NPS BOE Meeting - (4/23/2025)

001I'd like to call this meeting of the Newington Board of Education to order for Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025. The time is now 700 p.m. Please rise 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. And before we sit, um I just would like to um take a moment of silence to recognize two members of the NPS family who have recently passed away. um senior Gabrielle Defo and a longtime IT um employee Mike Lee Michael Lee. Um so moment of silence. Thank you. Would you please call the role? Mary here. Britney Car here. Sean Holler here. Here. Timothy Newton here. Amy Paratt here. Sam Weaver here. Here. I don't

002if they can hear me. We got you, Anesthesia. Thank you. Okay. start off with our awards and proclamations. First, we have our everyday hero. I'll pass over to Dr. Bromett. Alrighty, everyday hero. Do we have Peter Cornichuk in the room? All right. Welcome, Peter. Let's tell everybody why you are getting this award. And I also have a video that I'm going to show. But um last December, the last day before Christmas break, uh Peter helped us avoid what could have been a significant tragedy for the school system. He had because he followed all the safety procedures by scanning his mirrors and his his um the time, you know, looking around at the street when there's a bus stop sign on. He saved a student, a student and her family from potentially being hit by a

003car when a passer a car passed by and blew through the flashing red lights and the stop sign that was up on the bus. Um, you know, it it when you when I show you the video, I think you'll understand the intensity of of these on the spot decisions you have to make and following the training. But there is no doubt in our mind that Peter saved the life of this child and and and her father who was walking with her uh from the bus stop. So um Mr. When Mr. Dean let me know about this, it seemed like an appropriate more than an appropriate everyday hero award. But let me see if I can show you the video. We did a trial run. I'm hoping it works. Um, okay. Where did you go? Video.

004Sorry, it's buffering. All right. I'm hoping this works. It's not doing audio, but I'll narrate. You can see the school bus flashing signs come up. The bus driver's uh watching the kids get off the bus and the bus driver sees that there's a car coming and he you can see that go right through and he blared his horn and because of that the dad and the child did not cross the street because of the blaring of the horn. So that was a lifesaving intervention by Mr. Cornichuk. So is my distinct pleasure to award Mr. Cornichuk the Everyday Hero Award. Come on up. And uh would you like to say a few words? [Music] But we have more words to say for you. Uh we are pleased to rep uh welcome Representative Gary Turo who's here

005tonight to present you with a citation from the state legislature in honor of this amazing life-saving thing that you did. Representative Turko, we got Senator Leser on the line as well. Yes. And and Peter, Senator Leser is in a finance or he's in in in a important meeting right now, but he he called me a few minutes ago to say he wanted to be here to congratulate you and to thank you. So he's that little little picture on the top of the uh giant monitor here, but Senator Leser, please wave hi. Yes, Peter, thank thank you for all that you've done. That is a small act, but a huge act. And uh you know there's an expression he who saves one life saves the world entire. You have uh done such a great thing and

006you know it's these ordinary acts uh people living their lives that really bring us together as a society and so um I'm glad represent Turo can be there in person. Just very grateful for what you've done uh in your community and uh thank you. Thank you. Thank you Senator Leser and Peter. It been 14 years that you've been a bus driver for the town of Newington. Yes. Yeah. That's wow. And I think we have some other bus drivers that came here today to support you. Can you raise your hand if you're also a bus driver here? Thank you. You know, thank you Dr. Brahmitt Chair Paratti for allowing me uh to be and the rest of the board of education allowing me to be here uh to congratulate uh Peter. Uh Peter, you you you

007may agree with this. I mean we this board of education does such an amazing job of providing uh lots of resources to our schools to ensure that our children have the best education possible. Uh but they can't learn in school if they can't get to school, right? And bus drivers are such an important part of that. getting the children to school, getting children home from school and doing so safely. And you showed uh with what you did that day uh where the you know that family that could have been a tragic accident uh but you used uh your skill, your passion for the job, the the safety for the the family that is part of your responsibility in that job. Uh you took that very seriously and you made sure the family was aware of

008an oncoming danger. So, we thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts, for our entire community here in Newington, for all of our our our children, uh, for what you did on that day and setting the example, uh, for the town, uh, for looking out for one another, cuz that's what you did. You literally looked out uh, you alerted the family. So, thank you so much, Peter. And I have this uh you've been awarded by the town uh the board of education here. And this is an official citation from the state of Connecticut that I want to present to you uh Peter. So it's um from the general assembly. It's introduced by myself, Gary Turo, Representative Kate Ferrar, unfortunately couldn't be here today, and Senator Matt Leser who is here with us. Uh,

009be it hereby known to all, the Connecticut General Assembly hereby offers its sincerest congratulations to Peter Cornichuk in recognition of your 14 years of exceptional service as a school bus driver. We honor your unwavering commitment to student safety. And on December 20th, 2024th, your quick thinking and safety uh prevented a tragedy when you alerted a student and a parent about a passing vehicle ignoring the bus stop sign. Uh your constant dedication, your care for the families of Newington set the highest standards of safety. You've left an unforgettable impact and we are deeply grateful for your service and and of course we're thanking you for that one day. Uh, but I'm sure throughout those 14 years you did a lot of things to keep children and families safe. Uh, and that you, you know, just driving

010them every day to school, ensuring they got there safely. I mean, the entire 14 years is what we're really congratulating for you today. And, uh, the entire membership of the General Assembly extends its very best wishes on this memorable occasion and expresses the hope for continued success. and it's signed by the president of the senate, the speaker of the house, the secretary of state, and it has the official Connecticut state steel. So, I'll give this to Amy so I can shake your hand. All right. Now, Peter, I think you want to say a couple words, right? You ready now? [Laughter] All I'd like to say is once a child gets on a school bus, all bus drivers take it upon themselves as they are their children once they get on. That's all I'm going to

011say. I'll just quickly open that this up for board comments. Mr. Hollerin. Uh, so I do have to speak on this one. Um, number one, people not paying attention to the stop signs on school buses is a big problem. That could have been a half a second away from a tragedy. But on a more personal note, Peter and I used to say good morning every day. He used to pick my daughter up page for school. And um, I always felt safe with Peter behind the wheel and in the care of my children. The kids couldn't say enough about him. Uh, Peter, you're retiring this year, right? Or you're retired. Uh, happy retirement. I did retire. I miss you in the morning. I do. Um, you should just wave and say hi, get my kids on

012the bus. But Peter, this is exactly why I made an effort to say good morning to you every day because it was my little way of expressing my gratitude for taking the well-being of my child in your care. Thank you very much. Mr. Newton, I can attest to what Peter goes through because I also work for the town as most people know here and it is a daily fight. My bus drivers take that in corner. People don't stop for them. Their lights are out. It's people are just too much in a hurry today. And to have somebody stop and know that they the child was in danger. I see it daily and we have to pay attention. Thank you, Miss Beatric. Thank you so much for all you do every day. Our children are a

013precious cargo, and we know that our children are your precious cargo. And I can't thank you enough for your love, your support, but most of all, your commitment to their safety. You're the first person they see every morning and the last person they see when they get off. and as a parent um to know that our kids are in such good hands makes all the difference in the world. So, thank you Peter. I don't think we're ever going to be able to thank you enough. I don't think there's enough awards to give you for what you did. It was courageous. It was incredible and it means a lot and your dedication to the town. So, thank you, Mr. Meow. Obviously, Peter deserves that praise and everything, but I'd like to re Well, I don't know

014where the rest of the bus drivers that were here because I think that I think that every single one of them um I'm certain has been in Peter's place and uh I mean I'm older than most of them. Well, maybe not Peter, I don't know. But but I but I remember I do remember when I was younger how feeling safe with uh Mr. Charlie that was my bus driver. So and thank you. Thank you very much. That's all. Miss I just want to say I know the family is here. Um and just want to say I'm so glad you are here. Um and I want to just say thank you. Um, I think as was said, we can't they say thank you enough. This is where we call our little I call our little love

015fest because everyone I think deserves their flowers even if they are reluctant to take them. Um, you're my favorite kind of retiree. Keep coming back. We love that. But, um, I think one of the things that's so powerful about that that video is just how everything can change in a second. I think we've experienced a lot in this week. Um, and it's really been a lesson and a reminder this week. And so I think it hits home a lot. Um, just with what we're dealing with as a as a MPS community. Um, and truly you are that first first line of defense. And so I think this is even more than an everyday hero. This is like extreme hero. We have to like rename a special word. Um, because truly you are life- saving. And

016I think you know we talk of we have bus driver appreciation day and Mr. Mr. Barnes knows we appreciate all of you. Even if you left, we love you. Um, but I think one of the things that's so important is it truly is one of the things that we sometimes I think take for granted. And I am so so thankful for what you have done, not just on that day, but every single day on our streets. Um, because every time I see one of our buses go by, I just feel so at ease knowing that there are people like you that are driving our Newington public schools buses. And thank you to everyone who came to support too. It's clear that uh not only are you a great person and a great bus driver, but

017you have a great community around and I think you're a great reflection of what all of our citizens of Newington should be. So, thank you. And Dr. Brahma has a fun fact to share. Yeah. as a postcript. Um, thanks to our bus cameras, the driver was found and received a f $495 fine and two points on his license. So, uh, justice was served and thankfully our children were safe. Thank you. Congratulations. You can go back to retirement. That was a lot. Yes. So, there's still a lot more love to go around. Yeah, Holly's here. Okay. So, we have a resolution honoring our Newington teachers. I will read it into the record. Resolution honoring Newington teachers, May 6, 2025. Whereas May 6, 2025 has been proclaimed as Newington Teacher Appreciation Day. And whereas the Newington public

018school system is committed to honoring its teachers and recognizing their contributions to the educational system. And whereas the Newington public school teachers are wellqualified, very dedicated, and responsible for the shaping of minds of future citizens. And whereas the Newington public school teachers provide instructional opportunities that help prepare the students for the demands of the changing workplace environment. And whereas the Newington public school teachers help students understand the democratic principles that build this nation and how those foundations of freedom are serving as hope for people around the world. And whereas the commitment of the Newington public school teachers to providing the best education possible for their students is exemplary and is it is the desire of the board of education that teachers should be made aware of their appreciation. Therefore, we do hereby proclaim Tuesday, May

0196, 2025 as Newington Teacher Appreciation Day. Be it resolved that we urge all citizens of our community to join with us in actively expressing gratitude to Newington teachers who represent an investment in excellence in our community. Be it further resolved that the secretary of the Newington Board of Education is directed to spread this resolution upon the minutes of this meeting and to provide a suitable copy to the president of the Newington Teachers Association who is here in this room and you may come up. Congratulations. Thank you. Would you like to say anything? Um Um so just uh on behalf of the Newington Teachers Association and the the teachers um in district, we just want to thank the board of education for their support. we are able to do the work that we do in our

