001Okay, thank you. All right. Um I I am going to be calling the special um board of ed meeting um to order. Today is August 10th. Um and it is about 6:04 in the evening. Um and before I go into the second part um before I go into the second um uh our our second agenda after calling the meeting to order is there's a couple of things. The first thing that it is is that unfortunately this meeting had to be virtual. We were trying really hard to make sure that that we were to at least have some people who are comfortable to be in person um specifically for this really important um discussion about reopening schools, but we ran out of time and quite frankly um Mark Russell and the other all the other tech
002people are working really full boore and so to ask them to spend all that extra time um to try to make that work the two the two rooms that we were going to be able to do because of social dis um distancing um were not available to us and um I wanted to make sure that we could get it to to be post the the the meeting to be posted um on time and so there's no other reason for that to have happen. It's no one's fault and once again I was also trying to be somewhat protective over Mark who once again um works so incredibly hard um throughout the school year specifically right now um getting all of our needs met um and the also the tech staff. So I am I I am
003going to say that the second and this is really because of the leadership of Rita um who uh really kind of informed us that um that the vote that we're going to be taking about what how to this district is going to open the school is really not a board decision. It really is the superintendent's decision. Um but what we're doing by having this vote is really showing us solidarity um around what uh to the district um about the opening of school. And so once again, Rita, I appreciate your leadership on that. Um and I wanted to make sure that people were clear that really it's part of his um or hers job description um is to um is is to be in charge of opening um uh opening up the the district. So, I
004just wanted to um to kind of clear up those two things. Um at this po portion of the of the agenda, um we are now we're going to ask actually asks for comments for citizens. Um and this is the portion of the agenda where the board welcomes comments from citizens. Each presentation should be limited to five minutes um or less and citizens should if possible submit written comments. Presentation should be related to matters pertinent to Grant. Board members will only ask questions in order to clarify the speaker's presentation and cannot respond during those comments um of the the board of meeting and citizens should state their name and addresses for the record. Um and Mark, here we go. Right, buddy? Um um I never can figure out how we're going to do this. Um you're
005not going to see my voice, my my face for just a second. I have a new cat that has joined our family. Um, and my dog is now in the room and so I want to remove the dog before I have a fight on my hands. Yes. Um, >> should people send in a chat if they want to ask a question? >> Yeah, that's a perfect idea. >> Okay. I do think that the the public has made um a lot of um lot of known um uh about how they're feeling in terms of how the district should open. um whether it should be a hybrid or full in or full full out. Um and so I am very appreciative even today receiving several um correspondence from people um about their wishes. Um >> Kim, we
006have a question from Melanie Thompson. >> Yes, Melanie. Can she be >> Go ahead. >> Yep. I I Melanie Thompson. Um, I have a child at SB Butler and I've been listening in the last couple weeks on the different BOE meetings that we have had in the district and one thing that kind of red flagged me was obviously my son is severe asthmatic. He is on a nebulizer. He the medication that we have for him, they cannot get in the pump with this spacer. How is this going to work? because I have to have this in school with him when he goes back. >> That's a really good question. Um >> because that was discussed that we can't have those. And this medication, it's a special medication that comes from New York because we've tried
007everything with him and he has to have it before PE and or recess, whichever comes first. So Melanie, this sounds like this is a really good question that should be directed towards our visiting nurse, the woman who's um the visiting nurse association, the people who um are doing that. Um and so um Mel, maybe we can get you connected to your principal that can then get you connected to the nurse that's there because obviously that makes a lot of sense. >> Right. >> That is ahead. that that issue has come up and we're we've got our nursing staff working on it, >> right? And I was I was gonna send um Steve Wheeler an email this upcoming week >> um because I've got other issues that have just all of a sudden arose with my
008son that I compiling everything right now. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, M. >> We understand issues are come being compiled. That's for sure. >> Right. Um, and then it looks like we also have a question from Rebecca. Rebecca, are you on? I'm going to read your question. Um, and you're from 161 Buckeye Road, Mary Morrison Elementary School. The technology that was purchased for this year, um, if we go hybrid, will the schools provide updated tech um, for their children, specifically the elementary um, students? >> Yes. >> Yeah, she's checking. She's been sending. >> Yes. The the answer is yes. And a good uh a good number of the computers that the new ones that we're getting are going to be placed in the in the middle school and in the high school
009and and then uh some of the board purchased technology will go to the elementary schools. But we we intend to have the elementary children leave their devices home once they're checked out and be sure they're working properly. Uh we do not expect the elementary children to bring their devices back and forth and we purchased 600 uh tablet devices for the grades one uh K and one. >> Um and >> Joanna Priest has also been on there a couple times asking a question. >> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it folks. And Joan, I I I actually see that you are present. Um, and you're actually right in front of my screen, so I don't know if you wanted to chat. >> Sure. >> Yes. I was just gonna wait till I was called on. Um, >>
010so I just called you. >> Thank you. Um, all right. So, I live at 39 Hunting Ridge Drive. For the record, um, my girls go to Northeast Academy. Um, and we've been in really great discussions with Mr. Cheney and the parent groups. So, I'm I don't really have any big questions, but um today I did see some new research that came out regarding air conditioning. And I just want to say thank you Sam for saying how awesome it is for having air conditioning in a classroom because I teach in a school that does not have air conditioning and I'm most worried about that. But, um the air the report the study had said that air conditioning has been found to spread. So, I wasn't sure how they were looking at those studies or if that's
011just something that will come along um like down the down the pike as they start finding more information out about these things or if you've heard anything. That's one. And then I have a second part. >> Um so, Sam, do you want to take a stab at that? I know that this is not how we supposed to do public comments, but I don't know any other way on Zoom on how to on how to do this. Um, otherwise, so if people are frustrated answer, >> if people are frustrated by that this not how I read um I totally understand, but I don't know how else to do this. Um, >> be asking for a question or >> Yeah. No, that's fine. So, uh, no, we we are searching the CDC site and any other sites
012that we can find on a daily basis to, uh, stay up todate on this stuff. And, uh, I haven't seen that particular study, but I'll look for it. And, uh, if you want to send it to me, if if that would be helpful, that that'd be okay, too. >> Sure. >> But, we will we'll continue to look at it and if need be, we will make those adjustments. But, >> yeah, I don't know. classroom is not conducive to to to the teachers or the kids for sure. >> I know I agree completely 100%. Um my second part quickly was that um in our discussions and the parent meetings we had talked about the cohorts of classes if we were in a hybrid model for instance we would have the cohort A Monday Tuesday cohort B
013Thursday Friday. Um, but in in those cohorts, they were going to be still calling kids to go to the gym for dismissal. There was like the shared buses, which would have to be a decision from the parents. But um I was wondering one thing that never got answered was if there was any guidance from the Ledgeite Health District on how to handle positive cases. If families would be notified um if there was a case in like my daughter's room, would I be notified that there's a positive case? And how many cases would happen before there was an all virtual shift? Kim, I I just got updated today. Uh the the uh Department of Public Health put out three scenarios today. I I I we literally got them this afternoon. Uh I think there will be
014some additional guidance. I I have a meeting tomorrow morning. I think what you're asking for, Joanna, are details that are not yet available, but uh they they they will be available. that what they gave us today was guidance for parents which of course we'll share if an individual uh has COVID and what we do with an individual but there was no guidance schoolwide and so we're we're still I think everyone in the whole state is is waiting for that guidance uh what what exactly would be the trigger but the answer to your question is absolutely we would notify e everyone we would do the contact tracing and you know th those those details uh we've been working hard at them. Uh I think everyone is kind of holding their breath to make the decision of
