3-14-22 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001All right. So, good evening. Um, it is 6:01 and this is a committee of the whole meeting of board of ed. And, um, it is March 14th. And I am honored to call the meeting to order. And the first agenda item is the approval of the committee, the whole meeting minutes of January 10th. Um, and can I have a motion to accept? >> There's something there's a place where it says Mr. but it doesn't say Mr. and I know >> Okay. So, let can I get a motion on the floor then we can go into discussion. >> Okay. >> So, Matthew has made the motion. Can I have it seconded, please? >> I'll second. >> I've got Joan. You can take your pick. >> Um, because two incredible people and then um discussion please. >>

002Yeah. On page one, it says uh under budget workshop orientation, Mr. Dave and I know it's supposed to be Mr. Knight. It's just it's just a typo sort of commission. >> Thank you. I think it's, you know, we're going in shortand you mister. Hey, mister. >> My wife my wife assures me that her husband was present in the tent. All right. >> All right. >> Thank you for people who I I go through these and I can never pick that stuff out. So I >> That's because you read it. >> Okay. Any other further discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor of approving the committee of the whole meeting minutes of January 10th, 2022, please say I. >> Oppose. >> As amended. Sorry. As amended. All those in favor, please say I. I >>

003oppose abstain. That motion has carried. Um we are now um going to go into some data presentation. Um I think Susan and I we had a conversation and then you realized really the the data that we have not had a discussion for a really long time um is uh about the um the discipline and honor course enrollment. So, >> and that was something I think the board had requested that we take a deep dive into. So, >> y >> and I would also like to say hello to Vita. Welcome. >> All right. >> Well, so Tom and I put some data together for you. Um, this is really a snapshot of what was discussed at the last district data team just to give you an idea of the types of uh the pieces of data

004that we're looking at. Um and so we'll share a little bit about the discussion that came off of this data and of course um what came out of the discussion of uh the honors course enrollment. You guys have sort of heard the plan that sort of developed from from the initial discussions here. So um yeah we can move that box maybe so we can see. So we first started looking at what kind of punishments um we're giving out and we looked at um a little bit closer at the number of in school suspensions, out of school suspensions and expulsions. When we first talked about this with the district data team, we we were just looking at what's happened since uh this year began. Um so we had those numbers to the right 306 um in

005terms of in school suspensions, 162 out of school suspensions and eight expulsions. And of course the big question that came up is well you know we we had the discussion about the national trends that have I'm sure you've seen articles and and had discussions about in terms of how discipline has increased since the return from COVID. Um and so the questions that came from the district data team was can we get that data? Um and we really went back uh to just before the um uh the pandemic hit. So we went all the way back to September 2019 to February 2020 to cover the same um same number of days or months. Um and as you can see, you know, there was a slight uptick. Um you know, again, it falls in lines. Well, it

006falls in lines. I I you know I use the word slight only because of what's you know what what's been seen uh nationally and again I don't have those statistics here but you know yes you know you know you know a little over 50 um um almost 60 more in school suspensions um you know and an increase across the board the expulsions um are the same um but it just led to that you know and it really um started talking about what's going on in the schools um you know and we'll look a little bit closer to the next slides we break it down and we just focus on the secondary um since we track those and we we pull these numbers from the report that we yeah provide to the state. So this comes

007out of um ED66 is a report we provide to the state bianually which lists all of our inschool suspensions, out of school suspensions and expulsions. And I would also like to add September 19 um to February 2020. That's our most recent data point that we can compare to. Obviously that's just one year snapshot. Um February or September 2019 to February 2020 is not an abnormally high year. Um we have had years previously that are higher than that. we just didn't want to show, you know, a huge swath of years going back, but this is our best comparison. So, I mean, there is an increase for September 21 to February 22. Um, but it's not kind of out of the range of what we've seen over the past 5 to 10 years. >> I was actually

008expos expecting expulsions to be up because it was, you know, my first, well, I did it last year, too, but it last year was kind of an anomaly that we weren't seeing the discipline the way we had in the past at all. Um, I think the smaller classrooms, the COVID, the kids who were doing remote, um, really made a difference in our school communities and everybody was messed up and I think afraid, you know. So, um, >> well, what was interesting is that the discuss like the teachers felt it and the administrators felt that there was an increase and so part of the discussion was was really looking and seeing, you know, are their instincts correct? Are we truly seeing an increase? And and we obviously were. Um, and again, that could be a number

009of reasons that have been talked about before. I mean, the kids being home basically for a year and a half now, having to to really learn those social skills. And and of course, we we'll talk a little bit more as we move forward as to what we're doing in these schools to counteract this. Um, but um again, um, as we look, we we kind of pulled the top five um disciples how the state. Yeah, we we broke it out in definitions just so you uh sort of understood what what um I even had to ask the question as to what the difference between, you know, a fight and a physical altercation was. Um but you know, if you break it down, if you read the definition, basically a physical altercation really involves sort of one

010person going after somebody else and maybe not a retaliation and not, you know, a a quote unquote fight where um a fight involves two people um and possibly, you know, some injuries where physical altercation does include injuries. um threats of bodily harm, pretty self-explanatory. Um inappropriate behavior um led to a discussion um as to how do you define that and and you know what's inappropriate to one teacher might not seem that appropriate to another and the same thing with administrators. So we had a decent conversation about how we um sort of uh get on the same page with that. And then same thing with disruptive behavior. Uh, another pretty subjective one where um, you know, if you don't really calibrate, if you don't really talk about it as a staff or as an administrative team,

011um, uh, that could lead to to, uh, you know, a difference in numbers there. So, we looked at these and we I think we started at the middle school, right? >> Yeah. I was just also going to provide just for context. This is just a short list of over 200 different unique codes uh, the building administrators kind of have to weave through as they try to figure this out. So, you know, our discussion really brought to light the fact of that calibration is so important because when you have 200 options to choose from, you can have some really big variation between how one principal might assign a code versus another. Um, and we want consistency that coding so our data is accurate from the state. >> Yeah, we were happy to hear that that does

012occur before the year begins. they sit down and sort of have a discussion around me so they can be on the same page when they're >> and I think we're seeing a lot more alignment now that they're campus with the middle school and the high school during that and they even meet as principles all together the secondary meet just the two with us and then the elementary meet just by themselves. So um the way we wind it up there's more cross articulation you know with this kind of thing and it all starts with a school data team. So every school has their own data team and then they come to district data team. So a lot of this work has already been done at the school level and then they kind of are in the

013know about their building when they bring it to the district. Elementary, interestingly enough, we really had very few either in school or out of school suspensions. And this doesn't count for other disciplinary actions like when they have to stay after school you know and you know have to do their work or yeah stay after. >> Yeah we focused on the uh >> out of school and in school. >> Um so if you take a this is the middle school data that covers from the beginning of the year um until uh January 31st roughly. And again the discussion with the data district data team I mean it was concerning that uh you know the top two you know 36% of the total infections involve some type of uh physical altercation. Um so we talked about that

014and again you know we had those conversations that I mentioned before about how kids came back and how they're not used to sharing their space and um uh you know various things like that. And we we talked to the middle school about what sort of mediation uh they're doing. And they're not just issuing the punishments. Obviously, the inschool suspensions, the out of school suspensions. Um they are using what's called restorative practice, which a lot of you u might be uh familiar with what it involves uh sitting down with the with the kids that are involved. Sometimes even including other students, you know, to sort of help help them talk it out and come up with a solution. Now, there's a consequence involved a lot of times as well, but they try to make sure that

015the uh the behaviors don't keep repeating themselves. Um so they do use restorative practices there. Um they also have a weekly focus in the building around their behavioral expectations. Um and the middle school uses um the acronym SOARE. Um that's lined up with the uh with the my uh goals. Uh the S standing for safe, the O for open-minded, the A for accountable, and the R for respectable and responsible. Um and so they do different weekly themes throughout the building to reinforce those uh behavioral expectations. Um and they also have weekly advisory groups uh that focus on different uh social emotional uh learning. So they are trying to educate the kids as they go along which of course is the important part. Um and again we'll we'll continue to monitor these. We do um you

016know in most cases you see that um we try to use uh in school suspension keeping students in school. um you know there there's a little imbalance on the throwing the objects but again all of these punishments um you know I I was starting to ask questions about different each one obviously has its own level of severity um and the punishment um is affected by that or in in in a lot of cases if it is repetitive behavior um some cases that are initially given maybe an ISS will then later be answered with an out of school suspension. And to be clear too with the throwing objects one because I also had to look this up. That doesn't mean a student threw a rubber band at another student. It has to be something that would

017be classified potentially as like a weapon. So you know you're throwing something that could cause bodily harm to someone else. It's not just an annoyance type factor >> and it doesn't add up to the 100% because there are other factors you know other things that we haven't had. These were just the top five that we looked at. Is there repetition out of the 240, it's 306 incidents? I presume these are incidents, not days of suspension. >> That's absolutely correct. So those are just incidents. So one incident may lead to three days of suspension. It might lead to 10 days of suspension depending on the scenario. >> That also doesn't mean 306 children were you know the same one child might have multiple multiple infractions as well. Beverly, >> thank you. Kim, um, on the secondary

018school discipline, can you break that down for me on for race and gender >> and send it to me if if that's possible? >> Yeah. Um, I I believe we actually did that in a separate um data team. So, we can actually just send you the slides from that data team >> or actually bring it back, Beverly. It would be worth a conversation. I think >> we can send it to you ahead, but can also bring this back as another topic. >> Oh, sure. >> Yeah. I think for all of us, too. Beverly, good, good question. Dean, >> while you're at it, could you break it down by gender? >> She said gender. Sorry. >> And thank you for all this information. Thank you very much. >> Yep. Yeah, I I see that we had

019in from September to February, we've had eight expulsions. >> Expulsion is definitive or definitive seed from the school or is there some way we can recapture these young people to our system? >> So, we actually um it's according to board policy if they ser seriously violated board policy and we have a hearing officer, Dr. Michael Ber who works with me and um the job is to get kids back to school. So I would say in all of our cases they they have been um incidents that we've been able to while you do a full year expulsion you can do a stipulated agreement where the student has to not get into trouble again has to keep up with their grades. So I kind of call central office a life preserver because a lot of kids who

020come to me are in need of some grade and support. So they come and they work with a certified teacher and we have a a counselor and a tutor um an art teacher Kelly um who comes in. So they really are able to get back to school. We've had multiple out of those eight at least four who've returned to the high school for second semester. >> Good to hear. It is good to hear and they're doing great. >> Thank you, >> Beverly. >> Thanks, Kim. Um, I tuned in a little late because I just got out of work. I was wondering how do you all feel about this data? Are you um are you feeling that this is good compared to where you were two years ago or this is not good? We need to

021work on some things. And my other question is out of school suspension. Are those the kids that go to the library? Do they still go to the library for tutoring? >> I don't believe so. Unless it unless uh they generally don't do that unless it's uh more than 10 days, which would constitute an expulsion really. So we we can only suspend a child up to 10 days and that doesn't require them to have tutoring. So they're probably provided work. They might think homebound should >> Yeah, maybe maybe you're thinking of of a homebound student who might have been either removed from school or uh >> for medical reason, >> you know, for medical reasons and then they're provided a tutor and that's probably done at a neutral location like a library. >> And Beverly, it

