Watertown Board of Education

Regular Meeting

Minutes

Meeting Date: July 24, 2006

Meeting Time: 7:30 p.m.

Meeting Place: Watertown High School Library

Members Present: Ms. Mary Dzioba, Board Chairperson

Mr. Todd Griffin, Board Secretary

Ms. Mary Colangelo, Board Member

Mr. Chris Lafferty, Board member

Mr. Thomas Lambert, Board Member

Mr. James Marks, Board Member

Ms. Joanne Pannone, Board Member

Dr. Joseph Erardi Jr., Superintendent of Schools

Ms. Amelia Grover, Dir. of Budget and Financial Planning

Ms. Betsy Hackett, Director of Special Services

Mr. Todd LoFrese, Director of Operations

Dr. Philip Pelosi, Assistant Superintendent of Schools

Absent: Ms. Gina Calabrese, Board Member

Mr. Richard Mazzamaro, Board Member

Press: Jim Taylor, Town Times

Guests: Thad Hasbrouck, Fran Palmer, David King, Lisa Rommel, June Legge, Lou Ouellette, Peter Tomsheck, Sean Williams, Charlie Beliveau, Patrice Kinsley, Frank Nardelli, Bob Guerrera, Sherry Morgan

A. Convene Regular Meeting - 7:30 PM

Ms. Dzioba convened the Regular Board of Education meeting at 7:27 p.m.

B. Salute to the Flag

Ms. Dzioba led the Salute to the Flag.

C. Public Participation

Ms. Dzioba: Good evening and thank you for going us tonight, is there anyone who would like to address the Board?

Bob Guerrera, 117 Adams Road, Watertown,

First I would like to pass out a letter to the Board that we handed out to the town council last week, to address the turf issue at the High School. In it the only difference we added, was the Pomperaug schedule to show you how many games in a two month period, not counting youth sports, are played on their newly turfed field.

Mr. Guerrera distributed copies to all Board Members (see Attachment A)

In this, just so you know, is a letter from our organization and there is also the exact number it would cost to turf the field, which is $567,000. That is not counting the subtraction of selling the grass that is already on there, that the people from field turf said that they would take care of. Also in there is the numbers that we came up with, and just a little clarification, the average yearly maintenance of a combination football, soccer field is $30,000 a year. The average yearly maintenance on a turf field is $2,000 a year, if you have to touch up the lines. That is where we get the savings of $28,000 a year for one field. If we build two fields and we keep the Mills Complex, you can figure $90,000 a year, so you can see your savings because one turf field will take the place of three grass fields.

Also in there is a picture of what the field will look like, right from the Field Turf people, that is exactly what it would be, where the grass will stay, and where the field will be. We are pushing this mainly because we are out of field space. In building a field, that we feel will not accommodate enough to do anything from the amount of abuse on our fields. A turf field does not need major maintenance, as you see in the schedule there, you could play on it every day. Just in those two month periods, Pomperaug plays fifty-one games; that’s field hockey, soccer, JV, Varsity; boys football, JV, Freshman. Fifty-one games in two months, not counting youth sports on Sundays and the weekends. How many games have we played on our fields? Or could we ever get that amount on that grass field? Now we have Lacrosse coming in, they need a place.

All we are saying is that you have to have an open mind on this, it is grass. Someone told me once, a beautiful field is not a beautiful field unless there are kids playing on it, and I have seen kids play on our field in two years. So we have a beautiful piece of grass. So that is what we are talking about, grass. We understand we just did this two years ago, but the amount it will save the town in travel expenses for the kids, because now your soccer team won’t have to be bussed for any games. They can play their games right on their own fields. JV, Freshman, Varsity, football: Freshman, Varsity, JV, could have all their games on this field. The girls could have all their games and the new Lacrosse could have all their games on this field.

I talked to the Assistant to the Athletic Director from Pomperaug, she told me not only has it benefited the town, but the amount of use that the main field gets now, the maintenance is reduced on the other fields because they actually get a chance to rest. All the games are on this main field. That is why we are pushing it. It is tough to swallow but we feel when you see the numbers to build one field, it’s not going to help.

I am coming to you because when things want to get voted on in this town, they always come to the youth organizations to help push the vote. We do all the time, we try to push Rickevicius, and it didn’t work. Now we are coming to you for your support because we feel that this is the best move. Are you going to get two fields for $600,000? I don’t think anyone in this room thinks we will. One field is not going to help the cause when we can do this at a known price and get three fields in one. It has been brought up to us about the lights, they are expensive. Yes, we are not saying turn the lights on every night of the week. I think the last time that we had to turn the lights on for football was close to $300 for the night and that was for two games. The amount of money this field could generate, just by holding a soccer tournament, or a lacrosse tournament or a field hockey tournament on this field. We figured even at $3 a head, averaging 100 people a game; it brings in $86,000. So the potential is there to make this town money and to pay for itself. If you do this it doesn’t cost anyone in the town a dime. I mentioned at the Town Council meeting, you take the left over money and maybe we could get our tennis courts back. Two projects, we could use a tennis court, it saves the kids from having to go down to Crestbrook Park. Do we have to bus them there?

Mr. Lafferty: Yes

Mr. Guerrera: So that would be a cost savings right there, they could practice right at their own high school. If you really look at the numbers and look at the cost savings and, just don’t look at grass, it will be rolled up and we will have a beautiful field. I think when you look at it all; you are going to see it is worth it, it is definitely worth it. I can’t see one thing, except we just did it two years ago, that is the only objection that we keep hearing. “We just put grass” But it is grass, it is not a multi-purpose field. When we pushed for that vote to do this complex, we were told it’s a multi-purpose field. Everyone knows grass is not a multi-purpose field, it needs time to rest. Turf needs no time to rest, none at all.

That sign out there, to the Town of Watertown, as a public recreational facility. If there were a group of kids up there playing a pick up soccer game, you know they would be thrown off. If there was a kid’s pick-up football game, could they play up there? No, because somebody is going to tell them you have to get off the field. That is not what my tax dollars went to and I don’t think that is what your tax dollars went to. Let’s get a multi-purpose facility for everybody. The Town is growing, it will be a focal point. It brings everything back to the town that kids are missing. We are losing kids like crazy to other towns for High School. In our own organization almost our whole Midget team went out of town because the enthusiasm here is gone. This could bring everything back. How long has it been since a soccer team has played on that field? Did a soccer team ever play on that field? Friday night games? Saturday night games? Never, now they could. How great would that be for the soccer kids to play on that field?

I mean you guys are in control, but you have to look at it openly. You can’t look at it as we just did it, because when you look at your numbers and I think even after the Kaestle Boos come back with their estimates, I’ve been in construction twenty eight years, I know that piece. By the time they do the fencing and everything else, you are going to be way over $600,000. And it is not going to get you anything, it has been said in the paper already that if we build that we are going to have to look at how many teams be on it, because it is going to need time to rest. You don’t need that with this. You also are going to relieve pressure because in the rain, you can play. There is never a rainout. Our Watertown soccer team, if I am not mistaken, went to Pomperaug in a driving rainstorm, where the bus had to pull over a couple times to get there. They get there twenty minutes later, they were playing, games were not cancelled.

I just want you to look at it openly and really take a look, we did our homework. We got the people from Field Turf here, if anyone thinks, there were a couple comments made, “Well all these pros are going back to grass” They don’t realize what they are tearing up is the old Astroturf. This not old Astroturf, it is not carpet, it looks like grass, you put your hand through it, and it feels like grass. The only difference is inside it there are little rubber and sand and that is it. Pomperaug has to fluff it up once a month by a machine that can be pulled around by their golf-cart. So just look at it with an open mind, that is what we are asking. But we feel when you see the numbers and really look at it, it is going to be the right way to go, it is going to benefit everyone in town and the kids, will speak for itself. Thank you very much.

Ms Dzioba: Can you just tell me what organization you represent.

Mr. Guerrera: Yes, Watertown Youth Football and Cheerleading.

Ms. Dzioba: Is there anyone else that would like to address the Board?

