[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6292059,"mediaKeyId","2528156-0332f831706f2009d7ca19fb758a998f","parentId",2528156,"title","Board approves IEP policy update, contract for speech services, calendar and settlements; votes at a glance","audioSeconds",295,"startMs",1594000,"endMs",1889000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2528156-0332f831706f2009d7ca19fb758a998f&start=1594&end=1889","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2528156-0332f831706f2009d7ca19fb758a998f/thumbnail_1594000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6292059/Connecticut/Board-approves-IEP-policy-update-contract-for-speech-services-calendar-and-settlements-votes-at-a-glance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292059-ee82c1fd6f571147c0ab9cea00f34607/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707641&Signature=KYbe7yXKcEgT~NCNS9xhXp088hj95hA0nslBMBVVQE3tx2q757ahFg521MhFTyY~J3UDPwvAuSNgZi6XB10gxtFRswr92I5Ic8s7hiScVdkNP1-eAFTef0NoKcfrqpNjZiZnUcBeMWYnO~UTVr24bzn-g6qWyrZ~Iy7QCpJe-RNHmQULKeLZFvrD7CeH0QD~BSB1nR3FvzJq0WoS2igihy1nY5fq6C8YNeV-pb-Oni5aCHWqteK3HNiUxDq8m5rEnDj-QwBs~KhK9-z1mBYZBfK4VKkAsZ2LEByoOQxZeCvOm6bCNXRnu~KAb4riyf0mAAKRaFFFeSig7U88RNtTHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Britain School District","date","2025-03-06T17:01:18Z","article","The New Britain School District Board of Education approved a range of operational and financial items on March 4, including a policy update for individualized education programs, a time-sensitive contract for speech-and-language services, a purchase order for a facilities truck repair and two workers' compensation settlements.

Votes at a glance

- Board Policy 61-59 (Individualized Education Programs): Motion to accept passed on voice vote; transcript records one board member opposed.

- Job description for district supervisor of special education/special ed programs: Approved; transcript records one opposed.

- Draft 2025–26 academic calendar: Approved by voice vote.

- Contract for speech and language services between CSDNB and Capital Region: Approved for $58,000; superintendent said funds were already budgeted in local series 300.

- Purchase order and bid waiver for repair of a facilities truck: Approved. Staff said the state-listed vendor would have required a 16-week wait; a non-state vendor could complete the repair faster at roughly the same price. The truck was identified as a 2016 model and the lift gate was the broken component.

- Consent agenda and remaining items: Approved.

- Workers' compensation settlements (executive session): The board approved settlement for Veil Vargas for $9,500 and for Velasquez Sanchez for $15,000; both motions were made and approved by voice vote following executive session.

Meeting procedural items approved included the minutes of the Feb. 3 regular meeting and several personnel appointments; the enrollment report was received as informational.

Superintendent Dr. Gasper confirmed that the speech-services contract funding was budgeted and that the district will return to the board with required follow-up details. Several items were time sensitive and were added after committee meetings, staff said; the board approved handling them during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","New Britain Board of Education Meeting - 03/04/25","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 4 meeting the New Britain Board approved updates to individualized-education-program policy 61-59, a $58,000 speech-and-language services contract, the 2025–26 draft calendar and two workers' compensation settlements totaling $24,500; several routine items and a truck repair purchase were also approved.","taxTitle","New Britain School District, School Districts, Connecticut","taxId",13001,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6292065,"Board approves grades 6–12 social-studies curriculum, removes New Britain history course for revision",462,2066000,2528000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2528156-0332f831706f2009d7ca19fb758a998f&start=2066&end=2528","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2528156-0332f831706f2009d7ca19fb758a998f/thumbnail_2066000.jpg","/articles/6292065/Connecticut/Board-approves-grades-612-social-studies-curriculum-removes-New-Britain-history-course-for-revision","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292065-b0171e310271331300e4b8e03f4a805a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707641&Signature=RbnRmNK1N5spQljOGqM8Hur7TusLt94viRhsu3g7xzRzu-Yb0rGKoBEOwVzY9OHIVeYc1zQkWQANMUctdhKxSNxNh4-KBzIejxUfM8qbgEeiY1LRJO-Auag1eDXt96psrcyiH~0Qb07f0ulUAcc19uv9Yk-mjcFWP2ARVJliEnJeRJLq~mpPeD9-GdF3hdNObQjSmnpHpMYke-LW2JKf1rMrzN6zloGRbdqEDA8VWq8bl8NLYWxY2zDgod6Xe0QS33oAN-lpEneQbx20dYHlBBzb5UiM0e8Rs~BvzTbApKup2u4m7QyHeqJ4kpuoZXByKwICTIZJDIwNWLJXcQHV9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Britain School District Board of Education on March 4 approved a new social-studies curriculum for grades 6–12 but removed the proposed New Britain history course for further revision after several board members said it omitted significant local material.

