001All right. So, um it I am calling uh the special meeting for the board of education July um 10th um to order. Um, and the first order of business is to talk about that we just had a lot of summer activities. Um, but before I go into that, what Kaitlin is speaking to is um, Mark and Kaitlin are kind of came in because this wasn't this was just going to be sort of like a very small meeting um, around our self. Um, but I just wanted to make sure that everyone had the same amount of information that I had when it came to summer activities because you are I am only just one of nine. Um, so I I added that and so they needed to um be part of the the recording process. What's
002going to happen is that we're going to do the first set which is um this talk about what's going to happen on the summer, make some some plans and some choices about how we want to handle that. Um, Caitlyn is then, as she mentioned, she is actually going to stop um well, she's going to continue to record until the vote is to go into executive session and then once we go into um Hey, Mark, could you send Phil um Piaza the um link to uh tonight's meeting? That would be great. Thank you. Um >> Okay, I can do that. >> Thank you. Um and so um once that happens and we go into executive session, I become host um and there's no more recording and we go into the separate group. And then once we're
003done, we come out of the group. I then have to just adjourn the meeting um with um people that say yes, they agree to adjourn the meeting and then we can all say good night. So that's just to give you the process for tonight. Let's go back to the process for the summer. So um uh in this summer um we have um and I think have all of you received Susan's packet of her work on the superintendent goals? >> Yeah, it was it was way too lengthy as far as I'm concerned. It was just over the top. >> So I don't want to talk about >> Okay, I'm just letting you know I received it but it's >> okay. I just I I >> format >> I don't want to I don't want to talk
004about her her process. >> Oh, so we're not doing the evaluation tonight. I couldn't tell by your agenda. >> Just the processes tonight. >> Yes. Because there was a lot of questions. I have a lot of questions, Rita. And I didn't want to make the decision without having full board input about how they how people wanted to move forward. So, if I could if I could continue that would be great. So there are and I have a long time ago sent you guys the leadership um from CABE um it is it is the superintendence the five goals that she has um that she has worked off of this is going to be her second year and so um we in the past actually since I have been and Rita you probably could speak to this
005more than I could speak to it which is that we've always done a Lyker scale for the superintendent. It's been a very different evaluation. Um I I think every single year, so this is my 12th. Every single year it's actually been a different evaluation. I don't ever remember doing the same evaluation more than twice. So um but this is also a very different one. We normally do um Hi Phil, thank you for um stepping in for just a second. Um I'm just talking about the process of the superintendent eval. We're not doing the actual evaluation. I'm just talking about the process. >> Okay. >> In the past, we have had a liker scale, the one through five. Um, I don't see where the goals and her responses make sense for us to do a liker.
006My sense was this is the goal. Did she did she meet it? Did she not? I also think I sent you her write up, our write up to her last year, which was basically on the board. Um, we had we really wanted her to think about the board stuff. I sent that to you as well. What I need to hear from the board is do we do we want to have this one conversation without using a liker scale? And two, um, do we want her to be part of the process from the very get-go, or would people like to have the chance to be able to talk about this in an executive session without her? Liz, >> I personally would like to do this in executive session. I think >> it would always be in
007executive session. >> Yeah, but I mean just us. >> Okay. All right. >> That's my opinion. I see. And >> yeah, >> that's what the learn board does. Also, we have an executive session and then um after it's all sort of tallied up, then then she's brought in to the executive committee. So, not not while not she's never, you know, never in the room. >> Okay. I agree. And that's once again, Rita, my history um and doing superintendent evaluations is that we've always met in in whatever when I was looking through CABE and when I was looking through other um PE everyone does it differently and so I actually um am just trying to sort of make sure that I we are most in agreement. Andrea, you've raised your hand, >> right? I thought we
008were going to discuss this in executive session what we're talking about now. I didn't say >> we're not talking about Susan. We are talking about the process on how we want to do the superintendent evaluation. So it could be Joe Schmo or it could be for Susan. >> But right now I'm just asking do we want a liker scale because you and I we have not developed a liker scale or how do we feel about our just thinking about how she has responded to them? Has she met it? And what are our concerns? What are some of the things that we are thinking that she's done really well with what she has not done really well or vice or whatever Matthew >> with regard liyker scale I find liyker scales to be useful in context
