Watertown Board of Education

Regular Meeting

Minutes

Meeting Date: August 28, 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. Gina Calabrese, Board Member

Mr. Chris Lafferty, Board member

Mr. Thomas Lambert, Board Member

Mr. James Marks, Board Member

Mr. Richard Mazzamaro, Board Member

Ms. Joanne Pannone, Board Member

Dr. Joseph Erardi Jr., Superintendent of Schools

Ms. Betsy Hackett, Director of Special Services

Mr. Todd LoFrese, Director of Operations

Dr. Philip Pelosi, Assistant Superintendent of Schools

Mr. William Zeman, W.H.S. Student Representative

Absent: Ms. Mary Colangelo, Board Member Ms. Amelia Grover, Dir. of Budget and Financial Planning

Press: Jim Taylor, Town Times

Tommy Valuckas, Waterbury Republican American

Guests: Thad Hasbrouck, Fran Palmer, June Legge, Lou Ouellette, Peter Tomsheck, Sean Williams, Charlie Beliveau, Patricia Kinzly, Christopher Kinzly, Bob Guerrera, Steve Martino, Chris Saraceno, Theresa Baker, Matthew Baker, Stan Chowaniec, Susan Chowaniec, Paul Rinaldi, Enrico Rinaldi, Jim Krayeske, Warren Ford, Bill Donston, Paul Chowaniec, Jim Chowaniec, Steve Labbe, Sean Butterly, Sandra Greenwood

A. Convene Regular Meeting - 7:30 PM

Ms. Dzioba convened the Regular Board of Education meeting at 7:30 p.m.

B. Salute to the Flag

Ms. Dzioba led the Salute to the Flag.

C. Nomination and election to fill the vacant position of Vice-Chairman

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Mr. Lafferty to nominate Mr. Mazzamaro to the position of Vice-Chairman.

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

D. Recognition

The Board would like to recognize the volunteers who worked for the 2006 summer school program at John Trumbull Primary School and present each student with a Certificate of Excellence:

Alicia Burbridge

Sarah Durgy

Brittany Julian

Nicole Mancione

Rachel Mennis

Erin Murphy

Alex O’Dell

Victoria Ranaudo

Lauren Rollins

Matt Shea

Matthew Stango

Kathleen Winterhalder

The Board would also like to present Certificates of Excellence to Vincent Matovu and Catherine Nalwadda visitors from Uganda.

Dr. Erardi: There are three parts to our Celebration of Excellence this evening. I’d like to start off recognizing a number who participated as volunteers in our John Trumbull Primary School Summer Program. Mrs. Rayolla is in the audience and I would like Mrs. Rayolla to assist Ms. Dzioba giving out our certificates. I would also like to recognize Mrs. Hackett for her leadership with this program.

Dr. Erardi called students listed above forward to be recognized and presented certificates.

Dr. Erardi: The Board of Education would also like to recognize two individuals who have enriched our community for the past three weeks. Vincent and Catherine if you could please stand with Ms. Dzioba for a moment.

Vincent Matovu and Catherine Nalwadda have stayed with the Dwyer family in Watertown for the past three weeks. Vincent is a headmaster and a school owner of a private school in Uganda that services 585 students. As we, members of the Board of Education and our Educational Community go through our school year and we begin to tackle some of what we think are very difficult issues, I’d like to share just a bit of what’s in Vincent’s world everyday. Vincent’s school is a private school that has approximately 100 orphans. Orphaned because most if not all parents are dead from AIDS. Vincent’s school is a school that’s a safe haven. It is a school filled with love and school filled with great opportunities from his dedication and the enrichment that he brings to his school in Uganda. Vincent has been the proprietor of the school for the past twenty years. In a conversation which I found very interesting, teacher salary per month is $100, average class size, fifty.

Catherine is an outstanding student that went through Vincent’s school and is also touring with Vincent as he moves from Connecticut to the West Coast, to San Francisco. Vincent and Catherine, Catherine for the first time and Vincent for the second time, are here in the United States with Vincent’s hope that his school will realize a dream of a playscape playground and technology lab for his students. I will be more than happy, as we spoke over dinner this evening, to share that conversation with our PTAs and PTA Presidents, hoping Vincent that we can help out in the near future. We thank you for being in our community, you have enriched the lives of those you have spoken to and Catherine we wish you the absolute best as you move from secondary school to the School of University. A very small token Ms. Dzioba has Vincent for you for reading materials for your plane ride and a book for your school. Thank you both.

Applause

Dr. Erardi: Our last celebration this evening, the board took formal action at their July meeting and appointed the Assistant Principal at Swift Middle School. Unfortunately Eric Bernstein, at that time, could not be with us as he had a previously planned vacation with his family. Eric is here this evening and I would like to formally introduce him to the Board of Education. Eric is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law with his Jurist Doctorate, has his Masters Degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix and an Undergraduate Degree from the University of Connecticut. Eric comes to us from the Illing Middle School in Manchester where he served as K-8 Director and taught Social Studies and Math. His early impression and his first impression with nearly everyone, if not everyone, that has been in touch with him, is boundless energy and a terrific catch for Watertown Swift Middle School. Mr. Bernstein if you would like to say a few words to the Board.

Applause

Mr. Bernstein : Coming into a school that is under the renovations that Swift is under has been an incredible experience because the excitement of what is coming in our future is amazing. The difference in the two weeks, from the first day of officially starting this year to opening coming up this week, has been incredible. The commitment that I have seen from the Board, making sure these programs go through, to all of the staff and faculty I have met so far and all of the students that I have come into contact with at the orientation and in passing at the school, have been all incredibly positive experiences. I am very excited to be here and to have this opportunity to work in a district that is just doing so many great things and has demonstrated through the community so much of a commitment to public education. I thank you, I look forward to working with all of you together and look forward to the success of all of the students at Swift over the next several years and the transition. Thank you very much.

Applause

Dr. Erardi: Mrs. Dzioba I may suggest that we take a two minute recess so that we may congratulate our students, to wish our visitors bon voyage and to say hello to Mr. Bernstein. Thank you,

Meeting recessed 7:38 p.m.

Meeting reconvened 7:45 p.m.

E. Public Participation

Ms. Dzioba: It is time for public participation, is there anyone that would like to address the Board, please come to the podium and state your name and address for the record?

Bob Guerrera, 117 Adams Road, Watertown

I just want to let the Board of Education know a couple of things before I get started on the turf issue. Just a little update, the addition we made to the concession stand is 98% done, we have some cleaning up to do and we are putting three coats of paint on the old concession stand to match the color. The color is safety orange, we bought it from CT Hardware and we can get more if you want to match anything else. This week we brought up 142 pairs of football cleats to the High School. That was a donation from us which we received from our central board that was able to give almost every kid two pairs of cleats and there is still a whole storage facility filled with cleats. The shirts that we purchased for the Varsity home games should be in right before the first game. We purchased fifty shirts at our expense because the kids wanted new shirts, a better color, better shirts. So that is just an update for the Board on what is going on.

Last time I was here I was asked why I am coming to the Board of Education to push the turf issue. It has gotten turned over to you basically. If you support the turf issue I think we will get turf. We have seen a lot of different things. I moved to this town, it has been nine years, one of the reasons I moved here and decided to raise my family here, is because of the enthusiasm I always felt when I came here to play against different sports. I’ve played against softball players here, high school players here, and they had nothing but enthusiasm about this town. I remember the first night, I live up on Adams Road, and it was a Friday night game and I didn’t realize what goes on. There were cars parked almost all the way up to my road. But what I have noticed throughout the years is little by little those cars are declining and not only is the enthusiasm declining but now it needs to be brought back to where it was when I moved here, and the reason I did move here.

I feel that watching Lacrosse practice at Mosgrove Parking lot is just ridiculous. They need a place to practice, they are pushing to get Lacrosse into the High School, well we need a field. This turf field, like we told you will take the place of three grass fields. Everybody can practice on it, basically it’s a gift, it is free. People don’t think it’s free because we spent so much money on the Mills Complex but we didn’t spend all that money on the grass. We spent it on the whole complex. Everyone is putting stuff into the Complex. We did the addition; track and field is doing their addition, to make everything better.

There is a group trying to do a new sound system up there. Everybody is putting their efforts into that field. We feel it is time the kids in this town benefit from something like that and we put our efforts into that field. I am not going to go into numbers because there are really no numbers, you have seen the numbers, they don’t lie.

We were asked to host the Mighty Mite jamboree. Our Mighty Mites are eight and nine year old kids. We would have had thirty teams, from twelve different towns, that would have brought probably over 900 people into town, town families, grandparents. We were told, and I understand why, we couldn’t hold it at the Mills Complex so we had to turn this away. Right off the bat that would have brought in almost $1,800 at the gate at $3 a head, that is just quick math. It is a money maker. Not only is it best for the town, it brings a center point of this High School and the Town where it belongs but it also generates income for the athletics in this town, which we could all use, it cuts down on your transportation costs. So much I went into before that I am not going to bore you again. We feel it is the right move. And like we told you before, have an open mind, you are only tearing up grass, it is grass. You roll it up and use it on the other side. It’s a benefit, it benefits all the kids. Thank you very much.

