Board of Education: November 3rd, 2025

001You're good, >> Marissa, >> can you do me a favor? Can you send um Kate Steel the link to the meeting? think she's having trouble getting in. >> Sure. I'll send it to her right now. >> Thanks so much. Sorry, >> Marissa. >> Yep. >> Can you text me the link rather than email? Um, I don't think I have her cell phone, but I >> uh I can send you >> Sure, that's fine. Yep. get started. Um, it is 601 and I'd like to call the Eastline Board of Ed regular meeting to order. Those of you can stand. Stand for the pledge of >> allegiance [snorts] to the flag of the United States of America to the republic stands nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all >> beginning of our meetings. We do read

002our East Lime Public School mission statement which is also behind me on the wall. East Lime Public Schools will inspire, engage, and educate each student to become a contributing citizen and a responsible independent and critical thinker. We do have a special recognition tonight. uh the Viking Balor for Coach Rachel Reading and appreciate all that you've done over the many years of coaching soccer and I'll turn it over to Jeff to >> Yeah. >> All right. Mr. Maru is trying to run in uh from Geek Bell, but I am going to uh read some information and then if he joins us, that's great. But um first of all, welcome again. Uh we're glad uh we're away for here. Um, East Lime Public Schools and the athletic department are proud to recommend um, our East Lime High

003School girls soccer coach, Rachel Reading, for the Viking Valor Award. Coach Reading recently informed uh, the department that she was retiring from coaching following the 2025 season. Coach Reading has led the program since 2005, accumulating a career record of 225 wins, 127 losses, and 33 ties. The 225 wins is the most in school history. She has led the program to two undefeated regular seasons, 2012 and 2014, and four ECC tournament championships, 2012, 2013, 14, and 16, and seven ECC regular season division championships. During a stretch from 2012 to 2016, her teams went 88 and 11 uh and four uh and included nine allstate players as well as uh two of the day area players of the year. The 19 team reached the class L state championship game falling to Guilford 2 to1. East Lime Athletics

004would like to thank Coach Reading for her many years of service, as our public school system wants to thank her as well, uh for her many uh her years of service to our girls soccer program. She retires from her coaching career as the all-time leader in wins as a head coach for the program, 225 in counting. In addition to her coaching ability, Coach Reading served as an incredible positive role model and mentor to our student athletes. She demanded the very best from her players on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. She taught lessons that will stay with her players well into their adult lives. East Lime Athletics extends deepest gratitude for her dedication to our girls soccer program and the incredible amount of time and energy she invested to make it a

005widely respected program throughout the conference and in state. So, Rachel, thank you so much. And uh She come up. Alisa want to get up. Board members want to join us too. >> Come on up. >> Great statistics there. >> Thank you so much. Yes, we have a uh a Viking Valor here, Rachel, which reads, "Elan Public Schools Viking Valor Award presented to Rachel Ready in recognition of her 21 years of outstanding and dedicated coaching for the East Lime High School girls soccer team given the third day of November 2025." >> Okay. Um [laughter] my blueberry Hold on. Sorry. >> There you go. Perfect. >> Here we go. Mr. Maru walked in the door. >> No, thank god. We're good. >> You don't want to share? >> No, I'm good. She asked me when I confronted

006with her again. Six o'clock. We make sure you're there. Say anything. It's up to you. >> Thank you everybody. I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Yes. Thank you for just got the games. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Very nice. >> Thank you again, Rachel, for a storyried coaching career. >> Thank you. Good win tomorrow. >> Good luck. Bikes. >> Next order of business is public comment. >> Public comment. Public comment. Hearing none. Closes. Public comment. Move on to special reports. And we have Annie here to our East Lime High School update. >> Okay. So this week at East Lime High School has been full of energy, excitement, and well-deserved celebration. From big wins on the field to creative achievements in the arts, there's a lot to be grateful for as we head into November.

007So with the November 1 college application deadline finally behind, seniors, students are finally exhaling. The stress of essays and recommendation letters has eased, replaced by relief and a well-earned sense of accomplishment. We we want to give a huge shout out to everyone in the counseling office for their diligence and continued support of us through this process. East High School is also celebrating an incredible fall sports season. Girls volleyball, boys soccer, girls swim, boys cross country, and girls cross country. All brought home ECC championship titles. The energy around East Lime is electric as we cheer on these teams heading into states. Um my other counterparts are away competing in the boys state soccer tournament today and we're wishing them luck and can't wait to see what they bring. Um the ELHs drama club is also preparing

008for the importance of being earnest and it runs this week from November 6th through the 9th. Um rehearsals have been lively and the cast is eager to share their work with the community. Spirit week kicks off next week as well and the seniors are already practicing for the events and they're determined to take home a win and keep the tradition alive. Um, lastly, the intergenerational poetry project is starting to meet and students are planning meeting days with their interviewees. We are excited to share stories about their lives and the ESON community through poetry. So, as November begins, ELHS is moving full speed ahead. Academics, athletics, and school spirit are all in full swing. Thank you. >> Are you in the play this time? No, I'm not. I did not have time. No, >> usually. I

009know you're usually in my Thanks Annie. >> Thank you. >> We move on to our selectman representative. We have Jason Beagle here. Hello everyone. Um there's been a lot of uh boring stuff happening is being considered. Nothing particularly exciting. There are a few interesting items that could impact uh board of ed stuff. Um my friend here just spoke about an inter intergenerational poetry project. Um an idea that's been floated at the board of selectment is to create an official poet laurate for the town of East Lime. There's been different bonar community kind of exploring that possibility. folks at the book bar and folks at the library. I'm willing to have folks from the board of ed consider uh consider the uh the opportunity too. Um in addition to that uh on our last meeting, Brookside

010Farm Museum curator Anna Perch came and gave a really great presentation about all the things that she does and all the things her um museum does and has such great proximity to the middle school to Lily B. It's a it's a real gem for East Line, an asset to our community and and could be a great partner for you guys if you ever decide you want to st or educators home that work here, want to send students on a a walking field trip or something. It's a really great resource with all kinds of uh you know, interesting artifacts, interesting architecture, interesting stories, and uh yeah, I was really pleased with that. Beyond that, I I don't have too much to share. Looking you are forward to the budgeting process coming up. I understand that several

011people on this board are up for election tomorrow and I wish you all best of luck and uh see you on the other side. >> Thanks, Jason. Any questions for J? >> Thanks so much, Jason. Appreciate your comments. >> Okay, moving on. We have a consent agenda >> like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda as proposed. [clears throat] >> All those in favor say I. >> I opposed saying agenda passes unanimously. In the just quickly in the consent agenda there were two items. one were approval of meeting minutes and the second is us um designating Jamie as our cape delegate assembly representative. So she will be the one at our cube assembly who holds the paddle when we vote as for collectively for east line on on the cable item. So he

012has done it for forever a long long time. Uh and and appreciate Jamie doing that for us. Moving on discussion and action instruction artificial uh first item is artificial intelligence elementary presentation and I'll turn it over. >> Do you want to say something? >> Yeah. Let me just welcome first uh Heather Blue uh and Golan and we have some students that they're going to introduce and Sashman is here as well and you want to give a little >> Yeah, I'd like to set some context for the board if that's okay. Um thank you for all of our pres presenters for being here this evening. Um especially um we've got Elizabeth and Alex here from Flanders, our fourth graders who are going to share a little bit about their experience with you. Um but before I

013turn it over to them, I want to just um sort of set the context. So Heather Dukri and Gil Galant were are a part of our district-wide technology committee. Um last year we did some action research projects in AI sort of like field testing in terms of what's out there and available for us and how might this um support uh building students capacity around understanding and use of AI. And so this really um came out of some of that work of our committee last year and they'll explain a little bit more about what that looks like. I don't want to steal their thunder, but I will just tell you what excites me most about this project at the elementary level when we talk about um building students cap capacity and understanding of AI in that

014its learning. It does not replace learning which we know is really an important component of our work. Grant, are you able to mute them? >> Can everyone please go on mute? Who's on the Zoom? >> Kate's up there. I think we're good. >> Are we good now? I think so. I think the feedback's gone. >> So, um, so anyway, we we are looking to build students capacity around the use of AI and how it enhances learning and not replaces learning. That's really important when we talk about elementary ed. So without further ado, I will pass it over to our team who's going to present. >> And we have a presentation coming up. >> Yeah, Grant. Uh >> Grant to that. Yep. >> All right. >> Um thanks for having us. We're super excited about our

015little presentation tonight. Um it does enhance how we find books and just like you as adults, we're always looking for books and ways to find the next good book. So AI is just something we piloted last spring and then again this fall with fourth grade in the elementary. >> So um Heather had talked about how she really wanted another way to get kids to uh find book suggestions especially when she's all by herself in the library and has to check in check out books. She wanted to have another way to allow kids to kind of find books of their interest. So what if kids already look at the displays and they ask each other for advice and of course ask Mr. Lucy, but we thought it would be a nice way to use AI if

016we could uh kind of train a chatbot to answer their questions based on books they had previously read or enjoyed. So, we kind of gave it some parameters around that in guardrails to make sure that it wasn't just going willy-nilly out there answering their questions. Also, we kept it limited to fiction books because >> it >> because uh there there's a lot more of that available in our library at Flanders. Yeah, it just didn't work as well when we piloted it as teachers with non-fiction at the elementary level. And it hit home with fiction chapter books in fourth grade out of the suggestions of like four or five books. We um felt like we had at least two or three every time at the Flanders Library and if not some at Lily Be or Nyonic

