001All right. Good evening. >> Good evening. This is called to order for the regular board meeting of the Bridgeport Board of Education. Board members, we're we're starting the meeting. Um today's September 8th and it's 6:33. Um can we stand for the pledge? One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Mr. Bannon, could you take roll call? very one birthday >> here. Miss Marista Estraa Jimenez, Mr. Willie Medina, >> present, sir. Thank you. Miss Jennifer Perez, Mr. Joseph Sakov, >> Mr. Robert Traver, >> and Mr. Andre Woodson got on the chair. First item on agenda is um student rep report, but we don't have them yet. So, we'll start with public comment. Um, Jeff Mory. Okay. Can you hear me? Okay. Um, the timer didn't start while I was putting my reading
002glasses on, did it? Because it did move. These are new this year. Uh, good evening members of the board of education. Uh, my name is Jeff Morrisy and I'm the president of the Bridgeport Education Association, the BEA. I'm here you before you uh this evening to call attention to an urgent matter. Since the beginning of the school year, I've been receiving numerous phone calls and emails pertaining to the difficulty of safely managing a kindergarten classroom due to the absence of pair of professionals. We're aware that these individuals have been removed from kindergarten classes due to the budget cuts last spring. In hindsight, we all realize that no cuts to education lead to significant advancements except on a monetary level to balance the budget. But this cut in particular will have devastating repercussions. Having one individual
003manage a classroom of students who are just beginning a transition to a new environment, who may also have diverse needs creates an atmosphere which is unsafe and clearly unsustainable. Children at this age need additional support in adhering to classroom procedures, transitioning between activities, going to and from different areas of the school building, lining up recess, restroom, opening breakfast and lunch food packaging, and many other tasks as they navigate through their day. Their first experience in school should not be one of confusion or instability. Our kindergarten teachers do a phenomenal job. But again, it is beyond unreasonable to expect one person to manage these aforementioned tasks without support in addition to providing the best education possible to these eager young learners. In communicating with members who are teachers of kindergarten, their most significant concern is the
004safety of the children. The reinstatement of kindergarten paraprofessionals as district employees will allow teachers the flexibility they need to provide our kids with the best social and educational experience as they begin their journey with Bridgeport Public Schools. This is a matter on which I implore the board, the superintendent and our supporters from the state department of education to take immediate action. Thank you. You have good evening board of education members. I'm Jovanna Ramos, the principal at Thomas Hooker School. Since our staff is smaller this year year, more responsibilities are put on others. I stand before you tonight with colleagues, teachers, paras, and other employees to ask for your help. We really need kindergarten paras back in our classrooms. Kindergarten is new for many of our students. They need assistance with things like walking in a
005line, how to be in a huge space such as the gym, art room, cafeteria, library, music room, and playground. These little 5-year-olds and sometimes four-year-olds need help moving from one space to another, and they are little, so they move slowly. Some need more support than others. Once in that big space, they have to listen to the teacher and follow the rules and be expected to follow along with the lesson plan and produce work in one way or another. We expect a lot from these little ones. These little 5-year-olds are expected to interact not only with their classroom teacher, but a handful of other adults as well. Then go to a huge cafeteria to have lunch and outside for recess. Some cry, some need help in the bathroom, help tying shoes, assistance with tummy aches. Some
006are in pull-ups. Accidents and spills happen. And some do not know how to communicate fully yet. These are a lot to put on a 5-year-old and a teacher for a full school day. A little help can go a long way. Our kindergarten teachers and specialists are hardworking, dedicated, responsible, and are doing everything they can to help our little ones be successful in kindergarten. However, minimal support like this can lead to burnout very quickly. This is also a safety issue. Support is also needed at dismissal and arrival. Additionally, my K teachers will continue to receive new children as the year progresses, and they will have students who have an IEP transition into their classrooms from our self-contained classrooms. A lot is expected from our K teachers and specialists. I want Bridgeport to retain our amazing teachers.
007We are rooted in passion and driven by purpose. This is why we are here standing before you tonight. Please help us. Thank you and respectfully. Marilyn London. >> Hi, good evening uh members of the board of education. Um to segue what Mrs. Ramos has said, um I'd like to let you all know that I am a resource at Thomas Hooker, a resource sped parah at Thomas Hooker School and I'm responsible solely for the academic support of approximately 30 students from preK through 8th grade. As a as a result of the recent staff cuts, I am now being asked to do some of the duties that the kindergarten paras used to perform. This includes changing diapers for those who are not potty trained, monitoring children in the lunchroom who are unable to follow simple instructions, and
008taking a prek student out of the classroom because the child will not nap and is disrupt disruptive. All of these children are also high elopement risks and must be very closely supervised at all time, much more than the average kindergarten student. These children are also very limited in their abilities to follow in simple instructions and to know the difference between what is safe and what is not. When I am asked to perform these duties, it is taking me away from all of the other IEP students in the general classrooms who are entitled to receive my support. This is not fair to them, to the parents or to the teachers who depend on me to support them in the classroom. Safety is also being compromised in these classrooms. These children need to be closely watched and
009without another person in the room it becomes a very difficult class while trying to educate the others. Um this turns into a small snowball effect and affects the learning environment as the children who are trying to get educated by the teacher have to constantly wait while while the teacher turns around and tends to these special needs children. Thank you. Amy Bro. >> Good evening, Dr. Avery and board of education members. My name is Amy Broad. I am the secretary of the BEA, but more importantly, I am a kindergarten teacher. This is my 31st year of teaching and my 13th year teaching kindergarten. And I truly love teaching this age level every year. And for so many reasons, the tremendous growth that we see, the funny things that they say, their big hugs, all of it.
