Policy Committe 2-2-26

001Uh, Mr. Eckie >> here. >> Mr. Kauer >> here. >> Dr. Herrian. Uh, Madam Madam, Mr. Chair, you have a quorum. >> Thank you. Uh, stand for a pledge. You guys got a flag. >> We do. >> Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. >> States of America and to the republic >> for which it stands. stands >> one nation >> nation >> under God >> indivisible justice for all >> justice for all >> right audience I don't believe we have any audience present >> or comment all right moving on for discussion transportation I know Sam had asked us to put this on the agenda uh because Matt brought up a variety of questions at the last meeting. You know, I think it's something that um you know, Luther and Emily

002are here to respond to any questions. Um, and I think, you know, these may just be superficially um superficial at at this uh current time and place, but I think, you know, they the questions are uh challenging enough and require the sort of response that it may make more sense to, you know, connect Matt in with Emily and Luther um at some point. to come back here. But I think just to I think the point was uh when we had this conversation at one of the budget meetings was just kind of put them on the table at this time, you know, this space. So, you know, Matt, I do you wanna I use some of the things you talked about and I want to make sure that, you know, I I cover it um so

003I could defer to you, but the the uh certain things like um not just routing, but students on the bus and opt outs and things of that nature. >> Yeah, sure. Um Luther, nice to nice to meet you. Um, I [clears throat] am always curious on what you do purely from an operational standpoint and and how you get it all done. I hear nothing but but good things about you from parents and administrators. We've interacted a little bit as a parent of three students here in the district. Um, so none of this is uh at all like hey here's a better way to do your job. I think um I'm coming at this from you know what I I hope is a fresh perspective on are there different ways that we can inform parents on

004different processes and policies that we have that that could ultimately end in some transportation savings. And the context that I will set for you on that is I haven't driven my or my kids haven't taken the bus since COVID. I've been driving them forever. I get the opt out email policy every August as you're finalizing the roots and I don't think anything of it. Um and then this past fall I think it was when there were some walkers that wanted available seats and we didn't have any to allocate to them. I thought oh wait there is something there is an outcome that if I opt out it has a positive income for somebody else and so there is a reason for me to do that. And so just a big picture question was, you know,

005is it is there a timing here where we look at opt out at a different time of the year and a different message it differently and and if a critical mass of parents said, "Oh, I had no idea that this could help us save money or that this has impacts to how long the bus route takes because that bus stops every day at a pickup that nobody gets on." um or communicate that, you know, does that give you more flexibility? Do you think that that would help, you know, reduce the number of buses by one, two here or there? I mean, I I I think August opting out is too late in the game for us to say, hey, look, we we can save a 100 grand on a budget or 200 grand on a

006budget, but I just uh wanted to put those questions out there. And like Jeff mentioned, definitely interested in in diving deeper with you and learning how it all works. >> All right, so let me let first thing let's go to the uh the walkers that were upset, for lack of a better term, in September. First of all, we never said they weren't going to get um a uh seat. We we said that we would address it about around September 15th after we had an idea of the amount of students that were going to be on buses uh because of the new developments that are coming in and because of our registration procedures. We typically don't get all our registrations in within the the uh the u I'd love to have them all in by July

00715th, but we get a couple of hundred usually within the last two weeks of school, mostly from the the high school. So, it's always a scramble trying to figure out uh where all where our kids are going to go that are eligible. Remember, walkers are not eligible. So, um so we never denied anybody. We just said that we needed more time based on these new developments that were coming online and our pro and our registration procedures. Um, I believe everybody that was a walker did in fact ultimately get assigned the bus not at the same site uh locations they were at LA the previous year uh but on in but on another bus in another location. Um [clears throat] so the opt out forms we send out typically I think it's right at so power

008school becomes live every year about July 15th prior to that we are I don't want to say we're blind as far as robbing but uh based on when power school comes alive although this year I believe it was July one um we can't really send information out before school is live because our information goes out through Power School. So once once P school is live, we can send out notifications. Um I don't remember when we sent out opt out forms, but we've been sending out opt out forms for at least five years now, [clears throat] maybe even before that. Um and and uh when we get those opt out forms in, we will in fact um we basically make the student ineligible. It's the way we cheat the system. uh so that they do not

009get a chance to to uh be routed onto a bus. Um but we get opt out forms filled out all the way through September. Um would it help if we sent it out at the end of the year before uh Power School shut down? Doesn't hurt. I don't see why it wouldn't hurt. But so we could do that if you would like. We could send out the opt out form. Um, I think we have until I can't remember, Jeff. Does power school shut down before the 30th of June? I know there's >> um >> I can ask Scott. I can ask. >> It kind of It depends on, you know, when we get all the information out. >> Yeah. >> But, you know, we could definitely make a note of getting optouts out >> and

010we try to send them out a couple of times. a matter of getting them out or um processing because you can't really process them till the roots, right? Just getting >> Right. Well, yeah. I mean, that's the same thing with available seat petitions. They're supposed to be in by June 15th. That never happens. We We're, you know, people are busy. We're lucky to get them in the last two weeks of August when we're already supposed to be communicating roots to parents. So, we're we're always we're always chasing information down here. Always. [clears throat] So, good question on that. Just to follow up on that. If someone opts out and we uh we allocate those seats to walkers and circumstances change and they now need a bus ride because family lost a car or something like

011that, how do we how would we do how we deal with that? So any any individual that's a walker or let's say non-eligible for transportation if they're granted an available seat accom accommodation right in the form that is filled out it can be rescended at any time that's very difficult to do in the 15 years I've been here I can think of three times that I had to do that and it's a very diff obviously it's very difficult for a parent especially since they've already, you know, made plans already made plans. Uh but yeah, we can we can remove anybody that is not eligible that has been granted an available seat petition at any time. >> Okay. Thank you. [clears throat] >> The bigger the bigger issue is when you so um we have we

012have high school students that can fill out uh they get a parking pass. So years ago, we decided because I'm sure you've seen it. You're at the high school at any given time. You know, we can put 60 kids on a bus. We're lucky to get 30 and in the spring you're lucky to get five sometimes because they're all out doing high school stuff. Um but we we started um removing students that were granted parking passes as part of the application so that we had a greater handle of who was on the buses. Now you know we try to know who is on our buses at all times. It's not a very accurate situation but we want to know in case there's an accident you know and the high school is the most difficult. kids

013get on and off at any given three days into the school and all of a sudden bus loads drop like a rock, but legally we have to provide those seats. Um, so let's say a student does gets a parking pass and they're removed from the bus. Kids, you mentioned that the kids uh car breaks down, we do have to pro provide them a bus. We can either put them back on, we can reassign them within 72 hours, or we can tell the parent where the closest stop is that's within a mile of their location and they can get on. No one's going to get turned away. We turn no one away in the mornings. Everybody gets on. So, you know, there students are not going to not get a ride if they need it. >>

014Yeah. So, I mean, we don't need to make take too much time on this call. I'm not quite sure the the cadence on some of these policy or committee meetings yet, right? But that's that's probably a good example of where I'm coming from is, you know, to what you mentioned at the high school. If you have 10 buses there that have 50 kids assigned and then sports and parking and they all turn 16 and get their license and and whatnot, you come into the spring, now you have 10 buses with five people on it. Do do we ever condense that route or do we are we still sending 10 buses with five students? >> Remember you we're still sending buses because you have but what are called bus routes. A bus route would be the

015high school. Bus route two would be dual. Bus route three would be north. So every single high school bus I think except one has it's three tiers. It's assigned three tiers. So, we could gang up those buses and put 25 kids on one bus, providing they're reasonably close, because the bus has to be emptied within an an hour. Most likely those 25 kids from five buses are all over town. But let's say we could do that. All we're doing is taking four buses and giving drivers the opportunity to sit and do a layover until they start their second tier and then their third tier. So buses buses don't run independent from school to school. They're running two and three tiers. And we pay whether the bus runs one tier or three tiers. >> Sure. Sure.

