001will be joining us the next meeting. Um she was also elected by the town. Um with this we will be saying goodbye to Fernandez who has been um along with Greenstein on the board for eight years. Um the rest of us having been here to you guys are the veterans of the squad. Um and so uh we have a couple of folks who wanted to say a few things. um people who have been working with you for a while. And uh with that, I'm going to call Bob Beldin up to the podium. For people who don't know, Bob was a former chair of the board. You served um with Joy and Rosa for six years. Is that correct, Bob? >> Uh we served together six years. That's correct. >> Okay. Thanks very much. >> Right.
002I'm going to do I'm going to do this because it's for the record. That's Bob Belden 7 Red Barn Lane. Okay. >> Brookfield res. >> Shall I turn the timer now? You've turned the timer on me many a time. I'm going to turn it on you >> and I this is not going to even get to the three. Okay. So, >> um and please forgive me. I've got I wrote notes for myself, Rosa. So, uh I'm uh going to do this. So, I'm standing here tonight to thank Rosa Fernandez uh for her service to the town, to the students, to the families, and to the staff of the Brookfield School System. I'd like to make a couple of observations. Dedicating yourself to the bettering of schools and students is huge. It takes a lot of
003effort to be on the board of education. All you guys know that um uh what with the board meetings, the subcommittee meetings, the interview teams, the negotiations uh and budgets. Um one doesn't enter it lightly. uh often trying to balance family and jobs uh with what goes on uh for your board commitment. It's hard. Um my observation though is that once you're in the middle of serving, the weight of the time commitment can feel a little bit lighter because you're doing things for the kids. Being a successful board of education member also requires heart. Uh not every decision is easy. Not every decision is black and white. Uh while 90% of the votes the BOE takes are unanimous, the other 10% can be pretty stressful at times. Um but the heart to always always make
004decisions that are in the best interests of all the children in our district, in the best interests of our staff, and in the best interests of the family and the community. That requires a steadfast heart in doing the right thing. and being the chairperson of the board, which you were, is huger. Um, trying to figure out how to say that. The weight of keeping a board working effectively, taking the time to talk through challenges with the superintendent and keeping the board focused on issues that it needs to, all that takes more and more focus and strength. Rosa, you were all of these in your eight years on the board and more. Um, I am proud to have served with you. You were part of the team that brought CLA to our town. That's a legacy.
005You managed the complexities of COVID. Wow. Um, and you led us through any number of wildly complex budget issues over the years. Um, you've been strong, you've been focused, you've shown huge commitment, but most of all, you have heart. So, thank you. Um, welcome to the club of ex BOE members and to the club of prior BOE chairs. Um, and never we never let go of our commitment to making Brookfield Schools great. Thank you for what you've done. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Thanks a lot, Bob. Um [clears throat] and now um uh did you have something to say? You and Erin put together a statement. >> Just a quick little thank you so much for your time that you've served with us on the uh facility subcommittee. You really showed us the ropes
006and >> finance, excuse me, finance subcommittee. >> That too. >> And that too. Well, you show me the ropes in a lot of areas, not just that. Um you have helped me with facilities as well. And I really appreciate we both appreciate the time that you spent to uh really show us ropes and teach us facilities finance because it's not uh it's not easy and uh it's we're still we're still learning. So, we really appreciate the time that you took to uh made it very easy for us to transition in. So, thank you. >> I appreciate the time. >> Thank you. >> Did you want to say anything? >> Similar. I just wanted to thank you for being a sounding board and such a great leader and uh you know being there when we needed
007some uh help on how to move through situations because of our inexperience. Um it's been great working with you. enjoy your retirement. >> Right. >> I do feel like I'm like retiring. [laughter] >> Yep. Did you guys want to add anything later? >> Okay. Um well, I'll just say I I to echo what Stephanie said. Um and actually Rob and um Aaron, uh thank you for your mentorship about how to do this. The um finance presentations required many many many many hours. So um I learned a lot. Thank you very much. um whoever the next finance chair is has their work cut out for them. Big big shoes. >> So, thank you and enjoy your retirement. Um thank you. >> This is a gift >> from the board to you. >> Thank you. >> And
008um by extension the town, >> um Lisa, thank thank you for organizing that. >> Thank you, Lisa. >> All right. So, um with that, we're going to uh move on to the next item of our agenda, which is the student spotlight from Wiskanir Middle School. Um, Dean Miranda, please come to the podium and tell us what you got. Just want to set this up for them. Oh, >> all right. Hi, I'm Dean Render, principal at Whiskaner Middle School. And as you know every time I say this, but this is the best these are the best nights when we're able to spotlight um the students, the awesome students and staff that we have at Whiskanir Middle School. Um Logan Cinder talked a couple weeks ago with the Brookfield Education Foundation. And this is one of the
009grants uh we're going to talk about as our live announcements um that Logan had spoken about. And I don't want to take any further time. I'm going to introduce this. We have Miss Marshall who's one of our adviserss along with Miss Whiting and two of our awesome eighth graders. We have Sasha and Amaya. They're going to talk to you now. >> Thank you for the opportunity um to show you our live morning announcements. Uh we call it WMS live. Uh we wanted to um have a live broadcast that the students could be engaged in where it would be visual um opposed to just having the announcements over the intercom. Uh we wanted to have it studentled and student centered. So, um I went to the um BEF last year and got a grant uh to
010buy equipment and um we started and it was a big learning curve, a lot of technology and we went live in May 2025. We put the call out to um eighth graders and seventh graders and we got um eight seventh graders. It was the end of the year for the eighth graders. So, um we had these seventh graders step up and they've done a phenomenal job. Uh we um presently have over 12 um eighth graders and we rotate through jobs and they are on two weeks at a time. Um but it's not just the anchors, it's um the people behind the scenes which you'll see in a moment. And in the new year, um, we will, um, put the word out to seventh graders and we'll have our eighth graders train the seventh graders so
011that we can keep going because we actually started this year on the very first day of school because we had the experience from they had the experience from last year. Um, the students are now working on new segments. We've got, um, you know, the basics under our belt. So now we're trying to, you know, make it more exciting and have different segments. maybe even use two cameras and have, you know, roving uh reporters if we can get the sound to work. And uh the most recent thing that they've been working on is interviewing our new staff and then they'll put those clips up on the broadcast. And we have um we haven't used all our money because we've been trying to figure out our space and um you'll see in what you see today, they'll
012be holding papers. Um but the idea is to have a monitor so that they can you know really understand um you know to watch the broadcast. So we have um Sasha who's going to tell you what's a typical broadcast. >> Okay. So we usually start with like the intro which is just hellos, good mornings and then we go on to the pledge and the moment of science of course and then after that we have uh what day it is so an A day or bday and uh the core rotation for the day and then we move on to the lunch for the day and then our announcements. So, our announcements are things such as after schools, clubs, and teachers and staff uh put in these announcements. And then, personally, one of my favorite parts is
013happy birthdays. Um so, uh students who have birthdays on that day, we uh announce and celebrate them. And then we finish off with the uh mission statement. >> And then Amaya is going to tell you um about some of the jobs. Um the jobs we have in W live are the director who count us off and get us ready to start the live. Um the anchors who are the ones telling all the announcements. The green screen people who show all the screens for the happy birthdays and the lunch. And >> oh yeah and the and the directors. She's one of our directors. Timing is of the essence because we um the students get off the bus at 8:05. We go live at 8:11 with a screen. So, they have to do their sound check and
014their um positioning before then. And then at 8:15 and 30 seconds, we go live because we have to get to class by 8:22. So, now we're going to show you um a behind the scenes and just a snippet of one of our um announcements. And this was uh the day that um you will see is our um walk-athon day. So um the students are wearing fun things. So I'm thinking I just >> Here's a sneak peek at our production staff hard at work behind the scenes. >> Good morning school. I'm Amaya and I'm coming to you live from the W studio with your morning announcements. And here is what the school sees. >> All grades will follow the walk and schedule. Lunch is big. Picture retake day is October 28th. The Harlem Wizards will be
015playing at Brookfield High School on Sunday, October 26th from 3 to 5 p.m. Tickets are now on sale. Ticket information is posted on Paris. There are also posters in our hallways. Some familiar staff will be playing. Mr. Patrino, Miss Bell, Miss Capone, and Miss Ginsburg. Come cheer on your teachers. A WS sports update. Yesterday, the girls hockey team won their game against New Milford. In the first quarter, Natalie assisted Reagan's goal and then again in the first quarter, Ellie scored a goal during a corner with an assist from Lillian. In the second quarter, Lillian scored a goal with an assist from Ellie. Overall, the girls played a great game, but a shout out to Emily who played amazing and to all the defense that worked really hard. [music] >> So, that's just a part of
016it. So, you can see they're doing a great job. Thank you. [applause] >> Did you have any questions for them? >> I forgot about that part. [laughter] That's >> um I have a question. >> I have a question. Um when do you start training uh the younger kids? Is it like on a rolling basis or do you you know put out the call in say March and you know like how does that work? How much overlap is there between the people who have experience and the people who um are just getting experience? >> So uh we have uh we meet every Monday after school. So like when we when new people come in say in March and we go through all jobs and through all the steps with them uh until they really like learn
017it and get the hang of it and we usually start like right away. Um it's pretty pretty easy to catch on. Uh we've had a lot of new eighth graders recently so it's pretty much the same thing. >> Yeah. Am I on anything? >> Yeah. So since it's an afterchool activity they they're part of that activity. So, if it's a club and then what we'll do is they'll just sign up um for we do a two-eek segment so that it it rolls um pretty quickly every morning because you can see how tight the schedule is in the morning. >> Do students or your friends ever give you any feedback? >> Um okay. Uh >> go ahead. So um say we have trouble with sound or um the mics whatever it is they will give us
018feedback and we always do try to take it and fix it. Um but overall I think uh most students have seemed to like it. I think it's easier to kind of remember uh and follow along with the announcements when you get to see them rather than hearing them on the loudspeaker. >> Great. >> I have a question. Do you guys think you and the your fellow students came into working on the morning announcements with confidence or do you think this experience has helped build confidence in front of the camera and in front of other people? >> I think it built confidence because like it as at the start people were like more nervous because they didn't know like what was going on and I feel like as time goes on like it's getting more easier.
