5-18-20 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001Oh, Kim is here. >> Yes, she is. Oh, great. >> Hi, Kim. Where are you? >> I'm >> Oh, there you are. >> So, uh, Miss Joan, I'm starting the meeting. So, um, today is May 18th and it is 6:04 and this is the Gen Board of Education Committee of the whole meeting. Um, the first order of business is the acceptance of the CO meeting minutes of May 11th. Can I have a um a um can I have a >> first? >> Thank you, Lee. >> Can I have a second? I've got Gretchen. Any um discussion? >> Um I couldn't open the minutes, so I'm going to abstain. >> Okay. All right. All right. Any other hearing? None. All those in favor of accepting of the uh meeting minutes of May 11th, 2020, please uh

002raise your hands. >> Andrea, >> I got Andrea. >> Oh, you did. Oh, sorry. >> You got mine. It's Lee. >> I oppose. Fine. >> Abstain would be Rita. Yep. >> So, the motion has passed. Okay. The um next order of business is a discussion of the special education course curriculum coordinator position. Um and Dr. Grineer, I'm wonder where are you? Okay. I'm sorry. I find you on that screen. Um >> I'm gonna let you >> Okay. Sure. when uh when there was uh I know there were some concerns about trying to figure out exactly what we were hoping for this position. Um and I I I met with Ted and and and Peter and and Jeff and uh as you can see a few of the a few of the folks here. Um, and

003then we we shared some of that information with uh with Claire Deuter Powers and uh and Celeste Duffy. So I I thought and maybe maybe we'll start with Ted because this this whole notion of the coordinators kind of started with Ted. Uh and so I I I thought it'd be helpful for the board to kind of understand what what we're thinking about this position and then if if we're going to move forward, we'll move forward. If we don't move forward, then so be it. But Ted, you want to you want to kick it off? >> Sure. Thanks, Mike. Um well I think you know the conversation really started with uh with with my admin team um and uh Mike and Susan uh just uh in regard to um how we can uh help uh the

004the administrators get into the classrooms more and and uh and really trying to um give them time to to to be in classrooms. And you know, I think that, you know, talking with with Aaron and and uh and and Matt and just looking at the amount of time they were taking uh in these meetings, uh it was it was important that we we get some uh support there. Uh and I think that uh you know that that's what we really started with the the special ed. And then the the last piece was, you know, how can we try to make sure that we have um some kind of continuity with the services that we have someone really overseeing uh the the the services that we're we're offering at the different levels and and you know

005what we're offering for whatever uh you know uh particular uh disability we're dealing with or student that we're dealing with. So, um, you know, that was the the the reason that, uh, I really looked at this as an important position. Uh, and you know, when I, you know, went and talked with Aaron or talked with Matt and asked him, you know, how much time are you actually spending, uh, in these meetings? Uh, it was it was a lot. Uh, and that was the real concern that how can I get the these them into classrooms and and doing the work that I really need them doing uh, to get the kind of improvement that we want to get at Fitch High School. And that's why we're looking for this support. >> Let me let me let

006me hop over to Peter. Peter and Ted are going to be the two principles that are going to theoretically benefit from this position. >> Yes, thanks Dr. Grineer. Uh yeah, I I'm also in strong support of this position for a couple of reasons. one, when you take a look at um having a number of administrators, whether it's coming from elementary to middle or middle to high school or just in a high school itself, having that consistency is important because we need to ensure that there's equity for our students in the programs that they're they're giving and having a person designated to to be the point for several uh PPTs during a child's 6 through 12 continuum has great benefit. Secondly, I would um like to speak to the fact that in order to establish a

007strong culture of learning at the middle school, particularly at the new middle school, it's going to be critical that the principal and the assistant principles are out visible in the hallways, in the classrooms as much as possible. So if we are able to uh be able to take some of the the PPT meeting burden off of those posit those people's plates is going to allow us which is particularly important from the very very start of of Rotten Middle School um to be able to to set the structure and set the culture and tone for the school. You know, you think about um uh the grade levels. You know, if if I've got uh um you know, for example, Keith Daniel working with eighth graders, if he's in meetings uh a day and a half to

008two days for for PPTs a week, that's time that he's not engaged with students. >> Is that the kind of time that that the assistants have been dedicating? I see I see Claire nodding her head. Yeah, I think in the high school it's it's it's a lot. You know, I think that um we're we're talking about at the middle and high school uh 538 students that we are servicing that we're going to be able to get assistance with with this particular position. You got 172 students with 504 plans at both the high school and middle schools and 366 students with IEPs. Um, if you're just talking about one meeting a year, which it's more than that, but it's if if we went with the the bare minimum of one meeting a year, uh, that we're

009talking a significant amount of time here, uh, that we're taking away. Uh, I I know for >> I know for a fact that, uh, there were, uh, weeks at the beginning of the year that that's all, uh, one of my administrators would be doing, uh, was just being in 504s, IEP meetings pretty much the entire week. and and so the um you know to just lighten the load on this and I I don't think it takes our administrators completely out of these meetings at all. Uh they're still going to have to we're still going to have to support that. Um but even just a little bit of help in that area would allow us to do the really uh the work that we really should be doing which is getting into classrooms and working with

010students individually. >> I know Claire you wanted to chime in. I just I was just going to say that's 100% true. And as for scheduling around administrator schedules, it also becomes really problematic when you have a parent that you really want to get in, but you can only offer them like from 9 to 11 on this Tuesday of the month because that's when it comes close to their meeting time and that's when there was an administrator available. And sometimes we don't get to see the parents that we really really really need to have face-toface time with because we're trying to structure our our meetings around when an administrator is available as opposed to having a little bit more flexibility with that time. So not only is it is it a lot of time for the

011administrators, it has to be a structured time for them. And sometimes it it it does it comes in conflict with what you really need to do for the family as well. Thank Celeste, are you there? >> I'm here. I agree with everything that's been said. I didn't realize this was um that kind of focus just scheduling PPTs in general is highly problematic when and then especially needed is the administrator, the parent, the teacher, special ed teacher. It could be related services. So having one person who is a familiar person uh with their hands in a holding up a big umbrella would be very very helpful. >> Jeff, I know you you you kind of chimed in over the last couple of days. You feel pretty strongly about this. >> Yeah, I do. I mean, I

012agree with everything that's been said. I mean the administrator's role really is to be visible in the school and that visibility really helps in reducing uh discipline issues. Uh developing relationships with students and staff, developing trust with staff uh is critical. I mean dealing with discipline uh with all 1100 kids in a middle school and just four administrators and the amount of evaluations that we have the quickest way an administrator can become disengaged with students and staff is by sitting in an office or in meetings all day. I don't I don't I'm not saying that it's not important for us to be in uh these PPTs because I think it is important to know our students that have IEPs and their disabilities too. But I just think any any help that we can get would

013be would be great. >> Matt, do you want to weigh in? You had some succinct points from our conversation last week. >> Yeah. And I think everybody's already really chimed in on I mean the biggest thing is what you'd get from this is you're going to get get us in in classrooms more. And you know, um, that's one of the reasons, you know, we want we love teaching, we want to coach teaching, but, you know, the the more we can get in there, the more effective we're going to be at at, uh, you know, proning the craft of our teachers and and giving them the input that that we feel could really help. Another thing, you know, most of the PPTs with scheduling, um, a lot of times they fall at 9:00 and 1:00. Um,

014so those are times when you know a lot of times me and Erin are are really pulled nine o'clock and what like so consistently we have to get all our our visits to classrooms and so forth at the other times of the day and you want to be at different times of the day. You want to be able to see what's going on, see the feel of the class um, and get into every class, different levels and so forth. I think the biggest thing that this does though, you know, for for us I is getting into classrooms and and guiding instruction and and being visible, getting to know the students and uh you know, I'm just really echoing what other people are saying. >> Thanks. The last one I just like to chime in because

015she probably knows more than anyone else is is Aaron. You can you chime in, Erin? >> I can. I mean, just to kind of piggyback what Matt was just saying, I mean, the the mission and goal of the district is teaching and learning and and the district has spent so much time, resources, effort into um improving the curriculum, moving instruction forward. And the only way we keep that momentum is actually us getting into the classroom, making sure that curriculum is being executed with fidelity and that, you know, we're assisting teachers and and giving, you know, assistance, you know, where they need it and where we're seeing it and and being a presence to the students. I think it's um it's also important to note as well that I also am um running the school counseling

016department at the high school and many times I am also working with the the middle school school counselors and so that's another variable and I think it's important to note that this position is not going to be able to handle all of the 504s and IEPs um that you know Ted just mentioned there there are many many many students but it will certainly help um get the administrators at the middle school and high school um back into the classroom more and and just being able to work with students um on all fronts. >> So So Kim, uh we're ready, I think, to answer questions. when >> when I when I knew there were there was these concerns, I I I said to we we we had a little meeting and I said, "Well, the big

017question to me is status quo is you don't have it and or we we implement the position and I kind of asked everybody, you know, what do you what do you lose out or what do you gain if you have this position?" So, I think what you just heard is what what you gain. >> Okay. So, I'm gonna I'm just for order I'm going to do Lita. I had caught you first and then Liz after that. Is there another member of the board and then I have Andrea? Okay. So, if we could kind of go in that order that would be great, Rita. >> Sure. Um, I have a a concern that I I don't believe it should even be called a special education curriculum coordinator. I see this person as being going from one

018PPT to another. Um, when I think of a curriculum coordinator, I think of somebody who's going to be driving the curriculum. How is this person going to do that? My other concern is I would like a chart of the special education department. we have um added administrators over the year and those do not count then towards the administrator that's in I mean let's say if Matt has to go into a meeting now is there an administrator from special ed there a teachers no when why not what I mean we have these administrators now that we've added in our special education department why can't I thought they would be taking the place of the principles and the vice principles and they wouldn't have to spend as much time doing those >> weigh in on that Denise.

