001Call a roll. >> Sure. Mr. Eckie >> here. >> Mr. Grio >> here. >> Dr. Harrian >> here. >> Mr. Cherry. >> Thank you. Uh, stand for the pledge. Do you have a flag for us? >> I do. If you give me just a second, I'll get that one going. >> There it is. [Music] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for which it stands. >> One nation under God >> indivisible justice for all. >> Clearly out of practice since our co days. That was uh that was not pretty. >> Hey, we got it done though. >> Yeah, I mean what we uh lacked in synchronicity we made up for in V visuals. So anyway, >> um look looking at the uh agenda audience, I don't see
002anybody in the audience. Okay, moving on. >> So, um, let me just, uh, stop sharing screen for a second so I can make an introduction. Um, the first item on our agenda this evening, uh, is reflective. Uh, so I guess it's born out of the board of education retreat that was held um, I think it was last July maybe. um could have been June uh where Nick Caruso from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education attended our retreat and worked with the entire board on um our goals. We looked at um elements such as where we stand relative to CAB's best practices. And after a few hours in that meeting, one of the elements that was, you know, decided upon in that meeting was to take a look at our bylaws uh as they relate
003to CABE best practices. The bylaws haven't been updated in some time. And um so with us this evening from CABE is uh Jody Gooler. He's worked for for CABE for several years now. uh reviewing their policies and providing guidance to districts and board of education on um everything from bylaws to uh all the nuts and bolts of of board of education policy which is not an easy job as some of these more seasoned uh board members know Jody because uh the laws change constantly and keeping up with it can be uh challenging on its best day. So, um, happy to welcome you, Jody. Good evening. >> It's good to be here. Thank you, Jeff. It's great to see you all. So, um, in advance of this meeting, I gave Jody, uh, you know, our, of
004course, he has access to our bylaws online, uh, like anybody else in the public does, but, uh, you know, also told him that, you know, we aspire to, um, engage in best practices, uh, appreciate the guidance that Cab provides on best practices, and asked him if he could kind of take a look um at what he saw with his more expert eye uh about you know any sort of differences that might exist between uh CAB's best practices and and what exists in our bylaws. So uh that's kind of the the introduction for why Jod's joining us this evening. >> No, it's again it's great to be here and and I I'm I'm happy to help any way I can. I will I will say that your bylaws look very good in comparison with other districts
005and um cave model policies. I I I I honed in specifically on your bylaw 9400 um self-evaluation since since it was really your your work over the summer and your your look towards yourself and your and your and your um your work as a board. That was really what prompted get improving your bylaws to to strengthen them and perhaps become more systemic or systematic in your practices especially around your own improvement and professional development. The other one I looked at as well is 9040 which has to do with um board related responsibilities. So um and and I just um there are a couple of observation or couple of things I I thought about in looking at both bylaws beginning with 9400 the the self-evaluation um I I I would encourage you to to um approach
006the self-evaluation with more with language that is more definitive and reflective of a process and and timely um actions on your part. Like for example, you mentioned it says as needed, the board will schedule dates to conduct its self-evaluation and and so it almost appears as though it's not something that you would be doing yearly and instead of looking at as needed, you would look at a maybe a particular time in the year where you would schedule a self-evaluation and and where you say again as needed in the previous paragraph where it says it shall be the policy of the Cheshire Board of Education that as needed there should be a program of self-evaluation. Again, I maybe instead of as needed, the board of education will adhere to a program of regularly scheduled self-evaluation. And
007again, I don't want to too much with your language because it's your language, but I think from my perspective, what you really are looking to do here, as I understand it, is to be more thoughtful and and predictive in your practice. Cody is, you know, as you look at other boards, um, is there a, you know, a time frame that other people are doing evaluations more regularly? Like, you know, I think every three months would be kind of ridiculous. Every five years is also kind of ridiculous. Is there a sweet spot that's kind of, you know, recommended? in and then obviously that's as as you kind of mentioned that's um a suggestion or just comparative for the members of our board to kind of decide on. >> That's a great question and again this is
008probably something that Nick could speak more to but for my I was also a superintendent. I was a superintendent in the community down just just south of you in Hampton for eight years. And this was something that the board struggled with particularly during the pandemic because there were so many other emergencies and other things that the board felt it needed to take care of. It really lost sight of its own reflective process. It was really looking outward all the time and it didn't look inward at its own practice and I thought that weakened the board to some extent. So may maybe the way to look at this I I think doing a full comprehensive evaluation every year is probably a little bit more than you'd want you know maybe maybe more than you'd want to
009do in that in that given time. But may maybe looking every three years for like a like a major re-evaluation or self-evaluation of the board and then doing checkups along the way. So, your your summer retreat might might include a uh a self- evvaluation component, but it might instead of it being a formal three or four hour process, it could be part of your workshop to take the temperature of the board and and address specific issues and and and do so with with someone like Nick facilitating it so that you have the opportunity to to really reflect on your work and maybe be more targeted. where where are you getting hung up? What are the what are your goals? What are you trying to accomplish? What are the things that get in the way of
010of of working together interpersonally? But then every like maybe third year would be a more comprehensive self-evaluation almost like looking at it as if for a medical procedure. you know, every three years you do a full mockup of of of everything, but you do those regularly yearly checkups to make sure that yeah, I have a certain I have a tinge in my shoulder I didn't have and maybe you can work on that and address some specific issues. That that would be I think again looking at it as a as a systemic practice. I think that would that would be something that you can discuss as a board. So um one of the things um that uh I was thinking about in terms of the checkup because we have done this annually now for several years
011is the um the CA board uh the I forget what recognition packet I guess for lack of a better term where it outlines all these practices and might that one way to check, you know, on a more annual basis and then whether the board decides annually, every other year, every three years using that uh they engaged in a self reflection each board member and submitted that and then that those numbers were um you know pulled together and and that's where Nick came in and gave us feedback. Um that was just one strategy I thought might be helpful uh you know as a way for us to look at our own practices. >> Yeah. And again I think I think by doing that Jeeoff I think what it really allows is for the board to be
012be very very purposeful in how it approaches its evaluation of itself but also authentic. You don't want to create a schedule that's so overwhelming that it gets in that it it gets in the way of other things the board has to do and create that kind of pressure and they can't do it effectively. So they end up weakening the self-evaluation and never really get to the to a comprehensive look because they're every year trying to have a comprehensive look. So I think thinking it through and what do you want to I think that the yearly checkup is a good thing. I think a yearly workshop, at least one workshop a year, is a good thing for the board to get together and and and and talk, not offline because it's still a public meeting technically,
