Thompson BOE Meeting - November 10, 2025

001Uh, I will call on um Daniel Carlson. You can do the pledge of allegiance, please. >> It is. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty andice for all. >> Okay. Um, I'm sorry I'm not there in person with you tonight, but you're probably not sorry that I am in person with you tonight. Um, um, I've been ill for the last couple of days and, uh, I wouldn't want to pass it on to anybody. So, I don't have much to say tonight except that to congratulate the three new members of our board of education, Daniela Cavalry and Amanda Lincoln and Rick Maderos. Uh, welcome aboard. We will hold a special orientation meeting on November 17th to review

002the uh duties of the board of board members and how the Thompson Board of Education operates. Um for new board members, it is mandatory that you attend. Uh but for existing board members, I encourage you to attend as it will be a good refresher course. Uh Melinda, um did you hear back from Steve Sedor on whether it's going to be a split meeting? >> Not yet. I'll find out tomorrow. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Do we know the time? >> Because I'd like to get the agenda put together as soon as possible. Um I now open up the floor to citizens comments. Uh please state your name and your address for Dana for the records. >> Thanks. Any citizens comments? >> I can't see the citizens from here. So, >> there's nobody on the floor

003and nobody on Zoom. Kathleen, >> pardon me. >> There's nobody on floor or nobody on Zoom with comments. >> Okay. Anybody on Zoom? And I can't see the board. You'll have to let me know. I'm sorry. It doesn't. Anybody on Zoom? >> No. >> Okay. Then we will move on to the student leazison reports. Good evening. I'm Madison Carlson, a board of ed leaison here alongside Dylan Axo. We are here to share the TMHS first quarter report. First, I'd like to start with TMHS upcoming events. On November 13th, we'll have the TMHS winter sports uh parent player meeting. Following that, on the 14th, there's a TSLT inservice where there will be Olympics planning and the ornament auction for Thompson Senior Citizen Club Festival of Trees. We are looking forward to decorating our TMHS tree for

004the Thompson Senior Citizen Club Festival of Trees to showcase TMHS. On the 25th of November, we will also hold the TMHS Olympics. The TSL team will be holding its second annual TMHS Olympics where students will compete in a wide range of events to earn gold, silver, and bronze medals for their class. Originally created to replace powderpuff, this event has grown into a more inclusive and engaging tradition that brings together students from all groups to build positive school spirit. The whole school is looking forward to this fun event which takes place on November 25th and leads into Thanksgiving break. >> Um some other highlights, the NHS raised over $3,000 um for Teague during homelessness awareness which took place on October 3rd where they slept out on the track to raise awareness for homelessness. Um students enjoyed

005spirit week leading up to homecoming on Friday which was awesome. It was a great success with over 140 students which is practically our whole school. Um, career day was extremely successful. Um, it was a day consisting of activities to expand students knowledge and increase their probability of succeeding in the workforce by introducing them to mock interviews, job applications, and other skills that allow them to be financially stable while working. Um, on October 27th, 35 students took place in FBA's um, installation ceremony. I got installed as vice president. Not to brag. Went pretty well. Um, some sports news. The Valley Panthers football team holds a record of four to three. I believe they have two more games. They have one this Friday, I know, and one on Thanksgiving. So, we're hoping them the best there. The

006girls soccer team finished their season with a record of 143 and2 winning the ECC divisions in ECC divisions 2 tournament with our very own Sam Pogorny being named player of the game. Uh they also competed in the first round of the CIA soccer tournament where they unfortunately faced a loss to East Lime. Now, the girls soccer team two-year agreement to merge with Killingly is ended, meaning they will return to Turtlot for the following season in 2026. The boys soccer team had a very hard-fought season with one win, 13 losses, and one tie. Uh both the boys and girls cross country team showed tremendous improvement this year with many of our athletes achieving personal best this season >> during the championship. Uh the boys basketball and soccer teams along with the boys and girls indoor track

007teams will be starting their seasons very shortly. Student voice forms. Uh members of the student council report an overall positive experience at Turtle. The student council is currently working with Mr. Melon to find better ways to utilize our beautiful courtyard we have out in the nice sun. Additionally, we'd like to be here on behalf of the SSA to announce the student spotlight. Each quarter, TMHS student spotlight program recognizes a student who has demonstrated outstanding achievement, character, leadership, attitude, and/or contributions to the school and the community. Our first quarter student spotlight honore is senior Isabella Stewart. Three of Isabella's peers nominated Bella for this recognition. They all commented on the many ways she has helped TMHS community behind the scenes and they all mentioned how she works better. She works to better TMHS with no expectation

008of recognition even though she goes far above and beyond. Bella is an active member of the Turtle student leadership team, secretary for the senior class and corresponding secretary for NHS. Bella also was a huge contributor to the senior work of Annie. Bella is in the process of applying to colleges and universities where she will major in fine arts. And that's all. >> Thank you very much. >> Yeah. I'm just Captain Danielle. >> Yeah. I'm just going to piggy back off of uh the alumni day. My daughter went uh she was she represented neck the New England Center for Children and she had a blast. So she just wanted to tell you kids like to let you know. >> Thank you. You're welcome. >> Great. Okay. And we will move on to the approval of the

009minutes from our October 14th meeting. Um, can I have a motion? >> I'll make a motion to approve the minutes. >> I'll second. >> Okay, we have a a motion and a second. Any discussion on the minutes? Yeah, something has too. Um, I think so maybe I was confused. Uh, item 9B, it was the approval of the proposal. >> I think that was the approval of a proposal for us to do it, but not I think there was some confusion about whether or not we were going to send it to the board of selectmen to have them decide whether they were going to do it or not. >> That was voted down actually. >> Yeah. So it was was >> it was >> so the motion was for to send it to >> the select

010>> select. Okay. >> Um and then my second note was just uh 9D >> uh approve that free school breakfast for all students for the recommendations and service records. >> Great. >> And it doesn't say free in the motion. It says, "Approve that school breakfast for all students per the recommendations of the food service director." >> Okay, >> those are nice for those. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Yeah, that's correct, isn't it? >> Yes. Yeah, that's correct. >> All students get free breakfast, but they don't get free lunch. >> The word free was not in the sentence. >> Justin's right. >> Yes. Yes. Absolutely. Any other discussion? Hearing no other discussion, I'll put the u the motion to the floor for a vote. All in favor of approving the minutes of October 14th, say

011I. I >> I and I vote I all any opposition say no. Any abstensions? The motion passes. Subcommittee updates. We had a >> communication >> polic. Do we have a policy meeting? No, communication. >> Communication. I know we had that, but I wasn't sure about a policy between that. Okay. The commu communication committee, and I apologize for not being able to attend that one either. >> Um, we had a >> Yep. Yes. Go ahead. >> We had a communication subcommittee meeting on Thursday, November 6th at 7 o'clock. Um, we had a kind of a robust um agenda. Um old business included um discussing um high school tours with middle school parents and students and providing an update on that. Um >> continuing to simplify communication methods to parents and maximizing the use of the powers

012school tool particularly amongst the elementary um grades one, two, and three in particular. Um and then uh ongoing initiatives. Um we still have the did you know campaign though it stalled a little bit but we'll pick back up. Um we are going to be promoting the turtleot co collaboration and community service progress uh service prog projects that are coming up. Um there is a number of them that the students are working on. um incentive program is moving forward with giving um incentives and gift cards to absenteeism and to for those that have perfect attendance are put into a round when a card and other things. Um sports promotions are still happening um on our uh Facebook page um as well as on the school Instagram um mostly weekly. uh sports sponsorships. Um we are going

013to solicit uh digital um advertising for our home um high school basketball games. Um so that's forthcoming. So any um uh businesses in the area that that would like to participate, I believe they're $50 um and they can reach out to Danielle in um Superintendent Smith's office. Uh letterw writing campaign is backup. Um Kristen has updated our kind of form letter. Um though we possibly might wait until January when the updated numbers come out um and then we can share that with the board as well as the public um to solicit um some noise in our area. Um upcoming initiatives included um reviewing the parent student staff survey um that we have put out now um last year. Uh this is will be the third year. The first was a very large version. Last year

014we put out a reduced um revised version and this will be putting out that same reduced revised version um out to those three stakeholders. Um leadership and local government roundt that we've been doing for several years now is um also happening this coming March uh 2026 with the high school leadership team. Um that information will be forthcoming as to the dates and the agenda. Um we talked about um marketing the capstone progra uh process since this is kind last year was our full um year of having an entire class um follow through with that. Um how we can market it, how we can get more community stakeholder participation. Um we talked about pathways at the high school and the exciting news about the um vet assistant program as well as um early childhood education is

015in the works. Um, also there's some talk that I know Melinda has on the agenda, I believe, for the adult education. So, we'll talk about that later, but we talked a little bit about that at our meeting as well. In addition, um, we had some ideas that came up um that we discussed. Um, one was the idea of some kind of um, real estate flyer um, that could encourage um, families to move to Thompson um, highlighting both the amenities and the importance and in quality of life in Thompson as well as in in the school system. Um, we talked about the um new ways of u potentially communicating with the community um via our Instagram and our Facebook page. Um, and whether that might be little video shorts or some kind of more engaging um

016piece that we can kind of put on our socials. Um, our next meeting has not been set yet. Um, but it will likely be in January. And that's it. Okay, thank you. That was a lot to cram into that time. >> One hour. We got it done. >> Okay. Um, very good work, Heather. Thank you. And the rest of the committee at that you have a very robust committee. All right. Um um we'll move on to the enrollment report and I'll turn it over to Superintendent Smith. >> Good evening everyone. Um we have no change in the total enrollment numbers. We're still holding steady at 774 students. There's been no change at Turtle Memorial High School um where you have 166 students. We have one less student at the middle school for a total of

017280 and one more student at Marriott Fischer for a total of 327 students giving us the grand total of students. And then Dette uh did put together that breakdown for you so that you know you know by grade level who is at Quinnabog and Killingly and Ellis Tech. Um, I thank her for that. And then the comingings and goings of our students are listed on her monthly report. >> Yeah. >> Any questions on enrollment, Justin? >> So, what's we've been asking this for a couple months now and I'm trying to do some math. What's our total fiscal responsibility number? So that number according to the department of ed um the number that the state works with is that 774. The fact that we are fiscally responsible for the students that go to Killingly um are

018the numbers that are listed here and um that is the only school that we actually pay tuition to in addition to the out of district placement students. So 22 at um out of district and uh we pay tuition for 21 at Killingly and four at >> plus the transportation of 49 right >> well the trans the transportation yes but we don't we don't pay tuition to Ellis. So the totals of each school are listed there. So, is there a way to put like even on there with the tuition tuition like transportation of with the enrollment because that's that's where we we're getting slammed on the internet. >> I mean, I can tell you it's two it's two buses. It's $130,000. >> Okay. >> I mean, >> that Ellis tech piece. >> Yeah. >> Ellis Killingly,