015my recommendation to go hybrid. Then once we make that decision tomorrow, I'll inform the parents and then we will start going through the really the detailed medical procedures protocols that you've indicated. >> Thank you so much. >> You're welcome. Um the other question um was from sorry um there was there was actually someone that was um I guess Steve Small and Kelly Nabong was asking about sort of the starting of athletics and I'm I'm going to hold off on um having that answer because maybe with our introduction of our new athletic director maybe we can have u maybe he can speak to that a little bit. Um I know and I know Mike um you have um you have requested uh a chance to speak and so I would like to recognize you if that's
016possible. >> Mike Whitney, are you there? You are >> okay. Can you can hear me? Okay. >> So I'm Mike Whitney from 112 Deerfield Ridge Drive, Miss Connecticut. Um, and obviously I'd like to thank you all for working so hard on this. I think your meeting schedule alone today illustrates how hard you've been working on it and how much time you've put into thinking through a thoughtful >> um so I sent a letter last week board of ed that that that you guys have. Uh but I just um like to say at this point, you know, some of those questions been answered um through a bit through the focus groups we participate in for Graten Middle School and for Northeast Academy. Uh but by nature, those focus groups are sounding boards. And so they're to
017take our views and our questions more than give answers. So there are there are some um areas that that important areas that still like information on. I think it's important for the parents because this is not only the school system making a decision, the board of ed making a decision what model to go forward in. It's uh for parents too with their kids to make the decision that's best for them. And so u for me just briefly I'm just going through like the you know the one through 10 just items that we had on the letter very briefly. We mentioned the reopening model plan. It just seems to me like the the full back to school just doesn't work with the opening plan. So I I don't it probably seems that way to you. It
018seems like a non-starter. And then the other two, the hybrid or the full distance learning both have a distance learning component. And that distance learning component, I think that's where it's real short on details like what platform is going to be used uh for different levels. other school systems have posted that uh for students that are out all the time even though the hybrid's uh going on. Are they going to be assigned a teacher within a school? Are they going to be assigned um a a pair professional? Are they going to have synchronous learning? Because that's really important uh for for everyone. And then on that day, if it's the Wednesdays, if it's a hybrid plan, when everyone's distance learning, that'd be a good time to um bring those kids that aren't in at all
019into in a regular kind of distance classroom environment. Uh the other the next two were about masks for students and teachers. Uh for the teachers, I' I'd rather I'd like to see the exception for um taking the mask off while instructing uh removed. I I think that's unnecessary given the the risk because when people speak uh loudly particularly it's more than six feet that their um air solids and particles go uh mass for students. My question is is there a minimum? We just saw this CNN article or an article actually from science advances which shows that uh troublingly some of the bandanas or neck gators make things worse. So there should be some minimum requirement two or three layer and how do you enact that? something to think about. Um and then um that goes
020into mass breaks and distancing for students and meal times and just like to have more information about that and that probably has to be at a building level because what's going to be done for an elementary school is different from middle school or high school. And so just uh I think we need that building level information because at some point as parents are going to be asked to choose what we're we're doing for our kids. Um I'd also like to hear about buses. I'm hoping if it goes with a hybrid plan that we still have the same number of bus routes so that you can have the effective social distancing there. And then the last thing is about staffing. Um I I now know that there are allowances for additional staff because totally hours, pair
021professionals, social workers. That's wonderful. I wasn't sure if there was additional for uh visiting nurses and they are definitely going to have additional duties. Um and then just general question about recesses, athletics, and specials because there wasn't much about that and and those can be complicated situations. maintain distancing and clean equipment um to prevent you know breaking of cohort through um unsanitized equipment. Um and then also if you can talk about >> you just we just lost your audio Mike. >> I've lost him. >> Yeah Mike. Yeah we lost you the audio. Oh, can you hear me here? >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. So, I I don't know where you lost me, but I had a lot. >> We lost you at the last thing. >> Oh, it was just about isolation rooms. Um, just
022more detail about that would be good. >> So, what you're really asking for is a little bit more spec specifics in regard to the opening plan is >> Yeah, particularly distance learning and then building level information. >> Okay. Thank you. >> We we we hear you loud and clear especially about the specificity at the building level. The principles reported that uh to us last week and uh we are we are actually we are meeting tomorrow to to start working on these the whole issue of isolation rooms and remote learning that there's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that I can't talk about exactly at this point because we're still uh we're still sort of working the details of this out but it will be it will be very clearly explained to parents
023and your your concerns are front and presenter to Susan and me. >> Thank you. And thank you for letting me speak, too. >> Absolutely. >> Um, >> so um I Barnhill, are you on at all to be able to speak or do you want me just to read your chat? So just as is um se seven Pegasus um drive grten um kindergarten hybrid possibility both working full-time. Will our children have a specific time that he has to be logged on or can he log on when the first one of us gets home from work in early afternoon? Thank you. We we are planning a a blend of uh what we're calling live stream but the live stream is is also going to be recorded in some way. So the answer to the question is yes
024the the the live streamed lessons and live stream class sessions would be available for the parents when they get home. >> Okay. Thank you. And then the last one that's on on the chat um is from Jen Fleming or Silier um hypen Fleming um from 24 Assad Lane. Um I I would like to thank the board of ed and administrations and teachers for working on plans. Um but her concern is about if we go to a hybrid um and there are students who go to a daycare um child care, how how are we going to handle um the possible um you know isolation around the COVID? >> Well, yeah, we we we know we know that the cohorting is is is not is is not going to be perfect. That that's for sure. the the
025the great advantage of cohorting really is about contact tracing. Obviously, we we we want to be able to spread the children out uh in with limited number of children on a bus and in a classroom. But the other thing about cohorting is that we would know that a group of children uh and uh and and a teacher and perhaps a special or two uh if if there is an outbreak if there's an incidence of of COVID then we would be able to fairly quickly contact trace that. But of course in the case of child care that contact tracing would have to go uh to to that to that facility. Um, so you know, we Susan and I talk about this all the time. It's it's a bit frustrating. You know, we we'd like to be
026able to provide perfect contact, per perfect cohorting, but it's just not possible. I mean, obviously, the kids are not going to be cohorted on a bus. Uh, but we're we're doing the best we can practically to try to reduce the number of contacts a child has in in in a day. And we realize uh in child care facilities that will and there may be some youth sports activities, but you know, we're going to do the best we can to minimize that. >> Um and then um uh the the question is is that the um first day of school is moved to September 8th. Is there a new date for the kindergarteners? Um Excuse me. Uh, that's going to be on the the agenda that we will discuss tomorrow, Kim, for next week. >> Yes, the
027board I'm hoping the board will make a decision on the 17th. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, and then Katrina Fitzgerald, who is also an RTM member, asked um, is there guidelines that have been given for how many kids um, need to get sick before school um, uh, um, at at a school before returning to remote learning? So is there a what's the threshold? >> The the the the simple answer is we're going to work with Led Light Health District on this. We we as I said I have a meeting tomorrow with the the state department of health. We're sort of looking I think all the superintendents uh are are looking for clear indications of X number of students. I I think it's a bit more complicated than that. uh but I will share these scenarios
028with parents uh as as I get them. Uh I think everyone's sort of looking for that you know ex x percentage of children in the school would be closed down or or at least the cohort would be closed down. So I I I think that's where we are at least at this point and and I I realize with a degree of of urgency that today is the 10th of August and we are going to start school in uh less than a month. U but that's where we are and we will you know this is a daily as everybody knows this is a a moving target that that tends to tends to change on on a on a on a daily basis. Um and then the last um chat that I see is um in regards
