001yes all right let's call the meeting order at 701 um applies for the Pledge of Allegiance allegiance of the United States under God indivisible with liberty and suggestions [Music] Teresa president Michelle here okay here Gladys here Lauren here Jesse here bridgen here Julie here Ralph Rosen Elle and Luisa here okay the recognitions public participation the board welcomes public participation and ask our Commons be limited to three Mills the public may offer objective comments of school operations and programs that concern them the war will not permit any expression of personal complaints of inflammatory comments about Board of Education personnel and students ignore against any person connected with the damn Area Public School Systems so we have um thank you very much thank you for the opportunity and thank you for your service comment I would like
002to ask a question to any for the record to any of our board members that you guys believe and not to answer the proposed new Charter School would that be under the jurisdiction noticeable we just we don't answer in public episodes um you know people many other constituents and citizens and Improvement myself with people worry disappointed because I think we feel that we have it put the foxes in charge of the in-house okay and what do I mean by that that's what I mean by that is that we elected you guys or some of you guys are commented to defend and to protect our safety net but some of you guys are cheerleading to open up HR School endeavor something that you guys will not have an oversight um why you guys are doing that
003that's like the service to our children into our community that you guys are cheerleading for something that you guys not have not going to have no direct oversight of and we wonder why people don't believe in the politicians because they all have an agenda and you guys don't have the guts to stand up as good soldiers just to get the water report the God is in power that's really sad and I'm sad because um anyway it's coaching Korean and I can offer my country that so Neo liberalism economy that everything is privatized it is said that we that are teams are helping to destroy this country 30 seconds thanks so much and that it makes me sad so I don't call a day that he is my brothers I go there lettings the name only
004that's very sad and uh you guys would be done Sunday but remember the dishonesty [Music] will remain thanks so much it was only one name on the list anybody else in the audience that wants to speak oh boy once twice thank you all right just quotient of the Board of Education through the items on the consent calendar exhibits 23-51 through 23-55 as recommended seconds sorry it was about the minutes the special board meeting the regular board meeting curriculum committee sites and Facilities commitments what should I mean by Bridget yes second second by King and discussion all those in favor all right goes interceptions educational representative student Representatives any student representative here I don't care come on up Kayla all right this looks like I'm the only one [Music] hello good evening news thank you for
005allowing us to speak on behalf of the Alternative Center for us on Thursday March 23rd it should be administering that 11th grade sat the SAT is coordinated and aged by Kyle tripola thank you Kyle for organizing the ace students and staff to be able to participate in practice this important test on the same day coffee occurred karagos Beauty Greg pie Santini Haley are strong and Ashley Montclair will take the 9th and 10th graders for White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield Connecticut the East 12th graders will take a trip to um Naugatuck Valley Community College Waterbury and Danbury campuses Diana Denardo and Anthony Hopkins before the campuses with the eight seniors a screen chemistry students will visit the Norwalk Aquarium on Tuesday March 28th this trip will introduce them to the Aquatic natural world and was
006biodiversity in addition to regular admission to Exodus throughout the aquarium students will experience a 4D theater showing BBC's Earth aren't close Blue Planet 2 April is the starting National poetry month and on Monday April 3rd 25 artists and Poets from a specific trip to Washington Connecticut to hike at the Hidden Valley Reserve inspired by the beautiful Woods the Chicago River and the transcendental groups that span the railing on the thorough Bridge so you're close by the day hiking and creating each person takes an annual poetry pack since 2017 and this is the first year that our students will join them to sketch nature in the beautiful meeting with the countryside it is my pleasure to recognize our two February students of the month for their outstanding efforts both in the classroom and in our Ace
007Community this month's winners are I can't pronounce his middle name I'm sorry um Jason Ordonez and Haley Sanchez Ace would like to recognize our February Ace of cards winner Justin Palma for his caring nature and willingness to help others February 8th of Spades winner for hard work is Genesis anovar a staff recognized two capable Award winners for willingness to take on challenges concerned for others ability to work with others and willingness to commit to a project this year's recipients are co-ferrantino and Ciana Rodriguez lastly the eighth Ace staff also selected two students for the superintendent school Genesis and duhar and Tyler's chairs are selected due to their completion of community service academic success and Leadership service to the school Community congratulations to all of our winners thank you for thank you all for allowing us
008to share what is going on with our Ace family and have a nice evening stay healthy and remain a strong thank you have a nice day everyone see you happy birthday is there any representative representatives from Hamburg High School um uh I likely to take a motion to table action negative a until our next meeting we have a further clarification one since the meeting was just last night it would be beneficials until our next meeting to present report okay so motion by all to the table action item a is there a second [Music] pretty much everyone yeah Teresa all those in favor [Music] um impose interceptions okay one extension so we will table that item until that's Cooper he read uh motion B m w three Academy I believe that the Board of Education approved
