December 2023

Season’s greetings, Brookfield! In November, Town Hall recognized Sheldon Conn as our Employee of the Month. Sheldon is a man who'll stop at nothing to get the job done and always with a smile! He consistently embodies friendliness and kindness in all his interactions, showing his genuine concern for others. He's the type of person who repeatedly goes out of his way to be helpful. In a recent example, he spent two hours of his personal time to help change a flat tire for a colleague - a testament to his spirit and character. Congratulations and thank you, Sheldon!  



December brings a winter season brimming with festive cheer for holidays including Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve. I wish you and yours joy, peace, and good health for the remainder of this year and in 2024.

It has been my honor to serve Brookfield and its residents. Thank you.   

Tara

Tara Carr

First Selectman

Board of Selectmen Meeting

Monday, December 4, at 7:00 p.m., Meeting Room 133. The meeting agenda will be posted on the town website the Friday afternoon before the meeting and live-streamed and recorded for viewing.

The Brookfield Education Foundation Gala takes place TODAY, December 1st! Please join us in our largest fundraiser of the year as we raise funds to support our mission of providing resources for lifelong learning by Brookfield residents of all ages.

The SILENT AUCTION is now open for remote bidding. The auction closes at 11PM. Winning remote bidders will be notified on Saturday 12/2. 



Check out the great offerings here: BEF Gala Silent Auction. Instructions for how to bid are included in the auction catalog.

Public Works

Soon the snow will be falling. We are maintaining our plows and trucks and calibrating our salt spreaders. Our barn is stocked with salt and we'll be ready to go when the first flakes fall.

Assessor

If you no longer have your vehicle, please email our office the plate receipt and proof of what happened to the vehicle. For more information visit our motor vehicle page:

If you closed your business in town, instructions, forms, and information can be found on our website. 

Tax Collector

Supplemental Motor Vehicle Tax bills will be mailed toward the end of December. Second installment bills for real estate and personal property and motor vehicle supplemental bills are due January 1, 2024. The last day to pay is February 1, 2024. We will only accept cash up to $500. You may pay by check or through our payment portal. 

Please see our website page for additional information.

https://www.brookfieldct.gov/tax-collector

Call or email the office if you have any questions. tax@brookfieldct.gov or 203-775-7304

Town Clerk

Congratulations to our newly elected officers. To learn more about the results of the November 7, 2023 Municipal Election, please visit the Town Clerk’s Elections, Primaries and Referenda page.  

The Town of Brookfield is looking for volunteers to serve on the Conservation Commission.

This Commission identifies and prioritizes available and desirable areas for purchase as open space properties and determines the use of such properties. Their mission is to enhance the overall quality of life of current and future residents of the Town of Brookfield by providing the ability to enjoy the natural environment. 

The Conservation Commission consists of volunteers serving four-year terms. They meet the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. (due to holidays, this is subject to change).

Please contact the Land Use office at 203-775-7316 if you're interested in joining or have any additional questions.

Decorating homes and businesses is a long-standing tradition around the holiday season. Unfortunately, these same decorations may increase your chance of a fire.

• Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns. Make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be knocked down easily.
• Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.
• Inspect holiday lights each year before you put them up. Throw away light strands with frayed or pinched wires.
• Read the manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect.
• Water your Christmas tree every day. A dry Christmas tree can burn very hot and very fast.
• Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles or heat vents. Also, make sure your tree does not block exits.
• Get rid of your tree after Christmas or when it is dry.

Holiday Fire Safety Facts:

Did you know … More than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles.

Did you know … More than two of every five decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source.

For additional fire safety information, contact the Brookfield Fire Marshal's Office:

Phone: (203) 775-7306

Email: fire@brookfieldct.gov

Be sure to follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrookfieldFMO

Basketball registration is now open for boys & girls leagues in grades 1 – 12. Leagues for Grades 1-5 begin 12/2/23 and leagues for grades 6+ will being on 1/6/24. 

Click here for details and registration for grades 1 – 5. 

Click here for details and registration for grades 6+.

