9-23-19 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Well, let me uh let me uh tell you I I've been looking forward to this presentation for at least a month now. Uh we have three of our stellar teachers who applied for a fellowship program this summer uh through the Dallio Foundation. There's a an organization called Fund for Teachers and hundreds and hundreds of teachers apply to this and uh and the the Dalio Foundation uh looks them all over and actually uh these uh three folks uh were were selected. So uh Rachel, are you going to go first? >> Um I was just going to give a little bit of an overview of the application. So Rachel Lorenzan, Laura Iris, and Lisa Lambert are all Westside

002teachers, Westside math teachers. >> Uh, and they have that really cool sweatshirt that we're all trying to figure out exactly what it means, but it is the fun for teachers logo. Uh, and Rachel, uh, Rachel went to Europe and and Laura and Lisa went to, uh, New Zealand and Australia. And they're going to tell you a little bit about, uh, what what they did. But I'm I'm also wondering if we can maybe dim a light there. Oh, Mark can do that. Okay, great. So, anyway, Rachel, welcome, Laura and Lisa. >> Hi. So, thank you so much for having us. Um, so I'm just going to give you a brief overview of kind of what the application process looked like and how we um kind of got started with the process. Um, so last I think

003it was October a representative from Fund for Teachers came and they gave a presentation in Graten for anybody that was interested. Um, so we went informational meeting and just learned a little bit about the application process, got some tips and pointers um about what to do, some previous project ideas and then um we started formulating the ideas um things that we had and projects that we wanted to take. So both of us both of our groups so they went together as a joint trip um and I went as um an individual traveler um but we um both of our project ideas changed throughout the process um as we were formulating what we wanted to do um and we'll get more into what we ultimately landed on um but our application was due January 31st and

004then we had to wait until April to find out if we were accepted. So we found out the first week of April um they posted the list online so we found out we were accepted but then they came to our >> night of conferences. >> Oh yeah the night of conferences in April and then the next day um the representative came to our school and brought us um backpacks and um a bunch of different gear notebooks and pencils and signs and all this stuff. So it was really exciting. And then we had an Yeah. And then we had an orientation dinner in New Haven where all the grant recipients um from the state of Connecticut were invited. Um it was at the New Haven Lawn Club. um and they treated us to a really nice

005dinner and they had some presentations from past grant recipients so we could hear about their projects and we also got to learn um about projects that other teachers received across the state and connect with them um which was great. And then we went off on our fellowships and now in November we actually have another dinner with the fellows across Connecticut now that we've all had our experiences um we'll come back together and share our experiences and our learning and kind of celebrate um what we learned throughout our fellowships this summer. So, that's just kind of the journey we took. And now, uh, Laura and Lisa are going to start with their trip. They went first, so they can talk first. >> Talk first. >> You want to talk while you have a voice? >> Um,

006I'll try. Um, I just want to apologize. We went on our first field trip today, so I am uh very short on voice. Um, but here's a quick overview of our um the grant that we applied for. Um, it was multi-art. We started in Auckland, New Zealand. Uh, outside of Auckland, New Zealand, actually, u in a town called Hookerui. Um and then we also uh made it part of our grant to go to Hobbiton as being math teachers. It was a great opportunity. Um we'll get more into that in a minute. Um and then we went to Sydney, Australia to go to um an international balorate uh middle and high school. Um I did the bridge climb. We'll talk about that in a minute too. And uh we also went to an international STEM conference

007while we were there. Uh which turned out to be much smaller than we anticipated. We were two out of four Americans uh in the whole place. Um and then we went to Canes Australia to go to the Great Barrier Reef which was amazing. Um and even after all that we had grant money left over uh which we'll talk about what we did with that when we you know when we reach the end as well. >> Okay. Do >> you want me to talk? >> Yeah. Do you want to take over? >> So what was really neat about the school at I can never say it. Hucker and the the little girls we had two little second grade what their eight or nineyear-old their second graders gave us a tour. Um, and we kept trying to

008say it and finally they were like, "It's okay. Don't worry about it." We just could not get the how they pronounce it. This school is very outdoorbased to begin with. They already have a forest. They have an orchard. They have lavender fields. They have beehives. They have alpacas. So, it was really neat for us to be in a school that was already fully up and running. And our task, we spent a whole day with what the students referred to as the shark man um who's been on Animal Planet. And this um the bug guy who had real life bugs. It was really gross. Um and the kids, it was the first time when we were in the school that we realized kids are kids no matter where you go in the world. As kids were

009acting, I'm like, "That looks like so and so. That one's acting like so and so." So, it was really invigorating to see no matter where you go in the world, kids are kids. Um, they all love bugs, all of the adults were kind of like, we'll stay away from the bugs. Um, so, and then on the Saturday, um, in this picture up here, they all take their shoes off when they go into school. So, we were kind of taken back by that. Um, especially since we didn't have rain boots and everything in New Zealand in their winter is wet. So, um, we were like, why isn't anyone wearing shoes? So, we got used to that. Um and then the second day our task with the community there must have been >> there were several hundred

010people >> 700 people from the community not just parents organizations car dealerships they all came and we worked on cleaning out the brush in this middle area and worked on planting 600 trees. >> Um and so that was really neat to work with the kids. Um they had a Mori celebration which is the culture um of New Zealand which we got to participate in also. Um and then that they do use the material that they're growing and they actually sell it. So they make wool out of the alpacas, they make lavender soap. Um so that was really neat. And the kids can explain everything that they did and it's all based on their input. The teachers are very hands-off. Um, which is a mindset shift for us because it was really the children were doing

011all of it even in the giving us tours. The teachers were like, "Okay, we'll see you later." We're like, "Okay." And that really allowed us to see the shift that has to happen when you go into an outdoor classroom. And even more so when we were at the IB school, it is very student centered. >> Um, I'm just going to add one thing. gonna try to um this was the very first experience we had on our trip. Like we drove from the airport and went straight there pretty much. Um and it was very apparent from like the first day of this uh grant experience and I'm sure Lisa and Rachel can speak to this as well that we went in expecting a certain like to learn certain things and we came out with like so

012much more than we thought. Like this school blew me away cuz at Westside we're a STEM school but this school isn't a STEM school but they have it down. They've got kids like raising bees, alpacas, like harvesting stuff from an orchard. Um, and they produce things with that. I mean, it is like the ultimate STEM school and it's not like they're not considering it anything special to them. So, like that was huge for for me as someone who teaches at a STEM school to be like this is it like this is so great. So, um I think you'll hear a lot about that like experiences that we didn't think we were going to have uh and just kind of walked into um on this trip. >> Good. Yeah. Okay, I'll let you talk for another

013minute. >> Um, let me talk. Um, so here we went to Hobbiton, which is where Lord of the Rings and all the Hobbit movies were made. Um, we were there for about 4 hours. Um, you get a whole tour. Um, everything there was in a 60% scale. So, when we do our whole ratio unit, we have pictures of us in front of the houses. We actually have some where you could go into the houses. Um, and that was really neat because when the kids see it in the movies, they've all seen the movies. I personally haven't. So, before we get to that, I'll watch them. But, um, it was really neat the perspective and how they scaled it down and it looked real. Um, it was also really interesting because everyone that was there, a

014lot of them were international students um, that are there on work visas. So, it was really neat just to see. >> We had a guy from Michigan. Uh yeah, of everything we had a guy from Michigan. We were like, "What are you doing here?" Um so that was really really cool. Um and prior to that, we went to the >> Oh, the gloworms. >> The glowworms. Um and we actually went down in the caves and it was dark and this whole experience took me completely out of my comfort zone. Um completely. Um when we first applied, I went home to my husband. And I said, "Hey, I'm I might be going with Iris to Australia. You've got the four kids, right? It'll be in the summer." And he's like, "Oh, sure." I call him. I'm

015like, "So, remember when I told you we might get it?" Well, we're going. So, for me, I think the other big lesson for me was I can appreciate now more how a student feels when we're giving them things and they're looking at us like, "I have no clue what you're talking about." It completely transformed how I look at things and life and my own family and my students and that comfort level was gone. Um, so it was really neat as we're, you know, I'm trusting these people I've never met telling me to get on a boat in a cave. I'm like, oh goodness. Um, so it was really the experience in itself allowed me to be the student which it's been a long time since I was a student. So next one. >> Yeah. Um,

016here is the MLC school. It is a school that is K through our version of K through high school. They have been an IB school. Um, they had just gotten accredited last May >> for NYP last year. for NYP last year and their MYP portion was under renovation. So we spent a whole day with their director. Um we got a tour of the school. The it was an all girls school um ranging from K to 12. So this group of girls in the middle we got to spend a whole day with. So it was really neat to talk to them. They explained their IB projects that they did. Some of them had been through the MYP program at that school. So, they were able to kind of share with us how the MyP piece led

017them into the IB piece, which I've never really p I just figured it's all one big thing. Um, but once after talking with them, the students that went through the my portion were much more prepared for the IB piece. They were much more comfortable with being independent. Like the director that we met with, they only did check-ins once every like three weeks. Each kid got 10 minutes. You got any questions? Nope. Be gone. Where we're looking at it going, we've got to do ours. Um, but so the whole I think what also we got out of it is the whole process. It's giving it back to the children and letting them Some of the projects went from training a dog to making health apps to writing short stories to how >> there was like a

018makeup one. >> There was someone that created makeup. So that whole idea that the project is based on what the students want verse what we tell them they have to do. Um >> personal project. >> Yes. Because the eighth grade is a little different. >> Correct. And so, but the students that had gone through the my portion felt much more prepared for the project at the end of it than the students that had come in and were just kind of thrown into it saying, "Okay, now you've got to do this. You've got to do that." Um, we were flabbergasted because the director got her students going and then left them and came and met with us. We were like, >> "Well, what's going on in your She's like, "Oh, no. They know what they're doing."

