Board of Education 02/12/2026

001This is NHTV 2, North Haven Government Television, a service of North Haven Community Television. The following program is brought to you through the support of the town of North Haven. Hello everybody. Welcome to the uh regular meeting of the Board of Education. May I have a motion to approve the December 11th, 2025 regular Board of Education meeting minutes? >> Make a motion. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? So moved. Uh approval of the January 8th, 2026 BOE budget workshop meeting minutes. Motion. Second. >> hear a second? All in favor? Aye. Is there any No discussion? Uh so moved. May I have a motion to approve the January 15th, 2026 Board of Education special meeting minutes? >> Make a motion. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Aye. Okay. So moved. We have

002no student reps tonight? I guess not. Okay. Seeing that we have no student reps tonight, we're going to move right into the Integrated Day Program uh presentation followed by uh public comment. So, Mr. Sterp, the floor is yours. Good evening, everyone. Uh tonight Melinda and I will be presenting information concerning the district's Integrated Day Program, which is housed at Green Acres Elementary School and Ridge Road Elementary School. On behalf of the board, I'd like to thank everyone who emailed and reached out to us to share their perspective. Before addressing where the program stands today, I'd like to provide a brief history of the ID program here in North Haven. In the early 1970s, North Haven adopted the Integrated Day Program, which served as an alternative elementary program at Ridge Road. In the late 1980s, this

003program was extended to include Green Acres Elementary School. The tenets of ID were and still are student-led, project-based learning in a multi-grade classroom, which at the time was far different from how students were learning at the elementary school level. Instruction in the '70s and '80s was much different. It was teacher-directed, a stand and deliver model where the adults housed all the information, and their job was to impart it upon their students. We give the board, teachers, and the community a great deal of credit for adopting a program that broke the current instructional model of that time. The Integrated Day Program was truly cutting edge. Education has continued to evolve, and instruction as a whole became more student-centered. It essentially caught up with the ID instructional model. And with this evolution came standards and accountability at

004the state and federal level. Since that time through today, North Haven has continued to support and found ways in which to preserve as many of the program tenets as possible. Anthony, can you click one slide? Thank you. For example, 10 years ago, the district adopted the Teachers College Reading and Writing Program. In adopting this instructional program, significant changes and adjustments were made to fit instruction within the multi-grade classrooms. Separate professional development sessions were held for ID teachers in order to support their instructional practices. And during that time, we also provided programmatic professional development from an outside consultant. Great lengths were taken in order to preserve, as best we could, the ID model. Even with these efforts, the ID model was slowly eroding. Project time was limited to the time due to the time needed to

005appropriately address grade level standards. The multi-grade component of ID was eliminated from math instruction. Two, three, and four, five classrooms needed to split in order to provide appropriate math instruction for each grade level. Kindergarten and grade one ID classrooms were divided into single grades because we were not able to account for the developmental and instructional needs of a four-year-old student to an almost seven-year-old student. This brings us to today where the multi-grade component of ID is no longer instructionally feasible. The newly adopted, state-mandated science of reading curriculum, Bookworms, requires grade-specific materials and resources intentionally designed for individual grade levels. The Bookworms program is built upon learning acquired from the previous grade levels, and there are numerous themes that span multiple years. We cannot adjust or manipulate this curriculum in order for our classroom teachers to

006effectively provide instruction. Please note, a few years back, a team of teachers, ID and contemporary, reviewed all of the language arts program approved by the state. Excuse me, approved by the State Department of Education. None of them fit or could be adapted to the ID model. We are eternally grateful for our teachers' willingness to make every effort to preserve the ID tenets through all of these changes. They want to make it work, but recognize that the model does not serve students as it once did. And rightfully so, they came to us and asked for support. In adopting Bookworms, Melinda and I felt that time to get comfortable with the curriculum would be beneficial and allow for our curricular experts, our teachers, and our content coordinators to once again find a way for it to be

007successful in ID classrooms. This time also gave our coordinator ample time to meet and support all teachers as they navigated this new curriculum. In an attempt to preserve the program, we hired an additional ID teacher at Ridge Road. This teacher allowed two, three, and four, five classrooms to be equally split for math and language arts. This support came with its own issues and concerns, but we were all committed to giving it a try. Significant instructional time was lost when splitting classrooms for the two major content areas. As you can see from this mock schedule, some students are spending roughly only 45 minutes with their homeroom teacher. The daily travel time from classroom to classroom results results in a substantial loss of instructional time. For example, if 15 minutes a day is lost to travel, that

008equals 75 minutes a week and over 45 hours a school year. Another example, during the direct instruction or DI block, which is highlighted on this schedule, students who have a different ELA or math teacher cannot always go across the hall to ask a question or check an anchor chart. Nor should they have to. We also wanted to address projects as one of the foundational tenets uh and pieces of the Integrated Day. Project opportunities are present throughout our K-5 curriculum. In mathematics, project suggestions are linked to grade level units and curriculum. As a district, we're engaging in professional learning and conversations around building thinking classrooms in mathematics. This framework is designed to foster deep thinking, problem-solving, and student engagement, all while allowing students to access grade level curriculum. Students work in small collaborative groups, rather than

009individually. Group work creates peer-to-peer learning, encourages diverse thinking, and builds communication skills. Building thinking classroom tasks require students to think critically and creatively, not just recall facts. Tasks have multiple entry points, allowing for varied solutions. The framework creates a shift from traditional, teacher-centered teaching to a student-centered approach, promoting independent thinking and collaboration. As we work through the full implementation of Bookworms, currently we're in year two in grades K through three, and year one in grades four and five. Teachers are beginning to become more comfortable with the program, and district curriculum adjustments are ongoing. Opportunities for projects are embedded throughout the program in the form of culminating tasks. These tasks are comprehensive, multi-day projects at the end of each module or unit to demonstrate student proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. These often include research

010reports, persuasive letters, or creative presentations, such as book ads or dramatizations. Tasks are designed to be complex, requiring over 15 hours of work in later grades to analyze, create, and present. A natural next step in any curriculum writing process, which we're in, is to first adopt and learn the program, and then as time goes on, add to it and improve it. Creation of more formalized, district-wide projects align not only to work Bookworms, but also math, science, and social studies are future projects on the horizon. So, as we are all well aware, our teachers are truly wonderful, and if their instructional practices are compromised, they should bring it forward to their content coordinators, principals, and central office administrators. Our ID teachers shared with us their concerns about the current status of their program in an effort

011to ensure that they are providing the best possible educational environment for their students. The following statements shared with us directly are from ID teachers. The number of daily transitions in ID significantly reduces instructional time. By the time students are settled, meaningful learning time has already been lost. As curriculum demands have shifted over the past 2 years, my team and I have gone above and beyond to make it work, putting in extra hours, collaborating on weekends. And after all of this work and continued effort, it is clear that the ID program is not sustainable is not a sustainable model and it's time for it to be discontinued. I would also like to emphasize that the positive impacts we are seeing are not due to to the structure of the program itself. Rather, this appreciation reflects the

012dedication and hard work of our incredible teachers and staff, both ID and traditional, who collaborate across grade levels and programs to provide the best possible learning environment and education for all students. We work closely with our traditional teaching partners, just as they work closely with us, grounded in collaboration, care, and a shared commitment to our students. This is what makes our school and our district a truly special learning community. A contemporary teacher within our district also shared the following perspective. I recently read a petition circulating that outlined what makes the ID program unique. I'd like to respond to several of these points by sharing what happens every day in my contemporary classroom because many of those claims simply do not hold true. My classroom is paired with a buddy classroom with a fourth grade class.

013We meet often to collaborate, read together, and to one another, sharing projects, activities, or just sharing what we are learning. At this moment, we are planning and presenting together at our monthly school assembly. These experiences foster leadership, confidence, and a strong sense of community. My students regularly go home and proudly explain what they are learning and creating in the classroom. That sense of ownership matters. I see it every day. My students are encouraged to ask, explore ideas, and extend their learning beyond the school day. And throughout the year, my students present their work and projects to family and peers, strengthening connections and celebrating learning in the community. And every single one of my students grows and matures in a safe space. No elaboration needed on this statement. This teacher goes on to say, "While taking

014a group photo of our first grade students on a field trip once, a parent chaperone asked whether we would be taking a picture of just ID." That comment was deeply disheartening. There is no divide and as a school community, we need to put an end to that type of language. As the instructional leaders of their respective schools, I'm going to ask uh Principal Tracy Considine and Principal Chris McLaughlin to share some words concerning the integrated day program. >> [laughter] [snorts] >> Good evening, Board of Education. My name is Christopher McLaughlin and I have proudly served this district for 22 years. 15 of those years were spent at our town's high school where I taught English and later served as an assistant principal for 9 years. For the past 7 years, I've had the privilege of

015being the principal of Ridge Road. As a building principal, I am fortunate to spend time in classrooms daily. Whether this means greeting students in the classrooms each morning, being invited in to watch presentations and celebrations, working alongside tremendous teachers, or ensuring that our curriculum is being implemented with fidelity and aligned with state's expectations. Those daily classroom visits keep me grounded in what matters most, our students and the adults who support them. At the heart of my role as a leader is the responsibility to ensure that the students that the needs of all students, all staff, and all teachers are being met. Currently, our building offers two different programming options, integrated day and contemporary. I want to be very clear. One program is not better than the other. Both have been created with good intentions and

016have provided meaningful experiences for our students over many years. This proposed decision is about alignment, equity, and preparing our students for what lies ahead. And what lies ahead is a future that remains largely unknown. To be successful, students must be able to think critically, research ideas, collaborate with others, present their thinking clearly, and respectfully challenge different perspectives. More than ever, students need consistent opportunities to work individually with teachers and in small groups. They need targeted instruction, meaningful interventions, and appropriate enrichment, all within a schedule and structure that allows this to happen intentionally and effectively. While the integrated day model has served students well in many ways, its structure does not allow us to fully meet the new demands being placed on today's learners or the expectations set by the state, the common core, and our