010I love teaching kindergarten. The rewards greatly outweigh the challenges. However, this year has begun like none other. The needs of these babies have grown tremendously. Yet, the resources have decreased. It's not only difficult to manage, it has become a safety issue. I have runners and wanderers in my class, and I don't have enough hands to hold them all. I find myself spending a large portion of the day redirecting students instead of being able to teach. We all have a number of four-year-olds in our classrooms that may not have been ready to begin kindergarten, but they were allowed to lost me. Oh, so I am here to ask you to reinstate the kindergarten pair of professionals. We kindergarten teachers cannot do this alone. We need help. In addition, we need more support staff and paraprofessionals to
011help with our most vulnerable population, of which we have many in our classrooms. At a time when our children need more, we're giving them less. Yet, we are demanding more of them. I am fortunate to have principles who have been supportive and trying to offer help whenever they can, like the uh Thomas Hooker said. However, there are simply not enough people in the building to help with the growing number of needy students. Please help us to maintain a safe and thriving kindergarten classroom. Next item is approval of minutes from the regular meeting of August 25th, 2025 by Mr. Benahan. Is there a second? >> A second. >> Second by Mr. Sakalic. Um, any discussion on that? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? >> I. >> Any abstensions? >> All right, that carries. Um,
012the next item is um the chairperson's report. Um, so do you want to start um by just pulling my report up? um just take a moment that last week the state board of education met with the commissioner of education and the technical assistance team. Um after watching that meeting I it was clear to me that um the staff of Bridgeport Public Schools is not getting the recognition they deserve. Um our district has been through some difficult challenges with the budget. Um, and it's important for the the work that they're providing to be recognized by the state. Um, we're doing it with very minimal staff as was discussed earlier by our public comment. Um, and you know, we started the year with um the state took uh credit for starting the year with under 40 vacancies
013um including the two in special ed. Uh, and I I just want to say that's a that's the work of of a lot of staff members on on this on on in our on our uh staff who have really been just um doing tireless work throughout the summer and and then those in the schools as well um who have stayed um and that those vacancies could have gone up um and and we know that especially with what is happening in kindergarten. Um, and so we want just to I just want to acknowledge the work that the staff is doing for Bridgeport. Um, even if the state's not seeing that. Um, and just because of the because of the dedication of his staff, you know, we did start the year with with fewer vacancies than we
014did in the years in the past. Um, so I think that's a significant accomplishment um, and a testament to the work that all the staff are doing here. Um, and I want to just express gr gratitude for Bridgeport schools public school staff and um just for sticking with us. I've met in the past two or three months more staff that have been here longer um I wouldn't say longer than I've been alive but close to it. I'm not that young but um but for a while right and I just I and there's something about to to be said about that and um we as a board you know are we need to do better um in advocacy efforts and um I would also want to acknowledge that the state and the city need to do
015better in terms of um financing us and providing us with that resource. Um and I I mentioned that at um convocation that um you know they partnered to give us a convocation to bring back transportation. Um and that's the bare minimum. We we we need pair of professionals in the classrooms. We need librarians um assistant principles. We need what other districts have. Um and that's the bare minimum what we need. So I just want to acknowledge that um in my report today. Um just another highlight of um what we've done in the past two weeks. Um, I just want to um acknowledge the the staff at Vassic High School for that transition. Um, we we saw the school 2 days before and there was still some classrooms that weren't ready and um and I know
016there's there's still work in progress, but I just want to say that um uh the school's open and and um I'm wishing the the staff and the students um a successful year there. Um it's a beautiful school if anybody hasn't had a chance to to see it and we hope that um we can continue putting uh more research into the buildings as well so that all students have that type of access. Um as far as my report, I think that's going to conclude my report for the day. Um is there any any questions? Go ahead, Mr. Pal. >> Yes, since it's on the agenda and it actually fits the agenda, I won't be talking out of turn this time when I bring up um the state intervention and the work our district has done. Um
017I think I believe there's other issues that they've um actually taken the lead on like the what you call it the center new center that does downtown that was in the works prior to the state intervention. The state intervention a lot of things were here prior to the intervention. Yes, the state is coming in. They're giving us a lot of advice but one thing I haven't heard out of them is that we need more money. Today we heard from the staff who are doing more with less yet again. Now, their words very may very well reach the state commissioner and they may very well give us some money to some of that $5 million set aside to bring back to Paris. But what we need to be cognizant of the state, that will only be
018given into momentary pressure. And that's a one-time influx of funds. Again, unless we get sustainable funding from the state of Connecticut and the city of Bridgeport to manage our Bridgeport public schools to the level our students and staff deserve, we're going to be right back in the same boat next year. So, we need to keep the pressure on. Yes, by all means, call us to account for the cuts that we do make and the priorities we put on those cuts. That's that's on us. But not having the money is definitely on the state, local, and federal officials that we all need to reach out for and fight to keep getting the money on a sustainable increasing basis year-over-year. Thank you. >> Yes, >> I I I don't dis I agree with what Mr. Scullik just
019said. Um and um we are awaiting news on special session this fall um where we're waiting on to hear whether the governor and the legislature are going to discuss this money this cash of money that they haven't decided where to spend. Uh I I tell people all the time I'm reminded of Smog sitting on his mountain of gold. Um for those of you that read The Lord of the Rings. Um but there's that question and anyone that lives anywhere can call their state rep and state senator and talk about what we heard tonight because those are real stories that your state rep or state senator should hear. Um then there's the question of the $5 million. And so I won't wax poetic about that. Um, but we've been waiting to hear and I sat down.