019>> Sure. Sure. So Rita to answer your first question um the coordinator would be able to monitor the curriculum in the sense that he or she would be able to ensure that there's consistency in program development. um the he or she would also be able to monitor um needs of the staff in terms of training and then consistency in the delivery of instruction. >> But I mean then what are the other people in your department doing if they're not doing that? >> Sure. So then the second part of your question is um in terms of the other supervisors and myself. So directly uh related to the high school, I supervise the self-contained ABA multiple disabilities classroom and attend and chair those meetings. Um Amy Rutolo supervises and attends all the meetings for the new beginnings

020alternative program. And then in addition to that, Amy and I alternate um in terms of PPTs that are more complex and more complicated. So, are you there as well as a high school administrator in the PBTs? >> It depends. Um, sometimes if I'm there, they will not attend. Um, especially if they have other pressing things to address. Other times they will attend because I will need them there to help explain the model or answer questions. It's I would say it's 5050. >> Okay. Um, my other concern is that we are going to have two elementary schools with over 600 students, which is going to be larger than Fitch High School, larger than our middle school, and we'll have a principal and a vice principal in those schools. How are they going to handle all the

021special education? You know, I I just feel that so much. I mean, we have three administrators and I'm not sure whether or not the dean is ever goes into any of these PPT meetings. If he's an administrator, if he has an he has an 092, I believe, right? So, there are four four at high school. Right now, we have three in three administrators in our middle school and yet we're going to have these large elementary schools that are going to have two people. So, I I am I am concerned. I mean, I just don't see, you know, we we we need to spread this out. I mean, maybe this person should be a a K through 12 curriculum coordinator and then that's all they do is because we have a very big special education department.

022Now, when I was on the board in the beginning, there was just Denise and then we've added and added and added and now we want to add some more. So, I I just question this position. I don't want administrators spending all their time, whether it's elementary, middle, or high school, but I just don't understand why more people that are the administrators in the special ed department aren't taking over these these roles. And I I thought that's why we hired them. >> Can I add one thing that I think is really critical is that we h we spent about $2.5 million on magnet schools. That means that we have a huge case load of children with special needs who are at learn schools, New London schools who are outplaced. So all of our three supervisors and

023Denise take on a real rigorous schedule of PPTs outside of our own district. I think the way that um Denise has it structured where Naen Mlin takes over all the preschool and kind of early childhood and she is in many many many PPTs to oversee that. Lori Luciani takes care of elementary and middle school academy programs and does help support um a lot of PPTs too. They all support teacher evaluation with those programs that they're overseeing. So, I think our number because we're up to I think what 17 and a half% special education. We're one of the largest districts um with the most the highest um number of special education cases. >> Yeah, we're 17.2. >> Okay. >> What what is it? >> 17.2% for 1920. The state >> including 504s, >> not special education.

024But it doesn't that include 504 plans? >> No, the state average is about 15 I believe. >> Yeah, the state is 15.6. >> So I think there was a particular need. I know Amy Routollah has been able to help out in some instances at the high school, but because she oversees that and you know that new beginnings program as well and does so much outside of the district um you know for all of our cases that are magnets or out of place out of district placement that it really ties their hands for you know being able to do all of this. I I I mean it would still be very helpful if we had a chart of administrators administrators duties even from the central office on down. It would be nice. We haven't had one

025of those in a long time. >> I'm moving us to I'm moving us to Liz. >> Yeah. Um you know I I have similar concerns that Rita has. Um I I totally understand um where you're coming from. you know, Erin, Matt, Ted, you know, Peter, Jeff, I really understand it. I've been there. But I'm going to tell you right now, I think I think if we look at this, I agree with Rita. I think we have a structure that needs to maybe be restructured within the dis within the special ed department. Um, maybe we can use Amy Routollo a little bit more. I just think that uh we're adding another layer when there's more important things for curriculum coordinators for the district to need to look at. I really I really think that you know

026we've we've clustered a STEM and English language arts and then humanities. We haven't had curriculum coordination in our four really our five core areas in years and that needs to be addressed. And when I saw this, I no, so I understand what you're saying, but I'm saying the specialized group, you know, I understand that, and I applaud you, Susan, believe me, of all the hard work you've gone through, but I really believe that, you know, we're one of those districts that doesn't have those lead teachers or those curriculum uh special, excuse me, wrong terminology. We don't have those instructional leaders or dis department leaders that are specialized in their departments and that need to come back. We used to have a strong department. We had curricular coordination that was well written and I just think

027I would like to see like Rita said, I would like to see what the structure is of the special ed department is. I would like to see how we could restructure if possible. and you know and lend more support to our curricular areas. That's my my spiel. Dr. Acriman, >> I have basically two concerns. One of them is I it's my understanding that the new curriculum coordinators will do what u Liz has just suggested and that is offer not only curriculum coordination within the dis their their discipline but they'll be taking over some of the evaluations. So that should free up the administrators to be able to to go to PBTs. And I'm very concerned as a former administrator that there won't be an an a building administrator in the PPT. I think that's vital.

028So in my view, we should be looking at giving more evaluation to the teachers uh to the coordinators, I'm sorry, and then ensuring that the building administration is in the PT. Do Mike, can I make a quick point in regard to some of the >> Wait, I I want to um I'm going to go through the board. >> Gretchen, did I hear you raise your hand? >> Yes, you did. >> Very loudly. U while back, we had a superintendent who was very, very proud of his increasing our special ed numbers and making us a top end special needs district. So that's where we see some of this work. So I guess my question is are we looking so many things here? Is this a part of this? Is it a state mandate, federal mandate that

029we have these people come in to help? >> No, no, not at all. >> No. So this is just something we're choosing to do. So are we looking for someone so make it easier for everybody? Are we looking for someone who to coordinate the special ed program and the teachers or are we looking for someone to go to PPTs? >> I would say more to coordinate the PPT coverage and 504 meetings at at both >> you know there's we're going to have 2,000 students at these schools and I'm I'm just concerned in the fall especially Peter Jeff and I have had a lot of talks about this. We're we're trying to make this school quotequote small. And so we we see three administrators, one for a sixth grade, one for the seventh grade, one for

030the eighth grade. I really want to maximize their interaction with kids and teachers. Uh and and to Rita's point, this is a halftime teaching job. Uh I I think as as we look forward to the consolidation of the of the elementary schools, it's not inconceivable that perhaps it would become a full-time person and they would help K12. I I actually think but but I just I want to be sure everyone understands that this is this is a halftime teaching job. It we're shifting some duty. I'm gonna Gretchen, I know that you want to talk, but I got Gretchen. I mean, I've got Jane. >> Yeah, I'll try and remember that. >> Jane, >> I hate to see the brakes put on at this point. I what I've learned um about schools in Graten, the teachers,

031the administrators are all very dedicated. They're all prog ones I've seen are progressive in their thinking. I would hate to stop and put the brakes on now and back up to old ways. I think we need to respect what these people have decided to do with reason. Um, and and let them do it. Um, and then we can see how that goes, but not to go backwards. The Graten has come too far to do that. >> Jane, I I have a hard time when you say things like that, but I'm going to leave it there. Well, I've been around the windy corner in education. So, you need to know that I bring with me experience and some baggage and um and a deep respect for for change when it's important for kids. And I think

032this is important for the adults as well as the kids as a step in the progression. Things are changing. It's not, you know, not not do or die. >> I've got Gretchen, I've got Andrea, and then I've got Liz, >> I've got Gretchen, I've got Andrea, and then I've got Liz. >> Gretchen. Okay. So, what you're saying, Dr. Grineer, is this person would is they they're going to have a classroom in half of the day and then work on PPTs or are they going to float during the day so the teachers have freedom to go to coverage? No, it's a halftime teaching position and a halftime administrator. >> Oh, I'll figure it out when we do it. >> Yeah. Just like the other curriculum coordinators, they'll teach they'll teach one day and they'll be an

033administrator the next day. >> That's the structure of the other three. >> That's right. Andrea, >> I know that we have a job description drawn up, but I don't know that that I I'm really hearing that the role of the administrator, the uh curriculum coordinator and they for special ed has been truly defined at the school level. >> That's and that's a concern. >> Agreed. >> We could we could certainly go back to that. You know, Rita mentioned the the the title of the position. U I tell you I I I'm not married to the title of the position. I'm just married to the function. And perhaps Andrea, we could clarify the job description just for that position and and and give it an appropriate name. uh like campus campus special services coordinator or something

034like I I was just I was just looking at Erin's number. She she she put a little chat thing up and and she was she was saying that uh at the at Westside there were 138 students with 504 IIP 136 uh at Cutler and 264 at the high school. So that's 270. It's uh 24 about five five and a quarter. That's 5 525 students. That that's a lot of students. So you know if we called it the the uh special services or everyone want coordinator, campus coordinator uh halftime that sort of leaves the window open for what I think Rita was hinting at. uh that maybe >> we we've also um discussed the title as possibly a PPT facilitator. >> I like that better. >> And would that have to be in the administrator's union?

