7-18-22 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001All right. So, it is my honor to call the committee of the whole meeting for the board of ed um gotten board of ed um July 18th um meeting which is held remotely um to order. And the first um order of business is the approval of the regular um the approval of the committee of the whole meeting uh which have the minutes um from June 20th. And I would take a motion for acceptance. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Do I have um do I have a second? I'm going to second it, but there's a there's an S missing from something and we need to put it back and I thought I had it in front of me, but I don't. Oh, it's it's on the second page on the second paragraph and it says

002with support from the Dodia Graten public school that needs an S. And while we at it, we're at it. We could take the S board because there's no S on board. So, if you do um roll F, you'll find it. >> Okay. Okay. All those in favor of the minutes as amended with the S after gotten on public schools. All those in favor please say I. >> I. >> Abstain. It's Liz. I wasn't here so I don't know. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Sorry Miss Katie hasn't seen me all day. Um All right. And the second, um, I'm actually really excited, uh, Susan, for you to kind of update us and allow us to ask questions and all that good stuff that's happening in, um, in the district. And so, I'm actually going

003to turn that portion of the meeting up off to you, Rita. It's so good to see you. I'm glad that you're back um, you're back on screen and that you're also just back from all of your travels and that you're back feeling better. Yay. So, I guess our focus will be on grants and the grant update. And as you see with all those bulleted items, there's been a lot of work being done behind the scenes. And I give a real big shout out to Shannon Wiggle, our grants coordinator and our team. People wonder how these grants come to be. Sometimes people come knocking on our door saying, you know, this looks like a good opportunity. Sometimes Shannon is out there doing a lot of research and finding these grants and knowing the grants we have.

004We tend to be leaning into the initiatives that we already have and growing these opportunities. So she'll speak to that when it comes to our um our farmtoschool initiatives that she's been working on with Ernie and Department of Agriculture. Um certainly there are some that are categorical and they just come to us like the ARP esser but there is an ARPS esser after school. There was an ARP after arpser idea that we presented to you. So there's other components to the whole ARPSER that really spelled relief for districts um after COVID. And of course you know our history with Department of Defense education activity. Some of you even joined me on our Northeast regional event that we had at the Nautilus. And then we had um a wonderful Northeast um conference where we were able

005to share with our colleagues across you know the nation in the Northeast all the good things that are happening really based on some of that grant funding. So many of our new initiatives started back in 2014, 2013. Even before Mike and I came, there was the DODIA that was written and afterwards we continued with those partners and um we got an indication that we would receive um that we were really looking good and were a finalist to the latest world language DODIA. That would be DODIA 22. So that was very exciting. Um, and then in the meantime, we did receive word at the very end of the year that the town was entertaining grants for ARPA funds. And one of the things that we had really been contemplating was how to improve our school safety,

006especially as what we've been through this past year. Um, uh, when we see it nationally, what's going on and so looking for a real cohesive system and I think, um, Dr. Kennedy's on to talk a little more about that and to go in depth. So that's kind of the broad brush stroke of these grants. There are a lot of work I think I I mentioned it in my board notes. There are a lot of work to it to ascertain. They're a lot of work to come up with the ideas and and Shannon and I bring a lot of people around the table to come up with the ideas. We just don't think of this top down. We get boots on the ground and teachers and other people who would really receive benefit from these grants

007to be on board with us and then there's a lot of work in implementing the grant and overseeing the finances. So, every part of this team has a piece of this puzzle um to keep straight and um but it's been very rewarding. So, I guess I'm going to turn it over to Shannon to kind of march us through. She had put together a really nice narrative um and kind of summed up the award amount. Um there are spreadsheets that really help us march through. Most of our grants are in the way of um professional learning as you know um supplies um curriculum writing and sometimes in the grant we'll have a couple people covered as personnel. sometimes for a short term, sometimes sustainably. Um, but we've noticed that in a grant of five years, we

008can pretty much accomplish mission accomplish our goal and be able to gradually release some of those coordination positions. So, Shannon, I'm going to turn Wh >> I have a question, Susan. >> Yes. >> Before you turn it over, this is a question for you. It says, "In order to qualify for this funding, applicants must have an ROC or a Navy National Defense Cadet Corps program. Do we now have a NA Navy National Defense Cadet Core?" >> We do not have official notice, but we were told that as long as we had applied, we we could ascertain this grant, >> and I think it's still sitting on the the Secretary of Navy's, you know, desk. and we will have time to implement that and the board would have to really vote on that and look at

009that. What would that look like? So, but we did do our due diligence in applying and that's all they really needed for us to do and we were able to verify that that was accomplished. So, thank you for asking that question. >> And Susan, before we move it over to Sharon, Sharon, I want to say the narrative I thought was just was absolutely amazing and thank you very much. But for those of for those people who are um listening in or watching or doing what everyone does when you are listening to a remote um we are referring to the narrative um that will be attached to our um I'm assuming will be attached uh to our minutes that people could have access to. Um but once again these are just really this was a really

010great narrative and thank you very much. >> They were actually attached to the agenda as well. So yeah, but they they could also be attached to the minutes as well so that people could see it twice. >> So Shannon, um you want to start us out with DODIA and we just worked on it today to take some of the good feedback that we got from our DODIA partners and kind of craft it and make it tighter. So >> yeah. So um yeah, good to see everyone. And even though my title says Paul, it's it's me, Shannon. Um, so yeah, in those descriptions, I included language directly from the grant proposals themselves. Um, so you could kind of get a sense as to the type of information that they're looking for from us. And um, that

011that's just a a little sort of snapshot of the type of description that we put in each of these proposals. So, the first one, um, the biggie is the, um, this year's DODIA grant. And like Susan said, we've, um, received word that we're likely to get this grant. Um, so this is for, um, our world language teachers. If we receive this, we'll be hiring a um consultant from ACTL, which is the um national uh world language um organization that has created national standards for world language. Um, and this person would do intensive professional development with all of our world language teachers in the middle and high school um over the course of three to four years. And we would also um hire two world language teachers for the elementary school and that would be in

012the second year of the grant. So the middle school and high school, we were advised by the consultant um to start with the middle school and high school and wait a year before hiring elementary teachers and then once they come on board they would um participate in the professional development program also. And then there's also some funding in there for our teachers to uh receive their own sort of personalized professional development with ACTFUL um which would be um online, but the bulk of their training would come through the on-site professional development with this um with this trainer. Are there any questions about that grant? Rita, I'm gonna recognize Rita and then Liz. >> Hi, Shannon. Could you just first um say the award amounted if we do receive it? >> Yes. So it would be

013>> the time period >> it would be for a million dollars over five years and the um the project would begin uh October 1st of this year and end in May or yeah May 2027. >> Okay. And for the elementary would this be for a certain grade level? Is it um like maybe fourth and fifth graders or what what are you what is the plan? >> Yeah. Um and Susan probably knows more about this, but I believe the emphasis like uh was to start with the plan was to start with fifth graders and work backwards. Um but the focus will probably be with fifth, fourth, and third graders. Um but there will be some >> something developed for the younger children too. So, this is an example of how we've worked with our staff, worked

014with some of the leadership in world language. Cara Hajj also overseeing the program. Um Kathy Wilson who's looking at my will be helping us out with my into the high school years for another year. And it was really um suggested and and Phil you can help because you really led this work when we brought them all together. um you know before getting the grant and then after but really looking at increasing the seal of biiteracy for all students and you know as kind of an end goal but also the teachers were really excited about the proposal of doing some of that beginning language work the carousel model that you might be familiar with in sixth grade where they get a little taste of France they get a little taste of you know Spanish um so

015that the work the work can begin in the tiered levels starting from novice to apprentice to expert world language, you know, middle school and then high school. Um, Phil, did you want to add to that? >> I was going to say the goal is going to be to, you know, really to raise the the academic expectations, you know, at the middle school and high school. And and I think that's going to happen that would have happened um regardless of whether we got the grant or not, just with working on the curriculum and updating the curriculum. But they're they're really excited to think that the kids will start at a younger age and come to them at the middle and high school level with you know not having to do the basics and to really be