0092023 2024 school calendar in accordance with exhibit 23-57 page 22. question made by Miss Cooper the second second by June any discussion [Music] just a quick question um didn't have a chance to go in and come and build what we are currently doing and and I guess the superintendent I don't think there were any changes in in the capital of 24. there were no changes to the calendar that we had in information was Cooper and just in terms of shifts some of the biggest shifts were so right now we have Good Friday and then it's the following week next year it's just one week it just doesn't fall naturally when we have a Friday and the subsequent week off what's the other thing and it's one additional half of what half day that we have
010recommended 23 24 calendar and we also want to take this out to let the board know that we plan to have a two-year calendar for the awards of consideration so we'll have 20 through 24 plus a two year look out for consideration a couple of weeks ago man goes back to the calendar students this year we had about two days for assorted together and with the parents were saying they really like that because I think in the previous year candy schools we were all of you came back to school they were off the day then you had to come I can't pronounce them I don't remember what holiday it was but I heard a lot of people uh me understand that they really appreciate the school to do an accountant that we had two straight
011days together thank you Ms Cooper in one of those days after days after also some interrupted days in the in our calendar s last year no and just the you know that February break coming that second day it just seemed to come at the right time for everybody because there was a lot of complaints about that either so all right [Music] so first I'd like to talk about the upcoming budget process and important dates for the board to be aware of in our community to be aware of we just got confirmation on our city partners and Broadway members I believe is already also in your packet and so Monday April 17th which is when the system comes back from spring break people meet and present to the education budget ad hoc committee so some of
012our board members may recall last year Mr Spain and I made that presentation along with our previous board chair on Rachel gilleski presentation there was a considerable discussion and questions then subsequently we had the city council public hearing that later on at that moment so no different in this conditions calendar August 17th we'll have the education budget ad hoc committee meeting on the Wednesday April 19th city council will have their public hearing and on Tuesday May 2nd there will be a little bit of a gap the city council will adopt the budget basically address what our landscending will be for next school year and then on projected anyway on Wednesday May 24th we will be after the board to adopt the revised budget for acceptance recommended budget that will be made to the city foreign
013[Music] meeting or a special board meeting to talk about any adjustments that may have may have made or a city council may have a group so in between May 2nd and May 24th it might be a need to discuss any adjustment that we might have to make but right now as of right now might prefer to have a special board meeting to discuss any adjustments that might have to be made but if the board desires we can also just talk about those adjustments and financially so that's foreign Part B I'm more excited to talk about although that was what that was very important but voice for Change and you've heard me now talk about voice would change a couple of times now I'm sure many in our communities they're trying to understand what that's about
014I'm going to try to provide a little bit more clarity this evening but also talk about how the exciting opportunity our kids and one of our teachers just had on Washington DC with the commission of education and Connecticut so voice for change is an initiative led by our by commissioner Russell Tucker in very exciting times posts during the pandemic the initiative was launched it provides voice for our kids here in the state of Connecticut I'm more specifically concerned about our kids here at Danbury public schools it provided an opportunity for our kids to have voice and provide and submit an application to the State Education Department on how they would like to use these relief Monies to better benefit the Danbury public school community number one and I I've not said this before but I
015like bragging about it our kids submitted more applications to the state of Connecticut than any school district in the entire entire state of Connecticut and so commissioner Russell Tucker came down to Dan very soon they were after the last spring I believe last winter or spring last year it was just I mean I was proud because we had a commissioner here and we use that opportunity to tell us about tell her about the academies and we really showed off that day but we walked around Danbury High School she walked around the building hand in hand with Dan Donovan it was a really great day for us and she really just came in to applaud us and thank us for our participation in this initiative because this was her baby and we made her look we
016really do the story gets better and so um our our kids who submitted the application one um a couple of Grants and awards like like most districts across the state everyone they had a certain amount of monies um two of our applications were winners one of the applications was and one of the reasons why the commissioner said she chose it because of all the submissions across the state of Connecticut only one submission focused on supporting teachers to support kids and she was particularly drawn to that one for that reason so that was one of the ones that was awarded that was available around I believe improving um water fountains into school and access to water and they built this thing is and so both of those were awarded I believe it was 20 or 30
