6-14-21 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001Um it is June 14th and it's 2021 and at 6 o'clock and or 604 and I am starting the committee of the whole meeting for the Garten board of ed. Um and the first uh order of business is the approval of the committee of the whole meeting minutes of May 17, 2021. Um, and I would take a Thank you, Rosemary. Um, do I have a second? I've got Andrea, unless she is swatting flies. Is there any discussion? >> No. >> Hearing none, all those uh in favor of approving the meeting minutes of May 17th, 2020, all signify by saying yes. >> I yes, >> or whatever. may abstain and that has that that motion has carried. So, um we have actually a rather large meeting tonight. Um and so don't get worried about the all

002the different sort of um agenda items. I kind of the first two is um just to give us not not just necessarily an update but just to kind of orient ourselves to the the NYP and the NA the the NIA ask um because some of us have not been part um of that process before. I know Rita you and I have um and I think you've even done it before me as well. Um and so not you know to say how long you've been on or anything Rita um but um I just thought it was important for us to kind of name we we talk about those words a lot but this is sort of what that means to know that in the summer we're going to have um we're going to have a um

003we're going to have meetings really kind of dedicated to those things. Um so that is what that's the orientation for that. Um, and then, um, for the board to really kind of sink our teeth into the trans, um, I'm really sorry, but Katie has decided to find me for the first time today. Um, the transgender report. Um, and that I know that um, Jay, your your committee had been really working hard on the tuition for Iowa State students. Um, and then 7, eight, and nine are ones that we deal with on a on a regular basis. um specifically nine. That's the adjournment. So, don't be worried about how much stuff we have on there. And it's very meaty. Um but um I just felt like we needed to just kind of have a um just

004a planting about the NYP and the NEAS and then we're going to go into the trans um binder. So, um, Susan or Phil, would you take it away for the NYP? >> So, I actually briefed you on, um, in the update because I like to do that ahead of time. And when we looked, we had our MYP visit this spring. And when you, um, are going through this accreditation process, you know, there are certain standards that you have to meet. And so, Kathy Wilson um, has really been our coordinator. um her responsibility and um stipen is paid or her fee is paid for through the MSAP grant. We also have Leslie Forbes who's the humanities magnet coordinator and Amy um Murphy who has been the STEM magnet coordinator and the three of them really work

005together with administration into making sure that all of these pieces are in place in getting ready for the visit. It's really happened since we authorized that with our graten 2020 and this board of ed decided that we wanted to be an international baloria district with the my program from six to um 10th grade but I feel like and it just kind of came up to me in our last meeting on curriculum that this year with co we haven't brought Kathy back to the table she had come certainly in the beginning and shared they're actually getting ready the next step they've been doing unit planners together and collaborating getting some professional learning around that and we're going into a year where we're going to really have to look at assessment. So I really feel like the

006curriculum committee needs to be briefed to have a more in-depth look at that and what it looks like and then the CO. So we're looking to probably put some of those things into place um over the summer and into next year. So the committee like I had said in the briefing was very pleased and gave us many recommendations or many um approvals uh what what did I call it um commendations and then they also gave us recommendations and those recommendations because they'll be coming back in this accreditation process are really help us to focus on what is it that we need to tackle. So it basically is a self-study. The two of them are both self-study. So we examine and do a self-evaluation based on what are those objectives that need to be met. What

007do we need to have in place for the actual visit? And this process was very helpful to um interview people to see what was happening and um you know they spent it was all on Zoom. both both um of the visits were on Zoom. So people, you know, I met with both teams and with the my um you know, they gave us some good feedback and I think that we just need to do a deeper dive with the board so that you can have more information. So we will do that. Um the NEAS of course is New England Association of Schools and Colleges and they sent their collaborative team to us. We had done the self-study and I had mentioned that Amy McKenna and Carmeita Hajj were really took the lead on this and they

008really worked with the faculty at Fitch High School and I think the next steps are to really make it a K through 12 process so that we understand the vision of a graduate. We need to start thinking about it in prek. You know, what is that child as they enter our district? You know, what are those expectations and then what is the outcome when they graduate from Fitch? And we all kind of have to be on board in that process. So, um I know Phil is going to take a lead with this NIAS. He's actually been a um he's actually gone on visits and had visits himself. So, he's going to work closely with the team and um be able to bring back some more information to you um as we go through this. >>

009Just one thing, you know, um literally the uh the NEAS report was the first document I was handed as I walked in the door. >> I said, "Here's the nest plunge." >> Right. But I mean, Susan is right. I I've I've had my I had my my middle school uh went through the accreditation process. I've I was on committees. I've chaired committees. So, I understand the process. um uh very well um and so in um as Susan mentioned the most valuable there's a lot of valuable work to come from this obviously that's why we do it but a valuable part of the process has already happened which is that self-study and those of you who know the process I mean to be able to to look at yourself to be able to talk to all

010the all the stakeholders um you know administration parents students all that is really the important work and and the good what I what I'm hearing and what I'm reading in the report and hearing from from Ted Keller and the administration is that really there were no surprises that came out of this because they did such a thorough self-reflection. There were no surprises. I and I think the key as as Susan was starting to talk about was is that vision of the graduate um and then how how is that now going to permeate the district? How is that going to come down as as as Susan said from prek up now to lead to that vision? How our kids are going to leave uh are going to leave Graten. So um so you're right. I think

011we have to do a deeper dive and really look at it. I don't know how many of you have seen the report but um I don't know if you have to read the entire thing but perhaps you know um me along with the uh high school uh administrative team can provide some kind of cliffnotes version of it for you so you don't have to go through the whole thing but um it's a great you know it gives great suggestions um it gives a tremendous amount of commendations too we don't want to you know we don't want to forget about those but we we do want to concentrate on the recommendations so uh so >> I know some of our big takeaway ways were the older side of Fitch, what do they call it? Vintage. And

012that, you know, we wanted to make sure it was up to standard for many of our careers programs that are out of that. The business department and culinary arts. So, >> you just froze, Susan. >> Oh, she's going to be gone for a while now. She's going to have to sign out. But, but one of the aspects that she was talking about was is is really what it helps us do. and it helps us identify, you know, the the physical part of the school as well. Um, and I know, um, I don't know if Sam wants to speak on that, if you know more about that, but it did give us some some direction in terms of, uh, updating that, uh, vintage part of the high school as they call it >> vintage. Uh, Liz,

013>> yeah, Phil is u I would like to read the report. >> So, um, where is it? Is it electronic or do you want to send me a copy or I could pick a copy up? I would really like to read the report. >> I was given a physical copy so it could be as easy as me just scanning in it and sending it to you. Um if it is if there is an electronic copy I can email that to you as well. I I can send it to the whole board if you want and then whoever wants to read it uh can read it. Of course. >> Yes, please. >> That'd be great. >> Thank you. H how how long is it? Oh, it's it's about about that long. >> Yeah. I mean, it's

014very extensive. It does. I mean, >> I don't know. I don't know how many pages, but it's probably it's probably 40 pages. Um >> usually someone from the high school comes and reports on it to the board. >> Okay. >> You know, and um along with you. >> Yeah. Yeah. And obviously they were they were there for >> and the feedback and how they're going to you know if there are recommendations what they plan to do and also it's really lovely to hear on air also the things that Fitch is doing really well. >> Absolutely. Yeah. I'll talk I'll talk to Mr. Keller and um because obviously like I said they were there for the work and they did it and they should be able to come here and and really like you said take

015some time to to to relish in in the stuff that the commendations as well as I know that's going to be a part of our work this summer is really mapping out where it goes from here. So sorry Susan you got cut off so I just >> I know it's been my internet's been frail >> but the the board just said that they would like a copy of the report so I said I would provide that to them. >> Yeah. And and once again, Rita, to your point is is that this was just a quick overview. This was just to kind of let people know that we wanted a much deeper dive, but at least I wanted to begin to let people know that this is sort of what's coming our way and what it

016is because some of us don't know what NIAK is and what what have you. So, I just I just kind of wanted us to get planted into something at least in the same field, >> right? It'd be nice um just for the general public if you if the acronism isn't used and we could sound out in words what NAS means, >> right? And that can be done. >> I mean, even right now, you know, >> I think Susan said it earlier. >> I did the New England I have it in my board notes and I said it out loud when I announced it. It's the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, >> right? And now Fitch had no problem about getting accredited because there are times >> not they're not complete. It's like a

01710-year journey. So this was the visit they have in two years they've got to take those recommendations and do something with it. >> So then they come back in two years. So this is just a step along the way >> is it? >> So >> and so at that time will they rank us? I mean, they usually give you I mean, I know North Stony at one point was very much on the verge of not being accredited because they needed to do very major things, but that isn't the case with right? >> No, we haven't heard anything like that. >> Good. No, thank you. >> So, that was that my brief version, but it's another we need to go back to it and we need to do a deeper dive. So, >> all right. So,

