001Okay. Uh, I'm calling this meeting to order at 5:31 of the Construction Support Services Committee. Present on the committee is my chair Rob Treyber and Albert and Anales. We also have with us Mr. William and I don't see Mr. Woodson here, the other member of the committee. So we do have a quorum. The meeting will start. Um we have uh first item on the agenda is the approval of the minutes dated May 28th. >> Seconded by myself. All in favor? I approve. Uh first item on the agenda is uh looking at the pack PTSO planning for the beginning of the school year with the final reports on the 2425 spending which we have in a packet provided by Miss Hughes. Um back we have uh do you want to put that up on the screen?
002Yeah, we're going to put hers up >> because she's going to talk about >> Yes, Carly's going to put it up and talk about that. Okay, >> everyone. Um, Carly Rocher Reyes, the director of school counseling and parent partnerships and here just to talk a little bit about our planning for this school year and then we'll move into reviewing our expenditures from last school year. Um, so the next slide. So where we are right now, we met with all the administrators at the beginning of the school year to talk about the packing the BTSO. We are identifying returning members and also schools that need to fill positions. So we'll be working with all the administrators to hold the elections um to fill any vacancies that they might have on their pack in BTSO. So myself
003and Janette Herren will be working with each of those administrators for the election process. We have a a template going out to all the administrators that they can use to customize to their school to share the information and um try to solicit some some candidates for different positions within their pack in PTSO. So the action plan and budget submission kind of just a little bit of the timeline we'll be sharing we'll be sharing with each administrator the action plan the blank action plan for them to start working on. Um I know um Sajita and Miss Hughes both shared a file for um the administrators to start putting in all their members. So we'll be able to review that collaboratively. They'll begin working on their action plans about usually the second week of October when those
004budget the detailed budget action plans are submitted to the grants office and then by the end of October all of those action plans will be approved. will review them and then they'll start to be they'll start to make their their submissions of their purchases. I know miss we talk a lot about the P the P10 and process by eviction 10 works and so we'll share all his guidance the parent guidance uh the school guidance and then recordkeeping of those P10 so that way there's accurate records of the parent filling it out the um going to the the principal for for them to submit it through their clerical and so that everyone has the same records and the the process can be streamlined. uh just for everyone to kind of have an idea of what the
005expenditure benchmarks are. >> You want me to wait until the end or something? >> I know that when we had in finance and with the state folks, we talked about changing over our our reporting, our financial reporting. Does the P10 fit the new direction we're going in? I don't know. >> But this thing here >> I don't think I I don't think we've ironed that process. >> The what's the system munice? Does it fit the mun system? >> We have not I have not compared the two. That would be next to do >> then for the next meeting. Just I know that's what the direction you and I have listened to Mr. Benis talk about the P10 uh for a long time. Um, but I would hate to find out that >> it's it's it's
006no longer relevant um in the new direction we're going in and we'd have to figure out what would be um now that we have somebody who knows how to make sure it's happening um and make him happy. So, I doubt that the system was going to make him unhappy. Um so, >> right. I think even if the system moves a different direction, we'll still be able to find that. Yes. >> Right. We'll create a copy. >> That's what I'm getting here. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Um so the expenditure for benchmarks. So this is kind of when we're reporting to all of you where they are. This is kind of where we want to see um each expenditure by this date. Uh so this is just some of our support for back and PTSOs.
007Um a team to collaborate, share resources, an email distribution list. Um, we're going to be working with different community partners to provide different trainings and then also available for one-on-one support for budget and planning. Two hot off the press um possibilities that we are going to be looking into. to support packing PTSO. Um, one, there is a a available workshops, sessions, virtual trainings through Southern. Um, actually families get $100 stipend to participate in these trainings. And it's completely virtual. Um, and so I'm going to be reaching out to get more information and then share with families so that they can participate in these training sessions. And another one that just came through is um a grant opportunity for parent leadership training. So I'll be looking into that grant opportunity as well to try to get
008some funding to add some additional training opportunities for our parents. We are at the finish line of rolling out a parent handbook. And so this will be forward facing for parents to provide some guidance about who the departments are, who the contacts are, um a chain of communication, talking about our social emotional learning, a a nice section all about our PAC, PTSO and SGC, school governance council. Um so parents are aware of those opportunities to be involved in their schools. We'll have some attendance and engagement um information resources and then how to support your your child in school. So, this hopefully should be rolling out in the next few weeks. It's it's being reviewed now by parents because we want to make sure that the information we're providing them is uh what they need and
009accessible to them. And so once the parents finish reviewing it, then we'll be able to uh to share this with you. And the last page is just we're going to continue with our quarterly community resource events where we really like to get our families um engaged uh provide them with some resources some uh we invite all of our community partners. We get lots of meal kits as you all seen before and so we are going to try to hold one every quarter. I'm hoping to have one scheduled by the end of uh for the last week of September so we can kind of kick off the school year with a nice uh event for families >> and first of all finally I'm very glad you're back. I know what I do. I can close my
010eyes and I know that because we worked together, you know, for so many years and that was, you know, the chair is totally a family and I'm very glad because I can say anything. I know you got before I finish my work, she said I got, you know, and I love that. Thank you. I appreciate that. Um, and I know we talk about years back um the handbook. I know people talking about remember people talking about things happen, but I'm very glad because the handbooks help a lot of parents and all the leaders. But the part of the training, I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it because that's what we need. I'm really training, you know, all these leaders. They can know where they're going, what we're going to do,
011who can contact, you know, stuff like that. And know especially, you know, the budget, especially that the action plan >> action plan for me is so important that I want to know how you know they spend the money to, who, where because they can spend the money, but I don't know all these vendors outside, they can abuse, you know, you know, it's always the district. that's putting more money in something called $10. They can say, "Oh, 50, you know, by then you get and I see that. I see that for a lot of vendors, but I'm very glad you know, especially, you know, you do community partners and you always do that. That's a amazing event you always do with your with your team. I love enjoying people. I'm sending you my respect for that.
