001Calling to order the West Harford Public Schools Board of Education regular board meeting on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026. Uh Bridget, could you please lead us in the pledge? Oh, sorry. Start with roll call. Ammani, can you please take the role? >> Miss Marman. >> Oh, Miss Marman, >> here. Miss Yagalof >> present. >> Mr. Gagnon >> here. >> Miss Hers >> here. >> Mr. Weiner >> here. >> Miss Ble >> here. >> Mr. Goldman >> here. >> Bridget Feny >> here. >> Savannah Singh >> here. >> Thank you Ammani. Uh Bridget, can you now lead us in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right.
002So, we're all coming back from spring break. I hope everybody had a chance to rejuvenate and restore. um and really excited to be heading into spring when it decides to finally arrive um with this weather. So, uh we're going to start, we have no revision to the agenda order, so we're going to start out with public communications. Um and just a reminder, this is a time for the board of education to hear from the public regarding your thoughts, suggestions, questions, uh and concerns. Um, and when you come to the podium, we just ask that each member of the public state your name and your town of residence. And you are provided with three minutes to um give give your remarks. Uh, please be mindful of Ammani who will hold up a yellow card when you
003have one minute remaining uh of your time and a red card when your time has expired. At that point, please conclude your comments and respectfully take your seat. Uh, please note that we are actively listening while you make your remarks. However, it is the board of education policy that we do not respond to comments as they're being made. Um, we will begin with comments on agenda items. And as a reminder, agenda items for tonight's meeting are uh accept and approve policies and bylaws 4011, 408R, 4340. accept and approve policies and bylaws 5610 5691 state of Connecticut healthy food certification for 2026 27 adult education program and approval of the minutes from the March 31st 2026 board meeting. Um, so we see a first on this list is Diane Wilks. Do I need to do Oh,
004nope. I don't. Um, hi, I'm Diane Wilks. I'm from West Hartford. I am an education advocate uh for students with disabilities and I was here about four years ago um with the student Devon Nasty who was um really struggling. He was in 12th grade. He wanted to walk in graduation and because he had disabilities he wasn't able to meet the uh graduation requirements prior to graduation. And at the time we had a different administration, different board of ed. Um but he was told he couldn't and we asked and asked and asked and when and we kept hearing he couldn't. Um eventually he was allowed to walk in graduation. Um but we don't have a policy supporting that and I think it's really important that we think carefully about this. Um I met a student um
005who I believe it was a year ago asked to walk in graduation, couldn't walk in graduation uh for for different reasons but similar reasons and was told no you can't. And it is heartbreaking for students. This is not something that's late. It's, you know, they're being told, well, if you finish your coursework over the summer, you can have a summer graduation, a summer ceremony, but it's not the same because it's not with their friends. And it makes a huge difference to the student. It makes no We're talking about walking and graduation. We're not saying, "Oh, you get your diploma and and you're good." What we're saying is, let's level the playing field. If a student can't finish their course requirements, let the PPT decide. Let the 504 team decide, but don't simply say no. Um,
006my understanding is that there are students who are sometimes that I'm not necessarily directly aware of who are allowed to walk. Um, but I'm still hearing no for other students and it's it's something we need to look at. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Um, next we have Ellie Rosado. Hi, I'm I'm Ali Rosado and I live in West Hartford. Um, I graduated from Hall High School in 2024. I wasn't allowed to walk in graduation and that crushed me. The reason I was unable to finish my requirements by the graduation was related to serious mental health needs. I actually was within a few days of completing graduation requirements and was not allowed to walk. I called the guidance counselor and asked for help and they said letting me walk was against policy. I called the
007principal and he said letting me walk was against policy. I called the superintendent and he said letting me walk was against policy. No one provided me with the written policy and I am aware now that there is no policy. In fact, other students have been able to walk in graduation even though they had not completed their graduation requirements. That isn't really the point. The point is why would we not let someone walk in graduation when they were so close to finishing. Ironically, West Hartford publicly places so much emphasis on supporting students mental health. But when it came down to it, West Hartford refused to provide the support I needed and ignored that I was emotionally unable to finish on time. As far as senior year, I was on I was in school for a couple
008weeks and then could not go back. I worked with my psychiatrist and I and my parents asked the school for help because I was unable to go back to school or even leave the house. I wanted to return but just couldn't. I was falling further and further behind. At some point, the district hired a tutor for me, but they didn't know how to teach me. We spent all our time trying to figure out how to do the assignments together. The school then told me to take some classes online. We were still asking for a tutor, but it was not provided until February or March of my senior year. By then, I had a full year of classes to catch up on in less than a year less than Although this tutor was very good, I
009was able to complete only two classes with him. The rest of my classes were online and very hard to do on my own. Despite this, I was able to finish the classes except for one final exam. By the day before graduation, when I tried to take the final exam, I was told for the first time I had to wait 3 to 5 days to take to be approved to take the exams. It was too late. By then, I didn't have 3 to 5 days. I only had one day. My mother emailed my guidance counselor who said it was against policy. The superintendent said I could walk in graduation next year, which of course was no help. I wanted to walk with my friends, not with people I didn't know. I feel like anyone could relate
010to that. I'm here because I don't want this to happen to any other West Harford student. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, next we have David Simeone. >> Simon. Hi, David Simon. uh 2017 boulevard and I'm here to talk about um an item on the new business uh 5C I believe which given my t-shirt you will see is about class size and um there's a recommendation that I see that the board uh have a special recommendation for that the board of education hold a BOA workshop. Um so before the workshop I just wanted to say a couple of things as a teacher and as a member of the West Hartford Education Association. Um there's a difference made by the number of students in a class. You don't need to be a math wiz to figure
011out that in our high schools at the moment where the classes are 45 minutes um that if you have 26 students, which is not an uncommon size in a general ed class, uh the teacher has 1.7 minutes that he or she or they could dedicate to a student. 1.7 minutes. That's without any direct instruction. Um, the research can seem somewhat unclear. I've made a a deep dive at different times in my life and different educational jobs that I've had into the research. Uh, most studies come down to the fact that smaller class sizes benefit younger students, uh, students that with um, learning difficulties and often uh, demographically challenged uh, students. uh those demographics where um students uh may have fewer advantages. However, much of the reason that reduced class size is not as effective in
012secondary situations when you drill down into it is because teachers often do not change their teaching style. So, they're still teaching to the big class, right? They're not taking advantage of the fact that they have fewer students in the class. So, at the moment, as many of you know, we are going through a change uh probably happening next year that we're going to go from a 45minute periods to a block schedule. And we're going to receive teachers are going to receive training for this. We need training. Many teachers will need training to do that. And the same would be true if um we kept our classes at smaller sizes. Teachers need professional development. They need to learn how to uh work with smaller class sizes and uh have techniques that will benefit the students better
013so that we can better serve our uh constituents and and and the students in our schools. Um so before we have a uh a BOE workshop, I would charge the board that they um do research and drill down uh to see uh that the research does prove that smaller class sizes are more beneficial to the learning environment. Thank you very much. Thank you. Um, moving on to general comments. Um, actually before then, do we have anyone else who would like to speak on an agenda item? Okay, we'll move on to general comments. We have Jonathan Ray. Good evening. My name is Jonathan Ray. I'm a resident of West Hartford for 13 years on Kingswood Road. I have a son who's a freshman at Connard High School and um as you know, this is my third
014or fourth time this year. Um I'm a member of a group called Focus. It's a parent-based group fostering optimal connectivity, understanding, and safety for kids in the digital age. And um I'd like to start off by saying um one thing that I appreciate about this group is that we really appreciate education. Many of us are readers. And I read a book recently that I think that many of you would like or maybe have read called The Radium Girls. It's a fascinating tale about the women, young women in um during the Great War who used to paint luminescent dials on wrist watches um and aircraft um cockpit gauge displays um so they glow in the dark at night. They would use radiumbased paint and the women through their daily painting activities would get exposed to what
015we now know is a toxic compound. And but it it took took decades to recognize that these women whose whose teeth would fall out and whose jawbones would disintegrate and there was just as you read the personal tale you really feel for them and nobody really knew the harm at the time what was going on. Now, I'd like to draw or maybe it's a stretch that I draw a parallel. Um, we're in the midst of a huge experiment, a huge experiment with educational technology and we really don't know what the outcome is going to be because it's not just edex. I think the parents have these as well. Um, and so, um, keeping that in in mind, um, I think I've shared with many of you some peerreed research that says that the more exposure
016to education technology, the worse. Um, and so I want to let you know that our group has been um working on some policies, policies that that we're hoping we can um share with you and and work together with you um that are on uh three or four different levels. Uh the first is what can an educator do now in a classroom. And that would be things um on the that would be things like um choosing not to use an iPad um as a reward for good behavior. There are things that that we can do on the building level. Um I I believe we already have some principles are saying things um are already planning, you know, tech-free Fridays. Why not do that every week? Why not do that every school? And I think that that's
