001All right. Good evening everyone. Like to call this meeting to order at 5:30. Um Lisa, would you do roll call, please? >> She'll be absent. >> Absent. Here. >> Here. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to approval of agenda. uh additions, deletions, chairs review. We mostly have a lot of updates tonight. I did um cancel facilities because it looks like we have um a larger update coming in September at the full board meeting. So, we can for tonight and public comment comments are moved to the end because we have so much going on. I thought it'd be best to um have Dr. Machi give the updates first. Looks like we don't have too many people here anyway. So, um is there a motion to approve the agenda? Kelly, second by Allen. All in favor?
002>> Opposed? Extensions. Motion carries. The agenda is approved. Um correspondence. I did receive a couple of letters for public comment which I'll mention at the public comment section of the meeting which I forwarded to you all. Do you have anything for correspondence? >> Okay. All right. Reports of liaison from town council, Board of Finance, building committee. Um you have reference A in your packets. Everything's on schedule with the building. We have the ribbon cutting coming up on the 26th at 4 ahead of the first day um on the 27th. Um other than that, I don't have anything else from town council or board of finance. Town collaboration updates. Um I know town council meets tomorrow. Anything you want to share there? >> The only thing I I sent my letter out then I rethought it
003after I sent it um about the ribbon cutting ceremony. Just letting everybody know that that'll just be outside. it won't be an opportunity to walk into the building. So, if you talk to people that are excited to walk in, I'll send something again. Um, but the way I worded it, I should have thought it through. So, um, and no, nothing else. >> Okay. And then we'll move on to your updates and responses to comments and actions from our prior meeting. And it looks like we have a lot of positive news on this agenda. So, if you'd like to take it from here. >> So, I have everyone here. I have all the um directors here so that you can ask them questions if you have any regarding any um we're doing wonderfully. Claudio's team, Claudio,
004his team, Lynn um with the middle school. A lot of work, but it's going great. Um and the other buildings, all the work that's going on in the other buildings, Clauddio is here to answer. If you have any questions, he can fill you in. Um Dr. Mlan, we can't tell. We're so excited to write something to you because the data it's finally here. It's finally happening. What I've been telling you five to seven years, it's finally happening. So, um if you have any questions for what Dr. Mlan put together for you, you can ask. But in um once it's right now, it's still being um held um from the state. So, we can't share exact numbers with you. Uh we will do that as soon as we can. >> In regard to >> Test scores.
005Yes. >> You missed the test scores piece. Well, the letter the letter that was in the packet from Dr. McClean is what was >> Yeah, that the test scores part of it. That's what I'm so excited about. >> Everyone's working so hard. Yeah. >> Is your mic? >> Sorry, it took me a while to realize. Um, anyway, so I just gave you a couple of I, you know, I'm not allowed to say, but I said >> we appreciate we appreciate that. Good news is always good to know ahead of time and the full um results will be more in October, right? >> Oh, as soon Well, I think we'll have them in a I'm hoping that we have them um for at least I can go over it with the administrators at admin retreat, but
006they I'm think they should come out publicly. >> Good. Well, congratulations to you, your team, and all the teachers. This is excellent. I feel like it's been so many years where we keep waiting for this to happen, waiting for this to happen. So, we'll keep our fingers crossed. Um Katherine, you had a question? >> Yeah, I had two questions. when you were talking about the packet. Is it just the packet re in relation to the fact that she's now the assistant super or is it the packet related to all the test scores and where we stand with the data? Yes. >> Okay. And number two, why is the state not allowing you to release any of the test scores right now? What's their reasoning for holding them back? >> Well, so what happens is and
007and you'll see this and this is what we're always very careful about. We look at data in a couple different ways, right? So you have the kids that attend Cromwell public schools, but then the data for our outplacement stu students is also falls under Cromwell public schools. So when we look at it, we look at the kids that are in our classrooms every day and then there's a certain population of kids that are not in our classrooms every single day, but we're still responsible for those test scores. So there there could be disparities between what I'm seeing now as in terms of what the kids that are registered to us. This is what how they're doing, but we have other kids that are on our roster that go to different schools and those will get
008calculated in. So they don't want there to be a discrepancy between what we're putting out and what is going to eventually be the state numbers. But for us, it's important to look at it both ways. Uh you know, like >> so outplace meaning we we pay for them, not students that elect to go to different schools of their um where they pay for themselves. >> Yeah, it could. Yeah, I mean it could be magnets too. It could be magnet schools. >> Yeah. Yeah. Right. I'm No, we >> do decide but usually when we decide to outplay somebody, we pay for it. Correct. >> Yes. And so so that number is that number is different than what our students that are here on campus do. >> But that's for every town, right? I mean, not just
009every town. Kelly, >> just a quick question. So the because the numbers are fantastic. Are the double-digit increases compared to data we have from previous years without placement included or is it a true >> I'm looking only at Cromwell public schools when I'm doing these comparisons. This is only Crumbl Public Schools. Awesome. I teach seats in ours classrooms and actually we put a little disclaimer on our data presentation that says you're looking at students that are on Primal Public Schools campus. >> Yeah. >> Kelly, >> did um the ESP scores get mailed out to parents? >> We don't have we don't even have them yet. >> Okay. >> And those don't come until fall. Like I feel like those come in September, October. They send us the sheets that we mail home. >> Um yeah,
