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Norwalk
Early Childhood Council / Kids Smart Start Minutes
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| Click here for minutes from September 12, 2007 |
CITY OF NORWALK
NORWALK EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL
NOVEMBER 14, 2007
ATTENDANCE: Betsy Bain, Chair; Betsy Perry, Mid-Fairfield Child Guidance Center; Jeanne Hard, parent; Christine Dudek-Ratushnuk, N.H.D; Barbara Fitzpatrick, STAR Rubino Center; Patricia Kierecki, N.C.D.P.; Marie-Ange Nicoles, Parent Rep – KSS; Joan Parris, Norwalk Community College; Rovitta Paul, Children’s Playhouse; Evelyn Balamaci, CT Dept. of Soc. Services; Linda Wilock, Norwalk Dept. of Youth Services; Dr. Sally Grose, Mor. Child. Found; Lynn Sadlon, Family Resource Center/Fox Run; George Hensinger, Nwlk Early Childhood Council; Cathy DeCesare, United Way of Norwalk & Wilton; Adele Gordon, Norwalk Smiles; Curtis Law, Norwalk Hsg. Authority; Ed Musante, Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce; Bea Krawicke, NPS; Marie E. Keogh, Catholic Charities; Mary Oster, Naramake Family Resource Center; Mary Budrawich, NPS, Dona Ditro, Kim Kuta, Stepping Stones Museum; Pamela Canla, Norwalk Hospital, Mindy Garcia, Norwalk Community Health Center.
STAFF: Barbara Smart
OTHERS: Sisi Susan Loayaa, NCC student, Tiffany McCarthy, FCA; Fresida
Betanwic, NCC student; Amanda Hoeitas, NCC student; Rev. Bruce Morris, NPS;
Sonja Ahuja, Graustein Memorial Fund; Victoria Schilling, NHFC/Norwalk Health
Department; David
Kennedy, United Way of Norwalk & Wilton; Beth Purcell, Five
Mile River Nursery; Mary Peniston, NPS
CALL TO ORDER
Ms. Bain called the meeting to order at 9:38 p.m.
APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER MINUTES
** DR. GROSS MOVED THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 12 2007 MINUTES.
The following corrections were noted:
Under ATTENDANCE: please change “Jeanne Harp” to “Jeanne Hard”.
Under ATTENDANCE: please change “Ravitta Paul” to “Rovitta Paul”.
Page 3, paragraph 3, line 8: please change the following from “ Farnon Group; and Sonia from the Graustein Memorial Fund” to “Farnam Group; and Sonja Ahuja from the Graustein Memorial Fund”.
Page 7, paragraph 4, line 1: please change the following from: “the committee structured” to “the committee structure”.
** THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 AS AMENDED PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Update
Grants
School Readiness Grant, Program and Issues
Ms. Wilock said that the State has asked for an update. Some communities have been returning extra funding and there is a possibility that Norwalk could get more funding for those who are already licensed providers who have space. Work is also being done on the SEC funding for next year. One issue may be start up costs for those who wish to expand.
Quality Enhancement.
Ms. Wilock said that the letter of award has arrived with the expected amount.
Local Capacity Building.
Ms. Bain said that the policy was that if decisions can be made at Council level, this would be done. Ms. Peniston said that the grant was due on Friday. This grant is for those who do not have Early Childhood development programs or to fill in the gaps for others. The data and accountability portion needs work. Discussions on this are going well with the City. One requirement is that the City must match dollar for dollar. This grant request will be for a $50,000. Ms. Peniston then reviewed the details of the plan. $40,000 of the matching funds will be used for a job position. The job description is being developed. The goal would be to produce a report every year.
** MR. LAW MOVED TO AUTHORIZE MS. BAIN TO SIGN THE GRANT AUTHORIZATION RFP ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL.
Ms. Peniston said that there was a discussion with the Finance Committee and recommends that the Norwalk Public Schools serve as the Fiscal agent for the grant.
Ms. Parris said that facilities investment and planning and the early childhood and transitional development, which includes assessment and kindergarten transition. This includes quality. The fourth portion would be getting a better handle on behavioral work that has been done. There were several questions about the details of this
Ms. Bain said that originally minutes would only be required for this committee, but the State would like to have minutes from the committees. Minutes will be kept from the Committees will be kept in Barbara and Linda’s offices. Ms. Wilock said that the minutes from this meeting would be posted on the city’s website.