018if there's no further questions and or if you do have questions that you want to make sure get addressed when we meet, feel free to either um to send them either to Phil or to um Susan um so that they can get them and so that they can have answers um to to those specifically. But let us if if there's nothing further then I would like to move us into our next agenda item which is the review of the transfinder report um and estimated school opening and closing times. >> So I I briefed the board on the transition audit report update and the five kind of essential ingredients to why we need to pay attention to the report. And um Tom is going to he's already met with the principles and we've done a really

019good job having good conversation around this and there's been some some more work done in between the last time I told you about it and today. So he's going to brief us on that? >> Absolutely. Can everybody hear me and see the presentation? >> Yes. >> Awesome. Um so I apologize if Susan's already gone over some of this with you. If I'm redundant, um I will move quickly. Just let me know. Um but you know that as Susan said, you know, our need to re-evaluate transportation was really multifaceted. Um the biggest one though is that we have our K5 elementary magnet schools opening next year and the need to be able to transport all those students across the district in a timely manner really necessitated us taking a look at our transportation and making sure

020we were providing enough time between tiers. We're talking about tiers, we're talking about bus runs. So one tier would be the elementary bus run, another tier would be the middle school run. And this year we also have a high school run. Um we also are going to be offering our transportation to our pre-K students. So as of now the early indications are that the majority of those students will not opt for transportation. Um but we do intend to offer transportation to all those students should they choose it. Um as I said with the elementary magnet schools, there's going to be additional travel distance. So we will have students who choose a school that's geographically the farthest from their their home. Um, and because of that, we need to provide extra time for the bus to

021travel that long distance. Um, if we kind of went forward with our traditional system of having a three- tier system and doing the bus mapping the way that we currently do, we anticipated having to add buses, which would have been an extra cost for the district, and it wasn't something that we um, one, budgeted for, but also we didn't feel was necessary if we took the steps to be more efficient in our practices. So, that was kind of the the the reasoning behind going through this process in the first place. Uh, so we contracted with a company called Transfinder. So they um they are actually the parent company of Routefinder, which is the system that we use to route students on of our buses and to make sure they have a bus to go on.

022Um, Transfinder is a parent company and they do a lot of different things, but one thing they can do is they can go into your system and view all of your data and say, you know what, you're doing things well or here are some opportunities to become more efficient with your practices. And that's what we did with the route efficiency study. Um, and I'll get into some specifics, but overall, that study determined that there was additional capacity on our current buses. In other words, we could fit more students on the buses that we currently already have. Um, with that, it also determined that we could go to a two-tier busing system, which means that we'd combine um, our secondary tier, so our middle school and our high school tier could be combined and all of

023those students could fit on the buses that we currently are contracting with. So this is a um picture of the 2020 Fitch High School AMV equalization. So to be very clear um this is not how many students actually rode the bus. This is how many students were um kind of assigned to each bus. So typically um Transfinder and and transportation companies aim for a target ridership around 66%. So if you're thinking about, you know, each bench on the bus, um 100% capacity would be three students in each of those benches. 66% is two students sitting in each bench on the school bus. So they aim to get to that capacities is thinking about a max. Um or the most efficient kind of utilization. So our buses this year were significantly um under that utilization. Um,

024I do realize some of that is due to COVID and I'll talk about kind of some historical context to talk about the utilization, but the overall takeaway here is that our buses were underutilized there. We weren't filling up our buses nearly to capacity. And again, this is just how many students were assigned to each bus, not how many students rode each bus. So, while you know, this bus up here may have been close to that 66% capacity, you know, the reality is the bus probably was much more empty than that because those students all didn't show up at the same time. And then you wonder about the ones that were only at 20%, you know, of ridership and how they must have looked. So, we did hear from quite a few people that doesn't look

025like anybody's riding the bus, but the study was done more than just this past year. It was done for several years before that, too. And indicated that we did have um some work to do. >> Absolutely. And this is um again from 2020 AM vehicleization and it's really the same trend. So overall, our utilization was was well below where we'd like it to be. Um, and obviously not every run is going to be able to be at our ideal capacity because, you know, ideal capacity would only happen if we had an unlimited amount of time. If you could run the bus for two hours all around town and pick up as many kids as possible to fit on the bus, that'd be great, but that's not realistic from a time standpoint. Not only do we

026not want students on the bus that long, um, it just, you know, we couldn't get them to school physically on time. So, we never expect to hit perfect capacity for every single bus, but we want to get as close as possible. And this just highlighted the fact that there are efficiencies to be had if we really look at our routes in a different way. >> So just before you could you go back to that slide? I have some questions please. >> Absolutely. >> Um when you look at the northeast magnet school bus 33 is is relatively low and you know uh 35 36. Is that because there are walkers and children walk to those schools and they have to take bring the buses for the you know the people that live more than a mile.

027>> Um I can't say specifically with those buses if that's the cause. Um >> and even for um you know also CK >> again there are some like some low ones and I'm just wondering if because of Walkers it's like >> I don't think Walkers had anything to do with it. I just don't think we um put ridership at the right percentage. We were very low with the number of seats that we reserve for kids because this doesn't have to do with who's riding. It's who we've assigned seats to. >> Right. And I noticed that. Yeah. That >> was a magnet bus. So that would uh probably uh indicate that somebody was at the end of town needed to get over to uh Northeast Academy. >> I see. Okay. And then I have a question

028like I noticed that for the high school bus 22 which is the elementary bus that middle school that comes into our neighborhood um wasn't in the high school loop. Are there some buses that don't also pick up high school students? >> Right. Yes, that's correct. >> That that's the case. >> Yes. So we we do need um a as it's currently set up now there are more buses needed at the elementary level than at the high school level. So there are a certain number of buses that currently aren't being utilized on both tiers or all three tiers I guess for the current system. >> But it's really the elementary Rita that drives it >> you know. Yeah. >> Yeah. I know that's why you know that it's always been when there you see all those

029empty buses leaving Fitch. That's always been but I didn't realize that some buses just did the elementary runs and not the high school. Oh, that's interesting. So, we have to be much more efficient. >> You're right. >> Yes. >> That's what this report is telling us. >> I'm sorry, Sam. >> I say some of those elementary buses could be doing out of town runs as well. You still have >> Oh, like like going to the multicultural magnet school or Sacred Heart >> Ledger High School. Yeah, >> okay. um to give a little bit of historical context. So um Transfinder also looked back at 2018 2019 and 2019 2020 um their average utilization for those two prior years was 44%. So we were higher um you know last year we were at 33% so we were

030higher in previous years um but still well below that target of you know 60 to 80%. Um you know again as I I detailed earlier you know two riders per seat um would be 66% so if you're putting two riders in each bench and 80% would be three riders per seat and half the bus. Now for the high school and and middle school level at secondary level where students are physically larger and we certainly don't want to have three seat uh three kids to a seat in too many circumstances. It would be possible if we needed to. For the elementary students who are smaller we could do that if need be. And I think the way you you broke it out was for really middle school and high school to our goal would be for

031two to a seat, but for elementary it might be a combination where some of the little children in the front of the bus had three to a bench and then the bigger kids in the back had two. It would be a combination of the two. >> Absolutely. >> But so that means though then there are still no seat belts on our buses because they would >> There are still no seat belts on our buses. I'm hoping in the next Bucks contract we could ask for that >> along with electric buses. >> Kim, can I? >> Absolutely. >> The research that I've seen about seat belts on school buses indicates that they're more dangerous than not having them. Is that Mr. Honesdale? Is that um Ldale? Is that true? >> Uh, to be honest, I don't

032have any um research or or documentation to support that. Um, we could certainly look at that, but I don't have any research to my knowledge that supports that statement. >> I remember being that that was we spoke about this a long time ago when I was a principal. And Sam, do you do you uh have anything on that? So, I'm going to keep us germaine to the transponder um transfinder report. Um but Andrea, I think that that is a wonderful question when we get to um uh be thinking about our next contract and who and who um who gets awarded a contract. >> No, you're absolutely correct. Thank you. >> All right. So, um, Transfinder right now, you know, not only are they doing an efficiency study, they're going to be working on efficient routing

033design for the 2021 2022 school year. So, basically setting up the physical routes of the buses and trying to do it in a more efficient manner. Um and and this, you know, our our big hope out of this and what I think is really a realistic hope, um is that we're going to be able to accomplish the district goals of providing, you know, safe and timely transportation for all of these students, especially our elementary magnet students, um and get them to school on time um without having to add additional bus capacity, which which again would not have been possible had we not undertaken this this kind of review of the transportation. Um it's going to provide us a foundation. So, this is a one-time expense for us hopefully uh to be able to kind of

034set up a foundation of how this is going to look with our current transportation system. Um, but with that also comes training so we can build capacity internally so that you know next year we're just building upon this foundation and we're going to keep this efficient process going for years to come. So hopefully uh you know when we do go to negotiate that bus contract uh we have a really efficient design of the system and um you know I don't want to make any promises but I'm hoping that we can certainly you know maybe look at you know scaling back our buses that we need because we are becoming so efficient in our process. So I I hope that's where we are in a year or two when it's time to renegotiate. Um but I

