BOE Meeting 9 4 25

001So I I actually now have a gavl. I brought the gavvel that and I left it in my car. I have a gavvel that was given to me the last time when I retired as a board chair and uh I thought I'd bring it um in the car. So anyways, I called to order uh today's board of education retreat meeting for Thursday, September 4th, 2025. I want to thank you all for for making today's uh meeting being here today. We have a a great agenda. Every I know everybody had a chance to look at the agenda. We're going to have some great discussion about goals and superintendent goals and uh we did a little self evaluation. So, we'll have um we'll have a nice conversation about all that. We're going to start our meeting today

002with uh we have a vacancy as everybody knows. I notified you earlier this summer that unfortunately Cindy Muller had to step down for family reasons and so we had a u we had an opening and I'm going to turn over the what what took place the process and everything. Joe and I put together a team of two chair and vice chair to do the interview so we can move this along. I'll turn it over to Mr. Sher to kind of give everybody the overview here. All right. Thanks Luke. Just review the whole process. Uh Indy's resignation was effective August 6th. Uh election is early November. Almost seemed silly. Why would we fill it open for a couple of months? Well, we have to we didn't filled building it. So, uh, we, uh, did what we

003were supposed to do and we posted the, uh, uh, opening on August 6th, except applications through the 22nd. Now, Mrs. Muller was a member of the Democratic party. So, it's in that sense a Democratic sequence since the Democrats had the majority on the board. Uh, we could appoint anybody we wanted to. Didn't have to be a Democrat. If if it was a Republican seat that was open since the Republicans at the moment on this board are or minority would have to be another Republican but she was doesn't matter. So we opened the application process to anybody who was interested. Frankly I didn't think we get much interest because it's a three-month job do that and we have four applicants and I have to say we're really good applicants. It was really a very pleasant surprise.

004uh that we had such quality applications. Uh we interviewed two of them uh in person and two online. Uh Michelle Kernick, she's number four, but all four candidates live in town, so they were automatically eligible. Um Michelle Kernick, you may remember her, she's been to a lot of board meetings. Uh she's not entrepreneur and a health and running coach. Josh Balibuk, he's new to town, but lives in town. He's got three children, Bower Fourth. He's the athletic director at Kingswood Oxford. Adam Dion, he's a local realtor. And Damon Luna, he's in in the aerospace industry for high wonderful interviews. I'm very impressed and pleased. Uh we decided to recommend to you to uh give the position to Michelle Kern for several reasons. uh she's been a regular attendee at board meetings now for uh she

005can start the her tenure on the board for this three month term. She hit the ground running but anybody else would take at least three months if not longer to figure it out. Took more than three months to be over figured it out. She understands the budget process. She's just aware of the issues facing the board. just seemed like the logical place to go. Should she be successful in the election, that term will continue. If she doesn't, they won't. But for the three months that she'll be on the board, for sure approve uh she'll be able to contribute right from the start because of her her uh many hours of background by coming to board meetings. She's been at the school walkers a couple of times. Uh position was in a president as well. So

006we would ask it to support our choice of Michelle permit for the shortterm vacancy. So before I take a motion, I'll I'll open it up to questions for anybody that might have any questions. >> I'm here. >> Here you are. No, I can't see the corner. >> Anyway, okay. Questions? All right. Hearing none, I will ask for a motion. Board of Education move to appoint Michelle Kernik as a member of the board of education for a term to expire in November 2025. That motion. Thank you, Peggy. Second, Jordan. Thank you very much. Get that right. >> All right. I have first a second. Any any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. >> One, two, three, four, five, six. We have the six. Thank you. Seven >> and and Russell. Thank you, Russell.

007Seven, Michelle. Congratulations. >> Six. Six. >> Now, congratulations. >> Do a square for us. So, you can you can because it's such a short term, we want to get you right to work so we can get you appointed right now. Okay. So, we'll allow that to happen. [Music] Oh, okay. >> So, is the Thank you. One thing that you will face according to law as a member of the board of education for the town of Canton which you have been appointed to the best of your abilities to help our penalty of perjury. >> So I hope everybody you've seen Michelle here many meetings but I'll just pause for a minute. Anybody Michelle you want to just >> you are the wrong name because I gave everybody to the wrong name. >> That's all right. That's

008right. >> Well, welcome to the board of education. >> We're happy to have you. I don't know if you want to say any any words or >> um Thank you very very much, guys. I'm very excited to be here. Um, I think I have learned quite a bit over the past six months or so since January when I started visiting regularly and I have a fairly good idea of what challenges the board is facing this year and I'm excited to to be here whatever time I am. >> We're we're happy to have you. So, thank you. It's it's always nice to have a full board. There's so much work that goes on especially in the subcommittee. We'll talk about subcommittees uh for the night. I'll have you set up for those going forward. >> Yes.

009Thank you. >> Okay. Um, so the next thing on our agenda is for us to move into uh executive session for the purpose of the discussion of attorney client privilege written communication regarding legal requirements with board of education policies. So this is just [Music] >> Oh, I'm sorry. I was working. Okay. So that was forformational purposes. Um we do have public comment. Is there anybody I don't see anybody in the room for public comment. Is there anybody online for public comment? >> There's one person. Um if you're joining us online today this morning for public comment and you'd like to make public comment. Go ahead and use that raise feature Zoom. So I'm gonna >> Hi Aubrey. >> Good morning. Um, >> yeah, I can hear you. Can you hear me? Okay. >> Yeah, you're

010fine. Go, go ahead. >> All right. Good morning. Welcome to your name as usual. >> Sure. Aubrey uh Blley Bart drive. Uh, I just wanted to take an opportunity to say that I appreciate the board is in a complicated situation as it relates to um its policies and OCR investigation, but as a resident and mother, I did want to um once again express my sincere hope that the board will take affirmative steps to protect women and girls in sports and restore single-ex private spaces in our schools. I hope the board will um take the time to review all of its policies and take corrective action to bring them into compliance with Title 9. Um and I know that you're planning to remove or you're on your agenda you have uh the potential removal of some

011policies, but um it's not all of the policies and um in particular policy number 5145.4 four should also be looked at. And finally, I hope that the board in removing uh policy 51453 will replace it with a new policy to restore single sex facilities and protect girls in sports and athletic competition. Thank you. >> Thank you, Aubrey. Thanks for joining. >> Okay. Um anybody else for public comment? Anybody else online? Nobody else in the room. So therefore we'll close off public comment and uh so the next thing on our agenda is the uh is the executive session for purposes of discussion of an attorney client privilege written communication regarding legal requirements for board of education policies. So, I would need a motion that the board of education enter into executive session at it is 912.

012I have uh inviting attorney Rich Mills, superintendent Jordan Gman, Assistant Superintendent John Bishop for the purposes of discussion of the attorney client privilege written communications regarding legal requirements for board of education policies. May I have that motion, please? Thank you, Peggy. Have a second. Thank you, Kim. So, first and second. Any discussion, questions? Hearing none. All those in favor of executive session. So now we have seven. You're you're in. Russell, you're What are we going to do? Russell call >> is online. >> Oh, Felicia is online. Great. Okay. So, we have eight. So, we're going to call them. Is that >> I'm having trouble. It's all right. I I got in like I said 1:30 last night. I was in New York City. I saw Hamilton last night. I highly recommend it. Um so we

013have nine. How do we want to handle our two board members? >> We call Russ. Somebody asked Felicia's number. >> So we will call you Russ and we will call Felicia and we are going to head downstairs to the board of education conference. >> Can you Russell can't speak or you're on mute Russell. >> Oh I'm sorry Lou. I'm sorry Lou. What' you say? You're gonna call me. >> I'm gonna call you. You'll be on my phone. Somebody will call Felicia so she can listen in. We're going to move to downstairs. So, give us a few minutes. We're going to go to the board of education. >> I'll be here when you call. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. So, we'll move to executive session. Yes. Yeah. What I was trying to get ask. [Music]

014real quick. Thank you. I didn't. >> Okay. Okay. I call the meeting back to order at uh 10:15 and moving on the agenda. We are going to uh going to ask for a motion. So I'm just going to go right to the motion. So I'm going to ask for a motion that the camp board of education in a first for first reading this will say for a first read repeal the non shipment and good model policies which are which are listed and will be listed as part of the motion but this is a first read. I just want to make that clear. So I have a motion that this is a first read. Thank you Jordan. Second. Thank you Joe. So first and second uh on these policies being a first read. The second read

015will take place on 99 at our Tuesday meeting. Without any further discussion, all those in favor? I Russell. So that's nine. Never get to say 90 anymore. So that's great. >> Okay. Thank you very much for that. Okay. Uh we're going to move to legal update. Uh right now we're going to call on attorney Rich Mills who's been board attorney for for some time shipment in Goodwin. Rich is going to give us a little bit of a legal update on on our board things we should be thinking about. >> Thank you very much. Uh good to be here with all of you today. Uh I know we've uh some of you have done this before. We've had this conversation before. It's always a good chance to uh kind of review and discuss uh board members

016roles and responsibilities. And I always like to do those who have done these before know this approach. I like to keep this informal. So I have a PowerPoint, but please feel free to jump in with questions or comments as we go. Don't feel like you have to wait. it'll be much more interesting and informative uh for all of us, you know, if we do it that way. So, um I welcome that. And you'll see that there are several scenarios uh to keep us on our toes and we'll work we'll work through those. Um just quickly in your folders that Claudia uh just handed out to everybody. Um there are two things. One is a written copy of the car copy of that and the second thing just so you have it. Um, so each year,

017as I think most of you probably know, uh, we do a fairly exhaustive review of the new Connecticut legislation. Um, and so what you have on the other side of your folders is our uh, summary of the education legislation um, adopted by the Connecticut General Assembly. It's lengthy. It's 25 pages. Um, if you we won't really observe this today. it would take uh at least a couple hours to do all that. Uh we recently had a session with your administrators where my colleagues Lori Antonetti and Joe Miller shared some of the the key legal developments, administrative developments. But if you have a question on any of this, please feel free to reach out to Jordan and we're happy to follow up um you know with any of those. So it is also I believe on

018our website and uh on the website you can click a link and get access to any of the public acts that you might want to take a closer look at. So with that we'll start with the uh roles and responsibilities. Um again always good to kind of talk through uh the roles and responsibilities. So uh the first thing is to u keep in mind uh kind of the respective roles of board and administration because they're obviously very different board members are not the superintendent superintendent is not the board and that's very uh important. So um under your bylaw 9131 which was recently adopted um that that bylaw uh makes clear that the board is to concern itself with educational policy and not with administrative details of you know operating the schools on a day-to-day basis.

