Evan Marten

The board conducted a public hearing regarding a proposed budget amendment and held its regular monthly meeting. Discussion topics included an agenda amendment for certified staff hiring, an update on the Explorers before and after school program, and various committee reports. Policy committee updates involved reviewing policies in the 600 series. Strategic planning discussed the use of flex funds for a middle school playground, the upcoming 'Destination Fairfield' staff event, career academy survey development, and Spanish language offerings. The finance committee reviewed a consolidated budget amendment, the investment plan for bond proceeds, and a contingency funding plan for potential cash shortages. The HR and negotiations committee also provided updates.

The public hearing focused on receiving feedback regarding the 2026-2027 proposed school budget. Following the hearing, the board conducted its regular meeting, which included a focus on learning presentation regarding the District Career and Academic Plan (DECAP). The discussion detailed the five essential components of the plan, including self-assessment, career information, career exploration experiences, post-secondary exploration, and career decision-making, across middle and high school levels. Additionally, the role of the college and career transitions coach and the introduction of industry-recognized credentials were discussed.

The board conducted several public hearings regarding the proposed fiscal year 2027 property tax levy, the 2027-2028 school calendar, and the issuance of school infrastructure, sales, services, and use tax revenue bonds. Additionally, the board received a comprehensive safety and security update covering school lockdown drills, improvements in security protocols, the implementation of 'to-go' emergency kits for each school building, and upcoming staff training on incident command and student reunification procedures.

The meeting included a review of the mission and vision statements for the Board of Directors. Key discussions focused on the mid-academic year growth report regarding student success, particularly in literacy and mathematics for preschool through first grade. In literacy, growth was reported across all monitored groups, including students with IEPs. In mathematics, focus areas were identified, such as number sequencing for kindergarteners and decomposing for first graders, alongside discussions on state requirements for math interventions. The board also reviewed data concerning reading fluency (CBMR) and academic automaticity in math for second through fourth grades, noting significant growth among title reading students and those with IEPs. Furthermore, there was a discussion regarding the transition of second graders to the testing procedures used in subsequent grades and the implementation of intervention tracking via the Panorama system, with support from a consultant.

The document details the FMS Winter Instrumental Concert, which featured performances by the sixth grade band, the jazz band, and a combined seventh and eighth grade band. The sixth grade performed "Bonsa Alba," "Colliding Visions," and "Athletes of Gold," with discussions on musical techniques such as concert naturals, syncopated rhythms, meter changes, and musical stingers. The jazz band performed "Ripology" featuring a trombone soloist. The combined bands played "Highlights from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," which challenged students with changing meters and featured multiple duets and solos. The eighth grade concluded the concert with "March of the Hobgoblins," focusing on staccato notes and dynamic changes. Following the performances, announcements were made regarding cleanup efforts, including stacking chairs and moving tables to revert the space to its cafeteria configuration.