001I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Can we hear roll call please? Al present. Teresa present. Michelle Kate here. Glattus here. Mary Lauren here. Juanita. She's not. She's not. Rich here. Julie here. And I'm here. Okay. Thank you. Then we going to bring a little sadness to our meeting. We going to recognize some of our people that have been so many years into our school system and we hate to see them leave. So I'm going to turn it over to our superintendent. Thank you. This is good work. Um so I want to first start off by saying that um it was it's wonderful that um we had several retirees uh for
002this school year uh ending in this school year. But um I was very happy to see that um those who showed up tonight did a to see your faces to put names to faces in some cases um but also to recognize um that you know the retirement is not just about you it's also about your spouse or your loved ones and the time that they get to spend with you. So, it really is kind of a a family occasion. So, it's nice to meet um some of you this evening. So, we have um a bit of a long list and I'd like to acknowledge and read all of our folks. Um and then uh acknowledge the ones who are here today. We have certificate and we have a little party gift. Um but I will
003say before I begin with this, um you know, the last couple of years in particular have been challenging in Gander for different reasons. Um, but having been there for 28 years, um, I would say if you were kind of looking at the curve of of success over time, um, we certainly have had a good run here in Danbury and your length of service and the work that you've done every day. Um, you know, I truly believe working in Denver is is a very special endeavor. You work for wonderful families. Um, we have tremendous uh, staff here. um and that you have been a part of this journey with us for a very long time. Um some longer than others and we'll we'll go through all of those years, but um there's nothing more special, more
004important than the service that you provided to our school system all of these years. Um you are all public servants and you're wonderful public servants. Um and we're so proud of you and we thank you for your time that you spent here in Gree with us. We hope that you come back as maybe a sub or um to fill in as a long-term uh person who could help us out on short notice, but you're always welcome to come back here and and we you will be missed greatly. So, thank you again to those who who came tonight. Uh we greatly appreciate you and and we're happy that you came um to to chat with us about your goodbye. So, thank you so much. So, I'm going to read all of the retirees uh for 2025
005and then we'll call uh the folks who are here tonight up to join us for a picture and and to receive your gift. Um Val Anderson, Broadview Middle School Tissaw teacher, 30 years. Linda Benowitz, Danbury High School secretary, 35 years. Jean Caldora, Morris Street and King Street primary library media specialist, 33 years. Karen Flannry, Milidge Primary, grade 1 teacher, 16 years. Darlene Hawkins, Broadview Middle School secretary, 26 years. Susan Heftley, Ellsworth Avenue special education teacher, 25 years. Elia Henriks, Granville custodian, 11 years. Also, my sister-in-law, Mary Johnson, Park Avenue assistant principal, three years. Victoria Kenyon, King Street intermediate special education tutor, 20 years. Patricia Kery, King Street intermediate speech and language pathologist, six years. Annlain Ellsworth, special education tutor, 24 years. Michael Mcniff, Danbury High School library media specialist, 17 years. Helen Meyer, Broadview Middle
006School math teacher, 30 years. Diane Bose, Danbury High School business ed teacher, 24 years. Michelle Mullins, special education preschool physical therapist, 19 years. Deborah Morse, Park Avenue, grade 2 teacher, 21 years. Ty New, Danbury High School math teacher, 22 years. Patricia Riley, King Street Primary, grade 2 teacher, 26 years. Mary Ellen Robertson, Primrook grade 5 teacher, 20 years. Tom Ross, Danbury High School, English teacher, 22 years. Stephanie Saunderson, park gathering satellite manager, 32 years. Barbara Stewart, King Street Primary and Mill Ridge Library Media Specialist, 25 years. And Houdong Zoo at Canbury High School, Tissaw, 28 years. So, um, on behalf of the board, we'd like to thank all of those that we just, uh, listed. Um, and I'd like to offer a welcome and a round of applause. [Applause] And what we would like to