010that won't come for a while. But we have at least we have raw numbers for our own students. >> Yeah. >> Just one more question. When you do present the data, one of the questions I'm going to have is are the teachers actually seeing this in the classrooms as they're teaching? So >> yes, and we've done a lot even recently with uh you know and I think this is this is something that that is always the case. You know, you look at your classroom grades and then you look at are they meeting expectations on state assessments and is there a disparity between those two things. Um so yes, we we look at especially the teacher data. Um that's actually the most important data is the stuff that's happening in the classroom. So when we present
011all this data, it's a ton of data and it's a lot and it does take a long time. So do you want continue to do it the way we've been doing it or would you rather chunk it like say let's do smarter balance at one point like at one meeting and then do um SATs PSATs at another meeting. Would you because then it could be 10 minutes long. you know, each meeting you're getting a little bit more information or do you want all of it at once? Again, knowing um we are going to take some of the stuff off that's inhouse that we feel we needed in the past to show you the uh connection between standardized tests and in-house testing. Um but still it's it is still timely. So, do you want me to
012chunk it or do you want me to do you want me to continue to do it the way we've been doing it? >> Thoughts? Anyone? Matt? I kind of like to see it all together because I like to get the complete picture and then that gives I'm someone who likes to take it all in. I have an immediate response and then I mul it over for a while too. That's just me personally. So, I like to get it all at once, have a kind of a response in the moment and then chew on it and then the next meeting if I have follow-up questions be I I'll be able to either get those to to you guys ahead of time or anything like you know what I mean like or just follow up. So, I
013appreciate the I appreciate that we're that we're trying to be considerate of, you know, not having a lengthy meeting be because we're going through all the data, but I'd almost rather just know ahead of time, hey, this might be a little bit of a this meeting might go 20 minutes longer than normal because we're going to be looking at all this data. As much as it stinks for everyone involved, and I'm sorry for that >> and I could be better with what I put on that for us to look at it that way, too. >> Like, I'll take stuff off. Well, I also think if there's if there is any kind of linkage between different types of tests where you can say, well, you know, ES back in, you know, third and fourth grade covers
014this and then this is how our our fourth grade students did at this point. Well, those kids are now sophomores and look what they look how much growth. You know what I mean? It's it's easier to kind of see. >> That's how we look at and there's two there's two real ways. I mean, above and beyond the teacher in the classroom, breaking it down by skill, you know, and kind of using it as an instructional practice. >> Outside of that, we look at two things. We look at the percentage proficiency year-over-year. So the kids that were in fourth grade last year versus the kids that were in fourth grade this this year, but we're talking about two separate sets of kids. And then the other the other data point that we focus on is cohort
015data. So are those kids that you know were whatever percent proficient in fourth grade, did we increase their proficiency in fifth grade? And in a district like Cromwell um where you don't have a ton of transients, you can really see how that group of kids is doing um you know over time. So that's really those are the two biggies for us to look at um besides the teacher skill instructional piece. >> Any other thoughts on that on whether we want to see it all? >> I agree. Okay. >> Do it all at once with a follow-up. I say in less words than that. >> Carrie, is there a way that you're thinking of doing it where you present it like more of an overview the first time and then at the follow-up go into more
016detail? like what are your thoughts on how you want to? can do it however I mean in overview I guess at that point we should just do it because okay the you know like I go over it by building I go over it by grade level right like you want to see where the trends are by grade um if we're only going to do accountability data then that will then we're just doing and I mean we don't even do our internal assessments as like I ready or think like that anymore so we're not really we don't have all of those pages anyway so it's really just smarter balanced AP uh SAT and then we do the dibbles um for the the younger kids. Um and so, you know, I think we can get it into
017something reasonable so that you can at least see the trends from year-over-year and how the kids are doing over time. And I don't I don't think it has to be something that is overly long. So, I think I could I think I could do it in one. >> Okay, sounds good, Kelly. >> That's okay. I believe this is included, but you'll also include how we are in comparison to other districts. >> Yeah, which is what I don't have yet. >> That will come in October. >> That will be in there. Yeah. >> Okay. >> When I present to you the real numbers, uh, we always put that in there. >> Awesome. Thank you. And the test hasn't changed from years past, right? >> I mean, no, not not substantially. >> Okay. Any other questions for
018Dr. McClean? >> No. All right. >> No, you're very welcome. >> Do you want to continue with your update? And just I have my directors here right now. If anyone has any questions for Cla uh Claudio or Siri or Michelle and Michelle does have personnel action so we we could wait but if anyone wants to know anything about what's going on in the system as far as projects they're here um to answer your questions. So if anyone has any >> anyone >> there quite a few things happening in the schools over the summer. Do we anticipate all of them will be completed by the start of the school year? And how does it um compare to some of the items that are listed in the facilities update? >> Great. >> Claudia, do you want to
