November 1, 2023 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Meeting

Rationale: 
MOMENT OF SILENCE
Gertrude Wedler - Teacher - Ellen P. Hubbell, Clara T. O'Connell and Memorial Boulevard

MEETING NORMS
•All participants will actively participate, engage in the work of the meeting, and have an equal voice and airtime. 
• Assume positive intentions by respecting and honoring the diversity of opinions, beliefs, and perspectives. 
• Cultivate trust by being honest and focusing on ideas, practices, and the work...not people. 
• Norms will be upheld during all meetings and in all interactions outside of formal meetings.

Rationale: 
 

Rationale: 

• Gina Gallo
• Sarah Lindstrom
• Steve Troche

Rationale: 

Bristol Public Schools partnered with FIRST Lego League and Otis Worldwide, to bring 8 Lego League teams to students in grades K-5. Otis is sponsoring the cost for the materials, teacher "Champion" stipends and close to 80 students participation for these programs. This year’s theme is Master Piece - Lights, camera, STEAM! Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) inspire big ideas, bold action - and creativity. Students’ skills make it possible to create art and experiences that bring us together, entertain us, and move us. Teams will celebrate the roles our STEM skills play in the arts and design and build a world of endless possibilities. The future is yours to create. Teams have the opportunity to compete in local and regional competitions to showcase their creations. We have volunteers from the Otis Engineering department, from Southington High School who have experience with FIRST Lego League and students from Bristol Eastern and Central supporting the teams. A big thank you to Katje Pearson, Emily Bourassa, Emily Colombie, Ermina Elezovski, Jennifer McCaffrey, Rose Ortiz-Diehl, Michael Tartarelli, and Debra Bouldin for stepping up to be teacher "Champions" for our teams! Large thank you to Otis for funding these programs to bring this experience to our students. 

Rationale: 
Bristol Central                                         Bristol Eastern
Abigail Wasta - Junior                               Peyton Troth - Junior 

Rationale: 
1. October 4, 2023 - Regular BoE Meeting Minutes
2. October 24, 2023 - Executive Session Meeting Minutes
3. October 25, 2023 - Special Meeting - Meet & Greet Minutes
4. October 25, 2023 - Special BoE Meeting Minutes

Rationale: 

Communication & Community Relations	Finance	Operations	Personnel	Policy Committee	Student Achievement
Maria Simmons, Chair	Dante Tagariello, Chair	Eric Carlson, Chair	Dante Tagariello, Chair	Shelby Pons, Chair	Jill Fitzsimons-Bula
Shelby Pons	Kristen Giantonio	Russell Anderson	Eric Carlson	Jill Fitzsimons-Bula	Kristen Giantonio
Russell Anderson	Eric Carlson	Jill Fitzsimons-Bula	Maria Simmons	Kristen Giantonio	Maria Simmons
Alternates:
Lorianne Osenkowski	Shelby Pons	Lorianne Osenkowski	Jill Fitzsimons-Bula	Dante Tagariello	Eric Carlson

Rationale: 
Student representatives from Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern will share activities, surveys, suggestions, and topics of interest in their respective schools.
Bristol Central                                         Bristol Eastern
Isabel Paolina - Senior                              Rita Gao - Senior
Abigail Wasta - Junior                               Peyton Troth - Junior                                                         

Rationale: 
Chair Dube will update the Board and the public on topics related to the Board of Education.

Rationale: 

Dr. Carbone will report/update the Board on the following topics:
1. District Update
2. Board Chair Recognition

Rationale:   

DiLonardo, Rachel - CHMS - Special Education Teacher effective October 16, 2023
Leonard, Brittany - EDGE PreK - PreK Special Education Teacher effective October 23, 2023
Welsh-Stephenson - Vanessa - CHMS - Special Education Teacher effective October 20, 2023

Rationale: 

Alston, Kaitlin - STAF - Kindergarten Teacher effective October 3, 2023
Dixon, Sharon - WB - Library Media Specialist effective November 13, 2023
Latko, Eliza - WB - Physical Education and Health Teacher effective October 23, 2023
Leonard, Brittany - EDGE PK - PreK Special Education Teacher effective October 16, 2023

Rationale: 
Costa, John - BAIMS - Grade 8 Team Leader
Germain, Eileen - CHMS - Purple Team Leader

Rationale: 
Attached is a list of certified professional personnel who have reached continuing contract status (tenure) during the period of September 1, 2022 through September 1, 2023.

Rationale: 

The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt by our school-aged children across the state. In January of 2022, the Connecticut COVID-19 Education Research Collaborative evaluated the CT Summer Enrichment programs. A primary area of challenge across all sites was having limited access to mental health services and training to youth counselors to address the mental health needs of students. The Connecticut General Assembly recognized the need for mental health support during the summer months and passed Public Act 22-47 (PA 22-47) to address this concern for children and families. PA 22-47 provided $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support local and regional school districts and summer programs. The ARPA-Summer Mental Health Supports Grant is the third grant offered and is aimed at providing mental health services for the youth across Connecticut. 

