August 24, 2017 at 7:00 PM - Bethel Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Grants, Gifts & Bequests 

1. At graduation, Mr. Ingersoll mentioned that he was going to make a donation to Bethel High School for additional teacher funds to support purchasing of additional supplies and/or unique projects.  He donated $5,000, which will be distributed by Mr. Troetti.  
2. Perkins Grant
3. 20 Backpacks w/school supplies, Mr. Kevin Dee, Bethel Power Equipment, Bethel.
4. Office furniture, technology, and supplies for district and school offices, Genpact Company, Bethel, CT.

 

 

 

Rationale: 

• Letter sent to the Connecticut General Assembly (Delegation,  Education Committee and Appropriations Committee) sent on August 8, 2017 regarding the impact to the Governor's Proposed ECS Cuts.  
• Letter regarding Common Core from Jane Gangi.

 

 

Rationale:  (Please note:  The Board welcomes Public Participation and asks that speakers please limit their comments to 2 minutes.  Speakers may offer objective comments of school operations and programs that concern them.  The Board will not permit any expression of personal complaints or defamatory comments about Board of Education personnel and students, nor against any person connected with the Bethel Public School System.)

Rationale: 

As we are engaging in the renovation projects, it is an ideal time to review school start times.  I would like to engage in a district committee to study the issue and make recommendations.  I will provide you with a more detailed explanation at the meeting.  

Attached is a proposed schedule of 2017-2018 Regular Board Of Education Reports for your consideration.  Please let us know if there are any additional topics you would like covered.  

 

Rationale: 

To take advantage of the early bird discount for registration, we need to know if any Board Members would like to attend the 2017 CAPSS/CABE Convention.  We would need to know by August 27th to take advantage of the discount.  

Click to view the workshops available CABE/CAPSS Convention Workshops

 

Rationale: 

Key Points of the Briefing:

1. Bethel High School is organizing a trip to Hawaii for those students interested in the study of history and culture.

2. We will use the tour company, EF Tours, which we have worked with in the past and the company has been organizing student tours for almost 50 years.  

3. The dates of the 11 day trip would be July 25, 2018 through August 5, 2018.

4. The cost of the trip for our students will be $3771 (quoted for a minimum of 30 students), which covers roundtrip airfare, hotels, meals, tours and admissions, transportation, service of a full time EF director, and basic insurance).

5. The goal is to have at least 30 students for the trip. In the event we don’t, we can be share the trip with another group.

6. As of 7.14.17, there are no travel alerts or travel warnings to Hawaii.

Rationale: 

The Bethel Public Schools, on their website have always contained regulations regarding "charging" for the School Lunch Program.  Under the new Federal law, Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA), the Board of Education is required to adopt a policy and regulation regarding charging of school lunches and breakfast.   The Board of Education does not currently have a policy.  Some key points of the policy and regulation include:  

1. Commitment to providing assistance to students quailifying for free and reduced lunch; 
2. Parameters for "charging" lunches;  
3. Strategies for parents who are having difficulty paying for lunch;  
4. Overview of ways for parents to make payments; and
5. Mechanisms for the district to contact parents when their balances are low or in debt.  

 

Rationale:  Attached are the proposed 2017-2018 Board of Education Goals as discussed at the Summer Retreat (July, 2017).  We are welcome to include any feeback Board members might have.