The most pressing topic of the evening involved multiple parents airing grievances about their children’s special education services. A particularly notable moment came when Ms. Porter detailed her son Gregory’s struggles within the school environment. She described ongoing meltdowns and criticized the district for not adjusting Gregory’s placement despite clear signs that he was not thriving. Porter disclosed that her son had not received mandated speech services for nearly three weeks, which she termed a “break in services.” Frustrated with the lack of follow-up from district officials, she stated, “You guys are causing him irreparable harm,” and expressed her willingness to pursue legal action to ensure her son’s educational needs are met.

Another parent, identified as Amy Orti, shared her distress about the lack of support for her twins, who were diagnosed with autism and a chromosomal deletion. Orti recounted a troubling year at Bankbridge, where her children were allegedly physically assaulted multiple times without adequate support. She emphasized the educational setbacks her children faced due to the denial of Extended School Year (ESY) services, claiming, “I lost the summer of learning and now another half a year.” Her story underscored the severity of the issues related to the district’s special education services.

Parent Kelly Porter advocated for the creation of a Special Education Parent Advisory Group (CPAC), a state-mandated initiative aimed at fostering collaboration between parents and the school district to address systemic issues in special education. Porter emphasized the group’s potential to bring about long-term solutions, stating, “I’m pretty sure that we can bring results… create change not only for whatever individual situation but from now on that our kids can thrive.” Her comments highlighted a desire for constructive collaboration rather than adversarial relationships.

Other parents shared similar frustrations. One parent recounted the difficulties she faced in securing the necessary educational services for her children, noting that legal intervention was required for the district to address her children’s needs. She criticized the district for its handling of ESY services, which took a year and a half to secure, resulting in significant learning loss.

Further illustrating the communication issues, Dena Henry Suell criticized the board for not meeting previous goals regarding parent involvement and transparency. She expressed frustration at the lack of clarity and communication about a parent group for special needs children.” Suell’s comments called attention to the need for improved communication channels between the school district and parents.

The business administrator addressed procedural concerns during the consent agenda discussions, which included various financial items. One board member questioned the quality of asphalt paving, which was clarified to be micro resurfacing with a 10-year warranty. Another inquiry focused on the communication of financial transfers to high school students’ cafeteria accounts, emphasizing the importance of transparency with parents.

In old business, Dr. Denise Debasco was recognized for her service as the math supervisor, while Mr. Zack Wakeley was introduced as the new mathematics supervisor. This transition marked a administrative change within the district.

The meeting also featured public comments on ongoing legal services and potential lawsuits against the district, with concerns raised about the significant costs associated with these legal matters.