001All right. A few minutes late. That's all. >> All right. We'll start it. >> All right. Time is now 7 p.m. Is this on? >> Good. >> I'm not hearing an echo. >> We're starting off strong. >> The setup went great. >> Can you hear it now? >> There we go. All right. Time is now 7 PM. I will now call this regular meeting of the Newington Board of Education to order. We could now stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, I will now please call the role. >> Mary Beus >> here. >> Sean Hollerin >> here. >> Marissa Lindsay >> here.
002>> Timothy Newton >> here. >> Amy Paratt. >> Sam Chararma >> here. Brian Skibo >> here. Dr. Gail Stanley, >> Jessica Weaver >> here. >> All right. So, uh, Chair Parati will be here in a minute, but uh, until then, we'll start with, uh, item B, presentation of awards and proclamations, and we will start with the everyday hero, and I will hand it over to Dr. Bremit. >> All right. Thank you very much, vice chair. Our everyday hero tonight is Nancy Hogan who is a bus driver uh with our obviously our transportation department. She was nominated by Sheree D'ach who is a social worker at Newington High School. Specifically though, she was part of the group from the Nor Easter Academy staff and students. And here's what they wrote. Nancy is a bus driver for
003the district. She regularly drives all grade levels and is actually my daughter's bus driver. However, she's being nominated for Everyday Hero by the Nor Easter afternoon Academy by staff and students. She's our regular bus driver. The students have nothing but great things to say about her. She makes sure all her students get home safe, even when it's late in the evening, as our program runs that late. Nancy always has a smile on her face, is kind to the kids, and remembers everyone's names. The kids say she has a great sense of humor. She is always positive. She tries her best to bomb with all the students. She connects with students and makes sure she says goodbye to everyone individually. She's respectful and respectable. Nancy even gifted the program some student snacks, which really went over
004the kids' hearts. On Halloween, she made cookies and gave them to all the staff and students. staff really appreciate that she's always on time, knows each of us individually, and supports the kids to get to school. Thank you, Nancy, for everything you do. You are really part of our NAA village. Congratulations. >> We're going to get a picture done in a minute. >> Yep. Uh, we'll get uh >> we can have Nancy and or Sheree make a few remarks after the pick. >> Congratulations. >> I I said as much as I could say in the nomination, but we love Nancy so much of the program. We have kids who struggle to get to school and she has literally connected with every single one of them by name and she she gets them to get to
005school. She gets them on the bus to go home even when they want to walk. Um and we just they love her so much. They come sometimes because of Nancy. So we we appreciate her. That's a win. >> I am honored and privileged to work in a system that supports everyone in what they do. I do show up every day because I think if I show up, they're showing up. And I think every kid in this town deserves to graduate and move on to better better things. Um, I do all the sports trips and many other things, but these kids are special. Um, and sometimes the people that don't walk the line get overlooked, and that's why I make sure that they are seen. So, thank you very much. It's an honor and privilege to
006drive in this town. >> Thank you so much. All right, stick around because we're going to do a couple more and then we'll do our our board remarks. Um, so get the tissues continually ready here. All right, so uh next we'll be moving on to our resolution honoring Newington professional secretaries and I think we'll put that up. Um, so I will read out our proclamation into the record. So this is a resolution honoring Newington professional secretaries, which I know we have a lot here. Um, so it says we have it up there. All right. Whereas Wednesday, April 8th, 2026 has proclaimed has been proclaimed as Newington Professional Secretaries Day. And whereas the Newington Public School secretaries are qualified and dedicated professionals who relate positively to students, staff, and parents. And whereas the Newington Public School
007secretaries perform secretarial work of a complex, confidential, and responsible nature. And whereas the Newington public school secretaries set the tone for the school by their pleasant and courteous manner and prompt attention to questions and requests. And whereas the Newington public school secretaries contribute to the success of the entire school system and are always willing to go above and beyond their assigned duties whenever necessary. Therefore, we do hereby proclaim Wednesday, April 8th, 2026 as Newington Professional Secretaries Day. Be it resolved that we urge all citizens of our community to join us with us in actively expressing gratitude to the Newington secretaries on this very special day. And be it further resolved that the secretary of the Newington board of education is directed to spread this resolution upon the minutes of the meeting and provide a suitable
008copy for presentation. So where secretaries that want to come up? I was like, >> anyone else want >> you take it back? All right. Screw it on a little bigger. >> All right. One, two, three. Got it. Awesome. Okay. Hi, my name is Ann Marie Sunderland and I'm the head secretary at Newington High School as well as the union president of Local 29:30. I want to start by saying thank you for taking the time to recognize and celebrate secretaries across our district today. This acknowledgement matters and is appreciated. The work we do every day adds value to our district and requires real support, respect of our time, and understanding of the critical role we play in keeping our schools running. Appreciating. Appreciation is meaningful and his support is essential. A school secretary is like a
009chameleon, constantly adapting, adjusting, and often becoming invisible to ensure everything runs smoothly. And because of this ability to blend in, the work can easily be taken for granted. When programs run seamlessly and the school day moves forward without an issue, it's easy to forget that so much of the success happens because of the Secretaries are the ultimate multitaskers. Our days are filled with constant interruptions, phone calls, visitors, teachers, students, administrators, all needing something at once. Yet somehow everything continues to move forward. There's also a common mis misconception about our role. I often hear you have to work through the summer. As if our work only matters when school is in session. In reality, it's quite the opposite. The summer is when we can focus deeply on the work behind the scenes preparing, organizing, and planning
010for the year ahead. When you're enjoying open house, we're already preparing for winter concerts. While those winter events are happening, we're planning spring concerts, awards ceremony, scholars breakfast, and even graduation. I was once asked why I work so far in advance. The answer is simple. When the unexpected happens, as it always does, we're ready. Our preparation ensures that events our families and communities cherish continue without disruption. Like chameleons, we're also constantly learning and adapting to change. Whether it's transitioning from one system to another, Sassy to P school, school messenger to parent square, Microsoft Word to Google Docs, or paper systems to digital platforms. These changes impact secretaries first and most directly. We are expected to learn new systems quickly, often with minimal, thank you, minimal training, while continuing to meet all of our daily responsibilities.
011There is no pause, no slowdown. We learn in real time so we can support everyone else. And our roles extend far beyond the desk. At any given moment, we're supporting technology, training staff, offering guidance, listening, and problem solving. We become part IT, part teacher, part counselor, and often the trusted adult for students who need a connection. We are the steady presence in the building, the first voice people hear, the place people turn to when they don't know where to go, and the common moments that feel anything but calm. We don't just keep schools running. We keep hold of school communities together. To all the secretaries, you are not invisible. I see you. I appreciate you. Not just today, but every day. Keep being amazing. Keep showing up. Keep holding it all together. And never underestimate
012the impact you make because this work does not happen without you. >> And now, Chair Paratti will take over as she as we head on to our next resolution honoring applied behavioral analysts. Apologies for my tardiness. I was in school. >> Yay. Education is fun. Um resolution honoring Newington behavioral behavior analysts April 8th, 2026. Whereas, the Newington public school system is committed to honoring its behavior analysts and recognizing their contributions to the educational system and their tremendous impact in helping students learn, grow, and thrive. And whereas the Newington school behavior analysts are committed to supporting students with specialized needs, ensuring they have the tools to succeed, and most importantly, helping them feel authentically included and valued within our school community. And whereas the Newington School behavior analysts expertise, patience, and commitment make a profound difference
013in the lives of students every single day. And whereas it is the desire of the board of education that behavior analysts be should be made aware of their appreciation. We do hereby proclaim Wednesday, April 8th, 2026 as Newton School Behavior Analyst Day. Therefore, be it resolved that we urge all the citizens of our community to join with us in actively expressing gratitude to our behavior analysts who represent an investment in excellence to our community. Be it further resolved that the secretary of the Newtonian board of education is directed to spread this resolution upon the minutes of the meeting and to provide a suitable copy for presentation. Brian Kelly is here as Kelly and Marina to accept this honor. Following the secretaries is is tough. I don't think I could do it. Um, but I am
014the second most talented Brian Kelly in the district. So, I have that going for me. Um, you know, no, I would just like to say thank you to the special ed department, Dr. Brumit, the board. Um, since coming here to Newington, we were small in number and we've grown over the years. Um, you know, I think at our core, we just really have a drive to help our neediest students and just thank you to all of you for helping us do that. So, thank you for acknowledging us and then may want to make a few remarks. Thank you. >> So, Brian, and I don't know if there's anybody online, um, but our BCDAS, we when I came to the district, we had one BCDA, and we are up to four BCDAS. And again, could not
015do that without your support. So, thank you to the board for recognizing how important this role is. There are not many schools who have their own BCBAS and we have four. It is an incredibly rare thing actually so rare that the new BCBA guidelines for schools were just in instituted. This did not exist before. BCBAs were homebased. They were therapy based. They were clinically based. And the fact that we have four in our district is amazing. The impact that they have on students and teachers and families every day cannot go without saying. They go above and beyond. We've had um BCBAS who have gone out to restaurants with parents to help students acclimate and be able to the the skills that they're learning in class then be able to transfer them to their home environment
016and even in the community. again cannot say enough about this profession and again thank you for your support. >> Thank you so much. I'd like to open up to board comments. Miss someone >> um I just want to thank and um show appreciation for all of the honores today. One of the constant themes that I've heard through all three presentations is the the theme of connections. Um we connect with our students first thing in the morning. We connect with our students throughout the school day with our secretaries and we connect um sounds like day and night with our uh BCBA staff. So the connections are super super important. We've talked a lot as as a board about the impacts that that everybody makes on our students and their success. And so I just want to
017say thank you so much for all that you do to keep everything moving um the way that that it needs to be done in a way that um obviously is is totally impactful for our students. And just a special thank you to Miss Nancy because you were Miss Nancy for my kids and the kindness and dedication that you're showing to our students at the um academy. You also showed my kids um from the the day that they started kindergarten on. So you were my drivers and you were the driver for my kids. So thank you so much for all that you do for our kids. >> Miss Weaver, I got to give this is such a good love fest tonight. I love it. Um um yeah, I just want to say thank you to everyone
018who's being honored tonight. Aptly so. Um because each of them are really important component of our school. And I think that's why we want to highlight because I think so many times you're going to hear headlines of like, oh this teacher, this or there's this and that. And and I think one of the things that's so important is when we talk about everyday heroes, it's it's the ones that are doing the work every day. And everyone has such an important touch point on our students. And half of why I'm here is because of every single touch point I've had. I was like, I remember having some e- green bus drives. Um, and then to have like Miss Dell Zingle here. I lived at her house for like all of second grade. Thank you so much.