019we don't transport QMC. >> Okay. So I guess the only thing that I would say is for all of you board members and I know we've talked about this as we said about what is the total financial responsibility to to the taxpayer because you're going to be questioned why are we paying so much for 700 to it's not the case you have close to 900 students that your fiscal is responsible for. So when it comes budget time, you guys should be able to put numbers against that. Whatever that transportation cost is, as you just said, 130 and whatever those out placements are, call it out. >> Well, the bill and get number put it out there. And I think it's a twofold feature, right? We finally answered the question of how we're doing the tuition

020breakdown for the excess cost grant, >> right? That's the 774, which sucks because it would be a lot better if we had the higher number because then our cost per pupil would go down. But >> um so I think I think this personally I think the way that the system is right now from the state level is built against us and we just need to be able to articulate how and where those dollars go. >> So Dr. Jones later on. Um I'm sure Kathleen's going to um call him because she asked him to be on Zoom this evening because she has some questions specifically around excess cost. >> So he's with us to answer those questions um when we get there. >> Can I ask a question? the la the last the fourth page the

021last page of that how you have on the bottom left the little list of the each school >> um and then the total would it would it be possible to to have three more little lines one that says yeah like um >> um a and then our maybe our five um Bradley >> Bradley school students Bradley school students are included in not a district numbers which is 22. >> So yeah number it's part of that outpource number. >> All right. Well then add that in there too then outpaced. >> So you want killingly there >> anything that we're we're financially obligated just in this little running list and then a a grand total of the full tuition transportation. We're on the horn for number. >> Okay. I'll have Dette transpose some of those lines over

022here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Cuz there was discussions on the Facebook page that shall not be named where they are only taking this number, the 774, because there are residents who refuse to acknowledge that we are financially responsible for transporting kids to Ellis, that we do pay tuition to Killingly as well as pay transportation. and the same they ignore the fact that we also have 22 that we're paying tuition and transportation for that are being sent that are being outplaced. >> I mean remember that this report is is is a is an enrollment number report. It's not a dollar amount. So to put a dollar amount there wouldn't make sense but the total number. >> Yeah that's what they're looking for. because our actual per pupil expenditure would be our total budget divided by

023based on these numbers 870 not our budget number divided by 774 >> and that's what they're doing >> the only time I'm saying put numbers to it dollar amounts when it comes budget >> which we do any yeah we just need the enrollment amount to show >> so you want that box bigger and to add them >> that's how do we transport the kids to Killingly and to Ellis Ellis we go around town. How many buses do we do? We run to Ellis. >> Two. We run two buses for Killing Lee and Ellis. >> Okay. So, that's 30. You're saying it's $30,000 per bus? >> No, it's about $130,000 for two buses. >> $130,000 for two buses. So, that's $260,000 in transportation. >> No, no, no, no. is 65,000 each bus. So it's about 130

024for two buses. >> I Okay, I misunderstood you. We run two buses to Killingly and two buses to Ellis or one >> two buses to two buses total. Students ride depending on what side of town they're coming from. They're mixed on the bus. Ellis kids. >> Okay. Mixed. >> So one bus covers Kiddling. Okay. Two buses. >> Two bus. Two buses cover both schools. >> Okay, I got it. So, it's okay. >> It depends on what side of town they they live on and what the route is. >> Okay, I got it. >> I'll do it for 110. >> I don't think anyone would want that job. Tough one. Um, but still, it's $130,000. Correct. >> Okay. May I move on to the next item? >> Yes, you may. >> Okay. Um, so this evening

025I invited all three principles. As you know, principles um uh are not required to come to every meeting, but because this evening um they are going over their school climate plans, um I asked them to be here in person. Um they're not going to read the entire plan to you, but they each want to highlight certain aspects of their culture and climate plan. Um so I'm going to start with the high school. Um Principal Melon, if you could come up to the microphone. >> So I made copies. I'm going to you're going to have to share. We ran out of uh colored ink. So, >> yeah, we have it. >> I made a highlighted copy just so you guys can sort of stay with me. I'll be very fancy that we ran out of >>

026I don't need a colored one. I don't need to meet you in person. All right. So, as you all know, uh, well, those of you that don't know me, I'm TJ Mel Memorial High School. Good evening, everybody. Great job students as always. Even you, Dylan. This kid, buddy, you did a great big job. Um, so one of the things, um, a big thing for the high school this year, for those of you that don't don't know that, is our NES accreditation visit, uh, which will be in March. So, um, we we were putting a lot of effort, energy, and time into that over the last couple years, and now it's really starting to pick up steam. Um, you know, the good thing is a lot of the culture and climate plan fits directly with with

027what we need to do, um, foresque accreditation. So, couple highlights, uh, things that we're proud of, uh, things that seem to be working very well. So goals to support students um using data in the classroom uh both PSAT and SAT to identify trends uh both positive uh and areas of need to align with our tested standards. Last year uh we had we showed really good growth uh with our SAT scores and our PSAT scores. Uh we beat out a lot of the neighboring high schools uh which was a good thing. Um teachers have been really innovative as far as uh getting our students more prepared and ready. um not really teaching to the test but you know showing them what the test looks like then incorporating uh classroom strategies um within uh their day so

028when students see it particular questions they're comfortable with it they're comfortable with the vocabulary they're comfortable with you know um how everything is going party uh for our junior class um just because the the prescores were really really good um so that's going to been a positive you go down in that same col uh column for strategies uh increase outreach to local businesses and post-secondary institutions to force the relationships um that'll help our students out. We did a career fair um as you had mentioned just an overwhelming success. Uh community partners came out in droves. Students uh did a really good job that day. They participated in mark interviews. um you know there's a lot of need for highly skilled um students to get to the community electric bow etc. Uh and we're hopefully producing

029those students. We have Michelle Walworth now um who is you know in charge of you know job placement and helping students with jobs after high school. that's been she's been a huge help in identifying you know particular students that we refer to her to and then also having um you know doing uh clubs not clubs but uh meetings uh and like you know teaching groups of students what it looks like to to be uh you know a good interviewee so to speak giving them those soft skills that they're going to need out in the real world that they don't necessarily have right now. Um, and so she's sending kids out, she's helping them with mock interviews after they interview. She's actually getting information back if they didn't get the job and then she's going over

030that with the students. Uh, which I think is preparing them when they leave us and they fly off. Um, and they'll have those skills necessary to land jobs. Other thing under action steps to the right, so our data uh developing data teams. One of the things we we talked about last year uh we did this in my old school um and we we wanted to start it this year is we have professional learning communities now. So in that second faculty meeting um of each month teachers get together whether it's a culture and climate team whether it's a data team um whether it's uh an ELLL team whether it's a pathways team um and they they work together to look for trends look for positive outcomes look for areas where we need to be better um

031and again that's helping us out tremendously going back to the PSAT and SATs we have specific teachers um that are offering additional support during our Tiger block and we've now implemented what we call Tiger Labs where in that Tiger block period that we have students are getting specific assistance remediation skills to help improve areas um that they um you know are struggling with currently. So you know really really working on those things. It's going well. Uh as far as our goal to support students and parents, one of the things we identified as being issued is our attendance. Um, we actually are doing an analysis right now of all the surrounding schools really in the state of Connecticut and to to be honest our numbers are actually quite good comparison uh to uh similar type schools.

032We did notice a huge trend in economics. So average household income directly correlates with attendance rates. Um so that's something that we need to be be mindful of. Again, weekly attendance meetings. We're also developing a chart now to look at future performance based on past attendance performance which we've never done before. So we can sort of predict where that student's going to fall within the 180th 80th school day so we can target those students u more effectively. Um, again, constantly reaching out to parents, going over the attendance policy, going over um, you know, why attendance matters, not just the short-term, but the long-term effects of of chronically absent students. Uh, so again, our numbers are maintaining uh, pretty steady in the 90s, which is good to see. Always do better. will keep working, but we're

033up against a lot of different things out there in the community where, you know, we need more support from the families to sort of push their son or daughter, uh, to get them to come to school when they're not sick. But we are seeing some really good things. Um, goals to support families, uh, students. Again, we do a lot with our social media platforms. Uh, school governance council meetings, uh, which Mattie's a part of. Um, seems to be a really good way to discuss, uh, the issues, um, that families are having out, you know, in the community. Um, lot of positives with the parents um, that we're seeing of the various things we're doing. Um, and then again, inviting families in. We did that seventh and eighth grade open house, which I think was really,

034really important. Uh, I think that did, you know, went very well. It's important to to get to the students early, show them all the great things that we're doing, uh, at Torot Memorial High School. U, we want to continue that. Um, because it really is a phenomenal school. We shouldn't be losing any kids as far as I'm concerned at some of the neighboring schools. And then the support staff, you know, working uh not only do we just do the um the surveying works uh to survey them at the end of the year, but we constantly do things within the school year to check on uh how how teachers feel about certain initiatives, the pros, the cons, getting uh teacher feedback and input uh to make the necessary changes and adjustments. Um again, we're looking for

035additional uh grants. We just received a $5,000 grant. again uh we had one as well last year for our media team. So really getting the word out about um Turtle a lot is important that the we had two staff members do it last year. We will now put a third member on the the media team um and just publicizing wherever we can all the great things we're doing. So um again that's that's the highlights if anyone has any questions. Try not to bore you guys. I just have a quick comment. Something maybe to piggyback off of Heather's did you knows. Those would be really good videos to do with your marketing team, but you could also do a did you know we have a job placement. >> Yeah. >> You know, like just things like

036that. I think >> Yeah. So, we have a new website that's linked if you guys want to check it out. Yeah. >> Uh on our Thompson page about the job and some we I believe we shared that. I I know I shared it, you shared it. Um but absolutely. >> Yeah. I think that might be a a good thing to kind of tear off of. We just did one for my salon and that was fun. But yeah, so I definitely >> Sounds good. >> Yeah. >> Anyone else? >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Principal Cornado Middle School. >> You're saving the vessel. Only tease it. Good evening everyone. >> Evening. >> Um >> thank you for your time that you spent on the board. We wish you the best >> and welcome new members. >>

037All right. So again, um for the middle school over the summer, our climate and culture team met and we went through the rubric exclusively and we tried to pinpoint areas where we thought that we could better the school. our focus this year in our our shared vision. I kind of collapsed everything and so you may hear some repetitive things but as we go through the um the format things overlap so I kind of condensed it into something that I thought would follow um in a better order. So for our shared vision, the climate and culture team felt that it was really important that the faculty and students alike will share an envision of physical and mental health awareness. We've done a great job at the middle school of increasing our attendance. kids are coming to

038school, we're we're showing gains, but one one of the areas that we realize is that we have um you know to work on a student's mental health as and and the faculty feeling positive. So we did um we also put a lot of effort into our tiger pride increasing that tiger spirit um so that way kids are feeling great about coming to school every day, great about earning tiger bucks and how can we improve that? You know at the middle school we are always a work in progress as everybody. Um but we are very dedicated um to also positive affirmations. So on Wednesdays our staff um will dress in athletic attire and we will have some positive affirmations that we either say through our seal videos in the morning. We actually have students who are

039working on our seal videos in the morning uh to promote those positive affirmations. Uh we revamped our SEAL program in the morning. Um uh taking out some videos that were seen a couple of times over the years and uh had the students give us input of what we they thought we needed to add into it and they put that in there. Um so our great effort on behalf of our student um support team who are constantly looking at new and innovative ways to get everybody on board with spirit. Um when we talk about um addressing the barriers again funding so we are doing a lot of spirit uh things to increase funding for our PBIS. So therefore we can buy things for the students to have. For instance, we did a pink out and with

040PBIS money we ensure that all students had an opportunity to have something pink in case they didn't. We also um uh through the athletic department uh Deb Spanelli gave us um shirts that were from the retired basketball team, soccer team and we were able to give every student a Tiger Gear shirt which again promotes spirit so that everybody feels part of right um I do we started a last year and we are continuing with that a coffee hour so um I would say by monthly uh we have a principal's coffee hour where I ask parents it's a free open door they can come in and voice their opinion um and voice their concern concerns because there's always concerns, right? And there's always things that we can work on. So, we have an open door policy.

