Groton School District board meeting, date not confirmed yet
3 h 12 min
This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 3 h 12 min.
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What happened
What happened at this meeting
Board approves Intro to Robotics and Investing 101 curricula 2:18:03
- Student representatives raised concerns about restrooms, vaping, use of AI and the condition of older buildings at Fitch High School. 50:23
- The board approved budget transfers totaling $9,741,507 with eight votes in favor, none opposed and one abstention. 1:45:27
- The board approved an $85,000 Learner Engagement and Attendance Program grant 9-0 and a $50,000 High Dosage Tutoring Program grant 9-0. 1:51:59
- The board approved the purchase of a 2027 Ford Transit 250 cargo van and 2027 Ford F-350 trucks with plow by a vote of 8 to 0 to 0. 2:26:12
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Item by item (14)
- Opening and Pledge of Allegiance 0:14
- Recognitions 1:33
- The board recognized 4 scholars from Fitch High School, who were asked to introduce one another and speak to the board. 1:58
- A speaker said the scholarship started with $100 and today is $25,000, with 13 students receiving scholarships. 2:56
- The board noted Custodian Appreciation Day and the superintendent's nomination by the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments for the Defense Community Champion Award, and congratulated Northeast Academy on a US News and World Report ranking. 27:35
- Public comment 28:49
- A speaker at public comment asked the board to reconsider the district's relationship with Seabird Enterprises and its Puffins restaurant, which provided vocational training for special needs students. 30:33
- A Seabird Enterprises representative said the district's special ed director called that afternoon about putting together a contract for a student to start at Puffins. 35:24
- Another speaker raised concerns about transition planning for students with IEPs at Fitch High School, and Adrian Johnson said they would like to hear from the administration about transition planning. 39:02
- Student representatives report 50:13
- A student representative reported concerns about restroom conditions, vaping, inconsistent AI rules among teachers, missing materials in older buildings and sidewalk conditions at Fitch High School. 50:23
- Ian Thomas said they had submitted a referral to consider an AI ban, which was adjusted to a consultation with the district's AI committee. 1:16:25
- A district staff member said policy and regulations on AI are already set and the committee would review them. 1:17:35
- Superintendent's report on restorative practices 1:19:00
- A district staff member presented on restorative practices, citing Connecticut Public Act 23-167, the state's school climate law. 1:19:00
- Jennifer White asked about the benefit of restorative practices to people who have been victimized. 1:23:26
- The staff member said restorative practices are never forced and require two people willing to take part. 1:24:02
- Finance report 1:24:18
- A district staff member reported a balance of $14,661,000 for FY27 and said transportation and benefits were not yet encumbered. 1:24:37
- The staff member said the OPEB report would not be finished by the 17th, the next Finance and Facilities meeting, because 6 to 8 weeks are needed once the information is received. 1:30:00
- One board member said they would support a special meeting with the actuaries and insurance consultants. 1:30:52
- Facilities report 1:32:15
- A district staff member said a threaded pipe at a school came apart over the weekend and flooded part of the building. 1:32:54
- The staff member reported capital requests including $500,000 for high school HVAC in fiscal year '28, $3,960,000 for Northeast Academy, $4.5 million for CK and $5,054,000 for Fitch High School in fiscal year '31. 1:37:05
- Jennifer White asked whether there was a revised cost estimate for a roof, and a staff member said the bid drew no takers and would have to go out to bid again. 1:41:46
- FY27 budget transfers 1:43:43
- Attendance and tutoring grants 1:46:31
- A district staff member said 85% of the attendance grant, which the staff member believed amounts to $72,500, will be devoted to home visits, and the grant is explicitly for Fitch High School to reduce chronic absenteeism. 1:47:04
- A staff member said the $50,000 tutoring grant would fund math tutoring for approximately 50 8th graders at Groton Middle School. 1:52:29
- Mike Whitney recommended building high-dosage tutoring into the district's standard budget for next year. 1:55:37
- The board approved the attendance grant 9-0 and the tutoring grant 9-0-0. 1:51:59
- Discrete math and IB curricula 1:56:15
- Mitchell Shinbrot said the Curriculum Committee recommended bringing the discrete mathematics course to the full board. 1:57:12
- A staff member said the discrete mathematics course is approved through UConn's ECE program for transferable credit. 1:59:59
- A staff member said the course was written by 3 of the district's English teachers and a grant paid for the curriculum writing. 2:06:37
- The vote on the discrete mathematics curriculum passed 9 to 0 to 0, and the next curriculum item also passed 9 to 0 to 0. 2:04:42
- Robotics and investing curricula 2:10:18
- A staff member said the Intro to Robotics curriculum was purchased with grant funds and could run in the spring depending on enrollment. 2:12:25
- A staff member who created the investing course said it has no cost to the district and a Perkins Grant will cover a stock market simulation game for students. 2:21:12
- One board member said they totally support the investing course. 2:24:38
- The Investing 101 curriculum passed 9 to 0 to 0, as did the item before it. 2:18:59
- Vehicle purchases 2:25:48
- The motion covered a 2027 Ford Transit 250 cargo van for $58,393.30 and a 2027 Ford F-350 truck with plow for $56,807.80, plus a second such truck at the same cost, to be funded through the ECS supplemental funds. 2:26:15
- A staff member said the vehicles replace ones deemed not roadworthy. 2:27:19
- The board approved the vehicle purchases 8-0-0. 2:32:55
- Committee and liaison reports 2:33:06
- Jennifer White said board members would be invited to a December meeting with the actuaries and the insurance broker. 2:34:15
- Adrian Johnson said para starting pay is about minimum wage and health insurance would cost over half of a para's salary. 2:47:59
- A question about staff cell phone use was referred to the policy committee. 2:53:49
- Consent agenda and board comments 2:54:46
- The consent agenda included minutes from meetings on September 28th, 2026, and October 5th, 2026. 2:54:46
- Ian Thomas said they would request a policy referral on full board participation with the negotiations team. 2:59:00
- Andrea Ackerman apologized for instructions sent to the scholars about reading their bios. 3:10:16
- The board approved the consent agenda 8-0-0 and adjourned at 9:22. 2:57:30
Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.
What was said
What board members said, in order
I think there's a wonderful grant, and I also recommend we build high-dosis tutoring into our budget for next year as well, our standard budget.Mike Whitney · Board member1:55:37
Other meetings
Other meetings of this board
Video: posted by the district as “10-26-26 Groton Board of Education Meeting”