035think you know with this efficient foundation and also with the training that our staff is going to get I think we're going to be in the best position to be able to do that. Um, so, so with that and with this study, we've talked about the possibility of doing a two-tier system. Um, and I think there are a lot of benefits to the two-tier system. I know Susan's talked about it before, and here are just four really quick ones. Um, you know, the biggest thing for me is that we get increased sleep for our high school students. So, there's a lot of evidence um and research supports that later start times um benefit students at the high school level academically. And we certainly think that with this two-tier system, we can do that. Um, it's

036also going to allow us increase time between our bus tiers. So, as I stated, it was really important that we got more time between our elementary bus tier. So, we had more time to get students across town should they have chosen the school that was geographically very far from their from their home. Um, it also allows us increased efficiency. So, school buses are going to spend less time driving on the road. It's going to mean lower fuel consumption and costs for us going forward as a district. And the district pays for diesel. So, that's important. Um, it also may allow us some increased flexibility. So although we don't necessarily have any plans for this right now, um because Graten Middle School and Fitch High School will have um schedules that are very closely aligned, it

037may allow us the possibility of sharing staffing between buildings in the future should we choose to go that route, making it kind of a truly campus vibe, which I think is great. Um you know, thinking about the new middle school and so close geographically, I think that's going to be a great step for us as a district. >> So these are our proposed bell times. Um these are, you know, tentative and something we're still studying. Um you know, we have done a lot of work with with both Transfinder trying to project how much time we would need in between bus tiers. Um I know Sam has has worked with the bus company to actually look at how the bus would have to drive in between buildings. I've gone and and observed um arrival at at

038at Fitch to to make sure that this would be enough time. Um, as of now, we're feeling increasingly confident that this um these proposed bell times will work and be feasible to get students um, you know, in a two-tier system where they would drop off at Fitch first and then travel to Graten Middle School. Um, I think, you know, Susan and I have discussed, you know, if if we did need additional time with the elementary schools and we get our final routes, um, what we would probably do is move the elementary schools maybe five minutes later. Um but but I think we're close enough now where we can project within five minutes uh the amount of time we're going to need for busiars. >> And you can see that in the arrival um when you

039compare on the left hand side what is currently practice to what's on the right hand side that um bus arrival time at Fitch is 7:15. And in actuality kids are getting there at 7 and then they're waiting until um class starts at 7:25. So, if we can, you know, move those buses to more of a a bus arrival time at 7:35. They might be there at 7:30, some of them, um, but we'll be there by 7:35. And then the bell times, if you notice, are also about a 20 minute difference. So, it's really only 20 minutes we're talking about. Um and then the end time um you know this we we are looking at schedules that are the same amount of time for our buildings so that that time of instructional time is not impacted

040at all. So um and with the middle school it's even you know 10 minutes let and then with the um elementary it's like a five minute difference but it does give us more time in between that first tier with secondary and the second tier with elementary and that's the driving force is those magnet schools and you know I've talked to Kim about this but if there's any complaints I get is parents who really have kids on buses for more than an power coming from, you know, one side of town to the other. So, that's the part we want to do better. I did review the policy and it doesn't say that um there's a particular time frame that kids shouldn't be on buses, but kind of the rule of thumb has always been an hour

041or less and less is better. >> Jay, would you like to um ask your question? Um just a a quick uh observation. For many years, parents and and members of the board have explored this idea of starting the high school later. Um some studies have shown that starting it even uh even later than this, say 8:30 >> uh really uh would help the students. Um, however, I also know that there are a lot of parents who are concerned about even this 20-minute change somehow disrupting after school activities and I would like to hear more about that maybe from the high school uh to know, you know, I guess um 20 minutes doesn't seem um like a lot and I'd like the the high school to explain to us what impact they see because it just

042seems to me if we can combine these routes. We pay less for the gas because we're currently on the um on the hook to to pay for the gas for these buses, less emissions by having, you know, fewer rounds of buses. So, it's it's really something that um you know, I think we could support, but I want to know what kind of disruption um the high school thinks there'll be to after school activities, especially with regard to other um schools in the area and activities between them. >> Jay, the plan was to have our high school people there, but because of um rescheduling, they were not here. So, Susan, take it away. Just I wanted to say that having an athletic director for the school district that runs the coordination between facilities and programming for

043middle school and high school. That's a real value to us, a value plus that we would have that coordination in house. Also with clubs and things, they really start after school and there's such a variety. Some things like band don't even start until later when they can get that field use. So, um that all all that coordination um has not been done with this yet, but it certainly will be a work that has to be accomplished so that kids will still get what they um you know, want to participate in. But the 20 minutes um you know, an hour would have been a a major difference and we would have had to work with other communities, but 20 minutes is not such a big deal. >> But we can certainly have them back. and Kim.

044And >> yes, >> as I as I recall, when students had to go uh to, you know, far away from from from the school, there was early dismissal. So, I would I would imagine that that would apply here, too, right? >> Yeah. I think that when I spoke to Ted the other day, he was talking about uh some of the longer athletic trips, for instance, up to Killingly up that way. uh you might have to give some early dismissals um and and and uh having coached for many years when you get into the tournaments they also start earlier in the day. So some of those trips are um I think the state the CIC never gives us local games. I think we always travel to the middle of the state somewhere for those games. So

045those games again would be early dismissals but uh the regular season games for the most part locals will uh should should shouldn't be a major problem. And there are um you know there are districts across the state that have already done this ahead of us and have done it in a bigger way where they've really um kind of switched elementary with high school. So that the high school starting at 9 and the elementarymentaries are starting you know as early as seven. So, we're not suggesting this, but this is, I think, a good way to segue into this to kind of make sure that we have plenty of time, like Tom said, for those elementary runs to run in the best way possible for little children and then to bring in the middle school and high

046school together, you know, um have um the arrival at the high school first um you know, when the buses are coming in and then bring middle school over and then at the end of the day, same thing. Pick up the the high school kids first and then the middle school. >> Kim, I have two questions. >> Absolutely. >> My first is when you drop off the high school first, do they have to go up the driveway and back out the driveway and then around to the middle school? There's no way that the students could walk and both drop off at the same time. No. No, I I did the run the other day with a bus and the best route turned out to be exactly how they come into the high school now. Drop the

047high school kids off in front of the high school. They would go back down and around the circle and then head to the middle school from there. The middle school also um are very particular about how they disembark those kids from the buses and load them again in the afternoon. So, it they're very safety conscious over there with the younger kids. So I think they want to continue to keep that under control. >> Okay. And my other question is about the you know we have to consider the students at work also after school. So 20 minutes hopefully wouldn't affect the work the students at work. It's not always about clubs and athletics but there are students that really have jobs. >> So that that's the other >> consideration. It's Liz. Absolutely. >> I I I

048want to just ask um is this a little different from the first one we've seen because I just want to make sure that I had the same information because at first I thought it was more of a 40 45 minute change and that the middle school was going to be dropped off first and then the high school was going to be dropped off second. Am I just not remembering correctly? I because I really thought that that's what we had talked about one time prior was that the especially that the middle school was going to come off first and then the high school was going to get dropped off. So, is that a change that um that is a So, it did we did say initially, Sam, that >> Well, we we talked about that because

049they're going to have the uh middle schoolers sitting in the front of the bus and the high schoolers toward the back of the bus and they thought and it would have been nice to have the middle schoolers get off first, but I don't think it's a major problem with the high schoolers disembarking with the middle schoolers in the front of the bus, but and the route is much better uh and safer to go to the high school first >> and With pickup at dismissal, it's better for the high school to get on first. They go sit in the back and then pick up the middle school and they sit in the front. >> Absolutely. >> So, you're going to have that either way. >> Sam, the um other question I I have had a a

050number of things come to me through my email about this these proposed changes and stuff. And one of the issues that has been brought up is that the inconsistency of the police or traffic control at the end of the high school going on to route or onto um Graten Longpoint Road and I was actually up there just the other day and it was dismissal and there was no police officer there directing traffic and I I'm concerned because that just seems to be a pattern. It's happened for a long time. Um, should we I mean, should we explore looking at a different way of having security at the end of that directing traffic because sometimes the police get called out on on um, you know, on on calls and and aren't there and it's a it's

051can be a bit of a traffic jam. I was just kind of wondering, you know, how to make it smooth or a m much more safe and smoother for our our people >> even if we use our SRO's in case of emergency lists if they aren't able to get out there. The thing I'm saying is that's not happening. And that's what I'm can we do? I mean, can this is something that we can um we can address so that it becomes like this is what happens if the police can't be there. There needs to be some some corp communication and then somebody from the ST like our SRO is out there directing traffic. Sam, >> it would have to be a police officer. I think we can talk to the chief about that and see

052if we can uh remedy that by using the SRO's for that purpose. I know that uh when the middle school one additional problem is when the middle school leaves uh after they drop kids off in the morning uh when they leave the high school uh there's a lot of traffic coming to Graten Longpoint uh past the high school and the buses uh get caught in that traffic. So they don't get out of the high school in the morning as timely as we would like either. So, we're going to be talking to the chief about those situations, see if there's something that we can do about it. >> Well, I think that might even benefit if they if their job is to take drop off the high school, then go to the middle school to drop

