NPS BOE Meeting - (4/9/2025)

001Are the mics on? Good evening. I'd like to call this meeting of the Newington Board of Education to order for Wednesday, April 9th, 2025. The time is 7:02 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. Dad, could you please call the role? Mary here. Whittney here. Sean Howerin here. Anthony Neie Karate here. Sam Sharma here. Jessica Weaver here. Anastasia Y. Thank you. I have Mr. um Newton and Miss Anastasia. Yeah. Yeah. Absent from the All right. Our first item on the agenda is a resolution honoring Newington professional secretaries. I will read this into the record. Resolution honoring Newington professional secretaries April 9th, 2025. Whereas

002Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 has been proclaimed as Newington Professional Secretaries Day. And whereas the Newington public school secretaries are qualified and dedicated professionals who relate positively to students, staff, and parents. And whereas the Newington public school secretaries perform secretarial work of a complex, confidential, and responsible nature. And whereas the Newington public school secretaries set the tone for the school by their pleasant and courteous manner and prompt attention to questions and requests. And whereas the Newington public school secretaries contribute to the success of the entire school system and are act always willing to go above and beyond their assigned duties whenever necessary. Therefore, we do hereby proclaim Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 as Newington Professional Secretaries Day. Be it resolved that we urge all the citizens of our community to join with us in actively expressing gratitude

003to Newington secretaries on this very special day. 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 for presentation. We have some secretaries in the room. Would you like to please come up and accept? Yep. You too, Nicole. Come on over here. So, we're going to gather with the board chair for a photo op and Ann Marie is online. Oh, we have a few office professionals online. I know. So, go over there. You did. But it's okay. Actually, Deb, should I take the picture so you can be in the picture? Come on now. I almost lost my sensibilities. set. Would anybody like to share how much you love your job in Newington? You lost

004your voice, but you love your job. Rachel wants Rachel. So, yeah. Thank you on behalf of all the secretaries and I do enjoy supporting everybody here and um and working for all of you. So thank you again for all of this. Thank you. Anybody online? Everyone's being shy. Let's open it up for board comments. Miss Weaver, we're not going to be shy about our thanks, though. Um, I just want to say thank you all. Um, those in the room and those online and those not here. Um, truly, I think we we talk about just how important every facet of our our school communities are. Um, but I will tell you, nothing gets done without our secretaries. Quite literally nothing. Um, and I know I owe some of you some responses, some RSVPs, so I will

005get on that. I was like, "Oh my god." Oh. Um, I would hate to disappoint because um, you really truly do like get everything in order, get everything together, and also um, are truly just one of the biggest glues that we have in our schools. Um, some of the first faces that anyone, including students, but also the public see. Um, you know, growing up with, you know, Miss Valente and I grew up, um, back in the day with Miss Dell Zangle, like going over to her house. Um uh so you know just like the community that you make um is truly just one that doesn't go unnoticed. It is just those things that I truly appreciated at a as a student um and now as a board member and a community member. It's just one

006of those things that I'm so glad we have the best secretaries. So um I just want to say thank you so much. Um we say every day, you know, it's just like you get a day and it feels like not enough. Um but just saying thank you much. Um, I don't think you'll get enough thank yous, but we appreciate all the work that you guys do and I will get back to you on your RSU piece, Mr. Hollerin. Um, I'm going to do this awkwardly because I think most of you are behind me. Um, or online. Um, I often think that our professional secretaries are probably undernoticed and underappreciated. Um, I think it's really good that we recognize a day here, but the devil is truly in the details. But our professional secretaries are the

007ones who make sure that all the tees are crossed, all the eyes are dotted, keep us on board with what we need to do. And sometimes you have to chase us down so you can actually plan and get the things moving. And when I say the things, it can be a lot of things. Um, and I don't think we could survive as a system without the vital roles that you do. So, honestly, thank you very much, Mr. Chararma. Hey, I just want to echo what everyone else said. Um, so we cannot as a district function without um the secretary. So, thank you for everything you do every day and for going above and beyond and, you know, making making us run. So, thank you so much. Thank you. Miss Petris, I'll make it quick. Thank

008you so much. Sometimes we forget that you are the first touch, not just for our students, but for the community at large. And for those of us who either have or have had kids in the schools, oh boy, we called you guys a lot. And so we really appreciate it. And you know, I certainly recognize how difficult it can be to coordinate so many things. It's always high impact. It's always high volume. And so sometimes it's like hurting cats. And so we appreciate that. we appreciate all the hard work that you do and for keeping us on point and organized. So, thank you. Yeah, I'll just add that I know um our secretaries work year round and and there's obviously a lot to do during the school year, but there's a lot to do during

009the during the summer getting um everything ready for the students to show up again in September. So, we definitely appreciate all the and in central office there's a lot to do, preschool applications, all that stuff. Um, but there's there's definitely a lot to do and we definitely appreciate all of the hard work and super big shout out to my bestie in the back, Nicole, who just started last year at the high school and she's been just amazing there. I'm very grateful that she's there in the high school for my daughter especially, but for all the students at at Newington High School, very lucky to have you and everyone else who works at the high school and every other school. Um, yeah, good job. Congratulations everybody. All right, next on our agenda is our everyday hero,

010Dr. Bremmit. Thank you very much. So, I am pleased to announce that our everyday hero is Mr. Dave Richardson, head custodian at Martin Kellogg Middle School. He was nominated by Jen McGawan, who's also here. and I'm not mistaken, a recent uh appearance here at the board of ed for a similar reason. But here's what Jen had to say about uh Mr. Richardson, who's joined by his family this evening. It's amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn't matter who gets credit. This quote exemplifies Dave, our incredible custodian at Martin Kellogg. In all the years I've worked in Newington, I've never seen a custodian like Dave. He is the most hardworking, dedicated, and diligent staff member. and he never asked to be recognized or to get credit for doing something. He is here early and

011promptly in the morning getting the building ready for the day. Dave never sits down. He is on the move all day long cleaning, moving furniture, responding to staff and student needs, and always with a smile on his face. One way our students feel safe and welcome is to have their place of learning be clean, neat, and beautiful. Dave takes such pride in our building and ensures that it is safe for all of us and always looks the best it can. Dave responds to staff needs in a prompt manner and will come back and check on things that were issues to ensure the job was done. He is always willing to lend a hand or fix a problem any time. I also witnessed Dave on a daily basis connecting with our kids, greeting them by name,

012asking them how their day is going. He's a role model in showing students the value of hard work and being part of a team. He's an essential part of the Kellogg family in so many ways. When I think about Equid in our schools, Dave is an important part of the work. He is an amazing human who always puts our building, our students, and our staff before himself. We are truly grateful for the person he is and the dedication he demonstrates to our Martin Kellogg and NPS missions. I believe Dave is more than deserving of the Everyday Hero Award. Congratulations. And Jen can come up for the picture as well as the nominator. Best guy ever. You got to be in the middle. Oh, yes. Would you like Thank you. Oh, I mean you said a

013lot. Let me say more. No, just I I mean all that plus this is Dave's beautiful family and we've had the pleasure of also having his children at Martin Kellogg. Um he and his wife are like model parents too. So, it's nice to have someone who is there as a member of our team and also a member of our family as parents. Um, you guys, it's amaz like Jaden's a senior. We remember him when you were in sixth grade. Maybe David will be joining Newington High School next year and Amaya just came back to Newington High School, right? So, just you just Dave I just had a student today come in and tell me, "Oh, I'm so sweaty this morning." I'm like, "Why?" He goes, "Well, I played basketball with Mr. Richardson this morning. And

014Dave does this with kids. He takes another kid during reach and has him help him do some jobs and the student looks as that looks at that as a reward. Um they want to spend time with Dave. Um so you just have to know Dave how important you are to all of us. Thank you. So yeah, now you get to speak or you want your daughter to speak. Maya Maya has a little Yes. Um I just want to say um thank you for the opportunity. Um, I genuinely love my job. Love the staff, people I work with every day. They put a smile on my face. I put a smile on their face. And um, I'm just happy for the opportunity. Thank you. We'll put it in the minutes after. Absolutely. I'll open up for

015board comments. I I don't know uh Mr. Richardson, but I can tell you this. Uh half of the characteristics that they just named are true. You're a true role model and all of us, every human being can take a lesson from this. And I think if we were all like you were, the world would be a much better place. God bless you. Thank you, Mr. Chararma. Hey, I just want to give a quick shout out to Dave. Thank you for everything you do. Um, you know, thank you for going above and beyond keeping M Kellogg clean and shiny. So, we really appreciate it. Thank you so much. Miss Beatric, thank you for everything we do you do for our our students and our staff. You know, it takes a village and we talk a lot

016about um our classroom helpers and our classroom teachers, but we wouldn't work without the hard work that are people that are doing behind the scenes, not just to make everything look beautiful and set up a an environment where kids are ready and wanting to learn. When we make that effort, then our kids know our schools are important and it reinforces that message. But what really struck me is the time that you take to be with each student. So, thank you so much Miss Gar, my mic is Thank you for all you do. I can only imagine how much cleaning needs to be done for school, let alone you see one or two kids and you think that's a mess. Now you have a whole school. So, thank you for all you do. And I have

017to say I personally remember my head custodian, Mr. Woody from Prospect Elementary School because he had an impact like you are having for the kids in your school where they take that extra time to connect one-on-one with the kids and it makes such an impact. I can't remember all my teachers but I do remember him. So, thank you. Um, yeah, everything that said as a MKS alum that was very messy. I apologize and thank you. um all in one. Um it's one of those things as Miss Carr was saying um twins are a special breed of mess uh in my opinion. So um there's a certain there's a certain person it takes to be to be in your role. Um but I think just like was said um you know I think this award is

018really for those who aren't seen. You know we see a lot of um you know so many of our teachers and we love you all so much. Um, but I think it's it's really the everyday hero and the unsung hero. Um, and I hope that, you know, I truly believe and I love this award because it's giving the people their flowers while they're here. And I just really want to say thank you um for all that you're doing. And I can't wait to hear about the stories about you when these kids come back 10 years and beyond. Um cuz that's really what it is. You know, like all of our friends, we talk about our custodians, the people that were there and the days that were tough and the smiles that they put on our

019faces, you know, like I was in the lunchroom and saw Miss Crawford in the hall, you know, and there was like those moments are with you for life. So, thank you for giving those moments to those students. Um, yeah, and I'm here for the stories after. If you are, I think Tony said it best, a role model. Um, you're a family man. Well, that speaks volumes to me. Um, students look up to you in a way that's different than looking up to a teacher. You're real, right? There's not a gap. You're approachable. They they see the work that you do and they see the effort that you put into your work, but I think on top of all of that is the pride you have in the work that you do, the passion you have

020in the work that you do. Um, and I remember being in middle school and there was a closeness with the custodial staff because they were not teachers. You respected them, but not because you had to, because you wanted to. And I think that that's the lesson that everybody takes away from it. And truly, thank you for doing it day in and day out. Congrats on this very welldeserved award. I'm very proud of you still talking and I just want to say I mean I per I have your cell phone number. I know we've talked on the phone and the after hours and even if you're not working you're still super helpful and willing to you know make sure that the doors are unlocked and and everything but I also want to thank um Miss McGawan

021for the nomination and what you set up here. I mean, you said a lot in the in the nomination, but the little things that you set up here, like taking students for reach and and, you know, giving giving a student a reward for, you know, taking him around and having him do jobs, like I think that's just fantastic. And the little things that you do every day are definitely important and and like everyone said, they're going to be remembered from for a long time. So, I personally thank you for the work that you've done and and the support that you've given the community, but also it's really great to hear the the support that you have with the for the students in the school. So, thank you so much and congratulations. Okay. I um do

022we need a motion to amend our agenda? We're going to we're thinking of moving our um student representative report to now some hacking a test. I hear there's a lot going on tonight. So we can move our um student representative report up to now in the agenda would be fantastic. So we need a motion motion to move the student representative standing committee report to above item C. Second. Motion second. Is there any discussion? Thank you. Okay. All in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. Our student reps are up. Well, hello everyone. It's great to be back here. Um, after missed you. We've missed you guys more. You know, it's been a busy few couple of months here, but we're back now and we're ready to present some amazing things that's been happening at High School

023as well. But, uh, I believe we have a slid show coming up. There we go. All right. Well, here's what's happening at Newington Public Schools, specifically Newton High School by Abby and I. Um, but first, we wanted to present you, the board, with a little uh appreciation from us. We didn't get to recognize you guys in March because Abby and I were in uh involved in Once Upon a Mattress, the musical that was happening at NHS and so we couldn't get we couldn't be here, but we decided to extend our gratitude and um recognize you guys today and give you guys provide you guys with some gifts as well. So, uh, our student council, uh, members slash our peers are going to be presenting you guys with, uh, some goodies that we prepared earlier and

024and Oh, wow. Okay, Mr. Hollerin, great one. Um, but these we just want to recognize the great efforts made by the culinary arts department as well at the uh Newton High School because they helped us make some of these goodies that you are seeing in front of you today. So, we want to say thank you guys and we appreciate everything that you do here at Newington public high school uh Newington public schools, sorry, and also for what you do for Miss Tno, all the administration. We thank you guys so much. Thank you all. Did we say culinary? Yes. Yes. Thorn. We're highlighting it. Um, so I think it's a Yeah, this slide right here. That's the next the next one and we'll get started. So for what's going on at the high school. So sophomore

025Taylor Loins, she instituted the new quote of the day, which we announce every day on the announcements. This has been really helpful in bringing up our school morale for students and staff. So it's really fun to listen to every morning. And then we've been doing a lot of fundraising at the high school. A lot of our different groups have been fundraising. So the class of 2026 held a fundraiser at Flying Monkey on Tuesday, March 4th. And 10% of the proceeds went towards setting off class dues, prom costs, and next year's graduation. And then the class of 2025 held a fundraiser at Newington Chili's on March 19th. 10% of those proceeds went towards offsetting similar things. graduation costs, prom, things like that. And then yesterday, our girls golf team held a fundraiser at Moe's, and that

026was to raise money for their season. It seemed pretty successful. I stopped by, and there were a lot of people. Um, and then Project Grad is hosting a lot of fundraisers right now. So, you'll see they're holding a dodgeball fundraiser and a golf tournament to help raise money to help offset graduation costs and and then Project GRD at the end of the year. And then also Llaya Civetella and Bella Longo who are behind me right now. Um they are hosting a bingo night on April 23rd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the cafeteria and it's open to anyone and there's a $5 entry fee. It's their service project for National Honor Society and there'll be a lot of fun gifts that have been donated from local businesses. So Pliables, Joey Garlics, Haven Hot Chicken, Laser

