Board of Education Meeting

001to uh the regular meeting of the Brookfield Board of Education this Wednesday, March 19th. Um thank goodness it's the end of March. It's bright out. It's nice. Um so please uh start by joining me in saying the pledge of allegiance. Oh yes. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And I forgot to say that we are starting at 7 o'clock. Um so, uh thanks for that note, Stephanie. Um in terms of the roll call, the entire board is here as well as the executive team and our student representative. Um, so before we get started, uh, I want to acknowledge that we've had some pretty big news since our last meeting. Um,

002on behalf of the board of education, I would like to acknowledge and congratulate Superintendent John Burrill on his new role as the dean of the school of education at Central Connecticut State University. This is a significant career achievement um, and a testament to his leadership and dedication uh, to the field of education. In his first major show of leadership, Dr. Buril rebuilt the district's financial accountability and integrity, establishing firm controls following a history of costly abuses. Over the past decade, he has overseen critical advancements, including the successful overhaul of our special ed department, uh the recruitment of exceptional leadership talent, um and steering the district through the challenges of the COVID crisis. His leadership also guided the building and opening of the state's largest elementary school, the development of our strategic plan and district-wide portrait

003of a learner, and the seamless integration of technology and improved communications throughout our district. Some days have been challenging, it must be said. Um, we all recognize your contributions, and we wish you continued success in this exciting new chapter. So, thanks very much. That Thank you very much. Yeah, no problem. So, going from one piece of good news to undoubtedly more, it's now time for um the student update with Melissa Baines. Hello everyone. Um so, starting off per usual with athletics. Um congratulations to BBDICATs and Varsity Boy Swim for both being SWC runner apps um these past weeks. Um as well as Varsity SP swim for placing fourth at state CIC championships. Um, once again, this Saturday is the Penguin Plunge at Candlewood Lake. Um, and so registration starts at 10. The event starts at

00411:30. Uh, student government is finally in their final stages of getting ready for the spring pep rally, um, March Madness themed, um, which will be this Friday during school. And we're celebrating by having themed spirit days. Tomorrow is dress in your March Madness wear. So, I'll be sure to dress in Yukon. Um, the drama club this past weekend debuted their spring musical Chicago. Congratulations to all of them, especially the seniors. It was great. Uh, the robotics team participated in their first competition last week and they got lots of valuable feedback that they'll take into this next competition this weekend in Hartford. Peer counseling is hosting their annual St. Bodrick's events on Thursday, April 2nd from 5 to 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Um, this is essentially event raised to um help uh donate money for

005childhood cancer research. Um they're currently accepting donations in posters located all around the school and online. Um and we're also looking for shaveies in the community. Uh whether it's students, uh family members, parents, anyone, anyone can shave their head or cut 10 inches off their hair. um and that'll go towards um the research. And so I definitely encourage students and everyone in this community to come and show out. Um Leo Cup is still running their fundraiser collecting and donating shoes. Um this weekend they're having their drive-thru event um which will be from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. And then students have had the opportunity the past two weeks to sign up for three different career dy sessions that will be hosted next week during school. So I'll look forward to telling you guys

006more in depth about the ones that I chose and how they went. So thank you. That's great. Thanks so much. Any questions for Melissa? Okay. Thanks a bunch. Um now we're going to move to our student spotlight which looks very uh exciting. Um this is uh our musicians from Kendallwood Lake Elementary School. Um and we we are really eager to hear what you have to share with us. Dr. Young, if Dr. Pepsoski could come up and do a brief introduction. Now we're on. Okay. I am so thrilled to introduce Wes Marchana. He is our band director at Candle Lakeake Elementary School. He has brought an exceptional group of musicians. Winter concert. I thought I was at a high school concert. They were so amazing. No pressure. Uh but I'd like to just turn it over

007to you, Wes, for a few words. And spotlight CL. Thank you, our board, for having us, administrators and community members. March marks music in our schools month across states. And that's not very musical, is it? To mark this occasion, our students have prepared a selection from the Olympic suite to honor the Olympic Games we just had this past summer. And we might have an Olympian present with us here in Dr. Man. So, I hope you recognize the tune. Here is the Olympic fanfare by the CL advanced rest position. 50% ready position. playing position. One, two, one, two, red. Play. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Each of these students you just heard belongs to an auditioned ensemble. So each student up here had to earn their right and earned a spot in in

008our playing with this ensemble. One more round of applause for the fantastic [Applause] No fan is complete without some awesome trumpet players. My trumpet players, please stand up. AJ Sarasini, Lucas, Gabriel, Russell Sykes, and [Applause] Amy. We thank you for having us on Music in Our School's month, and we hope to see some of you at our concert on April 30th just down the hallway in the VHS auditorium. Thank you very much. Thank you. music instruments offers and thank you parents and families for uh giving us this treat and making time in your evening for this. Thank you so much. All right. Um I think we can resume. Uh it is time now for public comment. And first we have Mrs. Rice. Um the folks who are signed up to um to speak tonight are

009are uh veteran public comment people. So, I don't need the whole um statement probably, but I I did want to just um alert the public and um everyone who's here that uh we're no longer asking you to um indicate your street uh number, but just that you are a Brookfield resident along with your name, please, when you start. Thanks very much. Uh yeah, you're here to speak about the 1312 is what the Okay, thanks. Are we good? Okay. Denise Rice, Brookfield resident. I see that the 1312 is on the agenda. Last board meeting, when a 14-year-old student got up to speak about her experience, the conversation was shut down by a board member whispering something to another and acting. She stated, "It's not for the board to discuss." It is. The student and her parents

010went up the chain of command, which proved pointless and frustrating. Nothing was done right, and a 14-year-old was allowed to be told by her bully she was proud of what she had done to her. No Brookfield employee in that meeting stepped in. The student ended up more victimized by the bully and left feeling the adults and now board hates her. This is the wrong message. You didn't even you didn't really even need to look at it as an issue with one particular student. The point was that the behavior of the staff and administration was offensive at the least. It is their behavior that the 1312 was addressing. It is the job of the board to hear when a problem is not being solved by anyone under the board. When the chain of command does not

011work, it is the job of the board to ensure that every child gets a free and appropriate education and feels safe. The board has the responsibility when parents go to the top with no resolve. It's a district issue. Aaron stated that each child deserves to be safe and was shut down last meeting to make it about one student. I'm asking the board to listen to the 1312 and read it. Is it really how our district wants our students to feel? Is this really how the board wants to act? Constantly shutting down conversation to protect administration going up the chain. If it happened to hurt, it's most definitely not an isolated incident. If you feel it is, then it would be admitting retaliation. It's time the board realized that when things get escalated the way to

012the top, no reasonable solution, they need to step in. You are the top of the chain when all else fails. Not only for the sake of one student, for the sake of all the students in the district. Why would a district be mad at a student for recording a restorative meeting if it was done properly? It's about time to hold people accountable. Thank you. It's important for the public to know that there are um processes within our policy manual that allow for formal complaints uh as has been alluded to um for appeals where applicable and for the mature resolution of conflict. For most of these processes, the superintendent is and should be the last stop. The board is not an appellet body for everything people are dissatisfied with. We have a very narrow scope and

013a very narrow appeals purview. The board does not have a role in undermining the superintendent or school administration on student discipline matters. If legal charges are filed, the board would become involved in evaluating the superintendent's handling of the situation. Mr. Korea, uh, Andy Korea, a Brookfield resident. Um, what was just said is entirely not true. Um, I'm here today to highlight the serious concerns enumerated in my policy 1312 complaint against the respondent and the potential conflict of interest among certain board members identified in my email to the BOE last night. Specifically, these board members have consistently demonstrated a pattern of behavior that suggests a personal conflict of interest in their failure to hold the respondent accountable in their position in the district. Their actions consistently have strayed from expected BOE governance norms and in fact

014subverting and perverting governance. My complaint details the respondents fail failure to uphold BOE policy and comply with legal requirements particularly concerning the retaliation harassment to process and the BOE's lack of oversight. I want to be unequivocally clear. Characterizing this as a mere student issue would be a gross and deliberate manipulation. This is about systematic failures of administration at the building and central office levels. The board's complicity and even board officer participation. The respondents impending departure does not absolve the BOE of its responsibility to address these serious issues. It is critical to document these concerns for future employers and most importantly for the protection of students. Furthermore, a thorough investigation will reveal a deeply troubling pattern of retaliation by administration. This retaliation is not limited to a single incident. Extends to my children and others identified

015by the administration to the BOE as a small vocal group of parents daring to exercise the right to question district policies and practices. These efforts to silence disscent have not been have been coordinated among the respondent administration union officials into disturbingly certain board officers. This represents a serious breach of the tr public public trust in the portrayal of the community's best interest. I'm requesting that the board officers recuse themselves from all deliberations regarding the complaint. If they failed to do so, I will be compelled to file an ethics complaint against them on Monday. The board has a duty to act with integrity and address the concerns of retaliation and coordination efforts to silence parent voices. I urge you to take this matter with the utmost seriousness it deserves and address these issues outlined in my

016complaint uh thoroughly. Thank you, Mrs. case, you have signed up to talk about the resignation. Good evening, Deborah Casease, Brookfield resident. Last week, the board issued a statement in regard to the resignation of Mr. Burrell. I wrote to the board and asked who the author was. I received feedback from the chairperson that it was heard doing and also feedback from other members that they knew nothing about the letter. I found this upsetting that the chairperson who according to bylaw can act as spoke spokesperson wouldn't at least as courtesy have run it by her colleagues. Also I think in doing so some factchecking would have come to light. You see you issued a statement of accolades and opinion signed off by the entirety of the board. You also stated that Mr. burial spearheaded um the security

017task force and implemented SRO's at every school. This is simply not true and in fact it's immensely hurtful and minimizing to the people that did in fact spearhead the security task force. After Sandy Hook, an extremely small group of moms were the ones that spearheaded spearheaded the task force from infancy. They held numerous convincing meetings with officer PCEL over the immediate need for SRO's as well as speaking up and writing in and meeting with borders selectman, board of finance, BOE, getting um uh sending out petitions, getting signatures. These moms spearheaded the security task force. By 2013, SRO's police were present at all four schools and district. To me, it's best important that you acknowledge those parents and maybe also try to get back to partnering partnering with parents and maybe in the in the future

018will be welcomed with the school district. Now, in the bylaws, it says the chairperson can act as spokesperson. I implore everybody, you have a volunteer position. I would never allow anybody to speak for me. you should make a motion to amend those bylaws and have it at least run by you and get the approval from the entirety of the board before someone speaks on your behalf. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Case. With that, we're going to move to um written correspondence. So, Stephanie, what do we have? The following people have emailed the board of ed since March 5th. David and Erin, Denise Rice, Deborah Casease, Irene Korea, two emails. Andy Korea, two emails. Okay. Um, before we Thank you very much for that. Um before we move to approval of board minutes um I would

019like to um uh add an agenda item and for that I need to first tell you about it then we need twothirds vote um it is for um after the executive session and I would like to tell you the substance of the um of the item and then discuss it and then maybe make the motion if you guys are amendable. Uh and this is this is based on a conversation that I had with uh Pete Maher this afternoon. Um so I would like to add the agenda item that after executive session that we uh the that we engage in a possible action regarding the appointment of a personnel search committee for superintendent. Yeah. That we engage That that that's yeah that's the idea of it. But I I wanted to because it's kind of complicated.

