001Order. Mr. Zency. Roll call, please. He's here. Here. Here. Thank you. Please join us in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Well, well, well. Lydia Malachi, this is our official last meeting because, you know, in May, we all thought it was your last meeting, but I'm glad that it wasn't. So, please go ahead and give us the news one last time. All right. Good evening, every Malachi. This is actually the m the last meeting, right? Uh I think so. Right. Although we do have one on June 30th. You're welcome to come at 7:30 a.m. I will actually be out of the country then. So sorry to tell you
002guys, but in that case, it's a great thing that we save some of the best news of the school year for tonight's meeting. Yep. Starting off strong during the past few weeks, exactly half of our sports teams have won their respective sports tournaments. Shout out to Julia to junior Julia Pake for being the overall medalist for the girls golf team for the second year in a row. She will now look to defend her state open title from last year. We also still have four teams that have yet to play in their respective tournaments. Girls lacrosse, boys lacrosse, boys volleyball, and softball. We wish them all the best. These wins aren't the only thing we're celebrating at CHS, though. Last week, the Vietnam War class in our social studies department hosted its annual Vietnam War Veterans
003Breakfast. Students taking the class commemorated and thanked the veterans for their service through essays, displays, and diaramas. Everyone involved had a great time. Our first spirit week wrapped up wrapped up recently. Students, teachers, and staff at CHS showed up every day to dress up for daily themes, compete in activities, and take down other teams through the Penny Wars. The results are in. And the winners of Chester High's first ever spirit week are, drum roll please, not the seniors. Somehow it was actually the sophomores. The seniors came in last place, but we don't have to talk about that. We were however able to raise well over $500 through spirit week. The funds once we finish counting through 5,000 plus coins will be put towards student senate, the national honor society, and the class of 2027. Looking
004ahead to next year, Treasure High's link crew is ready and eager to welcome the class of 2029. Freshman orientation will be a little bit earlier than usual this year, taking place on Friday, August 15th. But before we start introducing new freshmen, we have to first give our our seniors a proper sendoff. Graduation will be a week from today, June 12th, and we hope to see you all there. And of course, we can't forget about the festivities that come right afterwards. Thank you again to the CHSPTO and the Treasure community for making our all night grad party posite grad party possible. It'll be a night none of us seniors forget anytime soon. We can't believe that we've already reached the end of our time attending these board of ed meetings. What are we supposed to do
005every third Thursday of the month now? I'm not sure. But what I do know is that coming to these meetings have have made us realize how much you all do behind the scenes for all the schools across Cheshure. We truly cannot thank you enough for all the work you've invested in our success. Thanks for everything. Board members have any comments or questions for our student reps? Thank you. I will say it's um always such a thrill for me to see our student representatives and reflect back on what your experience was like in September for your first board meeting where it was kind of like all right how what I have to read verbatim looking down and now to see you at the end of the school year uh confident and comfortable uh it's just a
006real thrill and We're really proud of you and appreciate the work you do all year long to bring the board information. Um, you guys are shining stars at Treasure High School. We're proud to recognize you tonight. Thank you so much. Thank you. It's funny you should mention that, Jeff, because I had exactly the same thoughts running through my mind is now you're ad liibbon. You're you're comfortable. You're flattering us. These things never happened in September, October, November even. So, congratulations and thank you for your uh year of service with us. Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments or questions? Well, it did from both of them. Um, I'm going to reserve my comment for the graduation speech that I'm making, but it's been a real pleasure watching you two grow here like Dr. Soul and
007Dr. Herrian said. So, good luck next year. Uh, we're really proud of you. I personally am. um you know you know that I work at another school district so sometimes I tend to be a little competitive when you know hey my students going to such and such well we have one go to MIT and a husky so there you go over here but like I said I'm going to reserve my comment for graduation but thank you for bringing us the news as always and I believe Dr. Solen, if you have any recognition. Yes, we have uh certificates and your name plaques from the the year that you get to keep. It's is great that that's like such a thrill for you guys. Your first name. Yeah. Right. All right. So, it's official. So, come on
008up, guys. We'll do know the routine by now. We'll do a photo and because it's the hottest day of the spring not quite hot enough when I post it. Awesome. [Applause] I think you should actually stay for this full meeting since it's your last so you know. Okay, next item. Um I believe Mr. Hanlin, will you do the honors of recognizing our Belladictorian saludiatoran, please? Good evening everybody. We're going to start with our saludiatoran. And this year's saludiatoran is certainly familiar to the board of education. So, I'm administrators in this room and the staff who frequent these uh chambers tonight. So, I'm going to invite Malachi be a backup uh backup here. Come on up, Malachi. How about right here? Right there is great. Okay. Uh, behind an impressive 4.86 GPA, it's Maokai Beia's work
009ethic, thoughtfulness, positive approach, seemingly endless energy, and inclusive nature that shine through. Never far from his overfilled backpack, Malachi is often one of the first to arrive at school and among the last to leave. He is president of our student senate, the National Honor Society, and he is co-editor and chief of the Rampage. His extracurricular involvement continues to include science national honor society, English honors society, the New Haven Math League, and the South Korean science research experience. And he's also members of the robotics and indoor and outdoor track teams in contributing back to the school community. Annual fundraisers, morning announcements, blood drive club, peer tutoring, work on B1 day committee, and this year's spirit week all have Malachi's fingerprints on them. In short, if there's something going on at CHS, there's a pretty good chance
010Mala Kai is there. And it doesn't seem that the phrase there's not enough time in the day applies to him at all. Uh review of Malai's transcript shows that he's been successful in a breath of courses across many departments that could open the door to many post high school pathways. From those many open doors, Maai will be choosing to hone in on his studies on aerospace engineering when he attends MIT in the fall. Malachi is joined by his mom read tonight. Malachi, we congratulate you and have every confidence that you will go on to continue uh continue to go for it in your pursuits beyond CHS. Congratulations. [Applause] I'd like to next invite up our validictorian from Cheshire High School this year, Daniel A. Now, come on up, [Applause] Daniel. Daniel is an exceptional student
011whose academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, and dedication to service embody the Cheshire Performance Standards and set him apart. With a remarkable 4.89 89 GPA in the most rigorous coursework available at CHS. Daniel has consistently demonstrated a rare combination of analytical rigor and creative thinking. His involvement beyond his coursework is impressive. He has challenged himself by participating in prestigious competitions such as Chemistry Olympiad, Yukon Science Bowl, and NASA Planet Mars Challenge. Daniel co-founded Cheshire High School's chemistry club, competes in the Greater New Haven and New England math leagues, contributes to the rampage. His well-rounded involvement extends to tennis, indoor track and music, where he performs as a violist in the CHS and community orchestras. Additionally, his first degree black belt in taekwond do speaks to his discipline and perseverance. Daniel has immersed himself in research, including a
