8-24-20 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001Is um is Miss Joan here? >> Miss Joan is here. >> Yes, I am. >> Hi, my lovey. Do I have a quorum? >> You have all nine. >> All right. I am with all nine of us present. And at six o'clock, I am going to call the Grten board of ed um meeting on August 24th at 6 actually at 601 um to order. Yay. >> Yeah. And the mission statement of our um of the board of ed is teaching and learning with the board goals of to provide dynamic rigorous curriculum, ensure effective and engaging instruction and embrace excellent learning environment. So there we are. And then after the call to order is a pledge of allegiance. Um and I am wondering Dr. Grineer if you would be willing to lead us in that. >>

002Sure. I have to tilt my screen up here a little bit. I pledge allegiance >> to the flag of the United States of America >> to the republic for it >> for it stands >> one nation under God >> indivisible with liberty and justice for all. I've actually put a flag in my window just for that reason. >> All right. Um, so do um Mark, am I still co-host with you? >> Yes. >> Could I not be a co-host until we get to that? Because I have enough attention issues. Uh I don't see how to unmake you co-host. >> Okay then. Um warning to all. Um Dr. Grineer, do we um have any visitors um of any sorts? >> No, I do not believe so. >> We do not have. All right. Um so this

003is the part of our agenda uh where the board welcomes comments from citizens. Each presentation should be limited to five minutes or less and citizens should if possible submit written comments. Presentations should be related to matters pertinent to Grten. Board members will only ask questions in order to clarify the speaker's presentation and cannot respond during the comments of citizen portion of the board meeting. citizens should state the name and addresses for their record. Um, and I think the best way to do it is if someone has um they can either they Mark, are you seeing or also in the chat? >> I don't see anyone in the chat yet. >> I don't either. I'm just going to make I'm just going to give it a couple seconds, folks, because I'm rolling through and I want

004to be able to if someone is trying to get on um I want to be able to >> ask them to unmute themselves. >> Yeah, but we would see them um waving I think. direction. >> Well, there's people you can't see >> or I can't see. Maybe >> right >> lacking total omnipotence. All right, board. I'm going to move us on. And so we are now at student representative report. Um, and do we have Z here? And Dr. Verir, has there been someone else identified >> there? There has been someone identified, a junior, a young woman, and uh Mr. Kellaher reached out to her and he has not yet heard back. So, uh we're that's a work in progress. So, I'm sure we'll be all set by September. >> I don't see Z on. [Music]

005>> Thank you, Liz, for looking. So, Dr. Ger, I'm going to have you start in with your report, please. >> Sure. Uh, well, school reopening is upon us. The the teachers uh will return on the 27th. We'll we'll have a a convocation. Uh it it will be a remote convocation. Uh I Susan Beth and I and uh Carrie Le and and Kim are going to uh pre-record a message and that will be available to the to the principles. And I I don't think it's going to be delivered all at the exact same time. Some some principles may want to do it at nine o'clock and others at 10 o'clock or whatever. Um, but the convocation will be remote and uh and it will be available. Mark, if >> if board members or members of the

006public want to tune into that, would that be possible? And if so, how? >> Yeah, as soon as I finish the convocation, I'm going to put it on Google and I'll send you and all the principles the link and the board. >> Perfect. Great. Thank you. Um so uh we we will then have seven days of professional development that Susan and the committee have have coordinated starting on the 27th and ending on the on the 4th of September. And then the of course the children uh will arrive the day after Labor Day on the 8th of of September. We will as I think everyone knows be employing a hybrid model. 73% of the parents indicated their children will participate in the hybrid model. So 27% will remain at full distance um model. Uh and we

007will we will continue to monitor. We're getting I must say we're getting outstanding help from uh both the department of of of education, state department of education and the start state department of public health and and I've been in pretty much daily contact with the director Steve Mansfield of Led Light Health District. So, we're we're we're poised. We'll talk a little bit later in the meeting about some of the health measures, but we are very poised to respond to any kind of cases. We have our we have our contact tracing uh protocol in place. And so, we're we're sort of uh get getting ready on a lot of fronts, but but but of course things change on a fairly regular basis. So, uh I I hate to say too too too many things in a

008definitive way, but we we are we are ready. Uh and the the teachers uh have put in a lot of work this summer already on curriculum. I know they will be working hard on the distance learning modules that they're going to be presenting live streaming and and recording and the tech guides have been extremely helpful helping the teachers. What one of the things we we want to be sure to do, and Susan may explain this a little more detail, but we we know that there's a a possibility we may have to shift to full full distance learning. So, we're we're trying to gear up so that the teachers have the appropriate equipment. What we what we found out actually this is not necessarily terrible news that when you use a a computer to project what

009is showing on a Prometheian board you get a blank screen. No nothing shows up. Uh that was an important piece of knowledge that we that we figured out this week. Uh we actually think document cameras sometimes they're called Elmos u that that a teacher a teacher could sit at at his or her desk and and write and do math problems or or whatever or or put a book underneath the document camera. Uh and that's something that actually is pretty portable. It's a small device uh and teachers could take home. So we're we are ready for the children uh and we are ready also for the kinds of instruction that will take place on Wednesdays and the kind of instruction that may uh have to take place when when when the teachers are are are home

010on on full distance learning if that happens. Uh the big picture is we continue to communicate this via focus groups and communications to the parents and uh I I think at this point uh we we are everyone is concerned. I I I don't This has certainly been the most uh stressful, intense school opening in in my career in education. And I think most of you could could see that. U Sam is going to talk about o opening the the middle school. We're uh we wanna we want to be be sure we're uh we're we're we're ready and and you know, we don't we don't always control our own fate. fire marshals give us certificates of occupancy and and so forth, but uh we we we think we're we think we're in pretty good shape. Anyway,

011uh so that's those reopening and I'd be happy to talk a little bit about focus groups, but I'll pause there for questions. >> Um I know that Gretchen, you had your hand raised. Was it about the reopening? >> It's about you >> schooling. It's about the distance learning thing. So we have 27% that are learning at home. Do we have new students or new moving to the homeschool model away from you participating with the district or moving to pods where the parents pay a teacher to teach like six or seven kids that spend most of their summer together? >> We we've had we've had more requests for homeschooling uh than in in the past. I' I'd say we never have very many. We have we have m maybe I probably sign at the beginning of

012the year two or three a week for a few weeks. So may maybe it's a dozen total. It's it's probably more like 20 right now. I I I it's not you know it's really not a deluge. And I've read about the pods uh but I I don't I don't know of any of our children that are right. Although I think in in one of the pod models that I heard was that the teacher would support the pod teacher, the private pod teacher would support the children's distance learning. So they would they wouldn't withdraw from us. They would be a distance learner but work with a sort of a tutor. >> That was it's I was they were trying to hire me to teach a pod and I'm just wondering how common that was becoming. I

013didn't feel like Long Island. Sorry. >> Yeah. I think I think it's out there. It's out there for sure. >> Was that your qu um your only question on the distance? >> No, that was becoming more common where parents are bulking together. >> You know, the kids in a neighborhood that together also learn together. >> Yeah, it's becoming a bit more common. I think you're right, >> Rita, you are needing to be unmuted. >> Sorry. Um, Dr. Ger, you mentioned your in our board letter that you're having these wonderful meetings with the department, I believe, of health on Tuesday mornings. Yes. >> Could you share any of the information you've received? You mentioned it, but you didn't give us any information. >> So, I was just wondering what your workshops um you know, you mentioned

014maskearing to contact tracing to COVID response. So, and and what are the policies for um testing and contact tracing for Graten? And if for some reason the high school had cases but the elementary and middle didn't, would one close and the other stay open? >> There is no really great definitive answer. the more I but let let me let me tell you there was a really a a very helpful contact tracing by the chief epidemologist uh from from the state last Thursday actually u and and and they they start they start with the basic premise and I I actually you know what I I I will share I've got a a really good PowerPoint u the contact tracing I'm I'm actually going to meet with the principles tomorrow to explain u write myself a note

015here. So they start with the premise that what we need to do is to identify a case uh and a case from the state the public public health department's perspective is is a documented positive COVID test. uh not not when they're they're very concerned that uh when we send a child home for example with a cough or a fever uh that that would that would you know start the social media chain uh that is not a case and they're and they are imploring us to to to try to control what they would consider irresponsible actions regarding this. The the real answer to your question is uh we will be working with Steve Mansfield and uh Chris Magnuson from Wedgeite. Uh so when when there is a case we will follow the protocol which I'll share

016with you uh that we will do contact tracing. Uh it it basically involves identifying all those individuals who were within six feet for more than 15 minutes. So there you know there there are these these sort of of of measures and and these things have been have been coming out to today they gave us the fire drill procedures for example u you know they they want to be sure that we are maintaining our fire safety and we're conducting fire drills and even though it's only hybrid you still you know you still have to do all all the all the things um in terms of maskearing They have they've indicated that a multi-layer cotton mask and we're going to be putting that out to to to the parents. They're they're they're actually depending upon how uh

017like a neck gator uh is is constructed. I've heard some bad things about neck gators which can be a single ply nylon, >> but you can also you can also triple them and and wear them. So the epidemiologists uh at least from the DPH have said, you know, that's that's okay. They're they're talking about mask breaks. Uh they've given us some really good explanation of how uh music class should go forward. And there's a bunch of addendums and and they're all on our website. Uh if if you go to our website and you click uh the uh uh school reopening plans. Uh in terms of of COVID, uh there there's a list on the right hand side and one of the lists are all the addendums from the state health and well actually they're from

