2026-11-04 - Youth Committee

46:29Not There.

50:31I usually feel what is going on over

50:33there.

50:35>> What's going on? feel quite

50:48>> that's why I brought the dog so I can

51:03>> All right,

51:03>> I'm tired. It was funny that that kid

51:05was one of the

51:06>> R.

51:09>> All right, we're good to go. We're about

51:11to start. Committee members,

51:13>> look at us.

51:14>> So, we're going to get started now.

51:16Thank you for your patience.

51:20>> We will now call this meeting to order.

51:23City of New Haven meeting agenda.

51:28Meeting can be viewed on board of alers

51:30YouTube. Board of Alders New Haven

51:33notice. The Youth Services Committee

51:35will meet in person on Wednesday,

51:36November 4th, 2026 at 6 PM located at

51:41165 Church Street, second floor, Board

51:43of Alders Chambers, New Haven,

51:45Connecticut to hear and active on the

51:47following item LM-2026-0480

51:56resolution of the New Haven Board of

51:58Augers authorizing the City of New Haven

52:00Board of Education to accept a grant

52:03from Asphalt Green in the amount of up

52:06to $250,59520

52:12to support the Learn to Swim program for

52:14all third grade students in the school

52:16district. The item is on file and

52:19available for public inspection in the

52:20Office of Legislative Services, 165

52:23Church Street, New Haven. Per order,

52:26Honorable Kimberly Edwards, chair

52:29attest, Honorable Michael Smart, city

52:31clerk. If you need an accessibility

52:33related accommodation,

52:35please contact 203-9467651

52:40voice or 2039468582

52:45TTY in accordance with the city of New

52:48Haven COVID 19 guidelines. Masks are now

52:52optional. Public may send comments

52:54[clears throat] to public testimony at

52:56new havenct.gov.

52:58And we will now start our meeting. And I

53:01would just like to start by having

53:03members of the committee introduce

53:04themselves. And I will start from the

53:06right.

53:07>> Frank Betty, Alder, Ward 15. Julia

53:09Theodore, Ward One.

53:11>> Kevin Rodriguez, w six. Kimberly

53:13Edwards, Ward 19. All right. So, um, we

53:17would like to call up on our

53:19representative from the board of

53:21education

53:26and his extensive team. [laughter]

53:28Please stop me.

53:31work by the way.

53:32>> Thank you for being with us tonight. And

53:34we would just like to have you state

53:36your name and address for the record,

53:38please.

53:39>> Eric Barbaro, 415 Mulling Drive, Oxford,

53:43Connecticut.

53:45>> Thank you for being with us, Mr.

53:46Barbarito. So, um, just give us a little

53:50breakdown or summary of what this

53:52request is about and how we can get it

53:55moving for you.

53:55>> Okay. So, we received a grant for the

53:59New Haven uh school system physical

54:01education department to institute a

54:03learn to swim program that is accessible

54:07to all our third graders in the city. Uh

54:10we have pool several pools that we're

54:13going to use. Right now, we are using

54:15one pool. We just started today and this

54:17program will run through the end of the

54:19school year.

54:21Um we once we get um Hill House and

54:24Career just close to getting them ready,

54:26we'll get those going and we're going to

54:28cycle the kids uh through the schools to

54:31the pools

54:33based on their tier dismissal. So like

54:35right now this uh program we started

54:37with tier one schools that got our 225

54:40and we also started three late schools

54:42at 3:45. So we started with Nathan Hail

54:45today. Um

54:49Santano

54:50and East Rock. Those are early schools.

54:52And we started with

54:55Davis, Sheridan and Beer.

54:59Okay. So we also provide the

55:01transportation for the children to come

55:03from school to the pool and we ask the

55:06parents to come pick them up.

55:09Um, so in our grant we look for 250 if

55:14you want me to break down the costs or I

55:17don't know how but that's basically what

55:19we're getting the grant for for

55:21personnel transportation and then the

55:23fixed costs of workman's comp and all

55:26that stuff. So

55:29>> thank you. All right. I will introduce

55:32our committee members and see if are

55:34there any questions from members of the

55:35committee? questions, comments.