027Max, and more. and those prizes will be handed out to the winners. And then our career fair was also held. Um that was a really great success. 74 businesses and colleges and then 115 guests showed up and we just wanted to shout out Miss Kyler who put the event together. A lot of hard work was put into it and it went really well. And then it is also school library month in April. So, the library media team created an infographic and they've just been emphasizing why school libraries matter and the many ways that they contribute to our students success and obviously our library staff is really important and they're such a great part of our everyday school day. So, we just are so glad to celebrate them. And then the Kiara McDormant Basketball Classic was

028also held recently and it was a great success. Miss Cody sets that up and everything went well. And then the junior and senior proms are coming up soon. So junior prom is going to be held April 25th and senior prom will be May 9th. And class officers and our prom committees have been working hard to put that together. So table um arrangements um decorations, theme, everything like that. And then juniors and seniors will also participate in promise which is just used to promote safe behavior and activities during and after prom. Next, we have uh field trips that students went on. To name a few, uh students went to Dunkin Donuts Park, uh Capitol Community College, Mystic Aquarium in Yukon Stores Planetarium just for some extended learning this uh this week. And we also on March

0297th, we had the American Red Cross come to the school and with the help of the National Honor Society, we had 63 donors and their donations will help save 144 lives. So, thank you to the National Honor Society and the American Red Cross as well. Now, we want to take a moment to highlight Once Upon a Mattress. We have one of the stars here as well, Jada Ulette. Um, we had the shows on March 13th, 14th, 15th, and we had an amazing opening performance. We have multiple stars. I don't know why I said that. Multiple stars here. Oh, yeah. And I was in it. And Abby was Abby was actually in the bed while Jada was on top of the bed. Um, making sure she doesn't fall through, you know. Um, but with, you know,

030the great carpentry, she did not. So, we're lucky for that. Um we also had um we also recognized our coral director slash um musical director Mr. Christopher Clark for his amazing dedication to New Public Schools at the uh end of the last show on the 15th for his amazing hard work and his dedication. So we thank you Mr. Clark for all of your dedication and hard work. And we also had the NHS voices of change which this program is a workshop series and assembly program that upl up uplift student student voices and cultivates community building practices and resulting in like safer and more inclusive uh learning environments as well which was a great turnout for the student the senior sorry sophomore students um in the high school. Then we also had multiple sessions uh regarding

031FA completion for seniors and students and families to learn more about what they can do uh what can them what they can better uh for their ed education. Also we had on the juniors completed the SAT. So I know Abby you have a lot of weight you know shifted off off of your shoulders with those SATs. And we also have the state and local reps visit the new high school which was a huge success. And we also have men's warehouse who offered two free tuxedo rentals donations to new high school students. And these donations are e intended for deserving students who are in good academic standing but are currently currently fa facing experiencing sorry financial challenges that would prevent them from renting a tuxedo for prom this year. So great to hear from them as

032well. We also had the spring pep rally and this featured um our new high school chamber choir. We also held a game uh recognizing our future like our retirees for this year. We also had Leilani Figueroa perform in front of the whole school by herself in front of the whole school which is very scary and she did amazing performance as well. And we also uh had a fundraiser with in uh correlation with project grad for Mr. hair is to shave his hair, which was a huge success. Was a success as well. So, to get into our clubs, Deco recently opened our storm snacks. So, we'll be selling snacks during the day. There'll be ice cream chips, things like that that students can buy for$1 or $2. And we also had our state competition in early

033March. So, Audrey D. Francesco Tristan Gorman, Lucas Robson, Maddie Mashaw, Kyla Stilio, Alexandra Tashuk, and Julia Kresnik placed top five in their categories, and some of them will be moving on to our international competition in Orlando, Florida. So, I wanted to congratulate them. And then, DECA and FBLA will be going to London. Me, Michael, Dr. Brome, and Miss Tignel all be leaving tomorrow. And we're so excited for that. It's a business exploration trip for us to get to know London systems and compare them to what we have here. And then also Link Crew has been continuing to be active in our school community and they've chosen their new officers. So next year I'll take on the role of president and Adrien Bielski will take on the role of vice president and we're both so excited

034to contribute to link crew and just see what we can do for the school. and diversity club will also be hosting a cultural cuisine night where students can bring foods from their culture and share them with others. And there are already 15 restaurants donating as well to that. So that we're super excited. This is the first time this has been hosted. Um and then Educators Rising attended their fifth annual Ed Rising contest. Um members Via Wagner, Corora Tracy, Katherine Denapoli, Thomas Denapoli, and Natalyia Cooper were all deeply inspired by their teachers at NHS and their former teachers at the elementary and middle schools and f that fueled their commitment to join the field of education and this club is a great opportunity for them to be a part of that and start getting experience now.

035And then our HOSA club um went to the Ngate Valley Community College today for the Connecticut um HOSA state leadership conference. That went great and nine students placed top three in their events. So that's very impressive. Um, Mia Ankl, Jaylen Henderson, Danny Bezard, Addison Stafford, Sophia Mashad, Angel Sahi, Krypa Jacobs, Sahaser Gudy Pooty, and Katie Dugas all placed top three. So, we want to congratulate them as well. And then history club competed in the regional Connecticut history day competition. and Thomas Denathley, Mortaza Ather, Zed Khan, um Katherine DNapoli, Megan Gova, and Aiden Rodriguez all finished top five in their categories. So, we have a lot of students to celebrate today. Next, we want to move on to sports. We want to take some time to highlight some winter sports. Um, but first, we want to

036go ahead and start with uh boys swimming. We want to congratulate Cuba Ladawick uh who is a senior who broke uh more high school more NHS swimming records at the CCC championships. And we also want to congratulate uh Cuba Ladwick, uh Jaden Lou, Nathan Lou, and Matt Vong who broke the school's 200 free relay. So congratulations to those individuals. We also had the unified sports team uh that was invited to play basketball at Moheaggan Sun which was a huge success as well. And we also want to take a moment to highlight all our all state athletes. Ammani Blair for cheerleading, Kuba Ladderick for uh boys swimming, Jack Petronia for boys ice hockey, Kaylin Reynolds for girls ice hockey, and Josiah Sims for boys basketball. So congratulations to all those ath student athletes as well. And

037then just to finish off with our special shoutouts, um we wanted to shout out the special education PTO. They held a baking event. So Mr. Rich and our culinary academy hung out with some of our special needs students in the district and they had a baking event and it was really fun and it seemed like a great time. Um, Katherine Cordmanch and Corin Tate were also honored at the 30th annual high school arts award banquet which was held April 1st at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. We also wanted to congratulate um cadet captaini Benoi for celebrating two years of service with the firefighter cadet of vision. So that's very impressive and we want to shout her out. And then we also wanted to say congratulations to Lacy Montana who's a sophomore at the high school.

038um she was named girls all state ski team which is incredible. And then Thomas Dapoli who's a junior was also won first place in the job interview event at the state ed rising conference on March 11th. And then congratulations to Zachary Geraldo who was recognized at the National Football Foundation scholar athlete. Um he'll be honored at the Aqua Turf later this spring. And that's all we have for you guys today, but if we h you guys have any questions or comments, we'd love to hear it. Thank you. Great job as always. Any comments or questions? Don't fight. Okay, go ahead. Um, so just want to congratulate everybody who's shown a commitment and dedication to succeeding, the athletes, the honories. There's actually so many that I can't go through the list. That makes me super super

039proud. Um, to you too. Uh, thank you very much for putting together a PowerPoint presentation. My favorite part is when you said by me and Abby. Um, yeah, we got that part. Um, but um I um just want a little clarification. Abby, when you said you were in the mattress, were you part of the crew? Yeah. So, I'm Props Master and in that scene, um Kaye, who is the queen, she had a pee, she had a hand down into the mattress, so I was just in there for them. I really relate to that because I was on the crew for my high school musical. I was a smoke stack on a fake train. The lead in that play went on to be the lead in Wicked on Broadway. My career pinnic was the pinnacle of

040the smoke stack. Um but right my myian career. Um just one clarification on that. I'm glad you're okay. Um you guys did a great job. I can't be more proud of the students that we have. That's the reason we put in this time to do this. the feedback you give us is absolutely vital to what we're doing. It's not just celebrating successes, but seeing all those things. Um, you went through sports. I think DECA, Future Business Leaders of America, that holds a special place in my heart. That's kind of where my career in business started. Um, good luck in London. Um, I'm going to stop talking now because you have to pack in sleep. There is a time change. Um, but we want pictures and like the most touristy pictures you can provide. I want

041double-decker buses and everything. Thank you. Miss Weaver and like Abby Road like in there. That'd be great. Um, as always, just fantastic. I don't know. I like I feel bad. Um, just want to say a huge shout out. I really feel like half the cast of Once Upon Time Mattress is here. So, just want to say just incredible performance. Uh, a lot of us were there opening night. Um, it was just so fun to watch. Um, some of you are not shy. Got you. Um, and I really loved it. It It was just great. Um, the talent here is amazing. And then I know all of you do like 700 other things. So, thank you for being here. Um, because it is late and you've already had a full day and you're doing all this

042and then you're doing that. And I think just honestly, I always say you guys really exemplify and really show what the portrait of the graduate is. Um, it truly is exactly you're the model citizens that we want you to leave here and then do amazing things after. um you're the examples that that set it. So, thank you for that. I want to give a special shout out to Miss Cody who's been doing the K McDerman tournament for long and I know she got honored there, but I just want to elevate to our community how important um she is and in terms of honoring Kiara um years on. It's just one of those most meaningful things and I think as a community it just shows the people that are in our schools that come together um

043and continue to remember her. So, I I just wanted to give a special shout out there and also a special shout out to Mr. Clark. we will be continuing to celebrate him. Um, and as someone who's who's been on that stage under his direction, it's I truly don't know what we will do without him. We will move on, but we will um we were better for him being there for so long. So, I um just want to say thank you all. Um very excited to hear about all of the next things you do. Um, and you know, I don't know. It's not my one yet, but I if Michael's made a decision on his college plan. I don't want to put him on the spot, but I kind of like to do that. All good.

044So, I just made my decision about like two days ago. Uh, I'm finally committed to University of New Haven for mechanical engineering and a minor marketing as well. Oh, amazing. So, I just want to say congratulations. Usually, it's like a little more intense. They're like, "Oh, don't give me a decade right now." Um, but congratulations. I'm so excited for your future. And of course, we'll have you back before the end of the year. But, um, just want to say thank you all for what you've done. It's really impressive how you've literally done like all of this while doing all of that. Um, take some naps during college. Yeah. Yeah. But thank you guys. Thank you for being here. We missed you this last month without you and good luck with Link Crew next year. Thank

045you so much for having to from Bella. Oh, wait. Oh, miss. Sorry. A special shout out to our sticker for life. Um, thank you guys so much for the amazing gifts. I cannot wait to tear into this biscotti so much. Thank you guys. Okay, now we have our the other side of our high school students here for presentation on the NHS mental health program. Yeah. Come to the end. Make sure the mic's on. And while the uh Miss Redmond and her students are assembling, as a reminder to the board, Miss Redmond um a former Spanish teacher has taken on a role as a a mental health counselor for uh which was a grant-f funed position and it has taken many forms including classroom work that I believe will be highlighted tonight with some of our

046students. Um, but I'll I'll turn it over to her for now and then we'll make some comments at the end about some of the other things going on. So, Miss Redmond and students, it's all yours. You thank you so much for inviting us to speak on behalf of um our new program. Um, I'd like to introduce this is Ava, Jada, Matalia, Gabby, Willows, and Victoria are are here with us. they've all um taken the mental health class and um they're here to just kind of speak upon that. But um as you know, we are in year two of the grant. Um time is flying by, but I'm so proud of all the things that we've accomplished in just two years and we are still thinking of more things to do um and and going forward.

047So, I know there's a lot of packing to do for an important trip. So, I want to do this justice, but we'll go as fast as we can. Um, but um we're going to Oh, actually, not yet. I see I'm getting ahead of myself. Um, we'll wait two uh two more slides, but if Dr. Braum, if you could um Yeah. So, the role of the counselor is I I guess I kind of put it into three categories. Um, one is the mental health seminar uh which has six class three classes each semester. It's been running. It's been um full full. Um there was a wait list this this year to get into it. Um I believe there's three six classes running next year. Um which is good because it allows me the other half of

048the day to do the substance use education counseling and also um help plan some of the schoolwide programs that we have. And then I also do assist um the other school counselors and helping students as well. So it's kind of broken down to those three parts. Okay. um as step the sigma and in this role we've given a mental health survey during mental health week which is coming up in May. Um I could have gone back further but in just in the interest of time this is just a little bit of data. Um and I do want to try to find ways to get more student responses for this year. It's coming up in May like I said. Um but in 2023 we had about 652 responses. This goes this goes out in a survey

049during advisory. Um but one of the questions we had asked the student body was you know what are some things that students might be struggling with and um you know anxiousness has been at the top both years in a row. We'll see in the next slide actually many of these have repeated itself in last year and then this year like we'll do another one but anxiousness feeling exhausted uh low energy and mind distracted to work and self-criticism are all about 50% of the students who have responded. So, it's pretty high. Um, and my idea in the course is trying to address some of these with proactive behaviors and coping skills and um, self-care and learning about, you know, why a student might be experiencing these things. So, we dive deep into that into the class.

