001Right. Good evening. This is a meeting of the Bratton Board of Education being held on August 4th, 2025. Um, in attendance is Mike Whitney, Matthew Schulman, Jen White, Andrea Acman, Adrien Johnson, Dean Antipas, and Ian Thomas, and myself, Beverly Washington. Um the first thing on the agenda is um discussion and um of the superintendent's evaluation but the superintendent is going to give us the per first part in open session and then we will go into executive session after that. >> Right. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Um I'm happy to um have given you the information that I did reflecting back on a year of um you know a lot of challenges and successes and um hard work together with this board. Um I've said it before and I'll say it again. Miss Ford works tirelessly
002um to ensure that every child and it's our belief that we remain steadfast that our belief is that every child deserves access to highquality education from the very start from early childhood through graduation and in that we're preparing our students not just for college and career readiness but for a lifong journey of learning and I know that we believe that together and it's a real commitment in this group. Um, I did send some highlights to just lift everything to the surface because there were a lot of words in that self-reflection and a lot of documents that we that I included in it. Um, one of the things that I really wanted to share is looking ahead and envisioning what's in our future. And I know that you're very much aware and have brought this to
003the attention to the town that with the potential increases that we have in student enrollment based on the information that I'm receiving about the Columbia class submarine being built here and families rotating through in the next 15 to 20 years as well as the building availability of apartments and condos that we've noticed. Um we need to be planning the community needs to be planning for our future. So, there were some things that I earmarked. Um, we've talked about repurposing Mary Morrison as an early childhood center. Um, with the ECAT program, which is the early childhood assessment team, we could put together um preschool and preK TK along with some some of the specialized programs in that building. And what that would do is offset um the um classroom occupancy and provide more occupancy in the
004names River School and the Mystic River School. So to ho ho host our early childhood center in one place, we would be able to get more resources in there for young children, our youngest learners, and we would also make classrooms available for other children that would be moving in potentially um building a new Charles Barnum. It was the 1964 um largest militaryconnected um student population school. It was our first blue ribbon and we're very proud of it. It's still got a wonderful climate culture and they've done a great job keeping it up. Um but should we need more room, you know, imagining building another school that could host 500 students could be a potential. Um renovating the vintage wing. I talked about that a lot. And could that include fields and out outdoor building starting
005with um the culinary which we've already started working on through Perkins grants an auto shop wood shop that could become a manufacturing center with partnership with EB. Um there are other upgrades that we can see in the auditorium. We've already tried to work on sound systems. The seating you know when you go in there it looks tired. It looks like it has aged. Um and then you know library also has um a pit that we can't really utilize. Well, so to you know the all those rooms in the vintage wing could probably use some upgrades. Um and then we've talked about Graten Middle School was basically full occupancy when we moved in and so that's a concern. Um it was built to have 100% um occupancy 100% of the time which meant the teachers didn't
006really have their own classroom. Core teachers may have a space but they have to move in and out to allow other teachers to have rooms to teach in. So that's just keeping that on our horizon. Um I really feel our schools are launch pad places where students are encouraged to explore lead and soar. Um we're preparing them not just to graduate but to rise. And of course our vision of a graduate is very very important to all of us um for them to be resilient individuals, innovative learners, socially aware citizens and engaged communicators who are ready for lifelong learning. And I've heard this from board members civic responsibility which is very important and meaningful careers. Um and through our partnerships especially noting electric boat and the boat program we do have students who often will
007find a career in the trades you know even before they graduate. So that is something that we really keep on our mind. Um so the first goal really is around student achievement and with this board I had set the goals last year and these really are if I look at them two to three year goals maybe even fiveyear goals but student achievement for every superintendent is the number one goal. These performance goals all come from CAPS Connecticut Association of School Superintendent and they really are pretty universally used. Um in ours um we actually um talked about what the ESSA um every student success act provided and the next generation accountability system requires that we have um a district score of 85 by 2030. That's for all school districts in the state. um our accountability index
008and 24 which is the only one we know of to date was 69.9 or nearly 70 with the district performance index which are our DPIs for English language arts math science the goal is um for 2030 and for our DP for our DPI um for literacy we were 65.2 for math we were close to 60 59.4 4 and for science we were 61.9. So there was a chart that I had included in my goal setting that would really be measurable goals and that could with accelerated learning we could see the results by 2030 achieving these goals potentially. So that is kind of our quest and um certainly the principles are very aware, administrative team is very aware, my assistant superintendent is very aware aware and has set forth a strategic plan to help us get
009there with the school community and your support. One of the things that I wanted to bring to the attention is with the support of the board, we've really been able to um craft goals around breaking up this strategic plan, this district improvement plan to focus first on the elementary grades and looking at the science of reading and literacy, looking at mathematics, um doing some research, PD and making some potential changes for the future in mathematics. So, and really looking in the next year or so expanding this from elementary through middle school and then into the high school. STEM is also a big focus not only in our enrichment um programs and in our um intra district magnets but also at our steam my middle school and also in our career pathways at the high school.