018they're in conjunction with the state health department, but they're really from the department of education. So there's a there's a lot of information out there. We're going to be sharing this information. the big part of what we're going to be doing during the seven days. Um, and they and they'll there will be another uh another Tuesday morning tomorrow. Uh, and they've really they've been making themselves available. It's it's it's it's impressive. And then on top of that, the Dalio Foundation has given every teacher in Connecticut a free 10-hour course with Mark Brackett from Yale. That starts tomorrow at 4. Uh there is a there's a teacher a professor at Yale who teaches a course called the psychology of happiness. It's the most popular course in the 300 year history of Yale and uh and that

019she is doing a presentation in a couple of weeks and I I'll I'll get you that link. It's it's just a they're calling it I think an event u but >> thank you Dr. Graham. >> It's impressive. It's impressive h how much support, you know, you hear the joke, we're here from the government, we're here to help. Uh we're actually getting a lot of help. It's it's very impressive. >> So, what what would they say if if the high school had cases, but the elementary didn't? >> More than likely, especially if it was an elementary and we would be able to confine the cohort, uh it would probably be the cohort. Uh but there are a number of measures as you can imagine, >> right? No, but I meant if the high school had cases,

020could we close the high school but keep >> Yes. Yes. >> not go all virtual. >> Yeah. We would we would follow the contract tracing uh you know kind of links. >> Yes. >> Uh and if if it it did not lead us uh uh to another school, we wouldn't close that school. >> Great. Thank you. Well, Continue on, Mike. >> Okay. Uh, so the parent focus groups, uh, the the principles had some very effective, uh, focus groups last week, but of course, as I as I said, some of these things are moving pretty quickly. Uh so we we talked about health and safety measures and the principles uh the the parents asked the principles some really good questions like about contact tracing actually and uh and where we're where going. I I I I

021think I think everybody c certainly the superintendent would like a you know sort of a crystalclear two cases and we close the school or something like that. It's a the the the Department of Public Health personnel do not think that is necessary and and the Wedglide Health District um also thinks we we need to proceed carefully, but the that information is going out. We continue to post more information on the website and so the the the focus groups are are very much in keeping with with with what we're we're putting out. So that and then next week there'll be a focus group on distance learning and because now parents are starting to home in on what is the school day actually going to look like for my child. Um I could go to number three

022which is I just wanted everyone to know it the the convocation is going to be remote. the teachers uh will be Beth can tell me if I'm wrong, but I believe the teachers are going to be in the building in most cases. Uh they just won't be all together in one room. We're still thinking there's about a 25 person limit. Uh so we don't want to violate the governor's orders there. So but anyway it will be a I think in most cases the faculty will be asked to uh to to go and start the the convocation and Mark is going to pre-record it and it will be available to them. Um we are still in the process of coordinating cohort groups. So there are children generally speaking with the letters A through K. Uh but

023uh and and and then L L through Z. Uh but we know that there are exceptions. We know that families have sometimes have children with two last names. Uh so the principles uh they're still working on that, right, Susan? They're uh they're working to try to figure out because obviously we have to we have to identify uh the cohorts to the parents. Confirm. >> We'll confirm them. >> I mean they generally know, but we we'll confirm it. um fall athletics. I I got off a meeting this afternoon and of course uh things are moving quickly. Uh the short answer is this. The CIA has opened up cohort conditioning. small groups of kids, 10 10 to 15 kids can be together and the coaches can help them go through conditioning drills, but they've postponed any team

024activities until two weeks after school starts, at least two weeks after school starts. U and and they and they chose uh uh good for us, they chose the typical starting date of September 8th. So there will be no team sports until the 21st of September at at the earliest. Part of that is to give everyone a bit of time to look at the data. You know, if the and if the measures are not good, then that that'll be the end of that. There will will not be any sports. But they, as you know, the Department of Public Health came out with a pretty strong recommendation uh which surprised a lot of people. They sent a letter today that they are more willing to do uh low lowrisk sports like uh like swimming uh cross country

025I think even soccer. Uh they're they're they're willing to do that. They still say we should not, the Department of Public Health says we should not play football and we should not have indoor volleyball. the the the CIA folks are met with them pretty continuously actually throughout several days and there's going to be a decision we think by probably by Wednesday certainly by Thursday uh there may be a compromise of sorts uh the the problem the problem that the CIA is pointing out to the department of public health is that there are au basketball tournaments going on right now and those are apparently okay under the governor's orders executive orers and so the CIA is pretty frustrated with that like they were saying this weekend hundreds of kids were playing volleyball in an indoor tournament

026um and what the CIA is saying is we can control that better we can uh they have only five kids are all out in a locker room, for example, they're saying that the only contest that can be played Oh, and by the way, no team sports can start on the the 21st, but they they can't have any contest uh for two weeks after that. So, it won't be until the first week of October if any sports get played. It we'll we'll wait until then. So, again, more data, more more chance to see where we are. Um, I don't know exactly what's going to happen, but the CIA said they would make a recommendation that will align with the Department of Public Health. And if if that happens, I I I I think we're all going

027to be breathing a a sigh of relief because we we don't want to see we don't want to see our kid fractured, our our our sports program shut down at the high school and picked up by by the AAOU or by I mean, they they were even talking about playing outdoor volleyball. uh which you know I mean they're they're really trying to be creative to try to figure out how we could give kids this opportunity. Uh it's important it's important for the the students and uh for their social emotional well-being and physical well-being. So uh I think you will hear from me later in the week. Uh right now see seems like they're they're they're coming together. We have we have consensus on everything except football and volleyball. >> Thank you. I will take Liz

028and then Gretchen. >> Mike, had they suggested um or recommended that we just shift different sports um like do the do the baseball in the in the fall and do the football in the spring? >> They they they they they for a a few reasons. some of which I remember uh they've rejected that they okay >> they they they think that kids are going to play sports in quick succession and they're concerned about about sort of overuse injuries. They're also concerned about playing football and then lacrosse and head injuries and so I mean the CIA has given us a lot of thought obviously the trick is we got to get the CIA and the Department of Public Health on the same page. Exactly. >> As I said, they're on they're in the same book and

029they're on the same chapter. They're not quite on the same page yet. >> I guess wrestling's out for now. Um >> maybe not. May maybe not. That's a winter sport that may be played. >> They get awfully close. Um, so anyway, I was driving through No Ink on my way home from the dock, as I usually do, three or four times a week, and I saw a large group of very organized kids. Half the kids had one color shirt, half the kids, they were like more kids than I normally think play basketball at a time. >> Play basketball. Yep. I see them all the time. >> Okay. And you know, we we and that's part of the that that's the CIA se's point is instead of cutting them loose and letting them uh go go

030to Noank Park and play five on five basketball. Um >> I think seven on seven, but >> yeah, but they're actually uh for football fans, they're actually talking about seven on seven football. They're they're they're really thinking out of the box, no pun intended. >> Any other um comments about that? Not yet. >> Okay. >> And then last last thing I wanted to report on is I've been working with with Nikki Salon who is uh unbelievably cooperative, flexible, and accommodating to the parents. And so what we're going to do is we're going to have before school and after school child care for anyone uh uh who goes to school. Cohort A will will have their child care before school and after school on on Mondays and Tuesdays and and then cohort B on Thursdays and

031Fridays, but we're going to open up all day Wednesday. Uh and we're going to we we've talked to Denise Dittle. We're actually going to use some of the power professionals uh who uh would be available and would be paid that day and we're going to have them run, but it's only for the kids in who are uh in cohort A or cohort B uh uh child care on Wednesday. So that that that amounts to about 150 and so we will have about uh 35 to 40 students in each of our four locations. U I will say I have a meeting tomorrow I'm delighted to announce with the YMCA. They are very interested in providing child care uh for school age children ages five and up. uh we Nick Nikki Salon our our problem is we

032don't have a lot of locations uh we we we don't have facilities so you know if we said uh well we don't have the staff either uh but you know it I certainly acknowledge uh I recognize the need in the community because uh people people need child care especially obviously uh all day Wednesday and then uh one of the two days of a cohort. Uh we're working on that. We're going to continue to work on that and um we've got a couple more weeks to go. I'm hoping to engage. The park recck department is not prepared to uh to run uh full programs, but there is a possibility of a kind of a a drop-in tutoring center there, perhaps at the public library, perhaps at Brford Manor Community Center. We're we're we're working that angle

033as well as much as as much as we possibly can in the community. We're going to we're going to endeavor to provide child care. >> Susan, did you have something to add? >> I just wanted to add a clarifying point. When Mike was talking about the child care, it's through our Treehouse program. So, it's anybody who has signed up for Treehouse for those cohorts. And on Wednesday, it's really important to us that we keep the cohorts separate within the treehouse program so that we continue to do that and we do that additional cleaning afterwards. So, just wanted to make people know that we're trying to do this in the safest way possible. >> Thank you. >> So, uh I I will have actually meeting with Nikki tomorrow. Um I I'll have an update in in

034in board notes. Um, notice I keep saying I'll give you more information in the future. That's my life. >> Yeah, I bet. >> Susan. >> Okay. So, I wanted to let you know that our teachers are coming back. As a matter of fact, they've been practicing um working with some technology and um you know, kind of working out some kinks with this hybrid model that we're going to be doing and the remote learning and using some of the technologies to try it out. We also have them coming back for um convocation which is on the 27th and faculty meetings and getting reacquainted to the schools. Um, I wanted to share with you two documents that I did send out ahead of time. Unfortunately, it was just today because I thought of it today. Um, the

