SPECIAL MEETING

BERLIN BOARD OF EDUCATION

July 16, 2007

MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING

Attendance: Gary Brochu

Julie Erickson

William Lutz Absent

Diane Mancini

Kathleen O’Donnell-Moss

Christopher Puzio Absent

Anthony Recck Arrived 7:45 p.m. (Exec Session)

John Richards

Rachel Rochette

Also in attendance: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Cicchetti; Director of Business Operations Roman Czuchta; Director of Pupil Personnel Services Margaret Butler; and Principal of Hubbard School Alfred Souza.

I. CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Brochu called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Board of Education (“the Board”) meeting room at 238 Kensington Road, Berlin, CT. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and a moment of silence was observed.

II. BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMUNICATIONS

Mr. Richards reported on a residence question that came before him as a representative of CREC and a member its Board of Directors. Mr. Richards indicated he forwarded the question to CREC.

Dr. Cicchetti reported on the excellent work that was accomplished by administrators at the recent Administrative Council Retreat. Dr. Cicchetti reported on his attendance, along with Assistant Superintendent
Rena Klebart, at the leadership institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education this past week. Dr. Cicchetti reported on the participation of Rena Klebart, Brian Benigni, and Laurie Gjerpen at a three-day training program on developing common formative assessments at the Center for Performance Assessment in Denver. Dr. Cicchetti reported on the participation of four Berlin administrators in a workshop regarding differentiating instruction.

Mr. Brochu thanked those Board members who met in Executive Session a few weeks ago for their participation in the discussion regarding the Superintendent’s evaluation. Mr. Brochu reported it was a worthwhile meeting and a kick off to the Board’s own discussion concerning the Board’s self-evaluation and the direction the Board is going in as a district.

III. AUDIENCE OF CITIZENS

Nothing to report.

IV. CONSENT AGENDA

1. Resignations

Matthew Pace, Assistant Principal at Berlin High School, has submitted his letter of resignation to be effective July 13, 2007. Mr. Pace has accepted a position as Assistant Principal at Conard High School in West Hartford.

Roszena Sutton, Supervisor of Special Education, has submitted her letter of resignation to be effective August 3, 2007. Ms. Sutton has accepted a position as Assistant Principal at Conard High School in West Hartford.

Moved by Ms. Rochette, seconded by Ms. O’Donnell-Moss, to approve the consent agenda as presented.

FAVOR:     ALL  

MOTION CARRIED:  5:0

V. INFORMATION AND REPORTS

1. Report on Food Services Program

Due to the absence, due to illness, of Timothy Prosinski, the Director of Food Services, he and Roman Czuchta, Director of Business Operations, will present the final budget report for the Food Services Program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007 at the August 20, 2007 meeting.

B. Educational Specifications (Statement of Need) for New High School

Board Secretary John Richards reported no action was taken at the July 10, 2007 Town Council meeting regarding educational specifications for the new high school. The Council tabled the item because the full Council was not present and because they wanted to check the Charter to determine the proper protocol regarding the Statement of Need and have time for Council members to forward questions to the Town Manager. The Council also indicated it did not have time to review the documents. Mr. Richards informed the Board that the Statement of Need was delivered to the Town Manager on Friday, June 29.

Mr. Czuchta reported that the Council may have questions for the Board prior to its next meeting of July 24, 2007; however, as of this date, nothing has been received from the Council.

VI. RECOMMENDED ACTION – PART I

A. New Policies and Revisions – 2nd Reading – Handbook Policies

At the June 25, 2007 meeting, Board members participated in a first reading of these new policies and revisions. The Board was provided with a set of new and revised policies that reflect the recommendations made by Board members at that time for the Board’s consideration and action so that the new policies and revisions can be included in the 2007-08 handbooks.  As requested, only the policies and not the regulations were included for this agenda. 

The policies in the set are those typically included in student/parent and staff handbooks, which are distributed at the beginning of the school year.  Since so many of the existing Board policies are out of compliance and/or do not reflect current practice, it was the recommendation of the Board’s attorney that the Board of Education move forward and approve these policies as a batch until the Board could initiate a more comprehensive review of all policies.  The policies included in the batch are model policies from Shipman & Goodwin. 

The set consisted of the following policies:

• Notification Concerning Asbestos Management Plans – Policy ECB

• Non-Discrimination (Students) – Policy JB

• Policy Regarding Pesticide Application on School Property – Policy ECBA

• Policy Regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 – Policy JBA

• Student Discipline – Policy JFCJ

• Student Privacy – Policy JP

• Bullying Behavior in the Schools – Policy JFCK

• Confidentiality and Access to Student Records – Policy JO

• Policy Regarding Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment (Students) – Policy JFH

• Student Attendance and Truancy – Policy JE

• Administration of Student Medications in the Schools – Policy JHCD

• Policy Regarding Search and Seizure – Policy JFG

• Student Dress – Policy JFCA

• Prohibition Against Smoking - Policy ECA

• Drug and Alcohol Use By Students – Policy JFCH

• Policy Regarding Student Use of the District’s Computer Systems and Internet Safety - Policy JFAB

• Field Trips – Policy IICA

Moved by Ms. O’Donnell-Moss, seconded by Mr. Richards, to approve the above handbook policies as presented.