Home for the Holidays Light Tour! Are you planning on a festive decoration of your home or property this winter? Share your hard work with our community!

Sign up to be part of the Home for the Holiday Light Tour by registering here.

Click here or the link below to read the Holiday Edition of the Brookfield Broadcast District Newsletter: https://www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/pages/brookfield_broadcast_newsletter_winter_2023_0.pdf

Below are the Three Main Points from the regular Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, November 15, 2023:

1. Annual Reports: Multilingual Learners & Class Size

Ms. Katherine Abrego, K-12 MLL/World Language Leader, delivered the district's annual Multilingual Learners report. As of the beginning of October, the district had 114 multilingual learners across all three schools. The breakdown by school is CLES (73), WMS (23), Brookfield High School (18). The 11 languages spoken in the homes of Brookfield students include Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, German, Malayalam, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese. Portuguese and Spanish are most prevalent.

To hear Ms. Abrego's report, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-iYBHidhtzg?si=NsAPzEDNVYMixEs0&t=3216

Multilingual Learners Report:

www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/pages/2023-2024_ml_el_report.pdf

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Anna Mahon delivered the annual Class Size report. At CLES, all classes are within the BOE acceptable range with the exception of kindergarten, where teachers requested full-time paraprofessionals in each classroom rather than the addition of another section of kindergarten which would have created smaller class sizes. Dr. Mahon reported that WMS classes are appropriately sized in grades 6-8. Class sizes for PE and Health are slightly above target due to scheduling adjustments. Mr. Renda is looking at how to address those overages for next year. At BHS, class sizes are continually in flux based on elective selections. Business classes are very popular electives and all of those classes are currently above target.

To hear Dr. Mahon's report, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-iYBHidhtzg?si=9Nd4qNJzQpWtfkL5&t=3509

Class Size Report: http://www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/pages/exh_h_boe_class_size_report_2023.pdf

Dr. Mahon also reported on this year's Homeschooled students. Currently, 29 students (from 24 families) are being homeschooled (up 1 from last year). Fifth grade has the most homeschoolers, with six.

To hear Dr. Mahon's report, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-iYBHidhtzg?si=ilkwRe4AIVhxzLNz&t=4167

2. Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) Program Review Phase II

Dr. Dana Corriveau from CREC delivered a Special Education Out-of-District Placement Review, which also included the district's Enrichment Learning Center (ELC) and Social Emotional Enrichment (SEE). The analysis is based on data collected from July to September 2023, and included meetings with district leadership, interviews with faculty and families, document reviews and focus groups. CREC reported that Brookfield has very strong school-based teams and strong Special Education leadership and focus, particularly since recent changes in leadership. Opportunities for improvement and enhancement include developing an annual professional learning plan specific to team member roles; exploring additional opportunities for family involvement, training, and support specific to the needs of students regarding in-district programs; and providing opportunities for teams to collaborate vertically PreK-12 across schools.

To hear Dr. Corriveau's full report, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-iYBHidhtzg?si=OlC7yXMwLs6yZAGZ&t=4353

CREC Presentation Slides: http://www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/uploads/brookfield_presentation_11.15.23_1.pdf

CREC Detailed Report:  http://www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/uploads/crec_phase_2_brookfield_program_review_report_11-15-23.pdf

3. District Calendar

Dr. Barile reported on work done over the past month in response to requests to incorporate two Muslim holidays (Eid-al-Adha and Eid-al-Fitr) to the proposed 2024-2025 district calendar. Dr. Barile performed an attendance review of employees and students who took time off for religious observances last year. He also executed a survey with CAPSS (Connecticut Association of School Superintendents) asking for feedback on whether their district observes Muslim holidays and, if so, do they close school. Of the 86 districts that responded,18 recognize Muslim holidays, and eight of those recognize Muslim holidays by closing school. Dr. Barile also consulted with the district's legal counsel and convened meetings of the Calendar Committee and District Leadership Team to provide a recommendation. The Calendar Committee did not recommend adding days off to the calendar, and that recommendation was supported by the District Leadership Team. After a lengthy discussion, the Board voted unanimously to approve the proposed district calendar without the addition of Muslim holidays, but urged that the district incorporate the recommendations of the Calendar Committee as follows:

• Homework will not be assigned on the evenings of significant religious holidays or due the day after.
• No tests will be scheduled on such religious holidays or the day after.
• Appropriate adjustments will be made regarding deadlines of other assignments so they are not due the day after a religious holiday.
• Teachers will make adequate provision for students to make up any class assignments missed due to excused absence for religious holiday observance.
• Every effort will be made to not schedule special activities during these periods.

In addition, the calendar will include a list of significant religious observances of the major faiths represented in the United States. 

School Calendar: 2024-2025: 

http://www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/pages/final_after_labor_day_2024_2025_school_calendar_approved_11152023.pdf

Religious Holiday Memorandum from Dr. Barile to the BOE: 

www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/pages/religious_holiday_-_follow_up_for_boe_11-15-23.pdf

The Board asked that these changes serve as a first step in addressing religious observances. The Board recommended that discussions and investigation into contractual obligations continue so that the 2025-2026 calendar may be more inclusive of other significant religious holidays or handle all holidays in a more equitable way.

To hear the Board's full discussion, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-iYBHidhtzg?si=yfsX0oAzrrclRXFR&t=7876

Click here to read the Brookfield Broadcast District Newsletter: https://www.brookfield.k12.ct.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4196/f/pages/brookfield_broadcast_newsletter_winter_2023_0.pdf

The Brookfield Arts Commission Presents:

Continued Featured Artist - Steve Habersang

Steve’s detailed pen and ink drawings are a mix of fantasy and realism with a focus on the natural world, animals, and portraits.

Please visit Town Hall to admire Steve's sketches. All sketches are available for purchase.

Brookfield Library

December at The Brookfield Library

The Brookfield Library has some wonderful holiday-themed programs to offer during the month of December! Read below and check out our Events Calendar for details here.

For kids, besides our storytimes, you can make Candy Cane Fluffy Slime in this month’s STEAM program, challenge yourself with a Candy Cane Maze for Science Explorers, or make ornaments or gingerbread houses. During the week of the school break, join us for the classic holiday movie Home Alone.

Our Adult Services Department has no fewer than four winter craft programs to offer, as well as a gift wrapping event, a charcuterie board class, along with our normal offerings of book clubs, a ukulele club, and an all ages board game night—with snacks! Snacks will also be provided when we show the classic movie, Charade.

Teens can work on writing projects with the Inklings group or join our new SciFi book club during school break.

Stop by and check out the Career Coach bus and learn Microsoft PowerPoint on December 18.

Young or old, all lifelong learners can find programs that will get them in the spirit of the season and ready to start the new year!

As with other Town Offices, the Library will be closed on Sunday, December 24 and Monday, December 25. While our building is closed, you can access our catalog and digital materials online.



Happy New Year to all of our patrons. We look forward to seeing you in 2024!

Reminder from the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA) - Tips for the Holidays

Holiday Lights and Electronics

Remember that broken holiday lights and unwanted electronics can go to our Electronic Waste Collection at the Danbury Mom & Pop Transfer Station for recycling.

REMEMBER: LITHIUM BATTERIES are DANGEROUS. They cause significant fires on waste collection trucks and at recycling facilities. NEVER place these items in your trash or recycling. Bring these items to the E-Waste Collection at the Transfer Station.

Choose to Reuse

If you're hosting a gathering with friends and family, opt to use reusable dishes, cups, and utensils. Reusable items make for a nicer presentation, and they don’t add to your overall trash. Single-use paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils are NOT acceptable in our recycling - they must go in the trash. 

Recycle Right

Gift giving is wonderful, but many of our traditional gift wrapping and gift bags are NOT acceptable in our recycling. Wrapping paper, tissue paper, decorative wraps/ribbons and gift bags belong in the trash. Consider using newspaper or brown packing paper as an alternative.