00124, 2026 board of education meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. Please stand for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America stands one indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Do we have any acknowledgements to >> No acknowledgements? >> Okay. >> Any additions to the agenda? See none. >> Okay. >> Uh I will entertain a motion for the approval of the June 10th, 2026 minutes. >> So move. Seconded. >> Any discussion? >> Second. >> Sorry. >> Any discussion? No. Uh, and since we're we have no one online tonight, we can just do an all in favor. I >> any >> Oh, I'm going to abstain just because I wasn't here. So, >> okay. >> All in favor, one extension. That passes, Lisa. Okay. Public participation. One, two. Okay.
002So members of the Talon Board of Education welcome members of the public to share their thoughts and ideas at this time. When appropriate to do so, members of the board and the administration may respond to comments during points of information. However, in consideration of those in attendance and in an effort to proceed in a timely manner, followup discussion will need to take place outside of the meeting setting. Dr. I got timer to open through all this. So we're not going to have any participation. I'm just having a hard time this morning. No, the timer is having a hard time. >> All right. I can do it on my phone if you want. >> I got you. >> All right. All right. Would anyone in the room like to speak at this time? Yes. Please come
003up. >> Mary Rose Dear, 37 Ryan Road. I just wanted to thank the board of education again um for all you do, but I also wanted to thank Dr. Willlet as well um because the high school graduation last Friday was fabulous. Um, I think everyone enjoyed it and um, thanks again. >> Thank you. >> Everyone online. Back to the room. Back online. We will close public participation. That brings us to correspondence. Dana. >> Um, we had a one regarding a replacement certificate for promotion. Okay. Uh would any board members like to speak at this time during points of information? Dana. >> Um I would second Mary Rose like she said um both the graduation and the promotion ceremony were absolutely fantastic. Um I was mind blown by um the speeches uh they did phenomenally. Um,
004and you know, I mean, from the the class president speeches and the valictorian speeches and the the the pop of uh confetti at the end and the big class selfie was great. Um, so phenomenal phenomenal job by all. Um, the eighth grade promotion ceremony was just as spectacular and wonderful and and I forget the young lady who uh made the speech. I've met her on several of the rounds, Dr. Wood. that it's going to kill me that I don't remember her name. >> Tessa Hoffman or Mercedes. >> Mercedes. And oh my goodness, that girl brought the whole room to tears. Like just eyes glassy and her teacher and she spoke from the heart. You forget that she's only eighth grade or not only eth grade, just going into ninth grade now. And she's just wise
005beyond her years. It just made me really proud of our school system and our students and our staff and um just it's great to experience those things are the fun things that we get to do. I know I've missed a couple in the years and I'm just glad I was able to make these two and um there were some some special kiddos and young adults that they came through and got their diplomas and even though I'm the crazy mom saying, "Hey, look at me. Take a picture. Another kid's mom." You know, not even my kids. just they all looked at me and turned and smiled and I got that picture. So, um I just am really lucky to be a part of board events so I was able to attend those special moments. >> Thank
006you. Anybody else? None. Okay, that brings us to student representatives reports who are not here this evening. Um, one of our student representatives did a wonderful job in the forest at the uh, graduation person. I know Camila brings us to committee and liaison reports. So, Jaden, you want to start with policy, you have anything? >> Uh, I had no >> new updates. Um, next week we'll meet and then I think we've got some meeting date changes coming up as well. So, I'll update everybody when I know it. >> Great. Negotiations. Um, ongoing with the Paris is where we're at still FFC. >> FFC unfortunately I wasn't able to attend last week. Um so we're going to um and I do apologize to the team that was that was able to attend. I got stuck in
007a situation at work. Um so we are just combining the agenda with the next meeting's agenda. >> Sounds good. Joel >> didn't have we're having our meeting on July 1st. >> Okay. And then Brian isn't here for communications. Does anybody if there were anybody on there was one >> sorry I should have reminded you earlier they were your spot >> trying at the next meeting >> we met >> it's summer >> when I was in line at Burger King during lunch so I'm sorry >> that's okay no problem >> that's what I remember >> all right since that's everyone uh chairperson's report I just wanted to also to say that the graduations were spectacular. You know, this is my fifth year on the board, but it's my first year as being chair, and what an
008honor that was. Um, it was a little nerve-wracking at the high school graduation to be the only one standing up there, but it was amazing. And then, you know, seeing myself in the background of all the the Facebook videos, you know, getting to be the one that shakes uh the hands of the graduates, it's just like I I don't know. It's it's very surreal to me, but I'm very honored and I'm very grateful to get to do it. And as Dana said, like this might be the highlight of of being chair definitely is getting to celebrate with students, especially, you know, getting to see faces. I know. I looked at some of these kids and I remember holding them as babies. So, it's just it's it's really fantastic. So, I'm looking forward to it next
009year, too, where I will um I will know even more children in the uh the high school graduating class. I know less and less in the middle school graduating class, but it is fun to see all the younger siblings of like my kids' friends and stuff and um and like you said the the speeches are just amazing and you know with the middle school level for them to be so articulate and eloquent and you know the way that they honored Mrs. Hickeyi being that they were the class that started with her being hired um and then they gave her that jar and I forgot what they called it but it was full of little notes from them that she's supposed to take out when she's having a bad day. I just got goosebumps even just
010thinking about it and just seeing her get that it was like this must be like one of the highlights of being an educator right Dr. Will it is that kind of recognition from like your >> that's the best gift you can get. Sometimes people think you know monetary gifts are the are great but those types of gifts cards that kind of thing is the very best thing you can give to an educated >> and the eighth grade class they just they were all in tears they really seemed like a very close-knit class. So I I mean seeing them graduate I will be but I can't imagine because they it looked like they were all leaving each other going off to college in 8th grade. But yeah, but it was fun. Like Dave said at the
011high school, I wasn't expecting that confetti bomb to go off. It was Dr. Willlet could have moved his body in front of me. I got scared when he was like, "Hold on." And they reached into their >> done a few. You can see these things coming. >> You don't remember it last year being rather than being up there. But yeah, so it was really fun. And again, it's just it's such an honor to be a part of our school community in this way. And it really it really makes you realize like why we're all here and what we're doing it for, you know, to be able to to see them and and see them get recognized for scholarships and it, you know, everything. It really >> it just uh it just sets it just sets
012the tone. So anyway, >> and you get a flower. >> I did. That was also an interesting moment. It could have gone a different way. >> Bones. >> Well, no, he didn't quite pose. He just knelt down. Wait a sec. You know that's real. >> I told her I've never gotten >> No. >> Maybe you said, "Well, this has never happened before." >> I had a moment where Dr. Will kind of started to protect me. I didn't know what's happening. >> What was coming out and it was >> that was really fun. Yeah. So, that was really fun. So, thank you. I believe his name is Miguel. >> I wasn't going to mention that. Thanks, Jaden. >> Sorry. >> Okay, moving on. Superintendent report K1 building use study discussion. >> Okay. So, uh you know,
013we've talked about this FFC and transferring it up to the board for a conversation. Uh we had talked about a building use study potentially happening for the Tomlin Public Schools. So, the building use study would allow us to analyze um how we are using our space and whether we could more efficiently and cost-effectively use our space differently. The building use studies um have been done in other locations. Uh and the company that does this is through um cooperative education services because CES is one of the the risks of the state of Connecticut and a RESK is a regional education service center their services for school systems because it's part of that it is like um a state kind of state pricing its pricing is already pre- um uh bidded so it it is one of
014those groups we don't have to go through bidding to use because it's already part of the state's network and um endorsed by CES and the rest and all of that. So we we can do other ways if you want but this is one of the stream the um this is one of the companies that is associated with the risk and associated with the state through the rest if that makes sense. Okay. So I wanted to first give you an idea of cost before we kind of go anywhere else. Um this is their prop it was all for the Talon public schools uh scope of services. They would do a kickoff and data collection. Um in that kickoff they'd analyze enrollment. They would analyze Talin's public magnet school enrollment recently completed projections. Um we would look
015at the kids that going private parochial over the next few years. They would review our capacity and facilities organization. Um they would look at their room assignments. They would look at egress plans. They'll look at any capital investments that have been made. Um they'll look at any kind of facility condition assessments that have been done. They'll look at the BOE guidelines. Um they're going to look at demographics and economic analysis and housing because you'll see in a minute what what actually comes out of all this. Then they do comprehensive projections and based on those projections they come up with a capacity and utilitization analysis and then they will make recommendations to uh the board of education after looking at all the site analyses and um finally come up with a long-term plan. That long-term plan
016could be something like shutting down say one school and moving the kids from that school all into another building. Um, it could also be um that they say we can't do that, but I'm thinking they might that might be a possibility for us. Um, sometimes when they do that though, they also um recommend that you put on a wing or that you add some structure to the building because a lot of times you cannot combine two buildings without having something added or something modified in the existing structure that they're moving into. So that may be something that comes from this, but we really wouldn't know what our options are unless the, you know, they're professionally reviewed. So at the end of the process, they would have a presentation to the board of education on their
