Board of Education Meeting Minutes Part II

September 4, 2007

Dr. Corda said that the document sets very high expectations for teacher performance. This articulates a very high standard when a distinguished teacher is mentioned. The distinction between a “proficient” teacher and a “distinguished” teacher, the fundamental across all of the components in the domains is the notion of transfer of agency. This would be the student assuming responsibility for his or her own learning. Dr. Corda then went on to elaborate on this concept. He said that if the teachers feel that this is punitive, they have to come forward and have a conversation about this.

** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

E. Approval of ZEUS Swim Team contract

** MS. RIVAS MOVED THE APPROVAL OF THE ZEUS SWIM TEAM CONTRACT. ** MS. HAMILTON SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

F. Whitson’s Culinary Group contract renewal

** MR. POLLEY MOVED THE WHITSON’S CULINARY GROUP CONTRACT RENEWAL. ** MS. MURRAY SECONDED.

Mr. Burnett said that under the recommendation, it states that the Board signs a one year contract, however the time frame is not a full calendar year. It is a full school year, from September of 2007 to June of 2008. He asked if the wording needed to reflect a full school year versus a calendar year.

** MR. BURNETT MOVED TO AMEND THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION FROM:

RESOLVED, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SIGN A ONE YEAR CONTRACT RENEWAL, REVIEWED BY COUNSEL, WITH WHITSON’S CULINARY GROUP OF ISLANDIA, N.Y., TO PROVIDE MANAGEMENT SERVICES WITH ALL PROFITS GOING TO NPS. WHITSON’S CULINARY GROUP SHALL PROVIDE A MANAGEMENT TEAM AND ALL OTHER FOOD SERVICE WORKERS SHALL BE EMPLOYED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

RESOLVED, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SIGN A ONE YEAR CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2007-2008, REVIEWED BY COUNSEL, WITH WHITSON’S CULINARY GROUP OF ISLANDIA, N.Y., TO PROVIDE MANAGEMENT SERVICES WITH ALL PROFITS GOING TO NPS. WHITSON’S CULINARY GROUP SHALL PROVIDE A MANAGEMENT TEAM AND ALL OTHER FOOD SERVICE WORKERS SHALL BE EMPLOYED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

** MR. KIIMMEL SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

** THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE WHITSON’S CULINARY GROUP CONTRACT AS AMENDED PASSED UNANIOMOUSLY.

VII. INFORMATION AND REPORTS

A. Update on China trip

Dr. Corda said that there were a number of Norwalk High School students who would give the Board an update on the trip to China. Mr. Ted Welch, a Norwalk High School Social Studies teacher, came forward with four of his students to speak to the Board. He then distributed a copy of the plans for a trip to China in the Spring of 2008.

Mr. Kimmel had some questions about the details of the trip, which Mr. Welch answered. Mr. Welch said that travel in Asia is not as easy as it is in Europe or the United States. For that reason, Mr. Welch said that he would like smaller group to go. Mr. Kimmel asked if the number of students that were allowed to go would be based on the ability to pay. Mr. Welch said that ability to pay would not be part of the criteria, but was not certain how the selection would be done at this time. Mr. Welch said that he had spoken to all his classes about the trip and there was some interest, but it was too early to tell if there would be too many students to take on the trip.

Mr. Kimmel had some additional questions about the itinerary, which Mr. Welch answered. Mr. Kimmel had some concerns about the air quality in Beijing and those students who have respiratory problems. Mr. Welch said that he was aware of the pollution and that the group would not be there at the worst time, which is the dead of winter. Mr. Welch said that he has tried to be as comprehensive as possible in the student applications. Students that have asthma or other respiratory problems would be advised not to go on the trip.

Mr. Kimmel asked about the plans to subsidize students who need financial assistance. Mr. Welch said that he was not certain it would become an issue. The State actually has a scholarship program for this type of travel. He then reviewed the details of the program.

Mr. Burnett asked if Mr. Welch was working with his fellow teachers at Brien McMahon. Mr. Welch said that he had not taken that formal step yet.