013but have a more casual conversation about the board's work, but every every again two or three years for for again a more comprehensive looking at Cab's model um looking at progress over those three years, looking at what what occurred during those check-ins. I think that makes sense to me. >> Um, I obviously want to open the floor to our members of the board who might have thoughts or questions on the topic as well. Anybody? I'm relatively new to this process. Uh, I don't know. And Adam and you got the floor. >> Yay. Um, no, my question was really similar to Jeff's. It was, you know, how often do we do the comprehensive one? But I was not thinking about um just doing sort of regular check-ins on an on a yearly basis and then really
014doing a full evaluation every two or three years. So that answer really answered my questions. Jeff, does that make sense to you though? >> Yeah, I think so. I mean um you know at the end of the day I I would just want it to be meaningful for the members of the board right so um I think us collectively on an annual basis looking at the board recognition awards it it can't help but to ground everybody into the idea okay this is what we should be trying to look at collectively Um and you know just it does help I think set some goals for the board because it re by definition outlines best practices and then when the board is you know ready maybe it's every other year maybe it's every third year they do
015a self evaluation like you guys did this year and then we have somebody come in and talk about that and everybody's got that that same frame of reference based on the annual review of the best practices. And I think that would probably help um everybody kind of like I said be all have on the same page and have that same frame of reference. >> Yeah. I remember when we didn't when before when we didn't used to do those K uh annual >> Yeah. uh app and I think they're I think they're really useful. It's it's a pretty understandable checklist of where you're going with things. So, >> yeah, and it's really meant to be coherent. Again, that that whole checklist, Nick had a hand in developing that and and the recognition is a way of
016honoring not just simply honoring boards of ed for compiling the checklist and and to stick with the checklist. It's also an opportunity for others to learn from Cheshure and to be and to be motivated by Cheshire's example. So, it really is a chance for us to recognize Cheshire, but I would even argue more importantly, you know, I was always very competitive as a superintendent and if I knew um Cheshire won an award um around around being a board of ed or around test scores or whatever it was, I certainly got my attention and I think that that's one of the driving reasons why I think Cape has these kinds of awards set in set the right examples. Well, you we you know, we just have ordinary people, ordinary citizens on this board of ed. And
017so it's it's really helpful to have, you know, what is it that boards of ed are supposed to do, you know? So, I think the cave information is really helpful. And I'm going to stop talking because I think Adam has his hand up, too. >> Thank you, Anne. Much appreciated. Um, yeah, I think from uh my point of view, let's see. And I'm finishing up year eight here. Um that I think like a semianual no a semiannual that's two years every two years right now by annuals twice a year. All right. >> I'm the wrong person to ask. >> Right. So semi so semianual. No >> let's just go with every other year. >> Every other year. every other year to do what we did uh this summer I think is a good idea because
018just because of our election cycle right we're coming up on a new election cycle in just a few weeks >> um and just two years ago we had a big turnover on the board uh where there was like you know a bunch of new people and then you know and then we wait that almost two years where now those new people are seasoned enough to benefit from the self-reflection where if you know so it's like that the time of year that you do it and you know the the interval that you do it I think is important and then in the meantime yeah you're you're working on the uh the the checklist there every year to kind of see uh you know how you can improve as you as you go along but to have
019that self-reflection every couple years because I think for a while we weren't doing much at all um so like Ann said so yeah I think that to establish that that that new interval I think would be That that makes a lot of sense, Adam. I mean, and I I think it also allows the board to to um create the create its goals through that process and have that two-year span to work on those goals. I think having new goals every year is a little bit overly ambitious and you you're so busy creating goals, you don't have a chance to really measure your attainment of goals. So, I think that really helps do that. Jody, we don't have anywhere that I've seen um anything that indicates, you know, we um need to have an annual retreat.
020Like would that be something that we drop in here to say that you know it's recommended that at a annual retreat that this occurs you know is able um to be scheduled or something like that. I mean I know like there was one retreat where there was one time where we aspired to hold a retreat. This was probably like five, six years ago, maybe Ann or Adam. No, maybe even longer, but like we just could not get board members together period. Like it just would not work. Um, you know, would you recommend some sort of language about a retreat in in this section of the bylaws? Do you think it fits better in the responsibilities of the board section? it. And then ultimately, obviously, I'm because I'm just throwing that out there. Ultimately, it's a
021decision of our policy committee if they want to propose that to the full board. But, uh, if if we were to go that route, where would you recommend that go? >> Jeeoff, I I think that I I would recommend that route. And primarily from my own experience, I always found that boards were you'll get better attendance and and better engagement at at retreats when boards understand that it's part of its work. It isn't something separate. So I think by including um creating more specific language in both the bylaws I noted earlier 9400 and and 9040. I think there there I have a couple of suggestions as to how you can create greater specificity without getting tied down to bylaw language that doesn't give you the chance to to um improvise a little bit too. You
022don't want to get I think generally I like bylaws that a little bit that are a little bit broader. But I think based on this conversation and what I would be advising other boards of as well around their bylaws would be to create bylaws that that that create patterns of behavior that that and that pattern of behavior is authentic. It's expected and it provides purpose for the board. So I'll just look at just give you a couple of suggestions like in the second paragraph you begin with this very responsible and complex job. I'd make a grammat I would just change it to impactful this this impactful and complex job. Can I think >> you're you're at 9040 now. >> I'm at I'm at 9400. >> I'm sorry. self-evaluation the second second um line where it
023says this very responsible and complex job >> okay >> I I think it would strengthen it by saying this impactful and complex job requires that the board blend its diverse opinion into common purpose so I like the word impactful but that that's just a um a change I would I think it's more meaningful having impactful there but the the other two areas I I I talked about briefly earlier was the second paragraph that begins with therefore. Um the bylaw has it in bold as needed or says as needed. I would I would change that to will adhere to the board. So the Cheshire Board of Education that will adhere to a program of regularly scheduled self-evaluation in which each member shall participate. So again, it gets into what's expected. It's it's regularly scheduled. um you
024you could be more specific and say um as Adam suggested the the annual um check-ins and the and the bianual more comprehensive self-evaluation. There's certainly room for that if if that was something the board felt very strongly about and wanted to memorialized in his bylaw. I I think that that to me works within you want it to be broad but and and and also have some level of specificity. I think that kind of meets you halfway there. I would also get rid of as needed in the third paragraph and just begin with the board will schedule dates and I um in the paragraph the last paragraph that begins with the board may at times request. I think having an outside consultant is really um something you I would I would always recommend boards commit to.
