3-27-23 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001All right, good evening everyone. Sorry that you guys get my back. >> People say that it is my better side. So, good luck. All right. So, it's my honor and privilege to um start our regular board of ed meeting. Um, today is March 27th, 2023 and we have the honor of being at the Pitch High School Library, but now we call it the Dr. Mitchell Media Center. And if you hear background music or sounds, um, if you're on Zoom, it is because we've just finished our celebration of Dr. Mitchell. At this point, I would like to call for the pledge of allegiance. Our flag is back there. >> Over there. Lori, would you be willing just to start us? Thank you. >> To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic

002for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Our next part is recognition and participation of visitors and delegations. I guess it's board of board member appreciation month. That is true. >> Do do you have anything to say that? >> Yes. I we're recognizing our board of ed in multiple ways through the month and we started with some board notes this past week. So, we look forward to sharing some neat things for you. Thank you. >> Just cash >> 100% raised in your salary. All right. Um, the next portion of our meeting is called the comments from citizens um and agenda items and other subjects of concern that lie within the jurisdiction of the board of education. Um this is the portion of the agenda where the

003board welcomes comments from citizens. Each presentation should be limited to five minutes or less and citizens should if possible submit written comments. Presentations should be re related to matters pertinent to graten. Board members will only ask questions in order to clarify the speaker's presentation and cannot respond during the comments of citizens portion of the board meeting. Citizens should make their presentations from the PO. Well, this is now the podium and state their names and address for the record. Uh, Miss Joan, I'm wondering if you could help me. If you could, if there's anyone who is online that wishes to speak, if you could just put it in the chat so that Miss Joan can get it and then she can relay that information to me. I'm actually wondering if um Jay or Dean if you

004could just be the timer and so that when we get to the one minute mark um I you could just uh flag a hand for me. Thank you very much. So who would like to come and sit at the podium? >> You there is no order. We should once again it's >> Oh, sorry. I apologize. >> I will be first >> to your level chair. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Good evening board of ed members, superintendent Austin, assistant superintendent Piaza and other members of central office. My name is Jennifer Corville and I live at 46 Ivy Fort in Grten. I'm a parent of a student in the district and I also work as a par parent para educator at Grten Middle School. Tonight I am here representing myself along with my co-workers as the president

005of the graten per union. I am here tonight to tell you the very real struggle that I am facing every day to the lack of pay that I am receiving in this position. I gross 18,668 a year as a pareducator. If I were take the insurance that is offered to me, I would then have to pay $7,610 a year, not counting our $5,000 deductible, which brings my gross down now to 11,258. At this point in time, I'm not able to afford to pay my rent, which comes to 15,600 for the year. Before all my other expenses, I am now $4,342. Therefore, I cannot afford to take the insurance offered. I have to work two part-time jobs to make up the difference in order to pay for just my necessities such as groceries, utilities, a car

006payment and insurance and a phone. While I am working the two jobs, I am able to be home to cook dinner and spend any time with my children. And I am often eating dinner at 10:00 at night. I was attending college classes and I had to withdraw because of the need for a roof over my head outweighed the need to further my education. For this reason, I am finding it harder and harder to remain a PAR educator in the town of Graten. I am aware that all of our surrounding towns are paying their PAR educators a significantly higher rate. Myself and my co-workers deserve to be paid a livable wage for the valuable role we play in the educational system. As a PAR educator, we play a critical role in the success of a child

007able to make in their education. We take on many roles to ensure that our students have the tools necessary to learn and thrive in their growth. We are seeking equity in relation to these roles so that we may continue to do the job we have chosen and love to do. The other struggle that I am having is the loss of several PAR educators each year often during the school year to higher wage jobs either to other districts or to jobs outside the school system. This hurts both the students involved due to the disruption in services provided as well as the staff both certified and hourly who now have to expand their workload to cover the responsibilities of the deported staff. One example is in our academy at GMS which has lost two pairs in February

008alone. That has left a hole that have current staff juggling rearranging their schedules so that students are properly attended to. Having a livable wage could persuade some of these excellent staff members to remain on the team, giving stability to students involved who often yearn for a stable situation and to the other staff members who rely on PAR educators for their skills. Our current wage scale does not provide for new hires, let alone veteran par educators to have a quality of life. We need to be competitive with nearby districts in our wages to ensure that our staff stays within the Brten school system and not seek out a higher rate of pay elsewhere. Thank you, Jennifer Forbio. >> Thank you. Yes, I have the time. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Maline Perry.

009I have worked at the for the Graten public schools for 27 years. My wage when I first started was $6.35 an hour. It has taken 27 years for my current wage, which is now $20.24 an hour. So, in 27 years, I have had $13.85 raises in this public schools. I have worked for the school system system. I'm sorry. Since I work worked for the school system, I'm nervous. I'm so sorry. >> It's okay. Take your time. You're doing good. >> Um I have worked for the school system which is so shockingly Oh, says I have worked for the school system which is shockingly um deplorable. As a par educator, we work with students who have many difficult and different issues. When our students have are having a bad day, we have to find other places

010to work with them so that the other students can have less distraction. We are one we are the ones who deal with their bad days. For this reason, I believe that we should get paid a livable wage. With the wage that I get now, I am not able to live alone because of because my wage doesn't allow me to do so. Um, if something were to happen to my roommate, I would be in extreme financial troubles. I need to be able to afford a place to live. I should not have to um choose whether I pay for my medications or my bills. They are both a necessity in order for me to live. It is also getting harder for me to continue with this job due to the fact that the cost of living is

011increasingly becoming more challenging to live on this wage. As much as I love my job, as much as we all love our jobs and do not want to leave a more for a more suitable lifestyle, um all I'm asking for is for a more suitable lifestyle. Um security equals happiness and safety. You can provide that to me. Please take my testimony into consideration while you make your decision to let us have to let us have a better wage. Thank you, Maline Perry. Hi, my name is Kristen Bourneer and I live at 15 in Crown Null Port. >> Before you start, as you put on your glasses, for those who have written things, if you could just leave them here so that they can go into the permanent record, that would be great. Thank you. >>

012Hey, good evening. My name is Kristen Fornier and this letter is being written on behalf of the Graten School PAR educators. As a collective group, we work alongside certified staff. PAR educators fill the voids in the educational plans of the students, both specialed and non-specialed individuals. We all cherish our positions within the system. However, as PARA educators, we are not adequately compensated for the work we do. The board of education has heard from individual para educators about their plights. For example, most of us have to work extra jobs in order to make ends meet. Working over 12 hours a day, 5 days a week so that we could provide for our families. As a result of having to work multiple jobs, par educators often find themselves having to always care for others and don't have

013time to care for themselves. The outcomes of this are felt when a co-orker falls ill and has to stay out of work, creating a domino effect of sorts. as now we have to cover for that co-worker's absence, taking on additional work to make sure that their students receive the support they need. A more competitive pay rate would alleviate the need to stretch ourselves beyond our limits. The lack of proper pay for our PAR educators creates other issues as well. We are consistently losing staff to the other districts with higher wages. New London. Our neighbors pay their pared educators $17.28 an hour to start while Grton's starting salary is $15 an hour. The disparity in pay has made it difficult to attract and retain PARA educators. Short staffing and high turnover affects all of us. We

014need to pay our pareducators a livable wage. Pared educators build relationships with students that are meaningful. Students rely on their staff for guidance, academic help, and emotional support. PARA educators provide their students with the support they need so they may succeed in all areas of their lives. PAR educators are in every classroom, core classes, STEM classes, arts, and physical education classes. They have to be able to assist certified staff in every subject available to students. The PAR educator has to be proficient in these subjects and meet students where they're at and guide them towards meeting their educational requirements. PARA educators wear many hats and have to be ready for all kinds of issues that may arise at any point of the day while having vast amounts of patience. Our role can change many times throughout

015the course of a day. Our students bring their whole self to school every day, meaning a student can be emotionally in crisis and we have to work with them and address their needs so that they are able to participate in the tasks at hand. The para educator is often the first person to recognize when a student is struggling and offer support. Occasionally, this can become physical and if staff aren't properly trained, serious problems can arise. We have had to act as security guards when one isn't available. We record data on our students daily so that the certified staff can use that data to modify or add interventions to better support the student. Our rate of pay is not commeasured with these duties. Grten has a talented and dedicated pool of PAR educators. We are strongly

016committed to the work that we do. The amount of tasks that PAR educators perform isn't at the rate of pay they deserve. PAR educators need to be paid a livable wage. Lon Thank you. >> Did you want to leave? Yeah. >> Thank you. Absolutely. Thank you. I believe that there is a woman that is on Zoom that is also Oh, and there's one here. I will get you afterwards if that's okay. Is it Vivian? >> Yes, it's me. Thank you. Yes, I'll wait. Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Lisa Plan. I'm a resident of Grten and I'm a parent of two children receiving special education services in the Grten Public School District. I am also a PAR educator. My daughter is in elementary school and my son is in the middle school. I

017know that the role of the para educator is essential to my children's success academically. The para profofessional is crucial in providing both educational and emotional support to academically challenged students. The para educator also helps to build and encourage the student self-esteem. This is so important for each of these challenged students. As a parent, I have recognized that a parent educator positively impacts the educational success and growth of my children. Because of this, I continue to advocate for a PAR educator to work with my children. I believe there is an overwhelming need for more PAR educator positions in our schools. More students in the Grten public schools continue to need the extra support. There is only one main classroom teacher and he or she can only do so much. It is impossible for one teacher to

018address the needs of a diverse student population with such varied learning disabilities and abilities. Par educators are an important asset for the teacher in helping and supporting students learning. The parent educators in our school district deserve better recognition and increase wages. They work side by side with classroom teachers, special ed teachers, and other professionals in our schools. The student and para educator form a strong relationship. Parenta educators should be included in IEP meetings and parent teacher conferences there. They are the important link to the child's educational success. Unfortunately, our parent educators do not get the general recognition and acknowledgement for their devoted service to our students. I know that there is a significant significant number of parent educators who have left the Garten school district because they earn higher wages in other nearby school districts.

019The shortage the shortage of PAR educators in the school district make it a burden on those paras that have continued their employment here. It is unacceptable that students requiring onetoone support are not receiving it. Our children are the ones who are losing out and suffering because of our shortage of PAR educators in this district. Thank you for your attention and consideration and supporting our PAR educators who work day in and day out with our students. Lisa plan Um, Vivian, I'm gonna recognize you. >> I'm Vivian McKill. I'm I work as a par professional in Groten Middle School with the sixth grade students. Imagine working in a job where no matter how well you perform, you are treated the same as everyone who is new to the role. an employee who has no experience working in

020a classroom or with special needs children. Imagine a job where there are no promotional prospects, little training and no guarantee of an increase in pay each year. It does not matter if you are the best or worst employee. Um there there are simply no prospects or or recognition. Today I'm here to share with you the conditions I work I currently work under as a par profofessional. My role as a par profofessional I earn $15.78 an hour. A new par professional in my district earns $15 an hour. I have been in the job for 5 years and when I took this job I already had previous classroom and teaching experience. This is what my district chooses to pay an experienced and loyal teacher. I have shown Groten my lo loyalty. I am reliable and experienced. Yet

021the district does not share the same loyalty back. I have no idea if I will get a pay increase this year or even keep my job this year. How can this how can this salary and conditions be justified? And how can you hope to recruit loyal and motivated people? Isn't that what the children of Gotten deserve? My name is Vivian McKelp and I have worked as a graten in Gten School District as a special education par power par power par power par power par power par power par power professional for five years. I absolutely love my job and the children that I work with. There is nowhere else I would like to work. However, the role of par profofessionals has become less valued by the administration in my opinion and with the increased cost of

022living, I may be forced to look for other options. Let me share some background with you about myself. Prior to this position, I worked as a lecturer in business and tourism in the UK. On arrival in the US, I returned to college to add my add to my existing teaching certificate. In April I graduate um opening hope and many opening many new opportunities and I am lucky I have I have I will have more options for the future many of my colleagues don't there is no job progression for par profofessionals the options available are to leave or take a second or third job within my district I currently am employed as an enhanced power. No, this does not mean I get paid more. This means that I currently work with full-time with three students. I

