Yeah, to an extent. Yes, for sure. I've um I was at the the wellness the healthy food and you mentioned that u we now have season packets >> correct. >> Um and I just want to say it took a year of me advocating for food for those season packets but we got them right Tom [laughter] >> we're doing our best. >> Yeah. So we were going to pilot the the seasonings over in the high schools. Correct. Was that done? >> Yes it has started. Um it started this week actually. Um, so we've uh we've seen we've seen a we haven't gotten a lot of feedback yet, but but we're hoping again it's still very new, so we're hoping that that it's as it becomes a little bit more ubiquitous, people will will get a little
017bit more hearing as to what what's going on with it. >> Okay. And um what is it all high schools? Like it are is like enlightenment included in that? Enlightenment. I don't believe Enlightenment is included right now in that, but but again, like I said, because we're just piling it out. We want to see how it goes. We're our intent is to open it up to every school at some point. >> Okay. So far, I I would say my son said the the food tastes better with the seasoned on it. >> Well, I I like it. It's it's I personally like it. I think it's I think it helps, but um yeah, it it's it's it was a matter of finding the product and making sure that it that it keeps the meals in compliance
018with federal guidelines. And luckily, we were able to find something that is easy to distribute um a lowcost addition that that doesn't throw off the the overall cost of them of the uh meal. >> Sorry, I'm still going. I'm doing a tom right now. [laughter] Um so um to enhance the food you you said for for the weekl long celebration it would be more like Americana kind of food. >> Yeah. >> Um for the t dietician that you hope to slot into this position. Will they have recipes that are more culturally centered to the diverse population that we have? >> Absolutely. We we're working on that as well. um our as I mentioned in the wellness pol um the wellness uh meeting we have to already start planning and ordering our food for next year.
019Um March 13th is the deadline for us to get all our orders in. So um we actually have a a barbcoa turkey uh product that we're we're looking to introduce. Um so there's other there there as as well as others. I don't I don't have them all off the top of my head, but that one I remember that one stood out to me today. It's a it's a great product. We tried it we tried it in the office and and we're hoping that the students will like it as well. >> That's amazing. Yeah, I would love to have more cultural cultural food. >> We we are definitely working >> Spanish rice, you know, get some saong in there. I know you can't use this. That's going to be tough. >> Yeah. Yeah. But some sofrito
020at least. That's [laughter] that's pretty good if we can get it. Um, and then I I had a question on the demographic of the staff that work on the food. Yes. >> Like do you have like a breakdown of you know >> the the nationalities and >> I do not but it is a very diverse group. Okay. >> I will say that. >> Yeah. >> Um I I wouldn't say that one particular background is dominant over another. >> Okay. And then um we know that we have a lot of culinary programs in our high schools. Um are there internship opportunities? Like are we hiring our students or anything like that? >> Um again that's I wouldn't I don't have any numbers that would suggest that we are or not on that. Um so I could
021get back to I can look at that but I I don't I don't have anything that suggests that. >> All right. I would love to have some kind of internships for kids. I think you know >> they need exposure to careers and that's an opportunity and >> that does become difficult in terms of what we have to do in ter in terms of federal regulations and how they're certified and things of that nature. I will say that. So it it becomes a bit of a sticking point. >> Who cooks during the summer? >> During the summer it we have a we have a central place. We don't do any hot food during the summer because we can't in because we can't um safeguard the safety of the food and the temperature logs at all of
022our locations considering that we're at parks, we're at pools, we're at uh community centers that don't necessarily have hot boxes, warming facilities, all the things that we would need to make it safe. We don't do hot meals during the summer. >> Okay. Now I I I remember one of my first jobs that I did. I was 14 and we were feeding the summer school program running out of Kennedy. So I was working in the kitchen, you know, braiding bread and doing the dishes. It was good exposure and I just think that would be really beneficial for kids today. >> I could look into I could look into something but again like I said we we don't do a lot of cooking especially during the summertime. >> Okay. Good. Thank you. Any other questions? Commissioner Ireland.
023>> Thank you, uh, Commissioner Lopez for the questions. Um, just two questions. Um, first, how I know the mentioned salad bars at one time. How are the salad bars going? >> Uh, we have started implementing them. Um, we implemented a new one at Wallace School and a new one is being opened up at uh, WCA on Wednesday. Um, we had a we we were hoping to start it a little bit sooner, but exams and snow got in the way. So, in order to make sure that it was staffed properly, it'll start it'll start up on Wednesday. And then we also opened up another one at Carrington. We're seeing we're seeing a decent amount of participation at them. Um, but somewhat in line with what we were doing with our um pre-made salads as well. So,
024>> and thank you. And just for the public to know, cuz I know sometimes this may be the first time that they're hearing about the uh seasoning packets. Can you tell us exactly what type of seasoning packets? >> S. Sure. It's it's a McCormix product. Um that is it looks like you when you would go to a diner, just like a little salt, salt and pepper packet. It looks it looks similar to that, but obviously inside it is different. They have dried oregano, um, dried basil, and, uh, I forget what I forget exactly what the other items are, but it's very aromatic when you open it. Um, no, there's no salt in it, which is important because it will throw off our numbers and our compliance with the federal regulations if there were salt in
025it. So, um, and we do limit the students to one per packet. They are pretty potent. So, [laughter] uh, I think one is I think one is sufficient for most. So um but but but it is it is a good product and it is quality product that that is sold commercially and I think is used um in uh healthc care centers when there is a salt restriction for the dietary issues. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. >> I had one more and I forgot. >> Thank you. I'm sorry. Um, organic food. Is it is is that what we get from the federal government? Is it organic? >> Um, when we're getting our fresh fruits and our uh we have some organic food, but not not everything is labeled as organic, but but our federal our federal
026foods are are USDA and and completely completely certified. So, >> All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Adam. >> I'm not going to go too far. Oh. Oh, you're on agenda for >> Okay, we're on three, please. >> Um, three and three and four I'd also like to take together because they are also uh connected. [snorts] This is uh this is a yearly um certification, the healthy food certification that we we come before as a department every year along with the exemption. Um the healthy food um the healthy food certification puts restrictions on the quality and health benefits of the foods and snacks that we sell outside of our lunch program. So inside of our vending machines at at inside stu uh student stores and on our lines we sell alikart items as well.
027So this the these are regulations that affect those those products. Um the exemption would allow for afterchool activities, something to be sold that isn't on the list. Um there's a healthy food certification list that is associated with that. And whenever a principal or or group wants to do sell something during school hours, they would submit they would submit what they're planning on selling to me and then I would double check it against list. make sure the list is that it's on the list and then and then approve it and we'd be we good good to go. Um we do receive a significant amount of funding from that uh certification every year from from the state and the federal government. Um last year was just under $200,000. It's tied into the amount of meals we serve
028in a year. So we expect that number this year to be even higher and the year after that to be higher. So it it is something that that continues to grow as our participation grows. >> Okay. On to number >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Yeah. >> Thank um >> Commissioner Lot. >> Thank you, Madam President. Yeah. Quick question. How much do we expect to drill the numbers? >> Well, it's it's not set by us. It's it's a calculation that's being being done at the federal government. So the the number the number that we have is based off of two years ago's lunch numbers. So it's it's something that looks in the rears and tells us how much money we're going to get. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Any other questions? >> Okay,
029Commissioner Lopez. >> Yeah, I noticed in the contract it was talking about the different votes that we can take for it. Do we have to determine that now or you'll do it later? Okay. Just curious. Okay. Are you 52? >> No, I'm not. [laughter] Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay. Number five, Nick Albini request approval of professional services agreement RFP number 8132 for engineering on call professional services 2015 through 2027 with Frier Architecture Inc. >> Good evening, President Brown, Board of Education Commissioners, Waterberry Arts Magnus School, Student Board of Education representative, Superintendent Dr. Schwarz, the engineering department in conjunction with the public uh public works department and education department respectfully request your approval of the above referenced agreement for an on call professional service between the city of Waterberry and Frier Architecture.
030All services requested under this agreement will be authorized through task orders and purchase orders following the rates and fees that are set forth. uh we would use um uh an option like this if we had an emergency that we had to have a repair of something and we had to act quickly. Other than that, we typically don't use these on call services. We would go out to bid to get the best possible price. But uh sometimes uh uh for instance uh one evening uh one of our boilers um uh uh stopped functioning and we needed an art uh an engineer to determine what we needed in there. So we were able to use an on call service. Other than that we don't really use them but it's a good option to have in emergency situations.
