Board of Education Meeting Minutes part 1

July 15, 2008

ATTENDANCE: Jody Bishop-Pullan; Glenn Iannaccone; Bruce Kimmel; Greg Burnett (8:30 p.m.); Jack Chiaramonte; Rosa Murray; Shirley Mosby; Migdalia Rivas (7:20 p.m.)

STAFF: Dr. Salvatore Corda, Superintendent of Schools; Sheri McCready OTHERS: Michael Mocciae; Tony Daddona; Mary Peniston; Steve Colarossi; Joan Smith; Wayne Mones; Melissa Banks; Lisa Lenskold; Anthony Mirabile; Dale Ford; Debra Parent; Chris Griffith; Pat Spinola; Sharon Cadden; Eva Bartush; Diana Guaglione; Marge Costa; Julie Chironna; Douglas Peoples; Lisa LaRusso; Jack Snedaker; Michele Andropolos; Price Snedaker; Danielle Tagliarello; Diane Mazzello; Alice Tierney Pennato; Pat Zumbo

I. CALL TO ORDER – 7:00 P.M. – Rm. A300

Ms. Murray called the Special Meeting of the Board of Education to order at 7:15 p.m.

Present were Dr. Corda, Mr. Chiaramonte, Ms. Bishop-Pullan, Mr. Kimmel, Mr. Iannaccone, Ms. Murray, and Ms. Mosby.

Ms. Rivas joined the meeting at 7:20 p.m.

The Board members invited Ms. Katherine Thompson, School Attorney, to go into Executive Session.

MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PASSED WITH SIX (6) VOTES IN FAVOR (CHIARAMONTE, BISHOP-PULLAN, KIMMEL, IANNACCONE, MURRAY, AND RIVAS) AND ONE (1) VOTE RECUSED (MOSBY).

The Special Meeting of the Board of Education was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.

I. CALL TO ORDER – 7:45 P.M. – Rm. A300

Ms. Murray called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m.

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Ms. Murray led those present in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

III. SPOTLIGHT ON NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Mr. Iannaccone read the following statement:

Nine students from Nathan Hale Middle School are attending college during the summer break. As part of the University PALS program at UCONN-Stamford’s satellite campus, the soon-to-be eighth graders will have the chance to participate in a simulated college experience, complete with core courses, electives and college professors. Orientation for the three-week July programs was held last Saturday in Stamford, as students got their first glimpses of college life. The primary goal of the program is to help students get to college and to help them get a feel for what college is like in the process.

Courses will include four college-level required courses college prep 101, problem solving, academic writing and biology – and several electives.

Participants are encouraged to return to campus for future lectures and seminars. The program is geared toward first generation college students. Parents are strongly urged to participate; a parent workshop will be held on July 23.

Commencement is scheduled for August 1.

IV. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT Presentation on Athletic Fields Plan

Mr. Mocciae, Director of Recreation and Parks, presented the Athletic Fields plan. He explained that the plans were a result of a study that was commissioned. About 3 or 4 years ago, Norwalk High School was short on field space. The City wasn’t going to put any money into the refurbishment of Andrews Field. Mr. Mocciae put into the capital budget for the complete refurbishment of the lower Nathan Hale Field. He said that the parents of Norwalk High started a campaign for better playing fields, and they established some basic criteria for wanting another field on site. Malone & McBroom were the consultants who were commissioned to do the study, and they did the original site work and the designs for the new Norwalk High School field. They analyzed the existing fields at Norwalk High School, at the upper Nathan Hale field, the front of Norwalk High School, and the front of Naramake School. He explained the current field conditions at the different sites. He said that the fields are showing wear and tear because of the amount of use they get. The field at the front of the high school would need to have the bus loop reconfigured, as it is currently a field hockey field and softball field, which is not the same size needed for a full-size soccer field. Looking at the upper Nathan Hale field, which is a larger land mass, it only gave them room for an artificial turf field. When they looked at the front of Naramake School, it would require a large amount of fill and lights, which might be of concern to neighbors. The last plan is to remove the parking lot and some green space at Naramake School, where the softball field is now. Malone & McBroom thought this would be the most appropriate location, given the criteria of Norwalk High School. The two school campuses were to be kept separate and with as much parking as possible away from Norwalk High School. The practice area, the basketball court and the ball walls were taken away. The current plan is parking for 70 cars, leaving as much green space as possible in the front of the school.

