001Yeah. >> All right. Um I am going to make a motion call to order um for the special meeting for the uh board of ed. Andrea, would you be willing to take notes for the small stuff for me? >> Absolutely. >> Thank you, my love. Okay. So, I've just called the meeting to order at 5:18 and I am going to make a motion that we are going to go into executive session for purposes of discussion of the of the new super or the contract for the new superintendent. Can I have a second? >> A second. I >> I got Liz or Jane. >> Whichever one you put down first. >> Liz, >> ask him who she wants to invite. >> And then I'm going to Thank you, Mark. I'm going to invite I'm going to
002in that motion I'm going to ask that Lori and Ken Knight join us for purposes of this discussion. >> So actually that should be the motion. Andrea >> with the invite to Lori and Ken >> sign button >> and then Liz, >> I'm going to have you continue to second that. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor of going into the executive session for the board of ed in purposes of talking about the new superintendent contract with the invite for Lori and and Ken. All those in favor, please say I. I >> oppose. [Music] >> Abstain. That motion is carried. Caitlyn, I just need to make sure that either Jay, probably Jay, needs to be able to have screen share >> when you put us into the group. All right, make your magic,
003Kate. Okay, we got um so Jay, >> I make a motion that we authorize uh Kim Shepardson Watson, the chair, to present um our contract uh offer as discussed in executive session. >> Seconded by Liz. Any discussion? All those in favor please say I. >> I >> opposed abstain. The motion is carried. Can I have a motion for German for the special uh meeting for the board? >> So move. >> All right. I'll second. >> Please say. >> You all I >> abstain. Motion is carried. We have now at >> that motion. Uh I think Lee and then Dean >> I'll I'll take a second. >> We now have our parliamentarian online. Joan is here. So she can now direct us from here on. >> Right. >> Well, let's see if she's taught me. Well,
004so um it is my honor and privilege to uh start the board of education uh committee of the whole meeting November 16th and at 6:03 in the I was gonna say in the morning and that >> it's been a long not okay. >> It has been a long day. Um Kate, I just want to let you know that Rosemary had um told me that she was going to be um entering our meeting late. So just anticipate that she if she is not here she is going to be here momentarily. >> Okay. >> Um and so my first order of business >> Okay. Thank you. Um I take approval for the board of ed um committee the whole meeting minutes of November 9th 2020. Can I have a second or the first and a second? Lee
005second. >> Yes. Liz, any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor of accepting of the minutes of the committee of the whole November 9th, 2020, please say >> I obtain. >> Oh, what's the other word? When I do it out of order, I don't remember. >> Opposed. >> Any opposed? Hearing none, we have moved on. Please by the good universe. Dr. Grineer, update on budget planning, please. Yeah, I I I've uh I I briefed uh Jay a a little bit because we're getting ready for a meeting on the 7th of December, but I I just wanted I wanted the board to know that Susan, Ken, and I sometimes uh with with Lori, we're we're actually working our way through the whole budget book and we're we're trying to make sure we capture it's a little
006bit well, it's a lot of bit uh different this year because of the the the whole pandemic. Uh but I I I I think we're we're in good shape. We're we're we're capturing there were there were some expenses that you know of like part-time custodians that we've added this year uh which we anticipate taking out next year, but we're we're we're kind of working our way through. And I I think by the time uh the the the the principles are going to turn in their site budgets to Ken on uh a a week from uh a week from today. >> Yep. >> Uh and and so we'll have the site budgets done. I anticipate we'll we'll pretty much have a working draft for the committee, Jay, on the 7th. And then uh the committee will
007kind of look at at least the initial plans and then on the 14th I was hoping to kind of get into a little bit of detail at least at the object code level the kind of the balcony view uh with the CO on on the 14th and then then kind of making a semi-public presentation at least at a board on u on on the superintendent's budget while I'm still superintendent. So, but we're in good shape. We're we're moving along. And as you can imagine, uh with with Ken, uh we've got lots of good information and we're tracking last year's progress with this year and factoring in the pandemic. It's it's a bit it's a bit complex. Uh but we're in pretty good shape and we're actually in we think we're in very good shape, by
008the way, with the the health insurance. So, we're we're we we'll make the we'll make the presentation. I I just wanted you to know that's kind of been a real focus of of my work the last last couple of weeks. >> Dr. Geneer and I'm and also probably Ken. So, how are we going to budget for the fact that our health I would assume our health account will probably be very different next year because there's been so many things that have been pushed off because of COVID um that I you know how are we um how are we planning on that? >> You want to take crack at that? I I've got my own ideas. >> Sure. uh we have not yet met with M typically what we do is in December we meet with
009our uh our health insurance uh agent uh MDG and we uh discuss um and we get numbers from Anthem as far as a renewal. Uh so we haven't done that yet. Uh we do anticipate doing that next month. uh we do think it's going to be a challenge because uh it's typically based upon the prior year and as we know the prior year is not not gone the way um it normally does and we can't expect the this this year and maybe even next year to act as we would normally expect it to act. So uh so currently we our health insurance reserve is is higher than what we uh budgeted higher than what we want. Uh but we also expect that um there's going to be a catchup at some point uh with um
010uh some of these uh procedures that have been put off. U so we expect some sort of a you know increase um we don't know when that's going to happen dependent upon a lot of things. Uh so it's very difficult uh to to determine in a normal year where we think that uh health insurance reserve is going to land. This year will be uh uh uh more more difficult. Uh so we're just going to have to make some assumptions and move forward from there. My my short answer, Kim, is that I I think we probably want to have more. We we we've always kept about at least 10 15% about one and a half million dollars. U I would anticipate we we will need more. the the reserve will be more than normal and I
011think we need to leave in more than normal, but we'll we'll still I I believe the the board will still be able to tap uh potentially some of the some of the health insurance reserve and then and leave a a kind of like a little supplemental maybe not so little a supplemental amount be because as as as Ken pointed out today, not only are people not doing some of these procedures But hospitals and facilities are are not as open as as as they used to be. Um although there are certain members of the board who got in anyway and had major surgery and it's good to see your face, Lee. But anyway, that's my answer. I think we probably want to leave a a a good a good cushion in the reserve which could go
