[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6182597,"mediaKeyId","5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5","parentId",5103499,"title","District reports rollout of new teacher evaluation plan and professional development","audioSeconds",67,"startMs",12179000,"endMs",12246000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5&start=12179&end=12246","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5/thumbnail_12179000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6182597/Connecticut/District-reports-rollout-of-new-teacher-evaluation-plan-and-professional-development","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182597-2095b1026e75e74d9358be73a038ce7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183821&Signature=F4mGIVebgoptBtsFUY6aK175Pi~-IgfcVRvn3i1gt5EmIiJR95Q-Cm~BPTElmz8I3TWULi8eCPMoCLbe2dfAAe1zOQnNiMdcK3~1N-wSIZszLWwPJgMVmBmsQYrF~FwI1zj3wpt-woXNP4kqqK2EdoVz4dx24KZupdsyhesna2ThqSCpFtQSKuK9zASBtLxaejq2EDZmi1YSrzUJT1Ch28ajFkn6i4Qa04J7RoXJe7abybyZZ5xx~Iih8RXKkFEQk9BBTkPILVatzrwzjSAoGZSBr0wnsT60KzcUVxXYzY~nxlhTdqjETVooYh6P6MYXNu0DuERb3TgEooU49X1kjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wallingford School District","date","2025-05-30T14:44:41Z","article","The Wallingford school district presented its annual teacher evaluation overview to the Board of Education on May 29, describing implementation of a revised evaluation process and supporting professional development for staff.

Administrators said the board approved updated evaluation plans and the district implemented them this school year with training for certified staff. Central office leaders reported the program includes mentoring and induction supports: trained cooperating teachers hosted student teachers, and 11 mentoring teachers worked with beginning teachers (six in elementary schools, two in middle schools and three in high schools).

The curriculum office described this year’s professional development model: three full‑day PD sessions and eight early‑release days that include district‑directed and teacher‑led offerings. Sessions focused on curriculum implementation, high‑quality instructional strategies, social‑emotional learning and classroom technology. The district also offered teacher‑facing sessions on artificial intelligence and plans further AI‑related work for teachers and students next year.

Administrators said the evaluation and PD work is collaborative, built with the Professional Development and Evaluation Committee and administrative teams, and will continue to be refined.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting - May 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Wallingford administrators told the board the district implemented revised teacher and leader evaluation plans this year, trained cooperating teachers and mentors, and continued professional development including curriculum implementation and teacher‑facing AI sessions.","taxTitle","Wallingford School District, School Districts, Connecticut","taxId",38279,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182601,"Lyman Hall teachers describe student thrift shop and food pantry serving hundreds monthly",231,4968000,5199000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5&start=4968&end=5199","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5/thumbnail_4968000.jpg","/articles/6182601/Connecticut/Lyman-Hall-teachers-describe-student-thrift-shop-and-food-pantry-serving-hundreds-monthly","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182601-6b1ee949ce72e7daa2499e383e8ff939/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183821&Signature=ILk-S8aTUKt3YUAit8S4z5ATxMEi7saR2KNN5eLUsE6WZ~nLtsEc~I-VHivYO6ky11dsX9fc3bCOCclntLWANgyUW9ALzvWYyoUbJwUPp~rlbq4vzxw9DiZP8FMkUYu8bsd1gRQUOzYYHF7KW9NijUK30HqH-g2nKjJC3r-dhHCKUS33FC1x5U9nRJ3ShJHix7fCDL3-CAM607kyR-Xy9SrrHPYoybK~lnW1Z1b~or7aQ8UD8G7BbMf31O6~vSxHAvAWYfcP8ea4ECMhwDLmMiN65pDRHK6coJVeT77800rmn3KiAiyMMXG~6gHDlGo2qNfl8thcXGvsskhJKTkzmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lyman Hall staff told the Wallingford Board of Education on May 29 about a school‑run food pantry and a newly established thrift shop that serve students and families.

Social worker Christina Jensen and English teacher Jen Castelli said the pantry provides about 8 to 12 staple food bags to families each week; pantry items are supplied through staff donations and grant support from the Rotary. Castelli said the school asks families to return reusable grocery bags but noted the pantry accepts donations of extra bags.

The thrift shop, started in October with a Wallingford Education Foundation grant, operates as a free resource for high‑school‑age students. Castelli said the program averages roughly 150 items going in and out each month and sees about 145 student visits per month. Students may take up to 10 items per month at no cost. The shop has partnered with the National Honor Society for clothing drives and accepts high‑school‑sized donations; excess items have been directed to Project Graduation as part of a collaboration.

Staff said community support has included a $2,000 donation from Wayne Varneshi, and volunteers have helped staff the shop, including retirees and students in work programs. Administrators said other districts have expressed interest in the model and visit to observe.