012You do the best job, you know, I'm very glad I did you back. You know, I can't believe I can eat now and stuff like that." But, you know, I don't know. Just always and I always told you this, I'm always here to help you. I'm always here to help everyone. I'm not here to tell nobody what to do. I'm a team player that you know for everyone that you know has my passion with parents you know stuff like that and all the fact leaders because they lost but with this training trust me they're going to be more easy. they will say okay I know where to go who to call how I'm going to spend the money you know what is my right you know and then the good thing is they can contract
013and have communication with the principal because doesn't matter what the principal is the supervisor build it and we need to respect that you know and you know I was I say but good communication respects aggressive you know and I don't want those all this pack be lost I don't know where to go and sometime they tell different information and that's when they get lost they come say they said I'm out of So at least now you look back you know they know they contact you you know they can't work they don't have the communication and and I don't know what else to tell you I have to say you know thank you thank you thank you thank you I feel more free more relaxed and everything and like I told you I'm here to help
014you and support you doesn't matter what time you know I was sleep late you can you know thank you I really appreciate >> thank you the chair >> thank you to the chair Um, do we have a time frame on elections or you have kind of like a geared time frame when you guys want to have those elections by? >> Sure. So, we are looking at the different openhouse days to be able to put the information out so when families come in they can learn more about the opportunities. We'll be sending out a flyer. That flyer should be going out by the end of next week and then the administrators of the buildings can send it to their families um to to try to encourage them to be a part of the the team. So
015I don't have an exact date um but but we will be working on that shortly. >> Sounds like a date for me. I mean next week they're going to get their information and I can start the process. So that's why >> get the ball rolling early. >> Yes. Um I'm going to start with my question then I'll give you do the whole poll. Um can we have you mentioned a few times about administration administrators for each campus can we have that that team to the board like what you know let's say Thomas Hooker for example my district I'm 138 Thomas Hooker who the leader is going to be working with the President and you know and they're the contact information that we know that we can also you know give them who is it the
016contact person for when we have the after the elections and all that stuff that would be good that we know who's working with who? As far as those two people or three people that are collaborating. Um, but this is the perfect example want to give everybody know of putting their hastes in their places. Okay, this is the perfect she belongs in this role. She's been doing it. She was doing it for many years. Can I I love that 100% that's important 100% here that expenses her benchmark. So that way now we know ahead of time that we're not waiting to the end of the year. I love that. I love the workshop days with uh with uh state of uh >> southern state Connecticut state university let me know love to be part of that
017workshop leadership training again the grant we're already trying to find out how can we get money in there that's what we needed from before and kudos on the parent him love to read it too because we can help you so that's 100% thank you >> um yeah my only comment is that you clearly live up to your reputation. He's been talking about you needing to come back. Um, and I it's just a very nice report. I I have one question about his data, but there's no data on this data >> as of last night. Okay, another >> well and I will I just qualify that by saying um if you'll notice in the April report we had the form stacks the encumbered but not and unfortunately I I couldn't gather if there was any remainders
018of there to meet the deadline last night but I didn't follow the m >> well no but I noticed I was comparing it it it's not the April it's updated so I could tell it was updated but I couldn't tell when so I just wanted to make ter reflecting when it's what it's updated as. It's clearly not the data regurgitated to me. It's it's new new data. Um so I just wanted to know. Um thank you. And um everything else just sounds great and I would like to request a copy of your report. >> Absolutely. >> U because it is so impressive to see to have it. Yes. Thank you. Um, one of the things you said about the Pent, you know, for so many years, but I'm talking about the Pent because that's the
019way the leaders of the school and the principal, they know how much money don't need to be call you or call the grand office. They go with that record, you know, and they say how much money they got, you know. So, because like I told you, you have to be the principal and the sign that that form and going back what you said Mr. about the list you know who building the list that's why we put the district wide list with that clean the leadersh and how to do election one of the big thing when they do elections have to be the parents of the school committee have to be the parent have to be parent of the school you know I don't need to tell you >> you know I'm so excited I'm I'm
020so I'm so happy I don't know what else I thought you you know you make my day I feel relieved but thank you come back, you know, you are very professional. You always the time and like you nobody else thinking, you know, maybe so, you know, Thank you. >> Um, and I just for the record here, I I should have said this at the very beginning. Um, what we're just trying to do tonight is get focused for the year. Um, I I'm not looking for a long meeting. I'm not looking to grill a lot of people. We finished the year talking about things that we wanted to see done over the summer. And when Miss You and I talked about this meeting, it was like, "Okay, tomorrow's the first day of school. We want to
021start the year out right." So, I your report is just perfect because it just reassures us that everything's moving in the right direction. And that's what we're trying to get to tonight. sort of remind ourselves what we ended the year talking about and what we want to start working on. We'll spend a little time at the end of the meeting talking about some topics and you know what else we might want to focus on this year as we start into the year um just to s stimulate our brains to focus a little on it but I don't want to make this a long night uh because uh tomorrow's going to be a long day for the staff more than for us. Go ahead. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> So everybody, the pages