Sherry Morgan, 249 Bunker Hill Road, Watertown

We have lived in Watertown for two to three years, we have children that go to school here, the two oldest went to school someplace else. The reason I am here is that I work at Pomperaug High School and regarding the field turf. I have been reading the papers and I understand your reluctance because you just put in the new field back here. I am going to tell you that since we have put in a new turf field at Pomperaug, I am the Assistant to the Athletic Director there, we have not cancelled one single game. Rain, snow, anything, we didn’t cancel one game; we did cut short a game because of lighting. We have played in rain, we played in snow. The upkeep of the field is minimal. It is true you have to even out the little pebbles on the surface once in a while, we do it usually once a season, that is it. The kids are on it constantly, constantly, we have people in town that are always on it. We do try to protect the field a little bit, because you can’t have gum on it, you don’t want soda spilled on it, things like that. We don’t take any extra precautions, people are on it, people respect the fact that the field is there. Basically as a taxpayer, if you have a $600,000 grant, you could put in a field turf field. Ours cost more because we did the whole track.

Ms. Dzioba: I just wanted to let the public know the Board of Education does not have control of the $600,000.

Ms. Morgan: I understand it was asked of the Board of Education to go on the recommendation of how the fields here at the school are used, how they are upgraded.

Ms. Dzioba: We have been asked for our recommendation on field use and maintenance (inaudible)

Ms. Morgan: So even though there is money out there, the field turf issue is not being considered for the Mills Complex?

Ms. Dzioba: The decision of the use of the $600,000 Grant funds lies with the Town Council.

Ms. Morgan: I just want to let you know that if you want to make that recommendation, we have played games there in the afternoon and turned around and played the second game there (inaudible). And as far as what we hear from the Town, we have set up an athletic fund for outside groups who rent the field, all of that money is going into the fund, so ten years down the road when the turf will possibly have to be replaced, the money is there for it.

Mr. Guerrera: Can I come up to ask a question?

Ms. Dzioba: Yes, please.

Mr. Guerrera: The question I have is, the Town Council I know is making this decision, but aren’t they asking you what you think? Didn’t they ask Park and Rec. what they think? We are asking you to come and let them know what the kids think. Which that is what you guys represent. So we feel, we keep talking about it, but if you, if the Board of Ed realizes the benefits, then you can also recommend it to the Town Council also. That is why we are here.

Ms. Dzioba: We will take that into consideration. Is there anyone else who would like to address the Board?

No answer

Ms. Dzioba: Hearing none we will move on.

D. Budget Summary – (Information Only – No Action Required)

Ms. Dzioba: Budget summary is in the packet for all Board Members for your information.

Ms. Colangelo: I have a question on the budget summary. The bottom of the first page, budget cut $60,000.

Ms. Grover: I would have to look it up, I don’t remember what it was. It is obviously an item line cut but I am not sure what it regards, I would have to look it up.

Mr. Griffin: Maryann, just to add to your question, we are scheduling a budget meeting to review some of the items.

Ms. Grover: You know what; I think I know that is, I think that is Pay for Play. It was $75,000 last year but because the cost has been reduced from $110. to $85. it reduced.

A spectator complained that they could not properly hear everything being discussed at the table. Mr. LoFrese moved the podium and microphone blocking the view of the table.

Ms. Dzioba: There was a question about a $60,000 line item cut, it was determined that was due to Pay for Play fees being reduced, and this will be discussed at a budget meeting that Todd has got to schedule with the committee. Any other questions regarding the budget summary?

There were no further questions

E. Committee Reports:

1. Advertising Committee, Todd Griffin, Chair

Mr. Griffin: There is no report this evening from the advertising committee just out of respect I would like to thank everyone who came to have their pictures taken with us. This is a good project for all that are involved, for the local businesses and it does wonders for our children here in our community. I would just like to thank everybody who came out and attended the picture this evening. And just to let everyone know we do have or will have another Advertising Committee meeting scheduled the first week of August.

2. Athletics Committee, Chris Lafferty, Chair

Mr. Lafferty: Yes, very short, the Athletics Committee met later last month and we had a presentation from representatives from Watertown Lacrosse, they are here tonight to present to the full Board tonight under H –4.

3. Budget Committee, Todd Griffin, Chair

Mr. Griffin: There is no report this evening the only report I have is that there is a meeting scheduled for August 8th or 9th, haven’t determined that yet but there will be a budget review meeting planned. Budget review meetings will be conducted every six weeks so that we can evaluate our effects to make sure we are staying on course with our budget.

4. Curriculum & Instruction Committee, Gina Calabrese, Chair

Ms. Dzioba: Gina Calabrese is on vacation but there was a meeting and there is an item on the agenda for action, Jim would you like to say something for the committee.

Mr. Marks: No, I will pass

Ms. Dzioba: We will discuss it when the action item comes up.

5. Facilities Committee, Rich Mazzamaro, Chair

Ms. Dzioba: No report due to Mr. Mazzamaro’s absence

6. Policy and Labor Committee, Mary Dzioba, Acting Chair

Ms. Dzioba: There is no report, at the next meeting there will be a vote for a new head of the Policy and Labor committee.

7. Cablevision, James Marks

Mr. Marks: No report

8. PBC Representative, Rich Mazzamaro

Ms. Dzioba: No report due to Mr. Mazzamaro’s absence.

9. Education Connection Representative, Mary Dzioba

Ms. Dzioba: There is no report form the Education Connection.

F. Communications – Secretary

Mr. Griffin: Yes we do have an interesting communication this evening. As we are going to be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our Polk and Judson Schools, I was given a copy of our Town Times Edition dated November 14, 1957. There was a note that came with that given to Mrs. Corvello, “Dear Principle, It just occurred to me that this is the 50th celebration of the opening of Judson School. I was one of the first teachers to have that pleasure my second year of teaching. We did half days at Baldwin until Judson opened the first week of December among mud and chaos. I have witnessed many noises in my life but none like the noise on the bus as we moved from Baldwin to Judson. Enough memories, are you going to have a celebration in the fall? If so, I would like to attend, I have some pictures, (inaudible), the Principle is still alive, as far as I know. I have no idea about anyone else. Campus type school, great idea, but not for New England, I have a few tales about that. Enclosed please find and article about Judson and Polk. Hope to hear from you at your convenience. Henry Anderson” He is now in New Britain. Thank you very much to Mr. Anderson for the article, and we will contact him when we do our celebration.

Dr. Erardi: I think Mr. Taylor wrote that article

Laughter

Ms. Colangelo: In 1957, was he even born then?

G. Minutes

1. Regular Board of Education Meeting – June 26, 2006

Motion Presented by Mr. Marks seconded by Mr. Griffin to accept the Regular Board of Education Meeting Minutes of June 26, 2006.

No discussion or questions

Motion Passed

(6-In Favor, 0-Opposed, -1 Abstained)

In Favor: Ms. Colangelo, Ms. Dzioba, Mr. Griffin, Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Lambert, and Mr. Marks

Abstained: Ms. Pannone

H. Superintendent's Recommendations and Report

Dr. Erardi: Thank you Ms. Dzioba. I’d like to share a correspondence with the Board of Education from the new Assistant Principle at Swift Middle School, Eric Bernstein. We will formally introduce Mr. Berstein to the Board in August. He was unable to be with us this evening as he had a scheduled vacation but I will pass on his remarks to the Board of Education with his early thoughts on being a part of the Administrative Team at Swift Middle School.

Dr Erardi passed out copies of letter to Board Members (See Attachment B)

This is information for the Board regarding item H-1 Appointments. You can see that through item H-1, we have been very busy and surprisingly there has been a lot of movement as there were two or three late resignations and retirements and I will talk a little bit further about the staffing within my report during this evening. Item #1, Item #2 is for information to the board, I am prepared to answer questions if Board has questions regarding appointments and or transcripts.

