Dawn Weber, Emily Alvord and Holly Bennett have been invited to the Board meeting to be recognized by the board for being chosen as the January 2010 employee of the month.  During the holiday season they organized food, clothing and toy drives to benefit all of the Killingly community.  They went beyond what is typical and which is associated with their jobs by volunteering their evenings and weekends to wash, pack and distribute coast and purchase turkeys and other items for those in need.

Bonnie Beland's class took part in the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, NV on January 21, 2010.  The students took part in a National Residential Construction Competition that involved 58 teams from around the United States. They took 3rd in the Residential Construction competition and 2nd for Outstanding Chapter, [only losing to Texas A&M].  Devonte Banks received the Outstanding Student Achievement Award and Mrs. Beland received the Outstanding Educator Award. 

Members of the Killingly community are encouraged to share their thoughts with the Board of Education and are invited to do so during this segment of the meeting.  When appropriate to do so, members of the Board and the administration may respond to comments. However, in consideration of those in attendance and in an effort to proceed in a timely manner, follow-up discussion may need to take place outside of the meeting setting.

Beth Royer, horticulture teacher in the Ag Sciences program and member of the 1:1 Laptop Committee, will bring a group of students to share midyear progress.  Currently, all ninth and tenth graders have personal laptops assigned to them for their four years of high school, and teachers have gradually been learning how to infuse the use of technology into day-to-day classroom activities.  The goals for the program include reducing the digital divide, and increasing relevance, engagement, attendance and academic achievement.  It is important to remember that although two grade levels (and all vo-ag students) have laptops, we have just completed our first year of experience since the first distribution was last January.

Charter Oak Credit Union has proposed opening a branch in the new high school, for use by students and staff.  They would provide supervision and support, train students who will work in the branch, and provide personal finance instruction and materials to the rest of the student body.  This would all be coordinated through the business department; the program also provides another career pathway opportunity for students.  Charter Oak would pay for any construction costs necessary to modify the space we've identified for the branch; there would be no cost to the district.

Donna Guillot and representatives of Charter Oak will present the proposal to the Board, and respond to any questions.  Ultimately, Board approval would be necessary to move ahead with the project.

Project Opening Doors is a partnership between the public and private sectors that seeks to increase Connecticut students' participation in AP courses and better ensure their success in college.  This initiative, which focuses on underrepresented student populations, involves representatives from education, government and business.  To date, nine schools are participating (including Putnam HS, Coventry HS, and Bacon Academy).  Goals are:

- foster the next generation of scientists and engineers through rigorous academics
- specifically encourage excellence in math, science and English by way of student participation in AP classes
- step up professional development of teachers in AP subjects and methodologies

We have applied for the next round of Project funding.  Mr. Micari and Mr. Marcoux will present their goals for the program and the process moving forward.

Elaine Kozak, PK-8 Mathematics Consultant, has provided a brief report of the progress she has made in the area of curriculum redesign which includes the identification of grade-level expectations (GLEs) and pacing guidelines.  A sample of 4th grade GLEs and 4th grade pacing guide are attached.  Her report also speaks to the progress made related to the development of common formative assessments (CFAs) and the implementation of Scientific Research-Based Intervention (SRBI) in mathematics.

Joan Gardner will be present to give a brief report on what is going on at Killingly Central School.

Committees of the Board met and will give a brief report.

I will provide a brief update on the project, focusing on the FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) and technology bids and budget.  Attached is the letter from Fletcher Thompson to the PBC detailing their analysis of the bids, and a listing of all equipment included in the bids.  The PBC forwarded recommendations to the Town Council to approve the various contracts, as listed.

I will provide a brief update on the status of the White House and of various questions surrounding the condition of the building and the process the Board would need to follow to find an alternate location for central office.

We will provide an update to the Board on the status of the task force established at the last board meeting.

MOTION:  to approve the consent agenda:

a.  regular meeting minutes of January 13, 2010 and special meetings of January 6, 2010 and January 23, 2010
b.  payment of bills for the 2009-2010 year in January in the amount of $1,427,698.25
c.  Employee of the Month for January 2010
d.  Grants: ARRA - ESEA, Title IID 21st Century Learning Environments, and Career & Technical Education Innovation Grants: Personal Finance Literacy, Implementation of the Electronic Student Success Plan, and Implementation of the Electronic SSP with Aligned Capstone Project

As you are aware, we have an agreement with the Town Council on the funding of two specific line items - Regular Tuition (our outplaced special ed students) and Agency Placement Tuition (students placed in Killingly by state agencies for whom we are responsible).  [See the next item on the agenda for the wording of the existing agreement and proposed changes.]  Both of these line items are eligible for state excess cost aid reimbursement. 

Largely due to an unexpectadly large in-migration of students last year with existing IEP's that required outplacement, we asked the Council for a supplemental appropriation last year of approximately $600,000.  We were able to return all these funds (and then some) to the Town by the close of the fiscal year.

This year we are again facing a shortfall attributable to three things: first, the nature of two year averaging in the agreed upon formula created a $300,000 shortfall in the budget itself; second, there are an additional five students outplaced this year (two moved into the district) accounting for another $300,000 [$58,000 per student before we are eligible for excess cost aid]; and, third, the state's capping of excess cost aid at 77% of their obligation reduced revenues by another $300,000.

After reviewing options, the Fiscal Committee recommended that the BOE request a supplemental appropriation from the Council in our anticipated shortfall amount of $921,794.  This was discussed at the Town Council Fiscal Committee meeting on January 28th, where they agreed to forward the item to the Council.

The Board's and Council's Fiscal Committees have discussed revisions to the Policy Regarding Special Education Funding (more accurately, Regular special education and Agency placement expenditures and revenues) since early this fall.  Attached is a revised policy as discussed at the Council Fiscal Committee meeting on January 28, 2010.  Board members were present and concurred with the changes.  The plan is for the Board to act on approval at its February 3rd meeting, and the Council will act at their February 9th meeting.

The changes in the preamble and paragraph reflect actual current practice and timeline.  The new paragraph 3, requiring the BOE "to make every effort" to manage expenditures so as to be able to refund the supplemental appropriation is in keeping with our intentions and practice at all times.

Overall, a continuation of the policy helps protect regular education programs from unexpected tuition costs and reflects the ability of the Council and Board to work together in the best interest of children, the district and the town.

Attached are scheduled meeting dates for the Fiscal Committee to review the budget.  Specific topics or areas to be discussed at each meeting are tentative.

The Board also needs to schedule a special meeting on March 3rd to hear the recommendations of Fiscal and review the budget, prior to the anticipated Board adoption of a budget to forward to the Town Manager before March 15, as required by Town Charter.