019And it's that whole idea that if if you instill in the children what they're supposed to be doing, then that's what they do. And we were like, "Wow, that's >> you." >> I was like, "No, they don't want me closer." Um, so this was a very neat experience to see where it's going to be going, where we're going to be getting to once we have in place the MYP and the IB. And she did say it took about six years to get the whole process, the students, the staff. Um, she it was nice to know that they have staff there that were a little resistant and it takes the teachers out of their comfort zone. So, she said, "It's the patience. It's the like she said, you have to address people's concerns and help them

020work through it. You can't just ignore it." Um, so that was kind of refreshing. We were like, "Oh, we are on the right track. We are we are doing what we're supposed to." >> Just going to add in a little bit. Um, so we just found this school um as we were searching and writing our grant. Um, but it turns out that MLC has a lot of parallels to Graten. uh they were just accredited for NYP within I believe the last year and they've had their diploma program for about 15 years. So they were really in a similar boat to what uh we're going through. Um they also have a brand new uh 612 712 building. So again uh also very relevant to us. Um so I included a picture in there just like some

021of the working spaces and stuff that they had. It was really neat. Um so they almost like built their school to like facilitate some of the things they're hoping for their kids to do. Um so it was really nice to see um you know some of the the strengths and some of the struggles that they were going through knowing that they were in a really similar position to us. Um yeah and uh their director was great. She was she was gave us our her email and was like you know email us whenever. Um so it was really a cool experience and it was neat to meet like some you know some kids and spend the day with them too. >> You good? Okay. >> Okay. No, you talk about >> So, um, this is the

022bridge climb. The picture here at the very top of the bridge, they look like little ants. Those are actually people. Um, we got that picture when we were doing the whale watch on the boat, not on the bridge. This picture here is Laura on >> by the flag. Like, you can barely see. >> Um, that's actually Laura on the bridge. While she was doing that, I was holding down the fort in the park, having a latte, checking out the local wilderness, and their possums look nothing like our possums. Um, there was no way I was doing this. No way. So, Laura basically had to walk up ladders in the middle of traffic going both ways. And yeah, no. So, she can tell you that part because I was not doing any part of that. Um,

023the neatest thing that when we came back to school was last week when I was teaching my eighth grade class, CMP3, the first version in thinking with mathematical models is all about bridges. So, the first thing when we launched out that unit is that picture. >> Oh, yeah. >> And they're like, where's Miss Iris? And I'm like, well, she was crazy that day and she was on top of the bridge and I was staying. And so, we were able to connect. It was not what our intention was, but it made it more the kids bought in. They were like, "She really climbed the bridge." And I was like, "Yeah." One of the kids was like, "Is she really happy or is she faking?" I was like, "No, she was really happy." Um, so it was

024one of those things. We went, she did the bridge climb, I didn't, but it was really neat to be able to apply it right off the get-go. Um uh so if if anyone's ever interested in climbing the bridge, you come out and then um you actually climb like up some vertical ladders between two lanes of the highway. Uh it's the busiest highway in Australia, I believe. Um it was crazy. It was super exciting. And then you uh climb up the outer arch. So our algebra 2 kids can do stuff with with the arches. Like there's tons of applications and it wasn't anything that we planned to like to teach the kids about, but it just has kind of fallen into place that way. Yeah. Nope. I was good. So, I found out psums. They have

025psums. They consider psums their biggest deterrent. They try to get rid of psums all over the place because they eat all the birds and the insects. Um, but their possums are like big chinchillaas. They're super cute. They don't have the long tail. I'm like, so I checked on the neighborhood possums while she was up there. Okay. You want to talk about meeting our friend? >> Um, yes. So, we were on the train, right? Was it the train? So, our trip started with planes, trains, and automobiles. We took a car to New Haven, a train to Grand Central, a bus to JFK, and then flew to LA. In the process, we met this woman who works at a school in Connecticut um at Hop H Hot H Hotchkins up in Sharon area. and we were on

026the train and or the bus and we were talking about the conference and she's like, "Is there any chance you guys are going to Australia?" And it ended up we were on the same flight. Oh wow. >> Um and then there were four of us that were Americans. >> So that was those are three of us. >> So you're not one of the only other Americans. It was >> um this conference was a STEMbased conference. It was very much about I would say at a college level. Um it was interesting because the way the conference worked is they had um keynote speakers all morning and then in the afternoon people actually presented projects that they were working on. um their idea of conferences. It started at 8:00 a.m. and it ended at 700 p.m. So

027that was a kind of I was like wait what what are we here for till what time or so? Um it was definitely a smaller conference. Um we purposely went to different ones so that we um each got a different experience and weren't sitting. It also allowed us to meet other people. Um there were lots of people from Thailand, >> Indonesia. Um, and again after talking with them, kids are kids no matter where you go in the world. So even though we were all coming from a different place and a different perspective, there were still similarities. >> Good. >> We're good. >> You want to talk about this? >> Uh, sure. >> Um, so, um, when we were planning our trip, uh, we realized pretty, uh, like within maybe three or four weeks of going

028that we had a lot of money left. Um, and we were like, well, what should we do? Um, and we, uh, talked about like the different options that we might want to explore. And, um, we didn't want to change the dates of our trip. We already had our flights and we had about a day, a day and a half to work with. We were like, "Do you think we can do the Great Barrier Reef?" And, uh, we made it happen. We were there for under 36 hours. Um, it's like a 3 or 4 hour flight up to Cans. Um, and we would add on a day trip to the reef and it was uh, amazing. Um, and we wrote it into the grant as a connection for our students because our students work with NES

029and study our local e like water eco e ecosystem and waterways and things. Um, it was amazing. We met some really really cool people on the boat. Um, we met uh maybe like a 10-year-old girl who was like just super into like saving the planet and she was like so much fun to talk to. I think Lisa got her email address so we've got to get in touch with her. Um, >> she created in her town a whole recycling program. this little 10-year-old. >> Yeah. >> And she was so excited to meet me and she presented in front of hundreds of people. She was the a voice to be reckoned with. So, it was really and I was nervous again to go out on the Great Barerry Reef. I was like, I'm, you know, I

030don't snorkel and now I'm like floating. I felt like Nemo at one point like in the movie where he looks around and no one's there. I was like, oh my gosh, where is everybody? Um, and at one point I was like, "Okay, if she can do this, >> I can do this." Um, >> the 10-year-old could do it. So, without any fear. So, it was really neat again to be put in that uncomfortableness when they're like, "Just jump off." I'm like, "Oh, okay." And this one's already long gone, so I'm like, "Okay, well, at least we I know we all have to come back to the same boat." So, >> yeah. Uh, so that was kind of like an unexpected sort of ending to our trip, but it was incredible. Um, so we were we

031were really thankful um to have that. And our students are actually going to Nest on Thursday this week. So once they have that experience, we can start sharing some of this with them as well. >> And these are our live pictures. Laura wore a GoPro. So these are actual pictures that we saw. >> Yep. It was It was really cool. >> Amazing. >> Nerve-wracking. >> A little nerve-wracking. >> Yeah. A little nerve-wracking. Anything else? No, I think we're good. >> Okay. Um, hold on. You got to take over. >> Okay. So, I think one of the things like we went into this and I think one of the lessons I learned very mybased is you can go in with your with intentions what you're going to get out of it, but we got so much

032more. And I think that's was invigorating. It's inspiring to teach our students that that even though we're standing up and we're going to tell you this is what your outcome's going to be, there's so much more that goes into it. Um, I came home, I have four children. All of my kids are like, "Um, mom, you're completely different." Um, in a good way. And even my sixth grader that's at Westside now um he I let them the whole for me it was to put myself in their shoes and had I not done this trip I would have never had that experience of being in the unknown. Um and it was very empowering to put my kids in that perspective to put our students I'm excited to put our students in that mode. Um, and even

033like when we roll out The Hobbit, not even telling them what it is. Let them figure out. I think one of the big things is that I learned is we we need to stop giving all the answers. They have to figure it out. They have to be empowered to own it. Um, kind of like with the Sydney bridge climb. Um, what else? I just I wanted just for you guys to speak to the fact that when we did walkthroughs back last fall, we had noticed that you took the shapes and design unit as two seventh grade teachers and they teamed on it to create an my plan on creating an outdoor STEM environment for our new middle school. And so with architects and and design. So this was really an offshoot from some of that.

034And we're going to make it happen. we are. We're going to make this happen and we know exactly where it's going. So, I just wanted to say kudos to them and them for getting this additional education. >> And I think what's neat um is we did end up what's funny is when you're spending other people's money, it's really hard. >> Um so by the time the trip ended, we still had money left over and we reached out to the grant and they were like, "Buy plies that you can use." So, at Westside, we've bought a portable shed so that once we build it, we thought it was like a duplex, you know, like put it together. We actually need real tools, so we'll get it put together. Um, but then we it can come with

035us. We bought rakes and gloves and we bought everything so that we can start right now with our students cleaning up the front of the school. Um, one of the things like when we asked at the Hooker and Newi school, they had tires donated from car dealerships that were old tires and that's what they used for their beds to build the lavender in. So, we were like, one of the things that we need to start doing is looking into the community, going to car dealerships, going to organizations that to them it's their trash. to us. We can use a tire and fill it with dirt and start a lavender field on our own. Um, so that's what we have all the supplies that will then go with us. Um, so it's exciting. So ours was

036very indoor-based. Um, yours we'll pass off to Rachel who was not indoor-based and actually was in the outdoor classroom. >> Okay. So they went at the beginning of the summer. Um I went right before school started. Um so like Susan had mentioned last fall we did a project with our students where um we kind of taught them about outdoor classrooms and said what if we could have one at the new school and the students were super excited about that. So for their project they created blueprints of what they would like to see in a new middle school. Um so I really wanted to learn more about outdoor classrooms and what that actually looked like. So, I found this really amazing conference in Sweden. Um, it happened to be the week before school started. So, um,

037that was cutting it close. But, um, I also thought, well, if I'm over there, I want to be able to expand my experience, and what else can I do? So, I was able to write the grant to kind of have two purposes. One was the outdoor classroom conference. Um, the other was the first week I was able to visit cultural and historical sites in um, both London, England, and Stockholm, Sweden. um and be able to use that time to look at these different sites through um a like to look for cross-curricular projects and ways I could collaborate with colleagues and create more authentic math learning experiences for our students. Um so I spent three jam-packed days in London um looking going around to as many sites as I could. Westminster Abbey um changing of the

038guards, Buckingham Palace. This middle picture is from the Church Hill War Rooms um which was a pretty incredible experience. That's where um Churchill and his inner circle, it was their bunker, their underground bunker where they were actually planning um the Allied route to victory during the Second World War. And it was pretty crazy and incredible to see down there. Um this was where it actually happened. Um so that was amazing. And um some of the other math applications that I got from the trip. So those on the right, that's some of the data that was on the wall in the Church Hill um war rooms. So yeah, it was it was talking about the bombings and the uh the fighter pilots and the casualties and all those things. And it was definitely making me think

039about how can we provide our students with authentic data um that connects to their history classes and not just provide them with, you know, madeup data about favorite ice cream flavors and basketball statistics and things like that. On the left is um that's called the Kosmati pavement. It's um it was in the early 1200s. It's on the floor of Westminster Abbey and it connects a lot to our two-dimensional geometry with tessellations and the geometric patterns in there as well. So those are just two examples of things that I saw while I was in London that I was thinking about how we can now apply it to our students lives. Um and then I went to Stockholm and in Stockholm again I was a tourist and got to see so many amazing things. Uh coincidentally there

040was this giant cultural festival that had a lot of STEM connections there. You can see some giant globes that are through the streets. There was kids in the streets with um life-sized they were this tall um compasses with chalk and they were making circles and doing all these things with circles in the streets. Um on the right is the Vasa which was a ship that um I don't know if you know anything about it. I had never heard about it. Um but it was incredible. It had it sunk on its maiden voyage in um I believe it was the early 1500s. Um it sunk on its maiden voyage after 15 20 minutes. It >> I was going to say within the first hour it >> Yeah, it was I think it was within 20 minutes