019That's the responsibility uh of the administration. The day-to-day issues, the student issues, individual personnel matters, all those all the myriad things that go on every single day in the school district. That's ultimately the administration headed up obviously by the superintendent and and working within the structure that you have um throughout your school district. Um, one thing on employee performance and conduct, it's important to note that um, the board only has one employee who reports directly to the board. That's the superintendent. Everyone else in the district through the administrative structure reports up to someone else, might be principal, uh, could be some a central office person, you know, depending on what the positions are. Um and in terms of performance and conduct issues of those other people that's not the purview of the board um that's

020the purpose of the illustration through that um administrative structure. So we'll talk about uh right authority of mess. Um and one thing that's important to note and this is all in your bylaw 9131. It's funny that by only think it has four or five bullet points, but they're really important. So, you'll see that I probably have them all covered in the power. Um, the board can only act as an board can only act as a whole. Individual board members don't have authority unless they've been delegated authority by the board. Um, now some board members, if you're an officer of the board, you have the bylaws certain authority. That's that's a necessary thing for every school district. But other than other than some delegation like that through your bylaw or through some uh special task or

021if you would appointed a committee chair or member of a committee clearly have responsibilities associated with those things. But when it comes to acting for the board that takes the whole board. That doesn't mean everything's got to be unanimous and that's fine if it's not. There's no issue with that. It's got to be decided by the board as a whole entity and that's under by law. Um importantly by law makes clear that individual board members can't make any commitments from the board again unless they delegate some authority and even committees as you know committees are advised by the chair of a committee or serving on a committee. Uh that's really important work. I think a lot of really important work gets done in committees and boards of education but ultimately everything that committee is doing

022is advisory to the board. Um so and but again I'm a big fan really don't want the whole board getting into the nitty-gritty of every single issue that comes to the court on those commitments. So it's important to recognize that other than your board responsibilities, board members really, all of us have the same rights as every citizen in Hampton. You're you're all depending on what some of you wear different hats. You're all citizens of um some of you may have children in the school district. Uh some of you may not have children in the school district. be aware of various paths but um board members don't have any greater right of access to information um unless that performing board responsibility so it's not sometimes people think I'm not speaking about well I'm on the board

023so I can get x y and z well not necessarily in fact there's a lot of super confidential which the school districts which we'll talk about and board members don't have any special right of access to that in you that information that you need to perform your your um so and obviously every board member as we know in the second part of this every board member uh you know it's worth it your rights as a citizen when you get on the board of education you have first amendment rights to speak your views you have rights as parents all those rights to you don't you don't give up anything and you don't get special rights as a board member except when you're performing board responsib abilities and the access to information that wouldn't formally be accessible

024to the to the public. Um some some duties of board members uh that are important to keep in mind conflict of interest by law 9270. Um the big issue say the biggest thing with a compl interest issue and they come up sometimes in contractual matters um you know your uh spouse works for the bus company you know is an officer of the bus company um you to work for you know food service you used to work for food service comes up that um and it comes up sometimes issues u you know my spouse for consideration is a possible principle that the cardinal rules when it comes to conflict of interest are common card is to school truth. Um you if you think you are in a conflict of interest situation or something that may a

025conflict of interest issue um you absolutely want to be proactive about that and you want to raise it. I would suggest to chair superintendent to say look I don't know if I if I need to excuse myself if I need to vote on certain matters um I know it's conflict but can you give me some guidance on that that's where you want where you don't is you don't raise the conflict you then participate as a board member maybe even take a vote or act on something and then as a complaint again not on but you know, ethics complaints that have been filed in those situations. Uh, and my view on ethics is you don't you don't want to go anywhere near the line. You certainly don't want to cross the line. But my advice really

026is don't go near it. Um, and if you think you have a question, and by the way, the question might be legitimate. Maybe your brother is your brother is, you know, an executive officer of some vendor of the school district or vendor. Okay, you can't stop. That's the family relationship you have. But you can say the board chair look I want to disclose this and I don't know but always disclosed and if you have a question about absolutely we don't want some claim that a board vote an employee or appointing a vendor was invalid because it was um it was tainted with some sort of we don't want that at all. So that's that's a critical piece. Confidentiality is a really important obligation works um and you know it comes up in various ways. Uh

027the first we note here is anything in executive session. Anything that is discussed in executive session or any materials you get in executive session those are strictly confidential and and cannot be disclosed unless the board appropriately decides to release certain documents. But no has authority uh to uh discuss or review matters discussed in executive session. uh no matter what type if it's executive session the whole purpose of executive session this is this is totally provided for by the FY staff the FY statute recognizes that sometimes boards need to discuss things confidentially in the interest of school district they need to do that in confidence um and because of that every work to protect that so very important everybody be very mindful Apart from executive session u crossover student confidentiality many of you have probably heard

028of purple uh the family educational rights and privacy act that statute basically provides that all individually identifiable information about students um that we have student records that that is all confidential information. Um so it's very important uh that that integration be maintained as confidential otherwise violation of federal law. Um the and the statute does contain an exemption for school officials. School officials meaning teacher could be a educator board member. And basically the statute says that school officials can be given access to confidential student information only to the extent that they have a legitimate educational interest in the information. Now workers almost never almost never have an interest in individualized sure you know what's the average GPA all those things that's all valid you know appropriate information for the board to have but individual uh information

029um hardly comes up uh it could memory here an expulsion I want to know when expulsion if there were any if there were to be one you were serving as a hearing in the board you would get information about that student you absolutely would get facts of what occurred you would get some student record information grades discipline etc that would be strictly confidential information that would that would have to be uh preserved and and you would also know um uh that in any culture hearing at the end of that hearing uh one of the things we always do again very fortunate not to have any but um in those districts where they occur we always collect back every record that is distributed during that hearing there's always a copy maintained obviously by school districts but

030um those materials are still confident so Um it's the student confidentiality is something actually you rarely should individualize student information but it is critically important that you keep >> sure where parents bring me information sometimes that parents or board members see IEPs and I was like I have zero to do with any of that. They're like, "Oh, you probably know my student has an ID." I was like, "No, I don't." Yeah. And I wouldn't. >> But what do we do when a parent comes to us, discloses information that, you know, we're not asking, I've never asked for information, blah, blah, blah. Discloses it to us and then says like, "What do I do?" I say, "You go to the principal." I say, "Do you go to your teacher?" But there was one instance where I

031did bring it directly to um Dr. just because I said, you know, they mentioned legal and I was like, I have to stop the conversation there. Like I if you're retaining counsel, like I can't please stop talking to me type thing respectfully. But in that instance, like when parents are giving us information like wanting us to do something like what do you suggest like a oneliner, two liner that we >> Yeah. So let me actually Okay. Sorry. >> No, no, that's great. That's the very next part. So, and this is your question I think is broader than this, but so I have this slide about referral. I I should have used the word complaints, complaints, concerns, you know, kind of do hear from community member. Often it might be a complaint. You know, my child

032is is, you know, um not so well in this class or had a grade that I disagree with or you whatever the issue uh might be. Um it is, you know, you are frequently confronted, you know, whether it's the grocery store or the soccer field or or wherever. um you you do hear from community members. Um so I think it's very important in those situations to refer that matter promptly to the administration. Now I do have a question for Dr. his districts very little bit of this uh in terms of whether that should go to the super that's important if you get a parent who's you know upset or has questions about why something is happening uh to the student you know educationally um whether Jordan you love the questions to go to you personally

033uh or not some districts those questions are referred by the board member superintendent who then determines all right Yeah. So, this this situation I believe Jordan handled it perfectly because she was nervous about lawsuit and it was a little bit more complex. I would say nine out of I'll say eight out of nine times now that you all said it perfectly to the principal speak to the principal and I don't hear from board members but this situation was appropriate to bring to my attention because it went through the director of people services went through um so it was a perfect example but I would say this board does a wonderful job that if somebody comes up to them you know you need to speak to the principal or if it's a curriculum question, go speak

034to the assistant superintendent. If it's special ed, bring it to the director of services. This situation was perfect to get on my desk. Thank you very much. And I just don't even think I I don't think I did. But I know the situation, but it was a good heads up because of And I went right to our director of services who knew about this situation. >> Yeah. I mean, I think that some sort of heads up either Jordan that that's occurred because sometimes what can happen is again I'm a work attorney with a concern um I say to the parent you really that's that's principal you really ought to contact the principal the parent you know doesn't want to make waves or for whatever reason doesn't contact the principal then we have this is throwing

035out there so I just think it it would be helpful for the board member to at least notify someone Hey, I got this concern. I don't know if she's going to fall over you, but I I'm giving you a heads up that we might hear from this person. So, so I just >> Yeah. So, when in doubt, give me a call or give a little call. That's kind of what we've been going through. Give >> Let every principal know every time. >> No. So many times we are teaching their you want to make sure that it gets uh it gets just to go back to part question too. Um, so sometimes parents will kind of spill everything, you know, almost before you can stop them. You could say to the parent, but you could say

036to the parent, you know, I'm not, you may want to not give me all these details because I'm not, this is not something I'm going to be able to address directly. Here's what I would suggest. Um, just so you know, it's not a violation of if the parent information what what but once you have it, >> you have it and then we have to keep it confidential. >> So, Rich, can you just John just mentioned that since you brought that up? >> Sure. >> Um, >> can you talk about the board's responsibilities with DCF that if um a parent says something to them, are they considered a mandated report? >> Well, if you uh so if if if you get a concern uh that may be an indication of abuse, neglect or sexual assault occurring

037with regard to the child. Um I think again we should immediately contact and those immedely contact but but I think really those kinds of uh matters it's going to be critically important that that especially relate to an allegation that a staff member is doing clearly we have to uh take immediate action on those. So uh there's a urgency to anything related to you know we want to take care of those. So we aren't mandated to report to DCF. I think that was a question or not. >> No, but they should >> but if you become aware of something observe to our school district or the student in our school district, you definitely want >> something. So, it's not about So, if that parent came to me and then I were to Lou in on the

038situation and I'm just like I'm giving him a rundown of what the parent said to me, that's not a violation. That's to tell Lou. >> I'm sorry. If a parent comes to you, >> so say a parent comes to me is disclosing information about their child's IEP and I'm really, you know, that's not my purview. I then go to Lou and let him know like, hey, this parent came I CC or whatever. That's not a violation of that. I'm sharing what a parent told >> well in that example I think you go to the superintendent I think because the board chair doesn't really have >> right to know that superintendent ultimately responsible for >> but I appreciate the thought of the chain of command taking it through so I appreciate >> I would not disclose

039to that actual I just wanted to make sure okay thank you >> you could say look so and so bumped into me and it's really upset. >> Yeah. >> And I'm I'm calling Jordan to give him the details. Um but no, that's a good point. We want to limit any >> So refers to all of us as well. Like we would act like normal like I can't be like oh not that I want but like oh call me and told me x y like that would be a violation. You can again you only have a right to uh educational information about student performing a very specific responsibility which which honestly 99% of the time people would ever send out like the beginning of the year chair or anybody a brief little letter to the community

040explaining what our roles and responsibilities are because we do get like a you know people think we are you sign off with your child out you There is a misconception. So we constantly remind them really only our responsibility >> they just wonder if it would help mitigate >> in every school district. There are a lot of people who believe um well you're on the board of education. You can fix anything. You can you can address you have all the power. You can address anything that comes up. If I ever if I'm upset because my G in science, you're going to be able to fix that for me because you're on the board of education and you're going to write this wrong for me. When in fact, that's not that's not true because you don't have

041that authority. I don't think that the issue is yes, you could send something out, but I think at the same time, >> you don't want the message to be, >> yeah, >> we don't want to hear. >> I think it's delicate. >> We're really facilitators. I think we give them the you can find that information here. finding work policy. It's a chronic thing of just directing. >> Yeah, I think >> which is a good thing. I mean, they don't they don't know how to find something we need to do. >> I I think you want to just redirect it, you know, as need be and make sure the administration is aware of it and that's the safest thing to do. Um so, and obviously we want to listen respectfully as I'm sure all of you

042will do. If we have someone who's upset, we want to address that. We want to know if there's some basis for a concern there. So, absolutely we want to listen to that. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Sure. Um, so just a quick note about uh the process hearings and again uh Jordan, we're not going to do it again because I don't think we've had any of these in my memory here. Um, but I just it just so you know because it can come up sometimes. Um so teacher nonrenewal or termination hearing if there were a need uh uh again hopefully very unlikely to nonrenew a teacher or terminate a teacher or if there were need for expulsion uh proceedings or a residency hearing there's a right the person who's the subject of those hearings

043has a right to due process. So whether it's a teacher facing not renewal or a student facing expulsion um you may be called upon as board members to sit in a hearing capacity for those matters and for that reason it's going to be very important that you remain impartial because that's what I'm going to go to the next slide the right process is it basically is uh and includes hearing before an impartial decision maker so um For that reason, uh, the board is obligated to make its decision based on the evidence presented at the hearing. And the last point is probably the the most critical one. Um, it's critical the board members not get involved in the factual details of what's going on outside that hearing. So, if you think about it, um, and sometimes