Sean Butterly, 59 Litchfield Road

I am here tonight also concerning the tremendous opportunity we have presented at the John Mills Complex, our High School. Last week I spoke in favor of installing field turf, at the Complex, at the Town Council meeting, I now know it is back in your forum. I have spoken to Rep. Sean Williams who said he does believe this would be a very appropriate use for the $600,000 recreational grant from the State. At the August 21, 2006 Council Meeting he indicated to the Members of the Council, that I was formally the spokesman of the Grid Iron Club when we initially put the lights up at the field. At that time we envisioned that they would widen the field but that field hockey and soccer would also get a chance to play there. I am happy to say that this sport of Lacrosse, in the ten years that we have been working on the Complex has really grown so greatly and it is a wonderful sport, that is also another thing that in greatly enhanced here.

I am fortunate that while I practice law in this wonderful town, I teach law in the Town of Hamden Connecticut, at their High School. About five years ago they installed field turf, we have about 2400 students at Hamden High School and that turf is used constantly for football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse. It is just a matter of sharing turf time. Last year I was assistant on the baseball team and we had grass fields and we couldn’t play during the spring monsoon, which you get now in New England like you get a fall monsoon. And the girls went out right in the middle of all that and had a lacrosse game at our field against another school, while we all sat around waiting for the rain to stop at the end of the week and then we could play baseball again.

Orthopedic Surgeon Rich Diana, a former Hamden High School player, who also played at Yale and with the Miami Dolphins, spoke to the Hamden Board of Ed prior to the installation of turf and said that the rubberized turf, this field turf, is actually better for your legs in most ways then grass. It is not that solid old astro turf. I am aware in reading the papers that a lot of our scholar athletes from our Junior High went to Holy Cross High School, in the soccer program etc., I think it is a tremendous High School but I want to compete with them and I want our scholar athletes to stay in town whenever possible.

I was proud as a Council Chairman six years ago, seven years ago, to be part of the effort to repair DeLand Field, as you drive through town today it is a source of pride. It is wonderful to have that beautiful ball field in that kind of condition. If we install field turf at the John Mills Complex we afford our scholar athletes a great deal for competitions at the gateway to Watertown High School. Then we will do great things to keep our scholar athletes. My wife, Jack Mills’ daughter, and the 1969 co-captain of the cheerleading team, also joins me in these comments. Yeah, that was one of those “you’ve got mail” types of chick-flick scenarios, but still in love 31 years later. Thanks you very much for your attention, I think this is a great opportunity and I urge you to put the turf in.

Steve Martino, 105 Beech Avenue

The other day I took a ride up to Wolcott High School and took these photos.

Mr. Martino distributed photos for Board to review

They did field turf this year and I just wanted you guys to get a look on how beautiful that looks. I walked across the whole field, as you can see it was raining out and the varsity team was practicing on the field, it didn’t cause any dilemmas or nothing. They were out there running on it, as hard as they would be running on it if it was sunny out. Also I am going to pass around this; this is the website for Wolcott High School.

Mr. Martino distributed the website to the Board (See Attachment A)

You can go on this website and see from start to finish the construction of the field turf. This is just to clear up if anybody is nervous about construction time or what actually is going to take place on the field, you can see pictures of this.

I guess what I really want to do is just point out a few facts and not bore you with what has been repeated and repeated. Wolcott High School redid their field three years ago. They got together, because of the weather in Connecticut or the rained out games or the games that they did end up playing in the rain and basically ruining their fields for two or three weeks until they could get it back. They decided to go with this field turf, so I just want you to know that there are other towns that may have just turfed their field and I am going to add to that category, Seymour. Seymour just redid their whole field two years ago and this year they have torn it up and put down this turf. I didn’t get a chance to take pictures out there but if you want me to I’d be glad to run out there. Municipal Stadium will be putting in turf sometime in the next year or so. That basically brings over 50% of the NVL teams are going to be playing on the field turf within two years down the road.

This field turf basically can be used for so many different things. Yes I am coming to you from a football standpoint, because that is basically what I concentrate on; it is what my biggest interest is. But it covers all the major sports that you are worried about finding fields for. There were certain things that were thrown out at the Town Council meeting, such as how you can host the graduation out there and how Swift’s graduation had to be moved to the High School this year. I just think it would be a beautiful thing if you could just have it right out there on the football field. Just to point out different things we can do with this turf field.

I just feel that this is so important for our young athletes. I am coaching the pee-wee level right now for our youth football organization; the kids just get goose bumps when we go up to Berlin. Right now Berlin is a team on our schedule and they have a turf field. They have goose-bumps, we mark that on our schedule every year and we basically hope that we get to play them away because we want to go out there and play on that field, it is so nice. They host all the championship games out there every year, whoever is in the play-offs and the championships, you’re going to Berlin. It would be beautiful to say, “We’re coming to Watertown” to host one of them playoff games.

Another thing I want to point out, excuse me for skipping around, I’m not the best public speaker but I try to get my points out there. Come October, I don’t know if any of you realize or have seen a football field after it has been played on in the rain. But we just had a jamboree this Sunday up in Wallingford and I tell you I feel bad for Wallingford. They had grass and I was afraid to walk across that field afterwards, after I would be loosing my sneakers, that’s how bad and muddy it was. Well it was nice out when we started that jamboree, but your either going to send 120 kids home or you’re going to finish the jamboree. There are situations on here, we are going to start a High School game or something and it is just going to start pouring, and we are going to finish the game, that field is not going to look as beautiful as it looks now. It is really going to be upsetting when you drive in and see that after a Friday night football game if we have any precipitation.

I guess that is it, I have some other points on here but I know it is going to be a long night. I just really want to stress that if you really care about this issue and want to give a fair vote on this issue, I beg you to just maybe get yourself up to Wolcott High School and walk across that field. If you have any interest like I do, I will never play on a field like that. I am forty years old, my days are over, I got goose-bumps walking across that field. It was the most beautiful thing. To be able to pull into Watertown High School and see that over on the right side, I mean it is going to give everybody goose-bumps in this town. I really believe that. I just think it will be such a motivational boost to the athletes and keep our good student athletes from the eighth grade to high school jump; it will really help us out tremendously. Thank you.

Bill Donston, 105 Dunrobin Lane

I guess you could call me a man for all seasons, I coach soccer, I coach Little League baseball, I coach Babe Ruth baseball and I coach Park and Rec basketball, keeps me busy all year round. So I have a pretty cross section of parents, family and friends that I speak to. I am also a member of the Water-Oak Gold Circle of Sports which has done several things for the High School, up here at the field, down at Deland, and we look into the Scholarships that we give away every year. So we have a pretty good cross section of people that I deal with on a daily basis.

I have also been involved in the last several projects to get fields for the Town. My opinions have not differed in that respect; we do need more fields for this town. But I have to look at the better thing right now and the better thing for this Town is to put the turf at the John Mills Complex. Many more children, athletes, and adults will benefit from turf on that field now than trying to put off this grant and hopefully that a parcel of land will come up. $600,000 for anything we could possibly do at this time and date will not put another field or anything that will be usable in the near future at the disposal of this young crowd that sits behind me and trust me, from that side of the room to here, I can feel a huge, huge charismatic push behind me. I think these young people deserve for us to act diligently and quickly on making the decision. I don’t think that field turf is a mistake. A lot of people keep talking about a big mistake; I look at it as an error in judgment. Errors in judgment can be rectified. Were are talking about possibly using the turf on the other side of the driveway which needs to be replaced or we could possibly sell the turf. True, tried and test through the winter, at Home Depot it’s a fifty-fifty whether that’s going to last in your yard. At least this, you sell it, chances are it going to last up there.

My point to everybody tonight is don’t drag your heels, we got a rebirth with this through Rep. Williams getting the verbiage changed to updating an existing facility instead of just purchasing land. The more we drag our feet, towns around us are just waiting for us to stumble a second time and then the $600,000 will be gone for either the land, which we need, or the field turf which is the right decision at the right time. Thank you.

Patricia Kinzly, 1476 Middlebury Road

My main reason to be here to speak is about the Lacrosse team at the High School. As with any other sport, Lacrosse as a High School sport would help to build character, self-esteem, independence, and leadership for our young children. Both boys and girls, it would give them yet another opportunity to develop these attributes. And as a parent these certainly are attributes that we would want any of our children to have.

I have been involved in the program for about six years now and it has been successful due to a collaborative effort of many. The leadership of Mr. Ouellette and Mr. Tomsheck, the support of many parents as well as the children themselves. Today, to show some of that support, because I don’t think that you can grasp the numbers of families in town that are involved in the Lacrosse program, some of the student athletes and parents are here to support us for the Lacrosse program.

The High School, I have two children here and they both have been very successful up to this point and I think that if we added another sport it would give the children another opportunity to encourage school spirit and enthusiasm which is something I think needs to be enhanced at the High School. While we are on the subject of the artificial turf, I feel that that will also help with the Lacrosse program. I think that it is something that will help the High School and help to instill pride in the High School community and the Town of Watertown itself. I have lived here all my life and I think we are in need of something such as this turf field. Our children go to other towns that have this artificial turf and it is just a beautiful thing, there is enthusiasm in the people when you go there and I think it would help to bring the community together, it is another gathering point in town. So not only do I support having Lacrosse as a High School sport, but I also support having the artificial turf field put at the Mills Complex. Thank you.