041We um we actually had some really good uh parent input and um on behalf of that we have a parent who decided to um start their own middle school campaign of some positive affirmations that's going on with the uh the middle school and reaching out kind of like the did you know um reaching out just on middle school things that are happening. So we did start that. We are also um having guest speakers with um to do with some addressing barriers that we thought was a social media is really big in the middle school. How can we how can we fight the negative social media out there and um so we are having some guest speakers from Teague. We really utilize Teague. Um we meet every week with um TIG uh staff members. they're in

042on our attendance meeting. Um, one of them actually is the lead person in our youth commission that we started. So, we get a lot of input and assistance from them and I'm very grateful for them. Also for the school practices for learning, ethical and civic development of students. We have our national uh junior honors society that does a lot with this. We have our raw team that does a lot with this. Um, we also now added our youth commission that is now heading a food ride this uh month and they're taking some active leadership. Um, and again uh the National Junior Honor Society did an outstanding job of creating the Veterans Day uh assembly and we're very grateful for that. But keeping things in a civic direction. Um, also with our staff, we're focusing on

043again that restorative practice trying to engage in, as we know, students, especially at the middle school age, has a lot of conflict resolution. And it's all how we engage and it's all how we teach them. Yes, this is bothering you. How can I get that point across? How can I engage? And we we have what what is called restorative practices and restorative circles where we communicate and we engage in that dialect of how kids can better get their themselves expressed and how the the teachers can also participate in this with positive direction and positive reinforcement. Um, and we're also continuing our book talk on teach like a p pirate, which is engaging the classroom in a positive learning environment and increasing our motivation with our tiger bucks. And of course, we're going to take a

044look at our surveys, our parent input at things that um we have uh school boardnight and school uh events where um we had open house and parent teacher conferences. And so Mrs. Black and I are constantly going around talking to parents, making sure um you know, if they have anything to say or that they have some input. Um and ba basically that is where we stand for the middle school. >> Um any questions or concerns? >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. business guy drops his walls here. >> Uh I think you're all going to be able to hear me. Uh welcome >> right there on the pedal. Squeeze the handle. >> Very good. Thank you. welcome to the new uh the new incoming board members. Uh look forward to working with you and

045thank you and and congratulations really to Mr. Wakowski, uh Mrs. Carlson and Mr. Angela. Thank you for your service. Really um the countless hours and dedication. It's uh really uh impressive honestly impressive. It's been it's been a pleasure to work with you. So thank you so much. Um school climate plan. Let me just kind of the team Ashelyn Ellsworth, Jennifer Becker, Mui, Amanda Bonnan, Tia Valley, uh Christina Josie, who's a parent and also doubles as a an employee, and myself. At the time, I think it's important to know at the time of this, we've had several meetings, but at the the time of putting together this climate plan, we did use the panorama survey data. There's there's like a bunch of additional data that we can use over the course of our meetings. We can

046use suspension data, uh academic data, teacher surveys through professional development and attendance data, and we do plan on using that. Uh but I just it's important to note that we we just use the panorama results. Uh I'm going to take a little more of a targeted approach. Uh I'm going to try to be succinct but succinct but go over like sort of each standard and what we look at for determining improvement at the elementary school. Uh especially with respect to the conversations that we have. Uh standard one evident that all school members in the community are committed to physical emotional in and intellectual safety. some of the conversations and what we look at is of course in terms of physical safety uh there are policies in place that keep students uh safe from bullying and

047harassment and we have conversations around that. In terms of intellectual safety uh we do provide and have conversations around supportive learning environments for those students. And then finally, with respect to the emotional well-being and safety of students, uh we really pride ourselves in having strong relationships with our students, strong relationships with our families. So those sort of those three are the cornerstones for uh shared vision standard number one. Um, and just before I forget, most of the ident the the strategies to realize improvement, I I put this on my list. You can read it that we have a bunch of PBIS activities that we do. Uh, we we invite parents into the building all the time. We have a robust attendance team. Uh, we work with the guidance counselors. We work with the social workers

048to maintain really an effective learning environment. So be so that that'll that'll be under the school and uh uh the climate plan under every single strategy to realize improvement. Um but it that's not all exhausted. That's that's there's so many different things that we do. Again, this was put together after the second or third meeting. Uh but it's it's a fluid document, so we'll continue to work on it. Uh standard number two, participants share a vision of what positive and restorative school climate feels and sounds like. Of course, we do a lot of uh social emotional learning at the elementary school uh with the use of ruler uh students recognizing, understanding, and learning their uh emotions on a day-to-day basis. We do a lot of community building in the classroom. If you ever came around

049the elementary school and you've been there plenty of times, you see in the morning the community building activities that the teachers do uh with their students. Uh, of course, we every single teacher has a welcoming classroom, a welcoming school environment. Uh, we like to think that the school is super welcoming. Um, and we pride ourselves in that. In terms of in addition to that a positive vision of a restorative and um positive climate of course open and honest communication that is student to teacher to student, teacher to teacher, uh administrator to teacher, parent to teacher. Uh those are also cornerstones of a of a solid um school climate. um shared uh on the next page or the third standards shared values. How must participate participants act toward one another in order to advance uh the

050vision of a positive and restorative school climate? We have strong collaboration among teachers that's embedded within our school uh class schedule. Every single day teachers are getting together. they are not only going over uh student data but they are having uh positive uh dialogue with respect to what's happening in each other's classrooms and this is great this is uh not only vertically third grade teachers talking to fourth grade teachers second grade teachers talking to third grade teachers but it's within the grade level as well uh we have uh we have active partnerships with parents We pride ourselves into uh into reaching out to parents uh early and often to um advocate for students uh and advocate for what's happening in the classroom. We have an open door policy of course um and so again transparent

051communication with the teachers with the parents is super important. uh priorities uh contained in the any existing school or district improvement plans. Uh do the the plans contain focus on improved school working? Of course, uh students receive strong instruction. There's a common vision among every single teacher in the elementary school. We have high expectations for not only the students in the elementary school, but that the teachers have high expectations for themselves. We have clear, consistent and fair discipline policies that we feel uh really contribute to an effective school climate. Um in terms of promoting and developing a sustained comprehensive set of skills, knowledge and dispositions, we are committed to continuous improvement through the the weekly and daily data discussions that we have uh about our students. This is from preK, K, first, second, third, and

052fourth grade. Teachers meet on a daily basis. They have uh really rich conversations about what's happening in inside their classrooms. Um and of course continuous uh self-improvement through professional development and uh through the teacher evaluation process itself. Uh standard number two, addressing barriers to teaching and learning comprehensively. So what what is the elementary school doing to address those barriers? Of course, but the barriers that come to mind for our committee was uh the socioeconomic the socioeconomic barriers and factors specifically of unstable home environments. And so what we do is we are aware of that and we do whatever we can in terms of connecting with parents um to make sure we can provide them what they need on a daily basis and provide their children what they need on a daily basis. Of course mental

053health is also a barrier to student learning. We we understand that and and to keep an effective climate students must feel um that their self-esteem must be worked on their anxiety their levels of depression then at the elementary school we are seeing that and so we have we have identified that as a barrier to learning and we're we are fully aware of that. So, we have we've identified those students that have those issues and we've connected them with guidance counselors. We've connected them with school social workers and we're this is all in an effort to increase the school climate. There's so many layers to school climate. These are just targeted approaches to what we're doing on a daily basis. Uh standard number three, school academic or school practices, academic learning, social, emotional, ethical, civic development

054of students. Again, I think the important part in that is our conversations revolve around having high expectations for students both academically and behaviorally in and out of the classroom. Uh in addition to that, we address learning disabilities uh by identifying those students early and putting together a response to intervention with those students that we we've identified that have learning disabilities. um if a student doesn't feel comfortable excelling in school and it does if that student doesn't feel like uh their their disabilities have been addressed or if the parents don't feel as though their children's disabilities have been addressed that impacts school climate we're fully aware of that so we try to identify early and often with kids um enhancing engagement and participation in teaching learning and schoolwide activities this is where all the PBIS activities

055um come into place. I know Mr. Melon and Mrs. Bernano talked about it. We have our fair amount of PB PBIS activities. Uh we we have instituted a monthly a new monthly roar and soar um I guess you could call it assembly where we recognize positive achievement, academic achievement uh within the elementary school. We give out attendance awards. uh we recognize teachers for everything that they do uh on a daily basis. So again, those those that that roar and sore activity is just another little tidbit of um of information and a way that you can enhance school climate with within a um a school community. Um, standard three, sorry to to belabver all this, but I want to make sure I I I let you know what we're doing at at each standard. Barriers to

056teaching and learning in re-engaging the disengaged students. Um, of course, uh, again, the one of the barriers of course is a behavioral barrier. We have what's called an RTI or a response to intervention uh process and protocol that we put into place at the elementary. One of the ways that we can intervene with a with a child is have meetings and discussions about how to how to change that child's behavior, maybe connect them with an adult in the school um to and of course have have uh conversations with those parents. uh another addressing um another barrier to to teaching and learning are the teachers are trained to identify students with learning disabilities. We've done a great job. I know you are fully aware of all of the work that the elementary school has done by

057getting those teachers to be OG trained and OG certified to identify students with dyslexia. um just another way that we can um increase the um the school climate or at least change the school climate for the better. Um the one of the one of the ways that uh communities or or parents in a community may become dis disengaged especially uh with the growing population of MLL students uh in North Broaddale is making sure that they feel comfortable. So, we've sent home uh we we when we send home weekly communications, we send them home in seven or eight or nine different languages so that they they recognize those parents feel welcome and um uh they feel like they're they have an opportunity to succeed at the elementary school. Um welcoming environments we have, I mentioned in