025Obviously, I think um Nick is the best of the best. Um but some boards will will choose an attorney to do this kind of work. Um I do think um having the breath of experience that Nick has working with boards with and without a timer and a clock, you know, um timing the work and charging for it. I I think um committing to an outside facilitator is in my view a good idea. So I would say the the board shall consult with outside expert facilitator a facilitator in carrying out the evaluation of the board something to that in that regard. So you're committing to a facilitator you're committing to a time schedule and you're getting rid of as needed and just committing to this is what we're going to do as a board. Could I
026just add also I totally agree with having the facilitator um was really useful from my point of view but also the fact that we had material to look over and to complete like a short survey. We had something we had homework to do before we got to that um facilitator to that evaluation. So, I thought that was pretty important step as well. >> And Ann, to your point, I I think there's room in here too if you wanted to as a board um deliberate over um there there are two areas where you can be more specific. I think Ann you hit on one of them which is um um the self-evaluation will include um but not be limited to you know the old legal language and have several bullets um a self-evaluation tool and you
027can have a variety of things that would be there >> and then you could have another paragraph that that or another >> language like that that spells out the actual um process. The what would be what what what topics would be addressed in the self-evaluation and kind of getting into again the the following is in will be included but not limited to the following topics and then kind of give yourself some a bit of a menu from which to choose and that you can expect >> that's kind of already in here and I I'll just you know because we had kind of talked about crosswalking this against the K best practices uh for um I've done some of that uh and it is you know the elements that are highlighted in our policy our bylaw
028are pretty well reflected in the cave best practices but um >> you know if it's with some direction of the group for just a draft to review next month um I can make some of the tweaks that Jody was just talking about with you know what Adam was just suggesting doing a um bianial which is every other year according to Google um a bianial uh uh self-evaluation you know with the suggestion of an annual retreat um the bianial evaluation facilitated by a consultant we but I could just draft something up so that next month we can take a look at that draft and you guys can then give direction on like yeah let's run this past the board um or not. Does that make sense? Because it sounds like we want to do the uh
029bianial we want to take a look at um on an annual basis the um I can share this document the um let me see I got to go back to the original to share this one. So yeah, this is the what you're you're familiar with um you know from when we go to um when we uh do this at the board level where we have the um the criteria that we review and then the board makes a motion on it. So, this is just like the page one. So, what I can do is um I'll draft something up for that 9400 policy that reflects the conversation if everybody is okay with that. We don't need to vote on me making a draft, but just, you know, maybe by verbal agreement. Like does that make sense
030to our policy committee members before we move on? >> Does to me. Yes. >> Okay. Great. All right. So, we'll do that for next month. >> I'd be I'd be happy to review it with you, Jeff. I'd >> be happy. >> Yeah. I appreciate it. >> All right. And then I think you had mentioned also uh policy 9040 was it? >> Yes. 9040. And again, my only my only um again it's it's well written. It's it's it's fine the way it is, but I think in in with respect to the conversation we're having and and where I see this board wanting to be, I would add something with you you're looking at keeping a breast of future educational needs of the town as well as the present. Um, which is bullet number four. uh maybe
031even adding a separate bullet or adding to this bullet and planning and attending relevant training and professional development opportunities to build board capacity. So again, being a little bit more specific about committing to your own professional development, whether it be um through workshops, um you know, again, one of those including but not limited to board workshops, um facilitated by cave um cave caps conferences. So you can really kind of be you can provide a litany of of opportunities the board could um avail itself to um to I think strengthen that. I think you have it's global language. You certainly do want to be a breast keep a breast of educational needs and trends. There are many of them coming out daily. You want to be aware of those things. But I think this speaks adding
032something like this around your own professional development. the training that's available, taking advantage of it, bringing it back to your community, um bringing it to your workshops. Um I I think all of that really speaks directly to your own um self evaluative reflective um piece that you're looking at in 9400. I think it supports that. >> Well, I think it also speaks to what you said earlier, Jody, about you know, kind of setting clear expectations uh for the board. Um if a board member or somebody interested in becoming a board member were to just look at the the board related responsibilities and see like engage in you know collaborative annual review of practices of the board. I think that you know then obviously we have the whole thing that outlines that we'll draft on self-evaluation.
033Um that makes that makes sense and I would even include here employable uh and qualified superintendent but I would include a piece about the conduct board eval or the board evaluation of the superintendent on basis because >> you know that's not only required by law but the the um board created an evaluation process for me this year like a a paper evaluation. So, >> and and I think to that point, Jeeoff, I I think that what you really try to convey, what what I've always tried to convey with my boards is that this is all systemic work. It's it's systems work. It's not just simply you're you're you show up and you employ someone. You employ a superintendent. There's a process and everything is a process. The evaluation is a process. Your your your policy
034work is a process, right? You know, there are boards that every time I talk about and in the in the in the November journal, the article I'm writing right now um for the November journal is going to be about board deliberations on policy work. Boards hate deliberating. Superintendent hate deliberating with boards around policy work. It's much easier to say, "Here's a policy. Here's a model. Adopt it. Pass it. And we'll just let everybody know it's it's policy." But so much comes out of deliberations, knowing, you know, being able to identify your your the expectations of your community. What what these what you know where you put certain language in your policy, what's triggering to the community, what's not triggering. There's so much that comes out of having these tough conversations in developing policies that when
035they're ultimately adopted, as painful as the process is, you end up with a policy that's going to sustain itself for many years and you can stand behind it. I'm seeing more and more boards um shortcut the deliberation process. We got this policy from our attorney, let's adopt it, or we got this, you know, I got I called Jod. I got a cave model policy. let's just adopt it. Um, when I write a policy, I every I have every expectation. It's it's the starting point of a conversation with the board. I mean, there's only one policy I can think of where it isn't. That's the Connecticut school climate policy, which is a as written. It's it's the only policy I'm aware of that the state legislature says adopt this policy as written. But every other policy,
036>> the only Yeah. The only thing they give you latitude there is on the the um how you want to record the the form basically. But >> Right. That's right. >> I I think our board um is really good actually and I I think maybe it it comes from the fact that um many many years ago we tried to go through our whole but we did a whole board review of every policy basically and good for you. have done a lot of work around that. Like even um last year when we implemented the cell phone policy, we didn't just like slap a policy down. We surveyed parents twice. We reviewed those surveys. We you know, so there was a lot of work around um and these guys will push back too a lot of times
037on like do we have to use that language? And you know, sometimes the attorney says, yeah, you have to use that language, but sometimes there's options. But Right. >> Yeah. So I think we we try and be really conscious of you know our our process >> and I think using that I I would apply that same mindset and think and thinking around the other work of the board you know again >> right >> you know so so looking at it's one thing when I look at number four I think of keeping a breast of future educational needs I'm reading a newspaper I'm listening the radio I'm kind of digesting things I'm staying I'm staying up to date but but to me it's more than that it's it's your own professional development. It's your own learning.
