001I'd like to call the East Line Board of Ed regular meeting to order for Monday, October 6th. Those of you can stand. We'll stand for the pledge of >> allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At the beginning of each meeting, we do read the uh East Line Public School mission statement, which is also appears um on the wall behind us. East Line Public Schools will inspire, engage, and educate each student to become a contributing citizen and a responsible, independent, and critical thinker. Next order of business is public comment. Any public comment? Public comment. Hearing none, that closes public comment. Moving on to special reports. And we have two slime middle school representatives here.
002Um, >> yeah, sure. I have two grade eight students that are here representing our grade eight teams. I have Miss Daniela, who's a student on our big G. Then I have Ria Hera, who's a student, an eighth grade student on our Wilks team. Welcome. >> Thanks for coming. >> Thank you for inviting us. >> So, yeah. Um, so the ESA Middle School offers a wide range of clubs including math counts, Minecraft club, art club, drama club, morning news, leadership club, service club, video journalism club, yearbook club, intramural basketball, and a new one this year called cultures and language club. The leadership club is currently working on promoting unity day in October 22nd. They also host and plan whole school assemblies for each trials. One upcoming event on October 22nd is a tech schools coming to
003visit the eighth grade. Schools that are coming include Grasso Tech London Marine Science Magnet School, Leadard Agriculture School, Norwich Tech, and East Slim High School. The start of the school year holds a lot of field trips because they had a perfect opportunity to cultivate team bonding between teachers and students, especially outside of a school set. Some field trips include campaign project Oson Nature Center and tree trips. Past events include the back to school night on September 15th with many parents attending as well as meeting the KA teachers. The parents got to meet our lifeart teachers and learn more about our curriculum. On September 25th, representatives from the New England League of Middle School visited our school to assess East Lime Middle School as a spotlight school. He got to experience a day at our school
004with student tours, meeting special ed teachers, walking into classes, as well as recording his progress. >> So, they got to walk through classes, meet parents, and >> I'm sorry. I don't know why this is doing this. Okay. >> Sorry about that. >> My fault. >> Say that. So, the representatives from New England League of Middle Schools visited our school to assess the East Line Middle School as a spotlight school. They got to experience a day at our school with student tours, meeting special ed teachers, walking to classes, and meeting parents, teachers. >> Um, the Ottoman Society is an organization that helps with environmental issues like trash, trash in the ocean, and climate change. They come to our fifth graders every year and do projects like the one they're doing. I think they might be doing
005it right now. It's called they pick up trash around the school and they score data on how much what what trash there is and what percentages like if it's most of it's plastic or like food waste or stuff and it's pretty fun. on what I did in fifth grade. You have to use little tweezers and sometimes those things are used for the wrong things, but it's all they were all trying to try to do do their part. And we also we have picture day in the back in the past and we it's an experience when we all get take our pictures for the yearbook. And now since we're eighth grader, we're going to get to get to quotes books in our yearbooks. And the book fair is a PTA managed um PTA managed fair where
006kids get books, fidgets, and toys. It's um ran by the PTA and it is used to bring kids together to and also raise money for the school. A new tradition we started was having an assembly at the beginning and end of each trime no the beginning of this trime the school year and the end of each trimester to talk about like how school has been. So we had the from the assembly at the beginning of this year which was focused on the new Elm's motto which because now Elms did not only mean East Line Middle School but it also means excellence, leadership, mindfulness and service. You can also you can get Viking vouchers by showing this stuff around the um the middle school and just by being kind and showing like other like responsibilities and
007stuff. And on unity day is on October 22nd, but it's also around the whole month of October, which it's a day where we all it's a day and the whole months we all wears orange to represent our kindness and unity together and we're how we respect each other and we are together as a like family, the East Lime Middle School family. And then we have on October 17th is our first spirit day and it is a day where we all usually wear the Vikes colors and where we maroon to represent our school's spirit and we do it every we do it like once we do it like once a month I'm pretty sure something like that and we use it to like show the school spirit. We we have sports clubs we have soccer and
008cross country. Soccer is a club that many kids love to join. is open to all grades and their record this year is the boys are 4-0 and the girls are three and one. They're all doing very good this year and we hope they have a really good rest of their season. Cross country is another big sports club with with boys and girls. They h they do really good and they run for places across the across the Connecticut and they have like the I've heard the trips there and back are very fun and that's what else my middle school have been doing. >> Thank you. Great update. Any questions? >> Let's have a fun question. Did you guys enjoy doing your picture on the field with the drone? Oh yeah, it was fun. It was a
009different experience. We all like >> I saw the video at open house. Did you guys see the video yet? >> Yeah, we haven't seen >> Are they going to be able to see this? >> I think we may try to share that with them again first trimester for the hopeful little ones late at that point, too. >> It was fun watching all you guys try to line up and all the letterings very organized. It was really neat. The drone footage was cool. They showed all the parents at open house night. It was really neat to see it. Thanks, Jamie. >> Thank you both so much. Uh, great update. Really appreciate it. >> I believe are they part of your >> If you're all set, >> thank you. Well done. >> Thank you. Thank you. Good
010job. Everything going to come back or is that just one and done or >> No, we do that typically quarter. Yeah, three times a year. >> It will be them who we >> I'm sorry. >> It'll be them who come. >> No, we usually mix it up. Yeah, we usually >> the board of ed reps or the board of ed reps you're keeping the same teams nominate them. So those students back um usually have come back at least another time. >> And what were their names? I didn't quite catch >> Daniel >> and Ria Ria spelling is R Y R I Y A >> Thank you. They were a lovely >> Yeah. >> Okay. We have no selectman representative. We do have a consent agenda item. >> Can I pull the policy out for discussion,
011please? >> No. >> So, we will make room B, which is the policy room two. >> Yes. >> The other make it seven B of the other. Does anyone want to make a motion on these other consent agenda item? >> I'll make a motion to approve um consent agenda items A and C as presented. >> Second. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. You both raise hands. opposed. Abstain agenda items 3A 3C pass. 3A were meeting minutes from our regular meeting September 22nd. 3 C. Uh want to thank we got a donation to the East Lime High School boys soccer from Mr. and Mrs. >> Trost. Trust >> Trost. Trost. Um thank you for your generosity. Um okay, moving on. We have four um discussion action items for instruction and we have middle
012school principal report and student presentation. >> All right, Mrs. Kelly, we'll turn it over to you. Welcome. >> Thank you for having us tonight. And I have some students. I'm going to have you introduce yourselves and and what you're representing, what club you're representing tonight. >> Uh, my name is Lauren Rogers and I'm in eighth grade and in the Big Blue Ka and I've been a member of service club since I was in seventh grade. >> My name is Anastasia Brooker. I am in the eighth grade and in the Big Blue Ka and I've been a member of the service club since seventh grade. >> And you had heard Nathaniel speak a little bit about some of the clubs that we're running. Um the students wanted to come this evening and kind of share a
013little bit about what exactly service club is. And we chose to have the students come because it really ties into our school improvement plan not only with culture and climate um but also you know components of the student belonging and experience as well as you know as you heard this the students earlier speak about some of our rebranding that we're doing and we're going to talk a little bit about that and some of the changes that we've made to start this school year off. We are proud to represent in the East Slime Middle School Service Club. Our club was created to give students opportunities to make a difference in our school and community. The work we do reflects the ELMS pillars of excellence, leadership, mindfulness, and service. Excellence means striving to do our best in
014every project we take on. Leadership is about stepping forward, taking responsibility, and inspiring others to join in. Mindfulness reminds us to be thoughtful and respectful of the needs of those around us and service is the heart of our club. Giving back to others in meaningful ways. Our first major project this year will be to honor our veterans on November 11th. We will organize Veterans Day panels alone in a schoolwide assembly. The assembly will include three student essay winners who will share their reflections. People today each show their gratitude to veterans by building a future that reflects the freedoms and values they fought to protect by upholding the Elm's pillars. PSA topic challenges us to think about how our choices and actions at school, in our community, and beyond can honor veterans. By living out the
015pillars of Elm's excellence, leadership, mindfulness, and service, we believe students can make a difference not just for today, but for the future. Thank you for giving us time, giving us time to share about our club. We look forward to the next chance to serve both our school and our community and we hope to see this event on the Berilla. So I brought these examples and these uh we have purchased and they are placed in every uh classroom in our building and I'll pass these around. Uh they are represented and hung um as part of the expectations in the class. Um this is the definition and how we came about this is last year uh we put out to our student body on the teams to have kind of a contest in terms of re of
016the rebranding. Um and then the students came up with these acronyms. um our our um team leaders then developed, you know, kind of fine-tuned a little bit some of the definitions that the genesis basically was the students decisions in terms of the definition and then concrete explicit examples that could be modeled. So each of the classrooms has these um those are those these are posted everywhere. You know, as you heard Nathaniel share and I'll pass these around. Um as you heard Nathaniel share, we also revamped our Viking vouchers, which is a positive reward system for our students. Um, and that is done on our Friday drawing as well. So, students can recognize stu uh their their students in their classroom. Teachers can recognize the students in their classroom, excuse me, for any of those accolades
017that are there. Um, they then go into a giant bin and we pull names on our TV production show. Um, so students can win individual prizes. We've got some small gift cards, some t-shirts, um, different kind of just positive, peppy things um, that they can be able to pick from. And then there's also a team one. So if the child's name is drawn um and this teacher, you know, recognizes what and why their name was put in there, that's read on the news and then they re they earn some extra recess for our students. Um so that was a big change. We also have a lot of the banners um just reinforcing throughout the building in the hallways, in the entrance to the cafeteria. There's a giant welcome sign with all of those um expectations.