058the beginning, classrooms are super welcoming. They're structured. The facilities are clean. Uh the the adults are always warm and professional. Uh we work on uh developing uh commun community building activities at the elementary school. Um I mean the list goes on and on. I I'm I'm sorry. I know I'm I'm doing a lot of talking here. We're almost there. Is there a clear understanding that school climate improvement um and inclusion work is going on in an organic process? Absolutely. Uh we have data that we uh restorative data is something that the school climate team will have to discuss. We've never really had formative or summitive restorative data that we've looked at. We've looked at attendance data. We've looked at uh suspension data. We've looked at multiple different uh areas of growth, but we never really

059looked at formative or summitive restorative data. So, we we do have to have a conversation about what that looks like in the elementary school. We recognize that the tenants of restorative practices are are important. That means community building and repairing uh harm when when harm has been done. So we the teachers and the and the adults at the elementary are fully clear of what restorative means. However, looking at restorative data is something that we'll just have to work on. Um almost there are all stakeholders interests represented and reflected in improvement efforts. Uh we've like we like to think so. We are trying to improve our communication. We have conversations every day about how we can uh improve our communication both with uh teachers in the building, adults outside the building and of course families outside

060the building. We offer opportunities um to for those adults that come to school. We we have coordinated with organizations like Teague uh to improve school and family partnerships. Of course, we now have Thompson Community Cupboard run by one of the individuals uh right behind me. So, that's another opportunity um for the elementary school to partner with community agencies, another and another opportunity for us to enhance our school climate. And then finally, is progress monitoring monitoring inherent in efforts to improve school climate work? Of course, we we take pride the not only the school climate team but every adult in the building have rich conversation. I mentioned it earlier about um formative assessments, summitative assessments, attendance data, uh suspension rates, teacher evaluation and teacher survey results. So it it's um it's kind of a lengthy document.

061It's a fluid document. It's in progress. Um, I'm happy to answer any questions that you have. Sorry, I took more of a targeted approach to answering every standard. So, no questions, not even one. Okay. >> Thanks again. Have a great night. >> Thanks. >> So, Kathleen, do you want me to continue on the agenda? Uh well, we can stop at this point if you want me to add the item H. >> Yes. Uh the administrator reports. We do have Chris Jones that is um going to be waiting uh to answer your questions. Kathleen around excess cost and obviously Bill Steglets um needs to give his budget update. So if we could add age. >> So I'll entertain a motion to add uh item H. uh under number eight um to for administrative reports from Bill

062Steglettz and Dr. Jones. >> I'll make the motion, Kathleen. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, we have a motion and a second. Everyone in favor of adding item H to uh for administrative reports say I. I. >> Any opposition say no. No, >> the motion passes be different. >> Okay, now I now we can continue somehow. >> Pardon me. >> Thank you. Um, so I am thrilled uh to uh introduce Jodie Clark and Stephen La Point both um from uh Connecticut State. uh when remember last year when we had the ribbon cutting of our um welding program and it's a day program to expand um you know the welding skill opportunities for our students. Um, one of the things that I have been working with electric photo on um, is trying to extend that

063learning opportunity in the evening because our welding shop is there and it's sitting vacant at night. And so some of those discussions kind of stalled along the way, but lo and behold, Steve and Jody uh, resurrected that conversation. Um, and I think it comes on the heels of the big thrust for EB to uh get more welders in into especially the Graten shipyard. And so the conversation came back and because of Steve and Jod, it's alive and well and we had a recent meeting. So, um, I invited both of them here this evening to kind of go over uh the program. But what's important for me to bring to the board's attention is that facilities use is always in my purview, right? And so if we rent the auditorium to a um a dance studio,

064we have a document that guides us on how we're going to charge the people and then Danielle does a lot of work on the backside with that organization. And that is something that I approve and that's by policy. This is a little different because now this is every single night. Um, and it's for multiple sessions and so I wanted to bring it before the board so that you were well aware of the usage of the building and what the program is going to look like and that's why Steve and Jod are here tonight. >> All right. Well, thank you for having us. So, this dynamic duo, she said Steve and Jody, we've been doing this for 14 years, right? We're going our 14th year and uh it's worldclass passion and commitment to the training programs

065that we offer at Quinnifi Valley. And don't be confused when you hear CT State Quinn by Valley. We still are Quinn by Valley Community College, right? She's got a degree there and I'm born and raised in Putham. So I'm fully committed to this community. So the opportunity that we're looking at right now is really how do we put a welding proposal together to do some adult training at night u with roughly three to four cohorts a year sharing the facility and um meeting electric boats needs. I had the honor of sitting with Joe Courtney the other day and you know the congressman's very supportive of what's going on here already and how do we look at expanding that right it's really about you know a little bit of a national security issue here as well

066um I can tell you the numbers that are coming out of EB GR alone are 150 welders in year 26 and 300 welders in the year 27 and really it's about how do we use the investment that they've already put into turnout high to maybe expand on that going down the road to offer maybe two more welding building booths, upgrading the facilities as is to uh to meet some more of that. So, let's get into the the W. So, when we're talking about trying to start in February 26, pretty aggressive, but we'll see how it uh pans out. And we're looking at Monday through Friday classes 3 to 9:30 in their 10-week programs about 300 hours of training. And like I said, we'd like to run three or four of those cohorts a year starting

067with six students. And hopefully, if things go well, we can look at expanding that out. Um, hey, what about the quiet corner, right? We'd like to make a noise up here. Even though everything on the other side of the river is where all the focus has been, it's changing now with what we've got going on in the eastern side and electric boats needs and the collaboration of Three Rivers, Quinn Valley Community College, and we've got the E-Web involved in Electric Boat. Believe me, it's a it's a force to be reckoned with. And how do we meet these outcomes that everybody's looking for? Um, electric boat is looking at 5,000 people a year right now for the next I mean, how do we find 5,000 people? never mind train 5,000 people. So, that's the task that

068we're faced with. And um again, back to this uh you know, the educational opportunities for students, we always offer any of our students that go through these nonredit training programs um that are either with e-whib or electric provided. We give the students a chance to earn credits for those classes. We do what's called credit by exam, credit for prior learning. So, these students are already on a career path for that. now is we're targeting targeting the adult learning for the unemployed and underemployed people. Right? I know that there's plenty of students that have gone through the turtle high program and maybe aren't doing what they wanted to do in the welding field, right? Here's another opportunity for them to re-engage um and get some type of employment locally, right? That's even though this is electric

069boat and and you know promised to meet their needs, it's also a local community we're trying to fill with this. So, as we train, when we talk about workforce development, training our entire community, it's about everybody because people are going to be moving in all these different locations and different um you know, different disciplines. So, what are we trying to do? We're trying to grow the you know, the benefits are how do we help the economic growth of the Thompson area and um you know, again, back to offering those turtle highrads a chance to get back in and take some more extensive training with a definite opportunity for that. Um, and again, I mentioned talking about probably adding a couple of welding booths and maybe looking at upgrading that entire facility. When we get into

070the responsibilities of what anou might look like, you know, there's going to be a lot of questions about how we're going to go about this, but we've had some u spitballing ideas of what we would probably want to do in in lie of the use of the area itself. We probably pick up all of the costs for what you have in the turtle high welding program. Now it gets very difficult to try to split out who's using what when when does a wire spool right out. So we would say, you know what, we're going to pick up the whole tab for the year. Looks like it's a roughly around $7,000 for you to run your welding programs now. And then we could work on the details on top of that as far as security goes.

071Um trash, snows, etc. like that. We we'd have to talk through those details in an MOU, but I think that would be the basic, you know, take a line item off your budget for a welding program that goes directly to us and we handle it all. And we would try to continue to work with your existing welding um supplier now, which is Wasco. Um Air Gas is the state's contract facility. But I think that we could probably find a way to to keep that community business agreement going. So, um, other than that, you know, I I'm open to any questions. It's um it's an exciting time and I know Congressman Cordy will be here in two seconds to say we're doing what and he'll be right behind it and then we can really elevate this

072to put the highlight back on Turtle. And >> and what I really think is, you know, when our students get hired in um May, they go to New England Tech for this 10-week training program before they go to the shipyard. Now they'll be able to apply and hopefully they'll be put in the queue so that they can do their training close to home. >> I have two questions if you would mind. Um, so would would in your in your mind would this be a one-year kind of agreement and that's renewable upon? >> Yeah, we're looking at probably theou would probably be we'd look at a three-year process because that would be Yeah, that's we're looking at 26 27 28. Okay. >> And that's just the projected numbers for now. And talking to Congress recording the

073other day, it's it's into the you know 2040s when you've got this this government contracts for they got to build 37 days a year for eternity and you know what's going on in the world right now and how we're going to need to ramp all this up and that's combination of quantit point and graten to do what we need to do. So yeah we'd be looking at probably a three-year along those lines. >> And then my other question is would there be um preferential uh like would there be preference to Thompson and or Turtle grads? So I asked that same question um I was told no that there wouldn't be preference given >> but uh because so the >> um the recruitment is led through uh the Eastern Workforce Investment Board. >> Okay. >> Um

074right the American Job Centers. So um they I was told no but >> well we were told no for the people that are currently hired and waiting in the queue. >> Correct. But there wasn't a no for the f >> for future. So >> okay. >> Yeah. >> And you have qualified experienced people now that are applying to this. So when you're pulling up like a resume going, hey, you've already been doing some welding, >> right? And we we've toyed around with the idea because right the turtle high school students will be coming in with some knowledge, right? So this is a 10-week program. So someone coming straight off the street, you know, that um classroom management might be difficult for the instructor because he's going to have some students that have more experience than

075the other, right? >> Um >> so the possibility of maybe splitting the 10 weeks up into two different sessions so that way the turtle high school students could jump into the second portion of it. But we're we're playing with a lot of >> Yeah. And Mike has and Kim Steglets has and TJ, he's not here, but we've talked about the possibility of taking kids schedules and flipping them on their head where they come in and maybe have to do their fourth year English class, but then they they take this program at night and they get credit work uh work credit for it. And so we're playing around with how can we especially second semester seniors that have already done all their graduation requirements. So it could be an opportunity in that realm. I have a

076few questions for both halves of the room. Um, a how many booths do we have now? >> Six. >> And you're looking to expand that to >> By two. And we have the physical space to do that. >> Yes. >> And uh 3:00. Is that too early as far as overlapping with students? >> No. >> Okay. And >> would we have to have an additional security person on the ground? >> Okay. >> Yes. And that that that is the expense that they they would have to cover because we just don't have >> and it would be our people. >> It would be our people. Our security leaves at 5:30. So we would need someone here from 5:30 until the close of this program because you are bringing in people from >> the communities. >> Um

077what was the other thing? Uh and as you said it's 10e program. So this this program the skills taught in this program are separate from what we've teach at the high school. Correct. It's another level submarine specific. >> Okay. >> I think those were my questions. >> Yes, sir. >> I just have a couple um on the instructor side. So it's your instructors, not our instructor. And does our instructor have opportunities to get PD through this program? >> Oh, absolutely. We've always worked with, you know, the your youth manufacturing pipeline program as well. So, we're constantly working with >> with professional development instructors to bring them up to the higher level at >> Salo just finished um so Mike is very skilled as we all know, but um Salo, who's on the construction side, finished

