001Yeah. Well, I I most of the time we don't keep anything. We'll keep some stuff. Um I took the grandchildren at a club I belong to. I took the grandchildren and um the club president says, "You know, guys, you got to start keeping fish." And we're putting all this money into this pond, takes them out. My grandchildren caught like 12 fish. And I said to Gary, here's another one, Gary. So, wait a minute. Don't take them all while you said take them. They don't give you a limit. No, it's a private club. It's it's technically eight, but um but he he he's been complaining that, you know, the we spend a small fortune on stocking and most guys throw everything back and so he likes to smoke them and uh we have them for dinner
002and stuff. So he's got I'm supposed to pick up a whole bunch of smoked trout from him one of these days. It's It's like smoked It's like salmon. Yeah, that's believe when I tell you that's probably one of the best ways to eat them. That's one of the best ways to eat them. We try not to kill the small ones anymore. You know, it uh brook trout are are a signature species. They're a uh an indicator species. The water companies, one of the reasons the water companies don't permit fishing in their streams is because they use the brook trout as an indicator of their water quality. And so long as the brook trout are in the streams, their water is suitable for not treatment. Well, what happened is 50 years ago, 60 years, let's in
003the late 60s, early 70s, the water company especially the water companies. Hi Patty. This is so recent. My name is board of education to order at our regular meeting. We'll start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. Uh, we'll start with our PTO report. You're up. Please state your name and address. Hi, Melissa Zalda, 191 Beacon Road. Um, I am the outgoing PTO president. Um, so when we last met, we were getting ready for quite a few busy weeks, starting with our quasi night. Um, everyone was worried about the weather and ended up being absolutely gorgeous that night. We pre-sold, but BCS pre-sold 422
004tickets. We had 419 of those tickets redeemed and then we did 129 tickets at the gate. Um, Beecher did almost twice as us, but they're twice as big as we are. So, it was amazing night. The kids had an absolutely fun time. Then the following week uh was spring playing. The the weather didn't hold out the way we wanted it to. It did rain at the beginning, but um it did clear up at the end. We had almost a thousand people come. Um and I saw a lot of people here. I saw a lot of teachers here. It was great. We had food from lasses. We had touch a truck. Um raffles, bounce houses, um terrarium building, which I did that was really well received. Uh somebody was in the dunk tank. Um and overall,
005it was just it was a fun client. And then um a week ago, which I'm sure you hear about where was PLA, the PTO supplied, uh I purchased 23 watermelon for the school. And um I think we had five or six more uh watermelons show up donated. So we were here passing out watermelon throughout the day and we purchased popsicles for the students to enjoy um right before they had their colors. Um and since the end of the year I just wanted to share a little bit over cap of a cap of what we've done um which may may not be aware of. I did send this out to the parents. So, uh, over the course of the year, we provided $5,800 in field trip funding to help offset those costs for families. We provided
006$1,700 in teacher grants to help support classroom needs. We supplemented classroom libraries through funds raised through the book fair. We purchased two permanent gaga pits for recess use. Installation coming soon. We provided treats and goodies for the students for Halloween, Valentine's Day, Field Day. We showed support and gratitude for our amazing teachers and staff here throughout the year through uh treat carts, meals, and gifts for the holidays, teacher appreciation week. Uh at the last year, we purchased each classroom a recess bag um full of balls, frisbes, um chalk, bubbles, and throughout the year, we replenished those. The teachers had an opportunity to request what they needed, and we replenished those. Um, we welcomed the new kindergarteners by providing a goodie bag to them, including BCS t-shirts. Uh, we supported the unified sports group. We provided
007yearbooks for all graduating sixth grade fun all graduating sixth graders. We donated funds to help victims of the LA wildfires. Uh, we optimized our website to help streamline communications, ticket sales, and volunteer signups. And most importantly, uh, we made memories through our hosted events like the book fair, the Boo Bash and Beautiful Homes Tour, Snowflake Shop, QU hockey night, sweetheart dance bingo night, fun run, the plant sale, quasi night, and spring fling. Um, so thank you to everyone who supported a PTO throughout this year. And um, as you as I said, this is my outgoing message. My term ends June 30th. Um, all board positions have been filled and next year, um, we have co-presidents, uh, Jen Gaelic, who you may know from Parks and Rec Commission, and Melanie Goldner. So, best of luck to