031>> Any questions? I have a question in terms so is this considered like are they paid on a like as a retainer fee? >> No. No, there's no cost at this point. The the only cost that comes up if we decide to use them for something and then they refer to the fee schedule that's been set. >> Okay. >> We to be an on call service there is no cost to the board of education. and and the selection of this firm was it through RFP or >> they do use these RFPs and um there's quite a number of them. Some are architectural, some are um uh engineer, some are structural, some are electrical, mechanical. So, whoever wants to be on that list, they make presentations and they determine whether they're qualified to be on that
032list or not. Some do not make the list. >> Oh, okay. For instance, we're using Frier right now for our elevators, um, Driggs and Wilson that we're finishing up and getting ready to go out to bid. Uh, but that had to go out the bid otherwise we wouldn't get reimbursement from DAS. >> Right. >> So, >> okay. Thank you. Any other questions? Commissioner L. Oh, and then Roco, go ahead. >> Thank you, Madam President. Sorry. Is Salvator Porzio here? I see he's on the memorandum. >> I'm sorry. Salvatore Porzia. Who is that? >> Engineer >> from our city of Waterberry. >> From the city of Waterberry. Okay. Correct. >> So are I don't want to be rude, but are there are there not enough to kind of help us out in an oncom situation? If
033we had an incident that happened, a quicker incident that we needed somebody to make a quick decision. there's no one in that department that could kind of take this on or because I don't want to I just don't understand why we're going to pay an outside agency in wherever they're from to come do these things when we have an engineering department in the city. >> Some of them are not qualified to do not all functions. I we don't have a structural engineer on our on our payroll. Um so many of these are all engineers and architects that are subcontracted out. They're not on our payroll or the city's payroll. >> Okay. Yeah, cuz I was looking at some of these numbers. I mean, it's it's pretty high up there in that bill of our fund.
034You know, it kind of sucks for us. Um Okay, that's all. >> Mhm. >> Thank you, >> Nick. Nick, just to add on, I know that um sorry, Roco Commissioner or um but is the is the cost that we use for this if it goes to a DAS project reimbured? >> It's reimbured to 78.93%. So it's important to know that too. So if we do use a service that goes to a DAS project that's reimburseable, we end up getting the reimbursement almost 80% worth. Just >> thank you. >> And that's what is being reimbursed right now on the elevator projects. Yes. >> My apologies, Commissioner Orso. >> Commissioner Orso, you have the floor. >> Thank you. I I just want to add that uh we've been using the engineering on call services for at least
03520 25 years. Uh, we started this because as as Nick said, when there's emergencies, we just don't have the time. And I was a purchasing director, so I was very strict about bidding procedures, but we set the system up for emergencies and and so on. So, it works. Um, because in their RFPs, the schedules are there, how much per hour for this and and you know, so everything is there. They just can't rip us off. Basically, there's there's a structure that's involved. So, you know, I'm definitely in favor of this and it's and again, we might have 20 people on this list, you know, but we just we want a structure engineer, we go to this person, but if it's if it's not an emergency and not something that's going to happen right away, then
036we have to definitely go off the bid for, of course. >> Uh, Commissioner Vansone, did you want to comment? >> Okay, thank you. Okay, let's see. Uh 5A. >> Oh, he's here. Okay, >> Mr. Malay from the Superintendent of Water. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> You've been busy this year. [laughter] >> You're welcome for the days off. >> Uh honorable Board of Education Commission Superintendent Sports. Thanks for having me. Bradley Malay, Superintendent of Water. The Bureau of Water is uh asking for the approval of an easement uh located on the east side of Regan Elementary uh where we have already constructed a new pump station uh which supplies water to that neighborhood and the Blackman tank north of Regan. Um the the original plans for the transformer had to be moved due to safety concerns
037on the road. So, Eversource uh has demanded that the city give an easement uh to allow them access to the transformer uh so they can perform maintenance, replace, take care of it in the event of something going wrong. Um they would have to come through the city's property and then since it lies on the property of Reagan Elementary, uh I need the approval from this board. >> Any questions? Is this Commissioner Orso? >> What is the timeline for the easement or when do you need it by? >> Uh yesterday. >> Well, the re Yeah, yesterday. Because uh what happened was, not to throw blame, but it kind of got lost in the mix. And so now I will have to amend the contract to the engineering firm and the contractor, which is going to cost
038the city somewhere around 100 grand if I don't get it before the alderman uh on the 23rd. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Because we we don't vote at meetings like this. We have to wait another two weeks before we can vote on something like that. That's why I was asking about the timeline. >> I think it can go before the alderman. >> Huh? >> One week this time. >> Oh, that's right. I'm sorry. One week. >> Okay. Commissioner Van Stone. >> Thank you, Madam President. Through you. Um I'm trying to look at the map in the backup, but it uh looks like it's spaghetti chart, so I can't really make anything out. >> I have a I have a better one if you would like to take a look. Just I'm very uh >>
039interested in exactly where the easement is. >> No problem. >> I'm I'm familiar with the the pump station. I recall >> uh looks like almost four years ago that we did approve that. >> Yep. >> We approved it with no problem. >> Yep. >> Uh and being that that much time has expired, the second part of what I'm interested in while you bring it to me is for although not one of your projects. Yeah. Let me see. Right. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Right here. Oh, so underneath the power lines basically. >> Yeah, pretty much right there. >> Okay. >> You got it. Um, yeah, there's power lines there. I know with a big space as well. So, uh, I don't have a problem grant easements. My concern more is not with one of your
040projects, but just overall, we seem to be missing the boat on specking out transformers. Um, this one is obviously the correct transport, but it can't be in the place that it's currently in. We had one a few years ago when we did work at Wilson or uh can't remember now which school and this may not be for you, but I'm kind of throwing it over my shoulder towards Nick is that we just seem to have trouble every time we turn around with a project where either the transformer is too small and it's all after the fact. That's where I'm coming back around for you. Sure. Is four years later after the fact >> we're now being now we're >> we get upset with rush decisions but not as much as you may see across the
041street when you go before the alderman. Um next week we're going to vote and I'm sure we're none of us are going to have a problem with the easement especially seeing it's not really going to cost us anything. Uh so it's it's not to us not necessarily a big concern, but uh last minute things bother me more so the fact that it took four years for somebody to realize that we had to move this transformer cuz I'm sure we're paying Eversource also to move it. >> Um respectfully, sir, if you'll allow me to answer, um the transformer is brand new. Um there was never one there and uh although the project is four years old, the construction actually started um earlier this year. We've we that project sat around for a long time due to
042ARPA funding and CO and other things that you know kind of messed with the timeline. Um I started construction on the clearing the land uh below Reagan. I believe my timeline was about March. Uh Nick could confirm that. But um the transformer is brand new. We're not moving the transformer from the old pump station, which is further down the hill. And the re the the new positioning was due to the on-site engineering inspector saying, "I think it's too close to the road due to I mean, you've been to Reagan, you know how the hill, you know, so the in a in an effort to increase the safety of that, the decision was made to move that transformer further back, which would cause the easement. While I do agree with you 100% that, you know, mistakes
043are made, I think in this in this situation, it it was a in everyone's best decision to move the transformer further away from the road cuz it is on the ground. It's not up on a pole. >> Oh, yeah. It's one of the big gray ground. Got >> so just in a just in an effort to mitigate, you know, further, you know, catastrophes of cars hitting it or accidents being right there, we just moved it further away. That's all. >> Safety obviously comes first in every every respect here. Um Okay. So, what is it? Is it doing anything to the timeline for completion? >> Uh it is because we're at the point in the project now um uh and just to put all um eggs on the table, I requested um this meeting in November
044um and it took from November to now for legal to get me actually into this room with you. So, it I also don't want to sit here last minute and only have one week to go. >> Um, >> but the building is at this point the building is 85% complete. >> We can't do any of the internal testing or any of the um the pump curve testing for for the pump station itself without the electricity being hooked up. >> And it's not our project, right? We're you're just coming to us for the easement. Yes. >> We really have nothing to do with the project. It's not costing any I've already paid for it. It's not costing anyone anything. We just need the board of ed's e allowance for the easement. >> I I just wanted
045to get a feel for where it was on the ground there. >> Yeah. Oh, it's there. And >> it's way away from the entrance. >> Oh, yeah. It's It's like >> It actually almost borders the um almost borders the uh the power line. Yeah. Right there. So, >> I don't think you're going to have to worry next week with us. I already spent $6 million, so [laughter] >> we'll get you what we can as soon as we can. Thank you. >> Uh, thanks for the explanation and the question because uh I think that uh the timeline is important. So I I appreciate that question. Any other questions? Thank you very much for all your hard work. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for our water. >> Yeah, you're welcome. >> Yeah, thanks for the hot water.
