5-26-20 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001So today is May 26 and at 6:00 and I'm calling the regular um board of education regular meeting um to order. Um and the next is the pledge of allegiance and I am wondering if Ted if you would be willing to lead us into the pledge of allegiance please. >> I'd be happy to. >> Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the >> to the flag of the United States >> of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible and justice and all thank you. So, one of the things in the past two uh two months is we have not had citizens petition. The first month it kind of made sense. We were all kind of getting used to the zoom um and being together that

002way. Um but uh I did check in with the mayor and the moderator and they both um do have that section. And so in order to uh to uh add that I just need to have the majority of the board's consensus, twothirds of the board's consensus that we could add that piece um on in case that there's someone who would like to talk to um the board about issues. And so the first item that I'm going to just do is that can I just see a show of hands? >> I believe you have to do a motion, Kim. I believe you have to do >> Okay. So, um Gretchen, would you be willing to just do a motion that you approve of adding the citizen petition to the tonight's meeting? Uh Gretchen, could you unmute

003yourself, please? >> Awesome. So many tricks to this. Yes. I motion that we allow citizens petitions this evening. Can I have a second to that? >> Second. >> I see Lee. >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Do we see anyone abstaining? All right. Motion has carried. All right. And I will add that into our normal place. Um but the first that we're going to do is recognition and participation of visitors and delegates. Um Mike, do we have any? >> We do not. >> Okay. So that's that's easy. We're now going to go to the citizens portion of the agenda. Um this is portion of the agenda um that the board welcomes comments um from citizens um that actually pertained to the district itself. We ask that the comments

004be five minutes or less. Um it needs to pertain to the district >> and um uh if possible your written comments could be forwarded um by email um to uh the board's clerk which is uh Joan Johnson. Um and uh Mark, do we have anyone that is asking to come in to speak to the board? I I don't see anyone raising their hand in the way that you can. I don't see anything in chat. >> Okay, >> I'm just going to give a couple more seconds. >> Yeah, we have 31 participants, but most of them I recognize. >> It's just one phone number that I don't know who it is. And they're not making known that they would like to >> No, they're not unmuting themselves. >> Okay. All right. Thank you very much, Mark.

005Um, and we will we will make this uh back into our agenda for the next for the next time. Um, all right. So, I'm moving on to our agenda topics and we're going to go on to student representative report. Um, I don't know is Zay here or is it just Addie? I s >> Oh, they're both here. >> There he is. >> All right. Um Addy or Z, who wants to >> um if Yeah. >> All right, Z. >> But my Wii is really slow right now, so this might not um Okay, >> I can take over if it gets >> All right. Thank you. Um, freshmen have been asking around for people in their class to send pictures of their family members who are essential workers and have been recognizing them on their class

006Instagram account. The sophomores as of right now don't have anything planned and the juniors are doing the crowning of our junior prom quarantine king and queen. Right now, we've sent sent out a Google form asking for nomination. Later this week, we will be sending out another form with the choices of our finalists. Hopefully, we'll be able to crown our junior prom royalties by next week. >> Moving on to senior updates. Uh there's a few that I'm sure a lot of you have heard about. um including on this past Friday, May 22nd, um faculty and other town personnel came to each students um each senior's house um and gave them a sign congratulating them on graduating and just kind of appreciating seniors. Um and also gave them their cap and gown. um I was one of

007the seniors and it was a very cool thing and just I think it was really good just to kind of remind seniors that we're all in this together and it was just a great moment. Um and the other thing I'm sure a lot of you have out in some way um there will be a drive-in movie graduation for um the seniors in place of what would normally be the graduation. Um for students at this moment they're being given information um I know Mr. Keller uh sent out a video on this past Friday uh just kind of giving some information on it and there will be more information coming in the next week this week and the following weeks before it. Um so we know as of now it's held in Emlot across from C Kathern

008Konowski. Um it will start at 8:30. other information will be given and the class of 2020 officers are actually putting together a video just to kind of address student concerns and um make sure students are excited about this graduation and making a positive message. Um, also on the senior class Instagram, we have been throughout the past couple months um, since quarantine started having seniors submit a um, picture of themsel and what um, college they're going to or their afterchool plans. Um, and we've been making individual posts for each senior that submits this so we can kind of just celebrate each individual senior and what they're planning to do. Um, so that's what we've been doing on the Instagram just to kind of get morale up and make sure all the seniors feel um like we're

009in this together and it's a it's a celebratory moment. >> All right. And we have one more item if my Wi-Fi works. Um, students completed the past two weeks. There were some technological issues across the world when students were submitting their test online. Some students will be retaking the AP exams in June. Congratulations to all students who got through all their AP tests. >> So Z, I think what you said was that there was some technological issues with the AP exams. >> Yes. And that's something and we're gonna take them over again. >> Okay. I thought that was so, but I wanted to make sure. Lee, did you raise your hand? >> Yeah, I did. I just wanted to let Addie know that on Dave Collins's column today, it's all about Brown University and she

010might like to read it. >> Oh, thank you. I'll check that out. >> Okay. Any other comments for um our student representatives? Liz, >> yeah, just a quick question. Z, was the technological was the technology on the student part or the AP central? Do you know? >> Um, might >> Why don't you type it to me? Okay. Because I couldn't understand the word you said. I couldn't either. >> I can add on to that if that's okay. >> One second. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> One second. Addy, why don't you just finish? >> Um, basically what happened, it was on the side of um the AP College Board um and students definitely had some trouble um especially submitting images. I think there was some corrupt files on the um side of College Board.

011Um or just it was a little bit difficult for students to understand exactly how to do it. Um but they should be they're working to fix it and to offer um makeup exams in June for all the students that weren't able to submit all of their tests. >> Thank you, Addie. Thank you, Zay. >> All right. Anything anything else for the student reps? If not, I'm going to be moving us along. And Dr. Grineer, I'm moving on to the superintendence report. That would be you. >> Okay. Uh so tomorrow, uh the first item is uh the return to school roadmap. Tomorrow there's going to be a an orientation session for the chairs of the committees and uh and all. >> We're calling that the core group. and it's going to orient us to the work

012of the six committees and uh I'll I'll just tell you what they are. Governance, instruction and technology is the second, operations is the third, facilities is the fourth, wellness is the fifth, and postsecary is the sixth. And we do have several board members that signed up uh for committees. But if you're interested, uh probably the easiest thing is just send me a a note and I'll get the note. uh to the uh to the uh chairman of each of those subcommittees. Once we go through tomorrow, I think we're going to have our a little better orientation to the sort of work that will be done uh starting now and really going going through the going through the summer in in preparation for uh perhaps a a full opening, perhaps a distance learning opening, or perhaps

013a hybrid opening. And that's what everyone is really working hard on the hybrid opening. If if we only had a say a third of the kids or a half of the kids could come to school. Uh that would be a that'd be a a a real challenge for for everyone, particularly parents. Uh so anyway, we're working on those plans. Uh I think Kim is going to be able to to hop in. Andrea, did you get an invitation to that? I know you're on the core group, I think. You are not unmuted. >> Oh, I know. There we go. I'm sorry. I did and I was remissed. So, would you put me on the committee? Just put me on. >> Sure. Okay. >> Glad you on instruction and technology. >> And so, the the committees will

014uh the once we go through this orientation, we'll reach out again. Uh just send me a note if if you want to be on a particular committee. Um, but that I think that's going to really help us organize ourselves as as as we go through uh because it's a it's it's a comprehensive everything from instruction to financing how we're actually going to uh pull this off. >> Mike, can I just add to that? Um, so this orientation and this professional development with the Connecticut Center of School Change is the core group of principles and central office folks and um and anybody who's running those um particular um areas. So once we get that information, we'll be sending out invites like I have instruction and technology and those people who've signed up, teachers and administrators, board

015of ed members will get an invitation to come and meet as a group for each of those areas. >> Susan, what are the six five other committees? I don't have that in front of me. >> Oh, okay. >> Okay. So, >> you know what? I'll send it out. Um, Gretchen, did you have a comment or Lee, did you have a comment? Okay, great. All right, moving moving on. Dr. Grineer, >> Eddie, uh, Eddie already mentioned that we put a already have a fair amount of plans, but I'll let Ted uh, explain a little bit about the graduation planning. If you would please, Ted. >> Sure. Um, so basically, uh, Matt Brown has been kind of leading the charge. Uh, he's we've been meeting once a week with the graduation committee. Um, just trying to get

016all the planning done. Uh, right now the the message going out to the seniors. We gave him some information, but we want to just make sure that we get the cars registered for, uh, you know, what car they're going to be bringing in for the graduation. Uh we want to make sure that that we're positioning the cars in a way where everybody's going to be able to see the screen and that we have them distanced and the distancing isn't so much because of of of co people are going to be in their cars. U but it's more just so you can you had to do it in a checkerboard fashion so everybody can see the screen. Um so so we're going to be working on that. Um the uh you know the the next steps

017that we're going to be taking uh just looking at uh the the agenda that we have coming up. Uh you know, we're going to be looking at the decorations. Uh the the video um you know what some of the pieces of videos that we're putting together. Um again, the parking lot registrations. Uh we want students to to be able to decorate their caps. I know that's been a real uh tradition here at Fitch and we want to make sure we continue that. and how we're going to present the candidates uh during that that time. Um the the last step that we're taking and and I have a little less information on this piece is we're also the the driving graduation portion uh is really going to be a driving movie. It's not going to be

018something where people are going to be getting out of their cars. Um and so we're also having a conversation about how are seniors going to get their diplomas and how can we make that special as well. Um, so we we are putting together some plans for that. Um, there's not much I can tell you about it yet. Uh, we're still we're still kind of getting the works done with that, but uh, but we do want to have an opportunity for seniors um, to be able to come get their diplomas, have an opportunity for parents and and loved ones to be with them to take pictures and how we can make that that happen uh, in a safe way. So, um, that's kind of the next steps that we're working on. So, um, and that would

019happen sometime maybe the Saturday after graduation or the Monday after. We're not we're not exactly sure yet. So, uh, but, uh, you know, a lot of great things in works. We got a lot of people working on this. Uh, we have an abundance of volunteers. Uh, the Graten City Police Department has been extremely helpful in the entire process. Um, and uh, and quite frankly, the word's out because I'm getting a lot of calls from principles asking me how we're doing this. So, it's uh, uh, it's it's great. So, uh, I think it's going to be a really nice event and, uh, you know, but, uh, a lot still to do. >> Thank you, Ted. >> So, the next thing, uh, I I and we have a couple people here who can answer some questions, but,

020uh, we we looked at the the job description and the title after after last week's, uh, CO meeting, and we we changed the title of this. what used to be called the uh special education curriculum coordinator. We called it to the we called it the student services facilitator and we wrote a job description uh that basically reflects the work that uh that we hope this person is going to do. So if you have it in front of you the the fun the first one is to coordinate PPT and 504 meetings based on the compliance requirements parent requests and student needs. That's that's really the the heart of it. that people will be doing that that person will be doing other work but really will be focused on PPTs and 504s but I can I can

021answer or or perhaps Ted or Denise could answer any questions if you have anything other than that. >> Any other comments? >> Um I had a a question. >> Oh, hi Rita. >> Hi. How are you? >> Good. Um it was I appreciate um the special education chart that you know Denise did, but could you also put some names of the people that are in those positions too? >> Sure. >> Um the ones I think that would help. It just you know seemed a little vague. Um but I think this this job description is much better. So thank you >> Denise. Maybe we could just annotate it and shoot it and I'll send it to me and I'll put it in board notes. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Okay. >> The next thing uh is

022is a having to do with the humanities coordinator. Uh I knew Liz was interested. What what we're trying to accomplish, Liz, was humanities typically is English history and world language. Okay. >> But we knew the English department was so large. We we thought that that plus a fairly large social studies department plus a a relatively large world language department would just be unmanageable. So we broke off uh world language and social studies and and that will be the humanities person. >> Okay, that makes sense. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Uh and then the last thing is >> so Dr. Cl before you start in with that com of of number five which is the update of the high school literacy specialist. I know that Susan and Dr. Grineer um and I believe Denise Doolittle and

023Denise, you've moved on. Oh, you're now front and center. Um is is that this might be something that we want might want to have a conversation um and vote on um towards the end of this um of this meeting. Once again, we would have to have another vote to be able to add this as an agenda item. But Dr. Geneer, take it away. Well, if you remember, we determined that there was a 0.5 literacy position that we could create uh because of some funding that used to go to a tutor and we were able to shift over and head in the English department were uh and and Erin Magcguire were super interested in getting a literacy person. So, we advertised for a 0.5 and if you remember, we said we we weren't really sure what

024we were going to do. we if we got 0.5 person we would have hired them. Well, it turns out that we we've identified a really an outstanding person who is really looking for a full-time job and and so my first my first conversation was with Ted Keller because I wanted to know if we could get a full-time person, would it be possible uh to assign that person to to the classes to full classes? And he he said absolutely. we we've got a real need at at the high school for a literacy intervention. And then my second conversation was with Denise because I said we we need to fund this position uh this half a position. And so I said to her, one of the ways we could possibly fund it is by eliminating two par

025professionals. and she uh worked with her staff and we believe uh that the money for the other half position half of has already been approved by the bud in the budget. The other half that we would like to make a 0.5 literacy specialist into a 1.0 literacy specialist would be funded uh half by the uh by the by the reduction of two par professionals at the high school. Ted and his staff have been working over the last several years uh well last year with Ted uh to reduce the paras more and more kids are getting getting support mainstream support. We we we don't have all that many paras any longer. So we think that we can fund this other half of a position which would be great and we would really like to have a

026literacy position. May maybe Ted you could talk a little bit about the literacy needs as you see them. >> Yeah, we really broke it up into two different uh areas. The the first is uh just the intervention piece, working directly with students and and uh we'll have more periods of that uh available to us uh with the full-time position uh but also uh giving uh this person who has a great deal of of experience working directly with teachers regarding literacy skills in the classroom and allowing them to work with our teachers uh I think is a big part of this as well. So um you know I think it's uh it's uh you know in increases the amount of time that that person is with students and also gives us the opportunity for that person

027to work directly with teachers as well. >> And I have to add that one of the main um areas that we're lacking at the high school is the ability to really assess students the way we do at the elementary and the middle school. So having someone with that level of expertise um is just really good. and she was able to really demonstrate that level of expertise in a case study that we gave her. So, we were really truly impressed um at how she examined, you know, even in a case study in a virtual um interview, how well she handled that. >> Absolutely. >> And we we're all believers that reading or write writing across the content area is so important and it gets even more important as they get older in the high school. No.

028>> So, I I just kind of want to backtrack, though. I Let's be clear. We're not making this a full-time position because we don't have a need, but we really like this person. I mean, I I >> The way was presented at the very beginning was that you that you found someone um but it was only a part-time position and you moved it to a full-time. I don't want the community to feel that we found someone and it don't look like a full-time position. Right. So, I I I just want to make sure that that the board is clear that um that the that Susan um Denise and the staff at the high school have um demonstrated that there is a need for a full-time literacy specialist um that's in that. So, I just I

029I kind of wanted to make sure that at least that the public is clear that we're not just creating a position because we kind of like someone, >> right? Absolutely. But I would entertain questions from the board. >> Rita, >> um, no, I'm I'm all in favor. I think it's been a long time that we've needed another full-time person there, so an interventionist, but I would say mostly focused with the students and not as much with the teachers. But that's that's my feeling. >> That's that's what we are planning. >> Okay. >> At least 75% with kids. >> Oh, that's great. Yeah. And do we do we still have the >> I got you >> literacy program um for the ninth graders when they come in and they know that they're way behind. What what

030what do we do for those students? >> We have Well, Ted, you can talk to it, but I know we have we have some uh classes that that are quite low in enrollment and I think that's primarily what we do for the kids who struggle. Or is there something else? Gretchen, I got you. >> You're not sure? We used to have a whole computer. They they worked a lot and >> they actually had double English periods. >> The It's called Read 180. Read 180. >> Yes. Read 180. Is does that still exist or did you move that down to the middle school? >> Okay. I'm sorry, Rita. I wasn't sure which program you were talking about. The uh I don't believe we're using 180. read 180. I don't believe that we're using that at the

031high school at this point. >> We have another resource called Lexia Power Up, which is aligned with the Common Core standards. >> So, but there's we needed someone to help access that, you know. So, this person will have materials, but she's also um very adept at understanding literacy and how to teach, you know. >> Oh, good. Once again, once again, I I really want us to caution us not to talk about the person, but let's talk about the position. Um, because we're going to be taking a um a a halftime position, making it a full-time position because of the need, not because of the person. >> I think it's just another opportunity for us to have uh four full intervention periods with students, which we're going to be able to fill easily. uh and then

032having a period where the stu that this this uh uh position would be able to work with uh with teachers as well to affect all other students in the classroom I think is going to be uh beneficial for the high school. >> Thank you Ted. Um, I know that Liz, you had a question. And then Gretchen, you've moved on my screen. Sorry. And Gretchen, >> I just had a question about the financing of it. Um, and I was I'm just concerned about taking um paras away. I don't our kids aren't paras assigned by um the IEP process um so that if a kid needs a parah, we have to get a parah for them. How are we going to adjust using um taking two parapositions away? I'm not quite sure about that. So, >> I'd

033be happy to >> uh I'm sorry, Mike. I so uh just today uh we were sitting down with Denise and going over uh every single student that we had that had parent needs uh and reviewing that and looking exactly what our needs were. Um so that uh we weren't missing any students that had a need and uh we weren't going to be able to fulfill that. So it really just comes down to what the need was at the high school and uh and you know just how many pairs that was going to be. Um, so it wasn't just like, well, we think we could just do with two less. I think we wanted to make sure that um that we were fulfilling those needs as uh as prescribed by the the the IEPs. >> Okay.

034>> Yeah. It's really an alloc a reallocation, Liz, because we have um some specialized classes that are um you know, a modified curriculum taught by a special ed teacher. And in those small um structured classes, we don't have a need for paras in the classroom um because of the um you know the nature of the curriculum, how it's it's really modified for those students. >> Okay. Thank you, Gretchen. >> You're gonna have to unmute. >> Okay. Um, I know this is sort of off the side of, you know, the para issue and what are we doing with kids who aren't keeping up, but I've had a lot of parents come to me with concerns about this. My kid is keeping up, but what about my neighbor who I know isn't doing anything, >> right? >>

035So, how are we working that? I mean, that really is going to come into play come fall. >> Are you talking about distance learning? >> Distance learning. And which kids are ready to go? Say you have a second grader. Is that second grader ready? Question. So the agenda item that we're on right now is a literary specialist for the high school. >> Okay. >> You have a question about that position. >> Is it? No, not the position. Just how are we going to do it this year? >> So I'll let that go for now. >> Okay. No, that's So your question is how are we going to do a literacy specialist? My ass my my assumption is then that would be about distance learning across the board with with all of our other um uh

036all of our other uh coaches and specialist math. >> There going to be a lot of kids coming this fall that aren't ready literacy wise possibly. >> Right. And I think no I think we've been talking about that Gretchen and that's a good question. Unfortunately, right now, we're just talking about um we're just talking about um the literacy specialist position for the high school and moving it from a part-time position to a full-time position with the funding source coming from the uh the salaries of two pair of professionals. And is it the alliance? I'm sorry. Short attention. >> It's a it it was a a a tutor, a math tutor actually picked up by another grant. So the so the money was released for the first half of the position. >> Okay. >> Well, as

037Scott would say, the squirrel started running and I went with it. >> I got it, Gretchen. Not a problem. Um so, um what I'm going to then ask the board if there's no more questions about the need for this position is is that I need to have a motion on the floor that we move this literacy specialist position from a part-time to a full-time um so that they can go ahead. they being the staff um go ahead um and finish up the um employment issues or um job description and such. Liz, >> I make a motion that we move this uh position from a part-time to a full-time um literacy specialist for the high school. >> Can I have a second on that? >> Second. >> Okay, I got Jane. Is there any further discussion

038on this? Okay. So, can I Oh, I can't see Miss Joan, but Miss Joan, can I add this now to this vote or do I have to wait for the new agenda items? >> I would suggest you wait until the motion part personally, but it's up to you. >> All right. So, the voice of reason has spoken and >> we are adding this motion to the agenda. >> Okay. So that's right. So I'm I'm I'm adding this motion to the agenda. >> Yes. There's no discussion. Is there um any other discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor of moving this this motion to the agenda which will be done later on in the evening. Hopefully not >> under new business. >> Thank you. Under new business. All those in favor please say I. And

039so I've got one, two. Lee, are you in? Okay. All right. Um oppose. Abstain. The motion has carried and we will um vote on this position later on in the meeting. Sorry about that folks. I I had a brain fart. Um moving on to the assistant superintendent. um the update on the 20 alliance fund funding. >> So um our alliance funds finally did arrive and um were allocated for the purposes which we had um spoken about. I did reach out to our alliance um support representative and requested that there was some PD that was in the grant that we wouldn't be able to partake in especially since the grant closes up at the end of June. So we asked if that could be moved to the technology to assist our technology plan and so that's

040that was validated. So, um, the alliance grant and I think we probably have an adjusted one that Ken has put together. Um, but the professional development was removed and we added that amount or that portion of the money from alliance to the tech plan. So, that's where it is, but it finally arrived the money. >> Any questions about the alliance? All right, Sue, move on. >> Okay. the next situation. Um, I'm happy to say after months and months of hard work, I have I want to commend the team who've worked on the Department of Defense education activity um, STEM grant called career pathways and STEM literacy. And Shannon is here and she just did an remarkable job. Most of you probably saw the extensive research project that this entailed. really tells a story about Grten.

