June 20, 2019 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

The CIAC/Special Olympics Unified Sports has chosen Bethel Middle School‘s Unified program for Banner Recognition. The Unified Champion Schools Banner recognition program requires schools to meet a set of high standards to support inclusion for all students.  Congratulations to Ms. Hamylak, Ms. Edwards and all the staff involved with this program.  This places the middle school in the national ranking for Unified Sports.  

May 23rd was our Annual Awards banquet.   It is a night that we celebrate the excellence in our school system.  The excellence and professionalism of our staff is reflected in the outcomes of our students.  Please join me in celebrating staff members who were honored: 

 

Teachers of the Year

Bethel High School – Christopher Ciparelli, Social Studies Teacher

Bethel Middle School – Erin Tegmier, Physical Education Teacher

R.M.T. Johnson School – Nat Claridge, Physical Education Teacher

F.A. Berry School – Jennifer Aponte, Grade 1 Teacher/School Counselor

A.H. Rockwell School – Elaine O’Keeffe, Special Education Teacher

 

Rookies of the Year

Bethel High School – Megan Mason, School Counselor

Bethel Middle School – Jennifer Moore, Mathematics Teacher

R.M.T. Johnson School - Anna Gallacher, Special Education Teacher

F.A. Berry School – Danielle Troiano, Grade 2 Teacher

A.H. Rockwell School – Brittany Martelle, Grade 2 Teacher

 

Pillar of the Year

Bethel High School – Susan DeCarlo, Paraprofessional

Bethel Middle School – Amy Mannion, School Counselor

R.M.T. Johnson School – Jaimie Stewart, Building Substitute

F.A. Berry School – Deborah Albin, Building Substitute

A.H. Rockwell School – Mary Plunske, School Counselor

Bethel Board of Education – Suzanne Rodgers, Accounting Supervisor

Friend of Bethel:  The Bethel Public Library

CHAMP:  The Women’s Center of Greater Danbury 

Congratulations to Ryan Dudley for being selected as one of the 2019 Connecticut Governor’s Scholars.  Ryan was chosen from an entry pool of the top juniors in Connecticut’s high schools and was honored along with the other schools at the Governor’s Scholar Luncheon at the Aqua Turf Club in May, 2019.

On Wednesday, May 29th members of the class of 2019 received over 100 community scholarships totaling $231,500.  Also, to date, they have earned an astonishing $3,362,977 in University and Merit Scholarships!  We are very proud of the accomplishments of the Class of 2019.  Furthermore, we want to thank all of our community partners for their financial commitment on behalf of the students of Bethel High School.  Their contributions continue to grow each year, and we are truly humbled by their generosity. 

Congratulations to the cast, crew and pit of Footloose for an amazing production that has won them the Halo Award for Best Contemporary Musical for Footloose!  Thank you to the Crystal Morgan Theater Director and Beth Salvador Producer and all the Staff, Administration and Community for bringing Footloose to life!  Bravo!!!!

BHS student Colton Moles has been selected to attend Connecticut Annual Youth Leadership Forum this summer at UConn!  The Connecticut Youth Leadership Project (CTYLP) is a youth leadership program that empowers youth with disabilities to realize their leadership potential.  Over the course of a 4-day forum held on the UConn Campus at Storrs, young adults explore leadership styles and develop and implement team community leadership plans. Participants are chosen through a statewide competition that seeks students with disabilities who have leadership potential.  

Congratulations to the Future Chefs 2019 winners- Healthy Mexican Recipe

1st place - Tori Swearingen - Johnson School - Shrimp Tacos

2nd place - Pernille Traczyk - Rockwell School  - Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos

3rd place - Cambell Craign - Johnson School - Chicken Fajita Balls with Guacamole

4th place - Black Dibble - Berry School - Mexican Breakfast Bowl

5th place - Cooper Dibble - Berry School - Baked Taco Cups

6th place - Andrew Stowell - Drew's Plantachos

Special thanks to Ms. Alison Smith, Culinary Arts teacher for letting us use her beautiful classroom.

