001meeting of the Plymouth Board of Education for October 8th, 2025 to order at 700 p.m. Please join me in pledging to the flag. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for it stands, one nation, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. >> Item number two, adoption of the agenda. I'd like to entertain a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. >> Second. >> Is that who was the first? I'm sorry. >> Yes, >> Mr. Phillip. Second, Mr. Showers. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Abstensions? Motion carried. Item number three, approval of minutes. I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the special meeting of the Plymouth Board of Education of September 3rd, 2025 executive session. Interview candidates for the possible
002appointment to the position of principal of Plymouth Center School. >> Mr. Miss Hilton, second Mr. Foot. Any discussion? >> All in again. >> Okay. So, all in favor? opposed and abstensions is Mr. Peragino. Okay, motion carries and then a motion to accept the minutes of the regular meeting of the Plymouth Board of Education of September 10th, 2025. >> Mr. Showers, >> Mr. Foot, any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstensions. >> Mr. Perino. Miss motion carries. And finally, we have to entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the special meeting of the board of education's facilities committee of September 10th, 2025. Do we need a motion for that? >> Okay. No, that's okay. Do I have a motion for that meeting? Second was Cindy. Who was the first? Mr. Showers again. Thank
003you. Um, and Mr. Showers, Mrs. Andrea Fenciani, and Mr. Zagoska need to approve these minutes. So, are the three of you in favor? >> Okay. Motion carried. Communications. Item number four. We are up to communications. Um, I regretfully have a communication um that I am going to again regretfully accept which is a letter of resignation from Michelle Lucian, board of education secretary as of Wednesday, October 1st, 2025. I will read that into record. October 1st, 2025. Dear Plymouth Town Clerk, please accept this letter as formal notice of my decision to resign from the board of education effective immediately. Over the past 12 years, the board of education has been an integral part of my life. However, at this time, my family requires my full attention. Sincerely, Michelle Cage. Do I have a motion? Um, oh,
004actually that's just we're just reading that into um into the record. Um, I know we are all regretfully going to accept that resignation, but I do need a motion um to not put a in place a secretary of the board of education in until after the election. Take care. That's good. Do I have a motion to do that? >> Mr. Showers, >> Mr. Peragino. Any discussion on that? >> Yeah. Okay. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Extensions. Motion carried. Okay. Now we are up to our favorite part, our student representatives. Ladies, we're going to start off with some sports news first. Fall sports are going phenomenal this year. teams have bonded well and are getting ready for their senior night. Boys soccer had their senior night last night under the lights followed by girls
005soccer and cross this and finally volleyball on the even more exciting Taylor Freeman has broken the alltime girls terable high school scoring record which was previously 96. He is now well over 100 and has a chance of breaking the virtual league record. Congratulations Taylor. Every year, students come to student council meetings to share about broken bathroom sinks, latches that don't allow stalls to fully close, and water fountains that simply don't work. Each year, we bring it to Mr. Holt, who brings it maintenance. Nothing happens. Finally, this week, we are slowly seeing things get thick. The water fountain that is at the entrance of the cafeteria has had a trash bag over it since last year, and it now up and running. Happy to see it. Mrs. Careless, a teacher who is dedicated to saving the
006life of injured animals, brought an issue to the student council late last school year. He noticed more and more birds fitting the windows here in the cafeteria and some of which unfortunately thanks to Mr.'s approval, the student council will be moving forward with the solution. As a club, we've already decided that small window be our best option. In our next meeting, we'll decide on what shaped stickers we want to solve. This initiative this initiative fair will be entirely for student council hosted our first ever club fair today. During our 30 minute advisory period, freshman, sophomores and new students came to the library where every club had a setup. Our clubs and their adviserss did a great job of decorating their tables, bipolar, posters, brochures, much more. Students had the opportunity to walk around and listen
007to everything our school has to offer. In the end, every club had at least a couple new people sign up, and some filled entire sign up pages with over 20 new members. The club fair will become an annual event to get more students involved and help club fair representatives better their presentation. Our youth sports team is doing amazing this year as they kick off their season with a win against Bristol East. You might be wondering what in the world is. Well, it's a relatively new group that tends to plays video games and has grown astronomically in popularity over run by their captain Marcus. The group meets after school to practice strategy play just like any other sport. They're currently ranked as the number one high school for the state and have a chance of going
008to national as well as receiving massive scholarship. Pretty impressive, right? I am unable to attend next month's meeting because I'll be on our trip in Washington DC. I can't wait to share all about it when I get back. And if you're okay with it, in my absence, Arya Roth Peralt, our student council secretary and treasurer, will report alongside you. >> Sounds great. Perfect. Thank you so much. Thank you, ladies. >> I have some. >> Yes. I don't know if you noticed, but there's a big rock that's been installed, and we actually painted it white >> because we feel like someone needs to start the tradition >> of painting that rock. So, I was hoping maybe student council could talk in this home about >> putting something on that. Maybe sports teams, maybe drama club, maybe
009DHS with all the seniors signing, something like that. So, if you guys could take that on, I'd really appreciate. >> We would love to take it on. We were under the impression that Mrs. >> Oh, >> but we can talk to her. Talk to her then. >> Absolutely. Talk to her first. I don't want to step on anyone's stage. >> Does anyone else have anything for the reps? >> I'll make a deal with you. >> Okay. A deal. >> Deal. If you could take care of the rock. >> Uhhuh. >> We'll take care of the decals and we'll pay for them. >> Okay. That sounds great. >> Just tell Mr. T. Okay. So, we'll take you deduction from his >> You give me the decals you want. We'll order those. We'll take care of that.