019Um, but that's what this community is about is Oh, hi Emily. Hi. It's good to see you. Yeah. Um, that's what it's about, right? Is the connections that you can make at the school system and the integral part that you play with every single one of our students and our staff. And truly, I know Miss Tno always says like it's a family of learners, but it truly is like that is a community I'm so proud to have grown up in and is why I love doing this because I want to keep supporting all of you because you're the most amazing. Just no one leave is really what I'm asking. Um, but it truly is every integral part. The touch points at the beginning of the day, at the end of the day, I mean the
020places where I'm going to gossip at, you know, Miss Valente knows way too much about my life. and the places on the bus where everyone makes a connection or has a little squabble or whatever it may be. And then also our students that are in higher need and we're seeing so much more need. Um so Marilina and your team, Brian, thank you so much for what you do because we continue to see that need um grow and at an exponential rate. So thank you to literally every single one of you that does such an important part of it. And um please know it's not an invisible job. It's something that stays with you and as an alum, as someone who talks about that, you are the people we still talk about to this day. These
021are you are the people we remember and you are the people that get us to where we need to go when we leave those schools. So, thank you all um for that and I hope um anyone not here tonight, please thank them and congratulate them on their own. But yeah, here's my love fest for you guys. Yay, Mr. Hollerin. Yeah, it's really hard to capitalize on anything after what Nancy had said and I think you had spoken so much from the heart and I think that there is something to be said about that sense of community we have from everybody we're honoring tonight. Um it's more than just how the system functions. I think each and every one of you has a good understanding of the the rhythm and the harmony and secretaries appreciate this
022the chaos of the day-to-day of a school. Um, and I think that that's something we have really special when we talk about the culture. Um, that's what makes it live and breathe and what I heard from everybody was thank you uh when we need to be thanking you. Um, but support us and I think that that's when we're talking about budgets and capital improvements and all that stuff too. That's our job is to support you to make sure you have the resources to keep being amazing for our kids. So, thank you >> Sam. Go ahead. >> So, I just want to quickly thank all the awardees, especially Nancy for going above and beyond. You know, I really appreciate it. Um, secretaries, I know as a teacher now, I mean, I always call the first person
023I call in my school is the secretaries and like they taught me so much about frontline, about power school, so many little tricks. Um, so you know, thank you again for going above and beyond. So appreciate your help. Thanks, >> Miss Lindsay. >> I want to thank you all, Nancy. Well, you know, I love you. Been there for ever for us and the secretaries. You guys are amazing, especially for dealing with us parents also. As some of you know, there some of us parents are very hard. So you guys have a very hard job dealing with the parents also. So, thank you for everything for all of you. You guys all are wonderful. Thank you, >> Nancy. I'm very sorry I missed your presentation, but I will go back and watch it. But thank you
024for for everything. I'm definitely going to go back and watch it. Um I sh Thank you for being here and congrats. Yes, I'm sure you love your job and and just with the comments, it just it really shows that we're very lucky to have you here in Newington. Thank you. Um and for our secretaries, love you guys. Um all of you, Rachel just popped out. Hi everyone. Um and our behavior analysts, it's like just I think all of you just, you know, as with all of our our resolutions, but we just appreciate the work that you did. Mr. Hollerin said it really well like we support you financially but also you know like we have to keep in mind what you're here for and and the importance of all of your your positions and everything
025and we are just very lucky and honored in Newington to have so many great people that work for the work for the school district and and as Marilina say said you know behavior analysts like leading the way like it's just um we're just lucky to have you for all of our students and that's really what we're here for at the end of the day. We appreciate all of you and congratulations on your resolutions and awards. Thank you. >> Um yeah, now we have our presentation from Patterson next. So all of our honores are welcome to stay or or go have dinner, whichever you'd like. >> Amy, before you move on, Mrs. Terra, can I >> Oh, wait. Hold on. I'm sorry. Miss Miss Tgno has something to say. >> Miss Tno is on the line.
026>> Yeah, I apologize. >> Sorry. Thank you. I wanted to be there in person, but I couldn't. Uh Nancy, congratulations. Such welldeserved honors and uh you stole my line there, Miss Weaver, but uh you are certainly a uh part of our family of learners. BCBA, thank you so much. Uh my shout out is to the secretaries across the district um that I see all the time, but mainly the high school secretaries that I echo everything that Amarie said. Without them, I'll speak personally. I would be an absolute mess. I wouldn't be here right now because I wouldn't be able to find my phone or my car keys or go to a meeting or do anything without them. and they are truly um everything every type of superhero packaged into one. So on behalf of Newington
027High School and our family of learners and entire New England public schools, thank you all so much for all you do for us leaders. Very much appreciated. Thanks Amy. >> Thanks Miss Tegno. Okay, now we can welcome our John Patterson team. Dr. Bram, I'll turn it over to you. >> Awesome. I'd like to invite up uh Arlene Torres Ruiz and I believe her colleague Emily. Um we about boy 6 to 8 months ago um a grant became available and Arlene did jump on that. She wanted to bring an after-school program both to Patterson, but we also opened it up to all four elementary schools and our three have jumped on. But tonight, this will be a highlight of John Patterson's efforts. And this is a grant that allowed us to both interwo interweave literacy instruction
028after school, but also community service. So without further ado, I'm going to boot up their presentation, but this is a a brand new, unique, completely grant-f funed program that gives our children some enrichment after school. But I'll let our friends from Patterson talk about the details. >> So before we start, um I just wanted to give a quick little pre previous information about, you know, it was a grant funded, um it was an application. I threw our names out there, you know, a little proposal. It was like, you know what? What? We can just do it. What what what can go wrong, right? They don't even pick it up. They picked it up um with our wonderful grant um team. And then um I have Miss Miss Jesse Dalton and Kim Depus who are um
029our my media specialist and our prek half uh school uh classroom teacher. They made they just took the vision the little tiny vision I had and they made it into the world the program that it is right now. And this is Miss Emily Shepard who is part one of the teachers in the program. Um, and it's just I just wanted to kind of say that these women and these teachers and with Kim and and and Miss Dalton have taken this program from this little tiny proposal to an amazing program that has a lot of cool things coming up. So, okay. >> Hi everyone. Um, I'm Emily Shepard. I so when we first, you know, I I didn't hear much about it and I I guess it was posted on our email and I and Arlene's
030like, "Do you want to do the program?" I was like, "Sure." And so, um, I'm really happy I said yes to it. Um, so this is a program that is 14 weeks. Um, and it brings together grades one, two, and three students from across all the buildings. Um and it's showing um community awareness, practice inquiry based literacy and takes meaningful action together. Um we try to tie the program into what we're learning in school. Um the students are working together as a partnership. Um the students are taking action doing the actual work and then it's um equity and access. It's free to and open to all um students >> and it's connected with real partners. So, it's not something just been in Patterson or it's just it's it's actual real partners >> and we'll talk
031more about that. Um, here are the numbers. So, this program is spread across three buildings. We have 90 over 90 students, um, four grade levels. It's lasting 14 weeks up until like the very end of school. Um, we have two cycles and we'll talk more about those two cycles. And then we have five community partners as well. And each cycle does have a showcase so that parents can come and see. We want them to come and have that connection to the to what the program does is doing. I'll speak to this one here. Um so each classroom has one teacher um one pair professional or two just depends on the class and then we have one student leader which is a fourth grade student. Um I actually in my classroom I have three um fourth
032grade students who are very helpful. Um I had one a couple years back which was nice to have him come back. Um so the first two weeks are getting the students excited and having them build that strong community. Um weeks three, four, five, and six we are working with um the Humane Society which is our first um cycle. And I can't really speak too much about the other two schools. Um but right now the students are very active in making um tie blankets. I have them here and I'll show after and then some adoption posters. Week seven is actually after break. So on Monday, the students will be um the families are coming in uh and they're going to be seeing all the work they've done, the posters, the blankets. >> It's our first our
033first showcase. Our >> first showcase. Yes. >> Here in Newington. >> Yeah. It'll be at the I think it's the media center. >> And then weeks 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Um we're going to start our new um cycle and then the last week will be that showcase for the second cycle. >> A little bit about the showcases. Um so a lot of the of the of the program is about connecting our students, our families from our our open choice students. So um the showcase are meant to connect both um communities. Um so the first one will be here in Newton and for for Patterson and then the second one is going to be in Hartford. So it'll be something that's connecting community both communities. So, the student experience and then we'll go to
034the next slide, please. And um here is breaking it down for each grade level. So, I'm teaching grade one. I teach grade one typically, but I also am for the program. Um so, we try to align all of the um content to the uh benchmark uh program essential questions. So, the first one is why do people get involved in their community? So, you read a story about can I be your dog? And then the students are making tie blankets for the um animals at the humane society. Grade two is doing the same thing, making tie blankets. And theirs is how do community members support each other? And then grade three and they're grade three is making scratching pose for cats. Um >> yeah, it sounds pretty a lot of gluing, a lot of cutting. I
035don't know how to do that, but um they're they're really enjoying it >> and we really wanted to make that a a piece of the program and embed that literacy piece of it. um because that's you know academic the academic piece and SEO makes our whole child right um and uh the reason you see grade one two and three is because originally that's that was going to be the um the program is is for those grades now we also have grade four which is a leadership it's another program it's a leadership program but because we were all together we decided to use both and we used the four grade four as the leadership >> students who are helping the rest of the grade the rest of the kids um access their their projects and their
036learning. So, >> and enjoy and please enjoy this cute little video that Mrs. Dalton made. So, we went week five. It has all of it so far, so you'll get to see the most bang for your >> buck. Let's do this. Oh, >> let's do this. Can you feel the fire running through your veins? Now you're burning brighter. Don't look away. Shout out to the legends rising from the wreckage. Count down the seconds. It's your engines. Let's do this. >> I know we've got a long way to go. >> Um to see it in action like in real life is really really cool. Um that the cat the cat scratch thing is that was really cool. I never thought when I walked in I'm like what are these things and then I just the kids
037are miss scratch like oh I'm allergic to cats so I can't get it. Um but uh it is just amazing the things that they have done so far. >> All students >> all student made going to the Connecticut Humming Society. They made their posters >> um of their animals that are need that need adopting. Um, I have a favorite one that I really want to adopt >> and his name is gonna read that one. >> His name is um, what's his name? >> Ian. Ian Han made it. >> Oh, uh, Courage Courage. >> Oh, Courage. Oh my god. I just like this. It says, "Don't touch my soft blanket." And I'm like, I get it. >> He's looking at the picture and was thinking like what the dog would be saying. >> Yeah. So, um,
038he is the cutest little dog. I'm like, Ian, you just made me want to get this dog, but my husband won't let me. So, I see what I can do. >> Well, he said, so since he was like thought it was a girl, so he's like, I'm sassy. And then he changed it to he's like, "Oh, it's a boy, so I'm going to say, oh, it's cool." So then we have um this one was done on I think Canva, I want to say. So you can see some students, the older students used um Canva to make their posters. So, lots of different ways to um cultures and um and get get the the word out there of our student our students, our little our pets that need to be adopted. Um a lot of it
039was how can we help the the Connecticut Humane Society and we need them to get more get them adopted and get them um blankets. So, um, the kids went ahead and and started doing that. And I have to say our teachers, Miss, uh, Miss Delaney, Miss Flint, Miss Em, Miss Emily, what's the shepherd? Um, okay. Miss Emily >> have a new name. >> A new name. Um, and our our Miss McCary, our par, Miss Jasmine, >> Miss Jasmine, Miss Boss, and Mrs. W. >> And Mrs. W have had just so much fun. So when I see when I go in there, they're always with the kids doing >> On the floor and I'm like, "Oh my god, this is amazing." So it is amazing to see. >> Um so uh the So this is really
040just talking about um well, we just talked about the tie blankets. Um equal access for everybody, uh making a difference. Um and they're working together and and it's interesting to see like the first graders not knowing how to tie, but they want to cut and I'm like, "Well, there's no more cutting, so we have we got to start tying." Um so it's fun. Um, so they had to read and do all that and then um uh do their their their their pieces. Um, and everything goes directly to the shelter animal. >> So, you want to do this one? >> Yeah. >> All right. So, that our project two is we're actually in the midst of getting everything together for our project, our second project. It's uh inspired by the floating fields. Um so the students
041are partnering with the uh active city Harford to advocate for skyline softball. Um they really need a a field of to call their own. They really don't have a field. So we uh I know our second part of this was uh persuasive. So they want to how do we advocate? How do we fight? How do we persuade uh have a persuasive essay or anything to get what what people need? How do we help community? Um, so the Skyline uh softball, we want to raise the field. Um, students, what students are going to be doing is researching about the Skyline softball field access situation. They're going to write persuasive letters. So, now this one's more of like the writing piece. >> Um, and the more the advocacy versus the more the hands-on. So, we kind of
042try to do a little bit of both. >> Balance. Yeah. >> On the balance. Um, and, uh, they're going to write letters to the Harford Parks and recreation. Um they're going to film advocacy videos um and they're they're going to be using their real voice um to make that change and see what we can how can we help that team. >> And then uh we're going we want to showcase and we're working really hard right now on getting the Harford Athletics women's game show showcase um game showcase. Um we're going to present our letters, our videos during an a Harford Athletics Women's game on June 15th. We're working on that. Well, that's 10 minutes. Sorry. Like um and um uh so that they can um kind of they have the families to see the their