012summer opportunity at Yale where he contributed to a study on cardiac calcification. This hands-on experience combined with his shadowing cardiology at the VA hospital and work as a patient aid at Midstate Medical Center relates directly to his future aspirations of becoming a cardiologist, non-surgical cardiologist. I'll note found that out today. Daniel's might have to do something with a pig dissection, but I don't know. Daniel's commitment to service is equally impressive with over a hundred hours of tutoring at Kuman, volunteering as a patient transport aid, and assisting in community initiatives like Winterfest and Leaf Raking. With unwavering determination and proven track record of excellence, Daniel is poised to make meaningful contributions beyond the walls of CHS. Daniel's joined this evening by mom Ivon Robati. Daniel, we congratulate you and know that you will continue to great
013things when you arrive at Yale University in the fall. Congratulations. [Applause] We have another recognition tonight. Um, so I'd like to invite Ma Kaibia back up to the podium. So, we left out one important accomplishment from Malokai's previous resume and are proud to share it uh individually here. So, out of the 1.5 million students who enter the National Merit Scholarship Program, 6,870 students qualify as finalists. For those following along along with the math, that's about a half a percent of less than half a percent of anybody who entered. Um, finalists are chosen based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation evaluates the finalist's academic record, information about the school's curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, recommendations, the students activities and leadership, and the finalist's own essay. And we
014are extremely proud to recognize Maai Beia as a National Merit Scholar finalist. Congratulations. Yeah. Thumbs up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. [Applause] Congratulations, gentlemen. And now the next item would be um Mr. White. I think you have this one. I am super excited to make this presentation tonight because the honore is one of my son's besties and I also personally know him to be a great kid. Vosvvic Narayanam of Norton Elementary School in Cheshire was among the 15 elementary, middle, and high school students from across Connecticut selected as winners of US Senator Chris Murphy's 9th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day essay contest. This year, Senator Murphy received close to 1600 entries from Connecticut students reflecting on Dr. King's dream and their own aspirations. Quote, "Reflecting on Dr. King's work reminds us of the courage and determination
015needed to build a more just world." End quote. Murphy said in a statement. He continued, "Every year, I'm moved by the essays from students across our state who show not only their understanding of his legacy, but their commitment to carrying it forward. Their thoughtful reflections give me hope and remind us all of the incredible potential of young people to lead us toward a better future. Basic. [Applause] Congratulations. And I think he's a striker for soccer, right? Awesome. Next item would be um Dr. Solen, our recognition of our retired personnel. Thank you, uh, Chairman Rosenberg. Uh, this is kind of a bittersweet event every year. Um and you know the the last set of honores that we had um were humbling a 4.89 GPA. That's ridiculous. Vin was bragging about having a 4.9 GPA in high
016school, but he didn't realize that's not the total of all four years. Vin, that's was like it's not 1 point something a year. like um as impressive as that group was, um those students arrive at this place on the shoulders of the next group that we're going to recognize. And this group is certainly every bit as equally impressive as the student accomplishments that you just heard about. Uh we are so proud to recognize these committed individuals uh who have spent years of their career dedicating themselves to the children of our community so that our kids could have opportunities like you just heard about. And so, um, tonight we'll I'll introduce each principal who will come up and tell you a little bit about the honores, the retirees that we have before us this evening. So,
017please welcome from Dodd Middle School, Principal Kelly [Applause] Grill classes. Good evening everyone. It is my honor to recognize and celebrate the retirement of two of our beloved teachers. I'm gonna begin with Mrs. Terresa Baker. If you want to come [Applause] up, Teresa is a dedicated and compassionate educator who has served our school community for over 30 years. Sorry, I had to say that. Teresa began her career in Cheshire in 1994 and joined the Dodd Middle School family full-time just one year later. Since then, she has left a profound mark on our school, always putting students first and advocating for their growth in every way. She's a master of meeting students where they are and helping them move forward with confidence and care. Her students have not only learned skills, they have felt seen, safe,
018and supported. Teresa believes that relationships are the foundation of good teaching and her gentle, kind-hearted approach has made her a trusted adult for so many young people. She's also been an incredible teammate, collaborative, dependable, and insightful, and a steady support for our families navigating the world of special education. I had the privilege of being on Theresa's team as a brand new teacher back in 1998, and even then, she was someone I looked to for guidance. Her example shaped so much of how I learned to approach this work with compassion, patience, and a belief that all students can grow. All these years later, I have had the good fortune to return to Dodd and work alongside her once again. I'm so grateful I made it back in time to share this chapter with you. It's been
019a full circle moment and one I'll always always hold dear. Teresa, we thank you for your decades of service, your generous spirit, and the way that you have shaped the lives of so many in our community. I hope retirement brings you time for the things that bring you joy, your family, your traditions, and your next chapter. You leave Dodd a better place than you found it, and we're all better for having worked beside you. Congratulations. [Applause] Oh, me too. [Applause] Okay, next up is Miss Donna Lee Goodwin. Donna, if you would please join me. [Applause] So, we recognize Donna Lee as she retires after nearly two decades of service to the students and families of Dod Middle School. Since joining our school community in 2005, Donna has played an important role in supporting our students
020learning, particularly in the areas of math and science. Throughout her time at Dodd, Donna brought structure and consistency to her classroom. She held her students to high expectations and encouraged them to engage with academic content thoughtfully. She also supported student social emotional growth and worked to foster positive relationships with her colleagues and families. Donna has been a dedicated member of her team and department, always willing to collaborate, share resources, and contribute to group efforts. Her reliability and attention to detail helped ensure that her team could work efficiently and cohesively to meet students needs. As she steps into retirement, we know she's looking forward to spending more time with the people and things that she loves the most, her family, her dog, and her faith. We thank Donna for her service and dedication and wish her
021all the best in this next chapter. Congratulations, Donna. It's really just the dog. [Applause] So in the Treasure Public Schools, we take what we do very seriously, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. ly the next person that we're going to recognize is the only person I've ever ma made sit there dressed like a queen so we could take a picture of her um given her incredible proficiency in in teaching instruction and reading. So, please welcome for our next introduction, Assistant Superintendent Marlene [Applause] Salano. Pat, after all these years, I finally get to meet Mr. Castle. Come on up. Good evening, everyone. Colleagues, community members, board of education. It is my great honor to speak tonight in recognition of an extraordinary educator, leader, and friend, Pat Castle, our beloved reading and language arts consultant who
