001All right. I'd like to call to order uh the board of education meeting for December 9th, 2025. Um can we stand for the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance 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. >> All right. Uh, roll call. Uh, Joseph Santoro, >> Christine Rylander, Frank Oliver, >> Shane Centrella, >> Kurt Warner, >> Julie Libby, >> Nora Mccurski, >> Elanor Bishop, Carol, >> Jonathan. >> All right. Before we move on to item two, approval of agenda, I just want to read to you, um, the board's vision statement, uh, and mission statement, and our operating principles and shared values. Uh at Winchester Public Schools, students are provided with a nurturing and caring community
002that enlightens, inspires, and empowers our st students to explore their creativity, talents, and desires so all students can realize and achieve their dreams. The mission student state the mission statement of our board. The mission of the Winchester Public School is to provide all students with high quality curriculum and instruction that supports their academic and social potential while celebrating the values of kindness, perseverance, and citizenship. Our operating principles, we will prioritize students first. We will maintain respectful communication. We will operate with accountability. We will foster collaboration and teamwork. We will respect boundaries and roles. We will stay informed and engaged. We will engage the community. We will f we will focus on continuous improvement. the shared values of the boards. Integrity and ethics, commitment to excellence, and support for all learners, openness, fairness, transparency, respect, curiosity,
003and critical thinking. The reason I read this is we have a new board and it I think it helps shape uh how this year is going to move forward and have this in front of us and keep this in mind as we progress through our business as a board. All right. On to item two, approval of the agenda. Does anyone want to add or move around any items on the agenda? >> The American Girl Project with regards to apologies can't be here tonight. Okay. >> So, if you want to just strike that, I'll get them back on for next month. >> Okay. >> That was under information, I guess. Anyone else? >> Anyone else like to make a motion to approve the uh the agenda? You like to make a motion? >> Okay, you second.
004>> Second. >> Okay, I'll approve. >> All right, unanimous. All right, on to item three, student showcase. >> Miss St. Hair has a treat for us. She'll tell us all about it. We have some fifth graders, I believe, from Miss McGloin's class, right? >> Oh, from all of the fifth grade classrooms. Wonderful. >> In the hallway outside. >> All right. Good evening, Board of Education members and families. We are so excited to be here today. Today I've brought with me some fifth grade students who are going to share a little bit about what they've been learning in their language arts classrooms. So in CK LA we are learning about early ancient civilizations including the Maya Aztec and India. And I will start off by saying that the Aztec had schools and they um really valued
005them just like us. Can you introduce yourself? and everyone else. >> My name is Alexa. >> Alexa, thank you Alexa. >> Hi, my name is Leah and I'm going to be talking about the Maya Aztec in the Inca and about their agriculture in a cultural game that they play. So, first the Maya use a technique called slashing and burning. Slashing and burning is where they would cut down all the trees and plants and then they would burn everything so they nice rich soil to plant crops. And the Aztec uses as would raise earth platforms and water and the Inca use a technique called terrace farming. Terrace farming is where they would cut into mountains and to plant crops and they also and they also played a cultural game called pocket talk. is a game where
006they would have to use their elbows, arms, knees, and legs to get a heavy rubber ball through a small stone ring high on the arena walls. And whoever lost had to get sacrificed to the gods. >> In conclusion, these civilizations use a variety of techniques to ensure their people had enough food to eat. >> Hi, my name is Today I'm going to be talking about Mayan social classes and also gods. I'm going to start by talking about Mayan gods. Mayan people like to blame everything on the dots. The dot say if there's an earthquake or an volcano erup eruption, they would blame that on the gods. If there was somebody to like pass or something, they would also blame that on the gods. They would pray to the gods every day and ask for food
007and warmth. Now, I'm going to move on to um social classes. Mayan social classes kind of was like a pyramid. They at the top of the pyramid they would have an hierarchy and at the bottom they would have a farmland. The farmland would live all the way out away from the city and the next up would be the traders. The traders would live close to the city but not right next to it. And then there it would go to the hierarchies. They would live in the middle of the city and they ruled everybody. Now I'm going to pass on to Lily. My name is Lily and I'm going to be talking about um architecture and close to pocket is what Lily said. This game was played by the Inca and um it was played at
008the great temple Mayor that um all the cities all the cities connected all the cities had one and the game was very similar to uh place a rubber solid ball through a stone hoop that hung wide. And now I'm going to move on to ure and um they made everything by hand. The pyramids, the temples, the homes and they used the clay that they found at the bottom of the lakes and rivers about the Chinampas and they used it to make pyramids, temples. As you can see, we learned a lot about the the early the ancient American civilizations. And we would like to thank our amazing teachers that taught us. >> Lily, in your game, if you lost, did you die? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Good. >> All right. Good. Did you know all of
009that before or did you learn all of that just now this year? >> That's pretty amazing. That's a lot of information and I noticed that you all just shared all that from in your heads. You weren't reading. That's lovely. Very impressive. That's good. What's the most interesting thing you learn as a student? >> I knew you'd like that aspect. >> How long have you guys been working on the unit? >> For about two weeks. >> Okay. >> About two weeks. >> Whoa. You lost your mind. >> All right. What is it? >> Start before Thanksgiving. >> Wild to think about >> it ended already. It ended a week ago. This is >> different. >> Is there a name for these? >> Codeex. What does that mean? >> It's like the word that they used because
010they used to make things like a scroll almost and they would put like information if they had and they called it the >> so that's what these are modeled after >> sometimes players were sacrificed not >> all the time not when they won >> you left that part out >> this goes this way >> so maybe that's where games comes from No, that goes or no, you're >> Are we sending them both directions? >> Possibly. >> As long as you're getting a good sampling. >> No, there's some that similar. I think this >> All right. >> Correct. Oh, yes. >> Anyone have any other questions for >> What are you working on now? >> Um, >> poetry. poetry unit. >> Definitely the favorite unit. >> Yeah. >> Well, you have to present that to us
011next time. >> When are we doing a field trip? >> Yeah. I was just about to say, do you have any inspiration to now travel to these places that you've uh learned about to see the ancient civilizations? No. >> No. >> What are you scared of it? >> They don't play that game anymore. >> Well, they might, but now All right. Well, thank you All right. On to item four, public comment. >> It's the Winchester Board of Education welcomes you to its business meeting. There are two opportunities set aside to hear comments from the public. We welcome and encourage public participation as a valued part of communicating input with the Winchester Board of Education. We appreciate your adherence to the following. Complete the requested information on the sign-in sheet if you wish to speak. Your
012name, address, and email. State your name and address when called upon to speak. You will be allotted three minutes to share your comments. Please be advised that it is not the practice of the board of education to engage engage in dialogue regarding commentary. The superintendent of schools will be directed by the chairperson to prepare an appropriate response in a timely manner. We appreciate your time and thoughtful commentary. Does anyone wish to speak? All right. Not seeing anyone. We will move on to item five, approval of the minutes. Uh item A, minutes of special board meeting on November 11th, 2025. Would you like to make a motion to approve the minutes? >> My name is spelled wrong. >> Your name is spelled wrong. >> They add an extra letter there. >> All right. So, >> that's