043hard work of advocating for um uh the softball team. And so what we're seeing I wanted to kind of get I wanted you guys to hear one of our students and what they have been what they feel about the program. very long. >> Hi, Evan. >> I have a question for you. >> How are you enjoying our after school beyond the bell? The >> cutest thing ever. >> Yeah, it's really fun. What have you liked so far about it? Um, I liked it because um, we've been learning a lot of we've been doing a lot of cool things like we made tie blankets for for the do for the pets at the humane society. >> Awesome. All right. Can you tell me? So, we're helping the humane society out, right? Yeah. >> And are they
044a place in our community? >> Yes, >> they are. So, the tie blankets are are they do you think that they're a helpful project that we're working on? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Because what are they going to go to? the Humane Society >> and the Are they going to people? >> No, the pets. >> Oh, yeah. Now, in the >> My name is Chloe and I'm in second grade. >> Hi, Chloe. So, Chloe, how do you feel about the after school be the Beyond the Bell program? >> How's it been so far? >> Good. >> Yeah. What do you like about it? >> Um, I like that we can um do it together. >> Oh, yeah. Are you working on a project right now? Yeah. >> Yeah. What's the project you're working on? >> Cat
045scratchers. >> Yeah, the cat scratchers. And do you remember who this is? The project is for >> um the project. It's for the >> Yeah. The Connecticut The Connecticut Humane Society. And so it's for Is it for cats? >> Yeah. And do these cats have homes? >> No, >> they don't have homes. So, is this something that is helpful for the cats to help them feel safe and comfortable in the shelter? Yeah. Why do you think this is an important project for us to be doing? How is it helpful? >> Because um they'll feel comfortable. >> Yeah, absolutely. So, you think that this is helpful for our community >> and you're having fun doing it? >> Yes. >> Awesome. Thanks, >> Yeah. And Matteo, what grade are you in? >> Third. >> You're in third
046grade. So, Matteo, how do you feel about the Beyond the Bell program so far? >> Happy. I like it. >> You like it? What do you like doing? Um, I like like the So, I first started like cutting the cat scratcher little things and now I'm making the dog beds. >> I really like making the dog beds. >> Awesome. Can you tell us a little bit about the projects we're doing? Why are we doing these projects? >> Like, >> okay. >> Shelter the animals have the stuff they need. >> Absolutely. So, it's helpful for our community because these animals are in um at the humane society and they're like you said, they're shelter pets. So you think that working on these projects is helping them to find comfort where they are? >> Yeah. And it's
047fun to work on. >> So you've been working on two projects. The first project is a cat scratching box. >> Yeah. >> Like cats scratch. >> Yeah. Okay. And then the second project is a it's a blanket. >> The dog bed. >> It's a dog bed. So it's made out of fleece. And what how do you put the bed together? What do you do? >> So um you first cut scripts. Then after you cut the scripts, you tie them. >> Awesome. And this has been a fun project to do with your classmates. Awesome. Thank you so much for sharing, Matt. You're doing a great job. >> Hi. Hi. I'm Aiden and I'm in fourth grade. >> Hi, Aiden. So, Eden, how do you feel about the Beyond the Bell program so far? >> I think
048it's good. >> Yeah. What do you like about it so far? >> We are working on these dog tea blankets. >> Oh, yeah. And it's Has it been fun? >> Yes. >> All righty. So, do you think that this has been a helpful project for our community? >> Yeah. Why do you think this is a helpful project? What do you know? >> Because we're giving this to the medication society and for the dogs who have >> Yeah. So, is this something that might bring them comfort because they're they're they're shelter pets right now? >> Yeah, >> absolutely. So, and it's fun to work on this. >> Yes. >> And you think that this is good for our community? >> I really hope. >> Uh, awesome. Thank you so much, Aiden. >> They just they love
049the cat scratcher. >> Oh, yes. >> Um, so actually Aiden is a fourth grade student who is part of the fourth grade um student leaders and I'll have Miss Emily talk about that. So, we have about three fourth grade students in each classroom and they're used to help the younger students um to model for them to help them um and they really enjoy it. They cuz they what they do is kind of helps the students like a good model for what they need to be doing. Um they're kind, they're patient, um and they're they're encouraging and it's and it's working really really well. Um I don't know if you have anything else to say about that. No, I I think that um what we wanted the fourth grade students to feel is like, you know,
050they are that guiding. They're the they're the the top dogs, right, in the in the school. So, they need to have that that that um connection with those little little ones and saying, "No, no, we're going to do this. Let me help you with that." Um guiding them and encouraging them and just kind of having that growth mindset during the project. So, >> thank you. >> Okay. And so, what comes next? Like we said, there's a a showcase. Yeah, >> there's a showcase one. Like we said, um in week seven, it's coming up and it's going to be um including the blankets for the community in the cat scratchers of the Connecticut Humane Society. Fourth grade students will um leaders will screen their documentation videos and families are invited to participate and engage with learning
051with student learning. The next one will be in June and that will be PBD, but it will be uh around our like I said the um the partnership with the Skyline um softball and um it will be the an end of the program celebration featuring um uh um how the students reflect and full learning journey and present a broader community audience um and hopefully you know make connections between our OC families and from Harvard and our our new New England families. So, TBD on that and thank you so much. Um, beyond the bell is what happens when we believe in students as community members, not just learners. When we give them real problems, real partners and real audiences um for their work, this is what happens. you have that community building, that learning um all
052in academic and that's your whole kid right there. That's your whole child. Um and that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Do we have any comments or questions? No presenters. Miss Weaver just want to say it's so full circle. Hi Emily. >> Hi Jess. Emily and I graduated together from Newington High back in. We won't say what year now. Um, no, we're not saying that. Um, but yeah, it's really cool to see Full Circle. Obviously, I knew back then she was going to be awesome. So, um, same to you. >> Yeah. Um but it's really super cool I think to see um especially when you know we constantly constantly talk about um particular when we're doing budget or anything else the the vision mission and goals of MPS and making sure that we have our
053portrait of the graduate which starts at a very young age which is looking at how we can have um critical thinkers ones that are good citizens and good communicators and I think it's really great that it's already tied in right here um with these kinds of programming and I think it's really great to have that especially in our local community to have them be really like citizens because yes they are we are responsible for them for our you know x amount of hours during the day at the schools um but really they are our little citizens of society um and making them understand um a tie with community at this early age is really awesome. So just want to thank you for tying in all that and uplifting you know all the things that are
054happening particularly as we were trying to implement benchmark in the last couple years putting in those literacy standards while also trying to do while also doing this. Um it's really great to see just when holistic education comes into form. So, thank you for your presentation. It's great. >> Start him young. >> Yes. >> Dr. Stanley. >> Uh, thank you both for the presentation. I just have a couple questions about details um about the program. So, um who nominates the students to get in? Like how do you get in and when does it when does this program occur? >> Um so, a part of the grant is um we have to have some of our crutch students that that come from Harford. So that was part of the grant. So we had those and then it
055was really teachers who um who nominated whoever they thought would you know like it and we reached out to the parents. The parents were like yes. Um there was a a lot of parents so that we didn't think it's going to be so many. So um yeah one or two that you know we had to be like oh a wait list but um the weight list two people that we had we were able to just push them in. Um, so it was pretty much teacher, you know, we left it up to the teachers. >> Okay. So you you so the correct students automatically came in or it was sort of a >> also we asked the parent. It's, you know, it's whatever if the parent wanted some parents said no, some parents said yes. >>
056Okay. Um, and then when does this program happen? During the school day or is it >> on Monday? On Mondays after school? >> After school. >> Um, and it's from 3:30 to 30 to 4:20. 4:30 is when they really get picked up. But >> all I know is I'm the one that says bus is all clear. I'm good. >> Excellent. Um and so the funding for this program from the grant, um some details. What does the funding cover? Is it teachers materials, transportation, all of it? >> Um and how long is that funding? >> It's just this school year. So it's a oneshot program. The grant because it's also at two other schools, it's a $100,000 grant. >> Okay, perfect. And then is there a chance to reapply or >> we'll wait and see if
057there's another application process. Uh and I'll talk to the constituents and see if they're willing to do it again, but uh I'd love to based on what I'm hearing tonight. >> Yeah. >> Um sorry, a couple more questions like rapid fire here. Um are you planning to include other towns beyond the Hartford community outreach? Um because the correct students are coming from all over. I I'm assuming not just Hartford. >> Just Hartford. Just Okay. Um and then why only three buildings? Why not all four of them? >> Um I believe it was um they didn't have enough um staff >> staff. Okay. Um >> that you know it's you know it was uh yeah staff not enough staff >> limited funding or staff for >> not limited funding. >> We could we could have granted
058at all four schools but we had to make sure that we had staff to run it. So it's fine. It's teachers get paid. Of course, parents get paid, but they don't they we can't compel them to do the program. So there was one school that didn't have enough interest. >> Okay, perfect. Um, >> thank you. This was I think I I covered everything. Um, I I appreciate your time uh and coming here and it sounds like a fabulous um thing and thank you for finding it and thinking of it. It sounds like a really great way to get these kids working together and thinking beyond um their day-to-day. So, this is great. >> And a main goal for, you know, that I I I really wanted is just to have that connections with the families.
059That was such a big goal for me, for us, for the for the team. We wanted So, that's that's why those showcase are so important because that's where we want to have those families come. You got to come because your kid is your your student, your your child is have is is showing something. So, you got to come. So, it's like it's driving them a little bit. >> Yeah, we sent home a flyer today for with all the information for the first um showcase. So, hopefully we got a lot of families to pop in. I'm really really really proud and passionate of what this team has done. Um the teachers and and and Jesse, I'm just really really proud of this. So, I just a question. How did the topics come up in the partnerships?
060So, was that like you guys had to find them with like to go out into the community? >> It was a a very just a skeleton. When I when I presented it, Jesse was like, "Oh my god, this will be great." And she has a mind. >> She's amazing. So, um I said I I I've done this in in a previous district where we did the same exact thing and showcasing. Um so, I kind of gave her that that um that piece and she wanted we wanted to make sure that it comes from the Newington and from Hartford so that that is that community connection. Um but yeah, they reached out. I know that the other other team the other schools I know it was um Rooster >> Rooster Company and then Porto Varta. >>
061Yeah. And they did a lot they did other >> food to table um >> food to table something >> like that with animals. >> Can't speak to them but they are doing the same thing where we are reaching out to our >> community to farm to table. Um, again, I we we we only know what Patterson is, but I we do know that the the the the main structure is we're connecting our community uh with our schools. So, >> that's awesome. And I think the the um like the the next cycle sounds really awesome, too. Like obviously advocacy and like writing letters to parks and wreck and like all of that, you know, it's work that we've all done around the table, too. Like, you know, um but it's so awesome that like elementary students
062are are able at that young age. And then I love the um partnership with the athletics like that's in Hartford, right? And super cool to like involve the community in Hartford. I just think it's fantastic. And um yeah, I would love to see this be able to continue and um you know, maybe next year we'll sneak it in. Maybe there's a grant, maybe not, but who knows? It would be a really cool um thing to continue. And it sounds like a really good opportunity for those students. that like you said that community like bringing the the families that reside in Hartford because they they're not always part of the New England community and you know get them to be a part of it. Yeah, there is a little a little side um piece to the
063grant which is the the family ambassadors. It's we only kind of doing it in Patterson where we are we're using the same showcase in families and connecting our Hartford families with Arlington families uh with the young kids like the grade one so that they are they kind of have this connection with each other um and they go to the event so now you have somebody there that kind of I remember you I remember and so the showcase too is going to be big because that's where it's like a low-key chill kind of air time where they're just meeting and we're just kind of intentionally making that happen. Um, and I think that's that's that's that's my my goal for the the next showcase. So, >> that's great. Thank you so much. >> Any other questions
064or comments? >> Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for doing No, all good. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Farm to table. Got it. Farm to table. >> Are you Oh, yeah. Let me just redo it. >> Okay. >> And at this time, um, we will open up for public participation on any matter related to board responsibilities. >> Oh, there we go. Um, so any uh if you're in the room, you come to the head head of the table. >> Yeah. No, you're good. >> And Oh, Pete. Thanks, Amanda. Just say your name and address for the record, please. You're good. Um, sorry. Give me one second. Amanda Mo, 67 High Drive. Um, good evening and thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I am a parent of three children in the
065district. One in 8th grade at Kellogg, one in fourth grade, and one in preK 3 afternoon program at Anna Reynolds. I want to begin by saying how much I appreciate the incredible staff and teachers in our district. Um, they go above and beyond every day, not just in the classroom, but by supporting students at sporting events, theater productions, and so much more. This commitment is what makes community so special. I also recognize that the board Oh, I'm sorry. This got all out of order. Um, sorry. Uh, okay. Okay. Basically, I wanted to address the school calendar. Um, and I recognize that the board has had thoughtful discussions in the past of um, being inclusive of many holidays and celebrating our community, and I respect the effort and appreciate it. Um, I'm also speaking not just
066for myself, but other parents who have thanked me for coming here tonight to speak on their behalf. I want to be clear, this is not about needing days off. I work from home and I do not rely on school to be a child care system for my children. My concern is about the overall structure of the calendar and its impact on students. The increasing number of holidays and breaks is creating inconsistency and combined with in unpredictable weather has now pushed the school year nearly to the end of June. These frequent interruptions are especially challenging for students who struggle with change and rely on routine. For them, consistency is essential and the current calendar um can make it hard to stay focused and engaged. I believe there is a more more balanced approach. I would strongly
067encourage the board to consider surveying both students and staff to better understand which holidays are widely observed. If a certain agreed upon percentage of school community celebrates a particular holiday, then it makes sense to formally recognize it in the calendar. I acknowledge this was done previously, but ultimately decided to recognize all of which unfortunately is just not realistic. For other holidays, a flexible option such as a limited number of floating excuse days could allow families to observe what is meaningful to them without disrupting the full school calendar. I also ask that you take a look at the timing of breaks, particularly in February, and reconsider holidays that are less commonly observed in workplaces today, such as Good Friday. Most places of business don't do not allow this holiday as a scheduled day off. This is