007do is call each one of the uh, retirees who are present tonight up. Uh, we'll present you with a certificate and your gift. I'm going to come around to the front and we'll take a picture with the board chair. Okay. Thanks. [Music] First in the basement. Sorry. B A A A A A comes before B. [Music] Come on up. Hello, Linda. 35 years of dedicated service to the [Applause] closer. Hi Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I got to get my picture. Okay, let's do this. So, here we go. Sorry about that. Thank you. Also not you again. [Applause] Congratulations. awkward. Congratulations. [Applause] 16 years of dedicated service to the [Applause] Congratulations. [Applause] Darling Hawkins, who I don't believe is here tonight, they were scheduled to come. We'll put this aside for
008her. Darling had 26 years of dedicated service to the day. Okay. Susan Heley, 25 years of dedicated service to the Denver. [Applause] Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. [Applause] Michael McI 17 years at Danbury [Applause] program together. Congratulations. Congratulations. Riley, 26 years of dedicated service to the public school. [Applause] Thank you. Congratulations. [Applause] You don't have it. But you just you just 20 years of [Applause] congratulations. [Applause] You might have been a little mix up with one of the but Anderson. [Applause] I think this sign was what you weren't called first when we have that. Okay. The same thing happened at the teachers. Yeah, exactly. I'll see you in September. Well, thank you very much. Um, you know, one of the things that we were having a conversation about is finding more ways to acknowledge service over
009time and um, you know, tonight is very special that you're able to join us, but we certainly appreciate appreciate you and again um, thank you for coming and I know our board appreciates your service. So, thank you. [Applause] Now we're going to give you the opportunity to leave [Applause] and hear the poor. [Music] What is your number? Got it. Before the start, I'm sorry. The board welcomes public participation and asks that speakers please limit their comments to three minutes. Speakers may offer objective comments of school operations or programs that concern them. The board will not permit any expression of personal complaints or defamatory commenting about board of education personnel and students nor against any person connected with the Danbury public school system. Thank you. Our first is Good evening. Hello. Good evening everyone. Uh my
010name is Ernesto Rodriguez uh Danbury resident. I'm here uh to discuss um the process in which I had to go through in enrolling my daughter into kindergarten this year. Um, so, uh, back in 03, uh, the state passed a law changing the deadline for enrollment from December 31st to September 1st, as you're aware, last year, um, the the Denver public schools uh, did do that. And then when it was my turn to uh um her ser my daughter, I uh come to notice that the the website at Denver Public Schools was clearly stating that they were not accepting any exceptions uh for the school year. Meanwhile, the surrounding towns were uh clearly posting on their on their websites. Um so I reached out to the district and I wasn't really getting answers um direct answer
011as to why or the reason why. I did send out an email to the superintendent in which a couple board members were on that email just expressing my concerns and um and how I had to uh reach out to the um Department of Education and talk to their attorneys to to validate that yes that my daughter can apply. And because of that contact, I was able to uh get the board or the district in touch with that attorney from the department of education to to to verify. Yes. So so um I want to say u February 5th the um district updated their website and there applications more information to come. So it was a three-stage process and the time at which the parents were given to to put the paperwork together very limited. So um
012so it's the day Monday after Easter uh we're coming home from vacation and we get an automated phone call. Hey uh you get an email regards to to the assessment and the assess and the email basically said your your child has to appear at 8:00 in the morning on Osborne Street for an assessment on 4 days notice 8:00 in the morning. Um, so you know, so, uh, we already had some things in place that day. Uh, my wife was out of town. I wake up and, um, my my daughter has like a swollen eye. Her eye is is um, you know, there's time stamps. This is an hour before the assessment. She's not in her best at her best. Have to get a dress, breakfast, got to drop the old one at mom's house. Me