035>> Yes, I I think so because >> administrator >> Yeah. >> Well, I I I think so, but I mean we we could but we need we need an administrator at at at the meeting. So I I I don't want to cut our nose off to spite our face. >> Yeah. I mean, I think the simple answer is you you take someone who's teaching six classes right now and you uh or the department head type person who's teaching four, you you assign them three and you say you're going to be the the the PPT. Reason I like special services, uh Denise, is because it incorporates 504. Good point. >> Or some term, some ter, you know, support services facilitator or something like that. >> We could do the we could do the job description again

036and come back to you. >> I um wait one second. Um Liz, I have a board member who has not spoken yet and so I'm going to recognize Lee. Lee, you're gonna have to unmute. you have to unmute yourself and then Liz, I'm going to go back to you and then Andrea and Rita, you've moved on my screen so you're now on the right and now on the left. So I have to pay attention to that. Stop moving on me, Lee. >> Okay, >> here's my question. Um, if we're talking about adding the same people we already have or MO new people to administrators, we sort of have dodged a bullet this year with our budgets. So, we don't have anybody saying you have too many administrators. We're talking about adding whatever you want to

037call them, coordinators, whatever. half the time they're not going to be teaching. So my question is there are going to be people who say you're adding administrators. >> We are. >> Well, should we be doing that or can we come up with another semantic way? >> Could I respond? >> I'm done. >> Yeah. Yeah. I uh Yeah, >> go ahead. Mike. >> Well, I was just going to say >> that people are always concerned about adding an administrator >> until it's my kid and I have a 504 problem and I'm saying I need a meeting. My kid can't has this problem and and uh yeah. So I you know I think in in the aggregate pe people think that and and you know teachers teachers do their thing. I'm looking at Celeste and Claire and

038I have enormous respect for them. Um, but as they both said, you know, when when you get to a meeting, we we we need to have the administrator there and uh you know, and if there's a as I look at Denise, when there's a a sexual harassment complaint, people darn near want their administrators to look into it and they want it now. And so I I you know, I I I try to balance it. Believe me, I I I don't think we want to be topheavy with administration, but I think we want to be responsive. And if by moving a thousand kids to to a middle school, you know, I just I know Peter and Jeff is are thinking hard about this. We we want to have people out there like Gretchen, you were saying

039once upon a time that Mr. whatever his name was was your go-to person. We we want that. We want the sixth graders to have a go-to person. in sixth grade and then seventh grade and then eighth grade and hands off. >> So people don't like administrators until they need one. >> I I'm I'm missing my I'm missing the kick underneath the >> Yeah, I Yeah. No, I see it. I see it in your face. >> I don't know how to do it with virtually. Liz, you have to wait. I have another board member that has not spoke. Jay, >> so I I've been listening to all of this and I I understand the concern about the message we're sending about adding administrators um at this time, but it just seems to me of all of

040our populations right now that um special ed may be most at risk. as a as a non-educator, it just seems to me that they are probably um not adjusting to distance learning uh perhaps as well. And I'm just all for whatever we can do to support that population. >> Jay, thank you. Liz, >> I just want to clarify. I'm not against having a curriculum, not excuse me, a special ed person, a facilitator to to help out. I really see the need for that. Please understand that. What I'm saying is is I we were we brought together this concept of the secondary curriculum coordinators. And I just think we're missing I wish we hadn't even put the special ed that there had been three and then a special ed one that wasn't under curriculum coordinator because

041I like Rita and others who have said this this doesn't sound to me like it's going to go along as strong as a curriculum coordinator that that's going to be the curriculum is going to be almost secondary respect PPT are are incredibly important. You need to make sure you have the services. So, I'm kind of wondering if we've had a a misnomer here. Um, and also I still don't know and I would still like some clarification of who the h what departments are going to have the h be covered by the humanities. If we first went through, and if I remember correctly, if we first went through and we said we're going to get curriculum coordinators, we're going to get four of them, four administrators, and then when we got the promotion, Yeah, we did,

042Lee. Um, and then we said, you know, which ones were going to do, you know, all of a sudden we get STEM, ELA, and I've had this constant question that hasn't been um answered yet. Well, what happens to world language, social studies? Where is the uh the applied arts and the fine arts? And what about physical education? And I understand we're going to have the different levels. Um, you know, there's going to be department heads and I understand that, you know, that might be taken up, but we really need to look at this. I think that special ed should never have been put in here. It should have been a separate thing. And I just think if we can look at and and Denise I I would really appreciate the look at of um you

043know what the other people are doing the different administrative structure within the special ed department. Um I just really feel because I don't it's been changed since I've left the district and I've now come back and I would like to understand >> so that I do want to support what's best for our kids. I just don't think this is the place for it. Okay. >> You know, the spe another special ed person. >> Okay. So, um I I am gonna sort of move you along, Liz, because you're moving off the topic of special ed of of person. Um but I do have a I do have a response to that, but Andrea, I know that you had requested to talk. >> Yeah. I um I I really want to see exactly how the high school

044is going to define this individual because it didn't occur to me until Dr. Grineer said it that and then Jay what Jay said really backs up what I'm thinking and that is that this is going to be a part-time teacher so they're going to be teaching one day and then administering the next. Who's got that class and how is that going that class going to adjust to having no a different teacher? I don't understand how that works. >> A day B day >> say what? >> A day a bunch of classes. B days. No classes for that teacher. >> Right. >> I get that part. I get what happens to the class, the special class, >> the classes meet every other day, Andrea. That is don't five days a week. They only meet two and

045a half days a week. >> So where are those special ed kids at? They're not self-contained. >> No. >> Where are they when the when the teacher is not there? >> 99% mainstream, right, Denise? [Music] You have to unmute. >> Unmute. Sorry, Andrea. It's an eight period day. So, they would have a full schedule for eight periods, but only four periods meet per day. So, the the t whoever this if this position is approved, the person in this position would only have classes scheduled on either A day or B day, not both. So they either teach periods 1 through four or five through eight. Okay. >> And the children are where I'm still on. >> They're m they're mainstream by and large. >> They would have they would have a schedule for the the day

046that the te that this person is in PPTs that would put them in other classes with other teachers. Could be STEM, could be resource with another teacher. I think Andrea, I understand where you're coming from because you're thinking about a self-contained group of children that are in the same room every single day of the week. I think this would be probably a position that a resource teacher who only met with the students every other day. >> I see. >> Would would do better because I I can understand where you're coming from. >> Yeah. >> Thank you for Susan, thank you for the clarification. >> Thank you. >> I just want to remind the board of a couple things. We approved for this budget the the four positions. I think what has been very helpful and

047I I do need to I know that the district staff are probably very frustrated with the board of ed right now because we've approved this position and then we're really we're really um having a lot of angst about about that position. You're g you want us to have this conversation because as Rita and I both know it is really hard to get um administrative positions in graten um and sustained. So, we've done it, but you're gonna want us to be able to own this position. And quite frankly, the position, and this is to no fault of one's own. I think that this is why what I'm so proud about for this district is that the district staff and the board of ed can have these conversations and we can kind of have it rise to

048really what we want this position to be, both by the board of ed by the the district staff. So, I'm I'm excited about this conversation, but I know that it's it's weary for the district staff because we you just want us to get it right. But if if we just do it, we're not owning it and we can't then help sustain it um in the future. And that's what we're really working for. So, please give us some time to really have these types of conversations. What I'm hearing from this conversation, Dr. Grineer is this that we are mistitled this fourth position that it's not a curriculum coordinator unlike the other curriculum coordinators that were there but that I believe and I mean I we can this position has already been approved so I guess what

049would have to if the board as a whole kind of said yeah we don't want to have the fourth position we would need to kind of make a statement about that. Um, but I what I'm hearing from people's comments is is that there seems to be a real need to have a coordinator from for this position um uh for the six for the 6 through 12 to help coordinate the specialed special services 504. That's what I'm hearing. Um, and so I think we need to have that be developed more into a job description that the board could then say, "Yeah, that's exactly what we're hearing and that's exactly what we can have." Um, one one second Lee. Um, and so I that's what I'm hearing about this position is that we not we we need

050to get more clarity about it because it's not a curriculum you you can't sell me that it's a curriculum um uh coordinator um position. And Denise, I understand that you would want that person to sort of be able to be the speak person, but if you're having them do that level of um PPT meetings and teach, that's a very that's a that's a tall order, I think, um for it to to for it to be. So, I I I want us to be able to sell the right goods um for this position. So, that's what I would ask. Um, but I'm only one member of the board. But that's what I would ask is that they that you come back with a curriculum with a with a position title and responsibilities um that we can

051then own. Um, and to Rita's point because it's never that we get this great people here. Um um to Rita's point is I think we do need to start hearing what the plan is about what we're going to do about the elementary schools. And Denise, I mean, you're you have your you have your your you and Susan have your your hands in the mix of that and so I don't want to have a conversation about it tonight, but I think that we need to begin to think about that as we move forward with our budgets about what we need to do about the elementary schools. Lee, I saw your hand up >> and then I have a quick question. >> Rita, >> can I go? >> Yes, Flee. When I see a number from Denise