038It's it's how you and and taking what you're learning and being a better board member and being a team player and and and knowing how to work together to to um benefit the children in your in your district and the parents in your district. So, it's it's that that that's really what I'm looking at with number four. >> Yeah, I think some of that comes up in the in the um you know, the cave uh recognition awards in the in the required criteria too. But anyway, go ahead Ann. I'm sorry. >> I was just going to agree with Jeff. I don't think deliberating deliberations is actually a weakness of ours. >> Again, I I certainly wasn't suggesting that that was true with Cheshure. It was It tends to be more of a trend with with
039with time and and a busier world and people moving more quickly and and the polarization, the political issues. Sometimes it's just easier to say our attorney told us to and you adopt it and then blame it on the attorney or the state's making us do it so we'll blame it on the state. Um but the fact that you're doing this work I think is again speak I I wouldn't I wouldn't short change that in your application process for the ca any cave award. I think that that's a really important one from my perspective. >> Thanks Jody. anything else like I mean I know you looked at and those are and I did ask you know particularly because we had talked about the evaluation process and retreat process but um anything else jump out at you
040that you felt worth sharing or is there anything from the board members that you know they would appreciate Jod's feedback on as relates to any of this stuff that we didn't really already touch on. I would just say, Jeff, I would look forward to seeing a draft of something. And um bylaws are not supposed to be so restrictive that you pin yourself into a having to do something um every single time the same way. they need to be sort of broad enough so that you can um work the needs of the particular board. Um as I mean I un totally understand the as needed language needing to go and be more specific but you need to keep that sort of that spirit of as needed because boards are different. Our board's gonna change in by
041next year because every years of the elections and you know you need to do things differently when you have a different makeup of people. So >> it it really is that balance. I I I agree. It's it's kind of like yeah, you have the guard rails and you try to keep the ball in in the lane and um you know what you know it's too much and you know it's not enough and it's finding that middle ground. More of a framework for how the board operates and what it cares about. >> And having said that, Jeff, I I didn't mean it to make it sound like you don't know how to do that because I think you do. I just wanted to bring up the you know I have I've seen people get together on
042bylaws and like just I'm like you can you don't want your bylaws to be so specific that you that you don't have any leeway to make it work for the group. >> Yeah. I mean we will definitely keep language out that refers to if it doesn't happen you will get beaten or anything you know it's not like that rigid but um you know I think language like the board believes that annual evaluation is productive and beneficial um it doesn't mean that you will be thrown off the board all seven members will be thrown off if we don't do an annual evaluation it's not that but I think it it does provide direction um better than just as needed because you know there were a lot of years where we didn't do any evaluation or any
043um any uh you know retreat and I I think as as we've engaged in these things more we our practice has become better um we get better outcomes that way so I think it's worth worth making that adjustment and I will make those draft revisions and um you know certainly get those back to you before our next policy meeting so we have another chance to take a look at it. >> Thank you. >> Jody, thank you so much for joining us tonight. We appreciate it. >> Anything I can do to help. I'm happy to help you guys. So, >> well, you can uh you can buy Nick lunch tomorrow and Mark will send you the money, I'm sure, any day now. But >> but uh please apologize to him for me. I texted him, but
044um again, I'm sorry about that. And uh you know, we'll look forward to connecting with him again soon. >> Not a problem. Take care everybody. Have a good night. >> Thanks, Cody. >> Good night. >> So, our next um item There we go. Um, we reviewed the bylaws uh in the, you know, the 900 series against K best practices. Um, and now, um, we do have a series of revised revisions for the policy. um really all grounded in uh legislative changes. So the first policy I don't think I can let me see if I can have to share a little little rusty on the um Google Meet. Yeah, suspension and expulsion due process. Um, I know these were shared with you previously, but the changes really only come in. Yeah. Um, that, you know, starting
045with See, I just want to go back and check the age. Yeah, this is really um this starts to get into uh due process for suspension and expulsion. Um and it it highlights uh a variety of of changes that were made um legislatively. So basically um with the suspension and um expulsion stuff that you know boards, districts uh we need to engage in um in meetings and a f first of all focus on because I made a little bit of a summary here. Uh some of the core additions are focus on restorative practice and preventative approach. Um that we need to have, you know, restorative practices, staff training, ongoing policy review, which we we do. um behavior intervention. When a student causes serious uh disruption, self harm, physical harm, uh that the teacher can request
046a behavior inter intervention meeting with the crisis intervention team, which is generally our um our uh administration and and mental health team. um that we um it provides a little bit more detail around um the key terms. Um it includes uh definition for the electronic nicotine delivery system. And it's funny just because just as we're updating this, we were talking administratively about um the increase in basically I they they're called Zin pouches now. They're they're um I guess like I don't want to call like skull but like those bandits skull bandits from like back in the day where you'd put a tobacco pouch uh in your lip to give you a tobacco high. So we're looking at well does that need to be changed? And that's something that we've been looking at legally more recently.