017Center. So every every title we use kind of hit home. Daddy, Alex. Here we go. Next one. So where's we find books? We use Destiny in our school. We sometimes look and browse, talk to friends, family, ask a librarian like Mr. Lukri, or search a favorite topic. AI is another tool in the tool box which we can use to find one of our favorite books. >> Certainly won't replace those. It's just another one to add to the list to find the next good book. AI enhances learning, not replaces learning. >> So when the kids first sign on to magic school, they do have to acknowledge that um you know that they're going to let themselves do the work, that the um AI is not perfect, that it does make mistakes. It is a learning model

018and of course it's not brand new. So when it was taught, it's really two or three years old information. So you know, it's not going to give him the best information because Mr. Del Green knows more about books that have just come out. Yeah. >> You know, as compared to books that may have come out 10 or 15 years ago. But we also uh gave it some parameters about only recommending books that would be appropriate for a 10-year-old. You know, we didn't want to have it recommending books that would be, you know, for middle school or higher. And of course, based on what the students previously stated they enjoyed. So, here's an example of the chatbot giving a response. She used the magic school move to Justin chatbot and it just says, you know, hello

019there. I'd like to know what book you're interested in so I can give you some advice. And then of course we gave a prompt about uh five fiction books that a 10-year-old would enjoy if they had enjoyed the book Because of Wind. >> Elizabeth's going to share her experience. >> During magic school, I typed in the prompt um and searched up because of Wind Dixie based on because of Dixie. have been four other options. Um, I chose the one and only Ivan. I read the description on there cuz I wanted to read more like animal friendships and I read the one and only Bob. So, I wanted to continue this. >> Nice job. So, she ended up walking away with her book that day. Now, don't get me wrong, there was a lot of other

020work that went into it. Like, how did you figure out if we had these? and she went to Destiny and had to look up the title or the author to see if we had them at Flanders if they were checked in, if they were checked out. So, it was definitely a fourth grade project to go search for their books, but appropriate. And she found this one and checked it out. And that was her book recommendation. >> We also encouraged the children to kind of ask follow-up questions based on the output. So, like, why did you recommend this book? I asked you for five books, you only gave me four. that kind of following up with the eye to kind of have a little bit of a conversation based on the output that they received because

021some kids did ask, you know, what other books would you recommend based on this or what connection are you making? But I thought it did a pretty good job of explaining why I picked these four books, you know, based on what they had entered. >> Yes. Working hard in the library in the stacks going to Destiny, finding the book, right? Um, we did end. Do you want to talk a little about this, Alex? We did end with talking about um how did this go for us? Like is this another way we could find books or not find books? So, our exit ticket wasn't written. It was just with thumbs like um were you able to find a book that you would like to check out today? Are you excited to read this book? Is this

022something you actually would like? And I think out of the 18 that day, because we had one or two absent, it was like eight students out of the 18 walked away with a book from this one trial highlight run. This was from last year when we were using Securely, which is a similar chat uh program. Securely uh is basically the program we used to monitor kids in the classroom. So based on that information, we had the kids do a pre-assessment of how they would find a book and then after learning about uh the chat bots kind of, you know, seeing if that made any impact. The same thing, we saw quite a growth in the amount of willingness to use AI to find a book, but they still were depending on human interaction. They still

023wanted to ask Mrs. Ducher or ask each other or just browse the book. So it's not going to replace that at all. just another tool in their toolbox to think about, you know, what what might they do if they have Mrs. Duke were too busy to to find for them. [clears throat] I also wanted to point out that this isn't the only pilot we did last year. There were so many classrooms doing so many uh great AI activities. Uh some people were using chat bots to pretend that students were talking to Apollo 11 astronauts. People were interacting with painters who had painted famous paintings like the Sierra Nevada painting with Bernat. um some teachers were using it to interact with teaching characters like in Hatchet in the fourth grade but in most curriculum. So a

024lot of um testing and trying out last year we did a lot of training students and staff and trying it out and people are still using it this year in different ways. So it's been great to have it as a as a resource for all of us. So just one example but there's quite a few still using it and trying it out on the >> guys got anything else you want to add? Any questions for them? They're like ready to answer. Yeah, I do. I have a question. Elizabeth, did you like the one and only Ivan? >> Alex, what book did you end up getting? >> Um, one of my four choices. No, I typed it by >> was New Kid by Jerry Craft, which luckily my neighbor's house had that book and I'm starting

025to like it. >> Okay. Just >> All right. I can't wait to hear if you did like it though. >> I did like it. >> Okay. Yeah, that'll be an interesting followup with the kids who checked out the book. >> They like the recommendations that they I had given >> nice little followup. >> Yeah. What was better? Like their friend suggestion, teacher suggestion, going on Destiny looking to see how that is. That would be a great followup. >> The one and only iPad is a favorite in my house. >> Yeah, that's cute. [laughter] >> Yeah, both are very popular. >> So, the chatbot, how did you clean it? Did you train it on the books that are available in >> Well, we just gave >> Yeah, we just gave it the parameters that we wanted,

026but the chatbot is already trained by magic school. >> Oh, it's an actual app in their program that says book suggestions, but then you just tell it like for what age, what interests, you know, what kind of limits you want on that, but it's already part of the magic school programs for teachers and students. So, we have been piloting that this year, but we can choose that as a chatbot. It's already existing. You can make custom ones too, but this is one, you know, pretty much all you have to do is tell it a few things and it's ready to go and the kids get there through their class link and an invitation from the teacher. So, we can either turn it off, pause it, you know, delete it, whatever. So, if it didn't work,

027we just turn it off. >> And that's part of their library work, too, is to then figure out like, okay, of these titles, which looks good, now I have to go to the library catalog, see if we have this book at Flanders. Is it checked in? Is it checked out? Is it something I want? So they do that on a regular basis whether they're getting recommendations from friends. I mean when they go to Destiny they know the books there because it's our library catalog but they hear about books and they sure do go to Destiny to see if we own it to check it in or out. So they're used to like hearing about books or reading about books going to see if it's there. It is some work after they get the suggestion to

028go get it. >> We do we have taught them to think about challenging the AI a little bit like how do you know what made you pick that? It's okay to ask that follow-up question to see what the AI is pulling from and where's it getting this information. You can even ask it to site the source if you want to. Sometimes it can't, but it's okay to say like how do you know that makes you think that other books like you did? I know only gave them four a couple of them only gave four. So kids ask what's another book >> just to see if they came up with another. >> I I have a a comment. Um, not really a question, but so, um, so I think it's this it's a great use of

029AI. I mean, it really is. And and personally, this is how I find my books, too. Um, >> I was going to ask you guys [laughter] like books% and it is so um helpful. So, I used to download samples of books to try to find one that I actually am interested in. Even though they'd say, "Oh, if you like this, you'd like that." It was not a great hit, but the more I can give AI into why I like the book, >> so then it actually can think a little bit and and then it what it spits out and I read and you know, it'll give me five books or four books or whatever it gives and I get it really excited because I'm like, oh, these these I think are right in line with

030why I liked that previous book because sometimes it may not there might take a different aspect of the book that wasn't isn't really what caught me. So anyway, I I I use it personally for the same thing. Uh so it's I think it's a great way and and the hit rate is very high for me using AI in the books that I enjoy reading. So that's great. >> Keep exploring. >> Thank you so much. >> Thanks everybody. Great. Our next uh discussion action item for the night is we have a discussion. We have an athletics update. Kevin, >> you're going to giving us an update on today's meet, right? >> There's lots going on every day. This is wonderful. >> Actually saw the video which was very cool. Oh, the open question. >> Hey, so

031thank you for having me. I love coming because I always get a chance to just talk about all the great things that are happening in the athletic world at the high school, the middle school, and the high school. um just request that you not put me after the elementary school anymore competition, Mr. Marco. >> Very, very impressive. So, looking forward to working with them. Um our 25 fall season is coming to an end. We are hot and heavy into the state tournaments right now. Um the only uh season that is still going on with the regular season is the football season, which you know, the regular season finishes on Thanksgiving. the annual Thanksgiving Day game. We started in August 15th for football, August 18th for the other teams. And here we are at the beginning

032of November going strong and just representing East Slime High School the way you would all hopefully anticipate that I do. Um, and just doing a great great job. So, I just have a little bit of data there for you. The enrollment or the percentages are one of the highest that I see. Uh, I just asked my colleagues around the state and athletic directors. 35% is an incredible participant participation number. So very happy and thankful for that. Our coaches do a great job. Um the support of the community, the board, administration, all that plays a a huge role in the success of our student athletes in their their their um possibility of participating. The middle school, we had cross country, as you know, we added some sports a couple years ago. 56 in cross country, grades

033five through eight. The boys were six and two, the girls were four and four. It's a great feeder program for our high school cross country program which is you you know hopefully you know or will know that has had tremendous success. 12 part 12 students participated in the league championship and that's six boys and six girls and that's uh consistent with every school gets six boys and six girls their top runners to participate and that was last week. We had 18 boys in boys soccer. Second year in the program. It's been really wellreceived last year and this year. That is um a little bit older team compared to our our girls team. Eight eighth graders, nine seventh graders, one sixth grader. They were 10 and0. They cruised through the regular season. Um they were the

