Region 20 Board of Education: Minor Decrease in Enrollment, State Assessment Scores Reviewed

10/15/2026 7:00 p.m.

Present: Chair Tiffany Parkhouse. Vice Chair Ashley Westfall. Secretary Ashley Hall Daddona. Treasurer Billie Jean Sideris. Members Susan Wheeler, Sharon Mahieu, Margaret Hunt, Kara Cruoglio, Josh Szwed, Diane Barnes, and Rob DeLayo.

Absent: Scott Pottbecker.

Chair Tiffany Parkhouse opened the meeting by reviewing upcoming meeting dates for the Region 20 Board of Education. Members approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from prior meetings, field trip approvals, and the appointment of two new hires, on a motion by Margaret Hunt and a second by Treasurer Billie Jean Sideris.

Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Villar reported that the new parking lot at Lakeview High School had opened that week. He also summarized a recent meeting of the Technology Advisory Committee, which discussed student cellphone use and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Villar reported that the Committee’s work had already led to the district purchasing Securly, a service that allows families some control over devices, and removing student access to YouTube in grades K-8.

Following up on previous discussions about classroom observations, Villar reported that principals had conducted 404 drop-in observations and provided written feedback to teachers.

“I’m certain our teachers enjoy the feedback that they’re receiving,” he said.

Villar presented enrollment figures as of Oct. 1, reporting a decline of 38 students across the region. He also reported an average daily attendance rate of 96% across district schools, identifying Sept. 25 and Oct. [9], each the day before a long weekend, as dates with lower attendance. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate was 13.9%, which Villar described as a “rolling number.”

The superintendent then reviewed the district’s 2025-26 state assessment results. In English language arts, 66.3% of students in grades 3-8 and 73.25% of students in grade 11 met or exceeded expectations. In mathematics, the corresponding figures were 61.9% for grades 3-8 and 35.6% for grade 11. In science, 62.8% of students in grade 5, 71.4% in grade 8 and 40.5% in grade 11 met or exceeded expectations.

Villar discussed factors that may influence the results, including the implementation of new curricula, and emphasized the importance of continued improvement.

Randy Zelensky, the District’s Elementary Intervention and Instruction Coordinator, presented an update on the implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). The program’s focus this year is literacy in kindergarten through grade 3. Zelensky outlined how students are identified for support, the small-group interventions are provided, and the process used to determine when students are ready to exit the program.

Lakeview Athletic Director James Parker presented a proposal for Lakeview High School to move its athletic teams from the Berkshire League (BL) to the Naugatuck Valley League (NVL). Parker noted that Nonnewaug High School planned to leave the Berkshire League, which would leave Lakeview and Region 7 as the league’s only Class M schools. He raised concerns about the level of competition and the ability to schedule contests with other small schools in the league.

Parker said his goal was to submit an application to the NVL by its Dec. 1 deadline.

Chief Financial Officer Julia Cardillo presented an unaudited review of the fiscal year 2026 budget. She reported a surplus of approximately $1.5 million, with $845,000 allocated to the reserve account and $646,000 applied to prior-year deficits. Cardillo also provided updated estimates of the amounts owed by each town to address the deficit associated with Region 20’s first operating budget.

The Board acted on one additional item: accepting a donated saxophone for Plumb Hill Middle School. The motion was made by Sideris and seconded by Kara Cruoglio.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:04 p.m. after a motion by Sideris and second by Cruoglio drew a unanimous vote.

The Board’s next scheduled meeting is to start at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at Lakeview High School, 98 Wamogo Road, Litchfield.