044the superintendent may say to you, look, I I'm giving the court a heads up. into a situation, but I can't give you details because you may ultimately not deserving some sort of hearing from us. This might be an expulsion hearing if if there's something that happens uh in one of the schools. Um it's possible jury will send an email saying, "Look, I know there's a lot of stuff looming about an incident that occurred. Um it's important that you not get involved and it's also important that I not give you details because there may be ultimately there may be a hearing on this and we need to remain impartial." Same thing with like an employee discipline teacher determination kind of thing. Yeah, we haven't had any of those. That's wonderful. Um, but sometimes board members can

045get frustrated uh thinking well keeping information from us. He's not that's not he's doing that to protect the district ultimately protect the board, protect the district and to protect the due process rights of that individual. Now, if the superintendent gives you all the details from his perspective about a hospital, how's that a fair hearing from the student? Students student's going to claim, wait a minute, you all knew all this stuff before you open, which again we would not do that. So, um, but I sometimes hear again not, but we do sometimes hear frustration board members that, well, there's this big thing going around our community and the superintendent telling us about it. There may be very very good reasons why he cannot tell you at least the point you cannot you know share information just

046going back to the DCF situation DCF information strictly confidential under state law cannot be shared so those you won't hear about period as it were because we have to leave those confidential um so code of conduct so this is actually taken right from for U bylaw 9272 and it it's basically kind of five major points about uh board members obligations um one and and they're pretty straightforward adhere to all board policies, rules and regulations uh conduct themselves in a fair and impartial manner just like we talk and that's true you know every every issue that comes before the board want to look at it um fairly and partially and then come to an informed judgment uh with that matter. Um three, refrain from interfering with implementation of a board policy decision by administration. Um four,

047refrain from interfering with the duties of any school district official. And then five, the the confidentiality of anything discussed in session. So those are all right. you have all said as a board these are you know there's a whole bunch of obligations but these five are you know really important as a code of conduct for our for a board member. So you really want to make sure that you honor all those things um and not you know step on the wrong side of the line when it comes to those responsibilities. So, um, some of the several scenarios and this probably won't take too long. Um, so you just received the agenda for the board meeting. Uh, the agenda item includes an item for the approval of a proposed transportation contract with school bus in your

048brother-in-law hired as the CFO of School Bus Inc. What should you do regard the >> upcoming disclose? >> Disclose. >> The first thing I want to do is again chair superintendent. We're going to say, "Hey, I want to be clear. My brother-in-law was just hired, you know, two weeks ago as a CFO of this company. You know, the conversation is probably going to be I'm assuming I shouldn't participate right in that conversation. And the answer is going to be yes, we shouldn't participate in that. meaning anything new not part of the discussion clearly not part of the vote and I think you want to be clear on the record that you are recusing yourself you know from that you know I'm not participating in this in anything related to this topic you know you know

049so suppose let me make it a little more complicated um your wife's cousin was recently I as the CFO of that company, what's what are you gonna do? >> if he's a schmunk and he doesn't come to Christmas dinner, I don't care. >> The first thing you're going to do, you're gonna disclose it. But the conversation probably is going to be different. the conversation there is probably well that's attenuated and you know yes but but where you don't want to be is where you judge to yourself that can't be a conflict of interest I've never even met this person you don't want to just judge >> almost again disclose it so nobody can accuse you of something and we I've seen these ethics concerns where most of people go after each you know, on these

050kinds of things. So, always disclose. Dur's right. Always disclose. Have a conversation with the answer to this one's probably going to be, "Thank you for disclosing. We're going to disclose it. We don't think that relationships you from as a super caution to always disclose no matter what. So, uh, second scenario, um, and again, obviously these are these are hypotheticals, but sometimes they they're based in some thing that they got somewhere, not none of these at all. Um, so a parent is all over social media after her daughter was suspended for making in school two days before high school dance. Parents live that her daughter won't be able to attend the dance. Karen calls many board members complaining that the principal overreacted and pleading for the board to correct this injustice. So this has some parallels

051to what Jordan describes to you and kind of what he do. Um so Betty board member calls the superintendent and asks for a meeting involving Betty board member, the superintendent, the principal and the parent to discuss the suspension is board request appropriate. No, >> no. What's What's wrong with the >> What's the name? >> Student wasn't invited. >> That has nothing to do that's not really the purpose. [Music] All right. So now the parents call that >> direct the parents call superintendent and express their concern. >> Yeah. So I mean I think in a situation like this um you can certainly suggest that the parent call superintendent but I on this kind of situation I'm if I'm getting a board member I'm picking up the phone and I'm calling and I'm saying this is living

052about this situation. I don't know what happened, you know, but she's very upset about this vaping thing and the suspension and the dance this Saturday night and George is gonna deal with that or have a high school administration deal with it. He'll decide but the board member is not going to be part of that. it wouldn't be problem. That's why that would be because that board member so now the board member was creating this problem because the parents told oh I'm Betty board member I'm going to sit there with you you know we're going to ask the principal what happened here well no that's actually not going to happen that way so any board member overstepped none of you would overstep but that board member clearly >> I'm sorry >> if it wins If any

053suspension comes up to us, then we compromised it. But >> yeah, you really just want to steer clear that kind of effectively for sure. >> Um so now and again I don't wish this on you. So unfortunately the board recently did have an expulsion hearing. Um the board uh first received evidence of the incident triggering the expulsion hearing and during the second part of the hearing the board uh received evidence about the student significant disciplinary history. Um at the conclusion of the hearing the board voted to expel the student. Day after the hearing a board member who was unable to attend the hearing stops you a board member in the grocery store. The board member says, "Rumor has it that that student has been a discipline problem since elementary school. Is that true?" So again,

054you're the um you're the board member who did sit in on the expulsion hearing, a board member who was not able to attend the expulsion hearing stops in the grocery store and says, "Is it true that that kid that you expelled yesterday has been a discipline problem since kindergarten?" Can't comment. >> What's that? >> Can't comment. >> Why? And why is that? >> Because it was the person was not there privileged information. >> It's it's confidential student record information. It goes back to the only time a board member has a right of access to that is if they're performing a board responsibility. The board members who sat the expulsion had a right of access. A board member who didn't sit in that area has zero right of access. If if the board member says, "Oh

055yeah, you should have seen the kid on a sheet going all the way back to you know multiples etc." That's a violation of that information. So can I so if we if we were in the executive session board members couldn't make the executive session we discuss things of policy of some specific nature. We see those board members afterwards. I think can you brief me on executive session? Is that okay? >> So yeah. So the distinction here is is for so >> okay. So yes suppose in executive session uh you discuss you know how about attorney >> sure you discussed attorney about some issue. I couldn't you know I couldn't attend the session. you know lying what the discussion was in that example yes that is proper because you're a board member you have a right

056to even though you miss the you have a right to know session now I guess question you know how the board I guess the question is um should that briefing be done you know board member A goes to board member B not the chair to say hey someone after the executive session or should that go to chair to the chair for it's probably best keep it that way just so that it's the same everyone's getting the same message but no that this example really is because that that's where it's and also again so I'm a board member who was I turned all the documents back like I was supposed to hear I should erase from my anything I learned in that it's false hearing because again I've got to preserve that as confidential. So if

057my neighbor says oh my god what did that actually do? You can't talk about that's confidential student information. The only thing that would be public is the actual expulsion motion which won't have a lot of detail to it and it will not identify we never identify because we can't identify a student in it'll say student or something like that. So bottom line is even if you're forever >> confidential child like who that child is there as well. >> Yes. their number in >> what's that >> it would be reported in the minutes that student [Music] >> which is not >> no one can figure that out so um yes you may know that it was you know five words um you would know that but if someone's reading said hey you know I heard kidney

058just I don't know who that was I don't want my you know that I thought my in some way your answer has to be I can't that is strictly confidential can't talk about it so okay so another um so yesterday the local newspaper published a front rate story again this never happened to my knowledge um about a teacher employee of the district who was arrested for selling narcotics in the community article identifies the teacher by name and school parents come uh parents from that school come to the next board meeting and during public comment several of them expressed concern that the teacher must be fired immediately unable to resist it must be Penny board member again um responds by saying rest assured this teacher is history is board member statement appropriate a yes board member

059had every right to make comments under the first amendment no board member's comments created legal exposure to the And why? So why is >> because they can't speak as one have to speak as an entire board. >> You can't speak as one individual. You have to speak as an entire board. >> That's one reason. No board member has the right to say what the board is going to do. That's that's a that's one critical thing that's wrong with this. What's another critical thing? >> You have to protect the rights of the teacher. >> Exactly. The teacher has to process right. But it might we don't know based on this. All we know um is that the teacher was arrested. Arrest doesn't mean it's not proof someone did something. It's probable cause that they did something

060and it's a criminal criminal process. So we don't know any of the facts here. Um and again it may be that the board of education has to suppose and there's going to be a termination about this. um the board member the board has to sit impartially in that person. One way to think about this is again none of you would be in this situation. Put yourself in that teacher's spot or that student spot because it's the same thing that person has a complete and it's actually constitution. It has a they have a US constitutional right to due process. Um meaning uh essentially due process is notice of what they did wrong and a chance to be heard fairly impartial. Um and here if a So what's going to happen? Let's assume worst case scenario this

061is a case that comes here hypothetically. Um, what is going to happen is is let's assume it's Bennett board. Betty board member made that is Bennett board member going to be able to sit back here. No, because Betty board member is not impartial. Betty board member without really know any facts at all said this teacher's fire basically. Um, so again, put yourself in that person to you feel like you got a fair shot from any work. of course made up this month. Um so and as pointed out no one thinks but you can't speak for the entire board. Um so I mean obviously uh the board members can say anything in this in this situation. Okay. So let's switch gears a little bit. We'll talk about the FYI statute. This will be for a number

062of you but it's really important to keep these principles in mind. Um the key premises of the life act are it's really um that public agencies must conduct their business in public. These are if you think about the origin of um FLI statutes both federal director statute federally and also across every state in the country. These are basically post warranty era statutes uh that basically are we want government to be transparent. If if government's happening public it's it's our government. We have the right to see what's going on. Um and so the two overarching uh principles in Connecticut statute are when the is doing its business except in very limited circumstances public has right just as right now public has a right to preserve and see what the board is doing because it's governmental business

063and ultimately it's it's the public's government unless there's some exception that applies like exemption. Secondly, the other presumption is that records maintained by the school district are subject to disclosure again open government um unless a specific exception applies. What what's the we've just been talking a lot about student one of the biggest assumptions is anything protected by referral. Um but the the operating assumption when it comes to FRI when we get records request we start with presumption that everything's disposable unless there's a specific that says to the contrary. >> Can can I go back for a minute? So understand the FOI um if the public this happens at budget time right my understanding is if somebody comes in and asks for something we have to do research to find it we don't have to provide

064it number two if we don't um don't if it's not um if you have research if you have it's not created you don't have to create >> correct you So if someone makes a record request um we have a responsibility to uh do a diligent >> search for responsive records. Sometimes an exhaustive IT search a certain search terminology depending on sometimes it's just a policy. Um so it can be any depending on the scope of the request. So our obligation is to unless there's an exemption that applies to produce the records after doing a reasonably diligent search for those records. Um that is our obligation. We don't have an obligation to create anything. If if a record doesn't exist, we don't have an obligation to create it. We don't have the right to an obligation

065information. We also don't have an obligation to answer questions. tell me why the board of education did this at the last meeting, right? That we we can decide, but the FYI statute doesn't it's not a Q&A. FYI is not Q&A. >> So, if we were doing a building project and somebody wants to know, I mean, we would disclose a lot of information. There's some off of question came up just wasn't gerine to it. We don't have to necessarily answer that. FOI does not FOI doesn't ever require responses question. Okay. It's not a it's not a question to answer stat the record is basically if you have a record you're maintaining it in any format could be >> how about a personel file? >> Uh well personnel files are a little tricky. Um if it is

066a the is that um personnel file information under Connecticut law um is subject to disclosure um unless information in that personnel file would invade the person's privacy and the privacy standard is set very high. Um however there's a major exception for records of teacher which includes administrator teacher and administrator performance uh and conduct those are exempt. So teacher violations strictly confidential observation reports strictly confident. Okay, that's >> but and and obviously sensitive information like social security >> salary record each employ. So Rich, yeah, it's public people's salary, but if you don't if you don't have an Excel spreadsheet and it's all >> record. >> So you got it. You got >> some You have >> What's that? >> We did. We had We had We did. We get them. >> Yeah. [Music] >> Not everybody

067like every when we say everybody's salary. We're saying every first grade teacher, every second grade teacher, every pair professional >> that was published our board from our school. >> Say that again. We did get that information in our old budget book many years ago. >> So it would say first grade teacher X makes this or first grade teacher in Georgia. >> First grade teacher. >> That's how we if we if there's a record somewhere that says first grade teacher Rich Mills gets paid $72,000. >> That's correct. >> It's on request. We don't go. >> No no no. >> No. Yeah. And that is the law. Some states are different. Connecticut's law is that's >> theor >> it's budget time when we get a lot of >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Um so the

068definition of meeting now this is one of those slides you probably look at the thing why do we have to have a slide that tells us what a meeting is? Well, that's because the definition of meeting under the statute is a lot broader than what you think of as board the board meeting because we know that's a meeting under FLI but it's important that you be aware of this this is for every um so the statute and I'll go back through some of these words but it's any hearing or other proceeding of a public agency by the way public agency the board of education is public agency committees are public agency. The office of the superintendent is a public agency. Um uh or any convening or assembling of a quorum of a multimember public agency.