010We also have a goal. I I say we because they are my goals but I've heard you say it too. I know these are shared goals. I know when you go to set your goals, these will be ever present. This will hopefully be a guide too and in alignment, but um certainly um looking at chronic absenteeism is a real problem for for some of the the grown-ups after COVID or during COVID and also for the students, but certainly for our students. Um we want to encourage them to come back and that is going to be the focus. We're going to be um doing some PD around that at the um administrative retreat on the 18th and we have a consultant who's going to be working with us throughout the year in really trying to improve
011the chronic absenteeism that our students have seen. Um, so with that being said, um, the other thing that, um, I'm really excited about, and it's really, um, Dr. Mancini's brainchild. So, I give her credit for that. But to have instead of having just data teams at the schools and data teams at the district, she's invited the school data teams to present to the central office data team um at least couple times a year and to use their data um to really do school improvement planning. So with the strategic plan, which is really under ED leadership goal two, the strategic plan that was developed by our school community, schoolwide community across the district, and Beverly Washington was able to sit in on those meetings as well. That should align directly to what we're coming up with
012as a district improvement plan and these school improvement plans. So looking at accelerated learning, looking at chronic absenteeism and so it means that it's all aligned and we'll all be working on these initiatives together and have a tiered platform of how to reach these goals. So and the kind of interventions kids might need, families may need in order to achieve the goals. Um I would say that in the strategic plan, I think you've all received copies and you've read it. um you've heard about it firsthand, but accelerated academic achievement is one of the number one goals, one of the f first of the five pillars. Um cultivating a rich and vibrant learning community is another strengthening pathways that develop secondary readiness, attract and grow skilled supported workforce and improve operational efforts and increase fiscal responsibility.
013So I feel like the strategic plan really captured our work in schools teaching and learning operations and finances. Um and so the third goal is really about organizational management and I have to say that um this year required the idea of uh really nurturing highquality teams and bringing everybody on board probably more than any of my other years in education. When we talk about one ship, one crew and all hands on deck, when you have four different finance directors in three years and a rotation of people coming in and out, it really requires everyone in the finance department, everyone at central office, all the principles to be on top of budgets and their own budgets and also seeing the bigger picture and then working with the board who really was so supportive in the process
014in making sure you you understood it and you asked questions when you didn't. Um I that was really invaluable in the process and we we got the job done. Um in the midst of having a town review and you know several audits going on at the same time and then um you know ensuring that um you know we had staff that was retiring or leaving and we were filling in those seats. And so now I feel like we really do have a good good solid team and we have um I'm looking forward I'm enjoying working with the finance director Rita Pariac and um she is pulling together her team and she's you know really got some some really good ideas and is making sure we're crossing our tees and dotting our eyes. Uh the other
015part of this operational component besides the financial component is we did um complete an ed um educator evaluation plan this year. New it was based on um Kim Marshall's work where we get into classrooms more often. There were at least four mini lessons per staff member. Um they get timely feedback. There's more conversation. There's initial midyear, endyear reflections and conversations happening. And not only does this improve the support that we give our teachers um and the and align with professional learning, but it also builds relationships and it improves culture and climate in the build. I really do believe that and I think the better we get at it and the better we follow through with it, the better off it is. and and Marie and I really kept documented, you know, who all of these
016um many less many um evals that were done through many lessons um and the midyear and endyear evaluations and are working with our principles to ensure that this continues and we get even better at it. Um and then I would say that um you know those are just two examples of what comes under operations. Community relations um is the fourth goal and I think strong community relations are critical. I think um being present and and being you know able to go to some of those family engagements whether it's sports or academic driven or um the plays or the musicals are really important and I see board members there all the time as well and I think it's it's critical that we're there and we're seeing our families and seeing our students. Um, you know, the
