10-18-21 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001All right. Um, good afternoon or good evening everyone. My name is Kim Jefferson Watson. Today is October 18th and this is the Graten board of education committee of the whole um and that is the call to order. So the first order business is um the approval of the committee of the whole meeting minutes October 12th 2021. Can I have a motion please? Motion. Thank you Lee. Can I have a second? I've got Liz. Um, is there any discussion about that? >> Just there is one there's a um a grammat grammatical um uh part about that principles right underneath discuss. All right. Any other discussion? >> Um, it would Oh, yeah. I do that. Oh, thank you. >> So, um, now we want >> Okay. So, if there's no wait, I got to finish this. Is

002that there's any more discussion on on those minutes? Okay. All those in favor of passing the minutes with the S on the um after principles, please say I. I oppose. Abstain. That motion has carried. um for the four board members um because we do have two people who are going to be talking to us um or helping uh have a conversation on number four which is the discussion of the athletic fields which is like not really what that conversation is but this is a carry over finance and facilities and um because our guests are here um I would like to be able to move the agenda item from four to three and then just switch places now Um, do I have any discussion or any comments about that? Okay, then we're going to go ahead

003and do that. All right, Jay. Um, I'd be more than happy to start the conversation, but then I would like love for you to kind of give the more details. So, this is actually a conversation that was supposed to be held in the financing facilities, but I think that you then made the decision that maybe the whole board really needs to kind of chop on this. And so and we wanted we asked for John to come and Jerry it's so good to see um is uh so that we could just have um a more informed discussion so that you guys know what we're what we're thinking of and that we understand where you guys are coming from and so that's why >> we also have Mark from >> Oh Mark well hello. >> So you

004can add anything else. >> Super. Um thank you Susan. Um so um that's that's sort of the beginning of the of the land and so Jay I don't know um as a chairperson of the finance and facilities if you wanted to further that conversation that would be great. >> Yes. And what the reason that uh I requested put this on the agenda I attend the uh athletic fields task force meetings. Um, I don't contribute a lot to them because I don't really speak for the board. I bring the information back. But, uh, what I was looking for tonight is whether we could, uh, get some consensus on priorities at the high school. Uh, keeping in mind that there are going to be some federal funds available, uh, possibly CFP opportunity. Um, and I was looking

005for consensus from the board to go to Fields task force and um proposed that one of the high priority facility items over there would be the outdated uh restroom concession facilities. Plus there's a a real need for uh changing areas for the female students uh to provide you know better better equity on that that field. It's it's just one small discreet step we could take uh to see if the fields committee we don't want to interrupt any of their overall planning. Uh but if uh this kind of renovation uh falls under the spirit of of ARPA, I would like the town council to consider that. Uh but I want to get the fields committee fields task force on board with that as well. So I was looking for consensus for the board members to go

006with that idea. Um there's a lot of things need to be done up there. Uh we know there's the fields themselves, the track, um the bleachers. Um but this is one thing that we can tie in directly to CO 19 and at least get a high priority item for a building that's been there. Um I'm really not sure how long before I graduated from7, >> right? So >> there forever. >> So that would be immediate. >> Okay. So is So is one of your questions I got kind of lost in the so I just want to make sure. So is one of your questions about whether um what's happening at the fieldhouse hits I I'm doing the fieldhouse but I'm considering that as one building the fieldhouse and the concession stand in the background just

007because I'm need to be keep it simple. Um is that whether that's being made into a CIP with the use of the ARA funds is that >> right now we're talking about the old fieldhouse. We're talking about the structure that's been there since in the 50s. um not the new the newer facility, the one that currently serves for public restrooms and used to be the changing facility. Um you know, talking about uh proposing a project, you know, assuming that that the fields committee thinks it's a good idea and also the town council approves it, using funds to take care of that immediate need. Uh we know that that that the fields themselves, the track, the bleachers, and all of those things are going to be a long-term project that's going to go through fields. But

008if there's something we can do now, now that there is funding available, you know, I didn't want this opportunity to pass by, do something, you know, because frankly, the facilities are outdated and are not serving our students or, you know, our visitors well. >> The lack of gender equity, >> yes, >> is a huge problem. Um, and we honestly I'm just sad that we haven't done it too, >> right? So, I'd like to see whether it's possible. I know there is a proposal out there for the architects to do a study um, you know, and I'd like to see if we could move forward with that to see whether could that the changing rooms be part of a new facility there um, or somehow done in the newer fieldhouse. But I'd like to get that

009discussion going, but I'll need, you know, J when you say the newer field all I think I I see down on the bottom of the field you walk down the hill and there's the building with all the graffiti on it because everybody you know collapses so and so for the last 30 years >> and then you have the white brick structure that the football team comes down and that so are those the two buildings you're talking about right and which one's the newer The the brick >> the the the brick one >> store. Yeah. >> The the one that the football team comes out of. >> Yeah. The one with the public restrooms and concessions was the fieldhouse. >> Yeah. >> When pitch was open. >> Yeah. >> And so talking about renovating that with

010the new restrooms that are accessible >> and >> handicapped accessible. handicap handicap accessible and also you know in this age of co this is a tie into ARPA funds potentially um you know we need a more modern facility >> I totally agree >> and if we can also find a way to to create the changing facilities for the the female students that's something that I really feel needs to be done now rather than later >> and Well, and it affects our CIP because we have put in over the years the counting of the fields to look at the tracks. We put in, you know, several of these items. So, we wouldn't want to have that go through CIP if there was a bigger plan in mind to take care of all of these things. So,

011I, you know, I don't want to waste money and then have it go back and we're rebuilding something, right? But we want to make sure that whatever this is, it's not going to interfere with that long-term project. So we need assurance on that. But by the same token, you know, the entire plan it's too big. I'm not sure at least start with this this. >> So I'm going to recognize Andrea and then Dean before and and I'll hit you Rita as well. Rita, can you hear? >> Um it's better now. Yes. Thank you. >> Okay. Mark turned it up. >> All right. All right. So, it'll be Andrea Dean and then you Okay. I just I heard you say renovate. >> Will you be looking at what's more cost renovation or just demolish and start?

012Well, again, I'm not the expert on that, >> but my question is, will they be looking at >> um I know there's a there's already a plan out there from Slam. I have not seen it. >> Um >> well, there was a proposal for um them to come in and do a plan, just a proposal, >> right? >> And then but we've never gone past that, >> right? So, we have to >> but you have to get that study to know the better way, >> right? Yeah. >> Yeah. on the old fieldhouse. I don't know whether it's um sorry I don't know whether it's a CMU or a concrete block or or a cinder block whichever. Um I think by the time you're done renovating so to speak I you've got a relatively inexpensive shell

013there that probably is a tear down. My question with respect to that is there are concession stands and there are concession stands. So I I don't know whether people were envisioning something more elaborate than what we have now where it's now currently kind of a back room and most of the concessions are done and the cooking is done outside or whether we were planning on like I said something more elaborate. So I'm in favor of moving forward not tying these two things to a larger project. U I'm in favor of going forward with something immediately and it can be funded immediately and planned immediately. My question is do we are we settled on what the concession for example would look like? Okay. >> All we can do at this point is consensus >> likely to

014have this and it would kill three birds >> because that that that to me is a big thing. Right now the concessions are sort of an oh by the way but there may be an idea that our concession stand should be uh if you will profit center even though we're not for profit but it should be something more elaborate or actively involved in these sports finances. Right. The second question I have, this is a completely open question. I think I've been in the new fieldhouse once and I didn't peruse much. I understood it to be primarily for, you know, it's right there next to the football field. I see the football team use it. They go in, they come out. I think, like I said, I was in there one time. I'm sure it means