016able so by the time they're juniors and seniors um you know you can you can have those conversational experiences that maybe they're not getting to you know at those levels right now. um you know to be able to start that in nth grade would be really exciting for the teachers but it does involve um you know some work on the curriculum and some uh and a different you know just approaching the language differently because the kids will be coming to them with greater skills. Uh so that's the that is the end goal >> and taking advantage that we are a bilingual district so we have many native speakers with many languages but especially in Spanish. So really looking at our native speakers and what they have to offer from when they first arrive and and

017when they're here to see that they can get a seal of biiteracy in their own language too. I just wanted to add that. I see your hand, Liz. >> Yeah. No, but I had a quick qu I didn't finish my question. My question was also will this cover any materials the students would have to you know we'd have to have for our students and also are you still I'm still hoping that you have not forgot about Latin and not will not just focus on Spanish and French when especially if we receive this million dollar grant. Thank you. That's all. >> Okay. >> Can I go Kim? >> Yes. I'm going to um Liz after you. Um it's going to be Beverly and then Matthew. >> I'm okay. >> You're okay. All right. Uh my my

018question did wanted to um focus around the offerings of what the span the languages would be because um as we know the um it's not a very strong uh department in our school system and I'm wondering you know what our plan is you know for are we going to include American Sign Language are we going to offer Latin and are we going to continue the Spanish and the French and especially with you know any you know are we going to have something in the works for you know um I don't know there's there seems to be if I remember correctly some of the uh what the we wanted the offerings the the survey we did and it seemed a little bit I don't I'm I'm wrong I'm wrong and I apologize but I thought something

019was about Chinese or Arabic something along those lines. So, um I just was wondering if we're doing that carousel. And then my second question, and I'm sorry I'm belaboring this, but what are we going to have in place in order for kids who haven't gone through our system to be able to catch up so that like if you're a freshman coming into Fitch High School and you've gone through the system, do you see understand what I'm saying? And you have the backup so that you can go right into let's say French 2 or whatever, French three. But if you're a kid that's coming in from the state of Washington and you haven't had the benefits of Graten Public Schools, are we going to be able to accommodate them? Just want to throw those out. >>

020I'll try to answer a couple of those um Liz and that was a point of conversation um about the dropins obviously with our our population. You know, what do we do with those kids who show up? Um and and that's why the approach is more than likely going to be not looking at, you know, looking at things as um French nine, French 10, French 11, French, you know, look and and building the curriculum around the levels and then when kids come in, you know, seeing whether the level whether we determine the level based on their coursework, previous C coursework or some type of um you know, entry exam and then we'd be able to place them in the level and that of course would would you know we'd work with the scheduling. you know, we

021got to make sure that um you know, how the high school and middle school schedules work that these would be available at the time, you know, to for for a for a a junior to maybe um step in at a, you know, level two class um being, you know, making sure that that's eligible for them when they're when they're arriving. So, so that is a topic of conversation that we've been that we've been doing. And I believe also that I think your other question was about the um you know in terms of other languages I could only say that although we we might not have a a Latin teacher or uh these other languages that were mentioned I I think we mentioned Chinese and Mandarin as as those that are being spoken in our community

022um or that people were interested in um in that survey. Um, I think we have to, you know, obviously we still have our Latin curriculum and we would probably have to work with, um, uh, you know, there are certain aspects of the curricular rewrite that that apply to all languages and how that would look in the different languages. So, if we were to bring that back or make, you know, make that um, make other languages available, but we do have the Latin curriculum, so we'd have to adjust that as well um, for insertion if it ever, you know, came back. >> Thank you. >> Answer. Yeah, you did. >> Okay. >> And I would say that the nice thing about all these grants is they look for quantitative measures like how are we assessing them

023and in world language there are these assessment tools through actful and also through other assessments like Apple where they really monitor along the way like we do in reading like even you know a once a year or a couple times a year whether it's the speaking, reading, writing piece. So that is embedded in a grant because we're held accountable. It's a lot of work not just to get the grant but to actually implement the grant and then to give the data back and um but besides quantitative we have qualitative. So surveying doing focus group listening to kids and parents is a is really a big piece of that. So we will be obliged to do that and to listen to the public to see what are those things that um those languages that they really

024want to see in our district. And I and I do want to add just to to comment on Liz. I I know your your comment about the strength of the department. I think it's more based on you know the historically our lack of uh funding and attention to that department and and that's what's so exciting about this grant. >> Yeah. Because I know you know the teachers are strong and and they have a lot of >> I know that I didn't mean it come across that way and if I did I apologize. >> Okay. >> Yep. And what we keep telling them is that, you know, the biggest uh barrier sometimes to world language is that a lot of focus goes to math and language arts for obvious reasons. This is an exciting opportunity. >>

025Yes. >> To to get some money and for a district to provide the time for them to really work to to strengthen it, you know, K12 eventually. So >> that was my point, Phil. Thank you for clarifying for that because I'm I'm not trying to um >> absolutely, >> you know, disrespect anybody really. I know that they work very hard. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry. Thank you, >> Beth. >> Thank you, Kim. >> Um I have a I have a couple of questions. Um okay. My first question is um can you explain um Susan or Phil? It says the purpose of this training is to shift the current mode of instruction towards the preferred proficiency based method. Can you align with the ACTFL's world language uh world readiness standards? Can you explain to me what

026that's all about? >> So it's really about expecting that when our students take a world language first, you know, and it used to be year one, year two, year three, year four. Now it's like looking at them from novice to apprentice to hopefully expert that they could go to a country, speak the language, read the language, write so that they would have all the components that are expected in our own English language in their second language. So we really want them to be proficient in a language. Many of us went grew up in the older system and I can still count in French and I might be able to say a few phrases, but if I were really truly proficient and use the language, I could actually visit France and speak and maybe read and

027possibly write. So that I mean it's a it's a huge goal when you think about it. It's a big lift, but I think it's a really um thoughtful way to to do it, and that's what ACTFUL is looking for. >> Did you develop a curriculum for this um new method of teaching world languages? >> So, I would have to really credit our teachers. They've been on board with this. Early on, um probably around 2015, we started doing summer work in curriculum with the world language teachers. They attended cult conferences which is the Connecticut version of standardsbased in Connecticut. They worked very closely with Stonington at that time. Leah Kennedy was department chair and she ran the Connecticut um agencies and she also was uh you know in a leadership role with a national organization and

028travels internationally. So, we did bring on her on board to take a look at curriculum with the teachers as a precursor to getting this grant and they've really already started to outline that work and make those shifts. So, it's not totally new for them, but this is just going to enhance it, expand it, especially from what they've said, if we could get the carousel model and some of these basic things done at the upper elementary levels, can you imagine what can be accomplished? middle school. They might get through a novice or even an apprentice stage with middle schoolers and then really be able to have uh you know an impact for kids to be able to reach that goal of you know proficiency before they leave high school. >> Oh, thank you. So, this is

029a five-year grant and you're hoping at what point to get it down in the elementary school? Are you hoping within the five years or >> year two? Year two, we'd like to year one is a planning year and then year two we'll um and it really was the teacher suggestion Susan, can we start in fifth grade and go 543 so that we could feel the impact of even starting in a fifth grade to get them ready. So um you know that's what the intent is in this grant. >> Okay. And you're going to hire two new world language teachers. Are they going to be Spanish, French, or or multilanguage? >> We haven't really determined that. We were thinking because our district does have French and Spanish. They do have some um sign language as well,

030but sticking to the the two that we already have. But we do have some work to do with um surveying our constituents to find out where we're headed. Did you um talk to any other districts that teach foreign language in elementary school to get an idea like um the regional multicultural magnet school? I think they teach Spanish in the lower grades. Right. Right. >> Um how successful are their students when they go on to higher grades? Um do we do >> one of the one of the best in the state is Glastonberry and we're planning a visit there. Glastonberry has always done an exceptional job and one of the reasons they do an exceptional job is they have these high expectations in the elementary and then in the middle and then in the high school

