Special Meeting of the Policy & Personnel Committee Wednesday, May 14

001Evening everybody. Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It is now 5:31. We had a reboot from computers. This is the call to order a special meeting for the policy and personnel committee. Uh committee member today is Wednesday, May 14, 2025. And like I said earlier, it is now 5:31. Uh, committee member uh, Marissa Estraa Himenez is online. Good evening. Also, committee member Joseph is here present. And myself, Willie Medina, chair of policy and personnel. So, we do have a quorum with us also in person is Albert Benham. Also, I see Andre Woodson is online. Good evening sir and we have some of the administration Dr. Saki and others here with us. Um first item right now it will be approval of the minutes for special meeting on March 4th 2025. Motion to approve the special meeting

002minutes dated March 4th 2025. Second. Thank you very much. Any uh any corrections? anything at all that you guys saw or updates to them hearing? None. I'll take a vote uh for the approval of the minutes of sub special meeting March 4th, 2025. All in favor say I. I. I. Any abstensions? Abstainion. Any notes? Motion passes. Uh next uh special meeting approval of special meeting of March 12th, 2025. I'll accept a motion. Motion to approve special meeting minutes March 12, 2025. I will second that motion. Uh any discussion, any changes? Anything you guys see? Hearing none. Uh all in favor approving the minutes for March special meeting for March 12th, 2025 say I. I I any any extensions abstain one abstension motion passes next will be approval of minutes of special meeting for April 9th

0032025 I'll take a motion to approve meeting minutes for special meeting April 9th April 9th 2025 second motion or we would second that motion any changes any uh comments. Okay, I'll take a vote. Uh, all in favor of passing the minutes approving the minutes special meeting April 9, 2025, say I. I. I. Any abstensions? Eddie. I'm sorry. I apologize. Withdraw my name. Okay. So, we have very excited to hear your vote real quick. I'm sorry. What was that? Just want to hear your vote very quick because he withdrew his uh I so you're in favor of passing the minutes for the special meeting April 9, 2025. Yes. I So you have two eyes and one extension with Jose. Motion passes. Okay, here we go guys. Oh, thank you. Thank you for promoting that. Uh I

004have a nice team here with me today. So here also online as uh superintendent Dr. uh Avery is with us also. Welcome Mr. Avery. Uh now we have item number two discussion and possible approval to the full board of policy. The first one is a uh food services personnel professional standard policy 3542.41. So thank you um Miss Medina. Um so uh that policy they mentioned there there actually um two policies the professional standards for police service personnel and the personnel code of conduct. Uh they all fall under that first bullet that you had mentioned. Um this policy is regarding the code of conduct for post service staff. Uh this has been reviewed by George Garcia as well as Kill who is online will speak briefly as well. Um I'll give you a general overview um

005of this mandated policy. Policy uh discusses conflicts of interest prohibited actions and ethical rules such as soliciting or accepting gratuitities favors or monetary collective contractors. It also discusses removing school property without permission. There are provisions um as well for supply grievances. So in other words, the board of the supply has agreements that you know there's a great notification that they make to the board and to address it discusses public access to procurement information as well as the consequences if this policy is violated. Um Ka, is there anything else to add to that? Um for this policy, no. Um I reviewed it and it was in line with our policies and um from what K has shared you know we did have our uh district procedures that that align with these policies. Um again these are

006the policy that are recommended by any questions or comments from the community uh committee members. Yeah, I got got a couple um a lot of languages. The board shall comply and board shall comply. Uh I know since I've been on the board in 2017, we haven't establishing established or voted on any hiring standards. I don't know if it happened in two years prior that this policy was in effect. So I don't know if we in compliance with this. We don't actually meet and establish those standards. I mean listen you said there are regulations around it but since it says that like this looks like it is a positive action the board must take on it as well. So I would like that if we look into that and find out if we got those if

007there was ever a vote on that. I think that that I think that predates Mr. Steel and I think most everybody in this room it predates everywhere. So, I might take a little bit of research to see if there was a vote on on that when something says the board shall and that's the board shall um k I don't know if you heard that particular uh question. So, so the way it stands now there is no to my understanding there is no policy. There's procedures that they've been following in terms of best practice but there hasn't been any board specific policy. This be the first board policy that has been put in place. Yeah. And using the word policy is um it may be a little off to have a policy. It says establish the

008hiring standards. So it may not take a policy. It may take a procedure or what have you. But it does say the word to sell us. You see what I'm talking about? two, three in the fourth pair that sheets there's nothing that stresses that specific I mean and then I mean as a board you know the decision can be made that we want to create the procedures and you know you might have a better sense sense of this like the board can say hire a food uh service market there certain procedures that have to be followed and not necessarily a policy in the governance but more and correct me if more like that you know you want procedures as opposed to stand policy right no I'm just just basically functional semantics but it just says

009the board shall establish it doesn't have to be a policy or procedure because the board does weigh in on procedures from time to time so I think it may be a war um but um that's the concern there Um, yeah. So, so we need to look at that. That that's that's neither here nor there on a policy, but when we pass policies, I don't know if anybody's heard heard in the last few years, the board says if we have a policy, we got to follow it. So, so just just to ensure we're following the policy we're creating just to make sure we're not just representing going along creating the policy and just put it on a shelf and not following it. So I want I want to ensure that every policy that we pass on

010board is a policy that administration can work with and I was say Mr. Steel you still online. Yes I'm here. Thank you Mr. Steel. Will Medina are here. Just if you could be so kind take a look at this policy when it comes to your hiring proc process and everything. Um and again like Mr. uh psychology states that it does say that the the board shall comply with the minimum professional standards for you know school nutrition personnel who manages and operates. So you double check on your what you guys are doing in your end. If there's anything that's contrary, just come back to me because once this moves to the full board, I can definitely table it at that point and bring it back to committee. That way you and I could do those checks

011and balances if you find anything that is contrary that it doesn't align with what you're doing and you're performing at your end. Okay. Okay. I'll I'll look at historical files because like like you said it what this is um predates even myself but I'll I'll follow up and I I I don't think it requires tableabling because um we we could implement the pol pass the policy usually you pass a policy and then you implement the policy. So we pass in the policy and then we can make sure the policy is implemented. Does that make sense? Yep. Yep. So we can still move I think I believe we can still move forward and then ensure the policy is implemented by following up at next meeting. Great. Any other question? Miss Larissa, you have anything? I actually

012had a quick question. Um I'm assuming this is one of the policies um that Cab suggested. Is that correct? Perfect. That will be suggested but also it's a state mandate. You're absolutely correct. Perfect. Um, my secondary and last question is, as I read through this document, usually there's a dollar amount to like gifts or um any type of gratuitities. For example, usually like in business they say you can't accept a gift for greater than $100. In this policy, I don't see any um dollar figure. Are we saying just to be clear um we cannot accept as the Bridgeport public schools cannot accept any type of gratuitities any type of gifts at all? Sorry for the staff for the services. That's correct. There's zero zero zero zero tolerance for that whatsoever. Perfect. Just wanted to Yeah.

013Go ahead. Can you point out where that isn't a policy please? the phone. It isn't that she said at all. Uh if I'm not sure, I can't pull out exactly where it is. There is a minimum minimum gift I believe. I could be mistaken, but it's like $25 or something like that. Is it like because kids give their children's gifts and presents that like prohibited overall or is it like a minute a do you do you know do you have do you know the answer to that particular question? I mean Janet steps right that would no I I understand saying teacher appreciation week if a teacher gets a bug from a student right is that something they can't accept or can they accept the minimous amount amount so you know service employee well what I

014think what I think the question is is it a districtwide you know thing that we don't have put in there because there's there's this understanding well it might be another policy that the states with when it comes to the teachers and everything. But this one is this is specific to food service school food school full uh school school lunch services you know in that area those individ like okay I I'll yield on that point it's just u something we might want to look at at the blanket policy for the district as well because we don't want to have kids not so so that this would actually preclude a student from giving a lunch correct We'll look into that. Any anything else, Miss uh Menace? Nope. That was it for me. Thank you. Thank you. Uh

015any other board members? Mr. I think No. Um Mr. Woodson, you still anything, Mr. Woodson? No, I'm good. Thank you, Mr. Medina. Thank you, sir. Okay. Hearing none. Uh I accept a move. Uh motion to approve food service service personnel professional standards policy 3542.41 waving the first and second read for immediate implementation of the next regular one. All right I second there. Any comments any discussion hearing? None. All in favor say I. I. Any abstensions? Anybody know those? Hearing none that passes to the full board by passing both reads. Okay. Next we have a change in policy food service uh 3542.43. Um so yes thank you. Our district falls under the community eligibility provision which allows all students to receive free food. So there is no charge for our students. Uh for students who would

016like an additional meal that this policy takes effect. Students who need to pay for any additional meals or all items like snacks when child wants a bag of checks extra and then they have to pay for that or any kind of drinking items. So this is a pretty standard onepage um policy. Um J anything else to add to the charging policy? Um no that was pretty much it. We only um we have that charging policy in place even though we are um a universally free school lunch district. It would be for any additional student meals, adult meals, andor snack bar um sales. Mr. Ste, I look forward to having lunch with you at the school at your at your discretion, but I'll be uh very upset if I have to pay for my meal at

017the meeting with you. All right. Any questions on that one, guys? Okay, I'll take a motion. Go ahead. Yes, I actually have a question. So, and this goes back to other So, there's obviously flu food disparity. We also we also have um you know, kids who go home with like bags of food for the weekend and such. So, are we saying that if a kid ate their lunch and they want a second lunch that they cannot have it if they don't pay for it? That's a very good question and I'll take Mr. Steel with that piece. Any clarification on that? Technically, yes, the student would have to pay, but it is at the discretion of that individual cafeteria lead. If it's one student or two that, you know, we would probably just give them the

018meal. It just would become an issue if it was every student, but we wouldn't just turn one child away after one day of just asking for an extra meal. No. Okay. Thank you. questions. I had a question this morning. Yes. Do we still have the supper programs in some of our schools? Mr. Steel. Yes, we operate the supper program at a majority of the schools with Lighthouse and any student any any student can participate in the supper program or do they have to be part of Lighthouse? No, they they have to be a part of Lighthouse or an afterchool program and as long as that program provides us a roster that student can have a free meal. And um follow question or point um a lot of the students that bring home meals and packages,

019they're provided by outside entities in our schools. We got a lot of people who do backpack programs. Mike Smith does backpack program. 40 students and bigger churches also doing them all over the place. So, so a lot of that food that's going home with them is encountered towards this policy for the Mr. providing it. Thank you. I'm think Mr. Bingham, we have a question. Yes. Comment. Thank you, sir. Um, so Mr. S, you said that extra meal the student had to pay? Correct. Um, and how much food we throw away? decision um know how much we're saying you know how much money we throw in the garbage because I know they cannot donate they cannot take it home and stuff like that so you tell me that can throw they we said throw away so

020much food in the garbage do this way a good food I know the policy we cannot give it away we cannot give donation nothing like that but we have to charge any student want to extra food I'm not I'm I'm I'm not I'm not going we we we currently do not throw food away in the garbage. We practice batch cooking which we take um a strict measurement of the students that are coming in for lunch. And we also keep strict records of how many meals we serve save every day because that is the only way to receive the reimbursements to allow the students to eat for free. And if needed, I can show you a record of that. I can get the record for that so you can see how much food is actually thrown

021away. So, Mrs. S, I I suggest that you visit the school because I be witness and I want to tell you something is not true and I know full go in garbage and I guarantee you Dr. David, nobody can tell me I'm a liar. So, but much better you see that what's going on because I know it's full in the garbage. I see it and I know the policy. They cannot return it back or they cannot give it away. We cannot give it donation and we know that for so many years and that break my arm because I know we got a lot of children after school's done. they hungry sometime they don't go home they go to another friend's house I got people friends they give meal to uh kids when they go to

022friend's house I do it by myself too so it's very hard for me that we have to charge money to to student when they have a they want another meal sometime we got kids they have big side like me it's sometime they like to eat two two times because you know sometime especially what they do they have sport but charging extra money I'm not agree with that I'm not happy with Thank you, Mr. I understand what you're saying, but to be compliant with the USDA, a charging policy must be in place. Mr. S, I know for this so many years about the USA, the policy and stuff like that, and I never agree with them. They really know well money. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Woodson, same same opportunity for you before

023Mr. Joseph. I'm good. Sorry, I'm good. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Now, this one's Mr. Benfield. The shar the sharing tables are excluded from this policy. They still grab food off the sharing table that they're not using and supplement their calories with that if they're got extra hunger issues as well outside of this. Mr. deal. Are you familiar with the sharing table where students put in extra, you know, stuff that they don't want? I'm familiar I'm familiar with it, but that is um something that's usually um operated by the school, the individual school in the caf in the cafeteria. not a policy, but it's not really a policy that's in place because you're also putting food out in in dangerous temperatures. So, it's not really a policy that we got. Thank you. Thank you. Yes.