015a lot of work. But with respect to the gender thing, is it that we need boys and girls at the same facilities at the same time and therefore we would need to double up and provide for both? Uh how do you handle the uh you know the gender neutrality thing these days? So I mean what do we have in there? What's what's the setup as a what's it look like? >> Sam, do you know the answer to that? Uh the lower level is a locker room and smells like a locker room, right? >> Uh some showers that we've never used. An ice room. Uh the upper level has a team room, an open uh space probably about 30 by 40, 40 by 40 um for meetings, team meetings. lavatories upstairs uh and uh there are

016a couple of store rooms and about onethird of the upstairs is uh blocked off of coaches offices and uh storage of uniforms. >> Okay. I'm just trying to envision what kind of a you know what what capacity we need but it sounds like you're you're proposing that those considerations be you know kicked out of the field a little bit so to speak. wait for the pers proposal to come in. Yeah, I don't pretend to be an expert on whether it's better to put a separate facility in what is now the public restroom concession or whether retrofit the newer facility, but you know, I just want to be on record what the board's priority is um with regard to those existing elements and bringing them up to date without interfering with the test forces uh overall

017plan for Yeah, I'm I'm in favor of going forward. I think without building the movie, so to speak, I want people visitors especially to come and say check out what they've got. >> Well, they do say that, but not not for that reason. >> What we had is new. >> Hi. Yes. Hi, Rita Vman. Graten. Um, word of vet. I have some really strong feelings about this. I feel that this fieldhouse has discriminated against our young women for a very long time. Um I mean going back years, 20, 30, 40 years, you know, whenever someone on the track team, a female, needs to use the restrooms, they have to go all the way up to the high school to go use those where the boys could always just run over to the fieldhouse. And you

018know, it was quick. But before you like run an 800 race or a mile, sometimes it's nice to be able to do that. But to go all the way to leave the track field, go all the way up to the high school, go to the women's locker room, it it's quite a hall. And that goes for visiting teams also. So, um, even if it could be retrofitted this winter to use the bathrooms to have bathrooms maybe on the second level if there's plumbing on the first floor, maybe there could be some quick fix until we have a better plan in order. The other thing is it's not handicap accessible. And I think that that is really a detriment to um our students. So, we need that to be handicap accessible and have facilities for our

019female athletes. We had I think it was last year, the year before, I think it was the year before, we actually had a um a young woman who was a football player and they had to make special allowances for her to even find a place to change and it was just very awkward. So I would like to see this done as soon as possible and not wait and not even put it in the CIP but use the funds we have now and do this as soon as possible. I mean I mean like you know starting next month if possible and come up with a plan so that by next spring it is ready for the track team and lacrosse teams. I I assume I mean Mark I'm sure could chime in about how many teams

020use that field besides football. It's used for other ones, right Mark? >> Um in the past we've played a few uh lacrosse games on it. The track team uses it. Um but we've played maybe in my 10 nine years there maybe two soccer games on that field which isn't regulation size but we squeezed it in. But uh yeah, predominantly it's more or less track and in and football more or less. >> But if it was a turf field, it could be used for lacrosse and for soccer. >> Everybody, >> we have the lights and they're just kind of going to waste. So >> um I'm going to recognize Susan and I also know >> I was going to say Mark, where is the lacrosse played? Are we playing at the Graten Middle School turf field?

021like is there any thought to maybe putting something like in between the two schools as well? Like so you'd have facilities that the girls play over there more often. >> Um I I know in the I can speak to last year I believe uh they they played all their games predominantly at the middle school field. Um in the past we've used Pquanic Planes um you know boys and girls. Uh but yeah, I think this year like we have with soccer, juggling both um the middle school field when available and puquanic planes is is probably what we're what we'd be looking at again in the uh springtime. >> Thank you, Mark. John, >> a couple things. One, just mentioning there was some talk of the timeline. I imagine the SL proposal has a fair amount of

022input, you know, because there's a lot of decisions that have to be made like the session stand. So that's likely to take, you know, four or six months and then obain the funding and go through the big process, you know, it's not going to be by next at the best to be constructed in the summer. Um, I do want to say I'm very much in support of this and I can't speak to the council, but I've heard from many who are also supportive. Um, I would like Gary task force that plays into >> Yeah, thank you. Um, several uh comments have already been made here today that I think are right on point with what the athletic field task force would say. Uh, the issues of equity and accessibility are right on point. Those are

023those are primary um goals of the task force to address that. I would also say that um not only making fields is is a priority, but all of the amenities that go along with the fields are also very important. So the restrooms, the scoreboards, the lights, the parking, uh you know, the press box, the the bleachers, all of those things are really important. And I know we have right now u a new artificial surface field in town at the middle school that that is so heavily used and hats off to uh Mr. Romano for um for scheduling that as as he does. But I think anybody who's attended a game up there knows that there's no lights, there's no scoreboard, there's no nets in the back of the uh soccer goals, there's no real good

024access from the parking lot, there's no restrooms. all of those things. You know, it's, you know, if it's a middle school field and people think that that's kind of serving the need, I I'm not so sure that it does. And I I I appreciate u u Rita's comments about, you know, different fields and, you know, can or I guess Susan would say, can the girls go over there? Really, we don't want the girls to go over there. We want the girls to be at the high school and we want the boys to be at the high school and we want all of those things to be at at the high school from an athletic field standpoint. So, taking all of these kind of things and putting them all together, having the athletic fields task force

025would with open arms embrace the, you know, one of those amenities, you know, that we mentioned, this fieldhouse concession stand. Um, and with all due respect to whoever built those facilities back whenever they were built, you know, we talk about the old one and the new fieldhouse. The new fieldhouse is old and antiquated, >> not accessible. Gang showers, never ever going to be used. There are, you know, there's a just a a space for the home team. Visiting team goes out in the old place if they can even fit in there. It's not the impression we want to deliver. So if if I I think the task force would say take them both down and build something that's new designed for the re you know for the for the use that it's going to have.

026Let's have some nice restrooms. Let's have some team areas. Let's have storage. Let's have accessibility. Let's have all of that kind of thing together in in a in a facility that makes a lot of sense for the town and that that's going to uh complement the the coming fields. You know, we we recognize that the stadium field at the high school needs to be redone. We recognize that the stadium field at the high school needs to accommodate sports other than football and track. We recognize that there is another field need at the at the at the high school. Um I think it was back almost a year ago that the athletic fields task force came to the board of ed and we kind of listed what was needed at the high school. the stadium field

027with all of the amenities. Two multi-purpose rectangles for, you know, the JV game when the the varsity game is going on and the throwing areas for track and whatnot. We need a softball field at the high school for for girls softball. We need to fix up the baseball field and we need to add a couple of tennis courts. So, even though they were just redone, you know, we still are are short. And then just to take it just another reminder down at the bottom of the hill at Sutton Park, we talked about making a a baseball field and a softball team to so there's, you know, a varsity and a JV kind of situation. That that part of town is really has the potential to become a a sports >> arena >> uh arena. Yeah.