078two weeks at EB this summer at New England Tech. Um, so he's get dipping his feet in there. Uh, so that he might be able to pick up a welding class during the day. >> But that that's I guess on the benefit side that'd be nice to throw in there is that our instructors are getting PD and and ex the additional experience so that they can prep our students, our in-house students for this program going forward. >> Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that the college has to offer as well, you know, as far as like the weld breakage and stuff. We can measure tension strengths. There's a whole another level of the engineering side, right? So when we talk about the general population at Turtle High, we're always trying to let them be aware

079of the careers that are available in engineering science or engineering mechanic. Everybody was picking a different path and we have all those different opportunities for free college and we'd be on campus quite a bit here to to keep feeding them and giving them the the go. >> What What is the I don't want to be negative about what is the current lifespan of a uh of a welder at EB? Oh, there's people retiring at 60 something. Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Career. >> This projection is going out for years to come. >> Yeah. >> And it may not always be a welder. So even though they get their foot in the door as a welder at DB, they may see something else, go back for training for a different discipline. EB is always moving their workforce

080in different directions. >> Right. >> And the key is is getting your foot in the door. For one thing that I've experienced my even with my own daughter um her trying to get a position, she would uh blindly apply and apply and apply and it took her forever and she was turns out she was applying for all the wrong jobs and then turned out she applied for the wrong job again but got it um and isn't at the rate where it should be. And now just today um there was uh someone else that came to me and you know that same thing you know how do I get into the electric boat? I just graduated as a mechanical engineer and I want to get in but I can't. I've applied numerous times and so this

081is that >> it helps >> that gateway in >> Thank you. So, I guess what I'm asking from the board is um permission um to enter into an agreement with Connecticut State um so that we open up the shop at night because it's excessive facility use. I felt like it would be important to run it by you and see if you feel it's important to vote on it or not. But I open it up, you know, I'm bringing it to you all for discussion. Melinda Danielle had her hand raised. >> Oh, I'm sorry, Daniel. I didn't see that. >> That's okay. I was just uh how large of a queue is it? Like, are you guys working off like months and months of people waiting to get in to do this queue or >> Well,

082the welding is, you know, again, we're looking at a a geographical based. >> Yeah, >> it's a difference now because everybody on a graten is thinking, I want to I'm going to weld in Graten, right? So, how do you get somebody from up here to say I'm going to go to Graten every day to learn how to weld? So, we're looking at a new geographical area to start tapping into. Yeah. Northeast corner tapping on the door of Webster Whistler. It's right there. And that's what EB is looking at. How do we get back? Because we need 5,000 bodies. We got to tap out to every different geographic location. And then they'll figure out the transportation side of the employment piece later on. And that's what the state's talking about now. How do we get a

083bus to come from, you know, wherever bringing 50 people to EB each day to eliminate some of these pro parking issues that they have down here now, right? taking their own car. They're looking at that as a strategic plan to fulfill this uh big number >> and that would be helpful. >> Yeah, transportation. >> There's a lot of talk about transportation and state is I mean Governor Governor uh Lulan is is right on top of this stuff. He knows what's going on here and um this is a big big ask and everybody needs to get involved. Total collaboration across the state to make this happen. That's that's what it's going to take. So, if we had a past turtle graduate that's on the cusp of thinking about it, would you tell them to go to

084EWIB and just sign up right now? You know, you know, >> absolutely. Gotcha. >> I'm just thinking. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I know. I might know a few. >> We need a motion. >> Kathleen said yes. I'll I'll make a motion to allow the superintendent to entertain an agreement with CT State pending our final review um on the night welding program. >> I'll second. >> Okay. >> Any further? The only thing is that uh we don't have any numbers. That's my concern. We have to be at least monetario neutral. Uh we we can't expend any money on this. >> Yeah, I see it going the other way. I see you actually making some money on this. That's definitely part of the plan. >> Yeah, it would be nice if we could make some money on

085this. >> That was the pending funnels, >> yes. And I have a question. Will this come before the negotiation committee or just straight to the >> No. any contracts like that I usually sign. >> Okay. >> Um >> yeah. Um the pro, you know, if I need legals to look at it, depends on how how much jargon is in there. Um but primarily, um we're hoping that the cost of gas supplies, which we're paying a lot of money for, right, right now, um is not on the BOE budget anymore. It's part of this agreement. And then the one thing that we cannot cover is the extra security hours. Um, and if that if Connecticut State can cover that, then we're good. Yeah. >> My only concern would be the custodial aspect because by their contract

086when the building's open, at least one of those gentlemen are here. >> They're going to be they're going to be here during regular hours. >> I thought they left at 9:00. Thought >> 11. >> Oh, 11. Yeah. Oh, okay. All right. That's good. I thought there was 11. >> Another question if I may. Does does UV or CT state you have any welding program at all at your >> No CT state? >> CT State does. Okay. As Nantuck um and then uh Three Rivers down in Grten at um Graasotch. >> Yep. In Hartuck Valley. So Valley. >> So we have both credit programs for welding with AWS certification as well as the nonredit training. So right >> getting back to testing out of some of these things we can be getting some certifications and >>

087thank you. >> I think this is great. I was going to say that. >> And just one more thing I just want you to know that you know Quinn Valley has a lot of resources that I'm sure you're going to find in your facility here someway somehow because because of the budgets that we have to work with. So again I talked to Mr. Joy, so we know exactly the things that you need and what you're lacking, whether it comes from us or a business, it's going to be uh advantageous to that program. >> Excellent. >> Pending final pending final review of the contract. >> I would like to see I think we would all like to see a copy of that before it goes. >> Yeah, >> we need a vote, right? So, >> we

088had a motion. Wait a second. >> I have a motion and a second. So if the discussion is we can take a vote. We ready to put the motion to the floor for a vote? >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposition say no. Any abstensions? And the motion passes. Next item on the agenda is the administrator contract approval. >> You all have a copy of that? >> No. >> Do you want to table it till next month? >> Yes. >> It's been ratified by the union. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Well, then next month >> should do that. Well, we don't have it, but >> Okay. >> Do we have a timeline though on this one to get it signed? And >> we could add it to the

089November 17th, but I don't know if you'll have a full forum, but you might. We could add it to that meeting. >> That would be a good idea if we did that. Motion to table 8D to the next available meeting. >> Yeah. Okay. The school law firm approval. >> So, I know that you asked that we put this on the agenda. We did go out to bid. Um, we got two law firms that bid for um, uh, our board of ed legal. Um, we had Andrew Hennius, that firm that does our special ed, which will continue to do our special ed. Um, he did bid and then also Steve Sedor's new law firm also bid. Um, yeah. And Matt and um, did you all get a copy or at least the pricing sheet from these?

090I know Matt and I got the full package at the negotiation. Um, I don't know, Matt, if you agree with me. Matt and I kind of discussed it a little bit. Uh I think um with the Kanan, Escalera and Male um my my opinion and mine only was that um I felt that we should stay with Steve Sedor and now we have Dan Murphy also belongs to that firm whom we familiar with with the um from our um expulsion meetings. he um brings a more to the table. We're familiar with Steve. They charge $25 an hour more. There are a little more expensive, but they're here in in Connecticut. um and we've been very successful with them through negotiations and um I felt that we we should stay with them for our school and negotiations

091but that of course because that Dr. Jones works well with this ferm out of Providence. Um I don't Hus Carol and Lombardos um he's comfortable with them that we stay with them for the special ed. They are a little bit less expensive um on the pay scale and stuff, but they the only firm that they serve in Connecticut is us. So, I would be ler to move everything over to them as far as um legal negotiations and every other problems that we have in school because uh of that factor. That's my opinion. Um, and the reason that I propose that we continue to stay with Steve Sedor and and now Dan Murphy, >> I I'd agree with that. and um the the the price difference was minimal and I I am more comfortable with going

092with a we only got the two replies so I'm more comfortable going with a Connecticut firm deal going with Connecticut education law >> um and definitely yeah I I like working with Steve and it's not all about like and and personal preference and de I really like working with Dan Murphy as well um so I I agree with Kathleen on that having seen that But I don't know what we need to do >> 20. Yeah, that was the only difference. >> Right. But in terms of um Did everybody else see any of this? No. >> And so, but I don't >> I didn't know what to do with it. You both had the packets and I didn't know what to do with it next. >> Gotcha. Um I don't I don't know that we have

093too many choices. We have two choices and I I like I said, I'm more comfortable. Do we want to table this as well? of that board. >> I just say one thing that I mean in the years working with Steve Sedor and then Shipman Goodman before them. >> It's always nice to have their uh those firms because they do have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to negotiations. They know what the standard rates are. They know what's going on. They know where you should be in order to be in line with other school districts. >> And I don't know anything about this Rhode Island firm. And if we're the only school district here, are they truly going to know what's going on when it comes to negotiations for percentages, what the going rate

094is? Where can you push back? Where do you where can you not push back? That's my take. >> Yeah. >> Anybody else? >> When do you guys have to have a new contract signed? Well, we're we're in an interim period that we hired the new firm that Steve Sedor is working for because we went out to bid. We got the bids back. Kathleen and um Matt got copies of those of those bids. We only got two even though we sent it out to quite a few firms. Um and um the next step is up to the board. I'm I'm going to recommend that we all get copies of whatever Matt and Kathleen have and have a chance to review it before we're asked to approve or deny. >> I I think that's the safest bet

095around the table. >> Okay. >> Table this until the 17th as well. and like to see this many people there. >> That's fine. >> How How do we get We got to get these email will have to um >> copy it for you. Scan it and copy it for We still have one. >> Oh, yeah. >> Okay. >> So, motion to table eight. >> Thanks. >> Okay, that's good. All right. Um then we move on to the school calendar. >> And the new school calendar has one major change. Um the teachers from the professional development committee asks that we take a uh PD day and uh that we typically use in May and we move it to the start of the school year because they feel like um full days of professional development to start

096the school year without children is more impactful for the rest of the school year. Um we had one in May primarily to review data and that's important and data teams do need to meet but they feel they can do that data review on a half day on the 5th of May which is on the calendar. So we move that day up to the start of the school year. So you'll see the 24th and the 25th are two full PD days. The Wednesday is a half day for teachers. it's um teacher orientation day and then school would stop on the Thursday rather than the Wednesday that we typically do. Um and then everything else is basically aligned with the Eastcon regional count calendar as far as the December break, the April break. Um Thanksgiving is a

097little different for us because we have the Wednesday by contract off. Um, and then the date of graduation is here um on the calendar for the 11th >> and the last day of school is on the 10th of June, the day before. >> Okay. >> I have a question about why are parent conferences in October. >> We move them out specifically by request of the teachers because they want to meet with the parents a little bit earlier. >> Okay. I'm just thinking I'm just going to say from a PTO point of view. Great. With the pies, it's like killing our fundraiser because this week was already a year. I mean, this year was already a week earlier. >> So, we'll just have to pay for >> So, so I Well, so I guess I'm looking