013okay. >> Make a motion to approve of the edit. >> Motion. Motion to approve for the edit. Nor uh motion to approve. Elanor second. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. So, there should be no seat. >> There should be no seat. >> All right. >> The next >> All right. >> Item B, minutes of board of ed meeting, November 11, 2025. Make a motion to approve the minutes. >> I'll make a motion. >> One edit. >> Page six. >> My name's Bong. >> All right. Page six. >> Under committee reports. >> Yep. Under committee reports. Uh, edit Norah's name. Last name. >> All right. Motion to approve with the edit. >> Make a motion. Sara Shane. All in favor? All right. Let's see how we did on uh item C. Minutes of special
014board meeting November 13, 2025. >> Make a motion to approve. >> Make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Carol first. Shane second. No edits. You have another >> No. All in favor? >> I abstain. >> And one abstension. >> No obstain. >> Just one point of order on page 10. There's no adjournment time or motion for journ. >> We just approved it. But does anybody have that? was late. >> I don't remember what time it approved with the addition of figure out what that was. >> All right, let's make a motion to approve the minutes with uh the addition of the adjournment time. >> Make a motion to approve the addition of individual Second. >> All right. Carol, Jonathan, all in favor. >> One extension. >> Nor extension. All right. Moving on. Communications. Item
015six, chairperson's comments. Um, as we're moving into budget season, I want the public to be aware that, um, over the next couple months, uh, Superintendent Louie will be formulating a budget to present to us. Um, throughout this process, we are going to have many, many meetings. Um, and I ask that the public get involved, stay involved. Um, this is going to be a very important budget. Um because we are already learning uh that between Gilbert and the K through6 system, our health insurance is going up $1.2 million from last year. So that's where we're starting. So we got a lot of work to do. Um so I want everyone to stay informed, be informed, come to meetings, watch meetings. It's important. Um, I also want to um point out that our district is doing a
016wonderful job staying in front of the public on the Facebook page, emails, all correspond correspondents. The Facebook page is amazing. Uh, keep it up. Keep doing what you're doing because that's the engagement we need. We need parents to be engaged throughout the whole year. Uh, not only budget season, but throughout the whole year. And I think that's a great way to do it. So, thank you for that. Um, all right. On to item B, student representative reports. Uh, I think we have Hinsdale first. And do we have the placards? >> We do. >> Perfect. I think we have Frankie here, right? >> Frankie. >> Hi. >> Welcome. Hello, my name is Franco. I'm in second grade. This month, we have a lot of exciting things ahead. On December 12th, we will wear our pajamas to
017school and bring $1 to help kids in need at CCMC. This is part of a big fundraiser that happens all across the state. On December 19th, we are excited to go to the Gilbert School to watch a holiday concert. On December 23rd, each grade will have a special sing along with our classmates and families. We can sing holiday songs together before we go on winter break. Each grade level is busy learning. In preschool, students are busy learning about families and traditions. They are also working hard on learning about shapes and what makes a shape. Kindergarteners are learning how to identify more sounds. They are using these sounds to read and write. They are also learning about farms and how they provide for us. Kindergarters are also learning about combining numbers and taking away from numbers,
018also known as early addition and subtraction. In first grade, they are working on reading and answering questions back. Going back into the test, they are learning the writing steps, plan, draft, and write. Also, they are using our strategies to add and subtract to become more fluented. In second grade, we are learning how to identify common and proper nouns. We are adding and subtracting twodigit numbers. We are looking forward to celebrate our learning about Greek myths by writing and doing a craft. One thing I'd like to see happen at Hster School is more daily STEM. I think school should have more STEM because it makes learning way more fun. Instead of just reading about things, we get to build stuff, experiment, and see how things really work. When we do hands-on activities, it feels like we
019are real scientists or engineers. It helps us understand better when we are able to touch it, try it, and see what happens. STEM also lets us work together and allows our brains to think out of the box. I think all schools should include STEM in their daily learning so kids can learn by doing not sitting. Thank you all very much for our time and my sister for writing us and my family. >> And you read very well. He reads very well. >> Phenomenal. >> And you're you're in second grade. >> You're in second grade. And who's your teacher? >> Straight to high school. Miss Bron. >> Miss Bron. Miss Bron. Oh, yeah. Go ahead. Miss Bron. Awesome. And he's a very good baseball player as well, so we'll be seeing his name soon. >> Thank
020you. >> Awesome. >> All right. Now for our Pearson representative, and this is >> Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. You need to be so much louder. And >> the mic can turn the move closer. Move the mic. >> That actually won't amplify. It just picks it up for the TV. You have to be super loud, Lily. >> Hello, my name is Lily Wner and I'm in grade four. For school activities and events, parent teacher conferences. December 12th is district to raise money for Connecticut Children's Research. The whole school will be attending a holiday concert at school on December 19th for academic highlights. Something that students have been learning about in grade three. In math, students have been adding multi-digit numbers and their sums and differences. Students also practice adding and subtracting two and threedigit
021numbers using algorithm and other methods. In language arts, students have studied the human body and muscular and nervous system. Students learned about bones, joints, muscles of nerves, the spinal cord, and the brain. They studied the senses of sight and hearing and how the eyes and ears allow these senses to function. They also learned about when vision and or hearing are impaired and how people cope with these challenges. In science, students are studying forces and motion. They will make observations and or measurements of an object's motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion. Grade four. In math, students continue to practice math facts and and are now studying fractions. They made fraction strips to use as a tool to compare fractions. In langage, Students are studying the Middle Ages and
022writing historical fiction. Students can choose to write a story set in England or during the Middle Ages. In science, students are studying kinds of energy and are experimenting with with the transfer of potential and kinetic energy as they roll spheres down ramps ramps of different heights. Grade five. Students are learning about metric conversations such as turning liters into milliliters and meters. They will be writing their own division story problem and using ratio tables to solve these questions. In language arts, students have been reading and writing poetry and are moving to a unit of study on throughout this unit. They will study elements of story and will end the unit by writing a personal science. Students are learning about and creating food chains and food webs and energy to grow. And students are exploring ratios. They
023learn about diagrams numbers and their equivalent ratios. Art students are kicking off the chocolate collection unit by doing a text and image scavenger hunt to build background knowledge. They are looking forward to the field experiment at chocolate to learn more about the history and science behind chocolate in science. In their thermal energy unit, students learn about the transfer of energy. They collected light and temperature data outside to test where the air was warmer and colder. School improvements are need at recess. If you do not have clothes, you should there should be a room to go to so they can play, too. One great thing about Pearson is the teachers are nice and caring. Thank you. >> Thank you, Lily. >> Do you want to come back and take your name with you? >> You did
024a great job, honey. Thank you. Thank you. >> Who's your teacher? >> Um, >> Miss Matani. >> A lot of research. It's great. >> We have two equestrians in the room. Both Lily's, Lily Gagnon and Lily Werner. >> All right. Thank you. Um, parents, students, you are welcome to leave now. You can stay if you'd like, but you are welcome to leave. I thought >> Okay, on to item D or uh item C, superintendence report. Okay. So, as always, um definitely sad to be following such a great act, but I'm going to just highlight a few things from my report that I think you'll find interesting. Um we are very excited that our drone club is up and running. The kids have been practicing um under the direction of Miss St. Helair and our innovation