Theresa Baker, 129 Franson Rd

I am here to express for my support for putting Lacrosse as a High School sport but I am also here to share my son’s viewpoint of supporting Lacrosse as a High School sport. He asked me to come this evening because he is beginning his college career today at UCONN and he was unable to attend himself. What he has done is that he has written a letter and he has asked me to share this with the Board.

Ms. Baker read the letter from her son Matthew Baker (See Attachment B)

I am very much in support the Watertown Lacrosse team, it has provided my son with a forum to really develop some life lessons and I appreciate all that the organization has done for him and I would really like to see it continue for the youth in this town. Thank you

Chris Saraceno (CJ), 31 Farmdale Road

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is CJ Saraceno and I am a senior at Watertown High School. I have been involved in the Watertown Lacrosse program since day one, way back in the spring of 2001 when I was only in sixth grade. As soon as I picked up my stick and put on my pads, I was instantly hooked. Being a hockey player my whole life, lacrosse provided an interesting alternative that kept me in shape in the off season while still having fun. Our team surprised many of the top programs around the state and I am proud to say we put up some impressive fights, managing to attain a respectable record. Nothing changed when I came to play at the High School level, unknowingly our coach had us pitted against prep school teams, where lacrosse has been a pastime for nearly a century. We constantly found ourselves in a situation where we were less experienced and less skilled than our opposition, yet still we never gave up and we took advantage of the one thing we had more of and that was heart.

I’d also like to point out that the sport of Lacrosse is no longer a novelty, especially in the New England Region. In fact the game has been called the fastest growing sport in the country. According to the Nation Federation of High School Associations, a total of 108,079 athletes played lacrosse in 2004-05 season. Since 1990 lacrosse participation has increased by 255%. All this data reflects the evolution of this sport in America. Its safety is no longer debated and high schools have ceased asking why this should be a school sport and have substituted it for how they can make it one.

I owe so much to the sport of Lacrosse and will forever fell indebted to it. The level of discipline, the teamwork and the camaraderie is something I will never forget. I cannot sit back and allow my time to pass up such an enriching opportunity. Lacrosse has changed my attitude, my philosophy, and my life for the better. As a High School sport, even more young citizens of our town will be able to experience what I have been so lucky to have lived. Thank you.

Peter Tomsheck, 457 Davis Street

I would just like the Board to know that I will be here if they have any last minute questions about our proposal. I did try to rally the troops this evening, that was quite and impressive letter from Mr. Baker, I didn’t even get a chance to read it. I asked his mother to read it into the record this evening. These are the kind of student athletes that we are trying to foster within our program. We have, I don’t know that the Board is aware of this; we did exclude a couple of students. We kicked them out of the program is more appropriate, after they were found to have been charged various things around town. Those athletes were no longer allowed to participate in our program. We had a code of ethics that every athlete signs, we felt that this was violated, I tried to go to bat but I was out voted by the Board that was in place at the time. These athletes were sanctioned by being kicked off the team.

I feel that we have done a wonderful job as an organization. Some of these young men were a little rough around the edges when they first came and the discipline and the teamwork, to see them develop over the past several years, is, I don’t know that you would call it night and day but it was a real maturing process. I will be available when it comes up to Agenda Item F I believe, if you have last minute questions I would be more than happy to address the Board.

Christopher Kinzly, 1476 Middlebury Rd

I think that if lacrosse becomes a High School sport then it would give us more options to play a sport during the spring. It is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Most of us that began playing lacrosse had never even seen a lacrosse stick. It has given me a perfect opportunity to make friends, to be a team player and learn the game. Adding this sport at the High School will give students the option of playing and learning a new team sport. Thank you.

Enrico Rinaldi, Oakville

I always go to the sports. I don’t know if anybody remember when we were doing the football field. It was all the turf; they say it will cost too much money. Now the people they say they went to this town and looked at this school here, they looked at this field there. Don’t look at the other towns please, look at your own Town, then do something about it. Who they talking about it? They say too much money to do the turf, now they turn around they do the field twice and still this is not right, the football field. They always talking about we don’t want no football on the Saturday night or Friday night and all that. I say why not? Too much noise. Oh gheez if you can’t spend three four hours with a little bit of noise, move out of town.

When I came in this town, 35 years ago, but I even came in when I was younger, I asked “Where’s the ball parks” guy says to me “What, what are you talking about?” where the kids, where they play ball? They were down Griffin School; there was one down there on Davis Street, there was only one. So guys says we need lights, they say oh really, lights, they shine on this peoples property, this and that. I say I don’t live too far from the School, I have the sun at my house, I don’t complain. Why you people complain about the kids want to play sports? But that is what you got to do. Don’t do the fields and then re-do them again and re-do them again. You spend more money if you turn around and do these fields with the turf, you going to save money in the long run. That’s like I said, everybody talking about the other Towns, I’m not interested in them, I’m interested in Watertown. What are we gonna do about these fields? I don’t want to hear there is no money, that I don’t like to hear that, because they spend more money with the other way than they do this. Like I said, they did it twice and it still is not right. Why they can’t do with the $600,000, today that is not a lot of money but that is enough, so do something with it, build this field for these kids. Like I said one night, let the kids kick off the corner, let them play ball on a Friday night. Let’s play ball, let’s put the lights up. So finally we get through that and do the same thing with the fields. We asked to do the turf and they say no, it’s too much money, thank you very much, I hope this time they spend a little careful with the money and let these half____ contractors, that’s what I call them, they supposed to be experts, they are nothing but shoemakers. Thank you.

Report from Student Council Representative

Mr. William Zeman, 644 Main Street

Thank you Ms. Dzioba, I first find myself needing to express a few words of thanks. To you, the Board, for allowing me to hold this position. To the Student Council Executive Board, which appointed me here. And especially to Matthew Dzoiba, my predecessor. He did an amazing job in this capacity and if I can accomplish one-half of what he did while here, I’ll consider myself a remarkable success.

I am supposed I believe report on what is going with the students. The big thing now is Freshman orientation for years has been a couple hours where the Freshmen come, they get a speech from the Superintendent, it’s a good speech. They learn their schedule, it is explained to them that while everywhere else the alphabet goes ABCDEFGH, at Watertown it goes ACEGBDFH and that this makes sense to everyone but them. And then they are given a tour of the school where they inevitably get lost, I know I did and I actually found it to be a real adventure every time I went up or down a staircase because I had no idea where I was going.

Freshman Orientation is changing, it is now called LINK Crew it is the brainchild of Asst. Principal Geary, and assisting him is Mrs. Chenkus, Ms. Auclair, and Ms. Loughin. The idea is that the upperclassmen are now going to help the freshmen in their orientation. I am a member of it; I know we had two days of massive training last week, Thursday and Friday. We have learned all these games and tomorrow when the Freshmen come in they are going to be split up into groups, they are going to have all these team building exercises and hopefully it is going to make the Class of 2010 one real unified “class” before they even enter those doors on Thursday. I just want to tell the Board about it, I want to say it is a really good idea, I think it is a great use of student talent, especially in the upper class and just want to wish them good luck.

Thank You.

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

Ms. Dzioba: Budget summary is in the packet for all Board Members, questions can be directed to the superintendent.

G. Committee Reports:

1. Advertising Committee, Todd Griffin, Chair

Mr. Griffin: No report this evening

2. Athletics Committee, Chris Lafferty, Chair

Mr. Lafferty: The only report that I have is that tomorrow night in this room at 6:30 pm I will be having an Athletic Sub-committee meeting. I invited all fall sports Varsity coaches; they are also welcome to bring an assistant or JV coaches. I feel it is important that we get communication going into the season and into the school year with all the coaches so that we can keep in touch with them and bring their knowledge and expertise of what going on to the Board meetings. That is what we are doing; we are opening up communication with all coaches tomorrow night at 6:30 in this library.

3. Budget Committee, Todd Griffin, Chair

Mr. Griffin: There is no report this evening.

4. Curriculum & Instruction Committee, Gina Calabrese, Chair

Ms. Calabrese: No report this evening

5. Facilities Committee, Rich Mazzamaro, Chair

Mr. Mazzamaro: Just want to report the facilities committee met earlier this evening, we did a walk through of the Swift renovation. Just really quick, some of this you probably read in the papers, but the project is moving along on time and on budget. There are classes, many of them will be ready for the opening, the new ones, on Thursday and the rest is progressing beautifully.

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

Ms. Dzioba: There is no report.

7. Cablevision, James Marks

Mr. Marks: No report

8. PBC Representative, Rich Mazzamaro

Mr. Mazzamaro: No report this evening

9. Education Connection Representative, Mary Dzioba

Ms. Dzioba: There is no report.

H. Communications – Secretary

Mr. Griffin read a thank you correspondence from Marylu Lerz (See Attachment C)

I. Minutes

1. Regular Board of Education Meeting – July 24, 2006

Motion Presented by Mr. Mazzamaro seconded by Mr. Griffin to accept the Regular Board of Education Meeting Minutes of July 24, 2006.

Motion Passed

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

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

Abstained: Ms. Calabrese

2. Special Board of Education Meeting – August 3, 2006

Motion Presented by Mr. Mazzamaro seconded by Mr. Griffin to accept the Special Board of Education Meeting Minutes of August 3, 2006.