016But yeah, I I understand that. And as my sort of parting thought on there that the data that I brought to one of our finance committee meetings was my kids go to Dittle, you know, and so one day I sat and I watched the cars drop off and there were over a hundred cars dropping kids off at Dittle. And then at Norton there were over 90 cars dropping kids off. And I would bet you at a, you know, a steak dinner that a very, very small percentage of them actually opted out. And so to your point, you can't just do it on one tier. This you have to get this critical mass across the tiers and across the runs. Um >> but the op doing the opt out in August doesn't give us time to

017get that critical mass. I don't I don't think so. >> So So you're you're accurate that at any given day parents are transporting even though their students are assigned. The the worse the weather, the greater the chance the parent is transported. and we know nothing about it and we have no choice but but to do the run and stop at the stops and we again we don't know who gets on and off. Now, there's technology that would allow us to for students to scan on and off and and and the board could always pass a policy that says if you don't ride the bus within three week three weeks in a row, you'd be automatically removed and you could be put back on within 72 hours once you notify transportation. Um, I've I've suggested that

018in the past. Uh, but that would in my view that would have to be a policy. Um, but we're we're we're subject to that. Not only does does the parent transportation of their their students reduce the number of kids that we believe are on that bus, but it also dramatically alters our ability to transport students between schools in a timely fashion. All you got to then do is add in route 10. If you live in Cheshire, you know you can't get up and down between uh Academy Road and uh North Brooksville on any given time. That small stretch could take 15 minutes. Most bus runs computer assigned maybe or 30 minutes. So think about a bus leaving the high school can't even make it on to Route 10 until dismiss it too. it finally makes

019it onto Route 10 a quarter after and it's supposed to be at your student's school at Doolittle in 15 minutes. It's an impossibility and the traffic is only going to get worse. It's only going to get worse. I don't know how to address it. I mean there's things we can do but you know I I I believe that if tiers between the schools were at minimum of 55 minutes would be able to save bus routers. I'm talking about the full three tiers because of the timing factor it would allow for buses to get there. But that's in direct conflict with what um the experts say children and especially with teenagers, you know, sleep time, that kind of thing. And sports >> a reality for our parents too. I mean, just it would push the day

020so much later in the morning and evening, >> right? you're so students by by law they cannot be delivered picked up within a half an hour half an hour before sunrise and a half an hour after sunset when we're picking up students and and and you got to remember our our elementary schools on the third tier have a 3:35 dismissal time unlike my day when when the bell rang we all ran to the bus and jumped on Not in this situation, they they load the buses two and three at a time. So a school like Highland, which has around number 15 buses, it'll take 15 minutes just to load those buses before they leave. We are we are right on the edge of that half hour this time of year where the students are just

021getting home and it's just starting to get dark some in some instances because of traffic and loading policy and that loading policy is a direct result of some of the you know some of what we allow where a student can go to can go home on Monday Wednesday Thursday they go to daycare so they're on two different buses and the teachers and the staff at the school have to load those kids appropriately. It's very very I find it I believe it's very um I don't want to say unfair but I think it puts a burden on those on that staff at the schools to make sure the students are loaded on the right bus the right right day and when we have a Monday off the miss loads that we have are amazing teachers are

022loading students thinking it's Monday and we often will get three four mis loads you know >> Luther can I go back to one thing that you said and Matt as well, you've brought this up in other meetings is like with the optouts. So, a unique opportunity we have here is we have opt outs from the waiver process, right? So, we're going to get a bunch I now when we actually make bus routes, I'm interested to see if that helps economize our buses more, but we are getting that embedded opt out process. I'm interested also if we do opt outs earlier this year because of redistricting, are people going to be more um interested or hesitant to engage in the opt- out process with all the other variables happening? But I do think we at least

023have that piece where we're going to know very soon what kids are opted out and we can we can factor that into our bus routes which I think could be helpful. So, so, but remember opting out is what opting out's going to do more than anything is free up a seat for a student that would like one because you got to remember when you when you're routing, you're you're routing for distance and location. So in order to reduce bus, you know, significant buses throughout the house, you're going to have to have a significant number of kids living reasonably close to one another that will not take the bus. So I can I can merge bus one with bus two because they're close to one another at the high school level. But then you got to

024do it for the next tier and the next tier. So it's not that just because people opt out doesn't mean that you're going to reduce bus. We call them trips. You're going to reduce a trip. You know, you might be able to merge a, you know, bus one and bus two at the high school, but then I still need bus two at the second tier and the third tier. We're going to pay for it anyway. And all that does is make the bus one on the road longer to the school. So we're we juggle way more than just room, just seats um on a daily basis. Um so it's I I I that's one of the reasons why I say I think a policy should be had that if a student doesn't ride a bus

025three weeks in a row, we automatically remove them. I think that's a better opportunity because I hate to be cynical. Parents want their cake and eat it too. I don't have to opt out. I'll drive whenever I want. Oh, and if I need them on the bus, I will. Parents do the same thing with daycare. you know, they'll they'll they'll tell us that they're at daycare Monday, Wednesday, Friday, when actually they're there every day of the week except for, you know, maybe two days out of the week. We find out they're actually not getting on the bus, unless the parent wants them on for that one day. They use dismissal manager to keep their student either at daycare or to put them back on the bus, and we have no idea about that. >> Okay.

026Thank you. Yeah, I'm uh I'm prepared to move on, Mr. Ekki, in terms of like information that that Luther's provided and Emily's provided. Um I think the last piece of that is, you know, I'm I'm fully cognizant that the math isn't perfect. There's three tiers. There's multiple schools. This may or may not work. I mean, who who knows, right? But um I definitely feel as a parent, I I have no impetus to opt out, right? I don't know. Like to your point, okay, I can have my cake and eat it too. I can have the bus there if I need it. But part of that is I don't understand the district has not really told me the the benefit that I could be providing to the community by opting out, right? Like making the bus

027route faster or not arriving on, you know, late sometimes or, you know, some critical mass of them. So there are definitely cases out there that should not change. they work the way that, you know, is intended. It's good for those families. It's good for their situations. Um, I'm curious what would happen if 50 families from every school said, "Oh, really? I I had no idea that this could be good if I opted out, so let me go ahead and do that and and see what the outcome is on on our end from a transportation >> I think I mean I think it's you're right. It's well worth giving it a shot, giving. So, what we could do is we could put we could send an opt out notification before school ends and then we can

028send another one out. I mean, we don't have to just send one. I believe we send two now, but we don't do it until after July 15. We can send we can keep sending them. Uh maybe maybe uh Carol or Emily can can write a nice little uh paragraph to go with it since I'm not the greatest wordsmith in the world. um that can go with it and and uh um and we can send it out multiple times. I don't see the downside to it. >> Yeah. And to Emily's point from earlier too, the the waiver process will certainly play a factor this year, more so than ever, too. >> M. Rosenberg. >> Yeah, thank you and thanks for bringing this up, Matt. Appreciate it, Luther. as always, you know, very informative, sir. Um, I'm

029I'm a proponent of, you know, trying to enact that early notification if at all possible and just trying to, you know, gauge as to whether or not, you know, it's going to work for the next cycle. Um, but I don't think it's going to hurt if parents do get as many notifications as possible and hopefully it won't tax our efficiency um, in hopes that it will help aid that too. Um I do have a question that's usually always related and does come up especially with the new developments uh with regards to sidewalks as to who determines sidewalks and then how does that get you know transferred to the board of ed um from the town to the board because parents always tend to be confused whether we're responsible for that. >> Oh you're you're I