041It tells a story about the work that we've done in the past seven years um in getting these grants and for really the purpose of improving and having high quality instruction, professional development to really expand our career pathways for our students. really starting in this grant really starting from elementary having kids understand different careers and middle school and into the high school. Um and then it really helps us with sustainability with the work that we've done in literacy. Um now expanding it to literacy reading and writing across the content areas especially with regard to STEM. So, um, we're just really pleased with the outcome of the grant and keeping our fingers crossed. I also want to do a shout out. I saw Val Nelson and Carol Marcio here and Shelley O'Neal Keefe and um Anne

042Fbotnik is here and that was really the um girl power team along with all of our administrators at the high school and middle school um and even elementary school who helped really spearhead this vision and put it um and with Shannon's support really putting it into words and graphs and charts and showing the upward mobility ility that we're seeing from our kids in all of their um performance. So, I'm going to let Shannon maybe speak to it a little bit so she can tell you. Um >> thank you, Susan. Um yeah, it was a great experience. Uh the past couple months our team met um almost weekly and we also um conferenced with quite a few other people as we were developing the grant including um the Connecticut River Academy who is one of the

043partners on the um expect grant. Um, so one of the, uh, so we submitted the proposal last Friday and hopefully we'll hear about it later this summer. Um, if we receive it, it'll be a $750,000 award for the next five years. Um, it would allow us to continue our partnership with Teachers College for the elementary and middle schools. And um it would enable the um Shellyley and an and the career pathways team at the high school to start putting some of what they've been learning in their um study cohort at the uh Connecticut Department of Ed. They're part of a um study there with the National Career and College Transitions Program. Um they'd be able to put some of that work into practice at the high school. Um, yeah. I I think that pretty much

044sums it up. Shelley, is there anything you want to add about the pathways or an the pathway program, the work you've been doing with NC3T? >> Go ahead, Shel. >> Okay. So, we have continued to meet as a team. So, Jasmine Zak, Aaron Magguire, myself, and an um have continued to meet as a team basically weekly uh just about the pathways in general. Um, and the grant that was just submitted is definitely a a great support for the pathway system, especially in the health area and expanding what we can offer at the high school. Um, but it's really showed us, like Susan mentioned, how we need to expand and bring down that pathway information to the elementary and middle school um, students so that when they do get to the high school, they have a

045better idea and awareness of maybe what they want to jump into with our pathway system. Um we are continuing to work with NC3T which is the National Center for College and Career Transition um being put on by the state of Connecticut. We have another cohort meeting with them um next week. >> Um and we I believe we continue with them through the fall and then we're hoping for those pieces to come through with the different grants that have been submitted to kind of bring it all together and put a nice package together. And we also recognize through surveying students that they're particularly interested in the health fields and this would expand from what we have in the nursing program to things like biotech and bioengineering and you know who knows what the um possibilities are

046with that. So that's very exciting. I feel um in expanding communication was a big um part of this grant that we really want our students especially our military students who've lived in possibly 8 to 10 different ports and gone to that many different schools to be able to come into Fitch and be able to look at talk to a counselor, be able to see a a glossy brochure, um be able to see it on our website even ahead of time. what are those different pathways that they can participate in so that they really have a good understanding of what Fitch has to offer not only for military children but for all of our students and and to know even as early as upper elementary and middle school what those pathways are. So I think that

047communication piece is really critical. Other questions? Dr. Baneer. >> I I >> Okay, I'll get you after. Sorry. I I just wanted to uh make sure the board understands and I I I I really want to acknowledge uh the team, but but Shannon Shannon Wiggle has this amazing ability to sit there patiently and process all the information that Shellyley and Ted and Susan and people were just feeding ideas in. And you know, it's a great brainstorming session. and then three months later we walk away with a well articulated finely detailed down to the numbers grant proposal. So what what we're hoping a few months from now to to say you know we got another DODIA we've in in the last uh four years we've gotten three. So uh we're we're keeping our fingers crossed but

048this is this is the kind of work that goes into it and of course we'll we'll keep in the loop. Shannon, do you have any anticipation when the grant might the grant announcement will be made? >> Uh, unfortunately no. Um, you know, a couple years ago we used to hear in mid July. We used to have a good sense if we were in the running. >> But then I believe it was two years ago. We didn't hear until September. >> Okay. So, and >> the other grant that we submitted to DoD STEM, uh, we were supposed to hear in April and they just told us we won't hear until, uh, this until June, mid June. >> Okay. >> I'm guessing it'll probably be at least August. >> Yeah. So, we'll be patient, but hopefully we'll

049we'll come to you with a grant announcement and then it will go to the board for a vote and then the town council, then the RTM. But, a lot of work goes into this. We are laying the foundation particularly for our non-olbbound students. This would this would be a phenomenal pathway for those kids. >> That's all. >> Any any further question or discussion? >> Shannon and your team, thank you so much for the hard work that you have done to provide all these wonderful opportunities um for learning opportunities for our our students. So, thank you very much. I have one more thing to report. Um, a survey went out to our families. So, I want to encourage them to, um, fill in the magnet, elementary magnet survey. You can fill it out as a board

050member, a community member. A student can fill it out, and we've had many students who filled out um, the survey. When you go on to take the survey, it shows you the different categories of um, magnet schools that we have. It's got some written um you know a paragraph about it. It also has a link so you can see either a website or a video of a sample um magnet theme that is like the one that we're um suggesting. So we will be collecting that data and I will be able to come back to you with the results of the naming committee for the elementarymentaries and the magnet themes. And so that should be for June 8th. And is the um survey on the website? >> Survey is one of those that will annoy you

051to death. It like is front and center with a big hand and it pops right up. >> Okay. >> I sent out a a robo call messenger to um let families know where to go to find it. >> Okay. Gretchen, unmute, please. >> Where I'm sorry, I missed it. I was trying to find something of where get how do we let people who aren't in the schools know how to vote for what they want the name to be >> just tell them to go right to the website >> I can't make a thousand calls but I will tell I'll put it on my Facebook >> there you go >> let's let everybody know >> um one of the things we could do Mike is we could send out to the town council and the RTM

052so those two committees would be able to know to go on the website and we would love to hear from them what you know they're thinking about. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Anything else on that? If not, I am going to move us to the business manager report. >> All right. Hello. Hi. >> Hi. Uh so I am going to share the object code summary if I can find it here. Um, maybe I'm not. >> Well, while you're looking, Ken, they've got the hard copy also. >> Yeah. Well, I don't know why it's not coming up as a option here. Oh, here we go. Show all windows. There we go. Uh, okay. So here is our object code summary that you got the hard copy for. Um just going to the top here.

053Uh so this was as of last week. Um I know it's kind of small. Let's see. Make it bigger then you can't see it. So no. Okay. Uh so uh this object code summary uh and the estimate in the second from uh second from the right column uh takes into account uh the cost avoidance that we spoke about at our last meeting as well as additional cost avoidance that we have uh come up uh with uh regard to uh transportation uh uh STA, our main uh bus transporter as well as Curtain uh that does a lot of our special education um runs uh as well as a little bit some other cost avoidance that we're going to um have in this in this year before the before the end. And so if I can go

054to the bottom uh we are anticipating at this point uh uh spending 77,347 374 which is 90,716 uh below our budget. Um, so that that's that's where we are at this point. So this takes into account the um uh the funding of uh the IT equipment uh plan that we will look at um in a minute. Um and um and any of the other additional expenses that we were anticipating incurring. >> And I'll just point out there's still a month to go. So we we know invoices have a funny way of coming in. So we want want to be sure we have sufficient funds to take care of any last minute invoices. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions from the board? I I can't actually see the whole board. >> Well, I'll stop sharing. Um

055>> could you stop sharing, Ken? Thanks. >> There you go. Is there any um other questions from the board? All right. Sorry, guys. I like I just lost everyone. All right. Hearing none. I'm going to move on. Um the health the health account. >> So, the health insurance um uh report uh we we just got today. Um, I do have it and I I'd like to share it if if you if you uh Oh, that's the same thing. What the heck? >> Share screen. >> That was it. Can we >> It didn't look like it to me. >> It's pretty color graph bar graph. >> Okay. Okay. >> There we go. So this uh this is updated from last month in that it has the the month of April. Um and the month of April

056was was a was a good month. Uh 80.6% of budget. Um you know there is some impact uh with uh with COVID. Um you'll notice in particular it it screams at you under the dental paid claims. There's nobody going to the dentist right now. So those are down. um uh RX claims uh the pharmacy claims uh not changed at all but a little bit reduction in our uh in our medical paid claims uh just probably because of elective surgeries and these types of things that aren't really happening right now. Uh but so for the month we are down uh to budget 80.6% and year to date 87.8%. Um, you know, hopefully everything starts to open up again and uh we're not expecting there to be too much of a lag. Uh, but there may be

057some impact on next year's uh health insurance um reserve. >> Ken, if if this trend continues, what do you think June 30th would look like? >> If it continued at this rate, we' we'd probably be around 87% uh for the year. I mean sorry 85% for the year compared last year we were in the 90 I think it was 92%. So uh you know I think May is probably going to look a lot like April but I'm hoping June um becomes a little more normal. >> Yeah. >> And that's what uh MDG our insurance agents anticipate. But um you know we we'll see. >> Okay. But it looks like the health insurance reserve is going to be a little stronger than we anticipated >> probably. Yes. >> Do I have any questions from the board?