022is retiring after 25 years of dedicated service to the Cheshire public schools. Pat has been a constant force of knowledge, grace, and unwavering commitment to students and teachers alike. She began her journey in education with distinction, earning a bachelor of arts sumakumlad and completing her elementary education certificate. From her early days managing Whitney Bookshops in New in New Kanan to her fieldwork at Lincoln Basset School in New Haven and then on to student teaching in North Haven and Hampton. Pat has always been surrounded by books, by learners, and by growth. Pat's philosophy has always been rooted in the belief that it is the nature of all living things to grow and flourish and flourish we have because of her. Hired 25 years ago to teach at Highland School, Pat quickly became a pillar of our
023district. She was named teacher of the year in 2007 and went on to serve as learning initiatives teacher and our reading and language arts consultant. To say we are indebted to Pat would be an understatement. She has been the go-to expert on all things literacy. Her deep knowledge of language, of pedigogy, and of the reading brain is truly awe inspiring. She has touched the lives of countless young readers and empowered generations of educators with her wisdom, clarity, and compassion. Together with Dr. Burns. Pat was the mastermind behind the development of our English language arts curriculum, an effort she poured herself into tire tirelessly and which continues to serve students and teachers with excellence. Her commitment to our multilingual learners has been both forwardinking and deeply impactful. She coached with heart, advocated with strength, and celebrated
024the voices and experiences of every child. We will never forget her famous patisms, especially Kleenex and Puffs. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. It's not nothing. Hey cupcake, or my favorite, you will never see me on Facebook. Or the professional learning sessions that left us feeling inspired, empowered, and just a little more confident in our own practice. Many of us have sought Pat's advice, not just for our students, but for our own children, trusting her insight as both an educator and a parent. Pat leaves behind a legacy in our curriculum, in our classrooms, and in our hearts. Her impact is immeasurable, her mark is indelible, and her presence will be sorely missed. Pat, we thank you. We admire you and we will carry your work forward with the same belief that guided you
025every day that every child can grow, can read and can flourish. Congratulations on your retirement. You have made a difference. You always will. [Applause] We'll let Pat work through her receiving line. Well, our next retiree couldn't be here this evening. and we still want to take this opportunity to public recog public publicly recognize his service. Please welcome Kevin Hanland back to the podium. Hello again. Uh we are very pleased tonight to recognize retiring Cheshire High School chemistry teacher Dr. Jack Hammer. Dr. Hammer was hired in August of 2015 to serve as a teacher of chemistry at CHS. Before his role in Cheshure, he worked at Fan High School in Milford, was a teaching assistant at Yale University, and worked for 10 years as a research assistant at pharmaceutical companies. It's at Yale where he received
026his PhD in physical chemistry. And while it's clear he's got a passion for science, he's also a musician. He received a bachelor's in chemistry, but also a bachelor's in violin performance. Uh I first met Jack several years ago in my role as KA curriculum coordinator. We were attending a workshop at the Connecticut Science Center and I remember a conversation with him over uh the lunch break. Uh Jack asked a whole set of questions with true curiosity about the work we were doing and the benefits and the pitfalls of the strategies we were trying. It's the kind of questioning and inquiry that he showed on that day that is so critically important as a scientist and of course in science instruction. So it wasn't surprising to me at all that he carried that mindset and approach
027into the classroom when the supervisors noted that the students were willing to take risks while being encouraged to question ideas presented by Dr. Hammer. Truly what we are looking for in science instruction. And while Dr. Mr. Hammer is retiring from Cheshire public schools. We know he will continue to keep close to science instruction through adjunct and similar work. Uh we certainly know it will be difficult to replace the type of expertise and background he brought to CHS and we wish him all the best in his partial retirement. Congratulations Dr. Hammer. Thank you Kevin. And I have the honor of recognizing our last retiree this evening who also unfortunately couldn't be here. Uh I am proud to recognize Dittle School principal Amy O'Brien on her retirement this evening. Amy was formerly educated at Southern Connecticut State
028University earning her Bachelor of Science and Elementary Education, master's degree in remedial reading, and six-year diploma in educational leadership. I first met Amy in 2004 when we were both freshfaced assistant principles with the Ansonia public schools. She earned her administrative appointment there after serving as a teacher for more than a decade culminating with her recognition as Ansonia's teacher of the year in 2003. After serving in various administrative positions there, we were fortunate to hire her as dittle principal in 2019. There are so many things that I admire about her as a person and instructional leader. First and foremost is her genuine commitment to her students. She is incredibly hardworking. She is constantly seeking to improve both personally and as a school. She's deeply knowledgeable about teaching and learning and is able to convey that knowledge
029to support the development of others. That talent also helps her hire and mentor people who go on to do great things. Actually, you'll be hearing about one of those people later on tonight. Amy may be retiring, but her legacy will live on for decades in the people that she has hired and mentored. She has done all that at a level that rivals superpower status. On top of all that, she's also fun to be around. I've had many laughs with Amy over the crazy things that happened in the day of a principal or in hearing her share the amazing stories of her travels. She's very talented and passionate educator who devoted her life to helping people learn and grow. Again, I'm honored to recognize her on her retirement after 31 years of service to children in
030Connecticut and to thank her for her exceptional six years of service to the Cheshire public schools. Congratulations, Amy. [Applause] Thank you, Dr. Solen. Um, I'd just like to express my congratulations to you all and just um state that, you know, your impact on students, colleagues, and just the greater community. It's definitely going to be felt, you know, for the years to come. Um, so you truly deserve your retirement for sure. So, congratulations. And to Pat Castle, um, we had every confidence as a board that having to deal with the challenge of right to read that, um, Dr. and and Miss Lano had a pitbull behind them to support. So, thank you for all that you've done um during that time as well too. Um so, congratulations and we wish you the best of luck. This
031go ahead related story to that. This is my favorite Pat story um is and it directly relates to that situation. So, I'm going to interject here. We um Kevin, Marlene, myself, and Pat were summoned to the state board of ed offices and um met with their team around reading at which point, you know, maybe we gave a mild introduction and just passed the mic to Pat sort of thing. And Pat held a master class in reading uh for probably a half hour. And the meeting ultimately ended and we're walking out and they're some of the people from the state are asking Pat like hey do you want to like come work with us? It felt like I was out to dinner with my wife and the waiter asking her what are you doing after this?