024Through the chair. Go ahead, Mr. P. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know about the shade tables and I remember that joke but that share table had to be changed a little bit because sometimes kids sometime they don't some kids they don't eat a lot of vegetables and that's what I see more going in the garbage especially you know sometime the fruit sometimes kids they like to have a nice happy meal you know it's going to be a sandwich night nice sandwich you know especially the high school not only the high school elementary school kid you know we got big kid you know to do sports and that so if we're going to give and we're going to spend some $9,000 million dollars on food So be sure we can give a nice meal to our

025kids. Especially when the kids put I remember and I was witness when they put a chair table kids was waiting for to see what kind of food they're going to put on the chair table because they changed the menu and trust me they was running to get that that thing because they change vegetables and food and stuff like that. Kids we have to see we have to look and listen what the kids want. saw before because I know we spend not we spend millions of dollar and you know and I'll just add a little bit of cure my anything else you want to add I know that there are some very strict guidelines in terms of like calorie counts and like how much fat you know so I know that and KA has done and

026I'm sure all of us in there probably tasted some of the food that um that that his his department has been making and I'm hoping that the kids are getting more but the food actually tast Good. And I, you know, I can probably picture, you know, students being served me if I'm wrong. On a on a tray, it does have to have a balanced meaning, right? So very often the kids might eat everything else and leave the vegetables and end up throwing the vegetables into the garden. So yes, I see a guy question. It might be like a pile of veget, but that might also be coming from the students fair. You might have seen something else, but that's just what I'm picturing. July anything else add to to that particular piece? Uh, yes. No,

027actually, you're correct. That's the truth. We cannot just put the vegetables on their tray. Anything. We have to practice off versus serve for the meals to be compliant. If we were under an audit and we put the broccoli on their tray without the student asking for it, that would be a violation. We can only give you the options of the components and the student has to understand to select the components. Thank you. Miss please. Last question. I just want to be clear. So because we're getting this money from the USDA, we have to put this policy in place otherwise the funding source might be at risk. Is that a correct assessment of that? That is correct. When we get our audits from the the state, that is something that has to be in place and

028posted online. Gotcha. Thank you. That's my last question. Thank you. I'll take a motion. Oh, sorry. Excuse me, guys. Mr. Benham, please. Sorry. Because it's about kids food, you're not getting, you know. Okay. Motion. Um um still um just because the cases that in a title one get free food or many food um they can get that um I'm going to explain you they can get they cannot get any extra food extra meal because they know they t one or they only have to like you say only to get only one time. Um, yes, they can only get one meal per lunch period. So, for example, one breakfast, one lunch, one supper. So, the kids still hungry. So, your staff have to send out to them. They cannot get it extra. They just think, you

029know, they got extra because I know something. We can we can give them extra if but that would be at a cost to the district because that would be a meal that's nonreimburseable. So we would be building a a cost to give out those meals without getting any reimbursements back. This is the issue. This is the problem. It's always about the something. When it's about kids, it's always about the money. And that made me so upset. I'm saying they don't need to be uh what stop or section they're going is about kids situation. Especially when it's the food. Especially the kids, you know, we got sport, you know, we got a lot of sport. The kids after sport, they want to eat something. Sometime kid they don't go home if they want no food. I

030have I'm witness to bring I got people they call me so Mr. Can you help me with this? So I don't know why they always but or stop why no yes when it's about kids about situation about money. No more comment to sharing a motion but sorry please Mr. Whiff please. Yeah I just real quick I understand Mr. Ben's frustration, but he has to realize that that we're we're we run a business. You know, you can't run, you can't run a business off of, you know, giving away stuff. You know, we have to always keep that in mind. We have a bottom line. We have to follow him. We don't follow it. We have to deal with the state and, you know, we don't we we are we're going through that right now. So, we

031don't want to make the situation any worse. Thank you, Mr. Wood. I looked over and saw the other. So, if you don't mind, put your hand down real quick. that way I respect your next hand. Thank you, sir. Uh I'll entertain a motion. Right. Right. Before I make a motion, I just like to make one comment. I agree and disagree with Mr. Woodson. While we do got to follow state policies and guidelines, we are in no way, shape, and form of business. We're nonprofit organization to carry out the educational interests in the state and we are a zerobased nonprofit. We got to spend all our money. If we were a business, we would be looking to make profits off our children. And that's not what we're here for. So that would that come in like

032to make motion to approve the charging policy for food services policy number 3542.43 waving the first and second read for immediate implementation. Second that. Any discussion, questions? We'll take a vote. All in favor say I. I I I any obstensions seeing that all three are eyes unanimously. Thank you. This goes to the full board bypassing the first the uh next line. Let's see. Let me ask question Mr. Jones. Do I have to make a motion to go to the different letters or I can No, it takes a motion to to Okay. Thank you. I'm going to entertain a motion for sake of time and my colleagues that are with us here. I would like to move to letter um F then letter L and letter M because I understand there's a person that's going to

033be presenting and I want to make sure I can entertain letting them head out of the building. Again, I would like to make motion and my colleagues uh accept a motion to move item N to go into an item N. Sorry, I'll go by by order F, L, and M. Motion to move up letters F, L, M, and M. M. Yes. Sorry. No, sorry. I apologize. Go ahead. E. I'm sorry. What else? LM. Correct. I probably I will amend my Is there any particular order who's got to leave first? I would like to miss father. She's only presenting in those three items. So I would like EN L correctly. E L and M and as a Nancy Nancy Nancy got Okay. I move to um change the order of business by moving up E, L,

034and N as enancing for immediate consideration and order. Then return to the order of business as I second. All in favor? I I any oppose hearing? No. No. All three eyes. That passes unanimously. So at this moment I would like to uh hear for the homeless students policy one letter E. Yeah. Okay. So this is the homeless student policy. So thanks to Gina this mandated policy that we have filing policy gives optional language um meaning of that language. The policy explains what should be done for our homeless students and their administer records grade placementsization records etc. and how to handle those situation. the policy in is pretty much trying to get rid of all the barriers that prevents homeless students from coming to school. That's right. Um it also gives them contact information for the

035district's educational liaison for our homeless children. Anything else? Um yes. So it it ensures that our homeless children have undrafted access to their education so they can remain in their home school if they are at this current moment including transportation even if that is from another town. Um this is for our students ages 5 to 21 um who have not graduated from high school. They receive they uh put in a notice uh through their school. The Kenny Vento leaison works with them and we also help them with leading other services in certificate or something like any questions comments optional language are we is this the optional language listed that we're going to be approving? And the actual language is only A through H. Correct. And the rest is correct. Mandated language. Correct. Then I'll check

036the other people. Yes. Miss Mura, you have anything just in case? Thank you, Mr. Woodson. Anything just in case? No, not the time. Thank you. I thought it wasn't find where there's an option to have them either in their home district or if they're in a homeless shelter in another town to enroll in that town. Whose choice is that ultimately? Would it be the districts the families? Oh, the families. Okay. Yeah, because I I was thinking the kid that the kid in the kind of said that um Yeah, because I just want to be sure that we're not like and then if they go to that district, we got to district and show if they choose that. That's what I think I think I written [Music] in it says in number two and the last

037second to last page the page number yeah the last page and number two it says pay tuition to the district in which the temporary shelter is located. Yeah, that that that was news reading, but this is the K K document. I'm assuming he's been researching all the policies here. So, and that is also it it's the other way as well. Correct. You're hold my main concern was choice was to make sure it was still in the parents because of upset in the homelessness disconnected kid from school as well. I guess that's all I accept a motion on line E please. Um I move to approve the I mean I move to the full board homeless policy 5118.1 waving the first and second read for immediate implementation. Second. Any other discussion hearing? None. See no hands.

038Uh I'll take the vote. All in favor say I. I. I. Everybody un say that they move to the next board. Moving forward to line L. Title one parental and family engagement policy. Title one required only for district with title one which we are policy 6172.4. So this policy discusses parent outreach and the ways to celebrate parenting and relevant title one programs, activities, procedures. Discuss the importance of communication with parents. Policy also talks about the compact and expectations based on that compact. Policy looks um talks about building capacity for parent engagement. It includes sample letters for parents as well as sample parent contacts. um resources for school, parent and family meetings. Um and then the the main change or um from the care documents out the main changes um was um just was just patch

039actually packs. Anything else? Uh we've been uh working with our tax and building for a while. We work with them verbal and partnerships. Um we have uh are building capacity in our parents and building that partnership with the schools and the planning events and uh education of parents and that'll continue. Let's say yesterday we went to an event at Fairchild Wheeler and the teacher that we didn't give thanks because it was a parent involvement with the student and we had a film festival and the parents were heavily heavily involved and um they were out there and they supplied some food for them through the through the pack and everything. Great event. It was I was saying the kids made their own films. There was some awards at the end and um uh you know so

040it was very nice. It was a good evening. Um, any other questions, comments, guys? Yeah, no feeding back on. There was a kid that kept a motion then. Oh, wait. No, I took a question. I give a question suggestion on paragraph two page one. In short one, two, three, four, fourth line down shall be provided in a manner that ensures equivalency among the district schools. Uh, page one, page one, paragraph, requires correct that one. Well, yes. Starting the third, starting the third line, last word, the sentence, the curriculum, materials, and instruction supplies shall be provided in manner that ensure equivalency among the district schools. I'm not sure which document that is. Well, am I on the right page? I don't think you're you should be in sit. or the one doc. Okay, I roll that

041and motion. We'll take a motion, please. I know. I make a motion to approve title one parent and family policy title one number 6172.4. Four waving the first read and second reading to the finish. I second. Second. Any discussions? Hearing none. Seeing no hands. Um all in favor say I. I. That passes uned to full board. Next we were going to move as amended already to letter M uh internet safety. Sorry N. Sorry, I had it already. Letter N, school climate uh policy 5131.911. So, this is new legislation that we're going to be uh looking at. It is uh it was brought last year for early adoption and we started to work on some of the pieces such as restorative practices. Um that is something that you've already adopted the restorative restorative practices policy which

042is part of this new law. Uh we are moving forward in creating um adoption of this along with roles and responsibilities within this new law. Uh there will be a district level coordinator and also a skilled climate specialist at each of the schools. School level will also have a school climate committee. uh an annual survey will go out also on school climate and the schools will produce a school development plan for um by December of this year uh on what they're going to be working on and how they're going to be training professional learning on challenging challenging behaviors. Um and it was all in conferencing of a lot of the things that we see including bullying and Um, and it is very clear on when you need to put into your responses for certain things.