010You guys take care of the rock. >> Perfect. Thank you so much. >> Yes. Uh just to let you know with decals on the internet is a film that they put over the windows. Really? There's a design that >> I would imagine they did their research. >> Yeah, >> I would check that out. >> It's too expensive. We might go back now. >> It's already going back. >> Mr. Baneer is now taken care of. >> Yes. So, we did actually do a lot. >> Hurry up and do it because I might, you know, only got 30 days left. We did do a lot of research on it and thickers that cover all the entire window cost significantly more especially since we're trying to cover all. So small decal sheets are much more cost equally they
011do the same. We also talked about frosting the windows but we decided that better seniors go outside for lunch. It's easier to like monsters. Thank you though. >> Anything else for our student reps? Ladies, as always, you are welcome to stay and if you have more pressing things to do, you are welcome to go. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Have a great night. >> You too. >> Cannot wait. >> I know. >> Okay, that brings us to item number six, public comment. If there is anyone in the audience who would like to join us, please come to the podium for public comment. It is a threeish minute uh limit and you can write your name and address on the sheet that is provided. Anyone for public comment? Any online public comment
012tonight? It will be when I forget to ask that happen. All right, moving on. Superintendent's update. >> Good evening everyone. I wanted to start by providing the board with an update on the generator here at the high school. As I shared, the generator here at the high school has not been working for quite some time. To clarify for the public, the school district has never been in charge of the generators in the town buildings at all. That has fallen under emergency management for years. Uh, in fact, we don't even have a generator vendor in our accounts payable system because we don't deal with the generator. Public works has been assigned by the town the responsibility of maintaining and repairing the town generators in all of the buildings from the firehouse to the police department to
013town hall to the ambulance building to our schools. It's important to note that the public works director was made aware of the concerns of the generator and that it was not working, but he did not know the impact that the generator not working would have on our pumps and our sprinkler system in case there was a fire. So, as soon as Tony Morini found that out, who's in charge of emergency management, myself and the mayor found out, the issue was resolved within 24 hours. And we now have a temporary stick in place until the parts come in for the generator that we have. So, it is being addressed and taken care of by public work. Okay. So, right now, we are in good shape. Speaking of Tony Orsini, um again in charge of emergency management,
014Tony and I have scheduled a school uh safe school district safety and security meeting next Thursday evening. Greg Showers is going to be joining us and representing the board as he has done in the past. We'll also have representatives from the police department, fire department, EMS, public works, emergency management. are all of our building administration will be there and our building maintenance department will be there as well. Some of the topics, not all of them, there's more on the agenda, but some of the topics we're going to cover are safety drills, building walkthroughs, and emergency evacuations. This is not a public meeting though based on the discussions that we're going to be having in the nature of those conversations. So, I just wanted to make the board aware that we are having that safety meeting
015next Thursday. We have also been invited to the town capital improvement meeting on October 23rd at 5:30. I know that we were talking and some of you planned on going to the last one. Mr. Peragino did go to the last um and he got some uh details for us with regard to the capital improvement meeting and what the committee needs from us. The things they asked for if they wanted the current thinking fund or non-lapsing fund balance that we have. Um, and Matt probably knows it off the top of his head. Uh, projects and items that have been purchased with the syncing fund since we started utilizing it, the district's revised five-year capital improvement plan, and completed forms for all of the the capital improvement requests that we have to this date. We still have
016not received the forms that we need to fill out. We have made numerous requests. this afternoon, uh, Matt and I emailed the mayor and Trish over at town hall requesting those forms again, but hopefully we can get those forms to get them filled out for what we need. But Beth, Matt, and Patino are going to be attending that meeting on behalf. Um, and that is the 23rd of August. With this being the last meeting of this board, I'd like to take a moment to thank a number of people. First, I'd like to thank Michelle Lucian. Um, she's been a board member for 10 years. I know it said 12, but it's actually 10 years. Pat looks back at the archive. Um, I want to thank Bill for her service. I want to thank Cindy for
017seven years of service on the board. Lou for his four years of service on the board. Um, and and Jerry and Mr. But I have an uncomfortable conversation to have with you both, but one of you most likely won't be sitting here next month uh based on how the elections work, but I want to thank Mr. Foot for eight years of service that you've provided the board. And Jerry, over the past year, but I believe you have almost like 15 or 16 years as a board member in total. >> No, I think it's more than that. I've been I've been balding over years of being a board member when I was a high school principal here. So, uh, but either way, on behalf of the entire school community, want to thank you time, effort, and
018your commitment to our teachers, to our students, and you give up a lot of your time. you deal with a lot of headaches inside and outside of our schools. Whether you're at the supermarket, walking the town, walking your dog, whatever it might be, we thank you. Thank you and best of luck. Um, finally, I'd like to introduce our new Plymouth Center school principal, AC Kao. Uh, Miss Kao currently serves as the principal of Lee H. Kellogg School in region one. She has been the principal of that paid school for I believe three and a half years. Is that right? Fourth year. Yes. Uh in that time she has strengthened the academic support students in that school. She's fostered a safe and welcoming climate for that school community and built a strong partnership between the schools
019and the families that Miss Gillow is a highly respected leader in this in the state of Connecticut. I believe her leadership and experience are a perfect fit for Plymouth Center school. Officially, she'll begin at Plymouth Center School on November 3rd. Um, but we have worked out the date of um October 21st where she's going to come in and spend a day at the center kind of transitioning in with students and the faculty there. And then we're going to do a meet and greet for families and students later on in that afternoon. more details um on that. Stacy is here this evening and she wanted to share some great words about myself. >> Don't you dare. >> This is going to be pretty short. Oh, that was great. >> Well, I just wanted to say how
020honored and excited I am to be the next principal of the Venture School and I wanted to thank the board of education and superintendent Falconee for your confidence in me and choosing me and it's so exciting. I'm looking forward to really getting in there and working to create a positive a positive learning culture for everybody, not just the students, but for faculty and for families and all of the stakeholders. And most importantly, I can't wait to meet the kids. So, that is really all I wanted to tell you is I can't wait to get started and thank you again. >> You too. If it's all right with the board, I'd like to request five minute recess for photo opportunity to welcome Miss Taylor and her family. >> We have a motion, Missy. >> Thank you.
021Sorry, >> didn't say it out loud. I said it in my head. At 7:18 p.m., meet our new principal. Well, he already um all right. Oh, I didn't do any discussion. Sorry. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Any abstension? Okay, now we're official. Motion carries. All right. I'd like to call our meeting back to order. regular session at 7:30 p.m. We are on to unfinished business policy revisions, a second read and possible approval approval. Sorry. Um I'm looking for an a motion to entertain I I would hold on. Let me start again. I'm having a hard time today. I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the revisions to policy P60004 instruction homework. Do I have that motion? >> Mr. Showers second. >> Second, >> Cindy. Okay. Any discussion? >>
022That's fine. That's why >> I just I I understand we want That's great. I'm just wondering for the students that doesn't happen. Is there going to be opportunities provided for them to the reading at some point during their school day? So, it doesn't like it like what I'm thinking of is for like written wisdom the kids get assigned to. feel like that's part of what this is, but >> we know that a lot of kids have a lot of outside extracurriculars and may not get that reading. So, are we still going to opportun the same important information? We think there is going to be an expectation that they're reading at night because of the witten wisdom program, but um I think the teachers are going to have to allow for the students that might not
023have right just like in any situation have to find a way to make sure they still get that content. >> So I don't know when it would be to answer your question, but I'm assuming that they would do that just like any other homework. >> Anyone else? All right. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Item B. We are going to revisit our discussion on the Plymouth Board of Education subcommittees. So, as you know, in the past, um, most of you have sat on subcommittees, uh, pretty regularly. Um, uh, in the last few years or so, I would say that's kind of gone away a bit. Um, it used to be a pretty regular thing. Greg will remember a Jerry, everybody, almost everybody here remembers. Lou, you probably don't remember and Kelly,
024you probably don't remember, but the rest of us have had sat in on regular scheduled subcommittees. So, right now, we're just going to have a discussion on what we feel about subcommittees. We're not going to sign up for subcommittees because obviously some of us are going to be here uh at the next for the next meeting and some of us are not, but we want to set it up to um get that ball rolling as soon as the election is over and we can kind of uh assign people to subcommittees and have that going. So, who would like to start the discussion? >> Okay, go ahead. >> All right. So I spent a little bit of time digging into the archives and board meetings and it looks for many years like the regular committees were
025curriculum or student achievement that was different names a facilities committee finance um finance and sometimes finance operations negotiations personnel policy safety and transportation and then I I wanted to specifically ask you Karen, there was something called Ed Connection. I don't know if that replaced Ed Advance or what that even >> that like disappeared and I'm like I wonder if they just changed. >> Yeah, that was just >> okay. So I don't know like I mean those seem like all prettyies and it looks like it like said around like 2019 they started to not >> meet regularly. So >> and then I think >> and then co hit and >> hit and we weren't going to meet any more than we needed to clearly and um it just sort of fizzled out. I would say um
026we probably would want to keep it to no more than four or five committees. I don't think that having eight or nine committees is going to be beneficial to anyone because you know then we're all pretty much going to have to be on at least three committees and that will be get um kind of cumbersome. So we we probably should choose um you know the committees can have dual purposes too. We can kind of >> we can kind of combine some of our our um committees to see what we would like. So I think obviously I think policy obviously is going to be an important one and that doesn't have to meet unless we've got something to go over. >> Have to meet every year though the policy because of the change in legislature. Absolutely.
