A regular meeting of the Litchfield Board of Education was held on Tuesday, April 12, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. in the Center School gym.

 

            Present were: Mrs. Knox, Chairperson; Mrs. Reardon; Messrs. Doyle, Fairchild, Falcetti, Noone, Shuhi, and Simone; Superintendent Chittum; Mrs. Perusse; Dr. Breslin; Dr. Stuhlman; Mrs. Longobucco; Mr. Zaremski; the public and the press.  Mr. Costa was excused.

 

                        MOTION made by Mr. Fairchild and seconded by Mr. Simone: to approve the minutes of March 22, 2005 meeting as submitted.

 

                                    MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

 

                        MOTION made by Mr. Falcetti and seconded by Mr. Fairchild: to approve the minutes of the March 28, 2005 special meeting as submitted.

 

                                    MOTION carried.  All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

 

                        MOTION made by Mr. Simone and seconded by Mr. Shuhi: to approve the minutes of the April 4, 2005 as submitted.

 

                                    MOTION carried.  All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

 

Student Council Report

 

            Katherine Blake reported on the student council activities at the high school. 

 

Public Comment

 

            Angela Penny commented that the Board should consider reinstating the Enrichment Program to service students that would benefit from such a program.  The state mandates Special Education needs and the school should have something on the other end.  This needs to be put on the agenda so that these students’ needs will be met. She noted that she would like to know what steps she could take to help to reinstate this program.

 

POCAD – Presentation by C. Horrigan

 

            Christine Horrigan and Suev Jacobs distributed a memo from the Education Work Group that outlines possible facility usage over the next ten years including: use of facilities by community groups; encouraging these groups to use the facilities; opening the media center after hours and weekend use by the community; consider funding and building further athletic facilities as needed; allowing community use of school technology; install generator in each facility for emergency operations; and provide incentives for students to ride the bus and consider an after school bus to reduce traffic. 

 

 

 

            They also commented on the following: plan of conservation and development; vision for next ten years; serve as a zone for other groups; solicit any input from the Board; use of schools in community; needs; make schools vibrant part of community; after school clubs for middle and high school; flex will be eliminated; flex clubs will probably be done after school; input from STPC; programs going on right now; possible need for later bus; enrichment program issues; evening usage; and an ongoing process.

 

            Board members discussed the following: what other school districts do; Shepaug ideas; camps; stage use; media center; art classes; 2 late buses; costs if extension of services; community involvement such as park and recreation; community wide effort; and community might support school program more.

 

            The report will go to P & Z and on May 2 all work groups will present recommendations where others might also include school use.

 

Building Committee Update and Discussion

 

            Mr. Waugh reported on the following: spirited discussion last Thursday; do have a plan; received by the state board of review; had second review; review completed end of May; final review; hopefully, construction will start during summer; construction manager expects at least 9.7 million dollars reimbursement; need for second more thorough inspection of all beams in the high school; cinder block damage and need for better sealant; agreement to fund up to $75,000 for fencing at the athletic fields; need to get proactive to inform community; need for Board volunteer to serve on a communication committee; do regular sessions on Cable TV; focusing on wetlands hearing on May 11^th and P & Z hearing on May 16^th; need for Board participation at these hearings; have wonderful staff; need to give staff best facility for system and project should fill needs for all kids in Litchfield.

 

            Mr. Shuhi noted that the town meeting on the budget is also scheduled for May 11^th.

 

CMT Comparative Data

 

            Mr. O’Connell reported on the following through a PowerPoint presentation:  2004 results grades 4, 6 and 8; grade 4, 6 and 8 annual results percent at/above goal in math, reading and writing from 2001 – 2004; grade 4, 6 and 8 comparative results in math, reading and writing with ERG-C and the State; grade 4, 6 and 8 proficient or better (NCLB) in math reading and writing from 2001 – 2004; grade 4, 6 and 8 participation rate in math, reading and writing; class of 2011 grades 4 & 6 report in math, reading and writing for 2002 and 2004; class of 2009 grades 4, 6 & 8 report in math, reading and writing for 2000, 2002, and 2004.

 

Superintendent Chittum discussed the following: CMT best assessment tool across the country; additional testing would be at great expense; won’t add much more information than what we already have;  students doing well; programs doing what they have to do; additional services and support needs to be done; devote more attention to the atypically high number of special needs students in 4^th grade; look at type of classes and students entering system; administration will continue to examine such things; need to analyze scores as representing a general achievement level; need to examine item analysis; see what skills are strong or weak; compare to curriculum and instructional design; need to address things that are taught; plenty of areas to look at further; scores inform us of direction we have to go; and the science sequence of courses are driven by CAPT.

 

Committee/Liaison Reports

Personnel Committee

 

            Mrs. Reardon reported that the committee met last week regarding the hiring of the new Superintendent.

 

Facilities Committee

 

            Mr. Noone reported that the committee discussed the roof project at Center School and is seeking bids for it.

 

Negotiations Committee

 

            Superintendent Chittum reported that the committee has met with representatives of AFSME and negotiations have begun and they are continuing to go well.

