New Haven Board of Education Meeting Monday, Dec. 14, at 5:30, Martinez School, 100 James St.

UPDATE: The agenda confirms the superintendent's contract extension will be considered at this meeting.

Meetings of the Board of Education are an opportunity for teachers, students, families, and community members to witness and participate in the decision-making about our schools.  Monday will be the final New Haven Board of Education meeting of 2015.  Though the agenda is not usually published until Sunday night, it seems likely two key issues will be discussed:

1. The vote to extend the current superintendent's contract is being considered before the end of 2015.  As next Monday's meeting is the final one of the year, the decision may be announced then.  Some object that such a significant decision should not be made with a Board of Education that is currently in transition.  If this concern resonates with you, you can read and sign this petition to postpone that vote until next month.

2. The Board of Education is currently in transition and is dealing with an issue that was made public last month: our BoE has 8 voting members, while the charter only allows for 7.  This was discussed at the previous Board of Education meeting where a proposal to keep all 8 voting members was announced.  One of the newly-elected BoE members, Darnell Goldson, wrote this op-ed raising concerns about the proposal to allow 8 voting members and disregarding the charter's referendum that legally only allows for 7 members.  The vote on this decision will happen at next Monday's BoE meeting.

Both of these issues will have an impact on the leadership of the school district and Board of Education.  You can attend the Board of Education meeting on Monday, December 14, 2015 @ 5:30PM at John S. Martinez School (100 James Street).