068about finding a solution that respects diversity while also maintaining consistency, protecting instructional time, and keeping the school year within a reasonable time frame. We have a strong supportive community and I truly believe we can work together to create a better balance. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> And if there's anyone online, you can raise your hand as well to be recognized. Not seeing anyone else. Okay. Um Miss G, we are as you know probably talking about the school calendar later on in the agenda. if you stick around. >> Okay, >> thank you. Thank you for coming. >> And thanks. And at this time, um, I will turn it over to our standing committee items. And we have our student reps, Abby and Danny. >> Hi,
069everyone. Hello. So, we have a lot a few updates for this month. So, just to start with what with what's happening inside the high school. So, we're currently celebrating our spirit week for spring pep rally. So, right before we conclude for spring break. So, this week we've had why is this in my closet day, color wars, bikers for surfers, dresses my type day, and blue and gold day. And then on Friday, we're going to have our pep rally, which all of the StuCo officers and reps have been working really hard. So, we're planning games like Ro Shambo, Noodle Relay, LipSync Battle, and Staff Superlatives. So, we're all really excited and trying to get everyone hyped up for Friday. And yesterday we had the voice of change program, which was facilitated by student leaders and adults,
070and it was led by Derek Hall and Jason Fredeland. Um the goal of the program is just to bring together the sophomore class with some junior and senior um student leaders and then adults in our building to shine light on the impact of prejudice, bullying, and discrimination. So students seem to enjoy the program and there were a lot of comments on how meaningful it was and the big impacts that it had. So we're really glad to have been able to continue it this year and hopefully next year as well. Then tomorrow we have the career fair and we're going to have a bunch of career professionals coming into the high school to talk to students about future career paths. Um I know some people like Parks and Rec sometimes comes to talk about summer job
071opportunities or internships. So it's a really great opportunity for students to get to go explore that. And then staff and students participated in a green spirit day to support a MPS staff member and their child who's undergoing medical issues. So we have a picture of a bunch of our staff who participated in the spirit day and just to show our support. And then themies held their annual breakfast where students Morgan Tucker and Juju Flores got the chance to speak about their experiences in the academy. and we had a lot of local community members that were able to stop by and just talk to students who were involved in clubs like DECA and FBLA um HOSA and get to talk about the different classes that we offer within the academy and the different opportunities that are
072there. >> In terms of clubs, um March is always a big month for competitions and any clubs that have their competitions. So, first of all, um, student council held their monthly, uh, community outreach event and they went to the Jefferson House and had the chance to chat with residents and play bingo with them. And then on March 14th, the HOSA chapter attended the state leadership conference at Waterberry Career Academy and 12 students placed in the top three. Then on March 17th, both Ed Rising and FBLA had their state conferences. Um all Ed Rising um students were able to place under the adviser Miss Batista and they worked hard to reach reach the second round of competitions and every member was able to get um on their podium. And then also FBLA had their state competition
073at the cap or in Hartford and 46 students placed in the top five. And many students in the in our town received statewide recognition and awards for the work they've put in uh in the chapter and in the state community. And they also recently just had their annual New York City trip where they got to explore the city for a day and see many exciting landmarks. Uh there's a photo down there. It was a little cold and windy, but always an enjoyable trip nonetheless. >> So, in terms of sports, so spring sports have been up and running and a lot of games have been starting. So, teams have been working hard in that shift from scrimmages to now games, which is really exciting. Um, we also have unified sports. There's a picture right here. um
074they show got to show off their basketball skills versus Greenwich um on Saturday night at Moheaggan Sun Arena. So, this was a really fun opportunity for them to get to play on the big court and everything. And then right in this picture, we have uh listed all of our winter allconerence athletes. So, we had a huge number of athletes receive this honor and we're really proud of them. So, we wanted to be able to shout them out a little bit. And then for the middle schoolers, um, over at Kellogg, the PTO will be hosting their Y2K dance for students on April 10th. Um, and, um, they also will be having or they had a grade seven trip to the Museum of Science um, in Boston on April 2nd. And then also a seventh grade student,
075Maya S. had been named the winner in the US Senator Chris Murphy's 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. day essay challenge where she was one of the where she was one of only 15 students selected from over 1,000 entries across Connecticut and this is a huge honor for her to receive and we're incredibly proud in Wallace Academy students took a trip to Pratt and Whitney to explore their fac or will be taking a trip to um explore their facilities to at Prattton Whitney um and then they are also preparing for their Wall Scott talent this which um will have auditions this month and then the pack parents hosted the Harlem Wizards in mid-March, which was a fun way for high school, middle school, and elementary students to come together and play basketball together. >> And
076then just to wrap up for this month, we have our shoutouts. So, we wanted to say congratulations to Nick Wrarkski and Brooklyn Bradley for being selected for the CAS Outstanding Art Award. They were able to attend an event to honor their success with and then there's Mr. Salmon and Miss Stepppian who were able to go with them. So, it was super exciting. Um, and then we wanted to shout out Brayden Lennahan, Briana Wheeler, Hannah Fleming, Kavi Mathther, and Matthew Brown who were all chosen to attend All States for Choir and band. And then a big congrats to Thomas Dapoli who received a full ride to University of Hartford. So, he's pictured right here. He had a little package that came to the school. So, it was very exciting for him. Yeah. And that's all we
077have right now. If there are any questions or comments, we'd love to answer them. >> Thank you. Any comments or questions or student reps? Dr. Stanley, >> uh, just a comment. Thank you guys for the excellent presentation. And I really wish I would have brought my Anastasia like program so you could autograph it because >> that was amazing. >> Mr. Hollerin, >> I just thank you as always. I love the updates. You do a great job. Uh you're right in like that period of school where it's not super crazy, but it's also not super slow yet, but you kind of enjoy it a little. Um because then you're going to go headlong into end of year stuff. So, um always appreciate it. Sounds like a lot of fun stuff, a lot of competitions. Thank you
078for the updates on the middle school. That white 2K dance sounds fun because that was the year I actually had my prom. Um But um thank you. I appreciate it as always. That was a fun report. Thank you, >> Miss Weaver. >> Yeah, just want to echo the sentiments. I mean, it's humbling. The Y2K is now a throwback really. So, um but um yeah, want to echo to Dr. Stanley's sentiments. Um for a lot of us that got to attend um Anastasia, great job both of you. We love a stage where we love our own talent and Brooklyn was amazing. I mean like there's just wow there was a lot a lot of talent. Um yeah I think us three went and shout out to the culinary kids as well who um made great great
079food before. So that was awesome. Um and yeah I I think just always great to hear congratulations to all of our awesome students doing some awesome cool things. Um it's really great to see and I just want to also say it's always great um thanks for the update on the unified sports. It's one of the things that was really cool when I was there and just continues to be, I think, a really, um, incredible program that Newington clearly is a leader on. So, um, always great to see and I know May 1st is coming up, Abby. So, I won't put you on the spot, but always let us know how that's going because I know college decisions are and clearly people are getting full rides, so congrats to those, but you know, let us know.
080>> I will. >> Thank you so much for being here. Thank you guys. Have a great evening. >> Bye. >> All right. Policy committee updates. Miss Weaver. >> Woo. The best of the best. Um, okay. So, I'll just go quickly over um we will be discussing um so I'll defer to the end of our agenda here. Um we will be going over our um nutrition policy that has kind of come forth a couple times that has made its way through multiple rounds. So, um, we'll we'll be probably we'll be asking a vote on that tonight. And then a couple more. We are finally making it through the 9,000s slowly but surely, and we will get there. Um, we also just to discuss um, some of the things that have been on the agenda. We're still
081waiting to hear back from admin on some of the 2000 policies. Um, as well as, um, uh, some updates from the American Library and the Connecticut Library Association on the library media material selection and text selection guidelines. Um, so that just made us imprompt us to look at some of the policies surrounding that. So, we're referring back to any library media staff and admin review for those ones. Um, and then there was also one on uh a little one on um 5122 that I will defer to um we deferred it back to curriculum committee. Um that was just on uh assignment of students classes. I think that might be a reflection of new law, but not sure. Um, and then we'll just kind of go through the 9,000 policies um later on in in that.
082And then um I'll say it again multiple times, but our next policy committee meeting will be April 20th. Is that right? Cool. At 6:30. Thank you. Did I miss anything, guys? The 20th at 6:30. Yeah. Good. No questions, comments. Okay. Thank you. Um the curriculum committee met twice since last update on March 17th and March 30th. Um at both meetings we um looked at some policies um proactively to then hand over to our policy committee. Um so Miss Freeman um took the first stab at some recommendations and then um reviewed it with the curriculum committee. Um, and then we will share it with you guys as whenever you're ready. Um, and then yes, so that the goal was to give early feedback from a curriculum perspective so that you can take those suggestions. You can
083obviously word smith because you guys are the experts at that and I well Sean really enjoys it, I think, but not me so much. Um and then um on the 17th of our meeting, we looked at the internal assessment data um to see how our students are doing midyear. Um there was a lot of growth that we saw in literacy across all three levels, elementary, middle, and high school. And most importantly, we saw a gap um we're seeing gap closures for our Hispanic students in literacy and for our black students in math at every level level. So obviously the goal is to close the gap but also maintain the the high performance for um for all students. So um I think it was great to see that the gap closures for some of our um
084marginalized students. So that was really a good celebration that we had. Um there will be a final report by the June 10th board meeting. Um and then Miss Freeman stated that um if we continue to see these positive trends, they're going to be looking at what's going well and what's working so that we can um replicate the successes in other areas and um obviously continue on those successes to um hopefully close the gap even more and then continue to see um students succeed. Um the last meeting I was unfortunately online but I mean I'm sorry I missed it but Miss Freeman had um all of the um elective or all of our courses on on the wall and then um Sean and Tim were able to um pick a a student profile and then build
085their own schedules for junior and senior year. Um, part of this was because we have so many um, electives and we have all dual enrollment courses where we're getting college credits. And so, as students are, especially juniors and seniors are able to they've done their core classes, they're able to take um, things that are interesting to them or will set them up for success in the future or provide them with college credits for, you know, what they want to do when they grow up. um if they're going to college um or just what they're interested in if they're not. Um so they got to kind of pick and and think about their personal persona and then pick courses that um would interest them and and it was a very interesting discussion and I'm very sad
086I missed it. But I do remember picking classes in high school and I got to do like the art classes cuz that was fun when I did all of my my core um my core requirements. Um and then also the other great point is that we've got um we have a lot of courses that are evolving and keeping up with current events and our student demographics. So there's courses in um there's a Italian for bilingual learners where if you already know English and Spanish you can learn Italian quicker more quicker quickly um faster >> faster um that works all of them work um so you can learn Italian faster and then you get two years of Italian in one year or there's you know all of our um women's studies and Pacific Island like all
087of the all of the courses that we're offering um and have been offering for for several years and then some newer ones like the the um some new courses that will keep up with current events that can help our students understand what's going on in the world and also like the history behind it and all of that. So, we are actually really proud to have all of the courses um elective specifically that um we're able to offer to our community and um it was a really cool exercise to see And the next update, uh, our next meeting on April 20th at 6:30 p.m., um, Miss Batista will be coming, um, to give Oh, shoot. Is it? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> We don't have to. Um, you should come to our meeting. Um, Miss Batista
088will be there um to give us an update on our educator rising program that we have as well. Yeah. So, we might have to I think she had a limited schedule, so we actually set it way in advance. Um, but yeah, we'll >> Oh, literally no, because I have a class. >> It's okay, though. It's okay. >> Our schedule is absolutely limited. I'm just >> Yeah, literally two days. And we really want to hear from her. Any questions for the curriculum committee? >> Dr. Stanley. Uh it's uh for the electives. Um when they're when the juniors and seniors are coming up and choosing uh do they get a heavy amount of counseling for as what are prerequisites for their ambition schools? >> We'll turn that over to Miss Raymond. >> Um I I think the
089answer on that would be it it depends. So, in terms of Dr. Stale, when you ask about prerequisites, um you're not talking about the courses that you needed before to get into the current course, correct? You're looking at prerequisites for when you're going into college. Um yes. And um there's kind of a standard now in college of what they expect to see on a transcript in terms of the numbers of years of math and which math courses. Same thing with world language. Um so students who are headed for um four-year universities um whether those are state schools like University of Connecticut or Ivy's well aware of what those are. Um but coming into junior year is a time when students maybe who are a little uncertain about what life might be after graduation. I think
090that Mr. Hollerin or Mr. Newton played one of those students. They weren't really sure what they wanted to do. And that was kind of the whole point of it is that students have an opportunity um to maybe take a dual enrollment course so they have a college credit under their belt should that be a path that they want to choose. They have an opportunity to um participate in one or two classes in a um CTE pathway like oh I never really knew that I would like business. Um, I think what's tough for kids is that they're 15 and 16 years old and sometimes it's really hard to know when you're that young what those aspirations want. Um, you know, that we want. So, um, again, taking I do think it was M. No, Mr. Holland,