Mr. Mocciae pointed out that this is only a study, and the City has not allocated any money for this project. There are no capital funds available. He distributed some price information, saying that the only item not listed was the lower Nathan Hale field. That project would run approximately $1.5-$1.6M, because it has to be made handicap accessible and have the parking moved to the upper lot. He explained that there is no reason to put in a turf field if you don’t put lights in. Public hearings would have to be held on the proposed field locations.

Mr. Kimmel asked the distance between the school and the corner of the field. Mr. Mocciae responded that the field is about 15-20 feet away. He confirmed that there are fifth grade classrooms in that corner of the school. Mr. Kimmel asked if they had looked at the huge field space at West Rocks. Mr. Mocciae explained that the space at West Rocks doesn’t meet the needs of the high school.

Mr. Iannaccone asked if they had looked at moving the bus drop-off from the front of the school and thereby making the loop a parent drop-off. Mr. Mocciae said that there are only a few buses that use the front of the school, but that it wasn’t his policy to determine where drop-off locations are. Mr. Moccaie said that he doesn’t have a timeline regarding this project. He thought that perhaps the high school did. He did say that he would like to see another turf field within two years.

Dr. Corda asked that if construction were to begin within the next year, at what point would Mr. Mocciae need to hear from the board regarding their thoughts. Mr. Mocciae said that if the Board was in agreement with the location, it could go on for this year’s October capital and have the money set aside for design for July 1, 2009. Mr. Mocciae suggested that the Board decide no later than October 15.

2008 CAPT Scores

Dr. Corda presented the 2008 CAPT scores. He said that the CMT scores will be made available to the Board next week.

Dr. Corda highlighted the figures from his presentation. He said the percentage of students at goal in 2007 went from 32.2% to 38% in 2008. In Science, for the Generation 3 test, the percentage of students at goal in 2007 was 35% and it was 32.7% in 2008. The State data changed from 45.3% in math to 50%; and from 44.5% to 46%. In reading, the percentage of students at goal was 31%, down from 36% the year before; at the State level, the percentage remained the same at 45%. In writing, at goal students increased from 41.2% to 47.9%.

Dr. Corda said they saw progress in math and writing. The number of students at proficiency shows an increase from 68.6% in 2007 to 75.2% in 2008 in math. The State number increased from 77.3% to 79.7%. In science, the number stayed constant at 76.4% while the State went down from 81.4% to 80%. In reading, an improvement was seen from 76.6% to 79.8%. The State change was from 79% to 82%. In writing, the increase was from 80.5% to 87.4% at proficiency. The State went from 82% to 88%.

Dr. Corda explained that they are pushing more students from the low proficiency rating into the proficiency rating. While they have improved with respect to the percentage of students at goal in math and in writing, they did not increase the number of students at goal in science and reading. He said increases can be noted in all 4 areas of students at the proficiency level.

Dr. Corda highlighted more figures, noting that in 2001, in math, 565 students took the CAPT test. 38.9% of them were at goal; and 67.3% of them were at proficiency. In 2006, 780 students took the test. 31.9% were at goal while 66.8% were at proficiency. In 2008, 781 students took the test. 38% were at goal and 75% were at proficiency. Dr. Corda noted that with 200 additional students taking the exam, the percentage of students at goal stayed the same. The increase in students at proficiency went from 67.3% to 75.2%.

Dr. Corda answered questions from the Board members. They discussed the achievement gap, the sub-groups of students and how the percentages increased or decreased, and that the goal is to reduce the amount of students at below basic level (13.7% to 10.8%).