020classrooms because you take care of the business of the the district and make certain that we have the tools that we need in order to um support our students in in becoming um future board of education members, right? Future teachers, whatever that their heart is set on. So, we thank you as well. Um, I'm going to just we'll do the next two and then we can open up for for comments. Miss Weaver, would you like to read one? You know, I would love to. I know there's a lot. How do they get longer every year? They're not long enough, though. All right. So, this is I'll be reading the resolution honoring our school nurses. Whereas May 6, 2025 has proclaimed as Newington School Nurses Day. And whereas Newington school nurses help to foster a healthy,

021nurturing community in which our children can learn and grow. And whereas Newington school nurses are the first and sometimes the only line of defense against the illnesses and conditions our students face, making their contribution to education and welfare of the student population invaluable. And whereas Newington school nurses by nature of their profession are called upon to take on roles beyond that of a health provider acting as teacher, confidant, mentor, and friend to students of Newington. And whereas Newington school nurses are dedicated to the success and wellness of Newington's future generations. Therefore, we do hereby proclaim May 6, 2025 as Newington School Nurses Day. Be it resolved that we urge all of the citizens of our community to join with us in actively expressing our gratitude to all Newington school nurses. And be it further resolved

022that the secretary of the Newington Board of Education is directed to spread this resolution upon the minutes of this meeting and provide a suitable copy for presentation. Thank you. And u ironically the head of school nursing would be here tonight but she is ill. So sad probably you know caught it from a student perhaps. And I don't believe we have any nurses on the line. I'm looking. No, I do not see any nurses on the line, but we I'm on the line to to accept on their behalf if that's okay. Of course. Hi everybody. Thank you again for the recognition for our school nurses. We um again talk about everyday heroes. I don't know where we would be without our school nurses. They are going above and beyond every day. Um they were definitely our

023heroes during co Um, and they continue to just amaze us and we are so lucky in Newington to have the best of the best. So, I'm glad to be here tonight to accept this on their behalf. Thank you. All right. And then our last but not least resolution is for our instructional support staff. Resolution honoring Newington instructional support staff May 6, 2025. Whereas Tuesday, May 6, 2025 has been so it's not May 6, I just realized that has been a day has been proclaimed as Newington instructional support staff appreciation day. And whereas the Newington public school system is committed to honoring its instructional support staff and recognizing their contributions to the educational system. And whereas the Newington public school instructional support staff are wellqualified, very dedicated, and maintain a close working relationship with students, school

024staff, and parents. And whereas the Newington public school instructional support staff provide assistance, direction, and guidance to students under the direction of the special education and regular education teachers. And whereas the Newington public school instructional support staff reinforce skills, assist students in completing work, using technology, organizing and assisting with physical needs and personal care. And whereas the Newington public school instructional support staff contribute to the success of the entire school system and are always willing to go above and beyond their duties. Therefore, we do hereby proclaim Tuesday, May 6, 2025 as Newington Instructional Support Staff Day. Be it resolved that we urge all the citizens of our community to join with us in actively expressing gratitude to Newington instructional support staff who represent an investment in excellence in our community. Be it further resolved that

025the secretary of the Newington Board of Education is directed to spread this resolution upon the minutes of this meeting and to provide a suitable copy for presentation. And we have Telicia Foy here, director of human resources to accept this work. She works closely with the Paris. Al, are you here too? Thank you. Thank you everyone. Um this is such a great honor. So on behalf of all of the instructional staff of Newington public schools, I accept this with great appreciation. Um our instructional staff, as you all know, and as it has been proclaimed already, are an amazing group of individuals. They wear many hats. They are a lot of times supporting the teachers in the classroom. They may be a counselor considered a counselor for student needs, someone to talk to. They do everything they

026can to make sure every student's individual needs are met. Um they do the tireless work. They are the backbone of the work we do the work we do and a lot of time their jobs include the thankless work. So again on behalf of our instructional support staff, this is greatly appreciated. um will ensure that they are also made aware that this honor has been presented to them because they're a greatly um committed group. Um they are deeply knowledgeable um and their expertise is um bar none. So thank you very much for this honor. Um and uh we will ensure that the instructional staff knows how much they are appreciated. Thank you. And we we do have Alex Huslin here, assistant director of special ed, who works closely with PARS, and Marilina Dulioso, director of special

027education, also works very closely with PAR professionals. So, I don't know if they want to say anything. Tisha did a fabulous job, but we too in our day-to-day interactions will make sure to uh remind our paras what a phenomenal job that they do every day. Thank you. Um, excuse me. Being someone I'm going to get emotional now. Being someone who works very closely with the PAR um, educators at the elementary level, um, I see how they are really the backbone of everything that we do. And they sometimes go unnoticed because their magic is really um, something that you have to see to believe. And the kids are the ones who are growing. Um, and they're the proof of they're the proof of the talent that not only our teachers and our special education um staff

028has, but that the time and effort we put into who we hire to work with our children pays off. Um, so please when you see any of our staff, not just our instructional staff or the folks that we've acknowledged today, anyone who works in Newington, please acknowledge them because the time, the effort, the energy they put towards the students is um just unparallel to any other district I've ever worked in. And I'm so glad that I'm here. So, thank you everybody. Okay, I will open up to board comments. Miss Beatric, thank you. This is a big thank you to everybody. It's like a blank a blanket thank you because you all impact our students in such meaningful ways and each way that um you reach our students is super super super important. Um when it

029comes to our teachers, I think I don't need to tell anybody in this room, it's a calling. It's something you're born with. It is the hardest job, but it's the most meaningful job and the most impactful job. The time you spend with our students gets gives them the skills to be not just successful after school is done, but the the types of of good citizens that we need. And there's nothing more exciting um at the end of the summer when parents are starting to cry a little bit when all the talk is about who'd you get, who'd you get, who's your teacher? These kids are excited not just to start um a new chapter in their education, but to have that special kind of relationship with not just the teachers, but our paras and everybody

030in the in the classroom who's there to teach them. The um the impact can't be stated enough, especially during difficult times. And so we know in this room how uh challenging the job can be. And so your commitment and dedication means even that much more. So thank you. Mr. Hollerin. Um, I think starting with the teachers, uh, I don't know if I can truly express how thankful I am to the job teachers have to do. It's a balancing act. while walking a tight rope while spinning plates while wearing a blindfold. You're trying to navigate curriculum and balance the social emotional needs of every student and keeping them safe and dealing with the ins and outs of the administration, dealing with parents, all while making sure this student, this individual student has the best chance to

031realize their full potential. Um, and I think that that is I don't want to say it's a thankless job because we're trying to thank you now, but it's a thank efficient job. They don't get thanked enough. um a a truly deep appreciation and it's interesting the impact you can have. I've talked to people in their 60s and 70s that'll tell me about that one teacher that they had. You might not know it in the moment, but you are literally changing lives. Tough part about that is you don't know when and you don't ever always know who. Um but it makes a huge difference for school nurses. Uh it is a a job where you have to think with your head but you have to lead with your heart. Um you have to think about every

032possibility that can come into that nurs's office. Uh you have to think about the best needs of the child, the needs of the safety of the whole school. Um I think the whole nursing staff does an exceptional job, but in particular I like to call out nurse Karen from Ruth Chaffy because she is a saint. Um and she's so kind, proactive. I'm just blown away um with her ability and for our support staff, our parents and teachers. Thank you so much for meeting each student where they are. Um I think that's a difficult thing to recognize because every student just like every person is different. having somebody to get down to that level and do the work that they need to do to make sure that each and every student has the best chances to

033succeed not in despite of themselves but because of themselves. And I think that that um I've said it every time we've honored our our paras and tutors. Uh it is a almost quiet job um because the recognition of that effort happens with the student happens with the teacher but the pairs are invaluable to our Newington public school family and thank you very much is Beaver. Yeah, we're going to keep yapping and saying thank you again. Um but it can't be understated. I think one of the things uh as we see continued burnout, continued demands on our education system, attacks on our education system. Now is a critical time to just continue to uplift and in the entire time I've been on this board, it's always been um one of the things I been very happy,

034especially under Dr. Roma to talk about is is how much we we want to make sure our educators feel supported whether it's not only in the classroom but also the mental health of our educators. Um I think it is a calling as Miss Brit says but it is also a brutal job and it takes a village and my god this is the pillars of our village our nurses our support staff and our parents and our teachers. Um, and it's a village for every single child. And then you put 3,000 something students. That's a big village. Um, and I always, you know, talk about I wouldn't be who I am, but I think any one of us wouldn't be who we are without the educators that we had. And I often envy my cousins that are

035coming up in in Green right now. Um because I think Newington has progressed even more in the time since I've been. And um I have my Oscars list of my teachers and my nurses. Um and again, I don't think I'm getting an Oscar. I just I feel that everyone should be thanking their teachers and getting an Oscar um when they do. Um, but I think one of the things that's so important is is truly the impact um and the the changes we see that are happening right now and how we can best support our teachers, our paras, and our nurses. Um, these past 5 years, it's been 5 years since a lot of us were not in this room, not in any room, not in any classroom. And I don't think it um it can't

036be understated how much this world has changed and how much the education space has changed. Um, so thank you for getting us through because we can sit at this table and make a lot of financial decisions about all these things, but you're on the ground either in the virtual world here that we're now in this hybrid world and you're leading us through this. So, thank you to our nurses for keeping us healthy enough to stay to stay through this even if we are sick today. um to our paras for providing the essential support and I just want to shout out I know a couple of our everyday heroes this year have been paras um who have brought some incredible things. I think one of our more impactful one was one of our parents reading learning

037Braille alongside one of our our students. Um and then to our teachers just thank you so much. And I'll just end with my sister is about to graduate with her masters in teaching and I just know I couldn't have done what she's done in the past year and how she wants to touch every student and how there are so many things against teachers in this education system in other districts and across the country. And so, um, just thank you. Truly, it is, um, one of those things I am not strong enough to do, and I thank you for being strong enough to do that. So, thank you all. Miss Carr, I'll echo what everyone has said. Thank you so much. I don't think people realize it's not jobs that end at 5:00 p.m. It carries