017findings. Okay, these documents are available to you. Um, you should be able to see all of them and they were sent to you earlier. Um, so that you would have, you know, them if you wanted to look at them during the meeting here, too. Uh the invoice, this is $57,000 to do this. Um but it is comprehensive. It's 28 do upon receipt, 28 do upon completion. Um so I just wanted to give you a sense of cost. And well, this isn't going to be as helpful, but I'll give you an idea of what these look like. Um and this is the overall price kind of agreement as well. You can have, you know, a look at that there. They provided examples. Um, and so there are other studies here if you want to peruse them,
018but for instance, New Town. This is an executive summary that they did for New Town. Um, you know, this is a this is obviously a fly over. They call it the executive summary and they they provide a you more detailed report, but this gives you an idea of the kind of things that they look at. Um and then ultimately at the end if I scroll all the way down they come up with uh options takeaways and then they will write make recommendations. Um, and so if their recommendation, for instance, for us something like combine middle school and high school at the high school building, but you have to build a wing for X, Y, and Z reasons, then then we would then have to go to the town and we would have to make that
019a capital request where they would have to do a bond and may have to do a referendum to add um a wing or something like that. You know, it could be something like a $6 million wing or $3 million wing or some kind of renovation. But you can see how they gave them options. Middle school option one, renovate existing building. Option two, build a new 78 middle school. MS option three, build a new 68 middle school. You know, they'll they'll provide options for us like this. It is going to a little bit resemble what I also have up online. I left this here. Um uh this is still up on our site and it's the last time we did this, but it's very outdated and um the enrolls at the time were lower than we
020ended up having. So, it's actually not very accurate, but um for for now, but if you wanted to see kind of what some of it um some of the stuff that was done in the past, this is what the other one many years ago looked like. Um so in 2019, you know, this was their end of year report and they went through similar stuff like you saw um that this CES group would do. But you can see that like at the end they had recommendations for adding a wing. Um back at that time, you know, they they were showing like if you went without TIS and you moved kids to a different building, you know, what would you have to do to do that? And um you know, they would kind of give you a
021kind of basic cost analysis of what that would look like. Here was like extend this wing off to the the left side of TMS. And if you added classrooms over here, then you could make, you know, you could make the change. So the point is, I'm trying to give this very kind of quick overview of of what would otherwise be a very large process. I just wanted you to kind of see what what they would come up with for you. There's also an example of New Canaan, you know, work they did for New Canaan. Um, and they're called the MP Planning Group and they're through CES, but they will give you, and it's easier if you just kind of look at it on your own because I know this is mind-numbing when I scroll like
022this, but I'm just giving you a kind of fly over of what the general presentation looks like that they give you. And then they might suggest adding, you know, adding a wing and how much it will cost and that type of thing. And then here's the G last and berry one when they had them do an analysis of the elementary. But um this is just to give you an idea of what that that would look like. And at the end of the process, you're still having to go to the town and see if they give you a ce if you can get a cap expenditure through bond if they had a extension or something they wanted to add. So that's the quick version. I don't know if we want to I know you guys don't
023want the really long. Yeah, I have a couple questions that are open to the board. So, how long does this generally take? >> It can take a few months once we pay them. >> And when do you have an optimal time that you think it would be good for us to >> Well, we can execute it any time that you feel like we should. The thing about it is um it is 57,000. >> Correct. So, what you'd be instructing me to do is look at our budget and see, you know, maybe we would use ERF for that or we would do something. You know, we'd have to look at where the funds are to do it with and then do it. The first step is do you want me to even pursue this at all?
024>> But I think all of it needs to come into play. I mean, with everything that we're trying to do with any, you know, surplus that we've had so far with, you know, an unexpected retirement, you know, you talked to me offline about the and I know you updated the board last meeting when I wasn't here on some of it, but how we could use, you know, those extra funds to go back to this position or to this um program and we're really kind of pinching our pennies to to compensate for everything we we've lost or we could lose. So, I'm concerned with that. Um, also the fact that we could do this, spend $57,000 and then not action it or it not get voted, you know, through town council or through the referendum, too,
025which seems like last time we spent however much money on it and it wasn't actioned. >> So, I have concerns about that. Um, I think that if we decide to go through with this, we should discuss talking to the town council about them helping us fund this. I mean, we did receive an email from the vice chair of the town council asking us to do this. So, seems like it should be something that the town would consider doing um jointly with us. They certainly have more surplus funds than we do to maybe tap into. Um and it is for the good of the entire downtown. It's it's obviously not necessarily what's good for our students. Um the other question I had, I think you said that there are um there's options. I know you scroll
026through it quickly and I have looked at the past study. So I would assume like last time too like it may say okay this is your most optimal solution but it may give other options too. So like for instance I'll just take something out of whack like they say move Birch Grove into the high school is the number one solution but we don't want to do that but if we think that number two which is you know move TI to the high school is better there'll be a plan for that kind of thing as well right? Yeah, they'll do they'll at the outset we're going to say we want to see all your options plans that we if you feel we could consider that they'll give you what you're kind of looking for. I think
027you would be saying you know reasonably can we scuttle one school and move kids you know into another >> um because that would be what would save us facilities costs and other things. >> Yep. And I think most people assume that that will be TIS and seal this building, but in the previous study that was not. >> Yeah, I don't I don't I Yeah, it's not TIS actually. It would probably be more I mean, I'm conjecturing, but I'm pretty sure it would be TMS, >> right? >> It would be that they would build out on the current high school and then they would move kids in from the middle school into the high school. And you know very generally like very very very generally you know there there might be something like middle school kids
028are in one section of the building high school kids are in another you know I mean I suppose roughly by floor or something but that's why you'd have to put out they might have to be construction so people might New Fairfield has this kind of arrangement where there's actually the same site but the high school building goes pretty much in one direction and the middle school's kind of off to the other and there's a bridging area. >> So it might be something like that. >> Yeah, >> most likely there would be some capital investment needed. I don't think you come out of it without there probably being some capital investment needed. >> I just I think you brought that up because when I have seen discussions about this, you know, on social media and and
029things like that, that assumption that we would eliminate TIS is is usually what people think. And I think that the community might feel differently if they understood that this would likely be an elimination of the middle school, including all the grounds of the middle school that we have. Um, so it's it's it's a hard decision. I'm not saying it's something that we shouldn't look at. It's just it it's not an easy decision to to take away that that kind of area. Um, and also like you said, and Dana would be a great person to speak on this because we saw it with Birch Grove um, committee, but people don't understand that there's so many like restrictions and whatnot for different age groups. Like the the height of the toilets are different, the height of the
030sinks are different. There has to be an exit doorway in some classrooms of some ages. Certain ages can't be on a second floor. Like there are just so many restrictions that people don't realize. They think that it's just simple. Just move kids from one building to the other. It's not. There has to be renovations. And there's money that that it's going to take to do that, >> right? And that's one of the reasons why it likely would not be TIS, >> right? >> Because that's still that's still a K that's an elementary class building for raised roughly. I mean, it used to have middle, but it's it's more design. >> Okay. Thank you. Dana, you next question. >> Um, I have more of a conversation with it because we did talk about it um in
031a compressed conversation at FFC. Um because I I think the the the big thing that came out of the conversation with FFC is that we really need to before we can even make a conversation to move this forward, we really need to have a conversation with the town council because even though it's Corvette and it's corvette buildings, it's still town buildings and then if there is a building that's that's eliminated or what have you now that building now goes to the town and what is that what's done with that said building and different situations like that. So before we even in embrace a conversation to spend that type of money, I I my suggestion and the team suggestion at FFC was to have a meeting uh with the town council and discuss it because if
032it's not something that they want to embrace as a whole, then it's a moot point, right? Um so that would be step one, everybody thought. Um, if you looked at the study from 2019, that was also pre-COVID. Um, I'm just trying to think of the timeline when it came to Birch was getting rebuilt post that right and they were in the portables and all of that. So, that study was used for a guideline for us for our FFC meeting, but it's almost that also is invalid because it's there's so much has changed since then. Um and we looked about the efficiencies of our different buildings and right like you and my thought immediately would be like man the middle school has more space let's you know make we can we use the middle school eliminate