043I must say reading some of this and I didn't get to read all of it. This is a policy for me that is always it literally marks what we always want to do is to meet the student at their need figuring out what do they need in trying to intervest at that moment at that particular moment what I call it congress moment that that line moment where they need and we can meet them there and help them. Um any questions or comments on school climate? I don't hear none. Yeah. Watch it there. Uh couple um some of this seems duplicative of school governance councils especially the school climate survey and the makeup of the committee seems almost similar and I I come up through the school government's councils and it's always hard to recruit a

044full complement of individuals to serve especially the most challenging ones that two community members Tees were really easy and um parents really little difficult but um with the two community that is the school survey that's currently being done the school governance council now going to be moved from their responsibilities or are we required to have both survey simultaneously and can we have the both committees He's basically merged this one called a school governance council slash thinking yes climate global climate so this yes so this committee um can be part of other committees other committees could be part of this because it also takes into consideration attendance and discipline um they also actually kind of cover this in this challenging behavior and this policy as well so what they suggest is that yes we have one

045committee and then at a certain point in the meeting you say, "Okay, we're going to now hold our school climate part of the meeting." Um, it would still be the same amount of people, right? Um, and so you can definitely that in order for that to include all of the right people in the room and not have multiple ultimate is that the plans and intentions at this time is to do it both as one. I would suggest suggest that implement. Yeah, that that's a that's that would be the procedures in the policy. I just want to make sure that we like I said policy we pass that's and I don't think it's down to that degree. No, and it shouldn't be. But yes, that's just a consideration because if there's because if the answer was

046different, um I don't think we could accelerate it then raise the recruitment problems and maybe we need to go back and try to find a way to get this policy at the state to do something else with it rather than implemented way first and second discussion. about my concerns about that it can be implemented seems like reasonable administration that direction. Yeah, huge recommendation that that will be like for me it will be personally a no-brainer is just to make it one of the things or one of their you know they join agenda because there should be to add that to their agenda because that's going to be one of their kind of like key responsibilities have this conversation right any other comments questions hearing none seeing none I'll take a motion and end motion to

047approve the school climate policy I mean motion to refer to the full board new climax policy 5131.9111 is presented. Um we'll do waving the first and second meeting for immediate second. Okay. Any other discussion, comments? Hearing none, I'll take a vote. Uh all in favor say I. I. I. That passes unanimous to the floor. Thank you, Miss F. Try to have a great night. Thank you for being able and merciful and kind and loving Mr. Dr. Saki. Um, and I have a note here for later. So, we'll follow this thing. So, again, moving and continuing forward, we're going to move over to uh letter C uh evaluation if I'm correct. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. uh evaluation and employment of of coaches policy 4115.3. Yes. So I do have our director of athletics Paul Gichio

048here if you have any additional questions. I would like to take a minute to recognize and thank Mr. Kichio and his work in ensuring that garden and bass high school are now part the SWC conference for all sports. So pick it up. Thank you for that. That was that was a problem. Glory. You heard that. Thank you for your work on that and for everything you did um to put that together that now gives our students opportunities like some of their um fellow classmates and other districts. again. So thank you. Um so just a little bit about this policy. This policy ensure that there is an annual evaluation process for all coaches in the district by the athletic background. Third, the policy is in place in order to ensure that there's a process where coaches

049get feedback on their strengths and areas of growth as well as increasing their effectiveness as coaches. The policy will also provide an effective means for administrators to be able to make recommendations for continued employment where appropriate. This policy also includes a self assessment from the coach as well as sample evaluation tools that the athletic director can use to evaluate their coaches. Paul, anything else to add? No, that actually um covers everything. It's very important to make sure process are in place where the feedback is strength and growth are very important. Um but this covers everything. No, I see in this document that, you know, there's some uh professional standards, administrative responsibilities, stuff like that. Um, are you also thinking or considering actually even having like a player evaluation just for them to give you insight

050about their things or is that going to be more controlled by you as part of the evaluation? That and many times is is dependent on coaches and teams. Many times it's more informal, informal in the team construct. Um, but that's not it's not necessarily something that's off the table. It's just kind of covers the whole component and uh from a from a coach level being nothing good. Okay, I'm good for now. I'm going be nice person has held a position for three more years and terminates their position. They put some requirements upon us for um notifications and stuff like that. Is that written into state statutes? Whether that's part of state statute that we have as well all coaches are will influence and so any given year you know we have the ability providing the

051feedback I get to move in another direction if we see that that's necessary um without a whole lot of if we feel we need to move the other direction Yeah, this got a war going on within me because I'm union strong all involved but sitting at this table of education and it superior this is going to create something that should be negotiated at a bargaining table and this state this state does put does put put things in place that has no hands and it comes to negotiations and bargaining and what I'd like to know if this is one of those things because I don't want to create additional red tape and They don't already exist if it's not a mandate. Um I would have to look into that. Do you think we could find that

052by the next board meeting? If there is a reference just note guys, there is a reference uh also that we can read and use for I think right at the bottom. I don't know if you have it PA4-243 and that concerning notification in cases of termination of coaches. It looks like there is it is backed by state uh statute. So we can you know reference that. So when you come up before the board you'll have you'll have your homework kit. I'm just giving you a cheat sheet. I can look at it myself as well, but um have a clarification question in front of those votes. Thank you. Then we'll send they want to complain, we'll send them to the state. Um nothing else. Thank you. I'll entertain a motion on line um C. That is

053C as in cat. Motion to approve the evaluation. Motion to grant to the full board for approval evaluation of employment coaches policy 415.3 as presented as recommendation for waiver first and second reading. Second that. Oh, there she goes. I keep looking up and I like this. Sorry. Any discussion? Any what further questions or comments? I'll take a vote. All in favor? I I that passes unanimous. Thank you very much. Uh next is letter DS and David, drug and alcohol testing for bus drivers policy 4212.42. And I see my friend is here. Right on. Perfect timing. So, I'll give um a little overview and then um if there's anything else you do with flights app um so this policy has been shared with our bus company as well. Um it's a policy that we not currently

054have. Um but this uh the elements within the con um within the policy are built into the contract that we have that we transform um regarding you know drug and alcohol testing um but we still don't have it as a district policy. We have it in the contract, but now as policy, the policy states the compliance of the Brisb public schools and ensuring that the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 and other applicable state statutes are being met. This includes random drug testing and the drug and alcohol misuse prevention programs. There is also a mandatory drug and alcohol clearing house check of all bus drivers. This includes reporting requirements for CDL drivers if there is a violation of the policy. The policy also includes the mandated training of bus drivers to recognize signs of

055anaphylaxis, administering the epien notifying emergency personnel. Also, all contractor contracts must include adherence to federal, state, and local drug and alcohol infesting requirements. Um there's a part in the policy which on the redacted version be able to see it. I would suggest adding the additional language about drug and alcohol testing for drivers who transport 10 or fewer students. Um and I would recommend using the language in the first section and not the language of the alternative version. So when you look at the draft policy as opportunities Andrew and anything to add please um not really thank you Dr. Um, good evening committee chair, members of the board, various administrators. My name is Andrew Eel, um, manager we transport school bus. Um, committee chair can probably answer all these questions best well aware of the policies.

056Um simply um basically on the federal CDL guidelines all CDL bus um both truck and bus drivers must um submit to the alcohol and drug policy. So it's mandatory as a bus company um is definitely a requirement for our free service or hiring policy and then we also administered once a month anywhere from 5 to 8% of our population for random testing. Um if we receive any calls or if anyone looks like they could be on suspicion um we also can inserted uh a random drug test at that time. Um additionally all of our staff are fully trained and verse any recognizing possible alcohol um abuse or drug abuse um variously we check them when they come in. We do walk around to check various um individuals who operate our vehicles. At no time do

057we want the safety of our children to be armed or anyone on the road. Additionally, our company does have a um a program in place employee assistant program. So those individuals who are willing and who come forward to management, we'll place them in a program. you'll work with them, make sure they go through the process and various um programs that are out there. And once they go through that programs um you give them an opportunity to come back into our workforce, then they are mandated to be tested every two weeks if we do allow them to come back. Nice. employees because some students, you know, they go into seizures more than one during over a period of time. You react first to make sure that they're comfortable and then we'll contact dispatch to say, "Hey,

058this is what's going on." At that time, we'll contact the parent, we'll contact the school, and we also have someone calling 911. Um majority of time they generally come out of that before 911 arrives but 911 does do precautionary check to make sure question my question for you. Thank you. Okay. Um no you're not going to tell me everything was perfect. So how much you know how much things that you know you go into accidents a year? H like to say we were perfect. Um unfortunately it's the human factor and um you know the the limp of the vehicles um sometimes we hit a a a part vehicle kind of stuff. Um nothing major within the last five years I would say. I know previous in Willy's time we can tell you we had a

059couple of major incidents. They haven't tears out of us in Beer Park went into the um into the water front page. Yeah. And um having central avenue in Central Avenue, our good friend and the street block, but um nothing major recently. Um we do our best to try to promote safety messages um daily. Um we also have trainers that are certified with the state and they see something they will say something and we'll call the individual and even if we have to pay in we do mandatory retraining. We are a covered by a CDA agreement. So it's necessary to go through the process and sometimes you have to hold a hearing to make sure that they comply. But uh we encourage all individuals um through coaching is something we do. All of our vehicles are

060equipped with great cameras and um so we are able to see things in line time. Um those eyes are also out there in the road. They will fall and we can look in see what's going on with the driver time. You may have to pull driver over the road supervisor out to assist. um has happened recently, but um we're making sure he demoralized. The system alerts if the driver is um if the driver swerves, if the driver stops short um today, for example, we had a driver um kind of did like the roll in California stop the system alerted us and call the driver and say, "Hey, what's going on?" cause a problem. Um after three occurrences of the infections, we administer a disciplinary process because we want our drivers to be out there safe.

061So of course you know that's good. That's good. You know sometimes if you got drivers they notified you know driving 80. Absolutely. Absolutely. You know more problems honestly is the rolling stop in. Oh yeah. People like to rotate stuff and not only because you got that system you can know what's going on especially the people outside the any person walking around and everything they can make the picture video and send it to you guys you know you have more cameras outside you have um question you have um student especially especially you know something like that um there are um extra um aid in the bus right yes there's um all and just in case you don't have that aid doesn't happen in that driveway, you know, you need to have that aiming because that's you

062know by contract um we're required to have a 10% spare ratio. Okay. Um there are situations where there's a heavy call out. Do you prefer to run the route late rather they send a route without getting okay? In all circumstances, we do our best. We provide a bus monitor for the safety of the children with the IEP. And if you don't have one or one that's running late, we'll hold you around that make phone calls, notify the schools. Um, some insty. All right. Thank you. One more question. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You know, one of the things that I learned throughout the years, I mean, we we have a family when it comes to this bus industry over the years. I'm talking about Dor back in the day laid off per student now

063we and and when he talk about that Cambridge system that they have not only do they do discipline because I want to give them approach once they get those infractions and they get spoken to they also get training to fix the thing safety is a six this is what we say in our industry you know I was talking to somebody today specifically that's why when you came in I was kind of surprised that he's going to talk to me about my incident today but you're not you'll talk later about Yeah. So again, it's a safe and word, but it's a 7-day job. And I've been out of the industry for quite multiple years, but all my daughters know how I am about safety when it comes to driving. And I have a pet peeve when

064it comes to that. So I know that I was invited last time, but I had to work. So they had a, you know, once they get literally when you're driving your eyes decide to wander to the right, the system will tell you your eyes are off the road. if their hands off the wheel like you said if you're going to a stop and you it feels sometimes it it's overly sensitive I would say sometimes because I hear that there's not even a stop sign there but the system said they ate a stop sign but they really didn't didn't because there wasn't but it would notify them and let them know listen this behavior needs to get fixed we didn't have that back in my day which was always that is a great system but they

065will go back and train them one thing about accidents that we also know that might not know when you're out involved in an accident there's also another retraining that they do to make sure that what can we have done better that you would have not been able to do that. Could you have waited instead of forcing yourself in in the you know whatever area that way that car can get out of your way now make your right turn the car you can never hit a car because it's already gone things like that so they do that and I know I've been around and I know he's been a huge voice when it comes to safety so I can never say not because he's still back at it again with us. So I thank you. Any

066other questions or comments, guys? Yeah, he was coming. But today, so I'm out there with my team, all of us. Yeah, you were okay because I know you brought we probably answered your question already because I saw your thing yellow. Yeah. Yep. My question was about um identifying potential erratic behaviors and you guys answered my question beautifully. So, thank you. I take a motion. Motion to approve the motion to refer to the full board for approval of the D. Drug and alcohol testing for bus drivers policy 42.42 waving first and second read for immediate implementation. Second further discussion I'll take a vote. All in favor say I. I ask unaners. Thank you very much. Thank you again. Nice to see you my friend. Question this evening. I don't know. Now you know when it's about