\"This curriculum is very lacking,\" Board member Tony Kane said during a lengthy exchange criticizing the proposed New Britain history unit for not naming local inventors, entrepreneurs or notable residents he expected to see listed, and for giving only a quick overview. Kane urged additions including local historical figures and inventions he said are part of the city's heritage.

Other board members and staff raised process questions about how much content can reasonably be covered in a half-year course and whether expanding the unit to a full-year offering would affect scheduling and access. Curriculum staff asked that suggested edits be funneled through the board president to the superintendent so revisions can be evaluated for standards alignment and schedule impact.

Board members debated whether to delay approval for all social-studies materials; ultimately the board rescinded the previous full approval motion and approved the social-studies curriculum for grades 6–12 with the New Britain history course removed for further work. The vote was taken by voice; the transcript records \"Aye\" for approval and does not record a roll-call tally.

Superintendent Dr. Gasper and curriculum staff said they would accept specific, written suggestions and return revised proposals to committee for further review. Board members asked for attention to balance and to avoid duplicative rework by staff.","After extended discussion about local history content and course length, the board approved the district's social-studies curriculum for grades 6–12 but voted to exclude the proposed New Britain history course pending further work and specific additions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6292069,"New Britain middle schools report smoother classrooms after Yonder pouch rollout",263,214000,477000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2528156-0332f831706f2009d7ca19fb758a998f&start=214&end=477","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2528156-0332f831706f2009d7ca19fb758a998f/thumbnail_214000.jpg","/articles/6292069/Connecticut/New-Britain-middle-schools-report-smoother-classrooms-after-Yonder-pouch-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292069-eb8c52fe9a1c09cd522cf21aac9fe77b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707641&Signature=f~jklHTZZIKZpDTh39VZWd~0OIOlfts7wYHlLDLBlg~ytqxzh7-rqajlITYRlU2R4aHTBmV5JNxoRNOx92fdITqh9qurcSB8~AIR8QZHkpB6pN9gmfBrHSpFoKD7nicSVYNFxyfUNefXoJI~V83nc3Kr4w94HErUK0562VqQtWsXgs1DgSPTYR4pDE7sqTvnr2uYM6rceb28p1UayiB3bsUqngYKex5JCq-uMKaT3qMSwE4W2B9I6YnO-fmuvvv9Y-3inupZ7N2tRBWOPO-Gj2jdzwbcKhxpKFz0oz7luc32V9H5XSrJrc0bEt5zHMyKvAqlyarT9ZfMU1buV1h2Bw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two New Britain School District administrators told the board on March 4 that students at two middle schools have largely accepted Yonder phone pouches and that teachers are seeing fewer phone-related disruptions.

Pulaski Middle School and a second middle school began rolling out the pouches earlier this year; Pulaski reported the pouches were embraced quickly and that teachers have reported phones are not in classrooms. \"We had 6 percent of our Yonder pouches that looked to have been damaged and were lost. And that's with a total of over 900 students,\" said Miss Whitehead, who presented the Pulaski update.

Miss Major, who spoke for the other middle school, said preparation with students, families and staff helped produce a smooth transition. \"Parents are coming to get the phones,\" she said, noting the school has recorded 58 parent pickups since January. Both presenters said many students tried a pouch once and then complied; Miss Major said the district had not seen second-pouch payments at her site.

Administrators gave specific program details: the first replacement pouch costs $10 and a subsequent replacement is $22.50, and Pulaski reported a total of 81 pouch incidents described as damaged or lost. School leaders said the change has coincided with more student-to-student interaction and fewer phone-driven incidents, though they cautioned that comprehensive discipline data are still being assembled.

Board member Tony Cain told the board his school saw a 77% drop in discipline incidents after a similar rollout; the board and staff emphasized that such figures are preliminary and that the district will collect more formal data. Tyrone Richardson was cited by staff as a point of contact for analyzing cell-phone–related discipline trends.

Superintendent Dr. Gasper introduced the presenters and asked the board to look for districtwide data over the next months before drawing firm conclusions. Administrators said parent cooperation and consistent staff enforcement were essential to the implementation and that they would report updated metrics to the board in coming months.","Presentations from two middle-school administrators said Yonder phone pouches have been widely adopted, with dozens of damaged pouches and dozens of parent pick-ups but early signs of improved student engagement; staff said discipline data remain preliminary.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves IEP policy update, contract for speech services, calendar and settlements; votes at a glance

Board approves grades 6–12 social-studies curriculum, removes New Britain history course for revision

New Britain middle schools report smoother classrooms after Yonder pouch rollout