027But I mean, you wouldn't necessarily have to meet every >> Oh, no. No, no, no. That's something, >> right? Right. Right. >> But you do have to meet at least once a year, >> right? >> So, I think policy is probably an important one. Um, >> finance building, >> finance and facilities, finance, operations, >> and that would cover facilities for >> facilities. Yeah. Like, >> how you going to do that? >> Cool. Uh, yeah, that's a good point because doesn't facilities mostly during the when they >> well they never had a facilities committee until Karen become chairman. >> Okay. >> that was years ago. When Karen became chairman I asked about facilities. I was on facilities before and we did form that committee and it it ends up that the way it works now is
028is Matt goes forward the school with the facilities committee in the morning that that's the way it has I mean I go with him we meet with the principal we meet with building uh building custodian and then we meet with with Jim uh Jim Mesa we go we go through the building and just, you know, looking at what's there, what what any problems or anything else. I don't see how the finance is going to get into that. I I'm not sure that facility should operations like >> well we're normally walking issue is >> issue with the issue here which then turns into finance I have to finance those >> building I feel like too if Matt is in charge of it it can kind of go together because, you know, plus we don't want to
029have to have Matt out at three separate sub, you know, subcommittee meetings if it's, you know, during his workday. >> You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? >> I just have to I just want to clarify Matt's not in charge of it. >> Okay. Well, I guess you're right. >> So Pat Pat's in charge of it. >> You're right. >> Matt's a member of that committee. So I just want to clarify. >> No, but I think it's important the board on all of these committees. >> Yes, you're right. I misspoke >> there. There. No, I just want to make sure and I know that you misspoke. It's okay. But I I want there has to be an understanding that with committees, they're board committees and the board does the work on those
030committees and we're there to support the board. That has to done. But the work is done by the board. So if if this is the direction we're going to go, I think there needs to be that understanding. Right now, a lot of the work on these committees is being done by by us, but it has to be flipped onto the actual board. They're their committest because I feel like we put a lot on you and you are supposed to be running the schools and we're kind of not supporting you as a board should be. We should be working as a team and not justing you to do this work because we're not. So I I understand it as a big ask and I'm not in any way suggesting that we go back to having his
031meeting again but I think that these committees need to meet like we didn't have any committee meetings and I think that certain committees like I think that our curriculum or achievement committee could be meeting once you don't need to necessarily always have Brian there from what other board members and other communities have shared with me is that they invite different people and talk on different topics. So, it's not like we're dragging Brian into all of our meetings. They're our meetings. We invite him in when we need information. He could even share information digitally or by paper that we can discuss and come back with questions. He doesn't physically have to be running all of this stuff that we should do. That just mean I wasn't there haven't been these committees since I've been on the
032board. So, I was hoping to bring this up for some of our people leave that have some experience on how it used to work and what it should look like where you guys take all of that knowledge away with >> the idea of the subcommittee was to meet prior to the board meeting and so you wouldn't be sitting here until 11:00 at night, right? >> And discussing all this stuff it it'd be discussed at a subcommittee meeting. That's how it was before. Right now, if you want to change it, that's fine. If you want to sit your 10 11 o'clock at night, that's fine, too. But I'm just saying that was the idea of the subcommittee. >> So, you know, depends how you want to do it. And yes, there should be, you know, the
033board members should be in charge finance and he's in charge of finance. That's it. You know, I was in charge of a facility. You had curriculum if I'm not mistaken or policy or Lou had policy. somebody has policies >> and and that you have that meeting, you bring that you bring what you bring to the board. >> That's how it used to work. >> And that way people on that committee can focus on their areas and we don't all have to know everything about everything. That's really overwhelming when we all have to be >> discussing everything as a whole board. >> Takes away that. >> That's the reason for subcommittee. That is the reason because it's it's for god darn sure. I'm not going to be be on on a curriculum committee when I know
034nothing about it. You teachers forgot more than I'll ever know. So that's that's where you folks should be. Dies with finance. Fine. That's great. I like brick and mortar. That's me. Forget it after that. You know, you want me to put me on something else? That's fine. But don't put me on curriculum because I I have no idea what's going on there. You know, I'm not going to stick my nose in there. You guys know what's going on there. I'm not going to inter interfere with it, but uh you know, don't interfere with me. >> The same way about the brick and mortar. So, >> just leave me my brick and mortar. I'm happy. No, but that that was the idea of the subcommittees years ago. Kelly, >> well, that's why I'm asking if we
035can go back reinstate some of these committees so we can do more high quality work, do more research, make sure that we're I have like lists of suggestions for everything. I won't get into that, but maybe we could do like a workshop when the new people come on >> kind of come up with a framework tonight of what we think is important or you should know about committees where they change that with them or they will >> I don't know. >> I will be honest. I've probably been on this board the longest. >> Yeah. >> We've never had subcommittee meetings without a administrator there. So I'm not saying we can't. I'm just saying we don't have knowledge of that. You're you're not missing anything. You don't. So we would have that would be a new
036thing for us >> which I'm perfectly fine with. >> Try new things. >> I'll just say how the finance used to be. Um it used to be before the 7 o'clock meeting and it was like I'll use the sidewalk, right? You got three quotes from three contractors. you know, one's going to be 100,000 more than the other one. And so Matt would have already gone through the work and the process of getting quotes and he'll explain this guy's work because of this material, this company, this. He would put them out and explain pros and the cons and stuff like that. We'll go over basically what he writes up every month, what negative accounts are, what some foreseen expenses are, like just pretty much breaking down the budget and then um you know, anything that you
037know might be potential. say the cafeteria wants to start making and they need to buy like it would just be kind of more like just really what the numbers are and contracts that you need to go over and then it will lead into the budget. And I one of my questions was like was there ever a master list of like we kind of have a unique experience a lot of other districts when I asked about like say our our lawn maintenance contract like in other communities that's not something that the school district pays for like the town typically pays for that at least I've spoken to. So I think like we should have a list of when contracts are expiring so we have time to really read through the contracts and make sure that we're
038putting out bid and having enough time to do that and knowing six months in you know what I mean like it was that ever a thing where you had a list of like this is when the teachers on the landscaping this is when the hardly >> you know but again that would be like Should we as a board be keeping that list? So, >> you want to negotiate the contract. Is that is that what you're saying? >> No, just knowing when all of our contracts are up. Like now we have a our um custodial service. Like we need to know what those contracts are, when they're up, and how people on that committee very knowledgeable about them when it comes time to renew or to put out bids. So >> what I've heard is like
039mostly like our job is really the only one that >> I did this. >> Well, my wife controls me too, I think. >> Big Marian. >> And then like he's in charge of telling everybody else what to do. So I don't know how much in terms of like like policies are going to come from the lawyers and everything sounds us >> kind of contract. >> Yeah. I think like because that would have to do the leg work >> right >> and bring it up like we wouldn't go out there and put out information looking like that >> in a in a finance meeting. facilities meeting the finance meeting whatever whatever it is is for example I brought to the entire board that this is this is my done this work and this is my recommendation