017ever-changing world. As the leader of this building, it is my responsibility to ensure that every student feels successful, that every teacher feels supported and successful, and that our school operates as one unified community. Maintaining two separate programs has unintentionally created divisions, divisions among students, divisions among classrooms, perceptions of the educational quality in certain classrooms, and divisions across our broader community. That is not who we are and that is not who we want to be. At the end of the day, we must ensure that all students are meeting state expectations, receiving high-quality instruction, and are being prepared for their future, no matter what that future looks like. This transition is about coming together around shared goals, shared values, and a shared belief that every child deserves access to the best possible learning experience that we can

018provide. As always, I thank you all for your trust, your partnership, and your continued commitment to our school. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Tracy Considine and I have the privilege of serving as the principal of Green Acres Elementary School. Tonight, I come before you with a unique a unique perspective as a long-time community member, the former ELA coordinator for the district, and a proud mom of a learner who initially started in the ID program and then moved to conventional. I'm also the proud graduate of Clintonville Elementary School. I carry with me many fond memories of dynamic conventional teachers who helped shape me into the educator I am today. Mrs. Parody, Mrs. Santino, Mr. Crampitz, and Mrs. Salado were just a few of the exceptional educators who inspired my path into teaching. When I

019entered junior high school, I was placed in all advanced classes. And on the first day of eighth grade, a fellow student approached me and asked who I was. I confidently and easily shared my name and mentioned that I had gone to Clintonville Elementary School. And that student responded to me, "You don't belong with us. You didn't go to Ridge Road ID." That comment stayed with me for many years. I found myself wondering, "What was ID? What made it so special?" And so, in 2016, I became the ELA coordinator for North Haven Public Schools and I was excited to deepen my understanding of ID. During my first year, I visited each of the four elementary schools to learn more about both traditional and ID models in action. And as I walked the district, the common theme

020in both programs was teachers who loved kids and wanted their students to be well-rounded humans who were kind and reach their potential in all academic areas. With the rollouts of the units of study, it quickly became clear that ID teachers were struggling to balance the new curriculum, state standards, and the core principles of ID. Teachers expressed continuous frustration with the balance of instructional minutes, demands of curriculum, and project work. I dedicated significant time to professional development sessions and grade level meetings, partnering with teachers to develop a cohesive, balanced approach that honored the curriculum while staying true to the ID model. When it was time for my daughter to go to kindergarten, I was excited to apply to the lottery for ID. An articulate and expressive kiddo, she'd been singing in front of crowds since she

021was 4 years old and I knew that project-based learning and presentations would be the right fit for her. She was a part of the K1 looping model in a class of 25 students. She happily sang songs at ID assemblies and presented a project on penguins. However, during her 2-3 ID year, she began to face challenges related to her dyslexia. And after consideration, we decided to transition her to the conventional program, which was better suited to support her learning needs. In 2025, Green Acres was named a National Blue Ribbon School, not because of ID, but because of dynamic teachers who love kids and want to create lifelong learners. We are a community with a growth mindset where all students and staff work hard each day to reflect and learn. A dedicated staff that works tirelessly to

022fault foster a kind, caring, and well-rounded community. Hard-working, compassionate, and dedicated teachers who leave no stones unturned when it comes to educating the whole child. All teachers deliver high-quality, purposeful instruction that is rigorous, engaging, and thoughtfully differentiated to then meet the needs of every learner. Each and every day, I am proud to walk Green Acres and see the phenomenal teaching that occurs in every classroom. However, over the past 3 years, I have watched my ID teachers struggle to balance two grade levels, new curriculum, and attempt to organize and move students who are on different developmental levels between two classrooms. The ID teachers have exhausted every resource they have been able to balance for curriculum and the foundations of ID. I continuously hear their concerns about time constraints and never being able to master their craft

023or living in the teachable moment because they always have to move on to another lesson or stop swap students back to the other class. With that being said, it's clear that it is time for a change. Education has evolved and we need to as well. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> [clears throat] [applause] >> As a result of the information collected and shared this evening, I'm proposing to the Board of Education to dissolve the Integrated Day Program at Ridge Road Elementary and Green Acres Elementary at the end of the school year. Those students who attend the ID program from Clintonville Elementary and Montowese Elementary can choose to stay at their current school or return to their neighborhood school. School-age siblings will also be able to remain at the school. Families will not be

024divided between two elementary schools. In closing, I'd like to thank the board for their time this evening and share an excerpt from an email sent by one of our teachers. She writes, "I am hopeful that the community will understand that they are not dissolving good teaching. The strong, amazing teachers are still here and are now and now their ability to meet the expectations and demands of curriculum and student needs will be stronger." Thanks for your time. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> For those of you who have been coming to meetings regularly or watching them regularly on TV, you'll notice the slight change that um put into the program this evening. I want to move uh public comment about agenda items up to the front. I want everyone Not everyone. I want

025>> [laughter] >> As much as I would love to have everybody speak, it I you know, we only have so much time. Um I wanted people have the opportunity to speak about the program before it was voted on. I didn't want to vote on it and then have you come at the end of the meeting where your conversation would really be moot, right, at that point. So, I moved it up just so we could we could have that kind of uh back and forth with that. So, another rule that we really have that's in the bylaws is that public comment is only supposed to be limited to 20 minutes. And I'm really um impressed by the outpouring of support for the program. But I just want everybody to understand, you know, we only have that

02620 minutes and it's usually 5 minutes per person. If one person comes up and they want to speak for 2 minutes, we'll extend that 3 minutes to someone else. So, it's not that you can only have four speakers or or anything like that. And we'll do our best to let you, you know, complete all your thoughts, much to the dismay of my board, even if it lasts a little more than 5 minutes per um uh we're going to kind of let it I'm going to kind of entertain it. Hold on one second, please. Um I I do have somebody that I want to come and speak first and her time will not count towards the public's time. Okay? Yeah, yeah, you had one question first real quick. This is really not a question and answer

027session, but Yeah. But Well, I I I can I can under Listen, I can understand I can understand your concern. But I can understand your concern. Let me finish now. I can understand your concern, but the bylaws are bylaws. This is a 1-month meeting and we're meeting today. This is the first time any on anybody on the board has had conversation about this. This is That is true. It is absolutely true. It is I told you No, we figured this out a while ago between the administration The administration The administration Listen, we can do this calmly or not at all. I have no problem talking to anybody about it. I'm not going to get in a yelling match with anybody. So, and I don't need people accusing us of telling us what we're doing when

028you don't know. I I understand that, but there has to be some sort of limitation. There This There has to be some sort of limitation. There has to be. How much is enough time? An hour? 2 hours? You know what I'm saying? It's No. Yes. No. We're going to do this tonight. Because the meeting is tonight. The meeting about this is tonight. The meeting is about this tonight. Right. Yes. And I'm I'm also I'm also living here and pay high taxes. It's an impossibility to have everybody here to speak. It's an impossibility. It's a possibility. It's an impossibility. It's an impossibility. Yes. And there are bylaws to every committee in this town. I'm sure you don't. I'm sure I'm sure I do. I Listen, I'm not going to argue with you, Rob. I'm not going

029to argue with the board. I do. You may not like it, but I do. We can discuss it later. do or not. I do not have to let everyone speak. I do not. I understand. And I appreciate your your opinion. So, as the bylaws are put into place, the purpose of the bylaws is because uh for 20 minutes, most points can be discussed to avoid the repetition of the same points over and over. So, 20 minutes is um focused on the same topic and that's what the limit is and that's what the bylaws state and that's what we will be following tonight. So, Ms. Kaplan's time will not be taken from that 20 minutes. After Ms. Kaplan speaks, then we will go to our 20 minutes, which is stated in the bylaws. Mrs. Kaplan, can

030you please start? Sure. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> I'd like to make a motion to waive the bylaws for tonight. You can't make a motion. Ms. Kaplan. Yeah. Um hi everybody. I'm going to try to address the room to the best of my ability. I apologize I have bronchitis and it's been a long couple of days, so I'm going to speak as loudly as I can. Um for those of you who I don't know, my name is Christy Kaplan. Um I'm a mom here in town. I have four kids at Montowese Elementary and North Haven Middle. I'm also a teacher. I teach eighth grade um at North Haven Middle School and I'm also president of the teachers union, the North Haven Education Association. So, I have a many hands in this. Um and I'd

031like to encourage everyone to continue tonight because I will be exiting after this because of my illness. So, I apologize I'll keep track of everything on TV. Um but what I'd like to say is just remember your children are watching. We want to make sure that we're modeling democratic behavior to them and having very well-rounded and fair conversations. So, we want to make sure that, you know, I have my phone on with my kids. [applause] My children will be watching with me, so I want to make sure that, you know, they're part of this process, too. So, that being said, um good evening members of the Board of Education, superintendent, and members of our community. I'm speaking tonight on behalf of the North Haven Education Association, representing over 340 dedicated educators who serve serve the

032students of our district each day. We want to begin by respectfully acknowledging the deep sentiment and nostalgia surrounding the Integrated Day Program at the elementary level. For many families, educators, and alumni, the ID program represents an important chapter in North Haven's educational history. When it began more more than 50 years ago, it offered a different perspective and an alternative learning experience for students, one that was innovative of its time. However, we are now in 2025 and education has evolved significantly. The very elements that once set the ID program apart, project-based learning, student-directed activities, active learning engagement, and immersive learning are no longer unique to a single program. These practices are now the foundation of modern instruction and are happening all classrooms across all schools and at all grade levels in our district. Simply put, the

033innovations of 50 years ago are the norms of today's education. At the same time, the increasing curricular demands placed on educators, particularly in reading and mathematics, have stretched our staff thin and made it nearly impossible to sustain the traditions of the ID program as it was originally designed. The K1, 2, 3, and 4, 5 multi-grade classroom model is no longer feasible structure for educators to maintain. Despite genuine efforts, including added staffing, increased training, and ongoing professional development, the model no longer fits the realities of today's classrooms or the expectations that are being placed on educators and students. For these reasons, the NHA stands united in support of the superintendent and the recommendation to dissolve the Integrated Day Program. This position was not reached lately, but it reflects the professional judgment of the educators who are