047like does is our um does our policy um cover that? Uh so we're we're are we are in the process of trying to figure that out with um our team from Birchman Moses. Um it provides like homeless protections. So in the policy before you suspend or expel a student, we have to determine that the child isn't homeless. Um we have very few homeless students in the district. So um it it's rare uh extremely rare actually. So um likely not to be an issue but obviously you know we want to make sure that if a student is homeless to what degree is that a contributing factor um in their potential suspension. The other thing it does is um the law has limited uh out of school suspensions for students in grades prechool through two um to
048five days only for violent uh or harmful behavior um I I I can't remember of us ever uh suspending a student out of school in preK through two. Um and then 3 through 12 uh is it remains a limit of 10 days. uh there there is no change there but it does require traumainformed supports required upon return which is you know something we've done forever I would say like when a student if you're suspending a student for nearly that long you are definitely meeting with them and their family upon return and trying to figure out how do we um transition in um before you move a student to an out of district placement the law now requires is uh a functional behavioral assessment um or a behavior inter or to develop a a behavior intervention
049plan um if you know again that's an out of district placement so typically you know those things in our district would have been in place um I think it would be exceptionally rare uh to to outplace a student certainly for a behavioral issue do without that um in our school system, but again, the law is not written for the Chreasure public schools. It's for everybody in Connecticut. Um and then it it does have some updates for, for example, for students in juvenile detention, which again in our communities exceptionally rare. Um um so this covers a variety of updates uh that were made in the legislative session and this language just uh reflects those legal changes that were made. So the changes are specifically about homeless if the if the child is homeless. >> No. Um
050the changes are broader than that, but the homeless piece was one of the changes. So um and this like for example this that's right up on the screen here under G suspension procedures. Um, no student shall be suspended without an informal hearing on the administration. Student shall be informed of the reason discipline opportunity to explain shall be construed uh to prevent more formal hearing from being held in if circumstances um surrounding the incident. So require I'm not even sure why the law felt inclined to just add that piece to it. that is something that was previously required like you you can't suspend a student without a hearing um with them without a conversation again unless there is a safety risk um for example if I got notified that um a student and I'm going to
051make this outlandish here shot somebody outside of school um you know I get that notification that they were arrested on a felony any charge like that um I could suspend them without a hearing um because the threat to public safety is high enough at that point. Um again that's that's a extreme case but there are you know typically you meet with the student to determine what's going on. Um, and the changes that you see in red, like for this this part here in the red, is really about you have to determine if the child is homeless or not. And is the behavior um potentially a function of their homelessness? Um, this >> the the red is additions, correct? >> Right. And then it there are some other places where you'll see that it's stricken. >>
052Okay, that's what I was wondering. >> Some of the old language. Yeah. >> Wondering where the language was that it was replacing, but it's not replacing. It's it's just an addition if it's >> Yeah, the reds are all the additions and then there's striketh through for the areas that are changes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. Adam. >> Adam. Um, so, so just to be clear, any change is directed by statute and so we cannot change any of it. Correct. >> It it would have to say the same thing. I mean, maybe worded potentially differently, but the um, you know, we couldn't say, well, you know what, we'd really prefer to suspend preschool through two for up to 10 days. um when the law the law is very clear that you can only suspend a
053student in prek to two for uh up to five days max. You know what I I well I think well that the question maybe is more important is like is there anything in here that is potentially in conflict to what we already do or would we have to add anything like do we need um that uh >> what was that the the outplacement >> coordinator like is that I'm assuming we we must have that person already. >> Yeah. So, we have a a McKinley Vento homeless liaison zone. That's Robin. Um, then with the outplacements, uh, you know, Robin coordinates that already as well. A lot of the other stuff in here related to suspensions would fall on our building principles. Um, and there's really nothing in our, this doesn't really change anything at all about
054our practice. Really nothing. um because our number of homeless students is so few um that our principles know who might be potentially homeless and they're already aware of that um when things occur in the building. Um there's really nothing that I see in here that's going to change a lick of what we do. Yes. >> Important part to make. >> Yeah. Yeah. I was going to ask the same question Adam asked that, you know, this is all statutory and we have to kind of roll with what the what the state is telling us we got to roll with. >> Yeah. They've dictated, you know, a lot of this, but it to be honest, like I said, they may have made all these changes. They may have uh articulated all these things. There's really nothing here
055that we read and go, "Oh, wow. All right. Well, that this is a real change." Sometimes there are things like that. That's there's nothing in this um these all these changes that were made that is uh different than what we typically practice anyway. So, you know, I don't have any issues with the changes they made as it relates to this because like I said, there there's really not a lot different. Um, what actually the the only thing that might be different is a formal process with respect to uh teachers raising concerns to the administration like having a form more formal process for that. But our teachers raise concerns to our administration. We manage it anyway. Um, so it's like I said, there's nothing here that makes me say, "All right, well, you know, this this
056we better really make sure we're doing something different because pretty much everything we do now. So, I mean, there's a lot here. Uh, this is a first reading. I would recommend you take another look at it. If there's a a specific question you have, it might be helpful if you send it to me before. Um, but, you know, before our next meeting, I could double check it. But like I said, there's nothing in here that that made me raise eyebrows. >> Well, that's a good start. Yeah, but like you can see, I mean, it's like 50 pages long, but like I said, there's nothing that's like alarming. >> I thought it started at like 45 pages, so it seems like they must have >> like last year, like, did we just do this last year?
057So, it was a well over 40 pages last year. So, >> right, as we were saying, uh >> it's not uncommon for uh us to review the same policy multiple times because they just they make a a change and now you have to make a legal change, >> right? >> Um the next one is is new stuff. Actually, I just um I attended a uh workshop last Wednesday, I think it was Thursday, maybe with um Tom Mooney uh from Shipman and Goodwin uh was set up for uh superintendents across the street state and um he gave some clarification on some of this stuff. So, um let's see, this is yeah, here we go. This is the draft replacement, the special education policy. Um, a lot of this isn't um wildly different. Basically, after um it
058used to be that when a a student was being evaluated for special education for completion of an initial evaluation, um it used to be that the district had 45 school days to complete the evaluation. the initial evaluation after parent consent. That means they sign off and give us the the permission to evaluate the child. You had 45 school days. That's been that's um been changed to 60 calendar days. Um so there's a change. It's not really all that significant to be honest. Um it uh we have to provide parents with Connecticut State Department of Ed information as soon as the child is identified as needing special ed, which we've done already. Um we it it directs districts to meet with parents prior to the initial uh PPT to review process and concerns, which I think
059generally we do. Um and I think it's a good practice. So that's why we generally try and do that. Um we have to provide evaluation results to families at least three school days before the the PPT which is good. Um and we we do that anyway. Uh so the way the process works is we'll have um a referral to uh special education in which the family and the school team will sit down and discuss what evaluations should be conducted to make determinations about um special education. And then um this is saying and this is something we do uh in advance of the next meeting when you actually make the determination you uh meet with the family to provide an overview of the evaluations that were conducted because unless you're in education um frankly a lot
060of this is a bit of a foreign language and so um it's helpful for the family to understand like what what are we actually talking about here in this data? Um it provides some um some information around the district transition coordinator which we have. I mean that's that's for um students that are that 18 to 22 population really. Um a lot of resources annual online list of transition resources for for families. We it it focuses a lot more on um this policy focuses a lot because our original policy if you look if you clicked on the link in the meeting minutes is like a page. This is several pages. Um so it includes a lot of emphasis on that postsecary goals um and like provisions uh regarding kids transitioning to technical schools as well. uh