028That that can have a lot of use beyond the high school and and it addresses all those equity issues and accessibility issues and things like that. So, as a first step, if we can get the funding for this facility as Mr. Webluff has outlined, fabulous, great, excellent. And let's we'll just put it make sure that we take into account what's happening with with the fields. And I guess I'll take this opportunity that the town council has approved a a a plan funding a plan for how to develop fields at high school, Sutton Park and Quadchester. The town council needs to decide kind of what they want to do with Claude Chester, but you know, we still do need to address this and we don't want to kind of push it too far down the road

029because those studies are necessary to, you know, it'll be nice if we have a nice fieldhouse, but we still can't use the field for lacrosse or field hockey or what have you. So, all of those things need to happen and but I don't want to wait until everything's all ready before we start moving forward. So I I do appreciate those comments and and and the apparent will of the council here or the the board of ed to kind of move this forward with with some haste. So >> add to that Jerry that we really see this as a campus. >> So high school and middle school as one campus. So the more versatility we can have and not worry about calling it Grat Middle School or the Chai, but the more versatility we have in

030this structure they and it's pretty easy access. I walk from one school to another every time I'm there. So, it's really pretty easy. >> I think your athletic director would appreciate that. >> Yeah, I know he would. I'm talking for you. >> Um, I just want to say first of all, the athletic fields task force has done an amazing job doing all of the the fact gathering and creating this plan. And so, no way would I want this to jeopardize any of that. The town council has charged them with creating a plan for the entire town. However, there was also discussion at some of these meetings that uh you know maybe we should see grant money and that sort of thing. So now all of a sudden there is the possibility and it's not for

031me to say it's for the town council to say the possibility that some of that ARPA money could be used because there's a I believe a justification you know for this particular project but again it's up to it's up to the council um mentioning the the middle school uh the counselors were very um enthusiastic about adding other amenities to the middle school from the money left over from the bond appropriation. It's not the full bonded yet. Now, I'm not saying we should spend that down to the last penny. What I'm saying is that there is a justifiable reason to add on to the middle school now that it's come in under budget, which is great tribute to the town team that that managed that process. um you know that that maybe the council would like

032to take a second with that. I understand they approved lights which is fantastic. >> So the middle school we just talked about that right >> and Sam is ready to go with that. We can kind of fill you in more on that but >> we had our discussion today about what are our steps that we need to take to get those lights on the field. >> Right. So maybe at some point like to take up but that's that's their >> I saw Andrew first but then that was my my question. The money that was left over from the project from from building on the middle school that still available to us or did that go back to the school? >> It's still available at this time. you haven't done the final bonding, but you're going

033to want to, you know, similar to this other project, you want to come up with a cost pretty sense, maybe having slam, you know, at the same time, you know, doing a a plan for that, but I would start with you talking to town council or start. >> Thank you. >> Um Jay, are we looking for a consensus to the board for at least this part of it? >> Yeah, this one. Could we could we do that? >> Absolut absolutely and that's a great idea. Thank you. Um but I just want to make sure that all of our questions have been sort of asked. So my question is ne go ahead. >> No I'm sorry. >> No go. >> Um what do you see as a realistic timeline >> for the high school department? >>

034It's going to take slam assuming get contract in place relatively soon. always take longer than you think. Six months could be my guess from past experience on things. At the same time though, you know, we also are playing with the council. You know, we have a process for setting up the ARA funding. However, the council does have the tweak that some and there are we have half our ARA funding right now and half will come next year. So, a good chance we're going to break it up into two. So, that you know, I think there's a lot of support for this. So we want to you know in communication make sure there's you know money's not all taken up that be plenty of money for this but um once you can see so let's say

035six month let's say the spring you have a plan you're it depends how quickly you start getting at least a feel for how much money you're talking you could probably start the process of applying to work with us and then tweak it as you go you know kind of depends on what when you have what information, but you know that we can do that relatively fast. RT does have to also sign off on any site council. They're talking a couple months at least to get the funding in place and uh depending on how big the facility is construction. >> No, a couple years I said two years. So, so, so is the first thing to get SLAM a CIP for SLAM to do the um design? >> You probably want to yourself so you can

036get going. I'll ask you so because you don't CIP won't be until Yeah, you would have until next July. So, you probably want to do that because then you're pushed back another bit more time. >> Wow. you ask them for a side cost also to do the middle schoolers are quite dangerous too. >> Yeah. Well, I think we need to look at this as a whole pack. I really we as a board need to end this but you know the town need to look at this the fields the field house all is a a full eye but that's just my opinion having almost fallen through those pictures on more occasions than I wanted to think of you know um >> you know it's not like going to fun but this should be part of >>

037yeah we need a starting point >> that's what I was saying this would be discreet project and we don't want it to in any way interfere with that big picture that the right task force spent two two years but >> you made that very well >> yes you did very well >> so so if I hear you correctly John your recommendation is for the board to fund in the in their budget a a slam design study um for the fieldhouse Okay. >> And yeah, once again that that >> that um discrete project. Okay. >> Wow. >> So um maybe actually that would be a quick referral back to the financing facilities to find out where we could find that in the budget if that's what we want to do. >> The 2122 budget. >> Right.

038Yeah. Yes, we can find money in our current budget. There was never anything budgeted for this. So, we would have to find it, right? Have to see where we were reduced in the area. >> It's called Ronda Peter if they fall. >> John, do you have a sense about how much this would cost to pay slant to do this? >> I think the number >> look it up on my phone. >> Yeah, we got it's an attachment. I remember. Yeah. 75,000. >> How much? >> 75,000. Yeah. >> Wow. >> It was a pretty good size. >> It was a good month. >> Fake sales. >> A lot of purchase. >> All right. Any further um conversation about this? I think this >> I have a question. I want This is a question for Sam. Um,

039have the bathrooms been um cleaned and fixed up? I know that was a concern two years ago um by someone who came in front of the board. So, I was just wondering what the state of the bathrooms are there for people to use that are visiting or that are attending an event. >> Yes, >> I'm sorry. I made him laugh. A and that just wasn't fair. >> No, it wasn't >> with all due respect. Uh no. Um the year be uh the summer before this summer. Uh last summer. Yes, that's when it was last summer. Uh we had a contractor come in and uh remove the lead paint and repaint those lavatories in the concession stand along with the interior of the uh fieldhouse. So that's all that's all been repainted in there as of

040last summer and uh they are kept up by a custodian on a daily basis. Uh somebody goes down there first thing in the morning each day. >> That's great. Thank you. >> So I I So um does the town council meet tomorrow? >> No, they meet next. >> Okay. So just you know I think I think the board is just trying to say we want to partner with this. We don't want to insert whatever has been happening with the field because we've been very excited about that. We know it's a larger we know that there's larger plans out there, but we just really feel like this is just such an important piece um to that. So um and and we didn't want to talk in the vacuum. That's why um John, thank you for coming

041tonight just to kind of talk us or talk with us um about this. >> I'll give an update to the council so they're aware we're talking. >> Yeah, that I really really appreciate that. And um thank you for coming out. >> Another place to partner. >> Bye, John. Thank you. >> Always nice to meet you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um so we are moving on to our agenda item number three or four um which is the alliance district funding. Um and that's our attachment. And so we have Mr. Ken Knight on Zoom and we have Mr. Knight on Zoom. There he is. And I think he's gonna show us what we have, right? >> Yeah, I can um I can share. >> So I think this is the same attachment that um have.

042Uh so uh Susan and I met with uh uh the state and they confirmed that we will be getting um um $200,000 both for FY22 as well as FY23. Uh and so then we put together this proposed budget of uh of how to uh how to utilize those funds in in in uh um uh with for the alliance district. um um u uh reasons or what we're trying to accomplish. Uh and so we uh we for FY22, so we did both years. We're really only putting in the application for FY22 at this point. Uh we'll put FY23 uh towards the end of end of this year. Uh and so for FY22, we do have uh funds in there to uh fund an English language uh learner teacher as well as a tutor um and as

043some uh curriculum writing um work as well as a teacher mentor um some some funds in there to help us with our minority recruitment um initiatives. uh some PD uh for for the for the teachers uh uh supplies which uh we've identified expanding uh uh classroom uh libraries uh and then uh some costs to uh to do the alliance district uh tracker and to do some of the management work uh behind this uh behind this this grant. >> Can I add something, Ken? One of the things about the Alliance grant which I've been overseeing for the past how many years have we been getting it? maybe five six >> 2017. Yeah. >> But it's a a very detailed uh application and you have to write smart goals around it. So we're really looking to close