091you weren't really sure what you wanted to do when you graduated. You wanted to kind of keep all doors open. >> Yeah. Um, that was kind of the whole point of it is to show that even though that students are still thinking about that and maybe don't have their mindsets, they can build um a a transcript for themselves that's going to open multiple doors for them. And just from having a a sophomore this year in the course selection, they do get um information and and guidance just in general. and then they can always reach out to their counselor if they have specific questions or whatever. So, there's there's a lot of um just like information shared about the courses that are that are available and and they're able to then choose what interests them. Any
092other questions, comments? Okay, I guess we'll fight for this room um next on April 20th. Okay. Fine. >> We'll we'll um post the actual schedules for both committees online as required by state law. >> I think for like public participation, we should have different times. So, yeah. Okay. >> All right. >> We're all special. >> We are not talking on mics. So um just to catch up everyone we will probably change the time and lo or time of one of the committee so that all um members of the public can don't have to choose between the two of us but we're better um all right update new business um update on the 2627 budget. So last time we met was a while ago I think right so since we last met um and Dr. BMT,
093please um step in where needed. Um but last time we or before we last whatever since last time we met the >> early March. Okay. So the um town council did their public hearing on their initial budget. They cut um unfortunately the town manager had cut 800,000 from our bus request and then the town um council cut the rest of the bus request. So right now our capital ask for buses is at zero. um from information that we've received um from our from staff um they were they cut the Chaffi parking lot to the amount of the actual price that it'll cost to to pay of Chaffi. So, we're still going to um be able to to pave the parking lot with a a new lower price or quote. Um and then we will be
094um able to replace the John Patterson roof in the early education early childhood wing >> early childhood wing and the door that enters that you enter into to get to that wing. >> Um so that's the part of the school that's currently leaking. Um the media center which also has a a older roof um is not included in the capital budget currently. Um that part was cut as well. Um, as far as our operating goes, um, they have not made any cuts currently, but we have, um, just had brief caucus discussions. Um, and we did hear, is it on our I think it's on our agenda for next time. Um but we we were told from the town that our so this health benefit credit um that we've seen in the past. this year. The
095estimate is as of now the projected um health benefit credit will be about 500,000 um coming back to the town with um the caveat that things can change and claims can come in and um numbers you know insurance happen is all the everything that happens with insurance um could go down could go up we don't know but we did let the council know that we are expecting ing to receive a $500 credit for health benefit um and they might take that into consideration if um with their budget. They're still deliberating. We don't really have any other um numbers per se on them. Miss Weaver. Yeah. And I would just note that it's incredibly volatile that number because the year we've doneus in the past um for 400,000 I want to say, but then last year
096I believe we were in a deficit of 600,000. So, that's a quite a swing. >> For the newer board members, what the health benefit credit is is we are told what to budget for health insurance by the town's agent of record. Uh, and we have a I will call it a hold harmless situation where as long as we budget what we've been told, even if we come in under budget, the town will still backfill any shortfalls. On the plus side, if for some reason the claims come in lower than what we budgeted, the board does receive a credit. right now. And over the past several years, we've had little to no credits, very low credits, or in the negative, which in the negative is again, we're hold held harmless. The board does not have to
097pay back a negative credit. The cunction is that claims are still being processed up until the end of June. So whether or not that $500,000 credit holds up, we will not know until the fall. So, it is potentially good news, but not necessarily anything that we can quote unquote take to the bank. Um, other updates on the budget, um, we got some word there was, um, some legislation put in play called ESERT where, um, it was designed to help districts have programs that provide supports to students with acute mental health issues. We have been told we're supposed to get $300,000, but in calling numerous folks, State Department of Ed Commissioner, Department of Social Services, ESS, Effective School Solutions, the board's heard from them in the past, no one knows exactly how that money is going
098to be allocated. So, that's kind of a could happen in some way, shape, or form. We just don't have any firm details. In best scenario, we are awarded the $300,000. we can use it to offset ESS in our budget and that would free up $300,000 to pay for other things, but it's too soon to know whether that will happen. We're also waiting on the Nor Easter Academy grant, but last year we did not get notified about that uh until June. So that by then the budget will be uh completed. And then last but not least, um the education cost sharing grant is money that goes to the town um used theoretically used to offset the education budget component of the town. There's been a lot of volatility there this year because it it had seemed
099to hit everyone by surprise, lawmakers, financial people that ECS was going to potentially go up for communities. But then this re-evaluation that every community experienced in increased the wealth of every community including Harford, including New Britain. So if they don't change the formula, people are probably going to lose money on ECS. I don't think that's going to happen. I think they're going to keep everyone in a flat funding for next year. Uh and I think really the big lift will be whether they change it down the road. But that has been, you know, talking to legislators, talking to lobbyists, it's I think it hit everybody by surprise that this could volatil, you know, even though they're trying to increase it, the uh reevaluation and increase of local wealth kind of moved it in the different
100direction. So again, another area of concern, but my folks that I sp speak with think we're going to be flatfunded. I did speak to Janet, uh, the town, um, finance director, and she's budgeted pretty much as a flat funding. So, that's what they're planning on on the town side. It's confusing. We don't get this money on the board side. The town gets it. Last year, it was right around $16 million, but, you know, it is something that if the town were to experience a cut, it would put them in a further behind in their budgeting process. So, we're hoping that we do get a flat fund on that for the sake of the town. So, again, as the chair said, we are still waiting to hear from where the town's going to go with cuts.
101You know, as the the board knows, they were very judicious and cutting the budget sensibly, but we don't have a lot lot we can we have nothing more we can do without cutting programs at this point unless we get grant monies. So, um we will find out our final number in a few weeks. the then the board will have that opportunity to discuss the impact to the budget that they approved. So that is kind of where we're at. Um and I do appreciate board members who've been advocating along the way. Um and and we'll see where we land in a few weeks. >> Yeah. And there's so there's another meeting next Tuesday and then on the 21st they will be setting the mill rate and the final budget amount. So there's two more weeks of
102um of work for them. Um yeah and yeah like like Dr. Burman said everything is um at this point pretty val volatable. We're trying to um like I talked to Matt Leser who brought forward the ESERT and even he doesn't know he's trying to get to the bottom of it hopefully before the twoe mark is up. Um he knows he knows that we need an answer as soon as possible um on that and um and yeah talking with our our state reps too about the ECS funding as well. um just because that's you know as much information as we have that we can share with our council um members the the more information they have to set an appropriate budget so as of now our operating budget is intact but we'll see what happens okay
103any questions comments concerns okay moving on to possible action on the change of the last day of school for students. >> Right. As we heard earlier from a citizen comment that this school year has been one of the longer ones due to four snow days and it just happened that many of our uh school holidays fell on school days. They don't always and then there's a few lesser impact. In fact, next year there'll be a much less impact. That being said, uh, Newington has always had 181 days for students. Given the extension of the school year, um, there had been cons we I wanted to surface uh, consideration to the board tonight that, uh, allows students to have the last day on 180 days, which is still in keeping with state regulations, which would put
104the last day for kids on June 22nd. That's also graduation day for high school. uh the teacher's last day would still remain the 23rd because they have contractual obligations for additional school days. So that being said, I think um having surfaced this notion with um board leadership as well as our uh teaching teaching staff who feel that it is kind of a difficult to bring kids back after graduation and um the productivity of that day. Uh there is quite a bit of support for this if that is the direction the board wants to take. So turn it back over to board chair. >> Thank you. Um so I can open up to discussion on this item. Miss Weaver. >> Yeah, I know this year has been rough. Capital R on uh I think it was
105the worst winter since 2018 is what was saying. Um just want to say I also I talked to some of my my counterparts in Weathersfield. They're ending on the same day. Um Simsbury, I know they're asking teachers back on Monday as well, so they're ending around the same time as well. Um, so we're not the only ones obviously impacted by this. Um, I think the majority was just a lot of the weather events and then hitting at awful times. Um, and I know we'll we'll go into discussion about how that will not be happening next year or the year prior or year after that. Um, based on some of the calendar estimates, but um, yeah, I mean obviously I think working with staff, families, we know this is not the ideal situation. Um, but I
106think it's probably the best we can do with where we're at in this situation right now. So, I'm good with it. If others are good with it. >> Hi, we have a We can read the motion. >> I moved that the Newington Board of Education change the last day of school for students to Monday, June 22nd, 2026. The last day of school for teachers will remain Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026. Second. >> Thank you. Motion second. And I just want to um point out to you that um Parks and Recck did send a memo out um few weeks ago that summer camp will be starting on Wednesday um June 24th. And I believe one of the reasons for that is because well originally our last day was the 23rd, but also um students that are graduating
107and staying up for the all night grad party um are also camp counselors potentially um or you know so giving them a a day to recover. So recognizing that um it does leave Tuesday without um child care, hopefully um that can families can have enough notice to work out or arrange that day for um for child care. But I am in favor of the change just because um I know that there's also some families that have summer camp or summer vacation plans or have other camps lined up that are not in Newington. Um, and typically the last day of school, while you know it's it's fun and and everything, it's not a lot of learning happening, but maybe the day before the last day of school, they're still wrapping things up. So, um, just having
108that last day um, I believe it's a half day as well beyond Monday, so that there's less impact to um, those families that may have plans that they cannot change um, as far as vacations go. And then just Yeah. So, I think any other discussion? All right. Can we have a roll call vote, please? >> Mary Dus, >> yes. >> Sean Holler, >> yes. >> Marissa Lindsay, >> yes. >> Timothy Newton, >> yes. >> Amy Parade, >> yes. >> Brian Skea, >> yes. >> Sam Sharma, >> yes. >> Dr. Gail Stanley, >> yes. >> Jessica Weieber, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Thank you. All right. The next item is change or discussion and possible action on changes to our 2627 school calendar. So this is for next school year. >> All right. So
109what you're going to hear about tonight represents months uh of discussion >> um at various levels. It includes survey results, discussion with teacher council, discussion with union leadership and discussion with board leadership and obviously some of the feedback uh that we've heard from the community about concerns with disruption to the school calendar. So this didn't we did not do a parent survey for this particular um year, but there have been in the past parent surveys. Um, so where we landed and I'll just kind of go over the changes then show you the actual calendar is that we want to make the day before winter break a half day. That is a fairly small change and we're kind of we were outliers this year and having that as a full day. Um, one of the students
110actually created a snow day song for me in which they made a pitch to have this as a half day. So, you know, I think that's pretty persuasive stuff. Um this was a little bit more concerning. Um and frankly I do still have concerns but there um the the PL days as our board members know currently we have two PL days per month that uh was established when I arrived probably a few years before I arrived. Um, however, as we analyzed that and looked at other neighboring communities, we were on the very high end of of PL days that were uh half days for for students. Uh, the only district that had more than us was West Hartford. Others had quite a bit less. We are at this calendar that I will be proposing is
111certainly in keeping with state standards for how much PD our teachers have access to and will allow us to do all of our critical um mandated trainings and and more than that. But um it is you know still a concern that we have a lot of things happening um and potentially down the road some new math curriculum. So there is a lot going on there. We did talk to union leadership and we are allowed to have teachers stay after school once one a day per week as long as they have the proper notice and there are no other afternoon meetings. So there may be some more of that in lie of these PL days. Um but again a little concern there but I think we've certainly heard from our community some frustration about the number
112of days. Uh the December PL day was moved from December 1st to December 8th. A lot of that was just about balancing the calendar. We moved elementary and middle school conferences to November. That actually was a request from teacher council that they want to see parents sooner than December so they can start forging you know those more um you know intimate relationships with families prior to that. You know they have exposure at open house but they don't have opportunity to necessarily have a a conference with families at at an earlier time. Uh this will move December high school conferences from December 5th and 6th to the 12th and the 13th. And uh we moved the March conferences um elementary and middle will be March 16th through the 18th. And um and then move from March
11316th through the 18th to March 3rd through the 5th. We we did that because moving them earlier in the school year for the fall mean we didn't want to have too much of a gap between fall and spring. So we move those um accordingly. So I you know I'll caution the board that uh not everyone will be happy with this. I would say our teachers are pretty much in favor of this. We um the survey results indicated relative to the PL Tuesdays that approximately 47% of our teachers wanted to keep them and 52 or thereabouts did not. So there was a pretty close margin there. Uh, I would say most administrators would prefer we keep those PL/2 Tuesdays, but um again acknowledging that there there are they do add up quite a bit um when
114you have other uh things that impact the calendar. So just and just so the board knows this initial calendar was approved on April 9th of 2025. What we're proposing tonight is a revision. So, this kind of shows you, not kind of, it does shows you all those changes. Um, noting and color code, vacations, the pls, you can see now there's only one PL per month. Um, and conferences too get a little tricky because each level needs to have one night conference and we can't have them on the same night because parents often have kids in more than one level. Um, and the high school conferences in March need to align with the SAT school day administration. So, there's a lot of a lot of times I'll get questions, why didn't we do it this way?