Motion Passed

(6-In Favor, 0-Opposed, 2- Abstained)

In Favor: Ms. Dzioba, Mr. Griffin, Ms. Pannone, Mr. Lambert, Ms. Calabrese and Mr. Mazzamaro

Abstained: Mr. Lafferty and Mr. Marks

J. Superintendent's Recommendations and Report

Dr. Erardi: The Superintendents Report, Item J-1, is shared with the Board as information. I don’t know if there are questions with regards to appointments that have been made prior to the start of the school year or Item J-2, resignations that have recently taken place in the last month. I would like to mention to the Board and share publically in regards to Item 2d. the resignation of Mr. Rick Sansoucy and thank him for his leadership role in administration at Watertown High School and to further thank him for his professional departure from Watertown High as he moves on to the Cheshire public schools and wish him the best of luck.

The Board had no question regarding Item # 1 or #2

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

a. Mr. Deacon Chapin to the position of Guidance Counselor at Watertown High School, effective for the 2006-2007 school year, being hired on Step 2, with 1 year of experience, Master’s Degree, at an annual contractual salary of $39,930 + 10 additional days for a total salary of $42,077.00.

b. Ms. Colleen Downey to the position of Grade 6 Teacher at Heminway Park School, effective for the 2006-2007 school year, being hired on Step 2, with 1 year of experience, Bachelor’s Degree, plus 15 additional credits at an annual contractual salary of $38,048.00.

c. Ms. Margaret Jamieson to the position of One to One Paraprofessional at John Trumbull Primary School starting August 30, 2006 for 16.0 hours paid per week at an hourly rate of $11.45.

d. Ms. Ellen L. Krafick to the position of Remedial Reading teacher at Swift Middle School effective for the 2006-2007 school year, being hired on Step 10, with 11 years of experience, Master’s Degree, at a contractual annual salary of $57,042.00.

e. Ms. Lauren O’Brien to the position of Speech Pathologist in the August Extended Summer Program II scheduled to run the first two weeks of August 2006, ten days, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., for a salary of $1500.00.

f. Ms. Dana Packer to the position of long-term substitute English teacher at Watertown High School effective August 28, 2006 through December 31, 2006, being paid $65.00 per diem for the first ten days, and on the 11^th day, paid first step of the teacher’s contract at a salary of $35,350.00 prorated.

g. Ms. Annette Pietro to the position of Special Education teacher in the August Extended Summer Program II to run the first two weeks of August 2006, ten days, for a salary of $1,500.00.

h. Ms. Kathy Pilecki to the position of paraprofessional in the August Extended Summer Program II to run first two weeks in August 2006, ten days, at a salary according to contract.

i. Ms. Suzanne Porter to the position of part time (.37) Special Education teacher in the Parochial Schools for the 2006-2007 school year, being hired on Step 10, 11 years of experience, Masters Degree, at a contractual annual salary of $57,042.00 prorated equaling $21,106.00.

j. Ms. Maura Quatrano to the position of Family and Consumer Science teacher at Swift Middle School, effective for the 2006-2007 school year, being hired on Step 2, with one year of experience, Bachelor’s Degree, at a contractual annual salary of $37,648.00.

k. 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, Masters Degree, with one year of experience, at an annual contractual salary of $39,930.00.

l. Ms. Marissa Sinopoli to the position of paraprofessional in the August Extended Summer Program II to run the first two weeks of August 2006, 10 days, at a salary that is according to contract.

m. Mr. Gregory Valente to the position of Science Teacher at Watertown High School effective for the 2006-2007 school year, being hired on Step 3, 2 years of experience, with a Master’s Degree, at an annual contractual salary of $41,642.00.

n. Ms. Beth Susann Herrick to the position of Special Education teacher at Watertown High School effective for the 2006-2007 school year, being hired on Step 7, with 6 years of experience, Bachelors Degree, at an annual contractual salary of $45,634.00.

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

a. Ms. Maryjane Hanssen from the position of Special Education teacher at Watertown High School effective July 26, 2006 to accept another position.

b. Mrs. Stephanie Hawtrey from the position of Remedial Reading teacher at Swift Middle School, effective July 1, 2006, for the purpose of retirement.

c. Ms. Jennifer Maldonado from the position of paraprofessional at John Trumbull Primary School, effective August 3, 2006, for personal reasons.

c. Mr. Richard Sansoucy from the position of Assistant Principal of Watertown High School, effective October 1, 2006, to accept another position.

Dr. Erardi: Item #3 I have a very brief update in regards to school opening scheduled for Thursday August 31^st. There will be an extensive school report at your first meeting September 12^th, by each building principal sharing with you tenets of their school improvement plan and a recap of the opening two weeks of school.

I’d like to share with the Board of Education just a few items, one is that in regards to mobility in Watertown this summer, I am defining mobility as new registration, students that were not with us, families that were not with us at the end of the school year, in comparison to students and families that have withdrawn from our school since the close of the school year. We are running at this point, as of today, a +54 student enrollment. So the plus/minus has resulted in a +54 student enrollment. We have hired twenty new teachers to start the school year and I am pleased to mention that of the twenty, fourteen are from Watertown and Watertown residents.

I’d like to further share with the Board of Education the updated agenda for convocation. (See Attachment D)

I am real pleased share with the Board that the Interim Commissioner of Education, Dr. George Coleman, will be speaking at our convocation on Wednesday August 30^th, at approximately 9:45 a.m. I would also like to share in saying Jim Marks will be representing the Board with opening remarks coming from the Board of Education and further thank Joanne Pannone who has a similar role at our new teacher orientation help last week.

Despite perhaps some conversation at the supermarkets or sideline in our sporting events, Swift as Mr. Mazzamaro just mentioned will open on time, it will open with safety, it will open with student security. We are very confident that the work that has taken place with a tremendous thank you to the Swift Administration, and to our Operations and Grounds Director and Supervisor, that we will meet all of the needs that are expected from every parent as we move to Swift grade seven and grade eight on Thursday.

I’d like to also share with the Board where we are with pending openings for the start of the school year. Through due diligence coming from Dr. Pelosi’s office and from our Building Administrators, I’m really pleased to share with you, and I don’t think too many districts could be having this conversation with their superintendent, that with the exception of perhaps one or two long term subbing positions that we will open with certified staff in all of our buildings, in every classroom and I am excited about that. That did not happen by accident, it happened through a lot of hard work that came from the Assistant Superintendent’s office and our Building Administrators. Furthermore in regards to the hiring and class size that I am further pleased to share with the Board of Education that through the School Reduction Grant that comes from the State of Connecticut, that our high water number most likely will be 26, which is still high, K-6. And most likely the range will be between 20-26 students. We have done some work in that area, we will get better at it hopefully with additional support we will reduce that number even further. The High School staff as we spoke about with new teachers, they are ready to go and to the best my knowledge, as we tour the district with a return of teachers today, I can report that we are chalk full, we are ready, and we are anticipating a terrific school year.

I don’t know if Board Members have any questions at this point in regards to the opening of school on Thursday.

The Board had no question regarding Item # 3

3. Update on School Opening

An update on the school opening for 2006-2007 will be presented by the Superintendent.

Dr. Erardi: Item #4 on the Superintendent’s agenda is your first read of the Superintendent’s Goals.

I have asked also all Board Members if you would be willing to contribute your own thoughts in regards to program priorities for this school year and I am hoping that on or before September 15^th that you will share information with each other on that. If you have any questions or thoughts, additions or concerns or need of additional information, please give me a call. My goals will be back to you for a second read in September, on September 12^th. Questions at all at this point on the Superintendent’s Goals? That completes the Superintendent’s report, thank you.

The Board had no question regarding Item # 4

4. Superintendent’s Goals for the 2006-2007 School Year – First Reading

(Information Only – No Action Required)

The Superintendent’s Goals for the 2006-2007 School Year are presented this evening to the Board for the first reading. (See Attachment E.)

K. Report from the Chairman

Ms. Dzioba: As part of my report, when Maureen Caine resigned this past spring she left a lot of vacancies so I am going to fill those vacancies tonight. She was the Vice Chairman, we’ve already appointed Mr. Mazzamaro as the Vice Chair of the Board of Education, she was also the Chair of the Policy and Labor Committee. Before she left on vacation, I spoke to Mary Colangelo and she is willing to take the Chair of Policy and Labor for us. Adding to that committee I will be asking Joanne Pannone to please fill Mary’s vacancy as a member. Joanne will also take Maureen Caine’s place on Curriculum and Instruction, Rich I am going to ask you to help us out with Budget and the Swift Middle Schools Board Representative will be Joanne Pannone. The Superintendent’s evaluation, I am changing that this year, it will be Tom Lambert and Joanne Pannone. These are changes in the committees. And I also want to say we are hopeful for a good start to the year, a good and successful year. Hopefully we will be able to get our committees together soon for some decisions that have to be made and we can move on.

Ms. Pannone: Could we have an updated list?

Ms. Dzioba: Yes, I will get everybody an updated list for that. Now I would like to move on to action items.

