Regular Meeting of the Bridgeport Board of Education Mon 9/22/2025 6:30 PM

001Good evening. This is a call to order for the regular board meeting of the Bridgeport Board of Education. Today's Monday, September 22nd, and the time is 6:31. Um, can everybody please rise for the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag 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 for all. >> Mr. Benah take roll call. >> Christine Baptis Pereza Casemir >> here. >> Miss Marica Himenez >> here. >> Mr. William Medina >> present. >> Miss Jennifer Perez >> present. >> Mr. Justice >> present. >> Mr. Robert Traver and Mr. Andre Woodson. >> Thank you. Um, all right. We're going to go with student representative reports. We do have Christian here if you want

002to come up to the podium. Um, we're going to start the student representatives officially in October, but Christian made it out, so of course we're going to let him speak. So, okay. Can Okay, I hope I can be heard well. Okay. Hello, my name is Christian Beut and I am the student representative from Central High School. And on the first stories, we are proud to announce that 53 of our students have earned AP Scholar Recognition, the highest number in the past 5 years. The board will also be invited to join us in celebrating these accomplishments on October 16th. Now, our school year began with a successful back- tos school family cookout on September 17th, and we welcomed nearly 1,800 students and their families. Representatives from the Bridgeport Public Library also joined us to provide library

003cards and encourage reading across all branches. During this event, all clubs, activities, sports teams, and academic departments had tables in order to share information with our families about our diverse offerings. We are also excited to welcome Mrs. Shireen Kennedy as our new assistant principal who brings extensive experience in Bridgeport and will work closely with our school governance council. and our clubs and student organizations are actively engaging in initiatives and community service. For example, the National Honor Society NHS has begun operations and is partnering with HOSA for community service and these include food drives for the Merin House and food bank as well as connect collecting personal care products to send to our nearby refugee center. Impact Club and HOSA have also scheduled fundraising activities for interest scholarships and have organized a positive affirmation day on

004September 29th in order to share positive vibes within the school. And now our students, they're also registering for national and international hosta conferences and they've recently participated in professional development sessions focused on interviews and resume building for their careers. Regarding our athletics program, they've also started strong. Notably, our football coach Brendan Miller was selected by the New York Giants and Gatorade as the high school coach of the week. We are also gathering academic data through the reading plus and NWA assessments to monitor student literacy and math progress. Additionally, a last note, we are employing career readiness through a career fair which will be held on September 25th for all our 11th and 12th graders and this will be coordinated by our college and career readiness teachers. Finally, we continue to promote attendance awareness month, communicating

005daily about the importance of attending school regularly and on time. Thank you. >> Thank you, Christine. Um let the record show that Mr. Traver has joined the meeting. Um next item we have is public comment and the first um speaker we have is Zomaya Agua. Yeah, you get a podium and you just press the button when you get there. You'll have two minutes when once you start talking. >> Hi. Um, I'm here to um speak for my son Isaac. Um, he's 6 years old. He's special needs and um, he has not been able to go to school this whole school year due to the transportation change. Um, he's normally always transported from the house to the school and the school to the daycare and now we have been denied the transportation to the daycare and

006only to and from school. um that has affected us because I have um only been able to take him to school three days out of this school year and I've had to come out of work early so that I can be able to pick him up and my son has been losing out on services and he has been losing out on school and his education due to this transportation change. We were only notified three days before school started and was not enough time to um make accommodations for him. Um I've have tried to contact as much people as I can when we have not been um able to be helped. Um I was told that it is my issue, my problem where my son has to go after school and that they will not make

007any exceptions um because they are transporting him to and from the home. Um, and I wanted to ask to see if there was any way that maybe we can have an exception for my son so that he is able to go to school because I cannot come out of work early. I'm a single mom and it it's just me and him. We don't have anyone else. And I just want my son to be able to have an education and to be getting the services that he needs so that he could be successful in life. and I'm not able to come out of school, I'm sorry, come out of work early every day so that he can go to school. That was all. Just wanted to let you guys know about that. >> Thank you. >>

008The next um speaker is James Misoro. >> Good evening, superintendent board. My name is Jim Zaros. from alumni from Bassac High School and also son of Margie Schwarz. Uh it was po was told to us that Bassac High School gymnasium was uh was supposed to be renamed after Bernie Loftton at opening day visitors alumni and in the gymnasium there is no Bernie Loftton whatsoever in that gym. That's a shame. That's what was brought to this board that said it was supposed to have been done. It's not been done. Second, uh my mother is Marge Schwarz, a volunteer for 40 years in the Bridgeport public schools. It was told to me that the new uh parent center was going to be named after her. I was kind of shocked when I saw the opening day at

009the Huzatonic. I didn't get no invite, didn't get nothing about it. Uh that's really a smack in my face for working here for 20 39 29 years school security. But uh leaving my mother's name again out in the out in the wing. Uh we tried to give Roosevelt school, but they put it as a former president. I understand that. But there was a room for her nice and small for a parent center. But now we have a big parent center where we could put her accolades for where we have it in our house in that space where that can show parents that if you want to volunteer, this is what it's how it was back in the day. how it all started with Pearl and all the uh the other like I we spoke before

010of other groups that the parents parents went to different states out of the Bridgeport public schools to see what other schools are that they could bring back to Bridgeport and say, "Hey, let's try it here." We don't do that anymore. So again, um I just need to know who's the next channel that we have to sit in front of because I'm doing this on my own until I meet with the Bernie Loftton's families. Uh we spoke at the opening day of Bassic High School with the daughter daughter-in-law uh Miss Beads I think it is the word. So if someone could tell me who do I speak to next to get it back on your agenda. >> Thank you Mr. M. Next um we have Latrice Bastic. Hi, I'm Latrice Bastic. >> I'm here in regards

011to my two children. They both have special needs and they go to Clay or Magnet. Um, for three years, I've been asking for assistance for my children. Unfortunately, I did not get that until maybe May of last year. And prior to that, I asked for summer school help. They were denied by the principal. I asked for multiple different help and I didn't get it. Um, just recently my son was suspended for a situation that he had really nothing to do with, but he was targeted. That's how I felt and he got suspended for 3 days. How is he going to learn being home for 3 days? >> You didn't get the letter. >> I didn't get no letter. I got I only got a phone call stating that I needed to come and pick up

012my child at maybe 10:00 10:40 a.m. That was it. And this goes on, I want to say every time something happens with either one of my children, they either don't tell me or they tell me when they suspend the boy child. They don't suspend my daughter much. They just throw everything under the bridge for her. She was bullied last year and it caused a lot of issues for my son cuz he protected her and he got suspended. He was out of school more last year than he was in school and I just don't know where else to turn to to get them the proper help that they need. I believe I did put him for a control transfer and I was denied. I'm not sure why, but I wanted their success for this year. It's

013been three years too long that this school in particular does not want to help me. Let me finish up saying that this already went through Travers Committee. It did pass. Again, the suspended kids were special need for three days and no service. been missing uh reading math and they don't get it no homework taken home either. So I'm here in support of the mother because she asked for help. So we're going to be giving that help. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Mr. Resto, you are next. I don't know if you have addition. That's it. Okay. >> That concludes uh public speaking. Thank you guys for sharing your concerns with us. Um the next item in the agenda is approval of the minutes for uh the September 8th, 2025 regular meeting. >> Is there a

014motion? >> Motion made by Mr. Traber. Is there a second? I'll second it. >> Any any debate on it? >> All in favor say I. >> I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? >> Okay, Mr. Sakalavic and Miss Estra Jimenez abstains. The next item on the agenda is the chairperson's report from me. Um the only thing I have is that um next Tuesday we're going to have a workshop um facilitated by CABE um and that's going to help us with um uh our subcommittee or committee structure and um hopefully getting something uh worked on that day that that solidifies what we've been working on the past uh few weeks um or yeah since school started. Um, so that workshop's going to be next Tuesday at city hall 305 um at 6 p.m. and that'll be uh

015facilitated by uh Nick Caruso. Um, as far as committee reports, um, the finance committee met last week on the 15th. Um we had a presentation from the council of great city schools um the director Ray Hart and he um shared with us the different services that were offered and um that have been offered to the city our district and um um items that he can continue offering in the future if needed. Um and so we we will decide um in the coming weeks whether we want to continue using the the great city schools um council great city schools or not. And so, um, we we'll we'll see that on the agenda coming up soon. Um, and then we just had an update on the current or just the fiscal um, update for uh, this month.