012away pretty quickly when when things normal. I just think that that is just really good information for all of us to hold. Not not that Lee has had major surgery, but she did have major surgery and look how well she looks. I couldn't even pull that off. She had her she had hip surgery not even a week ago or less than a week ago. So um for her to be um doing what she's doing is just amazing. Um, but I I just think that when we think about budgeting and thinking about what's kind of going on to keep as much as we can. Yes. Um I because I I who knows what's going to fly for us next year. I mean, we didn't plan on >> Yeah. A worldwide pandmic. >> We had just approved
013our budget. We had just approved our budget for this year when when everything went down. Any other questions for Dr. Grineer or things that you would want him to be thinking about um as he uh gives us um as he prepares a budget for us to then um work on starting in January. >> I I will give you one little bit of >> Yeah, >> go ahead. I >> I'll give you a little bit of of of good news. Um I don't know if I put it I don't think I put it in my board notes. We were very nervous that the impact aid because of the pandemic, we wouldn't get the forms back. In fact, we're only getting 10% of them back at the high school, which could have cost the town in excess
014of a million dollars easily. Uh, Representative Courtourtney put in a bill uh that would allow us to use last year's figures, us and all the other other districts in the country. Uh, use last year's enrollment figures for this year's impact aid. Uh, it it went to the House and it was passed by unanimous consensus. It went to the Senate last week and it passed by unanimous consensus. And I just got to note that if the president doesn't sign it, it becomes law in 10 days whether he signs it or not. So I I I would I would have no reason to expect that the president would would veto the bill since it passed unanimously in the House and the Senate. But hopefully on the 23rd uh I'll be able to report that we in fact
015uh will use last year's numbers which actually gave us a a a good give us a town a good amount of impact aid. So that's it's kind of a a real I think we we avoided. >> Yeah. >> Good news. Good news. >> Very good. >> So that's it for me. Any other questions for Dr. Grineer? >> All right, moving on to the review of residency verification. I don't know if Susan or you want to talk about this. This actually kind of came from >> Jay um as well. >> Well, it's a very good question. It's actually when we review residency, it's a three-pronged process that we actually have in place. Um the first is there's an annual review of powers school where parents have to um actually review their data and confirm that their
016residency holds. Um the second tier is that um we have a structure in place for examining um residency especially when it comes to some of our higher special ed needs that are out of district placement and also with our magnet schools. So there's a confirmation in that and we keep really close track communicating with the magnet schools, communicating with the parents and communicating with the outplacements. So, we keep a close eye on that and I will actually take responsibility in working with Denise Doolittle and the finance staff that she has available to really review all those records. And then the third is that policy committee has talked about re-examining the current policy and you received that as attachment too. It's policy 5112.2 too. And there were some there have been some things that have come
017to my attention in the initial um registration process and we're also going to be going online soon. So, we want to make sure that everything is carefully laid out for this process. So, um the policy committee will be bringing this to the board. Um, I think it's a a New Year's kind of resolution where I'd love to be able to start looking at this very closely um in January and um we'll go from there. But I just wanted you to know there are structures in place and I will oversee those and make sure that um we are very careful. We also have used um committees at the school level crisis teams when we think a child is not living where they originally said they were living and that gets examined and we use community policing
018and other community services to help support us in finding out where children are and where they live and where they lay their head. That's the important part about residency. Any questions? >> Jay, >> so you you may all recall that this this started because in Norwich the superintendent up there discovered that they really didn't have the policies and procedures in place and so she hired someone to actually >> investigate and um so this all started to see you know what are our policies. I I think it's safe to say even before we dig any further that we're not in the same position that they were in uh with regard to you know she admitted they didn't have things in place and so obviously we already have things in place and we're looking into it further.
019uh you know someone had asked me are are we going to hire someone you know to be an investigator because Norwich saw millions of dollars in savings and um um I this is just the beginning of of that process whether we even would need to go you know that far. It already sounds like we're head and shoulders above where they were when she came in. And so that's what just spurred this whole conversation, >> right? And in order to save millions of dollars, there must have been some outside placements or magnet school um information that wasn't correct. So I can see that that would be able to make a really big savings. So, just know that I am going to be reviewing all of that very carefully and um reviewing the policy and making sure
020that we, you know, are really safeguarding not only once kids are here, but when they come to us to make sure that they are where they say they are and where they live. That's really important. >> Thank you. Any other questions about that enrollment projections for the Thes River and Mystic River Magnet Schools because they now have been named. >> Yes. So, you may remember that I did my um my sketchy math, my my math, you know, assuming that everybody would roll over the way we assumed they would roll over and kind of figured out how those numbers would um work out per grade level, per school. But there's more that we can do about it. Actually, Mike and I have talked to um Mike Zuba who did a lot of work with preparing that
021preferred plan and there are some specific information that um we've been able to give him regarding our our rollover and our data so that he can do a little better job fine-tuning. Um we actually put a call out to him. Mike and I discussed this today and so I'm going to be speaking with him tomorrow morning and um just double-checking to see what needs to be in place. What can we do to get a better estimate on these numbers because I think it could be a case of efficiencies for us um in our schools if we have a better handle on what we're seeing as numbers. And of course, because these two schools are partially funded by our um state department that we really want to make sure that we have 604 students in each
022of the schools, preK through five. So that's really important. It starts with the neighborhood schools and then with the five magnet schools, we'll be having kids move from school to school depending on how they sign up for the lottery and how they're drawn. So, I think the more information we can have ahead of time, the more efficiencies we'll be able to see in the future. Any questions on that one? Just another math problem to solve. I'm so I'm so glad you're the math person because there was a reason I was a social studies teacher for 30 plus years. >> Mike was a a a English teacher, but he likes math, too. And so does Ken and so does Lori. So we're we make a good team. >> You're lucky. I I gave up my checkbook.