020What I would s just as a point of order I would suggest you make the motion get it on the table and we can have that discussion of whether or not it's added to the agenda during the discussion. Okay. Then um I move to add the agenda item and it's wordy so yeah we'll discuss it. That the board engage in a possible action regarding the appointment of a personnel search committee for a superintendent. Second. Okay. So, with the motion on the table, um, let's talk about this. Um, so you're referencing a specific firm or No, no, no, no, no. We're just going to engage in the conversation. Yes. With a possible action afterward, who would be on the committee? That's for the outside. I think we have Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I'm just I mean,

021we're going to have to have the conversation, but I think that it's also important to acknowledge we asked for, you know, three of us requested a special meeting to specifically discuss these steps, and I was told we had plenty of time. So, I'm a little bit thrown off that you want to do it tonight when we could have already done it. I totally understand what you're saying there. Um the I think things will become clear in our uh discussion in executive session. I I would also like that to be in public session. I think that's important for the community to have transparency with that too. Um I don't know how much Well, the action item you're proposing would be in public session. Yes. Would be in public session. It would be after the executive session,

022right? But that it's not open to Well, it is technically open to everyone, but no one would really have that information besides who's here. That's true. That's that's my only point for that. We would have minutes. Correct. For the portion after executive session, we would have minutes. And the public is welcome to stay. Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. Um the it's the the the term that might be throwing you here is the uh personnel search committee. Um and that's what's that's um by the end of the evening you will understand that more fully. So just to be clear we're going to discuss the search of the personnel committee. We're we're we're going to understand better um the advice given from our attorney. Copy. I guess I'm not comfortable with not having all the information. So I'm not

023comfortable with entering or having that motion or agreeing to that motion because out of that but you would but you would like to have a special meeting on it on that same topic after tonight's meeting. So like tomorrow, correct? Or last meeting. Well, as soon as possible. Last week we didn't have all I would but I I really don't know what we're going to be totally discussing tonight. Exactly. Exactly. I I mean clearly it needs to be talking but communication at it is just not working. So I mean I think maybe even a heads up before we came in here would have been and not surprised at the board table would have been I mean I know I would have appreciated it. Um I am trying to respect attorney client privilege. All right, then take

024a vote. So, let's let's vote and um and if if we if we can't get this item added, then that'll lead to um the need for a special meeting um sometime in the next week. All right. Um so, the motion's on the table. It's been seconded. All in favor, um please indicate by saying I I Okay. All opposed? Okay. So, the motion does not pass. All right. Um, so moving on, we go to uh the approval of board minutes. I move that the board approve the minutes listed below as recommended. Regular meeting from 35 2025. A second. Rob has it. Yep. Is there any discussion on the minutes? All right. Okay. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. Any opposed? One. Um, any abstensions? And so Sarah's no and Aaron abstained on the meeting

025minutes. Okay. Um, so now we go to the superintendent's update. Thank you. So, uh, first of all, I wanted to, uh, Melissa talked about Chicago. It was an incredible drama production musical. Uh, from the singing, the dancing, the live the set design and uh and lighting incredible Samantha's here, one of the stars of the show. So, congratulations and great job and send her best to everyone on that. Um in teaching and learning uh really important to share and and thank Mr. Baldwin and all the faculty and staff that are a part of um working with our uh unified sports program. The CIA unified sports tournament was held on March 12th last week, hosted here at BHS and it was just a great event. So, wanted to make sure everybody knew about that. Uh we do

026have an exciting uh year three I think of the French exchange program uh with the middle school and from the 31st of this month through April 4th um our French exchange students will be visiting uh back here in Brookville under business and operations. Um we have the teacher schedule followup. I'm not sure if the board may want to add this as a discussion item to the agenda, but I did share information. Um and I think Lisa Lisa, did you pass out the memo to everybody? There's a memo um that just explains all the things to consider with the 180 days. I have a recommendation there and um I can come back to that at the end of this report which is very brief if we want to have that discussion. March 12th, again that same

027date last week, we had two very um interesting facility issues that I informed the board about and everything worked out. Uh the first was uh a propane odor at the high school was detected after hours. and actually interrupted the dress rehearsal of Chicago. And um it turns out there was no propane leak. It was burnt food, but a custodian thought it was a gas leak and out of an abundance of caution called 911 and the fire department said everybody could come back in and they determined it was the burnt food. It does come on the heels of the day before a knob not working properly on the gas stove in the foods room and it didn't turn off and there was a little bit of a smell there which was a concern. So, there was

028some followup there, but everything's okay. Uh and then we had a backflow device break uh which caused a water leak at CLES on Thursday evening last week or was it Wednesday evening, whichever evening it was. Um water did leak into the first floor hallway kind of near the nurse's office and um multi-purpose room. Everything was cleaned up. No damage there. The broken device was fixed that evening. Thankfully, the contractor that came out actually had the equipment on the truck and was able to fix it. So there was no delay in school or anything like that. we were able to to open that up. And then um a very exciting uh opportunity uh with a Wi-Fi grant uh that Eric has uh worked on behalf of the town and uh on behalf of the school district.

029He's applied for a competitive grant to add wireless access points to various public spaces throughout the town um and also on the school properties and this would include our athletic fields. Um and the town will be notified of the award at the end of April. really looking for that outdoor Wi-Fi access when you know folks are participating watching games etc. It will give us a lot more access. So we're there's 10 I think it's $10 million statewide. Um but it was a pretty quick turnaround and Eric really put the pedal to the metal to get that done. So we're hoping uh we do get something for that. And then finally on engagement in school climate we had an a really really robust speaks meeting last week. I want to thank the BHS teachers and uh

030students along with uh parents that participated. We really um we dug in on some budget communication and engagement as we get into budget season toward referendum. Uh in addition to that, talking about how the cell phone protocols are going at the high school, where where is there any opportunity for loosening up? Is there any opportunity for tightening up better communication? There things we could do differently. Um Mr. Abrago was there, so that was great to have administrator at that meeting as well. So we took the the minutes and um actually where's Bill? Bill took the minutes. Bill always takes the minutes for us lately. So um thank you for that. was great. And then the state of the district document, our uh I think it's the fourth uh annual that I'll be putting out is

031ready to go tomorrow for the first day of spring. So that's what I have. Unless there's questions, do we want to talk a Go ahead. Where can those minutes be or the minutes posted on the high school website or um we usually it's not a u a board administrative kind of group, but minutes we can pass. I think it just would be great to find out what the students think. I'll share them with you tomorrow. Um And then does anybody want to chat about the memo I left for you? Yeah, I think that's really important. Um so can we so um can you give us like the I know this is the bird's eye view but but uh this this connects to um teachers working one right fewer day that was that was talked about.

032Yeah. So there was a question at after the board voted to move from 182 to 180 student days um accommodating the grad party accommodating a very a very sensible graduation on Saturday, August uh August June 14th. Um makes total sense to do that, but it was important. A question came up so the teachers don't have to come back on Monday the 16th. You know, maybe they could just end on Friday. What would that look like? And so I wanted to just go through and touch base on the various bargaining units. Uh you know, three of which essentially are affected. Um the first is the question about the teachers. every day that the teachers work is um with approximately 250 teachers is about $92,000. So, we just need to know that and so um I would

033advise that we have our teachers work up to 187 which is part of the contract and we have plenty of things the teachers have lots of work to do to close out the year preparations for next year and there's also PD opportunities uh there. So, that would be my thought process on that just so you you all know that and you know being in a tight budget season it's important to know the actual uh uh figures. Um, so that's the first piece. Transportation. I'm gonna step out of the the um personnel for a second. Transportation. Uh, we were hoping it would be closer saving on two days of transportation, $25,000. We've met with Allstar. Um, there's a 45% um, uh, caveat, I suppose, in there. And so we save probably about $12,000 because we have

034a a broad contract with them um, for two days less of busing. Then we get into the other bargaining units. Now the other bargaining units, so everybody could just understand for a quick second, we've got par profofessionals, our nurses, secretaries, custodians, and administration. Secretaries, custodians, administration are not affected by the student days of a school year. Um, but paras and nurses do have language in their contracts regarding student days. And our parah educators, they they work the student days essentially to sum up their their their detailed contract. Um if uh none of the paras worked any those extra two days would be a savings of approximately 50 thou $15,000 for all of our paras. To that end it's important to note um we have been in touch with the par educator union and there is

035a sentiment that they would like the opportunity to work those two days and there are things and trainings and things we can do. Um so we could kind of get a determination what the savings would be because we could survey how many pairs would actually like to work those two days or one day and not. So, I can work on that certainly or with the team. In terms of the nurses, it's a much smaller bargaining unit, only seven nurses. They've already worked their two additional days that they work to the student days um at the beginning of the school year. Um frankly, they need that time at the beginning of the school year, not at the end of the school year. So, they are more than happy to have two two days uh less to

036work um as summer approaches. Um but with the two days for all seven nurses would be about just over $2,000 saved. So I just wanted everybody to have a sense of the funds that that two days impacts in the school district. Um ultimately at the end of the day my recommendation would be what I said earlier have our teachers work the up to 187 and you know have some plans for them and get the input from the teachers with their school administrators what they need to get accomplished in those days. You know we talked about this last year. There's a lot of work that we we can get done on non-instructional days. Um and then work with um and I and I would ask frankly I think it would be the most efficient way if

037the board um is is interested in this on advice of uh attorney Maher to uh engage in a very limited scope memorandum of agreement with both the nurses and parah educators as to what I just described herein in terms of those two extra work days just so we memorialize it so we're all on the same page. Um so would that involve um more negotiation with the um parah uh we would sit down with the representation from the parun representation and the nurses union representation the same individual so we could just work with that person and have a very limited scope memorandum of agreement that you you know those who want to work can work though you know that kind of a thing basically what I described in the memo um again if the board is

038comfortable with that. So, do we need to vote on that or can we just verbally authorize um I mean I guess a vote is a relationship if the board actually made a motion to authorize me to do that or it could be the personnel and negotiations committee but it's it's such a limited matter here and we wouldn't engage in this without board's attorney. So, as far as the paras and the nurses, it would be up to them if they wanted to work those two extra. I think I what I not quite with the nurses. They're really not interested in working those extra. Well, I mean they worked two before. So, I just want to make sure that, you know, if the nurses already did those two days, they don't have to do two more if

039they don't want to. And then if the pair is elect, they they can and we'd have again, there's plenty of work to do, you know, to to close out the year. And others may be like, I've had enough. Yeah. I I mean, I think when we were talking about shortening the day, you know, the two student days, it was really like it would be really nice if we could give the teachers Friday so they didn't have to go back to Monday. Not really. Yeah. And again, that's the board's decision, but I'm just kind of talking through my recommendation here based on, you know, what we have in the various contracts and think things to think about. You're welcome. Where do we think most teachers stand on this? Like I mean, I know where I would

040if you're going the teachers. Well, it's affecting their pocket, isn't it? But no, here the the teachers if the teachers Okay, then if the teachers are going to work one less day, they're not going to I don't think they'd be interested in we would have to do an MOA with the teachers. They're not going to be interested in not getting paid for that one extra day. It would be kind of a a nicity from the board. So, and again, someone asked me kind of during the conversation two weeks ago, Dr. Bro, would there be would there be a problem with this? And I said, there's always going to be some kind of problem. So, there's always a challenge we have to work through. And and so these are the things, you know, with the different

041contracts we have. So the motion that you've described would be that the board authorizes you to negotiate or to to enter into an MOA. Yeah. With each of the unions based on the discussion this evening based on the memo elicitate the par. I'm sorry. You could even elucidate. Yeah. With the paris and the nurses unions. It's not allions. Um so that'll make Friday their last day. Not not the Monday or Thursday. Monday the last day. Make them on Monday. I was confused about the days. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um so an M I have a motion language. Great. Um, wonderful. Well, I I'll I'll move that we authorize the superintendent to engage in negotiations with um PAR educator and nurses uh bargaining units and enter into a memorandum of agreement um considering the items here as

042discussed in this memo. I'll second. Any further discussion on this? Okay. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? All right. So, that vote is unanimous. Great. Thank you very much. All right. We'll get to work on that. Super. And is that something that we would know for the um April meeting or I don't know that we could do it that quickly, but if we as soon as we have it, you'll know. Okay. All right. So, now uh we're going to the subcommittee report. So, let's start with facilities. All right. Um, we met on uh March 5th. Uh, we called her at 6. Everybody was present. Casey, myself, Sarah, Stephanie, and Dan Cwell was there as well. Uh, new business. We discussed the non-priority grant applications for capital projects.