058>> Oh, I'll stop sharing. Let's see. There we go. >> All right. Oh, Liz, >> I'm novice at this, so excuse my um problem, my question, but if we don't spend everything, what happens to that money? Does it go into an account that go carries over or do we have to give it back to >> No, Essentially, it's it's it's a reserve. So, we're putting uh we're putting funds in it per the budget and then money comes out uh per the schedule for claims. So, if not as much comes out for claims, that means it's higher and it just stays there for the next year. >> Thank you. >> All right, I'm going to move us on to the director of building and grounds. Sam, are you there? Good evening. >> Hey, there you are.

059>> Hi. Uh so, uh the first item on my list is the uh middle school packing and moving. Um Tom BBE, who is the representative from Arcadus and is the move manager, uh has been overseeing um the packing at the two middle schools and uh teachers have been coming in uh five to six at a time in each of the schools and the packing continues at this point. if um and and and then we will move the stuff to the middle school if it's ready to have it moved there. If there were a delay or a time lag there, then uh the moving company would actually have a warehouse to to move that stuff to in the meantime. But um right now it looks like uh the items will just be moved directly from the

060uh middle schools directly to the classrooms of the of the teachers in the uh new Grten Middle School. Um, regarding the construction projects, the Graten Middle School uh continues to move along on on schedule. Um, I I don't know if anybody's got the opportunity to drive by and see the new turf field is the turf is on the field. It's um unbelievable. And if you look from the high school that uh you can see that it's an enormous field. It's it's really a terrific field and that's been going on as well as all the other uh projects um moving along on schedule. Um at uh at the Cutler site, uh site work continues over there. Uh bulldozers, back hoes, excavators, so on and so forth. And they've actually poured some concrete for footings over there

061already uh in one section of the building at the west side. Um, again, excavation uh continues. Uh, they've moved some fencing around over there. Um, and and they're going to be um getting close to the uh uh the kitchen at Westside shortly. So, uh this Friday will be our last day at Westside for uh food services. and uh Ernie and the team are actually going to move into uh the interior of Brford Manor uh with that site uh beginning uh next week. So on Monday they'll actually be in Brford Mana to uh to hand out those meals next week. And that would be about it for now unless you question. >> Sam, how is the uh information getting to the families um about the change in site? They've been telling the parents as they come

062in to pick up the meals that move. >> I am really sorry. I have a bird fight right in front of my window so it's very loud. I'm wondering too, Sam, if we could put up a sign at the site that would indicate that it's going to be moving as of such and such a date and just to put it right in front of Westside so parents driving by would see that and they would know where to go. >> There was a sign up there, but we'll make sure that we get one up there so that especially if somebody comes next week that didn't get there this week that they know that it's been moved to Brford Manor. >> Thank you very much, Brford. Rita, um, you're need to be muted. Unmuted. >> Yes. Um,

063Sam, on June 12th, will our meal program end for the students in our schools? >> Uh, no. >> No. We've been we've been granted um the the uh waiver to uh continue the meals through the summer. uh you know that previously during the summer the uh the the uh people had to actually stay at the site and eat the meal there, but uh they're granting them to allow them to take them home now. >> And um will will it stay at Brford Manor in the summer or will it be moved to Marine Science? >> Uh as far as I know, we're going to stay at Brford Manor, but I'll I'll verify that and let you know. >> Yeah. I mean, I just didn't know because I know the city of Graten is not starting their

064wreck program until I think June 29th now, >> right? >> So, that's what I I wasn't sure whether or not would there be another feeding site there in Brford Manor. So, just a question. >> Yeah, I'll double check on that and let you know. >> Thank you. >> The other thing, Sam, we may want to just make a note on the um front page of our website, too, that there's going to be that change. Eric can do that if you just let her know >> so we can make people aware that way as well. >> Thank you, Susan. >> Any other questions to Sam? Sam, what about the moving of the portables? >> Um, I just had the uh bids come in today uh regarding the foundations for the uh portables. Uh we're reviewing them

065and we have to vet them uh to to to be sure that the low bid is in fact the low bid, making sure they have everything in the bid. uh and we'll be deci we'll be uh deciphering that this week uh and hopefully they can get started on those. So, uh right now uh it looks like we'll have everything done in time for them to just move them over. So, >> wow, it's amazing. Any other questions for Sam? Hearing none, I'm moving us on. Um so, the committee reports policy. Lee, it looks like you guys have been very busy and you need to unmute. You need to unmute, Lee. >> There you go. >> Um, we continue to meet. We I have a lot of busy for you today. Uh, we meet next week. Um,

066we do that on Zoom also. Um, so we'll talk about it in a couple of minutes. >> All right. Thank you, Lee. curriculum. Andrea, >> we're meeting on June 1st. >> Okay. >> And also, I mean, last time we met, we had the conversation about the uh the high school courses. So, that's what you guys have been working on. >> We're doing that. And we're doing Oh, I wrote it down. It's curriculum and um I'm sorry, it's in um >> instruction technology and uh >> instruction. >> Help me. Help me out because I can't find my notes. It's the instruction and technology roadmap we're going to discuss. Right. Oh, cool. >> And here it is. >> Just in time. >> Yes. >> All right. And Jay, finance and facilities. >> Uh, yes. We met uh

067on May 5th. Um, we received uh updates about um the STA and Curtain uh contract. Um and um also updates for Ken and we're tenatively going to meet June 1st. >> Okay. Boy, a lot's happening June 1st. >> I've just been advised back to back. >> Yes. four, five, and six >> 10 seconds ago. >> All right. And um the other committee reports um negotiations. Actually, we are going to be having a um we have a motion on the floor um since our last meeting um about the custodial contract and so we'll be um that will be later on in the meeting. Um Rita Learn Rita, you need to unmute. Sorry. Um anyway, yes, we had a meeting in May about a week and a half ago and um it was there was really a

068lot covered. First of all, the new principal of the marine science school is going to be um Tara Amatrudo who was at the um the site of Goodwin College, the high school there. She's a wonderful person and I think she'll do a great job for the students at marine science. And then Mariana Reyes, who was the acting superintendent at the multicultural magnet school, was going to be the full-time person there also. Um, let's see what else. Oh, all the staff, most of the staff and the principal from D Language are moving over to Goodwin College for their new middle school, which is great. And they were all hired. Um the the learn board approved the use of school facilities at marine science. The parking lot, the garage, the restrooms for the city of Brten Park

069and Rex, which is wonderful since they can't use Westside this year. Um we also had a long talk about doing um the executive directors Kate Ericson's evaluation and it's going to be done a little bit differently and maybe sometime I could share that with our board for when we have to evaluate um Dr. Grineer. Um so it's going to be done with the whole board but you know you pass out things ahead and because I know we'll have to be doing Dr. Grineer soon also. And um >> if on that note if you could pass that on to Dr. Acriman who has agreed to sort of take sort of lead on okay forming things. So if that if you could have >> Well, this is going to be at our June board meeting um that

070we're going to be going over this. So that's not until the second week of June. Okay. >> But that that'd be all right, right? Because I figured we'll probably do it in July. >> Okay. and um the CFO of learn Mike Beldin gave um summary of their budget um which was interesting and we talked about virtual graduations with all the different towns um and what they were doing. So >> that's about it. >> Thank you Rita. >> You're welcome. >> So um the board of ed town council RTM leazison that has just not been happening. Um, I think that everyone is just trying to kind of do this virtual stuff. Um, but the next one would be this coming week. Um, and so Lee, I don't know if you and I need to to bang

071heads together to see if we can make that happen if there's any interest um with the town council and the RTM. >> That'd be fine. >> All right. So, maybe you and I could just uh do a joint email to them. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you, friend. Um, and then board of ed, AGSA, and GA Lee is on. Been a long time. Um, and I'm looking at Beth. Um, and do we have one on the schedule to meet? >> Yep. On this Wednesday, the 27th at 4:30, I believe. >> That is correct. >> Okay. So, and are we still planning to have that? >> I defer to you. We can >> it probably would be nice for us to kind of all kind of get together just kind of hear how things are going. >>

072Um, Dr. >> Especially Yeah, I I think especially for ver the virtual to understand that just in case we ever had to start the school year with that. I would like to definitely hear from the teachers and the administrators. >> Okay, that was the date, please. What was the date? >> Wednesday. >> Tomorrow. tomorrow. Oh, Jesus. >> At 4:30 on that. >> Oh, and I I'm sorry. I take back my expletive. I already had it. >> So, I'll see you at par four. >> All right. >> So, we'll be doing we'll get a virtual invite. Is that right? >> We'll Joyce and I will get it out tomorrow morning. >> Okay. And we'll just put um distance learning as our big topic unless anybody has any other ideas. >> We can we can we could

073talk about a couple of things. We we'll put it together. >> Okay. Is it 4:15 or 4:30? I had 4:15. Do you know which time it is, Beth? >> No. Okay. >> I think I think we had moved it to 4:30. I have 4:30 on my calendar. >> That was in my phone. >> That's fine. >> Get to 4:30 because of my schedule. Um, Rita, that's just easier for me to get to there at 4:30 versus the 4:15. >> Sure. >> Okay, >> that's fine. >> But that that Zoom is helping out a lot in travel. So, um, trail leazison, Gretchen, I thoroughly enjoy the trails, but I do not believe we have had any meetings. Okay. and Lee the Graten Scholarship. >> Um, those of you who remember reading Catch 22 a million years

074ago, I you know, someone a a guy called me from Chelsea on Chelsea Graten and asked if we could talk on the phone and I said absolutely and gave him the telephone number and I have heard nothing. >> Okay. All right. Okay. All right, ladies. Um, is there a possibility that um I think Matt Brown at the high school headed that up. Is Ted still there? We could maybe ask him about the scholarships and how will they be presented? Will they for the students that evening? >> I would love to know. I would I don't know anything. >> I was just wondering when Ted was still here if he >> I don't know the people who have gotten in touch with me. One of them was from you and then um both from Chelsea Grten.