008the new board. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. Uh, public comment. Board of Education welcomes public comment. Individuals or groups may address the board concerning any subject which is within the jurisdiction. Three minutes will be allocated to each speaker and a maximum of 15 minutes on each subject matter. Speakers requested to state their name and address. You can submit a public comment online to be read at the next available opportunity. Anybody go in once? Okay. Sold. All right. On to the approval of the minutes. May 14th, 2025. They're in your packet. Has anybody had a chance to peruse them? Do I hear a motion? Uh so moved. I hear a second. All in favor? I. So we've accepted the uh move minutes of May 14th. Committee report facilities. Sean's not here. Um so I
009guess an abbreviated either K or I can K can do it. Um, no. Well, she she submitted a bit. So, sure. So, um, there we had a conversation about the Northstair project. I believe I shared some of this information. There were no contractors that attended the pre-bid meeting. Um, the bid due date has been extended to June 13th with submissions due to the district office by 2:30 p.m. and the bid opening will take place at 3 p.m. The facilities committee is planning a meeting on June 17th to review the submitted bids and the recommendations and then um we're hoping to be able to have a special board of education meeting uh on June 24th to approve the selected contractor and the amount of money that we would need. The contract start date uh will still
010be June 25th with the project completion date remaining as a August 8th. And we'll probably do this special meeting. I can we do it via Zoom? Good. Well, we'll probably try to do it via Zoom. It shouldn't take too long. I mean, the good Lord willing the bids will come in um somewhere where we projected. If we only get one bid, then we have to talk about that also. So other than that, we'll put everything else in obeyance until Sean's here. Um, finance committee, Amy, you're on. Finance committee met um a week ago. We adjusted the date to give Mrs. B the opportunity to go to high school's graduation last night. Uh you'll see in your packet there's the operating budget. As of May 2025, under general education, salaries is now showing a deficit of
011$15,820 as a result of a forecast adjustment to sub costs. Benefits is status quo. Services is also status quo. Supplies has a deficit of $27,647, which is an increase from last month due to an economic adjustment. Other is status quo. General education ends the month of May with a surplus of $14,825. Under special education, you will see that salaries now has a decreased surplus of $86,197 as a result of a forecast adjustment to subs. Benefits, services, supplies, and other all remain status quo. Special education ends the month of May with a deficit of $52,56. Under operations and overhead salaries is now showing a surplus of $9,253 for an employee out workman's comp. Benefits, services, utilities, facilities, and maintenance, student transportation, and other all remain status quo. Operations and overhead ends the month of May with
012a surplus of $62,560. As of May 31st, 2025, the overall budget is showing a surplus of $25,330. The departments are essentially done with their spending. When spending is completely done, Donna will be able to thoroughly scrub the accounts. Last payroll is June 20th. After then, there will be a clearer picture of where the salary lines will land. We do anticipate a surplus possibly in the range of 25,000 to $40,000, but that is just a best guess estimate as year invoicing will still be coming in well into the line. It was also reported that we received our May excess cost payment of $12,548, which we mentioned last month has already been earmarked for a contracted nurse. Sometime this month, we are expected to receive a portion of the extra $40 million excess cost grant from the
013state. The anticipated amount is $12,395. And at the bottom of your report, you will see that our prek account as of May 31st has a balance of $59,8254. And our 10248A account as of May 31st has $416,11647. Anybody have any questions? So, is that $12,000 extra special ed money, is that in the projection, the coming from the $40 million excess cost grant that will or the first one? The first of the first the May excess cost um it's already earmarked for contracts. Did we is that was in the projection? So, the second number is the number that when they just decided to send districts those dollars that was not in our original projection. didn't know how that was coming. So there potentially another 12 grand float that hasn't been added into the special education. Okay,