020I I notwithstanding who's taking credit for what and it's been a source of irritation since the first report in February. Um, where we felt that the state board state department of ed was taking credit for a lot of work that we had already started. The technical assistance team has been helpful in many ways. Um, I won't go into parsing out who did what, who said what, but I know that I spoke with them a month and a half ago about how even though they'd like us to spend that money on something that's not a renewing renew, you know, a continuing expense, there are things that we should spend it on that might need to be spent on again next year, like kindergarten Paris. And that sometimes when you live in a poor city, you spend
021the money on something this year and then you try and figure out next year how to spend it, how to get that money next year. And that's what we do. And we're still waiting to find out what we're going to spend it on. And so I guess that's the question. This is a long way of saying, have we figured out how we're going to spend the money? Have we gotten any guidance on the $5 million which was in the state budget? >> Mr. Benahan. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, thank you all for the staff to be here and I agree with you 100%. I'm with you guys. Just want to let you know. Um, just want to know something that I um, you know, I'm very clear to speak to all because I'm very
022glad I don't work for the city for the board of education either. I'm free to speak with a lot of professional but doing this people from doing the convention 2025 but I know nothing is free in this life why all whatever they spend on the money whatever they do with that convention why they don't give it to public school we can't have p professional that's one of the first thing I'm going to say they care so much why they don't give all that money they spend there because I know it's not going to be free and this life nothing is free and I know they spend money so that money why they don't give it to the to you Dr. I agree. So we can have and we have back the R power professionally. That's
023why I want to say that and other that I don't like I didn't like and I'm very glad the state is watching when the state the board education for they don't recognize or at least um say Bridge was doing a good job. They don't did they don't do that. They don't see the cabinet all these people here they doing amazing job working 24/7 Saturday and Sunday when they're supposed to be off with the family they state the board. They don't say, "Oh, Bridgeport is doing a good job." They don't recognize that. They don't say nothing about Bridgeport Public School. But when they want something, Bridgeport Public School and Kevin and the board members, we give it to them and we give extra, you know, so be sure they have everything. So, it's a shame. And
024I told the state of the board of education the hard you plead the next time recognize when uh Bridgeport is doing our job. The staff are doing the job. I thank you. Um staff from Bridgeport. stay here with us because you care about Bridgeport Public School and you care about our students. You can go another another time and I respect that that you stay because you care and you want the best for public school and I take it off my hat for you for you that and I know we need part of professional back and I remember when we start remove the homeschool coordinator home school coordinator work so hard to be sure we got parents involved in Bridgeport Public School with the pack and PTA. So go uh check what's going on with the
025student home. Why the student is not coming doing the homework, stress, depressed, emotional, everything. But the state they don't see that people the only thing they can say, "Oh, they're not doing the job. Oh, they're not doing this." They don't come and sit down with Dr. Avery. They don't come to sit down with all these people coming in, you know, they don't do that. But they ask for it and we give it to them. But it's a shame that the the state of the hard for they don't recognize the amazing job public school they doing board members Dr. Avery and the cabinet but they don't say it but I say to you guys thank you for everything you do. I'm very proud for each one of you because I know and I see what did
026you do and I challenge anyone say that you guys not doing the job or that theory or one of the board members but I'm with you staff. We need our parro back as soon as possible. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Um, I'll take Mr. Woodson's questions about the chairperson report and then we'll move on. Um, and I see Mr. Medina as well. Uh, Mr. Woodson, I have more of a comment. I I I think people make it where that should have been making comments about your report should have been doing that instead of bashing the state, you know, the the the people that they need to ask for money and to and and to and to get funds so we could, you know, do what we have to do for the future. They they they
027should have been more focused on your report instead of worrying about bashing the state, getting brownie ports from from from people. Thank you, >> Mr. Medina. will be the final and then we'll move on. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll be brief. Um, so I agree with everything that Mr. Traver, Mr. Joe and and Mr. Albert Ben even in his point of per privilege on his thing. Uh, I want to thank the staff that came out to give a report. Thank you, Madam Chair, for adding to your report all the things that we have done as a board and how we've been working together. We're still looking for that word to be true. Uh, and that word means collaboration. Uh, I look forward for them to be stepping up and us maybe even knocking in
028their door to sit down with them and to speak with them because if they're going to be here with us continuously, we want to, you know, have it more hands-on on the decisions that we need to be making or the advice that they want to give us and everything. I know we're working on those recommendations from that audit. Um, and again, you know, we we don't need the limelight on us. they chose to put a limelight on us. So, you know, they need to look at everything that's being done and like uh Mr. Benah Graalis said, you know, our our team uh through Dr. Avery, they have been working so hard to make sure that we're looking towards the future ahead and making plans. And we're not all perfect. None of us are. Um, but
029we're ma making we have made strides even before they were here and we just want them to know that we're here to work. Every single board member is here to try to work and all that stuff and you can hear because of their passion and everything that's been said. I would never stop any board member from speaking their mind but um we we we're working on it. So, we just want them to know that we're noticing our work also, even though they're not noticing, but we're going to do it whether they're here or not because this is what we chose to do. And this is why you hear the passion about, hey, if you're going to be here, be here, but work with us, not against us. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> All right, let's
030move on to committee referrals. Um, the finance committee will meet September 17th, uh, 5:30. It'll be a virtual meeting. Um uh I do have some referrals from the last meeting that will go on the agenda. Is there any other referrals since we met September 17th, Wednesday next week 5:30 virtual. Um seeing none, we'll move on to instruction support services committee. instruction and sports services met last week. Essentially, the idea was to have a quick meeting at the beginning of the year to um summarize before the first day of school so that we didn't take too much time from staff. Um and we did that. Um I will say that uh I was delighted to hear in the reports uh we had an excellent report from Miss Carly about um the PAC PTSO and what they're
031doing there and just all set to go and good to go. Um and then the really delightful news was the um uh we had had a meeting in the spring with the high school teachers uh ELA teachers about curriculum development over the summer um where the teachers met and reviewed options and decided on an option where they would meet and develop uh build on a new on a curriculum being used in uh central and a couple of the others had done a little bit of that curriculum and uh they were going to work to expand it for all the high schools and they went way beyond that over the summer way beyond the high schools. I remember specifically the question being asked about middle schools and they said perhaps in the next year um they
032went beyond the middle schools and into the elementary schools beyond ELA. Um it was really an exciting report um and exciting to hear. Um, so, uh, it sort of reminded me of the old days when you go down to Aqua in the summer and there'd be classroom after classroom of teachers writing curriculum. So, I think that, um, um, progress is being made on, um, uh, going back to including teachers in developing, uh, curriculum and working with teachers in a respectful way. Um, so I I was very excited to hear that report. Um, and that's it. Um, the next meeting will be at the fourth Wednesday of the month. I don't have the date off the top of my head. >> Any referrals to interruption support services committee? >> I got some, manager. >> Go ahead.