075>> I don't know the answer. >> So the high school principal. >> Yeah. So Rita, we'll try to get that information out to the board because that's actually pretty in pretty important. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> All right. Anything else on the committee agenda? And I'm moving us on to the action item. Specifically, the consent agenda, which is all matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. Um, but we will also allow for points of clarification. Um, and so I need a motion for the approval of the reg regular meeting minutes of April 27th, 2020. Lee has said first. Um, is there a discussion on those minutes hearing? Hearing none. All those in favor of approving the meeting. >> Who made the second? >>

076Oh, who made the second? >> Uh, Liz did. >> Thank you, Miss Joan. >> You're welcome. >> All right. Uh, do we have all approval of the minutes? abstain. What's the other word? Oppose. Um, we're all good. >> Makes me feel good. >> All right. And so we now have a series of policy. Um, and Lee, I will have you start off. So, you'll need to unmute. And >> um I I'm making a motion to approve as a second reason reading of policy P 4118.13 conflict of interest. >> Second. >> Um we have a second. All right. >> That's from Liz Joan. Do we have discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor of the second reading to approve the second reading of policy P4118 313 conflict of interest please say I or raise your hand.

077>> I >> oppose abstain that motion has carried Jane >> to approve as a second reading of policy P 5141.27 27 use of automatic external defibrillators. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> That would be Lee. Do I have any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor of this the second reading of policy P 5141.27 use of automatic external defibrillators please say I or raise your hand. >> I. All those opposed abstain. Jo the motion has carried. All right. We are now on the new business. >> Liz. >> Yes. >> Could you please read number the motion on new business number one, please? >> Certainly. to approve as a first reading of policy P3230.1 federal grant procurement and regulations for policy R 3230.1 federal grant procurement checklist and R 3230.1 federal grant procurement.

078>> Can I have a second please? >> Second. I got Lee. All right, Sue and Lee, if you would like to do the charge of this uh first meeting, please. >> So, I I really want to um commend Ken Knight um and Lori in the process of several of these operations um policies. So, I'm going to let Ken speak to the um federal grant. Uh so a a requirement of uh getting funding uh through a federal grant is uh the organization must have a policy uh that um uh stipulates how uh procurement happens within that grant. Uh and we were cited on our last um audit uh for not having this policy. And so that that's this policy here. Uh this is very much I we got this from the uh from CABE um made

079some adjustments to it but it's pretty much uh um their um their template um and it would it would cover uh the requirement uh for for those uh grant purchases. I do have to say though that um a lot of time was taken into the um regulations and you notice that we try to bring you regulations even though the vote is for the policy but we try to really include any attachments that would be necessary and any stipulations around the policy. So it helps guide especially the business office um in their work. So I just wanted to just note that. >> Yep. >> Any other comments? Andrea, >> you are muted. >> No, I I'm unmuting the wrong thing. Anyway, uh I have a question about the regulations on page two under conflict of interest

080number four. It's the very last one where it says that um they can accept an unsolicited item with a value of $10 or less or multiple unsolicited moves and so on. Why could they? I I don't understand why anybody would be able to accept anything and why that's there. >> This was actually the one area that we did make some adjustments to on the original CAB policy. We actually reduced it. Uh it was it was a higher number. I think it was a value of $100 or less in a 12-month period. Um and this and this um coincides with the conflict of interest uh policy as well. Um um >> I would say that sometimes a vendor may give you a pen or a book that they want you to read. >> Yeah. >> Something

081like that. Something very nominal. Um not that it would influence our purchase, but you do receive those kind of things. We even had um >> you know talked about a teacher receiving a small token gift from a student. Um you know, as long as it was that nominal amount um we felt >> Yeah. I I can understand it the I read the part about the student teachers accepting you know Christmas gifts like small things and all that but I don't on earth like I now that you said a pen perhaps >> you know or a book yeah >> I don't know why why the that would even be in there I mean an item of $10 or less and >> well they had said 100 I guess people could you know give you something in

082the hopes that then you would um you be able to go with that particular vendor. So, we just don't want that as a temptation. >> I would just say take it out. Why would we allow them to take anything? >> Well, I think if we take it out, you're not suggesting that they can um >> It says that the board member or agent >> with a conflict of interest shall not solicit or accept any grat Yeah. with a conflict of interest shall not accept any gratitudes gratuitities, favors, or items from a contractor. But they can't take a $10 whatever >> or less. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, that's ridiculous. >> Well, it's it's like I said, it's like a pen or a book, you know, or something that they would leave behind. Sometimes they'll leave

083stuff like that on my desk, you know, and it's more of a nuisance, but >> Yeah. I don't want to go to jail for it for a pen. >> No, you really you have to have something in there. You really do. >> Yeah. >> Well, I don't agree, but >> Okay, >> I think $10 is a little slight. Um, back when I was teaching in a classroom and going to the vendor thing, going to the teacher conference things every year and there were always vendors there, they frequent would say, "Here, take this sweatshirt or here your kid goes there." Even though it was different schools, it it meant very little. I mean, I had to buy the uniform there anyway from them because my kids go to school. So this policy is is more for

084if um for Ken and his crew for bidding for purchases of items, not necessarily for going for um the conferences and and and such. So >> get more than $10 worth of goodies when >> I guess. Okay. So, I guess um Lee um and Susan if you guys can kind of just kind of think about um that $10 thing or what have you because that seems to be the part that has the most whatever. Um but I look forward to seeing the second reading of of of the uh of the um of of this policy. So, um, >> um, Kim, before you move on, just, um, you know, when you talked about the $100, um, and that last line where it says a value of $50 or less in a half month period, that's back

085to the $100 like in a month. But, um, I still I also agree that I I'm not sure why that line is there about the money. Like, like Andrea said, I think it's not worded. It's sort of I don't know. It's just not worded correctly. Maybe when when you come back with it, maybe it'll it'll look different. >> Thank you, Rita. >> I can't support it if it looks like this. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, any other further questions on that? >> Okay. All those in favor of the first reading of policy P3230.1 federal grant procurement and regulations for policy R 3230.1 federal grant procedural checklist and R 3230.1 federal grant procurement. All those in favor please say I or raise your hands. >> I oppose. That would be Gretchen. abstain and Dr. Aman abstained.

086So this wait one two three four five Joan does that pass? >> Lee I think has her hand raised. >> Well I'm in the middle of a vote. Miss Joan, you are muted. >> I'm here. >> Okay. So does this motion fail? Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, two. No, it should pass. >> Okay. So, the motion has passed. >> Please, I'll recognize you. >> But you gota >> you have to unmute. >> No, I I'm for >> I got it. I I had gotten you. >> I just want to remind the board that you you vote for the policy. The regulation is based on the personnel putting together what's necessary to do to operationalize >> That's right. >> policy. Just >> reminding you. >> Thank you, Sue. I thank you very much. All

087right. Um, Rita, would you be willing to read the second motion, please? Well, I I think um I will read the second motion, but um there has to be some corrections in the um the wording. The second line it says bidding checklist as opposed to a checklist. >> That's where where are you? >> That number two. >> Yeah, I'm looking. >> Being so picky. >> I don't know where you are. Second line. the second line in both the motion and the discussion >> in red. >> no. >> In the motion on the agenda. >> On the agenda right here. >> Oh, for heaven's sake. >> Checklist. >> Right. >> So, anyway, that needs to be corrected, but I'll read the motion. >> Thank you. to to approve as a first reading of policy P 3323

088bidding and regulations for policy R 3323 bidding checklist and R 3323 bidding regulations. >> I have a second to that, please. >> I got Liz. >> All right. Discussion Ken. So uh in in looking at the federal um federal grant uh purchasing regulations, we wanted to make a notation within this policy to refer to that. So that's that's one of the reasons we started looking at this policy. Uh the other issue that came up uh is every year we go through uh our bid list process where we uh solicit um prices from our uh our our our vendors as supplier vendors and um the policy previously said that it had to be uh submitted in writing and the issue that that comes up is that we have to take th that information and then uh

089key it into our software. ware. And so what we're looking for here is the ability to um avoid that uh that extra extra time and and the uh possibility for error uh in taking that information from a written document and getting it into our system. And so that's uh where we uh changed uh under uh number two under bid notice either in writing or buyer requested electronic format which would be like an Excel or a CSV type file. Um so that that was that uh that change on page one. Uh and then we also put all of the exceptions. This was based on a h which which policy? I think it was a I think it was a learn policy which we modeled this on where we put all of the um exclusions on the

090bottom versus having some um um >> you're right >> uh under under bids uh or quotes and just putting them all on the bottom. And so on the bottom of page two, um we put here the um um the state state approved CR the pre-approved state contracts um um versus having that up in the up in the other section. So those those are the changes that we made to this uh this policy. So those are noted, Ken, under the following purchases are excluded from the above quotes and bid requirements all at the bottom >> and there are six of them, >> right? >> Any other questions? >> No. >> Okay. All those in favor of the first reading of policy um policy P 3323 bidding and regulations for policy R 3323 bidding checklist and R

0913323 bidding regulations. All those in favor. Now Mark, you have mentioned that it makes sense for us to time stamp our um our vote within the chat se section. Is that correct? If you just put the policy number and then everyone can put just a Y or an N and it comes up with their name. >> So that way you'd have a a written record. >> All right. You're just making me um to uh double task and that is not necessarily my um thing, but this so this is policy 3323. Um, and so the motion that's on that's on the floor for all those in favor, just throw your yay or your no or your abstain in chat. If you guys can do that, that would be great. Lee, I see that you're affirmative. >>

092Yes. >> Yeah. I can't do it in chat, but >> Okay. So, Rita affirmative and um Andrea is in affirmative. >> So, it's going to be a mixture there, Mark. That's the best I can do. Okay. So, that looks like that has um that has been approved. And so, we're moving on to um Gretchen. Uh would you be willing to do the Good Samaritan Good Samaritan policy and just read the motion, please? I think you're going to have to unmute. No, you don't. >> Um >> which attachment is that one? I just lost. Oh, there it is. Three. Oh, crap. Did I lost Do you have it? >> Yeah, I do. I just put it down for a second and now I can't reorganize myself. No. Yes. Meeting >> Page two at the very bottom