There were no questions from the Board

1. Appointments – (Information Only – No Action Required)

a. Mr. Eric Bernstein to the position of Assistant Principal at Swift Middle School effective August 14, 2006 being hired on Step 1 of the Watertown Administrator’s Association’s contract for an annual salary of $77,700.00.

b. Mr. Kristopher Boyle to the position of School Psychologist at Swift Middle School for the 2006-2007 school year being hired on Step 2, 1 year of experience, with a Sixth Year Degree, at an annual contractual salary of $42,211.00 plus $2,269.00 for ten extra days, for a total salary of $44,480.00.

c. Ms. Erica Campbell to the position of summer employment through the State General “Workforce Grant” with duties assigned by the Facilities Manager effective July 17, 2006 for 20 total weekly hours at an hourly rate of $7.40.

d. Ms. Lisa Ciampi to the position of Science: Biology/Chemistry teacher at Watertown High School effective for the 2006-2007 school year being hired at Step 4, 3 years of experience, with a Masters Degree, at a contractual annual salary of $43,353.00.

e. Ms. Susan Danaher to the position of Speech/Language Pathologist at Polk School effective for the 2006-2007 school year being hired on Step 9, 10 years of experience, Sixth Year Degree, at an annual contractual salary of $58,183.00.

f. Ms. Lisa Guerrera to the position of Mathematics teacher at Watertown High School effective for the 2006-2007 school year being hired at Step 2, with one year of experience, Masters Degree, at an annual contractual salary of $39,930.00.

g. Ms. Jenifer Keller to the position of .5 Kindergarten Teacher at John Trumbull Primary School effective with the 2006-2007 school year being hired on Step 6, with 5 years of experience, Masters Degree, at an annual contractual prorated salary of $23,673.00.

h. Mr. Daniel Reardon to the seasonal position of General Maintenance Assistant with work duties assigned by the Facilities Manager effective June 26, 2006 through August 31, 2006 for 40 total weekly hours at an hourly rate of $9.00.

i. Ms. Dorothy Rinaldi to the position of Grade 4 Teacher at Polk School effective for the 2006-2007 school year being hired on Step 2, with one year of experience, Masters Degree, for an annual contractual salary of $39,930.00.

j. Ms. Sharon Veatch to the position of Guidance Counselor at Watertown High School effective for the 2006-2007 school year being hired on Step 5, with 4 years of experience, Masters Degree, at an annual contractual salary of $45,063.00, plus $2,422.70 for ten additional days, for a total salary of $47,485.70.

k. Mr. Trevor Wilkes to the summer employment position through the State General “Workforce Grant” fund with work duties assigned by the Facilities Manager for 20 total weekly hours at an hourly rate of $7.40.

l. Mr. Justin Williamson to the summer employment position through the State General “Workforce Grant” fund with work duties assigned by the Facilities Manager for 20 total weekly hours at an hourly rate of $7.40.

m. Ms. Suzanne Porter to the part time position (.37) of Special Education teacher in the Parochial Schools effective for the 2006-2007 school year being hired at Step 10, with 11 years of experience, Masters Degree, at an annual contractual prorated salary of $21,106.00.

2. Transfers – (Information Only – No Action Required)

a. Mr. Rodney Clark from custodian at Watertown High School to Custodian 2nd shift at John Trumbull Primary School effective June 20, 2006 for 8.0 hours paid per day at an hourly rate of $17.24.

Dr. Erardi: Moving on to the third item on the Superintendents report, as a first read to the Board of Education a recommendation from Administration in regards to the Board of Directors for the Watertown Education Enrichment Trust Fund. The Administration recommends to the Board of Education a committee of five as per the Town Ordinance that has been passed by the Town Council just a few months ago. The representative from the PTA, Nadine Savage, who will be the John Trumbull Primary School PTA President, two members at large, Jean King, former board member Maureen Caine. As per the ordinance, Dr. Pelosi and myself will be two of the five members that will begin to look at how we can offer opportunities to our K-12 students for Education Enrichment Trust Fund. This is shared with the Board of Education as information this evening and for action at the next meeting.

There were no questions from the Board regarding Item H-3

3. Appointees to Board of Directors of the Watertown Education Enrichment Trust Fund – First Reading

The Watertown Education Enrichment Trust Fund shall be under the jurisdiction of its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of five members. Two members shall be the Superintendent of Schools and the Assistant Superintendent of Schools. One member shall be appointed by the Board of Education based upon the recommendation of the Watertown Parent Group Alliance. Two members shall be appointed by the Board of Education.

Presented for the first reading tonight is the name of Nadine Savage, PTA/PTO member.

Presented for the first reading tonight as community members are the names of Jean King and Maureen Caine.

Dr. Erardi: The Lacrosse presentation this evening is a culmination of six or seven meeting that have taken place either with Administration and the Town Lacrosse program, the Athletics subcommittee, the Facilities subcommittee, the Board of Education, that have been ongoing at least for the past seven or eight months. Before Peter Tomcheck and Mr. Lou Oullette, who represent the Executive Board this evening of the Lacrosse Association, share the information with the Board of Education, I would just like to publicly thank both of these gentlemen for their perseverance and for their commitment to children. The Board of Education will hear the lacrosse presentation this evening and will be bringing this back to you in August as a potential action item. This evening’s presentation will be repetitive for many Board Members but first time through for some Board Members. We are hoping there are questions and answers, if there are questions to be asked and that we will be bringing Lacrosse back to the Board of Education for potential action at our August meeting. At this time Peter and Lou if you are all set, come on up.

4. Lacrosse

Mr. Peter Tomsheck and Mr. Lou Ouellette are present this evening to give a presentation on the sport of Lacrosse in the Watertown Public Schools.

Mr. Tomsheck: As Dr. Erardi has stated we have been to numerous meetings proposing that

Lacrosse be sanctioned by the High School as a JV sport initially and hopefully to become a Varsity sport at the High School. Realizing the budget constraints that this Board is under, we have proposed that this will be a fully self-funded program by the Lacrosse organization. We are a 501 C organization; we have presented paperwork to the Board, to the Athletic subcommittee to show that we have the ways and means to raise funds.

To run our program we have a feeder organization that starts at second grade and goes through High School. We have played a High School schedule as a club team for the past four years. We have a seventh and eighth grade team for boys, a seventh and eighth grade team for girls. The lower grades are mixed at this point. We have the feeder program in place; we have the financial means in place to support our program. What we have been doing is working with the High School principal, the Athletic Director, the Superintendent of Schools; we have been to the Sports Subcommittee. We feel that we have numbers that will be representative of what we can accomplish and what we hope to accomplish in the future.

As our club team now we play a schedule with mostly the Prep School, we would very much like to get involved with the CIAC and have our High School athletes recognized as such. I can give you a quick overview of what our mission statement. “We the undersigned residents of Watertown CT are sympathetic to the ongoing financial struggles of the Board of Education. We also understand how important it is for students to have opportunity to participate in Interscholastic Sports. Sports build character, self-esteem, independence and leadership. We support the addition of Lacrosse at the High School level. This petition proposes the addition of Lacrosse as a pilot program with no cost to the Board of Education. We currently offer Lacrosse in grades second through eighth and the opportunity to play in the High School with a club team. Our children have had the opportunity to play with teams from Southbury, Middlebury, Newtown, Cheshire, Southington, Pomperaug, Lewis Mills and Litchfield. The Watertown Youth Lacrosse Program has grown tremendously since it began six ago. The past six years our children have grown the game, developed the skills, strategy and have embraced the importance of sportsmanship, reflected in the program’s motto ‘Honor the Game’. Sadly at the end of eighth grade, having put forth the time and effort to improve their lacrosse skills, our youth have limited opportunities to develop further and enjoy the game. With a youth program consisting of over 140 children both boys and girls, it is a shame that at the end of eighth grade their only alternative to continue to play lacrosse is to attend a High School outside the Town of Watertown. We ask that you consider this proposal with an open mind, the positive aspects it hopes to provide. Thank you for taking the time to review our proposal.” We have signatures from members of the Board as well as members from around town.

We state in our proposal, lacrosse is coming as surrounding towns begin adding High School Lacrosse programs, it is an up and coming sport. Watertown should be a leader as a High School program we currently run two High School club teams, boys and a girls, with fifty-five players. We propose bringing in a girl’s sport and boys sport, fully funding both. So we will not have a problem with the equity as far as boys vs. girls. We have both programs. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the US; there are no height or weight requirements or limitations in lacrosse. The typical lacrosse athlete does not exist; lacrosse players come in all shapes and sizes, and from different sports backgrounds. Some lacrosse players play no other sport and would not play a sport if lacrosse were not available. Obesity is an epidemic in our youth; we should have as many sports to offer kids as possible to keep them healthy. Lacrosse is a spring sport. We have a list of items. I have been working with the High School Principal; he came up with a cost projection. We have presented cost projections to the sports subcommittee, as well as we sat with the Athletic Director and the High School Principal. Our numbers are not that far apart. We have shown, we have an accountant for our organization, the submitted paperwork as requested by the Sports Subcommittee to show that we have monies available to fund the program. We have currently in place a golf tournament, he get several different grants, we have use fees based on our user fees, we have monies already in place for the last six years that we can count on to continue to fund the program. Are there any further questions at this point in time?