041it sunk. Um and then in the 1950s they were able to recover this ship. Um and it took years and years but they were able to recover it and because of the cold waters everything was intact. Um so that was the actual ship and it was pretty incredible the artwork and the details and just seeing it up close it was fascinating. Um so that was that was incredible. So after that um so that was my first week jam-packed. Um, and then I went to the uh outdoor classroom conference. So there was 25 participants from 11 different countries. I was the only American. They were all like, "What are you doing here? Why are you here? How did you find us?" Um, and there was one person from the UK and one person from Australia. Everybody

042else English was not their native language, but most of the time I felt like the person from the UK and Australia, they also it also felt like English wasn't their native language because our English was so different. we found. It was very funny. Um but it was just really amazing all the um cultural learning that I had from all these participants and all of us are teachers um and our schools are so different but all of us were kind of united by this mission to bring our students outdoors. Um one of the you know our experiences in terms of our actual classrooms and our schools are very different. The um woman from Australia she her school is very outdoor classroom oriented. um one of the women from Austria from Austria. She teaches um in Vienna,

043Austria in an inner city school that they barely have a slab of pavement outside. So we're coming from very different places, but all of it was how can we connect this to our own learning. Um we a lot of it was social skills we learned through doing. So we spent a week outside a rain or shine um in the woods learning about different activities that we could bring back to our students. How can we apply it? learning about um you know the research, the literature of it, the health benefits, so many things about how we could apply it and it was just amazing. Um so what I found during that time is that outdoor learning can look so many different ways. Um it doesn't always have to be this big crazy experience which I'll get

044to on the next slides. Um but you can see um about how physical education can happen with those yoga type positions and things. um the center that top center picture um we had some science and art connections. We were able to collect leaves and flowers and make imprints um using a hammer and um and cloth which was amazing. Um we did a lot of outdoor cooking. Um we did many botany lessons learning about the different plants and wildlife and nature. In the top left we were on a canoe ride and we got caught in an absolute downpour and soaking wet. Um, so just thinking about how um being outside can teach you a lot of things outside of the actual curriculum, things like flexibility and teamwork and going with the flow and really just appreciating

045nature. Um, and I definitely was thinking that I don't think our students have those opportunities enough. We definitely have some great field trips and partnerships with Nest and um, Project Joe and some other ones as mentioned, but it was just really cool to spend a whole week outside and everything we did was like, well, why can't you do this outside? We had a lecture. Why do we have to be inside to have a lecture? can't we just sit outside? And in the bottom there that was we were having a you know a talk about I don't remember exactly what but it was some kind of lecture about the pedagogy of um outdoor learning and we were sitting among moss and trees and all that and just with the bugs and just appreciating that and thinking

046well why can't we do this with our students like um so we also had some um pretty fun outdoor adventures. So, if you look in that top left, that little arrow, that's a cave that I went down into. Um, you can see in the bottom right, somebody's climbing down into that. So, we went caving in the pitch black down there. And similar to what Lisa was talking about about pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones and thinking, um, this is what we ask our students to do a lot every day. While they're not climbing in a dark cave um through Yeah, that was crazy. Um, while they're not doing that, for them, you know, their math project may seem that way. Um, we did a lot of hiking and canoeing and it was awesome. Um,

047we also had the opportunity to visit a Swedish school that does a lot um of they do a lot outside. So, as you can see right there what I'm standing in, that's just a very simple structure. It doesn't need to cost a lot to make an outdoor classroom. It's just built with some wooden planks. Um, and they would have classes and lessons out there. Um, on the top right was this really cool um, turf field that they had that was multi-purpose that they could use for soccer or basketball and it had nets. And at recess, it was amazing to just see the kids running around and how they were engaged and play and their negotiating skills and all these soft skills and things that are so important for our students to learn um, about how

048to interact and communicate and things that again don't always happen within the walls of a structured classroom environment. They also had a woodworking shop. Um, and we went to handiccrafts class and they were learning all these amazing things. And the this was a fourth grade class that was in there building tables. Um, and just, you know, they had the saws on the wall and these machines and they would just go up and get them. And we control so much of what our students do. And if we, you know, this is how they're taught about what's normal and what's expected and it teaches them responsibility. And again, the way that we had conversations with the kids about their learning um was definitely really inspiring about what education can look like. Um, one other thing that I

049really loved about this school was their cafeteria. So, in Sweden, they are not allowed to bring home lunch. Everybody gets school lunch and it's served buffet style as you can see. And on the right, that is the food waste from over 300 students. It was about this tall in the bucket. um our cafeteria does not look like that. Um and they had healthy food options and they learned that and that's the way it was and they learned they sorted all of their food waste. So thinking about how we could potentially apply that um to our schools and teaching the students about composting and food waste and things. Um I think there's so many opportunities that we can really latch on to. Um and that was just some outdoor cooking that we did. We made soup

050and bread over an open flame. Um again just teaching the students about how you can grow things from the earth and then cook them and giving back um to all of that was was a great experience. Um so the now what is really um similar to what Laura and Lisa had said was just the hope of focusing more on some global math problems and cross-curricular collaborations. Um but the big thing as Susan mentioned that we're really hoping to achieve is to build the outdoor classroom at Grten Middle School. These are some pictures of our students last year working on the project where it was just kind of a pipe dream, but now we're hoping that, you know, it's closer and we're hoping that we can really make this happen. Um, so we looked at, you

051can see we were looking at real blueprints of um outdoor spaces. That bottom right is a sample of student work of seventh grader design of what she would like in an outdoor classroom. Um, so we're kind of in the next couple weeks going to be starting kicking off this round and we know that this year our project's going to be even bigger and better because we have some tangible hands-on experiences. Um, and we're going to be working with Susan as well about what this means in terms of the next steps and what permissions do we need to get um, and who can we involve like um, Lisa was talking about in terms of the community and how can we reach out to landscape organizations nearby and places that will donate, you know, wood and things

052that we need to build our outdoor space. So, a little plug if any of you have any connections or ideas. We're looking for all the support that we can get. Um, but we're really excited about what this can look like for our students. Um, because we think it really could be transformational, um, in terms of producing students and the next generation that really cares about our environment because as we know, it's a really important thing. Um, and we have the space to do it. So, um, we're excited about what this can look like and grateful for our experiences that we had, um, that we feel like we're better equipped to now lead them in this quest, in this venture. So, that's it. Wow. >> I have to also do a shout out. These three math

053teachers also worked on curriculum. They were part of the 110 group along with their colleagues that are here um Michelle McCresky and Lauren Ball who did literacy for me a couple times over the summer. So, um and they're here to support their colleagues. So, it's a tremendous team teamwork. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Rosemary. >> Um thank you for um showing that um learning is a lifelong project >> and it can be fun. Yeah, >> that's right. >> Definitely. >> Should be fun, right? >> It should be fun. >> Yeah, >> I'm incredibly excited. I'd be happy to help you with any outdoor planning IPs, so I can help you there. >> Thank you. >> Anything else you need? >> Yes. >> Oh, also science teacher. So, >> that's awesome. Yeah, we're hoping to

054form some types of committees and things about what this is going to look like moving forward. So, >> I'm very excited >> and I want to go with you on the reef. >> No, it's awesome. It's a bucket list item. >> I I think for me, um I'm continuously amazed. At least I know your craft because my children had the good fortune of having you involved in their lives when they were at Westside. Um and and I'm I'm assured that if you're hanging out with those other two that they're just as amazing. But for me, it's always how much I get amazed about when people get excited about enhancing their craft. That this seems to be so much more than just a job for you. That this is a passion and it's a craft and

055it's an art. Um, and so I just am very appreciative of the fact that you got to share with us your journeys over the summer. Um, and once again, thank you for your excitement and your enthusiasm and we are a better district because of you. Um actually what you're saying is very much like the kind of the goal of fun for teachers when you go in and apply they say it does not have to be about your subject area that you teach. They are very much about um you finding something that you're passionate about and going with that. Um so I mean ours was both of ours were math related but they didn't have to be. Yeah. Um, so it's a really really cool opportunity for like teachers anywhere to sell. >> Um, I'm just

056curious about the t-shirt. So, what the symbol means? >> We're not really good question. >> So, we're It used to be an apple that had that. It used to be that. So, when we went to our dinner in New Haven and they gave, we were all like, "What's that?" Cuz we were expecting apple. We're not sure why they changed it, but this is what they're >> You went to New Haven, so it might have had to do with pizza. >> Maybe you go. >> Yeah, they're rebranding it. And there's something called the Ramston project that's connecting all the educators. Um, and this just seems to be their rebranding. I think maybe it's their strategy to get people to ask about it because people do ask. >> It works. >> Yeah, it works. But I think

057we need a better answer. So, I think when we go in November, we're going to ask so we're we're better equipped. We'll get back to you on that one. >> Thank you. Even since we've been back, we're now in an internet network. >> Yeah. >> That we're getting weekly. Like someone reached out today whose dad was in the Navy in Grten >> and she's has an outdoor classroom. She's like, I'd love to touch base. So this whole we're getting emails regularly on this is where I went, this is what I did. Let's share ideas. So, it's opened up this whole when we talk about global, we're no longer living in our little groten bubble. >> Yeah. >> Um it's expanded us everywhere. >> And there's a lot of teachers in uh specifically at Westside um

058who are starting to think about what they want to apply to do, which is super exciting. Um and you can apply every five years. So, go ahead. >> All right. So, if there's not Gretchen, do you have one last comment >> because we need to move on. I know. I'm just kind of curious about did they have slippers? >> The kids with no shoes on today. >> In this winter, >> they were barefoot >> in the winter. >> Yeah. >> So, I mean, it was raining and gross. >> Um, but they >> awesome. Okay, I'm going to move us on, but thank you so much for what you >> Thank you. >> All right, so I'm moving on to the citizen portion of the agenda. Um and this is the part of our um meeting

059where we welcome um uh uh we welcome comments from citizens and each presentation should be limited to 5 minutes or less and citizens should if pos possible submit written um written comments. Presentation should be related to matters pertinent to Graten. Board members will only ask questions in order to clarify the speaker's presentation and cannot respond during the comments from citizen portion of the board meeting. Citizens um should make their presentation from the podium and state their names and addresses for the record. Miss Jones, did anyone sign up? Is there anyone in the office that or the office? Wow. In the audience. All right. Hearing none, we're going to move on to student representative report. Hey friends. >> Hello. Um I'm going to start off with updates. >> I don't think our mics are on anybody's

060mic. >> I'm kind of soft spoken so I need the mic. >> Don't say anything yet. It's not on yet, I don't think. >> Try it now, Eddie. >> Testing. No. Nope. Um, >> I don't even think Testing. >> You know what, Tim? Could we give Addy that much? >> I don't think that's possible either. >> Testing. One, two, three. >> I can just >> I can try and yell if that's easier. >> Can you hear Mark? Are ours working? >> Turn down. >> Okay. So, for us, it sounds like she's not talking into a microphone, but if if it if you can hear it for the purposes of the video, I think if we can just have our voices a little bit um louder, I think that will be good. >> Got this. >>

061Okay. Um I'm a little soft spoken, so hopefully this works, but it's fine. Um I'm going to start off with updates from last meeting. So, the um 10th and 11th graders had their pictures day on this past Thursday and Friday, and the seniors have um been finishing up and choosing their senior portraits for the yearbook. Um seniors have also finished their parking spots, which is really exciting. And if any of you haven't already, I encourage you to go take a drive through the parking spots because there's some really, really good ones. Um, and then also on September 18th, the author of Hey Kiddo, Jared Krasa, I think, um, he came and he talked about his book, Hey Kiddo, which was the one book, one region. Um, I you probably know about it. I know I

062saw Dr. Arian there. Um, and it was a really great experience. All the sophomores went and also um, any other kids who could get out of class and were able to go. It was a great experience. He talked a lot about his um methodology and his life and different things and I thought it was a great experience. >> You don't have to pass. >> You don't even have to move. >> Hello. >> I forgot about that. >> Okay. As long as y'all can hear me, then you're all right. >> Okay. All right. So, class council updates. Um all grades excluding freshmen because at the time they didn't have a class council. Uh created design for our pep rally shirts which is the last week of October. I believe it's the 28th to the November 1st.