022one and two basically it's a summary of where your school stands as of last night. Um the one things that will jump out at you is that we have some schools that have low lower uh percentage used. Uh we are following up with them. Schools that I have talked to to date. Uh there were two problems that had come up. One was the timely reporting of what their balances balances are to your use of to your recommendation on the P10 >> and the other was the communication between the the presidents and the school administrators. So those are things that we're aware of. We're going to move forward and put a plan in place to address those. >> Continue to be surprising though. One is Miss Queen. >> Yes. at classical studies who was at the
023beginning of the year offering to teach people and the other is uh high horizon where I wouldn't expect there to be problems either. Uh you did I know move from zero in April to 75 or 70 um at military academy and we had nothing in April right >> that was a zero in April so that's a significant jump up but clearly an issue you want to figure out why but it certainly is the zero was in April but >> can I ask a clarifying question the funds that are that are not spent this year. Can they carry over? >> They're not. So these were this was at the end of the last school year. So they would go back into the district's budget and reallocated. So then we'll start fresh now. >> Thank you for
024that. >> Page two is the high school same information but for the high schools. Yes. I will wait um to have any questions. >> Go ahead. I'm sorry. Okay. No, I want I just I I just got this. I just have a question if it was addressed or did we make it clear because I know in the last report that we got concerned. Yeah. Okay. April, there was some people that were overspending. They were over the budget. Did we did we fix that things? Okay. Is that that concerning I know there was some some questions which she'll clarify for everybody that you know you couldn't use money from another school to try to cover that. So they fixed those >> primarily I believe it was the um schools with school improvement grants. It was the
025way it was coded. So they >> should have gone into the school improvement grant had I gone into here. Okay. >> Any other questions? >> Yes. >> Go ahead. Thank you. Um, one of the very important things convention I know last one that last one we talk I was the last chair of the commission was the last one 2019. I know that roll over the $9,000 I asked for so many times where was the total how much we had you know when you get a chance you know that you know how much money exactly we have because the last >> yeah so it's $9,000 each one so for 2019 it was the last one to now it's six years you know including this one so multiply $9,000 that's what could be four something $54,000. That's
026what I understand. So maybe figure it out because each year is $9,000 >> for the parent and that money had to be there because that user for the parent convention say that n you're saying six times 9 gets 50 $50,000 somewhere. >> Yeah. So that um money has to be you know here for the actually for the convention and because last year when Dr. Saki was here in Dr. Igate I showed him a tool back work >> and he said wow it's a it's a big job this is something that you know that so if when you get a chance I would like to know what's going on. Thank you. Yeah. To bring clarity to that fact, we were we were told different numbers and there was a that there was no clarity in that
027and I'm sure now sure now we'll get that. I mentioned that earlier with you know that we'll get that clarity that we just want to move forward in the right uh pathway and make sure everybody's same understanding because this means a lot to the district and it's a great way since we have a great amount because of the number of years the past that we're using words of we've allocated this you know I was very offended by that word and that we want to move forward with the data that we can just have a good time and and and and move this process forward especially because we want to make sure that this was taken care of the right way. So I you'll get it now done I believe. Um I would I would add
028just simply uh that the priority is the start of the year of the items that have already been presented. getting the off getting the people elected, getting things rolling, getting things set up properly so the year's going uh because the conventions at the end of the year. So it is on the list of priorities, but you know what you've laid out is correctly. Um the handbook and all that stuff are the priorities at the beginning of the year uh as well as the training that you laid out. Um uh you correctly identified beginning of the year priorities. That's certainly not something to wait till the end of the year to deal with. It's it's got to happen. But you know, let's not pilot on the beginning of the year. No, you've got a full You
029got a full >> Yeah, of course. Go ahead. >> Thank you. I'm certainly I I agree with you, Mr. Favor. um you know training in hand for very because of how we're going to train in all these leaders but um the other thing is convention as I say that have to be parents you know the school you have to be have kids in school and then we can start on the training starting because you know they take time that parent convention you're going to be doing one in two months it's a process you know it's a big you know that and then after the training whatever we can see who can be the committee and who can run the parent convention because it's going to be next here, you know, and May May and June.
030Yeah. So, >> thank you. >> It's a huge undertaking, >> right? But one in which that if we've done this work at the beginning of the year correctly, then you're going to have the people who are capable of helping with that in place. If we haven't done this work at the beginning of the year correctly, we're not going to have anybody to help with that work at the end of the year. Right? that that's why I say we got to do do the ground work first >> and do it right which wasn't done last year so there was nobody around to help with the work at the end of the year and so now that we started the year right anything else you have a lot now you have a lot of things you know
031I know you will be here to help you anything else on packs so planning Great. This is a heck of a way. Nice way to start here on that. >> Um, update on test results. Item to the next slide. One more. >> Okay. So, the United States Department of Education is still invar test results, meaning that we are not going to release them to the public. Um, my estimate is that they should probably come out mid September, but again that's a variable that's hard to really get variety of answers from the state. Why >> they're they do some type of validity work the extent to which I'm not sure. checking on all the districts to see whether or not their results are valid >> that on the scoring. >> That's what that means. Validity work.