069um in any communication by or two-way form of a multimember public agency uh in any fashion whether it's electronic person however to discuss or act upon a matter you know essentially within that public agency's control so let's just go back dissect a little bit so convening or assembly of a forum so six board members get together and talk how a proposed policy that's meeting under the statute. How many members are on the policy? >> Three. Okay. So, three members. What's a core member? A three member committee. >> Two members of the policy committee get to talk together about That's a core remember is also agency for life purposes. Um now take let's focus on the communication part. Six members of the board don't get together to talk about but they text amongst each other or

070email or whatever. >> Is that a meeting? because it involves >> but they're active on a matter >> but the chair is allowed to group message how they can't group that >> correct a later >> okay sorry >> but no that's fine but so a one-way communication could come from the board chair might come from policy chair might superintendent superintendent a oneway communication even to the full court send you an Now, um I mean adding this to the agenda for next Tuesday, next meeting. Here's this, you know, uh proposed communication I want to send to the community meeting. We'll review it, you know, at the meet meeting next week. That's not He sent it to every worker. That's not a meeting. That's just an email that went out to the board. That would be a

071public number upon request. That's now the board start weighing back in. Oh, I don't know. I don't like this paragraph. I think we should speak paragraph three etc. Then we're going to start meeting because we if you go back to the principle the principle is when we have government operating the public has to see it in action. So can't board of education is considered the government. You are up to the government. Um if you're interacting about a matter you are jurisdiction control that's public right to see that. If that's happening behind the scenes, that's a violation of the FOY statute. Um, so but again, I just want to stress the oneway communication that lose reference that is that's okay. That's proper opinion and everything. That's okay, too. >> I'm sorry. >> If they're weighing in

072on something with their opinion, just for example, >> if you start having they can say whatever they want as long as nobody replies. >> If if nobody replies, just one point. It's it's the interaction that creates the meeting. >> But that's all FOIable still. >> Yeah. The whatever go out are going to be subject to disclosure unless >> Felicia hears that you and I were having some conversation. She wants to know what that's about. Felicia citiz you can you can write back and say that's a bunch of phone but you just send it to me directly you don't >> yeah be careful the commission even even you know site convers conversation. It's a bunch. If it looks like a meeting, it's going to be treated like a meeting. So, you have to be very careful

073the interaction is is the issue. >> So, if I'm in a meeting and Jordan is too meeting and chat that could be misconstrued as a >> Yes. >> Yeah. So, you have to sort of like >> you have to be careful. I mean again >> I mean use discretion. >> Can you explain the difference between compass and a caucus? >> Yeah. So let me hold on. No good. No I think it might. So um there are some exemptions. No actually no um so meeting there are several exemptions. Um the first is a meeting of a personnel search committee for executive level. So a lot of boards and I don't recall whether this was done when Jordan came in as the superintendent but a lot of boards create a personnel search committee. A lot of boards

074also name themselves as the personnel search committee. Yes. And the statute allows that. That personel search committee is actually meetings of that person committee are not sub they're not subject documents would still be public potentially but meetings of that personal search committee are not meetings under the statute. The second is any chance meeting or social that's not you know intended for the purpose of discussing matters of board of education business. So if one of you has a holiday party or you're all at the same wedding or something or whatever or you know the same football game, you don't have to go running to the hills to so you don't have a quarrel. But to lose point, use your discretion. Don't be discussing board business. >> If they sorry to interrupt you, but if they so

075they can't if they were in the parking lot, that would be considered a meeting. But say they left the meeting and then they ran into each other by chance at the grocery store. That would be considered a chance meeting. >> Oh, absolutely. And even the parking lot, it's not like you have to run to your garage and talk to anybody. You just shouldn't be shouldn't be engaging in the conversation that should have been addressed. >> Everybody wants to talk. >> Yeah. So I mean again the tradition and good common sense here are the guiding principles because um obviously you all have social life some you may be friendly with each other that's totally fine. Um but um you know just be mindful that if you had a bunch of you know if the quorum together

076um you shouldn't be talking about more business basically. >> Well and I think it's confusing because the quorum is always changing. Well, well, >> it's five. >> The core of all your three or >> no. >> Okay. >> So, it's it's basically it's whatever number is more than half. Um, if it's a four person committee, which has its own issues because then you have votes, but if it's a four person committee, Cor's three. So uh just be mindful if if you are on a committee you should keep you should know in your head kind of what's a firm of this committee and the board will be fine. >> So if if there's four of us >> correct well the chair usually attends great but there's three and or sometimes there's four and I would make

077five. Uh yeah. So you know for a committee meeting >> yeah so the >> that's a problem would he count? Uh I I actually I'll have to check how we wrote this bylaw under Robert's rules uh that if someone is exeicio committee >> it's our bylaws >> that is that still exio >> the Robert's rules basically unless the bylaw is different uh Robert's rules basically provides that if the chair is exio member for quorum purposes But that exposition member has every right to vote, make motions, second motions, etc. Some boards have worked a different on that. >> So the third exemption uh which many of you over the years have participated in. Third exemption is strategy or negotiations for collective bargaining. I just want to stress this does not say negotiations. It says collective bargaining.

078Some boards not say well you're doing negotiations on translation contract. So that's covered by the the negotiations. There's no such thing. It's only union negotiations. Um, so when we meet with units to do negotiations or when we're planning strategy or meeting as opportunity, those are all totally exempt and they're not considered meetings of the last but it's only for negotiations. Um the the fourth which is one that Jordan was talking about a caucus of members of a single political party even if that's a forum. So if there are nine on the board and there's if there's majority party five or more um those members are allowed to have a political caucus and that is not a meeting the polit the fi commission is held but that caucus has to be limited to the members of

079that party who are members of that board if there are other people um it's not it doesn't fall within that exemption um If it's a minority party, same thing. The minority party also has the right to engage in Congress. Some caucuses, some don't. I don't I'm not judging as judgment either way on that. Um, but the statute does allow political party caucuses. It also had a wrinkle, but there's something called a cross political party caucus, but you have to register in advance to be like a like a like a voting block, so to speak. Um uh but you have to register in advance commission that almost never opens up. So does that answer your question? >> Um and then the last thing is administrative or staff meetings of a single member public agency. That's like

080the you know superintendent and and related uh functions within the district. Obviously the superintendent couldn't operate the district if he had to post every single meeting he has every single day. So that is actually covered staff meetings. U any questions on the definition? >> Um just quickly we have time >> requirements for agend isn't worth mentioning because we still again not but we still do see agenda items that are sometimes problematic in districts. So agenda items the statute doesn't say the FY statute does not say exactly what an agenda item has to include. What basic law is on this is that agenda items have to be sufficient to provide reasonable notice at some point concerning the business to be transact. So, I like to think about this. If you were not on the board and

081you were sitting out on a public, wouldn't the agenda give you a good sense of what the board is actually going to do or talk about? If the agenda just said item three, personnel discussion, if you're in the public, you're think [Music] that's not specific enough. Um, the some more specificity to it on the agenda. So the good test when you're developing your agenda or writing your agenda is are we being clear is a member of the public going to look at this because this this is how these get reviewed by someone a complaint the issues did a member of the public agreement of what you're actually doing. Um so references some words um some boards use things like old business and new business as like categories with it. That's fine for organizational purpose in

082your agenda. But some boards also just say old business or new and that's all that's not good. Again if you're the member of the public the agenda says new business. What does that mean? It means it's done. Um so that's those are not sufficient executive session. Some boards are still saying discussion of a of a personnel matter or a personel matter that commission has ruled in numerous cases that is not sufficient. Um it's got to there's got to be something more to it. Um you know executive session regarding superintendent evaluation. Okay that's really specific. Um proposed contract with you know this Okay, that's that's specific. Um, so we want to just make sure. Um, and the last one, it's it's not sufficient to just say discussion regarding pending claims and litigation, which is why, for

083example, on some recent agenda items, we've ident, but it's identifying a certain pending litigation matter in some way. Uh, so very important that we um do that. So I just caution we are still some seeing some problematic agenda items. Executive session um there actually are well two two things you needed twothirds vote to go into executive session twothirds of those present and voting. Um the one of the motion should be clear and um just by the example this morning that that motion was clear reason for executive session. That's important. You can't just say in some words we'll just say make a motion we go to executive session second all in favor no idea why we have we have to state the reason for the executive session um there are only five reasons to executive session

084the first is kind of short in chart I'm referred to the personnel attention discussion of the appointment employment performance etc of a public officer which could be uh or employee subject to that individual's right to have the discussion be held in public. So whenever you are discussing individual employee or or board member in executive session that individual who's the subject has to be noted in advance because they have a right to say if you're going to talk about me I want that to be in session and if they say I want session you have to honor that has to be in session. Um so that's that. Second is pending claims of litigation as we talked about. The third sadly this one you know this did not used to really be used by school districts but

085given the some of the terrific things that have happened over the years and the need for um you know very very focused discussions on security um security strategy or deployment of security personnel and devices. So I mean again the concept there is if you if there are certain protocols and procedures or mechanisms uh or the deployment of personnel issues that you would not want to smoke doing so compromise security that's the purpose of this exemption real estate I'll skip that's mostly on the account side that will apply and then the last one which is a bit of a call is discussion of confidential records so that include student records or expulsion hearing It comes with superintendent review. >> What's that? >> Superintendent review. >> Well, ultimately there ultimately the final way >> about negotiating about

086contract negotiations from teachers and things like that. Yeah. >> Well, there remember that the actual negotiations are actual negotiations are strategy that's exempt from under the club. If you have confidential negotiations documents, it would all they would also be exempt. So with that those are the only reasons for oh and just last we would not agenda ever say confidential records period. We'd have to say you know confidential student records or attorney or something like that. um electronic communications and I know we've talked about this a little bit but just be mindful of this um because we all text and email things these days. So electronic communications haveations for both meetings the meetings part and the record. Um, again, as we talked about before, if you're engaged in interactive um communication, whether it's electronic or in

087person, telephone, whatever, that may be an illegal meeting. So, be careful about that. Um, and remember, as we talked about earlier, um, those actual communications, even though they're even if they're not, the actual communications themselves are subject to disclosure. Sometimes board members send text messages or emails. Again, not that aren't all thatceptual just to lose point. I have sometimes seen again not we've seen messages that someone's going to be quite embarrassed when they get these So just be mindful of how you're >> so you said once before this is a while back. You said if I write a note to Jordan during the meeting, would that be part of that text? Like if I said to Lou, how am I going to vote on? >> If you're running a note to Jordan, that would be

088the issue. That is going to be writing a note saying, "Can you let know I have to go, you know, pick up my spouse or something that's, you know, that's a that's a personal thing that's not going to be, you know, that's that's that's not going to be an issue. But if you're engaging in communications about because again, go back go back to the purpose of that. I'm sitting in the audience. I'm watching government happen except that government's happening between two people. Um, and I don't know what they're communicating with each other. And this this next slide, I think will illustrate this. Um, so just we touched on this earlier. If the communication unilateral like email saying, you know, please make sure you read this for Tuesday night's meeting, that's fine. That's not a meeting.

