North Branford Board of Ed Meeting Filled with Ups and Downs

The Board of Education (BOE) meeting started with good news on Aug. 18 as Director of Curriculum and Instruction Sara Querfeld outlined Connecticut Mastery Test results for students in grade 1 to 8, saying “We’re thrilled with the growth in some of the areas, though writing in grades 1 to 8 will be an initiative throughout.”

Full details on the students’ progress will be posted next week, but Querfeld reported a number of highlights as students continue to improve.

North Branford High School Principal Todd Stoeffler and Assistant Principal Carter Welch then noted the progress in the advanced placement courses and a presentation on the .

With the ending today, Superintendent Scott Schoonmaker commended Lauren Barry, who “has done a fabulous job.”

Shannon Miscio of the Communications Committee reported the board had received several inquiries about attending. Addressing the issue, both Schoonmaker and Don Winnicki, director of business and personnel, said they were unaware of any non-residents attending last year or in the upcoming 2011-12 school year.

As the board recently hired a new policy attorney, many of the district’s policies are being reviewed at this time and Miscio said “the policy is not going to be discussed at this time or in the near future as no non-resident students are enrolled.”

Several other policies were approved at the meeting. For a list of the policies reviewed and approved, click here.

After the regularly scheduled items, visitors stood to make comments. Two questioned items in Schoonmaker’s contract, including a meal and car allowance, while another expressed frustration with the board’s decisions in closed sessions.

Several community members then stood to voice frustration over the decision , who had served as athletic director for the past 20 years (story to follow). The board had no comment on whether a new athletic director has been hired as it is a “personnel issue.”