052that I see where we're talking about one out of every five of our students has problems with special education in whatever. I don't for one second think that we don't need to have another person on there. I'm just saying that when it comes when push comes to shove what the other people people who don't think the way we think are saying oh another administrator that is not what I'm saying. I'm saying it's obvious that we need this. I'm just saying let's make it palatable. >> Amen. >> Yeah. So I I have a question about this person. If if this person also teaches special education and would be an administrator, could could that person in a PPT represent two people, the teacher and the administrator if they if she has the student in the classroom? >>

053That's a good question. >> Um possibly depending on the other makeup of the meeting. >> So that would be good. Um, my other question is that every other day there's so much there's such a demand at the high school. I can't even see how this person's going to get down to the middle school. I mean, it just seems almost overwhelming to me that whoever this person is is going to have to be running back and forth and has her case full of students and then the other day, you know, it'll be split. I ju I just think it's it's it's definitely has to be renamed and rethought of and >> just have a nice flowchart of special education and what's really going on here now would be helpful. >> We'll do all of that for

054next week. >> Yep. >> Great plan. >> I I I do want to let you know though, Rita, um it's a misnomer to say that we have not ever heard about the recent um development or how the structure of our special ed department has been. Oh, I'd like to see it on paper. That's all I'm asking for. >> I'm just I'm just saying we have seen that on paper, too. It's about time that we have it re um we have we we looked at um because we do have Liz who is new and she's asked for it. But it is a misnomer to say that we have not seen that chart. >> No, no, not never. I just haven't seen it recently and I'd like it with everybody's job, you know, things change and I'd

055like to see exactly where everybody's going, >> right? I just I just want to make sure that um we have I I want to clear up that language a little bit. >> Okay. >> Right. So So the marching orders is that we're going to get a different do job description. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. That would be great. Thank you. >> Yeah. I just want to thank I I just wanted to thank the administrators and the teachers. Uh I I think it was really important for you to hear their voices. So thank everybody. >> Thank you, too. Gretchen, do you have a comment about this description and title? >> Yes. >> Thank you. That's a great idea. Yes. Thank you. >> Thanks everybody. >> We're with you. >> Thanks for understanding. >> Thank

056you guys. >> Um >> thank you. >> Is is there um do we need can we go to number seven because I know that we have some people here um who probably were part of this last discussion but also need to be part of this um type C position. Sure. >> Can we can we move to that folks so that we can have we can have the people be on and and then they can leave. >> Is that um do I have consensus from the board? >> Sure. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, Dr. Geneer, can you help us think about this? >> Uh well, Peter Peter and Jeff, my thing gets jumbled up, too. Where'd you guys go? The Jeff still here? Jeff, I don't see. Okay. Uh anyway, Beth, were you part

057of this too? This uh no. Okay. So, anyway, we we sent you a document and if you remember, there were two head coaches for basketball, for example, one for Westside and and and one for Cutler. So, what we've done here is we've created in the And by the way, Mark, could I share a document or could Ken share a document when I try it? It it says I can't. >> For some reason, it's not working. I don't know why. >> Okay. >> Um I told Ken if he sent me a document, I can share it, I believe. >> Oh, yeah. Oh, good. Okay. Well, this this is sort of simple. Let Let me see if I could say this. We've added two assistant coaches. We've obviously we've taken out the two head coaches. So, we've

058added uh uh we we now have one head coach and one assistant coach for boys, one head coach uh for girls and one assistant coach for girls. So, those are the assistant coaches are are new uh at uh at uh let let me see if I could uh you have the document in front of you, Ken. >> I do. >> Oh, you do? Okay. >> You sent it to us with our board notes. >> Okay. >> I don't have that. >> And Dr. I was part of that conversation. >> That's what I thought. Okay. Uh Oh, I I see. Okay. I I'm I'm back to reality. The head coach in in uh for the school year, we we of course have h have a head coach for the boys and a head coach for the

059girls. What But we've we've increased uh the the the estimated money for the assistant coach for boys. So there'll be a head coach and an assistant coach for boys and girls. Same thing with with soccer and we've added two assistant coaches and and Beth, we figured out that as a percentage of the sort of percentage of com compared to what the head coach was at the high school. We never had assistant coaches here, but we we created something quite similar mathematically. We use we use the same formula be uh that we had used to establish the assistant coach stipens at the high school and we use that formula for the establishing >> the pay rate in the stipen for the middle school. >> We've added an assistant coach also for uh boys and girls uh

060uh cross country and and track and then we added an assistant coach for softball. We added, oh, this is new. We added a head coach for unified sports because it's now a three sport, very similar to the high school, what we did with the high school. Uh, not as much money as the high school, but again, it's proportional as Beth just said. Um, and I think, help me out, Susan. Is it in front of you? It doesn't look like it is. I think those were the th those were the changes uh because obviously we we we can't have two head basketball coaches. Uh and so we've we've also uh expanded and we're getting we're prepared to expand the inter mural coverage and if there are more kids we'll add more inter mural. We we've got

061money in our enrichment account. We've got money in our sports accounts, but this this would this would reflect and Peter, do you have the document in front of you? Probably not. You know what? I'm gonna send it. >> We did discuss, Mike, that if there was um a lot of folks have talked about starting a wrestling team at the middle school, but we thought it could be a club or an inter mural first to see if there was that interest. So we thought through inter murals we could work in other things that kids might be interested in too. So that might be um I think that was clear to Peter P's idea. So but I do know that it's because we don't have two head coaches one at each of the middle schools because we're

062combining there was some cost savings or cost avoidance with that. >> Excuse me Mark I just send it to you. One of my questions is why is the soccer coach about $1,000 less than a basketball coach that has fewer students for the head coach? Can you know there are many more people on a soccer team than there is on a basketball team? So, I was just curious as why you would um not have those salaries have maybe meet in the middle and have them be both the same or I it's you know and even like the track coach isn't as much as the head basketball coach and there are many more kids on the middle school um track teams. >> So, there just seems to be some discrepancy. >> Yeah. Thank you, Ken. I mean,

063thank you, Mark. >> It's a shorter season, Rita. So, it's not necessarily about like the number of kids. >> Really? You really think it's shorter? >> Yeah. Basketball goes from like like November all the way to March. And like cross country goes from like the third week in September, second week in September to like the end of So, it's like cross country. >> Well, I know cross country, but I'm at the track team. >> That's also a shorter season. >> Well, I don't know. It starts in March and goes to June usually or the end of May. >> I don't know if that's true at the middle school. >> I don't know if that's true at the middle school. >> Well, when my kids were there, it did. And you know, and there are a

064lot of kids on the team. You have kids doing all sorts of things, >> right? >> But I think that was the original when that was originally negotiated. That's why it looks like that is the length of season. >> That that makes sense because I can tell you I believe the CIA guidelines for middle schools indicate that the track season starts after April 1st. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> And the basketball >> clear is accurate. >> November >> and soccer is really September, October. It's pretty much by the end of October it's over. >> Well, November. >> They very rarely play into November. >> Yeah. The championship, CIA championship start at the early November. I I know because I'm always amazed that football goes like a whole month more than soccer, >> right? But this is

065middle school, >> right? Yeah. I'm just saying the season is shorter. >> Yeah. >> Claire's right. >> Mark, could you put that up again? >> And you don't have anything for robotics. Is that what you're building tech support is instructional? >> We don't have a robotics team at the middle school. we we would you know we would propose uh and we'd come and ask you to negotiate a schedule stipen for it. It's it's conceivable. Well, I was thinking that when you see all these different co-advisors for student councils that maybe you don't need four people, two from Westside, two from Cutler, and decrease those and then maybe you could find the money for robotics or and then there's only one Westside middle school coordinator for building tech support and it doesn't appear that Cutler ever

066had that. I don't know. >> I'm not sure what to say about the school in column A. I would tend to I'm not sure where how how how that was pulled. >> Okay. Did you have a coordinator building text support instruction? >> Yes. Yes, we did. >> You did also. >> Yes. >> It's just not listed. >> Right. Peter is Cutler. >> Is are we seeing the full screen or can we scroll down somewhere? >> I have the whole thing in front of you. >> We do. Good. >> Yeah. Yeah, we have the whole thing. If you you have to scroll up. Do you see that number 46? You see it for Westside but not for color. That's interesting. >> Well, you know, it's conceivable they didn't have it when this thing was published. I

067there there are anomalies to this. Like sometimes we have positions and they're not filled and sometimes um >> Right. But it seems like the student council you added people because >> I mean usually there was one advisor for student council just like I don't think there are two at the high school. So, I don't think there are four positions for one middle school. >> Yeah, I'd agree with you. Rita, could you could you scroll up, Mark, >> a little bit more, please, to that last uh little thing? >> I'm as far up as I can scroll. >> Oh, really? Well, >> Reed is right. There are four student council. I dare say we don't need four student council adviserss. >> No. >> Yeah. Four doesn't sound right to me. Um, you know, at this point

068at Cutler, we've got two, but they split the position. So, it might, and again, I don't have it in front of me, so I can't really speak to it too well, but it might be that we're seeing four when it's really only two. >> Okay. >> Yeah. If I could weigh in, um, the stipend for a student council at the middle school is, uh, 2,105. So, >> that's it. >> That's a split. >> Split. >> Yeah. >> It's really only two. It's two >> two positions. >> Yeah. Well, I think we should keep it as two positions. And if you want to do any splitting, I think it would look better than four there. >> Well, that's exactly right, Rita. >> Peter, what about um yearbook at Cutler? >> Should be there. >> You got