032Okay. >> But I think you've seen these numbers before. We presented them in the past. >> So these aren't different than what we >> No, the same numbers. I I just wanted to >> Yeah, I haven't pulled it out yet to see. >> Yeah, this is the exact same thing you've seen in the past. And I think the trend although it hasn't been overwhelming the the the the performance achievement has has increased primaril across most schools and so that's that's something we want to see and I'm very anxious to see the growth the accountability index that's going to be exciting to see and for the record to the rest of the committee this is what miss you told me we were likely to only get tonight when I said you know wanted to put this
033on the agenda she said we might not anything more than we already had. Um, but she looked and see if there was anything else and we don't. So, we'll wait till the end of the month where hopefully we'll have some something new to to to chew on and talk about. Um, so it is what it is for, >> right? I know you are doing we're not the only ones. Um but it is good that we're start we'll start the year as soon as we can looking at what we have. Um and when we do have those results we we should bring in the math and the LA correct. >> Absolutely. Correct. >> Absolutely. >> Right. But waste our time or spend any more time at this point? Item four. If it's a review of the
034end of the year suspension rates, if you look back, >> one thing, one thing I heard loud and clear in past meetings and then maybe on something is that you want to start seeing >> no graphs. And so I did my best to pull it into a graph that really tells the story. And I think this the only thing this doesn't have that you wanted to see was the uh black and Latino percentage is broken out by gender or the suspensions. We had the the breakout in gender in total enrollment. We need to do a little more work on on on getting the actual uh suspension data. >> No. And we should break it out. I there are two things missing. You're correct about the gender and the correct the other is the spit. Um
035but the you can see why um varraph way what hit you on that one. >> Mhm. >> The black males the black expulsions >> far exceed the the red the red bar is their the percentage of enrollment to the total district. >> Right. So while we're so fre their expulsions are lower significantly lower than their than their enrollment. >> Correct. Um and although it's strange that they're sus they're their their suspensions are higher um both in school and out of school. Um but they're still the the black community all are higher than their than their enrollment all. And that's a problem. And I think too because we're at 16% with our Latino population that that is probably why we're seeing an increased number of suspensions and uh in there although it does not exceed their
036percentage. >> Yeah. It still doesn't exceed their enrollments. >> But I think this illustrates the point that you've been making all year and that we we have an issue that we need to deal with. >> Yeah. And then we should So we got to take that group and break it up by in a couple of different areas sped uh gender. >> Yeah. >> Um >> and we have we have that raw data which I >> Yeah, but it was it there was just so much data on it. It was something to decipher down. I was trying to >> No, but it would be it would be good for our next meeting to then look at that. Yeah. >> Um I think because remember what started us was we were looking at special ed. >> Um
037and so we do want to continue to look at special ed. Um and then we want to go back to what was an old subject that we, you know, we brought in that new uh grant program. the old grant program brought back in um uh the uh black male use >> uh at that we brought back in to deal with this problem. >> Um and so we want to >> take a look at what the data is telling us. >> So some of the things that the district has already done to to work towards this goal is administrator professional learning. No, there's no slide for my nose. Looking for my nose. administrator and professional learning on challenging behaviors and the changes in the law. We also had administrator learning for restorative practice and this was
038for everyone in the district, teachers, administrators, everybody had the same restorative practice training part two we're going to get in January. Right now it's tenatively set for January 14th. Uh to wrap that up, we've had school culture and climate surveys for families, teachers, and for staff. the student handbook and code of responsibility and conduct is in process to get off that currently. >> Sure. So, it's under revision just to make sure we are um caught up with all the policy revisions that were made around challenging behaviors. Um and it is also being looked at. Uh it was shown to all of the administrators for feedback and now we're meeting some members from the BEA some teachers. Um they're coming tomorrow to also look at it to provide feedback as well and then we'll bring it
039here to all of you for approval. So you can see what updates have been made to >> Well, no, you might go ahead but let me just hear what else you want. Um at the staff level, effective school solutions will be coming into Bardam, Marin, Waltersville, Central, Hardy, and DLC this year. I know that central school solutions, they were work they were they presented this morning. Miss Whitaker, the school counselors and the social workers had professional learning in the acronym is strong supporting transition resilience of newcomer groups at five more schools. We've had community resilience model professional learning from lifebridge and community mindfulness project professional learning business. >> Is this in my packet? Am I missing? >> No, this I did not read. I'll get no I just want to make sure I wasn't missing.