Thank you to our judges:  Bob Santos, Dave Belcourt, Michelle Ricapito and Danielle Merrill

Thanks to our HS students who acted as Sous Chefs:  Stephanie Garby, Nick Yapoujian, Nico Maurro, Katya LaPiere, Sophia Anastasikas and Kenedy Cherniske.

 

Through the Bethel Teen Center BHS students Griffin Lawlor, Cate Wormel, and Clara Morganstern created a 90 second anti-vaping PSA. On Friday they won 2 awards at the CT Student Film Festival.  

• Critic’s Choice Award
• Outstanding PSA

 

Rationale: 

Gifts

Districtwide

$438.41, to cover the district's negative lunch balances, James and Diana Naddeo, Bethel, CT

Rationale: 

• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - Way past time to end common core - J. Gangi
• Thank you note from B. Lachance

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: 

Key Points of the Briefing:

* We are nearing the end of the fiscal year.  Final payrolls will be run for June 21st and then we will know what funds remain with which to close accounts and if possible, make a positive impact on our district during the final week of June.  We ask for your authorization to focus year end spending on areas that support our strategic plan or have been discussed by the BOE this fiscal year.

* 1) Unexpended Funds Account – Knowing that we continue in uncertain times and that next year’s budget was reduced by $250K, we will plan to deposit any unspent remaining funds to this account is for opportunities and contingencies in future years.

* 2) Technology – One of the four Board of Education goals is to have technology as a catalyst for teaching and learning.  There is a long term chromebook replacement plan for our 1:1 strategic plan initiative for Grade 2 through Grade 12.  If we are able to purchase any of the planned 19-20 expenditure we would like to go forward.

* 3) BHS new marching band uniforms have not been clearly funded yet.  The cost is quoted at $54,291 through a National Cooperative Purchasing Organization.  This would allow this purchase to be expedited for the students.

* 4) Special Education – The SPED department is still closing their books especially for outplacement tuition and transportation; this will all be reconciled.  This year the SPED budget is coming in very tight.

* 5) Safety – This area continues to be paramount and we will add security measures in accordance with our approved plan.  Since we did not receive the Homeland Security Grant Funding, there may be a piece of the plan at BHS that we would want to move forward with such as the kiosk.

 * 6) Facilities – There were significant facilities issues this year and these costs will be covered during the year end closing process.

* 7) Renovation preparation – We have incurred costs in the initial clean-out steps that are occurring at Johnson and Rockwell especially during this end of school year.

Rationale: 

Pursuant to Board of Education Policy, the following tuition rates for non-resident students attending Bethel Public Schools are recommended:

 

	2016/2017	2017/2018	2018/2019	2019/2020	% Increase
Elem/Middle	$12,342	$12,543	$12,769	$13,137	2.88%
High School	$14,240	$14,472	$14,732	$15,156	2.88%

 

These tuition rates do not include transportation. Additionally, Special Education rates will be calculated as needed based on the costs of a specific program with related services. The Special Education costs are not discounted.

Rationale: 

* We are requesting that the Board of Education authorize the district to become a member of BuyBoard, a national purchasing cooperative for municipalities and school districts by entering their Organizational Interlocal Agreement and to approve the purchase of the BHS marching band uniforms through said cooperative.

1. BuyBoard does formal bidding of products and services used by municipalities and schools nationwide,
2. BuyBoard prepares and analyzes the bids using folks who have expertise in each area,
3. Savings are achieved through a cooperative purchasing power; similar to the concept of regionalization and shared services within CT,
4. The Board of Selectmen has authorized the Town to join BuyBoard, and
5. The additional savings from ordering BHS marching band uniforms through BuyBoard is $1,781 compared to the lowest quote we obtained from the vendor.

 

Rationale:  Annually, the Bethel Board of Education sets the increase for all non-union employees.  A motion will need to be made after coming out of executive session regarding increases based on Board of Education consensus.