029to um this is Matt Rogers from 255 um Godfrey Road is when can we expect a final decision? That's going to be tonight. Um and actually it's Dr. Veneer who who actually makes the final call, but that the board will be supporting him um tonight. Um, and I think Ryan Zimmerman, you had the same you had the you had the same question and the information. Um, once again, last last Monday, as long as it was, it was a incredibly informative meeting and I really appreciate the staff who um participated in that and the staff who um made this um work um because I I just felt like I had a lot more information. Mike, I do share your concern about that some of the things are not in detail yet, but I'm hoping that once
030um we're moving forward um with what the plan is going to be that we are um that we have that. Um Mark, do you have any um do you have any other people who are asking to be recognized? If not, I would like to move us on um so that people can No. Is this No, you don't. >> No, I don't. >> Okay. Thank you. Sorry. I I want to make sure that I understand sign language. Um thank you very much. I appreciate that. Um and so the response for citizens, I think we were doing that back and forth. Once again, I apologize that's not how we normally do it. Um but um it's a little bit um overwhelming when there's a hundred people who are listening to a meeting. Um and I want to
031make sure that people's voices get heard. So I'm going to now move us to the superintendence report. Um and Dr. Vineer. Um, we're looking forward to meeting our new athletic director. So, please >> I I have been waiting for a long time to introduce uh Vin Barakonei. Uh, when when Vin applied for the job, we were very lucky because I I know uh he he he used to work in Cranston, Rhode Island, and one of my very dear friends was the superintendent in Cranston. So, I called him right away and he gave a glowing endorsement of Vin. And I'm going to let Vin explain his background. He is not only an experienced athletic administrator, he's also an experienced school administrator. Uh, but this this job at at Graten I mean at uh it was a
032a pun because I started to started to say Graten Middle School and Fitch High School. May maybe someday that will be true, but right now this is simply a job for a part-time teacher and a part-time administrator at at at Fitch High School. Uh so I'll let Vin introduce himself. Uh I mentioned to to the board, we pass our condolences on. Vin lost his father about 10 days ago. Uh and I know he's just just getting back in. He was in in school today. And so we welcome you, Vin. and uh we we we'd love just maybe a thumbnail sketch and then maybe you could tell us a little bit about the plans for the fall. >> So before you do that um just because that's just the type of person I am. I'm always
033inter interrupting. Um I know that um board member um there's been some board members that wanted a chance to be able to chat about the people's comments and so I kind of want to be able to give them that opportunity to do so. Um, and then second, um, uh, we do have a board member that is attempting to come on. Um, uh, Gretchen, um, but I guess the threshold is a hundred people. So, um, I keep on asking her to keep on trying, but she is trying to get on. She told me she was running late. So, just wanted to let people know that we actually have a full board present with one board member trying to get on. So board members, I don't mean to kind of go back, but if if there's anyone
034that had a comment about um all the things that were being discussed, um I would welcome that to happen now. >> Uh Kim, >> yes, Jay. >> So I just wanted to say um first of all, thank you to everyone who logged on tonight, last week, and has been with us for all these weeks. And you know, thank you for your your feedback. You can imagine that we have received a ton of emails. Uh we have been studying as you have uh reports from all the experts uh watching whether districts are doing. Uh we take your feedback extremely um seriously and we do appreciate it. I know that whatever we decision we make tonight is not going to make everybody happy, but we really uh believe that the district uh is doing everything they can
035to make this return as safe for the students as possible uh as well as being um flexible in a really unprecedented uh time. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Jay. any Yes, Rita. >> Um, besides Ledge Light, I would appreciate it if Dr. Geneer also spoke um with our district physician who is Dr. Blaeld for insight and input into everything from inhalers to the mass everything because I I mean he's a wealth of knowledge and medically I think we need to have his input as well as ledge lights. Yeah, I'm just writing it down. I got you. >> Yeah. And and I also want to thank everybody for um all the wonder the emails we have received and how difficult this decision is. And there's one more quick comment. I saw a board meeting um
036today on television that they showed where that they met very social in person, a board of education in another state and now they had to stop that because someone had um was tested positive for COVID. So even if you take all the precautions, sometimes they they can't continue. So just my two cents. >> Thank you. >> Any other board member that would like to make a comment to citizens? All right, hearing none. Um, Vincent, I'm g I I can't even promise you that I'm gonna not do that ever again. Um, because I probably will. Um, but I would like to say welcome and please and and please start. >> Well, thank you. I appreciate it. Um, I'm very happy to be here this evening and finally get a chance to to to see the uh
037faces and match them with the names a little bit. Anyway, um, Dr. Dr. Grineer, thank you for pronouncing my last name. Uh correctly. Uh just um I'll spare you my entire resume, but as Dr. Grineer said, I I've got a total of 33 years in education, about half of which has been in administration. Um the last year or so, I've been kind of uh looking towards um getting back into athletic administration. That being said, it wouldn't be just anywhere. And uh I looked into uh when I saw the ad for um Fitch High School, I looked into it and you'll be happy to know that Fitch has a great reputation outside of Graten and uh with a lot of people. So um you know, the long and short of it is um I'm I'm very
038I'm thrilled to have this opportunity and I'm really looking forward to working with the student athletes at Fitch High School. Um if if you don't mind, I'll just go into a little bit about the uh I know there's a lot of anxiety regard regarding the return to sports and I'll just touch on some of the things that are going on with the um CIA which is our school governing body and also the e Eastern Connecticut conference which is our our local conference. Um the CIA has put out some recommendations. among them are um we're going to be in what they call a bubble as far as athletics if and when we go forward with athletics. Um there will be gathering limitations. Small cohorts uh will be working with coaches no more than 15 kids in
039an area. Um there will be a facility cleaning schedule which will be adhered developed and adhereed to. Um, every student athlete will have to self-screen before every practice and or game and report to the coach. And that is not something that would just, hey, how you doing? It's documented and the coaches are in charge of that documentation. Um, there are rules regarding face coverings. Uh, as far as coaches, just as as it would be in school, there are rules regarding face coverings with student athletes. Um obviously they can't wear them in every situation but there are times at practices when they when they should be worn. Um there will be no sharing of food. Obvious um um barriers such as every student will be have to bring their own water. There will be no like
040sharing of water bottles or any of those water troughs that have been used in the past. Um, as far as other um, recommendations, our conference is putting forth reduced schedules which are more regionalized. I don't know if uh, any of you have been privy to those yet. The coh the coaches have uh, seen those uh, as of last week. Um, so so we're going to keep the, uh, the distance traveled very close. Um there'll be a limited number of athletes per um trip. So in other words, I know football offhand right now is 40. So where before they may have taken 60 kids uh to an away game, it's going to be 40 or or less uh depending on the sport. Um the spectator uh whether or not spectators are allowed is still being discussed
041and that's something that we're voting on. We do have an ECC board meeting tomorrow morning, a Zoom meeting just like this where we're going to be discussing some of these issues. Um, and of course, contact tracing will be a part of the plan. I was fortunate enough to to meet with um most of the fall coaches this morning and we did go over I did go over with every coach all of these protocols that I've just mentioned. Um, I think I pretty much gave you a general idea about what the plan is, but if anybody has anything more specific. >> I see. >> Hi, Ven. It's Liz Porter. Um, Vinn, I just had a question about um the schedule because the last schedule I saw from the um the uh CIA stated that, you know,
042we're going to start for by full football by the end of the month, by the end of September, you know, with just a couple of cohort practices and then full end by September 11th. Has that timeline changed? >> Yes, I believe it has since what whatever document uh you're you're referring to. Football is starting one week from today, but that is only to issue um equipment and helmets. Um there'll be three days of of what they call um oh what's the term where where there's there's just discussion and there's no contact. There's no actual >> skill development. >> Thank you. Um and then well in in every other sport will be starting August 27th. The date for any competitions as far as uh live games uh with other schools has been pushed back to September