033>> Um, I'd like to get a um a security um security report. um what's going on with all the security from Brisb public school the training um especially the budget so we like to get update and we have a long time we not got update about that >> we're actually going to have update today on that on the agenda >> yeah but I will Dr. um Dr. um Mr. traver more of that it's very different what you have having agenda and also I would like to information to the update of nutrition center about the budget and um what's going on with the cafeteria some issues that students parents coming about complaining about the food is not getting well the way it's supposed to be so I just want to know what's going on there also
034I know we spoke about this months back but we never speak and I'll bring it back. I know the one of the coaches passed away and we said we're going to put um his gym and his name Bernie Loftton. So I want to know what happened with that. Um so we like to get update with that. >> That that's on facilities or is that for support services? >> I put that facilities >> but that that yeah >> no problem sound good with me. >> And um the other one was know speak with this with Dr. delivery about the new center and we spoke at min to like to have the center have a dedicate to somebody dedicate more than 30 years for the parents here for Brisb public school her name is Margie Sour um
035she passed away she was one of the first person bring the pack and BTS from Brisb public school that's um Jimmy Mour's mom and she's a lady that she the history here for so many years with um Margie P was here ma was here to very very poor person take care our students and parents of reading that for our committee Mr. favorite. >> I I didn't understand that one. Which center? >> The new uh center we >> welcoming center. >> Would that not be facilities too? >> Facility. Okay. No problem. >> Okay. >> Much better for me. >> I'm I'm just You want to name You're talking about naming. >> Okay. Good. All right. That's it. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Okay. >> Any other referrals? Seeing none, um, uh, we'll go on to the
036policy and personnel committee. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Oh, I think Mr. Woodson had his hand up. >> Mr. Woodson, do you have something from instruction support services? >> No, I put my hand up. Sorry. >> Okay, >> no problem. Um, thank you, Madam Chair. Um, we are actually meeting. There's nothing new to uh to share today. Um, we do have multiple things that we're going to do. Our next meeting is, so we haven't met since the last meeting that we I gave a report. Our next meeting actually is this Wednesday, uh, September 10, 2025. So, I have multiple referrals already on hand. If anybody has any others, please uh, you can share or send me an email or text. >> Any referrals? >> All right. Thank you. >> The facilities
037committee um met last Wednesday. Um we discussed um updates on summer projects. I want to acknowledge the the facility staff, operations staff. Um Mr. Garcia and his team. He had 120 staff members working throughout the summer. Um that's understaffed. They should have about 180. Um but due to different cuts, that's what we have. Um and the some of the work they did included um the move from Basic uh roof on Keral um a playground for Highris, some repairs at Multicultural because of a flooding, um repairs to trailers at Park City and in Blackum, um the pool at JFK. So, there's a lot of work that they've done on top of the day-to-day cleaning and and and just the summer cleaning as well. So, I just want to acknowledge that um there's a lot of work
038done this summer and um it's still a work in progress, but uh we'll keep going. Um uh and then we had an update at that committee uh of um the Bridgeport Military Academy. Um currently, um we have two schools in one building at Bassic High School. Um Bridgeworth Military Academy and Bassic. Um it's un it's over capacity. So, Bridgemore Military Academy is split right now. where 9th through 11th they're in their uh former building and 12th graders are at the Bassic building. Um there are 10 classrooms at Bassic dedicated something to that effect dedicated to BMA. So um that was or planning I guess um to say the least. Um we're some of the updates that we had were that uh we're looking to uh find an accommodation for them uh closer to BASIC and
039um most likely hopefully we can get something at the uh University of Bridgeport, a building there um uh to accommodate all the students um because as of now they they don't fit in that one building. Um, so and I'll leave it at that because that's still a work in progress and we'll get more updates as we find um the the facilities for them. Um, any referrals? The next meeting will be October 1st. Um, and uh that'll be the first Wednesday of next month. Mr. Chamber, >> I want to refer um I I I this might not be I mean I recognize that it may not be your next meeting, but I want to put it on your agenda. um because I said last spring that it needs to be on the agenda this fall that
040we begin the process of planning the um community involvement developing a community discussion on the east end school. >> Um we did not have a successful uh community program this past spring. It was too hurried and did not get people to attend. Um it was a failure involved, you know, to get community involvement and in so far as we want to see a good community discussion on whether or not the community supports develop, you know, building a new school on the old Harding site. We need to start now to develop a plan for how we're going to have a community discussion that reflects the will of the community. and we need to have that to justify going forward with the program. >> Um and um so I want us to start now developing such a
041program. Um and it seems to me that's the facilities committee. >> Okay. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Sullivan. >> Yeah, along the same lines as Mr. Trey is uh mentioning about the new school. I think we really need to start looking at the facilities master plan as a whole as well to get get an update on the pos on the positions where application statuses are and the various product projects, the economic feasibility of plan A's and plan B's because right now we're just looking at plan A. I'm sure everybody wants a new school building. I particularly want a school building. I do not object to a new school building, but there may be more than one way to go about that that we need to explore and really have conversations about and I think we
042should do that actually pri come with some idea what we're doing because if we're asking everybody you want a new school the answer is always yes of course we want a new school but do we want that new school to be at the expense of three neighborhood schools is it feasible cost effective to renovate as new some of these new schools is it allowable I still Never actually seen a report that actually prohibits renovating a new school, renovating an old school as new because once neighborhood schools are gone, they're gone forever. So, this is discussions we need to be having on to at least if if there's other ideas, if those ideas are not feasible, let's put them to bed at a thorough discussion and thorough debates at the the committee level. Thank you. >>
043All right, Mr. Medina and then Miss Cer. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, as I'm writing here, so I'll start from the bottom. Um, can we get an update on uh the the status of the potential uh or the potential sp uh the sped ed school over at the old skain update on that? What's happening? What's the update on that? Also, um an update status on the whole John Winthrop/Scame campus. Um also an update on information about uh overflow space because I know we're running into a situation because of the whole BMA situation and then it's going to be coming very closely and soon you know about the whole John Winthrop and skain that we need that overflow space. So that's why I asked for that. And then also I want to bring to your