023>> So any other questions about the enrollment? Once again, um I think that the board should just be used to like we need to be talking about the elementary schools all the time. This kind of blends us into sort of what Dr. Grineer was talk his agenda topic, but also about the neighborhood. We just is how we going to fund the magnet programs on, you know, because now we're going to have five elementary magnet um programs. And I I am still haunted by the conversation that Jay raised a couple years ago when we realized that we did not have enough monies in our budget to help um our our magnet themes um for Northeast and for um Katherryn Kowski. And so I think it I think it does us to kind of have that conversation
024and and get a sense from the board about what we're thinking about that as well. Mike or Susan? >> Yeah, I'm sorry. I thought I thought you were we're I thought we were still talking on the other. So, the the the budget the budget planning is I I was saying to Susan today that we're going to do a little bit of reverse uh reverse planning here. Uh start with the end in mind. So, we're gonna we're gonna have a lottery. Uh, you know, the school well, we we had a wonderful topy off ceremony today, uh, where we we said to, uh, to the to the folks who came to the ceremony that the school is going to open in September, which is really very exciting. This this this three-story building that's that's going up like
025unbelievably quickly. Um, so I I I I mentioned to Susan that we will probably have a lottery let's say at the end of m mid mid to late April uh for these these schools. So then moving moving back we obviously we have to explain to people that we have five magnet schools now. Kathern Konowski is a fairly well-developed um well very welldeveloped Northeast Academy. I think people understand the nature of the performing arts magnet. Um but we have these three schools coming online. We have the three themes. We have one faculty uh yet Charles Barnum faculty is is actually starting to think about it. And then we have the two new faculties yet yet to be determined but we do have the two principles. So, I think what we need to do fairly soon is
026get working. And we we've got Susan and I have some ideas and uh we're we're going to we're going to talk about maybe maybe as soon as u the month of December to get people working at least under a stipended curriculum type thing to start working with the three the the three schools well with the three principles uh to develop the theme as as Susan was saying today. We probably want to start advertising this like in January. >> Uh which which means you have to have something called uh the Discovery Academy. We have to explain to people what that means. If if I'm not going to have my child go to my home school, but to go to a magnet school, we're going to need some work there. So, we're working on some staffing for
027that. and and then in the budget uh we we have allocated some funds actually each of the schools now is a magnet school. So we we're taking the the magnet funding that we had and we're spreading it over five schools. Um you know it's it's it's going to be it's going to have to be a decision by the board uh to to to pull off. We'll talk about themes River Magna School. Fames River probably will want to have um a project O connection. It will probably want to have a New England science and sailing. Uh there are a number number of things a play engine ingenuity school perhaps we'd want to have a relationship with the aquarium or mystic seapport or both. And those programs are going to take some money. So we're going to
028have to take take a a real look at the budget in that way. But at least I I just wanted the board to know we're we're thinking and trying to allocate personnel like almost immediately because o over the next today the 16th uh o certainly over the next two months we we really need to put meat on on on the on the bone here of what these magnet schools look like. And I think we're off we're off to a rel relatively good start and by hopefully by next week we'll come to you with a plan. Susan and I have been working, >> but there's >> we have a we have a timeline because we know that it's really important to find out who's retiring in the district. And so, we've worked with Beth on that.
029Um, and to to make sure our staff has a survey that they can demonstrate their preferences so that we can really get a handle on that. Um because I think once they're in place then that work can absolutely they're going to be very enthusiastic I know to be doing that work. So So we're talking about like in a couple weeks having someone who is going to start having very long hard God I'm sounding like Dr. Grineer having really long thoughts about about the magnet about the magnet school program. >> Yes. All three. >> All three of them. And so the stipen, where is that coming from? >> Well, it can it can come in in in the short term. We we we do have some curriculum development money. It c it could also come u
030we we we still I I I I think we've we've allocated a fair amount of the the um corona relief fund, Ken. Right. That that that that's sort of gone. Um, but the way we've structured the Corona Relief Fund, we believe there's going to be some money. I'll let Ken talk to this. Um, because I don't want to make projections uh that don't come true, but in the spring, Ken, when you when you take out the subs and the other sorts of things that we've done, where do you think we are? Yeah, it's possible that uh there might be some uh additional funding there to to fund that, but we do have some funds available to us under curriculum development because everything we did everything Susan did in her group over the over the summer
031to get ready for this year. Um it's centered around the the you know distance learning and that type of thing. So we were able to charge off all of that to the to the corona relief fund. I think we've really tried to look at those grants for their purposes and we've been able to take a lot of those funds that would normally come from an operation budget but because of the Corona virus we've been able to use CARES Act and the Corona relief fund. I think the board's going to see uh a as we go into the into the new year into 2021 that a good a good portion I don't want to exaggerate but I think there's going to be a good portion of of funds uh that has been protected the operational funds
032so that there'll be some little bit of flexibility as we go through the spring and but but of course God only knows what's going to happen in the spring so I I I don't want to I don't want to blightly promise uh some funds, but we've we've used all the funds that we possibly could have legally uh to to uh to to kind of protect the operational budget and we have a car's act coming up which has some funding but but limited frankly. So in the budget that we're going to see in January, we're going to see where there's going to be someone >> Yes. >> on some level planning around each of the new magnet schools. Is that correct? >> Yes. Exactly. >> Okay. >> And it may be a shared responsibility as well.