014I will say this much. The nice thing about that budget is that the surplus is only $26. That means we were fiscally responsible. We produced a budget and didn't overspend. And I think everybody who's involved in that budget process from K on down to Tom and the teachers and the department heads and everybody deserves a big kudos because that's a nice that's a tight number. It is for that size bud and it's and it's the way it should be as opposed to coming in with a $500,000 surplus or something crazy. Well, we won't have any money to put in our 10248 income. But that's okay. is it's it's it's that is pluses and minuses. I I know that. But but all I'm saying is, you know, the idea is that's there as a rainy day
015fund. Y and it also means that we're being fiscally responsible and that uh we're not asking for too much. We're not asking for too little. Okay. I agree. I I I think that's a that's that's a that's a um that's a testament to uh it's running a tight ship. So the the expense increased under the 10248 account is that for some kind of bidding supplies or something the contract documents from silver documents. And I'll just mention again it would be good to get a list of the grants and the you know the amounts and and where they're coming from so that there's some we're going to modify the clear the budget. Yes. Okay. I'm just, you know, looking for a list of where the money comes from in the world of grants. I think it's
016a smart idea. I I I agree with you, sir. I think it's a I'm just, you know, is is a is a is a separate is a separate item. You know, just have the grants and and what we're projecting and what we're using them for. All right. Um, so the motion will be uh somebody want to make a motion to accept the uh the finance report as presented by Amy? So moved. I hear a second. Angelo. Any discussion? All in favor? I. Policy committee. Sue, you're on. Um, let's see. So uh the agenda is the second reading of the policies reviewed in the May meeting with changes to two of the policies based on requests from the board members at that time. Uh those two policies and changes are identified by calling them version two
017and with green highlights. So version two policy 0112 non-discrimination and education was modified to add the word all in bullet one and version two policy 1411 law enforcement officials was modified to strike out two instances of or designate quote unquote and the second bullet of the second section in general the agenda in total addresses three federal mandates two state mandates plus five policies on the routine calendar. The routine calendar policies have one with a recommended revision and the other four with no changes suggested. Comments or recommendations from the attorney and some from cave concerning all the mandated issues were included in the May and June meeting packets. And I can review my May report again if you'd like, but I don't know if you've had a chance to absorb all this. Is that it? Yep.
018Okay. Um so we'll start with the first one. Um motion to move that the board of education approve the federal mandates to policies 400.1 5145.44 uh 0523 and 0112. Do I have a motion? So move. Second. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I move the board of education approve the state mandated new policies 5131.9111 and 5144.12 I have a motion second um any discussion all in favor one two Angelo and then Amy and then we'll do it backwards on the next one move the board of education approve the record revision to policy 1411 one Amy now Angelo. Uh any discussion? All in favor? I move the board of education approve no revision of policies 1340, 1412, 1416, and 1500. Joe so moved. Amy second. Um any discussion? All in favor? I c passes. So, I
019I should just mention that uh since we had to cancel the June policy committee meeting, I'm planning on uh an August 12th policy committee meeting the day before the August BOE meeting to keep the committee on schedule, but nothing is carved in stone until we have those calendars set up. So, what am I thinking? Okay. Okie dokie. Um, new business, none, unless somebody on the board has got something new on. Administrative reports. Superintendent. Yep. In your enrollment packet, you'll find the enrollment summaries for the three prior years. As of May 31st, 2025, we had 437 students. Um, we're holding steady uh in the 430s range for next year. And currently, there are 51 students registered for kindergarten for next year. Any questions? By way of a personnel update, um, PAR educator Jonathan Gar is resigning