044attention once again to everybody uh to set up the walk of the old and the new bass with those alumni that have made numerous requests. So I would like that to be um something we can start planning ahead and making sure we get that organized. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Miss Casmmer. Um just two quick things regarding facilities. Uh I know that Mr. Garcia had started in a summer intern program. There were two programs. There were one that was a summer intern program and then one another one that was subsidized by the workplace for paid internships for the facilities department. Did that program carry out this past summer? Because I know that they worked on it the summer before. Just wanted to get an update on what's going on with that because I
045know they worked hard and I was there when we were planning to reach back out to the workplace and just kind of brainstorming about it. >> And um just a quick question, is first responder training offered at BMA? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. So, we'll move on to the CA report. Um I don't have any updates. I don't think Mr. Sakalovic. Do you have Okay. >> Refreshing my memory. Um yeah, there's going to be a webinar on the 17th understanding the changes to the state uh education finances that just passed. That's going to be on the 17th. And on September 24th, this is not really for board members, but Kate will be holding a a webinar for incoming board members, whoever wants to be a board member, running for board
046members, and what's involved. I know we got several new people running from them. So, if they could hear the sound of my voice, I did post it on my Facebook page. You could click the link, register. It's best to hit the ground running. Thank you. >> Okay. Report. Um, moving on, we have um the superintendent report. Dr. Abby. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and welcome everybody this evening. I wanted to kind of, you know, start off my presentation by thanking my teachers, administrators, students, parents, community, my district staff administrator. We had a very, I think, a very successful opening of school year this year. So, I wanted to kind of, you know, throw that big congratulations out. It was a team effort uh to be able to kind of get, you know, the school year
047started differently than it started last year. So, I'm very, very pleased with that. And and I do hear you guys when you talk about the the needs that were taken away, the needs that need to be brought back. Uh I I can say that not only did I provide a recommendation to the state, but the board also provided a recommendation to the state regarding the things that we feel we need to be able to utilize those dollars for. Uh and so th those two presentations or or documentations were presented to uh the technical assistance team and they presented those uh those those wish list to the to the commissioner. Uh we have not heard back from them as to what we're going to be allowed to use those dollars for, but overall the overarching piece
048of that is that um the commissioner has the total say as to how those dollars are going to be funded. but they did give us an opportunity to prevent present what we felt we needed to be able to utilize those dollars for. So, it's in their hands and so we're still waiting on that uh response back from them. So, I'm hoping to hear something pretty quickly on that uh because uh time is a ticking to be able to work work through that. Uh in addition to that, I just kind of wanted to to uh uh I have my colleague here uh assistant superintendent Margaret Hughes that's going to assist me in my presentation this evening. And really what we want what I wanted to do today is to give a highlight of of the 2425
049final SBA and SAT results for the district. Uh and so um I'll have Marge do a couple of slides and then I will uh intervene uh with the um professional learning that took place from there. Go ahead Marge. Everyone should have received this in their board book this week to take a look at it. However, there there's good news here. We've had increases in ELA and math from fiscal year 23 24 and our ELA results in um exceeded our 202122 and our math uh arrived at our 2018 the precoid results which are really um it's a huge marker for us to be able to get that back to the precoid. A quick note on science, although it wasn't included in here, science as well. Exceeded 23 24 school year and exceeded 2018 uh 2019 as
050well. This next slide shows a um ranking of schools with the highest to the lowest percentages of students achieving levels three and four or meeting or exceeding grade level standards for ELA. The next slide does the same for the math results by school. Our high schools, we had great news this year. 100% of our high schools exceeded uh or 100% of our high schools had growth in meeting uh grade level standards in the SAT. And 86% or six of seven high schools met the standards for math in our growth. These tables will these charts will show you that again our although we didn't see the kind of growth that we were anticipating or that we would have hoped for we did see growth. the ELA average percentage of char achieved to your right. This is
051the this this is the growth rate that is used in the accountability index which is otherwise known as our report card although it isn't out yet. We do expect that to be in uh November. uh the ELA growth rate al also exceeded 23 24 and the same thing with math both growth rates and the average percentage of target achieved. When we look at the the individual growth rates by school and we do a comparative analysis from 2018, the schools in pink had declines from last year. The schools not highlighted had increases. This is for ELA. When you when you disagregate disagregate the results by school math here are the math results. I would like to kind of emphasize with with all the things that happened in the district last year and when you start looking
052at total growth that happened within our schools, it's remarkable that we've we showed some increases in the growth in our academic standards across the board. Yes, there's there there's there's tons and tons of room for improvement. And one of the things that we we took a look at this summer is how do we do that? Uh, you know, Mr. Treyber talked a little bit about curriculum development and what are we what are we doing to get teachers involved with, you know, creating the curriculum that they're going to be utilizing in the classroom. Uh, and so I do want to emphasize some of the professional learning opportunities that we took part in to try to make sure that we we we set up for success this school year. Uh, you know, the private with private grant
053funding sessions for parents and professional learning uh for teachers after school. really making sure that we can do those after school extensions to be able to kind of uh do what's what's needed in the classroom. The SIG schools and the commission network schools uh will have HMA HMH teachers uh embedded coaching that's really helping them to utilize that curriculum throughout the school year. So that coaching opportunity is there. Uh we're looking at student achievement incentives like uh the math meet. uh we had kids really really excited about participating in that math meet and so we want to expand that a little bit to try to make sure we get more kids connected to the math uh opportunities. Um the ELA districtwide heel for literacy professional learning and teacher embedded coaching for uh the SO sour
054those are important to be able to kind of because the teachers were asking about when we're going to bring back the hill for literacy. uh you know last year uh a previous superintendent you know did away with the hill for literacy but there was such a need and and want for uh teachers across the district telling us hey can we have that training it was really really good for us uh so we brought it back in uh Mar you want to take the next one for me >> the uh district grant uh the right to read grant funded grade three comprehension work which we did in August and that's going to continue with teacher embeded coaching specifically for grade three paid through that grant that'll continue this year or a start this year. The the