033TIS move third graders into Birch Grove and then move the the fourth and fifth graders into the middle school move the sixth graders of the high like all of that but then you talk about what like what Jen was saying was it's even when you're building those different classrooms like different special education classrooms have to have certain egresses and availability and accessibility. You have to have these certain heights of toilets. You have to have certain shelter in place spaces that we have in um our high school and in our at at Birch Grove. Um so there's a lot to take into account. Uh but again, the biggest thing is the partnership with town council because if that's something because again still going to be a building in our town. So it's still going to cost
034our town beyond the 57 and beyond the construction beyond that because there's still a building there, right? And then then we also have to think about we're talking about solar. So then that changes that solar plan also, right? Like what does that look like in each respective school? So we talk about embracing solar, moving forward with that. And now we have these different buildings. So uh and as you said, Jen, can we still utilize if it is the middle school, can we still utilize those grounds for other things such as baseball and soccer and all of that? And it's we will we would be losing space because if we move the middle schoolers to the high school now can you have middle school sports along with high school sports when they have adjoining >> adjoining
035seasons. So all those need to be taken into account. Um and so that was a lot of the stuff that we talked about at at FSC. Um, you know, I mean, even when we were building Birch Grove, I learned so much building Birch Grove from the colors on the walls and the reasons why and the heights of the ceilings and the way the lights are and it all has to be upgraded and up to date based on what's happening with the educational requirements. Um, so there's a lot to take into account um what this is, but again, I think the first step is council partnership. >> So those are just some of the things that we talked about at FSC. So, I just wanted to make sure Yeah. that everybody was aware of. >> And
036if you do um if you did combine, you would turn the building over to the town, >> correct? So, they would, you know, they'd still benefit from whatever solar and we, you know, so just keeping in mind those things, >> but they would have the option to sell it though. >> Uh they have the option to sell. they have any option they want to but you do you are gonna have some complexity with the solar piece but we can't if we waited on that we would never have a solar piece and you wouldn't have gotten those federal >> um advantages during this year so we had to move on solar whether you did this or not to have any of the advantages >> right >> you know that might be disassembled or something and then
037you would lose that that piece that build it generation having said that Um, you know, again, it's it's just sometimes uh boards think it's worth it to look and um and then they give you the report and we make a capital request and just you know see what kind of uh appetite the town has for it. Last time we did this put together this is ours not theirs but put together a basic and this is very old. So these these are no longer 100% rule that are accurate but in 2019 this is the rough cost per building. >> Well and large sorry no problem I label you but um unfortunately I don't know how much there says it's going up but it does and it's fing >> doesn't seem to make much. >> It's fine.
038all in the folder anybody >> between5 and $600,000 >> that's the see operating cost >> roughly you're you know BGP but this is also the old BGP >> right >> so you're looking at about five it's about a half mil if you consider every single thing >> you know um but if you take out some of the other stuff we may not we may not lose any staff over that kind of thing. You know, these other costs are sort of foulry. They're about 100,000. >> So, from a point of view of nonpersonnel, you're about 100,000 savings. You know, personnel goes up from there. But you're not going to be in a place where you'd be reducing like pairs or teachers. You need all the pairs, all the teachers, all that. You know, that would not
039be a reduction situation. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Um, I know there's going to be some pricing differences, but I got to believe that the recommendations from 2019 are going to be similar to the recommendations that we get if we do the study now. >> I don't know. They gave you, you know, I mean, that they may come up with as many options, but >> um, their numbers are significantly >> off, >> right? But what I what I'm getting at is I I wonder if maybe even before we talk with town council, before we entertain doing this, do we entertain um the discussion of talking about this in comparison to regionalization and have that discussion of what might be the better option uh for us here in Thailand. Um before we even say okay, let's say
040we decide okay we don't want to regionalize. Now we can have the discussion. Do we want to spend this money? Do we need to do it with town in conjunction with town council? I think we need to kind of look have all of our options on the table of because none of us want to beat our heads against the wall again in February uh with this whole budget thing. >> You know, we want to start, you know, having some sort of forwardthinking plan instead of a reactionary plan to everything. Um and you know do we need to start looking at possibility of regionalizing and the possibility of eliminating a building you know seeing what one works best for us. I don't I don't disagree and I don't object to having the conversation but the difference
041that I see is that when we talk about this building use study and eliminating a building that's that's a town tollin decision. When we talk about regionalization we have to see if there's any towns that would even want to regionalize with them. And then we'd also have to discuss the now what's the busing look like etc. Because obviously we have our own busing here as well. >> Any of us know what any of that looks like. >> No, but I don't know how the process is of reaching out to other towns to ask if they want to register. >> I don't know either. That's I think it's worth that discussion. >> We have to find a partner. >> We have to find someone. >> So how do you how do you find >> wants to
042be married to her? like a hinge or >> Yeah, I know. >> for towns that are in a place where like the ones that they would try to do it way before um and usually it's a smaller town that doesn't want to have a high school and they then would agree to send their children here and at a cost and that was very close to what we almost achieved before but we we lost out to another um district for that another school. So we we we would we could continue to pursue that. But as an aside, we can pursue that whether you keep all the buildings open or not because we have capacity in the buildings to do such a thing with most other schools. So we could do that uh with or without a
043building. I mean, it's a lot harder if once we've combined them, you know, if we're talking 30 kids, we can do that, you know, obviously, but if we're talking 3,000 kids, we can't. Or, you know, if you combine a building, there's fewer kids you could take in for tuition. Um, so it it's it's an option that's on on the table even now. If we found a partner and you did not complete this study and that partner wanted to send 50 kids to our school, we could take those kids. Yeah. So, it's not something that is hanging on this decision, but you know, but it is something you can consider anytime in the future if you wanted to. And it's more like a tuitioning in, you know, that's kind of how it works. >> Okay. Oh,
044we're sorry. >> Yeah, I just had a follow-up question to that. So, when you're when you're talking about regionalization, um, you you seem, at least my impression of what you were just saying was you were looking at specific towns. What if, just throwing a name out there, a district like Stafford wanted to say, "Let's combine with Talic." That's a whole district, not just a small town of 50 kids. Is is something like that or Fulton or Coventry, you know, something is is something like that even realistic where we would essentially nothing's impossible, but it's more uh it's more probable that you'd find a small town like Colombia or something and would that did not want a high school that would want to send their kids to another. It's it's more probable on that type of
045scenario only uh because I think some people in Stford might want that but not all and they have to have their own voting and you know like it would have to mean everybody agreed. >> I think there is some perception that someday in Connecticut um the government will reorganize the school. >> Yeah. you know, and combine like burning. I mean, I'm just I'm speculating completely, >> but they may get to the point where they don't feel they can create a balanced system, you know, a um a more equitably balanced system the way it's set up because they're they were in violation of Chef versus O'Neal. So, I don't know, a decade from now or whatever, they their compliance might be redistricting all the school systems in the entire state. That would require a lot of
046politicians and a lot of people agreeing that this is the right thing to do and then you might have something like you know Vernon Holland and whatever but that that's quite a ways off although it may be part of the future. I think the more probable thing for Taland would be if one of these other smaller places wanted to send kids somewhere else and that we would welcome them here take tuition and make them part of our school system then you would be kind of quasi regional because Talin would be taking you know Colombia kids and you know I don't know I just throw out any of the names that I'm just going to throw out names that probably would never be but you know Colombia you know these smaller towns that wouldn't Ashford but
047Ashford heel, but a place like that. >> And it would have to be within a distance that was reasonable for you, you know, for them and for you. >> And we got very close. I mean, we were very I was talking with the superintendent. We had a pretty good thing going. They came and then parents and kids visited our school. We gave them a tour. >> What year was this? >> Two, three years ago. We were very, very first year. >> Um, there was a we were one of three or four schools they were looking at. I think we were their second choice, but Eio was their first and the kids went to Eio and they went to EO because it's already regional and they didn't want their kids I mean this is generalizing but
048>> generally they didn't want their kids to be those kids because in Eio you already have well you know willington and Ashford there isn't those kids per se because a lot of the kids are coming from different places >> so I think that's one of the reasons that that didn't work out for us at that point. But had it, that would have been a major um benefit to them and to us. And so keeping our eyes open for those kinds of things is something I'm going to constantly be doing. Another option is if you did close scuttle a building, you could instead of giving it back to the town, we could try to open a magnet here. So, as long as we could do a cost neutral, we could try to open a specialized school,