067buses. you know, they're going to be around. I want help in every way possible. All right, we'll move to letter F now. Sexual harassment, title nine, title nine of the education amendment of 1972, the year I was born policy 5145.44. Not sure whether to share this video with you now or later. There was another policy in the mandated list which was the reduction of boards for certified staff. The reason why that is not a policy that was being recommended is because that's already addressed in the reflective bargaining agreement. I just make sure when you look at the list reason why this one's not there because have to put one in place because it's already addressed. We're talking about letter F or the one they do just mention now. It's actually in between the F. So

068it's not here. So Okay. No, no, that's fine. No, no, no. to us today. Not on our list. Not a problem. We'll move to the sexual harassment and title N. Okay. So, um, so, so also has shared and we probably could have done them both together on that same night. One simply said staff and the exact same policy says students, right? Um so again general uh overview uh the statement of the policy that discusses the grievance, procedures and timelines as well as requirements regarding evidence response and privacy definitions um of terms such as sex discrimination, sexual harassment, um you know the disciplinary sanctions, reported measures. Um but everything that we had discussed in the initial um policy that was approved by the board the days are actually pop. I didn't want to get too much

069into it. The same thing has been approved by the board. Yes, Miss u please. Um my only comment on this policy is on page seven. um we wanted to have removed people specific um information and just wanted to reference their roles. So we should probably make that p change on page seven references Mr. Costello and all his phone number and contact info. Yes, thank you for that. um in the in the the final version that comes to the board, it's going to have it's going to be the standard format that has all of that information. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Thank you. I'll take the motion. Before I quick comment, um yeah, I read that's good because I read over the whole thing and I didn't catch that. The reason I read over the whole thing

070is like I was thinking what did Trump do to change what we just passed? If I would have had that information, I would just glance through it rather than read the whole thing. But yeah, hearing that um motion to approve this motion to refer to the full board for approval sexual harassment policy title policy of the educational amendment of 1972 policy number 5145.44 44 to the full board waving the first and second read for immediate implementation. Second. See no other hands or discussion from anyone. I'll take a a vote. All in favor of the sexual harassment policy 5145.44 say I. I. That passes unanimously. Thank you very much. Once again, uh we'll move on to letter G, sexual abuse prevention and education program policy 514511 mandated policy. The policy gives a definition for terms such

071as sexual violence, sexual assault. There are two definitions for sexual assault. Um, and I would recommend using the first one. It's a direct document. Um, I think it's just clever and it stays away from certain terminology. Um, it it also describes sector abuse prevention and education programs, discusses the professional development that must occur for all staff as well as age appropriate educational materials for students in grades K through 12. policy also states the reporting expectations for all school employees aware of certain behaviors and then there's a sample opt out letter for parents who do not want their children to participate um the sexual abuse prevention initiation program anything how you think about this particular one with that letter um Dr. Saki that's going to be maybe put down also a recommendation I don't know if

072it is to put into the student handbook to make sure that parents know where that they have that option and they got to take it if not this would add to their students give everybody a couple seconds any questions comments of an issue as a parent I've never been a fan of can't handle negative affirmations like having having to opt out of something and having implied permission. You understand what I'm getting at? because you you you can bury me under amount of paperwork. If you don't send page number 82 back, you're automatically agreeing to us. It's like when you email the terms of service or you read in the terms of service on something, nobody reads it, but we actually have to firmly check those terms of service to accept that. And I believe this

073is also within our media policy and image use policies since something that flows through all and I've always had an issue and it and I believe I believe this one has an option either or to use either or off sheet. Oh, was it rather than opt out than instructor like direct permit? Direct permission. Wait, my lines of skills. So, so I think that there are there are options. Um, probably the sample that I gave you was the one that referenced the opt out as opposed to opting in. Um I think you know we do want our our students to be educated on some of um elements in terms of sex harassment you know um things that they didn't do privately terms of prevention and and and education but then there are parents who regarding their

074children didn't learn from school and you know learn from home but hence the opt out again that's my my recommendation would be an opt out as opposed to about we want our kids to Yeah, absolutely. I do want 100% kids to avail themselves of this. But I'm thinking of the current federal climate if something is taught to a child and a child comes home around sexual harassment policy especially if it comes to something like gender equity or uh I forget where we are current iteration of the sexual identification with the processes how students sexually identify that's a part of in the structure that a parent didn't opt in and their kids told came home and told their parents, hey, I learned in school today there was x amount of genules or something like that, which

075I'm again not opposed to, but can actually have implementation raise up things if parents are caught unaware that that's going to be taught to child any I'm just thinking possible again is this might be overly cautious or what have you. It's just something I think we need. So I have a question and his question in the sense of so when they're opting uh out it's just opting out that they don't want you guys to speak to them about this policy to know about it uh and that they're choosing to do it themselves if they decide to like signing off like kind of like I don't know if they use the word waiver in that sense to say okay I wait that you guys did it you guys did it but I'm going to be responsible

076do whatever this is the document you're going to give to them give to them explain that to your child however you want and they just know policy, right? So, so for example, in my um district, this was this particular class was done through health class, right? So, there was a particular unit or lesson lessons that went around certain topics. So parents would just say specific to say you know when this unit is happening I pop out to my child may even go and read in the gym or I mean in the library or or something else parents too but yes man I mean I don't again my but I'm see it's it's up to the board that the Um, hey does uh offer both as you know either way is fine. You I was looking

077at this more in terms of the logistical lens of how to make sure you're managing this properly as being to manage would be the op. Yeah. and get just a counselor for that in some of the the best way to manage any policy would be to have just to opt out including field trip permissions including I mean I'm going to agree to move this to the full board but I think if there's further discussion so I don't want to wave the first the first meeting a little I personally need to think a little bit more on the subject of not not My views are not my standards but how society might react to the situations that I put forth. I would accept the motion. So I make a motion to move to the full board

078approval of prevention education program 51451. A second. Any further discussion? Hear it? I'll take a vote. All in favor of moving sexual assault prevention and education program policy 514511 to the full board. Say I. I. I. That's unanimously. So I'm just going to put an asterisk knowing that we're not going to uh by that. Yep. for by design. Very much. Uh moving forward, we have a few more internet safety policy and filtering. Uh children's internet protection act policy 6141.323. Yes. And we actually have on um online who is going to speak to us policy. I'm Jeff. Hi everybody. How you doing? Um, I'm just gonna put up one I just made one quick brief slide just to make it easier. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Okay. Sorry, I saw you waving,

079Willie. So, I didn't I was saying hello. Yep. All right. Cool. Cool. Um, all right. I'm just going to share my screen. Any permission? Uh, I should be all set. I hope. Um, I see the light. Yes. Okay. paper. All right. So, I just made this quick slide just to kind of make it easier to understand. Um, just cuz ours, this one's a little more complicated. Uh, just go full screen here. Uh, yeah, I'll do it this way. Can you see? Okay. Yes. All right. Cool. All right. So, um, in our particular case, uh, we had a policy that was already in existence that addressed this. Um and the idea behind this particular one was is that they have new language that they wanted to have introduced into um essentially our board policies uh to

080reflect that. And so what I did was is in order to kind of um you know make this work with our existing policy um you know the the reference policy that we're talking about again from that was provided by CAD as you can see on the screen there is 6141.323. Um so for the district we've had in place for you know quite some time uh I believe since maybe even 09 um uh policy 641 which essentially addresses all of the different things that um you know we have as it relates to technology. And so the policy update basically I modernized the language and I merged in um the the changes that were required by uh you know what K provided us and then I created uh policy 6402 as proposed. It's really just a split

081of uh the previous policy that hits specifically internet platform filtering because of the way they wrote their policy. it's in one and since we have an existing policy I made it that way. Um and then for your consideration um we also put together uh because we're hitting this topic uh proposed S643 04 and05 uh the personalized learning device artificial intelligence and student d privacy ones um for consideration since uh a lot of the major districts in the state of Connecticut are putting these out. Um, so those are there for consideration. Um, but at a minimum, we need 641 to be amended and 6402 to be uh submitted to be in compliance with uh uh statute. So there you go. Thank you. Leave that screen up for me for a second. I know you were waving

082your hand a lot and I was watching a little screen in the corner with your hand movement. So um I just want to keep this one up for one second. So again you're stating that there was a policy before and this new policy that came formed because of state standard uh matched ours but also some other things language. you what you did was adopted that into the policy that we have already an internet use policy for the um and now you implemented every language that is in 6141.323 into 6402 correct uh yeah I basically split the part of the policy that already existed in 6401 from that policy that K provided and I updated the language and modernized it so that that way it keeps our existing policy and extends it with that special language

083provided by the state. And then 6402 is the filtering specific policy which is not in our board policy. I mean it is but it's vague. This this consolidates it to be in compliance with SIPA. Perfect. I got that. Now after that you have a recommendation and I see that it's uh 6403 6404 6405. Yep. Um I'm misunderstanding. I see that we have it in our policies already. So what is what are we doing? I I I put those as proposed. That's why I color coded them that way. Um and so again these are for consideration. Um because of the fact that we're we're doing our this really covers all of information technology. We we don't have to have them yet, but it's something that the board should consider. So, I put them in uh for

084consideration if that's something that the board chooses to do. Sorry. Yeah, exactly. Let me see if I can summarize this a bit, Jeff. Um so, you know, so T did give us some recommended policy. What Jeff did was take the recommendation from K, look at what we had as our own, made sure that everything that Kum said was mandated was inside average. Now, on top of that, the recommendations that he's coming up with is that these are policies. So, I'll say, you know, Jim did a great job in terms of looking at other districts internet policies and those three 64364 645 are um are recommendations that all the other districts had in their polic. And if that's absolutely correct, Dr. Saki, just to amend it, the reason I'm putting that in there is that the

085language in what CABE calls 6141.323 because that's in their, you know, numbering system. Um I I this would be an essentially more of the same type of policy uh but just you know continuing in it. That's why I felt it was important to put it there because a lot of other districts if you look at them they're putting that in in the exact same area where this policy is. So the thing I put up is still on the screen so you can see what I mean. Right. Yes. I just want to chime in here because we've been we've been following a pattern and and doing something with these policies and their numbers. Like we had a title N policy. We didn't use that same number. Cave is rewriting all our policies and we use the

086cave numbers. We've been doing that with all of these. Are we saying that we're not going to use this cave number, but rather we use the 6402 because that I think is No, that's not my issue. I think he's going to deem that my issue. I believe. Yeah. I mean, in the past, what we've done uh is is that we've taken the different policies and then we've entered them into our series set following our number convention because we already have one. I mean, I I that's out of my wheelhouse, but that's just what we've done historically. So, I mean, in terms of, you know, how this goes, I just proposed it because this, you know, this is not the first time I've done this. Um, and you know, that's why I proposed it in the

087same series so it' be easy for you to read. I would just suggest to the board that we keep it consistent. If we've been using all the cave numbers, I mean, whatever the policy is, it is. But if we're keeping all the cave, this is no reason why I have this right now, but I'm going to because I think he's going to kn hit and nail in the head, but if not, then I'm going to have my shot. So, sorry. Yeah. So, so all I was going to say is I think what Ford um suggested for for the 6141 323 is take I don't think the language was as clear but he took each of the elements that were in there and broke them up into these three different policies that be recommended to your

088point um yes this would be the only one but he did take a look at our current policy and went through and made sure that everything that was recommended for cave was embedded into our current policy. Hence keeping the number but for everything else we have. And there will never there is no cave policy that we know that might share that number. They'll screw everything up as we come along down the line too. No, CAB doesn't have this uh in in there yet. What what they did is they provided districts with a framework for that. So most of the districts and their board policies right now have have put it into their policy, but at least to my knowledge as of right now based on the information that I was provided, uh, they do not