018As you heard Nathaniel share, we started off on the very first day of school as well, reviewing those p um those procedures and the expectations with our students um and how and why, especially for our incoming grade five students, how we determine those and how those came to be. Um and we're also planning at the end of the first trimester a full school assembly. The teams will then send us um videos. Last year we concluded the year with small video snippets um recognitions um that students have achieved again exemplifying all those areas that we're looking for to really enforce the positivity and um and the positive things that are happening each and every day. That is some of the uh feedback that we did get from students after the satchel pulse survey last year from
019climate and culture. Um we've made a lot of changes in terms of some of the afterchool clubs that we're offering based on student feedback. Um, we also heard from the kids that they're hoping after after the holiday break in December that we come back because there's new students that move in. There's sometimes in the middle school developmentally friendships change. Um, and to be able to kind of really use a couple days to reset and almost do some of the icebreaker work that we do at the beginning of the year at that midyear break just to kind of refresh and to be able to re-energize everybody coming back. Um, so student voice was really really important. Um and you know we continue we will continue to um work with our student body to fine-tune and to
020make changes as well. >> Questions? >> Any questions? >> Well, I'm just wondering what kinds of changes you've seen this year to last year. >> Changes in terms of our student behavior. >> Well, we started a new program. you started a new elms and you're consciously making an effort. Are you seeing a reduction in referrals? Is are are people more kind, do you think? What what do you see happening? Is there anything? >> I think daytoday um we've had a number of students um you know if we have a situation for example on a bus we've had a number of students we use the term as an upstander see something say something. Um, so we've had students report things of unkind behaviors or statements that have been made to other students that they brought it
021forth to our security officers. I was on my way down to the morning news one morning and a student brought that forth. She said it just didn't feel right. So then we're utilizing the components of restorative practice as well um strategies. So I think yes, we have seen changes and I think that we've had more student voice standing up maybe for others when they see a situation that just doesn't feel good. >> Thank you. And then I'm wondering about service projects. Do students get to identify or do they self- select? Is it how does that how is that generated? I understand Veterans Day is something that's historic. But >> what other Well, I understand then to the trash pickup. That's beautiful. Helping the environment. Are there other things that maybe >> So, we have Mrs.
022Saglio um that is a new service club adviser this year. She's taken that on. U we've had a different leader in the past um that just couldn't partake in it. So I think she's looking to make some changes um you know throughout the Veterans Day assembly really recognizing and embedding those qualities within Elms back to the veterans in terms of the sacrifice that they've made um and how in a larger community setting um they utilized um excellence, leadership, mindfulness and service. Um they also do a lot um you know she has not had that full conversation with me but past practice has been to collect pop tabs to give back to the Ronald McDonald House. They have done food drives. They have done um clothing drives in the winter months um with local communities and
023giving back to um you know the pantry as well as um shelters within the area. And I don't know I know I believe you've had one or two meetings so far. >> Yes. But I miss I think I missed them. I've had one. >> You've had one? Yeah. >> And maybe she hasn't gotten really into kind of the the scope of what she's hoping to be able to achieve with the service plus year. I don't know if she's she's at that one meeting. >> Or was it more focused on kind of Veterans Day because that's the closest one. Last year we also did uh we did a fundraiser for like do you remember the donation towards we were collecting old pet like not old pet toys but like pet toys that nobody else used or
024they would buy pet food and they'd come donate to this box at the front desk >> so we could give it to animal shelters. >> Animal shelter. >> Yeah. We did a fundraiser for the humane society. So they try to look within the community within the area and to extend it not only within our school community but in a broader sense in the community that they live in. >> They do great work. >> Sure. >> Have you talked at all about um our birthday coming up, you know, 1776 that our country was established and it'll be the 250th birthday, right? Um this next year. Would this be the group that would maybe focus on doing something along? >> I can certainly bring that up with Mrs. Saglio. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to be here this
025evening. She did have an appointment. Um, she was going to be driving back from Rhode Island. I said, "No, stay home." We'll we'll So, I will bring her up to speed and certainly can chat with her a little bit more about that as well. See if that's on her right. >> I just think that it's historic. It's memorable. It's wonderful service. >> Absolutely. It'll be a great example to be able to bring back. >> I was a certified social studies teacher. That's what I think of. >> It just be a nice segway. >> The other exciting news that I do want to share while I'm up here, as you heard from our board of ed reps, um we did have on September 25th, we did have representatives um from the New England League of Middle
026Schools um that did come. They spent the day with us as you heard. And that was an application that we completed last last spring. Um the school improvement team completed that together. It was a really comprehensive uh overview of some of the things that we have added to East Line Middle School from three years pre prior. So every three years uh we fill out the application with the hopes of being renewed. Um we just got notification and I'm passing the letter around to you um right now. I just received on Friday notification that um Eastland Middle School is one of 31 middle schools in all of New England to be recognized as a spotlight school. Um I I couldn't be more proud of um the job that our student reps did in terms of bringing
027them around. Um Superintendent Newton and Assistant Superintendent Spaziano also had an opportunity from a central office point of view to be able to share information um from what they're seeing. They met uh with some of our special education teachers and talked about some of the changes that we've made in the spe in the delivery of special education and the supports that are in place. They met with our instructional coaches. They met with our SEAL team. They visited classrooms. They had gone into a kid talk and that's an opportunity um for them to see one of our teams to be able to be talking about academic and social emotional issues. Um they met with us in the morning as well. They observed lunch and I laughed because it was the only day it's rained and we've
028had indoor recesses all year. So gosh only knew what that was going to hold. So, but our kids did a great job in the cafeteria as well. So, they really got a great overview of of um a day in the life at East Line Middle School. And um you know, as you can see from some of their feedback, um I think what came through throughout is a sense of community and all of those stakeholders that came through in the conversations that they had. Um they also um really resp you know saw in terms of from an administrative point of view you know when we are working with students it's not punitive in the sense of that's all that we're looking to do but really working with the restorative piece utilizing strategies learning from your mistakes
029as we know middle school developmentally are a lot of highs and lows but really kind of being able to learn from the mistakes so that you know hopefully it's not repeat behaviors that are occurring. Um they looked at looking at just our our our amazing in-class experiences. They visit classrooms. So the high impact work that we've been doing is again one of our um schoolwide improvement dis and district improvement plans. The uh high dose not the highdosese tutoring the um high impact teaching um that came through and they had an opportunity to see all content areas our lifeguards areas. um they just I I think they had a really great uh opportunity to see and just the other changes too daily schedule we changed so that learning lab um is first thing in the morning
030all students are receiving support um you know with regards to the MTSS and what is done and what is needed for interventions. So tying that in, um I just couldn't be prouder and I feel really honored and really fortunate to work in such an amazing place um with so many great staff and support staff and people in the building and students. Our students um are amazing. >> Congrats to you on that. A great accomplishment. >> Congrats. Thank you. Yeah, that's know that that's quite the exercise um to engage in in terms of the volume of work that needs to be completed on the behalf of the administrator's part as well. >> So, but the submitted uh >> yes, >> it's a lot. >> Thank you for sharing this too. This we're we were just talking
031about anecdotal evidence of climate and culture and it's all jumping right off the page here. So, that's really >> great. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, Padine, is this substituting or replacing the blue ribbon award that we did previously? >> No, it just is um something that we've worked towards renewing. Um you know, we have submitted the last several years and we've been fortunate enough to continue to have that as an achievement. >> Thank you. >> And you I know you went on to share something. >> Yeah. >> Um as a service club member, Mrs. Agrio and I are really trying to strive not just for good, but for even better for the veterans because we're not just going to have it be the same thing every year. We're going to have it be so
032they actually realize that we recognize them and we honor them. >> Yeah. And if you haven't had an opportunity to join us on Veterans Day, I would love to have you come partake in it. It is one of my favorite uh traditions that we have. We talked about that at the CL at the culture and climate committee recently. It's a wonderful day. It's a great opportunity. It's all facilitated by our students. Um, you know, they bring the kids the bring they bring the veterans around to the different panels. Um, I think that they do an amazing job with guiding them and just making them feel very welcome and appreciated. So, I would strongly encourage if you can make it, we would love to have you. Um, you know, just let us know and I hope
033you can make it. What time? >> Tuesday, November 11th >> is the date. Um timelines, you want to for lunch staff folks if they want for the afternoon ceremonies. I can certainly get the timeline to you. Um the assembly is in the later part in the afternoon. Um we usually do that after we host lunch. If you can join us for lunch, that would be great as well. I believe, don't quote me, I can get the um information to Mr. Newton. Um I think the lunch is from 12:00 to 1 and then the assembly will follow up with him as well. We have almost 70 veterans there last year. 80. >> Last year, I think we had 68 veterans that joined us. >> It's a great number. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Everybody wants to spend
