February 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  Each month, the Connecticut State Department of Education recognizes two schools for their month-to-month growth in FAFSA completion rates. I wanted to congratulate the team at Bethel High School for winning the January 2025 Monthly Award for FAFSA Completion! Your school has been recognized for its impressive 22.0 percentage point growth in FAFSA completion, the largest of any FAFSA Challenge high school this month.
 
As you know, FAFSA completion is a critical postsecondary priority in Connecticut, and we are very proud of schools like yours that are leading the state in supporting students achieve their college and career ambitions. We commend you and your team for your effort and encourage you to keep the momentum up into the next month! 
 
Best,
John
 

Rationale: 

Grants

Districtwide

• State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) Subaward

Gifts

Berry School

• Magnetic Construction Set, $19.99, Caryn Schajer, Bethel, CT

Rationale: 

• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - Re_ Removal of DEI programming in Bethel Public Schools - M. Paulsen
• Bethel CT Public Schools Mail - Rockwell Art Show - March 27th 4_30- 6_30 - B. Kearney

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: 

• CAPSS 2025 Legislative Proposals Brochure
• CAPSS Priorities for Connecticut Public Education: Looking Forward Brochure
• Dear Colleague Update (Attached)
• Shipman Executive Orders
• Nonrenewal Process 
• Excess Cost 

Rationale: 

State statute allows a Board of Education to formally set graduation on or after April 1st.  The Administration is recommending Friday, June 13, 2025, as the Graduation Date on Ralph DeSantis Field at 6 PM.

Saturday, June 14, 2025, is the rain date.

The tentative last day for students will be June 13, 2025 (half-day).

The Board will be asked to vote to approve the graduation date at its regular meeting in April.

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

Rationale:  I know you are aware that, even though we just revised it, we are required to have the 2020 edition of the Title IX policy/regulation due to a recent court decision.  Due to the fact that we are required to implement it now, we restored our old version which is linked here (regulation).   As the Title IX officer, Kristen needs to update it on our website.  We will need to formally go back to our old policy also, which is included in this agenda for a first reading. 

I wanted to let the Board know because even though I have the authority to change a regulation, I usually always let you know.  

Regulation 5145.2

Rationale:  In the December 2024 Shipman Policy update, they indicated that they updated the policy to clarify various uses of employees' social media and those uses that are subject to different consideration under the first amendment.  They also revised the policy in response to Lindke v. Freed (2024) in which a public employee might post something that is deemed "mixed use".   

Policy 4118.51
Regulation 4118.51 

Rationale:  This policy needed to be revised due to Section 18 of Public Act 24-41, requiring Boards of Education to provide benefits equal to those provided by the federal FMLA to non-certified employees who have been employed by the Board for at least 12 months and worked at least 950 hours for the Board for the previous 12 months.  The policy also made edits to clarify that the employees' available accrued sick leave runs concurrently with unpaid FMLA leave.  Given the thoroughness of the Shipman Model Policy, we are deleting the regulation.  

Policy 4152.6 Family Medical Leave 

Rationale:  This policy was recommended for revision based on new guidance from the Connecticut State Library, Office of Public Records Administrator.  It no longer permits public agencies to maintain internal digitization policies in lieu of seeking disposal authorization.  

Policy 2232
Regulation 2232 

Rationale:  The US Department of Education recently issued the 2024 Title IX Final Rule on sex discrimination. It brings the Title IX policy back to the 2020 version. This was originally approved by the Board of Education on December 17, 2020.  

Policy 5145.42
Regulation 5145.2
Appendix

 

Rationale:  This policy was initially being reviewed as part of the legislative mandate to remove the requirement for a capstone project as part of graduation requirements.   In conjunction with the Department Coordinators and HS administrators, the regulation to the policy is being adapted to provide our students with more voice and choice over their education to meet the Bethel Board of Education requirements and flexibility in state law.  The adapted tracks provide three options for our students to meet the requirements, although most will probably follow the competitive college admission track.  

Graduation Requirements 6146- Policy and Regulation 

Rationale:  This policy is new due to a legislative change prohibiting schools from allowing students to attend the typical high school if they are enrolled in a credit recovery program.   Our current alternative education program is Task.  Given that it is a new policy, I had Mr. Troetti, Dr. Sipala and Mrs. Troetti (TASK Cooridnator), review it to ensure it complies with our practices.  

Alternative Education 6172 - NEW Policy required

Rationale:  In review of the 4000 series, Employee Discipline was next in line.   In reviewing the initial draft, I became concerned that is was not in line with contract language, so I had our attorney review it.  She recommenced deletion of the policy (reasons outlined below).   

Email from Dori Antonetti (Shipman and Goodwin)

Thank you for taking the time to discuss this policy a couple of weeks ago.  As requested, I reviewed the district’s current collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) to determine whether they address discipline and what the relevant provisions contain.  In short (with relevant provisions identified for your review later in this email):
 

1. all of the contracts mention discipline;
2. all but one (the nurses’ contract) state that employees can only be disciplined for just cause (reasonable and just cause for administrators);
3. there are certain exceptions allowing for the Board to discipline in its sole discretion/without cause (teachers holding DSAPs who are at will/custodial employees during their probationary period);
4. the paraeducators’ and food service workers’ contracts also contain more specific provisions, stating that
   1. all written warnings, suspension and discharges must be given in writing, with reasons stated, and a copy given to the employee and the Union;
   2. when a verbal warning is given, it must be documented in writing with notification to the employee;
   3. progressive discipline will be implemented when appropriate; and
   4. disciplinary action shall "normally"  follow the following order, except in cases of serious misconduct: 1) verbal warning, 2) written warning, 3) suspension without pay (with or without pay for food service workers) , 4) discharge.

 
As to the contracts currently being negotiated, I confirmed with Rebecca that none contain proposals regarding discipline. 
 
Given that (1) this policy is not required, (2) all of the CBAs address discipline (in various ways), and (3) maintaining this policy establishes a standard for at-will employees that would not otherwise apply, we recommend that the Board repeal this policy.  If the district wishes to have procedures to HR to follow when imposing discipline, it could create a "cheat sheet" of sorts, outlining the steps required by each CBA and best practices. 
 
I hope this information if helpful and would be happy to discuss further.
 
Employee Discipline - 4117 Policy Attorney is recommending deletion of the policy.  

Rationale:  This policy was reviewed as part of the 4000 Series. 

Student Teachers 4122 Policy and Regulation No recommended changes 

Rationale:  This policy was reviewed as part of the 4000 series.  This policy does not seem to have a purpose.  Recommend deletion.  

Summer Teaching 4124 Policy 

Rationale:  This policy was reviewed as part of the 4000 Series.  

Weapons and Dangerous Instruments Policy 4118.232