019come on up and answer that? Thank you. So, if I understand your question correctly, no. Everything will not be completed this summer. We have over a million dollars worth of projects. Some of them are worth a half a million dollars. We don't get the funding till July 1st. It's impossible to get a half a million dollar project in the system and completed during the summer. Um the benefit of that overall is the town money is is good for two years. Um we have started as many projects as we can and are going through them all and I'll provide an update of the projects and where the status of each one. Um in the capital improvement plan and also the capital projects we have on our LEA plan. Um, we have two pockets of projects that
020we're working on funded in two different ways and I'll be able to update. If you have a question on a specific project, please let me know and I can answer it. But there's I think almost a dozen project on on the capital improvement plan funded by the city and then we have another maybe almost half a dozen projects that are funded through LEA that we're working >> and we'll have more on that in September. I think >> September. I I'll update you on every one of those projects. I'll go down the list and tell you where we are with them, how far we've gotten, and what my expectations are. >> So, we'll plan to have Oh, we have policy that meeting though. Do you want to flip-flop them? >> Okay, keep that then. I was
021wait. >> All right. We'll do that as part of of the regular meeting then. Okay. >> The biggest thing I'll share with you is all the schools will be ready to open on time. Um we're on schedule or ahead of schedule regarding our cleaning of all the other schools. The middle school um the new middle school will also be ready. It won't be 100% complete because they'll still be working on site work and that'll be ongoing. But as far as the building, we'll be ready for the kids. Everything will be working inside the building that's necessary for instruction. >> When you say site work, do you mean um workers coming in and out of the buildings or more outside? >> There's a lot of work going on on the outside of the building. Um, as
022they're tearing down the old, they're slowly moving across the parking lot to to create the parking lot for the board of ed. Um, the new entrance way that could be coming in from is it Raymond Road over there? Well, the entrance where the bus used to come in. That's that still won't be completed for the opening of school, but that work will be ongoing while we're in the building and staff is there. There'll still be site work going on. the soccer field will have to be rebuilt once that's all done. And so that won't be completed for almost another year. >> Send something out um that I could forward to that she sent to a parents if if you don't have middle school parents who wouldn't have gotten it. Um begging parents to please put
023their kids on the bus because there's only one way to come in with buses and cars until we hope it'll be done sooner rather than later, but we were told January. We're hoping sooner. So we really have to think about safety. So people will be in traffic for a very long time because we have to empty the buses first and then have parent drop off happen. So I I just really highly encourage people to take the have the kids take the bus because um they're going to be late to work if they don't otherwise. Um so I'll forward that to you. I Lisa, if you don't mind, can you forward that to Thank you. I knew you would. >> Does anyone have a question on any specific project? >> Nope. I think we're good. Thank
024you. >> You're welcome. Oh, >> um, sure. You might as well, right? Michelle, can you pin up for a moment? I just noticed that three special education teachers had left and I just wanted to know if there was like a theme or consistent reasoning or what was going on with that. Yes, we had two special ed teacher positions leave at the high school and then one at the elementary school. The elementary school left for personal reasons. It was more due to her own situation going on the high school. Um one of the um the people that left actually left um for position closer to home and the other person didn't really give a reason, but I have a feeling went to the same district. since you're up there. Any other questions? And then we'll just
025um you know check this one off on the personnel action list. I'm sorry I could have skipped over it, but you haven't filled up positions yet. Correct. >> I did have a quick question. I just noticed I believe this is the secretary at WIS. >> Sorry, who? >> I I had just I had just wanted to clarify we haven't filled them yet. I didn't know how confident we felt that they would be filled before the beginning of school. >> We are hoping we are posting everywhere. We have it out to colleges, universities. We have it on Indeed, LinkedIn. Um, we have >> we do have interviews coming in and we do have applications coming in. We had a very great candidate. Um, it is a shortage area. So, um, we actually did a survey for
026the Connecticut State Department of Ed just today in the shortage areas of special education and paraprofessionals or PAR educators, I should say. And there's a huge shortage for special ed teachers in the state of Connecticut. and also nationwide. So, we're not the only district in this situation. It's usually special ed or social workers or school psychologists that you're just struggling to find. And I feel that we go through this every uh year and especially with special ed, I think they can pick where they want to go and they can pick how much money they want to make. Um, and there's also a burnout in that area. So, >> some good information though. We had a teacher who decided to go teach special education elsewhere and basically if that teacher wasn't making $20,000 more would was
027really wanted to come back and so because of everything else they wanted to come back here but the $20,000 was just too much and it was closer to the person's home. But if we had if we were able to give them that $20,000 they would come back and take the ride. So that was just really nice for me to for me to hear, but she can't. >> And the letters, they all wrote like very nice emails to us, you know, just unfortunately they're leaving. Um, but it's just sometimes, you know, we don't know their situation. And sometimes, you know, if it's closer to home and they're going to they're going to be able to make their life easier or their commute easier or their life at home easier, they're going to take the position. There's