009the problem with liyker scales in the numerous studies that I've done and the first time was just a shock to me that we had it was an agricultural What were your opinions about certain dairy pricing? Nothing to do with us. But I had people who would check number four and say X. And I had somebody else who check number four and say not X. And so without some uh qualitative uh data to support the quantitative uh accounting I think they are very weak as a as a uh statistical method particularly when we've got we're we're talking about nine people and for have any statistical significance in anything you need at least 30 and even that's not ideal. So by itself no Lyker scale. If we want a Lyker scale, some qualitative piece to go with
010it. >> Thank you, Matthew. Any other comment about that? >> Dean? >> Yeah, I'm with Matt. A lot of these things are I mean there's a drive to, you know, sort of almost automate as much of the process as possible to to make it almost paint by numbers. It's less painful that way. We think we're narrowing the issues, but in fact, he's right to some extent. The there are only nine of us and all you need is one little scooch one way or the other on a on a you know, one one item. It makes a big difference, right? >> So, is that valid? >> Right. >> So, I have my uh my doubts about that. >> And we didn't give her a score. We just kind of t we gave a narrative to her
011last year. So even we even use what we had and ours was not was a skewed to the the data as Matthew so more eloquently stated. All right. I don't want to be labor but what I'm hearing is that we will just write down our own thoughts about some um some of the goals that she has written your thoughts about it. Please please do that. Um and then when we come together, we will kind of discuss that in total. Um and um come up with some ideas about um the areas that we're we're we're uh amazed at and uh areas that we're amazed at and areas that we're not. So, you know, and all the above. So, I think um I think that's where I would like to land on that if that's okay. >>
012May I add one more thing? Go ahead, Liz. I just wanted to do timetable. >> Okay. I was going to get to it, but Matthew, let me answer Matthews and then I will end that about looking at. >> So, let's say we're talking about bubble gum. How well the superintendent's done about bubble gum >> and we've chatted about it. Would it be useful and it is a sincere question because I don't have a dog in this fight. Would it be useful after we've talked about the bubblegum c you know aspect to then say do we have a sense of the group as to where we would put this on a liyker scale but we've had f we first had the conversation so everybody's had a chance to hear one another >> I think that we
013could talk about that once we have more data >> how those conversations but that's actually a really good question uh Matthew oh you've changed my on the screen this is so exhausting watching people move. Andrea, >> in my discombobulated state, as you described it, of the weekend, what Matthew said is what I was trying to say >> is that we have a conversation and then there's a a value in saying, well, where where would that fall? You know, is it an is it an A, a B, a C, as it were? >> Okay. and and that we may get to that and that that actually feels like that's a summation right is we're talking about things and we and we kind of sum up to that. So going back to a timetable Liz is I
014actually think that um uh Susan was actually looking to um go into executive have us go into executive session next on the 17th. So we do it today is ours and then on the 17th we go into hers and we've had her stuff for a while. Um so I kind of thought it was plausible. Um all right does that how's that timetable >> Liz? I'm I'm not sure for myself personally if I cannot make it I will send you my comments. >> That would be great. I >> I appreciate that. All right. So, I'm going to move us on to our next agenda item. Um, Rita, I have to say the background and sort of the the your the clothing that you're wearing is very stately. I feel like you're about ready to give a
015presidential address. >> Thank you. It's just a little black bathing suit cover up. Not that I have a bathing suit on. Thank you. >> Um, but it's kind of fun to think about that actually. So, all right. So, um, but I just wanted to say it really does it. You really do look like I feel like I'm about ready to like sit and listen to a presidential. Um, >> it's it's the pearls. >> It's the pearls. Always wear the pearls. Yeah. >> All right. So, um, so the next part is um, as as we all know, um, uh, Ted Keller has taken a position um, in the East Con um, district. It's Eastcon, it's like a a magnet school. um um and as a principal to a small um thing. Um I know in years
016past once again we have done a principal uh search in multiple different ways. Um Susan was really looking um to make sure that we are really um that the search is really in depth and so um she actually um uh got um Mary Broadick involved and and I think have you guys seen um her her process? Um, I just want to add a side note is I do know that she is visiting family right now, but I put down that I wanted to know where the board sits on her um on her on her survey um uh or she she not survey but when she meets um and so um I haven't gotten back to her on that. So I just wanted to let you and I don't know Phil if you have any more