115Why didn't we do it that way? But when you look at all of the um ramifications and special circumstances, there are just so many different variables here. Um, so this is what it looks like. Um, one thing also that the board chair had asked me to do, and this is something that many districts do, um, is listing all of the holidays that exist that we don't celebrate in our school calendar. So, um, on the left side of this chart, you have the holidays that we do celebrate or have a school day off. Um, on occa, well, not every occasion. In some occasions, these are um squiggly or the >> Yep, they're color code the there's code at the bottom. Holidays begin at sundown is the plus sign. The squiggle line means holidays where schools are
116closed only if the holiday falls on a weekday. But you can also see that there are numerous holidays that we just do not close on. But we want to make parents aware of that these are and frankly staff to try to avoid any um major projects due that day to folks that may not be here that day. You know, we do get occasionally a request for more holidays um or we also get requests for less holidays, but the board did choose a number of years ago to um acknowledge our increasingly diverse community. So, we do now have representation of a variety of holidays for all of our constituents, uh, be it Christian or non-Christian, Jewish, um, all of those stakeholders. So, that is these are the changes and I will now turn it over to
117board chair. I'll put the verbal up here. It's a little easier to follow than the color codes, but these are the these are the substantial changes to next year's projected calendar. >> Thanks. And and I do just want to add to some of the um you had mentioned that there's like concern potentially with administration about reducing the number of PL days um because we do have that like proposed in the calendar. It may require um teachers that that need something specific to um have a substitute teacher in their classroom or have you know like coverage for them. Um which could reflect in the budget as far as substitute teacher or other salaries cost. Um so we may I think it's a neglig negligible amount but we may encumber more um money in substitutes due to
118that substitute teachers. I'm so sorry it's been a long day. Substitute teachers um due to that and then the other thing is um parks and wreck has um that program where they um are offering um a bus to the community center and then the students are able to stay here for that those hours on the PL days. Um we Dr. Brema had reached out to Bill De before he retired. Um, and then also propose there's other holidays that the schools are closed that town hall is not and potentially having him add those days to um to this that service. So, that's something that we'll reach out to the new um superintendent or director of parks and wreck um to kind of make sure they're aware of of the the other days that that schools are
119closed that parents might need help with. So that was one of the concerns too that we had um that there's no coverage for or for the parents that that do need help. Um so that was just the just two other things about the the days. And then um can you just remind me the we originally had wanted or had requested that the the high school conferences fall on the same day as middle and elementary, but there was a reason why they couldn't for each of them. Do you know that? Yes, it really boils down to nobody wants night conferences on a Friday. Uh I think there's obvious reasons for that. Um and we try to rotate the night conferences by level. So to to accomplish that, they cannot be during the same time frame. Um
120so that is a reality. But back to your earlier point, I know there was the worry that sometimes high school kids become babysitters for their younger siblings when there's half days. That's why um >> well that was the other days too that >> yeah that Bill Deo was willing or his successor is willing to consider adding those into the parks and recck program that he has run and it's fairly popular. We have a good number of kids that participate. I see them coming off the bus on our PL Tuesdays. So that is why we couldn't keep them all together. Um, and then we also specifically had to align March conferences at the high school to the P the SAT school day administration. So, as you can see, there's just so many uh tugs and pulls
121and variations that need to be considered. I can only tell you how many meetings we've had to really try to pound this out. And just when you thought it was going to work, some other variable came into play. But this is our best work. uh as of today. >> Miss Weaver. Yeah. I just want to say thank you for the the time and effort that was put into this. Um and I know there was a lot of um community or par parental concern, you know, about the amount of full weeks. Um you know, I think we had discussions about the balance of PL time for teachers versus and and how we attract teachers with somewhat more PL time and the split of the 50-50 split on on that is uh is noted. Um, so I
122think it's that hard balance and then also appreciate looking into basically, you know, all the districts around us and that kind of stuff. Um, but also noting too, I think, um, could you just scroll? I think the last day would be >> June 11th. >> So much more in line, I think, with where we've been in the past. I graduated June 15th. Yes, June 11th, barring any snow days. Now, mind you, that's a Friday. Yep. One snow day tips us into another week. >> Okay. >> But yes, that's substantially earlier than this year. >> Okay. So I think and then it looks like you know May is pretty full. There's a lot of full days and obviously you know um I think it it definitely um I know there was concern about instructional learning time
123the amount of time and the the change in that and so I think this one I think gives more balance to that um and knowing that we have to you know put a lot of stakeholders into this. So thank you for the the effort that's gone into this very not fun process of of stuff. Are there Miss Freeman? Go ahead. >> if there's going to be a motion read the second to the last bullet should read move the November high school conferences to no from November 5th and 6th to November 12th and 13th. >> It's November. >> So, but that's not on the calendar. What am I missing? Um, yeah, they're they're November. Maybe they weren't in December and they moved to November. >> I I I think that it's probably just a a typo
124that it should just say November in there because high school conferences that were were not in December. Okay. >> Just didn't y'all want to motion and vote on something and then we'd be back here. >> Thank you again. >> We're done talking about the next this calendar. Um any other comments or Go ahead, Dr. Stanley. >> Um I think you know the the parents concerns are very valid too and I want to respect the teachers and I and I do want to give them the time that they need to prepare and to you know complete their trainings. I I get it. I have trainings that I have to complete every year um on my own time often and it's not fun. Um, and so I would, you know, encourage us to reach out with a
125community survey as well to see where this is going because, um, I think it would honor their and respect what their concerns are about the additional holidays and and what is the percentage and making sure that we are, you know, validating the the importance of everybody in our community, but not skewing it um, based on some unvalidated um conceptions of what our community wants. Um and then as far as like the additional days that get added with snow days, um I've heard, you know, from other districts that they're taking days out of spring break and and is that ever any or consideration or can we make a consideration for not having February um break? um please don't please don't send please don't egg my house but like um just thinking because this this is an
126incredibly difficult and challenging weather and we don't control the weather but the board can make any of those decisions currently the practice has been and it actually may be in policy so it would have to review the policy some districts have a policy that if you go to a certain date in June then you start taking days away in April I think that would be a very u challenging procedure major because people do make vacation plans, but the board could remove any days in February they want. I know some teachers have asked if we put a full week back in there. So, but yes, the board has the opportunity to make those modifications. I think we do have to have a president's day in there because of a federal uh obligation, but um any of
127those scenarios are possible, but our I believe our current policy is to use the end of June and then then you would have to tap into April if you got that dangerously close to the end of June. You cannot go to school beyond June 30th per state law. >> Jessica, can we look at the policy? >> Currently searching Um, are do you want to talk about February break? Not having February break. Is that um uh I can probably table it to a future discussion. Like I'm I would be okay with like getting these revisions. I think it's it's fine for the next year, but I would like to review the policy um and see Yeah. for longer term. >> Yeah. And I think that like the reason I mean there we did have a lot
128of participation about the calendar and emails and um just throughout this year um regarding the the days and how late in the school year. And I think we set the calendar knowing like I think we set the calendar with June 17th as the last day of school which um was just late in general. And then obviously no one anticipated having so many snow days because it had been we h like haven't had any snow days in the past like maybe one or two over like three or four years like it's been. So I think just like this year got exacerbated by the the weather and then the holidays that we did add um do fall or did fall on school days. Um but like looking at next year's calendar and then in a minute we'll
129look at the the next next year's calendar. Um there's holidays that are not falling on school days. So it's not like those numbers of days aren't adding up as much as they did for this particular school year plus the snow days. So I mean this calendar is a lot better for 26 27 um than it even was last year or this current year. Um >> yeah, I think this year just highlights the system failures. It's like the Swiss cheese method, right? So, we make a plan and then there's multiple holes that happen and then you find the error at the end because we made a plan, we we didn't recognize that there were so Monday so many Monday holidays, we set the date that was later than usual and we hoped for the best. And
130then it just highlights that when a system fails because of the multiple snow days that we should use this as a as a talking point and a jumping point to improve it for the next time. >> Yeah, I appreciate that. I just I didn't mean to agree when you said there was a system failure cuz I think we deliberately made the or at least me personally speaking for myself deliberately made the decision um to have those high those holidays added due to the representation of um students and family um in our community. So, I um I just think that to your point though, it did just ex extend the the um the calendar and it became more apparent that it did end up being even later than it was. So, that's um but go ahead,
131Miss Weber. Yeah. I mean, I think everyone's kind of in the same boat, too. I don't know if it's always the holidays. It's a couple different things because weather's really going at the same time as we are. Like, they have different holidays, too. Yeah. So I don't I don't it's it is a always a consideration but I think it's one of those things where and maybe and I think when we first passed this too I said maybe like every five years because the question we always get is well why did we have these holidays like at one point I feel like when I was in the the system like we had Russia then we didn't was these things and we were like how do you um how does this decision get made and we can
132only ask so much demographic information um but we did do I think like a full calendar was it 2021 22 um and I said maybe like every 5 years or maybe some kind of cadence to revisit like what is what is the community celebrating or those kind of things. So putting out a survey like a larger one maybe we love all the surveys um you know could be of use. I think when we just we just put what we had and obviously we had student advocates coming in and they were that was one of the considerations um that was pretty vocal and we I think you know looked at attendance records. looking at all these kinds of things um to try and see like oh there's a significant amount of people out on this day
133like that's something to consider as well. Um so there's that. Also um policy 611 is our school calendar policy. We haven't gotten to it because it's the 6000s. I just want to put that out there. Um it has not been updated since 2001. It does not say anything about when we can't go past. It does say that we should follow the correct recommended calendar. So, I do think that should go in our next policy meeting because we do not by any means. Again, these 2000 these 25year-old policies. We're getting through them, guys. We're getting through them. And I know that on our first year that we had um through Kings Day off, we had it as a no school for students, but teachers um teachers still had a report for PD day, PED day. And
134um I believe Dr. department, you did get some feedback that um they would have preferred to to be offered the holiday as they um some teachers and >> he had staff that celebrated it as well. So, they felt that it was not fair to to them. >> Yeah. So um but yeah, we can we can discuss um how to best pull or um determine look at maybe attendance records also um for this year for uh we don't have all for and I know like Greek Orthodox Easter came up recently. Um yeah, we can we can talk about how to best get the um the desires of the community. The the the thing that like even with our the survey to the teachers, it's always like 50/50 or it's like it's very a lot of times
135not saying not to do it because of this, but I'm just saying that we really cannot make everyone happy and we as a board have to make the best decision possible with the information that we have at the time and and that's kind of what we're we're here for. Um, so are there any concerns or questions about the days that we have highlighted or the changes that we have highlighted for the next school year calendar? Um, I do want to say we always have the opportunity to change the calendar is a responsibility of the board, but we don't want to change it every meeting um because we want to make sure that people are able to plan and and we are able to um that forward the the days for the next school year with
136uh as minimal interruption as possible because it does require a lot of planning. Um especially as parents in multiple schools, it is a lot to keep track of. So I would entertain a motion to November. >> Mhm. >> That >> it's not December. >> It's November. So that bullet. >> Okay. All of the December is all presented. >> Okay. >> Should I just do that? >> Do whatever you whatever you want. >> Just do a presented. >> Sure. Sure. move the Newington Board of Education adjust the 2026 2027 school calendar as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you. Have a motion, a second. Is there any additional discussion >> as presented um the calendar in the calendar? Just to clarify, we will be looking at the colorful version of the calendar that is on the screen