061that what is required of of the public and the technical school to make that transition. It provides additional guidance for military families. um just kind of, you know, making sure districts um cooperate to the greatest extent they can, especially for kids with IEPs when they're um they have students transferring in or out um that are engaged in, you know, military families, which is not close to the bulk of of families that we deal with in our community, but um it does happen. and then you know out of district student guidance as well when you're um sending and receiving kids uh out of district placement students um how that's supposed to be handled and the none of that stuff is really any different than what we've done just in our practice as well. what is different
062and I'll slide down on the um this policy show you like I said this one is several pages long now. Yeah. So it starts I don't even know. I guess it was page five. I guess that is starts at I don't know if that's the bottom of four or the bottom of five, but it says evaluation of special edited program. I'm showing it on the screen now. Um the superintendent shall provide a regularly scheduled meeting uh at a regularly scheduled meeting of the board of ed and annual report concerning the special ed programs of the school district with the following information. So that really hasn't happened across the state because the there were a number of questions that were unanswered about what are we actually talking about with these programs or these district programs, not
063district programs. Um uh the organizations you contract with. We have some um real unique situations with birth to three is we are a birth to three cont. we contract, we're the state contractor for that. So, how does that fit into this? So, um basically at an upcoming board meeting soon, you'll be seeing the number and names of all community- based organizations with whom the board of ed has executed a formal memorandum of understanding, memorandum agreement or contract to provide support students to uh services to students in the school district disagregated by school and type of support services provided. So for example was clarified for us you know there are the the cheshure youth and social services they don't provide services for us they do however um with parental permission come into some of our schools
064and meet with a student where it's impossible basically for the family to schedule an appointment with them outside of our school hours. So that's not something that would be like a contract. So they're not doing that on our behalf. They're doing it really on the family's behalf. We're just giving them access. Um so stuff like that wouldn't be included. Um we do contract uh like with reread books for employment opportunities for our students in the transition program. So, that would be something that would be considered. I have I want to review the contract, but it would be considered for for something like this. Um, there aren't a lot to be honest with you of of uh community- based organizations that we have formal agreements with to provide services to our kids in the schools or
065uh our school students. Um but we are reviewing those for this report based on the guidance last week from shipment example like I said the the next one's the workforce development program offered by the board to students in which the board is partnered with an outside entity like I was just saying reread books might be you know is something we're looking at including uh but not limited to cooperatives internships in school job training programs provided by businesses and school workforce uh board presentations. And so, you know, there's still a question about like when we um send our kids to the trades visits, is that something that is considered in this this is an outside entity? you know, when we send our kids to um you know, Hanoa or Richard Chevy, like that is something that
066we do outside for um it it's it's not um a cooperative internship, but it's not limited to those things. So, these are some things that people had questions about um that we were getting guidance for in order to make a a report and make sure that we're following the intention of the law. And then the last one is attrition data for certified and non-certified staff disagregated by school and subject not including in district transfers. So, we have to report to the board like the people that have left um the the school district. Um and for us, you know, it's basically just retirement is is the big one for us. Um we don't have a ton of folks who leave. Um and so that's, you know, obviously not like it says not including indistrict transfers. it's
067the non-certified staff where we do certainly have a lot more turnover. So, we're pulling that data now to to share. And then, you know, if there's any recommendations for improvement, the superintendent should uh provide that as well. That's part of this new policy. And it it should be annual, but you know, if there are a lot of shifts, then it should be reported more regularly there. I mean, there's some districts that don't have they have a dozen openings today for jobs in the middle and here we are in October. Um, that's not our situation. I think at the board meeting we had three certified openings. Right now, we have one special education position. So, um, we're we're doing pretty well there. So I don't know if there's any questions on this policy. >> So this
068is all brand new. >> Yeah, there there is an existing policy. It's like like I said, it's like a page. This is way beyond that, much more comprehensive. Adam, >> um I guess same question as last time. uh has your staff reviewed this because it it feels like there's a lot of changes but maybe there's not except for the reporting component to us. Um >> that's that's the biggest change, Adam. Like most everything on here, you know, stuff like um you know, when students are out placement, outplaced, reviewing their IEP, uh we do that anyway just by practice. Like when a student is in a military family, any family, and they have an IEP, you come in or out, like we're we're facilitating records in a timely fashion. Like there are certainly some districts that
069we know and engage in that are much slower about getting us records to a point of like wild frustration sometimes. But um you know in terms of our practice the only thing that's really impacted here is that report to you guys in those those three elements. That's the biggest change for us here. Like I said, the 45 days versus 60 days, that's not really a big change because we're doing it within 45 day school days anyway. And that's really always inside of 60 uh calendar days. >> So >> that's kind of close, right? When you're including So that means you're includ >> It's 601 half a dozen usually basically. So yeah, so pretty much everything, you know, pretty low impact here for us. >> Yeah. >> The next um item was again on IEPs. Um
070this let me try and share screen here. Sorry here. this um this this has the 45day um pulling the two of them. The this has the 45day versus the 60-day timeline. Um and then there's more uh there is a lot in this as well about the transitions. Um you the you can see a lot of this is actually I was conflating the two together but um between the two those were the marquee changes. This one is the one that outlines, I'm sorry, the 45 versus 60 days and then the um the uh IEP development for transition programs that 18 to 22 year old population um is is really, you know, highlighted in here. And you can see the updates, the deletions in here, changing the language from PP IEP to PPT. I mean, they're relatively
071minor changes. Um the like I said the the marquee ones were the um the uh 45 calendar days to 60 and then the transition services transition coordinator which we've had for years. Um we we do the all the the supports for families that are not graduating basically from Cheshure High School, you know, at 18 years of age that students that um require additional support services beyond that. And then, yeah, a lot of that is usually including supporting a family, trying to um access um state services after graduation or after 22 um because that unfortunately for families is exceptionally difficult. Um so there's a lot of work with um our transition coordinator and our district does with families trying to bridge that transition from us providing job training and life skill support up to 22 to
072all right now that child is aging out how do you support them that their state support for that um and I think that's been uh bone of contention for a lot of districts when they pushed the age from 21 to 22 and didn't provide districts support. They saved money on the state side from that and it would have been great if they used that to bolster the services provided to the individuals but um unfortunately didn't shake out that way into the frustration of our families. Um, so then it gets into the armed forces piece I was telling you about, but you know, example, if the student is has if the family has to um come in or leave because of uh military orders, it just provides guidance around how quickly we should be getting the
073uh information to the other district. It's all stuff that we already engage in. Um the PPT team would meet, you know, hastily and and get the information and and review it like we do for any student who's transitioning in or out. That goes into the these are just the legal references, the updates. So again, I the the these the lot that was adopted here, there's a lot of detail to it. There's a lot of direction, but it it doesn't change really what we've been doing historically. Anyway, um we have a very robust, as I think, as you know, transition system. um when our you know our our special education program has a tremendous reputation because we do meet and engage families immediately and we do provide information in advance of PPTs and things like that.
