Town of Rocky
Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2002
Page 1
TOWN OF ROCKY HILL
BOARD OF
EDUCATION
MEETING OF
AUGUST 15, 2002
Members Present: Nadine Bell
Raffaella
Coler
Tina
Lionetti
Charles
McMonigle
Anne Schmidt
Frank Szeps (Chairman)
Marinella
Tirillo
Catherine
Vargas
Jennifer
Viggiano-Grosse
Members Absent: None
A
meeting of the Board of Education was held on Thursday, August 15, 2002, in the
Council Room of the Rocky Hill Town Hall.
Chairman Szeps called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
The pledge of allegiance was recited.
Moved by Mrs. Tirillo, seconded by Mrs. Lionetti, to accept the minutes
of the June 6, 2002, Board of Education
meeting as corrected, and the minutes of
the June 11 and June 27, 2002 Board of Education meetings as presented,
and the minutes of the July 9, 2002, Transportation/Accommodations Committee as
presented.
FAVOR: ALL
MOTION CARRIED
On
Page 6 of the June 6 minutes, in the motion, change “$40,000” to
“$50,000”. For that motion, concerning
approval of the budget, Mrs. Tirillo noted that she had been distracted at the
time of the vote and voted in favor, in error.
She had intended to oppose
Town of Rocky Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2001
Page 2
the
motion, and had noted her objections to it during the discussions of the
budget. Mrs. Tirillo requested that the minutes reflect her intent to oppose
the motion at this time.
Dr. Vautour noted a thank you note from Mr. Cooke expressing his appreciation of the fact that students in the automotive class painted one of the Town’s vans. A thank you note was received from Ken Edwards, Acting Assistant Principal during Mrs. Hayward’s leave. Mr. Edwards commended administration, staff and the students. The Rocky Hill Congregational Church sent a thank you note to consumer sciences class at the middle school for the quilts donated by the students. Several thank you notes for flowers were noted.
Dr. Vautour had received an e-mail from Councilman Phil Sylvestro advising him that there is a public hearing scheduled for Monday at 6:45 p.m. regarding the high school storage for athletic equipment. There is a proposal to construct a storage area in a portion of the rear of the high school for storage, rest room facilities and a concession stand. It would be appropriate for members of the public to express their feelings about storage at the high school at that time.
AUDIENCE
PARTICIPATION
RHTA Liaison Committee
Pat Crawford, President, reported that this July the RHTA sent one representative to the NEA Convention in Dallas. The group would be hosting a workshop at Griswold Middle School for teachers from throughout Connecticut. New teacher orientation would take place on August 21, and the Executive Board would host lunch that day, and they would be happy to defray the cost of the luncheon with the Board of Education.
There were no student reports.
Meeting Open to
the Public
Town of Rocky
Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2002
Page 3
There was no one from the public wishing to address the Board on any item not on this
evening’s agenda.
1.
Consent Calendar
The August 15 consent calendar included several teacher resignations, approval of the Primary Mental Health Grant of $18,000, and the establishment of an annual tuition fee in the amount of $8,681.
Moved by Mrs. Lionetti, seconded by Mrs. Bell, to accept the consent
calendar of August 15, 2002.
FAVOR: ALL
MOTION CARRIED
2. Personnel and Negotiations
3. Policy
Mrs.
Tirillo reported that a special meeting of the Policy Committee had been held
prior to tonight’s Board meeting for a first reading of Polices 6143a, b and c,
and 3160, and 3136.
Policies
6143a, b and c deal with computer technology, with 6142a setting parameters for
acceptable web pages with appropriate material, as a safeguard for staff as
well as the Board of Education. There is
one wording change proposed in the final paragraph. Policy 6143b deals with commercially produced
video recordings, and states that video recordings may only be used if they
directly support educational programs.
It clarifies the fact that videos from vendors or labeled for home use
only cannot be used for school. The
school system has to follow copyright rules.
There is no proposed wording change.
Policy 6143c concerns video taping of students and staff. The school Board recognizes that it must
protect students’ safety, and the policy clarifies that any parent or staff
Town of Rocky
Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2002
Page 4
member
not wishing their student to be video taped may sign a document, stating their
request. . An annual notice will be sent out at the
opening of school. For each of the
policies there is a set of administrative guidelines, which has been reviewed
by the Committee. The Committee would
present the policies at the next Board meeting for adoption.
Policy
3160 was reviewed in order to bring it into compliance with legislative
requirements that specify that the Board of Education must approve line item
transfers. A line item is defined as a
program by location. The requirement is
that the General Account be clarified.
The proposal will be reworded to state that the line items transfers
will be made in keeping with the definitions provided.
The
Policy Committee received a recommendation from the Transportation Committee to
review Policy 3545 dealing with student transportation. Nos. 3 and 4 of that policy should be deleted
because they do not conform to the Town’s definition of appropriate
roadway. If the Town has approved a
road, the Board can transport students over it.
At
the next meeting, if there are questions about the proposed changes to the
policies, they would be clarified. The
Board will be asked to adopt those policies at the next meeting.
No report.
5. Curriculum
No report.
6. Professional Development
No report.
7. Facilities
No report.
Town of Rocky
Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2002
Page 5
8. Technology
No report.