Ms. Pannone: You made a statement that we lose many students to other high schools because we do not have lacrosse.

Mr. Tomsheck: We have sent several of our students to Avon Old Farms, The Gunnery, one even went to Taft. At this point I can report back to you that I know for sure two of those students have received partial lacrosse scholarships to attend college.

Ms. Pannone: What about the other high schools like Holy Cross, Sacred Heart, they don’t have lacrosse do they?

Mr. Tomsheck: They do not have lacrosse. When we first started the organization we were the only town in Litchfield County to offer lacrosse. We attracted, we grew from 22 students at the seventh and eighth grade level to over 140 students currently. We have students that have gone on to the private schools that I have said and come play with our program to gain experience and then felt comfortable enough to go on to those private schools and then be awarded scholarships based on their experiences they had with our organization. We do sponsor our own scholarship program with Watertown Lacrosse, but they have come back and said without the foundation that they received in our program; they probably would not have played lacrosse in high school and would not have received the scholarship award money. These were good athletes, they might have received something in baseball or whatever but the fact of the matter is.

Ms. Pannone: We have lost them mostly to preppy private schools.

Mr. Tomsheck: Yes, they traditionally have lacrosse programs. We would very much like to offer the opportunity to Watertown students with no cost the Board of Education, fully self-funded. I will say that the outline of our program, there is already a precedent set, the Town of Stratford, which is approximately three times the population of Watertown and has two public high schools, already has this in place. They played their first season last year; they have a boy’s team at one high school, a boy’s team at the other high school and a combined girl’s team that uses members from both high schools to play lacrosse. They play in the CIAC sanctioned league. Their organization came into existence about two years after we started ours and they have already had their first year. They are totally self-funded.

Ms. Pannone: My other question, right now you practice at John Trumball, is that correct?

Mr. Tomsheck: We do have a permit for John Trumbull field, we also have a permit and we have submitted letters of documentation to this Board, the state park, Hopbrook, we have a letter from the Park Ranger saying that we would be permitted to use that field again next season.

Ms. Pannone; I know we are talking fields and I am saying is there even any field that we have available?

Mr. Tomsheck: Since our earlier meetings, we have tentatively, through Thad Hasbrouck, received permission through Lisa Carew, to use Veterans Park as there is no High School spring sports on the soccer sized fields that we need to play lacrosse. I have spoken with Lisa Carew; I have served on the Parks and Rec. commission as Chair, Vice Chair, and as a Commissioner. She said she would like to run it in front of the commission as a mere formality because they way that it is written, if the High School requests Veterans Park, they are supposed to be given first preference for that. At the times that we would be there practicing, no other Youth Sports would be available as parents tend to be at work at 2:30 until our practice would end at 4:00pm, an hour and a half.

Ms. Pannone: Just for clarification, who is in charge of all the fields? Who does the scheduling?

Mr. Tomsheck: The Athletic Director is in charge of all High School sports.

Ms. Pannone: So that would be an additional one that they would have to take care of.

Mr. Tomsheck: We have offered, we have all the contacts with all the high schools that have been developed over the past four years, we have offered to sit down with June Legge and share that information freely. What ever she feels most comfortable with; she is a very competent, capable woman with my dealings with her. And just to let you know I have coached the girl’s tennis team at the high school for the last six years.

Ms. Pannone: You need a bus to go to Hopbrook or where ever, is that considered your expense or the Town’s expense?

Mr. Tomsheck: If we go to Veterans, this is the latest proposal we are looking at here, I have been in touch with the bus company, and they have indicated to me that ridership to Veterans on the after-school bus that goes right by the park every day, that they have to have by contract, in the spring is very low. She could not and would not commit to a number of students that could ride that bus up to practice. It would depend greatly on the number of returning juniors and seniors that we have versus how many freshman and sophomores would need to ride a bus to practice. A number of 15-20 students per day, she seemed to think that that number was going to be able to be accommodated.

Ms. Pannone: That is for practice, what about the game itself?

Mr. Tomsheck: Home games would be something different that would be picked up by our organization as well as the away games. There is a line item for transportation in our proposal that has been presented to the Sports subcommittee as well as to several other members of the board.

Mr. Lafferty: If you are going to be self-funded, how long do you project you could remain self-funded?

Mr. Tomsheck: With the fundraising activities we have in place we can be self-funded for the duration. Probably the most expensive sport you have at the high school is Ice Hockey, ice time is very expensive and full array of equipment is very expensive. Lacrosse is not as expensive but yet the hockey organization is not fully funded, if I understand correctly, they pick up part of the tab for their sport as well.

Mr. Lafferty: The reason I asked was that Lacrosse wouldn’t be the only program the High School has which competes with, I am thinking the Robotics Team right now, they are a team which goes to competition, they raise all the funds for themselves, and they are self-funded also. Because you are coming in with the self-funded I just want you to be aware that it is a risk for us to take because if down the line you can’t fund for yourself, are you going to have to fall back on the Board of Ed? If the Board of Ed at that time is not financially able to do that do you see yourself having to dissolve the High School program?

Mr. Tomsheck: We are going in with good faith that we will be able to be a self-funded organization, once our practices are in place for our fund raising they will be able to be repeated year after year after year. We have a golf tournament; we have several businesses around town that have been very generous to our organization, so on and so forth. If they close the golf course and we have to go out of town and we don’t make as much money we will have to make it up in a different way. It was our understanding going before you that this was going to be self-funded by our organization. We are not now, nor will we look for in the future monies from the town. As our statement said, the Board of Education needs every penny they have to use where they can use it at this point in time. If there was a surplus in the Town budget year after year after year, maybe that would be appropriate, but at this point in time, we understand that we are to be self-funded.

Mr. Lafferty: I only asked that so that you understand that you wouldn’t be the first program.let’s just say that down the line if anything happened and you couldn’t raise your own money and you ended up going back tot he Board of Ed, I wanted to make sure your were confident enough that you could, for a long period of time, self-fund the program. Say you weren’t able to, you wouldn’t be the only program that is self-funded and I don’t think it would be fair to not fund programs that have come before yours. So I just wanted to make it clear for the record that you were confident in your fund raising ability and that you are self-sustainable.

Mr. Tomsheck: That is the reason that I am standing here before you. I would like to make it clear that I do not have a child in the system anymore. Mr. Ouellette does not have a child in the system anyone more. We are not doing this for benefit of our children; we are doing it for the benefit of the children in the organization that we work with. If we did not feel confident in our methods then I would certainly not stand her before you to ask you to sanction us as a body. Basically that is what I believe what the organization is looking for. Can we continue playing as a club team? Yes. But we would like to give these children a chance to play for their High School. This is why we want come before the Board, we have been to numerous meetings, with Dr. Erardi, with June Legge, with the subcommittee and now we are coming before the full board.

Ms. Pannone: I just wanted to say, we hate to question you like this and we truly appreciate the fact that there are people like you who step forward and want to give of your time and your effort for the kids of our Town, but we have so many questions. We certainly don’t want to start something and then say tomorrow that there is no money and we have crushed kids along the way.

Mr. Tomsheck; One of the first concerns that Dr. Erardi addressed with us was the feeder program. There have been High School programs, I can tell you, that I have spoken with the Athletic Director from Holy Cross for example. Several years ago they had a lacrosse team, all the parents that were there pushed to get it. Once their last students went through the program, their good students and they started losing, the program died and was eliminated from the school. He did not have an organization such as ours that has a feeder program in place; he did not have his choice of children that are in the program since second grade coming through. Much the same way soccer has, there is WAYS Soccer, Little League, just to name a couple of the programs. This gentleman here is the Youth Football; his is the feeder program for the High School. We have established our feeder program, it has been in place, it as not only been in existence, it has flourished, and it has expanded since its inception. We are very confident that to continue the program we need to feed students who have an interest. Right now at the High School there are a couple of sports that have no feeder programs in place, tennis being one, golf being one, I don’t believe there is a volleyball feeder program either, but yet the school participated in these as Varsity sports. Could we do better in those programs if they had independent leagues? I would say yes, if the students were trained in these sports, like baseball, and basketball, just to name a few, that have town leagues that play on a regular basis. The younger students are receiving instruction in the sports, get better at it, and see the improvement. You don’t have a senior; I don’t believe, go out for the baseball team as a senior and expect to be on the Varsity squad as a picture, having never played the sport. But if he had played little league all those years, he might stand a chance, he might have a shot. The first thing that we addressed with Dr. Erardi was the feeder program being in place.