55:38Alderenti.

55:40>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, click

55:42Barbaro, how are the schools selected?

55:45>> We first Oh, all the schools are going

55:48to go through it. We decided to start

55:50with the earliest schools to get the

55:52program up and running. So, that's why

55:54we started with Nathan. So, that right

55:56now

55:56>> four blocks are 225 schools.

55:58>> No. So, that was the original schedule

56:00that we had put together. We had to make

56:03some modifications due to the number of

56:04kids that signed up. So, I went to these

56:07schools with flyers with a a QR code for

56:11parents to sign up. We have a database,

56:13send a permission form out and all that.

56:16So, we went with these schools first

56:18because they were the earliest. And then

56:20we chose um these schools um Davis,

56:24Beecher, and um Sharon. We were going to

56:26initially start at Hill House. They were

56:28closer to Hill House, but we couldn't

56:30get that pool up and going. We thought

56:32because these are third graders, we

56:34might be better off in the Martinez pool

56:35because that really is a training pool,

56:38but we will we are going to reconfigure

56:40this schedule because we were initially

56:41thought we were going to have the four

56:42pools, but Kant is offline. So, we

56:45definitely have to redo the schedule

56:48>> because I just wanted to know that none

56:49of the Fairs are

56:51>> there is a mistake on that and uh they

56:54are going to be totally included.

56:57>> That was a mistake on my part when I was

56:59putting this together in the spring. So,

57:01I apologize for the mistake.

57:02>> I just want to be able to answer what

57:04people ask.

57:04>> Yes, they're they're definitely going to

57:06there's going to be a revised I'll have

57:07a revised schedule.

57:09>> Thank you, man.

57:10>> Thank you. Any other questions or

57:11comments? Are there data?

57:13>> So, the schools will, you know, have

57:16this for a three or four week period and

57:19then there's like a cycle. So,

57:22>> so like um this one's going to go a

57:24little longer because we just started

57:25today. We have we had yesterday off. We

57:28have next Wednesday off Veterans Day.

57:30Then there's early dismissal day. We're

57:32not going to go into Thanksgiving week.

57:34So with this cycle is going to be a

57:36little longer. They should get about 12

57:38lessons when it's done. Kids are having

57:40a lot of fun today. So couple sad kids

57:43because they forgot their suits. So but

57:45>> will this grant last through the school

57:47year?

57:47>> Through the school year.

57:48>> Yes.

57:49>> And this is a brand new program or this

57:50is

57:51>> this is brand new program in uh

57:53conjunction with yard. Was there any how

57:56did New Coastal students access swimming

57:58at that age before?

58:00>> I they probably did not have access. So,

58:03we want our kids to learn how to swim. I

58:05think this is the appropriate age so

58:06they can enjoy in the summertime or go

58:08to a swim pool so it's safe. Yeah.

58:11>> We want kids just jumping in the pool

58:12because we had a summer program this

58:14year. Um it's a it was the enrichment

58:16program for the summer school and we had

58:19grades K through four and we were at the

58:23Hill House Pool and we really couldn't

58:25put the kindergarten kids in the Hill

58:26House pools too deep. We did a sprinkler

58:28for them but you when you watch the kids

58:31in the pool we know they need to learn

58:33these skills so they can be safe and

58:34enjoy the water like anybody else.

58:37>> That's amazing. Um, I guess my other

58:39question as someone who's on the

58:40education committee, I know we have a

58:42lot of pools in the city that are not

58:45up to

58:46>> they're not online.

58:46>> They're not they're not usable.

58:48>> Have you all talked about that as we've

58:51built out this program and got this

58:53funding? And how can we use this

58:57initiative as fuel to be like, we got to

58:59get these other pools fixed up?