017something that a principal can decide. There are some things that Paul has to decide. I think um I I think with a stroke of a pen, he may be able to say things like, well, let's not connect personal devices to our school's networks. And there are many reasons not to do that. Um, people who bring their own Chromebooks can load on instant messaging software and can basically text with one another throughout the course of the day, throughout the course of instruction while as long as their Chromebook is open. And so I feel like we shouldn't be supporting that. And um, I've already suggested that um, we probably don't need as much bandwidth in our high schools as we have. Should we really be providing connections for handsets? um um I would rather see a device
018registration policy in which there has to be um um a need. And last of all, I think there are some things um that are on or for the policy committee only. Like for example, if we decide that we're going to remove technology from the humanities in high school, everything's going to be paper based. Um I think that that's a a much harder goal to attain and will take a much longer time. So um uh thank you and um I hope you can work together on some of these. >> Thank you. Uh next we have Gungjan Sharma. >> Um good evening everyone. It's um starting to feel like we're very good friends. My name is Gungjan Sharma. I'm a resident of West Hartford. I have a seventh grader in King Phillip and I am part of
019uh the organization that Jonathan started which is called focus. Um over the last few meetings I have been talking to you about my experiences as an educator in higher education and over the last 23 years but definitely since co um how the experience my students experience and my own ped pedagogy has had to change because of devices. Um I do before I go on that I do want to say um you know the the recent graduate who came and spoke uh kudos to you. My own PhD dissertation uh committee gave me a lot of work. Um and I technically don't have a June graduation. I had to work all through summer and I graduated in September essentially with my PhD but I definitely walked with my entire class and it was my committee basically that
020said uh that wrote to the registar saying she will do the work right and I was allowed to walk with my class. So um so going back to um um you know devices right so in um in my personal uh um you know experience with my child we have definitely struggled with the fact that homework is primarily um Google forms right fill in this Google form send it out in sixth grade there was no not a single class that had paper-based homework and then in seventh grade finally her eighth honors math class has paper homework uh the materials however, that she uses to study for the math class are um are online and so like it's it's this like website I'm sure you guys know it's and she has to go and use those materials
021but the minute she's on a Chromebook it's like oh I'm going to open that tab I'm going to open that tab and and like we do my my husband is very technologically capable so he has put a lot of controls but it's just it's it's her developing brain who cannot resist that temptation to oh let me just open that let me just open that so again I come to you with uh asking for more physical materials, worksheets, textbooks, homework that and in all honesty the one thing I I know have 43 seconds. I do want to say some of a lot of this online learning it has excluded me and my husband from her learning process because she's on the Chromebook. I remember we used pre-COVID we used to sit at the dinner table and
022do homework like why why with her and the conversations emerged and um you know we could explore different tangents if she was confused we could explain things to her all of that it's just now she's behind the screen and it's not a it's not a I'm not I don't feel like I'm participating in her not you know her education as much as pre-COVID which she was in first grade. So thank you so much Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to make public comment? All right, thank you all for coming out. Um, we will now move on to non-staff communications and reports where we will hear from our student representatives. Um, so, uh, Savannah, thank you for being here, um, as a representative from Hall for the evening. Uh, would you like to
023start out with some updates from Hall? >> Okay. U, good evening everyone and welcome back from spring break. Um I hope everyone had a restful break. So um we had several group student groups travel over um the break including through groups that went to Europe and one group that visited Nashville, Tennessee. These trips gave students valuable cultural and educational experiences and we've heard a lot of great feedback from them and students are traveled students traveled to places including Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and Amsterdam. And we're excited that more spring break trips have already been approved for 2027. So, moving into spring activities, spring sports are now underway and our lacrosse team recently held a sock fundraiser to support the Cam Seagull Memorial Fund. And looking ahead to this weekend next, um this Friday is
024the answer show. Next week, Hall and Connor will host the fourth annual baseball game honoring first responders. So, Hall will represent the fire department and Connor will represent the police department and both principles will throw out the first pitch. Um in addition, Wednesday night is the World Language Honor Society induction. Our spring play premieres also um premieres Thursday and runs through Saturday and we encourage everyone to come out and support the casting crew. So looking um oh also coming up this week on Sunday at 4 p.m. we have the West Hartford Tony Awards which will take place alongside the CIA Scholar Athlete Ceremony which recognizes student achievements in both academics and athletics. And then looking a bit further ahead, next Thursday, Miss Isaac's and principal Timborro Noble will host a screenagers event at Whiting Lane
025Elementary School. This is a one-hour uh hands-on session where families will work together to set healthy technology boundaries and create a personalized family digital contract. Um shifting to academics, Latin Day will take place on April 29th where students will participate in academic competitions. And finally, congratulations to our state girls hockey players, Tegan, Fiona, and Paige, on their accomplishments. And then finally, this Wednesday, we will host a purple upday lunchon honoring military kids. Our food classes will cater the event, and we will recognize students whose parents are active military members or veterans. That's all from Hall. Thank you. >> Thank you, Savannah. Bridget, can you share updates about Connor? >> Yes, of course. Hi, everybody. Spring break has over now, which is very sad, but students are now settling in for the last stretch of school
026right before finals and AP exams. Uh, this year, students at Connard High School had the third highest number of students enrolled in the ECE program with 392 students. This is an impressive jump from last year's total of 366, which was also impressive. Also, congratulations are in order to the National Merit finalists. Connard is proud to announce that we have eight students at Connard who have achieved this uh title. Sebastian Bombino, Keith Carreras, Kyla Chen, Josie Gosley, Roujan Lee, Julia Ning, Isabella Repepi, and Ariana Shukla. Another congrats is in order to Connor Student Council for winning the n national association of student council's gold award. In order to win this award, schools must implement and maintain strong leadership programs that meet the council goals of functioning in ethical and responsible ways as well as engaging with
027others in leadership, civic, spirit, and service activities. So, good job, Connor Stukco. On Wednesday, Connor or tomorrow, Connor will be honoring purple up day. Throughout April, military bases, cities, and school districts across the country honor military connected children. And as part of this recognition, Governor Nen Lamont has designated April 22nd as Purple Up for Military Kids Day. We encourage everyone to wear purple and to honor the strength and sacrifices of military children. Members of the local and regional boards of education are also invited to participate by wearing purple during your April meetings. Uh the following announcements mainly pertain to seniors, but I'm going to share them. Uh senior speech applications for graduation are due tomorrow at midnight. So, if you want to share, make sure to submit your essay. Senior class boards calendar raffle is
028about midway, but if you'd still like to show your support, find the link in your email to buy a ticket. And junior and senior prom tickets go on sale this Thursday, so start organizing your tables. Tickets will be $75 for senior prom and $85 for junior prom. So, make sure to buy them early because prices will increase after the first week of sales. Over break, students and Connor's choirs and bands traveled to Europe to perform. Students visited museums, churches, and explored Spain and Portugal. This Friday and Saturday at 7:30, the Broadway concert will be starting in Connard's auditorium, where you can hear tunes from your favorite shows and enjoy Connard's amazing talent. Also, this Friday, student agenda cover submissions are due. Connor's agenda design competition for the 2026 2027 school year is a great opportunity
029to show off your skills and make sure so make sure you submit your art. Congratulations also lots of congrats tonight. Conrad I guess is just really special. Congrats to the cast, crew and pit of anything goes for being nominated for eight son time awards. They are nominated for best musical, best ensemble, achievement by a student orchestra, achievement in stage management. So, special congrats goes to Zoe Duchesny, Juliana Ferguson, Ry Lala, and Amy Warner. Best actor who would be Alistair McLaren as Billy Crocker. Best actress, Dileia Canary as Reno Sweeney, and best choreography by Christine Samos. And whoa, musical direction by Samuel Urick. Good luck at the ceremonies, and we're sure you're going to make Connor very proud. May 1st is Unified Theat's first performance, so make sure to come and show your support. Admission is
030free and in return you'll get a great show and a lot of laughs. Moving on to the realm of sports. This year is the 50th season of softball at Connard and a celebration will occur May 20th at 3:30 to honor all former players, coaches, and parents. If interested, make sure to contact Coach Lidos to RSVP or ask for more information. Congratulations also to Fiona Campbell for being recognized as a CT Allstate girls hockey player. And finally, another congratulations. I know you guys are surprised. Go to Sophia Vasquez, who was elected the 2026 2027 president of the CT Association of Student Councils. This is an incredible accomplishment and one she definitely deserves. Thank you all for listening to Connor's updates and I can't wait to share again with you soon. Wow, that was quite an update.