049special education school, magnet or charter here. And if we ran that school and got funds from the state to run it, you might be at a you might, you know, not not you might go cost negative. So, you wouldn't be losing 500,000 because you'd be pulling it off at the cost of running the school. In which case it would be almost like you offload it. You you get the benefit of you know of the money that's coming in from the magnet or charter or structure. So you can do that's another option. We would have to put a lot of energy into that. We sorry >> we have to get a staff man. >> We would have to obviously have staff and staff it and then we would be looking for cost neutral. Um, and but
050that would be a way of uh of doing almost similar thing, but you're now you're now running a magnet charter or special school. Um, so that's an option. You know, you call it an academy or something. It would be tolerance academy and you know, you take some of your own kids, but you may take them all over the place. So, there's a lot of options. It's just that it requires some chance. You know, you have to take some risks. Um, and the other piece about it that's is a little bit complicated is um, you know, there's obviously a period of of transition. If you're going to do something like that, everybody has to be on the same page. You >> if you make a capital investment of $6 million, it's going to take you 12
051years to recover, you know, >> then you would be, you know, free of that. >> To the next question. Yeah. Sorry, that's just a lot being Mackenzie. Go ahead. You're not going to like to open up another cultur. Um I uh I understand that it would be more likely that a small district would maybe want to send their students to our high school. But is there a mark truly a market out there for like more of a merger of equals at like the whole district level or is that like a pipe dream? >> That's kind of what Bill asked. >> Yeah. I mean I I wouldn't call it a pipe dream but it it would require a tremendous amount of a brief. And there are a lot of like we hear about Yo Smith a
052lot of the high schools regalizing but there are there a lot of districts >> not so much I mean yeah I haven't heard of these of the towns coming together like that fairly recently but I I've heard a lot of the little ones littleer ones sending to a district. >> I guess what I think about with that is like I think about like buses right? It's like to put a high school kid on the bus for say like a half an hour. I mean, our kids are on the bus for a half an hour in our town, >> you know, is one thing, but to put like kids K through two or K five on the bus, like I imagine that's probably one of the reasons why we don't see that more often, but >>
053I'm not I'm certainly not opposed to that. I just >> Yeah. Just like, you know, I'm thinking, right, and I I don't know anything about these sisters, right? But like Ellington seems to be a district worth compared to very often >> and like >> they quite have the appetite there. I don't think they'd have the need to. >> No. Fair. Right. But if you know if we did like there would be probably be some schools in Ellington, some schools in Holland, then you'd share things, right? And you'd mostly reduce the cost of administration, not the cost of actually running a school, right? You probably wouldn't reduce your schools all that much. But um you know I I I guess that that's my question is like what options are out there that have like like we
054have this we've identified this company who goes and evaluates like our capital buildings and everything like that. Are there services out there to evaluate regionalization or >> I mean there um I think you can you could pay any consultant to do anything frankly. I'm sure someone would take the money to do it. I think the thing about it is um that it's a very it is a political thing more than anything else. You really would have to have you'd have to have two towns looking for this and then they'd have to start with a huge contract of you know merger or and your tax systems would have to be considered because you know there's taxes and Stafford taxes are you now going to be stalland or something you know like and then you'd have to
055tax the whole tax structure who pays for what what taxes pay for what. um you're gonna have the same number of kids and buildings. So unless you had a building that was big enough to take a whole bunch of kids, yeah, you couldn't really scuttle a building or admin or you know, so I think it's just that's in that would require involvement of the state on on a level the state has not yet been >> willing to do. What they will do is they will help create like a region or regional school or region. They have their regional districts. Regional District 19 is technically one building. It's Eio Smith. Um so they call it regional district 19. It is a it is a school district that is one building and has a superintendent >> and
056it sticks >> and a principal and a vice principal and it is a Rio Smith is 91. >> Sorry I meant >> but but they call it a regional school because it pulls from like these other three towns. I mean technically let's say that the thing had worked out for us two years ago. Yeah. >> We would we would actually be almost doing the same thing not called re regional. It would be with all they had quite a few less kids but let's say it was 30 or 50. We would be coming from another town to our school and we would we quasi be regional even though we weren't calling ourselves that. >> Right. But we'd still high school. >> Yeah. whether you're called regional or not, if you're pulling kids in from other places,
057you are kind of now regional, you know, in in the real s in in a sense. >> So I think probably, you know, what we want to do is keep looking out there for any of these smaller districts that don't want to pay for high school building and high school any of that. They want to send because we could accept them and I think it's a very we are obviously an excellent school system. So it would be a good thing for them. It would be a good value. I think we are very appealing. The only reason we really lost out last time was because of that other factor, you know. >> So, I think we have a possibility of that in the future. Your your most um most actionable thing in the shortest term is
058is the expansion of the open choice program. >> That's what we can do. and you know you're quasi regional in that you're you're taking students from Harvard right now and just increase it as best we can over the next few years. If that um Colombia had worked out you'd be taken from Colombia and Harvard. So technically you wouldn't be that different from what EO was from the point of view of well you know Willington and Ashford you would be Harford and you know whatever. So whether we're called regional or not we can do things that would be like that. Um, so I think that option is available to us >> forever as long as we can find someone. >> But it's pretty agnostic of the building plan that we >> It is. In fact, you'd
059have less room for more of this with fewer buildings. But, you know, that's the other tradeoff. I mean, you know, if you did scuttle a building and then suddenly the next year, miraculously, you know, country wanted to, you would not be able to do that at that point. >> Yeah. >> So, it's it's a lot of uncertainty. Your your your closest and most actionable stuff is open shorts and is looking around for smaller, you know, towns that want to send. Um, if you did shut down a building or move kids out of a building, you could use that building for a magnet charter or something else. Those are things that are short term, not short short term, but are actually within the reach and scope of, you know, fairly reasonable amount of time. Um, but
060regionalizing with another town is so complex. I think it requires state involvement at a high level. >> That's all for >> you answered like 10 of my questions already, so I just have one. Um, so if we did combine the um TMS with the high school Are we less marketable for other schools for trying to come here now that we've combined schools? Like I don't want to send my kids there because you know I mean maybe you'd have less room but I mean I think your the school system is still a high quality school system. So it would still be appealing. It's just you might not have enough room, you know, as much room. If we did combine them, that building would be closer to capacity. you'd be saving the amount of the facility for
061the year and all that. You would not be saving, you know, anything personnel wise on from the P point of view of teachers or parents and that's not what you want to do per se, right? But um but you you would be at capacity at that point or getting close to that point. So you would not be able to take a lot of people in. You could take you know a handful here and there, maybe do a dozen, two dozen, but you're not taking hundreds. And what I think about like follow with Joel's question is I think about a lot of times students want to go to different high schools for sports, you know. Um, and now I know that, you know, when there's rain, when there's snow and they're all competing to try to
062get indoor practice space with just the teams that we have at the high school, it's an issue. You know, there's only, you know, there's only so many baseball fields and football fields, etc. um you know and the JV teams are using cross farms and and whatnot. So I look at that as like if if I'm a if I'm someone who's looking for my child to you know be heavily involved in sports and maybe that's what they're trying to go through to college, I would want them at a school that had tons of availability for that, not oh sorry you're not having practice this week because we had to have the middle school kids use the gym, etc. etc. >> Right. And I I will say um I've been in a situation like that where I
063was principal at one point, a building that had to run two different schedules because we had to have more than a thousand some kids in that one building. And um that is not pretty. It's not pretty. People don't generally like it staff or or parents or whatever. They don't go well with that. Um you know, so and I will throw this out there. your buildings are not so sparssely, you know, like it's not, this is not a no-brainer that you would do this because your buildings still have, you know, five, six hundred kids in every one of them. It's not like it's an easy easy combine and you have quite a few kids. Some of these districts that have done some of this are down in the 260 to, you know, zone and they're getting
064smaller and smaller. they would scuttle it because they're below, you know, they they that's a much smaller number and that's easier to do. So that you're not in a place where this is an absolute no-brainer that you should sc um you know there is some real possibility for the future of kids coming here because I think other districts more and more are going to be looking for an option especially the small ones and you are very appealing. So, I think that could come back on the radar again. It's just all of these things are always, who knows? We just don't know. We don't know when, you know, that that one a few years ago just came up. That superintendent and I were talking and, you know, looked like it was going to be a possibility.