Bristol was awarded the full amount of $50,000 for the next three school years for the purpose of hiring mental health staff, providing professional development to current staff, contracting with mental health support agencies, or developing programs focused on mental health for the summer months. 

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:

Before a Remote Meeting - Submitted Public Comment must be received by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

1. Send your comments to: susaneverett@bristolk12.org
2. Be sure to put PUBLIC COMMENT - BOE in the subject line.
3. Include your name and address.
4. Direct your comments to the Board Chair.
5. Your comments will be read at the meeting by the Board Chair.
6. All comments should be written in an appropriate manner, comments regarding personnel or confidential student information shall not be discussed under public comment.
7. Any comments not adhering to the guidelines will not be read at the meeting.

During a Meeting

1. Everyone is requested to address the Chair for recognition.
2. Each speaker must state his/her name and address.
3. All speakers must observe rules of common etiquette.  Personalities are not to be injected. Anyone violating this rule will be denied the floor. Unless waived by the Chairperson or a majority of the Board,
4. Each speaker shall limit his/her remarks to three (3) minutes.
5. A speaker will not be recognized for a second time on the same topic.
6. The public may speak as agenda topics come up for discussion or information.  Anyone digressing from the topic will be ruled out of order.
7. Written statements and materials may be made available, in advance of comments, for distribution to Board members.
8. Speakers shall state their positions on the subject being discussed.
9. Board members will not respond directly to comments during the Board meeting. The Superintendent will direct the question to the appropriate staff member for follow-up

Rationale: 
Dr. Culkin will review the October 1 enrollment figures for the Board.

Rationale: 
Amy Martino Director of Special Services will update the Board regarding Special Services programs and topics.

Rationale: 

Students begin the course with a study of sequences, which is also an opportunity to revisit linear and exponential functions. Students represent functions in a variety of ways while addressing some aspects of mathematical modeling. This work leads to looking at situations that are well modeled by polynomials before pivoting to a study of the structure of polynomial graphs and expressions. Students do arithmetic on polynomials and rational functions and use different forms to identify asymptotes and end behavior. Students also study polynomial identities and use some key identities to establish the formula for the sum of the first  terms of a geometric sequence.

Next, students extend exponent rules to include rational exponents. They solve equations involving square and cube roots before developing the idea of a number whose square is , expanding the number system to include complex numbers. This allows them to solve quadratic equations with non-real solutions.

Building on rational exponents, students return to their study of exponential functions and establish that the property of growth by equal factors over equal intervals holds even when the interval has non-integer length. They use logarithms to solve for unknown exponents, and are introduced to the number  and its use in modeling continuous growth. Logarithm functions and some situations they model well are also briefly addressed.

In accelerated, students learn to transform functions graphically and algebraically. In previous courses and units, students adjusted the parameters of particular types of models to fit data. Here, they consolidate and generalize this understanding. This work is useful in the study of periodic functions that come next. Students work with the unit circle to make sense of trigonometric functions and use those functions to model periodic relationships.

Within the classroom activities, students have opportunities to engage in aspects of mathematical modeling. Additionally, modeling prompts are provided for use throughout the course. Modeling prompts offer opportunities for students to engage in the full modeling cycle. These can be implemented in a variety of ways. 
 

Units of Study
Academic	Accelerated
Unit 1-Sequences and Functions	Unit 1-Sequences and Functions
Unit 2-Introduction to Quadratic Functions	Unit 2-Quadratic Functions
Unit 3-Quadratic Functions	Unit 3-Complex Numbers and Rational Functions
Unit 4-Complex Numbers and Rational Functions	Unit 4-Exponential Functions
Unit 5-Exponential Functions	Unit 5-Transformations of Functions
	Unit 6-Trigonometric Functions

Rationale: 

This is the second reading of the revised Middle School ELA Curriculum, first presented to the Student Achievement Committee on October 18th. Each course grounds the development of reading and writing skills in the exploration of shared texts, topics, and themes. Sixth grade texts explore "coming of age" and feature characters who are changed by their encounters with the adult world. Texts in seventh grade explore a variety of American experiences and perspectives. Eighth graders read a variety of texts that explore human nature. Each grade features a diverse set of genres, authors, and protagonists that collectively develop students knowledge of literature, as well as their knowledge of the world. 

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

Rationale: 

Any communications/information regarding building projects:
1. Chippens Underground Storage Tank
2. BAIMS Building Update
3. NEMS Building Committee Report
4. ESSER/ARP Building Committee Update
5. Edgewood Project Update
6. Culinary Arts Project Updates
7. Athletic Fields and Site Improvements

Rationale: 

Commissioners will report to the Board on any groups/organizations in which they serve as Board of Education Liaisons and information pertinent to the Board.

Commissioners at the Middle and K-8 schools will give reports.

Rationale: 
There being no other business to come before the Board, the meeting should be adjourned.