April 1, 2015 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

National Anthem – Elementary Vocal Group - Director Allison Kelley

Rationale:  Kris Irvine - 2015 Dawn Hochsprung Elementary Principal of the Year

Molyna Tep - Chippens Hill M.S. - Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Gold Medal Winner

Kenneth Tennan - Bristol Eastern - CT Association of Athletic Directors Scholarship and Essay Winner

Rationale:  March 4, 2015 - Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

BACKGROUND: This agenda item will address any reports from Board committees to the full Board.   Communication & Community Relations Finance Operations Personnel Student Achievement Karen Vibert, Chair Jill Fitzgerald, Chair Karen Hintz, Chair Genard Dolan, Chair Jennifer Dube, Chair Jeffrey Morgan Jeffrey Morgan Karen Vibert Thomas O’Brien Jeffrey Morgan Jennifer Dube Christopher Wilson Thomas O’Brien Jill Fitzgerald Karen Hintz Alternates: Christopher Wilson Karen Hintz Genard Dolan Jennifer Dube Jill Fitzgerald

Rationale:  Student Representatives Nick Savino (Bristol Central) and Sophia Dzikas (Bristol Eastern) will give updates on activities at their respective schools.

Rationale:  Dr. Solek will report/update the Board on district topics.

1. PreK-8 Capital Technology Plan - Rich Gagliardi
    1a. Technology Grant - Rich Gagliardi

Rationale:  Darlene Lefevre - CHMS _ Language Arts
Roberta Verbyla - NEMS - Music

Rationale:  Molly Doub - BEHS - Math - Effective June 30, 2015
Erin Jones - WB - Grade 5 - Effective June 30, 2015
Karen Okaski - BEHS - Special Education - ASEP I - Effective March 11, 2015

Rationale:  * Brianna Flaherty - GH- Grade 3 - Effective Date to be Determined
Gina Krar - STAF - Literacy Coach - Effective April 20, 2015

Rationale:  Wendy Snow-Crane – Head Girls Swim – BEHS, effective 3/5/15
Paul Ryskowski – .5 Assistant Track - BCHS, effective 3/19/15

Rationale: 

Paul Ryskowski – Assistant Track Coach - .5 Boys - .5 Girls – BCHS, effective 3/23/15

Daniel Wolf – Assistant Boys Lacrosse Coach – BCHS, effective 3/23/15

Michael Archangelo – Assistant Girls Track Coach – BEHS, effective 3/23/15

Ryan Fisher - Assistant Boys Lacrosse Coach – BEHS, effective 3/23/15

Rationale: 

Former State Representative Christopher Wright made a request of the Connecticut Bond Commission to provide a grant to fund the Bristol Eastern High School Lights project in the amount of $70,000. Given the timing of the release of these funds, they have been designated for the construction of a press box at Bristol Eastern High School. The City Council accepted these funds at their February 10, 2015 meeting. In accepting these funds, the Board of Education assumes the cost of future maintenance of this structure. 

A Request for Proposals in being developed in the City Purchasing Office to solicit contractors for this project

Rationale:  Teacher Elizabeth Porter has received a $2,499 grant to fund a school garden program at Chippens Hill Middle School.

Rationale:  Bristol FRCs are requesting $5,000 of funding from the Main Street Foundation General Fund.  This grant was received last FY 2014-15 and is being re-requested for 2015-16.  TOPS (Translation, Outreach, Programming and Support Services) for Spanish speaking parents/children residing in the West Bristol School district.  Grant Funds will be used to hire a per diem Spanish Speaking Outreach Worker to provide culturally competent social work services to parents/children ensuring that their educational needs and family goals are achieved (aprox. 8 hours per week).  The FRC Outreach Worker will provide translation services at PPTs, parent-teacher conferences and other needed correspondence done in Spanish. In addition,  we expect to complete at least 25 Family Assessments. The Outreach Worker will use the Family-Partnership Assessment tool which will  assist parents in identifying their needs in the following areas: education, employment, housing, transportation, support service needs, health/wellness, finances, childcare/parenting. The parents will then be connected to FRC and community services to meet their identified needs.

Rationale:  The Quality Enhancement Grant is being submitted to the Bristol School Readiness Council (BSRC) for the purpose of enhancing the services provided by the Family Resource Centers (FRC) at Greene-Hills, South Side and West Bristol Schools.  The FRCs are charged with the responsibility of providing comprehensive family support services and building a strong school-family-community partnership that strengthens healthy family living.   This grant request supports the Kith and Kin Services program.   Kith & Kin refers to families using informal childcare arrangements between or among relatives, friends and neighbors.  The Comprehensive Family Services program supports parent leadership workshops, health fair activities and the Road to Reading program which distributes free books to preschoolers enrolled in BSRC programs.  The grant funds assist in the continuation of these programs that are consistent with the basic goals of the FRCs.  The FRC has been fortunate to receive these funds, yearly for the past eleven years.

Rationale: 

BACKGROUND:   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 speakers microphone.
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.

 Board Policy #1120(a)

Rationale: 

Bristol offers a variety of Summer School programming for students in kindergarten through grade 12. The elementary program directed by Scott Redman seeks approval now, and the secondary programs are due to be presented to the Board of Education for approval in May.

 Elementary:

Enrichment: These courses provide enrichment activities for elementary students and will  be held at Ivy Drive School. 

Rationale: 

Traditionally the closing day of school has been set at the April meeting along with the high school graduation date. 

Promotional exercises at the middle schools take place in the morning of the last day of school, Thursday, June 18, 2015.

High school graduation will be scheduled for the evening of Thursday, June 18, 2015.

 Summary of Closing Information to Date

 School Closed:  11/26, 1/9, 1/12, 1/27, 2/2, 2/9

 Late Openings:  12/9, 12/11, 1/8, 1/28, 1/30, 2/3, 2/5, 2/10, 3/2, 3/4, 3/5

 Early Dismissals:  1/26, 3/20

Rationale: 

Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for the fall and spring at the elementary, middle and high school levels. 

The school year is divided into three marking periods for the elementary and middle school students and four marking periods for high school students.  This creates marking periods of approximately 60 days and 45 days for grades K-8 and 9-12 respectively.

Rationale:  A team of social studies teachers has selected a new textbook for use in the AP US History course. The book, Give Me Liberty: AP Edition, presents a balanced survey of U.S. History spanning Native American civilizations before European exploration to major events during President Obama’s first term in office. There is a strong emphasis on preparation for the AP test, including test-taking strategies, review questions, sample document-based questions and free-response questions, and a wide range of historical texts. Supplementary texts, Voices of Freedom: A Documentary History (Volumes I and II), trace the development of American freedom over the last 250 years through diverse primary sources. An online book companion site provides a variety of resources to help students more deeply understand historical content.

Rationale:  A team of world language teachers has selected a new textbook for use in Italian courses. The book, Sentieri, presents vocabulary in meaningful contexts, allows for the practice of vocabulary and grammatical concepts through communication activities, explores cultural themes, develops reading skills in the context of unit themes, and includes online supporting materials such as an electronic textbook, videos, MP3s, and interactive activities. Sentieri will effectively support the Italian curriculum and its alignment to both state and national standards.

Rationale: 

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

Rationale:  The being no other business to come before the Board of Education the meeting should adjourn.