065They knew that I was looking for that and I knew what their situation was and it was a great match and it was actually a vicarious conversation and then we got as far as being part of that group and almost got it and that'll happen again probably but um we don't know when it's a good opportunity. So yeah, I mean I think one of my big concerns if you go zoom back up to the 20,000 foot view, there's this narrative out there, you know, people are interested in this to save money, right? And the plain fact of the matter is everyone has this narrative that oh, we should we can combine make it more efficient, yada yada yada. And the reality is the way it plays out is we spend $60,000 to go get a
066bunch of information and find out that we're going to have a 5 to10 million capital expense to do something that isn't going to pay off in terms of it's it's going to cost more money and add a add a significant capital expense and people oh my goodness we're still not money. So frankly, you know, I think having learned the more we we've talked about the things you have to do to make that kind of combination work, the less interested I I get in that. And I think more about open choice. And the other thing I we haven't really talked about when you and I talked, it was clear that that that prior thing, like you just said, was sort of an ad hoc happens thing we found out about, right? It was you guys talking
067and Right. and we s we can say we're looking for an opportunity but dovetailing with what you said um what I'm not sure that we've made a real concerted effort right in the sense that if somebody in our you know I hate to say give somebody an unfunded mandate but somebody in our system or if we did have to hire a consultant you know if if spending 10 grand on someone who's going to go look at all the systems, all the schools lay things out, look for where there might be better opportunities, go hunt those people out and say, "Hey, have you considered this? Might you be interested in this?" Like an active search of for possibilities as opposed to seeing if something stumbles across the door, right? Frankly, maybe that would be a better
068investment of some of some consultant money. Well, you only uh trying to find the right analogy for this, but a lot everyone around you is married right now. And you know what you got to do is say, "Hey, you happy?" Because you know that kind of in that kind of space and you can only go after the the the ones that are small enough to want that, >> right? So, but that's essentially a certain group and we do talk. you know, the reason that came on the radar is because, you know, I'm always looking at the small ones >> and and it wasn't completely vicarious, you know. Okay. And but uh but there's only so many you can port because you go too far out and they don't want they don't want to travel that
069far. Your bus costs increase. So we are I mean like if any one of these people decides they're unhappy in their situation, you know, I'll be right there in >> Yeah. I know I did I did want to point out, you know, I seem totally what you're saying, but you know, if the evaluation we'll be talking about later, if you looked at the document, like Dr. Willlet is on a lot of committees and boards with the other superintendents in the region, so they do all, you know, have these discussions, but I see the point that you're trying to make and I completely agree with you. I I >> I think too, >> you know, when you take into account that it would likely be losing the middle school and the middle school grounds and everything
070that comes with it, it changes the conversation too. And then to your point, >> it's not only just like, oh, it's going to cost this much. Oh, no. >> What do our referendums look like? >> Yeah. >> That kind of a capital expense is going to referendum. We're already going to referendum this November for the Turkfield and the high school group. >> Yeah. >> So, um, that's going to be the crown voting. >> It would takes about a decade to get >> So, one thing just to to clarify my, you know, and maybe I wasn't making a fair assumption, right? My assumption is that there's a difference between sort of doing a passive, you know, what you happen to hear about in your working groups or whatever versus a real active search. But do you
071feel like we're we're as active as we can be? I mean, I don't have any interest in send letter to all this trickster. I don't know. I think what what generally I do and I know others though because I'm not the only one, you know. Um it's like uh you know one of those balls back in the 1700s like I'm I'm looking at her you know looking at these three people and I'm kind of like what's going on you know is that anybody happy over there is that is that town looking like it might not want that or is it want okay that's fine that's fine you know so we we really do keep an eye peeled for the ones that might but you know that like an example like a a Wellington they are
072so close I drive by every day you know my my daughter now you have car problems. I'm taking her to your gun back. I passed right through that building, you know, the building I have right there and I'm always looking at building, but that's Smith and so nobody's leaving Eio Smith right now. You know what I mean? So that that's the thing is within these directions, there's Hampton, there's a few others. Eyes are peeled, but the farther out you go, the logistics become harder and harder. So I I am going to constantly be looking >> between that and open choice. I see opportunities to actually save money >> versus spend a bunch of money to find out that it's something else the town doesn't want to do because it's going to cost a ton more
073money. >> Yeah. >> Open choice would be your your voice. >> All right. Just Dana had her hand and then Mackenzie again just checking in with Jaden and Elaine where I take a second round. >> Okay. You be first. >> Um so I'm with GP. So like the more and more we've dug into it because initially like my thought is how easy is it to just I don't want to say to to move kids out of TIS like that was my first thought right then I think about that wing in TIS that kind of has that remember that second little where they do have the book fair and stuff because there's that hallway that was a lot activity happening in there. Um but nevertheless and and because beyond that again that's what we said about
074the partnership with town council because beyond that we still have this massive building and land and property that the town would still be responsible for. And I mean the town is like taxpayers that are trying to say let's save money on the schools and be more efficient. Um the reality of it is we have two bookends that are brand new school well very very very new schools that we have and those are our bookends and those are the school and so and and my thought is if TIS was the one that was consolidated that can easily move into a Parker Place type situation and added in that way added a larger rec center or go right into our town buildings right that's that's easy >> just for the town to repurpose that building >> but
075again we talk about saving what do we do? I mean, there's a lot of uh not filled buildings within our town already. >> So, um I think it's important that we ask the questions. I think it's important that we look at the study from 2019, albeit the results are going to be different, but it's still going to give us our town council and our town taxpayers, which includes all of us as well, an idea that yeah, we've been down this road. It's probably not going to be as cost-saving as everybody thinks it is, right? And and again, when we were building Birch Grove and we were talking about that, I said, "Why don't we get rid of the superintendent the board of education office, right? And build them into Birch Grove, but that was represent
076that was presented and this cost savings wasn't didn't equate because then now it's just a building there." You know what I mean? So, it didn't make sense. And when you start to feel it back, I just think it's important for the folks that have written in, the folks that have inquired and the folks that have brought it to the table, including ourselves, that it's important to know that this has been researched. This has been discussed in full. We are thinking of alter alternate solutions because regionalization, you're right, Bill, it's right there, right? So, and what does that look like? We've been talking about expanding our open choice now for a couple of years. that is um again I don't think we should close the door on a conversation with our town council partners but I
077I don't want to speak for anybody else but I feel like I know where this is kind of going right so um it's tough because and and again I don't want fifth and sixth graders excuse me I don't want sixth seventh and eighth graders being in the same building as high schoolers now I went to Graanby or somewhere way out there by the airport and they did it was all in one one space, but you drove in to the first front parking lot was the middle school and there was an entrance right there. Then you drive around the back and the entrance is the high school and they are separated. So it was two buildings connected but yet two separate schools but that is major major construction to a build to our high school that
078is pretty much a big it's circling around the the gymnasium and the auditorium. So again, I'm not I'm not into into I'm not the the contractor and what have you, but I'm just again thinking out loud. It's a twotory versus that building was a long spread out building, sprawling building I should say. But uh just the more and more you look at the study and do we have that study placed online so people can look at that, >> right? Yeah. >> For for not just us but for anybody or is that okay? So maybe we make sure that that's known so people can take a peek at it because the reality is we have looked at this. Yeah. Anytime somebody writes it, >> what happened last time? We looked at it and then everybody, oh,