034a day, too. You come to the high school in the morning. You follow Analisa. We start at the high school and then we go to the middle school. >> It's a road show day, which is fantastic. >> Favorite days. >> Yeah. It's fantastic. >> Yeah. >> So, feel free to uh you know, we'll push information out. So, >> questions. >> Well, thank you. Oh, >> thank you. Oh, no. Uh, thank you so much and congratulations. Thank you for service. >> A great job. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> You should be really proud. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um we have discussion action items finance facilities and community for discussion and action the final product rendition of the East Lime High School track and turf field replacement but these are um this was in the
035capital plan. It was already approved by the town and it's a little under what was approved. The cost is >> that that's the most important thing. We're about 12 to$4,000 under budget which gives us a little bit of contingency room. um which is a good thing. Um allowing us and allow us all loting us everything that we need uh to do the uh the track um resurfacing as well as the field uh total field replacement as well as some drainage work which is important. We found over the last couple years pooling and ponding that's occurred. So they would do uh some drainage work uh as well. It's the same the track uh and the turf field that we've had um in place currently has lasted a number of years. I think it's fared well. we're
036getting the exact same type of uh turf. Um so there's no no difference in what we're getting. So it should last us again a number of uh hopefully another 15 uh 15 years after it goes in uh this uh this summer. Time frame is to start. Um and this is why it's here now because we want to get into the queue um and get this uh rolling right after so we don't have to move graduation. So wanted to just really kind of bring this forward as this is the final plan and uh the kind of program description uh just gives you the cost breakdown what uh and then you've got the u rendering of you know what uh what it would look like >> and we have all the budget approved and the approvals so
037>> it's set ready >> but they need our approval to get to that next step >> um do we know how long this will take >> should if we can make sure our goal again to start right after graduation we would be done by the end of August. So I know Waterford just did theirs, Mfield just did theirs um same companies um and it was about um two two and a half eight weeks basically 8 to 10 weeks >> doing it in summer so it doesn't affect schools and the students would it do any affect any of the um summer fun club they be affected by that at all? No, no, it should because they won't be they they typically are they might use that at field every once in a while but they could
038feel behind >> staging and >> Oh, no. We were already working on that because the pool roof is going to be going on. Yeah. So, we're already thinking about >> gonna happen. So, I was staging. >> We're going to fence right off around fence off the pool, fence off the track and then just have access that Flanders uh parking lot. Um so, Crystal and I actually were discussing that last week. So, that did come up conversation. So, we'll make sure that that's all still open. I would reach out maybe to Dave Putnham and let him know. I don't know if the miracle field will get affected by any of that bulbing off and staging ether. >> It shouldn't. No, it'll all be open as well. We'll make because you know they they want to continue
039their activities as well. So, we'll make sure that's all points. >> So, yeah, we're excited. >> Anyone want to make a motion? >> Oh, question. Yeah, it only says sorry >> just um there were the couple documents that were attached and one of them was the proposal and there's that section that it says you know this does not include those looked like that's pretty standard but just in terms of um com comfort level or is there are is with the list that they gave and that like we would it's like on that list >> knowing um that what this company has done because it's just water just at Montville's they've done a number of they've got eight already earmarked you know for next summer they are the that does them so no I I am
040less concerned knowing the product that's come out of those other districts um and and the cost associated I've heard nothing bad there's not been any overages I don't know if you've heard anything did anybody say okay yeah and I mean I didn't see any red flags but like with permits in like question >> you know it says they don't cover permits and inspections like do things like that. >> We would, but it would be they'd be minimal. >> It' be the education fee to the state. >> Not the town wouldn't charge us any fees. >> They wave those. Yeah, >> they usually wave them, but the education the state >> I was going to ask the same question. The town's going to charge us fees. >> No, they usually always wave those. They have in
041the I should say that >> we can uh and and Dr. Lond uh he must he might be running late, too. He's up in Salem uh right now at their board meeting. Um but if he gets here, we could ask him that that question. But you might have already talked to the town. >> But Vic, >> yeah, I just had a quick clarification. Um the color of the track will not be blue, right? The example project one is just an example. >> No, same same basically the same color. >> Okay. All right. I mean, not I mean I like blue, but I do like what we have right now. So just making sure want blue. >> Yes, good clarification. >> All right. The second question is do we understand how how how it is 12,000
04214,000 under what we were anticipating just just just to understand. >> So what we got approved from the town. >> Yeah. >> Minus the project total >> equates out to about $12,000 >> less, right? >> Yeah. We're to the good Yeah. $12,000. the project total is 12,000 less than what the town approved >> and do we know what what we overestimated or it's just that just that how the numbers it's it's it's it's not a huge amount but it's it's a decent amount so I'm just wondering if we understand why why it came out under budget just just for future future assessments you know >> um you know if you don't have an answer that's fine >> yeah I don't I don't I'm not sure why I'm just I'm glad it did I guess um
043I job estimating what the cost total cost would be based on other projects that have occurred. Um we could have gone over budget if we went with uh a greater type of um longer tines and turf uh the turf that they're putting down, but we did exactly what we did uh what 14 years ago, 13 years ago. Same setup and that was the final cost. >> I mean I'll take I'll take the less lesser quote, you know, mean and that's fine. It's just I was just curious. But thank you. I'm I'm good. >> Thanks, Vivian. >> I can you refresh my memory on what was the total in the capital improvement plan that was approved by the town? >> Um, we have the exact number, Mariana, that we can pull >> 1260. Yeah, basically had
044a little over 12,000, I think. Yeah. Yeah, it might have been 1260. >> Guess right around right around that number. >> Right. >> There's there's Dr. London. your rendition. Um, >> right on time. >> So, yeah, it I think it was one 1.2. >> Yeah. Do you remember what the total capital um the what what was uh the total number that uh the town we got approved? Was it the 1,26 >> 250 >> or 250 >> for just this project? >> Yeah, for the trial. >> Yeah. Yeah. 1250. >> Okay. All right. So, it's a little less than 5,000. Sorry. Okay. Originally, it was 12,000. >> 5,000 in. >> It sounds like we just had a rounded number 1250 >> went in the budget and then when we came through the details, we were able
045to save. >> So, origin. Okay. So, it went down from the original. Okay. So, and this proposal was late. Sorry, I didn't see this Friday. We were getting the final uh the final um projection together and it went in today. So you didn't see it over the Chris. We just kind of went through um what just to catch up to speed. Um timeline. Um in fact asked about the uh the track color. >> It's red. It's not blue. Uh yeah, we >> I'll point out the differences though you already went through this. Yeah, we didn't existing track or existing field. So, um, so as you see, we have the East Line Vikings in the end zones, which we don't currently have that. And we also extend the maroon further down. Then we have the uh
046the players areas in white in both sides. Um, the new There we go. Looking at it from the visitor side. Oh, you know, the new eel. Um, actually it shows up better here. Um, the numbers going to be shaded. That was Kevin requested that. It looks pretty sharp actually, but it's hard to see from there. So, yeah, like that's, you know, threedimensional look on letters. Um, and the track of course this is maroon, this is red, and then talking to Carl Reichard and Kevin as well. And we have the exchange areas for the relay races will be in a different color now unlike what we have uh have nothing now. So that's what's going to be visually different um what we currently have. >> Yeah. So >> Oh yeah. Go ahead. >> Any chance of
047recycling any of the materials that are currently on the ground? >> So we everything is recycled. um not in a usable format because people like can I get a piece of turf and they said you you don't want a piece of turf um because it's thick. It's not really usable. Uh somebody said can we use it for a dog park? And it's you know once you take out the fill that you know we still have like a 2-in tine. It's not like a flat surface type but it all gets re actually recycled and repurposed. >> You can recycle it. >> Yeah. >> Good. And how are we going to work with the public? because I've heard from people recently that access to the track and field as a resident in East Lamb is really an
048important thing. So I think we need to think about how residents who are not school related necessarily can have access and have another plan or an alternative or a suggestion that they can do something else or go someplace. I mean, I think we'd have have to have a conversation about that just to be kind of um prepared. >> Well, it's it's open weekends. It's open evenings when there aren't practices. Um but it's locked during the school day. It's locked closed off when practice is occurring. I don't know if you remember an an elderly individual was injured about two years ago from a student who hit the person from behind. Um luckily we didn't get sued, but um there's flying lacrosse balls in the spring. So you don't want people walking the track when sports are
049happening and practices are happening. So it's open on the weekends um all day all evening. It's open uh you know some evenings when there aren't sports activities happening that that's >> but then you just said that it's going to be closed for eight weeks >> during the construction. >> Yeah, that is that what you're referring to when it's Oh, I thought okay I thought you're talking in general. Yeah, it's just going to be closed. There'll be no access to it. >> Yeah, just because they're going to you know I already discussed this. Sorry if I'm repeating everything, but obviously everything that is a turf surface is being torn up. The track is being removed and replaced um in order to accommodate some of drainage. They're actually going to be excavating the perimeter of the field,