043Casey informed the committee of the process for submitting it and the grant applications to the state for reimbursement on capital projects. Casey will be moving forward uh with submitting the applications for projects that qualify in the future. I know it's a tall task, Casey. It's a lot of work. So, thank you for that. And uh hopefully we'll be getting those. These are also going to include the roof replacements, HVAC projects, and the oil tank replacement projects for Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Did I say that? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oil tank. Boils replacement. Yeah. Um for school due reports, we discussed the various uh uh school D reports are out there. There was nothing too pressing on there. I know Dan had covered most of it and said he was on top of those. Um and

044they were shown and indicated by the days that they were open. Um the update on capital projects the roofing project at uh BHS and WMS. The next steps are the planning of the schematic drawings with the Frier Frier architects. It's been postponed based uh because the of submitting of the non-priority grant application for this project which I believe will help us right offset. Um Casey and Dr. O will be coordinating Mr. Dunn in order to obtain the required resolution to move this application forward. The air conditioning in the library scheduled to be here at March 6th uh to remove the old unit. mechanical hookups will hook up into the f next week, which was last week, I think, or this week, something like that. Yeah, last week or this week. Um, staff bathrooms, uh, redoing

045them hopefully during spring break. The restoration of the heating coils, 19 of them throughout the building. Uh, should be a summer project. All this should be covered through insurance. Those were the ones that were damaged during the, uh, breaking of the vent. Thank you. Unit ventilator. I forgot that uh, secure entrance at the high school, the salad port. Uh, it's still a work in progress. We still need to wait on permits to be pulled. and Dan is reaching out to the contractor to determine when the project will be completed. During the snow, we had six inches of water come through a pitch, pocket water, which Dr. Bril uh outlined and spoke about, and Dan did and his team did a great job working till 1:00 a.m. over the weekend to make sure school was ready

046for Monday. So, kudos to you, Dan, and your team. Again, well done. For middle school, the Edertton, Inc. as the boiler replacement job. They're going to attempt it, possibly attempted April break, uh replacing the one boiler with the leaking section. Uh the roof blown off in the gym a few weeks ago, 34,983 for work should be covered by insurance. Um estimate from Barrett Roofing, 83,000 to replace the roof, which is a work in progress. Um we had about 11 small leaks found in the building after the last storm. Barrett Roofing will be on site in the next couple of weeks to perform these to make sure that those are taken care of. We had no updates on the portables yet. Uh the NBC or their contractors. The cafeteria floor is going to be done during

047the summer and the rebuilt uh rebuild rebuilding excuse me the oil oil burner at WMS educ and Dan's team again have been working on it and every time there's an issue Dan and his uh crew are on it. The rooftop unit has failed at CLES. One of the five units has changes the air to the building. It's not in the warranty but I believe we are working on getting that taken care of. As we all know we fight over the whole new building stuff. Uh issues in the alarm system, sensitivity issues with motion motion sensors. There was some issues with wall covering coming down. Dan and Paul Czechos said they will be working with contractors to put them back together. An exterior siding have blown off during those last windstorms. Um, and those will be

048taken care of as well. The situation with the airtop units with the league, Dan and the team fixed this themselves and chill water pump issues. OMG put in a work order for this and we adjourned at 6:46 p.m. Any questions? Yeah. Can um someone speak to a lot of the issues at CLES like the rooftop unit uh why that wasn't under warranty given that it's a brand new building. Um seems like a lot of issues going on with the new building. Yeah, I can speak a little bit a little bit to that. Um so while it is a brand new building in in in theory, um a lot of the equipment has actually been in place and has been operating for a lot longer than students have been in the building. And so it is

049a lot of those those items are outside of the warranty um window. However, um this one unit in particular that um failed. Uh we did reach out to you know made sure that the NBC was aware that this unit had failed that we were informed by the vendor that it was outside of warranty and they worked with their um you know their contacts and stuff and that was uh handled and addressed by the um by the vendor itself. So that ended up being um you know not an expense that we had to incur to correct that at the M we talked about at the NBC meeting last night and I think it was fixed and then they're looking at curbing or something on one of the units too. So where there's a I mean they're

050watching it but I mean they know there's a pretty long list. I have a question about the um alarms at CLS. Can can you um can you update us about I don't know which of you would know more about that. Um the the sensor was moved. Is that correct? The motion sensor. Can you talk a friend to that? Um the what the um the panic alarm or the Yeah. Is that is that part of what what this is about? The the alarm system? what what uh what Rob was referring to was the um the the alarm system in the classrooms and the different wings um are motion sensors and they're very sensitive. So Dan has been getting um alerts that the alarm is going off, you know, multiple times throughout the night in the middle

051of the night. Um and so he had Seammens, the the vendor, come out or it coming out to see if he can adjust the sensitivity. Um because, you know, if there's multiple multiple s sensory motion dete, you know, sensing um alarms going off throughout the building and it looks like somebody's moving throughout the building, that's one thing. But if it it happens to be these sporadic things that are happening and there you know folks are called and there's no actual um emergency um it's just the the sensitivity of it. So Seammens was going to come out and take a look at that. Okay. So a concrete um understand I just actually was there with Dan today and we were talking about it. So a concrete example is a classroom teacher had some kind of decor

052over their window and where the apparently where the HVAC kind of blows it was moving that and that's been causing an alarm to go off and so they did a walkthrough and they're like we think that's it. So the teacher was gracious and took that down and that area isn't going off anymore. So that sensitivity so you know we can give kind of expectations and direction to staff too about you know certain areas you don't want to hang things in certain areas if it's going to cause a motion sensor to go off that kind of thing. So, the good thing is they're sensitive. Yes. The bad thing is they keep going off. So, you know, but we don't want it to be like a car alarm where you don't pay attention to it either. I

053mean, you you never want that to happen. And the alarm the the the the um like false alarms at at CS, the panic Yeah, the panic button. So, yeah, there there's there's supposed to be a relocation of um one or two of the panic buttons. There's several throughout the building and um I don't think that's occurred yet. Um that's a needs to be done and again as Rob talks about we're we're in this this between area where we really essentially own but we don't own because we don't have the full uh the full sign off uh with the NBC from OG at this point because there's still all those punch list items. You know Dan Dan excuse me um Paulo and Josh Flowers they had a walk through on Thursday afternoon. They were there you

054know on schedule walking through and you know they had their list and they're going through. So, um, again, it's it's, uh, a little frustrating, a little irritating. Why is it taking so long? Believe me, I I live it every day. So, it's very frustrating. At the same time, we could be thankful Paul and Josh and the NBC team are not going to let anything slip through. They want that building, you know, perfection, and they want it for the long haul. I mean, these buildings need to last like CES, they need to last a hundred years. So, um, we really want it to be perfect. And so, they're they're not letting anything just kind of go unnoticed. And if something um should have been done a certain way, they're going to call the the subcontractor on

055it and ONG as the general contractor and make sure it gets done right. Um even if it's a little inconvenient, they're they're going to stick to it for the long haul. Is the exterior sighting that blew off, is that like a malfunction in, you know, how it was installed or is that like a freak thing or that I don't know the the cause of that? I'm not sure. Okay. But I can I can try to find out for you. Yeah. Um, and the rooftop unit that failed, is that the same as the airtop unit that had the leak or those are two separate units? I'm not sure. I think so. The rooftop unit failed. There's I think it's different. I think the one that is leaking is over the gymnasium and I think the one

056that failed um is is different. Um Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, are we set with facilities? I just wanted to mention quick um I know an email came in um regarding the fitness center and the main turf scoreboard. So, if we can put that on the next agenda to address I don't know if anybody um got back to the person that wrote. So, that email um I the way I read it was it was a plea to the board of finance. Okay. So, because we had had those items on Yeah, it was probably Yeah. The way I read it was same thing like with the um with the boys um lock room. So, we can put it back on to talk about and like maybe what the next steps are and stuff, but I think the

057email specifically the way I read it was to the board of finance because the capital planning committee correct you're accurate. Correct. But the way in the past it has to start with us at the committee putting it back on. Got it. Just want to make sure you didn't addressing the All right, let's move then to finance notes. Okay. Uh we last met on Thursday, March 13th. Um after going through the check registers, there was one uh one question um that Aaron had and that was addressed during the meeting. Um and then we went over the uh February financial report. Um the biggest month-to-month change um is thankfully a reduction in our overall um net budget shortfall and that's due directly to the state legislaturator's uh funding package that um will come through. We haven't actually

058received the check, but we are anticipated to um get that additional excess cost revenue of about $200,000, which um reduces our net budget shortfall um which removes that necessity to perhaps go to a town meeting. Um so we had had on our agenda um possible action regarding that, a recommendation from the committee, but that's actually not needed. Um we talked to um our communication came from Marsha Marian, the town finance director, and she said to hold off um because now our shortfall is small enough that they can likely deal with it without having to go to a town meeting. Um in terms of old business, we discussed um some of the reductions that uh the board of selectmen and board of finance have made and I'll we have that on our agenda tonight, so I'll

059just gloss over that. Um, and just in our miscellaneous discussion, um, I relayed a communication, uh, Dr. Bril had proactively reached out to me and just wanted the committee to know, um, regarding his, um, upcoming resignation and an annuity entitlement that we as a board had previously established over several years. Um, he want just wanted us to know the value of that. Um, the process for how it will be returning to the board. The board does own it. He's not entitled to it. Um, and so thank you for that information. It's good good for us to keep an eye out for it. Um, and then obviously when those funds are returned and the timing of which we don't really fully understand quite yet. Um, but when that does come, we will decide on best use

060for it. And Mrs. Reynolds did reach out to Voya to determine the process for cling. Yes, she did. Yep. And that's it. I just um have a question where um under old business under the two three four down and where it says it's reported that the board of finance has earmarked an additional $200,000 in contingency for unanticipated special education costs. Yes. So I mean when I was at the meeting I I thought that there was $200,000 for the school and the town and it wasn't really earmarked for anything. We had to go through the process. So, I did reach out to the board of finance today and um it was, you know, it was confirmed that there is nothing right now currently earmarked for special education moving forward. So, yeah. I mean, when I say