040At the student level, the curriculum for the social emotional learning for K8 and all elementary and middle schools was completed and posted in the curriculum warehouse. We have a high school action committee at central and DMA. This is peer mediation and school culture work that they'll be doing. A school connection social and emotional learning curriculum is in place at Bassic Central and Harding with a social worker from Lifebridge. CT catalyst will also many of our since we no longer have restorative practice people in the district doing the cuts. I've worked with the catalyst and they're going to, you know, we took a look at it as let's treat this the same way we treat embedded coaching that in ELA or science if if we know we have a teacher that could use more support in
041the classroom with classroom management um behavior management that they would have a a CT catalyst person we come in and do coaching be non-evaluative and just be there for the teacher to support them and that's something new we're going to try this year primarily using school improvement grant money and the commissioner network money and finally there was a newcomer orientation course at two high schools for 2526 I know last night at Harding was able to catch up with um principal Thompson this morning he raved about how well received it was where they it wasn't about doing tours of schools it was talking about transitioning into the high school what to set. He was he was very happy with how it was rolled down. >> Um official business. Let me welcome Mr. Woodson to the meeting
042for the record. Uh um Mr. Woodson, I won't call on you right now, but we're on item um four, reviewing the end ofear suspension rates and data. And uh we're talking about uh what we're doing at the beginning of the year now to prepare ourselves for you can see we were particularly struck by this new graph which shows us the high expulsion rates in the black community. Um and what we just talked about before you got on I think but I don't know exactly >> when you got on. Is that you that just came on? Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Um and um welcome Mr. Medina as he walks out. Um the um we're going to look at that data at the next meeting much more closely and we talked about how to break it out
043into uh gender, break it out by gender and by special ed groups. Um and we'll actually in a second when misuse is done we're going to talk about how others we might want to look at that data. Um so making >> I I was done with the >> Okay. So uh I think it would help us to look at that data in terms of uh grade levels too. Um and ultimately probably schools um >> do we have >> No, I know you do. Yeah, >> you know, >> when we were looking at we known that the ninth grade was high. Yes, >> we added the percentage of enrollment so you could see relative to enrollment what it looks like. But the the volume of I mean the volume and the amount of data on the
044paper was just >> yeah work on fine-tuning it and bringing it in. Well, I'll sit down with you before the next meeting and let's look at what we have >> and figure out what's the best way to sort of present it in in finer analysis, but at the very least gender um uh special ed um >> we want to look at multilingual orders as well. >> Yes, >> levels and souls. >> But I also want to look at at at Yeah. I I just want to it's primarily in the black community that we want to look at it because that's where the most outrageous disproportion is. Yeah. >> So the multilingual isn't going to be as significant. We do need to look at that but that's where the greatest disparity is. Uh Mr. Woodson any
045question in in the few since you've been here? >> No, not so far. Mr. Trevor, thank you. >> No problem. Not question, but I have to say thank you because I know you guys work so hard in the summer with no stop. I was very surprised one day Sunday you came out. What are you thinking? And you told me you was trying to prepare to have everything ready before school, you know, and I have to say thank you. I never seen somebody work so hard, you know, really appreciate that you guys all your team. Thank you for that. >> Thank you. So I this is this is this is I mean that's not good but this is good that we're looking at this from the start of the year to start figuring out where we
046where if we have a problem where we have it and how we might need to deal with it and clearly uh you have it looked at in terms of the training it's unfortunate that some of the cuts that we made are going to hamper our ability to deal with this Um and we may need to look at what we can do to address some of that. Um >> offsetting that though would be the benefits that we may have gained because of the staff training that we've done. >> Yes, very much so. >> And h and then having the coaches in the as opposed to having a a body outside handling all the kids having coaches working with teachers to intervene and deescalate. >> Very much so. And the other was the Connecticut diversion um initiative
047we just applied for for all three comprehensive high schools. Yes. So we're hoping to and they would fund us to implement the program. Yes. >> So we're hoping that that gets accepted and we can move forward with that and that is all about inducing suspension and expulsions. >> Yes. I agree. That would be great. >> Excellent. Thank you. jump two slides in. >> Um we're now going to curriculum development. >> So the big the major work that we're very proud of in the division of curriculum and instruction is the amount of teachers that we were able to get involved in curriculum writing. Uh when you look across all this is a list of all of our content areas. We had 69 69 students teachers 69 teachers that were involved with curriculum writing. We were then
048able to have those many of those teachers help support us during teacher prof new teachers uh orientation and during the upper grade uh professional learning and presenting the content to our te our the mass teachers mass teachers. If you remember, we this journey started back in January when we invited in all the ELA people and the principles and this collaboration. And so we're very we're really happy with with the um participation this summer and now now we're going through we're vetting it. We're doing all the work that we need to but everything is up on curriculum warehouse. We're ready to go. Big questions on curriculum reading. >> This is primarily high school. It was solely high. >> Oh, no. No. K12. PreK. PreK 12. >> Very nice. >> No, we had >> because I know
049when we met in January, >> it was just the high school. We were just talking high school and we said we would deal with below high school later, but we obviously >> so we listened to the teachers and we heard them loud and clear about the pacing and we wanted to ensure that they we were ready and they were ready. So we involved our teachers to make sure that the pacing had changed because last year's ping didn't work for them. So right now it's everything is updated and we giving them a guideline of you know weeks not day by day. >> Yeah. >> And so when we were having that conversation we decided if teachers are interested why don't we let's just go ahead and do it >> and we were able to engage teachers
050who were willing to come right after the school was out for that one two week and they worked us tirelessly to take this out >> at all levels. >> Yes. At all levels. >> That's wonderful. And as Marge was saying, now we are going to just go and fine-tune things, but it is all up there. So, tomorrow teachers are looking at planning. It's there for them. >> And one of the things we're going to add that we didn't do as of yet, but I got feedback today from uh some teachers at Dunbar is that the social studies curriculum, we have teacher when we put the teachers names who helped work on on developing it. For social studies, what we did is we downloaded the state for the the younger grades. We downloaded the state model