063Um all profits from the pep rally shirts will go to our rep like respected class office like council. Uh we started handing out order forms last Wednesday and during Friday during our commitment to learning time um otherwise known as CTL. Uh the seniors have completed a bridge market fundraiser and are currently uh planning for our homecoming which is November 2nd. Yes, November 2nd. I >> think so. Um, the juniors have different fundraisers planned out for this month, but nothing yet approved or finalized. The junior class council also keeps growing in members, which I'm very excited about. Uh, so the class officers decided to make three committees within the council, the finance committee, advertising committee, and planning committee. Each one of them has a head of the department, which meets with all the other teachers or

064adviserss. Uh the sophomores have a planned fundraiser for October 30th and they're also planning on organizing smaller ones such as Mo 99 Restaurant and etc. Uh freshman class officer elections were today. Actually, there was only four people that signed up to apply. So, they didn't have elections. The people that got it are going to have a meeting one of these days. I'm not sure when, but they're going to figure out which position that they're going to get cuz there was only four of them, so they didn't really have elections, >> but it would have taken place. >> Yeah. >> Uh, moving on to unified sports. Unified sports had their first meeting two weeks ago, and um, tomorrow, Tuesday the 24th, is their, uh, first official practice for soccer. So, they're very excited about that. Um

065and for Fitch music department, there's a couple of things to say. Um first of all, uh we've started uh Try at Fitch High School. So that's a music national honor society. It was actually brought to the attention of Mr. Lefay through students. Um so it was definitely studentbacked and it was people very excited about it. Um, so it's going to work basically as National Honor Society except all students have to be a part of a U musical ensemble at school. There we go. Um, and and they have to complete volunteer hours that relate to music. For example, volunteering at marching band games or concerts or volunteering through um helping out at senior centers with music, other things like that. Um, and so that's I'm a part of it. So, I'm very excited about that. Um,

066there will be an induction ceremony for Triam on October 23rd, 2019 at Fitch High School. And, um, Triumph members are actually starting off the year with a fundraiser for the Bahamas. So to raise money for the recovery of the Palas after they were hit by a hurricane. Um the money is being collected from all CTLs and um the CTL who raises the most the most donations will get a free breakfast from Ridge Market. So that's that's the incentive and also to help out Bahamas um because that's very important. Uh and then on Saturday, October 19th, Fitch is hosting the 7th annual Sounds by the Sea Marching Band Competition. Um the competition will start at 5:00 p.m. and we'll be hosting different um schools and marching bands from different schools. Uh any more information is on

067the Falcon Music Boosters Facebook page. >> Okay, so the Renaissance Club Renaissance Club they finalized their birthday board for the fall months which include September, October, and November. The board is located outside of the guidance office in the flag hallway, which we consider our main hallway at Fitch. Uh for homecoming, the homecoming dance has been the date has been finalized. So, it's on Saturday, November 2nd from 7 to 10:30. It's in the small gym at Fitch. The theme is star night. Um and I made the tickets and they're very cool. They're like have the Vincent Van Go star night. Just got to shout myself out. Um, and tickets will be $20 and sold during lunch waves and snacks and refreshments will be sold at the dance. >> Okay, updates on Fitch Athletics. Football was victorious

068against Xavier Falcons this past Saturday, September 21st, 2019, with a score of 49 to 20. Volleyball was also victorious against Montville this past Friday, September 20th, 2019. Junior varsity won two out of two games and varsity won three out of three games. Um, shout out to our Fitch Falcon athlete of the week with 362 votes for September 9th to September 15th. Sebastian Duffy scoring three goals and a win against Woodstock and helped with an assist in a 2 to1 win versus Westerly. >> That's it. Any questions? >> Thank you guys so much. >> Thank you. >> All right, so now we're moving on to the superintendent administrative reports. Uh just a couple of quick things. Um one is uh as the three teachers were talking and two of our colleagues are in the audience here.

069Um the both middle schools have solicited teachers to volunteer to be part of a transition team. So they're going to be they're going to be meeting over the next uh well several months, but they're going to start uh right away. and uh it will expand from teachers to parents to students, but we're we're well on our way to uh figuring out what needs to be done to consolidate the two schools. But we got some uh good news this morning. We were concerned that the new middle school might have to have two or three different themes. And in the the the problem with that would have been uh trying to diversify the student body. We we we wanted to make sure it was 100% diversified. So, we made a a a recommendation that the middle school

070become a steam middle school so that we would be able to use all of the money for the arts grant and all of the money for the STEM grant and put them together and we would put all the students together and and diversify them by socioeconomic level. uh and some of our colleagues who are teaching STEM like English can continue to teach STEM like English and the people at the uh in Cutler who are teaching artsy type science can continue to do that. So we received the information this morning that the US Department of Education approved it. They they appro they they they agreed with our argument that the best way to totally diversify the school would be uh by by having it a steam school. So we're we're off and running there. That was

071a a huge decision and I fredded because uh frankly we didn't have the money for a third team. 13 would have been bad for a lot of reasons. Financially, uh it would have been uh very difficult. And then the last thing is although the the the money is not actually in the right accounts yet, uh but uh the uh the child and family service got approved for another school-based health center that will go in at Mary Morrison School. And so we have a nurse's office that's set up. Uh Sam is going to talk about the facility uh changes that will be needed. Uh the staffing should begin we're hoping by midocctober. So it'd be a another full service both nurse practitioner and clinician psychological clinic clinician. So uh that uh that that money came from

072the state. So we we're very appreciative to our state legislators who helped push this thing through. Um, and that's it for me. >> Great. Our assistant superintendent is Are you ready for your presentation? >> Wow, I am fully miked. >> I am. Sam is going to pass out a timeline for state testing data. I shared this with you last year, but I'm going to reorient you because it does take about a year for the state to get us all of the pieces of data and for us to be able to report back. So, the data we're going to be presenting tonight is actually the FY19 data, the data, the test that the students took in April and May last spring. And it was the ESPback for grades 3 through 8. And it was the NGSS

073for grades 5, 8, and 11, but we have not received those um that information back yet. and then SAT for grade 11. In June, we reviewed a report card, but it was for the year prior. So, it it takes like a whole year. Um, in June, July, we really received back this um the results, but they were released only to the superintendent. So, it was embargoed. They had to validate it. So, we weren't able to have that released until just um in September. So the data has gone home to the students with a parent letter. So every parent received their specific data on their students with information about it. Um and that was just last week. We have um tonight's presentation which I'm going to give you kind of the district view kind of if

074you think about this as kind of the landscape the hierarchy of data compared to state data the DRG which is district reference group and then the local data and even some trends. We'll come back to you though with um a deeper dive. So, our principles have the data and they're looking at it from the school perspective and they're looking at it for every single child. The expectation from the state, the expectation from our superintendent, from our board is that every child makes growth. And there's a target number of the amount of growth that is expected from the state. So, we want to see that kids who are in intervention or special education are making growth. We want to see that our kids who are meeting the goals are still making growth and even kids who

075may be advanced um are making growth. So every child is making growth. So that's going to be um the deep dive that teachers are looking at for their own classroom and it'll help inform their instruction on what needs to be done. So, um, you'll have the elementary principles next month coming in to talk about their data and also what is the action plan, what are they going to do, that becomes their strategic um, school plan. And then we'll have um the middle schools come to you like they've done in the past to do the same thing. And then the high school will share the SAT information. Um, I'm going to give you kind of a view of it now, but they they'll be able to bring you the action plan and what they're planning on

076doing with it. >> Rita, before you move on, Susan, when we get the deeper dive, will we see all the levels, level one through four >> for our students? I mean, not just like the average and level three, but when the teachers report, >> yes, we see, we can show you all the levels. will show you all the grade. >> How many are below, how many are almost there, and what are we doing for those students that are almost there? >> Absolutely. That will all be part of it. That's a really good question. >> Thank you. Um, and then, um, the accountability index comes back that kind of reports back on how the district's doing, and that's usually early winter. And I didn't put it on here, but of course, April and May, we'll be

077testing the kids FY20. And we'll get our report card on this group of kids, which are the 1819 kids, um, in June. So, I just wanted you to see on a timeline how this works because I feel like I come back to you every other month with more information. So, know that this is kind of the big picture view. I wanted to reorient you because it goes to what Rita was just speaking about. If you look at the levels, level one is um students that do not meet the achievement standard. Level two is approaching the achievement standard. Three is meeting the achievement standard and four is exceeding the achievement standards. These graphs will show you the threes and the fours. You can do the math and subtract from 100 to see what the one and

078twos are, but I can understand that you would want to see a breakdown of all the levels, which we can do. Um, when you see blue, think blue for book and you've got your ELA. when you see math is green you can think of money or accounting. So that's what helped me. So and then the state we just made it gray. So when you see that that will help you to understand. The first um set of graphs we're going to look at are the percent at level three or above by district reference group, which are the DUR that we're in socioeconomically and sizewise and other group other um districts that really are similar to Graten. And then of course we like to look at our neighbors. So the local districts will also be reported on.