028no specific district that's I don't say poaching but they're they're going to or is it's just >> well some districts have wording in their contract and some of that wording is they can give extra money or extra years if it's a shortage area. We do not have that in our contract but we have you know that's something we we are about to go into teacher negotiations. Maybe that's something we're going to look at um and have a discussion with because um in the Even last year, same thing. I think it was math. We lost some really great math teachers, but we brought on some really good math teachers. Um, and the same thing, there are several districts that are able to add a couple years and extra money if it's a shortage area. So, Matt,
029yeah, >> being a special ed teacher in the room, um, I can tell you that I was I just shared this with Dr. McClean. In the last two weeks alone, I've gotten 10 emails from school districts um encouraging me to apply for their special education positions, and at least two of them offered $5,000 signon stipens. >> Exactly. >> It's it's becoming competitive. >> Yeah. >> And it's and it's kind of increasing as time goes on. >> Except I can't do the $5,000. >> No. And in fairness, when I looked at their contracts, I was like, you can't compete with where I'm at. So, no. >> No. Yeah. But you know what? Um, when people do come here, they're coming for Cromwell's reputation. They're coming for our community. They're coming for our staff. They're coming for
030our students. So, we did bring on some really great staff and I'm very excited about that. >> Any other questions? >> Catherine. Um, so the people that we are bringing in in the teacher positions, um, are any of them experienced or any of them returning teachers that had left and come back? >> A little both. Um, I some one's brand new. Um, one or two are from a different state and have moved back to Connecticut. Um, some of them are very experienced and so we kind of have a range of a little of everything in there. >> I see you hired um your your assistant and I'm just wondering that is the secretary at WHIS, right? >> Yes, it is. >> But I didn't see a position for to replace her position. >> I have
031to post it. I still haven't posted it, but yeah, I definitely have to post that. >> So, I hope to keep her as long as in there because the school is my priority is making sure the school's filled. And so I will post that position um hopefully in the next couple days and then we'll get that position filled and then once the position's filled, we'll bring um that person over to central office. >> Okay, sounds good. Anything else for Michelle? >> All right, thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right, let's continue with your updates. Do you have updates on um well I was thinking about earlier in the month all the grant funding and then there's been updates on you know the federal money that we're worried about. >> Sorry >> to worry you
032about it. Um so federal funding um first of all the OCR case we I did get an update and the update is there's no update. We haven't heard anything from the federal government. Um, so that million dollars that we receive approximately can still perhaps be in jeopardy. We don't know anything of how that's going to turn out and we talk we could talk about that a little bit um when Chris presents. Um they finally released title two, title three, title four funding which was frozen until the beginning of July. But the problem again is that we don't know because that's the same funding. So the same money that we're worried about because of our OCR case is the same money that we were worried about not getting. So um we're still kind of a little
033bit in the worried zone um to say because we have it hasn't been deposited into our account as of yet and until it shows up in our EMS grant system that the money is in there, we don't know. So as of now it's not there yet. >> All right. Any questions on that? >> Goes through the state to us >> and there was sort of a schedule of, you know, when it comes out, right, based on which category it falls into. >> And yeah. Any questions? >> Did you have >> Yeah. So, >> a quick question about that. So, there's the You said they released the title two through four funding. Um, and some of that we did think was going to be part if they were going to withhold from OCR, they would withhold
034that piece of it. >> It's all the same. So that's the interesting thing like is people are happy that this money has been released and they're going to get their money. We can't celebrate yet because we still have this OCR case. >> So there was the the them holding back all funding for the state of Connecticut like a lot of funding for the state titles, >> right? And then there was the pieces of people who were under the OCR which is us and multiple other districts >> and Bloomfield us. >> Yes. Uh Gmer Stonington are those did they actually >> thought they were in there but I'm not quite sure. Um >> Avon with me >> Canton for sure Kanton and Bloomfield definitely the three of us are the students who had um definitely been
035notified. >> Okay. And no other word from the state with the communications that we've had from them? >> No. >> Okay. >> The attorneys um said they haven't heard anything yet. And I just saw your email about um our new SRO. >> Oh yes. So yes, really excited. We have um our new SRO, Elizabeth um SRO um Jones. Yes. Thanks. Just slipped my mind. Um she has incredible experience and we're just so excited to have her on staff. So, we she will be working part-time at um ECS, parttime west, back and forth, and then um Officer Bob will be at the middle school and officer Pete will be at the high school. And um I'm just thrilled to have all three of them here. >> I'm thrilled, too, because that was, you know, a concern
036last year and they came through and we we have our three back. So, I'm I'm happy. >> And you you've been wanting that's why you joined the board of ed. So, we finally >> everyone understands the importance. So, we're really excited about it and they're they're loving um the fact that they can collaborate together and work so closely with us. We we're really really lucky. Our kids are really lucky. Good. And one last question I have is just parent square. It seems like it's rolled out well. Um I don't know if it's just me, but if you also have parent square as a teacher, switching between the two isn't working for me. So just >> well you have to log back out and log back in every time you switch between. It's not a promal