040right um in a committee setting I would still do that same thing but it would be three or four people then those folks then bring it to the whole board with the assumption that the whole board is is confident enough on the committee that that decision is what now acceptable way to move forward. >> Right. They're bringing us something that's already been vetted. >> Yeah. Correct. >> And we've been trying to do it individually to the whole board which is why like my report is always bring you you all get exactly the same information where in a committee setting it maybe only the committee that gets the details and then the rest of the board gets over and vote on that. I come from a community that does have committees. I was eight years on
041a board. We only had three. >> We had finance and operations and like facilities fell in there. Transportation fell in there, finance fell in there, maintenance fell in there. All that fell into that silo and then there was the student. That was curriculum and all of the test scores and all of and textbooks. All of that felt there. And then the last one was communication. And the communication was how does the board want to communicate the work that they're doing outside of so the public knows what what it is that's being done? How do they communicate where new tech what the new curriculum is or how does communicate public? And then we have talk about policy. We didn't have policy that was adop when policies came out the board chair said okay we have to
042go policies let's put that policy let's be on that they only meet for that specific reason and then they don't meet again it's vision policy it was efficient but it puts a lot of work because you're only working in silos but it worked the key is you can't have all the meetings at all can't have them at 5:00 on the day of the meeting because other board members still want to go to even though they're not participants in the committee, >> they still sometimes want to be there. >> Well, from when I've talked to other board members like they meet besides the day of the board meeting and for some of these meetings like for example student achievement which >> my opinion should be meeting monthly. I mean, we can't do that every month because
043other people need to meet too. So, like there needs to be like some a little more time and they hate to ask for it. Like you all know like I spent my child's birthday here at Whartney. So like I understand the ask it is to give more. But if we want to grow and we want to change and do better, like we got to put the work in and we got to try new things because we can't keep doing the same thing and thinking like everything's going to get better. It won't. And I do have a whole page on a communications committee because I think one of the things just as you said from like walking around in town like that's what I hear and a lot of times I hear things and I'm like
044that's not even close to reality or like that's not something the board can do and we I feel don't do a great enough job as a board of saying like here's accurate information. this is what is really happening or like these are new things that we're trying or like getting people involved or working with other community organizations for a small town. Now in bigger cities they have like eight employees who do like a lot of this outreach to like the food pantries or the homeless shelters. We don't have that here. We have just have the the guy over there who's like I I think we ask a lot of him and I we should have the board support him more by taking on some of this just my opinion about it but I mean I
045have a ton of ideas and I don't feel like we have a forum to discuss them because just here for this one meeting or maybe one curriculum meeting like there are several months this year that there are No city meetings have titled work. I haven't been doing this as long as other people, so I don't know how other people feel. And if I'm out and you're like, "That was my last meeting. I can see it under." >> No, but but Kelly, to your to your point though, that chart that you have there that that I sent you guys that have those those meetings I'm putting in there, they really shouldn't be for me put in there. That's what I'm trying to say. We put a lot on email >> in charge of so again we'll
046we'll use facilities as an example. You know Mr. Faragino has those meetings with Matt scheduled for those mornings and they're pretty religious where every week they're walking a different building. That's all set up. But and I'll just say you like for you for policy that's not a committee that like as Matt said doesn't have to meet because the policies only come through basically >> I put on the notes when when they pass new laws and we have to change stuff. Usually two times a year is when we're writing the renewing policy. But even then, if you wanted the model policy, you know, word to go on as board members as part of that that committee, I would give it to you and you would see exactly what I see before I revise it and bring
047it to you that this is the legislation. This is what we're changing and that's the go forward. But for for like Cindy, you have not be my boss after a couple days anyway. Um, but finance and operations, Cindy's the one that has to call those meetings or schedule those meetings. It shouldn't be Matt or me. We put them on there just so we're touching base at times, but really she's the chair of that committee that has to say, "Okay, I want to meet and she'll call Matt and they'll have conversations about Matt, this is, you know, where are we? I want to know about this. Let's learn more about this. Could you share about this?" Those are the kind of things that happen. committees really started with the board and not the administration on these.
048So to your point, Kelly, I I can't say I disagree with you um with regard to you know curriculum and achievement here right now but meeting more often um whether it be monthly or not and you know that was Michelle was in charge of that committee but those you guys are the ones that have to dictate this us tell us and direct us on what you want. These are your committees and we'll be there to support it. >> And once we have the committees set up, those people on the committee can decide what a good time is. I mean, you're what you what you do works out for 10 in the morning on Fridays or whatever day it is that you >> Oh, sorry. >> Right. But that works out for you. If there's two
049people on the committee that that doesn't work for, >> then that might mean you'd have to do it a different time. >> Oh, no problem. >> Yeah. So, >> no problem. >> That just seems like that's that's what would have to happen is once we know who will be on those committees, >> but the original committee that we had with Greg and Cindy and Lou and >> well, who of us three of us are retired? >> Yeah. >> You're partial worker, right? Whatever you call it. >> She's flexible. >> I mean, flexible. So, yeah, you're flexible. But I mean, if if it had to be in the evening or something, I don't know, rapidly. I I just don't, you know, I don't want to go over Matt's head. Okay, let's put it that way because
050I go down there and we go through there, we take a look at things and well, what do you think, man? Well, you know, this has got to be done. We take a look here. This we know it's got to be done. So, how much it going to cost? Guess what? He figures it out. Or him and Jim figure it out. You say, "Pack, it's gonna cost $20,000 to fix them stairs over here." >> Okay, so now we're going to take we're going to budget. We're figure out what we're going to do or you going to do it out of out of our capital or our machine or whatever the hell it is. Thinking fun, you know? It's it's things like that. >> I mean, I don't know. >> So, >> depends who comes back
051on the board. And I don't want to keep these guys here till six o'clock at night walking around schools either >> you know and that's be honest with you uh Karen uh we were on the board before one of the reasons that they did put me on facilities is because I don't work >> you know I'm retired I've been retired 30 years >> but he said you know we can just call him call him if there's a problem I'd go down >> y there's a water leak down at Eli Terry they call me we're down here I'm not gonna stop it, but I'm find out what's going on. You know, that that's how it is. So that that's the reason that you know, like I said, bricks and mortar. >> I'm in. I'm in. >>
052So we should narrow it down then. We can I I think we can keep policy as ad hoc. We can do that because as we know, it's not a regularly meeting committee. So how many committees do we think we want to have then? because you have to keep in mind if we're going to be meeting more often and it's going to be more in depth and we're going to be doing more, you don't also want people to have to be on three different committees. So, >> I think a lot of those when I like um your negotiations, those are ad hoc if you don't have to negotiate a contract don't really mean. So like unless I'm mistaken unless I'm mistaken about how those were run like those would be more like as needed and of
053course combining like it was separate the facilities and what and finance but like I don't see why you couldn't combine or finance you don't have >> do we think what Matt mentioned which was finance and operations Yeah. >> One, student achievement. Two, >> and communication, three. Do we think that every every topic that we could discuss could be in those three places? >> And it's not >> where would you put negotiations? >> That's ad policy. Policy would be ad hoc as well. >> Safety and security. >> Yeah. But that's is that and just understanding from what Brian said that's not open to the public. That would be more like that one person would be like a liaison. And I like what I used to do. >> You're just going to do it for the next