137currently as presented in visual form. >> Any further discussion? Roll call vote, please. >> Yes. >> Not present for vote. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> Jessica. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Unanimous. All right. And the next agenda item. So this is for the following school year. The 2728 school calendar um start of school while you pull it up will be August 26 and the tenative last day of school is even better at June 8th, 2028. Um again with the one PL day per month and the conferences um elementary, middle school in um Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and then high school shortly after. So this applies the same concepts from what we just the board just approved to the following year with with the caution that as has often happened what if the this
138were to be approved this evening it can be modified at a later date should we get different feedback from the community >> and subsequent surveys that may go out >> any comments or questions on this miss be and we don't have like a time always I know we try and do it like a year in advance and that kind of stuff. I will say I've looked at other districts too and I know like Windsor just did their calendar maybe a month ago for next year. So obviously never ideal to do it too close to it but this is for >> yes >> two years out and stuff. So we still would have some time to adjust as reiterated. Um >> but there are some parents that reach out >> 100% >> due to work obligations
139or planned vacations that do appreciate a full year ahead too. >> Like a trip to Disney requires a lot of planning. I think Quinn's gonna know. Um, okay. So, yeah, just to reiterate too, I think, um, it would be good and then we can make the adjustments as needed using this next year. Every year is an experiment obviously, but using that one. Um, so yeah, that sounds good to me. Thank you. >> Any additional discussion? There's a motion, recommended motion. Move the board of education adopt the 2027 2028 school calendar as recommended by the superintendent of schools. >> Second. >> Thank you. Motion and a second. Is there any further discussion? >> Okay, we're voting to set the 2728 school calendar. >> Mary Beth, >> yes. >> Sean Hollerin, >> yes. >> Marissa Lindsay, >>
140yes. >> Timothy Newton, >> yes. >> Amy Paratt, >> yes. >> Brian, >> yes. >> Sam Sharma, >> yes. Dr. Gail Stanley, >> yes. >> Jessica Weaver, >> yes. >> Motion passes anonymously. >> Thank you. >> All right. The next item is discussion and possible action on our contract discussion or contracts for non-instructional administrators. >> Yes. I'm going to turn this over to uh Mr. Diaz. Just a quick um discussion point. This is a very small group of individuals. I believe it's five people. Um and Mr. Daiza did not actually have any involvement in negotiating this contract. He's reporting out what was uh worked on with Mr. Faresi, but this always takes into consideration a variety of factors and comparables and those sorts of things. So, Mr. D, I'll turn it over to you. >>
141Yep. So, as Dr. B mentioned, this is a small group of administrators. Um kind of the unsung heroes behind the scenes group of administrators. Um it's a small group, but things like health and safety, security, plant operations, you know, technology, infrastructure, um are all things that seamlessly operate, um in our district and and these are the individuals that manage and their skill level and expertise um is critical in that that happening. Um so the team uh met with the central office negotiation team um during the months of uh September and October of last year and as an outcome of the final meeting, both parties agreed. I'll just kind of summarize um for you the following. The life of the contract is going to be four years beginning July of 2026 through June 30th, 2030. Um
142there is a salary schedule increase that was agreed upon um a 4% increase of each year. As Dr. Brumit mentioned that the negotiating team did look at comparables of non-instructional staff in surrounding districts um to have um comparable um rates. You know, as I mentioned, we want to make sure that we are also um competitive in the talent that we currently have. Um you know, keep them in district as well, especially with some of these levels of expertise that we currently have. Um one other factor was a cost share increase that was also negotiated in year one. um that's 0% but that goes up by 0.25% in year two.25 in year three and 0.25 in year four. So it's a 20% um by the end of the contract. Um so those are kind of some
143of the basics around it. the other language uh in the contract. Um any new language just included um as well a a contribution per each member um of $1,500 and then an option for sick time should the administrator have that um be able to use unac unaccumulated sick days um uh for costs of health insurance which kind of put them in par with some of our other administrative contracts as well. Um so bringing this group um sort of up to speed with NASA and some of our other groups that we have um as well. Um so it's just kind of a basic summary of some of the negotiations that took place and what we ended up with um with the final contract. >> Thank you. Is there any are there any questions for Mr. Das?
144>> Okay, Mr. afternoon. >> Dan, I know it's dumped on to you, but my question is, you know, we're we're having an upheaval in this town right now over the tax base and the increases and everything else. And I and I and I am a union member. I I I'm I I can't buy into a 4% for four years, 16% with the current fiscal situation in this town. Um I just I just can't justify it. I I I think it's president setting. It's dangerous. We have other contracts coming up in this year with other bargaining units and I feel that I know it's an in it's really not a significant amount of money for those listening and there probably hundreds of them at this point but I just can't go with it. 16% over four
145years is too much. Just my question. Um, so when was when was this negotiated? >> Uh, September October the negotiations happened >> and it says so our f it's the just so I know who we're talking about because I know it's on the back. It's assistant business manager, director of residency and security, director of food s and food and nutrition services and director of IT. Is there one more or is there >> um my microphone stops working? Uh Mr. Barnes does get the same pay schedule though he's not in that union. Okay. So that's >> four plus one. >> So So it's a very very small bargaining unit. >> Okay. Yeah. >> And just asking our teachers were getting four in the last negotiation. >> Okay. And admin was getting >> that's coming before the
146board in a subsequent meeting. Um and that's a whole different set of circumstances. So that that'll be at our next meeting >> on that. Okay. >> And I think state employees are a two and a half plus a 2% cola. That's a 4.25. Is there other districts that have these similar positions that have >> and that would be >> Yeah, part of the negotiating process is looking at compar comparables from other districts. We usually would do that for >> Do we have like where we are? I know Mr. FY has usually done the one where we do like the salary ranges like where we are in comparison to our district. Do we have I just know sometimes other districts don't have maybe like a director of food and nutrition services like the the same the
147compromise >> right some districts have you know Sedexo that um and some districts have Dco and other bus companies so I would say that most school systems have a director of security uh most school systems have a director of IT and most school systems of any other than very small school systems have an assistant uh business manager. So those three positions are very typical. The other two are because we run our own operations. >> sorry, apologies. And just the the minimum maximum salary is that I know Mr. Frisy sometimes gives us that as well or had given us sorry Mr. D is going to provide those um of like min and max where we are with usually it's like where our step is for teachers or it's comparable with that way. Was that part of
148>> I don't know if we have it handy tonight. I do know that when we negotiate these contracts and again it was very small. It was Mr. Morgan who's the head of the union and Mr. Fari. >> Um but those are taken into consideration the comps. Um if that would help the board with any type of decision-m we could look to see where those are, but I can I'm very confident that they fell within the range of our neighbors. again for the three positions that are most relevant to uh any neighboring districts that would have those positions >> and page 19 of the contract has the minimum maximums if you want to >> Yeah. No, I just was wondering where those maximums were in other districts like we usually have, you know what I'm saying?
149Yeah. Okay. Um sometimes we get that for the teacher ones or kind of where we fall minax for principal for >> Yeah. >> teacher step one those kinds of things. um was just curious on that. >> Yeah, we have them for the instructional administrators, but um I'll we can try to go back and see >> just given like the positions. I didn't know if that was even a thing. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um and then just last question, was it like is there a deadline to approve this contract >> before July 1st? >> Yeah, >> Mr. Chararma. >> Right. So, this was negotiated by Mr. from Greasy right before he left. So, what's the what's the increase for the 092s for the other ad? supposed to increase per year. And then for the teacher contract,
150is it 3% or 4%. >> So the NASA contract, the 092, that's going to be for a future, >> correct? >> Meeting that we'll look at. >> It's still being finalized. >> And the NTA, I think I heard was at 4%. >> Stat 4%. All right. >> They'll be going back on the bargaining table next year. So that's a very large bargaining process where members of the board and the town council have opportunity to participate. >> I mean they did look at different districts that are around this and then you know >> Yeah. Part of any competive process would be to look at the comparables from Yeah. >> All right. And to be honest, I think that the the money that we saved by not having a whole like legal negotiation process is covering the
151these increases for these salaries. We saved a ton of money by not going through that um with lawyers and all of that. So, that basically paid for itself. And we also consult with our attorneys just they read through the final version of it because of making sure the contract language is appropriate and they give us guidance on you know if this were to be rejected and it goes to arbitration what are your chances of winning and um that plays into these decisions because if they say sorry the going rate right now is 4% go ahead and fight it but it will likely not be a winner. Um I can verify that that is the conversation that occurred but I'm reasonably confident it is. That certainly is the conversation that will occur when we negotiate teachers
152and administ and the outcomes of the administrative contract that the board will hear about very soon. So um it really is about what is the going rate and educational salaries at this time comparing um similarly situated school systems. Um, so those are all the factors that go into play >> and the due diligence was done to to look at the surrounding districts and pay scales and all of that and we were under >> um I would recommend moving forward. Um, I don't think it's appropriate to base a contract negotiation or a approval on a current in progress budget discussion because that has nothing to do with the services that the um these people or this union is providing. I just don't think that is an appropriate um uh reason, I guess. Um, but I do
153know that due diligence was done for this and um, I recommend it. But if we want to get more information, that's also appropriate. So, I will let others weigh in or entertain a motion. >> Dr. Stanley. >> Well, I'm just curious like we can't we don't live in a vacuum and we have to consider all of the data that we have including the pressure with our community and I think you know we are doing a real disservice if we don't take their considerations and and how the reval and and what's going on and what are the standard uh cost of living adjustments for other state employees. I don't think we can just negate everything that's been happening for the last 2 months and say we live in a void and we appreciate um everything that
154they do and so 4% we can just carry on because this will continue to be a problem for our town if we have these in incredible people get huge increases every year. Um this is not happening where I work. We don't get these standard in increases and these are nurses. These are doctors that are working. So, um, everybody works hard, everybody deserves, um, but there's only a limited amount of resources. >> Okay. So, let's get questions for Mr. Das to come back on. Go ahead, Miss Weaver. >> Yeah, I would just be curious what our odds are in arbitration because at that point then we're just going to spend the legal fees doing that. Like that's the costbenefit analysis, right? This was negotiated by the union. So, you know, I I think obviously >> and
155Mr. Freeze that it was Mr. Um, but saying like, okay, if it's standard, then it's going to go. I mean, for me, just like as a state worker, we're getting the two% and 2 and 1.5% cola and the 2% subre. So, this is less than 4 and a half%. I'm not saying that's the right thing or not thing. I didn't negotiate it. Um, but it's one of those things I think like the biggest thing is if it's going to go to arbitration and we're going to spend all that money, um, I don't want the board's money being spent on legal fees to do that. That would be just my opinion. So, I'd be curious uh the answer on that before voting. >> Was that that was one question. Was there I also heard a few
156other questions. Is that anything else that you want us to look at or bring back? the arbitrary >> my minmax thing of the others comparables the comparables. >> Yeah, the comparables. Yeah. Yeah. And then if you do have like just so everyone can see the comparables for the increases too if they've negotiated recently. >> Okay. >> Any other questions that we want answered for next time? Okay. Thank you. All right. The next is board policy. Miss Weaver. So fun, guys. I don't know who's any more excited, >> me or the clock. Um, okay. I'm kind of tired. All right. So, um, the first one we'll present is um for for a vote, but um the other ones are just for for discussion and first look. Um although one has has come before but um for
157the first one for the 3000 policy um this is 3205 the nonprofit school and food service account. So this one was created I think we'll be probably one of the first districts in the state to have this policy if we are the first district. Um so this has gone through um multiple revisions been presented a couple times here. Also gone back to um Dana Marovix. Um so thank to Mr. and and Miss Marovitz for going back and forth and that it also has been looked at by the state department of education folks um who do the nutrition side of the evaluations. So um what we did was really just simplify this um I know we had some about procurement on like certain levels and and certain dollar amounts and those kinds of things. It's all
158really in with the byamerican provision acts and we link that so anytime it updates it will update with that. So, this should be a little bit easier in terms of trying to or needing any kind of massaging as the years go on. Um, so this was approved by I think everyone that needed to approve it. If anyone has any questions, otherwise I would encourage passage. We do have to get this through before April 30th. So, speak now forever. Hold your peace. I guess >> make the motion. >> I got to make the motion. Sean, you want to make a motion? >> Sure. >> I move that the Newington Board of Education approve uh board policy 3205 um regarding nonprofit school food service account procurement standards. Second. >> Thank you. We have a motion in a