098at it from an academic perspective. >> No, I understand. I'm just saying then we'll have to have a different day for them to come and pick up and we'll have to have um like security and everything later in November. Okay. Is that the only that was my from a from that perspective? >> So suggestion on that one is we throw an open house in there or something that maybe another open house to during to pick up pies and cookies and fundraiser stuff. Maybe a I know we do an open house when school starts but >> right their parents are going to it's hard to >> unless Lindsay could do something with title one. uh we can't require the teachers to that they have so many nights of a contract that they're here and they're pretty

099eaten up in the as it is >> or just duplicate with another event like maybe a parents night out kind of thing or something like that so they pick up their kid they pick up their cookies and bread sticks >> I know we didn't we weren't thinking of that when we move the >> stand it's just another perspective that we have to have the building are they the lion ties too 30 and other >> and for elementary that is that is their absolute largest fundraiser. So for being able to provide funds for teacher supply requests, field trips, all of that stuff that elementary and middle school PTO supply that cuts into their ability to do that. >> Well, I I'll have somebody here for you. >> Okay. >> You you you'll be good. Thank you,

100Greg. He needs a piece of the pie. >> Can I have a motion, guys? Because you you've been discussing. We need a motion. >> Justin raising his hand. >> You want the motion to discuss? >> Motion to discuss. >> Motion come before discussion. >> Okay, good. Now discuss. >> All right. I have two I have two comments. Uh, one is, is there any chance of us being able to move the half day on the 9th? And I'm only saying that because they have the Monday off, >> which ninth? >> Sorry, September 9th. They have the Monday off. They're coming back for a full day on a Tuesday and then a half day on a Wednesday at the beginning of the school year. I think it's better to have consistency than not. >> So, >> we

101can move it later in the month. >> That's what I was thinking. If possible, >> pick a day. >> 23rd. >> 23. >> Okay. I mean, >> no, but that's a good point though, Justin. >> Well, they so they have to and this was this goes back to last year's discussion. They have to have a half day once a month for eating, right? >> They have a half day once a month. Yes. >> Yeah. So, I get it. I just I think we need a little more consistency at the beginning of the school year. That was my thought there. >> I actually have pulled out many many half days. >> Yes, we talked about that last year. >> Yeah. Um, the other question I had is why the 16th of February? >> Why is that

102a vacation? Was that is that for a week? >> The 15th 16th are um holidays in February. >> What's the 16th? >> It's our February break. >> Yes. In a week. >> The 15th and the 16th is our February President's Day and the day after. >> The day after. So that the 16th is just because it's the day after. >> Everybody does that in the region. Those two days. >> That's fine. >> I just wanted it was it's like a random two days, >> right? That's what I was and I was >> believe people would like it to go back to a week, but we keep it to the two days. >> Then you'll be in August. >> No, I don't change graduation date second Friday. You fought this for years. >> Yep. >> Right.

103>> That's all I got. >> Motion to accept >> with that one change moving >> to the 23rd of September. >> Okay. >> Second. >> Okay. So, are we ready to put the motion to the >> Would that a change to the um the May moving it up to August? >> No, the 9th. Moving it to the 23rd >> September September >> of September. >> S 23rd of September. Okay. >> Do you remember? >> Okay. Okay. Okay. All in favor of accepting um the I >> Thank you. Any opposition? No. Okay. Hearing none. Any abstensions? Okay. The motion passes unanimously. Next up is the budget calendar. >> Motion to approve the budget calendar as as presented. >> Yeah. >> Second. >> Who did the motion? >> Justin. >> Okay. Justin and second. Okay. Uh I

104don't know that there's much to discuss on this. I don't We don't have >> I have a date conflict. Yeah. It's like five. Well, >> is it >> date conflict for the board of ed? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> 20th of January is a Tuesday, isn't that? >> But that's a joint meeting, >> right? >> Okay. Don't come. >> It's a work. It's workshop number two. Tuesdays. >> Yeah. But it's a BOE and BOF meeting. Bill, is that calendar already set with the BOF? >> No, >> they are taking next Thursday. >> When's Martin Luther King Day though? >> The 19th. >> You can't do it. >> Can't do it Monday. >> Dance around when I'm not here too. it probably isn't set with them and there may be problems on their side too. So,

105um Okay, let we move it to the 21st. That's a Wednesday. Is that a building committee meeting? Is that >> probably a good day, >> right? Is it >> middle school PTO's the third Wednesday? >> Can we move it to the 21st? Is that a class for anyone? >> I can just give them my treasures report. There have been multiple meetings where I've just >> Yeah, >> here it is. >> I can 21st. That's fine. >> 21st. >> Do you want to keep it to the 20th or the 21st? >> I want to move it to the 21st. >> Okay, we'll make that the 21st then. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> It's pending BF, >> right? >> Agreement, right? >> Yes. >> Kathleen, do you have any idea on the times of the start

106times of of the BOE budget workshops? >> Six, seven. >> Um, >> no. I think we start them earlier, don't we? >> At six. >> Yeah, about six. I thought we start them around six. The joint meetings may start later, but the the other ones we try I thought we tried to start them around 6 so we can because those the individual directors have to come to those meetings or at least couple of them. I know the uh the public hearing doesn't start till 7. So, our meetings usually start at 6. >> Kathleen, it doesn't look like there's any more comments. >> Okay. All right. So, I will move this to the floor for a vote. All in favor of accepting the um budget calendar with the change of the joint meeting, the first joint

107meeting right to 21. All right. It passes. >> I abstain. All right. Now we have um the admin reports. Big Bill Steglets, can you update us on uh the budget and the audit and you're a rockar? >> I feel like you need scarves hanging. >> You're knocking Bill. First of all, Danielle, Bill, and Tom, thank you for fighting the good fight as long as you have. >> Thank you. >> I know it's not easy. >> Thank you so much. >> Why I have no hair? >> So, for fiscal uh 2025, no update from our past numbers. Uh holding steady at a deficit of around 67,000. Um, okay. >> We'll see how that ultimately shapes out. Uh, for fiscal 26, no change to the budget yet. Um, we have a year-to- date projected or year-to- date

108spending of 6.4 million, which is just a little bit ahead of where we were this time last year. Uh, incumbrances, on the other hand, are a little bit better than they were last year at 14.3 million. Uh, total projected spend at the moment, uh, 20.7 million, 95.2% of the budget. a little bit better than where we were tracking at last year. Uh no um special ed excess costs are figured into these numbers yet. Uh the first payment I believe is in February and the last one in June. Is that right? We have to look at you for this one every year. Melinda, >> it's usually May. >> May. May. We'll take it as soon as we can get it. >> Yep. >> Um we did get the additional $40,000 in seed money um uh related

109to special ed uh just a couple weeks ago. the one that they promised us from last year, right? >> That was encouraging to see. >> Um the same two departments that we've discussed the last couple months are still projected to be in deficit. Uh pupil services currently at 485,000. uh same cause as out of district placement partially offset by uh a little better than expected special ed transportation cost and ESY that this number won't change for the remainder of the year obviously because ESY is done 5,000 over budget uh higher than expected transportation and par professional salaries um current events in finance um oh joy the auditors are here next week can't believe it >> fun and as you see we've pushed along the budget calendar Melinda and I actually had our kickoff meeting already.

110Uh and we are anticipating sending out the templates to the principles and teachers and and all the directors on Wednesday. We've changed up the the process a little bit this year going fully electronic. Uh we have a shared drive setup so folks will be logging in. Uh Tina Nolan who has taken over for Eileen Deiri after her retirement uh has definitely hit the ground running and has jumped in with some great ideas for improving the process. she's jumped in and and already pre-populated templates with names and account numbers. I know that sounds very exciting, but on the budgeting side, it really helps because missing account numbers is something that we stub our toe on all the time. So, we're uh looking forward to just tearing into that again. >> Any questions? >> Just getting it

111on the record. the security, the overage on the security was covered by the board of finance reconciliating all the old projects, right? >> Yes. Yes. Um, right. There was a there was a the final piece of >> the final piece of the retainage on the security project was about $27,000. Uh the building committee uh requested to the board of find Brian Santos did a fine job uh requesting that we transfer some uh appropriations that have been left over from previous projects. Um so it was nice to be able to cover that without any impact u to the general fund. >> That's cleared. That's cleared off. >> Yep. That's cleared. We have the bill the bill's been paid. Uh and that um longunning project is now behind us. How are we doing on grant payments on

112the HVAC project? Is that going >> um >> reimbursements from the state? Uh started off okay. Uh they've slowed down quite a bit. I currently have everything that we can submit submitted. I actually, believe it or not, I do the submission the day we pay the invoice um through um Connecticut's u CT core site. Um last one took a month. Okay. >> Uh, this one I I I checked at the end of last week. I had submitted it a week and a half ago and it still hasn't gone through first approval yet. What I'm seeing with these is first approval comes relatively quickly and then it gets hung up in this director level review. Uh, but I I call pretty much weekly. I'm probably their favorite person, but I really need to to keep on

113them because we're trying to maintain, you know, kind of minimize the impact on interest costs and everything and level of borrowing at the town. >> Yep. >> Thank you, Bill. Any other question? >> Thank you, Kathleen. Dr. Dr. Jones is on. So, >> okay. Yeah. Dr. Jones, would you please give us an update on the uh pupil services department? >> I sure will. Good evening, everyone. So, as Superintendent Smith stated earlier, our total student population is 774 of which we have 204 students that have qualified for special education services. 74 students that um qualify for section 504. We have 22 students that are outplaced. Of that 22, we have five of those students in our Bradley School Windham County program on site, leaving 17 students that are placed in six um outplacement schools. Uh we're

114still utilizing four uh vans to transport those students. Um our our percent of special education is at 26.35%. um was still recruiting for a high school special education teacher as well as district-wide school psychologist. Uh to date, we've had 20 new referrals to special education. Uh threat assessments, we've had four to date, one resulting in a risk assessment. CT saids is down, which is a good thing. Um, last month we were at they were at 258 open special education teaching positions across the state. It's come down a bit to 206. Um, in terms of the excess cost, and I know there was some questions about that, so I'm happy to uh try and answer those, but um my executive administrative um assistant, Mrs. Leave had completed the special education excess cost grant which is the

115collection um of information for that grant tuition transportation related services ESY consideration um so that was submitted the excess cost threshold so last year it was 104,243 this year it's up to 119,140 so essentially If you take the per pupil expenditure both gened and special at the average it comes out to 26,476 and you multiply that by 4 1/2 that'll give you the threshold which again is 19,140. The percent of anything over that percent has not been released yet. That's not until January. Last year that percent was 62.02%. Um and then this year and next year they have a new uh lower threshold. And essentially what that is, >> so if you had a student that was outplaced and you brought them back into the district, so not not using the Bradley program that we

