District 13 BOE discusses athletic fields, healthy food
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Friday, May 1, 2009 - 1:31pm
Though the regular meeting of the Board of Education on April 29 began with a discussion of swine, or N1H1, flu, it soon moved on to other topics. (See other web postings for flu discussions.)
Athletic fields update
Building Committee chair Bill Currlin updated the board on finding an architect/engineer firm for the athletic fields projects. The committee received several submissions for the Request For Qualifications and Request For Proposals that were sent out for the work at all athletic fields (not including wells and roofs), and narrowed them down to six that were interviewed and looked into extensively. Though not the lowest bidder by $9,000, the committee settled on CHA Sports, a company from Rocky Hill “because they are highly rated, had a good presentation and we felt comfortable with them,” Currlin explained.
Viccaro added, “We wanted to make sure the people we’d be working with would be a good fit with the district. (CHA Sports) is over the top and had impeccable references.”
Currlin finished by saying the company would make the final designs, such as soil testing, and would make the final drawings, which would included bleachers, courts, lights, etc., for the committee to present to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency. He also said the company will likely be able to complete the majority of the projects by next spring and summer, weather and any problems permitting.
“We want to do it properly, and I’d like (the fields) to last more than 30 years,” Currlin stated. A motion was made to accept the committee’s recommendation to appoint CHA Sports and all members were in favor.
The board also approved the Building Committee’s plans and cost estimates on roof projects at John Lyman and Memorial schools, pegged at $800,000 and $1,220,000 respectively.
Finally, the board voted to appoint Paul Sutterlin and Paul Haberern as new members to the Building Committee.
Healthy Foods Certification program
Business manager Ron Melnik informed the board that the Healthy Food Certification program, an incentive for schools to provide healthy food options, is on the table again for the board to decide if they want to participate. He said the program is fundamentally the same this year, with the exception of a decrease from 10 cents to 5 cents on money given to the school per meal. Melnik explained that if the district follows state guidelines of portion and content, they will receive (now) 5 cents on every regularly priced meal. He said the district has never accepted the guidelines because the money the district brings in from the program is no more than what they lose from not doing bake sales, etc. He said at 5 cents, reimbursement to the district is just shy of $7,000, and “we’d be taking it out of other programs like PTO,” Melnik said.
“There are a few things in the school that are not healthy, but it’s because of size,” he said, adding that a muffin should be three oz. instead of four and only one piece of pizza, not two, should be served. Viccaro noted that there has been an increase in healthy offerings across all schools in the district.
The board again voted to not take part in the program.
Melnik then shared that the district’s bus company, Dattco, has received the changes the district would like in the new contract, and they have a few more days to get back to the district or Dattco will send it to their attorney and the district will sent it to theirs.
Strategic Plan renewal and district goals
The board heard a presentation from Viccaro and Carol Luckenbach, director of curriculum, on the fourth strategic plan renewal, which is done every five years. (See full story in a future article.)
Viccaro passed out a draft of the 2009-2010 district goals which are based on progress with the current strategic plan. She asked board members to review the areas that are recommended to be focused on for next year. Once the goals are out of draft form they will be available on the website.
Field trip request
The board approved a request for a Coginchaug High School field trip to Costa Rica for April 12-18, 2010. This is a repeat of a trip that was taken last year with science teacher Rich Paseika.
District logo
Board members Debbie Golschneider, Kerrie Flanagan and Bill Currlin presented their top pick for a new logo designed by a student in the district that would be on letterhead and a host of other things. Currlin said the board had felt it was a good time to “upgrade the logo and make it look better” so a design contest was held and several designs came back, of which Currlin, Flanagan and Golschneider all unanimously chose the same one as their first choice.
However, because some members felt the design could use more fine tuning, they decided to bring it back to the student artist, who is anonymous to the board, and their teacher for minor changes.
Committee reports
In addition to the Building Committee, the Finance Committee and Personnel Policies Committee gave reports. Kerrie Flanagan from the Personnel Policies Committee announced that the committee is still in negotiations with three unions but “we are hopefully near three contracts.”
During public comment, Durham resident Donia Viola asked the board to look into ways for Regional District 13 students to collaborate more with magnet school students “so they can still do functions with students here.”
There will be a district meeting on the 2009-2010 budget on May 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Coginchaug High School. The next regular board meeting is May 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Brewster School.