017information um about that. Um, I I could try to fill in whatever whatever blanks there might be. I can even um if it's okay, I'll share my screen and just show you guys a few things. Um, if I'm able to, I think I'm able to. Um, can you guys see that? >> Yep. >> And maybe you've seen this stuff already. I'm not sure. I I know an email just went out this afternoon. Um, and I believe uh we're going to post this. Cabe is going to take this posting and um you know they have a far larger reach um than we do. Um but the this was what uh we did this in conjunction with with Mary Broad Mary Brick. Um again desired qualifications you can read here and again you should have received this
018email this afternoon. Um and if you haven't I can forward it to the board. Um >> yeah um we didn't receive it. What we did receive is the survey monkey. >> Okay, it should have been all in the same email where they had the link. Um, and then two documents inside the email that you could click on and download, but it does take a couple steps. But, uh, this is what it looks like. Um, you know, again, um, you know, one of the bottom pieces was the the very last sentence, having previous experience as a principal or assistant principal, we thought was important. Um but again not necessarily a necessity but uh something that we were these are all none of these are um uh absolute necessities except of course the 092 certification but um
019I think more of general you know what we desire uh in a candidate um this talks about the um application process um and you know where to go uh cave.org um leaves it open until uh August 7th. Um obviously it gives a little background of of Fitch about Grten uh and about how to contact uh Dr. Broadick. Um the other parts of the email that went out um just give me one sec. Um can you see this now? The survey did that switch on your screen? >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. >> Um this is what the survey looks like again. It it has a number of different groups that you could check off that represent you. Um what do you consider to be the two most significant strengths of Fitch High? Um two most important
020issues or challenges facing Fitch? Um what dimensions of this leadership are most important in the next principle? Um and you can you can number them and then you can also um these are personal qualities in the next principle. Uh, and and if you do hit other, um, I believe, um, it lets you fill in fill in a blank space as to something that maybe isn't listed. Um, or maybe it takes you right down here to number six. Um, it also lets people recommend if you have somebody in mind, um, and you can share their name and contact information. Um, and then any other issues, you know, so pretty standard. I've seen these before in different districts where we where we've had a a search like this. And then the other maybe this is this is
021another piece of it. Uh the focus groups and survey. Um I know uh this is for the public. I think teachers, staff, parents, administrators, students. I know that she mentioned a board of ed focus group. Um, so I'm not sure where that's going to where that's going to land. Um, but this is also something that went out uh today as well for people to sign up. They have access to the survey as well as um the the way to join the Zoom. And it looks like we're just going to stack them on the 25th and 26th. Um I think that was in an effort to move the process along. Um the initi in initial um timeline that she had I think brought us to a an October one start for the for the principal. Um
022we shared that we would love to have the person start by September one. I think that's what's best for the building and you know what's best for a uh principal coming in. Um I think it would be very difficult to start on October one, but um so I think you know she's worked with us in that and tried to you know she doesn't want to skip any steps but maybe um I think in the past those focus groups might have been more spaced out. Now we're going to get through them in two days. Um so maybe that will help us really step up the the uh the process. Um if she if it's open until the 7th I would assume that we'd have some kind of screening. Uh, I mean it's it it really is
023going to be a tight window because we'd have to screen them and then set up the interviews and make it through the interview process and then whoever that candidate might be, if they're an outsider, we'd have to allow for some type of u time period um from from whatever district they might be coming with. If it's an internal candidate, that would make things uh easier. But um my expectation is that we're going to um we're going to get a lot of interest uh for this job. Um um but that that's that's sort of the conversations I've been involved in. It's really been about getting that um posting together and out. And we we did that just today. Um and that started last week, maybe Thursday, Friday. Um and uh we kind of solidified that today,
024got it out to everybody today. and uh we'll start collecting the data in the survey and and hopefully put this uh the uh focus groups together over the next couple weeks. Um I'll probably, you know, uh Susan's away, uh Lori's away this week. Uh so I'll be um you know, talking with Mary sometime this week in terms of what the next steps are and once I get those, I'll pass them along. >> Matthew, >> a question for you, Phil. Um I'm speaking from a personal bias and nothing more than that. I noticed as far as the focus groups um that they are four selected groups, and yet not but and yet. I would personally like to see a non-participate non-participatory board presence at each of these focus groups. That doesn't mean that six or seven