023spend my days with these three kids going from to every class and they are totally dependent on me throughout their day. I provide the reading support and check their work. The only break I get is 30 minutes for lunch. In math class, I work with on a completely different curriculum with them which is provided by my special ed teacher. My job is no different um from the tutors in the district except tutors get paid double what I earn. The Graten School District is certainly getting their money's worth out of me. Even though I spend every day with my students, when it comes to PPTs, I am not invited along or or rarely um consulted. The person who understands the child's learning needs the most and spends their day with them is not required or rarely

024consulted. This makes me feel disrespected and not valued in my role. The role of a para professional is essential to the support and development of a child. The support is written into the students IEPs and parents believe that their ch child is getting the full support which is legally agreed to when they attend a PPT. Yet currently on my team there is only one par which is me and at least four kids that need a power. I work with three of them and my and the other others are supported by my special education teacher. The other is supported by my special education teacher. Recruitment seems to be a huge problem within the district during the year. During the year they have tried to attract many people to the position. One power last >> I just

025want to let you know you have one minute left. >> Okay. Okay. I believe that this is because of a low wage of $15 an hour. Yes, custodians, security guards, and tutors are all paid more than a power professional. I believe that Groten School District should review the job of a power professional um should review the job position of a power professional. So, it will provide an opportunity for job progression and benefits and a livable wage. This would mean that schools would be able to to uh hire and retain quality trained staff. Per professionals are crucial to support special needs children within the district. The children of Gotten deserve the be the best chance to succeed and obtain a quality education. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you. Sure. >> Sorry, sir. I'll get you

026next. Thank you. Just real quick. >> So, you guys have heard from pair of professionals. I'm >> Can you please state your name? >> I'm Elizabeth A. Williams. I live at 221 Pekquat Avenue. Mystic. I'm a special ed tutor here in GR public schools. So, I know you guys have heard from the paras. I just wondered if you'd wanted to hear from a special ed tutor because I realized these jobs are going to be going away soon. And I realized that when I took the job that it was probably temporary because it was $29 an hour. And uh previously I've worked for Grant Public Schools like 15 years over 15 years as a substitute teacher for many years and then as a ISS coordinator, whatever you want to call them. I did that for like

02710 years at the middle school level. And I did that job for about 95 $100 a day. So that was about $15 an hour. And I have a college degree and I was uh subbing all different subjects, all different expertise. I had to work in special ed. I had to work in social studies. I had to do science. Had to be able to do a lesson sixth, seventh, eighth grade as a sub. And then I also had to manage the ISS firm at the same time. And I did all that for about $15 an hour for over 10 years. And then they came up with the special ed tutor jobs. So, um, I took one and, uh, I did behavioral tutoring last year at the Mystic River Elementary School and now I'm at the high

028school. And I love what I do. And you know what these other people here do, the men and women who do paraprofessional jobs, you know, you're in the trenches, you're in the dirt, you're in the mud, you're, you know, slugging away with the kids sometimes, literally. Um, but but it's it's it's really tough work, but it's very very rewarding, which is why I love doing it. And you know, I would really like to see as a taxpayer in the town of Grten, I would like to see people who work for the town of Graten in the educational field to get respected and to get a living wage. Um, you know, you need to raise the salary up because the fact that I worked for like 10 year 10 years making $15 an hour with a

029college degree and the security guard was making 2250 and the custodian was making god knows how much. And you know all they were required to do was clean the place and the security guard you know they go in the bathroom once in a while and I did that as a ISS person. I that was part of my duty in ISS. So you know you have teachers they should be getting paid more and then the people who are doing you know in the trenches they should be getting paid more. I'm just you know this town has a lot of money. We have plenty of money to go around. we could, you know, use it accordingly and pay the people at the bottom who are doing the work. Okay, thank you. >> Sorry that you kept on

030getting my back. So, come join the podium. >> Hi, my name is Adrienne Johnson. I live at Fort Haley Farm Lane in Grton. After failures in improving reading proficiency in our schools over the past decades and a more recent understanding of the human brain and how reading is processed, Connecticut implemented direction to our school districts requiring that systems use literacy programs based in the science of reading, approving only the programs that independently re that are independently reviewed and shown to be effective. Connecticut's reading scores are abysmal with only 54% of third graders reading at or above third grade level. Grten is slight slightly better than the average with 58% of our grade of our third graders reading at grade level. To be clear, the state department of education had to act because the majority of

031our schools were not properly teaching our kids to read using methods based on scientific knowledge and data. There's been abundant research demonstrating that a majority of SKI children require structured literacy approach to teaching reading skills and nearly all will improve their reading with this instruction. Some children will just pick up reading with different methods. But developing human brains did not evolve with the inherent process of written language. People invented it and our brains have to learn how to process it. We we have also known for some time that around one in five children are dyslexic. The dyslexia side of things is a bit more complicated, but because it's so prevalent in learning to read, we now know that it really needs to be included in general education in the early years of learning to read.

032Rotten has been using packaged reading programs by teachers college and fontis and panel. These programs taught children to read without explicit phonics instruction required. The method was based on the idea that learning to read was as natural as learning to speech to speak. When we got books home, we were told to read them to our children and have them look at the picture, look at the first letter, and guess the word based on the contents of the sentence, known as the three queuing system. Now, as many of you know, this method does not work. It's not reading. It's word guessing. And teaching this to the majority of readers that need phonics-based instruction is counterproductive. and a waste of time. Worse than that, instructing instruction using a queuing system to dyslexic readers is fundamentally damaging to

033their reading progression in education as a whole. This is not a small subset of our readers. It's one in five of them. Parents should do and expect that our schools will do the right thing and teach our kids to read before anything else. Our reading programs should be exclusively based on the science of reading and the programs evaluated by ed reports or other wellre represented or literacy assessment organizations. Teachers college and FNP do not meet those standards. The Connecticut Department of Education knows this and put forth a law requiring approved programs. About three years ago, Lucy Caukins, the owner of Teachers College, published a letter that that was titled, "No one gets to own the science of that reading." No one gets to own the science of reading. In that letter, she stated, "My hypothesis

034is, at least for now, it's that it's unrealistic to think that most general ed classroom teachers will be able to provide what 27 typically developing readers and writers need while also fully meeting the needs of children with dyslexia because those childrens do have very in intensive and specialized needs. That is probably an accurate statement when the classes when the classroom is being taught using a teachers college program. It's not fully based in the science of reading and we know many dyslexic teachers can be taught in the classroom when the science of reading is used. Some readers will need additional support but mildly dyslexic readers can be taught to decode without when taught properly from prek K and onward. based on the basis for Gotten's program is that we will be intertwining a few programs using

035Caukins teachers college program, Fontus and Panel's book program along with picture books and a few other additional phonics based programs. >> All right. Why should our children be used as test subjects when we have the programs that are rated by ed reports approved by the state and proven to succeed using science-based research? In the study that teacher on teachers college that was referred to so many times in the waiver application compares teachers college versus not using it not against schools using the the curriculum based in the science of reading. Grten has been failing to teach our kids to read with only 58% at grade level and third grade and 56% at grade level in eighth grade. Our neighbors Stonington have been using one of the programs approved by the state for over 10 years and

036they have reading levels of 73% in both third and eighth grade. We have asked them if they has anyone asked them if they are happy with their results in instruction using the science of reading. Let's move on with programs for our children and finally teach all of our kids to read. Hi, my name is uh Christine Johnson. I live at For Haley Farm Lane. Today I want to address the board of ed from a teachers perspective in regards to the reading programs that are proposed in the Groten um public schools waiver. I've been a teach I've been teaching in another district for 21 years primarily in kindergarten and first grade. The last six years, our district adopted the workshop model for reading and writing. We developed our units of studies and used parts of teachers

037college curriculum. For those who may not be familiar with workshop model, it looks like this. You teach a mini lesson and then you have the students try it what you just taught and then you come back to do a share. For example, if the lesson was on character traits, the kids are are to go off and read on their own or in partners and find the character traits in their books. Well, imagine 20 first graders going off to read for 20 minutes. You may ask yourself, what happens to those students who can't read? My colleagues and I noticed this and refer to this as fake reading. Thus, bad reading habits were formed. Students who are struggling readers make up their words as their reading strategies. In the last three years in our district, we adopted

038more direct and explicit methods such as Hegyt Mever and recently some of our staff members are implementing University of Florida also known as UFly. I am pleased to read that some of these curriculums are proposed in the reading waiver for Grten Public Schools. However, having taught these curriculums, these are phonics programs which is the only one part of the reading rope which takes about 30 minutes of your day. Once these are explicit research-based phonics programs are in place, then how are students are going to apply these reading strategies? Are young readers in Grten going to go off and read on their own just like I described in the workshop model? As an educator is disappointing to hear that Graten is going to continue with Teachers College. This program was not improved by Ed reports. Why

039should we trust something that doesn't work on our students in Grten? Going forward, let's be proactive and choose a reading program that will generate readers in our schools. Teachers want to be successful and we need to support them with programs and tools that are proven to work. I do hope Rotten teachers have the opportunity to explore and pilot their reading programs, other reading programs. >> I'm going to email. >> Yes. Thank you, John. The last two people stated that they were going to email. I'm sorry. Please come join. Welcome. Hi. >> Hi. My name is Meg Stillenhower. I live at 135 Prospect Hill Road in Noank. I have three kids that have gone through the public school system in Groten. All three of my children attended SB Butler. And now my oldest son is 18,

040freshman at the University of Miami. My daughter is 17, a junior at the Marine Science Magnet High School, and my youngest son is 13 years old and a seventh grader at the Graten Middle School. I'm here tonight to discuss Graten's reading curriculum. Rotten currently uses Lucy Caukins units of study to teach the students how to read and by 8th grade roughly half of the children are reading at grade level. I think we can all agree failing half of our children is not acceptable and we need to do better. Due to statistics like this in 2021 the state passed the right to read legislation which is trying to address how the districts teach children to read. When my youngest son Spencer was learning to read he was taught with Lucy Caukins units of study. When he

041was in kindergarten, he started receiving SRBI, which is extra support in reading, and he continued to receive the services through second grade. In the spring of second grade, we had a meeting, and they told me he was reading just below grade level and that they were going to be dismissing him because he was right on track. The current reading curriculum, uh, Lucy Cawkins units of study uses a three queuing method to teach children to read. The children are given small books with pictures and very simple sentences underneath them. The students are taught to use the three pewing methods because they don't have the phonics knowledge to sound it out. The three methods are meaning drawn from the context or pictures, visual, does it look right, and structure. Does it sound right by looking at the

042first letter? Based on how my child was taught to read, he was a good enough at guessing what the word should be to be considered reading just below grade level. From kindergarten through 2 grade, students are learning to read. But in the third grade, they are learning. They are reading to learn. If the students don't have a good phonics based foundation by third grade, everything becomes very hard because it involves reading. The summer before second grade, since second grade, uh I had a neurosych evaluation done and shared it with the school. You see, as they were telling me he was reading just below grade level, I had a document that said he was dyslexic. Even though I knew something was very wrong and they knew as well, how could I argue with him? I didn't

043have all the facts. That summer, I hired an advocate, someone who could guide me and help make sense of all of this. Spencer was now starting third grade and he was going to be reading to learn. The first week of school, I called the principal at SB Butler to let him know that I'd hired an advocate and that I didn't think Spencer was reading just below grade level. A few weeks later, he called me to discuss a math assessment that Spencer had taken. He got a 50 when he took the assessment by himself. Then, he had a teacher just read him the assessment, and he scored a 90. Only then did he call to tell me that I might be on to something. There were no pictures on the math test, so Spencer's ability to

044guess was gone. I finally had their attention, and with the help of my advocate, I could get my son what he needed to be and feel successful. He's now in the seventh grade and reading above grade level and on the final step of the Wilson program. Dyslexic students are taught how to read using a systematic phonics based instruction. And if you can teach a dyslexic student with this method, you can teach other students the same way. That is what the right to read legislation is fighting for. The graten reading waiverss is 45page document asking the state department of education if we can still use the same reading curriculum that we have been using. In order to understand it, I wanted to share a couple of definitions with you. Balanced literacy is a whole word language