030love that question. I as I I don't think there's enough sidewalks in this town and I've actually um have discussed it with planning. Um and I believe that we we put in developments and don't require sidewalks. Supposedly there's a technicality in there. I don't know what it is, but I see other towns every time there's a development there's a sidewalk that's put in. Um, I always say we have a very schizophrenic sidewalk policy. Go down peck lanes and some places are sidewalks and others there aren't. Going down a mountain road, in some places they are and others they aren't. And those streets are very difficult to try to schedule for transportation because I can group kids where there are sidewalks >> but then have to do doors stops for kids where they're not there. Now

031that being said, sidewalks do not determine a bus stop in itself by law, by our policies, our policies are the walking area is grass side of the road would be anything that's parallel to the the walking area to a walking area. It includes sidewalks, but it's not sidewalks are not the be all end. That's where we have to come in and play and use bet our judgment where even though the kids within a mile of the walking area to a school, we're not going to put a kid walking on Academy Road or Waterberry Road to get to a school even though they are technically in the walking area. So we we use our judgment all over town because of the lack of those sidewalks. So, we do not determine the board of ed has nothing

032to do with determining sidewalks. It's all through planning and zoning. Um, I've actually sent emails to the state requesting sidewalks along Route 10 from Cheshire Academy all the way to Highland. And, you know, they don't pay any attention to me, but I try. Um, but I'm I think sidewalks should be everywhere and and that you know obviously I'm a little biased since they really make a difference with how we would be able to route >> right >> significant difference if if we had them throughout the town but it is through the planning and zone. >> Yeah, that's good information. And it's something I think as a board we can try to encourage, you know, our counselors um and just town personnel in general to help move that along because clearly safety is a concern. >>

033And to be fair, they've been super responsive. Um particularly our requests around the North End School at Barnum. Uh they put in a lot of sidewalk up there. uh you know they'll certainly benefit us and our students the community. So you know they have been responsive uh sometimes there has been though neighborhood push back from folks who don't want to maintain those sidewalk spaces. I remember one. >> It's over by the high school. >> Canyon Drive. >> Lion Drive. Lion. Yeah. >> Lane. Yeah. Yeah. They were um adamant and you know pushed the sidewalks out. So it's not always as straightforward as we'd like it to be. >> Right. Thank you. >> Okay. Moving on. We are review policy for first reading. Student wellness. Who's taking this one? >> I just, you know, before we

034um move past the baton, I guess I just want to thank Luther for being here tonight. >> Yes. My apologies. I was going to do the same thing. >> Thank you. >> And um want to welcome Erica to the show. Uh first time caller, longtime listener. Erica, you with us uh for the wellness policy? >> Yes. Good evening everyone. Thank you for having me tonight. >> So, thank you for having me. Now, look, if you any of you have a question, just give me a call. Give me a call at any time. If you want to come on down, I you know, we can go through whatever you want. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> All right. >> And I usually I usually like that Erica's here, but she doesn't have food. So, [laughter] >>

035no snacks. >> If she did If she did, I'd stay. >> They're in the mail. Will be delivered shortly. get everyone. >> I was going to say I don't want to steal your thunder, but if you go to your front door right now, >> you'll be pretty disappointed, unfortunately. >> Thank you. >> Bye, Luther. >> Thanks. Um, so today we do have a revision for the uh wellness policy. Um, the recent addition is doing our trienal wellness assessment. So, every three years the policy is reviewed. This started after COVID um that the CSDE Yukon Red Center um got together and have the policy reviewed. So, we're just catching up with some items. It is the main thing is you're looking through any of the changes and I won't go through all of them. You can

036see um the new wellness policy is a blend of our previous policy as well as the new CAD version as well as the federal um requirements from the Yukon Red Center and the Wellstat uh 2.0 0 or 3.0, I don't know which version of it, but that wellat um that we just filled out this past year. Um so it's a merge of those three documents together. A lot of it is already everything that's a practice for us. If you were to look at your scores at our um trial assessment that's on the website and if you hear a crying cat, I am so sorry. I do not He's locked out of the room. He now sounds like he is like just being terrorized. Uh there Oh my gosh. Yes. What's a Zoom meeting without a

037cat? Um, so sorry. Um, so the the trial assessment as well as the wellness policy is on the website and you'll see the practice scores. So a lot of the things that we've inputed into the policy are all things we're already doing. They're just language that wasn't in the policy. Some of it's as simple as um free potable water is available in the cafeteria during every lunch. It's always been a practice we've had. It just didn't state it clearly enough in the policy. So there's a few of those federal requirements um that the food and nutrition staff meets all of the USDA required trainings. We always go to training. So it's very important um and several versions. I don't know if there's any questions about the wellness policy overall um or any further explanation if

038you want me to go into more um detail about it. I know it's a very quick abbreviation of all >> to to call this comprehensive uh would be an understatement but it's also really redundant. Um I mean you read the policy a lot of it's just rehashed in the um regulations there as well. So uh [snorts] >> yes, >> you know the gist of it is during first of all the school system um should constantly be trying to communicate to everybody the benefits of healthy nutrition and exercise. [snorts] Another uh piece would be that um we during the school day have to adhere to very rigid standards uh in terms of what we feed our children. um in what is uh accessible to our kids. After school, more than 30 minutes after school, those regulations

039get a little bit more flexible. Um the intent though is still clearly to try and promote healthy options. Um but it things like events and concession stands and whatnot. um we have latitude to um broaden the menu significantly. >> And just to interject, you're actually going to have that on your board meetings for the March. So that's healthy food certification, everything that Jeff's explaining, and you'll go through and make a motion um to allow for all of that exemption to our healthy food policy. So that's that concession stand, everything that Jeff just went through. So you'll see that on your agenda coming up very soon. Yeah, that's why I I mentioned this at the last meeting and that um you know typically we have three readings, but it was days before our last board meeting

040that the state had said you need to have all these elements and it needs to be done by March 1st. So, you know, that's why I mentioned it at the last meeting to to kind of fasttrack this one for March 1st. So, uh, assuming there are no substantial issues this evening, um, I'll ask Carol to send that out tomorrow, uh, for the full board to review, seeing as we're going to have to take action at the next, uh, full board meeting. Matt, >> uh, hi Erica, nice to meet you. Um, big big fan of your menus over the years. Good work. [gasps] Um just one question here and sort of like focusing my efforts on this policy in the comparison between the two. Um could you shine a little bit more light on the difference

041between the evaluation that's called out here? Um >> sort of like you know I'm I'm reacting specifically to three times a year over three years is nine times we're looking at these things and now we're going to once every three years but I know there's probably so much more to that. So the meeting three times a year is actually what the wellness committee is required to do. So our wellness committee, we've re been reviewing the policy um and they know we've gone over it the past few times. So then the assessment that's done through the wellstat is every three years. So the wellness committee which is compromised of every um there's a list of about eight individuals including students. Marlene is the chair of that committee. We meet three times a year and then in

042June we'll do every three years this trial assessment. Um and that's that evaluation of it. So the description of the assessment was never in the policy. So we're just catching up. We've already done it twice, but the description of the committee meeting three times has been um written into the policy. >> Gotcha. So this is an addition addition to and formally named not instead of >> not instead of it. That's a plus, not a minus. Unfortunately, the state usually adds paperwork. They don't rarely take it away. >> Thank you. >> Um, and a lot of it, um, if you're looking through, um, some of it is just going into a lot more detail about the National School Lunch Program, school breakfast program, and healthy food certification. So, it's all things we've been participating in over