116have on site, directly into Thompson with our own special education services, no third party, no, you know, contracted services such as an RBT or a BCBA, just our staff as support rather than the four and a half percent it would be 3%. So that number from you know being 119,000 would be 79,426. The issue is you'd really need to have, for example, your own um your own in-house program similar to Bradley that would have the clinical support, behavior modification. Um students that need other related services, speech, OT, PT, counseling, those type of services that would add up and hit that threshold. And we were not a district that has that. Um, but I just wanted you to be aware that is that is something that's for this year and next year. >> Kathleen, if I

117may. >> Yep. Thank you. So, in and I just pulled some quick numbers before I came tonight. In March of 23, we were 14 out of 169. In March of 24, we were 16 out of 169. We are now 40th out of 169. Our percentage hasn't changed that much in either direction, right? We've been between 24 and 27% of our total population. Does anybody else see the potential red herring in the room on this one? We got moved down 25 places on the list, which means there's 25 districts that have a higher need than us and they haven't let the excess cost percentage out yet. There's only a certain pool of money in the state. >> That's right. Which means it to me this means we're about to pardon my French get screwed on excess

118cost grant money this year. >> May I um we already we already get pretty well hosed. Um but uh how how many M Dr. Jones, how many students do we have that qualify for getting excess cost grant? The money is you're talking $40,000 and then another 40,000 maybe later ballpark. I mean, how many students are there that that meet the threshold? >> It's between three and five. >> I really think we're we're fighting over pennies and it's really ridiculous and it's really got to stop. And not that anybody here is arguing with me on that. It's just I just talking to hear myself heard and it it's it's ridiculous. >> Yeah, you're you're absolutely right because >> Yeah. No, you're absolutely right because again, even those children that do exceed that threshold, it's not by

119a lot, you know, given that that's a big amount of money, 119,000. So those that do exceed that, again, it's going to be a percent of anything over that amount. And again, last year it was 62%. And if we're just going to follow the trend, it seems to be dropping each year, the percent that you get back. >> So, so to Justin's point, whether we're whether we're second or 20th, we're we'll get 40,000 or 20,000. At that point, it really doesn't matter. And we need we need it all. And and >> yeah, but I beg the differ between 40,000 20,000 doesn't matter. 20,000 coming out of our budget means we lose early intervention like >> every penny in this district the way we are with our budget every penny >> I agree I agree on

120that but on the bigger picture from the state level it's it's just ridiculous and and the basically the solution is money's got to follow the student >> correct >> and if you know I'm not running for state legislature or governor or anything but the money's got to follow the student and we need to figure out how to get state to do that and it's not going to come from little old Thompson. >> Yeah. Well, I but I yeah >> my point in the room was whether it's 40 whether it's two payments of 40,000 meaning 80,000 with the with where we are on the list and the amount of need that's that appears to be coming in Connecticut that reimbursement this year could be 20% instead of 60% and we could be on the hook for

121an extra 60 to 70 to $80,000. >> Right. All I want to make sure. >> And the sad the sad part is this state has the money to pay all of this stuff. And if all of our legislators had fought half as hard as they did for all these stupid SNAP benefits over the last month, we would be fully funded. Y >> but yet they pick and choose their battles and education is not a priority with any of them. Any of them. And it's just sad. And maybe it's time for me to get off this board, but it's just sad the way that Connecticut treats the schools. >> And it seems to me they're actually making it more of the town's problem by just what Chris uh Dr. Jones just said that they're lowering it,

122but they want you to do more in-house stuff. >> Yeah, >> we'll cut it if you do more in-house stuff. So, they want you to stack up now your staff, add in the little town where you're gonna find, you know. >> Correct. >> And there are people. So, I'm sorry. >> Right. So, so it it seems like that's the direction the state's going in that it's more of it's going to be the towns. So, do we start having to look into bringing in I mean to offset I I don't know, but that seems like that's the direction the state's going in that they're going to reward you by you bringing on more staff >> and developing your own programs which we we have done with our autistic program at Marriott Fisher. And so we have

123done that, but um bringing in new programs when um there's just no funding for that. >> Yeah. >> Is going to be problematic. >> Yeah. Because that definitely seems like that's the direction the state's going in. >> There's an incentive to have to growing your own. That's what they're looking at, but they're not looking at Bradley being one of them. >> Right. So >> correct. >> So we don't we won't we don't and we won't have the money to hire all these specialists. And from what Dr. Jones says every month, there's such a demand in the state, we couldn't even get one if we wanted them. So >> correct. >> It's it's just it's the state playing games on top of on top of >> screwing us. It's the state playing games on top of

124that. And it's it's unacceptable. And I don't I would like to know how we just deal with the state on this and I don't have an answer and Bill after 24 years he doesn't have an answer and it's just it's it's it's you know if it was a matter of just not paying state taxes to just not give the money then then you get thrown in jail. Um I'd rather not let that happen. Yeah, >> just I I I'm I'm beyond frustrated with this and it's everybody is I know everybody is and >> yeah, >> but I just think we need to be aware of and and quickly understand what that percent that reimbursement percentage is going to be and if we're starting to hear rumors that it's going to be lower, I I just

125>> Yeah, >> we're going to need to know what that number is going to be because whether it's 40,000 or 80,000, we won't know till January. But when when that January number hits, I think it's important that we understand what that impact is because I think we were planning in the 60s. >> Yeah. >> As soon as as soon as I know, Justin, I will certainly let you know and I'll have an idea of what you know the reimbursement will look like at that time. >> Thank you, Dr. Jones. I was just confirming with with Mr. Stangl. I think we were getting for that reimbursement rate to be in the 60s was our original plan last year. something >> that will flash. >> I just don't know how that pendulum just swung like that you

126knowing what they know. >> Well, I think it's the >> Yeah, >> the red light flashing light to me was that we went from 14th to 40th. >> I I >> the need's there. >> That's got alarm bells everywhere. Yeah. >> And the state claiming a $435 million surplus, >> right? That you're in 40th and you have a 26% >> population. So that I mean the red flags are there. >> It's scared. >> Yeah. What are those other districts at? >> 40 50%. You know, >> so a qu a question for you again, Dr. Jones. Um >> is is it I'm not asking you to like rat anybody out. Is it possible that other towns have suddenly discovered more special ed and say, "Oh, well, we better classify them that they didn't have or they're

127classifying people that weren't classified before." I'm not saying we It just seems weird that we like Justin said, we went from percentage, this is based on percentages, went from 14th to 40th. It seems like, you know, I know there's problems. I know there's need in the state, but seems like an awful big drop. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean I mean obviously it's not it's not you know we're not trying to get an award here for having the you know the percent that we're you know that we're justifying but I mean these these other districts have you know obviously their qualifications have >> have gone up the numbers have increased in the other districts. And I can't I mean I can certainly put put a list together but I don't know what their you know total

128student population looks like in comparison to Thompson unless I you know really delve down deep into it. But >> I mean I was surprised when I saw it as well. It was a big drop. >> But also let's compound that with the fact that we have robust RTI response to intervention going on. We have language-based classrooms where we're supporting students with dyslexia without an IEP. Right? So, start to think about that. We're starting to reduce our number of students that have an identified disability because we've figured out along the way how to better support them in the gened realm. And so, that's also going to cause our number to come down. So, it's a combination of a lot of variables, but the better we are at intervention is going to reduce the number of students

129with a diagnosed disability, which is what we're supposed to be doing, right? But it has an adverse effect on us because the lower we get on that list, the way the money's >> sliced and diced, it could very well shoot us in the foot along the way. Um, and but >> Linda, I guess that was my concern, right? Percentage wise, we haven't moved much on the overall list in the state. We've moved a lot. >> Right. So, >> right. >> I I agree. We're doing a great job with dyslexia and all and bringing all that in now without IPS, it's great, but where we sit on that list and the fact that it's now clear that there is a higher need in the state >> and that excess cost grant pool is just going to

130go down. I >> I agree with you. >> I agree with there. I don't know how to fix it except that we just need to continue to tell the legislative body um our concerns and hope that there's enough pressure to move things. Um they made some movement. We got a little seed grant this year that $60,000 we're getting for um new programs or new staff. Remember we cut a high school special ed teacher. it's having a significant impact on the high school. So, we're taking that 60,000 and we're hiring for that position. Um because we we just need it back. >> The teachers drowning up there. So, >> I read Kristen's letter and it was a very good letter and we all need to start that letter campaign. I think it was getting with other

131boards too. I think that's right. >> That's more important than writing individual letters. >> We need to make a wave of the boards, >> letters, emails. I mean, we just need to bombard our legislature. >> We get a new governor. >> Yeah. Thank >> Okay. Um, >> thank you, Dr. Jones. >> Oh, you're more than welcome. And, uh, just lastly, I just wanted to also thank Mrs. Collison, Mr. Angelo, Mr. Wakowski for all of the years of service and support and just wishing you all the best in all your future endeavors. >> Thank you, Dr. >> Thank you. >> Does anybody have any old business they want to bring up? Kathleen. >> Yes. >> The email request that I sent in regards to the bullying data specifically in the middle school. Have we gotten a

132breakdown on the like what the actual reports were of? >> Oh yeah. Well, that hasn't been done yet, huh? >> We did get the monthly the quarterly reports. Correct. >> Right. But they were not >> I don't know specifically what exactly. >> So my concern is is we started off the year none. Last month was 11. This next month is 18. >> So like we're doubling. I understand some of it can be tied to this the time of the year, but that can't be all of it. So it'd be nice to be able to see what the pattern of reports are. Is it specific to certain types of behavior that's occurring or those kind of things? Is that something that that could be addressed? >> I will look into what it looks like and if

133I can give it to you in generalities, I will. >> Yes, that's like I don't need names. I don't need but just to get some sort of an idea because we're not seeing that in the middle in the elementary or the high school. So, it's it's definitely middle school driven and it would be nice to be able to understand what's driving it. >> Okay. >> The same thing happened last year on a smaller scale, >> right? a much smaller scale. The numbers almost doubled in a month's time. That's >> and to find none of them actually founded is a little concerning >> as a parent of some of a kid in the middle school like out of those you're telling me absolutely none of them were founded to me. That's a little >> I'm going

134to push back a little on that because I know the level of investigation that the two principles do do when a bullying report is um brought forward. Um and believe me, there's copious notes, copious investigation. Um but if I can get you in generalities what the behaviors are, I can't give you specifics because clearly it's tied to FURPA. Um but I can certainly get that for you. But I will tell you that um the investigation work that's done at the middle level is probably the best procedures we have in the district. Um where there's complete followth through documentation, good reports. Um but if there's a specific behavior, then they're addressing that through PBIS, I'm assuming. Um but I'll double check. Okay. So, being on the receiving end, >> I'll put it in my briefs on