022used to be that expulsions um did not have a 4-hour program like we are offering now, but state law changed. So that's why they're here at central office and they're getting kind of a complete program and we really encourage them to get jobs and help them with career choices and they can get credit for the jobs they do in the afternoon. So um many of them are doing that as well. And to answer your first question on that first slide with data on it, we did talk about the numbers uh dating back from two years ago where it is an increase um that's sort of expected given the national trends, but definitely something that we're going to keep an eye on um as we move forward to make sure we get that at a at

023a at a lower level. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh so now the kids that are expelled that they they don't go to the library. You're saying you do something right in central office or some other location >> and I check on them all the time. >> Okay. Good. Good. Because I I remember the library had some concerns about the kids being at the library with the tutor with the tutor. So, I'm glad to see that's all changed. >> No, it's a much better situation, I think. >> Okay. >> We still have stuff to work on, but >> we do. We We know that for sure. Andrea, >> I'm wondering Beverly I think Beverly mentioned a 10day suspension, but that's a very rare um occurrence. At least it was when I was here. Yes. So, do

024you have any idea of how many three days? How many five days? >> I look at that. We looked at >> So, we didn't look at that specifically, but I do look at that. I don't know besides students pending expulsion. I don't think we've had any pending suspension. >> No, I would imagine. >> No, I think the average would be three or less. It would have three or less. >> Yeah, it would have to be pretty >> Yeah, pretty severe toward anything over three. >> I think it would be on its way to explosion, >> but I could certainly I could certainly give you >> ones that are headed forward. >> You could break it down by number >> and we could look at kind of the average number of days that an OSS for

025example. So, we could say, you know, I could pull data for you and say the average out of school suspension is two and a half days, something like that. Can I just um for Rita and Beverly's per purposes to if you have a question to raise your hand um because um I we're only allowed like four screens at the present moment because we have the the presentation up there. So I just don't want to miss you. Bev I seem to catch you when you raise your hand but Rita I just wanted to let you know as well the computer hand not your personal hand. You can raise that too if you want to. So just looking at uh moving on to the Fitch uh data, you'll see that the percent of total infractions, the the

026highest percentage was for disruptive behavior. And again, that's what led to our discussion about what does that mean and how do you define that and whether or not, you know, the administrators have the same understanding of that and the teachers have that. And so that's something that we'd encourage we encourage the high school administrative team to, you know, review with their staff since, you know, especially since that's the uh the highest level of infractions here. um failure to comply with an agreement or behavior plan. Those are kids again who might have uh some consistent um issues with behavior. Uh so they develop a plan that you know they have a meeting with the parents and the child. They sign an agreement and then if they violate that agreement that would lead to um ISS or

027OSS skipping class is pretty self-explanatory. And then we talked about the fighting um and physical alterc uh physical altercations. And then at the high school level, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, uh use >> and vaping. >> That includes Yeah, that would include vaping too. Again, you see um preponderance of the infractions are met with ISS. Again, an effort to keep the kids in the building and not um and not out of school. Um but again, that um you know, the outlier um that you can see is the fighting, but of course that goes to the severity of the physical altercation. Um, and of course, if it's a repeat behavior, um, I talked to the high school about what they're doing on a daily basis to, um, to counteract the behaviors or to work with students. Um, they

028they've had, and I I don't know how long I I didn't ask Ted how long they've been doing this ABC referral. Um, it it goes to their motto, the achieve, it's achieve more, believe more, care more. Um, and it's basically a teacher referral. if they see um anything um and it could be behavioral, it could be uh academic, they make a referral um and then the guidance department uh picks it up, sort of does the the leg work around bringing different people together. If he's having a problem in math class, whether it's behavioral, academic, the guidance counselor will sort of pull the team together. Is he having uh the same problem in uh English class? Is it happening in science? Why? Why not? You know, pulling the team together, trying to come up with solutions.

029Um and again whether it's behavioral issues in class or academic um they're able to make those referrals and then they they have those meetings to develop solutions for the kids and they obviously involve the students um and the parents in most cases in those discussions too. Um they also have the Falcon Academy which is their afterchool uh tutoring program. It's peer tutoring as well as adult tutoring that they try to get students involved in. Um sometimes they offer that to students who are getting into trouble out after school um or uh can use uh the extra time in school to help uh maintain their grades. And obviously the belief is always that if a student's doing well in school, their behavior should improve because generally kids start misbehaving if they're falling behind in their work.

030>> So it's another way to >> I'm recognized dean and then Katrina. >> Sure. Couple things. one um there's a tendency I think for people especially quote our age to sort of compare there the then and now the one and only time that I received a detention in school it wasn't my fault and I got the detention because I said it wasn't me so my biology teacher said now you've earned detention but it's a when I think back to what the rules were when I was in high school it's my impression it could be all wrong so I'm going to ask other people what their impressions that you could earn a detention fairly easily, but a suspension required you to say, "Bring a jack knife to school and an expulsion required you to actually use

031the jack knife." >> Um, you know, expulsion was rare. These were the kids who were quote asking for, you knew they were bad news. They were quote bad news from elementary school. They were the ones that smoked in the back in the ramp with the teachers that smoked. Um, you know, we all knew who they were. They were the bad boys. So, it's been my impression that as we've moved through the years and hasn't been a, you know, one single curve, it's again just my impression that things that I would have gotten a detention for now would lead to a suspension. It's it's much more easy to it's much easier to have an inschool suspension for a kid. It seemed to me now I have three kids. They're all three years apart. They're all very

032different. My oldest was a challenger in in a lot of ways. Thank God he's actually, you know, straightened himself out. That a lot of the talents, shall we say, or the psychological makeup that he had would stand him in goodstead later in life. But while as a child he had, as we all had, many bosses, parents, teachers, etc., uh, he chafed under that and would push envelopes and not everybody took kindly to that. I would frequently get phone calls. High School. Hi, this is Mr. Diskin. H, how are you? Well, better till I got heard from you. Right. So, it seemed to us that Alex would get called on things. Sorry, Al would get called on things that probably should have earned him a detention, but in but he wound up with an inschool suspension.

033I think a couple times, maybe at least once, out of school suspension or something that was pretty egregious, but no weapons or anything like that. So, it struck us that he was being disciplined at a uh more strictly than maybe we would have been. My wife, of course, is a complete angel. never got in trouble once in her life. So, not even the phony detention that I got. That's that's one thing that I want to say. I don't know what other people's impressions are. Uh the other thing is this. It also relates again to my oldest. Teachers have a lot of students to deal with. If you've got a teacher with a lot of classes they're teaching and maybe between all the sections that they teach, they've got a hundred students and you know, total

034roster. Um, you know, there's a natural human tendency to focus on the kids you think are the ones who are going to be a little weward. Okay, you can do that in a positive way. You're caring about them or you're looking to head off trouble. And what I found is that the reputation of my oldest son, and he was not the worst of the lot, but because we didn't want to hear anything from the school, so one phone call was a disaster for us. Uh but he he definitely earned a place apparently in a lot of teachers memories. So that when his brother three years behind him came through, they said, "Oh, you're so and so's brother." And that shadow is actually in some instances that now applies to my daughter. Now my middle son

035angel, my daughter, I believe, angel, not a one thing. It was really my oldest, the big challenger. And so people began to teachers, I'm sorry, began to look at uh the next two kids as oh you're from there or you're so and so's brother or sister. Do we possibly have a phenomenon where teachers are paying maybe more attention to somebody's siblings and therefore kids may be more likely to get caught or called out on something that's relatively minor because people are remembering an older sibling being perhaps far more troubled. So, do we see that phenomenon? Sorry for the long-winded discourse, right? >> Or solid liquid. >> I would say that um things may have changed from your day, my day to now for sure >> electricity. But I would also say that we really follow

036schoolboard policy and sever several of you around this table remember a policy regarding knives in the inches of the knife and you can get expelled for bringing a knife to school even if there's not intent to use it or there's you're showing it off like there have been kids who've come right to the office and said I had this in my backpack we were camping or such and such. They don't get in trouble for that. But if you are taking it out and showing off and some of these knives you can get at the mall and they're quite good-looking, you know, they think they're really flashy and if they're showing it off, you know, that is in violation of the schoolboard pos policy or if you're threatening in any way. So I would say that

037we've seen several of those incidents um this year and we've seen them before, too. So, a letter just um the um high school principal Keller just crafted a letter about using social media, you know, bringing in weapons, you know, really checking their backpacks because I think these backpacks are like the lockers on their back >> so they don't go through them. And so they might have had an activity over, you know, the weekend and things come in, but there's other paraphernalia too that gets caught up in those backpacks and they get and we have to follow the school board policy. So, you know, we're I think we're a little tougher um in this day and age because of some of the situations that have occurred and consequences with the Coline didn't happen until after we

038were out of high school. So, you know, it's been pretty rampant that, you know, we've had school safety issues. >> And in regards to your other question about biases, I guess is what you're saying against, >> you know, we're doing a lot of work. You know, obviously we're, you know, a lot of the DEI work we're doing is talking about our implicit biases. And we're trying to really help educate teachers into not making assumptions about kids based on what they look like or how they carry themselves in the classroom or the body language. and and that would fall under it though. Yeah. Um you know again you know right you know your older brother's bad reputation doesn't run off on you. >> Um and of course I think you know we're we're trying to ob

039obviously encourage the teachers to to judge each kid by what they're doing in their classroom that particular day or that particular year. Um so that's part of the work that we're doing with uh with DEI, but I think it applies to what you're saying too. >> Yeah. You if you look at him now he's about to graduate from university. You you'd never know. >> You'd never know he was a rascal. Katrina and then Beverly. >> Um my first question I think goes maybe for all of us. >> Um what you know you you mentioned that you I think you mentioned that you didn't want to go back through the years that would be too much to introduce. Based on just the brief glance you had of that, would you say there have been more disciplinary

040actions, less or have they remained steady? So I would say year-over-year there's quite a bit of variation and especially over the past couple of years because you know right after this data was taken in 2020 we went basically from a normal year to zero infractions right last year I don't know probably less than 10 total you count them on two hands um in the five years prior than that I >> I would say there's no kind of general increase there's just year-over-year variation so this year is so what our current year data is is not a massive outlier in terms of being like way higher than we've ever seen before. Um but it is higher than the last year previously. >> Okay. And then I I guess this is for the bill. You had mentioned

041um there were some other offenses that weren't included on here. >> This is top five. So what are six, seven, etc.? >> Um I could pull those for you. They're unique for each building. Um >> give me a You don't have to give me >> Oh, I don't remember off the top. There's like 220 something codes. I know it's 21 pages of codes. >> So it's So I mean we could certainly share that. >> Okay. >> Sure. That would be interesting. >> Okay. Yeah, we certainly can do that. >> Okay. And then um what percentage of the student body at Fitch >> and at Bronten Middle School um have been in this OSS realm. So I actually have a really nice slide that's from our data team that we could bring to the next meeting.