59:00>> Well, we we definitely had talked about

59:02the pools that were because we thought

59:03Conte was going to be online and right

59:06now it's not. That's why we had four

59:08sites. So, that's why our schedule needs

59:10to change. Um, interesting. I'm hoping

59:13that the kids and the parents, they

59:15enjoy it so much that they're going to

59:16push for the pools to get open, but you

59:19that's out of our hands with the the

59:20cost of fixing those schools. So, the

59:23pools, I mean,

59:25>> thank you so much for being here. Thank

59:26you, Madam Chair.

59:27>> Thank you, Alder Rodriguez. Thank you.

59:29And thank you so much for your

59:30presentation. I'd like to hear because

59:32you're you're very energized and it

59:34sounds like the parents also with the QR

59:37code and and how you made it so easy to

59:40alert the families to jump on. Um what

59:45was the the response when you sent this

59:48out?

59:48>> We got it pretty quick. So I brought it

59:50on a Friday and uh about two weeks ago

59:53and by that Monday we had about 30 kids

59:57sign up pretty quick. We had some other

1:00:00kids of other ages, but it was for third

1:00:02graders, so we couldn't. And then we are

1:00:05offering if the parents from the charter

1:00:07schools want to be part of it. As long

1:00:09as they bring the transportation to the

1:00:11kids to the pool, it's open for them

1:00:13too. We want everyone in the city to

1:00:16enjoy this.

1:00:17>> Thank you so much for that information.

1:00:19Appreciate it. And your energy as well

1:00:21on wanting to um have a successful

1:00:26um swimming lessons. And it's so so

1:00:29needed. Um, you know, a lot of kids in

1:00:32our city don't get the opportunity to

1:00:35get the swimming lessons. And I can say

1:00:37as a child, you know, you went in ankle

1:00:42ankle ankle knee deep, but you know, you

1:00:46we didn't learn how to swim. So, I thank

1:00:47you because my children all know how to

1:00:50swim because of the school system. And

1:00:52so, thank you so much for your energy

1:00:53and what you guys are doing and bringing

1:00:55in more families. We also have a bicycle

1:00:57program we're running in the second

1:00:58graders, but that's during the school

1:00:59day. So,

1:01:01>> thank you. [laughter]

1:01:02>> Thank you, Madam Chair.

1:01:03>> No problem. Um, I do have one question,

1:01:06and you may have stated this.

1:01:08>> Um, you said you got 30 signups like

1:01:10ASAP. How many students right now?

1:01:13>> I know you just started today, but how

1:01:15many do you project are going to be with

1:01:17this first round?

1:01:18>> I probably think we'll have around 40 41

1:01:22because there were some kids on the list

1:01:24that weren't there. There were a couple

1:01:25that came off, but we're going to

1:01:28continue. If people want to come and

1:01:29kids want to be part of it, we're going

1:01:31to take them. It's just a matter of

1:01:33getting them on the bus at the end of

1:01:35school.

1:01:36>> Thank you. And I'd just like to note for

1:01:39the record that we have from 120 has

1:01:42joined us, Alder Mack.

1:01:45All right. Any other questions or

1:01:47comments at this time? No.

1:01:53All right. All right. So, seeing no

1:01:55questions or comments, you want to wrap

1:01:57up with anything or are you good to go

1:01:58with us?

1:01:58>> I think I'm good to go. I'm good.

1:02:01[laughter]

1:02:01I'm good to go. I'm good.

1:02:05>> Oh, I should have said it that way.

1:02:08However, all right. Well, we thank you

1:02:10for being here with us this evening. Um,

1:02:13and you may proceed.

1:02:16>> Thank you. Appreciate it.

1:02:18>> Thank you.

1:02:18>> Have a great night, guys.

1:02:19>> You too. So I am going to now

1:02:25open.

1:02:30So are there any members of the public

1:02:33wishing to comment on this item tonight?

1:02:37I'm going to ask it anyway.

1:02:39>> Are there any members of the public

1:02:41wishing to comment tonight?

