The board has reviewed DBS Code: 4111/4211-Recruitment & Selection through its first warning on 4/6/09.  The Policy Committee has reviewed this policy along with the Administrative Council.  The board has recommended reinstituting paragraph one which was crossed out in the first warning draft as part of the policy for second warning.

Due to the needs of the school department in providing for special education services, and as a result of recent updates on class schedules at the high school, I am recommending that the board vote to reinstate the following positions and staff:

Susan Atwood – SHS Math
Michael Mayo – SHS Business Ed

Kristina Carnevale – MBA Special Ed
Thoma Miller – MBA Math

Carla Castro – SHS Math                                              Melissa Mucci – SES Special Ed

Melissa Cianci – SES Special Ed
Susan Muirhead – MBA Asst. Principal

Linda Dewey – SW Social Worker (.5 FTE)
Theresa Muska – SHS Special Ed

Marc Dzicek – SHS Social Studies transfer to MBA
Jaclynn Ouellette – SES Special Ed (.5 FTE)

Caitlin Heintz – SES Special Ed                                      Stephanie Poole – SES Speech/Language Pathologist

Robert Kapner – SHS Asst. Principal
Karen Regan – SHS Guidance

Nicholas Kosloski – Tech Ed (MBA .2/HS .8)
Stanley Targonski – SHS Math

Michael Lurate – MBA Special Ed
Joseph Tarpinian – SES Physical Ed

This action will be the first round of recalls and reinstatements for personnel.  Once the town referendum has approved our budget we may then move to reinstate other personnel or make further cuts if necessary.  The positions being reinstated at this time are required regardless of the outcome on the town referendum budget vote.

The Director of Curriculum will present a proposed mathematics textbook adoption for grades K-2, which will unify the textbook series at the elementary level. The Board of Education Curriculum Subcommittee has reviewed this proposal and voted to bring it forward to the full board for approval. Copies of some of the materials are available for previewing in the Curriculum Library in the District Offices, in addition to being available at the meeting.

Enclosed with this agenda reporting form is a copy of the Instructional Resource Proposal Form outlining the process and projected costs for this adoption. Also enclosed with the packet is a revision of the five-year textbook/instructional plan, showing that the resources have been allocated for the consumable books in mathematics through fiscal year 2014.

The superintendent will update the board on the IDEA stimulus funding (see attached).

During the preceding two and ½ weeks a ridership survey was conducted for the 12 in-town bus runs.  The results are below.  Ridership varies on a daily basis.  During the spring we have our largest participation of high school students in spring sports which impacts MBA/SHS ridership.  Routes with lower ridership tend to be located farther from campus in less populated areas (i.e. Watchaug, Kibbe Grove, Stafford, Hampden, Root)..

Average #              # Buses

Of Riders         MBA/SHS       SES

   30-34                  2                   4                  

   35-39                  4                   1

   40-44                  4                   2

   45-49                  2                   2      

   50-54                  0                   3

CREC has been provided a list of our current out-of-district placements and is evaluating opportunities to combine transportation of Somers students with those from other districts.  We have recently received a proposal from CREC that addresses transportation for three current out-of-district placements.

We will continue to work closely with First Student as the 2009-2010 routes are developed to provide safe and cost-effective transportation as well as look to partner with other organizations to manage our transportation expenses.