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

a. Consideration of the Approval of Salary Increases for 2006-2007 for Non-affiliated Staff and Professional Development / Tuition Reimbursement

1. It is recommended that the Board approve of salary increases for 2006-2007 for the following non-affiliated staff retroactive to July 1, 2006:

Mr. Charles Beliveau, Facilities Manager – 4%

Ms. Maggie Dreher, Food Service Director – 3.5%

Ms. Amelia Grover, Director of Budget/Financial Planning – 4%

Ms. Betsy Hackett, Director of Special Services – 3.5%

Mr. Todd LoFrese, Director of Operations/Technology – 3.5%

Ms. Barbara Marciano, Administrative Assistant – 3.5%

Dr. Philip A. Pelosi, Assistant Superintendent – 3.5%

Mr. Michael Simmons, Network Coordinator – 3.5%

Mr. Joseph Stofko, Systemwide Computer Network Coordinator– 3.5%

Dr. Joseph V. Erardi, Jr., Superintendent of Schools – 3.5%

2. It is recommended that the Board approve of $7,500 maximum contribution by the Board of Education to be used for continuing education / advanced coursework / professional development that directly relates to the unaffiliates’ job responsibilities and descriptions.

Motion Presented by Mr. Griffin seconded by Ms. Pannone to approve of salary increases for 2006-2007 for non-affiliated staff retroactive to July 1, 2006 and approve of $7,500 maximum contribution by the Board of Education to be used for continuing education / advanced coursework / professional development that directly relates to the unaffiliates’ job responsibilities and descriptions.

Discussion:

Mr. Mazzamaro: I would just like to say that the Board put a lot of time and effort into discussing the

increases and I just speak for myself when I say that I work with many of these people on an individual

basis and I don’t think I have worked with a group of people who put more time and dedication in their

jobs, many evenings and I think these are well earned increases.

Ms. Dzioba: I agree and I also think they are in line with the raises the Town Council gave to their

employees. Any other questions or discussions?

No further discussion

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

b. Consideration of the Approval of Appointees to Board of Directors of the Watertown Education Enrichment Trust Fund – Second 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 second reading tonight and for Board approval is the name of Nadine Savage, PTA/PTO member.

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

1. It is recommended that the Board approve of Nadine Savage to serve on the Board of Directors of the Watertown Education Enrichment Trust Fund as a PTA/PTO member.

2. It is recommended that the Board approve of Jean King and Maureen Caine to serve on the Board of Directors of the Watertown Education Enrichment Trust Fund as community members.

Motion presented by Mr. Mazzamaro, seconded by Mr. Griffin to approve of Nadine Savage to serve on the Board of Directors of the Watertown Education Enrichment Trust Fund as a PTA/PTO member and approve of Jean King and Maureen Caine to serve on the Board of Directors of the Watertown Education Trust Fund as community members.

Discussion: None

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

c. Consideration of the Approval of Special Education Transportation

Curtin Transportation was the low bidder for the Special Education Transportation for the 06-07, 07-08, and 08-09 school years.

It is recommended that the Board approve of awarding the bid for Special Education Transportation to Curtin Transportation for the 06-07, 07-08, and 08-09 school years.

Motion presented by Mr. Lafferty, seconded by Mr. Griffin to approve of awarding the bid for Special Education Transportation to Curtin Transportation for the 06-07, 07-08, and 08-09 school years.

Discussion: None

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

d. Consideration of the Approval of Acceptance of Gifts

1. Ms. Sarah DeLeo, Developmental Pre-K teacher at John Trumbull Primary School, would like to donate a Dell computer and monitor with an approximate value of $500.00 to the John Trumbull Primary School preschool program.

2. The Community Crusade for Children, Inc. would like to donate $110.00 from the Community Crusade for Children’s Kiducation Fund to the Watertown Public Schools. These funds were generated from the donation containers at Rite Aid for the 4^th Quarter 2005.

It is recommended that the Board approve of the acceptance of these gifts and letters of thanks to be sent to the donors.

Motion presented by Mr. Lafferty, seconded by Ms. Pannone to approve of the acceptance of these gifts and letters of thanks to be sent to the donors.

Discussion: None

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

e. Consideration of the Approval of Field for $600,000 State Grant

The Superintendent will provide additional information regarding the $600,000 state grant to the Board of Education.

The Town Council has requested the Board of Education to take action on where they feel the field should be located.

Motion presented by Mr. Lafferty, seconded by Mr. Griffin to take action on where the field should be located.

Discussion:

Mr. Mazzamaro moved to amend the motion to read as follows

Motion presented by Mr. Mazzamaro, seconded by Mr. Griffin to accept the motion amended to read: The Board of Education will relinquish the land west of the Mills Complex with the purpose of developing athletic fields. The Board of Education reserves the right to first use of the fields, the land shall be returned to the Board of Education if the property is not used for said athletic use.

Discussion:

Dr. Erardi: Just so the Board of Education has what I believe is accurate information, last Monday evening the Town Council met, I attended that meeting as did Mr. Mazzamaro and Mr. Lafferty. In the discussion with the $600,000 State Grant, at that time the Town Council requested that the Board of Education share their opinion on the grant, on the High School property and on their thoughts in regards to the information that was provided to the Town Council through Kaestle, Boos and Associates and the information that has been provided to the Town Council and to the Board of Education by the Football Association. I shared with the Town Council Chair, Mr. Pawlak that the Board had been very respectful not to spend money that they did not govern. To the best of my knowledge and I believe I am correct, the $600,000 is under the guise of the Town Council and up until Monday evening, that request had not been brought forward, at least through my office, and I believe I can speak for the Chair. So since Monday of last week I have been asked a few questions by this Board and prepared this evening with the best answers that I have that may lead to a richer discussion.

The first question that was brought to me was in regards to how much money do we spend annually in our operational plan, to transport our High School athletes for practices? The answer to the question is $23,000. The second part of that question was, if we were to add an additional field how would that be reduced? Approximately $11,500. So the executive summary of that question would be, if they Board supported the construction of an additional field, most likely there would be a savings of approximately 50% of whatever the operational plan had for transportation for our High School athletes.

In regards to additional cost if the turf was placed on the Mills Complex and what would that look like? We had been ball-parking a number of figures and these are still very round numbers. The evening activities would not be endorsed, at least through my office unless directed differently, without fire and police. I think that has been the standing practice of the Board for evening activities to have fire and police. If we looked at fire and police, the cost of additional lighting and there is approximately a $500 per month additional cost that would be charged through CL&P, we most likely would look at approximately, approximately a $400 cap per event.

The third question I was asked was, in regards to drainage, could the existing drainage system work if we took out the sod and replaced it with turf? I don’t have an answer for that, we will continue to research that but I do not have an answer for that.

Lastly, there were a number of folks who asked about neighborhood, about the residents and about what the agreement was when the original lights were placed on the complex, for what I believe the neighborhood felt would be Friday evening football games. I do not know, to the best of my knowledge we have not met. The High School Administration, the Athletic Administration, they are both here this evening, Mr. Hasbrouck and Ms. Legge, we have not met with the neighbors, the agreement predated certainly my arrival and I am guessing most of the Board of Education’s arrival in the seat that you are presently occupying. To me this is a big issue, this is a big issue because at least the early information that we have is that there was an agreement. My feeling is that my credibility is as good as my word, and if we had an agreement I would strongly suggest that there be some type of meeting with the neighborhood to further discuss if there would be changes with, no contract, but certainly the verbal agreement that took place more than a few years ago.

I think lastly, what we haven’t had a chance to do, what Mr. Lafferty spoke about during his report, is that we have not weighed in with our biggest stake holders and those are our coaches. Because the request came Monday evening of last week as quickly as we could, we turned around a meeting with all of our Varsity Coaches, JV coaches; both Middle School and High School, to have a forum tomorrow evening with our subcommittee chair, school superintendent, administration, to have them weigh in on the subject. So at this particular time, that is the best answers that I have to some pretty difficult questions over a short period of time as we try to get ready for school, since last Monday through this evening.

Mr. Marks: My feeling is that we should add fields rather than put artificial turf on the existing field. One of the speakers mentioned that we can play football, lacrosse and soccer on the field, if they are all there at the same time; it is going to be very crowded and confusing. We need practice fields, it is very nice to have a wonderful field on which you can play at two o’clock in the morning but we need fields that you can play on at two and three and four o’clock in the afternoon.

Mr. Lambert: Also I would like a question answered, Dr. Erardi, while you’re researching the drainage, I would like to know if any of the drainage under the track would have to be made larger. That is my real concern, is under that track.

Mr. Lafferty: If I may also make a few comments, a few years ago at the Board of Education meetings I came in front of the Board and I pushed for the idea of putting down a turf field because I think a turf field, especially with where we were at the time, was an excellent idea. I look at it now, as where we are at and I still think a turf field is an excellent idea but I don’t think it’s best idea and I am going to stick to my guns of where I said in the beginning that adding the more fields with the potential of having that land available to build more in the future would be the best idea.

I really respect the idea that Mr. Guerrera has come forth with and I just want him and the people he has been working with to know that I have given a lot of thought to this and I think that eventually we are going to have to put a new field up there because that is just the way times are changing. I also just want to clear up for the purposes here that we are not voting on whether to put a certain project in place or not correct? We are not voting on whether to make a turf field or whether to add fields or whether to do anything else with $600,000, correct?