Mr. Lambert: Lacrosse is a spring sport, what months did you say?

Mr. Tomsheck: They end in May, begins in the middle of March and the last games are scheduled at the end of May.

Mr. Lambert: Now that could be mud season, what precautions do you take?

Mr. Tomsheck: As in any sport the coach is ultimately responsible. Lacrosse also have referees, they can call a match as well as a coach. As a coach I am trained, even on the tennis court, to walk the court before to make sure that conditions are safe for play. We don’t play tennis in the rain although we have played in light sprinkles. We have to ensure the safety of the athlete comes first and foremost. Lacrosse has two referees that come to the games, so a referee can also make that determination. Lacrosse, like football, will be played in the light rain, if the field conditions permit. And with our new turf field, we’ll be good to go regardless (laughter).

Ms. Colangelo: I have a question for either Dr. Erardi or the committee, how does Pay for Play factor into this since they are self-funded.

Dr. Erardi: The question is, incase members of the audience couldn’t hear the pay to participate question in regards to all our High School and Middle School athletes, and how that factors into the cost of the proposed Lacrosse programs. My belief, and we’ll have this for you in August, is that students would have that same pay to participate fee and that would look to defray the cost of the Watertown Lacrosse Association’s overall commitment to the Lacrosse program for boys and for girls.

Mr. Marks: More in the line of a comment rather than a question for the Board members that are not on the Athletics Committee, the question of liability came up. It was explained that the lacrosse athletes, as well as all the others, will be covered under a blanket policy so that we would not be incurring additional liability costs.

Ms. Dzioba: Can we have all the information regarding Pay for Play and how we would accept monies from an organization available to us for when it is on the agenda?

Dr. Erardi: The administration will be prepared and have information to the Board well in advance of the two requests of the Board Chair. Further information on Play to Participate and additional information on, if the Board chooses to fund this program, how they will receive the funds and how they will disperse the funds. The recommendation from Board of Education in August will come as a consensus recommendation with great input from the Athletic Director, June Legge, the High School Administration, particularly Thad Hasbrouck and Todd LoFrese, our Buildings and Grounds Director, who plays an integral part in the space issue we have spoken about. We will have that all for the Board with a recommendation in August.

Mr. Tomsheck: One final comment, would it be helpful if we contacted the Town of Stratford to see how they are funding their program through their Board of Education just to see, since there is precedence in place, so you can look at it?

Ms. Dzioba: Thank you that will not be necessary.

Mr. Marks: How is the money from the hockey people received?

Dr. Erardi: June do you want to comment on that?

Ms. Legge: It is a co-op and the way that is take care of, first, it brings in money, and you have to understand that. You have to have half & half, half the co-op and half their own team. How it is figured out is it runs about $25,000 to run the program, without the coach, it is including the ice time. You add all that up, subtract whatever we bring in from the gate receipts and then divide that in two, Pomperaug is responsible for the other half, the board picks up our half. It costs, I would say, each individual approximately $600 from Pomperaug, Watertown pays the pay to participate fee.

Mr. Tomsheck: I would like to thank everyone.

Dr. Erardi: Are there any further questions regarding the Lacrosse presentation?

There were no further questions regarding Item H-4

5. $600.00 State Grant

The Superintendent will share with the Board members information regarding the $600,000.00 state grant received by the town to enhance athletic fields.

Dr. Erardi: Moving on to Item #5 of the superintendents report we continue with our theme of fields in the month of July with the Board of Education, the $600,000 State Grant that was received by the Town Council from the State of Connecticut. I would like to share with the Board of Education, information from last Monday evening, a meeting I attended and a number of Board Members attended, in regards to the discussion that took place with council with the $600,000 State Grant. Mr. Guerrera who you heard from during public participation also spoke at the Town Council meeting. Part of the Town Council presentation were turf representatives from Pittsburg Pennsylvania, who made quite a trip to the Town Council to share initial information about turf.

It is my belief at this particular time that the Board Education, as stated by the Board Chair, is not directly responsible for the $600,000, we all wish we were, but it is not our gift giving. We have been asked, and I am pleased with this, by the Town Council to weigh in on ultimately their decision in regards to the State funding. I shared with the Town Council, although I wasn’t prepared to speak to it, I was asked to, and I was pleased that I was asked to. I shared with the Town Council that this evening Item J-e on the Board of Education’s agenda will be recommending to the Board of Education to consider Kaestle Boos and Associates, the same architectural firm that is responsible for our Swift renovation, to assume the responsibility to bring back to the Board of Education facility and structural concerns for Watertown High School, for Judson Elementary School and for Polk Elementary School. We’ve met with KB & A and asked them that if the Board endorses the recommendation this evening if they would be willing to supersede everything they are looking to get accomplished with Item #1 being the fields that we have spoken about and the actual cost. I believe that part of the problem that we have had, along with a number of other people, is that defining the question, making the answer nearly impossible. In the time commitment that we have from K.B. & A. would be their architectural landscapers would be immediately on sight, could be as early as tomorrow, certainly through the week. We would be able to bring back accurate information on costing to the Board of Education and also meet a request from the Town Council on is there money for one field, for two fields, is there fencing, is there grading, is there parking, is there egress?

These are the types of things that I think the Board is very interested in and the Town Council has requested. I did share with the Town Council that the information that would be forthcoming would go through the Board of Education first and as per their directive in regards to assisting them with this decision, we will share everything and anything that we have with the council so they can make their absolute best decision. I am also confident that the areas of ownership and responsibility ultimately, who schedules the field, who owns the field, will be resolved, I am sure that they will be with the leadership and the respective Boards with the Board of Education and the Town Council. At this particular time that is the best information that I have in regards to the state grant. You heard the turf presentation from Mr. Guerrera who is the incoming President for the local Football Association, he has done a lot of work with the information he has prepared. The Town Council heard that presentation and again we are hoping that if there is endorsement this evening on our facilities study that we are able to bring that information through the Board of Education and ultimately to the Town Council. I get the sense that everyone involved, no matter where you are with your belief of what this should look like and how it should be spent, I think the common bond with everyone is; let’s make our decision with the best information. Do Board members have any additional questions regarding the State Grant money?

Ms. Dzioba: I just have a request; I think there is some confusion with exactly where this land is. If we could set up a meeting with Roy Cavanaugh or Todd for any interested Board Member to take a site walk to see what we are talking about. How it affects the High School, boundaries and such. I think that might be helpful to us for when it comes to us for a decision.

Dr. Erardi: I agree with that, thank you for sharing that. I would suggest that if Board Members, I will have Mrs. Marciano, our Administrative Assistant, get back through to you tomorrow, I am looking at Saturday, August 5th or Saturday, August 12th. We will provide the guides if you will provide the sneakers, because you will have to do a little bit of trekking through some terrain. Perhaps a 10 a.m. walk, about a ½ hour tour, we will get back to each of you that can make it. I think it is a great idea and we’ll invite community members also, if they would to join us. Other questions in regards to the grant?

Mr. Lafferty: So the purpose of taking this field walk and have Kaestle Boos look at it as part of a study that we already have budgeted in. Having them do that would pretty much give us a third opinion because right now we have two extremely different opinions on what the results will be. So this will just be third opinion as to what we can do with the potential use of this money for developing the land at the High School. I just wanted to comment on what Mr. Guerrera was saying about keeping an open mind. I think I have made it clear at Town Council meetings as to where I stand with how the money should be spent. I did do a lot of thinking this week about if we can’t spend the money on what I would like to see and if it did in turn go to the other idea which has been kicked around of a turf field. I have given it a lot of thought. I’ve still weighed it back and forth and I think going along with that we need to still keep and open mind with developing the fields with the $600,000 so that we are keeping an open mind to in fact both ideas that we have. I hope that you respect that I have given it plenty of thought. Just to end up on that note, I think it is well documented that I have a lot of spirit for the Town and the School and no matter what, I think putting it on a turf field or a new field, it would greatly improve the outlook on what we have here and I think both provide many benefits which have been stated. I think we are handling this the right way, it is taking some time, it is a long process to get something like this running, I think we are doing a very good job in taking our time and sorting through like we have. Thank you Mr. Guerrera for speaking tonight and thank to everyone for taking the time to keep considering the other ideas as well.