043the years. It's just now putting the that information out in more details in the in our wellness policy. >> This is half out of curiosity, half out of practicality. Um, says here states [snorts] that food brought in by students, parents for events must comply with federal nutrition standards. As a parent, when I see that, I understand it. But I have nowhere I I have no idea where to go to figure out if this thing I'm gonna send in. [laughter] If you want to send anything in a classroom, you want to have or talk about anything in a school that's during the school day that's food to students, just send me an email and I'd be happy to work with anyone within the school that's looking to do any catering for students. Um, we'll do anything

044we can to help and support them and keep it on the healthy food certification as well as part of the National School Lunch. >> Do the nurses also have that? Like they they can handle that for their school, right? >> Yes. So, we work very closely with all the nurses. Um we do always try to allergens are always one of our main things and that's what a lot of this and the sharing of food and celebrations all has to do with as well. >> It you know >> this isn't every detail but um you know this here kind of outlines what sort of expectations there are for the foods that are brought in or available in schools. Um, >> so like one thing is like you'll see that we sell Doritos uh in the high

045school and middle school. They'll have an RF on them. Those are actually the ones that are approved through the state. Those are not ones that you can buy in a store. They're only ones that are made for school nutrition. So a lot of the products that we're serving are very specific to us, designed and manufactured to meet within all of those standards. Um, the ice cream is all reduced sugar, whole grain. Quick quick question. Uh I believe uh our HHS secretary wanted to go full fat milk. Are we are are we whole milk because I just saw specifically in here that it was not. >> So that is a great question that we are still waiting from guidance from the state department of education. They haven't determined to us how that whole grain is going

046to I mean the whole milk is going to fit into our nutrition plan. um we they just had a meeting on Friday and it was asked about then and we're hoping to get information in the next month if it it's some way of how we can serve it or or what is going to be available. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I haven't had a lot of requests. Um they did reach out for a survey. I haven't had many asking yet. So just waiting to hear >> it. And I noticed at several points in the policy it indicates um state or federal standards whichever are more rigorous basically and I I guess you know whose interpretation is that I >> that we usually follow whatever Connecticut says, >> right? Yeah. We're usually the state of Connecticut

047tends to be stricter than um the USDA. Like our snack standards are um healthy food certification is a stricter level above smart snacks. We do get reimbured >> for healthy food certification. It's a value. >> Sam, >> I'm just just going to switch because I'm looking at the analysis sheet. Erica um and Jeff I don't know if this might be an instruction just for the physical activity section now I was married to a PE teacher so the language change is throwing me off a little bit um general requirement to providing continue opportunities and regular instructional physical education that tends to now it's changed so are we changing it so that it doesn't conflict with structure versus unstructure because physical education is typically structured activities. What's the rationale if you know of any as to why

048the language change >> um for the physical activity one? I do believe that was just a cave um bit of instructions that was there. Um >> and [snorts] I just hope it doesn't conflict. I don't think the 60 minutes um is in there any longer for the physical activity. >> Are you in the I'm sorry, Sam. Are you in the um >> the comparison sheet? >> There's a comparison um report. >> Oh, the comparison document. >> I think that physical activity language has been updated and the comparison report might be um one version behind and I apologize for that. >> Okay. >> Um I don't I mean we would love that. >> Yeah. if it conflicts with kind of a contractual language generally. >> Yeah. That I mean the 60 minutes a day wouldn't wouldn't

049work for our schedules or contracts, >> right, >> without adding substantial staff, >> you know? Um so I can find that >> work toward prov work toward providing. So that kind of gives us the flexibility of we don't have to have 60 we'll try to have 60 is basically >> yes >> except when every three years when you submit that report and you say well we haven't made any progress of it and you get cited for not you know making progress on it. >> So g given that it's not a requirement I think we're safer not doing it. I mean we have um for example it dod try to engage kids in more movement at lunch. Um so we are trying to be creative and adding opportunities in for kids but to to say we're

050aspiring to 60 minutes a day for every kids in and like in a in essence a a PE level course >> that's a lot. >> We don't do that for any other content area. No, it was their requested amount of minutes from the original guidelines in the CAB one and we did change the language back um >> to be more general to us and what we can fit in the day. >> Right. Right. Okay. >> Looking for that. >> Yeah. Yes. >> Uh what what if any changes either this time around or coming down the pike do you anticipate with the recent changes to the dietary guidelines coming from national? Um, I would think we might see yearly small adjustments. I don't know if there will be anything major. A lot of the language in

051here just says as long as we're abiding by whatever those state and federal guidelines are. So, as those guidelines change, we might not necessarily need to change the wellness policy itself, we'll just be adapting on the school nutrition side of what we offer. Um, but as I'm sure they go through the wellstat and trying to incorporate it, they might have some minor language changes that we we may have to adopt and then upcoming assessments over the three years. >> Okay, thanks. >> This seems to be the major big one right now. We are going from I think it's three pages to 15. There's a a lot of language in there. I don't know if anyone has any other questions or I can provide any more information or >> no we appreciate you and >> Emily

052um also made a cameo for us tonight. I know she's been under the weather, too. So, I appreciate you joining in. Not to out your health status, but uh appreciate you being here. >> Thank you everyone. Have a great evening. Appreciate it. >> Thanks, Erica. >> Thanks so much. >> All right. I guess we're on now to our regularly scheduled program. Um we have uh the first item is the uh is kind of a a rehash of um uh policy that we had worked on early last spring. I I want to say it was about a year ago. Um it was shared to through to to us through CABE. Um and uh we had spent some time working through it [snorts] and you can see notations that we made at the time. There's some questions

053about um some of the language and the way that it was framed and we made some adjustments but um given the fact that we had stopped moving it forward ultimately we decided that uh you know per feedback from both Shipman and Goodwin who we don't use as our our council and Bertrren and Moses who we do that um there had been more guidance to not add policies to your uh policy manual that weren't legally obligated. And this was one of those ones that weren't legally obligated. We uh have had a lot of communication, at least at the time, with families and our administration. We've maintained that communication with our administration about how to manage uh ice um you know issues that may arise during the school day. Uh we've continued that with, you know, I

054had correspondence. I spoke to the police chief last week and sent him uh our protocols around this and he was going to let me know if there were any issues and I haven't heard from him yet. So I think we're okay there. But uh this is a a policy for us to consider. Again, >> do we know are are other people in the area, other superintendents, other boards, are we are they adopting a policy? Are they avoiding this? What are they doing? >> I do not know that. Um, but I have my phone right here. I'll text real quick and maybe we'll get an answer before too long. Um, and I don't know if there are any other questions. >> Well, my only thought is, you know, it does obviously you've had training with with

055with your staff and they know what to do. Are we better off having it in writing or not having it in writing as a formal policy? Um I think to have it in the way that it's framed here um this mostly this is mostly legal um yeah in terms of the language uh things that we're required to follow anyway. So I don't think that it's a problem to have that. Um you know Floyd reviewed it and said it was fine. um >> as he gets a response. Um yeah, I would actually have the opposite opinion on on that that if it is all just mostly legal and things were complying with anyway and governed by this state statute and governed by that state statute, then what is the value in adding it, right? Like we're

056not really adding much of our own perspective or or changing things. I did look into a lot of the statute call outs on here and before you even go into additional case law on this. I mean, this is referring to over 350 pages of other materials that this policy claims to be compliant with, right? Do I feel qualified to look at that and be like, "All right, cool. Yeah, we're good to go. We we don't have any like liability here." Um, no. Certainly, I don't I don't feel that way. And so, um, you know, I wasn't here obviously for the pivot between other council telling us, look, if it's not required, you don't, [snorts] you know, try to stay away from it. But that would be the opinion I would share on any policy is