019>> Yeah, I think the same thing. I think it definitely built both uh my public speaking experience and my confidence. >> I think we can relate to that. [laughter] >> Thanks, guys. >> Thank you so much. [applause] >> And I just have to another quick shout out that you brought that up. I appreciate that because getting kids to get up and speak in front of class sometimes is scary. They always joke around like, "How about you, Mr. like I I just talk in front of anybody, but for them to get up in front of a screen and knowing that all the school, not just their class or class, the whole entire school is watching is really amazing. And I think some of the students that started not thinking they were going to be on the
020the anchors moved into those positions and see how really cool it is. So, I just want to make sure a shout out to those guys. >> Thanks very much. >> That always makes our makes our meeting, doesn't it? >> Yeah. All right, we're going to move uh now to um public comment. So, first up we have Mr. Mores. You've signed up to speak about um written correspondence and public comment. >> Mr. Morris, hold on. I forgot to to say just as a reminder to the public, um when you come up to the podium, please identify yourself as um a Brookfield resident. Um you are not required to give your street address. Um, please keep your comments to the agenda item um that you recorded and uh each speaker will have three minutes. Thanks. >> Mark
021Morash, Brookfield resident. Um, kind of just a number of little comments speaking about the public comment section. I noticed while I was looking at the agenda and documents that the facilities committee and CABE are kind enough to actually put in their minutes a little bit of a blurb about what the person said during the public comment. I asked the policy committee tonight to do the same. I'm going to ask the board to do the same. I know I like to know what my neighbors are thinking and what they're communicating and I think other folks would as well. In that same regard with written correspondence, I have started foying all of the written correspondence. I am going to get it. I am going to put it online and I'm going to say that the board of
022education could very simply do what the board of selectmen do which is in the minutes put a link to each of the emails that come from the people in this town. I'd like to know what my neighbors are thinking. I think you'd probably get more feedback from parents and citizens if they didn't think their emails went into the abyss and all that turned out was their name. I know this for a fact because I had multiple people mention it to me when I was knocking doors. If I have to foyer, I will foyer. But I'm asking you to be forthcoming. It's like in the policy meeting. How can we publicly comment on something when the policy that's on the agenda isn't available to the public at all. I couldn't comment on what was going on
023in policy today because it wasn't made available. I'm told I have to foyer it or maybe not. We don't know. Maybe it'll show up before the next meeting. Maybe I'll see it 24 hours before. You're not offering people the opportunity to read and digest and study and learn and bring forth intelligent commentary to the board. Maybe that's on purpose. Maybe it's on purpose that if I'm not talking about something that's on the agenda, I have to wait till nearly 900 PM to speak about it. I've had a number of children come up to me, students in the schools, say, I'd really like to talk to the board about X. And I'd love to say to them, come to a meeting, but then I have to tell them, you're going to have to wait until 9:00
024till pretty much the end of the meeting because your topic isn't on the agenda. I think we'd love to have more kids here. I think we should have more kids here, but I think making them wait until the end of the meeting when they should probably be home studying, possibly getting to bed early so they can get up early, probably isn't the way to organize allowing people to speak publicly. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, I hope that I pronounced this correctly. Is it Demar or Demar? Dear >> Dear, Mrs. Dear to talk about security. Just move this so I can read my paper here. Hi, I'm Ellen Demar, Brookfield resident. Um, and I wanted to speak tonight about the incident that occurred at the high school on November 13th. Um, it was a security
025breach where an unauthorized person was able to enter the school building. Um the account that the school provided to us was very limited. Um and it appears to be extremely different from what eyewitness accounts um have described from students who actually were there. Um and I would really like an explanation as to why parents are not being given complete and accurate information about the incident that occurred, especially when it was such a serious safety violation. Um it concerns me really a great deal about my daughter's safety. Um it was sort of brushed off as oh it was just a former student that entered the building to come visit a teacher. Um but let's not forget Adam Lanzo was a former student at Sandy Hook and that didn't work out so well. So um telling us
026that it was a former student really means nothing. That person could be very dangerous and they shouldn't have been in the building without authorization. Um, I'd also like to understand why when the person was discovered um as an unauthorized visitor, why there was not a lockdown or a hold in place. We've been given a lot of information recently about new procedures for that and it was the perfect opportunity to put that in place. Um, it's really unconscionable to me that there was no lockdown or hold in place. I mean, this person could have been dangerous and we're just letting everybody continue in the hallways and wander around the school. Um, that seems really dangerous to me and very upsetting. Um, and lastly, since the incident occurred, there's been literally no follow-up. It's been almost a
027week. Um, and I would really like to know what's being done to increase the safety at the school and prevent this from happening in the future. Um, are we going to start IDing people when they walk in? Are we adding additional security at the doors? How did this person get in the building and with the security that we have, who wasn't paying attention and how do we stop this from happening again? Because if that person did it, anyone could just walk in the building and that's terrifying to me. Um, so I'm just curious when we're going to get an update and what's being done to ensure our children's safety. >> Thank you very much, MARA. Um we have a couple other folks who um have signed up to comment on security and then um to
028the degree that we can we we may be able to share some information I think that might be your call about how much we can speak to it. Okay. So um Mrs. Crawford. >> Hi my name is Dr. Anne Crawford. Um, I am a Brookfield resident and also a student, a parent of a high school student here as well. Echoing uh what Ellen has just said, um, I'm looking for additional information as well. I find it very very uh disconcerning that I'm finding out most of my information from my son and his friends and not from the school itself. Um, we really need to be kept informed. We need to know what's going on to prevent this from happening again. This is not something to be taken lightly. I don't care if it was a
029former student, if it was a former teacher. I don't care who it was. They weren't supposed to be here. So, why were they here? And what's being done about it? >> Thank you, Mrs. Crawford. Um, and Mrs. cookies. Sorry. Okay. Okay. Deborah Casease, um, Brookfield's resident. Um, September 16th, I was dropping my daughter off at school at the middle school, and I too witnessed something that I felt was a potential security breach. I had written in um to the board, I don't know if you ever received it, I never heard word back, as well as the principal and a few other key players. Um, when I had written in, I asked for, um, it had to do about a vendor that was had entered our school. Um, it was about a car that was parked
030and where it was parked. It was right at the entrance. And I said, "That's odd that it's in the back. You know, that's drop off time. It's a very vulnerable time um to have somebody back there." Um, and I somebody one of the school members had written back that it was a vendor that was working on something in the gym and that um and that uh they were supposed to be done I guess or whatever and they were still there. But nonetheless, I went on to I went down a little bit of a rabbit hole because I was wondering why are we allowing people to come in the back come into the school before they actually can sign in. And I'm actually getting two different stories. People are saying that no one signed in and
031then I'm hearing that somebody's did sign in. Um, nonetheless, you have to come to the front of the school to sign in. So, I also found out that um there's a swipe, I guess, machine for the um their ID um which only checks if they're a registered sex offender. So, for vendors that come into our school, there is no background check that we do on that. So, while there are vendors working in our school with our children present, there's no background check provided ahead of time. We do more for phones and inmates in prisons checking backgrounds than we do for our children in school. I know if I want to go read a book or be the mom in the classroom, I have to fill out a whole background check as a taxpayer NA parent
032and a loving community member, but yet as complete stranger that comes into our school, they don't have to fill out anything. That's very concerning to me. Anyway, I went down a little bit of a rabbit hole because I didn't get the um answers that I wanted in regard to our school safety plan and our um you know, the process of which we went with um signing people up, you know, to for background checks. Nonetheless, um we have from July to um November 1st to provide a safety plan to the state for our school. Um, I'm very concerned about the quality of this safety plan because when I asked for it in September, we had none. We had not submitted a safety plan. I found out I ended up going all the way up the ladder
033and I ended up calling Homeland Security and our safety plan was submitted November 4th. Most schools all over have their safety plan submitted before the start of the school year. Why we don't have a safety plan? why we were three days late and getting a safety plan submitted is beyond me. I also looked through the uh the coordinator's meeting, the security task force meeting and the board said, "My please wrap up." >> Yep. And I had not found any executive board meetings or special meetings in regard to going over uh school a school um uh the school um task, you know, the uh safety security plan. There is this is an allhazard safety plan that is required by the state each year. Each year all these signatures are required. Okay. I would like to know
034how the board of ed chair has signed off on a safety plan right that we have to submit each year when nothing was brought before the board. That concerns me. >> This was submitted to the state on November 4th. So, that one doesn't require a board vote. And >> well, that's what I was told by Homeland Security. >> Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Case. >> You're welcome. Also, one more thing. Um, I went to the security task force meeting on um just for recordeping on the 24th, September 24th when all this had occurred. Um, I went to the security task force meeting and um, not everything was put in the notes that I felt was very important to put in the notes like our Alice training. All of our principles at our school, especially Mr. Banda,
035he said that it cannot come soon enough. So far, none of our schools have had any crisis training, a standardized crisis training. That's concerning. In the notes, it says that um, what submitted was the minutes. >> You need to wrap it up. >> Okay. I'm requesting that the board um file a motion to resend the minutes on the September 24th um on the se on the October 8th meeting because the meeting minutes were not correct. >> Thank you, Mrs. Presented. Was that Mrs. Was that the Kathy? Can you cut the mic? Police chief requested to come before the board to hire additional security. >> Okay, we we're going to move on. Thank you. Um there were a couple of things. Stephanie, did you want to say something or you're do you take the did you
036want to take up the anything about the security task force in the minutes or no? >> Okay. Um, so these are really powerful statements about um security and um and I think that the board it >> um I'm not sure either the documents that were just handed out Right. Uh no. Um so it's important that the community understand that um security is extremely important to this board of education and uh to the administration. Um in fact, it's a top the top priority for our interim superintendent. We were just speaking about this uh yesterday and the day before. Um, so, uh, do you feel in a position to speak to this? >> So, we don't respond to public comment, but I did happen to include, um, some brief comments on this in my superintendent report, but
037in general, we we redirect public comment to the appropriate administration for followup. >> Right. Okay. Great. Thank you. Well, so um uh that concludes public comment for um for this meeting and let's move now then to written correspondence. Um just before you get started, Stephanie, a a flurry of correspondents has come in um to the board in the past 24 hours. Um maybe maybe 20 or so. >> Yes. Um, I just wanted you guys to know that I had responded to each of those up until like 5:00 pm. So, there may be one or two that I didn't I didn't copy you all because they were all the same. >> No, I saw quite a >> So, I was going to So, 19 responses have come in. I read through and categorized them all and
038I was going to revisit them during the calendar discussion. So, I was just going to read the names at this point. Anything that came in after 6 PM, I was at policy meeting so they're not included. So, apologies to anyone that um emailed after 6 p.m. that was a result. So we put it in the three main points and then we had put a thing out on Facebook and parent square I don't know like two weeks ago and then a you can't hear me that's unusual [laughter] okay then we put it on parent square and then a reminder was sent out today and that was where everybody saw it so which I was happy that we because originally we I think we had had like three responses and I knew there were people had talked
039to me personally and so I was like please send an email I will go through them all today. So, uh, 19 of the names I'm about to read are from before 6 PM today for the calendar. Uh, so the following people have written to the board since October 22nd. Irene Korea, four emails. Andy Korea, two emails. Shannon Riley, two emails. Michael Enz, Eileen Elena Lopez. Elizabeth Santos, Deborah Casease, Mary Borges, Katherine Hansen, Amy McGoldrich, Juan Aloker, Michelle Buru, Burula. I'm so sorry you guys if I'm pronouncing your names wrong. But uh Erica Dalo, Adam Walawick, Melissa Haynes, Casey Matai, Jackie Salito, Pascali, Twalk Tal, Flavia Alves, Jenna Chatino, Crystal McCale, Alexa Brown, Lindseay Gail, Michelle French, and Jillian Verestro. There you go. >> Awesome. Okay. So, um now let's um move on to the approval
040of board minutes. >> I move that the board approve the minutes listed below as recommended. Regular meeting October 22nd, 2025. Special meeting November 5th, 2025. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion of this? >> Okay. All in favor uh please say I. >> I. >> All right. Any opposed? All right. So, that passes unanimously. Um, now let's have the superintendent's update. Mrs. Tenza, I need my glasses. Good evening. Thank you. So, I always start with enrollment. I always track that number. So, as of November uh 1st, we are at 2,545 learners. Um, I' I'd like to just briefly mention that part of our educational process is that administrators and teachers follow the Connecticut plan of establishing goals for the year and the goal setting process is complete. Um, it does take a great bit of