033Well, in other words, there might be a person that takes care of a couple of schools, but yes, the there'll be somebody who's going to facilitate and manage the coordinate the the magnet theme. >> Any questions from the board around this? >> Mike? >> Yes. >> Susan, just quick question. are we um kind of putting off to the side for a year or two um pursuing the the PYP for a connection >> at least for next year. >> I think I kind of thought >> that would require a big DoD grant that would require funding source beyond the district source. >> I thought so. I just wanted >> painful it's a painful yes. It's a painful yes, but >> but I think we heard loud and clear that we've got a lot on our shoulders
034right now. You know, never mind the pandemic, but the graten 2020 unfolding completely. So, I think it's worth taking that time. >> Absolutely. Totally agree with you. >> Before I move um to the next, this is a regular committee of the whole meeting. Joan, this is where I might need your help, but I am just wondering what is not on here, and I'm remiss on this, is any conversation about sort of current sort of updates on the COVID um and distance learning. Not to spend a lot of time, but just like an update and I don't know um if that is Joan, I can do that with twothirds vote. Is that correct? >> That is my understanding. >> Right. Dean, do you do Dean, your experience with the town council, is that correct? As as
035far as you know, >> yeah, I would concur. I think in a two-thirds vote. >> It's a regular meeting, so you you can add it. >> Yeah. So, um I'm in favor of just adding to get some update on sort of what's happening in terms of the COVID uh numbers and also just um distance learning and going into the holidays. Um can I um that's my motion. Can I have a second to that? >> Second. >> Thank you, Dean. Um any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor of adding um asking for an update on the COVID stuff um stuff. How's that for being technical? Um >> uh >> situation >> update regarding the COVID response. How's that? >> The COVID response. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. It
036looks like the motion has carried. All right. So, we'll have that um we'll have that after the uh three the three elementary schools because I think I think we're done. I think that that's where where we are. Sorry, I have a cat that thinks that she needs to eat and so she's going to like be in my face and until that. So, I'm going to be right behind you guys. Um but Dr. Grineer, can you um start? This is really life preservation for me because if I don't do it, she actually attacks me. So, It's a health and safety. >> So, what what I the reason I was happy to see this on the agenda is because we we've spoken about the three schools that are about to be closed in end of June. Claude
037Chester, SP Butler, and Mary Morrison. Uh and they will be consolidated into the two new elementary schools. Um, but the board has yet to actually vote on what the disposition is going to be for the schools. So, do you want to you want to explain a little bit, Jay? What? because we we we pursued this in some detail at the finance facilities meeting um about what what uh what we thought should happen and uh and I just want to see if we could have maybe a more in-depth conversation here. >> Well, I think we started with the recommendation of um Sam. >> Yes. and yourself that looking at the three schools, uh, my recollection was that SB Butler is going to need a new roof, >> about $900,000, >> right? And so, um, because of
038that, um, you know, it was thought that that would not be the one to to hold on to. Um, >> it's also the oldest, it's the oldest one and probably the one most in need of repair, >> right? and and maybe >> maybe the least flexible. I'm not sure in terms of >> floor plan, but the the problem that that Sam brought up with um Claude Chester. So, what we want to accomplish uh that we discussed at the meeting was we we need at least a temporary place for robotics um in addition to swing space u and you know in case we have some huge bump in enrollment. Um, and the problem with Claude Chester is Sam is not uh confident that the the floor in that auditorium would would hold the uh the weight
039of of the robotics equipment. And so that leaves um Mary Morrison um as the one that that could potentially house robotics for some time and allow us to have a little bit of breathing room if if we need to reconfigure uh due to enrollment. That was what I took from >> Yeah. No, I think that's exactly right. >> I'd like to add that that swing space is going to be really important. I think we've gotten the good news that electric boat has won the contract for the Columbia class submarines >> and that means that it could be a bump in our economy and in our enrollment and all kinds of positive things. So to have a Mary Morrison there for the future, one of the things this board has talked about all along is to
040maybe house an early childhood center. Um, and that could be a space that's really kind of centralized that we could do that in the future. So I think um you know saving the Mary Morrison which is probably the best of the three >> um as far as you know keeping for um the schools >> and having that option you know in we just don't know we don't have a crystal ball what this could look like and I would just say that would really safeguard us as a district. So, I would definitely say that um that would be a useful purpose, >> right? >> There there's a a a project slated for the the um school um the the old school off of Route 12. I can't think of the name right now. Not PV. >>
041Yes, for uh residential housing. And that would be close to that. Yeah. >> And I think there's other um condos that are going up in between um Charles Barnab Morrison. >> Can I um I'll recognize Andrea and then I'll recognize um Liz. >> Uh Sam, it seems to me that we've had long conversations about the parking lot at Mary Morrison being dangerous and the capital budget keeps getting it keeps getting cut from there. Are we do you have any plans for that or do you have any suggestions about that or concerns about it? >> That was one of the other items that we discussed at the finance facilities committee meeting uh uh regarding that school uh in and having it closed. But uh I don't have any hopes that the uh until we decide if
042if we needed to open it up again, we we would certainly need to do something about that. But that that that cost of that would be uh far less than a new roof at SB Butler and any other work that might need to be done at SB Butler for instance. >> Let me can I ask a followup? Well, what about in terms of the floor at Claudchester? It would it be more than that, less than that? I don't I don't really know uh exactly what uh Claude Chester would cost uh if it were deemed to be um uh in need of greater repair. Uh as as you know uh last year we had an engineer come in uh 10 years ago when Wes was here. had uh uh made some repairs on the beams and