042Um that is a graph of exactly that showing kind of how many students. So we have a lot of students I shouldn't say a lot of we've the majority of students who have received an ISS or OSS have received one and then you have a very small co small cohort of students who have received maybe five or 10 for example. So the graph basically explains that. I'd be happy to read that next. That would be great. And then my last question, um, you're collecting this, I don't know how to ask it. Um, what is the I mean, I can remember when I worked in the schools in Brandon, it was elementary school. There was a form and there were certain things you had to fill out in there. I assume there can I assume that

043there's one like that for administration? >> Uh, yeah. So right now it's actually a digital form that they're filling out but yes roughly the same thing. >> So how is that information and I know there's conversations especially with the sor thing >> but how is that very specific information imparted to the students >> what what you have expectations and they're in a in a form where you can collect the data. How is that information given to the students? >> So, and I mean pre any incidents I mean does it come in their freshman year um before they go to school freshman orientation? Is it every year they're reminded >> the behavior expectations? >> I would imagine it's in the handbook. I'm assuming it's it's done um at fresh at the freshman orientation and within their

044advisory groups. uh you know and in the syllabus of the uh of each of each each course what the teachers behavioral expectations are and and again they're they're all tied to the building goals that are established by by the uh administration. >> Once they get into trouble we really sit and talk the administrator sits and talks to them and says tell us your side of the story. So we always and when they come to expulsion with me and Dr. G, tell us what you what were you thinking? No, tell us, you know, your your side of the story of what happened. And we really truly listen. And sometimes you can kind of catch in between the weeds, you know, what has been collected from the administration and what's told, you know, especially for some of

045the serious issues. And that's why we're able to get them back because it was a mistake that they made, but it wasn't a mistake that you want them to be out of school for a whole year for. I guess my question is I had one that was very good. You know, he really got it if you talked about behavior expectations and all this other stuff. The other one needed specific behaviors that are not acceptable. >> A rule follower. >> What how do we portray those specific behaviors to the students in rather than just having a conversation? When when do they get okay you can't do this you can't do that you can't bring the knife to school you does that happen well they're supposed to read and sign off on the handbook so and I

046think it's if it happens it happens in CTL or advisory um for the kids so that they know and you know they're the kind of school rules they've had since kindergarten mostly >> but I think your point is like proactively what could be done and I think what those conversations will be at the end of the year that we have that Susan and I have with the building principles would be to have this data and say okay what are we going to do next year to sort of try to yeah you know what are we going to do differently now we could have done exactly what we've done every other year before this year but we had two years of COVID to sort of battle and I don't think we were not that we weren't

047ready but I think the discussions were always you know we expect a spike you know we expect a honeymoon period right September October and then all of a sudden a spike in behavior well that started >> day one >> um and again was it expecting Yes. Were we able to handle it? Clearly, we were because we we've made it through. But that's been sort of consistent where in past years, there's always an eb and flow to this. You know, right before the Christmas break, you know, there's always, you know, a lot of excitement in the building and nervousness and stress with with families. And so, there's a spike. This year, it it seemed to go from September right through to December. What I would like to look at in June would be maybe a month-by-month

048comparison like did things get better, >> which I would hope that maybe they did, and then have those discussions with the principles again, is okay, you know, I would go to, you know, Mr. Keller, these are your top five here. You know, how what are we going to do next year? How are we going to communicate with families and students as to the expectations so these aren't these aren't a problem next year? And we were saying that, you know, a ninth grader really hadn't been in full throttle in school since they were, you know, >> Sixth graders and preschool. We've hired a social worker just for preschool, prek, K because they really have not been in school. and they just came there to play and you know and they do do a lot of play

049but it's you know with other kids and sharing with others and you know it's it's a big adjustment after these two years for them so they need extra help. >> I guess I'm just concerned about those students that need the specifics not just the conversation. >> Yeah. So, so Beverly, I know that I said that you were next. I'm gonna recognize Jay who has not spoken um yet. And then Beverly, I'm going to do you Andrea and then Dean, but Jay. >> All right. So, we've looked at the data. We've collected a lot of data and you sort of touched on it, Susan, but I guess my question is how are we actually supporting the students? you get right to the So you said they talk to the administrators, but when they come back from

050suspension, you know, we've spent a lot of money hiring social workers, school psychologists. So, are they given that support that they need? >> You know, I I realize that there's been a lot of discussion about where are the rules? Well, they're in the handbook, but obviously if the child acts out, they have a specific issue that perhaps >> needs to be dealt with. So, are we referring them to get the proper support? >> So, in I would say almost every single case where it's come to expulsion, we've had a risk analysis done and we've connected them with someone if they're not already seeing someone. So, through school-based health or through our own social worker, this program here for expel expelled students, they have a social worker who comes in and checks on them a couple

051times a week. and you know they have support systems with small group and a teacher and tutors. So, um I would say that you know that it's happening across the board that if there is a need we have actually we'll at a parent meeting we'll have the parent sign on for some support with counseling and I'm not talking about the school counselor. The school counselor can be a resource person but I think sometimes the social worker does a really nice job working with the family and the student. Um, so you know that tends to happen. And then there's the restorative practice. Ted just said these restorative practice meetings are going really well that um the teacher sits down with the student who might have said something disrespectful and he goes there they're actually talking about

052what would help you know the the teacher will say to the student so what can I help you with? how so that you don't feel like you're in a corner there and you feel like you have to you know how can I help you and then the student will say I need to do this better and so you know they shake hands at the end and things do improve. So I think that piece is really important. >> Thank you >> Beverly or Bev. >> Thank you. Um, one of my questions was on the line that of the question that Jay just asked. It was going to be at what point do the social workers get involved with students misbehavior? Um, so that was one of my questions. And my other question is um about the

053handbook. I couldn't hear everything that Katrina was saying, but do you do the teachers go over the handbooks with um with the students as you know in the class or do they just give out the handbook and the student has to read it on their own and sign off on it on their own? >> So the teacher always goes over their expectations of the class behavior. So they won't go line by line from the handbook. they may refer to it, but they definitely let the kids know what their expectations are. Everything from getting homework done to, you know, asking questions and how they might, you know, expect kids to be able to collaborate in the classroom. So, that's all done with their syllabus and their beginning and I'm sure they do reminders too throughout the

054year. >> Okay. My other question is um is so say you have disruptive behavior and then you have out of school suspension 12 in school suspension 52. How do you um how do you know whether to give the child out of school suspension or inschool suspension? Well, that was a question that did come up. Um, and the the administrators that were there representing the middle school and the high school um basically told us that again it depends upon the severity of this the disturbance, what it involved, um how disruptive it was, where the where it took place, um and also uh whether it was a repeat occurrence. So, there's a lot of there's a few different factors that go into determining whether it's a an in school or an out of school. And one of

055the things that they um appreciate about an inschool is that's where you can have a tutor work with the child, catch them up if they need some extra help with work. You know, it's not just a punishing thing. And then you might have counselors meeting with kids during that time to really reflect on what happened so that they can avoid having that happen again. >> So that's always been the beauty of ISS. With OSS, you'd send them home. They've never really loved OSS because they're, you know, they have work to do, but they're kind of on their own. So, um, but they do they do meet with them before they go back to class to do, you know, an interview and make sure that everything is ready to go and they've learned a valuable lesson.

056>> Okay. And you find this process with the administrator is objective. >> I would say um it's it's getting better. I would say that the articulation between administrators is really important. Um, you know, and I think the articulation with teachers in kind of understanding what the standards are is really important. One of the things we talked about is you really can't take sometimes things kids say to you as a personal attack. Sometimes they just are upset >> and they need to vent or they need a a time, a place, a space, safe space where they can decompress. Um, so really looking at the positive seal things like breathing techniques and mindfulness and some ways that we can, you know, reduce our stress so that they don't say, you know, they don't, you know, say things

057they shouldn't be saying. >> Okay. And I have one last question. How many arrests have you made up at the high school? Have you made any arrests or >> I have not made one arrest. >> Oh, good. >> But there have they, you know, they have um a a police officer who's really um someone that kids feel they can go to stopay and they appreciate. Um, but I would say that if there have been violations of policy, often it coincides with um a violation that would cause an arrest. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Not always, but sometimes. >> Okay. Yeah. Because years ago when I first got on the board, Fitch High School really had a bad name and um so we really tried to crack down on the misbehavior at the high school so

058that you know we we didn't want to have that bad name. No, you don't want to go to pitch. There's a lot of fights and a lot of things going on. So, I'm glad to see in these years, 20 years, that things are getting better up at that high school. >> Well, I still have to take some of you on those walkthroughs. I'd love for to you to see what I see because I really see very polite kids walking with a purpose, getting to their class, you know, cajoling with each other. You know, I I've never I shouldn't say this out loud, but I've never se been there with a fight breakout. But >> I'm gonna I'm gonna move us. Thank you, Beverly. >> Andrea, >> I have two things. One of them is if

059you can describe for me what the in school suspension looks like. So I know from my experience that I would have many students go to to in school and say to me afterwards, can I stay here because I really get my work done. >> So I just like to know what the day looks like. That's my choice. >> Well, the day they have an inschool suspension classroom and they have a teacher in there and it's usually one of the permanent subs or a person who does runs ISS. So they have some training on, you know, how to kind of motivate kids and get their work done. Um, I think tutors and interventionists can come in also and check in on kids if they are on their case load. Um, the social worker will, you know,

060or someone who sees the child will also go in and just check on them. So they're not sitting there, you know, alone all day. Um, and there's usually a few, you know, there's not usually just one. There's usually a couple. And I would expect there'd be some days that nobody's in there. And what is the room look like? >> It's a classroom. Just a classroom. Yeah. >> Dean. >> Yeah. Thanks. Um, >> wait a minute. I'm sorry. She had two question. >> Yeah. Sorry. So Dean, >> it's okay. Who's going? >> Andrea. >> I have some wisdom that I'd like to share and it's based on Katrina's question and it's When we when I was at pitch and at the three principles got together and we had 10 school rules and these had these were

061these spelled out specifically what you could do and what you well actually what you couldn't do. And there were things like you can't wear flipflops, you can't wear a a headpiece like a hat or whatever. Um, and there were simple rules like that, but my big one was you cannot chew gum. >> And here's the reason. >> Here's Ask Kathy Wilson where her gum was. Um, here's the reason. The minute that the minute I'm only speaking about middle school now, >> the minute that the middle school child steps over that threshold, he turns and she turns into Bug's buddy. and the rest of us and the rest of us are Yoseite Sam and you realize of course this means war and that's the way it should be. It's where kids learn what boundaries are. It's

062where kids learn how to to stand up for themselves where they can make judgments. But the most important thing is for them to learn to push back. Push back without getting in trouble. So I had this rule, no gum chew. And that was the that was the biggest thing. You mean I can't chew gum? I'm chewing gum. And that really kept the the the um parameters of what was what the push back was going to be close to my vest. Because that if you don't do that, if you don't have those 10 school rules, as absurdly simple as they may be, those sixth graders, seventh graders, eighth graders are going to go out and there's going to be a fight. there's going to be trouble because that's that's the the stage of development that they're