041time on everybody's part and I I share it because the time is important and I want to point out that our teachers and administrators are working very hard for the district. the goal alignment to student growth is a critical part of our work and I appreciate the fact that our staff um and administrators took growth and learning in mind seriously this year and aligned their goals accordingly to try to get to know each learner and help them move forward from where they are. So I wanted to recognize that behind thescenes work. Um, I also want to point out that some of those comments, those written comments that have come in, we do read them. And so several of them focused around eighth grade coursework credit. Um, you know, and I know that's been a topic
042that has been of recent interest to many people. And so what I'd like to say is that, you know, again, many families have expressed interest in having eth grade learners awarded high school credit for courses in world language and algebra 1 in grade 8. I understand that request. um as a as a parent of much older children and administration is meeting very soon next week to explore how to make this possible. So we will review the district policy which is in place and and I believe it permits this to happen. We will examine the curriculum to make sure it is aligned in the assessments. We will examine andor establish if needed entrance criteria and criteria required for actually earning the credit. So the administration will work with Deb, our assistant superintendent, and we will communicate
043our determinations and next steps. I do look forward to a positive outcome on that. I also just want to point out some of the considerations because it's not an immediate decision. So, you know, we have to include the fact that we have to consider that not all learners are ready for algebra 1 in 8th grade. And so placing learners inappropriately results in a a wide variety of negative experiences. And so we have to carefully consider our selection and identification process um because what is most important to us is the whole child first and there are plenty of opportunities to explore rigorous math coursework throughout a child's career here in Brookfield. We have a lot of great courses offered. So, it's also important that the curriculum is well aligned with high school algebra 1 and that
044they use the same level of rigor and assessments to ensure that the students are prepared and have mastered critical content required for future coursework. Also, students in grade 8 would be required to take and pass a mid-year and end of year exam to achieve whatever the pre-identified class average would need to be earned in order to receive the credit. So, there are pieces to this that we need to have in place. Um, but I I heard that we agreed to definitely look at it and we seem to have all the pieces in place to make it happen. Whether it can happen this year or not, stay tuned. We want to do what's best for the learners. So, um, also just a few more things. The budget process is underway. All of the departments shared their
045comprehensive list of wants and needs and, um, then we sent them off to prioritize. They have returned with some prioritization. Casey and I meet daily if not multiple times a day um and review data and we are trying to inform inform the board of everything that was kind of asked for broadly and then narrow it down to what we feel are the best items to try to move the district forward. You know, I think it's important that our community realize and and celebrate the fact that this board recognizes their responsibility um to balance the fiscal abilities within the town and community to pay as well as their responsibility to support education and the board takes this role very seriously. Um and that is deeply appreciated. Also, just another heads up, we were touching on this
046in policy, so I'm not going to go too deep into it, but at the administrative level, we continue our discussion of onetoone device steps. Um, and we will continue to apprise the board and the community of our progress in that respect. Really, what we are looking for is devices onetoone for students that are issued from the district for use in the learning environment. So, we're very busy aligning um resources including you know we might need a few more Chromebooks in the budget although not that many policies and processes in order to make this successful. A lot of steps need to be in place a lot of communication so there is more to come in that so I also wanted to celebrate the elections. So board members are volunteers. Um I was I am married to
047one who was a board chair and a board member for many years. And there is no pay for this job. Um and in fact the pay you get is often the collaboration that you have with each other. Um the the feeling that you have when you are participating in true community service. Um, but it's also important for you to realize that your involvement signals to our students that you, God bless you, that you value their education. Like that is a gift that you are giving to our our children and the families in our community. You are saying I value your children's education enough to be here and that is truly a gift that I like the administration and I really appreciate. Rosa, you will be missed. Um, you know, you bring to this board in
048my short time here, grace and conviction, and those are things that we all can aspire to to model. Congratulations and gratitude are extended to our newly elected board member, Caroline Kels. I had to like meet her before I could introduce her. And congratulations and gratitude are extended to our returning board members, um, Joy and Aaron. So, we do appreciate that you continue to keep your name in the bucket for consideration. Um, your dedication and commitment to our schools and community is truly appreciated. So, so also, uh, you know, I have some additional thoughts on the calendar if needed. Um, I'll share those later, but it's just a repetition. So, I I you know, I I want to end on a serious note. There is nothing that we take more serious than safety. We all feel
049horrible that anything could happen and we did have a breach. And so really to our communication, what it's important to the community to know is that we can only share so much, right? We are counseledled by legal. We've we met with the police chief. We met with the first selectman. Like we we've met, we've talked, we've debriefed, we've carefully vetted communications. There's only so much that we can say. um you know, law enforcement is involved, was involved immediately. And you know, so our key information that we will always share is confirmation of the incident, right? Something occurred, whatever it was that something unauthorized, you know, somebody entered the building or whatever the incident is, we will confirm it and we will confirm that the situation is resolved. So that confirmation will always come. The actions
050that were taken will be briefly mentioned. um if law enforcement is involved, they will often be mentioned, but that's often all we can say about that. Also, we will tell you resolution, right? This is how it was resolved. The person was removed. The building was secure. Um you know, law enforcement might be handling anything else. We have not followed up with our followup yet. It will come. um and to reassure your safety. Often it's also a good time to remind everybody of our visitor policy um that that everybody has to go through a certain door and be screened. So there are pieces. It's a common structure that we use. Um I know that you're never going to hear everything you want to hear and I know that you're going to hear information from children that
051were there that we can't tell you. And I also can tell you with conviction that some of the information you're hearing is not correct. But I can't split hairs and tell you what is or is not correct. Um, I can assure you that, you know, the the small number of people that really needed more information they felt called the principal directly and he either met with them in person or talked to them on the phone because that personal contact is important and it's it's significant. So there's not much more I can say on that other than if there are people and I know there are that are still concerned. I encourage you to start with the the principal and meet with him or call him. >> That's all for now. >> Thank you very much.
052>> Okay. So um moving to the um superintendent search update. >> Yes. So, uh, based on feedback that we received from school leadership last week, um, we have some potential applicants that have not applied yet and that have just asked for more time. And so at the recommendation of our consultants, we've decided to shift the dates a little bit to give people through the holiday, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, um to get their applications in, speak with family, um you know, consider uh commutes and moving things like that. So knowing this is a busy time of year for everyone, it's also a busy time for anyone uh wanting to apply to the district and we want to ensure that everyone that would like to be in our district uh is given the opportunity. So the new
053application deadline will be Thursday, December 4th. Applications will be given to the search committee on Friday, December 5th by the um our consultants and then committee members will review the applications and school leadership's recommendations over that weekend and create uh the list of questions that the committee um might have regarding applicants and recommendations. Then the search committee will meet with uh Reena and Roy, our consultants, virtually to go over who the committee wants to start interviews with on Monday, December 8th. Um and we will talk about time and date um when we go in we have our next search committee meeting. So the ETH, but nobody gave me feedback that the ETH wouldn't work and so we just need to decide like what time we want to start. it's going to be virtually and we
054can do that for in the search committee meeting that we're going to have after this meeting. Um so then inperson interviews will likely be pushed to the beginning of January due to the holidays. However, I do have um we I given some dates and Reena and where I do have some availability. they have actually started the screening interviews and so there may potentially be a few candidates uh ready to go um in the next couple of weeks or after it would be after the 8th. So that week after the 8th if we can but again we'll talk as the search committee will talk uh and decide if if there's any dates that we can give to Reena and Rory that week and if not that's okay. She said that pushing them to January is not
055a big deal. Um given that the holiday at that time was, you know, kind of a it's going to delay things either way, right? So, even if we can get interviews in, we're not necessarily going to um we wouldn't be able to get all the interviews in. Um she did suggest that we do two or three at a time. Um we don't know how many they'll have for us, but we'll learn more when we meet with her on the ETH. And that's the update. >> Thanks very much. >> Quick quick question. Do we have to do anything logistically to do our new search committee? >> Uh yes. So we will have when after Caroline is sworn in and um Rosa moves on, we will give Caroline, we don't have to like swear or anything. We'll
056just give her the um >> the confidentiality agreement that we all signed. We'll put one of those on record for Caroline and then >> do the way that the meetings will work. She will be able that was part of the other reason is she'll be able to join that meeting on the she'll get all the information on the 4th >> and then she'll join the meeting on the 8th. So >> okay >> Caroline you should be writing all this down. [laughter] >> I think I sent it all to you but >> yeah so that's all that has to happen. >> Awesome. Okay then are we ready to move to subcommittee reports? >> I am. >> Okay so let's um start off with uh security task force. >> Can we not be? >> Okay then let's
057move it to facilities please. Sounds good. Good evening everyone. Um I have to make sure I get it right in this facility. Steph my mic on. Facility subcommittee. We met on um November 5th. Uh was myself, Stephanie, and uh Casey and Dan were there. Uh we had public comment. We had resident Pam Krauss uh share comments about the Irakcoy pipeline extension. Um excuse me, expansion uh and concerns about that. We went over our monthly facilities report and uh we're doing a little bit differently. The report is available online and you'll be able to see it. But also, I'll give you like a nice concise uh kind of like a big three like we do at the end. The things that were uh completed. Uh we noted that the floor CLES have been successfully replaced. Um
058and that was a uh a huge job that apparently looks outstanding from what I was told. Uh and it's it's working very well for now and should be, I should say, continue to. Um the roof structure that we had the issue with there was a uh an infrared scan performed that uh unfortunately revealed significant leaks in the roof which is also part of capital stuff that case will be talking about later. Uh and the leaks have gone down significant water damage into over the library at WMS. As for new business uh we got a presentation of the capital projects. M will be presenting them tonight. We got a presentation of the 10ear capital plan which will also be presented tonight. And for old business, we discussed the uh A&E services of roof replacement projects. Uh
059Casey provided an update um as far as the progress in engineering design. And Miss also reported this work will be on hold until reviewed by the MDC. And I believe that was it. Will you join the 7:20 p.m. It's a little bit of a long meeting. >> Um before we move on, can I just say I really like um this new format. Thank you, Mrs. Tenza, for suggesting it. And >> thank you, Casey. Thank you, >> Casey. inv this this is really um helpful. >> Great. >> I think it answered a lot of questions too that came in as far as like certain projects that were coming in coming in and certain worries. So, >> thank you. >> Um Rob, I have a question. One of the things that we had talked about was talking
060to Wendy about possibly do having like a board voice on the pipeline and talking more with Pam. Did we did we land on what? >> Not yet, but we can still discuss Yeah, we can discuss that. Yeah, for sure. I know I know you had mentioned it. Um >> yeah cuz their main request is that and Wendy you had asked this of us which is how it came forward is >> how can we lend our voice. So that was all. I was just curious. >> Actually, just on the heels of that, I mean, this will find expression later on, but there are a couple of town committees that are asking for a board membership. We talked about um maybe you being on the calendar committee. >> Um what >> that that we should maybe have
061a board um member on the calendar committee. And you know, Erin wasn't opposed to the idea. So um >> It was her idea. [laughter] >> I would be on it, too. I just don't know when they meet. It's usually during the day. >> Um, so that's something that we could talk about. And then also there was a mention of um the town wellness committee um >> district wellness committee wanting um board membership. So I think >> and NBC really needs somebody. [clears throat] >> Wow. Okay. Okay. >> Because I can't answer much of what was going on. >> So as we shape committees a new in in um December this this is something we should keep in mind. All right. Are we ready to move then to security task force? >> Sure. Thank you. Okay.