025teacher, Mr. Healey. Um we are at the very beginning of competition season. Much too early for us to participate in a competition because we literally had the drones in hand maybe a week or two, but we did go uh the Gilbert School hosted the first competition of the season for the state of Connecticut um probably two weekends ago now. Um and our students and Miss St. Helair went as observers to get the lay of the land and to support the Gilbert School. So, we're looking forward to hosting um on Pi Day, March 14th, one of the um state approved competitions and we're really excited to be back in that game. Um and we've got a nice collaboration going with Gilbert on that. Um I'll give you a roof update. Um so, let me tell you
026what we found and where we are. Pearson school roof. That I'm sure I'll refer to in a little bit. You don't have to interpret it yet, but spoiler alert, the red is what's wet um in the um insulation. So, in order to prepare for a potential roof project, we were it was uh recommendation to us was do some of the basic testing first so that before you go out to bid, you actually know what the scope of the project is so that the bids come in matching your budget and are reasonable. And then you surprises later. So, we have done moisture scan and asbestous testing. Um, unfortunately, all the red in that report is wet insulation sitting up there. Um, much more prevalent than they anticipated and there was also asbestous up on the roof,
027which means that it's a bigger project than we had hoped. Um, so based on the fact that it is wet, that there is a asbestous and that it has been leaking for years. It has been verified to be a 16 26 year old roof, which as it turns out for a roof like ours, the standard would be 20 years. I was surprised. I said, "Wait, isn't the one on my house like 30 years?" And um the roofing people explained to me that it's different at home. You have shingles. It's a totally different product. Your roof at home looks like this. Ours is flat. It's made out of something I no longer remember what it's called. Um, so very different. So the standard is 20 years. We're at 26. So we've gotten our money's worth out
028of our roof, but it's done. Um, the cost of the project they're estimating would be roughly 2.8 to$2.9 million. This is not someone who's interested in bidding on the work. This is someone who's just taking us through this phase of the work. Because our eligibility this year for reimbursement is 70%. We'd be looking at um roughly $800 to $900,000 to the town of that bill. Um I asked my new best friend Chris, "Well, Chris, what happens if we just don't do it? I mean, there's a roof up there." And he said, "Well, you have issues. The longer you wait, first of all, the money will keep getting bigger. the price is not going to ever go down. He said, um, the insulation up there that's wet, it's like a sponge. It holds water. So much
029like if you leave a wet sponge sitting in your sink and then you pick it up later, you may find it starts to smell moldy because at some point if it isn't already growing mold, it will. Um, and the other thing he explained to me is that we have a gypsum deck, which means that the wetness sitting on it could require far more repair. Like right now we have a gypsson deck. If it gets wet for a long time, we no longer have a gypsson deck and that also needs fixing and it becomes prohibitively bigger. So at the January meeting um unless I get different information, I'm going to um ask the board to um make a mo make and hopefully approve a motion to bring this forward to the board of selectmen to ultimately
030bring to the town to a referendum. Um because I just before we really have any choice. >> The weight of the roof, too, when you're talking about that kind of dampness and so forth. Plus, that asbestous sitting up there, isn't that always a good idea? When it leaks, too. It leaks into a classroom, you don't know what's leaking into the classroom. >> That's a tough one. Kind of knew it would be 1 million just for one layer and two million for the whole new roof. >> But now, when you're talking gypsum, when they take it off, they may find the gypsum is not holding up. So there might need to be like you under, you know, you open up the roof, the hood rather. You don't know exactly. >> Yeah. Yep. Well, we were talking
031putting up solar at one point. Good thing we did the test. >> Yes. Um, one of the things that I had been exploring a little bit, which is why I wasn't prepared to ask you to make a motion tonight, is I was trying to think about how we could combine what we've been discussing about a preschool expansion to um leverage that 100% reimbursement towards the roof. And basically what I've learned, like I tried to say, well, what if we said we were moving kids from Hinsdale, so we had to do an addition at Pearson to make preschool space in Hinsdale. The state said, "No, wherever you're getting that reimbursement has to be where the kids will attend." So, that didn't apply. >> Then I said, "Well, what if I did the whole first floor Pearson
032became the preschool, then it would make work on that building reimburseable at the full rate." But I suspect, and this is the part I'm still digging into, we have like four different roofs. And so if we did an addition, say on the front of the school and added a series of classrooms, the roof above that would be 100% reimburseable. But there's still like threequarters of the roof that would only be the 70%. >> I was trying to figure out how I could combine those and get a free roof out of it, but so far I didn't come up with that answer, but I have to stop thinking about it. I'm trying. >> We have a detailed specification to send to the selectment next month. If that is the case, >> we have I just handed
033to Kurt an executive summary. We have of of the state of the roof. We don't have like bid specs that we would put out for the job, but we have a line on a gentleman Roger who can come to our January meeting if you like or maybe more importantly to go to the board of selectman meeting and sort of take them through where we are and what would come next. Um, so we have the Garland company who actually makes the product that is used on the roof and their business model is we're going to help you get to that stage and then hope that our product gets used by the roofer. They they don't work for us, we don't pay them, which is amazing because they've been great. But the fellow Roger is a project
034manager whom we would start paying if we're proceeding and even if we're not yet paying him, he was willing to come tonight. I thought it was just premature. um and he can come to the board select the meeting. >> When does these who prepares the detailed specifications for the proposed contract? >> They do or >> the guy Roger that we would hire, he's about roughly $20,000 in a roof project. The project manager is not reimburseable. So that would be an expense to the town. The town does have um roughly $50,000 in a line of the budget that was allocated specifically for planning purposes for the roof. Okay. >> So, that money actually has been funded and planned. >> So, if we continue forward, we would bring Roger on and then he stays with us through
035the whole project and he does all the communication with um the state department of education with the grants with the reimbursement. >> um can we So, let's look at this timeline. So you'd present to us next meet, next January meeting, >> which is roughly 10 school days from now or something. It's, you know, right when we get back from break, >> right? Um and then we'd bring it to the board of selectmen. >> We would want to get on their next meeting agenda and ask them to approve the concept and go to referendum. >> Once they approve that, then we put out the bid. >> No, then the contract gets put together. He we he gives him we give him the order >> because before we put it to referendum shouldn't we have a number
036>> I think so what Chris is suggesting is that we take the number that's in his executive summary I think it's like 2.8 2.9. So, we actually would have some decisions to make as a town. We'd confer with Paul. The state requires us to have town approval for our portion of the bill. So, we could go to referendum for 30%. We could go to referendum for the eight or 900. They prefer you to go to referendum for the full amount so that the town is aware >> of the magnitude. But it's not I mean if we you find out that you've been approved for this, this is a non-priority project and they run the first of every month. So as soon as we would send it to the state, but they won't approve it until
037we've been to referendum. I think you can be going out to bid um for contractors and things as early as you want. Roger gets those specs and sends them out. You probably do those things simultaneously. >> Sure. >> But now we're getting out a little in front of what I've been So, how long does the whole process take? Because I know when because I do I kind of do this stuff >> and I know when they give a bid, like when you put it out to bid, >> they say this bid's good for 60 days. >> So, so how in the world of school construction, people must have some sense of how the timeline works. But if we were So, our option is this is really a summer project. This is not something we do