050putting like French train. So, it'll be closed to everybody. You know, the athletes are going to have to go somewhere else and whatnot. So, um I suggest everybody go down to the boardwalk and walk it and then um as my order, the chamber of commerce person would say is then go to all the businesses and take advantage of the business style. >> You go and also walk Rocky Neck. >> That's a great spot to walk too. Yeah, that's a good point >> all the time. >> I think as a board we need to have suggestions for alternatives because it's a it's a very much loved and used place. So, it's that pre pro- resilience that building ahead before you know the problems exist. about kind of piggy back on case comment. Do we have any
051data or like do we have any idea of like what's the community usage for for that because it will be good like and we I know all this money already got approved and ask but like once it hits the news you know it's like you know like the schools are spending 1.2 $2 million in this. So, it's like good to have some >> data or some kind of usage like yes it is but it's also used by the community and it's open and >> all that. So, I don't know if we have that or I don't know if there's some >> we know every every community organization that uses it. Actually, we've shut it down. We've locked it down because people are already trying to put in to use it this summer um through uh
052field requests and field rentals, but it's blocked off right now. But >> like the just like someone going walking on it and >> we don't we don't individual any any program or you know youth team that uses it, they all have to go through our system to uh to rent or request the field and if it's through park and records, it's always free, >> right? >> Um so yeah, we do have that definitely. Um but they'll they'll they'll see it blocked off. I think to the point of getting information out to the community, you know, maybe I could use um like the community events magazine. I just did an article um for the one that's coming out in November that happens three times a year. I think that'd be a good one to put in
053some of these projects what's going to be happening. So I'll make a note my calendar for the next one to put out. >> From an anecdotal standpoint, from a person who uses the track walking or Johnny or whatever, it's it's almost never. >> Exactly. It's very well used. >> Yeah. No, I know. And I So I pick up my daughter from cheer like couple like once a week and like I in the evening and I see people use it all the time. So I know it gets used a lot. But be good to know like Yeah. this many people use it. that like that isn't expressed but it it does get used and it's provides a good value. >> Absolutely. >> See how close it >> are we comfortable the number one 1245 or would
054you prefer the 1250? >> Do you do you need that little buffer? >> I would I would leave it at 1.25 25 because um there's not a lot of >> not a big buffer. >> There's not a lot of contingency in there. Now, I'm very confident that we're going to come in at that budget because it's one company doing the work. It's field turf. They put the track in origin or the turf track in originally. Uh the first time there's a second company doing the excavation work. That's not them. They bought out and they do all their own construction. So, they know what's there. They put it in previously. They've done this, you know, in our area several times already. So, I'm very confident in that number. So, but you always want to have a
055little bit just in case. >> I'd like to make a motion to approve the final product recognition of the Slim High School replacement is a total of $1,250,000. >> Second. >> We'll second it. Further discussion. All those in favor say I. I. Uh. Opposed. Stain. Passes. Um. Okay. Moving on. Discussion action items. Other assessment meetup presentation. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Val. Um, so I think well, thanks thanks to the board for allowing me to uh create some space for me to share the um district assessment data and analysis. This is from last year. Okay. And um I think tonight's presentation will be a very similar um storyline that we you've heard before. Um and honestly, it's really about a celebration of the board's support for students achievement. Um our alignment of our board district
056and building goals. Um and of course the hard work of our faculty, students, and families. So, you know, I always like to start with our glows and gross. I kind of do the spoiler alert up front. Um, and then show you the data behind it. Um, but this shouldn't really come as a surprise to any of you. Um, math, literacy, and science have realized a slight improvement over the past three years, and slime falls within the top cortile of the DUIR in many assessment categories at all levels. We continue to outperform the state and DIR average in all areas. Um, East Line Public Schools is leading the DUR in literacy for grades three and 11 and is in the top five for math in grades three and 11. Uh, the development of our math action
057plan I'm really excited about. It's supporting a stronger vertical collaboration as it relates to student transition. I have some transition data in here for you tonight that I'm really excited about. We're going to look at this from a different perspective. It's it's based on some of the questions you've had for me in the past. So, I thought I would bring that to the preview to the board today tonight. Um, science realized a slight comeback this year um compared to last year and is in the top five of our DUR. Um, and um this is a little new too looking at this a little bit differently, but we have seen an increase in our district performance, which is basically our average scores for six out of eight of our subgroups over the past two years in
058both math and ELA. Um in terms of areas of growth, our growth scores um have declined a little bit from last year. I'll talk to you a little bit more detail in a little bit both in math and literacy. Um we still continue to have that achievement gap in our subcategories um that continue to be in need of attention and um same as I had presented last year, our satchel pulse results um are still showing that students are struggling with that peer-to-peer connection. Um, just as a quick reminder, our assessments are uh included in this presentation are the Smarter Balance assessments that happens in grades three through eight in ELA and math. Our next generation science standards assessment is in uh grades 5, 8, and 11. Our SAT is taken for math and literacy um
059on the school day SAT in grade 11. and our satchel pulse survey as our way of collecting data and the data I'll present to you um this evening. Uh so the first uh chart here is essentially just a very uh highlevel uh general look at our um student score averages over the course of the past four years. And you can see here that um we continue to to make growth. Although we saw a dip four years ago, we continued to bump back over time in all three categories of math, science, and ELA. Um as I had shared, really proud about the growth we're seeing in a lot of our subcategories. So, this looks at the average score of um math into 2023 and math in 2025 in ELA in 2023 and ELA in 2025 um
060comparatively across all of our subgroups. Um and you can see that um we've seen growth in every subgroup aside from Hispanic and Asian population. So, obviously that's a space that we need to look a little bit closer. Um and but I'm really proud to say that we we're realizing some significant growth in spaces where we've actually allocated additional resources. So just a reminder to the board, we've added um ML staffing to support the increase in our number of our ML students. We've also increased um our special ed and um support student support services staffing um which all benefit students who um are falling within these subcategories. Uh moving on to some DUR comparison. Uh as I said we are in the top cortile very competitive within our DUR. Um this is ELA. Um East Lime
061is in the maroon band compared to all the blue bands. We were fourth last year. We and we are fifth this year. But you can see some of these numbers are really close compar uh across uh some of our DUI districts. Our math performance again in the same DUI. We did drop a couple of spots from last year to fifth, but still um really solid strong average number across the district. and science. As I had said before, um we bumped up a couple of spaces, but we are essentially tied with three or four other districts for fourth place in science, which is quite unique. Um I've never seen that happen before. Um but again, very competitive. Um these next two slides are um to me I really I think this sort of paints a picture
062of if we're looking at assessment scores from grades three through eight excuse me 3 through 11 that's an 8year span of summitive assessments and um I think it's it speaks volumes to our students their experiences and our vertical collaborate our articulation of course offerings and expectations for students and experiences that they start in their assessment journey in grade three leading the district in ELA and in the top quartile for math and they end in the the 11th grade year in essentially that same space. Um in fact they they ended this year in third for um for math in grade 11. So this is a new new graph that I'm introducing to the board this year based on some questions that have um been asked in re in relation to transition. So I'll take a second
063just to explain this. This is third, fourth and fifth grade co rough cohort analysis. So the 22 and 23 data point were third graders back then and the 24 25 data point were our last year fifth graders. And you can see 23 24 is when they were in fourth grade. And all of the districts on this graph, East Lime, Old Saber, Shelton, and Clinton, have um students who transition from fourth to fifth grade into a new building. And so you can see here that three of the four districts, including East Lime, realize a drop in that transition. Old Sabbrook actually sees an increase. Um, I did have a phone call to Carrie Fletcher, um, the assistant superintendent there. We are, um, we're jumping on a call tomorrow and where he's going to talk me through
064a little bit of that fifth grade programming, um, so we can learn a little bit more. But I, for me, this was, um, comforting to know that districts who are who are in this same scenario are also seeing a drop. But I was curious, okay, you know, because some of this these questions have been coming up with our reorgarch and if we were to go to a different, you know, um um configuration, would we see something different? Do districts see a different um uh pattern there? And so this next graph is um looking at a four uh five six rough cohort analysis where students transition from grades five to six. And so I took the top five um districts in our DUR, that's North Haven, Stonington, East Graanby, and Rocky Hill and plotted them. And
065you can see that from that the fifth grade year is in the middle to the sixth grade year they are also seeing a decline in assessment scores. I also plotted East Lime here as well because I wanted to show the board that by the time our fifth graders become sixth graders, they're falling back into the the middle of the pack there. And so we are we're gaining back um right into a space that's very um competitive with the top performing districts in our DUI. So um I wanted to provide that analysis uh for you because I know there have been questions about that. >> I'll shift a little bit um to student growth. As I had mentioned um at the beginning in our one of our uh grow sections we we did um see a
066little bit of a drop in our students uh percentage of students meeting their growth targets on the summitive assessment. Essentially this is the percentage of students who meet the target that has been set for them through a state algorithm on the back end. This does not mean that you know so for us this year it says 40.5% of ESLM students had met their um ELA growth target. That doesn't mean that the other 60% of students did not see any growth. It just means that they didn't see the level of growth to hit that growth target that was set for them. And sometimes when you're performing at a higher um level, it gets harder and harder to hit that growth target. I would say these numbers would be concerning to me if we also had lower