016And so at the end of this month and early actually at the end of October, sorry, we'll have a a full update on um, the end of the year from last year and and the first quarter of this year. Um, and the last item we had was uh approval of the legal services. Um, we are going to request that be tabled when we get down to new business and we'll discuss it then. Um, other than that, the next meeting will be the 15th of October. Um, and yeah, questions, Mr. Traver, >> the next meeting of the State Department event. >> No, the finance committee. >> Oh, you already moved into committee report. Yeah. >> Mhm. >> I didn't hear that transition. Sorry, Madam Chair. >> Um, Mr. Medina, >> I thought you were still reporting

017on the chairman's report. >> Gotcha. Mr. Medina, >> can I go back to the chairman's report? >> Um, sure. Mr. M, just a minute. >> Did we get anything out of the State Department event? >> Um, not no updates from them. >> So, we're still hanging, so to speak, with the State Department event. I have no updates from the state. >> You received no response. >> Um, >> thank you. >> No new updates. Um, Mr. Medina, >> we're back on the finance >> back on finance committee. >> I'm sorry, ma'am. >> We're on the finance committee. We're back on >> Oh, actually, I I I would like to uh to also uh I I never had an opportunity to make a chairman's report. Uh there was no questions or opportunity to make a comment or

018on the chairman's report and my comment is about the chairman's report if I may. >> Sure. >> Thank you. Um you stated that you were having a meeting uh September 30th and I'm just want to make two inquiries or statements about it. Um did you uh did you pull the like who made this meeting on September 30th? because on September uh 16th uh during my special meeting, I uh I was making uh a special meeting on September 30th. On that meeting, I stated it to the public and I was just wondering who requested for that September 30th meeting and was the board of ed uh members poll to see if we were available for that particular date. >> That was a meeting that I set with Cabs back. Um, I wasn't aware that you had

019a meeting scheduled. >> Okay. You set it up, but I'm just asking. My first question was what I did and it was in the se uh September 16th special meeting. I you know, I put it on the calendar uh stated on our our meeting that we would uh have a meeting September 30th. Um and you know, the time to be announced over at 3:05. Um, but I'm asking like when were we going to be told about the September 30th meeting to figure out if we were available as board members? >> I put the notice out last week and I was telling you today during the regular board meeting. >> Okay. So, we were not pulled. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> All right. Anything else on the finance committee? All right. Moving on to instruction

020and support services committee. >> Mr. Traver, go ahead. >> Um, my only report is that we have a meeting on Wednesday night. The agenda was posted today. Um, so that's it. >> All righty. Any referrals? >> Seeing none, we'll go on to the policy and personnel committee. Mr. Medina. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh like I said stated earlier, we met on uh the 16th and special meeting. Um we had uh two positions that were uh put up for interviews. So we had multiple fixed interviews for director for multicultural education and world language and also executive director of school turnaround. um our and uh we postponed every other item except one uh due to the time constraints because of the interviews and we were moving them forward to September 30th. So now that's going to

021be to be determined see what we can figure out in a day. Our next meeting will be October 8th, 2025 and I'll take any referrals if any. >> I don't see Thank you. >> Yeah, there's no hands. Alrighty. Facilities committee will meet next um Wednesday the the 1st the the October 1st. Um we haven't met since the last board meeting. So I'll take any referrals for facilities. Mr. Traver. >> Um Madame Chair, I I believe facilities would be the where the naming goes. >> Okay. And so I wanted to refer those two questions that were raised in public comment to your committee um on the naming of the gym that did come up uh last year. It was universally supported to name the gym after Bernie Lis. Um and uh I would like you to

022also refer the name of the um welcoming parent center uh for discussion. It sounds re sounds like a a righteous uh issue, but it obviously needs to be discussed. Uh but I know the loftest one was discussed last year and supported by all. >> So they both sound like good issues to be brought before your committee >> and brought then back to the full board. >> Is that appropriate? >> That's appropriate. >> Thank you. >> Yes, >> Mr. Saliv. Yeah, I would I would excuse me concur with M Mr. Traber on the Loftton gym. Um, it was unanimously passed by by the board. So, there's not much discussion to be had about naming it. It's just about planning a ceremony and buying the plaque >> and maybe we could talk about how the oversight was

023how the over how it was overlooked or whatever have you. But I think the only thing at this point to do with that is to basically buy a plaque and schedule the ceremony. Yeah, through the chair again to emphasize that that that was voted on the B by the board. I think there's just been a lot of things going on between now, but we will we will make it right for that particular, you know, um um plaque and and facility being named. Uh the other one was brought to my attention, but we we've never brought it back through committee yet. Uh and I think it's it's a it's a good opportunity to be able to do that and get the details and timing of that as well. And we might be able to do them

024pretty close to one another as well. >> Yeah. >> Go ahead, Mr. Trigger. >> Yeah. I I I mean, we all remember quite clearly that the only thing that issue was on the gym was the procedural question of how we did it and how we waved the policy. Um not the issue of naming it. So, >> um, but let's just make sure we get it done now that the school's open and and see to the business that we all agreed on. >> Absolutely, Mr. Medina. >> Yeah, Madam Chair. I'm also going to forward one to you for your first reading. Uh, but I'll send it as a referral to your uh facilities. Uh I spoke to a couple other people leaders in the community that they brought it up last year uh through the old

025chair and nothing was uh communicated to the family and I'll just share that first with you. Um that way we can put it in the agenda to speak about it and figure out it means to uh to honor this other uh longtime uh teacher and educator in uh the passive community. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, we're going to move on. Do you have anything for the cave report? >> No, nothing new for the cave report. >> No new updates for cave u the cave report. Um so we're going to move on to Dr. Avery's report. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a few just announcements to make prior to I have a couple of my staff members that's going to come up and provide a presentation. That presentation should have been in

026the board book, I mean the board uh portal for your consideration over the weekend. Uh but I I do want to make you know that the student representative for the board will will convene uh in October. We're going to have a chance to kind of you know for them to meet with me and kind of get some protocol of how that's going to work out. Uh so we're looking uh forward to kind of embracing them having them come and sit with the board moving forward uh and getting ready for them to participate uh in this uh process with us. Uh in addition to another announcement, the the BASCIC final walkthrough uh will be Thursday, October the 2nd uh at 3:30 at the old Bassic facility. Uh so have an opportunity for alumni and community to

027join uh uh the board and myself uh to kind of talk a little bit about or to have them walk through Basset for the final time uh uh as we move forward. Uh it's again that that date is Thursday, October October the 2nd at 3:30m at the old BASIC site. In addition to that, uh during convocation, I uh put out that we were going to pre be promoting um a new recognition program in the district called in it to win it. Uh that will be celebrating this district excellent. that's students, that's teachers, administration, uh anyone that in we feel that have done a super great job, you know, uh supporting and doing great things for the Bridgeport Public Schools. Uh we're looking to have a ceremony on Thursday, October the 30th at Harding High School

028at 5:30. Um again, that whole nomination process, we're going to kind of promote that a little bit, but I kind of wanted to kind of give everybody a heads up on on what that's going to be. uh uh submitted by administrators that means principles, department supervisors, executive cabinet. Really wanting to get the input from schools and departments of who these individuals are. Again, it's it can be a a variety of different, you know, uh professions or students. And again, we really want to make sure that they're in it to win it to help Bridgeport kind of exceed and and succeed. Uh again uh each administrator will and could nominate one student, one staff member, and one non- staff member, meaning parent or community partner as well. Again, we we've done a really good job of

029trying to rally community partnerships with us. Uh we had a great meeting last week regarding community partners. uh we had a packed room full of you know community partners that's wanting to stand by and with Bridgeport Public Schools to promote the things that we need for this school community to to succeed. And so I'm very very uh pleased and and honored that they were able to kind of join me in uh just listening and understanding where we are and what we're going to be and what our future needs are going to be as well. Um again uh I'm going to you know turn it over to uh Dr. Young and uh Carly Richard. Uh they're going to give you a little bit overview regarding uh a number of different aspects of community attendance and all