031and they don't repeat what has already been taught. So in other words, they really take the kids from where they are when they get to them and move them forward so that they really do accomplish a great deal. So we are looking forward to that. I've also t talked to my partners that learn um and we are looking for other um examples of this. I know in Waterford they did have an elementary program, but the problem with Waterford is when the children got through the elementary program, our own Jamie Gordana was an administrator in Waterford and she said the fault, the error in their program was that when the kids got to middle school, they started all over again as if they didn't have a language and they were already speaking pretty fluently. They could

032read a little bit and write a little bit and then they started all over. So um you know we don't want to make those kind of mistakes and so we will we will continue to reach out take visits and see what others are doing. >> Okay. And my last question is um for the consultant I know this is a five-year grant. Are we keeping the consultant for five years and do you do you have a salary for that position? Um, it's a stipened position and it changes yeartoear. So out of the gate the first couple years where they're pretty intense with curriculum development and embedded coaching um and I can't even remember so I don't want to say um but they were like10 to $15,000 or something like that and then it would be like

033a gradual release model that eventually by year five off you go everybody's really got it down. >> Yes, we actually we have funds in for the first four years. So starting off like for half the year in year one. Um so they would start with us probably at some point after January and then with us for the full year in years two and three and then back down to just half a year in the fourth year. >> We try to do that with all of our grants. So that that really is a piece of the key to success with sustainability. We frontload it with all the learning and even some of the teaching and then um you know we we release. >> So we're going to keep the consultants up. >> No, for really three

034and a half. >> Oh, three and a half. Okay. Thank you, Susan. >> Yes. No problem. Beverly Rita. >> Hi. Yes. Um two points. First of all, we haven't been awarded this grant yet. No. >> So that that I mean this might all be a mute point if we do not receive um >> but we are a finalist and we have made provisions they expect and they >> right >> um were very um >> complimentary. >> Come in there. I'm not talking. >> Um my other um point here is that I believe Phil said something about if Latin comes back. Um I didn't know Latin really went away. Uh we had discussions about it. We were never given a final notice about what's going on with Latin. Um, as a board of education member, we're

035we're, you know, board of eds are basically we hired the superintendent, we establish policy, and we approve curriculum. And I believe that if something is taken away that has been approved for many years, as Latin has been, I I feel that we need to have a discussion about that. if you do plan on taking it away. Um, and how do you make that decision without involving the board of education? So, that's just something for you to talk about after, not right now, but just wanted to make you aware of it. Thank you, >> Matthew. Uh, Susan, uh, I went on to the Dodia site to see if I could, this is really exciting, to see what more I could learn. And what I understood it to say, and I'm coming for a reality check, if

036you will, is that classic languages would not fit into this grant that we have. It seemed as I read it to be very clear that ASL would not fit into the grants in terms of teaching, but it would if we had a program be recognized as a fulfillment of the two language uh requirements. Did I understand that correctly? >> I'm going to turn that to Shannon. She really is knows so much about the specifics to what is um permitted and not permitted. And when you say classic, you're say, are you speaking of Latin? >> Said Greek, Greek and Latin. They were specific in one of the >> Yeah. So, the Department of Defense had a list of um approved languages for this grant. Um so, Latin was not listed as one that we could request

037funding for. Um that doesn't mean that we have to remove it from our district or anything like that. it just that was we could not include that as part of the funding request for this grant. But American Sign Language was on the list. So that and we did include quite a bit of funding for American Sign Language. So our ASL teachers will not only participate in the actful training, but they'll actually receive their own personalized a ASL training, too. So, um, they're definitely a big part of the grant >> and we I think several >> board project I should say. >> I think several board members in our walkthrough at Fitch were actually able to be in a classroom, a very engaging classroom of ASL and seeing um the teacher and the students 100% engagement

038in that class. And it's so exciting. It's been growing. But one of the things that we're able to secure is um one of those teachers is able to deliver a class period at the middle school for 8th grade. So we're able to have one class. That's again our shared um you know shared responsibility in teaching. And as you know our class sizes in some areas especially Latin were very very small. So, we did make sure that all kids who were grandfathered in and wanted to complete their Latin instruction were able to do so this year. We still have a Latin teacher, so we can certainly have further discussion around that >> and we've had a lot of discussion around that and you've also written about it in your board notes, >> but it hasn't been

039conclusive, Kim. I mean, we need a a board vote as far as I'm concerned, >> But it's not gone away. It sounds like it's fading out. I mean, obviously, >> well, unless we get more enrollment and kids want to, you know, um to have a full-time FTE, you'd have to have really the students who were engaged in learning that. So, that could happen. We'd have to, you know, see how how we can make that happen. that >> and how lucky we have a Latin teacher that is al also could be your social studies teacher so we're not losing that as well. So um I feel like um I feel like we've been pretty lucky. Liz, I know that you fluttered, but I am going to need to recognize Bev. >> Um I have one question

040for Susan. What's the difference, Susan, between the ROTC and the Navy National Defense Cadet Corpse? >> Can when we Is that in this? >> Yes, >> it's Yeah, it's a prerequisite to have applied >> prerequisite. >> Thank you, Bev. Sorry. >> So, the ultimate goal like New London has an ROC, a JOTC or naval, you know, junior rosey program. They are very hard to come by. they have limited dollars to to help support the JOTC. So really, in order to get a JOTC, we've been told you really have to first do the National Defense Corps um which has some of the same standards but not as many of the obligations. And then should you run that Naval Defense um CP cadet corps, you are more likely to then get a next appointment for JOTC. So

041it's a process. Um, it's been a very long process. Mike Grineer and I started talking about that when we came to Graten and started looking into the possibility, making lots of phone calls, talking to the subbase about ways and talking to our New London colleagues who are running it. So, that's continuous and it's more likely that we would receive the National um Defense Corps um process first and then hopefully be awarded at some time. the JOTC. >> Okay. Thank you. And thank you for all the work that you that your staff did and um hopefully obtaining this grant. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Yeah. And don't forget we have to go >> we have to go before the RTM with this grant, don't we? >> Okay. >> I'm kind of getting used to that now.

042>> So, um so actually Beverly, that's a really nice segue. It's almost as if I chatted with you to to say that. Um, one of the things that it has to go to the town council first and then it goes to the RTM. Um, and one of the things that I believe Andrea Jay and Rita would remember is that John Bert had sort of promised that um, he would try to fasttrack as quickly as possible for letting the town know about the receiving of this. And so what I thought I would do um is I would send a note to the mayor and to John Bert um and to moderator Rusk to let them know with your narrative actually Sharon um that it has not been approved but um to give a heads up that

043it looks pretty good so that they can um at least get it in their wheelhouse um to get to get moving to get approval. Um John had kind of um indicated to us a couple years ago with our last grant that he would try to fasttrack this um as quickly as possible. >> I have seen I can say that that's absolutely what has been happening in the town especially with even our early childhood grants that they really are taken seriously and you know kind of preference giving preferential treatment. >> Okay. Any further questions about the world language? Susan, I I will echo what Beverly said. Just really congratulations um and to Shannon and then to all about the hard work of um of putting this of putting this together. It's a pretty pretty darn amazing.