067district performance indexes, but that's not the case here in East Lime. It's good to pay attention to it, but I'm not so concerned about the this drop in our growth scores this year. And the same goes for ELA. We saw a little bit of a dip in our um our oh, I'm sorry, in our math uh growth scores as well. the the previous uh graph was ELA. Um finally, I'll just walk us through really quickly um one component of our ELPS um satchel post survey. I know that um uh Miss Kelly had mentioned this and her address to the board as well as some of our student reps. Um you know, peer-to-peer relationship is something that we are is definitely a focus area. Um this is the pillar score from peer-to-peer relationship um in our
068satchel pulse data. Essentially what it's saying here is students are reporting that they have friends and that's really important. Um but that they are struggling with listening to one another. Um respecting and being kind to one another. Um all of the things that we would think are developmentally appropriate for kids in um a comprehensive school system. Um, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be doing something to address it and work to improve it. I thought it was really timely to have our student reps here tonight sharing about the things that are happening at the middle school in relation to um, you know, um, coming together, wearing certain colors to express kindness, the upstandard um, all of that is is a part of our district and school improvement plans related to this pillar on the
069satchel pulse survey. So, thank you for queuing me up so nicely on that one, Miss Kelly. Question. >> Yeah, sure. It's out of 10 or is it >> It is out of 10. Yes. So, it's and it's also colorcoded. So, it's red, yellow, that's kind of orang-ish and and um green. So, uh we are in that yellow for most categories. Like I said, um that green question at the end is I lot of I have a lot of friends at school, which is great. That's that speaks to school connectedness. But all of the questions about how kids are getting along and how well they listen to each other um those are areas in need of improvement. >> Those are areas what >> in need of improvement or to focus on. >> So how how would
070you like what do you want question because there's like a few different pieces broadly whatever throw it. >> That's fine. Jill, >> I'm just just have a quick question. As I look over this, and I read it earlier today, I thought a lot about this. This is basically behaviors that you need to engage in as an adult. >> And I'm thinking, I've worked in certain offices where I experienced this versus I've worked in certain offices where everybody gets along really well. So I guess my question is if this is a part of normal adult life, normal life and I understand we should focus on it because a high schools and other I guess is how can we really change that if you're if people as adults are still engaging in the same behavior. Is my
071question making sense? >> Yeah. I I I think you're saying, you know, adults have a hard time getting along. So, how you know, and if they're modeling that out in the world beyond the school system, it's hard for us to control it within the school system. >> Yes, I guess is what I'm trying to say is you're not going to change anything. I mean, because you're going to continue to deal with these issues for all all your life. But again, >> I think it's a more about teaching the strategies on the best way to manage those and and you know through the advisory program through you know I I'm just referencing the middle school because Claudia you know something you could connect here but I know all the levels are doing this work and on
072um that's developmentally appropriate but it's really about teaching and the skill set kids need to be able to agree to disagree. um you know if if and how to respond to someone who might be disrespectful or unkind. Um but I I do believe that by focusing on these things in school systems, we can make a difference and we can teach kids how to act differently and act more kind. >> And can I just add one last thing to that? We do a lot with students with >> their kids receptive to it. >> They are. We do a lot with perspective thinking as well whether it's through advisory whether it's through some of the restorative piece for example if we have two students that are having repetitive conflict is you know real having them realize listen
073it's okay to have different viewpoints but what you have to learn to do is to be able to coexist along which I think is a skill as adults you know right >> we need to be able to have so it's giving them that toolbox and those strategies as early as we can to be able to kind of continue to grow and expand and to keep an open mind that everybody's going to have the same thoughts. What are striving to focus on? Again, I won't go anymore. I'm just I think it's interesting. I apologize if that was an inappropriate. >> I have one comment and then we'll go to Vic, but um Jill, I don't know if you were here, if you remember when we had the wit and wisdom, we had the that discussion at
074circle. >> Oh my gosh, was amazing. They were using ways to discuss debate >> by but the word they were being taught words to use >> that wasn't escalating you know a difference it was respecting and then going so I did that's just something that I remember we saw >> seminar they're learning um is how to have that conversation so I thought that >> uh Vic you have a questions >> yes I I have Um, one question and then a clarification. >> Grant, can you make that louder? >> With with respect to the scores, the peer-to-peer relationship score, that's something we had identified in the last survey as well. >> What was the number then and have we improved? Have we stayed? >> No, the number really has stayed flat, Vivic, from last year. We
075didn't make any gains in that area, which is why it's still continuing to be a focus. >> Okay, so this is >> we saw little blips on certain questions here or there, but generally speaking, across all of those questions over the cro over the course of the school year from our beginning, middle, and end of year survey, it was pretty flat. >> Interesting. So because that's something that we have paid attention to in the past and we we've identified it as an area of focus for us. Um and it looks like it you know it's been a year. I I remember this was this was discussed about a year ago. >> So it's been a year so we need to continue this effort. Um okay. All right. That that's you know my point is I
076think we have to keep keep an eye on this. you know, we need to make sure we can work to improve this. Uh, >> in fact, questions have shifted a little bit too. >> Okay. >> The impacts part of that >> that really quirky there was a quirky like double negative question about bullying that we did take out because it was confusing kids. Um, so yes, that I did we did change that one question. It'll be interesting to see. Um, >> but I assume I'm assuming the the people who put this survey together, they make an assessment that when you take a question out, how does that how will that impact certain, you know, because there's science behind these questionnaires? >> Yes. Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's why we that's why we um contract with them
077because um we we work with them. I work with a consultant who works on the questions and if we change the wording or remove a question um it will still c it so we removed that bullying question we have all the other questions worded exactly the way they need to to contribute to the pillar. So we were able to do that but if we were to actually change the wording of the question the question would no longer count towards the pillar. So yeah, we're we're working with them on all those um psychometric components that are too complicated for me to make any decisions around. >> No, I mean that yeah I mean that that's why there is a science and that's why those people charge money a lot of it. So >> yes. Yeah, that
078was one of the driving factors of our school climate and culture committee a couple of years ago was to take the guesswork out of question development and go with a um a platform that had the researchbased vetted um questions already embedded in the platform. >> So for all practical purposes means we have to continue to track this this number. >> That's right. Correct. >> Okay. The other other question is you you know and I and I apologize if I'm misunderstanding but you mentioned there was a drop in rate of of improvement. Um can you help me understand what you mean by rate? >> So the state refers it to I'm just going to pull up the the math one for a second. So the state refers it to the as a math growth rate. Go
079growth rate. How that's defined is the percentage of students who meet their growth target on those assessments. >> Oh, okay. >> The state has um also a very complicated algorithm in the back end that sets a growth target for every student. >> Um and this is the percentage of students who meet those growth targets. Okay. Okay. >> Does that make sense? >> That makes sense. >> That's more clear. >> Yes, that's clear. And I can see that that okay, between 2023 and 2024, um there is a lower number of students who are meeting that target. So, okay. I Okay, got it. I now I understand. Thank you. I'm good. off. >> I was going to ask if the questions were the same as last year. You already discussed. >> Um I'd be interested to see
080the questions maybe in the weekly update. I'm just curious like >> Yeah, >> I know one time you showed us a chart that had each pillar and then what went into it and trend within so we could really drill down. >> Absolutely. A lot of that is posted on our website public. Um, but I will in the weekly update put the the three spring published survey results for students, staff, and faculty. >> So, you look at that as well. But yeah, um, we also post all of that on the website. >> And there's some comparative data analysis on the website, too. >> Yeah. >> Um, what was the response rate? We get these numbers. >> Yes. Great question. >> Seven, six, but how many kids? So, the last survey in the spring was about um
0811,400 students. We do not survey um K1 and two. So, that's three grades three through 12. And I'm pulling that number from memory and I I will double check that. >> Okay, I will. It's a pretty So I will say for students and faculty we have solid response rates. >> Um our our family response rate is very low less than way less than 20%. More like less than 5%. We had about 100 families respond in our last >> 1400 students but how many faculty do you have an idea on that? Um off the top of my head I want to say around 320 we have 600 faculty members that >> faculty and how what percentage of student population would that be the 1400 I don't know I should >> um it's it's it's like it
082is a very percentage >> sorry take out K1 and two yeah it's a it's a high percentage >> like 1400 to 2000 we we give them time during the day um for the students to go in and respond. >> Okay. And then do they get definitions for um students are kind and respectful of each other, behavior is good, like do they get >> at the elementary level, the elementary teachers um and I would invite my elementary colleagues to chime in here, but I do think that there's some teaching of what these things mean as the as they are taking the survey. um not not so much at the middle school and high school. >> Ask if anybody has any questions or anybody needs a further kind of a definition of something that the student advisor.