038a lot of weight. When you go home, you're thinking about the students. You're thinking about the upcoming lessons. You're thinking about the conflicts that happen during the day. And it carries a lot of emotional weight. I see it in my sister who's a teacher. She's thinking about it 8:00 at night on the weekend. It's a constant go. So, thank you so much. Um, it means a lot to us. Just to keep it short. Yeah. Thank you. Um, thank you everyone. Obviously, we we would not be here if it weren't for our teachers and um you're there's a lot on your plate. So, it's great that you have the teachers have our um instructional support staff to be there right behind them and and really allow the teachers to focus on the curriculum and and what

039they need to do and and testing and all of that and the students are getting um what do you what do you said it the individualized support that they need, right? So, every student is an individual and and I love that you said that like just everyone needs something different and it's the support staff in the room and the teachers that are recognizing what they need. And then to our nurses, you know, my my daughter today, I don't feel good. I want to go home. Go see the nurse and she's like, she's not going to do anything. I was like, that's good. That's her that's her job. She's going to send you back to class because you're fine. So, you know, thanks you to the nurses who are are keeping our students healthy and and

040when they do need to go home, they they are sending the kids home, but when the kids need to be in school, they're they're keeping them in school. So, um definitely big thank you all around to to everybody in our schools. Yay. All right. So we are now at public participation on any matter related to board responsibilities. If you're in the room can come to the end of the table and um turn on the mic. Um if you're online can raise your hand in the Google Meet. Seeing none. Okay. Consent agenda item D. I move to uh approve the consent agenda as presented for the approval of m uh minutes from the regular meeting on March 12th, 2025 and the regular meeting on April 9th, 2025. Second. Thank you. We motion and a second. Is

041there any discussion? All right. All in favor to approve the minutes from those two dates? I I any opposed? Thank you. Motion passes unanimously. Uh Mr. Chararma is absent. All right. Superintendent of School report, Dr. Brema, I will turn it over to you. Thank you very much. Um as always, the full report is linked into the um both the agenda and in your packet, so I won't read that to you. But tonight, I wanted to uh welcome our Martin Kellogg representatives. Mr. Lambert, principal, is going to come to the podium and give us a little bit of an overview and a rather unique opportunity for us to see some uh portrait of a graduate in action. So, I told um Mr. Lambert, the board loves interactive um presentation. So, he said, "Okay, I got a

042great idea." So, I'm not going to steal his thunder because it's it's a really unique approach. I'm going to boot up your PowerPoint, Mr. Lambert. You can head to the uh whatever you prefer. You could do the mic here or Absolutely. Get you booted up here. Well, good evening everyone. And I'm going to kind of pick up on what I heard so many of you say. And the fact that you take time to validate the teachers um and validate our nurses and our support staff is so important. And I also want to kind of pay that forward and use a poor metaphor to say that we thank you for setting the stage. And uh you know in order for that to go ahead and happen um many moons ago I had a teacher um in

043my general chorus class and that teacher asked me to stay behind and I took a general chorus class as a credit. I wasn't a passionate about singing or anything at that time, but that teacher asked me to sing Happy Birthday by myself. Didn't really know why. He pulled me aside and said, "Can you sing Happy Birthday?" And I did that. And two weeks later, I was casted as Daddy Warbucks in the production of Annie, and it changed my life forever. Now, there's a whole another context around that, but the short of it is a great teacher saw something in me that I didn't see in myself, and it changed everything. I became a drama teacher. I became an English teacher. I became a writing workshop teacher. I worked with special education students in a residential

044school teaching drama. And uh it completely shaped my life. And uh tonight what I wanted to do is we had a fantastic season right alongside the high school in our drama production this year, Frozen Jr. And as I sat in the audience and I watched our unbelievable kids both on stage and backstage making it all happen began kind of really drawing opportunities for our students to really showcase their evolution of a portrait of a graduate in Newington. really applying the skills that we're asking our students to do having these things come out of the classroom and showcase um into into our community. So what I mean by that is you know as we the the obvious first leap is in a communicator's uh journey you know where students are asked to perform with purpose through

045character um using digital communication tools the technology we're able to utilize to draw effects to draw attention to communicate are just incredible. Um, active listening during performances and rehearsals, not just being a passive listener, but knowing where your cues are to pass it back and forth and making meaningful connections with not only the audience, but believable with the other counterparts on stage. And then while preparing, our students are critical thinkers. They're taking their problem solving abilities, you know, that they're learning in the classroom and applying it on stage, being able to work through complex problems. How are we going to convey and emote mood and emotion in a way that's convincing, in a way that's believable, in a way that clearly captures the themes that we're trying to express this year. You talk about growth

046mindset. Think about rehearsals over and over and over again in order to get it right. You talk about the word, you hear it productive failure and stick to itness. There's a lot of that leading up to the final production. Students in fact fail 10, 20, 30 times in rehearsal before that special teacher, that director says, "You got it. You nailed it. You absolutely crushed it." And there's obviously continuous reflection and assessment going on back and forth. And students will learn to get critical feedback and authentic feedback that they can use because they know at the end of the day there's going to be a performance and they're going to want to look good and they're going to want to win that crowd over and engaging into the community. One of the things we do at

047Mark Kelly is we also perform for our community, obviously community audience, but also our younger students. We perform for the students within the community. We invoke families that come in and they work within our schools to help with the performance. We've had productions up and above 200 plus kids with about 50 parents helping us and it really does bring a community spirit together and everybody wants to shine uh together. Go ahead and do the next one. And then the habits of work. Well, what do you have to have? What's what what needs to come from within in order to make this work? um engagement through constantly prep uh preparing, taking initiative in wanting to develop the characters that you're that you're presenting. You're practicing responsible time management. You're collaborating not just with your uh with

048your onstage cast members, but also your crew and your backstage. You have to meet deadlines, and you're also balancing other demands outside of that that are all part of this uh leading forward. So finally, I don't have to read through this, but I mean obviously working in the with the uh the u portrait of a graduate. It really is a line to our work and this year's production. This was Olivia Chef Leone. She you're going to meet her in just a minute. She's our director. Uh this was her first year as our drama director and she knocked it out of the park. I was so proud of what she was able to pull out of our students and bring them make them feel great about themselves. It was a solid performance um all around and

049um the students were able to begin taking what they're learning in your classrooms with your teachers in terms of using those 21st century skills and put it in a context that was incredibly wellreceived by our community. So this is just a snapshot of the number of students that are involved. So how many kids are are impacted? So we have a crew and a cast. Uh and we have two of them. So there's two crews, two casts, um that perform on different nights and kind of spread that capacity. And the neat thing about it is when they're performing, whether it's the community or their classmates, they're serving as role models. They really are. you know, they're they're up on stage doing the thing, showing confidence, um being responsible with each other. It's almost like a model

050classroom when you see everything going on from the students working the boards to using the lights. It's a really special thing to see. So, why just sit here and talk about it? Why don't I just show it to you and see it? So, I brought a little teaser of the production that I wanted to share with you. Good. and talked about interact. I swear I'm not going to ask any of you to act or to put on costumes or do anything like that. Um couple, yeah, I'll do it. Absolutely. Um Miss Chef Leon. All right. Uh this is uh Olivia Chef Leon. She is a grade seven ELA teacher and this is her first year directing our spring musical. And she's going to tell you a little bit about what you're going to see. Hello.

051Um, thank you for having us. I know it was spontaneous, but um, the kids are excited. I'm excited. Um, so we did, as you can see, Frozen Jr. this year. Um, it definitely explores uh, the themes of acceptance and the themes of persevering when things are challenging, which is definitely a lesson that our students need as they carry through life. Um, so this little scene that you're about to see is between the youngest sister. There's two sisters, Elsa and Anna. This is the youngest sister. She's a little naive. Um, and she meets this prince at a ball and they fall in love, but unbeknownst to her later in the show, he's actually the villain. So, that's the twist. Um, sorry to give it away, but the show already closed, so it's okay. Um, so this

052is Hans and Anna, and it's their song called Love is an Open Door. They're going to do a little scene together and then it's going to transition into the song for you. So, I'm going to grab them. I have Emma and Daryus. Come on in, friend. Okay. Oh, that'll be good. That'll pick them up a little bit. There's three. Are you okay if they're in front of the us? No, you're you're not in the way as long as you're happy. Well, great. They're going to move. Okay. Awesome. Of course. Yeah. Do I have to mute this or it's okay? I just put it down. Turn it off. Okay. All right. Hello again, you look upset. Are you okay? Long story. Elsa just left me alone again like she did for years. I'm so sorry. It's

053okay. I'm used to it. She stopped talking to me when we were little. Why would she do that? I don't know. I can never figure out what I did. I spent a lot of time alone as a kid, too. But you have 12 older brothers. Yeah, but if they weren't humiliating me, they were ignoring me. It's not going to be like that when I have a family. Me neither. No one will ever be shut out. Oh, Anna, I could never shut you up. Okay, can I just say something crazy? I love crazy. All my life has been a series of doors in my face and then suddenly I bump into I was thinking the same thing. It's like I've been searching my whole life to find my own place. Maybe it's the party talking or

054the chocolate and opens like me. Jinx Jinx again. Can I say something crazy? Will you marry me? Can I say something even crazier? Yes. Okay. So they'll be signing on. Pictures will be available. Thank you very much. Uh Darren said they do a really really nice job and they were really the neat thing about is when I asked him when you think of you know students that great we really do all so excited to go ahead and do that building that confidence having done that. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to showcase the product of your hard work and your efforts that you do to help set the stage for us to shine. really appreciate it very much from Kellogg. Thank you for getting the opportunity. I just want to add that I was

055uh fortunate enough to see the show on the Saturday matinea and what struck me among all the amazing talent and I love this show and the kids did an amazing job was the chef Leon was in the back. I was sitting toward the back and she was in the back just watching your show. So that to me meant all of the folks were trained. They knew what to do. And this is her first production. I'm like, "Wow, she's able to sit that we probably be, you know, all nervous and stressed out, but she was back there watching um and just being I could tell beaming with pride about what the kids were able to do and and I just loved the show. I don't I can't remember if it saw the winter or summer cast,

056but it was unbelievable. So I'll turn it over to board chair for any questions." Are there any questions or comments from the board? Mh. for Hollerin. Yeah, I have to comment on this one. Number one, that was an amazing performance. You both sing beautifully, better than I ever could. Um, and thank you for sharing your story. Uh, I have a similar one. Uh, when I was younger in school, I was at a period in my time where I was directionless, just kind of floating through life rudderless. And I had a friend who said, "Hey, I'm going to this drama thing after school. Do you want to come?" So, I said, "Sure, why not?" It turned out it was a a rehearsal for The Tempest, the Shakespeare play. Um, and I said, "All right, I'll give

057it a shot." It ended up landing the roles uh both Caliban and Antonio. Um, never acted before, never had an interest in it before, but just like that, I had somebody who saw a potential and allowed me to explore that. And I think all of the lessons you learn by going through drama are life lessons. Um, you have to make rehearsals. You have to show up on time. You have to make a commitment. You have to work as a team. People are counting on you. You have to memorize your lines. You have to study at home. You have to you have to put in the work. You've got a deadline. You've got to do these things before the dress rehearsal. Right? So, it teaches you some very valuable life skills. in our small little drama

058club that we had. We had people who went to Harvard, people who went to MIT, people who went to Yale. Um, I was able to get into the International Thesbian Society. I won a scholarship for future director. I used none of those, but I use those talents to become a corporate learner. Um, and really carve out a career. But I think the most important lesson you learn is facing that fear of being in the spotlight and learning how to lead with confidence. And I think once you build that confidence, it just unlocks your own ability to say, "I can do that. I can do that. It might not be easy, but I can do that." And that was something I think stuck with everybody went to Harvard and Yale. One actually ended up on Broadway.