079This first one is by DUR. Blue is for book. It's the ELA. And if you look, we wanted to know which of these um districts in our DUR are alliance districts. And if you look, all Planefield, Stratford um and the Gilbert school are alliance districts like Grten. If you look at Graten, Graten is um 59.7% of our kids meeting three and four. The state average is 55.7. The DUR average is 49.6 and Grten was the top um district in this group. Um the green is for math and so again for the DUR. Um we do see that most of these districts again are alliance except for Planefield, Stratford and the Gilbert School. Um, Winchester is a small district and so they have many few steward students, many few fewer students taking the test. Um, but

080Graten had a 49% of the population meeting the standard or exceeding the state average was 48.1 and the JUR average was 40.4 and I think we were like ranked number two when you look at the others in comparison. I think we one of the things we like to look at is is is that average greater than the state average and greater than the DUR for the local. So that's something that we always keep our eye on. >> So I have another quick question. >> Is there when does the state review the DURGS and maybe you're moved out of one and into another? >> I mean how does that ever happen? >> They do. They do. They do because it seems as if, you know, maybe they they need to review this. I I you know,

081like a little town like Winchester in with like a cities like Gr, Middletown, Bristol, and you know, it just seems that maybe we should be in a different one, too. It's it's we're we're kind of near the bottom. >> We >> of the Dirks. >> We We Yes. I think they Well, we're G. We're G >> and it's it's a third uh it goes to I goes to I so we're third from the bottom. Uh I think they probably use census data and the answer is yes. >> Uh there's uh uh they review the data because they're it has to do with income and education level and and all those socioeconomic factors. But yeah, I I actually will be with the state this week. I I'll see if I can find out. >> Yeah, interesting.

082>> So, this graph represents ELA for local school districts. So, local are really just our neighboring districts. So it goes from East Line, Brisbol, Ledger, Montville, New London and Norwich are the two other alliance um districts on this local list. When you look at the local average, the local average is 59.8 and Grten is kind of near that average at 59.7 and above the state average at 55.7. But you do look at neighbors like East Line, North Stonington, Stonington, and Waterford. um and theirs is very high. I just have to tell you that it's different with socioeconomics, but the kinds of things that they're doing because I'm part of a um assistant superintendent network group through learn and we collaborate all the time with these local southeastern Connecticut and you know they also are doing

083teachers college. They are also doing some of the math inquiry, the science inquiry. So a lot of the presentations we actually share with one another and invite each other back and forth. So, we're doing some of the same things and I think we are seeing some growth because of that. Then in math, um, we are at a 79%, the state was at 48.1. The average for our local neighbors are 54.2 and you see some real standouts like North Stonington and Stonington, Waterford and East Lime again. Um, and then of course New London and Norwich being the only other two alliance districts. One of the things I thought we could look at tonight is something called target achieved. And I talked to you about the growth model multiple times, but just to reorient you, every child

084gets a target number. So let's say a child needs to grow more than a year's worth of growth. Let's say they're in that one range that you were asking about. their target may be a 75. When we look at the target, if the child doesn't get that 75, they get zero points. >> They and out of let's say 100 or um but if they got a 74 that would be 74 that would be 99% growth. So when you look at the target percentage of target achieved you get a more accurate picture from Azite at the state. He says that really gives you a better indicator rather than a yes, no kind of thing. Yes, they made it, no they didn't. Because a child could be almost there but not quite >> and could get or

085they could be over. They could be let's say surpass their target then they might be 106%. Not just 100%. So this gives us some more information. So when we looked at district reference groups, our district reference group in ELA, it's kind of interesting because you see that the growth is very similar. It's kind of a range of about 50 to 66. So it's kind of closer neck and neck um with our with our dirt. So we were a 61.3. The state average was a 59.9 of target achieved growth and then the DUIR average was a 58.2. So we weren't necessarily the top district that Gilbert school um and Vernon and Killingly. Interestingly Killingly took on Teachers College about eight years ago. M >> we know that because Steve Wheeler, one of our principles, Chris Dolphin

086is another one of our principles had come from that area. So they've been they've had that model for a little longer. So we've actually gone to visit that to find out more. And then in math, the district reference group, our percentage of target achieved is 69.5%. The state average was 62.5 and the jur average was 58.6. And then again there's not as big a range in these scores if you notice you know that the growth is very similar in the different districts. And then there's average percentage of target achieved for English language arts comparing local districts. Again it you see a closer resemblance with the percent of target achieved even in our local comparison. So Grten at a 61.33, the state at 59.9, and the local average is a 59.4. We're definitely better than the

087average, but the average is balanced by your Norwich through your North Stonington, right? So and then for mathematics um 69.5 the state is 62.5 and the local is 62.2. Um again a a range but not quite as huge a range as what we saw of getting to a three or a four. So the growth looks like it's happening pretty consistently which is a good thing. You want to see all kids grow whether they're in Norwich, New London, Rotten, Stonington, we want to see kids growing everywhere. One of the things we thought um we would look at, now remember this is a kind of a highlevel look. So this is trends in ELA and math over time. So when you look at students receiving a three proficient or above in ELA over the five years starting

088back in 20145 Grten is in the blue. The state is in the gray and you see this kind of climb, steady climb, slow but steady wins the race as the tortoise to the air. >> Um the state kind of did a little roller coaster ride >> and dipped down. So we're definitely above the state but you know interesting to look at trends you know and then in mathematics again we're in the green so we took we're kind of taking that trend line is going up there was a little dip in the 1718 but continued to go up 1819. So you can see though where we started in 1415 at 38.6%. So that tells you something. >> But Susan, was that a different test? >> No, this is um this is the ESPback um looking at

089levels three and four students over time. So going from 145. Let me see if I can get this to work. >> Right. When did So was that the practice year? Was that the first year that they administered it? Um, I think the practice Yeah, it probably was the first year we could have um gotten growth. Might the practice year might have been the year before. >> Wow. It's >> This is the first year we started keeping track. >> Really? They've been It's been here that long or that old. >> Well, Mike and I have been here since then. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> So, but that's it's kind of that we like to look at data in that way, too. Now this is the average percentage of target achieved again making you know

090kids making growth over time >> and that's kind of stayed pretty >> you know that's kind of I don't want to call it a flatline but that's kind of talk about really steady where the state kind of took a deep dive there they came up and then went down again. So there's again the state looks more like a roller coaster ride. And then in mathematics we can be proud um in Grten in the green you know we were here above the state 65.4 before we went down below this date, kind of came back up last year close to this date and then way above in targeted um achieved percentage of targeted achieved. Now SAT data by district reference group and local school districts just orienting you ELA books are blue. So, um, and Gratton's in

091the red. So, the average, now remember that with SAT, we always thought of the average for SAT as like a 500 in ELA and math, but in our state, the average is now 514. In Grten, it was a 516. The DUR average was 489. Um, we put NFA in here because Norwich doesn't have a high school. many of their kids do go to NFA, but other students from around this whole area go to NFA as well. Um, and really if you look across, Graten really um is in the lead this horse race, but it's not. It's watching students grow. So, and then um in the green for mathematics, Grten was a 502, the state average was 500, the DUR average was 464, and again, um we ranked on top of that for SATs, too. For

092this DUR, >> Lee, >> um is is this from the SATs that all our kids took the SATs? >> Yes. Is that the same in other of the durgs and whatever? Everyone the state >> the state juniors. >> Okay. So every everybody took >> all 11th graders >> take an SAT for the state test. There was conversation about giving it an SB back. But since kids had to take the SAT anyway for entrance to college. So the state pays for this SAT so that all of our students take it. So across the >> this is even kids who are not planning on going holiday. Okay. >> That's good. >> It's 100% of our 11th graders. >> That's very good. >> That that's another chart. But we really work towards 100% of our kids participation and

093it does come in somewhere between 98.99 and 100% on in every school. So that's the good news. pretty good. >> Now, when we look at locals, um, Gratenigan is in the red, 516, and you can see that there's a lot of, um, really good scores in this southeastern Connecticut. The state average was 514, but in southeastern Connecticut, or with our neighbors, the average was a 522. So, um, North Stonington was all the way up to a 572. Um, you know, New London was a 442, which, you know, that's I think impressive for the single school. >> Um, and I know that, um, teachers are integrating SAT type questions in their units. Um, so we're really trying to get kids more comfortable. I know that the Apex has a actual tutorial that kids can take free

094of charge, so our kids can get more ready. So we'll be advertising that more in the future and making sure we also do a series of PSATs in ninth grade in the fall and in the spring, 10th grade in the fall and the spring. And so we're we're really watching and analyzing that data too to help us. >> I I have one other question. Um we were not able to see what the new SATs would look like because it was the first time with the new SAT. Can we see it now? We can get sample questions for SAT. Sure. >> We can actually see what it was like last year. >> Yeah. And we can get sample ESPback questions. That's a future CO. I think I would love for you guys to see. >> I

095would like that, too. >> What's kind of expected >> of a fifth grader? Of an eighth grader. >> 11th grader. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, >> Susan. I just had a question for Addie. Did you get your report back? >> Like, you mean the score of the >> score plus the analysis? Yes. See, when when when we were in college, we we got a score. They get we could show you that >> in high school. >> Uh they they get an analysis of their score that says, "No, you're you're good at analytical stuff, but you're, you know, you're not so good at whatever." That's all new. >> It's nice. >> We That would be really helpful for you to look at. >> I would like to see that. >> Yeah, maybe we could. >> Yeah,

096we could do that. Gretchen, >> this is like antique information. My high school gave us a test that gave us that data freshman and sophomore year. Then we took our PSATs junior year. So, we had those weird little numbers and I was told I should be in a boys high school with my scores. >> That's an all girls high school. >> Um, that's very >> Okay, good. >> That's similar to PSAT Gretchen. We do that for the PSAT and the kids get their score back both in the fall and the spring and they're able to see what they have improved on. So we do do that. >> Okay. >> It's called the PSAT. >> Yeah, we this was pre >> We took PSAT. This was a the like a CAT California aptitude test. I don't

097remember. I was 14. >> All right, we're going to move on. >> I I think this is amazing. It's a lot of work and thank you very much for >> and then in mathematics you know you can kind of see the the growth or the um the 502 above the state above the local average >> that's it. >> I know >> that's it for now. I'll be back with more. >> Sue, I just I think you and Mike have always um touted that if you if we put new interventions um or we put different ways to have our kids learn and think, good things would happen. >> It's like the field of dreams field. >> That's how I feel. It is a field of dreams. >> Thank you very much. It's this has been a

098there's >> sort of a this has been sort of awe inspiring. All right. So I am going to move us on. So the next person is the business manager. Ken, how are you? >> Good. How are you? >> I am doing dandy. What good news do you have for us tonight? >> I have uh some good news. Um attachment number two is our updated object code report. And on our budget of 77,438,90. Uh we currently have a projected unexpended of $117213. So, we're we're still on track uh to to uh meet meet budget. Everything is going along as expected. >> It's Wow, that's tight. >> Getting a little better. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's a little better than last month. >> All right, great. Any questions on the object code? >> No. All right, moving on.