044any achievement gaps and making growth over time with all of it. And we use the word taco. There's four buckets. So it's talent, achievement, climate. The next one, climate >> operations. >> Climate and then operations. >> Y >> those are our four key buckets. So looking back over time, we were able to see what we've done in the past and we kind of aligned it very naturally with the last couple years that we had. So many of these things are actually looking at the same areas of need. But um we are really becoming a bilingual district. So, the English language learner, which usually is funded for some of the responsibility in our title three budget, but we really did feel like because all of our schools I think will eventually be bilingual schools, the number

045of students who speak one particular language, which happens to be Spanish, if you have 20 25 or more in any school, then you need to really make sure you have the right accommodations. So, was there anything else to add to that, Ken? >> Um, no. So, we uh I guess maybe just to clarify on that schedule, uh there the the numbers are a little bit less for uh the FY22 year versus FY23. And that's because uh we anticipate because we're already into the year that we're probably only going to have that teacher tutor for uh twothirds of the year versus FY23 uh possibly for the entire year. and we'll just continue to monitor our numbers. The EL program really flexes to where the need is. So, our tutors kind of, you know, we look at

046the proportion of students in any one building. And so, we make sure we look at it a couple times a year just like our parents. We're constantly examining that to see where the need is. >> All right. Two questions. First, um, this is grant money and this this is of course not guaranteed, right? I'm just the grant money is is it's not guaranteed after the year that we get it. So, it's an application. Therefore, we're going to have to remember to absorb this, you know, this cost in our regular budget. If the numbers keep escalating this way, right, we don't see a downward trend, then we might have to consider that in operation funds or these title three funds or the bilingual funds. So, we have several different places that we can go. Um, this

047is kind of giving us a head start so that we can meet the needs of these students. >> Okay. No, that's what I was, you know, I'm just thinking of sustainability, right? And then the other question I have is on this minority recruitment. It says $5,000 here, but um how has that been used or how is it being used? I mean, are we actively using that money to go out and um you know go out to different the HBC I've got the wrong >> HB. >> Tell me again. historically black colleges >> and university h >> so I don't think there's been any traveling going on but we do send information to those schools there's a big outreach we also use it in some ways we've used it in the past for some of that

048scholarship where we grow our own professionals will get some funding for their college so that they you know a portion >> um so that they then become teachers and many times um we've had really good luck with recruiting them into our own schools. >> I just I just didn't remember. >> It's not a whole lot of that amount. It's not a whole lot. So, I would say that's more of the HR portion of being able to do the outreach and to make sure that you know if there is um a job fair where we or our university where we're able to get to. >> Yep. pre postcoid um you know I'm sure we'll we'll start doing that again but right now it's more of the outreach sending materials there and flyers and we we basically

049it's been in the budget for a very long >> yeah we we've never done any say the words in terms of action we we haven't >> well that's something I would like to before stating that have like Lori come in and give you more estimates. Yes, >> J. >> Yeah, I just wanted to to point out this is an addition. There is also a budget line for this and this is an addition. >> That's right. That's right. >> Rita, >> yes. Um, since this funding is coming from our alliance district and one of the reasons why we are an alliance district is because of student achievement, I would like to see a line item for direct help for students who need to, you know, that need help. I see a lot of things software. I

050I don't particularly want kids just on computers and, you know, getting more software so they work alone. I would like to see more afterchool programs where students are helped by a teacher in person, right? Especially after last year, it was so disastrous for some. And if you're an English language learner, you can imagine how difficult it was for those students to be on virtual learning. So I I mean I would love to see some of these funding, you know, whether it's for $30,000 for professional development for teachers. I would like to see that go to afterchool programs for students in need so that they can increase their achievement. I mean it there was such a gap last year even for the little kindergarteners and first graders. >> You're really right. That's why the arter fund

051in the amount of $6.8 8 million. Much of that funding is for just what you're saying. It's for tutoring. It's for enrichment. Um I'm actually working with the city to provide some of our tutors from that tutor fund in our Esser to go right into the neighborhoods as well as have the afterchool programs and the afterchool buses for children. So you're right, that's probably one of the most important things we can do and our summer programs. So, but I think this was only I mean it sounds like 200,000. So, we really looked at the taco because it was gave us the parameters of what we had to use and because of the funding and and not and knowing we had to sustain it. >> Um we chose those areas so that will um in a

052sense we'll be able to fund more through operations and our best for tutoring. Exactly. Because that's all written in match. >> Okay. Well, it would be really lovely if the board was made aware of what are the programs we're doing right now and we have planned for our our present students that are in need. You know, I I don't know how often they meet a week. I mean, we're just not made aware of that. So, it'd be really nice to know what is available for students that really need help in math and reading. So I tried to do that in my board notes to let you know what all the >> I know but the public doesn't see any board notes >> but we can >> and so sometimes we we need to talk about

053it at a meeting so they understand and they maybe have something in writing so that we know what's what's going on and the public knows what's going on. So, I'm going to recognize Dean, but before um Rita, first of all, your question was great because it it got the conversation going around that though you don't see it in this budget sheet that um ARPA is doing that. And um I see I'm going to be adding to the suggested um topic um would will be how what are we doing currently um for those students and have it in in a CO. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Dean. >> I was going to say uh immediately after you read, I'm 100% on board with her uh on this uh we were in alliance district for a reason

054before COVID, we'd be alliance times two, if you will. I would think uh forget as a board member I would think as a parent as a taxpayer that if you're getting funding because you're an alliance district you would use that to close the gap and we have even more ground to make up now than we did before. So that would seem to me as a nonprofessional in the field that would seem to me uh that it would require more intimate instruction uh than the kids ordinarily get. And I'm not saying we don't have programs in place. I'm just saying this is what I would be thinking. Alliance funding to cover the gap even more so now. So I'm I'm terms of Rita's sentiments. I'm I'm I'm with it 100% 110%. >> Thank you. And I've

055got that down as a future topic. Is that Let's hear what we're doing. >> Thanks. >> All right. If you write it too and then between you and I. >> Okay. Thank you. Um I do see that we have Clint here in terms of the technology. Do you um do we have an issue about just moving the technology up so that um that he can kind of come and commute as far as he commutes. >> I served your pleasure. So as long as needed. >> All right. So then I'm gonna ask them so >> but then we have you know >> I'm trying >> I drive farther than he does. >> All right so update on technology. How we doing miss Mr. B? >> We are we're we're doing all right. Thank you for having

056me. Thank you for time. I will be brief but also I want allow time for questions and dialogue and so forth here. Um, I'm really uh now over two months into this new position and I'm it's I I think of it really as kind of three building blocks as I shared with some of you last time I was here in department devices and data and really making sure that we have these structural structural pieces in place and are moving forward. There's been some wonderful work that's been happening across IT department, teachers, staff, etc. Uh, and I want to continue that progress as we move along. Uh right now we have two openings uh and we just transitioned uh an employee uh in a different position within the department. Uh we lost our longtime power school

057administrator Heidi Kidd uh and we now have Angela Wheeler in that position. So she's getting up to speed uh and working with myself Tom Monsdale and others to to make sure that she can uh take that job and fill it accordingly and go. As you all know data is critical to what we do on a regular basis. Power School being our student information system really sits at that nexus or hub of the wagon wheel where we have a lot of different systems hanging off of that. So we need to make sure that hub and that is strong so that we can connect to those other systems and continue. Uh so excited about possibilities and where that's headed but obviously some transition going on. We have like I mentioned we do have two additional openings. We

058are running interviews this week. I'm hoping to fill those. It is a challenge as everyone knows across the country to fill positions and keep um keep highly qualified people where we need them working moving forward. Uh we're doing our best to keep those filled. Uh and I will have an update for you uh hopefully next time uh with some good news on that. Uh transitioning. Uh as I came in, we were just at the start of a large uh voiceover IP or VO update for the phone systems across the district. of the eight buildings, we've now successfully transitioned four of eight. The reason we have not done eight of eight uh is my next topic. Um because of the needs of the two new elementary schools because of the supply chain shortage and so forth,