Mr. Burnett arrived at 8:30 p.m.

Dr. Corda continued, saying that in 2008 there was a higher percentage of students at proficiency level in math, reading and writing. The gap between Norwalk’s performance and the State is narrower. There were more students who reached goal in math and writing. The percentage of students at below basic level decreased. All of the subgroups achieved higher proficiency and goal percentages in math and writing. There was a higher percentage of African/American, Hispanic and ELL students reaching proficiency. These subgroups exceeded the performance of the subgroups across the State. The Caucasian students surpassed the State proficiency percentage in math, science and writing and matched the State in reading. The gap did decrease. The gap between Hispanic and Caucasian students decreased in all content areas.

Dr. Corda outlined the next steps, the most important being to keep the focus on the goal. On an annual basis, they should identify data-driven, measurable goals. They should use uniformity in school data teams. And they need to begin to observe each other’s practice.

V. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Please note that these public comments are not verbatim.

Steve Colarossi, 6 Kingsbury Road, spoke on the turf field issue. He was concerned that the proposed turf field sacrificed the pre-school and elementary students at Naramake. He said the plan presented was conceptual but it came with a price tag and a timeframe. He felt the plan would be better suited if the field was located at Nathan Hale. The reduction in parking spaces would present a major safety problem for teachers and parents.

Joan Smith, 5 King Street, is a teacher at Naramake and spoke on the turf field issue. She has lived there for 27 years and this is not the first time she has faced the proposal of an additional field. She said she was concerned as a neighbor with a big field being put next to the school. The residents should have a chance to speak on the plan before it is voted on. The school and field are already overburdened with garbage, noise, lights, etc. She said research shows that parent involvement helps students, so taking away the parking for the parents would present a problem with them volunteering at the school. She wanted the high school students to get the fields that they need, but didn’t want to impact the safety of the young children.

Wayne Mones, Norwalk High School Athletic Director, said that 4 years ago, he had a meeting with Mr. Daddona and Norwalk High School parents to identify a solution for the lack of playing fields. Testa Field is in the process of being resurfaced and should be done by August 15th. They still needed another on-site field. Norwalk High School would rate last in the number of field usage. Brien McMahon has a turf field, a practice field, a baseball field, and a softball field, all on-site. The plan from the architects was to put a field on ½ of the property at Norwalk High School and ½ on Naramake. From an education standpoint, students aren’t being accommodated fairly because they could practice anytime from 3:00 to 9:30 p.m. on any given day of the week. There is no routine for their day. The plan for the field to be put at either upper Nathan Hale or lower Nathan Hale doesn’t give anything more in terms of field space. A safety issue would arise if a turf field would be put at upper Nathan Hale, with students getting out of high school and going to practice with equipment through neighboring homes, streets, etc. to get to Nathan Hale. If they had side-by-side turf fields, many teams could practice and be finished by 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. He said that they definitely need an additional field.

Melissa Banks, 3 Kingsbury Road, spoke on the turf field issue. She has three young children and is concerned that the plan presented doesn’t have any benefit for the elementary students and they shouldn’t be put at risk. She mentioned the pre-school program at Naramake that has parents dropping off and picking up children during the day. The decrease in parking spaces would be woefully inadequate. She agreed that there is a need for another field, but was concerned that children could be injured in the parking lot if this plan was approved.

Lisa Lenskold, 17 Folwell Road, said she is the Co-President of Naramake PTO. She said that when the PTO met with Mr. Mocciae, they were very concerned about the original plan because the drop-off points for the students are unacceptable. She said they had never seen the second plan, so they therefore couldn’t approve of it. She said she doesn’t see the plan as a win-win for the Naramake students.

Anthony Mirabile, 125 Strawberry Hill Avenue, said he has three small children at Naramake and is very concerned about his children’s safety. His wife is a volunteer at the school, and her car has been hit in the parking lot. The parking spaces are tight, and making the parking lot smaller is not an option. He suggested that they look for another location for the field.