030those kinds of things. So uh let you guys take it away. >> You turn your mic on on the Yeah. >> Hi. Um I'm Dr. Young, director of social work services, and this is Carly Rocher Reyes, director of >> school counseling and partnerships. >> Yes. So, we're here to talk about um school climate and culture across the state. Um uh the state wanted everyone to come up with a plan for school climate and culture. So, this is um what we came up with for our plan for the city of Bridgeport. So, the plan has to include um how you're going to include um improve school climate, but also how you're going to tackle school bullying and challenging behaviors. That's a new buzzword, and I'm going to talk a little bit about that later on. So,

031our plan is that each school had to develop a plan about what they're going to do to tackle those three issues. How to improve their school climate, how to um to notice what's going on with bullying, and to address bullying, and also how to ch to address challenging behaviors. Those plans are due on November 25th. Um each school had to have a school um climate specialist that is trained on how to notice what's going on with bullying and school climate and how to come up with solutions for that. Um there's a school level committee that we're going to identify and also I'm the school district coordinator that can work with each school on developing those plans. Those plans then um already went out. So the data from last year's um school climate data went to

032each school. They used that data to then develop that plan that will be due on November 25th, 2025. Now there's an aside with this. There's a difference between climate and culture. So climate is um like it's like you could have it's like the weather here in Bridgeport. We used to have lots and lots of snow. Now the climate has changed where we have some snow days here and there, but we don't have our climate has changed where we're getting a little warmer. So that's like a school. If you go into a school, you're supposed to feel the atmosphere of that school. You everyone knows what it feels like when you go into that school for the first time. That is the climate of that school. The culture is the day-to-day what goes on in there.

033What the moray of that school is. We want to tackle both of those things. So over time to tackle tackle climate, but in the meantime, we're going to talk about that culture and work on that culture on a day-to-day basis. So the plans, school climate plans, I went on. So the school climate plans, they were um will prevent, identify, and address those three things that we talked about, which is the climate, bullying, and challenging behaviors. Can somebody give me an example of what a challenging behavior would look like from the crowd? Just an example of what a challenging behavior would be. Yes. Yes. So a a kid that's always throwing things around the classroom or eloping leaving the room, we are developing a plan to address that so that that kid cannot interrupt the rest

034of the educational process. So that's what this plan is supposed to do. um address those challenging behaviors and also address um the um of bullying in the school. So challenging behaviors, you just described what a challenging behavior might be and um a lot this wasn't in the bully definition before. The bully definition before was repeated with a more than one student over time. And um it has to be like one student against another. not mutual combat, not two students going against each other, but one student going toe-to-toe with another student over and over again. So, we want to make sure that people know what the actual bullying definition is. And then that also now includes those challenging behaviors. So, we have to address all of those things within that plan. Now, the committee in the

035school, they will then um address those um challenging behaviors. they'll talk about that student and what things we can do to put in place to address that student's behavior. Um, MTSS, which is multi-tered um systems and supports and we will talk about that at that meeting. And it's a multid-disciplinary team of social workers, of school counselors, the principal, a a lead teacher, all of those people will be on that committee to talk about different things we need to do to address that school climate as a whole. And the um we also talk about in that meeting events centered around school climate. So we would come up with things like um a sneaker bowl we did last year at Dunar School where kids get to earn their way into something like that where they get points

036if they're exhibiting positive behavior and then they would get to go to this these different events. So those events will be created in that school climate committee meeting. Lastly, we have bullying and challenging behavior paperwork. So all of the different things um that you can report on. Parents can report on this. They can go to the school and say, "I feel that a student is having challenging behaviors. I would like to know how I can um voice my concerns." They would then get that form, fill it out, and then be able to like um voice their concerns. That form then goes to that meeting where we discuss what we're going to do to tackle that student's challenging behavior. Um there's a challenging behavior form for administr administration to report um what's going on with students

037as well. So all of these forms are readily available for parents, students, and families to be able to go in and then write up what they need to write up so that we can address those behaviors. >> Any questions? >> Dr. I want to I want to emphasize board that this is a a new requirement for the state of Connecticut. Uh and so we're all learning and and adjusting that change the the bullying policy I mean the bully bullying definition. So we all have to revert back to exactly how and what we're and this data is being tracked by the state as well. So this is all new. Uh the committee at the campus level is new. The required person at the district to to follow up and make sure campuses are are following through

038with things as well is new. Uh and so again, every legislative session we have something new that we have to do and it's unfunded mandate that we're having to do. So we have to find someone to do that role and combine things to make sure that we adhere to the new requirement as well. Oh yes, one more. Sorry. So Carly and I um um in an effort to make sure that school climate stays the same whenever we have a crisis in the district, it can really rock your school climate. So we created the um the school crisis team, if um something happens in the community, something happens at that particular school. We then have that team go to that school to address um the climate in that school. We've had two different cases already where

039that team was really ready. They went in, kids spoke to them, we spoke to the staff, and it really worked well. So, I'm proud of Karly and I creating that team and I'm proud of the people on that team to address those behaviors. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh, so Karly Reyes, director of school counseling and partnerships. Um, just a few updates um about attendance and the work around climate and culture. Um, so we've updated our truency benchmarks. So truency benchmarks are for unexcused absences. Um, a intervention needs to be put into place at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, 15, and 20 unexcused absences. And so those benchmarks have been updated and shared with all of the staff to make sure that we are putting in quick interventions when students are

040missing school. We have launched our LEAP um home visiting program again this school year. It launched last year um last week. I'm already getting uh responses and log entries for home visits. So it is up and running. Each school has its own referral form and home visitors are out making visits to homes. Tonight we'll be talking about our student handbook, our school climate and culture Dr. Young spoke about and we have an established school and district attendance teams that will be reviewing real-time data monthtomonth um on all the subgroups of our students to make sure that we are supporting students coming to school every day. As Dr. Avery mentioned, uh this is just a picture from our community partner advisory committee. Um and so we had a great kickoff to the um to this year's

041we call it CPAC community partner advisory committee. We like Dr. Dra said we had a full house and we're really excited about working with them collaboratively to expand partnerships to identify needs in the district and to use our partners to support new initiatives um for the school counseling department which I oversee. Just wanted to focus uh share with you some of our focus areas around scheduling and transcript transcripts. Uh creating student success plans for every student from grades 6 through 12. Working on attendance and our multi-tered system of support, tiered support for attendance, tiered support for academics, and tiered support for behavior. Uh our school climate and culture. Continuing to monitor all of our 504s. Um remember that school counselors are case managers for all 504 plans. So any questions or concerns regarding those plans

042should be directed directly back to a your school counselor. And then a monthly calendar of events um and themes across the district so that our departments are united with the work that we're doing collaboratively. Back quickly to attendance. Uh so to kick off our school year, all clerical administr administrators, counselors, social workers, new hires, supervisors, and directors were trained on attendance pro procedures and protocols as well as the tiered support uh for attendance because as Dr. Avery said, collaboratively this is a big focus area for for us this school year. And so we are really going to make every effort to decrease chronic absenteeism in Bridgeport Public Schools. And this requires a very comprehensive comprehensive approach uh with the district and the uh the school teams with the tiered approach um interventions. If you're interested

043to learn more about our district attendance team, we meet monthly. Um and this just gives you some information which I shared with you so I won't go over it, but if you have any questions or want to read more about what that team looks like and the work that we're doing, uh you can find it in that packet. Again, this is just an example of some of the tiered uh approaches uh to support attendance and a best practice guide which we'll review and update every school year to make sure that we're working across the district to see what's working in one school and share those best practices. Lastly, I just wanted to share about um the social emotional learning. Uh we have a comprehensive warehouse with a curriculum and resources for SEAL. Um, and so

044K to 12, we're working every day to support students social emotional learning. And we, you know, we like to say that social emotional learning is not a period or a lesson or or class. It's how we operate. Uh, it's something that runs through the theme, the energy, the work that all of us do every day in all of our schools. My last slide here is score. Uh, this is where we'll document all student success plans, grade 6 through 12. Uh, and this will be rolled out in October. uh they've developed a platform just for student success planning. So, it will be a great way for us to monitor our student success plans, review them, and put actionable steps in place for students to be able to hopefully reach their goals. >> And and and Dr.