059we had to steal from Peter to pay fall temporarily, if you will. We couldn't open those two buildings up without poor switches running the network for building management, for educational purposes, for safety, security, and the like. So, we've repurposed some of those the VoIP switches, the phone switches, if you will, on the network for those four remaining schools to the two elementary schools so that we could open those buildings. They would be safe. Students, teachers are there learning and so forth. Good news is I was just told as of Friday, those additional switches are now in and being configured for us. So we are going to start that process in November during PV days, during holidays, during weekends so that we're not having any impact on teaching and learning and we will be rolling those

060out on the remaining four schools. Uh a couple of those schools with very old phone based systems and I start to worry about safety and security uncertainty if we start to get weather days and this the loan of calls coming in start to get overburdened. I want to make sure we're set up and ready to go for that. So, that's kind of the the update on that. Um, speaking of our new schools, as you are all aware, those schools were opened uh successfully and teachers and students are doing some wonderful things there. They weren't 100% full from a technology package standpoint. Some of those additional items were delayed. In the cases of those kind of the networking equipment or switches, we've leveraged other resources like another project or even tying back to some of our

061other schools across the network across the district, including leveraging some of the facilities, the networking equipment at Rotten Middle School. More of those switches have now come in. We are still waiting ultimately for the charging carts that will sit in each of the classrooms uh where the devices that students are using within those classrooms can be secured, be charged, be ready for use when appropriate and as directed by teachers. Also, the interactive whiteboards much like you're seeing here, this Prometheium board, those were not completely rolled out across. Those shipping was delayed. Good news is they are scheduled to be delivered and installed. the remaining ones we need this coming in the coming two weeks uh and we have tentatively scheduled professional development using that on November 2nd assuming everything is in place tested and ready

062to go. So uh we do have those things working. There are a few small additional pieces at those two new schools but again we are using other systems within public schools to help take some of the burden off of that uh as we work. So, I'm excited about getting those schools 100% whole and and turned over eventually. Uh, last but not least item that I have is really this budgeting process. As you all know, this is not my first rodeo around navigating the budget process in a public school district. I've done this in three other school districts on the coastline here in Connecticut. It's my first time through with Croton. So, what I've done, and I've started this already, I'm having one-on-one meetings with actually one-on-one group meetings, me with building principles and some of

063the key staff at each of those schools so that I make sure I understand their process, they understand the process that I'm learning, but also more of a collaborative spirit so that we're covering what is needed for current projects, what the roadmap looks like for future projects, and I'm trying to tie that all back together. teaching and learning being a key aspect of this with me as helping guide the the functional technology components underneath that and we're really looking at things like equity very much looking at things like standardization um in the past school districts have been forced to based on budgets or lack thereof kind of peace meal technology so you run into situations where you have 16 different versions of laptops and multiple different versions of operating systems and so forth when we

064can we should be standardizing as much as possible possible so that we're having as much uptime and functioning teaching and learning time for students teachers um but also then uh making sure that we can deliver that uptime that we can with a limited staff so we're not adding FTEES and the like. So equity standardization and very very much something that Ken and I have been working on is this idea of security also tied with insurance and the like as you are all aware it's very much across a lot of the popular press ransomware cyber attacks my my colleague in Stonington is still struggling to to work through some of this through no fault of their own. Um, so, uh, Ken and I have been working with with, uh, with, uh, with our insurance agent and

065others to make sure that we continue really twofold. One, it's the right thing to do for safety and security within the district, our networks, our data information, but also two, we want to make sure that we adhere to those policies that need to be in place to make sure that we can continue to have uh, the appropriate cyber security insurance in place and we're covered. God forbid there is some attack or some event that we are forced to deal with down the road. Again, we are going to do everything we can to avoid that scenario. Uh but nothing is 100%. So we need to hope for the best, prepare, hope for the best and prepare for the worst is really where we're headed with this. Uh so those are things like end toend encryption, off-site

066backups. Um, and one thing that we're we're thinking through now that we don't have a good solution for yet because there's many options, but we want to make this as seamless as possible for staff is this idea of two-factor authentication. So, many of you are probably familiar with this idea where you log in and then you pull out your cell phone and you get a six-digit code. Takes a little longer, but you type that in and go. That's a example of two-factor authentication. We need to move to that certainly at the administrative level and central office level but eventually to the teacher and staff level as well. I do not want that to get in the way of teaching and learning and the activities in the classroom. But that's obviously a critical point when we

067have teachers accessing student data, personal information and so forth. That is part of their normal operating procedures that should not be compromised, that should not be shared. Uh not that they would do that but you know through some type of attack. So, we're working through those issues to make sure we have all that in place ongoing, but certainly in time for the 22 23 school year. Uh, so those are some of the things that have been squarely on my on my plate as I've worked through kind of my past my honeymoon phase, I would say, and now into the real work of Grton public schools and technology. So, that's what I wanted to share tonight. I'm happy to answer any questions or dive into other topics if if everyone wants to. with that Jay. >>

068Um, currently Clint is U P school as a as a company, do they support the two-factor authentication? >> They do. There's a couple there's a couple different ways. There's kind of that software or communications. Okay. Um there's other op op options as well almost a biometric where you can do that much like Apple has you verify with a retinal scan or or um or or or a face scan I should say or a thumb print. There's also the ability to have what almost looks like a thumb drive where if you have that on your on your ID you have you're challenged by your username and password but then you're also challenged by some type of device that goes in there. Um, I'm concerned that we're we would ever have to ask someone to use their

069personal device, >> right, >> to do that. But again, this is I'm brainstorming here. We're working through this because this is a requirement as of June 3022. You know, what does that look like? We're certainly not in a position to issue a device to every adult in the district. Uh, but all of a sudden when we're talking about a security fob or key that can be plugged in for, you know, three to five dollars a piece, it's easier to manage. But it also is a second challenge where if you don't have that, you are not granted access. >> But you're also looking at creating your own two-factor authentication within this network that's separate from >> Yeah. So yeah, you you you could have a a single information system that will challenge you twice or more,

070but we're talking about accessing any of the resources on this network. And that would be for an administrator that's sitting here within one of our buildings, but also when they're outside of your buildings as well, which you know, which obviously we can't control personal internet access, be it cellular networks, be it your home Wi-Fi or what have you. So it really is we really do need that second challenge uh to secure that data and again this is the insurance industry and so forth are getting more sophisticated over time because we've seen such a rise in some of these attacks and the cost of these pets uh over the last 6 to 12 months. Not that we didn't have a prior but it is accelerating. So they're getting more savvy about how what they need to

071require as they should >> to to make sure that they're ensuring and helping secure networks and so forth and they're prepared to support us as a partner if and when this eventuality happens. Again, hopefully that is never the case, but we need to prepare for that answer your question. >> Yes. >> Others. >> Um, hi Clint. So nice to have you on board. Um my concern is when we have our regular board meeting next week on Monday night. I assume it's going to be at the senior center where the town council holds their meetings. >> Um that Susan and I are going to be having a conversation about tomorrow morning. Little did she know. Um well my my my concern is that I really feel whether you're meeting in this room or what we meet

072um I mean the way this room is set up to me it's needs to be more of a you and not all close together like that in terms of co um where the town councils are spread out they're basically at their own table everybody has a microphone so I I was just wondering if that is something we could put in our budget so that if you wanted to hold your COWs in room 11, you'd be able at least then to hear people and if you were spread out more, you could even take down your mask to speak and then put it back up again if you're, you know, if you're distance like they are in the um senior center. So, um, that's just a thought and I didn't know whether or not that could be