054two years. >> Anybody can come talk to me and I would let the board I would let you know what happened to me. >> Right. >> The public I wouldn't let them know. I wouldn't do it in public. Yeah. >> I say after the meeting come talk to me. I'll let you know what's going on. >> Yeah. >> Right. But that's more like a liaison than a committee because it's just one person >> and you're just going to keep doing that. So you're it >> and for whoever takes over for finance paper that we get from Matt is because I told Matt I look at negative line you're going to have a negative line on the budget he writes down. So that is what I would have asked at a meeting anyway has it written
055down but maybe if you know that you there's to get done and you want to look at whoever's in charge maybe we should have a meeting because we have this issue or >> I don't know that that when we do the budget we need so many so like >> and that's all of us. Yeah, that's >> so why don't we try with these three committees and if we find we need others. There's no law saying we can't add another one. There's no reason we can't take something away. It's just, you know, we can do whatever we want. We vote on it. >> But there's a reason we picked three. >> Yeah, because there's nine people. >> There's nine people. >> Three, three and three. I know. I >> That's exactly it. I was thinking that,
056>> you know, you said you said, you know, safety. Well, that that slew of the finance and operations >> and just like we all also have >> completely separate. >> Yeah. And so I know next time we meet there'll be a different group sitting here >> all here so maybe they >> but if if Matt if we're looking at the model that Berlin use in their at their board when he was on I don't know if they still use it. I'm assuming they do. And under each of those topics covered, you know, these things, maybe Matt could have those for the next meeting and we could put those in the board packet so the new board could see >> what the it entails, >> what the entail and then see what they want to be
057a part of. >> Yeah. >> Off of that. Again, where we know there's going to be ad hoc committees or leaison, whatever, but the remains >> you could have that listed and we could put that in the packet so board members will have. >> Is that something? Is that kind of what you're looking for? >> Yeah, kind of. >> Okay. And then once those committees are formed, you can decide when you're going to meet, who you're going to invite, who you're going to, you know, what topic you want to do. >> Some might be monthly. >> Yep. >> And some might be every other month. And if one might be at 5:30 at night, we just have to obviously put those out. >> Is does anybody have any other things they want to talk about
058or or are you comfortable with the way that we're doing this? >> No, your subcommittees are open to the public, correct? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, the safety one. >> Pardon me. >> Just the safety one wouldn't do that. >> Oh, okay. Yeah, true. Impact your negotiations. >> Well, negotiations as well. You're right. You're right. Negotiations. >> We should start that thing a lot. You know, >> I hear what you're saying. But is everybody good with that idea of having those three committees and then you know when our new board is here we can kind of >> pick and choose which ones we want to be on and then those committees can make their own schedule. >> I would try it. Do what happens. >> Yeah. Yeah. We try. It's not like we have you
059know we're not bound by it. >> Yeah. >> So try it. >> No. You're not getting paid. >> We won't charge you over time. >> No. Oh, you guys get over time. >> No double time first weekends either. All right. Are we good? We can move on from that then for now and discussion on the revision and adoption of the fiveyear strategic plan. Anyone have any discussion on that? Go for it. Um I I don't have a ton and I think before um we adopt maybe we should give our new because we're having so many new people have some input on there. Um, I just >> I think I just Kelly I think it's more of what what kind of format do we want to utilize or or >> how do we want to go
060about revising it because everyone and I think when the new board comes on, I'm going to probably have to revisit this with them and possibly explain some things to them that are in there and why they're in why they're not based on our history, >> but it's a matter of like how are we going to do it? >> Um, and well, what I proposed all around is that we do like maybe an ad hoc for this for like so we can kind of dig in and maybe like look at how some other districts have put their VIPs or strategic improvement plans together. And I think like some of the ones that I've seen like the presentations are more um friendly to people who are not as familiar with the educational lingo that some of us
061are in different places with what the all those letters mean. Um but maybe we can do that in a smaller group so we're not taking the whole board's time to go over. I I don't know. >> We can certainly do that. anything you want to bring up now or >> uh No, I mean just like I had some things like working on like the M um the MTSS like revisions and just looking I think if we get those uh committees up and running a little more frequently address some of the gaps we're looking that makes sense what people are saying so we're not like Yeah. Anyone else? Anything that want to add or moving on to item number nine, new businessformational item only, Mr. Bell? >> It's actually Miss Mo. >> Oh, yes. >> Okay.
062Sorry. >> All right. He nominated me. So, okay. Okay. So, we just Brian and I just wanted to follow up with um the climate improvement plans that building administrators created with their teams. Um as you know, we reviewed the climate survey with you guys. And I think that was great. >> Yeah. >> Um and we just wanted to follow up and give you an idea of what the plans have shown and what plans what goals they have. first part of the fact that I'm handing you as presentation readed off of there and then the second part are the actual individual school plans. >> So each building that has a school climate team and you'll see on each slide those committee members listed for each school. The climate plans were reviewed by the teams and then
063revised as necessary. So basically the administrators came up with like a draft of a plan and then used the committee to vet the plan and revise those. Each building has three focus areas of improvement. um students, parents and faculty and staff. Except for PLA center, they only have um faculty and staff and parents because the students work. Um the goal for each focus area is to achieve 70% or higher of the often or always responses when we when we ask questions again on the sur. Um so for Plymouth Center, their focus areas of improvement were all of them were pulled from the school climate survey data. So all of those statistics are pulled from the school climate data um and their focuses of improvement are going to be under professional development and parents. So as
064you'll see the goals are tied to that. So the faculty and staff goal is to have a 70% of the faculty and staff respond often or always prompts that staff or prof staff professional development activities are relevant values. Um the only exception to the school is for the parents in at we did put it at 80%. So by June 2026 80% of parents often are always to the prompt that school referes parental involvement but most of it for Fiser school they have three focus areas because students were surveyed at Fiser. Um so the the basic um um subject of them are uh being nice to each other. The students are um either about challenging behavior or professional development. Um so for the students it will that the hope the prompt of my classmates nice to
065each other will be 70% more often or always. Um faculty and staff will be staff professional development valuable and parents will satisfied for Eli Terry um similar professional development and then challenging behavior um in terms of the student them being nice to each other and for parents it was more about the discipline practices that and they feel that they're fair but the teachers that they'll have adequate input on the professional development >> most Most of the things for the teachers or the faculty and staff were around. Lastly, for Cherryville High School, the students focus um on the atmosphere of it being welcoming. The faculty again professional development and the parents is more about parental involvement. So again with the goal of getting 70% of the students to respond or parents or respond often or always
066um for students I would describe the atmosphere as well. So we will do the whole school climate survey again um later this year. it'll be distributed and completed again in the spring so we can compare and hopefully um see where we've met our goals and where we have room to improve. And then we'll continue to identify those areas of focus. And the rest of the packet is really individual schools actual climate plans with the action plan that they have to accomplish what they need to accomplish. And um as you heard Beth say that, you know, I I sometimes struggle with surveys because it's a great time for people to to share how they feel. And it's usually, you know, it's when you go on that vacation, you had a great time, you're not pulling out
