[{"_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",6557515,"mediaKeyId","3291211-da71cdd5bfb372433f2d6b05a947509f","parentId",3291211,"title","Board approves series of personnel contracts, adopts restorative-practices policy and waives rental fees; animal-rescue parking request tabled","audioSeconds",7,"startMs",8399000,"endMs",8392000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3291211-da71cdd5bfb372433f2d6b05a947509f&start=8399&end=8392","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3291211-da71cdd5bfb372433f2d6b05a947509f/thumbnail_8399000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6557515/Connecticut/Board-approves-series-of-personnel-contracts-adopts-restorative-practices-policy-and-waives-rental-fees-animal-rescue-parking-request-tabled","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557515-996c09fb0106048cf0067bebcb173b85/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122135&Signature=osrW-TFZxRQ99yVKtqVrg5medK7p2oedQZ855yu5DcTTzy6qfNjx2k5lSbqkEE58OQLdJ4u2CV1PsbYDq49AewaQPXLaxEh7f8~8JWefNia~x9xtcJZK-iaY49VZwnoa6eydGgblHR83WUqriMlWxikKVCLq~DALWzobBvDe9~m5ZpM3XfH~0It51egC3dI6b2tbHMAbRPAzy~e2vWjVv-d~duOUaNhl4ZIJZLaWay6-A5lRdnZYvcoOs96iSf8xM8gXKamBKBYhQoYECIVTnyZvN7Hz6fgOakXZIGEINR7qhCR2Spz0Nztzm3V~HRY2QwHUOX~8YV0d~RS7oeZ-Xg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","East Haven School District","date","2025-05-13T19:39:46Z","article","The East Haven School District board approved a package of personnel contracts, adopted a new restorative-practices policy and granted two rental-fee waivers at its meeting. Members also discussed and declined to act on a separate parking-lot waiver request from Army's Legacy Animal Rescue and Sanctuary.

The board voted to approve a mid-management bargaining-unit contract, a registered behavior technician (RBT) contract template for new hires, two occupational-therapy personnel contracts and a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) personnel contract. The board adopted new policy 5144.12 (restorative practices response). Roll-call votes were recorded for each item.

Why it matters: the personnel approvals set contract terms and pay changes for several positions in special education and student support, while the policy adoption formalizes the district's restorative-practices response approach. The rental waivers affect how the high school facilities will be used by outside groups and how associated fees are applied.

Most significant votes and what they mean

- Mid-management bargaining-unit contract (motion to approve): passed by roll call (Yes: DePalma, Johnson, Putney, Santiago, Stacy, DeLucia; No: Hennessy, Torello; Abstain: DeLongo, Putney recorded earlier as abstain) — recorded counts: 5 yes, 2 no, 2 abstain. The motion carried.

- Registered behavior technician contract template (motion to approve): passed (Yes: DePalma, Hennessy, Johnson, Putney, Santiago, Stacy, DeLucia; Abstain: DeLongo, Torello). The template will be used for future RBT hires.

- Occupational-therapy personnel contracts (two separate contracts, motion to approve both): passed by roll call (majority yes, two abstentions).

- Board-certified behavior analyst personnel contract (motion to approve): passed by roll call (majority yes, two abstentions).

- Policy 5144.12—Restorative practices response (motion to adopt): unanimously approved.

- Rental-waiver requests from the New Haven Football Officials Association: two requests were approved by roll call votes—the first for use of classroom space (Room S106) on six dates and the second for seven dates of varsity football-field use at East Haven High School. Both motions carried with an 8–1 margin (one board member opposed).

- Rental-waiver request from Army's Legacy Animal Rescue and Sanctuary for use of the high-school parking lot (Aug. 10): the board asked for more information and took no action at this meeting.

Details included in board discussion

RBT contract template: staff presented changes to the RBT contract template that will apply to future hires. Key clarifications included: the template will be a one-year contract (current RBT employees remain under the prior three-year terms for their remaining years); base pay for the first year remains $25 per hour; a 90-working-day probationary period was added; duties language was revised to reflect that RBTs work under the direction of the supervising BCBA as well as classroom special-education staff; sick-day wording was adjusted to prorate sick days for late start dates; and the district will continue to cover the RBT certification training (presenters stated the training cost is $150) but removed the prior multi-year tuition-reimbursement “payback” schedule because the contract term was shortened to one year. These contract terms were described in the personnel workshop portion of the meeting prior to the board vote.