062Um, so we last met on Whoops, I'm on the wrong agenda here. Okay. Uh, we last met on the 30th of October. Um, and we didn't have anything pressing to talk about, but we had wanted to meet to talk about the future direction of the committee. Um because unlike all of the other committees that have constantly ongoing work to kind of review and um and be and be informed of as a board member as it relates to general board business, the security task force isn't really like that. Um so you know we talked about um a while back we had we had addressed the what were called the pillars of school security which you know we often think about physical security and we think about security staff um but the pillars of school security also
063not only include physical physical but the techn um technology yes the staff policy and practices and mental health and so you know we thought that the the committee should really be cycling through each one of those pillars and thinking what can we do best? How can we better improve the district? What resources might we need to put into each of these pillars? Um and so the committee did note some importance um in meaningful um professional development definitely review of our practices and obviously our recent experience is exactly what we were talking about. Um and so in future committee meetings um I think it it will be important for for that committee to be briefed on you know some of the details of of those breaches to see if there was and by the way the
064security task force is a real collective of community members but also the police um and key leaders in the district. Um so that will happen at the next um security task force meeting. Um, Chief Paglesi of the Brookfield Police Department also recommended um an additional full-time armed security position to act as a floater um or an additional resource both really um to provide coverage when our SRO's are out um but also as an additional resource when they are present. Um any armed security personnel do fall under the purview of the Brookfield Police Department, but they will not add that person to their roster unless they have sort of the blessing of the board. So, um it's not on the agenda for tonight, but I do recommend um just because Chief Plesi needs to get his
065budget in order um to maybe at your next board meeting have an agenda item where you guys can vote on support for that if you choose. Um but yeah, so that's what we would recommend and that's that's essentially what we um that's essentially what we discussed. So, >> um I have a question on uh item the item C in new business where you say um but we'll need to be supported by the board. Is that uh by the board of education? So, what does that mean? Does that mean that we approve of another armed officer in the schools and we give our blessing to that to that or does it mean that it's a line item in the budget? [clears throat] >> It's not a line item in our budget, but it is and it's
066less of an approval and more of like a blessing. So really, it's it's really kind of like a a cooperative arrangement with the superintendent and the Brookfield Police Department. Okay. >> So the board just kind of gives its blessing in that it's part of >> Can we put it? >> Yeah, that's what I suggest. Yeah. The other thing to note, Rosa, that we talked about that chiefly wanted to make sure we knew is that right now if an SRO is out, someone comes in or an ASRO, like one of his um someone covers that shift, right? Someone on duty covers that shift. And so it's somebody who may not know the school, know the personnel. You know it. The reason why he suggested this is because then it's a extra person who can float around,
067who can cover, who will get to know the school, who will get to know the administrators, who you know knows all the doors and schedule a little bit better. And there are times when two people are needed for an event or something like that. So it it was it's not there's already coverage. someone is out like if you know officer uh Anderson is out at the CLES someone does come in but they don't know the school they don't know the doors they don't know the boundaries and so this is a way for there to be a specific person who knows all three schools >> right >> yep >> um who who's in charge of the security minutes like do you write them oh okay >> and we don't include like people that attend public comment
068or anything like that >> no just similar to our board meetings we didn't have public comment um we did have on our last minutes um our discussion on Alice training and we had a very long discussion actually at that meeting about Alice training about how we were not satisfied that it hadn't gone farther and that we wanted you know that to be a priority going forward and >> so and all of the administrators agreed and they were all >> Was it brought up to this last meeting or >> not in this meeting? No, it wasn't on the agenda because it would have had already been settled at the meeting before that that we were going to rep prioritize that. >> So, what's the next pro like what's the proper steps for ensuring that happens? >>
069I believe it's it's more professional development for it. It has to be you know well constructed and coordinated professional development. So, we had asked um that you know time be set aside in teacher schedules because you know stuff's going to have to be rearranged. Um but that's what we had requested to be done. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Is that something in our purview that we have to get on the agenda to approve or is it budget? Okay. >> I think that's definitely like a sense of urgency. >> Yeah. In the spring, right? >> Was very like >> I thought there was some election. >> Oh, it could have. >> Yeah. >> You could have Debbiey's saying yes >> on the standard on the standard response protocol. >> So, >> okay, good. So there was training
070done on um election day >> more but we have started >> great training is happening which is >> I do want have one because ever since the security breach I was definitely interested in um the security plan so I know obviously it's been submitted but I did look up and it says each local and regional board of education in Connecticut must create update and submit an annual school safety and security plan. So, it does say we have to be involved in that and that's nothing that we've ever done. >> We have we've submitted an all hazards plan every year. >> No, I'm not saying we haven't submitted it, but it says that boards of education must create, update, and submit. >> I think what they mean by I could be wrong, but I think what
071they mean by boards of education is the district. >> They don't mean literally us sitting around a table creating this plan. >> I think we should definitely find that out. That was one of the policies that when Dr. Burrell was still here that he had brought to us and it was one of the shipment and go policies that we actually updated and I do remember there being a discussion about how it's not actually like the the policy is that it there needs to be a plan in place but the board doesn't actually like vote on it. It's a plan that the district and the admin and the superintendent create. So we there is a policy that I can't reference off the top of my head but we can look at it and see if there's
072like a specific phrase in there but >> I mean I would think it would be important for us to try that process for sure given that we're doing investments for security and things like that. Well, to me that is more of like the that kind of comes down to at the district or at the um the school level and the admin level. I think they're we entrust them to put the all plan in place and then it was presented to us. So, we do see it. We have access to it. I think it's more important that we ensure it's getting done like we to hold admin accountable means like >> to make sure it's being >> ensuring they're getting it done, not actually doing it, >> right? But in order that to ensure it's getting
073done, I need to see the plan. You know, I I don't think we've been presented with it >> ever at a meeting. >> We have to go back. But >> maybe it was at the policy meeting because we had it from when we were updating the policy and it was presented at the meeting that >> I think so. But could be through my notes, but I'm I don't I have to remember what the context about. We have to remember too the sensitivity of um documents that we review are public and so there's a necessary limit on how much detail is appropriate um to for us to review like officially you know um because some of that needs to be confidential. >> Okay. Can we move to Cape then please? >> Okay Joy. Thank you. >>
074So we met on November 12th. Uh we did have public comment. Miss Capone shared her concerns and asked about the rationale as to why students in middle school who take high school algebra 1 or world language in eighth grade are not awarded high school credit. We received a presentation um beginning of year data highlights and the work of the PLC's um from Kennwood Lake Elementary School from Jane Jim Fitzpatrick and Julie Vaughn. Um and that uh presentation was linked in to your minutes that you can um access and we asked that there be follow-up in January with new updated scores and progress. We received an overview of the MTS mod MTSS model from Deb Fious which is also linked into your minutes and Deb Ferious reviewed the screening and placement process for newly registered students.