031Um, any questions from our board colleagues for our students? Great. Um it is insane to think that there are only three meetings remaining in your senior year for the board. Uh and so I just want to make sure you feel you have opportunity to share any you know contribute to our meetings and share any things you think we could be uh attending to or addressing that we haven't already. So welcome the chance to hear from you. That's why you're here. So all right. Um all right, moving on. We have no unfinished business. So we will continue with new business. Um seeking a motion um that the board of education accept as a first reading the following revised and new policies which were reviewed by the board policy subcommittee per Thank you Julio for joining us.
032Um personnel series 4000 policy 4011 revised prohibition of sex discrimination including sex-based harassment. Policy for 4080R revised use of social media by employees. Policy 4340, new child abuse, neglect, and sexual assault reporting, student series 5000, policy 5610, revised, administration of student medications in the schools, and policy 5691 revised prohibition of sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment. >> So moved. >> Thank you, Latoya. >> Second. >> Thank you, Jason. Now we will open up for uh any uh context setting or discussion from the policy committee and from Julio Dwarte. >> Sure. I can do a high level and then certainly uh my friends from the policy subcommittee can chime in. Um so if the board doesn't mind, I'd actually like to lump 401 and 5691 together and just do a quick overview. uh essentially following a January
0332025 federal court decision that invalidated the 2024 Title 9 regulations, the US Department of Education directed all schools to revert to the 2020 regulations. Um so thus our policies have been updated accordingly. Overall, the revisions are primarily technical. They update the Office for Civil Rights contact information allowing for the use of a third-party investigator and align certain legal definitions with the now current federal um standards. For student policies, we went and removed the Title 9 from the titles to reflect alignment with again both federal and Connecticut law. And again, these updates were made to ensure compliance with maintaining our existing standards and our expectations. I know that we had a nice conversation um in accordance with uh our attorneys as well during that policy subcommittee and uh she agreed that these were the changes that
034should be made in order to align with the now regulations. >> So any questions about 401 and 5691? >> Okay, moving on. >> Great. So, um, 4080, was it 4080R? Um, so this is use of social media by employees. One of the things that we were looking at doing is actually we're not really sure why there's a dash R there. Um, you know, there was no real history or context there. It may have just been a typo. So, that's one of the things that I wanted to just clean up in this was to get rid of the R. And actually, we already have a 4080. So um we would call this 4085 um would be the new number of this. It would still be use of social media by employees. Um again we have revised
035our social media policy to better reflect current legal standards and clarify the board's limited role as a public employer in regulating employee speech. The policy makes clear that we will address communications or actions on social media that are determined to be disruptive to the school community or interfere with school operations. I I think the key piece to highlight here is that the goal is to balance respect for individual expression with our responsibility to maintain a safe, focused and effective learning environment. >> Any questions about 4080R now the new 4085? >> Okay, you can move along. >> Um so 4340 child abuse, neglect and sexual assault reporting. So, if you recall on March 17th, we actually updated policy 5680, which is child sexual abuse and assault response policy and reporting procedures, which is essentially the student
036version of this policy. So, in consultation with Shipman, they really had suggested and and pretty much every district has a policy under the personnel side that mirrors that on the student side. And so what this does is essentially um put that in our policies as well. Again, this policy is very similar to that 5680 and includes the current statutory term school climate specialist along with current legal references and definitions. >> Any questions about 4340? Jennifer. >> So, just so I'm clear on that one, this policy is reporting. I guess I'm not clear as like the differences. So, the one we approved a few weeks ago was for students and this one to report on a student if they think something's going on and this one is for fellow colleagues or who is this for? So
037essentially if you look at the way the policies are there's a whole subgroup which is our um 5000 series and that ultimately encompasses all student ones and so that's really when you're a student that's what applies to you. We really felt strongly that there should be something related to the same sort of accountability from the teacher side or the adult side. I see. >> And so again it was I think truthfully it was just a sort of a miss on our part. So we wanted to make sure that we now had that covered. >> Thank you. Makes sense. Any other questions? Okay, moving along. >> And then uh 5610, administration of student medication in the schools. So, under Connecticut General Statute, trained school personnel may in specific situations administer emergency medications such as epinephrine. A
038recent update broadens the method for delivering these medications, now including newer options like nasal sprays. Um, our proposed policy revisions align with this change in state law, allowing us to use the most appropriate and current medical tools to respond to student emergencies as required by state statute and regulations. These revisions have been developed with guidance from and approved with from our qualified medical professionals, including our school medical adviser and our nursing leadership. Um, I met with Carrie Anderson who oversees our nursing. She's phenomenal. The entire team is phenomenal and really they feel strongly that this is the right way to move. Again, we want to make sure we have the best uh available um care in case it's ever needed. >> Any questions about policy 5610? Uh Miriam, >> thank you. Not not a question,
039but I um on page 23 under authorized prescribers, um I think physician assistant was added or it was there previously, but I just wanted to make sure that that's consistent on page 29 as well. Um under section C, diabetic students one and two. It lists physician or an advanced practice registered nurse. Want to make sure physician assistant would be included in that. >> Yeah. And I know I think Miriam, you had actually asked that question. And so I haven't heard back from Jessica. So I'll try to get a response by the next reading, but essentially I wouldn't see that as a substant change. So if I I would prefer to get it in in agreement with you. And I I think she had said she wasn't sure if it was one of those for some
040reason it was written that way, but I agree with you. I would want to get that in there. >> Awesome. Thanks. >> Yep. >> Uh John, >> I just have a question about uh 4340 justformational. Um I guess generally given the breadth of the mandatory reporting statutes which employees are are not mandatory reporters at this point do all all our employees are mandated reporters and so and on our onboarding process and actually every single year we require folks to to do the training. It's it's one of the things even though it's not legally required we do require all of our employees every single year to take that mandated training to go through. It's an online asynchronous course. We provide time for employees to do that. Um we feel it's critical that everyone understands their obligation
041to keep students safe. >> Thank you. >> Any additional questions about policy proposals? All right. Well, thank you. That will be our first reading and so our next meeting we will be able to uh officially adopt those as a second reading. Um, moving on to um, State of Connecticut Healthy Food Certification 2026 27. We'll be joined by Barbara Rua. Um, seeking a motion that the board of education adopt the following two motions. And I read them in full. Okay, this is a this is a long one. Um, pursuant to CGS section 10215F, the West Harford Board of Education certifies that all food items offered for sale to students in the schools under its jurisdiction and not exempted from the Connecticut Nutrition Standards published by the Connecticut State Department of Education will comply with the Connecticut
042Nutrition Standards during the period of July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2027. This certification shall include all food offered for sale to students separately from reimburseable reimburseable meals at all times and from all sources including but not limited to school stores, vending machines, school cafeterias, culinary programs and any fundraising activities on school premises premises sponsored by the school or non-school organization and groups. Two, the West Harford Board of Education will allow the sale to students of food items that do not meet the Connecticut nutrition standards, provided that the following conditions are met. One, the sale is in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend. Two, the sale is at the location of the event. And three, the food items are not sold from a vending
043machine or a school store. An event is an occurrence that involves more than just a regularly scheduled practice, meeting, or extracurricular activity. For example, soccer games, school plays, and intercolastic debates are events, but soccer practices, play rehearsals, and debate team meetings are not. The regular school day is the period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day. Location means where the event is being held and must be the same place as the food sales. So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you, John. Uh any uh kind of description or discussion questions? >> Sure. Uh what you have in front of you is certified annually. Um and it just indicates that we adhere to the guidelines that the state requires us to follow. We've done so since 2007.