** THE MOTION TO AUTHORIZE MS. BAIN TO SIGN THE GRANT AUTHORIZATION RFP ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
United Way Presentation.
Mr. Kennedy and Ms. DeCesare came forward and greeted the Council. He thanked everyone for being part of the United Way. He said that this Council was moving ahead on the education of the young children. Because of this work, it has helped what United Way is and this has resulted on how United Way views things. The old model was to provide funding to agencies, but now the goal is to improve lives. This will bring about community change. Mr. Kennedy said that the $50,000 is significant because the United Way only invests about 1 million dollars in a community a year. Mr. Kennedy and Ms. DeCesare then presented a check to Ms. Bain for $50,000.
Ms. Bain said that when the Discovery grant was initiated about six or seven years, the United Way gave of their resources, their time and their personnel. Mr. Kennedy has brought a wonderful perspective, which encouraged everyone to expand the organization’s horizons.
Capital improvements grant
The grant for $72,000 to bring Marvin under one roof has been received. Now are just starting with the City as the fiscal agent. The construction work is just starting and needs to be finished by June. A request for $75,000 had been submitted but the final amount received was $72,000. Two floors in classrooms, the playground area surfaces are being replaced along with some other projects.
IV APPROVAL OF THE BYLAWS
Ms. Bain said that the policy was for the Council to do a first reading and
then bring the item back for discussion and revisions. The bylaws that were
emailed out appeared in September with a few additional suggestions that were
made at the September meeting.
Ms. Bain then reviewed the changes that were suggested.
** MR. LAW MOVED TO APPROVE BYLAWS.
It was noted that on page 2, the second paragraph, first line contains the phrase “ at School Readiness Council meetings”. This will be adjusted accordingly.
** MR. HENSINGER MOVED TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT IN THE COMMITTEE BYLAWS ON PAGE 3, NUMBER 7:
FROM: “STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE CHAIRPERSON WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL TO ACHIEVE THE TASKS IDENTIFIED BY THE COUNCIL. COMMITTEE CHAIRS WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL.
PARTICIPATION ON A COMMITTEE DOES NOT REQUIRE MEMBERSHIP ON THE COUNCIL. COMMITTEES MAY BE TIME LIMTED OR ONGOING. THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND/OR THE COUNCIL MUST APPRIVE RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION.”
TO: ““STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE CHAIRPERSON WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL TO ACHIEVE THE TASKS IDENTIFIED BY THE COUNCIL. COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL DEMOCRATICALLY ELECT A CHAIR, OR CO-CHAIR TO LEAD AND REPRESENT THEM. ONLY IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO AGREE FOR ANY REASON, SUCH AS A TIED VOTE WOULD THE COUNCIL CHAIR EXERCISE THE PREROGATIVE TO SETTLE THE SELECTION.
Ms. Bain then reviewed the details of approving the amendment.
** DR. GROSE CALLED THE QUESTION.
** THE MOTION PASSED WITH 19 IN FAVOR (DITRIO, BALAMACI, FITZPATRICK, PARRIS, GROSE, SADLON, DUDEK RATUSHNUK, PAUL, HENSINGER, OSTER, HARD, KUTA, NICOLAS, GARCIA, KIERECKI, KEOGH, KRAWIECKI, PERRY, GORDON) AND THREE AGAINST (WILOCK, BUDARWICH, LAW).
Mr. Kennedy had to leave but Ms. DeCesare said that he had concerns about the opening membership statement including the ethnic diversity of the community. Ms. Bain was asked to review the overall issue, which she did.
A discussion then followed on the procedures, including the bylaws, the policies, and then the regulations. Ms. Bain suggested that the Council consider approving the bylaws as they are written and then amend the wording at another meeting. Wording can be crafted which could be sent out to the members for consideration before the next meeting.
** THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE BYLAWS AS AMENDED PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
V. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Ms. Bain said that she thought that the subcommittees should be committees. This was agreeable to all. Ms. Bain said that the Council will not normally review every Committee report and will request that the Committees will submit minutes to Ms. Sharp’s office.
School Readiness Council
Ms. Bain said that there has been a review of the School Readiness Council procedures. These policies will be brought back to the Council for general approval. In order to accomplish this, Ms. Wilock and Ms. Smart will review these and address issues that have arisen since the last review.
Ms. Budrawich said that the issues that appear to applicable as they are written will most likely be brought to the Council in January, those that need minor adjusting next and then the final group which will require serious work at a later date. Hopefully, this process will be finished by May.