035first one happens to be, and let me hold on. Um, I got to share this. My, um, Mark, can I share? Here we go. >> So, um, can everyone see this? So, this is the 51 distance learning opportunities our teachers have. A big shout out for Paula Halddalman who really helped construct this. We started back in March with the Graten Teaching and Learning Collaborative. We actually continued and some of them have moved over to this. She's reached out to teachers. Um, I know Beth Hurler is on here for Screencastify. So, um, she hasn't had much of a summer vacation either. And Erica will make sure that we gather all the links. So, the presenters will record these and we've got them um in an area that I'm going to show you a little later on

036called professional development. So, the teachers get to pick three one-hour segments, but there are, you know, 51 total that they could view. Even pair professionals, anyone can view who has a graten public schools. um account. So if you look at them, there's everything from all things Google um you know really around distance learning, podcasting with Chromebooks, traveling the world. I mean some of these I want to take I'm definitely going to be you know zooming into these um effective strategies for teaching online. So there's many that are just high school related. There are many that are 6 through 12. There are is um Valerie H. Davis Howard coming back for unconscious bias. She's the woman who came in and trained the administrators and several board members attended and wanted her back. So, she is back.

037Um there's everything from Steam to inquiry based to um softwares that we use like Dreambox and Lexia and New Zilla. um you know a lot of Google, a lot of Zoom, Screencastify, Flip Grid. These are all tools our teachers have requested that they get more professional development in. So, we've really listened carefully to our teachers and I think the thing I'm most proud of is that they can really have opportunities to view any of these and then we'll have time in their schedule this week as you'll see to be able to go back and try some of these um schoolology um which is the um LMS learning management system for the high school, Google Classroom which is for upper elementary and middle school. Seesaw, which is our new LMS for K through2, um, at the

038recommendation of our teachers. I mean, I think because of our collaboration during remote learning and into the summer and through our roadmap to re-entry, we've been able to really listen carefully to the needs of our staff and our teachers and our faculty. Um, so you did receive this and you can see it. um because of the limitation of space, I would recommend that if board members want to see any of these, I can help you um see the recorded versions. And if you have a special request, I can even send it to you by email. But um this is something that we're very proud of. And as I said, a big shout out goes to the faculty and staff for coming up with some of these ideas, for actually coming forth and presenting many of

039these workshops. Um, I couldn't be prouder. So, if you have any questions about this before I go to the next one, I'd be happy to answer anything that you have. >> Um, I have a question, Susan. >> Hi, this is Rita. >> Hi, Rita. >> Um, my question is, will board members be able to see this as well as parents? Are these going to be recorded so you could click on at a certain time anytime and see this? >> So what's going to happen is that they will take place in the morning of August 28th. Our staff had to sign up on Protra like they normally do. We'll be sending them the links via how they've signed up and then we've asked every presenter to record via Zoom or whatever platform they're using and those

040links will be sent to Erica Krider and Erica has has a site and I'll show it to you where it is and she will take all those recordings and upload them based on the codes and the titles so that anyone with a graten public schools will have access so we can share that out. And if there are things that would really would be um I think pertinent for families, we could certainly upload those two to our website. >> But certainly I'll make sure that you all know how to get there and where to go because I'd love for you to zoom in on some of these. >> Yes. You know, as as board members, we are lots of times I can't log in because I don't have a student in the school system. So, >>

041but you have a Grten Public Schools email and that's all you need. >> Okay, great. >> A Google site. Yeah. To log in. But I'll make sure that even if we bring Dennis in so he can show h you and make sure that you can >> that can be something we can solve. >> Um, Mrs. Gordon wants to know if we're going to come up with some virtual training for parents and caregivers. >> Absolutely. That's part of our beginning eight weeks which I'm going to show you that teachers have thought about face-to-face distance and hybrid not only how to get kids ready but how to get the parents ready. So part of their teaching goes beyond their students sitting in front of them but for the the parents and we will have a section like

042we did with distance learning for teachers, parents and staff. So, um, you'll be able to see those as we upload them. >> Excellent. Good to know. Thank you. >> Thank you, Gretchen, for reading that. >> Kim, Andrea, >> Kim, I wanted to ask Susan, I I thought I heard you say that you could send us a link. Could you send us a link to the um unconscious bias workshop? >> Yes. check. Like I said, I think they're pretty full, but Valerie is going to be tape recording or recording it, and so I can absolutely, if we can't get you in for the 28th, we can send you the link and then you can watch it anytime. >> That's That's fine. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> That's what I want, too. Thank you. >>

043Okay. I'll make sure. So, did I stop sharing? And I have one I have another thing to share. And that is Can you see this? This is the first three weeks of school because not only are we providing a lot of distance learning and time to do it for our teachers, but I have to raise this up a little bit. This week, you can see our new teachers come in and zoom in with us tomorrow and the next day. Mike and I have an orientation with them. Um, we have the first day, Dennis doing some technology with them and Denise working with special education with them. On Wednesday the 26, Beth and I team up to do team and then she does some work with the GA with them. Um the following day is um

044convocation which is tape recorded and viewed along with a faculty meeting and in that first faculty meeting we've given um a slideshow and um Denise talking about health and safety protocols and any member of our community when they go to the roadmap to re-entry um the school re-entry plan can see Mike talking about part of the plan I'm talking about teaching and learning. Denise is talking about health protocols and special education. So, they'll be able to view that that first, you know, um PD day, that first official PD day. And then there's some more health and safety training that's online with safe schools that they'll be going through. That's a big part of it. So, you've got PD on distance learning, PD on safety and health. Um and then the 28th is that virtual professional

045development that I just showed you. So that's only for the morning. In the afternoon, um special education will have their department meetings, but others will be able to do some planning. So that's the first week. And any time that they finish up any of these, they'll have time to work in their classroom and get ready. The following week, we have either school-based PD. Most of the school-based PD is though just unpacking, getting ready at the middle school and um really looking at the curriculum um the work that was done over the summertime which I shared with our board of ed curriculum committee and I will open up and share with you very quickly tonight. So that will happen on the 31st and then time in the afternoon for planning and preparing. We also have a

046diversity, equity, and inclusion DEI orientation. Um Jamal Davis, a shout out to him and Ada Allen and Naen Mlin for spearheading the DEI committee which has over a hundred volunteer teachers. And we've partnered with CRE and we'll partner also with Khan College with a professor there. And they're going to orient to our kind of year, several year plan on what this is going to look like. and it includes a book talk and I'll show you later on in the week that they're going to actually have a 90inute orientation or launch um wellness protocols for students. So the teachers teaching students how to wash the hands and take care of you know keeping safe also continues on the first but that's not going to be the whole afternoon. There'll be time for teacher planning and preparing

047for the school entry. On the 2nd, we do continue with curriculum and distance and hybrid learning preparation even if they need to pre-record some of their first videos. Um, we have a follow-up with the nurse that shouldn't take more than an hour and addendum five to know signs and symptoms. So, every teacher in our school, every staff member is very much aware of what to be on the lookout for. The third is a full day of planning and preparation for our staff um in getting ready for kids coming into school the next week. And then we have this DEA Zoom launch which is on Zoom and it's for each level, elementary, middle school, and high school. They're 90 minutes each. And um so we'll be actually getting involved in looking at bias and looking at

048some of the things that we need to identify so that we can get better at diversity, equity, and inclusion. And then the rest of the day will be um planning and preparing for getting back to school. So, um, and then the following week, I wanted to make sure you understood and that our community understood that we have Labor Day off. We're going to bring in cohort A on Tuesday and Wednesday instead of Monday and Tuesday. We're going to do additional um cleaning measures. We actually met with Sam and and I met with Dr. Grineer about how we would do this so that you know with some of the funding coming from CAR's act and the latest um grant from the state we're going to be able to provide extra custodial support so that we can

049make sure that we do this cleaning so that between cohorts and even and between cohorts on a on a Wednesday in this case um or yeah Wednesday afternoon in this case and then on Fridays so they'll be ready for the next cohort. And then we're pre we're screening our preks and K's and we're doing it with distance learning. So it's going to take us four days and then those little ones are coming in to see us the following week. That's a mouthful, but if you have any questions, please ask. >> Thank you. >> A lot of hard work. All I can say is good luck and >> I'm so glad I'm I'm retired. >> You know, it's a lot of hard work. It's been a heavy lift. I won't I won't say otherwise. It has

050not been easy, but I think it's because of the team we have in Ground Public Schools, starting with our board and our superintendent and our colleagues that helps us to get where we are because we listen very carefully and we hear a lot of voices and all those contribute to trying to find the best plan we can, the safest way to come back to school. So, >> well done. Well done. Yes. And then um one thing that I shared with the board of ed curriculum committee that has been really the hard work of six years I'm going to show you now and I've showed you a little bit along the way. So this is actually seen if you go to Graten Public Schools and I'm trying to find it now. Here it is. district homepage

051and under faculty and staff and that would include board members. So, anybody um who is working or part of our school district can go here and there's many many um buckets of work. Now, one of the things you might see is the temperature thermometer. and we've all been taking our temperature before coming into work to make sure we're all fine. And that's been really a help an essential thing because some people have found out that they've even had a cold um and didn't come in. So um that's something that we're going to encourage to continue powers school dude all of these um softwares that our staff need. And then you see the curriculum teaching curriculum um signin sheet and this is our what I call the curriculum dashboard and it's really meant for staff and