075With that we reviewed policy number 5122 and we discussed a need to update this policy. So, that's something for the policy committee to >> 5122 and that was it. >> Awesome. Thank you. Um, how about finance? >> Okay. Um, we last met on the 13th of November. Um, and we went over the October year-to- date financial report. Um, you know, still month-to-month small incremental changes. There's some areas of the budget that Casey's looking at most closely. Um and in some difference to previous financial reports at least the memo that we see um rather than give sort of a bottom line number we during this meeting um took some time to kind of u get used to not seeing sort of a bottom line but just seeing some really big areas of exposures, really big areas
076of savings and kind of just keeping an eye on those because it is still very early in the year to kind of be making an estimate on where the budget is going to land. Um but um come Aprilish um is when you know we decided that we really would like to kind of see where we're going to land. Um but um obviously special education because that is fully funded this year which was great. Um it makes seeing some of those ins and outs much more manageable. So that was really nice to see and we we looked at that. Um, so speaking of which, there were some very modest favorable changes there. It's overall neutral month-to-month in terms of special education out of district. Um, our teacher turnover, we are still about $17,000 short of the
077budget budgeted targeted savings. Um, we still have two positions um remained o uh remain open right now. Um, and we certainly have salary savings in some other areas. Um, of course, we have exposures in other areas, too. So again, that kind of just goes into more of just keeping an eye on things as as we go along. Um, we talked about the pay rate guidelines. Um, so we reviewed the recommended pay rate changes um and discussed um the importance of obviously remaining competitive with our neighboring districts. Um so that we did have some favor to present um to the full board at um either this meeting or the next um with a suggestion to revisit these again before the summer hirings start um in terms of like substitutes and teachers that do summer um teaching
078>> um because we do want to make sure that we're competitive when that when those jobs get posted. Um, so there is um is there something on the agenda for tonight for that? >> No, it's not. Okay. >> Um, >> it's under the consent. >> Yeah. So, >> budget transfers pay. >> Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. >> Yes. Okay. It is. Okay. So when um when we approve these particular pay rate guidelines, they do increase um the pay and they definitely match with the increase um increasing minimum wage that is taking effect in January. Um so that keeps us up to date there. Um but we as a committee decided it's still not maybe quite where we want it to be. So, these at least keep us more up to date, but again, it should be
079something that's revisited in the spring before uh some of the summer hiring starts taking place. Um so, that's just something to keep in mind as it's on the consent agenda. Um we did mention um adult meal prices have to increase a very small amount. Um and then we did a budget our our budget transfers which is um something that we're doing for the first time ahead of the 2627 budget because it's really it'll be really nice. We can actually look at the budget and kind of compare apples to apples. So we did some budget transfers or we approved some budget transfers um so that it kind of trs up the budget um so that we're really looking at um again apples to apples when we when we see our new budget for next year. So
080or when you see your new budget for next year. Can I can I add one thing, Rosa? Thank you. Um it's regarding the pay rate guidelines because I think it was a it was a really good point that was brought up about our competitiveness with um substitute like the daily substitute rates that we have. And so um the committee did um charge me with you know coming back with an analysis of what that No, no, it's it's important important to do it. Um, and I think it probably will be sooner than the spring because if if we are going to start maybe on like a July one with a new substitute rate that will have budget budgetary impacts for the 26 27 budget. So I will be working on that sooner rather than later so
081that by the time we you know get the budget um for your approval um that that would be incorporated in there if the board um would move in in and increasing those rates. And we'll also be looking at um summer school. >> Yep. >> Staff too, correct? >> Yeah. So, that's a little bit more tricky because that's part of um the CBA with the teachers contract. Um and I that that is on the agenda. We can speak to that, but there's more work to be done in sort of that appendix area of the contract. So, um yeah, >> great. Thanks. All right. And now the update on the youth commission. Sarah. >> Sure. Um, so they just had a meeting on November 7th and it was the first meeting after the municipal candidate forum which
082was super successful in October. Um, and they already went through kind of debriefing on how it went and wanting to look at what went well and what areas of improvement there are. So some of those are the types of questions that they want to come up with with for next time. Less yes no type questions and more where they needed to include examples, things like that. And also they've talked about how to reach out to other boards like land use and things like that. So because that would not be that would have taken hours upon hours to include everybody there, they're trying to think of other formats where they can actually talk to those to to additional boards that were not part of the forum in October. Um there's also discussions about community asset building
083ideas and those a couple of ideas have been tossed around um science fairs, spelling bees. Um one of the ones I like is a lot is the mentorship between WMS and um students at the high school and then um possibly getting elected officials to be more available to students during school and possibly attend youth commission meetings. um improved foreign exchange programs and improved technical education. Um they're already discussing plans for the career fair which will be in March. And then um on the consent agenda we're talking about um Senor Dilla is has resigned. But some good news um that he is going to be recommended as an alternate member to return to the youth commission. Um and that's so that's going up in December and he was one of the adviserss earlier on. So he's
084been a part of the youth commission for a while. So that's good news. >> When are those meetings? The youth commission. First Friday of the month. >> Okay. Thanks. All right. Speaking of youth, Emily, your turn. How are things? [laughter] >> Thank you. Okay, so um >> I hope so. I think so. Um, we had a very successful uh veterans day this year. We hosted four veterans on our panel where they shared their experiences about their time during the service and also offered a full day of documentaries that highlighted the different components of the military service and contributions that our veterans provide for our country. And the entire day was run and facilitated by the members of the student government. and the student government is working with athletic advisory to host the second annual powderpuff
085game verse BETHL. I'm actually going to be a part of that. I It's going to be a lot of fun. I know it. We're gonna beat them. But um the leadership team from our athletic advisory and student government met with student leaders from Bethl High School and they worked to develop like the guidelines for the game. It's going to be on Monday, November 24th at 7 PM. So, uh at BHS, it's going to be at our home turf. So, it's going to be a good one. Um the uh November 24th at 7 at Brookfield High School. Um >> yes, you guys got to get you guys got to be here. Oh, we will. Um the experience highlights the ideal that athletic advisory and student government collaborate and work on their leadership together. And in December,
086student government is working on a few upcoming projects, including the winter spirit week and the pep rally. And also, I've said this last meeting, but they're doing the field trip to club council is to the capitol building in Hartford to do a mock legislative session hosted by Cassie, which I think sounds amazing. They're also hosting gingerbread house competitions for ILTs this winter. And just a reminder that this is like the 40 40th year of the graduation party and they really need volunteers and donations from families and the communities in order to keep it running. So for anyone like watching or listening, please consider helping out the grad party to set up or donate. The seniors are very excited this year and we really hope that the grad party can continue for future generations and like
087prosper again because I heard the stories of how they once were and they're bigger and they're slowly like declining as um time goes on. But I really hope that it can still like revamp it and become really powerful again. >> That's it. Thank you guys. And to piggyback off that little plug there, um there is an Amazon wish list if anybody wants to donate for the seniors. Um we're not doing senior baskets anymore, but you can still make a basket for um the grad party where you could just get items, general items for seniors. >> No more senior baskets? >> No. >> Okay. >> Like it's taking away from >> the grad party, but if you want to still make a basket, you can, but it would be like a general one. >> Gotcha. Be
088rattled off at the grad party. And Emily, that is how you use the bully pullpit. Nice job. [laughter] >> Um, okay. So, consent agenda. >> I move that the board approve the items. I move that the board approve the items on the consent agenda as recommended. New hires, transfers, adult lunch meal price at 525. What? resignations. >> I don't have any resated. >> Oh, excuse me. I apologize. >> What I have that I don't have on there. So, let's start over. I move that the board approve the items on the consent agenda as recommended. New hires, transfers, resignations, adult lunch meal price at 525, $5.25. I should be accurate. October financials, pay rate guidelines, and budget transfers. Second, >> is there any discussion of the consent agenda? >> No, I just want to say thank
089you to Mr. V, Mr. Dilla, um, for all his service and being a wonderful teacher. Um, good luck in Danbury and I thank him for, you know, inspiring my daughter to now be a multilingual teacher because of him. So, we will miss him. >> I can in this instance say ditto. Um all in favor of approving the consent agenda um please say I. I. >> Any opposed? >> All right. So it's unanimous. Wonderful. Um so moving to new business prioritized um one-year capital projects. Um we are going to hear from Mrs. Diod. >> Thank you. All right. Good evening everybody. um this time of year, every year since I've been here, um I come before you and present um what the uh upcoming capital requests will be. Um as pres presented and recommended by the
090um the facilities committee um at the last meeting. Um and so that's where we that's where we are today. And I don't know how to work this. Okay, here we go. I just want to start um by recognizing um in the last two years the commitment that uh the Brookfield community really and Brook and Brookfield taxpayers have uh shown towards Brookfield public schools. Um they have contributed and invested in our schools um a little over $4.5 million um in capital improvements to primarily to the high school and the middle school. Um, and out of all of those projects that have been approved, roughly 70% of them are either, you know, in progress or completed, um, or, you know, preliminary work has begun. Um, everything from boiler replacements, cafeteria floor replacements, um, roof replacements, and server
091upgrades. So, um, all of that work does still continue. Um, and we are extremely grateful to, uh, the Brookfield taxpayers and community. So, thank you for that. So this year um priorities are focusing on three main areas. Um essential technology upgrades, safety and compliance, and infrastructure preservation. Um and I'm going to get into um each one of those uh briefly more so with the infrastructure um preservation. That's roof replacements, and that is really the the the bulk of the investment requests that we are asking for this year. Um but the other two are also um uh priorities. As you recall in the original 10-year plan, um each year there was investments in unit ventilators and sections of roofs and rooftop units and you know year-over-year. All of those other priorities have shifted um to make
092room for these three main um requests. This year in terms of technology upgrades um the um switches. So, I'm learning um every building has a whole bunch of switches that makes all of the internet and the computers and the uh you know the servers and wireless um access points all connected and work efficiently and securely. Um the useful life of those is typically between seven and 10 years. Ours at the high school are about eight years old this not about they are eight years old this year. So they are due to be um replaced. The cost of that um Mr. Conklin uh did get a quote. It's just under $5,000 per switch. So that they are, you know, not inexpensive and the high school needs 25 switches or 26 switches to be replaced. So that
093total ask is about is $130,000. The good news here is that 50% of this cost would be eligible for -ate reimbursement. Um so that the net cost to the town would be $65,000. Um this is really a critical infrastructure. You we don't want to wait until these start failing um because really we would be we would be stuck in the mud um operationally um in the building if that were to happen. So that's the technology upgrade safety and compliance. This is um related to the parking lot and driveway at Whiskanir Middle School. Um and there's there's three three pieces to this investment. Um number one, the paving. Um originally uh the understanding or the thought at least was that this parking lot area may be included in the uh work that was done with taking
094down the portables and the field work back there. Um it's my understanding that is not in in that budget. Um so this is why the request is coming forward now and it had not been in that 10-year plan previously. um grateful to DPW um this fall uh they did go and fill some of the larger um potholes that were in that area. But um as you can see in some of these pictures here, there's it's called alligator cracking [laughter] uh where it sort of all like cracks out and um so this needs to be replaced in in this area over here where the aerial is. There is an underground oil tank that is due to be uh replaced. So uh we are getting a firmer quote on that. That is the one um estimate in
095this in this entire uh capital request list that I don't have a firm number on. We did have uh a vendor come out and take a look at um at this area and the one at BHS which we already have secured funding for. Um he's working on getting a a more more precise quote, but he said the range um for these replacements are anywhere from 325,000 to 550 thou $550,000. The one at Wiskanir, he said, is much more straightforward just based on the location than the one at the high school. So, I I'm doing a placeholder of $400,000 for this one at Wiskanir, but certainly we can upgrade update this um ask as that uh number gets refined. Um all right, now we get to the the infrastructure preservation. Um we have secured over the
096last two years um funding for roofs um both at the high school and the middle school. And forgive my color my highlighter coloring um couldn't figure out how to do it on the computer. Um so um but the color codes here so the yellow sections um down here this is one being the library which I think we all know very well is in dire um need of being uh replaced and um this section R which is classrooms those two um roofs already have funding available and we are working on getting those RFPs out for the engineering designs. This section here in green is the new ask for the 2627 budget cycle. That is the area where the language lab is. These pictures here are actually from the language lab. Um and it's getting increasingly worse.