069it. >> Yeah. Again, I can't speak to I I think we just had one yearbook and and again, I would I would tend to disregard that that column A >> um but we're we project having one yearbook advisor and again that at Cutler this year was a split position, but we so we split this the stipen. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Advisors. So, we just it it just should maybe we should have this redone where it says Graten Middle School as opposed to all these. >> Sure, we could do that. >> Well, because we do have it in in like some of it says Graten Middle School like the head coach for >> We could we'll clean it up and present it. >> Yes. Yeah, that'd be great. Um, once again, this was this was

070a really kind of like a negotiation task, but because it really has to do about the Grten Middle School, I wanted to make sure that all of us got a chance to kind of take a look at um the stipen um because this this part of a um contract. So, that's >> Yeah, but Kim, would there be one advisor for the jazz band for Graten Middle School as opposed to two and two for drama? You know what I mean? Like >> there should be two for each, I believe. >> Right. But do we need that is what I'm asking you. >> Well, for drama, I would if you want a spring production and a and a fall production, which is my my dream with a blackbox theater, you have >> Okay. >> Yes. >> And

071with regard to jazz band, um I think you could be seeing two levels of jazz band. Um, you know, what Kevin Maserella does right now. He's got a jazz lab band which is open to anyone and then a jazz uh band which is uh by audition and I think we've got two uh board of ed high school represents who can both speak to that. >> Yeah. And then the drama music is because of the arts, right? >> Right. Drama drama music is a stipen that we would use only for a musical production. Yes. So it'll be like the music director and for the drama production. >> Yeah, the drama music was added for the musical uh production and the others the regular drama was just for a regular play. >> Um if you look the

072original thing from Lori Leine, I think the reason why it's like Westside Cutler, Westside Cutler, it looks like maybe some of the things that we eliminated when there were two and now they're only going to be one. she might have just sorted like one from Cutler, one from Westside because there is a document that says like who was holding those positions at the other school. So I think that's where that I think that's how that sort is done. So it's like >> you know she kept the yearbook from one school and the newspaper from the other school. >> Well that makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Claire, I think you're exactly right. Mhm. >> As usual, >> that's why we need CLA. >> Clarification from Claire. >> This is how we figured out the middle school

073schedule. We said, Claire, what do you think? >> And this doesn't even touch upon the enrichment opportunities like the math counts and maybe it's that we do robotics through an enrichment program and see how we can grow it. >> Exactly. >> And then figure out it, you know, because we have those resources and we've used them for elementary and middle school. And I think it certainly supported our having um some high quality programs. >> Is the building what where it says coordinator for building tech support instructional >> what is that an afterchool program? >> No, each of our buildings has had a tech support person. Um like Corey Mott is at Mary Morrison. So they've done everything from helping to um solve problems at the building level to um running some professional development for teachers.

074Um >> Okay. >> You know, and during this time of distance learning, a lot of them have been our go-to people, you know. >> Okay. So, are we only having one then? Like they just made >> Well, it's a big school. I don't know. I guess the high school only has one at this point. So, >> okay. I'm sure they'll let us know if they need more. >> Right. So, what's the will of the board on this? >> I think it has to come back with it sorted out as Graten Middle School, not all these different positions every place for Cutler Westside. So I I would I would say based upon what Claire said it it it I would just take a look at column A and and call it GMS. The positions the number

075of positions there are accurate particularly when you as Ken mentioned that that one issue that we thought was there with regard to having four advisors for student council actually really only is two when you look at the stipen. So >> maybe Lori could put the total stipen in instead of the split and you guys work out the split deal on your own. >> Yeah, I think so. >> I agree with that. >> Yeah. >> My my only concern is if we delay it another week. Um the the positions for assistant coaches have not been posted and we really want to get things uh folks in positions particularly for the fall sports um immediately. you know, we we want to get input from from coaches on uh things like uniform design and that sort of thing.

076>> So So Peter, let me just let me um do people agree to in essence what is being proposed just that um it just needs to be kind kind of cleared up so that we can understand it. But do the board members do we in essence a agree to sort of how this has been split up? >> Yes. >> So >> clean it up for board members. Yeah. And clean it up also for the student council >> for the for the document to be cleaned up. Um I also want to be careful, Rita, that we're not adding so much work to an already overworked um administration during this virtual learning experience, too. So, um >> we I'll clean it up and put it in board notes. We got it. >> Yeah, we got this. >>

077Great. >> Thank you. >> Um and do we need to vote on this? >> Well, >> it's a negotiation. So Rita, I'm looking at you right now. Um, as the long-term negotiation person when we taking a look at the stipens, is that something that we should bring back to the board for >> to the full board? >> Okay. >> Yeah. So like the negotiation committee, you know, approves it once to move it forward and then the board votes on it. >> Okay. So what I Peter what you should be hearing from us is that by and large by head nods that I'm receiving in essence we want this to be moving forward so that you guys can begin to be putting people in place but that we have a but we will have a complete

078vote um next week um to seal the deal but feel free to move to to I I'm saying feel free to move ahead um and do whatever dancing you need to do. >> Okay. Thanks. So, we we'll go ahead and start process for the head coaches and wait for your final approval on these, >> you know, especially the fall. >> Yeah, >> exactly. Thanks so much. I appreciate that. >> You got it. Um, Dr. Grineer, when we look at the agenda items, do we see anything that's on here also um that our our friends who are hanging out with us need to be part of? >> No. >> Okay. So, um you Excuse me. They you might want to hear a little bit what they're going to say about technology. >> Okay. So, let um

079I'm going to move us back up to technology. Um Claire, once again, thank you so much for your help and support. Um it's always good to see you. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, we're I'm now moving back up to number four, which is the technology re-entry plan. >> Okay. So Mark, did did Ken send you that by any chance? >> Did I have it? >> Two, Mark. It's the one that's labeled it U plan or something like that. >> Yeah, >> I don't think did we also receive that in our board notes? >> Yeah, we did. >> You did. Good. So just just to orient you if uh Mark looks a little exasperated so I'm not sure it's actually coming. Well anyway let let me let me orient you. Uh we've we've got a

080we've got a plan that that has two if you remember there were two boxes. the the first box is uh a reflection of what we we think September 1st to hit the ground running uh we're going to need and and so I'm going to go through it line by line. The the first thing is when I said to Dennis, how many of their Chromebooks are end of life? Uh because they're they're good life for five years and then after that uh Google doesn't support them, so the kids can't use them for statewide tests and so forth. So he said it would be it would be smart to replace about 1,200 of of the Chromebooks and that includes 300 for the high school kids that we always do, plus another 900. And then we wanted to

081get some carts and there are there are the carts that we have now. It was very difficult to get the the Chromebooks out and to get the the the battery out. uh the the chrome the carts that we're looking at are sort of grab and go, you know, if if we had to I hate to say when we have to, but if we have to leave again, we also talked to the kindergarten and first grade teachers and everybody said that tablets make a lot more sense as opposed to a Chromebook with a keypad with a with a you know key. Yeah, keypad. Uh, so what Dennis has come up with is something called Google Touchpad or Chrome, sorry, Chrome Touchpad. It's it's it's a it's exactly like a Chromebook except doesn't have a keyboard and

082it's much has much better facility for young children. So we we put we put 600 down. In other words, one one for every kindergarten and first grade child. And then we already had, if you remember, we wanted to replace a bunch of interactive panels. Aha. Uh, can you can you point as I go, Mark? So, you see my interactive panels 1615. That was already in the plan. Uh we we talked to we talked to uh Dennis and Susan and you might want to weigh in, but we're we're looking at software for the fall and one of one of the things that that I I heard the other day was a the president of Yale was saying, you know, when we when we started this on in in mid-March, a lot of us went to Zoom

083and and he called that a primitive tool. U you know, it's kind of like bam, here it is. But there are some really sophisticated programs that that we've been looking at and and actually probably Beth can also weigh in on this, but we'd really like to get some software that would really be very effective, but AC across the board software for the primary school children, for the other upper elementary, middle school, and and and high school. And then we had we already had some registration software in there if you remember for the alliance grant. And then we had some some Dennis says back office uh infrastructure type things. So this is going to sound a little shocking but we're we're sort of looking at in a perfect world we we would we would buy about

084$1.1 million worth of technology. So then the question is where could that come from? So, that's the second part. Now, if you move the the cursor down, we know, well, actually, we're going to talk about it in a minute. We we know we cut $496,000 from the budget uh to get it down to zero, but above and beyond the the 496 uh we know that we we are going to between uh uh STA and by the way, they paid their people properly. Remember we they people some people said they weren't giving them overtime and >> they they they did and so we're going to release the money but we're holding >> we're holding 10% back just to be sure they do the right thing. Uh and then the curtain people we settled up with them

085and I think that's a fair amount. So there's there's $385,000 of cost avoidance. And then in the site budgets, we we know we've got about $110,000. A lot of excuse me, a lot of that was spring sports uh that that we we didn't we didn't uh we didn't have field trips and we didn't have equipment and a little bit of equipment, but we we didn't obviously we didn't have the the contest. So there would be about $495,000 on the table to help support this technology purchase. And then we've we've talked to the alliance people and they've given us the go-ahad. The commissioner's number one thing as as you may have noticed with the with the car's act is to be sure kids have the technology and the connectivity. So, we think that alliance money would