052teachers and I'm really proud of this. It was created a few years ago when we first started some of this work. It has the compacting curriculum which was done in the spring. It has the fall re-entry which was done all summer long. It has every single So this work has been done over the past six years. It has every single discipline prek through 12 all the new electives that the board has um blessed and approved. It's got um SRBI which we're starting to work on and some of those IP planners that you've um you know also approved that are you know with the middle school program and into the 10th grade. And then you can also see the resources. And then here's the professional development for the 28th that you would click on. And it

053will have every single one of those 51 opportunities that I shared with you that you could click on and it'll be linked to the recording once it's done. So this will be I think a wonderful resource for um our staff and for you. So if you go to the fall 2020 re-entry and let's say we pick middle school and I'll do sixth grade ELA. So this has all the different disciplines. This looks like a boatload of work and it is. And I know you can't read it carefully. So either if you can't get on, I can copy and paste it for you. But the interesting thing here is that teachers looked at the compacted curriculum, which was the priority curriculum that was done in the spring. They looked at what was accomplished. They listened to

054staff. um they listen to parents and kids about what was accomplished during distance learning really with an honest open ear to decide how do we go back and one of the things we've heard a lot from our partners with Connecticut center for school change and all and our state department is we don't want to to we don't want to over remediate we really want to find out where where kids are and we want to accelerate their learning we need to really push it up and find what those priorities are and encourage kids to move forward. So with support if needed. So the first thing we they examined over the first six weeks was what are the priority standards and they've related them to common core standards and Connecticut core standards which they've all become so

055familiar with in these past six years. We've really unpacked them again and really know them. Um and then you know what are the objectives? What's most essential? What are those activities that we want all kindergarteners to be able to do? Seventh graders, sixth graders, what are the formative ascent uh formative assessments? Um what kind of assessments will we be using? And then they thought about so if we're all face to face, which you know my hope is certainly we'll be all face to face at some point very soon. um what would that look like for these first six weeks or several of these weeks? What would it look like if we were a hybrid, which we're going into? So, that's all really been planned out as you see. Um and then what does the distance

056learning look like? And if I just open up the hybrid, if I can figure out how to make this larger. Oops. There we go. A lot of this work has to do with in in especially the first week whether you're talking about a prek child, a fifth grade child, a middle school child, or you know a high school student. It has to do with what does the environment look like at home and at school? What does your reading life look like? How does mathematics work at school and at home and hybrid? So, and then the whole social emotional learning component is so essential. The best bonus for hybrid is that we do have an opportunity to be face tof face with our students. They have time to be face to face with each other. We're

057able to describe things to them and the students who are remote can also zoom in and we can also make sure they're okay too and that they're learning. So, um, there's a lot of positives about this, but there will be some new learning and it's not it's going to be a heavy lift, but I think our team is ready and I will be listening carefully and so will Mike to what they need and I think that's the most important thing we can do. >> Susan, could you just tell me again how to get on that curriculum site? I mean, I I have the Grant public schools. I've tried. I can't get there. How do you do it? So, if you go back to um the district website. >> Yes, >> that's what you open up.

058And you go under faculty and staff. >> Yes, I did that. Yeah. >> Now, you have to be logged into Google. So, you have to have an a Google account. And if you don't have a Google account with GPS, you just have to check in with Adam or Dennis and they'll make sure you're all set up. But I have my Google account. I had signed in. So that's why it automatically comes up for me. >> Okay. >> And um so if any of you have trouble, we can certainly make time to figure that out. I really want you to be able to do this. And then you go on to the curriculum >> and then it's right there all in one place. Do you love it? >> It's an amazing >> I'm so proud of

059our teachers though. The biggest shout out is their hard work. every summer, all school year long, they are working away at this and our administrators for helping to lead the way with this. So, you know, I'm just I'm really pleased and I think this will be a good way um for when all the staff there's professional development built in so the people who worked on this document will be able to share it with their colleagues. >> Thank you, Susan. >> You are welcome. All right, we're going to move to the business manager report. That's you. >> Hello. Hello everybody. Um I am going to share our um exhibit one if I can find it. >> We were also given that was also given to us too, Ken. >> Okay. Well then, um I guess we

060don't need necessarily to look at it, but um so we are at the beginning of the year, so most of these lines are still at at budget uh for the most part. Uh just just a note that uh none of the COVID 19 related costs are currently being um reflected here. Uh we'll talk about those in a in a couple minutes. Uh but the the few things that that we have um uh done since uh the year began is uh we had anticipated um some uh cost avoidance due to retirements. Uh and due to retirements and some resignations that number is going to come in slightly higher. Uh we're going to see cost avoidance of an additional looks like 73,266. Uh but there were some costs that are going uh the other way. Our insurance

061premiums are slightly higher. Uh they came in at 4.7%. We had budgeted 3.7% increase. Um but for the most part at this point very preliminarily um we are in a good position in regards to the budget uh with the CO 19 costs um uh notwithstanding. >> Any questions um from the board about that? All right. Can move on, please. >> Uh the health insurance um report uh I don't we don't have a report at this time for July. We last report we got was for um that was for uh June. Um and if you recall uh the the claims were trending uh lower uh to to what we had budgeted due to the fact that um uh many people weren't going to the the doctor during that um um during during a lot of that

062time. Uh so we do expect uh those claims to be higher in July when we do get that um uh report, but uh we haven't got that. I expect to get that in the next uh day or two. Any questions about that, folks? >> Kim? >> Yes. Jay? >> Uh, so Ken, um, I know you probably don't have this at your fingertips, but, um, I'm wondering if maybe you could send us a reminder or maybe at the next meeting, uh, go into how much we dipped into the reserve to balance the budget last year. >> Yep. >> And then, um, once you get that June report, we'll be able to see where the the reserve is. Now, I'm curious whether we made any of that up. >> Yeah. Uh we we had anticipated um uh

063uh utilizing about 1.3 million of the reserve. Uh um uh but uh based upon uh the June claims report, it would looks like we probably didn't uh utilize all of that, but uh we do need the June um insurance reserve number, which hasn't been finalized. the town is still uh still >> but yeah we'll we'll definitely put together some sort of analysis so you can you can see that. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> All right, Ken. >> Um and so we're on to the um the state funding for COVID related expenses. We uh we reported previously that um as part of the car's act uh graten was allocated $686,882 uh through the uh elementary secondary school relief fund um emergency relief fund and uh we did apply for that last uh last

064week. We put in our application. Uh as soon as we put that in, we we got notification from the state that we uh were allocated an amount through the corona relief uh fund uh 1 million248743. Uh so uh between the between the two uh funds uh we're we're looking at at over 1.8 $8 million uh to help us in the the the the various costs that we're anticipating uh incurring due to this uh due to this issue. Um we had previously shared with you, I believe at the last CO that uh we think that those costs uh could be uh in the range of 2.4 million. So uh at 1.8 we're still we're still shy, but uh it definitely makes up a good chunk of it. Um uh but we'll be uh uh applying uh

065you know it's it's a lot of personnel costs. It's a lot of substitutes um uh the additional custodial staff uh and then some supplies uh to to to help uh supplies PPE that type of thing. Um so um you know there's still a potential shortfall of around 600,000 but um uh you know we'll try to make that as as little as possible. >> Well better than the 1.8 right? >> Yeah very very much so. >> There's also there's also some computers that we think are on on on our way. Um, and so Ken Ken was talking about modifying some of our our CARES Act and shifting uh with with with the state's permission uh shifting from this to that because the 1.2 million is is uh kind of laid out by by function code. You

066can't can't use it just for anything. But but we have a lot of money for personnel. We have about $900,000 for personnel. So, uh, that sounds like a huge number. It is a huge number, but we will need we will definitely need substitute teachers. There's no no question. And and Paris. >> Yeah. and >> and the state is allowing us to modify our our um CARES Act um application uh based upon uh based upon this this new uh new new funding coronairus relief fund >> Rita um I don't know if um Dr. Grineer could answer this, but at present, how many teachers um have requested not to come back and how many substitutes will we need? >> Yeah, I was talking to Lori about this today. We have we have a number of of teachers

067who e either just delivered a baby and are and on are on maternity leave or or who are pregnant and are concerned about coming in. Um we're trying to work out an arrangement uh that will look like job sharing cohort job sharing. They might might come in two days a week. uh we we we have it's I think the answer to your question is it's it's about 18 people uh not not too many non-certified folks although Lori has been extremely accommodating. So we're we're taking par A and par B and they can't they they need to be with their kids during their off cohort. So we're saying okay you could go do that and so between those the job sharing we're going to be able to to to cover it. Uh so that will not

068be uh particularly expensive. But there but there are some some teachers uh I know at school there are a couple teachers we were talking about today. They really need to be they need to teach remotely. So that's another version of this. we're going to have to have uh not a permanent substitute but a a sort of an itinerant substitute to be in the class to supervise the students while the remote learning is going on from the teacher at home. But but actually out of 430 teachers it is very low. I am I am very pleased. So so so far you know and uh please God uh the the >> you know the work goes on as you know with all the mitigation factors and vaccines and therapies and uh but but we seem at this