097There's some workstations that can't be used because of the infiltration of water. So, um that is the highest priority um at at the high school right now. this pink section um is roughly the same age as this the green section that we're requesting this year, but um there's not as nearly as many issues. Um so the the suggestion there is that we phase replacements of that larger section over the following um three years. And then this orange section here um this was uh replaced in 2008. So that is further down in the 10-year plan which you'll see. And then um everything else is outside of the the 10-year window. All right. So, what does this look like? Again, as I said, we've already secured funding um in prior years, and so the ask for this
098year is $391,500 for the high school. Um this is based on um a $34 per square foot cost which is um which is a number that we just received we received very recently from um um an architect that's looking at this. It's for a single ply um tpo roof type which is um high energy rated for flat roofs. It's it stands for and I hope I don't I get this right. It's thermoplastic polyolin I think. Um and so that just just to be totally transparent on you know what these numbers represent um that is the type of roof um and the cost that is being um represented here. So the request again $391,500 for the high school um roof section. Whiskanir um this looks a little bit different. Uh there are um some solar projects
099that are um happening uh actually at the school buildings. Um they've been approved um at the high school. It uh a solar canopy over the student parking lot at CLES. Um it's on the top of the roofs which that building was designed um for solar. So that is very straightforward. At Whiskanir it's a little bit differently different because of the age of the roofs. And so this ask uh for Wiskanir is accelerating essentially the replacement of almost all of the the rest of the roof structure at Wiskanir in order to accommodate um that solar project. So what does that look like? Um we have already secured funding in these yellow sections for Wiscaneer. Uh $791,000 in the last two years for those uh those sections of roof. This section over here, section B, this is
100the small gym. If you recall, we had that roof actually fail over the uh in a during a storm this past winter. Um and it so that was that has been replaced already. So, that one's good to go. Um and this other section was um up here in the upper right corner. That was replaced during the macro burst in 2018. So, that's out of the window. But all of these sections in green here is what um we are proposing that we uh replace in this upcoming upcoming budget cycle. This um t picture over here is what the proposed solar arrays um look like for the solar project. So you can see it's the majority of the the roof sections at the at at the middle school. Um the request for to do this is 22
10122 2,322,600. Um and that um and that is to you know again to accommodate the the need for the solar project that these roofs would have to be replaced next summer in order to qualify in order for the solar project to move forward at Whiskanir and to qualify for the investment tax credit. Um each of the solar projects are standalone projects. So the other two solar projects are not contingent on on Whiskanir roofs being replaced. Only Wiskanir um the Wiskanir solar project is contingent on the Wisaner roofs. Um and so that is the ask for Wiscaneer. Now >> sorry to interrupt you. What's the year? What's the year on those that section of roof the green? >> Um most of those roofs were um done in 2000. So they are all outside of their um
102the you know out at the end of their useful life 25 years probably give or take um a couple. So the bright side of this um all roof replacements do qualify um or they typically do [clears throat] uh you may apply uh through the school construction grant program for non-priority reimbursement on these projects. Um Brookfield's reimbursement rate for um construction projects are or general construction projects is is um 33.93%. So if we were to combine all of the funding that we have already secured and the new ask for the funding of the roofs um subtracting out the architectural and engineering design costs because to be conservative let's just say that may not qualify for reimbursement. So, we're just talking about the actual construction of the roof projects itself. Um, Brookfield will be eligible for um
103a little over $1.4 million in reimbursement at that reimbursement rate. Um, when you get this project um this presentation emailed to you, you'll see up here, these are all links to more information about the non-priority um grant reimbursement program and applications and Brookfield's reimbursement rate and all that stuff. So you can um maybe when you're not sleeping again, Erin, you can look at there [laughter] and set a policy. >> I'm like sitting here. I'm like, can we apply for the Gret toilet? Um this is what you're going to talk to the municipal building committee about though, right? This portion of the roof. >> I've well about what? >> Like the roof stuff. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. the the NBC has because part of the requirement for applying for the non-priority grants through the
104state of Connecticut um is that the board of selectman um approve three very specific resolutions um one being that they authorize the superintendent to even apply for the grant. Number two that they appoint the municipal building committee to oversee the project and number three that they um authorize at least the design schematics of the project itself. So those resolutions have been passed by the board of selectman. So the NBC has been appointed um to this project. Um so let's get back to that. >> No, now it makes sense because I was hearing about roofs last night and I had no idea what they were talking about. So now [laughter] >> um and so this is the the one pager sort of of requests um uh for the 2627 budget cycle. And so the total request
105for the high school for the roof and the switches is $521,500. Whiskanir, again, like I said, that roof replacement um is is the big number there at the two 2.3 million, but the total request for Whiskanir is uh $3,59,600. Um this is a much higher ask than uh has been presented in the last two years. However, when you do cons factor in the reimbursement um at the 33.93% which by the way is the reimbursement that Brookfield has been eligible for for the last three fiscal years. So it's been it looks pretty steady. Um that does bring down the net capital request much more in line in what the requests have been the last few years which is uh $2,120,278. This is I know you can't read this, but you have a hard copy in your
106hand. This is the 10 uh the 10-year capital plan, and I just wanted to make sure you're seeing that, you know, everything else is still in there. We just shifted um down a year. Um and there was a request at the finance committee meeting that we really make sure everything gets in there, right? So, you'll see that yes, we did just um purchase a floor scrubber for the high school, but you see 10 years from now, it's in there again because they have a um you know, expected usable life of um about 10 years. Um so, everything's in here. The one highlight in yellow at the bottom is really important just to keep in mind and it is something that you know we have been talking about every time we talk about capital which is
107this um the upgrade to the HVAC system at the high school. So um the heating and air conditioning right the the the temperature of our classrooms impacts learning. Um it does and um uh the the heating system at the high school um is is is very outdated. Um it is a steam system and it makes it it is very highly inefficient and it makes it very difficult to control consistently um temperatures across the building. Um and so we are looking at upgrading that that whole system and incorporating air conditioning into all the areas of the building that don't have air conditioning. We do have um an RFP out just for the design services of that of that project. Funding for the design services uh was approved in prior um capital budget cycles. Um but that
108cost I don't want anybody anybody to be shocked. That cost could be very very expensive. Um upwards of5 to$10 million. Um and that is not in this 10-year capital plan. Um it's a very high number. um a much smaller number though than building a new school building, right? So, keeping that in mind, but that I just want everybody to to, you know, keep in the back of your mind that that number is not um in this total that we see. Page two of this, you'd see uh Whiskanir and Kennlewood Lake has some technology upgrades and they have a floor scrubber in there because they need one too in in seven years now. Um and and that's it. That is the request. Um this is a the one pager that has all of the links to
109the Mark Zukubo building condition study, all of their cost estimates, um the previous year capital, you know, one-year capital requests, and a link to the 10-year capital improvement plan. So, are there any questions? Yeah. Casey, is uh for any of the roof replacements, it are we building in contingency costs or no? >> So, I did 34 uh $34 a square foot plus a 10%. >> Okay. >> I did do a 10% on top of that. >> 10%. >> Yep. Okay. Um yeah, my concern is right, we're doing so many roof um projects, but yet really what you know the priority is the HVAC is definitely a high priority. >> I'm just concerned that the roof projects are being pushed because of the solar project when we have some real serious needs for our facilities. Um,
110so I'm I'm not as asking you to comment on that. It's not really a question. It's more a comment. But >> um, what have we shifted due to putting the roof top roof replacements as a priority? What have we shifted >> um to either 2027, 2028 or further down the road? >> Yep. So I essentially took So do you see uh so we'll focus on um the high school. Um, so the unit ventilators, we have had a placeholder to replace unit ventilators year-over-year. >> I'm not we're not uh proposing that in 2627. So it just it just shifted a year. Um the windows also um I believe they were initially proposed to begin in the 26 27th cycle. Um to be totally honest with you, the if the roofs are if we can't stop the
111infiltration of the water coming in in some of these areas. Um that's first and foremost in my mind, it doesn't matter what else is going on inside. Um and so so that's why we we we're moving in this direction. But essentially, um I think the the lighting upgrade at the high school that was shifted and I think I even shifted that out another year and I can get you the the previous 10-year capital plan so you can see very specifically the changes. >> Um but I think I shifted that another year out even because um of the impact on the overall I trying to keep it as smooth as possible. I don't want, you know, I mean, I know this year goes up, you know, over $3 million. Um, fortunately, we do have that re
112reimbursement that we could um get for those roofs um to bring it back more in line, but I'm trying to keep everything, you know, as in line as, you know, around 2 million. And you'll see at the bottom the bottom line ask um after year um we're at this high mark here at the 3.5 um then it goes down to 1.6 1.6 1.6 6 and then it really does trail off. Again, the HVAC upgrade is not in there. Right. So, right. >> Um >> that's my worry. Yeah. >> And we did make a commitment to, you know, improving the restrooms. You know, we said we're going to do some every year. >> Yep. >> So, we obviously pushed that because >> we don't have any >> at least for the high school. >> Um yeah,
113that's definitely a concern for sure. Um for the Wiskiner roof replacement, are we having substantial leaking at the at Wiskiner? >> Yeah. >> And is all is it all those sections or just >> Yeah. So there are um several sections of that building that have uh that have had leaks for several years year-over-year, particularly in the library. That is where um when Robert mentioned that the infrared scan was done, >> um there are a couple sections in that building that we have had vendors come out and repatch and rework and and and we're spending this money to try to stop this leak. Um that continuously finds its way in. So that's why we did this infrared scan to say, "Show me exactly what we need to be looking at." And the pictures >> I was
114gonna say I don't see the pictures included. Did you >> of the infrared? >> Yeah. I didn't include them in the c the capital presentation >> or the facilities committee you can see >> yeah they um it's vast right in that area um and so that 100% needs to be um needs to be replaced um and that's a large that is section L um at Wiskanir that's sort of right in the center of the building >> um all of the other roofs are right around the same age so in areas that are not leaking today I can't tell you that they won't be leaking in 6 months. Um, and it's it's sort of like one of those things where you don't want to wait until it's got to be done tomorrow. Um, because then, you
115know, we're we're fighting buckets and collecting water. Um, and that's not ever something that we want to we want to do. Certainly, the plan originally was to phase these roofs at Whiskanir over three years. Um, but again, with the other other factors weighing in, this is what um this is what's being proposed. Any other questions? >> Well, with that, um, Stephanie, would you like to make the motion? >> Maybe. >> There you go. I move that the board approve the 2026 2027 one-year prioritized capital projects list as recommended by the facilities committee and director of business and operations Casey Dat. >> I second. >> Is there further discussion on this? >> Just one other quick question. So, how does that work with the HVAC upgrade? We're waiting till 11:26, but we're approving this now. So
116we so we that will have to be a standalone project and I don't have a cost on that. Um because like I said it's going to be multiple millions of dollars, >> right? So standalone project meaning it's not going to be part of the capital project. >> Well it would be a capital it would be certainly be a capital project but >> that would be like a referendum now. >> Yeah. Well, or or during the >> or brought to us >> during the um budget cycle depending on, you know, when it when it comes about, but I don't I don't have a cost on that. I'm hoping I'm hoping by because we do have an RFP. Um it is extended because the vendors that uh did the walkthrough, they had more questions and wanted more
117time to to prepare something um thorough. And again, that's just the RFP for the design services um which we then would go out to bid um to have vendors say, "Okay, this is what you want to happen. How much I'll give you a proposal on how much that's going to actually cost." So that second RFP will determine what we think that cost to do the HVAC upgrade will be. Maybe we will get that um before, you know, the in during this bud at some point during this bud budget cycle. Um, but we'll have to we'll have to wait and see. Um, I I I don't know that not doing the roofs will impact the HVAC or vice versa. Um, because they're both they're both really important infrastructure components. Um, and the roofs, you know, if
118if if I thought that the roofs had maybe five or six more years on them, but they are at the 25 year mark. They're out of they're all out of warranty. Um and so um yeah that's why this proposal is here. Okay. >> Can I sorry one one other thing that is actually good news. Um HVAC projects uh previously did not qualify on the non-priority list for uh reimbursement with the state of Connecticut. Um it was a standalone grant that was out for several years um a couple years and then it it had gone away. it is now part of the non-priority uh you know reimbursement um with the state and so an HVAC upgrade could qualify for that reimbursement for general construction. So that is good news. >> So all we need are some
119RFPs to come in that seem reasonable. >> Yes. >> Maybe we could change the conversation. >> Yeah. And and I did we did ask the RFP that was put out for the design did ask for um specking it out as a one-time cost or a phased approach for a project of that scope to to see really what we could you know what's manageable for the town. So cool. >> Yeah. >> Other points of discussion. I thank you for rearrang the way you've rearranged it. You know, kind of does give us that nice like at least even predictability and I appreciate you planning this without, you know, it kind of allows us to do everything we want. So, thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Great. Um, all in favor of approving the prioritized uh one-year capital
120project approval as presented by Mrs. Diad, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? me. >> Okay. Join. All right. So, that passes 61. Okay. Moving next to the um BEA contract. >> I move that the board approve the successor contract between the Brookfield Board of Education and the Brookfield Education Association. >> Second. >> Okay. Is there discussion on this? >> Somebody just hit the highlights. We have somebody do that. >> So, um the the the big big features are and I I I may have the the um numbers wrong because I don't have them in front of me, but the teachers um the teachers uh are getting a over a 14% um increase over three years. And for that um the students of Brookfield and families of Brookfield are getting um 15 minutes of what's
121called wrap time. So um teachers currently can leave um school when the students do. And um the teachers have agreed in this contract to extend their working day an extra 15 minutes. And in some jobs that might not sound like a very big deal, but in this case it's going to have a profound impact. Uh particularly at CLES where teachers um will be able to or the the administration will be able to manage um kids getting onto buses, you know, dismissal uh process without um encroaching on um without such an encroachment on instructional time. and um given the fact that we uh really prioritize instructional time and student learning um this was extremely meaningful for the board. So that's for me that was the big big takeaway. >> Joy, did you have a anything that
122you wanted to share? >> The stipens we worked with Oh, yes. We have a stipen committee that's working >> continuation of the appendix. We're going to continue working through >> uh stipens and we were able to what's been happening for a long time is um how to prioritize and how to separate sports from clubs and that was one of the things that we accomplished was they're uh they can be worked on separately. So everybody agreed that sports that athletics is um a separate stipen sheet. They stay the same rates for now. The continue the um committee continues to work on that. So um for the people who work for the negotiations team um it's it's important that you know that um so negotiations take a lot of time and um especially when it's a really
123big uh contract as with the BEA and um Stephanie and Joy volunteered to be part of an ad hoc negotiations group with some select members of the BEA representation and they met additional many many hours to hammer out um updated version of the stipended stipen plans. And so that's that's what Stephanie was talking about. So um thanks very much to the BEA leadership and negotiations team including the people who devoted extra hours um to ironing out the stipens. It it was a lot of work. You guys um did a lot of math together and um we really appreciate that modernization of that part of the the contract and the school experience for our kids. Um, >> thank you to the committee. >> It's always a pleasure >> doing all that work. >> Yep. Yep. Okay.