Ms. Bishop-Pullan said that usually, the trips like these are done during vacation periods. Mr. Welch agreed and said that some of the information about the timing was included in the documentation given to the Board. The trip will be taking place during CAP test periods when there are abbreviated days. Also there is a great opportunity for the students to participate in a conference run by the Beijing International School.

Mr. Burnett said that he would like the ratio of students to chaperones, but it was not included in the document. Mr. Welch stated that it was eight to one, which is the Board policy for international trips.

Dr. Corda said that this would be on the agenda for formal action by the Board at the next meeting.

B. Board of Ed policies

Dr. Lang and Mr. McKiernan came forward to address the Board. Dr. Lang said that the rational for the development of this policy was the realization that there were inconsistent practices in the policies. Secondly, these policies have been reviewed numerous times and that the format before the Board, has the former language in plain text. The bold print indicates additions and the stricken text indicates where text should be removed.

With one exception, the document that Dr. Lang gave to the Board is for the elementary schools. The one exception was the policy regarding students entering the district at all ages.

In the final policy, which deals with promotion and retention, the middle and high school policy remains as it was before. The Policy Committee has not addressed these issues at this time. Dr. Lang said that the Policy Committee was recommending that the Board only consider the policy that is being changed.

#5111 – Early Admission #5111.1 Grade Placement #5121 Elementary Grading Policy #5123 Elementary Promotion Retention #5123.1 Promotion Retention Acceleration #5123.2 M.S. Promotion Retention Acceleration #5123.3 H.S. Promotion Retention Acceleration

Mr. McKiernan said that a specific elementary grade policy that previously did not exist. He reiterated that the document was researched based, according to the Connecticut State Standards and the District curriculum. He emphasized that the grading system was formative and that it embeds an increasing rigor and higher level of expectation through the six grades. It is developmentally appropriate. An effort has been made to differentiate the language arts component for the Level One English Language beginners. Also, academic records and effort rubrics have made additional differentiation. The grading system is tied into the continued development of benchmarks.

As far as the retention and acceleration policies, it is important to consider the student who is new to the Norwalk Public Schools, Mr. McKiernan said. He then reviewed the early admission policy for kindergarten, where a student who enters kindergarten must be five years of age before January 2nd of the school year that they enter kindergarten

Mr. Kimmel said that New York has the same policy and he felt that it was a terrible injustice to student who is still seven years old to be in a high stakes testing environment. He hoped that Connecticut would follow the lead of other states and push forward a policy that did not allow four year olds to enter kindergarten because this puts the student at a disadvantage in the higher grades. He commented that test scores and other measurements might be altered if one takes into consideration when the birthdays occur. Mr. McKiernan said that there are very few early admissions for kindergarten. Mr. Kimmel said that the issue for him was how old the student would be in sixth grade, not kindergarten. Ms. Bishop-Pullan pointed out that this was State Law.

Mr. McKiernan informed the Board that there have been cases where a child has attended kindergarten in another community and is under aged, the policy states that under aged children in first grade, the student is allowed to continue in their grade with appropriate support. Dr. Lang said that there was often a conditional acknowledgment for a child to be placed with the understanding that there would be a review in a month or so. This became a particular problem was that a parent who had a child in kindergarten would lose a preschool slot and a month later be informed that the child was not ready for kindergarten.

Mr. McKiernan said that there was a policy for the higher grades. The policy is that the child will be placed with age appropriate peers. The SRT process would place a home schooled, or interrupted course student with the age appropriate peers. If there were a sense that a child has needs, the policy would be to place the child one grade level below their peers.

Mr. McKiernan said that if a child turned 12 during any part of the academic year, that child should be in middle school. If a child turned 15 any time during an academic year, that child should be in high school.

Retention is a building based decision except where mandated by legislation. The Board continued to discuss the details of this policy.

C. Board members’ announcements

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

** MOVED TO ADJOURN. ** SECONDED. ** THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUS.

The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Sharon L. Soltes Telesco Secretarial Services

Category: Minutes