Dale Ford, 26 Deerfield Street, commended the Board on their commitment. She asked to reconsider the sudden elimination of the school choice that has been extended as a professional courtesy to Norwalk public school employees for years. She is employed by the school-based health center, primarily located at Norwalk High School. The largest of the school population is the 9th graders. There is a licensed clinical social worker at each health center. The most common diagnosis is an adjustment disorder among the 9th graders. If the professional courtesy was not granted to 9th graders students of teachers who worked in the school system, the students would feel like they were repeating freshman year because of going to another school. She felt the best suggestion was to grandfather those already in place, and let the new rule take effect for those in the younger grades. She said that the teachers who choose to live and work in the City are not asking for much, and deserve nothing less. She asked that they reconsider the policy.

Debra Parent, 15 Madison Street, E-3, spoke on the subject of child abuse awareness. She thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak on this topic, which she said was a deep personal struggle. She said that as a little girl in the school system from Kindergarten through the 5th grade, she exhibited many signs of child abuse that no one recognized. She is now a married mother of two girls in a happy home. She wished to raise the public’s awareness of this, especially in the school system, so that no one else would have to experience it. She said that people need to come forward.

Chris Griffith, 19 Crooked Trail, spoke on the unjust policy change that affects the Norwalk teachers and their children who reside in the community. The policy prohibits them from having their own children attend the school they teach in, if they so choose, without applying for it each year. Why would the Board take a non-issue and create an air of contention and distrust. She said the teachers have strong ties to Norwalk, and they choose to work raise their families here despite crime, high taxes, and low test scores. She hoped the Board would reconsider their actions regarding this unjust policy which affects the teachers and their families who give of themselves wholeheartedly to the community.

Pat Spinola, 97 County Street, said he attended many meetings about the athletic facilities in the City. He has heard both sides of the argument, and feels that a compromise can be reached. Regarding the safety and parking issue, he said that Malone & McBroom in the past has ironed out a lot of the problems that have come up. He said the proposal could be a win-win for both schools. The trend today is to use all-weather softball fields. A turf field can be used in both rain and snow conditions.

Sharon Cadden, 26 Saxon Road, distributed the original 2006 proposal for the additional field at Norwalk High School. They needed an additional field at that time. Andrews Field was not an option, as the field was not safe. She discussed the plans and different options offered then. She understands the parking and open space issues that they are facing now, but said that they need to come up with a win-win situation so that the safety of all students can be addressed. She asked the Board to move forward so that the schools and the City can mutually benefit from the plan.

Eva Bartush, One Grumman Court, said her daughter was granted approval to attend the same school she works in. She said that there is no formal policy written on professional courtesy, but it makes good sense and it allows the teachers to be more involved as parents and educators. It increases community involvement and communication. It shows other parents that the staff is dedicated to their jobs. Granting professional courtesy to Norwalk resident/teachers improves staff morale, and it attracts and keeps top quality professional educators within the City. She quoted the 2008-09 District Action Plan for the Norwalk Public Schools, the family/community goal for the district is to ensure a safe, welcoming and engaging culture in all of Norwalk schools to support student learning as measured by pre- and post welcome school criteria. The 2008-09 District Action Plan was submitted to the State of Connecticut and approved by it, so now the District has the job of implementing it. Granting professional courtesy creates a special bond between the parents and students in the building, and it is what is right for Norwalk. She asked that they put a policy in place that will help them be more involved as teachers and parents, because their children and students are in the same plan.

Diana Guaglione, 16 Buttonball Trail, spoke on the field plan and the professional courtesy topic. She suggested that the morning drop-off routine at the school be observed in order to make a compromise. The instructional time of the 5th graders whose classrooms are near the proposed field site could be compromised. A co-worker read a letter from her son Jake and her daughter Sara regarding the professional courtesy.