013and we get there. It's raining. We have a T-ball game at 10:00. It's so there's a lot going on. Um, finally we, you know, uh, the person, uh, there's a secretary there. Secretary walks my daughter, um, to get assessed. I don't know who. I don't know what she's going to get tested on. Um, it's just very, uh, just concerning like I didn't know where she was going, what she was going to being tested on. And, and as I'm waiting. I hear the second, you know, there's there's there's five kids supposed to be here today. Only one showed up and that was my daughter. Um, fast forward um uh you know, so I I did email to another um uh employee of the district and I wanted to know how many students got re uh were
014accepted this year compared to last year cuz I know last year there was 110 about. They spent three weeks having gotten that information. So, I was just really concerned and at the time and in that email it felt like you know uh you know why it felt to me like you're suppressing uh applicants. I don't know why but just based on the action and based how other school districts were managing the situation. I don't I don't I don't feel that the Danberry uh uh students got a fair shot how you give a family hey show up where you that's it. There's no makeup. There's no, hey, you got you can choose from two days. It says either you go and that's it. To this day, I I my my uh we actually did sign her
015up today. So, she did pass. Um again, I don't know how many, but I do know that um you know, the process was unfair um uh for parents. Um you know, like I said, me comparing to what other communities were doing. Um, so I just hope in the future that parents are are given more time uh to to make accommodation to have their kids assessed in a fair man cuz you imagine like having a 8-year-old show up to a place and to a stranger to be assessed doesn't make sense to me. Um um and then on top of it, you don't find out till January 2nd. By that time, all the other options are all filled up, you know, so what if a kid doesn't get in? All the other um options are very limited
016cuz you know, supposedly, you know, how it is the first week of June is hectic. People are are starting their summer. So, so that was my experience and and I hope that I'm here today. So, uh, so that student school district is mindful of, you know, taxpayers and and the students and and and have a more respectful process. I I just felt like it wasn't fair. Um, and for those reasons, I'm here to tonight. Right. And and I hope that uh I could get those numbers so I could just really and I and I plan to come back here and share those numbers with you because I I I I feel that the numbers will reflect that and because there are some kids that are going to miss out on education this year because they
017for whatever reason they were sick they had their parents going to get child care. Um also parents are are are waiting to get back to work. So, it's really costing parents not just the, you know, the $5 $6,000 they have to pay for a private school or daycare, but also, you know, tens of thousand dollars they could have been earning if they were back at work. So, um, that's all I have to say. I want to thank you for your time and and again, thank you. Thank you. Good evening everybody. Um, I'm going to read today because it's too hot. My brain will melt. Um, all right. So, good evening. My name is Chrissy Marui. I'm a parent in the district. Our district has a policy defining the standards for honoral standards that reflect hard
018work and a strong commitment to academic success. Yet recognition for these efforts across our middle schools is inconsistent. Currently, two of the three middle schools hold end of the year ceremonies to celebrate students who earn distinctions like honorroll or high enroll. My child attends Broadview where for two years in a row no such recognition has been held. I expressed last year I expressed my concerns last year and hopes for change but sadly nothing approved. It's heartbreaking as a parent to see my child and so many of her classmates meet these high standards yet not receive the same acknowledgement as her peers. When she asked why her friends in other schools were honored and she wasn't, I don't have an answer for her. These students work incredibly hard, some overcoming challenges and many balancing extracurricular activities.