038while school's in session. It's loud. It's smelly. I keep saying, well, couldn't we do it in the fall? Um, good that the sixth grade teachers are no longer in the room. Um, is >> could we get it through that process by the by the summer? >> We are at the edge of possibility to do it this August. >> Um, >> and how long would it take? Are they're not even saying >> they could do it like in the month of August. >> The whole they could just they it would take a month to do. >> Yes. >> Otherwise, we'd be looking at the following summer. >> And part of that estimate that includes all the installation, removal, and replacement to nuts. >> Good. >> Everything except the >> project manager. Project manager. >> Project managers
039are invaluable. >> You sure you don't want project management? >> Who me? Yeah. >> Oh, you don't want any project manager? >> That would be 20,000 well spent. >> Okay. >> And I think, you know, part of what you're looking at there is we have a business department of one. You know, you have Nancy as the director of finance and operations. If either one of us were to make this our all day every day project, we wouldn't be doing our own jobs. It's one thing to >> have anything going on for the next couple months, right? >> The amount of time that goes into even just getting this far with it is consuming doing the grants and things is not a little project. >> You would need board selectment approval. That's for sure. >> Yes,
040>> it's part of their budget, too. >> Um, so that's roof. Um, I won't say too much tonight about preschool except to say um I'm continuing to pursue and ask questions. I have um an architect. There's a firm H2M I want to say that has done some other work in the town and I just by great fortune know someone who is one of their engineers and we were chatting and I said I desperately need an architect to just for free come over to Hinsdale and tell me what this would look like. So, they're meeting me there um Thursday morning and going to walk school with me and ponder the possibilities because my sense of space and size is not adequate. But they'll walk through with me and see if there are um what it would
041look like to try and add a few preschool classrooms because again, if we were to go after that, it's 100% reimburseable. It would have to go through a referendum and we would have to be very careful in explaining to There are some nonreimburseable costs, but they really are small. So, it would essentially be a free addition. Um, hand in hand with that, under the leadership section, I'll jump down. They've opened the early start grant for this school year. It's good for half of this year and all of next. Um, it's my intention. We're still asking questions and waiting, but the grant has to be in next week. And it's our intention to put in for 16 early start seats. Um, and we've sort of done the logistical work so that if we were approved for
042those come January, we would make some pop pop shifts around the building. Um, and use their funding would pay for the teacher. And so we would open up those seats, offer them first in our community, and then they don't in our community, open them to anyone who wants them and we would have them for all of next year as well. >> The preschool expansion project concept. >> Yes. >> That would have to start rolling too, wouldn't it? >> Yes. That has a June 30 deadline. >> So, conceivably, you're talking about a referendum that would cover the roof plus a referendum that would cover the expansion. Would they need to be two referenda because one is 100% reimburseable? >> I think So that's a Paul question, but my sense and my understanding is you could go
043to one referenda and have two questions. >> That's right. Yeah. >> You could either I mean that would be just that's probably a um >> strategic question. Do you want to have one question that says should the amount be allocated XYZ to allow the um >> schools to apply for funding for this and this or you could do them separately? >> Okay. Um, so >> do we have them both ready for one? >> For one? Oh, 100%. If we're going to referend, I think we do them both at the same time. I wouldn't want to go twice. >> No. >> Um, so a question for you. So if we do this one class, we get these 16 kids and the state pays for it. >> Yep. >> Is that is this a continual payment by
044the state? So we don't start it and then five years from now they go, "Yeah, we're not paying for it anymore." >> No. To commit. >> So well that's why I'm asking. school readiness is a grant that this grant replaced, they renamed and reconcepted and endowed it went on for 30 years or so. >> All right, cool. >> The likelihood of it disappearing is slim to none. >> And if it did, honestly, it's a preschool. You could just choose to stop doing it. >> You know, your community might be disappointed because they've gotten used to it. Um what we've been talking about because we are trying to be good neighbors and not drive um any local business out is rather than trying to make a spot for every three and fouryear-old in town that we
045would like to see ourselves be in the business of taking all the four-year-olds have enough seats for every four-year-old one classroom because we do need some three-year-old seats for students with IEPs and their peers. but primarily be in the business of the four-year-olds and leave the three-year-olds to um other programs in town. Keeps them in business, which keeps slots for infant and toddler um but gives us a whole extra year to work really um strategically in getting kids school ready for kindergarten. >> I just mention one more thing. In your budget process, you should figure out two to 5% for either change orders or delay claims. >> 10% Two to five. >> Two to five. >> What do >> But maybe my stuff I always do 10% of it. It's always going to be 10%
046more >> whatever. But some should be there not to go back to the budget process again. I do think my understanding and we would obviously ask again is that the roof pricing he has given us like worstc case scenario with all the things he said you probably won't spend that much but I'd rather overshoot it and than have you come up short has been his mindset but we would obviously have other hands in it and not just go with one guy's thoughts. Um, >> what about other capital projects that might be coming beyond our district? Like has Gilbert talked about their capital projects yet for those that are serving on the Gilbert court? >> The town, the only thing they talked about was the bus turnaround. >> Yeah. And they're still in the infant stage
047of that. >> Yeah. >> And then the town, is there big projects in the town side? Maybe. No. Okay. >> Well, yes. I mean, the town's doing all kinds of things. >> They're all they they do roads, but that's something Um quick budget process update. We have as an admin team been meeting, gathering. Um we have the like salary side of the budget all nailed down and we've got all of like the supply lines and the all of those things. We should have a first draft together pretty soon and then we start trimming. Um and uh Mike and I are having conversations. I'm trying to sort of catch him up to what it's been like in the past and looking at the Gilbert budget together um to start growing his understanding of how it fits
048inside our budget and how that all works. So, those are some of the things that have been happening um as part of the it's not just early start but all of the um state initiatives around early childhood. We um will be kicking off on Thursday um the community table led by Renee St. Polar as our uh LGP liaison, meaning she pulls together um a group from the community. We've got people from the YMCA, from Winston area childcare, from AMP, from um youth services, really sort of like all of the different people who um have their hands in making sure we're providing all the best things for kids in Winstead in one place. Um, so that group will meet for the first time on Thursday and I'll have plenty to share about that at the next
049meeting, but it's going to be a powerhouse. It's really cool. >> Um, >> what is it called again? I'm sorry. >> Uh, it is the community table. Cool. >> And I think at the first meeting it may be renaming itself, but that's the name the state offered. And um, we are considered the local governance partner >> um, through this grant like we are the ones managing it for this. >> Great. Um, and it's pretty cool. >> Yeah. >> I'll share quickly just because I was really proud of this. There's a group in the state called Partners for Educational Leadership. They run um professional learning for teachers and administrators statewide. They probably work out of state as well. Um, and they are highly regarded. They have Richard Lemons at the helm and he is like the