061earmarked, I don't mean like it's it's ours. It's sort of we always have to go through sort of process. I was surprised that it's $200,000 on the town side and the board of education side. So, that that is a good clarification to make. Yeah, it's not a lot. Yeah. Anything further with finances? Okay, then um let's move to the consent agenda. I move that the board approve the items on the consent agenda as recommended. The resignation of Dr. Dr. John Burrell, Superintendent TSO, effective 62925 and February financials. Any discussion on this? Okay. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay. So, uh that's a unanimous vote there. And then we move to new business. So, Mr. Roland, you're up. We're going to hear um a uh the update regarding the

062special education strategic plan. It's all ready to go. Be patient during our technical difficulties. Please stand by. There we go. Okay. Not yet. Ready. It's called the boot cycle at this point. The anticipation builds. There we are. Good evening everyone, members of the board, Dr. Burrell, Dr. Man, Mrs. Dat. Uh, I just want to start by saying thank you to everybody who's who's supported me throughout the the almost two years I've been here. Um tonight I'd like to give you an update on the strategic plan, some shifts we're making, and also some um pieces of reviewing where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. Um to begin, just thanking the committee members, but there's not just these committee members. There's been um parent calls, there's been uh conversations after PPT meetings. I've been

063in uh conversations with parents on the phone. And so the input that you're going to see tonight again is a a a short overview of what we're planning next. I'd also like to thank um Miss Fitzgerald who's here from Septto this evening. Thank you um for for uh helping with some of the input as we met a couple weeks ago. Um when we met back in November, when I presented to you in November, we talked about a theme of stability and consistency. That's been the theme certainly for the first year and on into the second year. Tonight, I want to review some of those pieces, reflect on what those pieces mean, and then start to reimagine and start to dream about what might be next and where we will go as a as a special

064education and a learning community. Before I get into that, I just wanted to review, and I brought this up in November. Um, there used to be things called a desk audit where the state department of ed would come in and go through our files. Since the CT saids implementation, uh, compliance is checked through the CT said system. So, we got a report back from CTEs that we were in good shape. Uh, the only areas of growth might be to be a little more precise in our present levels of performance, um, which we're certainly working on and and working on with our IEP compliance teacher, working with our teams. What you see before you is the the total number of students in the district and our compliance. Now when you see 1% uh 99% is is

065great because there are districts that are not reaching 99%. This is in terms of the goals and objectives and the structures of the IEPs. The 1% could be construed as people who are in the students who are in the the referral process who are having meetings who are in the process of having meetings whose meetings haven't been finalized yet. So when you see those numbers, that also includes 504s. But I'm very proud of our team and I'm proud of our our IEP compliance teacher who has helped to work with our our uh teachers and staff in all three buildings on making sure that what we write is um smart goals and implementable goals. So when we talk about strategic plan, we talk about special education as teachers, as community members, we want to know what's

066our why? Why do we do what we do? What what drives us? And to talk about ensuring students with disabilities achieve academic, social, and emotional success. The key word, and I've said it in every presentation, inclusive environments. And inclusive means in all environments, partnering with all of the teachers, staff, students, families, community members, community stakeholders, um in making sure that that's why we do what we do. I could present statistics, but at the end of the day, why are we doing this? To make sure that our students with disabilities are included. Speaking of inclusion, um this is just a quick snap from our uh unified sports tournament last week that we hosted with um some area districts joining us. Um very proud of this. This was the middle school uh from Wiskanir, the Wiskanir team,

067unified sports. I always like to highlight one of those in each my of my presentations. And tonight, Whiskanir is the is the one I wanted to show. So, we thank them for their dedication and for the kids who did an amazing job as usual. So, just to review the CRE report framework that Dr. Corville presented about two years ago at this time. The four domains were resources, organizational structures, student learning, and communication and collaboration. So, tonight I'd just like to give you an overview of that, where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. Um, when we talk about resources, what are we talking about? We're talking about allocation of case loads. Making sure that that students are in classrooms with special education teachers in resource settings and in specialized program settings and that

068the case loads are allocated appropriately so that the students can meet their goals. Uh, I also want to shout out Wiskanir again uh for our specialized ELC program which has really been transformed this year thanks to Mrs. Jyn and Mr. Renda, Miss Fontana and the the team at Wiscaneer um the Paris and the related services folks we have seen a dramatic increase in um inclusion and being a part of the building and just it's just great to see uh when we looked at what we could improve across our district ELC at Wiskiner was one of the areas that we wanted to make sure that we took a look at and I'm very proud of the the structured collaborations that are taking place our targeted professional learning which has included paras and teachers Partnering with Ed

069Advance, we uh brought in in-person workshops on assist of technology, dyslexia, secondary transition, and continuing our IEP quality training. And this was in addition to our 321 insight um online training. But I felt and our team felt that in-person professional learning is really at the heart of being able to have conversations about things like dyslexia and assisted technology. Our paras really enjoyed it. our teachers are always eager for more training whether it's Orton Gillingham, uh, Wilson, things like that that are on on our radar. So, I wanted to make sure that we talked about that. In addition, for those of you who've been around special education for a while, you might remember MAPS meetings, which are kind of transition meetings for where um students are going to be, their hopes and dreams going forward after

070high school. Well, there's been a shift into um a program set of u meetings called charting the life course. Again, partnering with Ed Advance, we have brought in um Laurel Scott who is one of their uh transition folks that works with the state. She's also going to be training our staff in charting the life course so that we can have those meetings um with students that are e even in middle school or in high school talking about what's next for them and mapping out what's going to what they're going to need and how it's going to happen for them as they move through their adult life. Systems and structures, I say it every time, but increased communication not only with me, but aligned conversations across all three buildings. there are more collaborative meetings and that

071might not be a necessarily a hot topic but it's certainly something that um we needed more of to be able to talk about students moving from elementary to middle and middle to high sharing resources sharing ideas um and those aligned conversations are taking place um at Wiskiner we have Molly Garcia and Ryan Pasarelli our school psychologists who are spearheading the flowchart and guidelines for teachers and related services staff based on feedback. But this is also going for 504s as we're updating our 504 um handbook just to make it easier for both parents and also teachers and community members within our our schools to look and see how we do what we do and the steps that we take. Ongoing conversations, um meetings in buildings, faculty meetings, insights on our inclusive practices, how can we do

072better? Um, it's easy for me to come up here and speak about how proud I am, but there's always areas of growth and when we talk about inclusion, it's never something that we rest our our laurels on. We want to do better and we want to do more of it. How else can we do that in all areas and identifying those areas of improvement um intervention systems. So one of the areas that we're working on is uh and currently implementing is a a social emotional intervention system which again we talk about tiered interventions oftentimes you think of academics but social emotional is also uh a key piece of providing students with what they need at where they are. And it may not always lead to a special education referral, but our related services staff are

073addressing that uh assessment and monitoring data and also working with our teachers to understand what an intervention referral looks like and what tier 2 and tier three social emotional looks like. So that is currently also happening. Uh enhancing our review process. This goes to our IEP compliance process. making sure that we have vertical alignment so that the elementary, the middle, and the high school are aligned with what those present levels look like. So that it's not on one hand repeating the present levels every year, but that they're growing so that when you look at a student from elementary to middle to high school, their present levels are changing and growing with their development from grade level to grade level. student learning. Um, continuing our clarity and calibration on specific programming, not just our specialized programs,

074but how we approach resource, how we approach co-eing, uh, continuing to look at training for more co-eing through at Advance. um addressing what the precise needs of students are. And this also includes comments and feedback during PPT meetings, uh parent feedback about maybe making our goals and objectives more uh precise and understandable and reachable and and talking about data collection or progress monitoring, designated resources. I spoke about ELC at the middle school before, but all of our specialized programs have created their own resource lists for what they need and what they might need coming up uh during the year, which has been built into our budget. Guidelines for the program, not necessarily entrance criteria and not necessarily exit criteria, but what um accommodations, service hours, and delivery across all three schools. Again, calibration never stops.

075Um examining these never stops. Um, and again, general and special education enhancing student learning. I've said it before, I'll say it again. General education teachers are as much a session section of implementation as the special education teachers are. So, we want to provide them more uh time together, more collaboration time to be able to implement IEPs. I want to close with the dream or reimagining our specialized programming. What could this look like? And again, this is not something that is going to happen overnight. This is not something that we thought about last week or even in the last uh meeting that I shared information with you. The dream is to create more in district programs. In one area that we can talk about which is transition 18 to 22. I've spoken to to all of

076you about how the ages have changed where it used to be 21 the day before they turned 21. the whole year they are 21 and now it's the entire year they turn 22. It might not have seemed feasible a couple years ago because the age group was smaller. As the laws changed and the ages have expanded, it's time to look at what we can do in district for our students from 18 to 22, giving them opportunities to work in the community and to be based out of the community rather than work with outside programs or other districts. and through that deepen our partnership with ed advance to facilitate this dream. They have been incredible partners on uh the IP quality training on the paratraining the teacher training now in speaking with uh some of the

077directors at at ED advance and through concis to be able to be partners with on how to implement this. It'll be a slow process, but a deliberate process and a thoughtful process. And I will ask and engage um everyone tonight that's able to help be part of that solution. Um to continue the the the professional development and I'm stealing from Dr. Burrell. I hope he's laughing. I'm not looking right now. But um it's complete theft. His speaks um council. I'd like to turn that into in conjunction with SEPTO, but as a separate entity, the special education districtwide advisory council. This is where we will map out. This is where the strategic plan committee turns into something more um workable and maybe more committee- based. Um similar to speaks, parents, staff, and community members providing perspective

078and ongoing feedback. We have many different areas of conversation going on. Dr. Burl speaks group has been able to bring people together to have those conversations in a context that uh I think is also relevant for special education. So we're going to work on that and I'm eager to speak with everyone about that. Let's talk about deliverables. What does the dream look like? What can I bring back to you? What do we want to do? So in addition to transition, start thinking about an alternative high school or an alternative program. Um for our students with challenging behavior or students who are just not um being successful as successful in school as they could be. They started out in an alternative program and really an alternative program is where you can reach kids who may be

079considered hard to reach in the classroom as it currently stands. we want to talk about in these specific proposals, budget, staffing, a mission and a vision, logistics, and implementation plan. So, the specifics that I present to you will will include cost, staffing, things like that. So, this is not just a hey, it'd be great to have a transition program. What's it going to look like? What's it going to cost? Who do we who do we need to employ in order to make this workable? Um, bringing more professional development structures to my presentations. I want this to be inclusive of all staff. Uh, general education teachers are eager to be part of some of the topics that we talk about in our special ed professional development. Differentiation, challenging behavior, compliance, what does that look like from

080a general education perspective, parent workshops, um, you know, we've talked about parent university, maybe parent university for special education. It's time for that. Surveys to calibrate effectiveness. not only survey questions on our other pieces, but also surveys specific to special education for parents, teachers, uh, and students. Communication, continuing our collaboration among stakeholders, making sure our protocols are aligned, regular updates to our web page, um, including links to current presentations, past presentations, and updating our manual so that it is accessible to everyone. And I really appreciate the opportunity. I hope I didn't go too fast. Um, but I want to make sure that I covered everything in a reasonable amount of time. I've also linked on this the special ed department web page. Um, always looking for feedback. If you feel that there's things that we

081should add or areas that we should uh include or more detail, please let us know and we're happy to do that. And now I'm happy to entertain questions. Thank you, Mr. Roller. I have a quick question. Sure. um how soon do you plan to take like a a first solid step towards some of your dream items? So, we have been having some of our teachers and staff visit some area alternative programs. Um I don't want to I don't want to necessarily name names, but there are some that are so creative and so wonderful. I I think we want to look at that as a as a quick teaser or spoiler. You know, we want to look at what the space would look like. You know, having worked in alternative programs and have seen transition programs,