063in. I wanted that war to be right here where I could control it. So that's my my advice to anybody who's >> Thank you, Andrew De. Well, that dovetales with what I was going to ask, which is I haven't looked at the rules, but I would wager that the rules that I was given in my little white handbook when I went to Ripple High School many years ago and the rules that you find in the in the books now, but my rules were probably more general, probably left a lot more to the discretion of the teacher who was going to be backed up by faculty kind of thing. So once a teacher pronounced that was it. You were you were guilty. That was judge, jury, executioner, the whole thing. But to make sure people were

064not being treated unfairly, we've gone and made the rules more and more and more and more specific. I wonder if it's a case where, and I'm not making the argument, I'm just wondering, could it be the case that we have so many rules that whether the kid is a rule follower, must know exactly what the rules are, or it's a kid that can just tell generally what's where the line is. Do we have too many? Do we have do we have too many? Uh that's just that's a that's a side side thing. I I know what you're getting at with the gum thing, by the way, because if they focus their attention on on challenging authority by chewing gum, they're less likely to do other things that are a real hazard. >> That's right. >>

065The other question I have is this. It's not really a question so much as an observation. I think we're all familiar with the phenomenon of social media uh and the portable devices that kids carry around with them. And when I was in school, when we were all in school, you went home. Whatever was going on, unless you're part of a click of friends or something like that, it was over. You went home, you got on the bus, and school was behind you. You went home for the weekend, school was behind you. It is now 247. >> That's true. >> Yeah. >> So, do we have any of these behaviors? Do we think any of the And this is something I think that we can't unless we're going to ban this here and at home. It's

066got to be a communitywide ban of social media and and portable devices. So, I think that's just like the weather it's going to be. But, do we have any sense that perhaps some of this behavior is fueled by >> Absolutely. >> this? >> Yes. Yeah. >> Okay. >> And we have Scott Driscoll coming to district to to all the kids. You know, he's doing a presentation. He was an FBI agent and he's an expert on social media and the law and what can get you into trouble and what what can be on your profile for the rest of your life if you're not careful with it. So, he's going to be talking to students. He's going to meet with all staff, middle school, high school, and anybody who wants to come. And then he's going

067to meet with all middle school kids. Um, and then families in the evening. And so, I think what is what are the dates on that? the 24th or 25th, 26th, something like that. I'll get it in board notes. But >> I've also noticed that that phone has been their lifeline and I don't know if COVID maybe impacted it even more so. So, they've used that as their basic line of communication when they couldn't see each other. >> Yeah, that and >> so, you know, that gets them into trouble, too. you know, they they've had incidents where, you know, they were told to put it away or whatever, and if they don't do it, then, you know, >> goes in the June box. >> Yeah. >> So, Liz, just um I just for clarification, Katrina and

068I have been looking at both the um Graten Middle School and the Fitch High School uh rules and regulations and fractions and descriptions. Graten Middle Schools is very general. It's one page and it's, you know, um, we actually looked, one of them was says, you know, can't throw snowballs. So, I mean, when like that, but then you get into the F high school one and it is pages long with a description. Here's the infraction. This is what the differentations were going that was being developed or had been developed when I was there as well. And to answer your question, yes, freshman orientation, you do go over the rules. um when you are of a freshman teacher and I was a freshman CTL teacher we went over we discussed these quite often um not as much

069as they got older because they didn't need it they you know they they you know the smaller everybody needs it at one point and then as situations occur that's where it's not as addressed but it is there and students are required you know they sign off and they say yeah I've read the And parents are signed. Now whether they do it or not, it's like my f my freshman in college. Did you read your text? You stuck for today. Yes, Mrs. Professor Porter. It's like no, you didn't. You know, like you can tell some people, but it's if you don't read it, that's your responsibility. And you know, we can't handhold completely freshman year. Absolutely. But as we get long, you know, their responsibility has to grow as they go older. So, I just wanted

070to put that in as having lived it for a while. >> Thank you, Liz. I appreciate that. I'm I'm gonna take Matthew and then um if there's not any further question of that, then we can go on to the next agenda. But Matthew, >> I may be off topic and if I am, we can sure heard >> but in subbing what I observed in numerous classes were kids listening to music while they were doing their work. They asked if they could do it. I said I would. I didn't know what the rules were. I asked some teachers and they told me that yes, they did it if they weren't disturbing other people. So, I went along with that. But it boggled my mind how one could study something with whatever the type of music was.

071Uh how are you going to concentrate and at some point maybe we could talk about that. >> Okay. Yes. Um or maybe that could just be addressed. I don't know if we need to have a committee of the whole >> what when whatever you think appropriate >> but um but absolutely I want to just to make sure that these are this is a great discussion and obviously it's clear that we haven't been together in a really long time in the same room unfortunately Rita and Beverly are not here but um I am I am glad that we're having these conversations but if we don't have anything more I'm going to move us on to the honors moment >> so we also Let's take a look at how our honor courses enrollment compared to the overall

072enrollment. Um Tom you can >> Yeah. So so I think the uh um really this was the precursor to the presentation that came um from Mr. Keller and Mr. Bass probably about a month ago. So earlier on in the year, really starting in November and then following up in January, we really started to look at our honors course enrollment first and we plan to follow up with our AP and IB enrollment as well. um and really breaking it down demographically. So you can see here um what we did is we just compared this is the Rotten Middle School honors one algebra one enrollment and in the top line this is the number of students who are actually enrolled in that course currently um on the kind of second row here we have the total number

073of students in each um race or ethnic subgroup um and the percent of that group that is enrolled in the course. So, as many of you know that we have an algebra 1 honors course in 8th grade and um we've seen that program grow over time. >> Um you know I think it's at least 33% of the population 40% of the population at this point. >> So we have at least two honors algebra um each team four6 classes. Um, so and it's really we don't have an honors algebra at the ninth grade level. So that's something that we're going to get the math task force together to take a look at. Um, but it really sets up kids because after they take honors algebra 1, they in ninth grade take honors algebra 2. So they're

074more likely to get into an API course because of the way that they're, you know, tracking that. And then by 10th grade they do some geometry. So we're really analyzing this and you know going to look at it as a team to figure out how can we have kids have better access to those higher level courses and take each subject looking at math. Math happens to be a gateway here with the algebra. Algebra has always been a big factor in kids overall success and we want them to be more successful than that since that was my course. >> Um, Andrea, >> I have a question about the percentages. >> Are these the percentages of of um I'm looking at um >> black not Hispanic. >> Is it 10.9? Is that 10.9 of the black and

075not Hispanic? Yes. Population. Not of the school. >> No. Correct. >> Of that subgroup in that grade. >> I see. >> Yep. So roughly 11% of students who identify as black as their primary uh are participating in eligible one. >> We got to make that higher. >> We have to do that. That's one of the things that has caused this sense of urgency to really start working on kids. And I said, "It's not um just a 6 through 12 problem. It really starts prek, preschool to make sure that early childhood that they have all the resources and um you know, it has a lot to do, I think, with looking at the the program that we have in place. Um you know, it's a lot more rigorous at the elementary school, so it'll ready them

076for the rigor in middle school. So, it's going to take a few more years, but it's something that's definitely um on the top of our priority list. Can I have a I have a little followup on that? Um, everybody knows I work with the Martin Luther King Scholars and the scholars were at my house one day rehearsing and I had a book on the on my coffee table. It was um it's the knowledge gap and I saw this one country scholar just kind everybody else is eating and he's like looking at that book and then afterwards we were about to go downstairs just to to practice the speeches and he had the book in his hands and he said to me Dr. Aman this is me. I mean that's that's a an indictment of our

077system and it's a testimony from so many kids. This is me. >> Yeah. So I mean you you're hearing that from the real source. >> Y yeah >> Rita. Um yes I my concern is that it's a sixth and seventh grade algebra I mean math classes that really have to prepare the students. So I mean I know you talked about preschool Susan. I think that's a little too much. But um it's really the pre-alggebra class that's in seventh grade that will determine. It depends how rigorous the teacher is and how she prepares those students for the algebra 1 to be taken in eighth grade. When my children were in middle school in Grten, they had an excellent seventh grade pre-alggebra teacher. And that's what I think is the key. So a lot of times it's

078the staff. So you have to really have excellent staff to have these students, you know, which takes a very challenging course in algebra 1. >> Well, I would say that we do have exemplary staff um who are readying them in seventh grade and an excellent National Science Foundation program that is really a problem-solving approach. So it's really very rigorous for all sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. That's not I wasn't ar I wasn't saying that it wasn't. What I'm saying is that that is the key um to the students taking algebra one in 8th grade which isn't easy for everyone to do. Right. Right. >> I mean that's a very very difficult course. And then to have them jump into algebra 2 as ninth graders, that's also diff difficult because you can see again I've gone

079over this so many times in ninth grade when you take algebra 1 as a ninth grader. Then the next year you take geometry and you don't have algebra 2 until your junior year that that really prohibits a student then going on to precal or calculus. It's only the students that have algebra 1 and eighth grade that are allowed into those upper level math classes. Then if you want to go to a very good college, you want you know to to you need to have those upper level math classes. So you're you're putting kids behind the eightball. Again, if a child is in ninth grade takes algebra one, let them take algebra 2 in 10th grade. They can >> I feel the same way and I have said to the math um you know leaders at

080the school um that that needs to happen. >> Yes. But I mean the board is part of >> I know but we we are the board of education actually our role is curriculum besides policy. So that is something that we just have to change in the course catalog. I mean, you know, I mean, yes, the math department needs to have a say, but that's something that if we feel it benefits our students, then that change has to be made. Otherwise, those students will never get to our upper level math classes. And a lot of students develop late. >> I think that historically it's gone algebra 1, geometry, algebra 2. And when had the CAP test way back when, you probably remember that it was necessary. But now the SAT is mostly about the algebra. So

081a little bit of geometry and we teach geometry from the time they're in kindergarten all the way through. So all of our standards, the NCTM standards and the state standards include really a combination of measurement and geometry algebraic thinking even in elementary school. So I think that we are following the standards and kind of readying them. But I do think that the we could make that shift and I would be happy to um work with Phil and the um principles and counselors to to make that shift. >> Um I I just had one more quick question about this. Um in terms of taking the like do is algebra one in ninth grade is that a full year course or can you do that from September through January? Are we on the block scheduling like that

082used to be at Fitch where you could actually take algebra 1 and algebra 2 at the same in the same year? >> I see. >> No, because you want to answer that, Liz. >> Yeah, Rita, back when when block scheduling first came in, it was a 4x4 schedule, remember? >> Yes. Yes. >> And so you could do a full credit one semester, you could do the second class, the second semester. when they went to alternating days back oh 10 plus years ago was alternating you cannot do that anymore because the kids don't have enough it's not enough contact time >> so you're only getting 10 classes on a good month you only get 10 classes. >> Wow. >> Because it's two one week and three the next >> and it's in a good month. If