046Right. [laughter] >> Have a wonderful night. You too. >> Okay. Number six, committee of the whole update on school-based health clinics. Ashley McClucken is with us this evening. Our illustrious health department >> I always say it wrong. Okay. Ain. Okay. >> Okay. Good evening. Um, President Brown, Vice President Ireland, Secretary Lopez, and Superintendent Schwarz. Um, we typically give an update um about the overall state of schoolbased health centers in um the spring. So, we'll wait to give you all like a formal update on um numbers and trends and enrollment and that sort of thing. But tonight, we wanted to share an exciting update. Um we learned that the schoolbased health center at Driggs um was approved by the um health resources and services administration as a site of community health centers incorporated. So our service
047provider is working through the next step of lensure with the state but we expect that to go fairly swiftly and hopefully will be open um at the Driggs Health Center by the end of the year. >> Wonderful. Um, with that in mind, um, uh, we are looking with this proposal to, um, add an additional year to the existing contract that we have with CHC. Um, our contract with them is for four years. Um, has been for four years. The contract for funding that we received from the state department of public health is for five years. So, it's really just to add in a year to match the funding that we received from the state health department. So, that's the purpose of our presence here tonight. Um, but since we were coming, we thought we would
048share a few photos and updates about the the schoolbased health center at Driggs. Um, in 2023 and um we've historically experienced few students enrolling. So in an effort to promote enrollment so that students find the value and their families find the ease of accessing services at their school uh we worked with the existing contractor to expand services and add mental health services, behavioral health services and uh medical services to their contract. That was the contract that we came before you all last year to approve. Um in the interim um in 2024 the health department um in concert with the office of community strategy Albana Lame's position applied for funding for um the actual renovation costs. So uh we were successful in uh receiving two rounds of funding, one for $30,000, the second for $10,000 in
049order to accomplish um that renovation. the city and Waterway public schools made up the balance of the cost, which was mostly labor, about $8,000, and the construction um recently just finished up. So, we wanted to share a few photos. This is what it looked like before. Um it was an open classroom. It was used for music class. Um and so, uh it's an oddly shaped room, as you can see from the diagram at the right. It's sort of a trapezoid, if you will. Um, it's been a long time since I took geometry, so apologies if I'm not correct. Um, but there is an entrance from Irving Street. There's also an entrance from the cafeteria and a bathroom that's um right across the hallway. Um, I'm not sure if this Oh, it does have a pointer.
050Okay, this is where the restroom is. Um, students would enter from the cafeteria through this entrance here. Or if they were coming from another school, they would enter um through the Irving Street um entrance right over here. Um, the medical exam room is here. Um, the secretary or or reception area is right um when they walk in right at the right. And then um there's a behavioral health room to the right and a a dental exam room and a laboratory here. Um it's a really long narrow um laboratory space, but it's adequate for approval by the state, so we're happy for that. Um this is when the renovations were in process. Um big shout out to Mike Kopka for all of the help and making sure that the right connections were made and nobody got
051electrocuted. Um, we we had a a hard time of figuring out logistics in terms of plumbing for a room that had only been an art room before that. It did have a sink that was just a happy um uh surprise, but um it benefited us to be able to use this is um from Irving Street, the entrance. You can see um right here. This is where students would enter from outside. Our branding has been there for since the center opened, so it's visible from the outside. Um, and as you enter, this is the um the area where students would meet with the receptionist. Um, so this is what the entryway looks like. Um, all three services. Any student in the city can access services at all of our school-based health centers. They don't have to
052be a student at that school, including students from other schools, private schools. We've been working with the yeshiva to make sure that they understand that their students are welcome. They're within walking distance. Um so we're we're very excited about being able to incorporate those students into services. And then um just a reminder that this can be used as um a sub supplement to primary care. So we're not asking anyone to give up their main doctor. This is in addition to having their own primary care um medical home, but this allows them to get services at school. If they have a sore throat, go to the school nurse. She can send you over to the um to the schoolbased health center. um if you um you want to avoid a trip to urgent care and the
053lines involved with that, this makes access very easy. This is the medical room. Um this is two sides of the same room. It looks huge, but I think that's just the perspective of the camera. Um this is all in one room with a a laboratory area over at the side. Um this is our behavioral health room. You can see that it's equipped with toys as well as space for meetings with um parents, group therapy. Our lab and dental suite. Um to the left is the laboratory um where uh there's a a number of machines that are in use there. And then the dental suite. This is where um Driggs is located. This uh blue spot on the on the map. And these are many of the the schools around. So you can see the number
054of schools, the yeshiva, kingsbury, brag, whims, brass city charter, even Maloney um and Reed which are a little further a field but relatively accessible um to the the school. Um this is just about the contract um amendment that's before you tonight for consideration. Um the current contract expires in June. The one-year extension would take us to next June, June of 2027. And at that point, we would release a competitive bid, uh, a release, uh, an request for, um, proposals. Um, and that is all, of course, contingent on continued funding from the state department of public health. Um, however, we haven't seen any reductions in funding um, to schoolbased health centers in general. I don't want to jinx us, so I'm knocking on wood. Um, but hopefully that funding does continue and we can um, continue
055the momentum. Thank you. Well, that's great news. Commissioner, is that any question? Commissioner Van Stone. >> Thank you, Madam President. Through you, uh, I like seeing the pictures and seeing that the dental got added. Um, and I always I think every time you come here and every time you show us the the centers, I say, "How are we getting the message out?" Right? And that how does a student know what time they could go to this facility? Do they need an appointment? What work can they get at dental? What can uh medical do? Uh behavioral uh services is fantastic. I again how do they know what services are offered? Um it's easy for the Drake students, right? They go to the nurse and they can move them down the hall. >> Uh but for the
056other schools, any school, you listed some, but it doesn't matter. It's not just those. It's any school. >> So it's any school. Can you again just go through the services offered, times that they're there, and how do you access access it? >> So, um, at present, all of the services are available every day that school is open. Um, during school hours, um, the addition of hours beyond the school day or on the weekends is still um, up for consideration. It's part of the expectations of the contractor. However, they haven't seen the volumes to warrant those additional appointments. um they're not filling up their schedule. So, we're cognizant of the the need to keep driving traffic there. Um but we I think I shared with you at the last time I was here um last spring,
057we did a robust um public awareness campaign. We had ads going in the movie theaters. We had ads on all of our social media. Um we've been pushing people um through the school nurses office to drive enrollment. All of the parent liaison also are familiar with the service. We have um our contractors stationed at the welcome center every summer um for at least two days a week um in order to get anybody who comes through the welcome center for um registration enrolled in schoolbased health center services. So we're waiting for updated numbers from our contractor to validate all of those efforts because it has been a great lift on our part um to asssure that children are aware and that their families are aware and um comfortable accessing the services. We're we're um we're hoping
058to continue as I said the momentum, but also Driggs was one of the schools that had the greatest proportion of their students enrolled in the schoolbased health center compared to the other two locations um when it was a fullervice site previously. Um and so we're hoping that with the addition of those services, the value to those students um will be apparent. But I agree with you, it's not just the Drake students. We're very hopeful that the, you know, the yeshiva down the road, having the North End Recreation Center, uh, she's not here this evening, but having the North End Recreation Center, um, right down the street, um, will also be a boon. having the YMCA down at the at the bottom of the hill. I think Driggs is just a very um it's centered in
059a very area of high need, but also it's a very beautiful location in terms of its centrality and accessibility. >> Well, with the street entrance, >> Mhm. >> we could do weekends if it worked out. >> I mean, we use gyms, etc. on weekends. >> Uh and it has its own access, which is great. Um, but I don't know if we would know the numbers on a weekend to base them on weekdays. Um, unfortunately we don't get fevers and sore throats Monday to Friday during school hours. So, um, maybe we want to consider a survey to see if parents one are aware of all the services offered and two would it be a service they'd be interested in after school hours and just take it from there. >> That's a great idea. So, >> and
060if we did a survey, of course, we would bring it to you all for consideration before we would launch it. But, um, that is certainly something that, uh, we've been talking about. We have a new epidemiologist on staff. And so, um, with that technical expertise as well as the, um, the addition of our assistant director who also has a background in epidemiology, I think we're well positioned to launch and analyze um, the data that we could collect through a survey. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. Excuse me. I'm looking at the next OP thing. Commissioner Orozo and then Commissioner Lopez. And >> hi, nice to see you. >> You too. >> Thanks for the good news. Uh my question is if if a student of dregs has a sore throat and has to go
061to this facility, do the parents sign a waiver beforehand or are the parents notified? How how does that work for the >> for access? Yes, >> they would have to be enrolled before they could just go for services. >> Okay, great. >> The enrollment is online though. Um, they can click a QR code that's on all the flyers that we distribute. Um, we have flyers in English and [clears throat] Spanish, Albanian, and Brazilian Portuguese. So, we're trying to make it very, you know, linguistically accessible. Um, but they click the QR code um with their phone. They can fill out the ser the enrollment information right on their phone. It's very basic information. um upload a copy of their uh Husky card and um and gain access um be enrolled in the service. >> Great. Thank
062you. >> Commissioner Lopez and then Commissioner L. >> Um you keep mentioning the students, but this this clinic is available to the community. So the neighborhood, anybody in the neighborhood can come in, adult, child, doesn't matter. They can come in and they can utilize the services right there in the neighborhood. Is that correct? >> Children can. Yes. It's a It's a pediatric clinic. It's not >> Oh, it's pediatrics. So, it's not for adults. >> It's just for children. It's for students. >> For students specific, this one. >> Are any other clinics available to the community or just again just to children? >> We have three federally qualified health centers in the city that um serve the majority of of families in the city. So, um Community Health Centers has one on North Elm Street. Um
063Stay Well, of course, is downtown right close to Drake's actually. And then um uh Wheeler sorry Wheeler Clinic is the third uh federally qualified health. >> Right. So the schoolbased is only for kids >> students. Yes. >> Got it. >> All right. That that's where I was confused this whole time. I've been confused about that. All right. The idea I mean honestly that would be our future intention. >> Yeah. >> Would be that this would be a clinic that would serve more than just students. But at present our contract with the the provider is just for the provision of services to students. The model really is built on um that understanding not necessarily the students just at the school but the the um all the research that's been done about schoolbased health centers has been
064on centered um student centered care. Got it. And then at the health and wellness uh committee, I had asked about how they get that enrollment data because remember I was it was looking a little funky. Did we get any answers on how what they qualify as enrollment and why it dips and goes up and we're in the middle of asking them about that. So that's why I didn't include any of that information tonight. >> All right. Thank you. Those are my questions. >> Commissioner L. >> Thank you, Madam President. Yes. You said that uh you want extension till next school year and then you would go and figure out exactly put it out to bid. Um could you get it this school year possibly this summer if this wasn't to go through? If we were
065to if we were to vote no on giving the extra year the extension would this program or this go to bid next or this school year for next year coming up or how would this work? >> Nope. >> So we'll just stop it close >> and that was it? >> Yes. What's the difference between next year and this year? >> It's just an existing contract that we're asking you to add an additional year to the contract. >> Yeah. And then you in the beginning you said that if you did we added the contract, we did the year and then next year you would go to bid, >> right? So you can't go to bid this year. >> No. >> Okay. >> Because um our contract with the state is for pass through delivery of services.