045Young and and Carly, I thank you for your your presentation. I wanted to make sure that the board understands that the bigger part of what we're trying to do is really looking at the mental state of of the kids, how they're coming to us, how we're reacting to what they bring us every single day and trying to make sure that we stay and have them connected to uh the learning environments that we present in Bridget Public Schools. So, thank you for your presentation and I'll take any referrals. >> Thank you, Miss Sister Mary >> or questions. Thank you. Um I have I have um a list of different items um related to items that I'd like to see um in terms of like accountability um in terms of transparency for the district. And these are

046items that um Dr. Avery, you and I chatted about whatever it was a week or so ago. So, I'll just go off and read um the list. It is lengthy just like the policy one. Um but I'd like to see vacancies per subject and specialty. And I will say some of these we are getting already. Um but there there are some new ones sped compliance stats and that's really to ensure that we are compliance with anything sped and if there's any penalties or anything to happen we actually see them coming coming um we see them coming um absenteeism something we were just chatting about by school and sped kind of want that broken out. Um financials how we are tracking for year I realize that will come through the budget the budgeting and finance outdated

047policies will also address that as part of um the policies committee but that's something that I want to make sure that we're consistently reporting on to ensure that we're compliant and up to date with all our policies updates on work on updates on working towards board goals. um report ways to make money. One of the items that I was thinking about was the school aquaculture. Are we maximizing the amount of students that can come here to maximize the amount of grant dollars that we can get? So, that's something else um that I'd like to see. Um attendance for teachers and students, disciplines and expulsions. Um, and that's really more so to figure out if there's something going on in a specific school that's getting a lot of expulsions, what can we do to give them

048resources to help them out? New hires and retirees. Um, I believe back in the day we used to get a report of, you know, when people used to retire and when new hires used to come about. Um, that's not happening anymore. at the end of the year would like to know graduation rates to make sure that we're tracking and increasing that rate year after the year not just for students but also for adults. Um city expense report um so specifically want to look towards the range of $2500 $25,000 making sure that the board is actually approving everything. um beyond $25,000 quarterly meetings with a CFO quarterly meetings with the finance department. Um finance updates I wrote that wrong. Just regular finance updates from the CFO in the finance committee. Um training schedules for all staff

049including security. I know we do a lot of trainings and stuff but we don't have any purview over those. And then the last one is the biiteracy results in Battaya which I know it's a new pilot program. Um so just want >> the last one >> by literacy biiteracy results in Battaya that's um a pilot program that I believe that school is doing. So, I'm just curious to see how that shakes out to see if we can do a full-blown roll out and that's all I had. >> Yeah, first question. Dr. Avery, uh, was your report complete or is it just this portion? >> Uh, they're complete. I mean, any referral to to their presentation? >> Yeah, I got I got some questions towards the presentation and for yourself. >> Sure. Um, you know, we've

050been down this road with the bullying and all this stuff before, the changing definition and what have you, but what we also maybe a lot of people might here might not be familiar with being new to the district is that bullying was under reportported for a lot of years in the district. So, we got to make sure we stay on top of that. >> Um, while while I got you up there, um, what is the optimal ratio of social workers, psychologists to students? H >> so um nationwide it's 250 per one social worker >> and how and where are we >> a little above >> right >> it's same for counselors 250 to one >> but we yes our case loads are are larger than that >> yes we're above >> our case loads are

051are larger than that I mean he doesn't she doesn't have the number >> right can I get an exact uh number by the next meeting please >> sure I mean we could I have 39 counselors for the whole district. So >> divide by 20 >> and I have 40. But we work with them so that they can cover the hours of there's other things that um school counselors and social work >> basically double >> can right. >> Okay. That's that's >> to the chair. But remember the we the district cut both social workers and psychologists last year as a cost saving measure. But I see I I think I get your point of what you're trying to emphasize. Uh but again, we we we did that with not only teachers but with administrators. But overall,

052we're we're we're above the average in every aspect of it. Be it a teacher, be it a pair of professional, be it a you know, administr we can give you that information. >> So So yeah. So we're quite underresourced in the psychology, social work areas and it's got to be detrimental to the children this can follow up on that. >> Sure. >> No. Um I just want to know in um so we have 39 social workers, 40 um school counselors or vice versa. Um >> they're obviously servicing all students, but specifically they do have a case load of IEPs for social workers and for school counselors. Yes. What would that case look like in addition to the other students that need a service? >> Well, it's different at every school. So, um some schools have

053um self-contained classrooms, multiple self-contained classrooms. So, what we did was do a ratio of um how much time would that social worker need to deal with behaviors in that continuum. So, um the ratios would be it would look different to you to other people, but I I foresee like what social worker would need certain more time in certain buildings. And we are um we did just get a grant where we're getting two social workers back. Thank you, Dr. Avery. Um so that will alleviate some of the high schools, take the pressure off some of the high schools because their case loads went really high. So we've been working together on bringing some services back when we know that there's a deficit that really needs to be filled. But we've worked out a way so that

054all services are being delivered and that every kid that has an IEP is getting their service met. >> Thank you. And then my next my next question for finish with that portion but Dr. Avery is um at the last finance meeting I asked about the computers and us not being a onetoone district anymore as per the email. Have we found out any more information about that? >> And what what I was I think we what I had the technology department do is to provide an a report to the academic division uh the academic committee on Wednesday. So, they're going to come and give an overview of where we are with with uh the computers across the district uh and what we're looking for in the future based on funding. Uh we can he's going to

055be able to provide us a the board of detail cost analysis of everything of what's going to cost to replace the current ones, but also if we if we did and a what if perspective if if we if we get money, we're going to be able to do this. if we don't get money. So, we will have a a pretty comprehensive plan for the board to consider moving forward. Uh, and then the board will be able to make that decision on if we have the funds to be able to do what. I think that's important because every aspect of technology impacts academics, right? So, I want to make sure that we just didn't give you a number. I wanted a very detailed perspective so that the board could help me make a better decision for

056the district moving forward, >> especially in the light of the fact that most of our curriculums are online to save money on text. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Most of our curriculums are online to save money from textbooks. So, it's tamount that we stay a onetoone district. >> And and and Mr. I I do want to emphasize that there there is some very challenging decisions that are going to need to be made over the next six months regarding a lot of different avenues but technology is one of those because we know technology is the future of what we do within the school settings academic settings uh so we have to set ourselves and set our kids up to be successful there so u I think it's a it's a a very valid you know uh point

057that we need to and emphasize for the district. And so we I think but giving you the tools and the data to be able to to make that that decision, it's going to be a very important one for all of us as well. So good point. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Traver. >> Yeah, I I the point that Mr. Scalivick makes I we can't dance around it. The fact is that we we discussed at the last meeting >> that we had hoped a couple years ago to look at what an ideal staffing situation would look like. >> Um we know that we're not ideally staffed in numerous areas, if not every area. Um I just received an inquiry about any news on the kindergarten situation. Um and that's extraordinarily difficult um problematic. Um so all

058of these things are are laptops um problematic, difficult, bad. So we are struggling. We asked the chair a moment ago about any news from Hartford um because that's one source of relief. Um, we're not getting any news from Hartford. Um, so I I I'm I'm sort of reserving my questions about your report because part of your report is in the student handbook and I sort of see it there. part of your report is in us going forward and looking at so I'm I'm sort of going to wait until we get to your handbook because the bullying and how we're dealing with it and how we're addressing it is laid out there and that's where I sort of read up and got ready after last week's meet. So I'll wait till we get there. But all

059of this is the problem that we're shackled with. um without the funds. Thank you, >> Mr. Medina. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um for the two uh speakers, I apologize names. Um I know you guys were speaking about specific things about uh superintendent uh report. I just wanted to touch bases on how how where is lifebridge with this because I know that there was a considerable amount of funds and lifebridge uh partnership especially with the high school and you uh the gentleman had mentioned something regarding that uh through some grants or something that there's two extra counselors or psychologist that going to be helping with the high school. Uh how does life bridge tie into this subject that we're speaking about right now? So yes, we do have a strong partnership with LifeBridge. Um, and