099for our health insurance. Uh we got uh July claims uh report in um this is attachment number three and for the month uh we're at 86.8% of budget which is uh that is very good. Uh compares to last July at 98.9%. So uh um you know there is uh you know a a difference of a month. We really have to see August. Uh those are the two months that uh that typically could be higher uh before we get too excited. But uh 86.8% is is good. We're we're in a good place. >> Any questions about the in the the insurance coverage stuff? >> Stuff. All right. All right, that brings us to our budget calendar attachment number four. So, we anticipate uh kicking off our uh uh 20 FY21 budget uh in a couple of

100weeks. Um we anticipate that right before Thanksgiving we'll get back information uh from the uh from the principles and start to prepare some draft documents which we will uh uh review uh internally uh through the beginning part of December. Uh we plan on a review with the uh finance and facilities uh committee uh mid uh mid December. Uh and then uh Dr. will present to you our our draft budget uh on the 6th of January. We have six budget workshops scheduled for January and February along with uh uh the public hearing and the joint uh uh board of ed town council and RTM meeting uh which will bring us to uh Monday, February 24th is when you will hopefully uh adopt our our budget for 20 FY21 and it will go to town council and

101RTM for that. >> Great. >> Wow. A lot of work. A lot of work. Once again, thank you very much. Any questions about the budget schedule? Actually, what's nice for us to have this ahead of time is that you can begin to block out your calendar >> um to make sure that you know those times have been pre cuz I my guess is that they're not etched in stone, but they're pretty much >> etched in stone. >> Well, we have two months essentially the board the whole month of January, the whole month of February, and then need to do all the work. All right. So, the next is the buildings and grounds. >> Hello, Mr. Kilpatrick. How are you? >> Very well. You? >> So, um Dr. Grineer mentioned that uh we have a school-based

102health center coming to uh Mary Morrison School and um it will be there for the two years. Uh and so what we've decided to do um was to convert a room within the building for the nurses station for that. Uh and uh Paul Tedeski is our our plumber finished uh installing the utilities sink and so on and so forth for that. Um and uh we've also had a job site trailer delivered to the site and installed. uh we're going to rent that for two years uh as opposed to spending far more money to move the trailer from the other school over there. Um and we've got that uh set up uh on the back leftand side of the school uh so the kids can go in and out through a door that can be uh

103operated with a uh key fob. And uh so our our guys Dan Strang, Joe Montgomery, and Toby Beerstad have now installed all the electrical, the phone, the PA, uh the smoke detectors, all the fire alarm stuff and everything. So that's ready to go and we're just waiting for um Aaron to get there with with her team to set this up. Is that the clinical piece where the nurses the the the APRN is going to be within the building >> where the the counseling will be out in the uh in that trailer >> in the trailer and the the nursing will be inside. >> Okay. >> So, um moving on to uh Graten 2020. Uh I'm sure that everybody continues to see the progress that's being made on the side of the hill as you come

104up the hill. It's uh >> uh all night long, so you can see it at any time. Uh and uh we're still moving forward with the elementary schools. Um there's still um at the existing uh uh buildings. Uh the environmental studies are continuing which will determine what kinds of things might be in that building so that when they demolish it, they can uh remove those things in advance of that. uh those studies will be continuing on for the next few days and then uh the team will be uh meeting um Rick Norris, the architects and so on will be uh going to the state for pre-bid meetings on uh November 26 for Cutler Middle School and Westside Middle School will be the following day on November 27th. Uh and hopefully we'll get the uh go

105ahead at that time or within a couple of days to uh go out to bid on those projects. So, they're moving right along. >> Wow. It's amazing. Any questions for Mr. Kpatrick? Okay. Hearing hearing none, we're going to move on to the committee reports. Um policy. I see that we're doing some second readings and a couple first readings. >> I think some first also. >> Yes. >> All right. Any other um comments about that? >> No, we are we are meeting on the 30th, which is I think next >> is it next Monday? Next Monday. We will be meeting again. Um, >> thank you very much, Andrea, for curriculum. >> The curriculum committee is in in the process of of uh establishing a date for our next meeting, but we did meet today with the

106curriculum council, this the townwide schoolwide curriculum council, and the the dashboard was reviewed. And in that there were we talked about assessments and pacing guides and upcoming curriculum work. Great. >> And I don't know if you want to add anything Susan. >> Just that those courses that um the high school was working on over the summer and um they need to be officially approved. So they'll go through the committee first and then they'll come here to the board for final approval before they go into the handbook. Thank you. >> Um, finance and facilities. Jane, you were the loan member from the finance and facilities. >> I have not been to a meeting. >> Well, so how was it for you? >> It was it was perfect. >> It was perfect. >> All right, Dr. um

107Dr. Ger, I know that you serve as staff on that. Do you have >> We we talked about the CITs. Um and um I have a a sort of a detailed list. Uh I I will explain uh initially tomorrow and then the the the uh the town center note they were hoping to have it by the 7th of October. I we won't have enough time uh for the board to review it. But my thought is we could give them a draft. The finance committee will meet on the 21st. Then the board can vote on it on the 28th of October. So I but but we're I mean the big the big thing uh is we we need to move the portables the the portable classrooms at there actually still one at Pleasant Valley and two

108at Cutler and one at Westside. Uh those are those are very valuable buildings and we we Sam is in the process of talking to a contractor to see uh h how we could get them moved probably to uh one to Charles Barnum and uh the other to uh the others to uh central office the little field but we have all all of this is sort of pending approval by the town planner and so forth. Uh we talked about the budget timeline and we uh we talked uh we talked about uh a a matter uh having to do with the uh the grant approval uh of RTM and I'll be bringing that to the board at the next CO meeting. >> Okay. Super. >> Thank you. >> Welcome. >> And so I mean would you be

109willing to um just >> Sure. We're we're in the middle of negotiations with the um administrators union, the AGSA, and things are moving along and I think everyone is um you know very um let's see what should I say accepting. >> Yeah, it's very civil, professional, >> civil, very professional and it's just going along well. And so learn learn. Yes, we um the board meeting was last week and during that meeting we went over the Lawrence missions and goals um and our the agency goals as well as core value and theory of action. But what I wanted to bring to the board I know was I'm hoping that we gren public schools could do an annual report something like this. So it but what basically they'll talk a just a little blurb about each one

110of their different schools like you know the marine science and so forth and it goes on and they tie it to their goals >> which is really lovely >> but they they discuss the expect grant and here is a student of a robotic student at Westside Middle School and another one down here for Cutler Arts and um that's great >> our humanity school. So, you know, everything is sort of included, but in the beginning, it'll it shows, you know, what are the different roles that everyone has in our organization. It even has a little blurb about the budget, you know, and where things are coming from and where they spend their money. So, I was going to pass this along because I think this would be so wonderful for if we could do that for

111our schools, too, in the future. I mean because we always, you know, Mark, we have this fabulous pictures always. So we could just have a little blurb about each one of our our schools. >> Is it in the budget for 212? >> Well, we can talk about that. I've got that written down so we can make it if we want to or maybe quite as elaborate, >> but just something that, you know, it sort of ties all our schools together and >> and some just a few pictures. It doesn't have to be quite as much as this one is. But >> anyway, it's just very lovely. >> We do, however, get almost as much press from the day >> for most of those things. We, you know, we >> I was thinking about the work

112Rebecca has done in communications already. Probably has a lot of this information put in one place. >> I'm just not sure we can get the glossy. Well, I don't know about the glossy, but it doesn't need to be as glossy, but you know. So, anyway, that was my my take from from And Kate Ericson is turning out to be uh fabulous. She's the new um director at Learn and um executive director. So, great. >> Things are good. Yay. Thank you. >> She was the one who pushed for the steam >> uh for our Grant Middle School to be a steam. It was hugely important to us. And >> really? >> Yeah. Yeah. And I I have the same opinion of Kate that you have. >> Yeah, she's amazing. She's, you know, she her also her

113enthusiasm is infectious, which is great. >> Yes, it's a good question. >> Um those those booklets, I've seen them several of the private schools in the area. You walk into your dentist office and you get nothing better to look at. So, you're looking at that. It includes all the sports. Yeah. >> Not as glossy. >> Um but maybe something a little less >> glossy. But we within a budget, I think it wouldn't be a bad thing for us to do to, you know, >> tout ourselves, >> put them in every single doctor's office in town. >> Yeah. >> And out of town. >> So, I what I whispered to um if I can just feed off of you, Gretchen, is I just whispered to to Mike that maybe um give it to Rebecca um and

114then maybe she can kind of come up with a price range and so that we as a board can make a decision about that. >> Yeah. >> I mean, we might as well. >> Yeah. uh rosemary >> be nice to have some student input also. >> Yes. >> But once again, let's let's let's find out what the price what the price >> it into the formula. >> That that would be great. That's a good that's a very good idea. So, I'm going to move us on. Um and so the next one is a board of ed um town council and RTM leaison meeting. Um we I did not go to last one. Did you? >> I was. >> Susan did. >> Susan. >> All right. So, >> okay. So, it it happened and our next

115one is going to be next week. >> Um, >> yes, it is. >> Yeah, it is down in this the meeting dates >> October 2nd. >> Oh, all right. Okay. >> All right. And um our uh board of ed, AJSA, NGA leazison meeting I think is going to be next month. >> October 23rd at 4:15. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> All right. And then trails and leazison or and graten scholarship question those are your two >> uh have not been the other one yet. >> All right. So we're gonna I'm going to move us on to the action items. Um this is the consent agenda which is all matters under the consent agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted in by one motion. Um and we will add for points of clarification

116if needed. So I would like to entertain a motion for the approval of the regular meeting minutes of August 26, 2019 and the approval of guests. >> So moved. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Oh, that was second. Okay. Sorry. Um um any discussion? All those in favor, please say I. I >> oppose. Abstain. Motion has carried. Um the board would like to say a thank you um through the donor's choice program to the following schools um which is Kathern Kowski school um through Benm Moon for the purchase of a STEM lab vinyl cutter in the amount of $285 and to um Clchester which is Sherry Fus for the purchase of Sensory Tools inflatable peep pod and a trampoline in the amount of $120. Um so we'd like to say thank you

117to that. Just a small footnote uh donor's choose is a is an internetbased donation program. >> Uh and when I started to see the teachers uh were going out, I I met with the principles and what I asked them to do was to be sure that they go through the principal and through me because the board actually has to approve. you know, you know, the the famous famous example is so when I was in LER, somebody wanted to give us a horse. Well, we don't want a horse uh because they're expensive. Uh so this was our this was my attempt to be sure. We don't want to have teachers going out sort of on their own and without board approval. So that's that's where it is now. And I think you'll see a fair number

118of donations coming in that way. >> Super. All right. I'm going to move us on to old business. Um, Rosemary, would you please read the motion for the first one? >> Uh, the motion is to approve as a second reading of policy P5141.31, physical examinations of students. Can I have a second and um discussion? This is our second meeting. I think it was last month we had this. Did people have other thoughts about this? Is there any other conversation that you need to have? >> No, just that we've been monitoring the situation for students who've come in and certainly the military and homeless students get like an extra 30 days, but principles and counselors, school sites in working with families and school-based health. Um, we've probably had the best year ever getting kids in and

119having their um, immunization and their health record. So, we're really pleased. >> All right, Rita, do you have a um, a percentage of students that for um, different reasons opt out of the immunization? Do you know what the percentage is? >> Well, there's a religious opt out. Um, and then there's if children are medically fragile and they can't get immunization, there's a way through the physician to get that information. I don't have numbers on that, but >> it's less than 3%. >> Less than 3%. >> The problem used to be, but we fixed it with the policy that for the military families, we we we gave them kind of a more of an open window probably while actually we gave it to everybody. >> Uh, and and the nurses were were We're upset with that.

120Right. So now we say except there if there's a legitimate it's not an exemption. It's just when do you get your paperwork in? And when uh October 1st rolled around frequently we didn't have. So our our percentage was like way low last year like 80% were immunized in the kindergarten. Uh when when the actual account was taken it was about 98 99. >> Good. Any other discussion? Um I I had a question. The state is looking at getting rid of the religious exemption, right? >> Yes, they we are. >> Yes. Yes. >> Good. >> But that won't be until the next legislation which will start in January. >> I had thought they had got rid of the religious exemptions at the same question. >> Yes. No, not yet. >> So any further conversation? >> Nope.

121>> Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor of the approval of the second reading of policy P 5141-31 physical examinations students um please say I >> oppose abstain. Motion has carried. Lee, would you be willing to read the motion for number two? >> Thank you. Uh the the motion is to approve as the second reading of policy P4118.5 acceptable computer network use and reg regulations. The regulation is R4118.5 acceptable computer network use form. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> There was seconded by Rosemary. Any discussion? I do have some information. The question was raised last time about um the form that was um readed out on the agreement and the agreement is goes through HR. So anytime we hire someone new, they must sign off on this. Okay. >> Um so I

122just wanted to reassure you that that is being done. Once this policy is put into place, we'll go back to each of our handbooks to make sure that it that what we're saying in our handbook is aligned and parents have to basically sign off on the handbook that has all of our policies. Um, but we do get a sign off there, too. So, I just wanted to clarify that information. Super. Thank you, Sue. Any further conversation? Hearing none. All those in favor to approve as a second reading of policy P4118.5 acceptable computer use and regulation which is R4118.5 acceptable computer network use form. Um all those in favor please say I. >> Oppose abstain. The motion has carried. Rita would you please be willing to read number three. >> Sure. Thank you. to approve as

123a second reading of policy P4118.4 appropriate technology use and regulations R418.4 for appropriate technology use. Can I have a second? >> Jane has seconded. Um can we um is there any conversation about this? There really wasn't very much um change in the actual policy, but there was a committee that reviewed it. I think I had said this before. The first committee that put this together was under Karen Brier and they did a magnificent job. So there was very little that we wanted to change in the policy. There were some changes so in regulations which don't have to come to the board but we always like to show them to you. So any other conversation or discussion hearing? None. All those in favor of the motion to approve as a second reading a policy P4118.4 appropriate

124technology use and regulation R4118.4 appropriate technology use. All those in favor please say I. I. All those abstain. All those who All those not in favor and abstensions. The motion has carried because we all said we all said it's going to go. Oh my goodness. I'm >> sisters tonight. >> It will. Yes. And if I can just slow down, we'll be good. Gretchen, would you be willing to read the motion? You don't. >> I'll do it. >> Oh, okay. You're more than welcome to say no. And like that's not a that's not a hassle, but I would love for you to if you would like to to read number four of the motion >> to approve as a second reading of policy P6141.3271 voice assistance devices. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >>

125You can choose between Lee or Jane because they both said at the same time. >> Any discussion or changes from this? No. This is all green because we did not have this policy and because of the um student um privacy act, we were concerned about having um Google or Alexis hearing us and having kids speak into it. So, this really um restricts that from the school environment, that kind of a device. Any other discussion? All right, I'm going to try this to approve as a second reading of policy P 3271 voice assistant devices. All those in favor, please say I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Motion has carried. See what happens when I can slow down. All right. So, we are now on to number on to new business. Um Jane, would you be willing to read

126the motion under new business number one? Thank you. >> To approve as a first reading in policy P 6146, graduation requirements. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Rosemary has seconded it. And um Lee and Sue, can you lead the discussion on this? >> So Aaron Maguire kind of spearheaded this committee at the high school level to look at what's by law required in the shift in the graduation requirements. she and the team came down and spoke to the whole CO and then they came to policy and answered any questions that we had. So we reviewed it again fully um at our policy meeting. So it's ready for the first reading. >> So the the big thing is if you look at the front page, you'll notice that it says for the class

127of 2020, 2021, and 2022. The the change which is mandated by the state board of education is on the next page. to the current freshman class. Uh while Graten still requires 26 credits, uh one change, for example, is every student must have one credit of world language. So if you look at if you look back to the front page, so as as Susan just said, uh the high school folks in the policy committee have have captured the changes. So this is really important information for our current nth graders. and we were really ahead of the game because we've always required the 26 credits. That's new for some folks, but we've been doing that. So there, you know, there was less of a change. I think that mastery based learning is something that is really new

128and all districts are trying to figure it out because of my eighth graders are doing um a project which is more um on kind of an an action plan for community a community service project. And then by um 10th grade they're doing the personal project. So that would be included. So instead of a lot of schools are doing a project for kids like in 11th and 12th grade, ours will be able to complete it in 10th. >> Any other questions? Andrea, do you have >> I want to read the next one. >> Oh, okay. Can I get Can I get done with this one first? Awesome. >> Right. So any further discussion on this? All right. So we are um the motion to approve as a first reading of policy P 6146 graduation requirements. Please

129say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. The motion has carried. The reason why Andrea stated the way that she stated is because often times she asks me not to ask her to read. And so obviously you feel very strong about this and I would love for you to do that. I hate to read out loud. It's a different skill from reading silently and I'm very bad at it. But I feel so passionate about this. I would like to read this one. Whereas custodial work workers and maintenance department men provide service in multiple settings for the upkeep of the Graten Public Schools. And whereas the support and services provided by custodial workers and the maintenance department are integral to the continued upkeep of our school facilities. And therefore, be it resolved that the board of education

130and the superintendent of schools recognize the many contributions of the custodial workers and the maintenance department and acknowledges October 2nd, 2019 as custodial workers recognition day. Here. Here. >> All those in favor of the motion. >> I would just like to make one little tiny word change. >> Can we just do Can we just Can I get to a a second of the motion and then I'll second it? >> Okay. Rita has seconded. >> No. >> Any discussion? >> I would like to change it from men to men and women. >> Yeah. >> I I thought about that, but >> but I don't know that there are women yet in the maintenance department. >> There are. >> Are there? Well, then we changed that. >> We've had women for a long time >> in the

131maintenance department. Well, he custodian. You're right. >> I don't know. >> You have women in maintenance. >> See, that's why in custodial. Will there ever be a woman in maintenance? >> I believe so. >> Why don't we do workers? Like, >> how about if we say custodial and maintenance workers, >> Gretchen? That was actually a very good pickup. >> Yeah. >> Any other any other comments about that? >> Homo sapiens. >> All right. So, I am not going to reread the motion. Is that all right? Or do I need to? But we are going to insert the workial maintenance workers. >> All right. >> Who are all voting? >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. >> And don't ask me again. >> Next year. >> All right. All right. >>

132So motion has carried. And um if we even just think about what Mr. Kilpatrick's talked about what um the maintenance staff had to do to um because we were awarded another um site for our um health thing and what they had to do to stop and and to do that and um to use all the personnel um our schools and just as we were excited about what our with the teachers coming back from the international studies and looking what we've done with our scores the backbone of what it um sometimes of our unsung heroes um is your department. So, um >> here here here um so we're now at the information and proposal non-action items. Rosemary, did you have any letters um communications or comments? >> Um I have attended the Sound Community Service Board

133meeting. >> Awesome. >> And um I do have um an announcement that um I don't know if anybody saw it, but um Sun Community Services has been named a best place to work in Connecticut. Oh, nice. >> Yep. >> Awesome. Anything else? >> No, that's it. >> Thank you, Lee. >> Um, I went to I think all of the convocation um including the key person that's both. It was wonderful. Every one of them is always wonderful. I also went to Connecticut College and went and listened to about a thousand people listening to the author who did Hey Kiddo. >> And I also went the next morning to hear him do the same thing again. Um I'm not sure everybody knows, but that author spent the entire day at Fitch. >> Unfortunately, we didn't know. >>

134We did not know. No, we did not know. >> I did mention it to our new principal, Ted Keller, and he said he'll make sure that you know. >> Yeah, unfortunately, President Company included did not know. >> Yeah, that was really too bad. >> I I I mean, I just I was amazed at how many books that he's not only written, but illustrated. It was like that high. >> He was wonderful. >> Awesome. >> Yes. Thank you, >> Wita. Um well I think it's important that all board members um we provided input for the high school NEAS they're off for accreditation and um you know maybe someone from the high school like Amy could come and explain what all this means. It's a tremendous year-long effort in order to receive accreditation. I think it's every

13510 years. Is that correct? >> Yes. Um, I also had a question about in our tobacco and everything policy. Do we have information about vaping? >> We do. >> Oh, yes. So, we just actually restructured those policies within the last year and vaping was we we didn't have as much information on how serious it is, but we added vaping to every single >> That's that's wonderful because I know some teachers in NFA and they were saying how the kids are just really bending over their backpacks, you know, vaping in the classrooms and I'm I'm just hoping the high school, I'm sure it's difficult, but is dealing with this. So >> RSRO is very much a part of this. Gas coalition has been part of it. But but you're right and it's a tiny thumb drive

136device. So >> it's so tiny, >> really difficult, difficult to enforce. >> We did have a mental health summit in the spring, but I think it was when there were so many activities going on and my hope was to get kids more involved in that community conversation on prevention. So, um I don't think it would hurt to try to sponsor something like that again >> for the community. >> And that one was wonderful, by the way. >> I had no idea group >> what those things were. I had no idea. >> Isn't that incredible? >> It might be just food for thought. Might be interesting. Renaissance project, >> right? >> To you know, we have we have young people dying. >> Yeah. apparently several >> uh and and vaping is being marketed to young people,

137which is makes us crazy. >> Or it might even be several of your after school committees. Do you still have um students against drunk drivers and those kind of >> I'm not sure about that, but we do have a couple of different clubs that are about um the wellness of the school that I think would be really interested. So, uh Zay and I can bring that up to different clubs. Yeah. >> And count me in. I I'd be happy to help with that. >> That would be great. >> Um, >> and I just think maybe um Andrew will talk about the Martin Luther King dinner. >> I will. Good. >> Then that's it. >> Um, can I before we leave vaping? Um, Carolyn Wilson is another resource that we can probably >> the gas the

138gas coordinator. She she's got a ton and officer Buset has got all kinds of information. I think she was at that. >> She was she was there. >> Anyone remember like when we were teenagers the no smoking campaigns and they had one day in a year where no smoking and everybody had the anti-smoking buttons. >> Is there any way we could like resurrect that program in their school >> system? Let's see what they come up with to the kids. >> What was it that you said? >> They used to have a campaign like a smoke out. Yeah. Great. You're right. And you could see >> they used to be about buttons and you'd see everything from first graders through high school. We all had our no smoking cuttons on our uniforms which usually stayed on