044Uh annually renewing this statement. Um the language is prescribed by the state of Connecticut and it has to appear in this exact way. Um and then as a result of adhering to the guidelines, we do receive a 10 cents per meal grant from the state of Connecticut which last year equated to approximately 61,000. >> Any questions, Jennifer? Um, I know it's not relevant to this statement, but I just have to say I I know we're going to look at it, but I really want to look at the nutrition program. I or the food program. Um, I feel very pretty strongly that it's not nutritious in the way that like, you know, most people would think of nutritious food. I understand like it is what it is and it's not related to the statement, but um,
045I just wanted to mention that again. I I think it's really important that we that we take a look at that. Yeah, we have asked for it to be a future agenda. >> We do have a future and I'm excited to, you know, announce we're applying um again this year for a fresh food and fresh and healthy food grant from the state of Connecticut. And so we have a lot of and a lot of other irons in the fire. So there's going to be great information to share with you upcoming separate separate from this certification. >> Any other questions related to the certification? All right. Um all those in favor say I. I >> I any opposed? Any abstensions? The motion passes. Thank you. Thank you, Barbara. All right. Now, this is a a pretty
046quick one, but a lot packed in here. Um, we've heard a lot of commentary from the community about class size. So, we are seeking a motion that the board of education hold a board of education workshop special meeting to discuss and inform potential revisions to policy 6250 regarding class size. So moved. >> Thank you, Jason. Thank you, M. Sorry. So, everybody's excited on top of that one. >> Um, all right. The mot uh all the Any discussion? >> Um, I don't know if we want to talk about this here, but I guess one of my curiosities about this uh what are we calling it again? >> Special >> uh special meeting. Is that what it is? I thought we said workshop. Thank you. Workshop. Okay. Special meeting. Okay. Thank you. um is you know it
047seems like folks um in town uh have done homework on this and you know I'm interested one in what kind of public involvement like kind of um testimony or sharing of information and then secondly I guess at this special meeting workshop do you think there would be an opportunity to ask questions because I feel like this may be a topic where it might be helpful to ask a follow-up question from someone who testifies or if a teacher comes and shares their perspective, it would be great to like know some more. I don't want to like break our rules, but I'm also intrigued to make this more of a conversation and I know I don't know a ton about this myself. Um, so anyways, I just wanted to throw that out there. I think we have
048to answer it now, but I think it would be might be beneficial to think about how we want to format this. So if I may um because there are many different types of meetings that you guys can have um and there are different rules for each type of meeting uh under FOYA. So I think one of the things you're describing which you know could be a very profitable idea is more of like the community conversation. Uh but in something like that you would need to you would need to limit the number of uh board members that were there in any type of speaking role because that would therefore not constitute a meeting so much as engagement with community conversation. Uh I think the purpose here this was an agenda item that was requested. So typically
049um the idea and and we know this is something that's kind of been a a topic of of public interest. So, we wanted to have you guys have the opportunity to talk about it uh openly with the public kind of in the know to to let them know that you are sort of looking into this. But this was a first meeting to kind of uh understand some parameters and possibly to you know we we have some upfront information that as the administration we can provide based on previous work with the board. Um and then really try to get some parameters maybe from you as to lines of inquiry. what are the types of things u that that you'd like to look down the path and and obviously with the budget situation that we'll talk about
050momentarily you know what are the what are the fiscal complications of any of this so what are some different options what are some different ways that we can look at it um I think this is an opportunity for all of you if you have interest to receive input from the public to inform that very first meeting you know to get some of that now but I I don't think this is like the oneandone meeting to define everything and I think there will be um and and your point is well taken. I'm sure there's going to be public interest but there'll be future opportunities for that. So I don't I don't know that that'll occur right at this first meeting absent your inquiries you know for hey reach out to me you know if you have
051some ideas to share that way you can bring you can carry them forward. John, >> just following up on Jen's point in terms of the foyer concerns. Just wondering if we can just uh double check with council and uh see if there's a way that we can maximize public participation while maintaining a compliant meeting. >> Ethan, >> um I don't remember this coming up before, but I think we should also understand the expectations ourselves because the budget was just passed. Although I guess it's coming back, but what is the expectation? Is this for long term or is this because otherwise you're going to have people thinking it's going to be next year which >> yeah you you guys set obviously within within the fiscal constraints of the budget that we have. So >> yeah, >>
052thank you. Do we know who's presenting information or how the format of the workshop would be? So I think it's great that we're putting it out there. Community email us let us know what you think you know send us information but in terms of the workshop itself do we know >> yeah for this first meeting the you know again this was the intent is to kind of define some parameters and and get some information to be able to have to have more of a lengthier back and forth discussion with the board. So, it's going to be administration and the board, but it could inform future workshops if there are specific presentations we want if we need to um outsource that with outside presenters or not. Um but, you know, part of this is let's frame
053it and we didn't think that a 20 30 minute conversation at a singular board meeting um would would be sufficient. So, >> understood. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions? I >> was going to say thank you. That makes sense. Um and uh I think for the first one to figure out what we want to do and then move forward. >> Yeah, I think this is just a level setting and there's been a lot of information. We've gotten a lot of public comment and uh emailed uh research and I think if some of that can be brought to the conversation and also I think hearing about compare what other towns are doing so that we have reference points would be great. So um so uh any any further discussion? Okay. All those in favor say I.
054>> I. I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? All right. The motion passes and we will get that date uh scheduled shortly. Uh moving on to staff communications and reports. We have our superintendence report. >> Excellent. Thank you. And uh welcome to April, although it's already fairly late, right? Um, it is happy spring and I know the weather is almost all the way there. Uh, it's also National Library Week and I wanted to take a moment to really just recognize and give a shout out to all of our phenomenal uh, library media specialists who support our schools as well as our town librarians. Uh, they do an amazing job uh, every day. They motivate kids uh, on the along the the theme this year of find your joy. um they do an amazing job to help
055students find joy in reading and joy in exploration and dig in and research topics of interest and uh it's you know it's one of the best places in any building at any level. Um very exciting learning spaces. So I'm very very ex excited to welcome them. Uh very happy that Savannah and Bridget stole quite a bit of my uh thunder here with the amazing accomplishments. So, a few things happening that aren't necessarily at the high school. Um, Cedric Middle School recently celebrated a career day. And a huge kudos go out to Jen Weisberg and Brianna Bobo, teachers at Cedric Middle, uh, who coordinated an an outstanding and amazing experience. We had presenters that included lawyers, psychologists, nurses, professors, journalists, actuaries, pilots, insurance executives, social workers, politicians, educators, marketing and communication leaders, accountants, firefighters, television news
056representatives, and many more. And we're so very thankful of our community members, our family members and caregivers and volunteers, um, and staff organizers who who made it just an outstanding experience. Um, I do have some congratulations to uh some students, Jada Ferrer, Lauren Mason of King Phillip Middle School, as well as Juliana Farusen, and Corey Brown of Connard, uh, who are recipients of, uh, the CAB Student Leadership Awards. Kudos on this outstanding recognition. Um, I wanted to give a shout out uh to our Voices of Belonging, which is a program um you'll be hearing more about upcoming uh in May. Uh, but that program took 28 middle school students on an H.B.CU tour, historically, uh, black colleges and universities, um, as part of a fully grant-f funded opportunity to visit college campuses. That was a
057program developed through our office of equity advancement and had partnership with Simsbury and Avon public schools. Students visited Morgan State University, Virginia Union University, Hampton University, Copen State University where they experienced college life, connected with students and staff and began to see themselves in future college settings. Um, and they also, you know, have some amazing pictures uh at the cap. It was uh one of those moments that I'm certain they will carry with them for a very very long time. I want to give a shout out and kudos to Melissa Barrens and the entire uh Webster Hill Elementary staff who have been recently spotlighted in a solution tree publication, a national publication for their strategic implementation of professional learning communities resulting in outstanding year-over-year gains in student achievement. Webster Hill's performance is being lauded as
058an at the national level. Um and the instructional leadership that Melissa brought to the school at the time of her tenure as principal um is currently being turnkeyed across the district with efforts that our curriculum office is focusing in and around PLC's. So a copy of that article, I believe hard copy was was shared with you and there's a link to it in my report. I also want to um give a shout out to the West Harford Public Schools Quest program. They will be highlighted at the upcoming National Association of Gifted Children's Conference. Um, our West Harford's team proposal, which is titled Curiosity to Creation, Teaching Elementary Gifted Students to ask High Order uh questions, was selected from over 800 submissions and will be featured alongside other leading experts in the field. So, we're very