086be well spent on on devices. Um, I say with a little bit of hope round about two or three weeks from now, we should get our DoD supplemental impact aid. Please God. Um, so if we got those two things that that would be 660,000. So, we would >> 66. Thank you. uh we would we would be pretty much on track uh to to get the kind of technology that we think September first would have us in really in good shape and and it it would replace about a quarter I know Kim is always concerned about making huge purchases and then they all run out at the same time. would be about a quarter of our of our Chromebooks. and he it would have us in in in in decent shape in in in good shape

087uh to to go to potential perhaps distance learning which I think may be in our future or or what I continually I've been hearing this a lot a partial opening uh perhaps half of the kids uh for half of the day or half of the kids one day and the other half the other day. Uh but no matter how you slice it, kids are going to have to do academic work at home. So we we want to be sure they've got the equipment at home. U because even if we went a essentially 5050, 50% of the kids work would be at home. So we want to be sure they've got the connectivity and the devices. So th this is, as I said to Dennis, this is like the super great plan. Now, if we had

088to roll back, you know, we would we would roll back, but this this is this is kind of uh I don't want to say pie in the sky because I think we need this stuff and and when when we start school on September 1st, we certainly don't want to have, you know, 25% of our kids that we say, "Look, we're sorry. We the Chromebook that you had is no longer being supported." So uh you know kind of >> Mike could I add to this? >> Sure. >> So this is one of the reason we want to put technology with instruction for a re-entry plan and we want to take every opportunity to keep these Chromebooks and hotspots in the hands of the kids even over the summer. The high school has always normally done that.

089We're really looking and I'll be talking to the curriculum committee about and I've talked to you all about expanding the Apex program which is our summer program and having middle school kids take advantage of that. So there's another important reason they should keep their computers. We also I'm going to be working with librarians and some board members. We're on that committee for summer learning. So we're looking at a supplemental learning summer learning plan that kids could continue working on. And you know the schools always plan a big celebration when they come back and you know they're part of the governor's reading challenge and you know we have real books going home from Scholastic. So um we're really excited about coordinating that. I've already had the parks and wreck want to be part of that and

090make sure she's saying what are you advising for summer learning because they want to be able to build that into their program. So for the kids who have the computers, we're not going to collect them back because they're really obsolete when they're returned, but they're certainly very usable for our kids now on the home front. Um so that learning can continue through the summer and will be ready to go in the fall. >> Great. >> Ken, I had a question. >> I got Gretchen first and then you Rita. >> Okay. um part one years and years like we're going way back and I had nothing to do with the board that time but having watched the budget sessions we have on occasion bought technology and bought a lot of it because we had the money

091or this whatever but by time we needed it was out of date I want us to really be mindful of how much we're purchasing and how quickly this stuff is going to become out of date because so many young bright minds are writing programs to make Zoom obsolete at the moment. So, we really need to be mindful of, you know, not get too invested in one program or another until we're sure where this is going to go. I think we're going to see a lot of curriculum help through something like Zoom. I don't know. I don't know what it's going to be. I just know somebody's going to do something. And the other thing I want us to be mindful of are not all programming or access is the Chromebooks are not accessible to all

092learning programs. I know you hate Jake stories but this is like two week this has been the semester. I have a Microsoft Surface. He has a Chromebook and he for one class we had to change computers every day because his one of his classes did not was not supported on Chrome. So I just want us to be very mindful that not everything is supported by Chrome. >> We're here. >> Am I ready? Is it my turn? I had a question about the CARES Act, Mike, and the money that we are receiving from the state. >> Is that $68,000? >> 68 682 >> 82. Now, does that money go to the town budget? Town funds >> come to the board. >> And then I thought that was going to be used for technology a lot of

093it. That's what So where where are we going to where are we using that money? Well, that's a that's a really good question. Uh there there are related expenses. Just off the top of my head, u it would appear, although the State Department didn't put out its guidance yet, that when we come back, we have to take the temperature of every single person entering the building. >> Uh and we have to provide PPE for every kid and every staff member. PPE or you mean masks and gloves? Not not gowns. >> Not gloves, just masks. And and so we're we're trying to figure out how we would actually take 1,200 people walking into the middle school and,200 people walking into the high school. So we're we're going to have to invest in some >> some technology

094to get that done. Uh, we also know we're going to have to invest in probably some tutorial support >> for for the kids. So, you know, Susan and I have been sort of counting our nickels along these lines. And there every time we have a conversation, we say, "Well, the car's act could pay for that." And and I think you're right, the the technology uh cares act certainly can for pay for some technology, but I but I think uh there are there are some expenses as as the details come out like like for example Beth is here and we've spoken about this. Um, let's say somebody has a pre-existing condition and they've and they've, you know, they've got legitimate concerns about coming in to work. >> It's conceivable that we may have to provide uh

095long-term substitute teacher for that person >> in the fall. So, you know, and I I just I just wrote a number. What what what if it were 10% of our staff? You'd have to f you'd have to hire 40 full-time substitute teachers. >> Wow. >> I you know, maybe that's a worst case scenario. I I don't know. I'm I'm having nightmares about this. >> So, so I want to I'm I'm >> That's where my 682 might go. >> Okay. >> Well, no, I think it really is supposed to be around expanding instruction. So when you think about making summer an opportunity for this, we can certainly see where I don't want to charge kids to take a course, you know, course credit recovery course or a tutorial. I'd like to be able to do that

096without a charge. So those kind of things where the car's act could pay for tutors or teachers expanding the day. So before or after school, we could have tutorials for kids. So, I think there's a lot of ways that we can help with instruction when we we get our kids back so that we fill in those gaps that they may or may not have. >> I think Addie has a good question. Um, will hotspots, technology maintenance, >> um, or information available for students over the summer as well, >> like a a call center maybe. >> Maybe. >> Yeah. Well, we do have the tech department working all summer, so I'm sure I can work that out with Dennis is actually on there, so he could answer this better for himself and his department. >> Oh,

097hi Dennis. >> Hello. Yeah, we're going to continue the um the online form for students to request support as well as the voicemail phone number that you can call in. Uh then we generate tickets off of that. So, we're going to continue that um throughout the summer. >> That's awesome. >> I should have known that. That was you that has all the technology in your background. I appreciate that. So, is there more questions about how we're going to be doing the um I got you one second, Gretchen. Um is there any other questions about this topic? Go. >> Um I have a concern about getting masks to stay on our preschoolers and our kindergarten first. >> We're gonna we're gonna stay on topic. Um, >> we don't disagree with you, but our topic is about

098the technology plan. >> Okay, we were just talking about mass. Sorry. >> Any other questions? Thank you for the detail about how that money what what we're going to need and and where that's coming from. Ken, nice job. I appreciate that. >> Um, it looks like Do we have more conversations about the transportation? Because it looks like >> No, that's it. I already told you that's it. that we got the S the S in the curtain. Okay. >> Um and then the review of the required um fiscal year 21 budget adjustments. >> Mark, do you have that? >> Mark, that was on the same email I sent you. Got it. So, this is our uh uh a version of our object code summary. And um what I've done here is that column in gray that's

099right in the middle of the co of the page. That's our that's the the budget that was approved by the board of ed uh back in February. And so the total at the bottom is uh the 70. Where's the bottom? It looks different here. Um >> yeah, Mark, could you go down again? We we uh keep going. Keep going. Keep >> keep going. There's more. I need more. Yeah, there you go. >> Okay. And so, uh, that was the 77934550. That's what the board had approved back, uh, back at the end of February. Um, as we all know, the, uh, the the town, uh, council and RTM have approved a budget for us of, uh, of the same as last year, which is the 77438, uh, and $90. And what this um what this object

100code summary does is outline how how we get from um what the board approved to what the town uh has approved. So if you go back up again uh Mark, sorry. Uh and so the areas that we're taking that from, and you're going to see this in the in the second uh from uh right column uh under decrease is is here. um 160,000 uh from other benefits. And what this represents is uh um retirement severance payments to uh to teachers. Uh and we're going to accelerate those and pay those uh in June this year versus paying them in July. Uh so that's where 160,000 will come from. Um a little bit further down, Mark. Uh then under instructional supplies, 130,000. This is uh the uh the bid list. So the the paper, the pencils, the

101the crayons, that type of thing. Um, you know, we we send that out to bid and um we are going to pay for it with the FY20 uh funds and uh we could cut that from FY21. Uh next uh amount down the 65460 under that's transportation supplies. And so we had a contract to buy diesel uh and we didn't use it all this year because we we weren't running the buses for the last third. And so uh we will utilize those gallons that we did not use this year but did have to pay for them because we had a contract. Uh we'll utilize that and we'll reduce what we need next year. Um the next amount down is 50,000 from uh that's custodial supplies that we uh we can we can purchase and have on