Ms. Dzioba: Correct, we agreeing to work with the Town Council, that if they choose to put the fields down below, the west fields or whatever we want to name that, that we would be willing to relinquish that property to the town for the purpose of adding fields, with the conditions that we have first right to the use of the fields, that if some reason they don’t decide to put the fields in that location that it is still our property. The only reason that we would give them the property is for the development of these fields with the $600,000, so that is what we are discussing now, we can also discuss other options too but for clarification of the motion we put the field in.

Mr. Lafferty: Well very quickly, I owe an explanation to everyone for my logic behind this. Starting to develop that land down by the High School is a future investment, much like any of these projects are, I just feel like in the long run we can invest more in the future with this project. I think that if we start now with what we have and get a head start and if we keep developing the land down there over the years, we will have more than what we can get out of one turf field. I would just like to say that in the future I do think that we will have a turf field and I will be right there for it, just at this point in time, I don’t think it is the best opportunity. That is where I stand and I hope you can respect that.

Ms. Dzioba: I’d just like to make the clarification that this grant was given to the Town two years ago and the Board of Education has just recently gotten involved in the discussion. I understand and I appreciate everybody’s input and commitment to the turf field, I understand it, I see that in the future that it would be an option, right now Sean Williams is in the audience, I think we want to get a decision made, we want to bring this back to the Town Council as soon as possible we want to get this going. I think with the turf there are too many questions as far as drainage and conditions and ledge, the neighborhood and if it would void the warranty of the track. I am very concerned about the condition of the track if we start doing construction in the middle of it and how that would affect that.

So I would like this amendment as it stands that we would give the Town the use the field for the purpose of developing it with the $600,000 if that is what they wish to do, so that is the motion, is there any other discussion? Are we ready to take a vote on it and is everybody clear on what we are voting on?

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

f. Consideration of the Approval of the Sport of Lacrosse

Administration is prepared to present to the Board an update on the sport of Lacrosse in the Watertown Public Schools.

It is recommended that the Board take action on Lacrosse.

Motion presented by Mr. Lafferty, seconded by Mr. Griffin that the Board take action on Lacrosse.

Discussion:

Mr. Mazzamaro: I’d just like to say that I support the idea of having lacrosse as a varsity sport at the High School; I think it will eventually be a very good thing for the High School. I understand it is a growing sport however there have been many comments made tonight about the need for fields and there is not a lot of field space for players. In my mind, right now at this time adding a sport will do nothing but complicate this matter. What I am in favor of and what I would hope would happen is that once we get our field situations settled in the Town. Get Swift put back together, get those fields and irrigation put back together, a decision made on the grant money, as to whether it will be a turf field or whether it be another additional field built. A year from now we can revisit this with certain things in place, the main thing being fields.

Mr. Lafferty: I would just like to say that respectfully and whole heartedly I would disagree with those statements but that is neither here nor there, although I do think they are very valid points. I come at it from the stand point of, much like one of the speakers did tonight. I remember back after thinking about this issue, to a story that was in the paper in 2001 right before my sophomore year, Naugatuck High School was looking at eliminating all their sports programs because of budgetary problems. There is one quote that always stuck in my mind that was, “You learn lessons in the classroom, you apply them on the sports fields”. I just want to say that as one speaker spoke tonight about how he has improved personally and in his character, that I too have benefited from sports tremendously. I have to say that also when I was in High School I participated in three sports that I never participated in before I got to the High School, although I had the opportunities too. Come high school the opportunity was there and it attracted me for whatever reason and I did it and I am a much better person for it today.

With that being said I would just like to state that I support the approving of Lacrosse coming to the High School because I can’t tell anyone, let’s wait one more year. Because if that year was in 2000 then I wouldn’t be here right now because maybe one of those sports wouldn’t have changed my life if they were up on the table for debate. I would like to say that please keep that in mind, now much they do affect everyone and I can’t see Watertown High School not having Lacrosse for one year while we hold out on the field issue, although it is a good idea. I disagree.

Mr. Mazzamaro: I just have a question, if it is not a Varsity sport; it still remains a club as it has been for six years, correct?

Ms. Dzioba: Correct

Mr. Mazzamaro: So kids will still be able to play lacrosse for another year.

Mr. Lafferty: Correct but Mr. Tomsheck I will ask you, is it through the Park and Rec?

Mr. Ouellette: That is not correct any more, there will not be any more club team.

Mr. Tomsheck: Just to address this, we were hoping to get the recognition for the High School level. We have Mr. Ouellette who has been running the club team for the past four years who due to situations will not be able to coach at that level. We already have a coach in place that will coach at the High School level we have received approval from Park and Rec to use Veterans field, soccer 1 and 2, which are Lacrosse size fields to practice and play our home games on. At the last meeting that wasn’t brought up.

Mr. Marks: I would like to comment that I too, as Chris am in support of having Lacrosse. I think it is a great game and adds another opportunity for students, it could be the difference that some elite school, that is where lacrosse is played mostly is at elite colleges, could make a difference in a kid being accepted or not, even scholarships. So I am very much in favor of lacrosse at the High School.

Ms. Pannone: I have a question directed toward Dr. Erardi. At this point we have 18 sports offered, is that correct?

Dr. Erardi: Nineteen sports

Ms. Pannone: We now have a part time Athletic Director, correct? Adding another sport would certainly make a change there so you would probably have to have a full time Athletic Director.

Dr. Erardi: The question is in regards to the impact on the Athletic Director bringing on what would be at this point two sub-varsity sports. We had that conversation Ms. Pannone with the High School Principal and the Athletic Director; more work yes, no question. The in kind would be the administrative work done by Ms. Legge ultimately with oversight by Mr. Hasbrouck and they are in my last meeting with them which was within the last few days. They are willing to do that extra work but you are correct that as you bring on additional sports it becomes additional scheduling and additional work, nineteen teams moves to twenty-one with girls and boys JV team.

Mr. Lambert: I also agree with Rich, I would like to revisit this in a year. I think it is a great organization, I think they have answered all of our questions but at this time I feel that we have an awful lot on our plate right now and I really think that a year from now things will look a lot clearer to us here and I would like to revisit this in a year.

Mr. Lafferty: I guess in fairness to that and it is a response to everyone in the audience who feels in support of lacrosse, there are a lot of issues we have on hand right now however I don’t think that not supporting this. Don’t support it if you don’t want, but I don’t think using some of these other Town issues and School Board issues, although they are respectable and there are arguments, I’m not going to let those get in the way of how I am going to vote tonight and I hope you don’t either.

Ms. Dzioba; One of the concerns that I have is that through all the presentations we were lead to believe certain things and they seem to be changing. We were told that you, on many of your presentations you said approve us, don’t approve us, we will still have a team, we will still be playing lacrosse.

Mr. Tomsheck: We will still have a youth program; the club program is what might be in question right now at the High School level. It is a tremendous amount of work for volunteers that have been doing it for the last four years. Due to other business commitments those volunteers, we have been waiting four years for this opportunity, to be told one year away, if you were a cancer patient and there was experimental drugs you want get on and they said come back and see us next year.

Ms. Dzioba: I don’t think you can compare the two.

Mr. Tomsheck: Ok, it would not help the organization, let’s put it that way. We have done everything that the Board has asked; we have provided all the paperwork, we have provided field space; we have provided everything with the administration and worked diligently.

Ms. Dzioba: That was the other thing we were promised that you didn’t need Town fields and that you would be going to Hop Brook.

Mr. Tomsheck: Exactly, but they were presented to us for use.

Ms. Dzioba: Any other discussion, are we ready to vote on this?

Motion Defeated

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

In Favor: Mr. Lafferty and Mr. Marks

Opposed: Ms. Dzioba, Ms. Calabrese, Mr. Griffin, Mr. Lambert, Mr. Mazzamaro and Ms. Pannone

g. Consideration of the Approval of Leaves of Absence

1. Mr. Robert Sorensen, Guidance Counselor at Watertown High School, has requested an emergency medical leave of absence commencing August 28, 2006 for approximately two to three weeks, with use of accumulated sick time and personal time, and with a medical doctor’s note to return.

It is recommended that the Board approve of an emergency medical leave of absence for Mr. Robert Sorensen, Guidance Counselor at Watertown High School, commencing August 28, 2006 for approximately two to three weeks, with use of accumulated sick time and personal time, and with a medical doctor’s note to return.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Mr. Mazzamaro that the Board of Education approve of an emergency medical leave of absence for Mr. Robert Sorensen, Guidance Counselor at Watertown High School, commencing August 28, 2006 for approximately two to three weeks, with use of accumulated sick time and personal time, and with a medical doctor’s note to return

Discussion: None

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

2. Ms. Wendy Hulme, Special Education teacher at Judson School, requests a Family Medical Leave of Absence, commencing August 28, 2006 for approximately one month with use of accumulated sick time and use of personal time.

It is recommended that the Board approve of a Family Medical Leave of Absence for Ms. Wendy Hulme, Special Education teacher at Judson School, commencing August 28, 200 for approximately one month with use of accumulated sick time and use of personal time.

Motion presented by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Ms. Pannone that the Board of Education approve of a Family Medical Leave of Absence for Ms. Wendy Hulme, Special Education teacher at Judson School, commencing August 28, 200 for approximately one month with use of accumulated sick time and use of personal time.

Discussion: None

Motion Passed Unanimously

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

M. Future Agenda Items and Board Members’ Comments

Ms. Pannone: I would just like say thank you to Dr. Pelosi, Dr. Erardi and all the administrative staff, when every one is relaxing for the summer they had probably the busiest time of their lives. I would like to commend you on your work.