044All right. Uh next is the town of Grten ARPA. >> So we were given indication of the process that the town was doing to have um seek grants out. Um, and I have to commend my team because we all came together and within two weeks we had to put this together and get it to John Burton and we did it and really we looked at what are some of the things that we feel are most essential and after this year I know you all felt it too but school safety and security was the ultimate goal and I have Clint Dr. Kennedy here, Sam Kilpatrick, Shannon, Phil, um you know, many people, the whole, you know, the whole district team and the principles really looked at what are some main ingredients and just out of the

045gate to have a a safety standard um with a unified system that not not only talks to the different schools but also to the fire department, the police department so that we can have cameras in designated places and a lot of our systems are really old. We have some new schools with new systems, but they might need a few other sites that we've noticed for cameras, but to have it in command central with a police department that they can see into our schools, god forbid anything should happen. Um, but just to monitor what's happening and also our central office. Um, we looked for two-way communications with radio systems that would also talk to police and fire department. um an all hazards plan that's like a flip chart that's easy access for staff should an emergency

046happen. You can't go through a whole planning guide that's in a binder. So, we've worked out and the work has been done this summer. Thank you to Adam Disc who really took the lead on that. Um but that being said, I would say that um there were some things that the new schools wanted because of all the windows. They feel like it's in a fishbowl. So, they did find ballistic um proof um film to cover the offices. We went ahead and purchased that and then they would like it for the cafeteria. So, I'd like to turn it over to um Dr. Kennedy and Sam just to fill in the gaps that I haven't really shared and um to tell you a little more about that project. And we're very hopeful. We haven't heard back. It's

047it's in a large amount of $514,182. I don't know if we'll get all of this, but the first number one thing is to have that control um center connection with town emergency systems. >> Mr. Kilpatrick, I'll start if you don't mind. >> Yes. >> Uh so, hi everybody. Uh, as I was kind of reviewing needs and so forth, as Susan laid out, um, it became quite apparent that that we we we had the halves and have nots in a lot of ways that we need to build equity into this. We have functioning camera systems in all of our schools, but as Susan mentioned, there's a wide variety of capabilities of age of cameras, even the total coverage. So really, what we're trying to do is bring everybody up to speed or on par. number one

048both internally and externally and then number two really connect this uh currently there is no way for uh Mr. Kilpatrick or the police department or what have you to access all cameras uh anytime anywhere and that really is the stated goal. I would like if there god forbid is an emergency or some type of vet in the school and the police uh board of education what have you need eyes in that school I want them to be able to have uh a URL a secure username and a secure password and be able to self-s serve and access all those cameras at whichever school or the central office they would they they need to access and that's what this really does. It brings all schools up to par from physical camera systems. It provides the storage

049and the connective hardware and software to to pull all those different schools into one system. And then it layers an access system over the top that then provide that's something that we will test and then hand off to the appropriate officials, security, town officials and the like. Uh so that they can selfs serve as needed. Uh so that it truly is an anytime, anywhere system. That is the stated goal. That is what this grant will provide funds to get us to. Uh and what I'm really excited about uh putting into place hopefully fingers crossed that we do get this funding. There's a there's a second smaller piece too, it does provide redundant connectivity between the high school and the middle school because of their close proximity. It just makes sense for us to connect those

050schools with a high-speed fiber connection. Uh I'm planning on assuming it is funded in the short term. It will be uh a way to provide redundant service and to provide better service between the two schools, but ultimately could provide a cost savings in the future in that right now we lease lines to each of our schools in kind of a star or wagon wheel pattern where CO is at the center. Um but if we're able to connect these schools in more of a loop pattern in addition to that it provides higher speeds and redundancy uh for us so that we hopefully have uh zero up time zero downtime for our teachers our students and so forth. So that is kind of big picture at least the part that I was uh running point on for

051this and I'm super excited and uh I'm hoping that we can get to work on this project sooner rather than later. Sam. Yeah. And the second part of that is the uh the the the uh film that we're putting on the windows at uh both Mystic River and Things River. Uh we've already uh taken care of uh the office spaces. Uh those were done a few weeks ago and uh our next uh stage would be to do the cafeteria area and there might be a couple other uh windows uh that might be near a nurse's office or something like that that would include that at at that next stage. that would give us pretty good um uh security around the perimeter of the lower level of these two schools. Um as you know uh these

052schools were built uh just a short period of time ago and they uh were done with the uh state's uh requirements for safety and security. But uh the window film is not one of those things that's included in in in those recommendations. So, um, what these what this film will do is it it actually acts as the mirror from the outside in the daytime. Uh, you can walk by, you'll see your own reflection it, but you can't see into the office spaces uh where we have somebody working. Uh, Jamie Jamie Geodano for instance uh sits in her office and uh and has been uh pulling down the shades all this time to give her that privacy. uh and and it it's it's it's such a nice little campus uh there at the school, she'd rather

053uh be able to look outside. So now she uh with this film on the on the windows, she's able to leave the shades up and and see outside. Uh just the opposite would happen at nighttime though. You have to recognize that in the evening if the lights were on and the inside it's dark outside, then you could actually see uh inside. not not totally clearly, but you'd be able to see figures on the inside of the building. So, >> I would just add to wrap it up that this is a wonderful way we've talked about being a liaison with our town, our, you know, city and all of the other departments in our town. So, this is wonderful work that we can do together with our police department, with our fire department to make safety

054and security tighter and um you we've noticed that just even having the new cameras on the school buses, what a difference they've made. So, if there's been any benefit to all the agony we went through with buses this year, having them put on all new cameras and right as soon as we request them, we receive those videos and you can really determine what's happening. You can hear, you can see from multiple angles, so we know that the cameras would improve things. And we've actually had at central office, you know, um several um you know, I I'm not sure how to say it, but um things stolen um that were outside. So to have cameras that could really indicate, you know, what's happening at night when none of us are here would be essential. I am

055going to recognize um actually there's a lot of people who are raising their hands, but I do have a quick question and maybe um it's just my sensitivity um around this for for the past couple years. I are these conversations okay for us to have or is it are if is it the details we're not supposed to have in public? It just in years past we're not going to share any details. Uh it it the fact that we do have cameras, we we actually want people to know that we have cameras because there are some things that it will prevent. >> The cameras don't everything >> uh but they certainly give us a heads up >> uh after the fact or during an event when these are finally connected with the police department, fire department,

056etc. Um they'll be able to see what's going on as they're coming to the scene. So uh it's it's really important that we get this done. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Sam. Um I because I do know um that I know a lot of people are talking to me about school safety as well and you know what's the plan and um I I just I just wonder what what's the balance and maybe that's another conversation because we're talking about grants but um I am going to recognize um Andrea, Dean, Beverly and Matthew. >> Thanks Kim. I have a couple of questions. One of them is um this doesn't have anything to do with permission from parents. In other words, these photo the the uh cameras aren't they're not going to be shared to with anybody

057but but um those people who are absolutely >> right in the in the is that correct? >> That's correct. >> Okay. And the other thing is um does Graten Middle School have those the window coverings that you described? Um, >> they do not. >> Okay. And and are we going to do that? >> Uh, that's not included in this uh in this version, but uh it would be something we'd certainly look at in the future. >> Okay. And the reason I'm asking is that when I used to go to those the permanent building um committee meetings, I was worried about the windows in the library at Graten Middle School. And there was all there were two other things. the I don't think they did this, but did they they they were going to have like

058garage doors that opened to the art room. Did Did we do that or not? >> That unfortunately or fortunately or unfortunately depended upon how you look at it. That was eliminated as a cost uh cost savings way back. >> Good. I'll take credit. >> Actually have to walk out the end door of the building and walk around to the patio rather than walking right. So they can't go back and forth between the classroom and the patio. They have to walk around through an exterior door. >> Okay. And the other thing is I think it's in Grant Middle School. I'm pretty sure there are side windows next to the doors and I was never sure about whether they were whether you could break those. >> Are you talking about in the classroom itself? >> Yes. >>

059The classroom windows at at the middle school are probably 4 in wide at the most. Uh, and so that um it it would be pretty it I mean somebody could break it but um >> and this is in the hallway right that we're talking >> they are in every classroom has that has that window in the doorway but it's only about three or four inches wide >> and how thick? >> Uh I I it would take more than a hammer to break it but it's not ballistic or anything like that but it's it's all right. Okay. >> Thank you. Yeah. Um I too am uncomfortable. I know we don't want to get into details. Uh we are broadcasting to some extent where we're missing things. Uh, I know that we think it's a positive thing

060that we're broadcasting our capabilities and I'm thinking that an attack of any sort uh, you know, it wouldn't be a bank heist. If you've got a bank heist, these people are rational criminals. An attack on a school is probably more likely to be by somebody who actually wants to be on film. Look at me. So uh I'd rather not be advertising any capabilities or any vulnerabilities at all where we draw the line. I mean I'd almost rather have the discussion in executive section executive session frankly but >> well I would say we do have this equipment but we want to upgrade and make it more systemic so that it goes directly to um our partners at the police and fire department and to upgrade. So, it's an equity issue that we while we do have