037issue. I'm just I have to figure it out. So I didn't know if you ran into that at all. >> Oh, >> I know it says switch between accounts, but then it's kicking me out and making me log in every time, which >> I'm sure there's a workaround. >> Really? >> Oh, then we can find out. You said one. You mean >> as a parent, as a teacher? >> As a board member, >> like the alert. You mean that you get the notification? Oh, >> and we're still sending everything out via email for now, too, right? Like you said about those bus messages. They're not just going out in Parent Square because obviously some people probably aren't signed up, you know, for the middle school drop off and everything. Seems like everything's >> okay. >>
038Oh, >> yeah. Do you want to update? >> I have a question. >> Oh, sorry. >> Um, sorry. >> No, it's okay. We have somebody. >> Can you go through the differences between parent square and um powers school? >> I cannot do a great job at that, but Carrie can. Oh, Carrie, is your microphone on? >> Sorry, mad at this. Um, so we're just we just changed the communication piece of it. So P school is a much bigger program than just communicating with families. >> Does it still complete the grading and everything else in P school for the um upper level students? >> Yes. And and hopefully from what I can understand and we'll have to kind of fumble through this this year to make sure um that everything works okay, but it's supposed to
039make signing up for conferences much easier as well. So, it's an easier process than it was very clunky the way that we had been doing it in the past. And so, this is supposed to be um a much easier way to to do things like that. And you can it's just there that has more features like um you know, you can send payments if if we set it up like there's a lot of things that you could you can do like to keep track of people that are sending in money for class dues or things like that. Like there's a lot of features for family and student communication >> potentially. >> Yeah. So actually today was the day. So um all of us have been put on teams for this is we're talking about um
040it's called say something. It's a free program to schools. Um, and it basically allows students to anonymously report things that they're they see or notice or even adults, anybody can can report something and then it gets filtered through the system and kind of determined what the seriousness is and then it gets routed to the right people. And so we've made all of our internal um school teams and we've met with the police department um and we've kind of gotten everything put together. And today was they called it tip Tuesday. This was the day when all of us had been trained and they send us a tip alert and we all have to make sure that we can get into the system and um and so we did that today and I think everybody was successful.
041Um and so I think it'll be it'll be great in the fall. We're going to it's we're only going to use it with kids six through 12 and um they'll get trained. There's a a video to watch so that they can say, you know, this is download this app or here's how you get to it and this is what you might use it for. Um, I just watched it the other day actually. >> Grades six through 12. Yeah. Did I say age? >> Is it still free? Because in the past I I was so excited when I heard about this. It's been around for years. So, at the time it was free. It's still free. >> Still free. >> It's amazing. >> Yep. Still free. from >> it is amazing because I know um students
042were the ones who reported certain things when my daughter was here at the high school that um some of them are really serious things happening um but they were lucky enough that they had people they could confide in and the confidence to go to those people but that's not always the situation. So is this something that they can access off their Chromebooks or is it strictly off of a person there's a website there's an app there's you can >> but they'll have access to it. Okay. Because I know the Chromebooks locked down certain things, so I didn't know. >> No, that Yeah, they'll have access they'll have access to this >> and it's completely anonymous. >> Completely anonymous. >> Yep. >> So, can you remind me a little bit about the anonymity because um I
043think one of the concerns initially was that we might get inundated with like false alarms. How did they explain that they >> So, what happens is they have very highly trained people. So when this tip comes in, it goes into the Sandy Hook processing place, right? And then they sort of say they can engage with the person that's giving the tip and get more information and then they say, you know what, this there's some legitimacy to this. there screenshots for, you know, social media or something that that really is seems important or this is not, you know, like maybe the biggest thing, but we'll let somebody in the building level know so that they can follow up on it. So, they really have like a sorting system for what and who it's going to go
044to and when. So, if it's a life or death thing, it's going to go to the police and to our district level and the building level principal. If it's something that you know is just silly kids stuff, then we'll hear about it the next day and um you know we can follow up. So there's they have their own sort of ranking and then sending out where things need to go depending on what the situation is. All right. Excellent. Any questions? Is that all for that was a lot. >> That was enough and all good things. Um let's move on to presentations and reports of administration. We'll have the budget update from Mr. But will um reference see in your packets. More good news. >> Hi everyone. Excuse me. Hi everyone. Um yes, as Mrs. Keller
045said, um more good news. We're um wrapping up our closing out of the fiscal year. And as the report I submitted indicates, we have a current surplus of about $448,000. Uh this number is likely to increase as we close out our remaining purchase orders and release that money. Um our final budget expenditure will fall between 98.3 and 98.8% of the budgeted amount. Um so really tight budgeting there. Uh the surplus is a combination of our responsible spending and minimal surprise expenses this year. Uh the big areas uh contributing to our surplus are salaries and benefits, uh technical services and uh student services and re reimbursements. Um these these areas are not surprising because they involve the most variables and changes throughout the year. Um so for example, I know you've uh heard me talk throughout