017schools also have events, whether they're literacy events, art celebrations, um, any kind of recognition. Um, we want to make sure that we're there to support that as well. Um, I think you saw the school matters. We had that twice a year. This past year, we had had it three times. So, I've asked Rebecca that we make sure we do it three or four times next year because I think that's good information. I've had it suggested to me that even looking at the board notes, there may be things that I can just publish that are weekly in the weekly updates that can be published to the larger community. Certainly, it's going to the RTM and the town council and and some of the representatives, but it's information that I think families would appreciate. So, your feedback
018on that would be great. Um, and then Parent Square has really been um seen as a a great tool. Sometimes we overcommunicate. I know sometimes you probably get dinged too many times with parent square. Um but you know you you're able to parents are able to have it text message, a phone call, all of the above. But we have gotten good response from families that it does keep people keep that line of communication open and it goes it's a two-way communication especially with the teachers and the parents. Um, and then of course the website that's still a work in progress. I know it's not all the way there. you know, we've you've brought some suggestions to us and I certainly take that into consideration, but trying to um work with the principles to keep an
019eye on their school websites uh the athletic director to keep you know up to date with his and you know then to get the support from central office with our communications coordinator as well. She's actually going to train more people on both parent square and on the website and and host some training. so that more people there'll be more people at the school level that can keep updating the website and can use the parent square. I know communications isn't always good. Sometimes it's really hard. This year it started out being heartbreaking with news about students in an automobile accident and um you know and and hearing other information about threats made to schools. I mean, sometimes it's really devastating. I have to say that with the partnership with our police department and the chief of
020police, he will get me information as soon as he knows. But sometimes, like with any investigation, they only know so much in the beginning. And the more that they investigate, the more that they learn. So trying to keep families briefed is really important. I thought it was really important for he and I to go to the schools and the PTO's to talk to families and what families had to say, teachers and we met with the teachers first and then we met with the PTO and some of the teachers and parents were there and um I I really I guess my takeaway in that is to give information as soon as you can, as full as you can um you know without interrupting an investigation. um but also listening listening to what the teachers and the
021parents had to say and they did discuss things like more security in our schools. So we did broge and do a cops grant this year. We're waiting to hear on that to have SRO's in the elementary school. Um we already have DARE officers and they do serve our schools and it's another person in the police department that knows our principal and they can communicate and work together. But I think to have more security in the elementaryaries um is pretty vital and I heard that loud and clear. Um so you know the signs and I don't know that the signs were big enough. I think we need to get bigger signs. No trespassing. Um and all of our schools have walking trails which is lovely but that's also you know a concern that people can be
022walking on school property or parking their cars to get them filled up with electricity. Um, so we we've we've had a lot of discussion, you know, and I've brought it to your attention so we can discuss it and figure out what are some next steps. And I appreciate you listening and and helping to solve some of these problems. And then of course, performance goal five is the goal with the board of ed. And it's important for us to have strong relationships, to be able to ask each other questions, to be able to talk and have conversations. Um, we certainly have lots of places and opportunities for that. Um, you know, I it's important for me to um be able to provide professional advice um and give you updates on educational needs. Um it's important for
023um me to be able to communicate operational plans and certainly um we've done that around budget time especially um communicate about emergency concerns. So every time there's an emergency or something that comes out of one of the schools, I ask for it to be sent to me first and then usually we're forwarded to you right away as one of my first steps. um just because I know in my role I don't like to be the last to know. I like to be the first to know. I like to be ahead of it. So that and I certainly know that that's your take on it too and I appreciate that. Um and then I would say um it was really helpful for me during the budget process to have those frequently asked questions um that you
