Windsor Locks Board of Education votes to expel student for one year after closed hearing

The Windsor Locks Board of Education voted unanimously on April 15 to expel Student E for one calendar year following a closed expulsion hearing and to adopt the administration's recommendations dated April 15, 2024, as amended.

Vice-Chairman Dennis Gragnolati called the special meeting to order at 4:41 p.m. and the board moved into executive session to conduct the student expulsion hearing and to preserve the confidentiality of student records. Board Member Alba Osorio made the motion to enter executive session, seconded by Board Member Lindsay Cutler; the motion passed unanimously.

Testimony regarding the alleged offense and the penalty phase was presented by Joshua Robinson, Director of Pupil Services, and Rachel March, Coordinator of Alternative Services. The administrators answered questions from board members during two rounds of testimony and the board recessed and reconvened twice during the hearing.

After an initial recess the board reconvened in public session and voted that "Student E did engage in conduct that violated Board Policy and [was] seriously disruptive to the educational process," a finding made by motion of Vice-Chairman Gragnolati and seconded by Alba Osorio. The board then returned to executive session to continue penalty deliberations.

When the board reconvened in public session again, a motion (moved by Board Member Lindsay Cutler and seconded by Alba Osorio) to accept and adopt the findings and to expel Student E from Windsor Locks Public Schools, including all school-related activities, for one calendar year was passed unanimously. The motion also adopted the administration's recommendations dated April 15, 2024, as amended; the recommendations themselves were presented during the executive-session testimony and are part of the record referenced in the board's action.

The board adjourned the special meeting at 5:54 p.m.