The Board of Education learned of new transportation proposals at its May 1 meeting when Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue shared alternative 2018-19 school morning procedures following the board's failed motion at its April 10 meeting to support previously presented Transportation Task Force proposals.at the board's April 10 meetingat the board's April 3 meetingMiddle Gate Roof Restoration Approved

After the school district looked at sleep study research and changing school start times in the winter of 2016, the board implemented new school start times for this school year. A Transportation Task Force researched concerns around the newly implemented school start times and new bus system, and its proposals were presented at the school board's March 20 meeting. School board members who voted against the proposals at the April 10 meeting voiced concerns, including that the proposals did not solve all the issues with the current bus system.

Over the course of multiple board meetings, concerns of some board members and members of the public around the task force proposals included longer ride times for younger students in the morning and not having enough information to decide on implementing a new transportation plan.

that there was no other plan in place if the board did not support the Transportation Task Force proposals. After roughly three weeks, Dr Rodrigue shared an "Alternative School Start/Transportation Proposal" at the May 1 meeting.Hawley Elementary School Principal Christopher Moretti pointed out

"We really, truly, want to move forward from this and have a plan that will work moving into next year and one that is safe for students," Dr Rodrigue said.

The district's administrative team prepared the alternative proposal, according to Dr Rodrigue.

, Newtown's teachers have been providing that service this year out of "patience" for the system to be changed for the 2018-19 school year.Without staggering Reed Intermediate School and elementary school start times as proposed by the task force, according to discussion at the meeting, elementary school students would have about ten minutes in the morning between being dropped off by a school bus and when they can enter their classroom. Now students go to their classrooms between being dropped off and the start of the school day, according to information shared at previous meetings, but having Newtown's teachers continuing to provide that service for ten minutes each morning would not be considered as part of their work day. As explained by Newtown Federation of Teachers President Tom Kuroski

The Alternative School Start/Transportation Proposal, as outlined in a handout shared at the May 1 meeting, would include offsetting Reed's day to begin at 9 am, which would restore five minutes taken away this school year; all elementary buses would unload at 8:40 am to get Reed students to school on time after; hiring enough paraeducators to monitor students in the morning in an area of the school, like the school's gymnasium, between getting off the bus and going to the classroom; utilizing four additional shuttles to support transporting Reed students between the elementary schools and their school; and some buses would be utilized to support longer Reed routes.

According to the handout, costs associated with the proposal include an approximately $94,900 for paraeducator salaries and roughly $164,560 to provide benefits for those employees over 27.5 hours a week.

"Pros" listed for the proposal include providing more hours for paraeducators, restoring Reed's school day by five minutes, and allowing teachers time for professional undertakings prior to contact with children in the morning.

The handout also outlined challenges, including that the associated costs would necessitate taking funding earmarked for specific areas of the budget, safety concerns if enough paraeducators are not hired to work with students, no certified staff would be monitoring students in the morning, and finding paraeducators, which has "proven difficult," according to the handout.

While the current proposal was not what district educators wanted, Dr Rodrigue said the Transportation Task Force proposals were not supported.

"We just need to have a plan for next year and it needs to be safe," said Dr Rodrigue.

Board of Education member Andrew Clure expressed confusion that more options were not presented.

"Is this the only option we have on the table?" he asked.

Dr Rodrigue said the task force looked at "every scenario."

Speaking to the ten minutes students would have after being dropped off, school board Vice Chair Rebekah Harriman-Stites questioned whether the elementary schools with safer access to a playground could allow children to utilize that time there. Hawley School, Mr Moretti pointed out, has a driveway and parking area between the school and its playground, and the district typically strives for consistency.

Board of Education Chair Michelle Embree Ku said the board will need to have the conversation of transportation and school start times "wrapped up" by the time it solidifies its 2018-19 budget in June.

"We will certainly have more conversations about this," she said.

Also during the meeting, the Board of Education unanimously approved a Middle Gate Elementary School wall and roof restoration project to Garland/DBS as the project manager with Elite Roofing and Restoration, LLC, for roughly $840,640, which includes a contingency for ten percent of the cost.

As explained by Mr Bienkowski and board member Debbie Leidlein, the roofing project was originally estimated for $1,685,000 as a full roof replacement. After inspection, Mr Bienkowski said the project was determined to be a restoration project rather than a replacement. The project was approved at the recent town referendum for the full cost. The new project cost saves roughly $844,000.