059very proud to see uh and excited to see Quest showcased in this very positive way. Um, I do have some other dates to highlight, but um, I was saving the, uh, perhaps most challenging news for last. Uh at last night's town council meeting um they voted to reduce the board of education budget by an additional 700,000 bringing the total reduction of uh the West Hartford public schools budget uh that was proposed uh total reduction down by 2,46,755 to an overall operating budget for the board of education next year in the amount of 22615 $56,566. Now, while the town council expressed hopes that the board could accomplish this cut in the budget without laying off teachers or increasing class sizes, and we certainly laed, applaud, and and support that goal. Um, you know, I will be
060very honest that finding the additional 700,000 in cuts with with zero impact um is would be a significant challenge if not unlikely uh to you know to be frank. That said, we have already begun as an executive team um a renewed analysis of our budget to be able to provide uh plans and courses of action for public discussion here at the board table. uh and I expect that uh we can begin to have those conversations as early as our next board meeting which is currently scheduled for May the 5th. So with that sobering news um I would like to share I heard many times but I want to further acknowledge a purple update is coming uh tomorrow Wednesday the 22nd in support of our military kids and military families a topic close to my own
061heart. We also have uh tomorrow, I believe, the Quest Middle School fair, type three fair at King Phip Middle School at 6 PM. Uh uh the following day on the 23rd, Sparks Fly music and art exhibition here at the town hall at 5:00 pm. That is an event if you haven't yet had the privilege. Um it is it is one of the more joyful things that uh that we do. Um, speaking of joyful events, the unified sports uh is coming up this Saturday at Connard at 9:30 a.m. uh April the 25th. Um, you have a flyer in your packets about West Hartford Signing Day. Um, which will be on May 6th. Um, and I hope you'll notice all the amazing local business partners that are helping to put this on, dedicating time and opening their
062doors to opportunities for our youth. um so thankful for them. Um there is an upcoming uh parent event and combined with a middle school presentation by Laura Stack uh and Johnny's Ambassadors, which is a THC education program. There will be a parent program on May 11th. I believe it's at 6 PM. It is a registered event. You have to register in advance. Um, and there's communication that should be going out to all the schools and it's appropriate for parents of all ages, but you know, I would probably say fifth grade to to high school. And then there will be a series of workshops across our three middle schools. And this is, if it sounds somewhat familiar, uh, it's because I talked about it a lot. Laura Stack came um, and she's coming through the generosity
063of a parent anonymous donor who pays all expenses for Laura to come and make this presentation to us. Um, and uh, we did it at our two high schools and it was one of the most powerful events that I think that I've ever seen in in my 30-year career. um really educational uh and powerful and and resonates with the kids. Um so that uh is my update and I am happy to answer any questions. >> Any questions? >> Um I have just a question about signing day. A clarification. It says that it's for um students who are going to into careers in the skilled trades. Is it limited to that or any students who are going direct into the workforce after graduation? >> Um, I don't want to use the word limited. Uh, and I'll
064apologize for not maybe I'm not understanding exactly, but I know um it is a focus in and around our career and technical education and and folks that are going in. Um, and specifically often if if they've uh either have some form of an internship or um if they've perhaps received a um one of the um industry certified sort of credentiing to be able to recognize them and showcase uh their efforts in that direction. >> Yeah, I just think of that as a broader than the skilled trades but still career technical education. semantics, but thank you. Any other questions? All right. Thank you, Superintendent. Um, now moving on to staff reports and board discussions where we will hear about the adult education program with Michel Solomon. So, please join us up front, Shelley. So, >> as
065Shelley comes up, I'll introduce uh her. Uh Shelley is a longtime uh friend of West Harford >> is the word >> public schools and uh she has had many many hats but uh knew her very very well for her time in administration at Hall High School. Um she is now our adult education program director. Um, obviously you guys know Ann and Shelley has brought um some amazing guests with her this evening, not the least of which is Don Hamrech, our adult educator of the year. We are so proud to have her. But I'm going to let Shelley introduce the folks at the table um and lead off this presentation on adult education here in West Harford. >> Good evening everybody. Um I'm really excited to be here and instead of slides and pictures, I brought
066people. These are uh h not even half of our students um from beginning level to advanced level. So um I have Emran here is going to speak to you. He's gone through the program and graduated from the program. Yes. >> Yes. >> And is working now. And Don Hamrech um teacher extraordinaire as I said at the conference in March who is one of three adult education teachers of the year for the state of Connecticut. So, here I go. I haven't done this in many years. Um, thank you for the opportunity to tell you a little bit about adult education in West Hartford. First, I'd like to share with you that I have been in this district for more than 40 years. I have been in multiple schools, elementary and when there were junior highs, and
067I've had a wide variety of roles from special education, K through 12 to assistant principal at a hall. Then I retired in 2020, but I'm still here and I've been working in the district um ever since I retired. I was the reach program director during COVID years and have filled in as assistant principal at both Hall and Connor. And now here I am, my last day at Connard. Paul and Julio said to me, I said, "Keep my phone number." Well, in two minutes, Teresa Wrango called me and here I am again. Um, so now I am the director of this amazing program for immigrants that move into West Harford who want to learn English and for students who withdrew from high school without a diploma and have realized the importance of getting a high school
068diploma. To be honest with you, I knew very little about adult education before I took on this role two years ago, but I've learned a lot and I've come to realize the significance of the program. For the families that move into West Harford who want to become contributing and confident members of our community and for those students who want to get their high school diploma but need a different pathway to accomplish that. I do have to say I got a phone call today that one of my former REACH students who withdrew before she graduated just got her diploma today. She finished everything and passed all of the components to get her high school diploma at 22. So I'm very and she did hers all online with a teacher. So our goal and some we've started
069an advisory group and our goal is to bring adult education out of the shadows and into the sunlight. and I look forward to providing you with some important information about our program and sharing some of our initiatives to keep our adult program relevant and impactful. I've already introduced you who is at the table with me. I'm going to give you a little bit of information about the program. In your packets are some supporting documents and some quotes from students. Um I asked them why they wanted to become adult ed students. And so that's all there for you. There's some graphs about our enrollment. the ethnicity of our students and the ages which you'll see ranges from 17. We've had our oldest person was 70, a Chinese woman that came over and her children wanted her
070to start to learn English and she's still plugging away. Um, having been in the district for as long as I have, I know firsthand that West Harford Public Schools is committed to supporting learners at every stage of life. Adult education extends our mission beyond K12, ensuring that families and community members have access to opportunities and growth and can seek independence. It reflects our district's commitment to equity by ensuring that multilingual learners and historically underserved community members have access to meaningful opportunities that promote belonging and long-term success. Our program provides opportunities for English language acquisition, alternative high school completion, career navigation assistance, and increases student digital literacy skills, all aligned to workforce readiness and postsecary success. Our career navigator, Laura Wilson, who's also in the audience, is a retired West Harvard school counselor. I ran into
071her at Home Depot and said, "What are you doing now that you're retired? I have a job for you." and she came on board. She's made great strides in connecting students to training programs as well as career opportunities. She works with Capital Workforce Partners and the American Job Center to make further connections as well as other agencies within the greater Harford area to expand both training and job opportunities. I think it's important to note that adult education is a statemandated program. It's not something nice to do. something we are supposed to do and I think we do it well for a district that's truly small compared to some of the bigger communities for adult. Um we are mandated to offer English language classes, citizenship, provide alter alternative pathways to receive a high school diploma and
072as I said to help them find meaningful employment, post-secary training andor education. We cannot offer all of those programs because we are small. Uh we have uh so we partner with our regional programs. Farmington has different programs than we do and Windsor. Those are our two main people that we communicate with. I'm very often in contact with the directors. This year we have approximately 170 learners. Last year we had 199 um with 143 enrolled in English acquisition classes. They come from 51 different countries. You can see that behind me. Everybody is from some place other than here. Uh our largest groups are from Afghanistan, Peru, and Brazil, which shifts over the years because when I was in the high school working with our ESL teacher, it was Russian. We had a huge Russian contingency. So,
073as the world changes, so do the people that choose to come join us. Uh so they behind me reflects our diversity. I don't even need to say it. Um and it reinforces the importance of accessible inclusive programming. So we both offer so that people that have work some work under the table but some have jobs. Um we offer morning and afternoon classes. Um all classes meet twice a week either in the morning or in the afternoon. And they are in the mornings they are at First Baptist Church right down the street or at uh I'm losing the name. What's >> St. John's? Thank you. St. John's. Um, near the Hartford line. They meet for two and a half to three hours each class. We have two semesters. We go from September to December and January