066Um, so we're we're contracted with the state to deliver the services with the contractor that we have named in our contract with the state. So we can't switch contractors without switching our contract with the state health department. And if we're they wouldn't I I don't believe that they would approve a one-year contract or a substitute vendor >> for a one-year contract. >> Okay. What is that? Are they looking for? Are they looking for like a big number? Are they looking for like, you know, a bunch of enrollment? Like what exactly are their guidelines and kind of um requests to kind of provide the funding? >> Um we had to complete an application um when we we competed for this funding. >> Okay. >> It was um to to detail our preparedness for managing a contract
067of this scale. >> And if this go through, can we is there any way we do the extension? Can we add the weekends like no matter what? I mean, I know you want to do a survey and figure it out, but the issue with kids going to doctor's appointments and going to wherever they have to go. It's not really the kids. The kids are available to parents that kind of have to work or do whatever they have to do. So, regardless of anything, can we just open them to the weekends for this being this the last year anyway until we open up for bid? Is there any way we can just do that anyway instead of doing a survey and we'll see the numbers for the weekends like we, you know, we asked for? >>
068It's a really good question. It's in our existing contract. So, us holding the contractor um to the the word of the contract and the intent of the contract um is really the challenge. Um they are only getting $250,000 a year from us. Um the cost to run the center is closer more likely to run all three centers. Um closer to $2 million. So, we're really just giving them kind of funds to offset some of the costs for some of their staff that are required. Um, so it's not really covering any of their operational costs. >> And if we thought about changing the hours, maybe dropping two days off during the week and putting it to the weekend, >> like dropping off a Monday or Tuesday and making it Wednesday through Sunday instead. >> That's a
069good idea. We can bring that up with them. >> Okay. Thank you. That's all. Mhm. >> Just for clarification, um what year are we in of the contract? Are we in the third year? >> This is we are coming to the end of the fourth year >> of I'm >> in June. That will be the conclusion of the existing contract that we have. >> Okay. >> June of 26. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uh Commissioner Ireland. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um can you just explain to us just the uh the process for outside organizations or kids that don't attend DRIGs to use those services? >> If they enroll online um they complete the the enrollment process and they indicate which school they u would prefer to attend or which schoolbased health center they would
070prefer to attend. Um and then um an enrollment coordinator would be in touch with them to confirm their enrollment and um set them up with an appointment. They could just let them know where they'd like to be seen. >> And even >> they can be seen at any of the any of the locations. They don't have to enroll with specifically one location. >> And is this only open to Waterberry public school kids? >> No. >> Okay. It's not. Okay. >> Any child in Waterbury is eligible to to go. >> And up to what age? >> Um up to what is it? Up to 20 I think. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> From prek. From prek up to 20. >> Nice. for the older kids in high school. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You
071know, for new members, if you could tell where the other ones are. >> Yes. Um the the other two full service locations are at the Willby North End Complex and at the Crosby Wallace complex. >> Thank you. And I think we have talked about the enrollment online. I guess part of our question was if somebody just walks in, can they enroll then and get service? >> They can. Yes. the the person there would um take down their information and would enroll them on the website. >> I just wanted to clarify that that they don't have to be online before they could they could walk in and enroll and go in. >> They may have to I mean they would have to have a parent do that. So it wouldn't be like a child who's sent
072down from the nurse's office wouldn't be able to enroll autonomously unless they were 18. Um we did do a drive a couple of years ago um with the graduating seniors so that they understood that they could enroll as an 18-year-old themselves right there in person and then be assured services um going forward as a adult, you know, on paper um and access services at community health centers main site on North Elm Street. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? Commissioner Ireland. >> Thank you. Just really quick. So um just just for clarification if a parent makes an appointment for the child say the uh school base is in the same school as where the child is attending for that appointment will the parent still have to attend and the parent did ask me this. So
073does the parents have to show up with the child during the appointment? >> They don't. >> Okay. >> Um it's only the parents preference if the parent would prefer to be there. For example, if a child was getting immunizations and they had never received a vaccine without their parent there to hold hands or um provide comfort, then um the parent was would be welcome to come to the appointment. >> Okay. Thank you. >> They're welcome, but it's not required. >> Okay. Well, thank you. It's exciting. I can't wait to see it. We'll have to have a ribbon cutting ceremony. >> Yeah, we're gonna do a big hoopla. >> Thank you. >> Dr. Schwarz has assured me. Thank you all. Okay. Um, did we do seven, Jes? >> No, we're on eight. >> I think we're
074we're on seven. >> Okay, we're um Ashling, we're on number seven. I think you're up again. >> Wait a minute. >> Or do we do that? >> That's the amendment she asked about. >> Oh, so we're there. Okay. So, we did six and seven. Okay. >> All right. So, now we're on eight. Uh Wendy, >> president, you just said 67, >> huh? >> You got every all those all those middle school kids that are watching the board of ed tonight. [laughter] >> Watch out now. You have to do it. President Brown. All right. Good evening, President Brown. Board of Ed commissioners, student representative, and superintendent Dr. Schwarz. The special education department requests the approval of professional service agreement RFP number 8648 between the city of Woodbury and Delta T Hartford, Inc. The purpose of the
075agreement is to provide speech and language services for Woodbury Public School District children ages 3 through 22. Um we're seeking to fill immediate and changing needs of the district. Uh the agree agreement shall commence on the date fully executed by the mayor and will terminate on June 30th, 2029. The agreement is at a cost of $400,000 for a three-year term. Um, it should be understood and the commissioner should understand that RFP8648 has been a split bid between three awarded vendors and this is paid through general funds >> and those are 89 and 10. The >> correct correct just to be clear for the all the commissioners 89 and 10 is for the same bid. >> Okay. Commissioner Van Stone. >> Thank you, Madam President. through you. I I believe I know the answer to this,
076but I just want to hear you say this. Is that this is a contract to put these uh individuals on contract or do we already have requirements for their services? >> This is additional speech and language pathologists into our building. So, this is would be an additional contract with three vendors, >> right? But do we already require those services or are we putting them under contract for the day we do need them that we can immediately get them in place? >> Correct. So we already have some speech pathologists, but we need additional speech pathologists. >> So these will be here as soon as soon as this contract signed >> as soon as >> Okay. >> And they're ready to actively start recruiting as soon as the contract is. We do put some contracts in place
077in order to pick up the phone and say, "Okay, now we need them. Send them." But in this case, >> we need them now. >> Okay. >> Correct. >> Thank you for that clarification. >> Yes. >> Good point. We probably needed them yesterday, right? Probably. [laughter] Yes. >> Uh, Commissioner Lat. >> We currently have nine buildings that are not receiving services. So, >> so is that nine or total? Nine speech pathologist or >> We probably need more than nine to meet the needs. Um because we have some buildings where some of our current speech pathologists are not meeting the needs of that building. Um [music] so it's important that we receive as many with this current bid as possible to meet the needs of the district. Um and we're currently in a situation just like
078the state of Connecticut where this is an extreme vacancy area. >> Thank you. And uh just to add on to that, the um um the reason why the current SLP speech language pathologists that we have, they might be over their case limit. So they're just hustling to try to run around and get to every student. Um, and then for the students that were not receiving services, it's it's required for the special ed department to note every student that hasn't received services and then they get something called compensatory services, which means time owed to them to make up for the time that was lost until we get the services in place. So, um, and so that's that's all driven by the IEP and and and so we do have overages for a lot of our SLP.