024brought to my attention so that we could get that information out to you. I also appreciated when the town council and the RTM would provide questions ahead of time instead of just going to a meeting and then say, "I'll get back to you." I think it's so important to be prepared at those meetings. So, um, I thank you for that. Um, and as I said, we have the board notes, the weekly updates. We do two COWs and a regular meeting. The time and dedication, like I said, that comes from this volunteer organization is amazing. It's probably one of the um most committed groups that I've seen um to be able to spend the time and energy um to support teaching and learning. Um and then we have committee meetings as you all know and budget
025meetings and our budget meetings um were hours and hours, days and days and um but we not only got to a budget that we felt comfortable with, but we also had to cut $2.4 $4 million off that budget, but we did it together. The tracker sheet is really hard to track sometimes and gets really confusing, but hopefully next year we'll figure out even a better plan for keeping track of it. Certainly help now as we put the budget together to look back and we've kept notes on everything. Um, so I would say that um, sometimes my communication can be too lengthy, sometimes it can be too short and sweet, sometimes it's on time, and sometimes it catches me by surprise, too. And I apologize if it catches you by surprise because sometimes it it happens
026in a timely manner and sometimes um, we learn about things later on. So um and then the the last of the goals is um really goal six which is personal and professional qualities and responsibilities. And it's important that I make ethical and sound decisions and carefully think out and and work with the team in thinking things through. Um, you know, involving constituents that may be involved and um, and it's really important that we all maintain the belief that students can achieve at high levels. There's one goal for you. It should be our first goal always, right? um that we that I involve the board of ed the schools the larger community in that vision of the graduate so everybody is aligned to that and it's not just for high school seniors it's really what does
027it mean in preschools what does it mean in elementary what does it mean in middle school and what does it mean for those high school and high school graduates so that's something that we'll continue to work on um I do believe that I maintain high standards for ethics honesty and integrity and always act or try to be very professional. Um, I also am good at maintaining poise and exhibiting diplomacy. Um, and you know, I try not to take anything personal. I try to take critical feedback within with open arms so that I can learn from it and make the district even better. Um and then you know I I am a diehard advocate and believer in public education. I will will write convictions around legislation. I will present at the state capital if I have
028to. I'm always keeping my eye on what are the needs for Groten and I voice those concerns at all different levels in the state at the nation. um knowing that we're a military community and knowing that um we have a great responsibility to the military children and all our children. And so um and I'm happy to do that. Um, I kept up with teaching and learning um through my professional organizations, National Council of Teachers of Math and English and um the National Science Foundation, the CAPS and CADE um and even the military um organizations, NASIS, which is the National um Federation for um schools that are impacted um and that's the group that we go to for impact aid. And then also I've been honored to serve on um university boards. Connecticut State Department of
029um I'm sorry, Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University STEM board, URI Yukon has an anchor program which is really exciting. Um and then the um the Nautilus board. Um I even got to present to sub this year which was really quite fun. Um, and then I was asked to take on a mentor as a mentee um at for Yukon's executive leadership program this year. So, you've met her and she'll be joining us at different events. So, um it's an honor to serve here and um an honor and a privilege and I thank you for all your support and for your hard work because nobody works as hard as you do, I have to say. And I do. We've all worked very hard. Okay, with that being said, I'll take a motion to go into executive session.
030>> And with Jay Jay's coming, so I want to make sure Jay have a motion to go into executive session, right? He's looking at me. >> Oh, I didn't know if it was Jen moved it. Yeah. >> No, Andrew. >> Oh, okay. >> It was seconded. No, >> no, >> it was seconded. >> No, I didn't second it. Oh, I'll second that. >> Okay. I thought you had questions. >> No, I just want to get that seconded. >> All those in favor of going into executive session and we are heading down to Susan's office will be departing. >> I have my sister from California and we're going on a family dinner. But Beverly promised that she'll share with me and we'll next step off to speak with me. >> All those in favor of going
031into executive session say I >> I >> oppose extensions. So approve. >> Thank you. And there is a candy jar.