057you don't have to have it. Don't write it down. Not only does that leave Dr. Solen and staff the most latitude to deal with different cases as they come up, but you know, Shen doesn't potentially expose the town one way or the the other. >> Miss Rosenberg. >> So, Jeff, um, in my day job, we do have a policy. Um, it does outline to and kind of acknowledges the guidance via Kenny Vento. Um, so I'm at the opposite side on this with Matt in that yeah, if it is um, you know, something that legally we were already there's a statute in and council is already advising that you can have it. I don't see a problem codifying this into our policy. It only helps to reinforce and brings forth a sense of comfort to to

058the community. um especially now that there's you know a lot of anxiety around what exactly is it explicit enough um and so I think this just would just help to reinforce that we have you know guidance that's outlined and we are required to follow legal language especially referring back to McKini Bento so I think somehow if we can incorporate this sample with some of the other um policy language, it would just be an update. Jeff, does that make sense? >> Yeah, I was certainly able to do it. Um I'm also looking at some other trying to look at some other districts whether or not they have it real quick. I mean, in addition to the um you know, to to texting other superintendents to ask. >> Yeah. Without like I mean tomorrow we could take

059a little bit of time and you know actually look it up it's on their website or not assuming they update it. You know we're pretty good about updating our policies right away. So if I shows up the high school tomorrow, are we buzzing them in? >> No. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So um that is part of our protocol uh that you know we ask them first of all the the principal should be called, I should be called. um they're asked if they have, you know, a subpoena, um warrants, things like that. You know, you'd have to produce it. Um and you know, they they'd stay outside the entire time. I don't have, you know, because we went through this uh in the spring. The only issue looking back at it and one of the things

060that we took out was our responsibility in in providing resources and training for families, didn't we? We removed that. Correct. >> Yeah. When we went back there, I'd have to get the exact, but yeah, I don't know what the exact language said, but something to that effect. Yeah. So, if we look at resources, if you scroll down to resources and look at number six under resources, it's that one I think one of the last sections. It just it just puts more on us, which I didn't, you know, I wanted to talk about. I don't know if it's right or wrong. Maybe I'm just taking it the wrong way. Uh, keep going down. >> Yeah, I just wanted to make sure. I saw the two threes and I wanted to make sure that uh >> okay

061uh yeah that again I don't want to I don't know if it should be our role if is that up to the school to do is that up to another service to do I I don't know if we want to put that on you and put that on us. >> Yeah. >> I think maybe change the language to where we may provide guidance to, you know, look to other resources. Um >> I mean, we could say it may be made available. >> Yeah. >> Upon request. >> Yeah. I I don't >> that way it does take some of the owners off of us to have to have versus we might have if we don't have it we'll be able to try to refer you to other areas. >> I I could you know worst case

062scenario somebody says well the Chester Board of Education says that they were going to do this for us and they didn't do it. Well, and that point right there, Mark, is the reason that the um firms tell you probably just want to stick with what is legally required for your policy manual. and they they've kind of been pairing down policy manuals um because basically they're just creating a lightning rod. Some of these policies that are outdated or you know not relevant or not required by law >> become lightning rods for lawsuits. >> Yep. So again, this is a first reading to walk through. Um, >> you know, I think this will certainly be um a topic of conversation at the board meeting, you know, for the for the whole board to weigh in. And unlike

063the uh wellness policy, we'll have two more readings of this one to to consider. >> Okay. Yeah. And then that way give you time to source some current ones, Jeff. Um, >> yeah. >> And I can send you ours over here, too. >> And I know you have a question, too. >> Um, I just want to say, >> yeah, thanks, Mark. >> I just wanted to say I think it's worth pursuing this just to have the conversation about it. Um, so I think we do put it out there because I think people are interested in hearing the board talk about this, especially right now. 5113. Okay. They're probably 111.3. All right. Any other questions, comments? >> Nope. I think we're good. >> Okay. The next item is um for a second reading. Uh this is

064the library collection and development and maintenance policy. This is um policy 1312 and 6161.13. Let me just share screen here. You guys can't see that, can you? >> No. >> Saying that you could, but I could I can tell you couldn't. Try that again. >> We saw it for a second. >> It was Yeah, it just flashed for a second. >> That again. There we go. >> There it is. Thanks. >> Sure. Um basically uh this is the that we have to review our library materials on a regular basis and that they um are considered for the relevance physical condition of the material in the last paragraph availability of duplicate or copies of the material. availability of more recent age appropriate or grade level material um and continued demand for material. In essence, I this

065this is something that we do now uh on a regular basis. Um I don't know if you remember uh that we had somebody I want to say it was early this fall coming and asking for the list of things. We provided the individual that stuff. Um, and everybody, you know, was really comfortable. You She reviewed it was like, "Oh, this is great. Thank you for sharing it." I mean, she was just looking um to make sure, you know, that that I think maybe particularly her religious uh background um Catholic was was represented in in our materials. So there's diversity materials in our libraries and they again they turn over uh regularly. We review those things. So this is one element of the policy. I mean, we're going to get into more um like the display

066and program policy uh is another one that you know is become um I guess more more political, more uh referenced. Um but you know, we've had a few issues and you know, everybody has been really good about managing them. We haven't had any um significant push back. Knock on wood. >> Miss Rosenberg. >> I think some of the things that come up, Jeff, and it's this last paragraph that maybe we need to kind of shore up a bit is the question of, you know, procedure. So, as it reads, you know, we're going to direct you to create an administrative procedure regulation. So, what's that going to look like? And do we attach it to this? Do we have to make that public? >> Um, >> yeah, actually that's the next item on the agenda. >>

067Yeah. And so, there's always a question of who makes truly who makes the ultimate determination, >> you know, we read here that the media specialists using their professional judgment. Yeah. >> But why is it limited to just an individual as opposed to a committee? You know, I mean, stuff like that. So um in terms of curating the library itself, the library media specialist who is trained and hired to do that does that. That being said, to answer your first question, there's a process by which they go through that and that I mean seems like a good time to bounce over to that one. share that regulation with you. [clears throat] So this is the regulation um and it reflects the items outlined in the policy and that you know we have to review for material

068relevance that physical condition of the materials you know this is just speaks to all of those elements. Um but then that we also have a separate policy uh which isn't um up I think it it might be monitoring process now isn't up for review. I think we I don't know I don't recall if you guys um reviewed that or not uh recently. I think we I think I want to say that we did um there's a way to challenge materials um and that the uh public can submit anybody can submit that they want to challenge these materials. It outlines the committee that's that'll be um together to review that challenge and there's a a process for it. So, you know, all of the elements that you touched upon, Sam, we have uh structures and and

069procedures in place to address those. Um, and I can have Carol send tomorrow the that one, you know, what are our protocols when there is a challenge to the the, you know, materials, >> right? I think the other misconception that comes along is us being compared to the public library and what they you know display versus what's allowable and acceptable for us too. So is there a delineation that you know we don't we aren't necessarily following what the public library might be doing you know or does that language need to be put in there some I don't know. Yeah, I think what we um we do look at relevance to the student population. >> You know, what might be relevant, you know, we're not we don't have a lot of books on menopause in the

070sixth grade library. Um you know, I mean, it's certainly not gerine to that population. So, we do look at the relevance uh for for that population of the school. Well, if I could just add, number five does say, is there continued demand for that material? >> Yeah, [laughter] >> sixth graders, you know, if we get a if we get a seventh grade class that's asking for menopause material, then we should have that material in the library. If something were to change in our health curriculum, you know, was studying menopause for in seventh grade or something. Yeah, >> I hope it does, Jeff. The research isn't up to date yet about that topic. >> Yeah, educate early. Anyway, all right, I'm gonna stop talking before I get myself in any sort of trouble. And um >>