043it was uh scheduled uh to be looked at again after those 10 years and and Wes texted me to let me know those 10 years were up and that's why we had the engineer come in. They came in uh they gave us recommendations on what to do to uh uh to repair the beams again um because they did deteriorate to a certain degree. Uh and so we did that again. But um when you start talking about um putting the weight of uh uh there are very large uh pieces of equipment, milling machines etc that the robotics uses. Um you put that plus the vibration of th that equipment and so on on that gym floor. I' I'd be concerned without having a professional engineer come in and actually take a look at it and do
044a very thorough study regarding that gym floor. What what I meant was I guess I I guess you are telling me no, you don't know. You know, in terms of cost, parking lot, gym floor. >> Uh well, I I I would say that a gym floor if it if it were in greater need of a repair would be far more than the parking lot work. Yes. >> Thank you. Okay. Thank you, >> Liz. >> Susan, just um clarify for me. When you say early childhood center, is that prek K1 or preKK or just some >> really thinking of preschool prek? >> Preschool prek. Okay. >> But I think we'd have to define what our needs are at that time, you know. Um but I think reserving that building um you know in case um we
045needed it and there was a a boom, which would be wonderful. um you know we would have a place for our kids so we'd be prepared. >> All right, Kim >> Jean. Absolutely. >> Yeah. So, as I understand it, it looks like we we would be keeping Mary Morrison for one one or another purpose. Uh we would have no further use for Butler, no further use for Claude Chester. And so those will be what? Turned over to the town for the town to do what they wanted to do. >> Yeah. >> Allesely. Okay. Yes. >> Uh because as as you all know, people have have raised this all the time. Every town we try to, you know, get a referendum through. You know, we keep collecting these abandoned buildings or these old buildings. We don't
046use them for schools anymore. You know, let's can we clean that inventory up before we go building new buildings. So, uh I was always in favor of having what looked like at least a a a proposal for how do we, you know, how do we move the inventory? Not that we have control over anything. You know, if we wanted to sell the Butler site and nobody wanted to buy it, you know, I mean, we can't control that. But you know it always it seems to people from the outside that you know we we collect these buildings and then we don't seem to to move them along. U so and I know there's reasons for each one of them but uh that you all know the impression you know that that you know we wind up
047giving uh when we do this. >> So Dean I think it was either last year or the year before that um the board of ed met with the town council and the education committee. Actually, this is around our budget um time period. And we did have a discussion about coming up with a process. I can't I can't pull it all from my head, but coming up with a process of what do we do when we've abandoned those buildings, right? >> Oh, yeah. We had a little chart. >> Yeah, we did. So, it it exists somewhere. So, we've we actually have a much better chart. So, it's not so something just doesn't go in limbo. I think Pleasant Valley speaks to me speaks to that where like it it was um there was some kind of
048back and forth between what we needed, what they needed, um etc. And and so finally it's it's done with. But um I'm hoping that in the spring we can really begin to have conversation with um the town council and the RTM to say this is coming. This is what we want to keep. We're going to keep ownership of this building and then um this is so that you guys know so you can make a plan. I mean, we will have to vote on it anyways, but so that they can make a plan about what they want to do with that. >> Right. Right. Thanks. >> Yep. Absolutely. My my question is um is if we if if we continue on as the recommendation that's from the from the superintendent, but that also backed by the
049finance um committee is do how do we like we have to continuously have kids in there, right? because if not then we would have to sort of do work to kind of get it back into code. Am I making sense? >> Yeah, you are. >> Yeah, it it it wouldn't I'll let Sam weigh in. But if you wanted like a year or two from now to do swing space, uh you would probably have to do some code upgrades. Is that fair to say, Sam? I'm I'm not sure that we would have to do code upgrades, but we'd certainly have to keep the building up to par. Um, you know, keep heating the building, so on and so forth. We wouldn't mothball it. That's for sure. >> Jay, >> and robotics would would move there from
050Pleasant Valley. Uh, so there'd be a tangential uh educational purpose to the building, right? >> Yes. and and and presently uh we we're we're uh providing the uh heat and electricity for Pleasant Valley while robotics is there and so we would just move that money to Mary Morrison say uh and keep that keep the heat going electricity and so on and if uh if it were deemed that uh an early childhood program want if you wanted to get one started in that building there there's a wing of that building that could be used uh alongside uh robotics being in the cafeteria possibly. So, >> my my concern is um if and I'll be quiet I'm asking a lot of questions tonight and I apologize about that but so so Susan let's say we we get
051Mary Morrison and um we we move robotics because we have we have made this sort of verbal promise um to robotics that we would have them we they would get they would find a space we they would get a space but um is it possible that the space that they would use um interfere if we needed it for swing space and then what do we do? >> I don't think so and I wouldn't think that we would need that swing space anytime soon. I think we're talking after you know four or five years if if we should um you know increase that enrollment. So I don't think this is something that would happen in the next year or so. So, I don't think there would be any problem with that, especially since the um robotics
052team, you know, does their work after school and so and and they would secure that whole area in the gymnasium cafeteria, but there's plenty of other space, you know, for a different program as well. >> Oh, I I I got it about a different program. I guess my push back is is that if all a sudden we needed it as an elementary school um and in six years, >> yeah, >> we've retrofitted a a a portion of the building that we would need for gatherings. Dr. Grineer. Yeah, I was going to say if you if you really wanted it to become a fully functioning elementary school, robotics would have to go and we'd we'd be back to what we were trying to do last year before they allowed us to use Pleasant Valley. we we'd
053be out in the community trying trying to find a place with appropriate square feet like some sort of industrial, you know, we we we we started to poke around about that and then uh John Bert uh indicated we could just stay there for a year. So, you know, as Dean says, the the town the town has these properties and uh they've been quite cooperative. So, you know, that would be a that would be a good problem to have if if if we literally needed another another three or 400 children in our school system. But yeah, I mean, robot robotics would have to move someplace. >> I'm not trying to borrow trouble, but I just >> Yeah. Uh, Kim. >> Yes, Jay. >> I also thought I'd mention um since we're on the subject of vacant