074to May. Uh, we also have 20 plus students enrolled in an alternative high school diploma. Everybody knows about the GED, but the majority of the students that we see are interested in what's called the National External Diploma Program. It is much more a hands-on practical approach to mastering skills. It and I I put a lot of information about it in here because whenever somebody calls and said, "We want a high school diploma." That's all anybody knows is the GED. The GED gives you a state diploma. The NADP program, which is accepted nationally, gives you a West Harford diploma. While I'm here and while Paul's here, we're the ones that sign West Harford High School diploma. So that carries a lot of weight. Um and it is all module based. It is all online. You work
075at your own pace. You have an advisor and an evaluator of your work and it's mastery based. So once you finish one module, you move on to the next. We had one student um Travis who started in September and finished before Christmas because he had a plan to move out. So it really is contingent on the student. I have another student whose parents said, "Yes, you can do this if you sign a contract that you will go to all of the sessions when the staff is there every Tuesday and Thursday, and you have to show us that you're doing this." And our teacher Pam sends home bi-weekly progress report, so to speak. That's unusual, but it's a parent that's really committed to finding a new pathway for their child to be successful. So the NADP
076program runs for 46 weeks where our program runs for 30. We have been longer but between budget here and budget at the state we're shrinking a little bit. Um but we have three teachers that work on um for 46 weeks and you have to take an assessment to become an NADP student and in order for that to happen you have to meet a certain benchmark. We have found that the one place where students fall behind is in their math skills. And a lot of these students are COVID babies. You know, they weren't babies, but they were impacted by not being in school. So, we have what's called um adult basic education teacher who teaches the math skills they need in order to become successful and start NADP. So, that's that in a nutshell. I'm sure
077there's questions about it. I gave you a lot of information about the NABP program. As you can tell, many of our learners are parents and give caretakers of West Harford students. So, uh, our work directly impacts student strength. When families build language, literacy, and workforce skills, they benefit academically, socially, and emotionally. Everybody does within the family. We have one federally funded program that was applied for before I came. It's a four-year program and we've had it before this grant. So, we're hoping that once this two more years come, it's called the family literacy program and it's English for futures family grant promotes family literacy. We have a partnership with the bridge and hold our classes at the family resource center at Charter Oak with some of their staff as well as Don. I'm going to
078let her tell you a little bit more about it. Parents bring their children who are too young for preschool to class. And while the moms are learning English, the children are engaged in structured play activities with the family resource center staff. For the last hour of the morning, moms and children participate together with Dawn and Kim and Lynn. So, I'm going to let Don talk a little bit about that program. She is our teacher of the year. And so she's tired of hearing that, but we have a poster in our office with her face on it. >> Press on this. >> So, just thank you for letting me speak and to be here. And um Shelley dragged me here actually. Um but she's good at that. Um and that's how we get things done. Um
079so the um English for family and futures is one of my favorite classes because it's really impacting um entire families because the mothers come with their children. It doesn't have to be mothers. attend. It has been I've also had fathers in there and now this year I also have a grandmother who's a caretaker, Italian speaker and um they come for three hours twice a week so six hours and we um concentrate on English as a second language and the children are getting prepared for school so that their language is um English language is increasing during this time but also their literacy skills because we're a lit family literacy program. So, we're working on literacy together with the parents and the children and um there's some and we have a parent educator Kim Townsen. So, she
080is from the bridge. So, she does parent education also teaching the parents that they're their child's first teacher. So, we're bringing lots of things into our um parent and child time to show what they can do at home to prepare their children for school in a fun way. Not like drilling, but the kinds of things that you should do naturally, but we're not all thinking about it and we're busy now. So, it's a real challenge to teach them that the phone is not the best way to teach your toddler um anything. So, anyway, so that's a great program. We do field trips. It's um we go to the um parks to the playhouse to things in the locally in town so that they can become engaged in town and see where to bring their other
081children because these are usually not their only children. Their other children are in elementary, middle, and high school. So, um we're impacting entire families and it's a great program. They go home with a lot of books and materials to use at home as well. >> Thank you. Thank you. Through the PEP grant, which is what we is called, we were able I'm sorry, I forgot. Through the grant, the federal grant, we're able to get backpacks for the families to take. So, every family goes home and with a backpack filled with books so that where they're creating their own library at home. So, we're trying to really bring it all together into the house. I so I do want to talk about some of our new initiatives and our growth but I want Iran who has
082prepared something for you all tonight. Go ahead tell them where you're from first. Okay. >> Uh hello everyone. My name is Imran. I'm from Afghanistan. I came here in 2022 after Taliban took over Afghanistan and I had to leave home with only my sister. Um and uh today I'm here to share a little bit of my experience about how the adult aid program started me and how it helped me move on. Um uh the EUL program played a significant role in my life when I first came to a start. I was able to speak some English but needed to stren strengthen it. When I first joined the program, I saw other students from diverse cultures who were learning the language and that may made me realize that I'm not alone. That gave me the comfort
083and motivation to keep going. When I first came to West Hartford, um besides uh the a lot the work that I needed to do on my language uh to improve my language skills, um I was feeling really lonely. I was coping with a lot of stress, a lot of facing a lot of challenges and difficulties like anybody else from any other country especially a country like Afghanistan, a war zone like I was facing challenges like anybody else. Um getting into this program uh besides learning English, it helped me learn about other students uh experiences. It helped me learn about other pe people challenges from all over the world that they face when they come in here. And that uh made me realize that I'm not alone that there are other people uh on on this
084planet that are on or in this country that are facing the same challenges as I am. Um when you first come into a new community, a new country, uh connection is making connections is really essential. It's really important to make connections with each other, with other people that are facing the same challenges as you. Uh that um that uh helps you find other resources that that may be available to you out there. Discover resources that may be available and you may not be aware of them. that helps you learn uh about others experience, others lives and that may help you get a job or uh create a stable life here and this program the adult education program gives this opportunity to all these people from other countries to connect to connect with each other. Um
085this program helped me develop my language skills. As I said, uh I wasn't I was able to speak some English, but I could not really express myself very well. Uh but this program helped me develop those skills. And then I I went on to uh start college at Capital Community College. Uh continue my education through uh City State and now I'm working towards uh getting my degree. If I didn't get into this program, I wasn't able to uh go on and start. For me, um ESOL was ESOL classes, adult program was not just about learning the language. It was about starting a new chapter, meeting new people and uh learning about other others experiences uh that helped me get motivated and uh keep going. As Roomie says uh uh there's a quote from Roomie that
086I brought here that says uh where there is a ruin there's a hope for treasure. So this program helped me discover that hope and uh to keep uh moving forward. So um when people uh come to this country from uh a place especially like Afghanistan uh especially women uh back in Afghanistan they don't have a lot of access to technology they can't just go straight to college when they come in here they need a program uh like ESEL program uh that start them out the way this program is designed is for everyone for people who do not have any idea how to use a computer sister >> or like my sister who was not speaking language at all and now she helps other people. This program was the only program that she has been to
087and now she helps other Afghan woman. Uh so you can see how effective and uh and the impacts of this program and on me and on my sister. Uh so uh this I I and and uh when I came to this beautiful uh town of Wart for from Afghanistan from a a place that right now there's like nothing for young people. Uh and this beautiful program uh helped me. This was my start point and now I'm getting my degree. Um so I was here to just share that and u and I want other students to know that uh they can do what I did and how helpful the program was and it's a this program is a blessing. Uh I'm really grateful to be in this beautiful country, beautiful u state and uh I will
088give back what I got one day. I will serve back and I hope other students benefit from this program. Uh I appreciate you all for listening and that was the reason I was here today. Thank you. I don't know what to say after that. You've said it all. >> Thank you. >> You've said it all. Um, I do have a few things that I should share with you that we've um, since I've come on board. Um, Paul knows and everybody that knows me that I just can't keep things status quo. I have to keep moving and making positive change in any way I can. So, we have started our first um, adult education advisory group. We don't have any power, so we can't be a board, but we are a group. And I you see