Board members thanked staff for the initiative and asked for ways the district can continue and scale support where needed.","Lyman Hall staff told the board the school’s food pantry distributes 8–12 staple bags weekly and the thrift shop averages about 150 items in/out per month, serving roughly 145 students monthly; donations and Rotary grants fund operations.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182608,"Lyman Hall ag‑science teachers describe industry certifications, community partnerships",444,4499000,4943000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5&start=4499&end=4943","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5/thumbnail_4499000.jpg","/articles/6182608/Connecticut/Lyman-Hall-agscience-teachers-describe-industry-certifications-community-partnerships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182608-a56946d9eee8d4b6c128f7951975cfbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183821&Signature=nxh7GHs9dtipcm9Q34QM6mpC3~lHi-XLCUD3tG3GXRMcUKOFRECblBMTu9cE8V78VYyZ4dP7-6CWuF6qwGVAaNtDnM61lwfMTFwMK9KIb6mTbIw0o4Ufat5qnDapRGhKj1trOcqy86qSqrHAak-3kMTj-LBgsOiLRCiNLy~4D2nXHrc1p4LQr~pY~HRv8TAmMxUn8KHe5wkiYYrRXX36WAq1UpjviEYU-J5CVq8f5c1xLH2Yerm0vtnGfm2oKzTdxqqKCU15CYoxnXjuRb2gSe13sBqGKgClhvsIWjKvU7P-1UxZVpRUUgkcaT2NjPBpLd5AOv4f3oshqCfwpI81Aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lyman Hall ag‑science teachers briefed the Wallingford Board of Education on May 29 about a broad set of instructional and community partnerships that expand student access to industry certifications and hands‑on learning.

Teachers Casey Thousand and Shannon Russo, both alumni who now teach in Lyman Hall’s ag‑science program, described farm and animal care pathways, dual‑enrollment classes, and work with local conservation organizations. They told the board the program hosted an annual ag fair that welcomed about 2,000 visitors and that the work often requires teachers to arrive early and stay late to manage animals and equipment.

The program offers industry certifications and college credit in areas such as companion‑animal management and veterinary assistant training; teachers reported partnerships with Middlesex Community College and local veterinary clinics. The department also runs a dog grooming and daycare program, a land‑lab managed with the Southwest Conservation District, and student projects including installing wood‑duck boxes and removing invasive plants.

Casey Thousand credited community partners for supporting experiential learning: students volunteered nearly 60 hours at the Hungerford Nature Center; a local landowner provided 11 acres for hay production that yielded about 1,100 bales used to feed program animals; and students worked with Trout Unlimited and Connecticut DEEP on aquaculture and wildlife projects. Aquaculture teacher Mister Santiago also offers HACCP seafood‑safety coursework, Connecticut safe‑boating certification, and collaborations with the Sound School for oyster and lobster hatchery exposure.

Teachers said many of the program’s curricular and certification opportunities depend on teacher recertification and substantial out‑of‑hours work, and they thanked the board for supporting the program’s community‑facing events.","Lyman Hall ag‑science instructors told the Board of Education about dual‑enrollment courses, industry certifications, an ag fair that drew roughly 2,000 visitors, and partnerships with local farms and conservation groups.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182613,"Board hears data on field trips, says no student is barred for inability to pay",801,12598000,13399000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5&start=12598&end=13399","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5/thumbnail_12598000.jpg","/articles/6182613/Connecticut/Board-hears-data-on-field-trips-says-no-student-is-barred-for-inability-to-pay","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182613-58de5e7c26b43accf7eec78214de49d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183821&Signature=Do51z8wBgjC4UbhPoXMHrs2Esq1zBfyerMyeOHJVj9F7x~tYTki9MAz1uLzK6Jp-dLlbujaWXBjT99H~bVEsTnkf3XcWm~o6INV1Pdby6YtoyR9ed5ufFAAmk4vC4npkptkbVx4hhhqxhR5PaxF7XvwAB0k5iFsjSzL9KNEwZ0SopS488nYNmIDzkn-ylYEDZJhSVTB1LIDLqFJ-wXjkVlSXXiHIqEKZLq-TDA6~JZkc~HgcvHSmBspfEnFiCwntTgdyZG3mUE-aTHN9g87rtdfwtlSeCo8VLEs2ulY817YyaoTHDUrnx4YyRNxgZlYf~PxMxr1hAgq5BGNwFY1kTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wallingford school leaders told the Board of Education on May 29 that students are participating in hundreds of field trips and that families who cannot afford fees are supported by building funds.

Board member Missus Reinis raised concerns that some families believe field trips have been withheld and asked for district data and process clarity. Administrator Missus Latour provided the figures and said field trips resumed after COVID and the district moved to an electronic approval system.

Latour said the district recorded about 164 field trips between December and the end of the previous school year and had 244 field‑trip requests submitted so far this year. She supplied a school‑by‑school breakdown for the current year and warned that the request count can undercount some repeat dates because a single form may cover multiple outings.