025of us show up, but that at least one board member is present because if we're not careful, we might learn something that, you know, while nominally to do with a principal, could also be very illuminative for us as board. So, what do you think of the idea of allowing a board member and maybe different board members at different focus groups, but just to have some board member presence? Shouldn't be one person at all the groups. >> Yeah. Um, I don't know. And again, I would probably defer to Mary and see what she's done in the past. Um, it would just be sort of as an OB, you know, this would be in not in lie of a board of ed focus group, though. I would >> exactly >> you would want your chance to talk
026with her and and um share your opinions, but it would just be sort of a way to hear what people are saying. >> As usual, you understand correctly. Right. I I my only concern about that, Matthew, is that specifically for some of the groups, we are sort of the boss's boss or bosses bosses, you know what I mean? And there we could sty people's conversation. What I would like though um to your point is I would love to hear an overview. I would like first of all I would like for us to be a focus group. Um, and I have sent her an email to that specifically. And second, I know and Matthew, you were not part of that, but for those of us who were, we actually Mary actually gave us a broad stroke
027of um, what the focus groups were coming up when we were looking for a superintendent. Um, and that was actually very illuminating because there's some things that we didn't know people were concerned about and then there was other things that they that they that they um that we were actually in agreement and we didn't know that we were in agreement. But I I myself um am not um and I'm just one board member. So if other people feel um differently, I I am not I'm not in favor of us sitting in a focus group because I think by our presence we become we we taint a process. But I would love to hear about the overall themes that um that develop and Mary's really good about develop about giving us that. >> Well, I I
028defer to your judgment. My thought as I looked at the list I could see some focus groups that it might be it might be more appropriate for a board member to be present at X and might be more appropriated not to be present at Y focus group. So I was particularly interested in what parents were saying that's that's the one that was most important for me and again as a non-participatory presence to be very clear that that's the board member would not participate in the focus group discussion. Liz, I want to recognize you, but my only comment to that is that by us being there, we become participatory. >> Liz, >> as you will, as you will. I trust your judgment, >> Liz. And then Rita. Thank you, Matthew. >> Um, Phil, I just wanted
029to tell you I didn't get that email, >> nor did I. >> Okay. I haven't received I haven't got I was I'm just now looking and I don't have >> I don't think Dean did as well. Well, I mean, I think most of us >> It went out at it went out at 6, but I will forward it right now. >> All right. Hopefully, we won't look at it until after the meeting, folks. Rita, did you have something? >> Yes. I I um you know, I I felt last time it was over the summer when when a a principal was selected for Fitch High School, I wasn't on that committee. um that selected him with Dr. Grineer. Um but I felt it was rushed and I know Phil that September 1 would be great but
030I would rather get the right candidate and take our time. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I I definitely don't want to rush the process and cut corners because it's too important. >> Yeah. I mean, even if you know, someone had to fill in for a couple of months, it's all right because it does take time um for someone to sort of, you know, if they're coming from another district, another state. >> I just want the best candidate because we've had some not so good candidates. I mean, you know, principles in the past. So it it's such an important role in in our um so there's just some things that I feel we should take our time with. >> Absolutely. I think that could be part of the discussion is to you know and we already did
031sort of uh throw that out there in terms of what that would look like. Would the you know would the three assistants sort of step up or would we want to put somebody >> in there? You know >> usually one of >> Yeah. And my other question is, are you advertising in the national papers like the New York Times or are you going just with like the cade educational things? >> I'll have to ask Mary. She she >> Yes. >> Where So where are we where are we posting? >> Right. It's very important that it's more of an of a national search as opposed to, you know, very local and just in the cave um educational reach. So that's my feeling. >> Thank you, Rita. I'm going to recognize Jay and then Dean. >> Uh
032yes. So the um email that Phil is referring to uh came from the school messenger system. So it it drops into your other tab rather than your focus tab. That's where I found it. So if you guys look there and also um Matthew was saying that um an agenda didn't go out that also went out through the email. Um I know that a lot of people depend on paper uh but the email has always the most upto-date but I'm wondering if everybody's getting their emails because it does seem like there's a lot of missing emails maybe since we went over to the serverbased but you know that did go out. I um and I did I did see that. Thank you. It is in the other. Thank you, Jay. >> Dean. >> Uh following up