060they are partnering with us and working in our three large comprehensive high schools. Um, and there is a clinician on staff that will that takes referrals and works with our students. They work collaboratively with the support staff on campus, the social worker and the school counselor as well. And they also support our um, social emotional learning curriculum. Um, they implement the curriculum in some of the health classes. So we do have a strong partnership with LifeBridge. Um and they also um can provide training for staff as well and we're working through some of those details. But we do have a strong partnership with LifeBridge specifically with our three comprehensive high schools >> and they have a different set of credentials. So they wouldn't be able to then work with um students with IEPs. So they

061can do a lot of the um the climate stuff, but they can't do the actual without having an 071 to do the actual um implementation of an IEP. >> That's what we're adding the two social Mr. Benahan, >> thank you very much. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Hello, Dr. Yan. I have a question about bullying and I'm going to mail you the information because I have a mom called me today about bullying. What does mean bullying when somebody say any students or any parents go to school say my son or my daughter is be bullying? What is the action? What are the the process? What the school have to do or the teacher? Well, so it gets referred um to the school climate person. The school climate person will do an investigation to determine whether

062or not I talked about that earlier about the mutual combat because a lot of times they will present the evidence that their kid is totally innocent and then we'll find out through investigation that there's text messages going back and forth between the two of them. That's that's not bullying. So if we if there's text message is going one way or if the kid is feeling a certain way and it we have evidence that that is happening then we then will counsel with either the parent bring the parent in um and have a conference that way or if there needs to be a consequence in terms of a suspension if it's very um um involved sometime we involve um police presence. So it depends on the severity of the bullying but we do um have a

063a systematic um approach to dealing with it. >> Thank you. Because um it's just a school have a bullying the mom trying to figure out and fix the problem but it's school like the school is not doing the job the way you feel bad because it's talking about the first grade student when this is bullying they can have they keep having when they know they cannot be together the two student >> they can still have the student in the same place in the same classroom >> well it depends every case is different but if that parent is having an issue you can always give her my phone number I then will go to the school and then walk them through the process so I've done that. We did that last week. So, I think that

064each case is individual. So, I wouldn't be able to give you feedback on that particular case until I know all the details. But, um I I would love to get involved and see what we can do about that. >> I would mail you to my other information. Absolutely. >> I will help because I don't I'm a mom is almost ready to remove from the school. >> Let's see what we can do. >> I don't want that, you know, because you know, she's a great mom and great student >> and that could be disruptive to the kid. I'm mental health. Yeah. We want to >> the child. They don't want to go to no more to school. That's the way it is. So I will send you the information tonight so you can make that with

065me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Madam Chair, >> thank you Dr. Young and Miss Reyes. You have questions. >> If you have any referrals, if you could shoot me an email with those referrals, we'll make sure we get I'll make sure I don't miss any. I try to write everything down, but been there, done there. So, but just email me and I'll get those and I'll go back and make sure I follow up on those. Thank you guys. to I thought I heard something new business. Um the first item is approval of the legal service agreement. Um our council has requested that we table this item um for now and bring it back uh to uh committee. Um so is there a motion for that? >> I move the table of time. So the

066item was moved by Mr. Sakalic. >> Second. >> Is there period of time we're tableabling it? >> Oh no. Um just until they review it again. >> Pardon? >> I don't have a date. So just you could just table it. >> Seconded by Mr. Traber. >> Moved by Mr. Sakalic. Seconded by Mr. Traber. Um any further debate on that? Seeing none, all in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? I do want to make note that I'm not sure when he joined, but Mr. Woodson is on the call to um make that note for the attendance. Um the next item on the agenda is approval of the student handbook. So, Miss Rozes, >> hello again. Uh so uh you were provided with a copy a redline copy of the handbook. Um I

067just wanted to share that the only changes or updates that were made you'll see outlined in red or blue actually in blue. Uh these were updates made uh based on the policy that was updated at the end of last school year around bullying and school climate. Uh they were changes made from recommendations from BCAST um as well as the BEA. And so, um, I if you have any questions about any of the changes that were made, I did want to share that, um, the other handbook that was previous, uh, is is in place until this one is approved. Um, but the plan moving forward in order to support staff in the roll out of this new handbook and to not have to have any staff redo. Uh, Dr. Young and I will be putting together

068pre a recorded presentation of the handbook and all of the updates and all the challenging behavior updates and bullying. uh and that will be shared with all of the teachers so that they can share it with their students in order to support them in the roll out and not add any additional work uh to their case load. So once this is approved we will move forward with the presentation of the handbook for all students and parents >> any um motion or >> motion to approve the new updated is >> moved by Mr. Mr. Sak, is there a second? >> Second. Mr. Medina. >> Medina. >> Thank you, Mr. Chabber. As a motion, sorry, Mr. Do, do you have any questions? >> No questions. >> Mr. Traver, go ahead. >> Yeah, I have questions. >> Sorry,

069we we waited we so we could read it and ask questions. >> Sure. This strikes me as a document that would is going to um You have it in front of you? >> Yes, I do. >> Yes. Okay. Um on page I mean I really did go through it. Okay. >> That's why when Mr. Benah Gales asked this question I said oh it's all spelled out in your book. >> Yes. what happens with the bullying. The process is very clearly spelled out. >> But on page 15, it says uh for more detailed information, please refer to the full multilang lingual learner bill of rights available on our school district's website at um and then it's so where is this multilang lingual learner bill of rights? Are they going to know where it is because it

070says this in English? >> Yes, it is. It is in multiple languages and it is on the Bridgeport Board of Ed website. So this will be linked back to our website which has it in multiple versions uh languages >> of this. >> Yes. Of this once this is approved. We didn't translate this document until it was approved. So once approved we'll translate this document. >> Okay. >> Multiple language versions of the Bill of Rights for English language learners is also on our on our website. >> Okay. So Okay. So having a referral to say go look here in English for something in another language isn't going to help anybody is my >> Okay. >> This whole document will be translated. Yes. >> Um and then um the bianial um survey. When was the last time

071we did it? >> Last school year. when in the last school year that was a rather tumultuous school year. So >> it was the end of last school year. I want to say it was June, Dr. Young. And those results um we worked with thought exchange. We got the results by school and they were sent back to each administrator to review. >> Did we get by individual school campus? So it's required that they actually, you know, present that information. that's what they had to use to develop their own individual new required plans. Uh and so we just kind of did that work and got that work back to them. But >> so then I would ask that at some point soon we're going to want to ask have that presented. >> We do have a

072presentation of an overview of the district of the of the school climate results. >> So I'm going to have you make that presentation in my committee. >> Bring that back to either the academic committee or we can bring it back as part of my superintendent report. >> Absolutely. >> We can do that. We we'll have that ready for you. >> Why don't you two talk among yourselves? I would definitely have it at my committee, but if you want to do it before the full board because you think that's a better place, that's fine, too. >> I think everybody make that decision. We can work that out. >> Okay. We all decide that and let me know. Um, >> okay. So, the question that Mr. Van Han Graal has asked I I really have a hard

073time understanding what are challenging behaviors in bullying that this whole section on 20 page 2526 which seems to be the the heart of this new process strikes me as a very like you got a whole workforce to train on into understanding how they're going to make these decisions and I heard Mr. Demetri at his presentation say, "Okay, what's a challenging behavior?" And now everyone's going to do it. And you're going to, it seems to me, have a whole district full of people to say, "Well, that's a challenging behavior." Um, and some are going to be right and some are going to be wrong. And it seems to me when you said I am the state has a new law and this is a classic example of an unfunded mandate that's going to just cost us

074a whole lot more money and a whole lot of time and it's well-intentioned. I get it. Mhm. >> Um, we want to try and have a better environment, learning environment for our students. And if we had the kind of money they have in some of the districts down the coast, uh, it would be a really nice thing to do. But for us, it's going to be a really difficult challenge to do this because it says any behavior that negatively impacts our school's environment or interferes with student learning or safety or the safety of school staff. This is a broad term that covers many types of actions. And I can just see new teachers in a classroom trying to figure out does this become a challenging behavior? Do I fill out a form? Do I send

075it on to your school climate specialist, which you answered for me is in every school you have one of these. Is that a separate new position or is that a designated person? >> It's just a designated >> That's a person that's taking on added responsibilities. >> Go ahead. >> This has been an ongoing thing where every year we used to do this all the time. The only thing that's new is the challenging behavior piece, but we always had a school climate person. At the beginning of every year, we would um send the school a message saying, "Send us your list of committee members and who is your school climate person?" And that's been from for the 22 years. >> Person is now going to be inundated with new forms because somebody's going to say, "Oh,