083you think about it, our calendar really messes that up >> and it's, you know, we we have cut back contact time. >> So, this is another question that I think we need to look at is in my opinion is not, >> you know, the course itself, but how we present that course. >> Maybe we need to start looking at something a little bit different. >> That'd be great. Thank you. >> That's me. We want these kids doing higher level. We need to give them the time to be able to learn it. >> Beverly, thank you, Liz. I appreciate that. No, I appreciate your passion. >> And not only the time, Liz, we have to give them the support that they need also. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Um, my question is from algebra one to algebra

0842, I see that we're losing students. We're not losing a lot, but we are losing students. Why do you think that's happening? >> Algebra one to algebra 2. >> I think she skipped to the next slide. >> she's comparing them, >> but we're also comparing different size cohorts, which I think >> yeah, >> skews that slightly. But >> so Beverly, I don't know if you can hear me, but we can't hear you. You're you're looks like you're still on mute. If you unmute, maybe that'll help. >> Okay, I'm unmuted. >> So, I'm looking at algebra honest algebra one enrollment >> and it says, you know, one for American Indians and 17 and so forth. I don't have to go over that. >> And then I go to the ne Oh. Oh, the next page is

085math. Okay. Then the next page, honest algebra 2. And from American Indians, from one it goes to zero. um Asian and Pacific Islanders from 17 it goes to 14 and so forth and so on. So it seems like the numbers are decreasing from algebra 1 to algebra 2 and I just wanted to not unless I'm reading this wrong which could be um I just wanted to know why you think that's happening. >> Well in this case we're actually comparing different cohorts. So the previous slide was comparing the current eighth grade class at Graten Middle School where this is pulling from multiple grade levels at Fitch High School. Um so because of that um it's it's not as easy to compare apples to apples. Um especially because at Fitch they have many more choices in terms

086of what courses they're actually taking for the honors level. So some of them may be going into the the general algebra 2 versus the honors algebra 2 for example. Um, so we we could look at in in another day kind of overall math enrollment across courses. Um, but it it wouldn't be fair to kind of compare one to the next in terms of algebra 1 versus algebra 2 honors. >> So in other words, honors algebra 2 could be current ninth graders who had honors algebra 1 last year or it could be um juniors who are taking it. >> Um, honors geometry typically tends to be a sophomore course. Um, and then honors pre-cal tends to be >> juniors. >> And the reason, >> so there three different kind of grade levels, but they sometimes will

087mix. >> And the reason why we didn't put the percentage on that slide was for that very reason. Yeah. Because they're not taken from one particular grade level. >> Um, they could be taken from multiple grade levels. >> So that's just strictly the number of students in those classes. But you can even see on this slide, we have to do a better job >> getting kids non-white kids of color into these honors classes. >> I'm going to recognize Matthew and then you >> my my >> I agree with that Susan but also with the support that they're going to need. >> That's exactly right. >> My observation before what Susan said was uh participation for non-white is being some work to be done to put it very mildly. Yep. And the question is, and I

088don't know that we have the time to deal with it, is why? Because we don't understand the why, you really can't come up with a solution. >> Very true, Matthew. >> Liz, >> just one other thing. Um, I I know that some kids will double up math. Does this d does this indicate the doubling because they double up algebra 2 and geometry. So they're taking them simultaneously >> which is really that the only way you can do it. >> Yeah. And I've noticed that especially with the kids who want to get into the IB classes or the AP calcs and all sort of stuff they double up. So does this data show is that part of the doubling in there? For example, if a if a student um took both classes, they are counted in

089both classes. >> Okay? >> So 40, you know, 48 and 44, they'd be represented in both. >> Okay? >> And if you remember Ted's plan, Principal Keller's plan, part of that was to offer the algebraas and geometry in a summer course with with a real life teacher. It might be an apex version, but the teacher would be teaching. So, you know, looking at ways so the kid so the student wouldn't have to double up during, you know, the school year and could take it over the summer. >> And really, these two the last two slides, the high school showing the high school classes is really we're not showing this to you to enlighten you on a problem that exists. I think we all realized when we we attempted to look at this data what we

090were going to see. But it was good to to put this data out to the teachers and to the administration so we could highlight the problem. And then again this was what helped build the the the plan that the middle school to high school come up with. And I think, you know, Bever Bev's mentioned it a couple times already in that plan, if you remember, there was a plan for support um to not just not just put these kids um in the in the classes that we think they can achieve uh at a certain level, but also to give them that support in case they do not meet those needs. So, so that's definitely something that we consider. >> All right, let's move on to the last course. I mean, yeah, that that >> this

091is our last slider right here. >> The word is slide. Thank you. >> Um, so, so just as we did for the math courses, we also wanted to look at honors English 9 and honors English 10. And it's set up exactly the same way. So just unique enrollments and um, the total number of students for each group in grades nine and 10. Um, and you can see kind of the breakdown um, in the percent enrolled as well. But the the trend continues whether we're talking about math or English in this case. >> It's a little better though in English. >> The math is still the gatekeeper. So that's, you know, that's definitely a mission of mine. >> Any questions about this slide? As we look forward on English, I would love us to have a

092discussion about some level of grammar introductions and strengthening because I know I' I've mentioned it, but uh when I have kids had kids in eighth and nth grade ask me what an adjective was >> and what an adverb was, I was very enthusiastic and supported them. But they're going to need to express themselves as adults and they'll be successful based on their capacity. We need some work. >> We do have standards and goals and assessments that we do. So they are being taught grammar. So um I don't know. I hope you taught them well when I'm glad. >> Beverly I see that you have your hand up. >> Is it okay if I speak? Absolutely, ma'am. >> Okay. Um Susan, what happens at the honors 10? Is there honors 11? Is that what um counselor

093borderline was talking about? Um when she was a IV and ECC, but those are the courses that would be the next in 11th grade, 11th and eighth, 11th and 12th grade. We like them to have college ready courses. So these are the courses that really prepare them for that. >> So in 11th grade there's no honors course. >> No, they would take an AP, IB, or an ECC, which is uh Yukon credit. >> Okay. >> It's really good for them to really do both years 11th and 12th. Families, kids can accumulate, you know, six, you know, six credits of college work if they're able to do that. And there again, you need support. Like there's even talk about having IB diploma program tax class that would help support the kids one period every two days

094>> with that load of work and with any ans that they can answer. So I'm really thrilled that in some of our high-powered classes, we're going to be offering this level of support. They need it. >> How are those students doing that took Honors English 10? And then I want to use the word then we force them into AP, IB, and that other one that you talked about. How are they doing? Are they getting good grades in those classes or would they benefit from having an honest English 11 and honest English 12? >> I understand that they do make a smooth transition, but it's something that we can take a look at this year. >> Okay. Can you please do that? >> We will do that. because you know if if they're more successful in

095honors than they're going to be in AP and IB, I don't think we should like force them into that. >> But if they're just as successful in AP and IB and Yukon and they can bring home a credit and bring it to college with them or, you know, I would rather have that opportunity for them. >> Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I'm not I'm not disputing that. I'm just I'm just talking about the kids that are strug that might be struggling. >> Okay. We'll take a deep dive on that. >> Okay. Thank you, Susan >> Jay. >> So, I asked this question a long time ago and it was explained that the reason we have honors is we don't offer AP in uh the nth and tth grade, >> right? And so AP is the logical

096extension of taking honors in ninth and tenth. >> In other words, it's going to be the same level. I at least I was told this, but certainly a teacher or administrator that that knows that that isn't correct. Please, please correct me. >> You you're changing the name, but the the rigor should be the same going from 9th and 10th honors to 11th and 12th AP, but you just have that extra opportunity to earn the credit. Mhm. >> And if we could, we we might offer AP in nth and tth, but it just isn't isn't possible to do so. Right. >> That's my understanding. >> Right. So, it isn't like we if we had an honors 10th grade, uh it would just be the same as we're teaching in AP except they just wouldn't get the

097credit for it. Well, and they get they actually get more credit or more um it's better for their GPA the higher level you go. So the API ECC not only do you get credit possible credit for college or certificate, right? >> But it also is, you know, it identifies as a higher level for the GPA. >> Yeah. But so if you were running uh honors 10, AP10, ECE, IB, you you'd be adding something that's really superfluous because you'd be running a class. It's the same content, but you wouldn't be getting credit for it. I mean, that's what this was years. >> No, I think to your point, the rigor would be the same. It would just be without the possibility of earning the credit, right? >> Yeah. The only reason we have honors is because

098you can't offer AP in >> but um you can offer certain AP classes in your sophomore year. um many schools some many schools around the country offer AP US history >> and AP psych or AP the social studies because it's for I don't know why but I do know like a lot of schools do that especially IB like fls Florida um IB academy down there in in Florida Jacksonville area I think it is there to enter into their IB school because IB has a a a grade or a age equivalent they you're not allowed to start taking IB classes that are diploma level classes unless you have a certain age. That's an age requirement um 15 to 19 years old. So to keep kids who are accelerated, you know, interested and prepared, they offer especially

099the AP US history because we have a in our his in our scheme of of life, you know, we teach US history all the time. And so it was considered that this was the easiest way to help and to get their skills up because that's the the primary thing. >> Yeah. I just didn't want to leave it out there that we are somehow not serving our children. I think you're right. >> Because we're not adding a superfluous honors program that's the same as our AP program. Um I didn't want to leave that with the public. So when it comes to math and and age, >> thank you, >> Andrea. I I need some clarification on how how do you how do you get into those those courses? In other words, and there's there are no

100more basic public courses. That's correct. But the the um the ninth and tth grade, how are they? Let's say that I was a low performing student, but I wanted to be in the honors group. Could I go and say, "Put me in the honors group." >> Yes, >> we are open. >> Yeah. Oh, all right. Okay. Thank you. >> The same with um our AP and IB buses. Well, IB as long as they meet the requirements to become an IB student with a diploma, but in terms of AP, it's open enrollment. If a student wants to take it, they can take >> teachers do make recommendations, but it can also be open enrollment. >> Okay. And um the Yukon courses, are they open? >> As a matter of fact, they're going to try to tie

101in the Yukon credit along with the AP and IB. So, not only would you get a certificate and a possible four or five on AP, but you can also get Yukon credit. They're going to work on that. All right, great discussion guys. It's been a long time since we looked at data. >> Can I ask a quick question? Would that be something that the curriculum committee needs to look at for the connection of the API and um ECEs? >> Yes, >> we're going to discuss that at our next meeting. >> Oh, see, so we haven't set agenda yet. >> We made that agenda. >> Did we set that? Okay, fine. >> You forgot. You forgot. >> We got it covered. >> All right, so we're gonna move on. Val, thank you um and Shannon for

102your patience. I kind of like realized that I could have moved you guys up to front, but it's really kind of good. >> Very interesting to listen. >> It's so nice to um have you here and continue to work and give great service to our district. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Um so there you are, ma'am. >> Okay. Uh this is just I'll do a very quick presentation. This is a grant that we received in the in the uh fall and the grant that it was supposed to be something to do with health sciences and STEM. >> So it's a 700 $750,000 grant >> people from people on >> 750,000 a lot. >> Make it make it full screen. >> No, >> I'm sorry. >> No, no, no. I'm sorry. >> I tried to get