032Like they're they're trying to take Pat right out of our hands. Um and it really speaks to the knowledge that she possesses and the sort of person that she is. So, um, like the rest of our incredible retirees tonight, Pat, you'll certainly be missed. Thank you. Um, the next item on the agenda would be audience comments. So, if you would wish to speak, please go up to the microphone, state your name and your address. Do not rush, please, to the microphone. Okay, seeing none, we're going to move on. um to consent calendar. Looks like we do need a motion to approve the consent calendar as presented. Mr. Perigini. Madame Chair, I move that the Cheshire Board of Education approve the consent calendar as presented. Is there a second, Miss Cullinin? All those in favor of
033the motion that's on the floor. I think it's unanimous. Thank you. On to committee reports. Uh we'll start off with curriculum. And it looks like also we do need uh an approval of textbooks. So I'm going to pass it over to Miss Cullinin. Mike. Our curriculum committee thoroughly vetted um the two textbooks that we will um be looking at tonight in the inter US history interactive and I ready classroom mathematics algebra 1 following the vetting from the curriculum committee. We then follow with the public viewing period. I want to put a motion on the floor and then we can have some discussion. move that the Cheshire Board of Education approve the purchase of the following textbooks: US history interactive and I Ready Classroom Mathematics Algebra One as recommended by the curriculum committee. Is there a
034second to the motion? Dr. Herrian, any discussion, Mr. Grippo? Um just for for those who maybe missed last meeting, um I just made comments about the the history book from last time about it was replacing one that abruptly ended in 2002 with President uh was it W. Bush, I think, right? So happy to see we're we're updating even though technically history doesn't change theoretically. Um but it's uh nice to see we have an updated book to you know continue on the next uh let's say 25 years that we're missing right even though was this US history yeah so it kind of updated a little bit right um and then the algebra book is the one we had were discussing previously right um which is was it being being piloted or that's what we're using for
035next year yes we did a pilot of that and piloted with the company it's i algebra we were using it in both our algebra class at the eighth grade level and also at the high school. Great. Thank you. And I'll just add on that this history textbook um from published late 2024 is certainly um the the textbook of choice that was vetted by all of the teachers and I can go into details on that if you're interested but that it is a resource. it does have a component, an online component, but that it is a resource for teachers, it's not necessarily chapter and verse and um especially in light of having an older textbook that did not include all of the history. That is only one part, and they certainly have been supplementing for many
036years. So, thank you, Jackie. Are we So, we're buying hard copies instead in lie of digital. It's both. It's both. this hard copy of the book that was on display for several weeks at the high school, at the library, and at the curriculum office. And also, there's an online component, which is really nice because there are links to lots of primary source materials, videos, a plethora of resources for both students and teachers. Any other comments? Um, any comments from the public? No. Okay, Miss Colin, can you just read the motion one more time? Move that the Chester Board of Education approve the purchase of the following textbooks: US history interactive and I Ready Classroom Mathematics Algebra 1 as recommended by the curriculum committee. Thank you. All those in favor of the motion that's on the
037floor, unanimous. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, Miss Lano. We're going to move to the math portion of the committee. Get ready, Ben. Dr. Herrian. So, we have in our packets um a lot of the financial report as always. And um I will just say before passing it on to Mr. Masiana that as reflected in the summary before us, our approved budget for the 202425 fiscal year is 89,542,609 and we have expended and encumbered 86 million894890 um through May 31st of 2025. And Mr. Mastiani, why don't you take the report from there and let us know how we're going to come out to the penny um to our budget by uh June 31st. Uh thank you, Dr. Harin. 30 days in June or 30 30 days June 30th and we're already in day
038five, so we've got 25 days to get the rest of the the budget year worked out. I I will just say generally the first 11 months of the year were pretty easy. we really didn't have any major variances to worry about. Um, and not that I'm worried about the activity that's taking place now in June, but there is quite a bit of work that gets done. If you look at the at the narrative report, and I know the board members are aware of this, but I'll just reiterate that, you know, normally we end our budget year with zero so that we've expended all our funds. Uh, but never expend any more than our allotted funds. Otherwise, the board members are personally responsible according to Connecticut law and theory. So, we don't have that to worry
039about this year. So, for a little bit of an extra challenge, we have to end this year with 250,000 in surplus so that we can roll it into next year in a carryover fund uh in order to, you know, make next year a little bit more uh palatable because of the reductions that were done um for next year's budget. So, the activities that we're currently engaged in is we're reviewing and closing any open purchase orders that will not be expended by the end of the year. We still have several payrolls to run. Our last official payroll for all the staff is June 20th, but our employees, you know, many of our teachers are on 26 pays. So, they'll continue to get paid uh through the end of the of the summer. So those payrolls need
040to be run as well. Uh and then the other big activity I know the board is aware of is that we're planning and placing orders for supplies, furniture, um equipment, technology, uh as well as uh planning summer maintenance projects. So although it's not reflected in this report exactly, I did want to mention that right now we've got about $876,000 worth of requests that are pending that have come from, you know, our principles or our maintenance department. So we'll work all those in to the extent we can. We can't approve 870,000 of additional expenditures. will probably be able to approve half of that and close out the year with the $250,000 that we're committed to closing out the year. So, the numbers will change um by the time we get to the board of ed meeting
041on June 30th, but I do expect that we will be able to close with exactly $250,000 in surplus because we could manage to that number with our final uh entries. So, I'll I'll I'll pause there if there are any questions and then I could give a quick update on the April medical benefits report as well. Uh just a quick question looking at the line items. Adam, maybe you had mentioned this before, maybe I had mentioned it before. Just going to look and see the big numbers and those are the easy ones to kind of ask questions about. But um pupil transportation um is there something just unexpected there or is that no something to be concerned about for next year? No. No. No. So when we as we roll through the year funds are encumbered
042for expected transportation needs including purchase of fuel as an example. Right now those those are purchase orders that will be closing. We will not end the year over budget by the 350,000 or so that's reflected in the report. It'll be a smaller number. We will I do expect that we'll be, you know, over the budget by about 175,000, but we that's part of the process that work we're working through. So, as we close those purchase orders, it will reduce that incumbrance. It'll increase the available balance. So, we'll we'll call the timing difference. Yes. And and again, it's typical of the work that, you know, we need to do as we close out the budget year. You know, we try not to close purchase orders prematurely. That one clearly stands out because of the large balance.
043Okay. Working through it, right? Usually it's kind of steady and uneventful. It's sort of unusual to see that. So, okay. Thank you. Welcome, Mr. Dwight. Thank you. energy performance contract. It's normally where you It's normally this part of the meeting where you would discuss it in terms of budget and stuff and I have one particular interest which is the what the uh big beautiful bill and that it seems to me that probably has implications for the energy performance contract in the potentially near term if the bill becomes law. So that's what I'm wondering about. So um I I'll give you the update that um I have and I I know you had emailed earlier and I'll I'll address both really there were two separate questions. One was what's the impact you know based on the