046the year about what percent will we be getting reimbursed at from uh for special ed excess cost. Um, in January we were told it would be as low as 59%. Um, and then at times throughout the year it that varied and by the end of the year it was back up into the low 70s. So, um, you know, there's a lot of guesswork and projection and prediction, but um, all of these areas have quite a bit of flex with them throughout the year. So, that's where we are at this point. So, good news. >> Well, thanks for your hard work and for finding, you know, those areas that we may have um, missed before. I think you referred to it. Um, yeah, reimbursement for student services and um, just want to ask you, I don't
047know if this really falls into this, but um, we were worried about the costs for energy at the middle school with this excess. I'm just wondering, do we have to still worry because we're not sure what it will be or are we in a better position because now we have the solar panel project that was approved. Um, remember we were talking about the energy costs and that's my one. >> It's still in the inflight. Okay. So, we know the solar panels got approved, but they're not going on until when, Claudio, I'm sorry. >> March. >> So, that means from now until March. And then, of course, just walking through the building, running through the building. I love that place. You get all your steps in. It's so great. >> There. You could just see it's
048going to be more expensive. Obviously, it's new. The air conditioning is really actually running and working. Um, I said that to Claudio and I said that to Chris. I'm like, "Oh god, I am really a little nervous about getting the electricity bill, you know, this month." But we did account for in the budget the number that we were given. >> Um, so the so we could talk about and we can start right now with that $478,000. There are a few things that we have to think about, right? One is we don't know anything about that million with OCR. We have no idea what's going to happen. We also any type of bills that come with the new building, right? Things that we've noticed particularly with the the the situation we just talked about. That could
049also be an issue. Special education, we I I'm so grateful every star aligned for us. We just had a great year. And those of you that have been on the board, and a lot of you, all of you have, that has not been the case. you know, we've closed out the year with $1,700. Um, and we've been in the hole with special ed, which that wasn't necessarily the case. So, that and then finding how we um could get greater reimburse. So, Chris, thank you for everything you've done to figure that out. Siri and Chris have worked really hard together to make sure we get our maximum reimbursement rates for uh student services. But at the same time, we are in an I we don't know state. Um, we had a conversation quickly with um, the
050board of finance and we talked about perhaps uh, contributing money to the track. It is up to you. I think it's a great idea to contribute to the track, but I'm also I want everyone to know that we don't these are the unknowns right now. We don't we don't know where we fall with those to me most scary the scariest thing is the OCR case. So, I guess that's a conversation that we can continue to have. We do have um this account. It changed last year. We can just put up to 2% into our account. We don't have to go back and ask the town for approval. So, it's in there. Um how we want to use it, what we think is best. You know, do we take a gamble? Do we gamble and use
051it some of it for the track, but then we don't know if we're actually going to get that uh funding? It's up to you. >> So, this really shows how volatile our budget can be. I mean, you just never know when it'll turn around, but um I do recall those conversations during the budget season, and I think it would be a show of good faith if we talked about at least considering some of the money toward the track because I know there's a lot of interest in repairing it from the board of finance and um Mayor Demetriotis. I know it's in the works on his end, too. So, one way or another, hopefully it gets fixed. And I think um I would I would consider that something positive we could do to show that we're
052working together like we have been. Um did you have a question, Catherine? I have a couple questions. Um, first is I this is a good number to see sitting here. Um, we're lucky I am assuming we did not have many, which in I think every year that I've been on the board, we've had multiple people move into district that required special services that um took larger chunks out of our budget. We have a much lower homeless population, which I believe we knew we were going to have. So, we didn't budget for as much. I can't remember if it was for this current year that we're closing out or it's this upcoming year because the current year we're closing out, we were unsure because it was still high at, you know, a year ago. We were
053still sitting at a high number. So, I I'm assuming that some of that is where we were over budgeted for, so to speak. And um also the difference in the reimbursements where we thought we were going to have much lower. I believe we budgeted for a lower amount of reimbursement rate knowing we'd have to pay the difference. Um it's shocking to me that the state can't give us better information as we go through this process because this has got to be one of the biggest jumps we've ever seen in reimbursement rates. And I'm wondering um how do we have an estimate Chris of how much that is um between what we were told in January and the end of year. >> We were talking about trying to find the data and Chris has it. I've
054in 32 years I've never seen someone say you're going to getif in the 50th in January and then bring it back. I've never seen this ever. >> No, it's usually a couple percentage points. >> It's usually and if you're if it's even six percentage points, you're like, "Okay, you expect it, but This was a really rough year, but Chris did go digging for that for that material. >> Yeah, there were um multiple um messages from the state throughout the year. And so January was sort of the low point at 59. And then um you know, oh maybe it might be 60, maybe it might be this. And then there was, if you recall, there was quite a push back in the spring about the lack of funding from across the state. and the state uh