082we don't want this to be a room off of a room. It needs to be a program that kids want to go to, not that they feel like, wait a minute, for transition, I'm still in high school. Mhm. So, I would anticipate working on some of these things over the summer to pre present in the fall sort of a proposal of what this could look like in terms of staffing and in terms of budget. Now, that's great. That that would be very preliminary, but I think it then becomes okay, that's what it looks like on paper. What does it look like in reality? So, that's where I think there's a longer, you know, I I don't know that it would necessarily be next year. I'd like to think the year after this upcoming school year

083would be feasible. Um, and I think in speaking with members on the board of finance and members of the board, we want to be very deliberate. We want to be very thoughtful. And we don't want to just, for one of a better term, slap a name on a program and find a room and say, "Okay, you're the teacher, you're the social worker. That's where I need feedback." and and and from everyone who's an out of district parents too who um are as much of our part of our community as our parents and students in district and they have valuable um pieces of information to say as well. Great. That's great. Thank you. Thank you. I just wanted to say great job for you and your team with the 99%. I know it's hard to get

084to 100 all the time and we go through the process and but you can't get to 100 throughout the year, right? At least. No, you know why? Because because it's always it's always an ongoing process. So there's always somebody in a referral or there's always somebody who's in a meeting coming out of a meeting. The finalization of 5 days. All those things make it seem like there's more of a at 1% doesn't look like it should. Um and you still knocked it out of the park at the last one. So I can't Great job. Appreciate it. Why is the the students that are in the referral process considered non-compliant? I'm sorry. Say that. Do they include? So the 1% 36 students, you said most of those students are in the referral are currently in the

085referral process. Well, it's it's a it's a bunch of different factors. So it could be the referral process. It could be we just had the meeting and we're we we're finalizing the IEP. Okay. It and it's also 504. So the 504 meeting's been scheduled. It hasn't necessarily been updated yet. It's in it's in motion. So that's so Joy is the system that just names it. Okay. that's that that's not in compliance versus in process which would and Joy that's misleading because it is and I and I would be more I would be more concerned if we hadn't gotten the desk audit back in November that said we were in good shape on that because they did look at all of these factors. Um I wish they called it something different than than 1% if they

086broke it down some more. Um CT saids is a work in progress for better or for worse. So, I just wanted to say it's been a pleasure working on this with you, but you know, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for dreaming because I think that we really have to start thinking outside the box what we can do. It is time um in this district to keep our kids in the community, in their community where they belong. So, thank you for, you know, having a vision and trying to bring it to life because I think it really is important. The vision isn't mine. division is all of ours because we've all seen transition programs in other districts. Why can't we do that? Well, there was a point where it was almost there there

087weren't as many kids in transition as there are now because of the new law. So, now's the time we can say, well, there's more kids. Now's the time to say, why aren't we doing having job coaching and why aren't we having um partnerships with area businesses and keeping it in in districts? So, I I I thank everyone for All super important information and you know the more questions we ask and the more feedback. Absolutely. And and again you know this is probably my sixth or seventh so we're on the last Jedi. I'm not sure where we are in the Star Wars universe but yeah I I I appreciate the opportunity to come and speak to you all regularly. I know it's real early but are there grants and stuff to help with Funny you should

088mention that. So um the IDEIDA grant which is annually just opened up the other day but there's also other monies that are that are in there. We also received another $7,000 for paraprofessional training because there was a grant we got last year which helped fund some of the paraprofessional training. It was not just for us. It was so successful that the state said, "Hey, here have another batch of money to do more of that because the feedback from Paris and the feedback with the state was so effective." So, but there are there are competitive grants. There are also some entitlements that we're looking at. So, Bill, one of the things I wanted to mention was what you've and I talked about before is that some parents don't realize when they ask about um accelerated programs,

089alternative paths to education. You know, uh the program that Dr. Brell had brought us earlier in the year that Connecticut State is considering where you can um you know get your associates degree at the same time that you're you know getting your um dual enrollment. Dual enrollment. Thank you. So, a lot of people don't realize that also falls under the special ed program. Correct. Stephanie, thank you for the dream for reminding. So, the other piece of this that came up in a conversation that we were having at the other day, we ran into each other was um talented and gifted. What people might not realize is talented and gifted does fall under special education. And one piece of it is that you can identify talented and gifted students, but you don't necessarily are mandated to

090provide a program for them. I think it's time that we start looking at what that could look like too because there is enrichment and there are things that come under the special education umbrella that is specialized instruction in a different way. So we also want to look at that. We also want to look at um partner with ed advance about creating some opportunities for seniors um to take college classes as part of a transition process. But that's something that's that Jody Manat and I have been talking about piloting next year. So, but yeah, thank you Stephanie. I I totally no slide for that one. Sorry. Just one last thing. I don't know if you can answer this right now, but you don't have to answer it right now, but if you can provide us with

091what you mean by um calibration, like how does that look? Sure. Absolutely. Give documentation of that to us. So in in terms of calibration, if I if I think about it through in IEP terms, it's not just are all the elements there, and again, this is an ongoing I'm I'm not I'm not preaching perfection here, but data collection, progress monitoring, um calibrating what present levels look like because there was a time when I was teaching when present levels would look like. Bill is eager to read and really enjoys, you know, books uh at grade level. It's like well that if we calibrate that there's no there's nothing quantitative about that. So we want to make sure that in the present levels they're specific targeted what does that look like? So when we talk about calibration

092for IEPs we're talking about how do we know and again there can be disagreements on what that looks like but in terms of actually saying what the present level is and why we're constructing goals around that present level it can't just be anecdotal. It can't just be story time. It has to be why is why does Bill have a goal in executive functioning because Bill can never find his notebook? Bill can never get tasks started. So those things of how do we know what did we use to to um to evaluate it and what are we going to do about it which would be the goal. So but I can get I can get more detail for you Joy. That's that's just a 30 seconds of uh I just have two questions actually on the

093vertical alignment pieces. Um are you guys or do you have a system in place for discussing the students when they come from one school to another? So there are bridging. I mean I I have always maintained that transition PPTs are really the most effective way of bridging from one grade to the next. And while those also happen, what also happens is if the annuals are happening earlier in the year, those conversations start. But really, when we're talking about going from one grade to the next, I'm always keen on making sure that parents are aware. And if they're not, they need to call me or call and talk about it. That you're clear as your child leaves fifth grade going into sixth, what it's going to look like. As they're leaving 8th grade going into 9th,

094what does that look like? And if you're unsure or you've been in a meeting and you're confused, we need to meet, we need to talk. So that's where I I put out the, you know, I always say, "Call me, email me because if there's if there's an issue around that, but the vertical alignment should also be happening within each building, right? That's kind of what my thought was. The students who are possibly first to second grade, second to third grade, those ones that are in intervention for two or three years and maybe we have to discuss and and that's that's where the conversation around um what tier three looks like. You know, tier three is not special education. Tier three could lead to a special education referral, but what does that look like? When does

095that happen? And that's that's that's that's another presentation entirely. But I, you know, um, in terms of looking at when special education referrals should be made, that's where you're looking at the vertical alignment of what have we done in first grade? Have we done that in second grade? Where are we? Are we in small group? Are we intensive small group? Are we now? We suspect there's something and we have data to show it and we have progress monitoring to show it. Mhm. And on the PD, do you have anything um in terms of the co-eing model and helping the teachers ongoing conversation with with Ed Advance and Jody Manati on modules for for co-eing that depends on on on how we want to present it. It could be presented in in a bunch of different

096ways. I'd kind of like to do it in small groups and in teams and in in already existing teams or creating teams and doing the co-eing training that way rather than try to say okay Sarah you're with Bill and we're going to be co- teachers and we go okay yeah so ongoing thanks super informative really appreciate it all right now we're going to move to the uh second item um for new business um we have a the 1312 complaint and possible motion. Um, I brought, in case you need it, I brought just a copy of the policy. Can you pass those down, please? I figured No, I don't think so. All right. So, in essence, um, this this is a a multi-step process. Well, let me give you a minute to to review the document,

097the policy. I have a question. Yeah. Um on the second page of the policy, it reads that the board will not consider or act upon complaints for which specific resolution procedures have been established that do not include board purview. So um do we does the board I don't believe the board has purview over student discipline unless it includes an expulsion. But the the nature of the complaint, well that's that's true, but the nature of the complaint um is that the um named individual failed to follow laws. So that's a legal complaint which also the board has no purview of. So if somebody burglarizes my home, I'm not going to say the governor or the state legislature. It would go to the police. Right. So So the complaint is saying that federal and state laws were

098broken, which to me that this is not the appropriate place to adjudicate. I don't think we have authority, expertise or purview to be making legal assertations like that. What's our colleagues have to say? I mean, I I stand behind I think every community member that brings a complaint forward has a right to be heard. Um I also share in the same concern that we have a student um probably not just one student but we have students that don't feel comfortable um in our school system which is bothersome. Um and I think um you know the 1312 came before the board I mean in early March. Um I know there's been several conversations with the attorneys. Have this has this been discussed with the attorney? Um, that would be my first question. Um, because it probably

099should have been. Um, and then, you know, I'm of the opinion that, um, I think somebody, um, needs to look at this, whether it's somebody outside, I don't know. But So, are you referring to the student matter or the 1312? Because the student matter isn't actually named as the nature of the complaint. So the complaint alleges that anti- retaliation and discrimination laws in the case of the student has constituted a violation of both state and federal laws as well as Brookfield policies. So the complaint to me is saying that the laws were broken and in that case that's not under the purview of the board. The 1312 specifically, excuse me, point of order, members of the public, you can have an opinion, but you cannot state it during the board meeting. Thank you. The 1312

100complaint specifically says that what Rosa had stated that if there is a process for a resolution that is not under the board's review process. So the nature of student complaints has a process within the school that's separate from the 1312 that has come before us. So I I I am completely empathetic and totally understand student issues. I do not want any student to be bullied. I don't want anyone to be a part of being upset at school. That is a completely separate issue that needs to be dealt with at a school level. If we were being brought a situation where an administrator had continually ignored or filed reports wrong or there was a you know 15 students that had been in a situation, that to me is a very different issue for the board to

101look at than one student in one situation that the parent didn't like necessarily how it was handled at the school. I don't know the nature of the situation. All I can say is that based on what we have in front of us and what we are obligated as a board of education under the 1312, which by the way leads me to a completely different conversation I'd like to have at a different time where based on the way a 1312 works, it should never apply to board members. We I've said this before that if it was a board a way to complain against board members, it would be in the 900 series, but that's a conversation for a different time. Right now, if you read what the complaint says, it says the law was broken. We

102cannot adjudicate any laws. I mean, there there how are we to know, how are we to decide as a board of education whether or not both state and federal laws were broken? This is not the place for that complaint. There are places there are there is an avenue for that complaint and it requires legal action. So that's the only recourse legal action you said for well the other action you said so for are you talking for the board of ed or for this complaint for the yeah for the complaint the way it reads is the nature of the complaint alleges that there is discrimination laws and const it constituted a violation of both state and federal laws. You're leaving out the other part as well as policies of the Brookfield Board of Education. That's fine.