034one seed in the league championship, which is just a oneame winner takes all. Last year was the same scenario. We were the one seed we hosted and lost this year. We avenged last year's loss to the same team and they won. So, um it was a great great year overall, undefeated. The uh middle school champion uh in boy soccer, girls soccer also a very successful season. They are younger compared to our boy count the boy counterparts, eight sixth graders, seven seventh graders, and five eighth graders. They finished with a very respectable, highly competitive four and five record. Um, in that league, only the the top two teams make the championship. There's no tournament. Just two teams make it. And so, they did not they did not make it to the playoffs. But all all all

035uh successful season nonetheless. Social media um very very powerful. Just to give you an idea, um Facebook, so you can see the numbers from this year to last year. Um, I'm sure most of you are on there or see that. Every week a nice long recap of the week before and I try to include as many people as possible, as many pictures as possible. Um, a lot of great feedback for that. Instagram is really the go-to social media for really I think for most people. continues to grow daily. one or two new followers daily and that is an incredibly powerful tool. Daily posts we we I post those uh the schedule every morning. Uh today you'll see a post about the boys soccer team waiting for pictures. I was not at cross country today. We

036have so if I can't go to something I recruit a parent or coach to send me pictures. So that why some of them some of the pictures look better than others. Photography is not my strength, but I do the best that I can. Um, so I'm waiting for those to come in. Um, but I'll give you a report about that about that in a little bit. Just to give you an idea how many people Instagram and Facebook certainly, but Instagram reaches the girls swim championship was a big event obviously on Saturday. We hosted here. Our girls did a had a great day. They won their 25th state uh league championship. So that was posted on Saturday night. been updated on with all the results on Sunday. Almost 11, it's actually over 11,000 people have seen

037that post as of 2 thou uh two o'clock this afternoon. 11,000 people with views and a view is according to Instagram is 3 seconds. So you go on there, it's not just you're scrolling through and you don't really see it. You see it for a minimum of 3 seconds. Um, so that is that reaches the Eastline brand reaches incredible amounts of people every single day and certainly weekly. Um, the one Instagram post and it's pretty traditional in my experience. It's like the, you know, the big events get more views and more shares. The more share you have, the more views you have. the signing day that we had last spring. Just looked at it because I I can go back and see as the administrator of the site over 24,000 people have seen that site.

038So that's like all over the world obviously. Um see those all the great things that East Lime is doing. And to me that's just a powerful it's a recruiting tool. It's just to get your brand out there. It's just share all the great things that our student athletes are doing. I do want to add too that's not on here seeing Anna reminded me. So Anna was um second uh CIC athletics which is the governing body of athletics in high school. They have everybody has an Instagram page. They have an Instagram page. They have 17,500 followers. They have a huge following. Anna was the serve pro and every week they do a serve pro student athlete spotlight of the week. She was the student athlete spotlight of the week last week from the CIA. So she

039has a a beautiful picture of her a little write up. She's a board of ed member tennis etc etc and all the great things that she does. So again logo's right on there that gets I don't know how many people see that because I'm not the administrator of that but I'm sure that that is tens of thousands of people. So very very powerful stuff and that's the flu as well. Classack leadership council very excited to report we have 16 members juniors and seniors. We attended nine of the US attended the CIA sportsmanship conference at the aquaturf in October where East Lime High School was one of 28 schools in Connecticut to receive the Michael's Jewelers Achievement Cup. It's the first time that East Lime has received that since uh since 19 19 2015 16. It's

040awarded to schools that create positive environments for their student athletes through high standards of sportsmanship. We were the only school in the ECC to be recognized. Um, I meet with this group twice per month to discuss athletic experiences of our student athletes and our spectators as well as plan events, social officials, appreciation, recognition, game day themes, give uh give back and community service initiatives and anything else that music at a game the list goes on and on and on. Um, having empowering them to be part of the decision-m par process to make again games uh exciting. The other thing, I'm just thinking of it now, one of their big initiatives too, and mine is, and I know it's been mentioned here, is how do we get more people to the non-traditional games, if that's the

041right term, um, but get more people to swimming, girls, uh, soccer, field hockey, etc., etc. So, for senior night this year, so we're some ideas work, some ideas don't work, do not work. Um this year for senior night of all of those sports, you we celebrate a senior night for every sport, every season. Uh fall athletes were admitted into those um events free of charge as long as they wore their East Lime soccer gear or field hockey or whatever. So attendance was up slightly, not great, but um it was late planning in that stages. So it might be something that gains momentum as we go on to increase those attendance at those games. So those are just some ideas. And then of course how great the fall season in terms of wins and losses. Um

042just blows me away. The success of all of our programs. Our combined record is 9019 and five this year for all of our teams. That's unheard of. There's no team in the ECC, not sure about the state, but certainly in the ECC that's doing anything remotely close to that. Our teams have won five tournament championships. They were eligible. We were eligible to win seven. We played in seven. That's how many there are. There's no ECC football tournament. So, to give you an idea of the amount of success, there's no school coming even close to winning that winning that that percentage. and also at the high stakes games, the the tournaments and so love posting banners, pictures of B banners and just celebrating all their success and I think the kids enjoy seeing that as well.

043Specific highlights, boys cross country. They're incredible. They've c they captured they won their eighth straight ECC championship and when I say like literally a landslide like it was a landslide. It they're just incredible. They finished second at the class doublem state championship standing. Sam Leon who's been here for winning the New England last year in indoor track. He won the individual state championship. They finished hot off the press today. They finished third at the state open today. State open is all schools in Connecticut, not just by size. They finished third. Very last year they were second. This year they're third. Very, very consistent. Sam Leone won that one as well. So, he's the state open championship. There's not a boy in Connecticut that can beat him in cross country, period. It's incredible. He was the

044Domino's uh ECC sponsors, well, Domino's sponsors, a player of the year and a coach of the year for all sports. Sam was the ECC player of the year, runner of the year should be, and Mike Flynn was the coach of the year. Girls cross country, last two seasons have not been great for them. They have high expectations. Well, they're back on the map. They won the ECC championship this year also in a landslide. It was their seventh in nine years. They finished second at the Class MM state championship as well. And today they finished sixth at the state open. So there's only five schools in Connecticut that have beat and beat them. Incredible. And Mike Flynn was the coach of the year for that. So he swept that award. It's probably the eighth year in

045a row. I don't know. He should get it every year. Uh, boys soccer powerhouse, as you know, won their fourth straight tournament, four nothing win over Ledger. Uh, last week, Caleb Trust was named the most outstanding player of that tournament. They're the currently the number one ranked team in Class L, and they are on our field as we speak, and I don't know what the score is, but I'm nervous. Um, Wall-E was the Domino's coach of the year for the second year in a row. Just a tremendous program. They have uh given up two goals the entire year. They are they're good on offense, they're good on defense, they're good in the middle, they're good everywhere. So very proud of them and hopefully, as you know, they won the state championship two years ago. So

046hopefully they make a nice a deep run this year as well. So they're hosting tonight and if uh we're fortunate enough to win, we will host another game on Thursday as well. Time and want to be determined. Field hockey had a tremendous season as well. They won the regular season, ECC regular season. So, there's regular season and then there's tournament championships. Some teams win both. Some teams win one or the other. One's not better than the other. It's just they're just different. Um, they won the regular season for the first time since 2019, and it's only the sixth time in the history of the field hockey program that they have won the ECC. Stonington is really they run the league for the most part, but we have played very very well over the last three

047years at least. Uh they made it to the finals. They fell to Stonington a really competitive game 3 to one. They were clearly disappointed, but they had a tremendous season. They're still playing. They had a tremendous regular season, ECC season. They are 15 and three and they host Simsbury tomorrow here on the turf field. That game's at 200 pm. Callen Keefe was the Domino's ECC player of the year. She was a unanimous choice for that. Volleyball. Um, also on fire, third straight ECC tournament championship. They beat Woodstock in completely dominating fashion, three to nothing. Finley Wilson was the tournament most valuable player. She's senior on the team, standing player. They are 20-1. They lost the first game of the season against Ram. They play a very, very competitive out of conference schedule. The first game

048of the season was against Ram. They lost three to2. Played very, very well, but lost and they've won every game since. And they've only lost two cent sets since, none against any ECC. They have not lost a game. They did not lose a set against an ECC team. Completely dominated the league. They are the one the top ranked team in class. They will they have a buy. They didn't know if they were going to play tonight or not until the pairings came out on Friday. They have a buy today and they play on Wednesday at six o'clock. if we're fortunate enough to win that. We play Friday, same night that we have a football game. Logistics problems, but life's like at East Lance. It's great. Um, and Jack Biggs was the Domino's ECC coach of

049the year. Um, previously mentioned, girls swim and dive. They had a tremendous team effort showing. It's always it's it's amazing to me to kind of watch them as they lead up to that championship because there's so much pressure to for them and they put on themselves. They've won 20. They had won 24 straight ECC championships. They had a tie against Fitch in the regular season, one at Fitch, and they got beat here in our own pool here. So, they were very stressed out leading into the the whole tournament ECC championship as they've done for 24 previous years. They pulled it together. Everybody did their part and they won actually overwhelmingly against second place Fitch in a great team effort. They had 571 points and I think Fitch had 480 something. Junior uh Sylvia Otter was