059Um, but I I cannot thank you enough. Uh, I think drama is fun for kids, but I think as an adult, you look back and realize that it is a fun way to teach some very important lessons that can be applied universally no matter where you want to put that discipline. Um, keep at it. You guys are great. Thank you so much. Um, so just to follow up with Mr. Holland said um one of the things I'm most proud of um apart from our students but the um real commitment that the Newington public schools has to the arts and you know we talk a lot about the um curriculum types of things and and math and and English and science and those types of um very very important um e educational foundation that we need.

060But the arts are something magical and they impact us all in each individual unique way. And so, um, when you go to any of our productions in any of our schools, I've always been struck with number one, how talented everybody is and and the joy that all of our students and our staff bring to um that production. But again, it makes you a better learner. It forces you to use a different side of your brain. It lets you look at at uh problem solving in a different way. And so sometimes we forget about how important it is um for all of our students to get a good foundation in the arts, wherever that is. Whether it's on stage, whether it's music, whether it's fine art, whether it is writing, there are so many different things

061that challenge us and the the arts are a really, really, really important way of doing that. I'm super proud of our students and our staff who support our students in that, but also too of our district because we do have a a very, very deep commitment to that. So, thank you, Miss Weaver. Oh my god, I feel like I couldn't have written this better. Uh, you know, it's so great to have uh I'm very biased having had uh been under Mr. Lambert and knowing his talent, everyone knows he's got an incredible band. Um, and his love for for the arts. Um, and I I think I've always said like Martin Kellogg is iconic for having this this uh incredible legacy I think of of incredible shows. I remember what going when I was at Green

062going to Anything Goes. Um, you know, I think Paul Kine was in it at the time. Like there's so many things of like Newington legacy that happen here. And it's so great to see you Olivia now directing this because I remember you as a student in your productions, you and your brother leading a lot of these. Um, so to have all of this like Newington amazingness, um, and like I said, you know, because of this school district, we have you and now you leading the next generation, um, truly could not have written it better. Um, and I'm so happy because also, if anyone remembers these folks, and I've seen you in many teacher casts, but the teacher cast last year, Beauty and the Beast, I saw, was it last year or the year before? I

063don't even know now. But I remember two years ago, two years ago. Yeah. I remember some very good talent coming out of that as well. But like to have that a teacher cast, we have that many talented staff um that come out of this and now to have incredible students. My gosh, um it just brings back so many great memories for me and to know what the arts have as a a powerful tool. My boyfriend got into this. I I didn't fall in love with him when he was like the prince and Cinderella at Kellogg, but like many moons later when he was like in Pippen and you know that was like our time. Um, but let's just say I have a very uh great affinity for what the um what the arts specifically at

064Newington public schools has done for my life. Um, and so to see it impact everyone else and to have our parents here um to have this community um it's just incredible and to have your talent be on display for everybody. Um we always talk about yeah this is what we want our students to be when they leave Martin Kellogg when they leave Newington High. um and you're already showing what we want our model students to be. So um one congratulations because uh you already have done so much in terms of your talent and I just can't wait to see you as you metriculate through Kellogg and up to um up to this high school and seeing these things. You know, I think we always talk about all the awards we get and stuff like that,

065but it's because of the staff and the students that we have and the talent that we have. So thanks for being talented that really helps. Um, but truly I just want to to emphasize um, you know, my my heart has always been indebted to to Kellogg. Um, but it's just so great to see um, that it's even better than when I left it and to continue to see that evolution and growth um, because of the people that are there. So, um, it's not only great to see that I'm, uh, you know, far gone from my days in Kellogg, but to see that there's people who metriculated through our schools and know these schools so well, um, to lead the next generation. Um, it just it feels so poetic and truly as a theater person would

066write a beautiful uh, storybook ending to to a play. Um, but so much more I want to read. So, thank you guys for coming and giving us this presentation. Um, and thank you for not making us sing. something. Oh, sure. New high school. They can't hear you online. It's not that good. Just want to say I just want to say a grandparent and had five kids go through lived in Newington 56 years. Everybody went through the school system. My oldest daughter had the lead in everything at the high school because she had a beautiful voice. They got their talent from uh my grandmother's kids all play. They were in New York and used to jump out the window at night and go sing at bars and they told their mother that they had paper roots.

067So it goes way back. But she is wonderful. She is absolutely wonderful. She takes a kid that's nervous or I don't think I can do it, whatever, whatever. And it's the teacher. It's always the teachers. It's always the teachers. And teachers don't get enough credit as far as I'm concerned. I think they're wonderful. Um I'm a nurse. I don't think I could teach. Although I have 15 grandchildren. So anyway, bunch of them are in Newington. And um Maggie sitting over there. She had the lead in two in middle school in two of them. And so I just want to say she's wonderful and I wouldn't live anywhere else but Newington. My kids have done so well. All my kids that are grown up now, great jobs everywhere. And I owe it all to Newington. And

068I'm just not afraid to say that. This is a wonderful place to live and have your kids go to school. There you go. Thank you so much. No, we didn't. Yeah, we didn't. Um, not to put our two actors on the spot, but do you have anything to say about the drama program at Kellogg? Come to the table if you do. Look at your face. It's okay. You don't have to be shy. Much smaller audience into it. I'm sorry. I know. That's fine. Thanks for being honest. Yeah. Yeah. I will say this. Oh my god. One thing that's important is we have a drama club at Kellogg and it's very popular, but we're starting to get a little cross town jealousy. So, there's been outreach recently about something happening over at Wallace. So, that'll be

069discussed, but I want to put that out there because one of our board members actually brought it up, but also some parents and actually some students. So clearly the work of Kellogg over the years has just created a little desire to replicate it over at Wallace as well. So stay tuned for further updates. But again, many thanks to our students that came out tonight to perform and uh it was an unbelievable show and Miss Chef Leon was a amazing directorial debut. And by the way, she went to the Heart School of Music, folks. All right. Now, we have to get to the budget. Thank you. Thank you very much. You guys were incredible. when you guys graduation. Oh, yeah. Like we still do the Wildcats. All right. So, now we have an update on our

0702526 budget. You want me Do you want to I'll start it and jump right in. Um so as many around the table may be aware last night the town council did approve the budget and the mill rate. Um in the process of getting to their final number they did reach out to our board chair and vice chair and there were some meetings. Originally, the cut was going to be a million dollars and through um intervention um by board chair and some conversations that we had, they did reduce our cut to $650,000. Still a substantial cut. Um the we did some behind the-scenes work thanks to Lou, Steve, Kristen, and my team. And what we were able to do is mitigate some of that by some good fortune. Um there were two up um unexpected but

071cuts to the Anthem um rates for next year. One was a cut of $98,000 and the second one was a cut or onetime credit, but it still reduces our overall responsibilities by $86,000. Additionally, Mr. Fari and Miss Foy, I don't know if she's still here. Um have had great they've been working really hard to replace our retirees, but it we've had some um with their hard work. We've in our recruitment efforts, we are getting folks in who are not as high on the pay scale as we thought they would be. So that allowed us to save about estimated $100,000. And then uh the rest would have to come out of the non-lapsing fund. There is I got an alert today from the state that there may be an additional allocation for excess cost next year.

072Um quite a bit like a fully funded excess cost that could help us even more but because we have to settle on a budget before the end of the school year. Um we can't count on that at this time. So at this point the cut would be dealt with through the things that I just mentioned. Again to reiterate, uh credits to our we reduction to our um health insurance lines, reductions to our salary lines due to this cost savings that Mr. Fesey's office was able to al uh realize and then leveraging the non-lapsing fund to offset some lines. Now Lou, the lines that you're using for the non-lapsing fund, what are they salary lines as well? Okay. programs. So those are all about a 20% taking 20% of that non-lapsing fund. So our hope is

073if excess cost comes to fruition. If any other savings come our way, we won't have to leverage the non-lapsing fund. But the bottom line is we probably will. So the final budget would be 91,61371 or a 5.19%. It is important to note and Lou put that in the memo that if we do leverage the entire amount of the non-lapsing fund next year, that is 3.45% of our budget and that's quite a bit of resources that could create a hole going forward. So, I'll turn it over to the board chair for any further discussion, but I would like to personally thank her and the vice chair and anyone else that was involved in meetings with uh the town manager, well, the uh mayor and the caucuses to mitigate that cut down to $650,000. Still tough, but

074not as tough as a million dollar. Yeah. And I just want to add that um the reason that we're able to use the non-lapsing fund offset is because um Dr. Brema implemented um a budget freeze essentially for this year's budget to hopefully reduce um further what we would have spent. So trying to just really focus on what's absolutely critically necessary for the rest of the school year to um to free up those funds. Um, are there any questions on anything or Go ahead, Tony. I'm just curious, um, uh, who who are the people that, uh, were on the making the recommendations. Were there any minority members involved in making those recommendations? Um, we spoke directly with the um the mayor and his caucus. Who's we? That's what I'm asking. Just miss Weaver and I spoke

075directly with the mayor and his caucus. Okay. I don't know what the town council did. Is anybody from the minority? We are not allowed to have meetings with the minority party. Okay. So, okay. So, so nobody nobody from the minority party from our perspective. Well, I didn't speak with anyone on I mean I I alerted two members of your party around the table um yesterday afternoon, Miss Weaver. Yeah, I think I'll just illuminate some of what the the process is. Um because for me, um I think I've been pretty vocal about not loving this process. Um and what it does to us as board members and I also um communicated that to the the mayor. Um and I think it was discussed last night too at um at the town council meeting too of of