093>> of the agenda. I'm looking for the agenda. >> All right. So, I'm going to move on to Jay. Would you be the other? And then, um, Gretchen, I'll catch you on the other one. >> That's great. >> Okay. So, I move uh we approve as a first reading of policy P4118.7. Uh, good Samaritan. >> Can I have a second? >> I got Rita doing the second. Joan. Susan. >> Yes, I got it. >> Susan, >> so if you remember um about three months ago, we were talking about the nurse being able to give um medication by injection >> as the only person in the school who could do that work. And that still is true with the policy. But in the good Samaritan, others who have been trained to give the medication could also

094give the medication. So we wanted to kind of do the good Samaritan as a followup to the original policy. And I'm sorry, I don't have the number. I should have written it down the other policy 18.7. >> All right. And so do we um do we have any other question about the good Samaritan policy first reading? All right, hearing none. All those in favor of approving the first reading in the policy P4118.7, which is the good Samaritan, please say I or raise your hand. Lee is affirmative. Liz, Rita, Jane, re uh Andrea. Okay, you are Rita, you um I'm sorry, Dr. Arian, you are unmute. You are muted. >> What I'm trying to say is I don't know what I touched, but I can I can see Kim. Nothing else. There's a big thing on

095my screen that says Zoom. Mark, help me please. It's like putting your behind the computer. >> What? >> Okay. So, Andrea, on the if you're doing a computer, on your top right of your screen, it should say speaker view or um or gallery, if you move your arrow up to the >> No, it says support in English. >> Say anything like that. So, anyway, I'm voting in favor, but I Mark, you got to help me. All right. And I'm sorry that you get stuck seeing only my ugly face. So I apologize about that. All right. So we're moving. We're going to move on. Did that vote happen? So we're moving on to So Gretchen, would you be able to read number four motion? Adjust the motion, not discussion. Um, yeah. to approve as a first

096reading of policy P1230 parent organizations and booster clubs. >> Can I have second to that? >> Second. >> I got a readita conversation discussion please. >> I have something Kim Kim >> Wait a minute. >> No no no. Anyway, on page two um in the second in the second section on number two, it says anytime a booster club uses the name of the district and so on, that should be uh formatted the way the one is underneath there where it says all items donated become property of the district. That shouldn't be part of the number two. That should be formatted the way that the one in the ones in number eight are. So format like number eight. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And did you want to add anything to comment on the booster club?

097>> I do. >> Oh, go ahead. Sorry. >> Oh, Lee, this is Lee. Can I say something about this? >> Please do, Lee. >> Okay, fine. Um, I am going to abstain on this even though I'm on the policy committee because I need some information about whether or not people on the committee are asked or suggested to make a a monetary donation. And um I you know I've been told that that is the case. And until I find out that that is not the case, I'm going to abstain. >> Well, I feel like we really haven't had time to review this one thoroughly and so my recommendation is that we bring it back to our policy meeting next Monday. We have so many that went through. >> That's great. That's great, Susan. Yeah, >> we

098need to really just discuss it a little further. >> I think that's great. So, I'm going to table this policy so that we can have a a a fair first reading of that. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Liz, do you Liz, yeah, I just had a I have a question and I don't know if this is something that we have to address in in this, but um the wording of both sexes, is that politically correct in today's world? >> Could you tell us where you are? Oh. Um, I noticed both genders on the second page two of three um in number seven where it says right at the end both genders and then at the end on page three of three, the last paragraph, it says of both sexes um twice. And I'm just

099wondering if we need to be more politically correct in terms of, you know, non-gender specific individuals, people who identify differently. So I'm just I'm just want that to be considered. We have a lot of people who are becoming or a lot of young people who are identifying differently these days. And I you know just to limit two sexes I think is is uh a bit restrictly review that when we go back to policy. Thank you. >> Okay. >> That's a good idea. >> Gretchen, did you have a comment? Gretchen, you need to unmute. >> I just remuted before anybody in my house would say anything. Um apparently I have nothing to say about it. Says my son. But technically we only have girls track and boys track at the moment. But >> I need I'm

100running a meeting. So thank you. >> Okay. I had a quick question. Kim, didn't we already have a policy on this? >> I was asking Susan, >> the booster club. >> Yes. Parent organizations and booster club. I believe there was a already a policy of this. That's why I was surprised not to see it sort of in red and green and different colors. >> Check with Erica. I'm sure it was, but it did come out black and white. So, I will get that to you. >> What I hear from the policy committee is that we're retracting that and so we're not going to go, but it was just a comment so that they when they retract it, they could go over it. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um I think does that take us

101out of all that takes us out of all policy policy. Thank you for doing all of your really hard work. Um Dr. Geneer um I am going to ask the board if we can move the topic of the treehouse um up forward um because I do know that we've got some of the our friends on and instead of Sorry. Thank you Jay for hanging out. Um, so instead of having them um, wait until the very end of the meeting that maybe we could get them on and then um, they can enjoy the rest of their evening or they could stay on with us if they so choose. Um, so um, Jane, I am wondering if you would be willing to read number nine, the motion. So we're skipping down to nine, please. I'm looking for

102nine. Why don't you have someone else read that and I'll find it. >> Okay. Liz, can you please read? >> Sure. To approve the proposed funding of the treehouse summer program. >> Can I have a second on this, please? Lee. Thank you. Um, and so we had this conversation in our committee of the whole last week. Um, and um, we said that we were going to bring this up for a vote. Um, and Dr. Gineard, would you like to once again sort of orient the board? >> Yes. And and Jake, chime in if my numbers are are not correct here, but because the Office of Early Childhood has changed the uh the guidelines for the summer program due to the COVID 19, uh we we have to nearly double the size of the staff. And

103so while we were we were ready to open the summer program and and and have the eight weeks uh go straight forward uh with appropriate funding for the enterprise fund that would in other words it would pay for itself. What we realized was when we doubled up on the staff one to5 ratio with young children. Uh we realized that the program would run about $34,000 if my numbers are correct. Is that right Jake? Um, yeah, it was it was somewhere around that. I don't have the uh the spreadsheet up at this moment, but >> about $34,000. Yeah. So, what what will happen is if if we start the program, we have not yet gotten the waiver. I I I think Jake has >> actually I believe Nikki was on the um phone with the Office

104of Early Childhood today and I think we did get that waiver. >> Okay. So, we would start on June 22nd and go all the way till August 14th. we would uh have permission to have 120 children, 60 at Katherryn Konowski, 60 at Northeast Academy. Um but because of the increase in the number of uh of staff members we would need uh I'm I'm proposing recommending that the board would approve from the the money that was unexpended uh would approve uh a payment of the the June expenses not to exceed $34,000 and that would that would leave the the uh the enterprise fund intact for the summer, you would not have a deficit if I understand correctly. >> Is that right? >> That's correct. >> So service and we you know we certainly want to provide

105it. >> So the question is on there is whether the board is up to the 34,000. >> Yes. Not to exceed >> not to exceed. If, in other words, if we don't have as many children as we anticipate, if there only a hundred children, we wouldn't need quite as much staff, but if 120 children do, and I know we've gotten some early registration, so uh we we we think uh is that is that still true, Jake, that we think we'll have about 120? >> Yeah, that's the estimate. Um as of today, I believe we're up about 65 to 70 by the end of the day today, but we do have a lot coming in. >> Okay. So if the max would be 34, if it's if it's less than that, of course, then we wouldn't

106hire the extra staff. >> Absolutely. >> I think Liz, >> so where would this money come from for us to to back this up? I don't understand. >> It would come from the unexpended balance that Ken mentioned, the $90,000. So that would drop that down >> to about 60 >> 56. That's right. That's right. >> Okay. >> Lee, did you have a question? >> Can't hear you to this probably after COVID is over. Um, yes. No, I I mean the concept is if people if if the country is ready to go to work, we have to have places for our kids to have learning in the summer. And because we have to have twice as many teachers per student, we need to do this. And that's I'm just all for it. Obviously, >> believe that

107this is not the teaching. This is not an educational program that this is this is the treehouse which is the before and after school program. >> I am I know >> Jake I do know that you guys do an amazing job at giving kids experiences that are that are just that they are um it's just a phenomenal program and I I thank you very much um for your efforts. Um Jay. Okay. So just as as part of this discussion, Rita, >> oh did um I just had a question about the member, non-member, non-resident. If you could explain that to me. >> So we have a price for children who are enrolled during the school year. Um we have a price for people who um live in whose children attend the Graten Public Schools but are

108not normally um members of Treehouse. And then we do typically have a group who come from other towns, other neighboring towns. So that non-member, non-resident price. >> Um this year, because there's probably going to be such a demand, would the non um member and non-members that live in town have precedent? >> Um we we haven't discussed that. Um though we you know I obviously if the board is you know willing to help subsidize this precedent would be given to I'm speaking out of turn. I would need to consult with Nikki. I am the assistant director but I would assume precedent would be given to um our you know our um stu our students cotton public school students. >> Yeah I mean thank you. It's just something that I I I think would be important, you

109know, if if if it fills up so quickly. >> I agree. >> And there's going to be such a need this summer. I do I do believe now that the board is funding it and it's not independent anymore that, you know, that would be something to think about. >> Absolutely. >> I agree with Rita. Yeah. And typically we don't have more than 10 or 20 students who are from outside of um Graten Graten schools. So I don't think it would become a concern, but if that were the case, >> obviously we'd have to consider. >> Yeah. And is this ages um pre preschool to um fifth grade? >> Um right now we are we're taking students who are entering first grade through entering um seventh grade. Typically we're entering kind we were looking to be

110entering kindergarten through entering seventh this year but because of you know what we're dealing with now we didn't feel that we were equipped to deal with the children who were entering kindergarten yet. >> Can I ask why you do seventh grade which is you know they they really typically wouldn't be at NEA in Kaskki even the sixth graders aren't. Once again, this would be a question better answered by Nikki, but I believe the reason we're doing that is because we typically have a a hold out crew who have been coming summer to summer who typically participate in a CIT program with us. >> Okay, that makes sense. >> These young leaders, so it's really program that they do. >> Okay, >> thank you. >> Yes. Um, I agree with Rita that Graten residents should get