051curriculum and then we fine-tuned it to our to to our district and we're going to add the teachers names on there so that if people have questions they can call a colleague and follow up for clarification. >> Mr. Wilson. >> Uh yes. with with these changes and and and who's writing the curriculum and stuff like that. What what are the what are the the what are the changes that we hope to see? >> Well, one of the the big the first change was that we developed what I I what are called curriculum maps. Next slide. >> Yeah, we can go to the next >> the next slide. And under the midway down there's curriculum development and revisions. The curriculum maps gives you an at a glance of the whole year where we are. It also
052has embedded because you know this year we're it we're u bringing back data teams formal data teams and it has u what teachers will be looking at for that data team work. It also we ensured that the significant content was covered by April break because once we come back from April break we test a week later. So we want to make sure and the way the way it had been set up it was not that was not always the case. Um we have done patient to save this point. >> No >> call >> Mr. Medina. >> I called you Medina. I called you twice. >> I did. >> I went over there. Yes, he's uh >> Well, you saw him. Yes. >> Sorry, Mr. Woodson. >> Oh, I disabled the muting. >> Anyway, I'm just
053working on that. >> I'm starting to do your muting people as it should. I'm ashamed. >> Thank you to address the pacing calendars. >> The as you know last year our our focus in the curriculum development was in getting the tier one use of the curricular resources, the curriculum, the assessments. Year two, our big push is in differentiation, integrating differentiation. We're rolling it out over course staggered course over the next couple of months. Um and we've also integrated into the actual units themselves references in the curriculum resources that where they will say for multilingual learners you can do this. That's going to be month three. Uh we also have integrated into it uh strategies overall strategies that would be instructional strategies that would benefit all students but particularly a multi- learner or struggling student and
054we also added enrichment. So for every every curricular unit there's an an ELA math in science there's a an enrichment unit for kids that are ahead who may have mastered um they may master the content and they'll have something to do in in the classroom. We're also hoping that that enrichment will also be used as our >> tag students >> tag yeah talent gifted curriculum. I was at the meeting. I listened. So I Mr. Woodson, they it offers a full paniply of options for the teachers to use um with the stu with the students in their class. Um so they have a lot more choices than they had before. Um, and they were very excited about doing it and it they you so they sat down this summer and sort of some schools had already
055begun to use pieces of it in their schools. Um, and so what they did was basically round it out at the high schools. And I'm just excited to hear because at the meeting in January, what I heard was, "Okay, we're going to do this at all the high schools, but maybe at some point in the future, we'll do it at the middle school." And instead, it sounds like they've gone ahead and expanded it beyond the uh in the expanded subject area as well as the grade levels. uh but it using the materials available through the state. The approach of having dropdowns you know in areas that allow you to deal with your your more advanced students and your multilingual students and your less advanced students. So the teacher can can you know has just this
056full uh uh choice uh you know uh >> yeah what do you call it the the um the the driving board the >> dashboard dash thank you the dashboard of uh choices that for the to to use with their class depending on the the the skill levels that they know their class has and the choices available to their classes. Now again, >> that's what I that's what I'm concerned about just um you know the what what does the teacher do when there's you know students lagging behind whether it be you know due just like maybe they have they've been absent or something like that or you know just like they may have problems keeping up because of language. Do you know what does does the does does this allow time for >> all all you
057know everything to be caught up and people not to be left behind >> yes yes yes is it going to be enough time I'm not sure do we ever have enough time in front of our students no but we do have we're continuing on last year we had uh implemented now they were doing it before but cemented I should say the wind blocks this is what I need block for ELA and for math. Our younger grades will have basically 120 minutes K3 for for ELA and 90 minutes in the other the other areas. Our high schools have the 80 minute block. Um in high school we made the first year uh the ninth grade uh ELA two semesters two credits. We did the same thing with algebra where we integrated the prerequisite skills into the
058content. So kids are getting they're having more time to spend. We're not trying to rush them through in one semester all the content in in algebra. They're going to have two semesters to do that. So we're, you know, we're far from perfect, Mr. Woodson, but we are we are working on it. We're going to work our way towards improving every year. And also just adding to your point about uh time we do have that's why we adjusted the pacing calendar so teachers do have one or two days to play catchup. >> So yes to yes do we again >> are we perfect right now? No. But yes there is opportunities for teachers to support the students as needed. >> And the data team work that we're going to be doing. We're going to have data
059teams at the teachers level be able to do our district days. A week later, the administrators are going to come together in their administrator cohort and they're going to be uh they'll have between that time from teacher data teams, the administrators getting together, they'll have time to synthesize the information and then come together as teams and talk about it. You know, Mr. Traver, what worked at your school? Miss, what worked at yours? I'm struggling with then having that time and one thing we heard loud and clear from our administrators from last year was they didn't feel they had enough time to work together in teams. So we're hoping that that this will also be able to highlight for administrators and teachers children who do need more support. >> And then when do we think we're
060going to start seeing results from this from this uh change of curriculum? >> Um continue. We haven't the the sort of question that you ask Mr. Woodson is is a sort of it's a mythological question. Um teachers see results constantly um and measure those results constantly. And so we have developed in the last 25 years this myth that somehow a mastery test gives you results. It doesn't. It's another picture of how a student is at that point in time. Um and um I'll I'll allow them to disagree with me in a second if I say something wrong. Teachers see those results daily, weekly, and it is always affected by what's going on in that student's life, what's going on in our schools, what's going on all over the place in all different ways. But um