034in the classrooms every day and who are committed to doing what is best for our students. While we appreciate and respect the sentiments of the past that will undoubtedly be shared here tonight, we must also look forward. Our responsibility is to ensure that our educational programs are sustainable, equitable, and effective for all students, educators, and our schools as a whole. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening and I thank you for your continued commitment to our students. Thank you. Thank you, Susan. >> [applause] >> Okay, we're going to start public comment now. Uh whoever first speaker is, you just kindly come up and sign. Oh. I had it No, you sign up as you come as you come up. So we're So we should stand over here and No, you just raise your

035hand. Just Yeah, just Yeah, I don't care if it's Scott. >> [snorts] >> Just make sure you're in the order that you signed and not everybody I'm not going to take 20 signatures. Go ahead. Go ahead, ma'am. I'm good. Whenever you're ready. Okay. Good evening. I Um my name is Mary Lynn Tantorski. Um I've been a resident for North Haven for over 30 years, where I've raised all my children. I'm also an elementary teacher in the district. I taught for 16 years at Ridge Road School and I am currently at Green Acres, where I've been there for 5 years now. I taught in both the traditional and the ID programs. Three of my grandchildren are now currently students in the district. It's a community that I truly love and I trust our administration. During my

036time at Ridge Road, I had the pleasure of working alongside many of the educators who brought the ID program into North Haven schools. The core founding principles were built on the student-centered approach, where students were given a voice and a choice in their topics of learning. The program emphasized a hands-on approach to learning, including research, problem-solving, creating, and presenting in a collaborative, family-like classroom culture. Students were taught in the multi-age classroom based on the belief that children grow at different rates and benefits from peer modeling. I can speak to the many benefits of this program from the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. But here we are now in 2026. Ed- Education has evolved in the classrooms today in all of our North Haven elementary schools are designed based on many of these ID principles.

037One of my fondest memories from Ridge Road is working collaboratively as a team with both ID and traditional teachers. We created similar experiences in each of our classrooms. As a district, we all believe in developing a personalized learning environment using student interest and differentiation in our instructional design. Our current curriculum includes integrated units, cross-curricular projects, and real-world applications. Many of our classrooms partner with different classrooms, creating that multi-age learning model. These are best practices. These ID principles are happening daily in all of our elementary classrooms, preschool through fifth grade. Given this shift, maintaining a separate program model may no longer be necessary. As a district, our lens should be on all students in the district and not just a small group who were selected in the lottery for ID. After all, isn't it important for

038all of our students in North Haven to have access to all of these best practices? Making the decision to eliminate a long-standing program is not easy. The ID program holds a very meaningful place in the history of our district, in the lives of our staff, students, and families. And the decisions that impact our school school community require a lot of discussion, respect about what has worked in the past versus what we are challenged with today. To be honest, the last few years have been very challenging for us as ID teachers. With the new state curriculum mandates, teaching two grades in a single classroom have presented many challenges. We are required to deliver two curricula for our separate grades, manage multiple assessments, and meet our benchmark standards. Our central office administration, both Patrick and Melinda, as

039well as our coordinators, Caitlin and Michael, have recognized all of our challenges. They've provided us with a great deal of support. Both of our building administrators, Chris and Tracy, have also gone above and beyond to listen to our concerns almost daily to help with finding a balance. We have been given planning time, more staffing, and flexibility to group our students by grade level for core subjects, which truly is not part of the ID model. Despite all of these efforts, the stress on our educators remains significant. And this stress can directly impact instructional quality, classroom climate, and then student learning. What makes our staff exceptional is the passion and dedication to the students of North Haven. Even in these challenging environments, we still go above and beyond to see that every child has the opportunity to

040succeed. We care about our students and we care about our program. However, we do recognize that decisions need to be made in the best interest of our students. It may appear to our community that this is a sudden decision. It is not. It is something that we have struggled with for many, many years. It is not something that just started this past school year. I cannot speak to all of the struggles in all of the upper grades, but I know I see firsthand my colleagues working tirelessly to make this work. We have tried. I want to assure you that the ID principles will continue to guide the teaching and learning across the district. Our teaching style will not change. It's not the ID label that drives our passion. It's the joy of watching our children

041learn and grow. We will continue to deliver personalized instruction, create meaningful learning opportunities, and provide multi-age peer support through our buddy classrooms. By embedding these principles district-wide, we ensure the spirit and value of ID continues with every student. And I urge the community to remember this and to support our teachers in our district in this difficult decision. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Yeah, yeah. My name is Scott Friedman. Um 17 Cooper Road. Um I I've probably written the statement about three or four different times, as many of you know, because I've spoken to you. Um I'm a parent of a 2, 3 ID class student in JoAnn McLean and Claire Gram Pray's paired multi-age classrooms. Many of you know me from frequent Board of Ed and town meeting public comments, where I've voiced strong support

042for North Haven public schools, teachers, and educators. We hear We 100% hear the feedback from educators and administrators that they're stretched to their limit. And we also need you to hear our feedback as parents that the timeline and lack of community engagement are affecting families and students. My daughter and our family have benefited significantly from ID. We may very well have had that same benefit in a contemporary classroom. And we're well aware of the fact that the teaching styles have changed. However, I reached out to a meeting for a meeting with the superintendent, uh assistant superintendent, and my principal, and I was told, "Wait until after Thursday's meeting." Well, as you can tell, all indications are that the Board of Ed will be voting tonight in favor of dissolving the program. I might even agree

043with you, for what it's worth. And at the end of the year, I've heard no discussion of a phase-out for the kids who are currently in ID. I've heard no discussion of a Board of Ed subcommittee that would allow parents, teachers, and administrators to work on this problem together. Just so we're clear, as a parent who probably watches or hears about every single Board of Ed meeting, this has not been discussed. Not once. Not once. I have not been asked any input. Not once. There were no listening sessions to talk to parents. We obviously care deeply about our kids' education. We opted into a program that was built on parent engagement, on student engagement, and I am 100% aware that that goes throughout all classes. But please understand that as parents in this program, we

044were told 10 days before this meeting and given no opportunity to speak out, and now 20 minutes. So, in light of the fact that we've had this disheartening level of engagement, um if a phase-out is not possible, I hope that we at least ensure that current second and fourth graders who would have been in a multi-age classroom, or already are rather, will loop with the teacher that they're in or one of the teachers who are doing a 2-3 ID or a 4-5 ID now. I hope we explore the possibility of looping for K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 moving forward, and I hope we identify ways to bring this to all schools, because having the same teacher for 2 years in elementary school is confidence-building. It It avoids a level of um delay in starting the year

045in September. I hope we, as people seem to already be doing, create intentional opportunities for single-age classrooms to buddy together and to do project-based and student-led inquiry, and possibly specials that don't require grade-level instruction. I hope we institute teams, you know, Hawks and Eagles, blue and green, whatever it might be, to allow students to present to a smaller group than the entire school assembly, which I think can be daunting. Um and I hope that we form a parent-teacher council, either as a Board standing committee or an offshoot of school PTAs, where engaged parents can volunteer to be a sounding board for teachers and administrators and provide a representative voice for parents when issues like this arise. I thank you all, the teachers, the administrators, the Board of Ed, everyone who's dedicating their time to educating

046our children. Um it's critical for the the district to seize this opportunity to chart a path toward a new unified program, rather than simply announcing the dissolution of this one before we've talked about what we're doing next. It feels like everyone's gaining something, rather than ID feel families feeling a profound loss, with fears that the magic will be lost in both translation and transition. Disappointed as I may be in the process behind and the communication of this decision, I'll continue to seek opportunities to collaboratively problem-solve issues that impact my child's and all of North Haven children's education. Please don't hesitate to reach out. We have incredible parents in this district. Very, very infrequently have I ever seen ways to engage those parents beyond the folks who run for these positions, and some of us, while

047we absolutely appreciate all that you all of you who do step forward, are unable to do that right now. Um but please recognize that this is feeling like a profound loss, and it could be a great opportunity, but to do that, we need better parent engagement. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> Okay, good evening, chairman of the Board, members of the Board of Education, Superintendent Sterk, and Assistant Superintendent McKenna. My name is Susan Long. I'm here to urge you to preserve the Integrated Day Program in our elementary schools. I was a student in this program at Ridge Road, and those years remain my most meaningful memories of school. I still keep in touch with classmates and teachers from that time. One of them's sitting right there. >> [laughter] >> And I distinctly remember that once

048once the program ended, I stopped enjoying school in the same way. That experience has stayed with me. Today, my oldest daughter is enrolled in the ID program. My husband and I are both teachers, and we chose to raise our family in this town because we believe deeply in the school system and its values. The ID program provided me with a strong foundation in critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, leadership, presentation skills, and community involvement. These are skills that have shaped my academic path, my career, and how I navigate challenges in life. I would not be who I am today without this program. Rather than eliminating ID, I urge the Board to consider how it can be strengthened and supported through professional learning for teachers, thoughtful evolution alongside updated standards, and a continued commitment to innovative and inclusive

049education. ID is relatively unique in the area. Families move here for this program. ID is successful and beneficial because it provides these skills I just mentioned, and um also promotes high levels of student engagement. The goal now should be to find a path moving forward that preserves the pedagogy of this program and adapt it to meet the current education environment, provide teachers the support needed to continue teaching in this model and avoid burnout, and ideally provide it to all students. Programs like Integrated Day are what students carry with them long after elementary school ends. I respectfully ask you to reconsider this proposal and preserve this program for current and future students. Thank you for your time and consideration. >> [applause] >> Hello everyone. Thank you for having me. Um educators, thank you for everything that

050you do for our kids. Board, um and school leaders, thank you for everything you do for for our children. My name is Pat Long. Um my daughter is in kindergarten in the ID program. Um my wife just my wife Susan just shared many of the reasons that we feel strongly about this program. Um what I would like to speak to is many of the points that that Scott shared a few minutes ago. I as a fellow educator, I'm a former elementary teacher, currently a middle school math teacher and department supervisor. I'm no stranger to the teacher burnout that comes with that, and we want to do everything we can to support the teachers here. I think the issue I'll speak only for myself. The issue for me here is, as Scott mentioned, we heard about

051this 10 days ago. Um you've obviously had a lot of feedback from the parents and prepared um you know, feedback from the teachers about specific things. This is the first that we've had a chance to hear from you. Um the piece that I would be looking for is a partnership. That partnership piece has been missing. Where we get together, we discuss what is it that's so important to the parents about this program? Is it possible to preserve elements of that program? If not, as again, as Scott mentioned a few minutes ago, how is that going to play out as we make this transition? Is it the looping piece? Is it other parts? We know that education has changed, that classroom instruction has evolved over time, but what are the parts that are so important to