083>> So if there is a situation where perhaps somebody was disrespectful to either the teacher or a fellow student, would you perhaps say that might be an example of an unkind comment or >> Yeah. >> Good. because I think it's a real Meline Hunter, right? Teachable moment where you can kind of use it in the moment to help inform practice and behavior. >> Something I just can I circle back to your response rate question >> because I think it's important to note that most of the faculty that are responding are our certified staff. We struggle with getting some of our unaffiliated staff to complete the survey. Most of our respondents are communionals or >> actually most are coming from paras and our um teachers and administrators. >> Um some of some of our other subgroups
084um we have a hard time getting it's been always a an action step on our um improvement plan is to increase response rate in those areas. custodians food service >> because they might Yeah. which I think is really important because I think that they need to be treated with a lot of respect. >> That's right. So we've had those voices as part of our this alliance committee. >> Yeah. >> Trying to absolutely >> that out furthers. Well, just real quick, I I have a story where I started a new job and the principal and the director of special ed were tricking me, telling me that the principal was actually the custodian and I was really appreciative that I was raised to treat him with respect regardless of his role within the school because I could
085have blown the year like that first meeting on the job. It's important. Um, so is there any on the peer-to-peer relationships is are there any differences between like grade levels or schools like you see or is it across the board like the the responses like where they're unkind like you see like more like high school people are being unkind or like middle school or is it across the board? >> Um, I would say that it's it's pretty spread across the board. I'd have to go back and look, but I in just reflecting on looking at it by building um nothing really stood out to me as an outlier in one way or the other. you and so in the other question that I had and thank you so much for the third to fifth grade
086like uh Harrison the Durk that was really good to see that uh you know there's some kind of relation to like it's really about mostly the transition between elementary and middle school and um just thinking out loud I don't have a solution for this but like you know like us having experienced that transition last year it was rough for the you know like trying to like you know a lot new information different format, different things and like I don't know how to solve it but it's something that definitely I I hope that we continue to provide the resources to you all so that you can like >> that because this is not like you know unique to us but across you know other schools are seeing the same thing >> right >> yeah that's why
087I thought it was important to to show the floor this evening >> thank you for presenting this I my question is around um so we see you know a statement with the main >> and you talked about those contributing questions that align to these different >> pillars. Yes. >> Um do the questions give you better insights into do they kind of portray examples or the questions. >> They kind of feed into these areas. >> Well, it's not anecdote. The anecdotal about um these questions, the satchel pulse questions. They're just very straightforward questions that that um folks answer on a scale of 1 to 10. So, um it's sort of like a, you know, strongly agree to strongly disagree over a scale of 1 to 10. Um, but the different there's different clusters of questions that
088feed into different pillars. >> I think that's what I'm asking more about the clustering of questions. >> Yeah. >> And gaining insights that are beyond >> this is one pillar of um I think it's 10 for the student um feedback survey. And I can tell you that there's another category relationships with adults or teachers that is um like a a a score of close to eight. It's one of the highest scoring pillars. So it's you know we're it's awesome. Yeah, it's it's phenomenal. Um so I'm showing you like our our grow area in this, but yeah, it does help to depict strengths in other spaces as well. Yeah, I mean I think and I'm just thinking kind of where it sits in the overall context of you know all of the pillars, right? So this
089one, you know, this is our area of focus, but um you know looking at the others to compare and contrast where you know you have strengths maybe in similar areas but with different cohorts. >> Yeah. So all of the buildings have access to their schoolwide data and they can look at you know look at the different pillars and and you know it's really up to them to pick their focus area. Um you know it it you have to focus in somewhere otherwise the work just becomes too overwhelming and then you just you know you're trying to do a a lot rather than focusing on one thing and really doing it well. Um, so and and that's how we've approached our improvement plans there. Um, and we felt like peer-to-peer is a where we're probably going
090to get some of our, you know, um, biggest bang for our buck kind of thing. >> What gets you to green? Is that a certain number? >> 7.5. >> Yeah. Yeah. So um and these questions are nationally normed. So buildings can look at the questions and and compare it to um kind of districts across the country and where we land in relation to there's a lot of good information. Um but we also talked just about the importance of having anecdotal data. It's a part of the board goal. the board, you know, you guys in um articulated that these surveys are important, but it's also important to collect anecdotal information from folks as a part of that, too. And what does that look like? >> So, that survey doesn't do that. It's hard to kind of
091normalize what that >> Yeah, it's so part of our conversation this year on our district-wide culture and climate committee. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yeah, >> I have a few uh thoughts or comments. So >> I was going to say >> you go first. You go first. >> Okay, you can go ahead. >> So I well I just to continue on that the whole pillars and the data. I'm struggling with we we've got this tool, this survey, but I I think there are limitations to what we're getting from that and we need anecdotal data because because to to drive change, it's not clear what's really pushing those scores. And I was look I just today before we ran any I was looking at all the numbers of like okay what percentage of kids answered in
092this above score what percentage were below where were those scores and then I was looking at questions and a lot of kids just like went right down the middle and you don't know whether they does that same kid just go right down the middle for all of them and I don't like you were talking about are are we coaching the kids to some degree about you know how are these surveys being presented are they aware that you know this data is really important and they need to think a little bit about each of these questions and you know I I I don't we don't want to we don't want to get artificial information but we also want to you know and is there a general presentation on how this survey and what it means or
093is it just you know how I I think there's a lot of room for improvement on on trying to do that and I and I also think the tool is limited. So, we need to go beyond it to get good stuff. Um, but honestly, I I was looking at your new graphs that you added and I thought that was really cool to find that. And and so what we're seeing here in that second one is that schools that transition from elementary school to middle school in the five to sixyear category are also seeing a decline. The weird thing is why is the decline in math and not >> I just I took math as an example. >> No, I know. But our issue here is we're we're seeing a greater decline in math than >>
094comparatively speaking, but we but we also see a decline in literacy. It's happening in both content areas. So, and I and I guess the good news is like you know on the rebound we're kind of getting back up again when when you look at the second one of those which is kind of >> kind of interesting to see like um the first one we certainly took a bigger fall than others a greater fall but um to see the bounce back is is obviously a good thing but what happened if we didn't have the rebound though you know >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm curious to know, you know, what the magic is in uh Old Sabbrook that's going on there that Well, they're starting lower. So, they've got, you know, but still, it's what's what's >> Well,
095after I have more information, I will include that in a weekly update for you. So, you'll I can keep you informed there. Um, but I suspect that they are very much more so um, even though the kids are transitioning, they are still functioning in a very elementary style day. That would be my guess. But we'll confirm that tomorrow when I speak with Mr. >> But we just have one elementary school >> and that is correct >> which makes a difference. >> That is another factor. Yes, Kate. >> I'm wondering about Griswald where it's one campus. be interesting to see if that makes a difference because kindergarten through 12 >> all over on campus. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. You can take a look. >> Yeah. >> Let's move right over to the next building. >> Yeah.
