Connecticut State Board of Education
Connecticut Technical High School Committee
Middletown

Minutes of Meeting
October 11, 2006

Pursuant to notice filed with the Secretary of the State, the Connecticut Technical High School Committee met on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at the Connecticut Technical High School System Central Office in Middletown, CT.

I.       Present:        Mr. Donald Coolican
                             Mrs. Theresa Hopkins-Staten
                             Dr. Alice Carolan

Chairperson Coolican called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

II.      Executive Session - None

III.     Consideration of Minutes of the May 10, 2006 CTHS Committee Meeting

Ms. Hopkins-Staten moved, Dr. Carolan seconded, that the Committee approves the minutes of the May 10, 2006 meeting.

                   VOTE:           In Favor:       Coolican, Hopkins-Staten, Carolan
                                      Opposed:       0
                                      Abstained:      0
                                     
IV.      Public Participation - None

V.       Consent Agenda - None

VI.      Items for Connecticut Technical High School Committee Action

          a)  Policy on School-Based Health Centers at Connecticut Technical High Schools

The State Department of Education supports the provision of comprehensive school-based health services to all students in Grades 9 through 12 through School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) with parental permission in those Connecticut Technical High Schools where these services are available.  These services will include primary health care, physical examinations, immunizations, reproductive health information, diagnoses and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, individual and group health education and referrals to community-based services for health care outside the scope of the school- based health center.  Service would be provided by a full-time APRN.  This service is in addition to the school nurse who maintains the overall responsibilities of providing first aid, conducting physicals for students who play sports, and record keeping, data collection, etc.  There will be no cost to students or the CTHSS.  Concern was raised by committee members on the school keeping information from the parent.  The committee directed revising the consent form to include dual signatures of parent and student and to revisit this item at its next meeting.   

                   VOTE:           In Favor:       Coolican, Hopkins-Staten, Carolan
                             Opposed:       0
                             Abstained:      0
                                     
          b.  District Technology Plan 2006-2009

The purpose of the District Technology Plan is to provide direction and vision in the use of technology as it informs instruction.  This new plan is written and woven around the integration of technology into all content areas with the purpose of improving instruction in both trade and academic areas.  Each school has a resident technical expert.  LAN Techs monitor and provide technical assistance.  Bullard-Havens has its own due to the school’s size.  The committee expressed concern that the report had grammatical errors, was unreadable and was frustrating to go through.  Mr. Campbell stated that conforming to the template provided was challenging.  Dr. Hughes stated the report would be edited and submitted to the SBE for action at its November meeting.      

                   VOTE:           In Favor:       Coolican, Hopkins-Staten, Carolan
                             Opposed:       0
                             Abstained:      0
                                     
VII.    Items for Connecticut Technical High School Committee Discussion

          a.  CAPT Results, NOCTI Technology Assessment Results, LAS Links Assessment Results

For the past two years, the test scores of tech students have been positive and uplifting.  The CTHSS recognizes that all of the tech schools need to be successful and that “we have a long way to go.”  The system has five Title I schools – Wright Tech has not made AYP, Bullard-Havens is off the list, Prince and Goodwin Tech are in safe harbor, Whitney did not make AYP.  Dr. Hughes identified a promising practice which we will look to replicate: Bullard-Havens has an English and math assessment for all 9th graders during the summer which is used to identify student need at the beginning of the school year.  Dr. Hughes also pointed out that taking NOCTI is now a graduation requirement.

          b.  Location and Time – Future Meetings

The committee agreed to hold the next 3 meetings as follows:

November 8th, Cheney Tech, Manchester
December 13th, Prince Tech, Hartford
January 10th, Stratford School for Aviation, Stratford

However, due to the schedule of the schools, the meetings will be held as follows:

November 8th, Stratford School for Aviation, Stratford
December 13th, Prince Tech, Hartford
January 10th, Cheney Tech, Manchester
      

VIII.   Report of the Superintendent

Dr. Hughes met with Interim Commissioner Coleman and Karen Flanagan of the Office of Legal and Governmental Affairs regarding Sheff vs. O’Neill.  Dr. Hughes proposed the following:

A magnet culinary arts school located in the greater Hartford area would be attractive to suburban and Hartford students in a number of ways.  

The magnet would be a two-year program, 11th and 12th grade, in which students would maintain enrollment in their local high school and participate in an intensive two-year immersion in the study of culinary arts.  They would also be able to meet their academic high school graduation requirements during the program and return to their local high school for participation in sports and other after school activities each day.  They would graduate from their local high schools.   

As part of their immersion in culinary arts, internships experiences in local restaurants and hotels would be included, providing students with real-life, challenging experiences.  For students who wish to pursue culinary arts in higher education, articulation agreements will be in place with CT Culinary Institute in Hartford, Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island and Culinary Institute of America in New York.

Interdistrict Grant - provide two, full-day eight week summer programs: Technology Camp for middle school students offered at two Technical High Schools, Cheney Tech in Manchester and Prince Tech in Hartford.  The Camp would provide a hands-on trade/technologies exploratory experiences for 6th – 8th grade students from Hartford and surrounding towns.  Students would rotate through a series of technologies such as culinary arts, information systems, automotive technologies, hairdressing, electronics and architectural drafting.

IX.      Public Participation - None

X.       Other - None

By unanimous consent, the committee adjourned its meeting at 11:00 a.m.