N. Public Participation

Bob Guerrera, 117 Adams Road

First I am going to address a couple items on the turf, #1 the track does not get torn up, the drainage under the track is perfect. The concrete drain that goes around the track doesn’t get torn up. The only thing that gets torn up is the grass, the dirt and the six inch drain pipes that are under the grass, they are changed to nine inch drain pipes. #2 The field use, that is what you have schedules for, you schedule field use. Yes, is you building one field going to help the athletes in this town or the kids? No, think about it $597,000 doesn’t get you anything, it gets you a grass field that will be build when, two years, maybe three years we can use it. Think about what you are doing, ok. You’ve got no pathway, are the Charles Street residents going to allow you to put a road in down there for access to this field? For $567,000 you can a new field with no tear up of anything, your only rolling up grass.

The only thing that I have heard here is that you know who lost in this town? The kids lost. The kids lost on the turf and they lost on lacrosse, it makes no sense to me. You know what the money is, $567,000 to do the turf. You can play on it three times as much as a single grass field, with no maintenance, very little; I can’t say no maintenance, very little maintenance. So when you say that we are going to vote to build a field down in that bottom gully and you don’t even know if there is ledge there, what happens when it goes over $600,000? You come back to me as a tax payer and say, I need more money to build one field. Well you have an opportunity for $567,000 to do a field that takes the place of three grass fields. Really look at it rather than say, does this have to be torn up, does this have to be torn up. Look at it and you will see as we told you, the numbers were in front of you from Kaestle Boos.

Stan Chowaniec, 15 Hemingway Court

In all honesty I wasn’t psychologically prepared to speak to all of you and respectfully I am somewhat concerned. I thought that from all of the points that were brought up that were very positive towards an artificial turf field that the decision would be obvious. The people who had presented their information before are people who are using it. They understand what they need; they know what this field means to them, what it means to the team. They know what it means to the spirit of the team. But it goes way beyond that.

If you take a look at your child, how many of you have children? They give you a Christmas list and they say, Mom, Dad this is what I would like. Obviously they put a lot of things on the list but we as parents, because we care about them, we care about how; we want to see something in their eyes at that time. We want to see them get more that what we had. A better opportunity, a better perspective on life, something they can carry along beyond just that moment. I never played on an artificial turf field but I’ve walked across one and I have seen my sons play on play on it in other places. I know the value of it. I know how they feel when they play on a turf like that, they feel special. It is not a matter of whether they deserve it or not, it is a matter, the thing here is that we have the capability of making this happen for them. It is a dream and we have dreams for our kids and we have dreams for the Town. While the implications just for our kids are tremendous. In other words, what you are doing is you’re actually, you are going to make that person feel special and every kid at this school deserves to feel special.

You know it is not something you can put a price tag on but it is something that can be given with love. What we need, is we need something to bring the people together, not just in this High School but in this Town, all the events that occur on that field will bring people together. They will instill a certain unity in this Town that doesn’t exist and it doesn’t exist because there isn’t that common place, that common ground. That’s what this field represents and that’s what this field can do. I promise you, you put a field like this in and you will see that. You will see some of the people that every single time money needs be raised and they need to vote, they vote it down because they don’t feel a part of this Town, they feel separated from the whole thing. You put a field like that in, you invite them to the field, you invite them to see the kids participate on that field, and they can see how well they perform, how they grow over the years. They are going to take personal pride in being a part of this Town. The implications are far more than just taking a look and saying we need another field. You’ve got three, four used cars in your driveway and they all have problems, you’ve got to repair them over and over again. There is a time when you’ve got to say to yourself, you know what, we’ve got to buy a new car because we know we have the monthly installment but the repair bills aren’t going to be ridiculous as they have always been on the clunkers. Every single time you take it in, this that, hundreds of dollars go and you still have an old car. I am not going to belabor that point but again if you have kids, you want to give it to them, you really do, with anything and any possibility with any kind of resource that you have, you want to give it to them and you do. In the end you do because your heart is right.

That is #1, # 2 lacrosse. I know I am up here a little bit longer than I should be but I want to say something else. Which two people are a like in this room? Is there anybody a like in this room? There isn’t. We all have individuality; we are all different for obvious reasons, because we have different talents. Some of these kids that are playing lacrosse aren’t good at playing baseball, they are not good at playing soccer, they are not good at playing football, they are not good at any other sport. Lacrosse is a sport where they can participate and they can show what they’ve got. The educational experience has to do with us embracing diversity and lacrosse is another option for a child that doesn’t see any other options. Look these kids have proven that they can win as a club. Just with the efforts of two coaches, of two people that care enough to bring a little bit of diversity into this town. So that is really what this is, it is another option for another child to show what they’ve got, to develop to grow to be a better person.

I think it is better to give when the opportunity is there to give so if possible I would ask you to in your hearts, reconsider, because going forward, the money is here, it is now, it is very convenient. In the future it may not be a convenient as we need it to be. We may find ourselves back pedaling and saying hey look, we should have done that when we had the opportunity. Well right now if we don’t have the opportunity we are going to wait and wait and you are going to find out that it is going to cost, it is going to cost more because seems to be reasonable today is going to be outrageous tomorrow. What $600,000 buys today a $1,000,000 may not buy later on. We’ve seen our gas prices, we’ve seen other things. Again thank you very much for your time and reconsider this.

Peter Tomsheck, 457 Davis Street

I have been before the Board several times making presentations in favor of Lacrosse as everyone knows. I thought that we had left no stone unturned and that I had answered every question put in front of me and every objection, every question that the Board had, we had an answer for. This thing evolved as it went along, as to which fields were available. We submitted letters that we had Hop Brook, we still had Hop Brook when the fields became available through the Principal of the High School who requested Veterans field for the High School students as is his prerogative for a High School sport, we took advantage of that. I went down to the Park and Rec Commission and spoke with them and then I get told by Madame Chairwoman that we keep changing up every time we come here. I was doing what I thought was the right thing, directed by the school Principal who was in charge of these athletes to secure these fields in town rather than transporting students out of town to play home games. I just didn’t care for the insinuation that I keep changing up my presentation. I didn’t want to seem like anything was being held back by our organization or that I was doing anything back handed.

What I would like is that I have the recommendation of the Board to possibly come again in another year. Is there a laundry list that be detailed from the verbatim minutes from the last several meetings that we have verbatim minutes. That you could present to our organization, with every i dotted and every t crossed so that we don’t run into things that have arisen at meetings and changed course at meetings, at the request of either Administration or Board of Education Members so that we know exactly what we are looking at.

Ms. Dzioba: We are looking at the availability of fields

Mr. Tomsheck: I am very disappointed and upset right now as you might imagine, but I am an adult, I am mature I will simmer down and get over it. Who I feel bad for, are the children who were in this room, I feel bad that they are going to be let down even more. That is who I feel the Board has let down here this evening. As for myself, one way or another I was prepared for the decision. If I could be granted that kindness by the Board for a detailed laundry list of your objections and your reasons, gathered from verbatim minutes. I heard scheduling come up, I heard fields come up. I thought we had covered all of these in previous meetings that I have had with either Dr. Erardi or the Sports Committee of the Board but apparently it wasn’t clarified or I was, I don’t know.

Ms. Dzioba; You will be provided with that information, we will work with you for 07-08.

Lou Ouellette, 167 Evelyn Street

Usually I don’t speak because I am more emotional than Mr. Tomsheck is, I let him do it. As far as fields, I don’t even understand what the question is, we have already told you that we were granted Veterans, so how that is an issue I don’t understand. Secondly we have never led you to believe that the club team was going to continue if there wasn’t going to be a high school team, we never mentioned that.

Mr. Griffin: Excuse me, it was mentioned during a sub-committee meeting.

Mr. Ouellette: I am run the club team, I know whether they were going to continue or not. One of the reasons we can’t continue as a club team is scheduling, lacrosse is growing so fast and so strong that prep school are basically eliminating us because we are not in their league, so we have no place to go, no place to play. That is why we need to get it in the school system, one of the biggest reasons right there. All we wanted you to do is say ok. As far as extra duties for Mrs. Legge, we offered to pay for it, we offered everything we possibly could and you still turned us down. How is it going to be better in one year? Where are the fields going to come next year? Are they are just going to grow by themselves? They are not. It is still going to be whether we can use Veterans or Hop Brook or anything else. You put the knife through me and all the kids that love lacrosse and want to play lacrosse as Mr. Chowaniec said, have no place else to go, no other sport that they play, just lacrosse and it wasn’t going to cost you a dime, you should be embarrassed.

Patricia Kinzly, 1476 Middlebury Road

I am undone about this, I am listening to comments from Members of the Board about lacrosse and we are postponing it to, we will look at it again next year. I just had tonight had a talk with my teenage son about procrastinating and postponing things. I know you have a lot of things on your plate but don’t tell me next year they are just going to go away and you are going to have less things, that should not be a reason not to accept this today because there is too much going on right now. These kids have tried hard, they have worked hard, there have been parents that have volunteered, the kids have volunteered, this town deserves to have lacrosse in it and I cannot believe that it got voted down tonight.