044new schools where we previously applied for in the investment tax credits available under that IRA the um inflation reduction act. I always got confused you know with IRA individual retirement account. So under the inflation reduction act for the two new schools, we submitted applications. Bless you for, you know, in particular G the geothermal u uh heating and cooling we'll have at both schools. We had hired a consultant from CLA to help us with that process. We being the school building committee. Um, and I confirmed today that because we had applied for the funds last year, we when we complete that work, that will not be threatened by any legislative changes. And that's a couple of million dollars of incentives that we would be receiving for the new school projects for the geo portion of it
045or for the solar as well because there's no Well, we've not committed to solar yet. Okay. Um, so we applied for the geothermal. So that's safe. Okay. the energy performance contract which we're working on now and I know we mentioned and explained to the board that Johnson Controls has been engaged and they're working through the detailed investment grade audit to determine you know what are the final parameters of a contract and within that we are obviously also interested in getting any tax credits as part of the project. So if we act quickly enough and make certain commitments and we'll follow up with Alan Alibrio from Johnson Controls on this um we can get ahead of the deadline submit our application and not lose the credits. Now the big beautiful bill hasn't passed yet and what
046the final implications of that bill will be as it relates to the investment tax credits we don't know. But we do, you know, we will rely on, you know, Alan Alibrio and the Johnson controls team to give us that answer, but it potentially does put some of those credits at risk. So, not sure ultimately what will happen, but we'll follow up and continue to report back. I do think that we will have to have a meeting of the working group for the energy performance contract, you know, with Johnson Controls within the next month or so to talk through if there are actions that we need to take that will enable us to preserve those credits. Thank you. I I just want to add one point on it which is my limited understanding here is that
047the big beautiful bill um it would it's at this it's with the Senate right now and if it gets approved by the Senate the president signs it the way it's drafted the House version is there's something like 60 days from that from the time the president signs it until construction begins on a project and then maybe it's two years later three years later that the project needs to be completed. So, I'm looking at that sort of 60-day window and saying, you know, I think his goal, the president's goal is July 4th. Um, so let's just say it's a 90-day window. Separate apart from rooftop solar like at the schools, there is, I believe, an opportunity for Cheshire to benefit from the solar in terms of, if nothing else, just rate stability. Okay. So budget no
048longer keeps going up because we know how much we're going to be paying for electricity, say for 20 years. Um, I think there's an opportunity to engage in something like we have at the dump, a 20-year contract for one megawatt of solar. The town, the total town, mostly the schools because 80 70 or 80% of the footprint is the schools. We could probably use another five megawatts pretty easily. If there are, my understanding is we could do that not just in Cheshire which might be 20 or 25 acres of a field. The dump is probably 5 acres for one megawatt. So just multiply it out a little bit. Um but I believe that that opportunity exists anywhere within Eversource territory. And I think it is entirely possible that there are developers already have shovel ready
049projects. So if Johnson could reach out and just find out if there are any shovel ready projects, and I'm not saying that we would end up doing this, but I am a huge believer in in saying yes or no rather than sticking my head in the sand and then just letting a deadline pass by. Um, so if that opportunity exists, I'm hoping that you could find it and bring it to the board andor the council. I guess it would more be the council than us anyway, I'm thinking, but I'm not sure of that. Um, anyway, that's it. time from my perspective is of the essence on this, but I do believe that there may very well be shovel ready projects in the state already just waiting for offtakers to basically sign a 20-year contract, which
050is what we did with the dump, which just coincidentally is here in town. But like I said, this could be across most of the state where we could do something like this. Thank you. Okay. Yeah, we'll be sure to keep you in the loop. Any other comments? Dr. Herrian. Um, before we move on, can I address the intense warmth that I'm feeling right now in this room? Uh, do we not have air conditioning in this building? And if not, can we open windows? Is there something we can do? We can open windows. I hear a blower running. I know they've been having trouble with the HBAC in this building. You have my vote forever. Okay, thank you for indulging me, but I can't be the only one who's overly warm. I I just hope it
051wasn't my report that triggered the extreme warmth in here. So, medical benefits, these just to try to keep moving along. Vinnie, I do have a question. Yeah, sorry. Um I know Adam had noticed the you know big ticket on the pupil transportation but can you speak to any um recent also the biggest one is actually the substitute intern line and I don't know if you would state that earlier um we had some you know coverage at Chapman but outside of that not much of an absence or a substitute need. Well, we had quite a few um teachers out on various disability. Yeah. And so the coverage that um has been provided through Kelly services the and you'll see that we were you know well below budget I know trending well below budget in the teacher
052salary line partially offset by a higher than budget that we're expending for substitute services. So there is a direct correlation between those two. Thank you. Yes, please move on to medical benefits. So the April 30th report and you know I will note that we um don't have the May report yet but we certainly will by the June 30th board meeting but the April claims were 1.8 million which is a very high month but as I explained in the March report claims were only 660,000. So, those two months, if you average it out, it's about $1.2 million uh per month each. There were some offsets in in March that there were claims that were reprocessed in April, which is, you know, what I expected to happen. The reserve balance sits at a little over $2 million,
053so it's 1.7 months uh worth of claims. Um I do know that we uh will be getting additional stop-loss reimbursements which will um go to increase our reserve balance. Right now the stop-loss reimbursements year to date to 389,000 but based on some large claims will um be receiving at least $100,000 more in reimbursement. So the goal that we've had the last few years is whatever the starting balance in the reserve fund is where we would like to end. That's the way we've budgeted. So we started this year at 2.3 million. We're currently at a little over 2 million. So we'll um you know watch what the next two months bring and and hope that we get back to the starting point and then begin the process all over again in July. Any questions for Mr.
054Massiano? Thank you, Vin. Thank you. Um Dr. Sen, please. Yeah, just one real quick point on the um I know the governor I don't believe yet that the governor has signed it into law, but the um legislature adopted a two-year budget yesterday. And it's important uh the ECS reduction that we had budgeted in our 256 and would certainly be part of the 67 school year noted a reduction of um $254,717. That money has been reinstated to us to Cheshire to the town of Cheshure. doesn't come directly to us. The overall budget uh variance for the town of Cheshure was favorable to the tune of $383,967. Um so we did get nearly $400,000 more money from the state than was anticipated when the budget was adopted. So just sharing that positive news. Thank you, Dr. Solen.
055All right, we're going to move on to um personnel committee and I'd like to ask if Dr. Solen can give us um we have two candidates that are up for approval. So I'll start with the uh prek through 8 curriculum coordinator position that as you know was vacated by Mr. Hanland when he was appointed Cheshire High School principal uh earlier this year. I would be remiss if I didn't publicly thank him again and Miss Solano uh because that position's been vacant since uh Kevin took his new position and uh it doesn't mean that the work went away. So Kevin and Marlene, thank you so much for everything you did to keep us above water um over the course of the last several months. It's very much appreciated. uh we uh actively recruited for this position.