050I wish everyone could take the class um, but we'll hear about that in a second. So, um, thank you, Dr. Bum. And again, just a little bit more of the same um burnout, 37%. Um there's a lot of students, I think one population of students that tends not to show up is the um overachiever and perfectionist student that tends to get overlooked. Um those students uh mask a lot of their feelings and um they're walking around with a lot. They're carrying a lot and um so that burnout is very re real. Feelings of overwhelm are very real. So, we're always trying to strive to um um find ways that we can it can help with that. So, thank you. So, um I'm not going to read through all this all of this because there's a

051lot there, but I kind of just divided the course into the three units that we've done, but we thought it would be nice to ex take a experience from our class. So, I'm gonna let We're I'm gonna let Jada kind of lead this. Would you like some help? Let's help. You want us to pass and you explain? All right. We'll help her. Does everyone have a something to write with? Okay. Hello everyone. I hope you're all having a good evening. So, to start off the presentation today, we thought it'd be a good idea to show you guys how we start class every single day. And we started off with gratitude. And in case you don't know what that is, it's basically we write on the card something that we're grateful for. And it could be

052something big like I'm really grateful for my family because they make me happy or like something small like today on my card I wrote I'm really grateful for sunny days because they uplift my mood. Like it could be anything around there. And I think it's a good way to start class because just in case you had a rough day already, like maybe you just failed a math class before you, not math class, math test before you walked in or something like that. And it's a good way to calm you. And we always listen to music while we're doing it. And it's just a good five minutes to start class. So if everyone could write something that they're grateful for on their card and I'll go around with the with their gratitude jar and I'll take

053it. It could be anonymous. [Laughter] There's the there's a mindful music link, but um you usually that's playing and the lights are off and there we we kind of just set the very calming mood. um comfortable. Yeah, it helps. And then we always have one person from class who'd like to volunteer and they read out what everyone said for the day. So, I'll do my Someone said, "I'm grateful for my loving family. Grateful that I had time to go to the gym this morning. I am grateful for all the amazing students who took their time out of their busy day to come here. A I am grateful for the many opportunities that I have been given to serve others. Sweet my family. Me too. I have so much free time with NPS students tonight. I

054think that's what it says. Thank you. My children and grandchildren and God's love. I love that one. Kevin. Diane and Kevin. Sometimes we get names in our class. I am grateful that today brought me joy. A the laughs I get to share with my family and friends. And lastly, my daughter is getting healthier each day. That's kind Thank you all so much for contributing. Yeah. So when we do this, you can just gain a sense of it builds a sense of community and kind of grounds us and puts us in a positive headsp space, but it kind of we kind of know a little bit about each other, but not knowing who did it. So that's how we start our class every day along with a couple other things. So Victoria is going to talk

055about so after we do the gratitude um we usually have a do now question which is the daily reflection question. Like right now we're talking about sleep and so it might be like how does sleep impact your mental health? and then they answer on a post-it and then I'll kind of like read the responses again anonymously. Um and then we go to um by the way um Taylor Lions who is doing the quote this kind of evolved in our class. So um each student gets assigned but go ahead. So, another part of our day we'd like to highlight is the quote of the day, which we have two people every day who put in a quote that speaks to them. And I think this is beneficial towards our class because we get to share a

056quote that speaks to us and we can share with others. And I know myself like myself has been impacted by this because I take quotes that other people share along with me. Um, and I just think that the quote of the day, um, really helps people also, uh, share themselves without really sharing who they are. Just share something about themselves and how something, um, small like a quote can help them throughout their day. Um, and for example, a quote that I like to take along with me is, uh, in a world where you can be anything, choose to be kind. Thank you, Victoria. and feel good Friday. Okay, so feel good Friday. It's once a week on Friday, Miss Redmond will go around the room and hand out a name and we're supposed to take

057note like this and just write down something about that person that we like or that we've noticed as we continue to get closer in the class. For me personally, I carry one that I was given because it just helps me feel good any day, not just Friday. But um it says, "Natalia, your infectious laugh and smile light up a whole room. You are so kind-hearted and funny every day. You have this amazing attitude that's so joyful. Keep being you. And that's the type of things that would be on the cards. And yeah. Yeah. And some students will just keep all of them and take them out when they're just having a rough day. So it's it's been awesome. And and I can't actually that the feelood Friday came from a student last year. her dad

058would send texts and I and she would read them to the class like in it was period one and she'd always like I'm like what did your dad say today and she would share it out and then she's like we should do it. So so many of these ideas come from students um which is just amazing and um I'm always open to any student in input because they make it you know worth it. So that's a little bit about how we start class. I'm not going to go through this whole list just to try to save time, but we are in um we are in the second unit right now which is managing our mental health. Um in this this we we've just done like setting boundaries. We've been talking about anxiety, addressing what we

059saw in the data. Um, and so we don't talk a ton about anxiety itself, like because they've had that in health, but we do go over a lot of the ways of um, understanding where it comes from, how our brain is impacted, and ways to manage it. So, we just in my the class I really wanted the students to engage in experience. So, we had Amy and Zero coming in last week and the students participated in a mindfulness. So, they did breathing exercises. she did mindful meditation. Um we did yoga. Um so and it it just was a great opportunity for students to participate in something that they might not have tried and now we have such a big interest that we are going to hopefully go on a field trip maybe to Amy's studio

060because that's how many students were like wow this really relaxed me. I want to do more of this. I had two students last year um on a Saturday morning um drive to Amy Studio in Southernington at 8 am on a Saturday morning um to take her class. And so um I really just want to thank her. Uh she's been an integral part of kind of this unit too and teaching. She's just such she has such a presence about her um and the students really enjoyed um her. So thank you to Amy. Um we also are having we've been partnering with um Kayla Hendrickson and Brett Manion from youth services. Um they've been coming in and in this unit we we do touch upon some heavier topics. So we are talking about suicide awareness depression and

061they have trained students in QPR which is question persuade and respond and students will be getting um certificates in that training but more importantly know how to save a life um and and get the help that they might need or help a friend. Um so that's been really important. So they're coming in in two weeks. Um another um uh brand new to this semester, no other classes have had it. So these students will be getting this is um we've been partnering with um it was the former Walden Institute and now it's it's Monte Neato. But um one of the things I survey the students at the beginning of the class is what what do they want to talk about? I certainly have my ideas, but I want to obviously make sure I'm addressing student needs.

062Um but one of the biggest ones has been body image and eating disorders and body dysmorphia. Um so we are um having the Monteneito organization come in. and I just met with them yesterday um on a Google meet and um they're going to be doing um a presentation and helping students. We already I already surveyed what they wanted to talk about and so that organization is coming in and going to be um giving the students firsthand information. So that's brand new this semester. So it's been a work in progress, but I feel like each semester it's getting like more and more refined and really addressing the needs. Um we had a self-care day today. We did. Um, dove chocolate, bubbles, uh, Play-Doh. I haven't played with Play-Doh since I was like 5 years old, but

063like still we played with Play-Doh. Yeah, we learned about ice ice therapy. What else did you guys want to say? Some of the things we did today. Yeah, for like the different kind of things. Yeah, for the ice therapy one, we you could either like eat the ice or you could hold it in your hand and it's a way to like relax you if you're going through like maybe an anxiety attack or something and you need something to take like off your mind. And so we'd hold the ice for a couple minutes and eventually it's so cold that all your thoughts like go towards how cold your hand is and it was really relaxing. So we did that for like probably 2 minutes. We held it and then we all like dropped it obviously. But

064it really it took your mind off what maybe you were thinking for the day and it made you focus on how cold your hand was. So anyone want to talk about the tapping? Oh yes, the tapping. Yeah. I mean, it's just basically like a technique that students can use. Like, so if you're in the if you're in class, sometimes you can't just like go take a walk or something. So, the breathing exercises that Amy taught us and then it's just like you just find an area and just tap. It's most effective here, I think. But like, so it's not something super obvious or if you were kind of, you know, overwhelmed in class, you just tap and it's just a sensation and if you close your eyes, you just, you know, it's just it's a

065way to kind of calm you like breathing. Um we do you want to talk about the the the art imagery anybody today? The art imagery that was when we chose a word. Um for me I myself I chose grace and it's something that it's supposed to be a word that we're trying to embrace and to incorporate more into our lives, something that we may be struggling with or something that we've been doing better with. So we would pick. So we took colors and we kind of just drew what we thought of as uh mindful music played in the back and we were guided by what was the artist? Someone on YouTube. Well, he still guided us and we just kind of made our own card in it. Maybe I should have one. Yeah, it was

066like an art mandala around it and then we wrote um an note of forgiveness or it well we had a choice to like so a lot of times we hold in things and we suppress our emotions and so I was teaching them sometimes just writing things out um you don't have to necessarily give it to somebody but if you want to apologize to someone or someone you want to tell someone that you forgive them um and you could just get it out um you can give it to them or not um you save it um or or a note of appreciation. And then um they they it was up to them what they were going to do with it. And then we're also writing um a note to our future self um about the kinds

067of people we'd like to be. Um we're doing that Friday and they're going to put it in an envelope and um open it in a year, five years. my Latin teacher from high school. This was Loretta Teven, Brussell Central High School, graduating class 1997. I took Latin and she had us do this and she passed away two years ago and I got the letter in the mail, my letter and I don't know she it was and I read it and I was like so it just like many emotions came up as like I could remember my younger self and then like things I wanted to accomplish. It was the coolest thing. So, I'm going to have them do that um on Friday. So, we ran out of time today. So, but anyway, those are just

068a few things um that we've done in this unit. And then the next unit is our addiction awareness and um yeah, so I'm just grateful to have the time. We have a lot of guest speakers come in. Um we extended it to some gambling um a gambling organization. We have lots of substance use um and when we do an addiction awareness challenge. So Ava participated in that because and Gabby did because everyone else is in it now and they haven't done it yet. Do you guys want to speak to that just quickly? Um well basically we all have things that you know might be bad habits could even be caffeine. I personally gave up soda. I had a bad addiction. Uh we expected to give it up for three weeks to really spread awareness on

069you know how difficult addiction can be and to overcome. Uh it says that uh after 3 weeks of going clean without a substance that's usually when your brain chemistry starts changing you know caffeine you wake up in the morning you know you drink it but you know of course if you change that after 3 weeks you know you start after you know after the headaches but you know uh you start to understand you know uh you don't crave that coffee as much anymore and you know we had different things we had social media um I know we had people literally delete apps, which is difficult for teens, but you know, we have people delete apps, like I said, coffee, um, me, soda, maybe just candy, too. Just a bunch of things that might not be

070the best habit for you, your health, mental health. Really understand how difficult that may be for some people. Yeah. Yeah. For mine, I did giving up Tik Tok and it was quite the struggle, but um it did help me look to like other things to do. Like I was able to watch more things with my family, spend more time with them, hang out with friends more, and really just like get out of my room, and have better habits, which was really helpful. Mhm. Yeah. The idea is to just um show how it it's not that easy sometimes to change a bad behavior. We if we could probably all think of one. Um so we try to do it for about 3 weeks and you know we we have a discussion about it. We talk about

071what are your triggers and what are other behaviors or things that you can do to it's this whole like kind of project. So, um I had done it in my drug and alcohol class when I was um going to school to be a school counselor and it was a really um really memorable experience. So, I try to do that with them. So, bless you. But, but okay. So, thank you. That's a little bit about the class. And those were some of the organizations. We also have Vicky Adams come in from c southern Connecticut. She talks to students about um it's usually mostly nicotine and marijuana. Um like I said, we branched out to the Connecticut Gamblers Association. So they came in last semester, they're coming back. Um CC car, another um that's also substance use.

072Um so some speakers that work in the field now that are in recovery. The interreal house we also had earlier in the semester and semester 1. Um they talked to students about um teen dating violence and signs of domestic violence. Um and then the one the organization I just mentioned is coming Monteneito for treating eating disorders. So lots of community um outreach. Okay. And then just to to say one more thing about the class, um Gabby's just gonna Oh, no, this is me. Sorry, it looks like the other side. Um some other things we've done, we've made vision boards. That's the top left. Um there's Amy in the middle doing um her mindfulness. Um Brett is uh up on the top right with some students from period um from last semester. Um the bottom left

073is the um interval house and in the middle um we've also done the student lessons for the eighth graders at both John Wallace and Martin Kellogg. So that's just uh that was at Kellogg last spring. Um and then the bottom right are some of those like um we had an art therapist come in last year because it was one of our students on. So I tried to do my best today with the art therapy but um guiding that but so that's just so thank you Dr. Bummit. Um, oh, and that was one of the gratitude cards that is on it's right on my um right in my office. So, it's I get a lot of these. I have a whole mess of them. But this one like I don't know. I just look at this

074one and it just I don't know. It just does something. So, thank you. Um these are some I survey the students um at the end of the course but these students are just going to read one of each um from a survey that we've done at the end. Okay. The first one says I would tell them to take it. It's different from health class and it actually involves self-reflection and small window window of opportunity to change habits or behaviors. It can be that push for somebody to quit or even get mental health guidance. The second one is if you're having doubts about yourself, take it to understand yourself better. The third one is I would explain to them what we do what we do in here as a class and try my best to convince

075them to take it. I know it's hard to share, but by taking this class, I feel so much better and have more confidence. Orland says that that it's a good way to educate yourself on some topics that are not really talked about and it's also a good way to learn how to have better relations with other people, mental health, substance abuse, and self-awareness. And for number five, it says, "It was really impactful and was actually very amazing. It was my favorite class so far at NHS. It makes me feel so much better now that I've taken it and learned so much more that would now help me for the future." And the last one, it says that the teacher is going to keep you entertained the entire time. We have fun. Um so for some

076of the schoolwide awareness programs that we've done in the past couple years, uh last year we partnered with um youth council with Kayla Hendrickson and we did screeners which was addressing um basically addictions part particular substance use um with social media and that was a community event um last spring. Um, we also did mental health week last week or last spring. Um, we're going to do it again uh this year. Um, Herren, we obviously had Chris Herren in the fall. Um, that was a big success. I'll talk a little bit more about that in a minute. Um, and this year I'm really excited. Um, we are going to do our first annual mental health panel during mental health week. So, I have about 20 student volunteers. Um, and we're going to do panel one on

077ad uh Wednesday advisory and panel two on Thursday. I am working with Miss Tigno to design that and basically we're going to come up with some questions students and I together that address some of our concerns for mental health andor substance use and it's going to take place in the auditorium two grade levels at a time and the students are going going to kind of speak to those issues in front of their peers. So I'm excited about that. It'll be our first time doing it. So many of whom are right in this room. So thank you in advance. Um and um mindfulness retreat that's with um Miss Enzero. So we're going to hopefully go to her um studio. And then um I'm still um trying to find some um speakers for next year maybe for

078whole school um assemblies to address some of the more of the addiction and substance use. So thank you Dr. Burman. Okay. And then Gabby is just going to talk about some of the other whole schools. These are just some of the pictures of some of the stuff we've done. Yeah. So, I've been a part of the stop the stigma club for four years now and I also took the mental health class last year for junior year. Here are some of the activities that we as a class we have a club have organized put together. The top left and bottom right corner you could see the bulletin boards we have displayed in the cafeteria. Our first one was the mental health at the top left where we organized an advisory activity where we passed out those

079green pieces of paper and asked students to write down what mental health meant to them. And as a club after school, we took all those little pieces of paper, wrote out mental health, so you can read them. Um, I have the one at the bottom. I have all those nice mental health stickers. That took a while but are definitely fun. The bottom right we have be kind to your mind where again we pass out papers to the advisories. Um they were really cute not fun to cut 1300 students more of them but we asked them to write a positive message kind words. She could walk by it and you know read something and smile. Um at the bottom left there we have an advisory activity again where we ask students um for quotes that surround

080breaking the stigma around mental health. Um in the middle there me and a couple peers we created some you know some posters to thank Chris Heron for coming. um you know as you know he's our NBA star who came here and who travels the country and we were very grateful whole schoolwide assembly uh to really recognize the struggles with mental health. You know you may you may see someone on screen, you may see them as an a role model but they could be going through anything. and he really showed us that you know he doesn't want he doesn't want there to be a stigma around that he wants it to be talked about and which I really think is great for everyone because you know we as a club we want to express you know