Sharon Cadden read a letter from Marge Costa, who is the Co-President for the Parents for Norwalk High School, which is the umbrella group for the parents and represents the families of all the students. While they understand the concerns of the Naramake PTO and surrounding community, The Parents for Norwalk High School support the new field between Norwalk High and Naramake. The athletes, especially the female teams, would have a practice field to use during the day. Because Norwalk High School has such limited practice space, our athletes are subject to practicing all hours of the day and night. This new field would allow Norwalk High School’s female athletes to have equal practice time on quality, acceptable fields during the after-school hours so academics are not compromised. The Naramake school’s youth athletic programs would also have access to the field. Norwalk High School also pledges their support to the Naramake community regarding safety. They ask any student using the Naramake field to be courteous and follow safety rules. They will work with the Athletic Director to make sure that all coaches understand the concerns of the community.

Julie Chironna, 11 Boulder Circle, is a 2nd grade teacher at Columbus Magnet School. She read a letter from her daughter, who attends Roton School, regarding the professional courtesy policy change and how it has affected her. The letter explained that she was accepted to attend Roton Middle School, but she was supposed to go to Ponus. Roton was closer to the school that her mom teaches in. She got a ride every day from a friend’s mom to her mom’s school and didn’t have to take the bus to go home alone or attend an after school program. She then received a letter saying she could not attend Roton anymore. She said she will miss everything about Roton, from her classes, teachers and friends. She would be starting all over again at Ponus.

Douglas Peoples, spoke on both issues. He didn’t feel it was right to separate the children from their parent/teachers in school. He said he understands the concern of safety from the Naramake community, but a field is definitely needed at Norwalk High School. With the advent of Title 9, the expansion of scholarships given out, and the cost of college around $40,000, the best way for students to get college scholarships is through athletics. The best way to do that is to have facilities readily available to them so that they can practice and go home to do homework.

Lisa LaRusso, 10 Birchside Drive, is a 2nd grade teacher at Rowayton School and has two daughters that have been lucky enough to be granted permission to attend Rowayton School. She found information on the Norwalk Public School website, specifically the District Goals and Objectives. Goal #2, entitled Community Participation, states “We will actively seek the input and involvement of all staff, parents, students and community when making the educational decisions necessary to ensure every students’ success”. She listed other goals, saying that the parent/teachers share the same goals. She said that there is no bigger compliment than having teachers want to have their children attend the school they work in. She asked the Board for their support.

Jill Griffin-Wells, Vice President for the board of the Parents of Norwalk High, had Sharon Cadden read her statement for her. It said that she and other parents have for the past two years begged and pleaded about the terrible conditions at the field and the unquestionable need for an additional field and an updated old field. With 17 different teams and an extraordinary band, there is a need for more space. Using part of the land at Naramake is a no-brainer. The students at Naramake could become possible athletes at Norwalk High School. The safety and security of the children is always a #1 priority. As a parent, she would be willing to accommodate everyone.

Jack Snedaker, 17 Harborview Avenue, is in the 5th grade at Rowayton School. He said his teacher is Ms. Petropolos, whose children were not able to attend Rowayton School. He said it was a very stressful situation for all involved. Ms. Petropolos’s daughter was later allowed to attend Rowayton School, and he said his teacher is much happier now and it shows in her teaching.

Michele Andropolis, 21 Morgan Street, said she has a 7 year old son who walks to and from school with his parents. She is a member of the PTO, and as there are many activities that go on at the school, the parking lot is very busy with cars coming and going. She said that she, her son and two other children were almost hit by a car coming from Naramake. She suggested that they think seriously about compromising the parking lot.

Price Snedaker, 17 Harborview Avenue, is the mother of Jack Snedaker who spoke earlier. She said that Rowayton School is a school with a close bond of teachers that have their children attend there. There are many benefits to having the child attend the same school where the parent works, as the teacher would stay late to get work done while the child does homework. She hopes that the Board would consider this policy, as the teachers deserve it.

