Thomas Mellen

The Policy Sub-Committee meeting focused on the appointment of a committee chairman and the discussion of two key policy matters. The first involved revising Board organizational meeting policies to align with CT State Statutes. The second involved a discussion of a weighted grade policy, including considerations for valedictorian/salutatorian selection, extra credit opportunities, and phased policy implementation.

The Thompson Board of Education meeting focused on several key issues. The board affirmed its commitment to researching alternative energy sources for the schools, considering both purchasing power from external vendors and developing its own solar power system. The meeting also included a change of title for the Business Manager position to Director of Finance, and the approval of the Director of Finance contract with an amendment requiring attendance at various board and budget meetings.

The meeting included an executive session to conduct interviews for the positions of Middle School Principal and Pupil Services Director. No actions were taken following the executive session.

The meeting was convened in executive session, and no action was taken as a result of this session.

This special budget meeting focused on the 2023-2024 budget. Public comments emphasized the need for more detailed budget information, including inflation data, cost-cutting measures, and community engagement. An educational update included new positions for a high school Student Behavior Coordinator and a middle school Math Interventionist, and a 2% increase in transportation costs. The proposed FY24 budget is 21.7 million, a 9.5% increase from last year, with a mil rate impact of 2.45. Discussion centered on budget drivers, student outcomes, and suggestions for improving the budget presentation. Additional discussion included the frequency of state police calls to the school.