069point to be poised to to have far fewer uh the need for far fewer replacements than I anticipated. and and when you have um um an itinerate substitute in the classroom and the teacher is at home um doing the Zoom or Google whatever it is the platform does it could a parro do that or does it have to be a um someone with four-year college degree? >> Well, the state has given us a fair amount of flexibility depends on the qualifications of the PAR but the answer is yes. It could be a power professional. Thank you, Susan. >> So, you know, that's a really good question. One of the things that we have provided in the past couple years are what we're calling building substitutes. So, every elementary has three building subs. And I think

070the middle school and the high school each have what did we say six >> a piece. So, those are the people that will be our first go-to people. And they'll know the kids and they'll know the staff and I think that will be really a good way to do it. Um, in addition, many of our teachers were just asking for accommodations like additional PPE, and we've been able to provide extra shields or whatever their request was. So, Lori has been very responsive. I think she's really talked to about 90 teachers and been able to provide the things that they need. So, um, with just, you know, like Mike said, a handful who who can't come in and we understand that and so we're working with them. So, um, really pleased with the work in HR

071and work with Beth who's really helped us out too with all of this. So, thank you for asking. >> Good. >> Andrea, >> yeah, I I wanted to go back to something that Dr. Bera just said, and that was about the sub the parah you being used as a substitute. It's my understanding that it has to that a a par cannot be in a classroom by by herself or himself without a professional without a certified staff member. Has that changed or? >> It has. Yes. The the certification office has given I I think if APA has two years of college I I'd have to check Andrea but yes there's a little bit of flexibility that the state department has given us but but frankly that would not be our first choice. Our first choice would

072be to rely upon the the the the qualified substitutes that we have >> and that that dispensation is just for this period of time >> just for the duration of COVID. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. If we're done with that, let's move on to Mr. Kelpatrick. >> Oh, good evening. >> Good evening. I think I'll start with the transportation plan. I think I've already um explained that uh the cleaning plan for uh buses uh would include uh sanitizing between in case anybody missed the last meeting um will include sanitizing between each run uh during the day and of course they will be disinfecting each bus in the evening. So uh or at each night time. Um, in addition to that, um, Patty and Jenny have been really working hard, um, feverishly, um, uh, to

073get things done here as, uh, things change as to who's riding, who's opting out, that sort of thing. And so, at at present, we have all of the runs populated completely with all the students that are going to be running riding that bus, whether it's uh, in cohort A or cohort B. We're still trying to figure out through Transfinder how to um develop two separate lists for the bus drivers, but that that work is ongoing on a daily basis uh within that office. Um the other things that I had um there are um still plans uh being made by each uh principal regarding uh dismissal of the students uh getting those kids on the bus uh in reverse order of how they will get uh dropped off as they're going home. So uh those those

074are ongoing in each building separately. each uh each principal has a different idea about how that's going to happen. So, I'll be working with them on that. Um, and the students uh I I lost track of what I was going to say about the students uh in in reverse order, but um the other thing um one of the other things that we're talking about presently with the principles is uh parent uh pickup and drop off. And um that uh I don't know if you saw the email from Peter uh Bass at the middle school. It's like 125 parents have said that they're going to be dropping their kids off. So, I I think in this time we're going to have a lot more parents dropping kids off at school, which uh will dropping off is

075uh going to be difficult uh a difficult time. I think picking up will be even more difficult or at least challenging uh to the principal and and the rest of his staff. So, those plans continue to be Second item is um food service. So um um >> before you move on from there, could you just tell me I thought we thought we would have a um different start times for buses and for parents dropping off. So it wouldn't be they could the parents could use a bus drop off. >> I am not aware of that. I I haven't been in a conversation about that, but it doesn't mean that we shouldn't talk about it. We're we're meeting with the principles tomorrow. This is uh I don't think drop off is is going to be particularly

076difficult. It it's going to take some patience. It it it's going to be the pickup time and we may we may have to stagger uh stagger the release time a bit, you know, not not drastically, but enough so that we could say I don't know by alphabet. I'll talk to the principles and you know we we could have Sam was telling me I how many cars how many parents do we think are going to transport at the middle school? 100 something >> 126 something like that. >> 126. So you know I I could see the sixth graders being released at a certain time seventh graders then the eighth graders or something like that. Uh e you know even if even if it's only uh five minutes per grade but we'll we'll work it out. >>

077Right. Thank you. Yeah, the bus times pretty much have to stay as they are in order to make the runs work, but maybe the parents can be staggered in some way. >> That's what I was thinking. I think the bus time should stay, but it's the parents that want to pick up. The buses could leave and then the parents could come. >> So, uh, on to on to, uh, food service. Of course, we already again discussed that there'll be grabandgo meals at the schools in the schools. uh and each of the kids the kids will be eaten in the classrooms uh in almost all the schools. Uh there may be a couple of schools uh principles that have chosen to have uh smaller groups eat in a cafeteria that's large enough where they could uh

078be uh distanced. Um uh but those would be uh limited times and and of course we want to uh save the cafeterias in case uh we decide that we need those spaces to develop additional classroom space if that if that need comes up. Uh on Wednesdays uh from 9 to 10 uh food service department will uh again uh have the three pickup uh spots uh the library graten library uh the um the city of Graten site and uh the Mary Morrison site uh for meals for those who um uh need to pick up. Uh one one thing that everybody's going to need to know about and and a notice has gone out to all the parents um is that they need to pre-order the meals now because um we want to take the uh correct

079amount of meals on on a Wednesday for instance uh rather than just making um lots of meals and then having lots of leftover which we don't want to do. Um in addition to that on Tuesday say when the kids leave on Tuesday uh those those kids will be taking uh meals for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and uh on Friday uh those those students will be taking home meals for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. So, um, Ernie's got this all worked out amazingly and, uh, I'm sure that it will go as smoothly as, uh, as you can imagine anything that Ernie has put together over the years. He's been terrific. Um, so, uh, that's what we have for food service. Um, I guess that's that's it unless you have some other questions for me. >> All right.

080No questions for you, Sam. All right, I'm moving on to the committee reports on policy. That would be Lee. Unmute. Um, we will be meeting on the ETH. Um, we are looking at uh some sort of brand new policies that we are talking about tonight. >> Thank you, Lee. Curriculum. Andrea. We met on the the 10th of August and the the the crux of the meeting was to talk to teachers about how this the new delivery of instruction has imple implemented the delivery of of curriculum. And we had deep conversations about that with with uh all levels. And uh and actually u uh Beth had come too to talk about kindergarten and and I think it boiled down to there there were two things that were the biggest things that stood in the way and

081that was student engagement and the human connection. And that's that was impressive to me. And of course, we're going to be looking at that again at with professional development and all of the teachers are just um adamant about making sure that students are engaged and that there is a human connection restored and we'll be meeting again on September 14th. And also we're we're asking that the teachers those teachers that contributed come to the curriculum council and speak to the curriculum council and perhaps even to the board. That's it. >> Thank you Andrea Jay. >> Yes. So, uh, finance and facilities met on, um, August 10th and we went over a lot of the things that, um, were covered tonight in terms of object code summary, um, the CARES Act. We got a facilities update and

082I was wondering if, uh, Mr. Kilpatrick is still with us. Um, or Dr. Grineer, do we have any update on the certificates of occupancy for the new middle school? >> Susan, do you know? Uh I I do uh the four we we anticipate them uh they're not here yet. The fourth floor has been cleared. The third floor cleared for occupancy. U Sam probably knows a little bit of details but I know the fire marshall has not yet uh issued his uh certificate of occupancy. So it's uh you know these are these are things that we don't control. Uh so we're but I I I would I I'm actually meeting I'm going there tomorrow and we're going to meet with the engineer and and Rick Norris. U it's uh obviously we're coming down the home stretch

083and we uh we're we're still uh a couple of days behind and and I think everyone is appropriately concerned but we're working on it. Okay, thank you >> Jay. Thank you. I don't know about other people, but my internet is saying it's unstable and a lot of people are sounding like robot robots. So, um I hope that's not true for everyone else. Um so, negotiations um we uh at the end of this committee, we're going to be going into an executive uh session. uh negotiations um worked uh or heard the plan that was worked on through the administration and the teachers um union um about the MLOU about virtual learning and we will present that um with the recommendation for the negotiation is that it gets signed and we move on. Um Rita learn >>

084um I have a meeting on Friday. >> Okay, that's not >> I'm not muted. Okay. I just said I just called you read to learn and that's not really your name. Wanted to know um we had the board of ed town council RTM leaison um and one's coming up oh my goodness in a week or maybe less than yeah a week. Um and really the focus um of the conversation was really um on the re-entry of the school and also the fact that we would be um having some uh there would be some financial implications um with COVID in terms of what our budget was going to look like. Lee, does that kind of sum up that? Okay. Um the uh the one Okay. I I I thought that's what you were saying. Um the

085one thing though um is is that we have a seat at the uh Grten re-entry plan uh for the town of Graten in terms of business. Um and uh I just um I had sent out or that announcement got sent out by the mayor. Um and I don't know if there's anyone who's interested in um participating that um and so that the district has a voice in that. Um so just let me know um if you do. Um, and then the uh board of ed, a GSA, GA leazison were not scheduled to meet until October. >> No, I I think the first week of September, actually. Oh, >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yes, AGSA, you're you're right. >> I was thinking of the other thing. >> Okay. Um, trailer is on. >> Here we go.