052the parents in the community, and how can we preserve at least some of those? Um once again, it feels like we we heard about this 10 days ago, and now our first chance to speak, it's being voted on, and there hasn't been that communication back and forth. Thank you for your time, and as I said, thank you for all you do for our students. >> [applause] >> Good evening. Is this on? Can you hear me? I'm Claudia Grantham. Um I had 18 years teaching in the program in the '70s and '80s, and then I went on to be an administrator in this town. This town has a very special education system, thanks to all of you, and thanks to all of the parents and the staff who does it. Now, some of these staff I

053had in school. We're a little old, but that's okay. But I wanted you to know that tonight we saw what the plan was, and I was coming in with questions because I didn't know what the plan was, either. And I'm just a citizen in our town. But I wanted to know what the plan was, and I agree, we need to be able to digest it, think about it, share it, talk about it, and work it through, and I'm sure there are some state mandates. I know those things came along. The ID was never a part of was never a part not to be a part of that. We did the same testing everybody else did, and learned from our testing, and redid our our evening ch- um note cards on every kid, based on a

054lot of things. So, you know the history. You've given us the history, and I just I think it is a really thoughtful decision that you all have to make. A very serious one. I hope it's not being run by funds only, and I hope that we are looking at a school system because our school system is a thing that we have in this town. I've seen it at all levels. I've seen it many places. It's phenomenal. And I don't want that to go away. And I'm going to be one of those gray hairs that goes to those budget meetings and says, "No, no, no, no, more money." Cuz I want more money for our education system. We need it. But we need time to digest this, to figure it out, to think about it as

055parents and as students. Think of those little guys. So, that's part of the reason that I had to come and talk and tell you. And it was founded on a wonderful principle of education that you're right. It's come full circle. It's pretty amazing. And all the things that we started out all those years ago have come a long way. But that's wonderful for all kids. And for that we're really, really, really happy. So, thank you for your time. And thank you for giving us this opportunity. And I'd like those those slides printed so I could really go home and look at them. Is that possible? They'll be on the website. Could we do that? Okay. >> be on the website. On the website. Okay. Thanks. Thanks so much. Bye-bye. >> [applause] >> Uh thank you

056for giving us the time to speak to at tonight's meeting. My name is Lindsey Sir and I have two children in the ID program at Ridge Road. My husband and I, like so many people here tonight, chose program for variety of reasons. We knew the program program had a proven track record and we were excited about the mixed age group that enhances leadership skills and encourages friendships between different age groups. We like the increased independence the program fosters. We like the focus on project-based learning and we especially like the idea of our children having the same teacher for multiple years to create that deeper understanding and learning. We've had nothing but positive experiences with the ID program so far. >> [snorts] [sighs and gasps] >> Now, I'd be remiss if I did not say that

057I've noticed a difference in the last year. The recent changes have certainly made things more difficult for our teachers to deliver the major tenants of the ID program. I spoke to both of my teach my children's teachers before coming here tonight and I understand some of what they are dealing with. Certainly, we all want what is best for our children and we don't want teachers to suffer to make it happen. But is dissolving a decades-long program the only option? If [snorts] ultimately it makes the most sense to go in that direction, I will be the first to jump on board. But dissolution of such a beloved program deserves a full evaluation including meaningful conversations with a quarter of the elementary school families that have children currently in the program. >> [snorts] >> And the thousands

058thousands of alumni families that cherish what this program has meant to the community. There's never one option to solve a problem and rarely is it the easiest option the best option in [snorts] the long run. The ID program has thrived for decades with changing curriculum and curriculum is meant to be adapted to work within existing systems. All I'm asking is for a working group to explore alternatives to dissolution. Could we adapt the curriculum? Could we increase teachers to reduce class sizes? Could we institute a professional development to create a support system for teachers? I know this all costs money and there are complicating factors, but this [snorts] program deserves a full evaluation. Telling families one week and voting to dissolve the program the next is far from the dialogue such a big decision like this

059warrants. In a time where there is so much focus on standardized tests, let's not lose sight of the ancillary values this program has to offer for our children. And let's work together to evaluate all the potential options for keeping the best aspects. Thank you again for taking the time to hear our voices. >> [applause] >> Hi, Christina Fontaine. >> [snorts] >> I have three children in North Haven public schools, two of which are currently attending ID. My oldest is in middle school and had a wonderful experience in ID. While my middle child will be moving on to middle school next year, the decision to end the ID program directly affects my youngest child. I would like to take a moment to explain what drew our family to the ID program in the first place. Looping.

060Looping is powerful. Students remain with the same teacher and cohort for 2 years. Research shows that looping improves academic achievement, strengthens relationships, and supports social and emotional well-being. In practice, it allows teachers to understand their students' learning styles in meaningful ways. Teachers get to know their students' strengths and needs in order to personalize their instruction. Beyond academics, looping creates a true sense of community. The relationships built in this program are not temporary or superficial by any stretch of the imagination. They are very much stable, lasting, and meaningful. That continuity matters, especially for young kids. Feeling safe and known is foundational to learning. I understand that the district is facing a difficult decision. However, if the decision to discontinue ID is final, I respectfully ask that we consider ways to preserve aspects of the program's integrity

061for the current students enrolled. Specifically, please consider maintaining cohorts of ID students together as they transition into traditional classrooms. Keeping some of these students together would provide continuity and emotional stability during what is already a significant change. Additionally, I ask that the district explore options such as looping because there are so many benefits to it. While I am sad that this is occurring, I also want to be mindful and respectful of the decisions that need to be made. My request is simply that if our children must transition out of a program that has shaped their learning and identity, that the transition be handled thoughtfully, intentionally, and with the students' well-being at the center. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Good evening. My name is Michelle Dwyer and I have two daughters currently in the middle school

062who both went through the Integrated Day Program at Ridge Road, one who's in sixth grade, so just left last year. I can stand up here all night and talk about how amazing this program is, how dedicated and hard-working the teachers are, and how both of my daughters had incredible experiences throughout their elementary years. But I know we don't have all night. And looking around this room, I think many of us can attest to the quality of this program and the deep love our community has for it. So, instead I want to share what I believe are the most important things my daughters gained during their 6 years in the Integrated Day Program. They learned independence. They developed strong work ethic. They gained confidence in public speaking. They strengthened their critical thinking skills. And perhaps most

063importantly, they learned empathy and how to collaborate effectively with their peers. Recently, I reviewed the North Haven's vision of a graduate. The key attributes listed included collaboration, communication, problem-solving, empathy, informed thinking, and self-direction. If our goal as a community is to ensure that every graduate embodies these qualities, then I then I have to ask, why are we considering dissolving a program that so clearly fosters every one of these attributes? I have worked in education for 17 years, math not reading. And in that time, I have seen countless initiatives introduced, new programs come in with excitement and promise, only to fade away a few years later. Education is constantly evolving and I understand that we need to adapt. But what is being proposed here is a dissolution of a very old program. One that to my

064knowledge has been highly successful in response to a new K-3 reading mandate that may itself evolve and change in a few years. If I'm not mistaken, it is it is only K-3, right? Okay. So, kindergarten and first grade are already separated by age. That means the only structural challenge with this reading program that was kind of stated in that letter that we got, um would be within the two-three integrated day classes. I know. But yeah, I know. >> [laughter] >> I know. Um So, I mean, to me it doesn't seem like sufficient reason to dismantle. And again, like everybody has said, we were just told this I mean, I completely understand being a teacher how stressful all of this can be and this might be the best thing, but we were just told 10 days

065ago in this letter and we all loved the program and are so happy with our kids that went through this or ourselves went through this. Um but I would just like to end with this. Why as a community would we choose to eliminate a a program that makes North Haven's educational system unique, a program that attracts families and strengthens our schools, rather than work creatively to preserve and adapt it as much as we can. Thank you. >> [applause] >> I'm going first. Good evening, Superintendent Stark, members of the Board of Education, and members of our community. My name's Shayna Hackett, and I'm the proud parent of a first-grade student currently enrolled in the Integrated Day Program at Ridge Road. I want to say this first. I'm coming here tonight with respect for the work that

066all of you do, and how deeply we all appreciate everything that our teachers do for our students. And I'm coming here to show Cece that she can get up and speak because she wanted to. Um, and so I will speak first for her. Um, and I know that it's not easy work that you do, and I applaud it. That said, I'm here to ask that you respectfully slow this decision down. We were given 11 days notice that the vote was being scheduled to dissolve a program that's been part of North Haven for decades, one that deeply impacts our children's day-to-day lives. That timeline doesn't give us space for understanding, trust, or thoughtful planning. My daughter is six, and she's sensitive, thoughtful child, and she has thrived in the ID program. One of the biggest reasons

067is the stability, the looping. This structure allowed her teacher to truly know her strengths, her challenges, and how she learns best. And that foundation has not just led to academic growth, but to incredible social and emotional growth. And that's what many of us think of when we think of the magic of the ID program. And I understand that change is inevitable. We all understand that, and that the curriculum is changing, but how we change matters, especially when children are involved. And I want to tell a quick story, and I have Cece's permission to tell the story. When she was three, she was terrified to take a Band-Aid off of her arm after getting a shot. For days, she wouldn't let us touch her arm. She held it up like this every day, and eventually my

068husband just ripped it off quickly, thinking that would be the best thing. It wasn't. She was traumatized. To this day, she panics whenever anyone tries to take a Band-Aid off of her arm. What we've learned since is that she needs a gentler approach, a little bit of time, an explanation, sometimes even a little coconut oil to make that Band-Aid come off a little easier. She Some kids can handle having the Band-Aid ripped off really quickly, and others can't. And even if the pain of this change is temporary, we have a responsibility to help them understand what's happening and support them through it, especially when they're only six or seven years old. Right now, dissolving this program with a vote tonight without a transition plan and without awareness that this change was coming or clarity for