045and a little phonics. This includes the three queuing method and is what Graten has been using. The other term is structured literacy and at times referred to as the science of reading. Structured literacy is explicit systemic systematic teaching that focuses on funological awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, and word recognition. The right to read legislature is requiring all districts to choose a reading curriculum that is based on structured literacy. According to the read reading waiver that Graten filed, and I quote, "Groten's ELA curriculum is shifting the balance with a focus on science of reading while it includes both literacy, balanced literacy, and structured literacy approaches." That's from the bottom of page seven of the reading waiver. If we continue to use a balanced literacy curriculum in any way, we are continuing down the same path. The right

046to read legislature is requiring schools to teach reading with a structured literacy program, not a balanced literacy or any version of it. I'm not sure who helped the superintendent Austin with the reading waiver and reading curriculum, but my advice is to utilize the the certified dyslexic practitioners that you have in the district. They have the training and the experience needed to help guide the district in choosing the best structured literacy program. I've done a lot of research, spoken to multiple advocates, education lawyers, and other parents. The numbers do not lie. We are ranked in the third the lowest 33 districts in the state of Connecticut. I've provided the smarter balanced assessments for ELA in the state of Connecticut, town of Graten as a whole, and then each individual school in the district. And the numbers

047are disturbing. Approximately half of all Graten students cannot read at grade level. Let me repeat that. 50% of all students cannot read at grade level. That's a big number. Grten has failed. It is time for a change. We need to change the way we are teaching. It is time for a structured literacy reading program that is backed by science and proven to work on kids that have the hardest time learning to read. It it is a fundamental right to know how to read and learning begins with reading. Let's make sure all kids have the foundation for lifelong learning. >> I had I did print out >> that is great. if you could just leave it together and what's going to happen is that we get minutes from this and um we'll make sure that every

048of the board members get that. Thank you. >> Hey sir. >> Hello. My name is Spencer Bergendall. I live at 135 Prospect Hill Road. I have dyslexia and will be speaking from experience. Back in first and second grade when I wasn't able to read, when I had to read aloud or even just read anything, I noticed that I couldn't read as good as my classmates and that negatively impacted my confidence in school. Now in seventh grade and in the Wilson program at step 12.2 and I have been working in the Wilson program for about seven years. I can say with I can say with the utmost confidence that I am an amazing reader and I can also say most of the kids in my class do not have the reading capability that I have or

049the level of understanding of phonics that I have. It is amazes me that most of my classmates can read small words easily but the second they see a word they don't know it is almost impossible for them to read it. Therefore, I have more confidence in class and and I am able to read and understand articles better. This causes me to be a better student and a better learner. Being able to read more perfectly just makes just feel just feels like a part of me. And I also feel that being an amazing reader has impacted my entire life as a whole. Thank you. Thank you. >> Um I'm going to stand just because I feel more comfortable standing just as a as a speaker comfortable. So um for full disclosure, my name is Porsche Bordalon.

050I'm a Grten town counselor, but I'm also a resident of 24 Jefferson Drive, uh, Graten. I'm here speaking as a taxpayer resident. Uh, first I want to say that I stand with the Paris uh, as a former pair professional in Grten at uh, Katherryn Colonowski as well as Mary Morrison back in the day. Um, it was one of my first jobs I I came into after uh, being a stay at home mom with a a husband who was deploying all the time. That time I was paid $10 and something. At the time, I was extremely thankful because I thought I was with my kids. Long after that did I determine that I wasn't as thankful as I should have been. And I looked at my my neighbor accounts and realized that learn at the time

051was paying almost $5 more an hour as well as Norwich and New London. And over time I did leave. I also noticed that the paras who worked in um I was in a medically fragile room which had children who had cubbies that were somewhat isolated that we had to use PMT techniques and blocking where you could be bit your hair could be pulled spit uh grabbed and the shortage that you guys speak of I've experienced because I was bending down to read to help tie someone's shoe and a kid came over and grabbed my hair and shook my head. So the shortage is a real thing and a concern from a safety level at all levels. So, I stand with you all and I think you guys deserve fair, equitable RA wages that you guys

052can support um um in our community and be respected. Um not only that, you guys are frontline workers coming off of COVID. You're the ones intimately working with our students face to face daily in close proximities where you may be spit, kicked, pinched, but bitten. And I feel that that should be rewarded and paid a fair wage. Um I also want to state um I I appreciate the emails that you guys sent back to me. Um, you know, in light of all of the cardiac arrests that were happening across our country from athletes to um, even just students that were underdiagnosed with lupus, I did get a response back about the AED machines. My concern was the fact that the new wing of the high school did not have AED machines on all floor floors.

053I know you can't answer me now, but you did send numbers of what you can do, but my question is when are we installing them? The numbers didn't say if you're going to do it or not. I noticed that the middle school had more AED machines than the high school. That was a concern. I did talk to the athletic director. He did say that you guys did reach out to him. They're purchasing more. I also want to move that Graten should make it that the par the the board the gym teachers are required not optional training required to be CPR certified just like our athletic coaches because a student could become uh have cardiac arrest at gym more likely and that would be important. One of my other concerns is NARCAM here at the high

054school. Addiction doesn't stop when the nurse leaves. I was told once the nurse leaves there's very few staff that are NAM trained. So my concern is if a child was become have a symptoms of a form of cardiac arrest or a Narcan uh episode, who is certified in our building after hours? I heard it was optional and there wasn't a lot. My concern is that there's kids hanging out here after school and there should be more options for Narcan accessibility after hours in our building. Um the other concern I have is the vaping. Students are afraid up here at the high school to use the bathroom smells. They can smell it. They're not vaping just cigarettes. And now marijuana being as legal as alcohol and cigarettes. Marijuana is being vaped in the bathrooms at the

055same levels as nicotine and alcohol consumption. There are vape detectors. They aren't perfect, but there are models out there and schools are using them. I encourage this board of ed to seek some money of the ARPA funds and things that you guys have available to look at ways to put in some vape detectors so that all students have the right to use the bathroom and feel safe going in there. Lastly, I stand with the the reading programs that were stated today. as a son who has had an IEP and a 504. My son who had a 504 is currently in the Navy and we worked independently to provide services for him so he could be on on level that we had no support from the district for and he you know was able to get

056his FT job as a fire control technician on on a submarine now in a station up in Portsouth New Hampshire. I had the opportunity she had the opportunity to do that. What about the children in our district that don't have the opportunity to afford these extracurricular programs that are failing our students? I too spoke many years back about the lack of a writing program. I noticed when my husband went back to finish his teaching degree and he was in the old lime east lime area there was their reading program was this thick with um grammar uh uh vocab books and writing things on top of the the reading program. Um thank you. So our reading and writing program has struggled the fact that I had to teach my own children how to do person um

057writing is a large component of the reading. I was told well you know Mrs. is borderline. There's no extra help for him, you know, for the writing portion. He's reading on grade level. That shouldn't be the concern. That should not be the problem here in this district. It should be all-en cumbersome. It's important that we make those changes. And those numbers that were stated today were staggering and was the same feeling that I was feeling, screaming, advocating for my own children, as a mother, as a town counselor, as a taxpayer rotten. So, I stand with all of you and I think that why are we keeping a program? Because we purchased it. Let's let's let's get rid of it and get something in here that works. So again, let's support our paris. Let's pay them

058a fair wage so we can get comp competitive people in and keep the people that we have. Let's let's look at our reading program and let's make sure our school safety is at the for forefront of our buildings, meaning the a machines, the vape monitors, as well as making sure Narcan is accessible and available and more people are trained and licensed. I will send everything by via email. Thank you. Thank you. >> Comment if you would prefer to stand. >> That's okay. Um I my name is Sarah Smiggle. I am a pair professional at the high school. I live at 47 Gilsbury Road. Um, I learned in a psychology class a long long time ago that if you want to be remembered, try to be last. Um, I am very very much in love with

059my job. I come to this as a parent of a child with autism who went to fitch here and I know what can happen if they don't have a good para. I know the type of trauma that it causes to a child when they don't have a good parah. So when I left my career, I said, "What can I do to be a parah, I was hired because they needed someone." Um, I have provided the same level of love and caring that I gave to my own son that I do to every single child that I'm faced with. Um, but now it's coming to a point I have been with this district for six years. Um, I too make 1578. There is no bonus for longevity. There is no yay you did a good job.

060Um there is no month celebrating us. We were missed by a day. They didn't even say thank you to the pair of professionals on par profofessional day. So you guys on the board are getting way more than we did. Um there is no reason to stay and that's very very sad because we all love the children. That's it. Like and if you love the children as much as we love the children, then please I have co-workers that have been here 16 years make the same amount of money that I had do. It doesn't make any sense. There's no longevity bonus. There's no reward for staying. Um and that's it. That's it. Mr. Anipos knows. Yeah, my son's a good kid. You guys have a good evening. Thank you. >> I appreciate your time. Think about

061giving us a living wage. All right. >> I don't want to miss. >> Would you like to say? >> I'll stand. Um, absolutely. It might be quicker. >> Um, so please state your name. >> My name is um Elizabeth P. Williams. I live at 221 Peekquat Avenue. >> Thank you. Um, and I was a building substitute last year and I'm a special education tutor this year. Um, and I wasn't really given I was given the option of my job and I strictly took it because it was more pay over $100 that it started at and then it became 125. Um, and at first I didn't realize that paras were making such a low pay last year that I thought I was making the least amount of money. And I felt so stupid when I realized

062that every person that had taught me what I was forced to learn when a special education teacher took over for an administrative position and just decided that I was going to be the building substitute for that classroom with no prior experience. and PTSD about issues that were not even asked about, weren't, you know, really dealt with at all. And the only reason that I did not leave was because that the paras in that room that I knew did that every day were there every day and they were the ones that helped me, not the people with the certifications. It was them. And that is the only reason why I stayed is because I knew that somebody needed to do these jobs for these kids because now I'm a special education teacher in a fifth grade

063classroom. As a building sub, I knew there were kids with learning disabilities that were just going under the radar. But I didn't realize how bad it really was. We maybe have four kids in our class of 22 that can write a paper. And by a paper, I mean a paragraph, not even a full introductory to a conclusion because we haven't even been able to ask them to do that because so much of the class can't even write a sentence. They don't know punctuation. They don't know capitalization. They don't they're writing their name in the biggest font ever. And my student has autism and he's been taught differently. Yet he will get frustrated because he is confused as to why his stu the classmates around him are doing different work from him and that shouldn't and

064he has anxiety issues and he should not have to deal with that and the other students in the classroom should not have to deal with the other issues that occur because of all that anxiety that has put a place on my child on my student because all the other children in that classroom should not have to be afraid of things that they don't understand because yes, we talk about, you know, including these kids in these classrooms because they should be included. My student loves to be in the class, but the class is so undertaken care of because the teacher is underappreciated, the staff is underappreciated, the students know that and they can feel it. So, they don't appreciate certain things. They don't respect the school. There's nothing up in the new elementary school that shows

065rules, that shows acceptance, that shows not bullying. These kids are making fun of things that they don't understand. And then they don't they feel bad about it, but they can't even communicate it because we don't teach these kids how to talk to each other. We tell them to sit down and do a test and all they can think about is doing the work. and they're so stressed out because so many kids have PTSD from living at home with their parents for a year and a half because I know I struggled living with my parents for a year and a half and I was in college and so much anxiety and depression came out and that is something that these kids feel. It's not something that comes on when you're 18 or 10. I mean 18

066or 15. Depression from PTSD can start as little as one years old. It can start then. They don't know how to process things. And then you get the other onset. There's been studies from the 60s in France about neglect and the correlation between neglect and autism. Maybe we just don't understand what that whole thing is, but we're claiming to be an inclusive school, yet we're not teaching anything about it. The education is so low because there's not even enough time for these kids to understand the curriculum and things that they are actually given. These kids are being taught math and reading, but they're being taught to take the test for the teacher. They're so stressed out about the score that they don't even know how to take the test because they don't have confidence because