086Uh, I haven't met with them this month. No, >> and gotten a scholarship >> according to it took me a while to find out who was involved in it, but they will begin again in October. >> Thank you very much, Lee. >> Thank you. >> Um, and I guess Miss Joan, what should probably be on here is the committee of the board of ed in terms of the search committee. Um, and so my report out is that we have um gone into a contract with a search consultant. Um and um uh and there was a message that was sent out um about um focus groups um so to help the board find out the needs and the wishes of um of the district for the next leader. Um so Mr. Jones, if we could just

087make sure that that gets on the committee reports, I think that would be helpful. The next um part is the consent agenda. Um and I will take a motion to approve the um the consent agenda which is the regular meeting minutes of July 27th and a special meeting minutes of August 10th and approval of gifts. Can I have a motion for that? I got >> I got Lee for u would you be willing to do the second? >> Yes. >> Awesome. Thank you. Um and uh is there any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor of the approval of the consent agenda, please uh raise your hand or signify by saying I >> I >> opposed abstain. That motion has carried. Um and the board would just like to thank um a ripple in the

088water that made a donation of 25 masks to central office. There is no old business, so we're moving on to new business. Um and we are moving into some policies. So, with that said, my friend Lee, would you be willing to read the motion for the first >> Yes, I will as soon as I get it in front of me. >> Okay. >> Um, this is um um first I'm sorry. It is a motion to approve the first reading policy P1230 parent organizations and booster clubs. >> Thank you. May I have a second to this motion, please? I've got Rita and can I have a discussion? So, Lee, Susan, >> so >> actually I have a couple of questions myself because we we because it's a first reading. Um, one of the things that that

089we want are the bylaws of those booster clubs. We don't have them. Um and and also um we I had questions about the do dues for the the organizations. So um we can talk about at the next policy meeting. >> Susan Ken. Well, Ken and I collaborated with the policy um committee. So, Ken, you might want to speak up about this actual um new policy that we felt we needed because the booster clubs handle a lot of finances um within them. And so, I think it's important that we have board policy around that and so that we know what's being handled. >> Yeah, this came up during a review. uh it came up uh I think K brought it up uh that uh this is a good policy to have uh and uh so that

090this is um this particular policy is is based a lot on on their um uh recommended policy. Um but amongst other things um it requires the booster clubs uh to provide um some sort of um documentation um and it gives the um gives the district the ability to uh accept the gifts and um and it become property of the uh of the district. Um, and then I I do recall Lee having those asking those questions, but it's it's been such a long time as >> I know I know >> it's out of my mind, but um I know we have those some of those bylaws. Um um we just have to get those to you. >> Yeah, those those two things and the dues simply because other people in in the town and the city

091have had questions about it. So I do too, but we meet on the eight so we can talk about it. >> Okay. So, we'll invite you in. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Are there questions um about this first meeting of this policy? >> It seems like it's a really important policy to have. >> It is. >> Yeah, it does. >> And we'll be able to review this at our next policy meeting and come back to you before we finalize any second reading to give you the update on that. >> Excellent. Great. >> Thank you. >> We shall. >> Thank you. Thank you. If there's no if I'm hearing no further um discussion, uh the motion to approve as first reading policy P1230, parent organizations and booster clubs. All those in favor, please say

092I. >> I abstain. Liz, did you abstain? Okay. All those opposed? Motion has carried. Dane, would you be willing to read the motion for number two, please? >> She's not unmuted. >> No, >> but I bet you that was a good practice run for her. >> Jane, do you want me >> Jane? Do you want me to move on? There you go. Oh, no. >> Try again. Jane. >> Jane, you're still muted. Jane, you're still muted. There you go. >> Okay, try again. >> Yes, you had good practice. >> Um, dis discussion and possible action regarding a first reading of policy P6172.6 distance education. >> And can you can you read the motion, please? Motion to approve as a first reading policy 6172.6 distant education. >> Thank you. Can I have a second on that

093please? >> Second. >> I got Rosemary. >> Have to say >> do we have discussion? >> Not like this isn't important in this day and age. >> I have a question. Um because uh we are all seeing it for the first time where it says that taught by teachers who are certified in the state or another state is is that is that okay that they're not in the state of Connecticut certified? So this policy is actually a new policy and it also came from CADE >> and it's on virtual online courses. >> Of course in Grten, you know, Mike a few years ago had established that he wanted kids to have an opportunity before they left Graten public schools to have an online course before they went off to college and career. And we started

094with the Apex program, which you know is really a supplementary program and a course recovery program. Um has had great success in some of our for some of our students who needed a different kind of a course and setting. Um also worked out really well this summer and we look forward to telling you a little bit about Apex taught at the middle school and high school level this summer. So we've already started doing this and then there may be some college courses that students would take if we don't have something suitable to offer them. So just as we broach this distance virtual learning, it's really good to have a policy to back it up. So it gives um particulars about credit that can be received from online um and some of the stipulations. So there's

095basically eight stipulations. um everything from the course doesn't the school district doesn't offer a particular course and the student needs to take it um all the way through to a student's PPT or 504 team has determined that it's appropriate for them to take a certain kind of a course um and it really has to go through a vetting system very much like our apex system went through so it went through the board of ed curriculum committee multiple times continues to come back to us. So it's not like any course from anything. It really has to go through this vetting. So it has to go through um the students um and teachers, the principal and then through curriculum um you know committee. So um you know this is really in preparation should we expand even further

096from Apex but we have gotten the ball rolling with the Apex program as you know. So, we felt we really needed a policy and some specifications around it. But if you have any questions, we can certainly discuss it at our next policy meeting and come back to you. >> Gretchen, just unmute, please. >> Terrific. >> Gretchen, >> I was just wondering if that was going to get a letter or number or however we're grading whatever grade. Wow, that's really confusing. How we're giving letter grades or however the elementary school grades credit or whether it's a pass fail >> on however we do our grading. For instance, in middle school um this summer um the kids who were able to take the tutorial were able to improve their grades um from last year. And these were

097we really invited kids who had had experienced some failure based on the remote um learning and we had some great success. As a matter of fact, I'm you know sending each of them a book that they a paperback book that they asked for the ones who were successful in this and thanking them for participating and um you know but I would say in the high school it's credit recovery. So they would get a grade as they normally would and it would replace the failure. That's really good. It's a lot more encouraging for the kids not to get a pass fail on it. >> Exactly. >> Great. Any other questions about this? >> Hearing none. All those in favor to approve as a first reading policy P6172 uh.6 distance learning. All those in favor, please say

098I. >> I. >> Oppose. abstain. It looks like this motion has carried. Rosemary, >> I'm wondering if you would please read the motion for number three. >> The motion is to approve as a first reading policy P 6114.81 emergencies and disaster preparedness. >> Can I have a second on that, please? >> Second. I got Liz and discussion please. >> So this also came from CA knowing that we had to kind of do the nest plunge into distance learning last year due to CO 19. It's really important should we have any other future emergencies or as we're still involved in this emergency to have a policy that helps guide us. So in this policy um it really talks about the board is authorized by statute to govern the district including the adoption, revision and suspension of

099our policies because of CO 19. It also talks about um the board through policy acknowledges school closures in response to the pandemic. kind of like when we had to close down back in March, mid-Marchch, and we were getting direction from our governor at that time on how we needed to proceed and we did so. So, this really does specify giving um acknowledgement to our governing powers, giving acknowledgement to the World Health Organization, our Connecticut State Department of Education, and as Mike said earlier, these are all um wonderful support systems that we couldn't have done it without them, you know, and helping with the guidance that they've been able to provide us so that we make the right decisions and they're still walking with us as we go back to hybrid. So, um it it has

100some real specificity about um what happens if you temporarily wave a board policy. Um and you know, specific details about suspension of the policy and consultation with the board that is needed to happen. Um, and then board of ed meetings and how that could take place via Zoom like we're doing right now. >> Is there any further discussion on this? >> Andrea, >> I have a question about page one. It's actually nine lines up, but it looks like it's the fourth little paragraph up from the bottom where it says in insert additional district information as to how virus online courses links to. What does that mean? Insert additional. >> That if we had some additional information, we need to insert it and that must have gotten by me. But now, thank you. >> No, I

101appreciate that. Thank you. >> I'm going to send you a lot of little things like >> love that. I appreciate, >> you know, I keep reading these and I keep fixing the same thing. So, maybe we can talk about that. >> Yeah. You and I and Erica should sit down so we can just get it all straight. >> Yeah. Okay. I have the same I have the same thing too. >> So send it forward, Lee. I appreciate that, >> Rita. So on on the back on page two when it talks about board of education meetings and the and it encourages the public to attend its open meetings via live streaming or television and or the internet and to limit public comment to written comments. So are the public can only comment on written comments. I

102thought they we had they had an opportunity to also ask us questions online. I mean, you know, inviting them because we you did mention that at the beginning of the meeting. >> Yep. >> What >> I said that was before we had read the first reading of this policy. >> Yeah. But should that policy be revised is what I'm asking you. It would be nice if someone could ask us a live question. I'm not sure what the town council is doing if it's only written, but >> I know after we have the public >> I'm sorry. >> No, go ahead. after we've gotten the if we've had people come up and do the um speaking, you know, that's fine. But I think there are other opportunities where they'll want to speak later on and that's