061these systems in place, we want to make improve them. >> I'd rather we didn't use the word equity. That's really watering that term down, frankly. I know what you're getting at, but it's an overused term, but that's just me. >> Well, so we have older buildings, more on the vintage side with older equipment. >> Yeah, that that's a pretty standard setup. Nobody's got all new all same year >> equipment. It's a it's a phenomenon everywhere. We'll we'll be looking at the latest uh laws too regarding whether you have to post that you are actually video have videotaping going on at the school. Uh I know that some of our older buildings still have those signs on them. So um as we go through this project, we'll we'll verify that we still need to do that

062or not, whichever the case may be. Dean, thank you for um voicing your concern and maybe um any future updates around safety we should reconsider about how we um cover how we cover the information. Thank you. Um Beverly and then Matthew. Once again, I just want to thank Susan and the staff for um putting together this um way to get funding for safety and security at our school. That's very important and I'm glad that they're taking this very seriously. So, thank you again, Susan, and your staff. >> It's probably one of the most important we important things that we're all responsible for, isn't it? And I think we all take it so seriously. Matthew, >> does uh this grant provide funding for resource officers at elementary schools? This grant does not, but it was actually

063part of our discussion and I'll be looking at the FTEES that we have in place and there might be a way that we can share some of those responsibilities after the ARPA um you know where we were able to add more security at the middle school and the high school. So to be continued. It was on my mind too. Matthew, >> thank you. Thank you. Any other questions about that? All right. So, let's move on. Um, the Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Center. So, I have to really give Shannon so much credit. She's worked very hard with our Treehouse program to look for other opportunities for them. So, I'm going to let her This is a $60,000 grant per year. And um they've really started out um doing so well with our middle

064schoolers, giving them these after school opportunity three days a week. I've been over at the middle school for meetings and things and gone in to see the kids and what they're working on. And it's just a wonderful opportunity for our middle schoolers as well. So, Shannon, you want to take this one away? Take it away. So, the uh the 21st Century Community Learning Center program is a a federal program um that is administered by um the Connecticut Department of Education in cooperation with CRE. And it's a program we've been looking at for a long time, like since I first started here with Dr. Grineer. Um and we actually applied for it several times with Treehouse, but this was the first um proposal that was accepted. Um the reason is because um for these programs these

065afterchool programs they really discourage they don't want districts to charge any type of fee to the participating students because they want to make sure all students regardless of um family income are able to participate. So we had a hard time sort of figuring out how to do that with our current treehouse model at the elementary level. Um so th for this one we decided to apply for um for it at the middle school and it was successful. Um we actually received this in 2020 but because of the pandemic we had the option to defer the start date for a year. So, it started in the fall um uh 30 there was actually about like 50 students that participated in the program at different times and there were about 30 students that consistently participated Tuesday through

066Thursday after school um each week throughout the year. the uh correct came out and evaluated the program in May and gave us glowing reviews. Um and so we're so you know as long as we were in compliance we can expect to receive um renewed funding every year for the next four years at this point. So it's a five-year program and we can also now we're also eligible to apply for additional funds if we want to. Um, so if it's okay, I I I'll I'll speak about the ARP esser after school grant. So because we were a 21st century learning center program, we were eligible to apply for this um ARP funding that was given to the state's afterchool program. And that's going to allow us to kind of test out this type of program at

067the high school. Um it's going to look a little bit different. uh will be hiring a afterchool director. Um so kind of like the program coordinator at the middle school. However, they're going to take a look at the afterchool clubs that we currently have, evaluate them, um take a look at the students that are involved, um and kind of work with what we have and try to expand and improve upon it at the high school. Um and that is so that's a pilot program and so the ARP esser afterchool program is a 18month project and >> I know in its conception that >> oh I'm sorry in its conception both the middle school and the high school program we looked at it as an opportunity to grow leadership of our middle school and high school

068students and offer them the opportunity in Treehouse in the summertime or even after school to be um you know, camp counselor types, you know, where they might even make some money doing that, but again to grow that interest in child development and possibly someday they might want to teach. You know, a lot of camp counselors end up teaching too. So, um it's a a great place and I do know a few students who are doing that this summer. They grew up in the treehouse program, then they did some of the middle school or they did the middle school piece and now they're helping out at the treehouse in the summer. >> Right, Andrea? >> Yeah, I wonder if you could tell us some of the activities that would be offered at the middle and high

069school levels. So the middle school program takes place onsite um and it is so students are so we have um funding for tutors. So all students participate in an hour of um homework. They work on homework for the first 45 minutes to an hour and there's teachers that assist them. I believe we hired three teachers that come in and assist them. And then for the latter half of the program they participate in like team building activities um some community service projects. The sort of focus of the program was on uh community leadership um and team building. So that ranges from anywhere from like group games to I believe they make um they were making sort of special signs to go up around the building and like for the fire department. Um they did some beach

070cleanups. Um the students did a variety of uh community service related projects. >> So it's it's mostly community service. I wonder if you could get us um some more information maybe you know in hard copy so that we can see that well email it I guess. >> Thank you. Thank you very much >> Shannon. What's so this so this is goes to our um oh my god our fund a special what is that like the food service program it's >> enterprise. >> Thank you. I knew it was an E. I kept on saying estate, but I think that that's just >> no enterprise. Yeah, >> it's enterprise. Um, how how after the funding goes, how how are we thinking about um keeping the sustainability of that? I mean, what is Treehouse's plan? >> Do we

071know? No, I we haven't had too much discussion about that at this point, but um unfortunately I think this is an ongoing concern for a lot of the 21st century um participants, districts that participate in it and a lot of them do reapply for 21st century funds or they try to establish partnerships in the region. Um but uh yeah, a lot of them end up seeking grant funding again in the future if need be. >> Okay, thank you Shannon Beverly. >> Um Shannon, is it possible to get a copy of the review that you got from Craig? >> Uh yeah, I can look into that. Yep. And one other question, do you ever partner with outside um organizations to come in and do any self-esteem um exercises with the students? Like I'm aware of one

072program, the steps program with u Mrs. Janette, and she works with um young girls I guess and um do you ever consider having somebody like that come in and work in our schools? So, this would really be a question for Nikki with Treehouse. Um, unfortunately, I can't really speak to the organizations that Treehouse has worked with. I know she has a variety of groups come in and um that have have also come into this program, but I can't answer that unfortunately. >> I do see that social emotional learning and diversity, equity, and inclusion are a big part of the afterchool program. Um, and I do know that we use steps and other um, social emotional learning tools in our schools during the during the day. So, we can certainly bring that back to um, Treehouse

073to see what you know how they're implementing this specifically. >> Thank you, >> Liz. Yeah, I was just wondering I see numbers of 30 stu approximately 30 middle school students regularly participate. Is there a cap on the number of students that are that this will serve or this does serve? And are people are are students um parents encouraged to put their kids in this? Are students you know you know suggested why don't you do this or something? are you are you you know trying to pull more kids in because it sounds like fabulous opportunity but when you look at the amount of kids we have at each of these schools which is over 2,000 and we're only servicing 30 middle schoolers and I don't know how many high schoolers. >> It's just like um that's

074that seems to me to be a very limited amount. >> Yeah, absolutely. Yes. Um so there there was a a demand for this program. There was a waiting list at one point and I know that Graten Middle School also has a separate afterchool program that they have run at various times. I don't know if that continued for this past year but um at one point they are there was the idea that there would be multiple programs running at the same time and that perhaps we would look at them and see if they could be integrated um in the future. um the the number of kids attending this was really determined by um the staffto student ratio. So I believe there was a um requirement that there needed to be a like 1 to 10 staffto

075student ratio. So this was what we could afford um for staffing. Um but we could expand like I said we could expand we could apply for more grant funds in the future if we wanted to. We kind of wanted to start off or Nikki wanted to start off small just to test it out and see how it goes, make sure it was a good fit for the middle school and it seems like it definitely is. So, um, at some point, yeah, we should think about, you know, if we want to expand this program, but of course there is always the question of sustainability, too, and we don't want to get into something that we then can't continue in the future. So, >> Matthew, Rita, and Beverly, I don't know if you still have more questions.