067the curriculum goes so fast and it flips around that it doesn't make sense as a teacher. The only reason I understand what's going on is because I had a college education which that I was having to close read. I was being forced to for a grade. I wasn't being forced to at Fitch, but it was on the curriculum. I did AP classes and it didn't matter because you can play the system if you understand it enough. But these kids now are too stressed out that they don't even understand addition or a number line. So, thank you. >> Thank you so much. Hi, my name is Gina McGreed and I live at 17 Avenue. Um, I just want to say to all my co-workers, I didn't even think I was going to talk, but I felt

068like I needed to. I work with the most passionate, the most hardworking, longtime people that I've ever seen. And I come from New York and I've worked with all kinds of people. I have never seen the driven, hard-working women or men that I see working every day. And that gives me the the strength every day that sometimes to be honest with you, I want to quit and I just don't want to do this anymore because I'm serious. It's not the money. It's because we love those kids. We get hurt sometimes. We've we struggle sometimes and we pull together as a unit. This is the first time I've seen us all pulling together because we need to be uh a unit. We could be competitive. We can we have families us to do with a lot

069of hard work, passion, and yes, I'm another one who works two jobs at the same time. And I wouldn't trade this, but I do need to say please consider the wages. And if nobody said thank you to you ladies and men, I'm saying thank you. I might not be anybody on this board, but I will tell you, you mean the world to me. And thank you for what you do every day. We are in the trenches every day and we work really hard and I respect every single person and I know that there's some people here that know me and they know that I'm very compassionate and loving. You could ask any teacher, anybody here, they know uh they'll always put something Gina McGra is compassionate person but it's because of these ladies behind me

070driving me and every day I see the years that they've put in and I'm like how do you do this? How do you do this? and they give me that drive to succeed. So, please just consider that so that we could be competitive too. You know, we could help our families too. I appreciate your time. Thank you very much. >> So, I am going to end the public comments of the board of education meeting to the people who are our backbones of our district. I am going to ask that our board not respond to any of the comments about the pair of professionals even though we understand that you are the backbones and you mean a lot. You are the district. We get that. But we are going into contract negotiations and I want to

071be able to have the board enter in good faith and so I'm going to ask that we ask no further questions about that because starting next week we're starting up the schedule for that. So, I'm not going to we don't normally have a um a dialogue anyways, but just so that the board can enter this conversation with um your union reps. Um I would ask that the board ask no further questions about the negotiations so that we can do that in good faith. to our families who come to us um about the reading program. Our first committee of the whole meeting, which is not a regular board meeting where we have public conversation, but we are having a working meeting where we're where we have asked um uh Susan Austin and her staff to come

072talk to us about the concerns about the reading program. and Susan and um Phil, our assistant superintendent, I ask that you take a look at some of the concerns that have been said and so that you can enrich our dialogue um for that meeting. So I ask that you do that. Thank you. Or it is the first or second, I'm not quite sure, but one of the committee as a whole, all you need to do is look on our our website. I don't want to misspeak um but we are that was the plan um uh all along was for us to talk about uh the reading program more in depth. We did have a conversation just recently um uh just so that we could understand um the the reason for the waiver and that um

073our next regular uh committee the whole meeting we are going to have a discussion about that. So thank you very much but we are going to go on you guys are more than welcome to stay for the remainder of that >> respond without getting into any For those of you who spoke tonight, it's it's clear uh your your passion came through to us and we appreciate you coming out. Uh now we go into the negotiations next week. Um and I just want to say thank you. >> Thank any further comments. Can I have it go back to gallery successfully? >> Does I just >> the laptop or the >> I need just so that I can if Bev or Andrea have questions or whatever it's easier for me to see. Oh, there's the view. >>

074I just didn't want to I was afraid I was going to like leave the meeting and that would have not worked. Thank you so much. I know that many people don't like that, but it's just it's much easier for me to see the hand raised. All right, this portion is of the student representative report and I see two very lovely ladies sitting next to on my left and so please might take a minute because I have big presentation for you all tonight. >> Can you please introduce yourself? >> Yes, I'm Kate Savi. I'm a senior here at Fish High School. Um, and I just actually got back from Hawaii this morning. Um, I had a wonderful time on this music trip. Our music to Honolulu, Hawaii. >> I think we're okay. No one was there.

075It was just books. Thank >> our um music department took a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii to perform at both Pearl Harbor and in the Honolulu Heritage Festival. Um, so Mr. Russell has shown me how to screen share if yall want to see some pictures. >> Uh yeah. >> Okay. >> Does that look right? Yay. Okay. Awesome. Okay. So, this was our flight in. These are um the mountains of Hawaii. Yeah. Let me see if I can slideshow this. There we go. Okay. So, this is our flight in. It was just absolutely beautiful. And then, um this was a lot of people's first time to Hawaii, including mine. Um, so you know, mark off another state on my little map of things. This was as our this was our walk on the first day to Kapalin

076Park. Um, that's where we ate dinner and um just started to get acclimated to um what Hawaii was like, seeing as there's a six-hour time difference between home and there. Um so our first night was just kind of Oh, there's me. Just kind of getting um to get the feeling of Hawaii, you know, get our sea legs. Uh this is the beautiful ocean behind us at dinner that night. Um there's our little group with some palm trees. Um this is on our second day. We we did a secret island tour where we got to learn a lot about um just the different aspects of Hawaii, just about the um different islands and about um what makes this area so special. This is actually where some of Jurassic Park was filmed. So um they had different

077tours and such you could do learn about things like that. But this was one where we got to go learn about um the sand bar and the ocean that we were in was this tour. We'd paddle out um to this sand bar, get out, and then the tour instructor would tell us a bunch of different things about like the fish and sea life and things that were in the water that we were in. There's just more pictures from that day. Um this was probably my favorite day. We went to Pearl Harbor. It was just it was very um it's very somber, I think, is really the only word you can use to describe it. Um, but as you can see, right between the two trees is um the USS Missouri. Um, so the USS Missouri

078is permanently anchored there. Um, and that white building next to it is the USS Arizona Memorial um, which a lot of us students got to do a tour of. This was um, our performance. Our um, band, orchestra, and choirs all performed at Pearl Harbor, and it was a very wonderful experience. Um, I know I had a blast and it was just an honor getting to perform there. Oh, this is a big group. Um, we all sang the national anthem at the beginning of the ceremony and uh I'm just honored that we got to be there. Uh, and then we do have some students in our um district who have parents who are active duty and um they got to do this really neat ceremony of um folding the US flag which um brought tears to

079a lot of eyes. I will say that much. And this is the USS Missouri up close. Um it was really neat to see that. I've never seen a battleship in person. Um after years of playing the game, it was cool to kind of see one in person. I love that. Thank you. >> This is the memorial wall. Um, so all of the 900 names of all the people lost on the Arizona on the uh day of December 7th, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. Um, these are all of their names. And then next to all of them, it has like their ranking and um what their service was. Um, that was just like kind of mindboggling to see that that many people really gave their life for our nation. This is the up a little bit closer.

080You can see all of that. Um, this is learning about the remains of um, USS Arizona. They have two buoys at either end um, marking where the ship was. And the USS Arizona memorial is kind of like about twothirds down the way. And what's really neat is you can still see um oil. You can kind of see right there on the top right corner um is oil still coming out of the ship because they left it untouched because it's a memorial for so many men and women who gave their lives. Uh this was inside the USS Boen, which is a submarine that they gave a tour for that you could go see. Uh this is my friend Caitlyn using a telescope. Um, so just it was really cool getting to, you know, learn about all

081the history behind that, especially living in um, an area that is very populated with people working on submarines. It was really interesting getting to learn about that. This was probably one of the coolest things that we did. We performed at our very first um, competition since we've gotten our new music director in this hall. Um we placed bronze which I am very very excited about. Um our band and orchestra faces silver. Um so it was it was just truly an amazing experience to be in Hawaii and perform music that we all worked so hard on. Um and it was truly a wonderful experience. We had a lady come up um after one of the judges. She gave almost like a short master class. Um and they did that for everyone in the competition just to

082help further our ability. um the music and things like that. Uh yeah, this is her right right up there. She um you know, we worked on vowels and we worked on um like harmonies and just different things like that. It was it was a really neat experience. This is the band and orchestra playing and they did wonderful, might I say. I'm not in the band or I'm in the choir. Um but they they sounded absolutely beautiful. And this is all of us after our performance. I think we were all pretty excited. Um, yeah, that's it for the most part. This is one of the mountains where I believe J. >> And then this is the Polynesian Cultural Center. So, we spent a day um learning about all the different islands surrounding Hawaii. Um, there's Fiji,

083Tahiti, one that I can't pronounce, but it's a name that was given to New Zealand, um, Tonga, Samoa, and one more, I believe. Um, we spent today doing different activities, learning about like the native culture of each of those islands, which I thought was pretty neat. Um, they had different like tours you could do up and down the river. Um, and just different things like that. We saw a lot of hoola dancing. Um, some of which we got to do as well, which was a lot of fun. Um, so yeah, that's pretty much it. Oh, this was us receiving our awards. So that was um Victor and N King receiving the Oh, this is the band awards for silver and um one of our students, Jacob Fields, received a personal award um for being so

084dedicated to music, which great >> is a great honor. So I will I will leave it at that for the time being. Uh Mr. Russell, I don't know how >> Oh, thanks. Okay, great. Um, and then just a few quick other things I wanted to hit on. Um, as you know, Isaiah is not here. He just asked me to, um, share a few things with you all. Um, he's at a baseball scrimmage today, so he couldn't make it, but he wanted me to let you know that the senior class has had two successful bake sales. Um, as our fundraisers, one at the spring dance and one at the Irish parade. And I also just wanted to mention over the past few weeks, um, we've had the SATs and sealed by literacy tests. um most of

085which all the students I've talked to have taken it feel pretty confident in the work that they did which is great. Um and then one thing I did want to mention is I've um heard a lot of questions from students about um graduation the timing for that. >> Um so >> it's on our agenda. >> It is perfect. Wonderful. That's great. Yeah. >> But I just you know wanted to share that as a student who is also graduating. But you want to know what day you're going to graduate? >> I do. >> You are rather demanding. >> Gee. >> All right. But that's it. Thank you. Joey, do you have anything? >> Yeah, I have a few things. Um, one, I just want to touch on what Katie said about the SATs. I took them

086this past Wednesday and I felt pretty good about it. I can't speak for everybody else, but I do feel like it, you know, I think it went pretty well. Um, and I think I was a little worried about taking it like on the computer because us and the freshman taking the PSATs, that's a lot of kids using a computer at the same time. But it worked out pretty well. So, I'm glad it's over, but I felt pretty good about it. Um, for Fitch, we um the exhibition was March 8th. I went um for one of my one of my classes, one of my IB classes. and we came and we helped out and um I saw some familiar faces around and I do know that it went very well. I was you know I walked

087around I saw the presentations and you know I'm like I don't know a lot of the kids and you know it was I'm not like fighting it or anything but I was you know very proud to see that this is like the work that they did. Um so that was definitely really thing and then stone fetch my class 2024 we had a fundraiser on this past Friday. It was like a like a dinner thing and I was a little worried for the turnout because you know sometimes a lot of people just you know come to the fundraisers but we had a pretty good turnout there. A lot of people that came the word out and I think we did pretty well. Um so River Elementary they um on March 21st to celebrate World Down Syndrome

088Day they had students wear their favorite socks to school and they had a you know thing about that. Um, and then they've had the turtles at Brook and River. They've been going around to each class and, you know, they've been uh making observations, sketching them, things like that. And then March 28th, they're having a whole school meeting where they um are having their quilt be displayed for the first time. Um, which I think is really cool. So, they have, you know, pieces have been designed for each class. Um, really nice. And then Kathern Kaskki also on March 28th has their angle steam night from 5 to 7 pm. And um they have a lot of partners from like the aquarium, the seport um electric boat and you know a lot of other places like project

089go and they're all coming to like do their thing and for that to students and whoever else wants to come. Um, and then Charles Barnum has they're finished their second round of clusters Friday afternoon and um, they had like a little expo a few weeks ago kind of going over that showing everything that the students did and they're going to start their final round after spring break and then they have their after school clubs are up and they're running, they're happening, you know, it's like in it. Um, so they have some for indoor soccer and I think they have a field trip um to Foxboro this coming weekend to watch a professional match. So, I think that'll be good for some of the kids because I know some of the kids in my grade when

