December 17, 2020 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Rationale:  This action is required by State Statute and needs to be posted with the Town Clerk no later than December 31st.  Dates can be changed at later dates to meet the requirements of the business of the Board.

Rationale: 

Per Board Bylaw 9132 Standing Committees -" Committees shall be established through action of the Board."

Proposed Standing Committee Assignments 2021

POLICY:

Chair: Scott Clayton

Vice Chair: Nick Hoffman

Jennifer Larsen

Bill Foster

Alternate: Dan Nostin

 

CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES:

Chair: Jennifer Ackerman

Vice Chair: Jennifer Larsen

Courtney Martin

Cathy Schaefer

Alternate: Scott Clayton

 

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS:

Chair: Nick  Hoffman

Vice Chair: Scott Clayton

Dan Nostin

Bill Foster

Alternate: Courtney Martin

 

COMMUNITY OUTREACH, ALIGNMENT AND COMMUNICATION:

Chair: Courtney Martin

Vice Chair: Cathy Schaefer

Jennifer Larsen

Jennifer Ackerman  

Alternate: Nick Hoffman

Rationale:  The success of our school system depends on an effective working relationship between the Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools.  This code incorporates those standards and responsibilities most critical to productive Board and Superintendent relations.  Board members will sign the Code of Ethics for 2021 when in-person meetings resume.

Rationale: 

Special Olympics of Connecticut recognized the Bethel Public Schools as the only town in Connecticut with elementary, middle, and high school recognition for outstanding Unified Sports programs and school-wide activities to promote inclusion.  

Congratulations to Luca Cazzaniga, BHS, for being selected for all state in boys cross country this year!

Congratulations to Ava Graham, BHS, for being selected for all state in girls cross country this year!

Congratulations to Olivia Herbert, BHS, for earning all state honors for her outstanding performance in the 200M Freestyle this season!

Congratulations to Akhil Kosanam, BMS. He qualified for the JV Geography Championships last spring as a BMS student and competed in virtual Nationals last week. He is ranked 12th in the country!

The BMS/BHS History Bowl Team ranked 19th (from 33rd) in the country based on a virtual competition over the weekend.  Ms. Boles at BMS is thier advisor.  

Under the direction of Mrs. Morgan at Bethel High School, we had our first "virtual" theater presentation of Clue.   Bravo to the cast and crew.  

 

 

 

Rationale: 

• The Bethel community, together with Noteworthy Chocolates, donated 870 bars of individually wrapped chocolate bars to all staff as a way to say thank you for everything the staff are doing every day to support the children of our community, Chrissy Tenezaca, Bethel. CT.

• 10, $25 Big Y Gift Cards for families in need for Thanksgiving, Little Gobbler Program, The Solitude Lake Management, Shrewsbury, MA, BPS nominated to receive the gift cards by Beck Snyder.

• 20, $100 food gift cards to be distributed by the social workers to families in need, Loren and Patrick Salerno (Lorenco Industries, Bethel).

Rationale: 

• Memo to Board of Selectmen regarding 2020-2031 - Capital Plan
• Correspondence - Cynthia Schoeller, Brookfield, CT
• Correspondence - Elyse Lam, Newtown, CT
• Correspondence - Francesca Oskwarek, Middlebury, CT
• Correspondence - Hannah Endsly, Bethel, CT
• Correspondence - Nancy Gameros
• Correspondence - Olga Ortiz , Southbury CT
• Correspondence Rita Mohamed, Danbury, CT

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: 

COVID Updates

COVID-19 Data Presentation, December, 2020

Rationale: 

Key Points of the Briefing: 

• Region 12's administration presented to the Curriculum Committee on 12.3.20 to update us on the advancement of their AgriScience program at Shepaug.

• The presentation addressed the programming that will be offered to students who are accepted into high school at Shepaug. Further information can be found on their website. 

• The AgriScience program is STEM focused with 4 pathways (animal science, food science, plant science, and power, structural & technical systems) that students can select in addition to the required comprehensive high school offerings.

• All 9th graders explore all 4 pathways and then select a pathway beginning in 10th grade.

• Each pathway has specific coursework that progresses in complexity over the next 3 years. 

• All pathways involve inquiry and 500 hours of AgriScience experiential learning

• Students participate in the FFA- Future Farmers of America organization which supports advocacy and leadership

• Students can receive certifications after completing a pathway (i.e. ServSafe, tracker license, drone license)

• The facilities have state-of-the-art equipment supporting a 21st learning environment

• In addition to the pathways, students are involved in the regular comprehensive high school and must receive 25 credits to graduate.

• Per our Board of Education guidelines, we will send approximately 8 students each year.

• Transportation costs would remain the same since mileage to Shepaug is consistent with the current school we send students. Towns around us send their students to Shepaug so we can share the cost of transportation with other districts.

Rationale: 

This policy has not been reviewed since 2004.

Policy Policy 4135.1 - Political Activities of School Employees

First Reading 11/19/20

 

Rationale: 

There were significant changes in the federal regulations for sexual harassment and sexual discrimination.  Our current policy has not been reviewed since 2018.  Because the policy had so many legal adjustments, the administration is asking the Board of Education to consider reviewing and adoption of the Shipman and Goodwin model policy for employees.  We have attached the model policy.   

First Reading 11/19/20

 Revised Model Policy 

 

Rationale: 

There were significant changes in the federal regulations for sexual harassment and sexual discrimination.  Our current policy has not been reviewed since 2012.  Because the policy is so outdated and sexual harrasment laws have been revised, the administration is asking the Board of Education to consider reviewing and adoption of the Shipman and Goodwin model policy for students.  We have attached the revised policy and corresponding regulation as recommended. 

Proposed Revised Model Policy

Regulation, Appendix and Forms 

Rationale:  We will be providing an update to the status of the renovation projects.