159second. Is there any discussion? All right, we'll vote on approving policy 3205. Roll call vote, please. >> Mary Beus, >> yes. >> Sean Hollerin, >> yes. >> Marissa Lindsay, >> yes. >> Timothy Newton, >> yes. >> Amy Paratt, >> yes. >> Brian Ska, >> yes. >> Sam Sharma, >> yes. >> Dr. Gail Stanley, >> yes. >> Jessica Weaver, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. on. Thank you guys. >> We'll let Miss Maravix know. >> She'll be so happy. Thank you again to her and her team and Mr. D for going through that. And so the next ones are not for a vote. So um we will just kind of breeze through these. Um and again always feel free to reach out. So um the first one 9:30 board staff communications and relations. This one um
160we we changed it because it wasn't even labeled correctly. Um it was commitment to democratic principles in relation to community staffs. There's a lot here guys. Um so anything in yellow is an addition. Anything struck is struck. Um what we did was really just try and make I think this more legible and understandable and try and get at the essence of what this policy was about. So um this is really if board is interacting with staff members um not if um and what it had was also addressing like if staff came to board meetings and what they're allowed to say or not say um and then it had cited incorrect policies on complaints and grievances just not even correct references at all. So, we cut all of that. Um, and what we really wanted to
161note, too, is a lot of this, um, I think the last sentence really hits at it is while the board recognizes the necessity for board and staff communications, the superintendent of schools is responsible for communication regarding all administrative matters. So, um, just trying to make clear kind of where that, yes, chain of command, but also where um, information flows through. And if we keep go scrolling down, so staff communications to board, board communications to staff. Um again it it just had very bad references. Um we did keep visit to schools in case anyone that didn't change. And then we didn't like the word problems. It implied a negative connotation. We changed that to matters. >> That was really it questions. We can go to the next one. >> I guess like what's the board? >>
162What's the point of it? man. Well, like number two, like board communication to staff includes policy updates. So like that's basically like via the website cuz we're not like directly >> correct >> communicating to should it say like I know in the first paragraph it said like through like through the superintendent of schools but like you know what I'm like it >> it implies that we're hiring personnel actions like we don't do that. >> Yep. We thought about this one too. So this one is a also revisit. So I think it was also a if you have any comments or anything. Yeah, we can massage the one. It was going back anyway to this one uh to the to policy. >> But it was more of like >> if we make public statements. So that
163reference there was like as a board that's our interaction with staff. We spent a lot of time on that one of not knowing to. So, if you have more info on that one, we'll take it. It's a cave one from like 2001. I don't know. >> Sometimes we have to Yeah. >> The first paragraph. Yeah, that's fine. All right. Next do another 9,000. All right. This is a fun like switcheroo thing. Um, so we'll we'll move back and forth, but we moved language from this section one, the highlighted in green to the next policy. And this policy is going to get removed because it says the same exact thing basically as the other policy. We felt it was very duplicative. So this is function uh officers and functions of the officers basically says the same
164thing as 9121. So we felt there could be some consolidation. So we'll go to the next one too. It doesn't lose any of the essence of this volume. Yeah. So, the next one is 9121. And we'll also re number all of these so they're not confusing. There will be no wait. >> Is it not on there? >> 94. >> Yeah, it might be 94 9140. Yeah, some of them we were already starting to change the Sorry, the numbers. There we go. Um, so this had to do with election officers. Then it talked about the chair person, talked about all of the officer positions. So essentially what it was talking about in the last one. Um so again it was just kind of duplicative. So um we just literally there's the paragraph. So um most of
165these are up to date. We just changed some um the nomenclature there, but that was pretty much it. So it doesn't change any of our rules and functions. This is all set in stone by state statute. So, it's reflective of state statute. It is current and up to date um in terms of duties, but just felt like why have two policies when it's the same. >> 45, >> the attorney part of the board. Um, this one we're pretty good with. Yeah. So, scroll down. I don't think we made many changes. We just literally changed language standing committees. Um so this one is just if we keep scrolling down a lot of it we were good with um I think a lot of it is just that it will flow better from the other one which
166we have on like all committees um which we're still going to consult with the other committees. We have to consult with each cheer chair of the functions of each of the standing committees but this is really just um what is the construct of standing committees. So they follow the provisions of FOYA and that kind of stuff. Um and just know kind of what we're allowed to do and not do depending on what the committee is. Um but all sitting committees are subject to the same structure. >> The only thing I saw here is that um it says each committee may make a report through its chairperson at each regular meeting like um I know it says May so like if is that like >> it can be done because typically it's only one meeting a
167month. So like >> yeah if we want we can change it to at a regular board meeting of the board. >> We just yeah I was going to say may make made it so that if we want we can like the opportunity is there the way I would read it is like each committee may make a report through it chairperson at any regular board meeting >> just so they have maybe any each instead instead of implying that it's every Yeah. We're happy to change take that back. >> Yeah, maybe we need like a quarterly or put some sort of time limit uh on it like they should make um a report regularly at any >> meeting. We'll massage it. >> Mr. Hollerin just reflect what the current practices >> like each committee may will make
168a report through its chairperson at the next scheduled board meeting where the >> can be I just don't want to like sometimes things come up we don't have like a report set I just didn't want to like >> a current practice is once a month yeah >> if needed >> I like the may make a report too because sometimes there's if there's nothing to report I don't want that to be conceived >> it's not a report even though that is a report nothing to report but duly noted. Okay. And again if you have anything to feel free to email us. Um so we moved this one as well to a different policy because um it is under the election of members and under the election of members policy 9070 it literally states the qualifications of
169members. So again just a bit repetitive. So, we combined it and that's where we put it. Um, so that was pretty easy. It was a copy and paste completely. Um, the one thing we did want to note too, if we keep scrolling down, we had a long conversation about our student members of boards of education. Um, they are non- voting members. Um we didn't know how we wanted to um put this in but if we keep scrolling up actually just the the student board of ed member one we wanted to discuss I believe they're elected by so we wanted to be um clear about like the policy of how we wanted to do this. So we would ask superintendent for input as well as others if we wanted to reflect current practice or if we
170wanted a broad language on that kind of um thing. So, we wanted to just see the full board and if people had preferences on how we did it because I know that is not the current practice, but I know it's through student council. >> It is and it's we talked about it tonight before the board me started. So, they nominate >> Yep. >> each other and they vote. Yep. >> So, it's all student council driven >> and if we wanted to keep it in there and if that pol if that was looking to change at any point in time, but um we figured that would be it. But we just wanted to let people know if it does change like we will reflect current practice. So >> yes, I have >> just wanted to let
171board me. >> Yep. >> Mr. Hollerin, >> if we could just go up to the section that was copied and paste from the previous policy. >> Can we just change the second sentence from he dash she to they? >> Yep. >> Just for consistency. >> Sometimes it might not copy over the >> as long as they're all consistent. >> Strike through. Yep. And the last sentence is hard. >> Okay. All right. Any questions on any of these? As always, you can email the policy committee if you have anything else and their next committee meeting may not change. >> Yeah, we'll work on that and we'll be posted and we'll just keep just for full sake, full transparency, really trying to make it through all of the policies. Um, this is a lot of work to
172try and like get through all of them. Um, we've gone through 1,00 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 series, 7,000 series. There's no 8,000 series. The biggest chunk will be the 5,000 and 6,000. Those are the instructional ones. Um, so those will be a lot, but um, >> you have one year. >> Literally, the goal is to to keep going through. Um, so we welcome any and all input. 9,000 series I'm hoping to be done in the next month or so. Um but yeah, just wanted to keep everyone a breast that all of these policies are 20 plus years old. So, >> thank you. And that brings us back to public participation on any matter related to board responsibilities. If you're in the room, you can come to the head of the table. And if you're online, you
173can raise your hand to be recognized. Miss >> Hello again. I just wanted to um after seeing your calendar for the 26 27 school year, I see in January the professional learning day is on the same week as three kings day. I just want to urge you to like look at that again um and take that into consideration especially with kids um who you know get off track or whatnot with inconsistencies and schedules. um having a child that deals with that now um I see what a struggle it is not only for parents but also when I'm in the school volunteering um how much teachers have to deal with um when there's you know a day of school here the next day is a half day then they go to school and then they're off
174another day um so I just want to ask you to look into that um specifically when it comes to PL days falling on the week as a holiday. >> Thank you, Miss Havens. >> Are you on mute, Miss Havens? Uh, >> I'm so sorry. I had the hardest time getting my phone to make that button pop up. Um, Dana Havens 113 Stoddard. Um, did I hear correctly? Was it stated that we are mandated to follow or meet contracts of other districts? I don't ever remember hearing that in past discussions on on uh contracts. As a matter of fact, I remember there was a year admins agreed to forego their increases due to budgeting constraints. And I think it's equivalent to living in our own little bubble for the chair to have suggested the board to
175essentially disregard the town budget scenario that's happening right now since these contracts have a direct impact on the budget during the period that we're in. And um would also um this would like set precedent for other unions for the contracts are going to be up for negotiation next is say well hey these guys got 4% we should get 4%. And God knows what position we'll be in next year. Hopefully way better once everybody pays their taxes. But we don't know. All right. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> And please unmute me because I probably can't find the button. Thanks. All right, that brings us to remarks by board members. Miss Petus, >> I actually just actually have a question. Um, regarding the contract again, the I just I'm curious if the insurance contributions, the deductibles and
176stuff, it has that changed from what we see here? In other words, are um are employees having to contribute more to their health insurance or is it the same as the last one or is it less? >> Any other remarks by board members? We can just add that to the list for the discussion next. We'll just add that to the list for discussion next time. Yeah. describes that increase. >> Miss Weaver, just want to say congratulations again at the top of the meeting. Really um wonderful to always see our shining examples of our staff. Um and once again, great production of Anastasia. Always wonderful to see the talent that we have in our school system. Um and I uh just want to say thank you to everyone continuing on the budget process. I know this
177is hard work. Um, and I think it's one of the things that it's really important. We obviously, I think on the board side, we're very aligned on this budget. And I want to say we should keep advocating for the things that we care about. Um, you know, parent educator benefits, um, buses that we need, but the things that, um, I think are important to our school district. So, um, just want to say though, thank you to all who are continuing to, um, do the work to try and find something that is mindful of the incredibly difficult economic situation that we are in with the revaluations, but also knowing that the needs don't stop, particularly when we have um, difficult funding models from different levels of government. So, just want to say thank you again for
178that. And we will readjust, we will update our policy ones so that full participation can be had in both the amazing curriculum and policy committees. Um, I do just want Oh, do you have I do just want to um make uh just a comment on um Miss Mo's um comment that she just made. Sorry, it's been a long day. Um we when we were looking at the days for PL days, we we did take into consideration um trying not to have um things like a a holiday and then a PL day or um a PL day and then a holiday. But the um I think specifically for that one, we knew that it was going to be a day off and potentially a celebration for people or for um for Three Kings Day. and knowing
179that it was already like coming back into the the school year from break the beginning of the year from break having another um PL day that next week would elim there there was another comment I'm sorry there was another comment from a member of the public and we've heard a lot that the full weeks of school not having um so many full weeks of school so that that specific decision was knowing that it was like going into a holiday having a half day into a holiday made more sense than having um another week of school where there was a half a day and not a full week of school. So there there is consideration made. Um obviously again every every single decision there's so much as Dr. Brema went into earlier there's so many things
180that go into it and um we're not claiming that everything's perfect but there there was a lot of consideration. So definitely um hearing members of the public speak is helpful so that we can take that into consideration as well. and um learn from from everything that goes on. Um Dr. Brem. Yeah, go ahead. >> Just two quick things. Um this little box of goodies is from the Habib family. >> Uh they dropped it by um for the board as a a gra gift of gratitude for the holidays that have been um honored in the district. So >> grab some on your way home. They're quite tasty. They sent a little sample to the board to uh board of ed office upstairs. And I just want to thank Sally. She was a sub uh board clerk
181tonight. It found out about noon today that Deb was not well enough to come back to work. And I thought she did a fabulous job. So thank you Sally. >> Thank you Sally for coming in. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> We have a motion and second. Is there any discussion? Uh all in favor >> I >> any oppose meeting turn 931