017000 we outfitted our teacher work group with new furniture and it was a great way to support our staff at the school LED all led by our kids and so fast forward to this school year the commissioner along with Commissioners from every state in the United States went to our nation's capital on this past Monday and at that Convention of Commissioners around the country they talked about this very important initiative that took place here in Connecticut but you might recall because we here a couple of meetings ago along with Dan Donovan to talk about that they extended this invitation to Heather Lorenz and two of our students well two of our students have graduated but will also represented their very public schools and in the entire state of Connecticut so I was under the impression
018there were other kids and other teachers there no no no no no it was only one teacher our teacher from Danbury High School and two of our former students sitting on the stage with the commission of Education no one else representing the entire state of Connecticut as ambassadors of Danbury community and a state of Connecticut and they were absolutely amazing I felt like I was watching CNN uh and so I I'm saying this because our Lord should be proud our staff should be proud our kids should be proud and our community should be proud of our state of Connecticut we should be proud um it was an amazing representation of what we produce here in the Denver community and by the way the parents should be proud to because they were amazing I I'm saying
019all of this to say once we get the link because we had a live link um I was not able to watch the entire thing but I sure watched what our kids were up on the stage but the taped version of the link will be available on State's website once we get it will be available on our website kids were amazing I had to provide that update to brag about that we looked amazing on Monday so I'm looking forward to and I'll make sure we provide an update to you when it's up on the website we'll send that to the entire School Community as well I think I saw some did a background smile Awards yeah [Applause] I will speak with Miss Lorenz and see if we can coordinate those schedules thank you wheelchair and
020so the next update and so once again I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the curriculum committee and participating um several meetings with Dr Kessler and her team trying to get a better understanding about our reading program and what this could mean possibly for our kids here in Danbury talk extensively about the science of reading legislation and what that means for our students and we have an update so I know we had shared two programs with the committee recently I think it was a couple of board meetings ago in their workshop and have to be careful consideration I think we have a recommendation sure thank you Mr Boston um so um I think the last time I met as a curriculum committee I think there was no secret that we were leading in the
021art core Direction um the two programs that we had reviewed uh were the amplify ckla and the art core programs and we discussed uh the merits of both the cost of both and sort of the general feedback on both of those and I think we were in sort of a 75 bucket in the arc board um happy to report we're kind of in the 95 bucket uh with making the final decision in that direction and so we've been meeting a little with in more detail with the Folks At Art core to dig in to some key areas around the different texts and selections and options to make sure that you know that we're well aware of all the details that Encompass the program and then going through some of the pieces around their ability to
022support us through a rollout which would be important to us to make sure that there's enough professional technical support for district size and so we're kind of in the final conversations around those we met with principals today we're excited about the update you know some conversations with them we're going to be circling back on Monday with the original group of stakeholders that got together um initially to see all the programs and kind of go through all the different vendors which included teachers instructional coaches supervisors curriculum administrators and principal Representatives so we'll meet with them on Monday to give them the update and kind of let them know where we are in the process um and then we're going to have a host a an after-school meeting with the teachers and then put that information together
023to make sure that they're they're well priced as well and most likely in an upcoming PD we'll be discussing potential rollout scenarios with them to make sure that they're well knowled I know they're a little anxious to find out um you know the final the final selection and so we'll be working through the details with art core on that before we hit a final Go Button um but again we want to make sure that we reach all of our stakeholders and circle back with the feedback loops that we put into place to make sure that we're that we're Rock Solid in our decision making in addition to that we already had first rounds with our literacy supervisor interviews which went very well we have some great questions that were bringing back our second round um
024through those discussions and conversations uh of course literacy programming and the state initiative all came up and so we feel confident that these two pieces regardless of who we go with in the second round of interviews will align nicely with some of the outcomes of the of the literacy program selection so we feel like we're we've got some streams coming together moving forward and we're really ready to to make uh with the final kind of nail in this very soon one of the stipulations that we had with the different groups that we would have gone with is that their ability to deliver um to us the goods within a certain amount of time so that we can get these new materials in the hands of our teachers before the end of the school year teachers