056We had more than 75 applicants. Uh it would be what I would consider an ultra competitive pool. Um Marlene and I did a lot of work to um cultivate references and um our our group interviewed a number of really talented candidates. Um, the individual that I bring before you this evening is Azra Redzik. Uh, she's currently the K through five uh, humanities curriculum coordinator for the Bristol public schools. prior to her role there. She was uh a principal, elementary school principal in Hartford uh and brings a wealth of knowledge uh and really great interpersonal skills uh that are required to be a leader. um beyond just general knowledge, there's um certainly a lot of experience with respect to leadership, but uh supporting our ML multi- language learner population. Um a lot of background in reading
057and just general pedigogy as well. Um, so before I move it along for a motion, I do want to invite Marlene, who was, you know, certainly, you know, spearheading this process to add any intentions. Thank you, Jeff. I think that um throughout this interview process, we've really gotten to know Ezra and to hear a little bit about her philosophy, but she's been consistent in in every way talking about teaching and learning and instruction. And from everything that we've heard from the folks that she's worked with in the past, she is the whole package both of having the knowledge but also in having the people and interpersonal skills to be able to grow a team. So, we're really excited for you to be joining our team. Thank you, Miss Lano. Any comments from board members or
058questions? Okay. So, we're going to move to um call for a motion for the appointment. Miss Cullinin move that the Cheshire Board of Education appoint Ezra Redzi to the position of preK8 curriculum coordinator effective July 9th, 2025. Further, that Miss Rzzi is compensated in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement between the board and the Cheshire administrative personnel. Is there a second? Dr. Herrian discussion. No. Any public comment? Adam has a question. Mr. Gripples. Apologies. Wanted to say uh if the vote goes well for you, uh welcome for the team. You have big shoes to fill. Clearly. What size are your shoes, Mr. Hanlin? I declined to answer. I just wanted to say that I had the opportunity to sit on the interview um committee and was very impressed with the background um and I think
059her ability to come right into Cheshire. You'll see in a a few weeks um the impact that she will make. And thank you again Kevin for all those year the years on the curriculum committee. We expect you to still be there. I know. So, we're looking forward to working with you. Any other comments from board members? I I do I just want to thank Dr. Solen, Miss Lano, uh just for having the process and going through that and and informing us along the way as well too and the two board members that were able to sit on the interview committee. Um I do wish you luck, Ezra. Um I I appreciate that you're bringing in um some diversity having worked in Harford and Bristol. So and yourself too. So it's nice to see that in
060um coming into Cheshire. If there are no other comments, we're going to call for a vote. All those in favor of the motion that's on the floor. Unanimous. Congratulations. Would you like to make a comment? Thank you so much. Good evening, Dr. Solen. Good evening, Assistant Superintendent Solano, Madame Chair, and Board of Ed members. I am honored to be standing before you this evening. I am so excited to join the dynamic team at Cheshire Public Schools. I can't wait to meet the phenomenal students, as we saw tonight, the amazing staff here, and the community at large. I thank you for this opportunity. I can't wait to continue to grow as a leader under the amazing leadership here and I can't wait to help support the mission and vision and the academic excellence that this district
061is known for. So, thank you once again. I am honored to be your new prek curriculum coordinator. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] We will spare you the winter cap um gift. But anyway, and blanket. Yeah, no caps and blankets will cut you some slack. Anyway, um the next appointment we have this evening uh is a couldn't be more uh opposite in some ways and more similar in others. Um, this was a position in the dul little little principal ship that we did not actively recruit for because we didn't have to. Uh, when Miss O'Brien announced her retirement, um, you know, I was quickly met with, you know, what about Kristen? and um nevertheless thought it was important to solicit stakeholder feedback including surveying parents and I met uh with over 40 members of the Dittle
062staff community and uh many of whom are here this evening um who are I'm sure supportive of Kristen but will remind our board could become an agri mob quickly if we don't do do the right thing here. So, um Kristen uh Lopa has a rich history within the Cheshire public schools, starting as a teacher at uh Dittle School, um becoming a reading and math specialist, working in several of our buildings and uh then ultimately serving as an assistant principal um most recently exclusively at Dittle School. Over that time, she's earned the tremendous respect of parents, uh, students, her administrative colleagues, and the folks that work with her at Dittle School. So, uh, tonight I am very proud to present Kristen as a candidate for the position of Dittle School principal, and I will again invite
063Marlene, uh, to add anything she'd like to add. Yay. Now, Kristen, um I I as I've as I've said to the board, I think we are very excited. We have every confidence in you. It's been wonderful to see your trajectory through the Cheshire public schools, and I'm really looking forward to this next chapter. Thank you, Miss Lano. Uh Miss Colin, uh can you please read the motion? move that the Cheshire Board of Education appoints Kristen Lopa to the position of principal of Dittle Elementary School effective July 1, 2025. Further, Miss Lopa is compensated in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement between the board and the Chesure administrative personnel. Is there a second? Dr. Herrian, discussion. Go ahead, Dr. Harrian. I just want to say congratulations and and thank you for stepping up to the plate,
064Kristen. Um, but I also want to thank because we did go through the process even though we had an obvious candidate. And I just want to thank um your people now who uh came out to the interview to to speak to us, you know, board members and administrators. It really it it was very encouraging to hear the dedication from the people at Dittle School and it was really wonderful to hear how much they support where where the school is going and that they feel that you Chris uh Kristen are the right person to take the school uh next steps. So, thank you to all of you who are here to support Kristen B. You were an important part for me in this whole process. Any other comments from board members? Mr. White, thank you. Yes,
065thank you for stepping up and agreeing to do it. And besides the process involved here, as I mentioned before, uh, grocery store conversations elsewhere, Kristen Lola all the way. So, thank you very much for doing it and I'm looking forward to it. Thank you. Any other comments from board members? So, Chris, I mean, it's it's impressive because I, you know, looking at your resume, I appreciated the just the continuum of growth. Um, and then the comment you made while we were in executive session, just the understanding that you don't know everything and you're willing to learn. Um, but stepping into somewhat of a fire, Jeff. I mean, come on. So, I I I felt the genuiness from you. So, I do definitely repeat everything everybody said. Good luck to you. Um, and we do expect
066great things. So, with that, Mr. White, no, Mr. Grippo. Sorry, I changed my mind. Oh, okay. Um, I've been on the board for almost eight years now. Um, usually when parents come out, it's bad, but in this case, you have already garnered great parent support and I think that's a great sign to the hiring process and to uh the uh do little community. So, I wish you the best of luck and uh um good luck hopefully. We'll see in just a minute. Well, when the crowd speaks, we must listen. So, with that, all those in favor of the motion that is on the floor, it is unanimous. Congratulations, Christa. Would you like to speak? Thank you. Dittle is such a special place to me. I've been at Dittle for the past I'm finishing up my
06718th year. I believe it was 18th. I was hired at the same time as two of the people that are here right now. So, it's very special that I have all the support of all the teachers here at Dittle and Cheshure has really really been such a great place for me to really support me and help me grow and I'm really looking forward to this opportunity. So, thank you [Applause] Awesome. Next committee item is planning. So, I'm going to pass this to Mr. Ekki to report on the meeting. I was not at that meeting that night. Oh, that's right. So, I'm going to kick it back. Mr. White. you and I were at that meeting with Miss Taylor. You can punt if you like. It'll be it'll be pretty close to a punt. Uh but