054buildings and that sort of thing. I heard that Community Health Center is actually in Pleasant Valley now as of today doing COVID testing. >> Yes, they are. >> In the parking lot. Not in the building. >> Oh, in the parking lot. Okay. All right. >> They went through the town and through me and and Sam is providing a little bit of custodial. >> Well, they have a key to the building and so they their their folks use the bathroom. That that's the extent of it. >> Oh, okay. All right. Well, that's a good use. >> Yeah. Oh, it's a wonderful use. >> Any uh more conversation about that? >> The only thing I'm going to say is that it would be it would be helpful on the 23rd if we could we could put this
055on for a vote. uh because we we it seems like we've been talking about it for a really long time and and I I think the board uh it would be helpful for the board to say this these are the our intentions and we write a letter to the town saying we it's it's it's the intention of the board to to retain Mary Morrison for robotics and swing space a and then to turn over to the town. And I'll dig out that chart, Kim, you're right. We we articulated a whole thing. Well, you know, we don't have anything else happening on on this week's meeting. Just, you know, voting as superintendent, our leadership, there's nothing going on. Um, is there information um that board members need to have before we take that vote on those
056three bu buildings? I know, Dean, that you might feel like you are behind the curve a little bit on this, but I think your background on town council kind of is probably pretty helpful. But is there any other information that you feel that Dr. Grineer needs to or Susan need to provide um so that we or do we feel like we have enough information and have had enough discussion that we can make a vote on that we're going to be closing those three elementary schools? Actually, we're going to be closing two elementary schools and keeping in our possession. Mary Morrison, >> uh what I would ask is has there been any I mean I know that was done once with the Noank school. there was a reuse committee to determine what the community feeling was
057with respect to keeping the building in some form if it's no longer going to be a school. Is there any community sentiment with respect to these buildings? Um, you know, so we're closing the buildings. That's been known for, you know, we're not going to be using them as schools. It's been known for a long time. Has anybody said, you know, we really need this building for this purpose or that purpose or another purpose? Uh, in other words, are if we decide to close two and keep Mary Morrison, are we flying in the face of of some large sentiment going the other way? >> Well, I think it's ultimately our decision as a board which one for educational purposes, which building to keep, >> right? >> I I guess I guess you're right in that sense.
058It's probably the town's problem, not our problem so much. But uh >> yeah, I mean I don't know whether just just for giggles has anybody heard anything you know we should keep this school for this reason. >> I I I I can tell you number of people because of Codchester's central location have said to me, boy, wouldn't that be a great place for a community center? >> Yeah, I can imagine that. >> And and of course the fields people >> right >> say, wouldn't that be a great place to expand fields, knock the building down and and do do a field? And the and the same thing, frankly, with SB Butler, a lot of people have said it's a, you know, it's a nice residential area. It'd be great to have another another couple of
059fields there if we could put those in. But but in answer to your question, this does not fly in the face of of of anything that I know of. the the only the only folks who said to me they were somewhat disappointed were the robotics people because they would really like to have uh SB Butler, but I explained to them it'd be a $900,000 investment that I really don't think that the town would be making. But other than that, I I think the the uses are completely up to the town. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yay. >> Jason, can you remind me, Sam? I know that Claude Chester has had the asbestous abatement. Did uh Mary Morrison go through that process? >> Mary Morrison did. Yes. Uh SB Butler has not. >> Okay. See,
060that's another thing. >> Yeah. >> Is the asbesus abatement at Butler. >> Yeah. Yeah. That >> not cheap. >> Right. >> Thank you. >> Not to not to mention the police firing range that's in the basement with the lead. Maybe I should mention it. >> Well, one one bright spot, if I can jump in, one bright spot is if you've done as best as remediation, uh, would demolition costs go down? >> Yeah. Oh, significantly. Yes. >> Right. >> Have to be abated. And the and the and the state paid for half of the abatement cost. >> Any other questions? I am going to just move to the uh the agenda item that we voted on which is just the upset uh the upset. Yeah, last last word the update on the COVID response. Well, I
061I actually I'll let Susan talk about the the the distance learning and everything, but I I I wrote a note and and the director of Ledger Health District called me this evening, Steve Mansfield, and I said u uh that we were considering like a lot of people were concerned with either the infections spreading particularly after Thanksgiving or if people are going to leave the state and you know they're essentially free to do that and in virtually every state that surrounds us uh if if you spent the weekend there with family uh they would either have to test out uh with a three-day test or or or stay self quarantined for 14 days. So I said to him, you know, there's there's that concern. uh and he said that he spoke to the department of public
062health today and they did not see that there was significant spreading of of the virus uh at least in schools and so the department of public health does not see that as as a significant problem and therefore would not recommend it. But he did say that there are several school districts in the area that are having a really a hard time. I think Waterford and and New London, I mean Waterford and East Lime, uh he indicated we're going to close for two starting starting tomorrow uh for the two weeks prior well this week and prior to Thanksgiving because they're having trouble with staff and and I think you know staffing the buildings. Uh I I think that's that's probably well I mean please God the virus doesn't spread into the schools but the more the
063more likely scenario frankly is I got a phone call from the high school principal today and they had uh no extra staff. They had everybody who could possibly cover a class was co covering a class. uh if if we have another we had another uh case in one of the schools and and we needed to quarantine three or four teachers, we we couldn't open the school. That that's true for all the schools. There are no subs available. All the subs we have are the ones that we employ sort of permanently. So that we would uh we we may we may want to what I said to what I said to Steve Mansfield was that I would call him on Friday. We're going to I'm going to monitor he and I are going to monitor the
