August 19, 2021 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  Rockwell School
Donors Choose, items for Library Maker Space, $1372.

Rationale: 
In order to navigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, states received Coronavirus Response and Relief appropriations to support students, families, and staff. In addition to the CARES Act (the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act), Bethel received other grants in the form of ESSER II (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) and ARP ESSER III (American Rescue Plan). Below is a summary of the ways in which we are spending the money allocated to our schools. 

ESSER II- The Bethel Public Schools received $1,198,139.This must be spent by September 30, 2023.

This grant was structured around 4 priority areas:

1. Academic Supports, Learning Loss, Learning Acceleration, and Recovery
2. Family and Community Connections
3. School Safety and Social-Emotional Well-being of the Whole Student and School Staff
4. Remote Learning, Staff Development, and the Digital Divide

We are using the funding in the following ways:

Priority Area 1 

• Hiring of additional staff to support the acceleration of learning and additional instruction some students will need (JS math specialist & BMS special education teacher). These are 3 year positions.
• Summer enrichment programs for students needing additional support 

Priority Area 3

• Hiring of an SEL coach to support developing our SEL system, creating a district SEL curriculum, and providing professional learning to our staff. This is a 3 year position.
• Sensory Rooms at Berry and BHS
• Supplemental custodial staffing

Priority Area 4

• Upgrade access to technology providing needed software programming, purchasing hardware for students with special needs and kindergarten students and purchasing wireless presentation and collaboration units at the high school and middle school to support teaching and learning

ARP ESSER III- The Bethel Public Schools will receive $2, 692,734. This must be spent by September 30, 2024. 
 

Rationale: 

Annually, the Board of Education sets goals in alignment with our strategic plan.  The goals developed are an extension to the Board of Education annual retreat.  The administration made slight adjustments to the first goal based on our focus on acceleration back to standards. 

Board of Education Goals 2021-2022

Education Equity & Acceleration of Learning to Meet Grade Level Standards 

Based on assessment, implement instructional practices to accelerate learning to rebound our students back to grade-level standards.   

Social-Emotional

Develop our understanding of social and emotional skills: self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, in order to foster our students’ social and emotional well-being and improve outcomes in school and in life.

Civility & Inclusion

Assess, review, and revise the district’s curriculum, policies, procedures, and practices to create systems of equity for all of our students and allow for civil discourse among stakeholders.  

Rationale: 

• Memo from Shipman & Goodwin regarding rates for 2021-2022.
• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - BOE meeting 8_16 - K. Beverly
• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - Opening - The Vaccinated - R. Baia
• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - Questions for the board meeting 8_16_21 regarding the opening of schools_-K. Forcelli
• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - School opening - D. Smorto
• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - Special Board of Education Meeting - A. Vogdes
• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - thank you - S. Springer

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:  Staffing Updates
Readiness of School Buildings 

Rationale:  Calendar of Reports 

Rationale:  Please join me in congratulating Alison Salerno, Principal, Johnson School, for successfully defending her dissertation on Transactional Distance Theory. Congratulations, Dr. Salerno!

Updated Guidance from SDE 8-19-21

Rationale:  Overall, the project punch list for the buildings is down to a few items.  The site work has a significant amount of punch list to be completed in September, with the gowning season.  The cash flow reports show that the project (as of 8/10/21) are $841,504 under budget.  This does not include the grant reimbursement from Eversource.  The tracking budgets for Rockwell School and Johnson School are attached.  

Rationale:  This is an hourly position that did not have a job description and has been a position for the last several years.  This description for this position is needed with the expansion of the Pathways Program and required paperwork for the State Department of Labor.  This position works directly under the supervision of the Coordinator of Community Programs.

Rationale:  Discussion concerning attorney-client privileged memorandum