069families and teachers feels like ripping the Band-Aid off without coconut oil. What I and many other parents are asking for is not to stop the progress, but to pause for partnership. We are eager to work with you. We are willing to sit at the table amongst teachers, administrators, contemporary families, and everyone to help identify the most impactful elements of the ID program and how they can be preserved and shared more broadly, while also addressing the curriculum requirements and preventing teacher burnout. The moment The moment doesn't have to be the end of something special. It can be the beginning of something even better if we take the time to do it thoughtfully. Do you want to say something? No. Okay. That's okay. >> [applause] [applause] >> I am Gretchen Marino. I have had three children go

070through the Ridge Road ID program. I am also a reading teacher of 30 years and in different district. And um I would like to read what I have prepared. As a parent of three children who went through the ID program at Ridge Road, I've seen how the this program fosters creativity, curiosity, and collaborative skills. I am a supportive of structured literacy. However, there are many ways to meet those instructional goals while preserving the benefits of the ID program. The ID program prepares our students for public speaking, self-directed learning, collaboration, and most importantly, a love of learning and a strong sense of community. I fully support literacy instruction, but I believe it's essential to recognize that the ID program is successful academically, socially, and emotionally. What I've seen recently in my own neighborhood is that former

071ID program students have bought houses in North Haven. The main reason they tell me that they've bought houses in North Haven is because they want their children to be able to attend the ID program. These new young homeowners are very excited when they found out that they that they could put their children in ID. But recently, they just found out that they're very upset that they won't have that opportunity next year. And that the superintendent wants to dissolve the program due to K-3 literacy program requirements. That said, they said that they would, you know, they moved to North Haven. They were very upset about dissolving it. Because they felt that it was successfully for them, and they would like some of their children to participate in it. Many of these students are part of, you

072know, the ID program are part of the graduating classes that we have. Most of them in the top 10 graduating class. Most of them are generally love to learn. The ID program is significant part of the reason why people choose to come to North Haven to raise their families. It's a long-standing program in our town, and it's a great opportunity for students and families who choose to participate in this program. Now, I know we have a new K-3 reading program that is mandated. Now, can you She answered [snorts] me, does 4 to 5 have to do this program? This mandated program? Okay, so we really have to focus on K-3 for this mandated program, correct? Correct. Okay. Right. For K-3, cuz our district is doing the same. So We're doing it for K-5. Right, but

073it's mandated K-3. Correct. So >> [snorts] >> I think that a lot of parents would like that you didn't get any engagement or any, you know, have the parents volunteer and try to help with the situation. And I think that a lot of people are angry right now because you just threw this on the community in 10 days. And you tell them you're going to dissolve a program that's been around for 55 years that's been successful because of a K-3 mandated reading program. Now, I know that it is hard, and that teachers are stressful. They're stressful in my own district. But I think that you need input from the parents and parents who are teachers, and maybe that we could help with the situation in the process of the reading. And I think that's why

074people want to engage and help and volunteer. So this is to dissolve a program in 10 days in giving notice to the public without consideration to attempt to reform, reshape, or rework would be a disgrace to the ID teachers, parents, students, alumni, and [clears throat] parent teachers in North Haven. I feel it's a disservice to the ID teach- ID students, yet to come and most unfortunate, a loss to the town. And I strongly urge the Board of Ed to slow down, not [clears throat] make this decision tonight, take input from the public, and to maintain how we can maintain this ID program to continue. As many townspeople have already stated online and in person, if the current Board of members, the superintendent, and the K-8 reading coordinator and curriculum people dissolve this ID program, it

075will be a mistake to the town of North Haven's education program. Many of us who have actively vote for the education pro- budget, you know, are feeling this is being rushed. We're feeling that this is a rushed decision that we shouldn't be voting on this tonight. Okay? That we should step back, think about this, you know, take the information down and think if we can come up with some solutions. Gretchen, you're at 5 and 1/2 minutes. >> Okay, I just want to read This is from my daughter who is in the ID program, and I'm just going to finish this off. This is a quote from my daughter. I don't know what I would have done without the ID program at Ridge Road. I was very bored in kindergarten, and I had it I needed

076a program to be more creative. We were astounded when we found out that writing stories, helping each other out edit them, and presenting them in front of parents, designing projects, presentations, and group work gave the skills that many grown-ups don't have. It formed a community that stayed with her all through her high school. At parent conferences, AP teachers noticed and connect and commented that a particular group of students in the classroom worked very well together and were the leaders in the class. They always turned out to be forever former ID students. Do not let this incredible program end. We should be promoting more types of these programs, not less. The ID program is a truly a community in itself in North Haven. Thank you. >> [applause] >> We're at 33 minutes now. Yeah, this is

077the last one. I have like 60 seconds written, and I already emailed the board with all of my thoughts. So, I'm going to address the crowd as well as the board cuz I think I have some perspective that I just would like for you to just listen to, please. Thank you. Hi, good evening. My name is Heather Talasano, and I'm a parent in the North Haven school community. I have one who's a sophomore in college, one who's a senior at the high school, and one who's in second grade at Montowese. I'm here to speak in support of the superintendent's proposal to dissolve Integrated Day. My two older children went through ID at Green Acres when it was implemented as originally intended, and I chose that program deliberately. I saw real benefits from it, and I

078understand why families feel protective of it. This isn't coming from place of dismissing what ID once offered, but I think a lot of the current push to save ID is rooted in defending the old model, the way the program used to be without fully recognizing how much it has changed and how much traditional classrooms have changed as well. Over time, traditional classrooms have incorporated many of the same principles, and I not a teacher. I teach nursing at Quinnipiac, and I'm a nurse at Yale in corporate supply chain. So, I'm not a childhood educator. Over time, traditional classrooms have incorporated many of the same principles people associate with ID: collaboration, differentiated instruction, leadership opportunities, and peer learning. I see that clearly now with my daughter in her traditional classroom at Montowese. Yes, Mrs. Cuomo, grade two,

079love her. Where she is receiving excellent instruction and meaningful leadership opportunities. The values that made ID strong no longer live only within ID. What concerns me most in this conversation, despite some lack of professionalism with outbursts earlier, and there are children in the room that have been watching, what concerns me most in this conversation is not disagreement. Healthy disagreement is normal, but the tone and framing that has emerged around this issue. The push to preserve a separate program has brought to light from my own older children as well, some uncomfortable realities around divisiveness, perceived inequities, and exclusion. When we elevate one model as inherently superior, and that was also called out in some of the speeches tonight, we risk unintentionally sending the message that some students or classrooms are receiving something less than. That is

080not the culture we should be reinforcing in a public school district. The superintendent has been transparent about the instructional constraints created by state-mandated curriculum requirements and the practical reality that the current ID structure no longer functions as it was originally designed. Supporting this proposal is not about erasing a program's legacy. It is about evolving our system so that the best practices that once lived in ID are available equitably to all students in all classrooms without creating separation within our community. And I just want to add into this that I think that there's a lot of people speaking that and a lot of families involved that I think maybe we need to put trust in the experts that are helping to >> [applause] >> create this change. Thank you for your time and for your thoughtful

081work you do on behalf of all of our school. Thank you. Teachers, board, everyone, thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you. So, that that ends that ends public comment. Again, I'd like to thank everybody for coming out. It's it's a very difficult task uh that we have, and and it's difficult for uh parents to come in and talk about it, and a lot of people don't even like to speak publicly. So, I appreciate the fact um that you everybody came out here and was passionate about their beliefs in the system. Obviously, we had a huge belief in the system. We still believe in the system. The problem is it just has out It's been outpaced. It's been outpaced. Um the um There has been some tremendous asset to that program, but that program, as mentioned

082in here before, the program that was is not that program that is today. It has changed. Um we're going to take a vote on this. No matter how the vote turns out, please um just understand that we're trying to do what's best for the school. I don't know how the vote's going to come out. We're going to take it. Um I I did I I My friend. My friend. My friend. I said 20 minutes at the beginning, right? We went almost 40. We went almost 40. Listen. Loud? You can be as loud as you like. Before she was even up, I said that was the last speaker. I'm not going to argue with you. Then you already know. Then you already know. Thank you. We're going to be moving on with the vote. We're going

083to be moving on with the vote. Thank you. I'm far from dismissive. [applause] I'm far from dismissive. Okay, thank you. I'm not arguing with anybody. If I was arguing, I'm not arguing with you. Thank you. May I have a motion to dissolve the Integrated Day program at Green Acres Elementary School and Ridge Road Elementary School at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. So moved. Can I get a second? Second. Discussion. Who was the second? Cuz I didn't hear it. I was the second. Thank you. I have a couple questions if I may around it. >> Of course. So, after having spoken with over 100 people over the last 2 weeks, what I'm hearing is relatively consistent. I think people are understanding that our teachers are under tremendous burden based on regulatory requirements, but I'm

084also hearing that people want to know and understand that their kids are going to be successful in the new world. They want to like feel what the new world is going to look like and understand in some additional detail what the difference between the current structure and the future structure will look like. So, can you take a moment, Patrick, and talk about for the ID families in the crowd and watching at home, like what should they expect to be different if this vote passes? The reason the proposal was made tonight is because contemporary and ID are walking the same path. What's expected in the contemporary classrooms are also expected in the ID classrooms. All that we've heard tonight uh regarding project, student-led uh inquiry, they're expected across the district at all four of our elementary

085schools. We have a common curriculum, and all of our teachers teach to that. Now, there is what is called the art of teaching. All of our teachers teach a little bit differently to get to that same result. That's what makes each of them special, and that's why they all have a special place within their our buildings. But I can assure you that regardless of ID or contemporary classroom, all teachers are following the same K-5 district curriculum, the same assessment structure, pacing guides, assessment maps, and priority standards. And like Patrick said, it's an art and a science, right? That science piece is what do we want our students to know and be able to do? That's the standards, and that's the expectation. But the art that comes with that is the classroom culture. It's the environment

086that's built in each classroom. Every teacher and the students have their fingerprints on their classroom, right? When we take walk-throughs across the building, and we've done that this year, actually. We actually had um members of the state of Connecticut. I had mentioned that um at an earlier board meeting. And when we walk the buildings, we're walking with the same lens that all four schools, regardless of whether it's an ID classroom or a contemporary classroom. And I can assure you as somebody who's in and out of these four buildings all the time, every day, beautiful things are happening in all our classrooms. And if I didn't know a teacher was an ID teacher versus a contemporary teacher, I wouldn't know the difference. I know that our children are well cared for. They're held to high standards,