071Exactly. [laughter] >> And welcome there, Jeff. >> I know. Way to bring that as a model. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Uh we can move on to 1312.56161.14. That is the library uh media display policy and I'll share that on the screen as well. So this policy is mandated um that we display materials and again you know as you'll see in the info Carol send you tomorrow that there's a process for um I guess questioning these things. So, I think what Connecticut has done is um put a lot of onus on the library media uh staff to make decisions, the certified person. And not every school has a librarian. Um, but there is somebody in the district with the capacity to evaluate these things. >> All of our schools do have librarians, by the way. I

072just want to make sure that's not misconstrued. I meant not every school in Connecticut has it, but >> I believe I asked this question last time. Do we have a major problem with library displays that are questionable? >> No. >> Okay. >> Yeah, it's it's uh I mean is uh I've worked in the district 20 years. I can't I can't recall any um at any level as a principle or I mean most of the stuff is pretty >> just curious >> meant to be engaging but it's pretty pedestrian middle of the road stuff. >> Thank you Dr. Herrian. Yeah, Jeeoff, I'm just wondering if um you mentioned the onus being on the media specialist and I'm just wondering if that came in with the professionalizing that area of of the staff of you know the

073media specialists. >> Yeah. >> Being being uh sort of a higher position. >> Yeah. it you know it's I think when um those credentials were in place for certification >> you know a certified person is schooled in this process so yeah I think the state felt comfortable creating this you know regulation uh based on that you know statutoily there were the state said that that's why it's a mandated polic is a follow statute. >> So that's why we have all this policy around it too. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thanks. Because it seems like a lot of policy. >> Yeah. I I think you know um the state was responding to some of the things that were happening in other places and um felt that this was appro appropriate. >> Okay. Thanks. I just wanted a

074little backdrop, I guess. >> I'm sorry, Matt, you had a question, too. >> Yeah. Um, when I look at these two library policies, I I don't have any objection to either one of them, like as a whole. um given that they're so closely tied, I wonder if there is language that we should tie between the two to make them consistent on how they're approaching or how they're viewing things. Um the specific example I'll provide is that middle paragraph in this library display and program policy like I love that right relevant to research independent interests educational needs of the students. Earlier on it says information enlightenment of all students wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints. I I love those things. Um I I would almost like if you were to just give me that paragraph

075in a vacuum I would have thought that they would be in the the other policy not just in the display one. Um, I guess I don't have an end to that sentence other than um, >> yeah. Is there anything prohibiting us from adding that language to the 1312 policy, I think, is what I'm hearing. I'll I'll >> Yeah, I mean, that that school library professionally trained to curate like takes a stab at it. um with access to a widest array of age appropriate and grade level appropriate library and other educational material. I actually think the library uh display one is more specific, more thorough. Um so I don't need an answer on that now. I'm sort of like to display one. I kind of think to Matt's point though, Jeeoff, even the word relevance and

076appropriateness sometimes is vague because, you know, I example Harry Potter was, you know, something of a discussion in certain areas to justify book bands, right? So, I'm not sure if we can get a little more specific so that we don't um and aren't faced with these type of subjective interpretations if if I'm speaking correctly. >> Yeah, I hear that. I also get nervous going in the other direction where you know if you if you cut too narrow a path is it then used that none of these books could be included because you you needed to be in this narrow path. >> Yeah. >> Um and it's I think if there is somebody and you guys will see tomorrow when we send out the um protocol for challenging things. It's it's one of those things where

077if you wanted to make a complaint against and people do, you just make a complaint on anything. Um it's really uh it's the process by which we evaluate the complaints. I think that's really so critical here. >> Yeah. >> And who you include in that process and the steps you take in that process. And um let's take a look at that. I mean, we can add it to uh for review at the next meeting. Um not that, you know, we necessarily need to change it, but >> yeah, >> happy to add that for review at the next meeting if we want to do that. >> Yeah. Uh definitely because I don't want any language that would allow a challenger to target books based on their personal beliefs rather than some objective stand. You know what

078I mean? So, >> yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. So, the next um policy for review is suicide prevention and intervention. Um this just been updated to see if the policy. Sorry, my camera is right in the way of the tabs. the way it this new camera rests on the screen so you can't see what any of the tabs are. You gota duck underneath it. But um so we we've just changed the terminology to suicide prevention and intervention. Um you know we've reviewed this internally but also had um Michelle Picarillo review [clears throat] it um from the chest social services side of things. I'm sorry. Where did this language come from that we're putting in? I I think this was a um recommended change in language from uh K, but we also reviewed it internally in

079with uh Michelle. >> Okay, thanks. And this is a revision of ex existing policy. >> Yes. >> Yep. The old language is there in the um strike through lang the strike through font I guess. So, are we not referencing the crisis intervention procedure or >> um we don't have a crisis intervention procedure suicide prevention program report like that specific document. We have a process um we have a document a different document that uh it's like the mitigation of violence to self and others that addresses students who make threats to themselves, suicidal ideiation or threats to others. I just feel like the old language is a bit more direct where the new language seems to like training with pride for teachers and students grow in the prevention of and response to youth suicide. So, I don't

080know. It's it's too open-ended for me. It's it's almost honestly I feel like I'd have to defer to the professionals in the area like Michelle on language like this because I don't I don't know what We have to say I feel like it's very legally loaded like perceived by school staff to be at risk for suicide. There's a lot going on in this new >> Yeah. >> They're saying a lot without saying anything is what my problem is right now. In essence, if if you believe a student to be potential threat to themselves, >> we're mandated reporters, right? >> And we'll address it. Not necessarily, but if you believe that, yes, we're mandated reporters, but we're not writing this because of that. If you believe a student is a threat to themselves, you need to

081report it. >> And we need to respond in a way that is consistent with state law. and supportive of the child and family is basically what this is, but it might be helpful to share the CABE um rationale on this. Carol, if we could dig that up cuz this We haven't looked at this in a while. >> Yeah, I'm looking for that right now actually. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, >> so the adoption and maintaining of those regulations, it almost sounds like Jeff that it's in place of, you know, having that intervention, the crisis intervention. Yeah, I can share that too. Um, [snorts] >> Matt has the best freeze frames. >> Yeah, >> every time. Yeah, I think we need a little deeper dive with the rationale too. Okay, we'll take a look at the

082the two elements there, the threats against self and others and then um the cape rationale when we come back at this one related responsibilities. We made a variety of changes on this one last time. These are these are bylaws. I think this was a function of um our conversation at uh the retreat. over the summer. >> I mean, for number four, Jeeoff, it's kind of already built in that as a as new board members going forward, you have to have a certain, you know, >> Yeah. You need to have that orientation. Yeah. >> Uh by statute now. Yeah. I mean, do we put that in there? >> Um, >> or the statute is referenced or not? >> Well, I we didn't that statute is not specifically referenced here. Um, but I I think we probably

083could reference that legal statute. >> Yeah, I think it'll just be stronger to deploy if we have legal reference. Okay. Other thoughts or questions on this one? Okay. the board. This is um basically monitoring. This is another bylaw monitoring products and processes. We had a number of suggestions on this one too. The last time that we reviewed it, There was a lot of discussion on this one in our last review. We had our personnel committee meeting earlier this year and reviewed the K recognition guidance as well. Any questions on this one? >> Are the color codes anything specific, Joe? >> No, they're not intended to mean anything. I think it's just when I made the modifications in the document. >> So, I I think I like the updated language actually. I mean, I don't know

084if we needed to scratch out. The board may at times request consultant assistance in carrying out the evaluation the of the board. I I mean, we did just utilize Nick as a consultant to help us with, you know, board evaluation. So, that kind of goes against the striketh through here. Unless we had a different intent on that one. >> What's the difference between what you're Sorry, >> I'm sorry. Just to answer that question. That's addressed I think in the red font above. It is strongly recommended that this evaluation be completed and then reviewed in a retreat file facilitated by Gabe or someone with relevant experience. So yeah. All right. >> We wanted to do that. I'm sorry, Matt. >> What's what's the difference between what's on your screen and what's linked in our agenda? >>