050the most valuable member of the event and that's determined by who the player there, the swimmer that gets the most points at the meet. So she was named the most valuable member and they'll continue on the ones that qualify into the state tournament for swimming and diving. We have three divers. We're the only school that has divers and they're great. If you've seen any of the videos, I love the videos. because I love him in slow motion and I asked him like is it all right if slow motion like no don't put slow motion because it's too long nobody will watch that whole thing like I do I really like slow but >> so I don't do slow motion anymore >> um and then we have very happy to say unified soccer we started that

051back up last year kind of in the winter we had a snow event so it really didn't get up and running until the spring we had some soccer they practiced during the day here they had a tournament at um Waterford. So, that's the first time they've participated in that event in I don't know how long. Um, and they had a great time there. We have 12 students participating, athletes and partners. They will be transitioning to basketball this winter and you'll be getting notified on we'll do a really big senior night, basketball night where the gym will be packed and it's going to be just a tremendous, tremendous night um for those athletes and for all everybody in attendance. could also add that girls soccer um didn't mention this didn't put this on this I failed

052to mention this sorry uh girls won their game their first state round game on Saturday they play tomorrow at Weathersfield at six o'clock and football is home the next two Fridays at 6:30 maybe a time change on Saturday because of officials that's the world we live in but it's right now it's 6:30 Friday this Friday and Friday is their senior night so that will be the last senior night of the fall. Um, so that that will uh and then through Thanksgiving that will conclude winter season or fall season and we start right back up on December 1st. Wrestling starts back up and girls basketball in December 4th. Uh for everybody else we already have and currently have 277 student athletes signed up. We have a new registration platform that we're using final forms. It's been

053by all indications been very very effective. the first time through parents it's a little bit lengthy because they're now starting on a new platform but after that it's just click some buttons bam you go and um it's been great tool for our coaches trainer and for the nurse as well. So it's it's a great visual they pull up their roster and if it's red there's something wrong with that student their physical expired or they're hurt or something. Um and if it's green they're good to go. So that is it for me. Do you have any questions for me? comment. Go ahead. >> Oh, no. So, very very impressive. I just for me the biggest win is the class act leadership council as you probably know. I was going to comment and I was happy to

054see Henry put it in the newsletter. I'm embarrassed. Well, not I'm not embarrassed. I don't have uh Facebook or Instagram. I hope that you included the class act in those as well. And if they're not there, they're probably not going to get a lot of hits, but make Well, we have >> I think I think I saw it was pretty sure I saw them in there. >> Yeah, I that's I I think um >> 33,061 views. >> 33,000. That shocks me, too. Yeah. >> All right. That's crazy. Um Yeah, it was great. So where you get a lot of you so I'm learning I'm okay with social media but I'm learning a lot. So when you tag like CIC when you tag them in a post they have a huge following when they share it

055then it goes like it goes crazy from there. So you'll see in my and we won't say because you're not a Facebook lucky on Facebook. So, I tag like uh East Lime Community Connections, East Lime parent connections, the high school, and then I ask some of them like Henry's kind enough to share that post every week. So, then it goes to everybody that's following that page and it just just goes and it's incredible. So, yeah, the class act uh folks love them. They they do a great job and I depend on them, right, to to uh kind of watch the crowd. So football games, there's a lot of kids there and some a lot of things can happen at a football game. Those are the games that I get the basketball and football. And so

056those are my those are my allies. So they sit at the front monitoring what's saying, you know, they're not like in charge of that area. Like I don't want them disciplining kids, but I want to empower them to be positive role models. And um uh just as a sidebar, too. So that section the first football game and I had failed to do this ahead of time. It's just too many things going on. The student section was a disaster. It's garbage everywhere. So, who picks it up? Custodians have to come the next day and they pick all that stuff up. We met the next week. I showed them pictures. I actually reached out to them at night. Some of the leaders said that just it's unacceptable. This not who we are. So, we came up. I

057left I garbage bags up there for them. The last two home games spotless. They pick up they pick up their trash. So they have pride in their area and it's empty now. The adult section not so high. >> Student section now is much much better. Now those are the classes >> opportunity. Maybe the should have an award for some adult teachers. >> Olivia and then >> and then Kate. >> And now I have two questions. Um how do you choose the class act leadership council members? I asked for recommendations. So when I was um there's a couple of different ways at my previous district I did a different way which I think I'm going to incorporate now that I I'm much more familiar with students here now. So I asked for recommendations from coaches and

058they so they have given me them and essentially these are the 16 kids that volunteered right so I wasn't alone. I'd like to get to a point where it's more desirable to be part of that group. So it's like, yeah, I want to be part of the class act group. And then there's an application process. They fill out a short application. Why do you want to be part of this? What are your ideas that those So I've implemented that my previous district that was pretty effective. So that's more it's not me asking them you want to be on this, it's them asking me that if you want to be on that. So that's how it is now and that's the direction I want to head. That's awesome. Um I also I'm not familiar with the

059unified soccer program. Just looking for some more background info on >> Yep. So it's our um special ed students partnered with our um partner. So they for lack of a better term, right? So I'm just trying to piece this together the right way. They have a partner. We have a specialist. So we have a student in in a wheelchair. we have another partner who's helping them to score a goal. And there's different levels of disabilities for students. Some students it could be, you know, they um the range it varies depending on their disability. Um and so they play that sport. So they're students who traditionally they're not going to be on a soccer team. They're not going to be on the basketball team. They're not going to make that team. Um but it gives them

060an opportunity to compete in something and be a part of a team. It's a win-win for that I've seen and time that I've been involved. It's the athlete takes great joy in being part of a team and the partner takes great joy in helping that athlete be part of a team. So, it's um when you come put it in your calendar and we have the senior night basketball game, it will be it's a special special night. So, you'll see it live what it's like. >> Yeah. We're waiting for basketball because it got cancelled last year because of the weather. >> Yes. >> So, um once we have the date, Kevin up there, I'll push it out. >> Well, thank >> um thank you for clarifying. I had the same question as Olivia, but I was

061not familiar with unified um soccer. My question is well, my point, it's great that we have this. How long have we had this? I don't Well, since I've been here, we started in the winter. It didn't. There was a unified program prior to co I don't I'm not sure. Maybe >> prior to CO lost a coach and then it went dormant for a while. >> Yeah. >> So, you need to find Well, no, I need to find a coach for that. So, we have a special ed teacher that's here that has graciously agreed to be that coach all three seasons. It's a small stipen, very small stipen. um and she coordinates. There's a lot of moving parts with that because the students have different levels of disabilities. So, there's a lot of going on. There's

062some some aids that have to go to events depending on again the students disability. So, there's a lot of coordination and they they don't play a traditional like a you know, soccer play 16 games. They play they played soccer the unified soccer team. They practice during the day during the uh advisory block a couple of times a week, once or twice a week, and then they'll go to So schools will host events. So I'll just call So Waterford hosted a soccer tournament. In the winter, we may host a basketball event. NFA hosts a basketball event. There different schools do it differently. It's essentially you create your own schedule and you you create a an opportunity for those students to participate in whatever the sport is. It's soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and

063uh track and field in uh the So, it's not they're not throwing a javelin, you know, they're not doing the high jump, they're running and doing those kinds of things. So, thank you for the clarification. I really appreciate you giving the details. I, you know, I and I commend our school system that we are allowing this and providing a opportunity here. So, you know, thank you very much for for for championing this and and and continue. >> You're welcome. Yeah, it was it was certainly a pri when I came it was a it was a priority to find a coach and to start that program up again. It will only get bigger. It will only grow and it will grow with athletes and will grow with other partners as well. And um thank you for

064for supporting our all our sports activities. You know us our teams are doing very well. So you know this that you you get some credit as well. So thank you for supporting everyone and you know and keeping keeping them competitive and and and definitely the class act leadership council that is that is definitely an achievement. Thank you Peru. Um with respect to the middle school I had one clarification. One of the things that we when we when we first discussed this um and then we finally when we did agree to this, one of the things we were concerned about was know some kind of competition between the private leagues that the students play. Has that been a problem? I'm just curious to see if the students have been any any any under more stress playing

065multiple teams or stuff like that. I don't I wouldn't use the word problem. Um I would say it's certainly it's a challenge, but we're very clear and Kathleen at the middle school as the athletic director and the coaches are very clear that if you sign up for the school team, that's your priority. You're playing for the school team. You're not leaving. You're not missing practice for school to go to your club team. It's a choice you have to make. And so some um students ch there are some that do both. I don't know exactly what that number is. It's not a lot. Um, but there are some and there's some who chose to do their club team because it's quote unquote more competitive and then there's some who may not make a club team and

066we provide them an opportunity of playing on the school team. So, it's it's just a choice. I don't know that it's a problem. I don't think it's adding more stress to kids in terms of they're doing two things and they're doing too many too many activities at the same time. They're making choices on which one they want to do. So, yeah. So, we had a lot of kids sign up and then once the coach shares that sentiment with them, they're like, "Okay, this isn't for me. I'm just going to stay with my club team here or yeah, I do want to." And as they leave, it opens up opportunities for other kids that are not on the club team. So, it seems to be working out for me. I haven't had any discussions or real