090we were younger, a lot of them were like really big into, you know, soccer, baseball, things like that. And I think for those kids getting a chance to see like, you know, professionals do it, I think it'll be good. Um, and then some other things like they have um like a hiking club and a yoga club and things like that. >> Questions from the board. Thank you for sharing this the the pictures. That is so fun. >> He's the one who put it together. So, but I had a blast. I thought it was fun. I go back. >> Yeah. Right. >> Any other questions? >> All right. >> Thank you both. >> Don't run block, please. >> Thank you both. >> Thank you so much, guys. >> Y'all have a good evening. All right. This

091time, um, superintendent report. Yes. I'd like to have two of our staff members come join us at the table. Um, maybe Sam, if we can have you move down so we can have um, >> you can come sit next to me if you want. >> So, if you can come to the table. I do. >> Um, as you know, we've really discussed um, Fitch High School in a big way in the past few sessions and we've talked about the international balorate diploma program, the careers program. We've talked about AP and some of the um, wonderful training by Nimsy and some of the work we're doing there and also the ECE which is the Yukon and actually it was Mr. Shman who brought up what about career pathways? So, we thought we would round it out

092with talking about career pathways. Um, Marissa, if you'd like to join us, too. And just to because you you guys have really teamed on this and um shared, I know one of the things that we Chelsea Courtright, as you know, you've met before and she actually presented to you about the career pathways. Um, and I thought it would be nice to to hear more about the pathways. We're really starting next year um with every freshman picking their pathway and we're really excited about that because that will be part of what FIT students get an opportunity to do. Not that they have to stick with it through all four years. They might pick a couple pathways, but at least we're really zeroing in on be um um we've done that before, but this is really for

093a discussion, okay, and kind of an update, okay, >> on how things are going and where we're at. And I think there were some handouts that we might I don't know if they're ready or not. Well, I was hoping that they would be that they linked them to this >> fire. I guess he'll Phil knows he's on he's on it. >> Trying >> and he's having a fun time is what I hear. >> So, the presentation is the same as what we had presented in I think the fall, late fall. I didn't really change anything on that because it's still kind of the same other than what we've tried to do is um organize the the clusters so that they show up on one flyer. If we can when we get to them, I can

094show you what I mean. But um so we we narrowed down the clusters to to four and under the clusters are the specific pathways. So the reason we made sure that we still use the the term cluster is that that's really what the students are used to when they access their um surveys on Navvian. Plus it is something the state still uses if you go to the website. Um but it's important that um for your purposes you know that what I've done is consolidated because I think that when we talk to a lot of students um it's a lot when you say there's like 15 clusters at one point then there was 12 and then we said there was six and so really they they didn't disappear but we've definitely consolidated um >> it's okay

095>> okay >> Jay's on it >> okay >> you tell me where to go >> I just want to go to the last slide where it has like I want to show the Um I'm sorry the flyers. >> Okay. >> So as I said there's the four clusters. So we have human services, health sciences. >> Let's go over that just because it's been a while. >> Okay. >> I'm sorry. I'm guess >> is this this the first one? >> Yep. So the first one is the business arts and communication. So really if a student were say they were interested in a pathway that falls underneath this cluster, these are some of the examples or the options that that fall under that. Um, so information and technology, finance, marketing, digital communication, journalism, and broadcasting. So if

096a student were to say they wanted to select or they they find that their interests lie in the marketing pathway, what we're looking to do is say, okay, spring of freshman year, um, kind of help them create that four-year plan, but that's it's not just I don't want to say just for the courses, but it's it's their coursework, but also their experiences. So, as a student at Pitch High School, what else do you need to do that really will build off of those interests in that interest area? How do you enhance the opportunities that we might have in the building, but also things outside of the building? So, here um it was just something to to um I I did some research at other schools and what they did is they helped students to see

097all right, what are some of the clubs and activities you could get involved in if if you know that line up with your interest. So that's what I did is I showed the pathway options with some of the recommended clubs and activities. Um so the next cluster would be our manufacturing, architecture, and engineering. >> Um >> didn't line up right away. >> That's okay. So so it's the manufacturing pathway, engineering, architecture, and then a STEM one. Um and then if it had lined up correctly, some of the recommended clubs are the robotics, gaming club, math team, and technology club. Now, these clubs and activities, just a side note, I did go off of what we currently offer. It doesn't mean there couldn't be more. Um, so it's always up for revision. >> So, everybody should

098have gotten the handout, too. >> We have it. Yeah, we have it right. >> It really did line up well. >> It did. It did line up. I don't know why this >> Yeah, it's great. >> It's great. Thank you so much. >> Um, so with the human services, this encompasses a little bit more. Um that's where the you know we have our culinary pathway, the government public administration pathway, education and training pathway and then our newly added military science pathway. And then again the clubs and activities and then the last cluster is our health sciences where right now the the primary areas we can offer our students are the nursing, we kn we can now offer the EMT and then to be determined is a biomed fingers crossed with one of the grants. Um,

099and then again the recommended club activity. What I had really wanted to to be able to show tonight were these flyers. Um, because what I did is is on one side it it shows the cluster and then a little explanation. >> Sorry, did I go? >> That's okay. And then um because I remember I showed one example of this early on, but I did all four, but they're they're sort of a draft because I'm I'm really going to need to look to some of my colleagues on, you know, I I need to make sure the recommended pathway electives are accurate. Um but these are some that would fall under it. And again, that that depends on what they choose, right? So they're not necessarily going to look and say, "Oh my god, I have to

100take all these classes." It's really about whatever pathway they select. So if it's if it's, you know, in business and they say marketing, they don't need to have all of those things. It's really what can I pull from that that would give me the four pathway classes I need to really gain that distinction at graduation. Um so I broke it up into grades nine and 10 and then 11 and 12 and then the last page it's okay. It's okay. >> Um this I thought was important because I I sometimes feel our students don't really what does it mean after high school? Yeah. Okay. I go to college. Well some that's great. They absolutely know that's what they want to do. And then I think there's some they really don't know. And if they don't know

101what does it mean if you choose something in this cluster if you go to you know you get your diploma or you get a trade certification what are my options what are some of the options if I go to college and I get an associates or a four-year degree um what are some of my options and then going on to the masters and doctorate kind of breaking it down so they can see what they can do um depending on the path they choose and then again listing those clubs and activities as I showed you in the previous slide and Then what I'm working on um is building some of our internship opportunities with local businesses. Um and so I'm just listing things that I'm hoping will be available to our students, what could be available.

102So that's the BIS uh that was the business wait business um arts and communication. Right. >> Right. >> And then there's one for each of the others and they're basically the same format. I have to stop share. >> That's what I get for using Canva. >> Yeah, we'll blame them. You can keep talking. >> So, the other three, the health sciences, human services, and the manufacturing architecture and um engineering, they each are are set up the exact same way. So it has on the first page um you know the pathway elective options by grade um and then next steps and then the other side would be again those those three area those three levels of like you know if I go this far what can I do if I go this far what can I

103do and then also listing the internship job opportunities um local businesses that either we've already started to work with or some that I'm just hoping that we do >> that was an example I don't think we have to go No, they're I mean if they're able to to access it, I mean I can I can always >> I have it online. So it was so I I and I did and they and it's really kind of cool. >> Okay. And I have to say, you know, some of that they'll change a little bit because um you know, I've had some teachers that have been able to help me and work with me on some of this and I just need more feedback. You know, I really want more um departments involved so they feel like

104you know, they can talk about it and share it with the students. um one of the art teachers had me come into their class and show this um information to the students. So that was really helpful. And then they're kind of using the information to generate their own like newsletter about it. So that'll be interesting too as well. >> And I know you've worked with the counselors closely and you know getting them the information and then families I think you know the more proactive work we can do with informing our students and our families and >> we're rolling it out. Yeah. So we started with 8th grade and presented some of it to the students and then um the plan is to get some information out in August. >> Um make it happen >> right

105and then the IBCP international balorate careers program would take one of these pathways and then match it with the international balorate schoolwork so that they could also do it in that way as well. >> Right. They can take that. Yeah. >> Right. I'm going to recognize um >> so um I think one of the essential things for this type of program is what you alluded to the internships the the job shadowing things like that but one of the challenges that I'm worried about is not every one of the the students will have the ability to you know get to a particular job um or site and so as we build partnerships it would be great if we could bring them into the Yeah. >> You know, um you know, not every type of career pathway

106will be able to do that, but you know, certain things we could actually I could see having them coming in here. Um just so that this program is available to every student who wants to do it versus those that, >> you know, you know, don't have the ability to to get a ride to some place. >> You might want to talk about your good work with electric boat and >> Yeah. So, some of what we've started and I do want to say that like we're still I think in the beginning stages of this because it's it's been um it's been interesting but um you know we so Electric Boat for example has been great. We've been working very closely and they um have already come into the building a few times. They're coming again before

107I'm sorry after April break but they're willing to do different panel sessions for the kids, information sessions. Um I should also mention that um I was in touch with a few people or a couple people from Fizer. They're also willing to come in um and they probably prefer it because sometimes it's easier for depending on what students want to have for experiences. Um same with Mystic Aquarium. And then also uh we had a gentleman come in who was a Fitch alum and he's willing to bring in some of his partners. He he was like an he's a civil engineer. So, a lot of what we've been doing is the the individuals we're involving and communicating with are willing to come here. And I feel based on those conversations, it's probably the best place to start.

108Um because we really do want the kids to have that exposure. Um it's just a matter of at this point, I guess, scheduling it so that we can get our audience together at the same time. Um whether that's the students during the school day or if it's something that would be great for parents. Oh, I can tell you that um the uh fire department has been saying they'll come in and do like uh a parent night before the EMT class is going to get going to just go over some of those things and then the Graten Ambulance Association. And so the communication's there and the collaboration's there and it's certainly the opportunities are there. It's just it's really making sure we can we can fit them in. Um because it seems like, you know, there's

109a lot always going on, but it doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. It's just figuring out when. So the the um I just want to clarify too when I list that you know internship job opportunities it's it's really so that it's it's not isolated to just that. Um I I know that even in talking to some of the uh manufacturing companies that are local like they they're willing to come in you know they know that you can't really get kids there and sometimes even for teacher externships it's hard because you know you want to provide them that opportunity because that's one of the grant items too that teachers are afforded those opportunities but it's it's making sure we can if they can come here first I think it starts that relationship and that's important. stuff. >>

110Dean, >> thanks. The basic structure that I can recall is you get to the secondary grades and some kids go to college. Some kids instead of going to regular school, public school will go to a trade school right down right came from Grassho. Um, but other than those two groups, it was you graduated high school. Basically, sort of a general miscellaneous category, if you will. So, it's nice to see some focus. Is there any cause for concern that kids electing to follow a pathway will unnecessarily uh restrict their education? What happens to if they get to their junior year and they say, "Gosh, I think I'd like to go to whatever. I'd like to go to college and do pre whatever. I like to be an engineer." um does does the their background and having

111follow the pathways um to use an archaic word them in any way? Is there any concern for that? Other words, is there just no harm in a kid in ninth grade saying, "I'd like to follow this pathway." And they change their mind. They don't want to have anything to do. Yeah, I just want to go on to something else. All >> I don't think there should be a cost, but my hope is that the the pathway idea or notion here is that the students with various adults throughout the course of those these four years are having conversations that even if they were on the fence about a pathway, you know, they're still preparing themselves for I I don't know, I might want to go this way or I might want to go this way. So

112the idea here is if they're more definitive, then that's probably easy, right? Like if if we know or they know what they want to do, but like you're saying, if they they say, "Oh, yeah. I I don't think I want to go to college right away." Well, maybe it's making sure they have like a plan A and a plan B. So maybe that's a com maybe that's how we we target the conversations. Um I guess I'd like to think it's it's something that we collectively catch because that's our job when we're working with the kids on on their their plan after high school. Um, my hope was when this came about, it would actually catch those kids that are floundering because they really don't know and we can help give them a direction and and