085Like the one that's linked in our agenda, for example, doesn't have moreover, the board through the personnel committee shall review the CABE recognition guidance each fall and spring as part of the superintendent evaluation process. >> I I literally clicked the link. When I click the link, this is what comes up for me too. The same document since it has something to do with track changes like you're seeing changes that you made but they haven't been published and we're not seeing them as just >> That's right. There are two different documents we're looking at. says anybody with the link can view my changes here. I'm not sure why they're not coming up. >> Yeah, our document isn't as colorful as yours, Jeff. >> What's weird for me is that like you guys are coming up as

086anonymous people. >> Yeah. >> In my >> See that up in the top right? >> Right. You're all logged on as you and your Chester Public Schools accounts, right? >> [clears throat] >> Uh, >> no. >> I am not. >> Me neither. >> I'll try that now. >> Not sure why that would make a difference though because it can you see what I have on my screen now with the share document? >> Says anyone with the link can view it. So, I'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to see it. Yeah, we could only see the red or orange on your screen. The it is strongly recommended and then the striketh through. Nothing else appears. >> I wonder if it's because I made recommendations in my own document. >> I can see what you

087have, Jeff. So, I have now. Okay. I I logged in with my >> CPS and I see the text that you're [snorts] sharing. It is not colorcoded the same way. I wouldn't necessarily expect it to be, but I now see um Wait, >> I see that the red font is just red font. It's not Oh, it's probably red font because Yeah, I made it red font. [snorts] >> Okay, that was the strangest thing. Hold on a second. Click. Click. No. >> I did. I just took I just took the red out. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't even have edits. The the impactful edit is not there for me. The opinions strike through isn't there either. >> It's weird. I just shared I copied [clears throat] the link to the doc that I'm looking at. Just

088try clicking on that in the chat and see if you get >> same thing. >> Same. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's got to be something related to like >> suggestions or editing or published versions of it, you know, working versions that are on your screen. But >> we don't I mean I don't personally need to get hung up on it, but >> we like you know why? Because you and I are editors and they're just viewers. >> Yeah. >> So it must have something. It's set in editing. I don't know what if we like this version though, I'll adopt them so that you can permanently see them. People said they like the changing things live in our document as you put those check. >> Yeah, much better. >> We have the privilege to see this now.

089[laughter] was a great job with the colors though. That really livened up the policy committee meeting up. [laughter] Okay. All right. So, I think that captures what we wanted there. Now, we're on to third reading materials. This has been updated. I remember there being like a small singular update to this, but we did it so long ago I can't off the top of my head remember what it was. Can you look back at your edit history, Jeff? >> Page 12, section G has some red text in it. I don't know if that's it or not. >> Yeah, it was. This was the singular Yeah. In particular, this piece about connecting with the homeless. Um, It's referencing back to section E. Sorry. I'm not sure why some of this stuff like this is red. It was

090just made a red font. I don't Let me see. [snorts] Started making changes in October on Halloween. section H. >> Oh, Jeff, this was because the the definition to bullying changed. >> That's what it says back in the notes. Yeah, but there was also that piece about you got to check with the homeless liaison which you can see the the through the crossouts here with the I'm under G2 G as well. G2 also the administration determines out of school suspension appropriate. This I know this was like a >> we had the second meeting for this in June. So it's that far that long ago. >> This uh this is a straight legal change. Yeah. I seem to recall that when we were talking about this this was this was coming straight from the the attorneys.

091Correct. I know that it was it's not just from the at it's like straight from legislation. >> Okay. >> And it the biggest change was yes the change the definition of bullying changed >> but >> we've we've addressed that but the the homeless you can't you have to check and see if a student is homeless before you can suspend them. This piece right here this whole paragraph right here was a a significant change. Like none of this is different though. I don't understand why this is in red. I had some uh color coding questions today. I don't like this length of suspension period that none of that's changed. So, I'm not sure why that's red highlight or general position. It seems to have some random parts in red and you guys are still showing up

092as anonymous chickmunk or whatever in my in the document. So, I think we're having some uh I had a Google issue earlier today where somebody couldn't join my Google Meet, too. I But Carol shows up in this document. So, Oh, that that's what it is. It's anonymous when we're looking at it from outside the organization with our private Gmails, >> right? Yeah, I know that. >> That's why I said it. That's why I asked before if you were logged in, >> but do does it look any different, Matt? >> I'm I'm seeing what you're seeing. What page are you on with this one? I just logged into my >> H15. Yeah, I I have all those strikethroughs as well and those the reds. >> Yeah. >> If I remember correctly, this policy, they made a

093lot of changes and I tried to keep as much of the old policy in here so you could see what was changing. That's why it's so red in some of the paragraphs. >> Which part in particular you were talking about, Jeff? Well, this would make sense because they're pursuant to laws that may have changed, but the fact that it says general provisions in red, >> unless we just highlighted those to indicate that there's something in here, >> the new policy, you had that as a sub um subsection, general provisions. Mhm. >> Yeah. Because we started to first look at this in October. >> Yep. >> And that's why we, you know, October, November, then we had, you know, redistricting season and budget. And now we're coming back to this, you know, four months after the

094fact and it's a little foggy. Does anybody have any questions on this one is not this is uh strictly legal updates on this one. Yes. >> So my question is this is going for a third reading though, >> Right. >> Adoption >> with the with the changes, >> right? >> But it seems like we've been working on this forever. >> October 31st. Yeah. Was the first time. Let's see. Uh I could go back to October 31st was when it was first added. Let me see the October 2nd. Actually, was that wasated? That'll be Yeah, it was October 2nd. Then we reviewed it again on November 4th and then February 2nd. >> Okay. Thanks, Of course, this is like the longest policy in the book, right? This is Yeah, this was a change in in the

095law. We made an adoption. I remember this because you need to do an FBA before you outplay somebody. That was just a recent change in the law. Hence the public act changes here. Yeah. So that got taken out and replaced with the language in above. All right. Any questions on this one? >> Jeeoff, I found the key >> if I recall correctly. Go ahead. >> I found the cave explanation. It just says, "This policy has been revised to account for new requirements regarding expulsion and suspension hearings as well as out of district placements due to challenging behavior established by public act number. An act increasing resources for students, schools, and special ed sections and an act concerning quality and delivery of special education services in section 13." They go on to explain homeless what what

096they changed for homeless students, general policy revisions, out of district placements. >> Yeah. So, it's just all changes to legislation. >> Sorry, Mark. Were you >> No, I'm good. Any other further comment? Move on. The next one is a special education policy and this is really the change where um age of age of service. [snorts] See Yeah. Do you remember at a board meeting in the fall um they just adopted this? So now prior to September 30th annually in the fall, we went through the community-based organizations, the workforce development programs, and the attrition data for certified non-certified staff. There was a report I gave um in the first board meeting in October, I think it was, where we went through all this stuff right after they had uh implemented the law. So like this was

097contracted community- based organizations we gave. This was the staff attrition rates. I don't know if that looks familiar to anybody but you know public act 12-173 we had to give that and so we gave this report for the uh prior year questions on 61 71. >> No. Nope. I think we're good. under instruction on page D changes IEP team to planning and placement team. And then it talks about transition services. There are new guidelines for what um we have to provide with a transition service for students. And when we're talking transition, is that when they're leaving our care and going on to other ventures? >> Um, sometimes uh so this like talks about, you know, like what support services we need to give to students who receive special education. Um, and once the student turns

