June 20, 2024 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  GRANTS
Rockwell School, 5 tents for Rockwell Library Lessons, $227.87, Donorschoose.org

 

Rationale:  Attached is the acceptance of the HVAC grant that was authorized to me both by the Board of Education and the Selectman.  The grant amount represents the state portion of the project, not the referendum amount.  

Grant Amount - $1,970,455.30

Rationale:  We have provided the Board of Education with an update to our Strategic Plan, usually twice a year.  Below is an update which we will review at the meeting.   

Strategic Plan Update Spring, 2024

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: 

• Save the Date! CABE Summer New Board Member/Leadership Conference, August 8, 2024.

Rationale:  Monthly Data  -  We include in the BOE agenda the monthly data as requested by the BOE.  

Rationale: 

Awarding of HVAC Grant for Bethel High School
We want to let you know that we wrote and received the grant to provide increased air conditioning and ventilation at Bethel High School.  While the grant will not cover all spaces at Bethel High School, it will provide improvements to a significant number of classrooms, particularly in the English and mathematics wings.  The total project is $4,180,007, and Bethel will be reimbursed at 47.14% of eligible expenses (grant amount).
We anticipate the project will begin sometime next school year and will be completed both while school is in session and during holiday breaks, hopefully during the 2025-2026 school year.  This may cause some classrooms to be relocated for short periods of time.  While it will be a short-term sacrifice for some, I think you will agree that the end result will be worth it!

Rationale:  This policy has not been renewed since 2005 and is in the 4000 series.  The policy is fine as written, but I am not sure why it is necessary?  It just reflects that we will follow state law (Teacher's Retirement) and local pensions (Town of Bethel).   It could be deleted.  

• Policy 4117.1 Retirement

Rationale:  This policy is being reviewed as part of the 4000 series.   In reviewing our existing policy and the recommended policy from Shipman and Goodwin, we are recommending use of theirs.   The primary difference is that, Coaches as certified employees, have certain legal rights after three years of continuous employment.  

• Policy 4115.3 Coaches Evaluation 

Rationale:  This policy is being reviewed for two reasons: (1) as part of  our series 4000 policy review; and (2) changes in legislation regarding Educator and Leader Evaluation.  The legislative changes are summarized in these guidelines and model plan provided by the State Department of Education.  The actual plans (Educator and Leader), which will be presented to the Board of Education in August, is the regulations for this policy.    Committees (Educator & Leader), co-facilitated by Dr. Brooks and Dr. Sipala worked this Spring to revise our existing plans to meet the new guidelines.  This policy is merely a guiding statement to the actual plans. 

• Policy 4115 Certified Evaluation  

Rationale:  It has come up several times in the past several years that Bethel residents, who either attend private schools or other public schools, request to participate in extra-curricular programs.  Allowing children who do not attend the Bethel Public Schools participate in extra curricular programs is problematic for a whole host of reasons:

• Liability - Because such students do not attend our schools, there is increased liability, as they are not our students.
• Discipline & Academics - We would have no authority to discipline the students if something were to happen. In addition, BOE policy requires certain academic standards be met.  We would not have access to those records.  
• Equity & Financial Exposure - If we were to allow any student to attend, then we would need to allow all.  This means that if a student with a disability or that required additional support, we could be financially responsible.  

Policy 6145 - Co-Curricular and Interscholastic Programs
Regulation - Co-Curricular and Interscholastic Programs

 

Rationale:  This policy is being reviewed as part of the 4000 series.   There is only one minor suggested edit, to call out the Department of Children and Families as an agency.   

• Policy 4117.5 Professional Staff Termination of Employment 

Rationale:  This policy is being reviewed as part of the 4000 series.  This policy addresses the academic freedoms associated with staff members. The policy emphasizes the need to be unbiased, factual, demonstrate tolerance for multiple perspectives and not to judge other's perspectives.

Policy 4118 Academic Freedom and Regulation

Rationale:  This policy is part of the 4000 series review.   In researching the information, there were several dates that were not compliant with the law/outdated.  Those errors were included as suggestions in Google Drive.


Policy 4117.4 Suspension/Non-Renewal

Rationale:  Nepotism - This is next in line with our Personnel Policy Review.  Shipman had much better language in this policy and one aspect conflicted with the BOE bylaw, conflict of interest, so I made some suggested changes.  Since I reviewed the Conflict of Interest bilan, I thought it was appropriate to include suggested revisions.  

Rationale:  I am recommending the deletion of this policy.    Assignment is negotiated as part of contracts which the BOE approves.   

Deletion - Policy 4113 - Assignment of Professional Personnel

Rationale:  Recommend deletion. This is a contractual issue and is included in language within the contract.   

Deletion - Regulation 4114 - Transfer/Reassignment

Rationale:  Bylaw 9270 - Conflict of Interest

Board of Education Bylaw - Shipman had much better language in Nepotism policy and one aspect conflicted with this BOE bylaw, conflict of interest, so I made some suggested changes.

Rationale:  We have two positions that are vacant due to a retirement.  This revised job description is reflective of the change in personnel, a shift in the work (see next agenda item), and moving to a part-time position.  

Job Description 6.11 - Bookkeeper

 

Rationale:  The former position (Bookkeeper) (Full-Time)

• HR Functions
• Workers Compensation 
• Benefits Coordination
• Onboarding, etc. 

This has changed because the previous job description did not reflect the tasks that the position required.  

Job Description 6.18 - Human Resources Assistant