103it small. >> No, that made it worse. I thought it was full screen just a second ago. >> Yeah, but it was worse for the people on Zoom. Ah, okay. Sorry. >> So, it it's a $750,000 grant that Shannon developed and Shannon, jump in anytime, please. Um, so just so when we're going over what's included in just remember it's a five-year grant. This is just the first year. We're just the planning stages. So there's a lot of stuff still has to be developed and um it does say the goals are military connected high school students because DO is obviously department of defense but all students benefit by it. It's not you know when you say okay the military students over here but non-military all the students benefit from the grant uh services. So the first

104goal is by May 2026 military connected high school students will increase college and career readiness as evidenced by quantitative and or qualitative means. And I can just briefly address that. uh Dodia has has always demanded quantitative you know what your scores are what you know how how' you do on the aspect how'd you do on the SATs they have found out since that besides looking only at that they're going to look at other parameters they're going to look at qualitative um how focus groups you know how things go surveys um to show the effectiveness of the grant not only your test groups So some of the things that we will we will be doing during the next five years uh they already are developed. Some of the professional learning communities have been developed performed at

105the high school and a lot of the high school some of the the counselors some of the teachers have done NC3T training. Um and NC3T is the national center for college and career transitions. They had gone up through connect through Yukon and had some training on career pathways. So they will continue to meet um their trained teachers, counselors, Erin Maguire um to review our current path, career pathways at the high school and revise them as needed. In talking with them already, they're looking at possibly narrowing some of the care joining some of the career clusters together and make it making it more attractive. Um there's funds available for professional development for the guidance councils, teachers, and administrators on career pathways. Not only um just so the the students know what's available and that goes down

106to increased communication um right now um in talking with with the the team their concern is that not only it's not only the guidance counselor's responsibility it's the teachers responsibil what we get out to the families showing these are all the careers that are out there you know you you may not understand what what's available until we communicate so that's One of the the uh goals that we have is to increase communication to families and students and staff. Um there's a budget to hire a health sc another health science teacher, the STEM path a STEM pathway teacher at the middle and the high school and a STEM everything okay. >> Okay. And a STEM pathway coordinator at the elementary school over the next few years. Some of them are in place already, but this is

107included in the budget. So um it would help us tremendously to increase the number of students in for instance health science and STEM programs. I mentioned the communication and there is money in the budget. We're going to um every grant that you have every grant has an evaluator. So the evaluator will do some uh develop surveys. Uh we have some marketing plans, some focus groups that will find out what what we need to do to make the families more aware of what's available at the high school. What do we need to do? Survey the students. We'll do a survey in eighth grade. Say, you know, kids, students, what do you want? What do you what do you know um about what's available at the at the high school and at the middle school? Um the

108goal is also to increase student enrollment in the career clusters path in the career pathways clusters and I don't know if you know but navian is given to all the high school freshmen >> um and that's basically um an interest career interest tells them it's a computer based which will tell them what what areas they may show an interest >> we actually have it at middle school and high school for advisory and CTL >> and because The grant itself was one of the components was a health science uh component. Uh the goal is to increase student participate participation in the health science STEM related courses of study and there is also project lead the way is there and there's professional development funds for project lead the way on medical interventions could be biomemed. So the

109team is going to kind of really look at that survey for kids and and figure out could be the nursing program expanded. EMT is something that a lot of kids are very interested in and sexite is the EMT first aid CPR personal training curriculum and materials. So there was funds available for that. uh honorarians for medical care instructors. And what that is is to bring in somebody maybe an EMT or somebody Susan mentioned from the base to uh Corman to talk about their careers um to get students interested in it. Uh there are there is funds for supplies for project leadway biomedical innovations and then uh internships and exterships externships opportunities for students to experience some of the careers um hopefully getting EB Fiser all the the people involved in uh offering internships and exterships

110and I think >> externships are when teachers go out to the industry and they learn how it's done in the real world and are able to bring that back to the students internships. So when the students are in a program and even the Navy base, we were there over the summer, right Shannon? We had that wonderful field trip to their medical laboratory and they had about four students there from East Line, Waterford, maybe Ledger, nobody from Fitch. So we have to make sure that our kids in Fitch know what's available to them for this summer opportunities. It could be the catalyst for them to want to do a job like that. >> And the last component and to help to do the vertical articulation across middle and high school grades with respect to the STEM

111curriculum and instruction and I believe that's starting this summer >> where they they will meet and do some vertical articulation. So those are the goals for the high school. They're pretty lofty goals, but it's a five five-year grant. So we have already started meeting it. It's it's on its way. It's doing very well. Goal two is the military uh by 226 military middle school students will increase college career readiness. And one of the biggest things is increase integration of STEM content across the disciplines in grades six through eight that serves as a primer for the high school level STEM career pathways courses. So increase integration at the six seven and eight and one of the things we're doing which is already it has not started at the uh middle school it will start next year

112it started at the elementary school this year is professional development from Columbia University's teachers college. their reading and writing project. Um, and the main goal is to teach teachers how to teach how to interweave literacy skills into the content areas. We've already done we've had a wonderful grant uh DODIA grant that ended last year, a literacy grant that provided training for five years for our elementary and middle school teachers in literacy. And now we feel the next step is to teach to work with teaching literacy skills in the non lit in the non English classes like social studies science and we did do a little bit that a little of that uh with the first grant in bringing some of the middle school social studies in and now hopefully we'll involve science and social studies

113so that really reading and writing is not just during your language class it's during science. It's it's teaching also at the elementary level teaching younger students how to write non-fiction, you know, how to do a non non-fiction >> research project. >> Yeah. >> So, and we'll include grammar in that too. >> Um and the other one is to increase the number of lessons on career pathways in health science and STEM. Um increase number of rising ninth grades graders who expressing an interest in STEM health science career pathways in the high school. And that goes back to the whole communication piece of letting kids letting the students know what's available to them and encouraging them. And that ties into professional development at the middle school for counselors, teachers, administrators on career pathways. And it's not only

114it's not only taking you having somebody come in and do PD, but it's also having the professional learning communities where they talk together and say, "Hey, you know, we're we're seventh grade science teachers. let's decide, you know, maybe we need to talk about what a physicist is or what a biochemist is or what's available at the high school. And the last thing that we looked at and it's it's we can't decide which one. Razie career program or define learning um are career awareness programs and I think we're probably leaning towards define learning because it came from the state and Tom could address this maybe a little more. It's a K8 program K12 >> K12 that is providing from the state has purchased it and um it's a handson career focused projects where teachers can implement

115uh in the classroom to talk about um what a physicist does, what a biochemist does. And so it teaches students kindergarten, first grade what a botist does, what a boat boat captain was. They had all different things. So, it's just basically the whole thing is on awareness of what is available to students. >> Yeah. That came out of um the state earmarked a certain amount of the RPSER funding and held that out for certain projects. One of the things that they did was enter into, I believe it's up to a five-year commitment with a company called defined learning, which is basically, you know, as as Val is saying, it's project- based learning, but tied to specific career. So a student might say, you know, I'm really interested in I think you vocap at this point,

116you know, a career in, you know, maritime or something. I want to enter into that. They can see a project specifically on that. >> You got it. >> In their in their blurb, it says, "Through hands-on career focused projects, teachers can easily implement curriculum friendly creative learning opportunities, defined help students build critical thinking skills as they delve into a variety of interdisciplinary careers through project-based learning." I think that's what the whole thing the whole everybody is to it's got to be interdisciplinary >> and interestingly I got a call from Bob Ross who's the military liaison person who reports to the governor >> and they're actually spearheading a defense league that has all these fourstar generals coming to Graten and they would like to be able to honor a Graten student or group of Graten students

117who are working on a project STEMbased um you piece that they would actually give them a scholarship or funding towards their work. So, um that's pretty exciting. So, I've put the word out. Um it could be elementary, middle school, high school group. So, this projectbased learning is something that is really esteemed to see kids create something new, you know, using what they know to solve what they don't know. And so, um I'm looking forward to finding out what's out there. What handshake would I be? Would it not? >> Certainly would. >> Yeah. >> It could be marine. It could be aeronautics. Could be submarines. >> I just want a clarification. I I missed what you said, Val. It was It's a choice between two things and I didn't get the first one. >> Rousey. >>

118Oh, Razie. Razi career program or defined learning. Razie is basically the same thing. It just costs >> More money. Whereas define learning because it has just come out to the state. >> No, no, no, no, it's not. >> No, thank you. >> But I do want to say one thing though. Um I just talked we we have periodic meetings with Dodia and the person we talked to mentioned Grten and Graten's been very fortunate. We've had a lot of we've had a number of grants and she said one of the things reason reasons why she thinks grat gets a lot of grants because we have such a wonderful vision and she mentioned Susan as having a vision that what when we these we do these grants we do them to improve what we offer our students

119or we have a vision that this is where we want to go and I think that says a lot for you guys and for the district. I just wanted to bring that up to you. That was >> and we're actually going to host the regionals um this year. And so, um we're looking forward to have people DODIA people from all across the northeast area come here, come to Mystic and the schools and go to the Nautilus and you know have our workshop here. Um so we'll showcase our district. >> Will the board be invited? We can certainly have a time. I'd love to have you, you know, even if we have like a little celebration for them, a welcoming, you know, I'll send you an invitation for sure. >> It's a small group. It's only

120maybe 20 25. Northeast is the smallest group from DODIA. When you look at when I've gone to the conferences, I mean, you look at the the Midwest or the West Coast, they have like, you know, 50 schools that are getting it. We have just in this in the Northeast, maybe 10, 12 districts that have received grants. >> There's people from upstate New York, Newport, um, one in Maine, I think one New Jersey, and Maryland. And that's it. Well, there aren't a whole lot of faces and, um, military installations. But I've been very fortunate to do this and I'm excited because teachers, you know, buy into this, too. I mean, everybody benefits and I think it's really been a very good program. >> I'm going to recognize Liz and then Matt. >> I have two things.