09814, we have to provide adult education programs, public transition programs eligible for on to graduation. When we talk about transition services, we're often talking about students who are uh 18 to 22. And now it's changed to 22 depending on when your birthday is. So if you turn 22 on July 2nd, it you'll be until the age of 23. Now you complete that school year. >> Yeah. >> They keep stretching out, you know, when the district is responsible for um special education services. They keep extending that timeline. Then um you may remember this part too, the armed armed services piece basically talking about when students um if a child moves to Cheshure because their parent is in the armed service, it's the expeditious efforts we have to make to enroll the child. It's nothing that we

099wouldn't be already doing. >> Yeah. on the transition services. [clears throat] Uh, excuse me. Um, is is this this is all new? This section up until the IEP must include. >> Yeah, this is new language. >> Okay. So, have to have a transition coordinator. What does that mean for us functionally in terms of staffing? >> We already have that. Um, you know, most of what everything that you see here is stuff that we're doing already anyway. Um, it's just they're requiring it to be part of your policy now. >> Okay. That's what I figured it the answer was. But >> yeah, we already have that. >> We've had a transition coordinator for probably five years now. Is that a a separate person or is that encompassed with somebody else's job? >> That no that's a

100that's a separate person. We have had for many years a teacher dedicated to supporting the transition needs of the 18 to 22 population because actually I mean you can see here it starts before 18. that person is involved, you know, as as the student gets to middle and high school. >> Okay. >> The the additional um requirements that have been placed on districts uh to provide different supports after 18 or even now after 21 have really necessitated that that role. >> Okay. But like we already have it. >> Excuse me. >> And do we have relatively low numbers when we're we're getting north of 21? We don't have a lot of kids involved, do we? >> Yeah. >> Out of curio, >> we do have a fair number of students involved. >> Yeah, it's a

101I mean it's it's a legitimate um group. We run it through multiple programs. Um, some of which are at Cheshire High School, some of which are at, um, you we have post high school programming at, uh, QU. Um, so, see, we have, how many students do we have at QU? I could look that up real quick. 11 and eight and another program. So um I think we have north of 20 between the >> pretty good number. >> Yeah, I mean it's it's not negligible and the services that are required are pretty significant >> um support the students uh you know we're happy to do it but um it's you know it's be frustrating when the state just shifts the burden to the municipality. we do a good job with it. We already know these kids

102and families. I think there's a high level of trust. I don't think it's a bad thing that we're doing it. >> Um I think it would be helpful if we were given more resources is they've pushed the age up. Um but that's, you know, a whole another argument for another day. Um all right. So we also have educational opportunities for military children. This is um a mandatory policy. Oh, sorry. Let me share screen. Nothing earthshattering here. Nothing, you know, that's really changing anything that what we do. Um but you know if a student um is coming and or leaving we have to again try and be really expeditious about sending records. Um I mean this is asking for us to respond to records with requests within 10 days. If we don't do that, I mean

103there's a real issue now. Um, it gives basically what this does is give latitude, some flexibility and uh some flexibility for the families and the students when they're transitioning in. but uh spells out clearly the expectations for the districts to support those families when they move. >> And if I recall from our previous conversations, this is uh state statute as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. And it's a no-brainer. Pretty pretty straightforward stuff. the public act that was the state statute stuff that was baked into this. So any questions on this one? So, I I'll share on the screen the policy posting because we'll need motions to move any of this stuff forward. Um, Carol, with respect to the motion on the health and wellness, given that we're going to want to review that for adoption, you're

104on mute. I can hear you because you're in the other room. Carol, you're on mute. I can hear you through the door, but they don't have that luxury. [laughter] >> Um I think for the minutes I'll put in there that it's the committee's wish to fasttrack this policy and then the full board will fasttrack it. >> Then we just need a motion at the board meeting to for adoption. We can explain it again like we did last week. >> Okay. So, let me share that. It says I'm sharing but you can't see it. I can't see. Let's try this again. >> It was there for a second. >> So, is there a motion for the um student wellness policy here 6142101? and and well let's do that one separately the this guy here and then

105we'll do the uh 5113 separate from that if you don't mind. So I move to forward policy 6142101 student wellness for a first reading. >> We're going to fasttrack that. Right. >> Yeah. That's why we're going to do it separate. So >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> No, no. If we have a second that we're good. >> Does anybody want to second that one? >> Can I second it? >> Sure. >> All right. I'll second it. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I don't see Matt my screen, so >> yeah, >> he's good. >> Yes. >> Awesome. And we need a a motion on this one for a first reading. >> All right. Can I do the motion? >> Okay. Go ahead. Be >> be before a motion. Can someone just give me the 15 second

106process here? First reading, second reading, third reading. So I understanding and voting for >> absolutely a first reading um means that it'll go before the board for a first reading. In almost every case uh I mean I can think maybe of less than five times in 10 years where we've adopted a policy without three readings. Um that's what the bylaws say that you should have three readings for each policy before adoption. However, under certain circumstances, you can adopt them sooner. That's why I was saying this fasttrack because this there's a clear rationale for why we need to do this because the state is saying you need to have this adopted by March 1st. Now, so you know, that's why we read that 6142101 early, you know, separate from the uh this next policy. So this

107policy now if it gets moved for first reading to the full board it'll go to the full board for discussion whatever uh any feedback that comes out of that then goes back to this committee for a second reading like we have on these other items on none of these items in five or six on the agenda was there you know tangible feedback for the committee. So, and this will come back to for a second reading. We'll review it again. Um, hopefully with a little bit more clarity than we reviewed the third readings tonight. Um, and then we'll, you know, move it forward to a second reading and subsequently a third reading. At a third reading before the board, the board adopts the policy at that point and directs me to put that into our policy

108manual. So said simply and to regurgitate a motion right now on 5511.3 puts a first reading in front of the full board. >> All it does is bring it to the board. Yep. Then they rarely will adopt it at a first reading unless necessary for an expedit expedited >> right >> changes discussion whatever comes back to policy for a second reading board for second policy for third board for third >> yes >> okay thank you appreciate that >> y >> and we can make changes as it goes through >> yeah often we'll make updates you know like that's why a lot of times the first reading is just kind of like exposure um and hot takes and then we'll review some information and bring it back. So, in the third reading, uh, excuse me, the

109ones that were moving forward for a second reading around the library stuff, when we look at it for a third reading, we'll have the benefit of having looked at the evaluation process and all that other stuff that we're going to forward on. So, now we're back to 5113 for a first reading so that the board can discuss it. I move that we that we forward um policy 511.3 protection of undocumented students to the full board for first reading or however Carol's going to >> write [laughter] You did good in. You did good. >> Second. All right. Thank you, Matt. Any further discussion on that? All in favor? >> I think we're unanimous on that. >> Yes. >> Yep. Sorry. Yeah. That you can't see. And which ones are up here? I mean, we clicked on

110new policy. Is it 1312? That [snorts] >> 1312.4 >> regulation. 6161 is the regulation that we're complying with in that policy. >> Yeah. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> Now, we could do all of these for a second reading in one swoop though, right? >> Yeah. You want to go for it, Matt? >> Sure, I'll give it a try. Uh, I'm I move that the policies listed under the second reading, including 1312.4, 1312.5, 5141.5, 9040, and 9400. Be moved to the full board for second reading. >> Second. Is that is that good enough? Uh >> yeah. Yeah. >> Just the corresponding regulations we'll add there. >> Okay. Uh any further discussion? All in favor? >> Unanimous. >> Awesome. And then we have these guys. >> And these can be done all together too, right? >> Yes. Mhm.

111>> Yeah. >> So, I will move that we send policies suspension and expulsion slashdue process 6171 special education 6159 individualized education. >> You lost the last one. >> Yeah, move it down again, Jeff. >> Sorry. and 5118.1 educational opportunities for military children to the full board for third reading. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any further discussion? All in favor? >> It's unanimous. >> Unanimous. Yeah. >> Awesome. A motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. All in favor, >> it's unanimous. >> Awesome. >> All right.