073part of our technology budget. Um, if we continue, you know, it's it's I think really a lot of people right now are tuned in and I think it's a it's a good thing to have this the hybrid meetings for COWs. >> Rita, I I agree wholeheartedly. You're the second board of education member that's asked me about this today. I will make sure that that's part of what I submit and hopefully we'll work its way through the process so that we can uh have adequate funds to do that for the next year. >> Right? Or even if you know couldn't we share with the town, you know, I mean they're not using their microphones all the time. Our meetings are on different nights. So whether or not we could have some type of, you know, agreement

074with with the town so we could use the same equipment even. >> It's certainly possible. >> Thank you. Any other questions for happy? It's very nice to be home. >> It's so nice to talk in different languages, isn't it? I'm listening to >> Well, that that that could be a feature or could be a bug. If I need to change that, please let me know. But thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you. All right. So, budget night. >> Hi. So, um um after what Clint said regarding budget, that's that's a good dovetail uh just to share with you where we are uh within our budget timeline. I'm going to share on the screen the budget timeline. It might be too small. Um. >> Oh, that's good. >> So, oh, that's way too

075big. >> Yeah. All right. Sorry. >> No. >> See small. >> That's great. >> So, um this was the budget timeline that we did share with you um um a few meetings ago. Uh and so on Monday, October 4th, we did uh we did kick off the budgeting process. Uh we um we shared with the principles all of the um the the formats for them to uh submit back to us their site budgets. Uh we have spoken to the uh administrators at at central office such as Clint and Sam uh to uh make sure they understand what um the uh the expectation is in regards to uh getting information in so that we can start to build this budget. Uh so the next step is going to be uh Friday, November 19th, which is the

076Friday before Thanksgiving, where all the uh information will be submitted uh and we'll we'll we'll compile it. We have the template set up. We just have to lay the information in at that point. So um we are um on on on time at at this point early on. Um, and then just to remind you, um, throughout the month of December, we'll, uh, review that, uh, Susan and and, uh, all the administrators will review and discuss, and then on January 3rd, uh, she will, uh, uh, present the the budget to the board. >> When you finally finish up, you start all over. >> Yeah. So, it changes. Is there anything um that we want to make sure that the board gets um for January 3rd that would that would be helpful for us to be thinking

077>> just information um what's h what's happening I just want to make sure that you know when when January 3rd hits which is going to be the first time that we take a look at the budget that we have what we need. Yeah. >> Yeah. The plan will be to uh provide you with a book as we have in the past which has draft uh pages from the budget book. Um I I believe I I I know Susan um provided in the last set of board notes. Um uh this past week the state of Connecticut released uh the uh net cost per pupil uh for all the various districts and uh did a little analysis around that. Uh but that's kind of backward looking. That was looking at 21 uh 2021. Um and but it

078gives you a good idea of of of where we where we've been um and and kind of the starting point going forward. >> All righty. So thank you Ken very very much. >> You're welcome. Um, and then our next is transportation and facilities. Unless you guys want to just cancel the meeting now. >> Come on down, guy. So that so Dean I don't um the context of that statement um is that we had a committee the whole meeting and it was a very long one and I and he sat through the whole thing and we got to agenda item and I adjourned the meeting. >> Oh >> that's great that >> No, this was a couple years ago. It's been a longgoing joke. >> Yes. Long long time. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Good evening.

079>> Great to be with Dr. Kennedy though. I wanted to thank him. He showed me how to get across. Rather than scooting across on the chair, you get up and walk across the room. Okay. Worked out much better. So uh in transportation we had a resignation of a coordinator and we have already done the interviews and the new coordinator uh they will be co-coordinators. The new coordinator will start on November 1st. So um that office will be fully staffed and uh ready to go. It's somebody with many many years of transportation experience has also been working in uh in another district and has a lot of experience in power school. So it's really going to help out that department greatly. So on November 1st we'll be up to full staff again. Uh the good news

080uh is that the drop offs uh school to home have been improving on a daily basis. Today it was at 452 which I think is one of the better times and I would really like it to get to closer to 4:30 somehow. >> Uh which is going to be difficult but we've got to try and get closer to 4:30 because uh it it's not this dark at 4:30 yet, but pretty soon it will be. So, we want to get those uh those young kids home as early as possible. So, we're really working on that. The not so good news uh is that uh they are still short five drivers down at SDA. Uh they lost one today who is moving to Missouri. Uh but we gain one tomorrow, so they're even. They're still going to

081be at five uh short um moving forward. On the 28th, uh, three new drivers will be taking the test. So, shortly after that, uh, provided they, uh, pass the test, uh, should be, uh, back in receipt and, uh, helping us out. Uh, the fact that we're short five drivers is not helpful, but we've been able to, STA's been able to manage uh, the runs up to this point. The difficult part is when we get sick call outs. That's right. >> Almost almost every day. and and this um what day of the week is it today? Today only Monday >> Monday. >> Yeah. Uh yeah, the end of last week and and again today uh we actually had drivers come in in the morning and then call out for the afternoon. Not feeling well apparently. So,

082um we're still dealing with that and um we we have uh improved on the uh the timing of when we get the notification from SDA so that we can uh send the notice out to the parents via the uh all call uh and that's been better, but that that could be uh still uh improve a bit uh as we move forward. So, we're still working on that. Sometimes in the morning, for instance, uh people don't call in as early as they should to the bus drivers to let them know they're not coming in. So, we'll actually get two different messages. We'll get an earlier message to put out. And then, um right around six o'clock, we'll get another message that says, "Oh, by the way, this driver is not coming in either." We are talking

083to the lead management really the CEO of the company on a weekly basis and our team our transportation team which has been slimmer because we need to hire this extra person but she's been in communication like all day long with the STA people who are organizing from the their base. So there's a lot of communication going on and we're just trying to get the communication out to the families so they understand what the delays might be. But in the future, we were promised some things from the CEO with extra um aid on the bus, monitors with better cameras, brand new cameras for 10 of them. Um, so we really are going to proceed with getting some of those things that should make it a smoother ride. And we've asked about navigation systems, too. >> So,

084well, cameras on the bus work relatively well. We have had some instances when we were doing contact tracing, for instance, where the tape did not work or that it takes so long to download it. you know, it's ours to download some of these tapes that that's so old. So, uh, SDA has agreed to purchase 10 brand new units of a different brand that are top of the line stuff. So, we'll be testing those out in 10 of the buses and uh hopefully we'll be moving forward with getting those throughout the rest of the 556 buses that we have. >> So, let's I think there's some questions. I've got um J Dean Lee Liz. uh sounds like I'm sure we've all had this question from parents and uh and some of us from students about why

085don't we just go back to a three tier system and I spoke to a driver I believe tell me if I'm wrong in order to go back to a three tier now that we are all distance magnet at at the elementary district mag either the high school runs would have to start around 6:00 a.m. or the elementarymentaries would have to start later in order to accommodate that which means that the students from the elementary getting home even later like six. >> Um and I think people think that we just arbitrarily decided that we're going to go three tier to two tier because it was some huge savings in money which it's not. But it's it it's basically a structural um outcome from going all night, which is what we decided many years ago that that

086we wanted to do. Um because we now have students that could literally be on the other side of town, come all the way over to St. Northeast Academy or vice versa. They obviously cannot get on I95 during normal bus months. Plus, it wouldn't be told they can only do that sports and it wouldn't be effective anyway because there students get picked up along the way. So, I just want to get that out there. I know there's a lot of frustration. They just have to just flip it back, >> right? >> And in order to flip it back, uh it would cost um you would even start much early even before six o'clock because we actually have some buses that start at 5:30 now. So you'd be starting at five o'clock in the morning to pick