053those kids off. You're not going to have that problem at the top of Fort Hill. >> And Sam, the um that little access road between the high school and the middle school, is that just not cannot function as the the transport between the two schools? That's not a feasible thing. >> They do go through there. They do. >> There's a sign there that says that's for bus traffic only at certain hours. So that was intended for the buses to go uh to the middle school uh from the beginning. >> Okay. So they So am I hear you saying that if when they leave the let's say they've dropped off the kids from the high school and then they're leaving are are you expecting them to go down onto Grten Longpoint Road again or are you

054expecting them to go around the circle and back up and then across the back? Yeah, they'll drop off at the high school, go around the circle, head to the middle school, through that access road, drop Okay, drop the middle schoolers off, come back out through the high school again on Graten Longpoint Road and and off to the next run. >> Okay. I was just, you know, I was just concerned about with traffic lights, you know, how much more safe that is for for those guys to be leaving through there. And that's been my one of my major concerns. and and I've had a couple of parents have contacted me about that as well. >> I don't know if you tried that light at the bottom of the hill, but if the buses went to the

055bottom of the hill uh at the uh tech school uh entrance, uh that's a very long light to get on route one there. So, I don't think we want our buses going that way for sure. >> Tom, you could probably take down this slide. >> Sorry. Can I just finish this one slide? I believe this is the last one. I'm sorry. >> No, no, it's okay. Um, so you know, our next steps, we're working, you know, as Sam had talked about earlier to make sure that our arrival and dismissal procedures are as safe as efficient and possible and that's, you know, Sam going around at the bus company, making sure us observing just trying to make sure that we have, you know, the best setup possible for next year. Transfinder is working to finalize routing.

056So, I'm hopeful actually by the end of this week that we'll have our routing for the middle school and high school done. um which is very far ahead of where we typically have our routing done. Um I'm also, you know, anticipate that our our K5 runs will be done by the end of this month as well. So they have up-to-date data with all of our magnet enrollment. Um and and we should see those routes to us by the end of this month and have, you know, a really big head start on where we typically are at this point in the year. Um we're also working with the special education department to to make sure that all these um changes don't impact their accommodations whatsoever. Um, and at this point, you know, my initial conversations with

057Denise is that we should be able to provide all the transportation necessary without increing increasing our buses on that end as well. >> So, um, I think if we have any updates, I'd like to put it on the agenda for next week just to, you know, when we have our final board meeting just to kind of keep you guys really very current. This is, you know, very timely. So, the sooner that we can have the board vote on this and move it out to the public, I think the better off we're going to be. But I do want to give you this information as as it be as it comes to us so that you're very much aware of, you know, what what is happening and what the results of the transfinder study and routing

058system is showing us. Rita, >> um I I your last bullet was about special education. Um are are you still planning to contract with Curtain? >> Yeah, this this would not affect um >> I know it doesn't affect, but my question is some of the towns in our area, I know Stonington purchased um vans to transport their special education students and it has saved them quite a bit of money. the vans the vans have paid for themselves. So, and I know we we have a lot of vans that transport our and I I was just curious whether or not um we've ever done a study about purchasing our own vans to use for special education students. Just just thought I'd throw it out there to Sam or Ken. >> Yeah, Ken, I think I would

059defer to you on that one. Yeah, >> it's an interesting I don't we have I've not seen a study like that, but that's very interesting. >> Yeah. Yeah. You might want to if you want to speak to the Stonington business manager. I know they the superintendent when they presented at Learn that that was one thing that they highlighted was how much money they saved by having their own special education ban. I know it's a smaller school system. They don't have as many students as Graten has, but you know, it's just something to look into. Hey um Rita, can I take your fabulous idea and can I um suggest to Jay that the finance and facilities possibly kind of have a go at that and take a look at um what that means with Ken Kim

060>> Andrea. Yeah, I tell me if this is off topic but then you will. Um, I I was listen I was I was wondering about small vans to to transport elementary stu students across the town for um schools of choice, you know, for for magnet schools. Would that be something that Jay might want to and the finance committee might want to look at? And in terms of even if we did decide as Rita Rita is suggesting that we might buy could we then use that those smaller vans instead of transporting those big big uh buses all over town to transport magnet students. >> I guess the whole purpose of the study is that we are to put more people in the buses um and transporting them throughout the the town. Um, >> let's see if

061we >> uh if we own them and then the the children wouldn't be on the on the u bus for as as long as they may be. That's my point. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Susan. I have two questions. >> Shoot. So, I'm going to put them both out there and then you guys can make a decision about which one um gets answered. Um both of them should get answered, but which one gets answered first? So, let's say um the board goes ahead and we approve of um moving forward with a two-tiered um bus system um as it's presented in terms of the the um the drop off and at the high school and the middle school and um the the time change within the school system. Okay. Um is how how does the board

062want I guess this is for everyone. How does the board want us to get this information out to people? Um because I I would like to have um I would like to have our information um get out instead of having it sort of um snowball into other people's information or or added to. So how do we want to do the p the the public matter? And and it has to be more than just websites. It has to be more than just robocalls. I don't know if we if we have open houses or or what have you, but that's my first question. And the second is, can someone talk to me about the concerns about having middle school and high school um uh on the buses at the same time? I've heard lots of people who

063have had lots of concerns about that and I would just love to hear about how um we are we are thinking about that. Those are my two questions. Um, Susan, I can touch base. >> Yeah, Phil, you want to chime in because you've done this recently? >> Yeah. A little bit on the the parental concerns of of having the middle school and high school kids on the bus. And I think we'll have to think about how we want to approach that because that's definitely going to be um in my experience that has been the major um concern um when something like this is announced. So, I think we could think, you know, I've I've been a part of a district, you know, we've had some restrictions as to where, you know, high school kids can

064sit and where middle school kids can sit. Um, in my experience, it it's it's taken about a week or two to to get people acclimated to everything and then everything um had, you know, had run smoothly. I think I've mentioned before where the middle school kids tend to not be concerned with the middle school kids. They they go to the back of the bus, they have their headphones on or, you know, they're having their own discussions and the middle school kids are on the front. and we have actually seen improved behavior by the middle school kids because the older kids are on the bus. Um, so there's some benefits to it as well, but I think you're right, that's going to be a concern. And I think if we have some rules in place and

065I think the the bus company also told us about um providing additional training for their drivers, uh, because they'll have more kids on the buses as well. Um, so I think we'll need to find out a little bit more about what that training is so we can share that with the parents as well. But I I do think we need a game plan for that. um because those will be the major concerns >> and I think that was number two in my transfinder update was really looking at those safety measures whether it's the training of the staff whether it's making sure kids knew where they were to sit and what was expected of them. And then the third is Transfinder also has better cameras. our cameras right now. It's kind of interesting. If we want

066to see a videotape of something that happened on the bus and we tell the bus company, it disappears. You can't find it. But if if we go there, Sam's been known to go there and get it. So, I want a a you know, a camera that talks to us and that we have direct access of you know, being able to view those at any time. And I think that will be a huge improvement to help safeguard those buses. So there are a few things we can put into place I think that will make the bus rides even safer than they are now. >> Liz, >> yeah, that was going to be my question was about um the cameras, our improved camera system. Um I just had a question to uh Ken. If of the one

067of the suggest recommendations would be to hire bus monitors, what type of um financial impact might that look like? And I'm I'm not sure if you would even have an idea about that, but you know, who would you know how how would that work? >> Yeah. Um we we do currently have um bus uh bus aids that that do sit on the uh special a special ed buses uh but we don't have any monitors as as it were right now. So that's something we'd have to look into and determine. >> How much does that usually run at this time? Like those bus aids on the special ed buses, what's the the the average, you know, cost per bus? Do you have a if it's okay if I'm sure you've got all these numbers in your

068head. You could just pluck them out of your head. But um maybe if you could come back to finance and facilities and so we could have a financial impact about you know what if the ultimate thing is is that we have to hire aids to be on these buses because I've had parents too come back to me and say I'm not too keen about my middle schooler sitting in with a high school senior. And I'm like I understand. Okay. I understand. Um, however, I have family members that have ridden buses with kids from kindergarten through high school on the same bus. And I know that was in another age back in the, you know, the last century, but you know, um, and I, you know, things have changed, but I want to make sure that

069I can respond that we have, we know what our options are is what I'm saying. >> Okay, >> do that. I'll come up with that. Thank you, Ken. >> In line with Liz's, um, isn't there a difference though between the cost of a special education aid on the bus and a bus monitor for I mean, isn't there a difference? I mean, don't don't the aids have to be trained on special education buses? Yeah. Yes. Sam's shaking his head. Yes. So, there I don't think they're apples to apples. I think it's a different type of thing. Well, and I but I do think we'd want to monitor too trained. I think that the idea of you want them trained. >> Yeah. >> Right. But it's not the same as a special ed. It's it's different. >>