124Um, other um discussion or questions about the contract. >> All right. Um, all in favor Oh, wait. Did you make the motion? You didn't make the motion again. All right. All in favor um of approving it, please say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? >> All right. So, it's unanimous. Great. Let's move to old business now. So, this has gotten a lot of attention. Do you want me to go through the feedback? >> Yes. >> We're going to talk about the um setting the graduation date. Actually, could we start with >> I think we should get a motion on the table. >> Okay. Let's Okay. And then um will we hear from Emily first? >> Yeah, we can hear from Emily first. Great. >> Okay. So, uh I move that the board approve the
125graduation date for the class of 2026 as recommended by Brookfield High School principal Mark Beland. >> Second. What is the graduation date you recommended? >> He he recommended June 20th. >> Sorry, there wasn't that should have been in there, but I don't know. >> All right. So, um me and Mr. Banda just created a Google form that we sent um like it was an optional form, but really like recommended um to the Brookfield High School seniors and we let them know of the situation about which date, the 20th or the 27th, they'd prefer. Um we got our results is so 56% of the kids wanted it on June 20th but I think that's very skewed because um there was a mistake in the form where if someone could do multiple responses and I looked at
126the time stamp and one person was very eager to have it [laughter] on the 27th >> and they wrote like 20 responses and I did the math so that means that it would be only 25% of people would would have wanted it on the 27th so I would leave with 75 five a greater majority wanting it on the 20th. >> Okay. Um >> Okay, that sounds better. >> Yeah. And they were able to um offer their like um just questions or comments on what they think and I know there's a lot of things about Oh, I have like a tournament that the next the 27th and there's a lot of prior just conflictions. Yes. Yes. On the 27th. So >> that's that's all I got with that. Um, I could offer my personal um, Is
127that okay? >> Yeah, absolutely. That's right here. >> I think definitely that the 20th would be most ideal because I just don't see us getting three full days off like of weather related things and even if we do like I know Mr. Blando will work around it so finals can be >> just more condensed and or moved earlier. So, I just think that the 20th makes more sense. I know a lot of people go on vacation right after school and then they'll just miss graduation or families and it's just once we get into that summer everyone's already checked out. I just think >> it's just better for everyone if we just stick with the 20th. But >> yeah, >> and that leaves time for the grad party to get set up, right? >> Yes, 100%.
128And we definitely kept that in mind when talk. So we had that in mind Friday, right? >> The whole day all to themselves yet. >> So we will not be doing the snow dance >> this year. No. >> All right. >> That was also u Mr. Beland's recommendation in the letter that I [clears throat] >> in bold. >> Yes. >> Okay. Other uh discussion. >> Are you guys ready to vote then? >> Mhm. >> Well, except for we need to remake the motion. Actual. >> That's what I mean. We should have had we need to mot on. Okay. There we go. So, I'm going to rescend the previous motion and I move that the board approve the graduation date of Saturday, June 20th, 2026 for the class of 2026 as recommended by Brookfield High School
129Principal Mark Belinda. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Any further discussion on this? Okay. All in favor, please say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> All right. It's unanimous. Okay. And um class of 2026, now you know what to plan for. That's great. >> Plan for. Yep. >> Okay. So um then this next item is the approval of the school calendar. >> I move that the board approve the 2026 2027 school calendar as recommended by the calendar committee. >> Second. Just get it on the table. >> Right. So yeah, now that the motion's on the table, um this is one that we um we got a lot of feedback on this. So do you want to share some of that data now? >> Yep. So uh in email responses, like I said, we had 19 email
130responses. Not everybody answered every question. Um they answered, you know, what was important to them and there were some sort of caveats thrown in. So, the biggest um thing we were curious about was did should school start the week before Labor Day. So, typically that's the last week in August. In the 2026 2027 calendar year, it happens to be uh September 1st because Labor Day is the following weekend. Um so, the question was not just about next year but about you know going forward. Um and it is evenly split [laughter] amongst responses. Next year specifically, all responses were to keep it as is, even though it's technically before Labor Day. Um, that's the right week to start school because pushing it to the 7th feels uh too late um based on then when school would
131end. Um so they like the date for next year. Going forward, it's pretty evenly split on should it start before Labor Day or should it start after Labor Day. Um the arguments were as we've discussed here um the argument for before Labor Day is that's when uh surrounding schools start and um you know it's easier for because camps end and child care. The reason for after Labor Day uh the parents who wanted it to be after Labor Day like the extra time uh like the downtime um with their kids. They like the extra week of summer. They like to be able to go away um Labor Day weekend. So that was that. Um, should snow days be built into the calendar and taken off if not needed? Again, split response. Um, yes and no. They're
132the valid again all the reasons we talked about. The reason why to build them in is because it helps sort of plan the end of the school year. But, and there were a lot of people who didn't answer the question who said it doesn't matter. They plan accordingly either way. So I don't feel like there was enough passion for that topic to make it something that we you know adopt as a policy moving forward as a board. The calendar committee thinks that you know 182 days school year and then if we need to add them on that seems to be consensus amongst everyone. So um there isn't really any you know necessarily anything there that's groundbreaking. The religious holidays off. So again this was evenly split. Um reasons given for the most part for no
133religious holidays uh should be off is because accommodations should be made um for all religious holidays as we've discussed. It should be all or nothing. Um absences should be accommodated obviously with them um you know for those that do need to take it off. But the bigger issue is the middle of the week disruption. It's harder for parents to get child care. the um instruction uh you know consistency of instruction as we've talked about is really difficult having a Thursday off and trying to get the kids back to school on a Friday. Um so those are the reasons why uh the parents who responded that no we should have no religious holidays which means no good Friday no yonapore and rash no rashana all three of those days would be in school days. Um the
134other argument is this is current practice in other districts. And then there was a lot of feedback that said um what and that asked and Joy you had sent an email late in the day what is the demographic of our district and can we use that to determine how what kind of population of our students that affects. We've talked about in the past and last year um how the Muslim population doesn't have any of their days off and so that accommodates um you know we accommodate absences for that. the some of the feedback was should we shift to that model uh for Jewish and Christian holidays as well. Um and then of course the the feedback for yes having them off is that these are important dates and it's difficult for those that have to
135miss um to then keep up with instruction. So, I think it seems to be a reasonable comp a reasonable compromise based on the feedback might be to not have them be days off, but also make sure the instruction in school um is accommodating to make sure they're you know the chunk of students that would uh be off those days don't miss a significant amount. >> So, that presents a minor [clears throat] challenge then for administrators to make sure that the staff is cognizant of religious holidays that may not be their own. Oh, and one piece of feedback, sorry, along those lines, are um accounting for staff members that may need to take the day off or may want to take the day off that we should not change next year's calendar, that we should do
136more. The calendar committee um maybe should look at surveying or m ensuring that their instructional interruption isn't just having the day off and then, you know, having to get having the day off in the middle of the week. It might also mean not having the staff to um be able to service the students in school. So perhaps the calendar committee could find out um or the superintendent could find out, you know, is this going to be a significant disruption to staff? How many staff members would take those days off as religious holidays? And if that means we're going to be short on subs and you know, then then it's disruption in a different way um than school disruption, perhaps it's um not worth it. So that was the other feedback that I had gotten. So,
137in in in hearing this or in reading this um today and yesterday, I think um I was wondering if you guys and if the administration thought it might be a good idea to table this particular item as you pursue those answers or do you feel like you guys are ready to to to vote on this? >> I mean, I'm next, right? So I saw it yesterday and you know we have a calendar committee in place and you know they did their due diligence and put this together you know and now today you know I get out of work to 19 messages about the calendar so you know I'm feeling kind of um you know >> well to that point and based yeah and to that point and based on the feedback I feel like and
138it is um important to note one of the things I did mention in the you know in the um ask to the public is there's only one Jewish holiday off next year. One of them, I think it's Rashashana, falls on a Saturday. So, it seems reasonable that the calendar can be approved as is for next year with only one instructional day being um disrupted. And then having everything shift to >> Good Friday, too. >> Good Friday. It is, but it's a Friday. So, I think the feedback on that was like, well, it's a Friday, so it's like not, you know, yes, it should not. No, instructionally. So, there should be no religious holidays off, but the feedback like specifically the people that feed that had feedback on Good Friday was it's a Friday, so it's
139not as >> they I [laughter] know. >> I'm just saying that that's that there are more people that had less of a problem with Friday because but I do agree that we should look at based on the feedback and the discussions we've had of pro, you know, possibly having no religious holidays off going forward after next year's calendar year. So we would continue to have the two >> what I think how big of a deal is it to go and procure that kind of information like from our staff like is that even like can we legally ask this stuff like >> I know right. >> Okay. So I through the chair please. >> Okay. Um you know I'd like to start by saying I I appreciate this conversation. I have heard this compl conversation replicated
140in other boards recently. um even under my own purview and it's a hard conversation because you want to be respectful to your community. So I want to honor that. So the setting the calendar is one of the board's responsibilities. So it's under your purview and in this case I think to Erin's point you you charged a committee. Well, you didn't, but there was a calendar committee that met several times virtually, I believe, way before I started in September. They did the work. They did their due diligence. It's a diverse committee representing all kinds of stakeholders. Um, you know, they made a recommendation. I I think that the board would consider it and honor it because somebody did the work. Moving forward, I think that there are some easy suggestions that you can adhere to. I