074So there's nothing really in these um updates that is changing our practices but is required to have in policy. The last one we have is uh educational opportunities for military children is its own um mandatory policy. Just flip out of this one. >> Jeff, have we looked at these before? They're up for a first reading, it says. But I feel like >> well I think to Adam Adam Adam Adam Adam Adam's point from earlier like hey I've seen the suspension expulsion thing 17 times over the last 10 years it's because the law changes >> and they something tweaks and then we have to update and it's relevant to that policy. It's like the the climate policy. I I can't tell you how many times that's changed. >> Um Cave is going to actually do a
075workshop on that um upcoming. I just saw an ad for it today I want to send out to you guys. But um I can't tell you how many times that policy has been changed. I think we talked about it. It I went through the PowerPoint I think last spring with you guys that we had from a a consultant um not our consultant but just people who are very involved in the development of that um that new policy and it's changed a gazillion times. Um, so yeah, a lot of this will look familiar. This is basically um supporting military children. Uh, I think, you know, as a school system, we try and go out of our way for all of our families, but particularly if you're experiencing um the challenges associated with military service, we try
076and um accommodate you. Uh and like I said, um in our community it is pretty rare. Um but things like you know if you're coming here from out of state uh military family um you know you're just simple things like having your immunizations settled. You're given 30 days to do that. you know, whereas if you're not coming from out of state, you you have to have it before you start. Um, if you're not a military family, it things like this is what I'm talking about. The receiving school must request official records. Sending school must respond within 10 days. And we we do that for every child anyway. Like 10 days would be problematic for us. and we're doing that within five days and even that would be a long time. So a lot of these
077laws and things that were adopted are things I would just consider typical practice but required by law. So there's no like nothing in these um actually this we would um we would adopt the language above and not the alternate language but they include that. thought, you know, if you read the alternate language, like this would be a case where you could say, well, I really like the lower language for the um rather than these this language. Uh, you know, given that this is a first reading, we included that. You can determine if there's something in there that, you know, you really have a preference for. But it is you know the the information is included above but you may want to choose different language. So again nothing that changes anything really for us to be
078honest with you. It's all pretty just best practices that districts should probably be doing anyway. Um, codify it into law. So, that was all we had for the first readings. And then we had um Ann had requested that we have a conversation about the menstrual products and I want to want to provide an update on that. Any questions before we move on to the menstrual products in schools? >> Should we make a motion first or uh for this? >> It's up to you if you want to do that now or after. It works. >> Let's do it now. Go ahead, Adam. >> Um, well, firstly, >> yeah, that's wonderful. >> Um, yeah, I mean, for me, I I'm feeling like I would make a motion to to move all uh four is it all four
079policies for first reading. Does that Does that sound agreeable to everyone? >> Yeah. Even though I think we still need review. >> But um should I uh do I have to read them all in? >> Do I have to read them all in? I guess I should. Um all right, I'll do that. Uh move for first reading uh policy 5114, suspension and expulsion due process. Um 6171, special education. 6159 individual individualized education program IEP and 5118.1 educational opportunities for military children for first reading. >> You have a second. >> Second. >> Yeah. >> So seconded. All in favor? All right. Unanimous. >> Great. Okay. >> Okay. Thank you guys. So, the next item is the menstrual products that I was mentioning in the legislative session leading into the start of last school year. there. It
080started actually with the prison system and providing menstrual products to um adults in the Connecticut justice system, the the the corrections system, I guess. Um and then the schools were um added to that at the as is part of that process. And ultimately, um, it requires the school systems in Connecticut that add or provide free menstrual products uh, in women's restrooms and all gender restrooms and at least one men's restroom um, so that it's accessible to students in grades 3 through 12 inclusive. Um the uh I think it it says in the law in an effort to not stigmatize anybody um which you know I think is certainly well-intentioned uh when that law passed there was no other way to say it but extreme price gouging going on. It was they they jacked up the
081price. It was astronomically expensive to from vendors. We have had free menstrual products available to our school to our our students uh basically forever through the nurse's office. Um but um Ann brought this up last year. Frankly, we just or brought this up what a month ago maybe a few several weeks ago. So, I was approached by a couple colleagues of mine on campus and we um one of them is very involved with the Hamn I don't know some organization that um makes sure menstrual products are available to to um people like the diaper bank. There's >> Yeah. Anyways, um but these two colleagues of mine have um have daughters. I think they're both daughters in high school in Cheshure High School and their daughters mentioned that there are not menstrual products available in the
082bathrooms at Cheshure High. So anyways, I talked to a couple of the um assistant principles at the high school. I talked to Kelly and what's >> Ryan? >> Brian. >> Ryan at uh the middle school and then also Diana Burns at Chapman. Um, and nobody's seem to be able to to say anything about the fact that there should be menstrual products available in the bathrooms. So, I was just, you know, I told this person I would find out for them. >> Yeah. So, we are in the process of purchasing those. Um, I talked to V. Well, and I was also thinking, Jeff, before you go on, I was also thinking, you know, building new schools, do we have to >> abide by >> I mean, they should be taking care of that in new buildings.