6. 2006-2007 Staffing and Student Enrollment

The Superintendent will update the Board of Education on the 2006-2007 staffing and student enrollment.

Dr. Erardi: I would like to share with the Board of Education a summer update on three things, I would like to share with you where we are with our operational system plan, I’d like to share with you were we are with staffing and I’d also like to share with you a concern I have with Heminway Park School. Let me start with our fiscal plan.

Usually the accounts that are most volatile are the accounts I will ask Mrs. Grover to make sure that she shares with me up to date information on a weekly and sometimes on a daily basis. Those accounts fall into four categories, staffing is certainly one of them. As you know we hold markers in our operational plan in January and February with a projection to our April, May and June hiring. There are many times that we hit that marker, there are times we come in a few dollars less than what we thought, and there are times, depending on the resignation or retirement, forced us to spend more money to find a competent, highly qualified educator. We have had retirements and resignations after the operational plan was settled in May. That certainly is an account that we watch closely.

The second account that we spend a lot of time with, and you all know this is, is special education. If a medically fragile child moves into our district tomorrow, we could responsible for an additional $40,000.00 that was certainly unencumbered and most likely unbudgeted. We look at our special needs population; we look at our Nonnewaug Vo-ag science population. The Board of Education is responsible for tuition for any grade eight student to attend a state vo-ag science facility, ours being Nonnewaug. That becomes even more complicated if the child attending has special needs. We are responsible for not only the tuition but for the cost of special education attached to that child.

We also look very closely at our out-of-district placements. We have talked about that and the Board of Education is aware that we are responsible for five times the pupil cost, which is in excess now of $40,000.00 for a child who would be educated outside of the Watertown confines of our K-12 district. Along with that we look at the fourth line item, the unanticipated capital expenses, and we had one this year with our Judson boilers which need repair on or before November 1st, the heating season.

With all of that said, with a number of variables, the information this evening, that I am pleased to share with the Board of Education, and much of this has to do with a very aggressive campaign to get out early and hire the best teachers we can find, is that our operational cash flow is running about $20,000.00 in the black. That could change tomorrow, but as of July 24th, that is where we are.

With our staffing at Watertown High School, two science teachers, two guidance counselors, two Math teachers, a Business educator, a Social Studies teacher, have all been hired to start the new school year. At Swift, Eric Bernstein, which we introduced on paper, will introduce in August, a School Psychologist, a Family and Consumer Science teacher, and a remedial reading teacher. Heminway Park, moving Lisa Rommel, who is here this evening, from Swift filling Janice Pond’s administrative position, hired a grade six teacher. At Judson, grade five teacher, a nurse, and a half time art teacher. At Polk, grade four, speech and language teacher. At John Trumbull, two second grade teachers. Special education, it was interesting, the Board may not know this, it is that by Connecticut Statute, you are responsible the Special Education teachers at your local Catholic Parochial schools, which we have had to do this particular summer.

We have been very busy with hiring, we positioned that if we had to start the school year today, that we still be looking for, these are positions that we are either filling or will be filled within the next ten days. Hopefully, we have a guidance department; one guidance counselor at Watertown High School that I believe is a recommendation to the administration for. We have a Special Education teacher at John Trumbull; we have a long-term subbing position in the English Department at the High School. With staffing and with the accounts that I shared with you, it has been a busy summer, it has been a very good summer.

Let me share with you my concern at this particular time. Again we do our best work with projections. We cannot project in January, February and March, when the budget is being built, who is moving in, who is moving out, and who is being retained. If school opened today at Heminway Park, your class size would be as follows: 31, 31, 30, 30, 30, 29, 29, 27, 26. Those are very, very big classes, in small classrooms with a new administrator. I will recommend to the board, because we can cover it within our present operational plan, not going back to anyone for additional dollars, that I will recommend to the board by cutting back in just a few line items and looking at our current operational cash flow, that we go forward and hire one additional teacher at Heminway. That would reduce your 31s and your 30s to 28, 28, 28, 27, 26, still high numbers folks, but would be more manageable. I would like to go forward and complete the hiring with the additional Heminway Park staff member as quickly as we possibly can. If Board Members have questions about that position, Mrs. Lerz is here who has oversight for Heminway for the next two years, Ms. Rommel is here, who will be our sixth grade administrator and Dr. Pelosi is also here to share his insights to curriculum and instruction, if there are questions from the Board. That concludes that Staffing, Student and Operational update, questions at this time, Board Members may have?

Mr. Lafferty: Were these high numbers projected before we made the budget or budgeted in the amount of teachers and where we would need them?

Dr. Erardi: Mr. Lafferty, what I tried to share and I don’t think I did a good job of it so let me repeat it. That the projection was done unbeknownst to the number of students who would be repeating grade six, number of students who would be moving into our district as grade six students and those are the areas that we watched weekly. We had great cooperation from Heminway and there are times when numbers will decrease and time when numbers will increase. As we sit here this evening we still know there is going to be great mobility in all of schools with movement at registration in folks that we think are attending and leave. And it certainly appears at this time that the present enrollment of 314 students will have a plus or minus, it could be a few as ten students plus or minus. But I still feel there is a great need for an additional staff. The short answer to your question is that projections were made however, with the mobility and the movement in our district, there has been a lot of it, that’s where we are at.

Mr. Lafferty: Thank you that answers it. I guess I just don’t feel comfortable going ahead and making changes like this because we budgeted and everything and now…even from what I know, from when budgets passed, after we get a budget passed and then we say no, no we are going to go make this change. I really don’t feel comfortable with it.

Dr. Erardi: I would only bring it to the Board, for that I know, that if brought to the Board of Education this evening, because within our aggressive hiring plan, we are able to, with the same personnel line item, be able to look towards that additional teacher with no additional request from the Town Council.

Mr. Lafferty: I understand that, I still just, I respect what you are saying, I like the idea of alleviating the number of students in each classroom, there is no way around it, adding another teacher will be great. But once we put out to the public, this is our budget; this is what we will be using it on. I know that changes have to be made and we have to adapt and improvise and overcome it, in a certain amount of time and within certain periods of time. After we have already put it out and have gotten people to approve it, I don’t feel comfortable with changes.

Mr. Griffin: Chris, I think it is safe to say that during the preparation of our budget we did not have the foresight to project these numbers and if we can make the change within the operational budget and still remain in the dollars that have been given to us, in my personal view I think it’s best that we go forward with Dr. Erardi’s recommendation that we add a teacher to Heminway Park School.

Dr. Erardi: My only final comment to your concern is, I am very respectful of what you have stated, is that this is the type of agenda item that is brought to nearly every local board at this particular time. And there will be times that I will come back to you in future summers and let you know that we may be overstaffed and we will not need the additional teacher. But this particular summer at this particular time I would hope that the Board would allow the School Superintendent to move forward and complete, what I feel is a need and move forward.

Ms. Dzioba: Chris I agree with you and what you are saying about staying within the constraints of the budget, it is important to me too, however we have students who only go through sixth grade once, we hope and we have to help them with that expectation. I feel if the Superintendent and the Assistant Superintendent say that we need the teacher, this is something we should consider. Would any other Board Members like to comment on this?

Ms. Colangelo: I would like to make a comment, Dr. Erardi, did you say you had two late resignations as well after our budget?

Dr. Erardi: Yes we did

Ms. Colangelo: Ok then, so the breakage from those positions would off set this position.

Dr. Erardi: Yes that is correct

Mr. Griffin: We are going to stay within the confines of our budget by taking advantage of those two resignations.

Mr. Marks: My only comment, and I think we should go ahead and accept Dr. Erardi’s recommendation, is just a comment that from the taxpayers point of view is that the point is that we stay within the budget, not that each specific line item be exactly the same, just as long as we don’t go to them for more money they are going to be happy.

Mr. Griffin: And also that we can better serve our students, because that is the most important.

Mr. Lafferty: I am not trying to pin it on you that you guys are trying to be irresponsible; I don’t want it to look like I’m trying to turn you into bad guys. It is just my concern and I know you understand and you share it too.