064the the infection rate carefully. So I'll give you a couple of scenarios. One scenario that I heard today is that maybe we would close for the week after Thanksgiving which would which would mean the children would leave on the 24th. They would of that is to say the Tuesday there would be some instruction on Wednesday but not in person. Um, so the in-person class will leave on the 24th and the children would come back on the 7th. That would give us a 12-day break if if if we took if we switched to remote learning for the week after Thanksgiving. Some districts are switching to two weeks after Thanksgiving, which would be from November 24th to to December 14th. That would give us 19 days. And of course that counts weekends, but that's a you know
065that's a a pretty significant in terms of uh in terms of seeing if the infection rate is going forward. And then with Christmas, Christmas itself is a is a is a 12-day break. Um, so I think at this point, one is we're we're monitoring the infection rate. Two is we're monitoring the staff. And uh I I I have a feeling that we the problematic issue of having sufficient staff to run the schools in person. That that may be our our you know, our biggest obstacle frankly. And you know, like like I say, if there's a case and two or three people uh I think people are doing, you know, I I I I don't want to appear cavalier. I think the schools are doing a great job. People are wearing masks literally 100% of of
066the time, including the prek children, including all the special ed kids that I know of. U the teachers are wearing the masks. you know, I I think I think our mitigation strategies seem to be working quite well. Um, but as you know, there's infections in the community and every time we get an infection, uh, you know, it's it's almost almost universally it's from a family member. It's, you know, it's going rampant through families. So, you know, somebody some some kid gets it and then you find out that the kid's brother or sister has it and the parents and so so forth and so on. But we've we've tested well over 200 people at who were contacts and again not good. There has not been a single positive case reported to us. Not a single one.
067That is to say, you know, pe people are getting COVID, that's for sure. They're just not getting COVID in the schools. Uh, which leads me to I think our our our our biggest obstacle really is going to be staffing the schools. So, you know, I'm I I I'm I'm looking at the decision and I'll talk to Steve about it, Steve Mansfield, but uh if we took if we switched to remote learning for the week after, that gives us 12 days. And if during those tw during that 12-day period, if there seems to be significant problems with staff, I mean, we we we would know that. I mean, that'd be that'd be the good news. We would know we have more problems. So, maybe we would need a longer I mean, heck, some school systems are
068going out until the day after Martin Luther King Day, which is 37 days, and that that that seems somewhat excessive to me because we still hear kids do better. A lot of kids do better if they're in school. Uh, and some kids do great. A lot of kids do great w when they're home and remote learning. But uh I'll let Susan talk a little bit more about this, but my perception from talking to the principles is that if the kids come to school, especially if they're the kinds of kids who struggle with school normally, they they do better in person and they tend not to be particularly engaged when they're remote. But I'll let Susan talk for a while. Well, we we actually met with curriculum instruction council and Andrea Arian and Jane Gelina were
069with me to hear and um brought up the question, so how is it going with the hybrid model and what are you noticing? And you know, we've we've had lots of different responses, mostly that it is a lot of hard work. It's hard work on our teachers. We know it's hard work on our families um to have the hybrid when they're in some of the time and out some of the time. But the bigger concern is with full remote because we're seeing more disengagement and disconnectedness. And we've noticed now as we're getting ready to give out report cards and I've sent out a message to all of our families, elementary, middle school, and high school saying that we appreciate their support. You know, it really does take this partnership of us as educators and them
070as parents to be able to make sure kids are successful. and the best way they can be successful, attendance still matters whether it's remote or or whether it's in person and that they are doing their best work and they are getting their work done and um completing it in a timely manner. So while that sounds simple, we do have many children, I think I mentioned this last week, as many as 60 a week that are totally disconnected. That means they don't come on once. And we've noticed also that when schools go out for a week and then come back, there's like this transition period. So we might even be losing a few of those in between. So this is not an easy problem to solve. Um we and we do have our concerns and we
071really do need this partnership between home and school um now more than ever before. So that was kind of my takeaway. I didn't know if Andrea or Jane wanted to add to that. I do. I'm I'm going to propose something to the board that I talked to the curriculum council about today and it's a a radical thing to think about, but it is something to think about. And that is I I see a great deal of the problem being the inconsistency of of children who I'm in school some of the time, I'm not in school some of the time, and the teachers are are um addressing this, but nobody is looking at how do we how can we propose a a unified approach to this? And I'm suggesting that we go totally remote and have
072the teachers study perhaps from e from other districts um professional development how to engage children who are home all of the time because I think that the the real problem is that this inconsistency of I don't know what I'm doing and when I'm not in school oh well I'll watch TV or whatever I'll do And but if we knew that I have to get up in the morning and I'm going to be every day at home and this but it has to come from instruction from the staff. So that's something that I think we ought to be looking at. >> Just to remind we actually don't vote on that >> just that that we can take the recommendation from the superintendent, but it's not it's not our job to decide about if we're all in
073or all out. Well, I I understand that. What I'm saying though is that we should be looking at that as a as a district, not necessarily as a board. >> I I >> Thank you, Jay. >> Oh, I'm sorry, Jay. >> No, that's okay. I just >> Jay and Jane, >> um quick question. I know about 50 memos ago from the Department of Education, they said that even though it is the superintendent's call um that you still had to apply to the state to go out long term. Is that still does the commissioner actually have to approve that as well or >> I no I I don't think so. >> Okay. Although the commissioner both as I said in my board notes, the commissioner of education and department of public health um they they sent