067the survey, but if you went on that vacation and you had a terrible time because, you know, Jerry was a a terrible waiter, you're going to beat Jerry up in that survey. And so sometimes surveys are a little wonky, but there's one through line in here for the staff that I thought was very concerning. It really deals with professional development. And now that um that responsibility now falls on myself um we're changing how EDC which is our professional development committee for the district is going to be one we're going to give the teachers different opportunities for their own professional growth and learning and I'm working with the administrative team tomorrow in a meeting kind of go over all of those details so so that the teachers have more say in what they're actually learning and
068taking um taking advantage of their time in the time they have to help themselves grow as individuals and look at what they actually need. So there will be some directed PD, but there's going to be more self-directed PD as time goes on. Um, so we're kind of shifting gears because the direction where we've been going as evidenced by the data, we're as Kelly said, I think going down the same path, we're going to get the same results. We're making some significant changes. >> I just have um a quick question. I say things like this generally speaking a lot of times, but too um I'm hoping that like especially at the middle school and the high school level that we're not tapping the same students that we tap for everything and that maybe we're digging a
069little deeper and trying to get into some different groups of kids that are not always represented it represented in um some of these things that we put together committees such as student council and things like that. I think it's really important that we look for students who might be the ones who are feeling like >> they aren't being treated nicely. >> Yeah. >> Because those are generally not the ones that we >> Right. Right. So I'm just hoping that they're I mean obviously they're pretty they know what they're doing. But I'm just that's just my thing. My thing has always been like we can't just keep asking the same, you know, top 10% what their opinion is all the time because they're going to have a much different outlook on school than kids who are
070struggling in different areas. I >> think that's something putting in like for the also to have all stakeholders involved. Yep. the parents, the students, the teachers, and each other. Like we need everybody on board in our small town. We need to work together to make things separate individual. We can put that on. All right. That's just my little two. I got to do this right. All right. Are we all set with that section? Okay, we are on to item number 10, business manager report and personnel report. Mr. Tenza, >> thank you. >> As I reported in my written report is budget expenditure for this year are plugging right along as we expect them to be. Um I am happy to report that 2425 is almost closed. We only had about $6,700 remaining to ofance that
071we needed to close out and I know that that number now is probably thousands range. So we're really waiting on one invoice from a vendor that was doing security work and once that invoice is in I must be able to come and report that we're closed which is earlier than pretty much any year that I've been. um food service. You can see from the P&L that I provided um that in for August and September we did we did lose money. That's to be expected. All the startup costs everything. I'd like to what you don't realize unless you look at last year's report is we lost half as much as we lost last year. So food service is doing a good job. Jess Peterson and her her staff are really working hard. They did a really
072good event today with um in conjunction with University of Connecticut and local farmers here. We had um food that was produced locally here uh farmed from Morris, Connecticut about 11 miles here brought in vegetables. Um the staff made meals with them and the kids all got to try it. They sticker on it whether they tried it, whether they liked it, whether they loved it. Um it was it was a pretty cool event that we did at the middle school today. Um so we're trying as many things as we can to increase our participation so that we continue along the road of staying above that that um facilities update uh at Eli. The gym floor looks amazing. If you get a chance to go to Eli and see the gym floor, it's amazing. I was in
073there today. The kids are loving it. Uh the staff loves it there. Everybody is commenting on it. Um and you know, the flooding was a disaster for us. It really shut things down. The end result is almost like a blessing in in a weird kind of way. But if you get a chance to go look at how they redid that, it's really incredible. Um, I wrote to you about a heating and cooling issue here at the high school. Um, we have a bunch of >> frequency drives that uh are malfunctioning and we we are going to have to replace them. It does have a pretty steep price tag. This is not something that you would go out to bid for or or talk to outside vendors because it's specific to the company that provides this.
074I already talked to Jim. We've got the initial um estimates. We're wondering if perhaps AS has vendors in their circuit that might be able to help us out a little price or if there's national prices work with. Um, but we do know that we need to take get this issue resolved. It has to do with the way the air flows certain parts of the building um where they're not getting either all of the air conditioning or all haven't flipped over yet, but we know those will be addressed and taken care of. We've had a whole lot of talk about rules and as you saw is we're doing more investigation than that. I do know that we can apply for some state funding. Um, and that's a good thing. The downside of it is regardless as
075to what the state funding is, we're still going to have to have millions of dollars of commitment to get that done. They just only going to reinforce this service. But the fact that we get that makes that conversation with the capital a little bit more powerful. So instead of asking them $8 million maybe only ask4 million still a lot of millions but when you're getting 50 or 60ents on the dollar it's much easier with that turn it over to you I see the yellow pieces of >> I don't have I swear >> pages so I can see They're teeny tiny numbers. >> Um, no, I just >> I don't print these teeny tiny numbers. That's the way it comes off the board. >> Um, just looking because I know you said we had some um
076issues with repairs. So, at Fiser, some of the emergency repairs that have been expended, was that part of the um the gym floor and like the um the insurance being made deductible? Not not at Fiser, >> but because that's Eli where we >> Oh, okay. No, Eli. Eli has one too at Fisher. The emergency repairs was >> see things like that as I as I put in the in the explanation is those are items that we paid for because the account and now I'm working with HS to reimburse that. >> Oh, okay. That's I wasn't sure. >> Many many cases where we've incurred some cost that's in our budget right now. Um, we're gonna get that money back from HGS and I'll be able to launch over and and throw those out. >> The only
077place that's gonna the only place that that may happen is with true emergency repairs which are not part of our agreement. >> Um, or if it's a project that we've elected take on that's also not regular maintenance. For example, the stairs, the exterior stairs under center school talked about a issue. Um, and as I wrote and I think Jim, Brian, and I have kind of came up with a solution that's it it's temporary, but it's a long-term temporary, which is going to buy us in time. It resolves issue. I think finance contract. That's a particularly um that's where we're going to see things that flow through here. But most of what you see when you're out >> and I just had a question on it's on pages um five and three. So on page seven,
078it has a budgeted amount for purchase substitute and that's in the the schoolwide section if I'm understanding. But then there's also purchase substitute page five with a budget amount with zero dollar spent. So I don't know if that was supposed to be moved to a different page because aren't all the substitutes in one >> category? they shouldn't be sorted out or is that because I noticed we have congratulations for all of the long-term subs for I didn't know if that was like four to cover for longterm >> page five that's at the high school >> and that is that's actually where we have our security guard proceed >> oh >> okay and but the >> so if >> the account is kind of is labeled it's an account I'm using but it's labeled >> okay
079that well that's why I was wondering why that was. >> And then the other one is in purchase substitutes is actually in the special education budget and that's where >> we have temporary pair professionals for anybody who is filling an open position for us. >> Okay. >> Um over the last couple years we've realized that we need to budget something in there because we don't fill all our positions and it has >> Okay. Gotcha. And then um for the long-term substitutes and that was in your note like I saw there going to be a need for quite a few of them but then on the budget it's like zero dollars are budgeted. So I where are you going to get that money? >> So we typically don't put anything under the long-term sub. >> Yeah.