079>> right, >> that's what it's going to cost and then I just want >> But I'm glad we looked at it because like we have we have to ask the questions and we have to be told yes or no. We have to be able to make that educative decision on what's right. Right. >> So, would preschool be a revenue stream that we could >> Yeah. I I mean uh we already kind of do >> we have our F FRC programming and our readiness and all that. So we do things that way and we do do you do have some for that >> in that way. Um, you did not we did not uh we did not have the budgetary to expand the staff to have a broader, you know, preschool. It's not part of our
080MFC if that makes sense. >> Last time we tried it, it did not get accepted choice, >> right? >> But when we looked at it when Yeah. It was before you were on the board when we looked to adding the >> Yeah. Appropriate those meetings. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So that was that was the issue. The staff there, >> right? And I I think that sounds great and I I understand the position we're in from a budget standpoint, but if we really want to make our school system desirable for open choice and even, you know, other expansion of the preschool program. Um, you know, I just put it to the board too for some consider it would be great if the people who want us to find ways to bring in more money helped us
081fund the programs and services that would allow us to do things that would bring in more money. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> No, more an expanded prek program for all talent residents, you know, that they um they get as part of their taxpayer, you know, funds as a public school. >> Yeah. that would bring in a lot more open choice options and it would also and it probably go would probably go cost negative after a while because of that should get more open choice people >> and um it would be an opportunity for families to to have a earlier start in public education for their kids >> um that part of our whole systems have buses and everything >> so it would be a benefit to Tomlin families a massive benefit involved them as in
082ways that many but we just could not >> but I mean if we're thinking about you know spending $6 million for example right >> to offset half a million dollars in cost every year I would expect that investing in a prek program and expanding the prek program not only would eventually reduce costs right you'd save up to those half a million dollars in cost every year, but you'd also provide a benefit to students and students and families in town that currently does not exist. And you know, so if you're going to spend that kind of money to reduce costs, you can also do it in a way that adds value to living here. I would highly recommend considering that before tearing down a building. And Dr. Will, this can be a super quick answer. Um,
083just curious, what would the impact in terms of scheduling? So, the the high school has, you know, four blocks, right? The gym's only available for so long, so many blocks in a day, right? And now we've had six, seventh, and eighth grade >> cafeteria, auditorium, room, >> music rooms, all that, >> music room, all that. >> Those those UA specials and areas like that are why you probably have to have >> gotcha. So, you know, or other, you know, because you can't have everyone, you can't have a >> kids are eating at 10:30, >> 11 year old in the same space for certain things as an 18y old usually. You have to have them in, you know, >> other areas. So, there'll be classroom probably things that would have to be built out and probably
084something like that kind of thing. >> What is there a precedent for this happening? And you know, middle school follows eight do they have eight periods, eight, nine periods? >> Yeah. I mean you you can have a building with two sets of schedules. It's just that >> okay >> you know that I did that for a while when I first you know >> um the thing about it is that that has many complications. >> Yeah. >> You know um so it's not it's it's possible and would have to happen that way and I have to happen that way you know it would be a challenge. you have less flexibility in your scheduling, >> right? And in your spaces. >> And in your spaces. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, I'd like to move on. And um
085I guess where I'm at is is that um personally I don't have the appetite to spend this money of our very budget um without a conversation with the town council and discussions upon how important it is to the town of Talin for us to have this study done at $57,000 to find out what the answers are and maybe to educate them on what we've been talking about. perhaps they don't understand all of these things that go into it. Um as well as having discussions like you know the point Bill is making that it may well Bill slash you with the regionalization of open choice and McKenzie the preschool that there are other ways that we can bring in um more money over over time um and we don't necessarily have to do something as drastic
086and then again that it the likelihood that the top option will not be the removal of TIS it will be our second largest school and school grounds. which is what I was >> Yeah. with your athletic fields and all that. >> Exactly. So, I mean, I guess I you know, I'm not sure. Is this >> I don't think we need to formalize this, but is this something that you guys want to table for a bit or is this something that you want to see if we can set up a a meeting with the town council to to hash some more stuff out? And and just as just one other ad, I mean it could very it could be that they would say SC TIS, but think you know to the point you were making before
087think of a third grader in a building built for like the 16 to 18 year olds, right? Right. >> Something has to be modified. >> Yeah. The lockers will have >> lockers would have to be modified like all these things that be mod because you're talking about the three through five going to a building that building was designed for high school kids, >> right? It was our old type would virt you know they could they say that they might say he's got to let move them but that's >> you know that would be there's going to be something >> right >> cost >> right I mean the board the board asked right we got a letter from the board member I mean a council member >> the vice chair of the town council told us
088that we should be pursuing this >> so I mean I would not I mean I personally I I think we would owe an answer and get back to them and you know have the conversation And just like you said, educate them, have it, you know, if they want to put it on the agenda and get the issue out there, make sure that more people get, you know, some awareness of the things we're talking about, right? >> But I think that I just urge them in that conversation to have maybe a wider purview of ways that we can reduce costs and increase revenue without degrading the experience of our students and families. That's crazy. Yeah. And we should talk about that as a town because they said, why should we do something that is actually going
089to be more costly overall for the town rather than talk about things that could actually just less costly and bring in more revenue. Um, so I'm looking at that and you know, Dr. Willlet and I can see if we can set up a a time for even just a beginning conversation with leadership and then maybe a joint meeting or like JP said, put it on their agenda. But >> you can do that. >> You tell me. I'll reach out to the town and set it up. I don't know if you want to do Bill and I can talk a little bit more offline and then and then we can we can talk about >> chairs or something figuring it out. >> You know, that's probably your best. >> Does that work for everyone? Is that
090okay? One more question. >> We still have the preschool at the high school even though we don't have the childhood development program. >> Uh no, we don't we have a modified program that >> So there is an actual active preschool that's >> the F FRC has a program up there >> at the high school. >> Yeah, they have that playground. They have a program. But I thought that FRC just used the TIS and >> they do have some kids in um they do these I forget what they call them but there are kids that they do have some programming but it's just not child development. >> It's not a full child development program >> or um independent study. It's like an independent study structure and FRC uses space and still does because they were looking
091at stating that playground and FRC has people >> that's the high school. >> Yeah. Program. >> Yeah. No, I know we don't have the program for the school itself. The only reason why because Mackenzie was talking about having opportunity for preschool or whatever and I was like okay what my thought was what are we doing with that space because I know that we no longer have that program for our students the high school students I should say. And so just made me think of that space >> and even that would be one space you know so it's just kind of >> found >> I will say that you know we do have an FRC in this district and that family resource center structure is how we offer sort of a preschool option at a cost
092of scales. So it's just it's just not a public it's not public school preschool you pay for it. So K readiness you pay for it. You know preschool through Epc you pay for it. >> We have our own but it's an inclusion program and that was the one we're going to expand. Right. >> Okay. All right. So Bill and I will we'll talk about that then we'll get with Dr. Late you guys. Okay. >> All right. K2 budget update. >> Okay. So, as I had said, you know, we we have these various rounds of budget and um and then I post these after we get through each iteration. I I post first I post give it to you and then I post it um on our budget site. So, as soon as we get done
093talking about this tonight, tomorrow I'll post this update. This is the final update of our adjustments to the 3.4. Um, so I this will be where it all settles at this point, but I did want to give you a final update on on kind of how that went down. So the configuration of the 12 FTE reduction wherever we can, we do try to not have that be, you know, certain pl certain um certain program positions so on. For instance, if there's a way that we can when someone retires or resigns or something changes, we leverage every change. So if you know that does happen, I will then shift things up again accordingly. So that did happen again in the last you know week or two. This will be the last shift of that. um we