096>> Really quick, the questions when they take the survey, are they random or are they always in the same order? >> It's a great question. I believe that they are given in the same order, but I can confirm that for you. Yeah, I'm interested in that because that could impact the data too. >> Questions that are coming at the end of the day. >> Like everybody gets question seven wrong because it's seven, not because of what it's asking. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. They're tired, they get distracted, it's a time, you know, a bell rings, whatever it might be. >> Yeah. It's a great question. I'll look into that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um I have a few. So just going back to where Bill was was at. So on this but
097yeah that slide um the state is tough to look at and it's good to get old Sabbrook says but if you look from third to fourth they're flat and then they have the spike up in fifth. >> That's right. Yeah. >> So I I'm more worried about the sharp decline that we're seeing. I don't I don't know old Sabbrook and maybe there's some great story they have or but I also want to know why are they flat third to fourth where we have a steep incline so we we have a so and you can see Clinton has a really steep incline from third to fourth because they're starting rather low um third so it'd be interesting but I you know for me it's just continues builds to the next point as you look at the
098schools that transition a year later, they have those drops. So, my hypothesis is I don't think it's going from one building to another just because you have a a different structure that doesn't drive the decline. It's all the things that go along with changing structure. And I think that's what we have to think about as we have this reorganization committee and stuff is like what are all those things that are causing it and as Stefan talked about all the change that as parents and children you know that I remember still remember going to fifth grade for my kids and that was a long time ago but I I that left memories for me and how hard it was from so many different aspects and the question is is anybody going to minimize those ask you
099know how many changes if you have 10 changes that's a lot going from fourth to fifth but if you can do some of those changes let's just say in fourth grade so that fifth grade is only a few more changes than a few more in sixth grade so here they may have those 10 the reason they're declining is they have fifth grade is kind of standard like fourth grade and then sixth grade they have 10 changes coming through which is just overwhelming for parents and kids and and and students and and so forth so I don't have answers, but it's just it's interesting and I appreciate this information because it I wish I wish it was an easy way to interpret and analyze the data. um >> learn more about these schools >> and then
100um >> my view on the satchel pulse which I think is great and we do you know assuming nationally if the seventh question it's seventh question for each lime students is the same for the ones in Omaha Nebraska and the same in Sacramento California then in theory it should all balance it they're all tired at the same amount and stuff like that and so and the way they ask questions in theory if there's a lot if there's a large scale of data then it should all somewhat balance itself out in terms of of that for me when looking at this I I like to just compare ourselves against ourselves over time just see that we're going up in the right d you go up and to the right and as long as we're doing that
101because it's so hard to know what they're doing in California versus Nebraska versus North Dakota versus Massachusetts versus and even within Connecticut, how they're interpreting it. So, as long as we're going in the right direction, I think that me is the the most important thing. And then the question is how do we do that? But, um, that's what I'd like to see, you know, is over time, how how are those questions and if they're getting better, great. If they're getting worse, that's that's a really telling point that we've really should focus on the things if there's anything getting worse. things are getting better should focus on why they're getting better. Something to do really helpful. I know this was a we always have a lot of questions for you in this session and appreciate >>
102going through this. Any other questions how would you like to is there a come back to I know we we love this section when you think we we're like everyone has questions. So, how would you like to when would you like to come back or how would you >> quick question I'm sorry um slide I don't know 15 the math growth rate DRG comparison >> you said that the growth rate is given to the children is it given to them by like some entity >> it's like yes it's set by an algorithm sort of on the back end >> based on their previous yes exactly and in order It's actually set based on their what they've done previously, but also um where they need to get to get on grade level. >> So, some kids
103have a a bigger growth rate trajectory than others. So, these came out to parents this week or last week. >> Yes. >> Got them in the mail. First time I've ever seen a significant drop in my child's grades was in math and it was last year >> in fifth grade. >> I've never in all three of my children, I've never seen this big of a drop in their grades. Is that the growth you're talking about where they should have achieved something and they didn't? If you saw a significant drop, then they most likely did not meet their growth. Is that the growth rate that was assigned to them by that magical entity that assigns growth rates? >> Um I'm not sure I'm understanding your question. So their their their um performance level which is the
104res the result that you get as a as a parent >> um I think it comes home to you as a >> below approaching meeting exceeding >> and there's different colored bands >> like the white dark and black. >> Yep. Yeah. rivers, whatever. >> So, um they say they should be here. >> Yes, >> they should have grown to here. >> Okay, they get grew to here, >> right? >> So, they didn't meet >> or they didn't grow at all. They dropped significantly. >> Right. So, that's what I was saying. So, sometimes if this the they'll give you the grow growth target, but and your child will grow, but they won't hit the growth target. >> What if they didn't grow at all? They >> then they didn't hit their growth target. It doesn't have
105any sort of I don't think >> had a minus. Yeah. So, is that minus be because of that growth rate they made up or is it a really a drop? It's really a drop. Okay. >> Yeah. Because I think that's your this slide where it shows in fifth grade >> a drop. >> Our students are dropping. Absolutely. It's not the growth. >> That's a real drop. >> It's a real drop. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um based on fifth grade standards though. >> Okay. >> Versus fourth grade standards. The year >> keep the standards have risen. >> It was just I I was it was the confusion in the magical growth rate number that >> Yeah. >> achieves attributes to your child versus actual growth, >> right? >> What was the difference? Is there >> just
106explain that? Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um there's another um I didn't include it in this presentation, but there's another number. It's the um percentage of growth target achieved. That's another growth number. So it could be, you know, um, and I don't know the numbers off my top on off the top of my head for East Line, but um, you know, that is essentially um, of the students who made growth um, let's say, let's just say 46% um, or they they they made an average of 46% towards their growth target. So it's percent of target achieved is another number that the state um gives as an and all of that data is on edite the the the public site so you can go and play around with that but yeah thank you. >> Sure question. So,
107do these parents understand what they're getting in the mail? >> Sound like >> there's an explanation? I mean, how how much they interpret? Uh, but they do get an explanation sheet um that defines it, but >> can be interpreted anyways. >> I thought I got it until then you started talking about the magical number. So, then I was like, wait a minute. >> Yeah. >> Just reads too much into the growth rate. I feel like >> no word is more like meets >> more general seeds or is the paper. So yeah, >> page front back. >> Yeah. Okay. So, >> there's also a lot of resources on the state website for parents which I believe the the that information is on the report that goes home that there's videos, there's um there's lots of explanations
108with regards to what they're seeing when they get home and what the assessment means. >> This doesn't help bring up the map. >> Okay. So, my question just doesn't help bring >> you see one sometime like you can out everyone's name and I just I'd like to see what the parents are getting. If that's too much detail, that's fine. >> I can bring in Charlie's. I don't know. I would love to see it because I a sample. You >> can look online to see if there's a sample report. >> Yeah, there's probably a state template. >> Yeah, sure. So real so real quick I think you just made a really important comment and that is that if parents know what they can do if on the report that they get and there's resources and activities
109and ideas >> not all that resources ideas but the state has the state website is a wealth of information for families and in my my letter home to families um uh not after but before the students take the assessment. I do include that information in my letter to families. I always send a letter letting them know the assessment's coming up. This is what it's a measure of. It's only one measure of multiple ways we assess students, not the measure. Um just to send the message that there's only so much weight we're putting in these this data. a child's uh experience in school is so much more beyond just the summitative assessment score at the end of the year. >> But my point is more that I think parents could have the opportunity to be more
110engaged in the education of their students of their children and if they could know some of the work that they could do. >> It's part of daily activities. >> Yeah. Yeah. And that's that's the parent part that you're not involved yet. >> This is not going to change. You don't know that. I don't know that. But okay, we're getting off. >> Let's Yeah, let's keep going. >> Sorry. >> That's all right. >> Just >> we're getting off on another tangent. Um, >> no, I could tangent on. >> So, Emily, I think there's a lot of interest in this. Is is there something that we could do in January, February or or sometime in few month to kind of revisit this? I don't know what the discussion but maybe something before kind of the year and
111we just we get the data we ask a lot of questions and then we see it again a year later. Um I don't know what that would be but I think if we can think about it >> I mean in the past I've done um some of our benchmark data. So we do we have our own benchmarking that we we do assessments internally. I can after our winter benchmark I can come and give sort of a update that's not summitative but benchmark. >> Yeah. Different set of totally different set of scores sort of thing. Yeah. >> It's a different way of looking at um students you know um and actually very good predictors of the SBA. So I could show you some of that. >> Yeah, that would be good. Let's see that. >> You
112got it. >> Okay. Thanks Anelise. >> Okayise. Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. My pleasure. >> So, we're moving to um our discussion action item other made it a 7B which is the policy review the first review of bylaw 9325.2 which we pulled off consent and Jamie I think you wanted to comment on that. Just wanted to comment that um the policy committee had decided to move off um 1 C saying the mission statement at the beginning of every meeting. I would just like the board to consider doing like we are doing now and have the policy the submission statement at the top of the agenda as a maybe a compromise >> board of edgen >> yep on 3 9325.2 two to make the admission statement at the top of the agenda like we
113are doing right now. And I say that because last week we approved a recognition awards. Question 1B was the board relates the mission statement and goals to the agenda items and the board's answer was the Eastline board events mission statement is a part of the bylaws 9325.2 to and it is recited at the beginning of the meeting and it is included in but if we are taking it out then it's coming out of the back of the leadership thing that we're chooing to achieve but I believe that the mission statement should be on the agenda at least somewhere. So I would ask that we change this during this first reading and put the mission statement at the top of the agenda. So absent the policy document you're you're referencing >> I'm asking in the policy
114document because okay so stated >> example of an agenda at the policy document under section bylaws of the board right agenda the mission statement would be at the top of the agenda and then the order of business would flow. >> Oh it is at the top of the agenda. >> It is on our agenda but it's not on the uh >> referencing the bylaws of the board policy. >> Yeah that's why I was asking that question. So, so yeah, because the policy is laid out like a board agenda almost. So, basically you're asking >> consider put taking it out of 1 C we currently have it as >> having it as a statement >> having it as better as the top of the agenda. That is my ask >> the policy >> like we have