087and we're preparing them for the future and I don't think we can ask for anything more than that. That's what we're here for, kids. Thank you for that. Um just a couple other quick questions. So, is there a transition plan in place? So, the first step was tonight in the proposal. As a governing board of the as a governing body of the district, we are employees of the board. We bring proposals to you. We've heard from teachers that are struggling with this. This is the board's program. This is the district's program. We bring it to you. Um you have a vote. You can charge us with how you'd like us to take next steps, but to be frank, there is not a transition plan at this point um because we would need to get back

088from the board in order to do so. Um we've looked at different things like enrollment and whatnot, um but not nothing to any great extent to a great extent at this time. But to be honest with you, um like we've said earlier, ID and traditional are very similar. I would say almost exactly the same in each of our classrooms. So, a transition is more about potentially personnel than anything else. And I think that just another piece to mention in that similar to what I talked about when we had the discussion about the projects, particularly in language arts, year one and year two of rolling out a new program that if I'm being honest, we probably wouldn't have wanted to make a change except that we had mandates that we needed to follow and we felt

089strongly that we needed to have a K-5 continuum of language arts so that we're unified across the district. But as we enter year finish up year two and year one, we're beginning to really have the depth of the program more internalized for teachers so that there's an opportunity where you're not following it word by word from the program. And that's where that art piece comes in, but it also is an opportunity for us to really do a lot of work linking the curriculum to social studies and science in particular, which lend itself beautifully to interdisciplinary work and projects. And we have already started that work in district with our coordinators in math, language arts, science, and social studies to weave those together. So, in in terms of thinking about a transition plan, that's just a

090natural part of what our curricular pieces are is continuing to do that work, take feedback from teachers, look at our assessment data, look at what's working for kids and not working and make those tweaks. We truly do believe here and it's a blessing that we have our curriculum coordinators in district because we believe that our curriculum is robust and it's living. It's always changing. It's not like back in the day when you had a binder that [clears throat] you stuck on the shelf and that was the same binder for 10 years until there was an opportunity to revisit it again. That's not the case and so there is plenty of opportunity for us to take some of the feedback in the communications that we've received and we have really taken those seriously considering really talking

091about what good projects look like, what that looks like as it's embedded in instruction, what does partner work look like, what does pairing various classes. Many of those things were already existing and have existed um across all four schools, but these are opportunities now to make some of those things intentional and to really think about them. Thank you for that. Um would we entertain as we move forward because this is I I want to just say like I I found out about this two weeks ago, too. So, like it this is new. This is new for a lot of us. I I've hear our teachers loud and clear, though. I hear you loud and clear. I'm hearing from families that they would like to make sure that there is bidirectional communication as we move through

092this. >> [snorts] >> Would we entertain a subcommittee? >> [applause] >> We I Just point of point of order. Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> We could discuss we can discuss the possibilities of a subcommittee. We We'd have to figure out what that subcommittee what the end result of that subcommittee would be and what we're trying to obtain by having that subcommittee. So, that's something we'd have to discuss. A subcommittee in general, I'm not I'm not object objecting to it. I'm just saying we just we're going to have to have a conversation to see how we what kind of information we're trying to gather. >> me be clear. I'm not saying that the committee, like which would involve community members and parents, would not make curricular decisions. No, there's no >> Like that is that is

093left to the professionals. >> Correct. I am hearing loud and clear that folks would like a voice. And I don't know if a subcommittee is the the right way to do that, but I I think that being able to hear consistently feedback from parents on what's working and what's not would be welcomed by me. But let's just stay in order, though. Let's like keep keep the meeting order. We can we can discuss that. We can discuss that. Are there any other questions? We can Anybody else from the board have a question? Anybody else? Marty, do you have a question? Okay. Thank you. Okay, we're going to take a vote. All in favor? Are we We're done with discussion? I asked if there was anything else. Everybody said no. You have something you'd like to say?

094Come on. I know for me, um I definitely agree with kind of what Amanda is saying. I uh first and foremost, I know there's educators on the board here. I'm not one of them. I'm not a teacher. I need to trust and respect that our wonderful teachers um know what works and what doesn't work and and when a program has come full circle. So, I respect that and I support that. I also completely, you know, just like Amanda said, I also was told kind of found out about this suddenly and and I do hear that there needs I feel like there needs to be something. Uh if we choose to end the program today, I I do feel like I want to be reassured that this doesn't just and I know it's not going to,

095but just end right here. Um something like a subcommittee, I would support that as long as it's not too much more of a burden on our educators. Um maybe [clears throat] like a end of the year meet and greet where ID families to meet with contemporary teachers to kind of get to know them. Um I'm not exactly sure what the right answer is here, but I do feel like I would be more comfortable supporting ending the program knowing that this conversation will keep going. Um I would be more than happy to work with whomever chooses to to talk about what the community loves about ID and how we could integrate that into our everyday classroom, but just saying ID doesn't make it ID. I mean, we can call all of our traditional classrooms ID Yeah.

096and it doesn't change what is happening. So, I would be more than happy to hear what parents love about ID so that we can work as a team to implement that across the district. Again, I'm not I'm not opposed to a subcommittee. We can kind of figure out how how that form and shapes up and what what that will be at. Are there any other comments from the board? Yeah? So, I wanted to just uh chime in just in addition to that. So, I heard a lot of feedback about, you know, getting the information 10 days, you know, prior, things like that. Um which was consistent, but I think that the suggestions by my fellow board members about some kind of transition that not as I'm not suggesting any subcommittee or anything, but, you know,

097going by what the teacher suggested, some kind of space where parents and teachers and the administration can talk about, okay, how do we move forward in terms of, you know, switching the you know, what are the concerns about the students, how can we ensure that they're moving forward successfully. The good thing is that Patrick mentioned that in terms of transition, there's nothing that's set in stone in terms of personnel or that, which is good because that gives you an opportunity and Melinda an opportunity to kind of talk to the teachers and the parents in terms of moving forward after in preparation for the next academic year. So, I am comfortable if something like that, you know, would be in place, you know, discussions and everything so that we can kind of move the process forward,

098you know, in preparation for the next academic year. For sure. Yeah, I just want to echo what a lot of you have said already. Um I have this has consumed me for the past 10 days as it has many of you here. It's affecting teachers. It's affecting board members. It's affecting administration. It's affecting community and we hear everyone loud and clear. I know that this is the first public forum on that we've had for this, but I I have read every single email that's come back. I've replied to emails. I've had phone calls. I've had conversations within the community at all of my son's basketball games and I have talked to hundreds of people at this point. I am an educator, so I am a teacher in a different district and I hear our teachers

099loud and clear and I also hear I'm a parent with students in our schools in a contemporary classroom that are thriving, you know, and they do have a lot of the things that you've all brought up. The I I signed a permission slip for him to be a peer model for younger grades and you know, I I do like the idea of having some sort of collaboration or committee to make sure that all of these wonderful things that we've heard about in email that everybody loves so much about ID will be intentional going forward for all of our students. Um I know I hear people loud and clear too. There's [clears throat] people who don't who feel this very rushed and don't want to vote. I also know that I want to be respectful of

100timing and and the work that needs to be done ahead of this because even in my own school we are already looking and building things for next school year. So, you know, I personally, my own opinion is that um I want to I want to make a decision and I want to move forward. So, and I do want collaboration and whatever that's going to look like, whatever happens with this vote, I want to make sure that everybody can still reach out and can still share their thoughts and opinions and what they think this should all look like and how we should do it. I would love the idea of some sort of, you know, committee if that's what it's going to be, but that's just my thoughts. Thank you. Sure. Anyone else? Um I think

101that the level of passion in the room is um telling to how much loyalty so many of you have for this program. Um but I also think that the level of passion speaking to dissolving the program also shows the level of passion to what the educational system and classrooms look like today. Um these conversations have not been happening with us despite what you may think. They have not been happening among us as a board. They have they have, however, been happening with Patrick and Melinda and our administrators and our teachers for a very long time and our staff has been working very hard for a very long time to make it work because if we have nothing in this district, we have very passionate, dedicated professionals who want nothing but the best for every single

102one of our kids in every single program and I think that we need to respect that when we agree with them, but also when we disagree with them. We can't just respect their expertise when we agree with them and disrespect them when we don't. That's not fair. We have to agree to disagree sometimes and I think that this for some of you might be one of those times. I am also an educator in a different district. I am in and out of classrooms every single day and we do not have a program like this in the school where I work. But I can tell you as I'm listening to you with the exception of looping and the exception of multi-age classrooms, we do have book rooms in my school. Everything that you're saying that you

103love about that ID program exists in every single one of my classrooms. Every single one and we don't have ID in my building, but we do have book worms. We do have talented educators. We do have the passion. We do have the professionalism. We have the expertise. We have all of the that. We don't have the the title of ID. So, like was mentioned, just because you put a title, doesn't mean that it's different. Other than those two things, the looping and the multi-age, there is no difference anymore in our classrooms. What will happen though Well So so so it's my turn. So it's my turn. >> Hold on. >> respectfully ask you to give me my turn. Some Yes, they are two important parts to that specific program, but for some students looping is

104not the best thing for them. For some, not for all. For some, that's not the best thing, but we cannot have a program based on one tenant that works that that is a good thing for a program. There are a lot of things that go into a program that make it work. And that's what we're doing. We have to look at the whole child and the whole program and all of our kids and all of our staff and do what's best. And that's I think where that this discussion and this vote has to come from. I respect our educators. Sometimes we disagree. Sometimes we agree and I think we need to respect the professionalism and the work that they put into this before, during and after whatever this decision may be. Any more? Can I

105amend the motion to include a formal feedback mechanism from the community? >> No, we're going to discuss that later. We'll figure that out and then we can present it when we have time to discuss it. Any other comment? All in favor? Teacher budget Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? So moved. On to the consent agenda. The retirement of Patricia Rowe paraprofessional at Green Acres Elementary School. The resignation of Ashley Richardson, building substitute at Green Acres Elementary School. May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? I'll make a motion. Second? Second. Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Board of Education Chairman designee Marty, you got aces? All right, yeah. Marty, hold on. We're going to take a little pause if people need to are trying to leave. There's a lot of bodies. >> [cough] >>

