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Weathersfield BOE forms family, civic engagement team
By MARY SMITH
MINERAL RIDGE
The Weathersfield Board of Education has approved creation of a Family and Civic Engagement Team, which a new state law requires it to establish.
Family and community have been identified as key components in education under House Bill 1, which requires the formation of the teams at all school districts.
County-level teams have been in place for a while.
Local team members appointed were: parents, Kim Rouan; community, Kris Hodge; health and human services, John Hontula and Frank Smith; business, Angie Cameron; and school district, middle school principal Pete Santore.
Santore will head the group, and schools superintendent Damon Dohar said he will stop in on meetings. He added: “I am excited to work with a group of individuals who will be a help to the school and community as well.”
The teams are required by the new law to make sure that pupils get the support they need to graduate.
In other business, the board approved a temporary fiscal year appropriation for 25 percent of the previous year’s total of $2.577 million.
It also approved hiring Rose Hinks as payroll clerk at a salary of $32,900. Hinks had been assistant account clerk and will fill a spot vacated by the retirement of Marie Ransky. Hinks’ assistant account-clerk position has not been filled.
A group of concerned parents from the Mineral Ridge Little Rams questioned the board as to why the team has not been approved to use the varsity football field for practices.
Dohar explained that he has to make sure that practice fields are available for the district’s own students. The Little Rams used the main field for practice last year.
Dohar said the main field was “pretty torn-up” last year because there was so much rain. He said he has to look at the game field and weigh the options before he approves its use again this year. There are still repairs needed on the main field, he said.