Board of Education Meeting Minutes

August 15, 2006

ATTENDANCE: Thomas Vetter, Chairman; Rob Polley; Jody Bishop-Pullan; Bruce Kimmel; Rosa Murray; Midaglia Rivas; Gregory Burnett; Susan Hamilton; Richard Fuller (7:40).

STAFF: Dr. Salvatore Corda, Superintendent of Schools.

OTHERS: Bruce Mellion, NFT; Lynn Massey, Sally Cordovan, co-Presidents, PTO Council; Jim Castelot, AFSCME 4; Roberta Roma; Ms. Turner.

I. CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Vetter called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m.

Board members in attendance were Thomas Vetter, Chairman; Rob Polley; Jody Bishop- Pullan; Bruce Kimmel; Rosa Murray; Midaglia Rivas; Gregory Burnett; Susan Hamilton. Also in attendance was Dr. Salvatore Corda, Superintendent of Schools.

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mr. Vetter waived the Pledge until the public portion of the meeting.

III. DISCUSSION OF PERSONNEL MATTER (Executive Session anticipated) (Resume public session approx. 7:45) ** MR. POLLEY MOTIONED THAT THE BOARD GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. ** MR. BURNETT SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

The Board went into Executive Session at 7:25 p.m.

Mr. Fuller arrived at the meeting at 7:40 p.m.

Public session was resumed at 7:52 p.m.

Mr. Vetter called the Board to order at 8:00 p.m.

In attendance were Thomas Vetter, Chairman; Rob Polley; Jody Bishop-Pullan; Bruce Kimmel; Richard Fuller; Rosa Murray; Gregory Burnett; Midaglia Rivas; Susan Hamilton; and Dr. Salvatore Corda.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mr. Vetter led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance.

IV. SPOTLIGHT

Mr. Fuller read the Spotlight report into the record.

V. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

District CMT Results Dr. Corda informed the Board that he would like to call a Special Meeting for September 12 to further discuss the CMT results. He gave a brief presentation on the results of the Connecticut Mastery Test, which showed that Norwalk is below the statewide performance in comparison with the State in Math, Writing and Reading.

Mr. Fuller asked how sure can they be that the test preparation and the test atmosphere is the same as the State’s. Dr. Corda said the tests are taken very seriously. There is orientation for teachers at faculty meetings and the testing period is the same across the District.

Mr. Kimmel said it was a very concise report and he favors the special meeting to discuss the test results after the No Child Left Behind date passes. He liked the idea of proficiency and said they shouldn’t get the idea that proficiency is below grade level. He would like to focus on proficiency at the meeting.

Ms. Bishop-Pullan commented on the time that elapsed between tests and how the students are doing in the classroom.

Ms. Murray said she was in support of the special meeting, and reminded the Board that it is a public session. She asked for a sheet of definitions for the public’s benefit.

Dr. Corda said they are working on materials to be given to the public. He suggested holding the meeting in a different venue, such as the Community Room, in order to allow for the large audience that may attend.

Mr. Vetter agreed that September 12 is a good date for the meeting.

Mr. Fuller suggested the Board deal with No Child Left Behind and the CMTs separately. Dr. Corda stated that NCLB is based on the CMT results.

Further discussion followed.

VI. PUBLIC COMMENT Mr. Bruce Mellion, NFT, addressed remarks on the class-cutting policy. He stated that thirty years ago the Board adopted a policy to stop student class-cutting. He said the policy works well and should be left unchanged. He pointed out that there had been no discussion about changing the policy with either the high school staff; the Board; or the public. He suggested that the policy remain in effect for grades 9, 10 and 11 and that appropriate punishment be decided upon.

Ms. Sally Cordovan and Ms. Lynn Massey, co-Presidents of the PTO Council addressed the Board. Ms. Massey read an article about the CMT and stated she wanted the Board to know that the PTO Council is very concerned about the low scores. Ms. Cordovan read several negative comments to the BOE from both students and parents concerning the current food program in the schools, and said the PTO Council endorses Whitson’s to provide school food, and recommended that the BOE choose them.

Mr. Jim Castelot, labor negotiator for AFSCME 4, stated that he was not against the food service being managed by Whitson’s but was concerned about any employees who might lose their jobs. He informed the BOE that he will be watching the situation closely.

Ms. Roberta Roma asked Ms. Cordovan if the PTO received any good feedback from the students and parents, and if so, why weren’t they read to the Board. Ms. Cordovan said they had received a few, but not very many, and they were not all that favorable.

VII. ACTIONS

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOTIONED TO AMEND THE ACTIONS TO ADD ITEM 7A3 TO ELIMINATE THE POSITION OF FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR. ** MS. MURRAY SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

A. Consent

1. Approval of budget transfers. 2. Approval of personnel actions.

** MS. HAMILTON MOTIONED TO APPROVE AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, DR. SALVATORE J. CORDA AND/OR HIS DESIGNEE, THE COO, STUART A. OPDAHL TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE PROCUREMENT RELATED TO ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS FROM THE LOWEST QUALIFIED SUPPLIER FOR AN INITIAL TERM NOT TO EXCEED THREE (3) YEARS. ** MS. MURRAY SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

B. Approval of minutes (June 6, 2006 and June 20, 2006 and July 19, 2006)

** MR. BURNETT MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JUNE 6, 2006. ** MS. MURRAY SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED WITH ONE ABSTENTION (MS. HAMILTON).

** MS. HAMILTON MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JUNE 20, 2006. ** MR. BURNETT SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JULY 19, 2006. ** MS. HAMILTON SECONDED. ** MOTION APPROVED WITH FIVE ABSTENTIONS (MR. POLLEY, MR. KIMMEL, MR. BURNETT, MR. FULLER, MS. RIVAS)

C. Transportation Services for Head Start program

** MS. MURRAY MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR THE HEAD START PROGRAM. ** MR. FULLER SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. D. Approval of Food Service Management company

** MS. HAMILTON MOTIONED TO APPROVE WHITSON’S AS THE FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR THE DISTRICT. ** MR. FULLER SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED WITH TWO OPPOSED (MR. KIMMEL, MR. BURNETT)

E. Approval of memorandum of agreement with Norwalk Technicians Union

** MR. FULLER MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT. ** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

F. Approval of field trip

** MS. BISHOP-PULLAN MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE ROTON MIDDLE SCHOOL TRIP TO NATURE’S CLASSROOM IN IVORYTON, CT. FROM NOVEMBER 27 THROUGH DECEMBER 1, 2006. ** MS. MURRAY SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

G. Approval for YMCA use of Ponus, Roton and West Rocks Middle Schools for after school programs

** MS. HAMILTON MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE USE OF PONUS, ROTON AND WEST ROCKS MIDDLE SCHOOLS FOR THE YMCA’S AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. ** MS. MURRAY SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED WITH THREE ABSTENTIONS (MR. POLLEY, MR. FULLER, MS. RIVAS)

VII. INFORMATION & REPORTS

A. Student Wellness Policy

Ms. Turner gave a presentation on the Draft Student Wellness Policy. A brief discussion followed.

B. Substitute pay Dr. Corda recommended that substitute teachers’ pay be increased to $90 per day, and to $120 per day after 20 days. After a short discussion Dr. Corda said this will be presented as an action item for the next meeting.

C. Board Members’ Announcements

Ms. Murray commented on the New Teacher Orientation to be held on August 28th and Convocation to be held on August 28th.

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

** MR. FULLER MOTIONED TO ADJOURN. ** MS. HAMILTON SECONDED. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda J. Hayes Telesco Secretarial Services

Category: Minutes