050penultimate guy in education in the state. um and they just have a bevy of wonderful presenters and they work in so many of the districts. They were um running a student agency workshop that we were going to send a couple of people to. We were really excited and they got rescheduled once and then the second time they were cancelling because they lost their space and we started reaching out and saying, "Hey, we really want to do this. Don't cancel. We'll get you a space." We were going to book them down at the college. As a result, they reached out and they said, "Hey, listen. We know you've been attending our things and we know of you and we're interested. would you be interested in being a pilot site? That thing we were going to do
051that you were going to come to, we'll come do it for you for free um so that we can test it out before we run it anyway because you've been so engaged. So, we were really excited that they wanted to partner with us. We think that's >> pretty cool recognition. We're excited. >> Um and the other thing I wanted to share with you is I kicked off a superintendent's advisory council had its first meeting last week. Um there were four parents in attendance and more promises to come the next time. And the ones who parents who were there um said they thought they might, you know, have someone else they could bring and I'm going to send out the invitation one more time now that we've had a first meeting and I can say here's
052some of what we did and that might generate more enthusiasm. But it was spectacular to have a room full of people who were really engaged in our district. Um I got some wonderful feedback about um things that they noticed as parents. They were so pleased with the communication from the schools. They said the school's monthly newsletters and the grade level curriculum newsletters were just such a wonderful piece in their household and they were feeling um great communication. Um they were aware of and loving the impact of morning meeting. One mom said every day my child comes home and says today in morning meeting um we also got great feedback that the kids are loving the innovation station which is sort of the reimagining of our library technology. um instruction for the kids. So, that was
053really great. We thought that one of our first projects as an advisory council might be to develop the district's communication plan since we don't actually have a written plan. And I figured this crew might be the perfect group to work on that with and then go back and forth with my leadership team and back with them and come away with a plan this spring. So, >> about um safety. I know one of the things we talked about a year ago was making sure people feel safe inside the community, inside our schools, and we had SSOs hired up those uh to put that in in play. Are did you address it then or is that just something for the survey that we'll talk about later? >> Um it did not come up as a topic with
054the advisory council if that's what you're ask. Yeah, >> it was not raised. Well, actually, so I'll say the opposite of that came up in the sense that um there was some comments about feeling very safe and feeling very um loving. For example, um no disrespect, I'm going to say Mikio at Hinsdale because that's what everyone calls her. Um Jess Mikio has become just Mikio to everyone and um a really integral part of the school community. But the parents are just so aware, you know, if parents come to pick kids up, she's often the one sort of jogging them down the hall holding hands and she's um really >> doing great things there. So I think that that has been effective. Sometimes the absence of complaints I think can be a good reflection. So I
055appreciate the question. >> Sure. >> I'll call that superintendent. >> All right. Thank you. Okay. on to committee reports. Uh we did not meet last month. >> So um there's nothing to report. >> All right. On to item E, liazison report, Gilbert School Corp. Gilbert Corp welcomes several new uh members, uh Shane Cella and Frank Oliver, and we renewed membership of Kurt Warner. Uh, I again extend sincere gratitude to Renee Waldron and Joan Golinsky uh Gerardan if I'm pronouncing correctly for their service on the court. Furthermore, a slate of four previously mentioned policies uh received approval. The first one, business non-instructional operations regarding gift acceptance. Uh, business non-instructional operations concerning unexpected class funds, instruction relating to virtual online courses, college, university courses, and number four, community relations, use of building and grounds. And then finally,
056Gilbert also had its holiday party two nights ago. And it was quite enjoyable for me to talk to various alumni and get to meet more people that were and are uh of the Gilbert community over the years. >> All right. On to item seven, information items. >> Okay. Uh you have the enrollment data. Very little movement. I have nothing stimulating to say, so I'll go right by. Um attendance reports. Similarly, um really nothing particularly shocking about what's here. Um the one thing I'll point out is that November has only 16 school days in it. It is other than the ones at the end of the year, um basically the shortest month of the year. So an increase is to be expected because if you miss two days of school, you are chronically absent in that
057month. >> So that is tough. Yeah, I mean that happens, right? You mean even the littlest cold can knock you out for two days. So, um those numbers are a little bit elevated, but that is pretty consistent with how they always are. Um so, nothing else really to say there. We continue to work really hard on attendance. I think it's really important. um the personnel report. Um I will point out and tell you with great enthusiasm that we have some amazing new hires. Um all of the people on the new hire list are already worth their weight and gold. Um Tim is doing a wonderful job in the hub. Gio, the BCBA is um a life-changing event for our district. >> And I don't say that facitiously at all. He really is doing does a
058wonderful job training people up and really taking the time to like slow down and sit next to a child and understand their drivers so that he can then work with the parents and the teachers who work with a child and help them be really effective in understanding a child's motivations. Um, we say all behavior is communication. And so if we really stop and like read the tea leaves and understand the behavior, then we can do a much better job helping children regulate that behavior. So he's already as phenomenal as we could ever hope. Caitlyn has been subbing for us in the kindergartens since um day one. Uh Chelsea Schmidt was on a leave and so we hired Caitlyn as a leave replacement. Um Chelsea ultimately decided not to come back from her extended leave and
059um we did extra observations to confirm our belief that Caitlyn was doing a great job and we feel poor Caitlyn had the longest job interview of her life. She's been on the job from the first day of school until Thanksgiving but uh she earned that job and is staying and is doing a great job. And um Nick Hall is up at Gilbert. He comes from great experience uh developing programs and things. He's a special education teacher who's already off and running and Alex Cander is an experienced fourth grade teacher joining our team. Hit the ground running. Um phenomenal. So we couldn't be more pleased. And that list of current vacancies, we had someone accept the accounting specialist position today. We uh made offers to a parah today. I believe one or two of those paras.
060Um so we are really closing in on the vacancies as well. >> What about the hiring of the SSO? Where are we on that? >> Um we will post that after the holidays. We're reviewing the job description and just making sure that now that we've lived it >> for nine months if we want to make any tweaks before we go forward. >> Okay. And Gio is at um Hinsdale. >> He's across the all three buildings. >> All three. Okay. >> We would love to have somebody dedicated at each school >> and Gilbert as well then. Okay. >> Yep. >> Good. >> Anywhere where there are students with the CBA needs, that's where >> we send them. >> Okay. >> Continue on budget. >> Sure. >> Okay. So, here's where we are with the money. Um,
061if everything keeps going exactly as it's going. We are hoping to put $23,000 into the non-lapsing account at the end of the year. We got a long way to go between now and then, but >> that's where we stand today, right? >> Um the obviously the greater detail of the first um line of that report is on the next page. Um I'll draw your attention just quickly to a couple of things. the lines that are over like we're spending more than we intended. Um primarily the professional technical services line. We have one person uh speech and language pathologist who we intended to pay from the wages line. We intended to hire someone. We find someone. We pay her now then out of that 300 line because she's a consultant, not a direct hire. >> So
062the vast majority of that difference is that one higher. you'll see that our salary line is trending to the good. So, the salary line is trending even further to the good because we've um had some vacancies that have gone unfilled for periods of time as well as because some people who left were much higher up the pay scale than some of the people retired. Um let's see property services is trending over that is almost exactly the amount that the equipment and software 700 line is under primarily in that line. One of the things I want to draw your attention to is we ultimately ended up leasing Chromebooks instead of purchasing them. We followed um the model that Gilbert had been using that they shared with us. We did a three-year lease. It has a $1
