January 18, 2018 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  As requested, we will provide a mid year update on our distict's strategic plan.  As part of that presentation, Mrs. Rutledge, Mrs. Budris and Mrs. Lerz will be providing a more indepth look at our social-emotional SRBI model.  

Rationale: 

• Email - Regarding SBAC and CCSS - J. Gangi
• Email - Regarding SBAC - J. Gangi

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.)

Rationale:  In the 2017-2018 Session, the Connecticut General Assembly reduced the requirement for all staff members to be trained in physical management (restraint) training to members of the Crisis Intervention Team.  Mrs. Budris, Mrs. DiBiase and I reviewed the entire policy collaboratively and to make the suggested edits.   Most of the edits are minor.  The significant changes are in the parental notification forms and monitoring tools (for both restraint and seclusion).   These new forms, which are being used in practice, are based on the State of Connecticut's model forms.  

Rationale: 

Public Act 17-127, An Act Concerning Discriminatory Practices Against Veterans, Leaves of Absences for National Guard Members, Application for Certain Medicaid Programs and Disclosure of Certain Records to Federal Military Law Enforcement, added "veterans status" as a protected category for discrimination.  That triggered review of all of our discrimination policies.   After reviewing our current policy 4118.11, which was very outdated and Shipman and Goodwin's model policy, the administration is recommending adoption of the Shipman Policy.   Here is the primary reason for the adoption of the Shipman Policy:  

• The protected categories in our existing policy was significantly outdated. 
• Our existing nondiscrimination policy had information about Sexual Harassment, which the Board has a separate policy.  

Rationale: 

As stated in the previous briefing, PA 17-127 caused us to look at all policies related to harassment and discrimination.   Again, out existing policy had not been review since 2012.  After review of our policy and review of Shipman & Goodwin's model policy, the administration felt it more succinctly addressed the definitions and complaint procedure.  

 

 

Rationale:  When reviewing policies regarding nondiscrimination, it was uncovered that we do not currently have a Section 504 Policy for Personnel.   This is a new model Shipman and Goodwin policy.  The policy outlines the rights on employees under section 504 and complaint procedures.  

Rationale: 

As one of the BOE Goals has been to enhance school and district climate supports diversity, the Confidential Crisis Team is reviewing all district policies which relate to harassment, discrimination, racial slurs and any other form of hate talk.  We started with looking at BOE Policy 5131.9, Aggressive Behavior.  You will note, that there were a number of suggested edits by the committee which can be summarized by: 

• Alignment to practice and 
• Change in definitions to update current definitions of state disciplinary codes.  

 

Rationale: 

Since our last Policy Committee meeting, we have included all edits from the Board of Education and Administration on both Field Trip Policies and Regulations.   In addition, the Board of Education asked the Administration to develop and include a Parent Code of Conduct for parents and/or chaperones attending the trip.   As stated in my email from last week, we have drafted and included the Parent Code of Conduct on our Field Trip Permission Form.