04324th. That is the earliest that there would possibly be a competition. And again, every team has a reduced schedule now. So where there may have been um 20 games before, there is 12 uh now. So that's part of >> You're welcome. [Music] The only that should have their microphones unmuted um should be the board members. Um >> also uh can I just Sorry. I'm sorry, Kim. I meant to be muted there. I apologize. >> Okay. Um I just um that this is not we're done with our sort of public um portion of of our meeting. Um and so if someone wants to be recognized, all I ask is that a board member would recognize the board member needs to remember that that their participation in this round of conversation um you have moved to other
044to move to someone else. Um so Rita, >> yes, I'd like to recognize Mr. Small, please. I believe I share his views, so I'd love to hear from him. Thank you. Thank you. >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes. I I'm concerned, you know, when we say cohorts, and I put it in my letter that students are parts of multiple cohorts, classroom cohorts, maybe religious cohorts. Uh there's no sense in developing cohorts if kids are just out there in all kinds of cohorts. Also, uh NBC30 has reported that the CIA is postponing football until the spring. Is that correct? >> I just learned that. I I learned that about five seconds ago. I I don't know if it's correct, but that's what the NBC was reporting. >> Dr. Ger, could I speak to that
045for a sec? >> Sure. >> Uh first of all, um I'd just like to thank Steve. Uh he he did share some of his concerns with me as well. Um and there's there's u information there that you know in terms of what's been shared that that I have some concerns with uh as well. And I've been talking with some of the ECC principles about that. Um the first thing I just want to be clear upon is that this seems to be kind of an everchanging uh situation with the CIA. As Steve just just said, um I did see this uh report about this regarding football. Uh but nothing has been made public regarding that yet by the CIA. Uh so we haven't gotten an official statement from the CIA. So, um, while it certainly is
046interesting that that could happen, um, that, uh, you know, I think that, uh, you know, we'll see what the what the actual official statement does come out with that. But, uh, you know, Mr. Small did share with me the the concern that, okay, we're cohorting in school and then after school all the kids are going to be coming together and practicing together. Um, and I think that seems to be the the kind of biggest concern uh throughout the ECC. So, you know, this is the plan now. Um, and the plan has changed already uh a few times. Um, now that a lot of school systems have been deciding how they are going to be going back into school, uh, I'm interested to see what the CIC's reaction is going to be to that. Um, the
047ECC uh, has already looked at um, Vin, correct me if I'm wrong here, a sixgame football schedule, I believe it is. >> That's correct. and then limiting other games to 12. Um there has been support with that with the ECC principles again with the caveat that they're still nervous about the fact that the cohorts kind of get destroyed out in the athletic field. So, um I think that that's the, you know, I'm very interested to see in the next week or so as um as more and more schools decide if they're going back full distance learning, going back with the hybrid model or going back full-time, how that will modify with the CCC uh CIA's proposal. um and that um you know so I think that while this is the proposal that we have now
048and right now our students are just conditioning in cohorts it's it's you know the cohorts don't change um I think that Ben what's the number they're at right now is it 15 kids total um so that's where we are right now I think that the coaches are doing a great job from what I've seen and making sure that the kids are distancing I I think that it's you know it's like our our plan now we need to be flexible with it. Uh we need to be patient with it. Uh and see where this kind of lands uh going forward. Uh because like I said, you I mean I think Steve made the point uh perfectly. You know, tomorrow we may get a report that football's uh uh going to be question mark for the for
049the fall. So uh but I don't know that for sure yet. So thank you very much, >> Dr. Guinea. >> I I just checked the CIA website. It's actually the football committee voted nearly unanimously to move foot football to the spring and that will go to the CIA board of directors. So the CIA has not acted just the football committee. >> Kim, can we just finish listening to Mr. Small just in case he has something else he'd like to say? >> Absolutely. Thank you, Rita. >> I really don't have anything other concerns. My main concerns are with the cohorts uh and with students there also I mean just riding around town even during quarantine you could see students with each other so there's multiple contacts and to try to trace all these contacts would be
050incredible and I think just the simultaneous restarting of athletics could jeopardize our reopening plans. Thank you very much. >> Thank you Steve. Is there anyone else from the board that would like to ask questions um about So, so Vincent, is there a really good chance? Sorry, I don't even finish. Not only do I interrupt people, but I actually don't finish my sentences very well. Um but do you think that there's a really good chance that ECC would actually um like move the fall season at all? I mean, do you think that that might be a possibility um in tomorrow's meeting? Well, I I I'm not sure, Kim, but I know there are some sports that are higher risk than others. So whether or not they consider moving some sports um Steve mentioned football to the
051to the spring, football is considered higher risk than say swimming or cross country. So maybe they're looking at it that way. Again, we won't know any of this till the meeting. One thing I did not say, which I should have said at the beginning, was we will not compromise the safety of anybody involved in this situation. I I know ultimately as you said earlier that the uh the decision is up to Dr. Grineer with unanimous support from the school uh school board. Um but again, we would not compromise a student athlete, a coach or a or a game staff member. Uh we're going to take all the safety precautions if we if we do reopen sports. >> Thank you. Are there are there other board members that are interested in um talking? Jay, do you
052have anything that you need to ask? >> No, thank you. >> Okay, Andrea, Gretchen, Rosemary, I'm sorry. Um, and I think Jane, you're here, but I know that you're not feeling really well. Lee, do you have any questions? >> I do not. >> Thank you, friend. All right. >> Hearing none. Um I Dr. Grineer. I >> I just wanted to let everyone know that the CIC director Glenn Lingerini is uh is meeting with the local superintendent at Learn on Thursday. So I may have an update then which I could put in board notes. Okay. Thank you very much. And obviously if it's a huge change, we would be putting that on the website. Is that correct? >> Yes, absolutely. >> Okay. All right. Dr. Grineer, could you move us towards the uh the focus groups,
053please? >> Sure. Thank you. Thanks, Vin. Appreciate it. So I I reported this uh in in board notes and I' uh but for the sake of the public I I certainly uh want to reiterate each of the schools had at least one focus group. A few of the schools had had two u focus groups. They all involve parents. In some cases they involve students and staff members. Uh the the big the big takeaway for me was that the overwhelming majority of of parents thought that the hybrid model was the most practical way to to return to school. In in some cases we had focus groups where none of the parents were interested in going back full in person. U I think they were aware that we have a lot of kids riding on buses. We
054have a lot of children in classrooms. Uh we also uh uh Beth Horror was very helpful. She she pulled teachers and 321 teachers responded and 89% of those teachers said they would uh prefer to go back in in a hybrid model. Uh and Heidi Haly who is the head of our par professional union she she pulled the paras and 146 paras responded and 8 86% of them thought the hybrid model uh was was the best way to go. We got a lot of feedback uh not I mean the the hybrid model was was not not really questioned. I mean that that was pretty obvious but parents as as Mr. Whitney said uh they they want greater clarity and and that is certainly understandable. Uh and we will continue to work with the health officials and
055and Susan and I are working to make sure that the that the the remote learning we remote learning plans and the hybrid learning plans as as as somebody said the hybrid plan is really 60% remote for everybody anyway. So we as Susan and I kind of ground ourselves in this work, we really see that it's it's essentially remote learning, but some of the kids come in two days a week and other kids come in two other days a week, but the teacher has to teach all of the kids all the time. And so I think we're starting to conceptualize of a a a a a remote learning platform or remote learning program that would engage the children both those in in in person and at home. Um we we talked about the parents gave us