061you just heard earlier, I believe you were here by then. We don't even have the results yet from last year. So we do this and we work hard and everything goes as well as we can hope this year and maybe by next September we'll get the test result that the government relies on to decide have we been successful or not and then we'll see. So that's the straight up answer to your question is maybe by next September we'll get the test result that says this did well, this was a good thing or a bad thing or we need to adjust it. But otherwise, we'll see as professionals, not me anymore because I'm retired, but they will and the teachers will and the administrators will throughout the year as they see how it's going and do
062the sort of small, you know, professional judgments that they do constantly as the work is going on during during the year. So you can yes >> I want to add one say that in you know data teams identify who needs help in what learning objectives you able to make your small groups do that additional teaching. The other thing that we've implemented again or re-implemented I should say are school improvement plans and as part of the school improvement planning process which aligns perfectly with the district plan. Our strategic operating goals are based on student growth measures as as measured by the accountability index report. Our principles are going to evaluate, if you will, or not evaluate, they're going to take they're going to stop at least four times during the year next year and take a
063a checkpoint on where am I in the school? Are we able to impro to implement this uh strategic focus area? If I can't, if I haven't, what support do we need to provide to the school to help them implement it? And they're also going to be able to measure their results particularly in grades three through eight with using the state FIABs and IABS. And then our high schools have the unit assessments that are all part of the curriculum development and align with that. and our K2 they'll have unit assessments obviously you know uh u not not not to the extent that the older kids will but there will be measures the work that we're doing with the hill for literacy is also going to be a a way that we're going to be able to
064measure our student growth because they're doing they're going to be coordinating the K6 data teams for ELA based on the the Dibbles data and the Dibbles progress monitoring math will have will also be doing the same thing as well. So, do we have will we have a definitive answer to your question? No. But we'll be able we'll have a better idea and a better handle where we're going are our kids able and and and that was always my issue was that we don't know where our kids are in progress monitoring tier one. But I think we'll we'll be able we got the checkpoints in planned checkpoints in place time giving teachers time that the district would have taken but this is their time to look and and in reference to uh Mr. Travers looking at
065student work, looking at analyzing it, coming up with, you know, where does Miss Bella need help? Where does Miss Hughes needs help? And really, so I we're uh how do you how do you say um cautiously optimistic? >> The internal systems that we're putting in place and yes, >> and there there's a paniply of of of measurements used. There are quizzes, there are tests, there are standardized tests of different types like dibblets and other things. And then there's the big one. And they all are reflections of how we're doing. Um, but you know, ultimately it's how did the child end up when they get to be an adult. And we, you know, we we see some of those children just blossom, you know, later in life, earlier in life. It's so, >> but we'll see.
066>> We have any more questions with the curriculum development? >> So, we're going to jump back up to summer. We had >> we had >> baptism by fire with summer school. We had >> Oh, sorry. superintendent extended school year. This was a brand new uh Dr. Avery had implemented he went we extended the school year for students to participate from June well although it was a short amount of time we have positive feedback on that to June 30th July 1st early reading success was in place which um had over 800 students participate in our early reading success program. our extended school year for special ed, which has been the early reading success and the extended school year and the high school credit recovery we've had in the past and we have it again this year.
067>> Any questions on summer school? >> Is the high school credit recovery the same computerized program? >> But in addition to that, there was more to it. There were teachers that we hired this year to to provide egeneuity was part of it. But yes, that is one program, but that was not the only that we used >> teaching. >> Yeah. >> Um we also moving on to the next uh page. We also partnered and collaborated for planning purposes with the hill for literacy. I think we had meeting bi meetings since January with them. We brought wondrous comprehension. We had a right to read grant that we have allocated grant money last year to them that we're spending this year for that. We've had amplify training that we collaborated with them as well. We've also been
068involved in grant management. Grant grant management now reports to the division of curriculum and instruction. So we're re revamping the grant process. So instead of, you know, 22 phone calls back and forth between individual schools and the grant department, now we all got together in we had our first meeting in June. We had our second meeting in August. We're ready to wrap those up so we'll be able to file sooner and get the money in the schools where it's needed on a on a faster basis. Um same thing with our commissioner network grants. One of them has already been filed. The other one will be filed this week. Moving on to new work in the grant management. Really? But >> you say one has been filed. Is that a new one? >> No. No. This
069is uh you know with with this this legislation this year they did away with commissioners network unfortunately. However, uh Barnum school has one year left to complete and Columbus has two years. Columbus is filed and ready to go and uh Barnum the principal was sick. So we're we're playing catchup on that. alliance. The new work in the grant department is really doing a a deep dive into the alliance and priority grants. I know the state worked with us this year to align them to this the the requirements of the grants. So, um that that's our next our next jump and our immigrant grants and there's other means of them. One thing Dr. really he really wanted to see that grant management was aligned with the the curriculum and instruction. Other other uh division work this
070summer was professional learning. We had outside providers provide restorative practice for administrators and teachers. Rud, who uh Miss Whitaker presented this morning, all the administrators and all of our special ed teachers received that. We had a special ed leadership institute that was conducted by the uh Connecticut State Department of Education as well as the IEP institute. We coordinated all that. the the presentations that we did for our principles. And the way we set it up this year was that because we had so much statemandated professional development, we set it up so that we did the slides, we presented it to the administrators and the administrators then in turn key heated in their building. We felt that that was a better that was a more personal way for teachers and leaders to work together. they hear