074a pretty strong memo uh last week saying that they thought it was far better for the students to to be in school, you know, which of course is true. Uh and then the next day, basically every town in Connecticut became a red alert town. Uh so you know we're we're we're we're balancing and and and I think um we seem to we seem to be in a place uh right now that in terms of schools uh it's it's it's safe to to be in them. But, you know, we keep uh seems like we keep dancing around u what what may be if I follow the national picture. Um but no, Jay, it's it's it's the they they've the governor has left this up to superintendent. just what struck me today in listening to the teachers
075was first of all the layers of issues and concerns that the kids and families are having um a good deal of confusion a good deal of um just worrying and it's it's deep and difficult and what also struck me was the total dedication of the teachers they are they are working very hard together solving problems work with Susan it's amazing to watch and very concerning in terms of the children and the families >> hi I would say that's what we heard loud and clear is their priority. They know it's hard work for themselves, but their priority is their students. We heard from a kindergarten teacher who said that, you know, he knows that his students do better when they're in front of him and that he felt like when they went off to distance learning,
076he felt like he lost a few of them. So, and and they did mention the going back and forth might have something to do with that, but um I do feel like um you've just got to be careful in making the decision. And it's not an an easy decision to make. Um I can think of it one way one day and think, yes, this is the way we should go and another day we might think of it a little differently. And it really has a lot to do with what's happening in our community. Yeah, if I could have one more thing to say and that is that I'm not suggesting in any way that remote learning is better than being in the classroom, but I'm listen I also listen to the teachers who are you
077know trying to juggle different ways of of of addressing I've got to to to teach real people in front of me and then I've got to teach real people who are not in front of me. And I think that if we had one if we could get together and come up with one way of doing it and my suggestion is uh to do it totally remote for now. And that's that's my concern. I I don't in any way suggest that it's better than being in the classroom. >> The the other thing that we learned was you're right, the the hybrid is by far more difficult. But when when we I talked to a few of the principles who shifted to to full remote because of an infection uh there and lots of contact tracing and
078they said it was really remarkable that when they made the shift it it was so much easier. You know we've we we've gotten I don't want to brag about it but I think we we've gotten far better as it's you know if you compare it to the spring it's night and day. >> Yeah. uh we we uh we are much much better. We have better equipment. We have better software. And most of all, we we understand this this this distance learning uh far better than than we did. Um, you know, I think everyone is sort of holding on by their fingernails uh to try to keep kids engaged and and and we and I think we're learning lessons because as as as you you say about hybrid, 66% of the kids are not in front
079of you on any given day. And then the last feature I'll say is this, and I didn't know this until today. the the kids may be uh forcing our hand uh more than you know. There were only 166 kids who came to the high school today. Nor normally it's about 350 to 360 only 166 and remember they were out for two weeks. Uh, so there may be some kids who actually are following your advice, Andrea, and saying, "I'm I'm adjusting to this distance learning, and I'm sure there are kids who who are saying that, and I don't want I don't want to come in and out and in and out. It's driving me nuts. I'd rather I' I'd rather just be out and I can plan for that." Uh so that's another that that that's
080another you know data point that I'm I'm going to consider by by I I think by Friday, please God, I could deliver a a fairly articulate decision uh that the health people will be happy with and and educators will be happy with. >> I don't think anyone's going to be happy. I think that I think >> that's true. >> I just think that this is just a really hard there's no easy answers. There's not one answer that's going to make sense for everyone. >> Um, I just, >> you know, my heart goes out to the >> my heart goes out to the teachers who have to kind of do this balancing between what's going on. But, but my heart goes out to to the students and to their families who like they're at work and
081then they find out that on Friday they can't be at work because it is now full remote. And so um and and this I'm sure this back and forth doesn't help. And so I'm glad that there are some high school students who are who are saying this is just what's going to be easiest for me or it's going to be the most um most palatable for us. So I appreciate Dr. Grineer and Susan about the efforts that you the heavy thoughts on this because there is no there is no way to to paint this. Your idea, Andrea, is on the radar. >> Yes, it is. >> Thank you. >> So, that's >> all right. >> That's where we are in the middle of a pandemic, but we're building a building. >> True. Yeah, that's true.
082That's true. >> Um, review of the referral list, Kim. Yes. >> I thought the last time we did this, we had put on under the curriculum and instruction the review of the uh African-American Latino studies course. It was going to be presented to the board, I mean to the curriculum committee uh because the state just released their curriculum. So um and it's not here. So >> I think I think we where it got landed was that was going to be already on your agenda. Um, I think that that's where it landed, but we can absolutely put on the referral list. >> I really think it needs to be there personally. >> All right, not a problem. >> Anything is p um uh is going to come to the committee, but we'll we'll put it on
083there. John, >> yeah, >> is it it's a a review of the African-American Puerto Rican studies curriculum? Is it being is it being called Puerto Rican or is it called being called Latino? >> Uh >> or Hispanic. >> Maybe Hispanic. Uh >> Okay. Because >> Puerto Rican's too limiting. >> Yeah. >> Okay. We'll get the correct language, >> right? And and Susan, we're going to be doing that at the next curriculum committee. Correct. You've got that out. >> Yes, we can do that on the agenda. Okay. I I like Hispanic, Liz, because my family is from Barcelona and and I'm in as a Hispanic. Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. Other things about the referral list and or things that we want to talk about coming up. >> In that case, Well, next meeting
084is going to have some big votes, so that will be good. >> Right. >> In that case, Kim, are you ready? >> Motion to adjourn. >> Second by Liz. All those in favor? >> I abstain. The motion has carried. Good night. See you later, everyone.