Back-To-School Preparations Covered

At School Board Meeting

By Larissa Lytwyn

At its most recent meeting August 12, the Board of Education addressed various issues in preparation of the upcoming school year, including building conditions in Reed Intermediate School, Climate Control Committee findings, and last year’s financial report.

“We ended in the black,” said Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff. The $32, 962 surplus will be returned to the town.

Reed Intermediate School’s non-flame-retardant canopy was recently removed. “Soon it will be replaced with flame-retardant material,” Dr Pitkoff said. Doing so grants the school a permanent certification of occupancy, instead of the temporary certification it has now. In addition, carpets in some Reed Intermediate School classrooms will be removed, due to some damage caused by water leakage last year.

Other business included the approval of the education sector of the townwide Capital Improvement Program, a five-year financial program designed to boost the quantity and quality of various town assets.

The Board of Education also reapproved its annual Field Trip Contract, as well as approving the annually updated Removal, Suspension, or Expulsion Policy 7-401. “In the past, a student’s record of suspension was expunged after two years if there were no other offenses,” said Dr Pitkoff. “Now, the record remains until the student graduates [or otherwise leaves] the district’s school system.”

Also approved was an official Camera Surveillance Policy, 7-406.1, created in accordance with the recent installment of surveillance in Newtown High School, as well as Policy 3-800 to Policy 3-803, Community Use of School Facilities. “We are increasing rental fees 25 percent,” said Dr Pitkoff.

The next Board of Education meeting will be at 7:30 pm September 2.