067communications with families or with Kathleen at the middle school that it's been a concern of theirs. So, I think it's worked out. Okay, that's good to hear because I I was just just hoping that we not having any issues. So, it looks like it's not not a problem. And does it and in your assessment, you know, we have had this program for maybe years now. >> Does it does it is it work is it doing um is it helping being a feeder program for our high school? >> Um yes, there's no doubt. Yes. But is it our we have as I said the more competitive elite athlete in soccer in particular is playing in the club team. So having that high school that middle school team did not help that child but it did help

068that child who is not again not playing in that but get some experience. So our freshman boys team has been very healthy as a result of that. We hope that the girls team follows uh you know soon um so that we can again field different levels of for our girls. This year we didn't have we had a shortened GV season because we there weren't we had injuries and there wasn't enough participation uh in girls soccer. So it's still early on with in this program and you see there was only I think five uh eighth graders in the girls program. Five girls in the eighth graders. So there's not a lot there. Um, but it certainly it's hard to assess is it helping the high school. I mean, it can't hurt it for sure, but I

069don't I mean, I'm not saying I can't say that yes, it def it definitively is. We're now developing all these athletes at the middle school and they're coming here and they're ready to go, but it's it's helping. Yeah. >> No, that's a fair comment. you is it still early to say that in in the grand scheme of thing if it helps develop a stronger bench I think it's worth it I think and and the kids are getting an opportunity to play plus plus we are also developing our teams um a stronger bench as we move forward >> I think yeah I could I'll just add one thing that I think was is certainly helping though we um kind of not restructured but we took a look at what that program those programs looks like in

070terms of time and structure at the middle school. We kind of beefed it up a little bit because they're getting to the high school like, "Oh my god, you practice six days a week. Oh, well, that's too much. I'm used to two days a week." So, they practice more um a little bit longer. I'm not not like significantly enough where it's impacting their academics or anything like that, but it's not just two days a week. So, that um is certainly going to help. >> Probably our biggest issue at the middle school is space. >> Space. >> Yeah. That's what we've really grappled with over the last two years trying to fit everything because we added, you know, the sports team. So, um, and making it work with Park and Wreck as well. >> We moved

071the games to the field. They So, they played next to the middle school. The field's not adequate. It's in the rough shape. Um, so they moved them to Bridebrook Middle mid-season. And Parks and Wreck was fantastic to work with, schedule them. It was great. >> Thank you. Thank you for supporting the >> other. Oh, Mike. >> Hey, you're Yeah. >> Am I up? >> Yep, you're on. >> Hey, Kevin, congratulations for all the all what you're doing. and you're just you've hit the ground running and I appreciate all of your energy and your enthusiasm and your professionalism and your successes. So, um hats off to you. I think uh standing ovation is what you deserve. Um and and your success with social media, too. That's a platform that takes time and you're building it. I

072also appreciate Kevin your honesty talking a little bit about um you know some of the things that happen that we're not necessarily proud of but we need to address the the kids maybe not picking up after themselves that when they go to a game and then knowing that they can do better and even when the coach says I was disappointed in your run and then helping them to understand that you know they they have to continue to stay focused and lock in and and do well. Um I'm wondering two questions I have is um about the cost of the equipment and uniforms. I know that's something that you've been doing a lot of um getting people to do donations on that. And um how is that going? Are are kids able to play? Is there

073anybody who doesn't have the opportunity to play basically because he doesn't have the financial he or she doesn't have the financial support to be able to participate? No, not that I that's ever come to me. uh there's no instances of that in terms of equipment and we could all use more money right to buy stuff but um we have done a really good job in the athletic department of purchasing or getting first of all getting donations to buy the I like to say by like the extras with the donations with the uh the golf tournament and all the stuff that goes along with that. But we also have with the the school deal that I we signed with BSN a couple of years ago. So there's rewards dollars that comes along with that. And so

074I'm able to supplement a lot of equipment, sports equipment with those rewards dollars and they're significant savings. So practice baseballs, all of our tennis balls were on rewards. I didn't buy one tennis ball and we have plenty to go with to go by. So that was um I take pride in telling my coaches I've not had to say no to them for anything like they're not asking for the moon in everything anything that's you know crazy cost but I've not had to say to a coach you know you only get 10 dozen baseballs this year not 20 dozen baseballs. So that has been very uh positive. >> Well that sounds terrific. And also I remember when you were coming on board and I said to you uh I told you a brief story about when

075my um one of my kids was playing sports and I apologized. I think I remember telling you the story the and um I apologized to the the ref and he was like you owe me an apology. It wasn't me who was being disrespectful but another one of the parents. And so have have we gotten better as far as that's concerned as far as how parents are acting, how the the demeanor, I guess the behavior. >> Um I it's hard for me to gauge. I I haven't had any issues. So people they know my style that first year I think I've told the story here. I had to suspend four parents in the fall actually four games. had that hard discussion with them and point out their behavior was inappropriate. I have not had I shouldn't

076say this because I'm jinx myself, but I have not had to do that since then. Um, so I I I can't complain to be honest with you. I mean, parents are going to be parents and fans are going to be fans, but I don't see anything egregious. We have a a a security staff that is present invisible all the time. I'm present and visible all the time so they see us that that we're around. We make announcements before the game. I know that's it's worth whatever it's on the on the paper, but it's all of that I think is helping. Um so >> I don't I don't I haven't seen it as an issue as of uh certainly not in the fall. I haven't had one issue in the fall at all. >> Well, Kevin,

077kudos to you again because that's that's a change. That's a change from when my kids were participating. So, thank you. >> Well, I will tell you that if if there is a situation, it will get addressed and you know, there will be a conversation whether it be at that night or it'll be a phone call the next day, it will be pointed out and there will be a conversation and there will be there will be uh you know consequences even for adults. Like it's you don't buy a ticket to go to a game. doesn't give you the right to, you know, belittle an official or certainly a kid on a team, high school student athlete. So, it it does get addressed. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Thanks, Kate. Felisa, >> I don't have

078a question, just a comment. Um, and congratulations to you. I I really appreciate the the way the uh update is is provided. It's really comprehensive. I I like that it's not just about the wins and losses, but the the colory um conversations that you're having now to kind of follow up with the questions, the percentages of of student athletes that have been retained as um enrollment has decreased. Um and uh you know just kind of um really talking about the um you know the character of East Lime and and I mean I think you kind of bring that sense of um East Lime pride to your update as well. So uh I I I I like the way that this you know that you brought this to us. >> Yeah, it's all it's all we're

079all in it together. It's all part of the process. Thank you. I I had a few quick items. Uh I'll go through them quick because I think a lot were said, but I think overall what done I mean plenty of success on the field or course, but the culture that's being said is really what we we as a board have really really important more important probably than the success on the field as much as we want the success on the field. So we appreciate and that's why the middle school and Vic was talking about is putting in the middle school sports was a big culture piece um and getting pride in the school and getting maybe some of the students who aren't able to participate on the club sports are able to kind of take

080pride and do something and and do some so um really do appreciate all you you've done there. Um the inst Instagram I just have to appreciate so much um where you post the schedule every day of what going to come up because it's hard on the CIA to find them all. It takes it's too much effort and I I go every day and I just go to the east line. I I see and I was like, "Oh yeah, maybe I can make this soccer game or whatever and I can see or I can see how they played today. Let me see how they did." So I I it really is appreciated um that you do that. And then my last comment and this may be ma much more complicated than than word but um there

081are definitely you mentioned that there are sports that get less attendance than others and how do you get more students to those sports and I do which I really appreciate um and and it'd be great if you can and you figure out a way I know that some colleges do where if you attend some of the less less popular sports or less attended sports, you get kind of points. And so like if you go to a big football school, it might give you priority to get tickets to the football game if because those are hard to get because you've attended you went to the boys swim and the girls soccer and the whatever those others. I don't know how you would do it here and I don't know if it's it's gone but it is

082something that I I know that some college the bigger schools do um to try to get students to at least come to a half or something of of those other games. So something to think about >> class group just an idea too they said they u one of their ideas was again we have a lot of ideas it's just hard to implement everything. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Was a a spectator of the week. So somebody who went to five games and give give them something t-shirt or something whatever. So those are just >> it's on our radar for sure. >> Two more things I one is what you just said. So um at our school I don't know if they're still using it or not. There was an app, a fan app, and and it

083it I don't know if it knew where you were or you you when you come in and it recorded you. And so they they there there were students who were winning awards for attending the most >> sporting events. So I, you know, I think there's an app for that is the answer to the question. Um I don't know. >> And a QR code as a form. >> Um so there that's one thing and I think that's a great idea. I I um the unified I have not witnessed the unified sporting event here, but I think that is also right in line with all your other efforts about improving culture and that's a big one. And for the the board of ed members that aren't unfamiliar with Unified, the students who are not special ed students

084who join Unified to help out, it's a it's definitely a win-win. And it's a really cool thing that the the relationships that this is what I witnessed in our school anyway. The relationships that and and I think it it definitely helps those kids who are the special ed kids just feel like they're all part of the school community and they're all in. So that's another big win I think for climate and culture too. So >> basketball game just wait. It's be spectacular. was a previous district the best night of the year by far. Everybody was there. >> So, good stuff. >> Thanks, Kevin, so much. >> Let's go back to soccer. >> Yeah, go back to soccer. >> Thank you. >> Kidding when he says he's had everything and it was Saturday all day at