089in your folder the list of the members of the commit of the group that are there. We have Claudia, one of our students um in the group. Um several of our staff members are part of that group. Latoya um is part of um on our in our group as well as Sherry Caner, Rick Ledw with um a number of community members because we really want to embrace um everybody and we want to be able to increase our community partnerships and um our programming wherever we can. Uh we've been looking for more career job opportunities for our students. Uh we also have started informal conversational groups because we all remember when we're in classes it's much more formal education. So we um have started uh conversation groups that meet for an hour hour and a half
090once a week. The students decide the topic. There's a volunteer that comes and works with them um meets with them. Um and so that's something we've started. We also are looking at increasing our gains. The state monitors our progress and we have to give pre-ests and post- tests and um I found that we were using one resource only Burlington English for other than individual things that some of the teachers put together. Um I made a big investment um with a new series from Cambridge and um I'm happy to say our post- testing and everybody all the teachers please listen and students um with the new books we're making significant gains much more than we have in years past. So that's really was a a big change. is a lot of PD for the staff and
091a lot of digital aspects that go along with it. But um it is making a very positive difference and it goes from every level from the basic for our non-English speakers um to all the way to advanced transitions where Emran was um last year. Uh we also um are on a search for a centralized location or two instead of four because our my office and um any career navigator Laura and our program facilitator are housed on the fourth floor. Everybody else is spread out and so we're constantly running around and going and bringing things. So we're working on it. It's not easy. We pay rent in one to one church. Another church is very generous and just allows us to use their space. So there I have to do some shopping with the area synagogues
092and churches and see what we can do. We have to be on a bus line because not everybody drives. So that makes a difference. And we do give bus passes. So it's not it's not a cost. Everything we do for these students is free. Absolutely everything. Um there is not any cost involved. And I think we talked about Don being the teacher of the year. Uh the experiential learning that we do, field trips, uh Joe who has two advanced classes. He's gone to the Capitol, the Connecticut Museum of History and Culture. So we try to take our students everywhere. Those that drive can just go on their own. Um we have big end of year celebrations. Um last year was was my first one. and we had it in the auditorium. Last year we had
093seven NADP graduates. So far we have two this year and we're hoping for possibly more. Um everybody comes. They bring the food from their countries. It's a big feast. I will invite you all. It's it's a Friday night. We couldn't get the auditorium on any other night. Um, but it's from 5 to 7 and we just honor each other and we honor anybody that's made any kind of gains. Um, and in closing, I just want to state that it's a very important that we all realize that adult education is not an add-on. It's an essential part of who we are as a West Harford community. And by understanding and investing in our adult learners, we strengthen families, support students, and build a more inclusive West Harford for all. Thank you. >> Thank you all. And
094I just want to thank you all for being here. >> Yes. Thank you all for being here and for the very impassioned presentation. Really appreciated that. And Eron, your words were amazing. So um so grateful for your story and thank you for sharing that. Um any questions or comments from colleagues? Latoya, >> love having you here. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> You're so amazing. And um yeah, and your your program. Amazing. Um I Yeah, I had a few moments where I was feeling kind of like choked up because I was just thinking about the beauty of this moment and and our town. Um and just representation from what is it 53 >> 51 countries >> or 51 countries. I was like, representation from 51 countries, that's diversity. >> Meeting people where they're at, offering
095child care, that's equity, right? Like offering different ways to get the diploma and um connecting people to different opportunities and giving them a voice. That's inclusion. And like we're walking the walk with that. and um just your the intentional layers that you've all built in. I mean, it's like so thorough, which even just meeting you, I was like, she she like has got it figured out. It's so intentional. It's so thoughtful. Um and then just want to say, you know, to the students, your story really touched me. Um, and to all the students as well, like I'm glad that our town and our district can offer you something like this because you just being in our town, like that offering in itself, y'all being a part of our community like impacts us in ways that
096are just immeasurable. Like you make our town a better place and I'm just I'm just happy that we can give give you something back in return. And so I just I stand with all of you. Um and I support this program and I hope that you know we as a district can continue to find ways to keep this program going and keep it strong. So thank you so much. Sorry, I'm a little like minced for words, but I just I feel really like I'm very moved by this presentation and program and by everyone here because you can't fake this. Like you didn't pull up with a bunch of numbers. Like you pulled up with people and this is like literally one of the best presentations I've seen sitting in this at this table. So, thank
097you. >> Thank you. Thank you. It's old school. That's how I've always done it. >> It works. It still works. Uh Miriam, >> thank you. It was really remarkable and inspiring. Um, and I'm just curious, so what are the pipelines that you know ways that people in the community when people first get here or there have students in the schools like how do people find out about adult ed in the various realms of the community and state and whatnot? a million ways. I will say we have sent flyers out to all of the schools so that when new families come we we're in communication with residency. Um and a lot of it is word of mouth from other immigrant families. Um many of our Afghani families and the refugee families, not just Afghani, um work
098with Iris, um the organization which is sort of underground in Hartford now, but still exists. Um they still have an office in um New Haven and are hoping to reopen their office in Hartford. We just had a meeting with them, a virtual meeting not that long ago, Laura and I to see what kind of connections we can make. So that helps. Uh we advertise in in various ways. We, you know, unfortunately many don't read English, so it makes it a little bit difficult for us. We communicate um our teachers communicate and Monica our admin and any of us communicate through a program called school status and so whatever we type either goes um into the somebody's phone or into their computer in their native language and they can reply back to us in their native
099language and then we get English. We um and I think a lot of it is just you tell somebody and somebody tells somebody and that's how they you know keep coming. We have people coming in almost every day or calling and wanting to take English classes. So we um have them register. It's an online registration and then we call them when we start again. So we can't start now and we will be ending in miday and then so at the end of August we will reach out and most of our students continue to return. Um so that's how we do it. >> Wonderful. Do you have a max capacity for the program or is it >> No, I I don't think we've ever reached I don't feel like we've reached it. >> No. Um I
100think life sometimes gets in the way for some of our students and so consistency and attendance. We start with maybe our classes are small. You know 12 to 15 would be max but not everybody is able to come every week. So they shift, you know, those that are able to move through the program faster, make gains faster, but um we allow them to come as often as they can. If they're not here for a month or two, then we reach out again. Um and say, you know, we really need your space. Um and if you're not committed, please reenroll. But I think most everybody sees the benefits and it builds community even within their little community, you know, their classroom community. they become friends and that and that's what happens with each other, you know,
101and they become friends with their teachers and I know for a fact that a number of our teachers do work outside of the program because they care so much. They tutor or they, you know, make connections. One of the biggest things that takeaways from our advisory board, the Dawn and I have a meeting next week with social services because that's you have to come to social services to know what the services are. most of our students aren't even aware what is social services. So we have our first meeting um with Liz um to talk about how can we get their services out instead of that us have people having to come in and how can we get it and make it language accessible with some so many of the programs now have such simple ways
102to communicate in native language. I mean, we help them find, you know, learn how to go get a driver's license. Uh, you know, the health that there's health clinics, so many of the little things. Uh, we bring them to the library, you know, so they can get library cards. But that's because of our teachers. There are so many more things that families could know. So, we have our first meeting of figuring how do we get it out there? Um, and you know, thanks to Adrian, um, Billing Smith who has helped all of these people, everybody, um, has really come together and give us ideas and resources, um, to make things happen. >> Jennifer, I just wanted to also commend you. um your spirit is really exceptional and um like Latoya said, I think we're very
103lucky to have you and um everyone in this room uh to come to West Harford. I I do I don't know I have to share my personal anecdote. I can't help myself. My dad came here as an immigrant, as a young boy, and I, you know, as a child was constantly told like how easy I have it because, you know, he had to learn English and he also had to be the translator for his parents and um, you know, the the struggles of uh, coming to a new country I think without even going a place language would be insurmountable for many people. So to come here also learn English which I feel like I haven't even mastered myself is is really um exceptional and then to take the time to come and share tonight. I
104just want to say thank you so much um everything uh that you do is just um the the town is very lucky to have you and I want to make sure that you know you hear that as well. So thank you and thank you to the teachers. I mean wonderful. Thank you. Jason. >> So, um, thank you for shedding light on this. I mean, I think you said it's something that lives in in kind of the shadows and people don't know about it. I think that's very true. Um, we could say that for a lot about what this district does. I'm I'm constantly, you know, amazed at meetings just about the depth of what we offer. Um, I think you referred to this as a mandated program and I know it is from the state.