056lots of feedback which we have been re really trying to actualize on the importance of live streamed lessons or live stream class meetings or at least the taping of live stream so children would have an opportunity to interact with their with their teacher and and some of their classmates. Uh we wanted another big point was parents wanted to be able to have the option to change their choice. So if parents choose to be hybrid and things in from their perspective don't go as well as they would like they could go to remote and of course they will have that option or my hope is the children who start through hybrid uh if things get better we hope that children would come back and participate in that program and and and and perhaps as a year
057goes by uh we would be able to consider a full in in in person. But the point is the parents will always have the option uh to go uh to go back and forth. There would be a reasonable period and we'd have to accommodate we couldn't couldn't do this in 24 hours, but we certainly could do it within within a week because we we'd have to arrange for transportation and so forth. Um uh we we talked about child care and I can tell you uh I think I mentioned this to the board members. I got a letter from the local YMCA. uh they are interested in helping us. And then I had a a a nice nice note from one of our RTM members who who indicated a lot of the colleges are now remote
058and we may have college students who would be able to to support perhaps a park and recck program, perhaps a YMCA program, perhaps a a faith-based program. I I I think the child care is obviously a huge issue and uh and we need to as a community uh we need to uh get all these resources lined up. I I I'll give a I've actually been working uh with with the treehouse staff. I'll give a fuller report. We certainly will have treehouse. planning to have trials after school before school and after school care on those days when children go to school. Uh so children on Mondays and Tuesdays with the hybrid model and Thursdays and Fridays. We're actually considering the possibility of having all of those children, it'd be about 150 uh come in on on
059a Wednesday. uh we we don't you know if if we uh if we opened up the uh the triage program to additional parents which would be wonderful uh we we could very easily have the have the the issue of dealing with five or six hundred children which I know Steve small would know there goes your cohort uh so we have we have to be balanced you know we're we're we're trying to talk talk about complex as somebody said we're you know we're we're we're trying to build the plane while we're flying it and uh it's it's it's difficult but I can give an update on that and then the focus groups as as as Mike Whitney said uh and a few other parents they're really interested in the health and safety protocols uh and and
060they need to know those protocols uh before they they make a a a decision as to how to start. But as I said, I think the most the most important thing for parents is to know that whatever they make, whatever decision they make, they will have the option to to change from hybrid to remote or from remote to hybrid. Um, and that's pretty much where we are. But but I I will also say this. I'm going to talk to the principles because I I asked them to set up focus groups and and I didn't mean it to be a one-time thing. I I I actually want to go back to these focus groups. Uh Shannon Shannon Wigel was very helpful in developing questions for the focus groups. So I I think ne next round of
061focus groups would be in a week or so and bring these folks together via Zoom. uh actually these Zoom meetings h have a have a a certain efficiency to them that we can we can take advantage of. So we're going to keep going. You know, as I said, it's the 10th of August. School starts on the 8th of September. I'm hoping to have at least uh two additional focus groups and we will tap into students and tap into staff and uh and of course uh really get feedback from parents. uh think this will be an ongoing ongoing situation. >> Susan, >> I just wanted to add um at our meetings we've been getting questions in the chat box and we have been collecting those as a frequently asked question. Also in the focus groups we've
062had that. So we're looking forward to putting out kind of a district response to some of these frequently asked questions. Some are more specific to the schools. So, you know, we'll be able to answer them districtwide, but then there might be even more specificity coming from the schools. But just to let parents know that there will be that um coming forth hopefully by the middle of this week. >> Any questions from board members? >> Yes, Kim. >> Yes, Gretchen. Uh, I had to kind of my list got longer as we went. Um, yes, Mr. Small's issue of cohorts. Dr. Grineer, if we try then stick 600 ch five to 600 children together. >> Yeah, we're not going to do that. >> Cohorts, but also where would we put five to 600 ch children? >> That
063that's why we're not doing it. >> And okay, so there's also how do we pay for this? Well, the the treehouse program is self- sustaining. Uh so the before school and after school child care, the parents pay for that. >> Okay. >> Seems a little hectic. It does. Rita, Rita, you are not muted. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. >> About um yeah, my cons questions for Dr. Gineer about I think you told us that maybe 40% of parents said that they would their children would not be sent on the buses that they would be bringing them to school. >> Yes. >> That that seems like a great deal of traffic for the schools to >> Yes. >> to deal with. And how is that going to be addressed? I mean that that's a lot of cars driving
064up. I'm worried about social distancing of the kids like getting out of their car and running. >> Um I I I wasn't sure if there could be some type of flexibility in bus arrivals and maybe parents who are dropping off children maybe 15 minutes later or like having some something done so that everything isn't all happening at one time. Yeah, we we we'll talk to the principles about staggering that that that's that's a clear need. >> It seems that when we find one thing like it leads to like there's five more questions, five more thank yous that are >> Yes. >> that pulling that down. Susan, >> I think once the decision is finalized tonight, that will really give us our marching orders and the um principles will really be able to start putting plans
065together. They've already begun, but they've been doing it in three different ways. So, I think um we also want to survey our parents yet again to say here's the hybrid plan. Do you wish to go that way or do you wish to have remote learning? and how do you wish to transport your children so that we'll get more definite response um at least for now. So I think you know you might see that people feel a little more comfortable if kids are sitting every other seat on the bus because it's only half capacity versus you know having a full bus load or a full classroom. So that's kind of our hope. Mike, did you want to add to that? Yeah, I I I think that's exactly the the confidence we have in the in the
066hybrid plan is a third of the initially a third of the parents said they would not be sending their children to school. I I I'm actually hoping that when they see that we can do this hybrid model safely that more than more and more students will actually come to school for for the two days because we can we can uh with through our protocols and our other procedures that we can uh let people feel comfortable that the cohorts are safe or as safe as possible. You know, I don't think anyone anyone wants to say anything ultimate uh in this pandemic about the >> Before I recognize you, just want to make sure that there's not other board members that have anything. I'm not hearing anything. So, Vita, please. Um I I read that even though
067um the districts that are going remote full full remote teachers are still reporting to their classrooms and I was curious on Wednesdays if our staff would be in the buildings or not in the buildings. I know they'll be there Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, but um it seems that even with remote learning, the teachers are being asked to go to the building. So I was just curious about that. We're we're not thinking that. We're we're thinking that the the buildings would basically be uh empty. Okay. >> And give teachers the opportunity. We're we're again um >> I I I I don't want to uh I don't want to violate any confidentialities, but we're we're working out the exact relationship of where teachers would be, but uh that that seems to be pretty clear. And Sam uh
068Sam was was was hoping that the buildings would be relatively empty. I I I'm sure the administrators will be there because they're expendable. No, the administrators uh will be there uh to facilitate programming, but teachers would typically be home uh doing their planning, remote lessons, whatever they're >> Well, and we the whole premise of that, Rita, was to have Wednesday as the deep cleaning day. So, you're in between the two cohorts. So, it's really necessary that we we do our best to make sure that we've um done this deep cleaning. And I think that's what we were thinking in this hybrid model as an extra security safety valve. >> That's fine with me. Thank you, Rosemary. Um I'm curious um because I have time to think now and um if everyone showed up because we're
069it sounds like somewhat dependent upon some people not um opting to do the hybrid. So if everybody does opt to do the hybrid, are we able to handle that and still do this six feet distancing within our classrooms and everywhere else? >> Yes. Well, okay. I don't I I want to I I I >> I would want to say we with half the kids in the class, we would maximize the social distancing. I think in most cases it would be six feet, but I've been advised against going around with a ruler to figure this out, but yes, we would maximize social distancing. >> Darn that math stuff. >> Yeah. Now, see, I would like the ruler problem. That would work for me. >> Well, I can tell you >> you should have been a nun.