076this qualifies as a challenging behavior." And I can think who they are. And I learned very early on when I became a teacher that the most loved teachers by administrators were the ones that sent the least referrals to the office >> because the administrator didn't want these headaches. And now we're saying, okay, we have a new system and we want to sp fill out these forms and refer them because we want to develop this new climate. Um and so and we heard a report earlier about a school where a student is getting suspended bip contrary to policy for behavior that shouldn't happen um that we need to address. Um and so this is going to be even harder because this is not even suspendable behavior. This is just challenging behavior. Um, >> I do just

077want to share that one thing that our departments are doing collaboratively is we're building a warehouse of t we're building up tier one behavior interventions and we're building a warehouse to support to um share to support teachers to hopefully prevent ch that's that's the right we need to prevent challenging behavior >> and we heard a report earlier about what I would think are tier one or tier two behaviors that are being suspensions. Right. So that's an >> that's the challenge that we're dealing with that we already thought we addressed last spring on my committee with and so now we're still dealing with that. So this gets more complicated and I read in the next paragraph who can report well school employees are required >> I mean you're mandating they report. >> Well this is coming

078from the state but we're just translating um the state's rules into our policy. I I assumed you were. >> Yeah. >> So, they're mandatory reporters according to this policy. >> So, they see something and they're going to have to report because they it says they're required. It doesn't say, you know, sh should or, you know, it says you're required to report. So, they see something they think I'm not sure. You know, I would always heir on the side of trying to keep it in my classroom, but now you're telling me I better fill out that form just to cover my backside. >> And I do think during the school climate committee meetings, that's where we'll discuss challenging behaviors and then we can work as a team to identify which ones, yes, are going to require

079a report. Um, and I don't really see a clear understanding of what I would call, you know, when I learn this sort of flowing thing in labor relations, which is not that different. Just cause is look, when you commit a mortal sin or a capital offense, then you're going to have the book thrown at you. But the rest of it is going to sort of flow with the severity of the offense and the frequency of the offense and and whether you've done this before, which is not in here, I thought was weird. Um, and so, um, that's where you're going to, you know, that that's got to come into play. So, you're not really dealing with that. Um, so you have if important for staff, if a school employee witnesses challenging behavior or receives a

080verbal report, they're required to notify the designated schools. You have it again down below. And I just think you're really putting a burden on people. Um, and I know we all know what this did with DCF. Um, and you're sort of doing it again in a different way. And I think you're going to find it's not that easy. Um, on the next page, I just want to call your attention to restorative practices for nonviolent challenging behaviors. Albert asked, Mr. Benah asked a question about, uh, bullying. Um, uh, and you're making a distinction on nonviolent, and I understand we would all think, okay, nonviolent means I'm not hitting somebody. There's no physical contact. But violence as we know is not just non-physical contact. It's there is uh not there is non-physical violence, >> right? >> And

081so that sort of I thought was an interesting point that you put in there. So I just call your attention to that to um it troubles it troubles me that it's sort of trying to make that distinction. So these are the things that when I read it I'm highlighting we're going to pass it with these anyway I know but >> to the chair I mean there there's just a lot of when you when you try to define I think when they were going through this legislative change and trying to because bullying is so broad and everything is so they're just trying to make sure let's let's let's figure out a better way to look at this and they've made it worse actually Because when you talk about challenging behavior, it's it's left up to the

082interpretation of the individual that is actually witnessing it or experiencing it. Right? Uh because anything could be challenging. If you if you're having a challenging argument with me in a classroom, is that a challenging behavior? Possibly. In some cases, it could be. If you're yelling at me and screaming at me and we're we're it could be a challenging behavior. So, so there's a lot of, you know, room for interpretation and we're just going to have to kind of do the best we can and and figuring those out and providing the guidance to staff, you know, in a way that's going to be, you know, helpful uh and putting those Q&A opportunities out there for them. >> My point is that we already have a challenging job. >> Yes, we do. >> And you've just added

083another burden on an overburdened staff. um to file paperwork and respond to paperwork and so that's my point. Um and I know we didn't do it. I'm not so on page 35. Not a lot of changes here. This is where I see the progressive discipline. um the administrator or designate has the authority to use his or her sole discretion to determine the level of consequence. I disagree with that. It's not a change. It needs to have the progressive discipline in here. Um this is where frequency of of you know there's no reference to you've got all the other stuff but what you don't have is when was the last time that person did this and in just cause if I had you know if I haven't done it in three years that's got to be

084taken into account it's not in your thing here frequency of occurrence is not taken into account all the other things are but not frequency. Sorry, you asked me to go through this. I went through this. Um uh why did we remove the money caps? Was that the state mandate that they didn't want that sort of in there? The felonious felonious misconduct. >> Are you the restitution? >> Yeah. Uh that was a recommendation from um administrators as well as other staff members. Uh it's really hard to determine for an administrator to have to determine or ask a family or student to pay for something. >> Yeah. >> I mean if >> I was just curious because it was in there before and I always thought it was weird that it was in there before and now

085we were taking it out and I thought well >> I think that's a good thing but I was curious what prompted that the state or us. >> No us. Us. Yes. it didn't seem appropriate for for us to make that determination. >> Um, and then I guess the last as well as the referral for law enforcement, we remove that um internally as well because >> yeah, it's a standard the you know laws use for determining felonies and non-felonies, >> right? We we wouldn't we wouldn't make that determination. We would like >> it's not hundreds, it's right, you know, bigger number. >> Um, and you answered my question about the climate team. Is there one there's one per school or is the climate team for the district? >> One per school and they'll disagregate the data

086once they um get referral. >> Crisis intervention team is in each school. >> Nope, we don't call that team if we need to. So the last time we called it was when there was a staff member that had an issue like that. >> So the there's a climate specialist in each school, but the crisis intervention team is for the district. >> Correct. >> Okay. I think that may be it. Just double check. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Mr. Mayor Minister, >> I have two quick questions and I have to say this document was very well put together and I think it directly you just created um the way you know redline documents are going to be done in the district. >> So my first question is around page 15. Um this is more so

087to bring out that there is an insert link here item. So, I just didn't want it to be missed because I didn't see the link. So, I figure I'd call that out. >> Yes. Yep. Thank you. >> Yeah. The last item is on page 18. Um, last bullet where we're specifically referencing Miss Nicholas. Um, and I wasn't sure if we wanted to reference the position because that's what we've been doing in all the other documents. >> Um, but yes, super. Those are all my changes. Very well done. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> If we I don't know how it works, but I I agree with the >> uh there's always a McKitty Vento liaison, not necessarily an the name of the person. So I I do agree with that recommendation if we want to

088change that. >> Sure. Okay. >> Can you put it back on for John? Move to amend the name on page 18 to be what's the position >> the Mckin Vento >> to change the name on page 18 the bottom of page 18 to the uh McKin Vento liaison. Is >> there a second? >> Second. >> Any debate on that motion? Saying none. All in favor of the amendment say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Right. That amendment passes. Um, see no other questions for the uh main motion. Um, all in favor say I to to move this uh to approve the student handbook as amended. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? All right. The student handbook has been approved as amended. >> Just make just make that amendment and then you should

089be able to go as of tomorrow >> post out train whatever we need to do. >> Thank you. >> All right. You guys are free to go. >> All right. So, the next item is for us board members um to to kind of finalize our our board goals for um the school year for um yeah, for this school year. Um I know we've been uh discussing a few of them. I know Dr. has presented some to us, some of his goals for academic achievement, for chronic absenteeism, but um this will be kind of um just us working together right now to to state our goals for the year and and and then and approve them so that we can go about business for the year. um these goals will be used down the line as

090um as part of evaluations for superintendent for you know our our goals and so um yeah so we'll get started um I know Dr. has shared some with us um a few months back on on um at the end of the school year, right? And in June, I believe you shared it to us. >> Yeah, right at the beginning. Yes. >> Yeah. So, um so yeah. So, you know, just like, you know, we'll get get some thoughts down on what we want to do for the year. Um, I'll see anybody with their hands up yet. So, just in general, um, I guess I'll talk and then you guys when you're ready. Um, I think we should have goals on student achievement. Um, this is just general. So, um we can refine them as needed. Um

