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Common Council
Actions
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COMMON COUNCIL ACTION
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
MAY 25, 2004
ALL COMMON COUNCIL ACTIONS TAKEN AT THIS MEETING TO APPROVE EXPENDITURES AND CONTRACTS OR TO ACCEPT BIDS AND OTHER PROPOSALS REQUIRING THE EXPENDITURE OF CITY FUNDS ARE SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK, IS HEREBY CALLED AND WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2004 AT 7:00 P.M. DST IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT NORWALK CITY HALL, 125 EAST AVENUE, NORWALK, FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES TO WIT:
I. ROLL CALL
Betsy Bain (7:20) Bruce Kimmel (7:47 pm)
Kenneth Baker (absent) Richard McQuaid
Fred Bondi (7:18 pm) Matthew Miklave (7:37 pm)
Michael Coffey (7:54 pm) Jeanette Olmstead-Sawyer
Carvin Hilliard Kevin Poruban
Douglas Hempstead (8:01pm)Douglas Sutton
William Krummel Peter Wien (absent)
Leona Williams (7:57 pm)
There were six (6) members present at Roll Call.
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II. ACCEPTANCE OF THE CALL OF THE MEETING
Mayor Knopp read the call of the meeting. There were no objections.
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III. MAYOR
Mayor Knopp thanked Dr. Corda and members of the Board of Education for attending the meeting. Tonight they would be receiving an update from the Superintendent about the status of the school technology plan that was fully funded three years at the same time noting the importance of this.
Mayor Knopp introduced the city’s new IT Director, Karen Del Vecchio.
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IV. NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1. To receive a briefing from the Board of Education on the Status
of The School
Technology Plan.
Dr. Corda stated that what he hoped to accomplish tonight is to give a sense of what it is the Board of Education has approved in terms of the technology plan and also the instructional program they propose for the middle schools.
Mr. Bondi joined the meeting at 7:18 pm.
Dr. Corda said to put this into context, the District is required by the state to file a technology plan that they did, subsequent to that they have had to re-file that plan because the state needed a technology plan to be filed in a different formant. He presented the following:
· Norwalk Public Schools – Revised Technology Implementation
Schedule March 19, 2004
· Background
· Assumptions
Ms. Bain joined the meeting at 7:20 pm.
· Implementation Goals
Dr. Corda drew the attention to the fact that they are working with a budget of approximately a little over $1 million. Given the fiscal constraints that they are dealing with and the recommendation that has been made to the Mayor was that in terms of the capital fund, they would not make requests for additional computer equipment. He said they considered it to be more important to use the dollars for the purchase of textbooks; their emphasis needs to be more on professional development throughout the district.
· Projected Capital Spending
· Current Hardware as of March 1, 2004
· Proposed Hardware implementation June 30, 2004
· Proposed Hardware Implementation 2005-2006/2006-07/2007-08/2008-09
Mr. Poruban asked if there was any breakdown regarding the types of processors that are being used.
Mr. Reichenbach replied that they have a complete inventory of everything by speed etc.
Mr. Poruban asked if this would eliminate PTO’s having to purchase them on their own.
Dr. Corda replied that they would expect that given the commitment the city has made, it would obviate the need for the different PTO’s – they very much appreciate the work that they do, but this needs to be the responsibility of the school system.
Mr. McQuaid asked about the schools that have equipment that has not been hooked up; what would happen to it. He gave an example of a video system.
There was some discussion on the video system.
Dr. Corda said that they would be happy to re-visit any money that had been
allocated but not used.
Mr. Reichenbach added that there is older equipment in the schools that is not connected to the network; they intend to leave them operational as stand alone units for students to be able to learn to type on etc.
Mr. Hilliard asked about the schedule for Briggs School and why a number of rooms were not allocated.
Mr. Reichenbach said when Briggs was originally designed there was a certain allocation of computers into that school. So they were given a number of computers so it was done by number of computers, not rooms.
Mr. Krummel indicated that it is commonplace in the life of computers for the half-life of a PC to be five years, in looking at the current hardware, many of the schools are 50-60% complete. The PC’s in there are up to four years old and yet looking at 2004/05 there is no replacement program for these.
Dr. Corda stated that the intent is to try and add to the inventory of the equipment that they have until they reach the point where they have the target number; that is when the replacement would begin. If they are able to continue with this, it will begin to correct itself over time; in a sense by adding they are in fact replacing older equipment.