080>> This year it's off the rails. Congratulations to all those people. >> And it's exciting, right? And it's all for really >> great reasons. Um so some of that money will come from open positions. >> Okay. >> Some of that money is going to come from um lines that we don't spend and it's going to be it'll run like that all the way until we get to May and then that will tell me what to do. >> But at this point I don't have anybody. That's it. >> Anyone else? >> Yes. >> I was one of two meetings ago, I think Jerry, you and I were talking. We said these buildings belong to the town. Correct. Now, I'm looking like this $33,000. Is there a point where if there's too much money, we have to
081turn it to the town or is that with that 50,000 in there? Because really, we don't know. You know, this is a the building is 33,000. It's not in our budget. Could the town take care of that or we have to take care of and if it's their building? Well, that was one of the questions that I put on the operations like or we have a clear understanding of what is our budget responsible for versus what is the town budget >> risk. That's what I was just wondering. I don't I don't know if there's an MOU or what. I don't what's going on with this even the generator. I want to question that next. My my understanding for the five years that I've been here is anything that has to do with the mechanicals and
082so forth building we budget for that and we have to deal with those unless it's a catastrophic event. Um, that's something that we do. Now, when we're talking about things like the physical envelope of the building with the roof needing to >> that would be something that count of the massive >> when we talked you guys were talking about arguing back and forth but in agreement about the parking lots. >> Um, that would fall under a town coverage. But when you're talking about lights where the the systems are that kind of falls under underneath and you'll see if you look looked at the capital we talked about having been doing that since I got so it's significant amount of money. So depends on the project but in this particular case I believe that >> okay
083the other question I had I know I just want to go back to the generator for a second we never get a report from the town if they check the generators. Now, I'm going to go back when I was in the fire department on a Monday night. We saw you on I'd be a head boy and we'd go in and fire the generator up and we had a paper on the air and check it off paragino 7:15. We ran a generator 15 minutes and shut it off. We don't we don't have anything. So the generator kicks on automatically and um when it doesn't Jim knows he gets an alarm and he's informed public works that this has been an issue. Um he informed them in writing and um Marty Sanch also informed them in writing.
084So, public works has known about this issue for as long as there's been an issue. And they also um because I saw it in writing as well, they discovered the contract at public works that they were responsible for. And um they they still did not repair the generator. Um I believe I truly believe that um the director of public works did not know and realize that the sprinkler system pumps if there is a fire and we have an electrical issue obviously with the fire where we wouldn't have power that generator would pick on and and those those um sprinklers would go on and then once Mr. orini found that out and informed myself and the mayor it was resolved within 24 hours but u Mr. Maison has been informing Earl Johnson throughout this process from
085the beginning that the generator's down. It's not kicking on, can't go on manually, and that um it is the town's responsibility because we do not even have an account that addresses Gener. Those are factual statements that I have in writing um through emails that have gone back. >> I I never see a report that you know generators were inspected. Okay. I hear what you're saying. >> Yep. We'll go from there. Thank you. That's all I have, man. I'm going to be easy on you. The numbers look good >> Today. Today they look good. But, you know, I'm just wondering just it's just funny. I just I had a little time this weekend. I was just going through it. I was looking at the emergency repairs, you know, and what we have left in there. All
086the school district, you know, $34,800. And I said, "Wow, you know, Plymouth Center's got 10,000. Haras got 4,300. Eli Kerry got 54. Of course, the high school got 50,000. But I mean uh what's left is there 34 348 goes quick. >> It does go quick. >> Goes quick. >> Um I think fortunately over the last few years we've done a lot of proactive things to avoid emergency situ. >> Anything else for Mac? >> All right. So with the generator, who who's paying for the seems like a cheese >> the town is the town is responsible. They're paying for repairs. So originally what happened was that I spoke to the mayor and um the mayor has to go to the town council to get approval to gather that money to pay for the repair. So we
087had an agreement where the school district would put the money out, have the repair done immediately or the temporary repair done immediately and the town council in good faith would reimburse the board of education because it is not our budget. It's in their budget. So ultimately the town is paying for. >> So is there a secondary uh generator on the premise? Right now there's a temporary generator that's that is it's the same thing they would bring into Eli Terry if there was an emergency situation but we have that generator here that will kick on in case there is an emergency am I correct in saying that >> normally when a generator goes down we usually bring in a secondary generator that you know especially for the depending on the size of the building, size of
088the generator. >> Really? >> Well, yes. And just so you know, where this all came up is Mr. Orsini was talking to Mr. Maison about >> we have emergency meetings all the time and they were talking and they said, "Well, our emergency shelter, Eli Terry, is all set, right?" And Jim made on how to say no because we don't have the gym floor. >> And then he says, "Well, okay, then we could just move over to the high school because we have the high school." And Jim then said, "No, the generator is not working." And then that's where this all started. U is through that conversation with emergency management in our anything else for Matt. Mr. Falcon, the personal report. Just real quick, personnel, we have seven people that will be on some sort of
089a child's leave. Um, most of them are at the center school. There are only, if you really look at it though, there are only two teacher positions. Everything else falls under Beth with regard to either mental health or speech and language. Um, so Beth is working with outside agencies to try to get people to temporarily cover those positions. and we are fortunate that we do have a long-term sub and that these these um positions aren't going to be out at the same time. So, we do have coverage with a certified teacher. So, we are actually doing pretty well. Um unfortunately, when we do go to outside agencies, they do cost us more than hiring a sub. So, going to be quite uh expensive to cover these seven blessings that we have. Um, also I want
090to point out that we have two special education teacher openings still and that um we have our professional positions still open. We're going to be posting something on Facebook. I'm working with them and technology and our HR department which is myself and Emily Hulse to post something on Facebook to let people know that we do have openings and what you need to do to qualify for those types of positions because they all do not need um a four-year college degree for some of these positions. And so we want to inform people and hopefully we can increase the pool. Anybody have any questions from Mr. Moving on to item 11. We are back to public comment. Inperson public comment. Please join us at the podium. See none. Any online this time? >> We do. >> All
091right. from Virginia of 18 Adams Drive. While Mr. Con may not place much surveys, it's important on the cent's family around currently that engagement stands at 49 since that survey was conducted. Multiple parents, myself included, have brought this on here that this is an ongoing issue. I sent school in just a month and a half more than accomplished in my daughter is possible. I also agree with Mrs. We need to dig deep. Don't rely on the same group voices and diverse perspectives. Thank you to our online comment. Uh, next item is item number 12, board liaison reports. Harry S. Fischer Elementary School. Who's taken that? >> I have book fair is uh this month 14th through 17th. The book fair. The PTA meeting is on the 21st of this month. All I have. >> Excellent.