070>> I can tell you that >> No, not that way ever. >> The music classes are talking about uh using the the cafeteria for the band class, using the auditorium, if not outside for coral classes. So, we're going to spread people out even farther than six feet if if we can. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um, I have a question. So the teachers themselves, the kids will could be coming in two days, then a cleaning day, then two days. But the teacher needs to have worked for the B group kids on Monday, Tuesday, the A group kids on Thursday, Friday, and the distance kids every day. I'm just I'm having trouble seeing how the teachers are going to keep up. I mean, they're amazing. They're wonderful. They're fabulous. But Beth, do you have a
071better picture on how that is going to fall out for you? >> I I was going to explain, >> okay, >> that what what what we're doing actually in conversations that we've had over the last several days is since all the children at at le every child will be at least 60% remote, right? Wednesday and Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and then there'll be some other children who will be remote a 100% of the time. So the way I've conceived of the teaching is that I have a remote class and I'm putting lessons out uh Monday and Tuesday and children happen to be there when I'm doing this and I'm I'm doing some class work on on Wednesdays, but probably the bulk of it is going to be recording and lesson
072planning and so forth. Then on Thursday and Friday, I'm going to continue with my remote learning lessons, but there will be children there who will see me live doing these things and we would have class meetings and so forth. So for me, the foundation of this is really it's a remote learning program with the advantage of half of the kids or however many kids come in on Monday and Tuesday and other kids come in on Thursday and Friday. But basically it it really is it is remote learning plus >> and I think it goes back Dr. Grineer to what you said originally. It's the blend of synchronous and asynchronous education and we know that parents who are doing it on the remote and with their children might not be available to zoom in for every
073period but if we can also have those recorded or have them pre-recorded those lessons will be posted. I think Gretchen because you're part of the curriculum board of ed committee, we showcase some of those lessons. So the teachers have done six to eight weeks um worth of work already like getting ready for this. So they've laid out for all you know all five components each week and how those would be distributed. And so that kind of work ahead of time and now sharing it and having some professional development when we come back to school is going to be essential. So it's a really good question. It's different than what we're used to. You know, we're used to you teach something, they do something and sometimes they're going to do something and then we teach something.
074So, um, so it's just a little a little bit different, but every kid will get the same universal curriculum and lesson plan, which I think is really based on the equity design. So, I'm excited about that and the work that our teachers have done. It's incredible. Kim, if I could just add just we could add a couple of questions. We in we intend uh after Friday uh Friday night and and through the through the weekend there there will be there will be deep cleaning and and just by with surfaces we will we will be uh disinfecting uh the the areas uh Friday night. So, we'll we'll make sure uh that that they are uh Rebecca Julie wanted to know that that we they will be they will be deep cleaned and ready for uh for
075the children to enter on on Monday morning. >> Yeah, that would be a good um frequently asked question because I'm sure um many of us are kind of wondering about that. >> Yeah. >> So, if there are no other questions from the board um I Dr. Grineer. Um, and Susan, my question that I have for the two of you um is that do you support um the district going to a hybrid model um for the start of the school year? >> I do. >> Okay. >> Absolutely. I feel it's the safest way. Mike and I have agreed about this all the way along. Of course, we've questioned and we've read a lot and researched and we feel like to start us out, it's really the safest way. And hopefully, you know, my glasses always half
076full, but hopefully with good news, we'll be able to bring all of our kids back. >> And I and I would add that I I I would want to reassess and come back to the board in right >> about a month later, mid midocctober uh and and give a full report, although we will certainly be doing that as we go through the month of September. But I I think a the vote might be for a formal reassessment in mid-occtober. My recommendation would be uh unequivocally to go to a hybrid model uh with a with a reassessment of the plan in mid-occtober. >> So if there is no other questions about um the focus groups, I'm actually going to propose a motion um for the um for the board. Um and the motion would be um
077to approve uh the hybrid uh the hybrid model. I don't know how you want to call it. Is that what we're calling it? That's it. >> Okay. The hybrid model um to then with a formal assessment in mid October. Um how is that too um is that too not wordy enough? >> I think the hybrid model for the reopening of schools and then with a chance to review it in midocctober for the start of the school year. Rita, were you going to say something? >> Yeah, I I just feel that we should for our motion, it'd be to approve the district's hybrid reopening plan. >> Yeah, that would be good. >> Oh, thank you for making that so simple. >> Thank you. >> I think Liz has a sometimes. >> Liz, are you seconding it
078or are you coming? >> No, I have a statement, too. I think I do believe though that um we need to reassess this the plan um not midocctober. I think you need to should have a hybrid. you need to put in the motion in my opinion that if we're going if this is the way that is being that the motion is going to be it should also have a date there or a time frame um to reassess and I personally think mid-occtober is way too late >> right >> I I just think we need to have it >> I I'm a little bit worried about putting a specific date I hear you about midocctober I'm worried about doing a specific date in that look how much changes within a moment to moment. Um, so, um,
079I maybe maybe the motion should be that we, um, to approve the hybrid as, um, oh, we you said it much better than >> reopening through a hybrid model, um, with, uh, ongoing assessment. Um, >> that's fine. ongoing, >> right? >> That's what I would say that it's something that we can brief the board on at the COWs coming up and just to keep you apprised on how it's working out. >> So, here's here's what I have, Kim. >> To approve the district's hybrid uh model for reopening schools with ongoing assessment of the plan. >> That sounds exactly like I didn't say, but that's exactly what we should be saying. Can I have a second to that motion? >> Second, >> Lee. Second. >> I I I still feel that's too wordy. >> Oh, please.
