001Good evening. It is 5:30 and I would like to call the special ed special meeting of the board of education to order. Would you please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance? Thank you. As a reminder, please be sure to turn on your microphone when speaking and voting to ensure those online can hear you. We'll now go to our second agenda item which is discussion and possible appointment of assistant principal for Bristol Eastern High School. And I would like to turn it over to Superintendent White. >> Thank you, Vice Chair Sibs. Good evening, everyone. It is my pleasure to recommend Justin McDermott for the position of assistant principal at Bristol Eastern High School. Justin is here with his lovely family. Thank you for being here for dad. Um Justin is currently serving as the interim
002assistant principal at Bristol Eastern High School, a position he has held since the fall upon the resignation of Stat Redmond. Justin McDermott brings more than 18 years of experience in public education, including over a decade serving students and families at Bristol Public Schools. Prior to his appointment as interim, Justin served as the world language department chair at Bristol Eastern High School where he provided instructional leadership, conducted teacher observations, oversaw curriculum and assessment initiatives, managed departmental budgets, and collaborator collaborated closely with school and district leadership to support student success. Throughout his career, Mr. McDermott has played a key role in expanding world language programming, implementing proficiency based assessment practices and supporting students in earning the Connecticut seal of bi literacy. In addition to his classroom and leadership responsibilities, he has served on multiple school and district
003committees focused on climate and culture, mentorship, professional development, and instructional improvement. Mr. McDurmer's experience advanced education and commitment to collaborative leadership make him well qualified for appointment and continued service in support of the board of education's mission and goals. Mr. McDermott holds a master of education educational leadership, a master of education curriculum instruction, and a master of education elementary education from the American College of Education as well as a bachelor of science and health education with an emphasis in special education. And of course he holds his um certification 092 and is also certified to teach Spanish. I would like to acknowledge principal Michael Higgins and assistant principal who are in the audience and thank them for leading the interview process and for being here tonight to support Justin. And at this time Justin you're welcome
004to come to the podium. Say a few words. to do. >> Always does. >> All right, Z. All right, so thank you, Superintendent White. Um, had a a few things I wanted to say. I wrote them down so I would remember. Um, I jokingly wanted to stay. I'm happy to hopefully continue Bristol's long-standing tradition that started this past summer with Mr. Troche of hiring red bearded Spanish speaking high school assistant principles. I'm grateful for the opportunity um to be assistant principal of Bristol Eastern. Um grateful for my wife Ashley and my kids Jack, Cynthia, Luke, Finn, and Alec for always believing in me. They're all here except for Jack. He's in Alabama. Um grateful to my family and friends and all those um who have been good examples to me in my life and who
005have helped me become the person I am today. I've learned a lot as working working as assistant interim assistant principal with Mike Higgins and Melanie Vrono. Um, and I'm just appreciative of the support and encouragement they've always given me. Um, I'm super appreciative of the staff at Bristol Eastern, especially the World Language Department and all the staff members and and their support of my pursuit of um becoming assistant principal. And I just want to share um that I'm I'm I've learned a lot from different experiences in my life. And one of the most important lessons I've learned is the importance of caring for the one one student, one teacher, one staff member, and one person at a time. And I want to thank again the the district leadership and the board of ed for believing
006in me and giving me this opportunity. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. I would like to ask um any commissioners if they would like to uh address our candidate or ask questions through the chair. >> Yes, please. >> Uh well, welcome and welcome to your permanent position. I'm so glad that you enjoyed the time that you were interim. Um, one of the questions I just had was, "Do you have any new vision goals or something um, of change that you might want to bring forward through the ideas of observing since you've been interim?" >> Um, I think one one big thing that um, we've been talking about um, is to help kids see as many options as are possible. And I think we already do a very good job of doing that. But even
007so, like we were discussing as recently as yesterday or the day before in a district leadership meeting, just ways to help students know that there's there's a lot of opportunities out there. Um, and one other thing I think that could help is to continue to give students what they need when they need it. So, we've we've have some pretty innovative things at Bristol Eastern where they can meet with their special education teachers during last block every other day. And one one thing that I was hoping to work with to um implement is to continue to find and provide opportunities like that, whether it be through a a win or a flex type situation. Um and just to continue to be flexible with our program so we can meet the needs of all students. >> Thank
008you. Welcome. I want to just say that um your uh phrase caring for the one, it really resonates with me. So I'm glad you shared that with us. Thank you. Thank you very much. I know we have two commissioners online, so I just want to make sure that we we acknowledge we have Commissioner Ozenowski and Commissioner Fitz Simons Bula online um participating in the meeting, but I wanted to ask if there were any other comments or questions from commissioners. >> Hi. Hi. >> I just wanted to also um piggy back off Commissioner Janton with the caring for the one. think that mentality just shows um you're going to be able to help so many people but making them feel as individuals as you go along the way and I just want to say that resonated
009with me as well and you have so many masters so I feel like um you know and I trust principal Higgins and assistant principal Vrono and of course um superintendent White's recommendation I feel like you'll be amazing addition to Eastern >> thank you any further questions. >> Hey, this is Jill online. I just wanted to say welcome and congrats. >> Thank you. >> Well, it sounds like so far the feedback has been very positive. So, without further ado, why don't we move into uh the voting and can I get a motion to um appoint assistant principal uh let me get his last name correct so I don't make any misspellings. Justin McDermott. Um, appointment to assistant principal at Bristol Eastern High School. >> So, move. >> Second. Motion has been made and seconded. All in
010favor? >> I. >> Okay. Very good. >> I'm online and I'm online and I'm saying I vote yes. >> Okay. That was Cher Ponds. Thank you so much. Uh, motion passes. Congratulations and welcome. >> Thank you so much. >> Well, with no other business before us at the special meeting, can I get a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. Thank you all.