091something in regards to fiscal accountability, um committee engagement, um school climate through the chair, I think I think if if you some of the suggestions I would make is, you know, something like, you know, a fiscal long-term plan for the district. uh you know I know the board talked about a strategic plan piece you can start that process if you choose to do that uh teacher retention and recruitment has always been one of those big highle pieces um you know I think uh the chair mentioned uh academic growth within the district and then also I think the last one could be around community collaborations and communications as well again and and those pretty standard across different school districts uh with a a lot of different matrix that will go in between that. So uh I'll

092just need some guidance from you guys as to how what you want to do because you're really taking the superintendent evaluation piece and you're pulling those those um those high level you know components of that evaluation and you're putting it into a goal setting format um and work from there. Madam Chair. >> Yeah. >> Sorry, I can't reach my I can't Yeah, I can't reach my hand. I'm sorry. Um I'm driving. Uh yeah, what Dr. Avery said about the um strategic plan, I I agree with we discussed that last time. I think that should be in there. Um like we I hate it. He since he's bringing it up again, obviously he doesn't have an issue with it. Uh so I think that would be a great one to to include development if not finished

093but progress or whatever have you towards the end could be measured and um I would like to see increased family engagement outreach not necessarily outcome but outreach to be measured because as we know we could outreach as much as we can but turnout's not entirely dependent upon us. >> That's that's what I got. You said out outcomes. >> No, outreach. >> Outreach. Sorry. >> Like Yeah. Like Yeah, because you you can never gauge the effectiveness. I mean, organize and you can get two or 200 people showing up. It's not really all up to you. >> Yeah, I kind of wrote something similar to that um in my notes um with be to improve uh like two-way communication. A lot of times our district is communicating to parents, but we're not getting anything back. Um so

094improving like a two-way communication and um through the use of various formats. So like figuring out other ways besides parent square or um you know to engage the families. So kind of along the lines of what you said Mr. Talic anybody want to jump on that and we like that one because if we like it we could just Yeah. suggestions as well to be added to it. And that that's all I got. I'm having a little trouble because I'm driving and trying to switch on and off. So, excuse me if I'm interrupting somebody. >> That's fine. Go ahead. Um, did anybody else? I also um would say um I think the strategic plan is important to start. Um you know we had the forums over the summer for the vision and um you know we

095can as we set these goals you know we should develop a vision at this point to you know these goals are only as good as what we want to see them do. So I think the vision um you know in the next few weeks I I think we can roll this into a board meeting here and there like to really work on developing the vision um and then hopefully be in the the planning process. So overall um I think developing a strategic plan by the end of the year would be a a good goal to set Go ahead. I have a question. I know we've discussed many times um board goals. Are these the ones dated May 19th that we're looking at? So, not necessarily looking at any goals because we haven't developed them yet.

096Um we've done goals for our own improvement as a board back in um through CAVE and that's what we were doing over the last end of last year and um I know Dr. Avery has presented some goals that he was working on throughout the year but the board hasn't sat down and and created goals. Um and so um this will kind of be what we're going to look at for this coming school year. you want to look at um right now increasing family engagement and out um through outreach and you know um something else I wrote down is improving academic um outcomes in literacy and math because we know that we have some uh low percentages there. So that's my own that's what I wrote down and I was going to bring it before you

097guys too. Um but this will kind of be what we use throughout the year to evaluate ourselves and the superintendent. We do we'll do a mid-year evaluation um and we'll do an end of the year evaluation of the superintendent based on these goals. >> Mr. Trey Brooks. >> Yeah, because I was trying to figure out what we're looking at, what we're talking I didn't see it in the packet. I >> This is what we're developing today. >> Okay. Because it says possible action on the >> develop and if we could develop them today and and move on them. Yeah. >> Okay. I just didn't know. >> I'm looking for a document that we're working off of and I knew you had sent us something in the past. I I knew we had talked about it

098in the past. We certainly had, you know, recently done it, but I know >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I'll be glad to provide samples, whatever, but I think it's important for the board, you know, for the person sitting in this seat for the board to say, "Here's what we like for you to focus in on as we move the district forward." I can help once you kind of once you guys get you're talking about three to three to four goals then I can help the board to say if you want a goal around developing a strategic plan what you do is you you set that as a goal and then you put things in there to say we would like for you to develop a strategic plan committee uh this committee would need to meet

099certain amount of times you know by the end of May we would like to get, you know, so the the measurement pieces have to be within those goals. And so I can help with that, you know, but as long as I know exactly what the board is wanting, I can help, you know, solidify and and get it to a point where we agree to it to where I feel I'm I'm able to to meet the challenge of what the board is wanting me to do and provide steps for me and my team to meet those goals for you guys. And so, uh, it's a collaborative effort and I think it's something that, uh, we need to we need to think very because we're we're we're going to be uniquely challenged this year. So, I think

100we need to be real specific about what we want to do as a team uh, to be able to get to something that we feel that we're going to be able to accomplish together because it's just not my goals, it's all of our goals and then my team's goals and then the campus's goal and then the community's goals. So, but my job is to help facilitate all these pieces to come together. >> And so, I'm the reason I'm asking is that I I think I I I grow frustrated with talking about how we're going to make a silk purse out of a SA's ear. >> Say what? >> Make a silk purse out of a sier. Um because you know I I I have great respect for Dr. Avery. Um I think that it's it's

101been a pleasure to work with him for the past nine months, 10 months. >> Um and um you know, I don't know what the future holds for any of us. Um uh I may not be here after November. Um you may not be here after January. Who knows? I don't I just I don't know. Um, but I do know that um that the school needs more resources. Um, and we just spent some time talking about the the new plan that was presented to us on uh uh climate and um you know how we were going to deal with that. And I know that we are still uh trying to figure out the kindergarten uh situation and we're you know it just there's just this mountain of challenges as we call them. Um and so it's

102hard. I don't want to pretend that we're gonna figure out how to provide a an education to our students um when we don't know how we're going to get the resources. Um and so part of that challenge to me is you know how do we you know I think Mr. Sakalovic just talked about community engagement and that's a part of it and that community engagement is not just to engage them in developing curriculum to engage them in developing um the other aspects of our of our children's education which is important but it's also to engage them in helping us find ways to get more resources for our children. Some of that is outreach for um um money that we can get through foundations and grants and things like that, but some of that is uh

103outreach to put more pressure on the political powers that are not providing the resources for our children, whe be it the the municipal budget or the state budget. Um and so uh all of that uh is part of our strategic plan to me. Um uh because then we can begin to think about class size and and interventions uh academically and socially. Um you know and I we raised this concept of a ideal staffing levels and um including the pared educators and the the custodians and the the maintenance workers and the so and being able to know because we in this town have heard for years, you know, that if the police department is 300 people short on its staff, you know, well, God help us. we we don't know how many we're short because we've

104never sort of looked at it. So I just I I think that that's got to be a part of whatever we do. Um so anyway, I I I think these are all good things that you all have raised and I I encourage that, but I also encourage that as we do that, this element of it needs to be built into it. I'm training people to to take on this challenge, if you will. Whoever's here. >> Yeah, I actually wrote something similar, but I didn't write all that. I wrote I I stuck to one one line, but I wrote that um we can work on advocating um to secure additional funding uh to support the our priorities. Um and that encompasses a lot of things, but um that can be tied with community engagement, which is

105our board in general um doing the advocacy work. Um but yeah, >> and through the chair, I think Mr. and and Miss Perez, I think you make a very very good point, but I think with all the things that we all know as as a team of 10, it's about being very focused in the goals that we create in order to maximize where we want to put our focus, where you want me to put my focus or whoever sits in this seat's focus and whoever sits in these seats to focus and work from there. Uh, and um, I I can tell you over the last two years, it's been, you know, challenging, but I think it's it's something that if we don't rally together, we're never going to fight for the kids in this district,

106you know, and again, I'm I'm here as long as I'm needed, but I have some good ideas of what we can do, you know, and I think I have staff out there that's willing to roll up the sleeves and get it done. We just need to be focused and I think we have the ability because I think the team here knows we just have to be together on a lot more together moving forward. Uh we've we've seen a lot of things happen with individuals on the board and seat here, all those things, but let's put that to the side and let's figure out the best way to move forward. and we got to take baby steps, but we don't have much time cuz I can tell you in six months, if we don't have goals