020from his position at the end of the school year in order to complete his student teaching in the fall. Uh, we thank him for his four years of service and wish him well on his way to becoming a special ed teacher. Uh, Peggy Rain, a third grade teacher, is resigning at the end of the school year as she is relocating. And Chelsea Pisi, first grade teacher, currently out on one year leave has decided not to return to BCS next year as she wishes to stay home with her son. So, how's the Spanish teacher? I'm sorry. How's the Spanish teacher? She had a car accident and wasn't able to finish out the rest of the year, but we're posting for the new position. It's already So, she's not going to be able to return. No, she
021was a long-term substitute. Okay. Finishing up the year. So, she's she wasn't technically a full-time DCS employee. Yeah, that's bad luck with that Spanish teacher. She'll tell you something. Director of special services, Cheryl, you're on. Thank you. Um, wanted to give you an update. This uh this summer teachers will be working on the curriculum with priority focus on language arts and social studies due due to the required changes that we have. Um, we started them, but we just want to refine those. And also very excited to say we're providing the boost program again this summer and students have one day per week of instruction and reading and math for 5 weeks. And um extended school year services will start on July 1st through 31st, three days per week for students who require that over the
022summer. And thanks to grant funding, we are able to offer the outandabout program again. And this is a program that focuses on social emotional learning and students go into the community to generalize those skills. And on the grant front, we actually have some good news with grants. Happy to share that received a grant for $5,000 from the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Again, this allowed us to have a lottery with all of our students and offer 40 bikes and helmets to students at BCS. We we were able to select four students per grade level from preschool through grade six. and we have the bikes on order and once they're assembled and delivered, then we'll be notifying the families to come pick them up. Um, there were some really excited students. However, the highlight for me was
023we went to a third grader because we measured every student and she said, "My sister needs it more than me. Can you please go measure her?" And gave up her bike. So, that was like up to bucket of tears and all that. I was like, "Wow, impressive." Um, she said her bike, her sister's bike was too small for her. Um, and we received an additional $10,000 grant for our summer mental health grant. The additional funds will provide a bus to and from New Haven for students from Oakland Choice so they can attend extended school year as well as some additional supplies to enhance the program. That's all I have. Any questions? Any questions for Cheryl? Thank you. The bike program is a big hit. It uh I'm I'm glad to see it working the way
024it does. It was the highlight of my month. I'd say it was pretty exciting. Good. Yeah. Tom, you're on. All right. Uh, we've been busy. So, uh, I'll try and keep it to to a minimum. There's a lot of really great stuff going on. Um, our sixth graders had their science fair on the 15th of May, which was really wonderful. Uh um the 18th that Sunday uh uh several staff and many families went to the Connecticut Sun game. Uh our night of the arts and our spring concert was on the 20th of May. Our unified sports team had their end of year celebration on the 21st. As you heard, the spring fling was a huge hit. On the 23rd, um second grade did their annual uh old schoolhouse day um and did not get rained
025on, which was nice. Um they found like the three days in May where it wasn't raining. Uh we had our um our Bethany night of gratitude. Um that was on the 29th. We had our May community meeting on the 30th. Uh our performances of Moana Jr. uh were on the night of the 30th uh Friday the 30th and then the afternoon of the 1st. Um and an absolute huge hit. Uh and I think in talking with Aaron Stevens, we're going to really look at continuing that program that we have in terms of getting licensing um through. It's a company called MTI uh that licenses out Disney programs. And so they basically will take a Disney show and you can purchase it in 30 minute or 60 minute or 90minute versions. And so um we're exploring
026a lot of different stuff that way, but the the value of that as a whole performance and thing um was really a hit. Uh we had our uh field day on the 4th which was really wonderful and we had um each class um each different class in each grade had a different color. So we had a red team and a blue team and a green team. Uh and so they went around in their colors and at the end of the day we kind of had we had five different events where all the different um it was color wars. So all the blue you know classes got together and so we had kindergarteners through sixth graders all kind of working together and some prek kids. Ton of fun. Um, and it was really wonderful, um, knowing