103when I've heard you say it needs to be written down or in the chat box. We've asked people to write down their questions and we've used that information with our highly asked questions, frequently asked questions. >> But are we limiting it to the public to only written comments is my question. Can I chime in? >> Yes. >> I I think that um we need to specify that comments via the chat or other areas that needs to be in there because I, you know, we had the the opportunity for at the beginning of the meeting for comments and I think that needs to stay personally. And then if and like the um is it uh Miss Gordon said to everyone um you know can you about the virtual site training for parents and caregivers that Gretchen

104read you know that gives us an opportunity to also bring that out to the forefront. So I think in that respect we need to have the ability the the public needs to have the ability to come on to a zoom meeting and to speak and if there's something that comes up later on and they think of it it can be put into the chat which is still is considered in my opinion that's written. >> I agree >> and uh and then to if they need to clarify further then they need to submit something to us in writing. >> Right. Yeah, I just think that we have to be um careful about um because we might not always be using the Zoom platform. So, we don't know what you know those mechanisms are, but I I

105I would have a hard time limiting it just to written comments um that people should be allowed to sort of be recognized um you know, as chaotic as it gets, I think that they have the right, but it would be interesting to know how the town council has done that. Do people does anyone know? No. Jay, do you know >> it would This is Lee. I think it would be good to talk to Patrice about that and see what town council does. Um because it the word chaotic would be more than chaotic. We know that >> I know the town council has established a dedicated email address for citizen comment. Not that that's exclusive, but that they can write and it goes to all the members. A lot of people don't realize that we have

106that one address that goes to all of us and they think that they have to type all of our names in individually. So maybe if we had a more prominent comments um email address that would be helpful. because not everybody can schedule to be at this meeting either. >> Right. That's right. >> But the other thing is I would like to do what the town con and limit the I think it's three minutes as opposed to five. So somehow you know we need to maybe take a vote on that sometime. >> But not now. >> Not now. It's not on the agenda. >> On the agenda. does prompt us to think about other things. So, >> yes. >> All right. So, it looks like maybe um the policy will have some work around um how

107how during these time periods um we ensure that the public um has a uh voice in our meetings whether it's through email or whatever. Um, so >> perhaps we can get some information from the town and the city about how they're doing it and you know maybe be able to forward that to the policy committee if that's possible. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> That's a great idea. >> Yeah, I think the city is more and then we'll meet on it. >> All right. So, any further discussions on this policy? Hearing none. All those in favor to approve a first reading of the policy P 6114.81 emergencies and disaster preparedness, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Your hands. All those uh all those opposed abstain this mo. >> Gretchen you've abstained or opposed? Abstained. Okay.

108So with one abstension. All right. Rita, would you be willing to read the number the motion for number four, please? >> Motion is to approve the 2020-2021 tuition rates. >> I maybe we should say, you know, the I don't know our Grant Public Schools tuition rates. just seems a little vague to me the way it's written, but >> we could we could change it today. >> Thank you, >> Ken. Do do you want to you want to show that? >> Wait, before Miss Jones gets really mad at me, I just need a second. >> Second. >> I got Liz. All right, now you can do it. >> All right, let's uh let's share the screen. That's not what I wanted. >> Yeah, that is right. >> It is the It looks different in here. Okay.

109>> Uh so these are the proposed tuition rates. Uh a little bit different than last year. Uh so uh the the state replaced the old ED1 uh report. That's the annual report that we provide uh to the state uh department of education. and they replaced it with a uh something called the uh EFS, education finance system. And the it this particular system is a lot more granular. And what they are able to do is um provide us a um a cost per student on a uh on a on a school by school basis. And so what we've done here uh for the elementary, middle, and high school is uh we've taken those um those uh cost per student uh and utilized those uh you know for the elementary it's an average for the middle actually

110it's the average of the two schools uh and that's the high school uh uh cost per student. And this is the um FY1819 uh cost uh per student uh because we're still working on the 1920 uh at this moment. Uh so uh that's where uh that's the basis for these numbers. Um uh it's very similar to the to the prior year, a little bit different, but uh it also shows um uh it shows how uh little it gets a little bit more expensive as as we go up in the grades where middle is cost more money to educate than elementary and high school more than middle. Uh and then we applied uh a an inflation rate to the uh to the special uh education program costs uh and the additional services uh just to to

111cover those off. >> Any um any qu any questions? Um and Jay, did this go into finance? One second, Liz. Um but Jay, did this go through finance? Uh, we did not consider this at the last meeting. >> Okay. Do you have any questions or comments about this? >> I have a question. >> Okay. Go ahead, Liz. >> Um, Ken, as I don't know what last year's looked like, could you send out just so that we have a comparison so I can see? I I personally don't know what the what it all this was last year, so I would like to see how it's increased. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> It actually decreased, didn't it, Ken? >> Uh it did decrease for the uh for the middle school um and the high

112schools a little less so. Um uh but I think the elementary school did not decrease. Um but it very similar to the to the prior year numbers. But yeah, >> what would cause a decrease? What would cause a decrease? >> Well, see, in the prior year, we didn't have the EFS. Uh so we used a different uh process for uh calculating uh costs per student. Um and so now that we have the EFS, we have a full year of it available to us. Um so, so these numbers are based upon that versus a calculation that that we did up on our own on Excel. >> Thank you. >> Very happy that they're that's so close together. Um the the other thing you should know is the rates that that are almost none of them are

113are are actually used. Occasionally special education rates are so Ken actually adjusted those special education rates. It's it's extremely rare that we have someone. So the reason and I apologize not going I didn't catch it uh to go to the finance committee. The reason we did it now is because as school is starting, occasionally a school district will call us up and say, "What are your rates for for this year?" Uh, it's it's something that's on our grid uh that uh we we should have picked up. I apologize. >> Um, hey Kim Kim. >> Absolutely. >> Yes. At one time the middle schools were the tuition was always much higher than the elementary and the high schools and it was due to the fact that we had three middle schools. The buildings were more expensive

114to run. Um then we went down to two and now we have one. So it's great that the you know the rate has come down. So that that's all because of consolidation. >> We lost 15 FTEEs. >> You're right. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Well, and it was also because of the fuel. Um, it was everything from electricity to the expenses of of having the three schools and um, so it's changed quite a bit. >> That's great. >> Any other discussion on this? Okay, people have changed on my screen. I was just >> I'll stop sharing so you can uh, see uh, better. Here we go. >> No, but like people have moved around on my screen. It's just not fun. All right. Um, so if there's no more discussion, I'm going to put this towards

115a vote. So all those in favor to approve the Groten School District's 2020 to 2021 tuition rates, please say I or signify. >> I. >> All right. Um, opposed, abstained. This motion has carried. >> Thank you. >> Um Jay, would you be willing to read uh number five, please? >> I move that we approve uh the treehouse rates. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Oh, sorry. Jay, >> were you gonna say something else? I'm sorry I interrupted you. >> That wasn't me. >> I said Jay. Oh, >> I was just asking if I was thinking in my head, should should these have dates, but it just says to approve the treehouse rates. So, >> so maybe we need to put to approve the treehouse rates for the school year 2020 to 2021.

116>> Well, it it might change. >> I I'm trying to share here. Excuse me. >> Yeah, I don't understand them. So, it'd be great to have an explanation. >> Oh, yeah. Thank you, Lita. >> I got to get the Wait, wait, wait, wait. I get it. I got to get a motion on the floor and I've got to get I got to get a second to the motion and then we can discuss it. >> So, so Jay, are you should we put to approve the hi the hybrid um yeah, the treehouse um tuition rates for for the hybrid model because then we can then for the 2020 2022 school year, but we specified that it's hybrid. Would would that satisfy? >> Yes. >> What do we say the current treehouse rates? >> If I share,

117can I share now, >> please? >> Yes. >> I have a second though. Can someone just give me a second? >> Second. >> All right, Joe. >> Looks like I got Liz. >> Am I sharing now? >> Yeah. Yes. >> Okay. Okay. So, it's actually called the the hybrid schedule tuition. Maybe that's a better way of but anyway, when >> when I met with Nikki, what we decided was we we realized that for the morning it was $8 per week. Uh, in other words, it used to be $40. So, we we literally gave people the exact same rate. These rates are not different. They're the same daily rates. So the morning and then the afternoon it was $9 a day and then uh am and pm we just added them. And then the full day

118uh the full day rate used to be $30, but because of COVID we have to have a little bit more staff. You can only you you can only have uh a limited number of children in a group. So, uh, I asked Nikki and and Jake Tadeshi to run the numbers, and, uh, they think the program will be self- sustaining if we do $35 a day for, uh, for the, uh, the full day. Uh, and so we just did did the math here. uh this is this is exclusively for the COVID time for hybrid that we will as I said before we'll offer before school care after school care and uh and uh and then the full day on Wednesday. Oh, >> I'd be happy to answer. >> What's the second numbers? The 51 5369. >>

119That's that's if if you come just mornings and all day Wednesday. Second one is just afternoons for the two days and all day Wednesday. And the third one is if you come in the morning on uh on the two days in the afternoon and on Wednesday >> and can a parent um can a child come just for Wednesdays if they do not do AM and PM on another day? >> No. No. We we have about we have about 150 children about 75 on Mondays and Tuesdays and 75 on Thursdays and Fridays unless we come up with some other facility arena we would love to uh but I'm just Nikki and I are very concerned uh that we we just won't have the staff and we won't have the you know because of course we're going

120to bring the children into the school and we could do some deep cleaning in those areas after they leave but we We we want to be careful about what what the intended purpose for Wednesday is. >> Correct. And would they be going to the school? Is it every elementary school in >> No, just the four schools that that already have >> Could you name those out so people could hear? >> Katherine Colonowski, SP Butler, Northeast Academy, and Charles Barner. Okay. >> Now, all families though in our schools can participate. Like Claude Chester gets a bus over to CK and Mary Morrison kids go to Charles Barnum. So, we I think we've got all our bases covered. >> Oh, great. Thank you. >> It's open to all families. >> Any other questions or discussions on this?