079So this is going to be much needed relief to be able to to get the students their services and also make up the time they lost as well, >> right? >> Yeah. So I'm only asking these questions because Delta T is a temp agency. So pretty much temporary fillins. They kind of do their thing. They come in, step in, work x amount of days, x amount of hours, and they go. So I'm curious now if we're so short and the state is so short, how is WT have these folks see speech pathologists they on standby ready to come in and kind of take over and do everything when we >> don't have them as full-time staff or part-time staff or anything. We can't fill those spots. So how can they do it? So that's my
080curiosity. And then looked at the DT uh rates, >> they're all over $100 an hour and they go up every year. >> Yeah. >> Even if you look at the access rehab, it's about 95 every year. And then orange therapy is 90 and it's per four years it's only 90 it stays at that one spot. So I'm just curious on how you know >> they're going to be able to fill those spots when we can't fill them as a state. >> So it's a good it's a great question. Um this is why uh especially when we go into the budget season we talk about that seed grant that seed grant for special education received over $2 million for that but it doesn't allow us to get thirdparty services. So all three of these vendors we
081couldn't use towards the we couldn't use that seed grant to get this even though waterberry public schools is is a is a large district in the state of Connecticut and uh we obviously have a tremendous amount of need in speech and language pathology and we can't hire enough because there's not enough uh speech and language pathologist for the state. I think you kind of answered your own question because when you start to see rates of $100 or more an hour, >> people are tending to go into those um services and they'd rather just work for speech. I'm going to work for Delta T and I'm only working three days a week. I'm going to make, you know, x amount of dollars an hour >> and it's kind of like this this cycle, right? Because we
082got to keep paying them >> because we can't hire them fast enough, but at the same time, it it increases their ability to have job flexibility. um they're not tied to coming in Monday through Friday being in the same school. So don't >> advertise. I'm >> I'm just saying like that's the reality. They already know it because they're going to the services and so but the good thing about places like Waterberry Public Schools is if you know you did want to come, they don't get the pension though. And that's that's the shortsidedness of sometimes of these positions is that whether you're BCBA or you get >> it's great now. You might be getting a a higher paycheck at the moment. Um, but it the the beauty of teaching in Connecticut is the thing that you
083don't see until the end, which is the pension and the ability to live a a life after retirement that you don't have to necessarily worry about a day-to-day uh money situation. And so I do think that, you know, our our um one of the things we could take and and if we haven't taken that already, I know we have two great recruiters in the human capital department, but that's that's our best sell to people is kind of sell them on the pension factor, but it that's delayed gratification 30 years from now for the younger generation. So it's been difficult to kind of get them to see that they get a higher rate when they come in and they get more flexibility and they don't have to work 5 days a week if they don't want
084to. And and so that that's that's the answer. That's the fear, too. I mean, they're getting that $100 an hour, but Delta T is getting their cut off the top, >> of course. So, it's not they're getting theirs, they're getting theirs, you know. >> No, Delta T is the middleman. So, Delta Delta T is is making money off of every single one of every single person there that they've decided they wanted to go in this direction. Delta T is certainly taking a cut of it. you know, it's it's not beyond us to try to recruit right from, you know, certain companies, but I think the reality is is that the flexibility um and the high amount now is sometimes difficult to overcome with people as you tried to discuss, you know, well, you could make
085maybe it's not, you know, maybe they're making $75 an hour and Delta T's taking 15 off that. The reality is is that if I if I pay them even60 $70,000 a year, um they might be making that work three days a week. Um but again, the reality is is what they're losing out on is a is a is a is a pension. Um [snorts] but I think flexibility is also one of those things that notoriously school systems are like we're really hard to have flexible work schedules. Like kids are coming, you have to be there, you have to be in person. Um, and we know that since co it's kind of waffled back and forth with different services more um, you know, a lot of companies have brought people back in person, but people really
086really have valued that flexibility and it's really hard to get them to commit to a 5day a week inerson position. >> Um, even with the even with the idea of the pension and that's what we're battling. We're battling these companies um, to to get to get full-time people. >> Absolutely. And then I'm just if you can that education department when they do these um job requirements and the [music] specifications and the prere you need to kind of qualify. I see that you guys put in there that the city they have to hire whatever they want because there says just skilled in that field but the city has something where the education department makes the final decision on those speed pathologists that come into the city before they get around the students stuff like that. But
087if we can kind of figure out how we can >> compete, >> I guess with that, you know what I mean? Where we're saying, "Yeah, we can do this, do that." Because >> my fear is that we did attempt, they come in Monday, Tuesday, like you say, they don't want to work Fridays or Thursdays, they don't do it. And [music] now another kid, the kid has talked to a different speed pathologist. They did miss Monday, now they're seeing Thursday. Now you talk to two different people. And I think the orange company is, are they out of Florida? Based out of Florida. >> So we actually set the schedule with agencies. So just so that you're aware, >> they lock in no matter what. >> We set the schedule after we interview with the agency staff.
088We set the schedule and we have a liaison in my department that works with the agency staff. So that's all part after the contract is executed. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes, Commissioner [clears throat] Van Stone. >> Thank you for letting me go a second time, Madam President, through you. Um, I just want to clarify some things that go on with a contract like this also is this this is a fixed price type contract. So, uh, when you see $102, they're certainly not paying that to the employee. >> No. And the other side of that on our side then is I I'm not sure what we pay per hour. But if we burden that um to add everything, insurance, uh any kind of overhead tech, if our employee walks in a room, there's overhead because
089the lights go on. >> So we have what's called a burden rate, which is the hourly rate plus all the burden. And what I would like to start seeing on some of these and I think it would help commission a lot, you know, see through these a little better is if we know that a burden rate speech pathologist um is $80 an hour, but we're paying a contractor over a hundred, you know, that's something we have to start considering. or is our burden rate $150 and now we're actually saving money by having a contractor. But to the point of contract help not coming to work five days a week, u especially in a special ed field, I would think these contracts should have some language that if we're going to sign this company up, they
090I don't care if they send us five different ones Monday to Friday, but they have to supply someone every day that we required a need. >> Correct? So, you know, if someone's sick on their side, bottom line is that's not our problem, >> right? >> That's their problem because they need to send someone else in. >> Correct. And that's working. >> So, that's a little relief on us as well is that we should be being guaranteed that there is a person there, correct? >> Qualified person there every single day that we say we need them. >> Correct. So there's there's pros and cons to contract help, >> but especially if in this case if you you may want to look into the burden rate for our employees because we may actually be saving money >>
091by using contract help. >> It's a good point. >> Plus with the guarantee hopefully that they come in every day. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I just want to throw that into what a contract house is supposed to do for you. Mhm. >> You would hope we are saving money to be honest. >> Yeah. >> Because we're not doing insurance. We're not paying insurance. We're not paying everything else that I mentioned. >> Yeah. The typical So, if you hire a speech and language pathologist, if you were lucky to hire even a $75,000, that hourly rate is about 53 if you work through it. But then, as you said, that's the hourly rate. If you had the insurance, you're going to add at least 30 more to that. So, it's about $83. So you're getting actually close
092up to the cost it would never mind all the extras that >> the burn rate on that is probably in the neighborhood $150,000. So it's it's it's very it's comparable but it would be a good idea and maybe we can get talk to Dorina at some point maybe we can get some numbers uh so that when we do bring I think it'd be helpful when we do bring contracts forward about you know comparing them that if you know a teacher at this rate uh would actually be costing us this amount uh total not just salary right the whole complete burden rate um I think it's a great idea >> and that's how we should look at it in this case, we're looking at it as a need. >> Correct. >> Right. But in the end,
093we actually may save money. Um, and we may want to utilize this sort of service more often. >> Um, especially with, you know, hopefully they do fill it all five days. And hopefully if they don't, we're going to penalize them. That's how these contractors should work. >> They should get penalized when they don't do the services. So, >> well, as you're >> besides just not getting the money. >> Yeah. In our city contracts, we have the right to terminate. So, >> well, right to terminate doesn't help us. >> Yeah, I know [laughter] that. I know. >> Thank you. >> Uh, Commissioner Orso, >> I not to play Dell's etiquette, but I I know that that we've been a shortage of these speech pathologists for years, but what is going to be the morale of the
094teachers that we have that are they going to be happy they're getting help? or they're going to be really happy that I'm making $50 an hour and the guy next to me is making $100 an hour. I know part of it goes to Delta and all that stuff. But I I I'm just hoping that the existing teachers don't leave, you know, because, you know, they're getting short chain short short changed. Um you know, I think that that I mean we need them. I know that because I've been involved for years that there was always a shortage and uh they come and they go because they get a little more money from another school system or whatever or they go into this temporary sort of situation. But I'm just hoping that the morality existing uh teachers
095and one other thing that Commissioner Lot made up and and and Tom I agree what you're saying. They got to be there five days a week. But I don't know if you'd want five different people because you know you're you're working with a student and you know you're going to look at a chart and then there'll be another guy looking at a chart. How much is the student going to get help in in that short period of time? If there's existing in this contract it should be that person or one person for that week or whatever. Uh, and I think that might be a problem, but that should be settled too with these with the contracts. But I just I just worry about the existing teachers. That's all I got to say. >> Thank you.