089have that, uh, in there. And you can see that we we checked multiple different districts just to make sure that we were, you know, following suit to what the standards are like Greenwich and Hartford and, you know, New Haven, etc. So, um, anyway, that that wasn't necessarily my question. My question is, is there a T policy? It might not be at internet. It might be in soda dispersal amongst students that has a policy 6401. So when we're copying for black term copying caves policies as we go through y are we going to see another 6401 or 102 or whatever we're calling this cuff. So my answer to that would be so historically what has been done in the past is is we have our own series numbers. Um, and again, I think this is kind

090of getting off of my particular area, but historically what's happened is is when we have new policies that are implemented, they're implemented in our existing series number because we have a massive manual of all of the different policies that our board has and not all boards follow the same policy conventions that CAB does to my understanding. So, I mean, again, I was just doing it based on existing practice. So, if if the board or whoever is changing it, then we would just have to adapt our policy sets. That's all. Okay. Should one test because I want to hit nail this real quick. You good? Yeah. Good. Thank you very much. Uh what I need you to understand and I want to make sure I thought S was going to hit it. Uh but I don't

091mind I don't mind you lobbing me the ball and I can hit a home run out of it. So the only issue that I have personally and with being chair also of this committee because I got to take responsibility on my own. What I see here is the word recommended. So what I'm seeing here, what I understood was that policy 6401 uh sorry 6402 was the policy that integrated all this information but you were putting in the policy 6141.23 23 into that but then you wanted to add 6403 6404 6405 and that can't happen but we I cannot add anything because these policies need to come to me first that way I can put them in our agenda. So if those are recommendation policies that you would like to or language that you would like

092to introduce to me feel free to send it to Dr. Exactly. We can read it. We can decide to bring it back to the board to read because I don't know what is 6403 personalized learning device. I don't know what 6404. So respectfully so I'm going to end this conversation about that recommendation 64 03 04 and 05 because that's not on my table. So that being said, my understanding is that the requirement right now we're voting on a specific policy that I cannot change until I'm allowed to by giving me the information you just gave me. So 64, excuse me, 6141.323. You have put all those that policy and those laws and guidelines from the state into 6402. Is that what I understand? it's split across 6401 and 6402 because again we already had policies

093that addressed that um you know the these items and so the newer language that needed to be in there was amended to 6401 and then I had proposed 6402 as the filtering one because they segment that separately. Now, we could simply just say that we're adopting, you know, this new numbering scheme and then just make it that way and then I can just put what I proposed in 642 into there. It's fine. It's whatever you not a problem. I'll give you the homework. Welcome to my class. Um, so what we're going to do, what I'm going to ask you respectfully, um, I love joking around, so don't mind me. Is I need you to do the opposite. Okay? What I mean by doing the opposite is this proposal is policy 6141.323. If you want to

094put whatever is in 6401 and 6402 into that reading of the words I don't have a problem to submit that to the board. What I do have a problem is I don't have 6401 6402 on my table right now. So either you're going to pivot or we'll just uh on that sense to add that information into 6141.323. That way I can push it to the full board and they can read it and they can make a vote or we'll just bring it back to my table later uh on another but I think I'll give a uh some word to Mr. Saki Saki. Thank you sir. Um so so Jeff, if you take your proposed um 6141-323, you incorporate 641642 all the way to 645 into that then you know and um and present that as

095one policy 6141423 I think and share that ASAP then that is what could be going to um we'll come back here before looking for full board I think and and that's fine. So the important thing what's I'm sorry I'm saying to the members I just want to make sure the message this is the last is it policy towards you you don't I have another days any come on don't put limits on me no but yes respectively we have day well we can also I can have a special meeting uh to fix is and make sure that it's all ironed out. Again, my my position always is to make sure we have everything correct to move over to the to the board for their approval right away. So, I see Dr. Avery uh now because of

096the screen. So, I apologize if your hand was out there earlier, sir. Uh Dr. Avery, please. Hey, the only thing you have to do is you have to combine what Jeff recommended into that the original policy that was going to be amended tonight. That's all you do. And you need to approve it that way. He will combine those things together and provide it to the full board. You don't have to come back. That's just we got to get this policy on the books. Uh so please uh consider that Mr. Medina and I think we should be good. Perfect. I don't know if you heard it, but yeah, it came from your uh um your partner here, my tall friend. Uh Dr. Saki already said that, so perfect. We're in line. We're we're in line. Good

097job, uh Miss uh Jimenez. So I have the policy that is on the on the SharePoint on the portal and 61 um 6141323 that policy it already has the other policies integrated towards the end of the document. So, I I'm trying to follow you guys, but it seems like where you guys kind of left off, it's all he it's already done. He's going to do it, review it, send it to us, and to make sure that I just couldn't have the numbers to change because that's not what is on my document in front of me. So, I wanted to make sure, imagine what we're voting on because all eyes on our are on us in general. I want to be sure. Well, I move to the full board. So, are we good, Mr. Jeff? You

098understand what we're trying to do? Make sure. Uh, yeah. I think the only thing I was not uh aware of is that we were getting rid of our existing numbering practices and moving to a different one. So, yeah, I prepared it in a traditional way, the way we've always done it. So, that's no problem. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Please. Yeah. Um, I kind of concur. I see where Miss is coming from. I see where Dr. Aver's coming from. See where you're coming from. Um, this could be done in a legitimate way tonight if we so choose by um because we we do state what the policy is going to be. Yep. Each of these policies that are in our portal feed into 6141. But uh I would suggest if the board if this committee is

099amendable to push it forward that we revise it, write the number from policy 6141 because I agree with um Mr. the Castello that we should keep our same lettering and for the benefit of everybody here. We already got a 6,000 policy and this 6,000 policy ends at 64 64 and there's plenty of room after that if anything pops up new related to that subject matter. So, it's not like we're going to have to stick it somewhere that's not knowledgeable. So, with that recommendation, I'll lean back to you, Mr. Jeff. Um, what's the number? I didn't know we could amend it. So, I appreciate his thing. And I think it's a great what's the number that way we can uh put it in exactly what we said that everything's going to be under that one policy

100uh and it's going to incorporate what we had before adding what 612 uh 6141 323 said as far as that state mandate right into it. So, what's the number that we would like you would like to see that we stay where it is right now? because this is one that is we have it but it's not complete like you said this was unique that you know this is unique to everything else that we have done so I appreciate your expertise and your past yeah no problem uh so you would just really be amending 641 to add the new language from CA that's the easiest way you could say it then 61 6 uh uh well I mean if it's existing board policy it' be be amending 6401 um that is the one that is you

101know we've had for however many So, I'm assuming that's what you mean. Yeah. Just to make sure we we I need you to tell me what you mean because I want to make sure I mean I mean so every time we've done this before that's that's it. We've just we've we've added or amended an existing policy and that's what I would say we're doing here. But we're going to amend that. It's just a it's just a number that's an issue. If we just if we cite the number if we cite all three numbers to be integrated into system policy 61 right now and it's going to be and just today we're going to use our traditional format of numbering and I I believe that I don't believe anybody can come at us with a foyer

102complaint that we misled meeting or anything like that. I think we're totally solid. My bad my bad working with foy is pretty much 100%. So perfect. I'm going to give him 10 more seconds. That way he can make the motion and then we're going to No, put your hand up. Um then we get a This was just as a procedure policy. I've got an actual amendment I would like to make to one of them. Um message to Mr. Jeff 6401 to the committee because we got to approve it. Number one, page one. I've always had an issue with this. I raised it up before, but since it's here again, I would like to remove number five. Sending material critical of school administration, teachers, staff, students, or anyone associated with the school district is prohibited. That

103means our children cannot use their device to voice their concerns to us. They cannot say if they saw a fight at school and their principal didn't do anything with an email on their board server restricting their right to redress their government or to bring a complaint through a school device. Now if they have a bullying report in the school and the teacher or staff didn't do nothing then they forward us hey I told my principal about a bullying incident I was being picked on and they didn't do it. they would be invalidation of policy by using the internet and I' I've had an issue with that in the past. I mean, and who decides what's critical and what's not. Oh, as far as voting here. Yeah, that's an amendment to to change the proposal to

104the proposal. That will be an amendment, but I'm just wondering what your opposition is that. Dr. Avery, I'm not sure if you're also just uh or miss also. It says sending material critical of school administration, teachers, comma staffs, comma, students or anyone associated with the school district is prohibited. I feel that this language is very subjective. It's very vague. Um like Mr. S Kavik was saying, who determines critical? For me, if a student has a disagreement with a principal or even a teacher, I wouldn't consider that critical. So I if that student reaches out to the board or I I wouldn't consider consider them being non-compliant with this rule. Um so I think defining critical is probably you know requires a little bit more clarification. Anybody else with comments or anything? Because this is our

105debate right now. Discussion in debate. Well, actually, I don't I don't think I formalized the motion. That's my my intention of discussion. Motion motion to remove um number five consideration. And was that now? Oh. current. Yeah, it's in the current policy. But since we're bending the whole thing, supervised the applicants, I think I failed last time in getting it through because we were rushing through things more in the list. And and Jeff, do do you have any any any context or background as to why you think that particular number is in there or do you have any um I mean that's so that that predates that that goes way back. Um, so I I I would say that to my understanding that language was there uh to obviously limit the misusage of it. I I

106can't tell you the context of it because I wasn't around at that time. Um, so uh I would say that you know that's at the uh discretion of obviously the superintendent and the board and all the I I honestly have no opinion. Um, as a tech guy, that's that's a very, you know, Yeah. Yeah. motion, my motion wasn't seconded, so actually to make a alternate motion that might be better suited to keep the piece of the language in and address some of my concerns of structure. formulating this a little bit. Well, he's formulated. So, you're saying that this has been in here for quite some time and you don't recall the reason why it was put up there. When I go down to the bottom because I wanted to see if there was anything. The

107only thing I see all the way in the bottom is just legal reference. It just simply just states uh Connecticut General statute. Uh, and I'm just wondering if there's anything in there referring to this uh that there was not in the uh so this is a Bridgeport again because we're we're speaking of a policy that already existed that that language and that verbiage that you're referencing is not in um part of the CA proposed ones because again the goal was to amend the policy. So, um, I didn't change any of the because that's obviously not something that I would do. It's, you know what I mean? Like it comes down to the fact that there are certain legal aspects of SIPA and other things that they want in there. And, um, you know, I I

108think that's a Bridgeport specific thing to be quite honest with you. Thank you, Mr. Menz. I see you here. I'm wondering if we should try to define critical as student specific information or something along those lines. That's information that I think we would consider critical and not so much, you know, a situation between a teacher and a student. Yeah, I hear you. I was just I went to my Google myself just to see what what can that be defined to and all that stuff. And it's just it is very you know why as far as it could be misinterpreted easily as far as what is critical because again uh to K's point he's just trying to say you know if a student is and we've heard this a few times um that you know oh

109my student is being bullied and he made a complaint he talked to teacher to talk to this person but nobody's doing anything about it and if somebody reached out to us by email or to anybody else by email or communication to the internet then they could be going against this policy. You know what are the consequences of going against the policy? I'm not sure but um that's another question for later maybe but you have a yeah a suggested revision of language that'll be a little maybe more protective of the students right to speak out and be critical of us. Uh just so everybody understands though I apologize for interrupting sir. Um it is important to note that this is not just students but it's the districts. So I I just to make sure you know

110the scoping of that to be specific is is of technology. Um yes. Yes. Thank you. That that's important. I I was thinking this is a little lens that we got maybe four or five violations in the last year and a half of this policy. button. You put this, you put staff in there. We've had probably hundreds of violations of this policy over the last year and a half with staff reaching out and sending us emails critical of ourselves, critical of prior administration and all that. So all of them were in violation. This is another policy. Again, as I keep reiterating, if we're going to have a policy, we got to follow it. So, so, so I I suggested revised language, but I don't think it's helpful to I'll hear it. I'll hear it. Well, then