113really get more of those kids and say, you know what, even if you're not sure about college, if you get a job and then you get a job somewhere and they can pay for your college, that's even better, you know. So, it's really I think it can go any go either way, but I see it as more of a positive and you're getting you're catching more kids and preparing them more than if we don't. And some courses would undoubtedly fall under multiple pathways. Yeah. >> So that you know even if they change their mind they might already have some of those >> credits if you will or courses under their belt that they can just transfer >> because I know students either out of pathology or because it's reality will >> choose courses or cutting

114into courses that they think will make their transcript look better and because they plan to go to college. Uh maybe they decided that from the get-go. decided that late in the day later in their secondary uh school career and so uh that could happen even without the career pathway the student could sort of uh model if you will and then in junior year realize I should have taken I should have taken u two years sometimes three years under their belt now that they're a senior they they saw the light feel inspired now I have an idea definite idea um it used to be when college was cheaper these state schools were cheaper you go to college by time I' seen people change majors time. So, u long as dad paying for it, I guess. Um,

115yeah, that that was that would be my concerns. It's a wonderful thing, but does it is there a possibility that unnecessarily restricts um >> I guess? >> I hope not. >> I want to first of all thank you and the entire team that's working on this. I think the additional clarity that your later reflection has been really wonderful. >> Can you make sure that you speak up? >> Okay. Did you Did you hear me? >> I did. >> Okay. I'll try to broadcast. >> It's for that. >> I will try to broadcast a little bit more firmly. >> Uh there is one area that by its absence caught my attention and I'm not suggesting you revise to start something this fall with it, but I just throw this out for your reflection. I I I'll

116put it under personal services career pathway uh option. Uh just as we're excited about the possibility of expanding our culinary program because this area is strong in tourism uh maybe even a pathway directed towards tourism itself uh could be useful. It could be useful in our county. It could be useful in our state. it could be useful anywhere there's a tourism focus and I think that's just reflect on it. The other area is I'm of a certain age as they say 39 plus and I may need senior care. You may have kids who need child care. There are group homes that need people to care for them. There are nursing homes that need people to care for them. And that's beyond nursing. I'm not sure where you would group it, where you'd group it under

117a new category or you'd find some that never fit under health care. But all these ancillary career paths, they're probably not for people who are clearly focused on higher education, but we have a diverse community and I want to be sure we focus as a matter of equity on all of our kids. So, just keep that in mind as you move forward. uh entrepreneurship uh is that you know that that seems to me that goes right across all the all the business and things maybe there's an entrepreneurship program which is different from financial literacy ju just an idea but this is not a criticism this is a great thank you >> I I appreciate that I just want to add I think that um there's room for everything you just said in the the existing

118clusters and it's a matter of creating that as a simple pathway and and then designing it so that the kids get what they the students get what they need to fulfill that. So if we you know when when I say culinary it doesn't mean we're not going to have like a tourism or in fact one of the grants does indicate that we should be um having an emphasis on hospitality and tourism. Um so it's not that it's non-existent. I just didn't have it on here but but I do want you to know that I think that there's there's a spot for everything. It's just a matter of where that is and then if a student kind of, you know, indicates that there's an area such as one that you just mentioned that they want to

119go towards, I think that we would then look to fulfill that somehow. What do what do we have? And if we don't have it, how do we help them get something that will, you know, lead them in that direction. >> We respond with an experience with my second grade teacher. I got a gold star one day and I asked the teacher, "What did I do?" She said, "You said thus and such." I said, "But that's obvious." should always remember what's obvious to you isn't necessarily obvious to the other person. So articulate it. >> Thank you. Any other questions about this from the board? >> Okay, hearing none. Um, thank you so much for coming again. >> No. >> So, um, I know that Ken is not with us tonight. >> Not with us, but we

120have But you do have the attachment in front of you. Um and the news is a little better that um now the balance is at $60,000. So, um we're still hanging in there and um we're we're actually monitoring the budget, you know, towards the end. Um, and we're, you know, looking to expend those things that we budgeted for very carefully and we're doing it so as we approach the end of the year. >> Does the board have any, does the board have any questions about the object summary and then Lori's here to answer any questions you might have. Um, so I think um that both she and Ken have explained that um in the beginning of the year, this is very typical. We've seen this over time that in the beginning of the year um

121until deductibles are met that you kind of see the actual costs being less than what's budgeted but about January which pretty much happened you see a shift where the budgeted amount is less than the actual amount. >> That's right. So um >> not unusual that we see this very typical trend that we see year to year and then interesting to see what happens then by summertime but we have been under um the actual budgeted amount with actual costs over the past couple years in its entirety. I think that's correct. So, any questions about the health insurance report? >> All right. Hearing none, >> Lori. Thank you. >> No problem. >> Um, let's move us on um to Mr. Kilpatrick who's sitting by my right hand side. Yay. >> Well, good evening. >> Good evening. So,

122I had a couple of things that I'll I'll run through, but uh I guess the first thing is uh if you if you came into the room and looked around a little bit, you may have seen that my staff was here early this morning. We found out that we had a lot of uh pictures to hang. So, >> the exhibit >> the artwork was all hung this morning in in haste, but very well done uh by Kevin, Billy, Scott, and Toby uh with the able uh assistance of Super Dave. Um, and of course Lzanne here in the library uh was where were the guys with that too. And of course I mentioned I think at the last board meeting that the maker space that's behind us over here uh was uh cleared out uh and

123made functional for them to start their program. So they've already started that program after school program over there in the maker space. So hopefully you'll get a chance to uh mill around and take a look at that. Uh we are uh planning uh um my my coordinators and supervisors uh Wendell Gaston and Tom Bingham are are planning for projects for uh April break which is coming up soon uh which will be the middle of the month. And of course, uh, when we get to, uh, April 15th, then I think that we're going to be pretty safe that we can say that it will be, uh, not, uh, likely to have, uh, any further snow, uh, situations after the 15th of April. Um, I think somebody else jinxed us at the last meeting, but I'm going

124to knock on wood. So, this is not a jinx. Um you you also um may have seen that um somebody came in in their softball uniform here to speak to us tonight and spring sports have started. Uh we're out there getting the irrigation systems uh fields prepped so on and so forth along with the the two new elementary school fields uh for um some of our high school teams that are going to be uh practicing over in those places. Uh the solar project uh continues to move along. It is now um at uh Kenton Frost is working on that now with uh the green bank and we should know very soon that uh we'll be ordering parts. Uh and uh presently we're planning on a fall project for that. I think I stated previously that

125we get the stuff up if we get the equipment up on the roof it won't be uh making a lot of noise. we should be able to do it during school time as well as uh after school. So, that should move along pretty quickly in the fall. And of course, the uh Grten Middle School field lights uh we're in the final stages of plans for that and uh I'll be able to hopefully report at the next meeting uh where we stand with that with regard to uh placing orders for that. Uh we are also uh sending out bid specs. We're working on bid specs for uh an advertisement uh for a contractor to the uh Northeast Academy drainage. Uh you may recall that I talked about uh drainage around a part of that building to

126help alleviate some of the moisture in the ground there. Um so that will be going out the middle of April and we are also doing bid specs for architectural services or the Charles Barner move. the uh the state has changed their procedures and in order for the architect to get reimbursed, we actually have to go out to bid. Now, you used to be able to select them without going out to bid, but so that uh bid package will be going out shortly and uh before um the middle of April. >> That's it. >> That's all >> for now. I I might have forgot something. >> You guys are just Thank you so much for your hard work in the district. Any questions for the um facilities? >> I just also mentioned that I'm available if

127anybody wanted to look at the culinary arts area when we leave here. >> I would love to. >> Yeah, it's around the corner. I'd be happy to open the door and we could walk through there if you'd like. >> Thank you, Sam. >> That's great. Thank you so much. >> All right, so we're moving on to um our committee reports um policy. Andrea, I know that you are on Zoom. I do know that we are um going to be um acting on one of them, the second meeting >> for graduation >> and uh for graduation requirements. Um and um Andrea, in your absence, um and also just because of the time, um I'm going to uh ask for the board to consider that we take number five off of the agenda and we table it

128once again so that you can be present um in um in doing that. Um but I will as we get closer to that, I will make sure that we have agreement to that. Um anything else on the policy end? All right, hearing none. Um, curriculum, Liz is also not here. She is sick. Um, but I don't know if um I mean I can speak to, you know, we did have hold a meeting and and we discussed um and and Dr. Acuran can chime in as well. But um we just looked ahead about the plan to meet with my plan to meet with the department heads to plan out the curriculum work that is going to happen some before the end of the school year but also to map out the work for the summer to

129update our curriculum. So >> okay, >> that was a big part of our discussion. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Finance and facilities Jay. On March 7th, we discussed Eastern Point Beach profit loss statement. >> Eastern Point Beach, I'm sorry. >> Snack bar. I thought you said profit bar and I >> profit loss. We discussed student meals, summer meals, um the non-lapsing fund proposal and we also the field license. >> Any question for finance and facilities? Are have you be I have a question. Are you where are you in the conversation around lap not seeing funds? Are you just gathering information at the present moment? >> Right. Okay. >> Ken reached out to Caspo to determine where the um you know how many districts are participating. Of course for us it's very u we don't have

130some huge amount of money. here perhaps the future will as he pulled some of the other districts concerns were you know transparency you know right now we go through a process where every year the town bodies review our our budget the concern is you know people wonder why is it shifting money off that large budget process um and so they were concerned about transparency In some towns apparently they were accused of having slush funds. So, you know, there's there's things to consider. I need to compound a list of of pros and cons, but right now it's kind of academic for us because when was the last time we turned a large amount of money? >> No, we have that's >> any any other questions for finance and facilities communications? Uh we did not have a

131meeting tonight. Uh Liz isn't well and uh so we're going to see if we can't schedule a makeup meeting in the next 10 days or so. I just do note that uh somehow the library and the trails others is dropped off the list this time. >> I thought >> All right. So, um, as I mentioned, um, next week we start, um, at least meeting to set dates for negotiation with APA, um, professionals, and that's going to be our next contract that we're working on. Um, Rita is not here to report on learn. The town council RTM um, board of ed leaison was scheduled to meet during um, our April break, and that I've sent word out to get that rescheduled. Um and once again that is on a um that's on a quarterly basis now.

132Um and uh the leazison meeting for the ASA GA and board of ed um we just met last week. I think it was last week. Um uh and uh I think we really didn't talk about anything new from our last leazison meeting. That's sort of how it feels. um that uh um I guess there is um um there was a uh listening tour um that was done by the Connecticut Board of Ed education around the the SDS program which is the um uh implementing the data into a computer program. Um, and I guess many districts like Grten are really um having a hard time um inputting the data, getting the data to work, getting the program to work successfully. Um, and it's still taking a lot of the teachers time. Um, and I don't think

133that the the person that was giving the listening tour um actually had that um as a um as an agenda item, but I think that they stopped their presentation and they and they heard at least that's what was happening at the they're going to the different regional education service centers. So, they started at learn and they will go on to the other ones across the state. Um there u we did talk about VNA. It seems that there's still some ill not um um uh uh what's the word that there's not a follow through necessarily between buildings in terms of policy. Um but I think that they're starting to work on that. Um going back oh I know what I needed to ask the board. um the uh Beth Poler who is the um uh chairperson

134of the DEA. Um they they suggested that maybe that the board um the uh the the leadership from the DEA and the leadership for the administration um union um come together to do a strong um letter um to the uh to the state board of education um to kind of state our concerns about how much of our staff time. I mean actually Peter Bass who was one of the principles actually spoke to the fact that he like his staff um like the students are not getting necessarily everything that they need because the the the program is too clunky. And so to to really kind of um do a united front around talking about our concerns about we understand where the goal is. We understand to to streamline it but but it's nowhere near streamlining. Am

135I catching catching that conversation? They did say they wanted to write a letter to the state department about it. >> Yeah. >> Um I think I think that that was it that once again it was our major and our last of the year is um May 20. It's at Meny. It is the Wednesday in May. I think it's the 24th or 23rd. I can't remember which of that dates, but then that's our last of the meetings um with the AGSA GA until the to the fall. Um Graten Scholarship, I know that um Liz is not here and I did not get a report from her. Athletic fields cover I guess feedback plans for property. I assume that that will open for >> the fields >> especially the uh graten um and I uh the the