106I mean, you all right? I mean You all right? Because you're staring at me like that. You're staring at me like that. Oh, you're staring at me like that. You absolutely absolutely you're 100% right. Right. Right, cuz I was concerned. Marty You got any for aces? Okay, fine. Curriculum, instruction and planning? Yes, uh we met earlier today before the meeting. It was a short meeting. Uh we approved two clubs at the North Haven High School. There will be a Lego Club and at the North Haven Middle School there will be a Magic the Gathering Club. And that's all we discussed. Okay. Any questions for Jean? Finance and operations? We met earlier tonight and we just kind of discussed some feedback that we got from the Board of Finance at the most recent budget workshop. There

107does seem to be some confusion around the process for Board of Finance asking Board of Education questions. So, we would like to respectfully propose that all questions to the Board of Education from the Board of Finance be received in writing to our Board Chair, Ron Batherson. I think that will eliminate a lot of the confusion and Ron, I'm planning on sending you an email about that later. Yeah, I had a discussion with him about that the other day. I would like them in writing. We are also proposing a change to our January Finance workshop agendas to include approving the budget report prior to the budgetary meeting. The way this process works is the Board of Finance only gets reports that we see and approve first. We are the governing body of this school district. So,

108I think there were maybe there was maybe some uh misunderstanding. We provided the Board of Finance the November budget report after the December Board of Education meeting and they were looking for the December report in January, but we didn't have a Board of Education meeting in January. We had budget workshops. So, there was certainly no mal intent anywhere and we're just looking for ways to smooth out that communication to make sure that there's a true partnership right there and that they get what they need to make decisions and that we have what we need to make decisions. Uh you'll also note that there's a big transfer in this month's financial report to cover some substitute overages. We did talk about this at the October Board of Education meeting and this month is where we're looking

109to make those formal transfers. Um And also Christian is going to talk us through a recommendation to transfer the remaining dollars within our non-lapsing fund into the medical and dental insurance fund because we are running very hot right there. Um the finance subcommittee thought that we would benefit from an open discussion on that as opposed to a recommendation from the finance committee. There are pros and cons and we can wait on that one until it's Christian's report time. Um Other than that, we'll meet again next month prior to the next Board of Education meeting. Does anybody have any questions for Amanda? Policy Policy. What happened? I found out. Okay. Head Foundation was postponed. Policy. May I have a motion to approve policy 5131.912 restorative practices response policy? I make a motion. I get a second.

110Second. All in favor? Aye. So moved. We have a couple of first reads. Policy 1400 non-discrimination community board operations. Policy 4118 113/ 4218 113 non-discrimination policy and regulations for personnel. Policy 4152 4252 family and medical leave personnel. Policy 5145.4 non-discrimination students. So if you can have those together for a second read next month I'll propose in April. Chief operating officer's report. Uh good evening everyone. Uh I'm going to run through some important pieces of my report that were in the board packet um just so that everyone is fully informed. Um included in your packet are both the financial reports related to both December and January. A reminder and this is what Amanda was speaking about. We did not have a formal board meeting in the month of January to approve those financial reports. Um so

111once they are approved this evening they will all go to the board of finance. I'd like to make the board aware that at the start of the month of January the district placed a budgetary freeze on its operating expenditures to help address budgetary impacts of high medical and dental insurance claims. We are currently limiting expenditures expenditures excuse me to only those that are absolutely necessary for the daily operations of our schools and educational programming. As Amanda spoke about um we currently do still have the $291,232.96 [snorts] in our non-lapsing fund. We have been discussing this. My recommendation to the Board of Education this evening is to now shift all of those funds to the Board of Education's medical and dental insurance reserve accounts. This my reasoning behind it at this time. Obviously claims are coming

112in. This is an account that we're watching very carefully. By getting it into that account it is an interest-bearing account that would assist and with our current projections I would say that that would have even though we're holding it as a cushion I believe that money's going to likely have to go there at some point. So I'd like to pause if the Board of Education has any questions regarding my recommendation. So if I may just provide a little extra color there. We had previously opted to defer that decision for 30 days based on a lot of the structural challenges that our buildings have and a lot of the challenges that come with very cold winters. We wanted to make sure that we were being responsible stewards of public dollars um because we do have six

113buildings that all have you know students in and and staff in them and we wanted to make sure that we would be able to successfully weather the winter. Um in addition we got feedback from the Board of Finance that their preference was for us to put this in the Workers' Comp account in order to cover IBNR which is incurred but not realized uh charges that are estimated very conservatively. Over the past several months we've noted that the Workers' Comp account is in better shape than the insurance reserve account. Um neither are particularly sunny at the moment unfortunately but I do think that it makes sense to transfer funds into an interest-bearing account where there is a high likelihood that we won't need them before the end of the year. Yeah, agreed. Agreed. Agreed. So is

114it the board's determination that they would like to see those funds shifted to the medical and dental insurance reserve account? Yes. That's that's my personal Sure. I'm moving to the middle. Yes. Thank you. Um in my report I did highlight a couple lines that are currently um tipping over as I like to say. Not substantially so. Um we do project that these are these account lines both 322B staff development 430Z other repairs 550 printing and 613D maintenance. They are over um but we do anticipate that we will be able to address those in underutilized funds from other budget lines as we progress through the year. In regards to our reserve accounts I would like to point out in this month's reserve account uh report for the medical and dental reserve account you'll notice that it's

115currently now sitting at 2.5. We did shift 3 months of of approximately 3 months of funding into that early because it's an interest-bearing account. So that should help to address some of our need but we are still withholding some of those final payments towards the uh end of the year. So you'll see that bump in your report but remember that will now progress out over the claims as they start to come in over the next coming months. Regards to transportation attached to your report this month was the monthly transportation report provided by DATCO. I would like to take just a brief moment to also speak regarding the bus patrol program. As you probably have noticed most of our buses have those cameras installed upon them. Um at the time of this report 24 of the

116vehicles had them. Now all of the vehicles that we assign have those cameras on. Um we are collecting data at this time though. Formal when I mean that they're actually assessing how many possible citations could come past those. We're in a grace period right now. We are waiting to hear from the town when a hearing officer can be assigned so that we can begin an actual citation process but a reminder that the Board of Education is not responsible for that process. We do work in collaboration with the North Haven Police Department and once those pieces are in play and we're able to formally go live we will be working with them to communicate that out to our community. Food services a little bit of dip in December and January [snorts] but a reminder we did

117have a snow day and multiple half days um due to exams at the high school. The Chartwells um just a couple high notes did participate in our annual senior to senior event this past December catering at the event uh that event for all [snorts] participated. Additionally in honor of winter months on January 7th and 8th they also held their chili days event at the middle school and high school making homemade chili for those students to sample. Finally in my report I'd like to highlight two pieces. Um presented to the board this evening is a very generous donation from Mr. John C. Cornelius. Mr. Cornelius has donated a 2000 Subaru Legacy Wagon. The [snorts] National Automobile Dealers Association values the vehicle at $4,000. The vehicle and its parts will be used for instructional use in our

118general automotive program. If approved the vehicle would not be available for formal registration for driving purposes. This donat- this donated vehicle is presented to the Board of Education for formal approval and just as a follow-up to the board's uh work back in December with the North Haven Education Foundation we have received the funding you approved for the sound system over on the turf field at North Haven Middle School and we will be getting that work as well. Outside of any questions that the board may have that concludes my report for this evening. May I have a motion to approve the donation of a 2000 Subaru Legacy van 4S3 EH 665BY631458 to the North Haven High School general automotive program. I'll make a motion. >> I get a second. Second. Any discussion? Just thank you to

119Mr. Cornelius. >> Yeah, thank you. Appreciate it. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? So moved. May I have a motion to approve the monthly financial report including the recommended transfers? I'll make a motion. I get a second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. So moved. We got to move out to the public non-agenda uh session. If anybody has any comments they'd like to make about a non-agenda item you sign in come up to the mic. >> [snorts] >> Yeah. Yeah, come on. You Yeah. Hi. Merilene Crotty 112 Aerodale Road. Um I'm here tonight to urge the board to postpone the proposal of the four new elementary schools until our special ed department is fully properly funded staffed and adequately trained in Orton-Gillingham which is evidence-based structured literacy instruction specifically designed for our students with dyslexia

120and other reading difficulties. During the January 31st Board of Ed budget presentation to the Board of Finance it was stated that the out of district tuition is the most volatile line item of the budget. It's going to increase from 1.8 million in fiscal year 2025 to 2.7 in fiscal year 2026. Out of district placements can often exceed $100,000 per student per year with tuition and transportation costs. In contrast, training a teacher in Orton-Gillingham typically costs under $8,000. For the amount of money we are spending, why are we only hiring three special ed teachers in our current budget presented? We could be hiring significantly more special ed staff and training multiple teachers, all of which would reduce our long-term reliance on costly outplacements and strengthen our instructional capacity across the district. While some students will always

121require specialized placements, many students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities can be successfully supported in their home school district with early interventions and appropriate services. I also want to address transparency for taxpayers and parents. How many students are currently outplaced in the district? Is it correct that the town spent approximately $1 million in legal fleet fees related solely to special education matters? With $608,000 spent on the by the board in 2023 alone? Does this amount include attorneys used to challenge parents seeking additional in-district services for their children? What steps, if any, have been taken to reduce legal conflict by expanding in-district services instead of litigating against families? North Haven's expected to receive approximately $42,000 in seed grant money under Public Act 25-93. How does the board plan to use these funds? Will they go to

122support staffing, teacher training, or interventions to reduce outplacement? The act also expands statewide uh professional learning and technical assistance to to support districts with the IDEA compliance and special education best practices. Will we take advantage of this ongoing professional development to reduce burdens on teachers and improve services for students? Finally, also in the act, beginning this year, each school is required to have a designated staff member to support IEP coordination, scheduling, documentation, communication, and reduce the administration burdens on teachers. Has the board implemented this requirement, and if not, when can we expect this position to be filled? Before we commit the town to significant long-term expense of building four new elementary schools, we should prioritize investments that directly impact our students, keep them in district, and provide clear financial and data transparency to our community.