Danielle Tagliarello, a Special Education teacher at Rowayton School, read a letter from the Principal. The letter said she supported the placement of children of teachers at the same school in which they are educators. Many of the faculty members at Rowayton who are also Norwalk residents whose children currently attend or anticipate attending the school are tireless in their support of all children at the school. They work above and beyond their contractual hours and continue to work during the summer months. Many parents have approached her about this topic. The district is one in need of improvement and teachers can be more flexible with their schedule if they know their children can attend the same school. She appreciated the Board’s support and said it was important that they all work together in their commitment to every student in Norwalk’s public schools.

Diane Mazzello, a teacher at Roton for 35 years, brought both of her children to work with her and she stayed everyday until 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., and went in on weekends. She mentioned that she grew up with Debbie Parent, who spoke earlier in the evening, and she asked everyone not to forget what they heard from her. She said her only regret is not being able to help her friend when they were little girls.

Alice Tierney Pennato, said that her family has owned the home across the street from Naramake for 56 years. She said the current Norwalk High School turf field infringed on the neighborhood, with the lights not being turned off on time. The lights shine directly on her property night after night. The parking situation is terrible. Parents use driveways to turn around instead of going into the parking lot. She asked why they need lights and bleachers if the proposed field is only to be used for practice. She asked that they look at the plan carefully, get the neighbors’ input, and asked that they don’t overlook the residents’ concerns.

Pat Zumbo, 16 Eugene Drive, said that his property is directly across the street from Naramake. He is retired and spends a lot of time in his yard. He strongly suggested that before any action is taken regarding the field plan, that a visual survey of the traffic be taken. The morning drop-off is hectic, but the afternoon pick-up is worse. People park along both sides of a narrow street and block other drivers’ vision. Taking away parking spaces would only make things worse.

VI. ACTIONS

A. Consent

1. Approval of personnel actions

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOVED TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL ACTIONS.

** MR. IANNACCONE SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

B. Approval of minutes (June 24, 2008 & July 1, 2008)

Minutes of June 24, 2008

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JUNE 24, 2008.

** MR. BURNETT SECONDED.

The corrections to the minutes of June 24, 2008 are:

On page 1, and throughout, change “Sherry McReady” to “Sheri McReady”.

On page 15, under ADJOURNMENT, it should read “The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 p.m.”

** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Minutes of July 1, 2008

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JULY 1, 2008.

** MR. BURNETT SECONDED.

On page 10, under ADJOURNMENT, it should read “The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.”

** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

C. Amplification of approval for trip to Italy

** MS. RIVAS MOVED THE AMPLIFICATION OF APPROVAL FOR TRIP TO ITALY.

** MR. IANNACCONE SECONDED.

Dr. Corda clarified that this trip was previously approved for students of one high school to attend, and it now includes students from both schools. Mr. Kimmel asked how many students were enrolled in the Latin classes. Dr. Corda said that there were 76 students enrolled in Latin at Brien McMahon High School, and there were 137 students enrolled in Latin at Norwalk High School. Mr. Kimmel said that 6 out of 76 Brien McMahon Latin students are going, and 12 of the 137 Norwalk High School Latin students are going. He said it is impossible to raise sufficient funds to attend the trip, which costs $3,000. He said that they have to more seriously consider the fundraising aspect. Car washes and bake sales will not raise enough money.

Some discussion took place among the Board members about the trip costs and ways to raise the money. A suggestion was made to plan for the trip earlier, perhaps a year in advance, in order to have the money raised. Another suggestion included having the money in the budget to supplement the difference so that more students can attend. If the trip is part of the curriculum, it was mentioned that it should be made part of the budget to offset the cost of the trip.

** MOTION PASSED WITH SEVEN (7) VOTES IN FAVOR (CHIARAMONTE, BISHOP-PULLAN, IANNACCONE, MURRAY, BURNETT, RIVAS, MOSBY) AND ONE (1) VOTE OPPOSED (KIMMEL).

D. Approval of contract for Human Resources Officer 2008-2009

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER 2008-2009.

** Category: Minutes