071it from their leader in the building and the more cohesive approach to it. Uh the four items on that was the school improvement planning differentiation roll out data teams and then the multi-tered systems of support for academics attendance and behavior. Our friends at data management have been working with Carly and our and and myself and Sangita on building a dashboard, if you will, where we're it's going to be a one-stop shop for data on by school, by student, and we're going to be using that system for our uh day teams as well as for our monitoring of our systems of support for attendance and behavior as well. question. I have a question but the one before the division sure um and I know we spoke about this um the commissioner network remember we talked about
072what happened with bass high school I know you sent me something I don't remember what happened there you know >> bass high school yeah the plan >> I know what's there and but they never talk about it but I know what they what happened >> the plan had to go the plan had to be more fully developed and the former superintendent and decided to pull out, >> right? And then what happened? It's just the opportunity is gone now >> and now they no longer do the commissioner network unfortunately. >> And so they have nothing, no opportunity to >> they have school improvement grant and we gave them an additional 50,000. So they have 200,000 in school improvement grant and additional 50. So they have 250,000. Harding does. Harding and Bassik both have 250,000 for school
073improvement. >> How much? I'm sorry. >> 250. You have any questions on the first part of professional learning? Um we had internally we did special education for general ed counselors received special ed social workers school psych speaking language McKinley held a special education retreat Dr. Avery held a leadership retreat and we had additional our directors provide a content base primarily to 7:12 with the the the elementary roll out will be September 17th because we want to give teachers we don't want to take any more time from teachers wanted to have them more time at school. So we uh took the elementary and moved that to September 17th. Uh we did building level safety and procedures which included collaboration with I always mess this new title up. >> Uh correct. >> Oh, assistant chief. >> As
074she assists them about his promotion today. >> Um as well as technology. One of the things >> demotion pay huge demotion paying by salary. >> Yeah. >> One of the things that we've been working on collaboratively with our principles is see the little booklet up on the doorway over here. We've got one for offices. We have one from classrooms. we don't have one for our principles and we so we worked with principles last school year brought them in as a team we we broke out into different topics um got feedback from them we then got feedback from uh the the police and we're going to be finalizing that we're going to do a final feedback from principles on it before we go to publishing so it'll be more more explicit procedures >> which will that
075you know are our seasoned administrators that they know what to do but it's for primarily for new administrators trying to be bring clarity around that and that bring that wraps up the discussion curriculum >> work thank you any questions No report. Mr. Woodson, any questions? >> No, I'm good, Mr. Cher. Thank you. >> Well, um, we we sort of created a list here of, uh, ISS topics for 2526. Um, you know, and this is just brainstorming, so I'm not going to hold misuse to this. It's uh you know sort of >> district and school improvement planning chronic absenteeism students and teachers uh discipline data um datadriven decision making curriculum renewals data team monitoring field trip policy grant approvals assessment data finalization 2425 and benchmark data. Um these are all things that we've been sort of
076weaving in and out of our discussions. Um I need to explain the one thing on here. Um I don't know if Mr. Medina if we have him on hold but um um the field trip policy one I need to explain. Um, I I put that on here with Miss Kosang um because um this came up in our cave training which is we spend an enormous amount of time and kill an enormous number of trees uh looking at field trip uh permission slips and everything else when in fact we should just assume that an administrator has properly uh vetted and when they present to us that u school XYZ is going on a field trip to uh what's that um nature's classroom uh they have done all the proper vetting and we should simply approve it
077um we should decide and I frankly uh think at the next board meeting or uh somebody should we should probably this should probably be at Mr. Medina's committee on policy. Uh we should have a policy that says that uh the policy committee can or this committee can approve. It doesn't even have to go to the full board. Um uh field trips. >> Um so that they don't have to go to two meetings to get a field trip approved. Uh and they're not rushing in and going to two meetings. um and for you know maybe if there's an extraordinary field trip that we want to but so that policy just needs that that's the only reason that's on here field trip policy that's what that's on here for but the rest of these are subjects that
078we have been um you know sort of playing around with uh and I don't know if there's other things that uh Mr. Woodson you'd like to see put on the list. Uh Mr. Benahan you'd like to see put on the list. Uh and you can certainly email me later, but the idea is at the beginning of the year to start thinking about what do we want to like keep our eye on this year? Uh what do we want to like talk about this year? What do we want to, you know, check in on during this year? Uh Mr. Mr. Woodson, you raised uh keeping track of how are we doing with these new curriculum. Good thing to look at and you heard we'll be looking at various uh uh standard tests throughout the year. We'll
079have uh we'll keep an eye on it. Uh we'll keep uh checking on it. Um and that's a good thing for us to do. Uh and it's it's on this list uh data driven decision- making um as we do it. Um and we'll be looking at our benchmark data uh as we go through the year um on a regular basis uh and we want to do that more regularly and and see that brought before the full board on a more regular basis than we did this past year. So, I'm opening the floor to anybody else, whether you're an administrator or a board member, to anything else that you think we should uh, you know, routinely take a look at. >> I didn't say I believe, >> Mr. Woodson. It's not speak now or forever, hold
080your peace here. This is just um it this is just to get us started at the beginning of the year on the kind of ideas and so I put this list together with Miss Hughes and uh you know it's just starting the year out right this is the kind of stuff we want to be taking a look at in this committee throughout the year and if if all of a sudden over the Labor Day weekend you wake up at 2 in the morning go oh darn I there was something. My manager should have said, "Mr. Traver, you can write it down on your end table and send it into me on Monday or Tuesday." >> Okay. We'll do, Mr. Cher. Thank you. >> Good. Then, uh, I've come reasonably close to keeping this to a
081short meeting. Um, and I would really like to sort of let everybody go home, uh, because I'm sure we'll have longer meetings as the year continues. And I know how long tomorrow is going to be for the staff. So if there's nothing no other business, I'll take a motion to move. >> Mr. Woodson, would you like to second that from the staff? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Thank you very much. >> Have a good night, everybody. >> Thank you. Thank you. You go there again. >> Thank you.