111I'll hear it. That's what I just said. And then after I hear it and after that edit again, um, currently read schooling material critical of school administrators, teachers, students, and anyone associated with school districts is prohibited. I'd like to suggest we send we change change it to sending material send sending abusive or harassing material referencing school administrations, teachers, staff or anyone associated with the school district is prohibited. I I think I think that takes a little bit of the uh subjectivity out of it because to be abusive it has to mean a certain a bigger threshold than critical. to be abusive is basically language that's in other pol other um portions of the policy and it still gives a discipline track to somebody who abus abuses the right of speech that I'm trying to give

112them right now for instance if it's abusive would be calling me curse word out of my name critical would be say you made a bad you made it bad judge recall I don't think you're working in the best interest in the studio with this judge acceptable. I think it's biased or whatever. So noted I I so noted Dr. Avery, please. I'm sorry. Hey, my apologies. I stepped away from the computer for a second and I got in the tail end of this conversation. So, um I I'm I'm I'm struggling with, you know, the debate over specific words about critical or, you know, whatever. I mean, so I'm I'm I don't want to get away from the the just of the entire entire policy, you know, that governs not only students but everybody within the distance

113with the use of technology. Uh, and um I think Jeff, you're gonna have to help me a little bit more to understand the the the board the the previous board members felt a need to to bring this policy a little bit closer to home due to the fact like Mr. Scull was talking about, you know, the things that they were experiencing within the district from students, parents, and staff. And so they wanted to be able to have a policy to really look at that. When we got policy, every single policy is not going to be adhered to 100%. You're going to have some deviations here or there, but but we try to make sure that we stay in that 100% range, right? Uh and so we have to this policy as it stands will direct

114that and we will do the best we can in trying to enforce it. Again, I I I haven't I didn't hear all the conversation. I've heard some of it. And so, uh Jeff, you may want to kind of based on that, give us your your professional opinion because you deal with it from a technology perspective in the district. Help us help me understand a little bit more. Okay. I will attempt to do my best. I I would just caution that again. So, number one, this policy predates I'm sure everybody here, including myself. Um, and uh, I can't describe how or why the motive of the board members at the time did that. Please remember that when this was also originally crafted, the internet was barely like a thing because it was 09. Um, I would

115say that we treat technology now a lot more uh, quite frank frankly flippant than we did back in the day when somebody sent like a strongly worded email or something. You know, that was like a big deal. So, I guess my point is is that, you know, the language may be showing its age. Again, I didn't feel, you know, I did not change any of the intention of any existing policy because the goal as I was charged was to update and modernize and add the language that was missing. So I would say that you know due to the fact that this is the policy that governs the usage of technology and our recourse action as it relates to dealing with people. I mean that is honestly an administration decision and a board decision because if

116you don't feel that they have they should be able to use our platform or technology to speak ill of the administration then that's something that you would leave the language in there for. if you wanted to have a different type of discourse and you know we have seen it go the other way to Mr. to Kovix's point, um, you know, then you would take it out. I I guess any policy is only as good as its enforcement and its legality as it relates to what the state has. Again, since this was not in the state of Connecticut's specific recommendations through CAB, it can be taken or left is I guess my kind of final answer if that makes sense. And all due respect to Dr. Avery, you just reinforced the need to actually take it

117out with the comments of we'll do our best to enforce it 100% because as written 100% Mr. Sakalic, you made a bad decision. I disagree with you. I think you need to do a better job to 100% enforce that policy says that the critical statement of Mr. a college, you would have to def discipline that students or that staff member or you would have to pick and choose which comments rise to a certain level. done. I think rather than getting a hole in a district where we're short staffed, chasing after 100% of people who basically are just hurting our feelings in public in public in public office or public employment, which we basically open ourselves up by getting into this. We volunteer to be here. We choose our professionals. We choose our board service and

118we choose to open oursel up to criticism. I don't think we should have a policy that protects our feelings from getting hurt and puts children and staff at risk for hurting our feelings using the device in the business and the industry where their feelings were hurt. So I and for context I just wanted to say just because it was brought to my uh attention this was before social media. So you have to remember that our polarization of that type of stuff, this was before there was a Twitter, a Facebook, any of those stuff. So that may also very frankly play into this just to be aware. So what I'm going to do guys in in the interest of time and moving forward and respecting everybody's opinion and everybody's words and everybody comments, uh I'm going

119to make a decision uh to take make a motion. So Jeff, if you uh to have that reading states, if you wouldn't mind uh taking this down. So it's going to be sending slashharassment material. So we're going to take out the word critical and before the word material, we're going to put sending abusive slashharassing instead uh as a an amendment to line five on that section. And uh and please if you wouldn't mind have that or Dr. Saki I think is writing also just have those you know fine lines of you know we're getting rid of critical and we're going to add prior to material um abuses harassing harassment material right did I make the actual motion second? Well, you haven't seconded anything yet. The motion still the motion was still there, but there was

120no second. You can you can make So you can make the first motion and I'll second. Yeah, I want to put everything together, right? I'll second. I want the the board to understand what we've done because he's going to include six policy. So, okay. So, I'm going to make a motion at this moment on line item. Sorry. H Internet Safety Policy and Filtering and Children's Internet Protection Act policy 6141 323 to be amended to the 6401 policy reflecting everything that's inside 6141.323 including the amendment of line on page I'm sorry and 6401 the rules Rule number five, taking out the word critical and adding the words abusive slashharassment material. Harassing material prior to the word material. Okay. Yep. And I second that. Vote was second it. Um, any other further discussion? God forbid. Thank you

121very much. I a vote. All sorry. All in favor? I I Thank you. Now motion to go ahead and ready. Now go ahead. Motion to push to the full board for approval the internet safety policy filtering children's internet protection acted as 6141.323 which is incorporating policy 6401 642 6403 and 60 404 as amended and 6405 and as amended and changing the number numbering from policy 6141.323 to list the policy as previously. I second all further discussion. All in favor? I I just for the record that one make the first read second. I think we need Yeah, we can do that. Let me just put that back here. I want to make sure. Okay, moving forward. Thank you. That was definitely a challenging one. So now we're going to letter I challenging curriculum policy policy 6141.52.

122Okay. So this will be Mar was challenging curriculum policy. This a recommendation that schools it's actually in the department of ed mandate. Schools will have criteria to identify kids in grades eight and nine um who will be eligible to take or enroll in advanced course or program things like honors 21 credit classes and the requirements students have an academic branch. Does anyone have any questions? Just hold on Google. This is your field. So no question, no comment. Thank you very much. I take a motion for um I move to Benson full board for approval transit curriculum policy 6141.52 as presented waving the first and second read for immediate implementation second. Thank you very much. See no discussion no hands. I'll take a vote. All in favor say I. I I that's pass unanimous. Thank you

123very much. Moving forward, uh Dr. Foggy now. That's letter J, guys. Uh policy 61 61.3 um presenting that one. No, we may. Okay. So, um comparability of services title one equivalence and instructional staff and observers. So uh the policy gives some background information um which has been included as well as information on title one and family engagement breaks down family engagement at both the school and the district levels. This includes the creation of district and school level parent compact. The compact will include expectations for parent engagement process for continuously involving parents and how to continue to involve parents in your students education. This is also a pretty straightforward um one. Any questions, comments? Seeing Den your forehead please. Thank you sir. This this is this was my question from before. It was relating to this

124policy on page one equivalency. Paragraph two shows equivalency among the district schools and also say substantial comparable. I got a little bit of issue with that language because um you read paragraph two page one title on read the paragraph. Yes. All district schools regardless of whether they receive title one shall provide services taken in high safely. Teachers, administrators, and other staff shall be assigned to school assures equivalency among the district schools where materials and instructional supplies should be provided in a manner that assures equivalency among district schools. I'm not comfortable with the word equivalency or comparable because that is basically meaning equal or compare this to this. I would be more comfortable for that language to be substituted with equitable because if we don't have we don't have comparable libraries. We just did the library

125research. Some schools are getting more books than others because there's differences in the student population. Some of our schools get more services providers with English language providers. So we don't we don't want to have to have comparable English language teacher I mean Spanish teacher whatever ELLL teachers in one school comparable if we have one if it's comparable you got to have three in each school but if it's equitable is put towards where it's needed that make any sense is the language mandated in this pattern per policy or do we have wiggle room to change these words to equity I mean so this was the recommend recommended language from K for she the option of checking of changing or making you know recommendations there for but this what was the language I paid you know doesn't

126speak to how I look um Is it is it embodied in England on mandated policy language of state? I mean, I'll have to look at the state. Yeah. Yeah. I would be more comfortable that like Kade again, K, they're wonderful. They're great. They got great policy suggestions. of cave rights policies for 170 school districts and probably about six or seven really need concentration on equity at these different different size schools and where things are really leaving. So their policies are written basically for the whole not particularly fine tuned for Bridgeport Harford and cities like that. So if it's not mandating policy, I would like to see if it's not mandated language that's required like to see those words changed to that. But we don't have to do it right now at the committee level. We

127can still push it to the full board. But again, I would suggest not waving the first and second read if I make a motion. But one of y'all can make it over my desires. I just want to be sure what's the word you were saying to sex. Who wants to change comparable to equitable as well as equivalency? So there's two words catching equivalency it appears twice change and I mean I I will have an answer to that question. I can have it for that meeting or find it sooner. give you an answer. Thank all that's all human, please. Thank you. Um I just want to make sure that I understand um the train of thought of of the changes. I want to make sure that we're providing all our schools similar type of resources, not

128favoring one or the other. I just want to make sure that you're that's not what you're intending, right? You're I just want to make sure I understand your changes. So the recommendation you're talking to psychology, correct? Yeah. Yeah. Yes. I'm going to use two schools for instance that both line both schools are elementary schools. uh Park City magnet with 400 students versus Blackum with 1300 students to have equal equal amount of books. Just because Blackville gets 500 books and three teachers doesn't mean Park City magnet has to have 100 books, whatever I just said at the centers because that's not equitable. That's the difference between equity and equality is the fair sharing of resources across a wide birth. I get where I get I get what you're saying. Yes. No, that makes sense. If it's

129a wor, please. Thank you. Um, yeah, I understand everybody's um everybody's, you know, concerned about adopting language that's going to lock us in for a long period of time. But this is this is like neutral language from cave. It's not designed to favor or not favor anybody. It's just you just adopt the language and then you amend it to suit your needs in the future if that's what you got to do. But it's not supposed to be like a uh you know a debate on on the language. this langu this language is used all over the state. You know, it's not and I'm sure that when people seem seem see it fit, they they amend it to suit their their district. So, you know, I don't know what's the big deal about this. I don't

130know why it's not just adopted and then amended later. You know, it shouldn't be it shouldn't be a a 20 30 minute debate on a couple of words. you know, you just adopt the language and you move on and you amend it later if you got to. Thank you. Thank you again. I appreciate that. But definitely this is the platform that we all use across the state is by coming to these committees and speaking and having these discussion and this is the level that we should make those amendments. That way when the full board uh is presented with it, they have all the details and everybody was able to talk just like you now. So I appreciate your comment but definitely this is a platform that we need to do this that way we can

131all at the board table uh make this decision with everything uh written down as well. Um but we just want to K recommendations are just that and they will tell you that every single time and everybody that's listening uh you know K recommendations are just that and again they say it is that a recommendation for you guys to look at and then we use it in our district. One of the things that we do is put in our names in there, put it in as it reflects to our district or put those positions of those individuals that are referenced in that uh policy. So definitely I understand but I thank you for your comment. Um I would entertain a motion. I'm sorry. I'm not sure if your hand is raised again, Mr. W. I want

132to make sure I respect that. Thank you, sir. plus number that is letter J motion to Dr. Avery's hand is up. Oh, thank you. I just saw I looked up. I was reading. Thank you, Dr. A. Peace. And again, I think I thank you for that comment you made, uh, Mr. Medine. I think that's very important to state that. But I I I I I'm going to have to agree with Mr. Wilson Wilson because I think that the opportunity, you know, for one or two board members to change change it at this level. I think it's it's it's a discussion that we've had a lot of over the last couple of policy, you know, meetings. So, that's important. Um, but I also want to caution, you know, utilizing that language and then being able to

