By Michelle L. Santoro

Sherman – Act ing as board chair, Superintendent Dr. Patricia Cosentino wished all in attendance a Happy New Year before commencing with the regular meeting of the Sherman School Board of Education (“BOE and/or “Board”) on Wednesday January 7 in the Sherman School Library.  First order of business, the Board nominated and elected Matt Vogt as Chair for a two-year term.  Mr. Vogt “took over” the meeting and quickly commenced with the nomination and election of Kate Frey as Vice Chair for a two-year term. 

 With nothing to report from the SPTO or any of the sub-committees, Mr. Vogt advised discussions are ongoing with neighboring school districts regarding a possible change to the school’s current model; however, there was nothing substantive to report at this time.

In her superintendent’s report, Dr. Pat informed the Board about happenings and programs that took place during December.  I-Ready testing has commenced . On January 12, John Antonetti will join the staff for a professional development day working on facilitating planning and “plus one-ing (sic) lessons to make them more rigorous.”  Work has commen ced on the creation of a strategic plan “Dashboard” for the school’s website, which would provide data for parents on SBAC achievement scores, attendance rates, and more.  

This year, Dr.  Pat and the school’s administrative team took the goals from the strategic plan’s priority areas – Collaboration, Culture and Communication, Student achievement and functional growth, Curriculum and Instructional Development, Middle School Reimagined, and Infrastructures and Operation

al Enhancements – and created objectives for achievement, including but not limited to implementing a clear change management process, building and maintaining positive relationships with diverse stakeholders, strengthening and enhancing student learning supports and creating a systemic approach to student achievement. In the presentation, Dr. Pat discussed the ways in which the district is working to meet the objectives.  “The strategic plan is a work in progress, a living document, so we continue to do that,” Dr. Pat said.

  On motion of Mr. Vogt, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the following policies: Dropouts, which replaces the current policy P5112.3, P6159 Individualized Education Program/Special Education Program, Administration of Student Medication in the Schools, Admission to the Public Schools at or Before Age Five, and Attendance, Truancy and Chronic Absenteeism, after which there was brief discussion about the last policy. 

After about a half hour, the Board moved to an Executive Session for the purpose of discussing allegations, the subject of which was not revealed. “Discussion and Possible Action related to Pending Claims and Litigation” was added to the agenda by motion at the start of the meeting. After more than 20 minutes, the Board returned from Executive Session and Mr. Vogt made a motion to approve the settlement of three “CHRO” matters in the amount and under the terms negotiated by the Superintendent of Schools, through the Board’s legal counsel to authorize the superintendent to execute the agreements.  The motion passed unanimously.  

The next regular Board of Education Meeting is scheduled for February 7, 2024, at 7:00 p.m., in the LMC and via Zoom.  The Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for January 17 at 6:00 p.m., the Board Retreat is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on January 24 in Bridgeport and the Curriculum Committee will meet February 27 at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom.&nbsp ;