The Board of Education reported at its Nov. 28 meeting that the State ECS Funding will be approximately $600K more than the original budget. A final confirmation of this is will be made at an upcoming April meeting.
A recap of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and Connecticut Association of Public Schools Superintendents (CABE/CAPSS) convention noted that the Board was presented with a Level II Leadership award. Dr. Alan Addley received the highest award given to a superintendent—Superintendent of the Year. Melissa Migliaccio, BOE chair, stated how proud she is of Addley and how his peers talk about how he has mentored them and how they routinely call on him for advice, which he welcomes and encourages. These accomplishments were also celebrated at the Dec. 5 meeting in a video highlighting Dr. Addley’s work throughout the years. In attendance were members of the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and past Board of Education Chairs, Cal Heminway and Ronald Walther.
Also presented at the Nov. 28 meeting was a video by preschool teachers, Sarah Richard and Mary Scully, giving a peek into a typical day in the life of a preschool student: circle time, reading, writing, peer models, etc. There are currently 42 students in the program. Special education ratio is 5 to 8. Kelly Lane Principal Kim Dessert stated some students are currently attending for a full day and the district is looking to be able to do two full-day sections as well as taking Open Choice Students.
At the Dec. 5 meeting, instructional coaches Ann Belding, Amy Lupoli, Dawn Olson and Kristin Rice, shared highlights of the district’s new Student Center Coaching Model. The process impacts teacher learning, which in turn impacts student learning—a partnership with teachers working together to reach the teachers’ goal for student learning. The coaches are shared between elementary and secondary buildings. They meet as a committee every Monday morning to discuss problems of practice and theories of actions. The Common Core State Standards are studied and goals are set.
When the Coaching Cycle is done, the coaches do a post-assessment that will continue to guide their work as coaches. The goal is to have 60 percent of time in coaching cycles and the other 40 percent of time leftover for informal coaching (unit planning, curriculum work, PLC’s, meeting with principals and training). The coaches believe that, although they are not affecting all students, eventually the work being done will impact all students.
Assistant Principal and Director of Guidance Julie Groene, also reported the Annual Guidance Services Report to the board. The College Application Summary as of Dec. 1 listed 928 total applications have been processed for 172 students. For post-secondary destinations, the Class of 2019 has 91 percent of students attending either a two- or four-year college, 3 percent are attending a military/technical training program and 6 percent plan on entering the workforce post-graduation.
The board reported that repairs on the high school roof have now been completed despite being delayed due to cold and rainy weather.
The Start Time Task Force has met continuously and surveys went out to the community with return date of Jan. 11, 2019. The survey gathered feedback on how starting school 15-45 minutes later would affect families and students. Maddy Wilson, student representative for the BOE, advised that high school students also took the survey and that it was favorably received to start school at least 30 minutes later.
More information and details of the fiscal year 2019 Budget will be forthcoming as it starts to take shape over the coming months.
The public is welcome at the BOE Meetings, held the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Town Hall Meeting room, unless otherwise advised. View the meetings in their entirety on Granby Community Television online at gctv16.org and live on channel 16 at the regularly scheduled meeting times.