133because as administrators that that will try to enforce these policies, you have to have some little room of of wiggle to be able to to do the job and and do it effectively because each each scenario is different. each you know investigative you know opportunity that we and administrators have you have to have that that option right so I I say you know not amend that word I think it's important to leave that word uh I think in the greater cause of when this policy goes to the full board you as the chair may want to emphasize that as you know as something that the full board to can consider uh moving forward so that would be my recommendation as well, sir. Definitely. I appreciate that. That's why also we're we're not going to be

134moving into the full board in a way that we want to bypass those readings. So, it's going to come back to us, you know, I want them to have a fresh look and I want them to consider every conversation at the board level and then it'll come back to me here uh in that case. But I thank you. Yes. Perfect. Dr. This this policy is intended as the amendment would be attended to and we're not passing the amendment now. We didn't even make a motion for the amendments. It's just something Dr. S's going to look at to see if it's allowable first and then the amendment could be made on by the full board. This amendment gives you flexibility. Equity gives you flexibility to do these differences. Equality and I'm sorry equality is comparable comparable

135and equity that gives you less wiggle room than equity. Equity is dependent upon the circumstances you're faced with something else. and to even consider just passing a policy with the intent that we're going to maybe amend it later at some point in time after we're going through the exercise having these meetings and this is as Mr. to the data set the platform to have these discussions and we basically have forum with the full board in presence to consider this and what and if more people would come all nine of us we'd have a forum and discussion and everybody would have wait and input rather than have a discussion at the full board but it has made their rights not to attend the meeting and to debate this at the full board but to say that

136we just got to blanket rubber stamp camp cage policy right now because we're under the gun with the state without having discussions to do exactly what 169 170 districts across the state are doing is a disservice to the district when we could do everything right the first time and have these discussions properly the first time whether it's voted up or voted down is a non-issue to whether it's included and discussed because if it's discussed was comparable and somebody brings on the legal challenge and the school didn't get comparable books and we did not follow our policy and give Park City magnet 10,000 books when we gave black 1000 books when our policy says equivalent and comparable we may not have a legal length to stand on but if it's equitable the argument could be equitably

137distributed the resources according to the ation of the schools and I would entertain a motion. It's going to be letter J. Motion to approve items. Motion to refer to the full board. Item J, compility of suit stu of students of services title one instructional staff and materials policy 6161.3 to the full board for approval. I will second that. I couldn't I'm sorry I was writing. Any further discussion, comments? No. Hearing none, I'll take a mo a vote. All in favor say I. I. I. I. To the full board. Thank you very much. Okay. And I believe this is uh that's when that's well done. session two. This is the last one. Uh letter K, uh survey of student and student and student privacy uh policy 6162.51. Thank you, Mr. Pendina. This is another mandated policy

138that we don't have. Um this policy gives some background information. Um there is certain language um that I recommend deleting and you'll probably see those in the track changes um and I'll actually be sending you um a revised um document with the track changes um to certain sections that were redundant that as you read through this you'll you'll be able to to see what I'm referencing. Um there also definitions as well as instructions regarding administering surveys. The survey discusses um not collecting student information for marketing purposes. It also talks about the rights parents have to opt out of surveys. Some additional language was removed based on the type of language and the fact that it will not be palpable um in a school setting. Um example the you know invasive physical examinations I don't see

139that being possible in a public street setting. Um the policy also gives sample protection of pupil rights amendment notice has been sent for parents to be able to out and then there's sample out letters in the back that were also able to questions same same issue as part issue that I'm looking at um under on the B. They got 615 B one two three [Music] three paragraph three and four parents guardian shall have the right to inspect upon the survey created third party no I'm sorry paragraph the survey is not funed in any part by the federal and parent guardians do not need to give written consent but must instead give prior notice for the survey with the opportunity to opt out of participation elicits any information concerning any of the eight protected areas. That

140brings back my concerns that the constructive of wanting constructive um permission to because obviously the federal government sees it option. We we we can't we can't work around the federal government and say let's just do an opt instead because the federal government sees an op and mandated and mandating that we use this for third parties but when we write it for the state level we can't create if it's not funed by the federal government. The simple distinction is it's funed by the state but everything else holds true if it's funed by the federal. So listen the possibility of just matching the language federal and state the federal and what we did matching our policy language to the federal requirements rather than trying to weaken the parental permission aspect for third party surveys that have those

141eight bullet points. Now the surveys that we usually give um are for example climate surveys climate surveys or um one or two question survey that we make response for um it's not too often or I mean how often do we give federal surveys that people are commissioning network schools where they do an all at once survey teachers students parents What other kind of questions they're asking have anything to do with political affiliation, mental or psychological problems, sexual behavior attitude, legal antisocial behavioral, right? More school. So I don't think at any point in time we'd be given surveys that talk about any of these factors, right? Absolutely. And as I say with policies all the time, we're not writing policies for the current administration. whenever the deposit is very current. We're creating a living breathing document

142that if we don't admit now people will have to abide by sometimes long after we've gone to see how some of our policies are that we're supposed to be abiding by. Now we could theoretically have an opt out and create these questions tomorrow if it's to remain the language to remain. We could ask tomorrow without just have a specific opt out rather than we could ask a question all we could ask all this question construct a survey tomorrow and the parents don't send us a letter they don't want questions about political reason blah blah blah of one of the eight they whatever the things are we can ask those questions tomorrow but basically without the parents um affirmative consent um but the last one says The survey is not funded in any part by the

143federal government. Parents or guardians did not give written consent must instead be given prior notice the survey would be to opt out the child participation in the surveys unless it's information concerning any of the a protected behavior. Right? It only refers to the eight protected. Those things are protected for a reason because a lot of people want to hold those beliefs closed and don't want anybody to remind us if we don't have to have written consent but if we do have any item there then we have to give the parent the opportunity prior to the survey to opt out if they want. That's what that said, right? That's only on nonfederally funded. But if any of those eight questions are asked on a federally funded survey, they must give constructively what those eight bullet points,

144but you could so like I could ask you um what what what would be your most uh rel uh political beliefs? Not sure. I'm just going to say it to trigger people. I say the board said there's a survey. Do you love Donald Trump? Everybody says somebody says yes. Our family voted for Trump. That's something maybe some people are ashamed of right now. But that's something that under a federal survey we would have to get the permission to ask the child. but under a study that's not funded by the federal government, say a state agency or just a random um survey the district does, we don't have to ask the permission to ask their political beliefs. They said the other eight. So like the first the first in that same section like the first paragraph

145says in the event the district plans to survey students to gather information included in the above list the district will obtain written consent from parent guardian fans administering the survey hold on maybe I maybe I first paragraph that will cover anything whether it is funded or not because that line that other line is is specifically to the funding. Would you go to the lang because this looks like a continuation of the language of the federal and I see in this um as a separate paragraph as a sep. So if you look um where it says um red list the a things right underneath number a so three paragraphs above paragraph you give a reference to twist your arm I apolog I can't be in the health privacy 6162. Yeah. After a fourth paragraph paragraph before

146the one you were discussing. See my turn. Okay. I apologize, but it does seem to be covered. Well, we accept a motion then if we make motion. Okay. I apologize for the waste of time. That's why we're here. Perfect. Never mind. All right. Yes, I'm sorry. I make a motion to move uh to the full board. Okay. Survey and student uh students/ student privacy policy 6162 FIFA one as presented. Waiting for writing to the first or second reading. I have a second. Thank you. Any further discussion or hands? I don't see any. Uh I'll take a vote. All in favor say I. I. I. That passes unanimously. Thank you very much. We got the calendar right there. want to take all. Okay. Um that believe that includes section uh two line item two with all

147the letters. Just for record I just want to state line the letter M safety policy and filtering children internet protection was double. It was a uh a double. So that one didn't have a policy number next to it. Just want to make sure everybody. Uh next item. uh I'll present it to everybody but if you guys want to move this to the next meeting that's fine but it is discussion and review of policy series 3000 business and non-construction operations specification section 3310 that was um something that was a referral by um by one of the now members of uh this committee. So I'm just going to pass this along needed copies of it everybody. Um and I believe uh the referral would probably be the person that would love to speak first. Thank you. Um,

148so the reason for this referral, um, I made it, I want to say a few months ago, but it came out of the different, um, when I first came on board, we had to make decisions about specific contracts. And as I've read those contracts, felt like the language around the contracts could have been a little bit um, more hardened by that. Um there's specifically um two areas that need to be specified or or just mentioned al together because in existing um contracts employment commitments we don't speak about the fact that the board needs to approve those contracts if they are over $25,000. So, I did want to make um a proposal, an amendment to have that contract or that language included in all contracts so that employees are aware, hey, you're this contract is contingent

149on board approval. So, that's part one. The second part of that component is that upon board approval of that contract that the chair has to sign off on it. solidifying and making that contract fully executed. So that's that's um component one just board approval and making sure that everyone is aware of the approval required by the board. And then the secondary item is um adding language around their employment is contingent on funding availability. And the reason why I thought of including that language has to do with the situation that we're currently in right now, which is um we have a a funding situation, a funding crisis right now. So, um it would protect the board from from commitments um with the employees if there is a funding crisis down the road as well. I see

150what Joe had his hand. Yeah, Joe. I I I I I see where we're going with this. We we discussed this a bit. So, I'm going to be very careful how I speak because a lot of the discussion in executive session and discuss publicly available information. We had a meeting where we came out of executive session and stated x number of contracts were invalid because they were not approved by the board. Uh some some of these contracts already out there. They've been released. um what all these contracts have in common, they have a space for the superintendent to sign. They have a space for the employee to sign. What they don't have mo many of them don't have is the I1 or two that does have the chairperson's signature on this monitor simply by adding

151that third signature language and adding the lang language that the chairperson it would have to be a different policy to add that to the chairperson's duties to sign all contracts and food items and this would protect us to say that as we No way to see and some of some of the challenges we have [Music] in having these contracts valid negotiating on our behalf with these contracts issues where the people came here to work thought these contracts were validated but by putting a signature for the chairperson the notation only valid upon sign. This will take something out of the arsenal that they possibly did not know that their job was not included by the report and and it's a simple fix rather than going to person another policy or firing. It will also ensure that

152no administrator in the future can repeat actions of the past and not bring contracts before the door for food about 20 over $25,000. and exceed any kind of caps and bring on a repeat of what happened over the last year and a half without the board being totally approving of the actions to either overspend or it brings a lot more protection to the board. Grace clarity clarity to the employee that their job is subject to board approval that they do not have a contract just because they signed still not valid until it has that third signature on it performance from the chairman and it would require another right it would be require another policy modification for the chairman to the chairman to have that as one of the duties as well for to be fully

153in the I from an HR perspective and from and I agree with you on contracts that are over $25,000 problem I have is this is very far reaching for the board because it says all it spells out all contracts or agreements between the school system labor unions you know shall be pricked that's the superintendent's perview if it doesn't go over $25,000 it's within his right as operating district. So I don't think we need that paragraph. Which paragraph? This is actually what you're looking at. Just want to make sure clear. This is actually policy at this moment. I understand. But what I'm saying is which paragraph? You said it three. How about you? One, two, three. You're saying that paragraph don't need to be there. You're saying so why not? That's that's the superintendent's purview. That's

154what the superintendent's job is. What is what is all contracts or agreements between the school system and the labor unions which is which is the you know first of all that's not even accurate the more I'm thinking about it because some of your labor unions are on the city side. So superintendent signature really means nothing on that. Well who's paying them? The city is or we are? The city's negotiating contracts. So they're the signatorries on anyus, right? The board is not signing, right? This is for everything. This is a border policy, not a city policy. So the city signs off on that. We we are obligated to pay nothing. Right. But it says all contracts. That That's my problem with the language. That was I want to make sure. I get that. I get if