Mr. Reichenbach noted that they have spent quite a bit of money on additional memory, as they can get it at a good price now. This way they can get another year or so out of the older machines.
Mr. Miklave joined the meeting at 7:37 pm.
Mayor Knopp agreed with conclusion that the priority has been to shift the focus to professional training. He asked what kind of progress is underway for professional development.
Dr. Corda responded by saying that eighteen months ago, the district was involved in some efforts with some people, who appeared to be working parallel. They put together a group called the Technology Advisory Group (TAG) and the members of that group represented the schools and the community. The intent of that group was to examine where they are relative to the implementation of technology and to help formulate a plan that would concentrate less on the acquisition of technology. The group divided into a number of sub-groups and helped to provide a more unified approach. They then took the step that was somewhat different and unusual, but given the circumstances, they decided that they wanted to implement a concentrated effort at the elementary schools to try and bring as many resources as possible to the implementation of technology to see what lesson they had learned from that effort. The recommendation of the committee was to use two sites, one elementary school with a stand-alone lab and the other elementary school with a mobile lab. As a result the schools submitted a proposal as to why they should be considered one of the pilot schools; Cranbury and Naramake Schools were selected. Dr. Corda stated that he was pleased to share the fact that they have made significant progress with the utilization of technology in both of those buildings and also in professional development that has been brought to the teachers in a time of need.
The Mayor asked if there were goals or benchmarks in the coming fiscal year.
Dr. Corda replied that they did and among the goals is a checklist of skills that they expect every teacher to demonstrate and a list of skills for students to demonstrate in terms of being use application, they also expect email to be used on a more widespread basis throughout the district.
Mayor Knopp asked if there was a plan to add these skills to the other elementary schools.
Dr. Corda said what happened in terms of the pilot schools was that they had developed the standards before hand and their goals was to see a more a concentrated effort. What they are learning is that there needs to be classroom time for teachers in how to use PowerPoint, spreadsheets etc. however, the most effective mechanism of staff development is to actually work in the classroom, right along side the trainer.
Dr. Corda presented a program for the middle school entitled Family and Consumer Sciences.
At this point Dr. Corda introduced Laurie Given, a middle school teacher.
Mr. Kimmel joined the meeting at 7:47 pm.
Ms. Given said one of the reasons they liked this program was that it allowed opportunities for students at all levels as not every student goes to college. Another thing to consider is two of the resources in Norwalk, one being the community college and the other is Gibbs College. One of the things is nice that if a student has a particular interest they can select some of the units.
Mr. Krummel referred to Dr. Corda’s comment of this being a hands-on approach and he asked for a describe of how this happens.
Ms. Given replied that it depends on the composition of the class. Once the students have selected the modules that interest them they are paired together, or as an individual and they go through the module at their own rate. Each student would have the necessary materials and a booklet to follow through.
Mr. Krummel said with regard to food preparation, is any actual cooking done. Ms. Given said that there is and from experience in her own classroom, the kitchens remain on one side of the room and go to the other side to use the computers.
Mr. Coffey joined the meeting at 7:54 pm.
Mr. Kimmel asked what other kind of computer programs did they look at and what kind of consumer science already exists at the high school.
Ms. Given said there is a child development class being run at the high school at this time but suggested the question be taken up with Tony Daddona.
Ms. Williams joined the meeting at 7:57 pm.
Ms. Given said they had looked at another company but after viewing this one they were convinced that it was the right one.
Mr. Kimmel asked about other subjects such as marine biology (for example).
Dr. Corda noted that this was part of the curriculum revision process. They did not want to replace what existed, more to add to it.
Mr. Kimmel said he would hate to see children at the middle school level get interested in something and not be able to pursue it at the high school level.
Dr. Corda indicated that the creation of courses stems from student interest. If what they learn in terms of student interest with these programs suggest they can expand their repertoire of courses at the high school, then that is something they could pursue.
Mr. Poruban said as far as staff, he asked what is their feeling on the course.
Ms. Given replied that she and the two other teachers are very enthusiastic. She said she saw this as an advantage to Norwalk to attract a teacher.
Mr. Hempstead joined the meeting at 8:03 pm.
Mayor Knopp thanked Dr. Corda and Ms. Given.
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V. ADJOURN.
** MR. HILLIARD MOVED TO ADJOURN.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY VOICE VOTE.
The meeting was adjourned at 8: 05 pm.
ATTEST: _____________________________________________
Pam Stark, City Clerk
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