October 19, 2017 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Congratulations to Silvia Nedelcov, BHS Teacher, who was awarded the 2017 Yale Educator Award! The Yale Educator Recognition Program recognizes outstanding educators from around the world who have supported and inspired their students to achieve at high levels. Matriculating students are invited to nominate high school educators, and a committee composed of Yale admissions officers reviews the nominations individually and designates recipients. Of this year’s 411 nominees, who represent 42 states and 24 countries, 58 teachers and 30 counselors were selected to receive the award!

GIFTS,GRANTS, & BEQUESTS

GIFTS:

Rockwell School - School backpacks and school supplies, Mr. Rob Barghaus, Student & Parents of American Tiger Martial Arts Academy, Bethel.

Bethel Middle School - Tower Garden, Juice Plus, Andrea Price-Johnson, Gaylordsville, CT (BMS Foundations Classroom for Plant & water cycle skills beyond gardening)

 

GRANTS:

Bethel Middle School

$1,000 grant, for Unified Sports Program,equipment, fees, rental fees, and attire, Barbara Horn, Unified Sports Coordinator, Cheshire, CT 

$350 grant, for Unified Sports Program, supplies and materials, Barbara Horn, Unified Sports Coordinator, Cheshire, CT 

 

Districtwide

Each year we apply for and have received a federal entitlement grant. The Consolidated Grant is broken into several grants: Title I, Title II, & Title III. As per the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015:

The purpose of the Title I grant is to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps by improving basic programs operated by LEAs. The Title I grant is in the amount of $256,556 and is used to fund several of our interventionists that support our SRBI process.  Per the ranking percentage calculations for free and reduced lunch, all of our schools meet the threshold for Title I services (20%), except for Berry School which is slightly under the threshold. Berry School does receive equitable services, but those services are funded through the operating budget.

The purpose of the Title II grant is to increase student achievement by improving the quality and effectiveness of teachers and administrators. The Title II grant is in the amount of $59,766 with $2,514 of the total amount earmarked for St. Mary’s School. We use the funding to provide professional learning to our teachers and administrators.

The purpose of the Title III grant is to improve academic achievement and improve English proficiency rates for our English learners.  The Title III grant is in the amount of $17,351 and is used to support the salary of one of our seven part-time EL Tutors.

Total funding: $333, 683

Rationale: 

As requested, Mrs. Legnard, Ms. Soucy and Mrs. Salerno will be providing a brief  presentation on their School Improvement Plans for the 2017-18 school year.  The purpose of the presentation is to provide the Board with an overview of the focus of the schools.  The major components of the plan were presented at open houses in September, so parents could have a similar overview.  

The school administration will be presenting an overview of their Theories of Action, student learning outcome measures and major strategies/action steps to achieve those outcomes.  We began this planning process as a district in the summer of 2015.  Previously, all improvement plans were primarily developed by administrators.  These plans were collaboratively developed by teams within each school.   Please note, all of the fall data is not yet available.  Specific targets will be set when testing is completed.  I can forward the Board and updated copy once the targets are set.  

Rationale: 

Letters sent to Commissioner Currey regarding the formal request for space standard waivers for Johnson and Rockwell Schools.  

Email regarding evaluating Common Core - Jane Gangi

Letter to Kosta Diamantis, Dir. Office of School Construction, regarding Locally Authorized Funding for Rockwell School Project

Letter to Kosta Diamantis, Dir. Office of School Construction, regarding Locally Authorized Funding for Johnson School Project

 

Rationale:  (Please note:  The Board welcomes Public Participation and asks that speakers please limit their comments to 2 minutes.  Speakers may offer objective comments of school operations and programs that concern them.  The Board will not permit any expression of personal complaints or defamatory comments about Board of Education personnel and students, nor against any person connected with the Bethel Public School System.)