076how it goes. It's their is considered the majority's budget. Um, and I know communications were attempted multiple times. Um, and all of that was discussed with um the town council members of um of the the minority caucus. Um, so one of the things I at least that's my understanding was communicated to us. Again, we're communicating as um you know, I hesitate to to say that we don't have power because we do. But ultimately, it's up to the town council to decide what our number is. We could have given them 20% and they could give us 20% or they could give us 2%. We could put in for 0% and they could give us 4%. there is nothing we can really do in terms of having a go without just being advocates for ourselves. Um and

077so um you know I think communication was proposed to us that there was a desire by those in the majority to um lower our ask. And so um you know we just have to react to that. And you know, obviously I think our goal is to um in terms of the view of board members is to to get where we want to be. Um but it's also on the town to have that conversation of what they want our budget to look like. Um so I know some conversations were had, but I'm not privy to all that was had between the majority and the minority caucuses on the town council side, if that makes sense. Yeah, it makes that that makes sense except that you you guys were profering something or whatever your ideas were without

078the ideas from minority party. That's all that seems to me anyways. I mean, we're not going to go back and forth really. We um I don't think that anything was being um I'm not sure exactly what you're getting at, but I'll just say that I was informed a week ago that the majority party on the council wanted to cut our budget by a million dollars on capital side and a million dollars on the operating side. So immediately, Miss Weaver and I reached out to the mayor and had a discussion because that was concerning to us considering that we passed our budget with a a certain number in mind and we wanted to ensure that um any cuts that the town council made, which as Miss Weaver said, they are perfect to c cut or cut

079our ask or give us a number regardless of what we come forward with. Um, so we wanted to make sure that that million dollars didn't result in any layoffs or any detrimental um cuts that we would have to then make to our budget that we had already passed. So we um we collaborated as um with the mayor and and a few others in in the majority party and got them down to the 650. Again, had to collaborate with Dr. Braum and make sure that and her team to make sure that it was feasible. Um all that happened um it happened over April break. Dr. Braum was out of the country. Um so it was um I think where we landed or where the town council landed. I mean it it's a it's a compromise. So

080that's that's kind of where we're at and and it was um passed last night. So we have to react to that. Mr. Mr. Hollerin, few quick questions. Um, and then a comment. Does this affect any of the uh bus replacement cycle with this cut? Uh, yeah. So, I mentioned the operate or the capital. We um this particular um what we just went over was the operating side. We didn't we didn't talk yet about the the capital side, but we can. And along with that, I guess it's kind of the same answer we got to talk about is the paving of the Garfield Street lot because I know there was supposed to be a joint effort. Um, so I'll table that question till we have Yeah, we can. Yeah, we can come to the capital. And

081my last comment is is thank you uh to everybody around the table who worked really hard at this budget, which is why it's frustrating because we tried to get it down to the bare essentials and then try to scramble to get back um to work with even less while providing quality. And just thank you for all the work you've done, Dr. Brumit and staff. Um very creative solutions um maintaining quality. Uh, and I do appreciate the town council. I know it's a tough position, but they were able to, you know, raise the millway by less than 1%. And I think that that's part of the compromise we have to make is that balance. So that's my comment. Just a big thank you to everybody who put in so much hard work over the past few

082months. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Newan, I understand that Democratic caucus on the council did what they did. I get it. I have a problem with we work collaboratively on this board and we don't have the inner inner battles that the town council has and I hope they're listening because it should have been a collaborative effort and it wasn't and it was thrown at you guys. I know it was cuz I heard it from other people. So I don't face blame on the board of education or the superintendent. I'm saying the council was playing election year politics and I'm going to say it because they didn't want to raise it. They were afraid of raising the budget too high. It's a shame because ultimately it cost our kids and that's all I'm concerned about is our

083kids. And I just think that in the future going forward, you know, people need to understand the rules of Roberts. There's four of us on this board of education. If the four of us decide to walk out right now, this meeting's over. And and I we don't play dirty politics like that. We never have this crew on the board of education. But you guys have to talk to the Democratic side. they have to figure it out because it makes us look like fools on both sides on the board of education. Um I I just I do just want to clarify um I I was obviously not privy to the council and majority major minority discussions at all. I will say that this is the very first year that the town manager did not immediately cut

084from the board of ed budget prior to turning it over to the town council. So in this is the fourth budget that I've been a part of. Miss Weaver's been a part of six. I um I'm pretty sure that every year prior to the board of ed or the town council getting the budget, the town manager has cut sometimes even more significant than um than what ended up happening, the 650,000. So, I don't agree with the dirty politics. Again, I'm not privy to what communication went on between the two, but I think that the Democratic majority did what they needed to do to keep the students, the taxpayers, everybody in mind. And I do think that this is a fair budget. We're getting a 5.19% increase, which is very slightly below what we asked for

085on the operating side. So I I just wanted to say that that this and I think I don't know we can go back and look but there are times when the budget got cut by three, four or five percentage points and we had to um go back and forth. So I think that this was um a different scenario that that has never been dealt with especially with this current elected all of us. Yes, Miss Weaver. Miss Weaver. Yeah, I'll just say um yeah, I was like I'm not loving the timing of everything. It was illtimed, but it wasn't because it's an election year. I think it was illtimed because we don't have all the information and we also were getting different things from federal government and state government. The appropriations, the governor just released his

086stuff on Tuesday. Appropriations just got voted on today. Um, so there's a lot of things that were up in the air prior to last Monday. Um, and as we kind of noted too, we were usually in the past and I think Dr. B and I we've as long as you've been here and as long as I've been here, it's been a usually an indicator as a point of okay, the town manager is usually indicating this is likely going to be a cut. Um, I think what changed this budget season is that there's an anticipation like there has not been in any other year and it's been said at the town council meeting last night. We're very unclear and I know there's talk of stormy rainy weather. There was a lot of meteorological references. We are

087not sure where the federal funds will land more than any other time. Uh, it came very differently during CO where we were getting federal funds. Um but now we are not sure where federal funds are going to land and that's um very hard to budget on when it's a moving target. Um so we um know that from communication from town council was they weren't getting numbers um that they needed in a timely fashion and then ultimately I think that delayed this entire process. Um and that is kind of where it made it to be what the process was this year. Um so I don't think it's because you know people were trying to withhold information. I think it's just very hard to budget when um we are very not very it's very unclear what the

088directives will be from um the trickle down of federal funds or there lack thereof and then ultimately that trickle down to the state then where we're getting it. Um, and I will just say I did um in in those meeting in our one meeting that we had just note that this process is never easy or helpful I think for us or the town council and then ultimately the community as a whole. Uh I've been, you know, increasingly frustrated at how it goes because we are not able to kind of do it at the same time as the town council. we're not able to um be able to and I said this when we passed our budget that the difficulty in this is that it will change in the next weeks and months um and I

089know we are going to not be at the number we arrived at um then and as things come to fruition this is the art and science of the budget and as time progresses we get a more clearer picture of this we didn't have the uh health insurance numbers back then and we still don't have grant numbers that we could use to budget. And so, um, you know, I've been really actually trying to talk to other towns and see how they do it. Some people set their budget in January, uh, and we see some people setting it in May and end of May. And there's really no uniform budgeting process. And I think, um, that puts us at it handicaps us as, um, you know, the elected officials that are trying to be, um, financially prudent

090and be able to give you the best picture about our best prediction. So, I think a lot of that was a result of of the federal uh noise that's happening rather than anything that may be considered to be like anything to do with this fall. Um, yeah, Dr. Go ahead. The one thing I do want to add is I did tune in last night to the town council meeting when there was discussion and this also came through um in the meetings that the chair had and the vice chair is I would say unilaterally the town council was committed to not cutting our budget to the extent where we would have to cut staff. And that was across all across the aisle as they say and it was articulated last night very clearly. And um while

091$650,000 is a very difficult cut, we did look hard before it was you know agreed upon and um that we don't have to cut staff as a result and getting that additional breakage was certainly helpful um and maybe the excess cost will you know help us even further. So I I will say while this was a different kind of budget year in terms of um how we communicated with our town folks, there was unilateral agreement that there should be no loss of staff for which I believe is a very very important thing because it's it's very difficult to maintain morale if people are worried about their jobs. Miss Carr, just to clarify and maybe we can make this a future agenda item or even a policy. I think people get upset because they feel like

092not everyone's voice is being heard. So, I don't know if going forward, I don't know what was done in the past, but it could be, you know, the chair, the vice chair, and the minority leader or the executive committee itself, cuz I know usually there's one minority representation on that just so that people feel like they're part of the decision-m. I think that's where a lot of tensions started rising from. And again, I don't know what was done in the past, but I know that's why it's so sensitive right now. Yep, totally understand. And and to Mr. Newton's point earlier, we we around this table did work um collaboratively and and very well at the table. So um I don't want that to change and and yeah, look, going forward, I think we can um

093do we can discuss like how to um how to make sure everyone's voice is heard and and unfortunately like Miss Weaver said, the timing was very um very unfortunate. We didn't have a meeting in between the time that we heard of cuz like we have the budget update on our on every agenda since we um handed over to the town and just the timing of it was that we had didn't have a meeting and then it was the next week and then it's all said and done, right? So last night was they made the change and they set the mill rate and that's it and there's nothing that we can um we can do and and tonight's our meeting. So, um but yeah, we can have that discussion um hopefully next year if we're all

094sitting here again um or whoever is whoever is there. Um definitely a good idea. Thank you. Um so, do you want to do we want to do this and then just talk quickly about the the capital changes that were under the motion and then we'll go to capital. I mean, we can we can just touch on the capital. Um so so I did mention earlier and and last night they ended up um so our capital request was um it was $300,000 for Garfield obviously the 125 appropriation from the general fund and um I don't have the exact number it was like 1.3 million for um for buses and that 1.3 million was to there were three buses that we're we're planning on purchasing um in this next year. And then the remainder would be to

095fund um the 11-year bus replacement cycle that we've been talking about for a few years, but never actually really have um funded it. So, the majority party on the town council um felt that putting money aside for buses um now wasn't a fiscally responsible idea. Um we didn't really have a deep conversation about it. It just they wanted to cut a million dollars. We had a conversation that we um Dean and and and Lou and Dr. Braum had said that we need definitely the three buses as was shown on this the the chart. Um and we definitely need to pave Garfield Street and I think everyone is in agreement even on the council side that Garfield Street does need to be paved. Um so what they did was they cut a million dollars from the