080>> No, seriously. That to put an ongoing assessment that would mean every week we could be reassessing it. >> But we probably should be >> in that. >> Well, we should be, but I mean, should that be in the motion? >> I don't know. I I think motions I do think >> alone sounds good to me. >> I I I do think this I think there are a number of parents who uh are concerned and they want to be sure that we're doing this right and uh and I I can say this. I think you will you will find throughout Connecticut the certainly throughout southeastern Connecticut it's almost unanimous that boards are are are doing exactly that. They're they're going to reopen and they're going to reassess in the beginning of October. >> I mean,
081we certainly would brief the board, but I think ultimately we're thinking that it's going to take four to six weeks for this hybrid plan to be established and to be safely rolled out. >> All right. So, um, any So, are you proposing an amendment, Lita? >> No. >> Is there any discussion on the motion that's on the floor that was seconded by Lee? >> Hearing none, >> I'm going to take this the task of all those in favor of the motion of um Dr. Grineer, you've got it written. Can you please u read it one more time? >> To approve the district's hybrid model for reopening with ongoing assessment of the plan. >> Okay. All those in favor of the motion that's on the floor, please say I or raise your hand. >> I have
082one, two, three. Miss. Joan, are you taking note? >> I Okay. >> Yes, I'm trying. >> Okay. Thank you. All those all those uh against >> I have Jane and Liz are against abstain. Motion has carried. >> Um Kim. >> Yeah. >> Kim, my my battery is going low so I have to catch you the next day. Sorry. Okay. >> Sorry. Bye. >> All right. So, that that um item is over. Um we are now just going to be going over the second readings of policies that needed to kind of be done, but we didn't do it in our last regular meeting. So, we're just trying to uh do some cleaning up. Um Susan. Oh, and we just lost Lee who is the chairperson of the policy. Um >> what else is new? >> Yeah.
083What else is new? All right. Sue, would you be able to speak to these? >> Yes, and Ken Chu was very helpful. These were policies that he really needed um based on some work from the the last assessment in accounting. So, we needed a federal grants and awards administration and we didn't have a grant. This is grant number 3290 and this should be a second on this grant. Um and Ken, can I answer any questions that you have if they're specific to this grant? Okay. So, I'm Liz, would you be willing to read number uh the motion for number one underneath new business or old business? >> Certainly. >> Thank you, friend. >> To approve um as a second reading policy P 3230.1 federal grant procurement and regulations for policy P 3230.1. >> I have
084a second to that, please. Second. >> Is that Jane? >> Yes. >> Okay. Hi Jane. Good to see you or hear your voice. >> Good to be seen. >> All right. So now Sue and Ken. So the next one is on a business and non-instructional operation soliciting prices bidding um requirements. And this one was not too long ago um written, but there were some changes. And I don't know, Ken, if you want to speak to it, but you can see the red line was um changes that were made and taken out and then we had additional wording that was added to it. So, Ken, did you want to speak to that one? >> Yeah. So, are we are we which one are we on? I'm sorry. Are we still on the number two? >> This
085is P3323 >> point of order. Yeah. Point of order. We only um had the motion was to read it and have it second for the first >> uh motion on policy uh P3230.1 about the federal grant procurement regulations. We did not have discussion and we have not voted on it. >> Right. >> That's correct. We're on the first one. >> Okay. Uh do you want me to talk about this one just just briefly? >> You got to Ken, you need to talk about the motion that's on the floor. Liz is correct with her point of order that it's it's the policy P230.1. And I'm sorry, I'm very distracted by the sounds of everyone leaving the meeting. Um, and so I'm having a hard time concentrate. Liz, thank you for catching. >> So, uh, this policy
086is a requirement of, uh, of receiving, uh, federal grants. Uh we were we were cited on our last um audit that we did not have this policy. Uh this was a it was a new requirement as um I think it was as of the 2019 year. Uh so that's the reason that we're putting this forward. This is uh this follows the uh the CAB uh uh uh suggestion for this policy and this would requ this would cover that requirement by by the auditors uh for the FY20 year. >> Do I have any questions about this? This is our second reading. It's been a while, but it's been our second reading of this. I just have some um consistency of language and I'll bring that to the office tomorrow. >> Thank you. >> All right. All
087those in favor of to approve um as a second reading the policy P3230.1 federal grant procurement and regulations for policy P 3230.1. Um all those in favor please say I. >> I. Oppose. Abstain. The motion has carried. Jay, would you be willing to read the motion for number two? >> Thank you. >> To approve as a second reading policy P 3323, bidding and regulations for policy P 3323. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. I have a I have I sorry lo I saw Liz first discussion please u want me to talk a little bit about this one. So this this was a previous uh policy we made some adjustments and I'll tell you where um what they were concerning. Um uh one of the things that we ran into this this required the
088previous policy required um written um written bids to be submitted and uh when we were going through the uh the bid list items which is it's a long long list of items uh that we uh request uh prices on. uh we would have to take that uh get that in uh written form and then we would have to transfer it into into uh electronic form to get it into our system. And so the request part of the the change here is to uh allow for uh electronic uh submission of uh bids re rarely it just would be used during the bid list process just because it's such a long list of items. Uh so that's that's one one change that we um had requested. Uh then uh we also put in uh uh a section
089here number four that um refers back to that federal funds policy that we uh that uh we just approved. Uh and then we just cleaned up on the bottom uh when uh bids are not required. we we put the um uh the pre-approved state contracts down there as opposed to before it was up in the in the uh the body of the of the of the policy. Those are those were the three uh main changes that we were attempting to make uh on this. >> While we did that, we also adjusted the regulations that went with it too. >> Yes, that's right. >> Any other discussion on this? All right. Hearing none. All those in favor of the motion that's on the floor um to approve as a second reading policy P 3323 bidding and
090regulations for policy P 3323. Please say I. >> I. >> Abstain. Object. Never. Can remember those three words. >> All right. I sent you a sticky note to put on your screen. >> Yeah, you're gonna have to put it right here. All right. Um All right. Um Rita, would you be willing to read the last motion, please? >> Yes. To approve as a second reading policy P41187 Good Samaritan. >> Can I have a second to that, please? >> Second. >> I got Rosemary. Discussion, please. Susan. >> So, this Good Samaritan um was already a policy that we had 4118.7, but because we adjusted and created the administration of administering medication, which was 5141.21, it there was a section in there that allowed the school nurse to be able to give um medication by injection such
091as Narcan. In the Good Samaritan, it talks about the Good Samaritan Act as also being able to have teachers or other school personnel who have completed both a course in first aid as described above and a course given by the medical advisor of the school or licensed physician or by the school nurse. um in the administration of oral and they just changed it from medication by injection to oral topical intraasal um inhalent or cartridge injection. Um and so they they listed it with more specificity um so that the good Samaritan within the good Samaritan act they could also do the cartridge injection medication. any other conversations or discussion. >> So, this is really just bringing it up to date is what you're saying. Yes. Just adjusting the language. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. >> And also
092connecting it to that new policy. We try to do that in all our pol policies. If one piggybacks on another or is related to another, we try to include them in both policies. >> Hearing no other discussion, all those in favor of approving the motion that's on the floor. um as a second reading policy P448.7 with Samaritan. All those in favor please say I. >> I >> object abstain. The motion has carried. We are now down to um the future agenda items. Um Jay, I'm actually wondering if this is the time that we can kind of have a more um a conversation about having a statement that comes from the board um about the the diversity um and inclusion and um how the board kind of holds those. And I was thinking that it sounded
093to me that maybe um a small group of board members can kind of get together as a I don't know if it's ad hoc. I don't know what the other word is. um to kind of think about how how we want to do that, whether we want to add it to our mission statement um or whatever. But Jay, I know that this was something that you were thinking a lot about and so I I kind of wanted to get your your your uh your viewpoint on that. Well, yes, as as we discussed last week, um I think I think it's important to acknowledge um you know, a statement from the board, a strong statement. Um, and I'd like to see, as I discussed with you, as you sort of mentioned, you know, maybe the board