068I'll I'll try to give the highlight for anybody who does happen to watching. Um, we're getting some new schools that will require new bus routes and we particularly through the superintendent are starting a discussion with the town about options. We went through five options at the meeting and I think that probably the two main considerations at least from my perspective are number one cost and number two time. Right now we use what's called a three tier system which is the seven eight schools seven schools. Does Human have any busing? Okay. So, outside of the tier system, seven schools with tiers. Yeah. So, we have seven schools with the the what is it? A type two 72 kid bus. 72 person bus. Type one is a 72 person. So, the standard school buses, we have a
069three- tier system. And what we're able to do with that is have fewer buses. [Music] Um because we have three time periods to run the buses. We could expand to more buses and move to a two-tier system, but there's there's a lot to consider here that uh parents need to I believe parents should be aware of it because it's not only directly into our homes, wake up time, get the kids out the door time. Uh it also has the impact on traffic and taxes. And there's a lot more that we discussed. Uh there's a lot of weeds there that are very important, but I'm not going to get any more into it. Uh I don't know if the chair, you were there, or anybody else wants to I mean I think if you could just
070outline the proposals um and again the audience can always refer back to the meeting, but I think we with the five proposals and um also one that Dr. Hurricane may appreciate as well too with the discussion of timing and so forth. Um I believe proposal A um was similar to the close setup that we currently have now, Miss Taylor. And then B um would be the later start time for the high schools. And then C aligning with the age ranges and so forth. Um D would then be a bit more costefficient similar to earlier for CHS as well. And then E would be the two-tier again costefficient uh but later start time for CHS. So but I do appreciate the community conversation that's that will be had so that we can make an informed decision
071as well and then um the update on the energy basically. Dr. Heran, did you have a comment? Yeah. Could I just ask a question? So, um, proposal A and B are three tier still, and then it looks like C, D, and E are two-tier, Miss Taylor. Yes, that's correct. So, the first two are three tier like we we do now, and then the second or the last two are the two-tier, which are more expensive, running about 45 to 50 buses at a time. So, that's more expensive. Oh, yes. Yeah. Yeah. And what I what I will say about all these cost proposals is proposal two or proposal B with the later high school start time is actually the most coste effective model. And obviously a lot of this is illustrative like things will change when
072we redistrict which will happen later in the fall. But even trying to keep things similar knowing that we're kind of leveling the playing field for our elementary schools is not a costneutral option. And there's the escalation because you know there's more kids at Norton where Barnum is and kind of the the transportation needs with the location in town. There's not really cost it's not cost neutral to kind of keep things similar to the structure we have now. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Taylor. Any other board members? Mr. Gripple. Um is this was this um uh meeting uh is it on YouTube? Yes. Okay. So we can watch your presentation or was it absolutely can and I can send you the PowerPoint. Oh well that probably Yeah, either one is fine. Yeah. Okay, cool. Thanks. Y
073Mr. Dwight. Um what I do recall from the presentation just a ballpark figure was $400. Is that per bus per day? Yes. Okay. Okay. So, the cost driver here, from what I'm recalling, is right now we're at 36 buses. Mhm. That run for five and a quarter hours per day. Yes, you got it. Um, so we have 36 buses across three tiers that gets all the kids to the schools. And one of the options would be to move to a two-tier system, which would be 49 buses, I think, or per tier. So, that's what you're paying paying for because you're running 36 max at a time. So we run about over 90 bus bus runs like a day, but it's how many are you running at once? So if you're running a maximum of 36
074buses, that's going to drive your cost because it's 36 buses times the 4 400ish. Exactly. Okay. So 36 times So the what we have right now is 36 times about 400 times 180 days plus other extracurricular summer blah blah blah. Very basic cost. So just the bus, not the fuel and everything that that Ben was talking about earlier. There's a lot of other transportation and if we want to switch it to from if we want to switch to the two-tier then sort of the low end is 35 or 36 buses and the high end of the two-tier would be 49 I think is what you said and there were some numbers in between there but just so people have a general understanding of how the cost works. It's probably 35 to 50 buses $400 a
075day times 180 days in a year is the main part of the cost. Yes. For the Yeah. Just the basic bus cost. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Yep. So I like Adam, I would really appreciate seeing the PowerPoint slides. You got it. Thank you. Yep. Um before Dr. Perigan gets super excited about option B. Uh has the DUI uh worked anything out about that later school time because uh if I recall there were a lot of uh conflicts especially with athletic or after school activities where things would get kind of messed up if if we went to a later start time at the high school. Yeah. So there aren't um there aren't a lot of schools across Connecticut that are doing the post or the later than 8 a.m. start time. Um, so
076when we're talking about athletics, there's, you know, certain compromises to be made, but there are certain things that we have to consider when we're making a later, uh, a later time for the high school. And it's mostly the subarsity sports that are impacted because they are going first. And so pushing t times later in the day and having incorporating the transportation time. It's our subarity that is getting compressed versus the varsity sports. And I don't know if Dr. Solen, you wanted to share anything. No, I you know, I think they nailed it. Um you know the we there are so many pros and cons to each of these Adam and and to everybody um we did do some homework additionally after the meeting and looked at some other uh pieces. I think it's really important
077to share this information with the community that is under consideration, not just our parent community, but our our faculty and staff um to know these are the things that we're thinking about, what the pros and the cons are. I agree, you know, with the the science behind the benefits of high school students sleeping later, but I also recognize the practical implications of that and the challenges inherent in that. Um, so I think we'll share all this information, solicit feedback, and then ultimately have to make a decision in the fall. Thank you, Mr. White. Yeah, with regard to sports, one of the items that struck me as meaningful was not just the sub varsity at the high school level, but at Dodd, because my recollection of the discussion was if Dodd went later, it probably would
078not work well with sports, middle school sports, the going back and forth to other teams. Um, I, as I said in that meeting, I actually uh I I do see some benefit there because I've had parents reach out to me about seventh graders who don't get on teams. Um, and they feel that's a problem. Combine that with our discussions about the anxious generation and kids who just go home and play video games instead of having an extracurricular activity. And what could be a result of this would be a shift away from intercolastic sports at DOD to inter mural sports which would have winners and losers like every policy decision that we make. But it would be in my opinion a significant shift if something like that happened. Um yeah there's there's a lot to I
079feel there's a lot to uh digest in relation to transportation. We did we did leave um there five days left but we did discuss the initial um curating of feedback from staff and students. Did we move forward that Dr. Solenor? Yes. So no we haven't um we were going to share it here and then um share options more publicly gather feedback uh through a diversity of um opportunities. issue any refinements if necessary um gather further feedback if necessary and then ultimately um issue a broader survey to the community. When I say gather feedback, I was talking about more um targeted feedback um through you know meetings and an opportunity for people to send comments and so we could still refine anything if there was room for refinement. And then once we felt like we had
080those different options in place, then we would um look for kind of a final survey feedback with the kind of liyker scale rating of of each of these options uh to best inform a decision that we'll make in the fall. A quick question. Yeah, looking forward to presentation. I watched the the meeting too. is always always fun. Um, when does this have to be uh decided by? So, our our start times are pretty important as we start to think about uh staffing for the opening of the new buildings because if you know we said that we were going to move a elementary start time to a much different time than the teachers currently have, that's going to impact who wants to transfer, who doesn't. So, we want to try and get this done in the