096bus replacement. Um, and it only leaves us with not a lot. I guess you can you have the number about 220,000. What is it, Lou? It's 137,000. 137,000. So, that is really enough enough for maybe a small bus. Because we are there is with the tariffs that are are happening right now, bus prices are going up as well. So, um, you know, right now our bus replacement cycle is not going to move forward much next year unless we get some breakage somewhere else. Yeah. So, um, just put your Yeah, go ahead. Just put your mic on. But we have two or three buses already in the pipeline, correct? That were bought three in the pipeline coming. Okay. From last year to replace those old those buses and the ones that they put a few dinosaurs

097away. Okay. But there's three three more that need to be for this coming for this year. Yeah. Miss Miss Beatus. Um so so the pause on the additional three buses. Um how deep is the negative impact on your routes and you know what you guys need to do to make sure that all the the kids are getting to where they need to go safely and on time. I just pop up to the table. Come on, Dean. He's used to it. I'm sorry to put you on the spot. I guess my question is how how how much of a deficit is this? Well, the impact will just continue to push the buses older and older um if it continues. So, we came up with an 11-year cycle. Um now, you're going to be having 12, 13

098year old buses. uh possibly if that continues into next year, you're going to be dealing with 14-year-old uh buses by the time you can get them built uh and the turnaround time. So, um that does impact and it's uh going to be difficult. Um you know, buses are maintained, but again, the the bigger complexity is now you're getting much higher miles. how you're uh possibly stretching it out to where most all school bus contracts um with contractors uh that I'm aware of and I know many of them uh don't even have buses on the road over 10 years old. Um every town around here does not operate buses over 10. Um so that impact and again getting them built is two two years. We just received buses that we ordered over two years ago. So

099uh just a quick follow-up question. the fact that we're kind of stretching the lifespan, if you will, of the buses. How is that going to impact our ability to repair and to get parts to maintain the fleet? I have buses right now that we cannot get parts for because they are no longer made on the older buses and the older style buses. Okay? We cannot get if if a hydraulic line blows on one of our buses right now, um we cannot replace it. The bus will be sent to the junkyard. Okay. And then that obviously impacts our ability to trade something in, cut down the cost of future purchases as well. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Hollerin. Yeah, I think just to emphasize what uh Miss Petus was saying, I understand and it's kind of what's

100done is done now. It's what we had to to make work. But I think ultimately this doesn't do anything for cost, right? I think we're going to end up paying more. Prices are going up with the price of steel and tariffs and every other thing that's imported. A lot of bus parts are imported. Um prices typically don't come down when they go up. So I feel like this is a little bit of a kicking the can down the curb a little bit. We're going to have to deal with this again year after year after year. And just to put in perspective, the oldest bus in our fleet when it was put into service, it would be in eighth grade by now. Um, that is just something to ponder and maybe right and that's something I

101think we just need to continue to communicate and continue to push for because this isn't going to fix itself, right? It's only going to get worse if we don't keep working at it. So, yeah, I guess more to come on that. Um, Miss Weaver. Yeah, I was just going to say though we are um I think the intention of the town is to kind of look at how they can absorb the Garfield part of it though is is the the hub. Yes. So I won't speak for Yeah. So I don't know absorb or share. Um I think yes the the town is moving forward with paving Garfield Street. um and they don't have final numbers. So, we're assuming that combining the two projects, ours and the street, the parking lot and the street itself will

102be cheaper to do it all at once and together. So, um and depending on they have to go out like RFP and and do their whole process. So depending on how that turns out, then if you know there's money in our Garfield fund and we have 300,000 and it's not going to cost us 300,000, then it can transfer over to the buses. Um but that's CBD at this point. Just to clarify, it's still priority for us obviously and the town. Yes. And Dean did get an update today about the Garfield Street. Uh if you wouldn't, would you mind just speaking to that Dean? You had firsthand knowledge of that. So, I met with the town engineer today uh just upon request to get an update and they're moving forward and they were sort of holding

103until they got approval um from the town budget and uh the funding uh to support that is there. They um are going to go out to bid in July because of the extravaganza and all of the things that go on here during the summer. They do not want to impact that. So, they're going to go out to bid somewhere in July, which will have it starting um somewhere in u middle August. I pushed them uh trying to get it a little before that. Um but they will start doing a couple parking lots and according to the town engineer, plans continue. our parking lot um where the buses are will be paved um and then they will do the streetscape um the renewal of the sidewalks street um milling through that process um and that's how

104it's to go and I think Lou has possibly more information on the financial side of it um but they're still holding that number about 300,000 as far as is needed to do that parking lot part Um, it may be less, but of course they they bring it up just to make sure they cover uh all of their cost. Okay. So, we have um a motion to reconcile the operating side of our budget with Weaver. The whole thing. Yep. Move the board of education budget for 2025 2026 be reduced by $651,542. The cut will be in a combination of line items coupled with the use of the non-lapsing fund resources. Accounts to be adjusted as follows. Board of education recommended budget and 2,264,913 or 5.94%. Anthem rating adjustment 2950-201 and 2950-202 subtraction of $98,357. Anthem onetime

105credit 2950-2101 and 2950-202 reduction of $86,640 salary adjustment/breakage account 10 12-11 20,000 Account 1020-11 20,000 Account 1026-11 20,000 Account 1028-11 20,000 Account 103011-20,000 Total budget cuts 284,97 $797 and utilizing the non-lapsing fund resources balance budget in account 1012-1173,39 10 account 1020-1173,39 account 1026-1173,39 account 1028-1173,39 and account 1030-1173,3 39 totaling non-lapsing resources of 3300,6 366,545 and total reductions of 600,5 651,542. Final budget amount 91,613,371 or 5.19%. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you. All right, we have a motion and a second to reduce our budget by 651,542. Is there any discussion? Deb, would you do a roll call vote, please? Mary Bea, yes. Brittany, no. Sean Hollerin, yes. Anthony Millie, no. Timothy Newton, no. Amy Paratt, yes. Jessica Weaver, yes. Anastasia Yaff, no. The motion tied to 44. Okay. So, it does not pass. Does

106not pass because it has to be a majority. Miss Beaver, I just want to clarify. um we we don't have a choice in this really like if we don't this is what the town council has given us. So this kind of has to move forward from a procedural standpoint. This isn't necessarily you have to endorse it. This is a procedural matter of how we are going to actually allocate the funds that we were given by the town council. So, I just want to clarify that this doesn't if you're voting for this uh or voting against this, it doesn't mean you endorse it. It just is a procedural matter of how we actually have to do the accounting because whether we like it or not, um this is the budget that was set by the town

107council. Uh Miss Yak, um I don't think that's true. I think cuts can be made elsewhere. So I want to say that I don't think I can be like encouraged to vote a certain way because that's by the uh you know town council. Um we don't have to take you know from other areas. I think there are other cuts that can be made and we don't have to say yes. So I want to make that very clear. You don't have to Mr. Hollerin. Um yes. So considering it's tied the motion doesn't pass. We're still giving the same dollar amount. We just have to figure out what accounts we have to adjust. So unless we can figure out what other accounts we want to adjust for, we will be doing this until it passes. That's what

108I think just meant by procedural. The dollar amount doesn't change, your approval doesn't change. It's just that we will have to come back and find new ways to meet that dollar amount. Um, so I guess that's the next step is that we need to see a new proposal and vote on that. I was going to say, does anyone have the budget book on them so we can look at some of you do? Thank you. There's a link. Okay. And um I do this does not need to be done today. Um, so I think we we could take time and if we wanted to look at other line items to reduce, but um but we do need to reduce by 651,000. Um, I think we have until the end of the school year. Yeah. As long

109as Lou, correct me if I'm wrong. As long as it's passed before July 1st because then the town needs to know where to allocate the money. Yeah, I would suggest that um I'll make a suggestion that we cannot resolve this tonight. So, I would suggest either we convene a special meeting or we prepare to have more time at a subsequent meeting for um folks that want to make other suggestions besides what was put forth tonight. But I would say for now it should be tabled um and then a deeper analysis that people would want to do in between now and the next meeting. Miss Y, do you still have your hand up? Oh, yeah. I was just going to agree. I And actually asked the same question. Can we have like maybe a special meeting

110where we can bring, you know, additional things forward or did you guys want to add this to another meeting? Like I don't know what everybody, you know, is in agreeance with. The chair and I can meet. We have the next agenda meeting coming up and just determine if it's going to work in that next agenda or whether a special meeting is required. Y Mr. for hollering. Yeah. And I think either a special meeting or I I would like it to be at the next meeting. Special meetings sometimes can have attendance issues. Um but they can absolutely happen. I would say that let's prepare to have a discussion about why we have an issue with these line items and perhaps what other line items would recommend to get the equivalent dollar amounts. Like we need to

111be prepared for that or else we will be doing this over and over and over again and we need to pass this budget by the end of the year. Not trying to force a vote either way, but I say what I'm saying is we need to be prepared with what line items we'd like to see reduced if these aren't them. If I could add as well that it was clear from the town council that they wanted our assertion that we would not cut staff. So that needs to be very clear. uh that was stated empirically last night and in in other discussions. So that is a boundary that we agreed to and just to to avoid confusion there the the line items that we are reducing are staff line items but it's not because of

112reducing staff it's because it's the money is coming from elsewhere. That's correct. So just miss Weaver. Yeah, I just want to echo and clarify my comments. I'm not asking anyone to vote yes or no. My point in saying that is just to say that we are given that amount. We have to cut this amount. Um and I will just say my endorsement is to to not touch staff in any way. Um, and at least the the total to me this isn't cutting any at least the the top budget cuts were adjustments. Um, so I don't think anyone should in my opinion I don't I don't think that that maybe I guess the controversial is the use of the the non-ling funds. Um, so I I guess my my echo I will echo the sentiments of

113of Mr. Hollerman. Um if there is ideas for that um please please come forward with them. I will just note that there were no other additions besides the ones that were introduced um introduced for cuts. There was no cuts offered um by by the minority caucus this year for our budget. And that's not to be political. just if you're going to say that we should cut other places, please come with those specific cuts. Um there was a lot of collaboration and then this budget was not approved unanimously. Um so if there are specific things and you have an issue with that, please come with specific actual line items that can be cut and we can have discussions about them. But none of that happened during the first budget part before we sent it to the