089interactive. Um, so okay, here's this is kind of the scenario you're talking about is embodied in this situation. So nothing is just to me it's federal main item on the agenda is the adoption of the president. The superintendent is presenting a PowerPoint reflecting some fine tuning thoughts in that camp that she did on the budget following the budget workshop last week. Board member Tommy Texter has heard enough. Tommy text board member saying we told her she was not sport can't wait for her performance review and she still has those two social work in the budget. Where are we vote this down? So now I'm in the audience. Do I have any access? The board is having a conversation about what these two board members are on a private level. I am I able to do

090that as an audience member? Of course. Um that's that's a violation. So, so, so if that audience member sees us doing this, the next day they can come down to the office and say, "I want those texts." >> Yes. So, that's exactly That's exactly what happened because the day after board meeting, Ronnie sent an email to the board chair. Just a heads up, a complaint that we have a live question about the meeting last night, two of your board members during the budget discussion. Oh, please consider this email between Tommy and during the meeting last night there with the FI complaint about the meeting and his >> what do you think it's by just so you know I I had this happen about a year ago so um and it It's turned out that it

091was um totally innocent. It'll actually during the pandemic when boards were still ped so or at least you know even now hybrid meetings um uh the board chair gets a text during a phone gets a text from a board member in response clear um but I tag and they called us and said, "What do we do?" I say, "Well, we got to get back and let's take a look at them." They were disposable, but it turned out was totally innocent. What was happening was um the remote board member couldn't hear the board and audio issue and so the the board member without wanting to disrupt the meeting texted the board chair and said, "Hey, there's an audio issue I can't." So totally totally innocent. We we turn them over. We we turn we said fine.

092You want to do that? Totally fine. We're happy to show you that text message. >> You say I'm texting Jordan who can't hear remotely right now. That's blocked. Like could he say that during the meeting and then that was possibly like >> well that so that's not going to be that's not going to be the that itself is not going to be that's not a substantive conversation about a matter. It's just it's a processing that's going on. But >> potentially avoid the person foying though because if he says like, "Oh, I just had to send a text audio out." It would disclose like why not? >> Correct. >> The the text messages will be >> Yes. They'll be they'll they'll be uh so Whoops. So, um, this is a real scenario. They did not text

093them. So, here's what happened. So a town in not a town I think it was the zoning board was having a meeting and there was a relatively controvers [Music] whispering about the issue that up for discussion. Um, someone filed an FYI complaint and said, "Hey, essentially a meeting was going on in the corner. We could we didn't have access to that and we think that's an illegal meeting." The FYI commission said that's an illegal meeting. You can't, you know, you can. >> So then what happens? So they they determine it's an illegal meeting. What's what's the enforcement? What's it? >> So the FI commission has various enforcement authority. If the board, let's assume I I don't know if this was the case there. So, let's make it hypothetical. Let's assume people in the corner or

094whatever and then come back an action is taken based on that conversation. The FI has the authority if they find a violation to invalidate that action to say that's no that wasn't valid. It didn't happen. Um you need to do it and they'll record that occur. They have the authority to certainly to do with CC the fifth. They have authority. They frequently do this where they will mandate that you the board of regular training in FLI either with their own council or someone commission violation fines um on members who are found to engage in violations. They don't they don't do that frequently. uh but they will certainly do it if they believe there's like a flagrant or willful you know an honest mistake is not going to result in >> and one other question is

095there a process for filing is there a form where they just come down and say to the district office hey I want to know what was going on there or I want this information do they say you're not making this an FI good question so the Lou the FOI commission has ruled that a person uh a citizen or person making an Rifest does not um have to specifically say an FOI request if it is clear on the face of the communication that they are requesting information that we have in records. Um you know the the guiding principle is lay persons who aren't lawyers or something. They're not you know they don't have to say all the magic things uh to in order to have an request. If it's clear on what they're requesting, if they're

096open for records, we have we have to treat that as an request even if they don't maybe they never heard of it. They don't have to use that magic reference and and a public agency cannot um you know evade their response on some technicality that well it didn't say FOI. Um so uh if if we get a request you just one clarification um if someone wants um copies of a public you can you can require that that writing or or if they want access to it but not copies you cannot do that most people want copies so that's frankly the written request is helpful because that way we at least we understand we know what specifically they're requesting and we do it carefully. Um so and one more thing about the response is that we're

097we're obligated to respond to records requests um promptly. That's the statute term. Um that's that depends on what's being requested. Um however, there's an obligation to respond in some way or business because if someone gets no response was even an acknowledgement of the request. They have the right to go file. So we always request you send an acknowledgement. We add a request. We're working on it. We'll get back to you. Got it. Um depending on what is requested. Sometimes you can bring something in the I show up. I want a copy of the school. Um I had one many years ago where we had a request for reference for like 30 years that were buried in the basement of the city hall. It took months to get all that information together. Um some we have

098to do and that takes some time. So we have to exercise reasonable diligence. We don't have to drop it. We're a school district. We have a right to, you know, an obligation to run their district, but we can't we have to treat the request seriously and and respond. >> Is there like say you want something printed, is there a charge? >> Yes, I want Yeah. the statute allows the district to charge uh 50 cents per page for, you know, printed copies and you can require pre payment if it's going to exceed $10. We've had some districts that have to do this because they've been burned. Um person makes a request district runs off 500 pages that cost X um and the person so requirement will exceed $10. So, uh, that's everything that I have. >>

099If there are questions or anything else, I'm happy to address anything. >> Any questions for any bills? >> Is this uh just for our question? >> Yes, you can. Yeah, that's Yeah, I mean, we didn't honestly I mean, obviously it a lot of the legislation, you know, kind of affects dayto-day operations more than it does policy issues. However, there are you there are some you know essentially new policy requirements. So we'll be that's another reason our model policy to reflect new updates come out your policy updates come out based on this >> Uh I think they're in the works. Those take I will tell you they take a fair amount of time. Um there are lots of revisions that need to be done. So uh that's in progress right now. Um so we'll as soon

100as those ready we'll get those out you know right away. >> Are those done yearly? >> So I they're done at least one year. We actually uh we typically you know a few times a year will be updating things as there are new developments or legislative developments. Um so uh it used to I would say 15 years ago we probably did one maybe unless something happened but we are now updates because we want to make sure that we always have policies. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Rich >> I have one question. >> Sure. >> Because you're done after this. >> Yes I think so. >> So we're going into we have an election here. Can you just talk about social media presence of board members? >> We're in an election year this year. So, can you

101just talk about social media presence of board members? Like what we're allowed to do, what we're not allowed to do, like on Facebook, like >> camping and things like that. >> I'm not sure what you mean. >> So, like, can I have my own Facebook page that says like Jordan Tucson board of education member as a campaign page? You have you all have rights individually to it's not it's not a cancel board of educa you know for yourselves and promote yourselves subject to the election enforcement requirements but the board doesn't control what board members do as individual citizens in running for office whether that's something who's an incumbent or whether it's running for the first time. Okay. So, >> you you have the right to as a candidate and you have the right to vote

102yourself as as camp, >> right? When when we were Yeah. >> campaigning and we went to Cherry Brook School and the principal kicked us off of the cherry school. Is it wrong for us to >> should be on school property campaign [Music] >> but again you've got rules in terms of access to school facilities presence on school grounds by any election or even a referend There are there are statutes that govern what can be done or not done in elections. But the board of education doesn't control what an individual person does on their social media account. >> Okay? So like we can post meeting dates, times, all of that like on our social media. We're free to do that. Well, I don't I mean, here's the reality. I I think what you're getting into really

103is not I don't think that's >> once you start doing board business on your your your campaign site, you can have opinion, I guess. >> No, I guess like my question is is like are we allowed to post like the next board of meeting is September 4th at 9:00 a.m. at the Canton Auditorium >> on your personal Facebook page? >> Yeah, it's public information. I can I'm a board member. I can put a sign in my front yard that says the next board meeting >> as long as we're not saying like, oh, we're gonna vote as an executive session about blah blah blah. We can't talk about like Yeah. Okay. >> I mean, you don't lose. I mean, you're you're private citizens and and you have first amendment rights as private citizens that >> that

104don't change because you're on the board of education. your board obligations because we talk about here like executive session material your your board obligation not candidate obligation but your obligation is to honor that confidentiality but I think that I just wanted to there's a big difference between your your functions as a board which are the board that the board doesn't control your act as a private citizen running for office >> okay thank Yeah. >> Okay. Any other questions for Rich? Rich, we're so grateful. It was uh two great meetings. We appreciate you and thank you for all the input today. >> Yeah. >> Would you like to stay? We're going to take a quick break. Everybody can grab I think Claudia and Ben and Cook everything else. So, we'll take a quick break for everybody

105to grab a sandwich. Stay separate. Go in different corners. Be careful to go into recess. >> All right. I need I need to uh get your approval to go to a recess. >> So, may I have a motion that we're going to take a 10-minute break? Thank you, Felicia. Thank you, Jordan. I have a first and second. Any issues on that? Great. You want to make it longer? I know, but we'll go 10 minutes. All those in favor eight. Thank you. So, I'm call back in at uh 1203. And uh next up is my report. So I'm going to give you a quick report from the chair and then we'll go into the superintendent summer updates. Okay. So uh I thought we ended the school year on a high note with a wonderful graduation. Even

106though that it rained a little bit, I thought the way that everything came together so beautifully to put that back together was just a wonderful day. So that's how we ended the year. Um during this during the summer there were two uh two key subcommittee meetings that happened. One was uh policy and you saw some of the results of that meeting uh earlier and uh and then finance and you'll hear more about the finance on the 99 meeting. You'll get more of an update on that. So there were a couple meetings did take place uh this summer. I attended a half day uh K forum in August. was down in Westbrook and the focus was on more on a lot what Rich did today acclimating board members on their roles and responsibilities. We also discussed

107some of the curriculum mandates were coming down the road and received an update on the new legislation initiatives which Rich was nice enough to provide you with with a deck on that so you can look at that at your at your um whenever you can. Um and then a large disc discussion obviously center around funding and special education costs. We we are not alone out there when we get to our budget. By the way, many budgets last year were rejected and they had to come back and there were significant cuts that went on uh from u many of the uh board chairs that were there were lamenting on. So something just to uh to keep in mind. Um this summer I sent out two uh two public messages uh on behalf of the board of

108education one which was on title nine which you all had a chance to see and then uh we did a communication on the five-year strategic plan in your in your packet. Everybody has a copy of the strategic plan. I believe it's on our on our website also. So um you know the printing of this is pretty expensive. So we, you know, we didn't send one out to every home, but you can encourage uh anyone you talk to, you know, just to go on to our our website. This is this is a yearong of your work that was put into this. And I I want to thank everybody for the end product came off really great. I want to thank uh John, Jordan, and Claudia for uh the work that they put into getting this all

109together. So that was great. Uh I did attend and I spoke at the convocation which was just a joy and I thought it was just a great uh another great convocation where I think everybody walked away uh excited, motivated and inspired to start the new year. So that was uh that was wonderful. I attended and I spoke with the senior's first day of school which was also pretty inspiring. What a great job. What a great tradition that started last year. And um you know what's the saying uh the mother and necessity from the mother of necessity is the mother. >> Yeah. necessarily, right? So, we we needed that that day last year, right? And uh and now it's become it's become a a great tradition and the seniors love it. And although, you know, you