155we'reing stuff that's my point. If we're revising stuff, let's make it actual lean. Well, we we don't have any control over what the city does. So, we can't revise it. We going revise it all. We could maybe all contracts and agree to $25,000 or more including labor consultant agreements. That's a different story under the board's perview. Is there language? Yeah. board approval and contracts put it and somewhere sticking that line about contracts to be signed. Did you have an issue with the chairperson having to sign off on it? No, no. Anything over $25,000 that I get that I understand that and insert that language. So So perhaps between um has an suggestion of where to insert it. I guess I would suggest inserting that after that line after the line you just raised. All contracts

156must be signed by the chairperson after board. After board enforce for more than $25,000, right? Yeah. Same thing I said. And then the other issue I had is let's write it down because I want to make sure we have written down. Would you like to read it? Uh Mr. I think what he what Mr. Chicago said was was fine. You know uh shelter the third you know I think the way he read it was fine. And then the we'll call it the first full paragraph. No contract or agreement maybe for a period greater than three years inclusive of money extension. Again, if the value of the contract itself doesn't have more than $25,000, I think this is also within the purview of superintendent. We don't have anything. My guess would my guess my suggestion would

157be The first full contract all contract agreement that last sentence no contract or agreement may be for a period greater than 3 years inclusive of any extension. You're saying that one actually and and all contracts should not be extending three years. No, actually actually there was a change in a change in state statute that allows up to five years on certain contracts. Now we just said four years and um we right last bus contract was five down. So we so it should so it should be amended. So my my suggestion and it's enforcement we want that that maybe we table this so we can get till next meeting I mean this isn't one of the mandated ones that so we got a date maybe so we kind of go through all the different aspects of

158this is the first time I was I know it's this discussion this is not this is this is not even moving to the full board so as it's ready I read it as it is this is just opening the discussion just for us nothing that we're on the [ __ ] through Dr. A. Thank you, Dr. A. Please do the chair. of um I I this is the this is the first time I've really looked at this as well and um I if I'm if I'm not mistaken, aren't we going to have a a training with Cave regarding uh looking at the bylaws and trying to kind of travel through the bylaws and making sure everything as a full board exercise? Isn't that something we're going to be doing in the next couple of weeks? We we

159already had the bylaw training. The bylaw training we already had. If I'm correct, that was one of our training that we already had. Yeah. I I think this may Yeah, this may be an area that we may want to bring back as a side note with with with the whole entire board. I think it's important to get to get get the teams to to to weigh in on specifics about this particular one. There are some things that as a as a city superintendent that I would like to share with the board of my past experience because when you're talking about contracts, if the if the superintendent understands and and has that relationship with the board, all those things are going to be transparent and brought to the board. That's the part that's part of the

160the uh the teamwork that we have doing this thing. It's not me against you, you against me, or any of that. It's full transparency about what is expected when when we know together, we we we set through those bylaws. There's a lot of things that we can work together. And yes, it is the it's it's the will of the board to make these policies work, right? you know, but it's also important for the superintendent, if it's me or as your new superintendent, to really look down and have a sit down conversation about bylaws that governs the work. Right? So I'm I'm I know this is a discussion today, but it's after this long day of going through all these policies, this is something that takes a little bit more thought and it should be between

161the superintendent and the board, you know, instead of the superintendent, I mean the board and my team because my team has no knowledge of how I would like to have that relationship. That's that's a building opportunity for us. So, I would prefer that we, you know, pause a little bit, you know, go back and and Mr. Medina, I can get with you and we can kind of um have an opportunity to kind of decide on which way you want to go with it and really make this this policy a really effective policy. Uh I don't think we're going to be able to do that in the next day or so. So, um that's going to be my recommendation is to kind of pause. I have a lot to say about it, but I'm not going

162to say it right here in this in this format. No, absolutely. I thank you for that. Um, but again, as a will as the will of the board, it just this is just again I want to emphasize that this is just a simple discussion opened. It was a um a referral that I delayed it by error and in the busyiness and I wanted to give respect to the referral that came to me and had discussion today. um and doesn't have to go as far as another 5 seconds, but I just want to make sure everybody understand it's not moving to the board because we want to have this open discussion and this is the place for it. Mr. Yeah, this is absolutely the place. Um and the full board is always welcome at every committee

163meeting if there's an item of the interest that they want to weigh in. See, Mr. Benahan is not a member of this committee. Mr. Woodson is not a member of this committee. We actually got a quorum of the board at this committee that could weigh in. uh if anybody else could have made it, they had big interest in any of these topics, they could weigh in. And as far as us having a cordial relationship, I agree 100%. We have a great relationship, but um 50 years from now, most of us are going to be alive. But this policy is both of these policies are going to be living through nothing with Dr. Saki and not not through Dr. Avery and not through with Dr. Coffee, but it's it's going to be with maybe a former

164superintendent X, a former chairperson X, which is something we want to preventing all force from ever ever happening from the two district again. And this is to protect us in the future and future generations and future people that come behind. And a place for policy discussion is at the committee. places not to have these discussions behind closed doors by getting crime done. You and your administration can meet together. But as far as guiding the policy outside, we're not having these open discussions where to be clear, we did have the board relations meeting and the policy and the bylaws. And it's clear every step of the way the board can create policy and approves policy. The superintendent implements that policy. So the superintendent gets to weigh in on that policy respectfully. The final decision is of

165the board to protect the educational interest in the state. And if the board feels that this policy protects the educational interest in the state after having your expertise and weight brought into it, that's the policy that has to be implemented. But we do know our rifles. To to to say we need to go back to training to understand those rules is a little bit um a little bit insulting because we we understand exactly what we are doing here on this committee and this is the place to have these discussions. Your concerns with this policy they should be raised publicly and not privately in another forum. This is what got us in trouble over the last year. the need to have conversations before letting the public know letting behind closed doors per se. So things I

166mean because this is a something that just needs to be done out and open. It could get it get sloppy maybe but at the end result we're all respecting having respectful conversations about the policy going back and forth um anybody being this really disrespectful. No, but definitely. So, you know, discussion by discussion. Discussions that have to do with voting. Uh definitely it's always going to be done with the public and with uh transparency, but discussions can be had on a one-on-one meeting. Discussions can be had a conversation and discussions are just that, discussions. They're not decision points. They're not bases of voting. They're not bases of final decision being made. Um so you know I'm welcome to sit down with the administration at any point in time and discuss any policies or anything that we

167would like to think but again that's what that's what it is is discussion is um having a debate or whatever and seeing where we can have a meeting in the mind that we can push forward policy to the board through committee through the voting of the members and implement that's how that that's the way it works um to the chair I'm gonna add I got to And you know, I will be um that's good and I will be um and I will be making another recommendation, but I'm going to leave with Dr. Avery respectfully to pass. Thank you, Dr. Avery, please. Yeah, thank you. And and Mr. Sakovic, I I I appreciate your comment there. I think you're right. I It's important to have these discussion in the meeting. I was not trying to insult

168anyone in uh any committee member about not having discussion open publicly but it's also is important as we work through bylaws and policies that legal has an opportunity to review policy as well to guide and protect not only the board but the but the uh the the the board of education the whole entire district too. So I think legal has to weigh in some of those as well. So that was really what I was trying to make make clear of that. Yeah, every single decision, yes, it needs to be publicly decided, but but I also want to to acknowledge what uh Mr. Medina said as well is that we can have discussions, you know, in and when there's time for a vote, that's when we come back to committees to have a deeper discussion and

169then referrals to the full board for that final vote. So again respectively I think it's important this is great conversation and this is what you know because we don't want to follow in uh what happened in in the past right we don't want to do that you know but I think there's such a better way to be able to work through and get things move forward collectively uh when we're all on the same page and that's all I'm trying to do is get us on the same page and and it's clear as well so thank you for that thank you Jimenez thank Thank you. Just a quick thought. Um I I this was really just a conversation starter and I think you know this was just a a thought um that would help mitigate the

170issues that we're seeing. Ideally, I would love if we didn't have to settle on any contracts because in my perspective, anytime we settle on a specific contract, it's money taken away from our kids. and I would love to have that money just for our kids and not for any settling issues. So, that's the thought process behind it. Um, now that you guys have kind of heard where this derived from, I'm curious to see if you guys have other ideas that can help resolve that issue maybe better. Um, and I'm certainly happy to continue conversations. Mr. Bellah and then Miss um does she thought she passed you know? Yes. I checked with her and looked at it was trading her on you know because your mom is very important. She's trying to look out for you

171and I said no she passed and he asked me if I was sure and I said absolutely I looked at her hide and I believe me she passed she whether she said something or love to hear me it's very I love to hear her voice too but go ahead in interest of time don't rush me. Um I'm very glad this is happening you know you bring this and stuff like that you know about policy and like you everybody said you know this is something to bring it and everything you know and what I say and I'm very glad to say for the record because it's good to have communication and know working be on the same team every set you know as me experience and and Mr. suck, you know, before it was not communication,

172you know, and we all be years after year working with that, you know, and now you new one, stuff like that. And this is good. You bring it so we can know something concrete, something straight, something serious, they can stay there and when we come after us, you know, beat us in 20 years in the board. So when we come, they can understand this is a real policy, you know, this is something that we're not going to have ethical problems, you know, and we can keep forward. But I'm very proud that one of the thing is like we got good communication and nobody respect each other you know that's what I want to say for the record. Thank you Mr. Chair. Thank you. So just to I if anybody has actually point you could make

173it now then I'm going to say my last point for consideration for everybody consider for our next conversation and one of the things that I came up through research and friends and and communicating it one of the issues that we had last year through the same uh policy and and things to making sure that we are you know truly uh accountable to one another as a board all board members and transparent with each other as board members. Um I'm looking forward you guys can research it, do what you will with their information, especially those doctors that are in the room and online is that I would, you know, be looking to have discussion and to move forward a policy that would make every board member an ad hoc member to every committee. making it clear

174that if they go into uh executive session that those ad hoc members that are not part of that committee would be a non voting member of course there is no voting anyways in executive session but I just want to add that uh for the record they would not be a voting or speaking member but then they can be in executive and now they're considered an ad member add member to every committee that way true accountability with each other. We can hold each other accountable and also true transparency which every board member can be there to listen just like in this forum here. So, you know, you guys can research it, look it up, see how it will work. You know, that's something that I want to bring because I want to like when my daughter

175becomes a board member 50 years down the line that I'll be watching and alive watching her become a board member. you know, I will protect that this thing will be moving forward that, you know, there's true accountability within the board member because that was an issue that really was very transparent last year that was very chaotic and hard to uh to gain awareness in some situations because of that not having accountability with within the committee. So, just putting it out there for discussion at a further time and you guys can research and see how it works. I hear other districts have it and other city councils even have it and things like that. So just uh the point of information for everybody. Yes. Yeah. Real quick. Um the word that was bothering me probably looking

176for exop. We'll look it up. Except we'll look it up. If that's the one that we need to do, then we'll look it up. Send it to me. That will not that I'm a bre because No, that you don't have to. just go ahead. Just the the last piece. Um we've already gotten through the first read of this policy. That was policy 5144. Series of exclusion and time out. It went for the first read. It went to the full board. Um reviewed it again, but that has never made it back to the full board. So they didn't have it. They No, I didn't have it by email. send it to me. I would put it in immediately for that we can knock that out of the park. It's already that this wasn't already been bu

177by committee and approved by committee and push for more just never made it. Is that saying it come back? It was it wasn't it was passed by. I'm sorry. Sorry. The committee sent it to the full board for the forestry. When the committee came back to look at the stuff from the committee, it never went back to the full board for the second. All right. Well, well, we can't construct anything, but Dr. Avery is online. Dr. Avery has a chance to consult with the board chair and put an item on the agenda in that manner as well. What's that number again that can highlight? 4.2. Well, what? Well, it's not the best practice. That's a huge I have it here. Yep. But I want to see where it is again. Okay. Yep. Got to go

178to this school board with um for back to Got it. No. Thank you. All right. Well, I would entertain a motion to return that said close to all in favor. It was second. All in favor? I thank you very much. Have a good evening, guys. Thank you very much. Thank you. Yes.