081early fall. Any other comments? Thank you, Miss Taylor. Um, do have Mr. Zinsuke, I do have a policy. No. Okay, that's right. I apologize. It's okay. Um, item E, any other standing meetings? I know the legislative session ended yesterday. Miss Peragina, any thoughts from or information? Uh, so I think CAB uh I think Patrice McCarthy sent out this afternoon to all Cave members that they're going to do the annual write up they do every year of what came out of I think um I could tell you a couple of the bills. One was around uh library media and periodicals uh has changed initially as was drafted in January. It would have removed the responsibility of making decisions on library materials be it public or school materials pretty much out of the board hands, superintendent's hands
082and public. That's come back 180. It's u I was Dr. Senc language yet, but it's very favorable. Um I think it puts a little bit more work on the superintendent when a um public uh member wants to raise a review of something, but it seems to leave control. So, so the point being is I I bring that up because uh I could tell you the last six months there's been literally hundreds of board members from across the state at Harford talking to folks and I think that's helped a lot uh bring the world experience. So, uh I expect K to send out a very detailed write up the next couple days and um I think there's some some webinar set up I think on June 10th to review some of that. So, uh when the
083invite comes out I encourage you to see and watch and see what's changed. Dr. Any comments on that? No, I think the the statute as I understand it as Tony says pretty early, but as I understand it looks a lot like the challenge of a material policy that we currently have. So, which is good. Thank you. Next item would be the approval of minutes. If board members have a moment to review the minutes and I do need a motion for the approval of minutes. Mr. Gripple, can you read the motion, please? Move that the Cherish Board of Education approves the minutes from the meeting held May 15, 2025. Is there a second? Cullen in second. Are there additions or corrections that need to be made? None. All those in favor of the motion that is
084on the floor. Uh, six extensions. Mr. Perigini. Thank you. Motion passes. Mr. Gripple. Any correspondence, sir. You will not have the opportunity to hear the my sweet uh tenor voice reading anything. We have no correspondence. Heartbreaking. And with that, I will move it over to the superintendent report. Dr. Sen, thank you very much. Uh, try and keep this moving. Uh, I want to just take a moment to acknowledge the nearly 200 people who showed up for the Barnum naming ceremony last Friday. That was an incredible community event. um obviously highlighted by Colonel Barnum himself uh being there and talking about what it meant to him to grow up in this community and be recognized. One of only 61 living Medal of Honor recipients in America. Um what a thrill to have him there. What an
085amazing guy. I mean it was a warm day. Um he's in his 80s and he started at Cheshure High School then went to a pretty long ceremony outside and I said to him, you know, Colonel, we have uh several hundred elementary students waiting for you at Chapman and he didn't flinch. Let's go is the first thing he said. So that's all you need to know about the Colonel. It was great to to spend time with him. Uh for those interested, it is on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch the ceremony. Um speaking of ceremonies, we have the Norton topping off ceremony next Thursday at 9:45 a.m. Um for board members, it's not really open to the public. A lot of students, uh it's really open to our students. And if board members would
086like to attend, just let me know. Um, I want to take this moment to publicly thank uh, Vyron Rondo and uh, his operations manager uh, Mia Burns at uh, Byron Australia. Um, it it was tremendous. Uh, I think it was Monday or Tuesday this week, we had our culinary students, 15 students go visit. Uh, Tony will be jealous. This was insane. We got the behind the scenes tour. Uh that place is unbelievable. Like I thought it was incredible before, but basically they're serving you out of a submarine. The kitchens there are so small. It is just astonishing to see what they do. Um so for me it was really more of a tour in leadership and organization than it was in you know the culinary magic that happens there. But um we very much appreciate
087them taking the time and as they're kind of prone to do, they really took care of our our kids. Hey guys, you want pizza turned into a variety of salads, penny ala vodka, pizza, canoli, um tiramisu, it was ridiculous. They ate like Vikings and had the time of their lives. So thank you again to Byron and Mia for that experience. And then finally, um, uh, last summer, uh, we spent a lot of time in the community with a book club, uh, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Height. Uh, I think it opened a lot of people's eyes, myself included, to really the, um, the life that our kids are leading and, uh, just parenting in general. It was very informative for me as an educator and a dad. Um, and so this year we're moving on,
088but you know, we have a little bit of a shorter summer, right? So, The Anxious Generation looks like war in peace relative to our book for this summer, which kind of looks like a leaflet by comparison. And it's uh along the same theme, How to Break Up with Your Phone by Katherine Price. Um, I happened to have a conversation with Jonathan Height not that long ago at a workshop and I mentioned to him that we were reading the book and he's like, "Oh my god, I'm writing a book with her right now for adolescence." Um, which Tim is already forwarded me the pre-order for. So, um, I have copies here for members of the board. Uh, we hope that you'll join us at one of the book clubs available over the summer. I have not
089introduced this to the community yet um because I I figured you guys deserve first crack. So, um that's it for me. Any questions for superintendent? Is there's got to be some perks to this job. I didn't you know it's ridiculous because I was so busy talking to Mia and it was so interesting what she was sharing that I didn't even eat lunch or lunch there. I'm like the only idiot who leaves Vyron hungry, you know, but it was still a great experience nevertheless. Any other comments from board members? Mr. Per, when you tore the kitchens that you get to see the down downstairs kitchen, isn't that pretty? We did. Yeah, they have a a kitchen on the lower level and it's um pretty small. They do an incredible amount of prep there and then carry
090everything upstairs for cooking. um which is no simple task and it uh again I think from an organizational perspective the efficiency the training the perspect the leadership there uh really strong uh I give Mia a lot of credit um and you know they they're a great team and obviously have a great product so very cool any other comments thank you Dr. So, and new schools report beyond what you just shared? No, nothing. I mean, we're cruising along. Uh, check our website. Mr. Salamini throws up uh drone videos and pictures. Uh, they're really cool. Uh, we're close to structural steel completion by the end of uh probably middle of July. We'll be done with both buildings in terms of the structural steel completion. Uh, next item is old business. Any board members have any old business?
091I do not. Going to move on. Uh, new business. Um, I just want to basically say thank you. Um, that was a very powerful presentation at the new Barnum School. Um, and just meeting a legend like that. So, I really, you know, appreciated being there and having all those people join us. It was was really impactful. So, thank you Dr. Solen for coordinating all that as well too. Um, and then I'm looking forward to the beam raising next week as well. Um, so with that, uh, I just want to say thanks for a great year. I think it went pretty smoothly, a lot of successes. Um, excited about, you know, all the commencement activity next week and then our tour of promotions as well too. So, with that, I'm going to just read off some
092of the upcoming meeting dates. We have Monday, June 9th, 7 p.m. uh curriculum committee at Humon Boardroom. Monday, June 30th, 7:30 a.m. Dr. S will be bringing the donuts as per usual at Human Boardroom. And then for the calendar, we have Wednesday, June 11th, the are the elementary promotions, specifically sixth grade. Um, and then June 12th would be the DOT promotion as well as the CHS graduation. And the last day of school for students is Thursday, June 12th. And that is it for me. I would entertain a motion to adjourn. Mr. Wright, did you have a question? Yeah, just a point of information. Uh, personnel, we probably ought to get something on the books. Yes. If we're doing quarter if we're doing quarterly meetings going forward. So, just a thought. Not urgent or anything, but
093Yeah, that's the one that came to mind for me. Thank you. Yeah. And with that, I'd make a Oh, sorry. Um, Mr. Gallo, point of information. Uh, item 11. Is that no longer needed on the executive session there? No, because we already had it. Oh, that was okay. Two. So that's not for bargaining. No, I think it's just a We don't have something about a bargaining unit or something. We don't have been We don't have an upcoming was like an artifact. We're fine. Excess artifact. We're fine. Thank you. Good catch. Any other questions? Okay, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn, Mr. White. All those in favor of adjournment. Oh, is there a second? Thank you, Miss Perageni. All those in favor of adjourning, unanimous. Thank you. Get out of this.