055SIG and the commissioner network schools are paying for additional hill time for the science of reading skills and wonders for comprehension. So, we're really when we took a look throughout the year, one of the things that jumped out at us is the need for our teachers to get more support in comp with comprehension. Uh we're having a year-long reading competition for students which we haven't announced yet but that's very exciting. We also have are doing we have done and will continue to do professional learning across gened special ed and bilingual teachers. So this year we tried to give everyone because our big push for curriculum and instruction this year is differentiation. We turn keyed to our principles who then turn keyed it at their buildings ways for teachers to really get to know who their
056students are so that they can better able differentiate for them. And one of the things to that end, we had all of our teachers together to get the same curricular resource instruction. Finally, our district Okay. Yeah. And and the final thing that we're doing is really excited about the district improvement plan process. As as principles work through their individual campuses and look and see how districts impact what they do, we have to look at that district improvement plan and campus improvement plan process. So we have a new exciting opportunity for principles to engage their individual campuses by doing uh data teams and school improvement processes for their individual campuses. So uh every f every Friday I'm meeting with all principles not all of them all together but small groups of principles every Friday group of
057high school princip I mean principles all together we did that last Friday this coming Friday I'll have two sets of of uh principles I'll be meeting with and every Friday throughout the month we'll have these conversations about their data understanding how what they need to support you know them them as a campus leader within their buildings. So that whole district and crew and and school improvement process is going to be a fluid process throughout the year. And I'm hoping that's going to be a very intricral part in seeing the success that we're going to um materialize with at the end of the school year. So that kind of summarizes that data piece. Uh and I want to, you know, open it up for uh any questions. >> Any questions about his report, Mr. Sakalic? >>
058Yes. His report. Um yeah, you me you mentioned growth. Growth is a very important indicator. It should be the true measure of how a district is doing growing from where they've been. As we all know in this room, growth is a slow process as the policy between policy implementation and the effect is quite a while. So I'm sure what you're implementing now will give us gains in the future, but the gains we're seeing now are from the past. Um, I don't want to see other people taking credit for not Yes. I'm I don't want to see on a state report or since we've been there, there's been growth in math and reading in the city of Bridgeport. That growth has been started in a while back. In fact, the science of reading when the state
059implemented the I think it was four or five curriculums that districts should use around the science of curriculums to support them. We did not have to change our curriculum because we in Bridgeport were already using it. So we did not even have to pivot. So we were leading the way in that and the state took one of our curriculums and adopt one of the curriculums or the books that we were supposed to use and adopted that as part of their choices to implement it forward. I believe >> madam chair I I want to kind of emphasize that I think that's important though as well. So, but as you look at, you know, the stability of this of the district, that is a critical, you know, um, uh, important factor for schools and districts to improve.
060And so, I think being able to kind of, you know, set that stage of being consistent and and targeted about what we do and that's what the district and school improvement plans will do for us as well. So, I appreciate that. I think that's important to be able to uh you know to establish but we just we still have a long way to go but I think when and you're right that school improvement process takes three to five years to take hold and to make right but with that you have to have the consistency across the board as well not only with the leadership at the top but everybody in between as well. So that's the that's the beauty of what we're trying to do and establish. We got to do our business different and
061sometimes different is is difficult. Uh and sometimes when you look at you know the job of the superintendent and trying to balance everything when it comes to finances to people in the right seats on on the bus to steer the bus. It's it's it's one of those delicate things and I know I take it very serious that we got to do what we got to do. We have to stay focused and not let the distraction get us uh because when it does that's when things go astray. So we've been very very strategic about how we do and how step how many steps we take forward before we have to readjust things. And so to me that's important. Uh and I think the board has given me the opportunity to do that. Uh I know I've
062talked with the unions you know on a monthly basis. We're we're getting ready to start our our routine of you know engaging both the teacher union and the administrative unions. So those are going to be critical parts of how we do the business. And so I'm I'm looking forward to that and to engaging because like you said, we don't do everything right. We have to learn from our mistakes in the past and I think that's important with what we do in the school improvement process. >> I just wanted to add on you you had made a comment that the growth is that that growth that was measured and on the slide that's the growth that our teachers did this past year and I think we need to give the credit to the teachers for the
063work that they did this year. Mr. Medina. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, Dr. Avery, I know in in the report with the different subjects, there was a rank. Uh, one of the columns was uh was rank and that's ranking them within our our district. Correct. As far as where the schools lie with within themselves, correct? >> Yes, sir. There is when you look at the slides, there's a couple of different ones. Uh it ranks them based on level threes and fours uh in math and ELA. Thank you very much. Now, we're going to have a nice competition amongst them to get get higher and all that. Um that's all for for for for me. I just wanted to make sure that that was correct. That way I can say thank you very much. else.
064Miss Casemir, >> um I'm over on the page where you have the ELA and math scores for just the high schools. And I just want to make sure that I understand what I'm reading. Um for instance, Harding, it says 3.6% or 3.60% uh in math. Does that mean that 3.6% 6% of children that attend Harding. That's that's passing. Or can you explain that to me? I'm sorry. >> What this means, this is the uh SATs that are administered to our grade 11 students only. Okay? And that 3.6 that's interpreted as 3.6% 6% of the grade 11 students at Harding met or exceeded the the grade level standards. >> Oh, okay. So, this is the percentage of the kids that actually met or exceeded correct >> the SAT. The SAT is >> SAT. Yeah. >> For
065the 11th grade. Oh, okay. >> For 11th grade. Yes. >> Okay. >> And that's part of the problem is there's no growth model for high school. We're working on to develop one internally, but that's really what the state uses as a measurement. >> Just one clarification. So I I know that I'm an old parent, but 11th grade used to take a PSAT so they can get ready for the SAT. So both 11th and 12th are taking SAT. >> Just so well children can continue to take the SAT, but the only one that this measures is the state formal SAT, they call it the Saturday SAT, which is the formal measurement for grade 11 students. Okay. >> But you're right. Grade nine grade or grade eight, nine, and 10 take the PSAT. >> Gotcha. Thank you.