070They they really have pretty intensive training. I know. >> They are there are hard positions at this point like pair of professionals and substitutes. They're hard to >> to fill at this point. But doesn't mean that we couldn't do it. Yeah, >> I did just want to add one thing if you don't mind about uh the potential camera options. So, I I did actually already start meeting with a few vendors and kind of looking at some options. My my only concern at this point is if the district does spend a significant amount of money to install these cameras within the buses. I don't want this to lock us into our current um bus contractor should we be going out to bid within the next couple years. Um, so I am trying to explore whether there's

071an option that could be easily uninstalled off the buses and kind of reinstalled in a different format. Um, but that would be kind of one of my concerns at the moment. Just thinking about the longevity. I think most of these devices would have at least a fiveyear lifespan. Um, I think our current bus track, correct me if I'm wrong, I think we have two more years on this before. So, so I wouldn't want to kind of forgo those additional three years if if we go through the cost of installing these that we would lose those uh cameras should we go with a different vendor. Um, so I am looking at those options and there are some different options out there. You know, if we don't go with cameras, there are GPS options for uh for

072families that alert them when the bus is arriving. They can see when the bus is going to be late. Um, there are cameras that can be installed in the outside uh to provide safety from, you know, as the students are leaving the bus. So there there are many different options that we can look at to provide a safer experience. Um, but but that's one of my main concerns is just making sure we have flexibility going forward. >> Did we answer both questions, Kim? you didn't answer the public how to how to um check it out. >> So, you know, um I think probably being able to do um do it in several ways. So, whether we do some kind of a um you know, kind of openhouse like you said or a forum around it,

073we could certainly do that. We could do it either in person or we could do it remote. we could tape record it while we're doing it so we could put it on the website. So, I think there are ways that we could get the information out to folks. Um, I think a variety of ways is probably the best. So, you know, the website, the robocalls, and now one of the things we're doing is we're sending text messages. Parents love the text messages and we're either linking them directly to our website with with the more crit or having them go to their email to find more information. So, we're really trying to encourage them to find what they need on that website and we've been trying to keep it very current and updating it all the

074time. But it, you know, a focus group is also a good thing. We did a lot of that with return to school and um you know I can see that in our future too but it would have to happen sooner than later when everybody goes out of town. We we this is our last week of school. Yes. By the way, >> I will also just say to Susan's point um we did just launch our new registration system today um which asked for new updated contact information from all of our families. So, you know, to Susan's point about being able to utilize text messages. That's going to be extremely useful for us. Um, it also allows parents to and guardians to go into the system and update their contact information instantaneously. So, if they get a

075new cell phone number, they can go in and change it or before they'd have to reach out to the school building, we'd have to make that change. So, I think, you know, going forward, our our contact information should be a lot more accurate. It'll allow us to reach our families a lot more easily and with a lot more fidelity those messages getting through. Andrea, >> I'd like to ask a follow-up question about the um the cameras. Did I hear you say I don't know which one of you, Sam or or Mr. Lon, but I think it was you. Um did I hear you say that that um the cameras may look at you attend to what what's happening on the outside? I want to make sure that the cameras keep a record of what happens

076on the inside. I don't want to lose that. >> Oh, absolutely. No, I I guess um you know in meeting with different vendors, there are a lot of different solutions out there right now. Some some which combine both in inside and outside capabilities. So um there are some cameras and we'd obviously have to have a much larger conversation about this, but um some of their funding source can be provided through um they actually some of these cameras um coordinate with the local police department. So, anybody who kind of runs a signal, for lack of a better term, there's a camera on the signal that sees that um basically that that gets forwarded to the police department and any money that's collected is somewhat split. I don't have the exact cost share, split between the district,

077um and police department and then that helps fund some of the cameras. So, there are schemes like that out there um that can help pay for some of these practices. Um and that is something we can explore if the board's open to that. >> Yeah. The thing that I'm interested in is ensuring that what what happens on the bus is recorded. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> What could go wrong with this two-tier bus system? >> So, I I think, you know, um I think we've done as good of a job as we could in terms of trying to predict how long it takes to get between uh the high school and the middle school. Um I think given our current enrollment numbers I feel quite comfortable that we've given enough time between these two

078runs um I think the you know kind of thinking out into the future um you know we can't predict how many students will continue to want to participate within our magnet system. So, so hopefully more and more students will want to participate. But, um, as we move forward over the next, you know, five years, if if all of our students are participating at that point, it may increase demands on our transportation system, you know, as we go forward. If if every student wants to go to a school that's far away from their geographic home, um, that could provide additional strain on our system. But I'm I'm confident given the information and the data we have right now, um, this is achievable. But but long term um those are kind of the unknown variables that I

079think about that keep me up at night uh thinking about you know how we do this sustainably going forward at the same time is hopefully providing cost savings to the district. We do have safeguards because our intra intrad district magnets are not just open choice they are neighborhood schools and then according to how many seats are available they can be open up in the lottery so it's kind of a dual system so I can't see the day when graton would have you know every kid assigned to a school and they would want to go somewhere else and we could fit them in there so that is not what we're talking about we really heard loud and clear from the parent survey several years ago um that parents liked having that option of having their neighborhood

080school, but they also wanted to have some choice. So, that's what we're offering at this point. Liz, one last question. Um and Sam, I think this might be for you. Um how many how many buses do we run at into the high school right now? How many buses? >> I had that number the other day. We have a total of 48 buses, but uh it's uh it was close it was close to the 40 number that are actually going to the high school, but uh >> my guess was 43. Sam is the number that popped into my head. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Bring that back to you though next week. >> That's not my question. My question is Sam, I'm thinking about Okay, the kids are come the buses are coming up that

081driveway. They're coming to the front of the school to drop off and then they're going to go back down around that around that circle and then having to get back in that line to go back up and go to the other thing. Are you going to have somebody down there directing traffic too? Because isn't that going to get kind of kind of bottlenecked? >> I think Tom volunteered for that position. I don't know. >> Okay, Tom, that's >> I was you, Sam. No, but I was just thinking, you know, that's a that's 40ome buses and trying to get >> they don't all arrive at the same time. They do. >> I do know that, Sam. >> But they all have to be there by a certain hour and, you know, and you know, the beginning

082of the school day as well as like, you know, the end of the school day. It's it's very congested. I'm just I just want to throw that out there as a thought. And you know, I was even thinking maybe do a practice run with all these people at some point. >> We're doing that. Yeah. >> Sure. We ask STA to do a practice run before the school school year starts. So I think this is the first year that they haven't done it in a while, but we'll be insistent that they do a practice run uh this summer before we start for sure. >> Okay. Thank you. Couldn't >> Isn't it possible to reverse the drop off when you come up the driveway rather than going around and then dropping off? Can you reverse it so

083then they can just head right out to the middle school? just have the buses not make that whole loop for the high school, but actually come up and then >> Well, we we did we did look at going in the other direction, but the uh then they'd be getting off on the uh parking lot side of the bus and crossing bus traffic to get into the school. So, >> they would I mean I I guess I'm just thinking of it a different way. And I >> I drew them a picture, but it didn't work. My picture didn't work. I drew him a picture. I I'm thinking of them, you know, you might have to change the route going into Fitch, not the way it is now, just so that the buses could drop off and

084not have to go cut through other buses to get over to the middle school. I perfectly understand what Liz is saying, >> which is sounds complicated. Well, I I guess that's going to be what keeps Tom up at night is whether we can get >> and Sam and Sam >> um to kind of to get that to kind of happen in a way that makes sense. Um, I'm just going to encourage people that as we have questions or whatever, because I believe we're going to be putting this on the agenda for the for the board to vote for us going to a two to a two tier um busing system, which then changes the hours of um our school day. So whatever information people need to have in order to be able to make a

085decision that makes sense to them um ask you know ask away. That's why we really wanted to leave as much time for today um for all these questions to kind of do. But I I do understand that sometimes questions don't come until later. But please make sure that you get them to Susan so that or Phil so that they can then get to the right person to get answered so that we can get that back. And Susan, I ask that in your board notes if there are questions and we do find answers, can that be put into board notes so that so that as we read and prepare and prep for our meeting on Monday, we have a sense about what that is? >> Yeah, great idea. FAQs. Well, I have a question that I'd

086like answered be, you know, as soon as possible. How many students, middle and high school, are you planning to have on a bus? Like what is the the break point? >> You know, right now they're very, you know, the high school buses are very empty, but about like is there a range of students you expect to have on these buses? >> Yeah. So, our target is roughly 66% utilization. Um, and again, that's just students, you know, assigned to the bus, not how many students actually show up to ride the bus. Um, but I'm I'm hopeful that by the end of this week, we'll actually have definitive numbers on how many students are assigned to each bus. Um, so so our target's about 66%, but I'm hopeful that by next Monday's meeting, um, I'll be able