081stop the stigma and he really helped us all the whole assembly the whole room was quiet everyone was listening um and then we also have our merch top right we had the what was that user Yeah, last year. And then we also have the newest ones which our mental health class we actually designed ourselves. I'm wearing one today. No more stigma, no more shame, which is what we would like to represent. And then you can see officer Bougie right down there. Um, as she mentioned in one of our in one of our activities in class, we had um students give up, you know, a bad habit for about three weeks. Brona Sanchez there, she gave up. She gave up all her social media. Social media for three weeks. For three weeks, she deleted the apps

082for deleted them. Yep. And he offered to shave his head if she stayed off of them. Yes, she did. So, so yeah. Y she shaved it. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Bman. Um and so I just the next couple slides I think there's just three slides, but just showing some data for um the ser we surveyed students following the Chris Herren assembly. Abbits he spoke um about his um struggles with substance use. So um we had a Google form and paper copies because the students actually had shared with me that they still have these fears even though um if a Google form is anonymous there's still this like perception that we could figure out who they are. So we opted to offer both both in a Google form and paper. So that's why you'll see at

083the top 457 responses on Google form, 507 on paper. Um I had to go through the paper ones. So my I'll admit my my estimates are like estimates but um you could see that um so most students that are engaging in substance use um and alcohol use um they 80 83% from the online survey and about 98 from the the paper one which is pretty high. they're using substances as a means to cope with their stress. Um, I can't emphasize that enough. Um, that that is like kind of their go-to coping mechanism when it gets too tough. Um, so I am obviously in class addressing this in full detail. Um, and trying to do this schoolwide as well. Um, the others are peer pressure is another big one. Um on the top, let's see the

084Yeah. Oh, teen. Oh, this is another one. Yes, teens feel like they have it under control. We talk a lot about this in the class, and I want to find a way to kind of bring this beyond the class because not everyone in the school takes my class, but we talk about the stages of addiction and how when you pick something up, it might just be out of curiosity. Um, and then you start using an initial use turns into, you know, dependence and then it's tolerance and how you just go through the stages without realizing you're in the higher stages. You just got there. So, we we talk about this at great detail. Um, and I just want to find a way to kind of bring it beyond my class. Um, because it's being substances

085are being used to cope. So, um, if someone's stressed and they're turning to that and then they're engaging in more of it to ease that before they know it, now they're in, you know, a little bit more serious. So, that's one. Thank you, Dr. Burma. Um, the next one was on the other end, in your opinion, why do you think people struggle in quitting a substance? Um, on the same end, using it to cope. So, now they can't quit because that's their clutch to try escape. So they started to do it for that same reason and now they can't stop for that same reason. So it's just telling me um in this work we really have to help students find ways to help cope with their stressors um and feelings of overwhelm. Um shame is

086another big one. Um the students that I've met with individually um have ex shared that with me privately um that they they are embarrassed or feel shameful. And I hope that I provide um a safe space for them and and work through some of those feelings with them in my one-on-one work. Um again, they don't think that they are addicted or they don't think it's that serious. They think they could just stop and then it's obviously as you go through the stages, it's harder to stop. Um and they don't know who to go to. That was on the paper ones. So I need I want to do a better job of kind of, you know, letting them know that I'm there in the school. Um I think we've done a good job, but clearly we

087I've got to do more to kind of hopefully they'll reach out more. But um those were some of the the statistics there. Okay. And then there's one more. Um someone I live with is struggling with addiction is actively using a substance. So this is the students in their home. So there is about 25% um that said yes or um that they have used substances the past but isn't currently in recovery. So that's about 25% um and then 13% unsure. So um you know there are I just I really do want to emphasize that many students come to me to talk to me about this because they know that I've lost my brother to substance use. Um, so they know that I have uh, you know, I I understand that, but that's a very real thing

088that's with our students. I know it doesn't seem like a a high number, but there are a lot of students going home and they're, you know, they're dealing with an alcoholic parent or um, and struggling with that and it's affecting their own mental health um, because of so many things that I won't get into right now. But um so I I am would like one of my goals for next year is to try to create a space and a time for students that have it in their family to kind of meet with me in like maybe a group setting or something like build that in for next year as a goal. Um and so what what we've established and this keeps kind of evolving year to year as we go through like last year was

089obviously the first year it's my second year. So we've kind of established when a student gets caught um in lie of expulsion um we've set an eight around 8 and I'm sure I'll meet with administration at the end of this year to kind of just see like you know give the thoughts around that. So the the idea is around eight sessions where they would sit with me um for education, counseling, and goal setting. And it's very individualized. Um so it's just one-on-one. It's a whole period um or lunch or advisory whenever I can get them because I'm teaching half the day. So sometimes that's a little challenging with the scheduling, but I do my best. And so if it's a period, a study hall, I meet with them for the whole period. Um, and then

090we just kind of determine some people are still with me. They want to stay with me. Um, I have a student from last year who's still with me. Um, and, um, that student was very resistant last year and now, um, she stays with me twice a week. Um, and obviously in contact with the family and everything. Um, I have developed some community resources for families that kind of if the student is a little bit um, needs more assistance outside of school. I've been working on that with Kayla Hendrickerson and developing that. That's still in progress. It's a tremendous like it's it's a lot. Um it's unfortunately um it's a lot harder to find teen teen rehabs or teen aa meetings um than adult ones, but we've we have found some um they're just, you know,

091not as available um and until you turn 18, but we're getting there. And then like I said, I would like to establish a group um for next year. So, thank you. Uh, let's see. So, like I said, students have been referred from um getting caught, but I also have had students voluntarily seek me out. So, last year we had six referred students. Um, one was on homebound. I had to meet with that student online. I met with that student almost the whole year and eight students came up to me on their own. um half of which were in my class for of those eight when we talked about the substance use it came up and came out um and then this year there have been 10 referred students and five students have self-referred themselves and

092unfortunately one student has been ex I believe expelled. Um the second offense happened within days of the first one and we never actually got to meet um I never even met with him. he's already had done a second offense before I was able to like me. So, um but that's just a little bit of the data for for the substance use. Um and then to end, we just have two more slides um with the substance use um Willow is going to read on behalf of this student. This is an 11th grade student. And I asked some of the students I've been working with one-on-one if they would like to share because obviously like you know coming here and disclosing that is is hard. Um so I have two students who have written a response about

093their experience and um Willow's going to read this one from the 11th grade student. I want to share my experience with substance use and how this class helped me and made me feel seen in various ways. I went into this class for the first time during the peak of my addiction and I immediately felt the welcoming and positive energy this class had. I felt heard and understood with all the topics we went through. It truly opened up my eyes to how I need to get control of this which I then went to Miss Redmond directly for help. She even met met with me outside of class even though she didn't have to because she cares so much and wants to help get better. She always gives me tips about how to beat substance use and

094tells me she is proud of me for even the smallest successes. She is still there for me now even though my time in her class is over. I am now 75 days sober due to her help and I couldn't be more grateful for her and the class because I feel they were huge factors in my recovery. So that's one student. Um, okay. And Natalia is going to Thank you, Willow, very much. And Natalia is going to read, this is a 12th grade student. Um, she's going to read that student's response. Okay. Um, the student said, "One of the most important things in this world is your mental health. During my 18 years on this earth, I noticed a very common and sad thing. A majority of people could care less about someone's mental health. Out

095of those majority of people, Miss Redmond was not one of them. When I got caught in school with a THC cartridge, I felt strong feelings of shame, guilt, and disappointment, not only at school, but at home. When I had to meet with Miss Redmond for the first time, I had zero intentions of quitting due to my addiction and the thought of being judged. And I quickly found out that there was no judgment whatsoever. As I kept meeting with Miss Redmond, I became more and more comfortable talking about my addiction. Going into the next year of school, I ended up taking her mental health class. As the class moved along, I learned many new things about addiction, mental health, and her overall well-being. I ended up relating to many people I didn't know or talk to

096through the step forward activity, which is one of my favorites. And then even the um public speakers who would come in to speak to our class. I really enjoyed hearing many of the public speakers that came in to tell their brave journey of overcoming their addiction. I also connected and became good friends with people who were also in that class. When the class ended, I found myself sad. I never enjoyed and felt comfortable in a class like that ever. I'm happy to say that I'm glad that I got caught because if I didn't, I would have never met Miss Redmond and discovered her class. and her class has totally changed my perspective on mental health in a good way and I will be forever grateful for that. I didn't know if any of the students

097here wanted any to share any other final thoughts about I was in the class last year and I I came here for originally because I saw myself and I had to say my so um for one thing since I took the class last year the way this class has has just grown and the way Miss Redmond continues to keep making one-on-one connections with our students is so incredibly important and it would really be an understatement to say how big of an impact she's made on my life in particular and other students in the school and I'm just really proud of her to be able to do this because this is something she's really passionate about and it's really important. So, thank you. Thank you. To add on to what Ava said, I'm currently taking the

098class right now and I really hope that more people get the opportunity to take it next year because it's truly like my favorite class of the day. Like I don't mind going into sixth period every day cuz we learn so much about ourselves and it's not like a Miss Renman makes the environment not like teaching at us. It's more like getting to experience and learn it with everyone else. like in class of like health class obviously we learn like the basics about substance abuse and mental health but in Miss Redmond's class we learn about ourselves individually and about our mental health and about maybe um families history and everything that's going on with ourselves and how to cope with that and I feel like that's just such an important thing for others to learn as

099well. I would like to add I'm also in the class. Um I just wanted to add off of what Jada said in um health class. It it's like we're learning through statistics. That's the best way I could put it. Opposed to being in class, we are the statistic. We are teenagers right now and some of us are actively struggling with these things. So when we participate in activities like step forward, I'm an open book. I'll admit it. I like so when I could like see a person across from me be able to take that step forward and say I completely agree I go through the same thing because I shared out and they know now that somebody that they don't know or someone that they don't even like talk to is going through that same

100thing and I will genuinely say it has like first day I will admit it's like who are you I don't want to talk like get out of my face like can she just stop talking but then we get to the point where it's like okay, like let's do stuff forward. Let's let's ask questions and we probably talk Miss Redmond's ear off, but she listens every single time and um she'll stay after class with us and she does above and beyond her role and I'm just so happy that we took the class. I took the class last year and as a senior I can say, you know, I'm so glad this class, you know, you've been talking about it for years. You know, we've all as a as a club, you know, we've all been talking

101about, you know, how we really think that like classes like this are so important, so special for kids our age because, you know, you can't say many classes that you go into, you know, has that sort of safe space where you can share and talk about, you know, topics that, you know, some people might be uncomfortable about that. There might be a stigma surrounded by. And you know just being able to talk about those and share your experience really brings community and you know especially after co especially after everything which is really something that our society you know thrives on that community especially in your same age group whether it be someone who's very outgoing someone who's very shy you know like Natalia was saying at the beginning of the year you know you go

102into a class you don't really know people but at the end it felt like a family sure that was really amazing. I took this class last semester and as someone who has personally dealt with addiction as well as addiction in my family, I feel this class is a huge support and like relating what they said about the step up activity. It makes you feel good about yourself. I know for me because it showed me I wasn't alone and that this is something many teens deal with. And I personally believe all schools should have a class like this. Even though I don't think any teacher could compare to Miss Redmond, she has gone above and beyond in every way possible, helping me through my rough time, helping my friends, peers, just in general, I wish I

103could take this class again. I'm currently in the class and kind of similar to what Jada and Natalia were saying, um, health is definitely a good class to take, but I feel as though it's more so strict learning. and you're learning statistics and we're constantly not really doing anything to engage just more so writing down facts and taking tests on it. Whereas this class is more so supportive in a way where it gets you engaged. you know, we have different um guest speakers who come in and help us and as well um Miss Redmond uh and this class has she's been very passionate about it and um her contributions and efforts to the class and the students do not go unnoticed and they're um very prominent. She is very very passionate about this class and

104I hope you guys take the consideration to continue funding this class so that other people can take this class and it helps future students because in the little time that I've known her and taken this class, I truly believe that she has impacted me a lot. Um, and I've come out of my shell and became more confident and she gives me confidence to do more things to help the school and come here and speak to a lot of people when Thank you. I don't know if anyone has any questions or anything. Thank you so much, Mary. I can't thank you all enough. Um, you've probably heard it a million times. what you do is brave and that is it cannot be stated enough and and and often enough. Um you know when I think about

105the courses that um we offer at the especially at the high school but even classes that I had when I was your age and I think about the types of things that we learned and they are all important but I can tell you honestly at my age I have never been asked to uh do the quadratic equation. I've never had to recite the saliloquy from Hamlet. Um, I've never had to do Pythagorean theorem, but the skills that you're learning in this class are going to serve you well each and every day for the rest of your lives. Not just in your own journey, but in the journeys that you will be taking with other people, work relationships, family relationships, and the effect and the positive impact of that cannot be stated enough. um you know,

106self-awareness and self-care is going to be your superpower. And that's going to give you the ability to do the things that that you ultimately will need to do um to be a successful um adult. Although I'm some of you are adults already are getting there. Um a couple of things that that struck me though. Um 98% of people engage in um addiction or destructive behavior um to cope with stress. That is just astounding. And again, when we ask people to self-report, you know, that may be a little under reportported. And so something like um a statistic like that is really it it grabs you and it grabs hold of you and it makes you want to work harder to get that number down. The other things that struck me though, 56.7% of students report being

107anxious. That's more than don't feel anxious, right? And so this is something, you know, we again as a community, not just a school community, but community at large need to to focus on. And um, you know, certainly we appreciate the honesty that comes from that. And so this course really really points to the things that we need to do to to make that better. Um, and giving tools and strategies is a piece of it, but providing a space that's non-judgmental so that we can have those conversations and no stigma around it. Um that is true growth and that's I'm so proud of the work that you all are doing and the work that you will continue to do. That's a huge thing of uh preparing our students for life after school. And so thank you.