033on what Matthew said, um I've been thinking about, you know, the board presence, some board presence, I should say board member presence at the other focus groups. I'm not sure that we would necessarily stifle um a conversation uh by the by the people who are the f who are in the focus group. I think it's rather the other way around. I think that if when people think about a board of ed, not just ours, but other boards of ed, they sometimes think of them or very often think of them as maybe not as plugged in as they ought to be. That's kind of one of the main critiques that I've heard from people. Do you guys know what's going on? Uh are you in control of anything? What's is, you know, they view the administration
034if there's an evil, if you will. They view the administration as the source of the troubles and the board is sort of sort of disconnected. So I think presence of a board member rather than stifling conversation would please the other participants, teachers and parents and say, "Oh, look, there's a board member. They're involved." >> Yep. >> All right. Any agree with Dean that and Matthew I don't think it would stifle it. I and I think what Jean said it would give it um a statement of of um interest and uh faith in group that's where we would be involved. >> So how about if we do this? How about if that question gets posed to Mary and we see Mary who has done multiple um focus groups for very different positions and different districts about
035what she is saying about that and then we can land on that because not all of us are going to be available anyways during those time periods. William. >> Um, yeah. So, have we been involved when we are interviewing when they're interviewing teachers, when they're interviewing, you know, counselors or anything like that? I mean, is the board involved in any of that as well? So we tend to be involved in the um the places and spaces that are um that are important. So obviously the superintendent administration so that that's where that falls um is that we tend to be involved in that. Um it's once again we have not we have not um used Mary for this search. Um I just think that um Susan sees this as a as a as an opportunity. Ted
036was fine. like I'm not at all Chris I he was very um think about all the work that he has done with the board and and his accomplishments that he has done but we just need to make sure that that we've got the right person in in the in in that job it's our flagship um school as we um say um and so I think that we will be having some board involvement I'm not quite sure where that does I know that there are some people who are in the when for TED they were in the lower end part of the um interviews. Um, and when it became one or two, I know that I hopped in and was part of the interview process at the end as the as the board chair. Um, so
037William, I don't know if that answers your question, but yeah, when it's in the more of the higher echelons of the of the administration, we tend to be um we tend to be part of that. >> I'm going to Liz and then I'm going to recognize Rita. >> Yeah. I was just wondering um in terms of process, I know I've been on a a whole lot of different hiring committees for staff and the uh process has always been you send two forward. I'm wondering if that, you know, I I really h in this respect if if that committee that chooses their candidate for this principle, I I really believe that we need to go and focus on one person and have a second in the background in case. But I I'm all for just sending
038forward one person for the superintendent's approval, not two. And then you know because that committee may want this person and then this person really and then the other person is like well if that one doesn't want it then this one and that doesn't always come across and I just want us to consider that or just to hear my my idea because um it's happened on a number of occasions that I've been involved in where the person that we primarily wanted to have did not get it even though we said this is the person we want and it was that's not the person they wanted. So I just wanted to to throw that out because this is such an essential position. >> I can't tell you what I've been hearing. >> Yeah, >> thank you. >>
039Absolutely, Liz. Um, Rita >> um I just wanted to to ask I have two questions. one is what the cost is costing the board of education to hire um Cape to do this search because we weren't a asked you know we were never given any numbers do we want to do this and how is expensive is it and my second I just wanted to let the board know at one time each board member had an adoptive school and you went to the interviews for hiring at your adoptive school. So, let's say for a while I was Northeast Academy and then um Fitch High School. Sometimes you had two depending on what people could could do. And you went to those um I I would love to have those adoptive schools back in in in the
040future. I think as a board it was very beneficial. So you went to the PTO meetings, you went to the concerts at that school, you were much more involved and um people sort of selected the school that was near their house or you know that they were interested in but just going forward as a board since I won't be here and after December that it's something for the new board to consider. So but I would like the cost of how much it's costing. Um I I concerned Rita I I actually asked that question when I met with Susan before she went on break and it's um 9,000 and I did not write down that's actually doesn't feel like a bad cost for me in terms of the work that she's doing and bringing forward someone