076Um, but then you can follow after. Oh, >> you can go back. >> Matthew, I got it. I got you. I got you, >> Matthew. >> Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to follow up the combination of Liz's question about numbers served and the sustainability issue. Uh about two to three weeks ago, the Biden administration announced, I believe the figure was 112 billion for tutors and mentors. Uh does this is this something you're looking at that might provide uh the ability to serve more andor sustain a program? >> I I did see that announcement. Um I haven't looked into the details of what that might mean yet. I I'm I was under the impression that they were still trying to figure that out. Um, but I did see that announcement and that was that looked

077promising for sure. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Rita. >> Yes. Um, I I know that there's a program that Jamie Gardano had established at Claude Chester and I assume I think other schools. It's called Girls on the Run. This is getting back to Beverly's point. Um this program like inspires um girls to build conf self-confidence, kindness, decision decision making schools. And this program is also um for sixth to eighth graders. So you know if we have if we stop doing it we should rein institute it again because I think it's a wonderful program. >> You're right. We actually have reinstituted it and between our operation enrichment funds and all the RPSER there are so many and I probably would have to chart it out and document but I would love to do that for the

078board to showcase all the different programs that um you know we did bring back and we look forward to bringing back more between the tutoring after school and all of the inter mural sports and sports but beyond that math club and you know math counts And um you know the we had a finance course on personal finance that kids took play took part of. So I I can pull that together for you to showcase. the girls on the run at the middle school in several of our elementary schools was quite popular >> and we were hoping that this would be a responsibility of the new afterchool director that they would take a look at all the afterchool programs especially that those that are being offered at the middle school and at the high school. Um,

079again, just to make sure we're taking advantage of all the opportunities in the region of like local organizations like Girls on the Run and that we're making the most of the programs that we do have here and that students are familiar with all the that we offer and to just kind of look at everything and bring a little more cohesion to that. Make sure middle schoolers know about what is at the high school and vice versa. >> It sounds like this would be a really great agenda topic. we haven't we haven't brought the treehouse in in a really long time, but just to kind of talk about, you know, what's going on and and their thoughts about how to use the that program. So, that that feels like that's a really good agenda type. >>

080Miss Joan, if you could note that, that would be great. Thank you, Dean. Did I see your hand up or was that okay? Any other questions? All right, let's move on to the next. Um, did do we do Wow, I'm gonna try this sentence. Really? Just one more time. Um, did Shannon, did you cover the ARP esser after school program? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> The next two are really the farm to school that Ernie had a big part in and the Department of Agriculture Connecticut um grown for Connecticut kids grant. Um Shannon certainly assisted him with this and Sam also was part of this, you know, as he oversees our food nutrition program. So um this is something that we've had in the past several years. Emma Rottner had actually been a farmtoschool liaison

081and now she's doing um three of the um coordination of the three new schools, three new magnet schools. So the farm to school is a very popular program. I would say that you will find gardens everywhere you go in this district and things blooming and cultivating. So even at central office we had some vegetables that were put out for all of us to enjoy. So I'll let you take take it from here Shannon or Sam. So, um, yeah. So, we received another farm-to-school grant from the USDA. Um, we the last one we received was in 2019 that was for $200,000 um to uh construct the greenhouse at the high school and um to install some additional gardens around the district. because we received that that was called an uh farm-to-school implementation grant. We weren't eligible

082to apply for one of those large grants again, but this time we could apply for this what they call a turnkey grant. So, we received $50,000 from um the USDA and another grant kind of similar from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture um for 26,000. And both of those will go to build um the farm-toschool program at uh Themes River. So to construct a greenhouse there and to add in garden beds and a hydroponic system and um some afterchool um instruction, I think also cafeteria time um um instruction about healthy eating and uh farm-toschool practices. Are there any questions about that? Liz, >> um Shannon, did did you just say that you were going to there this was going to be in just one of the uh elementary schools? >> Um yeah, I believe the focus

083is on Thes River. There might also be I think part of the hydroponic system was for um the high school also. Okay. So there like a small portion of it was for the high school but the bulk of it is for themes river. And can I ask and and Dr. Piaza maybe you can answer this question. Is that based due to the theme of that school of the of and okay because you know I just I I think about all of our kids and I think this is you know I think all of our kids would benefit from this um in all elementary schools whether they're it's it's related to that theme or or not. I just think it's important that we start to look at that. So, I understand we're going to start at

084Dames River, but you know, well, um, >> can you see where I'm leading with this? Because >> well, we actually the reason Dames River was chosen was partly because of its magnet school theme, but also because we the former the previous farmtos grants focused on CB CK and NEA. >> Oh, okay. Yeah. Thank you. So, um, um, and I believe there is something over at Mystic River. Now, I I I don't know off the top of my head. Um, and if there's not, there was certainly discussion about adding to it soon. And middle, too. >> I just want to make sure everything I'm sorry, Sam, >> there is a plan for it at Mystic River and and the other programs that she mentioned that were on the earlier uh, version are in full bloom. >>

085Okay. Thank you very much. old loans. >> That's called sustainability that we've been able to s sustain and maintain and even grow some of those programs. >> Oh, that's a good that was a good use of words. Grow. >> Yeah. You know, >> I caught that. All right. Um, wow. Wow. >> One more to go. Connecticut Department of Agriculture. Um so that was uh part of the description I just gave that the two grants really um support each other. They were for the similar the same effort at Thames River. Um they are just coming from different sources but under the same umbrella of farm to school just one came from the state and one came from the feds. And a big goal in the theme at themes is the hydroponics and composting and and you

086know really returning to the earth so that we can continue to grow things. So um Jamie Girardano was thrilled about that one and certainly her thumbrint was on this grant as well. So that's just a day in Shannon's life. [Music] Bravo. Thank you. >> Well done, Shannon. Well done. >> And thank you very much to you and your all that staff has done that. I echo Beverly and and everybody saying thank you. >> Oh, thanks. >> I I keep on wanting to say I didn't know that Jamie Gerardano had such a green thumb because you said she had her thumb on that. >> Yeah, there you go. >> Wait, it I I don't know if I was going to able to concentrate on anything else unless I got that out. So, >> it was a

087good one. Definitely a good one. I'll have to share that with her. >> Yeah, there's so many, you know, good puns to use when writing the farm to school proposals. I have to kind of restrain myself, actually. >> Probably hard to find out, you know, what what goes first, the chicken or the egg or Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> All right. >> I'm moving on, Dean. I'm moving on. All right. Um, so, uh, I believe we need And so Susan, um, I know we needed to put this down because I think we we need to vote on it the following week. Is that correct? Or >> the tuition for out of town students? >> Yes. >> The funding has shifted slightly and I've got Ken on and I think that you know that um, you did

088receive the chart, the Excel spreadsheet that updated us. Um, so Ken, are you here to kind of orient people? >> Yeah, I'm here. And I'll I'm going to share that spreadsheet uh just so everyone can see it. Um here. Where is it? >> I don't know. I have mine. >> Okay. Hopefully you can see that. Um and so uh we we shared this at the May 3rd finance and facilities committee meeting. Um this was a proposal for the out of district student regular education uh tuition. Uh and the way we uh way we did this very this is exactly what we did last year is we took the cost per pupil uh by by school or broken down by uh by um elementary, middle and high. And uh we applied 85%. The 85% is uh

089just an assumption that um at adding one more student isn't going to add the entire average cost. It'll add something less. uh 85% trying to get at what that is. Um so that's the numbers that are in yellow here. Uh and then off to the right there's just some comparisons. There's the previous year's numbers uh for Grten as well as some numbers that uh I was able to obtain from Ledger, Stonington, Waterford um and then uh as well as uh NFA and St. Bernard's updated tuition numbers. And so, uh, you know, the thought here is that we're we're hovering somewhere in between these, um, you know, we're a little bit higher than the NFA and St. Bernards, but below the, uh, the Stonington and Waterford numbers. Um and so, oh, and then also the IB,

090uh DP, uh diploma program, uh we just we calculated it the same way last year uh with taking the total amount that was budgeted by the number of uh students that are uh participating in the full diploma program. There's there's more students participating that are taking a class uh or or two, but as far as in the diploma program, there was uh uh that many. Uh so that's how we calculated that number. Uh and so the plan would be to uh uh yeah propose uh this uh next at the next meeting next full meeting. Um I have what that one will look like as well if I can find it um here. And so this is a format you've seen before where we have the prior year numbers here on the on the left hand