136state council for military children it's spring meeting but it hasn't happened yet? I'm assuming? >> Not yet. >> Okay. Um and trails and library. And I believe Matt, if you could just um attest to both of them, that would be great. >> So, with regard to library, uh at their last meeting, they're planning for their 23 summer reading program underway. Susan, you'll like it. The theme is submerge yourself in reading. >> Love it. >> I thought you like that. Uh I'm not sure that I believe there's been real good communication and collaboration between the school system and the library. Just more of the same to happen this year. Uh pro there's they had the library had its own policy on reviewing library materials. Actually they're calling them library materials as inappropriate when somebody makes a

137complaint. Uh that policy we're going to be looking at something similar. Uh, I guess you're going to postpone it till to a further meeting from through policy, but their policy requires that every complainant must be a graten resident, must have read, viewed, or listened to the entire material, must be specific in what one finds objectionable, how he or she thinks it will affect library patrons, and the material review decision would be made by library staff. Uh, there's an appeal process. The councelor Bordalan raised a question about Narcan training. Uh I don't know what we do or don't do in that regard, but the library has provided Maran training in the past. And if if that's something you're interested in looking at, we can chat with Jennifer. >> You can also see our good friends at

138CAS too about what they about what they have along with the police department. That's good. >> Okay. Uh, with regard to trails, it's a followup to what I said last month on the Cop family park braille trail update. Mark Barry reported that he plans on moving ahead on a vision impaired hard surface loop trail wide enough to accommodate two wheelchairs side by side. uh they're going to use a Microsoft soundsscape application which will not only describe uh terrain, flora, and fauna, but there'll be a radar like function so that somebody can see if there's something on the path that they shouldn't bump into. Uh following Mrs. Manzion's interest in engaging her marketing students in real life design of a marketing plan, Mr. Barry vis visited the pitch class to share the project concept and begin

139discussions about possible involvement. more news as this develops. So that's exactly what we want is kids getting engaged in real real world projects to benefit Graten Thrive 55. As an outcome of that, Mr. Barry reported that the same class visited Thrive 55 which would like their assistance in designing a new promotional brochure. I don't know the details, but we'll share them as they come taxis mas and the administration for allowing it to happen. So, Matthew, I just wanted to say I really appreciate um how much you have um in your time of being on the board to really um synergize a lot of the different um departments in Grten so that we're working towards one goal and um your energy and your drive to that is just really appreciated and admired. Thank you. >> And

140I appreciate not driving around the table all the time. Yeah. >> Ah yeah, never happens. All right, I am moving. Okay, so um our one action item is um the consent agenda which is all matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. Points of clarification will be allowed. Can I have a motion for that please? >> I I have William and I have Dean seconding that can't say that second that. Um any discussion hearing that all those in favor of the approval of the regular regular meeting minutes of February 27th 2003 which is attached um please say I >> oppose abstain. That motion has carried. Our next old business um uh um Jay if you would be willing to read uh the motion please. and

141move to approve policy P6146 graduation requirements. Second, >> can I have a second, please? >> I have Dr. I have um William again for a second. Any discussion? >> Just a comment. Um, I've raised the comment because I want to acknowledge that uh Liz has u expressed her desire that we give consideration to a fourth uh an additional credit to increase the number of social studies credits from three to four years to put it in line with the other major zones. I can't speak I don't know what she would have raised or not tonight but from my part I'm looking forward to our looking at the data and considering that if we don't add it this year which is fine. >> Yeah I think in the future we are going to collect the data though

142because I do see that most of our students are doing 3.5 because we have the 0.5 civics course but we'll get that data and share it with her and all of you. >> Okay. >> Yes. Thank you. No, thank you. Any other discussion? All right, hearing none. I My only discussion is I was really so happy that we could partner with Miranda Chapman who is our leazison with the military base to give us that information about what keeping our graduation credits in line. um so that when um people who are part of the military when they transfer in and out that they are not penalized if we have the wrong either too much or too little. So I'm appreciative of her of her guidance >> and we've gone up one we had 26 credits which

143is what the state mandates. Um we also looked at data in surrounding areas and most of the the other districts are at 26 um including department of defense. So um with the one extra credit for world language it aligns our work in international balor at MYP and sets our kids off for a good course to get a sale of bi literacy. Um so that was added so we're up to 27. So, I think we've kind of made a mark, but I want to, you know, it will start with the students who are freshman coming in next year, and we want to make sure that our students have every um access to um careers and programming and um graduation. Any further discussion? >> I just want to point out that we discussed this previously quite a

144>> Yeah. Thank you. >> Right. as as as you're right, this is the second reading. I actually think that we've actually even had it as a discussion before we even talked about it as a policy. >> So, all right. All those in favor to approve policy P6146 graduation requirements as a second reading, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Motion has passed. your patience. >> I know. Thank you, Evette. >> Thank you so much. >> Um please come and join. I would love that. Um I for while she's transitioning um to the table, I am just going to ask the board a couple of things. Could we please move Ernie's um she can sit here, she can sit there, she can sit plenty of seats. Um that we move um number the new business

145three and four which um is about the food service program. if we can move that next. Um, can I have a consensus that that would be okay? >> Sure, >> that's fine. Thank you. Um, and then also, um, while I'm asking for consensus, can I please, um, as say that number five in Andrea's absence and also, um, in terms of time so that we can have a a good discussion about it. Um, I'm asking that we table number five again, which is the library materials. Is do I have a consensus for that? Do I need a motion to table it? >> Sure. Can I Dean, would you give me a motion for >> He moved it first. >> And you second. All those in favor of the motion, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose.

146Abstain. Motion has carried. >> Sorry, Kim. I didn't get the second. >> That was Dean. >> And the first was >> Matthew. >> Thank you, Joan. So, I appreciate you coming back and I appreciate you coming back and it looks like there's lots of stuff that might have changed and so I am wondering if you could kind of speak to that. Um, but before we do, I just want to put the motion on the floor if I can do that so that Miss Joan doesn't get mad at me because she'll get >> So, may I um Dean, would you please read the motion um for uh new business uh number one, please? >> Certainly. Uh I move to approve High School's Bural Language Department's field trip request to Costa Rica and Panama scheduled from July

1471st, 2024 through July 9th, 2024. Can I have a second to that please? >> I have Matthew. >> All right. And so the discussion so I just let me set the stage. So you were here before and we just needed to have a little bit more information and it looks like that has happened and so thank you for for for coming coming back. I appreciate that. >> Yes. So um last time you wanted uh to know about liability, you wanted to know about um you know more information about the trip. Uh the trip is um all the the price is included. The transport transportation is included in the price. Um and where it says here transportation you know um parents would drive to the airport you know and then meet me there. This is just

148here. Um and then in the trip there's transportation provided. There's general liability insurance with EF. Um the students will be um you know the the original trip was Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. So Colombia is not there anymore. Uh so the price of course went down uh and is is more um affordable. And there is there are different programs for the kids to, you know, be able to be part of the um trip there. Um I've never done fundraising, but you know, I'm willing to do that with the kids. And I know that um the travel teacher, the travel club teacher also has um fundraising that she does with the kids, I believe. So I won't ask her. I mean, I have done fundraising, but I've never like started one myself. But um there is

149possibility for fundraising. There's possibility for um them to be able to have um they have an app in EF that they can get money, you know, put in there through family members, you know, for birthdays or anything like that. So, to go towards the trip. Um what else? Um there is sample hotels here that you guys wanted to know. There's a um you know that I put here and then the sample meals that they may have. Um there is the link for the um the person that is the representative. She has uh she also put uh her information here in case there's you know the the consultant in case there's any questions about the trip. Um the itinerary is right here at the end of the proposal and um the trip is from June July

1501st to July 9th. So it's last time before it was 12 days now it will be nine days. Um anybody else had any questions for me about it. >> So the transportation to the airport >> that requires personal transportation. >> Yes. Um I usually have a meeting with parents many not just one meeting with parents and we decide what we're going to do if we're going to collectively go together if we're going to go uh on our own and then meet me at the airport. We uh the last two trips I've taken we haven't met at the airport. Parents just want to drive their kids. So there's not like a charter bus that you no like people meet here and then you drive up together, right? Any other questions? questions. >> I'm sorry you were

151savage the last time. That's how I walked away from that and I thought I was Thank you for coming back again. >> Yeah, and I have all the information that you wanted. So >> Oh, I had I guess I had one comment. I think this is fine. I have no problem voting for this just as you did it. I do have an idea. >> Duck under that desk, Kim, that we consider the possibility, maybe we can discuss it later about arranging to have a sister school in France, >> Spain, Uruguay, wherever, so that we can have an exchange program where the kids get to live in our families, our kids get to live in their families. They really meet the culture on a completely different basis. can do all the tourism and swimming and all

152that that I really want kids to kids. Uh I can't help you with this Hispanic location, but if you're glutton for punishment, I can find you lots of exchanges and see. >> Yeah. >> My only concern is that I mean I'm glad that it's 16 month per you know pay period. So >> drops the payment to 227 per month. But um I would love for us to be able to sponsor some based students because this this is a lot of money. >> We were talking about that um last time that I presented we were talking about that and um you know about if the board wanted to have like a scholarship or something for kids to be able to go. And you know, I was talking to the travel um club teacher and you know,

153we were I was thinking, well, maybe they can do an essay or, you know, and explain why they would like to go to the trip or something for them to be able to show that they really want to have, you know, go on this trip and be able to enjoy, you know, be able to be part of it. Um, and, you know, maybe be give to one or two people, you know, that that we talk to. So, >> I might also recommend that we talk to your colleagues in the music department who just did that great Hawaii trip because I know >> there was a lot of fundraising that went behind that and there was also some donations um that were provided to help support so that all students who wanted to go were able

154to go >> and that could involve some publicity within the community as well as within the school district. >> Yeah. My my concern about starting something from the board is that that sets a precedence that um we may not be able to necessarily fund from our from our budget. But I think to support fundraising and to support making sure that this is I I think what I hear you saying >> ask us for her. >> Yeah. Not not from us. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> For her to be able to support Yeah. >> You know, >> I want to make sure that these trips are available to anyone regardless of financial status. Um I think the kids to have a world experience is just so very um important and valuable in this day and age.

155But >> and even kids that are going to the trip that the travel club teachers having this summer, they're thinking of going to this one because they want to work and you know they're already in like working age. So they're working towards that. Their parents might be giving them half the money or some and then they put the other half. They've all told me about it. There is also a $200 discount if they if the trip gets approved by board and then I have a meeting with parents and they sign up within a certain time frame, they get a $200 discount for that. So that's any further discussion. Good woman. All those in favor to approve the Pitch High School World Language Department field trip request to Costa Rica and Panama scheduled for July 1st,

1562024 through July 9th, 2024. All those in favor, please say I. >> Oppose. Abstain. That motion has carried. >> Thank you so much. >> Welcome to Costa Rica. >> All right. As as I have asked, can we please go to number three? um the motion. >> So Ernie, please come join us. Um in last year, we had a lot of discussion around verbiage and wording. Um I'm just going to caution the board is that this is the state law and we can't change words. We just have to make a decision um a yay or nay or actually just to be able to move this forward. So we can get caught in what it's saying all we want to, but this is state law so we can't change. If you remember last year, we it had

157to kind of come back to us. >> So, um, Matthew, would you be willing to read the motion for number uh three, please? I move uh that we p that pursuant to CGS section 10 215F, the GRE Board of Education certifies that all food items open for sale for students in the schools under its specific and not exempted from the Connecticut nutritional standard published by the Connecticut State Department of Education will comply with the Connecticut Nutritional Standards during the period of July 1st, 2023 through June 30, 2024. This certification shall include all food offered for staff, students separately from reimburseable meals at all times and from all sources, including but not limited to school stores, vending machines, school cafeterias, culinary programs, and any fundraising activities on school premises sponsored by the school or non-school organizations

158and groups. Period. >> I just felt like I was listening to my reading app and I went to two the speed to 2.0. Oh, I am sorry. I was not laughing at this Ernie at all. Matthew, thank you so much. Can I have a second to that motion? >> Thank you, William. Um, discussion. >> So, the um this is again as uh madam chair person just mentioned this is right from the state of Connecticut. This is their language that had to be in there. So the second motion um when you guys get to it is we do want to have the exemptions there um which is um puts in place. So it allows fundraising activities to take place um like the pasta dinners in the evening and uh sports games and stuff on weekends and