092From the center school, Mrs. Bushka. >> Um, October 14th is no school. Columbus Day. >> Their book for fair at the center is the 21st through the 25th. Uh November 5th is election day. No school. >> Uh 27th, 38th, 29th, Thanksgiving break. >> Great. >> Looking forward to all of them. >> A lot of breaks. >> Reporting days off. >> You be quiet over there, Mr. Perito. Say that's a lot of breaks. You got every day off. >> All right. Eli Terry Junior Middle School. >> Okay. So, um the in the heartbeat program was yesterday. Got to attend. It was very well um organized. I'm not sure if it was well attended >> different times, but they were very >> 70 students. >> Yeah. It looked like I mean we were in and out. They
093were really good with the kids and they feel comfortable. So, it was a great opportunity. They said about twoish weeks to get your results to you. So, thank for um putting that on. When I was at the PTA meeting, we looked at the floor and it was close to being done. It just had like it didn't have the black lines or anything. And then we sent the picture the next day. I was floored by how like in less than 24 hours how much work had been done. So, it looks beautiful in there. Um so the eighth grade is going to visit Cherryville High School uh October 9th which is wait tomorrow sorry um October 15 there is a session regarding Lake View which is the former and will get um there's a nutmeg spice fundraiser
094running October 22 November 7th. Um there will be blankets for sale at the um conferences with the logo on them. Coming up the 24th and bingo was on Friday. So I I didn't lot of info on that but um keep posted. There's a lot going on. You can millions get involved in any way. It's always great to have some people join us and there's a lot of fun coming up for kids or >> Pville High School. Mr. Foot >> the PTSA last meeting was they welcomed their new members. There was a question on how long an officer could hold their position rules at PTA I guess said hold your position for two years and last or until somebody replaces you. So if wants to take your job you stay longer apparently. Uh the Lion and
095Orchard pie sale is ongoing right now uh until September till October 14th and you'll be able to pick them up on the 10th of November. Uh designer bag will be on November 8th at Polish Pub in Bristol. Graduation signs will be out in April. Going to have an IG roundup in May. uh flower sale, Mother's Day flower sale will be in May. And homecoming uh be on November 7th. That's sponsored by the Leo Club and the junior class. Uh grad party, the after after grad party is scheduled for June 11th. Of course, that snow day. >> Thank you very much, Eddie Vance. I'll go tomorrow. >> I'll be late for the meeting though because it starts at 4 and our buses. >> You don't have to go. >> You do not need to go to
096>> I didn't know if you had gone anything to say. You don't have to feel bad about it. >> No worries. I don't >> Okay. All right. Item number 13, board comments. Let's start with you, Mr. Showers. What you got? >> Cindy and D. Was nice working with you the last few years. Miss everybody else, good luck in the election. >> Okay. >> You and I stuck together. >> Yeah, we're stuck together. Yeah. Another two years, Mr. Bourber. >> Okay, Mr. What >> I just like to say uh this board uh I've been on many different ones in town been best that I've ever served on. We all seem to get along quite well together and good luck those who won't be here. Thank you all. >> Mr. Zushka, >> I have to agree with
097Mr. Foot. board gets along very well. Um, it's funny leaving the board because this is except for three years when I retired. I I've been in the school 1954. >> You remember that year, right, Brian? >> Yeah, it was a great one. >> Yeah. Uh, I started I started subbing right after I got out of high school, my first year of college because back then to take anybody's sub. >> And my first class >> still take anyone if you're interested. >> My first my first class could have retired two years ago. >> Yeah. >> I figured it in long enough time for me to >> say see you later. But it was great. All of it. enjoyed all of it. >> It's great having you. >> Thanks, >> Mr. Paragino. >> Yes. I'd like to
098welcome Miss Kao to our team. Uh let's, you know, got a handful down there, you know, taking over, but I think she'll do a great job. I also like to thank the board members that are going to be here next week. And as Greg and I both know, it's very difficult to get people to volunteer. And we're very fortunate on this board to get people to volunteer, come in here for no pay, nothing nothing else, take a little abuse, but that's okay. We do it. But I just I just want to thank everybody for, you know, hanging in there and so on. Ones that are retiring, uh, God bless you. Thank you. >> Um, the heart screening I believe in. Um I told my kids they were going to go like for a minute so
099they were a little nervous but um it was great turnout they were in and out in less than five minutes. Um so that was great. And then um for the clubs I remember I went to a meeting and Mayor Merchant was there and he got very emotional and he asked all the kids that were there. He said, "Please, for your next meeting, go and find a student who you don't normally talk to who you wouldn't who wouldn't normally come to these clubs, whether it's Leos or student council and invite them, personally invite them, text them, like keep reminding them to come and invite them." And he said that he felt his were you at that meeting or whoever it was that like he wish that somebody had introduced the club and stuff like that. So,
100um I love that you guys have the introduction of the clubs and then maybe if every member of that club invites somebody who wouldn't normally go to the club or who doesn't they don't know somebody that's like a great way to get more involvement and like that. And then if kids that are coming from the middle school, I don't know if they'll be able to see whatever they say that. Um, and then goes to that other school, the board, it's signed the board chair. I don't know who really writes it, right? It's very after each board meeting and it goes out to the whole community like Ryan is. Um, so maybe if you write very brief, not long, it's just a very quick summary of what the meetings were and then at the end of
101it, it's invites them saying, "Please come to the meeting. Please come to get like an open invite with the invite." >> Sounds like a great job for the communications subcommittee >> or even the next secretary that >> that as well. Yes. And then um for the PTA whenever we would hand the books over to somebody else, we had a binder that we would give them. So maybe communications can build a binder on um how to run the meeting because some of the people that are coming on might not know how to run a finance meeting, how to what should we have meeting. So maybe just a simple binder for each committee person that just gets handed down each those notes from here. And I'm glad that I was able to spend the past seven years
102on the board. I learned a lot. Um it's great. I love the contract negotiation. I love being um hearing the numbers, seeing the numbers. I'm a numbers person. Like you're a brick and mortar. I'm a numbers you're a teacher. I don't want that side. So, it's really cool how everyone has their like little specialties. So, next board members that come out, figure out what your little specialty is and just dig into that part of it. >> Have fun. You'll learn a lot. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Now, welcome to R&D. Best of luck to all of you. I know you guys put in this same I will miss those of you who will not be with us anymore and uh welcome you back to be part of our audience anytime. Maybe you can even get
103up and do some public comment for us so that we can uh hear from someone else. But we appreciate your work. >> Thank you. >> And looking forward to having you members board. >> All right. Item number 14. Next board meeting. The next regular meeting of the Plymouth Board of Education is on Wednesday, November 12th, 2005 2025 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Terryville High School. Item 15, executive session, an MOU, memorandum of understanding for sick time. I'd like to entertain a motion to enter into executive session at 8:45 p.m. inviting Mr. Falcom, superintendent, and Mr. Tenza, business manager, regarding the following memorandum of understanding regarding sick time for all union employees. Now, I need the motion. >> Mr. Strowers, >> second, >> Mr. foot. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions? Motion carries. >>
104We are in >> good. >> All right. I'd like to entertain a motion to resume regular session at 8:59 p.m. >> Move. >> Second. >> Mr. Showers, Mr. Foot. All in favor? >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Um, now we I would like to entertain a motion to authorize the superintendent to enter into anou memorandum of understanding regarding sick time for all union employees. >> Mr. Showers, >> second, >> Mr. Peragino. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Item 18, adjournment. I'd like to entertain a motion to adjourn at 8:59 p.m. >> Mr. Peragino. Second, Mr. Showers. All in favor? >> Motion carries. Thank you very much, everyone. Rest of your evening.