087up high school kids. >> So either you start much earlier and change the times of the school's starting times of the school. Maybe you can bump middle or elementary school even beyond the 9:05 time to 9:15 920 or something. And then uh or the other option would be in order to go back to that would be to add more buses. And uh our early estimates on that were five to six buses uh early on before we put this program into >> and we don't have enough drivers. We don't have enough drivers for a two year. So there's no way we're going to have enough drivers for a three tier in this time frame. >> I would say the international balor campus too was one of the drivers. So we did have the you know elementary

088magnet piece but we also we wanted to give high school kids a little more time in the morning. And we have heard from many of those kids who've said they appreciate the extra 20 to 40 minutes in the morning. Um but it does it the the short driver shortage is really the crux of this problem. It's not the two-tier system. >> And then the second thing is I know that we have a negotiation coming up with STA I believe next year >> and you hit on it Susan. Um I was watching a CBS news report last night and from Virginia, they had a GPS. When you're bringing in drivers last minute from other towns or combining routes on the fly because you're you're short drivers. Some of them have no idea where they are >>

089and so >> and they have a piece of paper that doesn't always make sense and roads that aren't named that aren't list. So, so I definitely think that when we we go to negotiate that GPS is going to be necessary and I think it'll be safer like you say and find some way to connect like the transfer system to the GPS so that it's more of a handsfree type system. I know the technology exists, but >> we're already starting to look into that in the laws because I've heard that there was a law at one point that prohibited such a system on a school bus. >> Okay. >> But I'm not so sure that that wasn't outdated. So, we're going to investigate that because I think the sooner we can get that equipment >> even

090if it takes some arter funding and partnering and we put them on the bus and then but they're our property and we take them with us if we >> don't use those buses in the future. So I think that's something that Sam and I have talked about because you know it would if you get a system that automatically put in the route and and as the buses change you know they change the numbers on the buses but you know they don't always get the most updated you know routing on those pieces of paper >> right >> and a lot of times bus drivers will make markings and change things without coming through. So, we've talked a lot about the different um obstacles that we faced this year and how to correct them. >> And with

09170 buses running at the same time, it's it's a pretty good set. >> Are they 70? >> There's 606. >> So, I was going to respond to Jay's statement about negotiating. Um, it'll be up to the finance and of course the board as a whole to determine exactly how we'll move forward next year. Uh, we could negotiate with SBA and extend a contract possibly if you wanted to do that or we can go out the bid completely in the spring and start all over again and see how that goes. So that's going to be up. I think we'll have that discussion in facility finance and then move forward to the board how you want how you want to proceed with that. All right. The basis for what we pay now for the buses when we

092negotiate the contract for the contract that we have right now. Is it uh these are the buses we're offering you under normal conditions or are we literally paying for the buses actually you? So if we have five if we're five chronically five drivers short, there isn't one person now driving two buses is one bus driving along a route to make up for that, right? Something like that. So if we're we short five drivers, are we short five buses? And if we're short five buses, are we paying for those buses anyway or are we only paying per bus that's actually used? Well, uh, because even though we're short five drivers, they're still bringing in drivers from the other end of the state. Uh, today we had a driver come in from Waterford. We've had drivers come

093in from Ledger. So, they've manned each of the buses. All the buses have run. Uh, it was we were close this afternoon. One bus did not have a driver until the very last minute. Um, but they are driving all the buses. When they double up, what they call double up, put two buses, uh, two two runs on the same bus. uh then we get a credit for that. In other we pay X number of dollars, $350ome dollars a day for a bus 10 K shake. So it was pretty close. Um so uh we pay $350 a day from six to six for 12 hours of that bus. Um and then if they do double up uh then we get credit for that. I have to tell you though, I've asked my team to go back

094to the beginning of September when this all started and see any other thoughts this board has had to take on on our own because they could not fulfill the contract. So, I know Ken has been working on that. We had another company do our after school program because they couldn't do it. Even now, we're having some conflict with the after school programming. Um, you know, and we're doubling up of the regular program in order to fulfill that. So, we're still trying to find resources, but any other additional cost that we're incurring, I want to know about, I want you to know about, and then we're going to be sending that forward to the bus company. >> In in the end, though, this this is sort of cleaning up, if you will, clean up afterwards in

095from a parents point of view, from the student point of view, what's the experience? That's that's really all that I need to do. And I know you there are people that are, you know, tolerant. There are people that are happy. There are people that are unhappy. There are people that aren't happy and aren't saying anything. >> So, but we've been through all this before. >> I don't think anybody's happy. I don't think they're happy. I don't think company's happy. I know. We are we are pleased that things are improving but um again it's a daily process >> and it takes a lot of time from this team to make sure it's running the right way. I mean that's where all your energy has has been. I'm sure a lot of your energy is spent on

096that. >> Do do you have any other um when to go away from the COVID vaccine? Do the STA company do they suggest that us drivers get the flu shot? I don't know what their policy is with regard to the flu shot >> because >> but they did have to they have to have the they have to have the holy shot. >> Yeah. I was more concerned >> vaccination or they have to tested how we >> Yeah. No, I'm I'm much more concerned when we talk about the possible that some of these bus drivers could get the flu, >> right? >> Which would make it more of a problem. And >> there's no mandated flu shot. We encourage it. We try to make it easier access for people. Well, I just I just wanted to

097know if if the SDA company itself can say to the bus drivers, we want to get a regular flu shot. >> That's all I'm talking about. >> The flu shot has been available to staff members uh here in the district in the past. And maybe we should make sure that we let the bus company know that if if it's available here that they can join in with us, too, at that time. Members are available. That should be coming up soon, I guess. >> Great, Liz. Um Susan you had said at an earlier meeting I don't know this last week or the week before that there was um state you had the state had said we are here to support you um with this less transportation issue. So, have you been able to figure out how

098>> No, I reached out. I've talked to a couple people. They haven't given me anything. Um, you know, >> Yeah, >> definitely. >> I was just >> They were taking my information. They wanted my information more about what I was experiencing and would get back to me. But you have got back. Well, >> I think one of the big things that came out of our meeting with STA the last time with regards to that group that Susan is talking to is that it would be good if the state could um move up the the testing requirements at least move that thing along and more timely manner than it has been in the past. It takes quite a while. Takes about six months, but uh just just waiting for a testing date. um there can't be

099that many bus drivers that are testing that that it took three months to get tested for these three people here. So that that's one thing that we're hoping that the state can help us with at least the >> the driver training takes quite a bit of time and then to take the test and go through the whole process. It can be up to three months. >> Maybe they need to find a way to accelerate that process, >> especially with uh >> in in light of what's happening nationally, right? >> We should be on the cutting edge, >> right? Would that be nice? >> Any other questions about transportation before Sam talks to us about the facilities? >> All right. >> Facilities. Uh we have a couple of new elementary schools that we've uh moved into.

100Uh and over the over the past weekend uh they uh have started installing exterior doors in both of our schools. The final rules, not the you know we had temporary doors. They >> were going what? >> Yeah. No, there was a big backlog on aluminum. So the aluminum doors were kind of were backorded for quite a while. So they're starting to replace those. And the interior doors, some of the interior doors are coming in as well. So the company's working on those in the shop and I'm bringing them over and installing them on a daily basis. Um also, uh the corridors at the two schools are being done. You knew the tiles need to be picked up. Even though they weren't peeling in the hallways, they're going to replace them anyway. won't take J have

101it happen in the middle of February or something. So all those are being replaced and have started that process on weekends. So at most schools I was told today by Rick Norris that the F River is close to getting the CO. Uh we should have that any day and Mystic River is close too with the exception of that still waiting for the state fire marshall to rule on issue that we have at the school. So we hope to have that from the state fire marshal here soon to take a phone call a little bit earlier in the meeting fire marshal from hoping but it was another issue that we talk about. So I'm hoping we get that pretty soon. Uh as as somebody reported earlier uh Grat Middle School the field lights have been approved