094had um resignations that then opened up for instance a lead position that we would not now fill and instead we put that person back in you know in kindergarten because our K numbers now are up up almost at 20 and you can't have them bigger than 20. So we had to do something anyway which would have pushed the other grades up into the 24 five six zone. So we didn't do that. So with that resignation, we're able to shift um and put the K1 back. And so there's that happening. Um we had some ABIS opening that we were able to leverage for that. So bottom line is with what we were able to leverage in terms of retirements reductions and other things. Now what you have here is um the reduction list of these positions
095and this is where it will end. I don't anticipate I mean we are now literally at the end so there is no other thing that will impact this there will be no likely any more resignations retirements or any of that. So the reduction of the administrator, an ABIS, a LEAP teacher, a preK5 teacher, um.5 librarian, 612 ELA, um PAR educators, four um.5 BCBA, district tech specialist, total FTE reduction is 12. Um also things we did, we um we reduced in the central office down from a 12 to a 10-month. um we made other kind of concessions and things. So at this point, this is how this should end. Um one other thing that happened um I had a recent communication with the administrative society which is the administrators union. Um the building principles are taking
096on the responsibility of leap in their buildings. Um, so I'm moving that position back over to Birch Grove to allow for an assistant principal at Birch Grove because the administrators in each building are now taking on the role of lead management. Um, so that means we would not have a hole at Birch Grove at this point. And that was uh something that had not evolved until this moment in time. In fact, just a little bit before this meeting. So um, you know, within the scope of the last 24 hours, all of this evolved to where it is right now. So, um, I'm giving you literally the last 24-hour update of where it all landed. Um, this should be it, though. Um, this will be the last update I give you on this because this is
097how this finally lands. And that's also good to keep in mind because the beginning of the process always has to start with, you know, about 12 positions. We're not exactly sure, you know, it's going to be these people because we have to hit this amount or it's going to be these positions because we have to hit a target amount of money to reduce. But along the way, you know, if a BCBA is, you know, opening or opened up there, we can take that. If uh, you know, that's a board certified behavior analyst. Is it a is it something that we wish we still had? Yeah. But, you know, can we maybe save that for instance, I'm just going to use example K teacher. Yeah. So if we can and there's something like that, we will
098try to do that. Um so that that's how it goes. Um but this this should be the final one and I would post this tomorrow. I just wanted you to see it first and then gear 24. That's it. I don't expect anything else here at this point. We we have squeezed every single turnup you can squeeze and then we've had every development, but I think it's going to occur for this period. >> Great. Any questions? Jay, >> did you have a >> Well, I I just wanted to clarify just so that it's publicly spoken. This is based on your chart. This is nine and a half people that we have had to let go, but 12 positions. >> Listen, the vacancies are here, >> right? But those are those aren't people. Those are retired. where
099you see vacancy that is um to use your terminology not a not a person >> right >> where you see a no that is actually some person >> so >> and these are still position like if I were to if I were to retire tomorrow you could not hire about another superintendent you're you're losing your super but you know any super but you're you're not firing it >> but I just wanted to vocalize that it's nine and a half people that we have let go 12 positions. >> Yeah. That all the nos are the people that were in the position and were >> okay the vacancies were people that >> the lead part >> but I do want to clarify that that doesn't mean we carry the position all year. I think sometimes people think,
100you know, we carry this position all year to keep the money like that an administrator for example that retirement happened at the end. These are people that are with us through June 30th of the contractual year. It's not like they didn't exist as people, >> you know, they were, you know, working here and then retired at the as of June 30th. Does that make sense? because I think sometimes people think oh there's five position that car that's not what we mean here >> go ahead >> the lead part was that also a part of the last 24 hours with the responsibility missing principles >> a little bit more than the admin one is the 24 hours the the rest of this is the last like week or >> but the responsibility of each building's leave
101the lead program >> that is the last roughly 24 hours yeah >> they are taking that on so that the so that the person in that position can take on the assistant principal position instead. The principles agreed to take on >> that's the shift is that principles become primarily that goes back to a model >> going to add to their responsibility to take on that program in each of their >> is that not >> in order for us to have an assistant principal at the elementary school. >> Whoa. So task that's part of what their their group also knows and is >> that's something they would they had to read to or there are some things that Dr. Well, it can just enact this is something that >> so in this particular case um what
102you are getting is if you thought about I mean the AP joba y >> I mean looking at it um right now what you're gaining at at Birch Grove this massive that's because otherwise there would be this big >> and their hole was going to happen somewhere because you you reduced an administrator so where that hole was going to land was you know the ball was bouncing about where that was going to go ultimately and um and where it fell was down here but the conditions and you know as the as like these other things this evolves towards till the end and we're making operational changes towards you know the end based on what changes along the way >> and so for instance when that lead decision opened I didn't say damn it we're just
103going to hire another I said great hey we can go back to pay here that back when the you know when a change is over with ABIS and we can pick up some money in another place because of a resignation retirement that happened afterwards or a differential say the span forward than what we had >> now I don't have to eliminate the um interventionist >> sure >> you know and that then we still have reading support at the middle school for instance so you know you make the changes based on the operational information you have at that moment in time the 12 month secretary Taylor Straer uh went to a job in Vernon, right? And that's great. Congratulations to her. Um now instead of having a 12 month in that position, we'll have a 10-month
104pick up some money there, >> you know? >> So, and what we do is like, and I didn't know that, right? Miss Miss Strazer resigned in the last I happened in the last two weeks. >> So, if I rehire at a 10-month rather than a 12-month, does it require more of us to pick up more work, especially in the summer and all that? Yeah. But does it uh in you know in some ways right or we all have to do certain things but does it mean now we don't have to reduce you know certain you know positions of people yeah and and that's what you want you know you don't want to lose your interventionist you don't want to lose your K teacher if you can avoid it you don't want to lo and that's
105what we're trying to do here does the FTE stay about the same yep you notice that that stays about the same but we we keep trying to find ways you know all the way now when I say all the way it is at now the end. There's no there's nothing else here that will happen. I'm giving the last report and most of the time the last report on this will be around the end of June. >> But understand two things. One, this is what I mean when I say I'm not necessarily looking to pick up a $60,000 bill right now for something that's because every time this happens, there is a phone call that I received from Dr. that explains this that hey I can now take a certain portion of this because this person
106made more than the person I can bring in and I can do this is this you know so these are things that are happening like he says as we I mean Taylor's resignation was only a few weeks ago um and then secondly this is what we request Dr. willing to do. We request him to do everything possible up until the last minute if possible to keep every position that we can for our students. So, he's doing exactly what we've asked them to do. We are still making the reductions. He's just juggling things around to be able to make sure that our students have what they need wherever they can. >> And you're welcome to do that. >> Yes. requested required you to do so. >> This is how it kind of falls. You know, we
107have to make the operation decisions as the information is available. >> But I will say this is it. I don't see anything else changing from this point on. This is the last publication of the proposal will make to budget thing for this year. >> Yeah, >> it is. And I appreciate I mean that sounds like a lot of change in the last three weeks since referendum or whatever. whenever however many weeks it's been. Um and and and I don't know any other superintendent that could pull off some of the solution finding that you seem to find. Um at the same time, wow, we are now asking our principles to add more to their plate. We're asking the superintendent over summer to add more to his plate. I just this is starting to I mean it's