025always like to peruse things during the summer or have some information so they're not walking in cold with some things so we may even be able to get some professional development in by the end of the end of this year to make sure that folks feel good about what's what's coming and any rollout that goes with that so that is where we are at and hopefully by the next time that we meet we'll give you an update that we have sealed the deal and that things are being ordered and that we're well underway we'll also roll out a comprehensive professional development plan that goes with that which I'm happy to share and probably get that conversation started in the curriculum committee that's coming up can you give us what it costs so the range um
026I did present the range of numbers I can pull up what was presented from the original numbers we are working through some of the parts that we're working through now with the vendor um are around the number of materials in the different packaging and so I think the range on that one was 3.4 3.7 that we talked about with part four it's probably it's upwards of four with adding the appropriate text in for the number of teachers that we have as well as the professional development package the other thing that we're working through right now which kind of tips the the number up is the fact that we're likely going to do a two-year rollout instead of a one year rollout we're going to purchase all the materials up front but then roll out and
027Stage k345 that's what we're talking about right now which will mean a little extra professional development over two years instead of doing everything over in the first in the first year um it's about some professional development for our administrators as well to offset that though we did have an opportunity to meet with some of our state leaders we had talked about the curriculum folks that there was this grant money that we're trying to nail down as to how to access it that has been made available so I did follow up on that other than I did have a meeting with our state reps and they mentioned that that will be open in our grant system within a couple of weeks and so there'll be an opportunity I'm hoping to offset some of that through this
028application which is competitive of course but with the professional development package I think that the the nature of the Grant and the intended purpose and the professional development package that we want to roll out over the two years that may be a really good fit for the for the purpose of the Grant and I'm hoping that will be successful with that okay okay you can just briefly also explain because some of our families and perhaps even some of our staff and board members we heard that evening two different presentations and the numbers associated with each presentation right and it was a significant gap between what we heard the costs were going to be but I also learned I've been speaking with you in several other books that there was some hidden cause that were not
029necessarily part of the presentation but one was like 3.7 in the other one was one point something but it also sounds like there were significant needs that were not part of the presentation sure so some of the biggest difference um is the number of texts that one program includes which is our core so um it comes with everything you need to implement a program whereas one of the other programs that we were considering you would have to go and match texts and find texts and buy those texts separately so it's a little bit more of an owl carp option which so initially when you're you know we're learning about the prices um you know we're like whoa that's a big difference there and we were heading down One Direction but once we started to really
030dig in um with what is included in that it became very apparent that that was something that would be important and also save us a lot of time and effort to have to match texts to units to align and then to kind of roll that out piecemeal independently over the course of you know a couple of years so resources in general over the last several years have been a bit of an issue we've always we've talked at length at different times about bolstering our libraries and our text Collections and our Tech sets one of the greatest features of this program is the number of non-fiction Tech sets and collections particularly around science topics that are aligned to the ngss which helped to dovetail The Learning in that content area as well and really build a
031lot of background knowledge and schema for kids chock full of vocabulary engaging photos and pictures real photos and pictures not cartoonish photos so we really love that about the program that that really is going to come with every that the teachers and students need to be successful so I I had one more update it's not including included on the board agenda that I do know that I sent my office sent to the board today email from the State Department of Education and I just want to clarify to ask you know I didn't cause any confusion I apologize so I my office received the hard copy letter from the State Department of Education regarding our daily Prospect Charter School so when that application was initially submitted it was called they are very Prospect charter school and
