LIGHT HOUSE TRAINING LINK

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/board/minutes2010/Minutes_adhoc_acc_110110.pdf


CONNECTICUT STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Hartford
Ad Hoc Committee on Accountability
Jay Voss, Chair
Janet M. Finneran
Allan B. Taylor
Minutes of Meeting
November 1, 2010


Status of Windham Public Schools
Interim Superintendent Ana Ortiz was present along with several town board members, central
office staff and other town officials.
Interim Superintendent Ortiz commented that a second audit is taking place that is looking into
fiscal, data, demographics, curriculum and ELLs. This audit will be presented to the town board.
She, also, thanked the committee for inviting her to this meeting. Windham Public Schools
became a partner district in 2007-08 and their DIP has been revamped several times (the DIP was
originally approved by the State Board of Education November 2008). The expectation is that
their Data Teams will be exemplary by June 2011. Hispanic males are not making it in the
middle school and high school. A gap continues and high school students are not faring well.
Lighthouse Training will start this Wednesday night. To date, the achievement gap continues to
be the largest in the state. In the next five years, Windham will be losing 80 percent of their
teachers. Windham public schools need drastic changes. Before they can move forward and look
objectively, they must change everything. They are already looking at the research done on the
second audit and work is in progress.
Mr. Taylor commented on what kind of changes. The response was governance structure,
decision makers and union contracts.
Commissioner McQuillan commented on the letter from the town board and that the sense of
urgency was not clearly heard at the town board meeting about filling the superintendent
position. The town board needs to start immediately on the search for filling the superintendent
position.
Interim Superintendent Ortiz commented that the hours and competitive pay for the teachers is a
problem. The first analysis is in January and Lighthouse Training should be integrated.
Commissioner McQuillan commented that the reconstitution of the district board may happen.
Changes need to be sufficient, evidence of improving scores need to be sufficient. It is all about
results. There is a protocol for reconstitution. It is in the law and there is a clear process.
Interim Superintendent Ortiz commented that it is essential that the large community of Hispanic
students be brought into the mix. She, also, stated that a Community Task Force has been
established and that there is an open door policy with this task force. There is a serious
community issue.
Interim Superintendent Ortiz commented that tensions exist between the school community and
political leaders. Everyone has to get involved and look at the problems. The audit will give
Windham better information on what needs to be done. Data will be analyzed, synthesized and community groups will get together and discuss what processes need to be done. Data from the
audit will be given to us in December 2010 and then onto the Forum for Community in
February/March 2011 to make concrete recommendations. Everyone has come together so far.
Mr. Taylor and Commissioner McQuillan discussed the possibility of coming to Windham’s
board meeting in December.
Meeting was adjourned at 11:20 a.m.