103But no policies of the Brookfield Board of Education were broken. Well, let's discuss that process. I think that's what we have to discuss, right? That's your interpretation. So, I'm not discounting the state and federal laws, right? I I would agree that's not in our purview, but it says in the nature of the complaint, the policies of the Brookfield Public School District. I also have a concern with me. You don't those things need to be separate. So, if we're questioning the pol possible policies that were broken, then I think that need that warrants a discussion. But also, it's noted the denial of due process. These are allegations. Hold on. Can I just I need to just jump in here again to clarify my original point because it is true that if school policies were broken, we

104would have the authority to determine that, but only for procedures that have been if there's procedures that have been established that do not include B that do not include board purview. And this is it says it right here that we are not supposed to consider complaints when it involves a matter for which there are already established protocols that do not include board purview. A student suspension is a policy and how you go about appealing that is part of it but it does not include the board as part of that appellet process. So an expulsion however is so if a student got expelled let's say they could appeal that and the board would be involved but in terms of student expulsions and other lower level discipline outside of that do you mean student suspension suspension anything

105that and anything lower than that it that review process does not include the board and therefore we can't we can't adjudicate it we can't that's not part of our purview. The last 1312 you discussed with our attorney and then we had discussed it in executive session. Why is this different? Well, it's different for a few reasons. I'm glad you asked that question. Um, this piggybacks Well, first of all, I mean, Rosa's Rosa's logic, I think, speaks for itself. This is not a a board review issue. Um the the the chain of command has been run through in the district. If the persons involved wish to to take another step, it happens outside of this domain uh with with due process on on all sides. Um that means people hire lawyers and and quite frankly if

106um Dr. Bril were to hire one, we would be paying for it. Um that's you we just need to say that out loud. Um but the other reason Sarah that this is different is um in in more policy analysis and and Stephanie's really led the charge on this in complaints against board members. We we we were in error in taking them up. um the these are not meant to apply to um to to board members. If if we want if the community wants if we want there to be a policy where the the community like outside of voting where there's like a more immediate referendum space against board members. um we need to write that policy and I don't even know if that would be well I mean that our our attorney says that he

107he's not aware of that or maybe maybe maybe it does exist in some districts but um anyway um well can I go back to sorry go ahead somebody over there if I clarify one thing it's it's none of the board members are in question so I'm not sure why you keep referencing that but because that's because um Sarah was asking about the last 1312 she's using that as precedent as to why we should take this up. So, but the 1312 wasn't about a board me the other 1312 wasn't about a board member that she referenced. It was they all have been about board members. I don't remember that one being it was it wasn't it wasn't about a specific board member. Did you discuss with our legal council about this 1312 Wendy? Um I think

108I said that we were going to um have a discussion about this. Um, I don't think that would be appropriate to have that conversation unless we agreed to take up this. Well, I was gonna say, can I insert Wait, wait. Can I insert this might help answer your question, Sarah? So, the um Did you have I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off if you had something else to say. No, I just keep asking questions that no one's answering. So on just so so let me the process for the 1312 if we decide to take it up would be that because we are because the complaint is against a district employee it would be much different than what we have done in error for the board. So every employee has the right to due

109process. It's in the policy 1312 which would mean in this case an investigation into the allegations which we would have to decide how to proceed with that and cover the cost of it. um the school employee named in the complaint would be entitled to representation likely at the expense of the board as Wendy mentioned and then there would be a hearing process. So at that point I think the reason probably why the lawyers haven't been consulted at this point is because we haven't decided to take it up yet. So that would be part of the process if we decide to move forward and actually take up the complaint. And um in in the the conversation that I did have with u our attorney about this um the part that he highlighted and why I felt

110like I didn't need to talk to him very much about this is in um on the the second page the 1312B um up at the top it's the second sentence whether or not the board shall consider such a plane such a complaint is within the board's sole discretion. And so that's why um this this conversation um is is first. So I just want to clarify that Stephanie said we did not consult the lawyers and you just confirmed that we did. Well, I didn't have like a meeting with him about it. I said we're going to we're going to talk with you. I didn't say we didn't. I just said that's likely why she didn't have a we're not having an executive session about it. Again, it's not what you said. I mean the communication if

111we're if you as a board chair are going to our attorney about anything Send an email. Tell us. We don't need to find out here. It's so frustrating. Can we clarify what conversations have been had with the attorney regarding this, if any? Um, yeah. Let me get my notes. We have um let's see specifically I would like to know if they were procedural in nature meaning like how do we go about addressing this or if they were more substantive in nature. In other words, talking about the actual complaint. Um, no, I did not talk about the actual complaint. Okay. Does that clarify you? I did, however, forward this to him. It was all Yeah. Th those issues. You forwarded the attorney. I did. But you didn't talk to him about it or seek advice. You

112just sent it to him. Um, I believe that is the case. We we've had um we've had a number of pressing issues to discuss here. I'm going to check some other notes. Okay. So, that aside though, I think the the what we're talking about right now is making taking some kind of action. So, is there a desire amongst the board members to take action? Because if there is, you guys should make a motion. There's no motion on the table. we either do something or we move on. Well, I feel more comfortable um having communication with legal, but that communication doesn't happen until we decide whether or not to take it up because it's at the discretion of the board. Whether or not we do, it's in the policy. Whether or not the board shall consider

113such a complaint is within the board's sole discretion. So there is no consulting with the attorney until we decide whether or not to move forward. But we but we did. So it's kind of it we forwarded in the 1312 and there was conversation about procedural questions. There was substantial we can't I asked her plainly. Um we we have not discussed with with um our attorney the the merits of this because this is if if this gets taken up, it becomes a um it it becomes a much larger legal consideration. And but if we choose not to uh take it up here um because we feel that it's not appropriate, then um then we move on. I would just like to say that we hold the superintendent accountable in a number of ways. Uh we create

114his goals and we evaluate his performance every year against those goals. When there is one person or family or small group that presents grievances year after year after year, it starts to look predatory. and seems to be indicative of very personal opinionated issues that to me does not amount to systemic problems. Um, and honestly, we should be we're devoting a lot of unequal time to a very small specific set of issues. And I think that enables the public to confuse answers that they don't like with again systemic problems that affect the whole district on a grander scale because I don't think that's what we have here. I think what that does do is focus our time and resources on a very few um at the disservice to other matters that deserve our attention and if

115this has been happening at the board level and it has I can only assume that the same treatment has been leveled at our teachers and that is not only point of order not I am assuming because if this is reaching the board level what is the order I am speaking and so unless I have broken a policy. You're you're insinuating that that the public is going after your I am very clearly stating my personal opinion that I assume that if complaints year after year have persisted that don't even have maturity, decorum or respect have been leveled at the board, then they almost assuredly have been leveled at our teachers as well. And that is not only ridiculously unfair to them, but the students in their classrooms as well because the amount of attention that we

116have been paying to these non-stop persistent complaints from again one person. It is a major problem and we are not paying attention or devoting our time and resources on this board equally to all the students and matters that deserve our attention. So yes, I do not believe we should be taking up this 1312, not only because it violates the very policy on which it's based, but this is a waste of time. That's it. I'd like to make a motion to take the 1312 complaint. I'll second. So we have a motion on the table and it has been seconded. Um uh I think we should have we have had some discussion. Um so Robert, anything to say? No, just to be clear what you said, Stephanie, if we do decide to take it up, what would

117be the next steps? You said that we seek legal counsel and then we Yeah. So, the due process in this case based on the research that I've done, I have not had a conversation with our attorney, but in looking at how this has been done in previous cases, um, our superintendent is an employee of the district and has a right to due process, and therefore there will be an investigation into allegations at the expense and decision of the board. uh the school employee uh is entitled to representation likely at the expense of the board and then there will be a hearing process and again it's at the discretion of the board but again I would like the board to consider the fact that the nature of the complaint is legal we are presented with a

118complaint that the law was broken and we don't have the ability to say yes or no to that. We are that is not a school issue. That is not an employment issue. That is something that I feel would is a this isn't the place for that complaint. Legal action needs to be taken if that's truly where the complaintant is at. So I'm not discounting what you're saying, but I would like to hear that from legal directly. Yeah. Well, if it's voted, it's all Could you with all due respect and stuff, could you please be um very specific about what you would like to hear from Well, I guess we have a motion on the table. Second, so guess um All right. So, you um because I want to get that information directly from legal. That's

119why I that information I think we exactly what Stephanie just stated. I think we need to discuss the 1312 with legal. That's a different motion though than deciding to take it up. So you could make a you could table the motion to consider taking up the 1312 and make a motion to consult with our lawyer. That that could be the next step. Okay. If that is something that the board wants to do, then I would I'd go that direction first because once we decide to take it up, we have to now take action to follow through. So it would if if the board wants to consult with legal, I would say table that motion and make a different motion to actually consult with legal. That's just my personal opinion. I'll make a motion that the

120board table that motion. So you have to table that motion. I'll make a motion to table the motion to take up the 1312 right now to um schedule a special meeting to consult legal on how we proceed with the 1312 and what our legal rights and obligations are. Second. Who seconded? Sorry. Is there discussion on the motion to table? I would I would just like to say I I think that we are we are not following our own policy here. Um and but uh if if the board votes to do this, I will absolutely um consult with Pete and uh then we can have a special meeting to discuss that. No, we'll consult with the all of us. That's the motion. Yeah. All right. Okay. The motion on the table is to table motion. Okay.

121All right. All in favor, please indicate your support by saying I. Any opposed? Nay. Nay. Okay. So that's 52. All right. So um then yes. So then we move to um new business IDC healthy food option certification. Okay. Give me a minute. All right. Bear with me. I move pursuant to CGS section 10-215F, the Brookfield Public Schools Board of Education certifies that all food items offered for sale to students in the schools under its jurisdiction and not exempted from the Connecticut Nutritional Standards published by the Connecticut State Department of Education will comply with the Connecticut Nutrition Standards during the period of July 1st, 2025 through June June 30th, 2026. This certification shall include all food offered for sale to students separately from reimburseable meals at all times and from all sources, including but not limited

122to school stores, vending machines, school cafeterias, culinary programs, and any fundraising activities on school premises sponsored by the school or non-school organizations and groups. Any discussion on this? Um, I just have a question. Is that going to be like at the football games too? In the That's the next one. The next one I'm just like, "Wow." Do we have a lot of food that we're offering right now that isn't in the cafeteria? In the cafeteria? No, this is just this is just so that we can participate in the national school lunch program. And it's really kind of preuncter. Yeah. Okay. I just want don't want kids. No, no. This isn't changing anything. Cookies or something. No, no, no. This isn't changing anything that we do. Yeah. So we can continue to be compliant. So we

123have for being pretty insight. I thought we were given apple. So we have a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Uh any discussion on this? Any further discussion? Okay. All in favor? Please indicate by saying I. All right. It looks like it's unanimous then. Great. Thank you. And then the item B. Stephanie. I move the brook that Sorry, let me start over. I move the Brookfield Public Schools Board of Education will allow the sale to students of food items that do not meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards and beverages not listed in section 10-221Q of the Connecticut General Statutes, provided that the following conditions are met. One, the sale is in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekends. Two, the sale is at the location

124of the event. And three, the food and beverage items are not sold from a vending machine or school store. An event is an occurrence that involves more than just a regularly scheduled practice meeting or extracurricular activity. For example, soccer games, school plays, and intercolastic debates are events, but soccer practices, play rehearsals, and debate team meetings are not. The regular school day is the period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day. And location means where the event is being held and must be the same place as the food and beverage sales. Second. Any discussion on this one? Okay. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. Any opposed? Okay. Looks like we're unanimous on that. Who seconded that? Sorry. Was that? Okay. So, old business. Um the bless

125uh adopted budget. Okay. So um you go Dr. B. Yes. So just to get started and I know Rosa truncated the finance report to so we could talk about this. We had a uh meeting with the uh we were invited to talk with the board of finance about where they're landing in terms of their adopted budget. Um Casey prepared this the two charts before you that she just passed around. Um it's important to know that there's some puts and takes that we'll talk about in the top chart and then in the bottom chart there's some uh uh very strongly anticipated savings we could achieve to kind of meet both thinking through the board of selectman uh budget at the top chart and the board of finance at the bottom chart. So I know you said

126that I kind of truncated this during my finance report. I didn't totally report on the actual ins and outs. So can we just like go through those really? Okay. Yeah. So that's what we were planning to go through, not just the adjustments like the actual like cuts from the board of select menu finance. Yeah. Okay. However you guys want to want to do it. I was Can I do an overview of this first and then kind of just show Okay. So um the the big piece with the board of finance, the board of selectment, excuse me, is um with the town. I think everybody knows we have health insurance with the town. We had budgeted a 5-year average of 4.7% as an increase way back in beginning of December when budget was presented to you.

