Superintendent's Newsletter
March 2018
State Champions!
Congratulations to CRHS Girls’ Basketball team who defeated SMSA (The Sport and Medical Sciences Academy) to capture the Class S State Championship on Saturday, March 17th. The team, Head Coach Chris Watson and Assistant Coaches Megan Kavanaugh and Audrey Biesak, will be recognized at the April 4th Board of Education meeting.
Communication
Board Chairman Bob Moore shares a favorite book with Brewster students
Memorial's first Unified Basketball tournament
Strong 7th graders engaged in Reaction Time Lab
Budget Update
The Superintendent’s proposed budget was presented to the Board of Education on February 14th. The proposed budget of $35, 479, 692 represents a 0% change from the current year’s operating budget. While the proposed budget is not exactly the same as our current year’s budget is in an overall 0% change due to the decrease in projected expenditures. On the day of the budget presentation we learned of the school violence that took place in Parkland, Florida at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and subsequently experienced a social media threat directed at Coginchaug Regional High School. Our budget included items that maintain and improve our safety and security efforts, but in the past four weeks, with an enhanced look at safety and security, I have included additional items. Suggestions were shared with the Board of Education and the Board will once again review the proposals on Monday, March 26th. The Board will consider priorities including improved buzzer entry systems and cameras, installation of 3M window film on school windows, enhanced vestibules and kiosk entry system, and improved signage at all schools. The suggestions for increased personnel include a School Resource Officer and additional School Security Monitor at the high school. The proposal for the School Security Monitor includes hiring that person now and keeping them until the end of the school year.
The suggestions for physical plant improvements come as a result of collaboration with Tom Lenart from the State Department of Education, Silver Petrucelli Architects, Rob Francis, Ken Pietrasko and conversations with our leadership team and building staff members. A proposal for a School Resource Officer was included in my proposed budget in 2015, but was not supported at the time primarily due to the fact that the position would have been shared with the Town of Durham. This proposal is for a full-time, 180 day SRO in District 13. Coginchaug along with many schools across the state had a SRO supported by state grant money. When the funding was eliminated the district did not continue the SRO program. Many school districts again, or still, have this model in their district. Although the position would be primarily located at the high school, support and assistance will be district-wide. This position would add skill and expertise to our leadership team and would provide support to students, staff, families as well as a link to and from local law enforcement. Our SRO would provide the following: weekly surveillance of all district schools, assistance with all drills and any safety incidents, attendance at after school and evening events as necessary, assistance with safety planning including protocols and manuals, connection and support for at-risk students and families, program and educational leadership in DARE, Mock Crash, DUI, social media, substance issues, juvenile justice system, and careers in law enforcement. All SROs receive specific training that is pertinent and updated to assure relevant support to school communities. If you have questions about the importance of this position in our district, other suggested security improvements, or any other part of the budget, please reach out to me.
John Lyman students meet with author David Biedrzycki
An 8th grade student in Woodshop at Strong
The annual Mr. Coginchaug competition
Happy 50th Regional School District 13!
Community Survey
Please see the below message from the Durham Middlefield Wellness Coalition.
The Durham Middlefield Wellness Coalition wants to learn more about adult perceptions and attitudes towards youth substance use. The results of this survey will better inform us about the needs of prevention programming for our communities.
The survey will take about 5 minutes to complete. This survey is completely anonymous and does NOT ask for information which could identify you.
Thank you again for your support, we could not do this without you!!
Community Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DurhamMiddlefieldCommunitySurvey2018
Kathryn Y. Veronesi, Ed.D.
Email: kveronesi@rsd13.org
Website: http://www.rsd13ct.org
Phone: 860 349 7200