159stuff. This is a good thing. We don't want to limit our groups to not being able to fund raise on school property. um you know and it it is after our school normal um operating hours so this is a a good thing um and I and I hope you guys approve it. >> Any further discussion? >> I cannot read like Matthew. So all those in favor of the motion that is on the floor please say I >> oppose. Abstain. That motion has carried. William, would you you be willing to do the motion for number four, please? >> Yes. Not as fast. Motion that Board of Education will allow the sale to students of food items that do not meet the Connecticut nutrition standards and beverages not listed in section 10-221 Q of the Connecticut General

160Statutes provided that the following conditions are met. One, the sale is in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend. Two, the sale is at the location of the event. And three, the food and beverage items are not sold from a vending machine or school store. And quote, event and quote is an occurrence that involves more than just a regularly scheduled practice meeting or extracurricular activity. For example, soccer games, school play as an intercolastic debate or events, but soccer practices, play rehearsals, and debate team meetings are not equal. Regular school end day end quote is the period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day. Location means where the event is being held and must be the same place as

161the food and beverage sales. >> Can I have a second to that? >> Sure. >> Matthew discussion. any more than what um Ernie has already given us. Folks, >> I would I would ask that we take comments whenever you implement a policy like this. Let's have some feedback from people. Let's see how it all plays out. If there's a glitch in here that we've been unintentionally worked into student sales, then I'd like to hear back from people. something like a an unintentional result of of adopting this. >> Okay. Do you see any glitches to that >> at the moment? No. >> Okay. >> I can give feedback, >> Jay. >> Um so we actually are required to do this every year. How how many years have we >> This is our um 11th year. So

162basically the motion three is that we're going to we're going to adhere to standards for lunches served to students during school by services. >> Correct. >> This other one simply an exemption allows food that doesn't meet that standard. Correct. such as hot dogs, hamburgers, >> bake sales to occur on the property outside directly sponsored by >> correct. >> We've been doing it for 11 years and >> been no glitches. >> Any further discussion? All right, hearing none. All those in favor of the motion on the floor, please say I. I. opposed. Abstain. Motion has carried. Please can we go back to number two? >> Thank Ernie. Thank you. And also, thank you for the snook. >> Bev, do you have any interest in reading the motion for number two? Uh, I make a motion to

163approve June 16, 2023 as the graduation date for the 2022 2023 school year. >> Can I please have a second? I second by William. Any discussion on that? >> What day of the week is that? >> Thank you. >> We always do Friday. It's been the 16th 17th for years. >> Yeah, you're right. It has been on that. All those in favor of the of the motion to um I turn the page to approve June 16th as the 2023 graduation date for the 2022 2023 school year. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Motion has carried. >> Point of clarification. If that's a terribly rainy day, do we do it indoors? Do we just we do it indoors? >> Yes. Okay. Um I'm going to uh go to number six

164because remember we are tableabling number five. Number six is to recognize April 3rd 2023 a pair of professional appreciation day and to direct the superintendent of schools to send a letter of appreciation to the pair of professionals. Can I have a second to that? I am sorry that our that some of our workers felt that we had missed that date. So, you know, it's interesting. Different lists will show different months for things. So, that um Joyce keeps really close track of the way the board has always laid it out, but there was some indication that the pair professional day was last month. So, we just recognized them again. So, we'll doubly recognize. >> Yes. If you could please send that to them that we um that our list at it right um at a different

165date, I would appreciate that. >> Yeah. Well, a lot of different dates. I I know that Beverly had sent a really good comment to me, which is that we should probably be spreading them out during the year, but that also becomes difficult because their list that appreciate certain certain dates and so I'm not quite sure about how to reconcile that. Um, but >> no, no, Kim, that's not what I said. I said that we shouldn't have staff appreciation day on the same day that there's teacher appreciation because last year some people felt slighted that um you had I don't know sandwiches and soda and whatever you had on staff appreciation day but they didn't know was staff appreciation day. all they knew it was teacher appreciation day and it looked like you were doing something

166for the teachers and not for the other um employees. So that's why I said don't have staff appreciation day on the same day that you're having teachers appreciation. Have it separate. >> Beverly, thank you for the clarification. I'm sorry that I misrepresented you and I'm glad that someone spoke up about that because that would never be a intent for the board to not recognize people. Um, can we go around again? Jay, would you be willing to read um the motion for number seven, please? >> Kim, excuse me. Yeah, I didn't get I didn't get the second for the Paris. >> William, >> I think it was William. >> Thank you. >> Just make it William now. >> Um, and you know what? I didn't finish the vote, did I? Thank you, Miss Joan. So all

167those in So all those in favor of approving the PAR professional day on >> April 3rd with a uh with a notation from the superintendent to say that we thought that it was the month of April. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. The motion is carried. I'm sorry. Well, >> I would just like visibility calendar calendar that has you know the specific days so that every year people know when to recognize. >> So there is there are multiple calendars we have one from the board of ed that's very consistent Joyce keeps but other calendars pop up and show other dates even on your outlook calendar like it comes >> it's just really it makes it confusing. >> Jay would you be willing to do number seven please? April 26,

1682023 is administrative professionals day to direct the superintendent school to send a letter of appreciation to the administrative. >> Can I have a second, please? >> All right, I'll >> Okay, Dean seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. And that was for the motion that was on the floor. Dean, would you please be willing to read the motion for number eight? >> I would. >> Thank you. >> I move to recognize April 4th, 2023 as school librarian appreciation day and direct superintendent schools to send a letter of appreciation to the school librarian. >> Do I have a second to that? >> Second. >> I just hope we never leave anybody out. >> Any discussion? >> Why are they all in April? >> Every everything's in April. >>

169Oh my. >> Or May. If I if I don't hear any more discussion, >> we have librarians anymore specialists. >> If if I don't hear any more discussion, >> all those in favor of the motion that's on the floor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed, abstain. That motion is carried. Um letters, communication, comments by board members. Jay >> uh so I um had the pleasure of actually coming to this uh this space now known as the Dr. James E library uh for the my personal project. I think this is the first year um that they were doing probably right there were quite a number. One of them actually published his own book. I bought a copy of it from his various um music reviews that he's been publishing online. He actually put it into

170a book. There was another young lady that documented her family's um camping in Iceland going all through Iceland. Each one of them were able to choose a a project that they could then um basically pursue in any way they wanted to whatever media they wanted to. Um and then students came in to see what uh this particular group had done as eventually it would become something that all the students will be looking. Um then later in the week I had the pleasure of coming to the professional development day and listening to the keynote by uh Cornelius Mer who works uh in the New York City public schools and Dr. Kennedy did an interesting workshop I think that Dr. intended on chat GP. >> Thank you, Bev. Do you have any um communications comments from board?

171>> No, Kim. Thank you. >> Absolutely. Dean, >> no. >> Andrea, I don't know if you can speak. Do you have anything? >> First, first of all, I'm not absent. I'm here, but I can't talk. But I did send you I did send you a list. I don't know if you got it. Um, and it included the what Jay went to in terms of the middle school program. It was fabulous. And in that I can't turn on my camera because you can't see what I look like, but I have a book that I received from one of the um students. His name is Elias Sul and it's a fabulous book on his reactions and um interpretations of music. I went to um Mr. Kennedy's workshop and um Cornelius Cornelius Cornelius Minor that I am truly

172losing my voice. I want you to know in advance I'm making you should do a journ at that time. Andrea, your hard work um this afternoon. Um I am so sorry that you couldn't be with us in person, but thank you so much for the hard work that you put in to honor this media center that is now the Dr. Jim Mitchell Media Center. Thank you so much. >> It was such a a wonderful privilege for me. Thank you, >> Matthew. Uh I my Alen and I went to the uh the chamber concert at Fitch which did not resemble anything I thought it would be. It was phenomenal. The the probably eight or 12 of different presentations from xylophone to cello. It was a wonderful evening. Uh, I attended Read Across America at Thes River,

173CK, and Mystic River where I went in to read to a fifth grade class and they bought all the fifth graders within 96. >> I hope you read as fast as you did or else >> I read Special English. No. And finally, I attended a spaghetti dinner with Northeast Academy. This great ball spaghetti. What more could you want? >> Thank you, William. So, um I attended the uh uh Northeast Academy music festival of course very well organized and was the performances were great by the orchestra and by the bands. Um I went the second day when the high school was performing. So that was um very very good. Um we were able to uh um Andrea was able to secure $30,000 for the um Martin Luther King scholarship that will be sponsoring um students moving

174forward uh with my organization um sponsoring that money. So I'm very happy about that. And then um the another concern that was raised though was already raised today was good friends and neighbors were discussing their concerns right now about the um our literacy program and the adoption of what have been passed by statemandated law and what we will be doing. So it would be great to hear, you know, for us to get educated about the whole process um um such that we can make sure that those in our community feel comfortable about what we're actually doing in regards to literacy and education and learning. You know, having a son that uh is dyslexic, you know, definitely something I feel uh is also very important. >> Thank you. Um, and so for me, um, just some

175of the emails that we have come, I've had a couple that I've just directed towards the superintendent and she has been on top of that. Um, and, um, just to let uh, um, the board know that Susan and Joyce and I are meeting on Friday and we're going to go over the year template. So, we're going to try to address the different dates that we need to appreciate, but also just making sure that the stuff that we need to get covered throughout the year that it gets on in a way that that's meaningful. And same with the referral tracking sheets. So, um for those of us who um uh are a chairperson of the different subcommittees anticipate that I might be reaching out to you to say, "So, talk to me a little bit about

176these and and what do you need to have happen?" I'm just trying to consolidate the process. So that's what our goal is. Um please >> please note um that there is um some changes in our meeting schedule. I think that that was sent out um last week as well, but that next Wednesday at 5 um excuse me, the 5th of April at 6 PM um there is a public hearing um from the town council as they begin their process around uh the budget. And uh the following day is that we meet with the town council to go over our portion of the budget. And on April 10th um is when we will be talking about the capital improvement projects with the town council. >> Before you close out, I have something for you. >> Yep.

177>> We have any idea why these dates keep changing? I won't even be in town. I had scheduled to be in town based on the original. This is at least the second or third. I think it's something had happened in in the the John Burke's office um a mistake that had occurred and so they had to reset. >> I just asked as many of us who can be there please be there. I do know that there's going to be some people >> 10th is a CIP. >> It is a CIP. Yep. It's right on there. Um uh agenda item topics. >> Oh. Um, I think that the now that we're we think we're moving ahead on the solar panels, um, maybe we could discuss whether that we could have an open house at the middle

178school to coincide with that and turn this into a great community celebration. >> Good idea. uh if the idea of looking at the possibility benefits some non-benefits of having a sister city or sister school or trip exchanges I mean it's not for now we're looking ahead at least a year to make this probably two years before that would come to fruition no rush to put it on the agenda but sometime >> okay got it and before you close any other agenda items J reached out yet to rock utilities to determine why we can't put something on things. Um, no, we haven't reached out to them, but Rick has a pretty good handle on um Rick Norris has a pretty good handle on why we can't. If you'd like a report on that next time, I

179I'll I'll be happy to do that. >> That might be useful. And just in closing, I want to thank every board member who's here, who's on our screen and Zoom, and the ones who weren't able to make it. And we wanted you to be able to carry around a Graten Public Schools mug to show your Graten Pride and a little handy dandy backpack that you can take to the grocery store recycle. So get yours now and then I'll pass out to the others, but take one home and um thank you very much for all that you do. You especially during our budget season, your tireless work, you know, um I you know, I really am so proud to work side by side with you >> as we with you. Thank you, Susan. >> Andrew, do

180you still have your hand up for are you? No, I'm I'm I'm I I wanted to say before I moved to adjourn, I'd like to say two things. I I neglected to say that I I went to the state council for military children and and um training and it was about uh the compact and I'll be happy to share that with you at another time. And also that I went to a church service at Mr. congregational where I Isaiah Anderson spoke and after that motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> I have a second. All those in favor please say I. >> Oppose. Stain. Motion has carried. Thank you guys. Good good work.