114town council. So I'm just not understanding maybe where that would come now. If there is things that have come to light since then, more than happy to have that discussion. Um it's just been my understanding that there were no other cuts to be offered on specific line items. At least when we sent it to the town, the opportunity was given. It was not taken. Just want to be clear about that. Miss Yap. Um I have two suggestions. Um and please correct me if I'm wrong. Um in prior years, um the finance committee met. Um obviously the job of the finance committee is to go over the budget and they also help with cuts. Um I want to suggest that the finance committee meet. I think Mary beatric is on it with me. Correct me if

115I'm wrong. And Sam Charman. There's only three of us. Dr. Brumit and Lou are exeicios. So, I was going to suggest if possible, I know Sam isn't here, but we can send an email. Maybe the finance committee should meet like they used to two years ago. I don't think they met once in the last 2 years so far, which is new. Um, another thing, um, that was my first suggestion and I can circulate email between me, Mary Beatric. I think Mary just correct me. I think you are the other person on the finance committee. Um, besides Sam, there's only three of us. And, um, the other thing was, um, Dr. Bit I and correct me if I'm wrong. I think at the town council meeting they said they met with the BOE or uh somebody

116in the BOE in regards to the cuts that were discussed. Were we talking about in regards to the whole discussion or was it just like you and the board chair like how were the other cuts um discussed? the the million that we got down to $650,000 was um with me and Miss Weaver. And then once that number was landed on, the board chair asked me to work with my team, which met early this week, to determine could we handle that cut without reducing staff. And through the work that we did, that's what we landed on. So these these uh suggested cuts actually came from my team, the people around the table. Um after much consideration and analysis of what we could or couldn't do. The only issue I have with that is that there was

117no Republican representation. And I think it's fair to at least have one Republican. Yeah. I Yeah. So I'll just say that that was a a courtesy. Um the town council did not have any obligation. whatsoever to to come to us or to ask. It was not a board decision um to reduce the budget by any number. Um so that was a courtesy. It wasn't a board action. Go ahead, Miss Weaver. I'll just note as the longest serving Democrat on this. Uh we've never been consulted on any matters related to the budget. who just got told the same time the superintendent did in the past 6 years. And again, I fully appreciate doing the bipartisan thing. Um, and I don't think um if there and again I didn't know who's talking to the chair or not,

118but I think what's what's getting lost here is whether we wanted to or not, we were going to get told what number we wanted to. And our our goal is to ask Dr. Brumit, what is the number that we have? What is the absolute number that will make sure that we don't touch staff? That was the town council's kind of question the entire time on both sides of the aisle asking what's a number where you don't have to touch staff, right? And that's that number. So, that's basically the question that was asked. There's no other like things that we could say or do. Um, none of that happened. And I'll just say once more that this was not a like secretive process. This is literally the same process that happens. I've never been privy to

119anything that when I've been on the minority for in the minority for four years on this council, never been told anything until this is going to be the budget and I was sitting at this board table actually. So um and that is just how it's been and again I don't think that's the right answer. It's always just been a conversation between truly in the past four years it had been a conversation between uh either um chair Vella or chair Fletcher and the mayor themselves and sometimes Dr. B would be privy to it or not all the time and then the rest of the board hears from it. I don't know if no one in our Democratic caucus was ever contacted until it happened. Um so just as a history context setting that's how that is.

120This being said, that does not mean uh I know I speak for myself, speak for Chair Parate here, does not mean this isn't a bipartisan work, but ultimately we have to go with what the town council says and has been what I've been saying this entire budget process season, this entire point. We are left in a position that I I fear is giving us less power because whether we like it or not, we're getting told this amount at the end of the day. So, it could have been that we gave a 20% budget, like I said, and they're still going to come back with a number that they want. Um, so at the end of the day, that's what we're we're dealing with. Um, and I I certainly appreciate if there was, you know, another

121conversation. I think the again, the goal would be that we would have had a meeting in between this time to be able to talk about this at a public meeting. um because frankly parties have caucuses. So a Republican would not be invited into a Democratic caucus. We would not be invited to a Republican caucus. Um that being said, I think it would have been better to have a meeting time, but again, this is like the the state of what it is. And what we're dealing with right now is that we have to cut $650,000. Um I'm not happy about it, and I said that two months ago that it was probably going to be lower and that I wouldn't love it, and that's just where it's going to be. Um, but again, I think the

122topic at hand should be what are the exact line items that want to be cut that haven't been cut and that's where we need to land. U, Mr. Hollerin, I just want to respond to Miss Yop's suggestion that the finance committee meet first. Uh, I don't think that that is a great idea. I think that delays the process. I think they'll have to meet. They'll have to give a summation. I think we need to really emphasize a sense of urgency. This is one of the three primary responsibilities of the board. Probably the paramount to most taxpayers is the budget. Um I also feel like doing it in a subcommittee of three people is not in the spirit of what we've been talking about. It needs to be brought together with the full board in attendance

123to have a full-fledged discussion. Uh, I will say I haven't had I I don't have the budget book memorized, but I've been through it enough times where I looking at the line items I see here, I think it's going to be difficult. Uh, but we should work at it to find other places, alternative places to cut. But I think it's going to be difficult to find places to cut that don't touch salaries, staff, I'm sorry, not salaries, that don't touch staff or the quality of education. I think those two places are going to be very difficult places to find cuts without that being the direct impact. We already agreed with the town. We don't want to touch staff. Um, and I think a lot of the other outline items affects the quality of education. What

124I see in front of me here doesn't do either of those things. Um, it sets up some concerns for the capital improvement budget going forward. It sets up some concerns for the reliance on the non-lapsing fund, but it doesn't impact staff or quality of education. So, sum it all up to make it short. I would recommend that the finance committee does not meet first. I think we meet as soon as possible to discuss this. I think we go home, hit the book, see what we can find. Um, but at the end of the day, we can't just say no, we don't want to. We have to hit this number and stuff has to be cut period or else the schools do not get funded. Okay, Miss Carr, just to clarify, so the salary adjustments slashbreakage,

125that's the five different content areas for certified salaries for new hires that we're reducing across the board. Correct. So I would just reframe the term reducing. it would be for the new hires. So, um we anticipate some folks coming in at higher rates. Um we've been very fortunate. We're attracting wonderful candidates to the Newington public schools. We're attracting a lot of new college graduates to the Newington public schools and we believe that we're going to be able to fill the positions, the vacancies that we have at a lower rate than we um originally budgeted for. So, we're going to work to that effort and um and make that come true. And yeah, I'll just those those first three the the first three um pieces of the motion that total budget cuts of 284,997 those are

126those are like freebies, right? So those are those worked in our favor. The Anthem onetime credit and the adjustment, we kind of got lucky last minute. We didn't have this information previously. And then the what Mr. Fari just discussed. So really what we need to look at and if the board as a whole isn't comfortable with using non-lapsing for that 366,545 then that's where we have to come back to the table. Um so it's 366545 is what we have to um figure out. Yes. Um did you have your hand up Mr. Mey? Yes. Uh thank you. I just wanted to say that um so the chair and vice chair had discussions from when the town council gave them something and we're saying that this is bipartisan and you're taking everybody's uh consideration including the taxpayers.

127There's a lot of taxpayers that are Republicans. If there was no ear in there to have any idea what was said then if someone came to one of the Republicans and said, you know, uh so what's going on? You really our answer is we don't know. We were just we were told this. That's all that's my concern. There should have been somebody from the minority party at least to listen. That's all I mean. So that's my concern. Thank you. I hope there anyone. I just go really quick to try to clarify this. So, as far as I can tell, I was involved with it uh because I was with the the mayor um and the chair and the vice chair, but discussions can be had in a caucus. Typically, caucuses do not invite the other

128party because that's the point of a caucus. But decisions were made in public, right, through the normal process. There was no decisions that were made cloak and dagger style or behind closed doors. It was people within the same party discussing strategy, discussing um possibilities. I don't know if the Republican party caucused. Um I do know that the Democratic party caucuses on several occasions to talk about issues um to make sure that we can have the same understanding and a full understanding. Um but decisions aren't made there. Suggestions might be happening, but those decisions are made in a public setting in the same form. Am I correct? Correct. Okay, Miss Petus. So, if I'm hearing correctly, I think we're we're looking at two separate issues related but separate. Issue number one, which if I'm hearing correctly,

129and please correct correct me if I'm not, is the um uh feeling of being left out or lack of communication. So, I'm I'm hearing that as an issue. I'm hearing a separate issue though, which is a disagreement on the line items from this amount of money. So, what I'd like to do is separate them out for a second. If we take away the communication issue and we focus specifically on the line items issue, are we going to be able to go over these items again, agree that they are not impacting our staffing level in a negative way and have a a discussion about this particular issue, setting aside the communication issue, um which is much deeper and probably this is not the right forum to um work it out. Um, but I really feel strongly

130we are under a time crunch. We have a mandate and that if we take these line items, we have the same amount of money. You're just rearranging the same amount of money. Um, if there is a line item that is um, deeply offensive to somebody or somebody feels truly that this is something that should not be cut, that's that's a conversation to be had. But we need to trim the $650,000 from the budget. And so that number doesn't change. It doesn't matter how we carve that up. Um so I would encourage um the board to separate out the communication issue from the financial and line item issue and maybe think about taking this vote again. Miss Yach, thank you for remembering me. Um so I actually agree with um Miss Beatatric. Um and I do

131want to talk to uh address something to Dr. Brummit. Dr. Brumit, um, several years ago, and this kind of goes to what Sean Howerin's saying, did the finance committee meet? It's not just three members. Actually, it's super majority this year of Democrats. Um, and Lou, who is our, you know, head of our school, and Dr. Brema are actually exeicios. Um, because there was never a meeting, I don't think you're very familiar with how it works, which is why I could understand your comments because we haven't met. But it's actually it would consist of the two Democrats, myself, Dr. Brummit and Lou. So in the past, we used to meet very frequently. I know that the public is invited to our meetings and there's never been an issue when we had a finance meeting and it

132actually helped us. So we never had this issue in the past. All board members are invited. It doesn't delay anything. But when you've never had that type of meeting, you wouldn't be privy to understanding how it's even run because we've never had one. But uh so just to get to my question, Dr. Brummit, can you elaborate based on your experience in the last two to four maybe six, however many years, how the finance meetings were run um if you felt they were impartial anyway, delayed anything, or just your opinion on them because I think with for the newer board members who've never went to one, which is just the first time ever we've never had these, everyone's invited and just I think there's some needs to be some clarity on how they're actually handled. So

