Matthew Z. Brown

The committee discussed several policy items, including recommending changes to P 5118 Non-Resident Attendance and P 3160 Line-Item Transfers for a first reading. Policy P 1312.4 Receipt of Anonymous Complaints was reviewed with no revisions needed. The committee established goals for the upcoming year focused on mandated policies, financial policy updates, and systematic policy reviews. Discussions also covered potential updates to the P 0100 Mission Statement, the tabling of policy P 0521, and a review of the referral tracking list and future meeting topics.

The key discussions during this special meeting included a K-3 Literacy Update featuring a Mid-Year Dibels Review, which detailed assessment components such as composite score analysis, phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Furthermore, a presentation was given regarding the Early Childhood Center at Mary Morrisson, outlining program expansion plans for Pre-kindergarten and Preschool, enrollment projections for SY 2026-2027, and insights gathered from a Parent Engagement Survey, which highlighted community support and needs related to full-day options and extended care. Updates on facility upgrades for the Mary Morrisson center were also provided.

The Finance/Facilities Committee meeting addressed several key areas. Discussions included the potential use of a 3.5 to 4-acre property adjacent to Fitch High School, with suggestions ranging from a JV baseball field to a solar farm or additional parking; the Superintendent will follow up on potential uses. The committee also began establishing baseline goals and expectations for the committee. In the Director of Finance Report, an update was given that the annual audit was extended to March 31, and the final amount for the non-lapsing fund was reported as $663,517. The Director of Facilities reported on delays in receiving authorization to bid for the CB Roof Replacement Grant and detailed the process for applying for an HVAC Grant for Catherine Kolnaski and Northeast Academy, noting a potential 57% reimbursement rate. Insights were shared regarding equipment breakdowns following recent snow removal efforts. Future agenda items were reviewed.

The Curriculum Committee reviewed the DoDEA Grant Opportunity and decided to update and resubmit a mathematics proposal, requesting additional information as it becomes available. Key discussions focused on curriculum review for the IB Personal and Professional Skills course, which the committee recommended bringing to the full Board for approval. Furthermore, the committee recommended moving forward with writing the curriculum for two new proposed courses slated for SY 2027-2028: Discrete Mathematics (which will offer ECE credit, pending confirmation on annual accreditation fees) and IB Language and Literature, which is intended to replace the existing IB Literature course. The committee also reviewed the Referral Tracking Sheet, with specific interest in obtaining a comprehensive overview of the IB program's enrollment statistics and resource consumption. Future topics include a report on the Illustrative Math pilot and recommendations for Middle School ELA curricula.

The Communications Committee meeting focused on community engagement strategies related to the district budget. The discussion covered the roles of staff, Board of Education members, and parent organizations in budget outreach, as well as the appropriate use of district communication tools. Key action items agreed upon included updating the district budget webpage, promoting Superintendent Austin's 'Welcome to Groton' interview, highlighting district successes on social media, promoting upcoming public hearing dates for the Town Council presentation, developing an informational budget flyer, and conducting outreach to PTOs, Booster Clubs, and district staff.