121>> Kim? >> Yes. >> Who puts this out? Do we do this or does this come from Treehouse? the document with a little tree up on top that says Treehouse Enrichment Program. >> Well, in Treehouse, Trius is run by the board of ed. It's an enterprise fund. >> Okay. >> All right. In that case, in that case. >> Yes. >> So, we don't look like >> Yeah. You don't like the tree. >> No, I want to make sure that it says based on, not based off. >> Oh. Oh. Oh. Okay. >> Oh. Oh. Yes. >> Wait a minute. Wait a minute. These rates are based on, not based off. We don't want to look like that. >> Well, I see based on. >> Please. >> All right. We'll fix it. >> Thank you. >> You're

122welcome. >> Do you have a question? >> On Wednesdays, how are the kids getting there? How how are we dealing with transportation on a Wednesdays? >> Good question. It's all It's all parent drop off 100%. >> Okay. >> Including the other four days of the week. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions? >> That I guess that includes pickup, right? >> Yes. Yes. >> All right. Hearing hearing no other discussion. Um, I am going to Rita, can you just give us the times? >> Yes, it's uh 6:30 in the morning until Well, actually, I think she was going to change it. No, normal times are 6:30 morning to six o'clock at night. I think for uh for this purpose at le I I don't want to guess, Rita. Uh let me let me get back to

123you on that. I I I'm sure it will be well I think >> but you know it's not part of this motion and it's not part of the discussion. So if you could just throw it >> I'll send a note tomorrow. I I I'll get >> and parents need to know. Yes. >> Yes. Yeah. >> All right. So um do I hear that the motion should read the hybrid scheduled tuition adjustment? Does that sound like that would work? >> Sure. >> Yes. >> So, the treehouse So, the the motion all those in favor to approve the motion of the treehouse hybrid schedule tuition adjustment, please say I. >> I. Opposed. Gretchen, are you opposing? Abstain. unmute. >> The um All right. Um so that motion has passed. Um >> is Gretchen abstaining? >> No, I

124think that she just held her hand up too long for the approve. Is that correct, Gretchen? >> Kind of drifted off and forgot to put my hand down. Sorry. >> Okay, so she so it it uh the motion carried um by fold. Um >> thank you. You're more than welcome, Miss Joan. Um the number six is our going we are going to be going into an executive session. I would like to um offer uh hopefully all our board members would approve is that we'll just finish the rest of the meeting um and then we'll go back to our uh our number um six. Will does that work for people? I just need to make sure that most of the board is is in agreement to this. >> Yeah. Okay, great. Um, thank you. Uh, next

125part is um, communications and letters. Um, and I will start off with Jane. Do you have uh, anything that you wanted to talk about or that you received for comments, please? >> Not for this month. No. >> Thank you. >> Lee, >> I do not either. >> Okay. Liz, >> nothing at this time. Gretchen Rosemary. >> Uh, nothing at this point. >> Thank you. Andrea, nothing at this point. >> Rita, I believe it was just the same um communications that we all received that Kim you had replied to as the board chair. >> Thank you. >> I don't know if you want to talk about that at all. Um Jay, >> yeah, I would just like to make a a quick comment that uh uh since this is our our um last meeting before school

126starts, I just want to uh say how much we appreciate the teachers and staff for what they've done all summer. I know a lot of them did not even take a break to prepare for this unprecedented experience and um so we we owe them a debt of gratitude and they're coming up on a very packed professional development week here. Um and uh you know they're going to be learning a lot of new things in a very short time and it's very stressful and I just want them to know how much we appreciate them. And then a shout out to um Ernie uh Kosh meter and food service who pivoted to um uh in March uh to to providing meals uh even though school was out and and that continues now until um uh I think

127just this week and then they'll be back over on on the school base. So um we just appreciate everything that they've done all summer. >> Jay, thank you. >> You're here. Thank you for that, Jay. That was a really nice sum summation. So, I kind of want to say everything that Jay said um because that was that was a that was nicely put. Thank you, Jay. >> All right. Um and so advanced planning, we have lots of dates. Um I'm assuming that all of these meetings that are on most of um most of them are going to be um I I can't make the assumption but a Zoom meeting but um I guess we'll move we'll get to that when we get to that. Um >> yes, I have a question. When I look at

128this calendar, it looks like the next full board of education meeting is the CO on September 14th. Is that correct? We don't have one on the 9th. >> Well, uh, one of those is Labor Day, right? >> That's the eth, >> right? Or the seventh? >> No, the seventh. >> So, the good point. >> No, Rita, you're right. >> Yep. >> The the the the four Oh, the 14th is a CO. I I see we snuck in there a few things. Yeah. >> So, are you asking are we having a CO on the 8th? >> No, it's the 14th and the >> Anyway, >> yeah, that's when it is. >> I didn't know. >> That's okay. >> That's that's okay, Liz. It's It's the CS are the are the second and the third with the

129fourth being um the regular board meeting like tonight. It's just that, you know, it just seems so odd that school will be starting and we won't have a meeting to hear how it's always like we always hear how it goes. And >> um Rita, I I wouldn't hold your breath because the way that things are moving so quickly. My guess is is that Mike and I are going to find like we'll have a ton of things we're going to need to have the board make decisions on. So, don't get too excited that we're not meeting until >> No, I'm not. I was just curious. I wanted to make sure I was reading it correctly. >> Like, don't go on vacation. Huh? Yeah. Don't don't leave the country. >> Yeah. And so the next um I

130am really sorry. My oh my son's cat is in the room and she does not like the fact that I don't want her on my pieces of paper and he's biting me. I love that. Um so do we have suggested agenda items? Uh yes. Um Jay could um Jay had sent out a uh newspaper article from a uh superintendent in California that were doing that was doing like a virtual learning for students to help with technology and they actually could come to school on their virtual days and it was just this wonderful plan and I was hoping all the board read that and maybe we could talk about some different options for our working parents and also the the students who need help with technology. I know Dr. Grineer mentioned something to us about Jerry

131Lockan and Park and Rex maybe using Fitch Middle, the community area. So maybe we could have that could be on our September 14th agenda. >> Yes. >> I think the DEI committee is also hoping to come on the September 14th meeting if I'm >> great. Any other agenda items, folks? All right. I am now moving us back up to number six. And I I need to have a motion um for the board uh to go into executive session. Um and I I'll make the motion someone can second it. I'm going to make the motion for the board to go in executive session for purposes of um talking about the uh me memo of understanding orou >> memorandum. >> Well, I thank you be thank you. Um and I would like to invite the assistant superintendent,

132the superintendent um and Ken, I don't think Lori is on the call. Is that correct? >> That's my understanding. Yes. >> Okay. So, if um What about Beth? No, >> no, no. Because it's without them. >> She's on the other team, >> right? >> She's a major um major part of the work. Um so, >> can I have a second to that motion? >> I got Andrea. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Okay. Um all those opposed, abstain. The motion has carried to understand that when we come out of the executive session, we'll be making another motion. Now, Mark, how do I how do we how do you work your magic so that we can go into executive session? >> In theory, I'll push this button and it will put the

133board, Dr. Grineer, Susan, and Ken into your own breakout room. >> Okay. So, I um um push the button and let's see. Let's see where it takes us. >> So, it says join breakout room and that's what you need to click that. >> I'm Yay. >> Oh my god, it works. >> All right. All those in favor of the motion that's on the floor, which is to approve the proposed board of ed and GAOU, please signify by saying I. I >> I >> oppose. Abstain. The motion has carried. Andrea, >> before wait before you adjourn, I just wanted to make a comment. I'm going to be starting teaching my granddaughters who are going to be living in our house. >> We're going to go from two people living here to seven. >> Oh my god.

134>> Next Saturday. >> Wow. >> So I will be They start school August 31st. It's all online in DC and they with a new baby and both parents working full-time, they were overwhelmed. So, I'm going to be teaching again. And the difficult part is that our >> one is 90% um Spanish immersion and the other is 5050 in first grade. >> Wow. >> So, I also have to relearn my Spanish. >> Good for you. >> Good luck to you. >> So, that's why when Yeah. When I saw that we weren't having a meeting till September 14th, I was very excited. >> Rita, that's not how it came off. It looked like you wanted that meeting. >> I know. >> No, I was really happy. >> Andrea, we're motion to adjourn. >> I have a second.

135>> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? >> Microphone's on. Motion. Motion has carried and uh guys, >> good luck. >> Thank you all >> everybody. >> So Mike went >> Mike, are you gonna send that to me? Where are you? You keep moving. >> Yeah, I'll send you the minutes as soon as I get them in the morning. >> Okay. And then we'll I'll sign it and return it. >> Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah. Uh and Kim, uh you'll sign it. >> Yes. >> All right. >> We'll send it to you. I'll see you Wednesday I'll see you Wednesday morning. >> Okay. Bye everyone. Goodbye. >> Good luck. >> Thanks. >> Night Mark. >> Good night.