085the ECC girls basketball. I think next year if we win again, the coaches traditionally jump into the pool. I'm gonna recommend Kevin jumps in. >> I see a video of Steve Argus in the pool. [laughter] >> Good night. >> Okay, so we had an AI uh presentation by elementary students. We had our athletics update. Now is the most exciting part, best part, most exciting. uh discussion Q1 budget projections. >> No, I am >> and so we are presenting this. >> Yeah. Not this one following Wednesday the finance. So we do want to give an update to the board of ed >> and it goes to the board of selective tomorrow. So they'll uh >> the first no it'll we have to by cho state. >> Yeah. um legislative we have to send it. Yeah. So

086>> it will be down so both groups basically will see it. >> So >> yeah. Sorry. >> Um yeah, go ahead. >> I didn't know it. I mean obviously I don't want to read everything on here. I just want to kind of give you what I did as far as my assumptions. It's still early in the year. Uh this is as of September 30th. Obviously, I used information that I had through October to develop these, but I'm being conservative in my estimates just because it is so early in the year. We have no idea what's happening with electricity. Going to have a good year, bad year. We, you know, looked at with overtime past couple of years just because we haven't had really any uh bad winters. Um the um bulk of the overages right

087now are um in our tuition and transportation lines. Um there's a small overage right now that I'm projecting in health insurance because a few more people that had not taken health insurance took health insurance more than I had. I always factor in a couple of people but we just had more taking it than you know than historically has been um have been taking it. Um and some of highlights we have just not only to focus on the negatives but like we do have some the excess funds that are sitting in the salary lines. Those are as a result uh we have some openings that have not been filled yet. Um I did factor in some um you know expending some funds in those lines but right now that's what's accounting for the overage uh the

088uh availability and like the paraprofessional line. We have a lot of vacancies in the paraprofessional line. Um we have a few um vacancies in our certified staff right now. So that's kind of where we are with that. And then we with the custodians, which is also a larger amount, we had some delays in hiring. We had some people retiring. So obviously it takes a little while for for people to get on board. I don't know if anyone has any questions on any of this. I don't know, but can you just go into a little more detail on driver because I think special ed is the big driver of over >> um if go into that and then maybe Jeff Analise just talked a little bit any of the open positions are they impacting our ability

089to deliver our educator? So like eras and the open certified staff is that what impact that's having. Then you start a special ed that's driving. >> Sure. And Kim is here so she can obviously you know talk more specifically about the tuition um which is really as you can see like a big factor there. I only um budgeted that we're getting back 60% of excess cost. Last year they did give us back about 70% but it was like an additional uh amount. It wasn't it was extra. They voted on it kind of toward the end of the year. So I'm only using the 60%. Obviously if we get 70% that will help. Uh but right now it's just budgeted at 60%. I think Kim can um give you more information as to why um you

090know the number of students etc. Yeah, I mean we just have um a meteor population right now of students who have intensive social emotional, mental health, behavioral needs as I pulled up the list to just kind of look. Um they're primarily at the upper middle school and high school level. So, um I think some of if you not that we want to always go back to COVID, but we were concerned about sort of a COVID, you know, over overage, you know, spillover. I it's not a great word, but and I think that these are some of the kids impacted um in different ways around that. Um and so you know obviously we can't forecast that always in budget you know I budget like Jeff asked us for zerobased budgeting who's in and out of district

091you know so many of these students were placed after the budget was solidified last school year um and into the spring and even two I think over the summer um that we placed we didn't get any moveins this year but last year remember we got four so that you know was a factor those students are all still here. So, um they continued with us and um we're always working on bringing students back as a you know as an option and talking um about that as a goal. So, they're in various stages of you know that sort of transition as well. Um there's a few students who will move off just by aging out next year and being too old to meet the special education eligibility under our umbrella. will lose two students um that are

092currently on this out of district list uh to turning 22. So, um yeah, we just we just have an needy crop of kids right now. Uh and that, you know, sort of uh up and when tuition goes up, so does transportation because we have to get these students to their placement. So, they always go hand in hand, just in case anyone isn't familiar with that. Um, and then our our vacancies, I would say, um, they definitely impact, you know, because then if a person who is on staff is absent, it just magnifies the vacancy situation because then there's less coverage to go around and things like that. So, >> trying to fill. >> Yeah, >> we're working on it. It's a trickle, I would say. we get you know I think we got two paras

093last month in the month of October and you know we have um many vacancies posted at the so >> thanks Phil I I just want to make sure I'm understanding this so the so the projected available balance in the pair of professionals and the staff is almost $700,000 if we filled all those positions from the beginning of the year would that available balance be zero >> which means we'd be almost >> yes >> $700,000 in the red well 600 and change yeah >> you're correct >> yeah we were very cautious for a period of time in October of how many positions we were posting because we were monitoring those special ed dollars because there was some concerns with the the overages so it's balancing itself out a little bit more now, but it's it's a

094lot. Um, and again, we still have a number of postings filled. >> They're open. >> If we had filled all of what we posted, >> we had filled all of them, we would be probably talking about Yeah. spot. >> Yeah. >> With, you know, again, the four new ones that moved uh moved in and just where the costs have gone, special education. So >> just a PSA you know for not everybody well we were all in favor of creating the non-lapsing account but not everyone was in favor but these are the things that we face so that when we have this non-lapsing account we do have at least a little bit of a safety net of as these things happen to us during the year that we can cover some of that. So um that

095is one of the reasons we have a non-labsing Olivia and then Jamie. >> The vacancies and and the hiring and positions that are open. Is this like a new trend that there would be so many vacancies or this is something the year every year? >> It's pretty much what we see especially in the world of pair of professionals we've seen consistently. you know, we we start to get ahead a little bit and then another one or two might resign and go somewhere else or, you know, it's >> very transitional position, the the parah position. So, >> okay. Yeah. I just was curious like from a culture standpoint if this was something new that >> um >> I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but I'm going to ask the question anyway just to make sure

096I do know the answer. federal shutdown the dollars we've already gotten everything for the year correct so does it affect us or >> it's going to affect us just for student lunches or >> right now it's not impacting us >> we get updates I just actually shared the local view today um from the state um there is we're still receiving the funding >> that's what I thought but I just wanted to make sure >> and and just so the the title grants those are done on a draw down basis we don't get that we have to do a draw down on a regular basis, but the grants have not been >> and the school lunch program that money in our funds every month. >> I thought, but I just wanted to make sure I remembering

097correctly. Okay. >> Thanks. Okay, moving on. discussion action items other um we have our discussion board of ed goals review. So if you recall we set our goals in August September um we want to have three updates on our goals. Last year we actually didn't do our first until March and we said this year we're going to do one in November. Um so it's November 3rd. Um it is early to have one but we do have at least an update and we can go through. >> Yeah. Yeah. I can um yeah last year and we'll we'll start this up you know the next one with um color coding um some some progress updates. Right now it's really just kind of looking at is there anywhere that we're off the mark like we oh you know

098we're concerned about you know reaching one of those goals and that's not the case uh right now. um you know pathways um we just heard a report um last meeting the meeting before last meeting from Mr. Pulo. Um, you know, we're we're on par with um that information. I haven't gotten to a point yet of talking about collecting information on the impact of the pathways program on student college and career planning. That will come forth, you know, establishing that baseline. So, during our next uh report out um we'll be talking a lot have information about that. Um vision of the graduate, we're engaging in some vision of the graduate work. Um so, we will be beginning to connect that with pathways as well. Still a little early. um culture and climate um you know you've

099seen we've already you know invited some folks for some recognitions that will continue um on par there um you know by December of this year uh the district and each school building culture and climate committee will develop culture and climate improvement plans so we've got the improvement plans underway um so there's nothing that you know we're concerned about right there that's ongoing >> the surveys will go out in a couple of weeks and CCI committee had some discussion around those questions and what that would look like. So, good space there. >> That last bullet at the bottom, fostering the continued sense of belonging, greater student experience. Um, we've got cohort three as part of the learn um work that we've done the last three years. So, they're up and running. Cohort one and two are

100also running. That's continuing to work on uh our engagement with uh you know, trainings uh you know through uh through learn and uh building sense of belonging with all students. Um back the last one for uh Nicole number two um between the months of October and June board student representatives will have the option to participate and we are continuing to talk with them sometimes um you know kind of hey kind of shot out of here tonight I think she she's busy but we will continue to offer to them if they want to uh you know remain for the full meeting you know please uh we encourage them to do that so um we'll keep those connections and then high level instructional p practices assessment development Um we're ahead of the game here. You know, we

101already had two meetings on the school realignment plan. Um so we bring forth some recommendations in December uh on that. Um we've had one meeting on the world language piece going to work with Estabbon on getting the second meeting, but a lot of that was contingent on we're doing with the realignment. So um I'll talk to him about kind of where we left our last uh realignment committee. um further development on on AI. Again, we've had another presentation, you know, tonight. So, that's continuing to progress. Um and the last one under that bullet or that uh that goal collaboration administration sport where do we discuss the high school course offerings um with a goal of establishing a median class size of of 20 27. We've got a meeting this Wednesday at five o'clock. That's our

102first meeting. Mr. Kid is going to be bringing data. At least myself will be there. Um, so we're looking forward to that conversation. So, doing well there, district marketing, branding, and social media. You know, we are riding Kevin's coattails. Um, trying to catch up with his social media exposure, but uh, you know, in progress. Um, as well as, you know, generating uh, you know, uh, revenue dollars through paid advertising as well. So, for the most part, you know, we're we're on track. Um, no concerns at this point with with our goals and we'll be able to do more vertical, you know, it's so early. It's more along the lines again of what things we're we're not hitting, but we're we're hitting the mark on all these so far. So, any questions at all on that?