108Thank you. Thank you. Keep going. Keep working on yourselves. Keep appreciating yourselves and each other. And keep doing what you're doing. Thank you so much, Mr. Hollerin. I think Miss Beatatric said it all, but I would like to add to it. I see in front of me incredible strength and it's strength through vulnerability. Um, as somebody who has lived with addiction in the family, somebody who's um, you know, felt that pressure, felt that anxiety, it's not like you wear a cast around your emotion or your anxiety. You can't see it, right? It's an invisible stressor. It's an invisible impairment to your health and because there's so much stigma around it, you feel like you've got to control it and you've got to hide it and you got to do it on your own and that

109just adds to the pressure which adds to the pressure which will eventually break you. Um, being able to approach this in a way that feels real, that feels practical, that's not just reading statistics, finding out you're not alone, finding out that this is part of what makes you human and it's okay is such a way to find yourself out of that cycle of self-control that you really don't have control of. It's okay to ask for help. It's okay to get help. And it's okay to give help. I also felt very compelled to speak u not only to thank each and every one of you personally for the work that you do. Uh you contribute to the culture of our of our school by doing the work that you do. I also felt like I needed

110to explain my submission into the gratitude bucket and apologize for my penmanship. I'm appreciative for all of the facetime with students, not free time. Um, we can get lost in numbers and policies and curriculum, but when we have an eye like tonight where we have so many people show up, you're the reason we do this and to be so sincere and to stand this whole time. Congrats. Um, I have to sit. Um, but it it is really really grateful to actually have the people that we're doing this for be in the room and tell us straight from your experience. So, thank you very much everyone of you. Thank you so much, Miss Car. Just to add to what everyone has said, what you created is beautiful and it's creating such an impact. The skills and

111mechanisms you learn are going to carry on with you for the rest of your life through college, through your career. And burnout does happen. Life does get hard. And when you feel like you can talk about it, when you feel like you have people in your corner and you have that skill set to take a step back, do some yoga, do some journaling, and regain that power within yourself that speaks so much volume. So, it's wonderful. I'm so glad the school has us. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Who? Oh, Michael. Mr. Michael, I rep of course. Yeah, I moved so they could sit down because but okay, I I'm taking my seat back. Um but as you know, a student new into high school and um especially like a male student new into high school,

112mental health does not come up a lot, you know, but I feel like the stigma is that, you know, we're supposed to mask our emotions. We're supposed to, you know, let let that go and do what is needed to be done. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. I wish I took this class. I didn't take this class, but you know, I work I work close with you and you know, I sit with you guys at lunch and you guys always talk about what's happening in the class and I really recognize that it's very important and I know personally some of my friends and my peers that struggle with with addiction that I wish I went to your class and was able to gain knowledge so I could share with them, you

113know, and now that I know about this, I'm going to encourage my lowerassman friends to join this class. So, or just they could come see me if they're not in the class and they definitely do with addiction. I really do appreciate everything that this club is doing for new to high school and you know, not only for even um students, but also staff as well. And you guys reach out to a lot of staff and help staff. So, not only are you helping the students, but you're helping the staff, which is the entire family. So, I appreciate you guys for that and thank you always. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. If I could just add one more thing, it just made me think of it. Um, with this position that I have, it has

114kept those students in school. I think that's I forgot to say that. That's super important. um the students in the past have been you know removed from school from uh substance use infraction and in fact that you so I would like to thank Dr. Brummit for working with me for that because um the worst thing that you can do for someone in addiction is isolation. Um connection is key. Um access to support, access to their academics, their teachers, um their peers. So putting like you know I understand there has to be consequences. We all understand that. Um, but this position has provided me and the students opportunity to keep them in school and give them the support and counseling and education around that that they wouldn't receive otherwise. So, sorry to just forgot that. It's

115very important. Thank you for for pointing that out. Yeah, I think actually both of you just touched on the points I was going to kind of ask before I give all my my praise. um was just curious too kind of like the gender divide of you know um I think there is that extra layer of added stigma um and I saw some boys in the photo but was just curious kind of the breakdown of the class and who's more interested and not and willing to be interested I guess. Yes, just so you know I did ask some males to participate today but they had sporting events so I did ask um or they had other commitments work. Um, so in the the two classes I have right now, I would say they're like 5050 right

116now. Um, my very first class there were uh 14 females and four males. Um, last year period 4 you it was about 50 period 6 was 5050 last year. I'm like going by period sorry my period one note we had 17 girls and one boy last year. Um, poor poor Dylan that year. Uh, but he embraced it. Um, so it it's it's and I always do we we talk about that. Um, you know, I always address the fact that I feel like males have a it's even a bigger stigma for males. Um, and I always thank the male students who have joined the class because they're being the the advocates and the leaders for others to follow because everyone has mental health. Um, so um it's so it's growing. I'd say it's like about 50/50

117now. Yeah, this year was definitely 50/50. I'm just glad to hear that and I I think it's one of those things. Yeah. Um and I know I've had the pleasure of uh being on youth adult council well as a youth long ago and then now and to see um just hear about all the contributions that you've had has just been incredible and just want to applaud everyone for for being uh able to share in their own way about this. I think, you know, I think we hear a lot like mental health matters and all these things and maybe it's a bit performative sometimes, but on surface level online, I think it's become, you know, maybe just that picture that your mental health matters. So, I appreciate you going really into detail about that. Um, to

118really get into the weeds of really how that works. Um, you know, as a recovering perfectionist, you know, it's one of those things where I was like, "Wow, I wish I had this before I went to college." um before you know I started life and and knowing that you know life happens and people say that and I think you don't know it until it happens to you um until you experience it. So having this proactive mental health um it is great cuz I think so many people I know including myself have like these reactive mental health moments where you're sitting there having a panic attack and don't know what to do. Um you're by yourself, you're an adult but you're not. and having that before, knowing those things before um so much more easier said

119than done. So, I really just appreciate you all sharing that um because I think we talk about it getting normalized. We can say all these things maybe online and you hear all these great campaigns, but to have that day-to-day interaction with it. Um and then just thank you so much for the extra work that you do, Mr. Redmond, because um I think we talk a lot about it in in curriculum about school avoidance. um just the unprecedented amount of in general due to mental health. Um we went into a deep dive with ESS on that and I think um you know we're not alone in that. We're seeing it statewide, countrywide and I think um just knowing that that's a huge thing is that school can be a positive place um and also a healing

120place. Um I just really appreciate the work that you're doing. Um we're very happy u to we talked about it actually at budget time too. We're like what is that? So, thank you for giving us extra clarity on that as well. Um, yeah. No, it's just it's just needed and I'm just really glad, you know, to see my school district 10 years on to have that. Um, to know that, you know, my cousins coming up, they're in elementary, but by the time they get there, I'm going to be a lot less worried about what they have to go through. So, thank you guys all. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Um, I was really looking forward to this presentation today. Um so and did not disappoint. It was a fant just above and beyond the

121presentation and and the open and honest sharing that everyone did and um I think Eva mentioned it like I really appreciate Christina how you Miss Redmond how you um just kind of let the class evolve and like this is your second year going into your third year. um you you know taking things from your students and kind of growing the course as it goes along and I think that's really important like it and it just speaks volumes to you as a teacher because you're like really in tune with your students and and see what they need and and kind of bringing that and then I really also appreciate the collaboration with the um with the with Kayla and with um our community and bringing in speakers and and and your focus on not just your

122students in your class and not just the students who have gotten in trouble, but just anyone like I just it's just really it's awesome to see and you're like, you know, you mentioned the one student that had a second offense and you're like I just I didn't get a chance to meet with them. like I think that's just just to you is just like really admirable and I just think that you're awesome and I just thank you so much for being here and for this course and um you on the end I'm sorry I forgot your name but you mentioned like the funding for this course like we we know this is this budget season this next year is the third year of the grant and it's only at 70% right um but like this

123is something like I think you know you heard last year and and a few years ago we talked the stigma Uh, I think it's just it's important for everyone to know how great this course is and and I would not suggest getting rid of it at all ever. Like adding to it, continuing to grow it because I think you've done so much in these two years and just can't wait to see where it goes next year and further on because I think that you're a very very valuable asset to to the high school and our town community in general. So, thank you so much. Thank you. I forgot to thank somebody else that's in this room. Kristen has come to my class twice before she got into her newer position. So Kristen has also done

124what Amy has done with with yoga and mindfulness. She visited at two of my classes last year. Um so I am so sorry I didn't mean to do that. Um, and so Kristen had come in um, when I was first getting started and I really appreciated that and it was it was cool to see all the different approaches though too like Amy yours and then Kirsten Develin right at Martin Kellogg. So um they have all contributed to the class and and helped getting that started and and thank you so much and it was really important like the students doing the mindfulness has you know without I'm not by any means an expert in that. So having people who have been working in the field um and and practicing that um really helps students like get

125exposed to that for their first time and like I said they're some of them are pursuing that and continuing to do that. Definitely. thank you note from one of the students right up at my desk. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. I always have the students write thank you notes to our guest speakers. So just that's awesome. It's good to it's good to thank and be grateful for things that other people give us. So yeah, thank you very much. Miss Techno has just get this quiet in so long. So thank you. Um, we saw that I know from all the accolades lately how much I love what I do. This is um a whole another level of awesomeness. Um, thank you the bottom of my heart. We're able to do so many things schoolwide because of the voice

126and choice that we provide at Newton High School. our students come first. There's absolutely no doubt about that. And I think the more that we can work together and get ideas out there, this panel that we'll be working on, I think is a great step. And if we have kids willing to now share that they're not alone. Um we'll be able to reach, you know, 1,250 kids. So that's our goal. um to get everybody in to start hearing these things. And if we can't make this, you know, something that everybody takes, at least the messages we do throughout the year, we'll start connecting and and student voices to pass on to others to who to go to. Um I wrote down so many notes that you can't put in words, you know, you just have

127that feeling. And um thank you for for stepping forward. And I know it's a big first step, so whatever you're doing in class to make [Laughter] I cry when others cry. This is so real. You know, this is adults. This is kids. This isn't going away. And it's it used to be I feel like you could maybe pick the type of kid that this would affect and now it you know, things are so hidden and you don't know everyone's story and and so it's just so important to learn those skills as you spoke to earlier. Um but it's really special. We cannot get rid of it. Um, and uh, that's it. We're going to keep fighting the fight and and working together to make sure that our students get what they need to be successful.

128So, thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Adam. Appreciating you all. Um, you know, I think when Dr. Brumit says, you know, you pick a month and I pick a month and then I turn to them anyone because who wants to hear me again? Um, I appreciate the intensity in which you listen and despite this going on for I don't even know how long you were up here, but much longer than the time that we were probably allotted and then taking the time for each of you to speak and give your feedback shows that you really care. And we say I say it all the time when I speak about you and you'll see it in some of your gifts that going back to secretaries. Amarie put that whole thing together. Um the time you

129take and the care that you give for for free, right? This is just because you you care about the students of Newington Public School. So on behalf of all of us, thank you so much for all you do. Really appreciate it. Thank you so much. And one more thing and a shout out to the secretaries. I I I earlier you I I just cannot sit back here and not say anything about how amazing they are districtwide. We wouldn't be anywhere to all your points without them. Um they are superheroes without without the key. So uh thank you to all the secretaries. You're probably not still on but maybe I'm being recorded here and Maria is on. All right. I'm going to London. Yes. Thank you everybody. Thank you so much. I'm so sorry it took

130so long. No, don't apologize. We really appreciated the presentation. And thank you everyone for being here so late. We appreciate you. No, it's okay. It's okay. Thank you. Hi. Thank you so much. Okay, now it is uh time for public participation. If anyone is online or would like to call in, um you're welcome to see anyone. Okay, moving on. Where are we committing? Okay, committee reports. Do we have policy? We will defer to later business, Mr. Hollerin curriculum. Oh, what? Oh, yeah. As part of that, we want to start that. Yeah. Um, yeah, we're going to Yeah, go ahead. Before Mr. Howerin gets into the meat and potatoes of the most recent curriculum me committee meeting. We had had the board received a letter, not sure if all the board members have seen it regarding

131a parent um who had some concerns about the accelerated math class changes. So, I did ask Kristen um to reiterate um and recap for the board what was the decision-m behind those changes and um hopefully on some context to the letter that was received. So, Miss Freeman, if you wouldn't mind going into that. Um thank you. On March 4th, Michelle Kellogg, who was our K12 mathematics coordinator, uh presented to the curriculum committee, Miss Weaver, Mr. Hollerin, and Mr. Newton were all present. Um during that presentation she shared with us plans for revising the way that we accelerate students in a mathematics program. She first uh began her storytelling with data and with copious amounts of data. The first set of data looked at the enrollment of students who were being accelerated in the middle school

132and there was a clear opportunity gap between um our students of color and our white students with the exception of Asian students, a clear delineation of multilingual learners and native language English. Clear delineation for free and reduced students and clear delineation for students with disabilities. So we were already seeing that at the inception of what we were doing with acceleration was not providing the same type of access and opportunity. She also presented data on the other end of the story which is when we accelerate students how many of them actually get to the accelerated pathway. And so that is the whole goal of it is to take the highest level of mathematics which is um AP calculus BC. I remember you asked about it, but we also have other AP um classes too in the

133mathematics department, statistics and AP Calc AB. So when we looked at that data, the percentage of students who were taking four full credits, who were taking the highest level of math classes when they started in algebra, it was anywhere between 15 and 30%. So a very small number of students that we accelerated in 8th grade stopped math before their senior year and never accessed the highest level. So those were a lot of the questions that the mathematics team was trying to answer like why is that all happening? So through research um the team and it was Miss Kellogg and a group of middle school teachers and one high school teacher had a goal of continuing to accelerate students and acceleration usually starts with students take and complete successfully algebra 1 before they leave middle school.

134um they wanted to continue to provide that opportunity because we believe in it but they wanted to make sure that we could accelerate students in a way that more students were affording were afforded with that access. Um so the way that the program is going is evolving right now is um students generally speaking from fifth grade they go to a sixth grade heterogeneous class. In seventh grade they go to a heterogeneous class and then in eighth grade students will have the opportunity to participate in grade level math or participate in algebra. So the acceleration option is still going to be in place. What's distinct and unique about the changes being made is that there is an additional program called bridge to algebra that students have to take and complete in order to enroll in algebra.

