September 9, 2009 at 7:00 PM - Regular Board template

Rationale:  Jeanne Bouyea - Teacher from 9/4/62 to 6/30/02

Rationale:  1. Vernessa Elder - BCHS - School Psychologist of the Year
2. Bristol Central Unified Sports - Michaels Jeweler’s Cup Award

Rationale:  Pursuant to Robert’s Rules of Order, the following questions are subject to the Board’s vote without debate.  Should a member choose to debate a specific question, he/she will move to lay the question on the table, and it shall become the first item of New Business.  The Board will then vote on the remaining questions.

Rationale:  Susan Iwanicki-Smith - K-5 Supervisor - Effective Date To be Determined

Rationale:  Jennifer Zenuh - CHMS - Language Arts, Grade 6/7 - Effective August 19, 2009

Rationale:  Kathleen Clute – MTV – PreK – Effective 8/28/09
Merrill Ebner – WW – Math – Effective 8/24/09
Alexandra Nappi – EDGE - .5 Kindergarten – Effective 8/24/09
Hannah Richard – JJJ - .5 Kindergarten – Effective 8/24/09
Klaudia Sienko – BCHS - .5 World Language – Effective 8/26/09
Barbara Tedesco – EPH – Grade 1 – Effective 8/31/09
Anne Twomey – SSS – Grade 3 – Effective 8/25/09
Orlando Valle – BEHS – Science – Effective 8/24/09

Rationale:  Thomas Skovran - BEHS - Instrumental, Percussion Director - Effective August 17, 2009

Rationale:  Theresa Nodine - BCHS - Band Auxiliary Unit Advisor - Flags & Majorettes
Sarah Ramsey - BCHS - Band Auxiliary Unit Advisor - Dance

Rationale:  Clint DeSena - MTV - Gifted Coach
Steven Tillinghast - MBMS - Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator

Rationale:  Veronica Beaudoin  - STAF - Literacy Teacher
Amanda Robustelli-Price - BCHS - World Language Teacher

Rationale:  Robert Germain - BEHS - Assistant Wrestling Coach

Rationale:  Tunxis Community College requires a Board of Education approved resolution for every contract signed.

Rationale:  The Board of Education is required to have authorized signatures on file with each banking institution where we have accounts. Please be advised we require two authorized signatures for each account.

Rationale: 

Members of the public are invited to comment to the Board on any topic related to school business.

Items requiring consideration by the Board must be approved as an agenda item by a 2/3ds vote of the Board members present.  Such items may be referred for further study and not necessarily acted upon at this meeting.

 Anyone wishing to address the Board should adhere to the following procedures:

1.  Sign in on the Public Comment sign-in roster.
2.  Wait to be recognized by the Board Chair.
3.  Proceed to the speaker’s table
4.  Preface your remarks by stating your name and address.
5.  Direct your comments to the Board chairman.
6.  Please limit your comments to three minutes.
7.  Any comments should be made in an appropriate manner, particularly if concerning a personnel matter.

Rationale:  Dennis Bieu will give the annual Teacher Hiring Overview for the 2009-2010 school.

Rationale: 

Since 2004, Bristol students have enjoyed an active exchange with the La-Queue-lez-Yvelines in France.  This trip has cost around $1600.

In order to provide all students with the opportunity to experience immersion in French, I am requesting permission to take 32-49 students to Quebec to experience Carnaval from Saturday, February 13, 2010 until Tuesday, February 16, 2010.   I did a similar trip two years ago and it was an enormous success.  The Quebec Carnaval is the largest winter carnival in the world.  At this event, students will experience activities in French based on the Quebecoise folkloric lifestyle and visit sites integral to the Quebecoise experience.  Students will see the Plains of Abraham, pivotal in the Seven Year’s war, see the famous Défilé (parade) de Carnaval on Saturday night, and more.  The tour group, Jumpstreet, specializes in providing educational tours that enhance foreign language classes.  This trip will cost roughly half of what the French exchange has cost.  We will travel by bus, thus avoiding airport security levels. 

Rationale:  For some time the Administration has been researching the viability and efficacy of offering a retirement incentive plan for the faculty (Bristol Federation of Teacher members).  Given the financial exigencies we foresee over the coming two to three years, we now believe it is in everyone’s best interest to offer such a plan if it can be run in a financially viable manner.  Therefore, we recommend that the Bristol Board of Education approve the plan as attached.  This also requires the approval of the BFT regarding a multi-year payout of eligible severance payments).

Rationale:  Annual Board of Education Year End Budget Report.

Rationale:  The new Health/Wellness curriculum was approved for grades 6, 7, and 8 in the fall of 2006.  The revisions made to the curriculum align with the new Healthy and Balanced Living Curriculum Framework and the Comprehensive School Health Education document published by the State Department of Education.  Since the adoption of the new curriculum, teachers have been creatively using handouts, worksheets and resources to disseminate the critical content information.  There is no text book per se.  With the change in the Food Pyramid, most of these resources are now outdated and incorrect.  The new text being presented aligns nicely with the new state standards and our curriculum document and would become the primary resource.

This is second reading of the textbook.

Rationale: 

The Engineering & Technology Departments is implementing a new half year course entitled Video Production Techniques.  This elective is a foundation course intended to build primary technology skills with video production techniques as well as an operational understanding of related terminology and technical vocabulary.  

A committee of Engineering & Technology teachers is recommending the following textbook to support the attainment of state standards and  instructional objectives established for the new course:

 Video: Digital Communication & Production published by The Goodheart – Wilcox Company

 The textbook recommendation form has been forwarded to Commissioners for their review via electronic mail. Copies of the textbook are available in the Superintendent’s office and the Office of Teaching & Learning. 

Rationale:  The Board of Education will discuss any old business proper to come before the Board.

Rationale:  The Board of Education will discuss any new business proper to come before the Board.

Rationale:  The Board of Education will receive various building committee reports.

Rationale:  Any communication received or any questions by Board members concerning items not on the agenda.

Rationale:  The Board of Education should vote to convene into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing:

1. Expulsions
2. BESA Concession Negotiations

Rationale:  The Board of Education should reconvene into Public Session to take any votes on matters discussed in Executive Session.

Rationale:  The Board of Education will adjourn the regular meeting.