102by the town council. So, Ken and I will be working on putting together an RFP RFQ request for proposals and quotes. Um, but before I even do that, I'm going to be talking to the FAA to uh make sure that they have no issues or at least let me know how high those lights can be because we're at a lot higher elevation than the football field is the high school. So, um, we want to make sure that we're in compliance with them before we >> That's a good idea. That's a good idea. Jeez, >> I could just see it. No, this is not where you need to land. >> And then this afternoon's meeting with the town manager B. Um uh we we discussed that project and uh that will be a project that we

103run right here from from uh Grant public schools. It won't be a building committee private. It will be our project. So we'll run it through buildings and grounds. >> Uh I did while I was sitting over there doing nothing else, I did finally find the proposal from uh SLAM regarding the study on the fieldhouse. Uh and it was $24,000 for that. The $75,000 one was for the uh study and plans for the culinary arts project high school. >> Okay. >> So, my apologies for throwing out a number. >> Contractor should know better than throw out numbers, but at least I gave you a higher number. I'm counter. >> Any questions for Sam? I have a question. Sam, could you tell give us an update on the sign for Graten Middle School? >> Yeah, the sign

104is in at Grten Middle School. Have you seen it? >> No, because somebody just when our neighbors said, you know, why isn't there a sign there? And I said, well, it's coming soon. So, now it's there. >> It's there and and it's electrified. I don't know whether the school is operated yet. I think they need to be trained on it first. And I I think the training was coming up this week. >> Good. >> And and then they should be operating that sign. So uh somebody uh one of the contractors called me today uh to make sure that uh I wanted it set up so that we can have a a shut off down there at the sign in case we need to work at it. So uh that will be installed uh but it

105has nothing to do with the sign operating presently. So that's ready to go. And my other question is there's been a a sign that says that Route One North is going to be closed for a period of time. Do you know if that will impact Grunt Longpoint Road or where is that? It's like right down by the Graten Middle School where you first see that flashing sign about it's going to be closed for about three weeks. So I I don't know where where on route one head over here. Yes, that's true. So >> taking the girls to school. I've seen it. I didn't know why. >> Nobody does. I've seen it on Nobody does. I hope it's >> No, I think it's the um it's the if I read it correctly, they're they're um replacing

106as you go into Mystic downtown Mystic, >> right? >> One of the retaining walls has crumbled, >> right? >> And so they're and it's going into this guy's beautiful new backyard house, you know, area. So they're having to they're going to have to build that up. pass. >> It's It's in Mystic. It's in downtown Mystic. It's across from the um >> the Baptist church. >> Okay. You know where I'm at? >> Yeah. >> So, I I believe that's what I read, but something came out from Patrice Granowski about that. Uh it's on the town website, >> so you can go and find it there. But if I remember reading it correctly, I don't know, and I have the same question is where is this? They they've got it the sign going up Fort Hill and

107you're like, well, where is it going to start and where's it going to end? Because you don't see anything else until you get past Mystic River, you know, Mystic River. So, the Fishtown Road there. So, >> those Jersey barriers have been there for many years. >> It's going it's going all the way down into the historic district. Yeah, that's what they're talking about. >> Okay. And they're not parking places anyway. So, don't >> Right. So, it usually I get a notice from the police department or um Everbridge regarding closures. I haven't seen that one yet. Um although I saw the sign, didn't think much of it. Um but uh so it shouldn't it shouldn't affect much other than a couple of school buses that might be down in that area and cross. So we will

108reroute them like we had to do or like we have to do presently in knowing. So, >> Thank you, J. >> I wonder if we had an update. I know that uh there was a attendant at the traffic control signal at Brasa that was leaving before the front middle school went out. Did we ever get them contact them to extend their shift? Susan was in a meeting the other yesterday or Friday and I told Joyce I'm running down to catch the guy at the light and when I got down there the guy was already gone so I didn't catch him yesterday and I did get down there today but I was actually going to go and see him directly and ask him if he's interested in working longer hours and then we can talk to

109the principal and see you know how we can work out and deal and take part >> as long as he's not working there you know they're after And I've got to follow up with the chief because he was actually doing a study on that saying what >> we need something. >> Yeah. It can't just be anybody. It has to be somebody that needs to be trained on how to do that. >> Yeah. >> We can't volunteer. >> Well, well, we could, but I'll stand there. Yeah. Well, I was just my anything else. Super. We are done with transportation and facilities. We're done with done. All right. So, we are at um Thank you, L. It was a pleasure to have you here. um is a review of referral list which really means being that I

110didn't pay attention to what your comment about the referral list was last um last week and maybe um Susan let I I just need to have Susan and I kind of think about that and then do a proposal for you guys about this referral list. Um I think it's immensely better than when a long time ago when with with Farita and I. It just it's still clunky and I think we just need to figure it out. Um I do have >> concerns. >> We could we could under the committee of the whole >> I'm not sure if I'm allowed. >> Um and then um I have her suggested future topic is for us to talk about what we're doing right now um in currently serving our students. Um I actually have a question. I originally

111said let's bring this to finance and facility about the slam, but I say let's vote on it um next week at our regular board meeting. Let's just let's just get it done. >> I like that. >> Okay. So, I'm going to um ask for that to happen the architect and make sure that it's still good. >> Yeah. >> Well, we want to make sure she still has the time to do it, right? Yeah, >> I'll verify that before. >> That'd be great. >> Any other U >> Kim? Before you um This is This has to do with a referral. >> Yeah. >> Um I know Learn developed an app inhouse where their staff can just upload their um COVID vaccination cards. And I was just wondering if it would be possible for Graten to do

112something like that since we have so many staff members. And it's just it's just so simple. They just have to scan it and it's uploaded and there's no collection of cards or submitting them. I just thought it would be something we should look into. Maybe there could be a conversation with learning done. >> It's already been done. We use final site which is our um site and all I had to do is scan in or take the picture of it and it uploads >> it. It does it. So what is that under? Is that um can any staff member or bus driver or anyone that's connected with the Grant public schools do this or do you have to be able have to have sign in >> to do it? Yes. And we found out that

113we have close to 94% totally vaccinated. Right. And so then you're doing testing on the others. >> Testing for anyone else. Right. >> Is it twice a week or once a week? >> Once a week. Once a week. >> And I think the test even be uploaded. So it's all paperless. >> Even the test and private. >> That's great. I mean, I would love to see that. Is that But we we can't get into that site. >> No, you could because of the security. But it's a the final site is what we use in HR department. So we've already paid for it. It's something we commonly use in uploading all of our paperwork and um so it was a natural fit >> and the Lori was on that day once. You know, she's really very

114meticulous about these things. >> Yeah, that's great. Thank you. >> Yes. >> I I think I know the answer. assume that all of this complies with HIPPA. >> Absolutely. >> All right. Thanks. >> Yeah. >> That's why we didn't want to collect parts or have anybody responsible for that, you know, and didn't want any other eyes on it. >> Right. >> Well, before I I have a it's sort of a a suggested topic and after I say it, you can tell me. >> Okay. and that is that there's no Martin Luther King dinner this year, but we're going to be celebrating virtually on the 21st, which is this coming Thursday, and I'm hoping that everybody will tune in to see El get receive. >> Can I get um is there something I can send out

115to everyone or to the board and and admin? >> That'd be great. Yeah. And then of course we we like to do our donations at that time too, >> right? >> Wonderful. So we want to make sure >> and maybe I know that we always have the scholars here. >> So you you'll send that out to us, Susan. >> Yes. >> Great. Thank you. >> Dr. Aman will get it to me and then I'll get it out to everybody else and maybe we can at the next board meeting. >> All right. in that case. So wait, so you're suggesting a possibility this coming Monday. Okay. >> No, instead of February. >> Instead of February. >> Sorry. That case motion to >> say good night. >> All right. All those in favor, please say I. >>

116Have a good week. >> We're done. Look at that before in class.