111uh preference and I say that and I include all Graten residents, not just the ones who are currently in or going to Graten schools. We also have kids who go to lots of the different schools around here, but they do pay taxes. So, if the taxpayers are paying for it, then our kids get first, whether they go to Groten School or they go to a private school or their home school. >> Thank you. Thank you, Gretchen. >> And I want one more thing. >> Go ahead. Price. Out oftowners pay more. A lot more. >> And that's how our um we set up our fees um at at another board meeting. Um they were approved and that was that is how it is right now. There I believe it's I don't know if the numbers in

112front of me or on the top of my head. >> 25. >> Yeah. So, um there was a there was a um question that was in our chat um Jake that said, "Are non-members considered part of the staff?" So, are staff children part of the non-member? I I'm assuming that that is what the question is. >> Um so, again, I apologize, a better question for Nikki, but it it it would depend on if they're registered for the school year. Um, our currently all of our staff members who have kids who are also enrolled in Treehouse are Graten Public Schools children, so they would be getting the member rate. Um, but they are members and they there are no discounts given to um employees of the program. >> Okay. Thank you. And you know what? Maybe

113some of those questions I'm sorry to put you on on the spot. You've >> Oh, no. It's okay. Um so um I um maybe that information can kind of either get to either Dr. Grineer or his secret um his administrative assistant um and you could just throw in the board notes so that the so that the we could just you can just kind of we can kind of close that chapter on that. >> Absolutely. Um I am actually going to ask Jay if um we can add to the finance and facilities as a possible agenda to kind of talk about how does we move forward with the treehouse um because I don't think that this is going to be our one and only rodeo when it comes to dealing with COVID specifically with COVID um

114after school stuff in terms of like how to make sure that you guys are solvent because you're such a great program but um it's going to be clear that the board isn't always going to be able to have extra money to kind of help you guys out. Um, and so I would love to have the finance and facility um, committee begin to work with your with you um, at sort of being able to kind of move you guys forward. >> That's possible, Rita. And I think there's also going to be a question if if we do not start school, will the treehouse program exist? If we won't be having school indoors and it's virtual, will there be even a treehouse program in the fall? It's like one more complicating thing. >> Yeah. are um if

115I may and tell me if I'm speaking out of turn, but um I mean one of the I think that we would have been better able to absorb the the um financial deficit this summer, but we were paying our staff out of our enterprise fund the entire time we were shut down. >> But that's fine, Jake. Totally understand that. Um absolutely understand that. And I think that the board here really understands that you guys were that just to keep your staff in place so that you had good folk for our for our our children is very important to this board. We've we've sh we've demonstrated that time and time again during this taking staff on um to make sure that our kids get the best that they can consistency sort of move us just to

116kind of move I think this is a conversation I think that we're asking everyone to have is how do we make sure that ensure um to do that and that's a good question Rita about what happens but I'm also not following my own instruction which is to stay on topic and stay um to the motion which is on the floor so if there's No further discussion about the up to the $34,000. Um is there any other is there any question on that? If if not I'm going to read the motion which is to approve the proposed funding of the treehouse summer program up to the I think is it 349 >> to a maximum of 34? Yes. >> To a maximum of 34. >> Yes. >> That's not in the motion. I think we'd like

117to include it in the motion though. >> Okay. >> So, Miss Joan, was that said in the first motion? >> No, it wasn't. And to add that is an amendment. >> Okay, my loveies. So, walk me through this. So, I'm I was in the middle of asking for a vote. So, do I stop that vote? >> Yes. You're making an amendment. >> Okay. So, I would like to make >> up to a maximum of $34,000. >> What she said? >> So, I would like to amend the motion for the treehouse um that the board will approve funding up to the 34,000. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, now we're going to vote on the amendment. Is that correct? >> You need a second, Kim. >> Can I have a second, please? >> I've got Rita. >>

118Okay. This is called Kim being human. All right. Any further discussion on the amendment? Okay. All those in favor of the amendment that's on the floor to approve the proposed funding of the treehouse summer program up to 34,000, please say I. Raise your hands. >> I oppose. Abstain. The motion has carried unanimously. Now, Miss Joan, don't go on mute on me. >> Oh, sorry. >> Um, so now do I have to do the do do I have to do the motion that's on the floor or do I just do the amendment? >> Change motion overall. So, you're good to go. >> Thank you, my lovey. >> Yep. >> All right. So, I am now going to go. So, Jake, you're all taken care of. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> You got it.

119>> Have a great night. >> All right. All right. So, I am now going to go back to number five. And before we I entertain that motion, if people feel like it's important that we we had this conversation um after the committee of the whole meeting, um if people feel like we need to go into an executive session, I'm willing to have that table to the end of our meeting and we'll do the um of we'll do the the um we'll do the executive session at that point. Um if not um we can just move forward on this motion as it stands right now. Um so can I get a consensus? Do does is there anyone on the board that feels that we need to go into a negotiation meeting on this? >> I see

120no one interested in doing so. So Jane, are you willing to go to number five and read the motion that's on the agenda? >> Yes. to approve a one-year contract extension for the Graten School Custodian and Maintenance Association bargaining unit for the period of July 1st, 2020 to June 30th, 2021. >> Can I have a second on that? Also >> second >> I got Lee. Do we have discussion on that, >> Dr. Baneer? No, it just it is the agreement that we talked about uh uh earlier and it's we we have the document now in hand and the both parties agreed to the extension uh if if this goes through. >> Any other any other conversation hearing? None. All those in favor to approve a one-year contract extension for the Graten School custodian and maintenance

121association bargaining unit for the period of July 1st, 2020 to June 30th, 2021. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> Okay. So, oppose obions. The motion has carried unanimously. We are now on to motion number six. Lee, would you be willing to read number six for me, please? >> I will. >> Thank you. >> Uh, the motion is to approve the proposed schedule C stipens for Graten Middle School for the for the 202021 school year. >> Thank you, Lee. Can I have a second? Liz, uh, Liz Porter. Thank you. So this is once again something that we had a long conversation with last time we met in uh committee of the whole. I believe we have an attachment. It's attachment number 10 and we asked them to kind of

122kind of clean that up a little bit so that it made sense that we just kind of talked about it in terms of rotten middle school. Is there any further conversation? Fa >> I have quite a few questions and I I'm going to start from the bottom. Um why do we need two advisors for student council? I mean it's it's a set amount of children you know it's not going to be like it's a team or so that was that was one of my questions why there are two for student council why there are two for drama and jazz band um I understand the instrument the intramural fall sports they're they're also doubled in spring and winter I could see there'll be a lot of students doing that but to need to have two dramas,

123two student towns. I don't know. It just seemed repetitious. >> So, um and then my my next u my other question was um I never could understand and maybe Dr. Ger could do a little research on this. Why there is a girls softball team at the middle school and not a boys baseball team. It had something to do a long time ago about when Grten had um seventh, eighth, and ninth and then they moved the ninth grade up to the high school and was something something to do with title nine. But I don't know what what it is. And now that we may have more fields, I was hoping that possibly to involve more children in afterchool activities, we could not only have softball, but baseball. And maybe some of those funds could come from

124the doubling up of some of these other programs you have. I >> I'll find out. >> Rita, I I think I know the answer. If you can hear me. Can you hear me? >> Yes, I can. Yes, because you were here then. I wish I wish I could join in the but anyway when I was a principal that's when that happened when we moved to the um >> and it it I always get yelled at for this. Is it CIA or CAIC? >> CIA. It's their regulations. It's their regulations that determine this. >> I thought it was title nine that we had to have an equal number of high um sports all together across 6 through 12. >> No. baseball moved to the high school because because of those regulations. >> I still I I

125still don't know if that would apply now, but maybe maybe they've changed. >> Yeah, >> Dr. Veneer, that's up to you. >> Dennis, help me with this. >> Dennis, tell me what to do. >> I I'll find out and I'll get back to you and I'll put it in board notes >> on all three things. All four things. Well, it could, but if we're gonna vote on this, I'm not going to vote on it until it's >> Yeah, I I don't think there's any great rush. We could table this for now. >> Is there any other questions that we want Dr. Grineer to find out? >> Gretchen, and it looks like Andrew is still having some difficulty. So, if there's someone from the technology that would like to sort of do a chat with Andrea,

126I think that she would. So, I mean, I've asked the same question about why we don't have baseball in middle school a hundred times. So, I'd love the answer. >> Okay, great. Find out. >> I just asked this question. Is there anything um to do with making sure that we get these jobs posted so that the um coaches will be selected prior to the end of school? Is that any of um is that a factor in all of this or does it matter? >> Uh that's a good that's a reasonable question. >> And Beth is shaking her head. Yes. >> So one of the things that we could do is our first committee of the whole meeting is going to be June 8th. >> Um and we could do a special uh meeting and just

127vote on this so that we can um we can get that done. But I I I just don't I don't think it's the will of the board. um to um to go to >> we have to get back to you with the answers. >> Right. >> So, I think good solution, Kim. >> Okay. But Beth asked if we could do a set aside for those options and vote for the other ones I saw up on the little screen. >> You you could you could amend it to say you would accept the positions for the fall the the stipens for the fall positions. Uh so unified >> but but drama and jazz band would be that >> and student council. >> Well, you know what? I I'm going to get the answer. I'll bring it to

128the finance committee on the first uh and if if need be, Kim, we we could always have a five minute meeting on the on the >> not even just to vote on that. Absolutely. >> Yeah. Like before the CO on the 8th or whatever. I'm not I'm not really willing to sort of in this day and time I'm not willing to sort of parcel things out because it will get lost and so let's have it go back. >> Okay. >> All right. >> This item is tabled. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. >> Um and so the motion the next motion is number seven. Um Vita, would you be willing to read that for me please? >> Yes. to to approve the adoption of the revised FY21 board of education budget. >> I have a

129second on that. Please second. >> So, um Ken or Dr. Grineer, >> we went over this last week. This was attachment 11. This was how we are going to we're proposing to adjust the FY21 budget to represent uh the 0% increase that um uh that we have to uh abide by. So uh this has uh this schedule here shows you know the reductions in in um uh in other benefits which is the severance um in the uh supplies which where is this the instructional supplies the site budget uh the diesel which is leftover diesel from this year um custodial supplies leftover custodial supplies from this year and then um some equipment that we will purchase this year um and not have to purchase next year. >> Any any other questions about that? >> All right.