135Friday. Okay. >> Being on the receiving end of a bullying incident, I would agree with Melinda in that the investigation is extremely thorough and the report that's produced is extremely thorough. >> So, I have an opposite feeling of that from when my oldest was in the middle school and she was on the receiving end. So I feel differently and I know that there is chatter of other people feeling differently. So I just it something that's worth looking into my personal opinion. >> Okay. And I think Melinda maybe some of the policy around that >> might need to be reviewed because I think some of the policy is not believe bullying the the definition the way we have it in the policy is a pattern. Mhm. >> And I think a lot of the un if

136you will unfoundedness of the bullying is that there is no pattern that was formed and therefore it is not considered a bullying incident. I don't want to assume what those 18 were. But I do know that when I reviewed the policy on my own side that it was >> the the pattern piece. >> The new legal definition willn't have to be a pattern anymore. But I believe our policy, the way the policy is written still says pattern. >> Look into that. >> Our policy was just updated last year. >> Yeah. >> It still says I think >> Oh, go ahead. >> So if a parent reports bullying, they get a report back that it's unfounded. >> So parent will put in a formal complaint. Yeah. An investigation is done. a report is generated from that

137and letting them know was it a case of bullying. Uh sometimes it dies on the vine because it's simply uh the parent doesn't want to go down the formal >> investigation report but 18 times last month a student or a parent brought forward a complaint of both and then it was investigated and I asked that question this morning in a meeting and more or less what you asked right and that was the answer I received. I did not ask the question what were the types of behaviors. A lot of it is um verbal stuff and you know throwing a pencil and those kinds of things. Um but um I can find out if it's physical verbal aggression. >> I just think maybe maybe it might be the delivery aspect of it. So if you really

138believe something happened to your child and then you're told it's unfounded but your child's visibly upset, there is something there. So, I don't know if maybe that it's the going from the report to the parent, maybe it's just not delivered in a way or maybe wording needs to be different of, you know, because everybody's perception of the situation is different. Um, so I I I worry on the parents end that that might be the uproar that I I don't know any of this, but as a parent if I'm really upset that I feel like my kid was, you know, bullied and they're upset about something and then they feel like they're their feelings are unbounded, you know. So I I don't know if there's a way that we're passing this information on in a sympathetic

139way. When a full bullying investigation is completed, at the end of that there is recommendations and what has happened. Yeah. And every all party members understand what has happened. >> But if a full bullying investigation isn't completed out of that 18, a full bullying investigation wasn't done for every single one of them where we where we had it might just be an incident report because it's a minor issue. Um so um but at the end of those reports there's always a recommendation um and what the administrative did to address the bullying issue. >> Okay. >> So I think there's two pieces to this. The first piece is what are the parents students expecting for an outcome? The second piece of this is although it might be an unfounded bullying incident, that doesn't mean that the

140aggressor did not get disciplined for their action. >> I think that is a fair statement. >> So we never discuss discipline with the other parent. Um, this is where you need to trust that the administrative team has taken it seriously and has addressed it with that student and that student's parents. Um, I can tell you there is what the consequence is. Um, obviously I can't talk to even you about it, right? Um, but there there is always a consequence. um suspending a kid isn't always the right approach. It's better that the student meet regularly with the school counselor and learn strategies to not um have an aggressive outburst or call people names. So, at middle school, it's a it's a big teaching moment in grades 5 through eight. Kids are learning how to be uh

141navigate socially. And so we're going to see all of our bullying issues come about at that middle school level. When there's a bullying situation at the high school, quite honestly, that becomes a more indepth investigation because now students have have have learned through that process and really should be responsible for their behavior. And so that takes a different twist. But at the middle level, grades five through eight, they're they're learning how to interact socially. Um, and so, um, I think the team does a good job. Um, specifically, I can't tell you off the top of my head what the 18 issues were, but, um, I can definitely in generalities figure out what it is and then what are they doing just schoolwide to address those kinds of issues. I think that's the the best thing

142and it goes back to that climate and culture >> whole thing because that's the point >> maybe the answer to that is there were 18 bullying incidents of the 18 bully bullying incidents how many consequences how many of them had consequences that came I think that's a general question that could be answered >> that I'll have to get legal counsel on >> because I'm concerned about that type of data being reported. >> I'm not asking for that to be reported in a report. I guess what I'm saying is of the of the incidents, what is what is the percentage of consequences that come out of the complaints, right? I I think that's a fair and general general statement we can make. Of the 18 bullying incidents, 100% of the aggressors were had consequences. Whether that

143was counseling, whether that was suspension, whether that was whatever, we don't need to I don't necessarily need to know that. But I think getting that message across that we didn't just ignore the fact that a report came in on bullying. We investigated it. There were consequences. We moved on. >> Correct. And then via the grapevine, um the parents will disagree with the consequence and then call back the school. Right. Um, and so, um, no one knows what the consequence is and if it's an in-house suspension, what that's all about. Um, you know, did the student have to get referred to counseling? I mean, there's a lot of arms and legs to a consequence, but often if a parent is having an issue and they expect and they've got to trust that we followed through and

144the student was consequenced and the other family is informed, um, most often via the rumor mill. People don't agree with the consequence that was given or they it's a rumor and they don't even know what the consequence is. Um and so then that causes another >> area of angst. >> Um I think we do a really good job. >> Um but I can certainly find out um out of all of those incidents last month where we fell out. >> And is there like followup with the families, you know? Absolutely. There is. Yeah, that's absolutely. >> Yeah. Like after the incident's closed, you know, how's the kid? How's Joe doing? You know, checking out. >> That's why that's why we have guidance >> conf. Yeah. Yeah. So maybe No, we Yeah. I just for it to

145be spilling out onto social media, there's definitely something that needs to be addressed because, you know, there's there's there's a call for it and we need to address it and take care of it and um you know, >> it's never going to go away. >> It won't. No. No. But >> because that's how kids learn to navigate. >> It's true. It's true. But >> yeah, >> sad but true. Yes. Are we ready to move on? And we are going to >> Nope. Let's move on. >> Go, go, go. >> Okay. We have some correspondence. Um we directed um >> last month we directed Melinda to write to the Department of Education and she did and we got a letter back from um Charlene Russell Tucker who is the commissioner of education. uh wasn't what we

146hoped for, but um at least she responded. >> She did. We can't change legislation and that's really what we're asking her to do. Um but I will say that we've only got another year and we'll be out of that designation. So, >> opportunity district, >> correct? that gives us the the opportunity to be a a school of choice for those of schools that um send their students that have no high schools. So, that would be good. And then we've got another uh one from uh Elizabeth Goldmith thanking us for attending um candidates nights for uh participating uh our new board members for participating in uh candidate night which is uh something that I think is really useful and wonderful that our town does this and that they sponsor um that Thompson together sponsors this event

147and gives a opportunity to meet the candidates and hear from the candidates. So, um I I that's a it's a great um very good organization and I um and I fully support them and they also they also uh help with community day and do a lot of good things for the town of Thompson. Uh next up is citizens comments. I have a comment that I neglected to do uh at my chairman's update. I also want to thank Bill Wakowski for his 24 years on the board of education, Tom Angelo for your 18 years of service to the board of education. And sorry. >> Did you? >> Yes. Miss Carlson for your six years. Danielle Carlson for her six years on the board of education. Uh you I told you you didn't want me to be

148with you tonight, but I'm sorry I'm not there in person to say goodbye to you personally. Um, >> I know you will still be in town. Bill will be on the building committee. Tom, you'll be on the Turtle Lot Trust and the building committee. Um, and uh, Danielle, I hope to see you possibly back on the board of education or some other committee. We'll ro you in again. >> Thank you all very much. Been a pleasure to ser with all of you. I just heard that. >> I just want to say one thing, Kathleen. Um, it's been an honor and a privilege obviously to uh the town's people of Thompson being a graduate of the high school from about 86, but going back generations and my father back to back to back state champions of

149basketball in the 50s, 49, 50, 51. But I was doing some math and I had mentioned uh to our new board members that I know my family with the Robins family, we've had or held a seat here for almost seven decades. >> Wow. >> And Bill's family, I would imagine, is pretty close to that as well. >> My father was on the board 26 years before I got here. >> Yeah. So, there's a lot of history and >> you know, like I just said, it's u I commend all of you for doing what you're doing. Uh there's a lot of thankless uh people out there that don't realize the commitment. >> Thing I would just say to you all is don't get tied up in the social media web of answering or replying. In addition

150to that, I would also just say that uh try to make sure that you maintain a safe professional learning experience for our staff and students and always uh try to make the right decision even though it might not be fiscally responsible in some people's eyes. Just do the right thing. Um, and the only other thing I will say is forget about your political party. >> This board has never been a political party. That's one of the things that I think really where we stride uh better than most towns. So, thank you for the town of Thompson to all the taxpayers and I wish you all the best of luck. >> Thank you, Tom. Thank you, Bill. Thank you, Danielle. >> Can I speak to real quick? Uh um uh thank you for this experience. It's

151been great and I'm excited to participate in different ways. I obviously want to stay involved in the school and with my community or my communications committee crew in any way I can and um help out with project um EOG and um sitting on the panel. That was really cool. Um and I'd love to do that again. So, I'll still be a face but just in a different way. Um, life just has me going in different directions. So, this has been great. Um, and I thank you all. And then my advice for the newborn members is just keep an open mind. You're going to think going into a situation maybe one way, but just always have an open mind because there's so much that you're going to learn in these six years that um that's you're

152Yeah. It's just gonna be a lot. So, just keep that open mind. Keep the open mind. It's gonna be a lot. Then this winter, you're gonna be in a meeting every week. So, all right. But thank you all. >> Thank you. >> Come on. You need to >> I I'm gonna I'm gonna miss this. I'm going to miss you all. Uh, we've done a lot of good things over the time I've been here from the early education to privatizing buses, hiring Bill Burch, getting Melinda on board. We've done a lot of great things. I've worked with a lot of great board members. I've worked with a lot of lousy board members, right? Um, uh, but we're here. We're all here for the kids and I've always been here for the kids and for the staff.

153They're the the teachers, the secretaries, the custodians. They're just as important as anybody else in the building. And I've always tried to advocate for all of them. They're not our enemies. There are there are allies in this whole thing. >> Uh, you know, I'm going to miss it, but I'm going to still be on the board. But I want to thank Danielle because she's been here almost as long as me, and she's always that steady hand that's always here. So, uh, >> I'll see you Wednesday. >> I'll see you on Wednesday. >> I would like to add though is that we probably do a quarterly, uh, report from the, uh, turtle trust. As the president, I feel that I have not given you the adequate respon um, updates. So, let's get the board turtle trustees

154on there at least once a quarter of that. >> You can't stay away. It's right there, man. I'm in charge of how many millions. So, I've got to do something for >> I don't know anything about it. So, yeah, it' be great to hear. >> Yeah. >> Perfect. >> It's busy. >> We get to keep our naming flags. >> Yes, you do. >> To adjourn. >> Oh, any other citizens comments? >> Citizens comment. >> No more. >> Okay. second. >> We're out of here. >> That's a wrap, folks.