032apparently there are a main application itself and it's a multi-page report I'm sorry it's a two-bage paper with Independence and it's multiple pages but they ask is the State Department of Education received requests from dpcs Danbury Charter School to to amend its initials certificate of approval or state Charter which asks the State Department of Education to consider the following amendments two simple things change the school's name from Danbury Prospect Charter School to Danbury charter school it's one and engage elevating Charter Schools as its Charter management organization replacing Prospect schools and then based on a based on this the State Department of Education is asking to solicit and review comments on a request from the local and Regional and so if there are any comments concerns or requests based on these two changes then I'm asked
033to reach out to my local board of education for any comments and comments or concerns into and to make that information available for our State Board of Education and so I tried to call the office today to understand if there was any other thing anything else and I did not get anyone before this meeting tonight again I received a letter yesterday and then of course we need a response back tomorrow and so that's why I sent it quickly just so you can have an opportunity to see the letter so it's dated to 15 but again it's a hard copy I didn't get it into so that's why the sense of urgency and that's why I push it out quickly but I understand it also may have caused some confusion of course um the ask is
034a pretty simple it's really about the name change and the charter group that now they're going to they've actually had an amendment if they're in the comments or questions you can email Carol we will put them together um and we will put all those comments and concerns and then pushing back out to the State Department of Education yes is this a new company taking a doctor or is just a need change all around all right it's both the charter was working one or one organization now they're working with a different group it's always different a name change yeah I just when I asked Kevin to clarify because I didn't like I didn't like the email for the request person and I didn't like the time frame I'm not commenting on it you guys do what
035you want to do but I I didn't like it all the way around so I'm just not I'm not commenting or anything to take our comments and use it just in general so that's why I asked me to clarify if anybody else had any questions but like I said I'm not commenting so thank you Kevin so it's a new program right it's a new group new company that we're talking about not just the name change but the new yes for them to come in and present and we get the opportunity to know anything about this group because we're we're not the government for this group they are just asking that our local board if they have any comments or concerns just share them with the state but on Facebook it's really not in our wheelhouse
036in terms of that request Michelle students I just yeah yeah um [Music] if they did it would have been agreement they're only being asked now because there are changes to the terms of application even though that is important correct exactly yes again so this is the charter that was approved in 2018 they're just looking to change the name but the city had already approved it everybody's approved it we're just they're looking to fund it and in order to do that these amendments are required is that correct those are amendments apparently that they they have requested as part of their application submission and I guess there's a obligation on behalf of the State Department of Education to solicit feedback if they were there and I think this is part of that process right and now there's
037an amendment so now it's to respond again overnight so you know I thought they should have had enough courtesy to at least give us two days so yeah I I assessed the film is you do what you want to do if you want to respond that's up to you you don't want to because I do yes I understand and I do think if I recalls 2016 I think back then um you probably remember also because they didn't send something like this out when they first the application I don't remember Mr chairman I don't remember because I can go back I can go back to uh when they had the overall State came down here and he was over at habitat for about for about two hours so I don't know if that was 218. it
038was before coated City so right look at Dr Sal respond with that matters yes I always ask you because we're the only two who were around for for that yeah so just just for clarification they're not asking for advantages of a very very specific line language foreign [Music] state department of education is required to solicit every comments on the requests from the local and Regional Board of Education of a town in which the proposed Charter School intensity is located so collectively so I don't know what that means one response can happen before several responses from Jake Bridget Lauren Ralph I'm not sure or if we collectively put on response together semester [Music] it's very confusing because I wish that you had been able to be a whole synthesis commentary this timeline is not a service
039to artwork I'm really a disservice [Music] response without a lot of theory have yourself more comfortable hopefully that you need to call back tomorrow perhaps offer them I'll try again thank you thank you is that everything that concludes our superintendent update all right so more chair versus report that I didn't say already and anyone else board Communications and committees anybody out and about everybody want to say anything before we wrap this up I'm not doing [Music] you are covered at dscdc um their annual breakfast is coming up and they have a couple fundraisers coming up as well there's a fundraiser and a couple other things that I can send to care of and chicken sometimes what is it the csabc the Danbury student in business connections the mentoring program yeah oh yeah thank you thank
040you does it change from the other day no I don't think it's a lot of sprouts didn't give me enough time while he was talking to look for it so you know I wasn't prepared yeah exactly but it's the breakfast is in June and then there's a golf outing in May all right all right well I'm done okay look for a motion to adjourn second second by Michelle all in favor um thank you