110could say maybe some wouldn't want to attend. I think we had 98% we were down one without one, you know, so breakfast, too. >> Yeah. They had they had sandwiches. They actually get there for the sunrise. It's called Sunrise Seniors. and they were there on the field uh playing games and stuff. Then they came in for breakfast. Then uh then at 8:30 we had a little bit of a a overview for them on what the day was going to be like and they were going to paint the rock uh the senior rockets out there. They had a little get together group so that they can bond and come together. And I think that's reflective in the tightness of last year's class because that was the first year of senior day. There seemed to be a

111real bond between all those kids. So, I was uh really happy about that. And then um finally um I want to let everyone know that the board of select did approve the Nancy Grace Memorial Stadium name and they approved the um Legends Field idea and they also approved the movement of the um Kathy Design field to Westfield, her her memorial to Westfield. Um so that was all approved. talk to the superintendent to putting together a little bit. He'll probably have this in his nose, but putting together a little bit, but he probably won't do anything until next year. Give us a time to think about signage, fundraising, that kind of thing. Um, so that's that's really um my report from from the summer. I'll take any questions, concerns, thoughts, question. So Westfield is where that

112press box sits right now where some of the javelin and the discus throw is way if you're looking at the turfield it's going way to the right. We just named the Westfield science field. So it be easier easier to identify for those science board for six years long before the turf field was created. She wants people to know that their name. It's not a great people ask. So that's that's Thank you for that. So um no questions. I'll turn it over to superintendent. I'd like to provide the board and the community some updates. Number one, I don't say at all when you open up schools, they have a smooth opening. That that's just a generic term that was smooth. Everything was smooth. Um I I really find it that we had a wonderful start to

113the school year that most of the comments that I heard it was it's like we never left. And that's how it should be. In a small school school district like ours, it should be like never left. There's some things that we needed to work on in the summer, get our buildings looking new again, but it it to students, it should feel like that they never left. It should be excitement coming in for a new school year, but it should be the sense of comfort that they're walking into a school that teachers feel really good and staff feel really good about where they are and what's happening in the school district. So, it it was just a wonderful start to the year. Um I I've been at it and John's been at all schools on several

114occasions and um they're they're going right at it which is wonderful to see. Our youngest learners, our preschool students started yesterday. So it was fun to see those children show up to school and then seeing their families actually entrust us with three year olds to come in. think it was the threes and leave their their babies at the door. And um for some of them it was their babies. It was their first child coming to our our walls. And I'm really proud of how the Cherokee Primary School looks right now. There was a masterful cleaning effort that was done at Cherrybrook this year and the main office was repainted. The floors look wonderful. The the walls, they cleaned all the walls. What I really judge a building on is how the bathrooms looked and the

115bathrooms were scrubbed down. And it was really nice that the staff at Chairbrook did a wonderful job. and it's the first time some of our parents come into a school. So, we need to make sure that that that school is a good first impression from what our families see. And that's not to devalue any of the work that the rest of our school maintenance staff and custodial staff did. Our our schools looked really good for the opening of school and um I I just don't want that to go unnoticed. We spent an enormous amount of time I think in in my plus 30 years I've never been involved in hiring so many individuals this year and it wasn't um out of effort. We had some retirees. We had people move closer to their homes. So

116um I wanted to provide you a list so you have them of all the new staff up until last week. up until last week of what we hired. The the first page is just certified staff. And I'm really excited that we actually hired three and some of you heard this at the convocation that we hired three Canton High School graduates to be elementary school teachers. And that that's just a wonderful thing. and they're very committed to our town and it's wonderful to see children being taught by kids that actually walk the same hallways as they did. And you can just see we we range from Cherbrook hiring all the way up to high school to psychologist to speech language pathologist and we are completely filled for our certified. or not. We're down occupational therapy, which

117is a very difficult area to hire in. And then if you go on the back side, you'll see all the non-certified staff that we hired, including secretaries, uh, monitors, and pair professionals and tutors. And if I heard everything right, we are only one to two short at the middle school or high school of of Paris. It may only be one. The CIS and Cherry Brook is filled with non-certified staff. So, I gotta commend the administrative team for really working diligently and hard this summer to replace people that left and to really make sure that we were ready to go. One of the hires, which was probably one of the last hires that we did, is we did hire an afterchool supervisor, safety supervisor for the middle school high school that was approved in the budget.

118That individual started this week and is shifting. They started out in days to get to know the building and our environment and they'll be shifting to evenings this week with all the events and activities that we have going on. So is it like I said I I haven't spent this much time on hiring in a a long time and I feel we did a really good job. Mr. Bishop and I have been in a lot of the new teachers classrooms already. One of >> Yep. One of the things that was a real strong focus of the administrative team this year at the the two retreats that we had, one in June and then the other in August was really making sure that we are aligning the strategic plan that the board worked really hard to

119the continuous improvement plans. So now we really have the model that I've been stressing since I arrived back in Canton two years ago. We have that model of a strategic plan. So everything that we do within the schools, we should be able to align with that strategic plan. So I would encourage you every meeting and if you need another one, we will we will get it for you. every meeting I would encourage you to bring your strategic plan with you and when you hear people presenting even myself and and Mr. bishop to look at the strategic plan and be able to go and say, "Okay, that's board goal number one A." So, we're really aligning everything in the conversations that we have are meaningful, that they're they're fruitful. And you you saw last week when

120I sent you the the report that we did have a very serious conversation with administrators that even in their weekly report and I thank you for this when we discussed this last year in the weekly reports that they're providing to me that I sent to you that everything that they're doing they're aligning it to the the goal areas that are within the strategic plan. So when we come back at the end of the year, we can really do a crosswalk of of where we're at. What's really exciting about the the start of the the school year is seeing all the the the faces and excitement that are out there that first students that really show up are our student athletes and our student athletes with the new CIA uh guidelines relative to practices. Our student

121athletes were allowed to practice all summer long. So you you just go along our property and you see our high school student athletes there. But really to see them working as hard as they have for the the past week and a half to two weeks, I would encourage you to go online and try to attend some of our athletic events. if you have grandchildren, if you have your own little children to go watch uh our our high school and middle school student athletes compete because they're working really hard. I do have to commend and he'll be coming to our September 9th meeting, our new athletic director, Brian Glenn, who's serving as our athletic director and our supervisor for health and physical education. He's really done a nice job with a lot of the communication that

122has gone out to families and he's a abysmal presence at practice in our first game the other day was a boy soccer game that we won 2 to1 against Old Sabbrook which I would call was a pretty good upset to be honest with you that I I thought I saw that Old Sabbrook was ranked in the top six in the state of Connecticut in class S and and and our boys won. So, it should be an exciting fall uh season. So, I would encourage you if you can that that's one of the perks as a board member is you just go and um and enjoy. I I do want to take the time to acknowledge our our bus company that they they this was a difficult time for for buses in advance relative to some

123of you live over by that area over by CVS that that that bridges up. What is that? That I drove. >> Wash road. That is a little bit of a nightmare for not only the town um but it really affects the school district because we have kids that are on that that route that we just can't get down there with buses. So, you'll see in the financial report that um there is going to be possibly going over our transportation budget because it's not anything we planned for that we're having to run some alternative routes down that way with vans and with um another bus. So, but the the bus company's done a nice job transitioning and adapting for what's happening there. John and Linda Young did a really nice job getting this ready. As Mr.

124Daniels said that the board selected did approve the naming of the NC Grace Memorial Stadium, Legends Field and Simus Field. This is going to take some time to put some of this into place because we got to make sure that we do it right. And the these things I often say that whenever you're in a school district or a town, you want to make sure that things stick. And these are things that are going to last forever unless they build something over it, which happens. They build a park, not over it. But you I don't think that stadium is going anywhere. So, we need to make sure that we do it the the the right way and that we honor the late Nancy Grace in a way that the town feels with with pride. I

125did reach out the night that the select voted and spoke to NY's sister to just get the the lay of the land, the timing of it, and there'll be a committee that will be formed that will look at it. Legends Field will be a little bit easier to really uh groundbreak that because it's pretty laid out of how Legends Field would work relative to um honoring by nomination our legendary coaches and it just doesn't have to be outdoor coaches because it's the field. It could be any coach that we had in the camp school which strict criteria and we'll get that nomination process out. But as Lou says, there's money involved in that because you want to make sure that you do that the right way where you have a a plaque or something out

126on on that that field and really locate where we want to do that. So overall, I'm really pleased with where we are at the the start of the school year. There's still a lot of work um that we need to make sure that we're rolling out. And in Mr. Bishop's report will really describe some of the curriculum work that we've done in the instructional work. But before I get into my superintendent goals, I'll pause at this time to see if anybody has some questions for the super any questions. >> One quick question just in regards to the burn. So when things like that are happening at the town level, is the town communicating to the school that we will have? Yes. And how soon prior are they gating up? >> It all depends. Like that

127one, it it wasn't supposed to take it, as far as I know, it wasn't supposed to take as long. >> Yeah. >> But there's a a piece that that they were waiting on. I don't know the real details. If Anna Robbins was sitting there, she would know that the details, but they communicated very well. for us, you know, we started looking at it about two or three weeks before just to make sure that um we're doing it the right way. Johnny and I actually went out there. I just thought this would be easier than just turn a bus around and I could barely turn my car around on that. So, it just wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. So they actually commend John because he took the the lead on

128this with Anna. They actually called every single kid that this would be effective to figure out who um actually needed transportation because some parents said we'll just take our kids. Everybody very um kind to us and understood this was not a a school issue and fridges need to be replaced. So >> yeah, >> and I guess there's something else that's going to happen in town too on another road in the next month or two. I just not sure which one that is. >> When did that bridge? >> October, late October. >> I live over that area and the traffic is horrible. People run through the stop signs. >> I've heard some people have said that they like it that live on that street that they just shut down all the time. >> Yeah. Well, I

129was just curious from like with the development happening like what the communication is. Let us know. >> Neil Page was sending out emails. Mark Penny, everybody was great. A copy of the bus company. Everybody's been great. There's really good alignment right now between the town and the school. >> So, near CVS, that's are those the apartments that were going to be there? >> Yeah. 150. But let let's stay on. >> Um I I do have a question. I put you on the spot. Any any more update on Cher the front of Cherry Brook fast and what's going on? The last update was that I received from the town is that number one it was m last week. So which was great. >> Um and that that building that they were thinking of putting into that

130area the pump house they're going back to the drum. >> Okay. That's the last because this is 30 14 I mean we we've sidelineed that longer than that >> we sideline the field >> well the field got sidelineed four years ago and it's long ter >> but like you said it's it's the jewel and we want it to look the way we want and I'm glad that the inside looks great. their business. >> How do we get like more information on it? >> It's a town. It's a town project. So, the last I spoke to Mr. Penny about it was during the summer and he said that he was working from consultant that they're developing together. >> The state continues to change not to interrupt the state as I understand continues to change and move

131the goalpost on what's required and that that's been the problem. So every time they come up with a plan, the story just said they change it and then there's only so much money that the town has left, but the insurance is pretty much gone. So anything they have to do to mitigate it is going to come out of town. It's just just a mess. But okay, thank you. >> Class guys, you don't have to tell us now, but can you give us an update? Just maybe an email. >> Yeah, I would say we'll wait till we do an October one report and we'll Mr. show one of his reports on October the second. Now, we won't do it for September 9th because there's still room, but in October the class, the preschool, you're not combining.