103I have a very quick one. So, you put dollar amount of $10,000. What What did What was the revenue last year? >> Oh gosh, I think we're up over 30. Yeah, we had a really good 5,000. Having got that >> that >> really big >> good found,000 grant or 10. Yeah, it was a good size grant. >> Some foundation. >> Oh, I can't remember that. Yeah, it's a woman to me as well. >> Ronnie. No. >> Yeah. >> Remember, >> that's that's a windfall, right? So, if you exclude that >> if you exclude that. Yeah. Um well, take that was 10,000 off of uh the 34. So 20,000. >> Wow. >> Yeah, we should almost because that's a yearly donation now, we should almost kind of exclude that and focus on the new monies that

104are brought in. So I'll bring that up with Kevin as well. >> Uh my one quick comment and I know the student representatives especially now it's probably a tough time of year. Maybe we can f like the AI discussion we had may have been helpful to be here giving the high school perspective of what the elementary school students were talking about. So you could see the link of um you know what the high school student is thinking from that that. So um but some of the other topics you know the the budget update and things like that it would be nice for them to hear but maybe not as important. So maybe we can as we structure the agenda, we can also if there's things that we've want them to be >> put everything but

105try to put it earlier. >> Yeah. Because I can go through it with Mr. Kid who's meeting with um Henry's meeting with uh the reps as well. Yeah. Um, so definitely uh say, "Hey, you know, we might want to see if they can stay for specific." And then we can try and adjust the agenda too to maybe have those topics earlier >> so the kids if they do need to to depart. >> And I think Annie was here backtoback times. >> Yes. >> And that's cuz the other two saw. So to be fair to her, >> he's not supposed to be here each time. So isn't supposed to be as big a commitment, but she covered. So And we've got three reps, remember, too. Sir has a two questions. >> Moving on. Um we have

106for discussion action the um policy review and I'll turn it to Alisa. But we updated this to include Jaime's comments to the policy side. But I'll turn it over to I for >> Yeah, it's in its second read and um we we made those adjustments as it was being reviewed between between first read and second read. >> I think initially it went into the consent agenda. we pulled it out to have that discussion to incorporate that change and that it's coming to the board tonight and it's it's redlined um to include the um incorporate the mission statement onto the agenda. I think we've been doing but now we're seeing discussion for tech for clear. I don't know if it's clear or what, but I don't understand the verbiage of the first review because it wouldn't

107it be a second reading. >> I think that's where I was just super confused when I was reading this. It says first review of the policy, but this is the second one, correct? >> Maybe it was a rollover and we just forgot to change. Oh, you know, it should say second review. >> That's what I thought, but I was I was confusing myself when I read this the other day. that uh when we uh developed the agenda. So, >> making sure I wasn't confused because I did read it and I'm like, "No, this is the second time." Okay. >> Yeah, good catch. So, that should say second review of policy 9325. >> Does anyone want to make a motion? >> Motion to approve the uh policy 9325.2 as presented. >> Further discussion. All those in

108favor say I. I >> opposed. Abstain. Motion passes. >> Okay, that closes our discussion action items for the night and we move on to administration reports and Jeff. >> Um, everybody saw that invite uh for the veterans day. Um, he's at the middle school. Um, that was in that envelope. Uh, again, we have the high school in the morning. um if anybody wants to come to the high school um to uh just shoot me a text or you know and I'm happy to to those uh those times um it's a great day um and it's happening next week. I'm excited for next uh next Tuesday. Um as we kind of mentioned earlier the board of selectman tomorrow night will be going back down and I put my weekly update Friday about the the pool. We'll

109just explain to them about the um not getting reimbursement on the pool roof. Um and then that will be talked about the board of finance the following week and also the board of finance will provide them financial projections update that we kind of just went over. So that's the 12th. So the fifth and then the 12th boardman 12th board for finance. Congratulations on um if you saw it but uh got a copy distinction for distinction uh award. So level two um lime is one of eight districts that will be recognized at the Cape Caps uh conference uh once again. So kudos to uh the work that the board continues uh to do. Um that's great. So we get another uh picture with uh the commissioner and 2:15 that afternoon. So if you're attending Cape Caps.

110>> Perfect. >> Thanks to Cararissa for filling out all the >> Yes. That's right. >> For that. Um >> she puts a lot of time and effort into that. Um so and it's great to be recognized again. Um, and my last thought I just had tonight, you know, it's it's excellent having, you know, Kevin come and give, you know, report out on on the sports and it's an in-depth report. He does a wonderful job. Love to try and work with with Henry on to hear more. I know Henry comes and does kind of a broad, you know, approach to our goals uh as it pertains to the high school, but the arts, the music, a greater report out um in some capacities. I'm going to work with him on seeing if maybe we can get,

111you know, somebody um from those two departments to come and give a more comprehensive >> maybe they could come and sing something or do something from the play this weekend or something of some stuff going on. Yeah. >> Yeah. Just, you know, we've um Kevin does a great job. We've got a dedicated >> play this weekend. >> Yeah. Yeah. The play That's right. the play is Thursday uh Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday um this weekend, too. >> Vacation tonight. >> Yeah. So I just thought when Kevin was presenting going we we've got to get a broader you know again great work and we don't want to you know dismiss what's happening in the world of sports but there's some amazing things happening in the world of arts you know so >> we're going to work

112on that. >> Yeah. >> Can we do that before the winter concert meeting before the winter concert with you? >> Yeah. Let me let me see if we can I'll talk to Henry to see if we can get a group to to come and and try and do a share out of some sort. >> Great things about the music program. >> Good. Good. Excellent. >> Yeah. Hear good things about it. >> And we've got some very talented and and dedicated uh you know uh music teachers so and band. So >> So I I I will definitely totally support that suggestion that you would do that. But what I would suggest is all the competitions um for most of the music programs they occur more in the winter. So if you if you really want to

113hear about the achievements because a lot of the students they make it to Eastern Regional, some of them make it to state to so if you want to hear the achievements it would be probably be best after the winter. >> Yeah, that's a good that's a good point too. Um, you'll see in my weekly update this Friday, the band just had a competition. >> Say the band just got second or third. >> Yeah, they got second. Yeah. States. But that's a that's a good point. Why capture all of it maybe later. Maybe we get into that January February time frame. So, I'll talk to Henry. We'll look to get something on the agenda for music and arts that. So, thank you. >> Not just the high school. >> No, we Yeah, we could expand to

114the middle school, too. Um, yeah, sure. Why not? trying to do a >> just like an overall arts. It doesn't have to be just Henry. It can be >> Yeah. >> No, that's a good point, Jamie. I know I'm I'm talking high school, but you're right. >> Book, middle school, and elementary, too. >> I'm totally forward with all of that. And I was just going to add that if we're not doing it already. Um Evan was telling us about his being strategic on the um social media posts where the tagging of the >> um Yeah. Yeah. and >> later audience. >> Thank you. That's all I have. So, >> thanks. Nice. >> Well, biggest news uh out of my office is that tomorrow is uh November 4th, which means election day, which means professional development

115day for teachers. So, um, we have lots of things planned across all three levels tied to our, um, district improvement plan. I'll follow up with an update to the board on Friday with some pictures. Um, but long story short, some wit and wisdom and math work at the elementary level split in that day in half. Um the high school is working on their engagement effect um continuation their PD around student engagement and so there's some breakout sessions in the morning and then apply application of those that learning by department in the afternoon. Um and the middle school is also focused on some um you know um uh PD around um student learning profiles and planning intentionally for the students in front of them and then some department based work as well. So that's some high

116quality professional develop planned by some of our own best of our own internally. So >> repeat working on the budget and also the update. >> Yeah, our budget workshop is rapidly first one is rapidly approaching uh the 17th of November. So 16 days we'll be start >> [laughter] >> Get ready. Okay. Um, we had a policy review committee. >> Yep. We had there will be a few that will um end up coming forward after our next policy meeting in December. >> Okay. Minor. >> Okay. Good. And then um Eeb >> had CCI meeting CCI. Oh yeah. Did I miss that one? Sorry about that. >> It's all right. >> Uh CCI. >> Yeah. Well, last Monday. >> Last Monday. Last Monday. That's >> Yeah. So, um I finally woke up and we scheduled a meeting

117where everyone else could attend. So, we went from 25% attendance to actually 110% because we had a guest. Kate was there as well. >> [laughter] >> But it was a really productive meeting in that we um everybody was giving some input and it was um went better than just so it's really good. Um we took a uh we focused really on the satchel pulse uh survey data and in prep to try to look for what questions we're sending out, make sure we're being consistent with that. We also kind of honed in on where our low points were and kind of cross referenced the low points for the students where the kind of the same low points were for the teachers. Um, and we generated some ideas and um, uh, Lee had an idea to also

118try to improve um, parent feedback and we we certainly want to make sure that as we introduce this next survey, we talk about the results from the previous one. So, we're we're getting people to fill out the survey knowing that we're looking at the results and acting on it. And ultimately we want to try to help guide um each of the school plans so that when they go for the anecdotal data we're kind of honing in on the areas that we think were most important. So I thought it was pretty productive. Um you think because you had it on an off Monday from our normal schedule which we started to talk about doing because Mondays we kind of lock up. Do you think that helps? I >> I definitely think it helps. And we also

119threw a little form out and kind of gave some times and and we went with where all the times over overlapped for everyone. So, we probably should do that each time we host a meeting just to make sure that they're >> and we did a Zoom link, too, because two people attended Zoom. So, >> um but it was it was definitely um you know, I should we should have done that earlier. Bottom line, >> just getting better and better. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Thanks, Bill. Amy, Kate, >> Kade, um Jeff, thank you. sent out the blue booklet to everybody who hasn't received it at home. Um, if you have any comments, suggestions, changes, rewrites, additions, can you please get it to me Monday before the 20th so that I can present it at the delegation.