1:02:44For the final time, are there any

1:02:46members of the public wishing to comment

1:02:48on this item tonight?

1:02:50Seeing none, a motion is in order.

1:02:54Madam [clears throat] chair,

1:02:55>> I make a motion we close the public

1:02:56portion. Second.

1:02:58>> All right. Thank you. We are now going

1:03:00to close the public portion. All in

1:03:01favor close the public portion.

1:03:03>> I thank you. All right. Public portion

1:03:06is now closed. Um any discussion on this

1:03:10item? On the theater.

1:03:12>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I think this is

1:03:14fantastic. are young people learning how

1:03:16to swim is so crucial and everyone's

1:03:20like I'll read a story about a young

1:03:22person drowning who doesn't know how to

1:03:24swim and I think that's just a failure

1:03:26of our communities and cities and we

1:03:28need to keep offering young folks these

1:03:30opportunities and so this

1:03:32[clears throat] is fantastic I thought

1:03:33what he was saying about the is it the

1:03:36ki pool not not being up to code that's

1:03:39a real shame and that's what we're

1:03:41talking about every month the education

1:03:43[snorts] committee but we should just

1:03:45use this as more fuel to be like, we got

1:03:47to get these things built.

1:03:48[clears throat] This is unacceptable. We

1:03:49have this grant funding. We have this

1:03:51opportunity to serve all these different

1:03:52kids and our lack of maintenance for

1:03:57these amazing city resources we have is

1:03:59blocking these great things from

1:04:01happening and it's it's really sad and

1:04:03so um super excited about this speaking

1:04:07in support of it. Um but we'll keep this

1:04:09in mind as we proceed with education

1:04:11committee work.

1:04:12>> Thank you, Madam Chair.

1:04:13>> Thank you. And I may have done this a

1:04:15little out of order. Um, no one's

1:04:17calling me on it though, but I'll call

1:04:18myself on it. Um, do we have a motion

1:04:20for this item?

1:04:22>> Madam Chair, I have a motion we move the

1:04:23item.

1:04:24>> Second.

1:04:24>> All right. Any further discussion on

1:04:26this item? Or your discussion has been

1:04:28noticed for the record and order.

1:04:32>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, you know, I

1:04:35don't think any other school district

1:04:36has as many pools as we have. I think

1:04:39most only have one, if they have a pool

1:04:40at all. And um the fact that we have

1:04:44five schools and only two seem to be

1:04:47functioning properly is kind of a shame.

1:04:49And you know programs like this should

1:04:51be um common. We should have these for

1:04:55all the age groups and not just third

1:04:56graders. Our pools should be used all

1:04:58the time. So I think um this should be

1:05:02the rallying cry to put more pressure on

1:05:04the administration to find some money to

1:05:06fix those pools. I know um and I speak

1:05:09for myself, but I know a lot of my

1:05:10colleagues on the education committee

1:05:12were as mortified as I was to walk

1:05:14through Wilcross's pool

1:05:18um

1:05:19having graduated from there, having

1:05:22worked as a security guard in that pool,

1:05:24summer program at the pool, um and

1:05:27attended the pool as a job. It's it's a

1:05:29disgrace that we've let that pool get so

1:05:31bad. So, [clears throat]

1:05:33I'd like to see us invest in those pools

1:05:35again. Thank you, Madam Chair.

1:05:37>> [clears throat]

1:05:37>> No problem. Any other comments or

1:05:40discussion on this item?

1:05:42No. Seeing none, a vote is in order. All

1:05:46in favor of approving um this item this

1:05:50evening um please state by saying I.

1:05:53>> I. Any opposed?

1:05:56>> Seeing none. This item has been

1:05:58approved.

1:06:02>> Madam chair, I make a motion we

1:06:05>> second. All right. All in favor of

1:06:07adjourning I.

1:06:09>> Any opposed? Seeing none, we are now

1:06:12ajourned. Thank you.

1:06:15[clears throat]

1:06:18>> Lovely.

1:06:22It happens.

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