105There is nothing about what you described tonight that is mandated. Um, you know, it really is a passion. So, um, thank you. I mean, you've heard it from all of us. Um, you know, it certainly it will be something that I will bring to the attention of of of more people. >> Um, >> Iron, um, I want you to know something sitting here tonight that at least from my perspective. Um, how important your story is at this particular time in our country's history. Um, you have a voice. I hope you continue to use it. Um, we need people like you. So, thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate. >> Any other questions? Um, what I just would like to ask, I mean, Don especially, congratulations, kudos on being teacher of the year. Um, and just
106curious as it is a state mandate, what support do you see coming from the state as like the infrastructure of adult education? And if you could wave a magic wand, what would you want the state to provide more of? >> Money. >> Well, but how it's all on a percentage and a structure and West Hartford gets very little from the state. The bulk comes from the district. Um and I know that it's tough times and we've had to give up one or two piece small pieces of our program and you know give it our GED piece is so tiny that you know now we will send the one or two students to either Windsor or the um Farmington program. So we've had to make some I've had to make um some cuts in programming and
107shorten our terms. We have in the past have run classes for students that want to continue a little bit more intensive classes for the month of June. This year we just added I think because of the snow days two or three days on and we we didn't we don't have the funding to do additional classes. Just like ESY for special ed students if you don't use the language or aren't taught there's going to be some you know falling back in some of the languages. So, if we can keep some conversation groups going, I'm hoping some informal conversation groups with some of our volunteers hopefully to maintain the level of English um would be great, but we're not going to get much more from the state. They do give right now they do give us one
108of our um tools, Burlington English, which is an online program, and that's free. It was not always um so but um and we're all part-time. We're all hourly employees um except for um our admin offices, you know, admin person. So, everybody works the amount of hours that they teach that I I give all of my teachers an hour of prep time in addition to their work time. Not all programs do that, I found out. >> So, um and one of the first things I did was give a little raise to everybody um because they've been working, you know, this is a business model, you know. Um but and I also give them what they need. I I like to believe if they we need materials, I get it. You know, I find ways to make
109it happen. Um but the state is not going to be giving much us much more because we're perceived as being so wealthy that the majority of their monies goes to Hartford, Bridgeport >> and I re I think you know funding is certainly at a premium. I'm thinking more are there noncost uh resources nocost lowcost resources that you could benefit from in terms of I think of like communities of practice or collective >> yes we have professional development and that's all yes and some of it is asynchronous some of it is in person um but all of our teachers are expected to do professional development and I bring in people um a couple of times a year it's hard to get everybody together because somebody some are teaching in the morning some are teaching ing in
110the night. Some are teaching on Monday and Wednesdays. Some are teaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, we have to find the wins. But, um, we we do we do do it. Um, and I, you know, offer I send out information always and I can tell that the teachers are motivated to want to improve their practice. >> You take volunteers as well. >> Absolutely. >> All right. Well, that's good to share with the community. >> Volunteers. >> Line them up. Yes, you know, we try to keep the classes as homogeneous in terms of levels of English as possible, but that does not always work. So, sometimes we need, you know, somebody to do one-on-one work with a specific student or we can use more conversational groups. We have had volunteer or people wanting to be ESL
111teachers from Central come last year. the person who was organizing that took a leave of absence, so we didn't have that connection this year, but we're hoping to have that again as well. >> That was good. >> Yeah, that was Yeah. So, >> thank you. >> Very helpful. Um, and I have to ask Emran, what are you thinking of studying for your degree? >> Uh, business communication. I like talking to people. I work at the Oyster Bar now. Uh, I always talk to people. So, I like people talking to people, communicating. Back in Afghanistan, I wanted to become a journalist. Uh but the situation there um they started um actually um they they were doing wrong things to journalists and journalists weren't journalists weren't happy and that made me change my mind when I came
112to this country. Uh I thought business would be a better option. So I I'm getting my degree in business communication. >> Congratulations. We could use some good journalists too though. So don't give up on that. Yeah. >> Um well, thank you so much and we hope to hear from you again. So, and we want to hear how you're doing. So, keep us posted. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> I know that was great for the financial report. All right, >> follow that. >> Yeah, see I knew I knew I knew I knew it was the right one. >> Okay, >> Ethan's going to announce he found 700. >> Okay, so uh we are going to keep moving on with uh routine matters. Um we are going to do our financial report. So,
113um, seeking a motion that the board of education approve the financial report for the period ending February 28th, 2026. >> So, moved. >> Thank you, Jason. >> Second. >> Thank you, John. And who will be? Let them clear. >> Who will whoal? >> Yay. Um, who will be reporting out on the report? Thank you. Ethan, take it away. You ready? >> Um, this the finance update for this month was a is a full fiscal year 26 full year forecast as projected at the end of February. The fiscal year 26 full year school adjust adjusted budget general fund is budgeted to be 214 million. Um, the difference between the fiscal year 26 budget and the current forecast that's being presented is a positive $10,000. Uh so relatively on budget. Uh minor changes since we last reported
114at the beginning of March. A positive variance in total of $5,000. The most significant change being a positive reduction of 25,000 in line 5430 the out of district tuition and a positive reduction of 20,000 in line 5186 student aids. That was offset by an increase in line 5185 teacher substitutes 20,000 and 10,000 in line 5117 pair of professional salaries for the full year. The most significant negative variance in total has been the healthc care reserves. uh that's been consistent throughout the year and that's uh negative variance of 625,000 and then 260,000 negative variance in line 5117 pair of professional salaries and an increase in 200,000 in other purchases services was also negative. On the positive side, um there's been the utilization of the 700,000 in education non-lapsing count that was used at the beginning of
115the year. And then um also out of district tuition, a positive 850, which is a function of the lapsing, I believe, and 245,000 positive variance in 5186 student aids. And as noted, the current projection is a positive $10,000 to for um to budget. So relatively small pro to the prior forecast into the full year. In terms of grants, the district has $6.5 million in grants awarded federal and state 6.1 specifically marked for West Harford school system and there was no significant change in the number from prior month. In terms of the third category, special funds, the 10 different funds are expected to end the fiscal year with a 2.3 billion 2.3 million balance. And as with the other uh categories, there was really no significant change from the prior month. And then the final the
116final set of funds was the nutrition service funds. In terms of that, the balance at the end of February was a fund balance of 2.8 million, which is approximately the same as the fiscal year 25 ending balance. So, and that's all she wrote. I there was it was a relatively quiet month. >> Any questions or discussion? >> All right. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? The motion passes. Thank you, Ethan and John. Um, moving on to approval of the minutes. is seeking a motion that the board of education approve the minutes of the regular board of education meeting of March 31st, 2026. >> So moved. Thank you, Miriam. >> Second. >> Thank you, Ethan. Any discussion or revisions? All right. All those in favor say I. I. >>
117Any opposed? Any abstensions? The motion passes. And also thank you Barbara for for joining us for the financial report. Um all right, moving on to information and reports, communications and reports. Any reports from other boards or organizations? Nope. Uh any other information or discussion? Okay. Um future business announcement of future meeting dates. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, May 5th, 2026. a regular board of education meeting held at 7 p.m. here in town hall room 314 followed by Tuesday May 19th 2026 regular board of education meeting 700 p.m. here in town hall 3:14 and the final board of education regular board of education meeting for uh the school year on Tuesday June 2nd 2026 at 7 p.m. here in 314. Uh any requests for future agenda items, Latoya? >> Yeah. Um and y'all can tell
118me that this is not this isn't appropriate, but I uh you know, thinking of wanting to hear from our student reps, you know, before they leave the board. Um as well as I know a request that I've had is wanting to hear from student leaders in general in the district. We have different affinity groups at the high school. um and just like really wanting to hear from some of those groups around some of their initiatives or some of the the things that they're needing and just some of the issues that they care about. Um so both from our student representatives and then some of the other student leaders um you know that represent some of the organizations in the schools. >> Thank you. >> I'm sorry. Uh Jennifer, >> I'll just add I think that's
119a good idea. Um I don't have any ideas of how to do that. Uh but maybe you do. I don't know. But I I agree. Support it. I think it's it makes sense for us to hear from student leaders. >> Jason, >> I I really like the idea. I know we've discussed it before. Um I would suggest instead of doing it at a board meeting that we meet them where they're at and maybe kind of do listening sessions in the schools on their home field, right? I mean, >> Ethan with it, but I thought we were limited on how many of us can meet at any one point in time. So unless you did two meetings or three meetings, >> I think we could divide and conquer. >> Yeah, >> we can look into different
120formats and then circle back. Does that work? Miriam, >> could I make make a suggestion also? uh potentially if my colleagues want to discuss this further, but uh the practice of having school lea board members as school liaison is something that's done in many districts uh around the state and country from what I've read. Um and so and I've shared this with Shannon um just to throw it out there and the idea would be that we would uh kind of part each of us would partner with a school or two and um it would be to build community, show our support, build relationships with uh more parents, students, you know, admin, the whole kind of school community. And that might be another way also for us to kind of get to know what's going the
121happenings of the school and be able to report as well. Um opportunities to meet students, attend those meetings. Certainly not to exclude any of us from wanting to get information or participate, but kind of just another layer um of opportunity, so to speak. So, just thought I'd add that and throw that out there um to see if it's of any interest or might also be another way to accomplish this. >> Well, I was going to say I encourage the board members. I imagine you have children at various schools to certainly be active in those schools and the PTO's and certainly the opportunity, you know, when you get to that other reports kind of thing to be able to do that. Um, I wanted to add I apologize. I don't want to change the subject. you
122guys were talking about this, but as you were going through the dates on May 5th, I just wanted to not part of your meeting, but you were all invited uh that half hour before for our teacher of the year finalist. So, I just wanted to uh take the opportunity to remind you of that. Um that's in room 400. Um and there's typically just a brief reception right before our meeting and and you're welcome to join. >> Bridg has a >> um do you know who the teacher of the year finalists are this year? like >> I am not allowed to say. >> Oh. Oh, is this where you find out what the finalists are? I thought that was when you announced who actually is a teacher. My bad. >> That's okay. No, no, no. >>
123Can you can you explain the timeline like brief abbreviated for >> uh so just before the May 5th meeting? Um so the teacher of the year committee, it's a it's a teacher run committee. Um so G Perry runs it. uh retired educator from West Harford and just uh one of the great great um great souls of West Harford and has a cadre of people here in the district that she works with current teachers. Um totally run by them and I'm sworn to secrecy until they announce it. Um which should be just prior to the May 5th meeting. I I I owe a specific date. I don't know the specific date upon which they make that public. Uh but then it's pretty much an unveiling here at uh the board. Um and then shortly thereafter uh
124within within two weeks there there is then the notification of who is the teacher of the year for next year. >> Thank you for that reminder. You see you seem very you you want to know this information. Awesome. Um, thank you. So, we'll we'll uh follow up on the student leader and interaction opportunities and kind of circle back with a plan for that. Um, any other agenda item requests? Okay. Uh, any additional comments from visitors? Seeing none, uh, we have no executive session. So seeking a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved >> with Latoya. Second was >> Ethan. Okay. All right. Meeting adjourn.