055dug deep and found additional funding um to put back into to put back into their reimbursement account. So we end I think what you're asking is we ended up at about 72% this this year. So we've swung from as low we thought we were going to get 59 and our actual reimbursement is >> what um not the percentage difference but the numerical difference of what we would have been reimbursed >> if we were at 59 versus 72. I don't have that number in front of me, but um it would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollar. It would be >> okay. >> Probably something two to $300,000. >> Okay. >> And so I think is important, we try to figure it out, of course, but the state when they send us notice that we're
056going to get 52%. They actually send every district and tell us that numerical difference in ch. So we're not just having to come up with this on our own. They say, "This is what you're going to get." Then we readjust and then we readjust and readjust. Um, but it turned out great, thank goodness. And all of our kids got their services. >> So, are those the three big drivers that gave us this number at the end of the year? Is that what you're saying? I know it's the usually the drivers of our budget, but is this what drove this number to be what it is this year? the ones Chris just said, salaries, benefits, tech services, student services, and then of course the reimbursement changing so many times. Yes. And they all fall in the
057same categories as our drivers. >> So where is that money sitting right now? >> It's still sitting in the town in the town fund. >> Okay. So, our goal will be uh over the next weeks to close everything out. Excuse me. Um so that there are no there's zero incumbrances and so we actually know what the final bottom line for the year will be and then we'll be able to give you an exact number. This is what the end result will be. The surplus will be and then um I would assume the board would want to move it into their board account to hold that surplus and then you can make decisions. When did you expect that to be? I'm sorry. >> Um I would um during August we're we're we're trying to close right
058now. So I would hope by the next board of ed meeting I can give you the >> Okay. >> the number. >> Any other questions about Chris's report? >> I just have a comment. Um, as far as the surplus that we have and the track work being typically a CNR expense, I think it would be prudent to discuss that with the board of finance, especially hearing some of the board of finances concern at a recent, uh, town uh, committee meeting. So, um, just, you know, not knowing where the OCR funding is going to happen and how that's all going to shake out, I think it would be, you know, they should be involved in that conversation. It's my understanding that was the one thing that wasn't part of that and it was going to be
059handled outside. That's what I was under the impression of. Is that right, Claudio? That's not on the list, right? >> Yeah, >> correct. I'm just saying the amount of 275 would typically put that on the on that list. >> The normal process. Yeah. >> Yeah. I just worry that if we go through that whole process, I don't know when it'll happen. Um, and I know there have been some other ideas tossed around. So, I do think we should have a meeting um about it. maybe not a full tri board meeting, but some discussions after we know the number that Chris comes up with. >> Um, also, yeah, along Steve's point, um, we applied for the grants for the tracks and twice and we didn't get it. So, something's got to be done. So, whether it's
060that or, you know, making them more aware that we still don't I mean, they know we don't know anything about the OCR. Unfortunately, we have no idea when we'll find this information. And so I do think it's a sizable amount that we should have multiple discussion. Well, we should have discussions not just with our board but with board of finance. I know we don't give the money back but but they should have a say because they um and how we you know should >> this does fall within the 2% of ours though. >> It does. >> Yes. But everyone it's everyone's money, right? It's your money. It's you live here. It's the town's money. The only thing everyone has to remember is are these unknowns and then I believe that the town were in a
061situation um that if god forbid something terrible should happen that we would then the town would have to you know if we spent it on the track let's say we spent all the money on the track and and we had a federal situation as a town we are responsible so what could we do at that point just brought up the grants but did we ever hear anything back from the letter we wrote? >> Um the first meeting was deferred to another meeting and then um I was told that no there was no action taken on it. It was such a good letter. So surprised. Um second question and this is just to clarify. So I know board of fin we our the board of ed budget can never go down. It always has to go
062up. Is this is that our budget what our given budget is or is it end up like does this 417 get added into it for next year? >> That's it's still like the budget. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah, >> that makes sense. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Just one more thing. Uh I just want to thank Chris Enza and Carrie for meeting with me today to discuss the budget presentation and I'm going to put forward some suggestions to the board on how to improve that process moving forward. Anything else? Thank you, Chris. >> Thank you. >> All right. Under new business, we have approval of our lunch price increase reference D in your packets. Any questions on that? We do this each year pretty much. Um, we do this each year and it
063always goes up. >> Okay. Any questions on that? We're using all the same vendors and everything. It's just an adjustment, an increase in the prices, but same vendors. >> It goes out to She put He puts everything out to bid, but I'm pretty sure we the same people are providing us with >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Any questions? Is there a motion to approve it? >> Kelly Allen second. All in favor? Opposed? Extensions. Motion carries. Lunch price increases approved. Um approval of out of state field trips reference E in your packets. Any questions on those? There's two of them. One to um the Bronx, New York for um let's see the Bronx Zoo and Newport, Rhode Island, which is a reoccurring trip for the high school. Is there a motion to approve those?