102hand. um uh with uh with FY20 money. Uh and then a little bit further down, Mark, on next page, uh 91,000 of it's all got all messed up, but that's non-instructional equipment. So, that was a piece of um uh maintenance uh uh equipment um and uh $60,000 of IT infrastructure that um that we had hoped to have in the budget, but um we'll we'll cut it here, but we'll we'll pay for it. We'll buy it this year, FY20. >> Um do I are there questions? It's hard for me to see with the spreadsheet up. So, >> yeah, I'm sorry. Yeah. All right. That's all right. It's It's creating really good skills. >> Yeah. >> Um, do we have questions about that? >> No. >> Thank you very much, Ken. That was really That's amazing. So,

103I'm going to move us on to update food service funding. >> Rita, I believe that this was your >> um your agenda wish, Dr. Gene, where are you? There you are. >> Who was it? Was it was it Rita's? >> Yeah, it was it was about um how we were doing funding for this extended time period um with the kids with the COVID um and also whether we were going to be able to use SNAP. Is that correct, Rita? >> Right. The funding that the state is giving for all the uh title one programs. >> Right. So the the SNAP funding it goes directly to the families that that has no impact on schools. >> No. Yeah. No, I I meant the title one monies that that the state is giving out for I thought

104it was for basically for um food. >> I I think that was I I'm gonna have to check that. I think that was supplemental. Uh, right. But, but >> it was quite a bit from what I understood. And I was just wondering, I know we had to um pay our staff more money for because of everything that's been happening and the wonderful job they're doing doing feeding all the children. And I was wondering if we could use any of that money to offset what we had to pay out. >> And you think it's additional title one money? >> Yes, it was. That's what they said at learn. Yeah. Okay, I I'll find out about that. We we did put in for FEMA reimbursement for the 73,000. U so maybe it's tied up. I I'll find

105out though. I'll report. >> Okay. The board notes, Mike. >> Yeah. Okay, good. >> Um and then update on the treehouse summer program. >> Okay, so the treehouse summer program. Uh I I've been working closely with with Nikki uh Nikki Nikki Salon and uh and the big the big highlights are this is a program that is controlled or or or governed by the office of early childhood. It's it's the same office that controls summer camps and child care as opposed to summer school. we we haven't received the summer school. That's from the state education department. So, what they the guidance they gave us was that we would be able to open on June 22nd. We would be able to go all the way until uh August 14th. So, that's Nikki's plan. Uh we we can

106only have without a waiver, you can only have 30 children in a program. But if you have a whole school, then we we believe we'll be eligible for a waiver. So we're pl last last summer we had about 110 students and we we already have about 70 75 who have registered as you can imagine the parents are anxious to get the child care. So the program would go from uh 7 in the morning till 5 at night. It if you remember Jay we we we talked about the funding for this. It's don't quote me, but I think it was 175 for people who are in the program per week, 200 for grten people who are not in the program, and 225 for out of town uh people. Uh it would be at Northeast Academy and

107uh CA Katherryn Konowski. But here's the uh she just sent me the she just sent me the uh the the funding and the the the the problem is uh if we oh the the other big thing is they have to double the staff. You have to have one to five. Can only have 10 children in a subgroup. We could have 30 in a group in a large group, well in the building, but you can only have 10 per class. Uh 10 per little subgroup. Uh and there has to be two staff members, one one to five ratio for the for the kids. So we've had to we've had to increase the staff. The proposal is to increase the staff at the end of the rainbow. If if we get 120 people, of course, if we

108don't get 120 people, we wouldn't have that much that much staff. it it would it would run about a $12,000 deficit. Uh the the enterprise fund would for that 8week period would run about $12,000 short. Uh if you if you if the board chose, of course, that could be paid for. This is another CARES Act thing. You know, we like I said, we we Susan and I have already spent it about 500 times over, but uh the car's act, I mean, clearly this is something that would be of great interest to the community. And I know the governor was pushing it like crazy. Uh and it may even be a reimburseable FEMA type thing. U but if the board chose to pick up, if you remember, the board chose to pick up the salary for

109the two directors. If we picked up the salary, it'd be another 20 20 uh about what I say about another 23 thou 22,000. So the the the the enterprise fund would have a $34,000 deficit. Um we could do it one way or the other. Um, I I I I think this is a a after after Wednesday, I think this is going to become an even even more needed program. So, we're we're hoping get the kids through school and then on the on the uh what I said the 22nd the 22nd of June uh the children would come into the two programs uh and go until the 14th of August. And I'll bring back the numbers uh next week for uh decisions about whether the board is interested in funding uh this or or like I

110said it could go to the car's act >> and then Liz >> right now you have two facilities you said in your board notes Konowski with 30 students and Northeast Academy with 30 students correct? Well, no, with 60 students because we're going for a waiver. >> Oh, well, in the board notes it said 30 and 30, I believe. >> So, you want to have 120, >> correct? >> Rather than just those two sites, you wouldn't want to open up like in maybe Mary Morrison or something. Is there another air condition facility? Um, I was just thinking that, you know, to spread it out where you wouldn't need to have the waiverss if we could have it in one of our other schools. >> Oh, well, actually the way I we don't I think the the

11130 if you could picture 30 in in sort of like a small uh church facility or something, but in a school, we could certainly accommodate 60 children. That that would not be a problem at all. So, we're gonna we we've actually already filed for the waiver, but I think the schools Sam uh Mir Marson SB Butler, help me out. >> They're all being used for parks programs. >> Yeah. >> Oh, Charles Barnum. >> Yeah, because we we we lost both middle schools, so we're really sort of scrunching here, >> right? But you're using the marine science. The city's using marine science for recreation. Well, I know they asked. I don't I don't know if that's been determined. >> It's been approved. >> Oh. Oh, good. >> Rita's on the learn board, so she knows. >>

112Yeah, it was approved in our last meeting. >> Good. Yeah, I I recommended it and uh so good. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Liz, I I I'm not understanding something. Um, so you're asking us to the board to um pay for or to have more money that we have to come up with to be able to pay for this this program. Is that correct? >> Yeah, that's correct. >> And and the amount would be um now what's the amount, Mike? Because I've heard a couple of different numbers. I if if the board continues to pay for the director, the the director and the co-director or the assistant director, uh, and for the additional staff, the the the the total possible cost would be $34,000 to the enterprise fund. >> All right. I'm sorry. The enterprise

113fund is >> But the enterprise fund is we have two of them in the district. They they are they they essentially are self- sustaining. It's the food service program and the treehouse. The board usually doesn't give any money to treehouse. It's >> but if we um so I I still don't get it and I'm sorry and if you want to talk to me about it if I don't want to extend time here but so this enterprise fund is this monies that we have set aside within our budget >> no it's revenue re revenue from the parents >> right pay let me just try one second >> so treehouse is basically selfsubst sufficient they right >> they get they get monies and then that pays the salary and >> okay >> but it's underneath the the

114umbrella of the grten school district just like our food service program is another enterprise program that basically they fund themselves but because of COVID >> we made decision >> um about a month and a half ago that we would we would keep um that we would that we would pay this year for the continuation of the salaries of their director and co-director because we didn't want to lose them because we didn't quite know what was happening because they are after our before and after school program. They weren't getting any money coming in to support their salaries because there was no school, >> right? >> What what is on the table is that they are because the requirements of COVID are requiring that us to have more staff to um to students. It is in it

115increases what they the what they bring in and what they need is no longer a balance. And so what the administration is asking is for us to be willing to fi to fill in that balance. So it's what we've already approved plus plus whatever the cost is for the balance. That's what >> that's what's on the table. >> So, where did that would that money come from then? >> That's the that is that is a very appropriate question to ask. >> Okay. Because that's what I don't get. >> It would come from the CARES Act. >> Come out of the 682. >> All right. That's that's Thank you. >> That's one place it could come out of. >> Okay. But like you said, you mentioned all the other things we need the thermometers and I

116mean we have to have it set up even then. >> You're you're 100% right. >> I guess for me is I what I'm struggling with is I think that child care is going to be very important especially as many of our parents are going to be needing to go back to work um because they haven't been able to work and then they rely on our child care um to be able to help support them. So my my sense is that this is so weird and so different that if we could sort of figure out I I think that this is a very appropriate not to say that you have not said anything that isn't appropriate for the car's act but this feels very much like a car's act move um because it is absolutely because

117of COVID because we have having to change our regulations to meet the to meet those requirements. Um, that's for me. That's just my that's my personal my personal thing. My second question to that is this. >> We This is not going to be our only goaround. >> So I I want to know what their plan is. I get it that this was not expected by anyone and so they left basically holding the bag like many of us. But I I don't know if we would be able to sustain helping them out. Um and so I want to know I don't know I don't think we can demand it, but I kind of want to know what their plan is. Um because what they're saying is there's a really good chance that we might be a

118we might be having to do this dance over again or a dance very similar to what we're doing right now with with um COVID. And so, um, I would I would kind of want to make sure that they had some type of plan, emergency plan in place to either close down, um, or to, um, or that they have monies set aside for that if they can. But that's just, that's just one woman's opinion. >> I I I think, Jay, we we might want to go back to the drawing board >> because the the real question on the table is, tell me about revenue. We could we could charge more and if we charge more there would be more revenue and it would be more sustainable. >> I agree. >> That's that's sort of the blunt

119re reality of it at least to get us through this. >> Well, when we discussed this finance before the um you know we we really understood the ramifications of this um this pandemic. Um we we discussed raising it modestly but um you know by the same token we don't want to price people out at a time when they're having financial diff >> you know obviously we need to to balance that and if it is going to be available through the car's act I mean that's that's there for >> yeah okay that's another thing for the car's act >> Gretchen We can't, you know, as much as I appreciate people need to go back to work, many of the rest of the town does do not have children who ever went to daycare. And we can't

120now turn around and say, "Hi, you haven't worked in 10 weeks. We're going to raise taxes." We we can't turn around and put this on the taxpayer at this point. That I asked for a 1% increase. I would have been h for these kind of contingencies, but at this point that was said no to. So turning around and asking taxpayers who aren't working because of COVID to pay for other people to go back to work kind of. >> So we're not talking about going back to the town council and saying we need extra money. We're talking about either funding this through the car's act or funding it through our own budget which I we need to hear from pen about where we could do it. I doubt if I would I would so none of

121us are talking about going back to the town council saying that we need extra money to pay for child care. Um and just for point of clarification the people who have not been working for the past 10 weeks was of no fault of their own. It was a pandemic and they lost their jobs. >> Quite aware of that. I have not been working in many many weeks. >> But I guess but but your comment about making choice income. >> Any other questions about the the treehouse? >> Yeah. If we if we raise I I just it feels awkward to me to say let's pay for daycare. Let's take a bigger hit out of some other child's either special ed or whatever other programs. Let's not do sports. I mean, we may not do sports anyway.