091side and on the right these are the proposed uh for 20 22 23 uh these are the numbers at the 85% uh and then there's the costs for the special education programs that we calculate uh determining you know the number of uh teachers and paras and other uh things that go into those programs. Um, and the only other thing I did want to point out is that under additional services, we in the past we've had these these amounts, we actually we don't really charge these out this that often, but um what we're finding is that uh sometimes students only take a few hours of these uh pro these related services. So uh the request by the pupil uh ser uh pupil uh services department was to have more of an hourly rate and so uh

092the plan is to uh piggyback off of uh learns related services hourly rate which uh in many cases that that that's who's performing the actual uh related service. Uh and so we just be passing on that cost um if if and when that was uh uh to be done. And we do have two students at the high school who've joined us from other towns who um you know did pay the the fee last year and are planning on it this year and staying at Fitch. >> That's correct. >> Any questions for Ken? I think we could probably get you on the agenda for next Monday so that the board can go ahead and vote. Can he send us that information that he just put up on the screen? >> Should have. Yeah. >> Oh, the

093second Oh, the second one. Yeah, that that's a good idea. Beverly, I'm going to recognize Rita and then Matthew, please. Rita, you are unfortunately um muted. Okay, Ken. Um my question, I have two quick questions. One is that the 9 through 12 the IB then it's the cost 85% plus 3,22 which comes to the 18,85 is that correct? >> That's correct. Y >> and when you wrote down the comparisons for Stonington and Waterford, that's not at 85%. That must be at what you know is is in there published how much per pupil? Correct. >> That's exactly right. Yes. So, so basically we may be in the middle, but we're really kind of a at the top for the local towns in terms of cost per pupil. If our cost is 18,415, I believe, except for

094um the Williams school that we spend more per pupil. Is that right? >> Um you may be right. I didn't really look at it from that perspective. I was really just trying to get at what the amount of the tuition was going to be uh in the different areas, but um um I know overall we're we're on the lower one-third of uh in the state, but I don't know in comparison to those particular communities. So >> yeah, it would be really great to have that information, not only because of what our DUI would be, but what we are for the surrounding towns. We've actually added that in our budget book and in all of our presentations to showcase that we are in the bottom third when you do the averaging of um the per pupil

095spending across the grades >> for the state. Now I'm talking about the local towns. Yeah, we have it I think based on DUR and local. >> But we can get it to you again and it's going to change of course because next year's a new year but >> right >> but we need but we but we need it for to have a >> to have the discussion about it or excuse me the vote on it because we have a we have a family that they're who has a high schooler that's going to be from out of town. Is that correct? >> We have two >> two. Okay. Wow. Yay. Matthew. >> So, Susan, this is a question for another time that was just sparked by our financial thing. It's not a financial question. I'm trying

096to get a sense on the IB diploma program being that it's a British program. Is that an equivalent to an A level or an O level? Could you give at some point, not tonight, give us an update so we can compare where that stands with uh overseas? Yes, but it's really an international balorate program. So, it's not necessarily from one country. It was um really the core curriculum was designed um when we had diplomats traveling and even military folks that they wanted one common kind of before common core, one rigorous, relevant, high level um coursework so no matter where they traveled, their students would have um kind of a common ground. Let me see if I can articulate it better in a note to you. We normally take >> All right. >> Thank you. >>

097Any other questions about the tuition? >> So, I I'm I'm hearing um information uh just to get clarification about our cost per pupil um in the local area because that's who would be coming assuming from out of town. when becoming someone from Danberry or Middletown. Um, and then also Beverly has requested the the second sheet that you shared with us, Ken, if that is that a possibility. >> Yeah, certainly. I can send that along. We probably also attach it to the agenda for next year next week's um um >> that would be that would be perfect. And um if if people like have other questions that um they feel like um Susan um and Ken, you know, to kind of direct it, Susan, would that be okay if they directed it towards Ken? >> Certainly.

098>> Awesome. Thank you. All right. So, we're getting towards the end. The next part um is the discussion of the format of the superintendent um evaluation. So you guys, I um I hate it when I show people how human I am. And I have been very clunky in this process. And so um if people have were getting anxious or angry or whatever, um I own the clunkiness of it. Um just because um I'm human. Um and um but I do appreciate um Susan and Joyce who um kind of helped me sit back a little bit. um and realized that one of the main things that we had really not done as a board um is to kind of go over the format with the superintendent so that both parties could agree which is just really

099standard practice. We have done that in the past when we had a small subgroup with Mike excuse me Dr. Grineer um our former superintendent part of that process and so he agreed to it. he was in a small group and then we moved forward. Um the the um the for the form that I gave to both Susan and to all board members um is a work that Andrea did which is I'm actually Andrea. Do you want to speak to that or do you want me to fumble through and you can clarify? >> Fumble and clarify. >> Is that what you wanted? Thank >> go ahead. Okay, Susan, we took your um the goals that you sub submitted and we just it's part of the uh the CABE evaluation form and we just mimicked what you

100did and we took the CAB de definition and then your goal and then all of the steps that you said you were going to do and we just translated from um will do to did in in essence. >> I saw that. Yep. >> Okay. >> And that's that's it. We took your your goals and just made them as did she do it or didn't she? >> And I think we had had the discussion on that process um last year probably at this time when I wrote the goals that we were using the at that point I knew we were using the CAPS format and that's what I was kind of used to anyway. That's what we do with our administrative team as well. use those, you know, major ingredients. >> Yeah. Your um evaluation process

101is not unlike what we did when I was a principal and when I was a teacher actually. >> I I had a May I >> Sure. >> I I had a problem with the questionnaire. uh a question I don't have it in front of me but let's say the principal will do XYZ with the staff and the administration etc and then the the liyker scale was the principal did do XYZ with the administration and staff and I'm left at C because I I'm sure you did but I have no idea what you did because never a part of it so how can I rate how can I rate that if I I mark No, I'm sure that's not true. If I mark neutral, that's just going to ruin the data. And if I say doesn't

102apply, it doesn't do you justice. So that that was my structural problem with it. It's it doesn't speak to your performance whatsoever. It was a structural problem >> and that's one of the reasons I did use it as a guiding force for my self val which I shared Phil and I kind of worked on that together. I reviewed it with some of my directors so that we had all the data so that and it's really a very good process for me to do. I mean for all of us we all do these self-reflections and I think it just helps us map out what have we accomplished so far. I was really honest in it. We're still working on strategic planning. We're going to really do our best to get that moving along next year with

103so many of the other things that kind of came down on us this year. There were some things that we just had to put off because we weren't there yet. But most of the things I felt like, you know, we really did accomplish. And I tried to give specific evidence in my my self-reflection, but I can't answer to the liyker scale scale because that's, you know, that's a difficult one even in a survey sometimes when you're saying how much do you agree with something. Yep. >> My my my dilemma is that I just don't know how to quote evaluate that with which I've not been exposed. It's not a question of believing you didn't do anything but your best and accomplished some things and needed to put some more on, but I don't know quite

104how to evaluate it. I'm guess I'm still looking to the my colleagues for guidance on that. Kim, >> absolutely. Rita, >> is isn't that something that you could have a conversation with Matthew about since you're experienced in doing this? >> Um because I I to me it was self-explanatory, but you know, I've been doing it for many years, but I think for new board members, you know, it might be a little more perplexing. >> Okay. I I mean I think Matthew and I have had those conversations on um >> I know Beverly and you know all a lot of us have you know have been doing this for a while. So um but I didn't have any any issues with the evaluation and I would I appreciate it. Um Susan's very thoughtful um what she

105wrote to the board and what you know how she experienced this past year. So, I wasn't sure why it was on the agenda >> because because I because Rita, thank you. The reason why it was was because I missed like a really small part, a large part, which is um it was never agreed upon process with Susan. And so I >> Oh, okay. >> I'm just trying to do that's that clunky silly part of me that is really more human than what I would like it to be. Liz, >> so um if I'm understanding you correctly is that um the format is the sheet of the paper of the criteria of the goals that Susan has set that we agreed to and we are now going to evaluate her based on the evidence that we