083>> Yeah, >> that should be a requirement, shouldn't it? >> Yeah. Yeah. So, we we are in the process of >> of adding those. I had Rich go out and uh he's working on quotes and vendors um um as well as making sure that you know we have product available. I know the the nurse's office already has product available. It's just a matter of putting >> problem as I was talking to people. >> Yeah, that didn't seem to be the problem at all. But um >> yeah, it's it's it's kind of one of those things that like we don't necessarily publicize well and I but I think you know our students really know um the our female students know that but um I don't know that for sure and I don't have any definitive evidence
084of that and we should be doing this. though we are in the process of securing um um >> well it was brought to my attention also that um are there any student groups at the high school that might be able to participate in >> yeah I think we when we do drives for things like that through the high school we don't distribute them in the school um I think there's a liability associated with that. So, we purchase things, but we do have student groups who do drives and make donations. >> No, I was even thinking um student groups who are just looking into equal access women's issues things. I don't know. Um maybe I I don't recall that I'm natural products, but >> I'm checking an email from uh my colleague because she did also
085mention that if we needed any help identifying how to do some of this that um she would pro she could provide uh resources. Let me see what she >> Well, if you want to forward it on, too, if you want or just like if you want to even just cut and paste the part you're talking about me, that's fine, too. >> There's a portal, a Connecticut govern gov portal. So, there are different ways and different to to baskets versus there's not a one-sizefits-all model for getting um them in the restrooms. I don't know. >> Right. Right. >> Dispensers, baskets, whatever. >> Yeah, that's definitely something we're working on with Rich and uh Vin. But if you want to forward me, like if you want, like I said, if you want to copy paste it and
086send it to me, I'd appreciate it. >> I will. >> Thank you, >> Adam. >> Um, thanks. Um, yeah, I know that uh this law isn't new. If I recall, I if I recall, I had a conversation with you about this three, four years ago maybe when it was >> or was it >> there's a link in here and it it talks about um effective July 123 on and after September 124. Yeah, I thought >> it was 24. September 124 was when we were supposed to Oh, >> so may maybe we were discussing it when it was still making it through >> and how it was being, you know, handled more in that um grade three uh to five area, right? and uh we discussed what what sort of uh scenarios you were you were
087doing uh there because I don't know if if in the elementary schools specifically um I think it was more in the the boys rooms than in the girls rooms uh uh because I think it'd be actually an easier uh uh um distribution if you're just you know putting in in the the girls rooms all the time. Um, I think we were more talking about vandalism and and that sort of thing, but I think even more importantly, I know I was reading through the the the menstrual guidance here and on on page eight, it talks about ability to access bathrooms, which then led me to the thought about, well, uh, bathrooms are are we we're still doing those bathroom rotations at the high school. I don't think so much at the middle school. Um, so is
088there is there a way to improve the bathroom availability at the high school? Is that something that we can work on? Because I would because I would assume that we have dispensers operational at whatever bathroom is open at the time at the high school. Certainly on the the women's side. Um, on the on the men's side, it says one bathroom. So, does does that mean that there's one men's bathroom at let's say all the elementary schools and one uh dot and at the high school that's open all the time that's always operational? Um, you know, how does how does that work? Is there is there a schedule where that rotates things? Should we be looking into I don't know if we have cameras the side of bathrooms so where we could maybe someday have all
089the bathrooms open so that we could have a time log if something happened we would know who went in and out or I know we had the what the bathroom patrol there a few years ago I don't know if that still goes on you know uh >> I just thought about just that one line >> about access to bathrooms >> aside from Fort Knox I feel like there are a few places more secure than the Ben's rooms at Chesher High School because um the cost of vandalism is outrageous and what happens unfortunately, you know, never did I think that I would miss smoking, but um vape pens are incredibly detrimental. Like what happens is a vape pen is a relatively cheap compared to the consequences of being caught with it um item. It's often odorless.
090Um so you're in the bathroom and you're afraid you're going to get caught. So it goes right into the toilet and gets flushed and that creates incredible damage in our sewer lines which has cost us thousands and thousands of dollars. And unfortunately, >> yeah, we've seen those pictures. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. And this is, by the way, this is not a chaser problem. American problem, but um when you know, even with the video of kids going in and out of the bathroom, like I don't know when that got put or when that got flushed, you know, when that vape pen got flushed or whatever. So, we try and be really secure on that. Other forms of vandalism, I think, have decreased. Um thankfully we don't see them as much and I think
091part of that Adam is the uh the um hall pass system that we have in place right now um our high school prohibition on students bringing cell phones to bathrooms um has helped because now you're not like texting all your friends let's meet in the bathroom this time this whatever and then we track you on the hall passes and you know if we're having issues in the bathroom at that time it's much easier easier to track you down and say, "All right, well, who was in the bathroom during that time?" And why are the four of you always in the same bathroom all the time, you know? Um, and I I hate to have that level of of scrutiny um when we're trying to teach young adults, but uh I also recognize that it's everybody's
092right to be able to use the bathroom during the school day and that there are a handful of students and it's not, you know, the vast majority. a small handful of kids that unfortunately limit opportunities for everybody else, which is why those groups exist of students to try and crack down on that stuff too with people. And it's it's been better. Um it it's not great. Like it's never great unfortunately. I mean, from the time I was a high school principal 15 years ago and it was smoking in there, but um we are still trying to work on that and trying to limit vandalism and increase access. It's it's something that we're sensitive to all the time. >> So, I had the same question, Adam, about the vandalism. Is that part of the reason why
093we don't have >> the menstrual products is vandalism? It's it's not I I wouldn't say that's the whole reason like first of all the menstrual products in women's rooms vandalism in in women's rooms hasn't been the historical problem that has been in men's room honestly it was just the price gouging there um but I I do want to review the guidance um you know we've looked into dis um distribution methods on you know for dispensers on the walls and whatnot um but I would want to review that guidance if you want to send it on um just to make sure it's >> Yeah, I will. >> My other question was the vandalism at the middle school must be as bad as at the high school. No, >> no, >> it Yeah, I mean it it
094occurs. Um and it it's probably picked up from the time that you know I worked there. I mean that was 20 years ago, but um it's the high school tends to be worse. Okay. >> I always thought everything was worth at worse at the middle school, but >> No, not no. >> Don't sell the high schoolers short. >> So, again, we have great kids across the district. Like I >> I know, >> you know, we're talking about a handful of kids >> um doing stupid stuff that that creates a lot of damage and impacts every kid in the community. So that stinks and we really try and crack down on that. But the fact that it does happen is frustrating. So then >> and the fact that it costs so much money, stupid kids. >>
095Most of the complaints I hear from parents are from are from parents with female students um about bathroom availability. even though the vand it sounds like most of the vandalism >> occurs in the the men's bathrooms. So, but generally is the are the female bathrooms more available like let's say you know if there's I don't know how many bathrooms are in the school like are the are they you know are they generally more available or is it you know I I still hear the stories about you know girls having to run halfway across the school to to use a bathroom or you know stuff like that >> and I I I'll be honest with you I don't have a contemporary update on that Adam let me get you an update from uh you know our
096admin team at the high school. >> Okay. >> You know again if that you hear from a couple parents is that anecdotal is it systematic? You know let's >> Yeah, I don't know. >> Yeah, I don't I don't have a contemporary update on that. I know like last year things were improving. I I don't know where things stand at the moment. Um as we started the 25 >> you know are are Ann's uh colleagues uh daughters are they friends? Did it happen on the same day? Is it different parts of the school? You know, like that kind of stuff. >> Yeah. >> Always good. >> Let me let me get you an update. >> This is October, right? It's supposed to be, you know, it's good to nail it down now, I guess. >> Yeah.
097Yeah. We're We're through the honeymoon, so let let's see. I mean, we're almost we're closing in on 10 weeks of school already, you know, so it's uh it's quick. It's moving along. I will send you that uh link that I have, Jeff, and I really appreciate you um bringing this into policy tonight. >> Yeah, I'm sorry, you know, that we hadn't um hadn't picked up on that. I think it was I feel bad that we dropped the ball on that, but you know, at the time it was like they're charging what for dispensers? Yeah, we're we're not going to get robbed. And then we just unfortunately didn't circle back to it and we should have. So, um, we will. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, that was, uh, our last item on
098the agenda for this evening. >> All right. >> Motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Hey, before we adjourn officially, >> uh, is Thursday? >> No, we're adjourned.