Occupational-therapy and BCBA contracts: the two occupational-therapist contracts and the BCBA contract were presented as renewals/extensions. Each occupational-therapy contract was described as a three-year renewal with a 3% increase each year, changes to how wages are paid over the fiscal year for a 10-month employee (option to spread pay over 12 months or receive lump-sum summer pay), a switch to accrual-based sick-leave earning (described as 1.25 days per month to reach 15 days/year), jury-duty pay language, a change to an \"Essential Choice\" dental plan, and adjustments to HSA deposit timing. The BCBA contract was presented as a three-year renewal with similar percentage increases for wages and incremental insurance cost-share changes.

Restorative-practices policy: the board adopted new policy 5144.12 by unanimous roll call. No substantive amendments were recorded during the meeting discussion.

Rental waivers: the board approved waiver requests from the New Haven Football Officials Association for classroom meeting dates (six) and field dates (seven). Board discussion noted the requester is a nonprofit organization that provides required professional development for high-school officials; the board referenced the district's rental-fee policy, which allows reduced fees for local nonprofits. Board members discussed precedent and the public-safety rationale for supporting officials’ training.

Army's Legacy Animal Rescue and Sanctuary parking-lot request: the board asked administrators to collect more information before acting. The packet included social-media descriptions that mentioned food trucks, music, a raffle, porta-potties and references to beverage giveaways; board members raised questions about insurance, garbage/removal costs, whether food vendors would have proper licensing and insurance and whether animals would be on campus. The board directed staff to follow up rather than approve the waiver at this meeting.

What the board directed staff to do

- Use the approved RBT template for future hires and file the adopted personnel contracts.
- Return with additional information and a proposed contract/requirements for Army's Legacy Animal Rescue and Sanctuary if the group re-submits a waiver request (insurance certificates, food-vendor licensing, waste-management plan and clarification about animals on campus).

Ending

The meeting closed with routine scheduling and reminders. The board's next regular meeting date was posted in the agenda packet as May 27; members and staff indicated they would follow up on the animal-rescue request and on implementation details for the newly approved contracts and policy.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/13/25 East Haven Board of Education Mtgs.","oneSentenceSummary","The East Haven School District board approved a package of personnel contracts, adopted restorative-practices policy 5144.12 and granted rental-fee waivers to a referee-training group, while tabling a parking-lot waiver for an animal-rescue group.","taxTitle","East Haven School District, School Districts, Connecticut","taxId",58197,"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},6557504,"Elementary library aide warns that planned staffing cuts would hurt students' reading access",55,7300000,7355000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3291211-da71cdd5bfb372433f2d6b05a947509f&start=7300&end=7355","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3291211-da71cdd5bfb372433f2d6b05a947509f/thumbnail_7300000.jpg","/articles/6557504/Connecticut/Elementary-library-aide-warns-that-planned-staffing-cuts-would-hurt-students-reading-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557504-215abb451c1d449fc8378df21475db60/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122135&Signature=cFBEIRrzOdczD14J~MtsXenEy9AERGU~kcObVzHEHpg8ebbh9LXjt2ckFMgEk2iA9kBqLisjuYf3lyjwFmlkanUWWjg0TUcvodYuEp7JZvqe638d9a4HJD5eMJW4fUdmOhqBx3qHzComk6gTWdJn1qtw2D5Y7Ad~GpeQ-W7L447LJpBmRTThtAnkDCxVB1TA40H6AAEpZmO0tl3ahyEOSfe-qRnTCefPL3fGox8vllLHptJeCLl120VGsYxbTjwfv7bItO-A8qDJcus7ZppM0lomHXe-e4IrN~KhoUmQHPz2VT9bsl2Flk390oBzFrY~ZLc9GKWJND1vCjpFIOhAAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kelly Delucia, a library aide at Mamawin (Mamogwin/Mowgwin) School, addressed the board during the audience-of-citizens portion to oppose a plan she said would eliminate elementary library aides districtwide and retain library aides only at the middle and high school levels.

Delucia identified herself as the library aide at Mamawin School and said she and colleagues see classes daily, help students find appropriate books and have supported fundraising and donor projects to update the elementary library. She said the school’s book fair has generated about $10,000 in scholastic dollars over roughly two-and-a-half years, and that two DonorsChoose projects brought roughly $2,000 in supplies with another project pending. She described her role as part time (15 hours per week) and said cutting the elementary library-aide positions would be \"a disappointment to the kids\" who use the library and benefit from daily interactions.

Why it matters: elementary library aides often support daily class visits, circulation, book selection and reading promotion. Removing those positions could reduce direct staff time helping young readers find books and participate in school reading events.

What the speaker requested and next steps

Delucia asked the board to consider the impact on students and explained the library program's role in promoting reading. The transcript records her remarks but does not show a board vote or a formal response from the board at that time; administrators and board members did not place a separate action item on the agenda during the same meeting.

