Submitted by Jennifer Favalora, RSD 17 Board of Education Vice Chair
(October 19, 2022) — The following is a summary of the September 13, 2022 meeting of the Regional School District 17 Board of Education:
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Cougar Pride
Haddam-Killingworth High School student Alex Lara presented his drawing titled “Parabola,” which won the Congressional District Art Competition. The message of the piece was based around the rise and fall of civilizations over time, and each segment represents New York City through time from the colonial period until today and into the future. The piece is currently hanging in the US Capitol in Washington, DC until June 2023.
Athletic Director Lynne Flint presented a report on the numerous athletic accolades from the 2021-2022 school year. She also reported that all athletic teams are fully staffed, including a full-time athletic trainer. Also, the Football team has begun wearing Guardian Caps on their helmets, which reduce the severity of concussions.
Food Services
Food Services is facing a shortage in staffing. The efforts of Director Shettleworth to ensure department operation have been greatly appreciated, and talent management is looking at options to fill vacant positions.
Fiscal Operations Department
Director David Solin and his team completed and submitted the annual state financial reports including the EKMS Grant and the EFS Grant. Finance is continuing to support the work of the Annual Financial Audit.
NEW BUSINESS
Class Rank
HKHS Principal Donna Hayward shared the upcoming move to a GPA Distribution Model instead of our current Class Rank Model. This will better align with the Board’s Vision of the Graduate in areas such as maintaining a growth mindset and reflecting upon feedback as opportunities to adapt and improve upon learning. Powerschool will continue to rank students and will be readily available to parents, upon request. The positions of Valedictorian and Salutatorian will remain in place. The new GPA distribution model will be implemented with this year’s incoming Freshmen (Class of 2026).
High School Air Conditioning Project
Peter Sonski presented a report on the air conditioning units at HKHS, which are original to the building and have begun to fail. There are currently five units not working, which cannot be fixed or replaced due to outdated materials and technology, and a long-term solution will not be feasible within this academic year due to sourcing delays. Mr. Sonski made the request for the District to perform an analysis on how to best address this issue.
KES/BES Lighting Project
The Board approved a proposal from Secure Energy Solutions to upgrade the lighting at Burr and Killingworth Elementary Schools to LED. The cost will be at a 0% interest rate over 48 months and will cost approximately $30,000 per year each of the four years. The result will be long-term energy savings in both buildings.
Member Update
Haddam Board of Education member Brenda Buzzi will be withdrawing from the Board as she is moving out of the District. Brenda will be dearly missed by all, and we wish her the very best in her new home.
ON OUR WEBSITE:
The 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, District Core Values and District Vision can be found on the District Website, www.rsd17.org, under “District.”