9. Transportation/Accommodations
No report.
No report.
OLD BUSINESS
Dr. Vautour noted that the district has hired 22 new certified personnel, and three new non-certified personnel. The district currently has vacancies in high school Spanish and high school English, sixth grade Science, and Speech and Language. There is a part-time vacancy in the Technical Analyst position. Dr. Vautour was pleased with the caliber of the candidates and anticipated that all vacancies would be filled before school began.
12.
Teacher Evaluation and
Professional Development
Mrs. Boutilier reviewed the summary report on the 2001-02 teacher evaluation program, and summarized professional development activities provided this year. The summative evaluation included formal and informal classroom visitations by the evaluation committee. Administrators evaluate and supervise their staff. They adopt new techniques and make decisions about who will no longer be employees of the Rocky Hill school system.
Mrs. Boutilier noted that 30 to 45 minute classroom observations were done, and professional growth goals were set. She noted a chart of the summations of the formal
Town of Rocky
Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2002
Page 6
observations. Staff member meet with administrators and set goals that are monitored and acted upon. There is ongoing dialogue concerning progress towards meeting their goals. Mrs. Boutilier reviewed “Lead the Way” goals to be implemented this year. She reads, and Dr. Vautour reads, many of the evaluations done by the administrators. There are 34 staff members who agreed to work with administration and pilot the new evaluation system which is designed to “raise the bar”.
Mrs. Boutilier noted that the old definition of good teachers only reflected what went on in the classrooms. The state has adopted a new Connecticut Core of Teaching guidelines. There are two phases in the new evaluation program. One phase is for those who are non-tenured, and who more closely match the requirements that the State puts on them as they going through the BEST program. The teachers are asked to video tape themselves and study their teaching techniques. Teachers in years one to four focus on classroom observation. Teachers who become tenured in the fifth year are involved in the professional growth phase. They focus on how they impact the students and student learning. Teachers are asked to use the data and do pre-testing so that they can make the changes and do post testing.
The shift is away from the teacher behaviors to student learning and what imparts those teachers have on what is going to happen in the classroom. The teachers are being asked to weave the new plan into each of their classroom activities. The common core of teaching is the description given by the state. The teachers are constantly being asked how it ties into the ultimate goal. The whole plan will be introduced to the teachers on August 26.
Next year, there are five professional development days planned, and the professional development plan will also be introduced to the teachers on the 26th. On the 26th, staff members will be in the building.
Mrs. Boutilier reviewed the details of the November 5 professional development day, which would be coordinated with the Wethersfield and Cromwell school districts. The February 14 professional development day would be spent in the school buildings, and the April 24 day would focus on the disciplines being taught.
Mrs. Schmidt questioned whether there had been any feedback from the 34 teachers who had participated in the pilot program; Mrs. Boutilier noted a survey had been done, and some changes were recommended. Dr. Vautour noted a staff person had participated in the focused observation phase, with sixteen consecutive days of observation. The building administrators were surprised at the amount of details and work that had gone into that teacher’s classroom preparation.
Town of Rocky
Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2002
Page 7
Dr. Vautour noted that a veteran teacher may request an
observation. He noted that the recent
administrators’ retreat had a lengthy agenda, but the focus was on teacher
evaluation. Chairman Szeps asked if
input from students and parents was being sought; Mrs. Boutilier reported that
student and parental input was an important part of the process.
13.
School Leavers Report
Dr. Vautour noted that the district tracks the number of students graduating from Griswold Middle School who do not go on to the high school. This year, there are 28 students who will not be attending Rocky Hill High School. Seventeen of them will be attending parochial schools. There are five students who are not going to Rocky Hill High School, but who are attending technical or a vocational-agricultural school. The remaining students will be going to private preparatory schools.
In the past, an average of 13% to 14% of students did not attend the high school, and this year the average is 13.7%.
Mrs. Bell asked if any follow-up has been done as to why students do not continue their education in Town. Dr. Vautour said he would send each family a letter asking them to comment on the reason for their decision.
Mrs. Schmidt asked if a comparison had been made with other schools in Rocky Hill’s ERG; Dr. Vautour noted no comparison had been made, but could be. Some of the reasons have to do with the number of alternatives available for that district.
14. Elementary Enrollments
Dr.
Vautour reported that administration tracks elementary enrollment throughout
the summer to make sure that they are in line with classroom size
guidelines. There are two instances
where the district is above the recommendation classroom size. One of them is in Grade Two at Stevens, where
one class has one student over the guidelines, and in the third grade at West
Hill where one class has one student over the guidelines. Dr. Vautour would request extra help in those
classrooms with core subjects.
Mrs.
Coler noted that names of students scheduled for different classrooms were
posted on doors of the schools. For
confidentiality and safety reasons, she requested that that policy be
changed. Dr. Vautour would discuss it
with administration.
Town of Rocky
Hill
Board of Education
August 15, 2002
Page 8
The
next Board of Education meetings were scheduled for September 5 and September
19. The first day of school will be
August 28.
Moved by Mrs. Vargas, seconded by Mrs. Schmidt, to adjourn the meeting
at 7:50 p.m.
FAVOR: ALL
MOTION CARRIED
Respectfully
submitted,
Rosalie
W. O’Neill
Recording
Secretary