127uh within the last month we have found out that it's going to be up to 11%. So it's a a significant increase. So uh Mr. Dunn and the board of selectman put that money um for the town and the schools into the budget. So they added that. It didn't quite get us to the 11% left us about $170,000 short uh where we would have to look to achieve some savings, see where we might have some clearer estimates hopefully in our favor. That's kind of 170. Yeah. And that's that's on the top chart and we're and Casey's going to detail the top the the chart. I just want to give you an overview here. And then and then the budget is moved to the board of finance and we just had that conversation last week. Um

128and in there um ultimately they're around hitting another $270,000 of a reduction uh to our budget, but putting back the special education money um that we know we need with known students for significant costs for next year. Um, and that's in the amount of $620,000. So, generally speaking, board of selectman put money back, but not everything we needed to achieve in terms of the health insurance. Um, but it was extremely generous. The board of finance extremely generous supporting us in the area of special education. However, it doesn't get us all the way there when we actually put the full budget together with these different expenses. So, we had to find an additional 270,000ish um amount uh to get us. So we have some areas we can talk to now where we believe we are going

129to have some significant savings. Certainly can come back for the April 9th meeting with a more detailed plan um after this discussion. So Casey, can you go through and walk everybody through the charts, the general statement there? Sure, absolutely. Um so I'll just go kind of line by line and start at the top. Um as Dr. Burl noted, the uh first change uh on the board of selectmen um that they um added to our budget was the increase to our health insurance. Um we did get the final numbers uh from uh the state uh partnership plan and it it is coming in at 11%. So that is a that is a real number. Um also uh I thought it was prudent um in in speaking with uh Mr. Roland that we do increase other professional

130services um related to spe special education based on some ongoing cases that we think uh will carry over into next year where additional services are are needed. Um, so I did increase that account by $32,650. Um, and these are again all known uh known new information at this point. Um, the next area is uh the next two lines uh the decrease in the OPED which is uh um our pension contribution account and a uh another board of selectman reduction of $170,000. Those were the changes um on the board of selectman side. We also have some real numbers coming in that we know about from our disability insurance, liability insurance, group life insurance that there's no increase to those um costs for next year. So there's a um decrease there and those in those accounts. And

131then we are eliminating the head ski team coach um from co-curricular stipens uh just due to lack of interest in students with with our student group. So that brings us to a u a 4.04 04% increase over our current year um budget which is which is higher than the original uh board of ed approved budget. Um and so that brings us to sort of where uh we would consider going next. And part of the discussion with the both the board of selectman and the board of finance was um in the special education costs and really sort of trying to to get a a a um a more realistic estimate of what we think we're going to be um starting at next year with our special education costs. not just on the students that we absolutely

132100% know are, you know, outplaced and will be outplaced next year, but also who who is fairly likely to be going into an outplacement um situation, whether it's uh because it's expected to go into a transition program or um you know, other known factors um uh about different cases that um that Mr. Roland is aware of. And so in looking at that and also looking at we had some fairly significant changes in our transportation costs for a couple of runs based on changes in um in those cases. Um and so all of that combined the um the the few cases that are either now known post adoption of the board of education budget or highly likely um and any changes in in existing cases. Um again likely largely due to transportation was an increase of

133$620,000 and $620,511. That is inclusive. That is net of um excess cost grant revenue that we would be getting back on that overage. And to be fully transparent, at the time that we did this estimate, we were expect anticipating um excess cost grant reimbursement of 60%. We now know this year we're getting 72.8%. Um, but again, this is a best guess at this point. I I'm going to say leave it at that lower amount um and and see see what happens. So, that's the 6251. We also did um add some a small amount of funding for a superintendent search um in anticipation that um the board might be going in that direction uh to hire a firm. And you know, estimates are anywhere from 10 to $20,000 for a search firm. So, we put in

134$15,000 for that. Um and then and then how do we how do we get to the to the number that uh you know the the board of finance is is wanting us to get to and and is a reasonable ask of taxpayers and this is where we thought we could find um some savings and at least for discussion. Um we do anticipate that we could have some savings in salaries uh from the the turnover in the superintendent um position. Uh so we have a reduction there in the salary that new salary negotiations line of $40,000. um just due to um not you know the uh the current uh anticipated enrollment at CLES, we do believe that we can um reduce one uh one section further at CLES and still you know stay within our guidelines

135of of um of class size. There is an anticipated retirement um in that in that building. And so that would um that's a real number that that you know a little over $100,000 is uh a natural attrition. Uh that position wouldn't be be replaced. So we would realize that full savings of that salary and then and then corresponding health insurance with that um I estimated at again we have um a lot of uh you know new teachers young you know young folks you know not married or you know just married. So, I estimated the corresponding savings and health insurance with any FTE reduction at a um the cost share to the board of ed for a single employee um just because due to riffing and stuff it would likely be someone that's you know less

136senior. Um so that half of that 28618 um is the corresponding health insurance to that section. And then the one position if we were were to get to that um you know the 4.8% 8%. Um the one position of a new investment that um you know in in speaking with Dr. Burril uh what he thought uh he would look at first would be that new climate coordinator position um because it is not a required position that we have um certainly and looking at the the new law would be a very um valuable position to have in a a district and very useful but um is is not uh you know essential and necessary. So, um, that gets us to 4.8%. Um, I don't have written down the exact number that the board of finance, um,

137came to us with, but, this is actually, I think, $2,800, uh, lower than what the board of finance, um, arrived at in their own, um, deliberations. They arrived at um, $55,439. That sounds that sounds great. So, yeah. Yeah. So, we're um, so we're right there. So the I have a question. So the top line item 533000 other professional services. Does that have to do with legal and special education or is it No. So it's just like I um Yep. It could be IEES. It could be um uh like a Brookfield Learning Center, you know, tutoring, things like that. Yeah. Nothing to do with uh legal. And then you know my other question which is obviously not even but the special education exposure, right? It's a big number and I'm like I'm really concerned going into

138next year knowing that we're where we are right um that if there are things that we can put money because the exposure I mean if the board of finance does not bail or fund special education overage like where are we going to be next year? Well this this proposes to put that full $620,000 in the budget. No, I understand I know you're worried about I understand that $620 on top of that isn't going to make a difference because we're never going to hit $620,000. Like we've never we've never stayed at budget. So my concern is that we look at other cuts in order to The problem the problem is is that if we propose those cuts, the board of finance will put those cuts forward to the town. So we don't actually Yeah. Gain any

139money that way? I'm just concerned with the $620,000. It's completely unrealistic that we're going to stick to that with special. I think the one thing to to that might make you feel a little bit better on this is that this 620 or last year it may have been we kind of known it was a half a million that was being held in contingency to to help us out. Um we we really on a high percentage knew we were going to start the year behind the eightball and have to tap into that contingency. Putting this money in the this was the big discussion with the board of finance. Putting this money into next year's budget now makes us whole and really builds us off our actual from this year as well as what we need. So

140um no and I I I don't anticipate to be honest that we would see such a significant overage that we've seen the last few years. you know, we had this this town and board of ed strategy, you know, hold it in contingency and it's just not working for for us anymore. So, now we're, you know, kind of going back to funding um actually funding where we're at. So, I but you wait and see and there could be puts and takes, right? There could be students who, you know, talking with Bill, right, that come back. There could be students that move out. There could be student new students that do have all the transportation costs, you know, for next year. Are those in yet? Um, you know, there's all these questions and yes, we're, you know,

141putting the 620 in to fund this year and next year, but we've had two additional outplacements in a two-month period. Um, and those will be in next year. So, I just I don't know. I And those are accounted for. Yeah. So, those Yeah. So, those are part of that 620 is that that uh that outplacement that recently occurred. Um, and I think I I do listen, I fully hear your concern and I um to some to some degree I I I absolutely share your concern. Um, I think what this does is really um ensures that based on all the information that we know today, right now, I don't know who is going to be moving into Brookfield in six months. I don't, you know, any of that stuff. But based on our current student population

142and um what we know about where where when I say we, I don't mean me at all because I don't know any details about the students, but what Mr. Roland and his team know about um where they feel the needs of those students are tracking. Um this this should cover anything that we are are are aware of right now. Um and the difference is Erin I think um last year and the you know the last few years things like um you know we have you know two students that likely could you know could qualify for transition. We don't know if they're going yet or not. We are not including them. this is this is this is is inclusive of those like we have you know two students that that are going to qualify for transition

143and so much to to the point you know I'm just using that number I'm not saying that that's the number I'm um you know we we and so we're including those cases um and uh if if if a student may qualify you know there may even I think I believe Bill and his team have even go gone so far as to have those conversations to to deter determine whether or not that is the path that that you know the family wants to go. If it is we can we know we can include it and if it's a hard no it's not going to happen then we don't. So it we're trying to get all the information we can and make the best decisions based on that. And I think um you know funding this if

144it pri last year this wouldn't have been funded even though it would have been likely to happen that we would have known and then we would start in September and say we have you know this number of transitions and this student that was outplaced in you know March but the budget was already you know so now we have all that included in the budget and I think it's a pretty solid solid number. I'm happy that the you know whatever we had that were possible known are in the budget. I think it's smart, but um you know, and it it's nothing against anything outplaced, a child being outplaced. I mean, if they need to be outplaced, they need to be outplaced. And um I I just like I said, I mean, we have no idea who's

145moving in. We have no idea who's moving out. And I think it's a really slippery slope. I think Oh, sorry. Go ahead. No, I I I I totally agree. And I I hope that I made like a strong enough case. Well, I didn't, but I mean, I hope I made it very clear to the board of finance and selectmen that, you know, while we do need to fund for known students or at least students that we know have a high likelihood of of, you know, incurring certain programmatic changes and transportation and they did, but I was still, you know, very strong that like, hey, there is always going to be unknowns and those unknowns have historically been very expensive. And so to have those changes happen midy year and to have absolutely no backs stop

146from the town means that in the middle of the year we're going to be cutting heavily into our budget if that is the case. So I mean I hope the I hope the public hears that. Um but that that is the situation I think that we're in. But yeah and I think I we did start to sort of preview that conversation at the board of finance meeting. Um and um I think I had mentioned too that you know when we do have um sort of a an the reverse of a contingency, right, which which is a reduction in um you know, salaries uh for teacher turnover, a $200,000 reduction in salaries of current staff that we have employed today. um you know when every other area of the budget is budgeted very tightly um you