120Um, that the delegate assembly is the 20th. So that was your blue book. Um, there's a digital well-being in the age of social media and AI webinar on November 6th. Delegate assembly is the 20th. The convention is the 21st to the 22nd. A new board member orientation and leadership conference is December 9th. 2026 legislative issues and advocacy webinar is December 16th. There are three school finance webinar series coming up. Dive deep into budget development January 13th. Dive deep into the budget adoption process February 25th. These are all a little too late, but best practices for pre financial oversight is March 19th. Um, and I just want to say thanks to Jeff and Anelise for answering questions I put out about being on a state committee for meal development and you helped me out. I don't

121have meetings set yet, but thank you for your time and your response to my >> call for help. [laughter] >> Appreciate it. >> That's it for K. >> Thanks, baby. for meeting I have not had a my next learn meeting is next Thursday or Wednesday or Thursday I can't remember um districts wide ad hoc committees the high school vision committee >> yeah meeting since the last right >> no not since the last >> not since the last we've given it >> at the next meeting we'll be doing the feasibility study so >> right right yes um so that's good so we will be holding these outside company will >> they will be here >> be here right so the the people we did the first >> we' approved if you remember >> it yeah it

122must have been like April May right after the budget um we had approved the first part of that outside company looking and giving doing analytics on a school and kind of what's good, what's bad, what needs improvement. And so, and so they're going to read out to us on next next meeting. We're inviting forward >> um architectural firm. Um it's one we own. >> No, no, no. Um >> it's saluting me. >> Sorry. I I can put some information in the the update too because we're gonna Yeah, we're going to invite the board of finance board of selectman if they'd like to come and listen in on that. >> Is that is that a meeting or is that a special meeting? >> Nope, it's a regular >> No, that's going to be at our board

123meeting. >> Yeah, just at our >> We're going to get a readout >> and we just got a they were still working on some of the data. So, we just got a real quicky update last vision meeting which was Yeah, it was kind of a a brief. >> Yeah. Uh weeks ago, I think two weeks ago, silver pet yourself. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, it just took me a minute to remember. So, >> and as soon as you started saying it, I remembered it. [laughter] >> So, that'll be a I think it it could end up being a long discussion, but I think it'll be really informative. Um and just start thinking about the next step. Um what the next step could be. We haven't had an elementary global language update. We did have a

124school reorganization committee. Lee wasn't able to attend. She asked if I could give the update, but please um and Jeff, is anyone else there? Uh please. Um so, one of the Oh, Kim is there as well. Um you remember we're we were kind of started out thinking about you know we shift grades like what schools and have an intermediate school and and started started the discussion do do we need to start having an outside company kind of do analytics for us and look at this but um him and Anelise and and others but he's you know saying well you know there's other ways we can approach this and look at it and came up with some think some good creative ideas that we need to look at more. So we're not ready for an outside

125and we may never need an outside analysis. I think we need to do more work. What Kim talked more for Jeff but um really taking a look at is there a different way for fifth grade looking at the at the middle school and how we deliver education. So it might not change our buildings, it just change kind of the way we deliver an education. It could change there's options to also change build how we structure our buildings as well. Um but I think we have more work to do and more to analyze versus diving into which is a pretty big change. um changing the the makeup of of our schools and there might be other ways to achieve what we want to without doing something like that. So >> being have redistricting again or pockets

126of redistricting potentially um >> redistricting is probably almost unavoidable. Um >> I I I at some point I mean I mean again it's not next year but at some point >> um because we're seeing that again we got our schools elementary schools balanced um >> five seven years ago whatever they were somewhat balanced they're not balanced I think yet so um so we we need to it's one of >> well I mean just we we looked academically at the data And so we had colorcoded the different districts in their models. Who has a K2 model versus a K568 model versus a K458 model. Um and we clustered all of our DUR districts by color and then we plotted those, you know, the um comparative graphs I do for the board. >> We colorcoded those and

127essentially the trend was that it was evenly distributed. it didn't matter the model that that you know districts were all over the board with regards to their uh performance index and the mo the school model. So um essentially you know that information sort of led us to the conclusion that shifting the model isn't necessarily going to impact student achievement. it may have other benefits if we wanted to approach it, but it's it's not looking like it has an impact on student achievement uh in relation to our DUR. So, um that was just a piece of information that we'd looked more closely at at the meeting. There were some other ideas that um came up that we're going to talk about some more and need we need to kind of talk about them more before discussing

128them here. But there are some other ideas that could help student and and I think we need to just more talk. Yeah, I had a chance to talk to the old Sabbrook um assistant superintendent around the fifth grade model and um you know we we saw that fifth grade does you know has actually sees an increase in performance from four to five and even though that fifth grade is in the middle school with um grades six through eight um and it's very much looks like a a more elementary model than a middle school model in that grade. So that's definitely a space >> change buildings but don't change model of >> looks a little different but right yes >> um so we're learning from other people um different things and we have some you know

129some other ideas in the cooker but >> no covered >> any questions probably a lot of questions but we'll yeah we'll uh meet that mark of December to kind report out, but we might not meet that mark of reporting in December. >> Well, there might be >> partial. Yeah, it's a different report out than maybe we put our holes in. >> Yeah, >> I do have lots of time for them. >> Yeah. >> Okay, moving on. Board comments and future agenda item. >> Just a quick one because it's my favorite time of year. When you leave, go look at the the wall in the office. It is like my favorite thing that we do this and we've done it forever and ever. The wall of veterans. >> It's so moving just to see all the

130veterans that have cycled through our district and have touched our lives. So, I love that wall. >> Thanks, Jamie. >> Kate and then VC. >> Hi. So, um I'm I'm my husband and I are planning to go to see the importance of being earnest on Saturday. If anyone wants to join us for the matinea. So, um you know, we talk about doing things together as a board. That'd be a fun thing to attend and to support the arts. The second thing is that my uh YouTube channel, you know, we're talking all about um growing the metrics and that and I had a couple of really good interviews recently. I'm up to 119,000 followers and everyone should watch the one on Ed Wido. Ed is often times our security guy at the front desk when we

131walk in and his his my interview with him was up to 8,000 uh views. Ed was a firefighter for 57 years and saved countless lives. So talking Jamie to your point about honoring our heroes, he is truly a hero, but is simultaneously one of the most humble people I've ever met and just truly truly an amazing person. And then the last one I did most recently was uh Joe Ba. Joe is director of utility or director of our public works in town and he is doing an amazing job in talking about composting and was singing high praises for uh for um I always draw blank on her first name. Um >> Narciss Narcissus Green >> Narciss I always want to call her Cariss but it's not. It's Narciss Green. Thank you Jeff. Um, a shout

132out to Nar Narciss Green for the work that she's done on the composting and how that's going to become a federal mandate coming down the pike. So, we're going to be ahead of the game on that. So, I'm really proud that we've stepped up to that and there's going to be um I don't know if it's an unfunded mandate, but it's going to be something that's going to be happening. So, we're already kind of a leader in that. I think oftentimes eslime leads in various ways and that's definitely proof of that. So thank you again. >> Kate, great. Thanks Kate. >> Perfect. >> Um I pay attention to the personnel notices and one of the things I noticed is there are two you teachers you know who are retiring into 2026. Um yes and then

133there is um there is a resignation so we talk about budget we are talking about class consol class size consolidation as well just again I don't want not expecting answers today I'm just kind of bringing it to your attention I'm hoping you'll you'll factor some of these things because there are some teachers here we probably absolutely need to replace because we we need them >> but from from a perspective of the budget and the class size. Um just want to bring it to your attention >> reading our mind. [laughter] Yes, absolutely. Thank you. Great observation. Um we are we are aligned with that. >> Well, tomorrow is election day. Please everyone go out and vote and uh Bill, Livia, Vic, Lisa, and Lee uh remotely the best of luck tomorrow. So thanks everyone. Um >>

134make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Thanks. All those in favor say I. >> I. Thanks. >> Opposed. Abstain. We are a jar.