132>> No. So, we moved we moved, if you recall, I moved the preschool from CIS to Cherry Brook because I had an extra room. Um, and we actually moved CPAC from the high school to uh CIS, which is way better. Um, and uh, our numbers are pretty spot on where we thought that they would be in the budget time. If you remember, we were really worried about what kindergarten would look like and the kindergarten number landed. I believe it was 10707, which I said last week thought that's what it would be and we really didn't have any movement on that during the summer. So that means um the process that we used with our incoming kindergarten last year actually worked. So, however, we did that last year. The team knows exactly what they did, but

133we'll get that in October, October one, but that's when we have to report our numbers to the state. >> What about the 150 apartments that >> that when Mr. Bishop approached? So when we did the demographic work with NASDAQ, the the information that they shared with us at the time was that apartments don't particularly in the one or two bedroom apartments do not tend to yield much in the way of attendees from uh into public schools. Um so I think we would follow likely that same progression with that and that's in anticipation where things may improve. We know about the apartments that are across from 79 to 44. >> Did you get a lot of kids from that? >> John John reported on remember last year he reported on when we when he was talking

134about the the NASDAQ study that he reported on how many students that we actually had very small number. >> I can't recall exact but it's under five. Any other questions? >> Any other questions? >> Okay, good. Thank you. >> So, the next thing that I just wanted to go in, and normally I do this at the the first board meeting of the year, but since our strategic plan was done, it really allowed me to put the superintendent goals right into place. So, when we start our first meeting of the year, we're off running. And um you know what I'm thinking and how it's aligned a a new format this year it looks the same but if you just look after each one. So if you go to board goal area number one student growth and

135achievement and this is in your packet. If you go to superintendent gold on number one, you'll notice that at the end of number one, you'll see that it's one C. So, if you see, I'm only going to do this for the first one. I'm not going to go through every single one, but if you see if you want me to, I'd be more than happy to. But if you see deepened district-wide efforts to advance student academic growth by analyzing year-over-year data and refining instructional strategies, you could see that aligns with your strategic plan, student growth and achievement 1C. So all the administrators will be using the same format in their continuous improvement plans. So again, I would encourage you if you need four copies, for example, we'll get you four copies that if you want

136to do your own little crosswalk at board meetings when you see their continuous improvement plans and just put CMS, whatever you want, we can get you copies. But I I really some things I enjoy, some things I don't enjoy. I really enjoy seeing alignment with different things and being able to crosswalk it. And it was very easy because I actually asked and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I wanted to make sure the goals that I were was writing out that people would understand how to do it. So I actually asked Claudia to take my goals, didn't have 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 2 A, didn't have it, and I had her do it. and I had her right beside it and she nailed it because then I went back and I went through

137and I crosswalked it. So it it's really important for me for people to understand what I'm trying to do but also align it with districtwide and strategic plan. I'm really excited about number two with bringing uh the learning walks and instructional realms and coaching cycles that the learning walks we will be now you go on your walkthroughs as a board with the administrators but now Mr. Bishop will be leading teams through the schools and really looking at instructional practices. And the next step to that is to bring one or two board members, each one that he does, with us so you can get involved in some of the instructional conversations that we're having. We're really looking at vertical and horizontal curriculum alignment. As you know, we have the new reading program that we're piloting at

138Cherry Brook last year. So we really have to analyze the implementation of that and we really need to continue to strengthen our MTSS multi-ter systems of support for our children and with partners and community engagement. One of the things that I charge Mr. Bishop with is really uh working with um Felicia and Kira in developing a a can communications plan. We used to have one and it really needs to look at internal and external communication and how we're communicating internally and externally. So I look forward to Mr. Bishop and Felicia and Kira coming back to us with a plan and really launching and communicating that plan. Really excited that we did select our wall of fame nominees who will be inducted into the Canton High School Hall of Fame this uh fall. Mrs. Nardy is

139putting out a a press release that we'll have for you next Tuesday with this I think it's seven seven members of our Kent High School alumni family that will be inducted on October 24th into the Kenton High School Wall of Fame. You'll get communication when that is. The next piece is really looking at me continuing to be a partner within our community and really supporting uh our community at large. This past Saturday, for example, I I attended all the the volleyball scrimmages, the the field hockey scrimmages that they had in in Avon. We're really going to continue to celebrate staff achievements and student achievements. We'll be bringing Mrs. McCarthy uh who just won the US history teacher the history teacher of the year for the state of Connecticut to a board meeting. So we'll continue

140our canon celebrates and really looking at partnering with our community leaders and organizations to share goals for our youth success. Um there's a lot of exciting development that is going on in Canton. some of the areas that were um just purchased over where Canton Village there could be opportunity to partner with uh individuals over there. So, we need to continue to partner with our community financial sustainability and efficient operations. We are working hard and you'll hear more about this from uh Mr. Bush and Mr. annuals regarding our proposed capital projects. There will be hopefully a bonding project that goes through this year and they're working on a long range bonding project. The the one that we'll be really focusing on this year for us in the bonding project is the CIS roof. One of the

141things that we're really looking at is continuing our multi-year financial plan. As you know, we do a our budget twice. You're a board that has to go through the budget process twice because I proposed a forecasted budget to you in in December and then I give you another budget in February. So we really need to continue to look at our enrollment, our grants, our staffing. And what we are doing this year new again I got to commend uh Mr. Bush and Mrs. province is we're developing an audit system and conducting an audit on our buildings and grounds for long range financial planning and that's through a committee that Mr. Bush is sitting out with the the bonding committee and they're really asking for us to do some audits. So, we're we've started that process looking

142at our HVAC system. As you saw downstairs, we've really restructured central office. Um, if anybody asks you and you see on the street, does the board of education need more space? We need some more space, but we fit right now. So, we don't need a new building right now. We moved our special education services out of the high school. They're now downstairs. Claudia's office and my office is here. Mr. Bishop is in the old fire chief's wing. So, we really have departmentals going on within our central office, which is a good thing. It's tight. I can't sit here and say it's not tight, but it works. Um, so that is something that should take a while. >> Well, you probably did, but it is tight that people are sitting right next to each other. But

143it's it's good having everybody from the central office with our special education team and our business office who work so closely together being right next to each other is a good thing for a learning environment and belonging. We'll continue to monitor school climate and culture plans. As Mr. bishop and the policy committee stated last year. There's the new school climate legislation that we really have to monitor what's going on within our schools and make sure that policy is in effect. Uh continue to evaluate and expand the super superintendent student advisory council that last year we did high school. We're going to bring that from high school to middle school this year where the high school kids will be talking to the middle school kids. We'll continue to update and implement our emergency operations plan. And

144we're going to continue to promote educator wellness through systematic support, peer mentoring, and professional development. Embracing equity, we'll continue to refine our equity and belonging plan. We're going to continue to partner with CRE and other partners to to grow a diverse educator pipeline. We we'll continue to partner with St. Joe's and we'll continue to look at and review our regular instructional and administrative practices. The workforce development I will continue to provide direct coaching and modeling for district leaders. I I do have to say we have one new administrator as I mentioned our director of athletics but this is a stable administrative team. our our principles have have been here which allows for fidelity and for continued work to happen. I'll continue to serve as the chair of the state commission on children's women's and seniors

145in particular the children's side. I'll continue to chair the CAPS early childhood committee and I'll continue to chair the capital region and safety and emergency management committee. Yesterday I was asked to um actually present at a legislative forum on September 30th at the at the Capitol on vaping and how vaping um just not just affects the camp public schools but affects schools in in general and not only talk about the the health risk that happen with with vaping and how it affects our children and an area that they asked me to speak about I never really thought about is how it affects our environment and waste and and what do we do um with the the material that from the vaping and it's something that's actually challenging me to think about because I never thought

146about that. So our team is out there including myself and leading different ways. I'm really confident in the goals that I've set. I'm really confident that it aligns with the board of education goals and the strategic plan and very confident that the administrators are aligning their goals with my goals and with the the strategic plan and then teachers are doing the same over the next month, month and a half. It was exciting to hear that all the administrators broke out of this strategic plan that the first day that they met with the staff and really said this this is where we are as a district right now and it's a fiveyear plan which is exciting. You can't make change and significant change in a year. It takes time and the road maps there. So I'll

147take any questions on the superintendent goals. >> Questions on the goals? I I think they're pretty well put together and um I think they align with everything that we've been trying to do and want to do. You know, nothing's ever perfect, but I have to say and I'm just not, you know, doing a wrong way here, but since the since us participating in the continuous improvement plans and being able to see the growth, you know, this district is really the trajectory over the last couple years has really been in this this this kind of state. There's always more to do and there is. Like I did at the um convocation, I challenged everybody that we have to continue to to uh to move forward, but I think based on these goals and the fact that

148we have continuity in in leadership in the administration, I think I think we're going to have a good year, right? So, speaking of walkthroughs, Mr. Daniel, if y'all Claudia will send this date out and it'll be my tomorrow's report, but when I have you up here, the first walk through is for Canton High School and it'll be on October 9th and I believe CL will do those 8:30 to 10:30, right? So October 9, it'll be Canton High School and then he'll be at the board meeting on October 14th. So you'll get his continuous improvement plan probably a week before October 9th. So you'll be able to review it and then we'll Mr. Deipo and Dr. Kidwell will be talking about the the high school talking about their plans and then we'll go on walks class.

149So hopefully everybody will be able to attend. >> We'll be sending an updated document with all of our meeting dates too. Um, as you know, the dates have been approved for our board meetings through December of this year and then we go back and get them approved for next year at the December meeting. Um, but the the walkthroughs I just want to find your radar. So, we'll have that sent out to >> Claudia will now be with us every board of education. >> It's great. Which is great. Hannah was great. Like what she did it was great. But having my person that I see every single day, making sure that I'm in check with what's going on is wonderful to have. So, but she's your secretary. Okay. Thank you for that update. We uh move

150to the assistant superintendent report. Mr. Bishop, thank you. >> Sound I'm sharing with you right now u a memo for you all. This is typical of my monthly update that I provide at our curriculum committee meetings. Um, and just let me know if we don't have enough down that way. But wanted to be able to share with you uh some of the operations from the summertime. Um, I want to assure you that the office was busy. I also want to assure you that we did take some time to be able to enjoy the beautiful place that we live in, enjoy some time with our family as well. A little rest of rejuvenation to be able to uh support our efforts which um really really appreciate. Uh but I want to start off first with student

151growth and achievement. Um the the board has been supportive of our our summer program over several years. I want to remind you that we are able to support this uh over the past two years over a state funded grant that's covered all of our costs, but we were able to have a summer academy for 61 students July 14th through July 31st. You'll see one C and one D. That's my way of being able to crosswalk with our uh strategic plan. as well. I want to provide a huge thank you to Kathy Watson and Denise Dorya. They were our summer academy leaders. They did a wonderful job working with all of our staff and students to be able to support. And at that elementary level as well, we integrate with our extended school year program. So,

152our students who require additional services through special education. Being able to blend those two programs together was just done phenomenal work for us. We also have the opportunity to be able to engage with number of students at the middle school summer program uh which is kind of an onboarding for students to be able to to uh join into the middle school experience with several of the staff and some credit recovery time for our high school as well. Uh one thing I'm really excited about and I'm looking forward to speaking with our curriculum committee about is uh we were able to bring forward our constellation. This is uh work that we've done throughout the past year to be able to develop a definition of high quality instruction. Really a statement that says these are the these

153are the things that we value most in instructing. There's so much that happens in the life and the day of a teacher. We're working to be able to refine that to the things that are most valuable so that when we go into classrooms, we can coach and support. When teachers are thinking about what to be able to do in support of their instruction, they can be able to use those elements to be able to come back. And I want to be able to thank our entire instructional leadership team, our coaches, our department chairs, our administrators for their collective work on this. Um, and I'm looking forward to further uh collaboration with them in the work that we'll be doing this year. Um, uh, I'm just going to continue the thanks uh to Cher Primary School,

