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COLCHESTER BOARD OF EDUCATION
Colchester, CT
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
February 28 ~ 3:30 P.M.
Special Education Conference Room
And Via Video Conference
MINUTES
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Alexander Oliphant, Donna Antonacci, Margo
Gignac, Christopher Rivers (A. Oliphant left the meeting at 5:25 PM)
ADMINISTRATION PRESENT: Superintendent Jeffrey Burt, Bacon Academy Principal
Matt Peel
OTHERS PRESENT: Board of Education Attorney Anne Littlefield, SRO Craig Scheel (via
ZOOM), Mother of Student A (via ZOOM), Attorney Jennifer Zito (via ZOOM), Attorney
Carolyn Dugas (via Zoom)
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Oliphant called the Expulsion Hearing to order at 3:35 PM.
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION – EXPULSION HEARING ON STUDENT A
Motion by: D. Antonacci
To move into executive session for the purpose of conducting an expulsion hearing.
Superintendent Burt, Principal Peel, SRO Scheel, Attorney Littlefield, Attorney Zito,
Attorney Dugas and Parent of Student A were invited to join the Executive Session.
Second: Margo Gignac
Vote: Unanimous
Roll Call: Donna Antonacci, Margo Gignac, Christopher Rivers, Alexander Oliphant
Public Session was entered at 9:23PM.
3. *MOTION(S) REGARDING OUTCOME OF EXPULSION HEARING ON STUDENT A
MOVED: The Board of Education hearing panel finds that the student who is the subject
of this hearing engaged in behavior that constitutes grounds for expulsion under state law
and Board policy. The Board directs Attorney Anne Littlefield to draft an expulsion
hearing decision consistent with its factual findings and conclusions as discussed by the
panel during its deliberations. On the basis of the Board’s findings, the Board of
Education expels the student who is the subject of this hearing from all school property
and all school-sponsored activities, for approximately one calendar year, commencing
February 2, 2022 and continuing through the last day of the first semester of the
2022-2023 school year. During any period of exclusion from school imposed by this
expulsion hearing decision, the administration shall provide the student with an
alternative educational opportunity, as determined by the administration in a manner
consistent with law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board permits the administration
to readmit the student to school on a probationary basis, no earlier than the first day of the
2022-2023 school year, if the administration determines, in its sole discretion, that the
student has complied with all Board policies and procedures pertaining to student
discipline during the alternative educational opportunity and the student has demonstrated
appropriate effort and attendance in the alternative educational opportunity. If the
administration decides to readmit the student, it shall be on a probationary basis. If, after
any probationary readmission, the administration determines that the student has engaged
in any conduct for which he could be expelled or suspended under Board policy, the
administration may re-impose the period of exclusion from school through the last day of
the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year, without the need to reconvene a Board
level hearing.
So Moved by: C.Rivers
Second: M. Gignac
Vote: Unanimous
Roll Call: Donna Antonacci, Margo Gignac, Christopher Rivers
4. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:27PM.
*POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM