11-25-19 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001All right. I would like to welcome everyone to the regular board of education meeting. Um, and today is Monday, November 25th. Um, and I would like us to stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> Beth, would you be willing to lead us? I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Well, we have a couple of neat things that we are going to recognize. Um and the first one will be um uh for one of our departing board members um Katrina Fitzgerald. And um it is uh not usually a loss for words, my friend. Um but uh thank you so much um for your um incredible work that you have done on

002the board um and for the district. And I know that um I don't want to speak for everyone because I just want to speak for myself. Um but just to say that your leadership and your um dedication to the the district and the children is just amazing. Um and um so I believe that we should have things that are beautiful um to match you and so um these flowers are for you. And so I would like to make sure you do that and um I would like to give that for you since you worked so hard on doing that. Um, so I'm just going to walk over >> behind everyone. >> And um this this um actually was thought of um by one of your board members, Rita, um in her observation of how you

003do um what you do when you go to meetings and stuff like that. So we ask that you use that and think about us. >> Thank you. >> And now other exciting things that um that we have is that I believe in the back we have the Fitch marching um band. And so I don't know if Mr. Lefave if you wanted to kind of talk about the season and maybe bring up your Yay. Look at you guys. Amazing. >> They're also tall. >> Oh, I can drone. >> Yay. Yay. >> Thank you. So, if you could just talk a little bit about your season and where you got. >> Sure. Um so we began our competitive season at the end of September um going to locally hosted competitions and then we moved on to New

004England state championships which we won and then finally we had nationals uh in the middle of November uh which we took fourth place in and we got the cadet award. That is amazing. Fourth place in nationals. >> Wow. Wow. So my exciting thing is that I was up at Fitch High School when you guys were marching and so there was a lots of people who were facetiming. So I actually got to see you guys live when you were at the Met Stadium and it was it was hard to hear but I was like I know them. Yay. So it was just really and I just was so appreciative of someone be being willing to kind of share that with me and share that experience. Nice job guys. I don't know if anyone else in the

005>> I'm wondering how many schools participated, how many bands were in New Jersey? >> Um, you want to answer? You want me to answer? >> Well, for our own class three open, there were eight bands, but overall um >> 60 >> 65 65. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Representing a lot of uh parts of the country. >> Pretty much goes all the way down the eastern seabboard. So once you get to like the Midwest, they kind of have their own own branch off Texas, but you get up all the way down, you know, into Virginia and stuff like that. all the way down. It's all the way along the coast. >> I got to see you twice. Once with the marching with the bands and then I got to see you at a football game.

006So, I got a chance to see how different it looked at night. They were both amazing. But I think that whoever's idea it was to do Edison was brilliant. I really do. >> It was brilliant. It really was in many ways. >> Yeah. That's >> Oh, I never thought about that. >> And actually, there's a new autobiography biography that just came out on Edison. And I was actually thinking about you guys. Yeah. >> So, >> yeah. >> Well, and the the other thing is this season, at least here locally, was disrupted because of your practice times. I was wondering maybe if the students could talk about that because that must have been a pain in the neck. >> Yeah. >> Because of the triple E virus threat, >> right? Yeah. So that definitely um put

007us back. So people who were in sports like me, I play volleyball. So I missed um my a lot of my volleyball practicing time because band got moved from nighttime earlier which was difficult. Um so yeah that was definitely we had to adapt to that and I also um we well we had trouble with weather throughout the whole season too. So there were a lot of setbacks but we made the best of it. >> Other students want to speak. Hello You guys have any other questions that they >> I think like another major thing with the uh triple E virus was um the transitions of practices going like straight after school because usually you know we would get prepared we would go home you know get our music out practice but then you know with

008the triple E virus it forced us to uh go you know straight into marching like after school even with your sectional so you would have to be more prepared and warmed up even after like maybe a slow day at school or fast day, you know, everybody is depending on each other. >> Yeah. >> So, >> I would be interested in So, you got on a bus, you drove to Jersey. Uh, was there was there interaction with other students? Did they have some activities there or was it purely the competition? >> Um, that's a good question. I think for some some kids it was definitely the mentality of performance mode. Um, we were definitely like on the bus going to Met Life. Um during nationals like our mentality was to basically um project and you know

009perform the show about Thomas Edison and then afterwards was kind of just like watching all the other kids and all the other schools. >> Yeah. >> Great. >> Do do you spend the evening or do you come right back on the bus? >> We um for for nationals we uh spent the evening there. Um, we got to watch some a couple other amazing schools. It was really cool. I mean, to see like what other, you know, high schools again, like to see like how dedicated other high schools are to like marching band. It's really great. >> It's wonderful. >> And not too shabby to have a police escort when you uh won. >> Very cool. >> It was >> that was kind of cool. >> What What was your favorite competition all year? I believe

010in my opinion as a senior um the Metife stadium at nationals was I remember going in you know freshman sophomore junior year and after me life I was kind of like ah I don't know it wasn't >> you went all four years >> I did go allow >> so the band has been four straight years to the nationals >> holy mackerel >> yeah and I even told uh Mr. afade like this last performance I was like the first time I felt really satisfied with like what we just performed and what we just projected and a lot of other kids felt the same way. It was that in my opinion was probably the the best. >> That's fair. >> How how many students will continue in next year band or >> That's a that's a good

011question. >> Um you mean how many like stick with it year after year? >> Well, no. after they're a senior, when they graduate, do they do this in college or whatever they're planning on doing next in their life? >> Let's see. Who are the sen two seniors? I think it depends. I'm going to say first where they go, but I can tell you we have some in the Yukon marching. We have kids um in other school, you know, that we'll actually see at some locations, but I don't know if you guys want to speak on that or what your plans are. I don't know if you guys know what your plans are. >> Yeah. Um I'm still figuring everything out, but I definitely want to continue music uh in college. I'm not going to major

012in it, but I definitely like to join if my school has a marching band or a jazz band. Definitely keep music going through my life. >> That's great. >> What are your plans? The same. >> Yeah. >> These guys are back next year for more. These guys are back next year. >> Oh, so you we have juniors. >> So, how many graduating uh seniors do we have? >> 18. >> Wow. Big hit. >> It's a big group. Yeah. >> Yeah. So more to >> young group next year, but that's okay. >> That's all right. That's all right. >> So how many kids do we have on the team on the roster? >> Total on the group this year was 60. >> 60. That's OG. >> Yeah. >> If it this the sophomore class is larger.

013The sophomore class is in the 20s. >> So it's a couple big it goes like it's really interesting. Sometimes you get this huge influx of kids and then another year it's a little bit smaller. So it kind of goes up and down, but it ends up balancing out a little bit in the end. So >> excellent. Well, once again, thank you um for as always making us grat and proud. I mean, you guys just rocked. It was fun to watch you. I I like Lee got to see you three times. Um and it was just you guys are wonderful. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Nice way to start the week. Yes, it is. >> All right. Um so the next portion of our agenda is um comments from citizens uh and that we will

014take these with that lie within the jurisdiction of the board of education. Um each presentation should be limited to 5 minutes or less and citizens should if possible submit written comments. Presentation should be related to matters pertinent to graten and board members will only ask questions in order to clarify the speaker's presentation and cannot respond during the during the comments from citizen portion of the board meeting. Citizens should make their presentation from the podium and state their names and addresses for the record. Miss Joan, do we have anyone that signed up? >> All right. Do we have anyone that is interested? >> Jesus. >> Excuse me. Point of order. uh Porsche Bordalon 159 Shenikas at Parkway. For full disclosure, RMA a town counselor in the town of Graten. Um I also have two parent two

015children, two parents, two children in the schools. I'm speaking not on behalf as a town counselor today. I'm speaking on behalf as a citizen and the concerns or things that I would like to bring up. First, I'd like to start off by thanking Katrina for her service and uh thank you so much for the time that you spent on the board of ed and giving back to the town and I will miss your uh diligent work on the budget. So, thank you again. Um and also thanks to the Fitch marching band. What you know, it's excellent to see how well um our band is doing in this town. So, it's a wonderful thing to see. Um, one of the things that was brought up at the RTM meeting, um, at the last RTM meeting and

016has been brought up before, um, the air quality report. I know at some of your board of ed meetings, you guys have stated that the report was out and that you were making efforts to address some of those issues internally first, um, by changing thermostats and things like that. Um, but it has not yet been published. So, we'd like to see that air quality report for full disclosure to be able to see what's really going on there and what still needs to be done. Another thing that I would like to um consider, again, I know at some points we talked about the fees of the costs for attending um school events. Um I know at right now I think it's $5 for adults and $3 I believe for students or two depending on the event.

017Um, I'd like the board of ed to consider again readressing that and looking uh possibly making referral if you choose to. Um, once again, not pressuring, just making a recommendation. Um, to consider looking at the fees for students. I feel to fully have proper attendance at these school events, charging students to attend their own school building, to watch their friends or peers play in a sport in which they actually attend. does not give the student the proper ability to have the full school spirit, especially if they have to pay the cost and they might not be able to afford it afford it. I know looking at Westside, they are a title one school. Looking at Claude Chester, another title one school, Kathern Colonowski, another title one school, that's three in the district that I know

018of. Fitch feeds in uh all those other schools feed into Fitch, which I'm sure there's a high level of title one students there that aren't receiving the free um lunch for the district, but the need is there and that expense is more than their reduced price for their school lunch. In one week, my own child has attended from a wrestling match to a basketball game to the girls event. I mean, easily spending $10 to $15 to $20. As I can afford to do that, others may not be able to. As I attend some of these school events, sometimes they're not heavily attended. And I think there would be more school spirit if students didn't have to pay. So I think that that should just be re looked at and and configured in a way. Maybe

019there's possibility of a grant to help fund that portion to allow students to be able to attend and not feel the pressure of the cost. Um I'm also looking at some of the repairs. Again, I did send an email. I did not put all board of ed members on the email that I had sent. I did include the superintendent and uh uh assistant superintendent. Um I have concerns at Fitch High School. I was there again for an event and I sent you actually a picture um and once again I was going to address the current principal but for full disclosure he's new and this issue was looking like this prior to his um coming on to staff. Um actually it's been looking like this for about a year. Uh cardboard with duct tape in the

020women's room um by the uh gym on the old section of the building. That's a heavily used bathroom for events. I've been going in there from wrestling meets to basketball games throughout the year to going in for voting. I do not think an effective way to to repair something is with cardboard and duct tape and that's not the message that I want to get out to our district that we can't do that um and repair that appropriately. And I I'm concerned from a health standpoint because that's a poorest surface and working in the medical field that should not never be used in a restroom. Westside Middle School, someone approached me um didn't want to be on the record. So that's what my job is is to advocate for them. um had stated that they were

021concerned about the westside uh soccer field not being properly uh serviced when it needed to be and they also had addressed the principal. I also had asked about this um and they were concerned that that the principles were out there in their suits dumping things on trying to get the field ready for soccer events. It's just overlooked and underserviced. Um once again moving forward as we build all these wonderful great buildings. It's it's exciting. It's it's awesome and it's a wonderful thing to have in our district. But we do have some sections of the building that need care and concern. I know we're on a tight budget, but I just uh appreciate making sure that we're using proper materials and not expecting principles to, you know, uh keep up with the maintenance of the fields.

022Once again, I addressed the principal. He said, uh, you know, he didn't really comment too much on it. Probably it's kind of hard to comment probably if you're an employee, but anyway, I did. >> You have less than a minute. >> So, thank you again and I hope that you can take some of these things in concern. If you did not receive the email with the picture, it was sent. I hope that you guys can see that. With all due respect, I understand that the board of ed um does not get a chance to be in all the buildings all the time, and I'm not sure what information you're given, but maybe it's time that we look maybe it's time that we look at having a building uh committee where people are actually touring them

023on a regular basis and looking at things of concern, checking the restrooms, checking the fields, checking peeling paint, and what have you in the buildings. That would be a great way to actively know what's going on. Thank you. Is there anyone else that would So response for me is can we actually have um someone look into the bathroom of that small gym >> um and have that and I will make sure that um I was plac um Porsha I just found the email um today and so um or this afternoon I'm not quite sure when you sent it um and I will make sure that the rest of the board members will get a I will CC you guys um for that um so that you can have that. But if that could be looked

024into and then if that could be reported back to the board that would be great. Um the concern about the air quality report um is it on the website? Has it been done? Where are we? >> It's not on the website but it is included in the CIP. The entire report is >> okay >> in our CIP. But we we could we could report. >> Okay. So um so the the the town council will be getting that and the RTM eventually. >> That's right. >> Okay. So that will be given to you because it's in it's in our CIP thing. >> Sure. >> That's what I thought. >> I get that. Um I do know that we had a referral last year about the school events for the fee for um for $5. Um is

025and so um I guess we can um if people have a wish to have a conversation again about that. >> Okay. So Rita you are saying yes. Yes. >> Okay. So we'll have a referral back. >> I thought Mr. Romano was supposed to be coming to one of our meetings and talking about this and telling us where what are the fees that are collected, where they go, what are they used for. >> Um that that happened in a board I don't know if I don't think >> he didn't come though. >> No, but I think it was in a um I think it was in board notes and and it was talked about in terms of where the board feeds are. But if you guys are wanting a referral again um I will I will

026put it back on. I mean I really feel that the students shouldn't be paying to attend high school events. That that's just my feeling. >> Okay. So we need to have another conversation about that. Um and what that means in terms of what then does not um get get serviced or get paid for by the bison fees. >> All right. Um and the soccer field once again can can we have a update on on that? That would be great. >> Thank you. All right. Hearing No one else. Um, the student representative report. Say, it looks like you stand alone. >> Yes. Hello. >> Okay. Um, I actually have quite a bit today. Do you mind if I Well, recently our principal has asked me and Addie, my name is Z Xavon Keto, if I have

027to say that. Um, he has asked us if we would like to introduce all of the schools in our district at our board meetings. Would you guys mind if I did that? Updates about all the schools in our district. >> You know what? >> Yeah. >> Let's let's go for it. Let's see. Let's see how that happens. >> Okay. So, updates from Fitch. Updates from our last meeting is that we have been preparing for the eighth grade visit that is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 26th. Um, for class council updates, as of all grades don't really have an update as of today because there's only two days this week of school and everybody is getting swamped with work before the holidays. Uh, more than words will be hosting a lesson on discrimination and colorism at the professional

028development on December 3rd. The purpose of the meeting is to educate the teachers about what resources are available, how to identify and address situations involving colorism, excuse me, understanding how certain derogatory terms make some students feel, and to determine what the teachers need from us. Renaissance went on a student leadership field trip on November 13th to the Morgan High School as part of the Connecticut Coastal Collaborative, which focuses on connecting Renaissance schools in the area as students can learn from each other and bring back ideas to our community. They are participating in the activities fair for the eighth graders and are having them write thank you cards to bring back to their schools and families. Start with Hello Week was moved to December and the agenda for the activities will be sent out shortly. now

029other schools in our district. Kathern Kowski held its 11th annual fund run for K through 5th students in Grten. They had about 100 runners representing five elementary schools and several Navy volunteers came to support our students. They had beautiful weather and a great event. It also held its annual Veterans Day breakfast and assembly on November 9th. Kathern Kowski staff provided breakfast to 80 veterans and family members. Breakfast was followed by an assembly honoring our veterans and our students with family members who are currently serving. Northeast Academy as a part of their journey to success program. Their focus this month is cooperation and loyalty. They continue to strive for helping students build personal qualities and characteristics needed to be successful in today's world. This week at Northeast Academy was multicultural week. On Wednesday night, PTO held

030their annual multicultural potluck dinner. There was over 150 people in attendance on Friday. They hosted ODO New New England, a pre premier Tokco group. I believe that's how you pronounce that. >> The drums. >> Yes. Who performed a drumming demonstration weaving the cultures of Japan and the United States into their work. Claw Chester held a Veterans Day celebration. The band and chorus led the school in patriotic songs. Grade F grade five peer leaders provided information about why they honor veterans. The assembly was a good way to jump start a whole school wellness day. Students rotated to different stations such as karate, dental hygienist, officer Mlelen with therapy dog McDonald, smoothies for food camp, and they ended the day making thank you cards for veterans. Claude will provide breakfast bags to students who signed up over

031the Thanksgiving break. This is the third year that Claude has been able to support families. They started a partnership with Grao Tech's National Honor Society. Grao students went over and played math games and read with small groups of students. They will plan additional time to go back to Claudechester throughout this year. SB Butler had an author, Joseph Brook, I believe that's how you say his name, and his son Jesse visited earlier this month. He has written over 150 children's books and is a member of the Native American community. He shared stories and musics from the Abanicki tribe. The students really enjoyed the music and stories that he shared. Students at Butler are also looking to grow their superpowers. This is a building initiative showcasing the superpowers of fun, love, compassion, gratitude, authenticity, creativity, humor, courage,

032simplicity, and openness. at Barnham. Well, Barnum held a Veterans Day assembly that was attended by more than 50 uni uniform military personnel who are family members of Charles Barnum students and Commander Master Chief Raj Shotti spoke to the student body. They had student speakers and both the fourth and fifth grade bands performed. Enrichment opportunities are being held at Barnum this fall. Students can participate in morning lacrosse, hiking club, and garden club. Staff members have participated in an optional book club and have yoga sessions with HR's Christina Adams. Mary Morrison. It was a big month at Mary Morrison as we celebrated both Mary Morrison's birthday and 100 years of votes for women. Our namesake Mary Morrison was an active supporter of education and women's suffrage and has been nominated by the Mary Morrison staff to the

033Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame. They planned an assembly for grade grades three through five as well as a student parade that ended with cupcakes for all and a gathering in the gym. As part of their learning, voting booths were set up on at election day to help their students experience the importance of everyone having the right to vote. Mary Morrison celebrated Veterans Day at a special lunchon for about 100 veterans from our families followed by an assembly where chorus performed patriotic songs along with a presentation by the Silver Dolphins precision rifle drill team. Last school Westside on Friday, November 8th, Westside held its annual Veterans Day ceremony welcoming over 50 and 50 veterans and active duty members. One half one half of grade eight visited the Peekquat Museum on November 6th and the remaining half

034will visit on November 22nd. The Young Manufacturers Academy located in Hartford has been visiting or our grade 8 students for the last month. Students participate in hands-on activities related to engineering and manufacturing with a cul culminating visit from the Goodwin Mobile Manufacturing Lab. Students will be attending an evening field trip to the Connecticut Science Center on November 14th. The school is busy planning for National Computer Science Week, which begins December 9th through 13th. There there will be a family coding event during the evening on December 2nd, I mean 12th, excuse me, and all students will participate in the Hour of Code Challenge on Friday, December 13th. The sub underwater robotics club has begun to meet after school. Students will build submersible robots and compete in local and compete in local events. They received a grant

035from the GEF to fund a first Lego League team. They will be competing in local events in the near future. And students also have the opportunity to explore robotics and coding in our non-competitive robotics and coding club. >> Wow. Wow. >> That's a mouthful. >> Very busy. >> So, so board, do you like hearing about all the different schools? >> Sure. Yeah, I think that's great. Um I and it was wonderful. Thank you so much for um taking sort of lead on that. Um >> that was nice. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Any questions? >> All right, we're going to move on. Yoohoo. >> We may need a copy of it. >> All right, so we're now on to superintendent and administration reports. That would be you. >> Well, I want

036to introduce Rick Norris and Jack Butkus. um because they are going to orient us uh to the approval process for the design plans for the two new elementary schools. We we will be re uh Jack, Rick, and I and a few others. CM will be going to the Department of Administrative Services on the 9th of December. So, we've got some work to do uh in terms of the plans, but I'll let uh Jack uh orient us a little bit. >> Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Good evening. As Dr. Ger mentioned, we'll be returning to you shortly for the approval of the construction documents for Cutler and Westside. We're aiming at your December 9th agenda. for that final final approval. The building committee will have had the opportunity to give their sign off the proceeding Thursday

037on the 5th. Uh so right now the documents have been in review by our outside code reviewer. Uh there is a structural review going on because they're considered threshold buildings under the building code. They have to have somebody other than the structural engineer of record double check their their work. Uh so those reports are coming in and any necessary adjustments are being made to the documents presently. Uh that's why we didn't have them to to add to tonight's agenda. But rather than ask for a special meeting between now and the 9th, we got permission from the state uh to come in a day late on the first one because we're meeting backtoback on the 9th and the 10th, one school per day. Uh so we'll come in with those documents for your approval on that

038Monday night. And then on Tuesday when we do the second of the schools, we'll turn both sets of approvals in. At that time, the the state reviewer will uh look over all the the documentation, not only the construction documents, but various letters and certifications that we have to provide. And after a short review period, we hope short review period, uh we'll provide us with a letter of authorization to go out to bid. Our intent is to package the uh the schools to be on the street at the same time and bid both of them. There is a potential that we could end up with um call it package pricing. If a contractor provides bids on both schools, there is an opportunity to perhaps charge us less if they get awarded both schools than if they

039just got awarded one. That's something we're investigating with the construction managers to see if there might be some price advantage in in that circumstance. Uh but overall the design has been proceeding along the lines of what was presented to you previously. There have been no adjustments to the documents that have changed anything that impacts program. We are doing some cost control adjustments, you know, value management adjustments on some materials and the approach to uh to how the building will run. that is not again not going to change the layout that you've seen in the past or affect the educational program. Uh it's a matter of you know change changing some materials to get best value and and things like that and SAM has been consulted as these decisions have been put forward for consideration. So,

040we got some input from the building committee last week on the the things that were and were not acceptable as adjustments in order to to manage the cost. At this point, with those cost control measures implemented, we believe that we are comfortably within our budget uh comfortable enough to hit the street for the numbers that really matter, which come from the biders themselves. Uh right now the uh um the likely bid period will be immediately after the new year uh because we know that realistically even if we do get the approval that same week of our plan reviews um not much is going to happen over the the Christmas to new year period. So we'll hit the hit the ground running right after the new year. Uh we anticipate that we will break ground in

041Aprilish. Uh perhaps if we have a mild winter, we might be able to mobilize some things in March. But uh similar to the the approach with the middle school, as soon as the ground is workable, we intend to be out there. The uh as discussed previously, there will be some overlap between construction and the existing middle school operations that will last through the the the period through June. uh at which time we'll move uh the curriculum and and small amounts of uh existing materials over to the new middle school which itself is on on schedule and on budget and we don't see any impediments there to being able to make the transition and then fully release the sites at Westside and Cutler to the construction manager. The intent is to start the new building at

042the farthest point from the existing buildings and then move toward the existing building and then both keep the noise and disturbance as far away from the ongoing operations as we can and not get in the contractor's way by having buildings still in operation. And right now we don't see there being any any need to disrupt any of the existing facilities whether it be the portables, whether it be uh any of the you know the permanent buildings themselves. As far as uh providing access to the site for the construction crews, there obviously will be some impact to um the sites in general, whether it be the the sports fields, whether it be the parking lots. And as you've heard in the past, Rick has been pursuing the opportunity with Fizer for some off-site parking for Westside.

043uh should we need more than you know the the dozen or so spaces we know we'll take immediately if if if we're fortunate enough to be working uh that well in the spring that we you know would would need to displace additional parking in order to give the contractors room to continue building then that um that off-site parking would come into play uh in in greater percentage. Uh but overall we are on track. We are comfortable that uh we're meeting the expectations of the edspecs both in content and in intent and uh happy to answer any questions that you might have. >> Rita um my question has to do with if there are any cost savings could you please put that towards sustainability and possibly solar panels? I know there is a town committee working.

044>> I got a guy. Let me ask the uh the way the the solar panel oper operation works is is we've been talking with the green bank. The money from the project uh could but probably will not be used for solar panels. The green bank has a program. It's a municipal assistance program. It's it's sort of new where they actually end up owning the panels, if you will, and operating them. and the basically the board of ed at this particular time would would pay the cost of electricity >> and potentially some of the of the distribution costs if you have to feed back into the into the grid if you will. So that that's proceeding is a separate project. Uh the perma school building committee has sent a letter to the council to that effect

045and and I'll be preparing a referral for the council and trying to move that process forward. They uh they being in the Green Bank have act as asked for some structural drawings if you will for the >> for the one of the elementary schools Cutler and uh the middle school which are in the Eversource area. Westside is a little more problematic because Grant Utilities doesn't have the same program if you will. So I'm trying to figure out how to do that so we end up with everything. >> The Green Bank has also asked about the potential of looking at the high school for solar panels. So, my feeling is if we can get these folks on board and we're happy with the program, then we can potentially expand it to other places. >> That's great.

046>> That's that's what I know about solar panels right now. >> Thank you. >> So, go ahead, Gretchen. >> Okay. My big concern with solar panels is will they is there potential for them? I I love the solar panel idea. I'm just concerned about them becoming the asbestous of 2040. >> I can't answer that question or I don't think anybody else can at this point. Will will PVC become the asbestous of 2050? I I can't answer that question either >> because I get hit by something and they leak. I just want >> Well, typically typically there it's a 20-year contract, if you will. I mean, by 20 years now, I think the panels will become more efficient. So that you may want to may need to be replaced before that time because they probably provide

047a lot more energy. But as far as the downstream environmental, it's just like electric cars. What's the downstream environmental? We don't know at this point. You know, we can only foresee a little bit. >> Question. That's a good question. >> I had a question. Rick, could you tell us on the meeting on December 9th? Uh what exactly would the board be asked? Is it to approve the uh project manual final plans and cost estimates? >> Yeah. Yes, that's correct. There's a document called the uh SCG42 that requires the signature of the permit school building committee, the chair of the of the board of education and yourself. Okay. That is a request for review of the plans performance uh uh conformance plan conformance review is what it's called and by the review of those plans and

048the stamping and exception of accepting of all the documents by the state then after that review they would give us permission to go out to bid. >> Okay. >> So that so that's a a big I mean really a huge step and that's the next huge step we have to take. And and you were saying that the permanent school building committee would prior to the ninth have really gone over this with a fine tooth comb. >> Right. That's that's correct. As as Jack said, we have outside reviewers, co- reviewers and and others that are looking at the building. Those comments are also provided to the permit school building committee who Jack and I are working with. And as oversight, they look at how we're performing with respect to costs, the plans, and the specifications, and

049they will have had an opportunity to approve those before they come to you. And then after we receive uh permission to bid by the state, the permanent school vill committee has to certify to the council that it meets all the prerequisites like the EDS specs and those sorts of things. So there'll be a separate letter going out for each school to the council before we can go out to bid the first of the year. >> So if if you notice um we do have an agenda item number six which we will um which we will be tabled. Um we were not clear about when you needed it. So we didn't we wanted to put it in there knowing it's easier to kind of table that motion than to kind of bring it um to the

050meeting. So, we will not be addressing number six and that will be at our at our at the December I was going to say September. >> Yeah. Well, we are going to have to anyways for um you council. I mean board >> the swearing in in the direction of officers will be that night also. >> All right. >> And if I may I may offer one comment on the on the middle school. You know things are on budget on schedule. the the uh construction manager al put the 29th of June on the on its completion date. I think that's just to to irritate some of us that are working with him. But we're we're also looking at at continuing to try and improve what we're able to provide. And one of the things that came

051to mind to me in the dark of night is why are we planting seed on the on the other playing fields that aren't turf? Why don't we use sod, which would be able to turn the fields over >> in a year instead of two years. So, we went to the permit school building committee. They approved that that modification and we're going to look at a pricing on that and move forward with that uh that change. >> Yay. >> Yeah, that's >> that is fabulous news. Any other questions from the board? >> Hearing none. Thank you guys very much. >> So, moving on to um the assistant superintendent. >> Okay. So I wanted to just um mention that we were able to attend the cave caps annual conference and many of you attended um the board

052received a wonderful award a level two award for their work. So um that was really quite an honor and um the conference really had highlighted several strands they call them effective collaboration portrait of the graduate and diversity equity and excellence and the conference began with an inspirational um educational leader um speaker named Dr. Dr. Derek Gay and his work has been around issues of diversity and inclusion and global citizenship and really promoting empathy, cultivating cultural competency and deepening our understanding of inclusion and what that means. I went home because um you know I wanted to see his TED talk and actually I thought his cave talk was as impressive as the TED talk and I I went back to see if that was on it but I definitely will send you the link. He's been

053on NPR. He's a graduate of um Columbia University and University of Pennsylvania and um he was just an eloquent speaker and very engaging and really talked about the word diversity and the different meanings that people bring to that and what really needs to happen around us understanding biases whether there are known biases or we're not really recognizing them. So it was a terrific um speech. I always get so much from the networking component and I think as you do as well and um I was able to attend some um additional um workshops around the idea of diversity and inclusion and um things like chronic absenteeism which we have to monitor. So things that really pertained to our our district. So I don't know if any of you wanted to mention anything in particular that you

054that stood out. >> Um I um found um Dr. Gay's talk to be just incredible and I loved his um uh definition of diversity that everybody is has brings their diversity and it he was mentioned at a workshop I went to at Yale on um unconscious bias um because of his work. So he's um >> very eloquent. >> I Yeah, I was able to go to the one on Saturday on Alliance schools and I learned a lot when especially when it comes to budget and losing any money on budgets. So it was it was great. I know that you wanted to go too, but you you know there were so many things that we wanted to go to that it got to the point where you know we had a lot there were one, two,

055three, >> four, five people there. >> That's great. >> Yeah. >> So we really tried to split up and then we came back and and talked. >> Yeah. You you were there on Saturday, correct? >> On Saturday. >> Yes. Yes, I was. >> Hello. Oh, sorry. Um yeah, I was actually very inspired. It um it was great to see all the other student reps that were uh attending, I mean that had attended. Um we're actually all keeping in touch to see what we're all doing at our schools and seeing how their um board of ed is doing and so we can get more ideas from them and we can share ideas from us. And >> and I think that you told me also that when you did a poll about how active the other student

056reps were on the other boards of eds is that you were because like you've only known this. >> Yes. >> Um >> Yeah. I've realized that our board of ed is actually really active from the students point of view. >> Um and I was very interested in that because I I thought it was always like this but it's it's really not. It just depends on how you guys feel. But I do like how you incorporate the students point of view into most of your decisions. And I think the others also appreciated that, right? There were other um you know, student reps who said, "Boy, that's pretty terrific that you're able to participate." >> Yes, >> there there is an organization and I think I mentioned this last year. There is an organization of of students

057that are part sort of not part of K, but I want I would like us to be a member of that. >> So sort of like a student representative. Uh >> it it is it's something like that >> was mentioning that >> but I I want us to be part of that because um I think that our in the four years that I've been here our student representatives have been amazing >> and they deserve the right to be recognized on the Saturday morning thing. So I would like us to be part of that organization for our kids. >> I'll talk to them. Great. Thank you. This young man is applying to become part of the state student board of education. >> Yes. >> Rex. >> You are. >> Oh, great. >> I've been looking at

058my application and asking people for recommendations for the past week. >> Great. >> Yes. >> That's super. Say >> very excited. >> All right. Yes. I went to a um town of Vernon has slowly been working on shared services between the town, the municipal and the the school board and since I was interested in that because we had there had been some movement in that direction a couple years ago. Um but I got some really good information that I asked to be forwarded to the mayor Patrice Grinowski whenever if they want to pick that up again. It's really interesting stuff. >> That's great. >> All right, Sue. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Um, >> question. I'm sorry. I thought that was your comment. >> Sorry. Oh, well I had I was just promoting say I had

059my own experiences and one of the workshops I went on was how to involve the community within the school system in the school within the community and they had some fabulous fabulous ideas and I I need to go back and reread my notes on that to be more articulate and it's more stuff we need to talk about sort of behind the scenes before we present but there were so many fabulous ideas of ways that the community can help the schools and the schools can help the community and I loved the synchronicity of the entire thing. The probably the most dramatic event and the what I got the most out of was was it Canton? Somebody help me school system. Canton had an African drum circle and they came up and they performed and watching those

060young people. They're sitting like we are in a semicircle and they're what they have the head drummer and the guy on the bell and there's so much more that you guys you missed because you didn't go to their little workshop afterwards but you could see the kids communicating with each other their eyes their hands keeping a rhythm they got lost they could pick up and then I went and decided to step about as far out of my own personal comfort zone as I can get and I went to the workshop who could be the kids were amazingly astute at seeing how incredibly nervous these adults were. They were so patient. >> They were so kind. I couldn't believe that these kids who've not been trained to teach, but they were able to like realize that

061this dyslexic adult could not go right, left, right, but had to go one, two, two, three. They were just fabulous. They were so >> articulate. I was just very, very impressed by them. And It was just very meaningful to me. I hope they come back next year. Thank you. Or we could start something like that. The drums are really cool. They're made in Africa. Cool. All right. Okay. To the next person. Thank you. All right. As a followup to our discussion at the CO about um elementary report cards, I just wanted to say that grades ended on the 22nd, which was Friday, and um within about 10 days, we have to really send them out. So, by December 13th, we'll be sending report cards home. There have been revisions. Some of the language has been

062tweaked. Um and but really the report card looks very much the same. Um, we can even show a model like on the website for parents to see. It's all been redacted, but it's really a two-page backtoback the first trimester. It's still based on the Connecticut core standards. We've tried to make the um fine-tune the language so parents would really understand it better. Um it still just like the previous report cards um shows endear standards but we've benchmarked them each trimester so you can see the child's growth over time. Um and the scoring is the same. We use a 1 2 3 4 scoring which starts from needing more time to progressing towards standard to meeting the standard and exceeding the standard. So it really won't look that much different. I think the big news for

063our our district is our elementary parents will finally have and already do have their power school code. So they'll they'll like the middle school and high school um be able to see the report card there, the attendance and we can open it up gradually so that they'll also see other pieces of information which I think they'll really appreciate. The parents who already have children in the middle school and high school probably are welcoming this and we've given some support at our different meetings and open houses for the parents who are new to this. Um they can actually see the report card on the phone, but we know that we wanted to take baby steps. So they'll get the backtoback copy of the report card and they'll also have the reminder of the directions to get

064on the website. And then any family that needed a hard copy, it's very easy to to print them off and we sent the directions out to the schools. So they'll be printing the first round but and encouraging parents to get on. So that's the biggest difference to these report cards is that they'll be digital. They'll they'll be online. I think um when I was thinking about over the weekend and and if we noticed um the the language that we have for the motion is for the pilot just so because it you're still kind of creating it so that um I think for me that there's an understanding that it it's here and so I we want to make sure that the board can say yes to that but also know that we need to be

065able to look at that um and do a full sort of commitment to the report card later on Well, and I think that I had mentioned that all of our teachers have had input on this and will continue to. So, in January when we have a TLI day, they'll be looking and calibrating trimester 2 and three. They have a section of notes on the Google document that they're keeping notes and giving feedback. So, it's a perfect solution because we're continually looking at it and seeing if there's going to be other changes that are going to be necessary. So that was the first thing just to know that that's what the motion is going to be is for the pilot for it to consider it to be a pilot. Um and the second thing is that

066for me that what I was thinking about is there a way that we can make sure like the PTO's or just because you you said that um the report card is going to reflect sort of what's happening in in the school. I mean it's over the district and over the year every child is going to be exposed to everything but it it can be presented in one school earlier or later than whatever is that is there a way that we could get the parent organization of each one of these schools to kind of be able to help um do the advertisement around the new report card. But that was at least my thought. >> Well, we could talk to the principles. So, I think that would be a really good meeting to have for the

067PTO is to kind of review the report card and some of the the differences they may see. >> They might not even notice the differences because it really looks the same, but to really, you know, I tried to carefully craft my letter so it would say those things, but um certainly to have a PTO meeting, I'd be happy to talk to the principles. I think that's a great idea. >> Yeah, just it was just a thought. >> All right. Any other further questions? All right, moving on to the business manager. Hello, Guy. >> Hi. How are you? >> Good. And how are you? Oh, >> great. >> So, the object code summary, which is attachment number one, shows that we have a a projected unexpended balance of 95,713. We're continuing uh as we have for

068the past few months of uh uh tracking very close to to budget. Um we're tracking payroll very closely. uh watching our uh health insurance which will go over the report uh next. Uh and everything appears to be uh going along well. >> Any questions on the business? Yeah. Knock on wood or whatever this is. Um any other questions about the object the um about the object code? >> All right. >> The uh the health insurance report wasn't in your uh wasn't in your package uh because we got this one late. uh our agent MDG found uh an error in the information that they got from Anthem and so they had to uh redo uh both ours and the town's uh reports. Uh so if you did compare this to previous uh months, it's a little

069bit different but not very much actually. Uh the the error was more uh with uh town uh the town side than ours. Uh but uh through September uh we're at 92% of budget. This compares last year at September we were at 85.7% so we're we're tracking a little bit uh worse to the budget than we were last year. Uh we did end up last year at 94%. So um I still think we're we're we should be within budget uh by the end of the year but um a a little tighter than from than previous. >> End of the year. Do you mean July or December? >> End of the year. Uh July June 30th. Yep. You don't have a lot of wiggle. >> Yeah, we don't have a lot of wiggle room, but >> any

070other questions besides my O. All right, moving on to the director of building and grounds. No, Mr. Kilpatrick. >> Good evening. >> Yes. >> So, um, Mr. Buckus and Mr. Norris pretty much brought you up to date on most of the 2020 uh report. Uh but in addition to that, um uh principal uh Bass and I met with Arcadus this past week to go over signage uh room assignments and names uh for the new middle school. So, we spent quite a bit of time on that. Uh Arcadus will now present we'll give it to the contractor that'll be working on it. they'll go over it and then we'll get back together in about a week or so and uh do a final uh addition of uh room signage, building signage, all that sort of thing.

071So, that's what we've been working on this week >> and it's impressive to see that building. It is just amazing. Rita, >> I had a question about the signage that'll be on Route One near the Would would it be near the Grasso sign in that area? Uh that that would have been a it will be down there somewhere, but that would have been a question for Mr. Norris. I know that he had an idea as to where it could go, but I don't uh I don't know what his final decision was going to be. >> Okay. But they don't mind that we're putting it and using some of the driveway. Correct. >> Yeah. Have you been up that driveway yet? >> Yes. >> If you go about a third of the way up on the

072lefth hand side, you can see where our new driveway is cut through. It's uh >> Okay. The Okay. I do notice though that um if you're at Sutton Park um students or staff come flying down that road at at like a high rate of speed. I don't know if maybe where our road will cut in our driveway if there could be a stop sign because they really come down that hill very quickly. >> You mean a stop sign for them coming down the hill? >> Yes. >> Yeah. I'll I'll talk to Mr. Norris about that. I mean, they're it's at a pretty high rate of speed until they get to the light on Route One, you know, but if we're going to be coming down, you know, buses and >> I'm sure that'll have to

073go through the state because that's a state property up there. So, >> yeah, but they can I think don't they get together like the the police chief and the town manager, don't they have a weekly like a monthly meeting where they discuss things like that in the town? >> Yes. >> Yeah. So maybe they could start start >> talk to Mr. Norris and and have him talk to him about that. >> Thank you. Anything else? >> No, I didn't understand about the um the bathroom, the woman's room that is near the gym where the cardboard is. I I I couldn't understand exactly what was meant by that. >> I'm not familiar with it, but I'll check into it first thing in the morning. Um >> it's wonderful. >> Thank you. Thank you. [Music] >> Any

074other questions for the director of building grounds? All right, then we're going to move on to the committee reports um policy. We will have um two first readings um in under business and continue to work. Will you be guys um doing the 9000 series or you just That's the board policies and procedures. >> I don't know if we're doing that right now. >> We haven't been listed as doing it. >> When we first um began our work together probably six years ago, we did take a a look at it and I think we even brought it to the CO. Um, so it's definitely one of those policies that would probably be a good one for us to all discuss because it's really roles and responsibilities of the board. So, >> um, so we'd be happy

075to take a look at it, but we'll probably still want to come to the whole board. >> Yeah. And maybe what we can do is maybe Mike and I can kind of work on the agenda, maybe take like a section of the policy and then make sure that you guys have it and come up with it and then we can have a 20-minute conversation on the committee of the whole. That makes sense. I would also like to say at this point that our policy is going to be really missing for >> um >> it won't be the same. I don't care who takes care of this. It's not going to be the same. >> Thank you. >> We feel that way in finance and facilities. >> Yes. >> All right. Curriculum. Curriculum did not meet.

076We'll pick up in January. >> Okay. Thank you. Finance and facilities. >> I did not attend that, but Jane did. So, I'm hoping she can >> Oh, good. it became um an unofficial meeting. We had no quorum, but it was a very helpful meeting. We talked about um Northeast Academy um moisture problems, and I found that to be very helpful. Um also, the discussion went into using um current buildings as instead of trailers during construction. So, I'll let Sam jump in to add anything to that. Um yeah, we we uh we discussed uh the possibility of using the portables that are at the two uh middle schools presently on site for uh job site trailers during the construction. I still haven't got an answer back from the architects yet as to whether uh they can

077fit them on the property for that use. So as soon as I get an answer from that, I'll share it with you. But the point is if if we could use the trailers this year or next year uh uh for a construction trailer then we would be able to do it at a very minimal cost if not part of the project. So we'll be able to bump the cost. I think we said it's about 125,000. We'd be able to bump that out a year or two >> which would be a nice savings for the town. >> Yeah, it would be. Thank you. And you guys have a another meeting coming up, I think, next week, too. >> We do. We do. Actually, it was great for me. I was so engrossed in listening and learning

078that I forgot to take notes even though it was we had no quorum. >> Which way did you have? >> No. Okay. Uh right. Um so moving on to the learn. >> Oh, learn. Yes. We had a meeting last week and um Cab's general counsel spoke. Um Patrice McCarthy, she discussed strategies for leadership evaluations for the superintendent and um actually for board also for our um evaluations and how important it is. Um she discussed a little bit about the opening session and how it's going to be a very short session this year. I think it's February to beginning of June. It's very brief so not a lot will get done. That's what that's what she said. Um we also had a report um from um the oh let's see what are they called Bloom Shapiro

079um gave the draft of the annual fiscal report for learn and what I really like about that which we never get to see as a board because we're part of our town but I really wish that we could take out the part of whatever the town gets back because I know how long they come and you Who who are our attorneys? I mean, who are our fiscal officers that go in? Who do we which firm do we pay? >> I think we use the Bloom Shapiro here. >> Bloom Shapiro. Do Do you also have Nicole that that comes in? I mean, she's really very good. But you get this whole report and you see, you know, if is there something that is not quite right? You know, what it is. Have we been cited for

080anything? And we never get to see that. So I don't know how we could separate ourselves from the town. >> We could there there's a portion that they >> that should just be for education. >> Yeah, it's a small portion but yeah we >> I mean it goes into every food service to this. I mean it it's so extensive and I really think it'd be very beneficial if the board of education and then the general public could also see a copy of that. >> Yeah. Um, and I'm going to pass along there's going to be um for the first time special education tuition uh rate hikes. Last year there was no increase in tuition but this year 2.5%. >> Yeah. For outplacement and all the CT magnet schools also for students at marine science and

081everywhere. So, um, I'll I'll pass this along and I thought you could see how it's going to cost us quite a bit more money next year when our students are attending the different schools. >> Thanks a lot. >> Yeah, I know. >> Yeah. Well, this is this is from learn charging us. Yeah. So, um I think I think that was about it. Oh, yes. And we're also going to be um discussing there really are going to have more collaboration and more shared services for vans going for special education for the different towns. I mean, I really think this transportation piece will help um save a lot of the town's money. >> So, I think we're on board with that, right? >> Yeah. Yes. Well, well, not only that, but there are four contiguous towns that

082Jack Cross is helping us with that have contracts with SDA. >> Yes. >> So, we're actually trying to get all four of those together, >> I believe. Yeah. >> Together. >> It's Waterford with >> a common contract, Waterford Ledger, New London, and >> get this common contract, which is separate from the special education too, but >> that's right. >> It's another piece. So, that would be wonderful. >> Thank you for your work on that. Did Did you mention um the board self or did I hear that wrong? >> Yeah, that should have one. She didn't h out, but Gabe has one. >> Okay. >> Just like they had the superintendent one. It's It's weak, I think. >> Yeah, I I agree. I was just wondering if Learn if if Learn does have one. >> I'll

083ask. That would be really great because then maybe we could share and and do some more due diligence around uh evaluation of ourselves um as a board. That I think that that would be good. Thank you Lita. Um board of ed town council and RTM uh leazison. We did not meet in November nor are we going to meet in December with a reorganization in January when the new bodies um both for the board the town and for RTM um because we can then look and do a structural look at that. Um the board of ed and AGSA and GA leazison have um we met >> in October. Thank you. I was trying to read your sign and I wasn't gifted. >> January. >> And our next one's going to be in January. >> Okay, fine.

084I just thought you were waving at me. I was confused. Um, so so that will be our next sort of I can fingers be >> um do we want to talk a little bit about what went on? I I think to me one of the main again is the problem with substitute teachers and not having enough peers. So um I you know we we're hopefully we'll have some type of a job fair recruit more substitute teachers and more paras so that um our teachers aren't pulled out of classroom to cover other classes. I think that's important. And um do you do you remember anything else that really struck you that to me was really important? >> Well, that's an ongoing issue. So the importance is the fact is that we have not been able to

085resolve that a lot >> and every single town is having the same >> problem. So we I know at learn it's going to be on our our next agenda for a round table that we'll discuss the pay scale for payers and see whether or not what everybody else is doing and whether or not we can raise a pale. I mean you could go to McDonald's now and get $15 an hour and I know our paras get paid much less than that. So we really need a discussion because those paras are so important for our children's education. to be continued. >> Thank you. Um, moving it to trails leazison and graten scholarships. I'm going to lump those two together. >> On trails at the moment. Um, and graten scholarship. They are at that point where they're

086raising money and preparing for figuring out who gets what. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. So, moving on to a action items. um is the consent agenda where all matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted um by one motion um with points of clarification um will be allowed. Um and so I'll uh I will take a motion for approval of the regular meeting minutes of October 28th, 2019. Rosemary, can I have a second? >> Andrea has a second. Is there any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor of the approval of the meeting minutes October 28th, please say I. I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Motion is carried. Have you noticed? I was able to do that without making a mistake. >> All right. Rosemary, would you please be willing

087to meet the new business on motion number one? >> Motion number one is to approve as a first reading of policy P5141.214 sunscreen. Not sunscreen. We actually have Denise Doolittle who has worked with um the policy committee and also um Leah Hris who is the nurse that oversees all of our nurses um and giving us advice and um I'll let her take it off. >> Sure. So um good evening everyone. This is a policy that the state board of education recently approved and encouraged districts to consider adopting because it does promote um healthy uh protection of uh children from harmful UV rays for field trips and recess. Um the intent of the policy is to um to again protect students against the sun sun's rays. Um, and it allows children who are six years or

088older to bring in their own sunscreen, recommended SPF 15 or higher, non-erosol, uh, lotion sunscreen, and the students would be permitted to apply the sunscreen to themselves. Uh, teachers would not be involved in the application of sunscreen. It would strictly be something that the student would bring in and the student would apply prior to a field trip. And there are other criteria as far as um in the policy you'll see there is a form that the parent would sign. A doctor's prescription is not required. This is simply something that a parent may elect to have their child bring to school and apply to school either at recess time or for a field trip or a field day. [Applause] G. Uh, Gretchen, another This is kind of a com trying to put it together quickly. Um,

089six-year-old sunscreen. It doesn't always work as well as you would hope. We're going to end up with Can we get in trouble if they're like blotchy application? >> Well, teachers aren't required to assist, but they could if they choose. Um the nurse could assist as well if needed, but the policy does uh in terms of the state's guidance recommend that beginning at six years old, children may be permitted to bring sunscreen to school. >> Okay. And the other question that that brings in is if the child says to the teacher, please help. Then we are into that little fuzzy zone existed since I started teaching, which is us touching little people. >> Correct. even if we don't think of it as being creepy, somebody else might. >> Correct. So, I think that um you touch

090upon a good point, which is that there has to be communication between the parent and the teacher and the nurse. Part of the uh parent permission form that's on the last page of the policy provides some bullet points to parents to be sure that they have reviewed the application of the sunscreen with their child and to the best of their ability. It asks them to just attest to the fact that the child has demonstrated that he or she is capable of applying the sunscreen appropriately and that they understand that it's not the responsibility of the teacher and that um it only includes non-erosol sunscreen. So there there does need to be a communication and a dialogue between the school and the parent particularly for students who are six or seven or or young within that

091age range. And I've seen some incredibly bizarre things. >> There there's also language in the policy in terms of if older students are using the sunscreen inappropriately, the school has the right to say, you know, this isn't working. Let's, you know, talk about this and contact the parent if need be. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Andrew, uh, there's a reference to a school entity here and it says that the school entity may revoke or restrict the possession of the sunscreen and it doesn't define I can guess what a school entity would be, but I looked for the legal definition and I didn't see regulation and I wondered what the legal how does the law define a school entity? >> Where where are you? second page >> page two uh right under >> revocation >> right

092after number 11 there's a revocation thing >> I think that would be that would be a conversation between the teacher and the principal and the parent in terms of whether or not the student was demonstrating on a repeated basis that they were using the sunscreen inappropriately. >> No, that's not my question. >> I'm sorry. I'm having trouble hearing you. >> My Who is >> I I have trouble hearing you when I'm on TV, too. So my question is and I'm not sure that this is for you. I it might be for Dr. Verer. >> Okay. >> And that is how does the law define school entity? I I can guess what it means but I wanted I was looking for a legal definition and I and neither did I find the regulations. So I I

093don't know if it's defined there or not. >> I'm sorry. The legal definition of what? >> Entity. Oh, the school entity. >> I think it would mean um >> personnel, >> you know, the whoever's implementing the policy on behalf of the district. >> Maybe if we change the word to school personnel, >> that would do. I mean, yeah, in >> other words, a teacher would be much clearer or even a parro sees a kid is not doing it properly. >> Rosemary, >> the dilemma with that is that it may be a volunteer who's on a somebody else's mother who sees somebody. Well, that wouldn't be >> sharing stuff because they're not supposed to share also, >> right? >> I think ultimately the decision to revoke uh the privilege of having the child bring the sunscreen

094to school would be based on a decision that the administrator would make in conjunction with the teacher and the and the parent. >> I I get that. Thank you. Yeah, I don't think though that that would have anything to do with a volunteer because it's they a volunteer wouldn't revoke or restrict >> but might report it and be part of the process. So I think it has to be fairly global. >> We don't know >> because we don't know who it might be. >> I would think school Yeah. Well, that'd be a school personnel. >> It might Well, yeah. >> I think school personnel is clearer. It's more specific. >> Is you know And you're right, they could report as school personnel. >> One one last thing and that is that that's this is my

095issue with so much of our policy is that we're not consistent that the language is different in even in the the one that I read on live animals. It's we call oursel Bratton public schools the district we have to be consistent in what we do and this is exactly the same. Gretchen. Um I I disagree that the school a volunteer who is either say it's a field day and you have that parent doing that activity and you have two little boys or girls or elephants and they start squirting the liquid sunscreen. That adult may say thank you very much. I'll put these here and I'll see. So I think we or on a field trip the kids are frequently split up with one or two adults that are not personnel but may come in contact

096with sunscreen issues like they get it into their eyes or any number of fascinating things that young people can do it or I can do with it. Uh so your point is what I just >> that we need the entity we need to find a way of defining that as something other than a creature on Star Trek. >> Right. Well said. >> Well, this is the first reading >> and so I think you know where we're a little bit tripped up and if you guys can think about that before the second reading. That sounds like that. >> Yep. >> All right. So, um I will entertain them. Um I will ask for a motion for the acceptance of the first reading of Wait, lost it. Um policy P5141-214 um sunscreen. Um, all those in uh

097favor of that. >> We need a second. >> Oh, you got to get a second. >> Gretchen, I'll second. >> Any other discussion? >> That's what I missed. Okay. All those in favor of the motion to approve as first reading of policy P5141214 sunscreen. Please say I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Motion has carried. Lee, would you please um read number two? >> I certainly will. >> Thank you. >> The motion to approve the proposed I'm sorry, the wrong one. To approve as a first reading of policy P6163.32 service animals and regulations for policy B 61632 service animals. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. So, this policy is a bit overdue because we have had service animals at the high school for the past several years. Um, it came to the forefront this year because

098we happen to have three service animals at the high school, one for an adult and two for students. So, we did quite a bit of research with the Americans with Disabilities Act to be sure that the policy um is in compliance with the ADA, but also to be sure that it satisfies um our need to be sure that the animals are um uh have a level of training and uh meet certain uh requirements in terms of um their ability to be in a building without disrupting the learning environment. Um so just briefly the policy applies to um service animals not comfort animals. Um so a service animal is described by the ADA as either a dog or a miniature horse. >> Um I know it sounds a little ridiculous. >> Can I have a long

099>> uh we currently have three dogs at the high school that are predominantly predominantly Labradors. There is language in the policy um that does specify um if a student was to request uh a miniature horse uh to come in as a trained service animal. There are four criteria that need to be met. Um I'm not sure that a a high school classroom would be an appropriate uh venue for uh a miniature horse. So, but we would obviously cross that bridge when we come to it. But that is included in the policy. Um obviously predominantly uh the service animals that we see and that most schools see are uh our dogs and um we have had um very good success with the service animals that are at the do at the uh at the high school.

100There is a process whereby the high school notifies um families uh meaning parents, students and staff when uh a service animal is going to be present um and really asks them to contact the nurse if there's an allergy that needs to be taken into consideration on the part of the students or the staff. Um, if that happens, there's alternative arrangements that are made for the student and the animal to um to potentially work in a separate setting or a separate classroom. We would be looking at some schedule changes or alternative plans. Um, the service animals do ride school buses. Um, we have had uh students care for their their needs in terms of having to go to the bathroom during the day and have access to food and water during the day. So, it's really

101been um implemented with the three dogs at the high school this year quite successfully. Uh we did work with Aaron Magcguire, the assistant principal at the high school who coordinates student services. She came to the committee as well as Leah Hendricks and uh Mr. uh Mr. Knight to be sure that our our liability and insurance carrier is aware that we have the animals at the school. Um Mrs. Hen Mrs. Hendris and Mrs. Maguire weighed in in terms of uh certain medical conditions that require service animals and how things are working at the high school. So all of the parties were comfortable with the policy. We spent quite a bit of time um particularly looking at the form that is attached. Um there is a form that the student and their parent guardian would complete um

102in order to request that a service animal uh accompany the student or the staff member. I should specify we have made the policy very clear that it's applicable to students or staff. Um there is um as I was saying a request for the service animal to accompany a student or staff in school facilities form. It's a fairly lengthy form in which the student >> if you wanted to refer to it >> in which the in which the student or staff would um provide information to the school in terms of the students uh medical disability um in terms of a a doctor signing off on the need for a service animal to address that disability. Um and we're looking for several major um pieces of information. Number one, what work is the dog trained to do?

103So, what what are the tasks that the dog is trained to do? What is the disability that the dog is trained to mitigate? Uh we're also looking for reassurances that the dog has uh been vaccinated uh that has a special orange collar and lead and a vest indicating that they are a service dog. Uh we are looking for um information in terms of the dog's training. Um, I will note that training, a formal training program is not required according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, but we do require uh that there the the student and guardian attest that the dog has participated in some level of training. Uh we also want to be assured that the animal is housebroken and that the animal is able to um use you know relieve himself on a or

104herself on a schedule and um you know is not uh going to startle or bark or disrupt a classroom. So the um we worked quite a bit uh of t of our time and committee on the form making sure that it provides us with the information that we need to feel comfortable having a live animal in the classroom. >> We I have a question. Are these animals on a leash the whole time? >> They are. They're on a leash and a lead and only the student would handle the animal. >> The animal is to be within 25 ft of the student at all times. Um, I know that there are quite a few people that are highly allergic to um, cats and dogs. And even if the dog had been in the classroom and left

105and that person sat in that seat or near there, what would you know that's more than just changing a classroom if you're in the same classroom? I mean, these dogs, you know, in the hallways and bathrooms and >> so how would this be addressed, you know, for for people that are really allergic to animals? >> Well, I can say that at this point, we've had no one come forward to say that they have an allergy. So, we have not had to cross that bridge at the high school to date. Um, the only thing I can say is if we did, we would look to make alternative plans. um schedule changes, classroom assignments, uh teacher changes, um different peers in the classroom. Uh we would have to get creative to address that, but we certainly would

106address it. >> I mean, do they come into the lunchroom? >> They do. They sit under the cafeteria table. >> Okay. >> Gotcha. I've spent a great deal of my life training dogs and not all trained dogs are the same and different groups like I would feel far more comfortable if we saw the dog knew I don't care if the dog's on a leash if it's under verbal control it's far safer for everybody like that student should be able to go come and the dog should be right under their heels and I I very concerned that we're not requiring some form of assurance that the dog is trained. >> Actually, it is. >> Um, if you looked on page 912 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> No, I'm sorry. It's beyond that. H

107there it is. >> 10 10 of 12. if you look under guidelines. >> So again, um the state law does requires minimum standards for a service animal in public. We've um made this uh form uh a hyperlink. We also have printed out the documents from the uh the websites in terms of assistance dogs international. So, we have additional information available for parents if they would like it. Um, our challenge was to create a policy that met our needs, but that was still in compliance with the ADA. >> So, the ADA does not require a service animal to have a certificate of training. They do require a certain level of training and we've referenced that in the minimum standards for a service animal in public in terms of training requirements. >> We'll see how it goes.

108I want to see the horse. >> Yes. >> I have another question. Sorry. Real quick. Um, how does this affect things like peacock coming in with their little birds and all their cute little critters that come in and do >> it? Does it those are not service animals. >> Okay. I just didn't know how the >> I had the same question. >> Right. Nope. >> Just checking. >> No. Com. We have to make a distinction between comfort animals versus service animals. And this is strictly service animals. I I guess I do. Will there be a policy for comfort animals? >> They can bring a stuff down. >> The policy The policy does include that comfort animals, it makes a distinction that uh that there's still an an avenue for uh people for for adults to

109bring comfort animals into schools to meet with students, to read with students in the library. Um the policy does distinguish between you know a ser a comfort animal that may come into the building and um and provide comfort to students in a setting such as like bibliootherapy. >> Okay. I thought I saw some other questions. All right. Hearing none. All those in favor >> of the first reading thank you >> of the policy P6163-32 service animals and regulation for policy and this is the first reading all those in favor please say I >> I >> oppose abstain the policy is thank you >> all right would you be willing to read the motion for number three please yes to approve as a first reading Let's see. To approve the proposed administrative organization for the new

110middle school of one principal and three assistant principles. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> And discussion. [Music] So this is the this is the conversation that we had at the committee of the whole looking at sort of the best sort of administrative um setup for Grten at least to start off that with any further comments about that. >> I guess I >> Yeah, please. I just want to uh to to vigorously lend my support to this for for a lot of reasons. For just the general business of evaluating staff and that sort of thing, but also for the the humanitarian aspect of bringing together so many new people, children and staff. And I just can't uh advocate for this any more strongly. Any other >> I too would like to support it.

111It makes a great deal of sense um to use um faculty or administrators this way and um it really gives a sense of continuity to the students. >> Having worked in middle schools forever more I I highly recommend this. It makes all the difference in the world. The kids are not big little kids. you know, they're not big elementary kids. They're going through a lot of changes. Um they're not so fun to be with, but they need that continuity and um of support as they go along. >> So, Jane, I think what you're referring to is the fact that the proposal that we had talked about was is that the principal and the guidance counselor will actually follow the the students. So, it's it's going to be a >> I don't know what the word

112is, but you know, loop. Thank you, loopy. So, anything else? Hearing none. All those in favor of the motion to approve the proposed administrative organization for the new middle school of one principal and three assistant principles, please say I. >> Oppose. >> Abstain with one obsession. The motion has carried. Katrina, would you be willing to read number five motion? >> I think it's four. >> Or actually, we could go to four. Okay. >> And then clarify. >> Okay. I'm going to make a motion to approve piloting the revised standardsbased elementary report card beginning with the first marking period of the 2019 2020 school year. >> And we did have Okay. I have a second. >> Second. >> I got to it before you did, M. >> It's the small things in life that make me

113happy. So, we did um um Susan did um report out about the uh about the piloting of the of the report card um and we received the letter. Do we have any further discussion? Rita? >> Um yes, I had um felt that this is somewhat rushed um and didn't go through the proper channels. Um, in the past when report cards have been presented, they were first presented to the curriculum committee of the board of education, I had asked um, Dr. Grineer's secretary to send me that part of our policy. I couldn't find exactly where it was. No one's got back to me. I did write a message to Dr. Beneer and asked if for a little further information, expressing my um concern that it was too soon to release this to um the parents and

114the students of the Graten Public Schools without first having the board. I mean, this is the first time I've seen this was tonight. We didn't get it this week. We had asked for it. We had a committee of the whole meeting last week. So, I have my reservations. Um, it's not that much different, but it's very confusing. And I think that all digitalized, not everybody in Rotten can access a computer. Um, and yes, this can be printed out, but I think there's going to be a lag. I I I just don't understand it. Um, is this ever signed? I mean, there was lots of questions I had, but we just saw it tonight. So, I wouldn't not be voting for this until we have more time to look look at this and and understand it.

115And I think that going to the boards of education, I mean to the PTO's is a wonderful idea, but that should be done not two weeks before this is going to be issued, but months before. This this roll out was was too soon. I I think if it's difficult for us, I can imagine it's probably going to be fairly overwhelming for the students um and the teachers also. >> I did a little history checking >> and I >> No one ever got back to me about my question. >> I looked back to the 2012 when it was first >> published the standardsbased report card. So this was a revision. It wasn't a new card. It's been in existence for 12 years. And one of the things that was noted even in my letter, it was

116very similar to what the original letter was. I had written my letter and I looked back at the letter that was written and it was really almost >> you know it was very similar except this was a revision and they the intent back then was to have it digitalized. They said this will be an online report card which I thought was kind of interesting. I know that um middle school we've made um in the past three four years we've made that go digital and the high school as well. So this is really following the progression so that all you know all report cards will be digitalized. Parents are using p school. I get a lot of very positive feedback about the use of P school as a communication tool for parents understanding what their children's

117work is and and how their grades are. And for elementary um we're just using it for attendance and report cards at this point, but in the future we can open that up too so that it can be a a really terrific communication tool. So because it was a revision, you know, um and it really marched along with our working curriculum and instruction and assessment and the final phase is really the reporting and the teachers were really asking for something that really went along with what they were doing. So in fine-tuning that language, it really states, you know, if a kindergartener needs to be or a first grader needs to be able to add and subtract within TW 20 and get fluent with his tens, it actually says that. So we really tried to fine-tune the

118language and make it really pretty specific. So I think it's going to give parents um more insight, not less. >> And and are these um how do you know whether or not a parent has received the report card? Are they ever signed or is there some way for the teacher to know that a parent really saw the report card or the guardian? >> Well, they're going to be sent home the first time. We're going to be doing a robocall. We're going to be asking parents to go online at the same time and then that becomes the parents responsibility. Um I have to say that in the normal process of a timeline you have um you know a conference first and then you have the report card but in the spring you'll have your report card

119and then the conference. So there will be some explanation that will come um for parents when they meet with the classroom teacher. >> So I had a question for Z. Turn to the expert on this one. Uh so when the report cards come out in the high school, how do the parents get access and how do we know that they do have it? >> Well, well, >> okay. >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Oh, there it is. Um, so we have been more digitalized. >> Yeah. >> Yes, we have been more digitalized. I have learned that a lot of parents actually do use P school. They download the app on their phone and they log into the parent um powers school and they look at it through there. Um and on

120P school, you guys may know this, I'm not quite sure, but they do do it quarterly and semesterly and yearly. Like on the class thing that we can see, that's how we view it. So, say somebody doesn't get their report card. I don't even Do we mail report cards home still? >> No. Okay, that's what I thought. >> Not in middle school, high school. >> Yeah. Okay, that's what Yeah. Um, but yeah. So, it will say like quarter one, that's our report card. Yep. And we can see that too. I don't know what the parents can see, but I have heard that it works. It's very effective. >> Well, certainly they have their own access. uh compared to the old days when students tried to get to the mailbox first. >> Well, I remember when

121power school the parents still have to sign whether or not they want to >> look over their the child's um shoulder. I I chose not to. I felt that that, you know, was my response. Well, that's when report cards came home and so forth and so on. But I didn't want to see every homework assignment and so forth. I just felt that that was my child's responsibility and but um but this is different because the middle school and high school uses grades still. These are numbers. It's confusing ones and twos and threes and fours and it's it's a little bit different. >> The same system they've always had. >> Yeah, it's the same system. >> It's not different to parents. >> Yes, I I know that. I I just want to know how does like

122can I ask Beth if in your kindergarten class do you know if every parent do they sign the report card ever or to let you know that they've received it? >> Currently they do because we send them home in an envelope that we reuse three times and they have to sign it. Some parents never return the envelope so we have to do a new envelope. >> Um sometimes it takes a phone call home if if they all of a sudden a parent has a question. Sorry. Yeah, >> that was my background. >> I was going to say, was that your back? >> That's my back. >> Um, currently we send home an envelope with the report card in it and the parents have to sign and return the envelope. Sometimes they do not get returned

123and uh we end up sending a new envelope for the second term and then if you see them in March, you'd like, did you get the other report cards? Um, with the new one, I don't know how that's going to look online. I don't know if it's going to pop up that the parent has seen it or not. Um, that's that's a question that would probably be better for the IT side of the house. Um, if there's a box that they can check off that they've seen it. Um, but this first one is to be printed and sent home in the envelope with this parent signature returning. >> Okay. >> Just for this first one. But what about second and term? >> I'll check with it to see if there's >> these are good reasons

124to have a pilot come back. >> Right. Once again, this is a pilot. >> So we can figure out that's a good question. H how do we verify? Is there a little box that uh when somebody signs up for it and and they open it, it comes back to >> if it's open, is it read? I mean that's >> and and the other one I mean some of this is it's fairly complicated language like exhibits responsible personal and social behaviors in elementary music demonstrates compet I mean there are >> that's no change >> no change so that's always been there >> but there's going to be people that are going to have heart and I don't do we have this in another language is this also in Spanish >> it can be put into Spanish

125yes in power school you can do translation >> because I think that's very important. >> One of the things that Miss Austin and I have have spoken about is making some of the standards because they're written in this in the common core state standards language such as attends with precision. >> Um my favorite is the critiques other students thinking >> in kindergarten. Um, one of the things that Miss Austin and I have talked about is making that a little more parent friendly or maybe an I can statement. Um, so that it's more understandable because we get it because we're teachers and it's as you speak and and we have to and we've talked about this, you know, thinking of our audience and the audience of this report card is the parent and um that was

126a discussion that we've we've started and will continue as we get ready for term two and term three. We might have to do some tweaking of languages for next year for the standards. >> Okay, Gretchen. >> I think this is sort of a two-part question. Legally, how long do we have to hold students records? >> 50 years. In 20 years, say 30 years. We went from WordStar to Word. I guarantee you Word can't read WordStar. I'm sure whatever we've got now can't read Sassy. Um, if our technology can't open what we're storing digitally, >> I'm going to be dead. >> I'm not trying to create a problem. I'm really not. >> No, >> it's something to keep in mind like if we do this all digitally, will we have the capacity in 20, 30, 50

127years to open it? >> I guess that's a great question that we could um pass to it to have us kind of take a look at it. I don't think it's worth us a conversation unless someone here thinks that they are technology advanced. Okay. All right. Any other question? You said was Okay. Thank you, Andrea. >> I just want to speak to the the whole idea of what Rita brought up and no one is questioning the intent behind the work that was done on this or the expertise and and the level of knowledge of kids that went into the thinking behind this. But to Rita's point, I think the the real issue is the erosion of polic of procedure and setting a precedent. That's the concern. And I think that we have to be extremely

128cautious of of staying in line with pro with process and with policy and president. this can go this can get away from us >> really which is why I moved it to a pilot because because I was very concerned about the fact that it had not followed um a normal channel and um but it's already down the road and couldn't >> I'm not I'm not couldn't call it back. So that's why I wanted to have a pilot because it puts us back on the burner for having a discussion and maybe what it should do is it should go to curriculum um for you guys to look at. >> And and I appreciate that it was a call back. >> Oh, it's going to be called >> No, I mean it could have been called back

129because we haven't even approved it yet. No. Well, my understanding from what I got from the committee of the whole vita was for them for for us to kind of stop what's going on right now. the train has left that station. Um, and so to to stop that within a couple of weeks of when it's supposed to go out feels like we're not that that we're creating much more of a havoc, but for for to put on notice that this is a pilot and that we need to a more diligent work needs to have happen for for the board, I think is important. >> I don't believe that that I felt that way at all when it was introduced to us the other day. I mean, we didn't even have a copy to look at

130at our committee the whole meeting. >> I I hear you and I and I agree with you. >> So whether you call it a pilot or not, we still could have said, "Let's postpone this till we spend a little more time on it as a board. >> We we introduced it 12 um in 2012. We waited till March because it really wasn't quite ready to go to be brought out in December. So we waited till March actually that first year in 2012. Jane >> what I'm hearing Susan say is there's no real change here. I don't understand >> I really don't understand why this is becoming a big issue. I just don't other districts have done this and I don't think anything really unique. It's a good job um and it's current in its thinking.

131Parents are familiar with it. I believe teachers have not raised any concerns. >> I I I I disagree. I have heard from teachers and yes they they they do have concerns. >> Is this a small group or is this >> I think there was a small group that worked on this that understand it. >> Is it to teachers who are conserved and are >> I have no idea whether or not it's >> okay. So for that >> Andrea >> again I don't think that that's the issue. The issue is that this is an erosion of policy and we need to either have a referral on how we're going to address future uh to just to ensure that this doesn't happen again. All right. So, we can do that. Um we can do a referral on

132onto that. Um, but it it also sounds to me that this is not I don't disagree with you about that we need to sort of we need to have protocol. But my concern is is that this is sort of that's why I wanted to put a little bit of a break on that so that we can do pilots so that we can get it back on track for doing that. >> I liked your solution. >> Okay. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor to approve the piloting the revised standardbased elementary report card beginning with the first marking period of the 201920 school year, please say I. >> I >> oppose. >> I'm abstained. >> So Katrina and Gretchen have abstained. Do I have Do we have it? One, two. >> Do you vote?

133>> You said no. One, >> three, four, five. >> I I vote four. >> Five. It passes. >> It It passes. Wasn't there something about a majority of like when it passed it was like five to two to one. Isn't there something that we have about that? >> Uh I I don't think so. If some boards there has to be five affirmative votes. >> Yes. >> So that if it passed four to one >> there would not be five affirm. I think that's what you're referring to. >> But there were five votes. There was a quorum. >> All right. So we're going to move on. >> Yep. So number six is um been tabled. >> Wait, we didn't have to do number five. >> I'm just wanting to get ahead of myself. >> We appreciate

134that. >> All right. Thank you. So Gretchen, would you please be willing to be the motion for number five that I seem to not want to talk about? Why not to approve um to approve the proposed FY21 CIP request for video surveillance systems for F pitch high school Northeast Academy Katherryn Kowansski and Charles Barnoff. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. So th this is a CIP that grew out of a conversation with police chief and and the town manager, but the board had already voted on their CIP. Uh and the suggestion was made when Sam and I were talking with them that this would be something that they would be willing to look at. And I said, "Well, if the board is willing to approve it, would you still consider it?" And uh

135>> they said yes. And we had and we did have this um discussion of the committee of the whole. So once again, it's going to look like we're not having a huge conversation, but we did have a conversation about that. >> So it includes video surveillance, the purchasing of cameras and and and an internet hookup uh to the police station uh which is already planned for the uh middle school, the new middle school. That's how this started. But then it would go to the other the other schools and of course it will be planned for the two elementary schools. >> All right. And could could Dr. Grer could you um tell us why um this was brought forward by the town manager? >> Well, the the conversation started with how exactly are we're going to

136do the video surveillance for the middle school. Mhm. >> And in the process of talking about the middle school, which was the only thing really on the agenda that day, uh, somebody said, "Well, wouldn't it make sense uh to to have video video surveillance u uh of the high school?" Uh, and everyone agreed that that would make sense. And then uh they then of course said, "Well, what about the other schools?" Once we realized once our tech people told us it it could be a cloud-based system uh internetbased system then uh we included the other schools as well >> and my and I have a question about the you know the privacy I know all the students they have to go and bring you know a paper home and have it signed but what about

137those that their parents don't want to to have their pictures Well, this is not pictures. >> Well, surveillance in the hallways, >> right? >> Well, it it's it's not something that is that is that is published in terms of >> it's not published at all, but there are people looking at it and >> and it's already occurring at Westside Middle School. The the >> right and how quickly then is it the police are going to respond quick? Usually, when anything happens, it's a couple of minutes. Well, this would provide police uh video surveillance of the hallways in in the event of a crisis. That's what this is. >> So, you know, if people were in refuge or >> That's right. Or if there was an intruder, God forbid. >> I guess unfortunately, we are at

138that time frame of of our world where we have to have that. >> Yeah. Any other conversation about this, >> Rosemary? I'm not sure if we will have the technology, but if parents do not want their um their children's faces, can we pixelate things if we ever have to send it out? >> I assume we we an emergency, >> let's say there was an incident uh yeah, >> and that's a new word for me. >> I was going to say I'm impressed. >> We do have we do have the ability uh to it's a little bit tricky. I don't want to make it sound like it's easy, but it's all if there was an image. Right. Right? If there was an image of some incident that happened in the hallway and and we wanted to

139o only focus on say the perpetrator and and have everybody else's faces pixelated, we could do that. >> Someone will know how to do it. >> I think we also have to be careful about having a conversation about the security on on camera. >> So I just So if if it's >> Do you have a question? I I do want us to be clear about that. >> Out just about everywhere else we go. the bank, Walmart, CVS, >> just down the street, >> wherever you're going, there's closed caption television. >> You're correct. >> And it is worldwide. It's everywhere. It's ex people cannot expect the level of privacy we had in 1950. We expect the police to be able to go and look at these closed caption. And I'm sorry, I hate it, but that's

140the way it is. >> Thank you, Gretchen. Thank you. Those are my All right. Hearing nothing else for discussion. All those uh all those >> all those all those in favor to approve the proposed fiscal year 21 CIP project for v video surveillance systems for pitch high school any um northeast academy Katherryn Kowski and Charles Barnum. Please say I >> opposed. Abstain. The motion has carried. Our last two agenda items are seven and eight. And that is going to be held in executive um session because it's going to be going over the contracts that were six is we have been tabled. Um >> I know I've been rushing it, but I actually knew what I was doing. Gretchen, >> I'm sorry. I know. >> That's fine. That's fine. All right. So, I'm what I'm going

141to propose as what we typ typically do is that we go to our communications um advanced planning and um suggested agenda items and then we allow the people who are not going to be part of the executive session um to move forward. Um so, Katrina for letters or communications. All right. No. >> Gretchen, >> do you have any letters or communications? Okay. Sorry. Did shake my head hard. >> That's okay. >> No. >> Andrea >> Rosemary. >> Um, is this just for communications or anything? >> Letters of communication. >> Um, I attended the Veterans Day. >> Awesome. >> Um, thing was, um, honored to bring my cousin who's a vet and he was very impressed. Thought the band was tremendous. Um, I also attended CABE. And then um after CA I went to the Westside

142Middle School trivia night and was only going to stay a minute but I won a whole lot of stuff >> so I was very happy and it turns out I know a lot of very small things. Um I I went to Cape which I thought was wonderful this year and thank you for the school board for allowing me to go. I also went to the veterans assembly at westside and I went to Khan College for a discussion on race when the head of the Supreme Court of the state of Connecticut uh Karen Florum um actually spoke with the Supreme It was incredible and it was a packed house. >> Yeah. >> Um it was you know it was just absolutely terrific. So that's what I've been doing. >> That's great. Rita um no wheel except

143from the teachers some teachers and um doing a lot of things at learn. >> I know they've been keeping you pretty busy. >> Very busy. Um I received um as it was noted um from uh from uh Porsche which once again I will make sure that you um guys receive that. Um and also just as we I talked about in the committee the whole um about the robotics program um and the resolution that has happened with that. So those were um and I also like other people was able to attend the football game um but also the marching band um and also I attended the tag sale or the craft sale that was at Fitch High School. >> Oh, I went to that too. >> Oh, didn't see. >> It was amazing. There was much

144I really needed. Yeah. No, it was good. So, um just to look, we are um just to remind people that we do have a um special um board meeting that will be on the 9th which will be um to usher in the new um board and also leadership um and uh also um that we'll have the the the vote on the um elementary school um specs um so that they can go back and they can um produce it. Um, and just to remind people that the that the the leazison meeting with the town council and the RTM has been postponed until the first of the year to to kind of have a reorganization about what that should look like or um keep the same. Um, I think that that looks like it's it. Um I

145do have the things about the things the items um will obviously um be I I think I'm going to refer the report cards back to the curriculum so that can that you guys can have a look at that. That sounds like that would make sense. Um and Rita, I think you also had another one um uh the referral about the fees for students for um for um for that >> for for sports, >> right? >> Um also just also for other communication along with the racial and diversity um I've been attending a lot of um it's called the tenants of working with young children and families around racial bias um and diversity and stuff like that. So I have also been trying to immerse my myself into that as well. So >> I just had

146one book end if you don't mind >> please bookend >> the the the meeting started with a comment and I want to end that I have never known a better advocate for students than Katrina. You have done a phenomenal job over the last years >> for the students for the board as an entity if I may use that word with your permission. Uh but you you have been you have been a force with the budget with students and and of course uh with the the the San Diego province uh all of that you've had an enormous impact on this board. So on behalf of the kids at least I want to thank you. You've done a great job. >> Thank you. >> And spearheading the bringing the grace project to our district as well. That's

147been really cool. >> All right. Uh well we can Okay. So, okay. All right. Um, we're going to go for injury to the executive session and I'm going to ask Wait, I'm going to ask that the superintendent join us. Do you need the >> Ken and Susan will be >> Ken and Susan um to join us for the executive session? >> Not. >> And um it's been moved. All those in favor, please say I. >> Opposed. Abstain. Motion has carried. The cupcake