094could consider incorporating it into our mission statement because that's read at the beginning of every meeting and just sort of remind us um of how important it is um to be committed to um anti-racist uh district um and know that that is something that uh you know that we're working toward. Um and um by adding it to the mission statement, it's something we read at each meeting and and it reminds us and also, you know, sends a strong message. But uh but obviously, you know, we need to work together on this and um maybe with uh um members of DEI to to find um you know, the the right way to uh to set that broad uh policy and and put ourselves on record. And I and I just am wondering if it if it
095makes sense for a smaller group of board members to to kind of start the process to then bring it to the board to have the board have much fuller um conversation, but to kind of start off um at the beginning um kind of getting that information. I I just that feels a little bit more smoother um to do it that way just in terms of work. Um but I didn't know how people would feel about that. Andrea, I >> I'm very interested in this in particular because I was adamant about our our keeping our mission statement short, succinct, and to the point. And as I was in my group in the the diversity, >> equity and inclusion. >> Thank you. Um, you know, I I listened very carefully to to what was said and at
096that time I even said that I would like to bring it back to the board and and look at our mission statement. So I am very interested in being part of that group. >> I am too. >> So So that actually almost sounds like it's an ad hoc that kind of looks at our um mission statement with with adding in an equity um uh uh statement to it. Does that sound like that's fair? I think so. >> Okay. So, Andrea, Liz, um, are two people that are interested. Is there anyone else that's interested in in part participating in that? >> All right. So, >> I want to make it, Kim, I want to make it clear that I still want to keep it succinct, very short to the point. >> Absolutely. All right. But um
097Kim, um maybe it could also be a board goal if the mission statement is still very short and succinct teaching and learning, but it could also be a goal of the board, >> right? >> I just think that this this is usually something that we do in a retreat. I don't see a retreat happening anytime soon. Um, and so I just think it's so important that, and Jay, I really appreciate your um, pushing on this. Um, is that I think it's so important that we that that this gets talked about and that it gets shown. And so, um, I I I I think that if we could at least get the ball rolling and, um, having having a few members kind of look at the look at the statement and see how we can make
098it more robust and have it really reflect, um, the feelings our our our stance. I think that that would be very important. So, I currently have Jay, Andrea, um, Liz, and Gretchen. Um, and I I think that that's going to be enough people um to kind of move this forward. All right. >> I'd also like to say if we could get some input from the DEI group because they are all working and they might have some suggestions too. I I think that that's the mission of this ad ad hoc is that is to look at our mission statement making it much more inclusive um and that to to kind of get some wording um that that makes sense from the diversity because I think that they there's some really some really phenomenal um statements that
099have been coming out of that larger group and so I would love to see if that >> could be added and then the full board can kind of take a look at it. my second agenda item. >> And and Kim, if you >> Oh, no. >> I just wanted to say if you had any more than four board if if you have any more than four board members, it would be considered a meeting. So, that's why it's four. Thank you, Rita. I didn't say it, but that's what I was thinking. Thank you very much. Your leadership is always appreciated. Um, my second my second um thing is, um, Andrea, this goes to you. um you have requested from the board members to um uh fill out the the template for the evaluation. Um and I
100just would like to have one or two other people that kind of met with you to kind of consolidate that. Um is there anyone who's interested in doing that with Andrea? >> I've got Liz, raise your hand. [Laughter] >> So I have Jay, Liz, and Andrea. Um and you're tasked with um just compiling the information that you get from the board members and then coming back to the board. Okay. >> Y >> and it needs to be done sooner than later just because everything needs to be done sooner than later. >> You mean yesterday? >> Yeah. Are there other agenda topics that people wanted um to bring up? Rita and Rita. I would like to make sure we have the plan for fall athletics and parent focus groups back on our agenda. >> It already
101is. Like we're already working on that agenda and it's already there. >> Gretchen had her hand up. >> Oh yeah, Gretchen, you moved on my screen. I couldn't find you. >> Sorry, I didn't mean to move. Um, so there are two things that I would kind of like to know about in the near future. I want to hear from the teachers how they're feeling the hybrid slashdistance slash whatever else we're doing how they feel it's going for them and how they feel it's going for the students if everybody's rolling along equally. So I'd really like to know from the teachers how they're feeling. I want honest feelings that they will be welcome to speak and I would like to hear how and as far as feeding students who are on our lunch plans. Do we
102have a plan for how to get meals rolled out to the children who are not in school on that day? >> You know, I saw that in the chat section that I think is worthy of um getting that information out. I don't actually necessarily think that it's an agenda item. I think that it actually just needs to be put into a frequently asked questions, right? Because I am um that is a really important question. Um because that was one of the things that we that we tried to do and I think we did pretty well at making sure that our our families um got that meal. So Gretchen, really good things. And so that's why I'm not going to put it on an agenda because I think it's such an occurren frequently asked question. And
103Gretchen to your point is because you were trying really hard to come on while we were having some of these discussions. Um but there was just 99 other people in front of you. >> It is broken. So we're all good. >> But I do know that we had a focus group um conversation or we had information from the focus group from teachers. Um and I'm hoping Dr. Reneer that we continue to have some more feedback from admin and from teachers. So to add that to that list that um Rita has already said about um parent focus group the other focus group from people staff members um I think that would be really um that would be really helpful. Um but Gretchen did you have any other agenda um topics? >> I thought those two were
104pretty big so I'm good with that. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Kim, I have a question. >> Yes. Um, can you just review um how many teachers responded to the um to the you know like the focus question, the focus groups. I was just wondering what the percentage of teachers that responded because it's less than 50%. That's not a very good um percentage. >> It was I think uh it was 321. So, it's about approximately 75% of the teachers responded. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. >> How many I'm sorry. I thought we had more teachers. I thought we had a lot more teachers. >> We have about 425. Beth, >> it's it was 321 out of 425 teachers. >> Thank you. >> I need to say thank you for your leadership in all of
105this um so that we could get that many respondents back. >> That's incredible. really really thank you for your teamwork with us. I really appreciate that. Andrea, >> I wanted to add to a I don't know if it's a referral, but at any rate, um I wanted to add I I'd like to have some time maybe in October to put on the agenda for a CO to have the the teachers come in, a select number of teachers come in and talk about the challenges and solutions um to that they're facing with and coming to to uh you know the solutions that they're coming up with for distance learning. We talked about that today at the curriculum council or no the curriculum committee meeting and I think that's >> we need honest feedback. Yes, >> definitely.
106>> Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I I got a I got a note today from Betty Sternberg and she was a former commissioner who was running the teacher leadership program and we had about 3540 teachers participate. We we chose not to participate this year but Betty was suggesting that this might be a role for these teacher leaders and that that could be a group that would come in and and provide that sort of feedback which might be helpful. That's an interesting idea. Anything else, folks? >> Is it time? >> Look at Andrea. Is it time? >> Motion to adjourn. >> Second, please. >> Quen. >> All those in favor of adjourning the movie. Oh, the movie. Oh my >> the movie. >> The the meeting, please say I. >> I. >> Abstain. The meeting has been cancelled
107you guys. Everyone >> stay well. Closed. Not cancelled, darling. Closed. Ended. >> Not cancelled. Goodbye all. >> Go get a cup of tea. >> Stay well. >> Bye. >> Wednesday. Wednesday. 7:30. >> Thank you. Thanks, Mark. >> Thanks, Mark. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mark. >> Thanks, Mark. >> Have a good night, Sam. Oh yeah.