141think you can ask if a board member could join that as another voice. Um I I think leaving it wide open like this right now at this point is very difficult >> and I I'm not sure if people would even be comfortable saying what holidays that they choose to celebrate right >> or not. So I'm not sure that should be your data point. >> Yeah. >> There's so much more research that goes into this. I could probably talk for an hour. I will not. Um my my recommendation would be to go with what the committee recommended >> and if you guys are curious there are two members of the public who did include links and interesting information and things. Yeah. And they were like oh here's the study that says so >> they were very
142detailed. So that is something also we can um if you are on the whoever's on the calendar committee can take to I'm sure it's stuff they've considered but it was also interesting to kind of um see that there is you know stuff in >> case you're working on the calendar as well. >> Yeah. I mean I just and that's really what I struggle with. I mean they did spend the time doing it right. It's out there. Um, I think, you know, if we decide to start taking away holidays, I mean, people might have already planned vacations based on, you know, even a mock of this. I know I usually look um a year ahead. [clears throat] So, I mean, I would be fine supporting it the way it is and, you know, sit on a
143committee and figure out how it's done and, you know, how we move forward. But I think, you know, everybody has to have equity in it, right? our teachers have a voice, our parents have a voice, and you know, and our students have a voice, and I think that that's really what we need to move towards. >> So, it sounds like we might be ready to >> Yeah. I mean, there's a couple things I want to say. I'm not really con, not that I'm not concerned about the holiday um discussion, but what really stuck out to me, right, is to have least amount of disruptions for our students. Um if you notice, January 13th, it's a Wednesday. February 10th, March 10th, May 19th are all Wednesdays. Um where typically their teachers are staying after school or
144before school for their um their training or whatever. Um so I don't that's so fractured to me. It was never really presented that way before. So that's new. Um the day before Thanksgiving was used to always be a half PD for teachers. So it was half day for students. Um so that that's new. Um I would like to talk about June, right? Building in like two snow days. So the last day would be June 15th. Um and then having a hard graduation date of the 19th just like similar to this year because you wouldn't have it on the 12th. Um, and then if for some reason come April if we need more snow days and you take away something like Good Friday, right? You you build in the expectation of well if we use the
145the two the 14th and the 15th of June, this is the next day to go. um which is some of the structures that some people that wrote in mentioned >> and those are things undoubtedly that the that the administrative teams will consider you know because we can't predict the snow >> I think but building in snow days I think is important especially given this 26 27 calendar I think that we should take away some of those Wednesdays um and kind of leverage them to how we did in the past >> the PLC like the PLC days. Yeah. And they already have training on the they stay after on the Wednesdays. So, >> um, >> Rosa, were you were you going to say something earlier? >> Yeah. I mean, similar similar to Joy, Joy pointed out
146other things in the calendar. I was more focused on the religious holidays. But um yeah, I mean I think I've voted no on the last two calendars for the same reason because I I too, you know, really would like to focus on getting rid of some of these fractured weeks and there's a lot of them. Um, and so that's sort of my priority and I would love to see the board have that collectively as a priority and maybe having a board member on the calendar committee can like hammer that home because I think that's I think that's what we want. But um, yeah, I mean I think if you count how many full weeks, right, there's not a lot of full weeks. It's not a lot, which really fractures, you know, instructional time and consistency.
147>> Kids on early dismissal are so engaged. >> So, so do you do you guys I mean, we we just got a recommendation from the superintendent. Y >> um and then we heard some um some reasoned um points from both Joy and Rosa. Do you guys feel like you're ready to vote or do you need to discuss more? >> Yes, please. >> Pause it. Sorry. Um, I wanted to just give some history on the uh movement of the PLC days from what used to be Fridays to Wednesdays because the afterchool Wednesday meetings where um staff stays for up to an hour um after school, it builds an additional hour to the PLC meeting which make them a little bit more meaningful because you have more time. So, I just wanted to give that um historical
148information. >> I just know as an educator you have more time when you be less engaged. if you're any more PLC time. >> I think that would go for anyone your I >> lack of attention and folks disagreees as the day progresses. So I'm I'm only going to say like I don't mean to be like you know obstinate but like because it's the third year where I feel like we still just have not paid attention to eliminating these fractured weeks. I I don't I and I know I know that the calendar committee did the work and I do appreciate it, but I'm I just I would like to see less of the days off in the middle of the week. Um and less honestly less half days, less less of it all. But um >>
149yeah, so >> that's awful for parents. That's what I was going to say is one of the consistent feedbacks was that um finding child care on half days and days off in the middle of the week um is really difficult and the only other consistent feedback we got was that it's hard to read and I think we talked about this last time is that can we re um maybe not for this one but and going forward is there a different way to organize the days off so it's more clear which school has what days off when and yeah >> the color coding is a little confusing. >> Give them new fields. So anyway, that was the only other thing. >> Sorry. >> So are we ready then? >> All right. Um all in favor of
150approving the 2026 2027 school calendar as recommended by the calendar committee, please say I. >> I. >> Um all opposed. >> I Okay, so that's uh 43. Um it passes. So, the four were um Aaron, you me and Rob. >> Who was it? Aaron, >> you, me, and Rob >> with Sarah, Rosa, and Joy as no. >> Yep. And then the only um other thing that I like point of order that I'd like to make is that we have asked as a board that the calendar committee add a board member and moving forward to the 2027 2028 school year consider the things that we've talked about. Um, I would like to see that as a priority. >> Yeah. >> Is there a a chair to the calendar committee? >> So, can I just write to
151you? >> How about I send it to Vonda and as a formal request? Okay. >> Okay. >> But I mean a formal request that that happen. Okay. Awesome. All right. So, there is no public comment um for the second phase. What um do you have for the three main points? So, I think the three main points should be the WMS student spotlight, uh, the prioritized one-year capital plan projects, and the calendar slashgraduation date. >> Part of the >> Yeah. >> Awesome. All right. Um, then upcoming events. >> Yes. Go back to that. >> The power game. >> I have that on there. >> All right. Right. So, starting with CLS, Sunday, December 7th, the PTO is sponsoring a night of lights in the CLS parking lot. It is open to the public. Think trunk or
152treat for winter holidays is how it's described. >> I like that. >> Uh yeah, I know. It's supposed to be really fun. People come and decorate their cars and it's kind of like a trunk or treat for the winter holidays. Yeah. Um please note that the winter band concert has been moved from Wednesday, December 10th to Wednesday, December 17th. WMS the community screening of screenagers. The next chapter will be Wednesday uh December 10th at 6 PM in the auditorium uh BHS auditorium. This screening addresses youth mental health in a digital age. This film is appropriate for middle and high school students, parents, caregivers, and community members. The funding was provided through the BEF Foundation grant and it is not available publicly. So attendance is encouraged because you can become educated and equipped to have productive
153conversations around issues that face our children. >> What time was that? >> So that's December 10th at 6 p.m. >> Wednesday, December 10th. There was a screening last year um that was uh skewed towards um like digital well-being and things like that. And this is a revisiting of it's like the next chapter in that screening. There's also going to be a screening for um the elementary school as well. It's a series that was funded um by the BEF through um Mrs. Person at the uh elementary school. And then B uh the BHS. So the freshman forum is tomorrow, November 20th at 6 p.m. in the auditorium. This forum will equip families with the knowledge to talk to their children about topics related to substance abuse, gambling, and other behavioral topics. Presentations will be shared by
154Western Connecticut Coalition, General SOS, and the Brookfield High School Counseling Department and as well as Brookfield Cares. Parents are strongly encouraged to bring their 9th graders with them to stimulate additional conversations after the forum. So, it's tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the auditorium. Then we have the Powderpuff game, Bethl versus Brookfield, November 25th at 7 p.m. >> 24th you said, right? >> So, I that's I wanted to ask you because it's on my calendar. the thing they gave me on the 25th, but you said the 24th. So, let's confirm while we go to the calendar. >> Wednesday is the 26th. >> Okay. [laughter] So, let me go to the high school calendar and confirm what it says. Principal Edie. Okay, here we go. No, you're probably right. It was what was sent to me. So,
155>> November 25th >> at 7 p.m. >> Oh, right. That's a Tuesday. >> Tuesday. Okay. >> Correct. So, it was sent to me the date [laughter] >> Okay. So, to confirm [laughter] >> to confirm, the Powderpuff game is on Tuesday, November 25th at 7 p.m. according to Mr. Belandez update. >> Okay. on the >> on the high school page. Important dates. >> What? >> I don't know. Let us know. >> We'll circle back. >> Right. >> Pay attention to the next update from the high school. >> Okay. So then, uh, let's see. The PTO meeting is December 9th at 6 p.m. Booster Club meeting is 6 p.m. December 10th. And grad party meeting is 7 p.m. December 11th. Uh, this is a very important meeting. Everyone, attention, attention. The grad party needs more help. That's
156what I was told to say. >> I'm going to have some time on my hands. So, >> yes, I know Rosa can join grad party. For the district, days off are next Thursday, the 27th, which is Thanksgiving, and Friday the 28th, the day after Thanksgiving, and 26th is a half day for students. And that is >> excellent. So, this concludes the public portion of our meeting. Um, we um well, I move that we uh enter executive session. Do you want to make the actual motion or you want me? >> Um, I'll I'll go ahead and do it. I I got it started. I've never I don't think I've ever made a motion. Um, I move that the board enter into executive session to discuss board self-evaluation and matters concerning security strategy. >> Um, all in
157favor? >> I opposed. Okay. So, it passes unanimously. Thank you for coming, folks. >> No, it will be Oh, yeah. It's going to be right in here. We are not leaving the >> And there's no public action because there's no >> All right. Good night everybody. Thanks for coming.