115it now. >> We have it now but make it part of the policy. might ask for reconsideration because this is the first reading so that can happen. >> Any thoughts or others thoughts? Hey, great. >> Sorry, it took it took me a minute to kind of put together. Sorry. >> So, it's easier for a second. If everybody looks at our current agenda, >> it's on >> for today's meeting on the policy. >> Basically, it would be the same thing that we have on our current agenda now, but it we've actually just state in the policy that we're done the way we're doing it in the agenda. >> You're just basically Exactly. Yeah. Adding it to the top of the policy. >> So, yeah, >> looks like the regular agenda >> adding it. So, so, so
116let me So, if you go to the agenda on it's okay on a community, if you go to their agenda >> right now, it has Eastland board of ad regular meeting agenda. It has the date and all that and then it has our mission statement. >> In our policy, it doesn't say that you have you should have the mission statement there. We do it. It doesn't say it. So, you can't do it. We brought it back and I'd like to make it permanent in the policy to have it where that would be in agenda >> as part of the formatting of the structure of agenda >> of the policy which would also then be how we carry that >> it's complicated and I'm sorry now that I >> think is we just want the policy
117to align to what we're doing in what we did in today's agenda in the agenda >> I think it'd be nice if we took turns reading it though >> well the policy that they're recommending in the order of businesses to get rid of it. >> The first reading is yeah, getting rid of reading it. >> So that's why I'm making the suggestion to make it a part of the agenda by posting it on the agenda. It's my first reading ask. Any other thoughts, comments? just the first reading. So it it's your com >> it's my comment to it. >> Yeah. >> So it's or consensus is second reading and it >> that's how it goes. >> But we always give comments at the first reading and that's my comment. So that's okay. >> So the
118second reading it would either >> you bring it up again. >> It's a motion to go in. >> Yeah. Just want to make sure we're clear on that. >> The second reading it would be a motion to go in. >> But I'm just putting it out there now that that's something I'd like to see. >> That closes discussion action items for the night. Moving on to administration reports. And yeah, and just a reminder everyone, we do have a executive session at the >> not not pushing you to go quickly, but I'm just >> Well, I only have a few hope. One's really a repeat from the update. The town uh CIP committee, just as they had formulated last year, they're doing it again this year. Same structure. Um so they've reached out. Um I reached
119out to Jill as she was the member that represented uh the board uh last year myself, Mariana and uh Dr. Lond. So we plan on doing the same thing. Jill's interested so sending that down and be part of that town CIP committee um which reviews they traveled around to different sites to look at things last year different structures um and those meetings start up the week of uh middle of November 14 is that's like the first uh the first CIP committee. So, that's uh to go. Uh high school tour. We we talked earlier at FFO a little bit about um spaces, you know, the girls uh team room, boys team room. We haven't seen those final products yet. So, been trying to find a a slot to to do that. So, I'm going to try
120for next meeting on 10:20. See if maybe we could do it before. I think there's um we've got a CCI committee meeting that night, but maybe some time we could go do that. So, more to follow on that. Want to be able to have you see those spaces. Um and just a quick one today. Thank you to Mrs. Kelly for opening up the meeting houseke as we did our first Rotary um meeting at the middle school and her kids came in. We recognized high school students of the month. Um lunch was phenomenal. Um they just the Rotarians love opportunity. >> So cool. >> So uh yeah, so we're going to try and again kind of move it around to to different locations. Um but it was a great start. >> You should come to the
121high school when they do the cafe. >> Yes, we could put that. Yeah, it's on the 17th um the 17th of October actually next week, next Friday. So, uh if you want to uh attend that um myself, no, or um our office um it's that Bon Cafe. It's a barbecue. So, >> I think actually that was in the weekly information is in the weekly update. >> I think it's like 12 12:15. Um, yeah, it said the the flyer is in the uh >> my calendar, but let me >> maybe can I hate to do this, Carissa, maybe can you send an email to the board of edest with the date, the time, and everything, and then we can respond to you by like Wednesday. Yeah. Something pretty because you need to know. >> Yeah. Or
122by the end of this week. Um, >> Thursday, something like that. That would be really helpful. Yeah. Because I think we're going to leave here and I'll forget. >> Well, at least one of us will. I don't I won't um >> Jeff, when's the CIP meeting? You said what date? What time? >> I don't have the exact I don't want to give you a date yet, Jill. Once once they finalize this, they've got a draft um timeline going on here. So, we'll get information as to when the meetings are forthcoming and I'll push it out to you. >> Yeah, no problem. >> Okay. Thanks, Jeff. Anelise. >> Thanks, Anelise. Mariana, >> nothing much. I sent the budget information out to everyone. They're due on November what? >> Yep. >> Off we go. >> Yeah. 26
12327. It just seems really hard. >> Thanks, Mariana. Um, committee reports. We had an FFO just before this Jill. >> Yes. What we talked about was the non-lap amount. Uh let me just say a couple of things we looked at was the amount and also the percentage. There were no major decisions made discussed a little bit more in detail. But one of the other things that we can't talked about is developing a policy that talks about what we intend to do with that money in the sense of for example when the boiler blew up and we need that or the truck we need the truck. So that's what the type of thing that we're looking that we want to spend the money on not teachers position but life supplies. Uh and it's just again it's
124a new thing there. There are probably how many I think Mariana probably four or five other school systems that do it. >> No, I got responses from four or five. There are more >> number have have set it up. >> But the more we discussed it, my opinion is the more complicated a process it it'll be just because we've got a balance between our needs and our interpretation of what we do with that money versus how that interacts with how the board of finance looks at it. So again, if uh but basically if anyone has any questions or comments, please let any of us the three three of us know and uh as I said, we'll have another meeting and have it up for another discussion. We're hoping later down the road later down the
125road to vote on it or bring it towards the board with the board of finance Wednesday night to go to respond. No, that's okay. That's and Joel's going to attend too. Yeah, this Wednesday we'll be at the board of finance to explain and clarify. So, >> definitely. >> Thanks, Joe. >> Kee, >> uh K, we have a bunch of workshops coming up. There's a legal issues workshop October 16th from 8:30 to noon at the Lysum in Hartford. There's a school climate webinar October 20th. Abe delegate assembly is November 20th. He's cap convention is November 21st to 22nd. I believe this Friday is the last day to register at the reduced rate. Um in I have a comment on that. Cab has said that they will let incoming new board members register as a no name
126if you would like to reach out to them and have them pre-register and fill in the name once they win the election and they plan on going. So, if we don't if we know we're getting board members on, we just don't know who is coming on, can register one as a no-name or someone says they might try to go, you can do them as a no-name and hold a spot at that lower rate. >> This is for the 21st and 22nd. >> Yes. Um, and CA new board member orientation and leadership conference is December 9th. I >> think that is I did have a New England, not New England, Eastern Region, uh, Board of Education meeting this weekend. Um, a lot of talk around executive orders and, um, the obviously government shutdown and what that
127looks like. Um, it was a long weekend of being depressed. Um, but I do have slides that I took pictures of, but they are sending them in an email and when they come I will send them out if anybody would like to see them. Um, it was depressing, but it was nice to be impressed with other board members. >> Jamie and Lauren, we have our meeting on Thursday. So, um, one day this week um, so I'll give an update after that. Okay. None of the ad hoc committees met, right? Okay. So, moving on to board comments and future agenda items. Comments. >> I was at the Terry Broer Beth Breast Cancer Foundation event that was on Saturday and just so thrilled to see our lacrosse and >> soccer players, the female there. Uh Bill Glenn
128was one of my neighbors. He's an assistant coach, but they were just there so enthusiastic with their Viking swag on and rooting the runners and walkers as they came in. I just think it's another example of how we're out there. Um what are we doing being a contributing citizen? So, and engaged. So, I love that and I'm really proud to be able to say that we do that. Um, I don't know if there would be a way for us to be alerted if there's something in the paper some when things pop up that we can kind of know about it. If there would be >> events of that nature. know if we're going to be written about in the paper if there's a big if Jack Lowski is coming up with some article I think
129it's nice for us to read what has written and understand the um pulse of what's going on >> yeah I I don't know when those are coming out sometimes usually they're if I talk to him um information yeah we we could uh we could try and not >> just a heads up I think would be nice. >> Maybe something. Yeah. >> Yeah. And then I'm I'm I'm curious. It seems like there's a lot of resignations. Um every every board meeting there's resignations and I'm wondering if we ever do exit interviews and and we never hear about that as a board periodically. That might speak to some of the um conversations that we have about wellness and how we treat each other and some of those things that go on in school systems. Thank you. How
130are you? >> I didn't miss this. We had talked about like a few meetings back all getting together and going to like a game or a concert or like a play or something. What? Um, never became of that. Send out an email or plan an excursion. >> Okay. >> But not really because >> kind of like through Cararissa, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. We're in a kind of a low right now, but there might be I'm trying to think what next production coming up. >> Instagram. >> Yeah, we can we can check to see. Yeah, that might be when we're >> Yeah, mid November, Jeff is the fall play. >> Okay, thanks Henry. >> Say that again. >> Mid November. November. >> Mid play. >> You are allowed to have chance social encounters. All right. It's
131true. You are allowed to have social encounters. So, I was reading the uh the saga and I was very interested in this uh note about this the high school students interning at the public library and I was wondering if there's many any other like examples of those type of partnerships with uh with the library or town hall or like to see like how like to show highlight the synergies of like what we do as a group and maybe put that in the social media, you know, >> and whatnot because it shows like innovative ways to collaborate with other part of the town. >> Yeah, Dietro is doing something down at Niantic Playhouse. I saw him the other day. I was working on the set and he popped in. He's doing an internship there as part
132of Pathways. I was so excited to see that too. >> Yep. Yep. We um and ironically, you know, we've got the high school and Dave Fulu coming to report out um the next meeting or meeting at the first meeting in November, I think it is. we could tie that in as to give her a pull out on those those other community connections that uh Dave continues to work on um through pathway. So, I'll mention that too. >> A team also works in both of those places, Jeff, as one of our students, you know, in the 18 to 22 year old program. So, we've had kids uh we had just had a long run with a student who has been helping at town hall and he aged out and graduated and so he's left a vacancy,
133but we're we're finding his replacement and uh we have two kids, I think, at the library rotating. That's lovely. So >> for comments, we do have a need for executive session with Jeff and Elise >> to go into executive session for the anticipated is anticipated for the make a motion to go into executive session for the purpose of discussion to consider security strategy or the deployment of security now or devices in accordance with Connecticut General Statute 12006 to include Superintendent Newton, Assistant Super Leano, and Security Director Paul. >> Second. All those in favor say I. >> I.