154Mr. Amory, uh, Miss Woods, and Miss Watson for their work in the roll out of the benchmark program. Um very excited to be able to see this work move forward this year with our students and it's been phenomenal working with the publishing company but also the hill for literacy and their coaching with us. Hill for literacy is a premier program that provides literacy consultation and coaching. I want to let the board know again that this was funded through a state grant that we were able to successfully uh receive and is supporting us now in the second year for that. uh we help professional learning to support the utilization of the CMS ELA support source uh called common lit um so working to be able to support our teachers are outstanding uh English department chair Jen

155Zedan so grateful for the the work that she's done and the support from the board uh for her work but the the work there is uh going to be able to provide a very strong foundation for our students and then held preliminary data review meetings with administrators and curriculum leaders and I'll check into that too with our embracing equity as well. Part of what we do with that is look for internal and external gaps in performance and and work to be able to see how are we meeting and reaching the needs and goals meeting and reaching the needs of each and every learner. Um, and what what we're we're seeing without the data becoming official just yet is that those gaps are shrinking and we're seeing uh increased growth. um in our partnerships in community

156engagement. I'm thrilled to be able to have the partnership with NAR for a pilot at CIS and officer Tesio and uh Mr. Cortto have been working together to be able to get our plan in place for the sessions that we'll be holding this fall. The communication is coming to families about that. Um as always, I'm grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Farmington Valley Health District. Um again serving as their uh chair for their mental health. um community health improvement plan, but also working with Justine Ginsburg on the resiliency programming and other potential offerings um that they have secured some funding for to be able to support the district and then continued the implementation of the board of ed policy review and thank for her support of me over the summertime to make sure

157that all the information is updated and and uh readily accessible for folks. Uh learning environment and belonging as Dr. Grossman chair um hired and onboarded a new evening CH uh C chs campus safety supervisor uh and held professional learning for campus admin or for administrators relative to the new climate culture legislation. So that climate culture legislation is around um uh plan development for them and um just overall positive uh positive school climate plans. The briefing is a number of the things that had already been happening for them were were a strategic part of what the state legislation was looking for. Unfortunately, the model plan that the state had put out there for uh schools and districts to use did not meet the statutory requirements as well. So, we're working very hard to be able to

158make sure that we have the right information in place and for the support they're receiving uh for financial uh sustainability and efficient operations. Um, every year we do a building safety review with the chief of police and director of safety and security and it is that foundational um, connection that allows us to be able to be so responsive and supportive uh, and safe in a community like this. So, we're very grateful for our chief of police and secured the second year of a commissioner's network grant and allocation to school programming and support of continuous improvement. Uh you may recall that there was some some news out there about whether or not that commissioners network grant might continue to go through whether we might lose lose funding with that. Well, we found out that we did

159continue to receive funding and they're they're funding us at the at the commensurate level that we were expecting for that for you give sorry I'm interrupting. Can you just give the board um approximately in the two years how much we've garnered from the state regarding commissioners? >> About 600 620 $640,000. >> Yeah. So that's money that was on the table that when that arrived and we decided to take that's a significant amount of money for the district and we'll get it for the third year too. So this could be roughly almost a million dollars over three years that we're going to be getting from the state of Connecticut. What's phenomenal with it too is it's providing and just a segue with that it's providing a platform for us to be able to advocate for school

160improvement school change um as I shared with you last year the opportunity to be able to speak on on data at uh a conference uh by CAS we've now been invited to speak at the state performance matters uh conference in November so we'll be sharing that information and now as a new trainer for uh new administrators through CASS we've been invited to be able to provide one of the professional devel velopment sessions for these new administrators focusing on data to be able to drive uh instructional improvement, school improvement. So, we're we're proud of the work that we've done. >> Um embracing equity, continuing to uh engage in our professional learning around high expectations practices, and then into workforce development. And this is where a lot of the summer time is really spent for us. It's

161it's finding and supporting the best possible staff that we can that we can find. I'm thrilled to be able to have a number of staff as Dr. Gman said, who are coming back to the school. Um, you know, two that actually went through Cherry Brook Primary School are coming back into their own classrooms. Danner Clark and Taylor Richardson and at Canton Intermediate School, Miss Mr. Tom Ambrose. And then in Canton Middle School, Miss Katherine Peaceweather is our uh middle school science teacher. We got four folks who have come back to camp to be able to provide back into the experiences of our students. So very very proud of them. As part of our orientation uh and introduction, we spent uh two days and provided some work and and collaboration time for them to be able

162to go over operations of the the school. Um part of that orientation includes the uh welcome video that's been prepared year over year. Uh, but it also includes the opportunity to be able to hear about mission and vision for the district, to hear about operations relative to special education and student services, to be able to hear about uh professional goals and growth, connect with your union, to tour the community, to be able to engage um with uh curriculum leaders. Um, over and over again, I hear outstanding feedback from these new staff who are feeling welcomed into a community and really enveloped by who we are and what we do. And I remind them that that's very, excuse me, that that's very intentional, that we want to be able to put out to them the feeling

163that we want to be able to provide for our students and our families, that we are caring, that we're supportive, that we have high expectations, but we're going to support everybody to be able to get to that to that end. Um, we continue to help hold administrative leadership sessions in support of operations and instruction and really focusing on that concept of high quality instruction, tailoring ourselves into deeper thinking and engagement for our students. And then continued our refinement of the educator evaluation systems and supported goal setting and professional learning that information. um that process we we learned a lot and we've heard a lot from our staff through it to be able to have a number of subtle uh nuanced tweaks to it but we're seeing a really great opportunity that is shifting um culture

164and perspective around uh teaching and learning and professional growth. So I'll take any questions out of my office at this time. >> Questions for Mr. Bishop? >> I I have one minute. Um, what is the theme this year for professional development? I we've always had some type of theme. I'm just wondering. >> Yes. And it is connecting connecting the stars. That's what I that's what I shared at convocation and it's around those five points of the uh the camp constellation this year. As we think about the two areas of that constellation that we're focusing on, it's high expectations practices and it's deep thinking. So having an academically rigorous task that is appropriately challenging for every kid because he or she who's doing the thinking is the one doing the learning and that's what we want

165to do to make thinking make learning stick. >> That's great. >> Give us more out of the profession as it gets closer. >> Yep. Absolutely. And then I was wondering um was this the year that we implemented the extra we gave them the extra day of professional development up front and how how did that go? >> We did last year and we did this year as well. So it's it's it's not extra professional development day. It's a teacher work day. >> So we have three days in the beginning of the school year and one of the babies teachers can do. They love it. They're thankful and they really like and I sure for parents that like this too that the Thursday and the Friday being half days and I'm pushing into Labor Day. I had

166more parents come up to me about calendar than I've ever had. So I think when Claudia will be starting that the next month or two um when we bring that to the board, you may see something very similar. They look different than the other towns, but I I think that really looked really good within Thursday and Friday. And the feedback that I received, the other feedback that I received is that the the day went really good and when you had only one kid not there, we knew why that kid wasn't there. It was >> sounds like they tied their own little outside. They did. They did. >> They did. They did. And And I just have one final question. Um, what should the board be thinking about when it comes to AI? I know I

167know that's that's a concern on cave on how we implement that and is there anything the board should be doing be considering that? I know probably about curriculum, but um, >> well, we we'll probably hear more about that. Yeah, and we'll continue to update through through policy, but it's important that the board knows and understands that we have um AI guidance that we've already developed to be able to share with the district. Um we've got AI guidance that our AI team developed to be able to support teachers that's going to be rolling out further as the year progresses for us as well. And then we'll have pilots of appropriate ways to be able to implement. And again, part of part of what we've done, we haven't created our own AI, but we are creating a

168way so that we can um develop instances that our teachers can be in control, full control of that environment for kids so that they can use it for a specific academic task. >> We want kids to be able to learn how to use tools for tasks and be able to support them in that, not just really willingly into the into the wild. >> That's that's great. I mean it's just just a changing environment. I I see uh even my own assistant I have to do a board book once a month. Now we have AI really putting together those components for us so it looks more polished. Presentations are done by AI get away from power. Forget about it doing you know something else. We we don't want to intellectually offload to AI, but we want

169to be able to use tools to be able to very to to really support ourselves in being able to move um thoughtfully forward. And I will say part of that too, our um digital citizenship curriculum actually had a significant reinvestment over the summertime was some more artificial intelligence information. And I spoke with our uh literacy innovation specialists about that at our initial convening in August. and we're going to be reviewing that information to consider how we can implement that coming into the next year. So, we'll have further information. And plus a the final point I want to make and we're doing it in our own corporation is um we're rein we're eliminating some areas so we can reinvest in other areas on the AI side but as we go forward aligning this with curriculum where

170AI is going to fit and even looking to the future because that's where we're going to be able to save money from a budgetary standpoint. We start to figure out what AI can provide and what we more manually which cost more money. So I I I would hope that we're and I don't expect anything this year but as we go into the future um I really think that that might be a place where budgetary val is has done fair amount of work on AI policy talk about policy get that information we do have elements of that within our shipment um our shift in personal use of technology uh uh regulations not regulations I'm sorry policy already but I'm happy to be able to provide more information on what we're doing and consider other ways about

171how we're doing >> that that was my question to that student for certain things I know some of the private school like here's a tool that I can use this project, but you also want them to go do the project. >> Yeah. So, and and I'll give you an unequivocal answer. Right now, it's only able to be used under permission right now. If a teacher says, "Yeah, you can use it for this," that's fine. If it's not, that's part of the academic integrity piece right now as well. >> I would caution us to just go out there and say, "Let's start using stuff without research." >> Like I said, it's over time. should be well immersed as corporations are. I also think that to touch on those way I think is not just from like

172the student and curriculum but the teachers and administration of using AI to not took away from like theualual piece of learning that we don't want to take away from the students but like how we can use this tool in processes and stuff like that >> to to more efficiently provide the personal time rather than the procedural task that we A great conversation that we had was the the transactional efforts are going to go are going to start to go away, but transformational efforts which are in human are connected with that. Those are the things that are really going to stick and I think that that's that's part of the ethos of who we are and what we want to do and that's going to be part of the guiding principle of how from my perspective

173we continue to move forward >> and like the cell want to use it. >> Correct. >> Okay. Um thank you very much Mr. Bishop. So, we only have it's one o'clock. So, we I'll try to do this in an hour. We're going to do the board self. >> All right. Here's the deal on the board self evaluation. I don't think it's valid. Uh, incredible because only six. So, we're a nine person board. Granted, we had a reservation. I'm gonna I'm gonna ask that we recast this and redo it. Uh, and give the folks that didn't get a chance to do it. I don't know who they are, but I'd like to get all nine members. And Michelle's been here long enough. I think she can make a general assessment also. So, I'm going to ask

174that we recast that net. No rush. Maybe it's something we can uh get out in September, maybe revisit in October if we get the results in by then. And then I'm really going to stay on YouTube to really fill it out. I had some great input and I hope you'll provide that input again. But again, because only twothirds of us used it, I want more of a, you know, robust um response from you guys. Somebody did it twice. So, I did it twice. I think it >> Yeah, >> I didn't say that. Well, I did. I know. I did. Claudia did me again. I said heard kind of. So, with that said, I'm not going to hold you any further. Any any other questions come before the board. I can't go through anything that's not

175on the agenda. Any other thoughts, ideas? >> I just want to make one comment. I read in the New York Times the other day, this is a ultra creativity. and they were saying uh if we can foster more creativity with uh students it's a it's a way to counter affect AI taking jobs away from people because you know creativity is uniquely human >> yeah I I think you know processes can be that's going to be subject to more and more AI but transformational John said creativity those are things we have to a small school district to be able to do that. You know, we're not we're not a a senior class of 4 or 500 kids. So, I think we can focus on that. I'd like to give the private school experience to a public

176school that we have here, you know, as much as we can. That should be our goal. So, with that said, I'll take I don't even need a motion according to Robert. So, we'll just uh I'm going to declare unless anybody has anything else. Hey, Michelle, welcome again. Thank you very much. >> Hey, thank you all for your time today. It was great to have 9 today. That's unusual.