Report from the CPLT

Summary of yesterday's CPLT meeting:

(1) Superintendent Harries briefed us on the $3 million budget gap, the measures taken so far to fill it (cutting some middle school classes) and the expectation that more cuts will be needed.

(2)  He also introduced his "listening tour" and the schedule for that.  If you want to meet the superintendent and give him feedback and suggestions, he will be at Lincoln-Bassett school on Sept. 18 at 5:15, and then will visit a different school each Wednesday.  ESUMS isn't on the schedule yet.  There will also be an open-to-the-public board-of-ed meeting on Saturday, 9/21, from 9-1 at East Rock Magnet School.

(3)  He assured us that he is working actively on getting the new ESUMS building approved by the Board of Aldermen.  He said the Sept. 16 meeting would NOT be the meeting where the building and budget are discussed, but that they would address the issue before the state deadline passes.

(4)  The CPLT then broke into committees and taskforces to address: school nursing, college prep issues, after-school programs, school websites, calendar issues, enrollment issues, and TAG.

(5)  A speaker from New Haven Promise presented some graphs to show how the program is growing. Only 200 students actually qualified and received Promise money last year, but the program is still quite new.  Parents should carefully read the requirements posted at http://newhavenpromise.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/NHP_2012v2.pdf and then try to track down that elusive "Rule Book."

(6) Stephanie Kilburne spoke about Powerschool.  ** If you are having difficulty accessing your child's records, she advises the following: (1) On the login page, it is not enough to use the password that shows on your powerschool letter.  You actually must click on "Create Account," use that temporary password to help you create the account, but then you must set your own password.  (2)  In the screen where you list your children's names, make sure that you fill in YOUR id and passcodes from the letter, not theirs.  (3) We will try to have some one-on-one help available at the ESUMS Open House.

(7)  Several speakers then addressed the district-wide recess policy.  By October 1st, schools should have formed a parent-teacher-staff recess committee who will submit a recess plan by Nov. 1st.  All children K-6 will get recess starting in January.

(8)  A speaker from Hillhouse High School raised the issue of the new and terribly burdensome procedure the school district is enforcing on parent volunteers.  No parents are supposed to be in a school building without fingerprints, background checks, DCF checks, and various paperwork.  She argued, correctly, that this will kill off all parent involvement and needs to be changed urgently.

(9)  The parent pursuing a CPLT mayoral debate reported that one of the candidates is not interested.  He is still hoping to find the other candidate interested, which perhaps will encourage the uninterested party.

(10)  The following activities were announced:
Parent Resource Fair, Thursday 10/17
Parent University, Saturday 11/2
Family Portraits at East Rock Magnet School, 11/21 ($10 sitting fee, packages for sale)
Diaper Bank needs donations (diaperbanknetwork.org)