066>> I miss Estro Jimenez. Sorry. I had a question uh well not so much a question but I noticed um during convocation the roll out of the new website and I noticed not everything was translated excuse me into our three languages Spanish um Haitian Creole and Portuguese. So I did want to bring that up to see if you know the website was just rolled out. I'm not sure if that's going to happen in phases, but wanted to know if we can have consistent translation on our website and all the materials. >> Yeah, I'll make sure that we can go back and and uh check on that and see. Uh John Carlo and Tim, I'll have you guys kind of assist in uh there was one one uh language was not translated, so she's trying to
067make sure that there's clarity to make that happen. So, we are in the process of still developing the website. Um, so if we will probably just go back um and connect later on or tomorrow at some point and uh see what exactly what you're seeing and then we can just go back and just uh make sure that everything's up to or >> and and with the roll out that when when they rolled it out during convocation, you know, it was one of those things where if anyone sees things that may be, you know, that needs to change, you can identify, you can go right directly to the communications department uh and or you can direct direct those emails to me and I'll I'll forward it to the right person. But yeah, there's going to be
068a few things that just didn't because we converted it over from the old one to the new one and some of it didn't translate. I had some issues with some of the board stuff too that we have to kind of make correct as well. So yes ma'am >> anything um else for the superintendent report? >> Um Miss Casemir? Yeah. I just wanted to ask you, Dr. Avery, about the um juvenile offenders over on Husatonic Avenue. Um you know, when's the last time that you checked in with them and what's going on? >> You're talking about the juvenile uh the juvenile because we just started the school year. They're on my list, too. I do meet with the principal there or the assistant principal that's there. Uh, and so, uh, but I've also had this summer
069I had a conversation with the state team that governs that that unit. Uh, and we talked about, you know, making sure that we get an administrator there. So, we we were able to kind of, you know, work with the numbers and get that administrator back into play. Uh, so she is in the building. Uh, started out the school year with them. Uh, and so, but they're going to be on my rotation as well to see. uh they're they're they're I don't want them to be our forgotten individuals, right? So, uh yes, I will keep them on the at the forefront of my list as well. >> So, I was under the impression they had already had an administrator there. So, there was no administrator the last school year. >> Yeah, there was. She's back there.
070The same one that was there. U is there. >> Oh, okay. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Got you. Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. But when we're talking about the the assistant principal's move and we start looking at the rankings uh you know of seniority you know that's why it ended up staying in the position. So yes that was that was part of this that's why I said it was it was discussed about you know eliminating the position but we ended up keeping the position. So uh she's there. >> All right. And I just have one other question Dr. Avery about um there's a couple of parents that had asked they said how do we find out like people who pass illegally pass by the buses that get tickets from the city. How will we find out
071whether some or if not all of that money can go toward the Bridgeport public schools budget? I know that the answer is most likely going to be no, but I love to ask the question anyway. And I was just wondering is that something that you ask? Is it something that a board member should volunteer to ask? Where do we ask? I just wanted to get information about that. >> Good question. Uh part of that part the funding for the bus patrol, you know, the violations where community members will get tickets for um passing the school bus. Uh that's all done through the city. Uh a portion of those funds go to the city and the other portion of that those fund goes to uh the bus company. uh the ca the company with the with
072the cameras on the on the the the board gets no money from that from those uh fees. Uh now my understanding is that in the original conversation with the school district the district was going to be allocated you know a couple of percentages of those dollars. Uh but that conversation had have not been held had with me regarding uh that percentage. uh and so that may be something that we need to uh as a district uh reassess uh and reapproach the city about those dollars. So any help that uh board members can provide me uh I'll be glad to um uh make that conversation happen. >> Yeah, just please let me know specifically what you need help with and I'll of course make sure that I help in any way. Just wanted to ask about
073You know what I think I might do is uh go through the finance committee and work through that committee and then figure out what next steps we had. So Danielle, if you can add that to the agenda, I think we can have that conversation. I think there be the city will be willing to have that conversation with us. So >> all right, move on to um new business. Uh the first item is is for executive session. and approval of the proposed settlement involving a minor. Um, if we go in executive session, we'll be with Christine Sullivan, attorney, Michelle McKinley, and uh, Dr. Avery. Um, is there a motion? >> Motion to go into executive session. >> Motion was made. >> Second. >> Motion was made by Mrs. Pic and seconded by Mr. Benahan. All in
074favor say I. I. I. >> Any opposed? Any extensions? We're going to second. All right, we're back from executive session. It's 8:22. Is there a motion? Go ahead. Um, I move to authorize the attorney to move forward as discussed in executive session. >> Seconded by Mr. Banahan. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? That passes. Next item on the agenda, executive session is an executive session update on school safety. And that would be with um Assistant Chief Greck, Superintendent Avery, and the board. Um, >> I move we may go into executive session with the superintendent and deputy chief. >> Uh, the motion was made by Mr. Traver, second by Mr. Benahan. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> 8:23. We were going back in. Okay. Uh
075we're back from executive session. It's 10:01. Um the next item on the agenda is second read discussion of the following amended and recommended policies. Policy 3541.2 which is a transportation administrative guidelines for walking distances. >> Dr. Sienna is going to uh take this item. >> Thank you. So, what was uploaded to the board book is just the changes that we had discussed in policy committee that you um discussed a a couple weeks ago. Really just a couple simple changes. So, in the first paragraph um you've suggested adding the sentence that the board may determine the maximum walking distance subject to budgetary constraints. So, anything that we're adding is in green and anything we're taking out is in red. Uh, and then you asked to take the paragraph out that define the walking distance. So, that'll
076be removed. Hazard. Um, the director of public safety is now in the Bridgeport Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, so we can make that update. And then I apologize that the letters didn't all switch when we deleted that B. So I'll make sure that they go, you know, B CDE E FG hi when the policy gets approved. But that's it. It was just a couple of those little changes. So, I didn't know if you had any questions or >> are there any questions? >> Back to the chair. Go ahead. We just really wanted to make sure that we clarified that all we did is put from from the elementary walking distance up to and from the secondary up to so that we don't have to go back come back to the to the board
077to change the policy if we have to revert back to the walking distance in in the future. So it makes it easier and it it clarifies uh the policy that was in existence and and we just kind of redefined it a little bit uh to make it a little bit more clear for uh the community as well. >> Seeing no questions. Is there a motion? Anyone? motion. I don't have the numbers in front of me. >> Sorry, the the microphone was on. Um was >> sorry, >> but Mr. Motion >> the following amended recommended policies P3541.2. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Okay, it's been seconded by Miss Esther Mary. Um, any further debate? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Um, is there any final business?