123I'll be sending you guys this to answer these questions. >> was just going to mention that cuz there's a lot of questions there. Yep. Thank you. Yep, no problem. >> [applause] >> That's why I asked. Yes, yes. Hi, Sue Benvenuti, Bassett Road. Uh first, I wanted to address something with the buses. I know you're all talking about the cameras, but I did mention this to somebody in authority, not here. Um if you want to stop an accident, well, I was driving across country, I saw school buses that have the flat the arms that come out on the backside. So, you cannot pass the bus. The camera's great for those who go over around it. But all you're going to do is catch somebody who hit a kid. But if you can stop the accident, >>

124[snorts] >> it's a you know, I'm just strongly suggesting it. That's it. I have no idea what the cost is to put the arms on the back, but when I was driving across country and I saw that, I was like, why don't we do this? And the other thing, it really wasn't on your agenda cuz it just got passed to have a committee. If I'm volunteering to be on the committee because I do not have children in this school system. I've been paying taxes here for 40 years, and if you want a non-involved person who's involved, I'd put my name in. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening, members of the board, superintendent, um educators, families, children. Um I know it's been a long night. Uh my name is Kursat Kavakci uh from Maple Avenue,

125North Haven. I'm here to represent uh the Muslim families of North Haven. Um for over a year, we have been respectfully asking uh the Board of Education uh to recognize Eid al-Fitr, which is um the Islam one of Islamic holidays, uh Arabic term for Islamic holiday Eid means, um to have a discussion and to actually accept it as a school uh district-wide school holiday, just like, you know, um uh Christmas or Hanukkah, you know. So, um we since we sincerely appreciate uh the time, openness, and consideration um of this having this conversation. Um we have there are over a hundred um Muslim students uh in the district um who live in the district with their families uh who would like to spend it uh take the day off uh from school and celebrate uh the

126Eid with their families, you know, without worrying about uh missing school, their, you know, exams, uh quizzes, you know, other lessons. So, uh before I continue, I would like to ask the Muslim families here tonight to please uh stand. Thank you. This is the community that's deeply grateful um for your leadership and very hopeful for your support. We respectfully ask um when the official discussion of the Eid al- uh of the Eid to be added to the school calendar. Um actually, Ron, um who's our chair, he advised me there will be a discussion on the February 23rd. Um so, I um is is that that's the date, right? February 23rd, 5:00 p.m., I heard. Okay. So, um to respect your time, there will be no additional adult speakers. Instead, um we have a few of

127our students would like to just briefly share their voices. Um I want to thank you for your time and consideration. I now I would now like to introduce uh Naya from Green Acres Elementary School for her voice. >> [applause] >> Good evening, Board of Education members and everyone here. My name is Naya Batayneh, and I am a fourth grade student at Green Acres Elementary School. Thank you for your time and for listening to to me today. I also want to thank the staff at my school for their kindness. We truly enjoyed sharing breakfast yesterday in honor of the month of Ramadan. It meant so much to us. It made me very happy to see my teachers learn happy and learning about my holiday. I am here to respectfully ask you to consider recognizing Eid as

128a school holiday. I would love to celebrate my holiday with my family, but I also don't want to miss school. I am sure you will make a decision decision that is fair and just for everyone. Your decision can make our schools fairer, more more welcoming, and and more inclusive. Thank you for listening to my voice. Thank you. >> [applause] >> I would I would now uh like to introduce Noreen from middle school, North Haven Middle School. >> [applause] >> Good afternoon. My name is Noreen Lam Qaddoura. I am a seventh grade at North Haven Middle School. I am also a very proud Muslim. As a Muslim, I celebrate two important holidays each year, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr comes after Ramadan, a month when my family and I fast, pray, and work on

129becoming better people. Ramadan teaches us patience, gratitude, and and compassion. When Eid arrives, is one happiest day of the year. We wake up early to pray, wear nicest clothes, share food, and give to charity, and spend time with our family and friends. It is a day full of joy, faith, and togetherness. But every year, while my family celebrates, I also have to worry about school, about missing assignments or falling behind. It is hard to fully enjoy a meaningful day while feeling stressed. Recognizing Eid as a school holiday would mean so much. It would show that Muslim students are seen, valued, and truly included, just like other major religion holidays. Eid is centered on faith, family, and community. I hope you will consider giving us the opportunity to celebrate out the most important day with peace

130and joy. Thank you for listening. >> [applause] >> Finally, I would now I'd like to introduce uh Fatima from North Haven High School. >> [applause] >> Good night. Good evening, members of the Board of Education, members of the community, and family. My name is Fatima Butt, and I am a junior at North Haven High School. And I'm also the president and founder of the Muslim Student Association. I'm here tonight to speak about recognizing Eid al-Fitr as a school holiday. In order to address this matter, it is important to understand that while I am a proud North Haven student, I'm also a proud Muslim. And I strongly believe that every student deserves to feel that this shared identity is valued within this community. On the morning of Eid al-Fitr, families gather at mosques for prayer. We

131share meals, tradition, and meaningful time together. But here, that joy is often shortened. We wake up early, not for prayer and celebration, but for school. We sit in classrooms as our families gather. And by the time we return home, the moments that matter most have already passed. Many Muslim students in this district, including my siblings, cousins, and I, have never experienced Eid as a true day of rest and recognition. We value being heard, but we hope for the same recognition on our school calendar that other major holidays already receive. You have the power to give students more than acknowledgement. You can give them a sense of belonging. You can send a message to every student that their faith and identity are valued in the place that they call home. Thank you for your time and

132consideration. >> [applause] [applause] >> That's it for our community. I want to thank you for your time, and I know we've been having a long year of discussion. So, I hope each one of you make the best decision for the community, so we all live in um in a in this diverse community, um and then it's fair to our kids, our students, and um and they're all happy and just feel accepted, you know, in their community and society where they live in. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Again, my name is Scott Friedman. I'll keep this very brief. We've been here for quite a while. I first want to stand in full support of recognizing Eid as a holiday. As a Jewish person who grew up without either Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur being recognized, it

133was a huge deal to see that on the calendar when Ziva started school. So, thank you so much for speaking up, and I love seeing the the students present. The second thing is I simply want to say that not necessarily on the agenda, not about the ID program, but we need a complete change of the the district's communication and engagement of parents. I you know me. All of you know me. I've spoken to every one of you personally, to the board, etc. Tom, sorry. Relatively new. Um but but it's important to realize that you have incredible talents in the parents in this district. Um if if it wasn't abundantly clear, we arrived here understanding that our teachers were suffering, that the change was going to be made, and to be, you know, perfectly honest, we

134wanted to be there to support our teachers, to support our students through what's going to be an incredibly difficult transition. And so, I simply ask that you look at this differently in the future, and never again wait until the very last minute when you're going to dissolve a program to identify and communicate challenges that you have known about for years. To the board, to the parents, to the teachers. I know the teachers have been involved in this, and frankly, the teachers know me, too, because I'm in the school and I'm participatory. We want to support the teachers. We are not saying that contemporary is a lesser education, and we are simply trying to get across to you that we do not want to operate from a place of deficiency and loss. We want to operate

135from a place of opportunity, as we did with the mascot, with a Board of Ed subcommittee that came after seven, maybe 10 board meetings where we could have provided public comment, we did, and a Board of Ed workshop that was a 3-hour thing on a morning of a Saturday, I think. Those steps were taken about a mascot, which was not about the instructional nature, which was shown to be harmful before we even started advocating to change it. My daughter's education matters. Our children's education matters. We support the educators, and it felt dismissive, insulting, and frankly problematic to be communicated with in this way, to be pushed off to a meeting where you voted on this program. It went out with a whimper. It means a lot. So, I thank you for your time. I thank

136you for all of your efforts, energy, and I also demand, I fully demand that you do a better job of communicating with parents. Yeah. >> [applause] >> Hi, my name is Alex Johnson. I am a proud North Haven grad. I also live here, work, what? Close enough. I don't know. Enjoy the scrubs. They're fun and festive. It's been a long night. Um I do want to say I am fully in support of the district recognizing Eid. I remember going through this district and just expecting I get Christmas, expecting I get Good Friday. What right do I, as Christian, deserve to expect anything that my fellow Muslim friends did not receive? And that I want to stand beside and support. But also, another thing I want to recognize, I really want to ask for another applause.

137I know they're walking out the door for the girls that just spoke. They did a fantastic [applause] job. And also, let's recognize for some of the women who are my age or older that we didn't have girls and students speaking up like this, not in this same manner. It is brave, it is strong, and I'm fully so proud to see so many great women and students have come out of here to speak up for themselves. So, one more applause, please. >> [applause] >> On another issue, I would like to ask the board. I know this seems like a very small, minute thing. We've had a very passionate night. I don't know if you saw me in the corner with all the little kids. They should be here. They should be witnessing democracy. They should be

138witnessing this activism. It's a beautiful thing. But also, little kids have small attention spans. So, having them in the corner and like coloring on the floor and just doing an amazing job. Like, it was beautiful to see. They were making friendship cards for each other. Kids that have never met making happy Valentine's Day cards. I would just like to ask the board if maybe to be considerate, to be inclusive in every manner, so that all parents even bring their kids, and that's not a barrier that we have maybe a little table in the corner with some games, some cards, some coloring, instead of kids like on the floor just trying to pass their time. And also, it's a great way to encourage kids to interact in a polite manner, and maybe not encourage so much

139iPads and all this at such a such a young age. And also, it's just it's a beautiful thing to watch. I bet I bet the Board of Ed would love some like friendship cards. But it's just a very simple thing and a simple request that I think would mean a lot to parents, so that they can come, attend, participate in democracy like that's been asked tonight. But also, let 8-year-olds be 8-year-olds. Participate democracy, but also have the attention span that they do. So, thank you. Thank you. Okay, seeing no more, may I have a motion to adjourn February 12th, 2025 regular meeting of the Board of Ed? I'll make a motion. Second. Second. All in favor? Aye. So moved. The preceding program is brought to you in part through a grant from the Town of

140North Haven. Watch town meetings or other videos on demand at nhtv.com.