By David Fortier

It isn’t often the U.S. Secretary of Education makes an appearance at a local board of education meeting, but that is what happened last Wednesday evening, Dec. 6.

“Hi, Loren, this is Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you,” Cardona said in a video message presented on the screen at the Board of Education auditorium, addressing Loren Gonzalez, a Chippens Hill Middle school student who published a novel recently.

“You are an author, congratulations, and I know you are being recognized at the board in Bristol,” Cardona said.

His congratulations extended to Bristol Superintendent of School Dr. Catherine Carbone, the Bristol Board of Education, Gonzalez’s teachers and principal as well as her parents and teachers.

“I wish I could be there with you, Loren,” Cardona said, “but I have my own copy of the book and I am happy about that.”

Loren’s mother, Kara, is a second-grade teacher at West Bristol. Her father, Jason, is a teacher at Maloney High School in Meriden. They were both in the audience for the presentation, joined by grandparents Karen and Bob Jankavich.

From upper left, clockwise, members of Loren Gonzalez’s family watch as the young author discusses her novel with Bristol Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carbone at the Dec. 6 Board of Education meeting, Gonzalez on the agenda as posted on the screen at the meeting, and Gonzalez at the podium during her conversation with Carbone. | David Fortier

Bristol superintendent Carbone introduced Loren prior to Cardona’s message being aired.

“Loren and I have already practiced a few of these questions, so this isn’t going to be weird for her,” Carbone said by way of introducing the middle schooler.

“Loren, why and how did you get the idea to write a book called, ‘Together Forever’?” Carbone queried.

In response, the sixth grader said, “When I was in fourth grade, we read, ‘Out of My Mind,’ and I really liked the different personalities of the characters, and how they were all different, so I decided to put those ideas into my own book.”

Her grandfather said in a brief conversation after the presentation, “She would write the chapter and call that evening and say, ‘Gram and Gramps, I wrote another chapter.”

The young author said, also after the presentation in a brief conversation, that she gets her ideas from experiences she has. For others who would like to follow in her path, she advised, “Write what you like to write, write what you like to read.”

After the recognition portion of the meeting, board business included a checklist of items, including resignation, new hires and grants.

There was no public comment nor any new business.

Under building reports, Director of Facilities Peter Fusco reported that the costs for the Northeast Middle School project had increased from $89 to $102 million.

“We heard that there was value engineering that was conducted, right, but the numbers still ballooned 102 million so could you talk a little about what value engineering took place,” board chair Dante Tagariello inquired.

“We shaved $9 million in value engineering, eliminating some of the design features, in the building. specially one item that stands out is the tiled wall feature in the hallways that we feel this is a strong component that should still be considered,” Fusco said about the committee deliberations that shaved components from the initial project to keep the cost to $102 million.

He attributed the increases to anticipated labor increases and to the increase in material themselves. He said the state will pick up some of the costs, but how much was uncertain.

Prior to building reports under Deliberated Items/District Leadership Team Reports, over an hour was dedicated to a presentation by Atty. Jessica Ritter from Shipman & Goodman on the topic of “Legal Obligations of the Board.”

Ritter fielded questions as well as providing guidance on such subjects as public participation, the role of the chair, both for regular and special meetings, participation of board members who are not committee members in committee meetings and Freedom of Information requirements and record keeping.

The next regular meeting of the Bristol Board of Education is Wednesday, Jan. 3, in the auditorium.

“Together Forever,” by Loren Gonzalez is available from book stores and online. The paperback is published by Palmetto Books and is 80 pages.

A paragraph from the back book cover reads: “In this stirring narrative, ‘Together Forever’ unfolds the raw realities and endearing moments of Jo’s life, weaving a poignant tale of endurance and strength. Guided by the beacon of kindness, this heartwarming story inspires its readers to embrace diversity and to extend a hand of friendship to all, regardless of their differences.”

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