107and a plan, we're going to lose out. So, let's get together and let's get it done. And I think we're ready to get it done. We just have to be able to give each other a little grace and make it work. And I think we're there. Uh, and so that excites me and I'm willing to do what I got to do to kind of help, you know, rally the rally this team of 10, you know, and I include myself in that because I'm part of it, too. So, uh, so I'm I'm I'm it's this is a good timing for this. And I think we just need to pause long enough to say, what do we need? What do we need? and let's do three to three possibly four major things that we can do together

108and I can help you know and because I I work for you guys so hold me accountable to make sure I'm doing what you want me to do in the goals that we set together and that's that's important and every district does it you know so but but the I think the community is ready to get behind those as well if we you know position ourselves to get there uh so time is perfect. So, we we're writing the mix of it. So, let's get it together and I think we can get it done within the next, you know, two weeks uh and make it all come together. So, we're excited about that. >> So, I think um we we should definitely have a goal on academic outcomes. So, and increasing it we could just leave

109it at as simple as increase acade or improve academic outcomes in literacy and math and like it like Dr. E said he can work through on the objectives on how to reach that goal. So if if if you want I write that down. Um I think the family engagement one is important. Um >> family engagement sorry >> um and then um ensuring and this is something that he's already working on. So I think it's a good goal to like keep going through the year but ensuring transparent equitable um distribution of uh the funds um resources that we have. Um, and I think anything fiscal related right now is going to be important to put in our goals, especially since that's something we're heavily working on. Um, so I think if we have a general fiscal

110goal of just ensuring transparency, um, you know, we're already started that process. Um, is there anybody else who wants to add anything? I know I had some time to prep and you guys were kind of confused by this. I get it. So, we got we have some time time tonight to work on this. >> Oh, go ahead. Um, I agree with everything you said. The only thing that I would add, excuse me, is um workforce development. I actually had that too, but I forgot to say it. >> It's I was like waiting for somebody else like I'm like, "Come on, guys." Um yeah, I put like in recruitment, um which we, you know, we saw that we're we're doing pretty well on that. Um but retention, you know, we could recruit, but you know, six

111months from now, they can say I'm out, right? So retaining that through um that workforce development. Um um go ahead, Mr. Traver. Well, sort of in that area and the other area. I don't know which one it falls, but the curriculum, you know, it's in the academic improvement, it's in the workforce. I think that it falls in both areas. >> Um, it it I think it it is a it it encourages the workforce to feel respected and a part of the effort. it and so it it develops the workforce if you will >> to be a part of the process. Um and it I believe that it helps improve academic performance by having the workforce the you know feel like a part of the team that's helping improve the scores improve the student uh performance.

112chair a lot when you when you look at your high level goals the measurement pieces of that is going to be intertwined between probably all four goals. So if you do an academic goal part of that academic goal could be the recruitment side of the house the retention of teachers along with academic growth as well. So all those come and even when you look at the fiscal goal that you make you're going to have some of that you know that we may even talk about the facility side on the on the fiscal side not only the advocacy of of how you do that advocacy could be part of your family engagement as well. So it's you're going to have a lot of it going to be intertwined. you should be able to fit a lot

113of it in there in order to to be able to have a measure measurement of the goal that you're trying to get to. Uh so >> madam chair >> and and in the same way I had a discussion over the weekend that uh post wedding cookout um uh years ago we were we were attempting to uh culturally enrich our curriculum and one of the things we were discussing was trying to pull in some of the people that lived in our community who had lived through some very interesting ing times in the past, uh, Puerto Ricans who had struggled in the independence movement, um, um, people who had been involved in the civil rights movement, who were still alive back then, um, to talk about it, um, and they're unfortunately not anymore, but um, we still

114have that cultural diversity. And so as you're engaging parents in in getting involved in the schools, you can engage them also in you know trying to make our our curriculum culturally uh rich. >> I have four. So we have um family engagement um improving academic outcomes, ensuring transparency with um the the budget um and recruitment and retention of the workforce and developing a strategic plan as well. But >> That's five. Yeah. >> Y that's good. What I can do um is I I'll write out my list and give it to Dr. Avery and maybe by the next time we have a regular board meeting we can um we'll have it to everybody and we could you know take a vote on implementing this and obviously if things come up in between then as we kind

115of work this out share it with us that and and we can further discuss this at the next board meeting as well um to make any changes. But um but yeah, I think this is step one to like getting us starting in the school year the right way and and and moving you know in the right direction in terms of um you know what we want to see come June. Um Miss Estra Jimenez, >> one last thought and I was thinking about um um the presentation today about school climate if we can include something along those lines as well. Oh, it's on there. >> It's in my notes. I didn't say it either, but I just like I did think alike, I guess. >> Yeah. And I I thought like in in my head, I

116thought that could go under like um either like um one of the other categories where like we improve like um like school climate, but also like things like uh suspensions and chronic absenteeism that kind of can fall into I'll task that with Dr. maybe to figure out what that would fall under. But >> you can you can easily incorporate that in the family engagement pieces. >> Family engagement. >> Yeah. Where you break it down safety, the training of parents regarding the new laws that impact schools from discipline. We're seeing a different type of behavior in the classrooms now. So that's a you have to educate the families about what that is. Uh so I think we can easily put those measurable pieces in you know um I think once we see the goal in in

117a written format and then seeing some of the measurement pieces that can go and then you you make an objective that ties into that particular one specifically for safety of both staff and students you know communicating training um yeah those types of things. So I think we can work it. >> Excellent. Thanks. You see anything else? >> You want to agree on the five? >> Yeah, if we want to agree on that, um I can make a list, make this happen, >> right? And so >> I make a motion that we agree on those five um items for the >> Sorry. >> Gotcha. Um any further discussion on that? And so all in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> I. Any obstensions? All right. So, um I'll go forward with that with

118Dr. and Dr. A will come back and um have the next board meeting hopefully to have it uh you know uh lined out. Um I know Miss Esther Mayor Jimenez had personal privilege. Yes. Um, and I'll be quick, but um, so yesterday evening it came to my attention a situation that happened during a football game at Fairfield Ward on Saturday evening. Um, the game was not with any of the BPS high schools. It was actually with Bullard Havens. However, the students, the Fairfield W students were chasing the Buller Havenings kids off the field, yelling racial slurs at them. Um, and cheerleaders were chasing them off the field with wood um, metal poles. Um, it became quite violent. the police ended up getting called and um the police when they came in they attempted to arrest

119some of the students. So I realized that Buller Havens from Buller Havens they attempted to arrest the kids from Buller Havens. Um so I realized that Buller Havens is not a Bridgeport public school. I I went to the school. However, our central high school, Central High School, Bassik, Harden, they also play that same school. That's a huge safety concern. Our kids couldn't even get onto the bus safely. Um, so what I'm proposing or I'm just bringing this to your attention. Um, because we need to be careful with our kids and if it means boycotting playing at Ward then then I fully support that because no one should be called anything. Um, and it's just completely uncalled for. Um, lack of sportsmanship. our kids shouldn't have to deal with with any of that stuff >> to

120the chair. I think this kind of this hap some something similar happened last year several different times where they had to close or limit who actually attended those games. They only had the two teams play with nobody else around. There's a number of different things that that we can do. I will bring this to the athletic director and to uh sergeant I mean assistant chief Greck regarding you know that particular team and being able to kind of put put them on alert if it happens we know what we have to do to prepare for that. Uh in addition to that if I need to contact the administration when we do play them I can do that as well as a precautionary piece. What are you going to do? We don't want it the same thing

121happened to the other that happened to the other school district happened to us. Uh so I'll take care of this tomorrow to make sure I alert them uh to make sure it doesn't happen. >> Thank you. And my concern is really the makeup of the demographics. Buller Havens, our kids, it's it's a school in Bridgeport, black and brown kids. Um so I just feel very strongly about protecting them. Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. Here we go. Is there any other business? Seeing none, um I'll take a motion to adjourn. Moved by Mr. Traber. Second. Second by Mr. Mayor Jimenez. All in favor? >> I I meeting adjourns at 8:16. Thank you. >> God bless you all.