Addition of Action Item

Motion presented by Ms. Colangelo, seconded by Mr. Marks that the Board of Education approve the addition of Action Item J-i to the agenda: Consideration of the Approval of an increase in staff at Heminway Park School

Motion passed unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

7. Joint Services

The Superintendent will share with the Board of Education an update on the Joint Service Study with the Town.

Dr. Eradi: Moving on through a very lengthy Superintendents report this evening. Item #7 was also presented to the Town Council, and again an invitation extended to the Board of Education and a number of Board Members attended. Frank Nardelli the interim Town Manager is here this evening along with Todd LoFrese to share the three areas of focus that took place during the Joint Studies Committee work. I would like to just share a couple of brief comments; one is that I thought it was a very beneficial study, if for nothing else the respect between the Town staff and the Board of Education was enormous. They respect each other, they know that they are all in it for the good of the community and I think there was some real good that came out of the joint study. Mr. LoFrese will share the Operation and Maintenance Study along with the technology study and Town Manager Nardelli will share the finance study and I will then share with the Board the follow up studies of the Joint Committee work. My last comment is that this came to me from a conversation that took place about four months ago between the Board of Education Chair Ms. Dzioba, the Town Council Chair, Mr. Pawlak, and at that time Town Manager Meredith Robson.

Mr. LoFrese presented the results of the Technology Joint Services Study and the Maintenance/Operations Joint Services Study. (See Attachment C)

There were no questions regarding either presentation

Mr. Nardelli presented the results of the Shared Services Study of the Finance Department (See Attachment C)

There were no questions regarding the presentation.

Dr. Erardi: Just two final comments regarding Joint Services, one is thank you to Frank for wearing way too many hats. Item #2 is that the follows up that will take place with the new Town Manager; I will put this projection at probably at some point this fall when that person will be named or be on board. Together we are going to continue to study the three focus areas along with, there seems to be energy with, certainly with the Board of Education and with the Town Council, about a joint department with Human Resource. We will bring back information to the Board and the Town Council when the new Town Manager comes on board.

8. Swift Construction Update

Administration will give an update on the status of the construction being done at Swift Middle School.

Dr. Erardi: The last item on the Superintendent’s Agenda I will defer to Todd LoFrese who will bring the Board of Education up to date with the Swift project, which if you haven’t been there lately you really should take a walk through. You will scratch your head like I am scratching my head wondering how it is going to be ready in four weeks.

Mr. LoFrese: Good evening again, thank you Dr. Erardi. At each Board Members station there was a hand out on the status of the Swift Project through July. It touches on the different areas of the project and different areas of the phasing with comments on completion. I am happy have Mr. David King from Kaestle Boos our architect, he will take the Board through the different sections this evening and answer any questions that may come up.

Mr. King presented an outline of the progress of the Swift Building Project (See Attachment D).

Ms. Dzioba: It is great to see the progress that is happening but when I drive by I do wonder will it be ready?

Mr. King: When I look at the Swift Project in relation to other projects over the years, and what you don’t see at Swift is piles of construction debris in corridors and so forth, that is all done, it is all gone. You don’t see open roof area, we don’t have any issues with some conditions that have been discovered since the school ended, that happened already. There were a few minor things, nothing very significant. You don’t have any issues with labor or with contractors so all those things that could and have in the past caused hiccups, we don’t have that here.

Dr. Erardi: Just a couple of final comments on the project. One is that this is something the administration will be communicating to each other and to the architect and to O & G every day. We will assure the Board that unless something totally catches us wrong; we will open on time and be ready for students. We are fortunate to have administration at Swift that has a sense of humor; they are going to need that along with their staff. I’d also suggest that perhaps on the day that we walk the fields, if there are any Board Members that might be interested that we then get in our cars and take a look at Swift. The dominos are falling quickly there, in a very short period of time, within the next year, your Library becomes your Tech Center, your Cafeteria becomes your Library and your Cafeteria then moves over to the new building. Things are changing. There are 50-75 construction workers on site every day and I think it would be worthwhile for the Board to take that walk through. We’ll get you a hard hat and make you look official and we’ll walk you through. But we will be ready and we are very, very pleased at this point with KB & A and O&G, I think that they have done great work with Todd LoFrese and with the Swift Administration to make this all possible. This concludes the Superintendent’s Report.

I. Report from the Chairman

Ms. Dzioba: As far as my report, I don’t really have one other than to say that in the August meeting we will be voting on a Vice Chair and reformatting the subcommittees if anyone would like to change have any comments please give me a call.

J. Action Items – Adoption of Items to be Approved by Consent

a. Consideration of the Approval of 2005-2006 Year-End Transfers

Ms. Amelia Grover, Director of Budget and Financial Planning, requests Board approval for the attached transfer of funds for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. (See Attachment E.)

It is recommended that the Board approve of the attached transfer of funds for the 2005-2006 Fiscal Year.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Ms. Pannone to approve of the attached transfer of funds for the 2005-2006 fiscal Year.

Discussion

Ms. Grover: The auditors don’t want negative balances in any object so that is why we are ending the year a bottom line of $70. There is one object that might have money and one object that doesn’t so that is what the transfers are for.

Motion Passed Unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

b. Consideration of the Approval of Acceptance of Gift

An anonymous donor would like to donate a gift of $50,000.00 to the auditorium lighting project at Watertown High School.

It is recommended that the Board accept this generous donation and a letter of thanks to be sent to the donor.

Motion presented by Mr. Lafferty, seconded by Mr. Griffin to accept this generous donation and a letter of thanks to be sent to the donor.

Discussion

Ms. Dzioba: I have a question. Is there a special fund set up to accrue funds for this?

Dr. Erardi: There already is an account, and that account was established with Music Under the Stars, a fund raiser done by the High School Administration and Staff last spring. I would recommend to the Board if they do accept this gift, and I needed to tell the Board, after a bit of arm twisting that the Woodward Foundation is the very gracious gift giver, they would like me to leave it as simple as that. The $50,000.00 if accepted by the Board will go into the student activities fund which has a special line item set up for the repair of the electrical system in the High School Auditorium. The Administration’s goal is that the next spring musical will not be renting lights.

Motion Passed Unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

c. Consideration of the Approval of Bid for Trash Removal

The low and only bid received for trash removal was from Copes.

It is recommended that the Board approve of awarding the bid for trash removal to Copes for three years.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Ms. Pannone to approve of awarding the bid for trash removal to Copes for three years.

No Discussion

Motion Passed Unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

d. Consideration of the Approval of Obsolete Equipment

Ms. Mary Raiola, Supervisor of Special Education, requests permission to dispose of obsolete physical education equipment for handicapped students stored in a closet at John Trumbull Primary School because it is missing pieces, outdated, and not safe as it is old.

It is recommended that the Board approve of the disposal of obsolete physical education equipment for handicapped students stored in a closet at John Trumbull Primary School according to Board of Education policy.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Mr. Lafferty to approve of the disposal of obsolete physical education equipment for handicapped students stored in a closet at John Trumbull Primary School according to Board of Education policy.

No Discussion

Motion Passed Unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

e. Consideration of the Approval of Pre-Architectural and Pre-Engineering Study for Watertown High School, Judson School and Polk School.

It is recommended that the Board approve of the Pre-Architectural and Pre-Engineering Study for Watertown High School, Judson School and Polk School for a fee of $30,000.00. (See Attachment F.)

Motion presented by Mr. Lafferty, seconded by Mr. Griffin to approve of the Pre-Architectural and Pre-Engineering Study for Watertown High School, Judson School and Polk School for a fee of $30,000.00.

Discussion

Mr. Lafferty: Is this $30,000.00 already budgeted in?

Ms. Dzioba: Yes, we have it in the budget. I also have a question; will the Kaestle Boos study also encompass the High School fields that are under consideration for $600,000.00 grant?

Mr. Griffin: It will but do we need to amend the motion?

Dr. Erardi: I think we would be ok with the same motion, it is part of the High School study and they will just prioritize that.

