New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Resolution on Race, Equity and Social Justice approved
A
was approved at the Milford Board of Education’s virtual business meeting held online via Zoom on Dec. 14.
Board Chair Sue Glennon said,” This resolution affirms the Board's commitment to ensuring the Milford Public Schools are socially just, anti-racist, and equitable.”
A three-person ad-hoc committee was formed to support the district’s work on race, equity and social justice at the Board meeting in October. The committee, made up of Cindy Wolfe Boynton, Andy Fowler and Nicole Wasson, worked on the resolution and presented it to Board. Modifications were made. One modified paragraph, pushed by Board member Adam De Young, brought student leaders into the process and was adopted into the resolution.
It reads: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of the Milford Board of Education, as a collective and duly-elected body, praise and support the efforts of student leaders raising their voices to advocate for systemic change, as well as administration’s decision to establish a district-wide student advisory committee designed to take 1 concrete steps toward strengthening equity and social justice, and showing both students and school staff what it means to be anti-racist and an ally of people of color.
Roll call voting saw the motion pass 9-0. De Young, Fowler, Rita Hennessey, Emily McDonough Sousa, Warren Pawlowski, Betsy Ratner, Wasson, Boynton and Glennon voted yes. Una Petroske was absent.
The Board approved a sum of $103,708 to be used toward salaries for non-certified/non-union employees at the discretion of the Superintendent as discussed in executive session.
It also voted 9-0 to enact policies on Title IX, Nondiscrimination, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace and Alcohol, Drugs and Tabacco.
PRE-K-KINDERGARTEN REVIEW
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Anna Cutaia introduced a Pre-K and Kindergarten review that was conducted last year and said, “Not even COVID-19 could stop us from completing (this review) but COVID may delay our implementation.”
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Amy Fedigan and Supervisor of Student Development and Wellness Sean Smyth, assisted by Elementary Supervisor Andrea Giannatassio, through graphics introduced to the Board concepts of Executive Function and Intentional Play.
Executive functions are cognitive processes that are necessary for the cognitive control of behavior: selecting and successfully monitoring behaviors that facilitate the attainment of chosen goal.
Intentional play addresses specific learning goals in a fun manner. Though student directed, it is scaffolded by an adult.
Fedigan noted: “A year ago in the spring, the Board engaged in a district study on Executive Function and Intentional Play. We wanted to think about the model for high quality instruction in Milford Public Schools and how it might influence our work with our youngest learners.”
Wasson said: “I work with
college-age students and Executive Functioning is so important at that age too. So, the earlier we can start is better. It goes well beyond their 12 or 13 years in the Milford Public School system.
Dr. Fedigan pointed out that it would be important to merge various early childhood programs under the same administrative oversight to ensure that there is consistency and continuity across the programs.
Smyth said: “Scholarship, citizenship, creativity, innovation and personal development touch on all of these through Executive Function and Intentional Play. It really lends itself well to developing those characteristics.”
Smyth put up slides then went over with the group on Play (fun, unplanned and unstructured with students making it up to learn freedom goals) and Intentional Play.
Smyth said: “Intentional play is an amazing time to teach and access the social emotional learning skills. It is not your traditional test; the kids will be playing a game and you are looking at their progress. The reason we are focusing on this is because these skills are important to school and life. They are essential for school achievement, essential for our future workforce and they help
us avoid a wide range of public health problems. The research is there to back up how important these skills are.”
After the presentation, De Young said, “Sue (Glennon) and I have talked many times about wanting this to be a piece of what we accomplish as a Board and as a school district. One of the reasons I joined the Board of Education was to hopefully encourage the administration to look at PRE-K and Kindergarten programs, as well as additional elementary schedules that I know we will be looking at in the future. I applaud the effort taking this on while COVID is happening…I think it is just critical to our future.”
Wendy Kopazna presented the Human Resources Report that included job postings, personel recommendations and retirement resignations. Ten teachers have confirmed retirements, some have already stepped down with the others retiring at the end of June.
PRESENT PRE-K, KINDERGARTEN OPTIONS
Sean Smyth put up slides that showed what is now available for Pre-K and Kindergarten students.
Integrated PRE-K has 14 sections at four schools with age 3 students in the morning and age 4 in the afternoon. Classes run anywhere from 2-to-5 days with a combination of special education and general education students
The Ready to Learn Program provides full day classes of four sections at three schools Extended hours are offered before and after school. It is funded by a state grant but housed in Milford Public Schools with MPS oversight.
Childcare Lab at Foran is feebased day care from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is part of a high school family consumer science course. High school students get to interact with children as part of their course work.
Pre-K 5 class is at Orange Ave Elementary and transitions between Pre-K and Kindergarten. It is a full program Monday through Thursday for 5-year-olds.
Self-Contained Pre-K and selfcontained Kindergarten classes are taught by Special Education teachers for direct instruction.
There is one Primary Development class that runs full day. It is for Special Education kindergarten age students who work on goals and objectives to prepare them for kindergarten
Supported K are two general education classes with cluster of Special Education students in each class who benefit from being together and being in a general education classroom.
There is also general education Kindergarten classes in all MPS schools.
PUMPKIN DELIGHT SCHOOL
Andy Fowler brought the
Board up to date on the renovation plan for Pumpkin Delight School.
“The Permanent School Facilitities Building Committee had a meeting last week and we narrower our selection down to four people,” Fowler said. “We picked out one, but contracts haven’t been drawn up yet. We are hoping to do good work with them on the Pumpkin Delight renovation and additions.”