Ms. Erickson, in response to her questions raised at the June 25, 2007 meeting, appreciated the administration’s efforts in providing a summary statement in the beginning of the Student Dress - Policy JFCA addressing why student dress is so important. In response to Ms. Erickson’s question concerning the specific nature of the Student Dress Policy concerning items students are prohibited from wearing, Dr. Cicchetti indicated this policy is one recommended by Shipman & Goodwin and tends to be more inclusive so that principals will have the prerogative to assign appropriate student discipline. In response to Ms. Rochette’s question regarding the policy being applied consistently at the three elementary schools, Dr. Cicchetti indicated the three elementary principals met to discuss the policy’s contents and the implementation of this policy across the three schools.

Ms. Butler responded to Ms. Erickson’s questions concerning Administration of Student Medication in the Schools – Policy JHCD and students who are able to self administer medication.

 

FAVOR:     ALL  

MOTION CARRIED:  5:0

B. New Policy – 2nd Reading – Policy JHCE (previously listed as JHGA) –

Food Allergies

At the June 25, 2007 meeting, Board members participated in a first reading of this new policy and regulations. The Board was provided with a copy of the new policy for the Board’s consideration and action so that the policy can be included in the 2007-08 handbooks. 

Moved by Mr. Richards, seconded by Ms. O’Donnell-Moss, to approve the new Board Policy JHCE as presented.

FAVOR:     ALL  

MOTION CARRIED:  5:0

C. Personnel Not Covered By Collective Bargaining

Dr. Cicchetti reported that the Board is being presented with a proposal for the salaries for continuation of employment for 2007-08 for personnel not covered by collective bargaining.  Mr. Richards noted that the Board’s Resources and Capacity-building Committee reviewed and discussed the proposal at its meeting earlier this evening. Dr. Cicchetti provided the Board with the proposal, which serves as an addendum to the Board’s action taken on June 25, 2007.

Moved by Ms. Erickson, seconded by Ms. Mancini, to approve the proposed salaries for personnel not covered by collective bargaining and issue them contracts for the 2007-2008 school year.

FAVOR:     ALL  

MOTION CARRIED:  6:0; including President Gary Brochu

VII. EXECUTIVE SESSION

A. Update of CHRO Complaint Status

B. Personnel Item Related to Supervisor of Special Education Position and

Vacancy

C. Evaluation of the Superintendent of Schools

At 7:38 p.m., a motion was made by Ms. Rochette, seconded by Ms. O’Donnell-Moss, to go into Executive Session to discuss an update of CHRO complaint status; personnel item related to Supervisor of Special Education position and vacancy; and evaluation of the Superintendent of Schools.

FAVOR:        ALL

MOTION CARRIED:  5:0

In attendance for Executive Session were Board members Brochu, Erickson, Mancini, O’Donnell-Moss, Richards and Rochette, as well as Superintendent Cicchetti. Mr. Czuchta was present.for the first executive session item, along with Board attorney Nicole Dorman. Mr. Recck joined the executive session at 7:45 p.m.

Mr. Czuchta and attorney Dorman departed at 8:20 p.m., at the end of the first item.

Mrs. Margaret Butler, Director of Pupil Personnel Services, joined the executive session at 8:20 p.m., for the second item.

At 10:00 p.m., Mrs. Butler and Superintendent Cicchetti departed, at the end of the second item.

At 11:20 p.m., a motion was made by Mr. Recck, seconded by Mrs. Erickson, to return to regular session.

FAVOR: ALL

MOTION CARRIED:  6:0

VIII. RECOMMENDED ACTION – PART II

D. Anticipated Election of Superintendent to New Three-Year Term

As stipulated in the Superintendent’s contract, the Board of Education shall decide, in accordance with the provisions of 10-157 of the General Statutes, whether to elect the Superintendent to a new three-year term.

Moved by Mrs. O’Donnell-Moss, seconded by Mrs. Erickson, that the Board of Education elect Michael T. Cicchetti to a new three-year term as Superintendent of Schools for the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2010, subject to the finalization of the terms of his contract.

FAVOR: ALL

MOTION CARRIED:  7:0, including Board President Gary Brochu

IX. ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Mr. Recck, seconded by Mrs. Rochette, to adjourn the meeting at 11:25 p.m.

FAVOR:     ALL  

MOTION CARRIED:  6:0

 

Respectfully submitted,

John M. Richards, Secretary, Berlin Board of Education

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