096>> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions? I had a question in terms of the contract. >> Sure. >> Uh they what do they have? Are they responsible for uh paperwork for meeting with other staff in the school for updates? Correct. For communication with the parents and so forth. >> Correct. So they function fully as if they are facilitating everything for the students. So they have to write IEP goals, they have to build for Medicaid, they update everything in CT sets. If there's an evaluation, they have to complete the evaluation. Um they communicate with parents. So they facilitate everything for the student if they're assigned the student for their case load. >> Okay. And when they're in the school building, who do they report to? The principal? um they are definitely introduced to the principal.
097They usually report to whoever the special education supervisor is for the building. Um but the principal definitely is knows that the special um the speech pathologist is assigned to their building of course. >> So the super uh the special ed supervisor is the one who holds them accountable to make sure they're actually doing the work and so forth. >> Of course, but the case managers as well know that the speech pathologist is assigned to that building and what students they're working with. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. I think we're on 11. Um >> Okay. >> I think we went through all the calendar. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thanks, honey. >> I know we did six seven. >> There she is. >> Number 11, Dorene Biola. December
0982025 monthly expenditure report. I finally got the Thank you, President Brown, commissioners, student representatives, and Dr. Schwarz. Uh, yes, this is the monthly um expenditure report that I bring to the board. This is for the month of December. This is 6 months through the fiscal year. Um, as I've said in previous meetings, um, we do our job um, for cost containment on a lot of these line items. I do just want to point out um on the first page is the salaries. Uh we're going to show an overall surplus at this point projecting. Um, I do want to point out since we just were talking about SLPs, if you look down at um line item um 51110 um you'll see that we are going to be going into a deficit and that is because of
099the SLP's case load uh and MOA. So, how many um you know what they get per student per day and how many students that they have. So, I just wanted to highlight that area for you. >> Um, second page, just want to bring up the purchase services line item. >> Um, >> so this is where we have our substitute teachers, our transportation, um, tuition. And so, you know, this is a very variable uh, account series here. Um right now we're going to show that a little bit into the hole. Um then we have our supply account uh property uh other miscellaneous. Um and then we will show at the bottom um the amount of the operating budget that is budgeted in the alliance grant which we will spend down all the way. And then further
100that down you're going to see our contingency lines which offset our budget of the 158 million. Um, so right now I'm showing that we won't be using all those. So those will surplus, which is a good thing because if we used any of that coming into next year's fiscal year 27 budget >> will put us at a greater deficit starting if we didn't have anything to offset that conting that contingency helps us >> um or our need or our ask would be a lot larger for next year. Um, and I just want to point out if you look at the last page and you look at what the original budget is on the bottom, the grand total funding. So, we get 158.4 million. We offset it by the alliance grant. We still need 71 million
101plus the contingencies. So, in total, our budget really should be at $233.6 million. So we are offset that by the increase we had gotten in the alliance grant and the contingencies that we have not used and we haven't used them due to attrition. We do have a built-in attrition number vacancies um and cost containment. So just kind of want to bring that up because we're heading into the budget season. We're going to be meeting soon and I just kind of want to bring that to your attention. So any questions? Thank you, Commissioner L. Lopez and then Todd. Anybody else? You sure you don't want to go first? [laughter] >> All right. Um, I was looking at the transportation line item. It looks like we, you know, it was red. >> Mhm. >> Um, and I
102was just curious about that. Uh, we have had a lot of parents complaining about buses being late or buses not showing up. So, I just wanted to see how do we apply any of those performance damages to the busing company when they're not meeting their goal or so. Yes, we met about that recently. Um, and that will be happening. Um, I think we started um with this month. >> No, sorry, January, I believe we're starting with, right? >> I know that last week we charged them close to $40,000. >> Okay. for they're late. I mean, and and then I got a call from the VP of operations, Steve Schmuck, uh, who called me from Durham, um, ensuring me they were working on it once those bills started going in. So, I think Commissioner Van Stone,
103who's talked about this a few times, you know, we've started charging and charging at a very high rate based on contractual obligations. And so, you know, all of that doesn't really in the end get the bus there on time, but it certainly incentivizes them to actually hold their end of the bargain up for us. And so, you know, it causes little relief. But I could, you know, I I do and I do understand, you know, with the bus drivers, they've had to release eight this year for various reasons. And that's that's a high number, but it's also those are we wouldn't have wanted them to keep those bus drivers specifically for things they've done. They have brought in um very recently six drivers from other stations to come and support Waterberry. Um they hired three
104bus drivers this week, I think, Nick. Yeah, three bus drivers this week as well in addition. So, it's a, you know, they are getting charged and there seems to be movement in terms of bringing the six over, hiring the three. Um, and you know, I talked to Jeff uh a few times this week and he definitely said that um he's seen an uptick in improvement of uh of people showing. And so, uh in addition to that, we obviously are going through the bus RFP process now. And this will we will have a decision on that shortly about who our providers will be for next year. And as they're getting interviewed and we're going through this process, uh, one of the major pieces is their their their on-time rate obviously because for any parent to have
105to wait an extended period of time or for a student to be on a bus for an extended period of time just doesn't create the atmosphere we're all trying to create here in the Waterberry public schools, you know, and so that message hasn't getting lost hasn't gotten lost on us um, short of Nick getting into a bus and driving it himself. which I think he's thought of doing it a few times. [laughter] Um, you know, we we feel a lot of those complaints as well. Um, and so, uh, we wanted to make sure that, uh, we continue on that that process and we'll continue charging them for any late or bus runs that aren't happening on a daily basis until we can see a marked improvement um, in their runs. Uh, and we're going to
106make sure that's in the next contracts as well. And we're going to start on day one uh making sure we have a system in place to charge this amount because it's not a small it's not a small fee. I mean $40,000 from I think Tuesday last week to Tuesday this week is a is a significant amount of money that the district can then put back into the transportation fund which goes into >> into the red. And so that's that's going to be needed uh to to start on day one uh w with whoever the the contractor is, whether it's a new contractor or we continue with the the previous one. >> Yeah, it's just it's just heartbreaking when the bus doesn't come >> or it arrives really late. You know, >> kids are reporting 30,
10740 minutes. >> Um it's a really cold winter >> um to have kids out there like that. And >> yeah, so I'm glad I'm glad we're doing something. Yep. >> Uh, Commissioner Van Stone, >> before I ask that question, maybe it's time we have a presentation from that bus company. I would love to have them in front of me trying to tell me how good they're doing. [laughter] >> I probably wait till the RFP is over. >> I was just going to say they might not >> wait till they [laughter] >> not necessarily. That doesn't help the kids on the street. >> Yeah. >> Waiting for an RFP to go through. >> But anyway, >> right. I think the presentation, thank you, Madam President, through you. Uh, the presentation before this show just shows how