019The staff works incredibly hard to educate and inspire students to meet the same district defined standards. It's simply not equitable that public recognition of academic achievement depends on which school a student attends. This inconsistency sends a message that success in Danbury is valued differently depending on the building you're in. A message I don't believe aligns with the ideals of fairness and excellence the Danbury public schools proudly strive for. While I respect and value the autonomy of schools and I'm aware of the upcoming leadership transition at Broadview, the lack of district protocol leaves vulnerable all students and staff in Danbury. There should be consistency across schools when it comes to honoring students who meet more defined academic achievement. These recognitions matter, especially in middle school where students are just beginning to navigate traditional grading systems. Recognition,
020even in a simple format, motivates. It shows students that their hard work is seen and valued, not just at home, but by the community that they're a part of. I respectfully urge the board to establish a district-wide standard or guideline to consistently and publicly celebrate academic achievement, whether through award ceremonies, recognition nights, or other meaningful events. All students as well as staff deserve to feel seen, appreciated, and have their moment in the spotlight to showcase what they work so hard to accomplish. Thank you for allowing me this time, and I thank you all for your dedication to the success of betterment of Danbury schools. Thank you. Now, you do the cons, please. Make a motion that the board of education approve the consent calendar uh as an exhibit 25- 10 in accordance with the exhibit
02125- second by any question concerning consent calendar seeing none all in favor I hear I oppos Okay, this is a quick one tonight. Um, so, uh, we really did provide sort of a comprehensive update on a lot of the construction projects and all the projects that were planned, uh, in the last four days. So, we did get a good pretty good facilities list. So, I have to thank Mike uh for putting that together. Um we're still pretty much on track. Um we are still planning on opening this uh big beautiful uh satellite campus at DHS West. Um so, we're there's a tremendous amount of buzz still happening in that. So, there's um materials arriving, packages coming in, equipment that's being installed. Um so, there's quite a bit um happening there. Um, we're hoping to still
022secure a date where we can bring our board in. I was hoping to have that for you tonight, but we're still a little bit in limbo with that as as the the crew is really pushing forward with with a lot of the projects. Um, and as long as they're on track and on time, I'm I'm happy with that. So, um, there's been a lot of work in that area and there's also a lot of work happening across the the city and in the district as well. So, um, that seems to still be on time and I just wanted to provide, uh, that information for you. the staff is is in the process or has been in the process of packing all the belongings so their items are ready to be moved and then they'll spend
023some time in August um the staff that's moving that building um unpacked so we get a little bit extra time during our first few days of school um so I just wanted to provide that update that we're still on on time I think I get asked maybe at least two or three times a week are we still opening are we on time um is that something everyone's concerned so I just wanted to report on that and then of course there's been a tremendous amount of hiring and movement. Um so all of this newness, this new campus is generating a lot of activity in our uh HR department. Um but also we've had some leadership changeovers and um I'm going to invite Kim to give us an update on where we are with that in terms
024of just general hiring, but then um some new appointments that um it would be wonderful to share this evening. Great. Thank you. There it is. Thank you. You think after all this time? Anyway, um yes, hiring's consider uh continuing the pace. Um Kelly is going to be starting summer school uh tomorrow. So, uh ESY summer school starts with their um orientation day and they start next week in earnest. Um between ESY summer school and regular summer school, we have processed over 400 people. Um so, we've gotten all of those people primed and ready to go, some new, some returners. So everybody seems excited, enthusiastic, and we're ready to launch. Um construction site now is dealing. We're going to be great. Um when we turn from that, we've been working on hiring in both certified and
025non-certified staff. Um you all have heard us say over time, we've added a bunch of new positions because of the new building. Um and so those are ongoing both in the certified and non-certified areas. um persistent and by persistent I say you know through June we've had not great success in certain areas. They're the same areas that we've um had over time. Um special education continues to be a challenge. Math and science it's secondary level. Um some at the high school a smattering at the middle schools. Um we have quite a few library media folks to try to bring back into the district into those positions. um primarily at the elementary level and in the non-certified area safety advocates and paraprofessionals. Um we've been doing a lot of media. Um so we've been doing some
026first media which is targeted um they target clicks and um you know how many times you visit our website they do things like geo fencing which I don't really understand what that is but in certain target areas um we've been pushing out advertising and also um we've used a new product called interview stream which we purchased this year um at not a tremendous cost but what it's allowed us to do is leverage not only some um video capabilities so candidates can now record short vignettes in response to questions for people who are screening, but it's also a bit of a marketing tool. So, we can use interview stream and Applejack to be pushing out some promotional videos, promotional materials. So, we've put quite a bit of that also up um particularly around the high school
027and um we've done some special ed. We've also done some secondary ones. So, we're working on how to push out some more um media. Um, I also, you've heard me say I've had um several CF staffers. They're all very young people and I asked them to help me figure out all the things. So, they're working actually on they have unearthed a a tutor, a pair professional we had who is just hired this year as a certified teacher with us. So, we're going to try to get a quick interview up and we're going to try to maybe do a Tik Tok video. So, um, we've got them working on how to outreach to, um, you know, the younger community to see if we can't bring in some more folks, particularly in our non-certified positions where you'll
028remember we've done a lot of work around the contract with the pair of professionals. So, we're hopeful that we're going to get a little bit of traction. So, those are the areas we're really focused on right now. We've processed about 85 certified staff members so far. We've probably done another 50 or 60 non-certified. That will really amp up now as we hit July and August. Um, in the administrative ranks, many of you have participated in interviewing, so thank you for your help with that. Um, we do have several new announcements and Karen and I were trying to remember how many of them we announced, so I'm going to go through them all again so that everybody gets them. Um, at Westside Middle Schoolmies, we have Mike Flynn, who is now assuming the reigns in earnest.