121Um, I really applaud you, Val. I think this is great, but I also want to caution that we seem to always be focusing on STEM and we don't have every kid is not a STEM kid. There's got to be a balance. Where's the humanities? All right. Um we have had programs that we could get off the ground. U we don't look at how do we prepare our kids to be into um the empora. You know, that's one of our our wonderful literary magazine that's that's at the high school. But we don't we don't work at preparing kids for that. And I think we we do a disservice to our kids if we're constantly focusing on STEM. STEM is important and I this is not to take away. Please don't think I am. >> That's just

122because are there grants out there to help support our human humanities? >> Oh, there she is. >> Hi, Rebecca. Shannon. >> Oh, sorry. Hi, Shannon. Sorry, wrong person. Right thought. But I'm just saying, you know, I think what we need to do is we need to have a balance. And it seems like our district is very unbalanced in terms of our what we can offer our kids. That was just a comment. Okay. Now, my question here is, okay, we're going to have this program come in. What are we going to uh give up? Because, you know, one of the concerns we have as a teacher is like, oh god, another thing they're putting on our plate. What else do they want us to do? We've got this program, that program, this program. Okay, so you

123know, it comes to a point, it's a tipping point. What are we going to do to support our teachers? And are we going to have to extend the day? Are we going to have this stuff being I'm just I know that's not the reality, but what I'm saying is we have to there's the basics that we have to teach. And my concern is we're adding more to especially our elementary, our middle, even our high schools and our time is much limited. So how is this going to what's it going to look like? I guess that's what I'm I'm asking. Where is it going to go? Where's it going to be taught? Well, I think that's why involving all the teachers and I I don't know if you're teaching a specific like you're not saying okay

124this little this is a mini course and this is something that I think if teachers if students teachers are aware of maybe I'm and I'm just speaking with no experience whatsoever. I know. >> But if I'm a high school teacher and I'm teaching um physics, I may want to say, "Wow, these are the careers you can go into if I'm if you're interested in physics." Or that may be just an awareness. It may be a a a 60-minute class. It may not it's not saying you must teach this, this, and this. or if the physic teacher goes out into industry and realizes how the physics connects to the real world and is able to then teach the students the not the relevance of the topic. I mean it's really these projects through DODIA have given

125our teachers such insight, >> such high quality skills and when you think about the interdisciplinary work of literacy with the humanities, with the sciences, it really dubtales with my because it's really all about the integration. So you're reading to learn, you're writing to learn, you're you know, you're using it also at the uh encoding and decoding end and you know you're integrating those skills with what you're teaching. So it's not adding on to it's just a different means of vehicle. The way we've learned how to do my is to blend these things together so that it makes more sense for the kids. In our previous >> Can I add to that? Yes, please do. >> Hi everyone. Um, so yeah, I just wanted to mention so the first three DODIA grants that we received, the

126first one was in literacy, the second one was in math, the third one was in science. Those three grants included a lot of professional development to help our teachers align their curriculum with the national and state standards. And one of the main purposes of this grant is to have it. This is much more um internal in that teachers in this grant are meant to work together across the grade levels to vertically align their curriculums from middle school up through high school. So that was more the purpose of this grant that what we're doing in middle school is preparing students to like continue a pathway of study for when they get into high school. So, it's not really adding on professional development. There's money in there for teachers to spend extra time like working with each

127other and working on curriculum like internally. So, >> thanks. >> And the other thing talking with the literacy grant that we had previously just we did have the middle school social studies teachers did have access to come to the PD to learn how to implement those skills into their social studies class too. Thanks though. I just, you know, >> Oh, I understand. >> I'm gonna recognize Matthew and Katrine. >> I I want to align a little bit, I hope, with what Liz said about the focus being perhaps overly STEM. I think we have to realize that the dog wags the tail and the dog hears Dodia and their interest is in STEM. So, we we need to understand that as a reality. At the same time, Susan would be disappointed in me if I didn't

128encourage you to look at public health, Department of Public Works, police department, fire department, emergency management. All of these have elements of science. All of these have elements of rigor and all of these are are career pathways that the town of Graten really needs and our kids really need, even if they don't live in the town of Graten. So, I'm hoping we can find a way to weave some of these things that aren't nominally STEM, but have elements of STEM embedded in them within our project so that our kids have a broad exposure so that the kid who comes and saying, "I think I want to be in the military may discover that she or he would rather be in another field." Or somebody who thinks they're in another field may end up saying, "I

129want to be in the military." We provide the exposure and they make the choice. >> Thank you. >> I have two questions. Um there was mention of project lead the way. Right now we have a manufacturing class introduction and then two main um engineering project lead. Will there be additional classes added or the class that goes beyond introduction? This includes actually um FTEES to add on more project lead the way. So at the middle school we have quite a a large list but and I think the children who are moving up from middle school to high school will have that expectation to be able to continue that. So I can see that increasing. Yes. >> Okay. And from what I read I thought I saw that there will be three new staff members needed. Right.

130So there is the project lead the way teacher um help me out with this Shannon. There is um >> health science teacher >> at the high school STEM pathway >> and a pathway coordinator at the elementary >> and a pathway coordinator. >> So that was four >> three that's what I thought. Okay thank you. When we have these fiveyear grants, is there any way in the fourth year, not during B well in maybe the third year or fourth year, can we be put on notice that we have hired this many teachers for this grant so that we can have a not in the middle of budget deliberations, but another time to talk about do we want to continue with the program, thus hire the staff. Where are we going to pay for that? >> So,

131we're already having those conversations on sustainability with ARPs and with all the CARES Act. And you're right, it has to be brought to the attention of the board periodically to say, how are we going to sustain this? Is this something that we can live without? Is it something that we need to continue? um just like we did this year where there were retirements and because of the smaller classes at the high school we're able to do without replacing three of those teachers that retired. My assumption is that we'll be able to do that periodically so that we can sustain >> I'd like to see some type of um not requirement but routine that we discuss staffing >> well before budget time when we have to scramble. >> That's a good idea. Yep. >> To discuss

132um if we can if the program was successful and if it was successful enough to retain staff and how are we going to pay for it? >> Yes. >> Thank you. Um um got Jay and then you >> um I just want to uh thank uh Shannon again for going after these grants and I think to a certain extent it's it's the it's the grants that you win uh that that determine I mean this one happens to be STEM but the first one was uh >> reading was writing. >> Yeah. and and those support things like social studies and and you know I don't want to take away anybody's thunder but I think we have another grant coming up that is away from STEM. So I think >> there is a balance. >> I think

133the first MSEP grant we got or the two middle schools we had one middle school theme that was all humanities and the other that was STEM and when they merged to Graten Middle School we have a steam school and we have another steam school at elementary. So we do try to balance it >> right and integrated >> and and we have no idea what Shannon's working on and whether or not we'll win them. So, we look forward >> probably will with her. >> So, anyway, thank you, Shannon. >> Andrea, thank you. >> I wondered about the the middle level construct. Are there are the staff increases going to the middle level? And if they are, how does that work with the team construct? So the um project leads the way um we have a teacher

134right now that's split between the high school and the middle school. So if we're able to have one more FTE that means that you're going to get a whole project lead the way teacher at both middle school and high school because you'll add the two halves to make whole. >> So how does how does it work at the middle level then? Is that a like an extra word is escaping? You know, a special is that like a special or >> So, we've already integrated the project lead the way in the in the that STEM pathway. And I would say the goal is really to have students take a project lead the way course um each year. So in sixth grade, >> if you want to think about it, it's more like um an elective. >>

135Like the high school would have an elective. >> Same thing. >> Only Yeah, >> it's the same thing but only different. >> Specials I think of like elementary and then electives I think of as more middle school, high school, I don't know. >> Oh, it's just a matter of terminology. Yeah. Thank you. And I'm glad you brought like the sustainability because that's what DODIA really wants you to see when you end a grant like rending a math grant this year. They want to know what are you doing to sustain it? What does the district do to sustain it? >> So when when does that conversation have at the application time? It happens at the application time. It happens. We meet like five, six times a year and each time we meet, we look at the

136budget and we look at the funding and we we talk about that sustainability. And we were thrilled because we were told that we could um for sustainability reasons, DODIA was allowing us to continue with some of those programs we put into place. So the context for learning mathematics, the professional development, the um assessment tool and the dream box which is the math um piece we actually have through the next year or two. So I think for the next year we have it covered and then um our best helps us and actually our operation budget has green box in it too. >> Okay. I was talking staff. >> Oh, I don't think we have staff. >> There isn't. This is there wasn't any staff for math at all. >> No, we don't always put staff in

137a lot. >> When you said you you you said that you look at the budget. I >> That's different from what I had asked previously. >> You were looking at the staffing. >> Yes. >> So if there were staffing in that grant, we would be looking at that, too. >> Great. Then you can tell us all about it. >> But um the two grants, the other two grants I worked at, the math and the literacy grant had no staffing in it at all. Is this more professional develop materials? Um, things like that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. What is that keeps going off? >> It's my birthday. I keep coming back. >> Oh, >> any other questions or do we have more? Do you have more slides, fell? >> Nope. That's it. That's all she wrote.

138and I'll make sure you all get a copy of that. >> That would be great. Any other questions about um >> just a thank you and well done. >> Yeah. >> It's fun. >> You know, I think and I think the exciting part is it's just beginning and I'm learning all about careers and career pathways and I think you'll see a big difference in what the high school students are are more aware of and how they're growing with clusters. And the high school's been very cooperative. It's been fun for me, especially as an elementary principal, to learn more about the high school and be involved with the high school and learning about the path. So, I'm learning to in my old age, I'm learning. I >> I actually really like the idea of putting taking

139the teacher into the industry or into the activity and to learn because how how can >> like how better can a teacher be able to >> like know about what that is? >> So, I think that that is that's right. see how it fits. >> So, um, we have other grants, too. Shannon is working fast and furious. Um, the Perkins grant is one that comes annually to us, and we actually have um a new hire who has done Perkins Grant in her job previously in New Haven. So, she's been a welcome addition. And we really are focusing on our culinary arts. Um, so Shannon, I'm gonna turn it over to you. >> Yeah. So, um, Melissa Manzioni, who is our new, um, finance teacher at the high school, is wonderful. Um, and she's, uh, she

140put the bulk of the Ber Perkins grant together this year. Um so last year um Perkins went through like a major revision uh and it required that school districts participate in a needs assessment. So that the needs assessment for the high school revealed that um the you know our culinary classes were are some of the most popular classes within CTE and students are doing very well in that. So, um it was decided that we would focus um a few years of Perkins funding on supplying those classes fully. So, this year uh we could apply for another 60,000 and the bulk of that will go towards um more culinary equipment. So, mostly uh stove ranges, uh reachin, refrigerator, freezer, and some supplies. At the same time, we put in a CIP request to have an architect

141look at the design of that space to get more efficiency because we do, you know, it's limited in how many students we can have in a course. So, by looking at it, possibly expanding the facility, you know, or using the facility a little differently. It looks like an old outdated kitchen probably from the 60s or 70s but and it's got you know equipment that half worked. So if we look at it to have it more industrious industrial um so John Bert is bringing that forward to the council. Um he did have a discussion with some towns people and he had a chef there who was talking about the importance. I mean, you look at our area, that is one of the popular industries here locally that kids could, you know, even start in high school,

142you know, in that industry. So, um, I'm glad he's going to bring it forward to the council. Um, they were saying, well, you have Grao Tech. Why don't they just go to Graasso Tech, but there's a lot of kids who go to Fitch because they want to be part of the Fitch community and they also want to be able to do these different career pathways. So we do offer that and I think if we are offering it we want it to be the best it can be for our kids at Fitch. >> So just a note that Scott Post and his um culinary class participated in a statewide championship up at um in Hartford last weekend I believe and they placed third. >> Yeah. Very proud of that. It was on Facebook. >> Yeah. So,

143just imagine what they could do with a real kitchen. >> Beverly, do you have a question for the Perkins? >> Um, yeah. This a comment. I'm glad to hear you talk about um upgrading their kitchen, Susan, because I read the letter that Scott P sent to us about the kitchen and in d need it was. And so, I'm glad to see that you're going to upgrade that kitchen for the students and for the staff in there. So, first the architects have to give us a plan and then there's a part two of the CIP that we've estimated to be about 600,000 that we're going to ask for too. >> Okay. Thanks. And, you know, culinary arts, everybody needs that because if you're going to you need to know how to cook and and uh be