108not starting. This is year five. Okay. you know, this town is lost in its direction in supporting public education. And I couldn't care less how people feel about that opinion. It it is mind-blowing that over two three weeks you've done all this work and now you got more work to go look forward to after we sweep this, you know, we sweep this under the rug. We we get past this and now we go on to something else, you know, the next week or the week after at hopefully next budget cycle is improved. I highly doubt it because that's where this town is right now. But um wow, more on top of admin's place. >> And by the way, some of our most vulnerable are our absolutely most vulnerable children in the lead programs. This is
109the Tomlin Public School District. As as highly achieved as as this district is, this is where we're headed. I mean, that was hard to swallow just now. So I I apologize for sort of sitting up for a second. I didn't realize leap of all programs was added to principal's responsibility. All right, that's all. Sorry, that's great. But thank you for doing all that work. I can imagine the situation you were in. That's not something I ever want to be put in. So thank you for doing that. >> Thank you for pointing out the magnitude of the decisions that he has to make. >> Yeah. Okay, I am going to close that out and I'm going to jump down to board action which is N1 which is the possible cancellation of July 22nd BOE meeting. Um
110I don't know if any explanation here is necessary. It's just that >> same situation as before. However, you seem to be right on timeline. So, >> right. >> I mean, >> yeah, you likely will not be grappling with anything to do with me at that point. It seems like you're wrapping it up. >> Yes, we have. We've held you >> for the first time in many rooms. It seems like you're wrapping that up >> on time. >> Just say it on time. >> On >> within a nice >> with due respect, however you want to put it, you know. >> So, I will um entertain a motion. >> I move. >> You want more discussion? >> Yeah. I is it possible that we wait for this item until after executive session? >> I knew that
111that question was coming. We we did not move this at the beginning of the meeting. Can we move this mid meeting? >> You could make it Q2. >> So we'd have to take a >> make action item. Can you defer this to an action item like Q2 at the end of the agenda? >> Okay. I make the motion to move >> N1 to Q2. I'll second that. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> No. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Extensions. So that is that passes. Okay. So we will then public foration. Anyone from the public would like to speak? You have two minutes to do so. >> I do have >> The timer is ready. Would anyone in the room like to speak at this time? Would anyone online like to speak at this
112time? Room. Mary Rose, 37 Ryan Road. Um, this conversation has been extremely um eye opening for me to talk to hear about the um building study and what that entails. speaking as a resident and impairment um not as a member of the town council. Um but no, I I appreciate everyone's question and your discussion and I thought it was really important to hear it and um hopefully others will tune in at some point and and hear it as well. >> Thank you. >> Anyone online? Back to the room. Okay, let's close that out and we will move to points of information if anyone from the board would like to speak. I would like to say that you know thank you to our two count council members for attending. And the good news with you being
113here is I know that part of this process is that you do report back to the council. So you will be able to prep them and have tell them that there is a discussion and that we will likely be contacting them in the future. >> Thank you. knocking at the door. >> I just want to echo what you just said, Jen. Thanks to both of you, too. And as you can see, just like in your meetings, the amount of people participants from the community that are here to hear what you just heard. And you can, you know, of course, I'm I'm preaching to the choir when when when I talk about the frustrations that we go through after what we just discussed extensively for almost an hour. And uh but I'm glad you two could
114hear it. And uh >> hopefully when you echo all of our sentiments in your meeting, hope you'll have more participation than what we had here, >> you know. So it's not a secret to the town. That's it. >> What else? >> No. Okay. Then we next we have our executive session. So I will um entertain a motion to enter into executive session. I um believe at this time that we should enter into executive session as just the fourth. And um we can invite Dr. Willard in um later if we choose. >> Motion to enter into executive session with just the board. Second >> for the purpose of the superintendent evaluation. >> Seconded. >> Any discussion? >> No. All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> Attentions. Thank you. So everyone who is online, you will
115be put into the waiting room until after we come back. So we I will entertain a motion at this time. My >> move to increase Dr. Willlet's salary by 3% next year. >> Um second >> and any discussion? >> Uh do we need more? >> So here's here's what I'd recommend. maybe resend the motion. I would the motion that you probably want to do for your own protection is you're making this 3% of my general wage increase under article 5A and 5B >> is you're giving me a 3% increase on everything. That means that >> just you know >> period after there. >> Sure. >> I'm trying to help you by it by saying you know it's the general wage increase. This motion is carefully constructed to protect your interests with 5A and 5B. The
116motion to approve change of superintendent specified in the June 246 meeting the 3% general wage increase of of this for article 5A and 5B and extended well the rest of it you'll do as a separate one. So, it's just protecting you because it's limited to only that and not anything else. >> Got it. 954. Dr. Willie. Go. >> I'm motion to approve the changes to the superintendent contract as specified in the June 24th, 2026 board of education meeting with a 3% general wage increase of $6,448.30 for article 5A and 5B. >> Any second? >> Second. I was going to let you make no other >> I have a question for discussion just for the record. >> Okay. >> Any discussion Dana? >> Um are we going to be voting on the ever clause? Evergreen clause.
117Yeah. Afterwards. >> That's all I just wanted on record. Who has to vote on both? Yeah. >> That's just wanted on record. >> Um any other discussion at this time? No. Oh, James. >> Yeah, real quick. That I'm going to support the split vote simply for the fact that everybody gets to express their own philosophical different beliefs and whatnot. So, otherwise, I would have absolutely fully supported putting these two clauses together. Um, just like we've done all four years, this year, five, all four years I've been on this board because I believe in the superintendent for going above and beyond every year. So, I just wanted to clarify that, make sure that goes on record. Thank you. >> Anything else? No. Okay, I'm going to roll call this one. >> Okay, >> Jaden, >> I
118>> McKenzie. >> Hi, >> Bill. >> Happily, I >> Dana. >> Hi, >> JP. >> I Joel, >> I >> and I am an I. >> That passes unanimously. >> Okay, >> we made that motion. Second. >> Mackenzie made the motion. JP seconded the motion. >> Okay, so I will accept another motion. Motion to extend the contractual agreement between the board of education and superintendent Walter Willlet for a year making the contract duration three years from July 1. >> Is that 2026 through is there >> July 30th 2029 updating section 3 terms of agreement in the superintendent's contract please uh that's contract accordingly and with no other modifications or changes. Jeez. >> Second. >> It's like an obstacle course. >> Okay. McKenzie seconded. Any discussion? >> Yeah. Um, I would just like to say that
119that my vote is not reflective of how I feel of Dr. Willlet, but just reflective of my personal philosophical um, viewpoints of of contracts. >> Thank you. Any other discussion? Okay. Jaden, >> hi >> McKenzie. >> Hi >> Bill. >> Hi >> Dana. >> Hi >> JP. >> Hi >> Joel. >> Hi. >> And I am an I as well. That passes. Okay. I will. And now we go on to board action view two, which is the cancellation of the um July 22nd meeting. I would like to modify that if possible to the cancellation of the July 8th and July 22nd meeting. Um if anyone would like to make that motion, I can't modify. I would like to suggest a modification. So, if anyone would like to make that motion or any other motion, >>
120I'd like to make a motion to cancel the July 8th and July 22nd meeting. >> Second, >> I don't want to have discussion. >> Any discussion? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Um, do we need to consider our superintendent goals because he's been working under these since the last board. And is that something that we should look at doing in July or look at starting the process in July with some sort of Google worksheet from Dr. Willlet with his proposed goals to us that he comes up with? Yeah, I was going to suggest that if I I didn't know what the timeline was for the superintendent goals, but I was going to suggest if we should get started, perhaps what we could do in July would be you send out a Google form with your um
121possible, you know, suggested goals and also leave room for us to contribute um possibilities as well. >> Sure. >> And then um and then secondly, once you get those back, you could send out and could rank them. This way when we do go into our first discussion, we already have a framework in place. >> Yeah. I I usually will umbrella them under your board rules. >> Yep. >> So So we should do that in July. >> I mean I can do that and post it on the dashboard and you can do that part >> and then Bill and I will harass you all to >> and then in our first board of ed planning for August, the first August meeting, we can have it on there and I tell you the results. So >> perfect.
122That would be perfect. That would give us a great head start. >> Good. Okay. All right. So all right. So we made the motion. That was discussion. I discussed anybody else. >> No, no, it's uh discussion on the motion to cancel the >> meeting since 10:00. >> No, we can't extend past time. >> Okay. >> So, >> I'm an I. So, we've canceled those meetings. >> Okay. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? People are getting too comfortable with moy.