135So you might be wondering if these kids are accelerating why do they have to do extra work? Because the research shows that the standards in grade 8 that they missed because they went right to algebra, it catches up with them 2 or 3 years into high school. So a lot of the skills that they need in algebra 2 and in pre-calculus, they actually missed it in their eighth grade year, they did great in algebra because they had all of those skills. So this is about really understanding the sequencing of learning and progression of mathematics. So our hope is that with this um revised accelerated pathway, number one, we are increasing the opportunities for all of our students to accelerate and number two actually seeing that acceleration carry forward into the later years of the high

136school. Um I do understand through the letter that there was some concern about um uh lack of honesty and transparency that was shared with the curriculum committee and further on in the document. Um when I looked into it um we do have students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade that are more accelerated or taking or in very very unique situations. So I want to first put this in numbers. If you look at the percentage of kids in grade six, grade seven and grade 8 that are taking courses that are typically not offered to their peers, it is between 0003% of the students to 012% of the students. So the word in the document was all these numbers are rare exceptions. It's a practice that has been in place as far as I' as long as

137I've been in Newington, which has been 15 years, we find that when students reach grade six or when they get into grade seven, um if you've ever raised a middle school kid, you know that developmentally they're all over the place and not one of them is the same. uh we have students that um literally burst and blossom with their mathematical ability to the extent that they cannot be served with the grade level curriculum. So when we look at the number of those students anywhere in each class and that includes Joallis and Kellogg, it's between one and four students per class. how it happened for sixth graders this year. They all enro enrolled in sixth grade math. About a month into the um year, the teachers noticed this student something has happened and we need to

138take a look at this student and what the needs of the student are. And so we end up building more unique um programs for that student. That usually ends up being in their eighth grade year they get busted to Newington High School in the morning. And again the number of students is very very small. Um the last thing I'll share and be happy to take any question is that there was also concern about a parent letter that was shared um that um from what I understand the concern was that in the letter Miss Kellogg had stated that seventh grade um accelerated math would still be offered. I have a copy of the letter. It did not state that. Um the letter was clear that accelerated and sixth grade would not be offered. And then it

139went on to say that um acceleration would still be an opportunity. Students would still have the opportunity to take algebra 1, but they were just revising the pathway to do that. So I also wanted to clarify the content in that letter as well. Yeah. And I just um wanted to clarify too um because I think we had talked about it and I was doing it from the lens of in our conversation, my experience going through my pathway at Newington um was um also being able to go through all the math classes and I think you showed us a visual that was helpful of um because I know there was concern that students would not be able to go through the highest level, right, or multiple ones. And I know I took algebra one or 1

140A it was called or something. um in eighth grade, geometry 9th, algebra 2 10th, pre-calc 11th, and then calc, but I also took stats in 11th grade because I'm a nerd. Um as well, but there's AP calc, AP stat, and then I think you also offered was there any other AP math class that's even Yeah, we just added AP pre-calc. Okay. Um, so those are the the highest levels and through these pathways, it was just my understanding from the meeting that those would you would still through this pathway adjustment still be able to take all of those. Yes. And and Miss Weaver, I think the point that she's trying to make is let's say that my student um doesn't have that developmental blossoming. Yeah. By the time the the child is going into eighth grade,

141an eighth grade grade level mathematics is the best learning experience. We recognize kids develop at all different rates. So, Miss Kellogg was able to provide to the curriculum committee ways that students who do not have an algebra credit when they enter into Newington High School, how they can still access those high highest level classes, including AP Calculus. and it would involve doubling up with classes um either with algebra 1 and geometry or geometry and algebra 2, but that still is a possibility. So um Miss Kellogg is really dedicated to advertising to students that it's not just one shot in 8th grade and if you don't make it then that's it, but that if students still are having that interest and perhaps building in their math um ju just in their math learning that they have

142another opportunity in high school as well. Just further clarification, are we still doing like busing to the high school for rare exceptions or is there Yes. Okay. So there are those when identified there are those exceptions. I believe we currently have one eighth grader. It's either one or two. So when I say it's a few, it's very very small number. Oh no, I figured Viet my ear will tell you that. I know. Thank you. Are there any question other questions? I think can you just clarify just for the public who might be listening or look at back at this the bridge design it's in the in the hand but can you just briefly um help us understand what that looks like? Um yes so so speaking of multiple and flexible pathways it was important to

143the mathematic leadership team that students access this bridge to algebra program again. So, this is learning of the eighth grade standards that they will completely miss and it will be detrimental to their learning when they get to algebra 2. Um, the Bridge to Algebra 8 um program offers that learning experience. So, kids have a lot of ways they can access this. They can access it um online by themselves, self-paced at home. Kids are completely independent. um they don't even need to speak to a teacher and they they they just go through the self-paced course. Students also have the opportunity um to do it in more of a structured classroom setting. Some kids prefer to just like nope, I've got to do bridge to algebra from 3 to 4, but they have the option to do

144it at home virtually or in person with a teacher. and it will take place on days when students have um transportation back home after school. Um there will also be two opportunities in the summer right when school lets out and then what Miss Kellogg she's hoping um will be what what she calls a last push which would be right toward the end of the summertime that kids would be able to participate that in a well as well again in both virtual and inerson options free of cost to the student. Thank you for that clarification. Um, I don't know Michelle, I see you on. Is there anything that you would like to add? Hi everyone. No, I think uh Kristen summed it up perfectly. I'm I'm also happy to to respond to any questions though if

145they do come up. Are there any other questions? I think Oh, Miss Beatress, go ahead. You may have answered this already for that. I apologize. If the student chooses to do it in a classroom or a summer setting, how long or how how big is that module, if you will, how many that I don't know. Um, and I don't know if Miss Kellogg has the full curriculum developed yet because that is not going to be it's not happening now. It's going to happen a year from now, right? um but she is in a consortium with other school districts that are looking at ways um to really revise the way that we accelerate students in mathematics to make it more equitable. Um so I know she's got some good colleagues even outside of Newington and she

146has a a strong leadership team with her too. Go ahead. Mr. Newton question. Will they earn any type of credit for that or no? Was it considered a summer course or? Um, so students in middle school do not receive credit for any course with the exception of a course that has a curriculum that is identical to a high school course. That's per state statute. So stu so students do earn um credit for the algebra one. Um but the bridge to algebra 1, it's not going to like show up on their transcript. It's more of a an enrichment program for them to ensure that they're going to be successful after alone. Um I think that um like we all received the email and and there was a lot of accusations made. I think that it's just

147best to remember that no decision is taken lightly or made without data supporting it. So, I um I definitely appreciate you taking the time to to respond and um and I know, you know, there's been meetings on the side and I just think it's important to remember that um we around the table and parents are not necessarily the experts and this is this is your job. It's what you're here for. it's why we have administrators at this level and um and teachers that are all taken into consideration. So, I think that it's, you know, it's it's upsetting to some people like, oh, what do you mean my child's not going to an accelerated path? But I, you know, and I, you know, I might have felt the same way, too. Like, oh, what do you

148mean? But when you really like look at the data and look and understand and the thought that went into it, I think it really um tells a different story. So, I know there's case by case basis, and I know there's, you know, there's um a lot of feelings about about things, but um I do want to thank you for taking the time to explain it again. And um and I hope that any parent that does have a concern because I there was some chatter online. Um, I just hope that any parent that does has a concern is willing to take the time to ask the questions and everyone's always welcome to meet with and and and ask clarifying questions um about about any topic in the curriculum. Go ahead. Um, the last thing I wanted

149to add is that Miss Kellogg has already scheduled um, three different parent forms that are all online so that parents can come and say, "I got the letter, but I have some questions." Right? Because it would be challenging for anybody to just read information on a piece of paper. So, she's offering three opportunities for parents to have that discussion. um she'll again present the data and the why but offer ample opportunity for parents to ask questions and get clarification as well as and I think maybe just one more thing to like say it out loud the word not having the word accelerate does not mean that we are not offering the highest level of difficulty or that we are not challenging students I think that's maybe perhaps I know when I'm like well of course

150we see accelerator we see these things like we we need to be the best of the best here and we want to challenge our students um not having that word does not mean that that doesn't still occur. Correct. That that is 100% correct. So in this case when we talk about accelerating learning in mathematics, it means getting to a destination faster. That's really what it is about. Um and that's what having an algebra credit in middle school allows teachers to do. And I think the most wonderful part of the design that Miss Kellogg and her team has done is really um reimagined how a mathematics trajectory can also look in high school. So acceleration again, the opportunity isn't gone at 8th grade, but it also exists for a pathway in high school, too. And I'll

151just be candid, I had no idea what was happening now, but I was like, "Oh, well, I graduated from Newington with an algebra 1." I think we had algebra 1 and algebra 1 A. So, it was different levels maybe and maybe we didn't use the word accelerated, but I was like everyone was getting algebra in eighth grade and then everyone still took four years of math and um like I said, I I think it was um it may be helpful to share at that forum too. I'm sure Miss Kellogg will, but um we were I think a little shocked at how many maybe didn't and what we can do to try and bring up the the level of the higher level math classes um because they are incredibly difficult. I mean, Mr. Mr. Miller of

152course needs more more more work for himself. But um I think that was one of the things too that we often talk about in in curriculum is is that data driven and sometimes at a macro level at least at the macro of the school level um it's sometimes jarring to see those numbers. So just appreciate sharing that and I think maybe sharing that um we're large to to be able to understand that but appreciate you clarifying. We're really challenging folks here in New England. Miss Kawa, go ahead. Yeah, sorry. I just I just wanted to add and those were all great points. Um Kristen is right and um everyone at the table is correct when we think about acceleration we need to stop always thinking vertically. This is an opportunity to really think about how

153we accelerate all students from a horizontal level to within the grade level. So really a part of the focus is now ensuring that whether it's students that are accessing algebra 1 or really just um finishing middle school with the grade 8 trajectory that they have the strongest foundation in math before going to high school. And and far too often we're trying to rush through content and standards versus going more deeply which is the intention and purpose of the design behind the standards. So, this really affords not just the opportunity still for algebra 1, but for the greater group of students that may not do algebra 1 to leave middle school with the best mathematics skills and identity um that they can have to be successful to hit those upper level math courses in high school.

154Yeah, thank you. And and it's really good to hear like that the the bridge is there's many different ways to access it because I I met with Dr. Roma earlier like I was like oh is it like two weeks in the summer and you have to come and you have to be here in person but it's good to know that it's like it can be virtual you do it self-paced it can be with a teacher it can be online with a so there's many options to to that bridge so I think that definitely helps explain it and and again I would encourage any um any parent or anyone to reach out to Miss Kellogg or Miss Freeman and get their questions answered and looking forward to those um information sessions. I have a sixth grader

155or fifth grader right now going to sixth grade. So, it would be very interesting to hear what her path could be. Okay, Mr. Hollerin, you can continue. Thank you very much. I think you clarified everything. I think to boil it down to its essence, too, it's looking at smarter ways um to encourage acceleration, offer challenging courses. Um but when we looked at the data we can accelerate but if you don't make it to the finish line because you lost some of the foundation math what's the point right and we saw a lot of people a lot of students would drop those higher level courses who started on that accelerated path thank you very much for pro providing that update just for the sake of the time sake of time and the lateness of the hours

156I am going to do a very high level overview of the curriculum committee um the last time we met was April 1st Um, Miss Bassel was in attendance who provided an update on the world language program. Uh, we have uh the seal of biiteracy. It's growing every year. Most recently, 56 students from the graduating class 2024 uh was able to receive the seal of biiteracy means that they're able to be proficient in two languages, two world languages. Um, there's some shifts around which languages those are. traditionally we saw a lot of Latin that's kind of tapered off to um more Spanish more practical type languages and I think that's kind of just the shift um in the world we live in in the education that we need to move forward to the collegiic level. Um

157we also went over the bilingual program um for the 202526 school year that serves students grades 5 through 8. Um the the shift in the bilingual program is to build and maintain proficiency in the native language um for Spanish uh also honoring their culture and history while also developing proficiency in English uh depending upon the needs of the students. Courses will likely to include language support to build the proficiency in English and bilingual social studies. So, it's not just about how to speak. It's also understanding US civics, respecting their native culture, honoring the full amount of it. It's just not translation. It's really understanding everything that comes into it because you have more weight. Um, when you understand uh US history, civics, and culture as well. Um, Miss Beverly Lawrence uh provided an update benchmark

158advance. um she uh facilitated the second focus group uh the second of three in a community forum whereas benchmark advance is kind of a new curriculum. Teachers were able to get together, share concerns, share successes, talk about things um and really just watch them collaborate as we all try to um mesh through a new curriculum. Uh and it will be extended to grade five. We also discussed three textbook adoptions. The first one is Africa Town. It's a novel um but it is based upon Africa Town which is when slaves uh from Africa were brought to Mobile Alabama after the end of slavery uh and created themselves a community which still exists today. Uh this course uh this text is for US history in grade 8 uh and will supplement the historical documents currently used in

159the study of a Africanamean history. Uh the total cost will be $19.99 for 325 copies which comes down to uh $7,150 if anybody wants to take a look at that. We also have uh text for let me make sure I have the curriculum correct. Um this is a text that will supplement the Yukon ECE course for European history. It's called Why Explaining the Holocaust. uh looks at some of the misconceptions about the events um making uh kind of the Holocaust more understandable and accessible to students but at the same time understanding how it happened in the first place. Those elements that went there. Um so this will be $18.95 for uh total of $570 will be paid out of the ARPA dual credit expansion grant. if anybody wants to take a light look at that

160one. If I had longer arms. Um and the third is for uh contemporary issues in sports. Um this text provides a history of title 9 and its impact in women's sports. This specifically uh this is called fairy play. Uh augments the um third unit in the course which is sports, society and culture. um offer to pro provide different perspectives, inspire discussion. Um the cost of this text is $29 for total cost of $960 for 30 copies and will also be paid out of the ARPA dual credit expansion grant. And that's my update and my arms still are off. Thank you. Are there any comments or questions for the curriculum committee? Okay. Thank you. Next is update on our 2526 budget. Thank you very much. Linked into your agenda as part of your packet are a

161series of questions that were sent to my office. I believe there were some of the board members were copied um from the town council and mayor relative to our budget. Um and I provided both the questions and the answers in there. Um the answers were combination of work from Lou, Mr. Feri and Miss Freeman. Some of them were curricular and um and some of the questions many of them you should we've discussed through budget process and some of the line items that they were wondering about that were on the high side. Oh my goodness were on the high side they had um we had the board had already cut. So, I won't go through uh because these are absolutely covered in many of our budget discussions, but for your review, there were 59 questions. Um,

162and they've been answered. These were forwarded along to the town about a week and a half ago, maybe 3 4 days after we got the the questions. I did attend the um board sorry the town council meeting last night both the public hearing and the agenda item relative to budget and there were no uh developments relative to our budget last night. Um my understanding is that there'll be you know some meetings among the parties and then um at the uh next town council meeting though they will have to land on a final number. Um, the one thing that is positive that the town had to uh mention to me is they received quite a bit of uh credit for um automobile taxes in the neighborhood of about a million dollars, which is very good timing

163because um people are able that I think that will help them to reduce the ask on the town side at least. So again, no major developments on our side. Um, as you review those questions, if you have any questions for us, please let me know. But these shouldn't be anything new. They were just asking why percentages went higher, why the number was so much bigger this year, and a lot of that was discussed in the board's deliberations. So, um, uh, any questions relative to that? Okay. All righty. Then we were um every year we're required to provide a health benefit fund performance update. Lou has prepared a memo for you. There is a lengthy summary in there of the history of the health benefit fund. Due to the late hour, I won't go into that,