139our uniforms but the kids from other schools were wearing them too. It was just one day a year where we really gave our parents back. >> Um I do want to put out really quickly. I just had the idea I think discussions work really well for students. So if there's any way we can I mean I'll talk to these people. >> We've got some good resources. I think I think the board would also like to partner with you on that and once again we've had the mental health summit but maybe keep on looking at >> possibly to younger students. I think if we start talking from a younger age about it they won't like my kids were caught by surprise like I was caught by surprise because it had been such a non-issue for so

140long that when this all came back up about 5 10 years ago they've both been caught short because we thought it had been dealt with and we really haven't redt. So like start with younger kids. My bad. >> No, that's fine. I was interrupting you, so I apologize, Chris. Um I I mean, we've been looking at ways to have like a a town hall meeting, but that might be just sort of one of the ways that we can kind of do that. So I I think that there's a lot of ways that we could try to partner with the high school and the middle schools. Um because I think that to Gretchen's point, I think that this the younger we can get to the parents um the the sooner we can get to parents of

141younger children is what I meant to say. Um, I think they're better better off. >> I do. >> Don't laugh. Don't Don't laugh at me. >> Gretchen, um, do you have any correspondence or communications? >> No. >> All right, Jane, do you have any? >> I do. I was eager to meet Cornelius, um, Miner last week. I heard of him and and I was so glad to have that opportunity. He's a young man who already has a book printed. We got this equity, access, and the quest to be who we're our students need us to be. It's an excellent, excellent book. Um, but he is outstanding. He came bopping into the auditorium at the high school. A young man caught everyone's attention. They had many had met him already, right Susan? Earlier. Um, and he's

142extremely uplifting, extremely positive. He his uh thesis is if we don't believe in kids, nothing works. And he he knows that kids learn differently. he himself um came as a young child from Liberia. Um lives in Brooklyn. So we also got the inside scoop on what Brooklyn is really like. And and many of us did not know the details. And for example, if you if you want a haircut, you go to um the third block down. If you want the grocery store, well, it's a six block down. He said his children never rode in a car until they were at least seven. And then they said, "Why are we going so slow, Dad? We go better and faster on foot than amazing man. The auditorium was full of teachers in Paris. There wasn't a sound

143to be heard until he was done with his presentation and the applause was thunderous. It was just a great day for for um for this town in this school system. Um he he claimed he explained really that um certain things impact our teaching. Um, first of all is past experiences with kids. So he said, "So if I go in a classroom and the kid tells tells me in period one that I'm an ass, well, it can it will set me off. So how am I going to teach that child in another class in period 4?" Um, and the other is um your learning history impacts how you teach. Um, and so if you were a pedigogy prisoner, then you're you're lock step and that's not a particularly good thing these days. Um, and powerful teachers,

144he said, understand um that our beliefs do um sometimes falter and it makes us stronger. Um, nothing bad about that at all. And he said, so what do we do? We gather ourselves um and recover. So, it was that kind of really uplifting, thought-provoking um presentation. His key message, however, is listen to kids. They learn differently. He told the story of being told that he was going to teach reading in a younger grade. Um and they were not to talk during a writing activity. No talking whatsoever. He said, "But what they didn't realize was that these children don't speak English as a first language." And so he said, "We talk the stories before we write them." And he really got in trouble for that. That was just unacceptable. Why are you being insubordinate? Blah blah

145blah blah. He said, "But you know what? I didn't have the courage to speak up." And we need that courage. So don't hesitate. Kids learn differently. And sometimes administrators or whoever is critiquing needs to know why teachers are doing things differently. It was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Well, I said to Susan tonight, is he coming back? I hope he does. Um, he's an international speaker now. He's not teaching at the moment. Um, but doing a lot of work around the world and I see why. He's young and vital and extremely important. >> Sounds like you were really inspired by him. I was very insp but I've been to um professional development activities over the years and sometimes you walk in and you say oh god >> and that's an accurate you know maybe accurate this was

146far from that total opposite >> yay >> I I just wanted to say Jame was reading from a series of notes I have a similar notebook because he gave another presentation to eighth and ninth graders and my notebook was filled with different information. But fundamentally about how reading as he as he spoke to these 700 kids, reading is a tool that we can use, we can share to help students solve the problems that they're facing in their lives and be able to understand people who are like you and not like you. And then as I Susan went to all the presentations and I said surely he did the same thing with the sixth and seventh graders that he did with the eighth. >> It's all about skateboarding. it. He we we we had a man

147give four different presentations and some of us had lunch with him and and that was astounding. He he told this chilling story of working in in in Faro as a reading consultant and he got a phone call that one of the students he was working with had been killed, Trayvon Martin. >> And they they >> they called him and uh they said, "Do you have his notebook?" uh his writing notebook because he brought some of the notebooks back uh to Teachers College Columbia to to to work on them and and sure enough he went in his office and there was Trayvon. So they brought him in as a grief counselor. >> U you know just little snippets got a phone call from Mel Street a few years ago uh to to make a movie. You

148know it's like holy mackerel this guy. I mean he's just fascinating and inspiring and insightful and he's coming back. >> Yeah. And every time we go to Columbia University and there's two of my colleagues who are with me on every trip and we go to see Cornelius like he said he got a tear in his eye coming to Graten because he felt like he was coming home. These are his people. He said he just loves Graten. >> So I'm going to I'm going to just go for on a happy note because we have a tape that needs to be changed. >> There's an epilogue to this. The New York Times printed it and it won't be won't be taped. >> Just your your what you're gonna say is not going to be taped if that

149goes anyway. >> So, there's an epilogue. New York Times um I gave it to Susan has a an insert that they printed this last weekend and it's about Brooklyn and the burrows in New York. And there was Brooklyn with showing the actually the spirit, the activities, the Oh my gosh, it's if you have it, be sure to look at it. Makes you want to go, right? >> It makes you want to go, but it shows that great sense of community in those burrows. >> There like 160 block parties in Brooklyn this summer. >> Wow. >> In in 1890, Brooklyn was the second largest city in the world. >> That's what I was just going to say. Brooklyn is this. >> It was not part of New York in the world. >> All right. So, I

150am going to move us back from our history of Brooklyn um New York if I can. Once again, Jane, I I so appreciate how inspired you were by by him. I think that that is absolutely um very exciting. Andrea, >> another exciting event. >> Well, I too went to both of those presentations and they were wonderful. And the thing that Jared Kazosca did was was to draw attention to the ladies in the lunchroom, the cafeteria workers. And I'd like to I I can't remember he exactly what he called his heroine, but that there was a one woman who really affected his life in the cafeteria. And I would like to propose that the board we recognize the custodians as we did this evening, the secretaries. We never recognize the women in the cafeteria. So I'd

151like to propose that we that we do that coming in the year. >> That'd be great. >> That's good. And then I did see a Cornelius Minor and what a wonderful presentation that was. And here's the thing that that really I talked to Susan about this this evening. He came up to me out of nowhere and he said he wanted to thank me for all the things that I do. And I'm thinking, okay, that's very nice of the board of ed and all that. And then he said, for all the work that you do with Martin Luther King. >> Oh. >> And I told him story. >> Here's the thing about that man. Susan was the one that told him, but he is that man remembered it. He processed and yes and he he um

152he he he was caring enough to come and say that to me, which leads me to the to the joy of the evening, which is to say that the Martin Luther King dinner is going to be at the Marriott on October the 17th, which is the third Thursday in October. And among our scholars is Melissa Manuso from Fitch Senior. So come come one and come all. I have invitations if you don't have one and I'm I'm telling the public if you'd like to go to get a hold of me and I'll take care of that. Well, I don't have anything as exciting as the last two presenters, but I do have um I I I have been able to get back into the community doing some doortodoor. And I just wanted to let you know

153the senior prom has come um the the um >> postprom party um has come up in some of the discussions and it seemed to be pretty positive and I met a couple people. So, um I'm just wanted to to let people know um and that um I received a correspondence from an RTM member um once again about um the ruling about the board's handling of grants and there is a response that has been written but has not been sent because it's going to go to a committee of the whole um so that we can have a conversation about that as a whole. So, I just wanted to let you know that I have responded but it has not gone to that person because um it needs to be a board decision. Um, and that also

154can't read my writing. I don't know what that means. Um, uh, that also that um, Dr. Grineer and I received a letter from an RTM member um, concerned about class sizes. Um, there seems to be lots of information that's not correct um, about what the class sizes at Gren Middle School is going to be. Um, I heard 30 um, but um, as a a point of interest, but that that Dr. Dr. Grineer has responded to that person, but I wanted to let you know that that has gone to us. Um, please pay attention. This is a very busy It's always busy for us. Um, but October lots of things have been happening along with Martin Luther King. I don't I don't think that that is on there. >> It's and it probably should go on

155there about the MLK um dinner for October. >> Put on that calendar thing, >> but put it on our calendar thing. That would be great. Um and that just also remember that we are continuing on with our retreat which will be in October. Um our second or our third actually probably our third section of the retreat. Um and um I think the rest are okay. Um actually what's not on here is the Oh no, that's on there. Um Rita when you're done. >> Yep. >> Something to say. Are you done? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um I just wanted maybe Dr. Grineer to or Susan to talk about um the books that were provided from Waterford from is it Books a Million? >> So could you talk about that? So Rebecca and I were approached um

156at the beginning of the summer from Books a Million and each year they select a town or community that they would like to donate books and for the whole month of August when you go in cuz I did this one time to donate to ourselves and they say would you like to purchase a book for someone at Graten Public Schools and I guess Lauren Ball who is sitting in the audience her mother actually was approached and she picked a middle school book and Lauren was in there helping me sort through middle school and high school books. We set it up. It almost looks like a bookstore, but over close to or over $5,000 worth of books, close to 500 books, and we're sorting them out. So, all nine schools will have a beautiful box of

157books for their library and for our our wonderful readers. So, it was just really quite a gift. >> Yes. >> And she said she had called other towns, but nobody had called her back. So, I was really glad I answered. And it's close close to $5,000 worth. >> Yes. >> More 5,400. >> Wonderful books. Beautiful books. >> Thank you very much. That is so exciting. And Rita, >> I have one more thing. I read an article in the the day yesterday um on Sunday about this beautiful garden that was built at um Avery Point. And some of our Fitch students were part of this building of this wonderful garden. I believe it's tactile. It seemed to be it's not just a normal garden, but I I think it was our engineering students that helped. So,

158I I sort of wanted a little more information about that. It did mention Fitch as being one of the community partners and I was just very pleased to see >> I think that's through John Settlage who does our STEM grant. He's at Avery Point and it is supposed to be a STEM garden. So, I was meaning to say something to Laura, Iris, and Rachel to go over there and check that out. So, I will follow up on find out. >> That would be great. And maybe you could just throw that in the board notes just so that we can have more information because when good things are happening, we should all know about that. Correct. >> Any other uh future agenda items? >> Hearing none. >> Motion to. >> Can I have a second? >>

159From Rosemary. All those in favor, please say I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Motion has carried. We are done.