122Who knows? But I just really worry about saying yes to any program that's going to put us in negative numbers. I'm really bad at that math. I guess I I just my my final comment would be this was in the conference call we had with with the governor and the commissioner child care was very high on their list is very important to the state of Connecticut. So you know what we could do I I I certainly would like to do our fair share. >> Well people can't go back to work if we don't have childare >> right. Any other comment about this? >> I just think we need to be very careful in how we do this and how we think it through. That's all. >> Thank you. I appreciate >> we agree. >> I

123I I I I hear you. We can't just We can't just kind of throw the money out of nowhere. We need to have a plan. I get it. >> As a board member, I'm not just supporting this. We are not all of us. We support the entire community, not just the children. We also have to think of, you know, the little littles and the old, you know, the Dr. Acrimans. I love you. Have to keep the whole community. >> So, I'm going to move us on to the last agenda item, which is um the referral list. >> Yep. There were some duplicates on here, Kim, like for finance and for policy. The finance one about determining limits for advertising done. And then it's also in policy. Um, should it be in one place before the

124other or is it going to be done at the same time? >> We have done that before. We've met together when we've had to. >> Well, do you is it still a question? >> Your has your um committee gone through that? >> Uh Jay, >> come back Jay. >> Yes. Yeah, we've discussed it a few times. Okay, >> we have two. >> And has a policy been set? >> We have a policy, but I think there was something to do with the actual financial piece. Let's take a look at that. We'll get back to you, Ken. And I will like look through it and see. The other one I didn't understand was maybe somebody could is the good Samaritan um R2020-3. That's a new policy that we're looking into. Good Samaritan. Remember when we had

125the discussion about who can give the medication? Um. >> Right. Right. >> And that, you know, we said the nurse was the one at the school that could give the medication. Well, a good Samaritan policy would ensure that if there was someone else on the field that was trained and needed to help support that student, >> that would be covered. Okay, >> Liz, I we had I we had a brilliant moment last time about an item to go into I believe curriculum or was it policy and I can't read my notes. Um, so I don't remember and I know Liz, it had something to be what you were saying and I said that's a really that's a really good thing for for a I think it was actually policy but I can't freaking remember I

126it was about um I can find my notes. >> It was about um music. It was in high school. It was about the difference between >> Oh, w and I lost it. >> I know what you're talking about. >> I know you had that one and I know that we wanted to bring it out and put it into a smaller uh committee. Well, we were talking about the sports I believe >> and then Liz brought up the conversation about what about >> Oh, uh, it's um >> average eligibility. >> Eligibility. >> Right. >> If we have three minds, we could get one thought. >> Right. >> That's why we work so well together. >> Yeah. >> Um, any other thoughts about the uh the referral list? Well, I just wanted to ask policy. Some of

127these are 317. Is there anything you've done that we could take off? >> I was looking for that. There's a whole set um Dennis is on here. There's a whole set around technology and we've done a lot of work around technology. So, I let me talk to him about those because I saw a whole cluster of them. >> Great. >> And that that's the electronic communications, electronic information. Okay. And what about some of the ones that were put on in 16 2016 under COWs? >> Yep. Um I I think that that's ongoing about the policies and procedures for the board of ed because I think that have not been >> Yeah, that that could really come off because it's ongoing, >> right? >> It's not like >> and um you have still the discussion about

128alternative high school, >> right? And could that be combined with the last one there? Discuss regional approach to transition academy and alternative high school. >> Let's do that. And then let's move that to a 20 uh 2020. >> Sure. >> And then there was another one by Katrina investigation of racial bias. It was done on was it done on the retreat? >> No, she wanted retreat of that of understanding implicit bias. >> Okay. But I don't know what to do about that because I don't see a retreat happening anytime soon because of in person to do a retreat. >> We were going to have a great speaker for our March 12th date and I think we're still going to be able to have her back virtually um in the beginning of the year in August.

129So that could be an option that we could prepare one of her talks for the board if even in a virtual way. >> That would be great. >> Yeah. So, you might as well leave it on. >> Might as well leave it on. [Music] >> Um, Katrina also had discussion of student achievement by subgroups. >> Yeah, I think that should stay on personally. >> Yeah. >> Because it's going to be especially, you know, we don't know what's going to be happening to these kids when they're tested next year. >> So, so could we then change that? It's it's same. It's It's going to be the same. I it's the same but different because I mean do we wanna um no I mean maybe we should have something about learning and COVID and you know how

130far how much kids might have lost and maybe that's another topic. >> Yep. I see that in January. I think I think that's part of our our road mapap school road mapap. >> You know, >> definitely >> part of what we've got to do at the beginning of school is to figure out where the heck these kids are. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Anything? >> Well, let's let's hope they're in school. >> Yeah. Please God. >> Yeah. I know. >> On behalf of my daughters, I say that. >> Everyone. Yeah. No, it's it's uh it's I got it we got a nice compliment today. I I I I went to I had to have a blood test and it and I went to the walk-in clinic and as soon as she saw my name, she

131said, "Oh, you know, I got third grader and a fifth grader and you guys doing such a fabulous job and everything." And but she was like a little guilty. She said, "But I really can't help the kids at until night and at weekends." And I said, 'Well, that's that's why we kind of built in the flexibility. And she was so appreciative. She said, 'Th that's that that has really saved us that that that the parents because we know the parents are are going crazy. And but you're you're right. We we need we we need to be safe, but we need to get back to school, >> right? Are are they gonna do anything for field days? You know how they have like field days? And >> I'll ask that's a good question. Well, you know,

132they're doing the reverse car carpull. So, that they've all done that. And I have heard a couple I think the PE department was getting together and working on a virtual field day that would happen. >> I see Beth raising her hand. >> We are doing a virtual uh field day across elementary. >> Yeah. >> Oh, wonderful. Yeah. I noticed my little granddaughters are doing it in DC, but theirs is next week. They they're ending early so that teachers can have three weeks to >> do um more work preparing. Yeah. Because they're going to go back to school earlier in August. >> I see. >> To help with the because they've missed so much. >> Right. Right. >> Yeah. >> Um I do know that um Liz and it sounds like we need to get going

133on that. So, I'm going to ask that we put that onto our regular board meeting next week, which it is the clarification of the human um the humanities curriculum coordinator. >> Oh, yeah. I got it. I got it. Yep. >> That that we will do those other three to make sure that we're really clear about what they want. >> We have a lot of homework. We might need a meeting tomorrow. I've got my list. You've got yours. >> You're gonna have a big board packet. him. >> Yes, Lee. >> Um, I'm on low butter battery right now. >> Okay. >> We're leaving. >> Thank you. >> One question. >> Yes. >> I I have a question for Dr. Ger. You talked about making forming committees and I haven't heard anything more about that. >> We're

134gonna we're gonna promulgate it in the next day or so. You're >> I've already got you on mine. >> All right. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. >> We're we're we're we're pulling it all together. >> Okay. >> And we because we sent in information, right? >> I I I got you. And I told the committee chairs and they'll reach out to you. >> Good. Gretchen, >> um can we put on the list discussing possibly testing the students at the very beginning of the year to see where they are and maybe we could, you know, that's >> Yeah, that's going to be that's definitely a big part of the road map. >> Got that one covered. Yeah. will be a nuisance. >> We're even talking about some summer screenings for um preschool and kindergarteners. >> Yeah.

135>> So, and h having it um at the school. So, we're already like how can we get a step ahead of this and bring in small groups and um you know the summer learning with middle school and high school. I think that's going to be essential. So, >> well, I think there's going to be cases where some kids have been have had parents who could >> and others struggle. >> Yep. >> So, that's a >> that's a that will be a conversation. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. >> Any >> Yeah, >> Kim, my my computer is fine, but I'm on low battery. >> I'm on low battery, too. >> Oh, in that case, Kim, is it time? Yes. >> By the way, Kim, before I do that, I sent you two emails. I don't know

136if you got them. Motion to adjourn. >> I'll second it. >> Good night, everyone. Thank you all. >> See you tomorrow morning. Thanks, Mark. >> Thanks, Mark.