164but uh essentially we are told by the town how much money to put in the health insurance account. uh we don't get to guess that or project that and there there's anou in existence that allows us to um if there is if we had paid more into that account than was actually used that credit comes back to us um they they determine the credit by July 1 and they have to wait for some of the claims to come through and then the board would receive a credit in the fall if anything was left. So, um you'll see a chart on the wall right now that while the current credit is in the 500 mid 500,000 range, uh Lou through other pending um claims and other credits believes that it will likely go down to about

165$200,000. Still, $200,000 is a fair amount of money. So, uh we can't count on that money right now. we we could the board could essentially spend that money right now if they wanted to but then if we didn't get the credit then we'd have to pay the money back. So I would advise against that. What I would recommend is taking a wait and see approach and um seeing where this all lands. So, uh, but at the tail end of the document that's linked into your, uh, packet does show you what the current projected credit is, and that's $595,000. So, it's estimated to go down because people tend to use their health insurance right now a lot because they've satisfied their deductible. But, um, I would leave that open for the board if there are any

166questions. Any questions on that? No, this is very good. Moving right along. Am I moving along? All right. Um, can I do this? Yes. First count, the calendar first done. Okay. So, the board chairs asked me to reshuffle the agenda a little bit because one of the items kind of impacts the other items. So, I'm going to do five right now, which is a request from a student again about a holiday. Many longterm board members may remember um a young young student, Amin Habib, who came to the board uh several years back in fourth grade. Yes. Quite quite advanced for his age. um put forth the request for a holiday called Eid alfitter. He presented that to the board. It was approved. He now has brought forth another holiday called Eid ala. In your packet

167is an description of that holiday. Um it talks I won't get into you know that discussion but he described it to me. his family came to visit me the other day. That is an important day. Uh probably not as important as eat fitter, but um certainly a day where they spend time reflecting and um you know celebrating certain accomplishments and paying homage in their religious beliefs. Um and there are prayers affiliated with that that the older students are typically compelled or required to do within their faith. So he had asked that to be a consideration for the calendar. It currently is not in the calendar. Uh that I will the the board will see momentarily. I will tell you that um based on this um request and the impact that for the upcoming school years

168the uh holiday would fall on school days. So, if we were to the board were to choose to adopt this um it would have additional it would cause an additional holiday to be put in the school calendar which would mean an additional day at the end of the calendar. Um board chair Patty and I met earlier this evening and we did discuss that um there are other holidays that are we notified teachers about specifically at the high school. Many of them are some of the Orthodox Jewish holidays where teachers are asked not to schedule exams or any major projects on those days so that students who celebrate a holiday and miss school that day uh would have opportunity to make the work up um and it wouldn't be any they would be at no disadvantage.

169So uh that is another possibility as the board pers this. Um board chair did you want to add anything to that? Yeah, we um we also looked at the next um five years of of when this holiday would fall and it it impacts the next four years. The fifth year is on a Saturday. The site I looked at didn't go farther than that. So, it would be at least um four years of school days and it's towards the end of the school year where there's a lot going on in general. Yeah, Mr. Hollerin. Um thank you. I just realized my mic was on this whole time. Um, I don't know if we need to make a motion, but we already recognize eel fitter. This is a different holiday. There's a typo on the That's what

170I was referring to. And I believe that takes place mid June from what I'm Is it? It's um it floats. It floats based on a calendar um that I'm not sure I understand, but I think we just recognized Dell that are like two weeks ago Monday of last week. Yep. Okay, great. That was my confusion. Which holiday was my apologies? He mentions eat all fitter in the letter and it was transposed onto the agenda, but it's actually a different holiday. Eat all adha. Thank you, Miss Beaver. Yeah, I think um and we appreciate it. I think that sparked a lot that initial um advocacy sparked a lot of other folks coming in and that's where we added three kings day and changed a lot. So, um it was like almost a full sweep of us

171adding holidays and trying to figure that out. Um I I think one of the things I just had a question about too was um you know certainly we when we talk about equity when we talk about talking about everyone's religions um and that was really the goal of the last calendar um change was to make sure you know we were adding these calendars or adding these holidays to be um reflective of of our student population. My curiosity would be um just the the May time frame is incredibly difficult when it comes to like AP classes as well. So, I was just curious as well if that would be a little bit of a difficulty with the impact of some days like that that might be an AP test or it might be uh you know

172like around the 17th. Um just curious um like how that would be impacted as well. Um I obviously it's a subset of of folks. It doesn't mean we don't have school or anything like that, but I was just curious to um like I think they they still schedule AP classes. They they do. And and Miss Freeman, are AP exams set by AP or how are the dates board, I'm assuming? Right. Yeah, sort of. So, um it it's this really small window of time that you take the AP calculus exam. Um, so, uh, our AP exams generally fall in the first firstish two weeks of May. There are they're always in May. Um, but there is a really tight timeline around them. I guess the College Board thinks that kids in Connecticut are going to talk

173to kids in California and give them the answers on the AP exam, but they they do keep it kind of tight, but there's a lot there are a lot of AP exams um that are given given the number, which is a great thing. The number of AP courses we have Yeah. And I think that you know what Dr. Brema had mentioned like there's already at the high school practice of recognizing holidays that we might not have off of school um just for teachers to be mindful and I think extending that down to at least the middle school level. I'm not sure if they do or not, but um and then obviously adding this holiday and you know there might be more that that we don't know of yet or still to learn about. Um, so

174I think that that's a good practice in general. So I was pleased to hear that that is already occurring and then um but yeah, if the middle school can do the same and um or districtwide even just you know not schedule author's visits or you know things on in elementary school even of of on certain holidays. So, I think that that would if we extend that to the whole district and then just be more aware and mindful of of different days that might um be important that I think that's a good compromise at this point. Question. Yes, Mr. Newman. I mean, several years ago, we took away Veterans Day and it seems like we keep adding holidays. I mean, I know if there was four high holidays for the Jewish population when I lived in

175West Harvard, they only got Yan Kapor. I I just think that we're opening up a door and asking they're just we're becoming too accommodating. You know, I we always make awareness of it. No disrespect to any religion or anything, but the idea to get away with Veterans Days was they would learn more in the school. Now, we're trying to give more time off. I I'm opposed to any further time off days. Miss Beaver. Yeah. And just so those who were on the board when we originally discussed this too, um I had a lot of back and forth about Veterans Day, too. And we were we were having a conversation even with some of our staff that are veterans. Um I kid you not, I think it was like 50/50 split of those that wanted to

176be in school on Veterans Day and then those who didn't want to be. Um, and I think we've had we had probably like 10 discussions on this calendar and how to add it and how to um and ultimately we went to I think like three different surveys for staff, for parents, for students um and asking and I think um we also I think wanted to reflect the community that's there. So we still have a large number of Jewish students. We still have a large number of Christian and Muslim students. Um so recognizing those demographics change obviously um depending on the year um but noticing you know there was and we have a large number of Hindi students so in Dewali that was like a large number of them we were like how many kids are

177missing we even went into the attendance records at some point um and I think that's why we landed on the number of holidays that we did so um I do agree at some point we start missing enough school that it's like oh my gosh and I think what we tried to do is I think that um we have both Rashana and Yam Kapoor uh in there as well. But I think like I think mostly the major religion high holidays we have um that fit into it. I think um that is reflective and also that the staff approves and that we can work within the curriculum respecting students, community and teachers. Um we're never going to make everyone happy, but I will note not to skip to the next agenda, but people seem okay with the

178school calendar for as recommended. Um, that's actually the highest percentage I've ever um um at least for the suggested change, but I think we were like a third, a third, a third of when we wanted to start, when we wanted to do it. We're never going to make everyone happy. Um, and I know this is always like the less higher stakes intense issue, but quite contentious sometimes. Um, so just want to recognize like everyone's heard when it comes to this calendar. Um, we know it's not always easy to to recognize those things, but I think that's a good compromise. So, I would agree with that. Chair Hollerin. Yeah, I I I recognize what Mr. Newon is saying and what Miss We saying to uh we do want to respect the community, our students, our teachers,

179but I also think we have to think of when we take a day off of the school calendar. There's no school in attendance. There's another factor and that's the impact on families especially working families. That's another day they have to find accommodations for. School isn't just about academics. It's it's important but you know we have to keep that in the equation too is that we have the impact to the practical family functioning especially you have two working parents or maybe one working parent who now has to find child care accommodations, take time off from work. So, um I think that's a reasonable compromise, but I I think we have to be mindful of the impact to the families as well. Um it's just another day off they have to work around their schedule. Mr. Mey,

180you have a question, comment. Thank you. I I I agree with Mr. Newton. Um it is a slippery slope. You guys like to use that term. You want to talk? I think this is a real slippery slope. What's the legal opinion? Have we gotten one on c on the calendar? Well, I'm taking you know us voting on holidays for the district. Well, the board is has a responsibility to set the calendar. So, that's a one of the board uh obligations. I would say that to some of the comments around the table tonight, exercising caution about not adding too many because you have to be careful about, you know, there'll be more coming. There'll be more coming. So, um I think the conversation around the table uh tonight makes perfect sense relative to um just making

181sure teachers try to schedule mindfully around some of the holidays where we might have some students absent. So, um that would be the advice I've been given is, you know, while it is the board's responsibility to choose the calendar, we have to proceed with caution about adding in too many holidays. And and I would just add just or reiterate that any student who is absent from school due to a religious holiday is not um going to be penalized or punished. Yeah. So, and they will be able to make up work and and having that just awareness across the district of of certain dates that are not on our school calendar as holidays but might be for certain students. then um just having that awareness to not schedule important events or tests or activities that they

182would have to then miss. So we don't want to punish anybody, but let's see where and just to clarify, we're not voting on this as like a we're just taking that student request in um and the next agenda items that would be recommended for a calendar do not include that. So just wanted to clarify that. Go ahead, Tony. So maybe I'm misunderstanding something. So the school, the entire town of Newington does not have the day off. Is that correct? You're just recognizing that if a child who uh that particular day it's their like a holy holiday or something. We're just not taking any disciplinary action or any kind of uh action against them. So school's still in session. Yes. And it's not even disciplinary action. It's just that they I didn't mean discipline or anything.

183We would just I misspoke. I didn't mean Yeah. Yeah. I just want to clarify. It's an excuse ab absence and and we are asking teachers to be mindful of the dates to not schedule tests on that date. Thank you. Everyone will be in school. I thought we were like declaring a day off from school and I don't I didn't know if we had that uh authority quite frankly. Well, we do. We set the calendar. Um, so the next two agenda items are to change something on the next year's calendar and then set the 26 27 school calendar and this holiday would impact it if we choose to add it. The discussion and the consensus seems that we do not want to add it. Just wanted to make sure that it's we recognize that it is

184a holiday even though we are not um not granting the day off of school. not closing school for that day. We want to make sure that the student can miss it if they need to to celebrate holiday and they won't be having any negative consequences. All right. Okay. Moving on to um what was already alluded to is some changes to the 2526 calendar. Um the there were two issues that were raised uh during well in this calendar one issue was raised uh we have what's called the teacher council. They often bring forward ideas that are you know central to things that can't be solved at the building level. So it comes to teacher council and the school calendar is always a hot topic. So and I already know the board prefers survey data. So I

185said we're just going to do a survey data. Um so several months back it was proposed by several schools that did you notice that the first day back from winter break um next school year is a Friday and are we worried that that could impact kids coming back from vacation so on and so forth. So, um, a survey was, uh, quick survey, one question. How do you feel as a teacher about moving that first day back from holiday break to Monday, January 5th? And it was about a 7525 split. That is that is in your packet. There's a pie chart in your packet. Um, that's almost 80 79. Here it is. Yeah. So it was a pretty overwhelming majority of staff that responded who fa felt strongly that yeah coming back on a Friday is

186just going to be fraught with absenteeism. So long story short because of that feedback um my recommendation to the board would be that we do take that as our change and modify the calendar to add uh that as a a school holiday. and um move the last day of school next year to June 17th from 16 to 17. So, I will turn it back over to the board chair. Uh we also made some amendments to conferences. They're of no consequence to the number of days. We just move them to align better with um when report cards are coming out and at some these are also suggestions that come in from schools about you know they'd be better served on these days. We want to make sure it doesn't conflict with other issues. And then we

187always try to balance the night conferences that you're not as a parent, you're not trying to figure out, should I go to my middle school students night conference on the same night as my elementary school's night conference. They're all on different nights. So we're trying to be very accommodating to parents who are, you know, torn between many levels of schooling. So those are moved around. Um, so those are the changes that we're proposing and there is a motion on the second page of the document that I was just reading from. Yeah. Next year I will have three students in three different schools. So there are challenges and and you are not the only parent that falls into that bucket. Two separate. Um I mean we can we can read it as however we want. Well

188there's two different calendars so we are voting on two. Yes, Mr. Newton. You're looking at now, once again, we're close this year. I pray we don't have snow days, but June 19th, I think, should clearly be a blue on this calendar because it will be a federal holiday. Um, I believe that it's not a federal holiday, but there has to be some um recognition of and education. Yes, there's two opportunities for school systems. either call it a school holiday, you're correct, or be prepared to provide instruction about what June 19th is all about. You can do either or. So, um, it had, you know, we've come close since that law was passed, but it has not occurred. Um, my drawers would be that we would do provide education on that day versus a school holiday.

189So, um, but that is not reflected on this calendar, but Mr. Newton is correct. We have to do one or the other. I'd greatly prefer education around it because on we haven't really had that opportunity. We have not. We've just been fortunate with snow days, but this year we were close. You know, I'm hoping we're past the snow day risk, but um I did not I did put it uh I did put our curriculum and um history department on alert that they might have to be creating some very good lesson plans, but um it did not happen. So, I'll turn it back over to you, board chair. Okay. So, yeah. So, how many motions are there? I'm confused. It's just two. Okay. It's like re Yeah. Recommended motion is the first page. Okay. and then

190the second page. All right. So, I will entertain a motion. I'll make the motion to move the Newington Board of Education adjust the 2025 2026 school calendar with the following changes. Move the first day back from winter break from Friday, January 2nd, 2026 to Monday, January 5th, 2026. And move the tenative last day of school from June 16, 2026 to June 17, 2026. Second. Thank you. We a motion and a second. Do we have any discussion? Mr. Hollerin, just a comment. I agree with the uh I agree with the potential uh of absenteeism. I will say as an advocate for families, um it's a nightmare to have kids on a break, come back to school for one day, come in for a weekend, and then go back to school on a Monday. They will not

191adjust for a whole week. So, I think this is just a very practical move. So, I'm in support and um Three Kings Day is in there, too. So, yes, there's they're out on Tuesday. Um okay, so we're Any other discussion? All right. So, we're voting to make January 2nd a vacation day. A roll call vote, please. Mary Beth, yes. Brittany Carr, yes. Sean Hollerin, yes. Anthony Meyer, yes. Timothy Newton, yes. Amy Peratt, yes. Jessica Lever, yes. Motion passed unanimously. 70. Uh, I will make a motion. I will move the board of education adjust the 2025 2026 school calendar with the following changes. changed the March 2026 elementary, middle, and high school conference dates from the following. Elementary March 16th, 17th, 18, 2026. Middle school March 16th, 17th, 18, 2026. NHS March 16th, 17, 2026. To

192the following, elementary March 24th, 25th, 26, 2026. Middle school March 25th, 24th, 25th, 26, 2026. And NHS March 25th, 4th, 25th, 2026. plan change the following PL or professional learning days from the following uh February 24th, 2026 to February 17th, March 10th, 2026 to March 3rd, 2026 and March 24th, 2026 to March 17th, 2026. Second for real this time. All right. Motion and a second. Is there any discussion? on this again doesn't really impact the I mean the the dates of the PL days change but it doesn't impact the number of days of early release Tuesdays and then the conferences same number of half days. Okay. Um roll call vote please. Mary Bea yes. Brittany Carr. Yes. Tom Hollerin. Yes. Anthony Mey yes. Timothy Newton. Yes. Yes. Jessica Weaver. Yes. Motion passed unanimously. 70. Yeah.