147know I mean if I if I'm forecasting even our you know our oil use to to each for each building by month by the number of gallons and it comes out to let's say $83,000 I'm not putting in $85,000 you know like I'm putting in $83,529 so so we we do have to be cognizant of that um because I I know that there is a a desire to be really tight and lean in the budget. Um and so so so we have to we have to be thoughtful of that. Um and and and in the conversations with the board of finance um you know they're they're very generously acknowledging that this this funding is needed um for special education. Um and also acknowledging well we're going to reduce our contingency now because you kind of

148are taking it all up front. Um that does leave us in a in a bit of a um you know if we have two two students move it now we could have two students there's so many you can play the the dance of the what is it imaginary horrible thank you um uh you know everywhere and and as I pointed out at the at the meeting too you know you could have a roof blow off the middle school you could have you know pipes burst in the high school and what was the other thing there's something else and and those are all true things that happened this year right and So um boiler fail. Yeah. And the boiler fail, right? So we've you know and we we have and that's why we always have to

149adjust you know sort of priorities and prioritize where we are um where we are spending um this money. And so while these all these budget changes under consideration um this may be something that looks like very manageable and doable today by the time September 1st comes around. I could be asking for budget transfers because we are aware of different needs that you know I need to make sure that we have more money here and so I've got to pull it from somewhere else and so and that that's just part of having a really really tight budget having a tight budget and and you know addressing needs as they come you know we we can't we don't have a crystal ball unfortunately um so that's okay now that we've talked about that nauseium um can we

150talk about the CL al section like I think that's something that I'm not interested in cutting. Um I don't think I don't know why that's a consideration and I don't think class size should be the only consideration for that. If anything we need to be adding to lessen the class size and to provide more support at CLES especially given our test score. So um was there any other changes that were considered? These are the only changes right now that have been considered. Again we wanted to get through this meeting tonight. So then the board could say, "Hey, John, can you come back with a plan on April 9th and we will come back with a a further detailed plan?" And a little feedback like that is very helpful. So was this a proposed section that

151was added or that's currently what we have? So this current year we have 51 sections. When the budget was given to the board, proposed to the board and the board adopted it. It was with 50 sections. as we've looked at enrollment right in the school and tracked it and looked at the changes again in real time life happens um there's an opportunity to have one less section in what grade um that is to be determined by the principal I don't want to give that away at this point to be very honest with you we need I need to have that picture in order to really we can go through that and we could have Dave here and we can go through that absolutely the other thing is like I said this is a draft to

152let people know that we and we talked about this with the board of finance before we even talked about it with the board at that meeting on Thursday night is that this is how we can get to that number. If there's a different way uh a way that with the principles when we sit down and go through this that we get to this we have to get to this number. So somebody's not going to like something that's proposed. That's just let's be clear on that. Um we can have that discussion. So I heard right away from Joy that you don't like that particular idea and that's an absolutely fair point. I don't particularly like it either, but we're trying to find ways to not impact students as best we can. And if we go from

15320 in a class to 22 in a class or 22 in a class to 23 in a class, whatever it might be in a particular grade as we look at the numbers based on the numbers we have now, then those are decisions we we would put forth and make. Yeah. So, if you can come back Yeah. Absolutely. or or be more specific with our exact numbers to date right now for at the elementary school or across all buildings. That would be important. Um then we can make a more informed decision regarding that and then possibly some other considerations per come back with a recommendation of a plan and then we can have that discussion and then or several plans. Yeah. Well, what's the board want me to do? because I'm not I'm gonna be honest

154with you. It's not realistic to make 13 different plans. I tell me what you need, what you want, and we will come back with a plan. I mean, I for one I'm not um I have a hard time supporting cutting a teacher. No, she's retiring. No one's going to lose their job in this section, not filling a section. So, to be clear, the retirement is the reason we're not adding a section. Like so no two separate things, right? So the retirement doesn't affect the section. That's I think we're asking we were contemplating giving the given the enrollment numbers actually reducing a section which might mean if this retirement wasn't to occur there might be a reduction in force. A newer teacher might be okay. That's not happening at this point because we ha happen to

155have a retirement that we literally just learned of in the last few weeks officially. That's an opportunity to stay with that plan and we don't have to go through the the riffing process with a teacher. That's all. Just to to clarify in terms of the other the 51 to 50 um you know we we've spoken at al at Cape and also here about the um adjustment to the scheduling for fourth and fifth grade and that is based on de not departmentalizing fifth grade that can um create a situation where we don't where we can reduce that section right so so that 51 sections can go to 50 without adjusting class sizes too much because or increasing class sizes too much because it would be with the adjustment in the schedule. So that's why all these

156things are integrated. So having an update on that because yeah I mean you've told us it's in the process of still working. Um but it is it is not going to be as it is now for sure. So then so this this is kind of the initial just to show everybody that there's here's one way of getting there. It isn't necessarily the the formal recommended way, but I wanted to put these out on the table so publicly people could see them. We've gotten some feedback already. So that's good. And and we're we're meeting um gosh, I think yeah, next next week I think we're meeting. So we'll sit down and go through it and say, "Okay, this is this is our number. We need to get to this number. How do we how do we

157fine-tune? What are our options?" We do this every year. This is nothing new. I'm not asking for 13 plans, but I guess to piggyback off what Erin said, I'm looking for considerations that not directly impact children, students. Um do the best we can. That would be my recommendation on the heels of it's a really tight budget, right? Absolutely. We will like we do every single year. I mean, you could have that for the April 9th meeting. That would be awesome. Of course. Thank you. And I think as a board, I think we need to start I mean, we're meeting Monday for healthy start, but I think we need to talk about the schools and the possible saving $250,000 or 28 63. I don't know. keeps 247, you know, um because there's possible funding there, too.

158And that and that's just overhead cost to that point. Yeah, I got you. Yep. I shared that with the healthy school start times. We met with um uh Allstar this morning and got confirmation on if we went back to a three bus tier system, which would mean adjusting the times, we would need three less buses, which would mean $247,000 in savings. That sounds like an important agenda item for our next We're talking about that on Monday night. Good. Good. Anything further on the budget? Right. Let's move then to uh second public comment. Mrs. Rice still up. Hi Denise Rice, Brookfield resident. I'm a little taken back by some of the stuff that went on, but okay. A student spoke at the last board of ed meeting and members of the table dismissed her statements. Some

159members would not even look at the picture and some were not even given the picture, but they were circulated around social media. The student showed the picture to the building administrator and nothing was done about it. If any one of us circulated that same exact picture at work, we'd be fired on the spot. But this child's forced to come to school humiliated with no administration to protect her. Shame on the board for not holding the administration responsible for circulation of the photo that has Brookfield Athletics across it along with the faces of two other athletes. Did the board confirm with the administration that the other students parents were notified that their children were in this photo? I bet not. The current board of ed liaison to Brookfield Cares should immediately step down because it's apparently

160clear by her flipping attitude that the board member does not care about child safety or sexual harassment. What is very disturbing is that you're all parents and this could have happened to any one of your children, but you chose to praise the administr literally praise the administration instead of showing a ch a child empathy. Two weeks ago, you showed your true character and lack of leadership for safe school environment. If you cannot take the time to see what's actually happening in these buildings, you should resign from your board of ed positions. Before the pre-written lawyer comment that is always said after I speak, I would like to just address something that went on during the 1312. While it's fun to hear Rosa always say the parents should not, you know, the same parents speak. Yeah,

161we do. I'm hush money mom. I got screwed. Point of order, Mrs. Rice. Thank you. Um, I think the public needs to know that we do not condone or accept that kind of tone or language. Um, some public comments, as you've seen, are disparaging and disrespectful um and make accusations against our our personnel. Um, and we we value and respect our district employees, and it's very important that the public know that. Mr. Korea, uh, Andy Korea, resident of Brookfield. Um, I value and respect every employee. There's a value, some of it's low and the respect, some of it is should be at is earned to be at the Geneva Convention level, right? So, I value and respect based on what they've earned. I went to the administration in 2019 when my child was being harassed

162and it harmed her. I came here November 14th when issues hadn't been resolved with my daughter for a week. I got a letter a month after telling me, "Stop telling us that we haven't done the investigations we were supposed to do for your daughter. We're not going to respond." And then I got told that I made a false statement about a federal investigation because I said the Justice Department when it was actually the OCR. It's a distinction without a difference. Okay. The board of education has a policy in their bylaws to uphold and adhere to the laws in the in the United States and the uh in the state of Connecticut as it relates to public policy and education. You have a policy to follow the law. You have policies about Title 9. You have

163policies about IDA. You if the comment that we don't have to follow, we don't that we don't have to enforce the law is a circular argument and you don't understand. You either either don't understand your responsibilities or you refuse to implement it. the consistent comments that my engagement is immature. It's because I've asked politely for years and it's been ignored. I am going to force March this board to do what it needs to do to make this a safe environment for kids. Okay. I will tell you a superintendent will not sign a W4 in this district to replace the current one without an inspection of me of their background and me presenting it to them. So, you know, good luck hiring a superintendent because I'm going to make sure that they're going to come in

164and that they're going to manage the administrators like they should have been managed for the past 10 years. Thank you. So, we move to the three main points. Uh, so my three main points tonight would um uh be the budget update, the special education strategic plan, and I was thinking the CLS student spotlight. Sure, that sounds reasonable to me. What do you guys think? Sounds good to me. Okay, great. All right, up andcoming events. Yes. CL Friday, April 3rd and Friday at 6 p.m. Sorry, thought I turned on. Okay. Friday, 28th, half day for students. Thursday, April 3rd, and Friday, April 4th at 6 PM is the Cubs variety show with different acts each night. Wednesday, oh, this is at CLS, by the way, for the microphone. Uh, Wednesday, April 9th at 9:30 a.m. is

165the PTO meeting. Then, Wednesday, April 30th at 5:30 p.m. is the CLES band concert at BHS in the auditorium. Um, at WMS, Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th is the 7th grade field trip to the Maritime Aquarium. Friday, March 28th is a half day for students and PLC day for teachers and WHMS um oh and WHMS families at that time will begin hosting the um French exchange students as uh Dr. Bell um said earlier. Friday, April 4th is web unplugged hour. Monday, April 7th at 7 p.m. is the PTO meeting on Zoom. Friday, April 25th is the United Sports Field Trip Unified, sorry, not United, Unified Sports Field Trip to the Hartford Yard Goats baseball game. Um, also on April 25th is the track meet at Massac High School. And on Monday, April 28th,

166is the track meet at Bethl High School. And then BHS, uh, I think some of these Melissa spoke to earlier, but this Friday, March 21st, is the spring pep rally, um, to end spirit week. Uh, Wednesday, March 26th is career day. Friday, March 28th is a half day for students and junior prom, but please note that students must attend school that day to be able to attend junior prom that night. Monday, March 31st is the end of the third quarter. And Tuesday, April 1st is the 11th grade SAT. And districtwide spring break is April 14th through 18th. The Penguin Plunge, too, is this weekend. Yes, Melissa spoke to the penguin plunge. I had that I remember having that on my last agenda. So, but thank you. Thanks. All right. So, this ends the public session

167um of our uh meeting. Thanks everybody for coming out this evening. Um we enjoy seeing you. Um so, Yep. So, will you will you make the motion, please? Sure. Um, I move that the board enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing attorney client privileged information related to the superintendent search. Second. Um any discussion on