130Hearing none to um all those in favor to approve the adoption of the revised um fiscal year 21 board of education budget, please say I. >> I. >> Thank you, Lita. Oppose. Abstain. The motion has carried unanimously. Jay, would you be willing to read number eight, please? >> Uh, motion to approve the proposed technology equipment plan. Can >> I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. So, Ken So this is attachment 12. This is all we also looked at this one last week. Um the first box are the needs that um um we have identified uh that we need to purchase. Uh and then in the second box was the funding where that comes from. part part of it is coming from the cost avoidance uh that we spoke of before which was uh

131uh transportation costs that we won't incur as well as a reduction in the um the site budgets and then uh some coming from the alliance district funding that's um Susan had talked about before and then the DoD supplemental impact aid of about 218,000 uh so funding one 1,98,700 of uh IT equipment. >> Any other questions about this? Once again, we did have a conver I got you, Dr. Grineer. We did have a long conversation about this in our last committee of the whole meeting. So, it's not look like we're just passing things through, but we have had a question um conversation about that. Dr. Grineer, >> I I just want to highlight this this is the foundation for next year's distance learning program. Uh I realize it's a it's a significant price tag but uh

132if if at any time next year we we need to shift to hybrid learning or in fact full distance learning again uh this this would provide a device for every child in the school district. >> Any further conversation hearing? None. All those in favor of the motion to approve the proposed technology um equipment plan, please say I. >> I. >> Oppos. That has also passed unanimously. The last motion that's on the floor is one that we have added today, which is the motion is to approve for full-time literacy um specialists in the Fitch High School. That's the motion. Can I have a second? Second. >> Any discussion? >> All those all those in favor of the motion that's on the floor to approve the literacy specialist um for the high school, please say I. >>

133I. Uh oppose abstain. That motion has also carried unanimously. Great job board. I think we >> Oh, that was something. >> Really have given the high school some tools. >> All right, we are now at the um last part of our meeting which is the information um or the letters and communication. Um Liz, I'm going to start with you. >> Okay. Um, I wanted to let the board know that on May 2nd, uh, two groups of students from Cutler, uh, participated in the Connecticut State History Day. Unfortunately, we did not place in the top three. However, one of our groups landed probably close to number five, which is really quite an remarkable occurrence. And so they won a special award. So for their performance, it was a junior group performance entitled Prudence Crannle, Katherine Lamb,

134Anelise Otano, and Chassidity Sheffield won the special award outstanding entry related to Connecticut law sponsored by the Connecticut Supreme Court Historical Society. So they finished quite up there in the finals. you know, they probably were five or six, but this is this is a good beginning. This is a good start. This group has never had this type of competition before, and I think it's something that we can encourage our kids to show that yes, we still we do have quality here in Groten. And I'm I'm very very proud of these these young people. They really roasted the challenge. >> And having been a judge at the history day, it I I'm just so proud of them. Liz, thank you. Is there any other communications that you would like to share with us? >> Yes. I

135just had a quick question. Um I I was asked today um yesterday, excuse me, if the tennis courts at Fitch High School are now open to the public? >> No. >> Okay. Not yet. >> And will it will they be open soon or >> do we know? I >> I'll talk to the I I have to check the the governor's executive order. I I'll I'll we'll we'll make it I I'll call the park and recck people and then we'll make it public on the website. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Jane, do you have communications and letters and correspondence? >> I just um know that I attended three meetings, policy, finance, facility, and curriculum. And I've been busy interacting with grandchildren and neighbors um to see how they're doing. And they it's a very strange summer

136for the kids as well. they um they're doing very well, but it takes a lot of energy and stress on parents to make it all work, especially if parent is if parents are teachers and these two ladies are. >> Thank you, Jane. Rita, >> yes. Um in line with what Jane was just saying, I've had um requests from parents that students go back to school in the end of August. that that they're not, you know, I mean, I really feel we'll do a disservice to our students that, you know, academically sometimes have challenges. Um, I think students who, you know, who don't have any um academic needs, they're they're doing well, but the other students aren't. I would say at least 50% of ours. So, I would encourage I'm not sure if it's going to

137come down, Dr. Grineer, I don't know if you know if it's going to come down from the governor or is it by let's say learns regional and the different rests. Do you know how >> it actually it actually may come down to the district and if if the district uh is is able the guidelines will come down from the state. That's that's clear. the the question, you know, like we were we were talking about having children on buses, perhaps a maximum of 15 children on the bus. Uh we would have to triple the number of buses. Uh so it's going to be I think it's going to be a practical decision actually. >> You know, I I I don't know why just 15 on those buses. But one thing I do know that when I

138I've been reading quite a bit about what different districts are doing and in terms of buses, they said one child per seat and you sit they sit in the same place in case someone does come down with the virus, they can do contact tracing so they know exactly where that child sat. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um, but I I would think that even if we do half days or we do every third day or something, I really feel that students need to get back to school and and if it doesn't work out like Notre Dame, a lot of the colleges and everything, they're going at the end of August and stopping um by Thanksgiving >> and then taking a break. I mean, even if we needed to do if it does come back in the fall,

139the winter, at least get the kids back to school. >> But that's that's my >> we not only do I agree, but I'm praying for that. >> Yes. Um um I also wanted to really commend the high school staff, the parents and volunteers who participated in going to all the different um high school seniors homes and the signs. I go, you drive around town and you see them everywhere. And I mean, I actually heard it come through our neighborhood and it was very exciting. So, I'd like to thank them for doing that. Um, also, um, NEA, their same video was amazing. Um, I I saw it. It was so uplifting. I've watched it a few times just so I could recognize some different um, par, you know, parents and um, staff members. Um, my last

140thing is I don't know, Dr. Gineer, if you've um hired a fish athletic director >> yet or is there a committee for that? >> Yeah. Uh, there is. Uh, but we just literally posted it outside now. Uh, we had we had limited interest uh in initially, so now it's been posted out and uh uh Ted is heading that up. I I'll find out about the committee. I I don't really know. >> And if if you needed another person, I'd be very happy to be part of that committee for the athletic director. I think it's an extremely important position. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> That's it. >> Thank you. Um Jay, >> I want to um echo what Rita said. That was amazing. Um there was a lot of great feedback um on Facebook uh that

141day and um I know people were really happy that the the seniors are definitely being um taken care of in very creative ways. Um I did have a one question and I can't quibble because um I don't know anything about public health but somebody was asking why the 12 feet separation of automobiles at the graduation and I said I really believe that was probably either a state or maybe a um health department guideline because we're saying six feet >> in person and we obviously know if anybody goes to a store that that people come within inches. is um why it's 12 feet for automobiles and they're concerned it's limiting the number that will be able to attend. Um but um >> yeah it well we did get our original guidance from the health department from

142uh Steve Mansfield the director of Ledge Light. um in right right from the beginning and I I'll talk to Ted about this. Right from the beginning, we thought be between a few staff cars, board of education, and the graduates, we need a a a parking lot that could accommodate at least six feet apart uh about 250 260 cars. So that that that kind of drove us to the one car per graduate uh which I think is what people are concerned with. Is that right? >> Yeah. I I'll I'll I'll talk to Ted about that. >> I talked about this this um evening though Jay to say that that spacing was so it's a checkerboard so that everyone can see the screen. So 12. So that's my guess is that there there can be the next

143row can be the the car in between the the the cars in front that are 12 ft across. But that's a good that's a good question and hopefully people will be flexible. Jay, is there other questions that you have? >> No, that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Gretchen, did I get you? Do you have anything? >> Yeah. Um, with the emergence of the miracle fence around Cutler, suddenly the locals who are now suddenly also walking around a lot more and have gone down there, their kids have gone down there to play ball. The older children that have gone down to play ball have been asking, well, are they going to put a ball field back up? Are they going to put the tennis courts back up? Are they going to put the basketball hoops

144back up? So losing that space as a area playground is a little hard for this area particularly right now but so there is some concern in the neighborhood about that but I know we have set plans and I keep telling them we're going to do what we can. >> Thank you Gretchen. Anything else? >> Uh nope. The f teachers the northeast academy teachers have all been great. I've enjoyed seeing the we love our miss our students signs up in our neighborhood and it's been >> just very different. >> Yes, it is. >> Lee, do you have anything? >> No communications. Um, no. Um, not much. Nope. >> Thank you. Dr. Acriman, >> am I last? >> Um, I'm I'm after you. So, you're last. >> Thank you. Motion to adjurnn. >> Oh, no. Wait a

145minute. No, >> I have a question too, Kim. >> So, um, go ahead, Rita. >> My question is to Dr. Grineer. Um, on our June 22nd meeting, are we going to be having the teachers of the the teacher of the year for Graten and the each school? >> Okay, great. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, this would have been actually the meeting that we would have honored um everyone. So, um it is going to happen. Liz You're got mute on that same venue. Um, what are we doing for the retirees? >> Same night. We're hoping. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> It will be virtual and we believe we could be somewhat efficient, >> but we'll honor them. >> Okay. Thank you. Um and so my only my communication that I received um also

146came to Dr. Grineer this morning um with a question about when we talk about reopening the Fitch or the schools um that the bank um that's inside the Fitch High School that they be part of those conversations as well um because they also have a COVID the bank itself also has a COVID protocol. So, I got that >> forwarded that to Lori and to Sam to see which committee would be the best for them. >> Thank you, Susan. Thank you so much. >> All set. >> And then the other thing just to let the board know is that I've had a communication with both um the mayor of the town and the moderator and they are not doing their meetings in person anytime soon as well. So, um we are going to continue to u

147move um on virtually um until we are told that we don't have to anymore. Um on the back of our agenda is a bunch of our notes. Um it looks like the only thing that might change would be on the June 8th we might throw in a special meeting so that we can vote on the stipen um so that we can get that going. Um anything else? Jay. >> Oh, I I'm just curious if if um and this doesn't have to be in a in a meeting necessarily, maybe Dr. Greer in a in boardnotes could share anything he knows about how our rotten students who are attending um out of magnet schools are doing with their distance learning. Have we gotten any feedback about that? >> You're also need to be unmuted. It's particularly brilliant

148what I said uh a little bit from Sacred Heart uh and and I I'm going to be sharing a conversation on Monday night with the committee. Well, I I I could find out a little bit more. I generally uh at least as the principal from Sabart thought it was going pretty well. >> Andrea, motion to adjurnn. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor, please say I. I. Those abstain. Motion is carried. Good night everyone. >> Everybody stay well.