Latour also said the district maintains building‑level funds to cover costs for students who cannot pay. \"No. ... we have accounts at each building for families who have some financial constraints and we, absolutely supplement those costs for them,\" she said when asked whether any child was denied participation due to cost.

Board members and administrators discussed why the district no longer runs certain long overnight programs such as Nature’s Classroom. Latour said the program was paused after COVID for logistical and budgetary reasons: high per‑student cost, difficulty finding chaperones, and the need to provide comparable in‑school experiences for students who did not attend. Since the pandemic, the district has emphasized local and state trips; administrators said international trips were suspended because of refund and logistical challenges during COVID and have not been resumed.

Administrators encouraged families with concerns about field‑trip frequency to contact classroom teachers and building principals; they noted that many in‑school enrichment experiences are alternatives to bus trips and that high school clubs and classes naturally run more outings than elementary classrooms.","Administrators told the board the district logged 164 field‑trip requests from December–June last year and 244 so far this year; officials said costs are subsidized when families cannot pay and that multi‑day international trips have been paused since COVID.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182618,"Wallingford board adopts institutional-neutrality policy after months of debate",1051,5814000,6865000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5&start=5814&end=6865","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5103499-2167ba0a8bd109b7e221f0d34b6abbe5/thumbnail_5814000.jpg","/articles/6182618/Connecticut/Wallingford-board-adopts-institutional-neutrality-policy-after-months-of-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182618-27f8c251ed3f201066e7413ac33df077/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183821&Signature=QrcxgPtk0DzK0zBfxY~8Oi7FB9qMKNEPjKhGmMBl1ShVoweKweGa9hahw8Rm9~oik5FX~4Tamyqwo1i5LHCOhVKtqmsXlCHfHDV0rqMT9GsBFesTV8LWUO-k7mJWl3NjJjvxhe1inEgxwifLkqXu1sekgZ-wpVxy5qg6hGZP7EtxUSYCM9Ye7WSTvf2qdu3KEFNBggKnqoxvy0FRocT550kr044c47GTczPXqOdL5DzuNQ0IaRYW4ASqnn7Sy91Dd3RJRvK-F6vjC0Ollx-satTPxNf1XSWw~PUF28MPN-wesOYRVgT8dIT52ipXsSx7lRtLEVXHNiBQ3qm1LE~5bA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wallingford Board of Education on May 29 approved a new institutional‑neutrality policy intended to keep district employees and representatives from taking official positions on issues not aligned with the school system’s mission.

Board members debated whether the guideline should be added to the district policy book or left as an unwritten practice before voting 5–3 to adopt the measure. The board’s vote followed an extended discussion in committee and at the full board about whether the policy is required by law or simply “good practice.”

Supporters said the written policy would make expectations clear for teachers and staff. \"It wouldn't hurt to have a little back, something written out,\" said Mister Vato, chair of the policy committee, arguing that a formal statement helps teachers teach \"how to think, not what to think.\" Superintendent Belizzi and administrators told the board the district already follows the practice in daily operations.

Opponents cautioned against accumulating policy entries for routine practices. Missus Reinis said she worried the district would begin adding policies for matters it already follows and preferred consistency with how similar items were handled. Doctor Reid moved to place the policy on the agenda for full board consideration; the motion was seconded and carried.

Administrator Missus Latour summarized the policy’s intent: \"The gist is that in matters that are not aligned with the school's mission and vision ... anyone associated with Wallingford Public Schools remains neutral, in terms of their position.\" Latour said two related policies the committee reviewed—on undocumented students and on school security—are rooted in statute and thus the district already follows them, while institutional neutrality is a non‑statutory, recommended practice.

The board approved the policy by roll call: Mister Doring (yes); Missus Reyes (no); Doctor Reed (yes); Missus Regan (no); Mister Ross (no); Missus Versace (yes); Mister Votto (yes); Doctor Roscoe (yes). The chair declared the motion carried.

The policy document will be posted with the district’s policies; administrators said it will not change day‑to‑day practice but will serve as a written reference for staff and the public.

Board members said language edits could be considered later; Missus Regan and others asked for careful wording so elected board members retain the ability to speak as private citizens about matters beyond the school district’s mission.","The Wallingford Board of Education voted to adopt a policy on institutional neutrality that directs district employees and representatives to refrain from taking official positions on issues not aligned to district mission; the measure passed 5–3 after a lengthy discussion about policy volume and elected officials' roles.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District reports rollout of new teacher evaluation plan and professional development

Lyman Hall teachers describe student thrift shop and food pantry serving hundreds monthly

Lyman Hall ag‑science teachers describe industry certifications, community partnerships

Board hears data on field trips, says no student is barred for inability to pay

Wallingford board adopts institutional-neutrality policy after months of debate