063buyout at the end of the lease. So, we've got 250 computers. We'll own them for $250 at the end. Kind of a no-brainer. And they'll still have several years worth of life left in them. So, we'll be carrying that as a property service rather than a purchase. Um, dollar amount as planned, but just living in a different place. >> Will we have to replace any more in this new budget? >> No. So, my thought was we do this lease at the end of this it'll be time to do a next one, but we'll it'll be our habit then at that point of having a small annual payment rather, >> but we won't need to double up and take a second lease or do a second purchase on top of that one. Um, and that should
064keep us on a cycle of, you know, never being flushed with a new device for every kid, but keeping, you know, if every three year we bring in a couple hundred devices, we will be cycling them in a really responsible way. Um the pupil transportation is a combination of I explained to you guys last time about Mckin Vento and um kids being transported out of district and that's about all I would say on that page. >> Are we anticipating any um increases in special ed? Are we okay >> unexpected? >> So they're unexpected. So, we're always anticipating that that could happen. >> Um, >> nothing on the horizon, like nothing this week, nothing next week. Okay. >> No, but Nancy and Kathy are in constant communication. So, NY's um >> projected adjustments takes into account
065things she knows that haven't hit yet. >> Okay. >> Um because we know like we have a couple of students for whom we anticipate placements, but they haven't been made yet, things like that. So, those are in the >> Okay, great. >> Somebody moves in tomorrow. Well, then that's different. >> Half million dollar kit. That's a whole other story. But >> yeah, >> the things we can anticipate, we are anticipating. >> Okay, great. >> Um, the grant page, I reviewed it closely with Nancy. There wasn't a whole lot that jumped out at me really um that I feel the need to draw your attention to. Um, I don't know if anything on here raises questions for you. Be articulate, but everything's kind of running on plan. >> Can we use any of that 660 fund
066to offset the roof or offset any of that construction capital project? >> We can. >> Okay. >> I mean, that's our safety net. >> Yeah. >> So, we can always make decisions. You know, one of the thoughts in the back of my head is, you know, if you had a cut, would you use some of that? The problem is that money goes away. >> Yeah. Like once that's gone, there is nothing between us and >> complete and total disaster. >> Um >> so I'm reluctant to like it's good for a one-time purchase, right? Like we had talked last year about would we use it like towards safety officer salaries. Well, that's a bad idea because you're creating a hole you can't get out of >> fiscal cliff. Um but using it say for a man
067trap or if we wanted to you know if we felt we needed well no we can't pay for the roof if we don't pay for the roof that's a town expense anyway. Um but so yes I my recommendation would be we hold on to it for dear life and also consider it for one time purchases. >> It's probably the only reason Nancy sleeps at night is my guess. We don't want to diminish that. >> The town may ask us to >> um >> Okay. So, E update. So, on the board event budget calendar that you all approved at the last meeting, there is just one modest change based on the availability of room. Um, we've changed it on the calendar invite, but I wanted to be sure to draw your attention to um, February 3rd,
068the night that I actually present the budget to you, will be at 6:30 instead of previously we had said 6. Um, someone's in the room before us. And I think it's important that all of the budget presentations and meetings are in this room with the TV so that you know with the full transparency in mind. So, we're just shifting that to 6:30 so that we can have the I'm sorry. >> February 3rd. >> Um, and with that, I would also remind everyone that we have a meeting this Thursday at 6:30 in Pearson School, um, which is sort of workshop style. The meeting is for budget priority establishment. And that's where I will work with all of you to sort of talk about the things that are on the horizon and see what you feel connected
069to and think is important for us to prioritize when we start. As I said, we're at that stage where we've almost got a first draft together, but it's not a draft we could just bring forward. I mean, it would get giggles. It'll be big. And so, before I start slicing and dicing what I'm going to bring to you, I really want to understand what your priorities are. So, we'll do that Thursday. Um, and then the last thing on here was just to try and confirm the retreat for 124. I think there were a couple people. >> Uh, I think you >> Oh, were those coming to me? So, so I think we know Chrissy's not available on the 24th, but I think >> it's on the 24th, >> 9 to 12 in the morning. and
070Frank, we hadn't heard from you or anything. >> What day does that >> January 24th for the board retreat? >> It's a Saturday. >> Yeah, I'm going to be in Florida. >> You can't >> in January. >> Yeah. >> PGA PGA. >> Yeah. >> And we could have the retreat. >> You could have a retreat in Florida by all means on a golf course overlooking >> that idea for us >> education. It's my education. So >> So now Chris >> So we're down. He's down three people then or >> we don't know about Frank. >> Frank, do you think it would be available? >> Yes, >> he will be. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, we're down two. >> We can send an email tomorrow. Think about it. >> Um, we probably need tomorrow, right?
071>> We do. >> We'll flip a coin. >> Okay. That's it for >> All right. Thank you. Uh on to item eight, action items. Uh you you don't want to look for another day right now while we're all here. >> Sure. >> Um >> everybody pulls out. Would a Saturday be the best for most of you >> or a evening? >> Like a 5 to 8 on an evening or a 9 to 12 on a Saturday morning? >> I'd prefer 9 to 12 on a Saturday morning. It's just that particular Saturday. >> You need three hours, right? >> I think so. Okay. >> As long as I give Sher a heads up. We wouldn't want to go sooner than the 24th. We want to try and get a facilitator just a couple weeks away. So
072either 31st >> Shane, would you be back up by the 31st? >> Yeah. >> Chrissy, >> I can do the 31st. >> 31st. So, Saturday, January 31st. >> Let me just check one thing. >> Yep. It's good. >> Anyone oppose? >> That should be ample time, right? >> Hopefully. >> All right. So, let's plug it in for January 31st. >> 9 to 12. >> Location to be determined. >> Yes, I will. TBD. >> Hopefully we can get a Yeah, hopefully we can get a facilitator as well. >> We can make that our number one topic tomorrow. >> Okay, perfect. All right, on to item eight, action items. Uh, nominations for in formation of board of ed committees. All right, so I sent an email out uh last week um trying to get a idea of
073what committees everyone wanted to be a part of. Um we have four standing committees this year. Budget and finance which has been the practice of recent that everyone on the board um is a part of that. Uh Nora, you do not Okay. So everyone but does anyone else not want to be a part of budget and finance? Okay. Um does anyone want to chair? I figured I chair it since um but does anyone else >> believe that's in the bylaws. Okay. >> For final federal project. >> Um so I will chair that committee. um teaching and >> do you want to do one at a time because you need to make a motion. >> Okay. >> To name and chair exactly like The chair of the board shall propose to the board which standing committee
074shall exist and shall establish the purpose. The chair shall propose the members and appoint a chairperson and then the board shall approve or disapprove each standing committee and appointment there too by majority vote. So unlike a motion you would say I recommend that we have this committee these are the people who are on it and so and so is the chair and then the board can vote. Okay. >> Yes or no to that? >> I will recommend that we uh have the budget and finance committee with members being Elanor Bishop Strick >> Kak uh myself, Kurt Warner, Joseph Santoro, Christine Rylander, Jonathan Mohart, and Frank Oliver. Uh I'd like to make a motion with with myself, Kurt, as the chair of the committee. Make a make a motion to approve this committee. >> I second
075that. >> You make the motion. >> Oh, I'll make the motion. Okay. Yeah. >> All right. Joseph makes a motion. Jonathan seconds. All in favor? Opposed? >> No. All right. Unanimous. All right. Next committee is teaching and learning. Uh this was previously curriculum. Um, I have Eleanor Bishop, Joseph Santoro, Chrissy Rylander. >> Christine Rylander. Shane Cro and Jonathan Mohar. And I would like to recommend Jonathan Mohar as the chair of this committee. >> A motion end as well. I make a motion that Ellie Bishop chair that committee. >> Okay. So, we have a motion for Jonathan as chair. And actually, did you want to be chair? I think Christine actually. >> I said chair. Um I chose I had two others. Oh, >> okay. Gotcha. >> I would. >> You would? Okay. So, um before