029um again somebody who very highly regarded um across the district and both panels were really excited to move him to that position. He has um had an interim assistant principal serving with him. That position is now open and posted for a full assistant principal. We're continuing to screen for that. Um and hopefully we'll get someone to that position. Um at Broadview Middle School, um Andrew Lambo has been named the new principal at Broadview Middle School. Um Andrew, many of you may know as one of the um assistant principles, fills the role of a director of one of our atre high school. They were very sad to see him leave, not just because he's leaving, but also because they've left a vacancy there to fill. So we are working I just saw some dates come through
030um for candidates to backfill Andrew. But Andrew assumes the um the helm of Broadview and has two assistant principles in place there. um at uh Scaly Ruff, we now have um an assistant principal. It is Jenny Lopez. You may remember that we actually brought Jenny Lopez into the district into that role originally. Um and she has been serving and as the leader of Reach Endeavor in this last year uh in part because of the reductions in force and the and the moving we did of of a lot of our um staff. So Jenny is super excited to be returning back to the home uh for her which is the elementary assistant principal at Stadley and we are continuing the search for an elementary assistant principal at Park Avenue as well. Um that is with the
031retirement of Mary Johnson who some of you remember served as our principal at Stanley Ruff many many years ago uh and left and came back to the district to work with Dave Craft at Park Avenue. Uh so that will be an opening that we'll continue to look at. Um the most recent announcement which came today um Dr. Christy Zelita has been named chief of schools. She will be filling the role uh the very large shoes left by Chris Ro. Um and that of course means that we now have a vacancy at Rogers Park that will certainly be difficult to fill as well. Um I believe that posting went up today. So we will start in earnest looking to screen for a candidate for that position. So lots and lots of changes um and lots of
032dominoes. So, there's lots of pieces moving. Um, but we have had some really good applicants come through. We continue to look at them for a variety of positions and so we're excited that we think we're going to get to Yes. um over the next couple of weeks that we can get up on campus. Thank you, Ken. Thank you. So, as you can see, there's quite quite a bit happening in addition to all the other things happening. So, uh, there's quite quite a few positions to fill and and, uh, as Kim said, we are seeing some good candidates coming through. Um, so we are very hopeful and, um, certainly with the folks that we've selected for the current positions that Kim mentioned, um, we're very excited to get started and they are as well. So, that
033is a that is a wrap on the on the hiring. Um, there was one last additional thing, Mike Weaver, I put you on the spot for a second. Um, can you just give us a brief summary update of where we are with Chartwells? our ship include service vendors, please. Yeah. So, uh very uh very exciting. As most of you know, we've uh made the switch over to Charles. Uh we've been meeting with them regularly, both uh myself, um and uh Janet from school much. Um, right now, uh, Sedexo is still in business. Their contract is in effect through, uh, the end of 6:30, which unfortunately is on a Monday. Um, and on 71, Charles will officially, uh, begin. We had one of our last closeout meetings with Sedexo this afternoon, and the final one will
034be our final walk through on 6:30. Um, very excited for the next year. Thank you. I'm standing here. [Music] We had a finance meeting this evening. Um Mike Weaver and reported the results of the May financial statements. The government here they had an unemployment balance of 1.3 billion. uh we expect the year end effect of June 30th to be a favorable uh balance somewhere close to 2% of our budget. Um these figures are still in a process of being finalized and closed down. uh during the summer uh and probably for the August uh for the first board meeting uh we'll have a presentation and documentation regarding the the new budget for the calendar for the school year 2526 uh for the $172 million. Uh, and I asked about the audit updates for the 24 audit