I was at the last Board of Ed meeting and it was mentioned at the last meeting about using Veteran Park as fields and maybe you didn’t hear it but I did and it was addressed. These men have addressed, our association is paying for this, it is not costing the Town anything, we have done as much as we can do and you still have voted it down. And you know what I am being selfish because my son does play and this is the only sport that my son does play and he is going to be one of those kids that doesn’t have a sport to play at the High School, and that upsets me because my children are the most important thing in my life. It really bothers me that this group of people can postpone for a year because there is so much going on and they will discuss it next year when they feel it is more appropriate, well I say shame on you.

Steve Martino, 105 Beech Avenue

I just want to stress to everybody here, don’t take this situation lightly, it means the world to our Town. You don’t understand how much this really means to the success of Watertown High School, as silly as that might sound. I live with 200 of those girls and boys everyday; I am on the Board at the Youth Football League. We have 65-70 cheerleading, over 120 little football players. These guys, I am talking to them every night at practice, talking to these people about their futures and building character and doing this. This would be such a boost to these kids. I would give me so much ammunition to be able to talk highly about this town. And I am sorry, I need some ammunition to talk highly about this town, and this is one of them.

We cannot compete in the NVL without this turf field; I can be as strict as that. UCONN wanted to join Division 1 football they had to build a field. You know that we are playing against all towns with turf fields very soon. One thing that surprises me is that I heard a few comments on this Board saying eventually we are going to get turf and need turf, you know what we are never going to get turf because I am sorry, this town will never vote for it. If it has to go out there for a vote, we can’t win a vote like that; we can’t win a vote like that because there are too many people out there that don’t realize the importance of this. You are putting the knife in a lot of good people in Watertown right now, a lot good coaches that care about nothing but these kids and the future and keeping them at Watertown High School.

We lost more kids this year to other schools and I will tell you what, this turf field would be the biggest, most important you can make on keeping our kids in our school system and in our town. You can’t even come up with a close second right now. I will tell you, I am a terrible speaker, I don’t even enjoy getting up here but I am here because of the kids and I love them so much. We need to make the right move, this is so important, you don’t know what a crush and a set back and a humiliation you are making to a lot of good people in this town right now. I am sorry to say but I think it is because you are not educated enough. I know you have a lot on your plate and I know there are a lot of other issues and considerations. Well tell us some of them, let us know what the considerations and issues are because I don’t see them I’ve got another eighth grade class of football players and not that this is about football, but they are going to be graduating, saying Coach Martino “what am I doing”? You know what, if they’re a damn good athlete and we got problems up here still what am I supposed to say to these kids? When Holy Cross and Sacred Heart and Wolcott and all these people are playing on beautiful fields, having beautiful things in their Towns, how are we going to keep these kids here? You are making it impossible. If you could just see how much is put into those kids, I’ve got 200 kids and that is one sport. You are talking about all other sports here. I am just asking you to please consider this. I am asking you to take a ride up to Wolcott, feel the vibes walking on those fields.

Two things came up. Mr. Lafferty I respect you totally but $600,000 isn’t going to get us a field, it is going to get us crap. It is a good investment for the future, I respect that, I want to invest in the future too, I want to retire some day, but you know what our kids, we are going to loose them all if we have to hit rock bottom before we do it. We are loosing them; we lost more kids this year than ever. It is going to be a million dollars before we even get a field down there. You know what you’ve got to go to the town for the money and what happens when we go to vote? You know we don’t get it guys; we are the ones behind you guys.

One other thing, and I am sorry that I am keeping you and I respect each and every one of you. Mr. Marks, you mentioned, you made a quick comment on one field, how is everybody going to use it. That is what scheduling is for, with all due respect. I was talking to a very reputable person from Watertown, Tommy Nolan, who graduated from here years ago, played ball at Southern CT. He lives with his family right now in Branford CT, Branford has one field, one field for field hockey, one field for soccer, one field for football, I am talking one field, not one field for each. Every sport, they play every High School sport on that field, they schedule it out and it works perfect. They just had their field redone, and it looks beautiful, they’ve had it for ten years, they just got a new one that is what they have, they have one field. They don’t have a soccer field and a football field and a field hockey field, they have one field, it works, alright it is just scheduling. I am sorry if I offended anybody.

Mr. Griffin: I just want to address Mr. Guerrera and you sir Mr. Martino, I am completely respectful of your arguments and I completely understand where you are coming from however I think we are loosing sight of an issue. The $600,000 is not our money to spend.

Mr. Martino: And God Bless that I can be here to answer you.

Mr. Griffin: It is not our money to spend. How do we spend money that is not ours?

Mr. Martino: The Town Council put this to use, they told us, we were there fighting like this, they basically, I think they want to put turf on the field. They just said they can’t….

Mr. Griffin: Excuse for one second, the Town Council came to us and asked us to relinquish property to add an additional field. The field is not ours.

Mr. Martino: With all due respect, we have a Town Council member here, I would just, I know we got, believe me I stayed up late last Monday there. They wanted, they sold the turf, we discussed the turf in an open atmosphere, they pretty much were all nodding like this and they were like, you know what, its Board of Education has to tell us that we could put turf on there.

Ms. Dzioba: Can I just interrupt here and put this issue to rest. What we have done is the Town Council has asked us for a recommendation as to what would we allow if they spend the $600,000...

Mr. Martino: On turf

Ms. Dzioba: Wherever, basically we have said we will give them the field, the land down below, for an additional field that was our recommendation. It is their decision, it is not our decision in any shape or form on how to spend the $600,000, am I right Paul?

Mr. Rinaldi: Correct

Ms. Dzioba: It is the Town Council’s decision.

Mr. Rinaldi: For the point of information, we had asked for, I can only speak for myself, I can’t speak for the Town. What we had asked for from the Board was to consider letting us control that piece of land.

Ms. Dzioba: And that is what we did

Mr. Rinaldi: That is basically it, the final decision is ours.

Ms. Dzioba: So the decision goes with the Town Council.

Mr. Martino: Well if you were able to go to them with…

Ms. Dzioba: I didn’t mean to be curt with you..

Mr. Martino: I just want you to know, a lot of people, important people in this Town are getting hurt right now. And a member of this Board told me specifically without mentioning any names, how important sports is in a school system, that is our future right there, we are ruining our sports whole organization. Everything there is to do about sports in this High School, we cannot compete in the NVL without turf I am telling you. As ridiculous as it sounds to some of you.

Mr. Lafferty: The way that I clarify it is this, if the Town Council came to us and said “would you let us renovate the field”, that would be the issue at hand. What their issue was, was would they let us relinquish the maintenance and the ownership of the land down there to them if that is what they wanted to do with the project. So hypothetically speaking, if the Town Council goes forward with that project would we give them the land? That is what we voted on.

Mr. Martino: Chris with all respect, I thought for sure that it came out, I left that meeting last week, I thought it came out that they were asking your recommendation about what you thought about turf.

Ms. Dzioba: Our recommendation was that we will allow the Town to have the use of that field. I would just like to say something. I have just…

Public Participation

Mary Dzioba, 477 Colonial Street

I don’t mean to interrupt your time but, I do have to say that each Board Member votes individually and each Board Member, and I know them, have the utmost respect for, considers and agonizes and looses sleep on certain decisions, two of them being this tonight. We act independently as Board Members representing what we feel is important to the Town, to the school system. I understand that there are a lot of people here from the sports teams and respect that (inaudible). We made, even with our budget passing, we made gut wrenching cuts this year, to services, to students, to kindergarten programs, two years ago we eliminated developmental kindergarten, this year we eliminated band in the fifth grade, we have eliminated programs at the junior high, all of which are very, very difficult decisions. I understand that sports bring out the crowds and that there was a lot of support here and I wish that there was support the academic programs that we want to either add or subtract. But I just want everybody in this audience to know that every board member puts their hearts into their decisions. Now we made our recommendation to the Town Council that we would give them the property if they use that, we have asked for the Lacrosse team to be put out for a year, we have voted, we have made our decisions based on what we knew at the time and this is what the vote was tonight.

Mr. Martino: And I respect and feel bad about all those things that happened and all those education classes and everything, this is just a direct issue and I just dislike politics and this is an issue at hand. We have $600,000 that help our sports organization and I wish we could concentrate on that, I am very upset that it didn’t…if we could get the Town Council to ask you if you would let them put turf, do we have to wait until next month and come back with that question?

Ms. Dzioba: Can I just say one thing, when you say you don’t like politics, I do have to say one thing in defense of this Board, I have been on Boards of Education, I don’t think that politics comes to play in this. It is not a Republican or Democrat issue, we have all voted independently. And as far as what the Town Council decides, we were asked if we would give that field, that property for the use of fields, that we would turn over the property so that they could maintain it and develop it and that is what we have done.

Mr. Martino: I guess then that on my good-bye I would beg Dr. Erardi to maybe get together with Town Council and maybe get a group of eight people, four and four and talk it out so we don’t have to keep waiting each month. This is an important issue and we are going to loose a lot of good opportunities if we let this go.

Bob Guerrera, 117 Adams Road

I was at that meeting, as we have been at a ton of meetings lately. As I remember, because it was in the paper the following day, “Board of Ed to decide what to do with the grant”. They asked for your recommendation, what to do with the grant if I am not mistaken, they asked for the f