027that Brianna Viejo was uh, knew Ron Fazio and Laura Stokes, um, out of our design lab, worked with Andrea Huard, um, and really kind of tried to help and and get a working plan together so that Brianna wasn't we weren't coming in and going, "Haha, welcome. Put this together for us in three weeks." Um, so it was really great. And then I think the beauty of that was that she was able to put her stamp on it as well. So we're really excited that that was so successful. So grateful to the PTO for their help. Um and we're excited to kind of continue that as we move forward. Um this week, yes, it was all this week. Good lord. Um we had our sixth grade awards night on Monday. Uh we had our pre-K graduation
028uh Monday afternoon. Our kindergarten graduation uh today and then tomorrow at 9:30 we'll have our sixth grade uh graduation as well. So we're really excited about that. Um just a lot of good stuff going on. It's good busy. Uh BCS kids holding strong. We're going to finish out the year. We've just got a couple more days. We're in a really good spot there. Uh and then like I said, the the looking forward is that tomorrow we have sixth grade graduation. We're going to get yearbooks out by the end of the week. Uh and then we're going to give teachers a nice break. So that's the that's the plan. I heard a lot of great feedback about field day this year. Yeah. that it was one of the best like because it was like almost like
029the entire day without sign. Kudos to the whole team like huge feedback from parents but this was the best one ever. So yeah, it was a a a lot of good. So Andrea, you know, in in a former life, you know, as a PE teacher, had some really good bones to a plan that she had. And then we took that and really looked at kind of how we can utilize the entire space, which was good, too, because it was kind of, you know, really nicely spread out, which I thought was helpful as well, cuz, you know, trying to have everybody sort of together on the big field is nice, but then you get really squished. Um, and it gave that kind of in between walk in between, you know, you'd have at the basketball court
030and then come over to the field and then the upper field. So it really kind of gave that space and yeah it was it kids had a ton of fun. So and I did the water station which was fun. They all got soaked. It was great. Any other questions for for Tom? Thank you very much. Superintendent report. Um one question is whether or not we want to have a July meeting. Is there anybody uh opposed? Anybody in favor? Um we don't typically we usually have one just in August to get Yes. So uh but that's not a decision I will make unilaterally that we discuss it. Does anybody have a feeling pro or con? Then my suggestion is we do not have a July meeting. If something comes up we can have a special meeting
031like we're doing for the uh stairs. Okie dokie. I think that's basically it. The rest of it we'll discuss in executive session. Correspondence. Correspondence. Yes. From Rama. She's parent of Leia and Elango um from 51 Hummus Drive. and she said, "I just wanted to thank uh take a moment to thank Miss Walit, Superintendent Mrs. Bird, Principal Mr. Reed Swale, and the Board of Education for the incredible support you gave our kids, Alleia and Alongo, as they represented the school at the Henry Ford Invention Convention US Nationals. While they didn't come home with a prize, the experience was truly something special. They had the chance to present their invention safety co on a national stage, participate in the Shark Tank cast calling, and grow in ways we never imagined. We also made unforgettable memories visiting the
032Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, and the Ford Rouge factory. We're especially thankful for the help covering some of the costs. It really made a difference for our family and allowed the kids to fully take part in this unique opportunity. A special shout out to Miss Wil for being such an amazing guide and cheerleader throughout this journey. Her support meant the world to us. Thank you all again for encouraging curiosity, creativity, and courage in your students. That makes it all worthwhile. You hear that, Kim? Cold start. Okay. Uh public comment. Anybody? All right. Then at this point, we're going to go into executive session. Um I would recommend that nobody leave. I'll make a need a motion to go to executive session. So move. Second. All in favor. And I have to invite K. All in favor
033inviting K. I [Music]