035which currently is in the process of being done and probably in the next 60 days I would think it's anticipated sometime I think somewhere about August it's anticipated based on what Joanne had mentioned that they would have preliminary numbers from the accounting firm for for that for that audit period. As of this date, there's still no figure as to what the balance is. That's still being worked on. That basically is it. Thank you. Mr. I will chair. We are not scheduled in committed room unless it's an emergency and you're not in court. And if you have an issue with that, please email me. Action item A. Okay. I'll make a motion that the board of education accept for second reading and adoption policy 3320 purchasing procedures as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance
036with exhibit 25-112 [Music] motion made by Kate. Could I hear a second? Second. Seconded by all in favor here I Okay, you got to get ahead and then let me ask a question. Okay. So the motion is carried. Um Lauren, policy B. I make a motion that the board of education accept for second reading and adoption policy 3323 soliciting prices building requirements as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance with 2513. Sorry. Motion made by Lauren. Did I hear a second? Second. Seconded by Kate. Any question concerning the motion? Seeing none. All in favor of the motion could I hear? I I. Any oppose? Motion. So carry. M. Do you do action item C? Financial report. I make a motion that the board of education accept the May 2025 financial report as recommended by
037the finance committee and the accordance with exhibit 25-114. Motion made by Al. Could I hear a second? Seconded by Teresa. Any question concerning the motion? Seeing none. All in favor of the motion could I hear I? I. Motion so carried. Julie, will you do the Motion that the board of adopt the fiscal year 2025 2026 public schools general fund fund budget in the amount of 172 million16 motion made by Julie. Could I get a second to that motion? Second. Seconded by learn. All in are there any questions concerning the motion? All in favor of the motion could I hear I? I oppose. Motion to carry. Mr. Janelli, could you do E? Motion that the board of education approve the board of education regular meetings uh scheduled 2025 2026 in accordance with the schedule 25- 115.
038Motion made by Mrs. Could I hear a second? Seconded by Julie. Any question? Seeing none, all in favor of the motion, could I hear? I motion so carry. Okay, move on down the agenda. We almost finished. Uh board chairperson. Uh very brief, I'm going to talk about one thing and that's our emails. Uh responding to emails. And I thought uh earlier this year we was very clear into responding to emails and we see those emails have gone out to the superintendent. I see no need for you to respond to that email or get the email and send a copy to the superintendent. We are trying to light her load. she has enough demands to read and for 11 board members to send those copies over to her is an additional work. Um, and I think
039and we have said before, you have to be careful responding to people when they email you. Okay? If you're not sure, you can call me or you can call the superintendent when you get an email. And if you send her an email comp uh about a person that's complaining about you, please read your emails because she respond to people. And the emails that I saw this week, you know, people were sending back uh and she had responded to the necessary people. So I'm telling you really as we, you know, move forward, let's be careful and let's be respectful of what we're doing. Okay? [Music] I hope that we all have a safe summer, a healthy summer, a happy summer, and take care of yourself. So, if everything go okay, unless an emergency, I know some
040of us have some other commitments during this summer uh as far as being. So I need a motion to address [Laughter] motion made by second by motion by whose motion so car