133to answer that question um we have met previously and there was the purpose was never to make budget cuts. The purpose um in previous meetings was to look at maybe a proposed budget at the very start of the process, look at upcoming capital projects that were being considered and it was really an advisory situation. Um, so it was never designed nor did it ever meet to make budget cuts, make those type of decisions. It was basically overview and eventually the board, members of the board that participated could um make suggestions about prioritizing capital or um any other suggestions, largely capital, but never was it designed to make recommendated recommended budget cuts. So um that part is while it's true any member of the board could attend only the members of the committee can vote or

134or make recommendation or speak but it was never designed to be a forum for budget cutting or designing the budget. It's really to um hear about priorities and you know voice opinions about them. Okay. Thank you on that. And the other thing I want to say is if you read the definition on the website which is on the board of ed website it's to manage the budget and anybody can look it up on the Newington public school system website instead of going by what we think you can actually read what is designed is there's actually a description of each committee and what it does. Um and if I'm wrong I'm more than happy to admit it but it's to manage the budget so we don't get to situations like this. So while it wasn't designed

135for it it's actually on the NPS site. Um, another thing I wanted to address is I do I do I do really agree with May Mary. Um, like you guys have said, there's nothing we can do to change the amount, but we should we should have some sort of meeting or just something to where we can, you know, figure out if other areas need to be cut so we can come to an agreeance so we don't have to push meetings out all the way till July or whatever before. So, Mary, I do uh, Miss Peters, I do agree with you on that one. Thank you. Yeah, we will have another meeting whether it's a special meeting or it is um our next scheduled meeting to bring back this topic and um welcome any suggestions or

136feedback. Um in the meantime, it would be helpful if there were suggestions to reach out to myself and Dr. Bremit just so that they can be looked into and then at the meeting we can make a decision. Um like Mr. Hollerin said no decisions are ever made outside of the board table. I do want to clarify never I did not decide the 650,000. I was given the number and asked to check if it affected staff layouts. It wasn't a decision that I made or Miss Weaver made or any of the majority party. It was a town council um caucus um suggestion and then the decision was made in public again. So, um I I I hear that people are are feeling that we were being secretive and and whatnot, but um my email, everyone has

137it. My cell phone, everyone has it. Like I'm fully available for um any sort of communication or any questions. Dr. Bruma as well. I never received any questions on how, you know, everyone knew the town council was deliberating. I never received any questions or anything on it. Um, so I just want to put that out there that nothing was done in secret. I I do hear Britney your concern and we can talk offline. I don't think this is the the place to do it about how to involve um the minority party in in certain things, but we don't have that set in place. So it can be something that we discuss for the future. Go ahead. Um, okay. I just wanted to restate that once it was clear that the town council was going to

138cut the board's budget by $650,000, then my team met and brought forth a suggestion tonight and that's what's before you in the memo. And that's what we feel could get us that reduction with minimal harm to our budget. So that's just a suggestion based on our expertise and curriculum, finance, personnel being a superintendent um of what we thought could work for the board's budget. Now certainly it's clear that the board tonight voted that down or was a tie. So there needs to be further discussion about that. But just to be clear, that internal recommendation that came forward to the board tonight in the form of this memo was the collective work of my central office team based on their expertise and our uh belief and directive not to cut any existing staff. Um I would

139like to move on because we have some other items. So um yeah, please go ahead. Do are there any rules and or regulations and I probably should look myself regarding uh the finance committee meeting because I've never heard of the finance committee uh getting together during my tenure. There is a finance committee meeting. The the meeting that we had it was probably November December was a joint meeting between the finance committee and the facilities committee to talk about the um the capital budget. So they did meet in my tenure and Miss Weaver's tenure. I'm sure There was not a meeting. There was a meeting I remember a couple years ago that or maybe even last year that you know two years ago that talked through the budget process but it wasn't line by line in

140the budget. It wasn't to cut anything. It is up to the board chair or the finance chair to call a meeting. It is not a requirement that the finance meeting finance committee or any committee for that matter meets. um if we need to update the website and revise that, maybe the policy committee can look at that. Um but go ahead, Miss Weaver. Yeah, we just haven't gotten to the 9,000s yet, which is uh the board has the power to create ad hoc committees. There's um often standard or often regular meetings uh or regular committees that are more um standard, but the board can add or create any committee they see fit or not have that. I'll just say uh in my first term I served on the finance committee and during that time uh under

141the um leadership of uh chairman Vella I served uh and it was uh Steve Sylvia and Bob Tolfeld and myself on the finance committee. Um we never did any budget proceedings. All of it was capital um improvement projects uh and understanding the capital budget. So there was never any budget discussions and I believe uh I don't know if it was established before uh those chairs tenures or not but I'll just say that it was of the opinion of the prior chairs and perhaps it created a I wouldn't say tradition but as an expectation that all of the budget proceedings would be from the full board standpoint and from uh just to have an open discussion for full board in front of the public at our regular meetings or special budget meetings as a full board.

142the finance uh committee in my tenure on the finance committee was always uh looking at the capital improvement uh plan, the long range plan to understand where we were looking at um wherever we would need either bonding or um anything in in the future. So that's all we had discussed then that's going back to 2019 and 2020. So so we are off topic our topic was not finance committee our topic was budget. So um if there's no other budget um discussion, I would like to move on to our next item. Um we have an action resolution honoring our 2025 validictorian and saludiatorans. There should be a motion somewhere. I can. Yep. Yeah. On the screen. Go ahead. You want to give it? You can give it. Is there uh the each year I just read

143the motion correct? Yeah, just the recommended the board of education proclaim Oh god, I'm going to kill this poor kid's name. Shisti Wadha Wadwa Wadwa as valadictorian for the Newington High School graduating class of 2025 and Matteline Mashad as saluditarian for the Newington High School graduating class of 2025. Second. Great. Thank you. And um these are obviously two very outstanding students. Um we will honor them at the honors breakfast where they will receive their um fancy thing um a plaque. Um so any discussion Mr. Holler? I just want to say congratulations. I know um it's very competitive for validictorian like fractions of a point and um both uh Sisti and uh Maline did an amazing job but I also think that there's probably 10 kids who are right there with them working really hard. Um

144but really just want to recognize their efforts. Um and I can't wait to see my graduation. All right. Uh, roll call. Oh, did you just want to say congratulations? Um, and I know at the breakfast it goes over like their GPA and then all the things they're involved in. So, I just wanted to say looking forward to May 21st scholars breakfast. Thank you. All right. Roll call vote, please. Mary Dra with a hearty congratulations to both. Yes. Brittney Carr. Yes. John Hollerin. Yes. Anthony Nell, congratulations. Yes, Timothy Newton. Yes, yes, Jessica Weaver. Yes, Anastasia. Yeah. Yes. Pass unanimously. 8 Z. Thank you. All right. Discussion and possible action on board policies. Miss Weaver, I will turn it over to you. Please stand. Okay. Um I hope this is going to be action tonight. Um what

145we're presenting again are all the policies that were presented last meeting. So as we always do and I as I always remind we always have a uh procedure of presenting the policy at a board meeting bringing it back to our committee and then bringing it back here. Um so all of these we had not received any further discussion on any of these policies. So um if there is any at this time please let me know. Otherwise I think our committee would recommend going forward with these policies. Um and this I think will almost conclude the 2000 series. Uh, I know everyone is so excited about that. And um, if not, I would say could we do the motion and I'll say Miss Garin. I'll make the motion to move the board to replace policies 2000

1462000-12 20110 2100 2120 2130 222200 2500 400-1 5,145 dot Five with a recommended revisions and revised numbering system. That will be much better. Second. That's on the record. Yes. 1.5. Oh my god. All right. We have a motion in a second. Is there any discussion? Thank you to our fabulous policy committee again. Um let's do a roll call vote, please. Yes. Bridgie Carr, yes. John Hollerin, yes. Anthony Meley, yes. Timothy Newton, yes. Amy Karate, yes. Jessica Weaver, yes. 8 Z. Thank you. And that brings us to public participation on any matter related to board responsibilities. If you are in the room, you can come to the end of the table. I don't see anyone. Um online, you can raise your hand to be recognized. Okay, seeing none, um, remarks by board members. Miss Weaver be

147quick, I promise. Um, just want to say thank you. Um, think this conversation was productive, however tense it is, I appreciate those points of view. Um, and appreciate again that work being done on the budget process. Um, so look forward to how that will shake out. Um and again congratulations to our everyday hero who is more than I think emphasis on hero and to again our our village of churches teachers nurses and sports staff. Um and then just really wanted to to put a note I know we had a moment of silence earlier but I just want to say thank you to our incredible MPS community. Uh this has not been an easy week and I think we all just need to acknowledge um how difficult life can be and how precious it is. I

148want to offer my condolences to the family of the victims of the car crash on Saturday and also to the family of our IT member Mike Lee. Um I know that um it's never an easy time and to have someone um not all the victims but one of them be one of our our students and be a senior. Um it's incredibly hard to hear and especially around holiday everything happening. There's so many things happening in the next couple weeks. So, um it while it was incredibly chipper meeting points, I just wanted to um acknowledge the um tireless support of the community of our emergency services folks um fire, PD, EMS, um who came to the scene and who have been there and who need support as well. And as well to our admin team and

149our teachers. Um we've heard great things um online. It's it's one of the things where you're happy to look on social media to see that um there's a community there to respond. Um so I thank you for being there for our students. Um and just wanted to lend our support and I won't speak for the full board, but um as a board to support our our school community here. Um this is by no means something where it just ends the next week. Um we'll need support throughout. Um, so I just wanted to say thank you for those for being there um for responding uh and being on the scene and um as we kind of get through this, I hope that there um are are ways that we can honor and remember um the folks

150that we've we've lost in this um tragic kind of week. So thank you. Um yeah, I was um going to say the same thing just um very special thanks to um Dr. Dr. Bra, Miss Taggnau, her team for the tremendous um I was on the phone with Dr. from it um when it happened and and just you know she immediately just gathered all the services the the group support the therapy dogs um and having them available for the high school students and then again for our IT department um and the support there um yesterday um definitely will be honoring our senior um just awful awful loss and and two of our students also lost their mothers um and and lots of family members in the district. So, we are our condolences to to everybody and

151um and the other women involved in the crash too. Um and then and obviously our IT um support of 25 years um just unexpected. So, very very very sad day sad week um in Newington. But again, like Miss Weaver said, the support of the community and and all the responders and and all the outside agencies that came in to support and then all the just crisis team and and everyone. So, we'll always be there for we have a lot of mental health support in in our schools. So, we're very grateful to for that. And I will a motion to adjourn and Mr. Holler is going to second it. Second. All right, we have a motion. Any discussion? All in favor? I. Thank you. Meeting adjourn 9:15.