Motion Passed Unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

f. Consideration of the Approval of the Unified Arts Schedule at Swift Middle School

At the Curriculum and Instruction Committee meeting of July 19, 2006, the Curriculum and Instruction Committee members endorsed the proposed Unified Arts Schedule at Swift Middle School. It is recommended that Physical Education no longer be included in the Unified Arts rotation. The proposed changes will provide Physical Education classes to all seventh and eighth graders twice per week for the entire year. The Graphics Program will be offered to seventh graders three days per week and to eighth graders two days per week. (See Attachment G)

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve of the Unified Arts Schedule at Swift Middle School as presented under separate cover effective with the 2006-2007 school year.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Mr. Marks to approve of the Unified Arts Schedule at Swift Middle School as presented under separate cover effective with the 2006-2007 school year.

Discussion

Ms. Colangelo: Dr. Pelosi are there any costs involved with this?

Dr. Pelosi: No there is no cost; it is just a shifting of moving P.E. out of the rotation and putting graphics into it.

Ms. Colangelo: No additional teachers?

Dr. Pelosi: No additional teachers, no additional costs.

Ms. Dzioba: It is my understanding that this eliminates some of the study halls.

Dr. Pelosi: Yes it will decrease some study halls for eighth graders and it will make then zero to two studies per week for students taking world languages and a minimum of four for the remaining eighth graders. It will decrease seventh graders from seven to five or less. So it not only allows students to take P.E. all year long in grade seven instead of just a third of the year, but it also decreases the amount of study halls for seventh and eighth graders. We also presented other ideas that we have as we continue to look at Unified Arts and we hopefully add back our sewing teacher and our woods teacher which had been cut last year.

Ms. Dzioba: Once the completion of the building that is when you would hope to fill those spots.

Dr. Pelosi: Right, we would hope to have the rooms filled with staff and that we would have the funds to do so.

Ms. Colangelo: Sounds like a good solution.

Motion Passed Unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

Ms. Dzioba: The next item I have some confusion about it so I would like to add a motion just so we can discuss it.

g. Consideration of the Approval of Field Irrigation at Swift Middle School

Motion presented by Mr. Lafferty, seconded by Mr. Griffin to approve of the field irrigation at Swift Middle School for discussion purposes only.

Discussion

Ms. Dzioba: My question on this is, Swift Middle School is the Public Building Committee’s project so I am questioning whether we need to approve this as their recommendation. My understanding is that they are looking to us for approval that this irrigation system be worthwhile, they have approved it, they just want our blessing.

Dr. Erardi: That is correct; let me start by apologizing to the Board for the late agenda item and the addition. This was brought to the Board of Education at the end of last week. The urgency behind this is what Mr. King spoke about earlier, the need to get the egress from Davis Street to Swift Middle School’s front door in place in four weeks. Along with that it is time now to begin the excavation of fields which don’t look like fields today. Mr. LoFrese has additional information from the Public Buildings Committee but Ms. Dzioba is absolutely correct. This is an easy project that through the good partnership of the PBC committee with the Board Education, which practiced under my tenure, that you always run constructional issues back to the Board just for endorsement. I believe that is the reason why it is here this evening, Mr. LoFrese.

Mr. LoFrese: I would agree with Dr. Erardi, one additional comment. The reason why this is coming very quickly, you heard Mr. King talk about the good fortune the Swift project has had, haven’t had any surprises. We have done nearly all the site work, nearly all the asbestos abatement has occurred; ceiling tiles are down through much of the corridors. So many if not most of all the unknowns have already been uncovered. We are at a position time wise where we are going to be installing asphalt for the bus loop, prior to that we would like to put in water line, the electrical lines, to open the building out to the field to operate this equipment. Obviously it is going to be moving very quickly and that is the reason for the tight time frame.

Ms. Dzioba: I just have a comment I would like to make, I think it is a good idea that we bless this, just in that it will set forth better maintenance and care of new fields. Adding this new irrigation system, now is the time, this is something we should say to the public that we agree with the PBC project as it is not at any additional cost, it has been budgeted within cost.

Mr. Lambert: Ms. Chairman with that. I think that the grass will be stronger, it will take more abuse, it will be healthier and if we are going to do it, now is the time.

Ms. Colangelo: Is this an addition? This was not planned or is this something new? I don’t understand why it is coming to us.

Mr. LoFrese: This was something that we had on a sort of wish list prior to the initial referendum when we got into the situation when the budget came in so far over budget. When we passed a successful second referendum on the project there was a contingency line in there that we have been carrying all along. We just knew what the numbers were at that time because we had already gone out to bid so being conservative this didn’t come up until now because we did not want to undercover any unknowns, doing digging or excavation, so I think that is the reason for the delay.

Ms. Colangelo: So there are funds available?

Mr. LoFrese: There are funds available yes.

g. Consideration of the Approval of Field Irrigation at Swift Middle School

At its meeting on July 19, 2006 the Public Buildings Committee approved of the field irrigation at Swift Middle School because there is sufficient project funding to install the field irrigation.

The Public Buildings Committee is recommending that the Board of Education approve of the field irrigation at Swift Middle School so that they can move forward with design and installation.

It is recommended that the Board approve of the field irrigation at Swift Middle School under sufficient project funding.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Mr. Marks to approve of the field irrigation at Swift Middle School under sufficient project funding.

Motion Passed Unanimously

(7-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 0-Abstained)

h. Consideration of the Approval of Salary Increases for Non-affiliated Staff for 2006-2007

Following an executive session discussion, possible consideration and approval of

salary increases for non-affiliated staff for the 2006-2007 school year.

This item was tabled

i. Consideration of the Approval of an Increase in Staff at Heminway Park School

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve of the increase in staffing at Heminway Park School following the discussion that incurred during this evenings Superintendent’s Report.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Ms. Colangelo that the Board of Education approve of the increase in staffing at Heminway Park School as proposed by Dr. Erardi.

Motion Passed

(6-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 1-Abstained)

In Favor: Ms. Colangelo, Ms. Dzioba, Mr. Griffin, Mr. Lambert, Mr. Marks and Ms. Pannone

Abstained: Mr. Lafferty

K. Future Agenda Items and Board Members’ Comments

None

L. Public Participation

Bob Guerrera, 117 Adams Road, Watertown

The only reason I came back up is, when you look at the whole picture, I wanted to point a couple things out. When I ask you what do you spend to send the boys and girls from this high school over to Veterans, what does that cost? Do you have an idea?

Ms. Dzioba: We would have to get that figure, we do not have it here.

Mr. Guerrera: So when you look at the whole thing. The amount of money you would have saved by putting turf up there, only because it is multi-purpose, it could be used in rain or shine, you’ve got to include that. You also have to include the man hours you would save in maintenance, you don’t have to paint lines on before every football game, before every soccer game, they are in the field, they are embedded in. The only thing they don’t put in, they don’t put in lacrosse lines but you can just spray them on but that would be once a year. I know what paint costs to do lines on a football field, it is almost $300-$400 every time you do the lines. So when you look at this, you have to really look at everything. The amount it would save your budget just athletically, there are not even any words to say what it would save you. You could probably add, 60, 70, $80,000.00 in miscellaneous budget just on what you would save on maintenance and travel expenses, because everything is right here. We come to you because you words to the Town Council mean a lot. This is why we are coming to you. I have talked to some of the people on the Town Council and one of the things that did aggravate me, and I am going to tell you, when we were up there and our guys from Field Turf were there explaining, one of the Councilmen said, “We have other things to worry about in the buildings rather than the field”. The problem is the grant is for fields only, if it was for a building, believe me I wouldn’t be here because I think it should be spent on the schools but it is for fields, it benefits this Board of Education financially and hopefully you will back us. Thank you very much.

Patricia Kinsley, 1476 Middlebury Rd, Watertown

I am here to talk about the Lacrosse program, I have been very fortunate to be involved in the program for about five years. Mr. Ouellette and Mr. Tomsheck have worked tirelessly researching our program and other programs that we can use to base our program to make the program our town a success. Not only have I been fortunate but my son has had the opportunity to participate in this program since the fourth grade and he is going to be a sophomore in high school this year at Watertown High. I have witnessed his growth as well as the growth of the sport over the past five years, and as a direct result of the hard work of many people, especially Lou Ouellette and Peter Tomsheck, the parents, the children themselves, the families and the supporters from within the Town, the program has been a huge success. I have tow children actually that are at the high school right now and thus far they have had good experiences here. But I do believe if we approved lacrosse at the high school it would improve school spirit and enthusiasm, which I think is needed at the high school. The fact that we have such a successful program and do not have a regulation field to play on. We hav