193Okay. And then we have our 2627 school calendar. All righty. No surveys for this. Uh we are just changing. Let's see here. which this is basically presenting the calendar. Yeah. Yeah. Which we can change which we Yes. Now just to put that the board as stated earlier is responsible for approving school calendars. That's one of their functions. This is the first iteration of the 2627 calendar. We did look at it. We didn't have any concerns about it. So right now we I'm recommending that we approve this calendar. It starts the first day of school for students would be August 27th, 2026. The last day tentatively is June 11th, 2027. Now, there's quite a buffer there right now. Um, so I'll turn it back over to the board chair for any further discussion. Any comments? This

194one we got a little lucky where some holidays fall on weekend so we don't have um that late of a end. And then again, overwhelmingly in past years, the surveys with teachers has been that they want to start that last week of August instead of the week before. Um, any discussion, any comments? Is there a motion? I move the board of education adopt the 2026 2027 school calendar as recommended by the superintendent of schools. Second. Thank you. Is there any further discussion? Miss Weaver. Just going to note we're adopting this now. It can change and will change likely if someone has something to say. So, we've looked over it. I think it's good for now, but there will be something I missed or we all miss that um does it. But we like to do

195those a year out. So again clarifying for the public too. This is 2026 2027. This is not the next year's calendar. This is two years after. Yep. So we always have two years of calendars in the works for planning purposes. I know that was asked last year for families to plan their last summer. Haras. All right. So we're voting on the 26 27 school calendar. Mary Be. Yes, Brittany Park. Yes, Sean Hollerin. Yes, Anthony. Yes, Tim Newton. Yes, Paradic. Yes, Jessica Weaver. Yes. Motion passed unanimously. 70. Thank you. Okay, new view and discussion board policies. Yay. Y um so once again I will um go through these quickly. This is uh just for clarification purposes. These are the 2000 policies uh with one additional um mandate that we have to change. Um but these are

196just our first showing. So as always we show you the policies um that we've discussed in um in committee, bring them here, bring them back, bring them here again to then vote on. So these are the ones we're not voting on. These are the ones we are showing um for the first time and we'll actually not show all of them um because there's some we still want to take back but these are over the last uh two meetings we met on March 19th and March 31st and as always shout out to my amazing team who now has I don't know an administrator of the year as our fearless leader in doing all this work. So thank you Mr. Fesi um and as always Miss Carr and Miss Beatatric. Um, sorry I had to like it's

197been killing me all day. Um, so first off, I just wanted to show um there's really not much to show with these policies, but just that the uh Title 9 changed due to a um law uh change, not law changing, but um lawsuit. Um we're just changing back the 2024 rule to the 2020 regulations. Um so there's really like no changes really. It's just a policy we already had. Um, so feel free to check out the 25 pages of each of those policies. Um, but literally it's it's a policy we already had. We're just going back to it. Um, so those are all in there. And then they also have the uh subsequent regulations. Um, so if there's any questions on that, let me know. But there was nothing to really for us to personally

198change. Um, next is actually the the ones we we got our hands into. Um, first one is concept and rules of the administration 2000. That'll change to a 2005. Um, and we we cut a lot of it. We re rewarded a lot of it. Once again, thanks to uh to Miss Car. I think you should talk about basically the expectations we have for administrators doesn't change which is communication leadership um the collaboration within the school system and community to achieve goals the clear communication channels and the addressing misunderstandings and promoting a cooperative efforts toward achieving the board's educational objectives. So those six goals are the same. We just put it in more layman's terms, I would say, and made it more direct and clear to the public. Yep. Um, so those were our changes there.

199Um, so that was more substantive changes. Um, and then the next one, if there's no questions, move on to uh 2000.1. Again, we will be renaming that one. Um, that is the board superintendent uh relationship. Um, this one again, we I think for the most part, we're never changing the essence of the the policy. It's mostly just changing it so it's more legible. It's more digestible uh and understandable. So, for this one, we kind of just changed um and added in some language that we think is reflective, particularly a stanza about the superintendent being responsible for all aspect, duties, and powers pertaining to the school operations as directed or delegated by the board. Um, and then we just kind of changed some language in the last paragraph. Um, again, these aren't incredibly lengthy policies. Uh,

200I like to call these policies like uh not even filler policies, but these are kind of explanatory policies. They really just explain um to to give a sense of of what that relationship is. And again, the 2000 theories is um the administration. So, Dr. Dr. Burma, this is kind of dictating um the relationship board has as well as the responsibilities and duties of Dr. Burma and her team, Mr. Ferici, his team, all of the administrative. So if you think central office more so um so that was it questions there. Next one. Oh, sorry. No, I just want to say I appreciate the fact that you took the term assumes out and went to expectations. I think it's much more clear that way. We don't want to. We don't know what everyone assumes. Um, so the

201next one would be goals and objectives. This one will actually become the first policy. And what I've noticed is that every section has a goals and objectives to start out with. Um, that really kind of again it's like an explanatory. It sets the stage for what that that area of policy will be dictating. Um, so we didn't change much again. Um, just some cleanup language. Um, but this will become the first policy in the series will become instead of 2010 it'll become 2000. Um, so that way again it just sets up. Um, and then we also added um had a really fun deep dive into um the code of professional responsibilities for school administrators. Uh just figured it was nice to add a legal reference as well. Um most of our policies are grounded in

202general statutes or of some sort, but we want to show there is guiding doctrine to where we're getting um uh this kind of information. Um we will skip the next one. I think the 2011 we're still working on our equal opportunity um one because we have multiple non-discrimination policies in multiple sections. So, we're going to try and figure out what's the best way to make sure it's clear to everyone because they're somewhat redundant and duplicative and we don't want to make it more confusing for the public. I did administrative staff administrative staff organization. Thank you. This one again um we added in um our legal reference um to some of the general statutes um added in or designate because sometimes the superintendent is not responsible for this. Uh I just want to note that most

203of this language um talks about you know understanding a diverse uh staff and all these things. Um I was just surprised that the language this is uh back from 2001. So um just some of the things that I think folks thought were like new this is quite old and has not been reviewed for 24 years. Um so we were just interested in that. But again um we uh we just added just changed like literally two two three words. Okay. Uh, and then like as I said, we're going to skip over 2111 and then also um skip over 2112. Um, we're going to we're seeking staff input on adding in any of the professional development um that the admins wanted to to talk about. Um, and they were going to discuss that. So, we'll leave those

204two for another time to review because you know we'll be back. Uh, the next one would be 2120 organization chart. Um, very interesting. This policy has been updated I think at least 15 times. Um if you notice all of the dates below that has been amended and we believe in the past it literally was just the org chart at one point that was just being put and we were like that's not a policy. Um so we just thought we'd make this an actual policy. um and just say that it's transmitted through the superintendent uh or designate among specific individuals as shown on the actual organization chart. Didn't think that this was really the place to put the or um but we're not deleting the policy and everyone thinking we don't have an or chart. There's

205an or chart. Uh alas, going to the next one. One of the the shortest policies I've ever seen is job descriptions. Um I think some of this exercise as Dr. department pulls this up is understanding where folks were and back in 2001 I think um just took the handbook of policies that were required and or suggested and recommended and put them there. So this is us trying to kind of come to terms with uh 20 years later what the intent of the policies are as well. So um these are just to understand um it did mention that we keep job descriptions um in separate on in a separate manual file and all these things. Um they are kept separate and on file but we wanted to make sure it was clear like Mr. FY doesn't

206have 27 stacks of those. Just Yeah. Yes, it is. It really did actually. We really did. We We dove into that one. I We highly recommend if you have 17 hours to spare, please watch our We were like, but what if um you know, how would this be interpreted? So, alas, this actually it did take us the long. Um, next one is 2131 superintendent schools. I promise we're so close. Um, and that one we just um we um put together uh kind of revamped the second paragraph. Um, and this one comes from the um the reference from the general statutes. Looks like more inclusive language. Is it really elect? What's the So, this is reflective of the general statute. So, technically that's what's over there. Yeah. Yeah. I can go back and check again if

207we want to. But it's a good point. But we'll make a note to go back and check, but it if you click on the 10157, that one should lead you to it. Am I missing something, Mr. Fzy? Did I miss anything? Did I miss anything that you would add on that one? No. Okay. I think you copy and pasted from the statute. Okay. Okay. Um, we really like it to be grounded in statute. Um, okay. Next one. 2132. Again, wow, what a long one this one is. Uh, this is, um, pertinent to person at the end of this table. Uh, professional staff positions, assistant superintendent. That's it. And again, just changing it so it's easier to read for language. Um, next one. This one, uh, also a lively discussion and educational for us. um 22

20821 administrative council cabinets and committees and um that'll change there's a singular cabinet there's a singular council for teachers as Dr. mentioned the teacher council. Um and then uh as well as as committees. Um so we wanted to just kind of make sure it encompassed those who met and we had a very lively discussion about the different types of committees that meet the different what the cabinet does versus what the council does. Um so it gave us clarity and we wanted to to make sure it gives the public clarity of what that may look like. Um, so there's that and making sure it's reflective of current practice. So close. Uh, 222 two 4 twos. Um, really no big changes. We just had a conversation about um staff it's staff involvement in decision-m and we just

209changed the lower part from membership to um representation from um we didn't want to put a quota on what from each school so we just put representation from each um respective schools. Um so there's flexibility or you know there's no issues with quorum or non-corum things like that. So it's still representation from each. Correct. Correct. Yeah, it looks Yeah. Yeah. The this crossout does look a little weird, but yeah. Okay. So each school is represented basically. Yeah. Right. Not putting a limit or a requirement. Um and that is again reflective of current practice. I was going to say we also took that section out about adequate funds. Um, we had a lengthy discussion that doesn't, correct me if I'm wrong, that doesn't determine the meetings. Normally the meetings will be monthly, not subject to funding.

210Interesting. How expensive is it? There might have been substitutes in the past but yeah that was the the exactly it's like you were there Dr. We did talk about yes lack of substitutes to meet um that was years 2001 again old there was internet but you know exactly uh barely no Zoom. So, next one, uh, 2232 would be administrative reports. We actually hemmed it on if this was needed as a policy or not. Um, just because of we didn't want to restrict people, but it seems to be helpful too. So, for public expectations, um, it gives like a format of the reports. Um, this is reflective of current practice. So, we um, but we're welcome and we're I think we said we would take any feedback too if there uh, was any objection to any

211of those things. Um again we don't want to confine our administrators in to a certain type but just helpful uh it says may consider the following question um again but that's so at least the public knows you can expect something similar of the sort when the superintendent gives her reports in our board meetings blah blah blah. Um okay last two over here. Um actually really last one because um 2400 is the evaluation of administrators and administration. Um we just changed one line. Um it really was just talking about um in the second paragraph bargain collection it said subsequent to July 1st 2004. We felt that was probably not relevant now. Um and so we just said um grievance Patricia is is subject to the current collective bargaining agreements. Um and then also added a line

212about referring the administrative evaluation plan for all evaluation forms, processes, and procedures. That way as they change, we don't have to change this policy. And then we also cut like a if you just scroll down a little more um there was a somewhat of a form there made no sense and was very confusing. Um I think that was at one point a form. Um again just not reflective. So um we just cut that. And the last policy was our retention and disposition of records. That was not changed at all. So um we had just updated it actually in 2024. So again we'll just note it that we reviewed it once more. And that concludes our review of those ones. If there are any questions now or in between our next meeting um which will be

213April 21st at 7 PM here and online um please let us know and we're always happy to to bring back any of your suggestions or ideas and uh we will be discussing the 3000 series as well there not to make everyone so excited but um those will be there and then we can that's it for review and discussion. The next item would be next item or next item is uh review is our a thousand community relations series. Everyone has seen all these. We have not gotten any feedback since then. They've come to the board. We've come back and they're coming back here. No changes since then. So um I guess if if it's okay to make a motion. Mhm. Uh I would move the board to replace policies 1325 to 1700 with the recommended revisions

214and revised numbering system. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. And again, these are all policies that we previously discussed and we are voting to uh move forward with them. Recommended revisions. Sorry it's late. Any discussions? No. Roll call vote, please. Mary Beatus, yes. Brittany Carr, yes. Sean Hollerin, yes. Anthony Mey, yes. Timothy Newton, yes. Amy Paratt, yes. Jessica Weaver, yes. Motion passed unanimously, seven. Yay. Thank you again, as always, policy committee. I know it. All right, that brings us back to public participation on any matter related to board responsibilities. There's anybody online? I don't see anybody online. Nobody's in the room. All right. And remarks by board members. Anyone? Miss Weaver, I just want to say a full congratulations to Mr. Feresi. um you are an incredible human being and I am

215so so happy uh that you're being recognized by your organization um for the late breaking news that he is the administrator of the year for Connecticut. Uh and I just want to say that's up to three now. We have an administrator, an assistant principal, and a principal of the year. And congrats to Tara and Marco who got honored last night at the town council. And thank you all who came tonight. Very great presentation. Uh really appreciate that. So congratulations once again to our incredible of the years. Yay. And we will be celebrating him at the ever growing banquet of the years. Rising of the year. How many more can we add? The XL. Yeah. But yeah, seriously, it is a very it's very awesome to have so many of the years in in Newington and

216just it it just shows how great of a district we have and how lucky we are. So motion to adjurnn second. Yes. All in favor? I meeting dur 10:05 p.m. Thank you.