087to provide you kind of with an overview of what Transfinders come up with for those routes, and we'll be to talk about specific buses and and how they're utilized. Well, I mean, it'd be great to have that way before Monday, before a vote, you know, as soon as you get that information. I mean, I think it's very important for board members and the public to know >> and and for the public that actually have questions as well to make sure that they also get get it so that because that you might be having questions um and this is not um a public comment meeting, but if you have questions, please make sure that they get directed to to Susan so that then once again frequently asked questions um and I'm sure Phil would also entertain

088those questions as well. Kim, Liz, >> um, if we have a a suggestion for like the times, I've had, like I said, I've had a lot of conversation about the start times at the high school a lot. And so if I, you know, can I send suggestions to look at because even a five minute difference may not sound like a lot, but it is. And I, you know, um, so Tom, maybe I'll I'll send you and Susan and Kim, of course, I'll put everybody on copy. How's that? Because I've had a lot of people, a lot of people. I'm like more than my hands. No fingers on my hands. um have really expressed an extreme concern about the start time and the ending time especially at the high school given the situation with teams and

089and ident you know doing this whole deal of the regionalization and having being able to meet those obligations. So I'm I'm just going to put an email out with you know what I've gotten as as feedback. Are they mostly staff members, Liz, or are they parents? >> Parents. >> Oh, parents. >> A lot of parents. >> So, I I guess that is a frequently asked question because I think all of us have gotten or gotten some version of that. So, maybe that needs to be dealt with as and and talked about as much as possible. You've got music programs, you got sports programs, you got other afterchool activities and clubs. How does that impact that? That probably would be useful for us. >> I really would like to hear from the high school parent personally,

090>> right? >> And I know about tonight. I know. I know. But how about if I just put that out and then maybe we can have high school come next week? >> I mean, couldn't we delay this vote to July? I mean, not not till the end of July when we have our but we can always have a special meeting. >> We could always have a special meeting. You're right. because this seems awfully rushed and there are so many unanswered questions and >> some parents are just finding out about it. >> So, >> well, it hasn't been publicly >> really um showcased because I really wanted the board to have a thorough understanding before I ever mentioned it. I mean, people who have come to these meetings and you know, word gets around. So, I

091think that's a great idea to be able to, you know, if I can bring some high school folks to the table next week and we can always put it the vote on a special meeting because there still might be questions after that. So, what do you think, Kim? >> Okay. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> I don't want anything to be rushed. Um um we can't wait for a long period of time. Yeah, >> but um but you know and and the other part too, Rita, is that they just got the report so it's not like they've been hiding and and >> Oh, I know that. >> Yeah. So that's why I felt we need more time because we haven't seen it or >> Right. >> and also a very important um time coming back from COVID

092and there are probably going to be a lot of issues that we need to hear. So, one of the points that was brought up at my central office meeting today was because we have had the hybrid and remote that our schedules kept changing all year. So, if we go back, we want something that we can go back and kind of stick to for a while. So, if this is a decision that is really what we need to do in order to carry this out, I'd rather have it start in this upcoming year year rather than delay it and start a different way and then change it on them again because they've been through a lot of changes this year. >> Okay. So, I feel really comfortable with us having at least one more conversation with

093some more frequently asked questions where we don't have to take a vote and then next week as a board we can make a decision about when we want to have you know what what other information we need to have in order to go forward um on a vote. How does that sound like that's fair? >> Y >> I I have a question. So, we are not having and I think the general public really needs to know that we're not having our meeting on the fourth Monday in June, but it's moved up to next week. Right. >> That's right. >> That's correct, ma'am. >> So, I mean, I just want to make sure all parents understand if they have questions to get them into us and that there is no meeting on June 28th. >> I

094did not know that. >> Oh, >> I did not either. Oh, it's on the calendar. And then we also got a message. >> I don't know why we have cancelled our our CO and why we have cancelled the regular board meeting. I know I saw it, but why did we do it? Yeah, >> that's a Robert's rule that um because we were going the 21st would be another committee of the whole and the 28th would be um regular board meeting. You have to kind of cancel to move the board of ed meeting. You have to cancel the first one because it's on a different date. You have to make it a special meeting. It's just it's just kind of following Robert's rules. Well, I guess I >> I'm I'm sorry, Rosemary. Why did we have

095to cancel the um 28th? >> Because I'm on vacation and I need to be there with you. >> Take us with you. I promised you I would balance things. So, I'm going to the Jersey >> and I I really felt like this is such an important topic. I I would rather delay the vote and make sure we get all the information to the board um in the right way. >> And then in the summer we have fewer meetings also. We don't have three committee. We have a committee of the whole and a regular board meeting. >> Right. And that's going to be different from last year that even though we were we did never met in person, we had a lot of meetings specifically um for for the search and stuff like that. Um and

096but we'll have Mary come in also for a retreat. So, we are going to have some other meetings. >> We are going to have some retreat. >> We don't know when that is either, right? >> No, that was all on the calendar. We've sent it out multiple times in the update. Um, so I'll make sure Joyce sends it out again. She sent emails. >> Not when the retreat will be. >> When the retreat will be. Yes. >> Yes, we have sent that out. There's a date in July and then there's a date in August. >> I was not told that. >> Okay. So, we're going to move on. If there's no more questions about the trans um the transfinder, I keep on want to say like transformers and like have us all turn into like,

097you know, the big bumblebee or something like that, which would be kind of fun. I think um I've always had fantasies about that. Never mind. We're gonna go on. Um and so, um Jay, I don't know if you want to. I think he's I've now realized that that's actually not live Jay. That that's Oh, there's the live Jay. Um, and so, um, our next thing is the tuition for out of town students. And I don't know if you and Ken how you want to do the dance, but it's on for the two of you. And thank you, Tom. >> Thank you, Tom. Thank you, Sam. >> Oh, bye. Oh, there Sam is. Thank you, Sam. >> I love your tail. So, uh, Ken did the heavy lifting on this, but if I could just quickly,

098um, introduce the fact that we have had questions about, um, families from out of town that wanted to, um, send their students to to Graten. And as as those of you that have been on the board for a while recall, every budget season, we talk about this for many, many years. And so we thought maybe it was time to to take a look and determine what would be um a a um tuition rate that would be in line and be competitive um for those people who want to uh to come to Grten. Now, of course, that would be up to Susan how many would come. Um you know, we're obviously going to be using capacity. Uh and just to be clear, the money goes to the town, but being good stewards, you know, we would

099um you know, uh still want to market that um you know, to make sure that the town is is is getting the money. But by the same token, we realized that every time you add a student, it doesn't automatically increase the budget by the amount of the average um student tuition. And so keeping that in mind, Ken has now come up with this plan that I think brings us better into line. Not that we're going to get hundreds of students, but for those that are interested that we have a a um a tuition that's sort of in line with with with other schools at our tier. So >> Jay, is it your hope that next week we would be voting on this tuition stuff? Well, I I would like to see us, you know, give

100those who are interested enough time. And again, I'm not saying that there's going to be this huge number of people, but I'm told that there have been inquiries over the years and that the the price has just not been in line, >> you know, and we do have space in some of our classes. It would be nice to, you know, bring some of those class sizes up and if it can produce more income for the town, you know, then it could be a win-win. And so that being said, um like I said, Ken I think has come up with a really good plan. Just uh another side note, we had talked about if someone were a taxpayer in Groten and for example their grandchildren were to come in, could we give them sort of an

101additional discount or could we offer discounts to military families? But Susan has talked to uh the board attorney about that and there are complications that um I really don't think we can move forward on that at this time. Jay, thank you for your leadership on this. Well, >> I'll share uh the schedule that we were working uh on here. Let's see. Oh, did did that work? It doesn't look like >> Yes, it did. >> Did it? >> Yes. >> Yep. Proposed tuition. I see. >> Oh, very good. Okay. So, that that first column is uh is our cost per pupil. And that's actually what our tuition rates are right now. uh because that's what we base that's what we've based our tuition uh on in the past. Um I'll skip over that uh that column

102that's in yellow uh for a second. And then we also took a look at some of our some of the surrounding um uh schools and and districts just to get an idea of what their uh tuition rates were. Uh, and uh, you'll see we have lime, old lime, uh, Stonington, Ledger, a they're a little bit of a different um, uh, different animal just because of the because of the boag, but um, uh, we've got that. We've got the NFA, uh, St. Bernard's, and uh, the Williams School on the end. Uh, and so you'll notice that, uh, for NFA and St. burners. Uh their high school rate is is around um around 13 between 13 375 to 13700. Um and so that was kind of where we were we were hoping we could be a little

103more competitive. If we go back to this uh yellow column, uh what we did was we kind of took a look at our our cost per pupil. And uh to Jay's point, uh to add another student doesn't add the cost per pupil because you you don't have to we don't have to um hire all the teachers. We have the the teachers in place. And so what we did was we applied an 85% to that uh cost per pupil. uh and uh you know for instance on on the high school line 9 to 12 uh that brought it to 16 I'm sorry 13695 which uh which is right right in in the line with what NFA and St. Bernards are at. Um and I'll just point out that uh for the IB diploma program um we