076we explain to vote the membership. >> Okay. So, we're going to vote uh for the membership of the teaching and learning committee with members Elanor Bishop, Joseph Santoro, Christine Rylander, Shane Centrella, and Jonathan Mhart. Can I make a motion? >> Christine will make a motion. >> Second. >> Okay. All approved. All right. Now I would like to make a motion uh to vote for chair of the committee between uh or should I just do it one at a time? >> Um you could make a motion and it will pass or fail and then make another motion that will pass or fail I guess. Um or we could do it as a vote like the way you do for board chair like everybody just give a piece of paper they write down their person which I
077think both could be legal prefer. Uh, let's do my favor. >> Okay. 30 seconds. How about why don't you share the list of who you've got for policy while I just >> Sure. >> Uh, moving on to policy and bylaws. >> Uh, we have Jonathan Mohart. We have Christine Rylander. We have Frank Alive. Um, as far as actually, I'm sorry, Jonathan, you wanted to be pol. Which one did you want to be chair of? >> Policy and bylaws. All right. So, >> oh, >> we might have just saved ourselves some time here. >> So, Jonathan would like to be chair of policy and bylaws, but also >> Christine also wanted to be chair of policy and bylaw. So, keep that up. >> So, go back to the other one. >> All right. So, we're going
078to go back to teaching and learning. Um, and Eleanor will be chair of that committee. >> All in favor? >> Okay. Unanimous. Okay. Yes. Yep. >> Okay. So, why don't you vote your membership of the policy group? >> All right. So, I'd like to vote uh make a motion to for policy and bylaw committee with the chair um or no with members being Jonathan Mohart, Chrissy Rylander, and Frank Oliver. All in favor? And we will. >> So nominations for chair of this committee are >> So nominations for chair of this committee are um Christine Rylander and Jonathan Mohar. >> Okay. So you're writing down either Christine or Jonathan. >> Are we putting our names on this or signing them just so we don't have an issue? >> I think that's probably pretty wise. >> We
079should probably sign Like we write the person and we do our signature. >> Yes. >> You need a pen. >> You don't believe anything? >> Do you believe they exist? >> Of course we do. >> Oh, okay. >> Make sure it's clear who which is the vote and who voted. >> Right. >> Sign your name. Sure. All right. Okay. So, we have one vote for Jonathan. Two votes for Jonathan. One vote for Christine. Two votes for Christine. Three votes for Jonathan. Four votes for Jonathan. Three votes for Christine. Three votes for Justine. >> Four votes for Justine. So we are tied. And the fifth is for Jonathan. So um like to vote for you to vote make a motion to >> Yes. So why don't you make a motion to approve? >> Make a motion
080to approve Jonathan as chair of policy and bylaws. I'll make a motion. I'll make a motion to approve Jonathan as Jonathan Mohart as the chair of the policy and bylaws committee. >> We have a second. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> All right. And >> Unanimous. Yeah. >> And the final committee is a new committee. It will be a standing committee. It's the Gilbert School Committee. Um I have uh Jonathan Mohart. >> What's its charge? >> Uh it was in the email. Uh it's it's going to be a standing committee that we're going to uh we're going to one the negotiating committee will be under um which is already formed. Um, but it's also going to we're going to look at data of Gilbert. Um, where there may be times that we might
081uh have head of school Susie come down and and tell us a little bit uh kind of dig into the data as well. So, it's just kind of being more informed about what's going beyond what we do as regular uh Gilbert court members, but having more understanding of what's going on. with Gilbert and more in communication with Gilbert. So >> you talked about for increased collaboration also for seeking efficiencies. >> Yeah. >> So persons that serve on the Gilbert school corp do not necessarily have to serve on this? >> Not at all. >> It's not a requirement. >> It is not. >> And you're saying the negotiation committee would serve under it? >> Yes. Does that mean the ad hoc negotiation committee has to dissolve and this board has to authorize that? >> Otherwise, you're
082forming a committee within a committee. >> Well, ad hocs dissolve if they stop meeting just >> but they have to report on their final business to the full board before they dissolve. This full board has to dissolve that ad hoc committee. So to formulate and say that the negotiation committee falls under this new committee >> is awkward. >> Okay. Well, we can keep the negotiating committee outside of it. >> But isn't it a new board and we're making new committees? >> So you can discharge a special committee by twothirds vote of the entire board at any time. >> That's right. >> Special committees are established. The chair shall propose the members. the board shall approve when the business of the special committee has been completed. You make a final report um or at a meeting
083oh for and the special committee shall then automatically cease to exist. So >> it can't be discharged unless this board even though there's new board members by rights it has the right to exist whether there's new members on this board or not. >> It says and ad hoc committees are generally required to dissolve once their specific limited task correct is completed or after a set time. Correct. >> Well, no, but you're replacing it with this other committee and charging it. >> Right. >> Can you What I would say is if you wanted to get to a twothirds vote that we dissolve that special committee or that ad hoc committee because it will now essentially exist as a standing committee which then makes them regular meetings that don't have to be >> right. Doubly posted, >>
084right? Doubly posted. Essentially, it's taking what we had and now moving it into a broader >> series of work and a more standing >> approach. So, let me I will make a motion to dissolve the ad hoc negotiating committee. >> You're making a motion or you want somebody else to make >> I'll make Okay. I make a motion to dissolve the negotiating committee at a hot committee. >> Second. All in favor? >> Okay. Unanimous. All right. So, under the new committee, the Gilbert School Committee, uh, we have members Jonathan Mohart, >> Carol. >> Hi. >> You'll get it. >> Christine Rylander, and Shane Crella. Kurt Warner. >> Um, >> does everyone know these committees all meet on the same evening right in a row? >> I just make sure you know like if you sign
085up for more than one, you're there anyway. >> Like we schedule them for like 600, 6:30, 7 and 7:30, the committees, right? >> So if you're on more than one, no harm, no foul. You're already there. Right. >> Well, your evening just got longer. >> Yeah. >> Well, just so you know that you're not committing to coming out like four extra nights a model. It is one night of committee meetings. >> Uh and for chair, I was going to be chair, but does anyone else would like >> I would nominate Christine RER for chair. >> For chair. >> Yes. Okay. Anyone else? Don't forget to sign. So you're voting between Kurt and Chrissy >> forair Gilbert >> Gilbert subcom. school. >> You won't get in trouble for us. >> You sure? >> You might. Is
086that all? All right. So, we have one vote for Christine, two votes for Christine, one vote for Kurt, two votes for Kurt, three votes for Kurt, three votes for Christine, four votes for Kirk, four votes for Christine, five votes for Kirk. So, make a motion for Kurt Warner to be chair of the Gilbert School Committee. >> Jonathan second. >> Shane. All in favor? >> Okay. All right. On to item B, policies for approval. Item one, board budget procedures. These are the same policies that were on for first read last month. Um, and only the three that the board approved to put forward for a second read. >> Tonight, you would be making a motion to them. >> It was one that we pulled and not It's not back. Okay. Gotcha. >> All right. So, I
087make a motion for the board budget procedure. >> I make a motion to implement board budget procedures. >> Okay. Nora second. >> Jonathan. >> Okay. All in favor. All right. Item two, IDA, fiscal compliance. I make a motion to implement IDA fiscal compliance. >> Second. >> First second. All in favor? Unanimous. All right. Item three, make a motion uh to approve school activity funds. Would anyone to make a motion. >> Just have a question regarding the policy attracting procedure. Is this the one where we talked about things items walking out the door? >> No, that was withdrawn. >> That was okay. All right. >> I make a motion to implement administrative regulations concerning individuals with disabilities that complant. No school activity funds. >> We have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Yes.