The State has announced that they will continue to rewrite their policies and issue alerts. This Council is required to adopt the State policies.
Another item that was discussed was the approval of the fall RFP. The report that Ms. Budrawich gave to the Board of Ed will be presented under Review & Section/Capacity report.
Data
Ms. Peniston then distributed copies of a report from the Data Committee. Mr. Nickel of Holt, Wexler & Farnam has been instrumental in developing this document. This is a draft of the data points that have been looked at and the working assumptions for the data committee and finally a copy of a work plan. Ms. Peniston then reviewed the details outlined in the document. Mr. Hensinger said that there would be some issues would be handled by the Quality Committee. Ms. Peniston said that there would be times when the Data Committee will be serving as a support committee to the other committees.
Regional and State Liaison
Ms. Bain said that this committee has not met at this time. She then asked Ms. Budrawich. what has happened recently. Ms. Budrawich said that it would be important to survey the audience to develop additional connections.
Regarding the Early Childhood Cabinet, Ms. Budrawich said that there are work forces for the Early Childhood Cabinet and a 23 page long report was issued in October. The next cabinet meeting on Monday 19th, will review the report. The cabinet is exploring issues and making decisions on how money will be allocated and how the policies will be created. One major issue that is being addressed is the work force i.e. teachers in early education programs issue. Requests for qualifications requirement increase, but the work force has not been increasing. The question is how to produce enough teachers who are trained and qualified for early childhood education. Discussion about this issue then followed.
Mr. Hensinger, of the Conn. Parent Power, then reviewed the recent State legislation meeting on October 20th. Early Care and Education, Universal Health Care for Children, the 2006 Parent Engagement Policy for Public Schools, and a Common Chart of Accounts were discussed at the meeting.
Program/Quality
Ms. Parris said that the Committee had met and leverage some funds for Quality Enhancement to support programs like after school workshops. A literacy workshop with Dr. Bill Scharer has been scheduled in December in the Community Room. A number of different workshops have been planned.
Provider Network
Ms. Oster said that the committee meets monthly and have discussed issues such as the Work Force and the status of the re-accreditation of the providers.
Transition
Ms. Budrawich said that the Transition Committee met for the first time on the 13th. The discussion centered on the documents and procedures. While other communities would like to use the documents that have been created for developing their own programs, the Committee sees room for improvement. There is a need for a push to get the children registered for kindergarten much earlier.
Review & Selection Capacity
Ms. Wilock said that the Committee has not met yet, but that this Committee will have the job of looking at capacity and the broader issues associated with this rather than responding only to the yearly RFP.
Ms. Budrawich said that she had presented to the Board of Education regarding the School Readiness capacity in Brookside and Marvin elementary schools. This will be a long process. The Board of Education can write a RFP for this, but this will not guarantee that the funds will be received. Ms. Budrawich then reviewed the deadline calendar. The proposal is to have a certified teacher with a paraprofessional in each classroom. Ms. Sadlon Moritz thanked Ms. Budrawich for her hard work because Stamford had to return funds because they were not prepared. Ms. Bain said that she appreciated on the current providers for their ability to adapt to the new requirements.
NHFC/Health Partners
Christine Dudek Ratushnuk said that there are several issues that will need to be prioritized. In December, the Committee will be considering this.
Parent Information and Engagement
Ms. Nicolas reported that the Committee will meet monthly and had 24 parents at the first meeting. In December, there will be another workshop and the next meeting in January
Finance
Mr. Musante came forward and said that there was a lot of discussion about
early childhood at a recent meeting he had attended. The Committee has met twice.,
Mr. Musante reviewed the members of the committee. The function of the finance
committee is to secure funding in any possible way, to manage those funds and
insure that the various requirements of the funding is met and general oversight.
Currently the committee is working on the current grant applications, developing
the resources for these groups, including non-traditional sources. Meeting minutes
will be available via Ms. Smart.
OTHER
A discussion followed about whether the committee reports should be reviewed at each council meeting. Ms. Peniston suggested that the Council focus on one priority issue per meeting and secondly having time sensitive issues sent to various people that will direct people to the various committee meetings. Dr. Grose suggested that perhaps meeting once a month might help in the beginning until the issues are established. Ms. Paul asked if there could be a committee report schedule such as three committees per meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
There were no general announcements.
ADJOURNMENT
Ms. Bain adjourned the meeting at 11:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon Soltes
Telesco Secretarial Services
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