Ending

No formal board action on the library-aide staffing plan was recorded in the meeting transcript; the comment was entered into the public record for the board to consider in future budget and staffing discussions.","An East Haven elementary library aide urged the board to keep elementary library aides after hearing of a plan to eliminate all library aides except for the middle and high schools. The speaker said the library program and book fair support student reading engagement and resources.",{"_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},6557511,"East Haven High opens greenhouse; culinary and transition programs integrate gardening into coursework",775,5199000,5974000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3291211-da71cdd5bfb372433f2d6b05a947509f&start=5199&end=5974","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3291211-da71cdd5bfb372433f2d6b05a947509f/thumbnail_5199000.jpg","/articles/6557511/Connecticut/East-Haven-High-opens-greenhouse-culinary-and-transition-programs-integrate-gardening-into-coursework","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557511-283d51971042ccf4f5082c8ad88d264c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122135&Signature=UZhelKu-2N83XuSK7c~XMU~seGgxtTqQZuRE-FqmzZqkLewFky1THBRsepOp76~d1qDsCb1QTFu37y0auRwFLsUjV37PkNmuWDsXM5HQhuXknpj4BBdN4FTiRsbgeTKQTFDvjvT3fZE3yGDEoN54D2AM6r62KFTZHNoVrNiPJw-U9rkj4SHK6-i4j4QU7K6zAxZMzdKuqJVhA6Gnk6ogg8d9v46vByn2DDYG5LsV6Ad0KDFzRMcFi1dKA8xo8nI1P~um5t7Hs93QnZzvXQ2sI2v3YnDXSuT7nDEExCEWYtxVv0C2zB7CldmmeyO8xgOWdt5k86eb-mOsQpYjKxAdlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","East Haven High School presenters described a newly completed greenhouse and expanded garden program to the school board, saying the space will support culinary instruction, career-technical education (CTE) classes, special-education transition work and school-based health initiatives.

Why it matters: the greenhouse and garden are presented as interdisciplinary instructional space that district staff say can support hands-on learning (culinary, woodworking, manufacturing, horticulture and science), vocational skills for transition students and therapeutic programming in collaboration with the school-based health center. The effort was funded by a competitive School-Based Health Alliance grant and has received temporary certificate-of-occupancy status, presenters said.

What staff told the board

- Grant and construction: presenters said the School-Based Health Alliance grant fully funded the greenhouse project. They reported receiving a temporary certificate of occupancy and completing construction quickly after being awarded funds in January. The grant was described as supporting more than planting — it funds integration of the garden with therapy, health and instruction.

- Curriculum and interdisciplinary use: East Haven High culinary instructors Heather and John Perfetto described partnering with manufacturing, woodworking and science teachers to build garden beds, design infrastructure and create sustained projects such as pesto production, community events and curriculum for math, science and language arts. The chefs said the greenhouse will increase access to fresh produce for culinary classes and community events and support student learning about measurement, yield and food production.

- Transition program and student entrepreneurship: Chrissy Adanti Peterson, special-education transition teacher, and students Bryce and Emily described \"Exceptional Blooms and More,\" a student-run microbusiness that began with small floral arrangements and has expanded to sales, delivery logistics, inventory management and product development. Students demonstrated tasks they perform — order-taking, inventory tracking and flower arranging — and said the greenhouse will add horticulture and production experience to their vocational curriculum.

- Student impact and community support: presenters recounted hands-on student activities (building beds, mulching, harvesting) and community donations of materials. Staff cited examples of student outcomes — involvement in veterans’ luncheons, a local TV feature and significant engagement at a school fair. Presenters said community volunteers, district staff and CTE departments contributed materials, labor and expertise.

Quotes from presenters

\"It's gonna be so worth it\" — Heather Perfetto, East Haven High School culinary chef, describing the greenhouse's value for students and instruction.

\"We are now...Exceptional Blooms and More is a student run business\" — Chrissy Adanti Peterson, special-education teacher, describing the transition program's enterprise model.

Operational and next steps

Presenters said the greenhouse will host expanded summer programming, newcomer-specific supports funded by a separate competitive grant and project-based learning tied to literacy and vocational skills. Staff noted follow-up items such as soil testing, rainwater-collection planning, signage in multiple languages and coordination with facilities for long-term maintenance.

Ending

Board members and attendees praised students and staff for the project, and the board signaled support for continued community partnerships and for integrating the greenhouse into district programming.","Teachers and students showcased a new greenhouse and garden project at East Haven High School, funded through a School-Based Health Alliance grant and intended to support culinary instruction, CTE classes and a student-run special-education enterprise called Exceptional Blooms and More.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves series of personnel contracts, adopts restorative-practices policy and waives rental fees; animal-rescue parking request tabled

Elementary library aide warns that planned staffing cuts would hurt students' reading access

East Haven High opens greenhouse; culinary and transition programs integrate gardening into coursework