088Joe. Okay, on to item C, approval to establish new bank accounts community bank. >> I'll try and do this just as quickly for you. Um, as I'm pretty sure I've shared at some point in the past, we previously had all of our banking locked in with the town. We didn't have our own tax ID number. We were just living inside of the town's finances. The town has requested that we get out. We joke and say we are getting divorced. They asked us, please get your own tax ID. They want to move on to a payroll system. They can't do that with us in tow. Um, so this was at the town's request. We are cooperating. It probably makes a little more work for us, but it it's fine. Lots if you were to pull the
089districts in the state of Connecticut, probably half inside the town and half are their own separate bank accounts. This motion tonight is that because we are doing that, we need to have bank accounts that are associated with our tax ID number. So, we already have three accounts. One for student activities at Hinsdale, one for student activities at Pearson, and um what's the third one specifically? Oh, and the lunch account. So, um, in order to open those accounts, Northwest is requiring us to have a motion from the board saying that we have the board's permission to open those accounts. Which makes sense. You know, a bank doesn't want to be responsible for somebody walking in and being like, "Hey, they told me to open an account." So this is a motion from the board that Nancy
090will take the minutes to the bank and they will close the one set of accounts, open the new set of accounts and so the money is not coming out or anything. It's moving from one northwest count to another. Do you have any question? Well, if you want to make a motion question. >> Okay. I move that the town of Winchester Board of Education bank accounts at Northwest Community Bank, specifically the Town of Winchester lunch account ending in 3987, the Hinsdale school account, student activity account ending in 7476, and the Pearson school student activity account ending in 7484 be closed, and that the balances in those accounts be transferred specifically to new Northwest Community Bank accounts titled the Winchester, Connecticut Public Schools Food Service, Hinsdale School Student Activity, and Pearson School Student Activity. I move that
091the authorized signers on these new accounts be Julie Lubie and Nancy OD Hyrick. Do I have a second? >> You have to say it, too. I'm kidding. Gets to be this time of night. I'm sorry. >> Do we have any discussion? >> I I actually do. Is it is it a single signature or a double signature required? >> Nancy, single or double signature required? >> I'm sorry. >> Single or double signature required? >> One signature or two signatures on a >> typically we have always done double signatures. >> So that should be my son. Yes. >> Sorry. >> So it says I move that the authorized signers be Julie Living. >> They have to be they have to be >> as co-signers. Will they have to sign? They It has to be a dual signature
092>> as dual signatures. >> Nor would you like to >> do we want to >> make an amend to the motion >> to add the words >> friendly amendment to add as dual signatures. I move that the authorized signers on these new accounts be Julie Lubia and Nancy Oday Wyrick as dual signatures. >> Dual signatures required. >> As dual signatured as required. >> No, dual signatures required. signatures always has to be two signatures >> acquired. >> Sorry. >> Um >> why haven't we done this before? What was the initiative to create two separate tax IDs? >> I know you just mentioned it. >> It was a request from the town. It initiated at least because they wanted to um go onto a payroll service and they can't do that with us in tow because we
093have separate payroll and >> Okay. So they needed us to not be >> Is there a drawback to doing this for us? >> Just more like tax filings fall to us where we were part of the town. >> You do you have it or do you want it read one more time? >> Just you have >> we have it here. I'm gonna give it to Tiffany. Don't worry. >> All right. >> So you don't see any repercussions for us that are painful and other than >> I'm sorry. I can't I'm having trouble. Is there any drawbacks to the Winchester Board of Ed by doing this? >> I'm going to come a little closer. >> Okay, >> this is bad. I'm sorry. >> Moving ahead with our own tax ID. Yes. Moving ahead with moving our
094monies over to the Northwest community as separate accounts. Is there any drawbacks to the Winchester public schools because we haven't done this in >> my tenure here. So, I just want to ask that question. Are there any drawbacks for us? >> I'm not hearing the whole end of the question. Is are there any concerns for us, additional costs that might be on us because we're moving into >> a separate tax ID? And you might want to hit the the green >> the hit the >> hit the red. Yeah, here we go. >> We have the tax ID already. >> Okay. >> And uh we already have our uh the account set up with Bank of America that the town was uh helpful in getting that done. because it's a local community bank, they were looking
095for a little more belt suspenders coming from from the board. As far as additional costs, um we have uh we have everything covered. The the big thing with the town was we would do the work and then it would be folded in with the town and then the the big thing was the tax reporting. Um, we would do the W2s ourselves, we would do the 1099s ourselves, uh, to our contractors. So, it's not really a whole lot of extra work. I mean, it's not like we have to add another staff person for it. >> Okay. >> Um, and so I I you know, Julie and I have had lots of conversations about that. So, I don't see that as an issue. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, do we have to change it to the
096Bank of America then >> rather than Northwest Community Bank? >> I'm No, this one. This one's just for North Western. >> Bank of America allowed us to set up our own accounts. We had already shared and discussed this previously that it was happening. >> They're throwing us out. We're getting divorced whether we like it or not. >> It's a chemical though, though. >> Yes, divorce. >> We've worked out the custody. We've worked out the alimony schedule. Um >> it's not any more work than what we're already doing. But Bank of America allowed us to just make those changes unilaterally where the local bank wanted the assurances from a board motion. >> Yeah. >> Um and we have worked with the town manager >> to um talk about for example like the allocation when we have
097our appropriated budget. We've worked out, you know, they're not going to give us the full appropriated budget on July 1. They don't have it. But they'll be, you know, giving us an allowance, so to speak. We've talked about frontloading that allowance enough that we're never like slow pay on our bills. >> Um, so we think it'll be fine. >> Okay. I believe we have a first and a second. >> All righty. >> Do we have Who was the first and second? Tiffany. >> Thank you. >> Okay. All approved. >> All right. >> Perfect. All right, moving on to item nine, public comment. The Winchester Board of Education welcomes you to its business meeting. There are two opportunities set aside to hear comments from the public. We welcome and encourage public participation as a valued part
098of communicating input with the Winchester Board of Education. We appreciate your adherence to the following. Complete the requested information on the sign-in sheet if you wish to speak. Your name, address, and email. State your name and address when called upon to speak. You will be allotted three minutes to share your comments. Please be advised that it is not the practice of the board of education to engage in dialogue regarding commentary. The superintendent of schools will be directed by the chairperson to prepare an appropriate response in a timely manner. We appreciate your time and thoughtful commentary. Is there anyone wishing to speak? Anyone wishing to speak? Okay, seeing no one, we will move on uh to item 10, future agenda items and board member comments. >> Anyone? >> I've got a comment. >> Yes. >> Um
099we were given a tour of the Pearson School by the maintenance director, uh Dave Crudden, the one and only. Um, I just wanted to say that what a knowledgeable person he is, what a great asset he is to our school system. He seems to know everything. Um, I just wanted to to acknowledge him and just say thank you for everything that he does for us. >> I'm gonna make sure he plays back that will make >> He was really proud to do it. He really enjoyed the opportunity. >> It was very eye opening, too, wasn't it? >> Yes, it was. Yes, it was. >> Anyone else? >> All right. On to item 11. I make a motion to adjurnn. >> I make a motion to adjurnn. >> Jonathan second. All in favor? >> Great. Thank
100you, everyone. >> Thank you. What time is it? >> 6:30 >> here. >> No, you're in the library. >> Three different doors. >> Same same place. >> Okay. So, we go right into the lobby. >> 6:30 Thursday. >> Yeah. >> Got it. >> Thursday or what? >> Thursday. This sort of thing.