108good of a decision it was to start looking at a contractor for an area that were in the whole on a December report. Keep that in mind. December report that was only four months of school 73 basically 736,000 >> I know estimated projected through June >> but if we can't get the contractors now the aside to this is also you know even if these people are getting all this money for extra students I don't know how happy they are because they probably spend the weekend asleep and because they're probably getting burnt out so I'm I'm sure they would love help. Um, but we also have to keep in mind that we cannot be in danger of not providing services of an IDP, >> we will have a lot of help come through the door, >>
109right? >> If we start doing that, >> uh, and much more. So we we cannot ever get in a situation where we're not providing our services in the special ed department. Um and it you know hopefully the the employees understand that because this projected number it it's we rarely outside of buzzing do we ever see a number grow that big on a projection. >> almost never. So that's to me that's a serious crisis level especially special ed situation. Um so we need to get that contract put in place and maybe some more. So otherwise this really doesn't look too bad under projections for December. >> Um no we've been you know with the team and all and under uh Dr. for Schwarz leadership, we've really, you know, trying to manage costs um and any little
110savings where we can. >> I would go as far as saying it's excellent. It really is. >> Great job. >> Thanks. >> Thank you so much for all you do. Really, this is great work. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Okay. Um number 12, use of school facilities by organizations andor city departments. >> Good evening once again, honorable board of of education commissioners. The education department has received 25 requests for building and school facilities use by schools, school organizations, and or city departments as listed in your packet. And they request board of education approval. >> Okay. And um number 13, um the education department has received eight requests for building and school facilities use by outside organizations and they request a waiver of fees by the board of education due to time of use or were
111granted waivers in the past. They are the Girl Scouts of America, Waterberry Bridge to Success, Advancing Connecticut Together, Bully Manor Neighborhood Association, East Mountain Sports Association, Bridge to Success Again, Golden Years Theater, and Greater Waterberry Children's Theater. >> Any questions? Commissioner, >> thank you, Madam President. Um, yes. I seen one about a tax service. Is that correct on the waiver request? >> Vetos. >> Yes, >> that is correct. Is he making Is he doing free tax? >> I believe that's the United Way has the VA. They help people. >> Is it do their taxes, right? >> There there is one. Um, Commissioner, which one is that? Um, it's Abraham something. Is it VA tax service? I think at Dugen. It's like six days in the gym or something like that. At the bottom towards the
112bottom. >> I did request a waiver. They're going to pay. >> Did they request a waiver? >> What was the name that it was under? Commissioner, >> I'm trying to find it here. >> Uh, VA tax service. I'm not even sure if I do a page looking at it before I came in. >> 431. >> Is it that advanced um CT one that you were just talking about? I think >> CT together. Abraham Jabrell in health January 28th through April 15th 3 to 6 p.m. >> VA tax assistance. >> So that's through United Way >> at a time that overtime is not required. So there's no >> there Oh, there's no cost for it at all. Okay. And >> because it must be during the school day. It's during the school day. to >> some
113summer during a school day. It doesn't incur. >> It is free tax. >> It's free taxes. It's free. I just don't want >> I I just know about the program a little bit. Um the United Way, right? [laughter] It's a It's a free tax service for people that earn 65 and under. 65K a year and under. >> So, it is free tax services, >> but if you earn more, then you have to pay a fee to that company. >> I don't even know if they would do your taxes. Um if you earn over that, I'm sorry. [laughter] No, >> but it is great for everybody w earning 65 and >> I'm I'm a fan of the free tax service. I just don't want them to charge $100 to your taxes. >> No, it's free. We
114want way requests because I'm doing taxes. I don't get paid. So, >> yeah, it it'll be free. >> Free service. >> It's free services. >> Girl Scouts of Connecticut. [clears throat] >> So, >> you like their cookies? Come on. I I do, but I looked at the request put in and one of the women was in New Haven and then it said North Haven and Harford where this is where they live. So, do they have a They cover the Waterberry branch, too. They cover us, right? The troops travel troops. >> They must have a chapter at the school, right? >> They do have that. >> They have Girl Scouts at the school. >> They have Okay, >> that's what Darren saying. I'm just >> All right. Just making sure. They're not Yeah. >> They're not
115Yeah, they're not busting them all the way out from North. Yeah, I'd sell you to Waterberry, do that. You live in Harford. Go to Harford. >> But as long you have a T Waterberry Okay, that's the kids are taking advantage of the services. >> Yeah, as long as Waterberry kids, I don't mind. >> Yeah, >> it is. And I believe the you're you're speaking of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut. That's just a parking lot using. So, >> this is a this is a I think specifically for cookie distribution, >> correct? Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] >> So, you're going to say no. No, he's trying to he's trying to figure out when to get there. >> Waterberry kids. I'm all for it. >> I I think it is important though because you know as we do have
116I know branches in Waterberry. I don't know if this specific I don't I'm not familiar with them and so I think it's a it's a good question to know and I think it goes back to I know we're working on something Mr. there'll be in terms of a form and to give maybe more of a process moving forward >> to get some more information about how many to know how many students from Waterberry they're serving and things like that. We're not there yet. So, these are all good questions that I think we have to work out through the, you know, the forms and and some additional information we need to get because I don't want to also misspeak and then say, "Yeah, we have Girl Scout troops here, but then this is a Girl Scout
117troop that's coming from somewhere else that's encroaching on our territory because our Girl Scouts, right? They can there's a lot of parking lots and and [clears throat] area." So I think I think with that information it's hard to answer it because the form has not necessarily changed yet to update it to give you that information and you know but we can certainly get that information pretty easily after after this uh by tomorrow. >> Yeah, these these forms are more than 10 years old. They need to be revised >> uh and and provide more information so that you can make your informed decisions. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Is there anybody else you're interested in? >> Oh, Commissioner Lopez. >> Who updates the form? >> Well, we're going to have a committee for that. So, >>
118okay. >> You know, we're going to have somebody from our department, certainly somebody from the board. >> Okay. >> Because we need to You're going to be voting on these, >> you know, >> every month. And we've also started creating a flowchart of how it works through the system so that you all are um also informed on you know from a person's request to who receives it to when it comes to the board what the responsibility will or will not be at that level and if there's anything that needs to be done beforehand. Obviously we want the kind of forms to speak for themselves. Um, so we really if the form is good, we could kind of continue the same process and then you can end up voting and have that information ahead of you.