064>> Motion. >> Katherine second. Kelly. All in favor? >> Opposed? Extensions. Motion carries. They're approved. End of year board reports. We have one. Thank you, Kelly. Um, reference F in your packet. It captured our year very well. Um, we don't need to approve that one, but thank you for doing that. Lor's will be forthcoming when she returns from vacation. Action. Approval of minutes and motions from our June 3rd regular meeting. Um, I think Kelly, were you absent at that? I have that down here. Um, would anyone like to make a motion to approve those minutes? >> Katherine, is there a second? Matt, all in favor? >> Opposed? and um Kelly will abstain. Motion carries. Minutes are approved. Approval of our minutes and motions from the June 17th special meeting. I have that Katherine and Matt
065were absent from that meeting. Is that right? Okay. Uh for the others who would like to approve those minutes, Alan second. Kelly. All in favor? Opposed? Extensions. Motion carries. >> Yes. And Matt and Katherine abstained. All right. Item F action stipen approval reference I in your packets. >> Oh, good. Because I'm missing mine. >> I have it somewhere. I just wanted to know if just confirming that these are all that none of these are new. >> Yep. Okay, that's all I wanted to know. Thank you. >> All right. Is there a motion to approve the stipens? >> Katherine second. Kelly. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions? Motion carries. Stipens are approved. And then we have ourformational HR um personnel activity report, which we already went over. So, we're all set with that. Policy committee will
066meet next meeting and facilities and technology committee will meet the meeting after that. Um topics for future agendas, possible action to approve additional topics. We talked about the update grounds and infrastructure update for September. the budget calendar will set then and then we'll go over test scores hopefully in more depth at the following meeting. Um comments, updates, and announcements from board members. We'll start with Dr. McClean since she's new to the table. Anything you'd like to comment on? Okay, Matt >> in terms of the lunch, you know, having problems there and I guess there was some issues about parents, you know, not acknowledging it. And I know that we used to use docuine and he used to be able to used to have to initial certain sections and things and yeah it's not a contract
067at least it was some kind of acknowledgement and we we communicate we we talked about using a system like that >> do you want to come back up Chris I'm sorry >> is anyone else >> I mean if you >> if you're the right person to answer this >> I know >> yeah I don't have it. I mean, I don't understand your question. >> There was there was a talk about, you know, with the lunch money we were I think we were at a union meeting or something like that. We were going this round table before the meeting and it was talking about that parents didn't realize, oh, I thought it was still free and this and that and they were responsible for it and >> and it's well, it's not a a contract. It's
068it's it's an acknowledgement that hey, you know, you're responsible for this and you basically communication with the parents that that acknowledge that yes, they have to initial that >> like when you go to the doctor's office and you say, "Okay, this is my insurance and if if there's another cost, I agree to pay it and you sign off on >> Yeah, it's that type of >> would and I don't know if this is a capability, but I was joking about P school before, but like is there a way people could log in and see what their balance is that you guys could go in and update or do notes like that in there?" So, when they're going in and checking things, >> I think I don't know if that's definite, but I think it's possible
069that um Mosaic, which is the software that we use for the lunchrooms, can talk to P school. >> So, I could look into that for sure >> or to parent square or something. And then it just >> right when they open it, it's there. >> Yeah. >> Whatever. >> It just might save time from chasing around as much, you know. >> Good idea. Didn't we have something that told what the lunch account was? >> Well, you get an email, >> the lunch balance. >> They have a login thing, but it's not it's not in those. >> You have to open the email and go to that system >> and it's a completely different >> right. Oh, you're wondering if we can link that system to where we are. >> So, like if you're getting updates
070and emails each week in square, >> they can get updates, >> pull in the balance and have it on the >> right. Chris has >> or or like in Power School, a big red banner on the top, you know, >> delinquent. >> It's even it's even worse than that. >> They get a phone call from Mr. Buttwiller, like a personal phone call. It's nothing is working. >> Nothing is working. >> We are talking with the food services department about um I know when I talked about this in the spring, like we started using some voice messages during dinner time to alert parents to their high debt. um that seemed to be effective. But we're looking forward to Parent Square because, you know, I think it's a lot more flexible in terms of just sending the
071eblast, you know, because you're getting like a text message or a message that you're more likely to see. Um so, uh we're planning on sending out a lot more messages a lot sooner regarding students who run up debt. Um Sandra Shaw, the coordinator, already sends out automated emails when I think when their debt hits $10. um it already sends out an email, but unfortunately a lot of people don't, you know, manage their personal emails or don't see it or it goes into spam, you know, so they're not aware of it. So, they're very surprised. But we want to cut off that phone call where we're like, "Your child's at $100 of debt and they're like, we don't we had no idea, you know, even though they've received probably 25 emails about it, but maybe they
072never saw that." So, we want to try to use Parent Square as a, you know, a better, more direct communication tool. >> Good suggestion. I like that it being right in the profile when you open it up. Maybe not even a separate message. It's just there if it's cap if you're, you know, able to do that. Worth looking into. Thank you. Um, Dr. Macker, did you have anything? Oh, >> okay. Today. Um, I just am just so extremely grateful and happy that the third SRO is in place. And I just want to acknowledge this has been like four years in the making going down from zero to security guards to it's just been so so long and I really want to thank the police department for their partnership with us and working with us and
073um coming to the table with different solutions when we asked for them. So I'm just wanted to to celebrate that because I think that's an amazing amazing win. Anything you want to share, Catherine? Kelly, Steve? All right. Um, we did have public comments. I received a letter from Timothy Lutz, who's a former student, asking that we look into our food policy specific to celebrations in class. You all have a copy of it. Um, it's in it'll be included in the minutes. I forwarded it to Lisa. Dr. Mri has a copy. He felt strongly about um allowing students to have their birthday celebrations in class celebrated with some kind of food, which hasn't been the case for a long time. So, if the policy committee is interested in looking into that, I'll leave that to them.
074Um, he also followed up with another email. I'm not sure if he had a chance to read it, but it was related to field trips and he had a couple suggestions for field trips which I also included in the minutes and we'll forward I forwarded Dr. to Dr. Machi and you all and feel free to share that with ECS. I believe that's what they were specific to. So, that's all I had for public comments. Is there anyone else here for public comments though? I do have the rules here. If anyone would like to make a public comment, I'll read the rules. If not, I'll spare you. Anyone? Okay. All right. Then at this point, meeting is adjourned at wow 6:30.