106have been that she has submitted to us. Am I correct? and or what we have seen on seen on our own and to and Matthew um I mean I still think that there's some rich conversations that the board members can have in terms of when we get together Susan before we we do a presentation to you um when the board does get together I think we have kind of like we did with our last Monday's meeting um about it one comment led to a discussion led to a thought process that it it was um very organic. Um, and I'm so glad people didn't do it the way that I I thought we needed to do. I >> But that was that's my question, Kim, is that so once this is done, our next step then

107is to you create a meeting time for us to meet you and that is in for just for a conversation. Is that an executive session? And then we then bring Susan in and we have a conversation. with to inform how we've you know how we've evaluated. Is that the format that we're going by? >> Yes. And so in the years past and I'm looking for some of my um people who have been on the board for a while um is that oftentimes it's the chair that then meets with the superintendent alone. There have been I believe there's been other times where the superintendent has come into the board um and that could be a discussion that the board has in the middle in the in the midst of this executive session and also I can

108pull Susan to see what her preference would be. But I in in the years that I have been the chair, it has been me that has gone to the superintendent to have the conversation. Rita, I believe you went to Mike for his evaluation. Um so I think that that is this that has been the past practice um of of the board. >> I just wanted to know okay what's our next step and that's >> and and Liz you have the right to ask that since I have been incredibly clunky um during this process. >> No really had it noticed hon. Well, and in my contract, it really clearly lays out the language that it's a mutually agreed upon process and that I need to be part of some of your discussion or some of your

109feedback because I need to know, you know, just like I do with the principles and with Phil that in their self-reflection and in their evaluation process, it's a conversation between me and them, just like it should be with you and me. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. um >> because that's how we learn what are our next steps, you know, where >> how can you form how can you form your goals, >> right? >> If you don't if you have if you don't have any understanding um of what the board might be thinking. Um and once again, I just really felt that um the board had such a rich conversation. Yes. Last week in terms of what we were thinking or how we were how we were performing. Um I I imagine that we're going to have the

110same So, Kim, have you planned when that meeting's going to happen? >> No. >> Okay. I I just wanted to ask. >> No. >> Before the end of the summer. >> That's my >> So, I can start worrying about the new school year, not this. >> Right. Right. >> No. Are we uh moving forward forward with just you, Kim, or is that to be decided? >> Um I'm just wondering maybe that's a conversation that Susan and I can have in our meeting tomorrow. Um, and I can have if she wants to have it with a full group, then I think that she should have it with a full group if she's okay with me um being the messenger considering how clunky I've been so far on this topic. Um, she she might want the reinforcements.

111I don't know. Um, but I will get back to everyone about that with a date. Um Um, and it might be Susan. I don't know if if it would be okay if we use Joyce for that um to kind of do a polling of people because of we've got vacations and all that other stuff that that's probably being mold around. So I wanted to make sure. So is the format Susan that I gave you that I sent to you over the weekend. Does does this satisfy um being able to take a look? we have your reflection and and we have with the CABE and your stated goal um and then us evaluating underneath that. Does that seem to meet everyone's needs? Can we move forward on that format? >> I think so. I think that

112just has to be clear to the board members what that liyker scale means, you know, um if you've completed a job, what does that mean, >> right? You know, >> I'm looking at I look at I'm looking at Andrea because I wanted some clarification on the liker scale. She's like, "Everyone knows about the Lakers scale." >> So, yeah, >> I did say that. >> Yes, you did. >> Yes. And I said I said that you would probably give Bo Derek a 10. So, >> but there's only five. >> So, you know, as I was filling out the the um the liyker scale, I I too, like Matthew at times said, "This is not saying what I want it to say." So, I I see the um the um drawbacks of it, but then Kim reminded

113me in her unclunky way that there were comments that we could make and that what you know what didn't emerge on as a a viable choice on the LEGO scale could emerge in the cont in the in the comments >> or it could be a question. >> Right. Right. >> For clarification, you know, >> right? Absolutely. Absolutely. And once again, that's just part of the discussion process. >> Got it. >> Any other comments about that? >> I I really appreciate people's willingness to deal with my clunkiness. Um and uh we are now at suggested um topics. Um, I just wanted to let you know that I am going to think about that agenda around the treehouse and taking a look at sustainability with this new with a new program. Um, I also um I what's

114been hanging out has been the naming of the library using James Mitchell. And I originally once again in my clunky way thought that the policy meant that we had to have an outside group. Um and we do not. The policy reads that it is for construction buildings. It is for the actual buildings but the individual rooms do not. Um so I don't know how the board wants to go about this. Um and I don't know do we do we want to just have an agenda topic where we talk about that? Do we want to have a small group of people just to kind of kick around some of the possible names or even some of the possible rooms that we feel should be designated? Um I am I am open for that and people don't

115have to respond tonight, but if people could just get back to me about how they would like to see that move. Rita, >> um when we when we named um the library at Grten Middle School for Dr. Grineer last year. Um I believe that was just a board a board decision and I would like to see on the agenda for next week that Dr. James Mitchell would be you know the library there would be named for him and we should just put that on the agenda. To me we don't need a whole committee for that. I think in going forward if you wanted to have a board committee for other um schools and other you know places that we you know people in the community but for now I think you know it's been such

116a long time and Dr. Mitchell has so valuable to our district that I think we should move on that very soon. >> And I just want to say that we do have those twin schools. So you do have Mystic River and Thames River. And so you know if let's say you're naming libraries, you know, if you've named one and not the other, then we have to consider what we're going to do with the other at some point, >> right? I think that's a future committee. Andrea, >> I think that the policy that we have coming is that it it says that uh the board would form an ad hoc committee. But I think what Rita is saying is correct. I think we've already ad hoc this and we know what we want to do. But

117as u and then again as Rita says uh going forward I think we should follow the policy within an ad hoc. That's my understanding of what we meant. >> All right. Other other future uh agenda topics, >> clarification on our new board uh process. >> Um can you give me more information about that, Matthew? >> Well, I haven't looked in the last couple of days. I know we had said at the a month or so ago that we were going to do some advertising and use social media and maybe the Grten Times. Uh I may have missed it. I haven't seen it. But if we want to give people an opportunity to apply before the deadline, uh I thought it was going to be the end of July. Uh we need to move on that.

118>> I think the posting has middle of August or if not the end of August. And to um to Beverly's point, we were thinking about um to have a sitting board member in September um to to to go forward. I did send an email. I think I um CCed everyone um about going to Rebecca, but I have not heard back from Rebecca. Um >> I think Rebecca was looking for information today from you, too. So, I'll make sure you guys make that connection. >> Thank you. >> Just wants to make sure she has the wording correct. >> Okay. Thank you. So, there you go, Matthew. So, I'm not going to say that that's an agenda topic. Um, if that's all right. Um, >> that's fine. >> But, um, >> moving. >> No, I think it's

119great. I appreciate, as I said, you keep on picking things off and putting them back on my platter, so I appreciate that. >> But, but Kim, um, I appreciate the one that we received to um, from you today that you forwarded to the board. But I think it's very important that we have a date in August in the very near future come up with a date where we meet as a board maybe in for an executive session in one of our committee of the whole meetings and discuss this vacancy after it closes the middle of August or whenever it is. >> Absolutely. That would be my goal. >> Yeah. is for us to take the information that we've gotten from people and then set up um ideas about interviews. I in the executive session we're

120going to come up with questions so that each person because it we have four right now. Who knows what who else we're going to get. Um and what a great dilemma um for us to have. Um and it's great because um elections are happening in in a year. So we have a we have a cache of people that we can then um get involved in other ways maybe. >> Yep. >> I'll make a motion to adjourn. >> Oh, you caught her. To the core, but I'll second it. >> I love it. >> All those in All those in favor, please. >> I'll get you. Hi. Hi. >> Hey guys, thank you very much. This was a really good discussion and it's really good to hear all about the good stuff about what's going on with

121Grten. Um, thank you Susan for your staff. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Welcome back, Phil.