144able to sustain yourself and that if you're a man, you can't depend on your wife to do all the cooking. So, That's right, Beverly. >> Or if you're a woman, you can't just man to do it either, right? >> Okay. >> So, Scott Scott also shared that several Oh, I'm sorry. But Scott also shared that several of his students were offered um jobs too at that fair that they participated in. So, >> that's great. >> Um, >> and did they get a scholarship, $1,000 or something like that, I read? >> Okay. >> Yeah, >> I didn't mean to jump in. I apologize. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> All right. Um, it's no further question about the Perkins. Let's move on to the middle school assistance program. So, there it's not a middle school. It's a magnet

145school. So, there's a typo there. MSAP is a magnet school assistance program. The same thing that we got for the two middle schools and becoming one Graten Middle School. It's a $15 million grant that's split between Learn and Graten and Goodwin >> Goodwin Community College. >> Wow. >> Yeah. So, >> so we're working on that now. Or I'm sorry, did you Were you done, Susan? >> Oh, okay. >> Um, so it's due at the end of April. Um if we receive it, we'll um we won't receive notice until the end of September. Um and it would start October 1st, 5-year grant. Um if awarded, it would be for um the two newest elementary schools. uh to bring the PYP program to both of those schools and to also enhance their current STEM themes with the

146hope of achieving further racial balance throughout the district. We also are going to talk to you a little bit about the DoD grant because really we want all five magnet schools to have um partnerships, real viable partnerships like Project O, the museum, the art museum and Mystic, the Seapport. And to afford these partnerships, it'll require something that's, you know, close to a $5 million grant over five years. Um the other thing is to also um have foreign language, world language starting in elementary school and you know creating kind of a a better pathway maybe the carousel in the elementary so that when they get into sixth and seventh grade and eighth grade they'll have a choice of which language they want to pursue and they can get started sooner on serious work in world language.

147So, the world language teachers are thrilled and this really um means a lot to them. But I'll let you continue because I think there's professional development in there and >> Yeah. So, Liz, I think other DODIA districts were feeling how you're feeling and so this year's DODIA grant is focused on the humanities uh world language specifically. Um, and yeah, like Susan said, uh, if we are awarded that grant, it would be another five-year DODIA grant, and it would be focused on, um, professional development for our world language teachers. Um, so there currently are not world language standards for the state or really within any state. Um but we have a very active um teachers group called Connecticut Colt and they follow the um the guidelines set forth by ACTIL which is a national organization the

148association for teachers of foreign languages. Um and what they stress is that uh districts really should be moving from what's considered to be like a traditional type of teaching foreign language to a more proficiencybased. So, if we were to receive this grant, we would uh train our middle and high school world language teachers in a proficiencybased model and hire a um a new teacher that would bring start to introduce elementary students to world language who would also participate in that training too. so that by the time elementary students enter middle school and later high school, they're getting more out of their um courses. So, between the two grants, um we're really hoping that all five elementary magnets are supported in the way they need to be supported and there will be professional learning for world

149language teachers really elementary, middle school, and high school. And the reason the survey is so important and we're already getting a lot of good responses. So students are taking it fifth grade through 11th grade. We have parents in the elementaryaries taking the survey and we have the middle school high school parents also. So the feedback that we get we'll share with the board and that's going to help to you know and probably to do a deeper dive in the curriculum department. Um but you know definitely we'll be able to see what is it that people are really looking at um and wanting. So that will help us um you know that data will help us in the grant as well. >> I'm I'm going to recognize Rita and then Dean Rita you're not >> I

150know I know. Hi. Um I have two two questions. Shannon, did you say that the focus would be on PYP for the elementary schools? Is that the IB program? >> So for the um magnet school assistance program grant. Um so so the one that we applied for and received in 2017 was a five-year grant and that's coming to an end now this year. So, so this would be a new one, another five-year grant. And if we were awarded, it would provide training for um Fames River Magnet School and Mystic River Magnet School teachers to receive training in PYP, >> which is can you say, can you just spell that? >> International balorates primary year program. So we would be competing with the um learn magnet school, the multicultural magnet school in New London for students.

151>> Well, we all of our students couldn't possibly fit into the one school. So it's not competing. It's more collaborating. >> It's collaboration. Kate Ericson is actually very knowledgeable about our quest to do this. But I think it's really PYP to see about um you know how it could enhance >> our you know all of our students work um part of the rigor that we're talking about that we want from early childhood into the middle school. >> Right. Um my other question is about the survey that you have. I did go online to see it. Unfortunately the board members are not allowed to fill out that. We're not we don't have children in the school. Um, and I feel that in terms of languages, I have to stress again how important Latin is and how

152we're not taking that into consideration and not having even board members to be able to fill out the survey or other community members. When you have when you're focusing on elementary schools, a lot of those parents don't realize how valuable that would be for their high school students when they get to have high school students. So that is just something I want to bring up that I feel that more people need to be involved in this survey that it shouldn't just be for elementary, middle, and high school, but also for the community at large and board of education members. Thank you. >> I did want to just mention that um so you know learn so with the magnet school grant uh learn is submitting that on our behalf. they're administering it. Um so, >> um

153my understanding, and maybe you could speak to this, Susan, is they weren't concerned about um us having PYP as they didn't sort of see it as us being in competition with RMMS. I think they would have mentioned that if that was a concern. I think in some ways they actually see it as um like supporting RMMS because we're raising the awareness of IB in general throughout the region. Um I think we're still like um different you know we are different from RMMS and that RMS has the um immersion program and my sense is that um uh parents uh seek that particular component out for their so that that that wasn't brought up in any of our meetings with them and they were >> and I've had I've had conversations with Kate she's a good colleague

154and friend and so we have gone to dinner and actually discussed it and she was very supportive. >> Great. I know it was very rigorous and it was not an easy thing for the teachers to change and to start to teach in a whole different way. I mean so again you know it'll be a challenge another challenge for our teachers. I have to tell you that in these five-year grants, the first year is really typically a planning year and getting, you know, taking some trips and seeing what it has to offer. I actually participated when I was went down to a my um down in um South Carolina and I went to see what the primary years elementary program was and the two teachers I spoke with after their little session and they were both

155trained Colombia um teachers college um reader writer professionals who then went into CP. So there's a lot of tiein with some of the work that we're already doing. I think the interdisiplinary connection is what I'm really looking forward to. That's what's happening with my um and IB. So um you know, but I think it it's a journey. So it doesn't all happen the first year. The first year is planning and like you talked about backward design. You might want to talk about that how at the end where we want to be. >> Yeah, absolutely. Before you get to that though, can I just say that just please be aware that our teachers are not out of their classrooms too much. That's the one thing about these grants and you know you're focusing you know when

156you having we want our teachers to be in the classroom teaching our students. >> That's right. >> So please just be very aware of that with the teachers. There was a lot of disruption. So >> a lot of this work happens in the summertime. So >> good. >> Absolutely. Rita, I did also just want to assure you based off your previous question, Latin was included in that survey that went out to all of our families and we have received 1,200 responses. So, we we're having a very good response from the community. >> Right. No, what I'm saying is I got to see the survey, but I couldn't be part of the survey. >> Oh, okay. I Sorry, I misunderstood you. >> Yeah, >> I'm gonna recognize Dean. >> No, I withdraw my request. >> Okay.

157>> Any other questions? So Shannon, the I guess I have a question. I'll I'll announce myself. Um so um if we got the two the middle the magnet school assistance program and the DODIA, it sounds to me like we get it and then we have to go to full implementation or or planning kind of like it sounds like like like that was >> both of them pretty much have a planning year. So, the first step with both would be to hire project directors for each grant. >> Um, and with other five-year grants, we typically don't get really rolling on them, I'd say, until like the new year. The first couple months is >> hiring the project director. The project director does training with whoever the um, you know, the grant giving body is. So, we

158go to the Department of Ed or or DODIA. and then things really get rolling like around January or so. >> So, I guess why I'm saying that is is that per town charter any grant above >> 10,000 Oh, thank you. 10,000 um we need to they need to be able to agree to it. So, um did we get a hint um like we get like a smell coming our way to say that we've gotten it? >> Dodia, we do typically like around August. >> Okay. um they'll ask us to take a look at our budget again and that's always like a really good sign. Um the MSAP grant we really did not hear until the 11th hour unfortunately. >> So So maybe one of the things that we can do is that in the summer

159we can notify the town manager that then can notify the town council and the RTM that we are working on those um and haven't heard but this is sort of what that means. And I know one of the things which is to Katrina's point is what is our sustainability? I think that I think our community is very excited about what we bring into the community, but how do we move it forward and continue it? Um so and I think that we do actually I think we do a really nice job at that. Um >> both both programs require a sustainability plan from the time we apply. Yep. >> So that's already been conversation about how this will and I think because we've gone through MSAP with the two middle schools joining to Graten, we've had

160a lot of good experience. At first it was really quite a challenge. It was a lot of work from a lot of people, but now we understand better how to do it and certainly we understand doas. We've gotten enough of them. So, um Shane, I I want to just reiterate what kind of Jay said is that um your work um for this district is just absolutely amazing and um I just just on behalf of the B board just to say thank you for the work that you do. >> My pleasure. My pleasure. I love it. >> Um um and Beverly, I see that you raised your hand. >> Yes. I just have a quick question. Um, Shannon, how much is the DODIA grant for 2023? >> Um, so that would be a million for five

161years over five years. >> Okay. Thank you, Shannon. >> All right. Thank you, Shannon, so very, very, very much. Um, all right. So, we are on uh suggested um items or topics, which I think I really wanted that just to be on our regular board of ed meeting, but it's still here and I've >> Well, I'm going to put down our next step with the data. So, you had asked some really good questions about the data. So, um looking at honors to um >> college level courses >> and then also to make sure um Susan K to your point too is when should we be looking at staffing? >> Um and I know that in October you start asking your principles and stuff. Um so maybe the end of October we should be getting the

162information and that gives us plenty of time. >> Yeah. um to do that considering >> well I think Lori likes to come on in the summer when we've done our hiring to kind of give you um an idea of what's going on and how many new teachers we have. >> I would like to see that information prior to then >> this summer prior to >> No, prior to when Lori tells us about teachers we have hired. I'd like to know how many we need to hire. >> Oh, okay. So that should be early, >> right? based on me based on >> so um so would that be after the budget has been totally approved? >> Yeah, we could do it then. >> Yeah. >> So it's gone through the town bodies >> then we'll know

163for sure >> for the following year. >> Yeah. So, Aprilish. >> Aprilish. >> Or is it May that >> No, May 28th that >> May 20th May. >> So, maybe our summer meeting. >> I think Beverly also wanted the discipline data. >> Yeah. >> I took notes on >> um and and Okay. Yes. All right. Any other? I would take a motion for adjournment. Sorry, Katrina. >> Second. >> Wait. >> It's already out there. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Send me a note. >> All right. All those in favor of journ please say I >> oppose. Abstain. Motion is carried. Thank you.