 

New Business

Sequence of Science Courses, Grades 7-10

 

                        MOTION made by Mrs. Reardon and seconded by Mr. Simone: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to approve directing the Superintendent to take necessary action to revise the grades 7-10 science course sequence to offer 7^th Grade Integrated Science, 8^th Grade Integrated Science, 9^th Grade Biology starting in 2005-06, and 10^th Grade Integrated/Physical Science starting in 2006-07, and to make necessary changes to incorporate content standard and expected performances as recommended by the CSDE Core Science Curriculum Framework, appropriate materials, and assessments.

 

            Board members discussed the following: CAPT being revised; different standards tested in different ways; to accommodate CAPT; CMT incorporate Science in 2008; sequence of courses examined; need to be refined; most districts will make these changes; state making these recommendations; and Anatomy & Physiology will be available in 10^th grade as an elective for juniors and seniors.

 

 

                                    MOTION carried.  All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

 

First Reading of Policy #4120/4220 Athletic Coaches

 

                        MOTION made by Mr. Shuhi and seconded by Mr. Falcetti: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to accept Policy #4120/4220 Athletic Coaches for the first time. 

 

            Board members discussed that the motivation for this is a State statute and the Board attorney recommended a policy.

 

                                    MOTION carried.  All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

 

First Reading- Revisions to Policy #5127.1, Participation Fees for Extracurricular Activities

 

                        MOTION made by Mr. Shuhi and seconded by Mr. Simone: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to accept Policy #5137.1 with proposed revisions for a first reading.

 

            Board members discussed the following: more information needed in how to implement the policy; family maximum might make monetary impact minimal; need for research on income; budgetary impact will be minimal; possible study of last year’s participants and the economic impact if this policy were in place; broadened for fairness; issues for activities where parents already subsidize; hockey and crew issues; fee waiver for free and reduced lunch students; and confidentiality issues.

 

MOTION carried.  All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

 

Extension of Interim Superintend Contract

 

                        MOTION made by Mr. Simone and seconded by Mr. Noone: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation that subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Education, the Board approves the extension of James Chittum’s contract as Interim Superintendent of Schools, on the same terms and conditions as set forth in the current contract regarding James Chittum’s employment as Interim Superintendent, through August 14, 2005, or until such time as the new Superintendent of Schools commences employment, whichever occurs first.

 

            Superintendent Chittum noted that he felt comfortable with the overlap/transition time.

 

                                    MOTION carried.  All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

 

Transition Plan

 

            Superintendent Chittum distributed a copy of the transition plan for moving grade 4 to Litchfield Center School.  At the high school, the new construction will be used as the swing space for the renovation process.  The Intermediate School has little new construction that can be used for swing space.  By moving the 4^th grade class to Center School the extra five classrooms at the Intermediate School will be used as swing space during the renovation process there.  This addition of 80 students at Center School will make it tight but accommodation can be made.  The transition plan included grade 4 classroom teachers; special education; speech pathologist; reading; music; art; PE/health; guidance; reading consultant; nurse; library media/computer; books and materials; budget; and supervision.

 

            Board members discussed the following: why not bring 4^th grade music and art teachers from the I.S. to Center School to teach the 4^th grade classes; most logical choice; travel time issues; all students get music; solid comprehensive program integrated in school rather than have itinerant teacher; gain more by having a comprehensive program; contractual issues; unfairness; if can go to the high school to teach can go to Center School; high school has different teaching for every course; elementary has integrated teaching; easier for itinerant teacher to work with the high school than Center School; more valuable doing it this way; all contractual obligations will be met; better for school; union was spoken with; administrators have spoken with staff; if high school teachers were asked to take another class a contractual issue would be occurring; elementary teachers in front of students all the time; there is a difference in the way time is counted; is accommodated in the union contract; need for balance; is situation creating unbalance; scheduling difficulties; 4^th grade was in Center school before.

 

            Mrs. Longobucco commented on the following: did talk to all specials; envision what it would be like to have 4^th grade here; all 5 said they want to teach K-4 as an experience; 2 years ago 4 sections were cut out of C.S. so 4 sections are the same in terms of time that specials may be taught; have high level of respect for teachers; would tell you if they said differently; important for C.S. to become a preK-4 school; not preK-3 with 4^th as a guest; preK-4 family is important; close quarters next year; not a lot of flex space to offer someone else to come in to teach specials; someone else would need to be displaced; feel comfortable having the recorder for music in the 4^th grade; and music instrument instruction will start in 5^th grade.

 

            Board members discussed the following: nice opportunity to be taught by C.S. staff; separate teachers create separate schools; past experience shows that it doesn’t work; instruments will not be started until 5^th grade; presently they don’t start until the second half of 4^th grade; so half a year will be lost; good base foundation in having recorder in 4^th grade; not detrimental if you have recorder lessons; adjustments needed for a few years; may not be optional; some schools have to have split school sessions, we don’t; aware of logistical problems; need for schools to work together; mile or 2 apart; K-12 community; intermingling and working together is good; keeping separate is uncomfortable; maximum faculty and staff; discussed secretarial staff issues; clerical support for C.S.; work with administrators to see what Dr. Stuhlman can pick up that Mrs. Longobucco is doing now; economy issues; more info will be forthcoming; budget based on traditional configuration; issues of report card and data base discussed; guidance at I.S. will focus on transitional activities between 4^th and 5^th,  and 6^th and 7^th.