119So to say yes or no. Um, and we can work that out. We can go down a rabbit hole with this these forms, but I think we'll have some fruitful conversations uh about that uh as we join that committee and and put it together and then work forward. I don't think it's going to be that difficult, but I think there's some questions that we definitely need answered on those forms to make your jobs a little bit easier to know to vote yes or no. >> I really appreciate it because I know at a couple of meetings the issue of waiverss came up and everything. So, I talked to Darren and I I I said this issue has really never come up in depth since I've been on the board. So, I think this is a
120good good time to look into it. So, I really appreciate the work that you're doing to kind of uh, you know, do a deeper dive and show us the system. So, >> yeah, it needs to be revised and and there has to be a fairness. There's certainly a a civic responsibility to some youth organizations that use our facilities, >> but they have to also understand the cost that we bear when that happens. So, if it's fair for them and fair for us, that that's all we're looking for. >> Yes. >> Great. Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? Thank you. Uh superintendence update just have a quick conversation about the uh 2526 calendar number >> I'm sorry yeah >> 14 >> we're on 14. Yes sir. Yeah. >> Thank you
121uh president and good evening uh commissioners and our student representative. Uh I just a quick conversation as was discussed earlier. We have had seven days thus far uh called four for water uh three for snow if I'm counting correctly. That puts us currently at um with Junth um because that would be a holiday >> 23rd. >> It would put us at June 23rd right now. >> That's what I thought. >> Um which would be interesting in some of the schools like Generali which is I believe the only cooling center is the room we're in. Um, so we do have options. And so if I I have a calendar, a draft calendar in front of you tonight that would get us back to June 18th. To do that, we would have to push the March 6th
122PD to the end of June. Um, while at the same time going from 181 school days like we did last year, going back down to the mandated 180. this the the state department requires of us, we build in those extra days. Uh so if the if the if the board of ed is interested and willing, we could go back down to 180 and we could put the PD and reorganize it for the end of the school year. That would give us um back to June 18th, which would be the end of the school year. And with no more snow days, no more snow days, we would uh end right before that holiday of Junth. Um and so put it out for consideration because March 6th is around the corner. So we'd have to have that
123decision by the uh next Thursday, the next board meeting. But happy to answer any questions about that. >> Commissioner Lopez, how many schools don't have cooling? I believe we have about 14 >> if I remember correctly. I know 14 elementary schools. We tried to get the cooling in every classroom. Uh we went out to bid for it. We secured money for it, but the the cost came back like double the amount that we were trying to and there was just no way for us to pay for it. Uh we had high aspirations during the err years and monies, but we just we couldn't afford it. And so um I I I I believe the number's 14. Uh, but I can I can get you that actual number tomorrow, but I it's around that area. >>
124Okay, thank you. Any other questions? >> Great. Okay, we'll take a look at it. >> Okay, so just a quick superintendent update. Um, and I went a little late on this one because I know I have one next week that I want to fill up. So, just want to congratulate the board on a successful board of ed retreat on January 31st. Um, you all don't spend enough time together, so you wanted to spend a nice Saturday morning. I know. Uh, but I know Whams was an accommodating host and Carrie did a great job organizing it. We had, um, and we had Cab there to help support the work of the board. So, uh, congratulations on that retreat and >> and Portuguese treats. >> And the Portuguese treats, of course. Yeah, you have to you have
125to have those when you meet, especially on an early Saturday morning. Um, I just wanted to inform the board. Many of you going to hear this for the first time. NASK is the accreditation uh for high schools. Um, many uh just about every high school in the state uh uh has it except for private schools. But one thing that we're starting to pursue I want to be clear on is that we're going to move forward with accreditation starting with our middle schools. Uh I want to apply for a grant that's out there through CAPS. Fran Leinowitz is working with NIASK. We are in a very good position to get this uh grant. We've been talking to NASC even prior to this grant coming out about this opportunity. And I was saying we need we need
126something to keep you know uh our other schools going and and to meet a certain standard. And so uh we're going to be applying for that. We'd like to start in our middle schools, then move to our preks and elementaryaries eventually, but we are the only district of our size, even um close to our size, that would be pursuing a district-wide school uh accreditation through NEASK. So, really excited to apply for that, and I'll keep you updated on our progress. >> Wow. >> Thank you, Mr. Haxi, as well. So, I know you're helping with some of that work. Uh I just wanted to uh point out for dual language instruction. Uh you you probably remember this slide because uh we had our teachers from uh uh Roberto Clemente who uh were presenting at La Cosetcha
127Dual Language Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but then they were highlighted in the Yukon magazine as well to uh from their alma mater for all the work that they're doing and all the impact they're having at our dual language school. So, it's a it's a place that's being highlighted not just at national conferences, but it's also actually being highlighted at some of our local universities like Yukon. We also were excited to uh host meteorologist Anthony Carpino. >> Uh he went to Gil Martins's grade three to share his insights about being a meteorologist, helping kids kind of see themselves and going to college and careers. And meteorologist is a I'd like to think a pretty cool job. And so talked a lot about the extreme weather in Connecticut and some of the math and and forecast
128that they have to use to to to do their job well. And so I know the kids were very interested and um they they they uh they definitely enjoyed that. And so another opportunity for our students to engage with career professionals. >> Cool. Um, on Thursday, February 5th, 87 of our Willby 9th grade students successfully met the January 20-day attendance challenge, uh, established by district attendance coordinator Kim Jones, uh, and Wilby's nth grade attrace counselor. Um, and so you could see there also support from United Way and Sandy uh, Sandra Romero. But also um I know that uh this is specifically for nth grade students. So 87 although not all of our nth grade students I can say that uh so far this year because of their focus on 9th grade uh I believe the
129number was around 15% less chronic absenteeism for their nth grade this year compared to last year. So they're really targeting that nth grade trying to create those good habits. Uh historically, just so you all know, preKK, sixth grade, and nth grade have been the the grades that drag us down the most. And so targeting nth grade is really important to build those habits up um and to ensure students have those uh successful uh first years in uh in in in high school. So congratulations to Willby for thinking outside the box doing something to entice those uh willby students to they attended every single day in in a in January which as you remember was a challenging weather month. Uh today we celebrated the 100th day of school. So congratulations. You saw a lot of teachers
130and students dressing up like they're 100 years old which was interesting. Uh, I had a uh I had a meeting with the saw uh uh the saw board today and there was Lori uh Eldridge there with uh dressed like a grandma and >> dressed like a great great grandma I guess. But uh she she had her 100 day outfit on and they had um a lot of kids come in. They they'll do a 100 things. You saw today uh the wonderful student with a 100 charms on her on her boots. So different schools do amazing things. But what I thought was really cool was Dugen Elementary celebrated their 100th day of school with somebody uh Mrs. Irano who's a 100-year-old Dugen School graduate. >> Oh my gosh. And talk to the students. >> That's amazing.
131>> Absolutely. I agree. So, um always fun and also, you know, these are the types of things that beyond the academics and the curriculum, these are the things that staff and and kids remember. And so, we're we're happy to continue these types of traditions in the Waterberry public schools. We did have that health and wellness advisory committee meeting. We talked about it earlier today. Uh where we are focused on um impacting students well-being uh school-based health clinics, nutrition, physical wellness, and mental health supports. Uh we've started that up again. A lot of the work that you'll see come to the board at certain times. A lot of it's discussed in depth at those meetings. and want to thank the uh uh President Brown for um assigning commissioners to that board. And then I think we
132could continue some of the good work we've already started um uh in those areas. I also want to give a shout out to several of our students from Gil Martin, Kingsbury, Maloney, Wallace, and Rotella who were honored at uh the Cass Elementary Celebration of Arts Award dinner. uh they were uh they were recognized uh for their outstanding performances in art or music submissions alongside their peers from across the state. So congratulations to uh those students. We had 10 students in total. >> We also went to Bucks Hill on February 4th to celebrate World Readaloud Day. Principal Yemenz invited some veral members of the community to go in to read to students um which will also continue in March when we have our typically our Dr. Seuss day and many of you got invites for that
133as well. I want to point out I want to thank the um deputy superintendent Mendoza chief academic officer Jen Frenis and our assistant superintendent uh Anthony Brooks and Dr. Johnson for putting together uh a very important uh uh meeting that was held at Carrington Elementary School. We call these focus walks and in these uh meetings uh we started this a long time ago. Actually, Norin Buckley was the principal at Rean Elementary uh when we started this. And what it does is it gets the administrators together into the same room and calibrate their uh classroom walkthroughs so that one principal when they walk into a classroom and another principal from another school walk into a classroom, they have the opportunity to learn and um have the same vernacular and the same language about what they're seeing
134and so that they're not so isolated as administrators in their own buildings and then caught into their own cycle of thinking, you know, whether whether they have another administrator or two. they're able now to talk to over 20 administrators about going into classrooms. And so Carrington was very welcoming. I want to thank Chris Rena for um introducing uh uh her efforts on what she's been doing at her school. And um it's just a good opportunity to to collaborate and calibrate our own learning as professionals. >> Great. Um, and finally, uh, I was, uh, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Connecticut State Community College legislative breakfast on January 27th, uh, which was full of, uh, uh, legislators and people from across the state. and we talked a little bit about things we can
135do specifically uh from the Waterberry public school perspective and I really reached out to them to say, you know, whether it could be recruiting for some of our positions uh that we have openings for uh specifically in the health and allied health fields. We want to be able to uh reach into their alumni networks and try to recruit from there as well. Especially if you did go to Connecticut State at Nagatuk Valley, um you most likely are from the area and that seems to end up being we noticed that if you're from the area, you tend to stay in the area and you tend to um have that little more oomph about teaching here and and caring about the students and so um really want to reach out to their networks. But it was good
136to talk about how how their efforts really are aligning to our efforts here in the Waterberry Public Schools. And for my last slide, I just want to remind people to follow us on social media. Very exciting stuff. Uh, I just want to uh welcome I should have done that before. Maria Hopkins is our um student representative from Waterberry Arts Magnet School grade 11. Welcome. Do you have any comments at your first meeting? >> Yeah. >> Um, I just wanted to say I've had a lot of fun so far and I'm really excited to be here. So, >> Okay. Thank you so much. We'll see you next week. Okay, we have uh superintendent's notification to the board. We will be going into executive session. So, I'll ask Commissioner Lopez to get us into executive session. >>
137It looks like Darren wants to say >> one more thing. I'm sorry. And uh Mrs. Swain as always uh saved me. So she we just wanted to remind everyone that the schools are closed on Monday and Tuesday, February 16th and 17th, but also I believe the city offices are closed as well for anybody listening and anybody interested. And so we are off uh on the 16th and 17th as well as uh city officials. >> Thank you. Okay, with that, I'll make a motion to convene into executive session discussion concerning the appointment, employment, performance, evaluation, health, or dismissal of a public officer or employee. I have a second, please. >> Second. >> Discussion. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Going. We'll probably go to the library. >> The library is right through that door down
138there. Is it? I wonder if it's I hope it's still open. >> HBO in there. >> We just have to come back here to dismiss after. But I mean, you can go home. [laughter] >> The library is right right to that door down there, right?