Interim Superintendent Ernest Perlini, along with several other central office administrators and elementary school principals, recently presented a detailed timeline for the consolidation and full-day kindergarten implementation process to the Board of Education.
Administrators delivered an 80-minute presentation of the process, broken down into ten categories needing to be addressed, including communication of the reorganization and plans to the public and employees, the design of the full-day kindergarten program, needs for the newly-formed primary and intermediate schools, special education services delivery, impact on students, staffing needs and reassignment planning, equity/parity for all students/schools, the transition process activity for parents and students, transporation arrangements and the Windsor as a community concept.
To trim the fat, the following is a list of important dates along the road to reconfiguration and full-day kindergarten, which is set to be in place for the 2012-13 scholastic year:
The following dates were presented by school administrators as a tentative schedule, not definitive dates of anticipated completion.
Visit full-day kindergarten programs to gather sample schedules and look at districts that have undergone a similar transition - June 1, 2011
Develop staffing and finalize enrollment projection figures for 2012-13 - June 15, 2011
Determine existing bus run length times, monitor bus arrival times, revise run lengths as necessary - June 30, 2011
Seek input from PTO presidents with regards to the consolidation process - June 30, 2011
Identify number of staff to be reduced (particularly secretaries, custodians and nurses) - July 1, 2011
Seek staff input to develop priorities for school schedules for the 2012-13 school year - July 21, 2011
Develop transportation start items based on input from contractor, transportation specialist, parents, teachers and principals - July 30, 2011
Meet with union leadership regarding staffing changes - Aug. 15, 2011
Determine if JFK, Oliver Ellsworth, Poquonock and Clover with form one PTO or individual groups, and if they will be PTOs or PTAs - Sept. 1, 2011
Meet with Wolcott employees - Sept. 15, 2011
Set up mock bus runs using transportation software - Sept. 15, 2011
Determine any unique transportation considerations for Pre-K - 2 students and 3-5 students - Sept. 21, 2011
Communicate placement of principals to school district and community - Sept. 22, 2011
Meet with staff at all five elementary schools - Sept. 22, 2011
Clarify the length of the school day and busing times - Oct. 1, 2011
Develop draft of teacher placement grid - Oct. 7, 2011
Finalize templates of standard PK-2 and 3-5 daily schedules - Oct. 9, 2011
Meet with employees subject to staff reductions - Oct. 30, 2011
Communicate placements to teachers - Oct. 15, 2011
Communicat placement to teachers (specialists such as art, library, music, etc.) - Nov. 11, 2011
Provide boxes, carts, etc. for moving and packing throughout the year - Jan. 10, 2012
Share a half-day kindergarten option with PTO and PTAs at Oliver Ellsworth and Poquonock - Jan. 20, 2012
Complete mission and vision statements at each school - June 1, 2012
Schedule and conduct kindergarten orientation and screening - May 1, 2012
Meet individually with employees subject to staff reductions - May 1, 2012
Move packed boxes and set in new location - Aug. 5, 2012
Move newly-purchased furniture in place - Aug. 15, 2012
Unpack and set up classrooms - Aug. 25, 2012
Allow students to enter school and begin breakfast program at 8:25 a.m.; first instruction period of the day scheduled at 8:45 a.m.; classes last until 3:10 p.m.; and discuss adjusting bus runs to accommodate an 8:45 a.m. instructional start - Aug. 30, 2012.