104took a look at um what the what the average cost to the district is. um they have a budget of 86,195. There's 39 full DP students in that uh program. So that's an average of uh 2210. And so we would we would propose to add 2210 to the to the high school rate. So that's essentially what uh what we did and what we're looking at. >> I can't see people on screen, so go ahead and ask questions. >> Want me to take this down? So we can see. >> I think you did. >> Oh, did I? >> Yeah, that's fine. >> It's not working right. >> Still seeing Yeah, we're still seeing you on the screen. Ah, there you are. >> There we go. >> And again, we're just going to use Susan will only

105accept students where there's there's room. That's why as as Ken said, it's not going to pop up the cost to the district. Um so we're going to utilize space, you know, that's available in existing classes and classrooms um and you know, just be able to uh to offer that to interested um families from out of town. So, one of the ways that we kind of had our first taste of this was with a special needs student who was very successful in one of our programs and the family moved um and so they wanted them the child to continue. I think he was going to be a fifth grader. And so the you know we we looked at what would be the cost for the parah and for the extra additional special ed cost and we

106added that to the base tuition and then the family brought that to the town or they had had that paid for in some way. I think they had some specialized programming and they got that paid for but it was something that they really wanted to happen. So know that with special education students, we would just have to analyze what services they needed per their IEP so that we put that cost in so it wouldn't cost the town, you know, it basically would be the family making that choice to go to this private public school, you know, and the next town over or wherever. And um and then the funds would come directly to the town, not to the school district. like impact aid for instance goes directly to the town and it offsets some of

107the cost of education. But um you know I think Jay's point of being good stewards of money that's kind of where we're at. That's kind of how we look at this. >> Ken, you you had an increased tuition cost for IB students. Is that correct? Um, I I don't agree with that only because the class sizes are so small to begin with and it's not as if they'd be taking a seat away from a regular high school student. So, um, and I think one of the reasons why a parent might want to come to Fitch is for the IB program. I would make I I would have that be the same as a regular at the regular high school. You know, you know, unless they were taking up, you know, a seat in a class

108that had 25 students, but those classes are so small that to me we you you would want more people to be in them. And if someone wanted to be pay for IB, I I I don't agree with making it more money for high school. That that's just my thought on it. >> It's a good thought, Rita. >> Thank you. >> You know, just know that with more students, uh that the that that IB cost does go up. there is a there is a certain there's a certain um uh base amount that we have to pay for IB but then uh the pupil tests and some of those additional costs do come >> and that and that's something that could be addressed because that might be this the parents could pay for the IV tests like

109an in if if you know we we've gone through this a number of times but that scenario if we do have a student from another district the parents could pay for the additional cost for the test. We've already, you know, we're paying for the cost to train the teachers in the IB, that's all done. So whether you not you have another body sitting in that classroom, they would just sit there knowing that they pay for their own exams or any other increased expenses. I know that Ted Keller as principal has seen lower numbers in both AP and IB and is concerned. So he really asked all his department chairs to start tapping kids and teachers on shoulders and saying we need to encourage kids that you can do this. >> Yes. >> Either way. And

110I love his idea about adding Yukon credit to both of those. So you could be an AP, you can take the test, you can get those credits, but you can also at the same time get the Yukon credits. And same thing with IB, which is wonderful for families. If a student has gone through and said taken, you know, three to five courses like that and times three credits, you know, for college credits, that's amazing to go into freshman year, sometimes almost finishing the first semester, you know. >> Yeah. But but the other thing is teachers have to be willing to go to Yukon for a few weeks in the summer and and become accredited to be in the Yukon program. And not all teachers want to do that even if they are teaching an AP

111or an IB course. So that that's another factor that they you they have to take I mean >> right >> I think when my daughter was at pitch she received eight credits from Yukon for calculus one calculus one and two >> but then after that the calc like when our younger son went through the calculus teacher did not go to Yukon so it wasn't a Yukon course any longer. So, it all has to do with the staff also, >> right? Well, and I think with the I think I had mentioned that the National Institute of Math and Science is offering free training for the teachers with a stipen. >> Wow. >> And so, we're trying to get that rolling. Um, and we put a posting out and I'm going to be looking at that with

112Lori. And then we're also through the ESSER grant going to also support their teachers with embedded coaching throughout the year. So I'm looking forward and because AP hasn't had that training in a while unless they're brand new. >> So we could look at Yukon courses in the same way if that needs to happen. I take your point. It's really important. It is >> we want that continuous training of our teachers for all levels. >> Right. Is there um is there merit to what? Not that's not the word I want, Rita, but that's out. Um does the board want to have a discussion about not charging the IB that way? I do because honestly um you know you have the resources and the teachers and stuff but if we're going to do it for IB then

113you need to do it for CP you need to do it for AP because it is in all that training is there whether you're an AP teacher IB teacher Yukon ECE teacher there is multiple levels of training and I think honestly I I agree I I I was thinking about what you were And I'm like, "Yeah, um, you know, this is if we if we charge um if our our tuition for out of district people who want to come for our to the high school for an IB class and, you know, or or are we going to limit them that they can only come as they're an IB diploma? Are we going to open up?" You know, there's a lot of ifs here that I'm really feeling a little insecure about about adding an additional

114$2,200 on. So, you know, that's and may I don't think I I said this clear enough and I maybe I didn't say it at all when we were talking about this, Jay and Ken and I apologize, but I've been thinking about it and I just really think that part of the solution is let's charge that flat rate and then when the tests come in, if somebody is going to test then they that if they're out of out oftowners, then they need to pay for the test. you know, that's something that the taxpayers pay for the grten citizens, the grten right >> residents, excuse me. But if you're not a graten resident, then, you know, you need to pay for your test. And the other thing is is Susan I don't remember um I didn't think

115our discussion at the curriculum committee was about the connection of I a lot of IB and AP and Yukon ECE because IB is is so different from you know that Yukon stuff. I I'm going to caution us to be very careful that we don't lose our accreditation or be questioned on our accreditation for IB by trying to be the master of and and meshing all of this stuff together. And you know, >> that concerns me greatly. And so I want to make sure that we're not shortch changing our kids, >> right, >> by you know, lumping this together. I've seen that happen and it it's not successful. We have to be very care we have to be good stewards for our kids on their curriculum. >> So the the people the staff members that are

116working on it are Amy McKenna and Kelly Donovan, right? >> So they both are kind of experts on each. So they're working together to make sure that it's aligned. >> Great. I just want to make sure that it comes to the curriculum committee >> and you know we have you know we have that information. >> Thank you Liz. actually really good. That was um off topic but very very poignant in terms of what you were talking about and it does ta it does tie into the tuition. So thank you very much. >> It does. >> So I think um in my mind um students don't have to take the test in AP, >> but they have to in IB. >> Um no, >> it's my understanding if you're going to get the diploma >> no

117program. If you want to get the diploma, you have they have to get it. >> You have to take the test. >> So, I just don't know how graten taxpayers would feel about paying for the out of town uh testing fees for the IB. Um so, maybe we can compromise in the middle, but um I mean, so you told me I'm wrong. I mean, am I correct? If you're in the IB diploma program, >> yeah, >> testing is mandatory >> if you are going for the diploma. if you choose just to take the classes, >> right? >> You don't It's just like an AP. If you choose to take >> So, if we can determine what the the testing fees are, maybe we can meet in the middle. >> So, >> or or the parent

118for the out of town student pays for the test if they want right the diploma. >> That's right. We can we can come back with that. Ken and I will >> we'll do a deep dive and figure that out for you. And Jay, >> what are those costs that are those things that families could take care of so that they didn't do the flat fee? >> And Jay, just a roundabout figure, a few years ago, about 10 years ago, the cost was $67 per test. That was for IB. All right, just to give you an idea of where to start. I don't know where it's at now. >> Good discussion, guys. So, I what I'm hearing saying is that we're going to actually kind of one of the things that we're going to um that

119Susan and Ken are going to look at is is doing the flat fee, but then adding if people are choosing to do the diploma or the AP um from out of town that that it's their cost um added on to whatever the flat fee is that >> or the or the assessments. >> Yes. Is that is that how everyone else is hearing it? Um, are we paying still for the AP exams? I thought we they changed that a little bit. >> Students uh pay for AP exams per student. >> Yes. >> Oh, I didn't know that. >> That's why we have to still have this discussion about IB and AP exams because to me it just does not seem fair. AP exams are more expensive. Yeah, for a while we >> remember but remember Rita

120I AP exams it's a one one exam whereas IB has four >> four but there are a lot of AP students that take four and five you can take four and five >> I understand but what I'm saying to you is like the history of the if you're taking the history exam you have an internal assessment and you have three different papers each one of those is $65 >> I see right >> okay so it is three different tests and then you have your internal which is the teachers do but those three go out and that's why you incur the greater cost >> the greater cost okay but we still you know we we used to pay for AP and then we stopped and we just continued with IB for some reason so again that's