078That passes. Any final business that needs to be discussed? All right. See none. Is there a motion? >> Point of uh >> You have a something >> personal point. Go ahead. >> Don't forget the vote. For what? >> Oh, well, in my neighborhood. >> Oh, okay. Go ahead. >> I think I think he said it. I was just want to make sure that it's it's tomorrow's primary. Oh, I'm sorry. Who would you speak it to? >> Mr. Mr. Benahan, we're in keep to board stuff, guys. Mr. Benahan. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. One of the things I want to speak and I know you can bring this to the one of the committee and I know we talk about this is the plaque the new plaque they put in the new ambassing high school. They
079never put the board education names. So this is the first time we so many years in the district and I know a lot of people be in the district and I check all the principal public school we got the they have all the names of the board members. This is the first time that I see then think one of my colleague they told me Mr. the better why this the name is not there and after that you know we speak about this you know I send in an email I'm a part of the building committee they never answer to me so okay they never answer to me that's why I bring it to the board to see you know uh Dr. whatever you can figure out what's going on why they cannot why the reason
080who make the decision they never we never vote for that me and Miss Ferris you know we part of the building committee we need to talk about this so they never make decision to you know to not add the board members names because if you visit all the schools we have the board members name and the building committee is there and I'm going to talk you forward you can go back 50 60 70 years back and the board members name is there the second thing I want to let you on that theory that I went today to the discovery school to because a parent called me to some concerns. So one of the concern is this. You see this this golf ball. This is part you know for front of this corporate school they have
081a park the golf one. This go exactly to the school. This little ball you can hurt. It's not plastic. They really hurt kids break windows hurt teachers and whoever come you know because they're playing. So the city know that the city says cost a lot of money to put a a net something like that. That's what the excuse. But I don't care about that because I care about my parents too. Then you know whoever going to get hurt because if somebody get hurt, they're going to go after us. So they say, "Oh, they cost more $100,000 to put a net whatever." So I Yeah, but they can sue us more of that. They can sue us more of that. It's student or t-shirt or you know, especially the right the windows. You know this little
082ball that got you can hurt the noise. It's not plastic and it's a collection. So the parent called me to talk about this and I worry about this. So you know we can talk about later you know about the committee we can talk at the situation and also I basically because I was there with a parent I went to the best um discovery school you know you can see I got the shirt u Mr. Ramos give it to me amazing again saw you Dr. Rammo and the staff um invite me very very good. We got a little tour. The school looks so quiet. I said, "Where's the students? Where is the staff?" They were always in the classroom. They're amazing. But I want you um know that one of the parent talked to me they
083need a art teacher there. They one of the um um teacher um parents they call me about this. They explain me well. They need a art teacher. They have some situation there. So you can start talk with Mr. Ramos. I want to not bring that to the p prevalent point, but the most important thing is the PL. Everything's important, but I just want to know what's going on. Who made that decision? Because I know me and Miss F, we never did it. >> That that wasn't a board matter at the time. It was a school building committee city side. So, I mean, at this point, it would be if we if we want to take up that matter, we can we can focus our attention on that or we could ask the city if they
084want to do something about it. But, I mean, there's I I can I can I can do something in the meeting on that, but I also want to make sure we're sticking up board business. But, go ahead. >> I I think also uh Miss uh Anthony Paltto actually responded to uh that email. Uh I'm not for sure if he responded to an entire board, but I think because you had put an email out to the committee. >> What was the building committee? >> He gave a an extensive conversation about previous plaques and um buildings because I didn't have that historical knowledge. Uh and he did respond. So again, that's something, you know, I can work through the chair to see if we could, you know, maybe have someone from the city to to bring up
085and explain that a little bit. >> Yeah, >> I mean, I'm fine in reaching out and seeing what I can do with that. >> It's fine. But that every like you say previous I don't know previous plaque where this is the first time I see a plaque with no board members name. And you know in that email the building committee I send the pictures from all different school they got board members. So my point is who made that decision who made that vote because we never talk about that building in the building committee. So I feel if it's you know it's not respectful you know let us know >> email said that the state that the that committee made the decision. It's just whether or not we like it or not is it's a we
086can take that matter up if we want to. But I mean it a lot of business we have to talk about and >> I really answer his email and he never respond me back a very past few days. That's why I bring it to the board to see what's going >> Thank you >> madam chair. His his response was inaccurate. That's the >> it's inaccurate but also like we can keep going back and forth on it or do board business. >> It is board business. >> I mean >> I agree. we we you know we could we could take up the matter in in in committees and go you know there's a lot of stuff we have to talk about too um any further points to make up I'll bring it to the facilities committee
087and then we could talk about there I just had a clarifying item on something Mr. Benahan Graalo said um that net would cover a very extensive part of the golf course. And I actually have a picture of all the golf course that the principal took off of Discovery. And he's got golf balls. Yeah, sorry. About half a bucket, a Home Depot bucket full of golf balls from that building. I also have a slide deck of cars actually um faculty her windshield got cracked twice and she had to incur damages because of golf clubs. I saw a video over the summer when he showed it to me >> um of students playing in the front of the school and a golf ball passing right by the students. So, >> it is a problem. The city did
088commit to paying for this half a million dollar net. The problem is that nothing's been done since the principal um principal Ramos met with them over the summer. That's the problem. There's been no movement. It's nice weather out, perfect for golf, and before winter comes, and there's a major concern that a child is going to get struck. So, just kind of wanted to make that clarifying. >> Yeah, you got that. >> Yeah, I'll bring I'll bring that back to, you know, the safety concern. It's it's a huge piece that we're going to have to kind of at least have a um, you know, a plan for. Uh, and so I don't know how what that's going to, you know, entail, but getting getting with the principal and try to work with with Mr. Ramos on
089what we can do. uh we got to bring it to to the attentions in a formal way. Uh and I'll help uh orchestrate that as well. >> Okay. >> All right. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Moved by Miss Pass, second by Mr. Traver. All in favor? >> Moved me. 1012. We're adjourning. Have a great night. >> God bless you guys. Take care. Thank you, Dr.