041and I do believe that it is a line item that's in her budget and it was um gone through by Ken. So that's so that's what it is and I will um make note that she gives us that information. >> Who whose budget? Susan's budget. >> Yeah, the Yeah, her on her section. Once again, let me find Let me find out. Don't go on that. Let me find out what what line item that came from. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. William, did you have any further comment? >> No. >> Okay, great. Any further conversation around this um the principal search? Once again, I just wanted to make sure everyone um was made aware of what what was happening. Um and and so Okay, great. And that is >> Could I could I could I
042just thank Phil? I don't know. Maybe I'm not thanking Phil. Whoever it was, >> Feel free to thank me. That's okay. >> Okay, I won't thank you. Whoever it was who put as the first item we were looking for is what we wanted the outcomes to be what vision we had for the student who for our graduates as graduates. I think that is capital and whoever did it, kudos. >> Yeah. Again, it was it was our whole administrative team up there as we you know, me, Lori, um Susan, and Mary sort of put our heads together uh for the posting. >> I appreciate what you did. >> And uh I did forward that along. I know we found it in our other mailboxes, but I did forward it along to the board um email as
043well. >> And I guess that's um actually just moving forward. That might be really good information for people to have, Phil, is I don't know how you make it so it's put into our focused males just because um I I don't know. I'm not as I'm not as tech smart as I hoped I would be at this point in my life. >> Well, it's it's it's worth looking into because especially as we switch over from school manager to parent square, um it's going to be important to make sure that it goes to that that board email. So, what what email did it go to then? You're that north. Oh, I'm sorry. >> So, in our outlook, we have um Oh gosh, Jay, help me out. We have the focused and then there's the >> other
044>> and so Outlook uses a rule, an algorithm. It looked at this and said, "Oh, this is a this is coming from a list. This is coming from school messenger." And so it determined it's kind of spammy. So it threw it into other versus emails that go directly to our email from our domain are considered focused. So >> Gotcha. >> But I'm sure that it could explain this much better than I did. >> Yeah, I'll check with him tomorrow. >> It it's it's what Jay said, >> Liz. >> Um Bill, just um if it came to our other box and you know, I wouldn't have thought to look there to tell you the truth. I only check out once every couple of weeks or months. >> And if people who are involved in this thing,
045the teachers, the parents, the stu, you know, those all those essential personnel, maybe an email needs to go out from your office to all of these groups that say, you know, to the teachers, look in the other box or here's the new the link because if they don't see it, they're not this is summer. They're not going to go look. You know, >> I also think it's gonna Liz, it's going to have to be a phone call because there's many people that don't look at their >> GR and email. >> Well, maybe it needs to be a phone call. I think it's really important and I think we need to communicate how the importance of this to our staff especially. I think it should be in the day >> that this is going out >>
046that there's going to be a survey monkey and to alert the town to see you know either >> call the board of vet I mean call the central office if they can't log into it or I think it should be a more public notice. >> Yeah. And we'll get it on our Facebook you know all that too and make sure people are getting it out >> and on the school websites. >> Yeah. and the sports team websites, >> you know, >> everything. >> Blanket it. >> No, thank you. That's why we're talking about it, right? Um and so and our last part of this um heading is um on on August 14th um which is a regular cow, excuse me, committee of the whole um scheduled meeting. But instead of having a meeting, we are
047going to have a board retreat. It's going to be somewhat of the completion of the work that we did with Mary in last year. Um it is going to be at central office. Um so that for people who need to be um remote can be can be remote but still be part of of the conversation. Um uh we are going to be fed um and Mary will be giving us more information as it gets closer. But even though many of us are not going to be on the board post um the end of November um because the new board gets sworn in in December um we still I still feel like it's really important just to kind of like um just kind of solidify the stuff that we believe that's been so important of the
048sport so the legacy can kind of continue. So, I don't I would love I'd love for people to um even though you may or may not be running to consider to um to be part of this really vital process. Um we learn a lot about our functioning and we learn about a lot about lots of stuff. So, I just wanted to throw that out um as the as our retreat. All right. I would um entertain a motion to go into um executive session. >> So, move. Can I have a second? >> I seconding. >> I read a seconding. >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> There's no there's no objection. Right.