121probably something that needs to go back on the referral list depending on what we decide about these fees >> for go to finance and facilities. Will that go to us, Jay? >> Yeah, Ken. Okay. >> Yeah. Good. >> Well, and I think with the ARP esser, which I look forward to also bringing back to you in more details. We had our committee meeting, but I know this is off topic, but it goes back to the testing piece that um we really want, you know, to have the equity issue addressed anywhere we go. So if we're tapping kids on shoulders and we're encouraging them to do this, we don't want the cost of a test to hold them back. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> So I think it's something you should reexamine. >> May I say

122three words >> just in case. >> The three words are chef versus O'Neal. >> Yep. >> And the concept of making parents pay extra. you want to be careful >> because the parents may not be able to afford it and now you've got chef versus O'Neal just that's all I'm saying >> but but if if a if a child can't that what the school system pays for the test of any student that cannot afford it >> all right so I know >> right you can get us on track Kim >> I'm I'm I'm trying all right actually guys really good conversation about about this. Um, and I really I really appreciate that. Um, and we are now moving on to the re review of the referral list. Um, and then I'm going to lump that

123with suggested um, future topics. And so I think um, Rita, you want to be looking at the AP, the cost of the AP. Um, >> well, my thing is if you pay for IB, you pay for AP. Uh,uh. or you pay for none. And my my feeling is you pay for none. So unless you can't afford it and then the school system should pay. But that that's Yeah. So if you want to put it on the referral list, that's fine. I think we should also have the cost of bus monitors go to finance and facilities. >> I agree with Rita concerning the testing only. I have the opposite of opinion. So, this is something that really needs to discussion. >> Yes, >> I I think we have a couple of um solid meetings where we

124have a lot of high school conversations um that we've kind of put off to the table anyways. So, I I actually think that we'll we should have a couple of um decentsized meetings around high school stuff and and and get our high school folk >> um up here so that or wherever um to do that. And I I had a question too about when you're talk when you go into the IB have somebody from IB because if now our our middle schoolers and ninth and tth graders are in IB, they don't take a test. No, >> it's not until you're a junior and senior that you take a test. Correct. So you could come into Fitch as a nth grade student and be in an IB curriculum but not have anything to do with taking

125a test. So like those tuition fees then should be a regular fee. >> So that so I'm not quite sure where that should go, Rita. Um because I think >> Well, that's all part of what we were talking about about tuition. >> It's all part of tuition. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Yep. Yeah. It's kind of like you peeled one layer and now we have that layer to kind of look at. >> Yep. Yeah. >> But I don't think we were talking about adding on for the my classes. the the discussion I thought revolved around IB diploma. >> Oh, >> so >> I don't know. >> You're absolutely right, Jay. >> Yeah. And and I know I know we want to relitigate the AP IB because we do it every year and so this is the

126time to do it again. Um but we've discussed ad nauseium that we were paying for AP uh tests that students weren't taking. >> Right. Well, I is required. So, >> yeah, I I think we should go over that tuition. We we should just talk about tuition rates. >> Yeah. >> Now, and that's later on discussion some other time. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Jay. Other future topics, a referral list. Thank you, Ken, for your help. Andrea, should we put on the list of the the things that we talked about last yes, I mean this past um earlier today um put that on our referral list like the uh the final and midterm exams or assessments. >> Go ahead. >> Yeah. Yeah. because we and then the middle school art curriculum and then the middle school

127uh PE curriculum will change. >> I think before we do that I think anyway you can correct me. I think that we need to have that second meeting with the high school people or the I'm sorry with the people we met today. >> Okay. >> And have them come back to us and then make the referral or have maybe perhaps we can go right to the CO from there. But I I had a question for you, Liz. I know that you put something on our referral list and I wondered if it should go on now because I wrote it down and I cannot find it. >> What did you put on a referral? >> Oh jeez, I don't remember. >> Well then, okay. I feel better when it comes to you. Give me >> But

128it's it's not I know. I know what you're talking about. I'll have to go back on my notes. >> Yeah, I can't find either. Okay. All right. >> You know what? Caitlyn is sending us the uh the recording, so we'll >> you have to go back and look. >> But um Kim, we had talked about one of the things we're looking at and Susan was there, you know, about the assessments and one of the things we were talking about is final exams, midterm and final exams. So, um I think that would might be a good one to put on a referral list is about the different types of assessments or um I don't know how to word it. Susan, what are your thoughts? >> Well, I think there's a couple different ways to look at

129it. I think um looking at midyear and nyear um you know final exam exams >> and how they affect both middle school and high school. And then the other piece is with the my 6 through 10. They're going to do the deep dive this year on what does assessment look like beyond a test. So with projects and and those kind of things. So, we'll want to be um you know, made aware of that kind of professional development that's going on and what they're they're starting to um craft in the way of um assessments for >> Does that need to go on the referral list? >> It could. So, we remember to talk about it. >> Yes. >> And Liz, do you see that going on the curriculum or do you see that going on as

130the committee of the whole? >> I think first curriculum most definitely. >> All right. >> Okay. And we will have probably some others to add to this next week or within the next couple of weeks or few weeks before the end of the summer. >> Could someone explain to me what 20-22 admission requirements for resident students under policy is? >> Where's that? Oh, >> I have absolutely no idea. Yeah, I was just curious why that on our referral list what this means >> where which line down is it on policy? >> It's the second to last >> review policy five. Oh, I think that's just um >> I think that's really having to do with um enrollment and um and what's required of resident students to show proof of identification when they come to register.

131I think that's a registration guidelines and because we have this new >> online registration that um that Tom was talking about >> there, you know, some of the old forms are going to go away and they're going to all be on this online piece. So, there might be some some regulations more than policy that we have to look at. >> Okay. So, there's a policy examination of grading. Is that Liz what you're talking about? >> No. >> Something totally different than the exact I don't know what exactly examination of grading is. So >> I don't know what that is either. It was before my >> that goes along with the grading policies like what are our grading policies at the different levels. >> Okay. >> And that might even tie into what um I'll look

132at it because it might be tying into what Liz is talking about with exams. >> Right. That's what I was thinking. >> So, I'll have to check on that one. >> Okay, >> Liz. >> Yeah. >> Um, you mentioned middle school art and PE curriculum for the referral list. Am I correct? >> Yeah, we're I'm tableabling that now um until further till probably the next next month. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Joan. Um and and h has the finance committee had that discussion yet about building substitutes? The how much they're going to be paying substitutes? >> Has that been worked into the budget at all? Because that that is something, you know, we should put out there sooner than later. Yeah, they they've been harder and harder to get and

133we have to actually keep oursel ahead of the game so that we you know reach that >> when you hear what old lime is ch paying and and I think the technical schools are now paying about 165 a day or 175 it >> we're not competitive at all. >> So just a thought maybe you might want to move that up a little bit. >> Yeah. >> Before the school year >> before the start of the year. >> Yes. Yeah. >> And Kim, I'm looking at these at the dates on these from uh 2017. Some of them go back and even mine goes back to 2018, but we're waiting on ESPback for that. But we and we can't even remember what these things are. So may maybe we should have a discussion about how long put

134a time limit on something so that we don't lose. >> Sure idea. >> We don't even know what we're talking about here. So, >> I don't disagree with you and I also can remember when our referral list used to be actually like two to three pages long, >> right? >> Um, so we've done a good job at kind of pairing it down, but you're actually that's a really good um and so maybe if if your first thing Andrea is the curriculum review the assessment of the grammar and you're waiting for ESPback, Miss Joan, if you could put that there then we know why it's still on there. Um, uh, Lee, when we take a look at the review policy of electronic information security, >> I actually brought it up at the last policy meeting, there

135were a number of things I had questions about and I don't have the answers. >> I I would like to have them. >> Okay. >> It was my understanding that we have already done the electronic, but I can't get an answer on that. So, I'm and I asked about 9,000. I can't get an answer on that. So, you know, we and I'm not sure if we're meeting in July. >> I don't know. >> I'm sorry. >> No, Lee, thank you very much. Um, yeah, the the the 9,000 is the board of the board policies and maybe after our retreat this summer, we are going to have some ideas about how we want to what what about >> that's good. But since I don't even have the dates for a retreat, I don't have that information.

136>> Okay. >> So, um I I there's a lot of information that I have been asking for. So, yes, I I'd like to know when our retreats are. That's that's important. Um and you know, I'd like to talk about 9,000. Um that would be good, too. >> All right. So, Lee, I'm gonna have Joyce reach out to you to make sure that we have the right email that we're sending this to. I'm sure I'm sure you do, but I I have been away for five days, but I have looked at my email every single day. >> Um, and I I don't have it. I'm sure nothing has changed with my address. Um, but if if I did know, I would have put I would put it on my own calendar. I will. I I just

137don't have those. Well, we'll make sure you have that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> What are the dates? >> Um, Rosemary, we're gonna we're gonna >> just send it out again. >> That will be out in the >> That will be out. >> Rosemary and I Thank you. >> You're more than welcome. >> Any other referral or topics? >> In that case, are we ready? Yes. >> Yes, Gracie. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Good night, Gracie. >> All those in favor, please say, "I >> see your graduation. Good night.